Rozari reached the Origin Plains and She saw Kirito grinding. "Sorry I am late, Kirito" she spoke
Kirito turned to Rozari, hearing her as reached the lower path "Rozari glad that you made it"
"I stopped at the central plaza to talk to another beta tester, who just entered the game" replied Rozari
Kirito's gaze darkens in thought, placing his sword on his back. Rozari tilted her head confused why his eyes darken, so she opened her mouth to ask him. Suddenly Rozari heard a scream and a girl with black hair and sharp green eyes, she has red to white armour on, as she raced past us and she continued screaming.
Suddenly Rozari heard buzzing. Kirito also heard it. He and I turned around and what is in the distance is a hoard of Stinging Wasps coming straight at us and the girl.
Rozari removed her Azure Skyblade from her back and leaped to kill them. Kirito did the same. unsheathing his old trusty sword, Rozari spaced her feet and raced her sword. Ready to slash them as they near.
The Stinging Wasps tried to sting Rozari but she was fast on her feet. She suddenly swung her sword at them, killing one by one and leaping to another one. However, She eyed Kirito's movements and he seemed to be faster even for her...
The girl blinked and helped Rozari out, holding her sword and following Rozari's every move, She and Rozari even switched places.
Once the Stinging Wasps are all gone, Rozari panted swinging her sword over her back again. Kirito stopped and faced her and the girl. "Are you two alright?" He asked
Rozari nodded. "I am"
The girl nodded. "Thanks for the help," she said kindly "those Stinging Wasps are giving me a hard time"
Rozari looked on over at her with pity.
"you should be careful, those Stinging Wasps, their stings can be deadly" Kirito responded
"I will next time..." she grinned showing her fists clutching a dagger in hand.
"Oh I am Kirito and this is Rozari. You are?" spoke Kirito
"Arisa." the girl spoke softly "really thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't jump in to assist sooner, I'm not very good with my swordsman skill yet"
"That's quite alright Arisa, I'm glad you are fine" Rozari responded to her.
"you seem to be good at working with your sword... Arisa we could even give you tips?"
"I'd like that Kirito, Rozari" Arisa grinned lightly.
• • •
Sometime later, Rozari, Arisa and Kirito stood on top of a hill, as Rozari, and Kirito showed and gave tips to Arisa.
"Hey you three?" someone called across the plains. " I have a question, for you?"
We all stopped and turned to the boy coming towards them, It was the same boy, Rozari saw talking with Kiyoko, he had a handkerchief on his head, his hair is reddish-brown. She noticed Kiyoko and another girl. The girl beside Kiyoko has a dark-blue bob haircut, who was currently walking up beside her friend. She was like was not surprised how similar the two hair colours are but Rozari did not say anything out loud. why? ...
"Kiyoko hey? looks like you found your friend" I waved.
"Klein, how is your swordsman skills coming along?" replied Kirito
"I did... yes I did" Kiyoko nodded "this is Reiri, my best friend" she introduced the girl beside her.
"They are coming along, just fine... Kirito" spoke Klein.
Reiri waved at us, beside Kiyoko. "This is Arisa, Kirito and I'm Rozari, it's a pleasure to meet you Reiri" Rozari bowed again.
Kirito looked at Rozari confused when she noticed her using the traditional Japanese introduction, to Kiyoko, as the three others approached. He even noticed how Kiyoko was getting annoyed and chuckled.
"Rozari what did I say about Formalities?" asked Kiyoko lightly chuckling in annoyance.
"I can not help that-" she paused being interrupted by Klein "Beta testers correct" he spoke mainly towards Rozari and Arisa. But he didn't even say Kiyoko, was she lying to her. Rozari questioned raising a bow.
"Yes, Klein, Rozari also is one" Kirito
"You could say that" spoke Arisa, slying grinning turning away.
Rozari nodded. Arisa stayed extremely quiet, and She eyed her with curiosity wondering if she's okay, though she decided upon herself to not pry into it right now.
"Nothing, I was just wondering, nice to meetcha names Klein" the boy waved "I thought it would be nice to practice as a group together on the plains" he responded with a good wave of his hand.
After Klein introduced himself that Kiyoko looked at him as she rolled her eyes. Arisa shrugged. "I would maybe do it for a minute"
"Okay, I can work around this, even if I like to practice alone" replied Kirito
Rozari looked at Kirito, a small smile agreeing to him, Kirito seems very familiar, I hope he is my twin brother, yet Arisa seems like she's hiding something deep...
"Okay then let's go off to practice separately and we can meet up afterwards" responded Klein
"I like the sound of that" Rozari spoke while everyone else nodded and we all went our separate ways on the Plains to grind the rest of the time.
[Time Skip]
The sun was sinking in the sky, Rozari walked up to where the four of them are supposed to meet up and Arisa followed her. They raced to where Kiyoko stood with Reiri. Klein and Kirito weren't there yet. "Guess we are the first ones to meet up" she spoke reaching them.
"Guess so?" Kiyoko replied "Klein is still grinding, I felt tired so we just gave up for today"
"Kirito too... but honestly I never passed him, so I don't exactly know where he is on the plains"
"Kirito could be in the Quest Plains?" she asked
"They are more than one Plains?" Arisa asked
"Well yeah... there is also the Rival Plains"
Rozari sat down on the grass, beside Kiyoko. Arisa sat beside her. Rozari heard Kiyoko sigh as she looked up to the sky.
"You know, I ever so wish not to have to log out, of this game for the night..." Kiyoko replied
"How so?" she asked looking at the light blue-haired girl.
"Oh not important" grinned Kiyoko keeping her mouth shut.
"Careful what you wish for Kiyoko?" spoke Kirito as he walked up to join them. Rozari looks up at Kirito, as he sat down beside Arisa and Rozari.
Kiyoko nodded "you are right Kirito"
"Yeah I don't want to stay here with no way to log out, I will miss eating favourite dinners too much," spoke Klein as he came up near the four of them as he sat down on the grass.
"Yeah, I am curious too... Whoever made sword art online, this game is amazing" spoke Klein getting all comfy
"Can't agree more, Klein" Kiyoko spoke
Arisa became awfully quiet, she almost began to respond, but decided against it. Rozari noticed this, getting to her feet.
"Well, this is my first time trying the NerveGear, usually I just spent time playing a game manually"
"So this is your first time owning a Nervegear? Klein" Kiyoko asked.
"Yes, is it for you," he asked.
"What I wish more is to stay here forever, so I don't have to deal with my dad in the real world" sighed Kiyoko
"Wait what is wrong with your dad?" asked Kirito
"You don't want to know" Kiyoko responded.
Rozari, closed her eyes, staring at the sunset, "I always feel more alive in this world, than I felt in the real world, but I don't want to wish to stay locked in here forever"
"My thoughts exactly Rozari" Kirito spoke, heading up to her and crouching beside her.
"This is a great experience, but it couldn't compare to the real world..." responded Arisa.
"If only you all knew, what the game master is planning?" whispered Arisa very quietly
"Do you all want to go grind some more?" responded Kirito
"Of course?" everyone agreed.
"Don't you know it-" paused Klein, before hearing his belly growl. "speaking of which I need to log off for dinner, I've ordered a delicious pizza" Klein spoke
"Yum... Pizza" drooled Reiri as her belly starts to rumble.
"Though it's too bad, the food here only satisfies us virtually" responded Kirito and Rozari in sync, which no one is bothered by it.
"Nah, but really need to log out" Klein spoke, standing up and waved goodbyes for now, to Kiyoko, Reiri and the other three. Swiping open the menu, selecting options and swiping to the bottom, looking for the logout option.
"Ah, where did that log-out button go?" Klein asked looking at his menu.
Kirito, Rozari, followed by Reiri and Kiyoko, looked at Klein. "Huh?" spoke Kirito and Rozari
"It should be there" added Kirito.
"Nope it's not here," Klein said looking again.
At this Rate, Rozari noticed both Kiyoko and Reiri check their menus. He's right, it's not there" responded Kiyoko with concern.
Rozari also noticed Arisa frown after closing the menu and she opened her menu, "can't agree more, Kirito it's not there" Kirito stepped closer to Rozari, "it should be at the bottom of the main menu?" he said opening the menu on his view finder, but he gasped seeing nothing there.
Rozari's eyes went wide, noticing nothing peering into Kirito's view finder of his menu. "You are right Klein, there is nothing there?"
This alerted Kirito inside, Rozari looked at him with worry.
"I don't see it either" responded Reiri.
"Yeah it's not here" Kiyoko added double-checking, before closing the menu.
"You are Right-" spoke Kirito getting frustrated and irritated.
"Does that mean we can not log out?" Rozari asked turning to Kirito and then her gaze fixated on Klein's, Kiyoko's, Reiri's and also Arisa's who had her head down, mouthing something that She can not make out.
"Looks like it-" responded Kirito
"We need to stay calm-" started Kiyoko
"Well, the game is first out of beta, there is bound to be some bugs?" asked Klein
"Maybe? Said Rozari. "Maybe we can contact the Game Master?"
"Good idea, Rozari?" responded Kiyoko.
"One problem, been trying to do that, but nothing is happening?" added Klein, showing that he is trying to contact the game master, to the others.
"He won't respond-" paused Arisa as everyone looked at her." nevermind"
"Arisa?" what is going on?" Kiyoko asked
"It's nothing..." responded Arisa.
"Do you know, there is another way to log out of this thing? Asked Klein looking at Rozari and Kirito who seem to be the most knowledgable at this point. Arisa seems useless to answer.
Kiyoko and Reiri agreed with Klein. However, Rozari shook her head.
"Uhm...no" replied Kirito "If a player, wants to log out they have to go into the main menu"
"Well, this is terrible?" responded Kiyoko. "We can't log out what now?"
"I don't know?" Rozari spoke. "There isn't even an emergency log out button, in the manual"
"This stinks. Oh I know, perhaps we can try to rip our nerve gear off our heads" responded Klein grabbing his head and trying to yank it off but to no avail, he is still in the game.
Kiyoko, Reiri and Arisa were all shocked, and Rozari spoke "Don't bother, Klein, that probably wouldn't work?"
Kirito nodded in agreement with Rozari. "Once you are hooked into the game, you can't move your body in the real world anymore, wearing the NerveGear, where you can't intercept the interface built into the rig"
"Are you are kidding me Kirito" spoke Kiyoko
"Does he look like he is joking Kiyoko?" responded Rozari "it's simple fact, the only way to be logged out, is if someone pulls the NerveGear off your head?"
"Oh?"
"It's not that simple-" started Arisa before she paused herself, from giving out her brother's plans. Luckily no one heard Arisa.
"Seriously?" asked Klein "So now we have to wait until a developer comes along to log us all out!"
"That, or until someone, outside comes around to take the NerveGear off us" responded Rozari, with a sigh.
Kirito nodded at Rozari.
"Well, I live alone," Klein said
"Oh Great, my dad might end up yanking this Nervegear off my head, and then I will be grounded for life" spoke Kiyoko irritably.
"Really?" asked Rozari facing Kiyoko.
"Her dad is strict," said Reiri simply.
"Ah" spoke Rozari.
"I got a mom, 'twin sister' and cousin, I bet they would notice by dinner ti-" paused Kirito as Klein went against Kirito. Which startled Arisa, Kiyoko and Reiri, who looked at him. He paused between mom and cousin.
Is he talking about Midori and Sugaha?? I'm not sure if I want to stay, quiet or... thought Rozari.
"You have a sister? Tell me is she hot? What she like?" asked Klein
"Eh? well, she's into sports and hates games. She is totally not your type man" said Kirito as Klein pushed him back."I also have a twin sister, but I don't see her much, so I can't tell you anything about her"
Rozari's eyes brightened up. Kirito... it's me... I'm Reiko... Although totally not into you Klein...
"A twin sister even better, tell me is she hot...." paused Klein getting an angry glare, from Rozari, which made him pause at his words before he leaned over to Kirito "pfft* what's Rozari's problem?"
Kirito shrugged. Rozari grinned.
Kiyoko looked at Rozari, confused as to why her eyes got so wide, she happened to go over to Klein and tried to drag him off Kirito.
"Klein you are pushing Kirito to his limits?" said Kyoko "come on man get yo'shit together,"
"She isn't into gamers if you pushed her-" said Kirito groaning as he kicked Klein away from him and which nearly winded Kiyoko.
"Okay, getting hit in the balls, doesn't hurt," Klein says falls back onto the grass. Reiri was trying to help Kiyoko who was still winded.
"Get serious? Don't you all think it's weird?" spoke Rozari
"I know what you mean, it's just a bug?" responded Klein.
"It does not seem like it's just a bug?" said Kiyoko "as we've Established this already"
"I agree, it's almost too real to be just a bug" responded Rozari and Kirito in Unison. "If all of us, can't log out, it would cause a problem for the game"
"Yeah"
Klein, Reiri and Kiyoko all agreed. Arisa just stayed silent, but she just nodded her head. Arisa knows something.
"I wonder why didn't the developers know about this? Why didn't they log everyone out?" thought Kirito.
"I know..."
Suddenly the bell in the Central Plaza began to ring, starting everyone and they all looked off into the distance. It's not long after, Rozari, Kiyoko, Klein, Reiri, Kirito and Arisa were all transported to the Towns of Beginnings like the many other players, who are still logged in.
What is happening?... with this game?