No one's POV

It has been 3 days after Yuuki abruptly logged out from ALO at the MOnument of Swordsman, currently, Zora and Asuna were waiting for Siune to ask what happened and as they were waiting, Asuna tried to message Yuuki, but she wouldn't respond and she looked down saddened.

Zora(mind): Why...?

Siune: Asuna... Zora...

Both Zora and Asuna looked back and saw Siune standing behind them with a sad look on her face.

Asuna: Siune! Please... What happened to Yuuki.

Zora: It's been 3 days since and she hasn't log back in...

Siune took a seat in front of the two as she shook her head denying and Asuna looked down saddened and Zora just look at her in worried.

Siune: It's not just you, none of us couldn't even contact her either. Asuna, Zora... I hate to say this, but I don't think she want to see you two again. I think she's doing it for your own good.

Asuna looked at her completely and utterly shocked and Zora just narrow his eyes and continued to stare at Asuna worried.

Asuna: But why?

Zora saw Siune's face and could tell that she was uncomfortable by giving them an answer, so Zora just hold Asuna's hand and she looked at him and saw that  he just shook his head.

Zora: I had a feeling, that something wasn't right. I could tell that everyone in the group was avoiding us.

Asuna: The last thing I want is to upset anyone, and be a nuisance.

Siune looked at Asuna surprised and saw that she was clinching her fist tightly.

Asuna: But still, I don't see how any of this could be for us sake!

Siune: The both of you are not a nuisance! It's not like that, believe me when I say, we're all truly happy to have met you both. We got to have one last amazing memory of our time together here. And it's all thanks to you both. And Yuuki, I know she's grateful too, but please forget that you've ever met us. It really is the best thing for you both and for Yuuki.

Zora and Asuna looked at Siune shocked as to what she says and Asuna looked down saddened.

Asuna: We could never see any of you again? I thought after the guild was gone, I thought we could still go one being friends, but this whole time, we were the only one who thought that?

Zora: Is this really goodbye? I don't know what kind of problem you guys are having in real life for you all to just say that we should forget of you. But don't you think that it's much more better to say goodbye with a smile face to face, rather than leaving us without saying a word? Are you guys really are just gonna leave us like that without thinking how we actually feel?

Siune just look away saddened unable to told them the truth.

Siune: I'm sorry...

Siune then opened her menu, and went to logout and Asuna saw this and went to stop her.

Asuna: No wait!

Before Asuna could reach her, Siune already logged herself out from the game, leaving her and Zora behind, and Asuna turned herself towards Zora and cried on his shoulder and Zora just rubbed her head and smile at her.

Zora: Hey don't cry... how about we see her after school?

Asuna looked at Zora surprised and saw Zora smiling at her.

Asuna: Yes... I want to see her...

Zora: I might have a lead. I'm not sure, but we might have a chance to see her.

Asuna: What makes you think that she'd be there?

Zora: That place had a Medicuboid. They are the only ones doing the clinical trail for it.

Asuna: Medicuboid?

Zora: I'll tell you after school tomorrow.

(Timeskip)

After school, both Sora and Asuna went to the place where Yuuki might be and it was located at the Kohoku General Hospital and both Sora and Asuna walked in and went to the receptionist.

Asuna: Excuse us...

Receptionist: May I help you?

Sora: Yes. But we don't know the patient's name.

Receptionist: I'm sorry?

Sora: I think she's a girl around 15th or so, and her name might be Yuuki...

Receptionist: That's not enough to go on...

Sora: I believe she's a patient using the Medicuboid you're testing here...

Another receptionist heard their conversation and looked at Sora surprised.

Receptionist 2: Pardon me, what's your name?

Sora: My name is Sora Yatagami. But most people call me Zora.

Asuna: And my name is Asuna Yuuki.

The Receptionist looked at Sora and Asuna surprised before standing up and looked at them.

Receptionist 2: Please have a seat, I'll get someone right away.

Asuna: Um, sure...

Both Sora and Asuna then sat down and Asuna just leaned on towards Sora's shoulder praying that they found her and after a few minutes, a man wearing a lab coat walked up to them.

???: Hi, sorry about that. I hope you both haven't been waiting long?

Asuna: No, not at all.

???: Um, so you're Sora Yatagami and Asuna Yuuki, am I correct?

Sora: Yes.

Kurahashi: My name is Dr Kurahashi. I'm Yuuki Konno's primary physician.

Asuna: Yuuki Konno?

Kurahashi then took Sora and Asuna to a room and the three of them sat down.

Kurahashi: You know, I'm surprised that you even found us. You see, Yuuki had told me that someone named Zora and Asuna might be coming to visit.

Sora: Yuuki said that?

Kurahashi: But also that she hadn't told you about this hospital. I replied " Well, then they're certainly not going to find you here"! I was quite astonished to hear from the Reception desk.

Asuna: Doctor, has Yuuki told you anything else about us? Or how the three of us met?

Kurahashi: I'll say, you two are pretty much the only persons she talks about! Although, it seems whenever Yuuki does mention you both, she always ends up in tears. She's always been a brave girl, and never felt sorry for herself. She wants to see you both. But she can't bring herself to do it.

Sora: Both Yuuki and her friends said the same thing to us when we said goodbye in the virtual world.

Asuna: But why is that? Why can't we see each other?

Kurahashi: For starters, I should tell you what the Medicuboid is about.

Asuna: Alright.

Kurahashi: Medicuboid is the code name for the worlds first medical full dive machine. Is so Revolutionary that the government is backing it's development.

Asuna: Huh?

Sora: Well in an easy way, it's a medical device that use VR Technology.

Kurahashi looked at Sora surprised.

Kurahashi: That's right. For example, for people with visual or hearing disabilities, that machine can give you back those senses. Since with the AmuSphere, it's possible to send images and sounds directly to the brain. And it's capable of more than just transmitting signals. You know that the AmuSphere has the ability to cancels out physical sensation as well. By sending electromagnetic pulses to the area behind your neck, it can temporarily numb the nerve.

Sora: In other words, it has the same effect as general anesthesia.

Asuna: But how is that useful for hospital? There's a limit on how much the AmuSphere can block out. What happen if the patient is in serious pain?

Kurahashi: That's right! You're absolutely right! The AmuSphere- no- even the NerveGear is incapable of blocking out the pain of surgery of critical illnesses. Therefore, the electromagnetic output of the Medicuboid has been enchanted, and incorporated into the patient's bed to cover the entire body, from brains to spinal cord. Once it goes commercial, it will drastically change medicine as we know it. Not only that, but with the Medicuboid's specs, an AR functions- processing real world images in real time by connecting it to a camera- shouldn't be too far behind.

Asuna: That's great, sound more like a miracle than machine to me.

Sora: It sure is.

Kurahashi: Yes. In a way it is a Miracle. Even so, curing illness is something it can't do. The Medicuboid is making an impact though, that would be terminal care.

Asuna: Terminal...?

Kurahashi: Yes, it's helping patients who are dying.

Both Sora and Asuna looked completely shocked.

Asuna: She's dying?

Kurahashi: Yuuki told me that if you really wanted to know what's really going on with her, I could go ahead and tell you. But I have to warn you, it's not a pleasant story. You both are gonna wish that this story would end right here.

Sora: No... Please tell us. That's why we're here.

Kurahashi then took Sora and Asuna and they started to walked down a hall and Kurahashi started to tell him about Yuuki.

Kurahashi: Yuuki was born in May 2011. It was a difficult birth and a C-section was performed. An emergency blood transfusion was given during the procedure. Unfortunately, the blood used was contaminated by a virus.

Both Sora and Asuna eyes widened when they heard that.

Kurahashi: The contamination was discovered that September. It was found when her mother was tested for post-transfusion infections. By that time, the entire family had been infected...

Kurahashi then stopped in front of a door and the sign said " Special Measuring Equipment Room #1" and Kurahashi used his key card to unlock the door.

Kurahashi: This way. Beyond this area is an air-controlled sterile room, so we won't be able to go in. I hope you understand.

Kurahashi then turn on the light and both Sora and Asuna saw a girl, hooked up with multiple machines and both Sora and Asuna looked at her completely shocked.

Asuna: Yuuki!

Sora: Doctor, what kind of illness does Yuuki has?

Kurahashi: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS for short.

Both Sora and Asuna looked at Yuuki completely and utterly shocked.

Kurahashi: AIDS is not as terrifying an illness as it's general perceived to be. If you can start treatment in the early stages, it's possible to delay the onset of AIDS over a long span. But the virus she contracted turned out to be difficult to treat - a drug-resistant strain. Yuuki's mother became despondent over her children's future, and at one point, considered committing family suicide, I'm told. But she nevertheless chose to go on fighting her illness.

Asuna: Go on... fighting?

Kurahashi: Yes. Soon after birth, Yuuki was put on multi drugs therapy course. It's hard for a child to keep to a regular schedule involving so may medications. After all, there are side-effects... Not to mention the pain of being subjected to prejudice as well. Still, Yuuki believed that she and her family would be cured of this disease, and was a trouper. However, when she was in 4th grade, her immune system took a nosedive. In other words, she developed AIDS and was brought to this hospital. Even so, Yuuki never stopped smiling.

Asuna: Doctor? Why is she using the Medicuboid?

Kurahashi: Right about the time that the world was in an uproar over that NerveGear incident, the first Medicuboid prototype was completed. But the test were stalled because no one could project the long-term effects of electromagnetic output several times stronger than of the NerveGear. Finding a patient who would take on that kind of risk proved to be quite difficult. When I heard that, I made a proposal to Yuuki's family. If she became a test subjects, she could move into the sterile room housing the Medicuboid, and then it'd be possible to drastically lower the risk of opportunistic infections. To this day, I'm not always sure whether I did the right thing or not. Both Yuuki's parent, and Yuuki herself agonized over my proposal, it seems. But perhaps the lure of the unknown, the virtual world she yearned for, was the deciding factor. She agreed to become a test subjects and moved into this room. Ever since then, Yuuki's lived inside the Medicuboid.

Sora: For how long?

Kurahashi: For 3 years now...

Sora: One year longer than us.

(Flashback)

Kirito: It felt like they were product of the full-dive environment itself.

(Present)

Sora(mind): I knew it. From the moment we clashed swords, I knew it. No wonder she's so strong.

Sora: Thank you, Doctor. I'm glad I got to see her again.

Asuna: Me too. She'll be okay as long as she's here, right?

Kurahashi: We're doing everything we can for her. But even if the room is sterile, we haven't found a way to eliminate the virus that's inside her.

Asuna then looked at Kurahashi completely surprised.

Asuna: Then you mean...

Kurahashi: Yuuki doesn't have much time left. But we're doing everything we can to find the cure for her. And that's most likely the reason why, she tried cutting ties with you both.

Asuna: No way... No way!

Asuna started crying her eyes out and Sora looked down saddened and remember that Yuuki called Asuna Big Sis.

Sora: Does Yuuki have an Older Sister or Brother?

Asuna eyes widened as well and looked at Kurahashi.

Kurahashi: Yes, that's right. A twin sister to be precise. Her name is Aiko, and she was born a few minutes earlier. Yuuki was the cheerful one, in fact Aiko would just sit and watch her , and smile. Come to think of it, if Aiko were here, I imagine she'd be a lot like you, Asuna.

Asuna: Resemble me?

Kurahashi: Yuuki's parent past away 2 years ago. And last year, Aiko.

Asuna started crying her eyes out and embrace Sora tightly and Sora hugged her tightly while also dropping down a slip of tears, until they heard a voice and it was Yuuki.

Yuuki: Don't cry, Zora, Asuna!

Both Sora and Asuna looked surprised by the voice and saw that Yuuki was talking through the speaker of the Medicuboid.

Asuna: Yuuki!

Sora: Are you in there?

Yuuki: Yeah. I can hear you, and I can see you too. Wow... you both really look exactly like you do in the other world, huh? Thanks for coming to see me, both of you.

Sora: Yuuki...

Yuuki: Hey Doc, would it be okay if one of them used the room next door?

Kurahashi: Sure. I keep an AmuSphere in there so I can visit her.

Sora: Would you like to go?

Asuna just shook her head and smile at Sora.

Asuna: No, you go. I'm pretty sure that she wants to see you more.

Sora: Thank you!

Yuuki: The ALO apps are on the start up menu. After you logged in, come to the place where we first met.

Sora then walked into the room and put on the AmuSphere and logged into ALO and he went to the same spot he met Yuuki and saw that she was waiting for him.

Zora: Yuuki...

Yuuki: I knew it. I don't know how you did it, but I had a feeling you find me in the real world. Although since I never told you anything, it was never gonna happen. But you did come, Zora. It's pretty rare for any of my predictions to come true. You made me so happy! Really!

Zora didn't say anything and hugged her tightly and she looked surprised and smile at him and hugged him as well.

Yuuki: My Sis used to hug me like this. You smell like her, like the Stars. Like an infinite Night Sky.

Zora: Did Aiko play VRMMO with you too?

Yuuki: Yup. In fact, she was the first leader the Sleeping Knights ever had. And if you thought I was strong, man you should have seen her. We met Siune and the other guys in a virtual hospice called the Serene Garden. Back then, there were 9 of us. But my Sis, Clovis and Merida... Their all gone.

Zora looked at Yuuki surprised and let go of the hug and look at her and saw that she was looking down saddened.

Yuuki: Anyway, if you want to know why we're disbanding, it's cause we promise each other, if we lost someone, we ended. I'm sorry, Zora. That's why I couldn't tell you. The Sleeping Knights won't be around anymore by this Spring. But it's not because we'll be to busy to play anymore. It's cause a little while ago, two of us got the new from our doctors, that gave us three months. That's why we were so bent on creating one last memory in this wonderful world! We wanted to leave proof that we were once here on that gigantic monument. We wanted to go on amazing adventure that we could brag about to Big Sister and the others! But nothing seemed to go right for us... And we decided that we'd look for just one or two more person to help us out. But we ended up causing you trouble and hurting your feelings, too, didn't we? I'm sorry, we all are... forget about us... it's probably for the best anyway...

Zora: No... I can't do that...

Yuuki looked at Zora surprised and he hugged her again.

Zora: I'm happy that I met you. All of you. And I'm happy that I got to be with you at your last quest! Even now, I still wish that you would let me join the Sleeping Knights! And I'm sure that Asuna would say the same thing.

Yuuki then had tears on her eyes and hugged Zora back.

Yuuki: Yeah... I... I wish you could too. But I'm happy that I came here. And got to meet you both. You saying that make me worth it... more than worth it. That's enough for me... I have no more regrets...

Zora then broke the hug and looked at her.

Zora: But... There's gotta be something that you want to do... and places yo want to be. And there's still a lot of things that I want to learn about you.

Yuuki: For the last three years, we got to go on a tons of adventures in other worlds. But I want my very last memories that we created with you, Zora.

Zora: Yeah, but there's must be something that you want to do?

Yuuki: Let see... I think I'd like to go to school.

Zora looked at Yuuki surprised.

Zora: School? For real?

Yuuki: Oh, hey, sorry to ask for the impossible! I'm really happy that you want to help.but I really am satisfied.

Zora: School? Maybe you can...

Yuuki looked at Zora surprised and saw that he was smiling at her.

Yuuki: Huh?

Zora: I might have a way to make your dream become a reality for you, Yuuki.