Sword Art Online: Regeneration (Uprising)

2:

     Lucy Haku sat there beside her bedridden sister, watching her just lay by the hard hospital bed. She knew however all too well that she wasn't doing that, she was fighting for her life in game. She had faith in her sister, Kazuko's, skills. But her mind could not resist the idea that maybe, just maybe, she could die being killed.

     She took her sister's hand. Although Kazuko could not feel it, it's all she could do now. All she can do as her older sister, to wait for her return. Kaito has never came home in months. Their mother has given up on looking for him. It was true what Kazuko said before, their mother didn't care about them, just Lucy. She would go out of her way, every time after school, walk to the hospital to see her. She would come with a book to read to her or just holder her sister's hand for hours, waiting.

     Today was Kazuko's birthday. And she was celebrating it in captivity. She got Kazuko a present. She was fifteen now. Lucy sets the gift on the bedside table.

     "You're cold," she commented as she felt Kazuko's hand, "It's all I could get for you for now. I didn't know what you like."

     Didn't know what she even liked. Her stomach churned upon hearing that. Her younger sister looked up to her always. She could never remember a time where Kazuko lost her faith in Lucy. For Lucy not to know what her sister liked was more than just embarrassing, pure shame.

     "I'm eighteen now, you know?" She silently told her, "Sad how on my birthday you weren't there."

     A woman opens the door and enters in. Ms. Kirigaya, the English teacher of freshmen from the school Lucy, Kazuko and Kaito went too. She brought in a single small white flower for her student. Lucy let her come in and told her that she can come in whenever she wanted. She had chestnut brown hair flowing down her past her shoulders and matching bright warm eyes. She was probably one of the youngest teachers who taught at their high school.

     "Ms. Kirigaya." Lucy called, "Pleasure seeing you here."

     She notices she was awkwardly standing by there and insists her to have a seat.

     "Hey, Lucy. How's Rai-sorry Kazuko doing?" She stared at Kazuko with a distressed face. Seeing her student lay there pitifully.

     "Doctor said she was doing fine and a person from the Department of Homeland Security came in here. He was saying how Kazuko was fighting hard. She was a part of the group that's trying to overthrow the terrorists. To think a fifteen year old could do that."

     "Fifteen?" Ms. Kirigaya gasped, "Oh she turned fifteen? Happy birthday, Kazuko."

     The teacher looked at Lucy who still held her sister's hand. She did not know if telling her interactions with Raito would help or worsen the situation. After a year of helping LAPD detective, Ren Kurusu, there were no big leads to why it happened. Deathgun was a threat in Japan and he went silent after Project Alicization, about 17 years ago.

     Ms. Kirigaya frowned, "Homeland Security also told me that my son was fighting for his life in there too. He's in this hospital, just a floor above Raito's."

     "Raito?" Lucy exchanged looks with her.

     Ms. Kirigaya suddenly covered her mouth, "That was another student of mine!" She lied, "I'm sorry. I meant Kazuko."

     "Well at least your son is doing fine. I hope he'll be okay." Lucy smiled.

     "I'm hoping for...Kazuko as well."

     Kirigaya's phone started to ring. She excused herself and it was Ren. She left the room and answered it.

     "Mrs. Kirigaya, can you come to the station today? I've got something."