The Shadow Noir Nexus [Sword Art Online Fanfiction]

Prologue

The little girl sat quietly on the chair, legs swinging back and forth. Her dark hair shifted around her chubby face, while she gripped the sides of her chair tightly.

"Kazuta?" a beautiful woman smiled sadly at her, kneeling before her to look her straight in the eye.

"My mom and dad are in that room," she told her softly. "I don't know when they'll come out."

The woman flinched. "Sweetie, you remember me, right?"

Kazuta vaguely did. Long ago, she remembered this woman had visited her house during one of her birthdays.

"Kazuta-chan, I'm your aunt. Your mother was my sister," she told her. "Sweetie...you're going to come live with me for now on."

Kazuta could feel tears prick her eyes. She knew what had happened. Despite what she was saying, she knew her parents weren't going to come out of that room any time soon.

"I know," she said to her aunt in a near whisper.

And she did know. She wished that she didn't.

Her aunt stood up and straightened, holding out a hand to her.

"Come on, Kazuta. I'll help you pack and we'll move everything right now, okay? It'll help take your mind off of things."

Kazuta wasn't sure it'll work, but she was young and probably didn't know better. Her aunt was older and would take care of her now.

But she still wanted her okaa-san and otou-san.

~*~*~

Aunt Midori was kind as she led Kazuta into the traditional home. It was not overly large, but it was much larger and traditionally-made than the house Kazuta had lived in with her parents.

"Your cousin, Suguha, will be happy to have you around. Right now, your uncle is at work, but Minetaka will meet you when he gets home. Your grandfather lives here as well, so you'll be around him a lot. He is very strict though, so remember your manners and behave, okay?"

Kazuta nodded and they walked further into the home, where she was shown a large room. Some of her stuff was already there, but she set down her duffle bag by the door.

"So this is the girl?" he heard a stern voice say and she shyly turned to face an elderly man, who was frowning down at her. She flinched, wanting to hide behind her aunt.

"Yes, Father. This is Kazuta. Kazuta, this is Ojii-sama."

Kazuta took small steps towards her grandfather, who looked very serious and kind of scary.

"Hello, Ojii-sama."

Her grandfather looked to Aunt Midori. "Have her enroll into kendo," he said sharply. "She's much too scrawny and timid."

"Otou-sama, she just lost her mother and father," her aunt tried to talk to him. "She's just a child. Give her some time —"

Her grandfather straightened up and glared down at Aunt Midori, who immediately quieted.

"The sooner she starts the family practice, the better. It is bad enough you and your sister chose to not learn or continue to practice it! I will not have another child in this house disgrace me."

"Yes, Otou-sama."

And it seemed her grandfather won that argument, and Kazuta didn't think she'd have a choice whether or not she'd be learning this kendo thing.

~*~*~

She quickly learned that kendo was learning how to use swords by practicing with bamboo swords. Or something like that.