I suppose I could look back on better times. I guess I’ll start with the second time I met Spike. Luckily, he wasn't messing up the programming of the game this time.
I found him, I believe, on the 9th floor.
Kirito carefully made his way through the large area called the Garden of Severance. It was a seemingly endless area of tall grass. While the enemies, small axe-wielding gremlins known as Grasslings, were weak, they were very stealthy and very prone to uninitiated aggro. Knowing this, he always kept a hand near his weapon’s handle in case something jumped out on him. Even with the help of the system, Kirito only had a split second to react before getting hit at least once.
After a few more hesitant steps through the tall grass, Kirito unexpectedly found himself exiting into a small circular clearing. From his time here, he had found that openings like these, with mowed grass, were scattered around the area and were meant to be used as rest spots.
It was there when he noticed the other oddity. Across from him, on the other side of the clearing, was Spike, surround by at least 10 monsters. Kirito frowned and prepared to launch himself into the fray, but stopped when he realized something. The strange boy was taking on all of the monsters at the same time, and apparently having fun while doing it.
Spike apparently noticed him too because he suddenly stopped and waved. “Hey, man! Aghh!”
In his distraction, one of the Grasslings nicked him in his back. He hissed in pain and turned around. Kirito squinted his eyes and took a look at his back and noticed that he had indeed gotten injured like players do.
I had a talk with a friend earlier and he suggested that Spike was some sort of special event character that you accidentally stumble into. So I thought back then that he was some sort of special NPC that only acted like a player.
“Don’t get distracted,” he yelled. Kirito turned around and started to leave, convinced that Spike could take care of himself.
“Wait, hold on!” he heard Spike yell back.
Kirito turned around just in time to see him raise his white weapon and swing it in a wide arc. A blast of similarly white fire shot out and covered all of the monsters he swung at. “What the heck are you doing!” he screamed, running over to him. Kirito pulled out his sword and fought his way past a few Grasslings to reach him. “Are you trying to set fire to this floor too?!” he said to his face.
He just smirked at him. “Calm down I figured it out.” He pointed towards the fire. The monsters ran into the grass but only the monsters were still on fire. The grass didn’t light.
“See,” he grinned. His weapon disappeared and he threw an arm around Kirito’s neck. “So what’s up man!”
Kirito struggled in his grip. “What are you doing? There’s still more of them, you idiot!” he screamed swinging his sword at the approaching monsters.
After taking out the rest of the monsters we decided to hang out, or rather, he wouldn’t leave me alone. But then again, looking back, I was probably thankful for the company.
“So where’ve ya been?” said Spike, leisurely trailing behind Kirito.
Kirito, who held a tense, prepared position in front, glanced back at him. “What are you doing keep your guard up. We don’t know when something will jump out at us.”
Spike’s attitude didn’t change. “It’s cool, I’m prepared for anything,” he grinned.
Kirito, still keeping his guard up stopped in his track and turned around completely. “Where’s your weapon?” he asked, eyeing Spike’s seemingly defenceless form.
Spike shrugged. “Don’t need it.”
It was at that moment a large shadow fell over them. Both of them looked up to see six gremlins in the air.
Spike grinned. “Wow, they’re really trying to jump us.”
Kirito drew his weapon. “Get ready!” Lifting it up, he blocked one of the strikes from above while Spike backflipped out of the way, landing him away from Kirito and six monsters split evenly between them.
While Kirito blocked attacks with his sword and slashed through one on his side, Spike took his time dodging the enemy’s blunt weapons before beating down one with his own.
Kirito, slicing through another one on his end, finally looked over at Spike. “It’s called Sword Art Online why are you fighting unarmed?”
Spike roundhouse kicked one out of the area. “I know, smartass, but I still don’t need it,” he said, hopping over another attack and into the air.
“But that defeats the defeats the purpose of the game!” Kirito swung to decapitate one but it’s small stature allowed it to duck under his blade. Moving with the swing, he spun around to face it just in time to see Spike stomp down on it and kill it. While Kirito looked on in confused awe, Spike turned and threw a kick his way.
Kirito raised his sword to block, but it was too late, Spike’s foot swooshed past his face and slammed into the last gremlin behind him, breaking him to pieces just as it was about to strike. Spike lowered his foot and took a few steps back.
Kirito, wide eyed, looked behind him at the remains of the fallen enemy, then back to Spike who had on a smug grin. “It’s faster though.”
Kirito frowned and looked around to see if there were any more enemies after them. They were alone but by the time they finished the fight a good area of grass around them had been either cut down or flattened.
Taking this opportunity, Kirito spoke his mind. “What’s wrong with you? You act as if this is some sort of game, aren't you afraid of dying at all?” he asked calmly.
Spike gave him a flat look. “Well from what I understand this is a game.”
Kirito’s expression only worsened and he examined Spike once again. “What are you?”
Spike tilted his head. “What?”
“Are you some sort of NPC? A moderator? Or did you find out how to cheat the system.”
“NPC?” Spike questioned. Finally, he remembered. “Oh right, non-player character. No, I’m living. And no I’m not cheating,” he shrugged, “as If I even know how. I used to have a friend who was good with machines though.”
This only served to frustrate him more. “The how do you do it?”
“Do what?” Spike asked, confusion evident on his face.
“The two swords, the fire, all of it! None of it’s a part of the game programming.” Kirito observed Spike’s still confused look, and he sighed. “As in you shouldn’t be able to do it,” he simplified.
Spike thought about it for a few seconds before his face broke out into a competitive grin. “If you fight me, I’ll tell you,” he said, turning to the side and taking a fist-fighting stance.
This took Kirito by surprise. “What?”
Without a second thought, Spike dashed forward and decked Kirito in the face, knocking him down to the ground. “Come on, according to you, I shouldn’t be able to hurt you.”
Kirito slowly stood back up, holding a red, injured nose. “I said you shouldn’t be able to do it! I never said it didn’t hurt, you idiot!”
“Now that you know it hurts, don’t get hit again. That’s what I always say,” Spike smirked.
Kirito finally shook off the hit and took a sword fighting stance. “Well what about you, I have a sword.”
Spike held onto his cheeky smirk and shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”
Kirito shook his head in frustration. “I’m not turning into an orange player over… wait a second…” Kirito finally realized something else about Spike that he hadn’t before. While most, if not all players had a green, orange or red markers over their heads, NPC’s had white ones. Spike had none. He had a health bar as well, but his lack of a visible level number was equally baffling.
Spike studied his face and his grin only grew. “I’m guessing you noticed that I don’t have that number by my name. You aren’t the first to notice, but, to be honest, I know next to nothing about this place. How about if I win you answer all of my questions?”
This only served to further baffle the black haired swordsman in front of him. In the end, Kirito could only smile. “Everything you say only raises more questions.” He raised his blade at him. “Fine, I’ll fight you but I gotta warn you, I’m a Beater.”
Spike tilted his head. “The hell is a beater?”
Now it was Kirito’s chance to smirk. “Beat me and find out.”
Spike rushed him and threw another punch. “That’s the spirit!”
“Wait, hold on!” said Kirito, blocking his attack with the flat of his blade. “Let me send you a duel request.”
Spike jumped and threw a kick towards his head. “Screw that!”
Kirito ducked and simply decided to go with it, the fight had apparently started in Spike’s eyes and he decided that whatever happens happens. While Spike was still in the air, Kirito swung his blade vertically from below.
To his surprise, Spike stepped on the blade and back flipped off. Undiscouraged, the second Spike landed, Kirito rushed at him in stabbing motion. Spike simply turned his body to the side and delivered two strong punches to Kirito’s stomach before knocking him away completely with a kick to the same spot.
“You beaters aren't very strong are you?” Spike teased.
Before Kirito could recover enough to get a response out, Spike hopped into the air and aimed a diving kick towards his foe.
Kirito, now angered, swung his blade. Spike, not one to enjoy getting his foot lopped off, lifted the appendage out of its path. He landed in a crouch in front of Kirito, who swung his blade down at him. Spike rolled to the side and tried to aim a kick at Kirito’s gut, however, expecting it, he turned his hand around on the handle and pulled his blade up in time to block the attack. Spike pushed against the flat of the weapon, forcing him back a step.
“Y-you’re really not going to use your sword huh?” he said, straining a grin.
Spike simply frowned. With shocking speed, Spike removed his foot, lowered himself to a crouch and kicked out Kirito’s feet. Before Kirito could stand up, he noticed a familiar white key shaped weapon placed close to his neck, with a victorious looking Spike standing over him.
“Hah!” she gloated. “I don’t need to rely on weapons to fight.”
Kirito stared at the weapon for a few more seconds before closing his eyes and admitted defeat. “You still pulled it out though… Why’s that?”
Spike moved his Keyblade away and held out a hand to help the boy up. “I don’t know, call it the loser’s award. Anyway, I win, so you wanna answer my questions.”
Kirito grinned and took his hand. “Fine, but you have to answer mine too.”
Spike give him an odd look. “What why?”
“You only said I have to fight you. You never said I have to win.”
Spike’s face went blank, as if he were recalling what he said earlier. Finally he cursed, “Damn. I should’ve said win.” Then he let loose a small chuckle. “I’m really not supposed to tell you, though.”
Kirito turned and began to walk away. “But you're going to anyway or I’m gonna call you a liar.”
Spike flinched back and reluctantly followed him. “I have a friend who wouldn’t like that…”
~~~
“And then that’s how I learned about other worlds,” Kirito finished. Glancing down, he noticed that Dash had already fallen asleep on his shoulder. His eyes slowly drifted down, past her chin and down the towel covering her chest before instantly turning his head away. “Man… I’m glad Asuna’s not here…”
Kirito?”
Kirito froze up completely, his head around to see who called him. Once he saw who it was, he visibly relaxed. “Oh it’s you, Twilight… thank god.”
Twilight who was standing by the entrance to the hallway in her white T-shirt and spats, gave him a confused look until she noticed the rainbow haired girl next to him. “Rachelle?”
“Shhh!” Twilight turned to see Kirito putting a finger to his lips she stopped when Kirito shushed her.
Quietly, Twilight made her way over to the two and found that her friend was fast asleep. “Ohh,” she whispered. then she noticed that her friend had almost no clothes on. Twilight’s face flushed immediately. “Wh-why is she…?”
Kirito shrugged. “She came out here like that acting weird, and asked me about Spike.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow and glanced down at the milk jug that had rolled a ways away. Understanding dawned across her features.
“So why are you still up?” he asked.
“M-me?” Twilight, surprised by the question, flinched slightly. “I-I was actually looking for her,” she said, gesturing to the sleeping girl. Twilight took a seat next to her and, oddly enough, Dash shifted in her sleep and sat her head on Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight froze for a second then relaxed.
A small smile graced her face. “It’s a little embarrassing really, but It’s gotten to the point where I can’t get to sleep until I know that everyone is safe and near me. I think I’ve developed a slight fear of loss.”
Kirito nodded in understanding. “It makes sense. It wouldn’t be that far off to say that I feel the same."
Twilight shook her head. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve gone through far worse than we have. You have every right to feel scared for the ones you love.”
Kirito shrugged and leaned back, placing his hands on the deck and stared up at the sky. “Even so... It must be killing you to not know where your friend is then,” he said bluntly.
Twilight’s smile disappeared, replaced with a sad frown. Carefully, she reached up and sat her hand on Rachelle’s hair. “Yeah… it does. I’m worried sick, but I can’t let it show around her. I have to find them or I don’t think I’ll ever get a good night sleep.”
Kirito watched as Twilight gently rubbed the top of her friend’s hair. “I can hardly believe that Spike would hurt his friends like you said.” He glanced over to Dash, who was still sleeping peacefully.” I was going to tell her about Spike during his time here. Do you wanna hear about it?”
Twilight thought about it. “Maybe tomorrow after training. I’ll need a good night sleep if I’m going to learn anything.” Twilight stood up and hoisted the smaller girl onto her back. Despite being more athletic and muscled than herself, Twilight found that Dash was actually pretty light in terms of weight.
She stepped back up into the house and gave Kirito one last look. “You should sleep too, I can’t imagine that Asuna’s too happy with you being out here.” With that she turned and stepped into the hall leaving Kirito by himself.
Kirito took one last look at the nighttime moon, stood up, and followed her advice.