Asuna Memory 001

There's a haze over everything. At first, the only thing Asuna can make out is the massive tree at the heart of the island. It's so large that she has to scramble over the roots to move across the island. She's panicked... no, that's not right. But her heart is pounding and there's a hollow feeling at the pit of her stomach. She doesn't know what happened before she arrived here, but something has frayed her nerves.

Only then, through the fog, does she see Yuuki in the distance. She looks the same, though she's wearing armor, a sword strapped to her side. Asuna runs to her, a feeling of relief. Was she expecting to never see her again?

Everything else comes in bits and pieces. She reaches out to pull Yuuki into a tight hug. They're both crying, but they both seem grateful.

"...it wasn't a burden, not in the least..." It's her own voice first. "I'm so happy I was able to meet you and help you."

The words are indistinguishable until Yuuki speaks.

"I'm so happy I came here and got to meet you, so very happy," she says, resting her head on Asuna's shoulder. "Just hearing what you said now was enough for me. Now at last, I'm satisfied with everything."

The last impressions of the memory are the tight hug, and the powerful parallel feelings of joy and sadness, though Asuna isn't sure just what they were talking about, or what she said to Yuuki to prompt that response.

Asuna Memory 002

This place was familiar at the time, though she doesn't know the name of it. She's also disoriented, as though she wasn't here previously and isn't sure how she arrived. It's a large town square teeming with people, all wearing armor and wielding swords, maces and daggers.

Suddenly the sky turns red, scores of hexagonal shaped tiles stretching out as far as the eye can see. They flash with the messages WARNING and SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT.

In the dead center of the square, something starts to ooze from the between the tiles. It congeals into a single massive form, like a drop of blood dangling over their heads. The liquid takes form, looking like a massive cloak with only hands visible, the face obscured in shadows. The figure speaks, the voice booming around them.

"Greetings, my dear players. I am Akihiko Kayaba and, as of this moment, I am the only human being alive with control over this world.

There's a murmur among the crowd. The name means nothing to her but it's clearly a big deal to everyone else.

"You have likely noticed that the logout button has disappeared from the main menu. This is not a bug. I repeat--this is not a bug. This is a feature of Sword Art Online. From this point forward, you will be unable to freely log out of the game until the summit of the castle is conquered."

The voices around her are growing angry, people starting to protest that they had plans, obligations, lives away from the game. I'm not even supposed to be here is the only thing Asuna can think.

"Furthermore, the NerveGear cannot be removed or shut down via external means. If forceful means of exit are attempted, the high powered microwaves emitted by the NerveGear will scramble your brain and shut down your neural processes."

"He can't be serious!"

"He's bluffing!"

"That's impossible!"

There's an undercurrent of fear as images of news articles appear in the sky now. Articles of mysterious deaths connected to the NerveGear.

"At present, the friends and family of several players have already ignored these warnings and attempted to forcefully remove their NerveGears. The result being that, sadly, two hundred and thirteen players have already been permanently retired from both Aincrad..."

Asuna's eyes go wide, her breath quickening.

"...and the real world."

The panic courses through her entire body now. She's never played video games before, and now her life depends on it. She wraps her arms around herself and falls to her knees, one though repeating over and over again.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.