Well, this is NuthinButHuman with another atrocity of a fanfic. There are a fair lot of warnings here, including torture, rape, and genderswitch. This is a fanfic with a historical setting, World War II Philippines. I'm trying my hand out at writing historical fiction, and since the fanfiction world was the best place to start, seeing as I have no OCs yet, I decided to yet again, meddle in the ever so steamy pairing of Light and L. :D

This fic has genderswitch because I really wanted to explore the skills needed by a woman to survive in a war, especially a war like WWII. This fic will contain disturbing issues such as the abuse of the Comfort Women – women and girls as young as 12 to 15 years old forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. Also, I'll try my best to explore my country's past. What was it like to live in so much danger and fear, but still manage to survive? What made the guerilla fighters never give up hope, though it seemed God had abandoned them? After a war, what next? Also, I'd like to try and explore how Light and L will behave in such a different context. Light, an extremely idealistic young boy as a soldier pressed unwillingly into military service and L as a woman trying to survive first in a guerilla society, then in a comfort station.

I can't guarantee this will be perfect, but for the sake of perfecting my craft and gaining motivation to read my history book, I will do my best.

See you at peace.

PS. I'll switch to an M rating later on.

WARNINGS: Genderswitch, torture, rape, likely OOC, sensitive issues

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PROLOGUE

"Where is she?"

The cold voice cut through Raito's snarled thoughts, as the Japanese soldiers stopped beating him so he could reply. The general yanked his head up by the hair, exposing his bloodied nose and mouth and bruised cheeks and eyes.

The general had to admit, the boy was tough. Though he hadn't been fed in over a week, and had been beaten senseless for three days straight, he still wasn't giving in.

"If you don't tell us where L is currently hiding, you know what we'll do to you, Kira,"

The boy – no, man. Soichiro always did have a hard time seeing his Raito as a soldier and not as his son. The young man kept his eyes steady on Soichiro as he held his katana to Raito's throat.

His eyes were ablaze, his broken mouth twisted into a maniacal grin. Suddenly he hissed.

"Do what you have to. I don't care."

Soichiro's jaw clenched, and he signaled to Mogi. The burly man struck Raito hard on the side of the head. Soichiro let his son breathe for a few seconds, then had Matsuda yank his head up so he could face him again.

"What did you tell her?" Soichiro all but hissed.

Raito laughed, not hiding his scorn for his father's anger. "Only what she and the guerillas needed to know, Otou-san."

Soichiro grabbed Raito around the neck, compressing. His eyes were burning with fury. "How dare you betray the Japanese Empire for a whore?"

Raito jerked away, breathing hard. "You're the whores. You invade the country of a people who have done you no harm and expect their loyalty. You take their homes, their lives, their money, their food, and their women. You slaughter the innocent like livestock." Raito broke off, breathing hard. "But this I swear: You will not kill again, you will not rape again. The war is over, Soichiro. Hitler's lost, Mussolini is dead. The Allies are invading. We're going to lose this war, general. But you know what? I don't care. I don't care if we lose, I don't care if I die. I'm finished with this existence."

Soichiro was pale with fury. Unhesitating, he took out his gun. Raito regarded him calmly. Soichiro pointed the pistol in the middle of the traitor, no longer his son's forehead.

And then, there were shouts outside the tiny room in the garrison that served as Raito's torture-chamber, and gunshots. Soichiro's hand on the trigger slackened, and suddenly, the door of the room burst open and a blonde boy with a scarred face was firing his gun at them. Mogi was shot in the head, Matsuda fell screaming. And then a blur of black and olive green kicked the gun from Soichiro's hand slammed his head on the wall, knocking him out.

And cool hands were untying the ropes burning Raito's wrists and a soft voice was murmuring words he couldn't comprehend but hung on to. His blurred and hazy vision made out a young woman with black hair, pale skin, and large, dark eyes cradling him. L's fingertips were brushing his hair back to see the extent of damage done to his face and probing his body for injuries. Her hands were gentle, and Raito made out that she was saying, over and over again Stay with us, Light, please. Stay with us and Raito had to fight to keep black unconsciousness at bay.

L put her lips close to his ear and whispered the sweetest thing he'd ever heard. "I've had it. A little girl. She looks like you."

Raito's lips curled slightly upwards, before he felt the sharp sting of a needle pumping morphine into his system. With a hand whose finger weren't broken to splinters, he reached up to cup L's

face with his palm. L gripped his hand and whisper-pleaded.

"Please don't leave me."

Those were the last things Raito heard before slipping into sleep.