SAO drabbles ~

The return of my Godess | PART 1 |Alternative Alicization Arc | Kirito x Asuna

"Asuna!"

I watch the black smoke envelop Asuna whole. Gritting my teeth and damning my weakness, I try to hoist myself upright but struggle even to muster an inch of strength from having my body withered from the war.

The efforts of keeping Eugeo out of harms way backfires as he is captured and taken by the Integrity knights who aim to brainwash him just like they did when he was younger, amongst the roar of swords. Even a move like this completely falls under my radar.

Right now my priority lies here. He can put up enough of a fight with me so there's no doubt in my mind that he can't take on the knights by himself. Still, if any pain is caused to him, Asuna will suffer the most as she promised Alice that she would take care of him.

This may be a virtual world but the pain that it causes is far from fake.

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 It's been two months in reality since I tracked down Kikuoka and Rath's location to the Ocean Turtle. Two months prior, I met up with Rinko Koujiro, a professor in her day to day life as well as a former friend and colleague of Kayaba Akihiko, the original creator of the death game known as Sword Art Online. She explained that Kikuoka had taken Asuna's body from the original hospital she was admitted to the night she was attacked by Johnny Black and put into critical condition. 

Rinko agreed to help me in tracking down Kikuoka as it seemed that she also had unfinished business with him. 

It couldn't sit with me. I didn't sleep or eat properly, which made me weaker. All my thoughts were fixed on finding out where Kikuoka had taken Asuna. As a result of this, I became lethargic and pale. I spent less time in virtual reality and more time tracking down and contacting every single connection that came to my mind, some even in the states.

I unintendedly became distant to those who cared about me. For some reason, I retorted back into my shell of a human. The burden and weight of not being able to protect Asuna weighed on my soul to the extent that I did not feel like I deserved company or care or friends. 

If I let Asuna fall, me, the hero of Aincrad, the love of her life, what good do I deserve in my own life? 

The person who is my everything was lost, was asleep and I felt as if she was slowly slipping away from me, which is why basic necessities became a burden to my consistent and ongoing research. 

The fact was that I couldn't rest until I knew where Asuna was. 

My sister and my friends grew worried about my lifestyle and staged an intervention. I tried to listen and focus on their words and concerns. however each minute spent away from research and contacting people gnawed at every nerve of my cerebral nerves. During the guilt inducing hour that my loved ones spent trying to reach me, I broke down my walls of distance after hearing words which picked at the shards in my heart. 

'What would Asuna think if she could see you right now?' 

A simple question from my sister's mouth led me to sobbing on the floor like a little kid. Embarrassment, anger and pure fear is all I felt while my tears fell. I pictured Asuna with her long chestnut hair and beautiful pale skin scolding me as I cried. Her hazel eyes softening as she pulls me into a loving embrace. 

How could I call myself Asuna's partner if I'm acting so pathetic? How can I call myself Kazuto Kirigaya if I'm acting so pathetic...distancing myself from those I love...not looking after myself...that's what the old Kazuto would've done, the one that found out he was adopted and couldn't face the truth but this Kazuto has lived through darkness and overcame it through love and strength and found himself through the journey's he's experienced and this Kazuto won't let himself wither away like nothing because he has people who cares for him, purpose and goals he wants to reach.