Her Mission To Save Them All || Sword Art Online Fanfic

Chapter 9

POV: Kayoko

"Why?" The player cries from the back, on his knees. "why did you let Diable die?"

I freeze beside Asuna, my brain still, neutrally empty. I can't bear to think about it. Looking back, if I hadn't watched, shoved that healing potion down his throat, and forgone whatever he was talking about.

Everyone is quiet beside me, murmurs snatched in between the silence.

"A beta tester." Is all I hear in my ears. I would trade anything to just be a beta tester. Just a person knows a smidge of knowledge than everyone else.

"She is one too!" The voices that were once happy and sweet turn bitter and sour. Why does this have to be such a bad thing? What is the difference?

I stare blankly at the player that points at me, daring him to say it again, tell me that his death was all my fault. Tell me something I don't know I want to mutter but it is Asuna that steps in front of me.

"They helped us defeat the boss." Her voice is calm and level but the stele in her eyes cannot be matched, even by my stare.

Kyo nods alongside Asuna "What does it matter?"

I take a deep breath, drawing calmness through my body. But it seems that Kirito has other ideas as he breaks the silence. He laughs, like this situation was...funny... well in some ways it was but we have to convince them we didn't betray them.

If I had any idea that the boss was going to draw that blade then I wouldn't have stayed at the back. He slowly gets up, his outfit blending into the darkness of the room, wobbling from side to side.

"A beta tester!" I make a slicing movement across my neck as subtly as I can to shut him up.

Don't. I urge him to shut his mouth.

Clearly ignoring me, he continues in his now manic voice "I wish you wouldn't compare me to those newbies! Most of the 1000 beta testers were beginners who didn't know how to level up. You are much better than them!"

When he says the words, somehow, I think that this will be okay. Kirito is just correcting them, and reassuring them we didn't lie to them. Everything was going to be okay.

I have never been so wrong.

He walks forwards, towards the spiked haired player, the crowd parting for him. I stare at his back as he says with a hint of malice in his voice,

"But I am not like them. I made it higher than anyone else in the beta test, the reason I know the bosses skills is because I have fought enemies with katana skills high above us."

I want to scream at him "stop" but the words are stuck in my throat, I would have to choke on the word just to make him stop. Can he see that he is just making this worse?

"I know a lot more than any information broker!"

But not more than me.

Then I realize what he is doing. Making them hate him to feel something for Diable's death because he feels responsible. Then the other reason hits me in the face.

To save me.

To save me for experiencing their hate. And I realize that if they had continued to interrogate me, it would have come out sooner rather than later that I was the niece of the creator. He had saved me more than he realized.

"Beta Tester!" The spiked haired player yells, though even for this distance I can tell it is just bravado. "You are even worse than them, You are a cheater, That's what you are!"

"A Beater!" The name makes me smile a bit, the daftness of it. If Kirito is a Beater, then what am I? Something in me doesn't want to know.

"Beater..." Kirito pauses for a bit as if mulling it around in his brain like a wine, "I like it." He flicks his write in that familiar fashion to call up his menu, equipping the Black coat with a swish of its fabric on the floor.

Somehow, the drop doesn't look as appealing to me anymore.

"That's right, I am a beater, from now on don't confuse me with the other Beta testers."

Then with a swish of his coat, he walks towards the stairs, Asuna following swiftly behind.

"A beater huh?" Kyo sidles up to my frozen form, crossing his arms over his chest, then whispering in my ear, "I wonder what that makes you?"

"A niecer?" I joke, but it feels somewhat half-hearted.

Then a notification swings into view, and on further inspection, Kirito has disbanded our group. I bite my lip, hesitating, before I equip my own awesome exit cape, tugging the hood over my head before I say to Kyo,

"I'll meet you later."

************

"Kirito!" I cry, panting for the rush I made up the sprawling staircase, leaving Asuna and Kyo down below as little stick figures. I swipe the hood off my face. "Thank you!"

He turns around, his new coat swishing, confusion dancing in those onyx eyes, "What for?"

Somehow, after everything, I manage to smile, saying "For covering for me, I guess, I mean we're both Beta Testers, we've got to look out for each other." I walk up a bit further, giving him one of my signature punches of his arm "So thanks!"

"No problem." His voice is flat as he turns towards the door, faltering for a minute before speaking again "Hey, Kira, can you promise me something?"

"Depends what you're asking," I narrow my eyes, "If it is to skip around in a Tutu, I am okay, really."

A faint smile graces his lips, a ghost of one, but better than nothing "Promise me you will survive this, okay?"

"I promise, but you must keep my request too." A frown creases his browns as continue "Remember other players, don't do this all on your own, there are limits to what you can do as a solo player, Ok?"

He turns away before mumming, flat and monotone "Sure."

"Now we shake hands and say memento promissum," He gives me a questioning look. "Just do it!" I say hotly.

I grasp his hand from his side, placing it in mine, and shake the limp hand. "Memento promissum!"

He just gapes at me blindly, lips not forming the words.

"Come on!" I sigh loudly "Just do it, please..."

"Fine."

HIs hand is firmer this time, not as much like a doll as before, as we shake our hands, our voices joining into one symphony as we say, "Memento promissum!"

Memento promissum.
Remember your promises.

*************