Sword Art Online: Crystal Blood

Chapter Sixteen: Past

"Goodnight, Manami!" Akira called from down the hall. We'd beaten the boss of this floor earlier this day, and we exhaustedly went back to the town's Inn, practically crawling there because our limbs ached so much. These bosses get harder with every level... well, that's how the game works.

I went into my room and changed into pyjamas because armour wasn't going to help with my fatigue. I fell on to my bed, and fell asleep nearly instantly into a dream that seemed like it'd happened before...

***

"Kanako!" Someone was calling my name. A friend. I knew him from grade school, and we'd ended up in the same class every year since school had begun all those years ago.
 
A smile grew on my face. "Hey, Chiyomaru." I felt my voice say. Oh, that's his name. Chiyo-kun. I didn't think that I would remember it after all this time.  We were in the school courtyard, right before the actual classes had begun. Chiyo and I had always sat out here in the morning.

Chiyomaru was a tall boy, a bit too lanky for his comfort. He had long blonde hair put into a ponytail and dull green eyes. I'd grown up with this boy since I'd first started elementary school, and we'd always kept in touch. Chiyomaru was my closest friend and confidant.

"Kanako, did you get the game? Sword Art Online?" Chiyo asked me excitedly. "I heard it's awesome! My brother just got a copy but he won't share it with me." He sighed, but quickly lifted his spirit. "I really want to play it!"

I nodded. "I got one." I was secretly glad I was an only child, because I never had to share my things. But I admit it did make me really selfish.

Chiyo jumped up happily. "Kana! You're so lucky... Mama wouldn't buy another copy of the game. And because Hatake is older, he got the only one." He crossed his arms in frustration. "Just because he's older, he gets everything!"

I put my hand on his shoulder, slightly blushing. "Don't worry, Chiyo-kun. I'll let you play it."

"Thank you!" He hugged me, laughing happily.

This boy reminds me of Takao so much. Their personalities are so similar.

-

And the school courtyard faded away, and I was at home. Chiyo was sitting on the carpet beside me babbling nonsense about his older brother Hatake while I was telling him repeatedly that I already knew about this. Hatake and I were close as well. I was holding a copy of Sword Art Online in my hand, getting it ready. I picked up the NerveGear and handed it to Chiyo. "Well, I promised. Here you go."

His face lit up with a bright smile. "Thank you thank you thank you!" Another thing that him and Takao have in common: both really annoying, but I have to deal with them. Sounds about right.

He put on the helmet and vanished away into SAO. Smiling at his quietness, I planted a small kiss on Chiyo's lips. And I stepped back, blushing once I realized something... Chiyo hadn't logged on yet, and he was still aware of his surroundings.

"Um... Ka-Kanako?"

I didn't hang out with Chiyo after that. He ignored me.

-

Then that surrounding faded away, and even in my dream, my face was still crimson and red-hot from the blush of embarrassment. I was now at home, sitting in a corner with my hands closed over my ears, but the muffled screaming was still breaking through the barrier I'd put up.

"Mom, stop." I said quietly.

She continued screaming. My mom, for the longest time, had seen things. She had lost her mind long ago. I'd gotten medicine, she'd taken it, it didn't help. She refused to go to the hospital or into an asylum's custody, and she'd always taken out her feelings on me.

"Naozumi! Come here, darling!" She called my father's name with a sickly sweetness to it. Daddy's gone. Mother, Dad left a long time ago. When you first started acting up, Daddy left you. And he left me here, without even thinking how it would effect the both of us.

"What do you mean you don't know me!?" Mom screamed frustratedly. "I'm Tsukino Tora! I'm your wife, Naozumi... Answer me! Naozumi! Answer me or I will kill you! I'll file a divorce! I'll kill the child!" She was convinced he was still here... that Dad was still around for her screaming.

I had my hands still firmly over my ears. "Don't kill me." I said. "You should be dead, not me."

Mom went quiet. My heart was beating out of my chest as I heard her stomping footsteps through the barrier. A fist collided with the side of my head and I fell on to my side, almost crying. "Kanako! You need to respect your mother... what would Naozumi say if he heard you?"

"Dad isn't here!" I screamed in her face. She was standing over me, and she brought her booted foot down on my face. A sickening crack came from my nose. "Mom, stop! S-Stop!" I screamed, tears pouring from my face.

Mom brought her face down close to mine. "Kanako, you are a disobedient child."

"N-No I'm not..." I covered my head with my arms. "Mom, Dad left four years ago. He's been gone this whole time."

Mom was visibly insane. Her hands shook furiously and her eyes twitched beneath the cover of her white bangs. "No, no Kanako... You're father's just upstairs. He's here, dear. Let me go get him." I had my hands over my nose, sobbing as the blood trickled down my arm.

Ever since that day after father left us, I wished he'd warned us. Or taken me with. He doesn't seem to care if I get beaten and bruised in Mom's mental state. He just cares that he doesn't get the pain from it.

***

I screamed. My heart was beating faster than ever, and my breathing was hoarse and rugged. I felt dizzy, my whole body was numb as I fell out of my bed and on to the floor. I held my hand over my mouth in an attempt not to vomit as all my memories from the real world flooded back into mind.

Chiyomaru Matsushita, my once best friend ever since I'd begun to fall in love with him. He is no more.

Tora Tsukino, my senile and mentally unstable mother who had beaten me for four years until she lost custody of me.

Naozumi Tsukino, my cowardly father who let me be beaten by my mother. He left us there to rot.

I cried silently on the floor as my limbs regained feeling. Why am I so shocked? This has already happened in my life. This is past. But somehow I'm scared... so scared I can't move. I blocked all other thoughts from processing in attempt to calm down.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out...

My door crashed open and arms wrapped around me. "Kanako! Why are you on the floor? Are you okay?" I heard Akira's voice. The last thing I wanted right now was to be touched by anyone, but I was to petrified to speak.

"I'm okay." I sighed once my mind calmed down.

Akira let go of me and I sat up straight, still heavily breathing to calm down completely. "Can you tell me what happened? Your scream was really loud... something must have happened."

"It was just a petty nightmare." I rubbed my eyes. "Sorry for waking you."

Akira shrugged. "It's alright. Wow, it must have been some nightmare."

I sighed.

Yeah, it was.