The reality was harsh, expecting in some ways, but otherwise life crashing. Kazuto was expected… Suguha, though? She was usually busy with School Activities and Kendo—when did she get interested in games like her brother? Or… cousin. Lying to the both of them had been hurtful to her. But she had to.
Those at the Hospital her children were being kept at were being nice: having them both in the same room together. They would never be separated… physically: lying right next to each other they are but inside, in the virtual realities they are held prisoner in, they are much farther away from each other; practically two worlds apart. Their heads covered in dark grey helmets with dark visors that covered their eyes. Seconds seemed like minutes, and minutes seemed like hours, and hours seemed like years; visiting her two children everyday—there were times she slept at the hospital, refusing to go home.
Coping with this harsh truth was hard. Little by little she began to go into work less and less, going out more and started drinking. The grandfather of the family kept her in check, retaining mental equilibrium. The Grandfather felt guilty. Why? Humans, more in mental sense but also true for the body, are like sticks, push them hard enough and they'll snap. Is that why Suguha tried out VR? Because she had gotten tired of Kendo taking up her life? If that's the reason, then he is at fault.
Every New Year was gloomy, only the mother and the grandfather in the house celebrating—if keeping to each other in solitude and silence was celebrating. Six and a half years passed by so fast yet more seemingly so slow, and visitings to the two children became less and less until they, the mother and the grandfather, both stopped, lost hope; but whatever slightest hope they had left was outdone by the acceptance that the two may stay hospitalized forever.
It was another somber day in the kitchen for the mother, preparing breakfast with little effort. Grandfather was sitting on the couch watching the news. He used to do this ritual every day, expecting news of the players' exodus from VR; but, now, he was doing it out of habit.
"Turn that off." The Mother mumbled, but loud enough for grandfather to hear.
And he was about to, until a suddenly development came on the news: someone in the background shouted something and the news hosts sprang up, brows high, eyes wide, and mouths agape.
"What?!" The female news host said.
Grandfather and Mother now had their full attention on the screen. Could it be?
Upon hearing the voice again, the male news host ran off screen in a hurry—the female host, too, but stopped, skidded to a suddenly halt, nearly toppling over. She ran back to the microphone and said the news that everyone was waiting for with happy tears.
"Everyone, the wait is over!" Before running off screen.
Grandfather and Mother glanced at each other for a second before dropping everything-Mother made sure to make sure everything was off to prevent a fire—hastily putting on their shoes, disregarding that they were still wearing their sleep-wear, and ran out to Mother's car. After the car started up, they rushed to the hospital, also making sure they wouldn't get in an accident-this isn't an anime where you could disregard the laws of physics and do impossible feats.
Finally at the hospital, Mother hastily, and badly, parked and they both got out of the car and ran into the hospital. Other people following suit. They didn't even bothering checking in with the receptionist. Bolted immediately to Kazuto's and Suguha's room. It was only that they neared the room did they actually slow down and feel nervousness stirring in them. As time passed, knobbed doors were replaced with sliding doors for the players because of their now weakened bodies. And the door opened—not by either of them, however… but by boney, stooping figures that were Kazuto and Suguha. Their hairs, obviously, were way longer but longer than expected.
The two former players could barely recognized the two people in front of them, but they recognized the woman when she, carefully, brought them into her arms. Softly sobbing as she said their names.
Their eyes widened. "Mother?" They knew that they sounded different they when both saw each other when they woke up, but it was unfamiliar still.
"Then…" Suguha started as she stared at the older man stepping up to them. "Grandfather?"
"Suguha," Grandfather spoke, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry. Is it… my fault?"
Suguha knew what Grandfather meant. She was tempted to say 'no' like a regular person, being nice, but, she needed to be honest—there were other things that she is interested in other than kendo.
"Yes." She answered after seconds of hesitation.
Grandfather joined in on the hug Mother was still giving. After a while, a nurse came to them and told the two players to lie in bed, their bodies not yet healthy for standing and walking. They resisted, saying that they needed to see certain people. However, they were ushered back into their room by the nurse—Mother and Grandfather assured that they would visit the people they needed to see for them.
Kazuto named a girl somewhere around his age: Asuna.
And Suguha: a classmate she has in school that was dragged into her game as well.
It will take time for their bodies to return to healthy condition, but, regardless, Mother and Grandfather are happy to have them back.
The thought of this came up while writing the Strike Witches and XCOM crossover. This was written barely any editing. This is a big "What if?" scenario if instead of SAO being the only VR game trapping players, GGO (Gun Gale Online) and Alfheim Online did that also, and if the games were more realistic and allowed creative freedom inside the games. This will follow some people affected by this big incident. I have no plans to make a fanfic to follow the players inside the games. And, yes, I know that the two games, GGO and Alfheim, were made during or after SAO.
Not expecting anything great, but, let me know what you think.