Welcome welcome to my 2nd Fanfiction, Sword Art Online:Kurohime ! My 1st Fanfiction, Sword Art Online:Atarashi no Kisetsu is temporarily on hold (I wrote like 4 drafts of it and yet, am super unsatisfied) but a friend suggested to me this idea as a side project to get my writing juices flowing and I managed to pump out this story!
This will be continued alongside my 1st Fanfiction (Name is up there already, noobs) so enjoy this reverse gender-bender story of randomness and other stuff which I should probably name but am too lazy (and lost) to do so!
((As a side note, for those currently following Sword Art Online:Atarashi no Kisetsu atm, its no being discontinued! Its just on hold as I try to get a satisfying draft! Quality over random releases!))
Chapter 1 : The Black Princess has friends
April 8th 2024, 07:07
"That's Kurohime-san. She's pretty as ever."
"Huh? Why is she called Kurohime?"
"Haven't you heard? Last year she turned down at least twenty people that tried to ask her out. Its like we are not worthy enough of her therefor she's like royalty, unreachable. Thus her name, the Black Princess, Kurohime."
"Senpai, what are my chances if I try to confess? It would be a dream if I could go out with her."
"Ha ... try your best, I've already been turned down."
The whispers continued as the Black Princess, Kurohime, proceeded down the hallway of the middle school to her classroom. She was a 2nd Year Middle School student (meaning she's 14 years old) who's real name is Kirigaya Kanata but after her first year in Middle School, a school legend cropped up about her. It was just as the gossip had described it. Long, silky black hair reaching down to her waist, a delicate face with shiny, large black eyes and dressed in her black uniform, she fitted the name she had been given by the boys who went after her, Kurohime.
While it may sound like she was popular, in fact she might be the loneliest soul in the entire school. With the boys chasing her only to get her attention, the girls were not so welcoming. Missing shoes, vandalized books, and several cruel accidents were one of the ways which the jealous females did to get back at her but those were things in the past after Kanata showcased her kendo skills, effectively scaring the girls from using direct methods and instead, Kirigaya Kanata went by her first year of middle school, isolated in her class, during kendo club and even outside school as every female student ignored her. She might have made a friend amongst the boys if she had not refused their company repeatedly for the first half of the year which ended up having them keep a distance from her but they still watched her closely.
Finally reaching the classroom, the buzz inside stifled as she entered, the boys watching her gleefully with hungry eyes while the girls made audible noises to show that they were annoyed by her presence before resuming their business, ignoring her. Choosing the seat at the back of the classroom and nearest to the window, she settles herself down before putting her head against the table, watching the skies outside, wishing for time to hasten and end the day quicker.
April 8th 2024, 13:26
Opening her shoe locker, she sighed as she slammed it shut. She knew there was a nearby dustbin so she approaches it, Kanata dusts her hands before digging into the dirty container. Beside a few empty plastic wrappers, scrap paper and other litter, her outdoor shoes occupied a central spot within the trash bin. Flipping them to ensure there were no paper clips in them, she removes them from the bin and puts them on with a slight hint of anger.
Thankfully, this was the only bin in close proximity and she had found in earlier in the day when she had to change her indoor shoes for the outdoor ones for gym period. The reason for finding it was that she had to dispose a letter she had found in her shoe locker without even opening it to check its contents. Having had the same event happening for a full year at least twice every month, she could predict what was inside. 'Dear Kurohime-san, I am [Insert whoevers name here] and I wish to express my this and that and then a long poetic message and finally please go out with me.' Maybe she should be kind to the poor person who wrote this and firmly reject him face-to-face but she had already lost the will to do so after the third time and now she found it easier to just ignore these love letters completely. Call her a cruel person but really, the sheer amount of proposals and confessions had her wondering if anyone was sincere at all. Could she trust any of them to actually take care of her? To Kirigaya Kanata, never. She took care of herself.
"Kurohime-san? Mind if you follow us for a moment?"
Just as she had exited the school building, three boys blocked her path from the gates of the school. They were large, with her head only reaching their shoulders and their bodies being almost twice as wide as hers. They looked intimidating with their stoic expressions and their huge arms crossed across their chest. Normally, this wouldn't have happened if she had her shinai slung across her back, deterring the more forceful types such as the three in front of her.
"Sorry. I have to go home right now. Excuse me."
She tried to enter a gap between two of them but they closed ranks and surrounded her.
"It is only for a moment. We insist."
Without any hope of escape, Kanata resigns to her fate and allows her escort to take her away. They led her to the back of the school, away from the prying eyes of other students and there, was another boy who was level-up in appearance over the three brute gorillas. Sharp features, bright blond hair (though, she could see a hint of black so it was likely dyed) and tall, he can be considered a prince to the other girls of the school but to the cold Kurohime, it was just another annoying insect, trying to beat its wings to get her attention.
"Someone saw you throw away my letter! Why do you do that Kurohime-senpai? Don't you know I put in a lot of effort and time into writing that piece of art?"
Already, Kanata's eyes looking off towards her freedom, uninterested in whatever her kouhai had to say.
"Oi, I'm talking to you. Look at me."
She felt a hand on her cheek and it forced her unwilling neck to turn and her eyes made contact with his face. His handsome features were unseen by Kanata as feelings of disgust and shock clouded her mind. She would want to slap the guy's repulsive hand away but his three cronies were here and it would not end well if things got violent. One of the weaknesses of being a girl, she thought bitterly, a lack of strength to protect herself.
"Hello down there! I think it isn't very nice to touch a girl when she doesn't want you to."
A cheerful male voice spoke from above them. Still holding Kanata's face, the "Prince" looks up with an annoyed expression on his face as he sees a male student looking out of the window from the school.
"Leave unless you want trouble!"
"Huh ..."
Unseen by Kanata, the boy scratched his head as he turned around.
"Sensei? The guys down there want us to leave."
In a strangely loud and clear statement, the message was understood by the "Prince" as he releases his grip on Kanata, clicking his tongue as he ordered his bodyguards to leave with him. Waiting for them to disappear from sight, Kanata turns around, searching the school windows for her saviour and she spots him on the 2nd floor. Neatly cut black hair with bright crimson red eyes, he cheekily grinned down on her.
"Can't believe that worked. You okay Senpai?"
She nodded and then averted her eyes. This was one of the few times which someone actually spoke to her without the lovey-dovey charade which all the boys played. 'Next, he'll ask me to give him something for saving me.' She decided that just this one, she would concede to whatever request this guy might have as long as it was not to outrageous because after all, he had saved her from a rather nasty situation.
"What ... do you want?"
"Huh? Senpai what do you mean?"
Kanata was surprised. He was expecting nothing for having helped her and now, she was at a lost for words as she had never faced this kind of extended dialogue before.
"Err ... I'm assuming you want to repay me so ... mind showing me and my sis around in orientation tomorrow?"
"Ah ... sure."
Orientation would mean the First Year Orientation event which the school held and it involved the second years to act as guides for the first years as they toured the school and visit the several clubs in which the third years would be giving presentations. It was definitely not a tall order so Kanata saw no problem in accepting.
"Then see ya tomorrow Senpai!"
Waving, he disappeared into the school and missed Kanata's gesture to wait. She left what she want to say unspoken as she finally left for the gates of school to go back home.
What is your name?
April 9th 2024, 08:22
Standing in the gym which was now used as the assembly hall for the first years to pick the second years which they wanted to act as their guides, the Black Princess stood at one end of the hall, trying to hide in the meagre shadows while looking out for the male student who saved her yesterday. It was already ten minutes since she started standing there, trying her best to avoid the many male juniors who wanted her as their guide and instead, looking out for one who was likely with a girl that looked like him.
'Maybe he had forgotten. Maybe it was a joke.'
She thought depressingly as she tapped on her past experience with boys to assume that none of them could be trusted.
"Senpai! Did we make you wait?"
Suddenly, she noticed him approaching her and with him, he was pushing a wheelchair with a girl on it. She looked just like her twin brother with bright red eyes and black hair though her's was slightly longer, reaching down to her shoulders. Pointing towards one of the doors which exited the gym, Kanata brought the twins out of the hall and to the less crowded school grounds.
"So Senpai, where will you bring us to?"
He asked, clearly excited but his sister reaches behind, lightly slapping one of the hands holding the wheelchair as she sternly replies to her twin brother.
"Yuuki, maybe we should introduce ourselves first? Pleasure to meet you Senpai, I'm Konno Aiko, this rock's twin sister."
"Pleasure as well Senpai! I'm Konno Yuuki, her twin brother."
Kanata nods in response to both their introductions and she blanks out awkwardly for a moment, unused to this. She finally realises that they were both waiting for her to introduce herself.
"Call me ... Kurohime ... I guess."
To that, they both looked at her with slightly disappointed faces which she was confused by but it was alleviated by Yuuki.
"Senpai, you're supposed to tell us your name. Wouldn't it be rude to address you by a nickname you don't like?"
Maybe he had noticed her distant expressions whenever her nickname, "Kurohime" was used in her hearing but it had been a really long time since she had told her name to others.
"Kirigaya ... Kanata."
"Alright. Kirigaya-senpai, where to?"
April 9th 2024, 14:05
The day went by quickly. Engrossed in introducing the school which she had never thought about in explicit detail till today, her lack of social skills seemed to be forgotten as she led the Konno twins through the tour. Along the way, they chatted easily as the strange atmosphere from the beginning had disappeared and Kanata had learned more about the two. Due to an accident in the past which both avoided going into detail about, Aiko had lost the use of her legs permanently and it was up to Yuuki to take care of his sister. They were also not the most well to do family as seen by the second hand uniforms they both wore.
With the announcement to regather in the gym, the school staff proceeded into a speech, thanking the second and third years for their efforts and wishing all students a good year ahead. Before leaving for their respective classrooms to prepare to go home, the first and second years reunited for their farewells.
"Thank you Kirigaya-senpai. We had a good time today."
Elated from not being called by her nickname and the genuine thanks from Yuuki, a small smile crept onto Kanata's face.
"Konno-san, its no problem."
To that, both twins tilted their head in unison on purpose as they frowned at her.
"We have names Kirigaya-senpai"
And together, they said the exact same sentence and emphasised on her name at the same time. Giggling slightly, Kanata amended her statement
"Then Yuuki-kun, Aiko-san, I had a good time too."
They both stared at her and began laughing along with Kanata.
"Who knew Kirigaya-senpai could make such an expression. It was surprisingly cute right, Yuuki?"
"It really was. The rumors weren't really true were they ... Oi Aiko!"
Realising what he had been made to say, he slowly stopped laughing and then looked towards Kanata, who had also had her fun and was now looking away though she could not hide her rapidly reddening ears.
May 22nd 2024, 17:36
"Next, let me see ... Kirigaya and Suzuki, get ready."
Reluctantly, Suzuki stood up, putting on his metal helmet and readying his shinai as he faced his opponent with apprehension. Kirigaya or more popularly known as Kurohime was one of the best in kendo, even better than the third years and this could also be seen be her achievements, having been a part of the nationals only a year ago and even reaching the semi-finals of the seemingly impossible to reach competition for those her age. Unlike the flirty boys which normally surrounded her, those in the kendo club feared being paired up with her due to an incident a year ago. Seeing the beautiful Kurohime join their club, they had taken it easy on her for being a girl and also so as to not damage her "fragile beauty" which proved to be the wrong choice. Covered in bruises, hands sore from holding their weapons which were relentlessly hit by her's, they stopped underestimating her but it also proved to be no use as they acquired even more injuries as they attempted to win. Thus, the magic of the Black Princess was lost on those in the club and they chose to avoid her which still suited Kanata in the end.
With a whistle from the kendo club's coach, the match began and Kanata immediately started the assault. Knowing that defeat was imminent, it was only a matter of mkaing his loss look convincing to their coach in order to not be part of a remake. Counting 15 seconds in his head, Suzuki pulls his shinai in the wrong direction, allowing Kanata's to strike the breastplate of his armor, ending the match then and there. Sighing, the coach waved them away without a rematch, having seen this act too many times to even bother about it.
"Kana-chan, you're so strong."
"We were watching Kirigaya-senpai. That was quite ... amazing."
Outside the school dojo which the martial arts clubs of the school shared, Yuuki and Aiko complimented Kanata as she left for fresh air. She tilted her head as she waved to them. Both of them weren't in any clubs (Kirigaya-senpai, we're in the Go-Home Club) and had mentioned that they did not plan to join one before. They were usually gone once school ended, probably leaving for home.
"Why are you here at this time?"
Yuuki opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something before looking to the skies. One of his hands were nudging the back of his sister's wheelchair and she sighs at her incapable brother.
"Our birthdays are tomorrow and this shy brother of mine wanted to invite you to our class party."
"Aiko! You also wanted Kirigaya-senpai to come!"
"But you're the one who said how nice it would be if Kana-chan was there."
Never being able to get the last word with his twin sister, he goes to ask Kanata sheepishly.
"So ... Kirigaya-senpai. Wanna come?"
She wanted to go. This was the first time she was invited out to celebrate an event like a birthday. But then she thought, it was a class party. How receptive was their class going to be to her, Kurohime? To the boys, she was their dream girl while to the other gender, she was their envy and enemy.
"W-Why would you invite me? After all I'm ... gloomy and ... I don't want to spoil your occasion."
Looking at each other, they nodded as they knew the answer that each other would give.
"You're our friend!"
That word, so simple yet so strong, maybe after the years of solitude there was finally two individuals that she could call, friends.
June 27th 2024, 16:53
"Whoa ... this is a big house."
Konno Yuuki said to himself as he stood outside the house of the Kirigaya family. With two floors, a rather open garden and even a dojo at the back, it was gigantic when compared to the flat that he and Aiko shared. Having acquired the address from the teachers in school, he now stood outside, debating whether he should go in or not.
Earlier in the day, he had heard from around the school that Kurohime or as he preferred it, Kirigaya-senpai was absent from school for the day due to being sick. While many of the boys were unhappy that they were unable to see their flower for one day, those in her class perked up when the teacher asked for a volunteer to bring some handouts to her. Yet, he felt that he could not trust any of the over-enthusiastic boys but he knew one other student of his from a first year class who he also taught that knew Kirigaya particularly well. And that was Konno Yuuki.
"Do you need something?"
Turning around, he saw a girl with short black hair and dark grey eyes. Slung on the back of this girl was a shinai, similar to the one he had seen Kanata carry to school on most days. Pointing to the house, he replied.
"I'm looking for Kirigaya-san who stays here."
Tilting her head, the girl frowned before her eyes widened and her hand reaches behind, resting on the hilt of the shinai.
"Ah! Are you one of Nee-chan's stalkers?!"
He had seen how good Kanata was with the shinai already. The boys in school also know to keep a safe distance when Kurohime walked around with that dangerous bamboo weapon on her back and to retreat quickly when her hand rested on it. Yuuki guesses that this girl was likely a relative or sibling of the Kirigaya-senpai he knew though he hasn't heard her mention of one and from the dojo in the backyard, the Kirigaya family were likely practitioners of Kendo and so this sister/relative of Kirigaya-senpai could be said to be as dangerous as her. Raising both his hands in a placating gesture, he hurriedly replied.
"I'm just a friend, delivering notes to her. She wasn't in school today?"
The Kirigaya girl was still eyeing him suspiciously which left Yuuki wondering how many of these "stalkers" did the family have to deal with.
"Maybe Kirigaya-senpai has told you about me? I'm Konno Yuuki, her kouhai."
The hand slowly slid away from the shinai as the girl used both her hands to cover her mouth, as if hiding her shock for something.
"No .. way ... Nee-chan actually made a friend?! And its a boy?!"
The wide eyes examined Yuuki rudely as he sighs wondering if the entire Kirigaya family were all weirdos.
June 27th 2024, 16:58
Literally leaping up from her bed, Kanata hurriedly switches on her computer while taking a look at the clock at the same time. It was now 4:58 PM, she had indeed overslept and she blamed it on the random summer cold that she had caught. Tapping her mousepad impatiently, she watches through foggy eyes as the monitor slowly lights up but show a spinning white ball, indicating that the computer was still trying to load. Anxiously glancing at the clock, she noted that a minute had passed as she clicks rapidly on the mouse and mashes her keyboard as she typed in her Username and Password. Clock? 4:59 PM, 48 seconds, 49, the loading bar was filling.
"Nee-chan! I'm coming in. You have a visitor for once!"
56 seconds, the loading bar was finished. Did she get it?! Yes! The Event Item was there!
"Yes!"
The door to her room was opened as she slides across the room on her chair, relief and joy on her face. At least till she realised Suguha staring at her but Kanata was more concerned about the boy behind her sister. Dressed in a loose grey T-Shirt and shorts, her hair messed up and covering half her face, it hid her embarrassment as she slid on her rolling chair to the corner of her room.
"That's another ... interesting side of Nee-chan which you'll probably never see again in your life Yuuki-kun."
Patting him on the back, Suguha leaves to go downstairs, leaving both Kanata and Yuuki alone in awkward silence. Holding her knees while burying her face in them, Kanata sat on the chair, quietly and unmoving. Seeing that there was no response as he took a step into the room, Yuuki went over to the table where the computer was and placed down the notes he meant to bring. However, he could not resist the temptation to take a look at the computer.
"Oh ... Kirigaya-senpai. Err ... You play this MMORPG?"
That got a reaction as Kanata removes her head from its sanctuary, looking at Yuuki, beckoning for him to continue.
"I assume you did ... Err ... Wow, you're pretty high leveled aren't you? I'm only level 34."
Pretty high leveled was a rather light word to describe her progress in the MMORPG. She was level 198, meaning that she was in the list of the top 100 players of the MMORPG, the lowest level being around 170. It was another "interesting side" as Kanata's sister had described it. If he had to count of the number of sides he had seen of Kirigaya-senpai, he could almost use his whole hand. A cute side, a werido side, a serious kendo side, a pro-gamer side. Feeling the urge to look at the hardware that supported the computer, he noticed many unfamiliar parts attached to the original unit. So here's the final side he guessed, a computer-craze side.
"Well ... maybe we can ... play sometime?"
To reply that, he received a small nod. After that, he was lost as he had no idea how to continue the conversation. Seconds passed before he decided that time was up and he should probably leave. As he approached the door to the room, he heard Kanata's voice as she whispered to him audibly.
"Don't tell anyone else about this ... okay?"
Oh boy how it would be a great shock to Kurohime fans if they find out that their idol was also an intense gamer and technology geek of sorts. Giving a thumbs-up to the girl cowering on her chair, Yuuki left the Kirigaya household.
'Wouldn't that be like ... our little secret?'
Unwillingly, a cheeky smile broke out on his face.
August 2nd 2024, 22:03
Previously, summer holidays was just a period of time where school was no longer a distraction and she could focus fully on the games she played. The black haired shut-in gamer, known in school as Kurohime, the unreachable royal Black Princess. But to the gaming world, she was also unreachable but as one of the top MMORPG players and more interesting was that she did this solo. MMORPGs usually required people to group up together in "Parties" to accomplish some of the more difficult elements of the game for Kirigaya Kanata, or known as the male avatar that went by the name Kirita, did it alone.
But since an incident about a month ago, this solo player had been in a party with another person, previously a low leveled player but now rising up as one with insane reaction speeds, even possibly surpassing the legendary Kirita who already had "God-like" game mechanics as many players put it.
"Kirigaya-senpai. Did you get the message?"
The private message appeared in the chatbox shared by Kirita and the player in her party, Yuuki.
"I did. Did you?"
"High five :D I'm going down tmr (tomorrow) to get the stuff!"
"Congrats then! I'll see you in the Beta tmr then!"
Shutting down her game and then her computer, Kanata lays back on her bed, taking out her smartphone and reading the message she had received moments ago again.
Congratulations! You have been selected as one of the lucky 1000 to be a part of the Sword Art Online Closed Beta Test! Please proceed to the nearest Argus branch within three days to collect your NerveGear and your copy of the game!
NerveGear, a technology made by the genius known as Kayaba Akihiko who was one of Kanata's idols. He gave birth to a new generation of gaming and technology with his research, the "Full-Dive System" which enabled a person's consciousness to enter into a program, most notably games, where the five senses are stimulated. Basically put, you enter a game with your mind and body unlike sitting back behind a monitor.
Sword Art Online, the first VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality) also made by the genius himself would be first sold on November 6th, a date Kanata had already marked on her calendar and phone alarms but before the Official game, there was a chance to have early access namely, the Closed Beta Test which required an application and if you are lucky, you get the chance to play the game before it even went live.
And that was what Kirigaya Kanata and Konno Yuuki got.
As a tradition of mine, here's some spoilers!
Errrr ... its pretty obvious but Beta Tester stuff! What else errr ... the Official Game beginning! And errr ... Asuna maybe (No more reverse character sowwie :( )
(It may be rather obvious but, I just love Yuuki too much :3 ...)
((DOES MISS KIRITO SEEM OFF?))
(((TRIPLE PARENTHESES)))
Okay enuf fooling around. *Surrounds self with SAO mercs*
Leave a review if you think its okay or if its crap, say so (DO IT NICELY, MY ELUCIDATOR AND DARK REPULSER ARE HERE WITH ME) and if you're confused by anything, there's a PM button
((((PM means PRIVATE MESSAGE BTW, QUADRA PARENTHESES))))