Turning Back the Clock

Chapter 2: The Project

After many months of preparation, testing, and fine-tuning, the project was ready to be executed. Several staff members at the laboratory gathered around to witness the start of the project.

Riko: Hey, Dad?

Inventor: Yes, son?

Riko: I noticed that this project has kinda been kept under wraps and hasn't really been in the news or anything like that. This isn't illegal, is it?

Inventor: No. We have permission to do this. We're keeping all of this under wraps outside of the lab for now because if this project got into the wrong hands and they perfected it, they could use it for malicious purposes or worse, like what happened in GGO and the Underworld.

Riko: Ahh. Ok. That makes sense. The last thing we need is a repeat of what happened 100 years ago and afterwards.

Inventor: Agreed. Now then, let me introduce you to your team. They will accompany you on this simulation, and we have built separate chambers for them to be logged in when you are.

The team members introduced themselves one-by-one.

I'm Ui, the coding specialist for this mission, or rather, for this project, as well as the team's leader.

I'm Gus, the transportation and flying specialist.

I'm Kez, the battling and weapons specialist.

And I'm Kiyu. I...pretty much do what the rest of them do. We look forward to working with you.

Riko: It's nice to meet you all. How did you all find out about this project?

Inventor: They helped me prepare this project, and then volunteered to assist you on your journey. They're all highly trained professionals and experts in their crafts, whether it'd be virtual or in real life.

Riko: That sounds great.

Inventor: Are you okay with working with these folks? I'm sorry I didn't tell you this prior to today. It must've slipped my mind, I guess.

Riko: It's ok, but I'm just wondering something. I can see how battling and transportation can come into play in an online game, but how does coding help inside the game as opposed to outside?

Inventor: While we were researching a bit into Kirito's story and struggles in SAO onward, we learned that he could overcome the limitations of the game or games that he was in to succeed. However, it's not exactly easy.

Ui: Some even consider his victories to be complete miracles, but if we bring in and configure some coding tools into the game with us, it could potentially help us achieve things akin to what he did and then some.

Inventor: Not to mention, we made use of the "seed" technology that came around after SAO.

Riko: Was this done as a means of getting foreign objects into SAO when we go in?

Inventor: Exactly. This will include various weapons, modes of transportation, wings for high-speed, long-distance flying like in Alfheim, you name it.

Ui: Some coding in today's online games can be traced all the way back to SAO and Alfheim.

Gus: Plus, if I remember correctly, some of Alfheim came from the remains of SAO to some degree, according to Kirito's daughter Yui. We'll fill you in on her as we prepare for SAO.

Riko: Ok.

Inventor: There is definitely some truth to that.

Gus: Yeah. After all, Kirito managed to use the seed to rebuild Aincrad from SAO into Alfheim.

Kiyu: Well, I don't know if that was the full story in regards to what he did, but yeah.

Gus: Something like that. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Ui: The point is that thanks to this overlap between the games, universes and engines, we can use any seed technology and coding to fool the game into accepting any foreign objects that we bring into the game.

Inventor: Think of it like how a clownfish fools a sea anemone into accepting it instead of eating it.

Riko: You sure took into account a lot of things.

Inventor: We sure did. It's important to cover all of our bases.

Gus: Otherwise, this project would end up being a fluke, or dead in the water.

Inventor: While you are in the game, I will monitor you guys on what to do via a communicator that we added and programmed into the VR headsets. If it's too late and I have go home and sleep for the night, a lab assistant will take my place until the next day. They have all been briefed on what's going on.

Riko: Ok. One last thing before we dive in. Since this is SAO we're dealing with, will we need to worry about the whole "dying in-game and dying IRL" thing?

Inventor: Nope. Since this is a simulation, you won't have to worry about dying, but if you do in-game, you can wake up back here, and then go back in and continue where you left off so you can meet up with your teammates.

Riko: Ok, good. Phew. You never realize how precious a logout button is until it's gone.

Inventor: Indeed. Well, with all of that briefing out of the way, let's get started!

As the teammates head into their respective chambers and the other scientists in the lab assemble to their positions, Riko comes over to his father one last time before heading into his chamber.

Riko: Are you sure this will all work out fine, Dad?

Inventor: Of course, Riko. You know that I would never initiate a project like this or any form of technology without making sure that every single base is covered.

Riko: Ok. Thanks, Dad.

Inventor: You're welcome. And thank you for helping me out. Your contributions could help change the world someday.

Riko smiled as he entered his chamber. The doors to each of the chambers closed as Riko and his teammates put on their VR headsets.

Inventor: Can everybody hear me in there? I'm speaking through your headsets now. Say "yes" if you can hear me.

Riko and the others: Yes.

Inventor: Great. In addition to me monitoring and communicating out here, several lab partners will be monitoring your bodies just to be safe. That isn't to say that something will or could happen to your bodies or minds during this simulation, but this is more of a precaution than anything else. This simulation will virtually send you back to 2022, right before SAO started. Now I'm going to count to 3, and when I get to 3, all of you say "Link Start" in unison. Ok? 1...2...3!

Team: Link Start!

Inventor: Good luck, team. And good luck, son.