It started with a scream. A feminine high pitched voice, shrieking.

Usagi remembered running, towards the source of the sound. She remembered thinking something couldn't have been wrong. They were in the safe zone after all.

How wrong she had been, because that's when she saw it as she stood in the town square.

A man in armor dangling above the ground. A noose around his neck, and a sword with what looked like thorns on its blade had been run through his chest. Usagi stared wide-eyed.

It was then her companions, well they were actually her lovers but that was a recent development and she was still processing it so right now they were her companions, but anyway it was then at that moment they caught up with her,

"Tsuki what-" the taller of the two women, who had short blonde hair started, but stopped as she followed Usagi's line of vision and saw what she was looking at.

Usagi's hands shook, and she told herself that everything was fine. This was a safe zone, nobody could die here.

Usagi watched as the man struggled to get free. But it was fine. He would be fine. He'd be fine. This was a town, a safe zone, a place where in this horrid game that was free of death.

But then the man screamed, and just liked that shattered. He shattered into thousands of multi-colored particles. He had…shattered. His avatar was deleted. He was gone. He was dead.

No.

No.

No.

That wasn't possible. That shouldn't be possible. This was a safe zone. He shouldn't have…yet he….

He…died. In front of their eyes. He was gone, his brain having been fried.

Usagi stumbled back, her breath heavy. She barely could process anything. The scene that just played out before her playing on loop in her mind. She felt arms wrap around her, whether they belonged to Umi or Sora she didn't know.

"Take a deep breath for me. Breath. I need you to breathe, Tsuki." She could hear Umi say softly, and she could feel the presence of hands on her cheeks. They weren't warm as nobody's avatars actually emitted heat. They weren't their real bodies after all.

"I need you to breathe. Look at me, please." Umi continued talking, and slowly Usagi turned her head to face the owner of the voice.

Usagi stared into the blue eyes of Umi's avatar, and looked at the green haired girl taking a deep breath.

"Nobody can die in the safe zone. You know that. There has to be something else going on here." Sora spoke, her arms still wrapped around Usagi.

"Yeah…yeah. You're right" Usagi finally spoke, her voice still shaking a bit.

"Come on, we'll figure this out." Sora spoke, her voice soothing.

_

Somewhere along the way they had run into Kirito and Asuna.

Michiru stared at them intently, she wouldn't say they were her friends. But they were definitely allies. Surprising Michiru it was Tsuki who spoke up first,

"Asuna, Kirito you're looking into the earlier m-murder in the safe zone right? Do you think we could help you as well?"

Michiru continued to stare at the two players, Asuna, mainly. Asuna could be cold at the best of times and plain rude at the worst. She understood it stemmed from Asuna's desire to clear the game. They all did. Michiru longed to have that life she once had back. Where she could always rely on its normality.

But there came a point where one started to wonder if they ever would get out of here. Michiru only bought Sword Art Online to play with Haruka.

Then they had been trapped with the prospect of death leaning over their heads. But…even still there were things she found here that were irreplaceable. Tsuki for instance part of her didn't want to leave because if she did she might never see Tsuki again.

Michiru had been talking to Haruka about giving Tsuki their real names so when they were finally free of this game. When they could finally take off the nerve gear, which was quite literally akin to a loaded pistol held up to their heads, they'd find each other again. Michiru loved Haruka, and she loved Tsuki too.

But anyway right now she glared at Asuna, as if to ward off any thoughtless words the other girl might say with her gaze.

Michiru watched as Asuna sighed,

"I suppose we could use all the help we could get. We're meeting up with Yolko at a restaurant tomorrow to get information. Meet us there if you want to help." Asuna's voice was curt, and cold.

Haruka replied to her rather quickly,

"I see. Well then we'll see you in the morning then. Have a good night."

With that Michiru turned, grabbing Tsuki's hand and starting to walk away from the other two players.

"Let's go home okay?"

Somehow that statement didn't feel untrue, because despite being trapped in a literal death game. She had two people she loved here so it felt like to her she had a home here.

Weird as it was, she was still grateful to Sword Art Online's existence because without it she would have never met her other lover.

_

Usagi sat on the edge of the couch in the apartment she shared with Umi, and Sora within Sword Art Online. She was just reminiscing on the day's events when she felt her avatar's hand being grabbed and lifted up. She turned her head, and saw Umi and Sora sitting next to her, and she smiled.

"Tsuki, we want to talk to you about something, okay?" Umi spoke, holding Usagi's hand tightly.

Usagi turned so she was fully facing the other two girls.

"Is something wrong?" Usagi asked, confused.

Umi shook her head, and smiled,

"No sweetie, nothing wrong. It's just we're not going to be trapped in this game forever. So…"

Usagi raised an eyebrow, having a hard time following where this was going. Of course she knew they weren't going to be in SAO forever. But why did that matter right now?

Umi continued to speak,

"So…since we're not going to be here forever. We want to give you our real names so when we're free of this game we can find each other again."

Usagi blinked, unsure if she heard them correctly. No, she was sure she had. But did they really want her around that much? Yeah…she loved them and they told her they loved her, but were they really sure they wanted to do that? To trust her with such information?

"Are…are you sure?" Usagi slowly asked, her eyes wide.

Umi smiled at her, leaning closer and left a quick kiss on Usagi's nose, before pulling away, and Usagi blushed.

"Yes, we're sure. We love you, and don't want to lose you." Umi spoke, smiling. It was a pretty smile.

"If you're sure…" Usagi said breaking eye contact with the other girls for a moment. Before looking back up at them, and realizing how lucky she was.

Without them. She probably wouldn't have lived this long. She was only here because of them.

Umi smiled,

"My name is Kaiou Michiru, and Sora's name is Tenoh Haruka."

"Those are pretty names." Usagi blurted out, not actually sure why.

Laughter. She heard Michiru laughing, it was a beautiful sound. Michiru then pressed her head against Usagi's as she smiled and caressed her avatar's cheek with her hand.

"I'm…Tsukino Usagi." Usagi said after a minute, and she saw Haruka smile, letting out a small chuckle.

"Moon Rabbit…Moon. You need to be more clever with your username." Haruka teased, and Usagi glared at Haruka.

"Hey! I think my username is clever! Anyway I didn't choose it because of my name."

Haruka smiled,

"Oh why did you choose it then?"

Usagi crossed her arms, turning her head away from Haruka in mock annoyance.

"Because the moon's always been comforting to me."

Usagi turned back towards Haruka, and Michiru unable to fegin her annoyance anymore.

She leaned forward, nuzzling her face into the crook of Michiru's neck,

"When this game is over, I'll find you I promise." She whispered, and she felt Michiru run her fingers through her avatar's hair.

"I know you will, Usagi."

_

Morning came a bit too soon for Haruka's taste, normally she had no problem with mornings, but considering she had been snuggled up next to the two girls she loved and now she had to go investigate a murder. Yeah…it was safe to say she'd much rather be doing the first option.

So here they were herself, Michiru, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna all crammed into one end of a table across from this girl, Yolko. Haruka wasn't exactly sure why they had to sit at one end of the table. Asuna said something about giving Yolko space, and Haruka honestly wanted to avoid getting into an argument this early in the morning.

"So last night Kirito and I were able to confirm that the man, Kanes, did indeed die. His name was written down in the black iron palace." Asuna spoke, her tone serious.

Haruka glanced at Usagi whose face was a little pale. She hadn't been handling this well from the start. So Haruka was worried for her. From under the table she saw Michiru grab Usagi's hand and give it a squeeze.

"I see…thank you for traveling so far to check." Yolko said, her voice timid.

Haruka honestly couldn't get a good reading on this girl, and glanced out the window behind Yolko.

"We want to ask you about two other players…a blacksmith named Grimlock and a spear user named Schimmit." Asuna asked firmly.

Haruka raised an eyebrow if they already had gotten so much information why did they agree to let them help in the first place?

Yolko fidgeted with her hands, and Haruka thought it was strange. Why was she so nervous they were trying to help her weren't they?

"Oh…I know them those two we were in the same guild."

Haruka then spoke up,

"Were as in not in the same guild anymore?" Haruka asked, although she wasn't really sure if she trusted Yolko yet.

Yolko nodded,

"Yes, the guild broke down when we obtained a rare item. Some of us wanted to keep it and some of us wanted to sell it. This was all after our guild leader died."

"Grimlock never was the same after she died…well anyway after she died there was a dispute over what to do with the item. Kains, Schimmit and I wanted to sell it."

Haruka listened to the story. But couldn't help but feel like something was off. It wasn't that she didn't believe the story but something wasn't quite right….

It was then Yolko stood up, and keeping her back turned away from them she stood by the window.

"Could this be retribution for letting Grelisda perish? I-"

Yolko froze and fell backwards out the window. Haruka quickly stood up and made her way to the window. Only to be just in time to see Yolko shatter into pieces.

She was dead.

_

Michiru squeezed Usagi's hand as she looked at Kirito and Asuna.

"We need a minute. Do you mind waiting?"

Michiru waited until she got a nod of confirmation or at least acknowledgment from Kirito or Asuna before she quickly pulled Usagi out of the restaurant.

"It's okay. You know nobody can die in the safe zone. There's got to be another explanation for what we just saw." Michiru spoke softly, rubbing Usagi's hand.

"But…she just…" Usagi started but Michiru put a finger up to her mouth to shush her, before pulling her into a hug.

"No, sweetie, there has to be another explanation. I'm sure there is, and we'll find it I promise you. You just have to trust me."

Usagi nuzzled her face into Michiru's shoulder, likely seeking comfort.

"Okay. I trust you. Always."