A Tribute That's Overdue
Author's Note: This is taking place in between my first and second SAO stories. If you don't know the characters, or their back-stories, that doesn't matter. This will be having them out of character in certain areas because this isn't their story. And I don't even deserve to call it mine... I've been too scared to face this for years now. But this is a story that I believe needs to be told.
Asuna and Kazuto had just put Yui to bed and had returned to the room they shared in the Kirigaya residence. Asuna looked out the window, "February's coming up in just a few days..." She says distantly.
Kazuto nodded, "Yep. Why? You got something in mind?" He asks. Asuna shook her head and continued to stare up at the sky through the window. Kazuto eyed his girlfriend curiously, "Come to think of it, she was sorta like this back in SAO during February too. I wonder what's going on..."
Abruptly, Asuna turned to him, "Kirito, I need a big favor from you." She says with a surprising level of conviction.
Kazuto jolts slightly, "Ok, what's up?" He asks.
Asuna quickly put on her coat and left the room without a word. Kazuto followed her into the living room, where she tossed him the keys to his motorcycle, "I'll tell you where to go as you drive." She says plainly before walking out the door.
Kazuto follows Asuna's directions, which soon leads them both to a large cemetery that was surrounded by beautiful plains as far as the eye can see in almost every direction. Asuna dismounted the motorcycle and took Kazuto's hand, "F-follow me." She said, her voice and hand shaking slightly. When Asuna stopped, both she and Kazuto were face to face with a grave that, to Asuna, stood out from all the rest in the area.
Kazuto looked at her, "Asuna, why are we here? What's going on? Who's buried here?" He asked.
Asuna's gaze became downcast, "This is where... my grandmother was buried..."
Asuna closed her eyes, "When I was young, I always loved visiting my Grandmother. She was always so kind to everyone, no matter who they were. She always made me feel safe and protected. Back in those days, whenever I prayed... I never asked God for anything. Because there was nothing more I really felt like I wanted. Then... 8 years ago... My mother told me she had cancer. The whole family became in distress, everyone saying she wasn't going to make it, no matter what the doctors did. So... every night, I prayed to God to cure my Grandmother... I begged him to spare her, because I knew there were things that she still wanted to experience. Things she wanted to see. I begged and pleaded for months! I said I'd give anything to have her be saved! But then... on February 27th, she finally passed away." Asuna had tears threatening to fall from her eyes as her whole body trembled as the memories continued to come in full force.
Asuna's breath was shaky, but she continued, "I'll never forget her face when she was laying in that coffin..." She whispered as she fell to her knees. Her tears finally pouring down.
She continued, "I remember the day we held the funeral... it was a bright, warm, sunny day... the weather couldn't have been nicer... and that was the cruelest part of all!" She paused for a moment before continuing, "Some people believe that, if it rains on the day of the funeral of your loved one, it means that God shares your sorrow of their passing... But it wasn't! There wasn't even a single cloud in the goddamn sky! It's almost as if that bastard was glad she was dead!" She screamed.
Kazuto quickly put his hands on her shoulders, "Asuna! Calm down! You're overreacting!" He says in a hushed tone.
Asuna slapped him away, "What do you know!? You weren't there! You didn't stare into her lifeless face! You didn't watch her lower into the ground!" She screamed. Asuna panted as she looked to the ground, "I'm sorry Kirito... I don't mean to be mad at you... it's just that... she was the first person I had ever known who died..."
Kazuto smiled and comforted her softly, "It's ok, Asuna. I understand."
Then, Asuna and Kazuto stopped when they each started to feel something small drop onto their faces. They looked up to see rain quickly begin to pour down. Asuna looked up into the sky, "Grandma..." She then buried herself into Kazuto's arms and wailed, letting out all of her pent-up grief and sorrow.
After thirty minutes, Asuna had managed to calm down and both teens were completely drenched. Kazuto and Asuna quietly left the cemetery and drove back home. Ever since that day, Asuna took every opportunity to visit her grandmother's grave and pay her respects.
(Ninja Writer: That's it. Asuna was put in place for me. Everything she just said are things that have been racing through my head for the last 8 years. This brief story is in the loving memory of Peggy Harris. Mother of three, Grandmother to five, including myself. When the word got out about her illness, nobody was the same. My mother, for example, was always so strong. Able to handle anything life throws at her without even flinching. But when she learned that her mother wasn't going to live for much longer, I would, every now and again, find her broken down in tears. That alone, proved just how hard this was hitting everyone. And it hit me like a freight train when we learned of Peggy's passing, which was only days after my younger sister's birthday. When we went to Texas and I saw her body laying in the coffin. I broke down as well. I cried for hours, hoping that it was all just a bad dream. But it wasn't. And I've been too terrified of coming face-to-face with the truth of her death, ever since. But this time, I finally decided that I need to do something to show that she did mean something to me when she was alive, and still does now that she's gone. I've promised not to let her memory die for as long as I live. And so, I hope against hope that this story means as much to all of you as it does to me. And if she's looking down on me now, I hope she's smiling at me, looking out for me as she always did.)
In the loving memory of Peggy Harris. September 1945- February 2010