Honda Kiku, otherwise known as the nation of Japan, was kneeling on the scattered debris and rubble caused by the atomic bombs. His white uniform tattered and stained with his blood. There was a wound near his left shoulder and gashes on his arms, chest and abdomen. He had never felt so much pain in his entire life and never so much in past centuries. Over the past four years, the war has taken its toll on him as so were Italy and Germany, as with everyone who participated in this damn war.
Honda's wounds consisted of his people and land. Dead. Gone. He could see in his eyes that those who survived were awfully dismembered and disfigured and most of them were civilians. Two of his cities…blown up! Because of whom? All thanks to the United States of America. The first bomb had caused terrible destruction on Hiroshima, hence the wound on Kiku's shoulder. Despite of it, Japan didn't back down so quickly. There had been enough suffering…until three days later. The second bomb dropped on Nagasaki was even worse thereby the cause of the gashes on his torso and arms, and fresh blood spurted from the shoulder wound. Honda had felt the intense pain of himself and his people.
Clutching his wounds in vain to stop the blood from flowing, he looked up at the sky. Dark, dark rain clouds covered the air entirely, not a single patch of sunlight was visible, these clouds were also maybe because of the dense smoke the bombs had created. He saw lightning amidst the clouds and thunder was heard but absolutely no rain drops had fallen. Tears streamed down his war-torn cheeks. He then looked at the disturbed ground and closed his eyes.
He couldn't do this. He couldn't bring his people any more suffering than they are now. Men and women who lost their families and there are children who became orphans. Forever.
He remembered back to the time when he bombed America's Hawaiian base of Pearl Harbor. Bombs and torpedoes destroying battleships, cruisers, and destroyers and even headquarter buildings and submarine piers. Those men at that base were unprepared of what came to them. The entire ambush was later considered a sneak attack. Many of those lives were lost. He couldn't imagine the pain he caused America to feel the way he is now. Those men had families themselves and he took them away.
Before the war, America and Japan weren't so much as getting along. America had not joined the war with the Allied Forces until after Pearl Harbor when it finally became the last straw.
Thunder rolled.
He could feel the presence of someone standing in front of him. He slowly lifted his head to look at the individual and then his countenance changed to that of resentment. He had to be hallucinating, but he isn't.
Another thunderclap, and there he was. Alfred F. Jones, the one and only United States of America, stood there in plain view. Clean, with no visible bruises, scars or injuries and in his usual uniform underneath his bomber jacket. His arms hung limp by his sides and there was a visible hint of deep sorrow on his face.
Neither nation said a word. They just stayed there locking eyes. Alfred could see Kiku's fists trembling above his knees.
Finally, Alfred spoke.
"I am sorry, Honda," he said Kiku's surname with dead seriousness. "But I had no choice."
Japan chuckled bitterly.
"Ironic, isn't it?" he said, his voice a note deeper than he usually had. "Of all the things that can happen in a war. I bombed you and you bombed me. We are even then."
"No," Alfred calmly replied. "Do not think of this as a retaliation."
Honda couldn't help but scoff. He could hardly believe America's words.
Alfred's frown remained. "I hate to reprimand you at a time like this. But you should've known better than to side with Germany and Italy. It'd done you no good. China is still grieving at the fact and the way you had betrayed him."
Japan looked away from America's blue gaze and his body shook with anger. Yes, he wanted expansion and he started with his older brother, Yao, but even before this war, he fought against China, Russia and even Korea to expand his empire.
America went on. "Japan, even before I entered the war with the Allies, you and I were not on good terms, and our negotiations for letting China to be free of your rule had failed. So it was either the hard way or the easy way. You chose the hard way. We fought each other based on hatred and anger. As part of the Axis Powers, you wanted conquest. My job as an Allie was to stop you. You even attacked colonies that are owned by the Allies. And as much as it pained me for me to do this to you, I had to find a way out of this mess. Germany and Italy had already surrendered and so now it's your turn."
"Spare me the lecture, America!" Kiku shouted with all the fury that was left in him. It wasn't like him to act this way but as to what had occurred, it just left his judgment blind with rage. "You attack me with powerful force and yet you attack me with your words. Words that mean nothing! Haven't you caused enough damage already?!" He uttered a curse in Japanese.
America was a bit taken aback by Japan's surprising change in demeanor, but he didn't let it show on his face, in fact, he remained composed.
Japan couldn't help but accept the fact that America was right. The powerful young nation was wiser and mature than his usual idiotic self in times like this and in the short time he had known him.
"I won't ask you for forgiveness," America went on in a pitiful and sympathetic tone. "I had already forgiven you for what you did to me. And I hope that you will understand in time. Now I must ask you. Will you be willing to surrender?"
Japan looked up at America incredulously. But then he thought back to his people. They were in no shape to keep fighting for what's worth it, and the thought of another A-bomb would be twice as disastrous. It would even mean the end of the Japanese folk.
"I am willing to recompense." For the first time, a smile crossed on America's saddened mien.
This time around, though, Japan looked at America with a look of doubt and wonder all at once. What was America saying?
America leaned forward with his hands on his knees. "I will help in rebuilding. It won't be just me but the other Allies as well. We don't have to be enemies anymore. We can learn from each other more. However, there are some conditions you would to follow if you wish for your country to be back to its normal state."
America's sad face had turned to that of a happy one with a grin as big as his cheeks could allow.
He held out a gloved hand. "So, what say you?"
Japan stared at Alfred's hand. His first instinct was to swat it away but it was as if it were talking to him "I won't hurt you anymore. Let me help you and we can stop this fighting once and for all." He then stared at America's kind blue eyes. He didn't see any hint of deception behind them, so he might be telling the truth. Besides, what other choice did he have? None. He couldn't keep his strength for fighting anymore, and he couldn't risk any more casualties on his folk. It was about time to give in anyway. His superior would have to understand that by now. Maybe it was time to give in.
Reluctantly, he reached out and grab hold of America's hand. He felt a spark when he touched it, despite of the terrible battles and ordeals the two nations had fought against each other, he felt no hostility from America anymore. He had said he had forgiven him and also because of that ludicrous smile still showing, felt it necessary to go along with it.
America helped him to his feet, wobbling. Their hands were still linked and once more they stared into each other's eyes. America's eyes still had that trace of compassion while Japan's own dark ones still frowned, it wasn't like he doesn't believe America, it just happens to be that there will be big changes to come. Slowly, their hands started to shake as if taking a like of their own. Once more, America's smile brighten and for the first time, Japan actually smiled in return.
"Thank you for understanding…Kiku." America nodded.
"All in honor and in death…Alfred-san."
Their human names replacing their nation ones for the time being, America didn't seem to get Japan's saying but chuckled as he continued to shake hands with his now former enemy.