Equis Art Online II

Kazuto woke up to the light shining through his window. He could tell Sugu and Alice were already downstairs, due to the the sounds of breakfast being made. Kazuto smiled and dressed, before walking downstairs. Alice and Sugu were over by the stove, preparing eggs and toast. Kazuto yawned and streched, then he sat himself down.

"Morning, big Bro!" Sugu said, handing him a plate of eggs.

"Morning, Sugu." Kazuto said. "Morning, Alice."

"Hey, Kiri...I mean, Kazuto. Geez, that's going to be annoying for a while." Alice said, sitting down.

"Yeah, Asuna still has that problem sometimes." Kazuto said, laughing.

"I see. You know, Alice? You joining us in ALO? That's gonna be fun. Not sure if you're gonna be a player or a navigation pixie, though." Sugu said, turning off the stove and sitting down.

"Yeah." Alice said.

"Got any plans, Sugu? I'm free. I mean, it is spring break." Kazuto said, buttering a piece of toast.

"I'm free all day. Practice isn't in session for a few more says. Coach says we deserved a break for all of our hard work."

"Great. Mind messaging Klein, Liz, Silica, Aries, and Sinon? I'll take Asuna." Kazuto said, getting out his phone.

"Sure." Sugu said, getting out her tablet and typing away.

"One sec, guys." Kazuto said, speed-dialing Asuna's number.

"Morning Asuna! Sorry to call so early...Yeah, I'm great. You?...Hey, that's fantastic! You free today?...Great. We'll see you there then. See you soon. Love you too." Kazuto said, then he hung up.

"I take it Asuna's free?" Alice said, lying back in her chair.

"Yes." Kazuto said, finishing his egg.

"Great. Maybe in ALO, we can settle our little feud." Alice said guiltily.

"Hey, it's all good. Don't worry. I've had women fight over me before lots of times." Kazuto said, thinking back to his memories of old ALO.

"Yeah. I guess what Klein says about you being a total women magnet is true, huh?" Sugu said.

"Hey!" Kazuto said, standing up and tripping over his chair, falling to the ground. As Sugu and Alice began to laugh, the sun shone brighter in the sky.

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ALfheim

Lizbeth's Shop

Yggdrasil City

Kirito and Alice watched as Lizbeth hammered away at his swords, repairing them. Alice was a Sylph with blonde hair, a result of her converted Underworld account. Her armor was similar to that of her old armor, only more robe-like. A blue sword engraved with a rose pattern rested at her side. She was talking to Leafa at the moment. Kirito watched Liz for a bit, then he got an evil smile. Right as Liz was about to start on Kirito's other sword, he smiled and yelped.

"You almost done. Liz?"

Lizbeth dropped the sword and flipped him off, then she smiled weakly.

"You know, Kirito? It takes time to repair gear to 100 percent durability. I'm doing my best. AND Don't think I've forgiven you for when you called me a swindler."

"I get it. Besides, it being just you and me, plus Yui, Alice and Leafa, so it's kinda boring." Kirito said, to which Leafa nodded, but at that moment, the rest of the group arrived. Klein, Silica, Sinon, Asuna, and Hyoma walked in, all of them chatting.

"Took you guys long enough."  Lizbeth said, giving Kirito his swords.

"Hey. Early morning means still getting up. Besides, your little request for some orienting in ALO was last minute. Took me a while to get started is all." Klein said defensively.

"Point taken." Kirito said as everyone sat down. Leafa smiled at Aries, who blushed and sat down.

"Where's Yuuki?" Kirito asked Asuna.

"She's clearing floors in New Aincrad with the Sleeping Knights. She said she would have loved to join, but she was caught up with rehab and getting reoriented with ALO." Asuna said.

"Alright." Kirito said.

Leafa looked over at Aries, who was chatting with Silica. She smiled and sighed.

"I really do like him. He's cute in-game and IRL..." She thought.

"I'm really starting to think you two are made for each other." Asuna said, interrupting her thoughts, which caused Hyoma and Leafa to drop their jaws, look at each other, blush, and then shrug.

"Guess I'm right about that." Asuna said, sitting down next to Kirito, and leaning on his shoulder. Kirito smiled and leaned on Asuna, causing Klein to gag.

"What was that for, Klein?" Silica said disapprovingly, and Pina crowed approvingly.

"I swear, that guy has NO TROUBLE getting chicks to like him. I swear, it makes me sick!" Klein said, pouting by the window.

"Maybe it's your attitude about girls, Klein, that does it for you."

All eyes turned to the massive Gnome in the doorway, with a bright expression.

"Agil. Nice to see you." Kirito said nonchalantly, shaking his hand.

"You too, Kirito. Wife gave me some free time. Thought I'd join you guys with helping orient Alice." Agil said, sitting down.

"Thanks." Alice said, blushing slightly.

"No problem." Agil replied, then, a system dialogue opened up in front of each player, including Alice and Agil.

SYSTEM LOGIN-ID HEATHCLIFF

LOGIN ACCEPTED

BRING UP STATUS FOR EQIGARD DLC-01 PASSCODE-INNOVATION

CHECKING...PASSCODE ACCEPTED

STATUS OPEN

SYSTEM COMMAND-REOPEN EQIGARD TERMINUS-RESURRECT BOSS-0

TERMINUS REOPENED

THE EQIGARD DLC IS NOW OPEN TO YOU

As the dialogue faded, Kirito gasped slightly.

"Hey Kirito? I thought the DLC for ALO was canceled. What's up?" Agil asked.

"It wasn't canceled. Kayaba used it as cover to open a portal between dimensions. Eqigard is the cover name for the realm of Equestria. YOu know that girl Twilight?" Leafa said.

"Yeah, we had a party at the cafe' for her. What about her?"

"She's from Eqigard. Or Equestria, I should say." Asuna said.

"Damn. Wasn't expecting that." Agil said, and Alice put up a thoughtful gesture.

"I don't remember meeting this "Twilight", Kirito." Alice said.

"We meet her three weeks before I met you, Alice."

"How did a being from another reality get to ours?" Agil asked.

"Kayaba." Asuna said simply.

"That clears up a bunch." Agil said. "I always knew he was alive."

"Technically, he is and he isn't, Agil. What do you say we head over to the dungeon where the portal is at?" Aries said, sliding his finger down the blade of his longsword.

"Sounds good to me." Agil said.

"Let's get going, then!" Kirito said, and a chorus of "YEAH!" erupted from each person.

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Eqigard Terminus

The group watched the swirling rainbow vortex shimmering in the stone frame. Agil smiled and chuckled.

"Had I known there was a portal between realities in ALO, I would have notified the GMs."

"It's our secret, Agil. The only ones that know about it are us." Kirito said.

"Well, technically every player in ALO knows about it, since the DLC was announced." SIlica said.

"WE'RE the only ones that know its true purpose, though." Lizbeth said while stroking Pina on the head, who crowed.

"Yeah. Shall we?" Kirito asked. Asuna nodded and the two of them walked in together, followed by Leafa and Hyoma, Klein and Liz, Silica and Sinon, lastly Agil and Alice. As the last member entered, the portal waved and closed. Five minutes later, it reopened. Then, interrupting the silence, a Salamander walked down. Clad in heavy red armor with black stripes, and wielding a black greatsword, his face was obscured by a mask. He smiled and walked through the portal, with a smile on his face. Then, the portal finally closed.

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