Rue
Post by Elpharae on Mar 14, 2016 4:13:44 GMT
[OOC: A little longer than I thought it would be. Character exploration.]
Akihiko opened his eyes, unprepared for the brilliant sight that greeted him.
Around him, girls and boys alike pushed around in flocks and small groups, giggling in high-pitched voices or hollering in low ones, but all seemed to be happy. A man brushed by him, arguing viciously with a merchant for the price of a sword, and a woman was flirting coyly with an NPC, which resulted in a small success. Younger children. siblings or kids, pushed by, skimming and humming, and he resisted the urge to coo. Barely. His skirts brushed against his knees, and he focused on his surroundings, attempting to use his detection skill. There was the low murmur of grasses brushing against each other, straining to touch the sky, golden-brown and streaked with green; the call of birds, shrill and high and low, a choir in their own, flitting here and there, the sound of powerful wings flapping permeating the air; the cool touch of the breeze, calming and soothing, never raising above a quick swish sound that disturbed a series of leaves, judging by the rustling noise that seemed to follow the wind; the loud laughter that occasionally broke out nearby, doubtless from some NPCs to add realism or from some players who had come in a party to kill some boars and level up. He could smell the clean-sweet scent of dry grass and newly cleaned clothes, and the quietly intoxicating scent of flowers that bloomed, combined with the stream-clear air that Sword Art Online possessed.
It was beautiful.
He asked for a mirror, turning to a pretty, blonde-haired young NPC shopkeeper, who smiled kindly and obliged, telling him that he was quite a pretty young woman. He thanked her, self-conscious all of a sudden. He wondered if his decision to make himself a girl in SAO, since he was a crossdresser, was unjustified, but shook it off, taking the borrowed mirror and freezing a little. Who looked back was not exactly him, with rounder features and a sharper chin, and the eye color of his avatar was shades darker than his own, but they both possessed the same fair skin in real life. The resemblance was striking, even if he had chosen a lighter brown in his avatar’s hair color. It was close enough to pierce him, though. He moved his attention to his dress. While other players seemed to have some sort of outfit that was relatively simple and practical, his was neither. It had a wide, free-flowing skirt and a kimono-type top, with long sleeves that he immediately loved and ruffles among the torso. Sliding a hand in his hair, he removed a flower accessory, and admired the craft, fingers glossing over the twisting, smooth metal. How pretty- it was like they drew inspiration from camellia flowers, since he saw the curved edge as somewhat similar.
Returning the mirror to the woman, he looked over the Town of Beginnings. Sword Art Online was a mixture of the old and modern- cobblestone streets, twisting sheets of metal, futuristic-designed old weapons -and it was beautiful. Perfection, actually. The sky was clear and had a couple of clouds, remarkably lifelike and puffy, and he bent down, taking in the irregular shapes and glint of each stone. Impeccable detail- that meant that every stone must have been designed differently, and colored by a unique shade -and a glossiness that he admired briefly. Plants bloomed, green and lush, in flowerbeds next to windows. It was magnificent, and he wanted to learn more about this world. Akihiko had come here because he wanted to world-build in the books he was planning on writing- and so he took a few notes on what drew him in. The realization that he wasn’t in his reality, but a very different world that seemed like an utopia at first glance. The beauty of the place. The changes in his identity. The way he looked.
It surrounded him all. This world, Sword Art Online, was so different and better than their own at the first glance, but there was something else that he noticed. Nowhere was truly perfect, and Sword Art Online had to have some flaws, which he would expand on in his book. One, doubtless, was the ever-present reality of the game. The game was perfect- too perfect -and could make you forget it was even a game in the first place. You could grow too attached in the game, and lose your life here, falling in love with an NPC and wasting your life on something filled with fantasy and lies. It was kind of ironic, actually- this was a different kind of reality, and he wasn’t sure what would happen if you did that, besides having your body perish in the real world. But if your real-life body died, would your consciousness remain here in the form of a person? It was a curious concept, one he intended to explore just as much as he would with Castle Aincrad.
Figuring out his purpose on here was probably much more important at the moment, though. Did he want to become a master swordsman and defeat Floor 100 with a powerful party of his own, or did he want to start a guild? He closed his eyes, thinking clearly. No, he wanted something different. He wouldn’t fight on the front lines, but pass by in the towns and fight monsters not in the Dungeons. It seemed relatively safe, and he smiled at his decision before nodding firmly and setting off to explore the town, wide-eyed and eager to explore every aspect of this life within another life, jumping head first into this strangely familiar world. His skirts turned in a flurry of maroon and bright red as he spun around and ran into the town, giggling lightly and murmuring apologies when he bumped into others, intent on reaching his goal. What made Sword Art Online this amazing, ever-changing and shifting world that made him so captivated?
Giggling lightly, he walked in wonder and amazement to an open meadow, filled with grass and flowers. Taking a deep breath, enjoying the honey-sweet scent of the flowers and the always blowing breeze, he turned and skipped through the grass. Akihiko “oohed” and “ahed” over a flitting duo of butterflies, both with different markings but both monarchs. Was each butterfly created seperately? He wondered idly, smiling and wondering. Sitting down on his knees, he wondered at the familiar but much softer grass, plucking a single piece off and blowing on the blade, producing a shrill but mostly quiet whistling noise that caused his eyes to widen in wonder. So sound worked the same way here, too? That wasn’t a concept too far away? How remarkable. Captivated, he paused in the middle of the field, standing and just listening around him to the chittering of separate animals. If he tried, he could make out a sweet soprano voice singing a love song, no doubt to their partner. Laughter surrounded him. It was so pleasant here.
Making his way out of the field and poking his head down an alley, noting different conversations going on. Everyone's voice was filled with wonder and happiness, not to mention joy. He shook his head a little bemusedly, thinking back to the creator of this virtual reality. What type of person did it take to make a world, a reality like this? Akihiko Kayaba, apparently.
He paused at a fountain, watched a boy skillfully provision some food, tapping his knife above the food supplies and watching them be minced and chopped easily with a flick of his wrist, and then watched in avid interest as another player still picked up an instrument and tuned it idly. This world…did it separate your worldly fears, since no one knew who you were? It was liberating, perhaps, but that was a lie, too- as long as it was a world, it would always have fear and uncertainty, or so he believed, making a note of that in his head. The Town of Beginnings was crowded, always chattering and whispering, and he wove in and out of the crowds, listening to the idle talk and wondering if he would learn anything staying here for. As he passed by a larger crowd, he heard tidbits of information.
“…can’t log out…”
“What are…oh my god…”
“Are you…”
“We’re…”
"It can't be...on purpose? What if...what?"
He turned sharply, searching for the voices who spoke that, but the street moved on, and he was left wondering and panicking. With one swipe of his hand, he opened the menu, opening up the option button, wincing at the rather obnoxious color scheme for a second inwardly- who had chosen white and orange, for God’s sake? -and noting the logout button with some relief before he realized that it was blank. Eyes widening, he tried to click it, but a message popped up, saying quite plainly, that there was an error and the message was not sent. His hands were still, and he closed the menu after a beat of silence, feeling a little cold, but detached nonetheless, as if the issue had no importance. If this was really true, he needed to be careful until the game was fixed, which might take days, months, or perhaps even years. He closed his eyes. Focus. If he wanted to survive this game, he would have no time for idle thoughts. He pushed his emotions away, locking them into a chest deep inside of himself, steadying his body. He listened quietly to the sound of the wind and birds, noting the quick slashes far away that signaled a player's sword. Was it normal, he wondered, to have your heart ache this much, knowing that you were so far away from home, in a game that was nothing but fantasy and lies?
Akihiko’s lips twisted into a wry smirk. Fantasy and lies, huh? It seemed…
This game was no different from the real world.
Akihiko paused in his journey, dark hair flowing in the wind. The brush of the gentle, ever-blowing wind caressed his skin, and he enjoyed its cool touch, nostalgia permeating his senses. He had wondered, as a younger child, what the wind spoke when he was a much younger youth, perhaps around the age of five. Every murmur and burble and whisper had meant something then, always talking to the wind and wishing it would answer back. Of course, he knew better now, but the player couldn't help but think about that time when a brush of wind touched him. His sister would say that it spoke the same language as the trees and fires and rivers, and tell him a story that would keep him up for hours.
For his skill, he had chosen the skill Rapier Mastery, so he should have a simple rapier in his inventory. Swishing his hand again, he opened his inventory, changing into his armor and taking his sword in his hand, still unsure of what this was what he wanted to do- stay strong enough to stay alive, or keep in the Town of Beginnings, a safe zone, doubtless where many would stay after they realized that the game would not allow them to log out. He ignored his misgivings and doubts, instead deciding to kill just one boar to get the hang of it.
Of course, though, that wasn't what he came here for. Slowly, almost regretfully, he swiped his hand down, opening up his inventory with a flick of his wrist. Selecting the white and orange option, he equipped his armor and beginner's rapier, trying to get a feel of his weapon before he attracted an opponent. The rapier was cool to the touch, light, and exactly like he imagined a sword. He knew, vaguely, or at least now, that a rapier was thin, light, fast, and well-balanced, not made for slashing, but for thrusting. It seemed well-balanced, but the thin blade meant that it couldn't have pierced thick armor, contrary to popular belief. So unarmored combat. The brunette sighed, looking down on his blade almost regretfully. He could have probably done better as a PKer or even a thief with that information, but his morals and ethics prevented him from doing so.
The scent of the dry grass, mingled with the undeniable earthiness that came with animals, the dusky scent of skin and leather…so this was the Great Plains. He slid his fingers over the rapier, which was nearly edgeless and came to a wicked point at the very tip. A good thrusting sword, as he had deduced. The only problem was the delicate edge might snap…if Sword Art Online even had that. He took a deep breath before plunging into the Great Plains, ignoring the strange tugging sensation that told him that he was entering a new area. Turning his sword and testing some stabs, he tried activating his Sword Art, but with no information on how to do so, not even a movement, it was rather hopeless. So killing a boar with no Sword Art. It seemed more difficult than he thought it might be. The faraway sound of clip-clopping feet alerted him to a monster’s presence, and he turned sharply. From what he had heard, boars only charged in straight lines, so sidestepping seemed more logical.
A boar thundered past, skidding to a stop with angry red eyes and oddly colored skin, probably just the game's originality factor going there and coloring it that way. Noting him, it pawed the ground angrily and charged again, this time too close for Akihiko to dodge properly, his HP bar dropping into the lower range by 10 points, a little fraction on the right side remarking, quite plainly, 55/65. His green-colored health became more yellow-tinted, though nothing major. He took his sword, a little unsurely, and randomly tried to hit it, which just skimmed on the edge and did 2 damage to the boar. Well, that was insulting. He calmed himself, furrowing his brow as he tried to focus more on the animal. It was wild and strong, but predictable, and he tried to focus his attacks on those pieces of information.
Right. Thrusting. It was hard to remember everything and take note of his surroundings while he was attacking, and so he tried again as the boar came in front of him, instinctively just lashing out with his sword to hit it between the eyes in a single thrust. The boar howled in agony- 20 points down, he noted with some elation, his heart leaping -but he had forgotten to pull his sword out, and it lay lodged in the boar's skin, a glowing red spot around it. The monster tried to buck it off, but was met with failure. The smoothness and agility of his weapon was certainly useful, and its small size meant that it would stay there.
Good. But not good. He needed that sword back. Desperately.
Akihiko approached the boar cautiously, but was hit again, losing another ten points. 45/65, the health bar in his vision taunted, making him flush a little angrily. He grabbed the sword out of the boar, filled with frustration and letting it slip out the tiniest bit, sliding it out with a small screeching noise that seemed a little unrealistic, but then again, this was a game. Once he got his sword, he steadied himself, noting that his health was now yellow. He brought the sword up into a position that ran directly from his shoulders to his calves. That would probably fend off most of the attacks for now, and would allow him to have a better defense.
Eager to end this fight, he slid away when the boar tried to charge again, pawing the ground angrily and taking off on its forelegs. Akihiko hit the boar one more time, wincing when a gaping red gash, glowing faintly, appeared, expecting to see blood. When he reminded himself that there would be no blood in a game like Sword Art Online, the player was finally able to drag his eyes up. It seemed to have dissipated into a shower of white and blue pixels, the cubic-designed shapes lingering in the air before poof-ing away. The momentum from his thrust was far from over, however, and carried him through, making him collapse onto the ground sword-first.
He swore, in French, and got up, hissing at the odd feeling that told him he had lost health. It wasn't bad, particularly, but just...cold. Like dropping an ice cube down your back, it slid and made him want to cringe and hiss. He bit his lip, confused. What should he do now? For one, he should move out of the danger zone, he thought dryly, and began to make his way out of the Great Plains. He wasn't so sure he could take any on anymore foes, and if he did...well, he couldn't log out, and perhaps his body would be in some sort of comatose state? There was no telling.
He was stopped by the large chiming of a loud bell, and he stopped in the middle of the field, wondering. No one had mentioned anything about a bell. Did it signal the beginning of the night, or was it something else. Was that the announcement of the glitch? He wondered, before turning in the direction of the thundering sound. Before he could ponder it further, he disappeared in a bright flash, the only reaction he could give being a quick widening of his eyes.
The sky was bleeding.
Rich red, the color of blood, the color of vitality, the color of fire and passion, dripped from the strange red-filled field that surrounded them. It sent Akihiko's senses on edge. Red signaled danger in games like these, and he had no doubt he was in danger. Getting up from where he had found himself on his knees, brushing his skirt off, he looked around, pulling his weight on one leg in order to turn faster. The impact that made him get on his knees was not exactly painful, just propelled him to the ground. The glance around him revealed little-players were still appearing. Teleportation? He hadn't heard of such a thing. It was most likely Akihiko Kayaba who called them, but...he shook it off and looked around him again. Players were fearful, cocky, happy- emotions were more varied than the number of colors in a rainbow. He wondered what this could be.
Was the game growing apart from Kayaba? Did it morph into something entirely different, with an intelligence of its own that they could not control, just pawns? It seemed vaguely dystopian, actually, but so had the idea of a virtual reality. He clenched his fists. What was happening? The red bled, gathering slowly into a red cloaked figure. It was threatening and yet familiar. His eyes widened in recognition.
That couldn't be...
"Attention players. Welcome to my world. My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world. I'm sure that you've already noticed the logout button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game. I repeat... This is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Sword Art Online. You cannot log out of SAO yourselves, and nobody on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear."
Kayaba Akihiko. The person with the same name as him, genius creator of SAO. This wasn't a defect? That meant...that no one could ever leave the game. But if he wanted that to happen, he wouldn't be talking about that to players like him. No, he was offering them a choice. It was probably risky and idiotic, but it would definitely offer a way out. But would Kayaba, honored engineer, tell the truth? Or would he offer up lies, just to tell them in the end that it was for naught?
This was a prison. He should have known.
"Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life. Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning, and have attempted to remove the NergeGear. As a result, two hundred and thirteen players are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world. As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting all of this, including the deaths. Thus, you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed is now minimal. I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game. But I want you to remember this clearly. There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP ever drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost, and the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain. There is only one means of escape. To complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad. Floor one. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game. Finally, I've added a present from me to your item storage. Please see for yourselves. "
Akihiko slowly opened his inventory, and saw a new entry, marked by an exclamation mark next to it. Curious, he clicked on the words, and spotted mirror, a square one. It fell into his hand, lightweight and durable, but was this just for him, or did everyone get one? As he turned, flashes appeared around him, and his eyes widened. What was happening? Light engulfed his avatar, too, and he found himself unable to scream or make any noise. When he opened his eyes, he saw changes around him. What had been a more female-dominated field now had more males than girls, and he turned his mirror cautiously, not at all prepared for what looked back at him in utter shock-or rather, who.
Not his avatar, which was a female, but himself, a boy with long hair and girlish features. Even his eyes were unchanged, down to the color to most likely the number of eyelashes he had. His lean physique was displayed, exactly the same way as he looked in real life. His dress had been adapted to fit him, and he was relieved to see it still seemed mostly the same. His dark hair was straight and glossy as ever. This was real life in a virtual reality- something that Kayaba had told an interviewer his angle was in Sword Art Online. How aptly...ironic, he supposed. His earlier gentleness had disappeared, faced with the grim reality. He glanced detachedly around at the crying, whimpering faces around him, and found, oddly, that he did not care, not the slightest bit about the characters and people around him. How long would it be before everyone else felt this way?
He had to face this. It wasn't his life out there in the real world anymore. This was his life. There was no turning back, now. Such a dramatic declaration made him seem bold and much more like a hero than he thought he ever was. No- he was definitely not the hero, especially in a world like this SAO. He hadn't done any extraordinary deeds in his other life, and he was definitely not going to start now. Being a coward, being selfish- that would be infinitely more rewarding in his mind. Let other fools risk each other. He would not join him unless it suited him, and it probably never would.
"Right now, you're probably wondering, 'Why?' Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do all this? My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason...to create this world and intervene in it. And now, it is complete. This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch."
"Good luck, Players."
Once everything disappeared, no evidence to be found, Akihiko stood straight, thinking. Players around him did the the opposite, collapsing and shaking in anger and fear. Was this a game anymore? The fact that this, once a utopia in his eyes, was so utterly crushed, turned into bitter nothingness, and combined with the knowledge that he could possibly not even get out in his lifetime, he felt a little helpless. A game like Sword Art Online was something else, all right. It was a battlefield. People would die, they would betray, they would fall in love and loose everything that they ever owned.
A game, he repeated quietly in his head. A game. A game a game a game a game a game.
A game.
If this was just a game, why did everything feel so real, besides the lack of pain? The pain wasn't needed, anyways- it was the constant burden of the anger, the fear, the humiliation, the sorrow that built up in him that pained Akihiko. Actually, the pain might have been a relief-a reminder that he was still alive. That he was still someone, with a family, and that this was a game, but it was real, and it was all too confusing sometimes. Akihiko always had a short-term memory, and he wondered, faintly, if the game would change that or not. It probably wouldn't. And so, if time went on, would he forget what his family looked like? The demure, tinkling laugh of his mother, which reduced to snorts when she was truly happy, or the brooding, ever solemn face of his father- would that all disappear? Even Amaya- his dead, deceased, always smiling, whispering that it would be okay sister -would he forget her too?
It was ripping his identity away. Perhaps it was his fault, actually, but this despair, this undeniable sorrow- it was Akihiko Kayaba's doing, and he felt torn. He had just killed a boar- a program, yes, but that was irrelevant -and he wondered, darkly, whether he would be able to kill a player with the same kind of ease if he became strong enough. The answer wasn't spoken to himself- it wasn't needed, actually. He knew the answer with the same kind of certainty as he knew his name.
He would.
Perhaps that was the most terrifying thing of all-the knowledge that he could destroy a human life as quickly and emotionlessly as he would throw away a piece of trash if it came down to it. He could try to suppress it, of course, easily hidden beneath his gentle exterior, but that knowledge burned him, charring his skin and inflaming his soul. An entire life. A girl, a boy, a woman, a man, a person - he was going to kill that person, he realized, or he might, and he would be able to, and- if he did, would he be able to live with himself? Most definitely. That two words, so simple and certain, tortured him.
To return to the life he once had, how desperate was he?
Silently, he turned, getting ready to head to Tolbana as most of the player were still stunned.
His name, Elpharae, had been based off the French word for star, the word hiraeth, a little on the word liber, freedom in latin, and one other word. Eccedentesiast. One who faked a smile. If that's what it took, he would take his identity and shape it into someone knew. He was sixteen, not even an adult in France or even Japan. But this wasn't about age anymore. It was about survival, and he'd be damned if he got his chance at survival ripped away as mercilessly as his identity might be.
He turned, heading into the empty streets. What would he do?
He wasn't too keen on going on the front lines, but Akihiko would hate to just stay in a safe zone for his entire life. So a mixture of both, then. But he was not going to be one of the new suicidal players who would doubtless appear. If he died, it would not be his own fault. So he turned, thinking. Tolbana it was, which was bound to be much less crowded than the Town of Beginnings. Out of the fear and anger that everyone seemed to be drowning in, a resolve would grow. A desire that would be fed by their want to become better and better to finally return to the world they once knew.
Akihiko thought back to his earlier words. Had Sword Art Online seemed so utopian? Most likely. But now he knew the truth, or believed he did. The game was merely a prison, a pretty one, nonetheless, and had a cage full of pretty, trapped birds. They would pound and pound on the bars, until they began to disperse and disappear, one by one, and distrust anyone and everyone. And if the door opened, finally, leading them to their sanctuary, to freedom- who said they couldn't find themselves in a bigger, more lavish cage?
Kayaba created this world to intervene in it. Well, he could intervene all he wanted. Akihiko would live, as much as he could, and Kayaba could watch them loose their morals and ethics, the poison of all humans. Kayaba could do what he wanted. It was his world, his creation, his life that he was working with
But Akihiko was no one's pawn, and especially not for someone who was exactly as insane as a person in a mental ward. So he would not fight and take the offer that Kayaba gave them. Let someone else do the work for him. So what if this was a world with no pain?
The player remembered a quote that he had read, once. "Torture me. I am already tortured by my knowledge."
It seemed strangely fitting- the understanding that he would perhaps be better off not knowing what Kayaba had just told them, since he might have still had hope.
He wasn't sure if he would be Akihiko by the time that he returned to the real world, so he might as well become Elpharae.
He paused, looking at the fake moon in the night sky. "La vie est drôle." He murmured, smiling a little sarcastically.
Life is funny.
Akihiko opened his eyes, unprepared for the brilliant sight that greeted him.
Around him, girls and boys alike pushed around in flocks and small groups, giggling in high-pitched voices or hollering in low ones, but all seemed to be happy. A man brushed by him, arguing viciously with a merchant for the price of a sword, and a woman was flirting coyly with an NPC, which resulted in a small success. Younger children. siblings or kids, pushed by, skimming and humming, and he resisted the urge to coo. Barely. His skirts brushed against his knees, and he focused on his surroundings, attempting to use his detection skill. There was the low murmur of grasses brushing against each other, straining to touch the sky, golden-brown and streaked with green; the call of birds, shrill and high and low, a choir in their own, flitting here and there, the sound of powerful wings flapping permeating the air; the cool touch of the breeze, calming and soothing, never raising above a quick swish sound that disturbed a series of leaves, judging by the rustling noise that seemed to follow the wind; the loud laughter that occasionally broke out nearby, doubtless from some NPCs to add realism or from some players who had come in a party to kill some boars and level up. He could smell the clean-sweet scent of dry grass and newly cleaned clothes, and the quietly intoxicating scent of flowers that bloomed, combined with the stream-clear air that Sword Art Online possessed.
It was beautiful.
He asked for a mirror, turning to a pretty, blonde-haired young NPC shopkeeper, who smiled kindly and obliged, telling him that he was quite a pretty young woman. He thanked her, self-conscious all of a sudden. He wondered if his decision to make himself a girl in SAO, since he was a crossdresser, was unjustified, but shook it off, taking the borrowed mirror and freezing a little. Who looked back was not exactly him, with rounder features and a sharper chin, and the eye color of his avatar was shades darker than his own, but they both possessed the same fair skin in real life. The resemblance was striking, even if he had chosen a lighter brown in his avatar’s hair color. It was close enough to pierce him, though. He moved his attention to his dress. While other players seemed to have some sort of outfit that was relatively simple and practical, his was neither. It had a wide, free-flowing skirt and a kimono-type top, with long sleeves that he immediately loved and ruffles among the torso. Sliding a hand in his hair, he removed a flower accessory, and admired the craft, fingers glossing over the twisting, smooth metal. How pretty- it was like they drew inspiration from camellia flowers, since he saw the curved edge as somewhat similar.
Returning the mirror to the woman, he looked over the Town of Beginnings. Sword Art Online was a mixture of the old and modern- cobblestone streets, twisting sheets of metal, futuristic-designed old weapons -and it was beautiful. Perfection, actually. The sky was clear and had a couple of clouds, remarkably lifelike and puffy, and he bent down, taking in the irregular shapes and glint of each stone. Impeccable detail- that meant that every stone must have been designed differently, and colored by a unique shade -and a glossiness that he admired briefly. Plants bloomed, green and lush, in flowerbeds next to windows. It was magnificent, and he wanted to learn more about this world. Akihiko had come here because he wanted to world-build in the books he was planning on writing- and so he took a few notes on what drew him in. The realization that he wasn’t in his reality, but a very different world that seemed like an utopia at first glance. The beauty of the place. The changes in his identity. The way he looked.
It surrounded him all. This world, Sword Art Online, was so different and better than their own at the first glance, but there was something else that he noticed. Nowhere was truly perfect, and Sword Art Online had to have some flaws, which he would expand on in his book. One, doubtless, was the ever-present reality of the game. The game was perfect- too perfect -and could make you forget it was even a game in the first place. You could grow too attached in the game, and lose your life here, falling in love with an NPC and wasting your life on something filled with fantasy and lies. It was kind of ironic, actually- this was a different kind of reality, and he wasn’t sure what would happen if you did that, besides having your body perish in the real world. But if your real-life body died, would your consciousness remain here in the form of a person? It was a curious concept, one he intended to explore just as much as he would with Castle Aincrad.
Figuring out his purpose on here was probably much more important at the moment, though. Did he want to become a master swordsman and defeat Floor 100 with a powerful party of his own, or did he want to start a guild? He closed his eyes, thinking clearly. No, he wanted something different. He wouldn’t fight on the front lines, but pass by in the towns and fight monsters not in the Dungeons. It seemed relatively safe, and he smiled at his decision before nodding firmly and setting off to explore the town, wide-eyed and eager to explore every aspect of this life within another life, jumping head first into this strangely familiar world. His skirts turned in a flurry of maroon and bright red as he spun around and ran into the town, giggling lightly and murmuring apologies when he bumped into others, intent on reaching his goal. What made Sword Art Online this amazing, ever-changing and shifting world that made him so captivated?
Giggling lightly, he walked in wonder and amazement to an open meadow, filled with grass and flowers. Taking a deep breath, enjoying the honey-sweet scent of the flowers and the always blowing breeze, he turned and skipped through the grass. Akihiko “oohed” and “ahed” over a flitting duo of butterflies, both with different markings but both monarchs. Was each butterfly created seperately? He wondered idly, smiling and wondering. Sitting down on his knees, he wondered at the familiar but much softer grass, plucking a single piece off and blowing on the blade, producing a shrill but mostly quiet whistling noise that caused his eyes to widen in wonder. So sound worked the same way here, too? That wasn’t a concept too far away? How remarkable. Captivated, he paused in the middle of the field, standing and just listening around him to the chittering of separate animals. If he tried, he could make out a sweet soprano voice singing a love song, no doubt to their partner. Laughter surrounded him. It was so pleasant here.
Making his way out of the field and poking his head down an alley, noting different conversations going on. Everyone's voice was filled with wonder and happiness, not to mention joy. He shook his head a little bemusedly, thinking back to the creator of this virtual reality. What type of person did it take to make a world, a reality like this? Akihiko Kayaba, apparently.
He paused at a fountain, watched a boy skillfully provision some food, tapping his knife above the food supplies and watching them be minced and chopped easily with a flick of his wrist, and then watched in avid interest as another player still picked up an instrument and tuned it idly. This world…did it separate your worldly fears, since no one knew who you were? It was liberating, perhaps, but that was a lie, too- as long as it was a world, it would always have fear and uncertainty, or so he believed, making a note of that in his head. The Town of Beginnings was crowded, always chattering and whispering, and he wove in and out of the crowds, listening to the idle talk and wondering if he would learn anything staying here for. As he passed by a larger crowd, he heard tidbits of information.
“…can’t log out…”
“What are…oh my god…”
“Are you…”
“We’re…”
"It can't be...on purpose? What if...what?"
He turned sharply, searching for the voices who spoke that, but the street moved on, and he was left wondering and panicking. With one swipe of his hand, he opened the menu, opening up the option button, wincing at the rather obnoxious color scheme for a second inwardly- who had chosen white and orange, for God’s sake? -and noting the logout button with some relief before he realized that it was blank. Eyes widening, he tried to click it, but a message popped up, saying quite plainly, that there was an error and the message was not sent. His hands were still, and he closed the menu after a beat of silence, feeling a little cold, but detached nonetheless, as if the issue had no importance. If this was really true, he needed to be careful until the game was fixed, which might take days, months, or perhaps even years. He closed his eyes. Focus. If he wanted to survive this game, he would have no time for idle thoughts. He pushed his emotions away, locking them into a chest deep inside of himself, steadying his body. He listened quietly to the sound of the wind and birds, noting the quick slashes far away that signaled a player's sword. Was it normal, he wondered, to have your heart ache this much, knowing that you were so far away from home, in a game that was nothing but fantasy and lies?
Akihiko’s lips twisted into a wry smirk. Fantasy and lies, huh? It seemed…
This game was no different from the real world.
Akihiko paused in his journey, dark hair flowing in the wind. The brush of the gentle, ever-blowing wind caressed his skin, and he enjoyed its cool touch, nostalgia permeating his senses. He had wondered, as a younger child, what the wind spoke when he was a much younger youth, perhaps around the age of five. Every murmur and burble and whisper had meant something then, always talking to the wind and wishing it would answer back. Of course, he knew better now, but the player couldn't help but think about that time when a brush of wind touched him. His sister would say that it spoke the same language as the trees and fires and rivers, and tell him a story that would keep him up for hours.
For his skill, he had chosen the skill Rapier Mastery, so he should have a simple rapier in his inventory. Swishing his hand again, he opened his inventory, changing into his armor and taking his sword in his hand, still unsure of what this was what he wanted to do- stay strong enough to stay alive, or keep in the Town of Beginnings, a safe zone, doubtless where many would stay after they realized that the game would not allow them to log out. He ignored his misgivings and doubts, instead deciding to kill just one boar to get the hang of it.
Of course, though, that wasn't what he came here for. Slowly, almost regretfully, he swiped his hand down, opening up his inventory with a flick of his wrist. Selecting the white and orange option, he equipped his armor and beginner's rapier, trying to get a feel of his weapon before he attracted an opponent. The rapier was cool to the touch, light, and exactly like he imagined a sword. He knew, vaguely, or at least now, that a rapier was thin, light, fast, and well-balanced, not made for slashing, but for thrusting. It seemed well-balanced, but the thin blade meant that it couldn't have pierced thick armor, contrary to popular belief. So unarmored combat. The brunette sighed, looking down on his blade almost regretfully. He could have probably done better as a PKer or even a thief with that information, but his morals and ethics prevented him from doing so.
The scent of the dry grass, mingled with the undeniable earthiness that came with animals, the dusky scent of skin and leather…so this was the Great Plains. He slid his fingers over the rapier, which was nearly edgeless and came to a wicked point at the very tip. A good thrusting sword, as he had deduced. The only problem was the delicate edge might snap…if Sword Art Online even had that. He took a deep breath before plunging into the Great Plains, ignoring the strange tugging sensation that told him that he was entering a new area. Turning his sword and testing some stabs, he tried activating his Sword Art, but with no information on how to do so, not even a movement, it was rather hopeless. So killing a boar with no Sword Art. It seemed more difficult than he thought it might be. The faraway sound of clip-clopping feet alerted him to a monster’s presence, and he turned sharply. From what he had heard, boars only charged in straight lines, so sidestepping seemed more logical.
A boar thundered past, skidding to a stop with angry red eyes and oddly colored skin, probably just the game's originality factor going there and coloring it that way. Noting him, it pawed the ground angrily and charged again, this time too close for Akihiko to dodge properly, his HP bar dropping into the lower range by 10 points, a little fraction on the right side remarking, quite plainly, 55/65. His green-colored health became more yellow-tinted, though nothing major. He took his sword, a little unsurely, and randomly tried to hit it, which just skimmed on the edge and did 2 damage to the boar. Well, that was insulting. He calmed himself, furrowing his brow as he tried to focus more on the animal. It was wild and strong, but predictable, and he tried to focus his attacks on those pieces of information.
Right. Thrusting. It was hard to remember everything and take note of his surroundings while he was attacking, and so he tried again as the boar came in front of him, instinctively just lashing out with his sword to hit it between the eyes in a single thrust. The boar howled in agony- 20 points down, he noted with some elation, his heart leaping -but he had forgotten to pull his sword out, and it lay lodged in the boar's skin, a glowing red spot around it. The monster tried to buck it off, but was met with failure. The smoothness and agility of his weapon was certainly useful, and its small size meant that it would stay there.
Good. But not good. He needed that sword back. Desperately.
Akihiko approached the boar cautiously, but was hit again, losing another ten points. 45/65, the health bar in his vision taunted, making him flush a little angrily. He grabbed the sword out of the boar, filled with frustration and letting it slip out the tiniest bit, sliding it out with a small screeching noise that seemed a little unrealistic, but then again, this was a game. Once he got his sword, he steadied himself, noting that his health was now yellow. He brought the sword up into a position that ran directly from his shoulders to his calves. That would probably fend off most of the attacks for now, and would allow him to have a better defense.
Eager to end this fight, he slid away when the boar tried to charge again, pawing the ground angrily and taking off on its forelegs. Akihiko hit the boar one more time, wincing when a gaping red gash, glowing faintly, appeared, expecting to see blood. When he reminded himself that there would be no blood in a game like Sword Art Online, the player was finally able to drag his eyes up. It seemed to have dissipated into a shower of white and blue pixels, the cubic-designed shapes lingering in the air before poof-ing away. The momentum from his thrust was far from over, however, and carried him through, making him collapse onto the ground sword-first.
He swore, in French, and got up, hissing at the odd feeling that told him he had lost health. It wasn't bad, particularly, but just...cold. Like dropping an ice cube down your back, it slid and made him want to cringe and hiss. He bit his lip, confused. What should he do now? For one, he should move out of the danger zone, he thought dryly, and began to make his way out of the Great Plains. He wasn't so sure he could take any on anymore foes, and if he did...well, he couldn't log out, and perhaps his body would be in some sort of comatose state? There was no telling.
He was stopped by the large chiming of a loud bell, and he stopped in the middle of the field, wondering. No one had mentioned anything about a bell. Did it signal the beginning of the night, or was it something else. Was that the announcement of the glitch? He wondered, before turning in the direction of the thundering sound. Before he could ponder it further, he disappeared in a bright flash, the only reaction he could give being a quick widening of his eyes.
The sky was bleeding.
Rich red, the color of blood, the color of vitality, the color of fire and passion, dripped from the strange red-filled field that surrounded them. It sent Akihiko's senses on edge. Red signaled danger in games like these, and he had no doubt he was in danger. Getting up from where he had found himself on his knees, brushing his skirt off, he looked around, pulling his weight on one leg in order to turn faster. The impact that made him get on his knees was not exactly painful, just propelled him to the ground. The glance around him revealed little-players were still appearing. Teleportation? He hadn't heard of such a thing. It was most likely Akihiko Kayaba who called them, but...he shook it off and looked around him again. Players were fearful, cocky, happy- emotions were more varied than the number of colors in a rainbow. He wondered what this could be.
Was the game growing apart from Kayaba? Did it morph into something entirely different, with an intelligence of its own that they could not control, just pawns? It seemed vaguely dystopian, actually, but so had the idea of a virtual reality. He clenched his fists. What was happening? The red bled, gathering slowly into a red cloaked figure. It was threatening and yet familiar. His eyes widened in recognition.
That couldn't be...
"Attention players. Welcome to my world. My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world. I'm sure that you've already noticed the logout button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game. I repeat... This is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Sword Art Online. You cannot log out of SAO yourselves, and nobody on the outside can shut down or remove the NerveGear."
Kayaba Akihiko. The person with the same name as him, genius creator of SAO. This wasn't a defect? That meant...that no one could ever leave the game. But if he wanted that to happen, he wouldn't be talking about that to players like him. No, he was offering them a choice. It was probably risky and idiotic, but it would definitely offer a way out. But would Kayaba, honored engineer, tell the truth? Or would he offer up lies, just to tell them in the end that it was for naught?
This was a prison. He should have known.
"Should this be attempted, the transmitter inside the NerveGear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life. Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning, and have attempted to remove the NergeGear. As a result, two hundred and thirteen players are gone forever, from both Aincrad and the real world. As you can see, news organizations across the world are reporting all of this, including the deaths. Thus, you can assume that the danger of a NerveGear being removed is now minimal. I hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game. But I want you to remember this clearly. There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP ever drops to zero, your avatar will be forever lost, and the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain. There is only one means of escape. To complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of Aincrad. Floor one. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100, and you will clear the game. Finally, I've added a present from me to your item storage. Please see for yourselves. "
Akihiko slowly opened his inventory, and saw a new entry, marked by an exclamation mark next to it. Curious, he clicked on the words, and spotted mirror, a square one. It fell into his hand, lightweight and durable, but was this just for him, or did everyone get one? As he turned, flashes appeared around him, and his eyes widened. What was happening? Light engulfed his avatar, too, and he found himself unable to scream or make any noise. When he opened his eyes, he saw changes around him. What had been a more female-dominated field now had more males than girls, and he turned his mirror cautiously, not at all prepared for what looked back at him in utter shock-or rather, who.
Not his avatar, which was a female, but himself, a boy with long hair and girlish features. Even his eyes were unchanged, down to the color to most likely the number of eyelashes he had. His lean physique was displayed, exactly the same way as he looked in real life. His dress had been adapted to fit him, and he was relieved to see it still seemed mostly the same. His dark hair was straight and glossy as ever. This was real life in a virtual reality- something that Kayaba had told an interviewer his angle was in Sword Art Online. How aptly...ironic, he supposed. His earlier gentleness had disappeared, faced with the grim reality. He glanced detachedly around at the crying, whimpering faces around him, and found, oddly, that he did not care, not the slightest bit about the characters and people around him. How long would it be before everyone else felt this way?
He had to face this. It wasn't his life out there in the real world anymore. This was his life. There was no turning back, now. Such a dramatic declaration made him seem bold and much more like a hero than he thought he ever was. No- he was definitely not the hero, especially in a world like this SAO. He hadn't done any extraordinary deeds in his other life, and he was definitely not going to start now. Being a coward, being selfish- that would be infinitely more rewarding in his mind. Let other fools risk each other. He would not join him unless it suited him, and it probably never would.
"Right now, you're probably wondering, 'Why?' Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do all this? My goal has already been achieved. I created Sword Art Online for one reason...to create this world and intervene in it. And now, it is complete. This ends the tutorial for the official Sword Art Online launch."
"Good luck, Players."
Once everything disappeared, no evidence to be found, Akihiko stood straight, thinking. Players around him did the the opposite, collapsing and shaking in anger and fear. Was this a game anymore? The fact that this, once a utopia in his eyes, was so utterly crushed, turned into bitter nothingness, and combined with the knowledge that he could possibly not even get out in his lifetime, he felt a little helpless. A game like Sword Art Online was something else, all right. It was a battlefield. People would die, they would betray, they would fall in love and loose everything that they ever owned.
A game, he repeated quietly in his head. A game. A game a game a game a game a game.
A game.
If this was just a game, why did everything feel so real, besides the lack of pain? The pain wasn't needed, anyways- it was the constant burden of the anger, the fear, the humiliation, the sorrow that built up in him that pained Akihiko. Actually, the pain might have been a relief-a reminder that he was still alive. That he was still someone, with a family, and that this was a game, but it was real, and it was all too confusing sometimes. Akihiko always had a short-term memory, and he wondered, faintly, if the game would change that or not. It probably wouldn't. And so, if time went on, would he forget what his family looked like? The demure, tinkling laugh of his mother, which reduced to snorts when she was truly happy, or the brooding, ever solemn face of his father- would that all disappear? Even Amaya- his dead, deceased, always smiling, whispering that it would be okay sister -would he forget her too?
It was ripping his identity away. Perhaps it was his fault, actually, but this despair, this undeniable sorrow- it was Akihiko Kayaba's doing, and he felt torn. He had just killed a boar- a program, yes, but that was irrelevant -and he wondered, darkly, whether he would be able to kill a player with the same kind of ease if he became strong enough. The answer wasn't spoken to himself- it wasn't needed, actually. He knew the answer with the same kind of certainty as he knew his name.
He would.
Perhaps that was the most terrifying thing of all-the knowledge that he could destroy a human life as quickly and emotionlessly as he would throw away a piece of trash if it came down to it. He could try to suppress it, of course, easily hidden beneath his gentle exterior, but that knowledge burned him, charring his skin and inflaming his soul. An entire life. A girl, a boy, a woman, a man, a person - he was going to kill that person, he realized, or he might, and he would be able to, and- if he did, would he be able to live with himself? Most definitely. That two words, so simple and certain, tortured him.
To return to the life he once had, how desperate was he?
Silently, he turned, getting ready to head to Tolbana as most of the player were still stunned.
His name, Elpharae, had been based off the French word for star, the word hiraeth, a little on the word liber, freedom in latin, and one other word. Eccedentesiast. One who faked a smile. If that's what it took, he would take his identity and shape it into someone knew. He was sixteen, not even an adult in France or even Japan. But this wasn't about age anymore. It was about survival, and he'd be damned if he got his chance at survival ripped away as mercilessly as his identity might be.
He turned, heading into the empty streets. What would he do?
He wasn't too keen on going on the front lines, but Akihiko would hate to just stay in a safe zone for his entire life. So a mixture of both, then. But he was not going to be one of the new suicidal players who would doubtless appear. If he died, it would not be his own fault. So he turned, thinking. Tolbana it was, which was bound to be much less crowded than the Town of Beginnings. Out of the fear and anger that everyone seemed to be drowning in, a resolve would grow. A desire that would be fed by their want to become better and better to finally return to the world they once knew.
Akihiko thought back to his earlier words. Had Sword Art Online seemed so utopian? Most likely. But now he knew the truth, or believed he did. The game was merely a prison, a pretty one, nonetheless, and had a cage full of pretty, trapped birds. They would pound and pound on the bars, until they began to disperse and disappear, one by one, and distrust anyone and everyone. And if the door opened, finally, leading them to their sanctuary, to freedom- who said they couldn't find themselves in a bigger, more lavish cage?
Kayaba created this world to intervene in it. Well, he could intervene all he wanted. Akihiko would live, as much as he could, and Kayaba could watch them loose their morals and ethics, the poison of all humans. Kayaba could do what he wanted. It was his world, his creation, his life that he was working with
But Akihiko was no one's pawn, and especially not for someone who was exactly as insane as a person in a mental ward. So he would not fight and take the offer that Kayaba gave them. Let someone else do the work for him. So what if this was a world with no pain?
The player remembered a quote that he had read, once. "Torture me. I am already tortured by my knowledge."
It seemed strangely fitting- the understanding that he would perhaps be better off not knowing what Kayaba had just told them, since he might have still had hope.
He wasn't sure if he would be Akihiko by the time that he returned to the real world, so he might as well become Elpharae.
He paused, looking at the fake moon in the night sky. "La vie est drôle." He murmured, smiling a little sarcastically.
Life is funny.
