I do not own Sword Art Online or any of the characters.
Like a Boss
Michael leaned back against the tree, tossing the crystal and then grinning over at Kirito.
"Undine," Kirito said. "Range and blue hair."
Michael snorted in amusement. While it was a fair guess given Sinon's skill set and appearance in GGO, Michael had a different guess.
"Catsy," Michael stated.
Kirito smirked and both nodded, agreeing on a bet. After a moment, there was a blinding light and a girl with a green shirt and pants, sapphire eyes, and bright blue hair, cat ear, and cat tail appeared in front of them with a bow and arrows slung across her back. She blinked and looked around then at Michael who smiled. Then, he held out his hand and Kirito dropped a pouch full of money into it.
"What was that for?" Sinon asked.
"We bet on what race you'd be," Kirito stated. "He said Undine for the ranged magic attacks and blue hair. I said Catsy."
"How'd you know?" Kirito asked.
"First, you can choose hair color now," Michael stated. "Second, because Catsy bows have more range than Undine spells. Plus, Sinon's naturally forty twenty eyesight is doubled as a Catsy."
Sinon grinned and sighed, walking over.
"So, let me guess, you swapped your GGO stats back to your ALfheim Online avatar," Sinon guessed.
"I did," Michael nodded. "But don't worry. You're not starting from flat either."
"What?" Sinon asked.
"Put this on," he said holding out a necklace.
She put it on and it shattered instantly. Then, he avatar went fuzzy for a moment before solidifying again. She looked at her stats and her moth dropped open.
"You gave me my GGO stats?" Sinon gaped.
"Well yeah," Michael snorted. "We're going boss hunting. Why wouldn't I?"
Sinon sighed and shrugged. Then, an alert box appeared, saying she had new equipment.
"By the way, I bought you some better gear," Michael said walking away.
Sinon equipped it and was suddenly wearing a green coat with only half a left sleeve and no right sleeve, a silver chest plate, black shorts, black boots, black wrappings around her hands, a black belt with metal plates on the outsides of her hips, black cord holding her hair in the usual style, and a three-strap black quiver with a strap under each arm and over her right shoulder with a metal plate over the clasp where they met in front, and a black choker. She now held a red bow as tall as she was and had near-invisible string.
"Much better," Michael said. "Now you look just like the rest of our gang of misfits."
"Jee thanks," Sinon said rolling her eyes. "So, are we going to kill things or chat?"
Michael grinned and flew into the air.
"If you can catch me without the remote, we'll go kill things," Michael said. "You still need to learn to play this game."
Sinon extended her wings, which looked like short transparent golden angel wings, then flew into the air, tagging Michael and flying away, winking back at him.
"Why that unbelievable..." Michael growled, unable to help but grin. "Kirito, I think she's played before."
"Double or nothing," Kirito grinned.
Michael laughed and flew after Sinon, catching her easily.
"When did you play?" Michael asked.
"A few times here and there," Sinon stated. "So, can we kill stuff now?"
Michael laughed and spun, catching a second bag of money then turned, flying toward New Aincrad with Kirito and Sinon following, Kirito sending out a mass message that they were going after the next floor boss. Five minutes later, they landed outside the door to the floor dungeon. A moment later, Eugene landed behind Michael, Asuna landed beside Kirito, Leafa landed between Kirito and Sinon, who was beside Michael, Klein and Agil landed beside Eugene, and Lisbeth and Silica landed on the far right and left of the front line.
"So, would someone care to explain why our boss fight formation has three of the strongest in back and our new archer in the front?" Lisbeth asked.
"You'll see," Michael said as they walked toward the dungeon's door.
Just as he reached out toward it, a massive black armoling sword spun through the air at their backs. Eugene, Agil, and Klein all worked together, smashing it into the air with an ability. Then, Kirito and Michael sped past, slashing at the creature standing before them. It caught both blades, spinning and hurling them away then roared.
"You put this thing in as a Field Boss?" Klein snapped.
"I thought you might recognize him," Michael grinned. "Everyone, meet the Day of the Dead event boss."
The creature raised its hand, catching its sword and growled, eyes glowing red as it watched Michael.
"Ah shit," Michael groaned. "I didn't think about that."
"What?" Kirito asked.
"Well, I used a copy of the programming from the original Aincrad version," Michael stated. "Unfortunately, that also means he knows me because he thinks we were just fighting."
Kirito nodded and sprinted forward, slashing at the creature. It blocked his sword and his sword went flying before the creature punched him, hurling him in the opposite direction.
"Oh yeah," Michael blinked. "I forgot he does that. Alright, Archon style."
He stabbed his sword into the ground and held his hands out. Leada hurled hers to him and then Kirito's and Michael sprinted forward, tossing Leafa's sword then grabbing his Elucidator. The creature flew forward, slashing at Michael. Michael blocked the slash then slashed at the creature with his remaining sword. It blocked it as Michael caught Leafa's sword, spinning and activating the same spinning ability he had had in Sword Art Online. On the third cut the creature flew backward and Michael caught his Elucidator, tossing Leafa back her sword then catching Kirito's sword and tossing it back too.
"Attack it!" He shouted sprinting forward.
It flew at him, sword first and he flipped out of the way, stabbing at it. It avoided the attack and flew into Agil's axe and Eugene's sword. It roared, spinning and slashing both, sending their chest plates and weapons both flying. Then, it turned toward Michael again. Arrows began to hit it and it roared, spinning toward Sinon in time for Illfang's cleaver to crash with its chest, throwing it back.
"Nice!" Michael shouted, grinning.
"I love monster summoning!" Kirito grinned just before the creature split Illfang in half. "Nevermind."
"Just think, whoever kills this guy..." Michael grinned.
The creature flew at Michael again and Michael sighed, leaping into the air and flipping over it. Just as he landed, he held out both hands and a massive black humanoid with a six-horned bull's head and an enormous hammer appeared in a blinding flash. It charged forward, swinging wildly at the creature. The creature blocked the hammer after a moment and the hammer sailed skyward. Asterius leaned back, inhaling, then opened his mouth, exhaling a stream of lightning that flashed outward, blasting the creature. Just as it landed, Asterius faded and Asuna, Klein, Lisbeth, Eugene, Kirito, and Lisbeth all crashed into it at once. It soun, hurling them all away and Leafa blasted it with a wind spell. It roared, several arrows hitting it, then hurled its sword at Michael as Michael charged. He dove to the ground under it then stood, as the creature flew at him, claws extended.
"That's it," Michael grinned. "Bring it on."
Suddenly, Eugene stepped in front of it, activating his signature ability. On the last hit, the creature exploded and Michael groaned.
"Oh sorry," Eugene smirked. "Did you want him?"
Michael flipped him off and the others laughed, retrieving their lost weapons. They all headed into the dungeon and made their way through it, quickly finding their way to the boss's door. Michael opened the door and they all walked through, Sinon holding an arrow ready. On the far side of the room was a massive gorrilla with four nostrils, six eyes, and a greatsword in eachbhand, each greatsword roughly three times as long as Michael was tall.
"Fuck that," Michael snorted. "Hey Eugene, remember that dungeon we went to?"
"Hell yeah," Eugene nodded as both held their hands out.
Their shadows separated from them, rising in front of them as the same doppelgangers they had fought before. Both sprinted forward and Michael leaned on his sword, Eugene resting his on his shoulder. Both doppelgangers' swords glowed and both activated their originals' OSS, tearing into the boss. After a moment, it slashed both. Michael growled and held out both hands, a massive dark cloud forming in the center of the room. Then, the darkness solidified into an upper body with a reptilian head and two massive arms. The massive boss swiped at the gorilla, losing a few fingers on its sword but successfully launching the gorilla across the room. The gorrilla stood, leaping at the creature. Before it reached it, the vampire Eugene was now able to summon crashed into it, claws first, apparently not able to use its sword as a summon.
After a very short fight, the gorilla split the vampire in half, followed by Michael's summon.
"Are you fucking..." Michael growled. "Okay, fine. Let's do this the hard way."
They all charged at the gorilla, slashing and stabbing as they passed then turning and trying again. Attack after attack hit but it seemed as though he didn't feel it. As Michael neared it the last time and the others all moved away, Michael activated his OSS. The attacks tore through the gorilla in rapid succession. Then, the Gorilla picked him up, mouth glowing.
"Oh fuck you!" Michael spat.
Before it could kill him, an arrow hit it in the eye. It dropped him and Kirito appeared, slashing it across the face. It batted him aside then roared, raising its swords, which began to glow. Then, Leafa appeared, slashing it repeatedly. It staggered back then fell and shattered. Michael sighed, pushing himself up as the usual announcement appeared over the door.
"I'd just like to point out we're on floor seven and almost back to where we were before New Aincrad, and we're being demolished in our fights," Kirito stated.
"I know," Michael said. "Floor bosses double in strength each floor, except every ten which are as strong as the floor boss above them. Except the Skull Reaper. He's still seventy five and he's still more than four times as strong as the floor below. It continues as normal from him though."
"Figures," Kirito sighed. "Well, so long as it's not a death game. I gotta log out though. Night everyone."
Everyone said their goodbyes and logged out, leaving just Michael and Sinon. She began to log out but he caught her hand.
"I want to show you something," Michael said.
Sinon nodded and Michael opened up a window showing binary code. He typed for a moment, then stopped and the worled began to blur and shimmer. Finally, the world righted itself and they were standing in a field of flowers. Sinon looked around in amasement, then turned to a tree in the center. She walked over to it, Michael following, and sat beneath it, smiling. Michael sat beside her and she leaned on his shoulder.
"It's beautiful," Sinon smiled.
"Yes it is," Michael smiled. "And our group and our group alone is now capable of accessing it from their menu."
Sinon smiled and nodded, wrapping her arms around Michael and sighing. Michael rested his head on Sinon's and closed his eyes. After a bit, Sinon drifted off and a minute later her avatar was logged out. Then, Michael logged himself out and went to bed.
Read and review.