Klein(SAO)x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Six

I'm knocked out of the air by someone tackling me, sending us plummeting and spiraling down to the forest below. The person starts climbing me, my first instinct to thrash my legs around. That only angers them, and they start clawing at me through thin gloves. Crashing into the trees in a tangle of limbs and wings, I break off from my attacker, tumbling into the treetops. I come to a stop when two branches catch me, cradling me. Grumbling to myself and rubbing my head, I sit up in my perch then, realizing I was still being attacked, freeze, hoping the person wouldn't see me. Suddenly, a red arrow flies through one of the branches supporting me, running through my arm on the way, and pinning me down. Yelping in pain and surprise, I struggle to slide my arm off the arrow tip. But the pain stops me from pulling it free, leaving me hanging in the tree, trying to stay up in the crook of the branches. I hear an arrow being knocked, and cry out again when a second arrow pins my other arm down. 

"W-who are you? W-what do you want?" I gasp. A character in red steps closer to me, but stands in the tree, over me. 

"I'm a Salamander. You were being chased by one of my comrades so I decided you had trespassed, and that I should join the hunt." He rumbles, chortling heartily but coldly. 

"W-what are you talking about? He's my f-friend!" I bite my bottom lip when he readies another arrow, this time pointing it at my throat. "Klein! Help!" I shout as loudly as I can, but no reply comes. Only a squawking call of confusion arises from the birds nestling beside me. "Klein!" 

"He's a Salamander, and you're an Imp. We don't get alo--" He's interrupted when a sword flies towards his throat, me not knowing where it had come from. He ducks out of the way in time, and the sword disintegrates as it hits the tree, most likely returning to the user's inventory. 

"Hey, Narlin! Leave her alone!" When I peer down through the branches, I see Klein standing there, readying his sword again. "We're at the World Tree! That's where all the races come together in peace!" Pride at Klein's bravery and intelligence, I smirk up at the Salamander, narrowing my eyes.

"You're off the hook, this time. I'll consider you as a loose end." He growls finally, then darts off through the trees, leaving the arrows in my arms. 

"Skylar! Are you okay?" Klein calls, floating up to help me with the arrows.

"Y-yeah, my arms just hurt a lot." I smile less threateningly, turning my head to face Klein. 

"Good." He pauses, plucking the bladed arrow out of the tree and my arm, doing the same with my other forearm. Hissing slightly at the pain, I drop from my cradled position, Klein catching me before I can hit the ground.

"Do you know that guy?" I rub my wrists as Klein sets me down, looking worriedly at me.

"Yeah, I met him when I first logged on. He's gotten much more powerful compared to before." Klein rubs the back of his neck, observing the clearing we're in. "Are you still feeling adventurous?" He jokes, but I nod determinedly.

"A few opposing fairies won't stop me!" I dart back into the sky, Klein stumbling as he follows, trying to keep up. 

(Klein's Perspective)

I stagger as I follow Skylar with a sigh.

When she's hurt, she yells for help, but right after...it's kind of like a dog chasing its tail with her. You can never quite get her to stop, so you keep trying at it, wanting to understand how she does it.

Soon picking up speed, I make sure to keep a good eye on our flanks so that a repeat of what just happened doesn't occur. We make it to a mountain range, confusing me somewhat.

"Hey, Skylar? What territory is this?" I call, and she slows down, allowing me to catch up. 

"It's the Imp territory which is my race's territory." She answers with a smile, then starts flying again. "I never got the chance to explore it fully. If you want, we can go to yours after this."