The Lightning Flash

Chapter 1: Asuna's Trauma

"After all...you and I...we aren't so different, anymore, are we?" he claimed. "You killed...just like your boyfriend...and just like me. I'm so proud of you. I always thought the Black Swordsman was the one who was most like me. I might have been mistaken. Perhaps, it was you the whole time. Hahaha."

Asuna, finally, looked up and grasped the handle of her rapier. The look in her eyes was no longer fear but, rather, anger...pure...unbridled hatred for the man in front of her. He had taken everything from her that she loved. Kazuto. Yui. They were all gone because of this monster. It was all his fault.

"Oh ho, I like that look in your eyes," praised POH. "I don't think I've seen it from you, before. So...bone chilling. I love it. It's so different than the look on your boyfriend's...and the girl's...when I killed them. They both looked so scared and helpless. It was fantastic. I truly wish you could have seen it. I was kind of bummed you showed up so late."

"S-Shut up," Asuna stuttered.

"Oh, and what are you going to do if I don't, Lightning Flash? Your boyfriend...the girl...they're both dead...because they were weak...pathetic...are you going to prove to me that you aren' t the same?"

"I-I said SHUT UP!" hollered Asuna as she drove her rapier directly through POH's stomach.

He choked on his own blood as she, ruthlessly, ripped out the rapier, allowing him to fall onto his back.

"Bring them back," ordered Asuna, furiously.

She swung her rapier down on POH's still smiling face. Then again. Then again.

"I SAID BRING THEM BACK! BRING THEM BACK! BRING THEM BACK!"

Her words got louder the more she cut up POH's face, despite him already being dead. Blood splattered on her face but this didn't change the deranged look on Asuna's face.

*
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*

Asuna shot up in her bed, panting, heavily. Her chestnut brown hair was messy from sleeping on it and there were dark bags under her eyes from a lack of sleep. She placed her hand on her face and could feel sweat dripping from her forehead.

Just another nightmare, huh? she thought to herself, attempting to gain control of her frantic breathing. Maybe, a drink of water will help. I need to get some sleep or I'm going to do bad on another test, tomorrow. It's already been months since what happened with that pervert. why can't I move on? Why can't my mind just fix its fucking self? How long until it starts effecting my relationship with Kirito...with Yui...the only things I care about at this point. Being a disappointment to my mom and doing bad at school are rough enough but if I lose the two of them, I don't think I can forgive myself.

*

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*

"Asuna, did you remember to take your antidepressants this morning?" asked Asuna's mother, Kyouko Yuuki, before she could leave.

Asuna sighed.

"Yeah, I did," Asuna mumbled to herself. "I don't feel like it's helping anything, though."

"Asuna...what you went through...I...won't try to pretend I understand what it's like but—"

"Then don't," Asuna interrupted, in annoyance.

Her mother had been acting different around her ever since what happened. She still had her strict nature about her but if she was the same person she knew before entering SAO, she would have scolded her for back talking but instead, she just looked at her, sadly.