Guilty Conscience

The guilt that Kouichirou carries with him since Asuna went through SAO still haunts him. Even though he knew how grateful she was because she found Kirito, every once in awhile the older brother would feel a wave of guilt wash through him.

There were times Kouichirou would dive into ALO as an imp, instead of his usual undine character he plays when he joins Asuna and Kirito, without telling them and go on quests with other SAO survivors. Playing to help him understand what his sister went through in the game. On a particular quest he was searching for helm of Hades, an object that was rumored to grant the wearer invisibility. Once they bested the god of death the helm was gifted to the leader of the group who went by Beowulf2022 in game. They celebrated their victory at one of the restaurants in the Imp territory. "Can we see the helmet again Beowulf?" Kouichirou asks excitedly before taking another swig of virtual ale.

Beowulf2022 took the item out of his inventory and placed in the middle of the table and the entire team stares at it in total confusion. "I thought it was supposed to be a helmet…" One of the other members commented. Beowulf shrugged his shoulder with outstretched arms before picking it back up and lifting the circular piece of metal over his head and speaking in a humored tone. "Helmet, crown, does it really matter—" He sets it on his head and disappears before undetectably walking behind Kouichirou and speaking in a confident booming voice that made everyone jump. "If it does this!"

When he heard about Armageddon and that Asuna and Kazuto were willing to not only put off their wedding but also risk their lives in an attempt to save so many others, he sat at his desk, the same one he had been stuck at the day that SAO launched, the same one he sat at as the news broke about the death game he let his little sister go into alone. This time he was determined to help them, and so he entered the Armageddon. He trained while he searched for them, and he became one of the strongest demon players in the game just before finding them.

Four days after finding the Sandals of Peace, only ten days left before every demon player is executed, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, and Kouichirou came across another large monster, the monster of wrath. The Giant bipedal creature with six arms all wielding swords or axes that seem to never take a break from thrashing, is proving to be a difficult opponent for the team that is unknowingly being watched by the angel player Esther. She keeps herself in front of the sun in order to not be detected by anyone except Yui, who is too concerned about her family, especially her mommy who keeps fazing in and out, to say anything that might distract from the fight. "He's good." Esther comments to herself as she watches the newest addition to the group that followed her to the Sword of the Spirit. She shakes her head to snap herself out of staring at the green and black streaks of the demon player she hasn't met yet.

"SWITCH!" Kouichirou yells as he charges from behind Kirito and starts to slice at two of monster's arms. Before he can get away though the monster also lands a blow to his left arm. "Retreat!" Asuna barks out the order and the two of them join her in the sky above the creature.

"He's really tough." Kouichirou breathlessly comments as Asuna starts to heal his injury.

"You won't die in the real world if you die in this game, but losing you right now, in the middle of this fight, I'd rather not." Asuna scowls at her brother between chanting the healing curse.

Asuna begins fading in and out of existence again. "We've been playing through our scheduled meals…" Her voice is shaky, and they both know that isn't the full truth behind her glitching.

"Maybe we should request a new dive system for you again." Kouichirou says as she finishes the last curse and nods her head.

"Come one Kirito I think we could finish this thing without Asuna so she could go grab a bite and a new set." He starts to fly away from the couple and turns his back before the displays of affection that always comes when they log off starts.

Kirito flew closer to her until he could press his forehead to hers. "I know you are keeping something from me."

Asuna bites her lip before going to respond but being interrupted by another, longer glitch out of the game. When she returns to a panicked Kirito she quickly grabs his hands, but she is still glitching and his hands fall as he starts to breath faster and his heart rate spikes high enough that his nurse, Jaime, sends him a warning. Kouichirou turns back around to watch as Asuna tries to speak through the glitches. "K-k-ki-to— okay— s-s-s-ee—log—ou—ou-t-t-t-t--now— l-l-l-oo-v-v-ve—you." And with that she is gone from their sight.

"Hey, leave Yui with me, I can take cre of the rest of this guy." Kouichirou suggests with a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"No, she'd never forgive me if I abandon you right now. Let's go take care of this so I can check on her IRL." Kirito grit his teeth and gripped the Sword of the Spirit as tightly as he could before the two charged into the fight.

Asuna came out of the game already throwing up and gasping for air. Hanna was relieved to see her patient awake to the real world again, but worried as well about the patient's situation. When the throwing up was over Hanna helped Asuna to the bathroom to take a quick shower to get the puke out of her hair. "Did you tell him about your lab results yet?" Hanna asks as she sits on the closed toilet seat.

"No, we've been a little focused on beating this game so we don't die." Asuna snipped back at her nurse. Asuna pulled some of the curtain back so Hanna could see her face. "I'm sorry." She closes the curtain and returns her head to the water to let it wash away the soap and vomit from her long Carmel hair. Hanna speaks in a steady voice despite her intense care and concern for a patient that, over the last couple of weeks has become more like a friend to her. "I'm not here to judge you Asuna. I'm here to care for your body while you try to save a ton of people... some of the

I care very deeply for…"

Asuna grabbed for her towel and wrapped it around her hair and then a second towel for her body. "You have family playing as demons?" She asks as she exits the shower.

Hanna stands. "My brother… he was one of the beta testers…"

Asuna's eyes go wide. "I-I'm so sorry Hanna…"

Hanna smiles sadly. "No need. Just… do your best to not let it happen to anyone else okay?"

Asuna nods her head and suddenly they hear the door to her room open hard enough to slam the door to hit the wall and shake the lights. "ASUNA!" Kirito yells from inside the room.

When they come out of the bathroom they find Kirito frantically looking around the room all of his wireless monitors still attached, and Jaime looking irritated at the door. "Where is Asu— oh!" As soon as he sees her his shoulders drop and he runs to her and pulls her into a hug. He rests his chin on top of her head to peer at Hanna. "What's wrong with her? Why does it smell like puke in here?"

Asuna pulls away from his chest and looks to her nurse. "Hanna, can you give us the room?" Hanna nods and walks towards the door where her colleague is standing looking irritated and confused.

"What is wrong with her?" Jaime asks when the door closes behind Hanna.

Hanna raises an eyebrow as they start to walk to their break room just down the hall. "Have you heard of patient confidentiality?"

Back in the game, just after beating the monster Kirito didn't wait to log out, so Kouichirou was left with Yui.

As he picked up the coins and one of the battle axes left behind from the monster he turns to his niece. "Hey Yui, I'm not that familiar with the religion this game is based off of… Are there any crowns in the source material?"

Yui squints at her uncle for a moment. "I'll check. While I do that, you should know—" she points up to the sun, "Someone has been watching us for a little while now."

Kouichirou flies up into the sky and as he does the outline of a female angel starts to be visible, although backlit, he could see her clear enough to think she was stunning. "Hello." He says with a smirk that makes her heart skip a beat and she has to shake her head again.

"Sorry I couldn't swoop in and help you…" She bites he lip and turns towards to look at the chaos left behind from the monster and Kouichirou finds himself lighting blushing.

"Why would you even be thinking of doing that when it would kill you?" He inquires, head tilted in a way that made him look like a puppy.

She sharply looks back to glare at him. "Because it would have been the right thing to do." She sounds fully irritated.

He nervously laughs. "I didn't catch your name. I'm Kouichirou." He bows his head.

"You must also be Japanese…" She mutters. "Your not also an SAO survivor are you?" Her eyes widen.

"So you know Asuna and Kirito… No… I should be… but I'm not." His gaze drops and shifts for a moment, the shame washing through him until he realizes she still hasn't told him her name and looks back up into her . "Who are you?"

She blinks a few times. "You can call me Esther."

"It's nice to meet you. That's a pretty simple username… you must've gotten in pretty early…" He taps his chin as he speaks and when he stops his eyes go wide. "Are you a—"

"Beta tester." She huffs while crossing her arms and begins to drift away from him.

"Wait! Tell me more!" He chases after her.