Suguha in ALO

Games Begin

Okay, so this is my first Fanfic, started 2 years ago and only completed recently. Don't kill me. :P I'm filling in the gap in Kirigaya Suguha's story, the part where, during Kirito's final adventures in Aincrad, Sugu tries out ALO. Enjoy the small adventures that ensue. ^-^

Suguha Kirigaya stared blankly at her new video game. She hated it, more than she had hated anything before. But I have to see, she told herself. She looked back to the impassive figure on the bed below her. She sat on its edge, her tears making her view of his unmoving face distorted. She wiped them away, and looked at him again. It was her brother, Kazuto. At least... I thought he was my brother, she said to herself. Turns out he's only my cousin. Why didn't he tell me before...?

Tears came again, and this time she couldn't help it. She laid on top of her brother, convulsing uncontrollably. Her dark-blue hair rippled a little as a breeze flew through the open window. She felt so helpless, powerless to aid him in any way accept cry for him, and she did that every day. She missed him dearly, even though he wasn't the closest brother in the world.

Before he'd found out about his real parents, Kazuto was the greatest big brother. He played with her every day, and did Kendo with her, even though he didn't actually like it. He would always find time for her, and was always there. But, after he discovered his real parents, he would lock himself away, and Sugu rarely ever saw him. Now, after her mom told her about their unshared parentage, she'd had a creeping suspicion.

Maybe, she thought, the reason he started playing his games and becoming so distant before this stupid incident was because of me... He learned I wasn't his sister and started avoiding me, maybe to protect me from becoming too attached. I don't care, though. I just want him back. But... when he does get back, he might just become more distant now that I know.

I want to... I have to see why he liked these games so much, then maybe I can relate to him, or at least understand him better. It'll give us something to talk about, at least...She slid her sleeve across her face and held the game's case up to her face. A virtual reality massive multiplayer online role playing game, or VRMMORPG. That's what Kazuto was stuck in right now, battling every day for his very survival. Now, she was about to start a game of almost the exact same design. She sighed shakily, and got up off her... brother. That's what he his, my big brother, and nothing will ever change that, not even this stupid game!

1 hour later...

Sugu was briskly walking home, trying her best not to be cold in her blue shorts and thin, grey sweater. She held the game in her hand, looking at it every now and again, half tempted to just throw it away and forget about it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the form of someone darting in and out of hiding, obviously following her. She tensed slightly, but was ready and able to take whoever it was on in a fight. She made a split second decision and turned a corner, then plastered herself against the wall of a building and froze, waiting.

Not a moment later a short, stout figure came around the corner, half crouching in stealth. Before he could even realize what was happening, Sugu socked him in the gut, then gave him a quick roundhouse kick right in the jaw. He went sprawling onto the street, crying out in pain and holding his stomach. Sugu recognized the voice, and put her hands to her mouth in astonishment.

"Oh! Oh my gosh, Shin? I'm so sorry!" She held out a hand to him apologetically. He coughed once and took it, standing shakily upright.

"Ow ow ow... Geez, Suguha, that really hurt..." he said, rubbing the grim from her shoe off his jaw.

She gave him what she thought was a soft punch in the shoulder, and he cringed. "I told you, call me Suguha, okay? And I'm sorry, you just scared me is all." Then she looked at him curiously, remembering why she had attacked him. "But... why were you following me, Shin?"

"Ah, oh, uh-" he stammered, twiddling his fingers nervously as always, "Well, just... I, uh, I was worried about you. You spend so much time in the hospital nowadays, and, well... I just wanted to see if you were alright, so I went there and saw you walk out. But you had thatwith you," he said, pointing at the game Sugu still held in her hand, "and I thought that maybe I should see what you planned on doing with it..."

Sugu shook her head and sighed with the slightest of smile. Good ol' Shinichi, always worrying about her even when he shouldn't. It was annoying, but also a little sweet. "If you wanted to know, you should have just asked, banana brain," she giggle slightly. "If you really do want to know, then meet me in Alfheim somewhere tonight, okay? I'm trying this thing out..."

20 minutes later...

She held the visor up to her face, examining it for any sign of trapping her in the virtual world. All she could see was the REC signature. Nothing out of the ordinary. Out of the ordinary, she thought, What the heck is ordinary about this? Ugh, this is so stupid! I shouldn't be doing this at all. I mean, what if what happened to Kazuto happens to me too! She paused her thoughts, glancing at the AmuSphere again, and resolve like a cloak rested over her.

I'll do it for him. I probably won't get stuck anyway. It has highly advanced protection software after what happened before. I need to know what it's like... so maybe I can have a brother again, not an estranged cousin.

She breathed in deeply, like a swimmer preparing to race. She put the game in the slot, plugged in the gear, and put it on her head. "Here we go," she said out loud. "Link start!" Her view suddenly zoomed at high speed through a barrage of some multicolored things she couldn't identify. The scene startled her, and she considered taking the headgear off, but then she realized she couldn't move. There was no going back without starting the game. It went through a quick systems check with a lot of 'OK's, then she specified the language of use. Suddenly she was standing in a small, pillared room with windows that only provided light. She gasped. Before her was a glowing sign, and a male voice said loudly...

"Welcome, to Alfheim Online!"