Leafa:Watch out Kirito!You'll hit the barrier!
Kirito hit the invisible barrier and kept trying to break through it.Until I pulled him away.
Kirito:Get the hell off me!
Maverick:Snap out of it!That barrier is not gonna break so save your breath!You can't go any higher!
Kirito:I have to!I have to try!
Yui:Mommy!I'm here Mommy!....Mommy!
Kirito pushed me off and kept trying to go through the barrier.
Kirito:Damnit!Why can't I pass through?!
I grabbed Kirito by the collar and slammed him into the barrier.
Leafa:Maverick?!
Maverick:Get ahold of yourself and calm the hell down!The last thing we need is you drawing attention because of your stupidity!
Kirito grunted and sighed as I let him go.He took a deep breath and nodded.
Kirito:I.......thanks.
Maverick:It's what i'm here for.We need to keep a level head about this.
After I said that,we saw a card fall from the sky and I caught it as Kirito adjusted his shirt's collar.
Maverick:Why did a card fall from the sky?
Kirito:Leafa,Do you know what this is?
Leafa:No,I haven't seen a item like that before.
Kirito:Hey Maverick,see if you can access it.
I tried accessing the menu on it but I couldn't.
Maverick:I can't access the menu on it.Yui,can you check to see what it is?
Yui:Sure Uncle,give me a sec.
She closed her eyes and held onto the card.
Yui:Let's see.......Ah!It's a system's access card!
Maverick:With a system access card can we access the GM controls?
Yui:No,you need the right console to access the controls.And the way to find it is the system menu but,even I can't link that up,no one can.....
Kirito:Well,how did or where did this come from?
Maverick:From what I can predict,this must've been from Asuna.She probably heard Yui pleas and dropped this.I mean,who else could've dropped this from up there?
Yui:Yes,you are correct!It's from mommy!She must of heard us and dropped it!
Maverick:Hm....
Kirito:What is it,Maverick?
Maverick:Leafa,do you know where the gate is that will lead us into the world tree?
Leafa:Well,the gate is the dome at the base of the tree,but...wait!You're not thinking about going in there?!The biggest raid party couldn't get through!The whole thing is protected by guardians!
Kirito:It doesn't matter,but we have to try.
Kirito looked over to me and smiled.
Leafa:Uh...
I turned back towards Leafa and hugged her.
Leafa:M-Maverick?
Maverick:Leafa,thanks for everything you're a great friend but,we'll be going on our own from here.
Leafa:Maverick...
Kirito:Seriously,thanks,you were a big help.
I pulled back from the hug and flew down with Kirito and Kirito smashed into the ground startling the nearby players.
Maverick:What are you a superhero?Was that really necessary?
Kirito:Maybe I wanted a flashy entrance.
Kirito flashed me a cheeky grin making me chuckle.
Maverick:Heh,alright.
We jumped forward and started flying through the city.
Kirito:Yui,do you know how to get to the dome from here?
Yui:Yes,just go up those stairs and then....
Yui stopped talking and looked a little scared.
Maverick:What's wrong Yui?
Yui:A-are you sure about this uncle,daddy?I'm only asking based on what everyone has told us about the World Tree.Breaking in sounds very hard.
Kirito:We don't have any other choice,besides it's not like we'll die if we fail.
Yui:Yeah....I guess you're right.
Kirito:If I spend another second waiting around doing nothing.I'm gonna lose my mind.
Maverick:Hey.
Kirito:?
Maverick:Were gonna get her back.Count on it.
Kirito:Right.Plus Yui,I know how much you wanna see mommy too.Just as bad as I do.
Yui:.....I do.
We stopped before two giant statues and doors.
Maverick:So,this is it?
Kirito:It seems so.
Guardian Statue:Thou know'st not the heights of heavens and above.Dost thou seek the entrance to thee castle of thee king?
A prompt appeared and Kirito pressed yes.
Kirito:I'm coming Asuna,.....almost there.
Guardian Statue:Go then,prove thou art worthy of flying wings...Prove thou art worthy of flight!
We walked into a large dome area and started to see the guardians come out.
Kirito:Here we go Yui.Keep your head down okay?
Yui:Okay,good luck!
Kirito:Ready Maverick?
Maverick:Ready as i'll ever be.
We flew towards the guardians and started taking them out they were fairly easy to kill without much effort but they had strength in numbers.I looked over and Kirito was swinging wildly trying to force his way up.
Kirito:Damnit!Maverick!They just keep coming!
Maverick:I know!Just hold them off!
Multiple guardians surrounded me and Kirito and shot an arrow storm at us.I was able to deflect my arrows but Kirito took his head on and kept flying upwards.I tried to fly up towards him but multiple guardians got in my way after I disposed of them I looked up only to see Kirito with multiple swords impaling his body.
Kirito:No.....
Then I saw him turn into a flame as I saw his health bar depleted.
Maverick:Kirito!Shit....
More Guardians surrounded me as I sighed.
Maverick:Damnit....this looks like a team wipe run.
???:Maverick!
I looked over to where I heard my name and saw Leafa flying towards me dodging guardians.
Maverick:?!
Leafa:Thank god!You're alright!
Maverick:Leafa?!What the hell are you doing here?!
Leafa:I came to try and convince you to come back!Wait,where's Kirito?
Maverick:He's dead and these Guardians keep coming.
Leafa:He died?Where his flame?
Maverick:Above me.
I pointed to Kirito's flame which was now slowly floating back down.
Leafa:Okay,I can revive him so I'll make a distraction so you can get an open window to fly out,got it?
Maverick:Yeah!
Leafa:Okay,let's go!
Leafa began taking out the guardians as I was able to slip past them and grab Kirito's flame.
Maverick:Got it!Let's go!
We flew towards the exit dodging the Guardian's attacks until we made it out.
Leafa:Alright,just hand his flame over.
I handed Leafa Kirito's flame as she casted a spell and resurrected him.
Kirito:Thank you,Leafa.
Leafa:What were-
Kirito:Promise me you won't do that again,Maverick and I can do this on our own,and I don't want to cause you anymore trouble.
Maverick:Like I said,that won't get you anywhere with you trying to rush past enemies.
Kirito:Sorry,Maverick.
I helped him up and he started walking back towards the dome.
Maverick:Hold up man!
Leafa:Wait,where are you guys going?!You guys can't do this alone!
I stopped Kirito by putting my hand on his shoulder.
Maverick:Hey,our attempt was trash.Maybe,she's right man.
Leafa:You guys know i'm right!
Kirito:I'm going anyway.
Kirito started walking away and I started following him.
Leafa:Wait, are you going with him Maverick?
Maverick:I have to.I'm his friend and there's no other way.We have to do this.Plus,I'm not letting him go and die again.
I started walking again but Leafa called out to me and I stopped Kirito.
Leafa:Please guys just stop!Can't you just please go back to how you were.....I just....you guys mean so much to me.....
Maverick:I'm sorry Leafa,I gotta be there for my friend.
Leafa:W-what?
Kirito:I'm sorry too but,if I don't get up there,nothing will end.I have to see her again...just once...I have to see Asuna again.
Leafa:?!
Maverick:Hm?
Leafa:W-what did you say?
Kirito:Her names Asuna.She's the one i'm looking for.
Leafa looked like her world was turned upside down.
Maverick:Leafa?
Leafa:Bu-but then you're.....Oh my god.....
Maverick:Leafa?What's wrong?
Leafa:Kazuto?
Kirito:?!
Maverick:Wait,how do you know his real name?!
Kirito:S-Sugu?Suguha?
Maverick:Wait!You know her?!
Leafa:I-I need to go!
Maverick:Wait, Leafa!
She quickly logged off and I walked over to Kirito.
Maverick:So,Who was that?
Kirito:That's my sister.
Maverick:That's your sister?!
Kirito:Yes,well,technically no,she's my cousin but we grew up together so she basically my sister.
Maverick:I see,well you better go talk to her I can't imagine what's she's going through even though I don't know why she overreacted like that.
Kirito:Yeah you're right i'll be back.
.....
I sat in my room trying to piece together what I just witnessed when I heard a knock on the door.
Kazuto:Sugu,it's me.
Sugu:What do you want?
Kazuto:Listen it was kind of a shock for me too....And if your mad because i'm using NerveGear again,i'm sorry.I just...I didn't have a choice.
Sugu:..You're wrong,that's not it.
Kazuto:Sugu?
I opened the door which caught him by surprise.
Sugu:Come in.
Kazuto reluctantly came in and sat down next to me on my bed.
Sugu:I'm not mad because you were using NerveGear again,it's just that.....I was in love with you.
Kazuto:Love?But you and me,we're-
Sugu:No were not.
Kazuto:Huh?
Sugu:I said we're not!I....I know you're not really my brother,and i'm not your sister.I've known for the last two years.And that's why you quit kendou isn't it?And why you started avoiding me.It's because you knew the whole time didn't you?
Kazuto:........
Sugu:You pushed me away because i'm not your real sister, didn't you?!
Kazuto:........
Sugu:You did,well if that's how it is....why?!WHY DID YOU CARE ABOUT ME NOW?!
Kazuto looked away and bit his lip.
Sugu:I was so happy when you came back from SAO.I was happy because you were being nice to me again like when I was little.It felt like you were giving me a chance!To be honest,I kinda wish you'd kept being a jerk to me,if you had,maybe I would've forgotten those feelings I had for you.And I wouldn't have been sad when I found out about her.
Kazuto:I'm sorry.....I didn't take your feeling into consideration...
Sugu:I....just need some time to think can you please leave?
Kazuto:Yeah......
Kazuto got up and closed the door on the way out.I didn't really know why but I didn't feel as sad as I thought I would be.Maybe it was because I stopped having feelings for him?Then why does my heart still ache?And who does it ache for?A image of Maverick popped into my head and I started feeling.....warm?
Kazuto:Sugu.
I looked over at the door.
Sugu:What.
Kazuto:It's uh.....
Sugu:Spit it out.
Kazuto:It's Maverick,he wants to talk to you.
Kazuto slightly opened the door and peeked his phone in.
Sugu:Wait,really?
Kazuto:Yeah.
I walked over to the door and took the phone and closed the door.
Sugu:Hello?
Y/N:Hey,are you okay?
Sugu:I'm managing at best.
Y/N:Yeah,sorry about that,I should've told you sooner.
Sugu:It's fine,it's not like you would've known.
Y/N:Listen,are you gonna get back on or stay offline?I won't judge you if you stay offline.
Sugu:I'm gonna get back on.I just.....need some time.
Y/N:Okay,i'll be waiting for you,see you soon,Leafa.
Sugu:Okay.Maverick?
Y/N:Yeah?
Sugu:Thanks.