A/N: Yeah it's OCs, but there will be mention of guilds, Kirito, Asuna, and others as the story evolves. It's still the amazing world of Sword Art Online. C:

"Good luck in the game of Sword Art Online, and I will see you on the hundredth floor!"

Akihiko? Survival? Death? What crap was this GM spewing?

Reluctantly I looked into the mirror that appeared in my inventory after the giant Game Master disappeared in the sky, and what was staring back at me was hardly surprising considering the panicked cries around me. The tall, elegant, and strikingly beautiful adult warrior with midnight hair and dark, piercing eyes was replaced by my childish face: pale skin, light green hair in soft curls cascading down my back and emerald eyes to match. I no longer looked my age; I was once again the little nineteen-year-old trapped in a thirteen-year-old's body. No logout button was available on my menu and the terrifying reality hit me like a wave crashing down over my head. There was no escaping this nightmare; I was trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, hanging on to the only shred of hope I had; a hope that my dad would not remove the Nerve Gear from my head before I come out of this mess.

This was not what I signed up for. I wasn't a big gamer, only occasionally picking up an RPG here or there. I only chose this game for its unique look and the revolutionary technology of the Nerve Gear. I had always dreamed of living in a fantasy world, and Sword Art Online was the thing that would realize that, to an extent. I even preordered and waited in the insane lines for the midnight release with my younger brother.

A sudden jolt of panic ripped through my chest as I realized my little brother was trapped in here too. I didn't even think about looking for him at first because of the customized avatars and the fact that I didn't know his screen name, and even though I was incredibly shy and awkward around people, I didn't want to ask for his help in a video game. I had to find him. I just couldn't bear to lose him without even knowing. I didn't want to suddenly see his name on the wall of casualties, already occupied by a few poor souls whose Nerve Gear was disconnected.

I did a 360 where I stood, but I didn't see his familiar shaggy hair anywhere in the sea of terror stricken gamers in the town center. I would have to do a thorough search of the Town of Beginnings in order to locate him. Knowing him, he was probably already headed for the next town; my brother was never one to linger at the beginning of a game. I truly hoped he hadn't. It would be much safer to stay in this neutral safe point than venture out into the unknown and risk death. Let the fearless and strong-willed deal with that. Once the 100th floor was cleared, no one had to worry about dying anymore. We would be free at last.

I sighed, knowing he was one of the fearless, but secretly wishing for him to lose his nerve this time around. I managed to force my way out of the crowd and circle around the center, thoroughly studying every face for his. When there was no such luck, I decided to leave the center and wander the streets of the Town of Beginnings, forcing myself to ask anyone I came across if they'd seen a boy of age fourteen with the same hair and eye color as me. Many of them shook their heads and added to my growing stress and worry. Every time I circled back I found my eyes involuntarily studying the wall of names, hoping to God that I wouldn't see any screen name that could possibly be his. To my relief, none of the handful of names up there resembled him in the slightest.

It was a fruitless effort. Now it was evening and I was exhausted, having searched the town for nearly six hours. By now my brother could have been miles away in another town, gaining EXP and leveling up while I trudged along with the noobs and cowards. I wouldn't lie; I was one of them. I was terrified of setting foot out of this place. I didn't want to die with my whole life ahead of me! I wanted to run around in the park downtown with my dog, enjoying the mid-summer air as I nibbled on an ice-cream sandwich and downed some ice-cold lemonade. I longed to hear the cicadas buzzing by my window and to smell the home-cooked chicken and rice dinner my dad always made us on Thursdays when he was home from work. I wanted to go shopping with my friends and maybe find some new little charms for my cellphone. My heart sank as I remembered the An Café concert I had saved all my pay from part-time jobs for that I would miss because of this stupid game. There was nothing waiting for me in the world of Aincrad, nothing but a boatload of misery.

The sun was down now, and I was getting tired. It was so weird feeling tired or hungry in a virtual world. The Nerve Gear was incredible with its mind-blowing technology; it could simulate real life feelings perfectly. I decided to find an inn and crash there for the night. I had a small amount of gold that all users started out with, so I paid the nice NPC behind the counter and headed up to my room.

I opened the door to reveal two small beds flanked by a nightstand on either side, candles burning in holders on the exposed wooden wall. A small wardrobe was placed by the door, but it wasn't worth opening since the second bed was there I was way too tired to put my armor away nicely. I took off the shiny metal breastplate, matching pauldrons and chainmail waist-guards and tossed them on the extra bed. I unstrapped my leather belt and leaned the thin sword and sheath against the nightstand. I was left in a red turtle-neck tank-top and a pleated white skirt after I discarded my gloves and boots. It would suffice to sleep in for now. I wondered if there were more clothes to buy in this world. Perhaps I would invest in pajamas if I didn't run out of money before-hand. I would have to think of a way to make money if I was going to stay in the Town of Beginnings, but that would probably be impossible. I would definitely have to move on from here if I ever wanted to find my brother.

Sighing, I flopped back on the bed and stared the ceiling. I'd have to grow a back bone and fight, but how could I suddenly do that? I took a deep breath and closed my eyes; it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Sun spilled through the open window and a light airy breeze gently tossed to curtains around. I rolled over in my bed and stared out at the pale sky, fluffy clouds dotting the vast expanse of blue before me. I could a peaceful enough looking field just out pass the edge of town, and I almost felt at ease. A loud grumble in my stomach brought me back to reality though, and I sat up with a groan. I always hated getting out of bed in the real world, but why should this be any different?

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I slowly forced myself out of bed and made my way over to the small washroom I hadn't noticed last night. I splashed some water on my face and stared at myself in the mirror, hoping that maybe yesterday had all been a dream and my avatar had returned to normal. Nope. Same boring face, though my hair was now sporting a less than desirable bed-head look. I wet my hands and ran them through my hair, getting the tangles out as best I could, knowing that a hair brush was the first thing I was going buy once I found a vendor.

After fully waking up, I put all my armor back on and smoothed out my slept-in clothes, then reattached my sheath to my belt. It was time to find some food and head out of this town to locate my brother.

I wandered around the Town of Beginnings in search of a café or some sort of cheap restaurant, taking in the splendor of the environment. Despite the situation, I could really appreciate how much planning and detail went into every single one of these buildings. It wasn't just your generic RPG town with cloned houses and similar NPCs. Every aspect of the game was original, unique, and made with the gamer's in mind. Players would fully immerse themselves in this world without it getting redundant.

I was in so much awe that I didn't even notice what was in front of me, and I ended up crashing into someone. Player or NPC? It was hard to tell without seeing their reaction first.

"You lost there, little lady?" The male voice asked, full of amusement. Definitely not an NPC.

"N-no…" I replied, looking up the strikingly tall boy in front of me. His features were soft, but there was a firm look of worry in his eyes that was typical of the players stuck in this game that I had seen. His dark hair was pulled out of his face in a low ponytail, but some strands just refused to cooperate. His skin was a warm tan and a hint of stubble on his chin hinted that he hadn't shaved in a few days. "Sorry for walking into you and um…I'm not little…" My voice was barely audible. I always had a hard time talking to strangers.

The boy chuckled and patted my head, which really annoyed me. He was treating me like a little kid! "Yeah you are. You're like five feet tall!"

I glared up at him from under my bangs. I hated when people pointed out my height. I was not going to just stand here and let some guy I just met pick on me! "For your information I'm five-foot-two, and there is nothing wrong with being petite." I crossed my arms over my chest and shifted my weight to my right leg, as I often did when I was upset. Forget being incredibly shy; when someone ticks me off I let them know.

He broke into a smile, the worry in eyes almost vanishing as he scratched at his chin. "Yeah I guess it's okay for someone like you. Tell me, why is a kid like you playing SAO? "

"I'm not a kid. I'm nineteen years old! I hate when people just assume my age without even asking."

He raised an eyebrow, annoying me even more because I always wanted to be able to do that. "An older woman, huh?" He chuckled and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. Let's start this conversation over shall we? I'm Hiroma. It's nice to meet you Michan," he said, holding out his hand for me to shake it.

I sighed, letting go of my frustration and taking his hand. I was almost going to ask how he knew my username, but that was an extremely stupid question. "If I'm older, you should address me with some respect, Hiroma," I laughed, letting go of his hand.

He shrugged. "Meh, you're only older by a year so it doesn't matter. Anyway Michan, I know this great little restaurant that serves breakfast that almost tastes as good as real food! Let me treat you," he said cheerfully, grabbing my hand and pulling me along before I could even respond. Like I would refuse though, free food that's almost good? Who could pass that up?

A/N: Hmmm, well I started writing this at 3 a.m. so if there are any mistakes that would be why. Chapter 2 will be coming soon if you liked this. :P

I'm bad with titles, so if you have any ideas for me don't hesitate to speak up!