Author's Notes : Some context. This story takes place after the Aincrad Arc ends but the events of Fairy Dance never happened. This is an insert during that period, about 4 months after SAO ends. There may seem to be many inconsistencies with the story but believe me when I say they are all intentional!

Please read and enjoy the story! Stick around as I would love to write more!

Kirigaya Suguha

Today's date, March 6th in the Year 2025. Mentally counting in her head, she came to the conclusion that it had been a very long time since she had heard her brother or more accurately as she had found out a month after he was taken away, her adopted brother's voice. Even as she found out about the truth of their familial relationship, it changed little as the memories they made growing up together more than supplemented the missing link.

"Two years and four months exactly ... you aren't making this easy for me and Mom, Onii-chan."

Sighing, still in her first-year high school uniform, Kirigaya Suguha enters the same snow-white room yet again as she always had ever since he had been brutally taken away from her. The hospital ward, illuminated by the bright afternoon sun shone its spotlight in the centre of the room where on the clean hospital bed was a shriveled husk of a 17 year old boy though his poor body, affected by malnutrition might have disguised him as an older elderly man.

Dropping her school bag on one of the comfy cushioned seats, she approaches the toilet, located just beside the door to the ward. Folding up her sleeves, she reaches for a familiar cherry red pail and fills it with lukewarm water, proceeding then to lugging her load back to the bedside of her brother. Wetting one of the cloths that she brought along with her, she wipes the wrinkled skin softly and tenderly. For nearly ten seasons, she has done the exact same routine, caring for the living corpse, praying with a withering hope that eventually one day, he would open his eyes and call her name once more.

Absentmindedly, Suguha looks past the windows, watching the scenery of the town covered in the blossoming trees of spring.

"Mm ... mouth ... mm"

"Oh, sorry abo- ..."

Her hands never stopped moving as she gazed at the cherry blossoms breezing by the windows and then, her hand retracted as if stung and along with her hand came the wet cloth where half of it found its way into her brother's mouth. Still stunned by the unexpected voice and miracle, she watched closely with increasing excitement.

"That's ... bet-"

He couldn't finish his statement as an overwhelmed high school girl broke the speed limit, breaking through the door that led to the rest of the building, shouting for the doctors. He saw her leaving his blurry vision radius but he heard nothing of the loud noises she caused. He had tried to lift his head but his shaky neck lacked the strength to raise itself but also, he realised that he wore a metallic helmet of sorts, with several wires of various colours holding him down. Unable to move at all, he stares aimlessly at the white ceiling, his mind trying to process the events occurring when he exposed the biggest revelation about himself.

"Who ... am I?"

Kirigaya Kazuto

That was his name. Or so he had been told. A week has passed since Kirigaya Kazuto awoke, remembering nothing of himself or the events that had transpired in his past. At least, he thought positively, he had the support of people whom called themselves his family members. A high school girl who claims to be his younger sister, Suguha and his mother were extremely elated when he had returned to the world of the living so he assumed he must have been rather well loved by his family. They were not short of enthusiasm and hopefulness despite his current amnesiac problem, having waited forever for such an opportunity to be reunited.

The first few days after his consciousness returned, it was mostly sleep as doctors ran tests and check-ups to ensure that nothing was wrong and the days after were spent being fed in silence as his voice was still barely a croak from a lack of use for a long time. His hearing thankfully returned and before the week was over, hushed whispers was possible for him. His physical body was recuperating very slowly but the doctors had ensured the Kirigaya family that Kazuto could be released in a months time after rehabilitation and examination were done.

His lack of memory however, seemed like an impossible obstacle as there seemed to be nothing wrong with Kazuto's brain according to the tests but this was a minor problem as both Suguha and their mother said, brimming with joy. Their happiness was not shared by the boy however, who felt a sinking emptiness whenever he tried to dig deep into his locked mind. A huge part that made him ... well him, was missing and without that other 90 percent of him, Kazuto felt that he lacked an identity which imbued in him a sense of despair. Was the person he was truly him ... or would he ever be himself again? He was doing his own self-reflection when a light-knock to the door signaled that a visitor was coming. Expecting Suguha who usually came in the afternoons after school was over since today was a weekday, Kazuto was prepared to see a prim and proper man, dressed in a sleek, smart black suit, creating the impression of that of an imposing government agent.

"A pleasure, Kirigaya Kazuto. Or would the name, 'Kirito' suffice?"

"The former ... I have no clue of the second name."

The man visibly raised an eyebrow, seeming slightly surprised but it dissipated quickly as his expression transitions from his grim serious look to that of a goofy smile.

"Works for me. Now Kirigaya Kazuto, how much do you remember?"

Grabbing a chair, he sits close to the bed, watching Kazuto's expression extremely closely, maybe a little to close, watching for some reaction perhaps but he found none as the boy replied without hesitation.

"Nothing ... Who are you?"

"Ah where are my manners, Kikuoka Seijirou. I work for the SAO Case Victims Rescue Force."

His eyes locked onto Kazuto's face again, expecting something and this time indeed, he gets a slightly unexpected look of confusion. Heaving a sigh, having his suspicions confirmed, he looks over to the bedside table and picks up a remote which operates a small television set which lay opposite to the bed. Glancing at the watch on his arm, Kikuoka Seijirou gives a nod and another faint smile.

"We're just in time. Please listen closely, Kazuto-kun."

"And now for an update for the situation of Sword Art Online, the game that has trapped about 10000 people to wage a battle against death. Almost a year ago, the National Police Agency proposed a plan to simultaneously break all NerveGears in the possibility of saving the lives of an estimated 8000 but because of the lack of information and danger behind the action, it had then been canceled. Recently, the idea had been brought up again only to be rejected by the SAO Case Victims Rescue Force who claim to be making breakthroughs to helping those trapped to escape. A request for comment had been denied. It has now been 860 days since the incident began and we continue praying for their safe release."

"So, ring any bells, Kazuto-kun?"

Receiving a blank look in return, Seijirou shrugs, somewhat predicting that reply.

"I do hope you understand why I am telling you this."

If someone from an organization that had been mentioned on television was here, that could only mean that ... he was maybe ...

"You're the only one thus far ... Keep your silence if you don't wish to have any unpleasantness, Kirigaya Kazuto."

Kirigaya Kazuto

I am a survivor ... of an online game which has already claimed the lives of 2000 ... and I am the only one to have awoken thus far.

Repeating the statement to himself, it sounded like an impossible fantastical reality that could not be possible but somewhere in his dormant mind and heart, he knew that Kikuoka Seijirou had spoken the truth. A day alone had been all the time he had to do some research on the topic of Sword Art Online, using a electronic tablet borrowed from the hospital. The creator of the game was Kayaba Akihiko, a genius who forwarded Virtual Reality technology with his creation, the NerveGear which was also the cage which encased the 10000 players he brought into his game. A death inside meant death outside as the NerveGear acted as a microwave, destroying the brain upon death by ... details which Kazuto left out, fearing that he would not be able to handle the graphic descriptions and possible images. Thus far, there had no way to contact those inside and those outside could only preserve the real world bodies, praying that the heads remain intact and somehow, they would return from the hell called SAO.

A knock on the door, yet another visitor. Once again, it was not Suguha but neither was it Kikuoka Seijirou. This time instead, was a petite young woman, likely in her late twenties. Her face was framed by short black hair with her other features bearing an expression of calm and peace unlike Seijirou's imposing presense.

"Good afternoon, Kazuto-kun. I'm Koujiro Rinko or perhaps, you may be more interested to know that I was Kayaba Akihiko's former assistant."

Sitting upright on the raised hospital bed, Kazuto tenses up upon hearing the name of Sword Art Online's culprit, weakly raising his drained arms in a futile defensive gesture. His eyes darted to the luggage bag which the woman held, fearing what sort of weapon she might be carrying which would finish him off.

"I think we're going off on the wrong foot here ... I'm only here to deliver a message ... and an opportunity."

She raises both her hands in surrender, smiling lightly unlike Seijirou's cunning one which calmed him down. Seeing that he had relaxed, Rinko picks up her bag, moving near the bedside and pulls out a laptop. She types into it quickly before placing it on Kazuto's lap. Looking at the screen, it displayed a normal email site but there was one email that caught his eye with his title. 'For Kirito's eyes only.'

He had been called by that name before but he had yet to find any information about that name in his random searches except that the name occasionally appeared at the top of leaderboards for some RPG games but that seemed irrelevant. Clicking on the email, he neglected to notice the name of the sender until he read the message which made that clear.

"Congratulations Kirito-kun. You have made me, Kayaba Akihiko, honestly surprised by your strength in clearing my game. You must be confused now but I'll get straight to the point. I offer you the chance to regain all that you have lost and in return, all you have to do is step back into that world. Give your answer to my assistant. If you choose not to accept, you would disappoint me but we both know you won't do that. Regardless, I left you a little gift which you would enjoy. Amuse me again, Kirito-kun."

"Is ... all this real?"

"He tends to be vague but ... he never goes back on his word. You can trust me on that."

Regain all that you have lost. That would have to refer to his missing memories. Step back into that world. That world ... Kazuto thought, would have to be Sword Art Online. But thinking about it closely, was it worth it to return to a place known was causing the deaths of many or was it okay to remain in the strained peace with his family, without ever finding his true self. The wording in his mind already gave the answer that he chose.

"I ... accept."

Kirigaya Kazuto

"I'll need time to set-up for you but in the meantime, why not dive into the hospital's VR environment. I heard its a sight not to be missed."

Rinko had said as she gave Kazuto what looked like a pair of oversized shades with the ends almost touching it other like a ring if he wore it. She described it to be an Amusphere, a 2nd Generation VR gear which is safer than Kayaba's NerveGear in exchange for lower specs but the one she had for Kazuto was specially crafted by Kayaba to operate at a similar strength to the NerveGear. Feeling awkward as he laid in bed wearing the gigantic sunglasses, he stared at the ceiling, darkened by the lens for a couple of seconds before Rinko's voice gave him instruction.

"Say Link Start to turn it on."

He did so, still feeling the sense of stupidity as he did so but soon, his vision was obscured by a rainbow spectrum that barged into his sight. At the end of the colorful tunnel was a black background and as his formless body floated around there, yellow important-looking instructions popped up before him, guiding him to touch various parts of his body. A minute of the strange fondling later, a blaze of light blinded him, forcing him to shut out his eyes in reflex. When he reopened them however, he was blessed with an amazing sight. Standing in an empty central square of a town built with beautiful mosaics and colors, it certainly looked like a place out of a fairy tale.

"This is ... so real ... I'm back I suppo-"

He cut his sentence off as a painful headache assaulted him. Faint glimpses of what seemed to be a different place with way more people, boys and girls, men and women dressed in the same attire of a metallic chestplate and colored clothes. A voice sounding like it issued from a poorly tuned radio echoed as the visions impeded his view.

"I'm back at last ... I'm back ... back .. back ..."

The recollections finally stopped but the feeling of nausea remained. It was true then, Kazuto supposed. He had been in the virtual world before. Even with the sudden blast of sights and sounds however, it put nothing concrete into his mind, just more confusion and questions about himself. Aimlessly walking around the town, Kazuto randomly walks off in one direction that led out of town. At least in the virtual world, his body seemed to be in the condition of that of a regular human being as his limbs seemed to look fuller and have strength again.

He was greeted by lush green hills, spreading out as far as the virtual eye could see. Maybe due to his good luck ... or maybe bad, it was a trigger to another mind attack as more visions plagued his consciousness. An angry looking pig with red eyes ... a glowing blue ... stick? sword? He could not discern. And was that a red haired dude he could see rolling on the ground? The sounds this time were very incoherent, overlapping with one another to create an impossible mess to decipher. And like before, the mind blast cured itself and Kazuto reeled around like a drunk, trying to get his bearings.

His feet met empty air as he walked off a cliff. Literally.

? ? ?

This was her favorite spot in all of Serene Garden. That was the name of the virtual reality created just for hospital patients as part of a palliative treatment and it allowed those who were seriously or terminally ill to relive or discover experiences they might never hope to get due to their medical conditions. Lying on the warm grass under the just-right heat of the digital sun, this was heaven for the girl who almost took a nap on the Eastern Grass Hills of Serene Garden. At least, until a shadow suddenly blocked the sunlight from her half-closed eyes and upon opening them in slight irritation, she hurriedly rolls to the side as a human meteor crashes down, rolling further on the cliff and finally resting on a flatter part of the hills. With her purplish-black hair covered in bits and pieces of earth, she stomps over to the rude intruder, preparing to scold him before realising she should probably check his condition as he was a literal shooting star just a second ago.

"Are you alright?"

Kirigaya Kazuto

A girl's voice, probably the voice of a heavenly angel, coming to reprimand him for walking off a hill like an idiot. His eyes were still closed as part of a bodily reaction when speeding down to earth like a crashing satellite. Strangely, his body only felt a dull pain, as if he had been hit by a rubber hammer but maybe cause when you're dead, your nerves fail you and your brain is kind of well ... dead.

"Seriously, you okay?"

The same person spoke again and Kazuto opened his eyes, ready for his first sight at Vahalla but instead, his dour black eyes met those of fiery crimson ones. The girl, looking less like a servant of the heavens and more like an ordinary person gives a cheeky smile, the worried look vanishing from her face.

"Honestly, sky diving is pretty scary, even if you don't feel much pain in here."

Oh ... that was probably the reason. With the reality of everything, Kazuto had forgotten he was in a virtual reality. Sitting up, mentally berating himself to be an idiot, he takes a quick glance at his surroundings to find himself at the same hills with an extremely tall cliff behind him. A small girl stood beside him, with purplish-black hair mixed with grass and twigs. A distinctive red bow and hairband stood out, holding her short hair in place.

"Sorry ... I tripped."

She seemed to stare straight at him, judging him for a moment before looking up at the sheer cliff before giggling lightly.

"That's impressive in its own way. Never seen you around before. Who are you?"

"Kirigaya Kazuto."

Nodding, registering the name, the girl dances back a little, putting one hand on her hip and the other hand goes into a pose as if she was taking a photograph. Her tongue stuck out as she cheerfully introduced herself.

"Konno Yuuki, nice to meet you Clumsy-kun!"

Hope you enjoyed!