Ok, so Maddie Blaustein, the voice of Grandpa Mutou and Meowth from Pokémon, passed away recently. This is a one-shot specifically for her, in commemoration for her character, Solomon Mutou.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.
Warning: Character Death
Yugi sat on the front pew of the enormous, cathedral church. He had an old white handkerchief in hand and periodically, he would dab his swollen red eyes with it. He had promised himself he wouldn't cry. On his death bed, Grandpa Mutou had asked Yugi not to shed any tears for his benefit, going into detail at how everyone dies at some point whether it be in Duel Monsters or life.
But Yugi couldn't seem to help himself. The brutality of reality had come knocking on his door and smacked him in the face without any time to react. How was he supposed to react? To simply and calmly accept Grandpa's death with no grief to spare? Not likely. His care-taker was gone now.
But Grandpa was more than a care-taker to him. He was practically a father and sometimes like an older brother when he would act childishly, which he did most of the time. Grandpa was a friend, a best friend. And best friends can't be replaced. Ever. You could gain more important people in your life but you couldn't ever replace ones you had lost. It was impossible.
Maybe he would have been able to handle it better if Yami were here. But he wasn't. He was in his own afterlife, probably with Grandpa. At least Yugi could gain some comfort that Grandpa wouldn't be alone...
But still, that thought didn't make the pain go away. It only brought more sorrow and sadness in Yugi's heart when he thought of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, his yami, his other half. Both were gone, both were friends, dear, dear, friends. And both were never coming back, no matter how hard Yugi wished and prayed they would.
Yugi sniffed and realized two more fat tears had gathered at the corners of his eyes and begun to roll down his cheeks, those red, tear-stained cheeks. Yugi forsake the handkerchief for the moment and wiped them away with the sleeve of his expensive formal jacket.
Now that's not anyway to treat that jacket! reprimanded a familiar voice inside his head. Yugi felt his eyes go wide as he jumped and looked around anxiously.
But no one was there. His friends were sitting a pew behind him, hoping he would cope better with the grief by himself. And Grandpa was up ahead, inside the casket. And then Yugi realized he had only imagined his grandfather's voice inside his head. Grandpa was dead, he tried reminding himself forcefully.
Yugi had requested that the casket stay closed throughout the funeral services; he didn't want to remember his grandfather as a cold, dead corpse. And to his utter relief, the people who organized those things had obliged. A slideshow featuring various pictures of Grandpa's lifetime was being presented on a screen standing beside the podium on stage. Yugi watched a few of these.
There was one of Grandpa's wedding. A stout, young man with a red happy face holding onto the arm of a beautiful woman about the same height. Yugi's grandmother who had died before Yugi was even born.
Well, I may have not known her but at least Grandpa will probably meet up with her, now that they're both dead... Yugi thought, trying to remain futilely optimistic.
Another photograph appeared on screen. It was his grandpa, holding him as a baby. Even then, when he was that young, Yugi had had tri-colored hair. Most people had thought he had dyed his hair in an attempt to be "cool." Yugi just usually laughed in the face of whoever said that.
There was another picture of Grandpa smiling for a camera as he swept away in the front of his game shop. Just as if if were any other day...
That was all Yugi could take. The memories were too painful to remember, much less to watch through captured moments printed on paper. He looked around, the church was almost full, and decided it was time to begin.
When he slowly stood up, every murmuring voice was hushed and the whole church was enveloped in silence. A deathly silence. Suppressing a shudder at the comparison, Yugi made his way to the podium as every eye watched his every move with grave, tear-filled eyes. With slow, dragging feet, he managed to make his way to the podium. He gazed across the room and met the gazes of each individual he knew. He saw Joey with his sister Serenity, Téa, Tristan, Bakura, Duke Devlin, Arthur Hopkins with Rebecca, and- much to Yugi's surprise- Seto Kaiba was there with Mokuba. There was also a few people who didn't even know Grandpa that well: Mako Tsunami, Ishizu Ishtar with Marik and Odion, Mai Valentine (who made a point not to notice Joey), Rafael, Valon, Alister, the von Shroeders, and even Vivian Wong who Yugi barely even remembered from the Kaiba Grand Prix. Yugi could even swore he saw Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor lurking somewhere in the back...
Just about everyone was here. Well, everyone except the obvious...
It'll be okay, Yugi. You can get through this... echoed Yami's voice inside his head. He knew the old pharaoh wasn't there but it was nice to pretend, to be able to call upon strength to be able to deliver a simple eulogy. Yugi cleared his throat nervously in front of the large crowd. The microphone intensified the volume of his voice so the small cough resounded throughout the cathedral, echoing off the walls.
"Er....I would like to thank you for coming here today. Everyone here all knew Grandpa or, more formerly, Solomon Mutou even if it was just in passing. But in that simple passing, I'm sure each of you would be able to recall that he was a brilliant, honorable, respectable, and- above all else- a kind and caring man." Yugi's voice began to waver and he began to tremble ever so slightly. He had to cough again, to clear his head and to regain his bearings.
"I'm sure that he would have appreciated every one of you, you who have touched his life and I'm sure that he has touched yours. I know he has touched mine." Yugi paused, needing to think before moving on. "To me, he has been a father. He was the father figure-head when my parents were dead. He taught me just about everything I know about life and he was always there when I needed support and encouragement." Yugi took a deep breath.
"Most of you know that Solomon Mutou had been sick for quite sometime, diagnosed with lung cancer four months ago. And just recently, he went to bed one night and simply didn't wake up." With the last two words, Yugi's voice cracked up a few octaves and tears were springing from his eyes again. He wiped them away angrily, not caring if he ruined the expensive jacket or not, it was a trival matter compared to everything else.
"Just a few days before his....death, Grandpa told me that he didn't want any crying on his behalf. At first I didn't understand what he meant, didn't want to accept what he meant it but then I guess he, like some, just knew the inevitable was going to happen. Were he here now, I know he wouldn't want me to cry but sometimes, tears are the only means of acceptance. They are the signal that a person knows that life is truly unfair. I know that. If it were fair, no one would die and bad things would never happen in the world. So we all must think, if my grandpa is indeed going to a 'better place' then why would a higher power of some sort allow these terrible things to happen?"
Yugi was silent as the crowd watched him apprehensively, waiting for him to continue. Waiting for him to crack. But he wouldn't crack, he knew he was perfectly sane...
"The answer is simple: for the good things to be good in our lives, there must also be the bad things to balance it out. I think that is what Granpa had been trying to tell throughout the time span of his life. For it is not a lesson you can simply learn, but one you must live through and experience life to understand. My grandfather experienced his life and endured many things through that experience, good and bad. Life but a fragile seed must be carefully sown and when its fruits has been reaped, it is time for it to die."
Yugi blinked and behind his closed eyes, saw the smiling image of Solomon Mutou's face. And, despite his sadness, Yugi smiled. Though granted, a small smile but albeit, a smile.
"Remember the past but look to the future. And I shall always remember Grandpa and as a result, his wisdom shall be reflected in all my choices."
Yugi spared a glance at the waiting pianist, smile gone, and gave a short nod.
"You were each given a sheet of paper with lyrics on it. If you will please, take out that paper and sing with me, keeping the memories of Solomon Mutou in your hearts and promising to never forget his legacy."
The pianist played the opening prelude and soon after, the whole cathedral joined in with voices so full of fervor and emotion, it was difficult for anyone, including Seto Kaiba, to hide the tears flowing down one's cheeks.
My soul in sad exile was out on life's sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying, "Make Me your choice";
And I entered the "Haven of Rest!"
I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The "Haven of Rest" is my Lord.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, who'll save whosoever will have
A home in the "Haven of Rest."
How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the beloved so blest,
On Jesus' strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the "Haven of Rest."
Oh, come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the "Haven of Rest,"
And say, "My Beloved is mine."
I've anchored my soul in the "Haven of Rest,"
I'll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I'm safe evermore.
Afterward, everyone was allowed to visit the casket and say a few words to the body. Yugi was first, Joey, Téa, Tristan, Serenity, Bakura, and Duke behind him. He walked up to the casket, alone, and looked down at the shiny wood for a few moments, remembering the last words he had said to Grandpa when he was alive. He decided to say them again; they felt suiting, almost.
"Goodnight Grandpa," Yugi whispered quietly, allowing a few more tears escape from their poorly guarded prison.
Maddie Blaustein died in her sleep on December 11, 2008 at the age of 48. May her soul rest in peace.
This was a particularly difficult piece to write. I was literally writing through my own tears. I just hope the end result is up to standards.
-Note: The song in here, Haven of Rest, is not mine but is by Henry L. Gilmour
~Nuit Songeur