02x07 - Crimson Memories

[bunniefuu]

Brother!

What... What's this

all of a sudden, Sugu?

Well, you see... This morning

I happened to come across this article.

About this part right here...

H-Hey...

I-I guess there are people out there

with similar names, huh?

Except this isn't similar--

it's exactly the same, right?

If you put it that way...

I guess they're the same?

Y-Yeah, but it's not that

unusual a name.

Even mine's just an abbreviation

of my real name.

Betcha the Kirito from GGO

is really some guy named Kiri...

Kirigamine Tougoro

or something like that! Yeah!

Hey, you better dig in

or it's gonna get cold.

Without a second thought, right now

Take aim at this paradox-ridden world

And fire with your own two hands

Thanks to the warmth of your falling tears

I thought that I'd realized what kindness was

So why do we keep hurting each other

And create even more hatred?

If this pain that grates on me

The strength that I've discovered

Will someday gently envelop the future

Without a second thought, right now

Take aim at this paradox-ridden world

And fire with your own two hands

Take this sorrow

Drenched with red tears

And embrace it tenderly

So that these blasts ringing out

Will be transformed into the sounds

of a new beginning

"Crimson Memories"

That man...

That man is an SAO survivor.

And that's not all...

He and I must have actually crossed swords

in the past, trying to take each other's lives...

Brother!

You're making that scary face again.

N-No I'm not, really!

Listen... The truth is,

I already know that you...

That Kirito converted

from ALO to GGO.

I mean, Kirito did vanish from my Friend List.

There's no way I wouldn't notice that.

Those lists... do people

really look at them everyday?

I can sense it without looking.

I realized that Kirito

was gone last night,

so I logged out right away,

and was about to bust into your room.

But I know that you'd never leave ALO

for no reason without telling me.

I figured that something was up,

so I tried getting in touch with Asuna first.

I... see.

Sorry to call you so late at night.

That's okay. Besides,

I was just thinking...

Ah, never mind.

Listen, if you're going to say

that much, just say it all!

I was just thinking that...

I'd like to hear your voice, Asuna.

Well done!

What's wrong?

Oh, it's nothing.

Did something happen inside

that game you converted over to?

No, that's not it. It's just...

If your side job's too much for you,

want me to help out?

Thanks.

But if you were convert over, too,

Yui would be lonely.

Are you sure you're okay?

Yeah. I'll be back

before you know it.

Let me know if there's

anything I can do.

Right. Okay, then, good night.

Good night.

"Call Ended"

I can't drag Asuna into this, too.

That man is sure to show up

in the BoB final.

I've got to end this.

This is my problem to take care of.

Brother?

Asuna said to me, "Once he's had his usual rampage

in GGO, he'll be back right away."

But I think deep down

she was worried.

So am I.

Because... because when you

came back so late last night,

you had a really scary look

on your face, Brother.

Did I?

It's not anything dangerous, right?

I couldn't bear it if you went off

somewhere faraway again...

I'm not going anywhere.

I promise you.

Once the GGO tournament ends tonight,

I'll come right back.

To ALO... and to this house.

Okay.

Don't worry, I'll be back no matter what.

Okay.

By the way, Brother...

I happened to hear this from Asuna,

but this side job of yours...

I hear you'll be getting

a giant paycheck!

Y-Yeah. You name it,

I'll buy it for you, so sit tight!

Yay! You know what, there's this nano-carbon shinai

that I've been wanting forever!

I-I see...

Okay. Leave it to me!

I'm so pissed!

I'm so pissed!

I'm so pissed at that guy!

I-It's so unusual, Asada, for you

to be so blunt about something...

Well, why not? He's obnoxious,

he sexually harassed me, he acts like a hotshot...

I mean, does he really have to fight

with a sword in GGO of all places?

Not only that, but at first

he pretends to be a girl,

makes me show him around the shops,

and even pick out his equipment!

Oh man!

He really pisses me off!

What, Shinkawa?

Oh, uh... I said unusual,

but it's more like the first time...

...that you've ever ranted

about someone else...

What? Really?

Yeah, since you usually don't seem

to have much interest in anybody else...

Well, I do have a temper, actually.

I see...

All right, then want ambush him

in some field and hunt him down?

If you want to snipe him,

I can lure him out...

But if it's for revenge,

I guess you should face him head-on.

If you need two or three skilled machine-gunners,

we can get them onboard right away.

Um... No, no...

That's not what I have in mind.

I'm not sure how to put it...

He does piss me off, but the way he fights,

at least, is honest to a fault.

So I want to play it straight,

and blow him away fair and square.

You can bet that in today's final, I'm gonna blast

a hole into that misleading avatar of his!

Then would you mind surrendering?

I don't like taking out girls.

Just you wait!

I'm so gonna pay you back double

for what you did to me!

Wh-What?

Well... Is it okay for you

to be doing that?

Huh?

Maybe because I'm so mad.

It didn't bother me at all.

I see.

Asada...

Wh-What's the matter?

Shinkawa...

For some reason,

I'm so worried...

Because you're not

your usual self today...

I-I don't know what you mean

by my usual self...

You're always so cool...

So detached, and nothing fazes you...

You've been through

the same thing as me,

but you don't try to run away

from school like I did...

You're strong... Really strong.

I'm not strong at all.

You know as well as I do...

Just my seeing a g*n causes a panic att*ck...

But not Sinon.

Sinon totally owns that amazing g*n...

If you ask me,

that's who you really are, Asada.

I'm sure that someday,

you can be like that in real life, too.

That's why... It worries me.

You going ballistic over that guy...

When I see you losing it like that...

I'll... I'll do whatever I can for you...

Even I...

A long, long time ago...

Even I used to laugh and cry

like a normal person...

I didn't become who I am now

because I wanted to...

Asada...

S-Sorry.

It really makes me happy

that you'd say that.

I think of you as the only person

in this whole town who understands me.

But... I can't get into that

kind of thing right now.

Because I don't think I can fix my problems

unless I take them on myself.

I see...

So, will you wait for me till then?

Thank you.

This name.

Those sword skills...

Are you the real deal?

Are you Kirito?

Are you Kirito?

Are you Kirito?

Are you Kirito?

What's the matter, kiddo?

You've got a scary look

on your face.

Oh... N-No, it's nothing...

This is your golden opportunity to get

some free counseling from a gorgeous nurse,

so come on, spill it!

And it would be bad karma

to turn that down, right?

Um...

Ms. Aki, before you came to Rehabilitation,

you were in the Trauma Department, right?

That's right.

Um... This is going to be a rude, or maybe

I should say a really insensitive question...

How well do you remember

your patients who passed away?

Let's see...

If I try to remember them, both their faces

and their names come back to me.

Even the patients I only spent

an hour or so with in the OR...

Yes, I do remember.

Have you ever wished

you could forget them?

Hmm, let's see...

I'm not sure if this will answer

your question or not, but...

I think if it's something that should be forgotten,

people do end up forgetting it.

Without even thinking that

they want to forget...

Because the more you wish

you could forget something,

the stronger that memory becomes,

and it becomes more real, too, right?

If that's the case,

then deep down inside...

Subconsciously, you must be thinking

that you really shouldn't forget.

If that's true,

then I must be horribly inhuman.

When I was in SAO,

I k*lled three players... Three people.

They were all Red players--

I mean, murderers--

but I did have the option of just

neutralizing them without k*lling them.

But I went ahead and k*lled them.

Driven by rage, hatred and vengeance...

I slew them with my sword.

And for the past year,

I've totally forgotten all about them.

Actually, even as I'm talking

about them now,

I can't remember the faces

or names of two of them...

In other words, I...

I'm the kind of person who can even forget

who it was that I k*lled with my own hands.

Kirigaya... I'm so sorry.

It was arrogant of me to tell you

that I'd counsel you,

but I can't take away, or even share the burden

of that heavy load you have on your shoulders.

Because I've never played

Sword Art Online.

I can't even grasp the weight of the words

you used--that you "k*lled."

But there's one thing

that I do know.

The reason you did it...

the reasons you had to do it, was so that

you could save someone, wasn't it?

In the medical field, there are times

when you have to choose who's going to live, too.

Of course, I'm not saying that

a legitimate reason gives you the right to k*ll.

But thinking about the lives

that were saved as a result...

Everyone involved has

the right to do so. So do you.

You have the right to save yourself, as well,

by remembering those that you saved.

The right to save myself?

But...

But I...!

I've forgotten who it was

that I k*lled!

My burden... my duty...

I've abandoned them!

So I have no right to be saved!

If you've really forgotten,

then you wouldn't be suffering like this.

You remember, all right.

And when the time is right,

you'll remember everything.

So when that time does come,

you have to remember the other thing, too.

That there are people

you protected and saved as well.

Let me know if there's

anything I can do.

Just now...

Um... Thank you very much.

Hey, don't give it another thought!

I don't think anything

will happen till after eight.

I think I'll be back by ten.

All right, then, I'm off.

Okeydoke! Bon voyage,

Kirito the Hero!

Link start!

Asada...

All right!

I'm going to give it all I've got...

And defeat him no matter what!

Link start!

Look out!

Klein, are you all right?

Hey, you guys, att*ck him

from the side while I've got him!

Who does he think he is?

Hang in there, Klein!

Piece of cake!

Whoops!

P-P-Poison!

Klein!

Hey, Asuna!

Uh...

Excuse me? Asuna!

Hey! Asuna!

I'm so sorry!

Spacing out in the middle of a battle...

Hey, it's all good.

No harm, no foul!

Well, I guess you couldn't help it today.

After all, Kirito will be competing

in that tournament pretty soon!

It's a little early, but why don't we call it a day

and get ready to watch the match?

Yeah, today's earnings should

cover the snacks and beer!

Don't tell me you're planning

to blow it all on refreshments!

Don't worry, Mommy!

Daddy is sure to win!

You're right. Because no matter

where he goes, Kirito is Kirito!

Okay, then... Let's head over

to our room in Yggdrasil City!

Okay!

All right, all right! Place your bets!

Sinon!

Supiegel?

"BoB Main Event"

"Time: minutes remaining"



"BoB Main Event"

"Time: minutes remaining"

So now's the time, huh?

I believe in you. You're gonna win

this thing no matter what, Sinon!

Thanks. What are you

gonna do now?

Well... I thought I'd watch

the broadcast in some bar...

Then when it's all over, you can either

hoist one with me in that bar,

or help me drown my sorrows.

Sinon... I mean, Asada?

Wh-What?

It's okay to believe

what you said earlier, right?

What I said earlier?

You asked me

to wait for you, right?

When you're sure of how strong you are,

then you'll... go out with me...

Wh-What's up with that

all of a sudden?

I... I really have feelings

for you, Asada...

Sorry. Don't do this now.

Right now, I want to focus

on the tournament.

Because I don't think I can make it through

this battle unless I go full-throttle till the end...

Right...

I guess you're right.

But I believe in you.

I'll be believing in you,

and waiting for you.

R-Right...

Okay, I've got to go get ready...

I'll be going now.

Good luck! I'm rooting for you!

"BoB Until the Main Event"

"Time: minutes remaining"

I won't lose today!

Right back at you!

I wished so hard to become stronger than ever

Overcoming my grief

I've turned my back so many times

On the past that will never change

While hiding the scars

I can never show anyone

I will embrace all this pain

that has started flooding through me

I don't need warmth at all

If it will vanish one day

I wished so hard to become stronger than ever

Like a lonely star racing across the darkness

Sunk so deep inside my heart,

I'm so weak and fragile

I can't put it into words, or even speak out

I'm just waiting for the light

Trying not to be found by anyone

Next time: "b*llet of b*ll*ts."