(A/N: Now for another story to join the Mixed Data Family! We've met the Soul, we've met the Vessel, now let's meet the Echo!
I do not own SAO, I only own [Redacted, due to Spoilers], Iris, and my OC's)
"External Speech"
'Internal Speech/Commands/Thoughts'
System
"Public Voice Chat"
"Private Voice Chat"
Name: Public Text Chat
Name: Private Text Chat
I sighed as I finished unpacking the last of my possessions, from back in America.
'I never thought I would be moving to Japan- at least, not so soon.'
"Iris?"
I turned to see my dad walk in, a gentle smile on his face.
"Finished unpacking?"
I nodded.
"Are you alright?"
I sighed, "It's just…"
"You're worried about having to start speaking Japanese?"
"私は私の日本語について心配していません - 私は数年前の方言でオンラインクラスを受けました、覚えていますか？"
He blinked, and I let out a chuckle.
"I said 'I'm not worried about my Japanese- I took an online class on the dialect a few years back, remember?'"
He grinned and gave me a gentle pat on the head. "Well, then what is it that's bothering you?"
My smile fell. "It's just… I don't really know anyone here- and before you say 'then go make new friends,' I just want to point out that my social skills are barely a few points above 'awkward-by-default.'"
"Well, what about that gaming penpal of yours? 'Key-Ring-Toe' or something like that? From the sound of his game-name, he's from Japan, right?"
I let out an amused sigh. "His gamertag is pronounced Kirito, and the odds that we would actually meet in IRL are just under twelve percent- even if we're both in the same country now. Even then, the odds of us actually recognizing each other is less than two-point-seven percent!"
"Well, I'm just saying, if you were able to become friends with a Japanese kid in a game, you should be able to make a few friends in real life, too."
"But my social skills-"
"Won't improve without putting in the effort to meet and talk to other people."
I remained silent, unable to argue with that point of logic.
My dad wrapped me in a comforting hug, which I returned.
"Iris Vale, you are an incredible person. You learn new things faster than anyone else I know, and you have a kind heart, and even if you weren't such a fast learner, I would always love you."
'Even if my fast-learning was what landed us here in the first place?'
"... May I walk to meet you at work today?"
He gave me a gentle squeeze. "Of course, Iris. Just be careful, okay?"
After dad left, I checked in the bathroom mirror to make sure I was presentable; on the small chance I actually did meet anyone, a tidy appearance would help set a good impression.
My right eye was concealed by a bang of my black, straight hair- which barely brushed my shoulders if I shrugged. My left eye, green like an evergreen, remained uncovered.
Slipping on my indigo trench coat, I checked my satchel one last time.
'Smartphone, check. Charger, check. Wallet, check. House-keys, check. Multitool, check. Lucky wrench, check.'
That last one might seem confusing to most people, but having that wrench with me helped me feel better whenever I went out. After all, you never know when you'll need something small, yet blunt and heavy to bash something- or someone!
Anyway, having everything I needed for a general day, I walked out the door, closed and locked it behind me, and set out into Kawagoe, Saitama, to meet up with my dad at his job.
When I go out walking, I tend to move on auto-pilot, while observing and taking note of anything in my surroundings. This walk was no different.
About fifteen minutes after leaving the house, I saw an advertisement for an upcoming Virtual-Reality-Massively-Multiplayer-Online-Role-Playing-Game (or VRMMORPG) called "Sword Art Online." The ad gave details on the game platform (NerveGear), the expected date of launch, and the company that developed both the NerveGear and the game (Argus).
'Interesting, I recall Kirito mentioning it once or twice, I'll have to look into this when I get the chance.'
I was startled out of my thoughts when I heard a fairly loud zap in the alleyway behind me.
Spinning around, my hand reflexively dove into my bag, wrapping around the handle of my lucky wrench.
"Who's there?" I called down the alley, putting effort into keeping my voice level and firm.
I received no verbal response, though I noticed a faint flickering light behind a dumpster.
My curiosity won out against my fear, though I maintained my grip on the wrench, and I slowly advanced towards the source.
When I came around the corner of the dumpster, I saw something I never even imagined I would ever see.
A chrome-colored cube, a little over the size of both my hands put together, sat on the ground, showing obvious signs of damage- including flickering lights and a dented panel on one side.
'What could this be?' I bent down to take a closer look at the device.
'Judging by the circuitry I can see under the damaged panel, this is likely some sort of computer.'
Several possibilities flew through my head, ranging from extraterrestrial technology, to simply a custom-designed computer.
When I noticed the words gilded along one edge, in English, aliens were quickly ruled out.
"G-#12-BACKUP" I read aloud, wondering what it meant.
I looked around, there wasn't anyone around, no one who could be looking for this device.
"Let's see if I can't fix you up at my dad's workplace, little guy…"
I carefully lifted the cube and placed it into my satchel, before resuming my walk to my initial destination- albeit at a considerably faster pace than before.
(A/N: And that's a wrap for the first chapter of SAO: Mixed DLC! I'll try to get another chapter or two out this week, but everyone who can guess what the Cube is will get a cookie and an answer to one question attached to their guess!
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See you in the Game(s)!
-poaling12