(Continuation of Chapter 1)
"...TOGETHER!"
Sinon shot her new and better bow at See No Evil, causing him to stumble backwards.
The monster screamed angrily and went to slash at Sinon's position, only to be met by Kirito's dual swords.
"Not impressed." Kirito said with a cold voice, while his blades collided with the enemy's blade. He then parried, causing the See No Evil boss to get stunned temporarily.
Kirito's turned back and met Klein's eyes. Klein nodded as if he new what that meant. He then dashed forward to land a critical hit.
Those two have one hell of a chemistry and connection with each other. Bro-nnection?
See No Evil wasn't dead yet though, as all three of them kept their game faces on.
Sinon with her quick thinking shot an arrow to give her position away. She knew this boss more than anyone, as she quickly predicted his move and ducked to avoid the slash.
Kirito, with his new will to protect, didn't hesitate to run at Sinon's position and impale See No Evil on the back with both his blades.
He made sure to hold onto the blades while impaling him to ensure he doesn't go anywhere.
Klein then knew what to do next. He dashed at the impaled enemy, and delivered his most powerful slash!
And for the coup de grâce, Sinon aimed her new bow and shot it at See No Evil.
HEADSHOT!
The boss then faded to crystals as all three of them got a lot of EXP!
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Sinon's POV
I watched with delight as the boss that tormented me faded to crystals. It was a sight to see.
"See you never." I muttered under my breath.
"That was it? I was expecting a badass fight with one of you dying, and I would hold your dying corpse and tell you how much I appreciate you." Klein screamed jokingly
"You've been watching too much anime, man." Kirito said while smirking
"Yeah, and if anything, you're the first one that would die between the three of us. If this was an anime, you would be a side character at best!" I decided to tease Klein.
"No way! I am so the main character!" Klein playfully responded
"Nope, you're the side character. And I would be clearly be the best girl." I said with a proud smile
"What about me? What would I be?" Kirito decided to ask me with an excited smile
"Well,you can be my trusty sidekick and comic relief. The Robin to my Batman." I told Kirito while playfully punching him.
"Me?! Robin? I already got the black outfit. I'm clearly the Batman, or better yet, the main character." Kirito responded angrily, but in a playful manner
"But look at me. We could a female lead this time. Not to mention I got blue hair, people love blue hairs. I'm technically a catgirl, guys love catgirls. Not to mention, a badass with a bow. Your words by the way." I told him while tapping his nose at the end
"Oh yeah? I got drip, as our generation calls it. My attire is awesome!" Kirito tried to fight back
Klein is just in the background seemingly accepting his role as a side character.
"Drip? Please, your appearance and attire are so common, people would call the most generic protagonist ever!" I teased back.
"Why, you..."
Now this time, it's Kirito and I in a playful slapping match together.
Klein in the background was laughing, thankful he's not the one getting slapped now.
"You two are honestly better suited as love interests if anything." Klein joked around
Almost immediately, me and Kirito stopped slapping each other and looked at Klein and screamed at him.
"Shut up!"
We both then decided to team up and playfully slap Klein together.
"Stop. Making. Harem. Jokes. When. I
Have. Asuna." Kirito screamed
"I. Don't. Like. Him." I screamed with a tiny blush
"Woah, woah, woah! Friendly fire! Friendly fire! Stop!" Klein pleaded
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Two minutes and another tag team by Kirito and Sinon, the two were catching their breath as Klein retreated to the dungeon exit.
"That showed him..." Sinon said while catching her breath
Meanwhile, Kirito started to laugh beside Sinon. He then started to laugh harder.
For some weird reason, Sinon decided to join him in laughing. The two were now laughing whilst still in the dungeon.
Eventually stopping, Sinon decided to ask.
"Why were we laughing again?"
Kirito responded still with a smile
"We really became enemies to friends in a span of ten seconds just to team up on him."
Sinon then laughed a bit again
"Oh yeah, it's weird how our minds work."
The two of them were now looking at each other when Kirito decided to talk to Sinon.
"Hey, Sinon. May I ask you something?"
Sinon nodded at him
"Sure, Kirito. What is it?"
Kirito hesitated a bit, but asked her
"Are you feeling okay?"
Sinon's eyes widened for a short time before she blinked a couple times
"Y-yeah, of course I am. Did you see how good I was today?"
Kirito knows better than that. He's been observing her a bit when hanging out together. Those eyes he recognizes it... he can see something's wrong.
"I know what you're feeling, Sinon."
Sinon then looked at him
"No, you don't."
"So something is wrong then." Kirito responded immediately
"Yes! No! No... nothing's wrong."
Kirito shook his head and breath a few times
"Sinon, I can help you. Just open up to me, please. I really want to help you."
"I don't want to be helped. I just want to be alone and... think things through!
"We can't just do that. If you do nothing but think it through, it will only get worse. We need to something about it." Kirito pleaded.
"Why do you keep bickering me about this?! We're supposed to be playing a game right now in a virtual world! We shouldn't be talking about our real world problems!" Sinon shouted holding back tears
"Is this still about the Death Gun incident? We experienced that together, talk to me and we can share what we're feeling!" Kirito was oblivious to the fact he was pressuring her.
"It's not just that Kirito! I've...
just please let it go for now. Let's just play ALO."
Sinon was now starting to tear up and breathing heavily too. Kirito knew he might have gone too far.
"Listen, Sinon. I'm sorr-"
Sinon cut him off
"I'm tired now."
Kirito felt really bad, so he just decided to agree.
"Oh, okay then. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Sinon responded coldly
"Yeah, see you."
Sinon exited the dungeon with Kirito and logged off without saying another word.
Klein, who was waiting outside, approached Kirito.
"Sinon left already?"
Klein then saw the frown on Kirito's face
"Bro?"
Kirito then looked at Klein, still with a frowning face.
"I just wanted to help."
...to protect her.
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Sinon's POV
I was lying back on my bed after logging off of ALO. The room was still dark, no lights turned on, and now it's night time.
"Might as well be in the abyss now."
I stared into darkness for a bit while laying down, then the tears suddenly started to fall as she started to sob a bit.
"Kirito, why couldn't you just shut up?"
I'm really talking to the dark now. What's wrong with me? I then stood up from the bed and decided to move around.
The floor was really cold and left a shiver on my body. Is this what it feels to be dead?
I finally decided to open a light when I went inside the bathroom. I opened the sink and washed my face a bit to get rid of the red eyes when I was sobbing.
The water was cold, the bathrooom tiles cold too, the breeze and atmosphere in my apartment... cold as ice.
At least the water felt nice.
I then grabbed a face towel to dry my face off when I saw something in the mirror behind me... Death Gun?!
"Wha- What? How?!"
Out of instinct I grabbed a conditioner bottle and turned back to throw it at him.
But he was gone...
I was now breathing heavily. Scared, cold, shivering. What is happening?!
I calmed down a bit and decided to leave the bathroom. What just happened?
After getting tired, I went back to bed and decided to lie down like how I did for the entire day.
Feeling tired, I closed my eyes...
"Murderer..."
My eyes immediately sprung open, as I saw Death Gun standing beside my bed.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
I let out a bloodcurling scream as I saw DEATH GUN of all people near my bed. I leaped out of the bed in fear.
"Kyouji! Is that you?!"
Slowly, Death Gun removed his hood, and then his mask. Revealing it to be...
"What..."
A random man?
"Who are you?"
The man just sighs
"Don't tell me you forgot already... killer."
"I... I really don't."
The man chuckles and smirks a bit
"The year was 2020, and you were in a post office with your mother."
I immediately sat down and curled on a wall out of fear.
"No... it can't be."
Death Gun (The robber) then looked down and back up at Shino
"Yeah, and you don't even remember my name...
"DO YOU KNOW HOW INSULTING THAT IS?! YOU TOOK MY LIFE, MY BLOOD IS IN YOUR HANDS!"
Shino was now shaking and was speaking in a very soft voice
"Please, stop! I'm sorry, I didn't meant to!"
Death Gun (The robber) continued screaming
"BULLSH-T! YOU BIT MY HAND AND SHOT ME! AND LOOK HOW IT TURNED OUT FOR YOU! YOUR MOTHER BECAME CRAZY, AND NOW YOU'RE CRAZY TOO! PATHETIC! FULL OF TRAUMAS!"
I can barely speak
"Keep my mom... out... of... your mouth."
Death Gun (The robber) just shakes his head
"You're broken, and you're alone. Not like anyone would care about you anyway."
Death Gun (The robber) then pulls out a gun. Not just any gun, it's a Type 54 "Black Star" handgun. The same gun he had when robbing the post office, and the same gun I used to kill him.
He then aimed the gun at me. I wanted to beg him not to shoot, but to a twist he just had did a twisted laugh.
"No, not enough."
Death Gun (the robber) dropped the gun and kicked it to where Shino was curled up.
"I won't leave you, not until you shoot me again!"
Shino was already panicking looking at the gun. She definitely doesn't have the strength to grab it and shoot him.
Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. It was Kazuto!
"Sinon! I'm sorry for how I tried to pressure you earlier in ALO. I got some fast food for us to share."
I can't move. And I don't want to shoot. So I used all my power to scream for help.
"KIRITOOOOO! HELP ME!"
He then screamed back
"Sinon?! Hold on!"
Immediately, he started to bang the door and tried to get it to open.
Death Gun (The robber) just chuckled
"Wrong move."
He then pulled out ANOTHER PISTOL and aimed it at the door that's Kazuto is trying to open.
"As soon as he opens the door, he dies."
This isn't real. This isn't real. He's not real. He's not gonna actually do it."
Death Gun (The robber) looks confident and is very much sure he was going to to pull the trigger.
"I can't... let... Kirito... die."
I told myself in my head, as I tried to reach for the Type 54 "Black Star" handgun he kicked to me. But I can't move, my hands are too shakey and weak to even hold it.
The door was nearly budged open, and he was aiming at the it with a serious face.
He's gonna shoot...
I need to do something. I can't let him die, and I can't pick up the gun either. What do I do?!
............................................................................
Kazuto finally succeded in budging the door open and stumbled inside.
Shino, wide eyed saw Death Gun (The robber) get ready to pull the trigger.
Shino didn't want Kazuto to die or get hurt. Their last conversation didn't pan out well. But she knew, out of everyone she in her life, he was the one who cared for her the most.
Death Gun (the robber) then pulled the trigger at Kirito.
"KIRITO!"
Shino's own body moved without her knowledge and immediately stood between the two of them to shield Kazuto.
*BANG*
Shino then stood still in front of Kazuto. And looked down at her abdomen.
There was no bullet.
She then looked back to see Death Gun (The robber) was gone. The Type 54 "Black Star" handgun he kicked to her was also gone.
What the?
"Sinon, are you okay?" Kirito asked
"I..." The only words Shino could say
Her legs then gave off and she fell, but Kazuto catched her.
"Is it your legs, Sinon?" Kirito asked concerned
Shino just stayed silent and clinched Kazuto's chest as he held her.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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POST CREDITS
Kazuto's POV
I had to speak to Sinon's neighbours and told them that Sinon just hurt her leg. No need to call the cops.
I then sat down beside her on the bed to talk to her.
"Are you... okay?"
Shino smiled a bit and nodded. Those damn eyes...
She's clearly not okay. But the last time I pressured her, it didn't end well. So I just placed the fast food paper bag between us and started taking out the food.
If she's not going to speak, then I'll just be a good friend and be there for her during her trying times.
Me and Sinon started to eat the burgers and sip the soda, we also shared an extra large fries.
"Kirito... I'm sorry." Sinon spoke
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Let's just move on, enjoy a meal, and hang out as friends. You can open up whenever you want to. I'll be ready to listen whenever." I smiled at her and patted her shoulder
Sinon smiled back and continued eating
"Hey, let's watch some Netflix on my phone. There's some good anime here. Want to watch Darling in the Franxx?" I suggested
"Seen it once. Never again." Sinon chuckled as she sipped her soda.
"Okay... what about Brooklyn Nine-Nine? It's really funny." I suggested again
"Hmm, okay then." Sinon said smiling
"You are going to love this, Sinon. Trust me, Captain Holt is really funny." I said excitedly.
I pulled out earphones for me and Sinon to share.
She actually leaned on me to get a better look at the phone. I didn't mind at all.
We laughed and ate fast food together for the night.
I promise to protect everyone, that includes Sinon.
I'm glad to have made her smile.
•
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(R.I.P. Andre Braugher, aka Captain Holt. July 1, 1962 - December 11, 2023)
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Image on top| Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, Video Game
This is just a fanfiction and my own personal work. All rights to Sword Art Online go to Reki Kawahara.
Trivia/Media References
- Kirito's cold line, "Not impressed." was delivered/inspired by Superman from the movie Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021).
- The banter from Kirito, Sinon, and Klein were fourth wall breaks and how they were represented in the anime. Some of them were opinions and how the community thought of them.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy sitcom, and just recently, Andre Bruagher, who played one of the lead roles in the sitcom passed away from lung cancer.
- The Monster is a song from Eminem ft. Rihanna.
- Darling in the Franxx is an anime.