Ayyyy! It's ya boi, Kitsune, back from the damn grave! \o/

Imma be real with you all: 2020 sucked. 2021 sucked even more. Mental health took a really bad dive, work has become unbearably stressful, and I've no motivation to write, or even edit. With that said, however... I have been busy!

Enter The King is currently sitting on chapter seven of the rework; but with how much that has been added to the story so far, has turned seven chapters into roughly... twelve or so? So that's been a thing! Also debating if I should replace the chapters or just start a fresh story with the retold story... haven't quite decided yet!

Advent Children is also in the same boat since I kinda rushed into it head-first and not planned much out apart from the Hollow Fragment aspect, so bear with me as they're being worked on and beta'd!

So, why am I posting now you might ask? Well... I signed up for a small writing thingy in the SAO Fanfiction discord I'm a part of, and it includes me writing a series of seven shorts featuring some Kirito and Argo action!

Though it might not be all that much, I do hope you wonderful foxes and vixens enjoy this little compilation this Halloween! So without further ado...

KArgo Express Fanfic Delivery! =^.^=

~Chapter 1~
~Murphy's Law~

It felt like the umpteemth time today that things just didn't want to work the way he wanted them to.

It started with him having gotten egged into a dare, thanks to Liz, about him not being able to procure an item of considerable value for her. How she promised him that if he were to find the item itself, then she would make him a weapon unlike any she had made before.

So, he fell for the taunt.

How he wished he didn't.

Now, he can say with confidence that he was more than proficient with games like these. Even with the knowledge of one false step leading to his untimely death settling in the back of his mind, this is where he thrived. The thrill of the fight, life and death teetering on the knife's edge… this is what he lived for. Some call him a madman with a death wish. Others call him a Beater. He brushes those comments off effortlessly.

The moment someone challenges his pride as a veteran gamer? That was where he drew the line. And that would become his biggest Achilles' Heel.

Kirito, the Black Swordsman. Without his sword. As such, he would refuse to let known his current predicament to the blacksmith; he wouldn't grant her the satisfaction of being proven right. He will swallow his pride by using the starter sword he had been given at the beginning of the game, and retrieve his sword and material both.

"Yo!"

He turned his head slightly, having taken to wearing a cloak to hide his identity from anyone recognizing him. He had put up an anonymous post to anyone who would be willing to help out with a retrieval mission, under his real name; Kazuto. There's a reason why gamers often don't use their real names, especially with the rumours going around about a guild full of red-players who've taken to killing other players with no remorse.

In this case, it would mean there'd be no tie back to him until he would disclose the information to whoever decided to help him. Last thing he needed would be Liz finding out from the rumor mill that he couldn't hash it. Shaking his head from being sidetracked, he glanced at the newcomer out of the corner of his eye.

He noted that they had also taken to wearing a cloak over their frame, probably for a similar reason to him. He couldn't make out much from the cloak obscuring part of his view, except that the figure was rather lithe compared to some of the other players he spotted about.

"Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard," Kirito softly commented, earning a snort of amusement from his new companion. He turned his head a little more fully, making out an amused grin on their face as amber eyes regarded him.

"Their shadows searchin' in the night. Aren't ya a little young for that kinda music, sa?" they asked jokingly, Kirito vehemently denying that he blushed at that comment until his death bed.

"S-Shut up! It's a good song!" Kirito retorted, earning a guffaw of laughter from his companion. Coughing into his hand, he allowed his other hand to softly grip the robe for a semblance of comfort. "A-Anyway! Are you here for the request?" he asked softly, earning a hum of approval from the other.

"Figured I could entertain myself fer a while, yanno? Retrieval quests are a dime-a-dozen, and I was bored," they admitted, shrugging a little. "Though, ya kinda seem the capable sort ta ask for help. So what's yer angle, sa?"

Kirito clammed up for a little while before letting out a heavy sigh. "I got dared to try a quest, and I lost my weapon in the process. I don't want them to know I failed, and I need to get my weapon back," he explained, earning a quizzical look that border on disbelief.

"Wow. Least yer honest, I guess?" they bantered weakly, scratching their cheek as they listened. "Eh, why not? I guess I can help ya out, for a price~"

Kirito groaned, his palm meeting his face as he had forgotten that little tidbit of information. He cursed himself for overlooking such an obvious detail but help was help, right now. "Alright. What would you like in exchange for helping me?"

"Hmmm~ How 'bout we leave that until later on, sa? Let's say ya owe me a favor, and call it quits! Sound good?" they offered, extending their hand out for the swordsman to take. Kirito allowed a defeated grin to overcome his features, turning to face the figure a little better than before. A gloved hand reached out to meet their own, grasping firmly and shaking.

"I appreciate the help, thank you," Kirito thanked, swiping his spare hand out in front of him. Opening the menu, he pressed a few buttons before throwing a party invite to his partner. A few taps later, the two joined a party.

Now. Kirito glanced up to the corner of his sight, looking at the name of the person who just joined. He froze in horror, noting that his username was still the same as what he used since the Beta stages. The slight tightening of the grip on his hand forced him to look back at his new partner, and the gleam of undisguised mischief in their eyes.

"Well~ Woulda look at that? The infamous Black Swordsman, without his sword! Imagine the Col I can make by letting this info leak, sa~!" they grinned madly, wiggling their eyebrows. "Well, I guess I'll be nice and play ball~ Ya owing me a favor after, so I'll keep this tidbit hidden~"

"Wait…" Kirito paused, pieces clicking together in his head on who the person in front of him was. He glanced up once more, noting the name of the person he just got paired up with before lamenting at his rotten luck kicking in.

Argo. The Rat. Info-broker of SAO.

… fuck.

~Chapter End~

Okay, so before you try and lynch me for how short it is; we've been tasked with writing around a thousand words per little short, and for seven different topics in which the two interact! This one, surprisingly, was spot on a thousand without the added author's notes!

Anyways, it's good to see you all again! Hope you've all been taking care of yourselves while I've been away, and that you're all keeping safe through this pandemic! Much love to you all, and stay foxy~ :3

P.S.: throw me a DM if you are interested in joining a horny group of degen- **cough cough** a central hub for aspiring writers of SAO, and authors willing to give advice and help! Will pass on the discord link that way! c: