~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
Sword Art Online and Code Name: Kids Next Door do not belong to me.
I only own my original characters.~~
It was now early afternoon at school.
Sioku and her friends had just finished running the mile in PE.
They sat patiently on the bleachers while waiting for class to be dismissed.
Sioku decided to start a conversation as she curiously turned to Ariel. "What was your score on the mile.
"Six minutes," Ariel answered briefly.
Rika grinned at Sioku and continued. "Hey Sioku, I saw you take off like a flash. I almost thought you were flying through this mile. What was your time?"
"Five minutes and ten seconds," Sioku answered.
Kazuto smiled playfully at Sioku and chimed in. "Who were you thinking about?"
"Kibaou," Sioku answered as a light blush came to her cheeks.
"Do you still like him?" asked Ariel.
Sioku let out an exasperated sigh before she answered. "Yes, I just can't get this man's voice or image out of my head. He really meant a lot to me in the game. Knowing that I'll never be able to see or talk to Kibaou again breaks my heart every time I think about him."
Kazuto placed a calming hand on Sioku's shoulder and said gently. "Sioku, I know exactly how you feel right now. I'm feeling the same way about Asuna and Yui."
"I miss Yui too," Sioku replied with a small smile.
Their conversation was interrupted by the PE teacher's whistle.
Class was now dismissed, and it was time for lunch.
Sioku and her friends stood up and then quickly made their way toward the dining hall.
Once there, they waited at the back of a long line.
Kazuto spotted a familiar little girl with light brown hair and waved at her.
"Hey Silica, over here!" he called out.
The girl smiled at him as she walked toward Kazuto and his group of friends.
She stopped next to Kazuto and said. "My real name is Keiko Ayano. It's really nice to meet all of you here in the real world."
"Hello Keiko, my name is Sioku Marie. I remember you from our quest in Sword Art Online. How have you been?" replied Sioku.
"I've been okay," Keiko answered.
"Would you like to join us?" asked Rika.
"I would love to," Keiko answered cheerfully.
"Welcome to the group Keiko," said Kazuto.
"Thank you very much," Keiko replied brightly.
Sioku grinned at Keiko and said joyfully. "There's a new VRMMO game that recently came out. The game is called Alfheim Online. Did you know about it?"
"No, but I really want to play it now. I still want to be a dragon tamer though," Keiko answered.
Sioku only giggled at that.
"You're so cute," said Ariel as she smiled at Keiko.
After ordering their food, Sioku and her friends found an empty table in the back and sat down.
Ariel decided to start a conversation as she looked at Sioku. "Do you still want to be a healer whenever you start playing Alfheim Online?"
"Of course I do," Sioku answered proudly.
Sioku smiled at her friends and added. "I can't wait until Jessy comes to this school with us. She will love you guys just as much as I do."
"Asuna can join us too," said Kazuto.
"I can't wait to meet her," continued Rika.
Sioku perked up and said wearing a determined expression. "Hey, I have a great idea. As soon as we settle ourselves into Alfheim Online, let's form a party together and save all of the trapped players."
"I'm right there with you Sioku," replied Kazuto.
"So am I," continued Ariel.
"You can count me in," Rika chimed in.
"I would love to help out," Keiko added.
The whole group cheered excitedly in unison.
An overwhelming feeling of joy washed over Sioku as she looked at her friends.
Being surrounded by her friends made Sioku start to feel hopeful again.
Even though Kibaou was only a memory now, she knew that there were other people in the virtual world who cared about her.
They treated her like a second family.
Kazuto retrieved the article from his backpack once again and said. "Speaking of Alfheim Online, we should head over to the resource room right now. I'll copy this information for all of you."
After cleaning up, Kazuto happily led his group of friends out of the dining room and back into the school building.
They entered a room near a set of vending machines.
Once inside, Kazuto placed his papers into a copy machine.
The machine printed out four copies of the article.
Kazuto then handed a packet to each of his friends.
"Thank you very much Kazuto," they said in unison.
Kazuto smiled graciously at his friends and replied. "You all are very welcome, and I am thanking you as well. I now have a chance to save Asuna because of you guys. All of your support means a lot to me."
"We'll be right here by your side until the very end," Sioku said with a smile of her own.
"I agree 100 percent with Sioku. I was his personal blacksmith after all," continued Rika.
"Me too, Kazuto saved my life back in the forest and helped me revive my dragon. I am still very grateful to him," added Keiko.
"We should probably go to our next class before we're late," Kazuto suggested.
"Right," the girls replied in unison.
They quickly exited the resource room and then rushed over to the other side of the building.
Sioku and Ariel separated from the group and entered one of the classrooms.
They then situated themselves in the last row of seats.
Sioku curiously flipped open the packet that she had received from Kazuto.
She read the contents with full concentration.
"What are you looking at?" asked Ariel as she looked at Sioku's paper.
Ariel's voice instantly brought Sioku back to reality.
"This new virtual game is really interesting. Players will be able to choose their fairy race as soon as they log in. Their avatars will automatically be created by the game," Sioku explained.
"Really? That sounds awesome," Ariel replied cheerfully.
Sioku presented the page to Ariel while pointing at the list of fairy races.
Ariel thoroughly examined the list and said. "I'm going to be a Cait Sith because I like animals. Do you know which one you would want to be?"
"I'm going to be an Undine for sure. They are masters of water who use recovery and support magic," Sioku answered cheerfully.
"That fairy race would really suit you Sioku," Ariel said with a bright smile.
Sioku grinned at her friend in return.
Once everybody was situated, the math teacher began her lecture on the rules and regulations.
Class was dismissed an hour later.
Sioku and Ariel exited the classroom as soon as the iles had cleared out.
It was now the end of the school day.
All of the students rushed out of the school building and headed straight for their busses.
Sioku and Ariel boarded one of the busses before they sat down in the seat directly behind the driver.
The bus immediately took off once the doors had closed.
Ariel decided to start a conversation as she looked at Sioku. "I'm so glad that you and I were finally able to meet our friends from Sword Art Online."
"So am I, they are nice people. I can't wait to start playing Alfheim Online with them," Sioku replied.
A half hour later, the bus pulled into the driveway of Sioku's home.
"I'll see you later Ariel," said Sioku as she stood up.
"Have a good night Sioku," Ariel replied.
Sioku exited the bus and then walked toward the front porch of her house.
She could hear Trooper barking loudly from inside.
Trooper excitedly ran toward Sioku as soon as she opened the door.
Sioku giggled as she listened to Troopers nails repeatedly tapping on the floor.
"Hi buddy, come here!" she called joyfully.
The dog panted happily as he jumped into her arms.
Trooper affectionately laid his head on her shoulder.
Sioku hugged Trooper tight and ruffled his fur.
"Good dog," she praised while petting him under his ears.
Trooper wagged his long tail in response.
"I missed you buddy," Sioku said before she kissed the top of his head.
Trooper lowered himself to the floor and shook off.
After closing the door behind her, Sioku happily raced Trooper into the living room.
She then plopped down onto one of the couches.
Trooper laid down by her feet and sighed.
Kara paused the Tv and looked at her daughter.
"Hello Sioku, how was school today?" she greeted.
"Hi Mother, I had a great day at school. Ariel and I already have a group of new friends to hang out with," Sioku answered with a bright smile.
"That's good, I'm glad to hear that you like your new school. Lynn will be here soon," Kara replied.
Sioku pulled the article out of her backpack and continued. "Speaking of my new friends, one of them gave me an article about a new VR game that recently came out. All of my friends are downloading this game. May I please play it?"
"I need to read that article before I can make a decision," Kara answered firmly.
Sioku stood up and then handed the article to Kara.
Her facial expression changed from joyful to slightly disappointed.
"I'm going outside with Trooper for a while. We could use the fresh air," Sioku said as she exited the living room.
"I'll be in here," Kara replied.
Sioku gently nudged Trooper who lay asleep on the ground.
Trooper woke up and shook his head.
"Let's go outside," she said to him.
The dog wagged his tail wildly in response.
Sioku then raced him through the kitchen.
"Come on Trooper," she said while sliding the glass door open.
Trooper took off outside while barking.
Sioku giggled as she closed the door behind her.
She then walked a few laps around the yard.
The wind lightly blew through her hair.
Sioku slipped into a train of deep thought as she continued walking.
Alfheim Online was the only thing on her mind.
She imagined herself using support magic on other players as an Undine.
Sioku started to feel tired after walking a few more laps.
She headed back toward the porch.
"Trooper! Come here boy!" Sioku called out.
She patiently waited by the door for her dog to return.
A few minutes later, Trooper came running toward her.
He panted happily while circling around her.
Sioku knelt down on the floor and said. "Come on buddy, let's go inside now."
Trooper jumped into Sioku's arms.
He licked her face while wagging his tail.
"Good boy," Sioku praised as she patted his head.
Trooper backed away slowly and shook off.
Sioku stood up carefully and then led Trooper inside the house.
She then closed the door behind her.
Trooper immediately bolted into the living room.
Lynn met her older sister in the kitchen and greeted. "Hello Sioku, how are you?"
"I'm okay, how was your day?" Sioku replied.
"My day was good," Lynn answered.
Sioku then hurried into the living room to catch up with Trooper.
He was laying down beside the couch that Sioku usually sat on.
"Good evening Mother," Sioku greeted as she took her seat on the couch.
Kara paused the Tv once again and replied. "Hello Sioku, I have already read that article about the new VR game. I saw lots of positive things in there. Therefore, I will allow you to play it."
Sioku perked up and gasped in excitement.
"Really? No joke?" she asked wearing a hopeful expression.
"Yes, but I don't want that game to take over your life. If your grades start to go down because of it, you will lose your privilages. Do I make myself clear?" Kara said sternly.
"Yes ma'am, thank you very much. I won't let you down," Sioku answered politely.
Kara handed the article back to Sioku and added. "You're welcome, do you still have a VR device?"
Sioku smiled brightly at Kara and answered. "Of course Mother, I still have one in my room. I just need to download the new game onto it."
Sioku began to stroke Trooper's fur as he slept.
A long period of silence passed by.
"Sioku!" called Melody from the kitchen.
"I'm coming Melody," Sioku replied as she stood up.
She then hurried into the kitchen.
"Will you please help me make dinner? I have decided that we should make sandwiches and fruit," said Melody as she spotted her younger sister.
"I would be glad to help you," Sioku answered with a bright smile.
Melody grinned at Sioku in amusement and continued. "What made you so happy today? You look like you just won first prize in a contest."
"I'm going to play a new VR game with my friends tonight. It's called Alfheim Online," Sioku answered joyfully.
"That sounds like fun," Melody said with the same amount of happiness.
Sioku nodded before she proceeded to find the necessary ingredients for their meal.
She kept her mind from wandering by focusing on the task in front of her.
Sioku would get scolded by Melody if she was ever caught daydreaming.
A text message from Ariel popped up on Sioku's phone, but she ignored it.
Melody began to prepare the food as soon as Sioku had finished gathering up the ingredients and setting them on a counter.
Sioku then helped Melody make the sandwiches.
In the midst of their preparations, Lynn entered the kitchen.
"Hello Lynn," greeted Sioku.
"Hey Lynn, will you please set the table for us?" said Melody.
"Sure," Lynn answered briefly.
She then entered the dining room and began her activity.
Once the table had been set, Lynn reentered the kitchen.
Melody looked at her youngest sister and said kindly. "Would you mind grabbing four plates for us?"
"Not at all," Lynn answered as she rushed toward the dish washer.
She then retrieved a stack of glass plates out of a cabinet above the counter.
"Thank you Lynn," said Melody as she gently took the plates from her.
"You're welcome," Lynn replied as she walked away.
Sioku placed a sandwich onto each plate, Melody laid freshly cut fruit beside them.
"Wow, this food looks great. We really did a good job," Sioku commented.
"I agree," Melody simply replied.
Lynn and Sioku carefully carried the plates into the dining room before setting them down on the table at each seat.
Melody sat down across from Lynn and Sioku.
"Dinner is ready," Melody called from the dining room.
"I'll be in there shortly," Kara called back.
She paused the Tv and then made her way into the dining room.
"Good evening girls," Kara greeted as she sat down beside Melody.
"Same to you Mother," replied Sioku.
Sioku and her family enjoyed their meal in silence.
Trooper broke the silence by growling at the window.
"Shut up dog," said Kara in annoyance.
Sioku couldn't help but giggle at that.
Lynn looked at Kara as she decided to start a conversation. "Hey Mom, may I play that new game too? I've always wanted to play VR games."
"Yes, I will buy you a virtual device for Christmas. You must follow the same rules that I gave Sioku a few hours ago. Your school work and chores come before that game. You will be grounded if your grades begin to decline," Kara explained.
"I understand," Lynn said wearing a serious expression.
After dinner, Sioku and her sisters cleaned up the kitchen and dining room.
Sioku unloaded and loaded the dish washer, and Melody wiped down the counters.
Lynn wiped down the dining room table.
Once all of their chores were done, Sioku excitedly led Trooper up to her bedroom.
Trooper panted happily as he ran after her.
Sioku closed her bedroom door behind them.
She then changed into her pajamas.
Afterward, Sioku climbed into bed next to Trooper.
The dog snuggled up to her and fell asleep.
She grabbed her VR device off of the bedside table and downloaded the new game.
Once Alfheim Online had been downloaded, Sioku placed the device on her head and logged in.
"Link Start," she said.
The game transported Sioku to a room with a control panel floating in front of her.
She named her character and then chose the Undine fairy race.
Sioku was automatically transported to her home town in the Undine territory.
She appeared as a female fairy with blue hair and wings.
A huge castle soon came into her view as the curious Undine walked down a long path beside a river.
She listened to the streaming water.
"This place is beautiful," Sioku said to herself.
She opened up her menu to find all of her previous skills from SAO and a few new ones.
Sioku also found a sword in her inventory.
A message from Silica popped up on her screen.
Sioku smiled as she curiously opened it.
The message read: Hi Sioku, would you like to meet Lizbeth and me at a cafe in the Cait Sith territory?
Sioku answered: Sure, I'll be right there. Please meet me by the teleporter.
She quickly flew to the nearest teleporter and then transported herself to the Cait Sith territory.
Sioku waited patiently by a tree for Silica to arrive.
A few minutes later, Silica came running toward Sioku with a small feathered dragon following behind her.
The beast tamer and her dragon stopped directly in front of Sioku.
"Hi Silica, long time no see. It's great to be back in the virtual world," Sioku said as she embraced her younger friend.
Silica joyfully returned the embrace and replied. "I know Sioku, I feel the same way. Welcome to Alfheim Online. I see that you chose to be an Undine."
Sioku grinned proudly and said. "Of course, the Undines can use recovery and support magic to help other players."
She then pointed to Silica's ears and complemented. "Wow, those cat ears look adorable on you."
Silica smiled at Sioku and replied. "Thanks, I also have a tail."
"Anyway, we should probably head over to the cafe now. Liz is waiting for us," Silica added.
Sioku nodded in response.
Silica quickly led the Undine toward her meeting spot.
They entered the cafe and then headed strait toward a long table where Liz was patiently waiting.
Silica sat down next to Liz.
"Good evening Lizbeth," greeted Sioku as she sat down across from her.
"Hey Sioku, welcome to the Cait Sith territory. I am a Leprechaun fairy. I'm so glad to finally meet you here in the virtual world. Kirito and Asuna have told me a lot about you," Liz replied with a kind smile.
Sioku smiled back at Liz and said. "Same here girl, I've been wanting to meet you as well."
"Who are we still waiting for?" Silica chimed in.
"Kirito and Ariel are the last two people missing from our group," answered Sioku.
"Hopefully they'll show up real soon. We need to start this rescue operation right away," Liz added.
"I agree," replied Sioku.
Sioku looked at her friends list and asked to Liz. "Before I forget, may I send you a friend request?"
"Yes, I'll send one to you as well. We can contact each other easier that way," Liz answered.
In the midst of their conversation, another female player sitting behind Sioku tapped on her shoulder and said. "Excuse me mis, may I please talk to you?"
"Sure," Sioku answered as she stood up.
"Where are you going?" asked Liz.
"This won't take long," Sioku answered before she walked away.
She then sat down beside the unfamiliar player who was also an Undine.
The girl wor black and white converse shoes, green socks, black leggings, and an over sized green shirt.
"Hello mis, my name is Sioku. What would you like to talk to me about?" Sioku said politely.
The younger girl smiled at Sioku and answered nervously. "Oops, I totally forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kuki, and I am part of a guild that consists of five members. I followed you here from the Undine territory. We could use another healer to help restore my friends' magic power during a boss fight. This one is really tough."
Sioku perked up and said happily. "All right Kuki, I would be glad to help you guys out. Also, I need to be back here for a meeting with my own party after we're finished. We're going on a rescue mission as soon as the last two members join us."
"That won't be a problem at all," Kuki replied.
Sioku quickly rejoined her friends and said suddenly. "Pardon me lovely people, but I have to leave this place for a little while. Another player needs my help. I should be back soon."
"I'll tell you when our last two members show up," Liz replied.
"Good luck," Silica added.
"Thank you very much ladies," said Sioku as she ran back toward Kuki's side.
Kuki rose from her spot and stood next to Sioku.
The two Undines quickly exited the cafe.
"Hey Kuki, where is your guild?" asked Sioku.
"My guild members are located on an island in the Spriggan territory," Kuki answered.
"Let's go there now," Sioku suggested.
"I'm right with you," Kuki replied.
Sioku led Kuki straight to the nearest teleporter.
They instantly transported themselves to the Spriggan territory.
Kuki took the lead as they flew to a small island.
There were many different plants and trees everywhere.
"This island is pretty," Sioku commented.
Kuki smiled at Sioku and replied. "This island has been our favorite place to be at since my friends and I began playing Alfheim Online a few weeks ago."
As soon as they landed, Kuki led Sioku into a thick forest.
A treehouse came into their view as they reached the middle of the forest.
"You guys picked a beautiful place to hang out at. I love it," Sioku said with a bright smile.
Kuki only smiled back.
She happily led Sioku up the rope ladder of her treehouse.
Four more players came rushing to the door as soon as they entered.
"Hello everyone," Kuki greeted.
"Welcome home Numbuh Three," said a bald male player with blue eyes.
He wore brown shoes, white socks, grey shorts, and a red turtle-neck sweater.
Kuki pointed to Sioku and said. "Numbuh One, this is my new friend Sioku. She is also a healer."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sioku added politely.
"I'm glad to meet you as well Sioku. My name is Nigel Uno. I am both a Spriggan and the leader of this team. We call ourselves the Kids Next Door," he replied.
Sioku blushed as she listened to the British accent in Nigel's voice.
Her heart began to race with joy.
A light of hope was shining in those blue eyes of his.
Nigel walked slowly until he was standing directly in front of Sioku.
The love struck Undine began to tremble as she grinned at him.
"You're making her nervous Numbuh One," said one of the other male players.
Kuki smiled playfully at her friend and replied. "Actually, he's doing the exact opposite. Sioku really likes him."
The other kids laughed in agreement.
Nigel gave his friends a stern look and said. "That's enough now, you guys mustn't overwhelm this girl. Just like Numbuh Three, Sioku has magic power that can help us during this boss fight."
The four other players instantly went quiet.
Nigel then put a hand on Sioku's shoulder and said in a softer tone. "Before we proceed, I challenge you to a duel. I want to test your strength as well as your speed in battle."
"I gratefully accept your challenge. Thank you Nigel," Sioku replied.
Nigel then led the others out of their treehouse.
Once outside, Sioku and Nigel stood at each end of a grassy field.
Both duelists then pulled out their swords.
"Battle... begin!" Kuki called out.
The two charged at each other with intent.
They dodged each other's attacks while swiping at one another.
Right as Nigel was about to strike Sioku in her side, she immediately spun around in the opposite direction and then knocked the sword out of his hand.
The sword landed near a tree.
"Nice move Sioku," Nigel praised as he retrieved his weapon.
"There's more where that came from," Sioku replied confidently.
Sioku then ran circles around Nigel in order to confuse him.
Nigel continued swiping at her from all directions.
Sioku repeatedly jumped out of the way of his blade.
Both duelists tried their hardest to land a blow on each other.
"This girl looks and sounds really confident," said the other female player.
Kuki nodded her head in agreement.
Sioku's mind flashed back to her duel with Kibaou back in Sword Art Online which caused her to lose focus.
Nigel took advantage of this opportunity and struck Sioku on her side.
Sioku stumbled backward as she lost her balance.
"Are you all right?" asked Nigel.
"Yes, I just got distracted by something. This fight isn't over yet," Sioku answered as she stood up.
Nigel's guild mates cheered wildly for the duelists.
The two charged at each other with intent once again.
Nigel swiped at Sioku's legs in order to catch her off guard.
Sioku swiftly jumped behind the boy and struck the middle of his back.
"Good move Sioku," praised Kuki.
The other Undine smiled at her in response.
Nigel flopped to the ground and started panting.
Sioku knelt down on the floor next to nigel wearing a worried expression.
"Hey Nigel, are you okay?" she asked with deep concern.
Nigel carefully pulled himself up into a sitting position and answered breathlessly. "You don't have to worry Sioku, I'll be just fine."
Sioku put her arm around him for support.
"I can help you," she said softly.
Nigel weakly leaned against her.
She then chanted a magic spell that healed his injuries almost instantly.
"Thank you Sioku, I really appreciate you for healing me. Instead of bragging about your victory, you were concerned about my health. You are the exact player that I'm looking for. Welcome to the team," Nigel said gratefully.
Sioku felt a rush of hyper energy pass through her system in a similar way to when Kibaou let her join his guild two years ago.
She decided to shake those thoughts away in order to focus on their conversation.
"It's no trouble at all Nigel, I will always heal a player who needs to be restored. Do you want to keep going?" Sioku replied in a happier tone.
"No thank you," Nigel answered as he stood up.
Sioku also rose from the floor and then followed Nigel toward his friends.
She stood right beside him.
"Listen up people, the boss is located in the dungeon on this island. Numbuhs Two, Four and Five will help me attack the monster while Numbuh Three and Sioku use magic power to restore us. We'll have a better chance of winning now that we've got two healers on our team," he explained.
Sioku smiled spellbound as she stared at Nigel.
She was attracted by the British accent in his voice.
The other members cheered loudly in response to their leader's plan.
"Kids Next Door, let's move out!" Nigel shouted with determination.
Sioku flew beside Nigel as he led his team into the dungeon.
Kuki stayed next to Sioku while Nigel and the others charged at the boss.
They watched as their team mates fought the monster with intent.
The boss would unleash powerful attacks on all of them in order to drain their HP.
This battle raged on for a while.
Kuki's face saddened as she saw their HP dropping and said frantically to Sioku. "We need to heal our friends right now. I don't want them to lose this fight."
Sioku looked at her new Undine friend wearing a determined expression.
"Let's do it," she agreed.
Sioku and Kuki chanted a few magic spells and restored their friends' HP.
"Thanks for the help!" called Nigel.
"You guys can do this! don't give up!" Sioku called back.
Nigel gave a thumbs up in response.
After a few rounds of fighting, the boss was finally defeated.
The boss dropped a few items and some cash before it faded away.
Everybody cheered wildly in excitement.
Nigel distributed the winnings equally between his guild mates and Sioku.
"Congratulations on your victory," said Sioku as she hugged Nigel tight."
"Thank you very much," Nigel replied as he returned the hug.
A message from Lizbeth popped up in Sioku's message Inbox.
Sioku gently released Nigel and curiously opened it.
The message read: Hi Sioku, Kirito just arrived at the cafe. How are you and your new friends doing?
Sioku responded: Hey Liz, I'll be there shortly. We just defeated a boss monster in the Spriggan territory.
Sioku then turned to Nigel and said. "Excuse me Nigel, but I have to go back to the Cait Sith territory and meet up with my other friends. We are going to start the rescue mission soon."
Nigel stared at Sioku wearing a hopeful expression and replied. "Hold on Sioku, I would like to help you since you helped us. Is it possible for the five of us to come along with you?"
"I have to ask my other friends for permission first," Sioku answered.
She then messaged Liz and asked: May I bring my other friends with me?
Liz answered: Of course, we could use the extra help.
Sioku smiled joyfully at Nigel and said. "My friends would love to have you guys on the rescue team."
"That's great news," Nigel replied with a smile of his own.
"Who are we going to rescue?" asked Kuki.
"Two of my friends and many others didn't log out of Sword Art Online. They are trapped at the top of the World Tree," Sioku explained.
"That doesn't sound good at all," replied Nigel.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go save those players," said Kuki.
"I love your energy," replied Sioku with a grin.
"Kids Next Door, let's move out!" shouted Nigel.
The other members of his team cheered happily in response.
Sioku perked up at the accent in his voice.
She then led the five kids to the nearest teleporter and transported them to the Cait Sith territory.
Once there, Sioku led them back to that same cafe where her other friends were waiting.
The Undine happily escorted her new friends inside and over to their table.
"Hello everyone, I have returned. Sorry for the wait," Sioku said as she rushed back to her spot.
"Don't worry about it," replied Kirito.
Sioku spotted a pixie floating behind Kirito and smiled at her.
The pixie happily flew toward Sioku and said. "Sissy! Is that you?"
"Sioku hugged the pixie and replied. "Hi Yui, you look so adorable. I am so glad to see you again. Thank you for looking after Kirito."
The five kids gathered around the table and sat down.
Nigel took his place next to Sioku.
Sioku looked at Kirito and asked. "Have you seen Ariel?"
"Not yet," Kirito answered briefly.
"I wonder what's taking her so long," Sioku added.
"Hey Sioku, are you going to introduce us?" asked Liz.
Sioku laughed nervously before she replied. "Yes, these lovely people are the Kids Next door. Kuki introduced me to her guild before I helped them defeat the boss."
She then pointed to the three other players and added. "These people are my friends from my time in Sword Art Online: Kirito, Lizbeth, and Silica."
"My name is Nigel. I am pleased to meet all of you," said Nigel.
"I am happy to meet you guys too. My name is Kuki," the other Undine continued.
"Yeah, it's always fun to meet new people. My name is Abigail," said the other female member with long hair styled into a braid.
She wore white mary-janes, a white-striped dark blue shirt dress, golden hoop earrings, and a red cap.
"Hello, my name is Wallabee," said a mail player with blond hair.
He wore white sneakers, blue jeans, and an orange hooded sweater.
"I'm Hoagi," added the last mail player in the guild.
He wore black and white sneakers, brown pants, a sky blue shirt, and an old aviator's hat with yellow flying goggles.
Liz pointed to Nigel and then said to Sioku wearing a playful grin on her face. "I couldn't help but notice that you have a boy sitting next to you. Do you like him?"
"Sioku blushed as she jumped up from her seat.
"It's not like that! Nigel and I are just friends," she replied in a flustered tone.
Everybody laughed at the sight of Sioku's pink cheeks.
"A friend of ours also has a crush on Nigel. We tease him all the time about her," said Abigail before she laughed out loud.
"Will you cut that out? Lizzy is not my friend or my girlfriend," Nigel snapped back.
In the midst of their conversation, another female Cait Sith approached the table.
"Good evening everyone," she greeted.
Sioku recognized the girl's voice and looked at her.
"Hi Ariel, we missed you. Where have you been?" she said with excitement.
"It took me a while to download the game," Ariel answered as she sat down beside Kirito.
"Silica stared at Ariel and said. "Awe, you look so cute as a Cait Sith."
"Same to you," Ariel replied cheerfully.
Kirito looked at everyone and started. "Now that everyone is here, let's discuss our mission. Traveling to the World Tree is going to be a long and difficult journey. There will be high leveled monsters for us to fight along the way. Most of us are going to be fighting on the front lines. Fortunately, we have healers in our group who can keep us alive. I believe that we can pull this mission off by sticking together and helping each other out. My daughter Yui is going to guide us to the World Tree."
"That's right Daddy," Yui replied from behind him.
"That pixie of yours is really cute," said Ariel to Kirito.
"Yui has been my adopted daughter since I met her in Sword Art Online," Kirito replied as he hugged her.
Yui smiled brightly as she nuzzled into him.
An alert suddenly popped up on Sioku's VR device.
"I'm really sorry everyone, but I have to log out now. I'll see you all tomorrow after school," she said sadly.
"It's okay Sioku, most of us are probably going to log out as well. We all could meet back here at this cafe tomorrow," replied Liz.
"That's a great idea," Kirito continued.
"I'm okay with that," Silica added.
"I'm actually feeling tired," Ariel said with a yawn.
Sioku gave Nigel a hug and said gently. "I look forward to seeing you and your friends tomorrow as well."
"Same to you Sioku," Nigel replied softly.
Liz giggled as she stared at Sioku before she said. "I was right, Sioku really does like that boy."
Sioku's cheeks pinked up in response.
"Don't start this again Lizbeth," she groaned.
"But it's true," Liz replied playfully.
"Thanks again for helping us," said Kuki to Sioku.
"Any time,"Sioku replied.
"Have a good night everybody," said Sioku as she stood up.
"You do the same," replied Kirito.
"Good night sissy," Yui added.
Sioku happily skipped out of the cafe and then headed for the nearest hotel.
Her miraculous encounter with the Kids Next Door made her heart feel light again.
Nigel Uno was her new ray of hope in the virtual world.
Once inside a hotel room, Sioku pressed the Log Out button.
She was instantly transported back to her room in the real world.
Sioku opened her eyes and saw Trooper sitting up beside her.
"Hey buddy," she greeted while embracing him.
Trooper licked her face in return.
She perked up and smiled joyfully as an image of Nigel entered her mind.
Sioku playfully ruffled Trooper's fur.
The dog excitedly whipped her with his tail.
"Let's go outside," she said softly.
Trooper shook off with excitement.
Sioku gently nudged Trooper with her arm as she stepped down onto the rug.
Trooper stood up and lowered himself to the floor.
The dog panted happily while running circles around her.
"Let's go boy," she said while racing him to the door.
Trooper zoomed out of Sioku's bedroom as soon as she opened the door.
The house was now dark and quiet.
The only sound that Sioku heard was Trooper's jingling collar.
She led him through the hallway and into the kitchen.
"Go out," Sioku said as she slid the glass dor open.
Trooper immediately took off outside.
Sioku closed the back door before she sat down on the chair beside a metal counter.
Sioku slipped into her thoughts as she watched Trooper run around the yard.
Five minutes of silence passed by.
Trooper pulled Sioku out of her thoughts by whimpering and scratching on the door.
Sioku stood up before she let the dog inside.
She then led him back into her bedroom.
After closing the door behind them, Sioku settled into her bed next to Trooper.
She thought about her first adventure in Alfheim Online.
Nigel's voice echoed in Sioku's mind which caused her to grin and sigh dreamily.
The complete silence in Sioku's room allowed her to drift off into the darkness within minutes.