Floor 22, Kirito and Asuna's Log Cabin December 25, 2024

In a log cabin on the 22nd Floor, two people are asleep in their room, until an 11-year-old girl with long raven black hair and dark chocolate eyes ran into the room and jumped on the bed.

"Mama! Papa!" the girl shouted in glee. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Yui," one of them muttered. "Why so early?"

"Because I want to open my presents, Papa!" Yui shouted, a big smile on her face.

"Alright, alright," a woman with orange-brownish chestnut-colored hair assured with a small smile. "Let us get decent and we can go open presents."

"Yay!" Yui shouted, before running out of the bedroom and towards the living room.

"I do not know how she is so hyper, Kirito," the woman commented as she got up with her bare back towards Kirito.

Kirito chuckles softly and gazes at the woman in front of him lovingly.

"Neither do I Asuna, but I wouldn't change that for the world," Kirito tells her as he walks up behind her and hugs her from behind. A silver band then glints as the morning sun shines off his finger and Asuna covers his right hand with her left, a similar ring glinting off her own as well. "I love you and her, Asuna. There is nothing I would do to keep you both safe."

"What did you say, Papa?" Yui asked.

"Oh," Kirito began, "I just said that I love you and mama and that I would do anything to keep you too safe."

Yui smiled, "You're nice, Papa! I love you, too!"

Kirito and Asuna sat on the couch, holding hands. They looked towards the Christmas Tree set up in the living room and the fireplace that was glowing with flames.

'This is nice,' Kirito thought, 'I can get used to this.'

Yui rushed over the tree and examined the presents carefully to figure out which ones were hers and which ones were for her Mama and Papa. She turned around, carrying a stack of three presents in her hands.

"Mama! Papa! Here are my presents!" Yui stated.

Kirito & Asuna couldn't help, but smile. They were so thankful to have such a loving daughter.

"That's great sweetie!" Kirito & Asuna replied in unison.

Yui took a present from the stack and set it down on the table. The wrapping was red with a yellow ribbon on it. She tore through the paper to reveal a white box; she lifted the lid to reveal a neatly folded black sweater. She took it out and held it up, then a smile started to form on her face.

"Thank you, Mama!" Yui exclaimed.

Asuna replied, "You're welcome! Merry Christmas!"

Yui set her black sweater down and took another present from the stack and set it down. The wrapping was black with a white ribbon on it. She ripped the paper and uncovered a blue box with an orange ball in it. Carefully, she opened the box to free the ball from the box. It bounced out and onto the floor.

Yui cheered, "Thank you, Papa!"

"No problem, Merry Christmas!" Kirito smiled.

Yui took the final present and set it down in front of her. The wrapping was orange with a purple bow on it. She pulled apart the wrapping to reveal a packaging with translucent wrapping. She analyzed it and it was white socks.

"Thank you, Mama & Papa!" Yui stated.

"You're welcome, Sweetie!" Asuna smiled.

Kirito added, "No problem."

Kirito and Asuna got up from the couch, hands still interlocked. They walked over to the Christmas Tree to retrieve their presents. They exchanged them, walked back to the couch, and sat down. They let go of each other and began to rip through the present that was right in front of them. Kirito opened up his present to reveal a white long-sleeved shirt and Asuna opened up her gift to show a black t-shirt.

"Thanks!" They shouted in unison.

They hugged each other and as they let go, kissed each other. As they pulled away, they heard a knock on the door.

"I got it!" Yui yelled.

Yui jumped up, ran to the door, and opened it.

"Hi!" She smiled brightly.

She opened her eyes to see a crowd of people that she has never seen before.

"I'm Yui! What are your names?" the young girl asked, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

A tall, dark-skinned, muscled man was the first of the group to shake off his surprise.

"Do Kirito and Asuna live here?" the man asked.

Yui nodded her head rapidly.

"Mama! Papa! There are a group of people here looking for you!" Yui shouted to her parents.

"Agil!" Asuna cheered, hugging the tall man before looking at the others.

"Hey, Asuna," Liz, a woman with a Blacksmith outfit and fluffy pink hair, greeted with a smile. "So a daughter huh? Any juicy details I should know about?"

"L-Liz!" Asuna hissed, her face red. "Not in front of Yui!"

"What's that?" Yui asked Silica, a light-brown haired girl with a blue feathered creature asleep on her head

The light-brown haired girl looked at Yui and explained, "This is Pina. She's a rare Feathered little dragon."

"Can I hold her?" Yui asked shyly, completely opposite from what she was like earlier.

"Only if your parents allow it," Silica teased.

"Of course!" Asuna replied. "How about you all come in? We would love the company here."

"I thought that you couldn't have kids in the game," the last of the group, a samurai looking player, muttered. "How is this possible?"

"Mama and Papa saved me from a group of bad men," Yui told the samurai.

The samurai looked at Kirito who exited the kitchen and then looked to see his closest friends in the living room.

"Hey guys," Kirito greeted. "What are you four doing here?"

"It was you who killed the entire Young Despair guild wasn't it?" the samurai inquired.

"Klein," Kirito sighed. "You have no idea what I've been up to the past two years, and trust me, you don't want to know."

Klein narrowed his eyes.

"But fine, if you want to know, then I'll tell you this," Kirito began. "I am part of a guild that hunts down red-players and ends them permanently. I do not like the killing, but I know that it's necessary. We keep players like Silica out of harm's way, and if we are spotted, we leave. Never to be seen again. 'We work in the dark, to serve the light.'"

"'We are Assassins,'" Klein finished the quote. "Assassin's Creed. That is what your Guild is?! The Assassin Brotherhood!?"

"Let's talk in another room," Kirito suggested, his voice cold. "We won't be long, love."

Asuna nodded and Kirito took Klein to the other room.

Asuna then turned to Silica and told her, "Yui can hold Pina. However, if Pina harms Yui in any way..." Asuna left the threat open and Silica nodded her head quickly which woke Pina up from her slumber. "Good!"

Silica slowly handed Pina to Yui, and the small dragon licked the young girl's cheek. Yui giggled and sat down while petting the dragon who curled up on her lap. Not too long after that, Klein and Kirito came out and sat down right next to Yui.

"What'chu got there, kid?" Klein asked.

"Auntie's dragon, Pina!" Yui cheered.

Klein remarked, "Pina is a great pet for your Aunty Silica."

"I even recall reviving Pina before," Kirito remembered.

"I'm glad Pina is here today for me to hold," Yui smiled.

Yui stroked Pina with both of her hands. The dragon was pleased to be given some extra attention today.

Silica stated, "I have nothing to worry about with Yui playing with my Pina."

"Lighten up, will ya?" Lisbeth teased.

Silica replied, "Right, sorry."

"Come on, girls," Asuna began, "Let's make breakfast, all of you seem hungry."

"You got it!" Silica & Lisbeth shouted in unison.

Asuna, Silica, and Lisbeth went into the kitchen to get ready to make a big breakfast.

Agil walked over to Kirito & Klein and sat down next to them.

Agil inquired, "Have you found any rare items around here?"

"I haven't, but I'll keep you posted," Kirito informed Agil.

Klein added, "I haven't found any rare items, either."

"I know because I never see your guild in my shop," Agil laughed.

Klein awkwardly laughed, he didn't find it all that funny.

Kirito wanted to kill the awkward talk among men, he wanted to find something for them to do.

"Let's go fishing, guys." Kirito suggested.

"Good idea!" Klein agreed.

Agil commented, "It'll help speed up the cooking process."

Kirito, Agil, and Klein left the cabin. Asuna, Silica, and Lisbeth waved bye. They dashed down the hill and to the large lake that occupied the middle of Floor 22. Once they got there, they pulled out their fishing rods from their inventories and prepared to fish.

'I want to get the biggest one,' the three of them thought to themselves.

In unison, they cast their rods and waited for a fish to take the bait. They waited, waited, waited, and finally, they got a bite. Almost on command, they yanked their rods out of the lake.

"Woah, Kid!" Klein yelled, "You got a big catch!"

Klein dropped his rod and the fish he had on the rod escaped the hook.

"I'd say," Agil agreed, "Mine was nothing compared to his."

Agil put his fish back into the lake.

The fish was bigger than Kirito and it was flopping around on him. Kirito tried to speak, but to no avail.

"You get that end and I'll get the other end!" Klein shouted.

Klein and Agil kicked the fish, it stopped moving. They then picked up the fish and hauled it up the hill to the house. Kirito was slowly following after, covered in water, and smelling like fish.

"That's a catch you got there!" Asuna remarked.

Lisbeth giggled, "Look how big it is!"

"Pina is about to eat good today!" Silica cheered.

Klein & Agil set the fish down on the counter in the Kitchen. Asuna tapped the fish with her knife and it was in chunks. She flavored the fish with salt & pepper, put it in the oven, and set the timer.

"I should shower, shouldn't I?" Kirito asked.

Asuna snapped, "Yes, now hurry up! You'll scare away our guests!"

Kirito dashed to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

30 minutes later

Everyone sat down at the table with plates full of delicious food and plenty for all. They then folded their hands and exclaimed, "Thank you for the food!"

Kirito was stuffing his face with food left and right. Agil and Asuna were eating their food slowly and properly. Klein was looking away from the food, trying to make conversation with the ladies. Lisbeth was making conversation with Silica, ignoring Klein. Finally, Yui was eating her food and sharing some of the food with Pina in her lap.

Kirito looked around the table and smiled as he did.

'This,' the Assassin thought. 'This is a family. This is what needs to be protected. And I will do so, until the end of my days.'

He looked at Yui and his beloved Asuna and his last thoughts for the night were, 'I will end you Kayaba. When I get out of this game, I will regain my strength, and I will end you. I swear it upon my very soul. You will no longer hurt the woman I love and the child I call my daughter.'