Sup everyone. It's Issy here. My friend Techhy and I now Co-Own this account! He kind of lured me into the website and when I got some good ideas, this happened. Sorry do disappoint the few of you who read his (as he put it) "Completely wanked-up failure of a story", but it's gone. Quick note- I changed a few small things around, like Asuna was a beta tester, and the complete removal of Klien and Kirito. Characters will be OOC for some of the story's dialog and actions, but not completely. Always been jealous of Kirito, lucky bastard. HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NO- Ahem. Anyways, let's get on with it. Welcome to SA- I mean, uh, Chapter One!
Disclaimer: I think this is fairly obvious but I don't own Sword Art Online! Shame. Or not, whatever. Wouldn't be as good of a show if I was the one running it!
{The True Artist}
Chapter one: Not-So-Subtle beginnings
WARNING-WARNING-WARNING
This chapter and the next 1-2 will be a big ass flashback of my OC, Hairukio, starting out in the beta after the first paragraph. The current time is actually the release of SAO and will be continued in chapter 3 or 4.
"Oh yea! It's finally released!" And I was the first in line, Hairukio Nagatama! I've been waiting 2 and a half years' worth of teasers and advertising for the newest, best VRMMORPG. "Sword Art Online..." Just saying it made me feel amazing. Granted, I was one of the Beta Testers, but I was actually that good of a player... Possibly the best out of all of them, beta tester or not! I knew more about it than anyone, and I knew to use that information wisely. Right off the bat, I thought of all the new players. This game could be really challenging, and a handful would rage quit early on. But they will have missed out on so much, this game was that amazing. I mean, I can't say for others, but I got up to floor 13 and it was the most fun I had in a while. Ah, I blew a solid amount of money on this, but at least I had the NerveGear ™ from the beta. Well, more like since HE chose me specifically for the beta… I just hope beyond all else SHE got a non- beta copy... Asuna... She was the first one I met in there. I can still remember how we met. And how I fell in love. Or at least, that's how it felt. She was truly amazing, and she even taught me a thing or two. Before her, I was just some overly-eager player, who had high hopes and knew the benefits of others, but I couldn't stand being around anyone I had met in real life. Then she came along. Or more like, I went to her.
{FLASHBACK START}
She was just sitting off to the side, hiding in a cloak. I saw her there after all of us Testers linked in, and I went over to her. Of course, I knew so much about the game, more than most. Don't bother asking why, I'm not telling! I was going to ask if she wanted to go hunting or something since its easier when you're together. When I sat down beside her, she didn't acknowledge me. I coughed because hey, I'm not so good at being social. "Uhm, hi. I'm Hairukio. (I use my name, don't judge) I was wondering... If you, uh... Wanted to go hunting with me? I've learned some tips and tricks and I could show you some good, uh, spots. I-I mean, if you wanted to." The cloaked person shifted their head towards me and nodded a small bit. I said," Well, it's nice to meet you...?" Said person just shook their head and stood there, waiting to follow. I noticed the rapier at their side, quite unlike my dual maces. I took my weapons out, shouted, "Try to see if you can catch up... Asuna!" And I took off. I could practically hear her gasp and chase after me. I looked behind me and saw her matching me step for step, but I was ahead of her. After a solid 3 minutes of running, I flopped down on a log in the large clearing I stopped in. I hear her behind me a few moments later, and stand beside me. She stared straight at me, and said," How did you know my name?" I chuckled and said, "Can't you see the bar above my head? The Heath bar" She nodded slightly, still giving me a curious glare. "Well, look underneath it, to the left. It shows another player's name. "Hai-ru-kio... Is that your name?" she tentatively asks. "Sure is! Well, now that we got that cleared up..." "Okay, yea, you said you were taking me hunting, didn't you? Let's go already, you wasted enough time as is!"
"Wasted? There's no need to be in a hurry. This is the beta test, nobody but me knows about these spots yet!"
"Well, how do YOU know about them?"
"It's… a long story. You wouldn't be interested," I said with a sigh. I didn't feel like putting myself and my misfortune, some may call it luck or an advantage, on blast to the rest of the players that were in the beta with me and her in Sword Art Online.
"If you say so…"
"Anyways, I don't think we should hurry there. I mean, this may sound weird or cliché, but I just try to enjoy the small things in life. You never know if you'll miss it. Even the most seemingly insignificant things can be enjoyed. Who knows, maybe one day you can make an amazing memory where others just blew off."
As I finished my sentence, I felt the log I was laying against shift as a new slight weight was added to mine. I looked over to my left to see Asuna beside me, taking off her hood. She looked down at her hands, thinking about my apparently profound statement. I was just focused on her beautiful orange-brown chestnut hair, similar to mine. It was long, and flowing gently as a soft breeze was blowing through the forest. I then looked at how it framed her perfect face, making her hazel eyes seem all the more stunning. I don't know if this was just her avatar, or if she does the same thing as me, while I strive to make my characters look as similar to me as possible. That way, I'm not just some shoddy who hides behind a wrecked self-image. I'm me. The real me. But even if she didn't look like this... her avatar at least, was perfect. And I have a hunch she's like me in more ways than the avatar.
I must have drawn her attention, as whilst I was staring, admittedly with a somewhat dreamy look, she meekly spoke up. Ah, it was cute, and I could tell she was feeling uncomfortable.
"S-stop staring at me…"
She turned to face me, and must have gotten her first real look at me. I mean, I know she obviously had to look at me, but she acted like she didn't focus before. I saw myself reflected in her slightly widened, brilliant hazel- and I'm getting off track-, eyes, seeing my own short and spiky brown hair of a shade darker yet still similar to hers, my coal black eyes. Granted, I took some 'artistic liberty' and included some small, barely noticeable yet subtly visible flecks of purple that I heard others say they saw on occasion. The game can't form itself to be you without your visions, so I made it be me. Even my build, which was fairly built yet toned and formed nicely (Like Kirito for example. Ugh. I don't hate the guy, just thinking of him makes me envious.), was reflected. She has a growing blush as she stared at me like I had been staring at her. (But hey, it's not like in a perverse way, got it? Being a perv is Techhy's job.) [HEY! THAT IS- Okay yea maybe a bit… Ah, screw off already you dirty wanker] in care for her face-wouldn't you?-, I wouldn't want the blood rush to make her pass out, and partly to make her that bit more embarrassed, I spoke up.
"Hey, I get it, I'm attractive. It's probably best for your head is you stop staring and blushing. You'll get light-headed. I get it's hard not to stare but I manage in the morning," I said with a wink and a smirk. Usually I don't try to talk about myself in an admiring way, but I was just playing around with her. No harm done.
She let out a surprised eep sound- which was adorable by the way- and fell back a bit as I snapped her out of it. I held out my hand, and waited for her to accept it so I could make up for making her fall over like I did, and she took it. It was soft and just feeling it make me start to blush. Hey, I don't tell you how to live your life! (#NameTheReference)If you had a very attractive girl... yea… very… holding your hand, wouldn't you? I coughed a bit when she started staring at me again, this time standing up. I repeated,
"Hey, didn't I say you shouldn't stare? If you keep this kind of thing up, I'd say you fell in love at first sight." (Oh, the foreshadowing is strong in this one) She then looked away, embarrassed yet again, and before she could offer a retort, I quickly said "Anyway, I think we've delayed for long enough to appreciate this view (And maybe not just talking about the clearing ;) [Uh… Hypocrite alert!]) So I think it's about time that we go hunting. The best place on this floor is pretty close to here, just a minute or two away. The monsters there are weak with low health and attack, give lots of Col and experience, and drop some good items and armor too. And don't worry about danger- the monsters, if you could even call them that, are too weak to do anything. Though I faintly remember some kind of challenge, like a strong enemy…" I knew the second I stopped talking, I had jinxed myself. At that very same moment, a rustling was heard from the undergrowth as a loud squeal was heard, followed by a scream.
A massive beast had pinned down Asuna. The beast was very similar to that of a boar, only twice the height of me or Asuna, and had eight tusks. Not to mention its razor sharp teeth obviously meant for a carnivore. I, without hesitation, leapt up and instinctively drew my weapons. I then proceeded to charge at it, shouting with as much strength as I was feeling, "GET OFF OF HERE YOU FUCKING BEAST! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Oooooh, a cliffhanger. I'm a mean one, aren't I? You should definitely expect some action next chapter. I know, I know, this was total shit. Shit it may be, I can't just quit it either. But hey, it's my first fanfic (Me, Isaac, not Techhy) so I gave it my best. I bet I'll get a lot of hate for all… this. The removal of Kirito, the small word count, the change in time and space, caused by yours truly. But I don't mind personally. I mean, I gave it my best and it's all I could hope for. Be expecting the newest update to this story tomorrow, give or take a day if I can get myself together. I am definitely going to have an update schedule for the next few weeks by the 3rd-5th chapter. It's not easy as I first thought, but damn if it isn't a great feeling when you're finally able to join the community and let your influence be spread, aaaaaaaaaaand I'm going into philosophical mode. I have really got to stop doing this. Anyways, thank you for reading this story, be sure to follow it for more, favorite if you like, and if you want to just critique my work or add a comment, leave a review, eh? [My review- next time let me beta read and help before you're seconds away from posting this. -_-] this is Issy, and fuck Techhy's outro's I'm doing my own! [I thought it was good…]
See you all in the next chapter! BYE!
