Redemption: Explanation of Sins
Authorial Notes: The Island battles of the Pacific were utter one-sided bloodbaths in which we Leathernecks were hurling ourselves heroically and stupidly on strongpoints instead of surrounding them and letting them wither on the vine, though we won every time, we were dieing in terrible numbers and the Nipponese in even greater numbers. The Nipponese Army fought to the death. Most of the Nipponese who surrendered were Christians. The rest had to be tied down to prevent their suicides. Using this as justification despite apparent attempts by the Nipponese Government to surrender, Truman gave the order to drop the bomb over many Generals' and Admirals' Protests against using it. For these people felt an armor sweep of the Kanto plains would secure victory at little cost. A racist agenda, however, prevailed………….
……………..Pacific Ocean………………
The Enterprise plowed through the ocean at 30 knots as it recovered a Tomcat, and another took off on the number 1 catapult. In the Conning Tower a Rear Admiral lower grade looked through his binoculars at the still empty ocean. Father I know you're in Tokyo. It wasn't your fault. I know mother's death saddened you, but you can't change your past.
…………………….Hiroshima Peace Park………………..
The spirit of Sadako Sasaki felt the tension. As she stood just outside her statue she noticed for the most part a sleeping city. At first anyone would conclude an average city, till they looked to the west of her statue….. There were the charred skeletal remains of the Industrial Promotion Hall. Then there was her statue of her holding a crane. When she found out that she had leukemia, she unlike most others didn't despair upon hearing the news. She folded cranes putting all her will to live in them. For awhile it seemed to work till a blood transfusion to bolster her white blood cells gave her pneumonia. She fought to stay alive by folding cranes to make a thousand so the Kamis could hear her wish to make her well. She fell 34 short. She was 3 hours from her 12th birthday. Now she resided in spirit around the Peace Park playing with the spirits of the many children who had died and who were waiting for their parents to join them. From time to time a deceased parent would come for one of the children. As time slipped by only herself and a small Hanyou child named Misha remained. Although she technically could move on she decided to stay for Misha as her parents could live for a long time. That was twelve years ago. Two years later another spirit from America arrived and stayed with them. She explained that she came because her husband was coming. Two years passed with the American lady named Sarah watching over them when her still living husband came to the city. She remembered that day when Sarah's husband came. He was swathed in robes that hid his uniform. When came in front of the statue he seemed to notice them. "Sarah-chan who is that sad man?" She had asked her.
"My husband the nuclearcide. For it was he who dropped the bombs."
"Sarah-chan, why didn't you tell us?" she enquired.
"Because he is a victim too. After the war, the army tested many nuclear weapons at Alamogordo testing site. They never release the fallout patterns to us and I along with many others were poisoned by the curse that comes with them."
That had been eight years ago. Ever since then her paper cranes had been revealing even more tension, along with growing will of Pikadon. She somehow knew that time was running out. She was going to round up Misha and find Sarah so they could talk. There had to be something they could do.
……………….Higurashi Shrine…………………..
"Ah a nice day." Former Colonel Subteki Higurashi said to himself. Noticing the Well Shrine door was open he went to inspect it. "Who could be in there, Kagome has already left yesterday?" He said to himself. Moving into the Well Shrine he found a man in Voluminous Robes standing at the mouth of the well. Before he could inquire of the man he turned suddenly causing him to fall on his rear.
"Subteki are you glad I kept you from Seppuku on Iwo Jima." The robed man stated in accented Nipponese as he removed his hood.
"Ferebe, you're still kicking I see, and to answer your statement. Yes, for I wouldn't have the loving family I do today, but did you have to break my nose and right arm in the process?" Subteki replied.
"Certainly yes. However old times are not what I came to discuss Subteki." Ferebe said with a sad smile. "Though I must say I never expected a year ago I would be shadowing your family till this date when it would be most advantageous to begin my quest of redemption."
"Ferebe, what are you talking about?" Subteki ask confusedly.
"For the past eight years I have wandered through this nation, looking at the consequences of the Pacific War. I in my travels have found a nation that is in many ways still a prisoner to it's feudal past and the ghosts of the Tokugawas. Repression of students under an examination hell that dehumanizes them and robs them of there basic human rights, to make mistakes, to think for themselves, and to beat their own path in life through their own initiative. A government that is so corrupted in its policies that it makes my own nation's power plays look honest in comparison. Make no mistake about it; this nation will remilitarize in order to survive as it has no appreciable resources of its own. Though you are highly adaptable, you lack innovativeness which is the key element to success. (Sighs) A long time ago a man was beaten the shit out of and then nailed to a cross, before he died on it he forgave his tormentors. That man's followers went on to build the largest religion in the world. That faith along with the other western faiths which are listed alphabetically and numerically, Islam, Judaism, and Zorastism. All four faiths believe in the individual. They also believed in the Supreme being who created this universe."
"What does this have to do with anything? Ferebe, you have been on the roads too long. Now personally I find our education system perfectly fine though a little inflexible and unreasonable at times, besides which my granddaughter graduates from middle school this year. I intend to encourage her to not continue and take over this shrine." After replying Subteki noticed Ferebe looking out into the day.
"There is a storm coming."
"What? It is clear."
"No. There has been a gathering darkness for some time. Ever since that day when your grandson bolted out of here where I comforted him before noticing you and leaving, I have kept watch. I know exactly what this well does. In the gathering darkness the will of Pikadon (Subteki paled) grows stronger. Now my son will face the same choice as me. (Ferebe opens robes to reveal his two sunburst medals on his Airforce Uniform) Drop or no drop. I have lived with my actions since that day when the world learned that the four western faiths were right in the most horrific way. Colonel Higurashi now is the time when your nation can change its fate." With that Ferebe jumped into the well. As he felt time itself pull him he heard Subteki's final words from the top of the well.
"Find my granddaughter. She can assist you."
……………………… …………………………
He who sat on the White throne, upon Ferebe's action, subspaced Subteki's memories and broke off an alternate reality. That done he wished his servant luck, as he would finally be able to find closure for what he done.
……………………… …………………………
Deep within the bowels of the Enterprise past many winding corridors and bulkheads, there lies a door guarded by two deadly alert and deadly serious Marines. Beyond that door resides a room that not even an Admiral can enter unless he has the proper clearance. For in this room laid the weapons the Nipponese called Pikadon, but worst than what destroyed Hiroshima. These nuclear weapons were twenty times more powerful. He who is not, yet is sensed the growing will of Pikadon to return to him, and continued to sow strife. He sensed a new opportunity himself for his latest power bid.
……………………Sengoku Jidai………………………… ……...
"Now children, the world is full of dangers. (A familiar hand travels to a very familiar rear) You must always be on guard." Kaede began.
"Perverted Houshi thunk' ergh" an enraged Sango shouted at the Tantric Buddhist monk Miroku who was now unconscious due to Sango's Hirakotsu.
"Or else that happens. However as bad as things can get, always remember that nothing is brighter than the rising sun of Amaestreus. Now run along and play." Kaede watched the children of the village disperse. Most surrounded Shippou to hear the latest in English Kagome had taught him with which they used to plot all sorts of mischief. Sighing she made a note to herself to talk to Kagome about teaching Shippou that language. Moving towards her hut she glanced at the two Eta families across the river. When her sister had been alive there had been twelve Eta families working their trade in unclean works with animal products. Ten years after her sister's death there was a smallpox epidemic that hit the flourishing village hard. The original Shikon Shrine was destroyed and most of the villagers died. The Etas and their cows seemed unaffected by the disease, leading to Kaede and her mentor to conclude that they were responsible for the outbreak. They with the survivors killed most of them. The two families were new comers. Periodically she made surprise inspections on them to ensure they did not try any evil. Noticing Kagome she strode to meet her.
Inu Yasha was pouring through Kagome's history book. When he found what he was searching for, he fell deeper into dread. If this book was true, then Kagome's peaceful time was an illusion bigger than Miroku's too infrequent preaching and much more frequent groping. He had to show this to Miroku. Heading out the door, he came face to face with Kagome and Kaede.
"Inu Yasha what are you doing with my history book?" An angry Kagome inquired.
Not bothering to answer her he went to Miroku and dropped the book on him. "Miroku you should read this."
But before anyone could say or do anything else a figure appeared out of nowhere shocking everyone with his opening statement. "That won't be necessary as I need your assistance in traveling to Nagasaki."
"No fucking way. That is months out of our way unless there are shards there," was Inu Yasha's obscene reply.
"Kagome, mom who is that man?" Shippou asked innocently as he hopped onto Kagome's shoulder.
"I do" Kagome never finished her sentence as the robed stranger spoke again.
"You have no choice as an even greater evil exist than your petty search for the Shikon Jewel, which is nothing compared to the (Throws off his robe) atomic bombs I"
Kagome upon seeing his sunburst medals and seeing his nametag with Ferebe written on it, plus his words screamed and turned around shielding a shocked Shippou who had never seen his surrogate mother act in such a way to anyone, even when there were particularly powerful demons that gave Inu Yasha a fight to the death which if he lost they would die.
He wasn't the only one to think along similar lines. Miroku and Sango had already begun to move before Inu Yasha stopped them. "Are you the one who visited me in my dreams?" He inquired.
"Yes" It was all he said before the man grabbed both Miroku's and Inu Yasha's right arms before anyone else could act. Every one watched in fascinated horror/awe as both men's rosaries broke apart and formed into perfect atom molecules. Miroku's curse healed and Inu Yasha felt his demon blood calm, and begin to meld with and accept his human blood bringing forth his royalty markings. "I came here to ensure that this will never come to pass."
Inu Yasha and Miroku felt the pull of time.
Bottom Notes. The Etas were people who dealt with animals and animal products. They unlike others in Nippon ate meat in a land of vegetarians. The local Shinto faith saw the Eta as non-humans and shunned them. Since it wasn't known then that cowpox prevented smallpox, whenever there was a smallpox epidemic the Eta got blamed because they weren't affected due to their cows. Buddhism being an offshoot of Hinduism due to a dispute over Siddharta Gautama being the Buddha saw cows as sacred. However Buddhist monks were considered too pure to be affected by smallpox, and thus no one made the connection between cowpox and smallpox. In 1789 a British Doctor wanting to know why milkmaids were having beautiful complexions and noble woman smallpox scars set up an experiment. He found when he infected the milkmaids who had cowpox, they did not get smallpox. Thus began the cowpox vaccine and smallpox was slowly but surely wiped out in 1973 for good. We no longer have to worry about smallpox, so don't listen to people who say we have a vaccine shortage as we have a lot of cows.
Semper Fidelis