Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Digimon Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden ❯ After Fragments 2: Fairy Flights ( Chapter 7 )

Okay, everyone, once again, we are returning to the period of what happened between Hollow Fragment and World’s Song in which now, we are telling the story of what happened when Suguha/Leafa returned to ALO after getting out of SAO around/at the end of Hollow Fragment story. You have gotten ‘fragments’ of it during my World’s Song story in the form of flashbacks, but now, here is a deeper ‘look’ into what happened. Now, before I start, I have to give thanks and credit to Belletiger and Kanius as well as Kanius’ YuYuGiDigiMoon fanfiction series, especially his The Invasion of the Rajita story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that’s a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to Kanius and his YuYuGiDigiMoon series, including this author’s Dawn of Chaos story, and LazerWulf for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto’s sister among other things. I would also like to give thanks and credit to Matty G91 and this author’s story of Kamen Rider Lunar for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization.

 

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 

I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat, Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen’s Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin’s Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei, Monster Musume, Karin/Chibi Vampire, 12 Beast, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, 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, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō, Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot, Digimon is owned/licensed by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, 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 Itō!

 

Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, 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 these series of stories!

 

Prelude: A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

 

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this ‘game death’ to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

 

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the ‘tale’ of this floating castle, its ‘history’, and its ‘aftermath’, but they weren’t told…until now. These are those stories…

 

Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden

 

Story 7: After Fragments 2: Fairy Flights

 

Note: This story takes place in the Hollow Fragment timeline and takes place around during time of the Epilogue of Hollow Fragment to just before the start of World’s Song.

 

Late March 2025, Tokyo, Odiaba District

 

Within the Odiaba District of Tokyo, we find the Digidestined of Odiaba and their Digimon partners dealing with a mass horde of rogue Digimon, but they also had problems with youma, minions of the enemies of the Sailor Scouts. However, not only do the Digidestined have a Sailor Scout of their own in the form of Sailor Sun, the Sailor Scout ‘form’ of Kari Kamiya, the Digidestined of Light, but the Sailor Scouts of Juuban including the newest one, Eternal Sailor Nebula, as well as Sailor Orion and Sailor Celestial, who like Sailor Moon currently, is in her Valkyrie Sailor Scout form. Valkyrie Sailor Celestial is currently fighting Blockbuster, a tall and very muscular blue-skinned youma wearing an outfit similar to what a pro-wrestler would wear, in which Sailor Celestial’s swords have proven completely useless in which they are impaled in the side of a building causing Sailor Celestial to go hand-to-hand while the other Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are dealing with the horde of other youma.

 

Blockbuster tells Sailor Celestial, “So, you are the big bad Sailor Celestial, huh? Ha! I pity little Sailor Scout! I’m going to bust you up see!”

 

Sailor Celestial retorts, “Like I haven’t heard that before!” Sailor Celestial and Blockbuster unleash a series of punches in which when they clash, they cause shockwaves that shake the ground.

 

The Digidestined, who are aiding their partners as best as they can, are seeing this and Mimi says, amazed, “Look at them go!”

 

Tai shouts out, “Stay focused, everyone!”

 

Matt says, with a nod, “They can take care of themselves! They are the Sailor Scouts after all and these are their enemies! We need to help them by staying focused and make sure that no one gets hurt!”

 

MetalGarurumon, Matt’s Mega level Digimon partner, responds, “Right, Matt!”

 

Shurimon, Yolei’s Armor Digimon partner, says, “Indeed! We need to keep civilians out of the crossfire.”

 

Yolei says, with a nod, “Got that right.” However, at one point, Sailor Celestial continues to punch it out with Blockbuster, but then Blockbuster grabs one of Sailor Celestial’s armored arms.

 

Sailor Celestial says, nervously while knowing what this meant, “Uh oh.” Blockbuster then slams Sailor Celestial onto the top of the car, crushes the car flat in the process, and embeds her into the car in the process.

 

Sailor Moon says, seeing this, “No, Celestial!” Sailor Moon tries to help, but she is blocked by another youma which Sailor Moon manages to cut down. On the meanwhile, Blockbuster gives a look at Sailor Celestial, who gives a grunt and sneers at Blockbuster.

 

“Desperado Blaster!”

 

However, Blockbuster is hit in the fact by multiple energy bullets from Paildramon and she turns to face the DNA Ultimate Digimon, but it proves to be her mistake causing to be distracted in which Sailor Celestial uses this moment to send her flying with a compressed water sphere in which Blockbuster sky-rockets into a bus with a mighty ‘crash’. Sailor Celestial immediately leaps back to her feet, shakes her head, and looks at the crushed car.

 

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, “I seriously hopeful that whoever owns this car has it insured.” Blockbuster starts to remove herself from the bus only to get slammed by the car that she crushed slamming Sailor Celestial into it and causing a classic movie-style explosion in which Sailor Celestial floats over, but then Blockbuster runs out of the flames, smoking, but otherwise unharmed, in which the massive youma sends Sailor Celestial barreling down to the ground, head over heels, with a powerful clothesline move causing Sailor Celestial’s helmet to be flung off her head and stunning Sailor Celestial.

 

Blockbuster turns to face the downed Sailor Celestial and she yells out, with a confident smirk, “You can’t defeat me so easily, little girl!”

 

Just then Blockbuster feels someone tap her right shoulder and a familiar female voice says, “Excuse me.” Blockbusters turns to face an annoyed VALKYRIE Sailor Moon and she screams out as she is vaporized by a powerful purifying blast from Sailor Moon at point blank range. Sailor Moon takes a deep breath as she floats down to the ground while Sailor Celestial shakes her head and gets to her feet.

 

Sailor Celestial says, “Thanks, but I had her.”

 

Sailor Moon says, “Says the Scout with her face first in the concrete.”

 

Sailor Celestial glares at Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial says, “Let’s get back to work.” Sailor Moon nods her head and soon enough, our heroes and heroines finish up with the battle and the Digidestined with their Digimon partners and the Sailor Scouts take a deep breath with the end of the battle in which the area shows significant damage.

 

Davis tells Sailor Sun, “You okay?”

 

Sailor Sun says, with a smile, “Just fine, Dai-kun.”

 

Tai says, “Great job, everyone.”

 

Sailor Venus kisses TK on the lips and TK tells Sailor Venus, “Easy, Venus-chan.”

 

Sailor Venus asks, with a grin, “Is my boyfriend nervous?”

 

TK says, “Nervous that a reporter will see and wants to find out about me.”

 

Sailor Mars says, ‘bonking’ Sailor Venus on the head, “And possibly figuring who Sailor Venus is.”

 

Sailor Venus rubs her head, nervously, “Oh, yeah.”

 

Sailor Moon asks Sailor Celestial, “You okay?”

 

Sailor Celestial says, “Yep. Let’s finish up.” Soon enough, Sailor Celestial starts to get to work by using her power to snuff out the fire from the explosion of the bus when she slammed the car onto Blockbuster.

 

Sailor Jupiter says, “She is motivated today.”

 

Sailor Venus says, with a grin, “And I know why! ALO is coming back online today!”

 

Sailor Jupiter asks, amazed, “Really?”

 

Sailor Venus says, with a smile, “Yep!”

 

Sailor Neptune says, with a smile, “I should have known.”

 

Sailor Moon asks, “Wasn’t ALO the VRMMO created by RCT Progress that’s based on…that game?”

 

Sailor Mercury says, “It uses the same Cardinal System as…that game, Sailor Moon.”

 

Sailor Uranus says, “It was shut down temporary when Neo Moon and Nebula discovered Sugou’s plans with it.”

 

Sailor Nebula says, “Neo Moon and I discovered Sugou’s plans for ALO when SAO ended, but that plan went ‘off-course’ when he tried that experiment to ‘extract’ players’ minds from SAO into his evil lab hidden in ALO.”

 

Sailor Neo Moon says, with a grin, “We also discovered much more about that sicko and there is plenty to keep him away for a long time.”

 

Sailor Uranus says, “Good riddance, I say.”

 

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, “Anyway, let’s get to work!” Sailor Venus zips off to help in cleaning up with Sailor Jupiter smiling as she joins in.

 

Matt tells TK, “Your girlfriend is excited.”

 

TK says, with a nod, “Yeah, she is.”

 

Ken asks Izzy, “Both you and the Sailor Scouts used ALO as research to get us out of SAO right?”

 

Izzy says, with a nod, “Yes, we did. Through the Sailor Scouts had a better idea than we did, both of us had an idea that ALO had something in common with SAO.”

 

Davis says, “More than you thought, Izzy.”

 

Izzy says, “Yes. Now, we know that Sugou and RCT Progress took the core components of SAO to create their own original game through most that developed the game didn’t know that Sugou had his own plans for the game.”

 

Tai says, “His own EVIL plans.”

 

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, solemnly, “Just like the people of Argus…” Tuxedo Mask puts one of his hand on Sailor Moon’s left shoulder and Sailor Moon looks at him to smile weakly as they continue on with their work, but plenty of them can’t help to think about this information for various reasons.

 

Late March 2025, Tokyo, Kirigaya household

 

Returning to the Kirigaya household, Sailor Celestial teleports into her room where Kazuto, passing by, looks to see his Sailor Scout younger sister teleport in and touch her transformation broach causing her to ‘revert’ back to Suguha Kirigaya.

 

Kazuto says, “Sugu!”

 

Suguha says, “Hey, big brother.”

 

Kazuto asks, “You okay?”

 

Suguha responds, “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

 

Trivia leaps down from a desk in Suguha’s room and she says, “Your brother witnessed part of the fight that a bystander managed to get showing you getting thrown into a car and then getting clotheslined by a muscle bounded youma.”

 

Suguha flinches and she asks, nervously, “You saw that?”

 

Kazuto says, with a nod, “Yep.”

 

Suguha says, embarrassed expression and nervous tone, “I wish that you didn’t see that.”

 

Kazuto says, “Well, I already know that you won, but I want to make sure that you’re fine.”

 

Suguha says, “I’m fine, Kazuto. I might have a minor headache, but otherwise I’m okay.” Suguha says, with a smile, “Anyway, I already have my ‘therapy’ prepared.”

 

Trivia says, “Ah, yes. ALO is coming back online today.”

 

Suguha says, with a smile, “That’s right!”

 

Kazuto says, “Oh, yes. ALO is the game created based on the core operation system of SAO.”

 

Suguha says, “That’s right, big brother. It is ‘my world’ as you can say.”

 

Trivia says, “Thankfully, since it Neo Moon and Nebula discovered Sugou’s plans for ALO and his actions happened in SAO, RCT Progress and ALO didn’t suffer major ‘damage’ since they managed to ‘downplay’ the ‘significance’ of Sugou’s action for ALO which could have rivaled SAO…At least in terms of ‘scandal’.”

 

Kazuto says, with a smile, “Well, thankfully, it didn’t and I’m glad that RCT didn’t suffer the fate of Argus. The actions of one madman and his small group shouldn’t affect the whole company in which Asuna’s father is a good head of the company.”

 

Suguha says, with a nod, “It helped that Asuna and the rest of you convinced Asuna’s dad to stay CEO of RCT. That ass fooled a lot of people with his act and it is the same situation with Kayaba. Heck, he fooled his own family.” Suguha says, with a sigh, “I should know.”

 

Kazuto says, “Sugu…”

 

Suguha responds, “Big brother, my role in SAO can’t be denied. My history…my Silver Millennium history and my ‘current history’ are permanently linked with SAO. And that blood is also connected with me.”

 

Kazuto thinks in his mind, with a sigh, “Geez, Sugu…” Suguha then goes over to set up her Amusphere, she lies down on her bed, and she prepares to enter ALO.

 

Trivia tells Suguha, “Princess…” Suguha gives Trivia a glare on that note, sighs, and Trivia says, continuing without registering Suguha’s glare, “Your Earthling mother may become concerned since her son was trapped in SAO for over two years, her daughter snuck away with a dangerous NervGear to drive herself into the infamous ‘death game’ that he was trapped in, and for three months, she was under the danger of losing both of her children…”

 

Suguha and Kazuto give Trivia a ‘deadpan’ expression and Kazuto asks, “You really did socialize well, did you?”

 

Trivia gives an annoyed look, Suguha smirks, and Suguha then says, with a smile, “I’ll be fine. I have many reasons why I want to go back.” Kazuto and Trivia looks at Suguha and she says, with a smile, “I can’t really help to enjoy to fly, especially since we can fly as much as we want, and before Trivia says anything, those wings give me an ‘air of freedom’ that I don’t have as Sailor Celestial. Those wings come with responsibilities…” Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, “And a horrible price of blood.” Suguha says, continuing on, “…like the rest of my powers. My wings in ALO don’t have that kind of thing. I’m free to fly as high as want and as far as I want…At least that was and still is the dream especially since we can fly as long as we want now. But there is another thing: Now that I know that ALO was built from the same system that SAO was created from and being in SAO, even for that limited time, I can see how much the same that they are. ALO was what SAO…No, ALO is what SAO should and could have been, big brother. It makes me want to return even more not just for myself, but for those that died believing in the dream that you and Serena once had for SAO.” Suguha words rang something in Kazuto and he can’t help to smile at his younger adoptive sister/cousin.

 

Trivia thinks in her mind, “And you refuse me to call you princess, my princess.”

 

Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, “Listen to me, little Miss Hypocrite.”

 

Kazuto tells Suguha, “Have a good time.”

 

Suguha says, with a smile, “Thanks, big brother.” Suguha then puts her Amusphere over her head, takes a deep breath, and she says, after closing her eyes, “Link start!” Suguha then goes limp as her mind is transported into the virtual world and Kazuto looks outside in which he can’t help to smile.

 

Kazuto thinks in his mind, “Sugu has a point. What do you think?” He then sees an image of his SAO avatar of Kirito and Kazuto looks to see his ‘SAO self’ smile greatly.

 

Late March 2025, Alfheim Online

 

Now, we leave the physical world to enter the cyber VRMMO world of Alfheim Online, also known as ALO for short, where we enter one of the player cities, Swilvane, the capital for the Sylph race of ‘fairy players’ of ALO of which Leafa, Suguha’s ALO avatar is a member of. Speaking of whom, we find Leafa appearing in the center and she blinks a few times as she looks at Swilvane, which is also known as the ‘Emerald City’ for good reason.

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “I’m back.” Soon after, Leafa starts to run off as other players start to log into the area and Leafa starts to stroll around the city in which she sees her reflection in the crystals and glass in the city causing her to smile. Leafa thinks in her mind, with a smile, “It is so beautiful here. This is the promise of the ‘virtual universe’. A chance for adventures and possibilities that people thought could only happen on television, movies, anime, manga, and…games before VR games. Heck, mom told me that VR was the realm of science fiction when she and dad were kids. Well, the future is now.” Leafa’s expression then become solemn and she thinks, solemnly, “A future that he and I nearly destroyed. He because of his own greed and I…become I let my rage and fear take control and darkness to dominate my heart. This is the kind of place that the majority of the four thousand people that died in SAO believed in…That Aaron once believed in.” Leafa thinks in her mind, “And this is the future that I will protect. I won’t let people like Kayaba or Sugou ever used this technology and these worlds for their own selfish gain ever again.”

 

Just then a high male voice shouts out, “Leafa!”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, with a sigh and smile, “Here we go.” Leafa turns her head and looks to see a short a teenage Sylph male with yellow-green bob-styled hair and green eyes in which he is wearing hooded long-sleeved green cardigan, under which he wears a long dark green shirt covered by a dark blue vest, pair of brown pants with armor around his shins and a pair of dark gray shoes. Around his waist, there is a belt containing a sheath for a dagger.

 

The male Sylph says, excitedly, “Leafa, it is you!”

 

Leafa responds, with a smile, “No duh, Recon. Who else were you expecting?”

 

The male Sylph says, “Well, you just left so unexpectedly…”

 

Leafa tells the male Sylph, “Recon, I did tell you that I had important business IRL and I would be gone for ALO for a while.”

 

The male Sylph, Recon, responds, “Yeah, that’s true. But when I try to find out what happened, I didn’t hear anything from you and I also found out that you didn’t even come to kendo practices until recently!”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, “Creepy, Recon.”

 

Recon says, “I was shocked…”

 

Leafa tells Recon, with a serious stare, “As I told you and the others, Recon, I had important stuff IRL and I don’t like it that you were investigating me.”

 

Recon says, a bit nervously, “I was just concerned…”

 

Leafa tells Recon, with a stern tone, “I can take care of myself, Recon.”

 

Recon says, with a solemn tone, “Sorry.”

 

Leafa sighs and she responds, “It’s all right.” Recon gives a smile and Leafa says, “Anyway, I heard that things have been hectic while I was gone.”

 

Recon responds, with a nod, “Yes. A few months after you left, we got an incredible shock when we heard that ALO was being temporary taken down. We found out that the leader of RCT Progress did some kind of ‘illegal modification’ to the game. A whole lot of rumors started because of it.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “I’ll bet. However, I think that it is for the best that they don’t know the full truth.”

 

Recon says, “Oh, yeah! The head of RCT Progress was also arrested and charged with over six thousand cases of reckless endangerment since he attempted to hack into the SAO servers and risked the lives of those that survived SAO so far!”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “No kidding, Recon. The fucking freak should have also been charged with accessory to murder too.” Leafa mentally shakes those thoughts from her mind and she says, with a nod, “Yeah, I heard about it from news and information that I gathered from the internet.”

 

Recon says, “It was a real shock Leafa.” Recon says, with a sigh, “Especially the fact that we found that the ‘Grand Quest’ was the ‘illegal modification’ and Sugou’s selfish plan.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “I know, Recon.”

 

Recon tells Leafa, “I know that you really wanted to be the one to become an ALF and gained unlimited flying time.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly and annoyed, “Thanks for reminding that all that I had worked and wished for in her was based on a lie.”

Recon says, with a smile, “However, I’m sure that you heard that the administrators have made up for that by giving us the ability to fly as long as we want from now on! We may not have gotten the ability to become ALF, but we got the ability to fly as long as you want regardless.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Yeah, I’m excited!”

 

Recon says, “I also heard that there are a lot of other features including stuff that’s said that was part of SAO!” Leafa gains a curious look and Recon says, “We’re going to have to look over the instructions to find out what’s going on. Maybe you and I…”

 

Leafa says, interrupting, “I’m going to see Sakuya and see how she is doing. I’ll see you later, Recon.”

 

Leafa heads off and Recon shouts out, “Hey, Leafa!” Recon sighs and he says, “See you later.” Recon then smiles and he heads off as he opens his menu. A bit later on, Leafa is looking over her menu and reading about the new updates to ALO.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “It is just as I heard. They’ve added Sword Skills from SAO. Not surprising that they can do that since ALO uses the exact same Cardinal System that SAO, so, it isn’t a surprising that they can adapt SAO’s Sword Skills to ALO. And by doing that, they’ve also changed the game greatly. Before, being a weapon user is tough without having at least a bit of magic at your disposal, but now, with Sword Skills, things have shifted back more in favor of weapon users from magic users. I should know since I used Sword Skills in my time in SAO and I know what they can do. Especially with these changes. Many Sword Skills aren’t just plain powerful ‘physical attacks’, they have ‘elements’ added to them like elemental magic to add ‘elemental’ and ‘mystical’ damage to them. Thanks to this, magic user players don’t have dominance in this game anymore. Weapon user players can now inflict elemental and mystical damage without the need of magic. Now, weapon users and magic users are on an even ‘playing field’.” Leafa thinks in her mind, with a smirk, “This could make the game more popular than ever.” Leafa then goes through the ‘report’ and she then finds something curious in which she thinks, “Wait! What’s this? Original Sword Skills?” Leafa then reads the next set of information causing her to gasp and nearly yell out, but she holds her tongue causing her to think, shocked, “No fucking way! You have got to be kidding me! The ability to create your own Sword Skills? That’s impossible! Hold on! It is impossible! You have got to create the skill WITHOUT the aid of the system! That’s not possible! I should know and big brother would agree with me since Sword Skills need the assist of the system to make Sword Skills possible! It shouldn’t be possible to create your own Sword Skills…Shouldn’t it?” Leafa then goes into deep thought and she can’t help to wonder about what she learned.

 

But then a deep male voice shouts out, “Leafa!”

 

Leafa winches and she thinks in her mind, “Oh, great! Here we go!” Leafa turns to the source of the voice to a taller than average male Sylph with dark green hair with green clothes to match and heavy silver armor with a huge broad sword hung at his waist. He also wears a circlet with an amethyst on his forehead. This male Sylph has two other Sylph flanking him. Leafa sighs and she says, plainly, “Hello, Sigurd.”

 

The male Sylph says, “So, you have returned.”

 

Leafa asks, with a stern glare, “Is there a problem with that?”

 

The male Sylph, Sigurd, says, “So, you will be rejoining the party…”

 

Leafa responds, “Actually, no, I won’t.”

 

Sigurd asks, with a glare, “What?”

 

Leafa replies, “I had a long time to think about it, Sigurd. I have just come back to the game and I really think that it is time that I go out on my own as my own Sylph player.”

 

Sigurd asks, with a stern glare, “Do you know how much it is going to upset the other members?”

 

Leafa says, with a look of protest, “You said that it would be okay if I joined only when I had the time and you also said that I could quit when I wanted to.”

 

Sigurd says, “Yes, I know what I said, but you have been with us for a while now and everyone knows you. And if you leave, you are going to damage the reputation of the party!”

 

Leafa yells out, annoyed, “I’m not some item or piece of equipment that you can use, Sigurd!”

 

Sigurd asks, surprised, “What?”

 

Leafa responds, strongly, “You heard me, Sigurd! I’m starting to believe that Recon was right about you! You were just using me just because I kicked your ass and cut into your stupid pride! There is a reason that I’m known as one of the ‘Five Great Sylphs’, buster! You only took me since I kicked your butt at the last tournament that I practiced in and you only took me on to save your precious reputation! Well, guess what? Players aren’t pieces of equipment or item that you can use, abuse, and discard just like that Sigurd!”

 

Sigurd yells out, irritated, “How dare…?!” Sigurd moves to draw his sword, but he and his ‘guards’ gasp in shock when quick as a blur, Leafa’s kitana-like sword is pointed at Sigurd’s neck.

 

Leafa tells Sigurd, her eyes narrowing dangerously, “Just try it, Sigurd. I may have been gone from ALO for a while, but I haven’t gotten weaker. Quite the opposite in fact. ALO is a skill-based game, not a level based game, Sigurd. And trust me, I’ve got a few new skills to use.” Leafa looks at Sigurd’s two guards and she asks, in a dangerous tone, “Do you, two, want to try anything?” The two guards shake their heads and Sigurd just sneers at them.

 

Sigurd thinks in his mind, “Cowards.”

  Just then a familiar female voice yells out, “Sigurd!” Everyone looks to see none other than Haruka, Amara’s virtual avatar, and Makoto, Lita’s virtual avatar, walk over in their ‘ALO forms’.

 

Makoto’s ALO avatar is that of a Sylph that looks a lot like Leafa expect that her hair is leaf green with the bow being pink in color, deep, full, and lovely pink lips, with her clothing looking a lot like Leafa’s clothing, but it is light leaf green where Leafa’s outfit is dark green and pink where it is white on Leafa’s outfit. She also is wearing a pair of high-heeled ankle boots and she has no sword strapped to her waist.

 

Haruka’s ALO avatar is that of a tall Sylph female with short golden blond hair, green-brown eyes, deep, full, and gorgeous pink lips, golden loop earrings in her ears, and she is wearing a tight fitting brown shirt with long sleeves, a silver armored breast-plate over the shirt, black armored shoulder pads, elbow pads, wristbands, black fighting gloves over her hands, greenish-brown baggy pants, and black combat boots on her feet. Around her waist, there is a black belt for a sheath for a short sword similar to her Space Sword as Sailor Uranus.

 

One of Sigurd’s guards says, shocked, “Lady Makoto! Lady Haruka!”

 

Haruka tells them, with a deadly glare, “Beat it!” The two guards run for their lives and Sigurd sneers as this as Leafa puts her sword away.

 

Sigurd says, sternly, “How dare you scare my guards? You saw what she did…!!”

 

Makoto tells Sigurd, “Oh, yeah, we did. And we saw the WHOLE thing, Sigurd. It is our first day back in ALO and we find you causing trouble.”

 

Haruka tells Sigurd, “Do we need to talk to Sakuya about this?”

 

Sigurd’s right eyebrow twitches, he clenches his virtual teeth in his virtual mouth, and he responds, “No.” Sigurd then walks away, but not before glaring at Leafa before he is out of sight.

 

Makoto tells Leafa, with a smile, “First day and you are making waves, girl.”

 

Leafa responds, “I didn’t mean to.” Leafa asks Makoto and Haruka, “What are you doing here?”

 

Makoto responds, with a smirk, “What do you mean by that? We are ALO players too.”

 

Leafa replies, “I know that and I’m not surprised that you are here, Makoto.” Leafa looks at Haruka and Leafa says, a bit nervously, “It is just well…”

 

Haruka says, with a glare and smirk, “Well, believe it or not, I like playing this game much of the same reasons as you do. I am the Sailor Scout of Wind after all.”

 

Makoto tells Haruka, sarcastically, “Hey, Haruka, I don’t think that they heard you at the World Tree.”

 

Haruka glares at Makoto for a second and Haruka tells Leafa, “Actually, your ‘royal sister’ wanted us to come here and it isn’t because of you.”

 

Leafa says, with a sigh, “Let me guess: The updates.” Makoto and Haruka nod and Leafa says, with a sigh, “The Amusphere may have been based on the NervGear, but there are so many safety features that another event like SAO could ever happen.”

 

Haruka says, “True, but kitten is also worried that since Sugou had planned to use ALO for such sinister purposes…”

 

Leafa says, “I doubt that anything of his ‘influence’ is left in ALO now.”

 

Makoto says, with a nod, “We figured that, but you know how Serena is.”

 

Leafa responds, with a nod, “Can’t really blame her.”

 

Makoto says, with a smile, “I’m sure that Serena hasn’t lost faith in ‘this world’.”

 

Haruka says, nodding her head, “Kitten is going to need a bit of time.” Leafa smiles and she nods her head in agreement.

 

Makoto says, “Anyway, we should read over what kind of skills that we have.”

 

Leafa says, “Good idea.”

 

Haruka says, “I don’t see why. We have experience from you-know-where.” Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka look over their skills and Leafa gasps in shock when she looks over her stats causing Makoto and Haruka to look at her.

 

Makoto asks, “Something wrong?”

 

Leafa says, not focusing on Makoto and Haruka at the moment, “No way…”

 

Haruka says, looking around, “We should take this somewhere private.” Makoto nods in agreement and Makoto and Haruka, without triggering any harassment code violations, escorts Leafa away to a private area.

 

After making sure that there is no one, Makoto asks Leafa, “What has gotten you so spooked girl?”

 

Haruka tells Leafa, “Can you show us your status screen?” Leafa nods her head and she makes her screen visible in which she points one part causing Makoto’s and Haruka’s eyes to widen where they see on the list of skills that Leafa, there is none other than ‘Duel Wielding’ listed on it.

 

Makoto says, “Time out! But that’s…!!”

Leafa says, with a nod, “I know! Only my big brother had it in SAO and Serena was only able to wield it since she had the Mimic skill!”

 

Haruka says, “With Davis due to him having his ‘Sword Emperor’ skill.”

 

Makoto says, “But they are SAO skills…!!”

 

Haruka says, “Remember, ALO is based off the same system as SAO and they just added SAO sword skills, with minor ‘variations’ and ‘additions’, into ALO.”

 

Leafa says, “Yeah, but if them not filtering them is the case, I shouldn’t have Duel Wielding!”

 

Haruka goes into deep thought and Makoto asks her, “Do you have an idea?”

 

Haruka replies, “I may, but let’s test this out first. Let’s go out into the field and see if Leafa can use those skills.” Haruka then says, as an afterthought, “But first, we should make sure that we check our items and equipment. From what we saw, our skills and stats that we gained from our three months in SAO has been moved onto our ALO data which is most likely due to the fact that we used our ALO data to get into SAO with our ‘hack’.”

 

Leafa says, “It must have been quite a bit of work to get into SAO.”

 

Haruka says, “It took over two years, Leafa.” Leafa nods her head and the three of them look over their equipment and items in which they found that they had item and stuff from SAO, but none of them would ‘work’ in ALO, so, they immediately dumped them to make sure that the error detection didn’t find them.

 

(Later on; Elsewhere)

 

In one of the areas near Swilvane, Makoto and Haruka are looking on as Leafa, using her own sword and one borrowed from Haruka, fights against one of the monsters in which she uses Double Circular, the two hit combo attack of the Duel Wielding Sword Skill, against her opponent and since the monster wasn’t too powerful, it was defeated instantly and shattered into hundreds of data pixels.

 

Makoto says, “That was Duel Wielding all right.”

 

Haruka says, “That was pretty obvious, Makoto.”

 

Leafa says, using the game system to return the sword that she borrowed from Haruka, “But I still don’t get how I got it.”

 

Haruka responds, “I think I do. The battle at the Ruby Palace.”

 

Makoto then says, remembering, “Oh, yeah! She used two Keyblades that she combined into one against Kayaba!”

 

Leafa says, “Whoa! Hold on a minute! My Keyblades are the ‘real deal’! I don’t see why that gets me my big brother’s Unique Skill over here despite the games being so ‘compatible’.”

 

Haruka says, “We would have to go to Ami…Mizuno for the details.”

 

Leafa says, “Hold on!” Haruka and Makoto look at Leafa and she asks, “Could you not tell big brother or Serena about this development?”

 

Haruka and Makoto give a surprise look and Haruka says, with a nod of understanding, “I get it. You don’t want to worry them.”

 

Leafa says, with a sigh, “Yeah, they already have a lot on their plate and they just starting to get back to ‘regular lives’ after recovering from SAO...At least physically anyway.”

 

Haruka and Makoto look at each other and Makoto says, with a kind smile, “All right. I’m sure that we can do that.”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “Really?”

 

Haruka says, with a nod, “You could order us not to do so and we would have to obey. We have to follow the orders of the members of the Moon Kingdom royal family and you are one of them.”

 

Leafa says, “Well, so is Serena. And also, Serena is the head of the family and while I’m of an ‘equal station’, it is because of that she can override that order.”

 

Haruka asks, with a smile, “Can’t override what she doesn’t know, right?”

 

Makoto asks Haruka, a bit annoyed, “Really?”

 

Leafa says, “I really don’t want to order you…”

 

Makoto says, with a smile, “Easy, girl. We understand.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Thank you.”

 

Haruka says, “It is no problem, Leafa.”

 

Makoto tells Leafa, “Anyway, Leafa, did you see about this stuff about ‘Original Sword Skills’?”

 

Leafa responds, “I don’t see how it can be used much. Without assistance from the system, you can’t perform these skills. We learn that from our time in SAO.”

 

Makoto tells Leafa, “I don’t know girlfriend. You were pretty quick without the Sword Skills especially during your big match with you know who.”

 

Leafa says, “That’s…”

 

Haruka tells Leafa, with a grin, “Why not give a try Leafa?”

 

Leafa asks, surprised, “What?”

 

Makoto says, with a smile, “Yeah, you have a point about Sword Skills, Leafa. However, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it a try. Who knows? It might work since you have your memories as an elite swordswoman back during the Silver Millennium added to your experiences in SAO and here in ALO.”

 

Leafa says, with an accusing glance, “It would be the same for you, two.” Leafa tells Haruka, with a glare, “And especially for you since you are a swordswoman with your Space Sword.”

 

Makoto tells Haruka, “She has got you there.” Haruka gives an annoyed glare and smirk at Makoto. Makoto tells Leafa, “But this is VR after all. There are possibilities.” Leafa can’t help to take those words to heart and can’t help to wonder.

 

(A good time afterwards; Returning to Swilvane)

 

Entering back into the main city of the Sylph players of ALO, Leafa is inside of the main castle of the city where she is in the office where she is talking to a female Sylph player.

 

The Sylph female is one with an excessively tall figure, with glossy, dark green hair so dark that it is nearly black hanging down her back, white skin, almond eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. Her attire consists of Japanese style clothing including a leaf green kimono with a katana that hangs from her obi. Her feet clad in high crimson clogs peek out from beneath the hem of her kimono.

 

The Sylph female says, with a smile, “It is nice to see you again, Leafa.”

 

Leafa tells the Sylph female, “It is good to see you, too, Sakuya.”

 

The Sylph female, the leader of the Sylph players, Sakuya, responds, “It was quite a surprise when you left us and ALO for a time.”

 

Leafa says, a bit nervously, “Well, I did say that I had my reasons and gave notice.”

 

Sakuya responds, with a nod, “Yes, you did, but it was still a surprise.” Sakuya tells Leafa, with a smile, “However, you did give your reasons and I understand you had your reasons. Important reasons if you had to leave us for so long.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “You have no idea, Sakuya.”

 

Sakuya says, “Anyway, much has changed in ALO since you have been away.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “I’ve heard Sakuya.”

 

Sakuya says, nodding her head in understand, “You may not have heard everything, Leafa. What you have heard is that ALO was undergone a series of shut downs starting in late January before shutting down completely in early February.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “In order to rework ALO and remove Sugou’s ‘influence’ from the game.”

 

Sakuya says, “The shutdown was explained by RCT Progress is that there was ‘illegal tampering’ by the now former head of RCT Progress and he has been fired as well as arrested for reckless endangerment due to the fact that he tampered the SAO servers endangering the lives of those that survived SAO up to the point that he tampered with servers.”

 

Leafa asks, acting surprised, “Really?”

 

Sakuya says, with a nod, “Yes. And that he has led to A LOT of rumors, Leafa. Including a few that he was trying to turn this into a ‘second Sword Art Online’.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “I don’t know about that, but it was something just as horrible, Sakuya. However, it is best that you don’t know.” Leafa says, with a smile, “Come on, Sakuya! That’s not possible! The Amusphere was designed to never allow something like SAO happen again.”

 

Sakuya says, with a nod, “True. However, the Amusphere was designed to prevent something like SAO from happening again, but it was designed to prevent Full-Dive technology from causing PHYSICAL harm to a person like the NervGear could. However, it is said that the Amusphere may not be able to prevent ‘mental and emotional damage’.”

 

Leafa asks, sounding shocked, “What? Sakuya, are you talking about ‘mind control’ or ‘brainwashing’?”

 

Sakuya says, with a warm smile, “Yes, it does sound silly.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, “Not as much as you think, Sakuya.”

 

Sakuya tells Leafa, “Anyway, I hear that you’ve had trouble with Sigurd.”

 

Leafa asks, surprised, “How did you know?”

 

Sakuya says, “After I had logged in today, Recon came and told me that he saw you confronting Sigurd and the instant that he shown intent to draw his sword, Recon was about to leap in when, in the next instant, he saw your sword at his neck.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, “Ugh! I really need to talk to Recon.”

 

Sakuya tells Leafa, with a sigh, “I have to say that I’m not surprised by this. Sigurd seems so irritated lately.”

 

Leafa asks, “Irritated?”

 

Sakuya tells Leafa, “My guess is that it is the state of things. He can’t stand that we have fallen behind the Salamanders. Power is important to a man like Sigurd. Not just his abilities and character stats, but also as a player. He craves power.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, “Uh oh.” Leafa tells Sakuya, nervously, “Sakuya, are you sure that you should…?”

 

Sakuya says, with a smile, “There is a saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “That’s true, but you need to be careful how close you keep them.”

 

Sakuya says, with a smile, “I’m sure that I will be okay, Leafa. Especially with you, Makoto, and Haruka back.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “I hope so, Sakuya.”

 

April 1, 2025, Tokyo, Kirigaya household

 

Back in the Kirigaya household, we find Suguha, in her training hakama and bamboo training sword in her hands, is practicing her form with the assistance of a training dummy and performing the classic stances and moves of kendo. She is looking at the training dummy as she continues to practice and starts to make kendo style sword strikes, but not ones found in training manuals or found in Japanese ‘sword schools’.

 

When Suguha stops practicing, she takes a deep breath and she says, with a sigh, “You should really know how to knock big brother.” Suguha then looks at the source to see her step-brother/cousin, Kazuto Kirigaya, coming into the room.

 

Kazuto says, with a smirk, “I must be losing my touch.”

 

Suguha replies, with a smile, “I’m actually getting better.”

 

Trivia comes into the room and she says, “Actually, princess, you were one of the greatest warriors of the Silver Millennium. It wasn’t just your powers that made you one of the most powerful Sailor Scouts, but your abilities on the battlefield. You were born and trained to be an elite Senshi and you were and, to me, still are one of the best that there are and will be.”

 

Suguha says, sarcastically, “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

 

Kazuto tells Suguha, “Anyway, what is this about you training with ninjas?”

 

Suguha looks at Kazuto with a surprised look and she says, with a sigh, “I have to talk with Trista.”

 

Kazuto tells Suguha, “Don’t blame her. I had wondered where you were going today.”

 

Suguha says, with a sigh, “I see. So, you also know about Serena.”

 

Kazuto tells Suguha, “I also got the story from Darien too. It is why I contacted Trista in the first place.”

 

Suguha says, “Look, big brother…”

 

Kazuto replies, interrupting, “Easy, Sugu. I know that you are preparing for the future, but I can’t help to be concerned about you. Even though you were just there for three months, you are an SAO survivor in many shapes and fashions like the rest of us, Sugu.”

 

Suguha says, with a sigh and sarcastic tone, “Lucky me.” Suguha then starts to put the training equipment away while both Kazuto and Trivia look at her in concern.

 

April 1, 2025, Alfheim Online, Swilvane

 

Returning to the city of Swilvane in the VRMMO world of ALO, Leafa is in front of a weapon’s shop and she is looking at a sword.

 

Just then Makoto’s voice booms, “Hey, girl!” Leafa looks towards the source of Makoto’s voice to see Makoto and Haruka coming along with Mizuno, Michiru, Setsuna, and Tomoe.

 

Mizuno’s ALO avatar is an Undine with short light blue hair, blue eyes, lovely and full blue lips, elf-like ears to give her a ‘cute female look’ and wearing an aqua-blue open kimono with slits in the legs area to show white stockings and brown sandals on her feet.

 

Michelle’s ALO avatar, Michiru, is an Undine female with wavy blue hair that falls only just past her shoulders, deep blue eyes, perfectly colored ruby red lips, and she is wearing an aqua-blue headpiece with silver wings on each side, on her torso she wears a sky-blue bikini top breastplate with choker on her neck, she has an long armored skirt that goes up to the bottom of her navel and down three-quarters of her thighs, there are white armored arm-guards going from her wrists to just below her shoulder blades around her arms, and black thigh-high armored high-heeled boots with leg-guards and on her legs with wings on the side of each ankle. In her hands, she has a silver trident.

 

Tomoe’s ALO avatar is that of an Imp that looks a lot like her as her real-life self as Hotaru Tomoe and she is wearing an outfit similar to Asuna’s Knights of the Blood outfit expect that anywhere that it was white, it is violet on this player’s outfit, she has no stockings on, and she is wearing violet knee-high high-heeled boots with three-inch stiletto heels. And strapped to her back is a scythe weapon similar to Sailor Saturn’s Silent Glaive.

 

Setsuna’s ALO avatar is an Spriggan female with long flowing black hair that reaches to her kneecaps behind her back tied in her classic hairstyle with a bun, violet eyes, deep, plump, and gorgeous dark pink lips, elf-like ears, and she is wearing an outfit similar to her Sailor Scout outfit expect instead of a bow with a heart jewel, she has black chest armor, black armored shoulder pads and kneepads, she has black armored kneepads, and she has a dark green staff with a dark ruby red orb on top.

 

Leafa says, “Oh, hey!”

 

Setsuna says, with a smile, “Hello, Leafa.”

 

Leafa says, “Nice to see you…Or maybe I should say, nice to meet you for the first time here.”

 

Tomoe says, with a smile, “Oh, yes. Other than Makoto and Haruka, we never met in here.”

 

Haruka says, looking around, “Maybe we should take this privately.” Everyone looks around and they see plenty of the other players in the city focused on them.

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Oh, yeah. You, girls, are ‘Eight Nymphs of ALO’.”

 

Michiru says, with a smile, “You shouldn’t sell yourself short, Leafa. You are one of the ‘Five Great Sylphs’ after all.”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Yeah…” Soon enough, the group of players head off while they are discussing current events in ALO in which one topic catches Leafa’s interest. Leafa asks, “Really?”

 

Makoto tells Leafa, “This is supposed to be secret. Back when the ‘Grand Quest’ was the ‘main quest’ of ALO, Sakuya and Alicia Rue have been discussing an alliance where the Sylphs and Cait Sith help each other complete the ‘Grand Quest’ and after that, the other helps in the completion of the second ‘Grand Quest’ for the race that didn’t get the first ‘Grand Quest’.”

 

Haruka says, “We know this because we are part of Sakuya’s cabinet and Minako-chan is part of Alicia’s cabinet.”

 

Leafa says, “But with the ‘Grand Quest’ being a big fake and all of us able to fly for as long as we want, I’m not sure there is a point despite how close the Sylphs and Cait Sith are.”

 

Setsuna says, “Actually, there is a point.”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “Huh?”

 

Haruka retorts, “Have you forgotten the Salamanders?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod of understanding, “Ah, good point. They are the strongest group, now, and what they did to get there, the other races should be so careful.” Leafa thinks in her mind, “Sakuya did mention about Sigurd being irritated by this…Speaking of the rat in a fairy’s ‘clothing’, I haven’t seen him all day…Recon for that matter too.”

 

Michiru asks Leafa, “Is something wrong?”

 

Leafa snaps out of her thoughts and she responds, “Oh, nothing. I’ve just been wondering where Recon is. He hasn’t bothered me all day.”

 

Tomoe asks, curiously, “Recon?”

 

Makoto says, “Little guy that has a major ‘thing’ for Leafa.”

 

Leafa yells out, annoyed, “Cut it out, Makoto!”

 

Tomoe says, as if in deep thought, “Little guy? Actually, I did see a short Sylph player, a boy with mop of green hair, sneaking around as we entered into Swilvane.”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “You did? Can you tell what he looked like?” Tomoe then gives Recon’s exact description causing Leafa to give a look of shock.

 

Makoto says, “That’s Recon all right.”

 

Haruka asks Tomoe, “What was he doing Firefly?”

 

Tomoe says, “He was looking in another direction and he then uses an invisibility or some kind of cloaking item to become invisible.”

 

Leafa asks, with a sigh, “Oh, man! What are you up to this time Recon?” Just then Leafa hears a ringing sound in her head and she says, “Hold up. I’m getting a message.” Leafa brings up her screen and she says, “It is from Recon. Let’s see…” When she opens up the message screen, Leafa gains a confused look.

 

Makoto asks, “What’s wrong?” Leafa puts her screen into visible mode and allows the others to see the message that she had just gotten from Recon.

 

Tomoe says, “It says: ‘Just like we thought! Be careful, s’ It looks like it got cut off.”

 

Haruka says, her eyes narrowing, “Exactly, Firefly. It looks like a hasty message that someone was typing when something or SOMEONE cuts them off.” Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka gain concerned looks and Haruka tells Leafa, “Use your friend locator and find Recon.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Okay, good idea.” Leafa does so and she asks, surprised, “I’ve got him! He is…in the sewers? Why is he there? I don’t…!!”

 

Haruka says, interrupting, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Let’s get to him right away.”

 

Leafa says, nodding her head, “Follow me.” Immediately, the group of seven head off into the sewers to find Recon.

 

(A bit later on)

 

Within the sewers around Swilvane, our group of seven is rushing towards Recon’s location.

 

Leafa says, “We should be on top of him…Whoa!” Immediately, the group stop in their tracks when they see two male players in hooded cloaks with strange medallions around their necks over the motionless form of Recon. The hoods of the cloaks are down to reveal that they are males with dark tan skin and red hair.

 

Haruka yells out, “Salamanders!”

 

One of the Salamander players shout out, shocked, “Shit!” He produces a crossbow with a bolt inside and fires it at them. Reacting on instinct, Leafa whips around her sword, blocks the bolt, and charges at the Salamanders in which before they knew what hit them, Leafa cuts them down in which they turn into large red flames, Remain Lights, with the medallions clanking to the ground.

 

Makoto goes over to the medallions and she says, “Those are Pass Medallions! How did they get these? It can’t be possible!”

 

Haruka says, “I have an idea.”

 

Leafa says, looking over Recon, “Recon! He is under the effects a paralyzing potion!”

 

Michiru says, “Allow me.” Michiru then uses healing magic to cure Recon of the paralyzing status he was under and he gets into a sitting position.

 

Recon says, amazed, “Leafa!” Recon sees the others and he says, excitedly, “Oh my Kami! Lady Michiru! Lady Tomoe! The ‘Great Nymphs of ALO’!”

 

Leafa tells Recon, “This is no time to be a ‘fan boy’, Recon! What are Salamanders doing here?”

 

Haruka says, looking Michiru, “Speaking of them…” Michiru nods her head and uses a revival spell to revive them before they ‘respawned’ back at the Salamander home city, but they are quickly put under a paralyzing effect by Makoto using poison coated daggers.

 

Tomoe asks, “Why did you do that?”

 

Haruka says, putting the Pass Medallions back around their necks, “Can’t have them returning to home base and informing that we know of their plans…yet.”

 

Leafa asks Recon, “What’s going on?”

 

Recon says, “Well, I was following Sigurd to poison him for the way that he has been treating you…”

 

Leafa says, interrupting with a deadpanning expression, “You really need to do something better with your gaming, Recon.”

 

Recon says, seriously, “Leafa, this isn’t the time! Sigurd sold us out to the Salamanders!”

 

There are gasps and Makoto yells out, stunned, “What?”

 

Recon says, “It’s the truth! You see that they have Pass Medallions! Sigurd’s the one that gave it to them! They were meeting here in which he exposed Lady Sakuya’s renewed meeting with the Cait Sith leader and its location! They are going to attack the meeting!”

 

There are gasps and Leafa shouts out, “Oh no!”

 

Haruka says, “Damn it! I knew that piece of crap was up to something!” Just then a pair of heavily armored Sylph players enter the area and they are shocked to see what’s in front of them.

 

One of them asks, confused and shocked, “Those are Salamanders! What are they doing here? And they have…Pass Medallions? How did they get those?”

 

Haruka says, “There is no time to explain! I’m keeping it short! Sigurd has betrayed us to the Salamanders!”

 

The other Sylph player asks, shocked, “What?!”

 

Haruka says, pointing to Recon, “This player has founded out. You can see the Pass Medallions on them. Sigurd gave it to them! He has betrayed Lady Sakuya and us to the Salamanders! She is off at a conference with the Cait Sith ruler and the Salamanders are off to disrupt it! We need to get to Sakuya immediately!” Haruka points to one of the Sylph players and she says, “The conference is at Butterfly Valley! I’m going on ahead with Leafa and my fellow ‘Nymphs’! Get to our forces and get as many of our elite players to our location as possible!” Haruka brings up her menu and she says, “I’m giving you an instant message! When I’m done, get the heck going!”

 

The Sylph player responds, “Yes, ma’am!”

 

The other Sylph player asks, “Shouldn’t we message them?”

 

Haruka replies, “We can’t be sure where they are now! If we message them, if our message gets through, when they try to evacuate, they could run right into the Salamander attack force! They would be dead meat! We need to move now!” Haruka tells that player, “You help Recon keep an eye on these two. We can’t let them get back to their ‘home base’ and warn their leaders that their plan has been exposed!” Haruka is done with the instant message and Haruka says, “However, try to get a message to Sakuya anyway, but advise her to find a place to hold out somewhere she can easily defend until we can find her! Oh, by the way, put Sigurd under arrest! I don’t care what you have to do! I don’t want that piece of trash leaving Swilvane! And make sure that he doesn’t get a chance to message his Salamander ‘masters’!”

 

The Sylph player that got Haruka’s message responds, “Yes, ma’am!” He then heads off to do as Haruka commanded her to.

 

Makoto asks Recon, “You have any paralyzing potions.”

 

Recon says, “A few.”

 

Makoto says, opening up her menu, “Here are a few more.” Makoto uses a trade menu to transfer them and she says, “Use them to keep these dweebs here.”

 

Recon says, with a nod, “Right, Lady Makoto.”

 

Haruka says, seriously, “Let’s go.” Soon after, Leafa, Mizuno, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna run off and when they get outside, they activate their fairy wings and immediately take to the skies.

 

Leafa asks, nervously, “Can we make it?”

 

Makoto says, “We have to try, Leafa.”

 

Leafa says, looking at Tomoe, Michiru, Mizuno, and Setsuna, “Girls…”

 

Michiru says, with a smile, “We know what you are going to say and you are a fellow scout, friend, and another of our Moon Princesses.”

 

Tomoe says, with a smile, “You are a comrade, a friend, and a member of our ‘family’. We aren’t going to abandon you. In the real world or in the virtual world.”

 

Leafa smiles and Mizuno says, “Leafa, you, Makoto, and Haruka are Sylphs and the fast flyers in ALO. You can get their faster than us.”

 

Leafa asks, “Are you sure?”

 

Tomoe says, with a nod, “We’ll catch up.”

 

Haruka says, “Let’s move!” Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka then fly off at top speed, but while they are keeping ahead of the others, they are barely managing to keep up as all of them fly at top speeds.

 

April 1, 2025, Alfheim Online

 

Right now, the seven Sailor Scouts float down to the ground at the base a mountain range that separated the World Tree, the city at the base of the World Tree, Alne, and the Alne Plateau.

 

Mizuno says, “This is it. The Legrue Corridor.”

 

Tomoe says, “This is the quickest way to reach the Alne Plateau from Swilvane.” Tomoe then uses a Night Vision spell to allow the group to see the dark cavern.

 

Haruka says, drawing her sword, “Thanks, Firefly.” Immediately, the rest of the group draw their weapons and Haruka says, “Don’t stop. Slice through the monsters and while it is ‘bad manners’, don’t stop to beat any monsters that chase after you.”

 

Michiru says, with a nod, “It is rude, but this is an emergency.”

 

Makoto says, nodding her head in agreement, “Let’s go!” The group then rush into the caverns known as the Legrue Corridor and they rush through the cavernous dungeon at top speed in which they cut down ogre monsters not taking any time at all to look at the money, known as Yrd in ALO, and items that they won from the battles. In a short time, they manage to get to the player city within Legrue Corridor, aptly named Legrue, but they didn’t stop at all as they rush through the city and exit in which they encounter more ogre monsters, however, they manage to cut down them without losing a beat. Quickly, they managed to get through the cavern and get outside where they find themselves at cliff in which they don’t stop and they leap off where they spread their wings taking off into the skies.

 

Leafa says to Tomoe, Setsuna, Mizuno, and Michiru, “Wow! You are keeping up really well!”

 

Setsuna says, “Remember, ALO is a skill based game and skills from the ‘real world’ do have significance here.”

 

Michiru says, with a smile, “All of us have flying experience in both worlds.”

 

Haruka says, “I hope that Hino-chan is there.”

 

Leafa asks, “Did you message her?”

 

Makoto says, “No. All of us already know about meeting at Butterfly Valley.”

 

Tomoe says, pointing ahead of her, “Speaking of…” Everyone looks and they see a lot of ‘dots’ in the distance. With help from Michiru, Haruka uses items in her storage combined with spell to create a telescope-like item and she looks ahead.

 

Haruka yells out, “Holy crap!”

 

Michiru tells Haruka, with a kind yet dangerous smile, “Haruka-chan…”

 

Tomoe tells Michiru, “Michiru-mama, I’m not a little girl anymore.”

 

Leafa asks, changing the subject, “What do you see?”

 

Haruka says, “I see a whole legion of Salamanders.”

 

There are gasps and Leafa says, “A legion!”

 

Haruka says, “Sixty at least.”

 

Makoto asks, shocked, “Sixty?!”

 

Tomoe says, “That’s…”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “Do they notice us?”

 

Haruka responds, shaking her head, “They don’t know or they don’t care.”

 

Mizuno asks, “Leafa?”

 

Leafa says, “Then we might have a chance. If we hit them hard and fast, we might give Sakuya and Alicia Rue the time to get away if not defeat all of them. We should use our Sword Skills.”

 

Setsuna says, with a nod, “Wise idea.”

 

Haruka says, nodding her head, “Sword Skill just became a part of ALO, but we have experience with them from SAO. They may have plenty of spell swordsmen in their group, but Sword Skills might help tip the balance in our favor including the fact with the elemental damage added to them and our experience with Sword Skills from SAO.”

 

Mizuno says, with a nod, “That’s a good theory, Haruka.”

 

Michiru says, with a smile, “I think that Leafa should take the lead then.”

 

Leafa asks, surprised, “Huh?”

 

Haruka says, with a grin, “Sorry, you are our princess.” Leafa gives an annoyed pout and shakes her head as she draws her sword while the others also draw their weapons.

 

Leafa says, “Move in hard and fast. Hit them with Sword Skills with quick cooldown times. We can’t afford to be frozen in that situation.”

 

Makoto says, nodding her head in agreement, “Got that right.” The group of seven then charges right towards the Salamander legion who arrive at Butterfly Valley where Sakuya with a group of armored Sylph guards are meeting with a group of Cait Sith players including one female one that sounds out.

 

The Cait Sith female is a short, has dark blond hair tied in multiple small pigtails at the rear of her scalp, dark skin, brown cat-like ears, yellow eyes, a brown cat-like tail, and a slim figure. She is wearing a bell on her neck, a tiny tiara with the golden crescent moon that’s sideways on her forehead, brown one-piece swimsuit-like outfit/dress, a cape on the left arm with a red stripe through it near the front, white stockings, and brown boots with similar cat-like claws attached to her outfit.

 

Sakuya had gained a warning from a message that she had gotten, but making that rare mistake, she had the Cait Sith female just mentioned, the leader of the Cait Sith, Alicia Rue, use her Moonlight Mirror magic to communicate with home to confirm the situation in which she learned of Sigurd’s betrayal and used her authority as leader of the Sylph given to her by the game when she was elected leader by the Sylph players to exile Sigurd causing him to be teleported from Swilvane to the nearest neutral village. Now, she and Alicia Rue along with their ‘escorts’ including Minako are facing the legion of Salamander players.

 

Minako’s ALO avatar is a Cait Sith who has long flowing dark blond hair similar to her classic hairstyle with white bow on the top center portion of the rear of her scalp, she has large white cat-like ears coming out of her scalp and no human or elf-like ears, she has yellow cat-like eyes, deep, full, and lovely ruby red lips, and a large white tail coming out of her tailbone area. She is wearing a yellow armored bikini-like top, silver armored shoulder pads and elbow pads, white fingerless fighting gloves, a short skirt that covers only up to the top of her navel and down to one-quarter of her thighs, revealing quite a bit of mid-drift, and black high-heeled open-toed sandals. In her hands, there is a pair of cat-like metal claws and flying by her side, is Minako’s silver dragon.

 

Sakuya thinks in her mind, “Damn it all! I should have known better!” The group of Cait Sith and Sylph are nervous since they are trapped and even with Minako, one of the top players of ALO, they are outmatched due to the Salamander’s numbers. However, a loud female yell is heard and one of the Salamander players glance only to yelp as he is impaled by Leafa using a Horizontal, a 1 hit One-Handed Sword Skill combo, but Leafa hit with such a critical strike that the Salamander player immediately turns into a Remain Light.

 

One of the Salamander players shouts out, shocked, “What the?!”

 

Sakuya says, surprised, “Leafa!” As the Salamander players start to get over their shock, they hear other yells in which half-a-dozen other Salamander players are turned into Remain Lights by the others with each of them using a simple Sword Skill matched with their weapons, but striking critical hits with them.

 

Another Salamander player shouts out, surprised, “It’s the Great Nymphs!” That player is immediately taken out by Makoto using Embracer, a Martial Arts Sword Skill combo.

 

Minako yells out, “This is our chance!” She spreads her wings and takes to the attack with Sakuya’s and Alicia’s guards immediately realizing that this is indeed their chance.

 

One of the Sylph guards shouts out, “Stay back, Lady Sakuya!” With a mighty roar, the Sylph and Cait Sith guards immediately join Minako on the attack and the Salamander attack force, already surprised by Leafa and her group, are sent into confusion as Minako with Cait Sith and Sylph warriors attack them while they are distracted from the attacks of Leafa, Mizuno, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna.

 

One of the Salamanders, the leader of the group, shouts out, strongly, “What are you doing? Fight!” The Salamanders start to fight back, but their enemies have the initiative keeping the Salamanders on the defensive. Shortly thereafter, Leafa takes out another Salamander, but her ‘danger sense’ allows her to dodge a strike from the Salamander leader in which Leafa gets a good look at him.

 

The Salamander leader is a male Salamander who is tall and well-built one with bristling flame-like, purplish-red hair that framed a face reminiscent of a dark-skinned bird of prey with blood red and golden armor covering his well-built frame and a large sword with a dark violet and silver blade in his hands.

 

The male Salamander says, “So, you are the Sylph girl that cost me victory, huh? You don’t look like much.”

 

Leafa responds, “You wouldn’t say that knowing who I am. The name is Leafa. I’m one of the Five Great Sylphs.”

 

The male Salamander asks, a bit surprised, “You are one of the Five Great Sylphs?”

 

Leafa retorts, with a glare, “You have got a problem with that?”

 

The male Salamander says, with a grin, “Actually, no. I can see that you are no joke. Your eyes tell me that you are an elite player. Perfect. You should know who I am. I’m General Eugene of the Salamanders.”

 

Leafa gasps and she asks, shocked, “General Eugene? THE General Eugene?” Leafa thinks in her mind, “Crap! I’m facing the top player of ALO, a rival for Mizuno and the other ‘Nymphs’.”

 

The Salamander leader, General Eugene, responds, “That’s right! Take it back to your homeland when you respawn back home!” General Eugene attacks Leafa with his sword, which he is holding with two hands to show that it is Two-Handed Sword, in which Leafa tries to block with her sword, but the keyword is TRY since the sword somehow phases through her sword and hits Leafa causing her to yelp as she is sent flying back.

 

The others see this and Tomoe yells out, stunned, “Leafa!”

 

Leafa asks, confused and with a winch, “What was that?”

 

Sakuya yells out, “Leafa! That sword! It’s one of the legendary weapons of ALO: The Demon Sword Gram! It has the ability to phase through a sword or shield that you try to defend yourself with! It requires a Two-Handed Sword Skill of nine hundred and fifty to use!”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “Damn! That’s not good at all! How am I supposed to defend against that?!” General Eugene comes in and attacks again in which Leafa does her best to dodge his sword knowing that her sword as a defense is useless. Leafa tries anything including Sword Skill to counterattack, but General Eugene does well in blocking and parrying them through he gets hit several times, they were minor blows that barely caused any damage while Leafa suffers some nasty blows bringing her HP meter down to close halfway mark. Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, “No way! There is no way to break his defense and there is no way that I can defend against his sword since his sword can pass through a sword or shield...” Just then revelation hits Leafa’s mind and she thinks, “That’s it! A sword or shield! I’ve got it!”

 

General Eugene shouts out, “I’ve got you now!” He brings down in his sword down on Leafa in which she seemly vainly tries to block with her sword only for General Eugene’s sword to easily pass through her sword due to its effect, but quick as a flash, Leafa draws another sword from a sheath with both sword and sheath hidden in her clothing and successfully blocks the sword much to General Eugene’s shock and surprise.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ starts)

 

With his guard down, Leafa roars as she attacks with both swords perfectly and throwing General Eugene off-balance.

 

“Locus Hexedra!”

 

Leafa then uses both swords and slashes General Eugene in a hexagon formation causing him to get blasted back, but when he tries to counterattack, he grunts as he is paralyzed.

 

Seeing this, Makoto shouts out, “He got him!” General Eugene’s paralysis stasis allows Leafa to recover from the use of the Sword Skill and unleash a barrage of kendo style sword strikes from both of her swords with perfect timing and precision causing General Eugene to yelp as Leafa causes significant damage.

 

Minako says, excitedly, “Way to go, girlfriend!” However, General Eugene recovers from his paralyzing stats and a flame shield then protects him as well as blast Leafa back.

 

General Eugene charges in and he yells out, angered, “Die!” Leafa leaps over his sword strike and lands a powerful kick to his face allowing Leafa to get behind General Eugene. General Eugene turns himself around only to find that he is perfect position for an attack by Leafa as her two swords then start to glow, showing the start of a Sword Skill, but not one that those that have knowledge of SAO Sword Skills can recognize.

 

“Starlight Edge!”

 

Leafa then uses rapid fast kendo style slash attacks with both swords together in unison for the first seven attacks and for the eighth and final attack, Leafa slashes General Eugene with both swords at once in ‘X’ formation hitting General Eugene at the exact same moment in which General Eugene grunt as his HP gauge hits zero and she explodes into red flames leaving only a red flame behind of himself.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ ends)

 

With the end of the duel between General Eugene and Leafa, everyone is stunned silent from what they just witnessed and Leafa asks, glaring at the Salamanders, “Anyone else?” The remaining Salamander players that haven’t been turned into Remain Lights then immediately take off other than one female Salamander that glares at them and then Leafa before she spots another player flying onto the scene causing her to take off.

 

Minako shouts out, excitedly, “Way to go!” Immediately, the Sylph and Cait Sith guards of Sakuya and Alicia Rue also start to cheer for Leafa for her amazing victory over General Eugene. Soon after, all of the players in the air rejoin Sakuya and Alicia Rue in which Hino arrives on the scene.

 

Hino’s ALO avatar is a female Salamander with flowing fiery red hair in her real life hairstyle, pink-red eyes, deep, full, and lovely shimmering ruby red lips, and she is wearing tight fitting samurai style armor to show her lovely feminine body’s curves and lines while making it not look obscene. She has a bow attached to her back with a special magical quiver that constantly gives her new arrows.

 

After explaining what happened, Hino asks Leafa, stunned, “You beat General Eugene, Leafa?”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “I guess I did.”

 

Minako shouts out, excitedly, “You guess? You beat him down good, girl!”

 

Alicia Rue says, excitedly, “That was just amazing! It was one of the best sword battles in ALO ever!” Plenty of the other players nod their heads in agreement with the Cait Sith leader.

 

Sakuya says, with a nod, “I must agree Leafa. That was an incredible battle. However, I’m surprised that you had such skills. I didn’t know that you had a Duel Wielding Sword Skill. It is quite amazing that you got it so early after ALO restarted.”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Well…” Leafa asks Sakuya, “Wait! Sakuya, how do you know about that skill?”

 

Sakuya responds, with a smile, “I’ve heard about it. It is one of ‘Unique Skills’. They are extra special Extra Skills that requires a certain amount of proficiency with a ‘main Sword Skill’ like One-Handed Sword Skills for example and then for you to go on a special quest to gain the Sword Skill. With Duel Wielding, I heard that you need a perfect One-Handed Sword Skill proficiency and you need to complete a special quest where you need a high reaction time in order to complete it.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “That’s news to me.”

 

Sakuya says, with a smile, “Knowing your good luck, somehow you managed to find it and got yourself that Unique Skill.”

 

Leafa responds, a bit nervously while trying to sound calm and collected, “Yeah, that’s right.”

 

Sakuya says, “However, I doubt that last attack belongs to the Duel Wielding Sword Skill.” Sakuya asks, with a smile, “Could that have been an OSS?”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Yeah. It is my special kendo style Duel Wielding OSS: Starlight Edge.”

 

There are multiple gasps and Alicia Rue says, “No way! No one has even created a one-strike OSS yet! That’s just amazing!”

 

Sakuya says, “Indeed. Since OSS have been found to be difficult to make due to you being unable to use the system to help you make the OSS. One to two hit Sword Skills would be hard enough, but an eight strike OSS…It must have taken a lot of work.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “You wouldn’t believe it, Sakuya.”

 

Minako says, excitedly, “Anyway, let’s have three cheers for our ‘Wind Valkyrie’!”

 

Leafa asks, surprised, “Say what?”

 

Minako tells Leafa, with a grin, “Come on, Leafa! Not only did you help save Sakuya, Alicia, and the Sylph and Cait Sith alliance, but you just beat General Eugene, the strongest player of ALO other than us! You just made yourself one of the strongest players of ALO!”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Wait! I…”

 

Michiru says, with a sly smile, “I believe that I have to agree with that statement.”

 

Haruka thinks in her mind, with a sigh, “Uh oh.”

 

Minako goes behind Leafa, slaps her in the back, and she says, “I believe that we have gained the NINTH ‘Nymph of ALO’: Leafa, the Wind Valkyrie!”

 

Sakuya says, with a smile, “I believe that’s accurate to Leafa.”

 

Leafa yells out, exasperated, “Sakuya!”

 

Haruka says, with a sigh and kind smile, “Welcome to the ‘club’, LADY Leafa.” Leafa lowers her head in defeat while plenty of the others can’t help to giggle/laugh at her embarrassment.

 

April 2, 2025, Alfheim Online, Swilvane

 

Back in Swilvane, the following day, Leafa appears in a flash of light as she walks into the city and prepares for another day, but she then sees all of the Sylph players looking at her causing her to get confused and nervous before Leafa becomes really confused when they start to clap and whistle at her.

 

Just then Recon’s voice booms, “Leafa!” Leafa looks to see Recon running towards her and he yells out, “You are just amazing! Just amazing! The whole of Swilvane knows!”

Leafa asks, confused and nervously, “Huh?”

 

Recon says, coming up to Leafa, “Everyone knows about your battle with General Eugene, one of the most powerful players in ALO other than the ‘Great Nymphs’! You are a hero!”

 

Leafa says, nervously, “Hero? No, I…!!”

 

Recon says, “Lady Makoto and Lady Haruka also confirmed that you have been allowed into the ranks of the Great Nymphs! Everyone is starting to know that you are the ‘Wind Valkyrie’!”

 

Leafa yells out, flabbergasted, “What?!” Leafa then looks to see Makoto and Haruka and Makoto gives a cheerful smile while Haruka gives a more nervous smile with a shrug of her shoulders. Leafa groans as she hangs her head low and she thinks, solemnly, “Great. Goodbye, fun game. Hello, target on back.”

 

April 10, 2025, ALO, Undine Capital

 

In a town that’s inside of a massive castle-like structure, our Moon Princess, in her new ALO avatar of Usagi, is looking around the capital with Asuna, in her new ALO avatar, as they look around and see all of the Undine players in the capital in which they notice the similar elf-like ears and mainly blue hairstyle.

 

Both Usagi’s and Asuna’s ALO avatars are female Undine players with Usagi is wearing a simple white and blue shirt, light blue shorts, white flat shoes, and across her waist, there is a belt containing a sheath for a simple long sword. The outfit shows the lines and curves of her of her feminine body including her very well-developed chest through not in an obscene manner and like the other players around her, she has elf-like ears, but they give her a really lovely female elf-like look.

 

Asuna, at this time, is also wearing stuff that looks like ‘beginner’s gear’ as well.

 

As the two of them look at themselves and each other through a reflection, Usagi says, amazed, “Wow.”

 

Asuna says, with a nod, “I know, Usagi-chan. We have a lot of our SAO avatars in us.”

 

Usagi says, with a smile, “By the way, you look good as a fairy.”

 

Asuna responds, with a smile, “So do you, Usagi.”

 

Just then a familiar female voice says, “There you are!” Asuna and Usagi look to see Akari, Michiru, Izumi, Hana, and Kido flying over to them and landing in front of them.

 

Akari’s ALO avatar is an Undine female with short blue hair, blue eyes, and she is wearing a pink version of Asuna’s SAO outfit in which all of the areas that are white on Asuna’s outfit is blue on this Undine’s outfit in which there is a symbol that means ‘light’ instead of crosses where there are crosses on Asuna’s outfit. Strapped to this young Undine female’s waist is a sheath for a rapier with a pink handle and a pearly white blade.

 

Izzy’s ALO avatar, Izumi, is a male Undine with short blue hair, violet eyes, and he has on a dark blue shirt with a silver armored chest plate, black short, silver armored kneepads, black combat boots, and he has a curved sword attached to the left side of his waist.

 

Mimi’s ALO avatar, Hana, is a female Undine with long flowing blue hair mixed with pink highlights, pink eyes, light pink lips, and she is wearing something similar to Asuna’s ALO outfit through everything on Mimi’s version is pink where Asuna’s outfit is blue. Mimi carries two daggers with their sheaths attached to her waist.

 

Joe’s ALO avatar, Kido, is another male Undine with shoulder length blue hair, round glasses in front of grey eyes, and he is wearing light grey sleeveless shirt under a light grey armored vest, silver armored elbow pads, black gloves, blue shorts, and white sneaker-like shoes. He has no weapon in his hands, but he has a shield attached to his left wrist.

 

Usagi says, with a smile, “Hey!”

 

Hana says, with a warm smile, “Welcome to Alfheim Online!”

 

Asuna says, with a smile, “Thank you, Mimi…Oops! I mean Hana!”

 

Kido says, “We know how you feel, Asuna. It gets confusing.”

 

Usagi says, with a nod, “Tell me about it.” Usagi asks, “Where is Ami…I mean Mizuno-chan?”

 

Michiru responds, “She will be with us later. She has important duties as the leader of the Undines.”

 

Asuna and Usagi give looks of surprise and Asuna asks, “Mizuno-chan is leader of the Undines?”

 

Akari says, with a nod, “That’s right. Just before you-know-what, she had resigned as leader to get ready for that ‘other business’ that last nearly three months, but now, she has been recently re-elected as Undine leader.”

 

Usagi says, amazed, “Wow.”

 

Asuna says, with a nod, “She must be a popular leader.”

 

Michiru says, looking around, “I think that we should continue this elsewhere.” Everyone else looks around to see the other players looking at them or just giving glances at them.

 

Kido says, with a nod, “Good idea.” The group then takes off for a side area within the city where we find Asuna and Usagi discarding all of their items while Usagi has her swords from SAO, Escalon and Lunar Excelsior, strapped to her waist.

 

Asuna says, with a sigh, “Some of those items had good memories.”

 

Usagi says, “I know, Asuna, but RCT did say that if SAO survivors did transfer their data into their ALO avatars, they will have to discard their items since SAO items will most likely not work in this game.”

 

Asuna responds, with a nod, “I know, but why did your swords from Liz remain intact?”

 

Mizuno, who had just joined them, says, “Maybe unlike most of your items from SAO, there are probably blades that are similar to these. I heard that there are swords named Escalon and Lunar Excelsior in ALO.”

 

Usagi says, “That’s a surprise through I’m shocked that I have Escalon. It was turned into a Keyblade last time that I checked.”

 

Michiru says, with a nod, “That’s a good question, hime.”

 

Usagi asks, “So, how do you get your wings to work?”

 

Akari says, “All you need to do is focus on making them appear and they will.” Soon after, Usagi and Asuna gain blue fairy wings on their backs.

 

Asuna asks, “So, these are our wings?”

 

Izumi says, “Yes, but since you are just starting out, it is best that you use the training stick.”

 

Usagi asks, “Training stick?”

 

Mizuno says, “There are two ways to fly in ALO: Training controller and Voluntary Flight. With the training controller, you use a joystick that you can call up in your left hand to help you fly and Voluntary Flight is where you are able to control your wings with your virtual body without the need for a controller. You have to use the controller in your left land, so, it limits your combat abilities since you only have one free hand and your aerial mobility is limited because of that. Using Voluntary Flight is an expert skill and there are those in ALO who have been playing as long as we have and they haven’t been able to use Voluntary Flight or at least master it.”

 

Usagi says, amazed, “Wow! That must be a hard skill to learn!”

 

Michiru says, “It is, but all of us managed to learn Voluntary Flight through it was more difficult for some of us than others.”

 

Mizuno says, “We should start with the training controller for you, so, you can get used to it. You have to hold up your left hand and act like you are grasping something.” Usagi does so and virtual controller appears in her left hand. Mizuno says, “Pull back to ascend and push away to descend.”

 

Usagi pulls the controller to herself and she asks, “Like this?” However, she yelps as she quickly flies up into the air, bashes against a sign, and falls back to the ground with a nasty ‘thud’ in which she loses a small portion of her health causing everyone else to winch from that.

 

Asuna asks, worriedly, “Usagi-chan, are you okay?”

 

Usagi responds, “Well, I know that their ‘pain absorbers’ are working, Asuna.”

 

Michiru says, with a nervous smile, “Maybe we should train on a training field where you can easily beat the monsters there.”

 

Usagi says, with a groan, “Good idea.”

 

As Usagi gets back to her feet, Asuna says, “This isn’t going to be easy. I hope that Kirito-kun and the others are having an easier time.” However, Asuna’s own statement makes her worried for her fellow SAO survivors, friends, and boyfriend/in-game husband.

 

April 10, 2025, ALO, Spriggan capital

 

At the Spriggan capital, which is a village surrounding a pyramid-like structure, Kirito, in his new ALO avatar, is with Mamoru, Setsuna, and Philia, in her new ALO avatar, as they go through their menus in which Kirito materializes a tear-shaped object in which he pushes it causing a bright light to engulf them with a familiar little black haired girl in a white dress coming out of the light.

 

Kirito’s ALO avatar is that of a Spriggan that looks a lot like his SAO avatar and wearing a classic all-black motif.

 

Mamoru’s ALO avatar is a tall Spriggan warrior with well-combined black hair, dark eyes, and he is dressed in a black version of his outfit as Prince Endymon with a powerful looking sword to match.

 

Philia’s new ALO avatar, like her fellow former SAO players/friends, is a lot like her SAO avatar, but now, she is a Spriggan fairy, much like Kirito, her hair is black in color and she is wearing an outfit similar to her SAO outfit.

 

The little black haired girl opens her eyes and she says, with a smile, “Daddy!”

 

The little girl hugs Kirito and he says, with a warm smile, “Good to see you, Yui. Didn’t think that you would recognize me.”

 

The little black haired girl, Yui, the former Mental Health Program of SAO, replies, with a smile, “I’ll always know you, papa.”

 

Philia says, with a smile, “I’m glad that Yui-chan is here.”

 

Mamoru says, “It isn’t too surprising. ALO runs off the same system that was used in SAO.”

 

Yui says, with a nod, “Yes. It is the reason that I can exist in this form. I can tell that this game uses the same Cardinal System that SAO used.” Yui closes her eyes for a second and when she reopens them, she says, “It seems like it was recently updated too. That’s good. It will work better.”

 

Philia asks, “Does this game have a Mental Health Program?”

 

Yui says, shaking her head, “No, it has no need of it especially since this is just a regular VRMMO game.”

 

Kirito asks Yui, “Then what does the system classify you as?”

 

Yui responds, “It seems like it classifies me as a ‘Navigation Pixie’.” Just then Yui glows and everyone is forced to cover their eyes as she is engulfed in a bright flash. When they open their eyes, Yui has changed quite a bit.

 

Yui is now a little fairy/pixie version of herself that’s no more than four inches in height in which she is wearing a light pink dress styled like a flower petal and pink anklets flies around.

 

Philia asks, surprised, “Yui-chan?”

 

Yui says, in a pixie voice, “That’s right. This is what I am as a pixie.” Kirito gently pokes his ‘virtual daughter’ in the cheek and Yui says, with a giggle, “Stop it, papa! That tickles!”

 

Kirito stops and he asks, “Do you have any administration privileges like before?”

 

Yui responds, “No, daddy. I can only access the reference map data and general map information. I can also view the status of the players that I have contacted personally. However, I see no need for them since this is a regular VRMMO game.”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “Yeah, you’re right, Yui.” Kirito tells Yui, “Your mother is going to love your new form.”

 

Yui asks Kirito, “You really think that mama will like my pixie form?”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “Trust me, Yui-chan. She will LOVE it.”

 

Yui says, with a smile, “Okay, papa, then I will stay in my pixie form all the time.”

 

Kirito says, “Hold on, Yui-chan. It doesn’t mean that she won’t love your ‘regular form’ and she would like to hold in her arms once in a while.”

 

Yui says, with a nod, “Okay, papa, you have a point.” Yui tells Kirito, “Anyway, papa, you and Philia should get started on training to how to fly. I may not have administration privilege, but I have enough access to the database to know that flight is the best way to get from place to place in ALO.”

 

Mamoru says, “Yui has a point, Kirito. In fact, it is the main way of getting from area to area in ALO.”

 

Kirito says, “If we’re going to meet up with everyone, we’re going to need to learn fast.”

 

Philia says, with a smile, “I can’t wait, Kirito.” Philia says, overlooking the Spriggan capital, “It is beautiful here.”

 

Kirito says, with a nod and smile, “I agree, Philia. And something tells me that there are plenty of great place to adventure even before the newest updates to ALO.” Kirito says, “We should get started.” Kirito then says, remembering, “Oh, Yui! Strea!”

 

Philia says, also remembering, “Oh, right!”

 

Yui says, with a warm smile, “Don’t worry, papa! She is right here!” Yui closes her eyes and Yui is covered in a bright glow in which another glow, a violet one, separates from Yui and floats above Kirito causing him to get nervous before the violet ‘glow’ takes a form that slams into Kirito causing him to collapse to the ground.

 

Philia says, shocked, “Kirito!” When the ‘form’ that came from the violet ‘glow’ is seen, we find that it is a Strea, the second Mental Health Program from SAO that took an unused player avatar, on top of Kirito in a new ALO form.

 

Strea’s ‘ALO avatar’ is a female Gnome with brown hair in her hairstyle of her ‘SAO avatar’, red eyes, and an outfit resembling her SAO outfit.

 

Strea says, excitedly, “Hi, Kirito!”

 

Kirito says, with a grunt, “Hi, Strea.”

 

Yui says, scolding tone in her voice, “Strea, please get off of papa now! You are causing him great discomfort!” Strea gives a pout as she gets off of Kirito and Kirito gets to his feet.

 

Mamoru asks, “Strea?”

 

Setsuna says, with a smile, “I’m not surprised by this. Most likely, she is classified as a player too.”

 

Yui says, with a nod, “That’s right. Since Strea took an unused player avatar for her ‘physical form’ in SAO, it is part of her data. And because she has player avatar data, it isn’t surprising that Strea has a player avatar here! I believe that Strea’s ALO avatar is a Gnome known their tall height and Earth magic.”

 

Mamoru asks Yui, “Since Strea is technically a new player, she should have appeared in the Gnome capital first. Would this be a problem?”

 

Yui responds, shaking her head, “No. The system won’t put this as an error or it would be classified as a player’s information getting mixed in with another player’s data due to Full-Diving in the same real-life vicinity. It is the reason that you and Leafa logged in separately.”

 

Kirito says, “Well, that’s good.”

 

Strea then hugs Kirito in a bone crushing hug and she yells out, excitedly, “That means that we get to start in this new game together! Isn’t this wonderful Kirito?”

 

Yui says, with a sigh, “Oh, Strea…”

 

Setsuna says, with a smile, “I see that Strea hasn’t changed one bit. It means that her data is completely intact and safe.” Mamoru nods his head in agreement and understanding in which after Kirito separates himself from Strea, he and Philia prepare to learn how to fly from Mamoru and Setsuna with Yui and Strea also assisting since they figured out how to fly due to them being AI with access, despite how limited it is, to ALO.

 

April 11, 2025, ALO, Butterfly Valley

 

At Butterfly Valley, Leafa, Kirito, Asuna, Philia, Klein, in his new ALO avatar, Silica, in her new ALO avatar, Sinon, in her new ALO avatar, Agil, in his new ALO avatar, Lisbeth, in her new ALO avatar, our Digidestined, with the SAO survivors among them, minus Dai and Akari, in their new ALO avatars, Mamoru, and the Sailor Scouts in their ALO avatars, are all assembled together with quite a few of the new members of ALO taking a deep breath.

 

Speaking of Lisbeth, her ALO avatar is that of a Leprechaun, which isn’t surprising since she was an elite blacksmith in SAO, and she looks much like she did in SAO with her pink hair and dark pink eyes as well as hairstyle and clothing with ALO ‘fairy features’ added in.

 

Asuna’s ALO avatar is an Undine that looks like her SAO avatar, but while her hairstyle is the same, her hair is now blue to show that she is an Undine and she has blue eyes as well. She is wearing a white and dark blue tight fitting dress with the skirt area of her dress having ‘extensions’ that go all around her skirt, expect for the front, and go down to just above her ankles, white sleeves across most of her arms, dark blue stockings that covers half-way of her thighs, and white high-heeled boots.

 

Silica’s new ALO avatar is, like Asuna and Lisbeth, is similar in appearance to her SAO avatar, but her brown hair is messier and she has two cat-like ears coming out of her scalp and she is wearing a blue and black outfit with blue jacket over a silver armor chest plate, black stockings, and dark blue boots. Her fairy race is the beast tamer Cait Sith and her dragon partner from SAO, Pina, is sitting on her shoulders.

 

Klein’s new ALO avatar, like Asuna, Lisbeth, and Silica, is similar to his appearance in SAO, expect that he has elf-like ears and his hair is colored red instead of brown in which he wearing a samurai style outfit with a classic samurai katana attached to his waist.

 

Sinon’s ALO avatar is that of a Cait Sith and her features are similar to the avatar that she had in SAO expect that her hair and eyes are blue with cat-like ears coming out of her scalp as well as wearing a green coat with white chest armor, a black choker and a belted quiver across her shoulders. She also has a cat-like tail coming of her tailbone area.

 

Agil’s new ALO avatar is that of a Gnome with, like his fellow SAO survivors, being similar to his SAO avatar in which he is wearing green clothing with silver armor chest plate.

 

Dai’s ALO avatar is a Salamander male with spiky red hair, dark red eyes, he has a tight fitting black muscle shirt with an armored chest plate on top of it, he has a flame designed jacket with a black fluffy collar, tight fitting fingerless fighting gloves, tight fitting dark blue jeans with silver armored kneepads, and black combat boots with armored toes. Strapped to his waist, there is a pair of swords.

 

Sora’s ALO avatar, Sara, is a female Salamander with flowing crimson red hair and brown eyes, light red lips, and she is wearing something akin to Sakura Haruno’s outfit in Naruto Shippuden expect that her gloves are fingerless and they are flame designed with the fact she is wearing high-heeled open-toed sandals not boots. Strapped to her back is a bow.

 

Cody’s ALO avatar, Kendo, is a male Imp with short violet hair, deep brown eyes, and he is wearing an outfit similar to samurai with a long katana and a samurai style short sword attached to the left side of his waist.

 

Taichi’s new ALO avatar is a male Salamander with spiky and wild red hair, red-brown eyes, elf-like ears, and he is wearing the same outfit as his SAO outfit.

 

Yamato’s new ALO avatar is a male Spriggan warrior that looks a lot like his SAO avatar, but his hair is black in color, dark eyes, and he is wearing a dark blue muscle shirt under a black chest plate armor, black fingerless fighting gloves, black pants, bronze colored shoulder, elbow, and knee pads, black combat boots, and a lance and shield attached to his back through a strap across his chest.

 

Juniper’s new ALO avatar is a female Cait Sith with her face and hairstyle like her SAO avatar, but her hair is dark ruby red, her eyes are a bright pink color, she has dark ruby red cat-like ears coming out of her scalp with same colored cat-like tail coming out of her tailbone area and she is wearing a similar outfit to her SAO outfit.

 

Takashi’s new ALO avatar is a male Sylph that looks similar to his SAO avatar, but his hair is light green, and he is wearing a white shirt under a silver armored chest plate, leaf green fingerless fighting gloves on his hands, light blue pants on his feet, silver armored kneepads, and black armored combat boots with a two handed sword inside of a sheath with the sheath attached to a brown belt across Takashi’s waist.

 

Sam’s new ALO avatar is a male Imp that looks similar to his SAO avatar, but his hair is a such a dark violet that it looks black in certain light/shadow, violet eyes, and he is wearing an outfit very much similar to his SAO outfit.

 

Miyako’s new ALO avatar is a female Imp that looks similar to her SAO avatar, but her eyes are a magenta color and she is wearing an outfit similar to her SAO outfit.

 

Klein says, “Geez! This flying is exhausting!”

 

Silica, with Pina circling around her, says, with a nod, “It is, but it is worth it to see Pina again.”

 

Mizuno says, with a smile, “Since there are similar dragons to Pina, here, I’m not surprised that her data within your avatar data could be replicated here.”

 

Asuna asks, “Could this mean…?”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “There is someone to see you, Asuna.” Just then Yui, in her new pixie form, comes out of Kirito’s pocket and flies over to Asuna.

 

Yui says, with a smile, “Mommy!”

 

Asuna says, excitedly, “Yui-chan!” Asuna asks, curiously, “But what happened to you?”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “She is a navigation pixie.”

 

Sinon asks, “Navigation Pixie?”

 

Kirito says, “Yui explained it to me. Navigation Pixies are support AI in ALO.”

 

Leafa says, nodding her head, “Typically, they are given to players who pay for them and they usually give just basic system information with basic voices. However, when ALO was started, they gave away a limited number of ‘private pixies’ to winners of a raffle among those who ordered the game when it first came out.”

 

Mamoru says, “We managed to use that excuse to explain Yui.”

 

Izumi says, “Well, it makes sense that Yui would be a Navigation Pixie since, based on what you told us, she is a human support program that didn’t get to do her job in SAO and since Navigation Pixies are a support program for players in ALO, it makes logical sense that Yui would become one.”

 

Kirito says, “However, Yui doesn’t have her administration privileges anymore. She has the ability to give us map data, system information, and she can also check the conditions of players that she has met, but I think that it is for the best.”

 

Yui lands on Asuna’s shoulder and Asuna says, “I’m just glad to see her, again, Kirito-kun. She is so cute.” Yui blushes and giggles as Asuna gently strokes Yui’s chin with her finger. Asuna then asks, “But what about Strea?”

 

Yui responds, “Don’t worry, mommy. Strea is here too. She was with us a while ago, but she was having fun flying around…”

 

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, “Kirito!” Soon after, Kirito yelps as he is tackled to the ground and everyone looks to see none other than Strea hanging onto Kirito.

 

Usagi asks, shocked, “Strea?”

 

Setsuna says, with a smile, “That would be her.”

 

Strea let’s go of Kirito and she says, seeing Usagi, “Hi, Usagi-chan!”

 

Usagi then yelps as Strea gives Usagi one of her possibly bone crunching hugs, if she was doing this in ‘reality’, causing Lisbeth to say, nervously, “That’s Strea all right.”

 

When the others kindly and gently get Usagi out of Strea’s hug, Yui says, “Remember, Strea used player data that wasn’t used to give herself physical form, so, she has player avatar data. I was able to save all of Strea’s data and now, Strea has a brand new ALO player avatar of herself. Since she is just like me, I believe that Strea also have her own Navigation Pixie form.”

 

Silica says, “Well, it is good to see you, again, Strea.”

 

Strea says, with a smile, “Nice to see you, again, Silica-chan.”

 

Dai asks, “So, you choose a Gnome, huh?”

 

Strea says, with a smile, “Yep! They are so big and strong, so, I thought that would be good for me!” Strea then goes into a sexy pose and she asks, “So, what do you think?”

 

Asuna says, nervously, “It looks good on you, Strea.”

 

Taichi says, “Well, it looks like the gang is all here.”

 

Minako tells Takashi, “You look good, Takashi-kun.”

 

Takashi responds, with a smile, “You, too, Minako-chan.”

 

Miyako says, “Man! I’m amazed that we got here at all! And it wasn’t the monsters that were the problem!”

 

Takashi says, “You weren’t kidding when you said flying wasn’t as easy as it sounds.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Told you.”

 

Klein says, “And you weren’t kidding about the Salamander homeland. Geez! I saw chipper places in the dark dungeons of you know where.”

 

Hino says, “Yeah, it isn’t exactly a nice place.”

 

Leafa says, “Anyway, you can set up shop in Alne or Yggdrasil City, the new ‘capital’ of Alfheim, Klein. They are completely neutral cities and no fighting allowed in which you can get to anywhere from there.”

 

Klein says, with a grin, “If you say so…Lady Leafa.”

 

Leafa yelps and Asuna, Kirito, and Usagi ask in unison, “Lady Leafa?”

 

Leafa slaps herself on the head and Michiru says, with a smile, “Well, it was going to come out sooner or later, Leafa.”

 

Usagi asks, confused, “What do you mean?”

 

Makoto asks, “Remember when we talked about that we were the top players of ALO?”

 

Takashi says, “Yeah, I know. All eight of you, Usagi’s female friends, are known as the ‘Eight Great Nymphs’ of ALO and you are treated with the upmost respect by most other players.”

 

Klein says, “Yeah. Hino may have been a Salamander, but those Sylph guards treated her like she was close to royalty.”

 

Minako says, pointing to Leafa, “Well, we are NINE Great Nymphs of ALO. This is our newest member: Leafa, the Wind Blade Valkyrie.”

 

There are gasps of shock and Leafa asks, nervously, “Really, Minako?”

 

Just then a female voice booms, angrily, “Well, the Sylph wench won’t be so ‘great’ for long!” There are winches in which everyone looks to see a female Salamander with a gorgeous female figure covered in a blood red and black armor with long flowing flaming red hair and dark green eyes landing in front of them.

 

Klein says, with a grin, “Not bad.”

 

Hino says, with a sneer, “How about really bad, genius? Her name is Flare and she is an ultimate pain in the neck.”

 

Leafa says, with a sigh, “I’ll take care of this.” Leafa goes over to face the female Salamander, Flare, and she asks, “Can’t this wait?”

 

Flare responds, with a sneer, “I won’t lose to you, girl!”

 

Minako asks, with a sly smile, “Didn’t you already lose to Leafa a dozen times already?”

 

Flare angrily sneers at this and Hino asks, “You had to get her started, didn’t you?”

 

Flare says, strongly, “The Salamanders could have been on top, but this Sylph made us look like a laughing stock when she defeated our great general, Eugene, who was…who is the strongest player in ALO!”

 

Minako asks, slyly, “Don’t you mean ‘was’?”

 

Flare draws her sword, a rapier with a golden hilt and flame designed blade, and she yells out, “That’s it! You’re dead!” Flare charges in and Leafa barely dodges her sword slashes.

 

Haruka tells Minako, “You had to piss her off, huh?”

 

Kirito says, “Leafa!”

 

Leafa responds, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this one!” Leafa keeps dodging the attacks of Flare and she then unleashes a barrage of fireballs at her.

 

Lisbeth asks, “Is she using magic?”

 

Makoto says, “That’s her special sword: Dragon’s Breath. When an opponent clash with it, it unleashes a flame attack that damages the opponent and she can also use flame magic without using incantations. It is one nasty blade.” Leafa dodges the fire magic attacks with ease, but Leafa then notices the smirk on Flare’s face. Leafa then ‘senses’ some kind ‘killer intent’ and she draws her sword only to whip and swing in which it seems to collide in mid-air with nothing making a loud ‘clang’ as if two swords are clashing.

 

Taichi asks, “Did she just hit the air?”

 

Haruka says, with a serious tone, “No! Someone else is here and hiding under an invisibility cloak or spell!”

 

Leafa says, “I knew it!” Leafa then seems to grab for air, but catches a piece of cloth and rips it away revealing none other than Sigurd, Sakuya’s now FORMER right hand Sylph.

 

Haruka says, with a sneer, “Sigurd!”

 

Yamato asks, “You know him?”

 

Makoto says, with an angered sneer, “He tried to sell the Sylphs out to the Salamanders by trying to take out Sakuya, the leader of our people, which would have allowed them to occupy our lands for over a week and take a good amount of our money and resources for themselves by giving them information about a secret meeting between our people, the Sylphs, and the Cait Sith!”

 

There are gasps and Haruka says, “However, a friend of Leafa’s, here and IRL, Recon, managed to find this out and get the information to her. Leafa managed to stop the attempt by defeating their top warrior and rival to us, the ‘Great Nymphs’: General Eugene!”

 

Minako says, with a smile, “That’s why Leafa is one of us now! When that rat of a fairy was found out, Sakuya made sure that his butt was permanently kicked out of Sylph lands!”

 

Klein says, plainly, “I get it. This is payback.”

 

Leafa tells Sigurd, “Not surprising you would be back, Sigurd.”

 

Sigurd yells out, “You backstabber! Thanks to you, I’m a renegade with no power now!”

 

Leafa responds, “You are the backstabber, jerk! You tried to sell us out to the Salamanders despite ‘The Grand Quest’ being over when it was revealed to be a fake!”

 

Sigurd shouts out, with a sneer, “It doesn’t matter! There would be another ‘Grand Quest’ sooner or later and I intended for us to be on top! I used those lizards to get Sakuya out of the way!”

 

Leafa says, with a plain tone, “And wrongly discredit her when you were the one that betrayed her and us! And now, you are right where you belong scum!” Leafa then dodges another flame attack from Flare in which Sigurd barely ducks under the attack.

 

Sigurd shouts out, angrily, “Watch where you are aiming!”

 

Flare responds, “Then stay out of my way! Remember the deal, Sigurd! This is your last chance to make up for your failure!” Sigurd snarls as the two of them prepare to fight Leafa.

 

Kirito shouts out, “Not so fast!” Flare and Sigurd look to see Kirito charging them with Usagi’s two swords in which Sigurd barely manages to dodge out of the way of Kirito’s attack in which he gets nicked causing him to lose a bit of HP.

 

Sigurd says, “Stay out of this Spriggan!”

 

Kirito responds, “Not when you aren’t fighting my sister in a fair fight!”

 

Sigurd and Flare ask in unison, “Sister?”

 

Leafa responds, with a smile, “Meet my older brother. His name is Kirito. He is also known as ‘The Black Swordsman’. He is new to ALO, but he is more than a match for you, two, dopes!”

 

Flare responds, “Want to bet?”

 

Leafa replies, with a smirk, “Don’t need to since big brother has already won.”

 

Flare tells Sigurd, “Her Spriggan brother is all yours!”

 

Sigurd responds, with a plain tone, “With pleasure!” Flare goes after Leafa while Sigurd attacks Kirito.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ starts)

 

As Sigurd starts to attack Kirito, plenty of the others notice that he is using Usagi’s swords and Silica asks, “Aren’t those Usagi-chan’s swords?” A lot of the others look to see Usagi without her swords, but Asuna, who is looking at the battle, is smiling at this.

 

Sigurd says, with a sneer, “So, you are Leafa’s brother, huh? She is going to weep as I pound you into the dirt.”

 

As Kirito easily dodges and/or blocks Sigurd’s attacks, Kirito responds, with a smirk, “Not with those moves, pal. Are you even trying?”

 

Sigurd responds, angrily, “You will pay for mocking me!” Sigurd attacks Kirito with all of his might, but with his skill and experience in SAO, Kirito proves to be faster, stronger, and more skilled with his wielding of two swords in his Duel Wielding style of SAO, he quickly puts Sigurd on the defensive and his expression starts to show panic causing to be unable to understand how a ‘newbie’ could be beating him. On the meanwhile, Leafa flawless dodges the strikes and fire magic attacks of Flare.

 

Flare shouts out, strongly, “Stop jumping around!”

 

Leafa responds, with a smirk, “You have to make me, hot head!” Flare growls in anger as her attacks continue to fail to connect against Leafa in which she then glances at the others.

 

Flare asks, “Then how about this?!” Flare then looks she is about to attack the others, but instead, Flare unleashes a powerful flame attack right at Kirito’s back!

 

Dai yells out, stunned, “Hey, Kirito, heads up!”

 

Asuna shouts out, nervously, “Kirito-kun, watch out!” Kirito turns to see the attack heading for him, but Leafa steps in and grunts as she takes the attack on the side.

 

Usagi yells out, shocked, “Leafa!”

 

After Sigurd tries to use Kirito’s distraction to strike at Kirito, which fails obviously, causing Kirito to knock him away, Kirito yells out, concerned, “Sugu, are you all right?”

 

Leafa responds, “I’m fine, big brother.” As she looks at her HP gauge, she notices that she took damage equal to one-third of her health bar.

 

Makoto shouts out, “That’s a dirty trick!”

 

Flare responds, “While I will never go low to attack those that aren’t fighting, your brother is another story! You made the Salamanders look like a joke when you took down General Eugene and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you will pay the price, Sylph! Now, fight me seriously!”

 

Leafa responds, strongly, “Well, here I am!” Flare then charges right at Leafa and Leafa prepares to use her sword, only held in her right hand, to block Flare’s sword.

 

Haruka asks, “What’s she doing?”

 

Tomoe says, “If she blocks that sword, she’ll get hit with a flame attack!” What few see is Leafa using her left hand to call her player menu and when Leafa blocks the sword, she gets engulfed in flames, but Flare’s sword is knocked out of her hands by Leafa using a sword similar to her typical katana in her left hand! With a strong battle yell, Leafa then puts her TWO swords side by side and unleashes rapid series of kendo style strikes with both swords!

 

Many of the others are shocked and Lisbeth asks, stunned, “She’s Duel Wielding?!”

 

Leafa says, with a serious tone, “You wanted the strength that I used to defeat General Eugene! Well, here it is!” Leafa’s two sword then start to glow, showing the start of a Sword Skill, and she yells out, “Starlight Edge!” Leafa then uses rapid fast kendo style slash attacks with both swords together in unison for the first seven attacks and for the eighth and final attack, Leafa slashes Flare with both swords at once in ‘X’ formation hitting Flare at the exact same moment in which Flare grunt as her HP gauge hits zero and she explodes into red flames leaving only a red flame behind of herself.

 

Sigurd sees this and he yells out, stunned, “No way!”

 

“Starburst Stream!”

  ;

Sigurd then roar out as Kirito unleashes the same classic 16 hit Duel Wielding Sword Skill combo that he used in SAO so many times and Sigurd then explodes into green flames leaving a green flame behind when his HP drops to zero.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ ends)

 

Makoto says, with a grin, “They did it!”

 

Lisbeth says, with a smirk, “Not surprising, Mako-chan.”

 

Strea yells out, “Great job, Kirito!”

 

Yui calls out, “You were wonderful, daddy!”

 

Miyako asks, looking at the flames, “What happened to them?”

 

Kendo tells Miyako, “Those are ‘End Flames’. When a player ‘dies’ here, they turn into those flames and remain that way for sixty seconds. They can still hear and see what we are doing, but they can’t do anything. After a minute, they are revived in their home territory.”

 

Haruka says, “And if they are exiles like Sigurd, they are then booted out to the next neutral village or town.”

 

Leafa shouts out, “But if you use a revival item or spell, they can be restored right here and now.” Leafa looks at the Sailor Scouts and she makes a nod in which Mizuno, Minako, Hino, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna race over, draw their weapons, and Michiru uses a revival spell in which the red flames turn into Flare and the green flames turn into Sigurd. When they regain their senses, they find Leafa and the Sailor Scouts, minus Usagi, with their weapons on them. Leafa tells Flare, “Shall we go into round two or shall we call it a day?”

 

Flare says, extending her wings, “Fine, Sylph, but this isn’t over!”

 

Flare then takes off into the distance and Sigurd shouts out, “Hey!” He then yelps as Haruka’s sword is around his neck.

 

Haruka asks, with a deadly glare, “You got anything else to add traitor?”

 

Makoto says, with a sneer, “Get out of our sight, so, we can enjoy a day with our friends.”

 

Sigurd extends his wings and he yells out, “This isn’t over, Leafa! You will pay!”

 

Sigurd then flies away and Hino says, with a snarl, “Sore loser.”

 

Dai tells Hino, “What do you expect from power hungry jerks like him?”

 

Hino says, with a nod, “Good point, Dai.”

 

Soon after, the group puts away their weapons with Kirito giving Usagi’s swords back to our Moon Princess and he says, “Thanks, Usagi.”

 

Usagi responds, with a smile, “No problem, Kirito.”

 

Leafa says, rubbing her head, “Sorry about that guys.”

 

Philia says, “It’s all right, Leafa.”

 

Silica says, with a smile, “You were just awesome out there even better than before!”

 

Yamato says, “Not to open any wounds, but she does have actual combat experience.”

 

Haruka says, “Same with us.”

 

Asuna asks Leafa, “Leafa-chan, when did you use Duel Wielding?”

 

Leafa responds, a bit nervously, “It happened after I returned to ALO for the first time and I had looked to see much of the stuff that I had gained in SAO displayed on my menu, but I was shocked to find in my skill set that I had Duel Wielding and while I’m not at the ‘level’ of big brother, I had a few skills that Duel Wielding had.”

 

Lisbeth asks, “Wait? You come back to ALO and find out that you have the Duel Wielding Sword Skill?”

 

Usagi says, “Leafa told me back in the Moon Kingdom a few days ago.”

 

There are gasps of shock and Leafa says, “I couldn’t believe it and in fact, I went to Usagi’s friends about it.”

 

Mizuno says, “We think that since she used two swords at the final battle with Kayaba, she had somehow gained the Duel Wielding Sword Skill which has become part of ALO. The people at RCT Progress did kind of rush job to get the Sword Skills to be a part of ALO while making sure that they didn’t import any of the ‘bad stuff’ from SAO.”

 

Kirito asks, “But that Sword Skill…?”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “That’s my special Duel Wielding OSS: Starlight Edge.”

 

Klein asks, “OSS?”

 

Izumi says, “Original Sword Skill. When they added Sword Skills into ALO, they also added a system to allow players to create their own sword skills.”

 

There are gasps and Miyako asks, stunned, “Players creating their own Sword Skills?”

 

Kendo says, “That’s right, but the system only accepts skills that meet requirements of speed, combo, and execution requirements and the players have to make the skill WITHOUT help from the system itself.”

 

There are more gasps and Taichi shouts out, “You have got to be kidding me! It shouldn’t be possible since without the system assisting you! We should know that kind of thing.”

 

Haruka says, “You are right, Taichi. However, players have found a way to create a ton of new sword skills for all types of weapons.”

 

The SAO survivors in the group are amazed and Philia says, amazed, “Incredible.”

 

Minako says, with a grin, “It is why our Leafa-chan is now so famous. She created her own eight hit Duel Wielding combo which only she and her brother have the Duel Wielding Sword Skill and only Usagi and Dai are the only ones other than them that can use Duel Wielding.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Well, it wasn’t easy. It took me a lot of tries to get everything just right to create Starlight Edge.”

  Kirito says, with a nod, “I bet, Leafa. It would be hard enough to create a one to four hit Sword Skill, but anything five hit or beyond takes out of speed, skill, and excellent execution down to the letter.”

 

Hino says, “Yeah, no kidding. It is the reason that Leafa has become so famous in which her 8 hit OSS is the Original Sword Skill with the highest number of hits through I hear that someone has a Two-Handed Original Sword Skill with just as much hits.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Yeah, I heard: General Eugene and his Volcanic Blazer.”

 

Klein says, “Wow. There is a lot of new stuff that we have to learn here. Not only is there magic and learning on how to fly, but we have to deal with Sword Skills that could be off the chain.”

 

Agil says, with a smile, “No kidding.”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “I like it.”

 

Usagi says, with a smile, “I’m not surprised, Kirito.”

 

Lisbeth says, with a nod, “You got that right, Usagi.”

 

Taichi asks, with a grin, “Well, what are we waiting for?” Soon enough, the SAO survivors in the group start their lessons on learning how to fly in ALO.

 

April 11, 2025, ALO, Alne

 

Within the city of Alne, our heroes and heroines walk through the streets of Alne and they explore around with Leafa, Dai, and Akari being the main tour guides for the city. After a while of practice, our group decides to take a breather due to the ‘mess’ caused by Flare’s and Sigurd’s attack and take a tour of the FORMER capital of Alfheim. You see, after the ‘reboot’, there was a brand new city in the World Tree, Yggdrasil City, in which half of the population of Alne migrated there.

 

Philia says, amazed, “This place is amazing.”

 

Miyako says, with a nod, “I’ll see, Philia.”

 

Minako says, with a grin, “Wait till you see Yggdrasil City.”

 

Kirito asks, “That’s the new place added to ALO right?”

 

Mamoru says, “That’s right.”

 

Haruka says, “After it was found out that the original ‘Grand Quest’ was a big fake and not wanting to have the World Tree turn into just ‘scenery’, they replaced what Sigurd had up there with Yggdrasil City. Already half of the population of Alne has moved there.”

 

Lisbeth asks, surprised, “Already?”

 

Michiru says, with a smile, “Nice city. New chances for ‘merchant players’ to advance.”

 

Makoto says, “It is also said that they have some awesome new player houses up there.”

 

Asuna asks, curiously, “Really?”

 

Sam asks Dai and Akari, “Anyway, this is where you live?”

 

Dai says, with a nod, “Yeah.”

 

Akari says, “Dai-kun lives in Alne because despite him being a Salamander, he doesn’t follow the current leader of the Salamanders.”

 

Dai says, looking at Klein and Hino, “I’m sure that these two can tell you that guy is a real jerk.”

 

Hino says, plainly, “Got that right.”

 

Michiru says, “Hino is technically a renegade, a player that has left or been banished from their home lands, but she is highly regarded by the other ‘player nations’ for her opposition to the leadership of the Salamanders.”

 

Haruka says, “And this is where Hino makes her home here in ALO.”

 

Akari says, “Dai-kun does the same and so do I, but I return back to the Undine homeland from time to time.”

 

Silica says, amazed, “It is amazing.”

 

Philia says, nodding her head, “I’ll say, Silica.”

 

Sinon says, plainly, “I’ve got to admit that it is quite incredible.”

 

Usagi says, with a smile, “Yes, it is.”

 

Minako says, “Anyway, let’s give you the tour and see if we can get the best possible weapons and equipment.”

 

Kirito says, “Yeah, I don’t think that we can keep up with just our starter equipment especially since this is a skill based game and not a level based game.”

 

Asuna says, nodding her head, “I agree, Kirito-kun.”

 

Klein asks, “Well, what are we waiting for?” The group then heads off into Alne to find weapons and equipment shops in order get better equipment for the members of their group that just started playing ALO.

 

April 12, 2025, ALO, Butterfly Valley

 

At Butterfly Valley, our group is assembled together to start the first lesson of flying for the SAO survivors of the group that wasn’t part of ALO. Today, after scouting out the area to make sure that there are no ‘surprises’, the group prepares for their first lesson in Voluntary Flight, the way of flying without using the control stick.

 

Makoto says, “This time, we won’t be interrupted.”

 

Leafa says, “That’s good.” Leafa tells Kirito, “Sorry about that.”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “No problem, Leafa. We learned quite a bit about ALO from that experience.”

 

Lisbeth says, “Yeah, no kidding.”

 

Silica says, with a smile, “You were just incredible out there.”

 

Leafa says, a bit nervously, “Yeah, thanks.”

 

Klein says, with a grin, “Man, you and Kirito have to be siblings! That Sword Skill was awesome!”

 

Hino says, “Well, Klein, remember that creating an OSS isn’t easy.”

 

Makoto says, “No joke! You have to remember that you can’t use the system to help.”

 

Asuna says, “Normally that shouldn’t be possible.”

 

Kirito says, “True, Asuna. However, I think that experiences in a Full-Dive environment may be the cause of it. You have it also remember that with her over a year of experience in a Full-Dive herself, Sugu is also expert in kendo, which gives her incredible focus and concentration which are vital especially in a VRMMO like this one.”

 

Agil says, with a nod, “That’s a good point, Kirito.”

 

Haruka says, “That isn’t surprising. Since ALO is a skill based game, Leafa’s ability have allowed her to go beyond even other ALO players that have more hours than her. We’ve always suspected that she has massive ‘real world ability’ since she defeated opponents that have more time in ALO than she does. It is the reason that she is known as one of the Five Great Sylphs like Makoto and I.”

 

Makoto says, with a grin, “And how she is the newest member of the Great Nymphs of ALO.”

 

Leafa asks, with a nervous smile, “Can we change the subject now?”

 

Usagi says, deciding to help in changing the subject, “Anyway, you said that this is a perfect place to start Voluntary Flight training.”

 

Sara says, “I don’t know about this. This is a really hard technique to learn. I mean, there are plenty of ALO players that have been here since the start and they still are stuck using the control stick.”

 

Kido says, with a nod, “No joke. It took us what seemed like forever.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Something tells me that with a bit of work that these guys and gals will get it.”

 

Strea says, activating her wings and floating up, “Well, it isn’t too hard for me.”

 

Yui flies over and she says, “It is because that you are like me, Strea. Since we are ‘virtual beings’, we manage to adapt to the ‘rules’ of our ‘environment’ quite quickly.”

 

Leafa tells Kirito, “Okay, Kirito, turn around and activate your wings, but don’t bring out your controller.”

 

Kirito says, with a nod, “Okay.” After Kirito turns to have his back face Leafa, his wings spread out and Leafa then touches his back.

 

Leafa asks, “Do you feel where I’m touching you?” When Kirito nods his head, Leafa says, “You see, you can’t just use your imagination. You have to ‘believe’ that there are virtual bones and muscles that are connected from your back to the wings and move them.”

 

Kirito says, with a nod, “Right, Leafa. Virtual bones and muscles…” Kirito then grunt as he focuses on the areas of shoulders and back in which his wings, which are in the resting position, twitch and start to move and twitch into ‘in use’ position.

 

Silica says, amazed, “Your wings…!!”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “That’s right! Okay, you need to focus on your shoulders and back until you find which muscles and bones are connected your wings!”

 

Kirito says, with a nod, “Gotcha!” Kirito then continues to focus until his wings are in the ‘upright position’ and when she feels that he is ready, Leafa gives him a push.

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Go!” Kirito yelps out as he rockets into the sky, but then gets nervous as he starts to fly out of control and Kirito is circling around in the air flying in the form of an infinity sign.

 

Kirito wails out, “How do I make it stop…?” Leafa and plenty of the others look at each other and then they start to burst out laughing.

 

Yui says, chortling in amusement, “I’m sorry, daddy!”

 

Leafa shouts out, as she fully out laughs at the situation, “That’s hilarious!”

 

Asuna says, with a giggle, “I’m…I’m sorry, Kirito-kun!”

 

Lisbeth asks, with a giggle, “Is that some kind of new ‘aerial dance craze’?”

 

Usagi rubs her head, nervously, and she thinks, nervously, “You wouldn’t think so if you were the one on the situation.”

 

Dai asks, nervously, “You know, with the flight restrictions gone, he is going to keep doing that all day if no one helps him, right?” After getting the giggles out of her system, Leafa, along with Usagi, stop Kirito’s wild flight and after some time and help, Kirito is flying pretty well now.

 

He flies around gracefully and Yui says, excitedly, “Wow, papa!”

 

Silica says, amazed, “Wow, Kirito!”

 

Dai says, with a grin, “The dude is a natural!” Plenty of the others can’t help to nod in agreement with Dai.

 

Leafa says, floating around with a smile, “You are doing great, Kirito.”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “Thanks, Sugu.”

 

Klein says, with a smirk, “I taught him everything he knows.” Lisbeth gab’s Klein in the waist with her elbow while Leafa goes over to Usagi.

 

Leafa tells Usagi, with a smile, “Ready to go, sis?”

 

Usagi asks, surprised, “Me?”

 

Leafa retorts, with a sly sarcastic tone, “Do you know anyone else that’s my ‘royal sister’?”

 

Usagi looks at Mamoru and he tells her, with a warm smile, “I’m right here, Meatball Head. And it is okay.” Usagi gives a nod of her head and she extends her fairy wings in which she struggles into the air, but when she starts to fall, Leafa grabs her hand.

 

Leafa says, “Whoa there!”

 

Mamoru extends his wings, flies up to Usagi, puts his hands on her shoulders, and he says, with a smile, “One step at a time, Usagi.”

 

Usagi says, with a nod, “Right.” Usagi then starts to practice to fly WITHOUT using the flight controller in which Kirito floats over to Asuna and extends his hand.

 

Kirito asks Asuna, with a grin, “Ready, Asuna?”

 

Asuna says, nervously, “Well…”

 

Yui tells Asuna, “Don’t worry, mama! Papa is right here!”

 

Asuna says, with a nod, “Yes, you are right, Yui-chan.” Asuna extends her wings and takes Kirito’s hands causing a twitch of Lisbeth’s and Silica’s eyebrows as Asuna and Usagi start their lesson through they are quite unsteady at first.

 

Strea shouts out, excitedly, “Who’s next?!”

 

Miyako says, “Whoa! Whoa! We have to take one step at a time!”

 

Strea says, with a giggle, “It will be okay! You have me to help you!”

 

Taichi says, nervously, “I’m not sure that it is reassuring, Strea.”

 

Strea tells Silica, “How about you, Silica-chan?”

 

Silica says, nervously, “Me?!” Silica starts to walk away until Strea traps her by the end of the cliff and Silica says, nervously, “Wait, Strea…!!”

 

However, Silica doesn’t get the chance to say anymore as Strea shouts out, “Off you go, Silica-chan!” Silica yelps as she is pushed off with Pina, Dai, and Akari diving after her and after Dai and Akari extend their wings, they catch Silica mere inches from the ground in which Silica breathes a sigh of relief.

 

After seeing this, plenty of the others ‘deadpan’ and Yui says, with a solemn sigh, “Oh, Strea…”

 

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, “Strea wouldn’t be who she is if she wasn’t like that.”

 

Asuna says, with a nervous smile and nod of her head, “I have to agree Kirito-kun.” After Dai and Akari bring Silica back up to the others, they continue on with the lesson at a slow pace and the new players to ALO start to learn how to float/fly without the use of the flight controller in which some are doing better than others. Later on, Leafa is looking onto the distance and looking all of ALO that she can see from air in the area that she and the others that they are in. Just then Kirito, Mamoru, Asuna, and Usagi fly up to Leafa with Mamoru and Kirito helping Usagi and Asuna since they are still unsteady.

 

Kirito asks Leafa, “What’s up?”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Just sightseeing, big brother.”

 

Usagi says, looking around, “It is very beautiful.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Yes, it is.” Leafa says, with a sigh, “Over a year ago, you wouldn’t catch me dead in a VRMMO and now…” Leafa says, with a sigh and solemn tone, “HE could have created an incredible ‘new world’. ALO is testament to that.”

 

Asuna says, nodding her head, “I agree.”

 

Leafa says, with a sigh and plain tone, “Instead, he took that ‘dream’…that ‘new world’ and turned it into a living hellish nightmare. It could have destroyed ‘worlds’ like these and they are still in danger. Even with the Amusphere and Sugou’s plans for ALO not taking place, people are still afraid and doubtful. These ‘worlds’ are under a ‘shadow’.”

 

Kirito says, with a nod, “You’re right, Leafa.”

 

Leafa says, solemnly, “If anything like SAO happens again…”

 

Mamoru tells Leafa, “It won’t happen again.”

 

Leafa and Usagi look at Mamoru and Kirito says, with a nod, “Mamoru is right. We won’t let it happen again and we can help ALO and other VRMMO leave the ‘shadow of SAO’.”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “How?”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “We’re already doing it.” Kirito looks at the others and when the others do so, they see the ‘flight lesson’ still going on. Kirito then says, “We are not letting SAO rule our lives and coming back into this world. The legacy of Full-Dive and VRMMO will not be in the ‘hands’ of Kayaba and SAO as long as we don’t allow it.”

 

Mamoru says, nodding his head in agreement, “Kirito is right. As long as we remember, but not let it rule us, we can help ‘move on’ beyond SAO.” Usagi gives Mamoru a warm smile.

 

Lisbeth shouts out, excitedly, “Hey, love birds! Let’s go already! I want to start our first quest already!”

 

Asuna says, with a smile, “Coming, Liz!”

 

As they start to float down, Leafa thinks in her mind, “Look at me. Talking about preventing VRMMO from being destroyed when I tried to destroy them when I let my darkness take over. Do I really deserve a ‘second chance’ after all that I did? Do I have the right to enjoy this kind of incredible world when I tried to destroy them?” Leafa looks at her brother, ‘royal sister’, and all of her friends and she thinks, with a warm smile, “I…I’m still not sure, but maybe…just maybe…I can…and no matter what, I will help them have a ‘world’ that they can enjoy. And maybe…one day…I will get new wings to fly even higher.” Leafa then joins the others as the SAO survivors of their group prepare to tackle their first quests in ALO together.

 

The End…For Now

 

Well, this tells the story of what happened when Suguha/Leafa first returned to ALO after coming back from SAO and recovery after Hollow Fragment and before the start of World’s Song. It is the reason why this one-shot is so long. I wanted to make sure that I get the details right to match the progression of my two fanfictions’ stories. I believe that I did a good job, folks. Okay, everyone, read and review to tell me what you think, but please no flames! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!