Unital Ring: The Mysterious New World

A New Beginning...

September 27th, Kirigaya Residence

"Papa, have you decided on what you'll be giving Mama for her birthday?"

Kazuto Kirigaya, age seventeen for the next ten days, glances at the little fairy sitting on the rim of his mug placed on his desk. "I haven't. I'm still thinking about it..." 'Mama' is Asuna Yuuki, Kazuto's long-time girlfriend, and even longer-time partner. Her nineteenth birthday is in three days, on September 30th.

The fairy scolds him. "Whether you're going to buy it at the store or order it online, it's not going to be in time if you don't decide soon. I wouldn't recommend the tightrope schedule you opted for last year when you had to use your lunch break on the big day to pick it up!"

"I'd rather avoid that feeling of terror, too, but it's just really hard! Asuna never talks about how she wants this or that...Yui, do you think you could find a way to ask her what she wants? Maybe Josh knows?"

"You can't cheat like that! Mama will love anything you get for her, as long as you choose it yourself!"

"Yeah, I know that's true as a general rule, but..." Last year, as Yui said, was definitely a last-minute choice. Kazuto settled on a red scarf, being that winter was approaching and Asuna has a ninety-minute commute to school. She wore it proudly from November to February, but it was too late that he realized she had multiple scarves and some that protected her better than the one he got. This year, he wants to give something impractical, yet in some ways its out of his element. The silver ring he gave her in May, simple as it was in design, was exhausting enough. "Hmmm..."

Reaching for his mug, he downs the last of the cappuccino inside. Yui flutters over to a flat-screen display. Thanks to the Augma ability to create augmented reality imagery, Yui can appear anywhere in Kazuto's sight without clipping through objects, as if she was really present. He explores this more as he lifts his hand to her, and the fairy settles on his fingertip. He can't physically feel her, but the warmth is there.

As he brushes Yui's head, he aims his sight on the Amusphere. After a year and a half of use, the exterior is wearing out, but it still does the job. He vastly prefers it to the Augma. "Say, Yui. I'm going to pick out Asuna's present on my own, But before that, I can do a little research, right? I plan to buy it in person rather than ordering it, so I have a bit more time to work with."

Yui understood Kazuto's intentions based on his glance at the virtual reality headset. "Well, I suppose I can't stop you. I'll be waiting for you in there!" She disappears in a spray of light, and Kazuto removes the Augma from his head. Looking out the window, he stares at the departure of the sun. It's only four o'clock, but the skies are golden with the signs of the early sunset. Birds fly back to their nests, and as he stares, Kazuto sees a white tower rising towards heaven.

He blinks several times, losing the image. Washing away a sudden swell of emotions and walking over to his bed, he puts the Amusphere on his head and lies down. Closing his eyes, he mumbles words he's spoken so many times now. "Link Start."

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Floor 22 of New Aincrad, Alfheim Online

It's a sunny afternoon in the sixteen-hour world of Alfheim and the floating castle above it, New Aincrad. Kirito the Spriggan loads up in an empty home, not unusual but still eerie for him. It's a hangout spot for his friends, but Kirito is aware that Asuna is with her family at the moment, and Suguha is at kendo practice or on the way home. Yui should be here, as she implied.