Authors note
Since I watched the third episode of sao. I was wondering what would have happened if Sachi had survived. How would the story change? Would Sachi stay "weak"-the girl afraid of death, or would she grow as a character? Those questions slowly formed a story and I'm showing that story to you :) I hope you like it!
Chapter 1.
Kirito knew that Ducker would activate the trap,the moment he saw a chest standing in the middle of the room without any monsters protecting it.
-Wait!-He shouted out
But the boy already raced to the chest and opened probably thought that his treasure hunter skill was high enough to not activate any traps. He was wrong
The doors that let them exit the room abruptly slammed shut. Loads of mobs surrounded them.
Kirto felt fear,not for himself but for them. He fought thinking about nothing,but the death hanging above his friends heads. Blocking sounds of shattering glass,and then he saw her…
Sachi was a few meters from a blow. He rushed towards her taking the hit for Sachi with his own body,he became a walking shield for the girl,while simultaneously fighting.
"You won't die,you won't die, you will live on."
His words,that he repeated Sachi everyday like a mantra were pounding in his couldn't let Sachi die,the rest died because of him. He couldn't let her die too
Sachi sat tucked into a corner,her eyes in tears,she was watching how Kirito's life bar was depleting and depleting. She wanted to shout her throat out,for him to stop,for him to live. She won't go far in Aincrad. She's just a coward,even now she can't even say anything,her throat is he-She had no doubt that he would defeat Sao,he would win.
-Kirito-she said weakly,as Kirito's life bar turned red,from him protecting her-No…
There was one monster left,she had to help him "he just has to live".
She got up with trembling legs holding onto a weapon.
-Go heal, I will hold him!
But when the monster swung his hand to attack her,Kirito jumped in front of her as if on autopilot. His HP bar became completely empty.
She looked at him in disbelief.
The room fell into deep silence as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Kirito's legs buckled underneath him
- You weren't the one that was supposed to die!-She screamed, grabbing him by the coat.
Kirito smiled
-Sachi,I promised that you would not die. Be strong, I know that you'll win the game.
He started to glow
-I'm sorry Sachi,goodbye
The girl watched as his body turned into millions of polygons and stayed on the dungeon floor for a long time before she got up.
-Sachi,I promised that you wouldn't strong, I know that you'll win the game-said Kirito with a at Sachi who was on the verge of tears. His view started to get blurry, everything was moving in slow motion. He knew he didn't have long left in this world.
-I'm sorry Sachi,goodbye.
His entire visage was covered by a rectangle message in red:
YOU ARE DEAD
The last thing he did was turn his head to Sachi's direction. He heard her cry,but he hoped that she would make it,that she would make use of the power inside of her.
Kirito's soul traced to a different world
Sachi was walking slowly,she had no idea how she got out of that maze. She had no idea how she managed to get the strength to get up in the first place. She got to the teleport gate,waiting for Keita-he was the only one left to her. Thousands of thoughts were present in her head. She crouched down to the ground. Her hair covered her face,all wet with tears. Kirto died because of her-there was no denying it. If he didn't feel obligated to defend her,he would never take so many hits on himself. What about Ducker,Sasamaru and Tetsuo? They are dead too,she will never see them again. What will she say to Keita-kun?
They've known each other for years. Keita was her neighbor,she went to school with all of them, and with Ducker in the same class. And the IT club that brought them all together. She sat like that for an unknown period of time,the warmth of her arms gave her comfort,the tears on her cheeks dried-she felt blissfully tired,her running thoughts became heavy head steadily fell to the ground.
Sachi let herself fall to sleep not only that she welcomed it.
Klein hadn't seen Kirito for a few months. He knew that he left the front lines and joined a low level guild. He decided to not only ask him to help them defeat the 31 floor,but to just talk to him like friends-he liked the youngster and wanted to make sure he was alright. Earlier he tracked down that he was on the 27th floor,now he wanted to find him. The man wanted to contact him via the friendship contacts. But his name was grey so he couldn't click on it. Normally that wouldn't worry Klein "It should mean that Kirito is in a dungeon where you can't contact him". But here he felt an unpleasant feeling-a feeling that something was terribly wrong. He will ask the local players about him,if they have seen him. With that black coat he was particularly noticeable. Just then the man saw two teen players-an unconscious girl being carried by some boy. They could know each other,but there was always a possibility that the boy was a MKP'er and would carry her, vulnerable to a field full of monsters. Klein had to be sure that everything was okay.
Keita holded Sachi with care. What dread had he felt when he found her on the floor near the teleport she just got lost or something,he will write to the other's about this,but only when he will bring Sachi to their new home.
-Wait!
Keita stopped before a ginger haired man with a bandana-My name's Klein,who's the girl you're carrying and what happened?
-She's from my Guild. I don't know what happened,I'm about to transport her to our home.
-Could I travel with you? I want to be sure that's everything alright.
Keita raised his eyebrow
-Don't worry you can trust me. I'm the guild leader of Furkizann, we are cleaners on the front lines. I just want to be calm about your friend.
Keita didn't want a stranger to nose around in his Guild, but he was a cleaner and he deserved respect.
The boy smiled
-Okay Klein, my name is Keita and I am the leader of the Moonlit Black Cats, our house is on the eleventh floor in Taft.
Klein nodded-I'll follow you.
Klein was satisfied with Keita telling the truth. Their Guild house had six rooms and a common room with a kitchen.
-Water,Tea?-asked Keita
-Could it be beer?
-Why not?
Keita sat opposite Klein handing him a glass of beer,while he brought himself a glass with water.
-How is it on the front lines?
-Well ok,dangerous but when you think about thousands of people trapped in this world, you want to play this game regardless of death. And anyway, I can feel like a Samurai in flesh and Blood!
-Hm…
-What about you?
-I think we will join the front lines in the future
Since one player joined us, it's easier for us. He trains us, improves us, we owe our lives to him. With him at the helm, we will manage to join you.
-And what is this player's name?
-Kirito, you'll probably meet him soon
- Wow, this is a small world - said Klein, shaking his head slightly - it just so happens that I was looking for him, he's my friend
-Oh-Keita smiled sheepishly-Then you won't have to introduce yourselves! We were just about to celebrate the purchase of a new Guild house
- Well, cheers, man - said Klein, clinking Keita's glass - well, let's go to your friend - see if she hasn't woken up and then we'll celebrate with the rest when they come back.
Sachi looked sleepy at a wall of an unknown room. Sleep clouded her thoughts but suddenly she squeezed her eyes shut.
The trap, Death, Kirito
The red walls of the trap,Duckers pained shouts,dwarfs carrying pickaxes,monsters made of stone and Kirito's last smile before he derezzed.
He sacrificed himself…for me
This was too much for Sachi to handle. She sank into the pillow and drowned in tears.
That's when Klein and Keita founded her.
If not for the latter touching her arm she wouldn't have noticed them.
-Sachi,what happened?
Sachi was searching for the right words,why was she the one who had to share this tragedy with Keita?
-I'm sorry…I'm sorry!-she said feebly wetting Keita's clothes with her own tears while hugging him tightly.
-For God's sake,what happened!-Klein couldn't stand the uncertainty
-He's dead…everyone is dead…I shouldn't be alive either…It's he who should…
-Who's he?-Klein raised his voice
Sachi took a deep breath,trying to calm herself down
-Kirito…We were in a dungeon and activated a trap…the monsters were too strong,he saved me but lost his life in return.
No, Klein whispered, he didn't think that the black-haired boy would die, it seemed he was immune to death, but apparently no one in this world was.
-Ducker, Tetsuo, Sasamaru? -Keata asked
-I told you no one!-Sachi howled
There was silence for a long moment, broken only by Sachi's crying
-Enough! - Klein exclaimed - Sachi turned her head sharply to look at the man she hadn't paid much attention to before.
-You can't change what Kirito did, he obviously wanted you to live. What did he tell you before he died?
Sachi strained her memory. What happened there seemed to be just a dream, a nightmare that was extremely real.
Sachi,I promised that you wouldn't strong, I know that you'll win the game.
She repeated these words shaking from the turmoil of emotions
-See? He put so much hope in you that he sacrificed himself for you. As his first friend in SAO, I owe it to him to fulfill his last wish. He wanted you to join the front lines, so it will happen. He wanted Sachi to survive and it happened...
There was pain in Klein's eyes, but also something else that she knew from Kirito's eyes perfectly well - determination - I will take care of you, give you col, tell you about quests, I will visit you, if you want, you can even join Furinkazan. But I swear that you will stay safe and beat this game.
Klein sent friend requests to Sachi and Keita
-It would be silly to refuse, you know that, right?
Klein and Sachi accepted Klein's invitation
I'll see you tomorrow at four o'clock at the Boss dungeon on the eleventh floor - we'll do a little warm-up.
When Klein disappeared, Sachi once again thought about Kirito, his smile, how much he wanted to end this world, free her and the rest from SAO. How he believed in her.
I will finish Sao for you Kirito just like you would finish it for me. I will make sure that you would be proud of me, I will make up for the fact that I couldn't protect myself and that I had to rely on you to survive. I swear I will do my best for you!