Hey folks. The last few months have been pretty rough for my personal life, but I'm glad I could come back to this. Hopefully I'm not too rusty, because it's been a while since I've written much of anything. Anyways, thank you all for the support and I hope you enjoy!

And before I forget, I want to thank Midland2541 for giving the chapter a look over. Plus, great news, our plucky protagonist Masai is making a guest appearance in his story An Englishman in the Glocken. Please give the fic and his other stories a look! I've been enjoying them quite a bit myself.

Chapter 10

The SAO Survivor School was abuzz with activity when the bell rang to dismiss classes for the day. Students were out and about in the wide open halls, talking and laughing, socializing with friends. Some of them hurried down the stairs to the first floor to leave campus and get home, while others headed out to other classrooms in the building to attend clubs or practice their chosen hobby. It wouldn't be long before the library filled up, too, as some of the more studious of us got straight to work studying the material from today's lectures.

When I got out of class, the first thing I did was look for Kazuto.

It didn't take long for me to find him. He stood right outside his class a bit further down the hall from mine, eyes glued to his phone, face set in a contemplative frown as his thumbs danced over the screen. It reminded me of what Asuna said during our double date. Did I really look like that whenever I was absorbed in something?

"Well, at least you're not texting in class like me," I said as I approached.

Kazuto blinked and looked up at me, his face brightening a little. "Oh, hey Makoto. Are you heading home?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you. Got time?"

"Sure, I guess," he said, and slipped his phone into his pocket. I tilted my head down the hall and the two of us headed on.

"I ran into Rosalia the other day. She sure seemed happy to hear about you," I said.

Kazuto's dark eyes flicked over to me, his expression getting stuck somewhere between surprised and apprehensive. "You talked to her? What happened?"

"Oh, nothing too exciting. She wanted me to help with her problems and I told her to shove off because I knew better than to team up with someone like her," I loosened the tie around my neck, sighing. "Broke the news that I knew about what she'd been up to in SAO. Wasn't about to cozy up with someone like her."

"Rosalia caused a lot of pain back then," Kazuto agreed. "Not just to the Silver Flags, but to all the people she'd made victims of."

We went down the stairs to the first floor. I didn't say anything until we were at the bottom.

"She says the leader of the Silver Flags lied to you."

Kazuto froze. He stared at me with wide eyes, mouth slightly opened, and not a sound left him. It got so quiet I could hear the trill of a clarinet going through its scales from the music room down the hall.

"She said that?" He said.

I lifted both hands, palms up. "Seemed adamant about it even."

Kazuto's expression turned troubled. Several long seconds passed before he simply said, "I see."

"She told me to ask you what the Silver Flags were doing before they died," I said. "But if I had to guess, I'd say you don't know."

The uneasy expression on his face deepened. "I…never looked too close at them. I saw someone who needed help, so I wanted to give it."

"Think a lot of people would have done the same thing," I said.

Kazuto gave a single shake of his head. "The Silver Flags leader was on the frontlines for days begging for someone to help. Nobody did until I found him. There…has to be an explanation for it…"

He let the sentence hang in the air. I understood what he was getting at. There might have been a reason nobody was helping the guy out. Maybe the other Clearers knew something about him that Kazuto didn't. Could be that the leader of the Silver Flags wasn't entirely on the up and up.

I put my hands on my hips, staring down at the ground between us. "You never talked to the guy after you put Rosalia away?"

"Once. He thanked me and wanted to pay me for arresting her, but I turned it down. I…never saw him again."

I gave a subdued nod. So the only person who knew the truth about the Silver Flags was Rosalia, and she had fantastic reason to lie. Maybe she was being truthful with me, and they really were up to no good. It was also possible she was spinning another lie to cover her own ass. It all came down to how much I trusted her word.

Which pretty much tells you my opinion, right there.

"Don't need to say sorry. If anything, I'm sorry for bringing it up. It was stupid of me to even pester you about it," I said.

Kazuto shook his head. "To tell you the truth, I still feel a little responsible for this."

"What, with Rosalia?" I asked.

Kazuto nodded. "From what you've told me, she's stronger now than she's ever been. She has power and resources, way more than she had in SAO," he said. "Putting her in Black Iron Prison was for the best back then, but I can't help but feel like it made her way more dangerous too."

I couldn't exactly argue with him there. Rosalia didn't strike me as the kind of person who made the same mistake twice. I didn't know how long she'd been cooped up in Black Iron Prison, but it was probably long enough for her to think hard about what went wrong, and what she could do to prevent being outdone again. Now here she was, standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the most powerful people in GGO. Whatever she learned after getting beaten by Kazuto, it had taken her far.

"When people get knocked down, they tend to get back up. A lot of the time they get stronger as a result," I said. "Rosalia isn't anything special. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Even still, the fact that you have to deal with her now bothers me. I don't want you getting into trouble on my account."

I cracked a lopsided grin. "Yeah, I can get into plenty of trouble on my own."

The smile he put on wasn't exactly genuine, but I knew he was doing it to make sure I didn't worry about what he was anguishing over. It's the thought that counts.

"There you are!" a voice from the stairs called out. Both Kazuto and I looked up to see Rika coming down with Asuna right behind her. "Kazuto, you didn't forget about today, right?"

Kazuto rubbed his arm. "Eh, today? Today…today…"

Rika let out a groan that could win awards for gross exaggeration. "Seriously? You were going to take us to the crepe shop, remember?"

"Oh, I did say that," he said. "Sorry, I've been kind of distracted lately."

Rika snorted, putting her hands on her hips. "You can be such a numbskull sometimes, you know? Get a girl all excited about crepes just to up and forget about it."

"I don't forget things all the time. Besides, didn't you twist my arm into inviting you because you were the one who wanted to go?"

"I don't recall such a thing," Rika said, in that exact tone of voice that suggested she very much recalled such a thing.

While the two of them descended into another round of bickering, Asuna turned and gave me a nod by way of greeting. "Do you want to come with us, Makoto? There's always room for one more."

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to have to take a rain check on that. I got plans with Shino today," I said.

"Ah, spending more time with her huh? I'm sure she appreciates it," Asuna said.

Rika's attention turned on a dime, going from squabbling with Kazuto to shooting Asuna a teasing smirk. "No doubt she does. They're still in that honeymoon phase, Asuna. They probably can't keep their hands off each other."

I raised a finger. "Woah now, don't you go implying things, Rika. There have been zero instances of hands being put on each other. Shino and I have been taking it slow."

"Really, so what have you two been doing? C'mon, give me the details." Rika said.

I laughed. "No way. I don't kiss and tell."

A sly smirk grew on her face as Rika leaned forward. "Speaking of kissing…"

I'm not an easily flustered guy. I've been through too much to really get thrown off my game by something as simple as a bit of friendly teasing. My voice stayed perfectly calm and lighthearted, even if my cheeks started to burn. "It'll happen when it's time."

Asuna poked her on the shoulder, her tone gently chiding. "Hey come on now Rika, you shouldn't pry so much. It's private."

"Aw come on, I'm just curious is all. No way is Shino going to tell me," Rika said.

"I think she might have the right idea," I said.

Rika crossed her arms over her chest, a pout on her face. "Fine, fine. But c'mon Asuna, you have to be at least a little curious, right?"

"Nope." Asuna smiled. "Not even a little. It'd be rude to invade Shino's privacy like that."

Rika heaved a dramatic sigh. "Great. Now I look like I got no manners."

"It's okay. The crepe will make you feel better," I said in a solemn voice.

She huffed an agreement. "You're dang right it will. Kazuto, you're getting me two now." She marched behind him, grabbed a hold of his shoulders, and started pushing forward.

"Wha—wait, now you're just being unfair." Kazuto said. He made a valiant attempt to skid to a stop, but alas, there was nothing he could do against Rika's desire for sweet pastries.

I watched them go, shaking my head and laughing. "Rika's pretty scary in her own way, huh?"

"Yeah. She likes to give people a hard time. Kirito, especially," Asuna said with clear fondness.

"Guess I should count my blessings. I wasn't her target today," I said. "Anyways, I got to run. Talk to you guys later?"

Asuna nodded. "Say hi to Shino for me."

"Will do." I gave her a quick wave farewell and we parted ways as I headed towards the back of the school. My phone chirped, and when I fished it out, a text from Shino was waiting for me.

Hey, school just let out. I'm going to take Rei out for a little bit of grinding, okay?

My finger flew over the keys to reply. cool, i'll be diving in soonish. gonna wrap up a few things first.

Let me know when you're in. We'll go to the Treasure Guilds together.

sure thing, I typed out, and went on my way towards the back of the school, where the athletic field lay.

The SAO Survivor School spared no expense when it came to providing us with the same experiences other kids our age got. Not only did the school have its own band and clubs that ranged from dance to photography, but we also had sports teams that played with the other schools in the area. Every day after school the athletic field would be their training ground, where coaches gave their drills and players practiced their fundamentals. It made me really proud in a way. It went to show that despite what everyone in this school went through, it was still possible to live and play as if nothing ever happened.

I stepped out onto the field, pinching the front of my shirt and tugging on it a few times to cool me down from the scorching heat outside. It's a good thing we didn't have to wear the school blazers during the summer. I'd probably melt into a puddle before I could find who I was looking for.

It took me a couple minutes, but I found Kotone sitting in her usual spot — in the shade of a big oak tree next to the equipment shed, her back against its trunk. She stared at the notebook in her lap, her brow furrowed in concentration, pencil scratching away with quick, forceful strokes. She didn't notice me coming up to her.

"You know, my pencil broke when I was drawing a rectangle," I said.

Kotone blinked and looked up at me. "What?"

"Now it's a wrecked angle."

She set her pencil down and buried her face into her hands. "Where do you get the confidence to say this kind of stuff?"

"Boundless levels of self-esteem. Practicing in front of a mirror helps too," I sat down next to her. "How are you doing? A lot of stuff went down last weekend. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Kotone sighed and pulled her hands away to stare at her notebook. "I'm a little stressed, but it's nothing too bad. I'm just…it's still kind of surreal that it happened."

I nodded emphatically "It's alright. None of this is your fault."

"I know, but still. I'm not sure what to do now. I've never had to deal with something like this."

"Hardly anyone does. It's not every day people get swept up in proxy wars being waged in VRMMO games."

Kotone cracked a half-hearted grin. "Hah. True. But who would have thought something like that could happen in GGO?"

I lifted a hand idly. "I dunno. The more time I spend with info brokers, the more I start to realize it isn't the people at the top of the leaderboards you should be careful around. It's the ones that don't show up at all."

Kotone glanced at me, curious.

"Because they're not playing GGO for fun or glory," I explained. "They want something else. Money. Power. Usually both. Or something else entirely. But they'll run over anyone who gets in their way."

"That sounds kind of cynical, doesn't it?"

"It's possible I may be just a tad cynical at the moment. Don't tell anyone. Bad for my image," I said.

"Yeah, that sort of thing doesn't really suit you," Kotone leaned her head back against the tree trunk. The sigh that left her lips should have been coming from someone who'd been carrying around a heavy weight and finally set it down, not a troubled friend worrying about her circumstances. "I don't know what to do now."

"We still have a few cards to play, and I'm not throwing in the towel until we play them all the way to the end."

Kotone brought her gaze back down to me. "You have an idea?"

I gave a casual shrug of my shoulder. "We take this to the Treasure Guilds. You still got friends there, right? We'll tell them the whole story, show them you had nothing to do with it. If we're lucky, they'll help us figure out a way to clear your name."

"Would that work? I know a lot of people in the guilds, but I don't know how many are willing to stand up for me."

"The important thing is you weren't involved at all. If we band together and take our case to the top brass, then they can convince them to cover for you. They damn well should too, considering they were the ones who hired you in the first place." I turned my body to face her. "I'll give this my best shot, Kotone. You can be sure of that."

She eyed me, and for a brief second relief touched her face. "Thanks, Makoto."

I nodded, smiling back. "No problem. I already texted Sinon that I'll be in GGO soon. We can all meet up and head to the Treasure Guilds together."

Kotone opened her mouth to speak, but then she froze, blinking at me. "You…texted her? You mean you have her number?"

"Oh. Well…yeah?"

She paused for a beat, then she closed her notebook, giving her full attention to me. "Okay, what's going on there? I didn't want to say anything out loud the other day, but you two were weirdly close."

I stared at her, a little stunned. But then again, maybe I shouldn't have been. Kotone's observational skills were at least as good as mine. It served her well during our SAO days, when finding treasure meant acquiring rare resources and equipment essential to our survival. I just hadn't expected her to use them to suss out my relationship with Sinon.

Well, there was no harm in telling her. Kotone was an old friend. She deserved to know.

"It might sound a bit weird, but yeah. Sinon and I are dating. Have been for a little while now," I said.

Kotone's eyebrows shot straight up. "You're kidding? You and her?"

"Is there something wrong with that?" I asked.

"Oh not at all. I just thought that peppy girls were more your type. Sinon's kind of…"

"I know she comes off as cold and unapproachable and all that, but that's just the wall she puts up around strangers. She was like that with me at first. But the more we got to know each other, the more she started to open up and…well, we ended up here," I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a little bit bashful. "Shino, oh, her name is Shino Asada by the way, she's really sweet and brave and she's supported me through some tough times. She just makes me feel good about myself, y'know? And when she smiles, it's like the whole room starts to glow and…yeah…she's great."

Philia's mouth twitched and she covered it with a hand to hide her laugh. "Oh my god, you're rambling. I don't think I've ever seen you like this. You're really head over heels, aren't you?"

My stupid ears were burning again, but I couldn't help it. Rika was right. I really was in the honeymoon phase. "It's possible I'm a little smitten with her."

"I never would have thought you'd go for someone like her. But hey, congratulations. I really hope it works out between you two." Kotone said with a genuine smile. "So you guys have been keeping it a secret, huh?"

"Yeah. Sinon's practically a celebrity in GGO, and she's got more than her fair share of admirers and rivals. If it got out that we were a thing, it could cause trouble for both of us. So we both figured it'd be best to keep it under wraps."

"Oh. You're pretty bad at that," she said, laughing. "I mean, I figured it out right away. It was pretty obvious. Especially now. I can see the hearts floating around your head."

"Everybody's a critic," I shook my head, chuckling a little myself.

Kotone grinned back, then little by little her expression turned serious. "But hey, how much does she know? About you, I mean."

It was pretty easy to tell what she was getting at. I shrugged one shoulder. "Shino knows I'm an SAO survivor. I haven't told her all the details, but she knows more or less what I've been through."

Her voice dropped low and she asked, "Does she know about you and the Ryuujin?"

I stared at her. The warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest vanished in a puff of smoke. I swallowed the tightening in my throat before it could begin to strangle me. "I, uh, told her just the other day, actually. I ended up…There's — ugh look, this what I told her."

I laid down everything I told Sinon, and when I finished, Kotone's face was filled with shock and disbelief.

"You lied to her," she said.

I winced. "I didn't lie to her." God, I couldn't have sounded more unconvincing if I tried. "I just…didn't tell her the whole story."

"It's not good to keep secrets from people," Kotone said. "The more you do, the more it's going to push you two apart. Not because she won't trust you again, but because you'll always have this barrier between you two."

I grimaced and looked away from her. "It won't turn out like that."

"How can you be sure?"

I shoved myself up to my feet, pacing back and forth in front of her. "I mean, do I even need to tell her? It's in the past. It's never going to come up again. If I tell her now, all it's going to do is hurt our relationship." I shook my head. "What would I say to her anyways? That I lied to her? That I actually swung first and Shu was the one that paid for it? That when it came down to it, I got him killed because I couldn't bear to let some no-name bandits take everything we had? I can't do that."

"If you don't tell her and she finds out anyway, it'll hurt her even more," Kotone said. "Makoto, you can explain it to her."

"I couldn't even explain it to my own guild," I muttered. "I had to message them to try and explain what happened, all because that stupid orange cursor didn't let me go back to the safe zone for days. We both know how guilty that made me look."

"This is different," Kotone said as she stood up to her feet. "You can tell her on your own terms now, right?"

I stared down at the ground, slowly shaking my head. "Listen…I really like Shino. She's important to me. I don't want to ruin things with her. I just don't."

Silence hung in the air between us. Kotone let out a slow exhale, looking away. After a moment, she came to stand directly in front of me. "Makoto, I'm telling you this as your friend. You can't leave this buried forever. Someday, you're going to have to forgive yourself. I just want you to do it before it's too late, okay?"

"It won't come to that," I said. "Can't be too late if I never give it a chance to get going."

Kotone let out a dreary sigh. "I hate it when you're stubborn sometimes."

"I know, I know," I mumbled. "Look, I'll keep it in mind. Let's just focus on helping you first, okay? I can deal with my tragic backstory afterwards."

Kotone shot me a dubious glance for a long moment, but thankfully she shrugged and left it at that. "So are we meeting up in GGO?"

"Yeah. I'll log on as soon as I get home. Meet up with you at the Treasure Guilds?"

She nodded. "I'll be there."

I bid her goodbye and made for the school's front gate. By now the school had taken on that winding down part of the day, where most of the halls were empty save for the occasional gathering of students. Which meant there was pretty much nothing to distract my brain from replaying our conversation.

Kotone always meant well. She had looked out for me in SAO and never really stopped. If she thought I needed advice, then she'd give it regardless of whether I asked her or not. This time was no different.

But this wasn't something I wanted to dredge up again. Not with Shino. If she found out someone died for me because of my stupid mistakes — because I couldn't control myself…

It took me a few seconds to realize my jaw was clenched. I forced myself to ease the tension out with long, slow breaths.

I made my peace with what happened a long time ago. I apologized to the Monument of Life in SAO because it was the closest thing my friend had to a grave. I made amends to him and to my guild as best I could. For all intents and purposes, it was behind me now. It sounds selfish and it probably is, but I didn't want my old life meeting my new one. I didn't want to lose this one very special thing to me.

I didn't want to lose Shino.

The thought stayed stuck in my head all the way back home. I hoped a miracle would happen and I'd find a way to ease the gnawing anxiety in my stomach at some point during the trip, but I guess that wasn't the kind of luck I was due today.

As soon as I got home, I kicked off my shoes, dumped my school bag on my desk, and sent Sinon a message through the Amusphere app on my computer. A few minutes later, I collapsed into bed while donning my headset. I didn't bother to change out of my uniform or do my usual routine of grabbing a quick bite to eat before diving in. The sooner I could get into GGO and start solving problems, the better I'd feel.

I took a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling, and spoke the words, "Link start."

When I opened my eyes, I expected to log into an empty apartment. Sinon and Rei were probably still out grinding levels, and it would take a bit of time for them to come back after I messaged them. So it came as a bit of a surprise when the first thing I saw spawning in was Argo sitting on my kitchen counter. Her face broke into a faint, if slightly tired smile when she saw me.

"Heya," she said.

I looked around. Noya was leaning against the wall next to my window with his arms crossed over his chest. He regarded me steadily and offered a short nod by way of greeting.

"How did you guys get in here?" I asked.

"Sinon let us in before she took off with Rei." Argo explained. She hopped off the counter, her smile turning a shade more teasing. "She's got the same permissions as you, huh? What's up with that? Did ya give her the spare keys to your place or somethin'? Pretty interestin' thing to do for a friend."

"I am a pretty interesting guy," I said. "So to what do I owe the visit?"

Her face smoothed out into an emotionless mask. "Bad news. Cedric is gone."

I lifted an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Argo lifted her hands, palms up. "He's gone. His account is closed."

Damn. I frowned. It's not like I was expecting to recapture the guy anytime soon, but having our strongest lead permanently slip through our fingers like that still didn't feel too encouraging. "I don't suppose you have any good news to go with that?"

"Fresh out I'm afraid," Argo said.

I nodded in understanding. "Can't always be easy."

"Ain't that the truth. I've even tried lookin' into what Rosalia said about a mole in the Network. Came up with squat."

"Nothing to find?"

She shook her head. "Nothin' to back up her claims, but I didn't find anything to debunk 'em either," she said. "I need more time. It's a lot harder to snoop around a broker's business than any regular joe's. Ask the wrong person the wrong question and it's gonna make its way back to the broker I'm investigatin'. Then it's me gettin' dealt with."

That worried me. The Network didn't strike me as the type to forgive spying by one of their own. Argo landing in hot water because of it was a frighteningly real possibility. "Are you going to be okay? The Network is pretty tense right now. The last thing we need is you getting accused of being a traitor."

"Gimme some credit here, Masai. This ain't the first time I've stuck my nose where I shouldn't," she said, the beginning of a smirk touching her lips. It died away quickly though, and she said, "Sinon told me you're plannin' on talkin' things out with the Treasure Guilds."

"Yeah, pretty much."

Argo sniffed, her murky yellow eyes flicking towards the only window in my apartment. "I don't think it's gonna work, Masai. There's too much riding on this for them to just let it go."

"I have to try. Otherwise I'm out of options," I said.

Her eyes centered on me again. "Rosalia gave ya an offer to work together."

I lifted a hand in acquiescence. "Okay, let me clarify — otherwise I'm out of good options. Throwing in with her is like jumping into a pit filled with rabid bears. You're just asking to get bitten at some point during the deal. Besides, I'm your Operator not hers."

Argo scrutinized me for a moment. "Suppose you're right about that. Just keep somethin' in mind."

"What's that?"

"When I first asked ya to work for me, I did it after being one hundred percent sure of what kinda person you were," Argo said. "Ya know what I found out? You're the kinda guy that'll go right to the wall for his friends, and damn the consequences. Saw it plain as day when ya tussled with Ikuchi for Sinon's sake." She patted me on the shoulder, nodding. "Do what ya gotta do, Masai. I won't hold a grudge or nothin' if ya go off on your own for a bit. Just keep me in the loop, 'kay? I'll keep working things on my end."

With that, she turned and headed for the door. She shot me a wink over her shoulder, then touched the doorknob, disappearing in a flash of light.

"What exactly was she saying," I asked.

Noya pushed himself off the wall. "She gave you permission to act as you see fit. Including working with Rosalia if it comes to it."

I furrowed my brow. "I thought she didn't like Rosalia."

"True. But I imagine she trusts you more. I do too for what it's worth," Noya said. "However, a word of warning. Rosalia isn't the only one you should keep an eye on. Talbot is just as much of a threat, perhaps more so."

I glanced at him. "The guy in the cowboy getup? Why, exactly? He looks like he's bored half the time."

Noya gave me a measured look. "You should consider why that is. Talbot is Rosalia's personal bodyguard. The same way I am with Argo. If he isn't on guard around you, then he doesn't consider you much of a threat."

"Seems like a bad move on his part," I said.

"It's not. He isn't stupid, Masai. If he thinks he can kill you without much trouble, then it's practically a sure thing."

I crossed my arms. "You talk like you know him."

"He's in the same group as me."

My eyes widened. Crap. That explained it. Argo didn't pick Noya up off the street one day. He belonged to another group that hired themselves out to the highest bidder. I didn't know much about them besides the fact that they were called Cerberus. Hell, I didn't even know they existed until the day I signed up for the Squad Jam, when a girl named Pitohui brought it up.

If Talbot and Noya were part of the same group, then it was likely, even a certainty, that he was a badass in his own right. I've seen Noya at work before. People died by the dozens when he was in play. I didn't relish the idea of fighting someone like him.

"Well, we're already tangling with a skilled merc group and an elusive group of info brokers. Why not throw in a dangerous bodyguard who'll gut me if I so much as breathe on Rosalia?" I said.

"Things are bound to get even more serious than they already are. Comes with being in this line of work." He said. "Watch your back, Masai."

Noya turned and left my apartment, leaving me all alone.

I almost said aloud 'How can things possibly get more serious?', but I knew better than to tempt the universe like that.

See? I'm smarter than I look.

I ambled over to the footlocker at the end of my bed and started gearing up, grabbing grenades, spare magazines, the works. I almost finished arming myself when another flash of light materialized from my door. Sinon and Rei stepped inside.

"Good, you're already here," Sinon said.

Rei approached me and gave a crisp salute. "Today's hunt was a success, Master. I claimed one hundred and fifty-nine kills today and went up three levels."

I raised a fist in encouragement. "Stellar work, Rei. Keep this up and you'll outlevel both me and Sinon."

She puffed her chest out from the praise. "I'll aim for the top, Master. I'll make you proud. Just you wait and see!"

I nodded to her and said to Sinon, "You need to restock?"

"Yeah. I was going to head to the market real quick."

I beamed at her and held out my hand, palm facing up. Sinon stared at it, her expression confused. I made a show of wiggling the fingers of my other hand over it, and with a quick, practiced gesture, one of Hecate's big box magazines appeared from my inventory into my hand. "Voila. For the lovely lady."

Sinon blinked at the magazine. Then a short, airy laugh escaped her lips. "Really? You're keeping Hecate ammo here now?"

"Why not? Saves you money and you get to see my cool magic trick." I said. Nothing says romance like buying your girlfriend some ammo to save her a trip to the store. It's the GGO equivalent of buying her favorite candy.

Sinon's eyes sparkled in amusement and she shook her head. "You're an idiot sometimes."

"Only with you," I said, smiling. I opened a trade window with her and said, "Philia's going to be waiting for us at the hunters' HQ."

"You talked to her in the real world?" Sinon asked, accepting the trade.

"Yeah, after talking to Kazuto. Rika dragged him off for crepes. Asuna says hi by the way."

"Going for crepes sounds like a good idea right about now," Sinon said with a longing sigh. "Did you meet with Argo? She said she wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah," I said, and gave her a quick rundown of our conversation.

Sinon scrunched her nose when I finished. "She's really going to let you do your own thing, huh?"

"Looks like. Maybe she figured I worked better when I'm off the leash."

"You weren't on much of a leash to begin with."

"Yup," I said, putting my hands on the back of my head. "I'm a loose cannon that doesn't play by the rules, but the chief can't discipline me because at the end of the day I always get the job done."

"I've read books like those. Those kinds of people are usually a total mess." Sinon said. She looked at me, and her tone of voice turned slightly teasing. "Maybe you'd fit right in."

"Yup. Total mess. That's me alright. I don't make my bed and I leave out my socks on the floor," I said.

We shared a tentative smile. Never underestimate the little moments. They're worth as much as the stars in the night sky, and were no less beautiful.

But as we stared into each other's eyes, my conversation with Philia forced itself to the front of my mind again, along with the guilt, regret, and worries it caused. Before I realized it, my mouth started moving. "Hey Sinon?"

"Hm, what is it?"

I tried to speak. Tried. But I couldn't. What was I hoping to hear from her, exactly? Some words of encouragement? Did I want some reassurance that she still wanted to be with me?

Or maybe, in the end, I just wanted to hear her voice again. To know she was still here. Something so simple, yet no less important to me.

"It's nothing. Forget it."

She raised a brow. "Are you sure? It's not like you to clam up all of the sudden."

"Yeah, I'm just…distracted I guess," I lied.

Sinon tilted her head, concern evident on her features. Then she put her hand on my chest. "Don't do that. I need you right here with me, okay?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, shuddering slightly from the simple contact. My hand found hers and touched its fingers, squeezing them gently. "Yeah. I will be. Always," I said, my voice rough.

She drew away, her face softening. "Good."

I bowed my head. Argo was right. I'd do whatever it took to protect the people close to me. Didn't matter what happened to me in the process. Whatever the cost was to keep them safe, I'd pay it gladly.

Yeah, it kind of makes me sound like something of a martyr, but it was a solemn promise I made to myself ever since Shu died protecting me. And I don't break my promises.

We finished our preparations, and together we headed out into the city, determined to make a difference.

The headquarters for GGO's treasure hunters wasn't very far from my place in Central Glocken. Like the name suggests, the Treasure Guilds is an umbrella term for an alliance of groups committed to finding rare and valuable loot of all kinds. Word is that back in the game's early days, a group of talented players banded together to solve one of the hardest hunts at the time. They pulled it off. Once they bagged the prize, they decided to continue their partnership, with each member founding their own guild over time. The Treasure Guilds has only gotten stronger since then, gathering members and riches alike. So much so that they became one of the first to gather enough credits to buy actual property in Glocken, a nice collection of office buildings connected by skybridges that served as their base of operations and general clubhouse. It looked to be pretty busy, with people going in and out or hanging around outside.

We were just about to head inside when a flicker of motion caught my eye. Philia waved at me from the mouth of a nearby alleyway. When we went over to greet her, she bit her lip, looking past me at the treasure hunters' HQ.

"I thought you were going to meet us inside," I said.

Philia sighed, anxiety touching her eyes. "I was going to but…maybe it isn't such a good idea."

Sinon looked from her to the collection of buildings behind us, her mouth thinning into a line. "I see. You're afraid something will happen if you step foot in there. A lot of the treasure hunters still think you're guilty, right?"

"Yeah. I don't think I can show my face there right now."

"Can't exactly convince people you're innocent if you won't see them, Philia," I said gently.

"I already messaged someone to come meet us out here. He might be able to help," Philia said.

I lifted an eyebrow. Sure enough, less than a minute later, an older man dressed in dark trousers, a dress shirt, and a heavy overcoat walked out of the Treasure Guilds' headquarters. He scanned the area until he found us and started coming over. Recognition dawned on me.

"Hey Barr. It's been a while," I said to him.

When I first started out in GGO, I mostly stuck by Philia while she showed me the ropes. Barr was a frequent sight in our squads. In fact, he'd been with us during the bandit attack where I first met Sinon. He was a bit on the shorter side, but he had a stocky wrestler's build to him, complete with wide shoulders, a barrel chest, thick wrists and hands, and enough layers of dense muscle that a tackle from him would be enough to split me in half.

He smiled a little, but it looked like it was fraying at the edges, as if the slightest tug would unravel the whole thing. "Wish it were under better circumstances, kid. Watched you win the last Squad Jam. Helluva thing. Ain't a young gun anymore, are you?"

"I guess not. People keep telling me I can get a seat at the big boy table if I really wanted to," I said. "But right now we need to talk about Philia."

His expression darkened. "Hm. I guessed as much."

"I want to help her out."

"Uh huh," Barr glanced at Sinon and Rei for a moment, arms crossed, eyes calculating. "And why is GGO's most infamous sniper here exactly?"

"Do I need a reason?" Sinon replied, as cool headed as ever.

"I suppose not. I'd still like to know what interest you have in this. It doesn't involve you," Barr said, his tone more curious than hostile. "I get why Masai's here. He's got history with Philia. But you and the little miss there are strangers."

"They're legit, Barr," I said. "C'mon, you said you saw the Squad Jam. You know they were on my team. They're trustworthy."

Bar let out a breath through his nostrils. After a moment's hesitation, his arms fell to his sides and he shrugged. "If you say so. Don't take it personally. The mood isn't real festive right now."

"What's been going on in the guild?" Philia asked.

Barr looked at her, a pang of sympathy on his rough features. "Orders came from the top. Far as they're concerned, you're public enemy number one, and we're supposed to serve you up on a silver platter if we find you. The bastards."

Philia looked like a knife was being twisted in her belly. She grimaced, teeth clenched in a rictus of frustration.

"I take it you're on her side, then?" I ventured.

"Don't even need to ask. I know her well enough to be sure she wasn't allied with those mercs that attacked the auction, but not everyone sees it the same way." Barr rubbed his chin. "Some folks have been screaming for retribution. Not just the treasure hunters, but the people who were looking to buy the items up for auction, too — pro level players. Famous folks. You know the type." he said.

I did. GGO was unique in that regard compared to other VRMMO's. The emphasis on competition and the allure of striking it rich as a pro player created a breeding ground for the next generation of internet celebrities. Hand them a platform like MMO Stream, and they can sway public opinion like the moon pulls ocean tides.

"Yeah. I was at the info broker meeting after it all went down," I said. "They said you guys wanted to handle this in-house."

Barr nodded, turning his attention to Philia. "There's a lot of attention on us right now, Philia. News is starting to spread too. The heads of the Treasure Guilds are under a lot of pressure to hold someone accountable. The way they see it, if they can't grab the mercs who robbed the event, then the next best thing is the girl in charge of that whole mess."

"The mess they themselves caused," Sinon interjected. "They were the ones who pushed Philia into this position in the first place, weren't they?"

"Yeah, but you can be damn sure they're doing everything they can to walk out of this squeaky clean," Barr shook his head. "There's another factor, too."

"Which is?" Sinon asked.

"The info brokers and the treasure hunters have had a good thing going ever since the early days of GGO. They provide the intel, we find the treasure, and everyone gets a cut. It's worked out flawlessly and nobody wants the relationship to sour now. That's why both sides want this whole situation handled on equal terms."

I crossed my arms, feeling a pang of dread. "And what exactly are those terms?"

Barr made a face like his words were coated in cold slime. "In the end, someone has to answer for what happened. Right now the majority of folks want to boot Philia from the guild and make her pay reparations to prove the treasure hunters can clean up their own messes. If that happens, then the info brokers agreed to return the favor by disciplining Rosalia. Everyone shakes hands and things go back to normal."

"Except Philia gets the short end of the stick," I said. "Hell, sounds like even Rosalia gets away with barely a slap on the wrist."

Barr grimaced. "Listen, I don't like it any more than you do, but in the eyes of everyone else, Philia isn't as important as keeping this partnership going. As much as I respect her, as much as I believe she didn't do anything wrong, she's one person balanced against a partnership worth millions. That's politics for you, kid."

Politics in GGO. Who would have thought?

Philia's eyes sank to the ground and she slumped against the alley wall. "So that's it then. I'm going to be kicked out."

I glanced at her. Sympathy and indignation welled up inside me in equal measure. Philia didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve being a pawn in someone else's game, a tool to be used and discarded. Rosalia may have lured her into this, but now the guild she'd supported was going to hang her out to dry because it was more convenient than finding the true culprits. I couldn't allow that. She'd been through enough already.

"Barr, there has to be some kind of trick up your sleeve," I said. "You know folks in the guild better than I do. There has to be something we can do."

He looked at me with a steely resolve in his eyes. "Damn right there is," he said, turning his attention back to Philia. "You've still got some friends in the guilds. We're going to get together and raise some hell on your behalf — give the guild heads an earful about due diligence and treating a long time member with proper respect."

"Gum up the works, huh?" I said.

Barr nodded. "Something like that. It won't get her off the hook, but it'll buy her some time at least."

Philia blinked. "You'll do that? Are you sure? It can cause problems for you."

He nodded. "Don't worry about me. I can handle whatever the guild throws my way."

Philia's eyes closed and though she looked weary, she allowed a small smile to take hold. "Thank you."

"It's nothing. Just make the most of it, alright?" Barr crossed his arms. "You guys do have some kind of a plan, right?"

Sinon and I looked at each other. We were probably thinking the same thing. Petitioning the Treasure Guilds to protect Philia had been our plan, but since they were dead set on letting her take the fall, that idea was shot. We needed another strategy and we needed it fast. The simple option was getting a hold of Blacklight and exposing them to the world, but simple didn't necessarily mean easy. For one I had to find them, which was going to be pretty damn difficult now that Cedric was gone. Secondly, even if I did manage to locate them, it wasn't like I could just arrest them and drag them in front of an audience. This was a VR shooter game, not a police lockup. I highly doubted they could be convinced to confess to the crime either. I could focus on finding the Hidden. They were the ones pulling the strings after all. But they were harder to find than Blacklight, and even less appreciative of people snooping into their business — as they so clearly demonstrated with the tangle Philia and Rosalia found themselves in.

The more I racked my brain, the more I came up empty. This was a time-sensitive problem, and I couldn't even begin to fathom how to tackle it.

"We'll think of something," Sinon said to Barr. "We know who's behind all this, we just need to find a way to use that."

Barr lifted an eyebrow. "You guys know who they were?"

Sinon nodded. "A group called Blacklight."

"Can't say I've heard of them, but then again I don't hang out in the same circles that mercs do."

"If you hear anything about them or a group called The Hidden, can you let us know?" Sinon asked.

"Sure," Barr said. He looked over his shoulder and sighed. "Listen, I got to get back. You guys do what you have to and I'll work on things from my end."

"Good luck, Barr," Philia said.

"You need it more than I do, kid," he said. "But appreciate it all the same."

Barr left, and a period of heavy silence fell on the rest of us. Fair to say we all knew the score now. Nobody was going to save the day. Nothing was going to magically make all our problems go away. It was down to us, and only us. If we didn't take a stand, then nothing would change.

The best part? I'm pretty used to that by now.

Oh, GGO, that's why I love you. Always full of fresh challenges.

Rei bit her lip and she broke silence. "I thought they would want to protect their own friends."

Sinon nodded and looked at me. "Do you think the Hidden are putting pressure on the Treasure Guild leaders to expel Philia? You know, as part of their punishment?"

I shook my head. "I don't think anything yet, but I'd like to believe they're not that powerful. This could just be good ol' self-preservation at work."

"Yeah, maybe." Philia said. She put her hands on her hips. "It's so messed up."

"Agreed," I said. I pinched the bridge of my nose, thinking. We needed to do some brainstorming if we wanted to make the most of the time Barr was giving us.

"Howdy," said a voice from the street. All four of us turned to face them.

At the mouth of the alleyway stood Talbot, his hands in the pockets of his leather duster, the corner of his mouth turned at a slight upwards angle. He gave off the appearance of being friendly, but his eyes were acutely flat and empty — like a reptile's.

"Glad to see you all in good health. Miss Rosalia instructed me to come meet you all," he said.

I put my guard up, keeping my tone carefully neutral. "She couldn't come talk to us herself?"

"She's busy finalizing the details of our little op today."

"What kind of op?" Sinon asked.

Talbot's grin turned a shade more wolfish. "Uh-uh, that kind of information's only for people who are working with us." He let that sentence hang in the air for a moment before shrugging his shoulder. "Course, Rosalia did give you that offer a few days back. That's why I'm here — she wants your answer. If you say yes, I can take you to her right now. We can solve this whole thing by the end of the day."

I narrowed my eyes. "Sounds awfully convenient."

"Rosalia makes miracles happen every day. You can see for yourself, provided you don't have anything else going on right now," Talbot's tone turned a shade more mild. "You don't, do you, Mr. Squad Jam Winner?"

I ground my teeth. Part of me really wanted to tell him off, and it took a serious amount of restraint not to indulge that impulse. I tried to rein my irritation in.

I didn't get the chance. It died an abrupt end when Philia stepped forward on her own and said, "I'll go with you."

"You're welcome to," Talbot said at once.

I shot her a surprised look. She didn't so much as glance in my direction.

"Time out for a sec," I said, and took her arm to guide her further down the alley where we wouldn't be heard.

Philia faced me square and sighed. "I know what you're going to say, but what else can we do?"

"I don't want to sound like I'm babying you, but Rosalia did use you," I said.

"I know. Trust me, I'm still not happy about that, but we know better now, right? If she's offering her help, we should just take it and keep an eye on her."

"We'd be walking into a viper's nest."

Philia's eyes shined a little, her tone turning into one of brittle humor. "We've done that before, right?"

I sighed. "A figurative one this time. But listen, if we play along, Rosalia's going to have a position of power over us. She'll have all the leverage, and the second we start inconveniencing her, she's going to use it against us. 'Do what I say or I'll leave you to your fate'. That kind of thing."

"We can work with her long enough to get leverage of our own," Philia said. "Masai, we need to do something. Sure Rosalia could betray us, but we're not going into this blind. We just have to keep our eyes open like always. We can do this."

I blew out a low breath, watching Talbot out of the corner of my eye. His timing was way too good. We were out of ideas and on a time limit, and he suddenly swoops in offering help? No way was that a coincidence. Rosalia had probably counted on us going to the Treasure Guilds first, and sent him in to grab us once we had the door shut in our face. The message was pretty clear in that case. Help us out or get left behind.

Still…as much as I hated to think it, what choice did we have? Not much, and we had precious little time to change that. The odds weren't so much stacked against us as they were freaking towering over us. Rosalia was offering an out. One filled with spiderwebs and hidden daggers primed for our backs. But an out was still an out.

I didn't trust her. Not at all. I'd jump in front of traffic before I accepted the idea she was doing this in good faith — but at least I knew that, and could plan accordingly. It wasn't much of a comfort, but it was all I had.

I didn't trust Rosalia, but I didn't have to in order to help my friend.

Philia met my gaze, her own steady. After a moment, she nodded and walked back to the others. I followed after her a moment later.

For a brief moment, I locked eyes with Sinon. Her face was unreadable, but I knew what she was thinking. Whatever happened, she'd have my back. I let that thought spur me forward.

"Fine," I said to Talbot. "We'll play ball. For now."

His eyes closed halfway and he released a small breath of satisfaction. "Good choice."

Somehow, I doubted that.