~~Hello, readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I don't own anything from Sword Art Online.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
It was now mid morning at school.
Sioku and her best friend Jessy had just entered their math class.
Sioku turned to Jessy as a thought crossed her mind.
"If you get SAO today, what is your character going to be?" she asked curiously.
"I haven't decided yet, how about you?" Jessy responded.
"My character will definitely be a healer," Sioku answered with a dreamy smile.
"I could see that happening to you in the game. The category suits your personality since you have a big heart," Jessy complemented.
"Thanks, Jess, I would rather help people anyway. I'm not much of a fighter at all," Sioku said honestly.
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted when more people entered the classroom.
Many conversations were going on around them.
As soon as everybody had been situated, the teacher revealed the assignment.
Everyone pulled out their math textbooks and began to work.
Sioku used the constant noise around her to distract herself from thinking about SAO.
It seemed to work since she didn't get hyper for a while.
Sioku turned her paper in as soon as all of the problems had been completed.
Class was dismissed an hour later.
Sioku and Jessy exited the classroom as soon as the isles had cleared out.
There were crowds of people everywhere.
Sioku turned to Jessy with a playful grin on her face.
"Hey, Jess, I'll race you to the gym," she said competitively.
"Game on, Sioku," Jessy replied competitively.
Sioku immediately bolted ahead of Jessy.
They raced each other down a straight path and passed a few buildings.
Sioku slowed down as soon as she spotted the gym's entrance.
"I win!" Sioku hollered.
"I'll meet you there!" Jessy hollered back.
Sioku waited patiently by the door for her friend to return.
She leaned against a wall and breathed deeply to slow her heart rate down.
Jessy caught up to her friend a few minutes later.
"Hey, mis healer," she greeted playfully.
Sioku trembled with excitement as she blushed.
"Stop it, Jess, you're making me impatient!" she replied in a flustered way.
Jessy only laughed at that.
"I seriously hope we run a mile in PE today," Sioku said quietly.
Jessy looked at Sioku dumbfounded.
"Really? Why would you want to run a mile?" she replied.
"I have so much hyperactive energy stored up inside me. I just can't wait to release it," Sioku answered with a grin.
"I understand," Jessy added.
"I hate running the mile," Jessy muttered.
Sioku paced back and forth while waiting to enter the gym.
She smiled as a thought of Trooper flashed through her mind.
Jessy waved as she spotted many people walking toward the gym.
She then tapped on Sioku's shoulder, startling the girl out of her thoughts.
Sioku stopped abruptly before turning around.
"What's going on, Jess?" she asked suddenly.
"It's time to go inside the gym, silly," Jessy answered while tugging on the hanging strap of Sioku's backpack.
Sioku giggled at her best friend's spirited nature.
"This is one of the reasons why I love you, Jess. You're a lot like me," she said.
Jessy hugged Sioku in return.
Both girls then entered the gym behind a large crowd.
Sioku remained silent as she listened to the constant chattering around her.
At the bleachers, Sioku and Jessy sat down on the first step.
Many other students joined them.
Sioku cleared her throat before asking curiously, "Hey Jessy, do you know if Ariel has the same PE class as you and me?"
Jessy thought to herself before answering, "I don't know, I haven't seen her in our class. She probably has a different teacher."
The PE teacher blew a whistle in order to get the students' attention.
"Okay, class, please report to the field immediately," he instructed.
The conversations began again as people started to leave the bleachers.
Sioku perked up as she rose from her seat.
"I can't wait to release all of my hyper energy!" she hollered with excitement.
"Go get it, mis healer," Jessy encouraged.
Sioku only blushed at that.
She and the other students then followed their teacher out of the gym.
After much walking, they stopped at an open field of fresh cut grass.
Sioku grinned as she imagined herself and Trooper playing on the field.
The teacher faced the students before blowing his whistle again.
"You guys will be running one whole mile today. Please line up by the gate," he commanded.
Most of the students groaned at that in disappointment.
Sioku jumped up with joy and cheered, "Yes!"
She then skipped over to the chain-link fence.
The PE teacher chuckled as she smiled down at Sioku.
"I admire your spirit," he said to her.
"Thank you very much," she replied.
All of the other students reluctantly lined up behind her.
Sioku's heart began to race with anticipation.
The excitement was clearly getting to her.
She breathed deeply to calm herself down.
"Ready? Go!" shouted the teacher.
The students immediately started to run.
Sioku bolted ahead with a wide grin on her face.
The wind pushed against her back.
She imagined herself playing SAO while maintaining her quick running speed.
The happy thought of SAO helped Sioku increase the output of her hyper energy.
Sioku's heart pounded rapidly in her chest by the time she finished her first lap.
She slowed her pace down to a jog.
Jessy waved at Sioku as she caught up to her.
Sioku smiled and waved back.
"Why did you slow down, mis healer? You were doing so well," Jessy said.
At the sound of that name, Sioku felt the anticipation building up inside her again.
"Jess, stop calling me that. You're making me excited," she replied before laughing.
"Convert your excitement into energy that could help you run faster," Jessy advised.
Sioku nodded before breaking into a run.
Her ponytail floated in the wind.
She gradually increased her speed at the start of her third lap.
Sweat began to cover Sioku's forehead, but she just wiped it away.
Sioku panted heavily while trying to catch her breath as quick as possible.
She slowed down at the half way mark to lessen the strain on her legs.
Sioku thought about jogging the rest of the way.
Her body was in so much pain.
"Keep going until the end, mis healer! A swordsman doesn't give up, and neither should you!" hollered Jessy.
Sioku instantly perked up and grinned.
Jessy's encouraging words lit a spark of hyperactivity in her mind.
"Thank you, Jess," Sioku whispered.
She ignored the pain in her legs and started bolting through her fourth lap.
Sweat dripped profusely down her face as she panted in exhaustion.
Sioku pushed through her weakness in order to finish the last lap.
As soon as her final lap was finished, Sioku carefully made her way toward the bench.
She could barely stand on her shaking legs.
Sioku plopped down on the bench in exhaustion.
The wind lightly blew through her hair.
Closing her eyes, Sioku slipped deep into her thoughts.
Her heart rate gradually returned to normal as she rested.
Waiting for the end of PE didn't bother Sioku since she was focused on getting her strength back.
Sioku opened her eyes when a female voice brought her back to reality.
She turned around to find Jessy standing in front of her.
"Hey, future healer, what happened to you?" Jessy greeted in a playful manner.
"I was exhausted," Sioku answered quietly.
Sioku scanned the surrounding area in confusion.
"Hold on, Jess, where is everyone?" she asked suddenly.
"Everybody is still here. Some people haven't finished the mile yet," Jessy answered.
Sioku let out a relaxed sigh.
"That's a relief," Sioku replied with a yawn.
Jessy laughed as she stared at her friend's flushed cheeks.
"Hey, Sioku, where did all of your energy go?" she asked.
I used it all up during the mile," Sioku answered while adjusting her position.
She carefully stood up and stretched her legs.
A light breeze brushed against her face.
"We should go join the others now," Jessy suggested.
"Good idea," Sioku replied.
The two girls then made their way toward the bleachers where their classmates were waiting.
They sat down on the first step.
The PE teacher walked up to Sioku with a proud smile on his face.
"Your mile time was five minutes and 30 seconds. Congratulations, Sioku, you will receive an A on this activity," he said.
"Thank you very much, sir," Sioku replied with a grateful smile.
Sioku joyfully threw her arms around Jessy.
"Thank you for encouraging me to run faster back there. My grade would have gone down if you didn't do that," she said gratefully.
"That's what best friends are for," Jessy replied as she returned the hug.
Sioku continued to relax as she watched her remaining classmates finish the mile.
Class was dismissed once everyone had finished running the mile.
It was now time for lunch.
Sioku and Jessy headed straight for the dining hall after leaving the field.
The place had already been crowded by the time they arrived at the entrance.
They stopped at the back of a long line.
Many conversations were going on at once.
Jessy decided to start a conversation with Sioku as they waited.
"Hey, girl, how are you feeling after the mile run?" she asked.
"I'm okay," answered Sioku briefly.
Sioku grinned at Jessy as a thought crossed her mind.
"Hey, Jess, I have an idea. You, Ariel, and I should all dive into SAO at my house," she suggested with joy.
"That sounds awesome," Jessy replied with a wide grin of her own.
To the girls' surprise, Ariel came walking toward them.
She then stood next to Sioku.
"Hello, people," she greeted.
"Good afternoon," replied Sioku.
"Hi, Ariel," added Jessy.
"How did your last class go?" continued Ariel.
"Sioku and I just ran the mile in PE," answered Jessy.
"That sounds rough," replied Ariel.
Sioku looked at Jessy, then back at Ariel.
"Hey, Ariel, would you like to dive into SAO at my house with Jessy and me?" she asked cheerfully.
"Heck yes I would," she answered with enthusiasm.
Sioku couldn't help butt giggle at that.
"Ariel, do you know what you want your character in the game to be?" asked Jessy.
"She will definitely be a strong swordswoman," Ariel answered proudly.
"I don't doubt that," replied Sioku.
After ordering their food, Sioku and her friends sat down at a picnic table outside.
"Hey, Sioku, what activities will you do in SAO?" asked Jessy.
"I'll probably be healing other players while they fight on the front lines," Sioku answered with a dreamy smile.
"Typical Sioku," said Ariel with a sigh.
Sioku only grinned back.
She slipped into a pleasant train of thought.
"Hey, Sioku, what is your next class?" asked Jessy.
"Unfortunately, computers," Sioku answered with a frown.
Ariel stared at her friend with a confused expression.
"Sioku, why don't you like computer class?" she asked.
"I don't like Type to Learn. It scares me," Sioku answered before lowering her head.
Jessy looked at Sioku dumbfounded.
"How does Type to Learn scare you?" she responded.
"I'm afraid of the robotic voice that tells me what to do," answered Sioku with a heavy sigh.
Ariel and Jessy stared at each other in shock.
Sioku sat still as the robotic computer voice echoed in her head.
She trembled slightly while trying to redirect her mind.
Jessy tapped on Sioku's shoulder to get her attention.
"Please stay with us, Sioku. Think about SAO," she urged.
Sioku only nodded in response.
"Sioku, imagine yourself on the front lines with a swordsman. Picture yourself healing him after he fights a monster," Jessy added.
Sioku slowly began to calm down as she took in Jessy's words.
An excited grin stretched across her face.
She felt the anticipation and happiness building up inside her once again.
"Are you okay, Sioku?" asked Ariel.
Sioku let out a sigh of relief.
"Yes, I would have had a panic attack if Jessy didn't bring me back as quick as she did. Please don't worry about me," Sioku answered quietly.
Sioku then turned to Jessy.
"Thank you for saving me, Jess. You knew exactly what to say at the right time," she added.
"You're welcome, Sioku, I had a feeling that those words would help you perk up. I know how much you want to play SAO," Jessy replied with a smile of her own.
"You should also think about SAO during computer class. It might help you stay calm," Ariel suggested.
"Good idea," replied Sioku briefly.
"The three of us will dive into SAO very soon," Jessy reminded.
"I can't wait!" Sioku shouted with glee.
"That's the spirit," replied Ariel.
They heard a bell ringing over the loud speaker.
"I'll see you two later," said Sioku before quickly walking away from the table.
"Good luck, Sioku!" hollered Ariel.
She then hurried across the campus to prevent herself from being late.
Many people stared at Sioku as she ran passed them.
Sioku stopped at the top of a cemented ramp.
A light breeze brushed against her face as she stood quietly.
The silence pulled Sioku back into her thoughts.
All she could think about was her possible opportunity to dive into SAO.
The teacher's arrival suddenly brought Sioku back to reality.
"Good afternoon, Sioku," she greeted.
"Same to you," Sioku replied.
Sioku entered the classroom followed by the teacher.
The teacher then sat down at her desk.
Sioku sat down at the first computer before placing her backpack under the table.
She slipped into a train of deep thought while staring at the monitor in front of her.
Thinking about possibly diving into SAO after school seemed to distract Sioku from her fears.
The sound of many conversations quickly pulled Sioku out of her thoughts.
She turned around to see other students entering the classroom in a line.
As soon as everybody had been situated in their seats, the teacher took attendance.
The students were then instructed to resume Type to Learn.
Sioku let out a dejected sigh as she spotted the program's title in the menu.
"Here we go again," she whispered.
Listening to the monotonous typing tutorial caused her to shiver.
Fearful chills rapidly crawled up her spine.
She desperately took a few deep breaths in order to calm herself down.
Even though Sioku's best friends weren't in computer class with her, their encouraging words helped her stay focused on the typing lessons.
Sioku had finished 15 more lessons with perfect accuracy by the time class was dismissed.
She gladly logged out of her profile before leaving the classroom.
Sioku slipped deep into her thoughts on the way to her next class.
Jessy met Sioku near the entrance to another portable classroom.
"Hello, mis healer, how did computer class go?" she greeted.
"The same as always, Type to Learn is so annoying. I wish we didn't have to use that awful program," Sioku answered with a heavy sigh.
Jessy put a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Hey, Sioku, that class is over now. World geography is up next. It's also our last period," she continued.
The two girls then entered the classroom followed by a group of other students.
Sioku and Jessy sat down in a row of chairs near the door.
Sioku felt the anticipation building up inside her as she situated herself.
The muscles in her right arm began to tense up.
She gently rubbed it to ease the pressure.
"What's wrong, Sioku?" asked Jessy.
"I'm just feeling a bit anxious about SAO," answered Sioku softly.
"I understand, but I advise you to stay focused. We're taking notes today," Jessy replied with a serious expression.
"That's good," added Sioku with a smile.
After taking attendance, the teacher turned on her projector.
She then began the lecture.
Sioku cleared away her thoughts about SAO in order to focus only on the lecture.
The teacher's voice was loud enough to prevent Sioku's mind from wandering.
She also stayed focused by copying the slides of notes in her notebook.
Class was dismissed an hour later.
People immediately rushed out the door.
Their energy made Sioku laugh to herself.
Sioku and Jessy collected their belongings before walking out of the classroom.
They happily raced each other down the metal ramp.
Jessy playfully spun Sioku around in a circle.
Sioku laughed out loud in response.
"Who's ready to play SAO tonight?" asked Jessy with a wide grin.
"I am so ready!" Sioku hollered back.
Sioku felt as if a huge amount of weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She let out a relaxed sigh.
The girls then made their way toward the buses.
Sioku waved at Ariel before boarding a bus.
She then sat down in a seat behind the driver.
Jessy followed suit before plopping down in the seat beside Sioku.
Jessy looked at Sioku as a thought crossed her mind.
"Hey, Sioku, would you mind if I meet you at the store before coming to your house?" she asked.
"Not at all," answered Sioku happily.
Sioku and Jessy remained silent during the bus ride.
A half hour later, the bus arrived at the third stop.
Sioku gave Jessy a hug before exiting the bus with Lynn following behind her.
Jessy waved at Sioku before the bus drove away.