A/N: This is my first fanfic ever written! As such, any reviews comments on this are extremely appreciated! Even if they are just saying how awful this is! But hopefully I'll get some supportive ones too. Anyway see you at the bottom.

The day had arrived.

Taoreta's eyes flew open as the alarm on her clock went off. She flipped over onto her side, slamming the snooze button before the alarm had another chance to buzz. She glanced at the clock through the edges of the blond hair that fell over her eyes.

7 A.M. Just 6 hours till she might finally be able to…no. She couldn't let her hopes get to high. Not after all she had been through.

She reached over and grabbed the jeans and shirt she had laid out on the bedside dresser the night before. She slipped out of her pajamas and pulled on the fresh clothes with practiced ease. She then turned over once more, reaching out for her crutches, before realizing they weren't there.

"Saro, you are so going to regret this…"

After muttering various other curses about her brother under her breath, she looked about her room and saw them lying on the floor next to her door. She rolled out of bed, and started crawling on her hands on knees toward the crutches. The braces on her lower legs rattled slightly as they dragged along the ground.

After a minute of struggling, she finally managed to stand up, leaning heavily on the door. Her eyes had been watering the whole time, as she remembered that incident. She remembered lying in that hospital bed three years ago when the doctors told her that her legs her lower legs had been completely crushed by the car that had flown off the road the previous night. At that time, no one knew the full extent of the damage caused to her legs, and she just wanted to throttle the drunk that had knocked her out of the kendo junior national championship. However, after three weeks in casts, the casts were removed and that was when she realized the truth. Taoreta began physical therapy that day, and after a full week of intense sessions, she was still unable to stand without the support of crutches and braces. She progressed no further, even after another month of sessions. She could hobble about with the crutches, but she could no longer walk unassisted, and moving about in a wheelchair was far easier and more convenient. The doctors told her that the muscles in her legs had been damaged beyond repair, and that she would never be able to walk again.

Until today…I could walk again today.

After wiping the tears from the edges of her eyes, Taoreta opened the door and went down the hallway to the kitchen. Upon arrival, she saw a bowl of cereal and an orange already peeled and sliced, as well as a note from her mother. "Your father and I will both be working late tonight. We expect you to feed yourselves tonight. And Taoreta, good luck today. Love, Mom".

She set the note down, and then turned to see another similar bowl of cereal next to her own. Smiling wickedly, she proceeded to pour a large amount of salt into her brother's bowl before hearing him come down the stairs. She quickly began eating to try and cover her smile.

Her brother meanwhile walked into the kitchen with his own amused smile plastered to his face.

"G'mornin sis!"

It was obvious by his attire that Saro had just woken up, with his dark brown hair sticking up at odd angles and his pajamas hanging off his skinny frame. He slid into his chair and poured a large amount of milk into his cereal. He then casually popped one of the orange slices into his mouth, before turning excitedly toward his sister.

"You ready for Sword Art Online?"

This whole thing had been her brother's idea. Saro had felt awful when he found out about his sister's predicament, and did everything he could to help her get along as best as she could. He helped her with various tasks around the house, as well as helping her get to school every morning. He also helped her find new activities to participate in. He even went so far as to set up and organize the new wheelchair basketball team just so that his athletic sister could continue playing sports.

Then when he heard about Sword Art Online, the new video game featuring the NerveGear system, he immediately started doing research. He figured that since the system detected signals from the brain in order to move the character in game, Taoreta would be able to move and walk as she had once been able to.

He really was a good little brother, when he wasn't playing tricks on his sister.

"Yeah, I really hope this works." Taoreta responded as Saro ate a large spoonful of his cereal.

She couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her as Saro gagged on his cereal.

After a brief look of rage passed over his face as he glanced at his sister, he too began chuckling, before saying, "Yeah okay, I deserved that."

The alarm on Taoreta's watch went off after her 10th straight basket.

12:30, time to get ready.

She wheeled her chair back into the house, and Saro came over to her.

"Alright, time to open these bad boys up."

He tore open the boxes containing the two NerveGears, and began setting them up while Taoreta went to take a shower. As Saro opened the boxes, he could not help but smile as he saw the two helmetesque devices.

These are my sister's hope.

After setting them up, he went to his sister's room and found her sitting on her bed. She had changed into sweatpants and a loose t-shirt, with her wet hair sticking to the collar of the shirt. He handed her the helmet and the two repeated their plan. The first thing Taoreta would do when she arrived in the world of Sword Art Online would be to send a friend request to her brother and wait for him to find her. Then, she would try to move.

Saro left to go to his room, and Taoreta laid back and slid the NerveGear over her head.

This was it. She checked her watch and stared at it until the time flipped from 12:59 to 1:00.

She flipped on the NerveGear and hesitantly spoke the words that would allow her to once again walk as she once had.

"Link start!"

So what did you think? I kinda understand if you say I'm knocking off the Absolute Sword a little bit, but that isn't the intention. I hope to have another chapter up next Sunday, but with school ending soon I can make no promises. Anyway please review/comment and any feedback at all is appreciated. Thanks!