A/N: Thank you for reviewing or alerting or faving! I love you all! :)

This chapter might be a little information dense, since I'm trying to explain the VRG. Oh well, I hope it isn't too confusing!

By the way - the country that Naruto and Sakura lives in uses the format for names that the US does (that is, 'First name, Surname'). SWW4 is a Japanese-made game, so it uses 'Surname, First name'. Sakura is a Japanese fanatic, so she likes to use the Japanese way of saying names, while not everyone in SWW4 will use the Japanese way, if that makes sense. (Ex: She'll say "Uzumaki Naruto" while someone, like Kiba, says "Naruto Uzumaki".) Sorry if that's confusing. ^^' I just wanted to make sure you all knew that since it does show up in the next couple of chapters.


SWW4

Chapter Two: The Initialization Process


For a few moments, I feel like I'm falling. Suspended, hovering, flying. I keep my eyes closed tight, because I've learned the hard way that any sickness you receive from VRGs usually came from moving too much in this transfer-in-between stage.

Once I feel solid ground under me, I cautiously crack open my eyes, not surprised to discover the Visor and Headset have both disappeared. There is darkness around me, but not for long.

Suddenly, a cloud of smoke bursts in front of me, clearing to reveal a pretty violet-haired woman with dark red eyes. She's obviously a CPU, but I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to actually be a real person. It's common in this age to have rainbow-colored hair and eyes the shade of blood.

She interrupts my thoughts when she smiles, dimples appearing in her pale cheeks. "Welcome," she says, her voice exactly like the one that the Control used. "I am Kowabaki Nakami, but most know me as the one who created SWW. Unfortunately, I cannot incorporate myself into every single game, so I have instructed a CPU to fill my place for me. Please know I am very grateful to all of you for continuing to play my games, and I hope you have an equally fun time in SWW4 as you did in the earlier generations, no matter what country you are from." She bows, an old custom from Japan, and smiles before waving her left arm to the side, drawing up a glowing list of create-a-character choices. "Once again, I thank you." Nakami vaporizes into the air, a glowing dust of particles left in her place.

I let out the breath I didn't even realize I was holding, slowly wandering forward to the character customization list. It's not like I haven't played any VRG games before. I've played the very first game ever made—Anomalies Six. It was more like a mystery game than anything else, and you rarely got to interact with other players. As more games developed though, the better they became, till you could actually believe that the VRG was your world—which was why it was dangerous sometimes when players refused to leave that world.

Playing a VRG too long can cause severe brain damage, 'non-damaging brain waves' or not, and those players were often shipped to mental institutes after being expelled from the game. I shudder to think about those horror stories (not to mention the actual horror VRGs, which can be frightening; in fact, they hold the highest fatality rate for heart attacks for VRGs of all games).

I shake my head, sighing, before turning to properly examine the list. It's a normal format, beginning with 'Character Choice' and ending with 'Name'. I press on the first tab and a sub-tab extends below it. It reads: Civilian, Medic, Sensor/Tracker, Long-range, Short-range, Animal, and Summon.

I'm assuming everything besides Civilian is a form of shinobi, which means ninja in Japanese. SWW is a mainly ninja-based game, after all, and even though both my parents are from Japan, they failed to teach me anything regarding the nation, much to my disappointment.

I examine the choices thoroughly, ruling out Civilian (really, that must only be there for the older folks and younger kids, because what logical teenager buys a ninja game and chooses not to be a ninja?), Medic (because I want to fight, dammit), Sensor/Tracker (as cool as those skills would be, I'm looking for hand to hand combat), Animal (I'm not too fond of them, unfortunately), and Long-range (hand to hand combat, again). I leave Short-range and Summon because let's face it, summons are pretty epic in every game and short-range means hand to hand combat, which is what I want.

And that's when the new choice shows up.

I stare in astonishment as a blinding flash of red light shoots through the black space, causing me to throw up my arms to shield myself from the light. A few seconds later, the light dims, and I lower them to judge just what exactly happened in the last few seconds.

I pinpoint the change in a heartbeat; a new choice has been added to the very bottom of the 'Character Choice' list. It reads in bold black words:

'JINCHUURIKI'.

Blinking, I frown. This is where Japanese would pay off—I have no clue what that means, and since it doesn't have an English translation… I press the little arrow to the side of the tab, looking for more information. All that appears is a paragraph stating how because I'm the nine-millionth player since the release of SWW4, I receive the special privilege of being the ninth jinchuuriki, which causes me to wonder who the other eight 'jinchuurikis' are. There's no further information other than that and a name: 'Kyuubi'.

Deciding that being special is probably better than any of the other choices (why else would they present the opportunity?), I select jinchuuriki. Hopefully I still had epic powers; being the nine millionth player had to account for something, right?

I move on to the other choices, selecting blond for my hair color and a crystalline blue for my eyes, to try and make it as alike to my real self as possible—it's not only me that does that in games though. Lots of other people simulate their true selves as well, because of the off chance that they might meet a fellow gamer in reality. It's the fun aspect of playing VRGs, just like using your actual name as your gamer ID.

I pick my clothes next. They have a wide variety of 'beginner ninja gear' available, mostly just plain shirts, average pants, and some open-toed sandal-boots. I pick a pair of orange pants and an orange-and-black jacket. (So what if I like orange? It's a beautiful color.) For ninja tools, they only have a few options, so I equip myself with something called 'kunai' and a set of 'shuriken'. SWW4 is actually a classic MMORPG in disguise – collecting XP points, leveling up, getting items, all as the game progresses – which explains the advanced create-a-character setup.

Then comes the customization tab. I love this option—it's what truly makes you stand out. Some games come with wings or tails or even ears and others with claws and fangs. SWW4 is no exception. I see choices with six arms, two heads, mouths in your hands, stitches, and of course, the classic tattoos. I'm flipping through them when something catches my eye: it's a pair of whiskers, three on each side of the face, reminding me of a fox or a cat. How cool would that be? Ears are over-the-top, in my opinion, but whiskers…whiskers are free game.

I select the whiskers and move onto the final tab: 'Name'. This part is where SWW differentiates from all the other VRGs so far. For some strange reason, Kowabaki Nakami failed to allow players to choose different names for their alias. I don't mind, since my gamer ID is 'Naruto Uzumaki', which is essentially an alias anyway, because Namikaze is my real last name, but for others it might be a hindrance. Some people don't want their names revealed (for good reason, because there can be some real creeps playing VRGs) but SWW has top notch security, as every buyer undergoes extensive paperwork and identification beforehand. It's a fair trade, in my opinion.

I check that the name reads 'Naruto Uzumaki' (except flipped, because of the Japanese origins) and press the green check mark.

There. I'm done.

I'm ready to play.

In seconds the blackness around me dissolves like Nakami's CPU did, revealing the true world of SWW4.

As always, whenever I start a new VRG, I'm left breathless as I take in the wonder of 4D sensations: smell, sight, hearing, touch, taste. It's all there. Tangible. It's incredible.

SWW4 is a masterpiece of a game. The leaves have been crafted down to the last detail, every blade of grass starkly green. The sky is a deep shade of cerulean, too blue to be reality but perfect enough to pretend it's real. A gentle breeze blows through the meadow I've been deposited in, rustling the flowers and the trees around me. All is silent.

I'm about to begin exploring when a mechanized voice hums to life in my ear, the same one that's been talking all along.

"Welcome to the world of SWW4. We are pleased to announce that you are the nine-millionth player since the release of the game. Would you like to receive the basics of the game or begin playing right away?"

"Basics," I answer, still taking in the scenery around me. Exploring could wait a little, I suppose; it's never a good idea to rush headlong into an unknown game.

"Very well." The voice goes silent for a second before starting again: "SWW4 is a world of friendship, danger, and fulfilling your dreams. In this world, items are only available in Hidden Villages. That includes clothing, accessories, and weapons. Money is necessary for buying these items; the money can be obtained by completing missions, either as a rogue ninja or a ninja of a Hidden Village. XP points are gained by each enemy the player fights and successfully conquers. Once the player has gained a certain amount of XP points, he or she may be leveled up by the leader of a group, themselves, or the Kage of a Village. There are also special levels—such as the ANBU Black Ops—which may only be obtained if the Kage of a Village promotes the player to that status. The player may become a Kage if he or she beats the current Kage in a duel. There are healing pills as well as Medics the player can request healing from if the relationship between the two players is strong enough. Dying causes the player to log out and player-killing is strictly forbidden. This information will always be available to you as well as in-depth analysis, and it is located on the main menu. Now would you like to know more or would you like to try fighting an animal?"

My answer is immediate; it's part of the reason why I bought SWW4, after all. "Fight!"

Almost immediately, a rustle occurs in the underbrush before me. I draw out a kunai, holding it by the handle. The metal is cool in my grip, almost familiar. The rustles grow louder and I tense as a mass of squealing pink bristles flings out of the underbrush, the wild boar snorting as it charges toward me.

Automatically I throw myself to the side, avoiding the pig's first attack. I grip the steel tighter and as it approaches again, I grab the kunai with both hands. The wild boar is almost on top of me when I stab down, watching in brutal satisfaction as the pig squeals again and bursts apart in a cloud of pixel-like particles. The blue XP points flow into me, disappearing in my midriff. I pocket the kunai, feeling the burst of energy waning. The best part about fighting-style VRGs is that you get to learn the style of each game separately, because no game is similar. Some use swords, some use magic, some use guns. It's all unique.

The voice buzzes in my ear again. "You may check your XP points, current status, and personal information when you press the air directly in front of your left arm. The only information you are allowed to access from other players' are their status—such as Summon or Animal—and name until they friend you. Would you like to know about battle techniques or begin playing?"

I desperately want to say 'play', but a part of me knows it's wiser to pick battle techniques and hold off for a few minutes. This could mean the difference between being killed within the first five minutes of game-play and possibly be laughed at for the rest of my SWW4 life or actually winning at something besides destroying an animated pink boar. "Battle techniques."

"Besides a wide variety of weapons, each player has a specialized chakra, picked at random by the game. There are five categories: wind, fire, earth, water, and lightning. Each chakra setting has different attacks exclusive to the setting, as well as some minor attacks that are used for all players. There is also a choice of being a weapons specialist. Certain modes can be acquired based on your character type, and secrets can be unlocked through playing. Skills are built through training. For more information, visit the Academies in the Hidden Villages. Would you like to begin playing?"

I close my eyes, trying to remember all the information. It's normal for VRGs to have lots of information, and they often have reminders that appear while you play anyway, so it doesn't really matter if I don't get it all now. Grinning, I open my eyes again.

"Hell yes!"


It's a bit anticlimactic when I'm not allowed to begin playing 'right away', like I should've been able to. Then again, maybe the next question is just a part of the game. I don't think too much about VRGs, because their logic is often incomprehensible.

"Before we officially begin, please select one choice. This will determine your future in the world of SWW4, and your choice will be final and irrevocable, so do tread carefully. The choices are: Rogue Ninja or Hidden Village?"

I scoff, answering loudly, "Hidden Village." Like I would be a rogue ninja! The whole point of playing SWW4 was to be a hero and make friends, not have everyone hate you. Besides, Sakura was in the Uchiha Clan, wherever that was, so my goal was to join up with her.

"Are you sure about this choice?" I affirm my answer. "Which Hidden Village would you like to join? Konoha – Leaf; Suna – Sand; Kiri – Mist; Kumo – Cloud; Iwa – Rock. Changing Villages is permitted; the necessary paperwork is with the Kage."

I bite my lip, briefly panicked. Which Village?! Did Sakura ever say? I throw my memory back.

I vaguely recall something about Uchiha…and with that…something that began with a K. Well, that was unhelpful, considering there were three Villages that began with K's. Konoha? Kumo? Or Kiri? Leaf, Cloud, or Mist? After a moment of internal debate, I decide to go with Konoha, since Sakura seems more like the type of person who would go after Leaf rather than Cloud or Mist. She would say the color of the leaves matched her eyes, anyway.

"Konoha." I desperately hope I haven't made the wrong choice.

"Very well." There is another moment of silence before the voice starts again. "The initializing process is now complete. You will be transported to your new Village promptly. Thank you for your patience and as always, happy gaming!" The voice zips out and I'm thrown, once again, into darkness.


A/N: Sorry that there are some giant paragraphs in there. There's going to be a lot of information in these first few chapters, but after that, they should clear up and the actual plot can begin! Whoo! And chapters will be longer in the future.

Feedback is much appreciated :)