Sword Art Online: Regeneration

10:

     Shylock puts his hand on Asugaya's forehead. Me and Rogue were sitting on cushions by the chabudai with cups of tea placed on it.

     Shylock, a black haired guy about his late twenties. Stubs of his mustache are visible. He was scrawny despite being old. He wore a long sleeved buttoned shirt with work pants and a leather apron full of dirt. His appearance looked messy considering he was creating and fixing weapons. He sold and pawned as well. He loved to manipulate people by selling items way more expensive than they should be or telling tall tales how the material that composed the weapon is way more common than the client thinks. Picture him as Boo Radley had a business in scamming people.

     "He just passed out, right?" Shylock questioned Rogue. She nodded and took a sip of her green tea, "He'll be fine, it seems like it wasn't serious."

     Rogue bowed politely and thanked my friend gratefully.

     Shylock shook his hands frivolously. He scratched his head from the flatter.

     "I'll get back to work. Raito," He snickered, "back to scamming people."

     "What?" Rogue wondered. I shrugged, not wanting her to get involved too. KoB were definitely like the cops. Here and in the real world, I was terrified of cops. Especially KoB.

     We were left there upstairs of his home. Asugaya took his bed while me and Rogue occupied his table. Rogue looks at my friend with a soft smile. But the the warm smile turns to a look of gloom. She proceeds to drink her tea.

     "KoB took care of those players that were harassing that girl. It bugs me a lot how there's been a sudden spike of these troll guilds." She described, "KoB has been in charged with taking care of them lately. Rumors speculated that White Reaper May have something to do with this, but we can't assume without a solid evidence just yet."

     "I took a job with Asugaya a few days ago," I replied, "I remembered that guild we confronted, Laughing Coffin, I think?"

     "Laughing Coffin?!" She gasped, nearly spitting her tea. Her eyes were pure of horror, just like Asugaya. The room felt cold when she froze to let that name sink in.

     "You know them?" I asked her, she nodded with misfortune and sighed.

     "I used to play SAO." She looked at me with total seriousness, a chill came to me, "I'm a survivor. They were a murder guild back then. PKing players for mostly irrational or no reasons. We had to wipe them clean a couple of times but seems like every time we wipe them out, they keep coming coming back. They've even had spies in KoB.

     "I joined the original KoB twenty years ago. My life was always on the line, especially with them sneaking about and being a front liner."

     "We caught one of them stealing items from a student player I was familiar with IRL." I quietly spoke, "We tried asking intel on their guild with threatening but they teleported."

     Here I was, talking to an SAO survivor. A person who has experienced the real thing with their own eyes. Who has been trapped for two years in the hell called Aincrad. It amazed me how she wasn't afraid to open and give this game a try once again. I was amazed by how she did play though, her swords skills, her authority in this world. She was strong.

     "I should've thanked you earlier. You always look out for us. ありがとございます." I greeted respectfully.

     "Woah, you speak Japanese?"

     "A bit. My family is Japanese. In fact, my dad was an SAO survivor."

     Rogue's soft smile returned and giggled with finesse, "Do you know his name in game? I might know who he is."

     Just as I was about to say my father's real name, not knowing his game name, Asugaya rose out of the bed with his hand on his head. I rushed to him and so did Rogue. He looked around and asked where he was. I said he was in Shylock's house and didn't mind.

     "Rogue," he called out, "I saw them, I saw Laughing Coffin. I—I..." tears bursted out of his colorful eyes, "I was afraid. I'm sorry..." he wailed.

     Rogue sat on the bed and combed his chestnut hair, "It's alright. Don't worry about it." She soothes him as she continues to caress his head.

     "Raito..." Asugaya mumbles as his cry was messing with his speech, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I was useless. I just let them beat you up."

"No worry, bro." I assured him, "They were intimidating after all. It's fine." I didn't know what else to say but comfort. It was what I've always did, even in the real world.

We stayed there for the night. Shylock insisted we stay at his place instead of strolling out back to guild. He was fine with sleeping on a chair. He laid futons for both of us right beside Asugaya. Me and Rogue laid down beside each other, a few feet apart. Asugaya went back to sleep. Fortunately, his temperature stabilized the entire night.

I was sleepless. I didn't have any idea why I was. I tossed and turn to attempt to drowse myself but I fail to do so. Perhaps it was because of Lucy and Akari, in the back of my mind, it was still there. I wanted to hold my sister's hand and say something—talk to her. I want to find Akari and know why she hasn't been coming to school that much. Most of all, I want to find closure in this Laughing Coffin guild. Somehow, despite SAO not a death game anymore, it terrified me that there are people out there who want to bring it back. To bring back killing players both inside and real.

It was definitely because of Lucy and Akari.

"Raito?" Rogue whispered, "You okay over there?" I turned to Rogue. Her eyes reflected by the moonlight, it shined bright blue like the Sea Phoenix. I nod lightly but I knew lying wasn't gonna help now.

"You sure don't seem fine. It's okay, what's wrong?" She asked

"I don't know." I admitted, "I don't know if I'm alright. I know it's personal and we aren't suppose to talk about our real lives but do you have any siblings?"

She turned her head sidewards to face me and nodded gently, "I do, I have an older brother. We aren't that really close but why ask?"

"I have an older sister. We're kinda close. Sometimes she is more of a mom than my actual one. She's great and all but, it bothers me that I can't do anything for her. I'm only fourteen but what do I know?"

"Older siblings tend to keep to themselves. It's a nature. They don't want to show weakness. They don't want others to see them fail because people would judge them. They want to be known as the better or superior one. It's unfortunate as they carry a burden much bigger than the rest. Parents expect more from them. Back then, I'd envy only children. Now, it's a strength. They can be assholes at times but they can be wise, they can be compassionate, they care. They can be weak too."

What she said soothed me. I'm not sure what of her advice did. Was it the advice itself? Was it the way she delivered it? I wasn't too sure. It was like Lucy's way of talking. A warmth inside me started. I gave her a thankful look with my eyes.

She took my hand with her right. It was warm. I felt mine which was freezing, however she didn't flinch. She just continued to grin at me. She closed her eyes, preparing to go to bed.

"I've never told anyone my name in game. But if you promise never to tell anyone, I will." She mumbled as she bundled herself in a blanket. I nod with the agreement, wanting to know now.

She went closer, and reached for my ear with her head. She whispers a name. A name I wasn't familiar with. It felt like I did but no, I had no memory of such a name being uttered to me by my family or friends. It was a beautiful one, a unique one to my ears.

Asuna Yuuki...