~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own anything from Sword Art Online or Code Name: Kids Next Door.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
It was now early evening in the virtual world of Eincrad.
Sioku had just left her house and teleported to the third floor.
After pulling up the map, Sioku headed straight for her new guild's meeting place.
The map led Sioku directly to a cafe near a gear shop.
She gracefully walked into the building.
"Good evening, everyone!" she called out.
Kibaou recognized Sioku's voice and met her at the entrance.
"There's my knight in shining armor," she complemented with a delighted smile.
Kibaou only chuckled at that.
"Hello, Sioku, I am pleased that you have arrived early. You may come over to my table," he said proudly.
Sioku grinned dreamily as she followed Kibaou toward the reserved table.
She then took a seat next to him.
Just being next to Kibaou made her feel happy and free.
All of her worries about school were completely non existent in that moment of peace.
Sioku almost couldn't contain the endless joy that she felt by being in his presence.
Kibaou stared at the girl and asked curiously, "Excuse me, Sioku, are you planning on doing anything other than sword fighting?"
The sound of his voice caused her to perk up instantly.
She immediately forced her dreamy smile down in order to focus on the conversation.
"Yes, sir, I eventually want to become a healer. I want to learn magic spells that will keep everybody's HP up during boss battles," she explained.
"We could definitely use a healer on our team," Kibaou commented.
"That only gives me a reason to work harder," Sioku said with a bright smile.
"I like your positive attitude, Sioku," Kibaou replied.
Sioku let out a dreamy sigh.
A brief period of silence passed between Sioku and her leader.
A few minutes later, three more people entered the cafe.
They all gathered around the table.
One of the men Known as Morte noticed Sioku sitting next to Kibaou.
"Excuse me, Kibaou, why did you recruit a female member?" he inquired.
An awkward feeling suddenly washed over Sioku.
Sioku turned away in order to prevent herself from becoming flustered.
Kibaou placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before speaking to the group. "This young girl right here is Sioku. Sioku is a skilled swordswoman and the newest member of our guild. She will eventually become our healer."
A light blush came to Sioku's cheeks as she relaxed under Kibaou's gentle touch.
Another man looked at Sioku, then at Kibaou.
"Hey, Kibaou, do you two like each other? You normally don't sit with girls," he said curiously.
His comment stunned Kibaou into silence.
Sioku's face turned bright red as she jumped up from her seat.
"Say what? It's not like that!" she shouted in a flustered way.
The three other men laughed at her in response.
"Please take your seat, Sioku," Kibaou urged.
Sioku sighed heavily in exasperation as she sat back down.
She then looked at Kibaou in order to maintain her composure.
Kibaou cleared his throat before speaking to the group once again. "As most of you know, we have two different guilds: the Aincrad Liberation Squad and the Dragon Knights Brigade. Our goal is to clear the dungeon on this floor within a week. We also need to recruit more members for both of our teams."
The sound of Kibaou's voice was powerful enough to prevent Sioku's mind from wandering.
"Our only requirement to get into either guild is for players to reach a minimum of level nine. Two players named Kirito and Asuna have been restricted from entering either guild," a man named Lind chimed in.
Sioku frowned at that but didn't say anything.
She was afraid of ruining her chance of being a good member to the guild.
"We must reach the labyrinth in four days. The floor boss must also be defeated in just two days," Kibaou added.
Sioku looked at Kibaou and chimed in, "Excuse me, sir, how many players do we currently have?"
"We currently have 40 players in our guilds. Recruiting more members will increase our chances of clearing this floor. The party who clears this dungeon first will be granted leadership of the guild they are in," Kibaou explained.
"That sounds like a huge honor," Sioku commented.
Kibaou ended the meeting with a cheer.
The rest of his group cheered after him.
Sioku couldn't help but grin dreamily at Kibaou since she clearly adored him.
Kibaou placed his hand on Sioku's shoulder once again and said, "Sioku, you are officially a member of our party."
"I'm glad to be here," Sioku replied with a joyous expression.
"You are all dismissed," said Kibaou.
The three other men stood up and walked out of the cafe.
Sioku and Kibaou were alone at the table once again.
The girl took a deep breath in relief.
Kibaou looked over at Sioku and asked with curiosity, "Hey, Sioku, are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"
"Not really," Sioku answered blankly.
A brief moment of silence passed between them.
Sioku smiled at Kibaou and continued, "I would be more than happy to stay with you for a while. Where do you want to go?"
Kibaou smiled back and answered smoothly, "Thank you, Sioku, I want to show you a beautiful river on this floor. I always go there by myself whenever I need some thinking time."
Sioku perked up and replied brightly, "You can count me in, I would love to see it."
Kibaou lightly grabbed Sioku by the hand and helped her stand up.
A blush came to Sioku's cheeks as she held onto him.
She nearly felt her heart skip a beat.
A feeling of pure elation coursed through her body.
Kibaou gracefully led Sioku out of the cafe.
Sioku slipped into a pleasant train of thought as they walked down the quiet street together.
Holding hands with the player she loved sent her into a world of serene relaxation.
She could barely contain her feelings for him.
Kibaou noticed the dreamy grin on Sioku's face and asked, "What are you so happy about?"
"Being with you, silly," Sioku answered before laughing.
Kibaou gave her an awkward smile in response.
He led Sioku out of the city and into a beautiful park.
Dozens of different types of flowers came into their view.
There were also tall trees around the perimeter.
"This place is so pretty," Sioku commented.
"It's very peaceful as well," Kibaou replied.
Sioku and Kibaou continued to walk until they reached a large river in the middle of the park.
They sat down on a giant rock beside the river.
The pleasant sound of flowing water pulled Sioku into her thoughts.
"You picked the perfect spot, Kibaou," said Sioku with a smile.
"Thank you, Sioku, this is my favorite place to be in Aincrad. It's always calm here," Kibaou replied as he leaned back.
Sioku stared into the open water.
She took in a deep breath of relaxation.
Kibaou placed his arm around the girl's shoulders and spoke calmly to her, "Sioku, how has your time in Aincrad been so far?"
"I've been having a wonderful time here in SAO. This game is better than I thought it would be," Sioku answered with joy.
Sioku leaned into Kibaou's side and relaxed.
"My favorite part of being in this game is enjoying my time here in this park with you," she whispered.
"I feel the same way," he whispered in her ear.
To her Surprise, Kibaou pulled Sioku into a tight embrace and held her close.
Sioku gasped in amazement as she felt the steady rise and fall of his chest.
She didn't expect Kibaou to warm up to her as quickly as he did.
His affection stunned her into silence in a good way.
Without thinking, Sioku returned the embrace and laid her head on his shoulder.
The two stayed in that position for a long time.
He soothingly stroked her curly hair.
Sioku sank into Kibaou's gentle touch and closed her eyes.
The tranquil sounds of nature also kept Sioku relaxed.
Kibaou smiled down at Sioku in adoration.
She just looked so peaceful with him.
Another long period of silence passed between them.
Kibaou looked up at the sky as the sun began to set.
"Wow… that sunset is amazing," he whispered.
The softness in his voice made Sioku smile at him in agreement.
Kibaou looked down at her in a loving way.
"I wish I started talking to you sooner," he whispered again.
The night sky soon became lit up with millions of bright stars.
Sioku gasped in amazement as she looked up at the star covered sky.
"Wo… the stars are so pretty here in Aincrad. I'm glad to be sharing this beautiful moment with you, Kibaou," she said with glee.
"Same here, Sioku," he replied softly.
Kibaou looked curiously at Sioku before speaking again, "Would you like to get a hotel room with me tonight?"
Sioku instantly perked up at his offer and answered, "Sure, but I need to message my friends and let them know that I won't be there tonight."
She quickly sent a message to Jessy: I am spending the night somewhere else. I'll see you and Ariel tomorrow.
Jessy messaged back: Okay, please be safe.
Sioku then turned to Kibaou and asked, "Is there a motel nearby?"
"Yes, I'll take you there," Kibaou answered with a kind smile.
Kibaou gently helped Sioku get back on her feet before releasing his hold on the girl.
They strolled leisurely out of the park and into the city.
Kibaou led Sioku into a nearby hotel where they checked into their room.
Once inside their room, Sioku and Kibaou sat down on one of the beds.
"I never thought that you and I would be in a room together," Sioku started with an amused grin.
Kibaou grinned back at her and replied, "Really? Why do you say that?"
"When I first saw you at that meeting, I noticed that you are a serious man. You showed very few emotions back there. I just thought you wanted to clear the game and be done," Sioku explained honestly.
Kibaou placed a hand on Sioku's shoulder and spoke smoothly to her, "You're right, Sioku, I did feel that way when I first entered the game. However, all of those feelings disappeared as soon as I met you. You have brightened up my life in a way that I never expected.""
Hearing Kibaou express his true feelings toward Sioku made her feel overjoyed.
She threw her arms around Kibaou and hugged him tight.
"Oh, Kibaou, I love you so much! I'm really glad to know that I made you happy," she replied with glee.
Kibaou gratefully returned the hug and said, "Sioku, I meant every word that I said to you just now. You're the best friend I could ever ask for."
Sioku pulled him closer to her and whispered in his ear, "I feel the same way about you, Kibaou. I want to keep moving forward in this game with you by my side."
Once they released each other, Kibaou grabbed Sioku's hand and held it firmly.
Sioku felt her heart race with pure elation.
A surge of hyper energy flowed through her system.
Kibaou stared affectionately into Sioku's eyes.
"Let's clear this entire game together, Sioku," he said softly.
Sioku nodded and smiled back at him.
"I promise to keep you alive until the very end. I will even risk my own life to save you," she replied.
Kibaou looked at Sioku's nerve gear, then back at her.
"Sioku, may I send you a friend request in case we separate?" he asked.
"Of course, I'll send one to you as well. You and I can stay in contact this way," she answered happily.
As soon as the friend requests had been exchanged, Sioku turned to Kibaou with a curious expression and asked, "What made you decide to be my friend?"
"During that boss battle on the first floor, I admired the way you jumped in to rescue me when I was about to be attacked by a monster. I wanted to say something to you, but you disappeared before I could try. You also showed compassion while helping your party defeat the boss. Keeping those two players alive was your main priority. Your courage and bravery inspired me to keep going after I lost my friend Diabel. After you left, I went searching everywhere for you. Unfortunately, I couldn't find you anywhere. My search was over when I found you in the dungeon on this floor. At first, I didn't recognize you and thought you were someone else. My admiration for you became clear as day during our duel. Even though your goal was to join my guild, you still cared about my health more than our fight. You offered to forfit the duel in order to look after me when I received that blow from you. Your sword skills also really surprised me. As soon as I ended our match, I knew right away that you would be more than a guild member to me. I see you as a good friend who I can trust," he explained.
Sioku's face saddened as she remembered the boss battle on floor one.
"I'm so sorry, Kibaou, I didn't know how close you and Diabel were. Losing him must have been very difficult for you," she said sadly.
Kibaou let out a heavy sigh before replying, "Yes, Diabel was my best friend here in Aincrad. I was about to give up on clearing the game and just hide in a safe zone until we are able to log out. Battling the bosses didn't matter to me anymore either."
Sioku sensed the pain and sorrow in Kibaou's voice as she listened to his story.
Without thinking, Sioku pulled Kibaou into a comforting embrace and held him tight.
"Is that why you won't let Kirito join your guild?" she asked sympathetically.
Kibaou only nodded in response.
"I understand," she whispered.
Kibaou rested his head on her shoulder and said softly, "Sioku, thank you for being my friend."
"You're welcome, Kibaou, and thank you for accepting me. I want to be your friend in the real world as well. I'm sure you're just as wonderful there as you are in the virtual world," she replied.
Kibaou smiled back at her in response.
He looked up at a clock on the wall and suggested, "We should start getting ready for bed now."
Sioku let out a yawn and replied, "I agree with you 100 percent. I am so tired."
She gently pulled away from Kibaou and stood up.
"Good night, Sioku," said Kibaou.
"Same to you, Kibaou," Sioku replied as she happily climbed into the other bed and slipped under the covers.
Sioku stared at Kibaou until she fell asleep.
The next morning, Sioku woke up to the sunlight shining brightly through the window.
She stretched and let out a quiet yawn.
Scrolling through her notifications list, Sioku opened a new message from Jessy.
The message red: Hi, Sioku, how are you doing?
Sioku messaged back: I'm all right, still at the motel with a friend.
Jessy replied: Ariel and I are still at home. Have fun and stay safe.
Sioku stared up at the ceiling while lost in deep thought.
A few minutes later, Kibaou woke up and looked over at Sioku.
"Good morning, Sioku," he greeted.
The sound of Kibaou's voice instantly brought her back to reality.
"Oh… hi, Kibaou, how are you?" she replied with a bright smile.
"I'm okay," Kibaou answered as he stretched.
Sioku eagerly hopped off her bed and ran toward Kibaou.
"Come here, Sioku," said Kibaou as he playfully lifted her onto the bed.
Sioku giggled as she snuggled into him.
Kibaou ruffled her hair as if he was petting a dog.
"Are you ready for an adventure?" asked Kibaou as he put his arm around her shoulders.
"You know it," Sioku answered happily.
"You and I should go get something to eat before we rejoin our guild," he suggested.
"That's a great idea, Kibaou," Sioku replied as she stepped onto the floor.
Kibaou stood up before leading Sioku out the door.
A light blush came to Sioku's cheeks as she walked beside him.
They headed back to the same cafe where their meeting took place.
To their surprise, Morte and Lind had been waiting at the entrance.
"Good morning," greeted Sioku.
"I didn't expect to see you two here," Kibaou added.
"Good morning to you as well," replied Morte.
"I've already reserved a table for us," added Lind.
"Thank you very much," said Sioku graciously.
The two men led Sioku and Kibaou to their table.
Sioku and Kibaou sat on one side of the booth while Morte and Lind sat across from them.
Lind decided to start a conversation and looked at Kibaou.
"Excuse me, sir, I would like to lead a party of six members during this boss raid," he said.
"You have my full permission to do so," Kibaou replied.
Morte looked awkwardly at Kibaou and interrupted, "Is there a reason why you and that girl are sitting together again? I have a feeling that you two are hiding something from the guild."
Sioku's face turned bright red at the man's accusation.
She remained silent in order to prevent a fight from breaking out.
Kibaou stepped in and glared at Morte with irritation.
"Even if there was something between Sioku and me, it's nobody else's business but our own! Keep your comments to yourself!" he shouted.
Sioku couldn't help but perk up as she heard Kibaou raise his voice.
She absolutely adored Kibaou's expressive nature.
Morte turned away without saying anything.
Sioku looked through the menu as she listened to a conversation between Kibaou and the other men.
They were discussing a plan to clear the dungeon and finally defeat the boss.
An NPC approached the table and ordered everyone's drinks.
Kibaou turned to Morte with a curious expression and asked, "Will you be leading a party as well?"
"No, sir, I'll be joining both of you. I can also add more members to our party," he answered.
"That's fine with me," Kibaou replied.
The NPC returned carrying a tray of drinks and distributed them to everyone at the table.
She then helped them order their food.
Sioku smiled at Kibaou as a thought crossed her mind.
"Hey, Kibaou, do you like animals?" she asked cheerfully.
"Yes, I like dogs and cats. I have two dogs and one cat in the real world," he answered with a smile of his own.
"I have a dog as well," said Sioku cheerfully.
"Sioku, do you currently know any healing spells?" Lind chimed in.
"No, but I always keep a bunch of potions on me in case a player needs healing," Sioku answered.
"Try looking at your skills and see what you have," Morte suggested.
"Oops… I totally forgot to do that a long time ago," Sioku replied as she blushed.
Sioku opened up her skills list and scrolled through it.
The girl gasped in amazement as she found two healing spells in her list.
"It looks like I do have healing magic. I just haven't used either of these spells yet," she said with a bright smile.
Sioku let out a dreamy sigh as she imagined herself using them on Kibaou.
"You'll have plenty of chances to test out your healing spells during our quest," replied Morte.
"I have no doubt that your healing ability will be just as great as your sword skills," Kibaou added.
Sioku blushed as she smiled at him.
The NPC returned once again with their food.
Nobody said a word during the meal.
They were too busy enjoying the food.
After breakfast, The group split up as they exited the cafe.
Sioku stopped at a shop and purchased a few healing potions.
She then followed Kibaou and Morte as they headed for the dungeon.
Kibaou led Sioku and Morte straight into the dungeon.
They heard the voices of other players coming from a different area.
Kibaou and his guildmates cautiously approached the dungeon's opening.