Sword Art Online: Regeneration (Uprising)

Prologue 1:

     The constant wind lightly against my face. The fragrant smell of the grass below my as I lay down. The sun in high up as a sign of noon. I let out a sigh out of my tired self. Took a sip of water from my water skin and enjoyed today's weather.

     My father, who has unfortunately passed away, after I was nine, would tell me it's around these hours that outside was beautiful and relaxing. It can soothed the wearied and heal them back. I agreed and missed him dearly.

     "This is the times best weather. It be a shame to just waste it working." He'd say.

     I felt the poking of something funny from my cheek. I opened my eyes to see that someone was poking me from above with a long thin branch.

     I turned around to see if anyone was there. None, I look upwards above the tree that sheltered my head from the hot noon sun and see a girl, about my age. Had brown-black messy hair that was cut short, msitly covering her eyes, wearing a white tunic and a black robe over it. She wore some light gray pants and flat sandals with socks to hide her feet.

     "Hey, our break is almost over." She cheerfully reminded me, "Let's get back to selling those firewood."

     I yawned and squeaked, "You don't seem tired. You do it."

     She carefully slides down the tree and whacks me with that tree branch on my head, "Come on! Your mom will be awfully worried for you if we don't come home on time. And I'll have to sleep outside the stables if Ms. Isabella locks me out for curfew."

     I stretched and my hands behind my back and hunched, giving in. We both go back down the Hill of Noon and return to our rundown wheelbarrow full of firewood. Night brings a hard chill. My father use to chop wood and sold it around the village I was born and raised in. No one made money in my family after his passing so I had to take charge and help out my mother and two sisters (three if you count the freeloading girl helping me out with the work).

     As soon as I was about to start pushing the giant wheelbarrow along with my friend, a figure runs at us. Seeming to be chasing us. We were nervous at first until we saw the familiar. Long light brown hair, a sky blue simple dress, similar to the color of my shirt, and the pail but soft chestnut eyes the child had.

     "Big brother!" She was running towards me, tackling me down the ground. She gave me a big hug. I awkwardly returned her hug and stood up. My friend covered the side of her face, whistling. I shoulder her and return to my younger sister.

     "Yuuki," I cupped her face with my hands, "Shouldn't you be helping mama?"

     "She said she didn't need help and I could help you guys!" She smiled, "Can I help, Atsuo? Pleeeeease? I won't bother you or Raito."

     She gave me a big hug again and I combed her hair. She was such a sweet girl.

     I surrendered from the adorable face my little sister made, "No problem, just promise you won't bother me or Raito. Hop onto the wheelbarrow."

     "Okay!" Raito and I helped her climb up the big wheelbarrow. Eleven year old me could barely even carry my youngest sister who's only eight, so Yuuki was much more of a challenge.

     "You good up there Yuuki?" Raito called sticking out her thumb

     "Uh-huh." She nodded, giving a thumbs up to her "big sister".

     And so we started marching off. Cradling tons of wood and a nine year old. This was usually how me and my friend Raito would begin our days if there was no school. It wasn't much to other children. But to me, they were the most precious memories. My family didn't have a lot of money to go by but we were happy.

     Raito... my younger sister Yuuki Alice, Yui and mom. They all mean a lot to me.

     But as mom told me as dad died. When there's Happiness, then follows sorrow.