Hello, people! This is my first ever SAO fan fic, and it would mean a lot to me if you could review, follow or favourite it! I'll be updating weekly, every sunday probably.

The pairings of this fic are KiritoXOC, and in the later chapters, he'll get with Asuna. So, anyway, I hope you enjoy this fan fic, and please tell me what you thought in a review!

Disclaimer: I don't own SAO, only my OC Mikia.

Mikia is a skilled solo player in the death game known as Sword Art Online. Kirito is a beater, known as the legendary Black Swordsman. Both of these players are lonely fighters on the front lines. Both of them crave company, and battle fiercely to beat this death game and free everyone living inside Aincrad. What happens when these two lonely souls meet? What will transpire between them?

Chapter One: *Silver Light*

"Hyahh!" My sword cuts through the creature in front of me, blasting it into a thousand million little blue polygons. I exhale, and suck in another gulp of air before twisting around and slicing through another creature. I kill around 7 of these mid level critters before they stop spawning, having completed the side quest I was on, and I receive a fall out of prizes from my battle: the usual basic weapons, armour, and one very special item.

A random drop item.

I blink, shocked. These items are rare since they can be dropped at any quest, no matter how rare or common the quest. But I never thought I would actually find one. I use the index finger and my middle finger on my right hand to swipe down in the air next to me, bringing up my control launcher. I search for the drop item and find it.

*Silver Light* I read it's name to be. It's a sword, and quite a good one at that. But I decide to get it checked out properly when I get out of these dungeons. Saying that, I head out of the dungeons quickly, disposing of any threats as I go. I end up on floor 50, and start to walk to a sword expert.

.

My name (in the real world, I mean) is Maika Kaito, my avatar's name being Mikia. A year ago, I logged into the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online, eager to try out the 'full dive'. It should of been the best day of my gaming life.

And then we found out that we couldn't leave it. That if our HP ran out here in the game, we'd die. Actually die. In real life.

This was a death game.

As you'd expect, there was mass hysteria. Many people refused to move from the Town Of Beginnings, on the first floor. Others denied what Kayaba told us to be the truth. They clamined he was lying. We could actually die if we died here! That was insanity! So they sat around and waited for rescue.

Not me, though. I could not stand by like a coward, letting others fight my battles for me. So I became a solo player, determined to clear this game as fast as I could. Not for my own sake, though. For everyone else's.

We're on floor 66 at the moment, waiting to clear floor 67. My level is 79.

And I will not lose.

I walk into Agil's shop without knocking, crossing the threshold easily, my long bangs hitting over my eyes. My hair is cut short, angled to be longer at the front and short at the back with a long, full fringe. It's coloured a pale bubble gum pink, and my eyes are wide and vibrantly green. I'm only 5'2, but I don't let my short stature let others intimidate me. My outfit is not too showy, a tight fitting blue sleeveless top with a diamond cut out in between the neck and bust, a short darker blue skirt, knee high pale blue leggings/socks, brown, battered ankle boots and leather wrist guards going up to my elbows.

Agil, a truly massive dark skinned player, glances up from behind his desk. He smiles brightly upon seeing me.

"Mika-san!" He greets me with a large grin, his teeth shining. I roll my eyes and lean up against the counter, folding my arms onto the smooth polished wood.

"I thought I told you to call me Mika, no honorifics." I sigh. "Remember, I count you as a friend, and that's why you're allowed to use my nick name, Agil."

"Fine, Mika." He says easily. "What can I do for you today?"

"Check this weapon?" I ask, bringing up my control launcher and materialising the sword from the drop earlier. It lands in my outstretched hands, heavier than I expected. I adjust my grip, curling my fingers atoung the object. The handle is long enough for me to grip it with both hands, the blade long and thin, but thick enough to still carry a lot power and not to snap on the first hit. The blade is coloured a pale icy blue, and the handle is pure silver. Agil takes it from me and appraises it while I wait.

"That's one nice sword, Agil." A male voice says from behind me. The voice walks up to the counter and stands next to me, resting his elbows against the counter. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, my long lashes scraping my cheekbones. His jet black hair is scruffy, and he's dressed all in black, a long coat billowing out around his elbows. But his stark black eyes strike me the most as they look into mine, questioningly.

.

"Oh, this?" Agil waves around *Silver Light*. "This here is Mika- I mean, Mikia's sword." He corrects himself, knowing I will not like it if this person thinks my name's Mika.

"Hi." The guy smiles. He sticks out a hand for me to shake. "I'm Kirito."

"The Black Swordsman." I acknowledge, raising an elegant eyebrow. What is a solo player of his standard doing here? I've seen him in action, in the boss fights, and he is truly magnificent. Like a demon possessed, he always tries to kill the boss without any player loss. And here I am, meeting him in Agil's place, of all places.

"You've heard of me." He grimaces. "Of course, my reputation proceeds me." I nod.

"I've seen you in the Boss battles." I explain.

"You're part of the floor cleaners? What guild?" The guy, Kirito, asks interestedly.

"Solo player." I shrug. "I'm Mikia, by the way."

"Hello then, Mikia-san." Kirito smiles. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like Agil's?"

"Hey!" Agil protests. I can't help but smile.

"Unfortunately, he's a friend, and one of the best evaluators I know. And I need him to appraise this sword." I give Agil a meaningful look.

"Oh, yeah!" Agil fumbles around, bringing up the weapon's stats. He quickly reads them to me, whistling softly. "Mika, you've found a really powerful sword here." He hands it back to me. I grasp it in one hand, weighing it. Kirito backs up so I can swish it around a bit.

I take a deep breath and then launch into a series of parries, blocks and strikes. When I'm done, I put the sword back into my inventory, grinning widely. This sword fits me like a glove.

"Is is good?" Agil asks eagerly.

"Brilliant." I nod. "I'll need to try it out, though."

"So, Mikia, you want to test it out for a little bit tomorrow?" The Black Swordsman asks me. I bite on my lower lip, staring at him. Is he asking what I think he's asking?

"It's just, I'm going up to floor 59 tomorrow, so you're welcome to come along too, so we could fight together. Since we're both solo players, so we don't have any commitments right now." Kirito scratches his head awkwardly. I consider my answer carefully. If I decide to go with him...well, it would be a good training experience, I'd have someone to watch my back, and plus it would make a brilliant story: fighting with Kirito. But on the other hand, I'm not used to having people around me, watching out for me, and anyway: I don't know that many people to merit a new story. There's plently that haven't heard yet (which goes to show my lack of sociability, doesn't it?).

"Okay." I agree finally. What's the harm?

"Great!" Kirito grins. He swipes in the air, and soon I get a party request appearing in front of me. "Only temporary." He explains. I pause for only a brief second before I hit the affirmative button.

We agree to meet by the 59th floor's teleporter gate, and Kirito dives off into the night. I smile slightly at his retreating figure.

.

"Mika, I hope you know what you're doing." Agil mutters darkly.

"Agil, it's only one party." I roll my eyes. "One battle. That's all. I probably won't even see him ever again after this."

"Mika, just be- careful." Agil warns, insisting that I listen to him, and take note of what he's saying. reluctantly, I pay attention. Agil's advice is usually useful and I always need to hear it. To make sure I'm aware of the consequences my may have actions. "You know what happened in your last guild."

"I know." I reply quietly. "How could I forget?"

Agil's silent for a moment before I speak up once more.

"And this is just a party, not a guild, Agil, so don't get your panties in a twist." I wink at him before walking out of the shop and towards the teleporter gate that will take me home.

Once I get to my home on the 53rd floor, I collapse on my bed, my head hitting the pillow with a thump. I close my eyes, pressing a hand to my fast paced heart. Somehow, this Kirito has gotten to me, and I think I want to see him again. Tommorrow seems too far away.

How can it beat so fast when this is a virtual world? I wonder, a slight breeze wafting in through the open window, drifting across my skin like a gentle caress. When all it is is a stream of data stored in some servers?

If this is a virtual world, why does everything feel so damn real?

My house is on the 53rd floor. It's not big and fancy, but it's enough for me. Simple, with only a few rooms, it serves me fine. I don't need a huge property like others. Because it will only ever be me living here.

It took me a while to understand that I wasn't real anymore, but that death still was. That if this body, this virtual body, was hurt, my real body would be fine. But if this data constructed avatar was to die, my real body would die. The nerve gear on my head would send a signal to my brain, frying it like an egg. It just didn't seem possible. That if I died in this make believe world, I would actually die.

I didn't know if I could fight in the first week of being trapped in SAO. Could I risk dying? Never getting back to reality? And what if it was a lie? What if death was the only way to escape?

But I refused to give in. I would not kill myself. I would not sit back and idiot wait for others to die for me, to fight for me. I would free myself from this death game. I would get back to reality - on my own.

I swipe down with my two fingers, and change my clothes while still lying down. My clothes evaporate and my new ones ripple on, leaving me with a slight tingle running through my virtual polygon cells, leaving me in a comfortable long sleeved shirt and loose trousers. Then I roll over, pull the thick sheets over my thin body and settle down for sleep. My eyes drift slowly, my breathing evens out until it's regular, and then I'm off into my dreams.

(Because yes: even reconstructed data in the form of an avatar can dream).