SAO: Beyond the Digital Sea // A Sword Art Online Fanfiction

Fairy Dance Arc: Start

January 2025

        It's been almost 2 months ever since an end was put to the tragedy that was Sword Art Online, or so was the plan. However, after his last conversation with his brother Akihiko, many things would come up to the public eye, some that completely derailed the celebration his friend Misaki would have liked to have. It turned out that not all players have been fully disconnected from the servers, as the man has promised. Only that-

{It makes no goddamn sense!}, Kayaba Saruhiko scratched the top of his head, his eyes jumping from one corner of the monitor to the other in countless attempts to verify where it all went wrong. {The servers are offline. So then where are these players connected to?}

His hands froze hovering over the keyboard. He's been going back and forth between those notebooks of his now-deceased brother and the files he saved on his computer. Yet he couldn't picture any logical reason to explain what had transpired. On top of that, Misaki's phone calls have become gradually more spaced out the more time passed, the boy having to continue the cruel visits to the hospital to make sure his sister was still breathing. Needless to say, it's been a long while since either of them met up, even in Alfheim. 

Saruhiko himself hasn't stepped into that room yet, as he didn't want to face the loved ones of those still in peril. At least, that's what he agreed to with his conscience. But if his conscience alone was enough to dictate how the world functions, he wouldn't be in this predicament now. In other words, the first call in 2 weeks filled the quiet room.

The boy picked up the phone without hesitation, fearing the worst he might hear.

"Is that you Misaki? Is everything ok? "

"...She's stable. I didn't call to deliver bad news."

"Sigh...Thank God... How have you been though? It's-"

"Been a while. I know and I am sorry. I just...wanted to be alone for some time. But now's not the time for that."

"...You sound like you're planning something."

"Not quite. Listen. I know you don't want to, but...can you come to the hospital just this once? There's...a lot to be said."

Kayaba kept quiet for a few seconds. He's had this conversation with Misaki ever since October 2023, when their whole little operation started and he was sure Misaki gave up trying to convince him halfway through the endeavor...so it meant something required his presence now...

"I'll...be there in an hour..."

...

...

"Thanks."

The call ended there, with Misaki's mood slightly uplifting, but Saruhiko had other thoughts on the matter. He recalled all the times he'd been pushed against the wall the past year by people whose lives took a turn for the worst. It wasn't his fault, sure. He had all the reasons to retaliate if he wanted to. But each time he thought about it, the image of his mother crying the same way those people were flashed through his head. People are emotional beings, Saruhiko included. Therefore, who's him to say what is and isn't an appropriate reaction to losing a loved one?

"Well, it was bound to happen at some point...", he told himself, searching through his closet for an appropriate hoodie he could use to cover his appearance as much as possible. He certainly didn't expect to be treated like some sort of hero, as resentment isn't such an easy thing to give up.