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Reconfiguration - Chapter One First Draft
-===-
Night descended on the Town of Beginnings like a blanket thrown over a child, the vibrant colors of sunset giving way to an inky black. Stars flickered into view on the faux sky projected onto the ceiling of the first level of the flying castle, the second floor above both tantalizingly close and insurmountably far away.
Torches along the streets sparked to like of their own accord, bathing the city in a warm, gentle glow. The background music loop shifted from its usual boisterous brass and percussion symphony to a gentle piano version of the same song. The roar of activity from the street side vendors quieted to a hum, with only a handful of NPCs still manning the booths. Along the streets NPCs and players mingled, but the two were easy enough to tell apart. The computer controlled cast bounded down the street, full of pleasant small talk. Though a wide range of emotions was present among them, most laugh. Almost all of them smiled.
Almost every player, on the other hand, could only stare into the middle distance, their faces masks of horror and disbelief as they trudged along the city streets.
The knowledge that a mere game had become a struggle of life or death did that to a person.
Though many of their number huddled together in groups of varying size, a single figure wove her way through the throng, tugging at the hem of her cloak's hood to keep her face hidden. She made the choice shortly after the start of the game two weeks ago. After the announcement that inexorably changed the lives of Sword Art Online's ten thousand players. In the few hours after Kayaba explained the rules of the game, at least a dozen players had either vowed to protect her or demanded she join a group of strangers. They ranged from meek to insistent, and in each instance, Asuna Yuuki turned them down as quickly as possible.
Koichirou warned her, the day before she logged in, that players in video games often liked to wear masks. They invented characters to match who they imagined themselves to be, or who they longed to be, masking flaws and living out long held fantasies. In the digital world, he explained, the meek could become powerful, the cowardly could become brave... and often times, people's inner cruelty rose to the surface. Hadn't Diavel cautioned her about player killers when they first signed in? Hadn't Takaharu, the handsome young swordsman she met alongside Diavel, been revealed as a dark haired young girl when Kayaba stripped away the anonymity of their avatars?
Besides, everyone who approached her shared one thing in common: None of them asked what she wanted. Just like the life she'd left behind, the one she'd likely never return to.
And so, Asuna remained solo, ignoring even the increasingly desperate messages from those players she'd started the game with.
Her shoulder slammed hard into a passing NPC, who staggered and muttered an unintelligible curse as the Immortal Object warning appeared over his head. The contact didn't damage Asuna, thanks to the safety zone within the city, but she picked up her pace nonetheless, moving to the side of the road. Players milled around the sides of the street, and she came close enough to hear the latest gossip.
"That guild Fuurinkazan went out this morning and they still haven't come back! They're gone, I just know it!"
"Another guy just up and disappeared today. Think his family just pulled the plug to save themselves the hardship?"
"There's a huge monster guarding the fields to the west, and no one's been able to even hurt it!"
"Kayaba stacked the deck, he knows no one cna beat the game. He's watching us die for his own sick amusement."
Asuna didn't slow down, but that didn't stop a chill from running up her spine.
Only a few players clung to the slightest hint of hope, uttering a name she'd heard since the first day of the game.
Doraku.
The story started small, with a little group of players that called themselves the Moonlit Black Cats. They'd been trying to gain experience around town when a rare mob appeared, hopelessly overpowering them. Before they were killed, another player showed up and defeated the monster single handedly. They'd worn a mask, and the only thing they knew was the name they gave: Doraku.
From there, the legend grew. Doraku was seven feet tall, powerfully strong and lightning fast. They defeated high level mobs with a single swipe of their sword, and would appear whenever a player needed them most. The description and even the gender of Doraku changed with each story, the only unifying theme was that Doraku would save everyone still trapped in the game of death.
Except on the Monument of Life, which listed the names of all ten thousand players in Sword Art Online(and struck through each who died, which now numbered over a thousand), there was no one named Doraku. That didn't stop players from clinging to the belief, advancing the theory that Doraku was a friendly NPC or even a guild, perhaps a single administrator who'd retained access to the game and was trying to help them escape.
Or, as Asuna believed, people had invented Doraku to give the players something to pin their hopes to. She didn't believe they existed, nor that they would save anyone.
She veered off the main thoroughfare and weaved her way through the back streets until she found the small inn she'd called home for the past two weeks. Many other players stayed in the small, centrally located buildings due to their abundance of space and desire to stay close to one another. Hers felt like a small bed and breakfast, with only a handful of rooms and a couple of large common spaces. It was quiet, isolated and, with one irritating exception, the other residents left her alone.
The library made up for a lot of her complaints, however.
It startled her to discover all of the books on the shelves were real, with subjects ranging from the history of Aincrad to the game's subskills, like blacksmithing, tailoring and cooking. She devoured every book on combat she found, moved to the small combat schools that dotted the Town of Beginnings and began to practice the basic Sword Skills that Diavel taught her on that first day.
Tugging open the front door, she kept her head down and offered a brief wave to the older woman behind the counter. Like most service NPCs, she had a few basic conversation routines, but Asuna never bothered to engage. She'd successfully avoided conversations with actual human players, so why waste time with the computer ones?
"Out all day again, A-chan? Did you actually leave the city this time?"
Well, successfully avoided conversation with almost every player, anyway.
"He's asking again, isn't he?"
"Hmmm. What an interesting question! You can expect Big Sister to tell you the answer with payment, can you?"
Asuna had only a brother and no sisters, and if Argo the Rat was any indication of what it would be like, she was grateful for the fact. It wasn't that she disliked Argo. In fact, she was the only reason Asuna could continue to afford the room, as she'd paid it for her after the first week. But like any good businesswoman, she did nothing for free. And for an info broker, she'd gladly trade any piece of information for the right price.
"I heard a few things around town. There are a few people starting up unofficial guilds already. Apparently a lot of people are following a player named Kibaou. Another named Godfree seems to be getting a little following as well."
"Interesting." Argo clasped her hands together, smiling broadly. "Go on."
"There are a few rare mobs that apparently only appear a fair distance away from town. They have higher defenses, but most people have been able to beat them or run away."
"They upgraded that from the beta, then. If people are right, of course."
Asuna's expression softened at that. While she knew very little about video games, she knew the word beta tester had become a dirty word among the other players. That Argo trusted her enough to openly discuss her experience of the beta made Asuna trust her more, in turn.
"And..." Her voice grew softer. "I heard a guild named Fuurinkazan hasn't come back to the city since this morning."
Argo shook her head, flashing Asuna a knowing smile. "Don't worry about them, Big Sis knows their leader. He's earning them a lot of money today."
"I'd ask what you mean, but I don't have the money to--"
"They found something big today. For just a hundred gold, I'd be willing to let A-chan be the first to know!"
Asuna's hand lifted into the air, but stopped before she summoned her menu. It was took late, though... the smug grin on Argo's face already told the info dealer she was intrigued by the offer.
"I could trade you for a few Doraku rumors--"
"Big Sis doesn't deal in fairy tales."
Asuna sighed. "Could you make it seventy five?"
"A-chan is really bad at haggling, but just this once I'll be nice." Argo opened her menu and send something over. Asuna opened her message window and stared at what she saw. It was an almost full map of the first floor, with a single location marked on it.
"Is that...?"
"The labyrinth that leads to the second floor. Kle-bou and his friends found it."
-===-
Asuna spent a few more minutes visiting with Argo as she explained the nature of the labyrinth from the beta and how likely it was that the interior layout had changed. The monsters would be more dangerous inside, a challenge for even the most experienced and powerful players in the game. They haggled a little more, and she managed to stave off Argo from selling her personal information yet again. They even managed a few awkward bits of small talk before Asuna excused herself to finally reach her room.
Before she left, she glanced back at Argo.
"Do you know how many--"
"You really want to know?"
"I need to."
"Fourteen."
When she mounted the stares, a sign revealed the room next to hers was now vacant. She tried not to dwell on how it happened.
Once in her room, she let out a long sigh and unequipped her combat gear and changed into casual clothes. As soon as she did, she fell hard onto the bed. Its well worn, almost paper thin mattress provided little cushioning for the fall, a note of authenticity from a programmer who never imagined players would spend that much time in these early rooms. Yet again, Asuna yearned for her plush bed, with its fluffy pillows and warm comforter. She saw it every time she closed her eyes, down to the faded stain on the right corner where she'd spilled a cup of tea. And each time, she focused on the corner of the bed, where Kuroshiro stood watch.
The little stuffed panda's white fur yellowed with age, the tag attached to one leg frayed and faded to the point of being illegible. He bore the scars of their adventures, numerous scratches marring his glass brown eyes and a single black thread that hung down from his embroidered nose. The curly red ribbon that had been tied around his neck the day she got him remained, the gift tag tucked safely away in a drawer. Even when she grew older and Kuroshiro was no longer he constant traveling companion, he never surrendered his place on the bed. On her worst days she hugged him to her chest and swore she could still smell traces of her grandmother's perfume.
She wished she had him now.
No doubt he still guarded the bed, even if she was no longer there. She hadn't moved him when she laid down on her bed, the bulky helmet of the NerveGear over her head. Kouichirou had moved the computer into her room just before he left on his business trip.
"Just in case you spend more time in the virutal world than you expect to."
Those words still echoed in her mind.
She wondered if they haunted him as well. Perhaps, but she wouldn't be surprised if he pushed the guilt and anger aside. The Yuuki family was almost as skilled in burying their emotions as they were in business. Her brother inherited the same stoic mask her father always wore, and she'd never once seen her mother cry, not even at the funeral for her grandparents.
Asuna had heard her cry before, sometimes sobbing behind the closed doors of her office. Only once did Asuna make the mistake of stepping inside with a thought to comfort her. But Mother only snapped at her, told her to mind her own business. Even though Asuna inherited that reluctance to shed tears, that night she cried herself to sleep.
Did her mother offer the same curt nods and stoic facade when friends and coworkers asked about her? Did she close the door of her study so she could cry in peace? Or did she bemoan Asuna's frivolous notion to play a game, a decision that might well ruin the future she'd so meticulously laid out for her daughter? Kyouko Yuuki had left no detail unattended, from the school she attended to the courses she took and the schedule she kept after school. Even to the man she'd one day marry... though if Aincrad offered her one advantage, it was escaping Sugou's duplicitous personality, and the leers he cast her way when he thought no one was looking.
But would her mother blame Asuna, or Kouichirou? He'd always been the dutiful, perfect son as long as Asuna could remember. The example that, no matter how hard she tried, she could never quite live up to. He had scored higher on the tests than Asuna had, he managed a task around the house better than Asuna could ever hope, he never so much as got a disapproving look from their parents. He always gave them something to brag about.
Yet if he hadn't casually suggested she try Sword Art Online, if he'd just gone on his business trip, both of them would have been spared. It would have still been a tragedy, but a safely distant one. They'd offer a remarks about the fortunate timing on the trip, offer a few sympathetic words to the faceless victims, then carry on with their day.
But he'd given it to Asuna instead, and years of meticulous planning was rendered useless in an instant. And somehow, Asuna worried that was what her mother would care about, more than anything else.
She wasn't sure how long she'd been lying in bed, those negative thoughts circling in her mind when she sat up and opened the message from Argo. She stared at the map a few moments, then rose to her feet and equipped her gear once again and left the room.
She stopped at a weapons vendor and bought a half dozen iron rapiers, exhausting the last of her money. Equipping one, she walked to the town's borders, to the very limits of the protective barrier she'd hidden behind. It wouldn't be an easy journey to the labyrinth, she might well fall in battle before she even reached it. Surely even with the cache of weapons, she'd eventually be disarmed as she faced the hordes within the dungeon. The odds of survival were scant at best.
But, she thought as she crossed the threshold and started her journey, for once it will be the path I choose.
-===-
The cacophony of noises around Asuna made it feel as though the room was closing in on her. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor, the sound of the oxygen mask pumping in air, the constant pages over the intercom... she wanted all of it to go away. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of her grandfather's hand in hers. It had grown weak over the past few years, but had dropped off rapidly after Grandmother died.
She didn't want to remember him like this, connected to so many machines, his warm voice and bright laughter reduced to strained whispers. She wanted to remember sitting next to him on the patio, looking out over the forests and watching the rabbits frolic in the fields, not in this cramped, claustrophobic room.
But she didn't want to leave him alone.
"Your grandmother is already there," he'd said after he first checked into the hospital. "She'll be mad if I keep her waiting too long."
He hadn't said much else since.
But on that day, the weakened hush of his voice broke through the rest of the noise.
"Don't you have better things to do than sit with an old man?"
"I don't want you to be alone, Grandpa."
"I'll never be alone. The woman I love is waiting for me, and I've left a wonderful legacy in this world. Your mother... you and your brother... I'm very proud of all of you."
"Aren't you scared?" Her voice wavered as she spoke.
Somehow, he found the strength to squeeze her hand.
"Death's only frightening if you haven't lived. One day, Asuna, you'll find someone special to share your life with. And then, you won't be scared either."
And those were the last words Asuna's grandfather ever spoke to her.
-===-
As a quartet of Ruin Kobold Troopers stalked toward her, Asuna accepted she would never learn if her grandfather was right.
She'd been sloppy as she descended into the labyrinth, not paying as much attention to her surroundings and the respawn rates of the monsters as she lingered too long in certain areas. Twice before, she'd escaped the battle due to tenacity and a generous helping of luck. But now, with four opponents and no clear escape route, Asuna knew the end had finally come.
Her muscles ached from the strain of her previous battles as she gulped down air, unable to catch her breath. The durability of her rapier was almost depleted and she only had one left in reserve. Despite all of that, she stepped into a fighting stance once more, ready to unleash her Linear sword skill against the nearest Kobold. She'd take out at least two of them before she died.
The kobold struck first, their typical sloppy, wild strikes with their axes. Though exhaustion had started to dull her reflexes, she sidestepped the attack and charged her sword skill. She unleashed the Linear with deadly precision, striking the trooper. One strike, she needed only two more to finish it off.
But the second kobold struck faster than she expected. Still in the brief cooldown from the sword skill, she struggled to swing her rapier to block the attack. However, the weapon shattered into multicolored polygons, finally at the limit of its durability. The axe slammed into Asuna's chest and she flew back into the wall and hit hard.
An alarm klaxon sounded as her health dipped down into the yellow. Her vision blurred as she lifted her hand to open the menu, to equip the last sword in her inventory and at least give her a fighting chance against the kobolds. But the other two slid forward, axes at the ready.
I'm sorry, everyone.
The axes lifted into the air.
Asuna closed her eyes and prepared herself for the end.
It never came.
Instead, Asuna heard pained cries from the kobolds, and as she opened her eyes, the nearest two exploded into polygons before her eyes. The other two spun around to face their new attacker and snarled.
"Come on now, that's no way to treat a lady, is it?"
All Asuna could see at first was what looked like a black and purple blur that zoomed past, a sword lashing out with a series of strikes too fast for the kobolds to counter. The remaining two were dispatched in seconds, the debris of their defeat clearing to reveal the figure that stood behind them.
Given the power of the strikes, she expected a massive, powerfully build warrior. Certainly not the diminutive, slender form that stood with her blade extended. Her long dark purple hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with a mask that covered the lower half of her face. Yet, despite her fearsome appearance and the ease with which she dispatched the four kobolds, something about her eyes put Asuna at ease. They were bright and friendly.
It took her a minute to realize that, even though it was partially hidden by the cloth mask, something was different about his player than any other she'd seen in the game so far. She was smiling.
"You okay?" she asked.
It took Asuna a minute to compose herself enough to respond. "I guess so."
"You gotta be more careful, miss! Doncha know the dungeons in this world are crawling with high level enemies?"
"So I heard. But I have a few potions left, and still one sword to fight with."
"If that's all you have in reserve, you need to get back to town and restock. I'll help you get to the exit."
"I'm not going back."
The swordswoman stopped in place. "Huh?"
"I'm tired of hiding. Tired of running. I'm going to stay here."
"But without getting more supplies, then you're going to--"
"It doesn't matter," Asuna said. "We're all going to die here anyway."
Even hidden behind the mask, Asuna could see the pained look her words caused the stranger. In an instant, all the warmth left her eyes and it looked as though she might break into tears at any moment. Then, to Asuna's surprise, her hand thrust out and took hold of her own.
"No. It doesn't have to be that way, miss! Too many people have died already, and I'm not gonna let you be one of them. I won't let you die, no matter what!"
"You don't even know me."
"It doesn't matter. I promised someone I'd protect their friends." Her shoulders slumped. "I... I let her down, so I owe it to her, to all of them! I'm going to do everything in my power to keep everyone else in Sword Art Online safe."
A realization slowly dawned on Asuna, and she pointed her finger. D-Doraku! You're Doraku, aren't you?"
To Asuna's surprise, the young woman in front of her just sighed and slumped her shoulders. "That wasn't my idea, y'know. Someone else started calling me that and it caught on."
"So who are you then?"
She tugged her mask down, revealing a youthful face underneath, and a sheepish smile.
"My name's Yuuki, and I'm the person who's gonna keep you safe!"