Crossover Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon Online ❯ Obsession and Warmth of the Heart ( Chapter 5 )

As I have mentioned in the last chapter, in this story, Usagi/Serena is going to be doing things that our moon princess wouldn’t do in the anime/manga since the whole experience in SAO, at least in my story, is changing her due to the ‘various things’ she is experiencing. I’m also making plenty of ‘time skips’ since the story would be too long if I did a ‘day to day’ thing in which the anime has plenty of those in it while making sure to put plenty of scenes just to make sure that my story doesn’t look ‘SAO with Sailor Moon in it’ type of thing, everyone.

I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction! Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itô!

Warning: This story contains intense violence, blood, possible gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!

Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in this whole story!

Sailor Moon Online

Chapter 5: Obsession and Warmth of the Heart

April 22, 2024, Floor 57, Marten

On Floor 57, in the town of Marten, the main town on this floor of Aincard, we are in front of a cathedral in town where there is a large group of players in front of it where it seemed like a male player dressed like an armored knight was hung by the neck out of the second floor of the cathedral and impaled in the waist by a spear in which he seemed to have died which shouldn’t be possible since in this virtual world, the towns are ‘safe zones’, places where your health doesn’t go down at all thus there is no way to get it down to zero and kill you unless you were challenged to a duel which is the only time that the protective effects of the safe zone are lifted. But now, it seems someone, somehow, managed to kill a person inside of a safe zone without challenging them to a duel where the safe zone protection is lifted for the dueling players. At this moment, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna are walking out of the cathedral and into the group of players to figure out what just happened.

Kirito tells the crowd, “Listen up! Did anyone see what happened before that player died? Please speak up!” Just then a young female player walks over to Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna in a meek manner.

This female player that looks to be 17-18 years of age with long flowing deep blue hair, large blue eyes, and she is wearing a light blue tunic with a chest guard, brown shorts, and dark leggings along with high-heeled boots with a sword in its sheath attached to her left side.

Asuna asks, “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how frightened you are. Could you tell us your name?”

The female player responds, meekly, “Sure. My name is Yolko.”

Kirito asks, “Wait? Are you the one that screamed?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Her voice sounds familiar.”

The female player, Yolko, responds, “I knew him. His name was Caynz and we used to be in the same guild together. Anyway, we came here together and we were going to have dinner together…” Yolko starts to shed tears and she says, weakly, “…But we got separated in the plaza. I looked around from him and I saw him from that balcony…” When Yolko starts to cry, Asuna goes over to comfort her.

Usagi tells Kirito, “This is terrible, Kirito. Most likely, they were an item.”

Kirito tells Usagi, “Two people together don’t make an in-game object, Usagi.”

Usagi nearly face-faults into the ground and she responds, annoyed, “It is a manner of speech that means that they were a couple, Kirito!” Usagi asks Kirito, “You really aren’t the social type, are you?”

Kirito replies, “Not really.”

Asuna asks Yolko, “Was there anyone else up there?”

Yolko says, “For a second there… I’m not sure, but I think that I did see someone standing behind Caynz.”

Asuna asks, “This person? Have you seen them before?”

Yolko shakes her head and Kirito asks, “I know that this is hard for you, but try to remember: Was there anyone that has a reason to kill him?” Yolko’s eyes widen and she then shakes her head to say ‘no’ in which she closes her eyes and reopens them in which Usagi notices a look of pure fear on her face.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “That look…” Later on, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna escort Yolko back to an inn in the town.

Yolko says, “Thank you for escorting me back to the inn. Sorry if it is out of your way.”

Asuna says, “No worries. However, we would like to talk to you again tomorrow.”

Yolko says, “Okay.”

Usagi tells Yolko, “Yolko-san, can you spell the name of… your fellow former guild mate for me. I would like to check something.”

Kirito and Asuna look at Usagi and Yolko says, “Okay, his name is spelled K-A-I-N-S.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Thank you, Yolko-san. I’m sorry for any trouble.”

Yolko responds, “It is no trouble at all.” Soon after, Yolko closes the open door of the room that she is standing in front of behind her and the three of them head off.

Kirito tells Usagi, “You plan to check the Monument of Life.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Yeah. I just don’t get it. These are supposed to be safe zones and you can’t die in a safe zone unless you were in a duel. And this is no Sleep PK.”

Asuna says, nodding her head in agreement, “I agree. Anyway, we should also check out that spear. If we find out where it came from, we might get a clue.”

Kirito says, “We are going to need an appraisal skill. It is pretty obvious that you or Usagi don’t have one.”

Asuna says, in an annoyed tone, “Yes, but neither do you. And by the way, try not to be so rude when you are speaking to me.”

Kirito asks, “Okay, should I call you ‘Miss’ next time?” Asuna gives an annoyed look and Kirito asks, nervously, “Second in command? Lightning Flash?”

Usagi says, drolly, “Seriously, Kirito? Your social skills really need work.”

Asuna says, “No kidding, Usagi.” Asuna tells Kirito, “Just call me Asuna.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Okay. Now, back to the appraisal skill.” Kirito asks, “Do either of you know someone that has it?”

Usagi says, “Well, I know this weapon’s merchant and she is the best one there is.”

Asuna says, “If you are thinking about her, then she would be perfect, but despite your assistance in gathering materials, she is rather busy lately.”

Usagi says, with a sigh, “Good point, Asuna.”

Kirito says, “No problem there. I have an item merchant that might be able to help us out.”

Usagi asks, curiously, “Really?”

Kirito says, with a nod, “You’ve seen him on the frontline and he is an excellent and high level ax welder. He’s set up shop in Algade.”

Asuna says, “Let’s go.” Usagi and Kirito nod their heads and they head off to the teleport gate to head for Algade, which is the main town for floor fifty of Aincard.

April 22, 2024, Floor 50, Algade

In the streets of Algade, the main town of fifty floor of Aincard, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna are walking down the backstreets to a door when the door opens and a spearman comes out.

A man’s voice shouts out, “Thanks, my man! Come back at any time!”

The spearman replies, “Yeah. Yeah.”

Usagi smiles under her hood and she thinks, with a giggle, “Same old Agil.”

Kirito and Usagi step into the shop and Kirito says, “It seems like you are running all the suckers down, Agil.”

The shop owner, Agil, looks at them and he says, “No way! Kirito! And well, if it isn’t our ‘White Valkyrie’ too? Got the same old ‘hiding cloak’, I see.”

Usagi says, with a kind tone, “Nice to see you, too, Agil.”

Agil says, “Buy cheap and sell cheap, that’s my motto. I’m a business man, you know that.”

Kirito and Agil bump fists and Kirito says, “That selling cheap part is a lie.”

Agil responds, “Hey, don’t be slandering my good name.” When Asuna enters the shop and Agil sees her, he gasps in shock, grabs him by the neck, and he yells out, dragging him walkway on his shop’s counter, “Hey, man! What’s gotten into you? You are supposed to be a solo player like Usagi! What the heck are you doing with Asuna of all people?! I thought that you, two, were at each other’s throats especially with Usagi!” Usagi and Asuna giggle nervous at this laughable scene. A good time afterwards, all four of them are in the backroom of Agil’s shop and they explained the situation to him.

Agil asks, shocked, “His HP dropped to zero in a safe zone?”

Usagi says, “That’s what it looked like it. It shouldn’t be possible unless it was a duel.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Yeah, but there was no winner icon on anyone around and Usagi and I made sure to look closely.”

Asuna says, “We can also rule out a Sleep PK since the victim was with Yolko before it happened.”

Kirito says, “Besides, his death was too elaborate to be some kind of random duel. No, this was all planned out. And then there is this.” Kirito motions to the spear and Agil takes it into one of his hands and uses his other hand to use his appraisal skill on it.

Agil says, “A player made this.”

The three others give look of surprise, though you can’t see Usagi’s under her hood, and Kirito asks, “Really?”

Asuna asks, “Who was it?”

Agil replies, “Grimlock. Never heard of that one. I can assure you that it isn’t one of the top blacksmiths.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Liz would know since she is the top blacksmith in all of Aincard.”

Agil says, “As far as I can see, there is nothing special about this.”

Asuna says, with a sigh, “Yeah, but it is something to go on.”

Kirito nods his head and Usagi says, with a sigh, “Not really much, Asuna.”

Kirito asks, “Is there an item name listened?”

Agil responds, sarcastically, “You are going to love this. It’s called Guilty Thorn. There is a name for you.”

Usagi asks, drolly, “Guilty Thorn? Really?”

Agil responds, with a nod, “I hear you, girl. But it kind of fits, doesn’t it?”

Agil hands the spear, Guilty Thorn, to Kirito and he asks, “Guilty Thorn? Seriously?” Kirito looks over it and he says, “Well, here goes.” He then puts his hand on the table and prepares to pierce his own hand with the spear causing Asuna to gain a shocked look and Usagi to gain a ‘freaked out’ look with a yelp to match.

Asuna shouts out, “Wait! Stop!” Asuna grabs his wrist of the arm/hand that has the spear in it, stopping him.

Kirito asks, “What’s the problem?”

Usagi shouts out, stunned and angry, “What’s the problem?! What’s the problem?! It’s you, Kirito! There has to be a better way to test a DoT theory than using yourself as a ‘lab rat’! Are you freaking insane?!”

Asuna yells out, “Usagi is right! That thing has already killed one person!”

Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, “Someone is actually agreeing that I’m right! I must have really changed over the months!”

Kirito says, in a plain tone, “Yeah. That’s why we need to see what it’s got.”

Usagi shouts out, flabbergasted, “You are out of your mind! I don’t think that the NervGear has anything to fry with you, Kirito! You and your insane stunts!”

Kirito retorts, with a smirk, “Like you haven’t Usagi?”

Usagi gets a nervous look under her hood and she yells out, “This isn’t about me and you know it, Kirito!” Asuna takes the spear to give to Agil while Usagi thinks in her mind, “Kirito has a point. The ‘old me’ would never do most, if not all, of the crazy stunts that I have performed to help and save players’ lives. She would wail and scream and would only get involved when it is really necessary and certainly not do anything of the reckless stunts that I have done over the past months. I really have changed.”

Asuna tells Agil, handing him the spear, “Agil, could you hold onto this for us?”

Agil replies, nervously, “Uh, yeah.”

Usagi tells Agil, with a sly tone, “By the way, make sure that you keep it in a storage area with some kind of ‘lock’ on it so Kirito can’t get his hands on it.”

Kirito says, drolly, “Thanks a lot, Usagi.”

Agil says, “She does have a point, bro.”

Kirito yells out, annoyed, “Thanks a lot!” Usagi gives a sly snicker at this while Asuna gives a sly smirk as well.

April 22, 2024, Floor 1, Town of Beginnings

In the Town of Beginnings, the main town of the very first floor of Aincard, Usagi is at Blackiron Palace looking at the Monument of Life and looking for the main spelled out by Yolko in which she finds it and mentioning on how he died causing her to gain a curious look.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Well, this is the name as Yolko-san told me and it does say that he did by pierced and losing his health over time which is what looked like happened to her boyfriend, but it doesn’t mentioned about him being hanged over a building. Well, based on what happened it was the spear piercing that did him in, not the hanging since being hanged by the neck from a building doesn’t decrease your health in this game. Anyway, I had better tell Kirito and Asuna what I found here.” As she starts to walk away, Usagi thinks in her mind, “I still can’t believe that I have changed so much. The ‘old me’ would never be doing such things as detective work. I would be at home reading manga and joking with my friends.” Usagi sighs and she thinks, “I’m still amazed that I remember such things. I’m amazed that I haven’t gone crazy. I can still feel my friends, but they are so far away. If it wasn’t for people like Kirito, Asuna, Liz, and Agil, I would have gone insane by now… through I wonder if being with Kirito hasn’t made me insane already.” Usagi then looks back at the Monument of Life and she then notices at the corner of her eye, a player name by that name of ‘Caynz’ which hasn’t been crossed out showing that player is still alive. Usagi can’t help to feel interested that player’s name sounds exactly like Kains, but she gives it a shrug for now and she figures that it is nerves during the many months of being on SAO.

April 23, 2024, Floor 57, Marten

Returning to Marten, we find ourselves within an empty restaurant where Kirito and Asuna are sitting down in front of table facing Yolko, who is sitting down on the other side of the table, while Usagi is standing around and listening.

Asuna asks, a bit nervously, “So, Yolko, we were wondering if you ever heard the name of Grimlock?”

Yolko gives a look of surprise and Usagi thinks in her mind, “I think that’s a big fat ‘yes’, Asuna.”

Yolko says, “Yes, I have. Until a few months ago, he was in the same guild with Caynz and me.”

Kirito says, “Listen, we took the spear that impaled Caynz to an appraiser and we had him go over it very carefully. The spear was made by Grimlock.” Yolko gasps and puts her hands over her mouth causing the other three to get curious and Kirito asks, “Could you think of any reason why he did?”

Yolko says, nervously, “Yes, I can. I should have told you everything from the beginnings. But it was something that I was trying so hard to forget, however, now, I have no choice. I should explain how my guild got destroyed.” Yolko then explains that she, Caynz, Grimlock, and five others were part of a guild known as Golden Apple and around half-a-year ago, they killed a rare monster that dropped a rare item that raised a player’s agility by twenty. The guild was divided on keeping the item for themselves or selling it and divided the profits made from selling it. The vote was five to three in favor of selling it and their leader, Griselda, left to a large town on the front lines to sell it. They waited for her returned, but she never did and they found out that she was dead. And to this day, Yolko doesn’t know how she died.

When she is done, Kirito says, “No one is going to leave a safe zone with that kind of rare item. Too risky. Maybe someone pulled a Sleep PK on her.”

Usagi says, shaking her head, “No way, Kirito! That method is recent.”

Asuna says, “And her death was half-a-year ago.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Good point, but she wasn’t a random victim either. No, the killer was after the ring. And the killer had to know that she had it. Which means…?”

Yolko then says, finishing for Kirito, “The killer is one of the seven others in our guild, yes.”

Kirito says, “We have our suspects. Now, we need to figure out who didn’t want to sell the ring.”

Asuna says, “I doubt that the killer killed her after she sold the ring. No, the killer killed her before she did.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Most likely, Asuna.”

Kirito nods his head in agreement and he tells Yolko, “Tell us what you know about Grimlock.”

Yolko says, “Yes, he was Griselda’s husband, but not in real life, in the game only. Griselda was a powerful swordswoman. She was beautiful and smart. Grimlock was kind and there wasn’t a day when he wasn’t smiling. They made a great couple and got along as husband and wife. If Grimlock was the one that murdered Caynz then he is probably going after the three guild members that didn’t agree with selling the ring. Caynz was one of the three guild members that wanted to keep the ring for the guild. I was the other one.”

Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna gasp in shock and Usagi says, “That means that Caynz’s killer is going after the people that didn’t want to sell the ring!”

Kirito says, “I thought so, Usagi.” Kirito asks Yolko, “Who is the third person?”

Yolko responds, “A tanker named Schmitt. Last I heard, he is on the front lines with the Holy Dragon Alliance.”

Kirito says, “Schmitt, huh? I’ve heard that name before.”

Asuna says, “He is the leader of the defense team of the Holy Dragon Alliance. He is an exceptional lancer.”

Yolko asks, “Wait! You know Schmitt?”

Kirito says, “Well, Usagi and I have met him a couple of times while clearing bosses.”

Usagi says, “Nice guy. Tends to be a bit on the cautious side, but then again, I don’t blame him and I really don’t have room to talk.”

Yolko says, “If you know Schmitt, you need to take me to him. He needs to know what happened. Since he is on the frontlines, he probably hasn’t heard what happened. He needs to know so what happened to Caynz doesn’t happen to him.”

Asuna says, “We’ll help you get in contact with Schmitt. I know someone in the Holy Dragon Alliance. We’ll help you out.”

Usagi says, “It is a good idea. If this killer was bold enough to do what they did, this killer would be bold enough to go after a front liner.”

Kirito says, “I agree, Usagi. But first, let’s take Yolko back to the inn.” Kirito tells Yolko, “But you have to stay at the inn. Don’t go anywhere until we come back.”

Yolko says, with a nod, “Okay.” Later on, in the streets, Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna are walking and discuss the situation.

Asuna asks, “How do you see this situation?”

Kirito says, “I can see three ways. One, it was a fair duel. Two, someone took advance of a bug that combines a series of kill methods.”

Asuna says, “Well, I could see that happening.”

Usagi responds, shaking her head, “I don’t. Kayaba is nothing, but methodical in this. He would have tested something like this and made sure that there are no bugs or if there are any bugs, the system would correct them nearly instantly.”

Kirito says, “I can believe that Usagi.”

Asuna asks, “And the third…?”

Kirito says, “Use something that would bypass the protection of a safe zone.”

Usagi says, shaking her head, “Impossible, Kirito. You would have to be a GM for that and there is only one GM in this world.” Usagi gasps and she asks, “Wait! You don’t think…?”

Kirito tells Usagi, reassuringly, “I don’t think so. So far, ‘he’ hasn’t done anything to interfere with the players directly. I hate to admit it, but the rules of SAO are fair in which the game made it impossible to kill in a safe zone unless certain rules are followed and that’s a duel. And in all of the months that we have been here, ‘he’ hasn’t done anything to change the rules at all. This also makes what you said about my second option also correct, Usagi.”

Usagi asks, “It does?”

Kirito says, “Like you said, ‘he’ is very through in his work and he would make sure that the system wouldn’t allow a player to be killed in a safe zone unless it was in a duel.”

Usagi says, with a sigh, “That means back to square one.” The three of them walk on to get in contact with the Holy Dragon Alliance, another top level ‘clearer’ guild, and find Schmitt to inform him what happened. Later on, we are inside of an inn room with an open window where we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Yolko, wearing a large blanket/cloth around her, and a male player with short, sports club, ace-like brown hair, thick eyebrows, a square jaw, and wearing high-ranked silver heavy metal armor. This person is Schmitt, the former member of Golden Apple that didn’t agree with selling of the ring and leader of the defense team for the Holy Dragon Alliance. He has been told what happened and he is quite nervous as the tapping of one of his feet shows.

Schmitt asks, “So, that’s what killed Caynz? And the spear. Are you sure that it was Grimlock’s?”

Yolko responds, “There is no doubt.”

Schmitt becomes nervous and he yells out, leaping to his feet, “Then why wait half-a-year to murder to kill him? Unless… Wait! Could he have stolen the ring? Do you think that he killed Griselda? Does he want to kill us just because we didn’t want to sell the ring? Is that why he is after you and me now?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Wow! He is really a ‘Nervous Nancy’.”

Yolko says, “It could be possible that Grimlock made the spear for someone else from our guild and they are the ones that killed Caynz. Or maybe… Griselda has come back from the dead to get back her revenge.”

Usagi gains a nervous look on her currently hidden facial features and she says, “Wait! You mean like a ghost? That’s crazy, Yolko-san. There are no ghosts in a game.”

Yolko says, “Well, a player can’t kill another player in a safe zone, but something like a ghost could.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, “Okay, we are going into the realm of creepy and crazy around here.”

Yolko gains a really nervous look as she sits up and she says, “I couldn’t get any sleep last night. So, I stayed up thinking. It must have been everyone’s fault! Everyone must have been guilty!”

Usagi tells Yolko, “Yolko-san, calm down! Caynz’s death must be getting to your mind!”

Yolko says, “I’m sorry, Valkyrie-san, but I… I just couldn’t sleep! All I could think about was Griselda’s blood is on our hands!” Yolko then stumbles back to the windowsill and she says, sitting back on it, “And then in my mind, I thought about that day and Grimlock telling us that we should have just left the choice to Griselda. You see, only he is the only one that can avenge Griselda’s death. He is the only member of our guild that has the right to avenge her.”

Schmitt shouts out, nervously, “No. No way. You have got to be kidding. Why now? Why kill all of us now? You can’t be serious Yolko! How could accept dying over some stupid vendetta?”

Kirito grabs his arm to calm him down and Usagi whispers to Asuna, “Poor girl. She must be having a mental breakdown after seeing her boyfriend die.”

Asuna nods her head and whispers, solemnly, “Yeah, it looks like it.” When everyone looks at Yolko, they see her eyes grow wide and showing an expression that she had been hit by something in which she stumbles to her right and everyone gasps to see a spiked knife sitting out of her back!

Usagi thinks in her mind, shocked, “But how?!” Yolko then falls from the window and Usagi and Kirito rush after her.

Kirito screams out, “Yolko!” Usagi and Kirito then see her fall to the ground and seemly turn into data polygons to signify her death leaving only the knife behind. Usagi’s eyes grow wide and she and Kirito start to look for the one that threw the knife in which Kirito tells Usagi, “Over there!” Usagi looks in the direction that Kirito is looking at and she sees a cloaked and hooded person on a nearby rooftop.

Usagi says, “I see him, Kirito!”

Kirito tells Asuna, “Keep an eye on him!” Kirito then leaps out of the window and onto a rooftop in front of the room and its window.

Asuna shouts out, “No, wait!” Usagi then does something that’s completely unlike her during her days as Sailor Moon and she follows right after him showing her own high strength and agility stats in which Asuna thinks in her mind, stunned, “Not you, too, Usagi!” Usagi and Kirito chase after the cloaked figure, seemingly to be the obvious thrower, in which the cloaked figure takes out a teleport crystal.

Kirito says, “Oh, crap!” Kirito throws three throwing picks at him, but three violet energy shields protect him.

Usagi tells Kirito, “Kirito, this is a safe zone! Weapons won’t work here especially that kind! Listen in on him!”

Kirito says, “I got it, Usagi!” Kirito thinks in his mind, “Where does he think he is going?” However, the loud bells from the bell tower nearby make them unable to hear what the person is saying as he teleport away in a bright blue light.

Usagi says, “Crap! He got away!” The two of them head back to the inn in which the two of them enter back into the inn room by the door where they see Asuna with a rapier drawn, glaring at them, while Schmitt is sitting in his chair and shaking in panic.

Asuna yells out, annoyed, “You idiots! What’s your problem?”

Usagi says, with a sigh, “That’s actually a good question, Asuna.” Usagi thinks in her mind, “What the heck was I doing?! Back in the ‘old days’, I would never do such a crazy thing and leap onto a rooftop like that! Sure, I could do that as Sailor Moon, but I would never do that and rush into something like that! I really have changed.”

Asuna puts her rapier away and she asks, “What happened?”

Kirito responds, “We lost him.”

Usagi says, “He used a teleport crystal to teleport somewhere and we couldn’t hear where he is going thanks to the bell tower.”

Kirito says, “The system is supposed to protect players in the inns. I thought that if anywhere, she would be safe in here.” Kirito slams his fist into the wall and a violet screen says ‘Immortal Object’ pops up.

Schmitt then says, fear and a bit of insanity in his expression, “That was Griselda’s robe. That was Griselda’s ghost. She has come back to get revenge on us. Think about it. Only a ghost can PK someone in a safe zone.”

Usagi says, with a sigh, “He’s lost it.”

Asuna nods her head in agreement and Kirito says, “That was no ghost. Someone is using the system to kill. That’s the only way you can kill someone in a safe zone. I know it.”

Usagi says, “I know, Kirito, but it doesn’t make sense. I mean, there is nothing that can allow you to do that in a safe zone. Unless you are a GM and there is only one GM in this world, I don’t see it happening.”
Kirito says, “And you’re right, Usagi.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “I’m right? If Pyro could see me now.” Usagi shakes the thoughts out of her head to make sure that she doesn’t go into a depression again by thinking about her ‘lost life’ back in the ‘real world’.

Asuna asks, “What should we do now?”
Usagi tells Asuna, “You go on. I want to ask Schmitt-san something.”

Asuna asks, “What do you want to ask?”

Usagi says, “It just something that has been nagging me, Asuna. It really is nothing.”

Asuna asks, “Are you sure, Usagi?”

Usagi says, “Yeah. I doubt that I will find anything. I’ll meet up with you two later.”

Kirito says, “Okay, but keep an eye on him.”

Usagi says, “No problem there.” Asuna and Kirito head off to find a place to think while Usagi goes over to Schmitt and she asks, “Schmitt-san?” However, Schmitt doesn’t reply and she shouts out, “Schmitt-san, listen to me!” He yelps in fear and looks at Usagi in which she says, with a sigh, “Look, Schmitt-san, there is no ghost! A ghost wouldn’t need a teleport crystal to vanish! It’s another player! And it was a guy player!”

Schmitt responds, “Even if what you say is true, it must be Grimlock. Grimlock loved Griselda and he must want revenge. He must have found a way to get his revenge despite this being a safe zone. He is a kind guy, but that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t smart. He would have figured out a way. I don’t think that even you can protect me Valkyrie-san.”

Usagi responds, “Even if it is him, what he is doing is wrong. None of you, three, ever wanted Griselda to die, did you?”

Schmitt shouts out, “No way! Griselda was our leader, our friend, and our inspiration! I may be afraid to die here, but there is no way that I would kill someone like Griselda just to live!”

Usagi says, “That means that if it is Grimlock, then he is a criminal now and he must be brought to justice. Yolko and Caynz would never want to kill her either.”

Schmitt shouts out, “Never! They would never do that especially not to Griselda!”

Usagi nods his head and she says, “Then I don’t think that Griselda would want you to die and if this was happening, she would do what she could to make the deaths stop.”

Schmitt says, with a nod, “Yeah, she would.”

Usagi tells Schmitt, “Schmitt-san, I need to ask you a question. It may seem like nothing, but it is something that I need to know. How do you spell Caynz’s name?” Schmitt gives a confused look and he then just shrugs in which he tells Usagi something that we don’t hear in which Usagi’s eyes under her hood grow wide in which she rushes for the door.

Schmitt shouts out, “Valkyrie-san?!”

Usagi responds, “Schmitt-san, don’t leave this room and close that window! Wait for me to come back! Don’t do anything!” Usagi then opens the door, rushes out, and closes the door behind her.

A brief time afterwards, Schmitt thinks in his mind, looking at the window, “I appreciate the effort, Valkyrie-san, but there is only one way to save me from this.” Later on, Kirito and Asuna were discussing the situation in which Asuna gives Kirito one of two sandwiches that she made, revealing that she has a high cooking skill. However, Kirito dropped it on the ground and it turned into data polygons since its durability ran out. Kirito is on the ground on all fours, as a revelation comes to his mind.

Asuna asks, “Are you crying?” Kirito motions for her to be quiet as he processes this revelation that came to his mind.

Kirito says, “No way! That’s right! That’s it!”

Asuna asks, confused, “What’s it? What did you just figure out?”

Kirito says, “I… No, wait! We didn’t see anything! We just thought we did when it was actually something else! I was right! You can’t kill in a safe zone! There is no weapon or system exploit!”

A familiar female voice says, “Kirito is right, Asuna.” Asuna and Kirito then see Usagi coming towards them and she says, “Caynz and Yolko are still alive.”

Asuna asks, stunned, “What? They are still alive?”

Usagi says, “I just came back from Town of Beginning and I found that Yolko’s name hasn’t been crossed out. And there is another thing: Yolko lied in the spelling of Caynz’s name. His name isn’t spelled K-A-I-N-S, it is C-A-Y-N-Z.”

Asuna gasps and Kirito says, “I knew it. Caynz and Yolko found a way to fake their own deaths.”

Asuna asks, “But how?”

Kirito says, “In a safe zone, a player’s HP doesn’t decrease, but the durability of an object does just like that sandwich that you gave me. That day, the spear was sticking out of Caynz’s chest, but it wasn’t draining his health, it was draining the durability of his armor.”

Asuna says, shocked, “That means that it wasn’t his body that disintegrated, it was…”

Kirito responds, with a nod, “Yep! Just his armor. And at the moment that his armor’s durability ran out, he used a teleport crystal to get out of his armor. Sure, it looks a lot like when a player dies in the game, but Caynz didn’t die.”

Asuna asks, “Then what happened to Yolko?”

Usagi asks, “Could they have done the same thing?”

Kirito says, “Most likely, Usagi. The dragger was already rigged to Yolko to her blanket.”

Asuna says, “But we would have seen.”

Kirito responds, “Only if she turned around. Remember, she didn’t turn around before she got to the windowsill, not even once.”

Usagi says, remembering, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Kirito says, “She must have monitored her item’s durability and when it hit zero, she just acted like she got hit by a knife throw outside of the window.”

Usagi asks, “But what about that guy?”

Kirito says, “It wasn’t Grimlock, that’s for sure. It must have been Caynz. The two of them were in it together and they figured out how to use this method to fake their own deaths. And to make the illusion completely, they used that other Kains’ name that died before to complete the illusion. They must have seen his name and how he died and replicated it in their own way so to make Caynz’s ‘death’ more realistic and believable.”

Asuna says, “I see.”

Kirito says, “And getting killed in a safe zone is a calculated twist on their part.”

Asuna says, “Everything was designed to draw out Griselda’s murderer and expose him. And the only way to do that was to fake their own deaths and make the murderer come out to expose himself.”

Usagi says, “And they must have chosen Schmitt-san since he was the last one not to agree to the selling of the ring!”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Exactly, Usagi. They must have chosen him from the very beginning.” Kirito asks Asuna, “You still have Yolko on your friend page?” Asuna calls up her player menu, finds Yolko’s name still active on her friends list, and uses the locator feature to find her.

Asuna says, “It says that she is on a field on floor nineteen.”

Kirito says, “Well, that’s it. I guess that our job is just about done now.”

Asuna says, with a smile, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “I hope that you are right, Asuna. I’ve got a majorly bad feeling about this.” Soon after, Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna are assembled together in the restaurant and having a good meal.

Kirito says, “We really fell into Yolko’s and Caynz’s hands.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Big time, Kirito.”

Kirito says, “Well, I don’t really mind.”

Asuna says, “Me neither.”

Usagi says, “There is one thing that bugs me.”

Asuna asks, “What’s that Usagi?”

Usagi says, “We never did find out what happened to that item. The ring. They mentioned that Griselda went off to a town near the front lines to sell it.”

Asuna says, “It is a pretty obvious. The killers that kill Griselda took the item when they killed her.” Asuna asks, “If you were in that guild, what you would have done?”

Usagi says, “Me? Well, I would have followed what the group wanted. Personally, I would do what they did and voted for it since we couldn’t agree on anything. I want to try my best to keep the guild together to make ensure all of our survival.”

Asuna says, “In my guild, the player that gets the kill gets the item. In SAO, you don’t know who got what unless they report it. With our way, no one can horde anything. The rules also give the concept of marriage real meaning. Think about it. You have to share storage of items.”

Usagi asks, “Really?” Just then Usagi remembers something, realizes something, and she tells Asuna, “Hold it, Asuna! Go back to that! You are saying that married couples in SAO share a common storage?!”

Asuna asks, confused, “Yeah?” Kirito then gains a show of realization in his expression and slams his palms onto the table.

Kirito says, “That’s it! Usagi, you’re a genius!”

Usagi and Asuna look at Kirito and Usagi asks, curiously, “I am?”

Kirito responds, “That’s it. Common storage. Griselda and Grimlock were married, correct? Well, you should consider what happens to the items stored in shared storage when one of the spouses dies.”

Asuna and Usagi are curious and Usagi says, “Well, IRL, when one spouse dies, the stuff… goes to the surviving spouse!”

Asuna gasps in shock and realization and Kirito says, “Exactly. And Griselda wouldn’t be carrying the ring on her person. Too dangerous and she is very smart. She knows that, so, she would be carrying it in her shared storage with Grimlock.”

Usagi says, her eyes widening, “And that means that it never left their storage, it remained with Grimlock when Griselda died. That means that there was no theft.”

Kirito says, “No, Usagi. There was theft the instant that Grimlock had Griselda killed.” Asuna and Usagi gasp in shock and then Usagi’s eyes widen in which she immediately takes off into the distance and out of the restaurant.

Asuna says, shocked, “Usagi!”

Kirito says, leaping to his feet, “We need to follow her. Caynz, Yolko, and Schmitt are in great danger!” Kirito and Asuna get to their feet and follow Usagi in which she knows that the three mentioned players are in great danger in which she is hoping that she isn’t too late in saving their lives from the impending danger that they are in.

April 23, 2024, Floor 19, Hill of the Cross

Within Floor 19 of Aincard, on a place known as Hill of the Cross, Schmitt is on a hill with a tombstone that acts as Griselda’s grave since she has no ‘body’ to bury where Caynz and Yolko, both of whom are very much alive and wearing hooded cloaks with the cloak hoods lowered, are with him. The two of them appeared to Schmitt as the ‘ghosts’ of Griselda and Grimlock in which they had Schmitt inform them that on the day of that they had voted on what to do with the ring, he found a crystal and note to bind the crystal to Griselda’s room at the inn that she was staying in and put the crystal in the guild’s shared storage, however, he didn’t know who the note was from and he showed that he didn’t want Griselda killed. He only did the act since he was paid to do the act and that money allowed her to get the rare weapon helped him get into the Holy Dragon Alliance. Yolko and Caynz revealed themselves to Schmitt with a recording crystal in hand, but Schmitt was paralyzed by a knife coated with a paralyzing potion in which three cloaked and hooded figure come out with one of them pointing an estoc at Yolko and Caynz while one of them with a large butcher knife/meat cleaver appears in which Schmitt can see what looks like an opening coffin with a laughing face on it.

Schmitt says, “Laughing Coffin, the murder guild.”

The Laughing Coffin member with the estoc that’s ‘covering’ Yolko and Caynz, both of them are afraid since they know all too well about this infamous guild of ‘red players’, PK players of SAO, asks, “So, what will we do with them?”

The Laughing Coffin member who threw the poisoned knife yells out, “I know! I know! Let’s play the game where they have to kill each other! Last one standing wins!”

The last member, the leader of the group, the one with the large meat cleaver weapon, says, “I know that’s your favorite, but you killed the winner anyway.”

The knife thrower member shouts out, “Ah, that’s no fair! You spoiled it! It’s no fun if they know that they are going to die anyway!”

The leader of the group says, “All right, let’s get this show on the road.” He prepares to kill Schmitt and Schmitt closes their eyes, they hear a sound of something coming towards them and he stops in which everyone looks to see a horse coming towards them and it stops in which it throws Kirito off itself.

Kirito says, “Damn! I just made in time.” Kirito leaps to his feet, slaps the horse in the butt, causing it to run away, and Kirito draws his sword. He tells the Laughing Coffin members, “So, now what? I’ve got thirty members of the assault team coming this way. You, guys, want to stay and fight them? It is going to be a problem to fight both of us.”

The estoc welding member asks, “Both of us?”

Just then a female voice responds, “He means me.” The three Laughing Coffin members turn to see Usagi behind them with a group of daggers in her left hand.

The dagger welder says, with a snarl, “You.”

Usagi responds, “Don’t even try it, you jerk. These are coated with the same poison that you use on other players and you are going to be down and out. So, Johnny, how do you think that the assault team will feel when they have you concerned and unable to move? I learned this trick from you, monsters.” There is a standoff and the leader of the group snaps his fingers in which the other put their weapons away.

The leader says, “Let’s go.” The three Laughing Coffin members take off and Kirito and Usagi don’t go after them to make sure that Yolko, Caynz, and Schmitt are out of danger.

When they are gone, Kirito tells Caynz and Yolko, “Nice to see you alive, Yolko.”

Yolko says, solemnly, “You wouldn’t believe me, but I was going to tell you the truth.”

Usagi says, “I believe you, Yolko.”

Yolko says, “I am sorry that we had to trick you to help us out.”

Kirito smiles and Usagi says, with a kind tone, “That’s no problem. Griselda must have been a precious friend to you.”

Schmitt, who has recovered from the paralyzing agent used on him, asks, getting to his feet, “Kirito, thank you and Valkyrie-san for saving us, but how did you know about this?”

Kirito says, “We didn’t know exactly, but we acted on a major bad hunch.”

Usagi asks, in a confused tone, “A hunch?”

Kirito asks Yolko and Caynz, “Level with me. You asked Grimlock to make the spear and the knife, didn’t you?”

Yolko says, “He did, but he was against our plan at first. All he wanted was for Griselda to rest in peace.”

Caynz says, “He did help us out, but only after we begged on our hands and knees.”

Kirito says, “Sorry, but he had a different reason for not liking your plan. Griselda wasn’t part of it.” Yolko and Caynz gasp in shock and he says, “He was worried that faking PK would attract too much attention. He didn’t want anyone snooping around for answers. We figured the whole thing just a while ago.” Soon after, Kirito and Usagi explain what Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna had figured out.

When they were done, the three former guild members were shocked and Schmitt asks, “It was Grimlock? Then those were his instructions?”

Usagi tells Schmitt, solemnly, “Yeah.”

Kirito says, “However, he didn’t kill Griselda… at least not directly. He had some red player do it.”

Yolko says, shocked, “My god! But then why would he go all that trouble to help us out? It doesn’t make sense.”

Kirito responds, “You explained your plan in detail, didn’t you? Your plan was the perfect chance to bury the ring incident and any witnesses once and for all. All he had to do was wait for Schmitt and the two of you to get together, you would be sitting ducks.”

Usagi says, “And those three jerks were the ‘duck hunters’. Grimlock hired Laughing Coffin to kill you. Those monsters kill just for the sake of it, but they need money to maintain supplies to continue their ‘sick work’ and this job was perfect for them. Even though it was six months ago, they might be the same players that he hired before. It could be possible that’s how Laughing Coffin got its start.”

Yolko says, “Oh my god.” Yolko nearly fainted, but Caynz kept her up.

Just then a female voice shouts out, “Found him!” Everyone then looks to see Asuna leading a male player with a top hat, black glasses, brown overcoat over grey shirt, black pants, and brown shoes to them by the point of her rapier.

Usagi asks, “Grimlock, I presume?” Usagi thinks in her mind, “Man! I have been overhearing too many of Ami-chan’s detective novels!”

Kirito says, “If you want to know more, ask the man yourself.”

The player, identified as Grimlock, says, “Hello, friends. It has been a while.”

Yolko says, in disbelief and anger, “I can’t believe it! Did you… Did you really plan this? Answer me, Grimlock! How could you kill Griselda? Was it the money? Was the money so important that you would kill your wife for it?”

Grimlock responds, “Money? Did you say money? It wasn’t for the money. I had to… no matter what I had to kill while we were stuck in this world while she was still my wife because she was my wife in the real world.” There are gasps of shock and Grimlock says, “In a way, she was the perfect wife. So pretty and so submissive. The whole time that we were together we never had a fight. But when we were trapped in this world, things changed. In here, I was the one that was afraid. Terrified. But she looked more alive than she did in the real world. There was nothing that I could do about it. She changed. The person that I loved was gone. Gone! I didn’t have to live with what she had become. Murder is part of this game! If I couldn’t have the woman that I loved, then I just have the memory! And who can blame me?”

Usagi shouts out, strongly, “We can, you pig!” Usagi goes over to Grimlock and she shouts out, “That’s not true love! That’s possessive selfishness! If you truly loved her, you would have accepted her changes! And most likely, she changed for you, you ass! She saw how scared and frightened that you were of the game and she never blamed you! You want to know the reason that she became so strong? She became strong so she could protect you! That’s why! And you stopped loving her the instant you regretted her changing to protect you, you pig!” Grimlock gasps as his memories of his wife came to his mind, tears stream from his eyes, and he falls to his knees crying in which Yolko, Schmitt, and Caynz go over to Grimlock.

Caynz says, “Kirito… Valkyrie-san… We thank you for your help, but this is our problem now.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Okay.” Caynz and Schmitt bring Grimlock to his feet and they drag him away on their shoulders in which Yolko bows at Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna and they return before Yolko heads off with the others to take Grimlock away to be imprisoned or something as punishment for his crimes.

When they were gone and the sun started to come out, Usagi removes her hood to show her face wet from her virtual tears and Asuna asks, seeing this, “Usagi, are you okay?”

Usagi says, with a solemn nod, “Yeah.” Usagi says, “Anyway, I need to go. It… It has been a roller coaster ride today.”

Kirito says, with a nod, ‘Okay, Usagi.”

Usagi then takes off into the distance and as she leaves, Asuna asks, “When will she stop crying?”

Kirito responds, “When this is all over, Asuna. As long as we remain and as long as more and more of us die, her eyes are going to continue to shed rivers of tears. For someone as kind and caring as Usagi, this place is her true hell. And she isn’t going to stop searching and fighting until she finds HIM and get us back home.” Asuna then notices Kirito’s left hand turn into a fist and Asuna nods her head in which she can’t help to wonder what will happen when Usagi meets her uncle once more. With Usagi, she wipes her face as best she can and she defeats two monsters with one quick motion of her sword as she continues on her quest to beat the game and find her uncle as well as stop him once and for all if necessary.

Mid-May 2024, Juuban District of Tokyo

Within the Juuban district of Tokyo, at night, the Sailor Scouts, minus Sailor Moon, are fighting a youma that turned herself in a buff amazon woman wearing an animal skin one-piece swimsuit with a spear in which while Sailor Scouts disarmed the youma, it is manhandling them with incredible physical strength and speed as she throws Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus to the ground, hard!

Sailor Jupiter says, “Shit! This youma is super tough!”

Sailor Uranus says, “I can’t believe that there are survivors from the Negaverse!”

Sailor Pluto says, “Most likely, there were youma out while our princess and the Inner Scouts were fighting at the North Pole, but they shouldn’t be this strong even if they went into hiding. The amount of energy they could steal without attracting our attention is minimum.”

The youma shouts out, “Show how you know, Sailor Failures!” The youma attacks again and Sailor Saturn tries to protect everyone with a shield, but the youma manages to shatter the shield in which Sailor Saturn yelps as she falls down to the ground, hard.

Sailor Neptune says, shocked, “Firefly, no!”

“Nebula Aurora Nova!”

Just then the youma is slammed by a powerful aurora beam of energy with an sphere of energy in the front of the beam and she yelps out in pain and agony as she is vaporized on contact.

Sailor Uranus asks, “What or who was that?” Everyone then looks to see someone with an Eternal Sailor Scout fuku, with wings, looking over them from high above.

Sailor Mercury says, shocked, “A… A Sailor Scout!”

Sailor Jupiter asks, “But how?”

Sailor Pluto then notices the rainbow five-point star sigil on this Scouts forehead and she yells out, stunned, “I can’t believe it!”

The others look at Sailor Pluto in surprise and a female voice, seemly from the new Sailor Scout, says, “I am Sailor Nebula, Guardian Sailor Soldier of all of the star seeds in the universe.”

Sailor Mars, who has just recovered from the youma strike on her, asks, “Sailor Nebula?”

Sailor Mercury says, “A nebula is linked to the birth and death of stars, Sailor Mars.”

The new Sailor Scout replies, “That’s right, Mercury-san. As such, I, Sailor Nebula, are the protector of all star seeds, true or not, to ensure that their ‘destinies’ are not interfered and the light of their stars only goes out when the nature of the universe allows it. I have only awakened after you had removed Chaos from Sailor Galaxia and I’m here to warn you. These youma aren’t like the ones that you have fought before. They belong to the Dark Agency.”

Sailor Venus asks, shocked, “No way! I defeated them when I was just Sailor V! How is that possible?”

Sailor Nebula says, “You defeated them, but not completely destroyed them. The remnants of the Dark Agency went into hiding while you went to join the other Sailor Scouts against the main Negaverse forces and when you defeated Beryl and Metallia, they managed to gather the remnants of the forces of the Negaverse and go into hiding in which they regained their strength in secret even hiding from Pluto and the Gates of Time. They, even, managed to steal leftover negative energy from the enemies that you defeated after them including the Negamoon and Death Phantom, Heart Snatchers, and even the Dead Moon.”

Sailor Jupiter says, with a snarl, “Great. We just made them stronger.”

Sailor Nebula says, “And it is worse since they, now, know that Sailor Moon is currently out of commission and thus, the Silver Crystal is unusable weakening the Earth’s defenses.” The Sailor Scouts gasp and Sailor Nebula says, “You got lucky in finding that one, but they won’t be so careless. With a few months’ time, the Dark Agency will start a war against human kind starting here in Juuban.”

There are more gasps and Sailor Mercury asks, shocked, “A war?”

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, “Yes. But right now, you need to focus on getting Sailor Moon out of Sword Art Online.”

Sailor Uranus asks, a bit suspicious tone in her voice, “How do you know that?”

Sailor Nebula responds, “You are going to have to trust me. For now, I will try to hold back the war, but I suspect that the war will start late fall of this year or the winter of this year and next year. Good luck, Sailor Scouts.” Sailor Nebula then takes off into the distance and is far away before the other Sailor Scouts can say or do anything leaving them to wonder about the dark shadow looming over them.

June 25, 2024, Floor 48, Lindarth

Within Lisbeth’s Smith Shop in Lindarth, the main town of Floor 48 of Aincard, we find said pink haired blacksmith banging her hammer on a piece of orb in which it glows and transforms into a sword.

When Lisbeth examines it, she frowns and she says, “Good enough.” She then hears the bell for her shop open and she says, “Better be ready for the customers.” She then removes her gloves, smiles in front of the mirror, and she goes to the front where her wares are displayed in which she says, with a smile, “Welcome to Lisbeth’s Smith Shop.” Looking the store is Kirito and Usagi and Usagi turns to Lisbeth.

Usagi says, “Hey, Liz!”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Oh, Usagi! Nice to see you again!”

Usagi tells Lisbeth, pointing to Kirito, “Anyway, I’m here with a friend of mine to see if we can get him a new sword.”

Lisbeth asks, with a smirk, “Oh, really?”

Usagi tells Lisbeth, with an annoyed tone, “Liz…”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Just kidding!”

Lisbeth eyes Kirito and Usagi tells her, “Don’t worry, he has plenty of money and he wants a custom order. Trust me, he has more than enough.”

Lisbeth says, with a shrug, “Well, okay. If he is your friend, I know that he must be strong.” Lisbeth says, with a grin, “Any friend of you has to be really strong in order to keep up with you, girlfriend.”

Usagi says, scratching her head nervously, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Lisbeth asks Kirito, with a smile, “Okay, I’m going to need to know the specifics of the sword that you want. This is a custom order after all.”

Kirito says, “Right. Well, I want something that’s just as good or better than this.” Kirito then removes a familiar black sword from his back and hands it to Lisbeth, who gets a feeling of Déjà vu, in which she yelps from the weight of the sword.

When Lisbeth sees the item description menu, she thinks in her mind, “No way! This is an Elucidator, but I thought…” Lisbeth looks at Usagi and she shakes her head in which she opens her cloak to reveal the same sword strapped to her waist.

Kirito asks, “So, what do you think?” Lisbeth then gets sword from the wall and hands it to Kirito, who takes it.

Lisbeth says, “How about this? This is the best sword that I ever forged. I call it my masterpiece.”

Usagi asks, teasingly, “Your masterpiece, huh? Wasn’t the sword that you made for me your masterpiece, Liz?” Lisbeth gives an embarrassed blush and annoyed look at Usagi while Kirito swings the sword around.

Kirito says, “I don’t know, it seems kind of light.”

Lisbeth says, “It should. I used a speed type of metal to forge it.”

Usagi says, shaking her head, “Not going to work, Liz. Kirito prefers swords with high strength requirements and he has that level of strength.”

Kirito says, “True, but I also like swords that are durable too. Anyway, I would like to test that.”

Lisbeth asks, “Test it?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a sigh, “Kirito, please don’t tell me that you are going to do something really crazy. Like I’m a player to talk, but please…” Kirito then lies his sword down and prepares to swing the sword that Lisbeth gave him down on it.

Lisbeth yells out, “Hey, what are you doing? If you break your sword, I’m not responsible!”

Kirito says, “If my sword breaks, then that’s too bad since it was weaker than yours.” Kirito uses a Sword Skill and he slams the sword into his Elucidator causing the sword that Lisbeth to lose its tip.

Usagi thinks in her mind, slapping herself on the forehead, “Oh, geez! Way to go, Kirito!” Usagi then removes her hood and covers her ears as well as close her eyes to prepare for the storm to come. Lisbeth then screams at the destruction of her sword and she takes the remains from Kirito before it shatters into data polygons.

She then leaps up, grabs Kirito by the collar, and she yells out, angrily, “What the fuck were you doing?”

Kirito says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think that the sword you gave me was going to break so easily, honest.”

Lisbeth shouts out, angrily, “Are you saying that my sword… my masterpiece was lamer than you thought?”

Kirito says, “Yeah, something like that.”

Usagi almost does an anime face fault and she thinks, drolly, “Nice one, Kirito. That makes it so much better.”

Lisbeth lets go of Kirito’s collar, puts her hands on her hips, and she yells out, angrily, “For your information, if I had the right materials, I could make a thousand swords that could shatter yours into a million tiny pieces!”

Kirito says, with a sly smirk, “Oh, yeah? That’s the kind of sword that I’m looking. As long as they can shatter my sword into a million tiny pieces.”

Lisbeth’s face becomes red with rage in which Usagi feels that if this was like a cartoon, steam would be coming out of Lisbeth’s ears, and Lisbeth shouts out, enraged, “Okay, smarty pants, but you have to help me make it every step of the way!”

Kirito asks, “Seriously?”

Lisbeth says, “Absolutely and we’ll start getting the metal for it.”

Kirito says, “I think that I can handle that by myself. I rather have not you slowing me down.”

Usagi lowers her head and she says, “Kirito, don’t…”

Lisbeth tells Kirito, “Don’t you dare insult me. I’ll have you know that I’m an expert mace user.”

Usagi says, “She is, Kirito. She is one of the few people other than Agil who have expert combat skills with their business skills.”

Kirito tells Usagi, “Okay, if you say so, Usagi. I trust your judgment.” Lisbeth gives an annoyed look and Kirito says, putting his sword back in its sheath and behind his back, “Okay, about this metal.”

Usagi says, “I think that Liz is talking about the special metal that we heard about. The one from the dragon that eats crystal and creates the metal in its body. I think that’s it.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Oh, yeah. The one of the fifty-five floor.”

Lisbeth says, with a smirk, “And it is said that unless you have a master smith in the party, you can’t get it. Think that it is going to be so easy.”

Kirito says, “Fine. Just keep quiet and stay out of the way.” Lisbeth glares at Kirito and he says, extend his hand to shake, “Anyway, I’m Kirito. I guess that we’re a party until we make that sword.”

Lisbeth responds, with a look of annoyance, “Okay, Kirito. Don’t expect me to be nice just because you are Usagi’s friend.”

Kirito says, “Okay, if you are going to be that, I can roll with that Lisbeth.” Lisbeth glares at Kirito and she gives a pout look on her face.

Usagi thinks in her mind, drolly and with a sigh, “Something tells me that this is going to be a LONG day.”

Later on, the three of them leave Lisbeth’s shop and as they walk to the teleport gate, Lisbeth tells Usagi, “Where did you find this guy?”

Usagi, her hood back up, sighs and she replies, “Look, Liz. He is one of the longest friends that I had in the game. He isn’t a bad guy… He is just… Well… awkward when it comes to social situations, that’s all.”

Lisbeth asks, drolly, “Awkward, huh?”

Usagi says, with a kind tone, “Don’t worry, Liz. When you get to know him, I’m sure that you will see that he is a good guy.” Usagi thinks in her mind, “I hope, but I had better tag along to make sure that they don’t try to kill each other or at least, Liz trying to kill Kirito.”

June 24, 2024, Floor 55, West Mountain

On the fifty-five floor of Aincard, in an area known as West Mountain, Kirito, Usagi, and Lisbeth, wearing an armored left shoulder pad, chest, and wrist gantlets over her outfit, are walking through snow paths and Lisbeth sneezes from the cold that she is feeling from the cold virtual air of this mountainous area.

Usagi asks, “Are you okay, Liz?”

Lisbeth says, “I’m freezing, Usagi. I can’t believe that you are withstanding it.”

Usagi says, “Well, this is an enhanced version of my classic cloak. Liz. I just got it recently and not only does it give me superior hiding ability, but it also has a temperate regulation effect that keeps me warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather.”

Lisbeth says, drolly, “Lucky you.”

Usagi says, bringing up her player menu, “Sorry, Liz. Let me see if I have something.”

Kirito says, “I’ve got this Usagi.” Kirito then goes through his player menu, materializes a black leather coat with a furry collar, and throws it to her.

Lisbeth asks, “Are you going to be okay without this?”

Kirito says, “You don’t feel cold if you are disciplined.”

As Lisbeth puts on the coat, she says, “If you are trying to piss me off, it’s working.” Lisbeth says, “It’s warm through.” As Kirito continues to walk, she thinks, “Even though I’m with Usagi, I’m still walking with this guy.”

Kirito then asks, “What’s wrong, Lisbeth? Giving up?”

Lisbeth says, annoyed, “As if! And if you are going to be a jerk about it, just call me ‘Liz’.”

Kirito says, with a sly tone, “Okay, Liz.”

Lisbeth shouts out, annoyed, “Yeah? Well, don’t wear it out!”

Usagi thinks in her mind, drolly, “Just like you, Kirito. Stirring the pot again.” Usagi gives a sigh, feeling that it is going to be a REALLY LONG day, in which she continues on with Kirito and Lisbeth. After starting the quest, they find themselves in an area filled with crystals and Lisbeth can’t help, but to be amazed by them.

Lisbeth says, awe-struck, “It’s beautiful.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “It is, Liz.”

But before she can race forward, Kirito holds her back and Lisbeth asks, annoyed, “What’s the big idea?”

Kirito says, “You should get your teleport crystal ready.”

Lisbeth says, annoyed, “Yeah, I know.”

Kirito says, “Usagi and I will take care of this part. Once the dragon appears, you will hide under one of those crystals over there.”

Lisbeth shouts out, “What? No way! I’m not a newbie! If I want to help, I will dare well…”

Kirito roars out, strongly, “Do as I say!”

Lisbeth flinches from Kirito’s tone and Usagi tells Lisbeth, kindly, “Liz, please do as Kirito says.”

Lisbeth nods her head and Kirito says, “Good.” Kirito pats her on the head gently and he says, “Let’s get going.” But then a loud bird-like screech or roar is heard and Kirito shouts out, “Get into cover now!”

Lisbeth says, annoyed while taking out her mace, “All right.” Lisbeth takes cover and she says, “By the way, the dragon’s attack pattern is claws left and right, ice breath, and then a wind gale.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Thanks, Liz.” Soon after, the monster, X'rphan the White Wyrm, a huge crystal-blue dragon, appears and gathers energy in its mouth.

Lisbeth shouts out, “Look out! It’s a breath attack!” The dragon unleashes an icy breath at Kirito and Usagi, but Kirito blocks it with a swipe of his sword.

Usagi says, with a shiver, “Man! Talk about your cold shoulders!”

Lisbeth thinks in her mind, amazed, “Wow! And with that sword! Who is this guy?”

Kirito tells Usagi, “Usagi, I’ll take care of this, but if anything goes wrong or see anything wrong, jump in immediately!”

Usagi responds, “Got it!” Kirito leaps in and with each slash of his sword, the massive dragon loses large chunks of its health, again and again, and at one point, Kirito manages to cleave off its left arm.

Lisbeth steps out from the crystals and she says, “Come on! You’ve got it on the ropes! What’s taking so long?”

Usagi shouts out, “Liz, don’t come out yet!” Just then the ice dragon unleashes a huge gale wind and Lisbeth gasps when she sees as she runs to get out of its path in which Usagi gets over to Liz, but she thinks in her mind, “Oh no, too late!” Usagi and Lisbeth scream out as they are hit hard by the gale attack and they are sent flying.

Kirito says, shocked, “Liz! Usagi!” Kirito rushes over towards them in which they find themselves floating over a massive hole before they start to plunge in which they scream out.

Usagi yells out, “Hang on!” Just then another hand grabs onto Lisbeth’s hand and they look to see Kirito.

Kirito says, “Hang on, you two! Usagi, the wall!” Usagi looks at the wall in which she and Kirito shift their weight causing them to start falling down an angle. Usagi draws her sword and jabs it into the wall along with Kirito, their swords causing sparks as it grinds onto and into the wall, and Usagi grunts as she struggles to hold onto her sword.

Usagi shouts out, “Kirito, I can’t… I can’t hold it much longer…!!”

Kirito says, “Just hold on, Usagi! Hang on, Liz!” Usagi and Kirito try, but they release their swords from the wall and as Lisbeth screams as Kirito spins his body around so that his body will impact first in which Usagi and Lisbeth would hit by him, however, everything goes black soon after this. Sometime soon after, Lisbeth slowly opens her eyes and looks up to see Kirito lying on the snowy ground on his back. He asks, “Are we still alive?”

Lisbeth notices that she was on top of him, goes to sitting position, and she replies, a bit flush, “Yeah.” Lisbeth notices that Usagi isn’t with them and she asks, “Wait! Where is Usagi?!”

Kirito gasps as he gets to a sitting position and Usagi’s voice says, weakly, “Here.” Kirito and Lisbeth look to see a female humanoid shaped ‘hole’ in the snow and Usagi comes out of it with a pained look on her face in which she says, “Remind me never to go on a walk in the mountains with you, two.” Kirito and Lisbeth smile in which Lisbeth notices that she has a third of her health remaining, but both Kirito and Usagi are in the red zone.

Kirito hands Lisbeth a potion and he says, “Drink one of these.” Kirito starts to drink his potion and his health starts to return to normal with Usagi doing the same.

Lisbeth gulps down her potion and she says, “Thank you for saving me.”

Usagi says, “You’re my friend, Liz. I couldn’t let you die.”

Kirito says, “Well, don’t thank us just yet. We have to find a way to get out of here.”

Lisbeth asks, “Huh? Can’t we just teleport out?” Lisbeth takes out a teleport crystal and she says, “Teleport: Lindarth!”

When nothing happened, Usagi says, drolly, “Great. An anti-crystal zone.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Thought so. However, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t another way out.”

Lisbeth asks, “How can you be sure? How can you know that this isn’t a pit trap to kill players by the fall?”

Kirito says, “Good point. Maybe it is.”

Usagi and Lisbeth groan and Usagi retorts, with a sarcastic manner that’s unlike our Moon Princess before SAO, “Aren’t you a bundle of positive energy?”

Kirito says, “Anyway, I have an idea.”

Usagi asks, “What is it?”

Kirito says, “I’m going to run up the wall.”

Lisbeth sweat drops and she says, “You are insane.”

Kirito says, “Maybe, but it is the best idea that I have.” Kirito takes a few steps back and starts run up the wall like a ninja in a movie.

Lisbeth says, “No way.”

Usagi says, “Not surprising to me since he does this kind of thing all the time and gets away with it, but the walls were never as icy as this one.” And as if to prove the point that Usagi is implying, Kirito slips and falls back down in which Usagi and Lisbeth step out of the way as he crashes into the snow leaving the form of his body on the snow. Usagi says, nervously, “Oh, ouch. That had to hurt despite the pain absorbers.”

Lisbeth says, with a nod, “Big time.”

When Kirito comes out the hole in the snow that he made, he says, “If I had a longer start, I could have made it.”

Usagi tells Kirito, “If the walls were made of stone, Kirito. These walls are made of ice, Kirito. Not going to happen.”

Kirito says, “Anyway, it is getting late. We are going to have to camp out for the night.”

Usagi says, drolly, “Another day, another dungeon.”

Kirito tells Usagi, “You could buy yourself a simple house.”

Usagi responds, “Thanks, Kirito, but you know how it is for me. I’ve got a big fat target on my back even through most of the players accept that I’m a lot like them.”

Kirito says, “Well, you have a tendency to piss off orange and red guilds a lot.”

Usagi replies, drolly, “Thanks a lot, Captain Obvious.” Usagi takes off her cloak and puts it in her storage in which the two of them set up camp with camping items.

Lisbeth asks, “Do you keep this stuff around?”

Kirito says, “Usagi and I camp at dungeons at night all the time with Usagi more than me.” Usagi then puts cooking pot on a cooking lantern in which she starts to put ingredients into it and Kirito asks, “You didn’t tell me that you had a cooking skill?”

Usagi says, with a smirk, “You never asked.” Usagi says, “And I am sick and tired of eating NPC made food all the time. It gets kind of bland, you know? I had help in developing my cooking skill and my cooking abilities in SAO are WAY better than my cooking in you know where.” For Usagi, she knows that talking about ‘the real world’ is taboo since it could threaten your life since the falseness of this world could, in their subconscious mind, weaken reality of the finality of death in this world. However, with Usagi, how had faced death as Sailor Moon back in the real world, isn’t a worry for her because of that fact and knowing her uncle’s technology all too well. She has been in ‘other worlds’ before and to her, the danger is all too real one way or another. After they had eaten some soup that Usagi prepared, Kirito takes out what looks like two camping bedrolls while Usagi producing a third. All of them get into the bags and they assembled themselves like a pyramid with Usagi ‘over’ Kirito and Lisbeth.

Lisbeth says, “This is kind of crazy. This has never happened to me before. I would never have thought of going to dungeons, meeting total strangers, and sleeping next them in said dungeons.”

Usagi says, with a smile, “Well, if you said that to me before SAO, I would have thought that you were crazy.”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Yeah, I know, Usagi. And your friend, Kirito, tried to run up a wall. He is really weird.”

Kirito retorts, with a glare, “Well, excuse me.”

Usagi tells Kirito, “You have a tendency to do these things, Kirito.”

Kirito responds, “Like you haven’t, Usagi.”

Usagi says, drolly, “Good point.” Usagi thinks in her mind, “And lately, I haven’t noticed such things. Leaping from rooftops, fighting monsters to save people, and leap down pits to save them too. I mean, I did plenty of those things as Sailor Moon, but never to such extremes and never all the time. Plus, I’m cooking better than I did back home! I… I’m really am changing.”

Lisbeth asks Kirito, “Kirito, can I ask you something?”

Kirito responds, “Ask away.”

Lisbeth replies, “Why did you save me? Since you are Usagi’s friend, I know for a fact that you have to be a member of the assault team. You have so many lives hanging on you and Usagi and those like the two of you, so, why?”

Kirito replies, “I can’t sit back and watch someone die. If anything, I would rather die with them especially if that someone is a girl like you, Liz.”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Geez, you are idiot. You are one of the few people that would think like that.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, “It is because we have seen too much death in here.”

Lisbeth says, “Hey… Hold my hand.” Kirito and Usagi look at Lisbeth in surprise and Lisbeth extends her hand out in which Kirito touches it. Lisbeth says, grasping Kirito’s hand, “It’s so warm. All three of us are just ones and zeroes in a virtual world.”

Usagi says, “It doesn’t mean that we aren’t real, Liz. Our minds… our very essences are in these bodies. These are ‘artificial bodies’, but our ‘real selves’ are in them.”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Yeah, Usagi.” Lisbeth asks Usagi, with a sly smirk, “Anyway, what’s the deal with you two?” Deep down, a small part of Lisbeth hopes that it is not what she is implying.

Usagi says, annoyed, “Geez, no! I told you that I already have someone ‘back there’. Kirito is a fellow solo player that I run into and work with a lot, Liz. We’re both on the assault team together and he is my friend on SAO.”

Lisbeth asks, amazed, “Really?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Yeah. You know my backstory, Liz. Despite most of the players ‘approving’ of me, they still ‘awkward’ around me due to my ‘pedigree’ and it only has gotten more ‘awkward’ since they started to call me the ‘White Valkyrie’ and I’m mainly becoming a ‘big hero’.”

Kirito says, “Well, it is probably that you are since you are doing everything that you can to save players’ lives.”

Usagi says, with a solemn tone, “It’s not enough.”

Kirito tells Usagi, with a solemn tone, “Usagi… You can’t save everyone through I’m not one to talk about failing people.”

Usagi says, “Kirito…”

Lisbeth says, “You, two, seem close.”

Usagi replies, “Kirito… is like the lost brother that I never knew until recently, Liz.” Usagi says, with a smile, “He and I are fellow ‘outcasts’ of SAO.”

Kirito says, with a grin, “Yeah.” A growing part of Lisbeth is glad that Usagi and Kirito are ‘close’, but not in a certain type of relationship. Soon enough, all three of them fall asleep for the night.

June 25, 2024, Floor 55, West Mountain

The following day, Lisbeth is stretching after waking up in which Kirito and Usagi have cleaned up their camping supplies and Lisbeth then looks to see Usagi, with her familiar white hooded cloak back on, and Kirito digging in snow.

Lisbeth asks, “What the?” She then remembers holding Kirito’s hand and it makes her blush in which she slaps her face to focus. Lisbeth then goes over and she asks, “What are you doing?”

Kirito and Usagi take out two ingots that are crystalline aqua blue-green in color and Kirito says, “Take a look.” Lisbeth pokes at it and an item description menu appears with the words ‘Crystallite Ingot’ appear.

Lisbeth asks, amazed, “Is this?”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Yep. It’s that special metal that we came here for. Like you said, the dragon eats crystal and they turn to this in its stomach.” Kirito then giggles and he says, “No wonder they are hard to find.”

He throws it to Lisbeth and Usagi asks, “Care to fill us in on what you figured out?”

Kirito says, “This hole isn’t a trap like we thought. It is the dragon’s nest.”

Usagi asks, “Its nest?”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Remember, it only comes out at night, so, this is the place that it sleeps during the day.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Okay.”

Kirito responds, “That ingot is dragon excrement. You know, poop?” Usagi and Lisbeth look at the ingots, their eyes grow wide, and they yelp in which Lisbeth throws her ingot to Kirito while Usagi quickly stuffs hers into her item slot in player storage.

Usagi yells out, annoyed, “Warn a girl next time?!”

Kirito tells Usagi, with a smile, “You asked.” Usagi gives a pout and Kirito says, putting the other ingot into his item storage, “Well, we’ve got what we came for and all we need to do is leave.”

Usagi and Lisbeth then realize something and Usagi says, nervously, “Kirito, you said that this is the dragon’s nest, right? Well, the dragon comes out at night and this is the daytime. Doesn’t that...” Usagi, Kirito, and Lisbeth slowly up and they see X'rphan the White Wyrm, looking none worse for wear, flying in.

Lisbeth yells out, “It’s here!” The three of them then prepare to defend themselves, but then Kirito grabs Lisbeth, throws her on her back, and she yelps out, “Wait! What are you doing?!”

Kirito tells Usagi, “Follow my lead, Usagi!”

Usagi responds, with a nod, “Okay, Kirito!” Kirito leaps onto the wall and Usagi thinks in her mind, as she follows, “I really hope that you know what you are doing Kirito.” As the dragon lands, Kirito and Usagi are running up the wall and they leap onto the back of the dragon, drawing their swords as they do so.

Kirito shouts out, “Hang on and don’t let go, Liz!” Usagi and Kirito stab their swords into the dragon’s back and it roars out in pain causing it to fly out of its nest and into the sky. As they exit out of the nest, the dragon stops and all three of them are flung into the air. Lisbeth looks to see the sunrise in the distance and she is awe-struck by it in which Lisbeth grabs onto Kirito’s hand in which she smiles at him.

Lisbeth shouts out, “Kirito, I really like you!”

Kirito asks, “What’s that? I can’t hear a thing!”

Kirito yelps as Lisbeth hugs him and she yells out, “Oh, never mind!”

Just then Usagi grabs onto both of them and she yells out, holding a teleport crystal, “Can we teleport out of here before we go splat already?! Teleport: Lindarth!” Soon after, all three of them were engulfs in a bright glow as they teleport away back to the teleport gate of the main town of floor 48 of Aincard.

June 25, 2024, Floor 48, Lindarth

Back in Lisbeth’s shop in Lindarth, she is done heating up the ingot and she puts the heated ingot on her anvil.

Lisbeth asks, “One handed long sword, right?”

Kirito says, “Yep. Make it awesome.” Lisbeth takes a deep breath and starts pound with her hammer on the ingot in which she thought about what happened during their adventure.

Lisbeth thinks in her mind, “I didn’t imagine it. The warmth of Kirito’s hand and the way that I feel. It is all too real. Usagi is right. These aren’t our real bodies, but our ‘real selves’ are a part of them and that means what I felt was… is real! As soon as I made the best sword that I can, I’ll tell him.” After a good number of repetitions, the ingot glows and transforms into a sword.

The sword is aqua-colored with a grip that’s a darker color than the rest of the blade and is completely straight. The grip leads up to a hilt that is exactly perpendicular to the grip and it is seen that the hilt is designed to look like a pair of conjoined dagger blades with the center of the hilt guard is a large aquamarine gem. The blade itself is a deep aqua color, the base of the blade has a light-aqua attachment that causes the blade to have a natural indentation when one traces its length due to the angle that the attachment bends at.

Usagi says, awe-struck, “Oh, wow.”

Lisbeth creates an item description menu and she says, “The sword is called Dark Repulser. It’s one of a kind and not part of the info broker directory.” Lisbeth tells Kirito, “Go on, try it.”

Kirito responds, taking the sword, “Okay.” After taking a few swings, Kirito says, with a smile, “Nice and heavy.”

Usagi says, with a grin, “Just the way that you like it.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Yeah, it is a good sword.” Lisbeth gives a cheer and Kirito says, “It feels like you forged your soul into it.”

Usagi says, with a grin, “Told you so, Kirito. Liz is the best.”

After getting a scabbard for the sword, Kirito says, “You held your end of the deal and now, I will hold mine. I’ll pay whatever you want.”

Lisbeth gets a bit nervous and she responds, “Well… I don’t want to pay anything right now. Instead, I want to be your excusive blacksmith from now on.”

Kirito asks, “What do you mean excusive?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Oh, boy.”

Lisbeth responds, with a blush on her cheeks, “I mean, anytime that you come back from the front lines, let me do maintenance on your gear from now until the end.”

Kirito blushes at what is going on and Kirito says, “Liz, I…”

Lisbeth says, “Kirito, I…”

Usagi thinks at this moment, “Oh, crap! You really know how to win a girl’s heart, Kirito. But if Liz finds out about…”

Just then the door to Lisbeth’s workshop opens and a familiar female voice shouts out, “Liz, I was so worried!” Soon after, a crying Asuna runs and hugs her friend.

Usagi thinks in her mind, drolly, “Open mouth and insert foot.”

Lisbeth asks, surprised, “Asuna?”

Asuna says, “I tried messaging you last night, but you didn’t answer! I couldn’t track you on the map! I had to go to the Monument of Life to make sure that the worst didn’t happen!”

Lisbeth says, “Sorry, Asuna, I kind of got trapped in a dungeon.”

Asuna releases Lisbeth from her embrace and she asks, surprised, “You went by yourself?”

Lisbeth responds, “No, I was with Usagi and…” Lisbeth points to Kirito and Asuna gasps in surprise.

Asuna asks, “Kirito?”

Kirito responds, “Hey, Asuna, long time no see.”

Usagi says, “No time long see? Are you serious? It only has been two days.”

Asuna says, “This is a surprise. I didn’t know you wanted to check this place out. I wish you could have told me. I could have come with you.”

Lisbeth asks, “You know Asuna, Kirito?”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Yeah, we are on the assault team together.”

Asuna says, with a smile, “He mentioned about getting a more powerful sword, so, I mentioned about your shop since Usagi and I use it all the time.” Asuna notices the ‘unusual expression’ on Lisbeth’s face and Asuna asks Kirito, suspiciously, “Why is she acting like that? Did you do anything weird?”

Kirito yells out, “I didn’t do a thing!”

Asuna asks Usagi, “Usagi…?”

Usagi tells Asuna, with a kind of nervous smile, “Come on, Asuna, give Kirito a break. You know him better than that.”

Kirito says, “Yeah, show us a little compassion. Both of us nearly got killed.”

Asuna replies, “Not exactly my fault.”
Usagi tells Asuna, drolly, “Your compassion is really touching, Asuna.”

Lisbeth thinks in her mind, solemnly, “I get it now.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, “It seems like Liz figured it out. Man, love triangles really stink!”

Asuna tells Lisbeth, “If this guy did anything weird to you, you’ll tell me right?” Asuna then asks, concerned when she saw Lisbeth’s solemn face, “Liz?”

Lisbeth says, with a nervous smile, “You want to talk about rude? The first thing that he does coming in is shatter my best sword!”

Asuna says, shocked, “He did?! I’m sorry!”
Lisbeth says, “Oh, you don’t have to apologize.” Lisbeth then asks, in a whisper, “Anyway, he might be weird, but he isn’t a bad guy. Don’t screw this up. He is a keeper.”

Asuna says, with a blush, “But I told you that it isn’t like that!”

Lisbeth says, racing off, “Anyway, sorry! I’ve got to get some supplies!”

Asuna asks, confused, “Huh? You are going to leave the shop?”

Lisbeth responds, “Could you hold down the fort? I owe you one!” As Lisbeth races out the door, Usagi gives a solemn sigh. Outside, near a small stream with a small bridge crossing it, Lisbeth is leaning against it and shedding tears to try to make her feeling for Kirito leave since she doesn’t want to hurt her best friend and she knows Kirito has a deeper ‘connection’ with Asuna, who he knows being on the front lines of the game all the time, than her, who he just known for one day.

She then hears footsteps and Kirito’s voice calls out, “Lisbeth?” Lisbeth stands up to see Kirito on the bridge.

Lisbeth says, “I almost got away with it. A couple more minutes and I would have gone back to my cheerful self.” Lisbeth asks, “How did you know I was here?”

Kirito points to a bell tower in the distance and he replies, “I scanned the bell tower over there for you.”

Usagi then walks up and she says, “He kind of does that thing a lot.”

Lisbeth says, “Figures you would do something crazy like that.” Lisbeth says, “Sorry to worry Kirito and you like that Usagi. I’m not used to having adventures.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “You should see me back in my early days as Sailor Moon, Liz.”

Lisbeth says, “Anyway, just forget everything.”

Kirito says, “Liz, I just wanted to thank you. See, I thought that dying was better than surviving day after day. Living with the guilt, but people like you and Usagi keep reminding me that our lives are real and they have meaning. Thank you for reminding me about that Liz.”

Lisbeth says, “I know what you mean, Kirito. I was trying to find something real. The warmth of your hand, that was real.”

Usagi says, “As I said, these are ‘artificial bodies’, but our ‘essence’ is inside of them and that means that we are more than just players in a game. We are real people struggling to escape a prison on one madman’s making.”

Lisbeth tells Usagi and Kirito, “Do me a favor, you two. Tell Asuna what you told me.”

Kirito says, “Liz…”

Lisbeth says, “I’m fine, really. Getting over it will take a while. Promise me that you will end this world. And until then, I will do what I do best.”

Kirito says, “I promise that WE will, Liz.”

Usagi says, “We’ll survive and we’ll head home one day. And on that day, we’ll meet up in the real world. I can’t wait to show you, Kirito, and Asuna the Crown Fruit Parlor. They make the awesome smoothies.”

Kirito says, “Sounds great, Usagi.”

Lisbeth says, “Yeah. And if you need your equipped fixed, my door is always open to both of you.”

Kirito says, with a smile, “Sure.”

Lisbeth says, “Don’t forget. You will always be welcome in my shop.” Lisbeth tells Usagi, “And anyway, we should get ready for the birthday girl.”

Usagi asks, “Huh?”

Lisbeth tells Usagi, “Don’t tell me that you forgot? Your birthday is in five days.”

Usagi looks at the clock on her player menu and she says, amazed, “Wow, it is! Time really does fly!”

Kirito asks Usagi, “You didn’t tell me that your birthday was coming up?”

Usagi says, nervously, “I kind of forgot…”

Lisbeth says, with a smile, “Geez, Usagi…” Usagi rubs her head nervously and Lisbeth tells Kirito, “Remember to remind her to come down from the front lines to celebrate her birthday, Kirito.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Right, Liz.”

Usagi responds, with a pout, “Thanks a lot.” Kirito and Lisbeth share a giggle at this and Usagi can’t help to warmly smile as the three of them prepare to head back to Lisbeth’s shop to reassure the most likely concerned Asuna.

And that’s the chapter, everyone! And boy, this chapter is as long as my ‘big one’ from another story of mine! Anyway, like I said before, this story has Asuna/Kirito AKA Asuna/Kazuto and Serena/Darien in it. Kirito’s/Kazuto’s and Usagi’s/Serena’s relationship is going to be best friends that’s exactly like brother and sister in this story and you are going to learn why in a later part of the story. Until then, keep reading and reviewing to tell me what you think and later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!