210Special thanks to my friend Wolfpackersson09 who helped create this story with me.
CHAPTER 1 THE WORLD OF SWORDS
Within the country of Japan, in the giant metropolis that is Tokyo, there was a district named Nerima, one of the hotspots of the region. Not in any way regarding the wealth or influence of the country, or even regarding crime or education. What made Nerima a hotspot for Japan was that it seemed to be the Mecca of Martial Arts. Anyone and everyone who lived according to the art and has even set foot in the Kanto region of the Honshu island seemed to feel compelled, almost fated in a way, to head to that prefecture, and find a worthy opponent to test their skills on. Not everyone left the town victorious, but for the most part their unexplained need was fulfilled.
On a Friday afternoon, a girl was out riding her bike, looking like she had to get somewhere in a hurry. This girl was an exotic beauty with little to be compared to, but she was no delicate flower or anything of the sort. She was Shampoo, Champion of the Joketsuzoku tribe of China, making her one of the best martial artists in eastern Asia, and currently in Japan on personal business. Which was the pursuit of the one man she deemed worthy of sharing her life with, a boy by the name of Ranma Saotome.
When she first saw the Japanese boy, he had been a girl at the time, due to having a prior bad experience at a cursed training ground next to her homeland she was unaware he had been at. Their first interaction hadn't been so good, in fact bad enough to result in her chasing down the aquatransexual all the way back to his/her own homeland. When she later met him in his true form, her interest shifted from competitive to romantic. But sadly, she wasn't the only one who had that sort of interest in him.
Finding him was easy for her these days, now that she knew where to look. She had to work at a ramen shop making, serving, and delivering the food, so after all this time she had learned the best ways to get around the city and which ways Ranma himself favored taking. Finding him was a piece of cake, and when she found him she was very excited.
"Airen!"
Upon hearing her greeting, Ranma turned to look at her, his expression not unfriendly but not open either. Ranma was used to surprise appearances by people, both familiar and not, but most of them were anything but beneficial on his end.
Ranma was a man who thanks to years of trouble generated mostly by his father was used to dealing with people wanting to take him down, in some form or another. Why they never attacked his father directly he never knew. While Shampoo was no longer one of those people, her idea of bringing him up was one he wasn't sure was better. She wanted to be his wife, and even if she was the only one who wanted that, which she wasn't, he wasn't sure he wanted a wife in the first place.
To better understand Ranma one must start at the beginning of his story. Taken away from his mother at a young age, Ranma had been raised on the go by his father Genma Saotome, a man for whom describing in glowing terms required some serious thought. Genma had sought out to make his son the best martial artist in the world, and even though his methods to do so bordered on illegal, he had succeeded. If there was someone Ranma could not defeat, he had yet to encounter them. Of course, the key word there was 'could' not 'had'.
Being the world's best martial artist came with a price though, besides the blood, sweat, and tears poured into the endless training needed to get that far. The price was almost everyone he knew wanted a piece of him for themselves. Some wanted to tear him down, to take his place as the best, to avenge some slight they imagined he was guilty for and beating him would somehow make the problem right again. Some on the other hand wanted to wed him, to domesticate him, to be the one he loved and supported.
That last one wouldn't be so bad if people weren't trying to force an answer out of him, not even giving him the courtesy of exploring his options first. Three families each had a claim to who would become his wife someday, each one having a valid reason for it to an extent, and each one expecting him to choose right away. Two of the three girls, one of which Shampoo was, were actively trying to earn his love, while in a twist of fate the one who wasn't trying seemed to be the one who had succeeded.
That girl was Akane Tendo, Ranma first fiancee and classmate, and currently his company as he headed home after school, which he shared with her too. Akane came from a family that had been close friends with Ranma's own, studying the same school of martial arts, and their two fathers had long ago concluded that a union between their two children would be perfect for the schools. Unfortunately the manner in which they went about trying to get the two together had been... stupid to say the least.
Ranma and Akane had faced obstacles the likes of which only Romeo and Julet could sympathize with, but the greatest obstacle had always been themselves. Neither one in the beginning was ready for a relationship with the opposite sex, due to Ranma's self-image crisis because of his curse and Akane having prior bad experience at the hands of boys her own age in school. The year that has passed since then has been filled with over a dozen rivals both romantic and combative, matchmaking schemes and anti-matchmaking schemes, journeys out of town for any number of reasons, and ultimately one fight after another. Not only that, it even faced an involuntary wedding that had literally blown up in their faces, to both their relief and annoyance.
And yet rather than call it off entirely, Ranma and Akane were still together. Still acknowledged the engagement even though neither wanted to date let alone marry. Asking them why they kept the bond was pointless for by this time denials were so conditioned in both one could practically mimic their responses word for word. But there were two facts here one could not ignore, Ranma and Akane felt something between themselves worth preserving, and Ranma and Akane weren't official just yet.
Because of those two facts, Akane was quick to get a bit territorial when a girl like Shampoo happened to show up. "And where have you been?" Akane asked with hostility. Shampoo had been virtually absent from any and all of Ranma's activities for a week, something that was rather strange for the girl, so her sudden reappearance did little to make the young Tendo feel good. If anything it did the opposite.
"Got something to show you." Shampoo said as she hopped off her bike, got the kickstand down to keep her bike standing, and went for where she usually kept the food she delivered around town.
"What? Another drugged thing for Ranma to eat?" Akane accused.
Ignoring her, Shampoo held up not some box of food, but a small cardboard box that was the size of an average old VHS tape. It was colored blue and green with some yellow and white, and had some writing on it. "Shampoo spend all week finishing testing new game out for big company. Want share real game with Airen and others."
"A game?" Ranma and Akane asked, surprised and confused.
Shampoo nodded. "Here, check it." She held it out, and Ranma curiously took it and looked it over.
"Sword Art Online, a virtual MMORPG game. Create and develop your warrior and conquer the incredible castle of Aincrad. Improve your skills, form guilds with your friends, fight monsters and the undead. Can you survive all 100 floors?"
"You play these games?" Akane asked Shampoo, not expecting such an interest of the Chinese girl. Granted Akane had never really bothered to learn anything about her rival in the past, preferring that Shampoo just leave and never return, but somehow this seemed very unusual for the purple-haired girl.
Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo enjoy combat video games. Shampoo was offered to beta-test game two months ago, but always busy with work and other stuff. Saffron no make time management much easier."
"That's putting it mildly." Ranma noted, not fond of that particular experience in any way.
"Tomorrow game sold in stores. Many people already waiting in line to get copy. Shampoo given free game and enough NerveGear for friends to join."
"NerveGear?" Ranma repeated.
Shampoo nodded again. "Yes. Game very intense. You put on helmet and you inside virtual world. It like you really there in other world. It incredible. Want to play with Shampoo?"
Ranma smiled, intrigued. "What do you do in this game?"
"You fight monsters, get experience, find treasure, level up, and beat bosses. Normal game, but no magic."
"No magic? That's music to my ears." Ranma said happily, since magic had never made his life better. The best thing magic had ever done as far as he was concerned was undo a problem already created by a different magic.
"Wait, an RPG without magic?" Akane questioned. "I'm no expert on the subject, but doesn't that seem like a strange decision for whoever made this?"
"Want play?" Shampoo asked Ranma, then looked at Akane. "There enough gear for you and sisters to join if want. It really good game."
"Wait, you're actually inviting me to be a part of this?" Akane asked. 'Is this a trap or is she honestly this enthusiastic about this game?'
"Would Violent Girl prefer not to play?" Shampoo countered.
Akane frowned, knowing that refusing would be no different then giving Ranma permission to be with the Amazon, and forbidding him from playing would only make him want it more. In a way, she felt like Shampoo had just limited her options.
"Alright, I'll at least ask my sisters. But I'm not sure if they'd say yes."
Shampoo smiled. "Great. Meet at Nekohanten before noon tomorrow. We all have fun in game." She then hugged Ranma, took back her game, and left on her bike.
"That was strange." Ranma said, hoping that just once Akane didn't accuse him of being a pervert for being hugged by Shampoo. Ranma would be the first to admit that the youngest Tendo had one of the lowest tolerances of male-female interactions he had ever seen. And somehow through the system of logic that only women can understand, it was always something the male had to be punished for, even if it was a female like Shampoo responsible for every bit of it.
"Yeah it was. I have my doubts about that game. We should consult Nabiki, if anyone we know can find out if that game is what Shampoo claims it is, she can." Akane replied before heading home, this time no longer at a relaxed pace.
Ranma picked up his own pace to keep up. 'Thank you, for once.' He silently said to whatever force defused Akane just this once.
The Tendo home was one of the large ones in town without being considered one that belonged to a wealthy family. The front part consisted of a two story house and the back part was an average size dojo, both connected by an open hall and surrounded by a well kept yard complete with koi pond and encompassed by a wall. It's owner was Soun Tendo, a member of the Nerima City Council and respected man in his community, who lived there with his three daughters and the family of his best friend Genma Saotome.
"We're home." Akane said when she and Ranma entered the house and deposited their shoes.
"Welcome back Akane." The oldest daughter greeted. She was Kasumi, the caretaker of the house and the one who kept food on the table. She was also the nicest woman anyone had ever met, most people could not remember a day where she hadn't smiled.
"You won't believe what happened. On the way here, Shampoo came by-" Akane started.
"Old news Akane. And boring news at that." The middle Tendo daughter butted in while overhearing from where she was seated, enjoying a magazine on the couch. She was Nabiki, the one who acted as the accountant of the family which was vital given the people here would otherwise blow through the budget in a day if she weren't there to limit them.
"This is different. She shows up, but instead of trying the stuff she always does, she tells us about this game called Sword Art Online and invited us both to play it." Akane continued.
"Sword Art Online?" Kasumi asked, trying to make sure she heard it right.
"Yeah, it's a fantasy RPG with no magic but lots of fighting. Shampoo suggested it, and even got something she called NerveGear for us to play it with. She said she had enough for five people I think."
"I'm still unsure what a NerveGear is." Ranma said.
"NerveGears are very advanced virtual reality game systems. They're really popular because of the educational value and the fact that people can experience what it's like in the game itself. It uses some pretty high-tech stuff, and I heard that Sword Art Online is supposed to be really tough, not to mention exclusive with only 10,000 copies worldwide." Nabiki answered.
Everyone turned to her, making her shrug. "Yeah, I know about the game. So what?" She added.
"That's good. I wanted to ask you what you knew about it." Akane asked.
"The game is supposed to be really popular but very limited in quantity. So limited that all online copies available for purchase today were sold out in seconds, and tomorrow morning when it goes on sale the stores are likely to run out within fifteen minutes tops. I considered obtaining a few copies to sell for a profit, but realistically that's too unlikely to be accomplished." The mercenary answered. "People are waiting in line already for it, and none of my contacts are willing to spend the night in line just to buy something they can't even keep. The mark up wouldn't be worth it. Can't say I blame them."
"Wow, must be pretty kick-ass then." Ranma said, even more interested in seeing the game for himself.
"I'm surprised you two are just now learning about it. Didn't you hear it from your friends?" Nabiki asked.
Akane shook her head. "My friends aren't into video games."
Ranma shrugged. "You know any of my friends are more interested in beating me in real life. A game's not going to be important to them."
"Touche." Nabiki replied.
"What's all this about a game?" A fat bald man by the name of Genma Saotome asked as he entered the room. A powerful martial artist in his own way, but also one of the least admirable. One can say the only good thing he had ever done was raise Ranma to have stronger morals than he himself did, even though no one knew exactly how he did it. The general concession was Genma provided the perfect example of what NOT to do, which Ranma took to heart.
Standing next to him silently watching was his wife, Nodoka Saotome. A model of the traditional Japanese housewife but a bit too traditional to be considered up with current times. She was absent from the majority of Ranma's life by her own agreement, and when she came back into his life she presented him with a pledge that said he had to fit some ambiguous standard of manliness, one she had never once bothered to specify the terms and conditions of. Which would have been a lot more tolerable if his curse hadn't been involved, or if Nodoka hadn't tried to bond with Ranma's female half in an attempt to make the girl fit an ambiguous standard of femininity too.
The two Saotomes seemed to be a collection of mixed messages, making it rather understandable that Ranma rarely knew how to decide something quickly. At least Soun Tendo, the one parent of his family, was more direct in his messages, even if he had the spine of an invertebrate when giving them.
"Shampoo invited Ranma, myself, and even my sisters to play a game at her place tomorrow. Sounds fishy, but the game itself seems perfectly legit." Akane said.
"No need to get paranoid sis. Maybe she really just wants to play a game." Nabiki critiqued.
"Well paranoid or not you don't have time to be playing games boy, and you shouldn't be associating with Shampoo." Genma stated.
"There's no harm in a simple game dear, and it sounds like this girl's just trying to share something rather than try something shady." Nodoka calmly countered. "What is this game?"
Kasumi cleared her throat. "Well, from the description it is a game based on improving fighting styles against various threats. So I do not see what the problem is with playing the game itself, and I don't see any reason to decline Shampoo's offer as she paid for the NerveGears herself. I'm willing to give it a try if she's really extending the offer to me and Nabiki."
That was surprising of Kasumi, but Genma couldn't really think of a way to stop his son if Kasumi of all people approved.
"I guess we'll be going to Nekohanten for it tomorrow morning." Ranma said.
"You serious?" Akane asked, greatly hesitant to join in anything Shampoo recommended.
Nabiki stood up and stretched herself a bit. "Why not? What's the harm? It's not like she can actually do anything to Ranma in virtual reality. Nothing worse than what she can do in real life. I'll even give it a try and see if it's as good as people say it is if it will make you feel better. Shampoo knows well enough to not put me and Kasumi in danger just to get Ranma's attention."
Kasumi nodded. "I agree. Besides, I've always wanted to play an MMORPG, but I was never able to."
"You never really seemed like a gamer before sis." Nabiki commented.
"It does get boring sometimes doing the same housework over and over again. A game would be a nice break."
No one knew what to say, it was hard to imagine that the ever serene Kasumi secretly had a desire to take part in combat games. Then again, none of them had bothered to deduce what exactly Kasumi thought about while she was doing dishes or cooking or cleaning. If asked they'd just assume she focused on the job which was why she was so good at it.
In retrospect it should have been obvious she thought about more. Yearned to do more.
"You think you can handle it?" Akane asked.
"It's just a game, it's not like it can really hurt me." Kasumi claimed.
Morning came the next day and as Nabiki predicted the stores selling Sword Art Online sold out within minutes. The attention it got even attracted the attention of the media and broadcasts were shown on the news of people waiting in line and showing off their enthusiasm for the game. Fortunately some people didn't have to wait in line or fight through crowds to have this opportunity, but most did.
"You came? I thought too-too violent girl would no show. Same with sisters." Shampoo said, actually surprised that all three Tendo sisters showed up at her home. In all honesty she half-expected only Akane to show up, and even then that would have been more to ensure the Amazon wouldn't get too friendly with Ranma then to play the game.
"Yeah, and I'll beat you in the game!" Akane boasted.
"I think it might be good to at least learn a bit about the game first." Kasumi said and Nabiki nodded.
"Shampoo can explain it first, since I the beta-tester here." Shampoo smiled. "Come in, I show you. NerveGear in bedroom."
"Have fun Son-in-law." Cologne said to the one boy in the group as they passed her then went upstairs
This was the first time anyone in the group had been to Shampoo's room. Not sure what to expect, it wasn't really surprising to see something best described as Spartan. All she really had was a futon, dresser, cubby, and a box for her weapons and armor. The most out-of-place thing was a computer, and connected to it was a bunch of metal helmets with wires. On the screen was an image of a conical steel building floating in the sky with the words Sword Art Online across the screen, letting everyone know the game was ready to play.
"Software is in computer. This here is NerveGear." Shampoo started, then held up a helmet. "First you place on head like so." She carefully put one helmet on her head then took it off before continuing. "Game will ask player to pat your body to... um... what word? Calibrate? Something like that." She added while patting her arms and torso to demonstrate.
"Must be to double-check that nothing's on you that can interfere with the hardware." Nabiki better explained. "But calibrate means 'to measure'. Why would a game need your measurements?"
"Sounds perverted." Akane huffed.
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "It's a program Akane, it can't have urges. Even you can't accuse a machine of being perverted."
Shampoo ignored the banter. "Once ready, we design avatar. Avatar is simple, usually has nothing but clothes and one sword. Change appearance with leveling and winning battles. We give name too, for now, maybe we just go with real name."
Kasumi nodded. "I agree. That way we can find each other in the game more easily."
"Also, once NerveGear on, real body no move no more. NerveGear put all mind in game, body still like asleep, only can breathe. So get comfy while play. Any questions?"
"How far did you get in this?" Ranma asked, holding one of the helmets.
Shampoo smiled proudly. "Got two months to test game. But schedule always busy, not lot of time for game. Shampoo only play maybe two weeks time total before trial ended. Got to level 4 in that time."
"That's not so impressive." Akane remarked.
"There one hundred levels in game." The Amazon pointed out. "And all testers had play solo, no groups."
"Well for acting completely on your own that's pretty good, especially considering all the time you had to spend out of the game." Kasumi complimented.
Shampoo bowed politely in thanks then put her helmet back on, adjusting her hair for it to feel more comfortable. "Go ahead, put on and pat down."
Kasumi and Ranma were the first ones to grab a helmet. Nabiki and Akane grabbed one too while Ranma and Kasumi were patting down their bodies. "You better not look at us when we have to do this Ranma." Akane all but threatened.
"Akane, save your energy for in the game." Kasumi insisted firmly, not looking at her sister since she had to pat down her legs too for full measure.
"What's the harm Akane? It's not like Ranma has the guts to do anything when a girl shows anything remotely sexual." Nabiki teased before moving to ensure Ranma saw her pat down her own breasts for the calibration process, making Ranma blush and look away. "See?"
"Don't you have any self respect?" Akane fumed at her sister.
"Of course, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to point out I'm a woman." Nabiki replied. "You don't have to be a prude to respect yourself."
Akane huffed and ignored her sister, turning away from Ranma to do her own calibration.
"Hey Ranma, you going to play as a boy or girl in this?" Nabiki asked, half-teasing but half-honest too.
"Boy duh. Why would I want to play as a girl?" He replied.
"Actually, some gamers do exactly that. They make their avatars the other gender on purpose." Kasumi told him.
Ranma looked at her like she just said something impossible. "Why would anyone do that?"
"Dunno, maybe just for fun or because they actually want to be girls but can't afford to go to China like you did." Nabiki answered before finishing her calibration process.
Ranma shuddered at the idea. "I better not change with water in this game. That would suck."
"No magic in the game remember?" Akane pointed out. "And even if there was, why would your avatar be cursed too?"
"With my luck it would." Ranma lamented.
"Ready?" Shampoo asked, then got several nods. Shampoo laid down on her futon. "Get comfortable first. When ready, say 'Link start' to begin game. Shampoo teach more in game."
The four guests had to lay down on the floor since there weren't any other futons, heads pointing to the computer so the wires wouldn't get tangled or disconnected, then they closed their eyes.
"See you soon Ranma." Akane whispered to him, but got no response.
"Link start." All four said together, and the world in their eyes turned white with a lot of color coming at them, like moving down a tunnel. They saw that they were each in a black white room with a keyboard floating in the air. Each was alone rather than together.
"I guess this is where we enter our names, and choose our avatar appearance." Kasumi said to herself. Almost everyone else said the same thing. They each took the time to customize their Avatars and such, somewhat based on their real bodies but not identical since identical wasn't an option here.
When they finished they were asked to input their names, and like Kasumi suggested each of them gave their real name rather than an in-game alias. Then the game let them know that the links to their senses were up and asked for confirmation in starting the game. Each of them clicked the 'Yes' button.
'Welcome to Sword Art Online' appeared before each of them, then the rainbow tunnel appeared, taking them somewhere else.
When Shampoo woke from the Avatar selection, one she skipped since she had one saved already from before, she noted that the place was an open area with the ground paved with stone bricks, and surrounded by buildings and decorative plants, making it a sort of plaza. She looked at her hands and flexed them, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
"Hello game, Shampoo back."
One by one more players were starting to appear in the plaza, which was big enough to hold them all if they stood half a meter apart from each other. Shampoo looked around, hoping that because her guests were hooked up to the same system as her they would appear near her.
Luckily for her, they did. Or at least, she thought they did. It was hard to tell because the game didn't tell you what someone's name was unless you formed a connection with them.
"That you guys?" Shampoo asked. There were three girls and one boy, so the odds were good. One girl wore a light blue tunic dress with brown hair held in a long low ponytail. One girl wore a black dress shirt and red pants with brown hair kept short not unlike Nabiki. The last girl wore a red dress shirt with a white skirt and had short black hair not unlike Akane but a little longer. All three had swords held at their hips and leather chest guards over their breasts, which the black-haired girl seemed to have the biggest set of. Not unrealistically, but enough to compete with Shampoo in reality.
"Shampoo?" The boy asked. He wore a red shirt and black pants, and his hair was black and the standard model for a boy avatar thus lacking any pigtail. He had his sword strapped to his back, unlike the girls, and the standard leather chest guard.
Shampoo smiled, recognizing the voice. The Nervegear was programmed to base a player's voice on them saying 'Link start', though she had no idea how it worked for players using different gender avatars. "Glad Airen here. Now we have fun."
"We're here too you know." The black-haired girl reminded, her voice making it obvious she was Akane.
"Glad everyone here. But why Violent Girl go big chest if insult Shampoo all time for having one?" Shampoo said, sort of indirectly tearing the girl down.
"That's none of your business." Akane replied, refusing to look at the Amazon.
'Well, at least she won't have to worry about being called flat-chested.' Nabiki thought then looked to Shampoo. Her avatar had purple hair kept down and long, but lacking the decorative buns or front strands. She wore a pink shirt and light lavender pants along with the standard sword and leather chest guard. "Hey, I'm noticing something. All the girls here have exposed shoulders. Why is that?"
It was true, all of the female players wore outfits that exposed the shoulders even if they had sleeves.
Shampoo shrugged. "No idea, just in-game fashion style."
"So, what do we do first?" Kasumi asked and Shampoo smiled.
"First is know stats. See HP bar? It in top-left field of vision." She said while pointing to where such bar appeared within their vision. "Your name there in English. Think of Menu to open game menu." Shampoo demonstrated by waving her right hand down in front of her, making a screen appear in front of her like the air was a touch screen, giving her several options to access. Everyone followed her example.
"What's Col?" Nabiki asked, seeing something say she had 100 Col in her possession.
"That money of game."
"Just 100? That's not going to work for me." Nabiki stated.
"What's 'sword skill'?" Kasumi asked, seeing a menu entitled that.
"It fighting style of game using swords. Most simple, but some more complex and need access to perform. Think of it as secret style for fighting. This most vital to game. If no good in sword skill you die. We in Town of Beginnings, place where game start and player revive if die. Outside is good place for hunting wild boar, weakest creature in game." Shampoo explained.
"You get to hunt pigs?" Ranma asked. "Count me in."
"Oh great, now you're picking on P-chan even here?" Akane asked, bothered.
"You see P-chan here?" Ranma argued.
"Follow me, we practice sword skills." Shampoo insisted before a fight could break out.
It didn't take long to find the intended target. "There boar." Shampoo said, pointing to a large one minding it's own business.
"Perfect time to show sword skill. Airen should practice too." Shampoo said as she went to her menu again, and noticed that none of her items from her beta-test were there. 'That strange. It save my avatar but no gear?' She frowned for a moment, but closed the menu and made a simple strike at the boar. It first charged at Shampoo, and she dodged, missing it as well. Ranma instinctively got in the fight and started attacking it as well while the Tendo sisters just watched.
"To use most simple sword skill, hold sword in position like this." Shampoo explained as her sword started to shine while holding it. "Then wait for charge." It wasn't long before sounds were heard from the sword itself, as if it were vibrating. "When charge complete attack. Game almost always guarantee hit." She slashed in an arc and the boar was badly damaged then died, bursting into shining bits of broken data, followed by a screen telling Shampoo how much Col and Experience she had earned.
"Looks easy enough." Akane said as she came up to another boar in the field and tried to attack it with the same move. But the boar was quicker and hit her, injuring her a bit and dropping some of her HP by a small amount.
"You okay Akane?" Kasumi asked as she and Nabiki went to catch the girl.
"Yeah, but I feel a little dizzy. Boy, Shampoo wasn't lying when she said this game feels real."
Ranma, after jumping up, landed on the back of the boar and stabbed the sword in it for a while. The boar died and burst again into digital dust, telling Ranma what he had won.
"It good idea to practice using sword skill, or you no live in game. Also must take care of gear or it break." Shampoo added, sheathing her sword.
"You mean, this stuff will break?" Ranma asked as he noticed the sword was a little chipped.
"Yes. Weapon, armor, clothes, and food in game have durability. When no more durable it destroyed. Smithing skill repair armor and sword, and other skills help as well. We go into Town of Beginnings to buy new gear. I need mace for later." Shampoo said before then adding something as an afterthought. "Oh, you heal with item, food, or rest. HP restore over time, but Regeneration skill help heal faster."
"We should heal Akane first." Kasumi pointed out.
"I'm fine. I didn't feel any pain." Akane refuted.
"Look at HP bar at top left of sight. You see your own then." Shampoo advised.
Akane did that, and saw a green icon next to her name, and while her HP bar was still more than half full, it wasn't entirely full either. Looking at the others she saw green cursors hovering over their heads and green bars half-circling around them at chest level. "What are those cursors for anyway? I've been seeing them nonstop since we got here."
"Let you know who player and who NPC. Also let you know if player is PK." Shampoo said.
"PK?" Everyone asked, confused.
"Game talk for Player Killer. Player who kill other player for fun. Many like being bad guy in these." Shampoo corrected.
"Wow you sure know a lot." Ranma complimented.
Shampoo smiled. "Shampoo beta for reason. Martial arts no only hobby. Tendo girls find boars and practice sword skills now."
For the next hour everyone spent time trying out the technique Shampoo had shown them. Surprising, of the three Tendo's, Kasumi was the one to get the first kill in. Not only that, she had a satisfied look on her face. Not like she was glad she had killed something, but more like she was glad to be active.
When done and everyone had reached Level 2, the four followed Shampoo down a path, keeping an eye out for more threats. There were more boars around but they minded their own business.
"What's that up ahead?" Kasumi asked, pointing to what looked like a platform that in real life could not possibly stay balanced.
"Those villages. In game they like that. All are safe zone, meaning you no die or lose HP inside unless agree to duel." Shampoo informed them.
Ranma understood what a duel was, and so did everyone else. It was pretty obvious, a way for players to fight each other rather than a pre-programmed opponent. 'Bet I'm going to be in one of those sooner or later.'
"Wait, you mean we were in one of those things before we came here?" Nabiki asked and Shampoo nodded. "Is that why when we walked out that gate everything went white for a moment?"
Shampoo nodded again. "Yes. We teleport down to field to leave village. And teleport to get back in." She then led them to the base of the pillar holding up the Town of Beginnings, where there was a white circle insignia on the base. She placed her hand on it. "Enter, group." The insignia glowed white, and everyone's vision went white too. When it faded, they were back by the gate where they had left in the first place.
"Ah, bet that's going to take some getting used to." Akane commented, and Ranma nodded.
Back in the village, they avoided the plaza, choosing to walk down the streets instead where plenty of other players were too.
"When I look around, this is more like a city then a town." Akane commented as she looked around and even twirled about, not even caring that the Chinese girl saw. "Hard to believe this is really just a game. Shampoo, I gotta say thanks for letting us experience this. You did not exaggerate."
The Amazon looked rather pleased to hear that. "Welcome, this is incredible world. In Aincrad, that this world's name, every level of castle is own world. You see that?" She pointed up, and everyone saw what looked like a ceiling instead of a true sky. "That next floor up. Beat boss monster here and we can move there."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ranma asked, enthusiastic about advancing.
Shampoo shook her head. "No Airen. Level up first. Now we find swords to use, and it better to find sword you comfortable with rather then sword that look good."
"Count me in too." Came a new voice and they turned and saw a new girl. She had long yellow hair hair cascading down her back and wore a dark blue blouse with pants the same color. On her back there was a two-handed battle ax, making this the first time the group had seen a player with a different weapon.
"Who are you?" Ranma asked.
"Can't you figure it out Ranchan?" The new girl asked.
"Ucchan, you're here too?" Ranma asked, happy that his friend was here, even if she was also a fiancee candidate.
Ukyo had been Ranma's oldest friend, though it was only recently he had found out she was and always had been a girl. And shortly after discovering that, he found out that his father is an act of selfishness and lack of foresight had gotten him engaged to Ukyo without bothering to do anything regarding the prior agreement to the Tendo family. Ukyo herself didn't mind being engaged to Ranma, even though she felt like she was trapped in the 'friend zone' with no clear way to advance for a real relationship.
"Yep, I overheard Shampoo tell you about the game, and I lucked out on a copy just in time. I've been looking for you since I logged in. So when I saw a boy in red next to a girl with purple hair I figured it had to be you. Her calling you Airen just removed all doubt."
"What about the shop?" Ranma asked a little concerned for his friend's main means of income, her okonomiyaki store.
"Don't worry too much. I should be able to keep up my work and play the game for a bit. Not like I'll be on for a long time right?" Ukyo cheerfully said, but then they heard a chilling and familiar laugh.
"Please tell me that isn't who I think it is." Ranma said, hoping that the self-deluded Kodachi Kuno wasn't anywhere in Aincrad.
Looking down the street, they saw some girl wearing a green dress and sporting a ponytail draw a lot of attention to herself. They couldn't see or hear much of her with the crowd around her, nor could they tell exactly what she was doing, but there was no doubt in their minds who this player was.
"Let's get out of here before she spots us." Ranma suggested.
"Yes, especially if her idiot brother is playing too." Akane agreed.
"She can't recognize us you know. Not when we don't look like ourselves." Nabiki pointed out.
"Doesn't matter. She doesn't care who looks at her just as long as they aren't looking somewhere else." Akane claimed.
The group, now including Ukyo, walked away trying to look normal. They took in the area, noting the obvious European Renaissance inspiration of the setting and clothes of the characters. There were kiosks selling various things run by NPCs, with merchandise ranging from weapons to accessories to even food. Prices were cheap, but not cheap enough that you could buy things in bulk. Not with just 100 Coll.
"Hey Ukyo, where did you get that ax?" Kasumi asked.
"I found it in a kiosk. Cost me everything I had but I'd say it was worth it."
Shampoo shook her head. "No, it only worth it for now. Weapon bought here has low durability. Meant to get used to fighting, not long term weapon."
Ukyo looked surprised. "You mean I got ripped off?"
"Mean should make it last, and work on Blacksmith skill to keep it strong until can get better one."
"C'mon, let's go find more things to fight. Not waste time in cities. That is the point of this game right?" Ranma suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Kasumi said, surprising everyone.
"You actually want to get into a fight?" Akane asked. If she didn't know better she'd swear this wasn't really Kasumi.
"Why not? Like Ranma said that is the point of this game. It would be boring to just sit on the sidelines while everyone else is having fun."
Nabiki lightly narrowed her eyes. 'I guess Kasumi needs this more than any of us do. Lord knows she's entitled to some excitement other than a new mess to clean up.' Then she smiled. "Alright, let's all go find something to cut up. But let's get some health recovering stuff first and do something about our weapons. Shampoo, lead the way."
It took a few hours, but everyone got supplied enough and got fighting out of their system. Shampoo also taught them the differences between solo playing and team playing, and they all started getting used to the idea of the switch tactic, where one player made the first move thus providing an opening for someone else to take advantage of. They also regained all the Col they had spent earlier, much to Nabiki's relief. The mercenary wasn't fond of wasting money, virtual or otherwise.
"Switch!" Shampoo said, after getting a mace and Akane, charged with a curved sword, managed to kill another boar.
"Kasumi, switch!" Nabiki had a two-handed sword that caught her eye and switched with Kasumi, who decided to buy a shield and keep her original sword. So far they split into two three-person parties. Shampoo, despite wanting Ranma in her party, was forced to team up with Akane and Ukyo. Ranma had partied with Kasumi and Nabiki, as they didn't have romance on the brain or a history of hitting Ranma if he did something wrong or stupid.
"This game is so fun. Hard, but fun. I didn't even notice the time flying by." Akane said as the sun started to set.
"Yeah," Ukyo checked the time and saw that it was around 5:30 pm. "Damn, I stayed on longer then I thought. I gotta log out and check on the shop. I'll make sure we play again on Sunday."
"Want set up link?" Shampoo asked.
"Pardon?" Ukyo asked back, confused.
Shampoo pulled up her menu, tapped a few buttons, and everyone in front of them got a small white screen saying 'Shampoo is offering to friend you. Accept or Decline'. "This way we track each other if separate and know if other player log in at different time."
"Good idea." Ranma said, pressing the Accept button. Kasumi and Nabiki did the same, then so did Akane.
Ukyo smiled. "Sounds perfect." She clicked on Accept too, then the menu gave her the option to create more friends.
A few more links were made and everyone had the whole group of six as their friend list.
Ranma smiled. "You know, it's nice how even though we all go crazy in the real world, here we can get along. Makes me wish we didn't have to log out."
"I know what you mean, but sadly I've got a job outside the game which I can't ignore. See you later Sugar." She then opened the menu and went to the settings to log out and return to her normal life. "Huh?"
"Something wrong?" Kasumi asked.
Ukyo just shook her head a bit. "I don't think so. Shampoo, you said you played this game before in the beta right?"
"Yes Shampoo beta-tester." The purple haired girl wasn't sure where Ukyo was taking this.
"Is there any other way to log off the game other then the log out option?"
Shampoo thought about it, but there was nothing she could think of. "Shampoo no know other log off way. Why?" The implication then hit her and the Chinese girl decided to check her settings menu, only to discover her log out button wasn't there. "What? Where it go?"
"Is something wrong?" Ranma asked.
"Everyone check menu." Shampoo told them, trying not to sound worried.
Everyone accessed their menu screens and scrolled over to a box that had three bars in it. The first said Option and the second said Help, but the third, the one that was supposed to say Log Out, was blank. Tapping on it did nothing.
"Maybe it was moved." Kasumi suggested.
Shampoo shook her head. "No, Log Out was always at first of menu. Need be easy to find in game."
"She's right, logging out is supposed to be the simplest thing anyone can do in a game. It's almost as if the option was removed." Nabiki commented.
"Could it be a bug in the software?" Ukyo asked.
"That's one heck of a bug." Akane stated. "And if it is, then why haven't we seen any other signs of defects in the game? I mean, everything else seems to be running perfectly here. Why would this be the one flaw?"
"It no can be mistake." Shampoo noted. "Log Out there in beta test. No way they remove it by accident."
"Wait, you think someone actually took it away on purpose?" Ranma asked.
"All Shampoo know is no one sell game that customer no can stop playing. Bad for business. But why no Log Out? It no make sense."
"There has to be some way to get back to the real world." Akane insisted. "We can't be stuck here."
"Log out?" Ranma said to the screen in more of a questioning tone. "I guess it's not voice-activated."
"Maybe you have to say it the right way." Akane stated. "End game. Save. Stop." Nothing was happening, even if she kept tapping the screen.
"What the hell is going on here?" Nabiki asked.
Just then, a bell was heard ringing in the Town of Beginnings, one that was a bit too loud to be normal.
"I get the feeling we're about to find-" Ranma started, but then all he saw was blue light. When the light faded they, along with a lot of other people, were now in the main plaza of the Town of Beginnings. "-out? What just happened?"
"Someone force teleport. That no should happen." Shampoo said, getting more uncomfortable with the situation.
"You know what's going on? Is this part of the game?" Ranma asked.
Shampoo looked at him with wide eyes. "Airen, you're speaking Chinese."
"What? No I'm not. I don't know Chinese."
"But Shampoo hear you speak Chinese." Shampoo claimed, then thought of something. "Can you understand what I'm saying now?"
"Yes, and that was pretty clear of you." Ranma replied.
"I'm speaking Chinese right now."
"But... it sounds like Japanese." Ranma pointed out, catching on to what Shampoo already theorized.
"Somehow the game is now auto-translating. But how? And why now?" Shampoo thought out loud.
"What's that?" Ukyo asked, pointing to the sky, drawing their attention away from their own subject of interest. Up there was a blinking red hexagonal icon that said Warning, and soon the entire sky was covered in identical red icons like they were tiles. Blood started dripping from them, frightening many already-nervous players, then it began to congeal in mid-air with electricity dancing around it for a moment until it took on the appearance of a faceless figure wearing crimson and yellow robes.
"Attention players." The figure said while spreading it's arms in a manner that was supposed to be inviting but lacked the intended effect. "I welcome you, to my world. My name is Akihiko Kayaba, and as of this moment, I am in control of this world." He started.
"Is that supposed to mean something to us?" Akane asked.
Nabiki looked the most concerned. "Akane, that man, if he is who he says he is, is the man who created this game and the NerveGear."
"That guy made all this?" Ranma asked.
The faceless cloaked speaker continued. "I'm sure many of you have noticed something missing from your main menu, the Log Out button." He pulled up a screen himself for a visual aide. "Let me assure you this is not a defect in the game. I repeat, this is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be."
"He wanted this?" Ranma asked. "What the heck was he thinking?"
"You cannot log yourselves out of SAO, and no one from the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear from your head. If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the NerveGear will discharge a microwave signal into your skull, destroying your brain, and ending your life." The figure added, making many people in the crowd freeze up and murmur among themselves.
"Seriously? He sold us equipment that can kill us?" Ukyo asked, frightened of the implications. 'Please Konatsu, don't touch the gear. Do anything but that.'
"I can't get out!" One player shouted, having attempted to leave the plaza only to be halted by an unseen wall.
"Despite my warning, the families and friends of some of the players have attempted removing the Nervegear. An unfortunate decision to say the least." The figure continued. "As a result, the game now has 213 less players than when it began. They've been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world."
Everyone paled to hear that, and were frightened of the possibility that this would happen to them too.
'Is this why there's now an auto-translate? So there's no confusion over what he's saying?' Shampoo asked herself, knowing that not all 10,000 players in the game spoke Japanese fluently if at all. An auto-translate function would make communication much easier, but it suggested there was more to the game's programming then just gameplay.
Various screens popped up around the red-cloaked faceless figure. "As you can see, international media outlets have round-the-clock coverage of everything, including the deaths. At this point, it's safe to assume the likelihood of a NerveGear being removed is minimal at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you try to clear the game. It's important that you remember the following: There is no longer any way to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to 0, your avatar will be deleted from the system. Forever. And the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain."
Everyone in the plaza was practically a statue as this sunk in. The message was simple but clear as crystal: If you died in the game, for any reason, you'd die in real life.
"There is only one way for any player to escape now, you must clear the game." The figure continued before pulling up a map of Aincrad. "Right now you're gathered on Floor One, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you can get through the Dungeon and defeat the Boss, you may advance to the next floor. Defeat the Boss on Floor One-Hundred, and you will clear the game."
"Clear all one hundred floors on one life?" Shampoo asked herself, nervously. "I only got to Floor Four, and that wasn't on one life."
"Why should we believe any of the crap you're saying?" One of the more willful players shouted out while everyone else talked among themselves more.
The figure ignored the question. "Last but not least, I have placed a little present inside the item storage of every player. Please, have a look." The figure recommended.
Confused, each player checked their storage and saw something glowing at the top, something that said 'Mirror'. Still confused, everyone tapped it and a small rectangular hand mirror materialized in their hand. Everyone looked at it, then it glowed. Before anyone could react, they all started to glow at the same time.
The illumination faded and everyone felt a bit lightheaded, but it passed.
"Akane? Shampoo? Anyone?" Ranma asked, then froze when he saw them. Their avatars were gone, replaced by their real appearances. All except their clothes, those were still in the style of the game.
All around everyone was noticing that their real appearances were now evident and their avatars were gone. Some complaints were heard, since some players that first looked like girls turned out to be boys, some good-looking players turned out to be homely, and Akane was forced back into her original figure.
'Why didn't he let me keep the breasts?' Akane thought as she went back to being the smallest of the girls present. "This can't be real. He's got to be joking right?"
"The absence of a Log Out button was no joke Akane. There's no reason to believe this is a joke instead." Kasumi offered, trying to sound calmer than she was.
"But... but why? Why is this happening? Who would do such a thing to thousands of innocent people?"
"I think he's about to explain." Nabiki told her sister.
"Right now, you're probably wondering why. Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and NerveGear, do this? Ultimately my goal was a simple one. The reason I created Sword Art Online was to control the fate of a world of my design. As you can see, I have achieved my goal."
'He's got a God Complex?' Nabiki asked herself. 'He's doing all this just because he wants to play God with a virtual world?'
"This marks the end of the tutorial, and the official launch of Sword Art Online. Players, I wish you the best of luck." The figure then disappeared in what looked like melting and deleting at the same time, then the surrounding area went back to normal.
Everyone was in a daze, their minds racing and panicking too much too soon to react on it in any way. But soon people began to act on their panic, screaming and forming a frenzied mob. Begging, demanding to be let out of the game, or screaming in fear of dying in some form or another.
Shampoo grabbed the people she invited and Ukyo.
"We need to leave town. Too many players are in a panic, maybe some will PK without even knowing it. I can get us to the next town over, where it will be safer and we can train." There was very little argument from everyone as they left the town, running back into the fields for a third time.
It didn't take them long to find somewhere they could stop and let their hearts stop pounding. They were outside a forest outside the Town of Beginnings, the one near where they did most of their practicing.
"There's a town further down this road. If we get there quickly, we can start getting stronger and be less likely to die in a fight." Shampoo advised.
Akane got right in front of the Chinese girl. "You knew this was going to happen! You bitch!" She accused and actually threw a punch.
"What the hell's wrong with you?!" Ukyo asked as she and Ranma ambushed and restrained Akane, even though Shampoo had dodged the punch.
"Let me go! She knew this was going to happen! She brought us all here to get us killed! Why else would she invite all of us when she's never wanted anything to do with us before?!" Akane snarled, trying to break free.
"Akane, how can you accuse such a thing?" Kasumi said, worried on what happened to her sister.
"I'm with Kasumi on this. If she did what you're claiming, being trapped here wouldn't help her in any way. It got Ranma involved too, so it would be counterproductive." Nabiki added.
"Your sisters are right. If I wanted you dead then why would I have shown you how to fight earlier? Why would I teach you the game basics or help you with picking your own weapon? Wouldn't it have been easier to just kill everyone but Airen when I had the perfect opportunity?" Shampoo added, glowering at the youngest Tendo. "You always accuse me of many things, and I can live with that. But this was downright uncalled for. You honestly think I'd invite everyone here if I knew this would happen? You really believe I'm that horrible a person?"
"Shut up! Am I supposed to believe this is just some big coincidence? Nothing is coincidence when you're involved!" Akane yelled, refusing to see reason in her anger.
Shampoo jerked as if hurt, and everyone else in the group looked at Akane like she just wished death on the Chinese girl.
Then suddenly something happened that no one expected. Ranma got a firm look on his face, released his hold on her, but he balled his fists while keeping them at his sides, and moved to in front of her. "Let me get this straight Akane. You're saying you believe that Shampoo knew this was going to happen. She knew none of us, even herself, would be able to log out. She knew that dying in this game would kill us in real life. And she wanted all of us stuck here." He stopped right in front of her. "Did I leave anything out?"
Akane tried to hide it, but right then and there, she was actually a bit scared of Ranma. He usually didn't get this imposing with her, making her feel like the small one for once. "N-no."
"If that's true Akane, then think about this, what's in it for her? How could this possibly benefit her? If she wanted to kill you, what would have stopped her from doing it in the real world? And why would she invite Kasumi and Nabiki, two people she has absolutely no beef with, to risk their lives too?"
"I don't know, but this has to be her fault. It's always someone's fault." Akane insisted.
"It is someone's fault Akane, but it's not hers. It's that Kayaba guy." Nabiki told her sister.
"Shampoo still had to know something." Akane claimed.
Ranma glared more, silencing the youngest Tendo. "Shampoo does know something. She knows how to survive here. Like it or not, if we want to get out of this alive, our best start is listening to her."
Akane looked hurt at the fact that no one was taking her side, before looking at Ukyo, hoping that the other fiancee candidate would support her if no one else.
"If you think I'll side with you, then no. Shampoo knows the game better then us, and that means she knows how to keep us alive."
Akane was stunned at the fact that Ukyo wasn't siding with her. Then she looked to her sisters, and glared. "Well then I'd rather solo then stay with that murderous slut!"
That was when Nabiki and Kasumi looked worried.
"Please Akane, don't leave the group. It's too dangerous to go on your own, and like it or not Shampoo does know the game better then you do." Kasumi tried to reason, but Akane didn't seem to listen.
"I'm going! I'm not going to stay with her!"
Nabiki then came up and slapped Akane across the face. There was no drain of health, but it stopped her before the youngest girl in the group could say more. "I'm the only one allowed to be selfish in this group, and I say you're staying! I'm not letting my little sister get killed because she's too proud to admit she needs help!"
Akane was stunned, too stunned to even be angry. Not once in her life had anyone slapped her. Heck she couldn't even remember the last time someone actually tried fighting back. As a result, she may have gotten a little too comfortable with the idea that she could dish out pain onto others. But Nabiki just proved that there were people willing to hit back.
And Akane did not like that.
The shock faded and the rage returned. On sheer impulse, Akane roared and tackled her sister to the ground before pounding her with alternating left and right punches like a madwoman. Akane wasn't thinking about what she was doing, she wasn't thinking about anything at all. The only thing on her mind was how offended she was at the attitude the others were giving her.
Akane's anger had always been infamous, but there was a reason it was so reoccurring. Akane tended to think of things and people in terms of absolutes, black and white but no grey. You were either on her side or out to get her, no exceptions. And her ability to trust others, even family to some degree, was more circumstantial than anything else. As if she based a person's trustworthiness more on what they were doing now then what they had done in the past.
So when everyone was trying to convince her Shampoo was not some mastermind behind this death game they were in, what Akane heard instead was everyone siding against her. Sounding like they'd rather be with Shampoo more than her. Sounding like they trusted Shampoo more than her. And when Nabiki slapped her, Akane saw that as a forbidden betrayal, and all rationality left her.
Rationality only came back to her when she felt some strong hands grab her and force her off her sister. "Let go of me!" She yelled, only to get another slap, this one from Kasumi. "Kasumi?" The shock of her ever-pacifist sister doing this was too great to trigger any white-hot blind assault in her.
"Akane do you have any idea what you just did?!" Kasumi screamed, actually screamed, at her sister. Kasumi looked mad, which was so uncharacteristic on her face that it was frightening her sister. "You almost killed Nabiki!"
"What?" Akane asked, then looked at Nabiki. The mercenary girl was lying on the ground, and a meter around her that was normally green was close to empty and colored red. Shampoo knelt over her and made her drink from a bottle full of some red liquid, which was raising the bar to a yellow color and half-full.
"Did you forget already? Dying here means dying in the real world!" Kasumi yelled. In her peripheral vision she saw that the green cursor above Akane was now orange, but ignored it for now.
"But... but I didn't... how do we even know that's for real?"
Kasumi's eyes almost burst into flames. "Are you seriously willing to take that chance?! Are you?! Are you really willing to let your own sister die?!"
Akane collapsed as the implications of the situation finally hit her. Everyone here was at risk for death. Death in this game was as real as death in life, and even if it wasn't, that was a chance she couldn't take. And hitting someone wasn't going to make the problem go away this time. It would only make it worse.
The young Tendo started to cry then went up to Nabiki who was sitting up. "Nabiki, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."
Nabiki didn't look as forgiving as Akane had hoped. "Yeah? Well you tend to hit without thinking a lot. Usually not me, but I'm sure Ranma would agree with me. This time sis, people can die from it. Get that? Die. Learn to keep your hands to yourself if you don't want blood on them." It was a bit harsh but no one could blame Nabiki for saying it.
Akane looked to Ranma, hoping he'd forgive her, but he looked disappointed, making her feel worse.
Ukyo kept quiet, but she wasn't sure if Akane could be trusted to keep her cool in the party. Shampoo, however, made her thoughts on the matter known.
"This is why I always called you the too-too violent girl. If this is how you're going to behave, maybe we're the ones better off without you."
Akane was still shocked at what she did, but Shampoo was right. She got up to leave, this time in shame rather than pride, before Shampoo added more. "But if you go off on your own, you'll die for sure, and I don't want that on my conscience. If you can just hold your temper back, then you can become useful. I invited you here because I wanted you to have fun. I thought maybe we could have something to enjoy other than fighting over Airen. Even I get lonely and want friends you know."
'Shampoo... actually wanted to be my friend?' Akane asked herself, finding it hard to believe, but not wanting to immediately assume it was some trick to hurt her. That force of habit had done more harm than good.
"I think we should get going, it's getting dark, and I think it might be a better idea to reach the next town before we run into a lot of monsters." Ranma said
"Agreed. Lead the way Shampoo." Ukyo said and the Chinese girl did, taking them towards the next town once more.
