Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Reality

I awoke in the morning to the bright light of dawn. I felt really good about last nights game. I finally mastered the rules and intricacies of Vestige as a whole. I grasped its new concepts well and looked forward to what else it had in store for me. I remembered what K told me at the end of the game. Then it hit me.

"K." I said out loud.

I grabbed my phone to see a text from K. The only words he sent were: 'It's time.' I opened my phone and texted back frantically while sitting up.

"You don't mean..." I texted back.

"I do. It's finally time." He responded.

I quickly got up to get dressed and realized I was still wearing his shirt. I smiled at the thought then put on my best clothes. I pulled on a jacket and looked at myself in the mirror. First down at my shoes and jeans, then up to my face. I cracked a weak smile and adjusted my glasses. I took a deep breath and left out my front door. The day was rather cloudy but not too overcast. Suddenly, a drop of water landed right on my nose as I looked up to the sky. Then, rain started to hit the concrete all around me. Before I could be hit with anymore raindrops, I grabbed my umbrella and quickly opened it over my head. As the city streets moved around me, I stood innocently in the rain. I scanned my surroundings with a new appreciation for my senses. K had always taught us the importance of our perception in the game, but I found those lessons followed me to the real world. As I stood alone in the rain, people passed by me without a second thought. Each of them leading busy lives that I could not conceive of. The raindrops spilt down and pattered on the top of my umbrella. I looked down at the wet concrete and noticed that my boots were in a small puddle. I saw my reflection and looked myself in the eyes. I took a breath and scanned around once more. Then, in a ray of sunlight ahead of me, was a tall male figure wearing jeans and a black leather jacket. He had his hands in his pockets and he kept his head down so his long black hair would cover his eyes. The clouds above us parted and the rain began to stop. I slowly closed my umbrella and looked up at him as he neared. His long black hair flowed in the wind and he froze in place in front of me. I looked him in the eyes and he looked back. The only thing was... his eyes were purple. My heart began to beat like a drum. We were locked, stuck in time, nothing but the void of a wormhole around us. I felt his presence and he felt mine. Our auras hummed as one. After all this time. It was Him.

"Hey." He cracked a smile.

"..Hey." I hesitated and smiled back.

We were both still frozen and didn't know what to do. There was so much we wanted to say and yet, we said nothing. It was silent.

"Well, this is awkward." He put his hand on the back of his head.

"Your eyes..." I couldn't find the words.

"Yeah. They're purple." He smiled and nodded.

I stood innocently in front of him as we both got a good long look at each other. He crossed his arms and smirked.

"I thought you'd be taller." He joked.

"Easy for you to say. You have purple eyes." I remind him.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved me away and smiled genuinely.

"Yours aren't so bad either." He stared at me.

I chuckled shyly.

"I love your glasses." He nodded and smiled solemnly.

"Oh... Thanks." I tried my best to take it as a compliment.

I have always been self conscious of my glasses simply because I need them to see. Most people don't have that problem.