Kujo Household, Kugyo, Tokyo, November 5th, 2024
Waking up…
Yet again, the brief thought passed through Josuke's mind.
On this day two years ago, he remembered this moment. One day, he rose from his slumber and looked around, greeting another day in the mundane, ordinary life of Josuke Higashikata.
However, times change and he felt that to his core.
In the future, it would seem like a blink in his entire lifetime, but his stay in Aincrad had changed Josuke very deeply, in ways he never would have imagined in his wildest dreams.
Even past his lineage, past his extraordinary Stand Crazy Diamond, he was at his core a normal boy. He would use his ability for mundane utilities in daily life or sneaky charities, subtly helping those around him in Morioh, because nobody around him could see his Stand.
Crazy Diamond was a part of Josuke, a piece of him that was intertwined with who he was, but it was also a part of him that could never see the light of day or cross over into the material world.
All that changed in the digital world, a place where no such veil existed, and his Stand was visible, clear as day for all to see.
He came to relish at the looks of bewilderment, wonder, and fear he received as other players turned their heads to see his Stand. He could hear the gasps break the silence and chaos of battle as Crazy Diamond unleashed its flurry of punches with a blaring battle cry.
He especially loved the warmth that filled his soul as those he healed now looked at him with all the joy, gratitude, and wonder in the world in their eyes. They knew it was his Stand's ability that relieved them of their injuries, and they directed their thanks to Josuke.
A far cry from what he had seen before in the real world.
After finding himself in Tokyo upon emerging from the NerveGear's clutches, he came to learn he, like many other gamers across the country were relocated to the capital city upon his father's supervision, and it further shocked him to learn he had been inducted into a special school just for the SAO survivors who had yet to graduate.
Naturally, it would be difficult to make the trip from Miyagi all the way down to Tokyo just for school, so returning home for good to his mother in Morioh wouldn't be happening for a bit.
On one hand, this news saddened Josuke. It had been so long since he had been back home, yearning for so long to just go back and return to his normal life. On the other hand, he was beyond excited to reunite with his fellow survivors and closest comrades, now able to enjoy a simple school life together.
To be with Kirito, Asuna, Okuyasu and all the rest of them, it filled his heart with joy at the thought of being able to kick back and hang out without the looming threat of death hanging over them all anymore.
With a sunny warmth growing in his chest, Josuke got up from the futon and lumbered over to the bathroom.
He showered, dried himself off and went through his daily routine of meticulously styling his hairdo. Half a jar of gel into the process, his signature pompadour took shape.
"Josuke?"
He turned to the doorway and looked down to see a young toddler standing there, hair styled in two buns and decorated by a butterfly pin.
"Yeah, Jolyne? What's up?" He greeted the young girl with a smile.
"Breakfast time! Daddy's waiting!" She exclaimed before trotting off, leaving Josuke to chuckle to himself.
During their admission to the SAO Survivor School, the Speedwagon Foundation had offered housing for the students who originally lived too far from Tokyo and had nobody to stay with. Josuke's home in Morioh was quite the distance away, but luckily Jotaro had offered to take him in to stay with himself and his young daughter Jolyne.
So now his days at home were shared with the older man and his great-niece he treated like a little sister.
He joined Jolyne at the table, Jotaro dressed in his regular attire seated already as he sipped from his cup of coffee.
"Morning, Jotaro."
"Mm."
He greeted the older man, who let out a small mumble in reply, his eyes hardly looking up from his phone even as he spooned up another dollop of pancakes.
Jolyne helped herself, as did Josuke, the trio amicably enjoying breakfast before the silence broke once again.
"Daddy! More syrup!" Jolyne called out, hoisting up her plate, Jotaro briefly looking up before nodding to Josuke.
"Josuke, top shelf above the stove." Josuke muttered, the teen blinking before sighing.
"Gotcha…"
Josuke stood up and followed Jotaro's directions, finding the bottle in question much to Jolyne's delight. Turning back, he raised an eyebrow to see Jotaro's eyes still glued to his phone.
"So… too busy to get up to the cupboard? What's up?"
Josuke probed him, Jotaro looking up to stare back as he let out a short breath. "We found a new lead on Kayaba's case. His alleged partner Rinko Kojirou was recently released from custody."
Josuke's eyes widened. He remembered Kayaba's last words before disappearing from Sword Art Online, referring to one "Rinko". After they had broken free from ALO, all that was left was to tie up loose ends.
Following the incident, Sugou Nobuyuki was arrested and with Yui and Asuna providing the Speedwagon foundation with a massive load of evidence right from Sugou's databanks, Sugou had no chance to defend himself or weasel out of prison time. The final nail in the coffin was all the survivors subjected to his twisted experiments coming forth with their testimony, Josuke himself included.
With no way out and the entire world against him, Sugou was utterly finished and with his incarceration, RECT went down with him.
In the wake of the controversy and news of the experiments going public, much of the goodwill for virtual reality had disintegrated, and RECT was unable to keep afloat for their role in the disaster. Much like Argus before them, they disbanded as a company and slowly but surely, virtual reality was once again dead in the water, plagued with the looming shadow of two great tragedies.
Despite Sugou's arrest, Akihiko Kayaba on the other hand was never found.
"What did you find?" Josuke asked, curiosity mounting.
"She was found with a small explosive surgically planted in her chest. She confessed that Kayaba held her hostage to keep his condition stable while he dived into the game. She then testified that she was only freed upon the game's clearing, when you and Kirito fought and beat him." Jotaro replied, Josuke's eyes widening.
"That's…" Josuke muttered, remembering that battle like it was yesterday. That clash reduced the entirety of Aincrad to nothing but dust and rubble and Kayaba didn't go down easy, not in the slightest. It took everything he and Kirito had to take him down, but in the end they emerged with an undeniable triumph, cutting him down for good.
After the battle, he had personally bid them farewell, then vowed to a certain somebody to return to them. If this was the same woman, then surely something didn't add up, at least not to him. He had seen Kayaba's disdain for Sugou's actions, and had left them to knock him from his pedestal.
Perhaps he needed to find answers for himself in due time.
"What about Kayaba? Any word on him?" Josuke asked.
Jotaro shook his head in response.
"No. Kojirou turned herself in after escaping and there was no body at the location she provided. Even if she wasn't being truthful, you said you killed him, correct?" Jotaro asked.
Josuke nodded briefly, but his mind was racing despite that.
It was true that he and Kirito had defeated Kayaba, cut him down as the world crumbled around them. However, they couldn't deny what they saw in ALfheim Online either. Kayaba himself had appeared before them, seemingly out of nowhere to thank them and pass on the Seed package.
Whether it was a vestige like he had claimed, a ghost in the machine, or if that was the man himself like in Aincrad, Josuke couldn't know for sure.
However, Josuke had seen firsthand how potent and powerful his Stand, Wonderful World had been.
With that power, he had built Aincrad with his bare hands and paved the way for virtual reality to come into existence. He had done the impossible, bringing Stands into the eyes of normal people. If what he was saying was true, then it had even allowed him to live indefinitely within the system, preserving his consciousness and mind for good.
Then he had to ask: Was Kayaba truly dead? Definitely not in spirit.
"Yeah, I did. We did. In SAO, anyway. Either way, don't think that'll keep him down for good. If there's anything he'd shown me, a guy with ambition like him, fighting spirit like that… not even death could stop him from moving forward." Josuke mumbled.
Jotaro raised an eyebrow, setting down his phone. "Is that what you believe? Hm…"
"Josuke! SYRUP!"
Jolyne's shrill voice squeaked out, slicing through the tension immediately as both men blinked out of contemplation, Josuke laughing in response.
"A-ah, right! Sorry, champ! Here! Coming right up!"
Player Profile:
The Diamond Fist, JoJo – The illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar, Josuke is a man of unshaking will and shrewd wit. With his Stand, he has saved countless lives in Sword Art Online, truly living up to his family's centuries-old legacy.
Real Name: Josuke Higashikata
Born: November 6th, 2007
Stand Name: Crazy Diamond
Favored Armament: Greatsword/Gauntlets and Greaves
Favorite Musician: Prince
SAO Survivor School, Nishitokyo, Tokyo, November 5th, 2024
The seasons came and went, summer turning to fall, then to winter.
Months had passed since he had finally returned from the digital world, well over half a year since Sword Art Online had ended and he and Kirito prevailed over Kayaba, reducing Aincrad to ash and rubble in the wake of their battle.
To think that so recently, he had been spent each and every day fighting for his life and leagues deep in the throes of battle for freedom, and under the thumb of a cruel monster.
And now here he was, sitting by the window in a classroom, barely nodding off as the teacher at the front of the class droned on. To wake up, to be truly and absolutely free of the grip of the digital world, it was a more beautiful feeling than anything he'd ever known.
His head pressed against his palm, elbow glued to his desk as he tried to pay attention. However, the words of his teacher barely registered as his mind swam with turbulent thoughts.
For so long he'd been away, living a life in a fantasy world, as a hero for the ages. In another, he was a slave, a mindless executioner forced to endure two months of excruciating agony.
After Asuna had freed him and his fellow prisoners from Sugou Nobuyuki's clutches, he was finally back in the real world, and all of a sudden he was right back to living like a normal kid.
Well… close enough anyway.
He could hardly believe the reality he now lived, the precious moment he now could savor properly. He was finally back in school, allowed the privilege to catch up on the years he lost to the digital world.
He had to admit, he never would have imagined he'd miss school so much until he'd been tangling with life and death.
Even so, the death game hadn't completely left him or his life, not that he ever believed it would.
The school bell rang, and Josuke was snapped back to his senses, barely able to catch the teacher's reminders of homework before he promptly made his exit.
All the other students then took the cue to go about their business, chatting with each other or filing out one by one.
"Take care, Josuke!"
"See you later!"
"Getting lunch, Josuke?"
He heard a couple of voices calling out to him, and he gave a smile, chuckling at the attention.
Every student in this makeshift school was a survivor of SAO, an unfortunate player who had been trapped in the death game and luckily emerged alive to return to their families and loved ones.
However, that also meant that even without his Stand being visible in the real world, with his fame as the Diamond Fist, nearly every one of the students recognized him with one look at his hair.
Certainly a new experience for him, but it pleased Josuke that his great efforts and exploits had left a positive impression on so many people.
So he endured the praise they laid upon him, lapping up each stroke of his ego as they came by him.
After all, he was back, and he was going to savor every moment of it.
Being a student at a new school, of course he was given a uniform to match. A dark navy blue blazer hung over his white shirt, a tie lazily wrapped around his neck. While many wore the same, Josuke was never one to waste an opportunity to stylize his looks.
Much like his uniform back home, he made his own adjustments, the blazer took on a more violet color and unbuttoned over his breast in a heart shape, decorated by golden pins he had taken from his older uniform on either side of his chest and across his raised collar. Needless to say, he was satisfied with the modifications and it definitely helped him to stand out.
"Oi, JoJo!"
A scratchy voice cut through his thoughts as Josuke looked up to face a large student with a huge grin, looking exactly as he did in Sword Art Online, trading his armor and weapons for the white uniform shirt of the school, hefting his black blazer over his broad shoulders.
"Let's head to the cafeteria for lunch! That honey curry's got our names on 'em!"
Snickering, Josuke stood up and walked out with Okuyasu, content with the life he had been given.
"You really like that stuff, huh? Some of that takoyaki out by the station hits different though…" Josuke mumbled as they passed through the hall, bumping past several students as his mouth watered.
"Any different from what you got in Morioh?" Okuyasu asked, Josuke humming as his mind drifted back to home.
"Hmm… there was this one Italian spot that really hit the spot like nothing else I'd ever tasted… Kinda miss Tonio's, not gonna lie." Josuke mumbled, clearly remembering the foreign dishes unlike anything he'd ever tasted.
"That good?"
Josuke nodded. "Hell yeah. I swear, I don't feel right, I go there, he whips up something I'd never even heard of before, and all of a sudden I feel right as rain. Man's a heaven-sent miracle worker, I swear."
"Daaaamn…"
Josuke did miss home, that was a fact. However, he had to admit he was overjoyed to be able to spend time with his newfound friends as normal people, far from any kind of battlefield. It was a new chance, a new lease on life with his most prized takeaway from his tenure in the death game.
If that wasn't worth celebrating, he wouldn't know what was.
The pair then entered the cafeteria, a large room lined with large windows on one wall, providing a generous view of the school courtyard. Leaning against one of these windows was a girl snickering at a sight below them as she slurped from a juice box. Over her school uniform she wore a pink sweater, a color her hair no longer shared, now hued a rich timber brown.
Despite this, Josuke was pleased to learn Rika Shinozaki retained Lisbeth's mischievous teasing personality as much as the freckles dotting her cheeks.
"Hey, guys! Over here!"
Josuke turned to the table beside the window, finding two other girls seated there. The first was waving a hand high with a large smile. She was younger than them all, and sported a familiar twintail hairstyle. Even without her beloved Pina by her side, Keiko Ayano matched Silica to a tee.
"Heya, Keiko!" Okuyasu waved back with an equal serving of energy.
"Jo-boy! Oku-boy! Yer finally outta class!" Tomo laughed from her seat, swirling a bottle of oolong tea in her hand.
"You're looking happy today, Tomo." Josuke grinned in response, setting his bag beside his seat as he left to grab his food, returning to the table with a bowl of soba.
"I mean, of course! It's a special day after all! Everyone's gonna be there!" Tomo flashed her fanged smile once again, Keiko nodding energetically alongside her. Even without Pina, Josuke could practically hear the tiny dragon squeaking in agreement beside the pigtailed girl.
"Yeah, it's gonna be fun! First we just gotta yank these two lovebirds away from their little slice of heaven." Rika snickered, turning back to the window, peaking Josuke's curiosity as he walked up to lean against the window pane beside her.
Down below, Josuke had a generous view of the school courtyard, decorated by a pavilion complete with vines, lavender, and park benches for students to relax and absorb the soothing shade. Seated at one of these benches was a familiar couple.
Kazuto Kirigaya was slumped over one of the benches, his head hanging back with his eyes shut. He appeared utterly relaxed and at peace, his one arm hooked over his companion who was snuggled against his chest, just as tranquilly as he.
After seeing and hearing the sheer lengths Asuna had to suffer and strive through just to reach them in Alfheim, it was little wonder that she was eager to make up for every second of time she had to endure without their company, especially with her beloved Kazuto.
For the past five months, the pair had been practically welded to each other, barely a moment or an inch apart whenever they were able. As close as they were in Aincrad, Josuke and the rest of the crew couldn't help but laugh at just how much more attached they had become, not that they minded at all.
Well, a few embarrassed blushes from Josuke's teasing weren't rare, but nonetheless he was more than happy for the couple. Now they could all enjoy this life in peace, and he couldn't ask for more.
"C'mon, ya know that's impossible. Time itself woulda stood still b'fore they spend another minute in the agony of separation." Tomo cackled, Josuke sighing.
"Well call me Star Platinum, cause that party ain't complete without the two of them." Josuke laughed, jokingly rolling his sleeves back and marching off to the door.
"There he goes again…" Rika sighed, slurping her juice box dry as she lobbed it at the nearest trash can.
Okuyasu grinned and briefly summoned his Stand as he watched it fly. The Hand's power came into existence as Okuyasu's Stand scraped at the air in a small arc, cutting away at space itself, the juice box caught in the middle of the movement.
In a flash, the piece of trash was completely erased from the world, Rika blinking in astonishment as Okuyasu pumped a fist.
"Well damn, it's much weirder when you can't see it in action, huh?" The freckled girl muttered, Tomo flipping a coin between her fingers.
"Oh yeah, it's real freaky if ya ask me. The kinda things tall tales just sprout from."
Okuyasu let his Stand fade away as he let out a sigh. "Oh yeah, can't imagine it. Before this, you'd never think something like this could be real, when it's right in front of you. Now, everyone's all abuzz about Stands. People just speaking up and sharing stories."
It was true, SAO had changed the game in more than one way.
With new VR games being released including ALO, eyes on Stands were growing, and now they had largely entered the public consciousness. While a huge part of the reason behind the construction of the SAO Survivor School was to monitor the children who survived, another function was to study and monitor the students who were documented with Stands.
Even after the controversy of Sugou's experiments, the results of his inhumane experiments had borne undeniable fruit.
For the two months he held the SAO survivors captive, he had gathered a massive wealth of information on Stand users. Enough to baffle even the Speedwagon Foundation.
He had discovered trending differences in brain activity between users and non-users, certain responses in the body that activated in Stand users specifically, and even put forth multiple hypotheses on the bodily and mental conditions one had to meet in order to withstand hosting a Stand. All this, and countless more all found from his experiments.
In the end, he was correct; the work he conducted had yielded priceless information, its value only multiplying with the changing landscape of the world today.
Nonetheless, he wouldn't be able to reap the rewards. Many of the survivors under his thumb had suffered trauma from his mistreatment and torture, many still recovering today. With Sugou locked up, the Speedwagon Foundation had promptly confiscated his research, using it to further navigate the crisis and move forward in this coming age.
"Well either way, with all of us together once again, I got a feeling things are only coming up from here! Don't you agree?" Keiko smiled, leading the other three present to return the gesture.
"Hell yeah!" Okuyasu and Rika exclaimed, Tomo looking on with a giggle in her throat.
Together, they had braved the death game. Together, they had accomplished the impossible. Without a doubt, together they could brave whatever the world could throw at them.
Player Profile:
The Dragon Tamer, Silica – Young and innocent, Silica is beloved by her friends and strangers alike for her charm and caring personality. What she lacks in strength or stature, she easily makes up with her ability to make companions of all kinds of people and beasts alike.
Born: October 4th, 2010
Stand Name: N/A
Real Name: Keiko Ayano
Favored Armament: Dagger
Favorite Animal: Cats
Taito (Okachimachi), Tokyo, November 5th, 2024
Suguha Kirigaya had been on cloud nine for a while now.
Ever since their triumph in ALO, she was beyond overjoyed to learn Asuna had succeeded, and broke down in joyous tears when she finally saw her dear brother had at last awakened from the NerveGear's clutches.
True to her promise, Suguha made sure to spend each day after trying to make up for what she had missed out on.
She made time to look out for Kazuto all throughout his therapy and rehabilitation, tending to anything he could need, trying to chat with him whenever she could. Most of all, she pressed him for every last detail he was comfortable with sharing about his time in SAO.
She had heard a generous lot from the stories circulated online by survivors, as well as what Asuna had shared with her on the night of their meeting in the flesh. However, to hear it from Kazuto's own words was something entirely different.
It gave her a glimpse into an entirely new world, hearing of the grand battles fought, the crushing losses and tragedy that befell them all. She learned of how he first met Asuna, the battles he fought alongside her and Josuke.
She learned about the bonds they formed, between those he lost and those who made it out to join them in the real world.
It was an unbelievable story, one she couldn't believe her brother had gone through and lived along with the other two beside him as they all walked through Okachimachi en route to Agil's.
Her brother walked beside Asuna, their hands clasped together and joined for the entire length of their trip. All while their faces were locked in expressions of bliss and joy in each other's presence, Josuke walked at Kazuto's other side, letting out a content chuckle at their display.
She sighed, she had heard of just how much Asuna was willing to go through for her brother's sake, and she heard Kazuto was very much of the same mind, but to see it for herself left her both exasperated and gushing at the comically great affection they shared.
However, Suguha felt it wasn't exactly new for her, just as she had to deal with Yukako and Koichi, who had elected to join them on the trip, acting all lovey-dovey much like Kazuto and Asuna were.
"So, this is where Agil works?" Suguha asked aloud, Kazuto turning around along with Josuke and Asuna as he nodded.
"Yeah. Imagine my surprise. You've met him before? Where? ALO?" Kazuto replied, Koichi nodding.
"Yeah, we've met once or twice recently when we went out grinding together. He's a big guy!" Koichi laughed.
"He's pretty strong. Damn cheapskate though. You're saying he's a survivor like you guys?" Yukako added, as Asuna nodded.
"Oh yeah! A bunch of us SAO survivors are meeting up, and he offered his place for a private party! I've been there myself once, it's pretty cool!" Asuna smiled, Suguha giggling in response.
"Well sister, I'll take your word for it. Lead the way!"
Without surprise, while she was working hard to mend her bond with Kazuto, one aspect that really helped her along was her strong friendship with Asuna.
All throughout their journey and adventure in ALO, she made it a point to keep in touch with Asuna, who had not forgotten everything she had done to help her either. Becoming thick as thieves in no time flat, Kazuto was quite surprised to learn of this development while he had been recuperating from his time online.
Eventually, they arrived at the venue with a sign hung up in front of the door declaring the café closed for the party.
Entering, Kazuto and Josuke's eyes widened to see the party was already well underway.
The wooden walls coated in gentle orange ambient light, soft jazz filling the air, interrupted by the rumbling chatter of the patrons within. Crowds of people gathered, all of them familiar faces.
Along the bar, drinks were tossed around as laughter and conversation livened the atmosphere, Agil standing behind the counter with a woman mixing drinks, laughing at something the large man said.
The rest of the gang was also in view, the members of Purple Rain all together once more. They could see Rika and Keiko sharing snacks over one of the tables, while Tomo and Okuyasu were engaged in some kind of card game surrounded by several other partygoers, slices of pizza off to the side.
Rika then turned to the door and immediately hopped over, flashing a massive grin at the group.
"You're finally here! Great!" The blacksmith giggled, Kazuto feeling a drop of sweat trickle down his forehead.
"I thought we agreed to meet up a bit later. Even showed up early and everything…" He mumbled, Josuke and Asuna laughing awkwardly beside him, as Rika failed to let a snicker escape her lips.
"Well, you know what they say… gotta save the best for last! And this party wouldn't be complete without the guests of honor! C'mon!"
Rika then grabbed Kazuto and Josuke's hands in her own and practically dragged them to the center of the room, hoisting them both atop a tiny stage before grabbing the microphone in a flourish to face the crowd, now standing at attention.
"OKAY! JUST LIKE WE PRACTICED!"
"READY AAAND-!"
"CONGRATULATIONS ON BEATING SAO, JOJO AND KIRITO!"
All the partygoers cheered in unison, followed by the sound of party poppers as confetti rained from the air, showering the duo in colored strips of plastic and paper. Kazuto was speechless, quite unsure of how to react to the grand gesture, while Josuke laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"CHEERS!" Rika raised a glass, as all the others did the same, toasting in celebration.
After all the ceremony, Josuke and Kazuto found themselves at the bar table, the latter quite exhausted from the great display they had heaped upon him as he heaved over the table, letting out a long groan.
"There, there." Josuke laughed, patting him on the back and massaging his shoulder as his eyes widened in epiphany.
"Hey, bartender! A drink for my buddy here!" Josuke called out.
"Bourbon on the rocks, please?" Kirito mumbled, right as a glass of iced fizzy liquid slid across the table, the pair looking up to meet the woman's eyes.
They noticed she stood out amongst all the others, her skin dark and her hair curly, braided and tied back by a patterned bandanna. Her lips parted as she let out a laugh, speaking with a slight accent."Nah, boy. You ain't quite there yet. Nice try, though."
Agil beside her nodded with folded arms. "Don't worry, Trish here cooks some mean mocktails. Come back when you're older and I can mix you some big boy drinks."
"I still make them better than you and you know it, honey. Let me know if you want something a little spicier, 'kay?" She snipped at her fellow bartender and husband, before winking at Kazuto and resuming her work mixing drinks.
Kazuto blushed in response, then frowning slightly as he sipped from his glass, letting out a satisfied hum before two more people took seats beside him.
"Sapporo, please! Two glasses!"
Josuke turned to his side and watched the newcomers take their seats. The first was a man, dressed in a white office shirt and a loose tie. Despite his attire, Ryotarou Tsuboi's stubble and red bandanna was completely identical to Klein's look in Sword Art Online.
Right beside him, a woman gracefully set her things down and made herself comfortable. Wearing a long sweater and leggings, her hair was short and rested just over her shoulders, unlike the short ponytail Griselda sported in the game, Yuuko Kinomi let her hair loose here, her eyes holding just as much care and fire in them as they all remembered.
The two glasses slid over from the tap, and Ryotarou eagerly seized his drink and gulped down.
"Ahh… nothing like a good beer to get the overtime moving along faster. I swear, I almost missed not having to work for a bit." Ryotarou sighed, Yuuko beside him giggling as she sipped from her own glass.
"If it helps any, you won't have to break your back over rent. I'm pitching in too, remember?" She sighed, leading both Josuke and Kazuto's eyes to bulge as they turned to the couple.
"Wait a second, you two-"
The couple turned back to them, back to each other, and let out embarrassed chuckles in unison.
"Yeah, Yuuko moved in with me about a month ago." Ryotarou laughed, the duo before them gasping in shock.
"Really? So… how long have you two been… Y'know?" Josuke asked, Yuuko giggling through her glass as she set it down.
"After we got out of ALO, Ryou and I met in rehab. The two of us caught up to speed and we've been going out ever since we were discharged. Crazy how things like this work out, huh?" The woman laughed, Ryotarou laughing in turn, as Josuke hummed in satisfaction.
The pair had known Klein since the beginning of SAO, helping him hone his skills as a player, which served him extremely well in the long run as he led his guild Fuurinkazan through countless victories, rising in infamy as one of the game's premier clearers despite his lack of a Stand.
They hadn't met Griselda until much later, helping her during the case with Okuyasu and his brother, a series of wild events that led to her awakening her own Stand, later using Appleseed Cast's power to aid in the clearing efforts with great success.
The two weren't properly introduced until the formation of Purple Rain, but once they had gotten time to know each other, everyone could tell something had sparked between them, even if they skirted around it unlike Asuna and Kirito's more direct and abrupt union.
It took time, but the pair had become inseparable in the final months of Aincrad's clearing, a force on the battlefield as well as partners in their hearts. Even under the control of Sugou Nobuyuki's Stand, the pair refused to part from each other, not even after the aftermath of the virtual world.
As Josuke and Kazuto could clearly see, they had been joined too tightly to come apart now, fate seemingly finding a way to ensure their strife wasn't for nothing after all. So in the face of it all, they couldn't help but smile warmly.
"Well then, glad to hear it! I'm really happy for you two!" Josuke cheered, Kazuto smiling as he took another sip from his mocktail.
"I was wondering when you two would make it work here in the real world. I had a hunch you guys would find a way somehow." Kazuto mused, Ryotarou grinning widely.
"Thanks, buddy! After that whole fiasco in VR, I really got a feeling it was all worth it, especially if it meant meeting someone like Yuuko. You know the feeling, don'tcha?" Ryotarou snickered, Kazuto blushing as he turned around to see Asuna chatting animatedly with several other men, bearing striking resemblance to her fellow soldiers in the KoB.
"Speaking of which, I heard Thinker and Yulier got married not too long ago." Yuuko then brought up, Josuke immediately flashing back to his previous meetings with the two, getting introduced to them during the whole fiasco upon stumbling upon Yui for the first time.
"The Army leaders, right? Man, them too?" Josuke asked.
"It's true. I was there."
The group then turned to see a man take his own seat beside them. His hair fell in locks beside his face, but they recognized Diabel even without the blue color, now sporting a jet black color.
"Thinker's been back with MMO Today after getting back on track, but from what I've heard, things are moving pretty slow as is. Guess we all need a little time to get back to normal after all we went through, huh?" The former Army general took his own glass and drank, the others doing the same.
"Yeah, but you never know, right? Especially now with everything that's come up recently, I got a feeling real change is just around the bend." Agil added as he prepared a glass of his own, Kazuto and Josuke blinking at his words.
It was true that if Sword Art Online had placed public opinion in muddy waters, the ALfheim Online incident had all but unplugged the drain so to speak, leaving no trace of a potential future for virtual reality and twisting the knife in the wound Kayaba had left.
After the crushing burden of two consecutive tragedies, virtual reality was a dead industry, killing any other games in circulation at the moment in time, the overwhelming cloud of controversy spreading like a virus and bringing the entire field down in a burning heap.
Had it not been for Kayaba's final intervention, it would have stayed that way.
However, Josuke still remembered that moment when Kayaba had appeared before them in ALO, offering to them one final parting gift and leaving its fate in their hands before disappearing once more.
He called it The Seed, his final hope and prize, offered in the hopes he could create something people could truly enjoy despite all the suffering he had caused.
Josuke at first had no idea what he wanted to do. Part of him wanted to leave it behind, partly for his own sake after the horrors he had experienced, partly out of spite, possibly offering Kayaba one final middle finger for everything he had done.
However, Kazuto had agreed with him in that he couldn't deny all the beauty and joy he had gleaned from the virtual world Kayaba had created. Even with all the death he had seen in the frontlines, he had to admit Aincrad was a beautiful place, a world of limitless potential where nothing was impossible.
He was broken by this world, ruined by tragedy after tragedy it heaped upon his shoulders. However, he wouldn't erase it for the life of him, not after all the friendships he had fostered there and the lives he had changed for the better.
Purple Rain had been at Josuke's side, brothers and sisters holding strong with each other against the cruelty of the world, and they emerged closer than ever. These were friends who he would give his life for without hesitation, and he would never regret meeting them.
At the end of it all, even Josuke had to admit, playing Sword Art Online was fun.
The thrill of battle, of letting Crazy Diamond loose for all to see and marvel at its power and seeing so many other Stand users join together in epic battles beyond his wildest dreams, it was beyond exhilarating, and he had to wonder if this was what Kayaba had been envisioning from the very beginning.
A world with its eyes open like never before, of heroes and villains rising up to inspire those around them and achieve the impossible.
So in the end, he made the decision to send The Seed to the Speedwagon Foundation, unraveling its secrets. What they had found would change everything.
What they had been given was a complete stripped down virtual reality game engine, complete with a prototype version of the Cardinal System that managed and monitored Aincrad.
An entire virtual world, completely blank and just waiting for someone to make it blossom. However, one aspect Kayaba had added had allowed it to truly flourish; that being the user-friendly nature of the program, allowing anyone to download it easily and make their own modifications, alongside RECT's previous marketing of the Amusphere, being pushed time and again for its safety and ease of use.
With trepidation and lengths upon lengths of bureaucracy, the World Seed package had become sanctioned by the Japanese government and declared safe to use by the Speedwagon Foundation, after which it was uploaded online, available for anyone to download.
It took some time for recovery to begin, but once it did, the VR gaming industry began to spring back to life, like a forest growing back after a devastating fire. Many companies and indie developers around the country began working on their own projects with the engine, inspiring many others to follow suit.
Eventually, the World Seed went global as VR games from all over the world, from China, South Korea, and all the way in the United States began surfacing. With the release of the Seed, VR gaming was once again thriving as people all over the world began to test the boundaries and create countless worlds to explore.
This was around the time several former players and developers of ALO banded together to form Ymir, a new video game development company that managed to acquire the game and its assets from RECT, allowing them to revitalize the game and return it to service.
With that, ALfheim Online had returned, bringing with it many original and new players alike.
"Speaking of which… we're still on for the after-party, right?" Kazuto asked, Josuke grinning toothily in response.
"Hell yeah, we are! 11 o' clock tonight at Yggdrasil City! Don't be late, you hear me?" Josuke cheered with a raised glass.
Kazuto stared at his best friend, then grinned just as widely, raising his own glass high to meet his.
"Yeah! Don't you run late either, y'hear? That hair of yours is important, I get it, but-" Kazuto began as Josuke leaned in closer to meet his eye, causing everyone to burst out laughing.
"Say that again, you little shit, come on, then!"
Far in the corner of the room, Suguha sat alongside Recon and Yukako, who were busy amongst themselves, leaving Sugu to her own thoughts as she stared at the scene at the bar with Josuke and her brother.
She watched as they laughed together, catching up with old comrades and shared drinks all as she sipped on a straw from a glass of oolong tea.
"Hey!"
Suguha looked up abruptly to see Asuna looking down at her with a bright smile, hands on her hips.
"Asuna! What's up?" She asked, as Asuna extended an open palm out to Suguha.
"Come on! I'll introduce you to my friends!" She laughed, as Suguha couldn't help but laugh with her, taking her hand in her own.
"Alright!"
Player Profile:
The Red Ronin, Klein – A warrior by heart, Klein's loyalty and contagious spirit is a priceless part of every party he joins. Never seen without his red bandanna, he wears those colors with pride.
Born: November 28th, 1999
Stand Name: N/A
Real Name: Ryotarou Tsuboi
Favored Armament: Katana
Favorite Pizza Topping: Teriyaki Mayo
Freelia, ALfheim Online (Domain: Cait Siths) November 5th, 2024
From the very beginning of her playing ALO, Suguha had grown to fall in love with the sensation of flight.
On top of the thrill, the rush of blood pumping through her body, the tingle of adrenaline filling every fiber of her soul as she raced through the air, it was time all to herself, time she greatly grew to value.
Ever since she was broken down by the grief of losing her older brother to the death game, Suguha found every waking moment of her life from then on to be completely and utterly suffocating. She was constantly reminded of what had been taken from her, of missed opportunities and mounting regrets.
She lived every day hounded by the gaping hole in her life, all topped by the crushing despair that she was powerless to do anything to fix it or make it right.
Thus when she turned to ALO, she had discovered flying and turned to it to quiet the voices in her head, even if only for a moment.
High in the air, Suguha could see the entire world shrink and diminish below her, the sounds of everything down below fading away into the billowing howls of the jetstreams. Up here, high above the clouds, it was like she had stepped away from the world entirely, like nothing down there could ever hope to reach her.
Here, her sadness melted away into sheer awe, as if the sun itself had thawed it like frost. Her frustrations seemed to come undone, dripping and rolling off her back to trickle down far below, landing where she could no longer see.
Here, she felt like she could exist in the moment, drift with the passage of time and simply let go.
Free.
However, the time limit was not merciful to her, sending her freefalling down to the ground before she could truly embrace the moment, like a blaring alarm clock awakening her from a blissful dream.
Even if it was relief, it was never to last forever, and she knew in her heart she could only be truly free from her grief once Kazuto came back to her.
And eventually, it happened.
Kazuto's return and Asuna's new presence in her life seemed to revitalize her entire being, shocking her back to life after two grueling years of floating aimlessly like driftwood.
She now awoke to song in her heart and hope for the future.
So why…
Why did the frustration refuse to let go?
Leafa's mind was racing a million miles an hour, lightyears faster than the blinding speeds at which she burst through the air, leaving sonic booms in her wake.
She gritted her teeth and flexed her wings as she urged herself to go faster and faster, faster than she had ever gone.
The wind broke apart as she burst past, clouds exploded as she punched through them, rising higher and higher in altitude as she reached the stratosphere, breaking into the open night sky.
She had no idea why she was running, no clue why she fought to escape these feelings, no reason as to why these feelings sprouted in the first place, only that she needed to escape them, to outrun them before they could consume her once again.
She shifted her angle, rising straight up and setting her eyes on the moon high above her.
ALfheim's moon mirrored the lunar phases of Japan in the real world, and tonight she was greeted with the magnificent sight of a great full moon, vast and shimmering like a massive eye watching over the land.
She narrowed her gaze and ascended higher, her wings streamlining as her speed multiplied. The harsh winds blasted against her cheeks, tossing her ponytail behind her in wild spasms as she raced toward the celestial body with all she had.
Closer…
Closer…
And…
Suddenly, she stopped.
Her body flew back, stopping all her momentum as she harshly jerked upwards in a violent whiplash. The moon shrank in her vision as she moved further away, an altitude limit warning alert appearing in her vision.
She was falling, her wings useless as she plummeted backwards in freefall.
With nothing she could do, Leafa crossed her arms below her chest and closed her eyes, feeling the wind whip her hair back as she fell.
"Ah…"
She remembered why she had come here.
She remembered seeing everyone at the SAO party, all enjoying themselves and sharing in the bonds they had forged through fire and sword.
They regaled memories of grand battles, of tender moments of camaraderie, of precious moments in time she would never be able to see or remember herself.
No matter how hard she tried to connect with her brother, no matter how much she loved Asuna, she could never share the memories that welded them all together as one in the death game.
So she could only watch from the sidelines, watch as they reconnected and shared in their joy, all while she felt she had no place being there, an intruder, an outsider amongst them.
And it frustrated her beyond her belief.
Leafa sighed forlornly, resigning herself as she prepared for the harsh impact with the ground, only to hear another noise approaching from her side.
Before she could react, before she could fight back, something had grabbed her body, snatched it right out of freefall and set her down on a nearby mountaintop.
"You know… I had a feeling you would have gone too high. It's almost time, so I thought I'd come get you."
Suguha looked up to see a familiar face. He sported a long black coat, his collar raised and lined with white fur. Strapped to his back were a pair of swords, giving away his identity even before Suguha had noticed his unchanged hairstyle despite his pointed ears.
It seemed to her Kirito didn't look too different from her very own Kazuto Kirigaya, not even in ALO.
Her brother released the wings clasping his shoulders, allowing them to dissipate from view as he sat down upon the mountain peak, Leafa sitting beside him as they looked up at the starlit canvas of night sky.
Leafa looked up, then back at her brother, scoffing in a teasing manner. "It's fine, you know me. I'm more punctual than you, it's been that way since we were taking kendo together."
Kirito let out a laugh at her jab. "Well, why don't we find out together?"
"Hm?" Leafa raised an eyebrow as they both stood up from their positions on the ground.
Kirito looked at her with a challenging look in his eye, an eager grin baring his teeth as he placed a hand on his hip. "Let's have a race."
"The first to reach the top of Yggdrasil wins! What do you say, Sugu?" Kirito challenged, as Leafa snickered under her breath, leaning forward as she jabbed a finger at her brother's chest.
"I'll have you know, Mr. Black Swordsman, you're challenging the three time in-a-row reigning champion Sylph sky racer! I won't back down easy, you hear me? Not even with a cheating Stand like yours!" Leafa grinned competitively, feeling a fire flicker in her chest at the sight of Kirito returning the expression.
"Well, I'll have you know, Ms. Speed Demon, I don't need This Is War to kick your butt! I'll prove it right here and now! THREETWOONEGO!"
With that mumble of a countdown, he took off in a flash, leaving a baffled Leafa in the dust as she stared at him disappearing into the distance, growling while never losing her grin.
"Oh, you son of a bitch it's on now!" Leafa took off in an explosion of wind, shooting through the air like a speeding bullet, quickly gaining on her brother.
Kirito was quick to notice his sister gaining on him and let his lips curve upwards. He then folded his wings, diving down below to skim across the lake, grinning as the water parted in his path, Leafa following close behind as they disturbed a flock of birds, causing flashes of white to speed past by the hundreds.
The siblings continued to zigzag and rocket through the air in shifting directions, rising high up and plummeting down, laughing joyously all the while as they shared this moment together as family.
They sped through floating islands, dodging sprays of water from nearby waterfalls as they reached the Butterfly Pass, diving near the river pass and swaying between the crags of the canyon floor.
Reaching the Alne Plateau, they raced over the expanse of grassland, neck and neck.
With the distance closed, Leafa turned as new thoughts entered her mind.
"So, Kazuto… I was wondering…"
"Hm? What's up?" Kirito responded to her question, even as they raced at breakneck speed to the World Tree at the center of the field.
"I heard that Ymir is now allowing the survivors to access their SAO save data. Did you-" Leafa asked, only for Kirito to shake his head.
"Nah, I didn't." He replied bluntly, as Leafa turned to face him.
"Why?"
Kirito responded with a noncommittal shrug. "I guess… that Kirito's journey ended, along with the original SAO. Now, I can start anew. Besides, isn't it part of the fun to build your character from scratch? I've got a whole new world here to check out. Wouldn't be much fun if I could solo it from the get-go, right?"
Leafa groaned sarcastically as she summoned energy into her wings. "Well, good luck trying to outrun me then. I got a whole year of experience ahead of you!"
With that, she burst forward and upward as they approached the edge of Alne, ascending up the length of Yggdrasil's trunk. If there was one thing about the new version of ALfheim Online that absolutely delighted Leafa, it was the removal of the flight time limit. She could soar and fly as long as she wanted, but the height limit remained.
And without the need to keep secrets any longer and the Grand Quest no longer serving a purpose, a new city was built atop the canopy, named Yggdrasil City and now eclipsed Alne down below as the central hub of ALO.
Naturally, this meant that the barrier that had previously kept intruders out was now completely gone, allowing Leafa to skim the edges of the Tree and dive between the grooves of its helix branches with laughter spilling from her throat.
Eventually, they both made it to the top of the tree, landing on the edge of the city as it overlooked the entirely of ALfheim down below. A view like this simply took Leafa's breath away as she absorbed everything below.
She could see the distant territories of the races beyond the mountain range, the vast grasslands of the Plateau, the shimmering lights of towns and villages below appearing distant like stars in the vast cosmos.
Distant, much like how she felt not too long ago, like how she felt even now.
Beside her, Kirito stretched his back and rolled his shoulders, sighing. "Man, you really are fast! Guess you did win in the end, huh?"
When he noticed her lack of a response, he raised an eyebrow. "H-hey, what's wrong?"
Leafa stared back at him and let out a sad sigh, feeling her emotions spill out from within her, from the dark recesses of her heart.
"I think I'm gonna call it a day. You go have fun with Asuna and all the others. Tell her I said hi, OK?" She said, lifting a hand to open her menu, before feeling a hand close around her wrist before she could.
"What are you saying, Sugu?" Kirito asked, his eyes confused as Leafa tried her best to suppress the wetness building in her own eyes.
"It's just- I… I just feel like you're all nowhere near where I am now. You had years to grow together, to grieve together, while all I could do was sit on the outside, wondering what was going on with my poor brother!" Leafa sobbed, Kirito listening quietly, letting her vent.
"I want to follow you, to walk beside you all the way… but I just feel like what you shared in there… it's something I can't give back to you like they all can! Like you're all so far away, and no matter how high I fly, I just can't reach you!"
Leafa let it all out, every ugly thought and sorrow that plagued her mind as Kirito simply stood by and let her talk. Ugly tears streamed down her cheeks as embarrassment built up within the redness of her cheeks. It pained her to expose this side of her to her brother, to face him with all of the pent-up grief she had to suffer through in his absence, and she felt utterly rotten to say this while she was facing him in the flesh.
However, Kirito didn't rebuff or scold her. Instead, he offered a small smile and took her hand in his own.
"You're wrong, Sugu. Here in this world, you can go anywhere. Do anything. Be anyone. Isn't that why we came here in the first place?" Kirito said, Leafa's eyes widening at her brother's words.
"Kazuto-"
*BONG
The moment between them faded away as the blaring gong of the hourly chime resounded through the city, bringing both fairies' attention to the skies above them, as Kirito's smile intensified, much to Leafa's confusion.
"It's finally here…"
Leafa heard Kirito mutter those words with gravity, leaving her curiosity to broil as she probed him. "What's going on? Kazuto-"
"Up there. You see it?"
Leafa watched Kirito lift a finger to the skies above them both, right above Yggdrasil city. She followed his finger, eyes directed to the moonlit sky, only for them to bulge once they caught a glimpse of a dark shape emerging from the heavens above.
Her expression twisted into that of dread as the shape then descended to eclipse the moon, making its silhouette far more visible to the eye.
It resembled a tall cylinder, coning inwards into a thin spire, but seemed to be built upon layers and layers of circles to form its shape. However, she then noticed the outward spires built upon the buttresses, forming satellites that likened its overall structure to that of a castle.
A massive iron castle in the sky.
"N-no way… It can't be… "
Then the lights flickered on, illuminating the whole structure in a bright golden light, its radiance shining like the sun itself.
"I-is that…"
"Yeah. That's the floating castle in the sky, Aincrad." Kirito proclaimed, eyes fixed and locked onto the gigantic structure as it moved to dock beside the canopy of the tree.
"B-but why? Why here?" Leafa asked, her mind swirling with questions.
With that, Kirito's eyes flared with determination and purpose as he turned to Leafa.
"Two years ago, on this exact day, all of us ventured into that castle and had our lives turned upside down. Today, we're going to settle the score once and for all." Kirito declared, as Leafa's dread turned to shock.
"We're gonna beat this game properly, beat it without the fear of death, beat it like we dreamed about before all of this started… and I'd be honored if you joined me."
Leafa's eyes bulged as she turned to face her brother, his eyes filled with warmth and excitement as he faced her back.
"I'm starting my character back from scratch, and I'm pretty new to this game. You can give me pointers, right? Let's beat this thing, together! What do you say?"
Kirito laughed, extending a hand out to Leafa, who nodded vigorously, wrapping her arms around her brother's neck in a loving embrace.
"HELL YEAH! YOU AND ME! I'LL GO ANYWHERE WITH YOU!"
The two siblings continued to share their hug for those precious moments, as they felt the rift between them all but vanish with this promise, bathing in the golden light of Aincrad's wake, promising to move forward together.
"Hey, Kirito! You made it!"
The pair turned below them and were greeted with a grand sight.
Hundreds of fairies were rising from the ground, all making a beeline for the golden castle in the sky. Players of all colors, of all builds, of all walks of life all converged on Aincrad, eager for their chance at the giant fortress reborn.
At the forefront, Klein waved a hand, dressed in crimson samurai robes, while Griselda followed close by, a pair of feline ears on her head whipping in the wind as both players raced for the castle.
Behind them both, Agil, Argo, Okuyasu, Silica, and Lisbeth followed, all spreading their fairy wings and rocketing in the same direction, determination and excitement blazing in each of their eyes.
Kirito grinned to see familiar faces from SAO show up, seeing Klein's Fuurinkazan guild alongside Thinker linking his hands with Yulier. Diabel followed the couple close behind all of them pursuing the castle as well flanked by thousands of other players, a swarm of rainbow colors all heading to the same destination.
Leafa gasped at the sight of so many fairies of all different races assembling to meet at Aincrad, including Sakuya and Alicia Rue, even of all people, General Eugene, flanked by Asuna's brother Agni. Behind each of them, a massive army of fairies, from soldiers to casual players all rising up eager to face the castle they had yet to challenge for themselves.
"Leafa! You're here! C'mon, let's go!"
Leafa linked hands with a passing Recon, Annie predictably in tow as the three of them reunited once again.
"Can you believe this?! This is crazy!" Leafa cried out, Annie laughing beside her.
"I know, right! I wouldn't miss this for the world! Let's show all these SAO players we aren't slouches either!" Annie cheered, as Leafa exchanged a high-five with her.
"Hell no, we aren't! Let's do this!" Leafa laughed, just as a final set of voices entered the fray.
"Leafa! Kirito! Come on!"
"There you guys are! What're we waiting for? This is gonna be great!"
The group then turned to see Josuke rising up on his own set of wings, shimmering a bright purple alongside Asuna, now sporting an avatar much more similar to her real life appearance, colored in a brilliant shade of white and ocean blue.
"Leafa! Recon! Annie! You guys made it! Come on, everyone's waiting!" Yui piped up from Asuna's pocket, cheer in her voice as all of them ascended towards the castle, Leafa following them with joy in her heart.
Kirito smiled at the sight as Asuna took Leafa's hands in hers and they flew towards the castle together, her friends in tow. Perhaps this was the new beginning they all needed.
"So, here we are again, huh?"
Kirito turned beside him to meet the gaze of his best friend. Josuke stood tall, his wings spread wide as he directed a fiery gaze at the golden castle in the sky, his lips parted in a permanent grin.
At this moment in time, Kirito couldn't help but recall that first day, that first moment when it all started.
The rush of excitement that filled him.
The fear of the unknown.
The sheer wonder of stepping into a world straight out of a dream.
All with the strongest person he knew right there with him until the very end.
"Yeah. It's been a hell of a ride. You ready?"
Josuke stared back at the Black Swordsman and let out a jovial laugh, the fire of determination blazing in the air and all around as the dynamic duo bumped fists and stared up into the future.
"Always."
With that, the pair took off in the direction of the iron castle in the sky, ready to conquer a brave new world.
"THIS IS WAR!"
"May fortune shine on me… and my Crazy Diamond!"
SEASON 1 CLEAR
Next Up: Silva Gunner
And that's a wrap! OH MAN THIS WAS SOMETHING. Let me tell you guys something, I wasn't expecting to spend this much more time working on Fairy Dance compared to Aincrad, especially with how short it is, but I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, I'm running out of free time to work on this story. I still really want to finish it, but it will be slow. With this out of the way, that puts us a third of the way through, and I can't wait to get to Sinon and her whole deal, especially because she's in my humble opinion possibly the best girl in the show although my Saber bias might tamper with that.
All that aside, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and my take on this arc! Fairy Dance has always been continuously considered a controversial section of SAO, and I hope I did the story well with my own changes! From here on, we're moving back to Kirito and Josuke in the lead roles, so I'm glad to be back to their relationship!
Finally, once again, please don't hesitate to leave a review, I am always beyond excited to hear what you have to say about my work with all the time and effort I put into each chapter! Good or bad, I'm glad to receive all kinds of opinions, so don't be shy. Leave a follow to stay updated, and I will be seeing you all next time.
Deuces.
SSGSS Satiris: Oh yeah, it was pretty short, especially with how condensed Aincrad was in comparison. With that story I added a bunch of original content, while here I made alterations to the existing story. Great to hear you enjoyed the chapter! I'm always worried my emotional bits wouldn't work, and it's refreshing to learn it paid off.