Hey Everybody. Thanks for taking the time to check out my Story. I'm still an aspiring writer with much to be learned. So please, leave your criticism, just be nice please. I'm still learning. I hope you enjoy!

"Thanks mom, love ya," I call to my mom as I bound up the stairs to my room. "Your welcome Arya, just don't get stuck in there," my mother calls back. Yup, that's me, Arya. Just your typical 16 year old girl, except not at all. I am definitely not one to sit on the phone for hours talking to my "BFF" about makeup and boys. For all intents and purposes, I might as well be a boy. I never was interested in Barbies or any "girly" toys. I wanted G.I. Joes, toy guns, and anything Sci-Fi. But anyways, present me is getting distracted, back to the past me.

I slam the door behind me and take a brief look around. The white walls, plastered with posters of military jets and Sci-Fi TV shows. A tall bookshelf, filled with Sci-Fi novels and science magazines. However, I waste no more time. I check my computer, sitting across the room on an old wooden desk, to be sure my VR program has fully loaded. I am rewarded with an open window informing me I may begin when ready. I fall back onto my bed and slide the NerveGear onto my head. I lay flat on my back, getting as comfortable as possible and utter the two most influential words of my life. "Link Start!"

I watch halfheartedly as a series of connection tests are run, ensuring a stable connection to both my brain and my computer a few feet away. Again, I wait patiently as a series of multi colored beams of light run by where I assume my face would be, finally loading a Character creation room. "Wait a second." I gasp as I realize the extent of this VR. I slowly move my arm up in front of my face and look at my hand. The moment it crosses my vision, I laugh excitedly and jump up and down several times. "This is so cool." I exclaim as a menu opens up in front of me. Cautiously, I walk forward to the menu, lowering my hand down. As I reach the floating menu a screen appears with a familiar face upon it. I gaze up into the same old tan skinned face, mine. My father was white and my mother was African-American so I ended up a healthy mix. I scan over my face, the same old deep brown eyes and small nose. My whole face has the small motif going for it, hell, my whole body does. I look again at the menu and notice it only contains one option. "Customize? Y/N?" "I like my own face, but thanks." I say, reaching down and pressing no. That box disappears and is quickly replaced by another. The box contains a large blank with the word "Username" above it. I laugh quietly, reaching up and tapping the box to open a keyboard. I quickly and deftly type in "Arya" muttering to myself about the idiots who will give themselves ridiculous names. I reach over towards the "enter" button, but hesitate for a moment. I laugh and say to myself "Come on Arya, it's not like it could kill you." I press the button and the entire menu vanishes and my sight goes black. A series of silver letters appear one by one in front of me. "Welcome to Sword Art Online" The letters disappear and in a burst of light I find myself somewhere new. I look down at myself, confused. I'm not wearing my usual tshirt and jeans. Instead, I find myself wearing a thin, pale blue shirt, layered over by a thin copper breastplate. I also notice I am wearing a matching pair of pale blue shorts. I also look to my right side and notice a sheathed shortsword strapped around my waist. After I have spent enough time becoming acquainted with my new clothes, I look up and gasp. I stand in the middle of a large circular city square, the ground made of bricks. The plaza has brick roadways extending out in every direction, with large Roman arches extending high over them. The brick work is beautiful and I feel as though I stand in the middle of the world. I continue to look around, taking in the view all around me and daydreaming until I am able to snap myself out of it. I quickly open my menu and look in my inventory. "Starters Chest piece. Starters Shorts. Starters Blade." I laugh and mutter to myself, "Very Creative Kayaba." I set my self upon a direction and head off, heading deeper into the so called "Town of Beginnings." I quickly find a shop and attempt to purchase a better weapon, even if only a little better. I ask the shopkeeper to see their wares, and I am immensely surprised by the realism with which the NPC acts. She greets me with a friendly "Hello" and when I ask about her wares a menu appears, showing her wares. It's a long list, ranging from chest pieces to potions to weapons. I quickly sell her my starting blade and look through her weapons, trying to decide my play style. After the sale, I only have 1,500 Col, and so I must be frugal. I look though her list and eventually decide upon a medium length sword meant to be adaptable to any situation. The entire sword is a pale red with a basic cross guard. After purchasing my new blade I quickly head for the fighting fields outside the city. After all, I'm going to need all the EXP I can earn, If I want to be the best swordsmen in Aincrad. And nobody will stop me…