A/N: Right, so, final part to this arc, next one's... not done, I haven't found the motivation to write it recently, though to be fair, I wrote everything from Floor 10 to now in like... just over a week so that probably did it. I've got everything but the last chapter for the next arc done so we'll see how things fair. That said, Review Time.
To Isshion: Thank you, I actually got the idea for the floor boss from Terraria Calamity, the Abyss is a 'wonderful' place. And I agree, I kinda got the idea to add character replies to comments from an amazing Borderlands 2 writer, his story called Rebel Anarchy, he does the same thing.
[Nagi]: It's always great to vocalize our thoughts, and allows readers the opportunity to ask questions directly in a more interesting and interactive way.
[Argo]: Ain't that truE. Customer service is a staple for good businesS.
Enjoy.
|March. 27th, 07:55|
|Sword Art Online, Floor 24, Boss Room|
The inside of the once underwater boss arena now sat high and dry, the stairwell of dark blue marble that led to the 25th floor was now available, with those that had conquered the floor sitting on the bottom steps. They cheered for their efforts and basked in the rewards that came. The sweetest of them all? The names of three members of the Sleeping Knights were now engraved into SAO forever. Not with a slash through them, but with engravement of their triumph.
Artorias smirked to herself, toying with the hand-sized white fang between her fingers, the Devourer Fang, another piece to her cure had been found. Yuuki couldn't stop thanking Nagi for his party's aid in the last two days. In only a short time, the trio had wormed their way into the hearts of the co-leader of the Sleeping Knights, she would move mountains for them.
Just as the last minute struck twelve, the doors to the boss room creaked wide, revealing to the armed guilds and parties of the Frontrunners a most astonishing and unbelievable sight. That of a girl with beautiful purple hair and scarlet eyes with her arms around Daora's and Nagi's shoulders, resting her head on Artorias' head while throwing up two peace signs with a toothy smile.
"Yo, whazzup?" Artorias drawled to the crowd.
"Oh! Hey Asuna, Kirito!" Nagi perked up, waving to the pair, the former's jaw was nearly falling off her face, and the latter held a smirk of levity, arms crossed as Kirito's eyes flickered between the various reactions of Lind and Kibaou.
"Are ya kiddin' me!?/How did you defeat the floor boss!?" They pair roared as one, various other complaints erupting from the crowd of Clearers.
"They must've cheated!" "Isn't that two Beta Testers in their group?" "Yeah! And Zekken too, they had to have used an exploit!"
"Hey, the boss is cleared, why are you getting so strung up about it!?" Yuuki stropped, glaring at the Clearers. It was maddening to think this was how the frontline players acted to a job well done. "No one died, that's all that matters but you're all making it out like it was a big deal!"
"Watch it brat!" "You're not even a Frontline Player, butt out!" "She probably set this up!"
Now that dark cloud was expanding solely on Yuuki, she dealt with threats many times due to her skill, called 'cheater' and all, but this feeling, it was swelling like a bad taste in her mouth. It reminded her of... before SAO, before she ended up... not in a good place. It was starting to suffocate and her friends could see it.
"Lay off her!/What's your deal!?" Nori and Jun barked from the staircase.
"W-wait, we uh, we're just, erm..." Yuuki was fumbling with her words, she could speak her mind but for once her mind was drawing a blank on what to do. Nori and Jun got up to defend their leader. But three shadows did it for them.
"Yeah? We just did your job for you, no need to thank us but we do accept all forms of gratitude in the mail," Artorias stated with a finger raised, eyes closed to mimic a certain chestnut-haired fencer. "And bootlicking is also a good step forward."
"You should be grateful, without us you'd have probably curled up like little babies, hah!" Daora taunted, huffing sharply through his mask.
"One of my party members needed an item that was paramount to their own efforts to beat this game," Nagi was the most reasonable, moving to hide Yuuki, herself mirroring her guildmates' astounded reaction at their willingness to stand in the blaze Yuuki inadvertently created. "We haven't gone up to the next floor, so please, don't take it out on any of them, this was all our doing." Nagi bowed his head briefly to the two leaders.
"Nagi..." Yuuki murmured, a touched smile tugging at her lips as the three misfits stood their ground on their mockery and lies.
The first to grunt and just rub his head was Kibaou, the ginger scowling in disappointment. "Ya better not try it again, ya hear!?" He flicked his hand forward. "Come on, sooner we're in town, better start we have." His guild listened, even as some mildly complained. "Oi! We got ourselves a safe pass, accept it and move on!"
In passing, the short man gave the three a subtle nod, his eyes briefly locked to Nagi's before departing.
Lind was next, the blue knight locking eyes with Artorias. "What, Diavel Wannabe? Jealous my boss is awesome?" Artorias grinned sardonically, arm over Nagi's shoulders.
He didn't let his gaze linger, staring straight ahead with that constant stern expression tied to his face. "I do hope you will join us for the next boss, as planned?" Lind was steady with his speech, but it was clear he was resentful of this outcome.
"Only if it isn't paramount or the situation changes, you have my word," Nagi offered, and after a long pause, Lind sighed and nodded once, patting the shinobi's shoulder in passing with his men.
Kirito chuckled behind his hand, "When Argo told me you'd be up to something, didn't peg it was this," He fist-bumped Nagi. "Who got the L.A?" His eyes twinkled a bit before his partner chastised him for it with a light smack to the head. "H-hey, come on, you're curious too!"
"Atleast ask if they're okay first, dear God!" She shook her head, those harsh orbs relaxing. "How did you manage without a full party? And why?"
"Eh, that's... a long story," Nagi turned fully to show Yuuki who suddenly gasped, her eyes sparkling.
"He's the guy I fought!" She pointed straight at Kirito who froze like a dear in headlights. "He's 'Blackie'!"
"Ah... haha, yeah, I remember," Kirito replied nervously, rubbing his nape. "Guess you fought these guys, Zekken?"
"Yep! Nearly lost to Artorias, man, that was a close one too!" Yuuki giggled while the Beater swung his head left, and Artorias turned the other way as if she wasn't paying attention.
"What the hell, I barely got in a few hits near the end, and you nearly won!?" Kirito's world was flipped as Asuna pushed him toward the staircase. "But how, how did you do it? Her swordsmanship is beyond the system itself, there's nothing that could come close to mimicking her playstyle?"
"All in the wrist, Blackie," Artorias grinned, then cocked her head side to side. "And a little bit of exposure to this lifestyle." She motioned to the chamber around them.
"We'll be heading back to town, we'll probably head up in a few hours," Nagi offered as Asuna smiled with a hint of forcefulness behind her face. What was that? Before he could press it, the duo pressed on with Kirito promising a rematch with Yuuki on a later date.
"Seeya guys!" Yuuki waved gleefully, her friends doing the same. "So that's who you were talking about, he's really strong, if he had a stronger set-up I might've lost," The violet-haired girl waved her obsidian sword around. "I haven't had the time to enhance this, the materials are still unavailable so I'm at a deadlock."
"Whew, that was getting a little too hot for my taste," Nori wiped the sweat from her brow, shaking Jun by the shoulder. "But we actually did it, Yuuki! Let's go let the others know!"
"Guess the party's on, sweet!" Jun hopped to his feet.
|March. 27th, 12:02|
|Floor 24, Gold Wave Inn|
*Bang-Bang-Bang-!*
Several poppers went off at once, covering Nagi, Artorias, and Daora in the colorful confetti after returning from their brief interrogation from Argo, the informant on a tight schedule due to her need to gather intel on the newest floor. She assured Nagi she could handle a solo venture for one day so that he could recover and celebrate without worry.
"Thank you so much!" The Sleeping Knights cheered as one, the table before them lined with various bought foods, drinks, and some prepped party snacks under Ran and Siune's care.
"I thought they'd plot something like this when we left," Artorias shook her head, face a little pinker from the surprise in general. "Man, you guys love wasting money."
"I put our hats into the ring when Yuuki made that street fight of hers," Nori explained, sipping her faux beer with a smack of her lips. "Having a battle god as your winning horse makes life a breeze!"
"That was totally a diss..." Yuuki pouted but Nori just laughed in her seat.
"It's only part of our overall goal, but thank you for doing this, for all of us," Ran placed a hand to her heart, speaking tenderly. "It's a huge risk, one no player should have to take, but... thank you."
"We not only helped some of you, but we cleared another floor, so in a way, your dream benefits everyone," Nagi reworded as their eyes met his kindred smile, holding his cup close to enjoy the fruity scent lingering from the mug. "One day, all of you will be on the Monument,"
"We keep our word!" Daora reinforced, downing his second drink before snatching another to pour under his mask.
"We get to rub it in their faces too..." Artorias shrugged, playing with her cup. "Let them grovel at our success, maybe then they'll start trying harder."
The various responses lightened the burden on the Sleeping Knights' hearts. Despite how honest their dream was, no one could deny it was self-centered, if not stupid considering the circumstances. When the topic was brought up, Nagi could sense the dread in the air, like a low-hanging fog that ultimately was swept under the rug. But the issue remained unclear, why such negative energy would consistently plague the members of the guild? What was it they were still hiding under lock and key?
"Come on, you guys, we just took on a tough boss with the six of us, let's party until we're kicked out!" Jun stomped one foot on the table, his other leg balanced on his chair with his drink high.
"I like your funny words, magic man," Artorias concurred, raising her drink. "Let's get wasted!"
The festivities continued with Nagi off to one corner of the room with Siune and Ran, the pair looking at him like curious cats eyeing a bird. "Tell us, are you and that broker... Argo was it?" Ran paused with a finger to her chin. Nagi nodded, still blank on what she was leading to. "Right, yes, are you... together-together? Y'know? More than friends?"
It hadn't been the first time Nagi found himself in this predicament, Artorias was, for lack of a better word, stuck in the middle, of Nagi and Argo's relationship as the raven-brunette's ear to listen to. He was okay with that, forever grateful to the brash player's often insightful and understanding tone when Nagi felt he was lacking. How could he compare to a girl as extraordinary as Argo?
"U-um, yeah... secretly that is," Nagi admitted, and Siune gushed behind her hand, clearly enthralled by that answer.
"A secret relationship, how devious of you two," She squealed in a hushed tone, the skin on Nagi's cheeks noticeably darker as she smiled softly. "That's so cute, you two looked really in sync when you were chatting the day before."
"Mmhm, I thought something was up, sorry," Ran apologized. She may have been the 'mature' half of her twin, but she couldn't resist a good romance blossoming among her friends. "It's been bugging me since yesterday."
"I-it's alright, I feel sooner or later our other friends will piece it together," Nagi answered shyly, tapping his fingers off his drink. "We like the time to ourselves, just like when I help with her information gathering."
"What do you like about her then, if that's okay to ask?" Siune leaned forward with Ran nodding eagerly, attention completely tunneled to the timid boy sitting straight in his chair, his chest bouncing with heat.
"...I can't really say," Nagi exhaled, staring at his drink's murky reflection. "I think... everything, her laugh, smile, the way she speaks, how she looks is a bonus too, but the best part?" They nodded at his pause, his shaky smile growing. "When she shows her softer side, a part no one would ever know, she trusts me as much as I do her."
"That's a good answer," Ran agreed, hand patting Nagi's shaky palms gingerly. She softened her look. "I can't vouch for her since we've never talked but I think she likes you for you too, even the stuff she may not know yet."
"You think so?" Nagi's brow rose to her reply.
"A girl tends to love what she never wants to admit," Siune chimed whimsically, tapping a finger to her lips with a giggle.
These two were nice to chat with, Nagi thought. It reassured him of any doubts.
"-look, wanna optimized your play? Don't play the front to win, play to outlast," Artorias motioned down with both hands. The boys, Jun and Tecchi followed her words like a prophet. The sense of genuine professionalism running from her tone was intoxicating. "Don't rush in when you think there's an opportunity, if you fall when you're needed, your plans as a team falls through, you two are the shield, you strike only when necessary, not to your convenience."
"Alright... got it," Jun jotted it down in his menu.
"You're well adept to this, were you a guild leader before SAO?" Tecchi inquired, curious to the boy stuck in a girl's body's reply.
"Let's just leave at I've played competitive for a living, so coop is the bread and butter," Artorias answered.
"You ever plan professionally?" Jun's brows shot up. "Maybe we've heard of you!?"
The redhead laughed slightly, shaking her head. "Doubtful, I'm just the guy that comes along to ruin your day, that's my role," Swiveling in her seat, her hands shot forward like butcher knives. "Now, you two-" Nori and Talken sat up like arrows, their plates frozen in her hands. "-DPS isn't just about bringing the big numbers, it's about knowing how to take every little window you get as a unit."
"H-how so?" Talken stuttered when Artorias leaned forward with a sly smirk.
"You gotta be one mind, get me? You attack as one, you think as one, you follow as one," Artorias sat up, sipping her whiskey with a shiver at the burn down her throat. "Bring the most damage possible every damage phase, but stay light on your feet, be able to adapt to survive, and do not get greedy," This point was jabbed with the girl's finger.
"Sounds solid, I can work with that," Nori replied, looking to Talken. "We should practice our switching sometime, get our timings shorter."
"That c-could be good, t-thank you, Artorias," He bowed his head as his friends chuckled at the constant formalities.
"That'll be 1000 Col," Artorias quipped, hand curling back. "Each," She added as their faces dropped low enough for her to start giggling behind her glass. "Just kiddin' - woah!" Several items of food were thrown her way. "Don't boo me, I'm right!"
"You're gonna break the table." Artorias coughed, legs up on said table.
"This is honestly just sad to watch," Ran shook her head, face obscured by her hand.
"Ready?" Daora's wolf eyes glared at his opponent.
"Bring it!" Yuuki declared, and the match began with their elbows propped on the table, hands locked in a vice-like grip.
The sheer intensity became evident as their elbows left two indents in the wood's surface, their veins bulging with a pressure that sparked and crackled like a sword skill activation. Their hands jittered under the cheers of Nori and Jun, the rest staring in silence as Daora pushed Yuuki's arm down.
"He does know swordplay and outright strength are completely different territories, right?" Artorias murmured but no one was really listening.
"Keep it up you two!" Nagi encouraged, being the non-biased referee as Yuuki bit her cheek, applying all the force she could into her forearm as it gradually shifted her control to balance out Daora's overwhelming strength but it was clear her upper body strength wasn't as stellar without a blade in her hands.
"Hahaha, I have the strength of the Apex Dire Wolf behind me!" Daora attempted to invade his enemy's mind with doubt, suppressing their will with his sheer ferocity, but Yuuki only fixed him a steady glare. Her spirit would not topple, she buckled but did not yield, even as she lost more ground her arm refused to budge another centimeter.
*Crack...!*
"Uh, guys?" Ran's tempered tone didn't finish her sentence in time, blue shards and splinters flying everywhere, sticking out from clothing and hair as the girl's brow twitched at her younger sister and Daora. Now laying in a pile of debris left by the now split table. "...Yuuki, Daora?"
"Uh, whoops?" Yuuki smiled with a sweaty face.
"We need a new table," Daora spoke as if it weren't obvious.
"You need therapy!" Artorias was laying on her ass, feet threw back when the table bent inward, but she did save her whiskey.
"Sorry 'bout that," Yuuki offered a new drink as a peace-offering to the moody Artorias who took the new drink with a long-winded sigh. "Who would've guessed the tables in an inn could break, right?"
"Yeah, well a battle-obsessed idiot and a girl on par with Morpheus himself can work wonders." She did a little twirl of the wrist before settling her gaze on the Absolute Sword with a thoughtful stare. "Nice bark, by the way," Yuuki's head perked up to the nonchalant look over Artorias. "Those guys were pissed with you, truth often is the best weapon against ignorance."
She chuckled softly at that, swinging her legs out a few times with that same, whimsical face. "Oh yeah, that, ah-hah... I don't think we'll be on the frontlines after that," Scratching her head bashfully, she realized Artorias hadn't said a word, and she frowned with a thoughtful look. "What?"
"Ya heard them? They hate me and the boss 'cause we're Beta Testers, and we still show 'em up, trust me, you'll fit in just fine," She assured the girl, shrugging. "If they can't take criticism they aren't worth listening to."
"I guess so, I always speak what's on my mind, so if they hate me, so what?" Yuuki agreed, flashing her toothy grin that made the atmosphere warmer. "Just proves I was close to their hearts!"
Artorias smiled slightly, it was a childish reply, but she wasn't wrong, "That's one way to look at it," Then she scooted closer, offering the purplette one of her mischievous looks. "Hey, ever need material, I've got a bunch written down, some are just, 'chef's kiss'," She mused with her thumb and index finger raised by her head, eyes closed with a blissful look about her.
Yuuki doubled over in a fit of giggles, slapping the table next to them as that joyous vibration in Artorias' ears forced out a throaty laugh of her own. No one had ever gotten the snarky red warrior to laugh like that in years.
Hours flew by without a care in the world, but along a beach's outermost plot of sand, Yuuki and Ran were brought alone with Nagi, the water shinobi had something to speak in private with them. Neither siblings knew why his attitude shifted so drastically, at first, they thought something terrible had come up or he needed to leave for the frontlines, but he assured them it wasn't the case. Then what?
The afternoon sun was intoxicating to the skin, a faint warm breeze brushed through their clothing as the haori tied around Nagi's waist billowed when he finally turned to them with a strange state of tension in his features, his eyes staring through them.
"What's wrong, Nagi? Did something come up?" Yuuki asked first, rubbing her hands together. "I mean, totally get it, y'know? You're working with that funny broker, right?"
"Argo's fine, for now, she doesn't always need me around to handle herself," Nagi knew this well, instead, he looked around the golden sands and the lake's deep blue far and wide. "I... I just needed some time to process everything recently, sorry if I've been a little weird since we met, I can't really explain this well."
Ran stepped forward, arms crossed over her chest with a worried frown. "Nagi? Is it about... us?" She glanced at her sister warily. Did Nagi figure it out? Was it something they - then she caught herself, breath hitched when Yuuki did the same, eyes wide with shock at the revelation.
"You said 'when' you'll die," Nagi's voice was firm but as gentle as the ocean breeze. "You're the first Medicuboid user, aren't you, Yuuki?"
He figured it out.
The slosh of waves passed three times.
Lips parted hesitantly. "...how did you...?" Ran murmured, speechless when Nagi kindly explained.
"Kirito said after his fight with you, Yuuki, that you were truly living in this world, he figured it out, didn't he?" He watched Yuuki flinch back, her smile faltering into a force one, trying to maintain an air of calmness. "And you didn't invite him because that might've caused issues for the boss battle, out of security for yourselves."
"..." Neither said it but nodded slowly to confirm this. Nagi inhaled a hum, taking it in before continuing.
"It's okay, I knew beforehand, but I just couldn't connect the dots myself, not alone anyway," Nagi's smile rose caringly, his heartbeat racing until it threatened to burst from his chest when their eyes met. Two pairs of matching onyx orbs, and locks of blackish-brown hair, say for the one who dyed her own. "Yuuki Konno, Aiko Konno."
That broke the dam when the sisters gasped sharply. "H-how do you know our names?" Ran was defensive, holding her sister's wrist tightly as Nagi waved his hands slightly.
"Sorry, sorry, I just... haven't been able to think of a better way to say this... and I never imagined I'd get to see you two for the first time in this world, where I can see how amazing, talented, and strong you two were," He was proud, thankful to have had spiraled into this unfortunate event. Because he found them. And it made his heart lighter. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Kaito Konno, your cousin."
Impossible. That was the first thing that came to mind in all their heads. Nagi knew it would be the first thought. For the sisters, they knew they had family outside of themselves, free of the burden that ate away at their lives. But one of them was here, of all the chances, it was so very slim. But the eyes, the hairstyle, it was a mirror slapping them in the face the whole time.
"...who...?" Yuuki's voice was frail, she was shaking as much as her sister's grip around her wrist.
"Your Dad's brother, though they weren't on good terms, and... my Dad never got the chance to make amends, I... I wish he could've..." Nagi's eyes squinted to hold back the tears threatening to burst. He shook out a breath, releasing his grip on his haori. "...I found out about you two after, my Mom spoke with your parents and... I was scared... because I didn't know how to approach a family I never knew, and I think part of me was scared of being the one to tell your parents what my Dad never got to say,"
The silence followed, both sisters were stuck in limbo. What should they say? So, Nagi took a careful step forward, it was now or never, remembering what Argo told him that night he admitted what he felt was the truth about the Sleeping Knights.
"Wanna know my takE?" She spoke up after helping to steady Nagi's rampant mind from exploding. Her right hand ran across his palm while the left rubbed his back in slow circles. "When you feel ready to bring it up, you say exactly what ya said to mE,"
"What if I... mess it up?" His dry lips forced out, meeting her confident smile that tenderly leaned forward, tapping her forehead to his.
"Not my place to say, ya gotta roll the dice yerself, Kaito, and I know you'll land iT," Argo was straightforward, and dismantled any argument he built with cutthroat honesty.
Holding Yuuki's right hand and Ran's left, he exhaled with his usual demeanor, the sun at his back. "I will never leave you... no matter what happens, I'll stay by you both to whatever uncertain future lays ahead," He then added, squeezing their hands. "Because we're family, right?" It wasn't really a question.
Yuuki was the first to react, her fingers curling around his palm as she hiccuped, biting her lip as salty tears streaked down her face. How long had it been since she could feel the warmth of another person's hand aside from Aiko's that was family? Her Mom and Dad were probably in a worse state them she was, but due to her illness, she couldn't even hug them, only Aiko through Full-Dive.
Her shoulders trembled before she threw her arms around Nagi's neck, burying her head into his shoulder desperately, sobbing quietly as that loving arm tied around her waist. Ran was the next to fall apart, having kept up her strong facade for her sister alone for her parents, now, she didn't need to keep up the stupid act as she slowly approached with care, shakily wrapping her arms around her sister and cousin with a hitch in her throat.
Nagi sniffed, smiling tenderly as tears broke through, placing his head against their shoulders. How long had it been since he embraced his Mom, his sisters, like this? In the months since this death game began, and innocent lives fell one by one, he was thankful that the two he wanted to meet most were safe, his family was safe and this was proof.
"We'll survive this game together," Nagi whispered to them. The Water Shinobi, Absolute Sword, and Leader of the Sleeping Knights would conquer this death game. And then, they'd see each other face to face one day.
"That's for sure," Ran smiled fondly.
"Promise!" Yuuki hiccuped, her own lips pulled into the realist smile she had ever worn. "So, um..." Yuuki pulled back, but the three held hands tightly to prolong the more sibling-like contact than cousins. "...can we call you by your real name? Like, when it's just us or is that like taboo?"
"I don't see why not," Nagi offered, chuckling. "Argo and I do it when it's just us, so sure, though... yours isn't as special as mine and Aiko's case." That brought a giggle from Ran who then sighed in fake exasperation.
"I told you to use an alias, not your actual name, dummy," Ran berated as Yuuki whined, puffing her cheeks out.
"I didn't expect to run into my cousin or end up in a death trap game, sue me!" Yuuki protested, tugging Nagi's arm. "Hey, so, can I... die? Even though I'm not using a NerveGear?"
"Let's... not test that theory, please?" Nagi put his hands into prayer with theirs, the girls giggling at the plea.
"She's been asking that question for weeks now," Ran explained, unsure herself. "We still take it seriously, but it was an interesting thought."
"I'll ask Argo, but no promises there," Nagi suggested, looking toward the seaside town. "Want to head back now?"
"The party's still running into the night!" Yuuki cheered, jumping with her hand and Nagi's swinging. "Oh-oh, Daora and I are having a real duel soon, he managed to flip that massive boss like paper, I want to see that in action personally."
"Hehehahaha," A joyful laugh escaped Nagi, brushing a few fresh tears from his eyes as he walked alongside his cousins. Ran rolled her eyes but retained a kind smile as her sister threw punches into the air, her grin remained the same but held a much warmer glow than ever before. Nagi couldn't be happier to join them along the beach. "I found them... Dad... I'll watch out for them."
"I won't let their smiles die here."
To be continued…
Next Arc - Way of the Pathfinder
Floor 25 changed the game. The monsters were stronger, the world was dangerous, and deaths began to rise again. To combat the formidable difficulty spike, Nagi and his party, now joined by Ran and Yuuki, will journey across the Feudal Japan floor in search of an item that may save them all...
Another fluffy moment, another close of an arc. This one I had working since the getgo, the hints were sprinkled in. First with Nagi's real name 'Kaito Konno', the matching hair and eye color, then his conversation with Argo on Floor 10. Then the big reveal in this arc as a whole.
Just to clarify, Nagi's father's death is unrelated to what Yuuki and Aiko are going through. Anywho, this ain't the last we'll see of the Sleeping Knights, they're basically attached to the main cast from here on but mostly the sisters. I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next chapter, Players!
037 - The Warrior's Road
Floor 25 is unlike any floor before it, as the Frontrunners continue to struggle, Argo arrives to share with Nagi a surprising discovery of her own...