Kanazawa Chronicles

By Alexia Lunaria

Chapter One: Promises to Keep

"Ohayo, Oniisan!" Sugu bounced into the living area and took a seat at the table, eager for whatever it was her brother was cooking for breakfast that morning.

"Ohaya, Sugu," Kazuto served her rice with egg and sausage and she wasted no time gobbling it down. "Be careful or you'll get a side ache when you run to school."

She glared at him with a mouth full of food. "Ish nff imrate allutin."

Kazuto rolled his eyes with a smile and sat down with his own plate. "I can't understand you, Sugu. Swallow then speak."

Sugu swallowed and started turning blue. Sighing, Kazuto reached for her water and handed it to her, allowing her to breath. "I thought I was going to die."

"When will you ever learn?" He rested his cheek in his hand and shook his head with a smirk.

"I said it's not like I'm late all the time."

"No, only most of the time," he amended.

Sugu took another drink of water. "…Wanna spar this morning?"

Kazuto thought about it. Sparring was fun but it hadn't held the same excitement for him lately. Everything in his day had become routine. Not everything, he corrected himself. Today's going to be different. I can feel it. "No, I'm going to head to class early."

"That project you've been working on?"

He scratched the side of his face and looked away, unable to hide his smile. "Maybe."

"Okay." Sugu left it at that and waved goodbye when Kazuto left for school.

Usually deciding to work on the roof, Kazuto used a micro-sized screwdriver to tighten an equally small screw. The item he worked on was only one inch squared but had more computer processing power than some of the top computers worldwide. He had worked hard on it for over a year and was finally in the final stages.

"There that should do it." He put his tool down and stared at the tiny cube-shaped device with mixed feelings of awe and trepidation. So much was riding on this new invention of his working. This is going to change everything. He had come to realize he was bored with the routine. The only sliver of hope he had lay quietly in his palm.

He thought about his path that had led him to the point. His discontent with his family had led him to get into virtual reality games which in turn got him trapped within Sword Art Online for two years of his life. He was undoubtedly changed after that experience but he had also met his true love and some of his best friends through that world.

Following that he had been driven to enter the world of Alfheim in order to save his love, Asuna Yuuki, from a mad man far more crazy than even Akihiko Kayaba. Kazuto had felt complete after that, mostly, but in the weeks to follow he found even regular gaming didn't hold the same excitement for him and he didn't know why. He enjoyed playing and he enjoyed being with his friends so then why wasn't he happy?

Asuna pointed it out one day, following the Bullet of Bullets Tournament. While watching him within Alfheim Online, it had been Liz that commented, "Kirito isn't going to play honestly unless it's a life and death situation. For him, it just isn't the same." And she had been right. It was a harsh reality but after surviving the death game known as Sword Art Online the lack of exhilaration was impossible to deny. Did that then mean that he was like those in the Laughing Coffin who killed for the fun of it?

"You are nothing like them," Asuna had said when she wrapped her arms around him. "You fight to protect those you care about – you enjoy testing your skills – to make yourself better, not to cause pain to others simply because you can."

And he had believed her then but he redoubled his efforts to make this in his hand possible, to give him a new direction and he greatly looked forward to his new future. "Here we go." He tapped a tiny button and the machine hummed to life, floating in his hand. Kazuto Kirigaya stepped back and watched his dream materialize.

Asuna came out of her classroom and ran happily out of the building. She skidded before the stairs, hopped down them two at a time, then steered left where she knew she'd find Kazuto. He stood there in his school uniform, holding his book bag over his shoulder, gazing up at the falling leaves. The yellows, oranges, and reds danced around him in a silent waltz and Asuna's run slowed to a halt as she found herself frozen with awe.

This was a far cry from the man who had been known as the Black Swordsman. A player whose speed rivaled hers: The Lightning Flash. She had been given a unique view of Kazuto as they stayed in that house on Level 22. He was her husband and she his wife. For a brief time they had Yui as their daughter and Asuna had never remembered a happier or more peaceful time in her life.

But Kazuto was no longer the Black Swordsman nor she The Lightning Flash. They were just Kazuto and Asuna, a teenage couple trying to move forward together. She had recently broken new ground with her mother, joining together the strong woman she had become in SAO with the far more timid Asuna Yuuki of reality. Her mother always held her best interest in mind yet never once asked Asuna what she wanted. Asuna had learned from a dear friend that sometimes important things couldn't be spoken with words but conveyed through action.

Asuna had been allowed to remain at her school with her friends. Her mother now understood that Asuna wished to move forward while supporting those around her, being a person they could depend on to make their dreams come true, and in doing so Asuna wished to find her own happiness. Kazuto Kirigaya was the embodiment of that happiness.

Kazuto finally noticed Asuna and turning towards her gave her that rare smile. He was still very reserved with his feelings when others were around but he always had a smile for her. "Omedetou tanjoubi, Asuna."

She blushed at the gentleness in his voice. "Arigatou." She allowed him to take her bag so they could hold hands. Today was her birthday and Kazuto had been very secretive about her present. "Where will we be going?"

"Somewhere private," he hinted. They got on his scooter and she gingerly wrapped her arms around his waist. He drove them to a local garden they frequented for their date days. A particular tree had long thin branches that grew around a park bench and created a curtain. It wasn't completely hidden but it provided a nice, quiet space for them to talk or, oftentimes, Asuna would make them lunch.

Once inside he brought her to the bench and sat her down but didn't sit down himself. Confused, Asuna watched him dig into his pocket and bring out a tiny cube. "Your project?"

He nodded and licked his lips, obviously nervous. "A long time ago I made a promise, the first of many that I intend to keep. Asuna Yuuki, I give you your present." He tapped the cube with his finger and it floated down to about waist level.

Watching intently, Asuna saw it light up and spin. Then the next instant a person, a child popped into existence with long straight black hair and arms spread wide, diving down towards her.

"Happy birthday, Mama!" Yui exclaimed and hugged her mother tightly around the neck.

"Yui!" Asuna instinctively hugged in return but the true value of the present didn't sink in for several seconds. She was hugging Yui, stroking her hair, feeling her daughter snuggle her nose into Asuna's neck…

…and Asuna wasn't logged into any game.

She wasn't in the virtual world…and yet Yui was here.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked up at her boyfriend, the genius who had done the impossible. Her mouth opened yet no words came out. Her legs went out from under her and she gripped onto her daughter, their daughter, with new fervor. "Yui! Yui! Yui, you're here!"

"Mama!" Yui cried now too and Asuna felt the drips fall on her arms seconds before they vaporized.

Kazuto came forward to hug his family, his own eyes misting at the scene.

Asuna pulled back and shook her head in disbelief, the words still refusing to come. "H-How?"

He winced, "Well it's kind of difficult to explain…"

"You know what? Never mind. I don't care." Asuna rested her forehead against his in their own show of affection. "This is the best birthday present ever."

Her birthday party was held later that evening at the Dicey Café. Kazuto had already made all the arrangements with Egil and their SAO friends had come together to celebrate the birthday of their mighty lieutenant of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Yui joined them and everyone was as completely awestruck as Asuna had been.

"This is amazing!" Klein admired. "There are endless possibilities with tech like this!"

"Can you make Pina, too!?" Silica begged with wide child-like eyes.

Kazuto shied away from all the attention. "It'll be harder to create the digital body of a dragon than a little girl. Besides that I already had most of Yui's data from SAO." He looked at his daughter happily eating a piece of cake. It was amazing, really. The AI Yui had been the one to come up with the way to break down food and turn it into energy combining heat and the moisture in the air. She didn't need physical energy, of course, but she wanted to be as human as possible.

The light caught her blue teardrop necklace, the item once called "Yui's Heart", and it drew his gaze. Kazuto was reminded of that fateful moment when Yui had disappeared from the land of Aincrad forever. He had never seen Asuna so sad and he made a personal promise to himself to never have her experience that again. Yui's necklace was the key.

Egil nodded in agreement but still couldn't believe his eyes. "What do you call it?"

"I call them Cor Cubes. Cor meaning "heart" in latin," Kazuto explained. "It acts like a hologram with a finite light projection but adds solidity by combining heat and elements in the air."

"You're going to be rich!" Klein winked and motioned with his head towards Asuna. "I'd get all your ducks in a row if I were you before things get big for you. Just when they do, don't forget to spend time with us little guys."

"I'd never do that. I'm not really in it to make it big anyway," he admitted and it was the truth. "I just want to keep my promises." Asuna wiped Yui's face, which was full of frosting, and glanced over at Kazuto lovingly. She nodded once and he nodded back.

Yes, this was the beginning of everything.

"Mr. and Mrs. Yuuki, thank you for meeting with me." Kazuto bowed as he stood before Asuna's parents.

"Of course, Kazuto," Her father, Shouzou, greeted. "You've been a wonderful family friend."

Yuuki's mother, Kyouko, was going to be the one he had to convince. "Are you here to ask us for money to fund some research or project you've been working on?"

"Kyouko-dear!" Shouzou admonished slightly.

That stung but what little Asuna said of her mother warned him she would be like this. He bowed respectfully. "I would never do that, Mrs. Yuuki. I do, however, have a business proposition for Mr. Yuuki if you would allow me to demonstrate?"

Kyouko didn't seem convince but she crossed her arms and remained silent. Taking that as a yes, Kazuto brought out Yui's Cor Cube and manifested her the way he had before, although this time instead of her white dress he had her appear with a more professional white blouse with a navy blue jacket and pants. She had insisted on a big blue bow around her neck and, like most everything she asked for, Kazuto catered to her. His condition for now was to withhold the fact that she was their daughter and instead demonstrate herself simply as computerized AI. He explained the entire "daughter" aspect may be difficult to explain.

Mr. and Mrs. Yuuki were definitely taken back when she suddenly appeared and bowed cheerfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yui." When she reached forward to shake his hand Mr. Yuuki looked at Kazuto with confusion.

"A hologram, I assume?"

Kazuto just gestured once more to Yui. "Please, you'll see soon enough."

Mr. Yuuki stood up and carefully shook Yui's hand. When he did his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open in surprise. "Impossible." He took his other hand and covered her hand. "Warmth? Body heat!" He fingered her hair and put two fingers to the side of her neck (all things that Kazuto had told Yui to expect so she behaved and stood perfectly still), "A pulse?"

Kazuto took that as an opportunity to explain what the Cor Cubes were. For their part, Asuna's parents remained quiet until the end of his speech. "I know this technology can help people but I need someone with the experience to implement it. Someone who once brought the virtual world to life in ways no one had before."

Mr. Yuuki stroked his chin and walked around Yui the way he had been for the last half hour. "I'm assuming you can make other versions? Male? Female? Old and young?"

"Absolutely," Kazuto promised.

"Not that anyone is going to be as cute as me!" Yui said with a hop.

Kazuto dropped his head into his hand but Mr. Yuuki only laughed, "No, you're right. No one could be as adorable as you." He patted her head and nodded with approval. "I have a perfect way to implement this but…" He looked at the young inventor. "I'm afraid my influence isn't what it used to be…especially after, well you know…"

Kazuto shook his head. "Any advice and direction you can give will be greatly appreciated. The experience you have is nothing so petty that it can be diminished by reputation."

That gave ShouzouYuuki confidence and he straightened his back, standing taller than the high school youth had seen him since Asuna's return to the real world. "Kanazawa is a town rich in Japanese history from the Edo period. You may have visited it on a field trip one time. It has beautiful castles and gardens. It's one of the few places left unscathed from World War II. Technology like this would have great applications for tourism there. Visitors could get treated to manifested artificial intelligence programmed with ancient history, watch geisha perform traditional dances long lost to us, and watch mighty samurai dual with a ferocity unrivaled with choreographed battles!"

Kazuto thought about the potential. "It's a large enough town that we would gain momentum but not large enough that we would lose too many resources if something were to go wrong."

"Exactly," Shouzou nodded. "I know a few people who can help us. Allow me to speak to them first and then you and I can talk about our new partnership later."

Kazuto bowed, along with Yui. "Nothing would make me happier, Mr Yuuki." He stood up and though he was confident he still felt his insides turn to jelly when he met Mrs. Yuuki's eyes. "Except perhaps one thing."

She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow, "Hm?"

"You're coming over to my house!?" Asuna nearly tripped coming down the stairs as the left the building at school the following week. "And my mother allowed it!?"

Kazuto laughed lightly. "It was her idea."

"Are you sure I'm not trapped in some alternate virtual reality because this all seems too good to be true." Asuna kissed Kazuto on the cheek and waved goodbye as she went to her family's limo. "So I'll see you tonight?"

"Yep. I just have to go home and take care of a few things." He waited until she left and allowed himself to take a deep breath. So many things would have him walking on eggshells and he was intimately aware that things could go very wrong very quickly. He had to keep the faith and believe in the future he was creating. There was purpose for him yet.

Things could go wrong or they could go off without a hitch. The excitement…it's what I've been missing. I can do this. Especially with her by my side.

Kazuto went home and took a shower, finding what he wanted to wear for dinner, before he turned on the TV for background noise. He was towel drying his hair when he heard the news anchor:

"We have here Shinji Koujiro, apparent son of Rinko Koujiro and Argus developer Akihiko Kayaba."

Kazuto thought he heard wrong and grabbed the controller to turn up the volume. Rinko never said anything about having a son. Could it be possible?

"As your parents before you, Mr. Koujiro, your knowledge of cutting edge technology has been rivaled by very few. For obvious reasons your identity has been hidden so the world must know: why now?"

The boy appeared a little older than Kazuto, maybe early twenties, but by looking at him Kazuto definitely saw a resemblance to the late Kayaba Akihiko. "I have finally completed an invention that will restore my family's honor and carve my name into history." He produced a metal plate that appeared one foot by two feet and was only a couple inches thick. "I call it a Guardian Plate. The same technology my parents used to create the virtual world will now be made real in our world, protecting our people from threats foreign and domestic."

"So this is to be implemented with our military?"

"That's right. I'm to meet with them in a few days time and this invention will revolutionize national defense for all time. Japan will become the new world power." Shinji spoke confidently and something about it gave Kazuto a bad feeling. He paused the interview and zoomed in on the Guardian Plate. It resembled his Cor Cube, which wasn't uncommon in the scientific world, but Shinji seemed intent on using it for military purposes. Kazuto hadn't thought about using the technology that way. He was much more comfortable creating people rather than machines for war.

He looked at the clock on his desk and realized it was time to leave.

"When my technology is fully implemented," Shinji said, looking into the camera, "It will no longer be about Kirito: Hero of SAO, but about Shinji: the Hero of Japan."

Asuna ate carefully while her father spoke to Kazuto about a partnership they had apparently put into the works. Dinner plans made more sense now but she still ate carefully, remembering her manners while her mother kept her usual stoic vigil on the opposite side of the table.

"Okaasan, are you feeling well?" she asked cautiously. The night was going too smoothly for having the boy her mother was adamant would never be welcomed to actually be sitting at their table.

"Everything's fine, dear." She forced a smile. "You know your father's work talks are less than…entertaining."

"Don't say that, dear." Shouzou met her eyes. "This deal could really help a lot of people and once Kanazawa is successful then who knows? Kyoto? Tokyo? The applications for this technology are endless."

"And I am very grateful for your help in this endeavor." Kazuto put his chopsticks down and wiped his mouth clean. "By your leave, I'd like to conclude our other business?"

Shouzou looked across at his wife and waited for her approval. "Of course, Kazuto. Please continue."

Confused, Asuna looked to Kazuto as he stood up and came around the table to stand before her. "Asuna, I recently kept one promise I made to you during a time when our lives were put on the line every day and we didn't know what tomorrow would bring. We decided then that no matter what I lived for you and you would protect me for the rest of our lives."

Asuna smiled fondly. "I remember."

"We returned to this world, back to the lives we survived to see through, and my feelings for you haven't changed. I still intend to live for you, in everything I do, for the rest of my days." Kazuto got down on one knee and opened a ring box that Asuna assumed had a ring within it but she couldn't see straight through all the tears. She quickly wiped them away and saw a huge red garnet set in white gold surrounded by smaller red garnets and black diamonds. The physical embodiment of The Lightning Flash of the Knights of the Blood Oath forever together with her Black Swordsman. "Asuna Yuuki, will you marry me and once again make me the happiest man on earth?"

"Yes! Yes I will!" Asuna dropped into his arms from her chair and hugged him with a lack of composure she was sure her mother would point out later. Once she was calm enough, Kazuto placed the ring on her finger and they shared a brief kiss, aware of the two sets of eyes watching them intently.

"The proposal is conditional, of course." Kyouko stated after she took a drink of wine. "We wish for the Kanazawa project to be successful with subsequent offers to follow."

Asuna's expression dropped slightly, she should have expected as much but Kazuto squeezed her hand in reassurance and she turned to face her mother. "Of course, Okaasan."

Asuna gave Kazuto a tour of her family's shrine and gave him history facts the way she did every sacred holiday but this time she did it with her fiancée. It's one step closer to that life we had on Floor 22. When they were far enough away from the main house, Kazuto took out Yui's cor cube and activating it the little girl looked up with wide eyes and barely contained excitement.

"Well? Well?"

Kazuto held up Asuna's left hand entwined with his that now sported the beautiful engagement ring. "She said yes."

"Yatta!" Yui leapt into her mother's arms and Kazuto stepped back to allow the embrace. "Pretty soon we'll all be living together in Kanazawa! It's so pretty and there are trees everywhere!"

"Nani?" Asuna blinked in surprise, looking at Kazuto with confusion.

Kazuto looked away embarrassed. "Yui…I hadn't gotten that far yet."

"I'm sorry, Papa," replied the little girl with a remorseful expression.

"Kazuto?"

He turned to her, the look in his eyes serious. "This project in Kanazawa is important and there's no one else who knows the technology better than I do. We decided I needed to be on site for any situations that need my expertise. We can't afford undue delays due to travel between here and there." He took her hand and ran his thumb over her new jewelry, the promise of his love and of better things to come. "After graduation I'm moving to Kanazawa, your father has already made arrangements for a house."

He's…leaving me? Asuna couldn't believe it. Her eyes fell upon the one karat garnet now darkened with the lack of lighting.

"A lot's going to happen and I can't succeed without my better half." When she looked up now he was smiling at her. "I was hoping you might want to move out there with me?"

"With us!" Yui hopped up, cupping her parents' hands with her smaller ones.

Asuna's tears came anew and she nodded, "I'll follow you anywhere." He's not leaving me and now we're going to be together sooner than I could have ever imagined. "Thank you, Kazuto. I can't believe all of this is happening."

"Believe it because it's only going to get better." He moved forward and kissed her tenderly then and any apprehension Asuna felt earlier that evening evaporated into the night sky.

Shinji Koujiro stood before several military leaders, a dozen of his guardian plates fully manifested on the tarmac. They were large machines, appearing to walk on two legs or roll on tank-like treads. His physical holograms could create and attack with an infinite amount of ammo. It was the perfect weapon with no chance of loss to human life. Transportation was a breeze and once Japan had enough, Shinji could sneak out additional sales to other countries. Everyone was going to want one of his guardians.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Koujiro, but we're going to pass," replied one of the generals.

He blinked and smiled to hide his confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"The weakness these guardians have is too large and once the enemy discovered what it was, dispatching of them would be child's play. The plate needs to be smaller, perhaps better protected, so that it can't be targeted. Make some modifications and come back to us later."

The men walked away and Shinji was left to stand there seething in anger. He had just heard wind that similar technology, some miniscule thing called Cor Cubes, would be launched by a new cooperative group in the town of Kanazawa. He'd done some digging and one named screamed out at him.

Kazuto Kirigaya.

"No, this can't be. Once again he's stolen away my future, that which was rightfully mine! No, I won't stand for it. I'll bring Kirito down and make him sorry for every wrong he committed against me. But I'll play smart. I'll make him lose everything dear first…"