Sword Art Online - Legends of Aincrad

Chapter 18 - Return

Hey guys! Firestorm40 here with a new chapter for you all. Okay, time for the next round of fum to begin! Sword Art Online is over for many players, but there are those that still wear its shackles. Time to finally see who will fight to break those shackles! I'm so hyped to start off the New Year with a new epic!

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Two months had passed since Saito and Kazuto both woke up in a hospital. Two months since Kayaba was defeated and Sword Art Online was cleared. 

When the news of the two boys awaken had reached their loved ones, Both families automatically ran to the hospital and nearly bust the door down. When Suguha had saw saw her brother and friend awake, she broke down in tears and hugged them both tightly, while her and Kazuto's mother, Mrs. Modori Kirigaya watched on with with a bright smile and tears of joy. 

For Saito, it was definitiely a family reunion as his parents and Robert came into the room too. The moment Ikumi laid eyes on Saito's emerald green eyes, which not only held brightness and willpower, but held maturity, pain and awareness as well, she bursted in tears, rushing and hugging Shoto, her head in his chest. Saito's eyes widened, looking down at his mother, who kept muttering apologies. He looked at his father, Kazue, who was around his mid-thirties, with unruly brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a black business man outfit, with an olive shirt and a black tie. He let the tears flow, before understanding. He raised her up, as her red eyes looked at his own, which now held love and acknowledgement. "I forgive you, both of you. For everything." Saito said, tears coming from his eyes, as he hugged his mother tightly, causing her to cry more. His father joined, hugging both of them. Robert smiled at the scene, before swiping his tears away.

Time passed quickly for the two boys. All of their spare time went into three, or in Shoto's case, four things whenever they weren't at rehabilitation to recover from their two years of imprisonment. Despite the doctor's warnings not to push themselves too hard, the two of them took to practicing martial arts and kedo in private, showing each other forms that had been burned into his muscle's memory. The second thing they devoted most of their time to was visiting Asuna in her hospital, after they were told where she was, though they were shocked when they heard that she and 300 other players hadn't woke up yet and they spoke to Kikuoka about any possible updates on her condition. Third was simply talking to Suguha about anything but their adventures in Aincrad, mostly asking her about how her school and kendo were coming along. For Saito, the fourth thing...was to to be taken to 'All you eat' cheeseburger buffet.

Kazuto had explained to Saito that he wanted to do his best to act like the brother that Suguha had been missing even before Sword Art Online began. Hearing this, Saito grinned happily as he sat and talk with the two siblings, or even sometimes just listening while he read a book in silence.

 Speaking of which, Saito's relationship with his parents got better. They stayed with him much longer, even taking days off of work for him, so that they could be there during his rehab period. After a month of rehab, he was finally able to move freely and do strenuous activities. He wrote some tests to show he had the knowledge of the two school years he missed and after he passed, he did tests to get a driving lic\ense for cars. 

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Christmas had come and gone, but still no sign of an awakening from Asuna. It was on January nineteenth that Shoto was out on a morning jog, something started to do nearly half a month ago. A crisp breeze was steadily blowing through the streets as he ran at a moderate pace for the next 45 minutes. "Man, you gotta love the outdoors." He said to himself as he ran a few more blocks. 

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Kazue Hisaki was currently reading the daily newspaper on his favorite sofa, while his wife Ikumi went over a some paperwork for the hospital. Kazue kept reading until he heard the door open, and he looked up to see his son return from his daily jog.