Sofu(Grandfather)
Summary: It is mentioned in Mother's Rosario book that Asuna went on a week vacation to her paternal Grandparent's house for the competitive annual gathering. We all know that someday in the future, Kazuto will need to meet Asuna's family. So what happens when he actually does? Multi-Chaptered.
Disclaimer:I do not own anything. All content is based off of "Sword Art Online" all rights (copyrights) go to the producers (Reki Kawahara). All rights reserved and used without permission.
Chapter 11:
Interestingly, everyone wanted Kazuto and Asuna to win. I can't say I was not disappointed, because I really did think that perhaps it would make the chapter longer, which all you readers deserve. Anyhow, there was 2 peoples' words which I kept in mind:
Nukacolafission: "All is fair in love and war."
TheSib: I can't tell you what this person said, because it was TheSib's idea that I chose to base the chapter off of. (Of course, I added my own pizazz, details, and tid-bits here and there.)
Without further ado, Productions presents to all readers, the final chapter, chapter eleven of Sofu(Grandfather)...
"Agh!"Kazuto yelled as the shinai hit him in the head, and he fell squarely on his bottom.
Grandfather shrugged, not having broken a sweat at all. "You are not bad." He even said it with a nice smile.
Asuna's Grandmother walked over, two maids flanking her, one with a tray of tea, and the other with a tray of cookies. She waved her hand, and the maids offered them each a cookie and cup of tea. Grandfather grabbed Grandmother's hand and kissed it. He grinned in a way that contrasted his stoic look when facing his descendants.
Then he turned to Kazuto and said, "You know, Kazuto, I was never a businessman type. Perhaps that is why I find it hard not to look at you and be reminded of myself. My wife here, she was beautiful, had everything, and could have everything, and any man she wanted. Instead, she chose me. Me, the kendo champion, the one who was obsessed with kendo, a sport that couldn't bring money."
As Grandfather said this, he grabbed Grandmother's hand. The nostalgic, yet faintly joyful looks on their faces were things that, if they did not remind you of a time when Asuna and Kazuto had acted like that, then you did not know them.
Grandfather looked straight into Kazuto's eyes, and told him, "It is not my approval you must seek now. I am well beyond convinced. You must gain the approval of the whole Yuuki family. Somehow, I highly doubt that any amount of success would gain their respect for you. I sincerely wish you luck in that aspect. Do not get me wrong however. I will not go easy on you like I did today."
With that, Grandfather spun on his heel, and walked out, leaving Asuna, Kazuto, and the servants in the training hall.
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The second after they rose from the bow, Kazuto leapt forward swinging upwards to meet Grandfather's blow, but the blow never came because Grandfather stood there, faked the blow and instead standing in place, and blocking Kazuto's blow, before retaliating with a flurry of blows himself with the two shinais he held. Grandfather had the ridiculous accuracy Kazuto held, making two swords a viable option, as well as the a better option than one single sword.
Kazuto could barely block the blows himself. Since dueling with Yuuki, Kazuto knew himself, as well as Asuna that he had gotten much better with his sword fighting, in and out of the game, with Ordinal Scale happening and all, which had gotten to get in shape physically in real life as well.
The one thing Grandfather didn't anticipate, and never had a need to before this, the strike from behind. It was one nimble leap and thrust from Asuna, basically the linear sword skill, but it was enough to throw Grandfather off, who blocked Asuna's strike, using brute strength built from work over time to throw her off so she had to dance back, and before blocking Kazuto's blow. He continued to switch so quickly between defending against Asuna and Kazuto until it became a rhythm, before adding attacks in between, just minor jabs, that complicated the rhythm, but it was like a dance that Grandfather knew so well he could add in a few extra fancy moves and it would just look better, and not throw him off.
Same with Grandfather, although there was no delay effect without the sword skill assist of games, attacking while defending against two people were risky, but he managed it well. Slowly, Grandfather kept jabbing at each side, and each time he jabbed at Kazuto, he used that space to advance. It was an extremely slow advance, so one wouldn't notice until backed into the wall, like Kazuto.
By this time, Grandfather's parries had mostly been taken over by a rhythm of attacking on both sides, leaving no space for Asuna nor Kazuto to retaliate unless they recklessly attacked, but that would leave many of their body parts exposed, and that would be the end of this tournament.
Kazuto felt despair seeping into his body. There was no way they were going to win this. Although Kazuto and Asuna had dreamed of a life where they had everyone's blessing, Kazuto knew he would never feel quite right without their blessing, and if he felt that way, Asuna would probably feel worse marrying him without her whole family's blessing, however cold they had been to her. Kazuto didn't want Asuna to regret anything. Not one bit. And if they were going to lose, they might ban Asuna from ever seeing him again.
That brought a stab of pain that coursed through Kazuto's body, although Grandfather hadn't actually hit him, nor did anyone else. That stab of pain in his heart, and hundreds of memories, years of memories with a priceless worth flashed through his eyes. These memories which he would never give up.
The raw talent he had felt when he had watched Asuna take down that mob with just linear. The simple awe when Asuna had ripped off her hood, taking everyone by surprise, and how he should have fell to his knees and worshipped her right then and there. The countless times he saved her, and the countless times she saved him moment he had opened his eyes after passing out from killing the gleam eyes, and seeing her. When he told Asuna of the Moonlit Black Cats, and how she reassured him, forcing him to look at her, telling him she wouldn't die because she would protect him. The moment she had cried, knowing it was all her fault he almost died, and that kiss. The priceless night at her house where he had proposed to her.
There was so much that had happened together with her. He had dueled for her, had been ready to die for her, and yet she had kept her promise to protect him, dying for him instead so that he could kill Kayaba. There was so much more that they had done, and…
He would not let that time and their promises go just like that. "Switch!"he screamed as he leapt recklessly forward, a simple move that normally would have activated a sword skill, but this time, Kazuto twisted so that he was attacking Grandfather from the side, and Grandfather had to twist as well, using both swords to block, which Kazuto struck with just enough force to break through, leaving him wide open as Kazuto fell back.
Asuna passed him, grabbing his shinai with her left hand in the process and stepped in with a simple strike that he had first seen her perform, the linear, or a simple jab in real life. Except Asuna executed it with perfect precision, even better than Kazuto and even faster.
It left just enough time for Asuna to perform something that resembled the star splash, three jabs at the chest, two slashes at the legs, and strikes high and low, throwing Grandfather off just enough, although Grandfather was good enough not to be left completely exposed, just enough to attack once more. No. Asuna did not use the flashing penetrator, because that just does not make sense in real life, nor did she use Mother's Rosario which she had mastered. It was not powerful enough.
She used starburst stream, the 16 hit combination that Kazuto could have easily used. She recalled from perfect memory each and every single time he used it, her heart beating like crazy, thought of failure running through her mind.
But to Kazuto as he watched from behind her, breathing hard, she was breathtaking, talented, and completing the skill flawlessly, more accurately than Kirito would ever have done it, and so, so, so, much faster. In no time, as Asuna did one last thrust that blew through Grandfather's impeccable defense, and then finally thrusting with the other hand, and hitting him with brutal speed that turned into a force that made Grandfather stumble backwards a few feet before dropping to ground, simply staring at the ceiling and panting.
Everyone seemed to snap from their state of blessed silence, and rushed forward. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and even butlers and maids.
"That's enough!"Denshi's father bellowed, standing up from his place beside Grandfather. "I have had enough with your attitude after Sword Art Online, Asuna! Kirigaya Kazuto doesn't care about you. How can a guy like him care for a person like you… like us… with looks like us and money like us. Not to mention everything else. Guards, get him out of here!"
Asuna opened her mouth to argue, already red with anger, when Denshi's father interrupted, "No! Kazuto Kirigaya has to go!"
"Let her talk,"a strained voice commanded. Everyone turned their heads to Grandfather as he coughed, painfully, wincing. Denshi's father shut up like a clam, although he still glared at Asuna and Kazuto.
This time Kazuto takes Asuna's hand, simply stating the truth. "I treasure Asuna more than my life."
"Bah! You can't prove it!"Denshi's father sneered.
"Yes I can,"Kazuto answered.
Then he dashed out of the room, pulling Asuna behind him. He raced through the halls as if he actually knew where he was going, before pulling up short, panting and leaning against the wall. He rubbed the back of his head and asked, "Where exactly is the room your Grandfather told us to put our bags in again?"
Despite the circumstances, Asuna giggled, and took his hand once again, leading him towards the room at a normal pace. She calmly walked into the room, closing the door behind her and leaning on it. Kazuto rummaged through their bags, looking for something and throwing things out, leaving a rather large mess on the floor.
Asuna's small voice sounded behind Kazuto. "Kirito-kun… I'm sorry. I thought they could be better-"
Kazuto wrapped his arms around Asuna, pulling her to him. A simple reassuring hug. Without looking at her face, because he knew what look would be on her face, and he knew he would lose hope if he saw her despair as well, he reassured, "No. None of it is your fault. We're going to convince them."
Asuna simply gave a sigh and leaned into his embrace for a few seconds. Then she kissed him on the cheek and pulled away asking him, "So... what's the plan?"
He grinned and held up a now familiar mouse pad sized device.
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Setting the device on the floor Kazuto softly called, "Yui… can you please come out?"
A figure faded in right in front of the device, twirling as she did so. It was very obviously a perfect blend of both Asuna and Kirito, as they still wore light and dark clothes which complimented each other although it didn't match.
"W-who are these people, Mama, Papa?"she asked, face confused and showing a slight hint of fear.
Asuna walked forward with a gentleness and a smile that all adults in the room remembered. Asuna had so innocently and naively sported all the time before she had started studying like crazy. "Sweetie, meet my family. This is your Uncle Kouichirou, Grandpa, Grandma, Great-Grandpa, and Great-Grandma. Your Papa and I need your help explaining something to them,"Asuna explained with a smile, hovering her hand next to Yui's cheek as if cupping it affectionately, although she was only really touching a hologram.
"They say your Mama and I don't love each other,"Kazuto broke the news to her, not sugarcoating it at all.
Yui gasped, her face with genuine worry, sad so that it seemed she was almost close to tearing up, "No! Mama and Papa love each other! Mama rushed out to save Papa when he wanted to stand up so all of us had a chance to survive! Papa saved Mama from that bad man Oberon!"
"Hold it! Why is that girl calling you Mama and Papa? How the heck is she so old?And who the heck is Oberon?!"Denshi interrupted.
"Sugou Nobuyuki is Oberon. If you have any problems with me and Asuna adopting an advanced AI.."
"...I'll personally see to it that the knives don't hit the wall this time,"Asuna finished for him.
Puffing out her cheeks, Yui argued, "Mama and Papa really love each other like they love me! On the night that they-"
She was rudely interrupted by Kazuto, who knew exactly which night she was about to refer to. They really shouldn't have told Yui so much.
"Thanks Yui! That's a great argument. We'll see you in a few days, you have to go now!"Kazuto hurriedly interrupted before pushing a button, and Yui disappeared.
Denshi and his parents seemed ready to argue, but Grandfather held up his hand, "This is now getting childish. They care about each other. They've proven it. Kazuto's 'sweetie' was obviously Yui. They have my blessing. So if you have any factual evidence rather than arguments without evidence, then come see me personally."
Several butlers helped Grandfather up. Kazuto and Asuna could've sworn that Grandfather had winked at them right before he disappeared from view. Denshi's father huffed and stormed out of the room. Next was Denshi, Denshi's mother, and of course Yuuya and Hayato. Their parents followed as well, and soon afterwards people were swarming the doors to get out.
Kazuto and Asuna watched silently as they went out, and then stared at the doorway for a while.
"Did that really just happen?"Kazuto asked.
Asuna laughed and shook her head at his dumbfounded face. Asuna pulled him into a kiss. It was short, but sweet.
Until the Next Story
Thank you for reading Sofu(Grandfather)