This is the prologue. It's all written as diary entries. I do not own SAO or any of its original characters, just my OC Maya. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

December 25, 2021

"Merry Christmas!"

I open the box and there lies a helmet. With cords. Finally I get a present I actually wanted.

"Yes! Thank you, Dad. Yes yes yes. Perfect," I said as I hug my parents and try it on. Fits perfectly.

"And I got you a gift card so you can buy games for it." He hands me a prepaid gift card. 200 dollars for games. My possibilities are endless.

After unwrapping socks and more gift cards and more socks, I retreat to my room and plug in my helmet, my new NerveGear, and settle down on my bed. It opens to a tutorial page and lets me create an online profile. Choosing a username and an appropriate profile picture I start scanning the community forums for any news on the new beta for this Japanese game. Page after page, I finally find something about it.

Sword Art Online: Reality at its Finest!

I open the page and find a link to a beta tester's page. Of course there is an application for it. I print it out, log out of the NerveGear, and spend the rest of my night making this application look perfect. Scanning it back onto my computer I send it off in hopes I will be chosen. I knew so little about this new virtual reality games and I wanted to learn so much more. Being able to control my own personalized character with my BRAIN, no less. Science has come so far. Now I just wait for a response.

March 15, 2022

Being a homeschool kid means I can take as many breaks as I want, as long as I finish my work first. I've been a beta tester for Sword Art Online, or SAO for short, for about two months now. It's so amazing. My character looks just like me, minus she's got longer hair. And purple eyes. And she's much taller than I really am. Basically she's everything I wish I was. Ugh, this is so fun. I gave the name May to my character, the shorter version of my own name Maya.

A lot of the beta testers are focusing on their fighting skills. This is a chance for me to actually be outside without going outside. I raise my fighting and stealth skill enough to defend myself, but I like to wander around the map, finding flaws and little troubles for the creators. They seem to like my feedback. They keep sending me gifts of awesome armor and swords but I know I'll never use them. For now they sit in my inventory. I'm currently working on building a small hut for myself. And my cooking level is rising.

When we first logged into the first day of beta testing, we were asked to introduce ourselves to the people around us. Couple people seem cool, a lot of them are Japanese. I put in a suggestion to have an automatic translator so everyone can understand everyone. Until then, I've been teaching myself Japanese and Spanish. Growing up in an American household I only ever learned English. I trying to learn German as well but I might give up after the number system. Too hard.

Just as I kill a board, I get a present in my inventory. 'Great,' I think. 'Another sword.' I open it and it wasn't a sword. Nor was it armor. It was a gold cooking pan! The description said: Can be used for cooking or fighting because of its metal. Raises cooking skill three times as fast. Worth 10,000 gold.

I sent a thank you note to the creators and continue hunting and gathering building supplies.

November 3, 2022

This freaking sucks. We won't be home until the 6th. Had to go see Grandma, Dad says. She's getting very old, Dad says. Well Grandma can stick it where the sun don't shine. I heard a rumor on the forums that something big is gonna happen on the 6th in SAO. Maybe a special prize will be given out to players. It IS the official release of the game. Being a beta player I have a leg up from everyone. I'm currently at a level 7, meaning I have three skill slots. I currently have the One handed Dagger skill, the Fishing skill and the Cooking Skill. I've been able to construct a hut out of normal lumber, bone, and leather. I think the fishing skill has been my favourite. Dad always said when I got better he'd take me fishing. He stopped saying that after my 5th time in the hospital.

Gotta stop writing. Dad just said were 5 minutes from grandma's house. Yay (can you hint at my sarcasm?).

November 6th, 2022

FINALLY were home and FINALLY I can log on and get my special prize or whatever it is. UGH it has been too long. Three days too long! I'll write more after I log out.

From here on out it will all be written in first person. Like if you enjoyed this prologue!