Kazuto Kirigaya paced on the street absentmindedly. The revelation of Suguha… it was…he really needed to get outside, into the air.

Part of him was glad that he declined Klein insistant invitation- claiming to be staying at his home all day. It would have been awkward if he were to be a guest present during that bomb Sugu dropped on him.

So he volunteered to go buy tea-the calming variety that Suguha enjoyed, and left to the shop.

Only now on the way back, with the task of the purchase no longer occupying his mind, his thoughts went to his sister. And his feet slowed their steps. And chose the longer routes.

At least until he walked into someone, hitting his forehead into the other person.

And promptly fell on his butt.

After gathering his thoughts and focus, and literally shaking his head-to shake the metaphorical cobwebs away, Kazuto turned to look at the tall and imposing figure that he ran into.

"Ya alright?" a familiar, muscular form asked, as the person reached with their hand, for him to grab into, and pulled him up after he did, with no visible effort.

"Yuma-san, right?" kirito asked, after a momentary hesitation of placing a name to her face.

"That's right."

"Eh…sorry for clashing into you…" he apologized, awkwardly rubbing his neck with the left hand, the right holding his purchase.

"Don't worry, I'm tough! Ya, on the other hand, look somewhat out of it, and i don't think it's just 'cause you hit me like a wave on a shore. Wha-d no! Let's go, I saw a good sushi place down the street, eat a bit, fish always cheer me out."

She than took his arm, and dragged him towards the direction of said sushi place.

Sasuke was a mercenary and proud of it. He was too considered violent by his superiors in the military, and after an 'incident' during his JSDF Special Forces days, dishonorably discharged.

The new boss that had them on retainer have been odd, and occasionally giving strange tasks, but it mattered little, they got paid, and what their employer asked-their employer got.

"Now listen, Maggots", the sergeant called loudly, as they were sitting in the cargo hold of a truck-driving to their destination, "The main target is this kid", he pointed to an image on a Tablet computer, "Its name is Kirigaya Kazuto, the boss wants him, now if you can get him alive, I'm all for it-I say let the boss be the one to pull the trigger on the little shit, I don't enjoy killin kids, but unless you are certain you can take him and leave cleanly, shoot to kill, we will not be leaving without him-dead or alive. And remember, you're ghosts, nobody must see you, don't leave anything, anyone, who could identify ANYTHING about you, we were never even there!"

It really wasn't any of his business, just why their employer decided to send them to a civilian house, nor why the he was so interested in a kid, of all things.

Doesn't matter, we got a job, we will do it. Though why did the sergeant urge caution? Just what kind of resistance was he expecting from a civilian neighbor in a Japanese city?

"Wanna talk a bit about what's bothering ya?" the gruff voice of Yuma asked, in what appeared to be her trying to be encouraging.

"No, not really." Kazuto honestly answered.

"Ya sure? OK, let's talk about the sea then. Ya like fishin'?" she curiously asked.

"Well, I did enjoy it while in Aincrad, and it would be nice to try it for real…"

"Come visit Okinawa someday, I will show you some good fishing spots." The girl replied jovially, and then frowned, and with a serious expression asked.

"Any luck tryin to rescue the people still trapped? Asuna , my gramps and the others?"

"I think I know where Asuna is, and once I reach her, she may know something about the others. It may seem like a long shot, but it's the best lead i have right now, sorry." The former Beater of SAO answered apologetically. That's right, i shouldn't forget, it's not just Asuna that's still trapped, but others as well.

Yuma considered it for some moments, and then dropped money for the food they have eaten, and dragged him away.

"Now that we ate, let's walk a bit. Grandpa always said that a good walk after a good fish was healthy."

And so, Kirigaya Kazuto, the Black Swordsman of Aincrad, found himself dragged into the side allays towards the park, by a girl that was built like a female, Asian version of Agil.

"Target spotted on the allay to the left, at the turn thirty meters in front of your truck, change directions, I think this will be a street take, rather than a home invasion."

"Roger."

As Yuma-san guided, read: dragged, him to the direction of the park through side allays, Kazuto thought how nice it was, to not worry about the situation back home with his sister, about poor Asuna-and immediately regretted- how could he put Asuna aside in his thoughts…

He needed to get home now, just…

"Where are we going, Yuma-san?"

"Away." She answered, in a serious tone that had his instincts all on high alert.

Which was probably the reason why he did not hesitate, when she called "Duck", and dropped down to the ground, a big, meaty muscular arm dropping on him and keeping him pinned down, as shots- actual gun shots, real gunfire, was sent into his direction.

A quick glance revealed men in military green camo and ski masks, rifles in their hands.

Luckily Yuma then pulled the both of them into a side turn and behind a dumpster, buying them a couple of moments.

Time they used to run through the allay, away from the persuit.

The part of him that was Kirito wanted to pull Elucidator and charge them, while the Kazuto was scared, and looked for a way out- a good direction and opportunity to run away. Especially when the part that was both concluded that he couldn't attack, he was unarmed, untrained in urban modern warfare and against guns, and didn't know who they were, or what they were after.

"Who are they? What do they want?" he frantically asked the girl besides him, only the experience of two eventful ears in the virtual world of SAO keeping him from panicking.

"Remember that clue about Asuna you mentioned? I think you got closer than you thought, and they didn't like it. I will distract them, you make a run for it, and find and rescue Asuna, you must be really close!"

"What about you? You can't take on them all, I saw half a dozen, and they're armed-you'll die." He frantically challenged.

I'm much tougher then I look, and unlike you, I was in gunfight before and know streetfight, AND in a better physical condition, the muscle ein't for show, while you still thin and need to recover. Not to mention that you know how to get to Asuna best, and more experienced with that Full Dive thing, I don't know it from fancy hat!

Believe in yourself, in miracles and magic and the strange, I know you can do it-free them all. Now run, run and go to some trustworthy friend- not home, they might wait there as well. And don't you dare look back."

Very displeased with her argument, but knowing that if these…troops… are really here after him, to stop him from releasing Asuna, then he must have gotten really close, and they couldn't that progress to be lost… he owed to Asuna, to the other 299, to save them too. He couldn't take the chance that it was some kind of ridiculous misunderstanding of epic proportions or something.

With a determined nod, he glared at the girl. "Don't you dare die here! We will go to Okinawa with Asuna and Nishida and you will show me the best fishing spots after this- understood?" don't become another Diavel please.

"Don't worry, now run, and remember, no matter what you hear, don't look back. Now go!" and just as a rifle poked from the corner they hid behind, Yuma charged, on hand pushing it away, and the other hitting the gunman.

Kirito took it as his cue to run, and did his best to sprint away.

He heard more gunshots behind him, and the sounds of flash hitting flash, soon followed by strange sounds he couldn't identify, and the shooting becoming more frantic, followed by tearing sounds, and screams.

Kazuto risked a tiny glance backwards as he ran, and quickly turned away.

As he ran by instinct, himself uncertain where to, he found himself shuddering, and turned behind again, just before entering another side allay. He legs going into autopilot from the sight he was exposed to, his mind running on flight instincts like never before.

What was that Horror of teeth and claws on legs? It looked like the thing the boss of the 24th floor would want to be upon growing up! Like the monster even the Gleam eyes only pretended to be! Is that what it would feel like, seeing the Skull Reaper coming to life and rampaging first hand?

With the image of some monster of teeth tearing through armed faceless soldiers, leaving them bloody and unmoving, a couple looking mutilated, Kazuto knew he would have a whole new kind of nightmares now.

As if the old kind wasn't enough.

Next thing he knew, he found himself in a dinner, a familiar looking one. It took him a few moments, as he entered and went into the man's bathroom to give his screaming aching lungs and legs a chance to rest.

After what was an immeasurable time from few minutes, to few hours, Kirito couldn't know nor care, he washed his face from the sweat, and listened for anything out of the ordinary, and having overhead nothing, hesitantly exited the bathroom and confirming that nothing seemed amiss in the dinner, asked the closest waiter for the phone.

The identity of his call wasn't even a choice.

"Hello, Klein, remember you said that if I ever needed anything to call you…"

The woman known as Yulier, had the phone at her home ringing. She did not answer, she would be away for most of the day, trying to find any counter, any way to defend against, a powerful Blood Vampire, and doing her damnest best to prepare against the inevitable treachery from the strange 'temporary allies' her beloved Thinker insisted on working with.

That Beast was predictable enough, but the vampire unnerved her, especially after the results of her digging for info on her.

OMAKE i came up with last week, it is NOT part of the story:

Tsukino Usagi was trying her hardest to be a good magical girl, as Sailor Moon, but it was so hard sometimes, and her talking cat only encouraged her to search for other senshi, and especially the Princess, as they fought the Evil Youma.

and just as she finished the battle for today, she spied another Youma attack.

as she got there, she was surprised to see it repelled. by another senshi-finally she found another one!

"I am Sailor Mavs-sa, and for blood and carnage...Er, love and Justice, i will smite you-sa!"

it was a short girl, wearing a Sailor uniform, similar to her own costume-except completely red, but hers had a hood covering the face with what looked like micky mous ears sown into it, and still claws in her hands of all things, like that western 'Wolverine' comics her bratty little brother seemed interested in lately.

The literally dismembered youma at her feet only made Usagi feel nauseous.

I really hope this is not the megical Princes Luna was talking about, or we will be having words!

the premise is Argo the Kindred Elder as a Sailor Mouse (or Mars) senshi. it seemed funny to me.

Author Notes: I had that scene-where Kirito is attacked by an armed force and promptly saved by a rampaging monster, planned from the third or fourth chapter, just waiting for it's time. I hope i did it right and well.

This chapter is called Counter- the forces sent to counter kirito and his attempts, the counter used against said forces, the counter Yulier was busy working on -in those last few lines, focusing on the wrong threat. even the way a pleasant small talk and dinner with a barely familiar person is countering the sister waiting home, with the awkward situation...

Also, 'Blood Vampires' is a slang i invented for Yulier and other hunters to call Kindred. Chi Vampires is the term they use for Kuei-jin.

Opinions? Thoughts? Suggestions? Review please.