Sword Art Online: X

One Little Step - Asada Shino

"Oi! Asada!"

I sighed, her again.

"What is it, Endou?"

"Oh, you know what it is. You still owe us 10000." She smirked.

"I don't owe you anything." I spat at her, remembering X- Hibiki's lesson: 'You don't take shit from other people.'

"Really now, then maybe this'll convince you to cough it up." Endou reached into her bag, and my eyes widened at what she pulled out.

"You're crazy."

"Relax, it's just a model gun that fires BBs, but it'll still hurt quite a lot to be shot by it. Well? You gonna cough it up or not?" Endou grinned, aiming the gun at me.

I was terrified, but I can't let it show. I took out a page from Hibiki's book and stared at Endou with emotionless eyes. 

She sneered, "Have it your way."

I prepared for the impact, but it never came. Endou pulled the trigger, but it only emitted a clicking sound.

"Huh? What? Why won't it shoot?" Endou shook the gun in frustration.

Ah, the safety's on.

I walked over, and snagged the gun, "The safety's on. Real or not, it would be foolish not to include a safety switch on a gun."

I flicked the safety, "Now it can shoot."

I took aim at a nearby can on a bench and fired.

The can fell.

I turned to Endou and pointed the gun at her.

"Well then."

Endou shrunk back in terror.

I sighed, "You shouldn't point these things at people, even if they're models."

I returned the gun to Endou, grip first.

I walked past her as she collapsed from either shock or fright, I didn't care to find out.

As I walked out of earshot, I leaned against the wall as my legs almost gave out underneath me.

"That was terrifying..." I muttered, but then I took a deep breath and calmed down, "It's okay. One step at a time."

The experience was scary as all hell, but I'm getting better. I can handle model guns now.

Just one little step forward can be a huge step on the road to recovery.

As I neared the school gate, I spotted a massive crowd gathered.

As soon as I saw why, I wanted to curl up and die.

It was him.

I walked up to the gate, and a few of my classmates sidled up to me, "How does he know you, Asada-san? Is he your boyfriend?"

I ignored them and walked out, "Hey, I know you said that you'd pick me up today, but isn't this a little too conspicuous?" I hissed.

Hibiki turned around and stared at me, smirking, "Well, I figured I'd have to look good doing it."

"Idiot!" I blushed, "Who the hell cares about looking good?"

"I do, now hop on. I need to take you to meet a friend first." He straddled his motorcycle, his braided bangs waving in the wind.

I reluctantly hopped on, ignoring the fangirling by my classmates behind me.

...

"Hey! We're here."

Hibiki yelled into the café as he slammed the door open. 

"Jeez, no need to shout. We're right here." A blond girl muttered, prompting a boy who I recognized as Kirito to stand.

I looked at Kirito, who slapped Hibiki across the face almost immediately.

Hibiki only chuckled as he rubbed his cheek, which was already turning red, "Seriously, just because I took your spot in the Bullet of Bullets and did your job for you doesn't mean you get to slap me."

Kirito huffed, "I swear, if you didn't allow me to track down XaXa, I would've done a lot worse."

"Oh, I bet. Failed to get the chance to show off in front of your girlfriend?" Hibiki teased, smirking the entire time.

Before Kirito could react, I cleared my throat, "Uh, Hibiki-kun? Care to introduce me?"

Realization flashed in his eyes as he turned to me, "Of course. The dude who slapped me, you already know: Kirigaya Kazuto, also known as Kirito, the Black Swordsman. He girl he was sitting next to is Yuuki Asuna, otherwise known as Asuna, the Not-Healer."

The now named Asuna's eyebrows twitched, "Hey, that's uncalled for."

"The other girl is Ayano Keiko, otherwise known as Silica, the Hamster Keeper."

"Pina is not a hamster!" Silica ran at Hibiki, preparing to punch him, only for him to flip her over his back.

"Anyways," Hibiki continued, ignoring the crash and the muffled yell from outside the café, "Andrew Gilbert Mills, otherwise known as Agil, the rip-off trader."

He gestured to the tall man behind the counter, who started squeezing a glass, his hand shaking, "Careful, X. I'm not afraid to kick you out of my café."

"You wouldn't. Now, everyone, and that includes you too, Keiko!" He yelled behind him out the door, "This is Asada Shino, also known as Sinon, the Squealing Sniper."

My face flushed, "You said you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"You could've denied it. You didn't."

I fumed as I slapped him across the face, and I turned back to the others, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Hibiki then sat down on a stool, "The usual, Andrew, thanks."

He gestured to Asuna, "You have everything ready?"

She nodded, turning to me, "I heard that you suffer from PTSD from X, so Kirito, Sachi and I did some research. This will help you, I promise."

Hibiki nodded, "Sachi is my sister, by the way."

I quirked an eyebrow, "What do you mean, 'this will help me'?"

Asuna simply smiled, raising her voice, "Come in!"

From a side door, a middle-aged woman appeared with a child.

I studied her closely, and my eyes widened.

"You are-!"

She nodded, "Indeed, I was the woman at the front desk in the post office that day."

She gestured to the child, "I was pregnant with my child back then, and if you didn't do what you did that day, neither my child nor I would be alive today. For that, I'm eternally grateful."

The woman bowed down. The child looked at her mother and also bowed down after a second of confusion. It was heartwarmingly adorable.

I could barely hold in my tears.

"Thank you, big sis Sinon!" The girl handed me a crayon drawing of herself and her mom happily living together. What surprised me even more was how there was a little drawing of me standing over a man with x's in his eyes.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and immediately knew it was Hibiki comforting me. 

I let my tears fall.

Indeed, one little step forward can be a big step in the right direction, for both yourself and for others.

A/N: Yes, that happened. And yes, I know that "a little goes a long way" is a cliché saying. That's why I changed it to what I have here. 

Feel free to quote me. I don't mind.

Anyways, if you enjoyed this chapter, consider voting and following. Peace out, everybody. Goodbye.

Timeless_95, signing out.