A/N: Here take some more *throws papers at readers* ^_^
The Archery Skill
Chapter 2: The Fall
It had been a week, Asuna had scarcely moved, leaving only to pay for her room and eat a meager meal each day. Today would be different; she walked out of the inn. She walked around The Town of Beginnings noticing many players were doing what she had been doing for the past week, or rather the lack of doings. She walked towards the edge of the city and noticed a large crowd. She wondered what they were doing, she quickened her pace. When she was close enough to see the sight was horrific, lines of people waiting to jump off the world, she couldn't believe it yet somehow she knew understood she walked closer as if in a trance. Before she knew it she had reached the front of a line. She stepped up onto the short wall at the edge of the world. Her heart was pounding. Everything slowed down. She closed her eyes. She breathed… in… out… she leaned forwards. She caught herself, and she looked around. She saw the pain in their faces. She wasn't like them. She was stronger, no, she needed to be stronger, for them.
He was tired, they had been in the dungeon for hours, "Ugg," Kirito grunted, "We've been in this dungeon for days."
She laughed, "nu-uh" stated the girl with blue hair "it's been a mere nineteen hours and forty-seven minutes."
"Well it's felt like days," He said.
The girl looked hurt "D-do you not enjoy my company Kirito-san?"
He blushed "No that's not what I meant at all."
"Well I was being sarcastic." She stuck her tongue out slightly at him. He slumped further down the wall, face still red. "Catch" she said suddenly, throwing him their water skin.
"Thanks." "He took a swig and seemed instantly re-energized. "So what's next?" He asked.
"Sleep" she said plopping down on her bed roll "I'll let you take first watch." He attempted to argue, but she was already fake-sleeping.
She browsed the weapons shop, looking for a weapon that she thought would suit her. Her eyes landed on a very thin light looking sword, "Ah a rapier, fancy yourself a fencer then," asked the owner of the shop.
"Well I want something light and fast, and I had some fencing training back home…" she shook her head vigorously, "I just think it would suit me."
"Ok" said the smith "That'll Be 500 co.l"
"Oh" said Asuna, " I only have 400…"
"Tell you what," said the pink haired girl "I'll make it 400 but only if you come to me for your repairs."
"Uhh, sure" said Asuna, flicking open a trade window and completing the transaction. She jogged to the door and stopped, turning around, she waved "Bye, uhh…"
"Lizbeth, of Lizbeth's smith shop" she finished for her.
"Oh, I'm Asuna, nice to meet you Liz. Well I'll be seeing you." With that she ran out the door, out of the city, out to the fields to grind. She had to be stronger.
They stopped; in front of them was a very large door. Sinon started to walk towards the door but stopped when something grasped her wrist. "No," Kirito Said firmly, "That's the boss room"
"So we can still go in, take a peek, just for-"
"No" Kirito said firmly, "I'll not let you get hurt."
"Ooohhh Kirito-kun" She purred, "How thoughtful."
"I-I look out for my friends is all," he stammered.
"Oh is that all" she said in mock disappointment.
"Ugg," was all he replied with.
"Well if that's your only argument I'm going" She broke free of his grasp and ran forward pushing at the door which opened automatically the rest of the way. Inside was black except for a solitary torch in the middle of the room. It was being held by a man.
Asuna had finished clearing another field of mobs. They were easy, too easy. She looked up, noticing the once distant column of the floor dungeon was now only a few kilometers away now. It had to have good loot and mob spawns. She decided to go towards it. She had to get stronger. She had to beat the boss, all the bosses, she had to clear the game, her life was no longer hers, she lived for the 2000 players who didn't, she lived to stop everyone's suffering, she lived to kill Kayaba Akihiko.
"Oh thank goodness someone's come," he exclaimed, "We've been trapped here for two days and this is our last torch."
"Why have you been stuck here?" asked the girl with blue Hair, noticing now about six other people.
"Oh," he said, "The door closes" as if on cue the door began to close.
"SINON!" Yelled Kirito.
"Yeah I know, back up," She was already well outside the room when the door closed. She pushed on the door again but to no avail.
"This door won't budge, Kirito-san help me, your strength parameter is higher than mine."
"OK." Even with both of them pushing they still couldn't get it to move an inch. They heard a scream, it came from the room. Then another, then another, then… silence. The door opened. The light was gone. Kirito fell to his knees "When I started this game, the only thing I thought about was surviving. But those people in there, we could have done something, I could've saved them."
Sinon sank down to join him. She wrapped her arms around him, "Hey, there's nothing you could've done. You didn't know. It's my fault more than yours, I opened the doors"
"No!" He said, "I should've saved them. I-I just needed to be faster."
"You can't save everyone Kirito-kun"
"But I can at least try, can't I?"
"Yes you can, but don't blame yourself for this." She hugged him tighter and looked into his eyes "Thank you Sinon-san, you're a good friend"
"What? We're not friends, just party-mates, I couldn't have you being all depressed. You'd slow me down," she replied hastily, letting go of him.
"Well," he said, "I guess we should get going." He still didn't move.
"Yeah. We should."
A/N: OOOHHHH! What was that, what happens next, find out in exactly two days!
Thanks for the reviews… I've never been good at dialogue, my beta tester bailed on me to so that sucks.
R&R&R&R&R&R plz
I know Sinon is a bit (understatement much) out of character. But I'll try.
Aren't horizontal lines great
Peace off ^_^
