Sword Art Online:(Fire and Water)
Fade in on a T.V. "We're here today at the launch of the highly anticipated Sword Art Online. We have here the lucky first customer in line..." the television gets powered off. "Yeah, yeah the asshole probably didn't even play the beta." Says the teen putting on the a helmet with the words Nervgear written across it. He lies down on bed with dragon sheets and trimming.
The black hair teen grins as the time changes to twelve oclock AM. "Link Start!"
On the title screen the teen reads 'Log in using Beta account?' Selecting yes gets loaded into the Town of Beginnings.
The tan blocks and golden pillars offer the boy his first hint of familiarity. Looking up he smiles at the silver gate way leading deeper into the city.
Taking a deep breath he says "Hello, Aincrad, I'm back." he holds his arms out wide just as he gets a flying hug from a short red headed girl.
The girl stands and giggles her blue eyes sparkling in the sun. "Kage? Thats the name u chose Josh?"
"You're one to talk Tess, Helen? Like of Troy?" Kage says with a grin. "Yes you know my grandfather is a genealogy professor and we can trace our lineage back to Sparta, ba..."
"Back to the last old dynasty Kings Pelops son of Lycurgus. So you keep reminding me at every opportunity." Kage interrupts hugging and kissing her. "Lets go find Matt and Maria."
Helen and Kage walk off into the city following a yellow cobblestone street leading to the vendors section. The city is bustling with players haggling prices, and yelling to their friends.
Helen walks around looking in the window of a bakery. The baker pulls out a fresh backed blueberry pie, noticing Helen looking in the window she smiles and waves to her. Helen smiles back and moves out of the way.
A girl runs down the street laughing being chased by what Helen assumes is her boyfriend. Helen laughs remembering Kage doing the same outside the game. She turns hearing Him walking up behind her.
"Helen, turn around and close your eyes." Kage says trying to hide his excitement.
Helen looks him in the eye, "Why?"
Kage frowns "Just humor me."
Helen closes her eyes and Kage moves behind her clasping a necklace on her "Open." he says stepping back.
Helen opens her eyes an looks at her reflection in a weapon shop window, her eyes go wide at the sight of it. She runs her hand down the gold chain wrapped with diamonds with a deep red ruby set in the center dripping down with more diamonds to end with a teardrop pearl. "Oh Kage...It's beautiful." Helen turns and kisses him.
"Gald you like it. I had to choose between this or the giant ruby." Kage says smiling like the Cheshire cat.
Kage and Helen walk to the town center to find a male with short reddish brown hair and a female with mid shoulder length black hair player characters having a private conversation. The male looks up with piercing ocean blue eyes and smiles at the pair, "Kage," the teens clasp forearms.
"Vane this is Helen, Helen, Vane. This guy here is the guy I keep telling you so much about."
Vane bows to Helen and she laughs, "Is it true that your a descendant of William the Conqueror?"
Vane scrunches his face up "You had to tell her about that?"
Kage laughs "Yes, yes i did. Besides she loves genealogy."
"Yes, I am a descendant of William, unfortunately." Vane grudgingly admits.
The black haired woman walks up behind Vane put her arm in his, "Matt who are your friends?" she asks batting her golden eyes.
Vane kisses her cheek, "This is Josh and his girlfriend Tessa, guys i'd like you to meet Maria."
Swan smiles, "Very nice to meet you." all three say at same time and laugh.
Kage throws his arms wide and says "Well are we gonna stand here all night or are we gonna go hunting?" The group cheer and run out the front gate.
Out in the wind swept plains Vane and Kage set up for a demonstration. The sun shines off the near by lake bathing the area in a brilliant sparkling light.
"Ok girls the key to using the skills is to feel for the right moment and movement and the game will ensure that you hit every time. Vane will now demonstrate." Kage step to stand with the girls watching Vane now facing down a Nematoad.
Vane holds his curved short-sword(+1) just above his shoulder holding until the sword glows then strikes forward slicing clean through the Nematoad killing it. Swan claps and cheers and Vane makes a sarcastic bow, "Thank you m'lady."
Helen looks at Kage "I can see why you two are such great friends." Kage flashes a toothy grin "Really? You'll have to fill me in on how you know this." Helen playfully pushes him,
"Ok girls your turn." Vane announces.
Helen and Swan move out into the open waiting for instruction.
"Ok, pick up a rock and hit one of them to draw it to you." Vane instructs.
They do as instructed and the Nematoads turn and charge them. Helen looks to Kage nervous.
"Don't be nervous you'll be fine." Kage reassures her.
"Feel out the starting movement of your skill, waiting, feeling for the right moment. When you feel it release the strike." Vane says watching them closely.
Helen releases but is blocked and sent flying back. "Ow!" she says pouting.
"Okay Sweet try again, Vane and I didn't get it at first either." Kage admits.
Swan tries next her spear going clean through her nematoad. "Yes! I did it!" She being jumping up and down.
Helen stands back up looking more determined. She throws another rock the monster turns and charges again. Helen raises her arm up holding shield in front and unleashes her bash. I connects caving in the creatures skull.
She squeals excitedly and hugs Kage. "Alright alright great job. Now we do it again." Kage says joining her.
"Okay," Vane announces trying to catch his breath. "Four hours is plenty for the first day lets head back to town."
They walk back to the silver tunnel seeing that the place has become even more lively, with people running out to the field to train. "OK heres a good spot." Kage says
As they open the menu they find something strange. "Ok...How come there isn't a log out button?" Kage asks.
"A glitch?" Vane says searching other tabs. Suddenly they all begin to glow and are teleported away.
"What the hell?" Vane exclaims, "Why are we back here?" Vane looks around noticing that not only they but many others are here as well with more arriving.
"Maybe they wanted to make an announcement about the log out button." Swan offers as an explanation.
Kage shrugs but then his eyes are drawn to the sky by a hooded figured claiming to be Kayaba Akihiko. "Create a world that he has control of! He's trying to play god."
"In your inventory you will see a new item a mirror." The robed Akihiko says.
Opening their inventory the group find the mirror and look into it.
"Okay...I look like my char..." Swan stop speaking as her refection changes from the black haired avatar to the blonde hair normal self.
Helen and Swan both scream dropping their mirrors.
Kage inspects himself becoming increasingly more angry he launches the mirror at the projection it passes through and shatters on the clock tower.
Vane calmly puts the mirror back into his inventory remaining silent listening to Kayaba speak.
"No will be allowed to leave SAO if anyone disconnects or forceably removes the NerveGear a microwave signal will be sent through your skull destorying your brain and ending your life."
Vane attention moves to a pair across the way.
"Do you believe this bullshit he's saying. It is bullshit, right." the boy with a red headband asks.
"He's not the transmitters signal in the head gear work just like microwaves, It could fry your brain by disabling the safety systems." the other boy says.
"Couldn't someone just cut the power or something." Asks the red haired boy.
"That wouldn't work. The NerveGear has a battery back-up."
"Despite my warnings some of the friends and family have tried to remove the gear. As a result the game has two hundred adn thriteen less players than when it began. They've deleted from both Aincrad and the real world." Akihiko states.
Kage shakes his head "No! Your lying!"
Video screens begin to pop-up around the projection. "As you can see national news companies has round the clock coverage of the situation. Including the deaths."
Swan read the closest screen "Online Game claims numerous victims."she clings to Vane.
Kayaba continues "At this point its safe to assume that removal of headgear is minimal at best. I hope this brings you comfort as you try to clear the game."
Helen begins to cry seeing her younger brother's picture appear on screen.
Kage wraps his arms around her trying to comfort her. He looks up at Kayaba and begins to growl angrily.
"It's Important to remember the following, There is no longer anyway to revive someone within the game. If your hp drops to zero your avatar will be deleted from the system forever, and the Nervegear will simultaneously destroy your brain."
Everyone assembled is deathly quiet staring stunned at the robbed Akihiko.
"There is one way to leave SAO alive. You must clear the game. Right now you on the first level beat the boss and you may continue to the next floor. Beat all the boss even the final boss on the hundredth floor, and you clear the game."
Kage looks around noticing the growing worry on everyone's face, then loos back to Kayaba.
"Right now your probably wondering why? Why would Kayaba Akihiko creator of Sword Art Online and nervgear do this. Ultimaly my goal was a simple one. The reason i created SAO was to control the fate of a world of my design. As you can see i've achieved my goal."
Vane glares up at Kayaba clinching his fist.
"This marks the end of the tutorial and the official launch of Sword Art Online. Players, I wish you the best of luck." The figure melts away.
The crowd beings to churn with some falling to the ground being trampled.
Kage Yells over the noise "We have to move! NOW!"
Vane takes the lead followed by the girls with Kage taking up the back. The group makes their way to an isolated corner followed by the screaming of those trapped under the hoard and the sorrowful cries of children ripped away from their parents.
Before Kage rounds the last turn a hysterical boy grabs him "It's the end of everything! God have mercy on us..." Kage stops him by throwing him against a wall. The boy laughs and runs away.
"This is fucking chaos." Vane says hugging Swan. "Why would he do something like this?" Swan sobs into his shoulder.
"This isn't chaos. It's hysteria. Vane, the level race just took on a whole new meaning." Kage says wrapping his arms around Helen.
She leans against him "What do we do?"
Vane and Kage answer at the same time "Survive."