SWORD ART ONLINE ;Kirito x OC

Progressive 2; A Friend

I stare at the unconscious young girl. Kirito and I brought her to this clearing, outside the labyrinth. It's a nice safe room in the forest area of floor one. Thorny bushes with small flowers and old trees covered in gold moss surround the round space. In a way, it's almost magical. Both Kirito and I were leaning against the biggest of the trees.

"I've never heard you talk in such a tone." Kirito notes, his eyes fixated on the sky. I sigh. "...I...was angry..." Her words...were absolutely annoying. She acted as if she doesn't care if she's going to die. "I get it." I look at Kirito in shock. He smiles at me. "These kind of words...They made me kinda angry as well. No one should just give up on living."

It's silent again. But it's not awkward. For some reason, whenever I'm with Kirito I can feel relaxed, comfortable even. I listen to the birds and the wind. For how long have we been sitting here now? I close my eyes. Right now, it doesn't feel like we are stuck in a death game. It's just a normal, peaceful and magical moment. I open my eyes. If only that could be true. I look at the sky. Such a wonderful blue. Just how can such a terrible thing look so beautiful? So magical?

"You were right, you know?"

Again, Kirito glances at me. "It's a nice weather we are having."
He chuckles. "So you did listen."

"Say, your name...what is it?

I look at Kirito surprised. Now that I think about it...I've never told him my name haven't I? Normally I certainly wouldn't tell. I don't want to talk with people. I just want to be alone. That's how it should have been. I gaze at Kirito. He's smiling gently. Why would he show me of all people such a face? Why does he care such about me? I just cannot understand him. I wonder...

"Emerald."

Kirito's eyes widen in surprise. Did he not expect me to answer? When why did he ask anyway. Truthfully. I cannot understand him. I wonder if he is gonna laugh? If he is gonna mock my username? I blink. Why...do I care?

"It's a nice name. It really suits you."

Now I stare at Kirito in surprise. Am I...relieved? Why? Did I perhaps...not want him to hate me? Even though...we have only met on occasions. Suddenly Kirito laughs.

"But man, it's good you told me. Would be kinda weird to not know the name of a friend!"

"Huh?"

I stare at Kirito in shock. Friend? Kirito thinks of us as...friends? Kirito wants me, me of all people, to be his friend? He looks at me with uncertainty. "S-Sorry, was I too full of myself? I'm not really used to this so..." I open my mouth but just what do I want to say? A friend. I never had something like that...or did I? I...

"...Trial..."

I lay my head on my knees, shielding it with my arms.

"Huh?"

Annoyed I look up slightly. "...You're on trial..." And immediately I hide myself again.

It's silent for a few seconds before I can hear Kirito laugh loudly. He sounds happy, relieved. I never thought I could make another person happy with mere words.

"I see!"

A friend.

With my face hidden, I smile slightly.

~~~~~~~~

Kirito and I immediately glanced at the stranger once we felt her move. It had been some time. Minutes? Or has it been hours? We didn't talk much after that. Most of the time was spent in silence. Comfortable silence.

Rather than thanking us or asking where she could be, she grinded her teeth. Rude. "Unnecessary…effort." Her voice was hoarse and low, yet different from mine it seemed only due to exhaustion not because of lack of usage. "Unnecessary..." The girl repeats for a reason I do not get. What a weird person. I decide to let Kirito do the talking for obvious reasons. Kirito just smiles. "I didn't save you." Is everything he says. Well, technically you did...

"……Then, why didn't you leave me there?" The girl furrows her eyebrows, confused. I'm slowly thinking we should have. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate her specifically, I just hate everybody.

"What I saved, was the map data you have. If you secluded
yourself near the front lines for as long as four days, you should
have mapped a considerable amount of unexplored areas. It
would be a bit wasteful if it disappeared along with you." Kirito explains. Truth to be told, he didn't think of that. I was the one who told him. I couldn't care less about saving a person who seemingly has already given up on living but useful data is another case. Especially because of what is going to happen soon.

"……Then, just take it." With a small motion she turns all of the map data into a small scroll and tosses it towards Kirito's feet. I take it, examining it in my hand. How weird. Truth to be told, I did not know that it was possible to share map data with other players. In every MMO I've played such was impossible. Well, in most of them, mapping itself was not necessary. Another thing which differences SAO from other MMOs. It reminds me more of old RPGs. I wonder...was Kayaba maybe a fan of those?

"With this, you've achieved your objective, right? Then, I will be
going." I look at her, almost having forgotten her existence. With that she pushes herself up. Wobbly on her feet she begins to walk.

"...Wait." I wonder why I'm stopping her. I couldn't care less. In fact I can't stand her. Yet just like Kirito something about her is intriguing. I glance at Kirito. Since I've gotten to know him...things changed. But why? "...Meeting..." I say. That might an information she might want to know. Kirito's eyes widen before giving me a small smile. I blink confused. Why does he keep smiling at me all the time? He looks at Miss Fencer who stares back at us with a confused expression.

"Hey Fencer-san. You, too, are basically working hard to clear the game right? Not
just to die in the dungeon. Then, wouldn't it be better if you show
your face at the «meeting»?"

"...Meeting?"

"This afternoon, in the town of «Tolbana» that is the closest to the
dungeon, the first «First Floor Boss strategy conference» is
supposed to be held."

---
This chapter was so hard to write. It pretty much was just an inner Asuna monologue in the LN so I decided to cut a lot and change it to some fluff between our two mains. So yeah, our reader or now Emerald as I've decided to go with the OC route (a lot of people seemed to support it) has finally made a friend and no, she has no romantic feelings for Kirito at the moment. Name's from AsunaXI btw.
She's still confused about her platonic feelings after all. It was hard to write that part. To write in a perspective of someone who not once had a friend and never knew what liking someone really means (or who has forgotten how the feeling is like) but I hope I did a good job. And no, Emerald is not gonna hate Asuna for ever. In fact they will be BBFs later on. Remember that Emerald is a cautious girl who doesn't let people in (Kirito is an exception cause he kinda forced himself in without actually pushing her too much).
I must say I really enjoy the Progressive LN, I've only read Chapter 1&2 by now but I can already see so much improvement in the writing. And yeah I'm going to try to make every LN chapter into one of my chapters, there will be a lot of chapters lol