A/N: hello everyone, it's been a while. I'm still deciding on what to do for my already outdated series but I'll leave that for another day. Please pray for Japan. And DONATE! :)
Kiku sat on the pavement, his beloved home in ruins. His Mao-collared jacket hung drenched and tattered on his shoulders. Once again, Kiku brought his brown eyes to rest on the devastating scene laid out in front of him. His eyes scanned the horizon aimlessly- for ruins and rubble pilled as high as he could see. Try as he might, Kiku couldn't stop the tears from pooling near the corners of his eyes. It was a natural disaster, nobody could help it but still, Kiku felt devastated. How had it come to this? Word had already spread somewhere that it was because he had incurred God's wrath- of losing faith in Him. But could Kiku help it if most of his friends were Buddhists? Though Kiku had no strong feeling towards Christianity, he still would not urge his friends into another religion altogether. He respected their beliefs and his friends were glad about it.
The cold breeze bit into his skin as he stood there, his tears falling freely now. His petite shoulders trembled slightly and he bit his bottom lip, trying to surpass the overwhelming emotions inside him. Though Kiku was usually good at dealing a poker face in other situations, this was one exception he let his indifferent mask slide. Kiku slumped to the ground, face in hands, and cried- sobbing in silent hiccups.
But Kiku was Kiku- he didn't let his walls come crashing down for too long. He had been through this, way back in the forties and reined his emotions back in check. He stood, wiping the drying tears away from his cheeks. The memories were bitter, the aftermath was heart-breaking but he had still pulled through. Kiku was unique in this way- resilient. You can throw a nuclear bomb at him but he would take it in his stride and clear after his own mess. Kiku was so independent that he really seemed to be revolving around his own world, severing all the outside connections. He breathed in, long and deep until he felt his lungs were about to burst before letting all the air out in a single gush. The previously moist eyes were now shining with determination. What would you expect from Kiku? He took his own initiative, never needing much help from other nations.
Kiku aired his coat before shrugging it on. It made no difference against the harsh winds but he continued to trudge towards the ruins. "Is anybody alive? Can you hear me? Please respond if you can hear my voice!" There was no answer, no surprise, but he kept going anyways. It took a lot to bring Kiku down. Once he sets his mind on something, telling him to stop halfway is just pointless. Kiku continued shouting, occasionally loosening up pieces of collapsed building in an attempt for a response. He continued until the night fell dark and he stumbled on something. Jagged pieces of concrete bit into his palms but he brushed it aside. Kiku pulled himself up with great effort- he was weary and his voice was already hoarse but still, he kept on going. The thought of sleep was pushed back to the farthest corner of his mind, almost forgotten except that his eyes would droop dangerously low sometimes. How could he even think of resting when people could still be trapped, on the verge of death? This was what made the old soul going, his breathing becoming labored as the minutes trickled by. For a one-man search, it almost seemed to be meaningless but Kiku stove on. He was certain there were survivors- no, knew- somewhere.
The perfectly round moon sunk low to the sky and disappeared and gave way to the sound of crashing waves which sent goose bumps all over Kiku's toned body. His boots kicked upon sand, sending little whirlwinds as the particles were waltzed away with the winds. Kiku had reached the beach and what greeted his eyes was a picture of serenity, as though what had happened around him had yet to touch the unstirred stretch of sand. The waves were licking against the shore lazily, now that the moon was gone. Kiku released the breath he had unknowingly held and placed a foot in front of the other in a trance-like state. He walked until he was ankle deep into the water. The pulling and pushing of the tides induced him into a slight swaying motion but Kiku didn't mind. His eyes were focused on the horizon beyond. The sun was peeking out from the skies now, its warmth and radiance colored the sea in hues of red and orange. To Kiku, it seemed that the sun itself was red, though it was probably his eyes playing a trick on him.
As the burning star rose steadily across the cloudy skies, Kiku envisioned himself rising above the ruins. It was there and then that Kiku made his decision that he would spare absolutely no costs in rebuilding his home. His simple classic Japanese home which now lay in waste. Though it was just another structure, he had indeed spent many a times in it, albeit being cooped up in his room in the darkness, trying to ignore the irritating shouts from his superiors. There were also times in which he would welcome Alfred in his humble abode. Alfred… his thoughts drifted to his boisterous acquaintance. The waves were picking up now, spray splattering drops up to Kiku's knees. Gasping softly, Kiku stepped out of the water in precaution. It was there and then that he heard a long and deep horn blaring from the outskirts of the sea.
Straining his eyes toward the direction of the sound, Kiku saw nothing at first. Then, a shadow of a peculiar shape appeared from afar. It seemed to bob along with the waves slowly but steadily. Kiku had to look away more than once to relieve his eyes from the brightness of the sun. After a few minutes, the faint outline of a big ship made its appearance. Upon closer inspection (to the best of Kiku's ability), it turned out to be foreign yet familiar navy vessel. The sheer massiveness of the buoyant instrument managed to block out most of the sunlight, which caused a few spots of after images to cloud the confused Kiku momentarily. From the hull of the vessel stood a figure, waving his (or her) arms above his (Kiku was too mentally exhausted to correct himself) head and shouting words that Kiku couldn't pick up for the moment.
Oh God, just what is happening now? An invasion by Ivan? Seemed possible, by the way he was greeting the shore but that wouldn't explain the structure of that vessel… Kiku thought to himself. His eyebrows were gathered in the middle now, deep in thought. The naval ship was familiar, but Kiku couldn't put his hand on it, like it was at the tip of his tongue but somehow, he had forgotten the way to twist his tongue to pronounce it. Before Kiku could get any further with his train of thoughts, an energetic and lively voice reached his ears. Kiku stood frozen and his eyes widened considerably. No, no, this can't be happening. Can it…? Kiku told himself. He slapped himself not so lightly to prove that he wasn't in a dream. It hurt and when Kiku was shadowed by the approaching ship, he knew it was real. Dazed, he just stood there dumbly as the unexpected person dived from the ship and began swimming his way towards Kiku. The naval fleet's horn resounded loudly throughout the beach as it turned to dock. Kiku could hear the sound of rapid splashing now, the arms of the swimmer pumping and slicing through the sea like a streamlined fish.
A few feet before Kiku, the swimmer surfaced, throwing his head back and shook his body like a wet dog. Droplets pelted Kiku and he raised an arm to shield himself from the water and the sun's rays. It was clear to Kiku now, the face of the unexpected guest. Kiku was practically shaking with emotions as the visitor made his way to the spot where Kiku seemed to be temporary rooted. His smile was just as dazzling as the sun to Kiku.
"Hajimemashite," greeted the owner of the voice.
Kiku was breathing silently through his mouth as he registered the whole event. He tried to form words but his tongue seemed to be stolen away by the cat. He felt a bubble rise through his abdomen and settled to form a lump in his throat, still rising nevertheless.
"Yo…yoro-"Kiku didn't manage to finish his words, his voice cracked and gave way to tears. It wasn't exactly for Kiku to be so emotional in normal circumstances but normal didn't count for a three-in-one disaster like this, did it? Kiku's head met wet cloth but the warmness within spilled out and calmed him down immediately. "Things will be alright, now that I'm here. It's going to be okay. Everything will be back to the way it was before; you can do it, Kiku." Alfred whispered as he held Kiku's petite frame close to him. The arrogant tone which layered his voice was gone and was replaced by a gentle counterpart which Kiku had never heard of, even though he was quite close with him for quite some time. Kiku's arms dropped to his side. He was feeling the crushing weight of the aftermath and it was taking its toll and his body, which was both mentally and physically worn out. Still, Alfred had proved to be his lifeline at this moment of darkness. A desperate man will clutch even a straw to save his life, even though he will eventually reach the bottom of the swamp. Kiku now finally understood this proverb. Though in this case, Alfred had been the one who helped pull Kiku out of the swamp- though he wasn't completely free of its sticky clutches. Even if he might come free, the stains of the 'swamp' will still stain Kiku quite badly. But the important thing now was that Alfred's here, which was what truly mattered to Kiku at the moment.
Reaching into his soaked pocket, Alfred pulled out a chocolate bar courtesy of his country and handed it to Kiku. It had seemed that Kiku was still not out of his state of confusion as he stood there like a statue. Alfred chuckled at his reaction and tore the plastic packaging open. "Here, figured you might be hungry. Eat this and after that, the real search begins!" Alfred announced, the I-want-to-be-a-big-and-mighty-hero tone soon recovered, Kiku graciously took the treat and before long, it was gone. Alfred chuckled again, took the packaging from Kiku's trembling fingers and stuffed it into his pocket.
The unlikely duo started to make their way to civilization, leaving the undisturbed beach behind.
"Say Kiku, do you have anybody in mind right now? Does a face pop out when I'm mentioning this?" Alfred questioned. It didn't take long for Kiku to reply his question.
"Um well… there is a person, actually…" Kiku's voice wavered slightly. Alfred nodded knowingly in response as the continued their walk back. Though the crumbled ruins seemed to plague their sight, it was further than they thought. Kiku had no idea he was able to walk this far, judging his current condition. "Can you start by telling me something about that person? A name or perhaps a general description?"
Kiku bit his bottom lip again. This… this was getting awkward for him, though he can't exactly pin point why he was feeling this way. But he figured he had to let the cat out of the bag sooner or later, why not by cooperative in this situation and let the words roll out of his mouth? However, Kiku found himself quite unable to do so.
Instead, he tried to divert the small talk they were holding. "Um.. . Alfred-kun, if you do not mind me asking…" He trailed off, waiting for the questioned to answer. "Ah, yes, what is it, Kiku?" Alfred answered almost immediately. "What… what is your purpose of visitation?" Kiku finished his question in a rush, the uneasiness showing up as color on his cheeks. At this, Alfred placed two hands on Kiku's shoulder and spun him to meet Alfred square in the face- a response which Kiku had not expected. "I must be here, needless to say. After all, most of my naval fleet is docked here. Why would I run away and leave you behind? Kiku, has the turn of events led you to forget our friendship over the years? Am I such a coward who runs away with his tail behind his legs when events happen…?" After Alfred concluded his little speech, Kiku felt as though he had been slapped. His cheeks flushed a deeper color as he mentally slapped himself. "Ye…yes, it seems you have a point." Kiki answered uneasily. He felt guilty for belittling Alfred. Times have certainly changed, hasn't it? With that, a smile- albeit tiny- blossomed on Kiku's face. As the two walked towards the ruins in continuation of their attempt of a search party, Kiku sent a prayer to whoever was listening.
Please let him be safe. Please, I beg of you, let him be alright. I cannot bear to lose him. Even if he's on the brink of death… Shiki, please wait for me. Boku wa ima ni kuru.
A/N: hwaaah~ This turned out longer (and better) than I expected :) should I explain the mysterious character? Aaah~ I think I should. Lengthy explanation ahead, it's okay if you skip it but I'd like if you were to read it;
I have a friend-actually, two- who live in Japan. One's in Hokkaido so I'm pretty fine with that. But the other… well, the other's in Tokyo. I know, I know, Tokyo's a BIG place but the thing's worrying me is that I actually forgot which part of Tokyo he lives in. Sure, I can give him a call but I can't seem to get through. I'm right about the verge of breaking down now and the only release I had was to type this. Death toll has been rising and the count of missing people has been rocketing since the incident. He has yet to call me. I don't really expect much but I really do hope that prayers will be sent for him. That's his real name up there :) I'm sending a silent prayer as I type this. I hope that the phone will ring and his voice will be on the other side of the line. Aaaaah. T~T That's all, for now…