The Captive Swordsman

Chapter 1 - Divergence Theory

..

Original Title: Sword Art Online(ソードアート・オンライン)

Original Concept by: Kawahara Reki

written by: wrathie


Author's Notes: So, here we go again. First of all, I must say that this entire story, and plotline was inspired by two things:

1) SAO's OP, "crossing field"

2) How I was absolutely dismayed at how Asuna went from the Flash to just a captive princess waiting to be saved.

Seriously? At least in the anime it seemed like that.

But the usual messages: Thank you, bowpurity for the beta!


..

It had been two months after the Sword Art Online incident, two months where Yuki Asuna had spent every single day remembering what had happened on November 7th, where Kirito, no... Kirigaya Kazuto-kun had cleared Sword Art Online.

Her memories of the event had been hazy and rightly so, for she had 'died' before that act had came to be. She didn't know what happened or why she had been able to move despite being paralyzed before, but all she knew was that she had to move.

She had to, or else Kirito-kun was going to die in front of her. Even if he had told her that she would win, even if he had been the one who wanted to protect her, she too knew that even if Kayaba Akihiko promised Kirito-kun that he would keep her alive and not allow her to die after the duel, she would have taken her life anyway.

Just like how he would have done in her shoes, so she had moved, and had taken that lethal hit for Kirito-kun. All she remembered was feeling cold, and empty even as her HP bar depleted itself. It made her also aware of how fragile life itself was. She was one of the strongest, and highest leveled players in SAO, and she was killed with a single hit.

With her HP bar depleting fast, and knowing that she was going to die, with her vision slowly fading to black, all she had time to do was to say goodbye to Kirito-kun.

Not to tell him to live, for she knew that he would join her.

Not to apologize, for she knew that he would have gone ahead with the duel anyway. But to tell him that she would be waiting for him, only to be unable to do so at the very last second. What would Kirito-kun think of her final words then?

It was selfish, it was illogical, and it was utterly heartbreaking. But she would have wanted Kirito-kun to join her, perhaps in their final defiance against Kayaba Akihiko for denying them their wish to be together. If they couldn't be together in life, then let them be together with death.

Asuna knew that she might reflect badly on others who would have expected her to give Kirito-kun her blessings to live on, to find a new life even if she was gone.

But she wouldn't, she would never have accepted it, for she knew, she believed, and she was certain that she was the one for him. And he was the one to her, if he had been the one to take that last blow for her, she would be the one to land the killing blow on Kayaba Akihiko like Kirito-kun did.

She would not have believed that Kirito-kun would have wanted her to live on, to continue on without her. Call her selfish, call her evil, call her anything you liked. She wanted Kirito-kun, she wanted to be with him and to be his only. That was the extent of her wanting for Kirito-kun. It may be crazy, but love itself could drive people insane in the first place right?

..

The last few moments of SAO was like a dream, as if they were angels looking down on the slowly disintegrating world of Sword Art Online. It was.. surreal, and she wasn't paying much attention to Kayaba Akihiko for she was too busy feeling loved, feeling relieved, feeling exhilaration that Kirito had, like she had expected, had done exactly what she had tried to do.

He had tried to join her, but still managed to kill Kayaba in the process. She always did know Kirito would fulfill his promises.

That was perhaps the stupidest, and yet the most loved Asuna had ever felt in her entire life. That the both of them would die for each other's sake.

It was also the day where Asuna swore to herself that she would never place herself in such a situation where Kirito-kun would have to do the same thing all over again.

For he had done so once, soon after he had joined her guild, where he was almost killed by a Player-killerand he had put his life on the line to save her, after she tried to save him. It was strangely annoying and yet relieving at the same time when one looked back at it. For it proved that for all he did not tell him, and all that she had hidden from him, the feelings they had for each other were mutual, and stronger than either of them had ever imagined it to be.

..

After that, when SAO truly was destroyed and all Asuna could see was white, all she had were a sequence of events that Asuna couldn't quite clearly remember, yet remembered clearly as well.

She remembered Kirito-kuns voice anxious voice calling out to her, she being caught between a tug-of-war between two parties before one side had given up and had allowed her to go.

What she remembered very clearly though, was the feeling of immense loss when Kirito-kun's arm was wrenched from her grasp, leaving her gasping for air.

She woke up screaming, despite her throat feeling like sandpaper and her entire body as weak as a newborn, she continued screaming. It had hurt to scream, and it had hurt to cry, but Asuna still didn't stop. For she was certain that somehow, someway, that idiot had managed to do something for her that she could never possibly repay, but he had paid a terrible price for it.

Asuna didn't know how right she was.


..

'Kirito-kun. I've came to visit.'

Asuna spoke softly after knocking on the door, before she stepped into the hospital room softly. She didn't expect any visitors, at least, not yet as Kazuto-kun's sister, Suguha-chan, wouldn't be visiting her brother so early in the afternoon.

Yuuki Asuna, age seventeen, smiled at the resting body of Kirigaya Kazuto, one of the few that hadn't woken up from their terrifying life-or-death battle in SAO.

Kirito had been labelled a hero by those who had been trapped in the game, someone who had saved all of them, and it had came as a huge and bittersweet blow that he hadn't woken up from the ordeal.

But most of them, Asuna included, knew that if there was someone who wouldn't be bested by such a setback was the 'Black Swordsman of SAO, the strongest, and most feared player of all.

Asuna didn't quite know how she had managed to survive, perhaps it was how Kirito had managed to kill Kayaba Akihiko 10 seconds after she died? Whatever the case, she survived, and Kirito didn't, or hadn't, yes, definitely hadn't.

She recalled how she had cried the first time she had met him, her lover and husband in the hospital room that he was currently confined in after barging into the room.

It was almost enough to break her heart to see the strong, dependable and insanely fit Kirito-kun wasting away while being hooked on a machine, or perhaps it had already did when she laid eyes on him then?

It was there too that Asuna found someone to share her pain with, or perhaps, someone to compete with. She wasn't sure which, but she knew it was perhaps a mixture of the two.

..

That was the day that she met Kirito-kun's sister, Kirigaya Suguha.

It had been an awkward meeting, for Asuna had burst into the room, still in her hospital garments before breaking down beside her bed in tears. She vaguely remembered answering Suguha's questions about who she was, and what was her relationship with Kirito-kun.

Though she couldn't quite remember what she had told Suguha in her panic and worry over Kirito-kun, she did know that she did say something that caused Suguha to pull her away from Kirito, and her parents from gasping in shock.

Of course, that was also the day that Suguha knew that her brother was the hero who had saved everyone else. That proved to be quite a shock for all parties that were involved, Kirito's parents as well as her own. Though for her part, she believed her parents were more shocked that she had announced the two of them to be husband and wife, at least in the game itself.

Asuna remembered spending the night there, despite her condition, and stubbornly and crucially, Suguha did the same as well.

..

She wasn't sure if Suguha was there to keep an eye on her, or was she simply there to stay with her big brother. Either way, Asuna found herself strangely conflicted at knowing that Kirito's younger sister would be so protective of her big brother, or so protective of her big brother from her.

Both made her feel uncomfortable, not in a bad way, but in an awkward way. But then again, since she had only woken up for a few days since the incident, she was too tired to think.

Her parents would have dragged her away back to her own hospital room if not for Asuna literally wrapping her entire body around Kirito-kun's arm. Despite her weakened body, neither they, nor Suguha was able to dislodge her, something she attributed to her own stubbornness as well as her desire to stay with Kirito-kun.

Kirito was the person who had saved her, who had said that he would protect her, even if she had seemingly been the one to protect him instead, the two of them had made the same oath to protect each other the day they had been married together.

It was the next day, when her parents demanded answers from her, did she relate their story to them, as well as Suguha. The events of SAO was supposed to be classified, but since her father owned the company that was running SAO, she had been able to obtain a list of the registered players to track down Kirito-kun.

They might have known from the reports they had gathered that Kirito-kun was the one who had saved everyone, and wrongly assumed that she wanted to meet Kirito to thank him for what he had done for all of them.

However, to Asuna it was more important than that. Kirito-kun was not someone who had saved everyone, he was her lover, and he had saved her from her old life, from the life she had almost given up on two years ago.

So she had told them the truth, how they had met, what they had gone through, what they had done together, how they had fallen in love, how they had protected each other, and how he had been willing to die for her.

The story was of course, kept within the circle that she had confessed to, and even if it meant they might be separated, Asuna wanted her parents to know how she felt, how Kirito-kun felt.

..

Her desperation had worked for she was allowed to stay with Kirito-kun if she wished, but for the two of them to be engaged, that would be another thing altogether. But Asuna was heartened and gratified that her parents didn't outrightly object or deny the two's love.

It was another thing for Suguha though, who had a sour expression as Asuna finished, and she couldn't help but feel a little worried about their relationship.

She had no doubt that Kirito-kun would still love her, but If she didn't get along with Kirito-kun's sister, it would be very tough on him.

Asuna wanted to get along with Suguha, she really did, but it seemed that she had no intention of doing the same.

'It's not Kirito-kun, Onii-chan's name is Kazuto, Kirigaya Kazuto.'

Suguha's voice made Asuna jump a little as she peeped past the curtains blocking her view to see Suguha glaring at her from her customary seat beside Kirito-kun's seat.

'Kirito-kun never asked me to call her that. Kirito-kun is Kirito-kun.'

Asuna wasn't one to pick a fight, but she knew that at least. It would be rude for her to use Kirito-kun's name without him telling her that it's fine.

'Well, Asuna-san, what does Onii-chan call you then?'

'Kirito-kun called me, Asuna.'

'... You told Onii-chan your real name in SAO?'

Suguha raised an eyebrow in surprise while Asuna blushed lightly, looking away and admitting that she had named her character as Asuna.

'... Aren't you the one at fault for naming your character after yourself, Asuna-san? I didn't know people still do that...'

Suguha's words made Asuna blush even harder as she took the seat on the opposite of Kirito's seat.

'A-Anyway, I didn't expect you to be here so early, Suguha-chan.'

Asuna tried to make some small talk as she smiled down fondly at Kirito, her Kirito, still sleeping on his hospital bed. Absentmindedly, she began to run a hand through his hair while wondering just how long his hair had grown.

Her own hair had been trimmed quite constantly thanks to being in a private ward, Kirito-kun hadn't been that fortunate as they could only afford to place him in a normal hospital ward, still at least he was still healthy.

'...'

Asuna looked up to see Suguha staring at her intently, and she realized that she had gone beyond just stroking Kirito-kun's hair, she had started twirling his hair around her finger. Blushing, Asuna cleared her throat even as she tried to untangle Kirito-kun's hair from her finger, and failing terribly as Suguha was raising a skeptical eyebrow at Asuna panicking over that small act.

'Hmph... don't move so much, you'll get Onii-chan's hair even more tangled.'

Finally, Suguha gave an agonising sigh before she leaned forward to help, using her own hands to help Asuna.

'E-Erm, Suguha-chan?'

But like Asuna, she too was fighting a losing battle as for ever strand that she managed to free, another two would get tangled in it's place. Even as the younger girl struggled, Asuna noticed that due to Suguha trying to help, she had leaned over Kirito, and as a result, her rather developed chest was pressing down on Kirito-kun.

Now, Asuna wasn't that concerned over her own looks, she had been one of the few girls in SAO, and perhaps the only one taking an active front-line role in SAO. Was that one she hadn't once been worried about her chances, or jealous? EIther way, seeing the rather attractive Suguha doing that was enough to cause Asuna to get extremely flustered.

'S-Stop it, Suguha-chan! I-I can do it myself!'

Asuna tried to get the younger girl to stop, but alas it was a little too late as Suguha had successfully gotten the two of their hands tangled in Kirito-kun's hair.

'A-Ah...'

Suguha looked sheepish too as she tried to pull back, only for Asuna to sigh as her hands were pulled with her. Eventually they had no choice but to rest both their hands on Kirito-kun's chest in defeat, and to wait for a nurse to come and help them.

But barely a few minutes after this happened, Asuna couldn't help but start to giggle at how ridiculous the situation was.

'Haha... ahaha...'

It wasn't long before Suguha started giggling too, the two girls who loved Kirito/Kazuto with all of their hearts finally agreed with each other over something.


..

Eventually it was time for Suguha to leave, and for the first time, she smiled a little at Asuna as she dusted herself off.

'Good night, Asuna-san.'

'Mm, good night, Suguha-chan.'

Asuna was happy, for today was the first time that she felt she had made progress in getting Suguha to accept their relationship with Kirito-kun. It was a small step, but a step nonetheless, and Asuna gave Suguha a big smile even as she turned back to look at Kirito-kun.

She wanted to spend an even longer time with him, to read to him, to tell him what happened today, and about the people she had met.

She didn't want to do that with Suguha-chan around of course, but once she was gone, she was going to tell him about how she managed to find all of their friends.

From Klein, the odd and desperate leader that Kirito knew, Agil, the blacksmith and axe-wielder that had been such a kind soul despite his gruff exterior. Her good friend Lisbeth too, and many other clearers that were present during that last fight with Healthcliff.

It was such a relief to know that they were all fine, and even if it was hard for them to stomach that Kirito was in such a state, they had all agreed that Kirito-kun wouldn't go down like this. Like her, all of them believed that Kirito was fighting hard to come back as well.

..

'It isn't over till he's back, Asuna-san.'

..

Agil had told her that when she visited him in the bar that he owned, causing Asuna to agree.

'We will be holding an offline meet after you wake up, Kirito-kun... So please, wake up soon.'

Asuna whispered to him even as she leaned over to give him a kiss on his lips, to hold it for a few seconds even if he never responded.

'I love you, Kirito-kun.'

She confessed again even as she patiently waited, waited for his return. Even if time itself was running out.


..

'What do you mean that I'm going to be engaged to to him!'

Asuna snapped at her father in rage after he announced her engagement to Sugo Nobuyuki. It was something that she simply couldn't accept. To think that slimy, lusty, thing would want to even touch her. It made Asuna feel sick inside.

'It's something that your mother and I have decided, Asuna. Please be reasonable. He has asked for your hand in marriage, and considering all the-'

'No, and that's final. I won't accept it, I won't accept him. Not when I'm going to marry Kirito-kun.'

Asuna stubbornly shook her head even as she flicked her hair back to stare at her father. Even if she was still undergoing therapy, and had a little difficulty walking at times, her reflexes had shown itself to be just as good as it was in SAO. Perhaps even better, for when she was focused on something, she would never allow anything else to distract her.

'Asuna, what are you saying? Are you defying your parents? And that boy, Kirigaya-kun wasn't it? He might have saved you, but that was in the ga-'

Asuna screamed at her father when he dared to try and broach that sensitive topic. It was just a game?! It was more than a game! It was a game that people died in! It was a game where over 4000 died over two years because of a mad man!

'A game?! A GAME? It wasn't a GAME, father! It was life or death! You should know how many people died because of that Game! It's NOT a game to us, father, we had to survive, we had to fight, we had to KILL to survive! I've seen many of them jump to kill themselves from the despair, father! If Kirito-kun hadn't saved me from it, if he hadn't helped me so much, or helped EVERYONE so much, we would have ALL died.'

Asuna paused in her screaming as a coughing fit took over, but she couldn't stand it anymore as she struggled to her feet from the hospital bed.

'W-Wait, where are you going, Asuna?'

Her father called out to her weakly, no doubt feeling guilty at what he had said to her daughter. He might have known what the main details of the SAO project, but he had never once considered what her daughter had truly went to. He had believed that it was just, a game, so to speak, and her daughter had remained safe while the others had gone through the game.

He didn't know that Asuna, the flash, had been one of the most important figures of the whole SAO incident, together with her husband, the Black Swordsman.

'Out, I need some fresh air, father. We shall never talk about this again, I'm marrying Kirito-kun and it's final.'

Asuna gave her final word even as she left the room, disappointed and angry at her father.


..

'Kirito-kun, are you-?'

With her disappointment and anger, Asuna had found herself in front of Kirito-kun's hospital room again. With nothing better to do, she pushed opened the door softly before slipping in again. It wasn't exactly after visiting hours, and doing that did indeed make her feel suspicious. But she wanted to check whether Suguha was present before she embarrassed herself again.

What she didn't expect was to hear Sugo Nobuyuki's voice speaking in the room.

'It has been a long time, Kirito-kun. No... Hero of Sword Art Online.'

Why was that slimeball speaking to the unconscious Kirito?

Asuna held her breath even as she tip-toed closer to hear what he was saying. Ordinarily she'll have barged in right now, telling Sugo to get the hell out of here, but today, from her conversation with her father, she felt something was amiss.

'You know, I'm going to get married to Asuna-chan next week, Kirito-kun.'

Asuna felt her temper grow again even as she clenched her fist in anger. A part of her wanted to clock him, another part of her wanted Kirito-kun to wake up to clock him instead.

'I'm sorry that you won't be able to attend the ceremony. Oh wait, you can. I think that I'll stream it for you to see. It must hurt, doesn't it, knowing that Asuna is still alive, but you can't meet her. No, you won't be allowed to see her.'

Asuna felt her breathing stop as she listened to Sugo chuckled to himself in the room.

'Ah, that's right, that's right. You can't hear me here, can't you? But I'll make sure that you do hear what Asuna-chan will say at the altar. She'll make such a wonderful bride... Pity that she won't see your crying face then too. Maybe, I'll take a picture for her? Hahaha!'

Sugo's laughter was almost an afterthought right now. Was the crazy person finally, you know, crazy? Or did he know something about Kirito that she and her father didn't?

Asuna slowly tip-toed away again when she saw Sugo heading towards her direction, and she carefully made her way to the door even as Sugo spoke up again.

'All this is your fault you know? if you hadn't saved Asuna-san from the trap I made, you won't be the one trapped there. Maybe you'll have a chance to save her then... or you could just watch while I violate her in front of you! That'll be great, won't it, Kirito-kun. Ah.. maybe I should do that, if only Asuna-chan is willing to even use a nervegear again. You know, I wouldn't be surprised she'll never use one again. That'll be sad, won't it, Kirito-kun, for she'll never be able to see you again. What's left you anyway...'

Sugo's chuckles ended when he opened the door to be face to face with a very calm, and yet pissed off Asuna. Asuna barely registered that the man could change his facial expression as easily as a chameleon could change color as he looked down kindly at her.

..

'Ah, Asuna-ch-'

'Get lost, Sugo.'

Asuna snapped at him in irritation while dismissing him before he could speak further. Asuna did however, notice the grating sound he made with his teeth before he smiled and took his leave, leaving Asuna to close the door, and to drop to the floor in sheer exhilaration at that lead that she had just stumbled upon.

It might be a ploy, it might be a trap, and it could just be Sugo that was out of his mind. But if there was a slight chance that he was alive, that Sugo had something to do with him still not waking up, Asuna was going to do everything in her power to save him.

'K-Kirito-kun...'

He was alive, and he was stuck somewhere she had to access with a nervegear. That much was certain... Whatever Sugo was planning, whatever he had done, Asuna told herself that she would unravel all of it to save Kirito-kun.

After all, she was his wife, and they swore that for better for worse, they would be together.

'Wait for me, Kirito-kun, I'll save you.'

Asuna swore softly to herself even as she caressed Kirito-kun's cheeks softly and tenderly.


Author's Notes: If you like it, drop me a review or two~