It was the night of Asuna Kagurazaka's funeral. Everyone from class 3-A had cried themselves to sleep in their dorms. Their young teacher lay on the bunk that used to belong to the deceased. Her roommate, Konoka had offered, with tears leaking out, the bunk to the teacher. Seeing as he used to crawl in bed with her so often before, it seemed a good idea. Negi bravely kept the tears from coming and nodded. Konoko crawled into her own bunk and after a while, the racked sobs subsided to slow and deep breathing.
Negi's body shook with sobs. I couldn't save her he thought. She died, right in front of him and he couldn't do a thing about it!
Some while later when there was just the muffled sound of crying from the room, a figure appeared on the balcony outside. Pale and ethereal looking, this person came from nowhere. It was a girl in her early teens with long hair done in two pigtails. These pigtails were tied back with red ribbons that had a bell attached to each end. She was dressed in the typical school uniform of Mahora academy. Smiling sadly, she walked through the closed door to the two children. She stroked the sleeping girl, whispering softly that it was all right. The girl who had began to cry fitfully, fell back into a deep sleep. Looking up, she watched the sobbing boy for a moment. Starting to cry herself she floated gently up to the bunk and lay down next to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she began to sing softly a song to lull him to sleep, to reassure him that it was alright.
Lay
down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You've
come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came
before
They are calling
From across the distant shore
Why
do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will
see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
you're
only sleeping
what
can you see
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across
the sea
a pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you
home.
Negi felt a presence near him. It felt comforting and familiar. His body slowly stopped shaking and his breathing rate returned to normal for the most part. He rolled over and began to drift off amid memories of her.
And
all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
All souls
pass
Hope
fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of
memory and time
Don't say: "We have come now to the end"
White
shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And
you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping
Of course he couldn't hear her song, but a soothing feeling washed over him and the feeling of being torn apart began to ebb away.
What
can you see
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across
the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And
all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey
ships pass
Into the West
The ten year-old prodigy finally did fall completely asleep. And as he did he whispered, for he knew she could hear him, "Goodbye Asuna, I miss you."