A/N: So, I decided to make a part 2! Took me a bit longer than the first but I'm really happy with this chapter. This is after the Nagasaki bombings and is a not-historically-accurate story about a real-life event that happened so I apologise if the scenes that I wrote aren't true, because they aren't and I just made it up except for the actual bombings.
Song of the Chapter: Aiyaa Four thousand years
China didn't think he'd find him.
There was smoke everywhere, shrapnel littered the streets and the toxic air reeked of blood. China shuddered at the all too familiar sharp iron smell, he stumbled through the remains of what once was a beautiful city.
The screams of pain and cries of help didn't reach his ears, he was only looking for one person.
The smoke hurt his eyes and choked his throat but there was nothing that was going to stop him, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry aru." he muttered under his breath like a chant. "I'm so sorry,"
He couldn't have died, nations didn't die. They just didn't.
China tripped over a person...no, not a person, a corpse. China tripped over a corpse and fell onto his hands and knees, tears streamed down his face and sobs wracked his shoulders. Where was he? Where was his brother? Where was the little nation that he loved so much?
"Japan, where are you aru?" he called out softly, but through the panic he wasn't heard. "JAPAN! WHERE ARE YOU?"
When he was answered with nothing but silence, China got up and once again began his search.
He stumbled upon a small house that seemed to still be holding its shape, a trail of blood led inside the building and he could hear voices coming from inside. His ears picked up a melody, a beautiful song that stood out in the bloody war-zone.
Curiosity took over and China stumbled into the small house.
Inside there was nothing but a small bed, the rest was just bare walls and a few pieces of rubbish and shrapnel. But in the middle of the room, there were two people, one small figure and one bigger figure. The smaller was lying on the bed and the latter sat over the former.
It was Japan with a small girl.
China hid a small gasp and hid behind the door, Japan didn't notice him there. Instead the island nation had a bowed head, his hands were on his face and tears streamed through the gaps in his fingers. Large sobs shook him, uncontrollable breaths and shudders made him shiver. China watched with a frozen heart as his former colony cried over the unconscious form of a little girl.
She was small, maybe about six years old with chubby cheeks and shining black hair. China shook in sadness, the girl...looked so much like Japan did when he was a child. He watched the two with two wide eyes.
"Moushiwake gozaimasen, moushiwake gozaimasen, moushiwake gozaimasen," Japan repeated over and over. "Moushiwake gozaimasen,"
He took his hands off his face and reached out to stroke the young girl's cheek, on her frail littler body Japan had put his jacket in an effort to make her comfortable. Japan's small touch caused the girl's eyes to flutter open, she looked around the room, taking weak and shuddering breaths.
She finally settled her eyes on Japan, the nation was muttering under his breaths, blood and tears mixed together as he weeped.
A small smile spread across her lips and she slowly got up to wrap her arms around Japan's neck. "Mister, why are you saying sorry? It's not your fault that all this happened," she whispered.
Japan wrapped his arms around her, he cradled her body in a protective way, holding her head and shielding her from the horrors in the outside world. "Moushiwake gozaimasen," he repeated again.
The girl took another wavering breath, "Daijyoubu," she said.
Japan stopped the chant, his eyes were wide with shock. "What..?"
The girl's smile widened, "Daijyoubu," she repeated again.
Japan set the girl down and looked at her with a look of pure relief and gratefulness. "You forgive me for all of the pain and sorrow I caused?" he asked.
The girl cocked her head, "I don't completely understand what you're saying but yes, I forgive you mister, I forgive you..."
Japan gasped as she coughed out blood. Japan felt a stinging in his heart, she will die, he realized.
Japan once again cradled her in his arms as she coughed and coughed, blood stained his already bloody clothing but he didn't care.
After a short silence the girl spoke again. "I'm going to die aren't I?" she whispered quietly.
Both Asian nations nearby froze.
Japan stared at the wall wide eyed, his bottom lip trembled slightly. "Y-yes, you will d-die soon."
The girl relaxed slightly and sighed contently, she smiled. "Before I die, mister, will you sing me a lullaby?"
Japan took in a deep breath. A lullaby? This was all the girl wanted? From the country that caused all her pain and sorrow, all she wanted was a lullaby before she fell into her eternal sleep?
"What would you like me sing?" he said, his voice barely audible.
"Can you please sing me song that makes you happy?"
The song came to Japan immediately, a song that was sung so long ago that he was sure that it was gone from his memory, a song that was sung so beautifully that it stayed with him.
"I think I have the song, it was sung to me by...my older brother, he loved me very much and I loved him very much as well." Japan said.
"Please sing," the girl urged, another splatter of blood as she coughed again.
Japan took a deep breath and with a slightly croaky voice started to sing.
"Since the beginning of the heavens and earth, countless soldiers
Spun history by overlapping their lives.
On the banks of the Yangtze, there is a single caged dove.
In front of the Great Wall, the sun "rises" again."
China gaped, it was that song. The song that he sung to his brother before all the bloodshed, before the pain, before the war.
"Selfishly, I think of the past – how nostalgic…
How are you? My body hurts all over.
I will even make new sweets."
The girl took a heaving breath, Japan set her down on the bed lying down. He wrapped his jacket around small body again. Japan knew that her time was coming soon. "What's your name?" the girl then asked timidly.
Japan smiled slightly, "My name is Japan," he bowed slightly out of habit.
The girl's laugh made his heart break, "That's a funny name mister."
Japan's smile widened, "I think it's a funny name too, what's your name?"
"My name is Hikari mister..." she was launched into a another coughing fit and Japan scrambled to finish the song.
"When I wake up, I cannot be beaten,
As brave as a lion
My state of selflessness is dyed red,"
Japan trembled as the girl smiled and looked up at the ceiling for the final time.
"Depend on me at any time
Ai yaa yaa…"
She took a breath managed to mutter "Arigatō," before her heart stopped.
Japan was silent for a moment. She was gone. She had died with her eyes open and a smile on her face.
Japan reached out and closed her eyes for her, he stroked her face and straightened up her hair. She looked like an angel, sleeping calmly and away from the horrors that would hurt her. She was free.
"Hikari...light."
Japan straightened his own clothes and picked up the girl's body in his arms, stumbling slightly, he got up and walked out of the door.
His eyes widened slightly when he saw China standing at the door but continued past him.
China looked to the direction he was walking in and saw another figure walking through the smoke and rubble. America.
America's eyes were red and bloodshot, his eyes puffy from smoke and possibly crying. The moment the loud nation saw Japan holding the little girl his eyes filled with tears and regret. Japan walked up to America, who was soon followed by two other American soldiers who aimed their guns.
America told them to lower their weapons and stood up to a silent Japan. "J-Japan, we have d-defeated your a-armies and demand you s-surrender." America said in a wavering but stern tone.
Japan only got onto his knees, still holding Hikari in his arms.
"I surrender."
A/N: Translations here
- Moushiwake gozaimasen- It's a way of saying I'm sorry, very formal and for if you REALLY screwed up.
- Daijyoubu - It's okay
- Hikari - The name that I chose for the little girl, it literally means light and radiance.
- Arigatō - Thank you
Well I hoped you like it! Review, favourite and follow because if I have time, I might just write more chapters!
