September 2nd 2022 Kazuto kirigaya transferred to a new school. He had been nervous going to this new school for a while because he didn't know anyone here, and he wasn't sure he would make any friends since he wasn't very sociable. He spent most of his time playing online video games so the few friends he did have lived no where near him. He pushed the thought out of his mind as he walked through the gates of his new school and made his way to his first class.

"Ok class I would like you all to give our new student a welcome." The teacher moved out of the way so everyone could see him and as soon as he laid eyes on his class mates a feeling of awkwardness rushed through his mind. Despite that he introduced himself to the class then he took his seat in the only available seat which was next to a black haired girl who was wearing glasses. The girl didn't look at him or show any change in emotion or posture, but Kazuto could tell she was unconfutable so he didn't bother trying to talk to her.

Lunch had arrived, and with it the mob of students rushing to the lunch room, and outside eating area. Kazuto was waiting for the storm of people to pass before leaving his class when he saw the girl he sat next to pulling out her lunch. Kazuto was curious, he wanted to know why she was not eating in the lunch room or outside. He started towards her, but quickly decided against the idea and went to move into the hall way and on to the lunch room.

Arriving at the lunch room he quickly realized that the lunch room was packed and there were no tables left outside ether. Letting out a sigh he started to sit on the floor when he remembered the girl eating in his classroom. If she could eat in there surly he could to so he walked back down the hall to his classroom where he knew a awkward situation was awaiting him. He walked in to once again see the black haired girl who wore glasses eating her lunch, but this time she noticed he was there

Thus the awkwardness began just as Kazuto predicted. He started to say something but no words would come out of his mouth. He knew that if he didn't say something the awkwardness would soon boil over so he tried saying something. "Hey I hope you don't mind if I eat here, its just that the lunch room was packed, and I didn't feel like waiting for a seat to open up so I came back here to eat." A moment of quite nothingness formed around them, and the awkward feeling only amplified. Kazuto sat down in a desk and pulled out his lunch. As he began to take a bite of his sandwich that his mom made him when he was interrupted by the voice of a girl. "Are you sure you want to eat in hear... with me?"

Kazuto was confused, he didn't know why she would ask something like that. He knew she was shy, but he didn't know she was this shy. In a way it was cute or that's what Kazuto thought any way. Quickly returning to reality he thought about what she said and how to reply to it. He finally came up with a reply "Yeah I don't have a problem if you don't." This took the shy girl by surprise, had he not hared the story about her or had he and he just didn't care?

After another extended time or silence the shy girl spoke. "Asada Shino... my name is Asada Shino." Kazuto smiled and replied "I'm Kazuto kirigaya, nice to meet you Asada." Once again she was stunned by him. She nervously responded "No please just call me Shino... if you don't mind?" Kazuto looked at her a moment before saying anything. "Sure, and you can call me Kazuto." Shino returned to her lunch, but this time with a smile.

Days went by and Kazuto, and Shino had eaten lunch with each other every day in the same class. Before he knew it Kazuto's first week at this school had already gone by and from his point of view it was a very successful week. He hadn't got lost once, he was doing surprisingly good in all his classes even histhe classes he wasn't all that good in. The best thing however was he had made a friend, but he didn't know what being friends with Shino meant at first but he would soon find out.

It was Monday of the following week and Kazuto was waiting for Shino to arrive since they had the same first period they would walk together. This morning was different Shino was late, and that was unlike her. Kazuto being concerned went to text her when he noticed a message in his inbox from her. The text read...

From Shino.

Hey Kazuto I'm sorry but I don't feel good today so I'm staying out today. Seeya tomorrow.

Kazuto smiled a little before replying and heading to class. On his way he was stopped by a group of three girls. Kazuto had a bad vibe about them, but it seemed like they had something to say so he decided to hear them out. "Listen Kazuto we've noticed that you've been hanging out with Asada Shino a lot lately." The girl in the middle said, who was obviously the ring leader of the trio. "What of it?" Kazuto responded with a look of annoyance. "Well the thing is Asada is bad news so its best if you didn't hang around her." Before he could say anything else the trio were off headed for class, and Kazuto was left standing there with only questions.

The day of school had come to an end after what seemed like an eternity for Kazuto. He was still thinking about what was said to him earlier about Shino being bad news. Not knowing what he should do he decided to visit Shino since she wasn't at school today. He knew the way to her place because she had invited him there the previous Saturday, and he had a pretty good memory so he didn't get lost. He chose to take a short cut though the park, and upon doing so he saw something. He saw Shino in the park, but she wasn't alone she was with the three girls from this morning, but why he wondered as he watched from a distance. Kazuto couldn't hear anything but he could see everything that was happening. He then noticed the girl who spoke to him this morning make a gun like shape with her fingers which made Shino drop to the ground. Kazuto sprinted over to he putting himself between Shino and the trio of girls. The girls were stunned, and the ring leader of them could barley speak "Kazuto!... What are you doing hear?" Kazuto glared up at the girls and yelled " It doesn't matter why I'm hear, what matters is what ate you doing to Shino!" Once again the girls were stunned but this time the ring leader wasn't afraid to speak. " What we are doing is putting this murderer in her place.. and that's what you should be doing to Kazuto." During the whole ordeal Shino was barley awake, she had almost completely passed out, but was able to recognize Kazuto's voice. Kazuto picked up his friend and turned to the trio and said "If I see any of you near Shino again I'll make you regret it." He then turned towards Shino's apartment leaving the three girls stunned and afraid.

Shino awoke in her apartment dazed and confused. She got out of b n and moved into the living room to find Kazuto asleep on her sofa. She looked at the sleeping boy for sometime before poking him on the cheek to wake him up. He slowly opened his eyes to see a girl leaning over him with a finger on his face. Upon their eyes meeting so close to each other they quickly put distance between their face's. Both blushed, but they didn't say a word at first they just sat there looking at each other. Eventually Kazuto broke the silence "Shino I don't know what happened earlier, and I don't need to know if you don't want me to but if you want me to know please tell me I can help you."

Shino eyes began to fill with tears as she fell into Kazuto's shoulder. Kazuto put his hand over her head and rubbed her hair as she cried. She cried for a few minuets before bring her head up and wiping her tears. She looked at Kazuto and mustered her courage to speak, "I have had a fear of guns, and anything related to guns for a long time, and those girls were triggering me which is a thing some people have done to me to get me to do things like give them money." Kazuto looked at her and was stunned, he didn't know what to say or if there was anything he could say. After a little bit Kazuto pulled Shino close to him and told her. "Shino I'm here for you, no matter what you need or when you need it I'll be here." Shino simply nodded in approval, and gave her best friend a hug.

A few weeks had passed and Kazuto, and Shino received notification of their expectance to the Sword Art Online beta. It was amazing news for the both of them, finally they both had an escape from real life. Kazuto had an escape from his family, and Shino had an escape from all the bully's, and her fears.

Kazuto became Kirito, a powerful swordsmen who made it farther in the beta than any other. Shino became Sinon, one of the few players that could use a bow effectively and fought by Kirito's side the whole time. On the last day of the beta the games creator Akihiko Kayaba broadcasted a message to all testers that during the last hour of the beta a event boss would appear outside the town of beginnings and if the boss could be defeated all testers would receive a advantage when the game officially launched in a week.

Outside thetown of beginnings two beta testers were getting prepared for the event boss to appear. One was switching swords while the other was changing arrows."So Sinon what do you think the stats of this are going to be like?" Sinon picked up her bow and turned to her partner, "Don't know but you best not charge in like some noob and get yourself killed Kirito." Kirito drew his sword and turned to his partner, "That's no far I only did that one time on floor 5." Sinon laughed and punched Kirito's shoulder and turned to where it was believed the boss would spawn. Soon more and more testers showed up and then the moment that every one had been waiting for, the event boss had spawned forcing everyone into action. Kirito just smiled and looked at his partner, and she at him then they turned their attention to the boss and moved to take it out along with everyone else.

A hour after the beta ended Kazuto was sitting on his bed when he received a video call request from Shino. He quickly answered the request and was greeted by his best friend who was not having a good hair day. "Hey Shino nice hair." Shino looked over to a mirror in her room and noticed he was right. "Shut up Kazuto your not having the best hair day ether." Kazuto and Shino laughed at each others hair and began talking about how they couldn't wait for the launch day to arrive. After talking for hours the two went to bed dreaming of the new life inSAO .

Finally the day arrived November 6th 2022, the launched date for Sword Art Online .The two friends Kazuto, and Shino laid on there beds waiting as the clock to count down. They were excited, they were happy for this day, the day where there new life could began. Then with five seconds left the two friends said the activation words almost at the same time.

"Link Start"
"Link Start"