Talking

Thinking

As always thanks for the reviews. One from Son of Helios and one from Tensei Kano

I'm gonna be perfectly honest, Lisbeth has become a weirdly beloved character of mine, and has forced her way into this story into places I didn't think she was going to even remotely influence. You guys should have seen the outline for this thing months ago. Finally, apologies for the last chapter. Not my best work and I'll probably go back and revise it at some point.

Chapter V: A Green Birthday

I didn't expect to have to listen to Lisbeth going on and on about Kirito on my birthday of all days. Not that she knew June 30th was my birthday, since I'd never told her before. It just would have been nice regardless for her to dote on me like she used to when I'd meet up with her looking completely exhausted. Normally I'm not really bugged when girls talk about guys around me, but for some reason being forced to listen to Lisbeth talk about Kirito was driving me up the wall.

"L-Lisbeth?" we were sitting in my favorite restaurant on the 36th floor, "Can we talk about something else? It's my birthday and I'm tired from spending all day yesterday fighting the boss on the 63rd floor."

"It's your birthday!?" Lisbeth's face went from loving and dreamy to peeved in a split second, "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I-It never came up." I edged back from the table slightly, "You've been busy with other things, and I've been up on the front lines constantly grinding and fighting floor bosses."

"Kirito would ha-"

"You know what." I suddenly stood up, my expression wooden, "I'm gonna go find Klein early. He might actually be fun."

I slapped enough Col down on the table to pay for both our meals and uncharacteristically stomped out of the restaurant with an unfamiliar feeling coursing through my veins. The stupid girl didn't even bother calling after me.

"Yo Aurain!" Klein waved at me cheerily, "So why'd you want to meet up with me so early for hunting!?"

I shook my head, trying to rid it of all images of frustrating, cute pink-haired girls, "N-No reason really. I just felt like getting started early today."

"The day after a boss?" Klein raised an eyebrow, "Bulllllshit Aurain. Spill buddy. What's got ya down."

I sighed. Guess I can't get anything past this guy after being friends with him for well over a year. "I... d-don't really know myself. I guess I could describe the situation to you and see if you can figure it out."

"Go ahead." Klein plopped himself down on the ground cross-legged. I sat down next to him."

"W-well..." I started, "I guess it all started when Lisbeth randomly started worshiping the ground Kirito walks on today. And on my birthday no less!? That's literally all she's talked about today, when all I wanted was a relaxing day with friends."

"Ah." Klein's face slowly morphed into a shit-eating grin, "I see EXACTLY what's going on my young friend."

"W-what?" the look on his face was unnerving me.

"You. Like. Lisbeth." Klein dragged out each word, "And a whole lot considering how much you're reacting from this."

"T-that's ridiculous!" I sputtered, feeling my face heat up.

"Well aren't you the little American Tsundere." Klein patted me on the head, "Suck it up and listen to the truth."

"Like advice about love is valuable coming from you," I muttered just loud enough for Klein to hear.

"Well don't look now, but it looks like your crush is worried about you," Klein jabbed me in the side, ignoring my entire insult, "Wonder how long she's been looking."

"H-hide me!" I ducked behind Klein's lanky frame, "No telling how angry she is with me."

"I dunno Aurain." Klein replied, "It looks like she's carrying some sort of box. Maybe it's a present?"

"S-shuuussshhh!" I curled up into a ball and made myself as small as possible.

"Excuse me Klein?" I heard Lisbeth's voice. She did sound worried...

"Yeah?" Klein replied

"Have you seen Aurain around anywhere?" Lisbeth asked, "He did say he was coming to meet you."

"I haven't." Klein answered, "We aren't supposed to meet up till later."

"Ohhhhh..." Lisbeth trailed off, "Well tell him I was looking for him. I really owe him an apology."

"R-right." Klein scratched his chin.

Lisbeth walked off back towards town, her head drooping down towards the ground.

"Mannnn" Klein yawned, "How can you feel good about make a nice girl like that be so sad?"

"..." I crawled to my feet and headed after Lisbeth, "I'll be back later."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't~"

"S-shut it."

I searched for Lisbeth for hours, but she wasn't even responding to the messaging system for friends. Eventually I decided to just head back to the restaurant and see if she was there. The place was eerily empty when I arrived. No sign of Lisbeth or anyone else for that matter. I did spy something on the back table where She and I had been sitting a few hours ago.

It was a note.

"We Warned You."

A rare feeling of intense rage boiled in my veins. The bastards. This is like some stupid cliché from a comic book where the villains take the thing they think is most important to you. I don't really think Lisbeth counts as the Mary Jane to my Spiderman unless Klein is right about something romantically for once.

I pulled up my instant messenger and sent out a message to Klein.

"Meet me just outside the Labyrinth, we've got an emergency"

"So you think Laughing Coffin is the group that grabbed her?"

"It's l-logical," I handed Klein over the note, "This is the same thing I always get when I go off on my investigations. They've just never done anything before now."

"Any other real clues?"

"Not really." I sighed, "Just this folded up note. Gahhh I can barely think straight!"

"Heh." Klein smirked, "I was right after all."

"Not the time Klein," I grinded out, "Girl in danger remember?"

"Mahhhh..." Klein was unflappable, "Calm down. The great Klein's already got this one figured out for you."

"R-really?"

"Yeah." Klein shoved the paper back into my hands, "Just unfold it loverboy."

I unfolded the note. To my great chagrin, there was an exact location located inside. They were apparently holding her near the giant waterfall in the southern side of this floor's labyrinth. I apologized to Klein for how rude I'd been and promptly shot off into the forest, ignoring his warning calls and my own sense of self-preservation.

As luck would have it, this was only the 36th floor so all the mobs were trash compared to my level at this point, so it didn't take long at all to make it to the waterfall in question.

"Lisbeth!?" I called out

"Ahhhhh..." a silky smooth voice came from directly behind me, "You got here a bit sooner than I expected."

I whirled around to see a figure I had only seen in nightmares for over a year.

"You...!?"

"So you do remember me!" the man took the massive butcher knife off his back and took a step forward, "I remember you well. A bit disappointing your detection skill isn't what it used to be."

"Where is she!?" I took a threatening step forward

"Myy..." the man chuckled, "Your personality sure changes when someone you care about is in danger. Don't worry she's just behind the waterfall. I haven't harmed her, and neither has anyone else."

Immediately I took off at my top speed and shot towards the waterfall. Unfortunately the hooded man was even faster than me and appeared in front of me just as I was about to enter the small cave.

"Going somewhere?"

"What do you want!?" He and I circled around each other.

"Nothing really." the man shrugged, "To cause others pain I suppose."

"So all you want is the world to burn!?"

"I suppose." the man cackled, "Now die!"

I barely brought my claws up to block as the man brought down his massive cleaver. The force of the blow practically drove me to my knees. Great. He was fast and he had stupid strength. Suddenly he kicked my legs out from under me and drove the edge of the cleaver into my chest, sending me flying back into the cave and my health bar shooting down at an alarming rate. Okay new strategy. I needed to grab Lisbeth and get the hell back to town before this guy killed me.

"Aurain!?"

"H-Hey Lisbeth." I groaned out, "Good to see you."

"Get out of here now!" She sounded like she was about to cry again. And again it was my fault.

"No need to worry." I coughed, "I'm gonna get us both out of here safe and sound."

"Don't try and play the hero!" Lisbeth was actually crying at this point, "Get out of here!"

I ducked under the cleaver again rolled away trying to garner some distance.

"Well you're slippery I'll give you that!" The man rushed me, "But soon I'll get to experience the anguish of both you and this girl in full. It will be glorious!"

"You. Are. Sick!" I ducked under another swing and finally managed to rake the man's side with a Reave.

"Come come!" the man laughed maniacally, "Make my blood BURN."

The psycho continued swinging at me, obviously intent on beheading me at this point. His finesse from earlier in the fight seemed to be gone though, which was the only real reason I was keeping up with him at this point.

"Oy Aurain!" I heard Klein calling, "Where are ya buddy!?"

The cloaked man suddenly stopped attacking me and jumped backwards at the sound of Klein's voice. Bless him. Klein, not the maniac with the cleaver.

"Well well..." He sighed, "Looks like we'll have to postpone this for another day Aurain."

And with that the man teleported away. I sighed deeply in relief and bent down to untie Lisbeth, who was being oddly quiet.

As soon as I finished untieing her, The Japanese girl tackled me to the ground and began sobbing into my chest.

"Er..."

"I thought you were going to die!" Lisbeth clutched herself closer, "That man was absolutely horrible! He dragged me by the hair and I thought he was going to kill you and and and..."

I awkwardly patted her on the back and made what I hoped were comforting noises. Finally she stopped crying, and lifted her head to look me in the eyes.

"NEVER make me worry like that again," She hiccuped, "Or I'll personally kick your ass all the way back to the Town of Beginnnings."

"I p-promise." I stuttered.

"Good." She laid her head back down on my chest to my embarrassment, "And I'll try not to get kidnapped like that again."

Feeling unusually daring I spoke up again, "You sure you aren't cheating on Kirito by snuggling up with me like this."

"Is that why you were so angry earlier," She mumbled into my chest. It felt nice, "You were jealous!?"

"According to Klein." I grumbled, "I'm not sure if I should trust him to try and interpret my emotions.

"Well don't worry." She looked me straight in the eyes, "I was just going on about some adventure I had. Sorry if it came out the wrong way."

"Alright..." I was still skeptical. She sounded pretty damn infatuated when she was talking earlier.

"Hmmpph." She glared down at me for a moment, "You know what!"

"W-what?"

Lisbeth suddenly grabbed the back of my head and promptly planted her lips on top of mine. She lingered there for a moment softly pressing hers to mine before pulling back and staring at me with a rosy red blush that probably matched mine.

"That."

"A-ah" My brain was on overload at this point.

"Awww..." Lisbeth stuck her tongue out at me, "Did I break you."

"M-maybe." I stammered, "I'll get back to you on that one."

That was a fluffy chapter...this fic seems to be writing itself lately. Mostly because of Lisbeth.

-Forscythe