A Fairy In a World of Swords

Chapter 19

"I can't smile without you! Don't leave me!" Asuna cries trying to hold onto what little amount of Yui there is left.

"I love you all, mommy, daddy, auntie Lucy." Yui says before she finaly vanishes in soft blue crystals.

Asuna cries out in agony as Yui vanishes, I rush over and hold her in my arms as she cries. And I cry along with her, Yui was only with us for a short time but she was one of the most loved girls I've ever known.

"Cardinal!" Kirito yells. "No Kayaba!"

He rushes to the access point and begins to type quickly, his fingers flying across the keys that have appeared. It reminds me a little of when Hibiki uses his archive magic. He soon goes flying back against the wall, Loke rushes over to him making sure he's ok. He tells him he's ok and then walks over to Asuna, taking her hand in his he places a small blue crystal inside it.

"I couldn't put her back to the way she was, but I was able to change her into an object." He explains.

"So this?" Asuna asks looking at the glowing blue crystal.

"You're holding Yui's heart." Asuna gasps and then begins to cry a new, she releases me and then holds onto Kirito.

I rise to my feet and wipe the tears from my cheeks, I need to leave them alone to grieve. I also need to figure out how I'll tell Kiko that Yui isn't coming back. How am I supposed to tell my daughter that her cousin and new best friend isn't coming home anymore?

"I'll leave you two now, you need to be together..." I say wiping my eyes again.

"Thank you Lucy, how are you going to tell Kiko?" Kirito asks as Asuna tries to calm her sobs.

"I don't know..." I say and then pull out two teleport crystals. "Message me if you need me ok? I'm only a message away."

"Thank you Lucy..." Asuna whispers as she holds tightly onto the crystal.

I smile softly and then use the crystals to take me and Loke back to the first floor, we then quickly make our way over to the orphanage. I need to have Kiko back with me, I need to know that she's safe in my arms. Once we're there I see Kiko and she comes running over to me, I kneel down and she jumps into my arms holding me tightly with her little monkey arms.

"I'm so happy you're ok mommy!" Kiko says planting a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm so glad you're safe too, did you say thank you to Sasha, Yulier and Thinker for taking care of you?" I ask her and she nods her head.

"Yes, now can we go home? Or can we go and see Aunt Asuna and Yui, I don't mind if Uncle Kirito is there too." Kiko says and I feel a small stab at my heart.

"Sweetie, there is something I need to tell you..." I say and pick her up. "Loke can you go inside and explain everything?"

"Sure Lucy." He says and walks inside the orphanage.

With Kiko resting on my hip we walk into a small park type area, it's quiet and peaceful which is exactly what I need right now to explain everything to Kiko. Walking over to a small bench I sit down with Kiko on my lap I stroke her hair.

"Sweetie, something happened when we were in the dungeon." I start feeling my heart begin to break again. "We found out something about Yui, and um..."

"Is Yui hurt?" Kiko asks.

"No sweetie, Yui couldn't be hurt...She was an immortal object." I say to her.

"I don't understand mommy, how is Yui an immortal object?" Kiko asks confused.

"She was part of the game, she was a special girl who made sure that all the boys and girls in this game felt safe and could have fun." I say and feel the tears sting my eyes, I try to make it sound like she was a heroine in a fairy tale so that she'll be able to understand better. "Yui stayed inside the game, and when the game made sure that no one could leave she couldn't go to all the boys and girls to make them feel better."

"Was she like a super hero?" Kiko asks. "But when the game started she lost all her powers?"

"That's right, and one day she found people who gave her back some of her super powers. So she went to see them, those people were Aunt Asuna and Aunt Kirito. She went to live with them and became their daughter..." I say feeling the tears fall down my cheeks. "But she couldn't stay with them forever because she belonged to the game, but because she protected everyone the game didn't like her anymore. So she had to say goodbye, and..." I say and am overwhelmed with sobs.

"She's not coming back?" Kiko asks as tears fall from her own eyes.

I pull her into my arms and hold her close as we both cry, sobs wrack her small body as I hold her. It's at this moment I almost feel like Yui is here with us, I don't know if I imagined it or if somehow Kirito was able to save a small part of her. But I heard a voice whisper on the breeze, and it said.

Take care of her Lucy, keep smiling for her. And for me...

I stroke her hair and then a song Lyra sang when I saw my spirits again after the Seven years fills my mind, sniffing I continue to stroke her hair and then begin to sing.

I can see you there

Right by my side as always

You never left, or let me down my friend

I can feel you there

Close to my heart as always

Your soul and mine share a bond made of love

So as the skies turn grey

And the clouds gather above

Trying to fight your tears

Feeling so lost and alone

I am the star that burns for you

Shining through the night

Just follow me

I will guide you home

And when you're feeling lost at sea, listen for my song

Calling you back

To the shore...

Looking down I notice Kiko is fast asleep with the tears drying on her cheeks, I plant a kiss on her forehead and carry her in my arms. I take us back to the guild hall and carry her to the infirmary, people question me as I walk but Loke hushes them. Once we're in the infirmary I lay Kiko down on the bed and pull a blanket over her, brushing some hair from her face I turn to Loke.

"I don't know what I would do if something happened to her, I can't even imagine what Kirito and Asuna are going through right now." I say to him as he places a hand on my shoulder.

"I bet somewhere in real life she's lying in a hospital bed, waiting for you Lucy." He says. "She's waiting for her mommy to find her and bring her home."

"Yeah, when we get out of here I'm not going to rest until I find her and hold her in my real arms." I say wiping my eyes of the last of my tears. "Until them I'm going to keep everyone here smiling, and I'm going to fight even harder to get them out of this game."