Sword Art Online: The Alternative {private c:}

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    "C'mon! We gotta hurry up!"


    Today was a huge day for gaming. Today, the first virtual reality Role Playing Game would finally be released to the masses. News stations around the world dropped all storied to focus on "Sword Art Online" and the Nervegear. This was the start of a new generation of gaming. Well... For most people.


    Valeria (but mostly known as "Val") was one of the few people chosen as a beta tester and had already been playing the game for months now. The other beta testers didn't expect much from her because of her avatar model. Other players usually like to make themselves look strong and powerful, but Val didn't want that. Instead, she was kind of short, and had pastel-blue short pigtails. Also, her pink eyes just screamed "Moe Moe KYUN". Seriously, it's like she had taken a K-On! character and made them 3D. Despite that, her character was busty and had an intense hour glass figure.


    Val had always been a sweet girl. She cared about others and would die for mere strangers. She considered this a good thing, but it would always concern the people that cared about her. She was quick and irrational, and this had caused many problems in her life. Despite this though, and her usual bubbly personality, Val was extremely smart and did much better in telling people what to do rather than physical fighting. She knew when to heal and when to risk it.


    Because of Val's appearance, she was mocked by other beta testers, claiming she was weak and defenceless. However, even though her physical strength was nothing to brag about, her power in magic was truly astounding. Also, her defence stats had always been high.


    Even though most laughed at her, one person strangely stayed by her side. And she was dragging him to the town square now.


    "We only have approximately... 1 minute and 36 seconds before players will start coming in! Quickly! Run! We need to greet them all and show them what to do! Well... I guess there's the in-game tutorials but I still want to help!"

    "We don't have to run Val." Quinn stated, One arm being dragged, the other pressing his glasses back up his nose. Although in game he could see without them it didnt feel quite right to be without them and so as soon as he could had bought a pair. "As you said a over a minute left, its only half that to the square."


    The tall thin figure allowed himself to be dragged along by his short friend. One of the few he had he found that she was able to offset his usually calm, or as some would say emotionless, demeanour. He stood nearly a foot taller than his friend and although having never met her IRL always imagined her shorter than himself. With short black hair and fairly unrecognisable features he would often be able to blend into a crowd and observe. Unless of course accompanied by his short friend. And as one of the most offensive fighters in SAO he would more than often stand upto those who would pick on Val. Bullies backing down knowing that they would be facing a re-spawn penalty otherwise.


    They reached the square with seconds to spare and new players began to log in with flashes of light.


    Typical avatars of typical people, big muscled guys and guys logged in as girls.


    A smirk crossed his face for a flash before returning to its usual blank expression.


    "Now then my diminutive friend where shall we start first?"

    Val looked around in awe at the new characters appearing one by one. The once lifeless game was becoming filled with diversity. Well... at least it was more diverse that it previously was. It was mostly huge men joining, but a few females appeared here and there. Whether they were actual girls of just perverts though, Val would never know.


    "Uhh... Him!"


    Val pointed towards a man of an average height and dark blue short hair who seemed a little lost. He was looking around at everyone with a troubled expression. It was quite clear he was unaware where to go.


    "EXCUSE ME!!"


    After screaming and waving, she ran over to the man, still dragging Quinn. The man looked surprised with the sudden burst of sound directed towards him.


    "Hey you're a new player right?! Well.. of course you are... Today is the launch day of Sword Art Online! No one has played this before hahaha! Oh... Well, other than us, but that's why we came to help! I'm Valeria, but call me Val! And this really tall person next to me is..."

    "...Quinnlan-Voss." Again readjusting his glasses. "But please call me Quinn." Looking around he noticed that more and more people were spawning in and soon the square would become overcrowded.


    "I believe it would be a wise idea to find somewhere quieter to make our introductions."


    Leading the party out on to the street Quinn he proceeded down the street to the tavern where him and Val rented their room.


    Sitting at the table in the far corner he began by asking the newcomer two simple questions...


    "So whats your name and what are you specialising in? Sword, spear, bow or mage?"

    "Yeah! Good question! I'm a Mage but Quinn here is like, the strongest person ever!"


    While talking (more like shouting), Val would use hand gestures extravagantly and almost knocked her drink over. The man looked astonished. He probably couldn't believe that someone like Quinn and Val could be friends, like many others. And he was right to think that. The two were as different as day and night.


    "U-uh, well. I'm Dav- Uh- Actually. I'm Flynn. And I specialise in bow... Or at least will... I obviously havent used one yet.. hehehe"


    Flynn put his hand behind his head and laughed nervously. He was clearly uncomfortable.


    "Ahh don't be so nervous Flynn! We don't bite! We're just gonna help you get started!"


    Val grinned, showing her sharp canines.


    (she'd not a vampire I just think it looks cute XD)


    "Uh... Thanks I guess... So uh... Where do I start then?"

    "Well if you're specialising with a bow that's perfect for our team comp. And if you're wanting ExP then we can go out to the fields just outside town there are low level mobs out there we can farm for a while until you get used to that weapon" Downing his drink and paying the inn keeper Quinn stood, sighed and made a small gesture opening the in game menu, after cycling through a few options a small display popped up on Flynn's Hud.


    ~Guild invite- Squirrel kittens~


    "The Squirrel.. The Squirrel Kittens?" Flynn, looking up at the tall serious figure infront of him. Quinn sighed again, knowing that he looked ridicules in that moment.


    "I didnt name the guild." He paused pointing at Val, Val at this point had the most ludicrous grin "She did. I got to be the guild leader if she got to name the guild, I'd rather have her name the guild than lead it. No offence Val."


    Flynn pressed the okay button and Quinn proceeded to lea the newly formed guild of three out to the fields.

    "None Take- Wait no. Taken. OFFENCE WAS TAKEN! And the name is good anyway! It's cute and adorable!"


    Val crossed her arms and turned away pouting.


    "Anyway" Val said, recovering in a matter of seconds "Welcome to Guild Squirrel Kittens! We'll be your hosts: Val and Quinn!"


    She pointed towards Flynn like she was in an anime and winked. All Flynn could do is stand there and blink.


    "Okay, Flynn, first rule of Squirrel Kittens? TAKE A JOKE!"


    She went towards Flynn and pulled his cheeks apart repeatedly.


    "Uh- Okay! I get it! Please stop... Doing that!"


    "Ah fine, C'mon Flynn, Quinn. I'll race you!"


    Val began running as fast as her little legs would let her.

    Quinn sighed and turned to his new friend. "You won't here the last of it if she wins." With that Quinn readjusted his glasses pulled his cloak around him pulled his hood up and took off in a sprint after her Flynn following closely behind attempting to keep pace with these two very odd very different individuals.


    After a short but fast race Quinn in the fields Flynn to his side and Val in front of him collapsed on the ground.


    "You knew this would happen Val. My Physical scores are far superior to yours. You're a mage...not an Olympian."


    Turning to Flynn while his Val recovered. "Now Flynn we'll test how good you are with that bow of yours. Try and shoot one of the mobs in this field." The field they now stood in had several neutral mobs that wouldn't attack unless they were provoked first. "Dont worry about not killing them that's why you have me here." Quinn then equipped his own weapon a long wooden staff Nearly as tall as Quinn himself.


    Flynn looking at the weapon quizically asked "Where did you get that? I never saw a weapon like that in the directory"


    Quinn smirked "Its a unique item i found during a quest in the beta, It has its own quest line leading into higher floors and gets upgraded the more you complete, at the moment its a quarter staff but it gets a lot better later on. And turn out the starter quest is no longer here, By keeping this from the beta i removed the chance of anyone else getting the quest although it is back to its basic form again."

    After loosing the race and her dignity, Val sat on the grass cross-legged, sulking.


    "You're a mage, not an Olympian blah blah blah"


    She stuck her tongue out as she watched the two men talk bows and beta or whatever. Quinn had always taken this game so seriously, but truth be told, Val just wanted to have fun. Just another way they differed really.


    Finally, Val stood up and took out her favourite spell book: Noseferatu


    Noseferatu: A spell which has medium offence and takes back half of the magic dealt


    "I'll just be here for back-up I guess... If you need me... Yeah..."


    Val noticed how well Quinn and Flynn were getting along, and she had to admit she felt a little left out.


    Okay, now i'm just being stupid.

    The next few minutes Quinn showed Flynn how to use different power attack techniques and even managed to get Flynn to level up. At the end of this time however Flynn piped up "Umm guys i'm sorry but i'm going to have to log off now, irl I have a job to get to and i dont want to be late so i'll have to head off."


    Quinn readjusts his glasses and nods his head. "Well its been nice getting to know you flynn and as part of our, albeit small guild you will knoww whenever either of us are logged on and active."


    Flynn waves goodbye to Val And gestures to bring up the menu reaching forawrd he presses the... logout button


    "Guys i know im new to nervegear but how do I log out?"


    Quinn moves over to his side brings up the menu and Goes to where the logout button should be but instead finds only a blank option.


    "Umm Val can you access the logout button from your menu?" He said his voice concerned.

    "Oh c'mon guys it's right in front of your ey-"


    Blank.


    "Huh? Where the hell is the log out button? It should be right here!"


    Val was seriously panicking, searching frantically around her menu. Her eyes were darting around.


    "Okay guys, don't worry! I'm sure it's just an update flaw or something... Yeah! Let's go to the town centre to see if anyone else is having this problem! It's early days right? There's bound to be bugs!"


    What Val said was mostly to make Flynn feel better. But she knew that this definitely shouldn't be happening.

    A blinding flash of light and the three found themselves back at the Town of beginning's square once more.


    "Well I'm going to assume this want quite what you meant right?" He said concern in his voice, looking down at his friend. He then looked to his other side where he imagines Flynn would be. But instead saw no one, although the guild icon was active showing he was nearby.


    He looked around for any sign of what might be happening.


    The sky then started to change system messages took over the horizon.


    "Maybe this is like a welcome message like an event?" He said more unsure of anything now. The next few minutes ripped the very breath from his lungs, The developer of the game, Akihiko Kiyiba told them all ho they were now trapped with no means of escape other than total completion of the game. At somepoint he and graabbed hold of his Val and clung to her. Weather for his comfort or hers he didn't know.


    Kiyiba's last message came with a gift.


    "I have left something in each of yours inventory. Goodbye"


    Opebning his menu he found a simple irror he brought the item into the world and looked at it."

    "Hey, I have one too.."


    Val took out the mirror and-


    "...What?"


    She didn't mean to say this aloud but she couldn't help it. Val's face drained pale before her eyes... Even more pale than it was. Staring back at her was not the adorable pixie-faced character she was used to, but... herself. Her actual self.


    Instead of her short pigtails, her hair was replaced with a light brown messy bob. Her striking pink eyes replaced with dull green ones, that were much smaller than her previous eyes, but still bigger than the average persons. Her clear complexion, replaced with a freckled-filled face.


    Though she was a little bit taller than her avatar, she was still pretty short, but otherwise her body was completely different. Her curves were practically none existent, and her chest was remarkably smaller.


    "Quinn..?"


    She turned to face her guild member.

    Quinn was blinded shocked to see no longer a long solemn face with black hair or beady eyes. He saw himself the one he was used to seeing only in the real world. Long brown hair which drooped lazily over his dark green eyes. His glasses now to large for his face fell away, thankfully in virtual reality he no longer needed them. He looked to his side and Was shocked to find himself almost face to face with her as he was now only an inch or two taller than her.


    "Val? Are you okay?" Asking both if it were her and if she was unharmed. At the moment he said that though the sky once more cleared up and people began to scream, cry and breakdown all around them. He took her hand and ran with her out the square.


    "Val what the hell? Are you okay?" He allowed himself to collapse against the nearby wall using it for support.

    "This... No... This can't be happening..."


    Val's eyes burned with tears.


    Are we really trapped in here? Can we really not escape?


    "Quinn... What are we gonna do?"


    Val fell to the floor, her head in her hands. She began sobbing loudly.


    "I need to get home! What about my family?! What about school?! What about everything?!"


    Val, a girl who only played this game for fun. A girl who re-spawned many times on a daily basis. A girl who couldn't through a punch to save her life, was now forced to fight, die, or to be trapped.

    Quinn didnt know what to do. He was going through everything in his head.


    This was real. We are trapped and we can die. Val can die.


    "Val..." He said weakly trying to comfort her.


    She needs to be stronger i can't protect her all the way to the end


    "Val" He said it again still not getting her attention


    I will protecter i'm in the top 10 strongest players if anyone can protect her i can.


    "Val! Stop crying, we dont have time to cry now. We have to get moving."


    Taking her hand he once more started to lead her away from the city center towards the town gate.

    "Why...?"


    Val wouldn't just be dragged along right now. They didn't need to do anything. All Val wanted to do was cry. Couldn't Quinn allow that for a few more minutes? She lowered her head as she talked.


    "Why are you acting like you don't care?! Can you not see what has happened here?! Quinn, we could die! Someone could come and kill us right and we won't re-spawn. We are in a world of monsters and evil and we can die! Does that mean nothing to you?! Stop trying to be cool and emotionless for once in your life and actually be a person!"


    Val instantly felt bad, but she meant every word she said. She just wanted to mourn for a moment with her friend, not rush straight back into action.


    "Just... Just let me cry. Family and friends... They were everything to me. I don't know about your home situation, but to me... This feels like loosing a limb. Can you respect that? Or do you need to be all silent and badass alone?"

    "Val we dont have long, soon other people are going to realise that there's only so much xp to go around. We have to get leveling, I already saw someone running for the gate." He sighed and stopped. He pulled Val into a hug. she was shaking with fear and he could hear her sobbing more clearly now, her breathing erratic "I know how youre feeling right now. And i may not show it but i do have emotions."


    "I live alone i have no friends and no family worth mentioning irl." He went to readjust his glasses finding that they were no longer there. "All i really have is one friend thats you and i am going to make sure that we both get out of this game as quickly as possible. I will get you back to your life. I promise. But we cant wait. we have to hurry.


    He kept the embrace hoping that it would ease his friends pain. And also allowing her to strengthen his resolve.

    "...I'm sorry... That was cruel... Gods... Okay okay, we'll go. But what about Flynn?"


    Val always saw their guild as being a pair (now group) of friends who fought together sometimes. But now, everything had changed. Their guild was serious. It would be them versus every other guild.


    This isn't what I wanted...


    "If nothing else... please can we find Flynn? We... I don't think we-... I don't think I'd survive in just a pair."


    That's right.. Quinn was one of the strongest beta testers. That's probably why he's so calm. He's safe for at least a month without training before others started catching up to him. Val, on the other hand, was nothing without a book to a accompany her.

    SH*T!


    In his rush to protect his friend he had forgotten the newest addition to the guild. He quickly brought up the messaging system and sent their location to Flynn with the message to hurry there as soon as he could.


    "Now we need to focus okay." Looking around he saw an alchemist stall, proceeding to use all the Col he had, bought 4 healing potions going into the guild inventory share he place all 4 into Val's inventory.


    "Val, you need to take these, i have the health and armour to tank damage and generally I'll block anything from hitting you, okay?" He wiped the tears from her face then equipped his quarter staff. looking down back to the square looking out for Flynn, whatever he now looked like.


    [i]This is all so screwed up. I will keep her safe. She comes before all. One person i can defend, but if it comes to it I may have no chance but to leave Flynn.

    The post was edited 1 time, last by Notifier ().