"Looks like I've caught myself a Rat." A mousy, teenaged girl standing in a shadowy corner of the tavern froze, a familiar silver dagger tickling her throat. It would seem the client was early.

"I thought shadows were supposed to be silent." She stated quietly, not moving an inch. She wasn't in any danger, she knew. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry when dealing with one of the most deadly players of SAO. A small gasp escaped her, however, when she felt a phantom touch appear at her waist, playing with the hem of her shirt.

"You know very well just how loud I can be." Her captor's voice was liquid silk, and the girl had to stifle a shudder of sensation sliding through her at the memories it invoked. Damn, always playing me like a fiddle.

"Stop it," She said, slapping the hand and its questing fingers away. "I know you're not serious." She turned then, a scowl crossing her face as her breath was stolen by the sight of familiar quicksilver eyes, dancing with the firelight of a nearby hearth. Goddamnit, just as unfairly beautiful as always.

"I'm not the one who left in the morning, Argo." The woman before Argo smirked as she spoke, a lightly accusing lilt to her voice, and Argo sucked in a sharp breath. The info broker knew she had forgiven the Rat long ago for that particular action, but it still hurt to hear her say it.

"Of course not Bella. You're too kind for that." She said, trying to maintain some measure of composure. She hated it when the Beater cornered her like this, giving her that playful smile and invading her personal space. Every time it made Argo regret the decision she had made those long months ago, even with how right she knew it had been. She would never be what Bella wanted, what she needed, despite how much she wished she could claim those cherry-red lips with her own once again. Bella's smile turned bitter at the comment, and she took a languid step backwards, deliberately casual as she retreated the sense of intimacy between the two girls.

"I've told you before. I'm not kind." She said, and Argo was forced to look away before she was lost once again within the currents of quicksilver. With her pulse racing slightly, she moved to change the subject, knowing from experience that this was one battle she wouldn't win.

"I've got a job for you and that 'friend' of yours."

"Do mine ears deceive me? Is that perhaps a mite of jealousy I hear in your voice?" Argo glared at the slightly mocking tone, annoyance flickering across her flushing face. She wasn't jealous, dammit! She just… didn't like how close Bella was with the famed Black Swordsman, for the same reasons she had chosen not to pursue a true relationship with the girl.

"I'm not jealous, Bella. I just don't think he'd a good boyfriend for you." Argo said, red as a tomato. Why did Bella have to be so tantalizingly beautiful, especially when she gave that small knowing smile, as if she could read Argo's mind, but wasn't planning on sharing?

"Of course not, Argo, I'm merely teasing. You are correct however, which is why it's not like that, as I have told you time and time again. Kirito's like a little brother, if nothing else." Argo nodded, having heard it all before. She knew Bella was telling the truth; her problem was that she didn't think Kirito felt the same way. She hadn't met the boy more than a couple times, but he always he seemed far too close to Bella. It could be something different, but the Rat doubted it.

"Right. Anyways, this is one of those 'bleeding heart' type things you two are always doing. A small guild of green players were ambushed by an orange guild, called Titan's Hand. The lone survivor has been going around begging for help getting justice."

"Titan's Hand? I don't think I've ever heard of them before."

"They stick mostly to the lower floors, so I wouldn't have expected it. Recently they've been getting a bit more ambitious though." Bella nodded thoughtfully at the answer, and Argo knew by the glint in her eyes that she was planning something. The girl could be very devious, she knew, in more ways than one.

"What are you thinking? I can see it in your eyes that this isn't going to be a simple hunt." Bella eyed the info-broker for a few moments, before a slow smile broke over her face.

"Oh, don't worry Argo. You said they were starting to go to higher floors, correct.?" Argo nodded, and then stifled a shudder as Bella's smile suddenly turned vicious. "Well then. I wonder if they're recruiting."

XXX

"Hold on." Silica stopped as the boy beside her issued a command, glancing at him curiously. Kirito wasn't paying her any mind, however, his eyes on the trees just at the end of the bridge they were standing on. "Whoever's out there, come out." He called, and Silica frowned. Who was he talking to? Her confusion was wiped away a moment later, when a very familiar face stepped out from behind a tree, her face twisted into an all-too confident smirk which brought a shiver to Silica's spine.

"Oh, so you saw me, did you? Your detection skill must be very high to have surpassed my hiding skill." Rosalia's voice was as sultry as ever, but the ravenette's features didn't waver an inch, the stone-cold demeanor he had adopted a few moments before making kirito look like a completely different person than the one Silica had come to know over the past two days.

"I've got a friend who loves to play hide-and-seek." he commented, allowing himself a small smirk. It was perhaps a bit of an understatement, but true enough. Before he could say anything else, however, Silica spoke up, disbelief coloring her voice.

"Rosalia, is that you?" At the young girl's words, the redhead smiled viciously, and Kirito shifted imperceptibly to ready himself for an attack. Rosalia didn't attack, however, and Kirito narrowed his eyes at her.

"Rosalia, is it? Leader of the orange guild, or should I say, Titan's Hand?"A smirk threatened to break out on Kirito's face, but it died when Rosalia didn't seem too worried about his knowledge. Huh, he thought. Maybe she's more confident than we thought.

"Good for you, little boy. Now, move aside before you get hurt, unless she's already got you wrapped around her little finger?" Silica gasped at the threatening tone in Rosalia's voice. Sure, the older girl had always been a bully, but her cursor was green.

"But she can't be a member of Titan's Hand. Her cursor's green!" Silica whimpered, but Rosalia just let out a cruel laugh. Kirito, his eyes dark with pity, shook his head, even as he kept watch on the woman.

"It's a common tactic for orange guilds to use. The green players get close to their targets, and then lure them into a trap." Silica gasped sharply, and Rosalia laughed again.

"Oh, you really are a smart one, aren't you? Of course, I didn't come without friends." With a snap of her fingers, eight people came stalking out of the trees, most heavily armed. Several were bearing swords or axes of some kind, and there was even one way in the back with no visible weapons, its entire form covered in a dark brown cloak. Silica shuddered as she looked at them all. There were a few with green icons still, but she had no doubt that was only true because they had yet to have a chance of sullying them. "Now, surrender the Pneuma Flower, before somebody gets hurt."

Terror coursing through her, Silica turned to Kirito, and started to beg with a shaking voice. "Kirito, there's too many of them. Let's just give them the flower, and We'll find another way to-" She was suddenly cut off by a hand patting the top of her head, and the young girl looked up with wide eyes to see her companion giving her a small, but kind smile.

"Nah, I've got this. Stand back, and have that teleport crystal handy, alright?" Instantly, her fears melted away, and although Silica knew she probably shouldn't, she nodded, stepping back to watch.

"Alright Kirito, if you say so. Just… don't die." He nodded, and then stalked towards the crowd at the foot of the swordsman smirked as they started to whisper among themselves, his heightened listening skill letting him hear all of their fears and worries about him being the Black Swordsmen. Bella had laughed the first time she heard that title, but hey, if it worked, it worked. And right now, it was definitely starting to drive fear into their hearts.

"Shut up you buffons! There's seven. Even if he was the Black Swordsmen, where's his Silver Bitch? Don't the rumors say she never leaves his side?" At this, Kirito raised his eyebrows, before letting out a low whistle. Silver Bitch, eh? It was an interesting play on her usual title, at least. Bella must be laughing her ass off.

Finally, it seemed as if the lackeys had gathered up the courage to attack, but as they started forward, Kirito was surprised to see Rosalia grasp the back of the hooded one's cloak, holding it back "For insurance". Still, he stood stalk still as the other's attacked. This might actually work in his favor.

At the back of the bridge, Silica watched in horror as Kirito just stood still, allowing himself to be attacked. What was wrong with him? Then, with a small gasp, she saw his health bar suddenly jump back up to full. What?

"About four hundred." The entirety of the orange guild glared at Kirito, a small smirk starting to make its way across his face. "That's about how much damage you seven can do to me in ten seconds."

"What's going on?" Rosalia yelled, her face twisted into an ugly snarl. She had no idea what this bastard was playing at, but she was determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Simple, really. Your men can only do about four hundred damage in ten seconds. I am level seventy nine. I've got twelve thousand and five hundred hit points, and my battle healing skill regenerates about six hundred points per ten seconds. To put it simply, we can do this all day, and you wouldn't be any closer to killing me." At the cold, factual response, the entire clearing fell silent, staring at him in shock. Then after a few moments, one of the Titan's Hand members spoke up.

"But-but that's not-"

"Not fair? As my best friend would say, life's not fair, and neither are MMO's. With the leveling system, anyone can become invincible, if you've got high enough stats. Don't talk to me about what's not fair." The last words swept through them with a dark intensity, and Rosalia frowned. She hadn't expected him to be this powerful, but she could still work through this. Turning to the person beside her, she spoke.

"Perhaps you're right, Swordsman, but it matters not. You, do your job." The brown hood shifted to face Rosalia, before out of its depths came a feminine voice, amusement lacing its tone as she spoke in a voice of velvet.

"With pleasure." In a flahs, the hooded girl raised her arms, two silver daggers spinning into her grasp from beneath the cloak, before she moved, so fast if Silica had blinked she would've missed it. The woman didn't move towards Kirito, however. With a sidestep, she moved behind her supposed boss, before raising a dagger to Rosalia's throat. For a moment, the bridge and its surrounding area was eerily silent. Then, after a few moments, it was shattered by an outraged shout.

"What is the meaning of this? I said do your job, not put a blade to my neck!" The brown hood tilted in a clearly condescending manner, before its owner's free hand reached up, and with a small chuckle, removed it. Silica gasped at the sight. She couldn't see the color of the woman's eyes from here, but she did clearly have beautiful steel gray hair, not to mention exotic western features that were highly unusual in SAO. The most amazing thing about the woman, however, was her smirk, a predatory smile that made her shiver.

"Oh, but i am, Rosalia. See, i was hired to take you, and all your little lackeys, to jail with this little teleport crystal."With a blurred motion, the silver-haired woman brought out a blue stone, sparkling in the sunlight. A small smirk crossed her face, and she tossed it to Kirito, who caught it easily. "See, Kirito here was just a distraction. I'm the one who took the job from the guild leader and last survivor of the Silver Flags." Rosalia, forgetting for a moment the predicament she was in, rolled her eyes at the name. Of course it was them.

"Oh right. The losers with no money."

"Exactly. Now, their leader spent the last week, begging all he came across to bring you to justice. You do know what that word means, don't you?" Rosalia didn't answer, as the silver-haired woman's dagger had pressed closer to her skin, just shy of breaking it.

"You can't hurt me. If you do, you'll turn into an orange player!" She practically shrieked, but her captor just smiled coldly, a sight which brought shivers to the spines of all the other players still on the bridge, even Kirito. Damn, she can be vicious she wants to be.

"Aw, isn't that cute. You think we care." Rosalia shuddered as the girl adopted her own sickeningly sweet voice, which was surprisingly accurate. Then, she froze, as she suddenly felt a hot breath on her ear, and the voice that whispered into it sent fear shooting through her veins. "We're Beaters, Rosalia. We don't give a single shit about going orange for a few days. Remember that, next time you feel like committing a crime." the voice pulled away, and Rosalia let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. Before she could say anything else however, the woman behind her decided to get one last word in. "And it's Shadow, by the way. Bitch is too… boring.

XXX

"O you were following us the whole time?" Bella nodded, and Silica blushed at the thought. Just how much did she see.

"Yes, I was watching over you both, until i had to join up with Rosalia. Cute undies, by the way. You shouldn't have stopped before answering the door." Silica's blush deepened, even as the boy in question looked on, confused. He had no idea what the two girls were talking about, but he suspected it was something highly embarrassing, and included him, if the highly amused grin Bella was sending his way was any indication. Still, he deigned not to question it, and attempted to turn the conversation back towards more important business.

"Anyways, we should probably revive Pina now, shouldn't we?" With a squeal of remembrance, Silica agreed, and made for the small round table in the middle of the tavern room. There, she carefully brought the item 'Pina's Heart' out of her inventory, and then the Pneuma Flower. After a quick look towards the two older players in the room, she allowed three drops of the flower's nectar to fall upon the feather-like item. For a second, nothing seemed to happen, until suddenly the Heart started to glow. It slowly grew brighter and brighter, until with a final flash of light, it disappeared, and in its place was a familiar blue , the young girl reached towards the small animal with reverence, not quite believing her eyes. Then, with a joyful squeak, it jumped into her arms, and she knew the truth. Her friend really was back.

"A good day's work, I'd say." Bella, leaning against the doorsill with her arms crossed over her chest, glanced at ther partner, smiling softly at the content expression on his face. It had been a long time since she had seen him so happy, and even proud of himself.

"Yeah, I suppose so. Although you did overdo it a bit with the whole angsty thing.

"Hey, I was not angsty!"

"Of course you were. 'It's not normal at all'? You don't call that angst?" Kirito glared at Bella's smug grin. She was right, but he didn't want to admit it. Still he grit his teeth, and bit out a response, hating it the whole way.

"Fine, whatever. It got the job done though, didn't it?" Bella's face softened as she heard the words, turning her gaze towards where the younger girl was playing happily with her newly revived dragon. She watched them for a few seconds, before turning back to Kirito, her quicksilver eyes shining in the candlelight, and he knew the same pride that he saw there was reflected in his own.

"Yeah. Yeah it did."

XXX

Alright, here's another chapter for you all. First off, i just want to say that no, Bella will not be ending up with Argo. They have had a past before (and if you have a problem with them both being girls, you can fuck off right now because I don't give a damn, Bella is and always will be lesbian, no matter what other characters may think) and even a one night stand, but that will stay in the past. Now, they are just friends, and nothing more. Otherwise, I must apologize if she is a bit out of character in this one. It's starting to get a bit late as i write this, and other than the first part i had some difficulty getting this chapter to flow. It should still be good enough, but as always with this story, it is really hard to keep to the spirit of the canon while still being creative in my own way. I hope i did a good enough job, at least.

Now, before i let you go, I wanted to do a shout out and give a large congratulations to another writer, Arctic01. Go check out him and his story 'The Tri-blade Alliance' where Bella has made a recent appearance, and will quite possibly make more. He is a pretty good writer, and does an excellent portrayal of her character in his story, so please, give it and him all the love you have to spare.

Well, I suppose that is it, for now. Feel free to PM me about anything you may want to say or have questions about, or just put it into a Review. See ya!