The Day Before

A side story on Kirito's and Asuna's day after Kirito proposed the marriage.

Summary
Kirito had just proposed to Asuna, and she had accepted, now he tries to figure out what marriage means for him now as SAO is a MMO, before actually going through with it. They visit the 22nd floor looking for a house Kirito found when the frontlines were there, but when they arrive, they find that the house has disappeared.

They try to figure out what happened with the house, and in the process they found the house flying in mid air, with someone trapped inside. They approach the house and find a dog named Toto, which Asuna inmediately likes, but Kirito is wary about, when Asuna tries to pet it, the dog makes them start a quest, and both are sent flying to the house, where they find Argo. Argo explains that she has been trapped two days in the house because she started the quest but couldn't continue, Kirito and Asuna figure out that the key to continue the quest was the dog: Toto, and that Argo was afraid of dogs so she ran away from it, entered the house and the event started, but she couldn't continue.

Now with Toto with them, the next event starts, taking them to an isolated part of the 22nd floor, where they meet some monsters acting as NPCs and identifying themselves as a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man, they explain that the Witch of the West took their friend, along with their courage, brain, and heart, respectively, and ask them for help. Asuna and Argo immediately figure out that it's a quest based on the Wizard of Oz story, but Kirito doesn't know anything about it, so, despite his doubts, he decides to follow Asuna and Argo.

They arrive at a big castle, where the boss should be, despite Kirito's and Argo's reasons, Asuna brought the dog with them. Taking advantage of their higher level and Argo's agility, they easily arrive at the boss room, where a girl was trapped and an event starts, they're paralyzed as part of the event, but also as part of the event they're freed by the lion, then, they attack the Witch of the West, but not dealing much damage. Asuna lets Toto run free and it makes the Witch fall on its pot, defeating her and they proceed to liberate Dorothy. On their way back Asuna explains the story of the Wizard of Oz to Kirito and he understands that the lion, scarecrow, and tin man had what they needed inside them, and he also had the answer he had been looking for.

Before leaving, Argo gives the thanks to them and promises to keep the secret of their engagement.

За день до За день до The Day Before