Chapter 2: Happiness doesn't last forever

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The afterlife was simple and happy for Kazuto and Asuna. For the first few weeks, both Kazuto and Asuna managed to master the technique where they could teleport, place to place. Apparently, it was called "Flash step" according to the Shinigami of the Gotei.

Kazuto and Asuna both respected this name, and shrugged it off pretty quickly. As they progressed through their training, they eventually found out, that both of them could summon a ball of blue Reishi, that they could later on concentrate within their bodies for combat, giving them an immense advantage over local thugs.

How they discovered it though, went like this….

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Flashback

Kazuto concentrated, as he felt an energy surging from inside him. The voice in his head called out towards him.

Kazuto. If you want to grow stronger, you will heed well to listen. imagine piercing at a single point, focusing your energy at one point.

Kazuto did as the voice said, as he closed his eyes and lifted his palm up.

All of a sudden, he heard a scream from Asuna. Kazuto asked her in worry, afraid they were found training by some local thugs: "Asuna, what's wrong?"

Asuna only stared at the blue ball he made, as she said: "Your hand…"

Kazuto leapt up in surprise, however he later inspected the ball, and finally noticed: It was his own energy.

He only could speak out from what he remembered from what the children had told them about "Reiryoku".

"Amazing… So this is what Reiryoku is…?"

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And so they were, two young vigilantes, who were making a point to help souls in need and defeating crime bosses, one by one - making the Afterlife a better place.

Whilst the two never had yet suffered from powerlessness within these lawless areas, they knew children that have.

Nevertheless, the two were determined in their mission, and improved as they went. It was harsh at times, opponents were hard. However, pay was good. The two had a constant flow of income from the crime lord's treasury they had taken and spread with the poor, vastly improving living conditions.

Despite this harshness, life was good. There hasn't been any hollow encounters, which Kazuto and Asuna both sighed sighs of relief to that.

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Flashback

Asuna asks Yuto one day, as she and Kazuto returned from training. "So what're hollows? I heard from the villagers about a recent "Hollow" attack."

Yuto's eyes opened, as he looked at them with an "are you serious?" face.

Kazuto sighed as he nodded along with Asuna's question. "We honestly just came here…"

Yuto gave a light chuckle, as he replied: "It's a wonder how you two are so strong, yet don't know a thing about here."

Asuna gave a light giggle, as Kazuto sighed, whilst Yuto coughed, then continued. "Hollows are creatures which eat souls like us apparently. They're the reason the Gotei 13 exists I think, to fight them off. There hasn't been any hollows in here for a long time, but there's still some in other districts, time to time. If you ever see a hollow, run. Unless you're a Shinigami, you can't fight it."

Kazuto gave his usual shrug and grinned: "That's if we ever run into one. Then all we have to do is not run into one."

Asuna sighed at his simple minded thinking. But she still smiled. It reminded her of the Kirito-kun she knew in Aincrad. Always thinking of Bizarre ways to survive…

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"So, how much Shinigami do you think there are?"

Asuna looked at her lover, as the two had just beaten up yet another crime family, and took the Yan to distribute out.

Asuna looked up in the skies, and then looked at her lover and replied: "Maybe hundreds, or even thousands. There's this much people here anyway."

Kazuto looked at Asuna, not much shocked, but still thought to the idea of slaying monsters, like he did in SAO. "Wonder how it'd be like to be one…"

Asuna chastised her lover for even thinking of leaving with the kids alone, as she said to him: "You don't need to. Geez, how could you be so irresponsible, we've gotta take care of the kids."

Kazuto sighed, and nodded. His lover was correct. What priorities they had now, especially right now, they'd never even considering going to the Seireitei.

Despite the fact that Kazuto was slightly disappointed with not being able to be a Shinigami and a swordsmen that fought monsters once more, he still smiled at his lover, and still continued to enjoy the happiest times of his life.

"Yeah, I know. Even if I'm not able to be a Shinigami… I'm still at my happiest, as long as I'm with you, Asuna."

Asuna sighed as she replied to him: "If only back in Aincrad you could be like this…"

Kazuto gave a chuckle, as Asuna followed, leaving the two to walk forward, happily discussing their current life in the Soul Society.

Life had been easy, with this being District 77 after-all, there wasn't anyway there wouldn't be any sort of criminals roaming on the streets.

It was the sewer of society, the Detroit of the afterlife, or better known as the Soul Society. Kazuto sighed at this though.

"I wish, we could truly make a difference."

Asuna nodded her head in agreement. "I do too Kirito-kun… But we don't have the power to do anything here. We can't just leave Yuto, Yuuka and Basch alone…"

Kazuto sighed, as he shook his head: "I want to bring those 3 with us, to become Shinigami. When we become Shinigami, we can let them into the Seireitei."

Asuna looked up in the skies, as if whispering a prayer towards the skies, as she wished for what Kazuto to be true. "I do too, Kirito-kun… But we…"

As Asuna was about to finish her sentence, they heard it. A feminine scream from yet another alley, yelling out: "No! Let me go!"

Both Asuna and Kazuto ran towards the alley, as they couldn't flash step a long distance just yet, with the technique still wasting quite a bit of stamina, due to their lack of proficiency.

As Kazuto turned towards the alley, he saw 7 men oppressing a young girl, still in her teens. The teen yelled out: "Let me go!"

One of the men laughed evilly as he said to the rest: "This one'll make good money. Snow-white skin too, and probably a virgin! We'll sell her good."

Kazuto and Asuna both gave each other a nod, as Kazuto pointed his Katana at the armed men with clubs, spears and katanas.

"Let her go."

The 7 men turned around, as the leader laughed at Kazuto: "A pair of lovebirds trying to play vigilante against the big bad of District 77, the Yamikaze?"

Asuna too drew her weapon, as one of the men looked at her and whistled: "Boss, she'll fetch an even better price. I mean look at her!"

The boss looked at Asuna, as Asuna spat out at him: "You'll never get me. I'll make sure… You people pay for selling off woman. People like you are the scum of the earth."

The Boss grinned as he yelled out to his boys: "Get em'! SHOW EM' THE YAMIKAZE SPIRIT!"

The 6 gang members charged towards Kazuto and Asuna, who both shared acknowledging looks, as Asuna asked Kazuto: "Kirito-kun?"

Kazuto gave a nod, as he replied: "Let's go, Asuna."

With that, both their blades began to fuse with their Reiatsu, allowing the blades to be temporarily empowered, similar to how Ichigo used Zangetsu to slash Kenpachi.

As the 6 men approached them, all the boss and girl could see, was a flash. Two men were down, as a single flash step, caught them off guard.

The four men who surrounded them, attempted to stab them with spears and clubs, only for Kazuto to block off the spears, as Asuna skilfully destroyed the clubs with rapid pierces on their tip, denting the club's top hammering part, as if a crater had appeared on the club's top part.

Kazuto then swiftfully moved towards the two spearmen, as he cut down both spears at once, with a flash step to the air, allowing him to use his drop as momentum to slash apart both spears in half.

A thug cried out: "Damn you!"

The other simply squealed in horror, finally scared of what was to come. The more braver thug came towards Kazuto, as he attempted to punch him, which Kazuto caught his fist, then delivered a downward slash to the thug, killing him.

The other thug simply ran away, as Kazuto looked at him. The look of anger, rage and other negative emotions, overwhelmed the thug. The poor thug was new, it seemed.

Meanwhile, Asuna's opponents got no mercy. Living up to her title "The Flash", Asuna ran towards the two, as she skilfully and gracefully dodged all the slow and lousy club smashes the gang members had attempted to pull off.

"Hyaah!"

She lands a stab onto one of the members heart, as another member attempted to hammer her to the ground.

The poor dying member, with his heart pierced was then smashed in by his comrade, as Asuna simply used flash step to dodge, going behind his back, as she swiftly bought his end, slicing off his head.

Whilst at the beginning, both Kazuto and Asian both had a hatred for taking lives, both now didn't. Not for these thugs, these thugs were like the goblins of the Mountain Range. Things too evil to let live.

As all of the leader's subordinates fell down, the leader himself cried out to both Kazuto and Asuna: "We'll get you for this!"

As he was about to continue, Asuna grabbed him by his collar and kicked him in the groin, causing him to groan in pain, as she said to him: "Give us the location of your boss and information about him."

He could only make out: "…Fijiwara… He's in the Fijiwara warehouse… His name is… The Devil… No one knows his real name." Asuna then handed him over to Kazuto, as he was thrown to the ground.

"Go back to your leader. Tell him, we're going to be seeing him soon tonight. Leave all your money down here."

The thug could only comply, as he ran with his tail tugged behind his back, heading towards the Fijiwara warehouse.

As soon as he ran, Kazuto and Asuna looked at the young, about 15 year old raven haired girl, who was curled up in a ball, as she murmured: "Don't hurt me… Please…"

Kazuto said to her softly, as he attempted to communicate with her. "It's okay now. You'll be fine…"

The raven haired girl cried out: "PLEASE MISTER! PLEASE DON'T COME CLOSER!"

Kazuto stayed silent, as Asuna shook her head. "She's got PTSD from that… I'll talk to her." Kazuto gave a light nod, as he went to front of the alley to stand guard.

Asuna walked over towards the raven haired girl, as she tapped her shoulder, causing a large reaction from the girl.

"NO!"

Asuna softly said to her. "It's alright now… All the men are gone. You'll be fine, they're all dead now."

Slowly recognising a female voice, the young girl looked at Asuna, then looked around, as she hugged Asuna: "Thank you… Thank you…"

Asuna comforted her, patting her back, and allowing the girl to lay on her embrace. Seconds later, when the girl finally recovered, Kazuto came back to look for Asuna.

"It's safe there now, Asuna."

The raven haired girl immediately went alerted due to the presence of Kazuto, who sighed. "It's alright… I won't hurt you."

The girl nodded, giving no words to Kazuto, as she looked at Asuna to introduce herself: "My name is, Hisana. Hisana Kori."

Asuna smiled at the girl, as she introduced herself: "I'm Asuna Yuuki, and this here is…" With a warm smile, Kazuto introduced himself: "Kazuto Kirigaya, nice to meet you."

He stuck out his hand, and whilst at first the girl was reluctant to take it, she finally did, as she shook his hand and smiled.

"Arigato, Yuuki-san, Kirigaya-san…"

Hisana slumped down due to her weakness. She had a tiny bit of Reiatsu within her, and thanks to this collapsed, began to grow dizzy.

"I feel a bit dizzy… And hungry… This isn't normal."

Asuna quickly noticed the issue, as she gave her, her own lunch to sustain on for now. Hisana smiled somewhat, and thanked Asuna.

As she ate, she asked the pair. "I came from District 78, hanging dog… In there the crime was even worse."

Intentionally leaving out her sister, she continued. "My dream is to go to district 1 eventually, to work in a sewing shop… You both are so strong, you'd both make it into shin'o academy."

Asuna and Kazuto denied that, as they laughed about it. "Nah, the trainees in there are way above our league."

Asuna nodded her head in agreement, as Hisana sighed. "I can't keep going to rely on miracles to save me. So please… come with me."

Kazuto finally sighed, as he relented. "We'll come with you if the kids want to." Asuna nodded, as she added on: "We have to take care of 3 children and safeguard them, so I'm sorry… We can't leave them here alone."

Hisana gave a faint smile, as she hid her slight disappointment: "Oh no, it's alright. I know I'll be able to make it to District 1, with protection or not."

On her face, her eyes sparkled, as she had a determined face, which both Kazuto and Asuna smiled to.

Asuna said to her. "It's good you're determined to pursue. However, don't go to too dangerous places. Next time there might to be another pair of us to protect you."

Hisana smiled, as she tried to restrain her fear as she replied to Asuna: "Oh don't worry, I was only caught by surprise this time. Next time I won't let them get me."

Kazuto used flash step to get to the exit of the narrow corridor, as he said to Asuna: "We've gotta go, it's late."

Asuna put up her fingers in a V sign, as she waved Hisana goodbye. However, before using flash step to get to Kazuto, Hisana cried back out. "I'll be waiting here tomorrow. If you both don't change your minds to become Shinigami, come back here. And I'll guide you both throughout the Rukongai."

Asuna gave a thoughtful smile and thanked Hisana: "Thank you… I'll be sure to try ask the kids to follow us!"

Hisana waved good bye, as she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kazuto and Asuna among the crowd.

Asuna sighed heavily as she held Kazuto's hand whilst the pair walked back. Kazuto looked at her and nodded his head understandingly: "I know… They won't want to go away from the safety of the 77th district… But we have to try anyway."

Asuna looked up towards the skies, then looked back to Kazuto as she said depressingly: "But… I don't want to make Hisana-san feel upset. Did you see her expression…?"

Kazuto nodded his head, as Asuna continued, with tears almost coming out of her eyes: "She was pleading us to go with her. She was afraid…"

Kazuto shook his head as he replied to Asuna. "The best we can do now is convince the kids that us becoming Shinigami would be good for them, then help Hisana-san get into district 1, then help themselves get into the "Shin'o Academy" to become Shinigami, to get increased pay, monthly wages and protection for the kids with the skills we'll learn."

Asuna shook her head, as she leant her face on his breast. "It's not that I don't like our life now… But I… I wish that we didn't have to make these kind of decisions, shoulder this kind of responsibility… If only we were still alive… Even if we were in the underworld."

Kazuto stroked her hair gently, as he gave her a warm smile. He spoke to her clearly, "It's too late to change anything. We have a chance to get our old lives back in a hundred years according to the "Author". It's shorter than the 200 years we originally had to wait in the Underworld, right?"

Asuna shook her head and sighed as she lifted her head. "You're always simplifying things, you know that?"

Kazuto chuckled as he rubbed his temples: "Just like in Aincrad huh." Asuna smiled lightly, as she nodded in agreement.

"Just like in Aincrad… In our happiest moments."

Both Kazuto and Asuna remembered back to the moments of the sugary days in Aincrad. The calm peaceful days, carefree in the sunny artificial skies of Floor 22, surrounded by forest greens and a calm crystal blue lake.

Those were the days.

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The hut the kids lived in was in ruins. The entire house as if seemingly wrecked by something like an tornado, then further smashed apart by other people.

Asuna had her hand over on her mouth, gasping the damage as Kazuto quickly used flash step to try to get inside.

As he approached the door, the house exploded. Kazuto cursed. "No…. No…! NO! FUCK! DAMMIT!"

Within Kazuto, there was a pang of guilt for leaving the kids alone. However this, this was suppressed by his anger. His anger at whoever did this, burned down his dream, burned down everyone's dreams. He wanted to lash out, slash down, cut down, revive then repeat the process to the person who did this. The person who ruined his, Asuna's and the three other children's perfect world.

Asuna fell on her knees, under the black skies of the dark night, as she too began to feel tears come down from her eyes.

She felt guilt. She knew that eventually some kind of larger syndicate would eventually catch onto their activities of vigilantism. Despite that, they continued to do it, whilst having a weak spot for the kids, knowing that one day, someone would use this against them.

The day had come, and it was time to feel the regret for dragging in their loved ones. The anger at the ones who stole their loved ones, and burnt down this sacred paradise.

Crystal clear liquid dripped down onto the burnt wooden, stone and metal hybrid cabin's floor. The burnt black floor, with a fusion of the brown rusty colour.

The cabin walls and roof but a thing of the past, as it too had been destroyed, living only some support pillars standing, burnt dark brown like everything else.

Beds, furniture, the table the mini family had dinner, the chairs they all managed too afford two months ago. All gone, all burnt down except for two chairs and the table.

The door itself was miraculously left standing, the only piece of the hut left standing. The wooden brown door, with an rusted iron knob. Windowless, but workable. Stuck onto the door was a note, a white piece of paper.

Kazuto, moments later feeling down, notices this note. He walks towards the door, as Asuna questioned him: "Kirito-kun?"

He ripped off the poorly made paper bag on the door with rage, leaving bits and pieces of white on the door, the note falling on the ground.

On the dirt infested floor, he picks up the note, as he said to Asuna: "Someone left us something. It says, 'To the Older Girl and Boy'."

Asuna walked over towards Kazuto, with her fists gripped tight, as she sighed. "Open it… I don't mind. We have to figure out where they are, we owe it to them."

Kazuto gave a nod, as he read out the letter. "Greetings, Vigilantes. I'm the former 7th Seat of the 11th Division. I've heard that you both have been giving my boys quite a bit of trouble…"

Asuna's eyes widened as she said in surprise: "The Gotei 13…?! He's a deserted Shinigami…" Kazuto nodded, as sweat came down from his forehead.

"Yeah… That means…"

Asuna nodded, as sweat too came down from her temples. "He's strong…"

Kazuto continued reading the letter: "If you want your little friends, come to the Fijiwara warehouse, by dawn tomorrow. If you don't defeat me, or ditch… I'll personally see to their enslavement process. Particularly the girl, she seems capable."

Asuna growled, clenching her fists as she cursed: "That… That monster… He's planning to use her as a slave for that!"

Kazuto's spiritual pressure fluctuated, as he kept silent, and drew his Katana. He let out a yelp of anger, as he cut a tree, then sheathed his sword.

"I swear. I'll get them back, Asuna."

Asuna nodded, with a serious expression on her face as she too swore: "I'll come with you. We'll both make sure they come back alive."

And on that day, they both made an oath. A oath they would both regret making, a oath that would change the very fabric of time. A change, so large to Soul Society history, that in their biographies in the future at Shin'o Academy, this would be regarded as what bought up these two top-class fighters.

A tragedy, raising two prodigies.

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Dawn next day

On dawn, the next day, Kazuto and Asuna walked on the empty streets of Tokugawa. The empty streets, filled with slums of people too poor or too afraid to move onto higher districts.

Clad in Samurai-era feudal outfits of Japan, a simple Yukata and carrying a Katana on their hips, Kazuto and Asuna bravely walked down the streets.

As they neared Fijiwara warehouse, they heard a growl and felt a spike in spiritual pressure. A shadow was present, albeit a small one.

Asuna asks Kazuto, somewhat worriedly: "Did you hear that?" To which Kazuto responded with a nod, as he replied: "Yeah."

Kazuto and Asuna both took a quick look around, staying on guard, with their hands on the hilts of their Katana's, in a stance ready to draw.

All of a sudden, behind the houses, came out tens, if not hundreds of thugs from the "Devil". The man himself stood out, as he looked down upon Kazuto and Asuna, standing in front of 10 Thugs.

"Ya' thought you could challenge the Fijiwara Gang, and me… Takashi Fijiwara and get away with it?"

Kazuto snorted as he drew his Katana and pointed towards Takashi: "Scum like you are the reason why I'm here. To kill you."

Asuna too drew her sword, and got ready in a defensive stance. The ex-Shinigami was clad in black, the standard Shinigami outfit, wearing sunglasses, with long spiky hair, going down to his waist. Similar to Ichigo's Mugetsu form. He was muscular, large, and surrounding Kazuto and Asuna, was his boys.

Takashi gave a good laugh and clapped, as he yelled out: "Boys!"

A thug yelled out: "Yes boss!" as three boys brings out the three tied up children, drugged, blindfolded, as Asuna yelled out: "What did you do to them you monster?!"

Takashi laughed as he replied to her. "Don't worry… You'll soon know when we're done with you. You'll like your new life, I'll be sure to train you well."

His message gave Asuna's tongue a disgusting taste down her spine, as she spat out at him: "I'd rather die… Than be a plaything for you."

Takashi grinned at her ferociousness, saying to her: "I like her. Fiesty. Try to keep her alive boys, kill the male."

Kazuto smirked as he said to Takashi: "We're not going to make it easy for you."

Takashi gave his toothiest grin, a fairly evil one as he replied back: "I ain't going to make it a painless death for you either…"

He then sighed, and unsheathed his sword, as he said: "When the Omnitsukido's leader unsheathes her sword, an execution is at hand. I've always wanted to be the Shihoin hair. Sadly, I can only do with these boys…"

Kazuto taunted back at him: "If you were an execution squad's leader, with the job you've been doing so far, not even stopping two teenagers, the Gotei 13 would fall apart."

Takashi shook his head as he said to Kazuto: "Foolish. Impudent to the end I see… No matter. Kill them all."

All at once, the hundreds of thugs began charging at both Kazuto and Asuna, who were back to back.

Kazuto gave a grin, as he asked Asuna: "Just like SAO?" Asuna too gave a confident grin, as she replied to her lover. "Yes."

"Let's do this then. Switch!"

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At the midst outside of the battle, something observed the huge amount of reishi in one location. It began to move towards it, as it gave out a happy growl, signifying it's happiness. It looked from the shadows, looking at the ongoing fight.

"I smell them… Hunger… Must… fill…"

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A/N:

Wow! I never knew I'd gain 3 favs and 3 followers, for such a bad first chapter. Honestly, thank you guys! Please leave a review for what you would like to be changed. I have a story arc planned so far, and I guess it'll go up to chapter 6-7 until they reach Soul Society. I'm going to put up a vote on which division should Kazuto and Asuna enter, as next episode said division will do something. Do note that canon characters may end up in different divisions, depending on the outcome.

For people from Bleach: Alternate future, I'm working on this story until the start of the Academy arc, which is in 5-6 chapters from now. I plan on posting the chapter next week for Alternate future, I'll finish the Toshiro Karin episode soon.

- Nooter

Division 3 Division 6 Division 7 Division 8 Division 10 Division 12 Division 13

Next time, on SAO IV: Bleached:

"Damn you both…! Now you've pissed me off, and I'll show you, my true power! Shake and Erupt, ...Tera no Batsu" [Terra's Punishment]