Finally, I can start a Sword Art Online story. I thank whitworth5274 for helping me.
November 6th, 2022
"A normal day. Well, a normal day for most. For some, it was a day that was sure to go down in history."
"Are you...monologuing?" the Haruji's father asked, the proud father showing a joking smile on his face. Haruji was a 16-year-old boy with shaggy brown hair with a rat tail, as well as light blue eyes.
"No. I'm visualising my version of the launch trailer in my head," Haruji replied.
"Yeah, you're my son, alright."
That beautiful son and father moment, both players excited for the launch of the new game Sword Art Online, was interrupted by a girl walking in a room, her expression mixed with annoyance and anger. It was Haruji's little sister, Kotori.
"Alright, who ate my chocolate again?" Kotori asked, accusatory.
"Oh, you mean this chocolate?" her brother reacted, holding the half-empty package of a chocolate bar in his hand.
"You did it again?!"
"It was calling out to me. How could I deny the chocolate's purpose in life?"
"That was mine, you pig!" The younger sister shouted, her wooden bokken ready to strike her stupid brother on the head. Just in time, he blocked it with his own bokken he kept in the corner.
"You're not gonna win if we do this," Haruji smirked.
"Give me back my chocolate!" Kotori swung again at her brother, but Haruji again blocked her attack.
"Hard to do when I'm already digesting it."
As the two kids kept doing what sisters and brothers do best to one another, the father just sighed and eventually broke them up.
"If you kids are gonna fight, can you do it outside? Haruji, you owe your sister your dessert tonight."
"Oh, come on. It was just a candy bar. I'll get her a new one tomorrow."
"Alright then. You can also wait until tomorrow after you've paid Kotori back to use the Nerve Gear."
"Fine," Haruji sighed as he glared at Kotori who poked her tongue out smugly. He wanted to get away from that look, but the SAO, aka Sword Art Online, launch was happening in 30 minutes, and he didn't want to miss it.
"And Kotori, how many times have I said don't use your bokken to attack your brother?" the father growled.
"He stole my chocolate bar!" Kotori replied.
"A missing chocolate bar does not warrant the use of a wooden sword to beat your brother."
"Yes, dad." Kotori looked away and pouted, making Haruji smile.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In a gymnasium, a 14-year-old girl with red hair that goes down to her stomach, bright blue eyes, and a fancy green stoned barrette prepared for her routine. She did into a back handspring then formed into a cartwheel. But then on the wolf jump, she stumbled and fell on her back.
"Damn it!" the red-haired girl known as Haruko cried out.
"Don't worry, Haruko. That leg will heal eventually," her gymnastics colleague mentioned, a big smirk on her face when she passed by.
"My leg is fine, Karin," Haruko stated as she crawled back up and tried the exercise again. With her bright blue eyes fixated on the mats in front of her, she began her routine but just as before, stumbled and fell at the wolf jump. The girl huffed in frustration as another girl completed the exercise correctly.
"All right, people. Let's call it a day. Good practice everyone." a sudden cry from her coach entered the young girl's ear.
While everybody grabbed their water bottles and other belongings, the girl crawled up for a second time and was determined to do it one last time. She almost made it until her coach stopped her.
"Training is over, Haruko." the coach repeated.
"Right..." the girl stated as she picked herself up and made her way to the locker rooms. It was at that moment the coach pulled her aside.
"You alright, kid?"
"I've failed a routine I've done perfectly hundreds of times. How do you think I feel?"
"I wasn't referring to practice, but on that note, today wasn't great either."
"I'm trying coach. I really am." the girl answered with a sad sigh.
"I know you are. You've got the drive, Haruko. I know you can do this."
"If only other people had as much faith in me as you did." The coach showed a brief smile before answering.
"Look, I won't pretend to understand what it's like in your shoes. But behind it all, she does care."
"I don't need you telling me what she could say to me."
"Keep your chin up, kid. You're too skilled to let this get to ya. You know I'm here for you."
"Yeah...thanks, coach." Haruko smiled sadly then headed over to the locker room. As she found her locker and quickly changed back to her casual clothes, she heard a few murmurs from the back.
"I'm surprised she's still trying."
"Doesn't seem like she is."
"Give her a break guys. That accident was pretty bad."
"Really is a shame, huh?"
The red-haired girl wanted to react, but instead just kept walking. They weren't worth it, and the SAO launch was going to start soon. Seeing the car in front of the building, she walked towards it to see her mother sitting in the driver seat.
"Hey, mom."
With no response from her mother, she stepped into the car. Feeling the awkward silence hanging in the air during the way back home the girl knew that her mother wasn't in good mood.
"And just what happened back there?" her mother finally asked.
"I misjudged the wolf jump."
"You don't misjudge something three times, Haruko."
"A fourth time I would've gotten it."
"A fourth time is three times too many."
"Why can't you appreciate that I'm trying?" Haruko asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Are you? Between playing those games and watching those cartoons, I'm inclined to believe you aren't."
"What exactly are you saying? And they aren't cartoons. It's anime." Her mother's eyes rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed as she did not know the difference. For her, they were both the same; a waste of time.
"I'm saying that all that nonsense is dividing your attention from where it should be the most."
"I'm balancing my time well!"
"If you'd balanced it better, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"If I'd balanced it better, you'd still say I screwed up somewhere since you're so supportive, mom."
"That's quite enough, young lady."
"Whatever..." Haruko rolled her eyes and leaned against the window. The remainder of the car ride was silent between the two. Once her mother pulled up to the house, Haruko quickly got her things and got out.
"Haruko." Her mother called from the car. Haruko stopped as the only signs she had heard her, not even bothering to looking at her mother.
"I have some errands to do. Make yourself useful and clean the house while I'm gone before you waste your life away playing those stupid games. Am I clear?"
"Yes, mom," Haruko said, holding back half of what she wanted to say.
She went over to the front door and went inside as her mother drove off down the street. She took her shoes off and went over to the living room. Dumping her bag on the couch, she went to the kitchen and got a peach from the fridge. Taking a bite of it, she began to tidy the house. A few minutes later, she had finished cleaning up the house to look tidy-ish. She then grabbed her bag and went to her room.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"So how long until launch?" Haruji asked, walking over to his father.
"Half an hour."
"You mean, half a minute, right?"
"No, I mean half an hour."
"You know you could put the servers up now." Haruji asked, playfully.
"Or you could be patient and wait for the launch." Though his father was annoyed, he smiled the whole time.
"Oh come on, dad! You're the one that gets to flip the switch. Why not throw it on a bit early?"
"Or you can wait like everyone else."
"What's wrong, old man. Afraid I'm gonna find bugs the moment I step inside?"
"No. I just care about my job."
"It's only half an hour 'til launch. Throwing the servers up now won't hurt anyone."
"And give you an unfair advantage?"
"You know I'm gonna be the one to finish this game anyway."
"Maybe I should put a handicap on you specifically."
"Ooh, you should make his starter outfit a chicken suit!" Kotori said.
"Shut up, Kotori!" Haruji snapped.
Their father sighed and looked away from his children. "Okay you two. Pipe down. Haruji, if you're so anxious, you should go get prepared if you want to be the first on Aincrad in twenty-five minutes."
Haruji nodded and headed towards his room. "Not even five minutes early?"
"Not even half a second early. And don't forget, you owe Kotori dessert later on."
"Two chocolate bars. No discussion."
"Yeah yeah, whatever."