SAO FB: Scars

Ominous Visions

The trio ran towards the cliffs at the southern part of the playing area. They walked into a cave and rested in the shadows. Kato rigged a concussion grenade before meeting up with the Layla and Kirito.

"We need a new plan and soon," Kirito stated. "It's only us three who know about this plan. We can't lose anyone else."

"What happened to everyone else?" Kato questioned.

"Knocked out in the preliminaries. They caught on earlier than expected but Kirito and I made it out of our brackets," Layla responded. "More importantly though, what was that back there Kato?"

Kirito and Layla stared back at Kato and expected some kind of answer from him. He turned away and replied monotonously, "Don't worry about it."

Layla and Kirito stared at each other for a moment. It was confusing for both of them that Kato had suddenly become distant with them.

Kirito asked, "How can I not worry about that? You almost got yourself killed."

"Kureha is gone...She isn't herself," Kato answered.

"You mean...?" Layla trailed.

"She's under PAAC," Kato answered. "I should have warned her not to participate in this but...I didn't...Now I have to live with that decision."

"She's going to be fine. I'm sure of it."

"She couldn't resist it for long. Maybe two to three seconds maximum. I just want her out of that state."

"Yeah but running straight back into danger like that? You would have gotten yourself killed."

"And what of it?" Kato shot back. "You'd do the same if it was your brother Layla. And Kirito would have done the same if it was Asuna or Leafa."

Kirito and Layla nodded their heads in agreement. They knew that if the situation was flipped to how Kato described it, they would have acted the same way.

Layla reminded, "But we can't be brash about this. If we get knocked out, that's checkmate and game over for us and the world. We just need a plan..."

"Yeah. That's a good idea," Kirito responded.

While Layla and Kirito were discussing their plans to take down more Epsilon members, Kato sat at the mouth of the cave. He unsheathed his sword and stared at the blade. The sounds of swords clashing echoed in his mind. He closed his eyes for a minute before opening them. The cave had transformed to the tunnel leading to the ambush point in Aincrad. Kato raised his hands to find the brown leather fingerless gloves that he used. He stared back at the ambush point and saw the ensuing confrontation. Floor clearers were locked in battle with Laughing Coffin members. He took a step forward and felt the air move behind him. Kato turned around and deflected a blow with his one-handed sword. He grabbed the arm of his hooded attacker and pulled it to the side. He saw locks of pink hair appear from the shadows of the hood.

"Kureha?" he breathed.

His attacker pushed him back and Kato stumbled slightly. They removed their hood and it was indeed Kureha staring back at him. He tentatively raised his sword and tried to calm down.

"Please..." he begged. "Just stop this. Come back to me..."

Kureha gritted her teeth and charge Kato again. He raised his sword and activated a sword skill. She jumped up and activated a sword skill in response. He watched the mace move forward slightly and rings form around her arm. Kato disengaged the sword skill and parried the incoming dagger. He stepped backwards and activated a simple sword skill to push her back. Their weapons clashed and Kureha was forcefully pushed back.

"Please..." Kato pleaded. "Why are we fighting!?"

Kureha charged him once more with the mace behind her. He stepped back slightly and parried all of her attacks. He parried the mace upwards and activated another sword skill. She raised her shield and blocked most of the slashes. Kato instantly connected the sword skill and activated Snakebite. The sword slashed Kureha on the chest three times. Her avatar collapsed slightly as the paralysis effect appeared on her health bar. Kato lowered his sword and hesitated.

"Why...Why is this happening?" he thought.

Her paralysis state ended shortly after the thought crossed his mind. She blitzed towards Kato. He quickly activated Sonic Leap and dashed past her. The blade cut through her shield armor. Kato overshot her and landed on the platform. He raised his sword slightly and saw a red liquid dripping from the edge. Kato turned around and saw Kureha hunched over. Her mace and shield laid next to her. He jogged over and kicked the weapon away.

"Fuck...Fuck!" he shouted. "Why!"

Kato pushed his hands into the wound to slow the bleeding. Kureha's hands slowly reached and held onto his forearm. After a few moments, her hand released from his forearm and left a bloody handprint. Kato removed his hands and watched as her avatar shattered. Simultaneously, his mind showed Takamine's head locked in the NerveGear and the microwave kill switch activating. Kato closed his eyes once more and found himself at the foot of her bed. He saw Takamine on the bed. She laid on the white mattress peacefully. Her chest didn't rise and fall.

"Taka..." he breathed.

He reached out and held her hand. He felt her cold skin on his. His thumb pressed on her wrist and he didn't feel a pulse. A sigh escaped his body as he pulled back his arm. Kato reached over towards Takamine's head and removed the NerveGear. The door to her room bursted open and her father appeared.

"You were told to keep our daughter safe!" he shouted.

His hand grabbed onto the collar of his coat. He pulled him close to his face. Kato could smell the alcohol in his breath. Takamine's father winded his fist and punched him in the abdomen. Kato crumpled onto the ground. He laid on his back and retreated slowly as her father continued to yell at him. He started to hyperventilate and his vision started to turn red. His heartbeat filled his ears and his breathing turned ragged. He heard his name being shouted at him again. It was soft at first until it became louder.

"Kato!" Kirito shouted.

Kato sat up and saw Kirito and Layla kneeling next to him. In the corner of his vision, he saw his heart rate starting to slow down from 150 bpm. He took a couple of deep breaths and reached for his chest. It rapidly rose and fell as his breathing slowly stabilized.

"Hey. Hey. Calm down," Kirito comforted. "What happened?"

Kato looked at his hands and saw that the blood was gone. He took a deep sigh of relief before he brought his knees close to his chest. He closed his eyes and saw snippets of his dream play in his head.

"I gotta do it," he whispered to himself. "I can't leave her like this."

Kato stood up and grabbed the sword leaning on the cave wall. He strapped the weapon to his back and walked out of the cave. Kirito reached out and grabbed Kato's shoulder.

He warned, "Stop it Kato. You are not going to last if you go back out there."

"I'm going to save Takamine right now!" Kato shouted while removing Kirito's hand. "I don't care if you follow or stay in this cave. I'm doing this with or without you."

He walked away from Layla and Kirito. He didn't look back as he rounded a nearby hill. His sword rested on his back and his pistol in its holster. Memories of their relationship flooded his mind. He knew that they were there for each other and he didn't plan on stopping that promise today.