Author's notes:
-I got some rest, so this one should be better than yesterday's.
-Episode 7 isn't in there because there are no interactions between Sinon and Kirito at all (the ten seconds at the end don't count).
Chapter 3
Time: Episode 6 & Episode 8.
Sinon couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. That fight with him in the semifinal was unexpected, to say the least.
The map was Intercontinental Highway. She'd first positioned herself in an abandoned bus, where she would be sure to see him coming. But when she saw him, he was just walking toward her, slowly.
Did he think he could dodge at the last moment, or did he just not care? Either way, he was pissing her off, and after a few missed shots, she got out of the bus, and started yelling at him.
He finally realized why all of this was important to her. So he apologized, and said this, in an almost philosophical manner: "It's only a game. It's only a single match. But that's why we need to fight as hard as we can. Otherwise, we don't have the right, or reason, to live in this world."
In that single moment, with that single sentence, she knew she finally found someone who understood her.
He then proposed to make it up her with a duel, but only with a ten meter distance. Sinon knew he would have some kind of plan, so she aimed at his left leg. But as soon as the bullet hit the ground, he managed to slice Sinon's bullet barely a meter away, rushed forward, and grabbed her by the waist, his photon sword almost touching her neck.
She asked him how he had done it. He answered that he saw her eye through the scope. Then in a manner that very much embarrassed her (as she realized that he was holding her by the waist), he stated: "I never learned your name."
"Si... Sinon." she managed to stammer, before blushing crimson red.
He then continued: "Okay Sinon, would you surrender? I'd rather not slice a girl in two."
"Su... sure." She stammered further. Her cheeks had turned an even deeper shade of red, and the thought that he surely could see this only further embarrassed her.
It was only when she got out of his hold that she managed to find back her cool. She surrendered, pointed her finger at him, and asserted: "Next time I won't lose!"
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...
The next day, Kirito found Sinon as fast as possible, and motioned her over to a table. Though still miffed at him, she seemed to be willing to help.
He asked her about how the tournament would go, then got to the real matter at hand: Were there any new players whose names she did not recognize?
She told him that beside him, there were three new players: "Gunner X", "Pale Rider", and "Sterben".
He didn't really want to explain to her why he needed to know this, but she was rather insistent, (and getting more annoyed by the second) so he conceded.
As soon as he was done with his explanation, she pulled him into a hug.
"Oh Kirito, you were in that death game, weren't you? In SAO?"
Gasping in surprise, Kirito managed to nod in approval.
"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that must have been like for you. Are you alright right now?"
Kirito nodded again. Sinon let him go and, recovering her earlier demeanor, said:
"Good. We need to head to the standby dome, or we won't have time to focus our minds or inspect our equipment."
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...
Kirito wasn't sure whether he would should consider himself lucky or unlucky, but he'd just found Death Gun again. That guy had just shot Pale Rider with a stun round, and just had now walked over to his side to finish him off.
As soon as he saw Death Gun do his cross-like gesture, he yelled over his shoulder to Sinon, next to him: "Sinon, shoot the one in the cape! Before he fires!"
Citations: "It's only a game. It's only a single match. But that's why we need to fight as hard as we can. Otherwise, we don't have the right, or reason, to live in this world.", "Were there any new players whose names she did not recognize?" (originally "Um... This may seem strange, but how many of the players participating in BoB for the first time have names you don't recognize?"), "Good. We need to head to the standby dome, or we won't have time to focus our minds or inspect our equipment." (originally "We need to head to the standby dome, or we won't have time to focus our minds or inspect our equipment.") and "Sinon, shoot the one in the cape! Before he fires!" (originally "Sinon, fire..." "At which one?" "The one in the cape! Please shoot him! Quickly! Before he shoots!") are taken from the Crunchyroll subtitles.