Yo, it had been awhile since I last update my story. Oh yeah, because I am not in my best condition, Well, Just read it. Please read and review.

Disclaimer : Brs & Ane Aren't mine.

Note: It's is for ANEXBRS, maybe you don't know how our uploading system works. You see, there is two people which have an access to this account, first is him, the writer and second is me the publisher. So to straight thing, he was busy this past few days because some reason. But I assure you he will review your so called 'STORY' when he free. So please stop pestering this matter. By the way I am his publisher, the one you called Ms. Izanagi.

Half-year, half-year can't be considered as short time nor long time, because it was only half. But for the players which trapped in the deadly game called Sword Art Online, it can be considered as a long time. The cursed game, like what many players call it. From yesterday the sky had been covered by thick layers of cloud until... The snow fell from the sky. It remind many players that it must be already winter on the real world. Though many players know that snow already falling from the sky, not all floors receive the same weather. Mishe, the main settlement of the 35th floor in the Aincrad. It used to be crowded city, but as the upper floors were unlocked, it's become a more peaceful town. That was one of two reasons about why Stella likes this town, the other reason? Because there is a restaurant named Weathercock Pavilion which famous because of its delicious cheesecake. And she must admit that it was indeed delicious. Maybe she needs to tell Night to learn making a cheesecake as delicious as this one, because if like that, they can save their money while still enjoying the sweet taste of cheesecake.

"So did you really start to treat him better now?" Sadly, she wasn't here alone, so she can't really enjoying this peaceful moment. She turns her head to staring at her brown haired friend which staring at her face, which right now, not covered by her hood. She just raised one of her eyebrows at her friend question.

"I mean, I saw how you both interacting with each other now and I think you behave nicer to him now. Did something happen which make you treat him better now?" Yutari ask again with curiosity filled her hazel eyes. Instead of answering her friend question, Stella just look up at the sky while remembering these few days she had spent with Night after... a certain 'incident'. Night and Stella had been closer than before and instead of drowning in silence, they both start to chatting more whenever they are together. They talk about many stuff, but mainly about this game.

"Do you think what will happen if two people stuck together for a long time? In a logic way they will become closer each time passed" Stella answered her friend question. Even though what she said was a lie, it was better than telling the girl in front of her about what really happened which made them closer. Because if she tell her the truth, then it means she is also giving this girl an infinite ammo for her teasing. And she and Night will be teased until the end of their life.

"Hmm... Are you sure? Didn't it happen because he tried to-" Yutari stopped her sentence when she realized that the black haired girl had given her one of her most frightening glare, and from her expression she can know that Stella just said to her 'Dare to continue that, you won't able to say anything for the next 5 months' so she choose to be safe.

"Okay, okay. Geez, I will never know how Night able to handle you *Death glare from Stella* Okay sorry, I will stop it... For today" Yutari said before giggling a little which made Stella sighed after seeing how her friend act. Seriously, they were trapped in a virtual world with the rule, if you death here, then you also die in the real world. And there is also a possibility that they won't able to get back to the real world for a long time, yet this girl still able to make fun of someone without a care about their condition. Or maybe all her teasing is just a mask... A mask for covering how Yutari true feel about their condition. Which one the truth, she won't ever know, since she refuses to ask her in fear that it might hurt her feeling.

"Anyway, where is your partner? Maybe we can invite him to come here? After all, I am sure he never ate here before, right?" Yutari asks which making Stella look at the ground for a few seconds before looking up at the sky again.

"We can't invite him now. He... Something is bothering him" Stella answered without turning her head from the sky. Of course her statement making Yutari become confused and she show it with tilt her head to left.

"What do you mean with something?" Yutari asks when she sees the concern look on her friend's eyes. Stella wonders if now her partner also does the same thing like her, just staring at the sky while thinking about the problem in his mind. Yutari just staring her friend in confusion while waiting patiently for the answer to her question. In the end, she did get the answer to her question and the answer itself comes in the form of one word.

"Kirito"

Unknown to her that what she thinks is true. Right now, on the 49th floor of Aincrad, in the cliff near a town called Myujen, the main settlement of the 49th floor, sat a young man, the partner of Stella who looking up at the sky. Night sighed to himself when he realized just staring at the sky like this won't give him any solution for his problem. Beside him sat another young men with red hair which wear a red armor and dressed like a samurai.

"So... Do you know the cause of all of this?" Night asks the red haired man beside him who just gives him a confused look.

"I don't really know" Klein answered his best friend question before looking up at the sky again. Night just sighed again before looking up at the sky too. Their head filled with the same thing at the same time. They both also thinking about the same thing. Kirito. Their best friend which also known as Beater. They don't know how, just a few days ago his attitude suddenly changed. They already know that he was a little awkward toward an unfamiliar person and a little blunt with his words. But now he was changing into cold and harsh person. Night and Stella were the first one who finds out about it. That time he and Stella is exploring the dungeon on the 46th floor, they meet him. Night instantly greeted him, but to his surprise Kirito didn't greet back, instead he quickly walks away. When Night grabs his shoulder to stop him and asking what wrong, Kirito just give him a cold glare before resuming walking. Then Night told this to Klein and Klein himself went to meet him for making sure what Night said is true. And look like it does. And here they are, trying to figuring out what wrong with their friend.

"Maybe it was because of his guild?" Klein suddenly said which made Night shook his head. He had met with all the member of 'Moonlit Black Cats' and he so sure that they won't do anything... To... Change him?... OH!

"Klein!" Night yelled which, of course, startled the red haired man beside him who almost fall from his place and if not because of his luck, he sure he will fall to the bottom of this hill now. When he about to give Night piece of his mind. Until...

"Do you notice something different from Kirito when you met him?" Night asks which made Klein blinks for a seconds for letting his brain absorbing his friend question.

"Um... He uses a new sword?" Klein answered randomly which made Night slapped his hand on his forehead.

"No! I mean, did you notice that there is no longer his guild logo on his HP bar?" Night swear that he feels older than the man who sat beside him. Klein just blinked his eyes for a seconds before a sudden wave come to his mind which make him realize something.

"Yeah! You are right Night. I remember now, I also didn't see his guild logo on his HP bar!" Klein exclaimed when he's finally realized that what his best friend said was true. Night sighed internally when he sees how this red haired man act.

"But the question is why such a thing can happen. I mean, we know Kirito won't do anything like leaving his guild, right?" Klein said and for once Night was surprised with the fact that his friend can say such thing.

"Hey Night, you okay?" Klein asks, when Night didn't respond his question. Night who just realizes this, quickly shook his head before giving his friend a smile.

"Yeah I am fine. But what you say is true. I don't think Kirito will do such thing. So the only possibility for him to out from that guild is because the leader had kicked him out or..." Night stopped his sentence. Because the second possibility is something he didn't want to be true.

"Or what?" Klein asks impatient because he clearly didn't have any idea about what his friend going to tell him.

"All the members of guild except Kirito died" Night said in a sorrowful tone. He hates to admit it, but the second possibility is more likely the one which makes Kirito change. To see his friend's death, it must be the one which pushes him to change, but why?

Klein, who heard this just can lower his head. He never expected something like this. Die here means also die in the real world. If his guild also dies in this game, he won't able to forgive himself, but unlike Kirito, he won't change himself. But then why Kirito changed?

Both Night and Klein are so deep in their own thought, which made them don't realize the snow already fall from the sky again or made them realize that the sky already changing its color. They keep sitting like that, until... Night receive a message from someone. He opens the message and quickly read its content. After reading the message Night stands up with determination in his eyes. Klein looks up at him in confusion and when Night notice the confusion in his friend's eyes, he just gives him a smile and said...

"I need to go now"

Earlier...

"Teleport Myujen" Stella said when she already stood on Mishe Telepot Gate Plaza. She sighed when she arrived at her destination, the main settlement on the 49th floor, Myujen. Stella starts to walk toward the direction of her and Night rent room. Maybe she needs to consider buying a house since she and Night always rent a room in every single floor. Well, she can discuss that's matter later when Night comes home. She sighed after she saw how crowd this town become. Well, today is Christmas so it wasn't strange if many players were gathering here. When she reaches the giant Christmas tree, she stopped walking when her eyes spotted something. It was Kirito, sitting on one of many benches in there and he wasn't alone because behind there is a player, and Stella already know who is the player. The best informant in Aincrad, Argo. Stella just can stand there and no moving at all while her eyes keep staring at both players. She can't come closer to them in fear they will notice her, so what she can do now is just observe them. She just waited and waited until... Kirito standing up and walk away.

Argo just can watch as the player known as the beater, walk away. She sighed to herself and about to leave... Until someone grab her shoulder. She turned around to face whoever had grabbed her shoulder, only to face another beta tester player, but not any ordinary beta tester. Because the girl clad in black which stood in front of her is known as one of 10 best beta tester players.

Stella just stares at her and muttered one simple word...

"Talk"

At first Argo just stared at the girl clad in black with confusion, but then she quickly understands what she means. And with a nod she starts talking...

"If you want to know what Kiri-bou going to do, then I will talk since someone need to keep an eye to that boy. Do you know about the event which will happen today? *nod from Stella* Well, he plans to fight the boss by himself. That's all I know and I don't think I need to tell you the detail about the event since you must be already know about that event, right?" Stella nods again to answer her question before thinking about the information she receives. Nicholas the renegade, the name of the boss of an event which will occur today. At first she also consider to go find the boss and fight it, but since Night had this problem, she decides that it was best to not tell him about it or allow him to go to find the boss since if he did fight with his mind in this state, the chance for him to die in the battle is high. But after hearing this, she has already decided what will she do. She will message him since this problem maybe can cause another problem in the future if it didn't stop now. She quickly opens her menu before touching some buttons to send a message to his partner. When she is done with her task, she about to walk away when a voice stopping her...

"Are you going to stop him or assist him?" Argo asks after she saw Stella done with her task.

"It depends on my partner choice" Stella answered and that was true. She will let Night choose for what will they do.

"I see. Well, whatever that guy going to choose, I hope you both keep Kiri-bou alive, because we can't afford to lose a skilled player like him, it's just going to give us a disadvantage" Argo said which answered with a nod by Stella. Stella knows that what Argo told her were a lie, because she can clearly see that actually Argo just worried about Kirito well-being. And with that she start to make her way toward Myujen Teleport Gate Plaza and waiting for her partner, but she hopes he will come there soon because they need to arrive at the boss place before Kirito arrive there if they want to stop him or assist him. And luckily she had prepared everything to face this boss, so what she needs to do now is wait the command from her partner.

Present...

A player who wears a black coat, running through the forest which located on the 35th floor, Forest Of Wandering. His mind had been set on one single purpose, to get the rare item. His eyes focused on only one thing which connected to his purpose, to the biggest fir tree in there, where he sure that the event boss will appear there. He keeps running and running with a determination aura shining around him, until he feel something...

Kirito stop his running which makes him skidded on the ground which covered by thick snow. He waits for a few seconds and then a blue light appears and when the light faded, 6 men, each wearing an outfit which resemble a samurai from Edo period appear. They are a guild, the guild which known as 'Fuurinkazan'

"Yo" Klein greet when his eyes met the black eyes of the Beater.

"Are you following me?" Kirito asks in the same emotionless tone he had use for the past few days.

"You can say so. You are after the rare item which can revive someone, right?" Klein replied which answered with a nod by Kirito.

"Don't sacrifice yourself because of some gossip like that. In this game if you die here, then you are really going to die. If our HP reach zero, then our brain in the real world will-" before Klein able to finish his statement, Kirito cut his words with two simple words which he muttered in a cold tone.

"Shut up" Of course Kirito statement make Klein surprised a bit, but he quickly ignores it and start talking again.

"Fighting alone is ridiculous. You can fight with us, whoever get the item can keep it without any complaint. Isn't that alright?"

"If like that, I can't. I must do it by myself" Kirito replied before grab the hilt of his sword and about to pull it. His action also making all members of 'Fuurinkazan' ready themselves for battle, except Klein, who try to calm down his teammate.

"Hey, I can't let you die here, Kirito!" He said in hope to calm down the player in front of him. Kirito just ignore Klein statement and pull his sword until...

SLASH

Both the Beater and all members of 'Fuurinkazan' had surprised expression on their face, when all of sudden there is a sword which located a few inches from Kirito's neck. Kirito look behind from his shoulder and found his attacker is a girl which clad in black, Stella. Kirito is both surprised and afraid, he surprised because he can't sense her presence which mean her hiding skill must be higher than his searching skill. And he a little afraid because of two reasons, the sword which located not too far from his neck and her glare, which clearly said what she want to say verbally to him 'Pull your sword and I will pull your head from your neck'. And he also can't see any sign of doubt on her face, which means, she was serious. They just stayed like that until...

Another light appears behind 'Fuurinkazan' and when the light faded, it revealed more than just 6 people. All the members of 'Fuurinkazan' quickly stepping backward when they recognized the guild which suddenly appear.

"'Divine Dragon Alliance?'"

"The guild which will do anything to get a rare item, what we will do?" Two members of 'Fuurinkazan' said. Kirito gritted his teeth, if he keeps standing here then...

He comes back to reality when he sees the girl which earlier stood behind him, now walking forward passing the 'Fuurinkazan' members and stood in front of them. Stella pointed her sword at the 'Divine Dragon Alliance' before look at Kirito from her shoulder.

"Go" she muttered softly before focusing her attention back to the guild in front of her.

"Damn it! She's right, go Kirito, we will hold them here!" Klein suddenly yelled which confuse Kirito. But then he remembers that he didn't have much time, so after glancing at all the members of 'Fuurinkazan' and Stella for the last time, he stepped backward before starting running again. After a few seconds running, he finally arrives at his destination, but to his disappointment, there is already someone which wears a white high-collar coat, standing there. He about to talk with this mysterious person, until an invitation to join a party appear in front of him.

"Trying to beat the boss alone? What the hell was on your mind? Are you planning to kill yourself?" After that three questions launched, Kirito quickly recognize the voice. The man turns around to face the Beater and like what he thought, he was Night.

"It wasn't your business" he replied coldly.

"That was what you think, but I was your friend and I can't let you die here" Night replied calmly. Both young men started to feel the tension in the air around them starting to rise.

"If you are my friend then gets out of my way" Kirito replied while staring intently at Night blue eyes.

"For you know, this event isn't yours. So I free to be here and defeat the boss too. And you also know if we did defeat the boss separately, the one who got the last attack will be me" Kirito already know about that fact. After all, Night was famous because he gets the most last attack. In total he already does 22th last attack and that was a new record. Though because of it, the guild, he met earlier, the 'Divine Dragon Alliance' hate him and tried their best to hold him to get the last attack and they just half-success in making their effort to stop Night.

"No time for arguing Kirito so I will tell you my purpose. I came here to help you, I know that you after the item which can revive a player and I just going to help you reduce the boss HP and when I think it was enough, I will stop attacking and let you defeat it. Though that will happen only if you accept my invitation" Night explain his purpose which make Kirito narrowed his eyes. He was right, there is no time to argue and if what he said were true, then there is should be no problem. After giving Night a nod, Kirito accept his invitation and once again both black haired players become a party. When both males heard a sound of bells, Night quickly pull his sword and muttered...

"It begin" and after a few seconds Night said that, the boss fall from the sky. Kirito quickly pull his sword while muttering...

"Shut up" and after the boss lift it ax, both players quickly run to the boss to start their battle...

Kirito just stared at the item in his hands. He quickly shut his eyes before opening it again and turn around.

"Here" he muttered while tossing the item on his hands which catched by Night. After reading the information about the item, Night saves it on his inventory before letting out a sigh. Kirito just walk away and hoping to get back to his rented room as fast as he can, but when he about to pass Night, he stops him by grabbing his arms. Kirito turn his face to Night... Only to get punched straight on his cheeks. Kirito fall on his back because of Night punch. He about to get up, but Night quickly bent down in front of him and grab his collar with both hands.

"Don't you dare to give up on your life" his voice is harsh and filled with anger, but the most thing which making Kirito a little afraid is his eyes. While Stella eyes are like an eternal ice, Night eyes are like a raging fire. It almost looks like a demon eyes.

"I will ask you a simple question... What if the role is reversed" at this Kirito eyes widen a bit "What if you are the one who die and the cause of your death is your guild"

"How-"

"I am not stupid Kirito, I able to guess it" That was a lie, because the one who guess it is Stella. She guesses that Kirito change because he blames himself for his guild death.

"Do you think, you want your friends to give up on their life and simply end it? If you don't want that, I am sure that your friends didn't want you to do that either, especially Sachi"

"You don't understand-"

"I understand completely Kirito! I ever experienced it. I had let the people I care about die. I didn't just do it once, but twice. Do you know how hard it is? I know they want me to live on, but I can't!" At this Night tighten his grip on Kirito collar which choke him a little.

"I can't... But in the end, I understand... They just want me to go on with my life and they will greet me when my time is coming. I tried my best to forget my pain and sorrow, but deep down I know I can't completely erased it. I tried my best to alive. I tried to not lose my hope and tried my best to complete this game and get out of this fucking world!" Night tried his best to not let his tears escape his eyes. Kirito just can't talk after hearing his story. He now feels really stupid, he didn't know that right in front of him, someone had more pain than him. He tightens his fist before muttering...

"I am sorry" Night look up at his face when he heard Kirito voice.

"I am really sorry. I just get too emotional and didn't realize that I had turned into someone else. I am really sorry to make you and Klein worried. I am sorry, I just wanted to know her last words..." Kirito can't hold it anymore and finally let his tears flow freely from his eyes. Night just can grit his teeth while smirking.

"You idiot" he muttered softly before pulling him into a hug. (A/N: Okay, don't think any disgusting thing like YAOI, it's just a brotherly hug not loving hug, sicko).

"Remember Kirito, you are not alone" Night muttered as he let his own tears flow freely from his eyes. Both males just stayed like that until Kirito finally calmed down and quickly standing up. Night just look at him before standing up too.

"Thank you" Kirito muttered before giving his best friend a smile "Big bro"

Night was surprised to hear his word, but then he just smiles back before ruffling his best friend's hair.

"Anything for my cute little bro" and with that they know. Their problem is over.

Don't think something disgusting like YAOI, they aren't gay, they are completely normal guy. Okay, another part of Night past had been revealed, We know what he mean by someone he care is the girl he ever told Stella. But he said he has lost someone he care twice, meaning there is another person who die in his past. Who was it? Just keep reading to know the answer. Please give us some review after you read this. And sorry for all the drama. I don't know why, but from chap 10-12 there is a lot of hug. Strange.

See ya.