Turning Back the Clock

Chapter 15: The Dinner

While having dinner at a restaurant together that night, Riko and Kirito's groups shared stories and laughs with each other, as well as talked about how this game has brought them together, despite being trapped in it.

Riko: So what have you guys been up to?

Kirito: Asuna and I have been adapting our own fighting styles and coordinating with each other while practicing with various monsters.

Asuna: I honestly think we make a great pair in battle.

Riko: What about outside of the battlefield?

Kirito: Well, I don't know if I'd go THAT far.

Asuna: *chuckles* Perhaps not at the moment, but I've taken a liking to him.

Kirito: Thanks, Asuna. Same to you.

Riko: That's good to hear. And just to double-check, Yui hasn't been in any battles or deleting monsters or anything like that?

Yui: Nope, but I still stuck by Kirito and Asuna's sides for a while. There's just...something about them that I haven't seen with any other players. A sense of positivity. Of happiness. Of calmness and peace.

Asuna: Well, we're glad to hear that you look up to us that much.

Yui smiled in response.

Riko: How's Pina, Silica?

Silica: Wonderful. It's the most precious creature I've ever met in this world. Right now, it's probably sleeping back at my place.

Riko: And how's the shop, Lis? Agil?

Agil: Booming. Your duplicators and weapons really hit the spot. I just love them.

Lis: Me too. And I've been studying them to see if I could make any modifications to them. Mainly for battle purposes.

Riko: That sounds great. *turning to Ui* I'm glad that things seem to be working out with all of them like they did in the real-world.

Ui: Me, too.

Kirito: I hate to interrupt, but you seem to know an awful lot about us and this game. If you don't mind me asking, how does your group know all of this?

Kez: Well, I guess it's time to spill the beans, guys.

Riko: Might as well. You see, ...the five of us are from the future.

Kirito's group either gave confused looks, or started laughing at this absurd thought.

Riko: I know it sounds silly, but hear me out. We come from the year 2122, 100 years after the launch of this game.

Ui: We traveled back to the past to save SAO and put a stop to Kayaba's...shall we say "reign."

Yui: So time-traveling has become possible in the distant future?

Riko: Well, yes and no. It's hard to explain to you guys, but we'll leave it at that.

Yui: Ok.

Lis: So if you're from the future, what exactly happens in this game, and to us?

Ui: We're not going to sugarcoat anything, but...thousands of players end up dying because of this game. Many players die in battle, especially on the 25th floor. Others committed suicide because they were so overcome by negative emotions, and there was no one there to comfort them or give them support when they needed it the most because of Yui being trapped by Kayaba's Cardinal directive.

Yui: I shudder at the thought of thousands of players dying, and the idea of me having to witness it without being able to do anything or be heard.

Riko: That's why we rescued you, brought our own weapons, and took care of the 25th floor to help prevent a large amount of players from dying in battle.

Asuna: Do all of us become friends and team up?

Riko: I won't give away the whole story, but pretty much. After SAO, you would go on to other games and fight various enemies and monsters in those games.

Klein: Well then, I can see why you wanted to assemble us.

Kez: Yep. It's like a "dream team."

Riko: And tomorrow, we plan to put an end to SAO once and for all, and free everyone from this prison that Kayaba calls a game.

Both groups agreed to give it their all on the top floor. The fact that they were from the future alienated Kirito and the gang at first, but the sincerity and clarity of what Riko and his teammates had to say made it clear that they were not joking. Together, they looked to, like Riko said, put an end to SAO and stop Kayaba.