Level Thirty - Contentment

Willow Lake Pure - Level 25 : Black Fox and Kirito's Cabin

Black Fox arrived at the cabin after a long afternoon of leveling up, glancing around but not seeing anyone. She sighed softly, heading to the cabin door to go wait inside. When she opened the door, her eyes went wide and a barrage of party crackers and a shower of confetti greeted her. "Welcome back!" the voices all exclaimed in unison as Black Fox stared at them all. Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, Kirito, they were all there. Well almost all. Majin was obviously in no condition to be there, even though he wanted to be.

"Thank you." She said softly, smiling at them all. "I'm glad to be back." She added.

"Great! Now that that's settled, let's party!"

"Yeah!" the collective enthusiasm made her cheerful, but deep in her mind she knew it wasn't any time to celebrate. Kirito eventually walked over to her and took her hand, letting the others have their fun.

"You alright?" he asked, sipping from his drink as he stood at her side.

"… Not gonna be alright until that bastard Higaki pays for all he's done." She said, squeezing his hand in hers, Kirito squeezing back.

"You can't fight him." He told her.

"I know… I'm no match… a summoner has no hope against a skilled archer, I'm not fast enough." She stated. "I'd need to take up a sword, but I can't chance that because if I do and he has any proficiency in close range, I'd likely get hit." She stated. "I don't have the skill to parry hits. I can only charge and speed hit."

"… Mm… don't worry for now." He told her. "We'll figure this out." He added, smiling at her in a way that melted her heart. "Together."

"Yeah." She nodded, leaning in and resting the bridge of her nose against his cheek. "… I missed you, Kazuto."

"I missed you too… but I knew you'd be back." He added, letting her stay there until Liz called over to them to hurry up and join in the fun, the pair sighing and going over to the others to join in the game they started playing.

Kirito and Black Fox were relaxing together after the others logged out for the night. Black Fox was dosing off but then the message notification came up. "Who's is that?" Black Fox asked, rubbing her eyes.

"That's mine, sorry." He pet her head, checking the message before immediately closed the panel, but the notification kept blinking.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing."

"Kazuto." She opened her eyes. "Who was it?" she asked.

"… better you see for yourself." He opened the panel, scrolling to his messages and clicking on the one that had just come in. It was a challenge notification for a fight… more importantly it was a challenge from Higaki. Black Fox's eyes went wide, immediately she was wide awake.

"He's challenging you…"

"And I intend to take it."

"What?" she looked at him. "You shouldn't…"

"I'm going to take revenge for what he did, Akemi." He told her. "You told me yourself you didn't think you could." He looked at her, smiling. "And I promise to protect you… so let me fight him. If only so you can have some closure." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You should log out and go to sleep… I'll see you tomorrow before the duel?"

"Of course." She leaned against him and hugged him.

"You seem unconvinced." He told her.

"It's not that, I just…" she sighed. "I worry unnecessarily over these things… and I love you."

"Mmm, you do?" he asked, rubbing her back. "Then reward me if I win."

"With what?" she asked. He smiled. "Ah, food then." She smiled. "What shall it be?" she questioned, nuzzling against his cheek. "Italian? American?" she moved her hands around his waist. "Japanese?"

"Italian." He stated. "Pasta, preferably."

"Alright, I'll do that." She smiled. "Next time you and I have a sleepover."

Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture – Akemi's Apartment: August 1st, 10 am

Akemi awoke to someone talking on the phone, sitting up and realizing it was already 10am. But thankfully she had the day off. She looked around, wondering who she was hearing. "No, its not…" her father's voice came through the door. "Yes, I understand mother." Mother…? He must have been talking to her mother's mother. He didn't address his own mother so cautiously or so kindly. She got dressed and headed out into the main room as he hung up the phone. "You're up. Good."

"What were you talking to Baba about?"

"Your Uncle came here and you didn't tell me?"

"No, I didn't." she stated. "Because you always over react. I sent him packing, he won't come back." She stated. "If he does, he'll only get to the door before I slam it back in his face. He insulted mother." She replied, going to pour herself some juice.

"… I see." he replied. "… You told him off?"

"I don't tolerate anyone from the main house insulting mother." She told him. "… Especially not some jerk who married in and is just looking to further himself on the Aihara name." she growled, gripping her cup in her hand. "… He's just as power hungry as Florien or Higaki… just not as twisted."

"… Are you still going to fight?" he asked her.

"… What do you think?"

"I think… that your mother was very right about you taking after me. And if it were me." He stood up from his chair. "I would fight and make very sure any intolerable persons were taken care of." He stated. "Makoto is coming home today, make sure he gets lots of rest…" he headed to the door. "And you too." He added, going out the door. Akemi waited till she knew he was in his car and leaving before she turned on the news, sighing. All this talk about her mother was making her wonder what she was going to do with her future, since she was scared to stay stuck on the past.

"Today's Tech History segment features a very special woman from 15 years ago." The announcer on the news stated. A picture came on screen, Akemi's eyes going wide. "Misako Aihara, a woman who helped to initiate the research into medicinal use for VRMMO, started out as a small-town girl. But her brains and her cheer were not only loved by her peers, but by the whole community. Here are some comments from some of her old co-workers." Akemi stared, seeming shocked. Her mother was a medical researcher?

"Misa was great." Akemi was shocked to see Juzo, Eiki on screen. Her new supervisor at work. "She never let me call her Boss or anything, she wasn't the kind of woman for formalities unless she needed them. And she really loved her work." He stated. "She told everyone this a lot, but she started doing this work for her kids."

"For her kids?" the reporter asked.

"Yeah, her kids. Neither one was especially healthy, and just before she started out there was a huge health scare with her kids." Juzo stated. "I worked for Misa for 5 years before she passed away, and every day she dove into her work with enough enthusiasm for 20 people." He told the camera. "Misa always said that her kids fueled everything she did. That kind of devotion to the job was irreplaceable." He added.

"And there you have it, the day's Tech History. Now, on to the next segment." Akemi turned off the news, staring down at the table.

"Mama…" she mumbled. "You always thought about us…" she rubbed the forming tears away, keeping herself calm. She sat there for a while, even as Makoto came in the door.

"Nee-san?"

"Welcome back, Makoto." She replied, looking over at her brother.

"What's up?" he asked, seeming to know she was thinking about something.

"… Did you know Mama was looking into medical applications for VRMMO?"

"What, really?" Makoto walked over and sat next to her. "Mama was?"

"Yeah… Juzo-san said so."

"Eeeh… that's weird, Mama never seemed busy enough to do medical research."

"That's what I thought." She stated. "… She was doing it for us."

"Us?" he asked.

"You might not remember, but you got really sick when you were still really little. Barely a toddler." She ruffled his hair, causing him to pout a little. "Mama got so freaked out that she had me wear a mask every time I walked into your room for almost a month."

"… Mama was really that protective?"

"Yep." She smiled at him. "I think that was why she started doing medical research. She was preparing for the worst case scenario."

"… Wouldn't that be death?"

"Oi, don't say that."

"Sorry." He replied, looking at the counter. "… Anyway, why bring it up? You don't normally talk about Mama." He added.

"… I think I'm gonna look into medical research and application of VRMMO." She stated. "As a future career." She turned to her brother. "… Maybe then I can stop feeling like I'm not doing enough."

"… You worry too much." He stated, elbowing his sister in the side gently. "You do more than enough… Mama would be proud of you… Father is."

"Hah, is that so?" she asked, chuckling. "The old man, proud of me? Is hell freezing over?"

"I'm serious." He grumbled a little.

"Mmm, I know." She smiled. "Are you going to log on today?"

"Why, is something happening?"

"Mmm, well actually~"

Willow Lake Pure – Level 25

Black Fox, Majin, and a bunch of the others who were able to come online were standing on one side of the town square, watching as Higaki's followers continued to swarm and the sea of red expanded. "These jerks are gonna get thrown for a loop today." Lisbeth stated. Merona nodded in agreement along with Sinon and Asuna. Majin glared at Higaki, Silica standing next to Cecile as the older girl tried to remain calm. Black Fox watched the sea of red for any sign of foul play as Kirito waited at her side.

"Is he really gonna fight with a bow and arrow in this proximity?" Black Fox asked.

"Maybe a cross bow?" Kirito replied to her. "Or some sort of mini bow?"

"… Maybe."

"Kirito. It's time." Majin stated, noting Higaki stepping forward.

"Alright." Kirito stepped forward, Black Fox keeping her arms crossed and keeping herself from preparing to attack Higaki for all the hell he'd caused. "It'll be okay." He told her, snapping her out of her headspace. "Don't worry so much." He turned to grin at her. "Okay?"

"… I'll try." She stated softly. "You can do it." She smiled at him.

"Yea, kick his ass, Kirito!" Lisbeth grinned.

"Give him a beating he won't forget." Sinon nodded.

"Go get em." Majin added. Kirito nodded, glancing at Cecile, who nodded her head, gripping her own arm to prevent herself from trembling. He nodded back, turning to Higaki to begin the fight. The older man grinned, seeming to be very casual about this whole ordeal.

"So, the Fox Den sends out a warrior to fight us off?" Higaki laughed. "Well well, what a surprise. I left the challenge open to your harbinger of bad luck, but it looks like I've been turned down."

"Your little show is getting kind of annoying." Kirito replied, drawing his sword. "You called me out for a fight, so let's fight." He stated.

"Pretty brave, for someone who's been hiding behind a trickster fox who only seems to know how to run." He stated, shrugging. "But that's fine." He pulled his blade from his side, taking his stance. "Let's fight."

Black Fox watched, doing her best not to interfere. Seeing Kirito fighting like this was hard for her to do. One on one against a man she knew to be a murderer… a man who'd probably had a lot of connections thanks to this guild and because of Florien. But something was wrong. She was worried. She was watching Higaki's health meter, and every time it faltered, it only seemed to be half of the damage it should have been. She looked around in the crowd, finally seeing someone at the back of the crowd with a slight glow coming from their body. 'That no good cheater is -?!' she was about to call them out when Majin stopped her. "Majin…"

"He'll still win." He stated. "Or did you not notice yet?" he asked.

"Notice what?"

"He's still only using one sword." He stated, Black Fox's eyes going wide and turning her attention back on the fight. Majin was right, Kirito was not double wielding. "He's testing to see what he can do with just one. He won't use both unless he has to." He added. "Stop worrying."

"… It's hard not to." She replied, taking a breath to calm herself down.

"You worry too much." He added. "We've got this covered."

"We…?" she asked, noting as Kirito began lecturing Higaki about being a cheater, drawing his second sword, and making it impossible for the person discreetly buffing Higaki's defenses to keep up. Kirito's strikes took Higaki's health down in huge chunks, finally striking him down to near zero.

"You're done." Kirito stated, withdrawing his blades from the man. "Cecile." He turned to the girl, who looked up at him. "… Do you want the last blow?" he asked, Cecile's eyes going wide. But she shook her head. "He killed Mugen. Are you sure?"

"… This scum bag isn't worth the effort." She stated. "… Mugen would get mad if I said yes." She looked at Black Fox. "… You should ask Akemi. She was the one who got targeted in the first place, right? He keeps calling us a part of a Fox Den…"

"… Black Fox?" Kirito asked, the girl looking at Higaki with a glare.

"… You heard that line from that bastard Florien, right?" she asked, some of the members of the guild seeming confused. Mumbled whispers of what she was talking about and rumors began to fly through the crowd. "That monster that had so many killed in Ryuuko…"

"Heh, so what if I did? You are bad luck."

"Am I?" she asked, walking over. "Well then I guess you're supposed to free these people of me or something?" she asked. "Well guess what, it's no good." She stated. "Because even if I do bring bad luck with me, you make bad luck for everyone you come in contact with." She said, something cracking the ground beneath Higaki before blasting up and shooting him up off the ground, causing him to land on the side a ways away, dropping his HP bar to just above nothing. "If you EVER come after us again, you'll be very sorry to have entered the Fox Den, you piece of scum." She growled. She turned to the rest of his guild. "That goes for all of you! This man helped a murderer destroy lives in Ryuuko! If you still wish to follow him, that's on you!" she stated before turning on a heel to leave. Kirito sighed, knowing she was still kind of shaken, but he followed her anyway, along with the rest of the group.

"Pretty brave." He told her once they were almost out of town.

"It's not brave." She shook her head. "It's proving a point to those who wish follow in the footsteps of a man that takes life so lightly…" she added, stopping once they were out of town. "… I probably shouldn't have shot him off the ground like that. There will be repercussions…"

"That's fine." Majin told her, walking past her. "We'll just get more EXP if they decide to come fight us, right?"

"Haha, that's one way to think of it." Kirito nodded, Black Fox seeming concerned still.

"You shouldn't worry." A hand reached out and pat Black Fox's shoulder.

"Aya? What are you doing here?"

"Log out for the night. Your father says there's something you need to see."

Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture: Akemi's Apartment – 9:58pm

Akemi had been told by her father to watch the evening news, the girl sitting and waiting for it to air. Makoto was sitting with her, seeming to know something. "What is father doing?"

"You'll see, I won't spoil it." Makoto replied, his sister pouting a bit at him. "Don't do that." He told her, offering her a piece of candy.

"… Fine." She took the candy, unwrapping it just as the news came on.

"Tonight's top story, a man has been arrested this afternoon in relation to the Ryuuko incident." The announcer stated. Higaki's portait came up on screen. "This man, Higaki Otonishi, has been taken into custody because of a recent connection made between him and the man that is said to have perpetrated the Ryuuko incident. Otonishi is said to have been the perpetrator's younger brother, as well as one of the leading members of the group that was responsible for so many deaths during the-" Akemi turned off the tv, Makoto looking to his sister as she got up from her seat.

"Nee-san?"

"He had him arrested…?"

"He did." Makoto told her. "Aya tracked him down for father first, though."

"… Why?"

"Well, he was already going to be tracked down anyway-"

"You know what I mean!" she stated, Makoto quirking an eyebrow at his sister. Why was she mad?

"… You want to know why father's helping us out so much?" he asked.

"What's he trying to do?" she asked, looking annoyed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that psycho's behind bars… but…" she bit her lip. "But why is father trying so hard to help us?"

"… I wasn't joking when I said he was proud of you, and he knows you're too proud to accept his help openly. He may not show it, but you know, he's still our father." He told her. "… He was probably concerned because he didn't want you to get targeted again." he added. "Father keeps away because he's scared of losing us like he lost mother."

"… He makes it way too bothersome to keep up with his motives." She stated. "He never tells me anything directly, what is he scared I'll just yell at him?"

"Well… He probably doesn't want to chance it, after what happened the last time." Makoto reminded her, finishing his juice. "… you should try talking to him about mother…" he added. "I don't remember her much, so I'm sure having someone to talk to about her would be good for both of you."

"… That so?" she asked, ruffling his hair. "You're finally just sick of us arguing, huh?" she smiled a little.

"Just a bit." He stated. "If nothing else, at least say thank you, okay? He gets all depressed when you ignore him." He added. "He's just like you when you get depressed. It's scary."

"Eeeh… that so?" she asked, ruffling her brother's hair again. "Well, I'll do it later. For now, go get some sleep." She told him, Makoto getting up to wash his cup before heading to bed. "Night, Makoto."

"Night, Nee-san." He said, heading into his room. Akemi wandered into her room, flopping down on her bed. She stared at the clock, letting out a long sigh. Higaki was behind bars now… it was done. She felt so much calmer than she thought she would.

"Should I be happier?" she asked herself, soon though, coming to the conclusion that she didn't really care. Maybe now this nightmare could finally be over. Maybe now things would settle down. She smiled a little before finally drifting off to sleep.

((Another chapter after a long wait- ; n ;

Sorry again, school keeps me busy. But now we're one chapter closer to the end! There will be 3 more chapters, not including an epilogue!

I hope you all look forward to the last few chapters! Reviews are loved~

-Winter Cheshire))