Hi everyone!

I'm back and with a new story!

I've been in a writing mood lately so hopefully I can get these chapters out to you as quickly as possible.

This story kinda follows the SAO series, except I removed Asuna from the whole of it. Not to worry, I put her back! She is my main character after all. The Storm Within goes through Asuna's point of view and you get to join her as she experiences the virtual reality world for the very first time. Now, I'm not entirely sure how the NerveGear actually works-although I do have some idea, but you will have to bear with me and excuse my inaccurate information on it.

Enjoy!

"Miss Yuuki?"

"Miss, it's time to get up."

I ignore our housekeeper, Sada, who lightly knocks on my bedroom door, calling me ever so timidly to wake up.

What she doesn't know is that I've been awake this entire time. I haven't slept. But I don't want to leave my bed. I don't want to get up. I don't want to leave my room.

"Miss Yuuki, your mother is waiting for you downstairs."

The past few days have become much more trying for Sada to get me out of bed. I feel as though she saves that last line as a threat, because it's always the last thing she needs to say to get me to listen.

After I quickly change into my uniform I make my way down to the dining room where my mother waits for me every morning at 7 am.

"Good morning, mother," I greet politely.

"You're late," she responds curtly and she takes a sip of her tea while she focuses on the tablet held in her hand, reading the news. A routine she's kept for as long as I can remember. "Eat; your breakfast is going to get cold."

It's only five after 7 but I still apologize for my tardiness. Silently, I sit across from her and place the napkin Sada has provided me across my lap. I keep my posture straight as I reach for my own cup of tea.

"How late did you stay up last night, Asuna?" She asks with her eyes still on the screen.

"A little bit after 1," I lie. I realize that I've been able to lie to her more often than usual; however it only works best when she's not looking at me. "I was studying for the exam coming up, I want to make sure I am well prepared."

"That's good, and are you prepared?" I nod without a word and she continues, "You should be keeping up with your studies, but be careful for your complexion. Sleep is important, Asuna, you need to work on balancing your education with your personal life."

"Yes, mother," I reply and I bite my lip to refrain from speaking. With school, tutoring, extra college classes and track and field I barely have a personal life to begin with.

"Don't bite your lip, Asuna, it's a bad habit." My mother sighs in annoyance and I beg my pardon but I'm amazed that she didn't even have to look at me to know what I'm doing. "Do you remember Hideki Yukimura?" Now finished with her tablet, she places it on the table and folds her hands together as she looks at me inquisitively and I suddenly feel like I'm being interviewed. As how it always feels when I'm with her. "He's the son of Hideaki Yukimura, owner of the Yukimura Steel Works. He's in town this weekend and I have arranged a meeting for the two of you tomorrow for lunch. Hideaki is an old friend of mine and your father's and we'd like for you and his son to get to know each other."

I know the reasoning behind these 'meetings'. She's been planning these sorts of things ever since I turned 16. All with men about five to ten years older. They're dates. Not just any sort of date. Dates to meet my potential husband.

My mother wasn't born into a rich family and she resented them for that. She felt that she deserved a life of wealth and security. Now that she has it, she feels it's fitting that I follow suit. Thanks to my father who was well known for his success as former CEO of RECT Inc., my mother has befriended many of his colleagues with sons who plan to carry on their family business. This is also why she's always so strict with me. If I were to marry into a wealthy family, I must act and look like it. When I was younger she'd have me take etiquette classes. I would be reprimanded if I spoke out of turn, stepped out of place and acted unladylike. I may be done taking those classes, but I know I'm still not up to her standards. She and her parents argued relentlessly about that. My grandparents believed and still believe that I should be able to choose my own life partner and live my own life whereas my mother believes that once I marry into a successful family with financial security, then I can live my own life. I think the last I remember my mother told them that she would rather die than to see me living as how she had with them. I don't think she's ever spoken to her own parents ever since then and she forbids me from ever speaking to them as well. I don't know if she knows but once a month I send them a letter, expressing how much I miss them and how I will see them when I'm old enough to live on my own. I don't think I've ever gotten a letter back.

"Stop playing with your food, Asuna," she scolds with a glare. "It's rude, and thank Sada for the meal. I don't believe I've heard you thank her yet."

"Ah! Forgive me!" I scan around the room for Sada and I see her standing by the door holding a pitcher of water. "Thank you for the meal, Sada. It's delicious!"

"Thank you, Miss Yuuki," Sada bows her head in respect and she quietly steps behind my mother. "May I take your plate, ma'am?"

"Yes, please," my mother waves her off as she focuses on her tablet again. "Thank you for breakfast, Sada, and please excuse Asuna for her boorishness."

I lower my head in shame and apologize again. When I look at Sada, she's looking at me sympathetically then takes her leave. She will never say it out loud, but I know she pities me.

"Stop slouching, Asuna, it's bad for your back." I can sense my mother's irritation with me growing. "Now finish up, we must go. You can't be late for school."

My mother doesn't wait for me as I finish up my breakfast. She rises from her seat and gracefully leaves the dining room, telling me that if I were on time, we wouldn't be late. I look at my barely eaten breakfast and I follow after, expressing my regret to Sada once more.

As we exit the driveway I look out my tinted windows and see a group of students walking together. It's a group of boys and girls laughing amongst each other and hitting each other playfully. I've never attended a co-ed school, my mother says that I shouldn't be distracted by boys if I want to get a good education. I don' think she's realized the irony yet of setting me up with older men week after week.

The dates she sets me up with sometimes don't feel like dates at all. Sometimes they feel like a business transaction. For the first hour, it's the four of us. Her, me, the parent and the son. They briefly discuss our lives, our education and our future. After that, the parents leave and I'm left with the son and we get to know each other. There are times when my future husband is actually courteous and is genuinely interested in getting to know me, then there are times when my future husband can just be too overconfident and over bearing and then there are times, which is the majority, when my future husband is more interested in my body than my mind. But no matter who my mother makes me meet the result is always the same. I don't think there is a particular type of man I'd like to be with. If so then I think the search for 'the one' would be easier for my mother. But if anything, I think the type of man I'd like to be with is a man who I can call a friend.

When we get to the school it's about ten minutes until the bell rings. I don't bother pointing out that it wouldn't have mattered if I was five minutes late for breakfast or not. Pointing out someone's wrongs is insulting and unmannerly.

"Masumi will be here to pick you up at 6, don't be late." Are my mother's parting words as I exit the vehicle.

I almost forgot that even after school, my agenda is always full. Being busy proves that I can multitask and having a full schedule shows that I can work hard even under pressure. These are all just extra-curricular activities that would look good when applying for colleges. However, since my mother only has one college in mind for me to apply to, it wouldn't matter how many schools would want me.

"Good morning!"

A high pitched voice catches me off by surprise and I quickly turn to around with a smile. "Good mor-

When I catch a glimpse of a girl dressed similar to me, I realize that she's actually greeting someone close to me. Embarrassed, I look ahead and walk a few paces faster.

I've always had trouble making friends. I may have taken classes on how to act like a proper lady but it hasn't helped me when it comes to talking to people. In fact, I feel it has just taught me to become a better listener, which isn't so bad I guess. But what's the point of being a good listener when no one wants to talk to you?

While all of the girls are conversing with one another, I'm seated at the front of the class, waiting for the clock to strike 8. Then another 8 more hours until I get to go home and hide in my room.

"Did you hear that you can play SAO again?"

The acronym SAO rings a bell and I find myself eavesdropping to the group of girls behind me. My mother would scold me for listening in but she's not here to do that, is she?

"Isn't that the death game made by Akihiko Kayaba?"

"Yeah, but ever since Ymir bought ALO from RECT Inc. who took over Argus, they found a complete copy of the castle still in the server. Apparently they stripped down the game and started from scratch so there's no way players can die in real life if they die in the game. It's out in stores now, but what's even more amazing is that they found a way for the players who bought it the first time to use the old game without having to buy a new one! Although they do recommend just buying a new one. I'm gonna buy it and beat all 100 floors! You guys wanna join me? We can be a guild!"

"No way, that freaks me out! I don't care even if it's on the AmuSphere, there's no way I'm gonna play SAO! Not with knowing how many people died in that game!"

SAO… Sword Art Online. That was the game Kouichirou bought when it came out then had to leave on his business trip. I never felt so grateful that his work needed him that fateful day. Had he played… He would've been dead.

Sword Art Online was a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game released two years ago. With the Nerve Gear, the virtual reality helmet, it stimulated the player's five senses through their brain and players can experience and control their in-game character's with their mind. I believe it's called a Full Dive and it was all anyone talked about. I remember reading about it and how much my brother was so excited to get Sword Art Online with his friends. I never understood the fascination then. I remember Kourichirou told me that I was too much like mom to understand. The day he was about to play, he got called in to work and had to leave for a couple days. What are the odds that him going to work actually saved his life? All of the players that logged into Sword Art Online were unable to log out. It was then that the creator of Sword Art Online, Akihiko Kayaba, created that world specifically for the sole purpose of creating a world and all of the players in that game were the inhabitants and if they died in the game, they died in real life. The only way to get out of it was to defeat the game. Defeat all 100 floors. About 4000 players died. 4000 people died in real life.

It took two years but somehow, a great majority of the players woke up their two year coma… Their two year battle. While they all went into rehabilitation –some even going through intense therapy and questioning for there were murders in the game, there was also about 300 people who haven't woken up yet. They were still trapped in the game. Turns out, a small group from RECT Inc., my father's company who had took over Argus, had been carrying out inhumane experiments on those 300 players, one of those people in charge of the experiment was Sugou Nobuyuki. Sugou was also a choice my mother had picked out for me. Because of this RECT Inc. and the whole VRMMO industry suffered a major hit, resulting in RECT Inc. to be disbanded and forcing my father into early retirement.

I thought that after that no one would even think about playing in the virtual reality world, let alone buying Sword Art Online. This may my mom talking, but I don't understand how people would still want to play a game like that even with what happened. Talk about hard core gamers…

"I wonder if any of the SAO survivors are going to play it?"

"Yeah, right! Any SAO survivor who actually wants to play that game again has a death wish."

I continue to listen to the girls giggle and chatter about the gaming world when the door slides open and our teacher strides in.

"Alright, class, settle down!"

As soon as our teacher places her things on the podium at the front, the class immediately goes quiet and takes their seat.

"So I've prepared a little something for all of you today." She begins with a smirk then raises both hands in excitement. "A group project!" The class groans as she goes over the main topic. "Now I want this to be in groups of two only. I trust you all can decide who your partner will be?"

My eyes immediately widen in anxiety as the class quickly clamours together to see who will be with who. Usually our teacher would have us randomly picked, but today she's decided otherwise. I scan around the room to see if anyone is being left out but it seems to be only me. I guess I can do one whole project by myself, it shouldn't be too bad, right?

"Hey, you got a partner yet?"

It takes a moment but when I realize that that question is being directed at me, I look to my right and find Megumi Matsuura staring at me. "N-no, I don't."

"Great! Looks like we're partners!" She smiles brightly at me and I suddenly feel a warmth in my chest.

I've never really spoken to Megumi before, well, to anyone for that matter, but from what I know, she is very popular here. She is friends with lots of girls here and outside of school. I'm positive that being partners with her will open up new friendships. I try not to look too happy about this but I can't help but smile.

I think I've made a friend!

Throughout the rest of the day I feel like I'm on a natural high. Megumi and I decide to meet in the library to go over some ideas for our group project, but only for a quick bit as I have a college class I need to attend to, followed by track and field.

To get things started, I've already pulled some books from the shelf that can be relevant to our topic. I neatly stack them on the table and I wait patiently for Megumi's arrival. Five minutes pass and I almost start to feel like how my mother was this morning, but I shake that off. Megumi has a life of popularity and friends, scolding her for being five minutes late is the last thing I should be doing. After another couple minutes pass, I decide to wander around the library. Perhaps she is looking for books as well. As soon as I hear the library door opens, I hear a group of girls walk inside giggling. I pick up Megumi's voice immediately.

"I'm pretty sure she's busy today so I'll just make this quick."

"Hurry up, Megumi, I don't want to be late for the movie!"

"Man, I can't believe you got Asuna as a partner, you're so lucky!"

"She's one of the smartest people in our class, of course I'd want to be her partner."

I lightly place my hand over my heart, feeling touched. I'm sure Megumi has an intelligent side too, this all-girls school is pretty prestigious.

"Besides, didn't you see her today? Talk about pathetic."

As though someone had just pressed paused on me, I completely freeze in place.

"I don't think Asuna has very many friends here. I think it's kind of sad." I can hear the sympathy in another girl's voice. When I peek through the shelves, I see it's another girl from our class.

"She doesn't talk to anyone here, I bet she thinks she's better than us."

"I heard that her mom sets her up on dates with older men!"

"What?!"

There's a sharp shushing noise from the librarian across the room and the group of girls hunch together even closer.

"Yeah, I heard that too, but from my mom. She saw Mrs. Yuuki and Asuna having lunch with older men last Sunday, they were talking about marriage."

The group of girls continue to giggle and gossip, oblivious to the fact that I could be in the very same room with them within ear shot.

"Geez, Asuna can just get anything she wants, can't she?"

"Her dad was the CEO of RECT Inc., of course she just gets everything handed to her, while us 'commoners' are left here to rot."

"I don't think Asuna thinks like that. She seems nice."

"Well, whatever, she's getting what she deserves, acting all high and mighty like that."

"Don't you think she'll notice that she's doing all the work?"

"So? She has no friends, I don't think she'll want to throw this away just to get a good grade."

"Do you think she sleeps with the men?"

"Hanajima, as if you'd ask that!" I hear Megumi snort. "Of course she does!"

While their endless chatter gets worse and worse, I start to feel weak in the knees that I almost fall over. I can feel my heart pounding so hard it's almost beating its way out of my chest and my throat constricts so tightly that I nearly let out a sob but I cover my mouth to keep myself from being heard or seen. Without thinking I rush over to our table, grab my stuff and go. I don't bother going to my extra class or track and field, I leave the school grounds and run. I don't think I know where I'm going, but I don't care, I just let my legs carry me as far and as fast as I can go, even when my feet start to hurt from running in these shoes.

My sight starts to blur from my tears as I reach a corner and I harshly wipe them away with my sleeve, scratching at my eye lids from the fabric. But by the time my vision clears I feel my body crash into a thin frame and a set of limbs and my school bag flail about, the contents of my bag scattering all around.

As I topple over I hear a round of surprised yelps and once I realize I've fallen over a person I quickly push myself off and fall flat on my behind.

"Whoa! Easy there! You okay?" I look ahead to see a head of spikey red hair and brown eyes on the ground across from me staring at me with a grin. "You can take someone out running at the speed!"

As the small group clamors around me asking if I'm alright and offer their hands I scramble to my feet and bow my head. "I-I'm so sorry. Please forgive me!" I want to pick up my things but I'm too embarrassed, instead I dash off and shield my face for more oncoming tears.

"Hey, wait! All of your stuff is still here!" The light brown haired girl with pigtails calls out after me but I ignore her shouts and continue on.

I don't know how far or how long I've run without stopping. But what I do know is that after a while, my mind drifts away from Megumi and those girls onto nothing else. My mind has become a complete blank. Out of all the extra-curricular activities my mother made me do, track and field was my choice and her least favorite. She'd always tell me that sweating is squalid and men would find me unattractive, lowering my chances of finding a husband. But I begged and begged her to let me be a part of it. It took a lot of convincing but once I led her to believe that I wanted to keep up my appearance for my future husband, she reluctantly obliged. Fact is, I love running. It's the one time where I don't have to think. I can go as slow as I want and I can go as fast as I want with as many breaks as I choose or none at all. When I run no one can tell me what to do. No one can tell me where to go. I'm on my own.

By the time I arrive home, it is already night and I am exhausted and completely out of breath. I'm almost too scared to step inside my home as I am 100% certain that my mother is waiting for me. I pause at the front door, hesitant to enter. Unfortunately and expectedly, my mother is already opening the door for me and not out of politeness.

"It's about time you've come home. Where have you been?" I realize that my mother doesn't need to raise her voice to intimidate me, her cold eyes and her harsh tone is more than enough for me. "I called your professor and your coach, both saying that you never showed up. Why are you covered in sweat? You look disgusting! Wash up, you missed dinner!"

I know I'm going to pay for it tomorrow but I choose not to respond to her, instead I make my way towards the stairs, walking passed her.

"Asuna! You answer me when I'm talking to you." Her voice rises in half shock, half annoyance. "Asuna, come back here!"

As she starts to follow after me, I instantly dash up the stairs with the little energy I have left and into my room, shutting the door behind me and locking it with the handle and with a dead bolt I installed myself.

"Asuna!" I hear her at the front of my door and the door knob jiggles, "Asuna, open this door immediately!"

"No!" I shout and I fall on to my bed as the tears begin to flow again. "Just… Just leave me alone!"

I hear my mother gasp and she starts pounding on the door. "How dare you talk to me like that? After all I do for you, this is how you treat me? With disrespect? I did not raise you to act like this! You open this door right now and apologize!"

"I just want to be alone!" I cry as I hug my knees. "Please… Just leave me alone."

After a moment I see the shadow of my mother's feet at small crack at the bottom of the door shift and she lets out an exasperated sigh. "You continue to act like this you will be alone forever." When she walks away I hear her give Sada instructions about what to do with my dinner and apologize on my behalf for my actions.

She didn't even ask why I am acting like this…

Does she just ignore my cries?

Will she ever understand what I'm going through?

Will I be alone forever?

What'd ya think?

Certainly there are some technical gaps that need filling, some spelling needing to be corrected, etc. etc.

But if you can get passed all that, can and would you read the whole thing? (Assuming I finish it. I tend to drop and delete stories)

But I'd love to read your thoughts on this. Please no hurtful comments though. I know, I know, it's impossible to publish things online and not expect some backlash but let's be a welcoming writing community! Positive thoughts! Happy thoughts!