Updating now! Reason I have done so in a while is in other updated stories. Enjoy!

Chapter six: Max

"So, where are we going exactly?" I asked Amelia. We have been flying over trees for ten minutes now, and the shapeshifter (who can, apparently, shift into any being, including bird kid, while in a game) has yet to tell us where we will stop.

"Yeah, we've already flown over three good hunting grounds," Kirito added.

"We are going to a hunting palace, not hunting field," the shifter said.

"You don't mean…?" She grinned. "We're going to need the whole guild for a boss raid!"

"Oh, get your panties out of a bunch, Maxie-kins. The entire guilds is here." I followed the direction of her finger and saw the others waiting for us.

"You had Amy take the others crystal shopping the meet us at the palace," Fang stated.

"Aw, you know me so well!"

I looked away as those two got all googly eyed. 'Fang was never like that with me around others.' I felt a hand slide into mine and looked up into Kirito's eyes. He smiled; I smiled back and squeezed his hand. 'Then again, who cares about Fang and Amelia's public affection?'

"Took you four long enough. What you do, go lion on a counterman?" Amy joked. Amelia bit her lip, and the dagger specialist figured it out. "You didn't! Amelia, what did I tell you about scaring the nice people?!"

"He disrespected me!" she defended. Everyone started laughing, but then stopped to look at me.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"You're giggling. At something Amelia said," Gazzy replied. I raised an eyebrow at him. "That's not natural."

"Amelia and I have gotten over our differences," I said, draping an arm across her shoulders.

"We have?" she asked, looking confused. I shoved her away, setting her in a fit of giggles. "I'm joking, Maxie! Of course we have! That's what girls who hate each other do while shopping. They learn to like each other."

"I don't believe it! It's a miracle!" Iggy and Klein said at the same time. Lisbeth and Nudge rolled their eyes and smacked the boys across the head.

"So, in order to get to the boss fight, we have to hunt within the palace?" Asuna asked as we landed.

"Pretty much, or we could just skip the hunting with a particular crystal. But it is rumored that you can get intel on the boss, or maybe even a totally useful weapon. Which is why I didn't get that hunt skipping crystal," Amelia answered.

"Ok, hunting it is," Recon said.

"But wait. The database says we need a crystal to open the doors of the palace," Yui pointed out. Amelia went through her menu.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I had my group go crystal shopping as well." She led us to the castle doors and brought out the right crystal. "Palace hunt, commence!"

The crystal burst and the palace doors opened. She motioned for me and Asuna to lead. The others followed us into the opening room; the doors slammed shut and locked behind us. Asuna looked back at Amelia.

"Amelia, could you lead while in wolf mode in order to warn us of danger?"

"Gladly." She shifted accordingly and led the way down the first hall I guess she caught a scent from. We walked in silence while on alert. Then she tensed and shifted back to human quickly. "Get down!" We all ducked just as hawks swooped down at us.

"Poisonous talons. They will paralyze you," Yui informed us.

"I'm shifting to hawk. Try not to kill me." She shifted quickly and flew into the air. Since she was bigger, she managed to easily capture four hawks in her talons and crushed them all.

About five minutes later, all of the birds were gone and we were out of breath. She landed carefully on Fang's outstretched arm.

"She got nicked on the wing," he informed the rest of us, touching said wing. Suguha's eyes clouded over.

"She got that protecting me. I hadn't been paying attention," she said. Wincing visibly, Amelia glided off of Fang's arm in order to shift back to human. She held her arm.

"Hey, don't stress it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she assured Kirito's sister. Fang brought out one of his crystal; she sighed softly as the wound was healed. She gave him a smile.

"Thank you."

Asuna and I made sure the others were alright before continuing down the path. We defeated many different groups like the hawks before we made it to the Boss Room.

"Alright, it's time to strategize," I said as Asuna and I turned to face the others.

"Amelia, did you notice any patterns?" Asuna asked. Everyone looked at the shapeshifter. Out of all of us, she is the most observant.

"We faced a lot of birds. So I think some of us should be prepared to attack from above. The Flock mostly since they're so used to aerial combat."

"We're so used to aerial combat," Fang corrected, wrapping an arm around her waist. I saw Gazzy and Iggy making gagging faces.

"You guys are so much better at it than I will ever be. You've had more practice and an amazing teacher."

"Ok, before those two get all lovey-dovey and make me barf for real," Lisbeth put in, "What's the plan, Chiefs?"

"We go with Amelia's suggestion. Max will lead the Flock above the dragon while I lead the others on the ground. Pair up with someone you work well with to keep an eye on each other. If one is weakened, the other takes their spot until they are healed."

We all nodded in agreement. Kirito and Fang stepped forward and pushed opened the doors. We followed them into the room and stood there as the doors slowly closed behind us. Amelia shifted into a lion and stood between me and Asuna.

"Back up!" Angel and Yui cried together suddenly. We all leaped back just as fire hit where we had been standing.

"Go!" Asuna and I yelled. The Flock (minus Amelia) shot into the air as the others split up. And the fight commenced.

~Asuna~

I shrieked as I was hit by the dragon's spiked tail. I hit the ground and skidded a little before finally stopping a bit away from everyone else. I struggled to stand, but the pain was too much; I looked at my HP.

'Only fifteen percent left. I won't last long,' I thought.

"Mommy!" Yui flew over to me and touched my cheek.

"I'm fine, sweetie. Go back to Angel." She hesitated before flying away. A moment later, I felt a horse nose touch my cheek. I looked up and raised an eyebrow. "You can shift into a winged mare now?"

Amelia nudged me again and I got the message. I slowly rose and climbed onto her back, holding onto her for support. She flew up to Max.

"Welcome to the aerial, Asuna. By the way, she is a water breathing winged mare," she informed me as she threw a blue sword to me.

"New plan. We will distract the dragon. The two of you have one shot to end this quickly," Kirito told me.

"Let's do this," I said. Water instantly ringed my sword.

Amelia and I hung back as everyone put everything into attacking the dragon boss. When I saw the clear shot, I urged the shifter forward. The dragon's mouth opened wide; I threw my water sword in as she blew water in.

We were forced back into a wall as the boss was destroyed. She shifted back to human and we both fell; Kirito caught me and Fang caught Amelia.

"You did it. We won," my ex said. The others started cheering. I gave him a smile right before I passed out.