Mixed Feelings

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Hey Familia of the Closet! I know what you're thinking. "Seijirou must be working on this full time." I thought about it, but it's not that. It's just that I really enjoy writing this. Kinon is one of my favorite ships. And last chapter was the first Kinon content in the book. I'm just really into this. Anyway, I love you guys so much! Enjoy! :D

-Seijirou

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(Kazuto)

"Time to die." The boss snarled. I couldn't believe it. 

"Did the boss just... speak?" I stuttered. Sinon's face was a mix of surprise and fear. The boss began to walk towards us. "Sinon, cover me!" She snapped out of it and prepared a set of 5 fire arrows. I pulled out my swords and started in the boss' direction. Just then, it let out a ear-wrenching scream that sent out soundwaves towards Sinon. She jumped out of the way right before they hit her. I looked at the boss and charged, preparing a flame skill with Excalibur. I slashed it's torso upwards, creating an explosion. Then, using skill connect, I started an ice skill using my long sword. I pressed the sword into it's stomach, twisted, and pressed further, making a giant iceberg form out it's back. It shattered, making the boss stagger. "Now!" I shouted to Sinon. 

"Got it!" She replied, then drew her fire arrows, and released. All arrows hit perfectly, taking a quarter health bar. I looked and saw we took only 1 health bar. 

"1 down!" I shouted. The boss quickly wound up an overhead slash, and executed. It missed me by an inch. I executed a few quick attacks on it's hand and wrist. Sinon drew and released 3 ice arrows. 

"I got you!" Sinon grinned. I nodded and backed off.

"I need 15 seconds!" I asked her. 

"You got it!" She drew 5 fire arrows, and released them soon after. I jumped back, and sheathed my swords. 

"Seiya Uraza Noto Difto." I muttered the words of the Spriggan illusion magic. Not a moment later, my body began to morph into something stronger. Sinon's jaw dropped. Once the flame walls surrounding me dispersed, my new form was revealed. I stood at 14 ft tall, blue and black, and glowing blue eyes. I grinned and ran to the boss, letting out a cry of power. I swiped at the boss' head, leaving a streak of red across it's eye. It growled and swung it's sword horizontally. I jumped over it and stabbed it in the neck with my unusually long nails. Just then, 4 ice arrows struck the boss in the face. I looked back to see Sinon nodding at me. I growled lowly and ripped my nails out. Stepping back, the boss screamed again, letting out another soundwave. I breathed in, and shot a purple energy orb out of my mouth, disbanding the soundwave. I shot another one at the boss. It wailed when the attack hit. I ran once again, slashing and punching the boss. 5 seconds later, the spell wore off, I was back to my normal avatar. 

"What the fuck was that?!" Sinon yelled. I smiled, unsheathing my weapons. 

"The boss of the 74th floor!" I replied. I powered up a skill with Excalibur and slashed at the boss. Once I hit it, I quickly used another skill, slashing once again. I looked at it's health. 3 and a half health bars left. I thought for a second and jumped up in the air, reaching the height of it's face. I prepared the skill I used of the last boss, seeing the blue reflect off my swords. I slashed with both swords, creating the same blue explosion. I dropped to the floor and saw that only half of the health bar left, meaning 3 health bars left. I stepped back, waiting for my MP to restore. Sinon fired 3 fire arrows at the boss. Once my MP was at full, an idea popped into my head. I walked to the back of the room. I started up a skill. I looked at my swords, they were both glowing a brighter blue than the skill I used a second ago. I smiled nostalgically. 

"Kirito! You okay?!" Sinon called, firing a few more arrows. 

"Step back!" I yelled. I charged at the boss, screaming bloody murder, then I shouted the line. "Starburst... Stream!" I slashed from right to left with my right sword. Then slashed upwards with my left sword. I then slashed from left to right with both swords with spinning, twice. Then I slashed an X from top to bottom, then slashed an X from bottom to top. I then slashed from the top right down diagonally with my right sword, while doing the opposite with my left sword. Then I slashed upwards while turning backwards. I then held my swords upside-down and slashed an X from top to bottom. Then I took both swords and executed a corkscrew attack, and held my swords up-right again. I then slashed an X from top to bottom, then bottom to top. Then I slashed from top-right to bottom left, spinning my whole body in the process. I then slashes from right to left with my left sword. Then I slashed upwards with right sword, then the same with my left sword. I then slashes downwards with my right sword. I then slashed diagonally with my left sword while spinning, and once again without the spin. Then I thrusted my right sword into the boss' gut. Then lunged with left sword, finishing the skill. 

"That was..." Sinon was at a loss for words. I was panting. I weakly looked up to see the boss shatter into tiny crystal particles. "A 21-hit combo." I fell to the floor, looking at my health bar. I had 1 HP left. 

"Deja vu." I muttered. Sinon ran to me. An alert popped up in front of me. It read, 'Congratulations! You got the last attack bonus! 
Dual-Wielding
Starburst Stream
Sapphire Surge.' I couldn't believe my eyes. I had my old skills back. 

"Kirito!" Sinon knelt next to me. She used a healing crystal. My health slowly rose to full. I pushed myself off the ground, picking up my swords and sheathing them. 

"That, could not have just been a simple dungeon quest. I mean, there was The Fatal Scythe under the Town Of Beginnings, but still." I muttered to myself. I then looked at Sinon, who was crying. "What's wrong?" 

"I..." She hesitated. "I thought you were dead." 

"It's not like GGO or SAO. No one's going to die." I said to her. 

"But the way you fought." She looked at me. 

"Just because there's no irl life and death risks doesn't mean you don't need to give it your all. And besides, I made an oath to never let a party member die." I explained, then helped her off the floor. She suddenly hugged me tightly. I was surprised, but hugged back. She backed away and placed a long but soft kiss on my lips. My brain almost exploded of surprise, but I gave in and kissed back. We stayed there for several minutes, until she backed away. It felt amazing, but hurt so much. But it was worth the pain. 

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't ha-" I cut her off. 

"It's okay. There's no need to be sorry." I led her to the teleportation portal in the middle of the arena. We stepped on it and began to glow. 

***

We opened our eyes and saw the entrance to the dungeon. I looked around, It was evening, the sun was just going down. 

"So pretty." Sinon whispered. I looked at her, she was looking the horizon. I smiled sweetly. 

"Yeah." I looked back the the sun, it was slowly but surely lowering. 

"Hey, I have to leave. I'm getting pretty hungry." Sinon looked at me. 

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked her. She blushed. 

"Oh, um. I have nothing planned, and I don't think anyone will visit me. So nothing." Sinon answered my question very quietly, blushing more red than a rose. 

"How about I take you out to lunch?" I smiled. Her face somehow became more red than it already was. I didn't think it to be possible. 

"Oh, uh, um, uh." Sinon stuttered. I chuckled slightly. "S-Sure."

"Great, pick you up at 11:30?" I asked. She nodded quickly and opened her player window. Before logging out, she smiled sweetly and waved. I waved back as her avatar disappeared. I activated my wings and flew back to the cabin. I opened the door walked in. I walked to the bedroom to log out. 

"Kirito?" A familiar voice called as soon as I hit the log out button. Before I disappeared, I turned and saw Asuna standing in the doorway. Before she could say anything else, my avatar disappeared. 

***

I opened my eyes, seeing my ceiling before everything else. I pulled my Amusphere off, placing it on the shelf above me. I looked at the time, which was '19:36.' Wanting to just stay in bed, I sat up and got out of bed, heading to the kitchen for supper. I saw a wrapped sandwich on the table with a note. The note read, 

'Hey lazy-ass, I went to a friend's. Please eat, you need meat on your bones. Love Sugu.' 

"Lazy-ass? Hardly." I chuckled to myself. I picked up the sandwich and unwrapped it, taking a large bite. I heard my phone ring in my bedroom. I returned to my room and checked the caller ID, it was Tsuboi. I pressed accept and held it up to my ear. 

"What's up, pedo?" I greeted. 

"Dude, when are you gonna give up that nickname?" He complained. 

"Bro, you're an adult who hangs out with teenagers." I laughed. 

"Shut up, man. Whatever." He snapped.

"Okay. What's up?" I changed the subject. 

"Me and Andrew were wondering if you wanted to come by the cafe. Have some big boy time." He asked. 

"You sound like a pedo more and more, every day." I told him. 

"Shut up!" Tsuboi whined. 

"Okay, okay." I apologized. "Sorry, but I can't tonight." I told him. 

"Oh, too good for us now, are we?" Tsuboi teased. 

"Yeah, whatever man. I was going to stay in and watch movies or something." I said.

"Come on! Come and play with the big kids!" Tsuboi shouted. 

"If you say one more thing even remotely close to being shady, I'll block you." I said, cold as ice. 

"Jeez, dude. Okay, okay. I'll catch you later." Tsuboi said, unaware of what he said.

"Klein! What did I say!" I half-shouted, half-laughed. 

"What do you mean? Oh wait. Shit." He noticed what was wrong with what he said. 

"Before you say anything else shady, I'm gonna leave. Talk to you later, pedo." I laughed. 

"See you later, asshole." He hung up. I laughed and threw my phone on the bed. I looked at the red-velvet box on the side table and picked it up, opening it soon after. I pulled the ring out, examining it, trying my hardest not to cry. I placed the ring back in the box and put it in my drawer so I wouldn't have to look at it. I thought for a second, then picked up my phone. I hit 8 on  speed dial and waited until the other line picked up. 

"Hello?" Asada greeted. 

"Hey." I said. 

"Kazuto? What's up?" She asked. 

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over. Suguha is at a friend's and I'm lonely." I asked. 

"Um, I can't leave. My neighbor is out of town and asked me to look after her cat..." She told me. 

"Oh, okay." I said sadly. 

"But you can come over here." Asada said embarrassed.

"Yeah, I'd like that." I said. "I'll be there in maybe 10 minutes." 

"Okay, see you in a bit." She said, then hung up. I slipped my phone into my pocket and walked to the door. I put my shoes and jacket on, leaving the house. I opened the shed and pushed my bike out to the driveway, mounting it and starting the engine. I revved the engine and sped off in the direction of Asada's place. 

***

I pulled into the parking lot and stopped next to the stairway. I turned off the engine and got off. I then walked up the stairs and to Asada's apartment door, knocking on it firmly. I heard some stumbling and a bang. Then the door opened to reveal Asada in shorts and a large, white button-up t-shirt. 

"Hey." She said, gesturing for me to enter. I nodded and walked in, closing the door behind me. 

***

Hey Familia of the Closet! How was the chapter? Why was Asuna disobeying the order to stay away from her friends? What do you think is going to happen behind the closed door? Stay tuned to find out. Anyways, thank you so much for reading! Remember to vote, follow, and comment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of The Gunpowder Blade! :) I love you guys so much!

-Seijirou

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