I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.

Welcome

Michael opened his eyes at the inn and sat up, Yui flying up to his shoulder instantly.

"Hello Yui," Michael smiled. "Your daddy's coming."

"Really?" Yui asked happily.

"Mhm," Michael nodded.

"He's here!" Yui cheered happily.

Michael pulled up his menu, hacking into the game instantly.

"I'm sending you to him," Michael stated. "Tell him to head for the World Tree."

Yui nodded and Michael sent her, Yui disappearing in a flash of light like when someone in SAO teleported. A moment later, Yui appeared on Kirito's shoulder.

"Hi Daddy!" Yui shouted hugging the side of his head.

"Yui!" Kirito gasped smiling before Yui flew off his shoulder and returned to her full size form, jumping into his arms.

After a moment, she pulled back and explained about the specifics of the game and how to fly using his controller then about where Asuna was. Just as she finished, she alerted him to players above them. They looked up through the trees that Kirito had glitched into landing in and saw a pair of Sylphs flying away from a group of three Salamanders. After a moment, they got caught and began to fight. Kirito flew to help them just as one Sylph died and the other was smashed into the trees. The Salamanders followed her and Kirito attempted to follow them, instead crashing down in a tree, stopping them just before they could fight again.

"Ow," Kirito groaned. "That hurt."

"Who are you?" one Salamander demanded.

"You know, three guys attacking one girl isn't very cool," Kirito stated drawing his sword. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Go for it," the girl invited.

Instantly, Kirito was on the opposite side of the players, one of them suddenly having in-game blood splatter out of him before turning into a Remain Light. He spin, attacking another player and splitting him in half. Then, he turned on the last one, the leader, Kirito assumed and grinned.

"How about you?" Kirito asked.

"I'll pass," the Salamander snorted. "My magic skill is about to reach nine hundred and I'd rather not die here."

"Suit yourself," Kirito grinned as the leader flew away. "You okay?"

"Um...yeah, thanks," the girl said. "Who are you?"

"Kirito," Kirito greeted. "You?"

"Leafa," she said. "So, what are you...doing in Sylph territory?"

"There was a glitch," Kirito stated. "I honestly don't know."

Leafa nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait," Kirito said, noticing she was about to fly but didn't have her controller. "Can you teach me to fly without my controller? I have to get to the World Tree but would like to have my other hand free to fight."

"Sure," Leafa nodded. "You been to town yet?"

Kirito shook his head.

"I'll take you to the nearest one," Leafa said. "It's a Sylph city so you might be attacked but if you're with me you should be safe."

Kirito nodded and Leafa quickly explained how to fly. Once he had gotten the hang of it, she led him to the nearest city where he bought a black coat similar to the one he had had at the end of SAO, and a greatsword that was bigger than him and almost completely black. Once he had that, she agreed to show him how to get to the World Tree and the two headed out. After a few hours of travel, they finally reached the entrance to a cave system that Leafa said was the only way through the mountains. They headed inside but after a moment, they stopped and Leafa hid them with a shielding spell when Yui reported something following them. After a moment, a bat found them and Leafa broke her cover to blast the bat before they started to run, able to see thanks to Kirito's night vision spell. As they ran, they heard armor clanking behind them but didn't look back. They knew it was Salamanders. Finally they reached a bridge and ran across it, stopping when a large earth magic wall rose on the other end. Kirito tried to smash through it but to no avail.

Michael stopped at the entrance to the caves when a wall of flames rose in front of him. He turned around just as a pair of Salamanders dressed in heavy armor with greatswords stepped out.

"Oh, God no," Michael groaned.

"Yep," one of them spoke. "I found you."

Michael groaned again but drew his knives. Both charged and he blocked both swords with his knives then shoved the blades up, spinning and slashing them both. Just as he did, the lieutenant he had fought before, drew his katana and slashed at Michael. Michael blocked it, diverting the blade into the other player then slashed the lieutenant's throat. The lieutenant had managed to mostly avoid it, resulting in only a scratch, then caught his greatsword, slashing down at Michael. Michael avoided it, stabbing the other player in the face as the player struggled to pull the katana out. Then, Michael lunged at the lieutenant. the lieutenant fended off his attacks for a moment then stabbed at Michael. Michael slashed the sword aside and began to tear into the lieutenant. After a moment, he finished him and put his knives away, the flame wall dying down.

"Speed is a wonderful thing," Michael stated. "I didn't use my knives last time because I dislike them. Unfortunately, I'm on a tight schedule this time."

With that, he sprinted into the tunnel, pulling out a torch and lighting it so he could see. After a few minutes, he reached the city and tossed his torch into the water, entering the city. After roughly a minute of walking through it, he found Kirito at a store buying food.

"Look who's here," Michael grinned. "You look just like SAO, except the hair."

"You're one to talk," Kirito smirked. "Blonde? Really?"

"I'm just lucky it isn't neon green," Michael stated. "I hate green."

"Then why be Sylph?" Kirito asked as he started walking.

"Speed," Michael stated. "Sylph is fastest."

"I see," Kirito nodded. "Makes sense. So anyway, we're going to have a girl with us. She was guiding me and also wants to go to the tree."

"That's f-" he was cut off by leafa standing as she came back online from taking a break and speaking urgently.

"We need to hurry," Leafa stated before spotting Michael. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know him?" Kirito asked.

"You were guiding him?" Michael grinned.

Leafa looked back and forth between the two before something in her head clicked.

"This is the friend you were talking about being better than you isn't it?" Leafa asked.

"Did I lie?" Michael asked.

"I don't know," Leafa stated. "All I've seen him fight is weakling Salamanders. Oh shit! We're wasting time. I have to go. I don't have time to explain. I'm sorry Kirito."

Kirito and Michael exchanged knowing looks and then grinned at her.

"Guess you'll have to explain on the way then," Kirito stated.

"It'll take us a while to get out since we can't fly," Michael stated. "That should be enough time."

Leafa stared at them before smiling and nodding. Just as she did, Michael knelt down in front of her.

"We're faster," Michael stated. "At least on the ground. You might wanna get on and hold on tight. Which way we going?"

"World Tree side," Leafa stated blushing slightly but climbing on.

"Follow me Kirito," Michael stated but stopped.

"You have a way to see in the dark?" Michael asked. "I'm out of torches."

"Hold on," Kirito sighed using his night vision spell on all three of them. "There. Now let's go."

Michael turned toward the gate and the two took off, a massive cloud of dust and debris being kicked up by it along with a trail following them.

"So what's the situation?" Michael shouted over Leafa's screams.

"Sigurd betrayed the commander of the Sylphs and the commander of the Catsy to the Salamanders," Leafa explained, speaking loudly over the wind from their running speed. "The Sylphs and Catsies are going to sign a peace treaty to assault the World Tree together. If the Salamander killed them, the treaty's ruined, especially if it's let slip that it was a Sylph spy's fault."

"I agree," Kirito nodded. "That would be bad."

"It sounds like they'll be sending someone strong to stop the peace talks," Michael stated. "Maybe a few. Maybe General Eugene."

"You know about Eugene?" Leafa asked.

"Yeah," Michael snorted. "You could say that."

Leafa asked what he meant but he just laughed seconds before they reached the exit and leapt off the cliff, all three spreading their wings and taking flight.

"Lead the way Leafa," Michael invited. "As fast as you can."

Leafa nodded and they all sped off, shooting through the air rapidly. Michael watched the terrain shoot past below them before looking up, seeing a cliff with a table, fourteen players seated around it. They had beaten the Salamanders, it seemed, but it couldn't have been by much.

They all landed on the cliff, Michael and Kirito drawing their weapons, making everyone assembled jump up and the six guards of each commander draw their swords.

"Relax," Michael snorted. "We're not here to fight you. You're about to have a lot of guests. And they're all red with anger."

"Salamanders?" the person Michael assumed was the Sylph commander, an older woman looking to be in her twenties, maybe thirties with enormous breasts, gasped. "But how?"

"Sigurd," Leafa stated. "He's a traitor."

"I see," the woman nodded. "So you're here to...what? Defend us?"

"Pretty much," Michael nodded. "Especially if we're right about who's with them."

"You know, if this is a trap, we could just run," the Catsy commander, a shorter girl who it was difficult to judge the age for due to the cat fur, ears, and tail.

She was petite at best but was wearing an outfit that exposed her panties where as the Sylph Commander was exposing a record-breaking amount of cleavage, making it hard to judge who was dressed as the bigger slut. Michel could only grin at how much Klein would love to be there.

"No," the Sylph leader said. "We both need this treaty. We'll just have to trust these two, though I don't know what two players can do against that."

She pointed and they all looked, seeing well over sixty Salamanders appearing in the distance. They would arrive within a couple minutes.

"You'd be surprised what Michael can do," Leafa stated. "Apparently, the Spriggan is better."

The Salamanders all stopped in front of the cliff and Michael groaned instantly, a single soldier flying forward, greatsword resting on his shoulder.

"Well well, together again," the lieutenant chuckled darkly. "We have to stop meeting like this."

"That would be nice," Michael grumbled. "What's your name anyway?"

"I'm Archon," the lieutenant smirked. "You're Michael right?"

"I am," Michael nodded.

"Is that right?" a familiar voice spoke up as the soldiers parted and an equally familiar player flew forward, his own sword in its sheath on his back. "Michael. Fancy seeing you again."

"Eugene," Michael groaned. "Terrific."

Read and review.