Song Of Hope: I realized that I never wrote a story for Ai's funeral. Well, here it is. Warning, many spoilers are contained in here.

The past is the past. The past must be buried, along with its painful moments, it's hurt, and its sorrow. But, that includes burying the good moments too, and no one wants to let those go.

That's how Kyoya felt a month after his wife's death, at her funeral. He was holding one daughter in each arm, listening to the pastor as he spoke over her casket. She looked so beautiful. She was wearing a long white satin gown. Her hair was perfectly placed and her ever-present red bow was perfectly tied in her hair. She looked very peaceful, and more like she was sleeping. He knew it was only the morticianer's skills. It was their job. But instead of her looking 26, she looked just like she did when she was 16.

There were several people crying, and he even was shedding a few tears. But he could also hear Ginga's twin boys, Shoowakusei and Inseki, shushing everyone. They're very little, only about 3, and not understanding death.

"Shhhhhh! Auntie Ai is sleeping." They looked at the two boys with sympathy. Madoka just clung to them, crying silently. Ginga rested his hand on her shoulder, letting tears stream down his face. Benkei was crying like a baby. Koi cried onto Chikyuu's shoulder while holding her daughter. Hakuchoo tried being strong and holding Tsubasa's hand, gripping it tightly, but tears still streamed down her face, and Tsubasa brought her into an embrace. Mr. Minasan, like Benkei, full on baby cried as well. Hiromasa had his hands balled together in anger; angry at death for existing, while Kasai tried to get him to calm down. Yuu and Kenta both cried, not full on baby cry, but still, a little crying noise was heard from them too. Da Xiang was there also, supporting his cousin. Da Xiang had known how Hiromasa had felt about Ai, and was there to try and help him. Taiyoo and Zeo were both crying as well, but Zeo tried to keep his cool, holding Taiyoo's hand to try and comfort her. Masamune had silent tears falling down his cheeks. Toby was turned away with his eyes closed.

And the entire time, Suki and Mesujishi were reaching towards the casket; somehow knowing it was their mother in there. Knowing that they needed her, almost as much as Kyoya did.

As the pastor finished speaking, the casket was lowered, and a song, called Piece of Love (one of her favorites), started playing as they closed the casket and lowered it into the ground. Kyoya could hear Ginga's confused kids.

"Why are they lowering her into the ground?"

"Won't she need to be up here when she wakes up?" Madoka just looked sadly at her sons. Then they realized something.

"Mommy, Auntie Ai-"

"Isn't going to wake up, is she?" She shook her head.

"No, she isn't."

As they lowered the casket, he remembered some of the most wonderful memories they had.

Flashbacks

"Come on Kyoya! It's really good! I made it myself." Ai held up a piece of homemade Valentines Day chocolate.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of." She whacked him in the back of the head.

"Nice going Kyoya!" They were in the middle of their now chocolate syrup and strawberry ice cream covered apartment. She was making milkshakes, and Kyoya started the blender without putting the lid on. He went up and licked a little off her cheek.

"It still tastes great." She smiled and then kissed him.

"This is your fault Kyoya!" There was something wrong with the plumbing in their new house, and Kyoya, being Kyoya, refused to call a professional to fix it. He fixed the plumbing, but managed to completely ruin the heating system. He agreed to call a professional the next morning, but then there was a huge snowstorm. So they had to wear extremely thick pajamas, and snuggle really close together to keep from freezing to death. He kissed her on the lips.

"It's not so bad. And there is something we can do to keep warm." She knew exactly what he meant.

"Now I'm fat because of you!" A few months after the heater adventure, Ai was starting to show her belly, and her pregnancy was showing.

"You're not fat. You're pregnant, with our child. Would you want it any other way?" He kissed her stomach as she smiled. She then rubbed her belly lovingly, and Kyoya did the same to her stomach.

"I never knew you could be so sweet Kyoya!" She was smiling at him sweetly.

"You're so mean Kyoya!" She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I never knew you could crack a good joke Kyoya!" She laughed with him.

End Flashbacks

The memories started making his tears fall even faster. They started pouring the dirt over her coffin. He read her tombstone.

Tategami Ai

January 8th 1996 to September 18th 2022

A strong and passionate Blader

and loving wife

who never gave up

no matter what

He remembered something she said to him when he finally told her the story of how he got his scars.

"The past is the past. Pain is past, and the past is dead. You have to bury your past, and when you do, you can bury your pain and sorrow too." He knew he would never be able to bury the good memories, but he had to let go of his pain, and remember that she died, knowing he loved her. She died, knowing he actually admitted he loved her more than anything, due to contrary belief that he loved Beyblade more than anything. And that, he believed, made it so her last few moments weren't in pain. And that was good enough for him.

Song Of Hope: I know how sad this is, but it's true. That's what I did for my grandma, but she died in her sleep.