Seijirou took one last wave at Reggie and Kazuto before turning back around and entering the cab. It would have been a luxury, personally, for Reggie had he not been strongarmed into staying behind just a little longer. And it wasn't because of the cold, either. Far from it, actually.

As he watched his boss' cab drive away and into Tokyo traffic. His partner, Kirigaya Kazuto, asked, "So if you don't mind, be asking. What's your story? I know Seijirou told me he hired and brought you over here because you're good at GGO." He began, "But, what's the real reason? Couldn't he have called you instead and asked you to help through diving into the game itself back in America?"

Reggie blinked several times and trained his brown eyes over to him. He had to give the Black Swordsman one thing: he asked a lot of questions. And not one of them seemed like a bad one, either.

Of course, that didn't mean Reggie had to give a full answer to all of it. "Well, for one thing," He started up, "the whole 'server switching' is no longer a thing between the regions if that's what you're asking?"

"Eh, well...no, I was just," Kazuto felt embarrassed. Reggie expected that. Considering he sounded so sure, he'd catch him off guard with questions off the bat. His boss had informed him Kirigaya would. And seemed right on the dot. He hid a grin. Then, the thinner teen stuttered on, "W-Well, why is that?" the swordsman rebounded.

Another cold breeze whistled by as the two started walking some ways down the cáfe and near the heavy street-side traffic of Ginza. A good thing, too. Reggie McKnight had to hold back a shiver to save face.

Once he had finished rubbing his hands together -a feat he was doing more often than not after escaping the warmth of the restaurant. Let alone an airplane- Reggie answered back with: "For another thing….damn, it's cold!...the guys that made GGO -Gun Gale Online in case Mr. Seijirou hadn't run that by you- had issues with their counterparts from the States." He lifted his shoulders and hung them down afterward, "For the life of me, I don't know why. I guess they figured it was best to keep the US and the Jap...anese servers" -He forgot the shortened word was also taken as derogatory and caught himself halfway- "were best separated to prevent future connecting issues." Or at least, that's what the company that runs the game in occupied Virginia says.

Kazuto pondered that idea, again. Then, after a moment, he quickly nodded. When they rounded a corner, Kazuto then asked a different question, "So...where in America are you from?"

"Virginia," Reggie answered promptly from his earlier thought. "Richmond, Virginia." He corrected himself.

"Wow!" Kazuto smiled and let the thought come off as more mouthful than he, probably, initially intended. "That's on America's east coast, right?" Kazuto asked automatically. Reggie nodded. Kazuto shook his head wearily at the image, "Must be better than Chiyoda city during the summertime, correct?" He added that last part in English.

Now, Reggie gave him a questionable look. Is pulling my leg here? His opposite had never known muggy Virginian weather before. Hell, Reggie himself didn't fancy it, either. Even at the beach! Right before he boarded the plane with the government worker, Reggie McKnight made explicit care to check the weather across the Pacific.

The fact the temperatures over in Tokyo and Richmond were nearly identical, made him question if the weather app on his phone was deliberately lying to him or his body was testing the waters, again.

Whatever it was, he hoped it didn't take long.

...He didn't buy thicker gloves.

When they rounded another corner, this time in front of a street with an arrow pointing ahead of them in white-line, did Kazuto mentioned halfheartedly, "You know for an American, I figured you looked taller?"

Now, Reggie's face didn't feel cold anymore. "I-I'm still an inch or two taller than you, Black Swordsman." He reminded the blacked haired teen through heated ears, which made Kazuto hold his hands up in defense: through nervous laughter behind his teeth.

The two didn't say anything after that. Other than the passing and roaring of cars on the side down the No.3 Ginza Line street behind them, it suited Reggie just fine. He didn't have to be here that long, anyways.

When the two walked around another building and spotted a lone black motorcycle, Reggie figured that was what they were looking for -though, again, for the life of him, he didn't know why it was parked so far out here in the first place- did Kazuto stopped and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Look," The swordsman faced him, "I know I can't be the best when it comes to meeting new faces,"

"Too late for that.." Reggie muttered to himself. But, Kazuto looked as if he couldn't hear that. A car did speed past them to block out the words.

He went on, "So, I hope we have each other's backs in there, and you show me the ropes. If we're going to work together on this case, we're going to make sure we do this right." He formed a fist and moved it out towards Reggie, "Okay, partner?"

Part of Reggie wished for him to swat the swordsman's gesture and tell him what he really thought about him. Sure he knew about Kazuto, or, more famously, Kirito, and what he did back in the floating city of Aincrad. News reached the world, the US included when the game, SAO, was finally over after close to three years. Close to six thousand players were alive because of him.

Or, that's what he thinks...Reggie thought bitterly and made a fist of his own. Too clutched to seem friendly.

But, he breathed out and returned the gesture nevertheless. Not wanting to make a scene. "Sure," He nodded, "Whatever you say," And left it like that. Kazuto seemed pleased about it. He was even smiling, too, for good measure. Reggie didn't return that gesture.

Kazuto's eyes widened a bit when he checked the time on his phone. "Crap…!" He shot a look at Reggie, "Uh-Well, I have to get going, McKnight!" Kazuto rushed to get his bike off the sidewalk. Still holding his phone in one hand and guiding the muzzle of the cycle with the other. He tapped on his phone and faced it over to McKnight, "Here's my number. Text me later tonight so that I can save it to my contacts. I'll let you know when I convert to GGO by tomorrow, all right?" He assured him, climbing onto the bike afterward.

"Right," Reggie returned soberly. "Don't keep me waiting long, Swordsman." He shot back for the height joke and didn't want to be reminded of it.

Kazuto didn't take the name without any unwelcome gestures. Instead, surprisingly, he asked Reggie if he needed a ride to where he was staying. Which actually threw Reggie off enough to quirk an eyebrow in confusion. But, after a moment, he declined. Telling him, he was better off walking around Ginza for a while and that he'll run down a cab if needed. Even if that wasn't the plan from the get-go.

Reggie still remembered Seijirou's orders to stay and get to know his 'comrade' for a moment or two. Among other things.

The fact this interaction was short was even better.

Nodding. Kazuto threw on his helmet and, even if Reggie couldn't see him through his tinted visor, gave him a thumbs up and roared the tiny beast to life. Nearly skidding off the pavement and blazing down like a chopper upstreet with the other cars.

McKnight followed him until the literal black outline of him became more than a dot among many lights. Merged into Tokyo's heavy traffic just like his boss, previously.

Reggie let out another breath of fresh -cold- air. So far, training day is over, he guessed, but he remembered still had the week ahead. A long one at that. Again, he sighed tiredly and let his hands dangle down to show as much. "I guess it can't be helped." He shrugged.

He turned around and began walking down the opposite part of the street and back to the No.3 road since he was more familiar with it and there were more stores in that area. He needed something to keep his eyes open before sleep began breaking open the door, again.

He probably didn't need it for the time being anymore. Kazuto's motorcycle had zoomed past him.

Reggie nearly had to hold down his hat to prevent it from flying off. It made him mutter something not all too appropriate if a girl was nearby. until now, that was how he made his way down the rest of Ginza's busy streets.

McKnight remembered, from an internet search up a few days ago, that Japan always had many of their hotels or apartment complexes set up in more condensed, but liveable, structures to prevent any unused space from being wasted. And, quite frankly, for an island nation with a population of well over 127.8 million people, Reggie believed it.

He believed it, even more, when he nearly felt his jaw drop from how nice the inside of it looked. "Well, McKnight-san?" The landlord, a slightly older lady, named Taka, inquired when she saw the American's star shot gaze. "What do you think?"

"Wow," Reggie had to take a double-take to make sure he saw everything correctly. "For a place this small, I reckon there wouldn't be enough room to fit everything and not look half as bad where I'm from," Reggie added out loud. It took him a few seconds to realize he had just made a wrong impression of the States. And felt flush when he said it.

Luckily Taka only lightly smiled -part of it being because Reggie muttered the last piece in English and forgot not everyone spoke it as fluently as back home. Just another thing I'll need to get used to.

Looking back around his surroundings, the room didn't fall flat on what he originally intended it to be. The whole room resembled more of a small hallway, with only one door connecting the bedroom and the kitchen. With his mini-bathroom directly to the door on his right. With about most of what a person needs. Food, when he finally found some behind some cabinets, fit the bill quite nicely.

Reggie nodded appreciably. "I like it."

"I'm very pleased you did!" The landlady's smile grew, "Your friend in the glasses mentioned you didn't want anything too fancy, but peaceful enough where it wasn't inside the noises of the city."

"When did he say that?" Reggie asked curiously.

"I believe a few days ago when he called in to reserve a room for you?" She told him, and placed a finger on her cheek, "Though, it was a bit troublesome to hear him with a slight static in the signal. Must have been from overseas...?" She uttered, trying to remember.

Reggie felt his lips form a thin line when she said that. Then, cooly, he nodded. "Well, I thank you kindly for showing me around, ma'am," His gaze went back to the inside of his apartment, "I think I'm going to make the best of what I have here. Far better than back home, I'll tell you that-" There he goes again.

And again, Taka must have either been too polite or, more likely, doing her job to ensure he stayed and paid up when it was time. It was hard to tell.

Either way, the woman smiled never faded once and she bowed her head in respect, "I will leave you to your studies, then, McKnight-san. I hope you enjoy your stay." She closed the door right before Reggie had a chance to finish his own bow, which he felt embarrassed for taking so long.

The first thing he did was head back into the bedroom.

Seeing as the area was mostly empty, besides a full-body mirror with several empty book-shelves by the curtains and a desk several feet away from the bed on the room's corner -except for his dad's old Marine bag. Reggie yawned and sat upright on the soft cushion of his mattress and drew out his phone from his pocket.

After a few swipes and taps across the screen. Reggie placed it into his ear. And waited for the ringing to stop at some point through the static for his call. It didn't take long. The voice on the other end muffled, but came up as fast as he thought it would, "Mom?... Yes. Yes, I got to the apartment safely." He told his mother, "No ...No, I made sure to grab dinner for tonight. Mr. Seijirou gave me an early pay to last until the week duty is done…." He smiled when he heard his mother's worrying voice from the other end of the line and shook his head as if she was there right in front of him. "Relax, Mom, the tournament is on the 14th and today's the 7th….. I'll be back home within the week, so don't worry about it."

He felt his back press back down on the surface of the bed, somehow still holding the phone with his shoulder when his mother claimed that it was still ridiculous for him to be dragged back out here because of GGO.

Or, at least, that's what Reggie told her anyhow. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mom, I'll be back before too long, like I said, Mr. Seijirou said he'll take care of any issues over here during the reports ...All right, I-...I love you, too. Tell dad I said the same thing...Bye," The phone went dead. And Reggie would be lying if he didn't feel that way about himself.

He shook his head and let his phone bounce off the bedside. Right now, McKnight hoped to get some sleep before he decided to get his account back to place over in Gun Gale later that evening. This job wasn't something he couldn't just lay around.

Better get online to see if there is any difference between here and back home. Reggie made another yawn. And decided to take advantage of the silence he had left and drawn his hat over his eyes.

After getting into a comfortable position, he closed them. Too fatigued to bother setting up the game-set. Let alone grab his AmuSphere from his dad's bag.

It probably wasn't even five minutes until he heard several knocks coming from the front door. By then, his head tilted, and drool escaped out his mouth.

He shot himself up and rubbed his eyes. "Huh-?" He sniffed, "Who's waking me up at..-?" He paused. Then he checked his watch and felt his expression drop. 5:55 pm; it wasn't five minutes until he decided to grab some shut-eye. Though, it felt like he had slept for hours.

Another knock came, this time more cautiously like before. Almost like whoever was on the other side wasn't sure if anyone was home.

It must be Taka. He assumed, Did she forgot to tell me Seijirou had decided to set up something else in advance while I was on the plane? He shot in the dark. Reggie knew he had to write a report every day. It was part of the job.

But he wouldn't have been too surprised if there were a few hidden cameras under the apartment's flooring or something. Being out here, instead of a hotel in the city was weird, enough. Another fainter knock came.

With a sigh. Reggie got off his bed and sheepishly got to the door. It was a good thing he had a full-body mirror in his bedroom, or else he would have forgotten to wipe off the spit from his cheek.

Unknowing that was a good thing to do. Reggie McKnight got to the door when the knocking seemed like it was going to stop. He turned the handle and began opening it: "My apologies," He started in what he remembered, in Japanese. Letting in the bright orange light of the sunset into his room. "I had just fallen asleep and-"

He paused halfway through when he saw that the person on the other side of the door...was a girl.

No younger than he was. The fact that Reggie was so surprised to see anyone, other than the landlord, must have given off the wrong impression.

"Oh!" The dark-haired girl stuttered out. Stepping back with her school bag in one hand and the other fixing her oval-shaped bifocals, "No, no, no, I'm sorry!" She quickly apologized, her pale face and the white ribbons tied to her bangs swayed just as fast when she shook her head, "I-I didn't know if you could hear me..?"

Author's Note: I actually had to remove the story for a quick second since there was a glaring error in how I presented it (...my bad). Well, anyway, I thank you kindly for reading this chapter! If you enjoyed it, feel free to show your support. Have a good one!