DE88: Hey guys i am here with a new chapter for this story. I hope you enjoy. Also if you need a visual for Arashi's weapon think of Zidane tribals weapons from Dissidia or Serge from Chrono Cross.


Chapter Two: Fated partners.

Floor 23: Day 7

Arashi ran, weaving through the bosses ranged attacks. The boss was a high level Orc with a crossbow and curved sword, and five bars of hit points. The boss had already taken about two bars worth of damage, and was overdue for a change in strategy. "Tempest Requiem." Arashi intoned this as his Swallow blade glowed yellow. He quickly slashed the boss's leg before unhooking his blades and slashing an x on the boss's back and then downward slash with his swallows blade, unbalancing the boss as Risa rushed in, blade poised.

"Lightning Rainstorm." Risa said this as the boss switched its weapon and slashed with its curved sword, which was blocked by Arashi, she ran up and thrusted her sword rapidly before slashing twice and jumping away. Kirito then rushed in, blocking the bosses next attack with his off hand sword, before using Starburst Stream in conjunction with a rapid assault from Asuna. Finally Arashi ran at the boss as Kirito backed away, the boss now below twenty five percent health.

"Rising Storm!" Arashi yelled this as he spun his swallow blade, blue energy sparking from it as he ran up the boss, cutting it in half. He landed as he sheathed his blades.

"Nice moves Arashi." Kirito said this as he sheathed both his blades smiling. Asuna was praising Risa. Arashi smiled and accepted his last hit bonus, a new swallow blade set.

"Yeah though I wish I could perform more of my special skills." Arashi said this as he checked the stats of his new weapon before equipping them. "I mean it's cool and all that i have some hard hitting moves and I can somewhat use combos, but I want a seriously fast, multi hit move...eh I might have to create one." Arashi said this with a smirk and Kirito sighed.

"Well at least you didn't have to memorize status ailments for your skills." Risa said this with a smirk as she and Asuna walked up to the group. Arashi smiled as he remembered Risa was one of the hundred players that got a special character and abilities.

"Ah don't bicker. We don't have time, Yui is waiting for us at the guild house." Kirito said this with a yawn and Asuna smiled before kissing him briefly. Risa looked away and Arashi chuckled.

"Ah you two go on ahead." Arashi said this with smile, causing the two senior players to nod and teleport out of the Boss lair. Risa sighed and pulled out her crystal but Arashi grabbed her arm. "Meet me on floor ten. You know the hill." Arashi said this seriously causing Risa to gulp, and nod. When she did, he let her go and she teleported away. Arashi sighed before pulling out his own crystal. "The time is now...I need to know...are you really her..."


Floor 10

Risa teleported into the town on floor ten. She sighed as she got there. "What in the world does Arashi want..." Risa muttered this as she headed to the hill Arashi was talking about. It was on the outskirts of the town, and had a single cherry blossom growing on it that was always in bloom. As she got there, she saw Arashi leaning against the tree, his swallow blade impaled into the ground near him. "Alright Arashi what do you want." Risa said this as she got there, looking slightly peeved.

"Risa the magic fencer...or should I say Arisa Kamigawa." Arashi looked at Risa with a strange look and Risa froze. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"How...how do you know my real name?!" Risa asked this frantically and Arashi closed his eyes and sighed.

"Arisa Kamigawa. Only child, age 16. In october you turn 17, you're in 12th grade and top of your class. Also you are mute, having had a car accident when you were three that damaged your vocal cords." Arashi said this before opening his eyes. "Sound about right." Risa quivered and balled her fists.

"How...do you know all that...how do you know about my life! Only three people should know that!" Risa yelled this at Arashi who just smirked as he got up from the tree and stood in front of her.

"I also know that your best friend is Ryomatsa Tsguri. Other than your parents, he is the only one who knows who you really are." Arashi said this calmly, as Risa put her hand on the handle of her blade. Arashi slightly messed up his hair as Risa looked at him, confusion in her eyes, then realization, her hand left her pommel.

"No way...you're Matsa-kun..." Risa said this in disbelief and Arashi smiled kindly.

"Heh never knew you were a gamer Risa-chan, though it is nice to finally hear your voice, though I question how I can." Arashi smiled as he said this, and Risa recognized that smile. It was the one she had seen everyday at school since Freshman year. She clenched her fists again as tears started falling down her face. Arashi immediately started panicking, but before he could say anything, he was on the ground, Risa hugging him tightly as tears rolled down her face.

"Oh god Matsa-kun...I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. I'm so happy you had me figure out who you were!" Risa exclaimed this happily as she hugged him and he hugged her back smiling.

"Yeah well I wasn't sure at first, but I had to know. I'm happy that my best friend is here." Arashi whispered this as he hugged her and they both released each other and then sat under the tree, talking to each other, smiling. Arashi laughed as he made Risa blushed but then turned his head and stood up hand on his swallow blade. "Something's wrong..." Arashi said this before deflecting a dart, cursing himself for not moving them into town.

"Arashi watch out!" Risa yelled this, but it was too late, something hit Arashi in the back. It barely did damage but in an instant he was paralyzed and on the ground. Risa drew her blade and deflected more darts that came as Arashi staggered to lift his head.

"Well looky here what I found mate. A nice girl and a brat." A man appeared from behind some trees, the mark of Neo Laughing Coffin on his cloaks. Another man also appeared, sporting the same mark.

"Yeah but they're both from the Sword Art Fighters guild." Arashi growled as they started to draw near. Risa stood ready, but slightly shaking.

"Damn PKers..." The men laughed as Arashi growled this out, and one shot a bolt into his shoulder, causing him to groan in pain.

"Arashi!" Risa tried to turn but one of the men was already behind her and put a dagger to her throat. The other man laughed as he squatted next to Arashi.

"Woah there little miss. We will get to you in a second. I can't believe that this punk is the Storm Demon everyone talks about." The man next to Arashi said this and poked Arashi with the butt of his sword. Arashi growled at him, and the man scoffed before sending his sword through Arashi's shoulder and twisting it, causing Arashi to cry out in pain. "Don't fuck with me brat."

"Arashi, no! Mist Lighting." Risa cried this out before slipping from her captors grasp and impaling him on her blade, tearing it out through the side of his chest and watched him shatter into data. She turned to see the other man lunge at her, but before she could move, Arashi was in front of her, the sword impaled in his side. Arashi gasped as he let go of his twin blades, both impaled in the man who soon shattered and took the sword out of his side before collapsing. "Matsa!" Risa caught him and put a potion to his lips, just barely before his hit points could hit zero. Matsa breathed heavily as she leaned him up against a tree. "You Idiot you could have died. You know how that can traumatize people at this setting!" Risa said this with a hard glare that melted when she saw Arashi's weak smile.

"I promised you didn't I...no matter what...I'd protect you. That hasn't changed, even if this is just a game." Arashi's said this as he sat more upright. Risa stood there before hugging him again, tears in her eyes. "Sorry I worried you..." Risa looked up at him.

"Don't be...you kept your promise..like you always do." Risa smiled softly at him, and Arashi looked at her for a minute before leaning in and kissing her. Her eye's widened immensely, but she soon kissed back.

"I had to do that...just once at least." Arashi said this embarrassed as he pulled back. Risa looked at him and kissed him this time, making the kiss brief.

"I'm glad you did."

Floor 21: Day 8

"Where the hell did you two disappear to?! Do you have any clue how worried we were?!" Arashi and Risa cringed as Asuna yelled this, Kirito silently laughing. Arashi and Risa had just gotten back to the guild house, as Risa insisted on staying on floor ten with how much pain Arashi had to go through the last day, and Arashi couldn't argue with her. Especially when she kissed him to get her point across. Arashi sighed as he looked at Asuna, who was furious.

"Listen we are sorry. It's just that I needed to talk to Risa and...well Neo Laughing Coffin tried to PK us and I kinda got hurt and Risa insisted that we stay at the inn..." Arashi said this nervously as he rubbed his right shoulder, which had the SAF guild mark on it. Risa was trying not to cower in fear. Asuna looked at the two and was about to say something but Kirito put a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

"At least you two are alright. Now mind if we know what you were talking about?" Kirito asked this calmly and Arashi looked nervous.

"Well see thats actually pri-" Arashi started saying this but Risa cut him off.

"Its was about how Arashi and I know each other in real life. We are best friends and classmates." Risa said this and Kirito stood there for a second before cracking up.

"Really, okay now I'm starting to get the picture. That's why you two met alone." Kirito said this with a smirk, earning him a punch from Asuna, but not before he saw both of them look away, blushing. This caused Asuna to laugh.

"Geez, you might as well make something official okay. At least don't take two years like me and Kirito." Asuna said this teasingly and Arashi deadpanned. Risa just looked down blushing furiously.

"Huh what...uhhhh." Arashi said this confused, but Kirito laughed.

"You know what. We all are going to meet up anyways. So might as well get some introductions done. I'm Kazuto Kirigaya, and she is my girlfriend, Asuna Yuuki." Kirito said this with a smile and Arisa smirked slightly.

"Right...I'm Arisa Kamigawa...and he is my boyfriend, Ryomatsa Tsguri..." Risa said this slowly and caused Arashi to look at her in amazement. He couldn't believe what he had heard. She saw his expression and giggled as Kirito laughed, and Asuna giggled. "What. I'm counting that first kiss as you asking me out moron." Risa said this with a smirk before pecking him on the lips, causing Arashi to turn beet red.

"Right...well...now we really need to beat this game."