|Sword Art Online, Floor 61, Settlement of Selmburg|
|Feb. 24th 12:08|
The storm clouds had finally lifted over Selmburg, and the natural beauty of the floor became a captivating site from every angle possible. The Frontrunners had found the Floor Boss and were prepping for its raid, thanks to Argo pulling together the last nuggets of intel the day prior, they were settled and confident in clearing this tame floor, and mentally prepared for the foes above.
But excluding themselves from the raid was Nagi, who sat against one of the stone railings that overlooked the beach below, and in front of him was the teleport plaza, lined with decorative, white marble archways that spanned along the waterfront, it almost felt like he was in Greece now that he properly inspected his surroundings.
He wore a simple, blue t-shirt with a white collar and sleeves, a pair of black trousers and white sneakers, he had to thank SAO for sprinkles of modern clothing, he was used to his tabi socks and sandals for his Tidal Shinobi set, but it was nice to have something more regular to wear. Looking up from his menu, it closed as he took sight of the approaching player, refusing to sneak up on him this time. Suffice to say, Nagi was sure he was daydreaming for a second.
Gone was Argo's exotic brown, green, and orange attire, and instead, she appeared with a white crop top with long, puffy sleeves, a gold line down the sleeve seam and middle of the shirt, decorated with two buttons on the collar. A pair of dark yellow shorts and a lighter yellow belt, and a pair of white boots. It wasn't often you ever caught the famed info broker out of uniform, Nagi just happened to be extremely fortunate to witness it more than once.
"Kept ya waitin', HerO?" Argo waved, placing her hands on her hips.
He shook his head with a warm smile, the warmest its been in days. "No, but it did give me time to check over with Mito, make sure she's okay leading today, its her first raid boss in-charge," It was a big ask, but the Reaper seemed more inclined to work on her leadership skills, and she had their friends there for the support, especially Asuna. "Any issues on your end?"
"Nah, wrapped up everythin' yesterday, even after... well, ya get iT," She dismissed with a flick of her hand, not wanting to dampen the mood, quickly wearing a smile that the Devil himself would be wary of, inching closer. "Now, since ya made the offer as yer way of makin' it up to me, I don't wanna here any complaintS,"
That wasn't out of his expectations, he did take to heart about not needing to repay any of them, but Argo was the exception, he had put her through a lot when he let his guilt and depression dictate his decisions, and he had died right in front of her too just to save them from his own mistake, so at the very least, he'd repay her tenfold. Retaining his serene expression, he nodded.
"That's the plan, whatever you wanna do or get, I'll go along with it, I made quite the fortunate from the end of the campaign questline, and from EXP grinding," He chuckled a little, hopping to his feet and offering her a hand. "Lead the way, boss,"
"Nyahaha, that's what a girl likes to heaR!" She happily accepted his hand, locking her fingers tightly before tugging him toward the town. "I scouted out the best places when we first got here, just ya wait and seE,"
"Looking forward to it,"
|Feb. 24th 12:29|
The pair had been through Selmburg numerous times now, but the rainstorm had passed, and they could finally walk around at their own, leisurely pace to explore and see the various vantage points that overlooked the whole floor. It leaned more towards being a tourist destination with its Greek-inspired architecture, many of the streets that consisted of open plazas were decorated with marble columns and archways, any cliffsides or waterfronts following the same, decorative design.
With the floor close to completion, more players filled the streets as they passed by Nagi and Argo, who remained invisible outside their trademark attire. Argo tugged her partner along to inspect another window, various casual clothes on display, such as summer dresses, shirts and shorts that would be very fitting for visiting a water-based floor like this.
Turning sharply on her heel, Argo gave Nagi a mischievous grin. "Well, think this one's a good look for mE?"
He eyed what she gestured to, one of the mannequins displaying a honey-coloured dress that ended just above the knees with a warm-black, short sleeved blazer and belt around the waist. It was simple but Nagi squinted, humming as he formed the image in his over, overlaying it with his girlfriend's patient grin.
"It compliments your hair and eyes well, especially since you've struck me as the type of girl who'd only wear dresses on special occasions, going by all your previous choices for clothing," Nagi analysed, smiling thoughtfully. "I think you'd look beautiful."
That continuous, unflinching honesty was the one thing her teasing remarks would struggle in vain against, but she also appreciated it all the more. Her expression softened, closing her eyes for a moment. "Ya sure know how to treat a ladY,"
"I learned from the best," He chuckled, earning her own snicker.
"Nyehehe, finE! Ya convinced mE!" With her right hand forward, she pushed the front door open with gusto, and hid the fact his compliment and little analysis made her heart tick a few beats faster.
Not long after purchasing the clothes, at Nagi's insistence despite Argo only joking about using his wallet like a sponge, the two left just as another pair stopped in front of the storefront, the girl among the two gesturing to it gleefully with a flat stare ever-present on her companion's face.
"Look at this one, the dress is so pretty!" She was talking about a soft, light green summer dress with a white, floral frill and cuffs.
"Fitting for a floor that gives me Greece vibes..." His eyes then trailed a second too late when Argo came to pat them on their shoulders. The girl let out a sharp yelp as the boy's soul nearly left his body, "Son of a fu... aaahahaha... why!?"
"Nyahaha, still too easy to sneak right by yA!" Argo was in hysterics, clutching her stomach as Nagi gave a more polite wave, laughing hesitantly.
"Hello again, Silent, Sakura, didn't expect you two to be up on the highest floor," Nagi knew they were strong players, but their brief spells on the frontlines were very situational, they were more comfortable mapping just about every dungeon in the game, and Sakura ran a bakery on the side which was quite popular.
"Mmhm, I got dragged here against my will," Silent pointed down, directly atop Sakura's head as she shooed his hand with an eyeroll.
"You wanted to explore the floor too after... y'know," She didn't say it, but clearly they had their own troubles outside of even Argo's knowledge.
"That so, Sakura-chaN? Care to sharE?" Argo's interests were piqued but the brunette was quick to shake her head with a timid smile.
"No, ah, it's a little personal, sorry, Argo," She was quick to cover up, which did draw the Rat's curiosity further but she didn't press, shrugging.
"If ya say so, I'll keep my lips sealeD,"
"Question-" Silent gestured to Nagi. "-isn't the floor boss raid today?"
"It is, but I left Mito in-charge of things today, we... kinda had our own issues recently, so I'm taking it easy today," The raven-brunette then clenched both fists. "But I'll be right back to the frontlines by tomorrow helping Argo see through gathering boss intel,"
"No rest for the wicked then," Silent nodded, adjusting his glasses, glancing at Argo. "I have everything written down about two dungeons. One on the 56th and the other on 59,"
A gleeful glint filled the broker's eyes, happily patting his back. "Always can rely on you two to give everything a good once-over for lil ol' me, I'll fax ya the Col by tomorroW,"
That seemed to please them both. "Sweet, payday is a good day - there, now you can splurge on whatever we find up here,"
"Thank you so much, Argo!" Sakura beamed like the sun, enough to have Argo's eyes flinch away from the light as Nagi sighed happily.
"So much wholesome energY..." The pair thought before moving around the duo.
"Your innocence is blinding me," Silent rubbed his eyes a little. "Oh, before I forget, Nagi, sorry, I, uh, never sent a message back about... about something you wanted to talk about?"
It took a moment for him to recall it himself, but the memory quickly returned. "I sent that the day before the 60th raid boss... right, yeah, don't worry about it, we can talk tomorrow, it's nothing too serious, promise."
That certainly made Silent relax, nodding with a smile. "Then I have nothing else to worry about, except for how empty my bank is gonna be,"
Sakura scoffed playfully. "I'm not that bad, you buy random stuff out of the blue when I'm not around,"
He was quick to pinch his his thumbs and index fingers together. "Okay, so I made a few... minor purchases - all for a good reason, mind you..." Her brow rose sharply, the silence between them deafening as he lowered his hands with a nervous glance off to the side. "...most of the time..."
Now, Sakura had her hands on her hips, looking at him reproachfully. "You should be more careful with our Col, costs for repairs and items are much higher now, and you bought... like over one-hundred potions last time,"
"With how many we go through? Especially on idiots that don't prepare, I see it as a worthy investment," He crossed his arms, the two continuing their back-and-forth.
Sensing it was best to just leave them to it, Nagi and Argo gave each other a knowing nod, smiling a little, "We'll leave you both to it then, talk to you later," Nagi waved alongside Argo.
"Don't go gettin' all worked up over this, if the info's good, you'll be paid in fulL," Argo assured her clients.
"Uh, yeah, see~/Bye!" Silent and Sakura waved back, then went right back to their debate over their spending habits.
Out of earshot, their intertwined hands swung slightly between them. "So, what's this I hear of a meetin' between you twO?" Leaning forward to peek up at Nagi, Argo was immediately interested.
"It was a request I sent, as I said, a few days ago but he must've forgotten, but it's about seeing if they wanted to join our guild; since they're expert dungeon delvers, I thought having them around for trickier dungeons in the future would be helpful, and it also gives them a solid place if and when they end up mixed in with work on the frontlines, just keeps the other guilds off their cases too," Nagi knew they had been pressured before, and at one point, both of them had been a part of DKB when it was still called that.
Nodding in understanding, the pieces clicked easily for Argo. "Ya wanted to keep 'em from dealin' with the same scrutiny our party dealt with prior to Misfits bein' formeD,"
"Exactly, and having more members will lighten the load at times for the others and give those two a place to stay without paying for inns constantly," Housing in SAO, as far as Nagi knew, could be really steep if you wanted a good place and/or location. Looking up briefly, he hummed. "If I remember right, Kirito owns a small apartment that cost him a lot,"
"The 50th, I remember, Kii-bou forwent luxury for efficiency, which I still stand by the fact he could've gone for betteR," If anything, he should've consulted Argo about it, but that's Kirito for you, wanting to skip her insurance, and look where that got him. Shaking her head in dismay, she huffed a bit. "Sachi-chan's gotta knock the sense into him and just settle for a place between 'eM,"
Sighing a short laugh, Nagi couldn't help but agree. "I think they share it..." That had Argo groan and run a hand down her face.
"Never mind, they're too perfect for each other alreadY..." Hopefully someday they'd pick someplace with more character, and for a better price. Nagi just laughed at her reaction to the upsetting news.
|Feb. 24th 14:11|
Coral Edge, another establishment fitted to a seaside cliff to the far west of town, it was a restaurant with a large outdoor seating that ran along a short wall peering down towards the crashing waves below, the scent of sea salt and the warm climate more than perfect for an outdoor meal. One that Argo was more than happy to indulge in, much to Nagi's amusement.
"Mmm~! So sweeT~!" Argo was fully expressive about their meal, which was more akin to a bakery, cupping her reddened cheek as she chewed and swallowed another piece of the restaurant's raspberry layer cake, the white icing and smooth, whipped cream and jam, topped with strawberries. Nagi had to admit, her reaction was warranted, his own cheeks flushed.
"It reminds me of the tarts from the 5th floor, the sweetness is perfect~" He sighed, then taking a sip of his tea.
Two stands sat either side of their table, layered with an assortment of colourful tray bakes with a pot of tea already half empty since their meal arrived. It was Argo's idea per Asuna's suggestion, and Argo wasn't about to let such valued info go to waste while they had the time.
Setting his cup down, Nagi stared out at the sea for a moment, a few boats travelling along a predetermined route between the other islands, carrying players and NPC alike. Whilst Argo gasped after taking a delightful sip of tea, Nagi found his voice, the words rolling off his tongue with the weight of feather compared to the once lock-and-key on the subject. "I said I'd tell you what happened, why I took the deaths of others, and especially Shirayuki's, so badly, didn't I?"
It had been on her mind to ask today, so she wasn't too surprised he'd bring it up now while they sat and ate. Setting her cup down, her finger ran across the rim of the ceramic, fixing him a worried look, her stomach turning with a few knots. "Ya don't need to say if yer uncomfortable, this wasn't something I was about to force outta yA,"
His smile persisted, but it did hold a pang of pain behind it. "No, I... I've kept this for long enough, if anyone should know, I want it to be you," Turned to face her properly, Argo kept her silence, letting him process everything he felt flash before his eyes on the brink of death. "...I... I found my Dad collapsed in his workshop the day he would eventually pass away,"
The retelling was brief, as even now, a lot of that day bar that one moment until his Dad passed away remained a blur, likely from supressing it for too long. Argo didn't speak, she nodded to let him know she was still listening. Her expression didn't change once, remaining stern and neutral, but her scent gave off an air of mournful sorrow.
Taking a long sip to calm his heart, Nagi sighed soon after. "Seeing how Shirayuki died, the way she kept encouraging me..."
"Reminded you of yer old maN," Argo guessed, earning a hum in acknowledgement.
"Both looked at me and didn't blame me for any of my mistakes, to them, I did nothing wrong, and I think that's why I've blamed myself further. I didn't feel I had earned their forgiveness or any of their kindness, I couldn't even bear to look my family in the eye, always hiding it behind an upbeat manner to try and keep what my Dad left behind alive, I had to or I'd fall apart at the seams... which we both saw how that ended," Shrugging at his eventual downfall, not even Nagi could keep up his act forever, SAO proved to test that again and again.
"I said I'd help fix every mistake ya made, but honestlY?" Reaching over, Argo took his right hand tightly across the table, smiling again. "Not much for me to fix, you've gone and blamed yerself all this time, but all I've seen ya do is fight for the sake of others, don't need some massive breakdown of events to see that's clear as daY,"
"When this is all over, look yer sister and Mom in the eye and tell 'em everything you told me, and they'll say the exact same thing as me, what happened that day was out of yer control, and I think yer old man was happy he could spend one last chance talkin' with yA," As she spoke softly, his hand trembled in her own, forcing her fingers to coil tighter around his palm. "And he's definitely proud of who you've gone and become, don't ever believe otherwisE,"
Plucking a strawberry from her slice of cake, she leaned over to pop it into his mouth, seeing the tears catch in the corners of his eyes. "Get all thaT?" She smirked, earning a muffled sniffle and laugh as he chewed the fruit, using his free hand to dry his eyes.
"Ye-yeah, loud and clear," Sniffing once, he swallowed and felt his shaking subside, her hand locked in his.
"Then that's all I gotta say, and if ya need it, I'll give ya a shoulder to lean on, free of charge so long as you keep serenadin' me with yer musiC," She winked back, the top pair of whiskers twitching in delight.
"Hehe, well, I'll be sure to do that, any requests?" He teased back, his mood gradually improving again, and to say it out loud felt... liberating. Argo didn't even care to pity him, she listened and understood almost immediately what had torn at Nagi for years, and she accepted that, turning that despair to a goal of accepting it himself, to confront his family about it and push forward.
Even when Shirayuki and his Dad's faces echoed in his head, little by little, their memories felt bright again.
|Feb. 24th 16:21|
Nestled into the mountain of Selmburg itself, another trove of valuable information gathered by Argo, was a sizable hot spring. Thankfully, you had to actually pay for a slot, meaning no random player can just wander into another's slot, giving any and all players that much-needed privacy.
Thehot spring itself is a large, oval-shaped pool with steam gently rising from its , moss-covered rocks of varying sizes surround the perimeter, providing natural seating and giving the area a rustic, untouched feel. Crystal-clear water revealed the pebbles and minerals at the bottom of the pool, which glisten and shimmer in the light.
Manmade walls surrounded the various pools, sectioning off various elevations for other players. Sat comfortably in their own hot spring, a large boulder in the middle of the pool separated the pair as they sunk deeper into the pool's steamy depths; upon entry, a buff appeared, boosting Health Regen, Reduced Stamina Loss, and other smaller buffs, but ultimately, the mental fatigue melted away, and a forestry scent filled the air from the collection of trees and other plants that had grown within the caves.
"Good call on this, I needed a long soaK..." Argo murmured, her back pressed against the boulder as she slumped into the water, her shoulders poking about the surface.
"You did provide the info in your Guidebook, I just felt it was a fitting place to go to relax," Nagi replied modestly, even in his state of depression, he had wanted to come here when he had the time, and it was certainly worth the wait. Strangely, some of the hot springs dotted around Aincrad, gave various effects, sure, but some came with a different scent, atmosphere, even an overall sensation against the skin that other springs couldn't replicate. It was an oddly peculiar attention to detail that made each experience fresh.
"Ya know, a lot would envy yer position right noW~" Argo grinned, leaning her head against the rock as she heard Nagi shift around on the other side. "Spendin' the afternoon in a hot springs with a beautiful young ladY,"
"Then I guess I'm extremely fortunate," Nagi smirked himself, glancing at the edge of the boulder then back to his reflection. "I get to spend this time with my lovely girlfriend, I think anyone would be envious,"
Immediately, Argo burst out laughing. "Yah got that righT! And I get you all to myself, so I'm in my happy place toO!"
Even with her upbeat mannerisms, Argo stared down at her reflection again, it had been on her mind since their 'lunch', about what Nagi had told her about his guilt, and the hopes of overcoming it with her support, and their friends' support too. She hadn't realized it at first, but now, it was coming to her in vivid flashes, all those nights during the first month of SAO, the many that reported of dead comrades, of those unable to complete messages as they were flagged as 'incomplete'. The dread of seeing them all signed with the system stating they had 'logged off', it was as if someone threw a bucket of icy water down her back, even in this boiling water, goosebumps sent chills across her skin.
The worst were the deaths she witnessed, some on the field or during major boss battles, the times she stared at the Monument of Swordsmen at the Black Iron Palace, unable to do a thing but watch as names were scored off the black marble one by one, like lights going out in the dark. And Argo was unable to lift a finger to prevent a single one...
Tucking her knees close to her chest, her right arm wrapped around both, she asked in an unnaturally flat voice. "Nagi... can I tell you somethinG?"
It was hard to tell at first, but he caught the whiff of despair through the haze, if Argo's tone didn't already tip him off. He sat upright, turning his head to the edge, unable to see her but knowing she sat around that corner. "Yeah?"
"...I've always taken pride in being an info broker, I wanna learn every facet of a game, to uncover each secret and efficient route from quest-to-quest, raids, anything that a player needed, I'd be the woman that had it all, I'd play the information game better than anyone else coulD," She smiled at this, the pride swelled in her tight chest. "In the Beta, I did just that, with the limited time I had, I combed all the intel of the first ten floors to death... and I met you and Kii-bou as a result, the three of us dug through so much that my head spun for nights on enD,"
The fond memories then turned sour, seeing so many turn to shattered remains on the 25th floor, the deaths of the Moonlit Black Cats... watching Nagi come dangerously close to the same fate, her eyes widening briefly before growing downcast again. "...then things changed, and other testers and those that followed my old guides dieD. I thought I learned better, but each milestone led to newer developments, and even old floors began to change, more and more started to disappear, faster than I could prevenT..."
"I feel like I've failed so many times, that the answers were clear as day, but like a cruel joke, I'm always a step behinD..." She felt powerless, useless...
"That's not true," Her whole body flinched, spotting the arm that had snuck around, plunged into the water to find her hand, returning the same gesture as Nagi spoke fondly. "Argo... you've done more than any broker I know, you've put yourself through constant danger and strife to ensure we survived, and so many have; we can't prevent every death, but we can try, and that has proven to work, without your guidebook, so many would be lost right now, through you, people found ways to support the Frontrunners. Everything you've done has kept us alive a little longer, and that's amazing... you're amazing,"
His smile grew warmer, feeling her hand squeezing his hand tighter. "You don't need to carry the weight of the world alone, if it gets too unbearable, I'm right here to lift it up with you, until we make it back home; right, partner?"
It almost never happened, Argo never let it show often, even to Nagi. For the first time since they met, Argo's head bowed against her knees as she trembled, attempting to stifle her sobs between grit teeth, her hand forming a vice-like grip on Nagi's offered hold. She knew the role she played, and no matter how perilous it became, she would excel and continue to provide everyone with only the absolute best intel, so no one else has to die a pointless death.
But right now? Alone together, Argo's cheeks grew red, a few tears streaking down her face as she let her walls down for the only person who'd never say a word; his hand was incredibly warm.
|Feb. 24th 18:39|
As the Frontrunners continued with their venture onto the 62nd floor above, already brokers were gathering intel, much of which was kept within the frontlines, some already forwarding it to Argo, even with her absence, the parties were managing just fine, one day without the Rat's involvement didn't stifle their slow-going progress.
Meanwhile, Nagi and Argo arrived back from dinner to their rented room, their time today drawing to a close, but by tomorrow morning, they'd re-join with the rest of their party, they had roles to fill, after all. Stretching, Nagi approached the balcony, opening the door slightly to step outside into the cool, night air, immediately spotting something.
"Hey, Argo, look!" He waved her over as she gave her messages a few scans, already intrigued by what she's seeing. Popping her head out, her eyes quickly flashed, reflecting the lights burning up in the sky nearest the beach.
Both watched as a small fireworks display erupted in the sky; it was a small event that accompanied the successful clear of a floor boss on every previous floor, allowing other players to take solace in knowing another hurdle had been overcome. Flashes of reds and purples dazzled by sprays of silver sparks that fanned outward like wings, trickling towards the moonlit waves.
"Been a while since I've seen 'eM," Argo mentioned, having simply gone about her questing on the next floor or celebrating with the rest of their friends.
"Same, guess we never stop to smell the roses, in a way," Nagi remarked jokingly, earning a light laugh from her lips, feeling her side press snug against his. The sight made his fist tighten on the railing. "Tomorrow, let's give it our best!"
"Couldn't agree more, HerO," Argo chirped, though the silence grew after, a comfortable lull in conversation that Argo felt bubble into a deep warmth in her chest. Closing her eyes for a moment, she gave more to the thought that had come up, and to her beating heart. "Nagi, mind looking this way?"
Her finger curled to gesture towards her, so he did so without question; not a word got out as she pulled his lips against her own, instantly, a rush ofadrenaline and heat poured into his blood as he felt her lips meld to his own. Although, to his surprise, he felt her tongue press against his teeth, making him part them as his whole face turned crimson, though Argo's didn't fare any better.
Both pushed their tongues past the other, causing Argo to let out a muffled gasp at the acceptance to her sudden intrusion, the result sending a collective shiver down their spines. This was very new territory, sure, they had seen it likely in media but to experience a deep kiss this intimate was new, and exhilarating.
Neither had any complaints. This French kiss lasted only a few seconds more before they parted, faces scarlet and a line of spit connected to their bottom lips, which Nagi wiped away with his heart on the verge of shattering his ribs. Argopanted a bit, but wore a tender smile, her fingers tracing up to her lips.
"Th-that wasn't too much for yA?" She asked, finally finding her voice again less she just broke him with her stunt.
"N-no, no, that... was something else, hehe…" Was the best he had, immediately groaning to himself. "Yeah, I got nothing..."
His response had her giggle, keeping him an inch from her face, her heart pounding against her chest, Nagi's own threatening to explode any second now.
Not even thirty seconds later, the balcony door was closed, the curtains pulled over as Nagi sat at the edge of the bed, finding himself supporting Argo's weight in his lap, her golden-brown eyes practically glowing in the dimly-lit room, and with how quiet it was, he could hear his own heartbeat. There was a new look in her eyes, one he felt unfamiliar desire draw him towards, his own heart and head filled with a similar feeling, a warmth like no other.
"Argo..." He went to ask but she shook her head, leaning closer to peck his lips gingerly.
"...just for tonight... call me Hosaka."
[To Be Continued...]
[Author's Notes]
Oooh yeah, that's an ending, hahaha! What a way to cap off this arc, and the whole of the Path of Divine Sakura campaign. This was a really fun arc to put together, focusing solely on Nagi and his past regrets. But this chapter in particular to focus on him and Argo, which I really liked showing Argo being vulnerable as she strikes me as the person to keep that under lock and key, much like Nagi. And where does that lead us? Right to an... interesting night.
So, I might make a one-shot covering their night together, maybe, it'll be separate from Misfits and would be entirely optional cause, y'know, I'm not some master at writing shit like that, but negative feedback on the matter has never stopped me before, hah!
Next time, we're going on a classic monster hunt! Sowith that side-chapter in mind, maybe, and the conclusion of this arc, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; see ya in the next arc, Misfits!
Next Arc - Season of the Hunt
Mito has been material gathering for several weeks to make gifts for her guild for everything they've done for her since they met, and with Daora's help, she sets out on a race to hunt an extremely rare monster rumoured to drop an S-Tier material. With help from Philia, and even Fynch, the four set out to hunt down the elusive beast but they're not the only players out hunting...