Ch. 15

I sat down, hurriedly starting up my laptop. I just got the email. As I logged into the email account, I clicked the one on the top.

"Nemu Morino. Age: 15." I said to myself. I scrolled down. There was a phone number at the bottom. As I picked up my cell, it began to ring the number that matched the one in the email.

"Hello?"

"N-Neko? Is it you?"

"Yes, it is me. Nemu, I assume?"

"Uhh, yes. How did you know my name?"

"It was in the email I got."

"Ohh. I guess your name is in mine."

"Uhh, Nemu? You alright? You are not being yourself. Seems like your bottling things up or something."

She laughed.

"Actually, my parents are on the other receiver. I am a little awkward about that."

"Makes sense. Anyway, is it ok if we were to meet up in person? I have your address, but if you want to meet somewhere in public that is fine."

"Nah, just come to my house. When do you think you can be over."

"A day or two. I am in Tokyo right now."

"Tokyo? Wait, you lived there?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I lived in the U.S. Is that data not in there?"

"Ohh, it is. Wait, are you an American citizen?"

"Dual."

"Ohh, ok. Scared me a bit there."

"How so?"

"Well, only Japanese citizens can attend that SAO school they are setting up. Anyway, I guess I'll see you in a day."

"Maybe two."

Steel entered Nemu's voice this time.

"One."

"Alright, alright. Honestly. Anyways, goodbye."

"Bye."

I hung up. I started to pack up my stuff. It was going to be an overnight bus ride to get there by tomorrow. I had to be out of here fast.

As I got off the bus, I stretched. It had been a long, cramped bus ride. But I didn't care. As I walked through the small town, I realized that there was no one around. Familiar with ambushes from my SAO days, I dropped into a crouch and ran to the wall of a building. I went through a side alley to the main road. When got there, I saw the entire town hiding behind different things. Buildings, food carts, you name it. Didn't take much to hid the people I noticed. Small town. Real small. Standing in the middle of the road, I called out to them.

"I thought something was up. No people. Definite ambush setting in a town."

Everyone spun around. Some people had stunned expressions.

"Told you mom. Neko was a vigilante remember? He was gonna noticed something was up." said a girl behind one of the cars. Nemu. The older woman next to her grinned sheepishly.

"Well, he certainly isn't clueless." said another man on Nemu's other side.

"Like I said dad." she looked up, as if noticing me for the first time. For a second she just stood there. Then she jumped up and ran to tackle me. I dodged to the side, but she managed to grab my jacket sleeve. Yanking it forward, she hugged me.

"You scared me so much back there!" I had to think for a second before I remembered my near death experience at the end of the game.

"I am fine though. Don't worry, I'm not dead."

"Ugg. You still don't get it."

"I do. By the way, there are about 70 people behind you watching this." Nemu instantly went a very deep shade of red.

"L-L-Let's get out o-of here!" she stuttered while trying to pull me to a house down the street. But the townspeople had other ideas. They swarmed me, asking all sorts of things.

"What is your relationship with Nemu?" "Where are you from?" "What do you think of Nemu?". I held up a hand to stop them.

"Sorry, but I am worried Nemu might just faint, so I'll come to talk to everyone later. Is that ok?" The townspeople nodded. Then I felt Nemu yanking my sleeve again. I pulled out of her grip and walked next to her. My idea of how red a face could get was broken. Big time. Poor Nemu.

Author's Note: Ohh my brain! My brain hurts! I am trying to make a backlog of chapters, because I have finals next week :(. Well, anyway, hope you enjoy!