Sinovia
Chapter Five: Lead You Home
It's been a year since the end of WW2 and discovering Sinovia, now everything was slowly regaining order. Sinovia still stayed with China since her country was slowly rising up from the sea, which would take a couple more years until it's fully emerged. She proved herself useful around his house by taking care of the plants and cleaning up when he's out of the house.
He found something for her to wear when she's not in battle. It was a dark green cheongsam with black trimming and black slippers but she traded in the cheongsam for a dark green changshan with black trimming and dark green kung fu pants. She told him it was too constricting for her when she wore the dress.
She let her hair down whenever she's not in battle or at a meeting. No matter how many times she brushes it, or China when he complains as he brushes it, it will stay in its shaggy form even after she has a shower. She doesn't know why but it has always been like that ever since she was born.
She also noticed that he's been spacing out lately. He walked into the walls numerous times, he walked into the post one or two times a day, and he doesn't listen to her unless she starts to explode from his lack of understanding.
Now she has to know or find out.
"Does anyone know what is wrong with my son?" She asked the rest of the former Axis and Allied as they met for a meeting. "He's been spacing out that's for sure." America said as Sinovia sharply looked at him for stating the obvious. "Don't forget he's not your son," England said as he drank his tea. "He probably has too much paperwork from his boss."
England, Russia, and Germany don't believe that China is Sinovia's son no matter how much they call each other those names. "He is my son," She retorted back to him. "And I've been helping him with his work, so there's no way he has too much." The rest looked around curiously before noticing one thing.
"Where did China go?" They all, excluding Sinovia, asked.
"He wouldn't listen to me when I said it was time to go," She said as she crossed her arms. "So I decided to go in his place since he spends more time spacing out than doing his work." The only thing they were more concerned about than Sinovia taking China's place today for the meeting, was how zoned out he was.
"Did something happen a year ago to cause this?" America asked as he put his head on his hand and looked like he was gonna nod off any second. "Well, he did suddenly asked me to switch seats with him when the food at the restaurant came to our table." She admitted with a curious yet confused look.
"Didn't anyone else hear them that-a night too?" Italy asked curiously, earning shocked looks from the others. "WHEN DID YOU HEAR THEM?!" They shouted at him, making him flinch before he thought it over. "The night we stayed at China's," He said with his usual happy face. "It was near midnight when-a one of them went in-a the other's room."
She looked at Japan curiously, who looked away quickly and averted his eyes from her look. 'Why is he so quiet?' She thought as she kept staring at him. Throughout the whole meeting Japan didn't say one word, not even saying an idea he might have on why her son might be acting strange.
'Wait!' She suddenly thought as she remembered the person she sat next to in the restaurant and why China wanted to switch seats with her. 'He's the reason my son's acting like a love-hearted fool!' She noticed as he started fidgeting under her look and kept avoiding to her at her.
YinYang's prediction was coming true.
Next thing she knew, everything had changed. The conference room she was just in changed to a different room. She stood up from her spot and walked over to the sliding doors before opening it and was instantly surprised at what she was seeing.
In front of her, sitting on the ground, was a boy. He was five or six years old with ash black hair that reached his shoulders and wore a white kimono with red lining. He had his back to her so she couldn't see his face but somehow knew that the child was boy, he had that special bond she could sense.
"Kiyoshi! Kiyoshi Ryuu where are you?!" A familiar voice sounded out, interrupting the boy from what he was doing to look in the voice's direction. "Here Mama." He said before standing up and walking out of the room. She followed him quietly and what she saw in the other room nearly made her laugh.
China was covered in red.
Red ribbon was bounded tightly around him, constricting him of any movement except for moving his head. He was in a strange pose as he struggled to get out. His legs were splayed in front of him, one of them had the knee bent as if he tried to push himself upwards, he was half-arching and half-straight as he tried to move, and his hands were behind him but somehow they got the ribbon caught on something to act like a hook, and he was blushing so red that he almost matched the huge bow on the top of his head.
Kiyoshi took one look at his mother before he heard the front door open and smiled slyly. "Don't even think about it!" China shouted at him before he turned around...and went right through Sinovia. So they couldn't see, hear, or feel her at all.
She kept trying not to laugh as China tried to get himself untangled and two voices were heard as they kept getting closer and closer until they stopped in the doorway, and unconsciously she moved aside to let them see even though they can see right through her.
Japan stood in the doorway half-shocked and half-surprised as he saw China still trying to get himself untangled. As Sinovia calmed down she could now see that Kiyoshi looked like a combination of his parents since he had China's eye shape but the irises were a dark brown instead of amber-brown.
"He's all yours Otou-san." Kiyoshi said before walking out of the kitchen and leaving his parents, who were staring at each other: one in shock and the other in embarrassment.
Suddenly she noticed Italy waving his hand in front of her - wait... Italy?! She looked around and found out three things: 1) She was back at the conference room. 2) The others were staring at her curiously. And 3) Japan was missing. "What happened?" She asked as she also noticed that she zoned out most of the meeting.
"We were just about to get lunch and noticed you staring at the table." America said cautiously, not wanting to get on her bad side. "Your eyes were-a the same color as amber," Italy said with a smile on his face, is there any time that he's not happy? "Even the silver streaks were-a amber."
"I was just - thinking of the past." Actually the future. She tried to remember the young boy's appearance but her stomach rumbled, pulling her out of her thoughts, and went to get lunch. "Where's Japan?" She asked curiously as she noticed the island country was nowhere to be found.
"He said something about checking on his dog." Germany answered, a little curious and peeved since Japan just took off without a real explanation. 'More like to check up on his future bride.' She thought slightly irritated and went to get lunch until someone grabbed her wrist and turned her towards them.
"China is still lovesick da?" Russia asked as he held her wrist tightly, but she wasn't affected at all. "Not lovesick, more like love-hearted," She said before she suddenly ripped her wrist out of his hand, kicked his pipe away as he got it out, grabbed it and then nearly slammed him on the head with it. "Listen, I don't care about your obsession with my son, but if you ruin his chances at love with anyone else and I will make you see hell."
He immediately dropped the smile, blanched and gulped as he looked at her fearfully. This one country that isn't afraid of him just threatened to stick his pipe up his ass, literally. He quickly nodded, making her drop the pipe and return to normal before going to the hall with several trays of lunch on several tables.
He picked up his pipe and followed her towards the hall with lunch waiting. She can be scary if provoked.
Sunny days and starry nights and lazy afternoons,
You're counting castles in the clouds and humming little tunes,
But somehow right before your eyes the summer fades away,
Everything is different and everything has changed
The boy, this time fourteen years old, with wild ankle-length ash black hair and brown streaked dark brown eyes stared at the sunset, or was it sunrise? He didn't know anymore. He just stood there, wearing a dirty white shirt with oversized sleeves and dirty white sweats that looked tight around his legs, staring at the sun and prayed that he would remember what happened.
What happened to make him forget his memories and what happened that left him stranded on a deserted island.
If you feel lost and on your own
And far from home
You're never alone, you know
Just think of your friends
The ones who care
They all will be waiting there
With love to share
And your heart will lead you home
For him time has passed by too quickly as days turned to months and months turned into one year. The only contact he had with any mortal was a group of scientists that arrived a long time ago, they left their base and everything that could be useful in a house, including a super computer hooked up to a strange satellite antennae which was his only contact with the outside world but was linked with American Internet.
Funny how a photograph can take you back in time
To places and embraces
That you thought you'd left behind
Does anyone even noticed his absence? Probably no one.
They're trying to remind you
That you're not the only one
That no one is an island
When all is said and done
If you feel lost and on your own
And far from home
You're never alone, you know
Just think of your friends
The ones who care
They all will be waiting there
With love to share
And your heart will lead you home
Back home, his parents were looking for him in every country but nothing was reported. His mother was so worried he almost drove his husband and 'mother' to insanity but was nearly calmed when his 'mother' suggested searching uncharted or uninhabited islands since he wasn't in any of the countries.
There'll come a day when you're losing your way
And you won't know where you belong
They say that home is where your heart is
So follow your heart know that you can't go wrong
If you feel lost and on your own
And far from home
You're never alone, you know
Kiku closed the top of his laptop quietly before turning around in his chair and stared at the disheveled sleeping figure of his wife. There was no reason why Kiyu, short for Kiyoshi Ryuu, would disappear like that without a note. The only clue they knew was that something happened to make him disappear.
He went over and sat down on the futon and slowly stroked Yao's hair. The pain of losing your only child took its toll on China, he almost gave up until Sinovia calmed him down and said that there are still places for Kiyu to be.
Just think of your friends
The ones who care
They all will be waiting there
With love to share
And your heart will lead you home
If you feel lost and on your own
And far from home
You're never alone, you know
Just think of your friends
The ones who care
They all will be waiting there
With love to share
And your heart will lead where you belong
I know your heart will lead you home
'No matter what.' Kiku thought as he turned off everything and went under the covers before pulling Yao towards him. No matter what he will keep searching, he'll keep looking for his missing child, he'll keep trying to find the source of Yao's sanity.