A/N: Hey guys! Sorry that I'm late on an update but my FF account is messing up and this was the first time I could log in. Also, I know that this is a short update but the next one will be much longer and much much better. P.S. I'll also be trying to update a chapter early to make up for the late update. Rate, Review, Enjoy!

Chapter 3, Part 1: Small Talk

[35th Floor of New Aincrad-Forest of Wandering; Mid-Day]

Kirito P.O.V.~

As I sat in the shaded forest, wiping the sweat coming off of my hair, I talked with the man who had been my training partner for the past couple weeks. Well, talking is a bit of a stretch, more like silently leaning on the same tree as each other.

The man next to me and I had been training together for a short while on the 22nd floor on something he called "Self-Skill", training yourself to fight as if no system controlled your actions, fighting outside of the system. Though I had done that a few times, I couldn't do it at my on will, I'm not completely sure how I did it the other times I did, fighting Heathcliff or ignoring Sugou's gravity spell during our fight over a year ago. Whenever I trained, I tried to activate whatever I did then, but so far I only could only just with this demon of a person.

As I sat thinking, I tilted my head slightly to look at the hooded man next to me. This quiet time was nice, but I decided to take advantage of the first break I had had since about 6 in the morning, and I tried getting to know this stranger.

"Hey, Emile. I'm interested in knowing why we always train in forest areas." I spoke to the Jedi next to me. He lifted his head up and caught a falling leaf in his right palm.

"I haven't seen true forest in 3 years." He replied, moving the leaf through his fingers.

"3 years? Didn't they have them in your last world?" I asked. With a shake of the head, Emile continued to add on to his words. My question was met with a slow shake of the head.

"No, in my last prison no code protected our lands. The wooded worlds were quickly destroyed into wastelands by people needed resources. It took much less then a year." The words hit me hard, as the woods were where Asuna and I haves lived as a family, a place away from war. If that was gone, this game would be much more torturous. As I thought about this, a question popped into my head.

"Why is it that you and Kira don't remember what game you came from?" It was true, as far as we knew Kira and Emile had no recollection of small details about what game they came from.

"I'm not entirely sure." A reply came to my question quickly. "When I was transferred to this game, I remembered my time in my last world, but not what it was exactly. I have a short memory gap in my time between transferring to this game, and ending up at the 22nd floor."

"Hmm, do you mind me asking more?" Curiosity filled my brain. As our group had grown to be quite close with Kira and had gotten to know her, the older of the two was still a large mystery.

"Not at all." Replied the Jedi, still messing with the leaf in his figures. Though I don't think he wanted to admit it, I thought he enjoyed taking a break from training sometimes too. Maybe he was a bit human instead of full-monster.

"How did you and Kira meet?" The question rolled off my tongue as I put a long piece of wheat from my inventory in my mouth.

"I still remember that moment perfectly, back on the once prosperous world turned ruins of Coruscant.

[Entrance to a Metal, Rundown building; Nighttime]

Emile P.O.V~

I picked myself off of the ground I had just been thrown onto, wiping my knees and looking back and the bar I came from. The deep and annoyed voice of the bartender reached my ears clearly, and so did the scent of the alcohol from the building.

"And tell your kind to stay out. Come around here again and it's a blather to the brain, understand you brat?" The old fat bartender talking to me wore a simple white apron over his green clothing.

With a sigh, I waved my hand and walked away, giving the reluctant reply of "Alright, sorry to bother you." I had gone to that rundown building to ask information of a Sith trying to cause some major trouble, but had been met with a hard boot to the face and, with my better judgment, I managed to calmly leave instead of destroying that pile of metal. I had been wiping some more small rocks that stuck to my bright white robes, when I heard some noise coming from an alleyway I was passing up.

A voice I couldn't quite put a description on spoke a distance always from me, "Come on, you have to have something on you." A short silence followed after, and I tried to listen some more. "Kid come on, money, food, anything will get you by his taxes."

Another voice, a younger sounding one spoke up, "Boss come on, she's a kid. Besides, just look at her! She doesn't have shit."

I took a step into the alleyway and didn't see anyone, until I realized the alley made a sharp right a few meters down. I continued walking and listening to some talking, or arguing I couldn't tell much from that far away, from the two voices. Once I reached the turn, I poked my head out and saw three figures, two close to each other arguing, and the third one, much more towering them the rest, standing a foot or two back.

The first voice continued to speak. "Come one Tatsu, do you really think she can't have anything, even that junkie alien we found had enough to almost pass." I matched the voice with the man farthest from me, some some wide and about my height. All three men wore the same black cloaks, and there faces were covered by shadows. The person, who I guessed to be the younger of the two argued back.

"Yeah, and you still killed him! Let's just go, right boss?" He turned behind him and looked to the larger man. He received no response except a quick shake of the head.

The voice that followed sounded digitized, electronic almost. Making out the face a little more as he spoke, I noticed the large man had a shiny lower face cover, but the features were still too far to make out. "Who pays taxes?"

The one known as Tatsu answered quietly, "Everyone, boss. Sorry kid, you gotta follow bosses rules." He seemed to switch to talking to a trashcan in front of him. For the first time, I noticed feet coming out from beside the trashcan, and I quickly became annoyed by these people, though using that word was a bit generous.

"I d-don't have anything. If you w-wanna kill me...JUST DO IT." The reply the made all three men look came from a small timid voice. It sounded like a young girl, scared. Nervous. Before I could come out of my place of watching, a crimson light emerged from the older of the two subordinate's cloak, and my attention was about as caught as it could be.

"See this kid, you picked a fight with Sith Lords, you should've listened." As he lifted his hand high, I dashed from the shadows. The blood-red blade flew downward, but was met but my yellow light.

"And Who the Hell are YOU!" The older one said to me, the man standing infront the the small child.

With a flick if my wrist, I forced his lightsaber to go to the concrete floor beneath us. "Leave. Now." I spoke quickly and firmly, though I was nervous. At the age of 17, I could tell clearly that these men were well older then me, even the one who had the young voice looked to be in his 20's.

"Shit boss, that lightsaber, you don't think-" Tatsu was cut off my the electronic man.

"No, I don't think. No Jedi would stop to protect a kid. His a phony with a lightsaber, that's all.

The older man spoke, his brown eyes growing wide. "Boss, I think this kid ain't worth it."

"You're both useless." After his statement, the boss stepped in between the men, grabbed their heads, and shoved them to the side. Once he did this, I couldn't tell he was monstrous compared to me. Thoug ph his face was covered by a bulky silver mask, and his body was cloaked fully, I could clearly see that he had to almost be 7 feet tall. "I'll kill you myself."

"Are you really?"

"OF COURSE I REALLY WILL." His voice boomed as a red saber was brought down on me. I swiped my right hand, and stopped his saber with my own.

"No, are you really Sith?" I asked my question again, quietly. I could hear chocked whimper behind me.

"These two weaklings, no, but I on the other hand."

"What is your name." I didn't asked, I almost demanded an answer.

"Sith Lord Trikor, given by the fact it only takes three strikes for me to kill. He yelled, completely destroying the calm and secretive manor he had beforehand. The name struck me as the Sith I had been looking for, but this man couldn't be him. Though he looked like a monster of a man, he didn't fit the description of the Sith I searched for. Though that didn't mean I shouldn't worry.

Pushed his blade off of mine and stepping from the wall with the child towards my enemy, I gave a simple command. "Leave now, or face the judgment of the Jedi Order."

"Ha, let's see if your really who you saw you are. Tatsu, Jidos, kill him."

I noticed now that the two other assailants were to my sides, matching sabers in hands."

'Shit, I let my guard down.' I was growing more nervous my the second. I could take down a Sith easy, even two, but three fakes was still a challenge for a learner like me. I stood my ground, and tried to control the fear I felt. Dying in some back-wash alley wasn't how I planned to let things happen.

"Got it." The older said on my right.

"Yes, Sir." The younger to my left.

All three simultaneously swung, the two to my side across my body, and the boss downwards. I managed to block the two on my sides since both blades had come to my front, but my top was wide open. I pushed the blades off on mine, and swept my blade to meet the one above me, but the blade fell before it his met mine. In the moment this happened, a blaster shot reached my ears. I didn't have time to react to this, as I quickly slashed the hands of the two men beside me. I heard shout of things like, "Shit!", or, "Boss is down!" The two men ran off, leaving their boss who had fallen on the ground. I turned slowly, lightsaber on but hanging to my side, to see hands curled up around the hand of a gun. I flipped the large man over, but I could see easily that his HP had hit zero, and the blaster had shot an energy shot into his forehead, killing him.

Kneeling next to the man, I looked back at the child. I noticed the gun was now facing me, but I also noticed the child for the first time. Well, really caught a look at her. The kid was a short, ragged girl, sporting a torn brown tunic and matching pants. Her face was dirty, but she had violet eyes that were as red as the the sabers that I had just crossed. Her long brown hair looked like it hadn't been taken care of for some time.

"Their right." Her firm but scared voice met my ears. I turned off my weapon ad I listened. "No Jedi would come out here to spot some guys picking on a kid. "

Standing up, I walked to the child, and reached my head down to the sitting child. She pointed the blaster up to my, facing it to my chest.

"How do I know you're not some bandit too?"

"You don't." I replied. " I couldn't be the greatest criminal I'm the galaxy, cool name and all. She let out a small smile to my sarcastic reply, but quickly put a hard look back on. With a sigh, I flicked my wrist, and the gun flew up to my hands.

Once the girl realized this, she jumped up to grabbed the gun, but fell back to the ground. I had finally realized why she had been here and hadn't ran off while I had been fighting. She was out of energy, as if you didn't eat here you grew sick and weak. I pulled up my inventory screen, and brought out a sandwich I had in my dinner. I handed it to the girl.

Without checking for poison or other hazards, she quickly bit into the sandwich, and let out not a noise while she devoured it. After she finished, I tried talking some more.

"Come on kid, you need to be taken anywhere?" I asked, hands balled and going into my hips.

She shook her head, sandwich still filling her cheeks. With a swallow, she replied quickly, "No."

"Come on, some one is probably worried sick looking for you. You have to have family here." The shaking of her head, which was now facing down, made me worry. "You're too young to have started this game alone, who are you with. Your mom, dad, sibling, a friend?"

"I joined with my dad...but I'm alone now." She curled up her left legs and put her head to it's knee, leaving her right leg on the ground. "I broke it a few weeks ago, and he left me on this planet." Her words stabbed my heart. A father couldn't just have left his child.

"Please...just leave. Thank you for the help but...I want to just be left alone until I die." She spoke quietly, her voice one of someone who had given up.

[Present Day]

3rd P.O.V~

"Wait wait wait." Kirito spat out during the story. "How could her leg have been broken that long, shouldn't it have healed by then.

"I'm our last world, wounds didn't just heal. All scars, broken bones, even cut of limbs stayed. You had to heal or treat them yourself or by getting a player's help." Emile replied, words rolling off of his tongue.

"Oh...I see...so is that why your cheek is like that?" The Spriggan's left hand rose to point at the scar across the Jedi's face. A nod answered his question.

"Sorry, carry on with the story." The Black Swordsman gestured Emile.

"Very well. Like I said before, I tried to help her and I was met with-"

[3 Years Prior; Alleyway; After Dark]

Emile P.O.V~

"Please...just leave. Thank you for the help but...I want to just be left alone until I die." She spoke quietly, her voice one of someone who had given up.

"..." We sat quiet for a while.

My hand that had been out until now retracted slowly. "I see." I kneeled down next to her, separated her back from the wall she leaned on before, and lifted her on my left shoulder.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" I could feel her hands hitting my back, not slowing down as I walked out of the alley. "I JUST WANT TO DIE, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I don't give a shit." I stopped just before turning the corner to leave the back area. The fist hitting me slowed down. After that I felt my shoulder blade become damp, from what I could only guess. I walked out of the alley with my eventual student.

[Present Day]

Kirito P.O.V~

"And that's how we met."

I waited a few seconds for the rest of the story, but no sound came from Emile.

"Is-Is that it?" I asked, confused.

"You wanted to know how we met, there it is." I was told matter-of-factly.

"Wait, but what happened to-" I was cut off.

"Come on, we trained for awhile today, let's head back." When he turned his back and started walking away, I stood up and followed behind him with my head down to the ground. After a couple hours, we had made it back to the 22nd floor.

Chapter 1, Part 2: Midnight Monsters

[?]

Kira P.O.V~

Running. I was running. As fast as I could away...away from what? All I can only see black, I'm not even sure if I'm moving. Why is it that I always see it when I sleep, me running as much as I can, but nothing happening. I slipped like always, and fell. I waited for the ground, but it never embraced me. I kept falling, and when I yelled for help nothing ever came out. I knew it wouldn't help, but is still hoped. I closed my eyes, and reached out my hand, waiting to be caught. As expected, I grabbed onto the air next to me, and fell a few inches to where my feet hit the ground.

I turned around, and waited for when the red lightsaber would come crashing down on me. I waited. I waited.

'Whats going on? It's always-' my thoughts ended abruptly when a light came towards me. It was blood-red, as always, and I prepared my saber inhand, once I ignited my purple blade, I met the light with my saber. All I had to do was push it back and the dream would end. I shoved with all my might, but what happened wasn't what normally happened. The light changed, and turned into a golden yellow. The saber came to my neck, and my thoughts shifted too long.

'But, the only one who has a yellow saber is-' the saber made contact.

[Kirito and Asuna's living room; Midnight]

Kira P.O.V~

I lifted from the couch I was on, trying to wipe the sweat I was drenched in away, but I couldn't accomplish my goal. I decided to get water from the sink in the kitchen, and quietly lifted off of my sleeping arrangement and tip-toed to the faucet in the kitchen. As silent as I could, I turned on the water and doused my face in water, relaxing my nerves some. I noticed someone missing from the room, and walked to the front door. Before I could leave, a small voice hit my ears.

"Where are you going Kira-San?"

"What are you doing up? And I told you to just call me Kira, Yui." I noticed the petite girl standing a few feet away from me, a curios look on her face.

"I heard the water running to I wanted to see if you were up." Yui replied in a small voice.

"I'm sorry Yui, I'll try to stay more quiet next time." When I tried to walk by her, a small hand tugged on the back of my shirt.

"You're scared."

"Yui, how-"

"I was a mental health program originally. Though to don't have my old privileges, I can still tell most obvious emotions." I sometimes forgot this wasn't a little girl, but an externally smart A.I. Looks deceive quite a lot sometimes. "What's wrong." And now a little girl was trying to give me consoling.

Taking a seat on my 'bed' I told Yui with a smile"It's nothing Yui, why don't you go back to bed."

The small girl reluctantly started walking off. "O-ok, if you're sure." Shortly after I was once again alone. I laid my body flat, and rubbed my eyes with my hands.

I faced the door and put my hands to my side.

"Master...why did it change this time..." My dream was always the same, but this was the only one that the small difference meant so much to me. Only one person I knew wielded a yellow lightsaber, and my guess was that my dreams would only become more unsettling. Before I could think any longer, my heavy eyelids forced down, and sleep overtook me.