Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Kirito!" Asuna yelled as she ran towards her friend, evading crowds of people as she did so.

Said boy turned around just in time to see the girl slam into him. He stumbled backwards, barely managing to stay on his feet.

Asuna removed her face from his chest and looked up apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's alright." Kirito replied with a small smile. "So what's so important that you came barreling into me?" He asked with a small chuckle.

The brunette smirked. "I found a new upgrade for players. Someone created a power up that increases speed, agility, hearing, sight, and makes you stronger." She announced, head held high.

"Cool!" The teen exclaimed. An upgrade like that could really help with defeating the game they were stuck in. "Where can you get it?"

Asuna began pulling him down the street she'd just come from. "Just down here."

Following her lead, Kirito jogged through the town until they came across a small blacksmith shop. Compared to Lizbeth's shop, it was downright puny. The front of the building was so small, someone could miss it entirely as they walked by.

Regardless, he diligintely followed Asuna inside. Behind a tiny counter that looked more like a table stood a boy. The boy looked to be around 15, with midnight black hair and eyes. He wore a simple shirt and apron, both covered in dust.

When the duo walked inside he looked up, a pleased smile spreading across his cheeks. "So this is the guy you said you'd bring?" He guessed, his voice surprisingly low for his age.

"Yep." Asuna yipped excitedly as she pushed her friend up to the boy.

"Nice to meet you." The kid greeted as he held out a hand.

Kirito shook his hand and responded, "You too."

"So I heard you have some new upgrade?" Kirito questioned.

"Oh, yeah!" The child yelled excitedly as he ducked underneath the table, popping up seconds later holding a small box. "It's in here."

"Great." Said Kirito as he took the box and looked it over. "How much does it cost?"

"1,000,000 Cor."

"What!?" Kirito cried. That seemed severely overpriced. "Why so much!?"

"Because, it's a one of a kind item, and it's really valuable. I think i actually might have underpriced it..."

Terrified by the idea of having to spend more money than the already outrageous price, Kirito said quickly, "I'll take it." Immediately he pulled the required money out of his pocket.

The boy took the money and walked into a backroom, shooing the two teens out as he did so. Kirito and Asuna moved outside before they decided to see the upgrade.

Once outside Kirito opened the small box, revealing a small black charm sitting on top of a note. The note read, "The effects of the upgrade are perminint."

'That's fine with me' Kirito thought as he tapped the charm twice. Next to it a screen shown, asking him if he wanted to equip it. The teen pressed 'yes', causing the charm to disappear.

Asuna gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.

"What?" Kirito questioned her, completely confused by her reaction.

Wordlessly Asuna removed a hand from her mouth to point at her friend's head.

Still confused, the raven-haired boy felt around his head for deformities. He froze when his hands found two fluffy cat ears.

Panicking, Kirito yelled, "How did that happen!?"

"I think it was the charm." Asuna said from behind her hand, mystified.

"This is not what I signed up for." The distressed boy whined as he looked behind himself, realizing he had a long matching black tail.

Despite the situation at hand, Asuna thought her friend looked kinda cute with cat ears and a tail. They suited him.

Through his on panicking, Kirito barely noticed when Asuna began laughing hysterically behind him. He wheeled around to look at her, demanding, "What's so funny!?"

"You're too cute." Asuna giggled.

Kirito's cheeks flushed a embarrassed light pink and his new ears flattened as he crossed his arms defiantly.

"I'm not cute." He muttered, eyes hard.

The brunette rolled her eyes good naturedly and turned to walk down the street. Her still flustered friend was quick to run after her, trying desperately to hide his ears and tail.

Eventually, the rustling noise he created by doing so irritated Asuna, giving her a tick mark as her eye twitched. An agrivated groan from Kirito broke her patience.

"Knock it off!" Asuna yelled as she abruptly stopped walking to pin the catboy's arms to his sides.

Kirito's ears pulled back in shock, alarmed by her sudden outburst. "B-bu-"

"No buts!" The angry girl growled, clearly putting an end to the conversation. Without another word she began walking again.

A subdued Kirito slinked along behind her, afraid to upset her again. Memories from the past of her trying to kill him weren't pleasant. Reliving them wasn't exactly something he wanted to do.

Suddenly, the raven-haired boy realized he was severely tired. A glance at the sky informed him that it was late evening, bordering dusk.

"Hey, Asuna?" Kirito called, his voice ending in a long yawn.

"What?" Asuna asked as she turned around to look at him, her voice still a bit heated from earlier.

"I'm tired. Can we go home?" He yawned again, proving his point.

His partner huffed, hands on hips. "Are you seriously that tired?" She asked, not believing his words.

Kirito nodded, eyes half open.

"Fine." Asuna sighed. She pulled out a teleport crystal, taking them both to their condo.

Without even bothering to unequip his armor and swords, Kirito fell onto his bed, almost immediately passing out.

Once again Asuna rolled her eyes at his antics. She unequipped her own armor and weapon before climbing into the bed next to his.

"Night." She whispered just before she drifted off.

Yay, finished! Hoped you guys liked the first chapter, the second is almost done! Review please!