Another short chapter. UGH! However, a bit of a warning guys. If you think this is the only new chapter...
Stop.
Don't read a single thing past the AN. Turn back and read chapter nine. Otherwise the content of this chapter will make no sense.
Otherwise, enjoy!
Her blue eyes gazed around as she blinked open her eyes, a slight smile creeping across her face. Her gaze fluttered on the sleeping guy next to her, and she patted his shoulder gently. I wonder if he remembers me? She asked, referring to that time she fraught with him during the raid on Laughing coffin headquarters.
She'd just realized that was him a few nights ago, and she was amazed at the fact he not only didn't seem to recognize her, but that conversely she didn't recognize him either. Sighing, she twisted over, decided to ask him when he woke up.
That didn't take long. She smiled at him as he yawned. "Good morning Klien," she chirped happily, thoroughly engorging this start to the day. There's just something about waken up to Kline that is heaven of earth, she inwardly sang.
"Morning love," he smiled, brushing some of her hair gently away from her face.
Well, here goes, she thought, before taking a deep breath. "Klien, do you... remember me? We fought together during that raid on the Laughing coffins, remember?"
Klien just gazed at her for a while, which made her nervous. Her heart sank as the moments of silence dragged on. I guess he doesn't remember after all,she suspected.
Unfortunately, he did remember. And not in a good way.
Before she knew it, she was on the floor, a warning message popping up alerting her to the fact that Klien had committed a crime against her. "What the hell was that for!" She demanded, taken completely by surprise.
"You... your the bastard who help me kill my father!" He shouted, his eyes smoldering with rage and anger. For the first time Leopon was afraid of him. Backing up to the door, she attempted to stand up, swiping away the crime alert message.
"How the hell was I supposed to know he was your father!" she shouted. "I was just trying to save your life!" she added desperately.
Klien closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them and pointing to the door. "Leopon, just go. I want you out. Out of my life, out of my house, out of my guild." he growled. Leopon nodded shakily, though more in anger and indignation than fear.
"Fine then, the next time I see a guy trying to kill you, I'll let him go out of fear that he's your uncle or something!" she shouted, her blue eyes smoldering with rage. The only thing stopping her from dropping him on the spot was the fact that she didn't want to go to jail.
She made her way downstairs, noticing the guy's demeanor changed the moment she reached the third stair from the bottom floor, as if her presence had brought a change to the air. "Where are you going?" Philia asked, her blue-green eyes glittering with worry.
"Just stay out of my way!" Leopon roared, sending the guys scurrying behind the furnishings as she made her way outside. As she closed the door, she could hear the members of her now former guild talking in hushed voices. "Let the good for nothing Samurai tell them," she growled, not even feeling sorry for snapping at her cousin.
She arrived at the teleport gate and warped to the78th floor, before rushing over to the dungeon. "I thought he was the one for me," she whispered to herself, before letting out a sob before she threw herself at the mobs,
Klien simply walked around the room, waiting for his red cursors to turn green. After three hours of waiting, it finally switched, and like a light went on in his head, he realized what he had done. "Oh my gosh, how could I have been so stupid!" he growled at himself, before flying out the door.
On his way out he met Philia, who grabbed him by his collar. "Alright, what happened with Leopon?" She growled, glaring daggers at him." He let out a sob. "I... I said some things I shouldn't have," he whimpered. "We... we have to find her," he added more sharply.
"Alright, I'll contact Asuna and Kirito. And you'd better be able to explain why my cousin was crying like that!" she growled.
"I can't believe you'd do that!" Kirito shouted, nearly socking Klien in the head. If it where not for Asuna holding him back, Kirito would have became a red player, just like Klien had been a few hours ago.
"I... I know," Klien sobbed, genuinely sorry.
"Sorry doesn't cut it buster!" Phillia shouted. "My cousin gave herself for you and how do you repay her?"
However the treasure hunter took a deep breath as she felt Asuna place her left hand on her shoulder while keeping a firm grasp on the endanger Kirito with her right. "You have no right or reason to have hit her, Klien." She began, before closing her eyes.
"But I can understand why you would be upset at learning she was the one who helped you kill your father." Pausing, she opened her eyes again. "I will try and help you to apologize, but after that you are on your own."
"Th...thank you Asuna. I...I really am sorry about what I've done. I feel so... devastated..." His words where cut off by the enraged swordsman.
"Devastated! Devastated! Devastated!" He screeched, getting louder and louder with each saying of the word. "How the hell do you think poor Leopon feels?" He added, before sighing. "You know what, I'm going to help you look for Leopon." However, he gave Klien a look of pure rage. "However, I am not helping you look for her for your sake. I'm only interested in keeping her safe."
Leopon glanced at her map data, before sending a copy to Asuna. "Maybe I can join back with the Knights of the Blood Oath again?" she mused quietly before sighing. "No that bastard of a boyfriend of mine has probably already blabbered that I'm Kayaba's daughter already."
She sliced through more and more Lizardmen, continuing to mow down enemy after enemy. Sighing in sorrow, she finally slumped down, deciding to take a breather.
All I was trying to do was help him! She inwardly yelled.
"Leopon!" Oh great! He's some to finish me off. Or drag me to jail for being the creator's daughter. She thought, drawing her rapier and shield back out, positioning herself in a defensive stance.
"Leopon, we want to talk to you," Hearing Asuna's voice, she slumped down, suddenly unable to fight.
"Well then, Klien. Talk." she mused, keeping her shield out, but sheathing her sword, just in case.
"Look, I'm sorry Leopon. I... I shouldn't have said that. I... I want to start over, ask for your forgiveness." he began, walking toward her.
"Klien... I..." However right as he got close to her her blue-gray eyes hardened. "No!" She shouted, bashing him with his shield, her cursor turning red as she did so.
"Leopon, What are you doing?" Asuna exclaimed loudly.
"You said it was over, and so it is!" Leopon shouted at Klien, before taking off deeper into the Labyrinth.
"Leopon, wait!" Klien shouted, followed by his companions, but she turned a deaf ear to them. Slashing through Lizardmen, she must have made it halfway before she had to stop again.
"Traitors! All of them!" she growled as her vision began to redden from anger and exhaustion.
"Leopon, look out!" Sadly, Asuna's warning came too late, and the last thing Leopon saw before her field of vision turned black was the blade of a Lizardman General.
She gazed around briefly, as she lost all feeling. A single hexagon warning appeared in front of her, stating "You are dead."
"Heh, all this damn trouble over a stupid, simple question," she whispered mournfully, before her vision once again turned black.
Five minutes earlier.
Acer glanced up at the monitors as he headed into the lab, making his way up to Lyra. "I'm sorry I couldn't convince Kayaba to log you out with us. Please...Please forgive me Leopon.
He gently grasped her hand, a suggestion he had gotten from Sachi of all people. Holding her hand gently, he let out a sigh, praying slightly.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me," he whispered, before letting out a small gasp as her hand tightened around his a bit. Glancing up, he noticed a set of beautiful light blue-gray eyes grazing at him in confusion.
"Forgive you for what?" she whispered, her voice raspy from lack of use.
Okay, so we have our first character death... Sort of. Like I said before, chapter nine set's the tone for both this and the next chapter. So next chapter, we get to see why Acer, Sachi, and Aacob got to log out early, as well as discover why Lyra's nerve gear did not fry her brain after she died in game. We also get to discover the fate of their relationship as well.