Raindrops

She had passed away a little while ago. I don't remember exactly when or how long but I do know that, after she had passed, it never did seem to stop raining. She's gone and only memories and photos remain. It seemed like only yesterday that we had met, beaten each other to pulps, found out we were sisters, and bonded after it was all over. To think that I had treated her so badly when I should have protected her the most. Thinking back on it, my present day tears fall like the raindrops that never seemed to cease.

While meeting her seemed not to be so long ago, it also feels like yesterday that she had passed and the events leading up to that rainy day.

We often visited one another, doing things that we never got to do when we were children, although, sometime after my birthday, a few or so years ago, before, I sensed all was not too right. No, yet I could never seem to figure out what it was. All looked fine and she was still the same, only happier than what she was initially. If something was wrong, then she didn't show it, of course, that was just how she was, stubborn.

The uneasy feeling grew strong when she opted to stay with me for some time after an accident in which I've suffered a broken hip and required a replacement one. In such a circumstance, I would have been delighted to see her, yet I felt a certain degree of grief. "Is she here because of the accident some time ago or is she here because of something both us know, yet we cannot seem to figure out what?" I asked myself over and over, yet despite my feelings of grief and unease, I welcomed her presence.

We often spent our time talking, telling each other stories. She always told me stories about what Mako was up to and about her Mako told her that she wanted to be a nurse and wanted to go to medical school, while I told her stories about the Devas. On one such occasion, she stopped before running to bathroom, where she suddenly voided the contents of her stomach. No knowing what else to do, I helped her to her room and tucked her into bed, insisting, "We've talked enough for the day, right now, I need you to lie down for a while, Imouto."

The next day, all seem to be alright and she wasn't giving any clues that she was ill the day before, then again, why would she? She is known for being stubborn and resilient, so sudden bout of nausea would never get her down. She even went about planning the whole day for us, to my surprise, which lead to me saying, "Let me guess, my baby sister has urinated in her sheets again." to which she responded by hugging me tight, saying, "No, Caterpillar Brows, I didn't pee my sheets again, I just really want to spend the day with you and it's a really nice day." She was right, as it was sunny and, to my credit, I must admit that since the accident I didn't often get out of the house much. I didn't decline and threw on something nice.

The day, according to my recollections, was wonderful. We saw many sights and had gone to the museum, in which case, she's picked out her favorite painting, The Two Fridas, while I showed her mine, Sunflowers. We had also gone to the park and, as the day had drawn onto a close, we had sat at the beach and watched the sunset. When had gotten home, we sat looking at the stars, after which she had promptly fallen asleep

I often liked to remember that day the most.

A week later, I had noticed that she had seemed to be so tired and her steps faltered, until she collapsed, one day. I hurried to her side immediately, practically begging her to tell if something was wrong, yet, I received no answer besides, "I'm fine, just tired is all." I didn't want to pressure her more than what she needed to be, so, reluctantly, I had taken her word, however, I warned her that, if she collapsed again, I was summoning an ambulance, no questions.

Ever since that day, time seemed like a blur and she's spent most of her time bedridden, her condition worsening day by...

It's raining harder now, yet the sound is soft, like the wind.

...day. Eventually, I was given no choice but to summon a doctor to make a house call. It was very cloudy that day when the doctor left her room and placed his hand on my shoulder, saying, "My condolences." I steeled myself from tears and thanked him for his time. I knew it was only a matter of time before the inevitable and my heart was shattered. For years, my heart was nothing but ice and stone, up until fairly recent, and now, at that point, at the horrid realization, my heart was shattered glass, the pieces thereof wouldn't be so easily put together.

The night before that day was clear and it was starry and where I sit now was where she sat, looking out of this same window.

After some time, she told me she wanted to look at the stars, to which I obliged. We sat together for a while, stargazing. She was wrapped in red blanket and her frail hand was in mine. "They're pretty, aren't they, Sis?" she asked, to which I responded, "Yes, dear sister, they are and they always will be." After stargazing, I put her to bed and, as I did so, she said, "Love ya', my caterpillar-browed sis." I responded by hugging her tightly and telling her I loved her, too.

She saved her last words for me and ...

I had left early that morning to run errands. It was raining and I had felt the need to drop everything and go home right away. What happened was next was not something I could have anticipated. Everyone was there. Mako, Shiro, Soroii, the Elite Four, everyone she and I had known were there. She was not there, no, she was taken to the hospital. We all went there and found her sleeping.

She had awakened for a moment to smile and reach her hand out towards me. We seized it quickly, as the rain fell harder. She closed her dimming blue eyes and it looked as though she had fallen asleep, once again, only her hand had gone limp and she never woke up.

The monitor flatlined, the sound echoing against the sound of falling rain.

...her voice is very much missed. I'm alone in this house with my memories and photographs of her and the sound of raindrops.

Funny, it isn't raining outside, yet, inside, it still pours and the raindrops still fall.

"There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery."

- Dante Alighieri