book two: trapped || sword art online

Chapter 10

Published: 05/10/2017; Wednesday; 12:42am; Unedited

"That was a smart plan you had," Sugo complimented, and I avoided his gaze. He placed his hand on my shoulder and I tensed, flicking my eyes to the reflection of us on the wall next to the bed. "It's a shame that you couldn't execute it all the way." His hand slipped down, dipping in the curves and I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth. I felt his hand go lower, to my thigh where he usually stopped at--

"Ah!" The noise left my mouth before I could comprehend what had just happened. He stroked the area and I shook, eyes wide. He had never gone this far before, and it scared me to be touched in such a way.

His other hand traveled around and groped my breast, and I shuddered hard.

"Don't hold back those delicious sounds," he whispered in my ear.

"Go to hell," I gritted out. His hands stopped and suddenly he faced me towards him, and brought his hand across my face.

"I'm done with you talking to me like you're better than I," he sneered, "I'm going to be your husband by the end of the week so you better start behaving like my wife." I glared at him, holding my cheek.

"I will never be your wife, bastard," I spat.

He growled, standing from the bed and going to the cage door. He typed in the new code, and glanced over his shoulder to me. "I'll give you time to accept that you are mine, and there's nothing you can do about it."

He walked out and the cage closed behind me, locking itself. 

"Just you watch, Sugō!" I called after him, "This is all gonna bite you in the ass!"

"Sure, sure."

I hugged myself, willing myself not to cry virtual tears-- it's not worth it. It wouldn't mean anything.

I breathed in and let out a shaky breath.

"I'm counting on you, Kazuto..."

[+..••]

Kirito shot up from his spot, after trying multiple times logging in again, he finally made it back on. Leafa, Sugu'a avatar, laid unconscious next to him where he remembered. He started looking around for Ume, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it!" He hit the ground with his fist, glaring at the virtual grass. He was suddenly pushed back, something ramming into his face. "Ow!" He flamed down at his lap where he felt something land, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Yui sat up, rubbing her forehead, before looking at him with big eyes, "Papa!" She exclaimed, flying up to eye level. "I followed Ume-san as far as I could without being noticed-- she was taken by weird slime monsters and a man!"

"Slimes?" Kirito whirled around to see Leafa with a confused look, "There aren't any types of slimes in this game-- not monsters, anyways."

"Probably minions of some sorts," Kirito guessed, his eyebrows scrunching together..."minions...not monsters..." his eyes widened, "they work with him-- it's not just him alone with this!"

"What-- what'll we do?" Leafa asked, fear sinking in. This was all spiraling out of control, this isn't what she signed up for, this is-- "Unreal."

Kirito sent her a look, giving her a bitter smile, "Isn't it always?" He gestured to the world around them, "Everything we love and enjoy, it's all fake."

"I didn't mean..."

"What do you mean?"

"This scenario," she cleared, shaking her head, "its straight out of a movie or book. Or even a game."

Kirito stared for a second, before looking out to the distance, bringing out the card that Ume gave him while only giving him a subtle answer.

With the way she had said it, it was like she was entrusting so many lives into his hands. As if the fate of the world depended solely on the card.

The key to saving her life, along with two hundred-ninety-nine others.

Wait.

She came from the world tree. She couldn't have been able to get an object from anywhere else with an NPC-like avatar  like hers. She jumped from the World Tree, meaning she was running from something-- not because she escaped because she stole something and then was caught trying to leave with it.

She could have logged out-- saved herself, but she wouldn't have any way to save the other ones trapped. People would simply believe that everyone would slowly begin to wake up like she did, raising false hope and possibly causing casualties in the process.

Ume wouldn't risk those lives just to save herself, she would only live with guilt for the rest if her days.

"What's that?" Leafa asked, not having been there when he received the card. He looked back at her, eyes glinting with determination to save Ume-- to get her away from that bastard once and for all. He held up the card, putting all his hopes into the thin object. He hesitated, mulling over his thoughts again, before accepting his conclusion.

"If my suspicions are correct, seeing as I got it from Ume and what she said..." Kirito met his sister's eyes.

Leafa eyes widened, connecting the pieces, "No way..." Kirito nodded, both of them looking at it. It suddenly felt heavier than it should.

"It's a key to the World Tree."