A Remembrance Day fic
RoS: In dearest honor to the soldiers who have fought and died for their countries. A tribute to brave souls who have died before seriously living. To the unknown soldiers who we won't be able to thank in person, and can only pray for their souls.
From a normal human's POV.
YYH story because my knowledge on world wars are limited.
"To our dearest soldiers, to which names are mere words and actions speak to all our hearts," the priest intones. He makes a sign of the cross over each blank stone. There are four of them.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, all things return to the earth -"
A woman breaks out crying, she falls to her knees and weeps. Her son holds her shaking shoulders, and tells her not to cry. The young boy is also fighting the urge to burst into tears.
I clench my fists. I recall the first time they had come.
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I was only nine when it happened. It was horrifying. Hordes of grotesque beings poured out of the gigantic hole in the middle of the sky. All across the world there were final wails, the requiem for all humans. My father was out with his shot gun before we could even move. He shoved us all into the safe house underneath the house and locked it tight. I closed my ears from the fighting. My mother held me and my little sister close to each other. One-year-old Raine was fast asleep, paying no heed to the carnage outside.
It seemed like hours before the noise and screams had died down. For once I was thankful for dad and his paranoia of a third World War. I stayed up for what could have been days, or months. I dreaded to step out of the calming darkness of our little sanctuary. Dried foods rimmed the walls, as did air-tight containers and blankets. It seemed like a waste of time before, but now I was happy for the summer I spent on helping make this place.
I thought we'd never leave this place, I was contented to be simply living in this fear and never see the thing I cowered away from. I never wanted to see those things face to face. Those demons that suredly murdered my father in cold blood.
My mother muffled a scream just hearing footsteps above us. Raine would stare in awe at the ceiling and I would take no notice. I just prayed. Prayed to whatever celestial being in the Heavens would save me and my family and keep us safe.
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It still gives me shivers thinking about those youkai. It was terrible to just sit there. It ate my heart up even if my mind simply gave up trying. Tears came to my eyes as I remembered those unnamed soldiers who saved us from near death.
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The supply of nourishment was dwindling. Raine was given most of the food. It was only fair. She needed to survive this war. If any souls could be saved from apocalypse.
A clinking was heard above us. My mother curled up in a ball, protectively surrounding Raine. I turned over, looking up. I wanted to see what death looked like before I was taken from this earth. It surprised me. Sunlight flooded the chamber. I was over-joyed and pained at the same time. the tickling warmth of the bright star made my senses tingle. Although, I had not seen the sun's rays and couldn't remember the stunning brightness. I was blinded. I quickly pulled the sheets over my head, letting the throbbing pain slowly go away.
"Someone's in here!" a deep voice shouted excitedly. I told my mother not to look up and slowly lifted the bed sheets away from my face. My eyes narrowed again, still trying to get used to the light.
The first thing I saw was an orange-haired man with a funny elvis styled hair. He wore a worn and torn school uniform. His gleeful expression at seeing me was kind of odd.
Another head poked through. Chocolate brown eyes stared down on me. They looked so . . . misplaced. Such hardened eyes on so young a face. He looked like my older brother, who has not returned and probably never will. Black hair shaped his face, a yellow t-shirt with the sleeves torn off and wrist bands were his armor. He threw down a rope to me. "You can pull yourself up right?" he asked.
"What about my mom?" I inquired she slowly lifted the covers and shaded her eyes. Little Raine whined when the light struck her eyes.
He shrugged, "I can hoist her up fine. You can all get on."
I looked at him like he was crazy, but obeyed anyways, as did Mom. I was amazed when the young man pulled me up without any effort. When our feet rested on solid ground again I collapsed. My legs shook as I tried to stand again. It was something I hadn't done in a while. Along with sleeping, laughing and crying. I lived in a world of fear, there was no time except to hide, and stop yourself from making any noise. To make your heart stop beating if only for the sake of not being found.
"Th - Thank you," I rasped. I must have been in a state of disrepair. Not having bathed, moved much or looked at a mirror in a long time can do that to you.
The orange-haired youth grinned, "No problem. We haven't been able to rescue anyone in a long time, the pleasure is all ours!"
My mother's eyes lit up, "There are people like us?"
The raven-haired youth smiled melancholically, "If you mean survivors, yes. But not anywhere near ten thousand kilometres of here."
Her eyes drooped. I knew she was hoping her sister, my aunt, had survived what is now known as the First Wave. We lived in Okinawa, her sister had been a zoologist living near the Iriomote National Park. Iriomote-jima wasn't too far from here either.
"So, what are your names?" the raven haired one asked.
"I'm Shira Glory," my mother greeted warmly. My Dad was an American who had fought in World War II and my mother was at least twenty years young from him. "This is Raine and my oldest Dai. May we know the names of our saviours?"
The orange-haired guy was about to answer when his companion stopped him. "We can't tell you, miss," he stated firmly.
I smile at that memory. It was great to see those two. It wasn't until the next day we met their other two friends. That was when I had found something peculiar about them.
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My little sister bit into the chicken hungrily. The orange-haired man played with her a lot. He was easy to talk to, like a normal friend. The other was never around long enough, but his appearance was enough to cheer me up. He was so strong I felt so safe aroung him. He seemed very laid back, almost like he radiated confidence. I could see determination's fire lit up in his eyes.
Sitting around the camp fire I could only stare at the food they had given me. It smelled alright and it tasted, alright according to Raine, but it didn't seem normal. Living on that stuff that was stored in the chamber under ground was normal. Delicious, cooked, fresh food wasn't. I never did figure out where those two found wild chickens but we decided not to ask. Some things are better off not known.
A gentle whispering of fabric caught my attention. I turned around and saw two fgures approaching at speeds I only imagined a race car might have. Both youths stood up when they saw them coming.
As soon as they got close enough one shouted, "Third Wave generals approaching!" and jumped, flipping over to the black-haired boy's side. The other flitted next to me. He was surreal. Onyx hair stuck up like he was a black flaming candle. White bangs surrounded the darker ones which only reaffirmed that image being portrayed. he wore a midnight black robe that hid himself in the smoldered ruins that was once Okinawa. A sword wrapped with two pendants at his side. His red eyes were cold and narrowed and a third eye was on his forehead. An evil eye. A Jagan. I had heard stories, but none that said they actually existed. I instantly liked him. He was different.
Turning to the other he looked curiously at me. Green eyes coolly watched me. Flaming red hair fell in torrents about his face and down his back.
I absorbed this in two seconds. The next thing I knew I was pushed to the ground by the orange-haired man and made to stay in a curled up position. "Whatever you do, don't move and don't watch," he breathed into my ear. I nodded and he took off.
He didn't really expect me not to watch though, right? As soon as the first explosion sounded I turned around. I have never seen a miracle but this must have been something like it.
Those four young men were fighting back the armies of Hell with nothing but a whip, two swords and fists. And winning. I was awestruck. Why were they fighting a losing battle? They had only the four of them, they were the only people that stood between salvation the end of the world. Then again, was it that only the Creator who could destroy His own creation? Did it matter that they were fighting and they should leave this up to Fate and Destiny to bicker over while they watch these monsters tear apart their home? Maybe they fought because they had to. Because it gave them a sense of being needed, of being wanted? It struck me. They were soldiers who protected this place not for themselves but for everyone else. For they're value of what was right and good in this world. For what they believed in. They did it because it was the thing they needed to do. To preserve their Earth for us and those after us. And for the beloved Dead who came before them.
I sat and watched them. Their flaming auras surrounded their entire bodies. I watched the four most beautiful and striking colours dash wildly about. Crimson red, charred black, ocean blue and brilliant yellow.
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I sit down as the ceremony draws to a close and the murmurs curtain the small crowd assembled here. They never gave me their names. Maybe it was to protect us. I learned eventually that they were very wanted by the enemy. I gave them names they soon got used to.
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It had been two years following them and we had reached the border of Egypt. "Kiiro?" I asked the carrot-top curiously. "Why is Kuroi always seperate from us all?"
He looked over at the man who used a fire dragon in his attacks. "Him?" he asked, pointing to the young man he was looking at. "Cause, he's seen a lot of stuff. He'd rather not talk anyway, he's never any fun."
"Oh. And why isn't Akai ever here anymore?" I asked in excitement. Akai was a very important person. He always taught me things when he was around but he hadn't come back since his disappearance a few weeks ago.
"Akai?" Kiiro asked me in confusion.
"Yeah!" I chirped. I was used to moving around with the four of them. Mom and Raine had been taken in a few months earlier but the safe guard wouldn't accept a boy who was ten or over. Only old men and women, mothers, widows, singles, girls and babies were allowed in and barely ever got out. Not until news had come that the war had ended. There was supposed to be a mililtary camp ten miles or so. We saw a bunch of ruined campsites but no military base. So I stayed with them.
Kiiro scratched his head. "You mean the red-haired guy with green eyes?" he inquired.
I smiled. "Yup! The one who smells nice."
"Oh . . . he's doing some business," he answered cryptically.
I shrugged, pretending to be uninterested. I wandered off, being followed by Aoi. I poked around a few houses and saw a stuffed bunny. It was pink, like the one Dad had given Raine when she first came back from the hospital. I picked it up and brushed off some dust. It's huge blue eyes stared up at me innocently. For an unfathomable reason I started to cry.
I suppose looking back I was crying for my sister. I will never see her again. I guess I was crying for the screwed up life some twisted jackass had made. Some idiot who sent those masses of youkai at us all. At the world.
"Demons," I had hissed. "I hope they all burn in their homeland. They shouldn't be alive."
Aoi hugged me. I cried into his arms and he stroked my hair. Just like my older brother used to. "Aoi-niisama?" I asked, hiccoughing.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me you'll never let them win," I whispered. I fell asleep like that. He carried me back to camp and I didn't wake up until Akai came back.
My eyes stirred at the sounds of shouting.
"A Fifth Wave?!" That was definitely Aoi. "He can't do that! Daisuke could barely live through the Fourth!"
"I'm sorry, I tried dealing with him," Akai whispered in his soft, soothing voice. I liked his voice. It was like Mom's because him talking to me was enough to put me to sleep. He was also a very genteel person.
"God!" Kiiro growled. "What's wrong with them?!"
"Power," Kuroi muttered. "All evil things, whether they're human or not, do evil things for power. Or hate. They are the driving force of all Makai wars and it is no different here in Ningenkai."
"But they've killed all Ningenkai's ressources!" Kiiro argued. "What could they possibly gain from capturing Ningenkai?!"
"They're not after Ningenkai," Akai said.
"Wh - What?!" Aoi asked, dumbfounded.
"They want the survivors," Akai said sadly.
Kuroi huffed. He obviously didn't support the idea and probably thought it was a useless endeavor. "What could there possibly be in these weakling humans that those youkai could possibly want?" he asked.
"Nothing. They only want them to die. And suffer," Akai answered.
There was silence.
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When I heard that I didn't know what to do. I stayed with them. The Fifth Wave hit Cairo. All pyramids were obliterated. Blasted away by the sheer force. The Sixth and Seventh Waves came in Southern America. It was not as mauled and there were many survivors. They left me in Peru to free North America, who had just learened what terror really was.
The U.S., Mexico and Canada had fought back bravely but, like Russia, Japan, China, Egypt and Great Britain they couldn't last more than two weeks. Kuroi, Akai, Aoi and Kiiro had barely reached the border when the U.S. brought out the big guns. They blew the youkai to pieces with one atomic bomb they had salvaged. The demons swiftly retreated after that. It had been a good, solid month before the final Wave came through. It was the Ninth Wave, and it was the worst. I could see the carnage and hear the shock waves. It was the most terrible day of my life. Sitting there, waiting for the outcome of the final battle.
Two huge blasts later was enough. I knew who won. Now I could worry about my unnamed heroes. I prayed they'd live. They didn't. I recognized their corpses. They had died peacefully, most likely knowing that they were attempting suicide. I can only imagine their intense satisfaction, knowing all of us standing here are praying for their safe boating to Heaven.
::I beat them, Daisuke. You can live your life now.::
They were soldiers and they died for the right to live. They didn't want our appreciation, they didn't need anything from us. They only asked us to make our lives worth dying for.
And now I attend their funerals. It seems kind of scary. I had seen them only three days ago and I can't even recall what they look like. I only remember chocolate brown, a goofy smile, a rose and a black dragon. Maybe that's how they want me to remember them. In their actions. In their lives. In their message to the world.
::We are freedom fighters.::
::Warring to keep peace.::
::A part of a debt we owe.::
::To the people who created what we know as home.::
La fin
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