Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-8656-20141028192119/@comment-6697950-20141028193728

ALO is literally a copy-pasted SAO with different models. All of the save game data was inherited, including familiars apparently.

And if you want to know Silica's reaction, http://bato.to/read/_/145174/sword-art-online-silica-edition-doujinshi_by_tap-trans