Japan cried out in pain as a sharpened steel pipe tore through his side. It was swiftly removed and he fell to his knees, clutching the gushing wound.
"The mighty Japan has finally fallen." Russia sighed with an evil smile on his face.
Japan glared at the Russian with the most hatred that has ever been shown on his usually emotionless face. He struggled to his feet, still holding the wounds that refused to stop bleeding.
"I'm still standing, Russia." Japan growled. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand for much longer but he had to. He had to stay standing to protect his people from the power hungry Russian.
"You just can't accept defeat, can you?" Russia growled back. His childish smile was gone and was now replaced by anger.
"Never!" Japan snarled the retort as he drove his sword into the Russian's chest.
Russia had a look of both shock and pain as Japan ripped his katana out and stabbed it into the ground to support the weight he couldn't.
"Y-You idiot!" Russia gasped as he too fell to his knees using his bloodstained pipe to hold himself up.
The Russian collapsed first onto his side, to exhausted from blood loss to stay up any longer. Japan fell onto his back soon after, breathing hard and still gripping the wound on his side as if it was the only thing holding him to the planet.
"Admit it, I have won this war." Japan said between gasps of air.
"Da, but only this one." The Russian said menacingly. "I will be back and I won't stop until I win."
Japan wasn't able to respond before his mind swirled into darkness.
-somewhere nearby-
A woman in her twenties was walking to her favorite hill on a clear night. The full moon shone beautifully and it lit the path before her perfectly. Her long brown hair fell around her like a curtain and was held back only by a single red flower hair clip that sparkled brilliantly every time the moon's rays struck it. She walked gracefully but quickly. She had to reach the hill before the moon rose to its fullest height.
"Almost there." She said to herself as she approached the hill.
When she finally reached the top she scanned the area around her to make sure she was completely alone. That's when she saw a figure lying in the grass a little ways away. It was close enough that she could see the grass around it stained the color of blood. She could feel curiosity rising in her chest as she made her way back down the hill and towards the figure.
"What?" She gasped as she realized that the figure was a person. "Are you ok?"
She ran towards the unconscious man surrounded in blood. He was wearing a bloodstained white military uniform with gold trim. His ebony hair was caked in the blood and his white gloved hand was over his left side where the blood seemed to be coming from. His face was twisted in pain and his breath was shallow. His military hat lay a couple feet away from him.
"Hang in there." She commanded, removing his hand from the wound to see how deep it was. "I'm gonna need some help." She added after realizing the wound was deeper than she thought.
She tore her sleeves and wrapped the wound tightly before picking the surprisingly light man up onto her back. She grabbed his hat before beginning to run to the nearest hospital. As she ran she couldn't help but wonder how he was still alive. There had been so much blood, much more than in a human's body. Maybe there was another person that had left him thinking he was dead.
Dodging people and their gasps of horror she kept running to the hospital. She heard the man on her back let out a groan of protest when she had to stop suddenly as a horse nearly ran her over. Good he's still alive. She thought with relief. He started to shiver as she rounded the last corner.
"Hikari, what are you doing!" A familiar voice called behind her. It was her best friend, Kiki whose short red hair was tied back in a ponytail with long black ribbons tied to it.
"Kiki, run up ahead and tell the hospital I'm coming and that he's hurt really badly." Hikari said quickly before her friend could repeat the question.
"I will after you tell me how you found a half dead man." Kiki protested, her blue eyes darkened with worry. "Plus I don't think you can carry him the rest of the way."
"I've got him, just go!" Hikari snapped at her friend, her own amethyst eyes urgent. "The hospital's only four or five more houses and then a small school away, I can make it."
"Fine." Kiki sighed before running ahead of her friend.
As Hikari finally burst into the hospital doors she was thankful for the nurses who were already there to take the man from her back. He may have started out light but after carrying him so long it was as if his weight had doubled if not tripled. She panted with her hands on her knees as she watched the staff take the man away.
"Hikari is it?" A tall man in a doctor's smock asked as he approached her.
"Yeah?" Hikari asked, still out of breath.
"My name is Dr. Walker. Can you tell us anything about how you found him or what happened?" He asked.
"All I know is that I was on my hill and saw him in the grass surrounded by blood so I did what any other sane person would do and brought him here." Hikari responded.
"Would you like to wait or are you going to go home?" Dr. Walter asked.
"I think I'd like to wait and see if he's going to be ok." Hikari answered after thinking a little bit.
"I'll stay with you!" Kiki smiled, hugging Hikari. "Ew, you have blood all over your back."
"I know, I know." Hikari shook her head.
"I'll lead you to the waiting room then." Dr. Walter said, turning around and walking down a hall.
Hikari followed him to a small room with chairs and a few couches. Little tables were placed on either side of each couch and chair with magazines lying on them. She sat on one of the couches allowing Kiki to sit next to her before putting her head on her friend's shoulder.
"I hope he'll be ok." Hikari mumbled, suddenly tired from her run.
"Me too." Kiki yawned and they both fell asleep on each other.