Hey everyone. For those that reviewed, I'm glad you are liking the story. For the others, I really hope you are. Can't tell. XD I've been getting the question of when I will stop the story. I had planned to end it when they revived Pina, but, well, I think it would be mean for me to just pull the rug there. I think I've decided to continue it farther, if not to the end of the game. We'll see. Let's get through Pina first. K? Also I'm guessing no one super minded my version of the last chapter since no one requested an alternate/more innocent one. If you change your minds let me know. Also, I can't help if I throw an author note in to the story. Some parts are too good to give up, they will be in [brackets]. You've been warned

As always, enjoy

Still grumbling about his story and my massive enjoyment of it, Kirito helped me wrap the cheesecake for lunch later and I put everything in my inventory, giving him another piece as apology. "You know," I whispered, "you didn't have to do all of this for me…" He frowned at this. "You could have just come back…" He must really care to have done all that… I felt giddy at this thought, but my face remained unsure, waiting to see if he said anything.

"Yea, well, I thought you deserved more," he simply stated, walking out the door, leaving me standing, dumbstruck. Deserved more? For what? What did I do to deserve more? For unintentionally flashing him? I'll find out later.

Going downstairs, I scanned for Kirito, thinking he would be at the NPC, checking out. Looking though, he was nowhere to be found. I decided to wait for him, checking out through the NPC myself. LEAVING THE INN. YOUR ROOM WILL BE RESET AND ANY ITEMS INSIDE WILL BE LOST. CONTINUE? YES NO

Clicking the yes, another window popped up. LEAVE TIP? YES NO Leave an NPC a tip? Why would anyone waste the money on a computer? About to hit no, I felt a hand on my shoulder and a, "wait," in my ear. ?

"Leave a tip. At least 50 percent. Trust me." Kirito pushed with a knowing smile.

Still unsure, I clicked the yes and totaled the amount and accepted again. The NPC man perked up at this, smiling widely, and wrapped his arms around me. What? I had never seen an NPC act that way. Letting go, the man began a speech about his dying son and if I helped him, I would be greatly rewarded. Stunned, I looked at Kirito for a clue. He simply nodded and I clicked the ACCEPT QUEST menu when it popped up.

Swiping away the details, we started leaving. Walking away, Kirito began to speak, "The quest is decently difficult. You must fight through a more hidden dungeon on this floor to retrieve a magical herb guarded by an evil witch. It seems simple, but the reward is free room and food for a week." A whole week? That would save so much col. Wait,,,

"Kirito-kun, is that how you get by, by living in inns through quests?" I pondered at this notion. Well he seems to have enough money…

"Nah. My house is up on floor 50. I just thought you'd like the idea of free cheesecake and a place to stay." I see…

"So, that means I Wontbe staying with Kirito-kun then." I said this with a light laugh but turned down my lips. I wouldn't mind it…

"Eh? Well, I mean, my house looks like I do, solo. I don't have much and the bed is tiny." He pursed his lips forward, probably trying to tell if I'm serious. "Besides, you still barely know me. I think you should give it a bit before you try to make a permanent residence."

I continued my gloomy look as we reached the teleportation gate. "Teleport: Floria" we said in unison.

By this time in the game, I was used to the sensation of weightlessness and being momentarily blinded, but when I could see again, I couldn't help but stare in awe. "Woahhh…" The mirage sphere of this place was pretty enough, but this is amazing. Flowers surrounded us, fields of different colors that stretched on for miles until my personal vision status couldn't render any more detail.

Rushing forward, I closely inspected a patch of blue flowers, a ladybug flying up to meet me. Behind me I heard Kirito mumbling something about 'flower garden,' but I was too captivated to pay much attention. Looking up from the flowerbed, I noticed that the players here we all standing together, holding hands or leaning on each other. Couples, everywhere. Would Kirito-kun be that way with me? Are we even officially 'together?'

Coming up behind me, I heard my name, "Silica-chan?" Jumping up from my thoughts, I swatted imaginary dirt from my armor and muttered something unintelligible. Smiling, Kirito reached out his hand, which I took, interlacing fingers with him.

"Hey, Kirito-kun," I started as we walked towards the dungeon. "are we, you know, like them?" I gestured to the others around us.

Looking deeply at me, I saw a devilish smile spread across his face. "No," he said softly. All of a sudden, he grabbed me and whipped me around his back in to a piggyback and started sprinting off, all the while laughing at my high pitched 'Aieeeeeeee!' Over the sound of the wind in my ears and my screams, I heard a shout below me, "We're much more fun!"

After what must have been a two-minute mile at his speed, wow he was fast, I stopped screaming and started to revel in the thrill of riding Kirito like this. [Dirty mind]

Letting me down much too soon, we had reached the dungeon in what must have been record time. Sliding off his back, I watched him stretch, as if shaking off the ride as a nice warm up. For all I know, that was just a warm up for him.

"Remember, Silica-chan, you're forward. I'll simply be here as support. But, I will try to let you solo most of them, so that I don't take too much Exp." He lazily brought out his sword with his left hand and threw it over his shoulder. He can fight left-handed? Similarly, I pulled out my dagger and let it rest against my thigh. With his free right hand, he grabbed my left and held it, proceeding forward.

I couldn't help but blush as we walked in silence among the flowers. So romantic here… That thought was abruptly destroyed as two vines suddenly wrapped around my ankles and yanked me upwards, losing Kirito's grip in the process.

"Aieeee!" I felt my skirt falling towards my hips and grabbed in instinctively, swinging my dagger wildly. "Kirito-kun! Save me! Don't look but save me!"

Looking downwards, I saw Kirito standing there, hands mostly over his eyes, slightly peeking. I'll get him for that later. First I have to get down, somehow… Oh man… "Screw it." I let go of my skirt and grabbed the vine, slicing clean through it, then did the same with the one on my other ankle. Using the now freefall to my advantage, I activated a sword skill Pierce and stabbed in to the head of whatever evil flower with teeth was grabbing me. Shattering in to polygons, the plant dropped me on the ground where I landed, back towards Kirito.

Turning around slightly, I looked him in the eye, face red, "did you see?" I mean, he's seen me before, but still.

His face, too, was slightly darkened and his eyes darted away before he closed the gap in his fingers. "… Does it really matter at this point?" I was taken aback by his answer. Does it matter!? It's my underwear! It's Kirito-kun, the guy I really like. It's him seeing my underwear… from a distance… while trying to not look… after a night of already seeing it and feeling it slightly… My reasoning became more muddled at this point.

Looking down defeated and ashamed, though not sure why, I let out a soft, "no…"

Sulking a bit, I walked down the path, past him, continuing through the dungeon of flowers. I heard his footsteps behind me, but didn't have the courage to look him in the eye, still unsure of why this bothered me as much as it did.

As I walked, Kirito caught up to me, but didn't hold my hand. Similar to myself, he looked down as we walked. "I tried not to Silica-chan. I'm sorry that these things keep happening to you. I don't mean to be lewd or anything while in your company." He's apologizing… for things he couldn't control. He really feels like he's in the wrong and beats himself up over it, even when he doesn't do anything. If anything, he's been a gentleman since we met.

Stopping our trekking, I grabbed his arm, pulling him in to a close hug, my head in his chest. Softly, I almost whispered in to his armor, knowing full well he could still hear me just fine. "No, Kirito-kun. You didn't do anything. None of it was your fault. So far, you've been perfect. So let it go, okay?" At the last few words, I looked up in to his eyes, seeing his guilt and shame in an overpowering manner. Getting on my toes, I kissed his cheek lightly, showing him I meant no ill will towards him.

Letting out a small chuckle, I saw his eyes become softer, "you always know how to cheer me up, don't you? Thank you. It means more than you know to have you support me. More than you'll ever know…" His face came down, cheek resting on to mine, simply holding and enjoying each other's presence.

After too short of an embrace, he let me go, keeping my hand in his, and we continued to walk.

We continued to fight through the dungeon. Well, I continued to fight. Kirito stood back, smiling at me, casually giving tips and instructions as I fought through. Once or twice he jumped in to absorb a blow or cut a vine for me, but never anything much. At one point a plant similar to the first one we encountered showed up. Just as I felt a jolting sensation at my ankles, the limbs of the monster disappeared, Kirito appearing a few feet behind it, sword outstretched. "Didn't want a repeat of the up-skirt problem, did we now?" I teased him as I took down the now defenseless weed.

His face burned at my words and I laughed at his expense. He's simply adorable sometimes.

Looking down from my cute comrade, I noticed a window pop up, CONGRATULATIONS SILICA 44 -45

Raising my dagger, I waved Kirito over to take a look at my accomplishment. Looking over my shoulder, he smiled brightly and gave me a small pat on the back. "Good job Silica-lip raping-san."

I looked at him pouting, slightly offended at his joke. Lip Raper? What the heck? Where did that come from? "Well," he replied to my expression, raising a finger to me, "you did take my first kiss by force. And then some…" His voice died as his eyes and finger drifted off, as if measuring how far I took it.

I brushed off his words with a wave and walked forth, "yea well, sometimes I can't help it… Panty Face-kun."

I heard him choke on his words behind me, any retort he was about to throw my way lost. Serves him right. Shouldn't make fun of me when I'm just following my heart. My heart…

Walking through the entrance to a field, SAFE ZONE appearing in my status, I sat down against a tree, the shade leaving intricate patterns of light that passed through, touching the ground. Pulling up a menu, I brought out a slice of the cheesecake and wine from earlier, along with the utensils to eat and drink.

Having caught up to me, I watched in the corner of my eye as Kirito sat down next to me, pulling up his own menu for item retrieval. Leaning towards him slightly, I couldn't help but try to peek, greatly interested in his stats and equipment.

"That's pretty rude you know, trying to find another person's information." I gasped and fell, not realizing I had leaned so far over, face landing in Kirito's lap. Getting up, I began to slink away, a 'sorry' forming at my lips. Before I could speak though, he continued, "After all, it's the one of the only things a player truly has to themselves, their stats and their thoughts." He looked pensive for a moment at his words, lost in his contemplation.

Attempting to apologize again, I opened my mouth to speak, only to be cut off a second time. "But… I did want to be more honest with you… especially after," his words were left unspoken, but I knew he meant the Black Cats. "Just, don't freak out, okay?"

Freak out, why? I received my answer, him flicking his status bar towards me. It wasn't everything, but it would show his name, gender, level, health, and any status effect. Slowly, I read it, KIRITO M 78 14500 Okay, I knew his name and gender, but that was obvious. 78… 78… The top floor right now was floor 55. Kirito is level 78. People feel safe 10 levels above their current floor. Kirito is level 78… I slowly wrapped my head around the numbers in front of me, trying to make sense of what is impossible, though right in front of my eyes. 78… I widened my eyes in shock, finally understanding what this meant. Whipping my head to Kirito, whose eyes were cast downwards, back to the menu, and back to him, I shouted, "You're level 78?! B… b… but how? You can't be level 78. That's 33 levels above me and 23 levels above the front lines. You would have to be one of the strongest people in the entire game!

Not looking at me, he nodded slightly, confirming my outcry. "I work on the front lines, far away from rest." His face went a bit sullen at this.

"Kirito-kun…" He's so powerful. I'm so weak in comparison… "You're leaving then… After your mission here. You're going to leave…"

He nodded again. "I've been away for 5 days, I need to seriously train. I need to be as high as possible. Plus, they need all the help they can get."

He's leaving. He's going somewhere unsafe, where I would die instantly if I followed. "Oh…"

Suddenly not hungry, I put my cake and wine back in to my inventory, not really wanting to look at it. Waving his status away, I got up and sprinted out of the safe zone, leaving him behind.

Wow. So It's been 8 days since I've updated? Man I suck. Sorry for all those waiting who are used to my fast updates. I had written most of this chapter almost a week ago and then received some criticism on the story. I stopped my writing to try to see if I could improve my story, but came up blank. That really sucks. In the end, I will just keep writing and hope that you guys continue to like it and those that see flaw in it will be able to look past it. Sorry again for the wait.

-Furr