A week passed since Lucy's outburst. She decided to become more reserved about her feelings. It felt different because it was Lucy. Akari became more silent. She wouldn't speak to me as usual about every little detail she could sense. Her absence should be making me relieved, not itching to hear her shout at my ear.
With Lucy's crisis came with sleepless nights. She wanted the bed to herself. She'd cry in her sleep. So instead, I've been on SAO more. When I need to sleep, I log in and take a rest. It sort of worked but I wanted to sleep in the real world.
"Too slow!"
I quickly swished my sword against the black and white sword. Sparks against our swords clashing flew. I picked out my kunai only for Asugaya to flick it out my hand. My
Sword flew out of my grip and dove right into the lake nearby. I slowly walked to the lake bank to grab it before it flows away and eventually disappears.
"Hey, Raito, is there something wrong? You don't normally space out in a fight. Everything all good there?" Asugaya leaned against his sword slightly.
"Um...yeah, nothing's wrong." I waded into the river and picked up my sword.
We were in Coral Village in by the lake. Not far by Rogue's house. Asugaya and I decided to practice our skills in a duel while Rogue had to lead the clearers to beat the boss on floor 70. Clearly, he knew I wasn't it taking it seriously. How could I? How could I take this game seriously when Lucy isn't okay nor Akari? I couldn't find myself to ignore it.
I sheath my sword back and got back to the dry surface my haori got all wet so I took it off and let my light gray shirt and breastplate show.
I sat on the grass, defeated by my conflict. It was a lot for me as well. Asugaya imitated and took of his coat and let his white shirt exposed.
"You don't have to answer this." He was the only person who could probably care, "Do you think the real world is too much at times?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" he mumbled.
I gathered and attempted to build out what I was exactly going to say. It did, in a way, did not make any sense. But if I say it in a manner that both of us get, otherwise it would be a labyrinth of words.
I rested my chin on my knees and blurted, "In real life, do you think what happens there is sometimes out of our control. So we go here because we have that power to control it?"
He went to a long thought and laid down by the pleasantly scented grass. It was warm in Aincrad. The sun was high and there were only a few people by the lake fishing. He sat bolt upright and shrugged.
"I can't give you a good answer. But..." he sat with his legs crossed and hands behind him with the same nervous grin he gave back when we first met, "My dad would tell me loads about the real world and virtual world. He used to play VRMMORPGs back in the day. But he said, 'Even if we make a world that we believe lives could escape, they eventually get trapped in the world they build, and slowly but surely, they can't control this paradise they aspired to create or figure out what's real or not.'."
I playfully put my arm around his shoulder and laughed, "Gee, your dad's pretty wise."
He exchanged a toothy grin and focused on the lush grass. He pulls out a blade and fiddles with another one. Asugaya could act like a child at times. But I've done a few quests with him to know he was serious when the situation meant so.
"How about your father." He suddenly spoke, "He must be as cool as mine perhaps?"
"He died." I blankly told him, "Only after a few hours after I was born."
"Holy shit," he mumbled to himself, "I didn't know, so sorry about that."
"Nah, don't be. I didn't know about him much but from my brother and sister. They said he was a huge nerd. So huge, he decided to name my sister after an anime character."
"You ain't kidding?!" He giggled loudly.
I felt a bit better talking to Asugaya. His company actually was nice to have. His black colored eye and light brown eye were a marvel to me and many players. He has gained the name "The Two Eye Colored Swordsman" for it. I wasn't going to my guild as much as before. Me and him the entire week went on quests sluggishly went to level 47 and 50 respectively.
Still, Akari made me anxious. I check my menu to see if she logged in without telling me. She wasn't there. I've been leaving messages and calls on her phone. None of them seem to receive a response. I shut my menu and put back my haori that was now dry.
"Dude," he began, "any ideas on quests we could do?"
I tried recalling the quests we have done. Tuesday, we fought the ice ogre on floor 15 and stopped a village from being raided and suffering from hypothermia. Wednesday, we infiltrated a hydra cave, a beast that doubles heads once one of its heads are slain, and created Hydra mail with the scales it shed. Thursday we did a guild request from a player who had their sword and items stolen by a troll guild and Friday, we met up with Rogue and helped her find an S class ingredient for a stew that I wish I knew how to make for real.
I was getting somewhat exhausted from all the tasks we've done.
"I know," I put my hands together as if thanking some invisible meal, "let's head to my friend Shylock. He owns a blacksmith shop on the 54th floor. He might need some materials, he doesn't do fights on his own so we do the searching whilst he does the crafting."
Asugaya sighs in boredom but I help him get up, "Come on, he might pay us handsomely. I got 5,000 Col from the guy just by obtaining some rare iron for him."
"Okay, fine." He reluctantly agreed, "But there's this quest I wanna do some time. I'll tell you about it later."
We walk away from the lake and went to the teleport to Mare. Back home. I wasn't active as much in the guild these days. Akari hasn't been online so I don't really do requests that much. I was planning maybe transferring guilds. Not KoB of course but maybe a more active guild than Dragon Fang. I asked Asugaya if he was a part of a guild. He shook his head.
"I'm not fond of guilds that much." He groaned, "I'm more of a solo player. I don't like being around other players a lot much."
"Oh." I give him a sly smirk, "Is that so? So tell me, Asugaya, what are you doing now? Partying up with someone?"
He blushed idiotically behind me and paced up as soon he heard my sarcastic comment. He blushed and crossed his arms, "I'm just teaming up with you cause Akari ain't around and I was...bored, I guess."
"Brother, you sure are a hypocrite."
"HEY QUIT IT!"
I skidded to a halt as I heard a shriek. Asugaya caught up just right beside me. The shout came from an alleyway up ahead. His eyes both changed to a light green color, a sign he was using a sight or search skills.
He whistled, "I got a bad feeling about this. Get a kunai ready."
The light tension changed. He wouldn't tell me to grab my kunai for fun. I brought out a paralyzing kunai and followed Asugaya's lead. We galloped up the alleyway and saw two guy players with real heavy armor. One wielded the mace and another, the spear. They were surrounding a girl.
"Come on, why don't you strip down all that armor of yours." the deep voice of the mace wielder pleaded.
"Wait, what the hell?!" Me and Asugaya retorted in unison.
I threw the kunai at the mace wielder and it hits by his arm. He drops his mace and screams curses constantly. He notices us and so does the spear holder. The spear holder casts his spear towards Asugaya. I bring out my sword and rush in front of my friend and deflect it, almost close to hitting his face.
"What's the big idea, punk?" The spear holder angrily growled.
"You folks trying to harass a girl is the big idea!" I snapped.
"Alright, then, you bitch!" He materializes a dagger, "Come at me!"
He rushes with his rusted dagger and I come at him full speed with my sword. All my anger and disgust to my sword's swing. It wasn't enough. We had our weapons against each other. I sneak my hand on my pouch to grab a shuriken.
"Why the hell are you butting in?" He hissed, "Don't you know to mind your own business?"
I dropped my shuriken upon hearing it. Something inside me told me to let it go. He was right. I couldn't tell if I gasped as soon as he said that.
"Asugaya, could you switch with me?!" I hollered back at him. But there he was, standing stupidly. His eyes were now full of terror. I could see his expression stiffen. He was trembling as well.
"Asugaya!"
Foolishly, I let my guard down. He successfully slashed my left arm and I tumbled down. I couldn't continue. Instead of all my emotions being used onto that sword. It backfired and hit me, physically and emotionally.
What could I do, Lucy?
I aimlessly attempted to throw another kunai. I fail to hit and fell face on the ground. Allowing back to be exposed.
The sudden flash of colors caught me. The man was now terrified for his life. The flashes continue to slash the player. Who had red markings on his entire body. It horrifyingly reminded me of Misotofu.
I saw Rogue, fury in her eyes. Her hair wasn't tied like the usual, it was down. The way her hair moved and sword were graceful. I was in awe. She says some things to the guys, I couldn't quite catch them. They fled off and the girl still in shock.
Rogue held Asugaya around her back, who now passed out and helping me get up, on the verge of passing out as wells.
I told her that I had a friend nearby who could help us. She nods and follows me who was tumbling at every footstep. As I was running, I saw tears in her eyes. She held Asugaya's hand for dear life as he hung by her back.