A Single Shot

Chapter One: Without Warning

Beginning A/N:

Here's another story about my new favorite pairing: Kirito/Yuuki!

I feel like I should tell you that this is a harem… sort of. The main ship is clear, but there are other, more subdued ships as well.

I haven't thought this story through much, so right now I'm just messing around for fun. If you guys like it, that's cool. For those of you who are here because you follow my writings, I have something to tell you.

I regret to inform you that ERROR: SYSTEM REBOOT (ESR) is completely abandoned. My rewrite, FATAL ESR, is going to be the only part of the entire line that I'll continue. That means that BCR is no more as well. Sorry, guys!

With all that out of the way, have a good read!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Four shots aimed at my head, and not a single one hit its mark.

"Damn it! Just sit still and let me kill you!" yelled the man who was shooting at me.

"Ch-As if!"

BANG!

One shot was all it took to send his gun flying out of his hand.

"AAAH! MY ARM!" the man screamed, clutching his right bicep in pain.

BANG!

Another shot came from a distance, piercing through his skull and hitting the wall behind me, just inches from my face.

That was close!

The sniper walked up to me, holding her hand up in the air.

I walked up to her, meeting it in a high five.

"Nice one, Sinon. Just to let you know, though, you almost hit me in the jaw."

"I know."

Figures.

"We killed the last guy on the list. So, what's Dad got for us next?" I asked.

"What, he didn't tell you?"

"He didn't say a word. He usually gives you the briefings, you know."

She cocked her head. "I just thought he would've told you, since it's your first solo mission."

My eyes widened, and my mind began to race.

Seriously? He's giving me my first solo mission already? Must not be that important if he's giving a solo mission to a fifteen-year-old boy who's never done one before. Even if I am his son, he wouldn't entrust me with anything important yet.

"Your job is actually of top priority, so listen up. You're to bring him the heir to Konno Industries. Her name is Konno Yuuki, and she's apparently very skilled in self-defense, so watch out. You'll meet with one of Dad's contacts somewhere on the perimeter of the estate."

Konno Industries?! The top weapon manufacturers on this continent?!

"Might I ask why?"

"Apparently Dad has some… heavy negotiations to make with the company, and they're not listening."

"So you're telling me that Dad's sending his own heir to kidnap someone else's? Doesn't that seem just a little risky?"

"Nobody knows what goes on in that old geezer's mind. He has a hidden motive behind everything, and we know that better than anyone else. Anyway, you need to kidnap her and bring her to Dad's villa by five a.m. tomorrow," she said impassively, handing me a map with the layout of the Konnos' private mansion.

"Right. I have one more question, though… why me?"

"Do you want the truth?" Sinon said, sighing.

"Of course I do!"

She sighed again. "Your ability and stealth, along with the fact that you always wear black, makes you perfect for sneaking into a building where everything is dimly lit. The only room that's bright all the time is Yuuki's parents' room. I recommend you stay out of that place, seeing as the room is apparently painted all white."

"I figured it would be for functional purposes. Still, he should know that if I get caught and disarmed, it's all over," I said, looking down.

Sinon held my hand, saying, "That's why he told me to give you… this."

When she let go, I looked down at my hand. My eyes widened, and I began smiling like a kid in a candy store.

A laser pointer… watch out, world, Kirigaya Kazuto is coming!

An hour later, under cover of darkness, I had found the Konnos' private mansion, and through the fence I began to inspect the security system they had installed.

This one is slightly outdated, and there are so many gaping holes in it that I can get through easily. Then again, nothing is ever that easy. They must have a second security system installed to cover the weaknesses of the first one.

I took out my special sunglasses and put them on, noting that there was indeed a second, almost undetectable, security system.

This looks like the state-of-the-art Cardinal Security System… I'd better watch out.

"Hey, I think I see someone there!"

Shit! This place has guardsmen?! Wait… this could be a good thing. If I can find the head guardsman, he might know a way to disarm the security systems!

I jumped into the trees faster than the guardsman could blink, looking down to see if I could discern his place in the guardsman hierarchy.

Looks like a grunt to me. He won't be of any use.

I jumped through the trees, noting that the fence turned to a wall about thirty meters from where I had started. I also noted an increase in guardsmen the further I went.

But none of them look any different from the first one I saw!

As I continued leaping through the trees, I noticed a tower built into the wall surrounding the mansion.

It's as good a lead as any at this point.

When I was in a tree situated right next to a window in the tower, I jumped in.

The tower was dimly lit, with only one light on each floor I went through. When I got to the top floor, I realized something.

There haven't been any guards in this tower the whole time!

"I figured I'd meet you here."

I turned around, and, to my horror, just two meters away from me stood a woman with short dark hair, wearing the uniform of a guardsman.

"Relax, I'm one of your father's associates. My name is Rinko."

"I don't care. I swore not to get involved with another woman other than my sister. If you know anything about me, you should know that."

"And you still accepted a mission to kidnap Konno Yuuki? She's a girl, you know."

"She is?"

"Despite your intelligence, you can really be quite dense, can't you? Anyway, I'm here to show you how to disable the security systems. You have good instincts, finding the exact place and room where they are without being told beforehand."

"What's the catch?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. There's always a catch when one of Dad's associates tries to help me. They usually want to do it to try to get promoted… and it doesn't work."

"I'm not looking for a promotion, I can assure you that. My motives aren't that shallow," she assured me.

"Well, what are your motives?"

"All I can tell you is that I am an observer. I can't interfere with anything directly, which is why I want you to help me. In turn, you'll earn more respect in the organization as the youngest person to complete a solo mission successfully."

"Oh. Okay, whatever. Where is the control panel for the Cardinal Security System?"

"Come this way."

She led me to a bookshelf, and I immediately face palmed.

How cliché.

She pulled on a book on a shelf, and the wall next to the bookshelf opened up to reveal a control room of sorts.

"I was expecting the bookshelf to open, or something like that, so this is a nice surprise."

"This isn't a cartoon, you know."

"Yeah, whatever."

I walked into the control room, marveling at its complexity.

"Amazing…" I whispered in awe.

"I must be going. I'll leave it to you to figure out how to accomplish your goal."

And with that, she walked out of the room.

Five minutes later, with both security systems disabled, I walked out of the tower.

Okay, I'm in. Now all I have to worry about is being seen.

After a few minutes of carefully walking around, I realized…

"This place is a joke! There isn't a single guard on the inside!"

I continued to walk, albeit more casually than before.

Damn, this is one huge yard!

When I finally found the window to what appeared to be a bedroom, I noticed that it was wide open. I felt a sense of foreboding, sensing something behind me, and then…

Cold steel pressed against my neck, and I instantly knew.

"Her name is Konno Yuuki, and she's apparently very skilled in self-defense, so watch out."

I silently grabbed hold of the laser pointer in my pocket. In an instant, I appeared behind her.

"Hey there, don't go killing your guest."

"You're not a guest, you're a dirty no-good criminal."

In another instant, I had my left gun to her head, my right hand still holding on to my laser pointer. "I wouldn't be talking so rudely to your captor. And by the way, if you'll look to your ring finger on your right hand, you'll notice that I took off your alarm ring. And then if you look at your neck, you'll notice that your tracking necklace has been taken."

"How in the—?!"

She never got the chance to finish, however, because I had hit the back of her neck with my gun.

I let go of the laser pointer in my pocket, picking her up bridal-style and running to the perimeter of the estate. Once I got there, I jumped over the wall and into the trees, making it back to the street in under a minute.

I noticed a familiar car waiting for me, and I got in with her still in my arms.

Once I sat her down in the back seat, I went up front. I opened the car door and sat down, saying, "Thanks for the lift, Klein. You always know when I need transportation, don't you?"

"It's my job, man! I'm your personal assistant, so I have to know these things. It also helps that we've been friends for so long."

"And that you can read me like a book, right? Anyway, I bet you know where we're headed."

"Goin' to see your Dad, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, don't worry about it! As cold and calculating as he seems, he does have a heart," Klein said, trying to comfort me.

"Yeah, buried knee-deep under firearms and research papers. The guy's a mystery, but anyone can tell that he only cares about Mom."

"But isn't she…"

"Yeah. The geezer's gone off his rocker trying to change that."

"Well, just give it some time. If he gave you a solo mission, then he must be recognizing your talents, right?"

"All that means is that I've become strong enough that he feels like I'm good enough to use."

"What it means is that he's noticing you more than he did before. Look, I'm not going to get into this with you. Just know that he cares—just in his own, misguided way. Anyway, we're here!"

I got out of the car, going to the back seat and picking up a still-unconscious Yuuki piggyback-style.

Before I walked into the villa, I turned around. "Thanks, Klein… for everything."

"Don't mention it! Well, I gotta go! See ya, Kazuto!"

And with that, he backed his car out of the driveway of my Dad's villa and sped away.

You'll never change, will you?

While I walked into my Dad's villa for the first time in years, I began to reminisce… about Mom.

She was always so kind… she made whoever she was talking to feel like the only person who mattered. Unlike Dad, she always treated me and Sinon equally.

When I reached the living room, I saw… him… sitting there, staring at me.

My father, the biggest crime lord in all of Asia.

Kayaba Akihiko.

Ending A/N:

Hah! This turned out to be really fun!

All right, I must tell you that Sinon will NOT be one of Kirito's side pairings, because in this fic, she is his biological sister.

What do you guys think? If you liked it, then cool! If you didn't like it, then by all means, review with constructive criticism to help me improve.

Thanks for reading!

As always, I have but one more thing to say:

I don't own Sword Art Online or any of its characters.

See ya!