I'm going to enjoy this side project a little too much.

Earlier this week, I was up late at night looking for some inspiration for oneshots with the SAO girls and my OC, Jaymes, when I had a grand idea. The games are filled with moments in which Kirito gets into some form of trouble with the girls, and I have written a few in which Jaymes does to. Instead of individual oneshots...how about a collection?

Some will be from Hollow Fragment, some from Lost Song, and others from what I did not take during the Hollow Realization adaptation. Integral Factor is named just for the presence of Koharu, my favorite SAO girl in the franchise (obviously biased) and because Jaymes is inspired from my own character in the game. But this will not be at all connected to my SAO storyline, this is just something fun for me when I'm not writing Alicization: Steel and Lycoris (check it out).

First chapter is originally a moment Kirito has with Lisbeth during Hollow Fragment, which I originally had as Jaymes and Lisbeth as they are the main couple of my series, but...I changed it to Koharu once I decided to make this collection. The pairing with Jaymes will bounce around between Koharu, Philia, and Lisbeth for the most part, mostly Koharu because I wanna play with the idea in ways I haven't done so.

Hope you enjoy, see you in the next one or in another story!

"Could that be it? Could that be the Sacred Inferno?"

Koharu takes a look at the fire a few feet in front of us. "Well, if it isn't, we've come a long way for nothing."

"Yeah." I turn to Koharu, hearing her heavy breaths and can visibly see "I'm tired of all this exploration, I don't know how Jaymes is still walking" written on her face. Exhausted myself, I offer up a suggestion. "Well, we found it if it is indeed the Sacred Inferno. You seem a bit tired. Are you sure you're okay?"

Koharu nods. "I'm okay. I'm not tired, just a bit fed up. I mean, what is it with these slimy monsters? I'm all covered in goo and I feel disgusting. And does it have to be this hot? Sheesh! Seriously, I can't wait to get out of this place."

I sigh. "I did warn you, but like always, you never listen to me. But I'm with you there. Let's get this job done and head home." I walk up to the Sacred Inferno, converting it to an item and storing it in my inventory. Oh, easy peasy...crap. As I turn back to Koharu, a large slime venture inside from the mouth of the cave. Sighing, I draw my sword. "Sorry, Koharu, but we can't head home just yet. It looks like we have a monster who wants to wish us goodbye."

She groans as she holds her dagger. "Ugh! I can't take any more slime! I had enough!"

Understanding Koharu's disgust, I spring into action as my sword glows blue. "I got this! Nova Ascension!" Unleashing the strongest one-hand sword skill, I cut the damn slime up in ten quick strikes. It bursts into polygons, but not before leaving us a present behind. Slime gets in my face, hair, and equipment, and I can already tell how angry Lisbeth is going to be when I give it to her to clean. She might charge me extra. "Ugh."

Koharu steps up to my side, and for not even approaching the monster, she somehow looks worse than me. "I know this game is realistic, but does it really have to reproduce the icky feeling of slime? I hate it!"

"I can't wait to get home and change into a clean outfit. Although… I think I'm getting used to being the better looking one between us now."

Koharu punches me in the shoulder. "That'll never happen!"

"Ow...huh. Hey, look over there. Is that steam?"

Koharu looks in the direction I'm pointing and goes to investigate. "Steam? In a place like this? Hm, it must be… Wait! Hot springs!" How convenient that on this quest we get layers of gunk on us we find a hot spring in our destination. I take a look at Koharu, seeing her desire to take a bath in the springs, and quite honestly, I'm feeling it as well. "There's no enemies around here, and we look and smell like crap. Why not take a well-earned break?"

"Jaymes, are you seriously telling me that you're going to take a dip in these hot springs?" I prove how serious I am by taking off my armor and throwing a towel around my waist. Koharu watches as I step into my choice of a pool and sit down in it, gasping as the relaxing heat takes over my body. Oh, that's the good stuff right there. "You really did it. You really went for a dip."

"In case you haven't noticed, I was covered in goo."

"Yeah, and so am I. That's why I wanted to get back to the town as fast as humanly possible.

"Well, hold your horses. Just let me relax and unwind. Ah, the water's so nice…"

Koharu gets angrier. "Get out of there this instant! What are you thinking? Have you gone mad?"

Normally, I would give up and acquiesce to Koharu's demands, but not this time. I turn to Koharu, smirking at her. "Oh, you know you want to get in. Come on. Besides, it's just the two of us. No Kirito, Asuna, Silica, Klein, Lisbeth, Sinon, Philia, Strea, or Leafa."

"What are you saying?"

"Isn't this why you asked me to help you, so we can spend some time together? Come on, Koharu! Dive in! if it makes you feel better, go on the other side of this rock. I won't be able to see you."

"I… I really don't think it's a good idea to undress in the middle of a dungeon."

I point to my sword and shield. "Which is why I have them right beside me in case something happens. I promise I'll watch over you...from here."

Koharu relaxes her body and her argument. "Fine. But do not, under the pain of death, come to the other side of this rock. Is that understood?"

I sigh and look away. "Yes, yes, yes, oh my god. Not like I haven't seen anything before." After a moment of silence, I hear Koharu undressing and stepping into the water.

"Ooooh! That feels so nice! I feel reborn!"

I chuckle. "Hey, Koharu, how's the water?"

"D-Don't shout like that! I thought it was a monster!"

"Oh, don't worry. There are no monsters around here. I'm using my searching skills."

"...Thank you for always watching out for me. It's sweet of you."

"I would be a bad boyfriend if I didn't do so. You're certainly able to fend for yourself, so I could let my guard down a little like I would do around the likes of Asuna, Sinon, or Leafa, but I choose not to. Anyway, make sure to wash every bit of slime off of you. We were both drenched in it."

"Y-Yeah, I'll be sure to do that." We get to scrubbing the slime off of us silently, which means that my mind is free to wander. Unfortunately, it wanders towards the girl on this other side of this rock, with the only thing between my eyes and her body being the aforementioned rock and the towel around her. I realize that, although we've been partners for over three years now, we've been together as a couple for almost a year. Ever since we came up to the 76th Floor, we've been unable to return to the lower levels, so all our memories of the latter three-fourths of Aincrad are stuck in our minds. We will never buy the house we were looking into, never return to our favorite floors, and the death game just got harder. I have to continue protecting Koharu and our friends until we reach the Ruby Palace and get to Heathcliff.

"Eeeek!"

"Koharu, what's wrong?"

"It's...C-Cut it out! Don't prod me there!"

Huh? What the hell is going on… "Koharu? Are… Are you okay?"

She then bursts into giggles. "Ha ha ha! Stop it! I'm ticklish! That's enough! Seriously! Ahhhh!"

Concerned, I grab my sword and get up. "Are you okay, Koharu?"

"J-Jaymes! Eeeeeek!"

I don't see anything wrong over here. "Why are you screaming?"

"I screamed because I heard you coming over here!" Koharu cups her hands and starts splashing water at me.

"K-Koharu! Calm down! Stop splashing me! It's not a monster, it's me!"

"I know it's you! That's why I'm splashing! Now hurry up and get back over there!" Sighing, I go back to my spot and sit down. Neither of us say anything for a while, but at least I don't hear any weird sounds from the girl on the other side. I close my eyes and let all the stress evaporate from my body, then hear movement of water. I don't feel a sense of danger, so I can tell it is Koharu. Next thing I know is that there's a body right beside mine.

"Oh, so when I come over there, it's an issue, but when you come here, it's not?"

"I'm...sorry about that. I just didn't expect it, that's all. I wasn't in trouble, it was just some fish swimming around me."

Well… That's better than what I thought it was. Much better. "That's good to know. Looks like there are some around here too."

"Mhm. Looks like they're doctor fish. Back home, there's fish like this that live in hot springs and nibble the old dead skin off people's toes. So these exist in this world too. Maybe one day, when we get back home, I can show you and everyone else! My parents run a popular resort outside Tokyo which also has a hot spring with doctor fish. I bet you it is much better than the hot springs we've been to here in Aincrad."

I realize this is the first time in the eighty-four floors we've traversed in Aincrad that Koharu spoke of home. It must be because we're so close that she is thinking of it now. The most we spoke of home is that I'm a recent immigrant from America. I've never been to a hot spring in the real world before either. "That sounds awesome. But extend that to all of Tokyo, I'd like to see all the good spots outside of anime and video games. And are you sure hot springs are better in our world?"

She nods. "It's not the same at all! This doesn't feel like a real bubbling volcanic thermal bath. It's just like being in a vat of warm water. There's something about the feel of the water that's different. The real things soothes every part of you. Now I really have to show you the difference when we get back."

"I'll look forward to it."

"You better be!"

"Great, we'll have to find a day everyone can come."

Koharu turns away and folds her arms across her chest. "Oh, if you really want to invite everyone else, that's great. Perfectly splendid. Wonderful."

"But you… You just said…" I sigh and rest my head against the rock. "FIne, the first time is just us."

Koharu smiles and kisses me on my check. "See, you got brains."

"Yeah, yeah. Guess I'll have to wait to see how good-looking Asuna, Leafa, and Lisbeth look in real-life…" I feel something sharp and pointy on my neck. "I mean, can't wait, heh heh."