Sword Art Online: Eclipse

Oneshot Special: Yuuki's Birthday

The duel's clashing could be heard for several miles. If people were concentrated on the twenty-second floor, there would have been a crowd. Some would have quickly sent «Tell»s to their friends saying to rush down and see an epic clash. The players being a young woman clothed in purple wielding two swords testing her own against the vice-commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Yet, no one was around to see their engagement. The exchange of «Skills», swipes, jabs, slashes, and thrusts were a blur for anyone inexperienced with the combat system.

    Asuna was slightly exasperated. This was the fourth time she was dueling her friend this week alone and was beginning to lose her good sportsmanship. The girl in front of her smiled, her two matching purple blades winking at Asuna playfully.

    "You have something on your mind," Yuuki stated as she charged her opponent with a green «Double Circular».

   Asuna anticipated the dash, parried one of the blades, and dodged the other, "I have been thinking about dying my hair."

    "Really?" Yuuki mused and gave a jubilant girn, "That would be super cute! What color?"

    Asuna rushed Yuuki with her blade desperately summoning «Oblique» which was easily waved aside by the dual-wielders «Cross Block», "Mmm, I was thinking a cherry pink."

    Yuuki laughed as she parried Asuna's blow, and retreated a few paces, "I think you can do better than that! Think about all the colors in this whole wide world!" She threw her arms up in such a hearty way Asuna thought she was going to fall.

    "What do you think?" Asuna pursued while waiting for her friend's next move, "Leaf green? Gold? Silver?"

    The two swordswomen began to approach one another slowly both panting, "Mmmm...Oh! I know, I know! Blue!"

    Asuna laughed, "Blue? Really?"

    Yuuki's vigorous nod turned in to a «Pre-Motion» for one of Asuna's least favorite moves to combat against, «Binary Orbit», which was an eleven-hit combo. She slashed left to right with her blades glowing a compassionate purple then she plunged her weapons downwards which Asuna only barely managed to dodge away from. She leaped up into the air her swords trailing behind her, this time the blades nicked Asuna's «Lambent Light». Yuuki pulled herself inwards before releasing a horizontal spin attack followed by by a vertical twin. Asuna gasped as she blocked both blows.

     She had never made it this far into the combo before, she dug her heels into the ground. Then Asuna saw something flicker on Yuuki's face and when the final dash attack connected, she understood. She held her blade against Yuuki's dual weapons.

    "Something is on your mind too, Yuuki. You okay?" Asuna staggered as Yuuki pushed her away with her swords. Her grip on them became meek.

    "Yeah, I am totally awesome! What's up?"

    "I don't know, I just felt like you are holding something." Then the answer found its way to Asuna's lips, "Is it your birthday?"

    Yuuki sighed her face became laxed with defeat, "You figured it out, huh? I was hoping I didn't convey it too much."

    Asuna shook her head, her hazel eyes questioning the red ones in front of her, "Why? Do you not want to celebrate it?"

    Yuuki shrugged and seemed to had lost interest in the duel as she started to kick around, "I suppose it's something like that, I used to not like my birthday that much because of my sister."

    "Oh, Yuuki..."

    "It's okay," the swordswoman started to lean whimsically on her swords, "Don't fret, please, I have gotten over it for a while now."

    For a moment, the girls could hear nothing but the ticking of the duel counter above them. Once, a slight breeze floated by and made the tall pines rustle and sway.

    Without warning, Asuna rushed Yuuki, for a moment Yuuki thought she was attacking, but hesitated as Asuna threw her arms around her. Caught of gaurd, Yuuki dropped her swords. Then she giggled passionately, "I thought I said don't worry about me."

    "I know," Asuna sighed, "I just felt like hugging you."

    "Ack, if you keep treating me like this Kirito might get jealous," Yuuki's heart thumped and she dug her face into Asuna's shoulder, "Have I told you, you are a lot like her?"

    Now Asuna laughed, "Yes, a lot."

    "Are you getting bored of me?"

    "Never."

    "Promise you aren't sad?"

    Asuna was silent for a moment, "Maybe a little, but what's wrong with that?"   

"Well, why spend time being all moppy when you can be having fun?"

    "I suppose so," she squeezed Yuuki tighter, "you were always the happiest person in SAO despite everything, but sometimes, its okay to slow down and just relax. Just feel, you know?"

    Yuuki pondered this, "Maybe, there is no harm in trying." She pulled down her menu and ended the duel. They held each other for a few more moments before they let go.

    "Let's go to my place real fast," Asuna said, "I am sure I can whip up a cake with what we have at home. Kirito has been hunting these mobs that drop a cream and it is amazing."

    "That sounds spetacular!" Yuuki expostulated, before she noticed Asuna's amused grin, "I mean, that sounds fun."

    Asuna chuckled, she grabbed Yuuki's hand and led her to the house. The dual-wielder knew that she was probably going to die, someday. She had spent her life fearing it and then fighting it. Eventually, she learned to accept it, but it always surprised her how many different ways there were to do so. Although she promised Asuna to take it easy, she was already wondering if Kirito wouldn't mind a duel later.