Lifetimes of Change (Historical Vignettes set from 1891 - 2011)

[Daitō]

Black Market BluesHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 4th, 1944
3:16 PM

   The heat had begun to grow unbearable, Yuna thought as she walked home from the distribution center. She had to get the day's rations, seeing as everyone else was too busy or too young. She felt that the war had begun to get closer to home, especially now that both air raids had begun in June and her brother had come home. It wouldn't get worse, she thought as she looked to the right, off towards the mountains as cicadas "sang" their chorus from nearby. It couldn't. But if it did, then what? Rationing had already gotten worse; sugar had been completely removed from distribution a few days ago as supplies dried up, and the prices in stores had likewise become higher. And of course, many of the things she had enjoyed as a child were now completely gone. A sign of the changing times or of an increasingly desperate nation? Who could say but those who led the country and who made these decisions for the everyman? Certainly, she didn't have an answer, but she had many, many questions. Or at least, she did until she nearly tripped, hearing a brief yelp.
   "Kahori, I'm sorry!" She said, rushing over to check on her before brushing the dirt off her.
   "I'm okay." Kahori replied before looking back over to the ground. "There's just a lot of ants here."
   "Oh? I wonder where they're all crawling off to?" Yuna asked, inviting her niece to follow. "I suppose we should find out..." She murmured. A few moments would pass as they made their way up the hill, following the trail as far as was possible. To her and her niece's consternation, they would soon realize where the ants were going. Slowly, they'd enter the kitchen, and then they saw it. The ants were stealing their sugar, much to Yuna's dismay as it was too expensive to lose. She'd quickly grab a stool before grabbing the pot off its shelf, dusting any ants she saw off as she did so.
   "We need to find a place where the ants won't find it." Kahori opined.
   "Where though?" Yuna asked. After a moment, her niece seemed to come up with an idea, and though it was certainly a bad one, due to the heat she wasn't thinking quite right. Her plan wasn't to put it in a cabinet somewhere, nor on a higher shelf, nor anything so sensible. Of course, it wasn't like those would've stopped them; even if they had some form of insecticide, it would've made the sugar unusable. No, Kahori, being a young child, had the "brilliant" plan to put it in a bucket and place said bucket in their water jug. Again, due to a mixture of hunger, the heat, and her simply not thinking about what might happen if they tried it, Yuna went along with this plan, which ultimately led, predictably, to the sugar falling into the water and being lost for good. Yet when she told Natsumi after she got home from her work with the tonarigumi, she did not receive the admonishment she had expected, but rather, a slight chuckle before handing her some money.
   "Take this money. Go buy some at the black market." Natsumi told her before writing down something on a piece of paper. "If you follow these instructions, you should get there."
   "Are you sure?" Yuna asked. "Won't I get into trouble?"
   "No, you won't. I mean, probably, anyways." Natsumi responded. "Plenty of soldiers shop there; even the Kempeitai tolerates most of what goes on in it." She said, tilting her head as she looked out of the window. "I suppose that wouldn't make it a black market... hmmm..." She went on as Yuna grabbed the money and got ready to leave. Just follow the directions on the paper...Unehara, Kyūre
4:02 PM
   Just follow the directions. Simple as that. She just needed to find her way to a place called Unehara, one of the districts in Kyūre. To her knowledge, she'd never actually been to the district. Sure, it was possible she'd passed through while taking the tram while running errands, but even then, she didn't count it since she wasn't personally setting foot in it. Another adventure, then. As she walked, she could hear and occasionally see children playing, women gardening or doing other jobs around their homes, and men at work or on their way home. It was starting to get a little late, she supposed, but then again not everyone left work at the same time. Daisaku, for instance, usually got off at around six or six-thirty, while Iwao could be working long hours into the night. Still, even with how this had been quite the jaunt, having been walking for just under forty minutes—and with considerable haste, at that—she knew she'd need to be heading home rather soon.

   As she continued to walk further and further into Unehara, Yuna could see and hear more people in the area, until, after just a short while, she had found herself in a sea of bodies going every which way. It was almost like some parts of Hatsukaichi. Not quite, but almost. And then, before she knew it, she was in the market. It didn't look like much, of course. She privately wondered why so many people came here if there practically weren't any products on sale, but then again, she just needed to pay closer attention.
   "This is fine rice from Tsukishima." a merchant told a shopper as she held open a bag, jostling it for a moment to prove it was the real deal. "And I could get you some Fusanese rice too, if that's what you want."
   "Come back if you want another." Another said as someone tried to fit a watermelon into a bag. It had actually been forbidden to grow watermelons as of late, since they were a fertilizer-intensive and took up a lot of space, yet somehow, someone here had gotten some. Did they have everything here? It was honestly somewhat overwhelming for Yuna, yet at the same time, she felt nostalgic for the past. It was just like the summer before the war, when you could get your hands on just about anything and when the markets and stores were still busy. So much had changed since then, but not here. Here, a part of the old world yet lingered.

   As it was her first time in the district, it would take some time to find what—no, who—she was looking for. It was probably something everyone had to do, seeing as most stalls didn't display what they had up front, but from Yuna's perspective, it seemed like most people knew where to go. So instead, she had to ask around, since, well, what else could she do? Nearly thirty minutes would pass without any luck, but then, she saw a shop with a sign, one which read, quote, "Seasoning of all forms". Perhaps that was where she could find it?
   "Excuse me, sir, do you have any sugar?" She asked the grizzled old man who was holding down the shop. If she were to guess, given his age and the fact that, as he held up his pipe, he was clearly missing a few fingers off his right hand, he must've served in the last war.
   "Yeah, sure do." The shopkeeper said with a nod before placing his pipe aside. "One kin[1] for 20 mon."
   "T-twenty mon!?" Yuna asked in shock. Prior to the war, it didn't even go for a twentieth of that price, and more importantly now. "That's sixteen times the official price!"
   "Yeah, well, it's cheap given the circumstances." The shopkeeper said, calmly. He probably got that kind of a reaction more often than she could imagine. "Besides, if you don't buy it now, it'll just get more expensive."
   "I suppose so..." Yuna said as she mentally went over whether she should buy it, let alone if she could afford it. It was an awfully high price, and the money could go to better use, but she was told to buy sugar, not anything else... Ugh. "One kin, please." She said, grabbing the money she had been given and handing it over.
   "Alright, one kin, comin' right up." The shopkeeper said before grabbing a small cloth bag and passing it over the counter. Yuna would take it then bow, as was tradition, before walking off.

   Suddenly, Yuna had become aware of just how expensive things really were, and it made her almost sick to her stomach. If sugar was now 20 mon, then before long, at this rate it'd shoot up to 150. If that were the case, then caramel might go for 100 mon. Even three pairs of socks may eventually cost 1,000 mon. How could the country survive this way? How could she and her family survive? So lost in thought, she had become, that she scarcely noticed that the sun had begun to set, that the crowds had begun to thin out, and that the buildings here were unfamiliar. She was, to put it bluntly, lost.

1.	Units of Measure — A "Kin" is an indigenous unit of measurement in Daito which corresponds to approximately 600g.

[Daitō]

The Palace of the Dragon God???, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 4th, 1944
5:01 PM

   Yep. She was lost alright, and soon it became too obvious to ignore. This district, if indeed it was one, was far different from the rest of Kyūre, too... opulent, so to speak, to be a place she'd been to. For a moment, Yuna had panicked, thinking she had accidentally left Kyūre, as it happened, just because of how different it was. But once she calmed herself down, she'd begun asking around for directions, yet no matter where she went, no matter who she asked, she'd always gotten conflicting answers. A street-cleaner mistaking Hiroioki for the Hiroisaki, the military cemetery; a courtesan and an elder giving opposite directions towards Nishiatago. It seemed like she had entered another world, that nobody here seemed to know where Hiroioki was, let alone where anything outside of... wherever this place was. Eventually, she just gave up, sitting down just in front of a utility pole and across from some sort of restaurant or... something. She cared little, now. She'd just have to try to find her own way home later, once she'd been able to clear her head. She grabbed a stone off the street and started absent-mindedly drawing, as it helped her relax. Yuna drew a few of the things she saw and thought of down in Unehara; the watermelon which was being crammed into someone's kit-bag, caramel, which would soon be too expensive to buy, the pipe which the shopkeeper seemed to prize. Eventually though, her sketches were encompassed in a shadow, not from the clouds, but from a person.
   "Is that a watermelon?" The person, a woman in a fine, red kimono or perhaps a furisode, asked her.
   "Yes, I suppose so." Yuna replied as she picked herself up off the ground.
   "I take it you're lost, then?"
   "Yeah..."
   "And you're an adult..." The lady said. "Where did you come from?"
   "Hiroioki." Yuna said, turning to face her. "Nobody's willing to tell me the way back. And even then, everyone and everything smells so nice here, it's almost as though I'm in a fairy tale. Am I in the Ryūgū-jō?[1]"
   "Hiroioki... Ah, yes. It's right past the post office, then... Wait here." The lady said before running off towards the restaurant. A few moments would pass, during which time Yuna could've sworn she heard her yell something, but the wait was rather short as she soon returned. In the meantime, she could see the petals of cherry blossoms appear to float through the air, carried aloft by a gentle breeze. "Sorry about that, needed to check." The lady said as she returned. "Just take the second right from the post office."
   "Thank you so much." Yuna said with a brief bow. "I can't be late otherwise my si-"
   "Nobody here is too familiar with the city, y'know." The lady said, interrupting her. "Almost everyone's from different places and they don't leave Asahi." She continued before saying "You look like you're from Hatsukaichi, maybe the coast?"
   "How'd you know?" Yuna asked.
   "Oh, just the accent. It's kinda easy to pick up on once you've lived here for a while." She replied. "Besides, I'm from there too."
   "Are you from Omi, by any chance?" Yuna asked, excited to possibly have someone from her childhood so close by.
   "No, from Furue."
   "I used to go there every year to see my grandmother and eat watermelon..." Yuna said.
   "Those were the days..." The lady replied. "Haven't been back in nearly eight years though, not since we moved here."
   "I see... Let me guess, shipyard?"
   "Same as everyone else." The lady said. "Anyways, my break's just about over, I gotta get back."
   "Oh, sorry to have kept you, uhh..."
   "Hisako." The lady said with a smile. "And it's perfectly fine, I enjoyed the talk..."
   "Yuna, the pleasure's mine." Yuna responded in turn. "Think we could meet up again, later?"
   "Sure, just... not here, for your sake. Might get lost again." Hisako replied before heading back into the restaurant. For her part, Yuna would follow the directions she'd been given, silently annoyed with herself for getting into this situation to begin with. But eventually, she would finally make her way home.

   Hisako... From Furue... Where had she heard that name? It seemed familiar, she thought, as the sky began to slowly turn a shade of yellow then orange and the sun began to set. A childhood friend, now forgotten, perhaps? No, couldn't be that, she didn't recall knowing anyone who moved to Kyūre back in, what, 1935 or '36? There was that one girl who just disappeared one day, but that couldn't be her, could it? Did it really matter? Probably not. Still, the possibility that she might have a new friend excited her, especially someone who was from a place so near and dear to her as Furue. Eventually, she'd make her way back to Hiroioki, to home, where she wouldn't doubt that Azumi would give her a lecture, probably because she'd been forced to make dinner alone again. But that was fine. While yes, it would become harder to live due to the prices, she'd make it. They would all make it.

1.	Ryūgū-jō — The "Ryūgū-jō", or "Dragon Palace", is the legendary undersea abode of the Dragon God, Ryūjin, who is a patron of the Fusanese people.

[Daitō]

The Unending DreamKyūre, Izumi Prefecture
September 15th, 1944
5:31 PM

   It was rare for Yuna to go this far into town at this hour; sure, she'd started visiting the market in Unehara from time to time in order to get her hands on what wasn't provided at Hiroioki's distribution center, but that was always early in the day, when there were more goods on sale and, by extension, better prices due to shortages. But today was different; she'd received a call from Iwao's workplace at the Naval Courthouse about a notebook being left by accident. Supposedly, it was rather important for his job as what may as well be a paralegal for the Navy. Information court filings, or so she thought as she didn't bother to look through it. All she could say was that the booklet had seen far, far better days, with bits of the cover bent or torn off and the binding itself in a rather rough state. A sign of heavy use. Either way, it was strange to be here at this hour, or any hour, really. All along the road, there were men in the white summer uniforms so closely associated with the navy, many standing guard at their posts while many more were simply walking around, doing who knew what. For a moment, she thought she might've seen her uncle touring the area, though she couldn't get a good enough glimpse of the admiral nor he of her. While it was hard to make out, she did catch a little bit of what he was saying to the group of other officers walking alongside him.
   "Well, how are things with the police?" the admiral said to the head of the local detachment of the Tokkeitai—the Navy's police force—as they walked by.
   "There haven't been any incidents, sir." the officer replied with a nod.
   "Good. Well, in any case, while we're here, want to grab a beer?" the admiral asked, the rest of their conversation too faint to make out as Yuna continued along her way. It did sound like something Uncle Jiro would say, seeing as he enjoyed himself a stiff drink from time to time, but then again, alcoholic sailors were a dime a dozen, or so she'd heard. Either way, she continued along the road, overhearing many more conversations as well as the shouts of trainees for the Tokubetsu Rikusentai, the Marines, during their exercises. Eventually, she would spot her husband waiting outside of the courthouse, though it seemed he didn't quite seem to recognize her at first.

   "Oh, there you are, Iwao." Yuna said, walking over to him before grabbing the notebook out of her purse. "I brought your notebook."
   "What?" Iwao said before getting a better look of her. "Oh, Yuna! You're as pale as a ghost..." He remarked as he grabbed the notebook from her. "...Are you alright?" He asked.
   "What? Do I look strange to you, too?" She asked, thinking back on Azumi's demand that she wear perhaps too much face powder. Of course, she'd tried to refuse, but after nearly fifteen minutes of being lectured, and at the risk of being late, she had finally just given up and agreed.
   "No, no, you look fine." Iwao lied. "It's fine if you're feeling alright. Anyways, let's go." He said, inviting her to join him on... well, whatever he was planning on doing before heading home.
   "Eh? What about your work?"
   "I deliberately left it home so I could get off early." Iwao said with a chuckle before adding "You didn't actually have to rush over to bring it. Why don't we go see a movie, grab a bite to eat?"
   "Sure, but..."
   "But you don't want to leave work to the others." Iwao answered. "Listen, Yuna, it's not like when you first came here. Mom's recovered from her injury, and you've got sis now as well." He said as they walked along the road and into town. "You've gotta take a break once in a while, that kind of stress isn't good for you." He added. Several minutes would pass, of course, as they entered the city center, looking at some of the displays in the scant few—by the standards of Hatsukaichi or the capital—shops which could afford to remain open under the circumstances.6:01 PM

   Of course, it was hard to ignore the large crowds of sailors who had all but taken over the city over the last few days. What that meant, then, was that it would be unlikely that they could get tickets to a show, though it was certainly still worth trying. Yet each theatre they passed, with posters for films such as "Ichiban Utsukushiku" and 1942's "They’re After You" hung up along their walls, the more they realized that everywhere was packed.
   "Huh." Iwao vocalized as they passed a nobori banner which roughly read "Welcome, great warriors of the sea! Discounts are available at the Sekai Hall!"
   "What's the matter?" Yuna asked, gently nudging his shoulder.
   "Oh, nothin'. Guess a big ship's returned. Guess we won't be able to visit the theatre today. We'll have to give up on that for now, but y'know, I suppose we can always try next week. Go for a walk instead?" He asked, to which Yuna nodded in agreement. And so, they would make their way along the shore, towards the Oyao river which ran through the city. The sun began to hang low on the horizon, turning the once blue sky vibrant shades of red, orange, and scarlet as the water too shone in similar hues. Eventually, just shortly after sunset, they'd find themselves standing on a bridge over the river, not too unlike the day they first met, all those years ago, overlooking the mighty Mutsu sea. From here, she could just about make out the shore of Hashirajima to the west, a few lights shining, piercing through the ever-deepening darkness. It was at a moment like this that Yuna became lost in thought, thinking about the last year, of all she had seen, all that was different now.
   "You know, Iwao," She began to speak, catching his attention. "I wonder if this is some sort of a dream."
   "A dream?" Iwao asked, curious about what she meant.
   "Well, you already know that changing my name and moving out here was hard for me, but... You've always been kind to me." She answered. "A good friend, too." She added before saying "I've just been thinking, if this is a dream, I don't know if I want to wake up from it. I'm happy with where we are, now."
   "I see." Iwao said in response. "Things past, paths not chosen." He uttered as he looked out on the water. "They're all like a dream. But Yuna, I want you to know that to me, the best decision I took was getting married to you. I'm sorry that you were ripped away from your family so quickly, that I stayed away all those years, but... The truth is, I-"
   "You don't have to say it. I understand." Yuna said, leaning against his shoulder. It felt as though the moment could last an eternity. With a smile, she said "I love you too."

[Daitō]

The Pilot's RequestHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
November 11th, 1944
8:19 AM

   The seasons hadn't turned from Autumn to Winter, and yet, as Isao ascended the hill once more, a biting cold breeze stung against his face. The Army's uniforms were certainly not as well suited to this sort of weather as the navy's, but then again, it was unseasonably cold for this time of uniform, choice of attire notwithstanding. He'd neglected to mention that he had put in for a transfer to the Army Air Service, soon to be reformed into the "Imperial Air Force" starting in February, otherwise he'd likely have been sent to his next posting by now, but honestly, it didn't really matter at this point. He paused for a moment, looking out over the sea before continuing his climb, his mind on what was to come. A daring raid on Yakushima, an attempt to disrupt Ardian activity on the occupied island ahead of a potential liberation. There was so much he'd wanted to say, he thought as he came into sight of the house. About how happy he was for his little sister, about the woman he'd met the last time he was in port, whom he'd come to love. How he wasn't sure if he would return. Yet of course, he wouldn't say that last bit aloud; he didn't want anyone to worry about him. No more than normal, at least.

   "Ah, Yuna!" He said, raising his voice and waving as he saw Yuna walking down the road towards the terrace, probably for the last harvest of the year.
   "Isao?" Yuna answered, turning around before setting down her basket and tools. "What're you doing here?"
   "Oh, so I can't pay a visit once in a while?" Isao asked as he walked over and answered "I've been given leave for the rest of the day. Mind if I lend a hand?" as he pointed to the tools. It had been a long time since he'd done any sort of agricultural work, if gathering seaweed for their grandparents out in Omi counted, anyways.
   "I don't mind... But I can tell there's more going on, isn't there?" Yuna asked before grabbing the basket as Isao grabbed some of the tools, a scythe most notable among them. Isao didn't answer, not yet, as they walked up along the path, eventually reaching the family lot.

   "Nice view." Isao said, looking out across the city; it was true, compared to the airbase in Yanai, where the land was generally flat, one could see for miles in just about every direction. Down to the Kitan channel and the Mutsu, to Miyajima, Hashirajima, and possibly even Nomijima. Even Hatsukaichi seemed close by, the model of a modern city, yet it was still practically a world away from here, not in a literal sense, but spiritually and mentally. The residents there were always more focused on the cosmopolitan lifestyle compared to the somewhat laid-back attitude of the locals, even for a military town. "I can see why you'd be happy out here, Yuna. It's quite beautiful, though I guess it's a shame you can't draw the coastline, not without getting into trouble anyways." He chuckled as the two got to work.
   "You're gonna need to tell me what's on your mind eventually, O-Niisan." Yuna said, looking over to him. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me, it won't work."
   "Fine. You want the truth, Yuna?" Isao said, standing up from the field. "Truth is, tomorrow I'm to join a pretty important mission. Can't give the details, but I don't know if I'm going to make it back in one piece." He added.
   "You're scared, aren't you."
   "No... Okay, maybe a little, but not for my own sake."
   "Oh? Then for whose?"
   "Someone important to me." Isao admitted, looking away. "Someone I care for deeply."
   "Someone you love." Yuna added. "No point trying to hide it, I can see it written on your face. You fell in love with someone and you were thinking about asking to marry them, weren't you."
   "H-how did you-"
   "Lucky guess? Honest." Yuna admitted; she genuinely didn't know if it were true at the time, but finding out she was had surprised her. "Who's the lucky lady, then?"
   "I suppose you'll get to meet her when I get back... If I come back, anyways." Isao muttered before reaching into his pocket, from which he pulled out a white, unmarked envelope. "I want you to hold onto this, sis."
   "What is it?" Yuna asked in a rhetorical fashion.
   "A letter for her... For if I don't come home. Don't open it unless the worst comes to pass, please. It's, uhh, for her eyes only."
   "Then why don't you give it to her now?" Yuna asked, eyebrow raised. "And why wouldn't you at least put an address on it?"
   "First of all, because I'm not dead yet and it's pretty specific to that situation." Isao answered plainly. "And secondly, I want you to meet her first, either way."
   "Okay then, but just know you're making things harder than they need to be... again."

   A few more minutes would pass as the two continued to work, harvesting the last of the year's rice before winter came to claim its dues. It was hard work, but something which Isao couldn't help but find relaxing in its own way. Certainly, it was a break from his usual, regimented routine, and it helped him to forget about what was to come the day after, at least for a little bit. He and his younger sister would spend much of their time talking to one another, trading stories of their youth and in his case, about the war as well. Other than that, they'd use the opportunity to get caught up; even with his presence nearby, he was still usually stuck on base in case of an enemy attack, after all. But eventually, the time would come for them to part, as the day's work would soon come to a close and both had responsibilities elsewhere.
   "Listen, Yuna, I just wanted you to know how proud I am to have you for a sister." Isao said as he handed the scythe back to her. "You've overcome so much this last year, it's... It's truly an inspiration."
   "O-Niisan..." Yuna tried to say more but was soon cut off, as always.
   "Tomorrow afternoon. When the aircraft return, watch for a plane with a white cherry blossom upon its wing." Isao said as he made ready to leave. "If you don't see it, then... Well, I suppose you know, don't you." He added before walking away.

   He would not return.

[Daitō]

Ride Through the DarkHimi Line, Izumi Prefecture
November 19th, 1944
6:52 PM

   People are so fragile, Yuna's father used to say, and so you should try to cherish the time you have when them, since each day could be their last. While it was perhaps wrong to say that this had been a lesson, Yuna thought as she glanced out through the window of the train car, it seemed like Isao's disappearance had shown such sayings to be true. And what times they had. From the days they'd cross Hatsukaichi bay to see their grandparents to when the family had taken the voyage across the inland sea to Tenkyo and Okayama, they had certainly enjoyed their time together, even if, when they were young, her brother had quite the temper. Yet even as the orange sky grew darker and darker, almost as though the world was providing a metaphor for the nature of hope, she yet held firm in her conviction that he was still alive. For there was no body, no remains to be buried, and it certainly wasn't like Isao to just go down without a fight. Somewhere out there, whether out to sea or perhaps behind enemy lines, she knew he was still alive. He had to be.

   "Y'know, you really shouldn't stand so close to the window this time of year, Yuna." Iwao muttered in his half-exhausted state, having been up since long before the crack of dawn preparing for the trip out. It had been a pain and a half just getting the tickets owing to the restrictions put in place earlier in the year, and it certainly wouldn't do if either of them got sick.
   "I do know, actually." Yuna sighed. "I just... Y'know, every time I see the sunset now, part of me hopes I'll see him flying home."
   "Isao?" He asked. "I know, and I'm sure he'll just love to know you were still waiting for him. It's what he'd want." He added, though he didn't say how he personally felt about the matter. For her sake, his own beliefs didn't matter, not right now. All it'd do was cause anguish. Suffice to say, capture by the Ardians was worse than deat at this stage in the war, if the traffic he'd had to sort through was anything to go off of. Barbarians in the truest sense, their soldiers, if the rumors were accurate about Yakushima.
   "Then you knew him less than I would've thought." Yuna said. "If he found out that I'd held onto his letter, that I was waiting on him, he'd be furious."
   "A letter?"
   "He... He was planning on marrying someone in Kyūre. I never got to know who, but I've tried looking." Yuna said, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "He had a life planned out ahead of him, and... and... and now it won't-" she tried to say as the emotions she'd tried to bottle up started to flood back once more. She'd tried to hold it in, tried to not think about it, but no matter how hard she'd tried to hide from that thought, it had a way of worming its way back into her mind every time. Her brother was dead. There was nothing she could do about it. And most importantly, she'd never see him again.
   "You're okay... It's gonna be alright." Iwao said, holding her close as the train pulled into the station. "It's gonna be alright."

[Daitō]

The Canvas of Smoke and FlameHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
March 16th, 1945
7:18 AM

   The long, cold winter had passed, and spring had well and truly sprung. Though snow still glistened upon the summit of Mt. Takimine and Mt. Suigenchi, down below, the farming season had once more come, and as Iwao made his way off to work, so too did Yuna, aided by her "little helper." She was a young girl, just turned seven, and was someone who Yuna knew quite well. It'd be odd if she didn't, seeing as her assistant for the day was Kahori, her niece, though she would soon be too busy with school to help out on the family plot. Just one more month until then. Thinking about that brought back different memories, too. Had it really been over a year since she'd been married? So much had changed since then, yet now, some part of her truly felt at home not on the busy streets of Hatsukaichi, but in the semi-rural lifestyle that came with life in Hiroioki. What was life if not the changes one experienced? That's what Hisako said before she left the city for some place further inland, away from the coast. She was afraid, Yuna thought, but then again, so was everyone.

   Just over a week ago, the Ardians hit Shinkyo in what the reports were calling a "grave crime against the soul of the nation" and a "travesty inflicted upon the innocent." It was different to the infrequent air raids from the last year, none of which struck population centers, certainly none which intentionally targeted the innocent. But now, the face of war had changed, and what was once merely a war to liberate East Ardia, a war which had certainly not progressed perfectly owing to their wily foe, had now become a war for their very survival as a people, and maybe in time, they would all be called on to serve. But that was still so very far away from the here and now, Yuna thought as she and Kahori tended to the fields as life carried on as normal below. The two sang songs as they worked; the wind blew through the trees, the ships moved about in the harbor. She could even hear the faint buzz of aircraft engines off in the distance, no doubt a patrol as always. In other words, it was... pleasant.

   Eventually, they would finish for the day, but they would not yet return home, instead taking the opportunity to spend time together as aunt and niece. They'd soon gotten to talking about what to expect from school, for Kahori, having never gone through formal education to that point, was certainly nervous about it. "Come now, with how obedient you are, the teachers won't scold you." Yuna said in a cheery fashion, patting her young niece on the back. "And you're so kind that you won't struggle to make friends."
   "Really? It's not scary at school?" Kahori asked as they sat on the edge of the terrace.
   "Not in the slightest. Like I said, you'll even make friends." Yuna answered before saying "I mean, when I came here, I was alone. Yet now, I've made friends with just about everyone." as she pointed to herself, her voice warm and inviting.
   "Even mama?" Kahori asked, which of course pulled Yuna back from the brink of self-delusion and into the world of reality.
   "I mean, I'm try-" Yuna said before being cut off by a noise off in the distance. Trumpets rang out across the city, and Kahori soon stood up to look for where they were coming from. Soon, Yuna too was looking in the same direction as the trumpets rang out from mountaintop to mountaintop. Then, they stopped wholesale, and a great rumbling replaced them. And then, the guns opened up from upon the mountains, smoke filling the air. Almost instinctively, she moved in front of her niece as aircraft streamed overhead, out from Mount Takimine and bearing the roundel of the Ardian Empire. They were under attack. "Cover your head!" She said as she pulled her hood over herself while the young girl started to cry. Soon, rockets streamed out from the Ardian planes and down towards the harbor, all while incendiary rounds from the ships in port exploded in mid air, sending streamers of smoke and flame in front of the attackers, though to no avail. It was difficult to move, the fear too great as she looked out on this strangely beautiful sight. But then, she found herself on the ground and pushed into the retaining wall on the terrace.

   "What the hell were you thinking, keeping yourself out in the open like that!?" Daisaku said forcefully as they took cover.
   "Welcome home?" Yuna asked, and soon enough, the air raid sirens began to blare as they sheltered against the wall.
   "So now they sound the alarm, now that we're already being bombed???" He asked, exasperated by the slow response. When Yuna tried to look around, he said "Keep your head down, shrapnel's bound to be flying around." and as if right on cue, a shell went off overhead and sent small bits of metal flying into the fields, kicking up some debris which struck his helmet and caused him to grunt in pain. It wasn't bad or anything, but still enough to feel. Better that than getting hit by the actual shrapnel, he thought.

   Soon enough, a new sound joined the fray, the roar of planes which flew not with propellers, but with jets. Fusan's ace in the hole, so to speak, and when Daisaku heard it, a faint smile formed upon his face. It was those planes that he had helped to build down at Hikami, and now that they were finally in use, though he hated the circumstances, he couldn't help but feel some small sense of pride. "I know that noise..." He said. "Those engines. We worked day and night in the factory to improve them, and now, I get to see them do their job in person..." He remarked, but by the time they arrived, the enemy had begun to pull back. The sirens went silent, smoke filled the air, and Daisaku's efforts would not pay off today. "I think that's enough excitement for one day... Let's get you two home, hm?" He said as they picked themselves off the ground, his smile once again disappearing as, like everyone else, the gears in his mind began to turn. The war had officially come to Kyūre.

[Daitō]

Far AboveHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
April 8th, 1945
8:02 AM

   It had been another long night, another air raid. That made, what, five in the last week and a half, maybe more? Either way, though every effort had been made to make the shelter as comfortable as possible, Yuna could never fall asleep in there, and frankly, neither could anyone else in the family. And so, as the sun rose over the city, she had gotten back to work. First, tending to the fields, in which she was still occasionally finding bits and pieces of shrapnel from the 16th, then she had to make the first preparations for lunch—she wouldn't be home until close to 11 that morning, so it seemed wise to make things easier on her mother-in-law and on Azumi—and then, finally, she had to put clothing on the line to dry. Best to make use of the nice weather they were having while it lasted, anyways. This had become almost routine, but today was different. She heard a roar off in the distance, vaguely similar to those planes that Daisaku had mentioned a few weeks earlier, but somehow different. And as she placed the next shirt on the line, she soon glanced up towards the sky, where she saw a white cloud, many times longer than any other in the sky yet also thinner, growing in a single direction.
   "Now that's something I've never seen before..." She said as footsteps drew closer.
   "That's hardly a surprise..." Daisaku said, bending over to lend a hand with the laundry. "...It's a condensation trail."
   "A... condensation trail?" Yuna inquired, her curiosity piqued.
   "Well, you see, whenever the high altitude air becomes cold and humid, the water vapor condenses in the exhaust..." Daisaku started his long tirade. "...In other cases, vapors can result from turbulence in the air..." he continued as Natsumi and Azumi walked by. "I see you made a mistake, trying to engage him on that..." Natsumi said. "Get him started on science and there's no stopping him until he either tires himself or you out."
   "Believe me, we can't escape it either." Azumi joked.
   "I see I'm annoying you all, so I'll just cut to the chase. The Ardians have a new high-altitude aircraft, probably something that will be harder to shoot down. But I'm sure we've got that covered."

   A few more minutes would pass before Yuna would have to head out; it was her turn for combat training, just like all of the other women in the last week or two.

[Daitō]

SacrificeHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
April 14th, 1945
6:16 PM

   So much had changed since the war's start, Yuna thought as she walked home from a meeting of the local neighborhood association, though part of her wondered just how much of what had changed was due to her just getting older. She still remembered the day the war had begun as though it were yesterday; "The entire nation with a united will shall mobilize their total strength" was what the then-Prime Minister, Sonyu, had said. Perhaps she was young back then, guided by her ideals, but she never would've thought that it would mean this. Cities laid to waste, children being sent off to the countryside, fathers, sons, and brothers going off to war, never to be seen again. She'd heard her father's stories, heard of the grave losses sustained in the last war, and yet only now did it truly hit home. Everyone would have to make sacrifices, to accept privation and deprivation for the sake of attaining victory, not merely for Fusan, but for East Ardia as a whole.

   And what greater sacrifice could there be than to lay down one's life so that the rising generations may know peace and freedom? That's what the head of the Hiroioki tonarigumi had said when, last November, training had begun to establish a sort of "people's militia" to defend their mother country, should the war come to their shores as it now seemed. When that day came, as it now seemed so likely to come, would she be ready? Would she lay down her life for the lives of those who had not yet been born? Those thoughts returned every time she passed out fliers, every time she trained with her bamboo spear, every time she saw Kahori's tender face. Yes, she told herself, even if she privately grappled with the thought. When they arrived, out on the shoreline, would she even have a choice but to fight? It was so much simpler to say she would, even if she yet struggled with the thought. The events of the 16th of March had, in any case, made it clear that this decision would have to be made sooner rather than later.
   "I heard they're going to start issuing rifles soon, out in Toshima anyways." Iwao said, his voice muffled through the shoji doors and the walls of the house. "It's only a matter of time until the Ardians hit it, a month at most."
   "I've heard similar rumors-" Daisaku replied "-and it probably won't be too long before the same happens here."
   "The gods sent down the divine wind to save us from the Ardians once, I'm sure they'll do the same again." Natsumi chimed in before Yuna entered the building, announcing her presence, as often was the tradition, as she did so. "Anyways, now that we're all here, I suppose we can finally eat."

   A few minutes would pass as the family, old and young, sat around the table and ate their dinner. Soon enough, the conversation turned to recent events, both within their own lives and in the nation at large. Daisaku went on about an engine he and his team at Hikami were working on yet again; Azumi and Kahori had little luck in finding school supplies due to recent shortages; Natsumi had spent time with the parents of one of the soldiers lost on the Peninsula, and Yuna... Well, she didn't really speak much. To speak about the meeting would be to invite those thoughts again, after all. But most importantly of all the news in Kyūre, the mighty Fusō had steamed into port, ready to defend the Empire in its hour of need. But though none mentioned it, its presence was not entirely welcome, for a ship such as that would only make their city a target once more.

[Daitō]

CallingHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
May 5th, 1945
6:31 PM

   "...more than 125 B-19 bombers participated in the raid. While there was damage to the Hikami Naval Arsenal and the 11th Naval Aviation Arsenal, the number of casualties is being reported as minimal..." the announcer on the radio said as Yuna, Azumi, and Natsumi listened, hopeful that Daisaku had survived. That day, a few hours prior, the city had come under another air raid, striking his place of work, and they hadn't heard from him since. It was hard not to fear the worst; even if it was almost certain that he had made it, the odds were never too favorable not to need proof. And with how late it was getting, they were likewise worried about Iwao. Sure, there wasn't any reporting about the port getting hit, but again, better safe than sorry. Thankfully, on that front, they were soon relieved, as he would walk in a few minutes later.
   "Oh, thank the heavens you're safe, Iwao." Natsumi said as everyone tried to greet him, check if he was okay. "Yeah, I suppose I am. Any news about dad?" He said, handing a parcel to Yuna.
   "He... hasn't come home yet." Yuna answered, taking the parcel and setting it aside and getting back to tending the stove.
   "I see... Well, I suppose if anything happened, then Hikami would've contacted us." Iwao sighed before sitting down to remove his shoes. "...Y'know, it's different now. Used to be, so long as you had family that worked there accompanying you, they'd let you on base. With the war, I guess it's not as easy as it used to be, so we really can only wait." He added, almost absent-minded as he finished. A few minutes would pass, with him just sitting there silently, lost in thought, perhaps. It wasn't like it was hard to tell why, he might've just lost his father after all, and not knowing... That was the hardest part. Eventually, if only to get his mind off that particular train of thought, he started helping to prepare dinner, peeling potatoes to go with the rice.
   "We need to talk about-" Yuna said, trying to get him to open up for a moment before stopping herself, realizing he probably wasn't ready.
   "Oh? About what, Yuna?" Iwao asked.
   "Nothing, just... Uhh..." She looked over to him. "Are you going to keep peeling, because I think you've finished that one."
   "Ah, right." He said, passing the potato to her. He could overhear the radio once again, still reporting on the attack earlier in the day. "I don't know if what YOFK's reporting is true, but Hikami's arsenal was badly damaged."

   The room seemed almost silent when he said that, the only noises being the crackling of the fire and the boiling of water. It was clear that he was hurting, that there was so much he couldn't say that he wished to have. Not to her, more than likely, but to a man he feared he might never see again. Not in this life, certainly. The fragility of humanity, swept away like sandcastles before the tides. Only the tides of their day were not of water, but of flesh, blood, and steel. It felt as though the world they had grown up in, the world their forefathers had striven so greatly to forge, had come crashing down, and soon, all that would be left was ash. What kind of world would there be left, when all of this was over. Would they even live to see it? Daisaku wouldn't, and neither would Isao. Nor did he think he would, given what had happened today.
   "My new uniform came in." He said after asking for Yuna to sit with him.
   "What?" Yuna asked; it felt as though her heart had skipped a beat when he said it.
   "That's what is in the parcel over there." He continued. "Starting on the fifteenth, I'm to be made a Chief Petty Officer. Judicial Affairs, nothing bad, but uhh... I'll be training with the fleet and won't be back until August."
   "...Will you come back afterwards?" Yuna asked, grasping his hand.
   "I believe so." Iwao answered, looking into her eyes. "You're going to be okay, Yuna. You may be somewhat short, but... Well, I've seen you practicing. If you couldn't protect our family, then nobody could."
   "But I... No. I can't!" She answered, raising her voice before standing up and taking a step back. Maybe wasn't good enough. She'd already seen her brother fly off, never to be seen again on the promise that he might come back, and now, he was asking her to hold out hope like that again? What if he didn't come home? "Isao told me he would come back, and you know what that happened. I'm sorry, but-" She tried to say, but she was interrupted not by his voice, but something different. That most simple of gestures: A hug.
   "I'm sorry, Yuna." Iwao said, holding her close. "Genuinely, I am. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be doing this. I hope you'll forgive me."
   "I... I'm sorry too." Yuna replied. "I'll do it. It's only three months, we'll survive."

[Daitō]

The FarewellHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
May 15th, 1945
5:26 AM

   It had been a day which Yuna had dreaded, yet one which, whether due to the tides of war or merely the thread of fate, had come nonetheless. Even as the rain poured from the overcast skies, even as the waves crashed against the rocky shore, nothing could stop what was to happen. For today, Iwao departed for training, not likely to be seen for months to come. It wasn't as though he was to go very far; the camp he'd been assigned to was still within Kyūre, after all. But due to the navy's policy, he would not be permitted to leave, not unless something catastrophic were to happen, but Yuna didn't particularly care to think about that. The fact of the matter was that, though they would physically only be a few kilometers apart, in many ways, that distance would soon feel as distant as far off Vaguzia. It truly felt like it did in November, back when she said goodbye to her brother for the last time; even as she watched him, still in bed after having only awoken a few minutes prior, she felt that same mix of fear, sorrow, and hope that had nearly shattered her back then. What if he didn't return? What if he was sent off to fight? What if he was injured, or worse? She shook her head as she took out her notebook, the very same that she'd bought when she visited home in March of '44, and made a sketch of him.
   "Doodling again, Yuna?" Iwao joked, opening his eyes and glancing over to her, though he didn't move. "If you're gonna draw my face, how're you gonna forget it?"
   "I've told you a-" Yuna answered; he knew they were sketches. After all, it'd been the very first thing she'd said to him, all those years ago. "Oh, never mind that. What's with everyone thinking I'm that forgetful?"
   "I dunno, I was just pullin' your leg." Iwao chuckled as he picked himself up off the bed. "Mind if I?" He asked, reaching for the notebook with the hope of catching a glimpse.
   "No peeking!" She replied, quickly putting the notebook away; it was hardly finished, after all, and she never was one for sharing her work before it was ready. "Besides, you'll have plenty of time to see it when you come home."
   "Oh, fine..." Iwao said, defeated, as they started getting ready for the day, first by putting the futons away. Once that was finished, they would share breakfast with the rest of the family—the last until he would come home—before finishing a few chores around the house.

   By seven, it had come time for Iwao to depart, at least, if he wanted to be at the camp without being considered AWOL. How about that for a way to start a career in the navy, even in a role such as that? No, that wouldn't do one bit. But before he'd leave, he would have a few moments to say his farewells, first to the house he was raised in, then to his mother, his sister, his niece, and finally, to Yuna.
   "I know you said you'd protect our family, but I just want to make sure, are you going to be alright?" He asked her. With how the war had gone, even in spite of the propaganda which claimed that the Ardians would surely be defeated, he couldn't help but worry.
   "Yes." Yuna said, earnestly. "We'll all still be here when you come home, I promise."
   "In that case, I suppose this is farewell?" Iwao said before making his way towards the road, down the hill which had proven so treacherous for many a climber in years passed. Both Azumi and Kahori would join him, the former wishing to see him off, while the latter would only do so because school was the same way. Yet all Yuna could do, even as she felt a well of emotions building up within her, was stay behind. They would see one another, that much she knew, but so too did she realize that it would not be easy. How could it?

[Daitō]

SurvivorsHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
June 24th, 1945
8:04 PM

   Already, over a month had passed since Iwao had left for his training; he’d written once a week, and likewise he’d received mail in return every Sunday, but that was the fullest extent of their contact. And yet, it was still more than they’d heard from Daisaku, who had been missing for nearly two months now. Of course, they’d known he was still alive; one of his coworkers said as much, but he didn’t know where they’d taken him. That was, at the very least, until a few hours ago, when on the way home from picking up the week’s rations, Azumi had received a letter. It was from her father, which of course led to her running a little late getting home after dropping off everything they needed for dinner. By the time she returned, everything was ready, even the bowl of rice typically set out in case he were to come back home. Just some old tradition, and by now, they’d gotten so used to it that it seemed improper to not do it.

   Home seemed so much bigger now, so much emptier. Iwao and Daisaku would often spend time with Kahori, back when they were still here, yet gone was the laughter, the stories, the noise. It felt wrong, in a way, yet there was hope. That was something they couldn’t give up. Hope that Daisaku would come home alive. Hope that Iwao would make it out of training in one piece. Hope that Fusan would win the war, and that peace would reign across East Ardia evermore. To give up hope now would be to accept defeat, to die. Yet even then, there was an ever-present sense of fear which seemed to circle every home and business, and which sought to pierce the hearts of every man. After all, any day now, Kyūre might once again be attacked, and they’d have to crawl back into that hole in the ground which they called a shelter. Suffice to say, everyone was quiet around the dinner-table that night. That was, at least, until Azumi spoke up, finally breaking the silence.
   “Y’know, I don’t think I ever said why dad’s in the hospital.” She mentioned, though nobody responded at first. “Turns out, he took some shrapnel in his gut, had a bad concussion too. Only reason we haven’t heard anything is because he was out cold for a while. He should be able to come home soon, though.”
   “I suppose that makes sense.” Natsumi said with a nod as she put her chopsticks away. “And to think, we were so sure he would be at the hospital in Hikami.”
   “No wonder we couldn’t find him.” Yuna chimed in.
   “Well, when I visited”—Azumi pulled out a pocket-watch, its glass cracked and its hands stuck at around the time the attack began—”he asked me to get his watch repaired. I guess that means I’m going to be visiting Izumozaki.”
   “Izumozaki?” Asked Natsumi, rhetorically. It made sense, seeing as it, like the clock that hung upon the wall in the dining room, was made by Azumi’s father-in-law as a gift; who better to repair a watch than the man who made it?
   “Mhm. And y’know, if I have to make the visit, I… may as well take Kahori to see her brother.” She answered, solemnly. It was clear that something about that ate her up inside, and upon her face she wore an expression which Yuna had seen far too many times in the past: sorrow. Almost certainly for her late husband, and for the son who had been torn away from her due to the war and due to her own estrangement from the family. She would quickly gather her composure, saying in a rather definitive manner “We leave tomorrow.”
    “Tomorrow?” both Yuna and Kahori asked, for rather different reasons of course. Yuna was personally glad to see her go, not out of any malice but rather because she genuinely wanted to see Kahori and her brother reunited, even if for only a few days. Kahori, on the other hand, was surprised, as she had school that day, a concern which she would promptly voice.
   “What about school?” She asked.
   “Never you mind that, all they’ll do is have you doing exercise and playing in the dirt anyways.” Azumi reassured the child, holding her hand for a moment before getting up from the table. She had a fair bit of packing to do, for it would be a rather long trip.Nikokyo, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
June 25th, 1945
7:16 AM

   It had been a few months since Yuna had last visited the station, even if she wasn’t personally going anywhere. Nope, she was here solely to see her sister-in-law and her niece off; that and to help carry their luggage onto the train. But today, the line was rather long, and it showed. Even though they got to the station early, just prior to sunrise almost two hours prior, the line stretched as far as the next intersection. A great many of those here were soldiers, those assigned to defend the homeland, but also children. The first relocations had started as early as two or so years ago, but only in a limited scope out to the west. Now, however, with all the attacks, this policy had seemingly been expanded across the entirety of the mainland, or at least, so it would seem.
   “Is Izumozaki far?” Kahori asked Yuna as they continued to wait in line; Azumi was, of course, growing rather annoyed with how slow the line was moving, given that the trip was itself going to take a while.
   “Yeah, it is.” Yuna answered. “Farther than even Hatsukaichi.”
   “Is it near Tenkyo?”
   “No, not that far. Just up the coast, to the north.”
   “Yuna,” Azumi interrupted the two. “I think it’s rather clear we’re going to be waiting a while longer, so how about you take Kahori and visit dad?”
   “Alright, come with me, Kahori.” Yuna answered, taking her niece’s hand as they started to leave. Azumi didn’t care to watch them leave, even as the child asked if they’d get to see the ships out in the harbor. She was going to miss this, even if she didn’t say it aloud.7:31 AM

   With its plastered walls and winding corridors, the naval hospital, located near the base of Mount Shiraki and not far from Iwao’s old place of work, was rather unassuming. Were it not for the men in uniform who patrolled the grounds, one might’ve struggled to even know it was run by the navy, and frankly, its age was starting to show. After all, it had been built nearly seventy-five years ago, back when the Kyūre naval district itself had been established shortly following the end of the Keiō restoration, and though it had been well-maintained, it still seemed dated. Why replace what isn’t obsolete seemed to be the mantra of the navy, at least with its facilities on the ground.

   Upon entry into the hospital, the faint sound of songs not heard since before the war—since before the Kunan restoration—could be heard. This music, influenced by the styles once popular in Ardia, had been officially banned by the Yokusankai, of which the YFD faction still led even if the faces at the top had changed since that fateful day in ‘37. Gone was Sonyu, though he maintained an important role within the party as its leader, and in was one Einosuke Yagami and his ally, Kazumasa Toshinari. But the affairs of Shinkyo were yet far away, even as that city was roasted in the open flames of war. And frankly, the bans on “Ardian Music” were rather silly, so why should Yuna, or anyone for that matter, have made a fuss over it? Nobody seemed to care, especially Daisaku.
   “Father.” Yuna said with a bow as she and Kahori entered one of the wards. Of course, Kahori soon found herself asking questions of some of the sailors who were there, healing from wounds sustained in fighting out to sea or at one of the many facilities that had been hit in recent months, but she might’ve justified it by claiming it was so she would have something to tell her brother tomorrow.
   “Ah, Yuna, Kahori. I’m sorry I worried you so much, I… was in a coma. Is it really June already?” Daisaku asked, pushing up his glasses before glancing around the room for a moment.
   “Well, what’s important is that you’re alive.” Yuna answered as Kahori walked—ran, really—back to them.
   “And now we’re gonna take a train to go see my brother!” Kahori piped up as she tried to give her grandfather a hug.
   “Are you?” He asked, patting her on the head as he added “Well, the sooner, the better.” before she once again ran off to ask about ships, or something else that was of little consequence to either Yuna or Daisaku. “I’ve learned a lot of news since I came to…” He said, quietly as he laid back in his bed, not wishing for his granddaughter to overhear them. “Yuna, the Fusō was sunk.”
   “The Fusō?” Yuna asked, not believing him for a moment. How grim it was that the vessel which shared its name with the nation was lost in this dark hour.
   “Yes. She moved in front of the fleet off Toshima, diverting the enemy onto herself. Those boys saved a lot of lives, but our slice of the Azukishiman sea is now controlled by the enemy.”
   “You don’t mean…”
   “I do. That’s why I told Azumi to take Kahori to her father’s family in Izumozaki. It’ll be much safer there.” Daisaku said. “Believe me, I hate it as much as anyone else, but she deserves to grow up in peace, not having to worry about if she’ll even see tomorrow.”
   “I… I understand. Truthfully, I’ve been worried about that too, ever since my brother… Well, you know.”
   “You’re fine. Now, you’d best get going. Don’t want to miss your train now, do you?”
   “Take care, father.” Yuna replied before leaving the hospital with Kahori.9:09 AM

   It was no wonder that Azumi seemed so sad since last night, Yuna thought as they left the hospital with Kahori. She was having to say goodbye to her daughter, to the last real connection to her old life, to her husband, at least until after the war. How horrible it was, even if necessary for her safety. As she looked around the area, first back towards the hospital, where she caught a glimpse of Daisaku waving at them, and then across the street, where the shouts of trainees performing their exercises could be heard, about something her father once told her. ”Survival requires you to make difficult choices, both for yourself and for those around you.” He had said, even if he was talking about his time in the military. In a way, the situation was quite similar, as Kyūre was practically on the frontlines now, and if she wanted Kahori to live, then difficult choices had to be made.
   “Auntie Yuna?” Kahori asked as they walked along the wall of the compound, back towards the station. “Can we go look over there?” She pointed towards the harbor through a gap in the wall. “I wanna see what ships are here so I can tell my brother about them.”
   “I can’t see anything.” Yuna answered, indulging her for a moment.
   “Let’s keep going, please?” Kahori begged in a simultaneously endearing and annoying fashion. Off in the distance, a faint humming noise, likely the sound of aircraft, could be heard.
   “I dunno, Kahori… We really should be-” Yuna answered, being cut off by the wailing of sirens. The city was under attack again, and this time, they were caught out in the open.

[Daitō]

DelayedNikokyo, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
June 25th, 1945
9:18 AM

   It was a sound which Yuna had unfortunately grown used to, the vicious wails of air raid sirens. Most of the time, they’d been sounded as a result of false alarms or for aircraft that would ultimately hit elsewhere, yet not today. Daisaku had always said to make sure if you can hear engines, and she could certainly hear them now. But that there were so many coming was of little consequence; they didn’t know where to go. They certainly wouldn’t have enough time to get home, but there had to be a public shelter nearby. Best to just follow everyone else, she thought, as she heard someone shouting for people to find shelter, and quickly. Not that needed to be told that, of course, but it was probably for the few people here who somehow didn’t know what to do.
   “Looks like they really are coming this time.” Someone said as people filed into one of the shelters, not too far from the hospital. The sound of AA guns started to fill the air alongside the rumble of engines, but Yuna and Kahori seemed safe, entering the shelter alongside everyone else.
   “You’re not from around here, are you?” One of the occupants, a woman who appeared to be in her late 40s, asked.
   “No, ma’am. We’re from up in Hiroioki, visiting family in the hospital.” Yuna answered, holding Kahori close. It seemed so silly, being polite at a time like this, and yet she felt indebted to everyone else here for allowing them to stay, given the circumstances.
   “I’m so sorry to hear-”
   “HERE THEY COME!” Someone else, a soldier, possibly, shouted as he slammed the door to the shelter shut. “Cover your ears, open your mouth, and get down!” He said before taking cover as many in the shelter seemed to be fighting the urge to cry.
   “Yuna, I’m scared…” Kahori said.
   “We’re gonna be okay, don’t you worry.” Yuna said, reassuring her. And then the world began to violently shake, the loud bangs and cracks thundering all around them. Even the first attack wasn’t this bad, and they had been outside for it. No, it was like the ground was going to swallow them alive. Indeed, some of the soil fell around them, and yet the shelter held strong. They must’ve been going for the arsenal, there was no other reason to hit so close. Frankly, there was little else to target here anymore, since much of the fleet had moved further into the inland sea or to other ports in the east. It felt as though it would never end…12:03 PM

   Just over two and a half hours would pass as the world seemed to fall apart around them. It was like an earthquake of a magnitude few alive might’ve remembered, at least, around here anyways. Yuna remembered growing up hearing about the earthquake that hit Shinkyo the same year she was born, and her great-grandfather had lived through the Tokai earthquakes in the 1850s, but even those didn’t last for hours at a time. Not that this did either, not really, since the planes came in waves, but it was far too constant to be an earthquake. Sometimes, a bomb would land really close, and those would rattle everyone present to their bones, but eventually, the tremors stopped and the sirens issued forth the “all clear”, so it would seem it was safe to exit the shelter.

   Yuna and Kahori were among the last to leave, having helped some of the elderly to exit before them. Even in times of turmoil such as these, Yuna had been taught to care for those who were most vulnerable in society; that was something her father had wanted her to remember, growing up. Even though he wasn’t here, she wanted to make him proud, to make her nation proud, even if the act itself was so small. But eventually, they would also have to leave the shelter, for they had a train to catch, assuming Azumi had survived and the tracks hadn’t been damaged.

   A thin haze of smoke hung in the air, joined by the cacophony of people coughing as a result. Even her niece hadn’t been spared from it, yet at first, she paid no mind. Just up ahead, across from the entrance to the shelter, a house sat destroyed, shattered by one of the bombs. They had just narrowly avoided death that day; even a few feet closer and the shelter would’ve almost certainly collapsed in on itself. And standing in front of it, just at the entrance to the house, was one of the women who had joined them in that hole in the ground. She seemed stunned, yet her eyes were almost empty, as though she had just lost everything, and indeed she had. That was once her home, most likely, but there was something she had which so many people needed: Water.
   “Uh, excuse me?” Yuna asked the woman, who at first appeared to not notice them. “Can we have some water?” She continued, looking at the tub of water just off the property, presumably there in case of a fire. The Umekis had something similar, though of course, theirs wasn’t quite as nice looking.
   “Go ahead.” The woman said, and almost immediately people would crowd around it, seeking relief from the smoke which left their lungs irritated and which stung their eyes. She’d lost so much, the poor thing, and yet even now she was so generous. Or was it simply a lack of care, now that she had nothing to her name? Either way, that was perhaps the best water any of them had in their life, but eventually, everyone, even Yuna and Kahori, would leave, but not before thanking her.

   As they walked along the road, every so often they’d be able to catch a glimpse of the sea, of the carnage wrought upon the harbor. It wasn’t good, that was for sure. Sirens could be heard nearby, probably from the fire department as so many sped to combat the flames which raged in the harbor. Off in the distance, beyond the mountains, smoke seemed to rise, perhaps from aircraft which had thankfully been brought down, but that wasn’t worth speculating. Right now, they needed to focus on getting back to the station. There would be questions, of course; some serious, like why the bombings were even happening, others less-so. Kahori worried if the train had left them, and was told that they wouldn’t leave the station at a time like this. But even after all that happened, she seemed dead-set upon one thing in particular: seeing the ships. It would be difficult, of course, given the smoke, but that was something that was something she’d help with. It might’ve been her last time seeing her, for all she knew, so why not make it count?
   “Auntie Yuna?” Kahori spoke up as they walked side-by-side, Yuna on the left, Kahori on the right. “Do you think you could draw Hisao for me next?” She asked her as they passed by someone’s garden off to the right, torn apart by shrapnel by the looks. Such innocence, Yuna thought as they walked. And then, she saw it. A crater, small in diameter, sat within, and for some reason, she recalled a lecture she’d attended over a year ago. ”Small craters can be created by unexploded bombs. According to our intelligence reports, as well as experience in the field, the enemy uses these bombs to hamper recovery after an attack.” the instructor’s voice echoed in her head. It was like alarm bells were going off in her head, practically screaming at her to run, and now.
   “Kahori, look out!” She screamed, grabbing her hand and trying to run, but it was too late. A flash of light blinded her, and then, there was nothing. On that day, tasked with protecting both home and family, she failed. Everything was gone.

[Daitō]

Murderer???

   I still remember, back when I was young, when my grandmother used to try and teach me to sew. I was always so terrible at it, even when I bothered to try, and whenever I’d fail, she’d tell me that I’d messed up and that with such horrible needlework, nobody would want to marry me. Of course, I’d answer by saying that if that were the case, then I would refuse to get married. How simple life used to be. Come to think of it, I must’ve been told something like that so many times, and yet here I was, married by the time I’d turned nineteen. Just a child, as Azumi might’ve called her. What would she think, if she saw me now? In my mind, I dwelt so often upon that road, where it all happened. I watched, in the few moments when I was conscious, as they scraped her off the ground, unable to move due to my wounds and unable to feel a thing. If only it’d had a ditch, then we might’ve been able to take shelter in it. I had my bag in my left hand, and in my right, Kahori. If it were the other way around, then would this have happened? If I had kicked off my sandals and ran, could we have made it beyond the hilltop? What was beyond that hill? Salvation, or just more pain?
   ”Over there's the Akitsukuni and the Tokai.” I heard that poor child’s voice over and over, the memories all swarming in my mind. The time she wanted to paint a bald spot. The day we tried to save our sugar. All the times we talked and we played together in the evenings. Oh, that laugh, how I missed it. I briefly opened my eyes, seeing a figure, though I couldn’t quite make out who it was. Natsumi, maybe? No, but it was someone familiar, at least. She looked so much like Iwao, I thought as I tried to remember.
Hiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
???
   When I learned to sew after arriving here, Kahori would often join me, though she never really paid much attention. Getting scolded and told she’d never make a good bride… She wouldn’t even get to know how that felt, now. She wouldn’t get to know anything anymore. Kahori was dead, and yet I lived.
   “I should’ve come with you...” I heard someone say, someone familiar. That’s who I saw. I couldn’t tell if it had been weeks, months, or even years since that day, but I knew that voice.
   “I-I’m sorry…” I tried to say with a lump in my throat, but the words struggled to escape my mouth. I closed my eyes, and then I opened them once more, hoping that this was just a nightmare. Closed and opened. Closed and opened. I closed my eyes and opened them, but nothing changed. Where did I go wrong? “I’m sorry, Kahori! I’m sorry, Azumi!” I cried, yet my words fell on deaf ears. I only then realized just how bad it had been, for where my right arm had been, only a bandaged, bloody stump remained.
   “Murderer… You murderer!” Azumi cried, gripping the sheet which lay over my broken body. “You killed her! Give Kahori back, damn you!” She was right. I had never wanted this, but I could’ve saved her. I should’ve saved her. I promised I would protect her, that I would protect this home while Iwao was away, and yet, dead she was. Why didn’t I?
   “Don’t say that, Azumi.” Natsumi said in a gentle manner, helping her up and consoling her as she did so. She said something more, something about rations, but I couldn’t pay attention to that. How could I? I had gotten Kahori killed, and all because I’d wanted to spend more time with her. I was selfish at best, and a monster at worst. But soon, my vision faded to nothing, and by the time I awoke again, she was gone.June 28th, 1945
3:10 PM
   My father once told me that everyone had a place in the world, that everyone had a purpose to their life that they had to learn for themselves. For him, it was in the army, then later in Hatsukaichi. My brother always seemed to belong to the heavens, and he paid the ultimate price for that. But what about me? Where was my place in this world? I once again thought of that day, of the road where she died. At that moment, where did I belong? In the garden. If I’d just stood there, been consumed in the flame, then I would’ve made it to where I really belonged. To where Kahori now was.
   “I’m sorry about what she said earlier, Yuna.” Natsumi told me as she helped me to sit up in bed before brushing my hair as if I were a child. “She’s grieving, so please, don’t let it get to you. We’re all glad that you’re still alive.”
   Glad? How could anyone be glad now? “Really?” I asked, almost expecting it to be a lie. After all, was it not normal to lie to the injured, if only to make them feel better?

   The sirens sounded again, and deep down, I felt conflicted as to whether I was scared or if I simply felt numb. Yet my father-in-law, who had been released the day after I was injured, told us he heard no engines, and so, we accepted that they would not come. Maybe it was a false alarm, but I’d never been so disappointed that we weren’t getting bombed before. I must’ve come out wrong.
   “Nothing will happen to us, right?” I asked as I laid back in bed.
   “Of course not.” Natsumi answered, perhaps trying to reassure me, but I could see in her eyes that she was scared to the bone.
   After a moment, I answered with words that I regretted. “I’m glad.” Lies, all of it. That lady whose house was destroyed… I wondered at that moment what had happened to her. Did she skip town? They tore her house down for her, so what better reason could she have needed? If our home was destroyed, would it be that easy for us, too?

[Daitō]

Fire on the Mountain, Part OneHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
July 1st, 1945
11:45 PM

   It was almost pitch-black outside, the skies heavily overcast as rain fell gently from above. Just a few minutes of decent weather all day, Yuna had thought as she lay in bed, before the darkness returned. It seemed almost fitting, given the circumstances, but in the moments that she wasn’t in pain, her mind was free to wander, most often to the day that everything changed, the day that Kahori died. How long had it truly been, she wondered when her father-in-law left for work that morning. For him to be up and about, it had to have been some span of time, at the very least. A day? A week? A month? The passage of time had bled together, and she’d hardly paid attention to the rising and setting of the sun. To tell the truth, she didn’t care anymore.

   Murderer.

   That’s what Azumi had called her, and as she looked at the family’s shrine, where poor, young Kahori’s ashes sat in a box, she couldn’t help but agree. She could’ve taken another route to the station. She could’ve not stopped on the way back to the station. She could’ve done so much to prevent this, but she didn’t. And to make matters worse, whenever someone would come to visit, as Mrs. Fukumori—one of their neighbors—had earlier in the day, they’d look at her with pity. She survived, and they pitied her. What sense was there in that, pitying someone who was so inattentive that she got her own niece killed in such a preventable fashion? No. The last thing she needed was pity. That was for the innocent, not for her.

   Do you think you could draw Hisao for me next?

   Her last words, at least, the last that Yuna ever heard. Her memory of that day was at times both vivid and fragmentary; she remembered the moments leading up to the explosion quite well, but afterwards, what few things she could recall, she didn’t want to remember. She could remember, between moments of consciousness, seeing as first responders scraped what little remained of Kahori off the ground. She could remember the hospital being so full that not only was she given just the bare minimum of treatment before being sent home, but that her father-in-law had been sent home with them. And of course, she remembered how Azumi had seen her afterwards. She was still in pain, but then again, everyone was. The war had truly come home now; it wasn’t like her brother going missing—presumed dead—in Toshima. She’d directly witnessed the death of a loved one, perhaps even, in some small way, caused it.

   Yet when the now ever-familiar tones of the radio issued forth, what thoughts she had at the time quickly faded away. Outside, it was so dark that, were it not for the searchlights which guided the local AA battery’s fire, one might not be able to see more than a couple dozen meters away.
   ”The central region’s office of civil defense reports: 23:50. Two groups were observed over Hatsukaichi bay. Furthermore, there are two groups over the Hinase strait and two over the Kitan channel. In the southwest, there are…” The presenter prattled on. Off in the distance, engines could be heard, though surely they’d have some time left before whatever was coming would arrive.
   “Are you awake, Yuna?” Natsumi asked, opening the door to her room. For her part, Yuna had, in fact, been awake for a while, and had been getting ready to evacuate the building; she had, however, run into some trouble with her hood. These hoods had been in use for a while by now, yet she never quite understood their use. All it might do is prevent dust from getting into her hair, which now seemed so inconsequential to her.
   “I am.” She answered as Azumi began removing the shoji doors as instructed by countless meetings of the tonarigumi.

   A few minutes would pass as everyone present did what they could to prepare. The once faint buzzing of aircraft engines had given way to a most furious roar, perhaps louder than they had been anytime before. By two minutes before midnight, they had become impossible to ignore, which of course meant it was time to get into the shelter.
   “Look at that, they’re saying that there are many airplanes, but I tell you, I can’t see them.” Natsumi said, helped by her daughter on their way to the shelter. Almost as soon as they stepped down from the porch, a bright yellow light filled the sky as flares began to fall from above. No doubt, it was either some sort of signal or simply a means of illuminating the city for the enemy. It was a strangely beautiful sight, like the attack on the 16th of March or the first time she saw a condensation trail.
   “Yuna, c’mon! Quickly now!” Someone, perhaps Azumi or perhaps one of the Arikawas, said, and yet, she did not move. Why couldn’t she move? She might’ve thought it was beautiful, in its own way anyways, but she knew to run from that which was beautiful if it was still a threat. Fear? They hadn’t attacked yet, but perhaps that was part of it. No, it was something else. Soon enough, a new sound filled the air, almost like the shattering of glass mixed with the ruffling of paper, and light fell from the sky before striking the ground with a loud bang, setting alight all that surrounded them.

   It was guilt. That’s what she felt, even as one of the incendiary bombs crashed through the roof but did not explode like the others. In that moment, she wasn’t afraid, she wasn’t sad, hell, she wasn’t even happy—if one could call it that—about what had happened. She was just tired, tired of the grief, of the pain, of the guilt. She felt angry, yet not because they had been attacked; rather, she was disappointed that it hadn’t landed a meter closer and took her with it. It would’ve been what she deserved, after all. But then, with tears in her eyes as she looked at the bomb, she remembered what she had been asked just a short while ago.

   ”Are you going to be alright?”

   Was this alright? Kahori was dead, she was maimed, and now, the house was about to go up like a tinderbox. What would Iwao think if all of them were gone? Would he be alright? She couldn’t bear to imagine it, yet so lost was she in her own thoughts that she could hardly do anything at all. Azumi once told her that she’d been brought here only to help out, yet Iwao had truly enjoyed her time with them. She had too, but… It felt as though she had only brought the Umekis pain and heartache. Would they be better off without her?
   “Yuna, where are you!?” Azumi shouted for her, a lone voice in the darkness which seemed to drown out the flame. Though she didn’t mean it that way, the question seemed almost perfect. “Where was she?” indeed. Home. Prison. Refuge. Torment. It seemed so conflicting, how she felt about this place, yet there was one thing, at the very least, which was certain: it needed to be protected. She soon ran, scanning the area for something, anything which might put it out. At the end of the porch, a pair of buckets full of water. She might’ve only had one arm, but she would have to manage. She hoisted one up, propping it up against the stump that once was her right hand, and ran like a bat out of hell with a great cry.
   “Water! I need more water!” She shouted as she tried—and failed—to extinguish the flames which threatened to consume their abode, soon resorting to using her futon to stamp it out, an act which was frankly foolish on a normal day and which singed the fringes of her clothes. She could hear the tramps of footsteps on the wooden floors getting closer.
   “Yuna, did one of them hit us?” Azumi asked before quickly stepping in to help. A precious few more seconds passed, and before she knew it, the fire was out. They wouldn’t look at the bomb, that small, rectangular thing, yet to think that such a device could do so much damage so quickly… They were lucky. If it had gone off, they would’ve lost the house and Yuna would’ve died. As Azumi, Natsumi, and a few of their neighbors helped to move the device, the buckets, and the now scorched futon out of the house, she would step towards the edge of the yard, exhausted, as she looked out towards the city below. A great breeze, warm to the touch, slammed against her face, and in shock, she could only look out and stare.

   Kyūre was burning.

[Daitō]

Fire on the Mountain, Part TwoHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
July 2nd, 1945
8:32 AM

   In the distance, someone shouted about rice from Hatsukaichi, a donation from their larger neighbor, yet few seemed ready to listen. Overnight, Hiroioki’s population had nearly quadrupled as residents of the city proper fled to the mountains, and even the Umeki residence, damaged by last night’s raid, had become a temporary shelter, at least for the moment. So many were injured, Yuna thought, some worse than even she. It certainly was enough to give her pause, yet she couldn’t do much but help out where she could. Would her brother be proud of her, helping others so soon after she had been so badly hurt, or would he think she was an idiot? Probably the latter, but in her heart, she knew she had to do it.

   There was some good to come from this, if you could call it that, as the disaster had brought the community together in a way which no amount of tonarigumi meetings could. Everyone helped where they could, tending to the wounded if able and if not, then watching over the young or helping in other ways. It had also brought old faces together, including Hiroyo and Entaro, Yuna’s “aunt” and “uncle” by marriage, so at least they could take it easy knowing that they were alright. Mostly. Like so many others, they had lost their homes and livelihoods, victims of a war that the Ardians had brought to their shores. Perhaps it was noble to fight on after all, and not merely some delusion of General Sonyu’s. If this was what they were willing to do without boots on the ground, then who could imagine what they’d do upon landing here? They had to fight, just as their allies did across the sea.
   “Excuse me, Mrs. Umeki?” One of the wounded asked Yuna, though she didn’t at first notice. It still felt a little strange to be called that, she thought when she heard it. “D-do you think I can borrow some of these bandages?”
   “By all means.” She answered before grabbing a bucket and heading towards the fields. She may have been wounded, but now was not the time to just sit down and do nothing. That would just allow her to dwell on her thoughts, which… wasn’t ideal. Even so, as she walked along the path, she looked out towards the coast, to where smoke and flame still rose, albeit greatly reduced from the night before.

   It was all gone.

   That wasn’t an exaggeration, either. There was hardly a building left standing, a tree left unscorched, a road not covered in debris. The city of Kyūre, the home of Ardia’s “greatest naval yard”, as Iwao had put it, seemed scoured from the face of the earth. So much suffering, so much pain, so much death. Even this far from the city center, spared as they were from the worst of the bombing, the smell of smoke and of death was difficult to ignore. Likewise, the fear that Iwao might’ve been caught up in that was impossible to dismiss. She hoped and prayed that he’d gotten out alive, that he hadn’t wound up like she had. He had certainly gone through enough already—assuming, of course, he knew about Kahori—to go through that. Nobody should have to live through this. Not her, not her family, no one. And what did they seek to achieve, anyways? Did the Ardians seriously think that they would bow to violence? No! If Constantine Devaux wanted peace, he wouldn’t make the people of Fusan steel themselves for the invasion of the mainland that was sure to come. He would surrender while he had the chance, spare the lives of millions.

   Instead, it would have to be a battle for survival in the embers of the old world, one that would surely preserve the nation. She watched as a handful of trucks with both army and navy markings drove in and out of town; those going in brought supplies, troops, and workers—or at least, people who looked like workers—to relieve the beleaguered city, while those leaving almost invariably bore the wounded and dead to hospitals in the nearby towns. The trains had already been brought back into service as well, which would certainly help with relief efforts, but what was there that was even left? The city was dead, plain and simple. No longer a target, yes, but no longer a city, either.

   “It’s all gone… Burnt flat as far as I can see.” One of her neighbors, one Chiho Asayama, said as she and Kyoko Fukumori—the very same Fukumori who had visited yesterday—sat on the ledge near the graveyard along the way to the terrace. “Even the temple’s gone.”
   “Such a shame. I rather liked that place.” Kyoko replied, barely noticing Yuna as they continued to talk and watch the fires below.

   That had been a place Yuna had wanted to visit one day. It was where Azumi had found work—not as a nun; she didn’t have the patience for that—but rather helping around where possible, at least whenever the WVC didn’t have work for her. She’d seen it many times, of course, since it was pretty much directly on the way into town from Hiroioki, but somehow, she’d never found the time to visit. Now, she’d never have that chance. Sure, they’d rebuild if they could find the funds, but that would be many years from now, and by then, it wouldn’t be the same. She soon heard footsteps coming close to her, rather quickly too, but she paid them no mind. It was only when she heard that most familiar voice that she stopped in her tracks.

   “Yuna!” Iwao exclaimed, stopping in front of her. His outfit was in tatters, his face weary, but he was alive. Yet by the look on his face, he seemed more concerned than anything else; how could he not? “Are you hurt?” He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. It took her a moment for everything to set in, to process her thoughts upon seeing him, and in the end, there was only one question on her mind.
   “Wh-what about your training?” She asked, putting aside everything else for the moment.
   “It got canceled. Anyway, I’m glad you’re still alive.” He said, looking briefly at her arm before letting her go. For some reason, one which eluded her then, she felt exhausted, as though a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. And in the end, all she could say was “I’m sorry.” before the fatigue claimed her and she passed out in his arms.6:16 PM

   Some time passed before she awoke again, finding herself back home and in bed. Everyone had left by now, moved on to other parts of Hiroioki or to the other districts which had survived the attack. Daisaku was still at work—she’d seen him briefly return home early in the morning before heading back out—and Natsumi was outside cleaning the bandages. Azumi was not there either, though she was probably in the shelter with Kahori’s ashes. She hadn’t left her side since the night before, save perhaps to help out early in the morning, but not afterwards. The only person inside, other than Yuna herself, was Iwao, who was holding her hand in his as he sat besides her.
   “Careful, now. Don’t want to strain yourself too much.” He said as she tried to sit up.
   “I’m fine.” Yuna answered.
   “You know that’s not true.” Iwao pointed out. “Believe me, I know.”
   “...fair enough.”
   “I was gonna tell you before you, uh, passed out, but-” Iwao spoke up. “-as of today, I have officially completed my training.”
   “I thought you said they canceled it?” Yuna asked, perplexed.
   “They did, but with the base getting torched, they figured it’d be easier to formally induct us now than to move us halfway across the country to finish.”
   “Does that mean-”
   “Yes. I’m gonna be allowed to stay… home, at least for now.”

   A few moments passed; it had to be the longest five seconds Yuna had known. An awkward silence had filled the room, and they both knew why. After all, it was hard to ignore, having left quite the hole in things.
   “Man. That bomb sure did a number on the roof, didn’t it.” Iwao said, looking up at the ceiling. “I heard from mom, how you… Well, how you saved the place.”
   “It was nothing.” Yuna said, quietly.
   “That’s not what I heard. You did well, Yuna.”

   It was clear that neither of them really wanted to talk about what had happened just a week prior, so much so that they’d rather talk about the hole in the roof rather than the gaping hole in their family. Unlike the roof, it was something that couldn’t really be mended, and it would have to stick with them for the rest of their lives. After all, the laughter that had once filled this old house was gone, perhaps for good though neither of them hoped so. Kahori’s absence was impossible to ignore.
   “It’s not your fault, y’know." Iwao said, placing his arm around her shoulder. “I heard from dad about what happened. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He added, though Yuna remained silent for the time being. “The point is-” he bit his lip. “-if I had been there, it would’ve made no difference. It was an accident.”
   “N-no, it wasn’t.” Yuna said, her eyes glistening in the evening sun. “I could’ve done more, I could’ve-”
   “You did everything you could. I’m just glad you’re still alive.” Iwao said, holding her close as she began to sob uncontrollably.

   But in her mind, she still blamed herself.

[Daitō]

”I’m Glad”Hiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
July 19th, 1945
9:18 AM

   It was an odd pair of phrases, ”I’m glad” and ”It’s good.” Yuna thought as she looked down at the bandaged stump that was once her right hand. She’d heard it over and over again for the last few weeks, whether from friends, family, or even from complete strangers. Glad that she was alive, that the house hadn’t been lost, that she was healing rather quickly. So many things they said that they were glad for, and yet, she couldn’t help but wonder what she should be glad about, what was so good about any of what had happened. It was all wrong. So very, very wrong. It had only been a few weeks ago that she’d learned that her right hand was gone. The same hand that once grabbed Kahori’s hand in June. The same hand that she’d used to draw her husband’s face in May. The same hand that had helped Ikuko cross the bay ten years ago.

   How was she holding up, Yuna thought to herself. They’d only had a short while to talk to one another back in November, and she didn’t take the news about their brother all too well. They’d tried to keep in touch though, albeit by letter, but even these had stopped since the accident. She wasn’t so good at writing with her left hand anyways, so it was probably to be expected, but… Ikuko hadn’t sent anything, either. Her parents had, but it was pretty much complete silence from her. Maybe she was just too busy? That was probably it; she had been one of the more industrious Kimuras, after all, but… Between all that had happened with Isao and now her, she couldn’t blame her if it was a little bit difficult. And if she was going to visit, it would’ve been next to impossible for the first few weeks anyways, just due to travel restrictions.

   And as though fate had decided to toy with her again, the door slid open, and someone stepped in. Probably just Natsumi, coming by to check on her again, but maybe, just maybe it was another visitor, seeing as the only other alternative was her sister-in-law, who had just about stopped talking to her anymore. She couldn’t help but wonder if her sister-in-law had simply been feeling guilt about what she had said to her earlier or if it were simply another manifestation of her grief. For all she knew, it might’ve been both. Either way, with regards to who had come to visit, she’d soon have the answer anyway.
   “Your sister’s here.” Natsumi said, at which point Yuna’s attention slowly shifted from her hand.
   “Oh, how horrible, Yuna.” Ikuko said as she entered the room; in her hands was a parcel of some sort, likely containing some sort of fabric based on how it slumped against her arms.
   “Ikuko? You… came to see me?” Yuna asked, her face almost lighting up upon seeing her.
   “Of course. You probably don’t remember, but I came by the day after…”
   “After Kahori died.”
   “Right. You were still out cold, though.”
   “I’m gonna be honest, I’m surprised you could even make it out here.” Yuna said as she sat up on her futon. “I thought the Army was still imposing its restrictions on travel.” She added as her sister took a seat beside her.
   “Oh, they are.” Ikuko answered. “You remember that officer I told you about, back when you came to visit last year?” She asked, to which her sister nodded in response. “Well, he wound up getting assigned to help transport supplies out here from Hatsukaichi, and he’s been allowing me to hitch a ride on his truck.”
   “I see… What’s his name?” Yuna inquired, head tilted.
   “Hm? Oh, Hiroki.”
   “Well, you’d best give this ‘Lt. Hiroki’ my thanks.” Yuna smiled. “So, what’s in the package?”
   “Oh, right.” Ikuko said, quickly grabbing it and opening it. “Just some old clothes, hand-me-downs that some of my friends from work gave me. I know, they’re old, but they’re pure cotton.”
   “Pure? So, no rayon?” Yuna asked, surprised that she’d even been able to find it. Ever since ‘39, the government had mandated that all cotton yarn be blended with the stuff, which meant it was… not exactly very durable. Actually wound up putting the family business under and forcing her father to rejoin the military, even if as an overseer for an arsenal.
   “Indeed. ‘Course, now I owe them, but for you, it’s worth it.”

   A few moments passed as they continued to talk, during which time Azumi would quickly drop by and serve the two of them tea. It was hardly what could be considered “good”, but it was the gesture that mattered more than quality. Besides, with how hard it had become to afford even such a simple luxury, you’d need to take what you could get. Even so, she still remained silent as she first entered and then left the room, and so too were they. Yuna could’ve sworn that she heard Ikuko apologize, even if quietly, but that was about it. Once she had left, though, they would get back to talking amongst themselves.
   “I suppose I should thank you.” Yuna said after a moment, looking down at the clothing. It had certainly seen better days, but then again, so had she.
   “It’s nothing, honestly. I’d like to imagine you would’ve done the same, were our roles reversed.”
   “No need to imagine, you know I would.” Yuna said, to which Ikuko nodded in agreement.

   Some time would pass, and the hour would soon grow late. It had been quite surprising, truth be told, just how quickly the day had passed, but everything had its appointed hour, and this was the one where her sister had to leave. They had, of course, enjoyed the time they spent together; in many ways, like they had been as children, they were still each other’s best friend, if not their first. But that didn’t mean that schedules couldn’t be kept. Far from it, in fact.
   “Well, I’d best be going.” Ikuko said, grabbing her things with a smile. So innocent, much like Kahori, and a sight all too rare these days. Yuna had hoped and prayed that she would survive the war unscathed, unshaken by all that had happened, and so far, it seemed like it might stay that way. But as her father had taught her, it was best to cherish the moments you had with those you loved, and so, she’d make a decision which, though perhaps foolish given the state she was in, was one she would have to commit to.
   “Tell you what, I’ll walk you half-way.” She replied. And so, a couple minutes would pass as they got ready to leave, but eventually, they were off.Nikokyo, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
3:26 PM

   I had come to regret my decision, tagging along, even if I wasn’t walking the whole way. It wasn’t the distance, nor was it my still-healing arm that was the trouble, but rather, the heat. It was unseasonably warm out, even for this time of year, and it was further compounded by most of the trees being burned away on the 1st of July. And that was before we even reached the city proper. Hiroioki had taken a beating, to be sure, but nothing could compare to what was before us. Though I didn’t know if she felt the same, it seemed to me like the world was spiraling out of control, and I had been merely a vicarious bystander who wound up getting unlucky.
   “Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Ikuko asked me as we descended the hill, probably because I’d nearly tripped going down it. I could never understand why anyone would want to live at the top of such a steep hill, let alone put a road going up this part of it. “Yeah. I need the exercise anyway. Doctor’s orders.” I answered.

   A few minutes passed as we continued to climb down, and I got to thinking about Isao again. Just about every time he’d stop by to visit, he’d complain to me about the climb, especially after they’d finally scrapped the steam bus. Something to do with it just being incapable of going uphill, or so I’d been told, though she suspected it was more due to poor maintenance than anything else. As we walked, passing first into Hondori, I could tell just how bad the attacks had been. In spite of what we had thought, the idea that Kyūre was safe after so much had been burned was proving to be false. After all, we still didn’t go more than a few days at a time between air raids, and every so often, the harbor would be hit again, as would the surrounding buildings which had yet survived.
   “So, where are we going exactly?” I asked, stepping over some rubble which had fallen in the road.
   “Well, I’m supposed to meet him by the fire station.” Ikuko answered, still looking forward.
   “Ah, then you’ll want to look for the observation tower down by the river.” I replied, though come to think of it, was it still around? The fire had been pretty bad, even over there, so it wasn’t as though I knew for sure if it had survived. “Oh, wait, it probably burned down, didn’t it.”
   “Nope, it’s still there.” Ikuko responded. “Hiroki showed it to me on the way into town.” She added before positively gushing about him. “He’s so kind, y’know. He gives me ration coupons for lunch and movie tickets. And of course, he remembered that I have a sister out here, so…”
   “Sounds to me like you like him.” I teased her for a moment, which of course caused no small amount of embarrassment for my sister, which I too would feel once she started “lightly” patting me on the back. “What are you talking about, Yuna?” She joked as we continued to walk.

   It was nice, seeing that at least someone was so happy, even now that the world had been turned upside-down. That flowers could still bloom, even when by all accounts, the world they knew was dead. For some people, life just went on, unaware of the horrors that lurked not even a hundred kilometers away. Her old hometown must’ve been so peaceful, this time of year. Yet in Kyūre, so close-by, hell had arrived, and death yet lingered in the air. Two cities, so close yet so different, two lifestyles separate from one another. When this was all over, if anyone were left alive, would a place like Hatsukaichi be the same as before, or would it too be forever changed?

   Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve spoken to Iwao a whole lot since that day.

   “This place really got hit hard, didn’t it?” Ikuko asked me as we approached the city center. All around, just about as far as the eye could see, the city was flattened. A few people still lingered, living out of their shelters and trying to pick up the pieces as well as they could, but it would certainly be in vain the next time an attack happened. And there would be a next time, that was certain. Especially with the rumors that the Army was getting ready for something big, something which might hopefully put an end to the raids once and for all

 Of course, I didn’t understand why anyone would stay behind; after all, if their homes were burnt down, why not just leave? We stopped by the side of the road, near where some incense had been placed where someone had died, and we offered a prayer for them. Ikuko seemed surprised that someone had died here, let alone that the body hadn’t been dealt with so far, yet I’ve walked by people lying dead in the street without so much as batting an eye. It had just become ordinary, a part of the daily routine.
   “Kyūre keeps getting bombed endlessly… How can people keep living with it?” She asked me as she stood up from the impromptu shrine, surrounded by water from a burst pipe. “Why, that attack at the start of the month was so bad that we could see the sky turning red, even from home.”

   I think I knew, at that moment, what was wrong. My sister was only a year younger than me, but I knew that I was the one who was all wrong. Warped by the war like a world drawn with my left hand.

   “So, uh… With your… Your hand being the way it is, it must be hard, helping the Umekis.” She said, turning to look at me. “The point I’m trying to make is… Well. The point is, I’d like for you to come home. To Hatsukaichi.” I was, of course, surprised by the request; I hadn’t even really considered it an option until she said it, and I didn’t know if I could leave everyone—everything—behind again. Not now. “There aren’t any raids on the city, and I know, it won’t be the same now that Isao’s gone, but… It would do your mother so much good if you were around.” That was a good point, I thought privately; not my brother being gone, but everything else. I’m glad. I thought to myself before I answered.
“...It’s a tempting offer.” I looked away, a smirk on my face as I thought of what else I could say. “Maybe I’ll come and see if this officer ‘friend’ of yours is as handsome as you say he is.” I teased yet again.
   “That’s not funny!” Ikuko said in a slightly higher-pitched voice than usual.
   “I kid, I kid.” I said, trying to defuse the situation just in case.
   “Sure you do.” Ikuko replied before saying “It’s a good idea though.” before leaving. But before she got too far, she turned around and shouted something about the upcoming festival, set for the 5th of August, as well as that she ought to come home soon. And yet, I was undecided. One thing I knew, though, was that because I was so tempted to run away, my brother would be disappointed.

   And because of that, I was glad he wasn’t around anymore.

[Daitō]

The CowardHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
July 28th, 1945
7:00 AM

   The raids had gotten worse since I last saw Ikuko. Every day, the Ardians would come back, tearing into the city like a flock of vultures would a dead animal. There was no sense to it, I thought as I went out for my early morning walk around the district; after all, the fleet had all but abandoned the city in favor of surrounding islands, and there was hardly any manufacturing going on here anymore, either. But come, they did, becoming just another part of daily life. A life which could be snuffed out at any moment with only a few minutes of warning prior. Truthfully, I was tired; just yesterday, the city had been attacked on nine separate occasions, and as a result, I got very little sleep. If it weren’t for the doctor’s orders that I get up and move around, I think I might’ve just stayed in bed.

   I could hear the squawking of a couple herons overhead, blissfully unaware of the danger that now encompassed Kyūre and other towns. I had no such luxury; at any moment, another attack could happen, and right now, I was exposed. And then, almost as if the universe had decided to play games with me in particular, that ever-familiar drone of the sirens came back, and before I knew it, I was running. I imagined myself yelling at the Herons, that it was unsafe for them and that they should cross the mountains to Hatsukaichi, but in truth, those words were for me. I felt unsafe here, that I didn’t belong, and Ikuko’s offer had grown more and more tempting with each passing day. Obviously, I needed to get home, but I soon stopped in the middle of the road, seeing aircraft above barrelling towards me. They opened fire, and at that moment, I was sure that I was dead. To hesitate was to die at times like these. I felt myself go flying before landing in a ditch, but when I opened my eyes, I was still alive.
   “Are you trying to get yourself killed!?” I heard Iwao shout as he held me down in the ditch, bullets whizzing overhead.
   “I’m sorry, it’s just…” I replied, but my mind went blank. I was scared; how could I not be? It was like that day all over again, the day that we lost Kahori, and though some part of me wished I had been taken with her, I now felt that I owed it to everyone to live for her sake. But I had to say something, anything, even if it might not have been the entire truth. “A heron.” I bit my lip. What a poor excuse. “I saw a heron fly by, and I got distracted.”
   “A… heron?” Iwao asked, sitting up in the ditch once the aircraft had flown off. “I saw it too. I think it flew away to the sea. Probably died.”

   It probably died. That was it, wasn’t it. To stay in Kyūre was to die, as the heron had. To flee, to find safe harbor across the mountains, that would allow me to live. I thought for a moment about what Ikuko had said to me, the last time we spoke. ”I’d like for you to come home. To Hatsukaichi.” She said. ”There aren’t any raids on the city.” If that was true, then why did I wait? Why did I hesitate? I had to say something about it, and there really wasn’t a gentle way to put it given both the circumstances and what it might mean for the two of us.
   “Iwao, I… I want to return to Hatsukaichi.” I finally said as we ducked again, an aircraft flying overhead and strafing the street nearby.
“What, and never come back?” He asked, confused by what I was saying, and though, looking back on it now, I didn’t mean it that way, I didn’t say that. At that moment, I just wanted to go home. To return to the life I had once known, to times more simple than my own. “Is it because you lost your hand? Are you afraid of the attacks?” He asked, and it was true on both accounts. “Or… Is it because of what happened to Kahori?” That too, most of all. But I was silent, and in a way, I couldn’t hear him. Not literally, of course, but I wouldn’t listen. “Say something! Anything!” He said, raising his voice, to which I responded with a firm “No!”

A moment passed, practically as short as a heartbeat, before he said anything. I suppose my face betrayed my words, since it was impossible to deny what I felt. I was terrified. Terrified that I would never recover, that I was forever crippled and had no hope for a future. Terrified that any day now, I could be walking down the road and then I would be gone. And most of all, terrified that I might lose someone like I had my niece. And now, I felt I had only two options before me, those being to run or to face all that had happened. And at that moment, I was a coward. I’d promised that I would protect my family, that I would keep everyone safe, and what had that gotten me? I had lost my arm, gotten my niece killed, and now, I was face to face with the man I had failed. What choice did I have but to run?
   “Yuna, I enjoyed every minute of it.” He told me as we sat up again. “These last two years, I… Enjoyed coming home, having a life that you were a part of. I loved going for strolls with you and just talking. Didn’t you? Or were you just pretending!?”

   I wanted to respond, to say that it hadn’t been some sort of a ruse, but with the airplanes circling overhead, with the bullets ricocheting all around, I could hardly respond properly. It would only be once the raid had come to an end that I would finally find the words to respond.
   “You want the truth, Iwao? Fine.” I said as the all-clear went out and life went back to some semblance of normal. “I never once was ‘pretending’, even when I first arrived. But you were right about something.” I said as we stepped out of the ditch. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, but I am scared. Scared that any day now, I’ll either lose you or someone else, like I did Kahori.”
   “Then why didn’t you say so?” Iwao asked me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I didn’t think he’d be so quick to forgive, if that was what was going on anyways. “I can see that you’re hurting, Yuna. And frankly, I don’t blame you for wanting to leave, and I won’t stop you if you do. Frankly, if it weren’t for my duties here, I would go with you, but… Surely this isn’t the end, is it?”
   “I don’t want it to be.” I said, embracing him with tears in my eyes. “So let’s not make this a goodbye.”

[Daitō]

Dawn of a New AgeHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 5th, 1945
8:10 AM

   Ever since that day, Yuna’s desire to return home had waned; she still planned to visit, even if she hadn’t ultimately made up her mind if she would stay in Hatsukaichi or not. Her father had put it best, in a letter he’d sent, and all the way from Shinkyo, no less. ”Running will only make the pain worse in the end.” He’d said. A man with his experience would know. After all, that’s why he’d come to Hatsukaichi all those years ago. Supposedly, he’d been summoned to the capital by some important figure in the government, but to what end, he never said. What mattered was that when she crossed over the mountains, back to the town of her birth, he would not be there. It would just be her mother and Ikuko, and of course her cousins across the bay.

   When she’d announced her plans, back on the evening of the 28th, everything had changed once again. For her and Iwao, it had been… complicated, suffice to say. They’d hardly spoken, if only to make their parting somewhat easier, but they both knew they’d miss one another, no matter how long it might be. The house had changed in other ways, too; on top of the five of them—Daisaku, Natsumi, Azumi, Iwao, and herself—they were now also hosting her father-in-law’s sister and brother-in-law, at least until they could afford to rebuild their own home or move somewhere else. It had certainly been an adjustment, having the seven of them under one roof, but soon, that might not be her problem anymore. And of course, Azumi had slowly but surely come back around to her, though they still didn’t exactly speak too often. She couldn’t really blame her, though.

   It was a difficult time, no matter how you spun it.

   Even so, life had to go on. And just because she was to leave for Hatsukaichi soon didn’t mean she didn’t have work to do. Far from it, in fact. So here she was, sweeping the floors since that didn’t require her to have two hands to do. She could see Azumi sewing something out of the clothes that Ikuko had gifted them, though she wouldn’t say what it was she was using them for. And of course, outside, it was a peaceful, summer day; the cicadas were chirping, and a gentle breeze was blowing in the treetops. It was, simply put, ordinary. The kind of day you’d forget at first, but look back on fondly as you got older. Certainly, it was more peaceful than Hatsukaichi during the festival that was supposed to happen today.
   “Say, when are you supposed to be leaving?” Azumi asked her, though her gaze was still fixed on her needlework. “Y’know, for your appointment?”
   “Oh, that’s… About ten?” Yuna replied, placing the broom on the floor before grabbing a dustpan. “I don’t need help getting over there, if that’s why you’re asking.”
   “That’s fine.” Azumi smiled, though Yuna likely didn’t catch a glimpse of it. “I’m just glad to see you’re doing alright.”

   That was the first time she’d heard her say that since the accident. Back then, she’d blamed her, but this was… something different. And once again, someone was telling her they were glad about something. But this time, in a way, she could at least share the sentiment. It was something to be glad about, she supposed, even if the circumstances were not.
   “Come to think of it, isn’t today your hometown’s festival?” Azumi asked. “Yeah. I was gonna go home on the second, but I couldn’t get an appointment until today.”
   “You’re not going to make it in time.” Azumi said, seemingly finding a way to rain on her parade even now. “Besides, the doctors are all very busy, especially after last week, and of course, you’ll probably just get a referral to a hospital in the city. And that’s before we get to how hard it is just getting a train ticket these days.”

   Perhaps she was right. If it had been easier for Ikuko to get here in the back of an army truck, then what hope did she have of getting a ticket? But getting a referral wasn’t really an issue to her; as it happened, that was the plan seeing as she was going to be in Hatsukaichi for a long time by the look of things. Still, it was disheartening that she wouldn’t be attending the festival, which had celebrated the start of the harvest season in the region since forever. She remembered how she’d often help out her grandparents, her aunts and uncles, and the families of her friends with preparations in those olden days, now gone. But her thoughts were soon interrupted when she heard something land next to her; the clothing which her sister had brought her, taken apart and fashioned into something new.
   “I went ahead and turned the clothes your sister brought into a pair of trousers.” Azumi said, taking a seat next to her. “I sewed an elastic band in so you could put them on yourself.”
   “Oh, thank you.” Yuna said quietly as she looked down at them. Somehow, they’d managed to go from looking like a bundle of rags into something that looked almost brand new. A testament to her sister-in-law’s skill with a needle, she thought.
   “Yuna… I’d like to apologize for, you know… blaming you for Kahori’s death.” Azumi said after a moment.
   “It’s no problem.” Yuna responded; she’d come to internalize it to an extent, but she understood that what had been said was born from grief rather than any anger towards her. She’d been desperate to get her daughter back, even if it were impossible, and frankly, that was something they’d shared.
   “Yuna, listen. The man I loved died at sea, long before his time. His family’s shop—our home—was torn down in the pruning last year...” She hesitated for a moment. “...And now, I can’t see either of my children for a whole host of reasons. Is all of that unfair? Yes. Sad? Yes. But I wouldn’t dare say I’m unhappy, seeing—”she continued. “—as this is the life I chose for myself, after all.” She added, looking at Yuna for a moment. “You’re different, Yuna. You came so far, moved into a distant and unfamiliar home to marry someone you didn’t know. You always did what you were asked, always carried yourself with a smile. It must’ve been hard.” Azumi said, taking her hand. “I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that you want to leave, that’s up to you. But so long as you don’t hate it here, you’ll always have a home here, Yuna.”

   Yuna was silent as she spoke; in a way, Azumi was correct, though not entirely. Everyone chose the path they took in life, to some degree, and she’d agreed to get married, to come here, a city she didn’t know. But even so, she hadn’t chosen to lose her hand, to see Kahori die before her eyes. She didn’t choose to live in a city which was now merely a pile of ash amid ruins. And it was sad, all of it, but that was just life dealing her a bad hand. Not like she could go back now.
   “Don’t worry about what everyone will say. That choice is yours, and yours alone.” Azumi said. “But just so you know, doing chores and helping you when you need it isn’t a problem for me. In fact, I like doing it. And besides, it’ll help me keep my mind off… You know.”

   And in that moment, at 8:15 according to the clock, there was a bright flash which filled every nook and cranny of the house. Though they didn’t know it, it spread beyond the horizon, all-encompassing in that instant. It was like… Well, no, it was like nothing they’d ever seen before. Whatever it was, it was gone as quickly as it came, and it had left Yuna and Azumi confused. And evidently, not just them.
   “Azumi, Yuna, did either of you see that flash?” Natsumi called out to the two of them.
   “Yeah, we both did!” Azumi answered before saying “Was it lightning, maybe? But it’s such a nice day out…”
   “I… I changed my mind.” Yuna said after a moment. “Do you… Do you mind if I stay, after all?” She asked, her voice almost fragile as she held onto Azumi’s arm.
   “Of course, of course. I said as much, didn’t I? Now please, let go, it’s already hot as it is.” Azumi replied, but she wouldn’t be trying to get her off, not a moment afterwards when the shaking began. In fact, it led to them holding one another tighter as the day just became stranger and stranger. It felt as though it were an earthquake, but an earthquake didn’t usually follow a bright flash like what they saw. Some of the tiles fell off the roof, shattering as they hit the ground, and it felt as though the glass panes on the windows might break as well, but soon enough, at most ten seconds later, the tremors stopped, and everything returned to normal.8:18 AM

   For nearly two minutes after the “earthquake” had hit the house, Azumi had been trying to get the family radio working, but to no avail. YOFK was silent, as were all of the other local stations, and any of the more distant ones like the station out of Toyono, a city about a hundred kilometers up the coast from them, were just as confused. But soon, they’d have their answer as to what had happened, at least in part. For from the yard, Daisuke, having just returned from work after spending the night on duty, called out to them.
   “Come out here, take a look at this!” He shouted, pointing out towards the mountains—towards Hatsukaichi—as everyone rushed outside. And before them, rapidly rising into the sky, a cloud like none they’d ever seen before. It looked almost as if it were a thundercloud, but something seemed off about it. It had a strange glint to it as it soared to greater and greater heights, and they all just stood there in awe and terror.

   One thing was certain: the world would never be the same again.

[Daitō]

Glow of the FirefliesHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 9th, 1945
7:22 PM

   In the twilight sky, under the sliver of the crescent moon, the fireflies danced as little lights in a shadow play, resplendent amidst the darkness and blissfully unaware of the new world now unleashed. It reminded Yuna of the first verse to a song every child these days knew, a song about the relentless pursuit of knowledge, of the parting of old friends, and of a desire so firmly held to defend one's home. Or at least, that's how she had interpreted it. Was that "pursuit of knowledge" what led to bombing of Hatsukaichi? It had been a few days since that cloud appeared over the city—four, to be exact—and even still, a deep sense of unease filled the hearts of man, as though it might not be the last one. If Hatsukaichi, a city which had largely gone untouched by the war until just a few days ago, could be attacked, then was there truly anywhere which was safe? A shiver ran down her spine as those thoughts came to mind.

   "I guess you're gonna be stayin' here then, eh, Yuna?" Iwao asked in between swings of his shinai. His form was poor, but unfortunately for him, kendo was apparently a mandatory part of military life. It was a strange question to her; after all, she didn't know if her family, save perhaps her father, was still alive. Certainly, their home was gone, and her relatives in Furue, while probably okay, almost certainly couldn't be handling more people at this point. Few in this world would take someone like her in, anyways. Where else could she go, if she didn't want to stay here?
   "Yeah... I would like to, if that's alright." Yuna replied as he took another swing.
   "Y'know, I had a feeling you'd say that, but... You had me so worried." Iwao said before calling it a quits with his practice. "I don't suppose you've heard from anyone in your family, have you?"
   "No." Yuna answered as she looked at a leaflet—one which had been dropped by the Ardians earlier in the day—before crushing it into a ball. She knew she was supposed to turn them in whenever she found 'em, and to be fair to her, she was going to, but... It was getting late, and truth be told there were probably better uses for it. "Other than a phone call with dad, nothing." She said, tossing the paper aside. "Of course, I'd wanted to go with Mrs. Asayama and a few of the others into Hatsukaichi, help deliver supplies, but..."
   "She refused to let you go?"
   "Yep." Yuna replied. "Of course, at the moment, I thought that I was probably just a hinderance to her-" she said as she touched the back of her head, her hair freshly cut. "-hence why my hair looks this way."
   "You know she probably wouldn't let you go because you're still recovering, right?" Iwao opined, though he found himself bemused by how she had come to that conclusion.
   With a sigh, Yuna answered "...I realized that afterwards."

   The two of them spent some time watching the fireflies, enjoying the view as well as each other's company. A few minutes, maybe five or six, of quiet in amidst the evening calm. But in these days, the war was ever-present, even if in moments such as this, it was easy to forget. The Umeki family had been torn apart by it, and both Yuna and Daisaku wore the scars left by it. Every day, there was news of fighting, of some great battle abroad, of cities bombed and people killed. Even with the bombing of Hatsukaichi in such an unprecedented fashion, little had changed, and soon enough, Iwao found himself bringing up some of what he'd heard.
   "I've heard they're getting ready to retake Toshima. Yakushima, too." He said, looking up to the moon. Yakushima, the island where her brother was believed to have been shot down near. Where the road to this hell which Fusan had been subjected to day in and day out had started. Where the Corvus and the Sanae had traded blows all those years ago. It was as though everything was coming full circle.
   "Will you-" Yuna tried to ask, anxious as to what it would mean for them, before being cut off.
   "No." Iwao answered, taking her hand tenderly into his own. "I'm not assigned to any ship nor any unit which'll be participating." He sighed, knowing that there were so many who weren't so lucky as he. "Instead, I'm to remain at my post here, as always."
   "I... I'm glad to hear that." Yuna admitted. She'd lost too much already, and the thought that she might not need to sacrifice her own life as had been spoken of was in some way comforting, too. In any case, it seemed, now more than ever, that they were well and truly in the final stages of the war. It was only a matter of seeing who would break first: Fusan or Ardia.

[Daitō]

YamazakuraNikokyo, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 14th, 1945
5:18 PM

   There were some sights which would linger in the hearts and minds of any who saw them. Lofty mountain peaks capped in snow, the great floating shrine at Miyajima, scorched cities where nothing would grow. Today, out before Yuna—before the family as a whole—was another of those sights. For parading through the streets in lock-step, the sons of a nation marched towards the port and on to an uncertain fate. It was an uncanny sight, such clean uniforms passing through bombed-out and burned-out streets. The sort of sight that would instill in any onlooker a sense of determination, of a will to fight on even to the end in defiance of their most reviled foe.

   It wasn’t like the old days, back at the start of the war. Once, fresh-faced youths marched, eager to find glory in far-flung lands, now replaced with tired, hardened veterans and mere children knowing that they would be marching into hell. A few years ago, they might not have been able to hate the Ardian, but six years ago, the heart of Fusan had not been ripped asunder and set aflame. Six years ago, this wasn’t a war for survival. Yuna wondered, as they passed, what they were thinking; many, she understood, would never see home again. Those noble sons of the nation, ready to lay down their lives for everyone else… That was why she was here, why everyone was. Even if the streets were lined with rubble, it was only right to give them support in the only way they could: being there in this, the final moments before they departed.

   There was a song whose lyrics rang within her head as they passed, the rhythmic beat of their footsteps echoing through the city. ”As blossoms in bloom are destined to fall, thus we shall fall nobly for our home.” It went, and perhaps it would ring true in the days and weeks to come. If they fell, as indeed many would, then it would be a noble sacrifice, one which would be honored across the land. And if they failed, then even in this wounded state which she found herself in, seeing such bravery on their part made her believe, at least in part, that she would be ready to do the same. Like the blossoms of the yamazakura, she would be ready to meet her fate—the fate of her nation—head on.

[Daitō]

The Flight of JusticeHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 29th, 1945
11:56 AM

   Early in the morning, as had been the case nearly uninterrupted for just shy of six years, the local chapter of the tonarigumi had distributed its circular to the residents of Hiroioki, as similar chapters had done across the nation. It was a practice for which Yuna had been well-accustomed to, even if today’s edition was rather different. Usually, it was multiple pages, filled with work assignments, the news, tips for everyday chores, and a fair bit of wartime propaganda. But when it came in today, it was very different. A single paper, a single message. ”There will be an important radio broadcast at noon today.” it said, which was frankly quite unusual. It didn’t even specify a station, so it must’ve been important enough that it was gonna be on all of ‘em. Maybe it was about the fighting down south? After all, there’d been a report last night that the Amami Islands—or rather, the Satsunan Islands as the news had referred to them by—had been liberated, but surely they weren’t just repeating old news, right?

   She later learned that it was a broadcast by His Imperial Majesty himself.

   At just shy of 11:58, a voice came over the radio asking that everyone remain at attention for an important announcement. It was just the five of them in the house; Yuna, Azumi, Natsumi, Iwao’s aunt, and Mrs. Fukumori, whose own radio was presently broken. All of them sat in silence as, through the static, the national anthem was played. Its words, though written in the praise of the Emperor, were such that they stirred the emotions of those who listened, who knew the song by heart as instructed since their earliest years. Indeed, it was one of the first songs Yuna had learned to sing, as had been the case for most everyone born after the honorable restoration, and today, it reminded her of all the struggles they had been through.

   At noon, a man began to speak, though his words seemed archaic and somewhat hard to hear. It took a few moments for it to click in, but she soon realized that this was Emperor Kunan, the very same man whom her father had met twice before. The first time was long, long ago, back before she had been born. Back then, he was merely a Prince, seventeen years of age, when the Emperor had bestowed upon her father the Golden Kite. The second was a few weeks ago, when he was summoned to Shinkyo to report on the damage sustained in Kyūre and surrounding towns, most especially to the various arsenals in the region. Yet what she was struck by most of all wasn’t that he was speaking to the nation, but that he seemed so… ordinary, at least in terms of his voice. But what mattered was not his voice, however normal it sounded, but rather what he was saying.
   ”...obtaining within our empire today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation…” he said, and it was clear he took no pleasure in doing this. It continued for some time, even though it was often hard to understand. ”...it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is insufferable.” The broadcast continued, but eventually, it would have to come to an end. ”...Cultivate the ways of rectitude, foster nobility of spirit, and work with resolution–so that you may enhance the innate glory of the imperial state and keep pace with the progress of the world.” The Emperor said, and then the broadcast ended, though not without a presenter restating that the broadcast had been by him.

   “I guess that means…” Hiroyo said after a moment. Yuna, for her part, was silent, still processing what had been said on the radio mere moments ago. She felt as though a well of emotions had just been opened up, feelings she had bottled up not simply since last month, but for longer still.
   “We… We lost the war, didn’t we?” Asked Kyoko. Why did she have to say that? Yuna grit her teeth and gripped her dress as it finally set in for her.
   “It sure seems that way.” Natsumi sighed.
   “Well, at least it’s finally over.” Azumi said as she stood up and walked off.

   “But… Why?” Yuna finally asked, her emotions slowly boiling over. Why had they lost? Had it all been for nothing? All the lives lost? All the friends she had to watch go off to war, only to return as ashes in a box or as nothing at all? Was Isao’s apparent death for nothing? Kahori’s!? And what of all the boys who had gone off to fight in the islands? They had just reclaimed them for the Empire, and they were just throwing it all away???
   “They did drop that nasty bomb on Hatsukaichi, y’know.” Kyoko reminded her.
   “We lost a lot of people in the Satsunans, too. Can’t keep fighting ‘til there’s nobody left.” Hiroyo added.
   “Were we not prepared to do just that!?” Yuna shouted as she stood up. “They said we were going to fight to the last man! Look around you, there’s still five of us alive right here!” She continued, her voice wavering as tears streamed down her face. ”Why would they give in after all we’ve gone through!?!?”

   And at that, she stormed out of the house.12:32 PM

   It felt as though the world which she had been born into was slipping away. The justice and righteousness of her homeland, blown away as the petals of the cherry blossom on the wind. Everything they had done, everything they had endured for the sake of victory, of the “liberation of East Ardia.” All of that had been ripped away, and right as they had been on the verge of victory, too. Even if it had just been a ceasefire—an armistice—as she’d overheard someone say on her way up the hill, this newfound peace tasted of bitter defeat, and at best, all they had achieved was a return to the world before the war. But what if it wasn’t as they said? Would Tsukishima be stripped from them, and with it, all of the food it produced and which they relied on so much?

   Why? Why did it have to be this way? Had it all been a lie? Was the war really predicated on the liberation of Fusan’s brothers and sisters in the south, or was that all just an excuse for an attempt to subjugate others? Maybe that was why, Yuna thought as she looked around the terrace, scarce of vegetation as it was, this had all happened. They—the military, the government, hell, even the people as a whole—had sought to reshape the world through violent means, and so, through violence, they had been cowed, forced to reckon with the hopelessness of their cause. ”The mighty fall at last to become as dust on the wind.” as the old tale went. Was that what this all amounted to? Dust on the wind?

   Kahori and Isao… They didn’t live long enough to see what would come of this beautiful land. Neither did the boys on the Fusō, nor did countless others who gave of themselves everything for a dream which, in truth, could never be achieved. And as she sat in the field, looking up toward the heavens, at that moment, Yuna once more wished she had died without knowing all of this. Without knowing how hopeless it truly was. Without getting to see those who killed so many walk away rather than face justice for their crimes. And so, she cried.

[Daitō]

The Final DayHiroioki, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
August 29th, 1945
6:16 PM

   As hard and painful as it might’ve been to believe, the war was over. Six long years of fighting across so many fronts was now, at long last, finally done. It had not come in the way that Yuna had thought, and indeed many a tear had been shed upon the mountaintop, but she could at least take solace in knowing that it had been achieved. Though perhaps it had all been for nothing—perhaps Fusan had been led into war on a false hope and a lie—it was a dream which she, like many others her age, well and truly believed in. Sonyu and his heirs may not have truly sought the liberation of East Ardia, but that was what they had fought for and nothing less than that. And indeed, the fight continued across the sea. Fusan may not have been in the war, much like Tytor had been at the end of the last war—if that was even the right term now—but her allies were, and so that dream was still alive. If nothing else, there was hope.

   Hope was all she needed, as it happened. It was what had kept her from despair all these years, only being shattered when Kahori died, but now, she needed it more than ever. So why not cling to that, at least for now? Yet when she returned home from the family’s terrace, she was soon distracted from her thoughts of surrender, of the end of the war, by a sight she hadn’t seen in a long, long time: finely-polished white rice. Apparently, the Umekis had been keeping it in the event that either the war ended or an invasion was imminent, whichever came sooner. It seemed that it would, in fact, be the former, though of course, there was hardly a celebratory mood within the family. Yet it wasn’t mournful, either. Privately, everyone had hoped the war would end; even Yuna, despite her poor showing earlier, had hoped to see the war end soon, albeit not in this fashion.

   It was admittedly hard to remember what life was like before the war, at least for her. Of course, she had memories, it was just… this had dominated her life ever since she was fourteen, and Fusan had been on a war footing for two years before then. Yuna wondered, for a brief moment as they—herself, Azumi, and Natsumi—prepared dinner for the rest of the family, if knowing what she would become, her past self would try to change anything. Certainly, from her own perspective, she thought as she looked at her stump of an arm, there had been some things which she regretted, but… for the life of her, she couldn’t find anything which she would change, save mayhaps not listening to her niece on that fateful day in June. The fact of the matter was that, in spite of it all, her experiences had shaped her, made her the woman she was now, and that was something she could live with.

   Eventually, the time had come to eat, and so, everyone crowded around the small table in the living room. In a strange way, though her own parents and sister were obviously not present, it reminded Yuna of the day she had gotten married. Though it had only been a little over a year and a half ago, it felt as though a lifetime had passed. Back then, the war hadn’t come to their shores, and now, it would hopefully never come again. Yet in spite of the war being over, many found it difficult to speak of anything but it, or rather, about its end and what that meant for themselves and for the nation as a whole.
   “I still can’t believe it, y’know.” Entaro—Iwao’s uncle—said between bites of his rice. “I mean, how I see it, we had the Ardians on the run, but now that we’ve taken back those damned islands, we give up? Where’s the sense in that?”
   “There isn’t any.” Iwao sighed, leaning back slightly and propping himself up with his hands. “But then again, I suppose the world hasn’t made much sense for these last few years, either.”
   “Actually, it makes plenty of sense.” Daisaku pointed out after looking outside for a moment. “See, if we didn’t get the islands back, then we’d leave the Ardians in a position to impose harsher demands on us. By retaking them, we could in effect regain all of our land and achieve something close to how we were before the war. ’status-quo ante-bellum’, I believe the term was?” He added, almost entirely butchering its pronunciation.
   “And when did you become an expert on politics, Mr. Know-It-All?” Entaro asked in jest.
   “I… pick things up at work and from the radio.”

   “It’s a shame that we only have rice and nothing else.” Yuna sighed as she looked down at her bowl. Even if this was a special occasion, she couldn’t help but think about how much more complicated meals could be, even in wartime.
   “Well, with the war ending, I figured we could do something different than relying on rations tonight.” Natsumi noted as everyone else ate. “Soon enough, I think we might be able to have more than a handful of sardines and sweet potatoes with it.”
   “If I never have to try that ‘Lord Hachisuka rice’ again, I think I’ll die happy.” Azumi pointed out, which got the agreement of everyone else in the room.
   “You can say that again.” Yuna said, remembering the first time she made it after her wedding.

A few more minutes passed before Daisaku spoke up once more, having had something of an epiphany. It was awfully dark in the room thanks to the drapes they’d had to put up around the lights, but with the war being over, it was now completely useless.
“I can’t believe I almost forgot… Not at war anymore.” He said, standing up before removing the drapes. And so, for the first time in many years, lights shone from the base of Mt. Takimine, even in defiance of the destruction which lay below.

[Daitō]

The Last DutyNishiatago, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
September 24th, 1945
2:11 PM

   Nearly a month had flown by since the war had come to an end in Fusan, since the bombings had ceased and the sirens were silenced, and it seemed that life was returning to the city of Kyūre once more. Where once, there were burned out buildings, now there were wooden barracks and small shops sprouting up amidst the ruins. Many bore signs of damage, of course; a typhoon had ripped through the region not even two weeks prior, yet all around, though times were most certainly hard, there was still life. It was as though the people had come together in defiance of fate to rebuild their lives. Perhaps it was understandable too, Yuna thought as she and Iwao walked. After all, they had won.

   Maybe not in the traditional sense, she admitted, but she’d been able to talk to her father again a few days ago, and he explained to her in great detail what had truly happened. Something about the political calculus in Shinkyo forcing them to frame the armistice as a defeat in broadcasts, if only to prevent instability in Ardia from triggering a wave of refugees fleeing into the east of the country. In her mind, of course, she saw no problem with their collapse, but then again, she had every reason to hate them. Well, their government, anyways. Still, it was a shame that Haruto would not be coming home for a few weeks longer, owing to the new Prime Minister, Kazumasa Toshinari, ordering that all military officers in the city remain to aid in the transition of power, but what could she do?

   As to why she was out here, she thought, clasping her husband’s satchel with her stump of a right arm and Iwao’s hand with her left, she wasn’t entirely certain. Certainly, she knew that she was seeing him off, something to do with his duties in the navy, but to what end yet eluded her. Granted, that was because she hadn’t actually asked, but she knew better than to inquire about military affairs these days. Doing that might get the Kempeitai on her. She recalled how a neighbor received a visit because of her family’s flag not being displayed, such an act being “unpatriotic”, and all because her husband had helped with it and had since been conscripted. She simply didn’t need to give them any excuses. As it happened, though, Iwao would soon tell her anyway.
   “I’ve been ordered to Kurume...” He said as they stepped through a puddle, passing by an old couple who were sitting on their porch. “...in order to help facilitate the arrival of the Achkaerinese. Just one last duty before I’m discharged, with the downsizing and all.”
   “The Achkaerinese? Why would you need to help with a bunch of civilians?” Yuna asked, at which Iwao sighed.
   “Not civilians. Soldiers.”
   “Soldiers? Wouldn’t that mean an occupation?”
   “Nope, they’re just gonna help us get back on our feet. Besides, it’ll deter the Rokkenjimans or Ardians from making any moves.”
   “Do you think they’ll come here?”
   “Oh, most certainly.” Iwao said with a nod. “Look, I know it goes without saying, but do be careful around them, just in case.”
   “I will.”

   A few minutes passed, and before long, the great stone gate which marked the border between Nishiatago and the city center came into view. Out beyond it, though barracks did exist, much of the land was now flat, save for a few stone buildings which, while burned out, still stood as a reminder of the old Kyūre. One not scarred by the war, not scorched by flames which burned bright enough to turn midnight into dawn. No matter how many times she saw it, the impact it had on her never did change. It was an emotional gutpunch, so to speak, and it reminded her of what Hatsukaichi might look like, were she to go back. No, when she went back.
   “Do you know when you’ll come home?” Yuna asked as they stopped at the gate, it being half-way between the station and home.
   “I’m afraid not. Could be a week, could be a few months. It might even be until January, at the absolute latest.” Iwao admitted. “Let’s pray for next week, though.” He smiled before embracing her.
   “Stay safe.” Yuna said once that was done and before he walked off.
   “I promise, I will. And if I can, I’ll call you, too.” He replied as he began making his way down the long, empty road to the station. “And remember, stay away from the soldiers if you can!” He shouted just before he disappeared from view. And with that, it was time to return home.

[Daitō]

The New DawnNikokyo, Kyūre, Izumi Prefecture
November 11th, 1945
5:26 PM

   It was late in the day, and yet, despite Iwao’s warnings before he had left, here Yuna was, standing in line as soldiers, both Fusanese and Achkaerinese, walked the streets of Kyūre. They weren’t a bad sort, these foreigners. Certainly, Yuna had known a few growing up in the cosmopolitan Hatsukaichi, so she’d had at least some experience dealing with them, but never on this scale, and most definitely not with this profession. For what it was worth though, as the soothing tones of jazz—music which had been banned by Sonyu for being “unpatriotic”—played over the radio, they kept the peace, here in Nikokyo and beyond, not only in other wards, but across the nation. The boys who had done so much for Fusan had come home.

   It was not all well in Fusan, though. Unemployment was high, hunger was common, and there were shortages of just about everything someone would need just to survive. And that had, of course, driven up prices. A half a dozen eggs had gone from costing 50 sen to 15 mon, a carton of cigarettes from 20 sen to 6 mon. It felt as though, perhaps, things would only get worse from here, but as Yuna stood in line with her sister-in-law, she felt she had to hold onto hope that their situation would improve. And they were among the lucky ones, too. Sure, they’d lost family, and you couldn’t put a price on that, but at the very least, they had their home and enough money tucked away to live relatively comfortable lives for the time being.
   “Yuna, do you know what this line is for?” Azumi asked, growing more and more impatient with each passing minute. A cacophony of music, conversations, and children saying ”give me” in broken English with the hopes of getting chocolate from the Achkaerinese garrison filled the air, almost drowning out what she had asked.
   “No clue.” Yuna replied, watching a pair of children run down the street, one clutching some sort of toy. “But whatever it is, we need it. Even we’re short on most things.”
   “You’re right on that.” Azumi nodded as a car rolled by. “Still, this place has changed a lot.”
   “Hm? You mean from July, right?”
   “Nah. From before the war, even.” Azumi said. “It being a military town, the streets were never this busy.” She added, reminiscing on days now gone before saying “It’s… nice.”
   “I see.” Yuna nodded along as they moved forwards a few steps. “It reminds me of how Hatsukaichi was, truth be told. Back when I was young.”
   “You really should head home soon, check in on everyone.”
   “Ah… I’ve been meaning to.” Yuna admitted quietly. “It’s just… With what happened, I’ve been dreading to see what’s come of it.”
   “Yuna…”
   “I know, I know. I’ll go at the start of next month, alright?”
   “That’s not it.” Azumi sighed before pointing ahead. “It’s our turn.”

   Before they knew it, the two women found themselves looking over a bowl of soup, most of its ingredients a mystery, though there seemed to be noodles and some sort of meat, but also some unconventional “ingredients” which Azumi was certain were there by mistake. A minute passed, during which time they stared at the bowl, then at each other, and then back again, both silent as they mulled over whether they’d actually eat it. It was calories, so that was important, but… was the paper really necessary? Eventually, after carefully plucking the paper out with their chopsticks, they would both give it a try, and much to their surprise—though it probably shouldn’t’ve been, owing to their comparatively bland diet for the last few years—they actually wound up enjoying it. Say what you will about the Achkaerinese, they could put a soup together from leftovers better than most, Yuna thought.

   As they continued to eat, someone ran into the ramshackle impromptu market, holding up a newspaper of some sort, a grin stretching across his face from ear to ear. It had to be good news, whatever it was, and soon, they’d have their answer.
   “The Ardians just surrendered, the war is over!” He shouted, and before they knew it, what had been a busy street soon turned into an impromptu party celebrating the end of not simply a war which Fusan was no longer really a part of, owing to the armistice and all, but an end to the Ardian Empire as well. Nearly a millennium of on and off warfare had just come to an end, and though it was the end of the day, it seemed as though a new dawn had arrived. Fusan had overcome many trials, but in the end, it had been rewarded.

   How fitting it was then, Yuna thought, that this news came a year after she last saw her brother.

[Daitō]

Shadows of the Past, Part One: The Old WorldHatsukaichi Bay, Izumi Prefecture
December 6th, 1945
10:01 AM

   The gentle splash of the water against the hull of the boat was of little comfort to Yuna, who watched, on an early December morning, as the ruins of Hatsukaichi slipped beyond the horizon on Hatsukaichi Bay. Here was a city she knew and loved, quelled in bitter death by a force so immense, so powerful that none—neither Ardian or Achkaerinese—should possess. “How did it all go so wrong?” she thought, privately, as she looked down at the pair of letters in her hand. One was singed but otherwise in good condition; that was the one that her brother had given her a year ago, only to be opened if he were truly dead. The other, though water-damaged and thus hard to read, was the reason she was on this boat.

   Her sister had survived, though she had apparently fallen ill.

   She was fortunate that her extended family out in Furue had been around to take her in; their old home was, from what she saw when she passed by it earlier in the morning, badly damaged and all but abandoned, save perhaps for a group of orphaned children who had taken up shelter inside. Perhaps her father knew, though he always was the charitable sort, so it likely didn’t bother him too much given the circumstances. Make no doubt about it, with the war being done and his old place of work being gone, he would most likely seek to move soon anyways. That old house, where they’d weathered the early years of the war together… It hurt to see it in that state, truthfully, but then again, she figured it was perhaps better than if it had been wiped away.

   “Y’know, I can’t help but feel like I’ve seen you around before.” The boat’s pilot, a man by the name of Kenji Okada, said as he steered the small craft to avoid a net. “Where are you from?”
   “Kyūre, Okada-san.” Yuna replied before adding “But I was born in Hatsukaichi.”
   “I see…” The pilot muttered to himself. “And I take it you’ve got family out across the bay, right?”
   “Yes, sir.”
   “Well, you’re lucky, then. Afraid we lost a lot of folks back in August… Damned shame.”

   Luck, or perhaps fate. She never gave much importance to either, truthfully, but she couldn’t fault someone for believing in either if it gave them some degree of comfort. In her mind, however, if luck existed, it passed over her many years ago, and if it were destiny… Well, suffice to say she didn’t believe in that, either. Even if she did, she now recognized that life was, by its very nature, both imperfect and transient, and thus worth celebrating. If, as the old saying went, the beauty of flowers was that they fall, then so too was the beauty of life that it had to end. And just as life itself had to end, today, a part of her life would, too. The life she had once known was well and truly over.

   As she stepped off the boat, she came across a sight which, in months passed, she had sadly grown accustomed to. Human bones, skull and all, laying in the field outside of town. A great many people had died, both as a result of the bombing and from some sort of new disease which was associated with it, but also from starvation. As far as war-torn cities went, Kyūre had gotten off easy; with the port in Hatsukaichi destroyed by the blast, the bombed-out port there had become the jumping off point for supplies on this side of the Mutsu, which meant that they had first pickings of anything coming in. Hatsukaichi was not so lucky, even with the attention drawn to it. Even before war’s end, famine had struck the region, and evidently, whoever this was, they’d been here for a while. They probably had nobody left to bury them, Yuna thought as she offered a silent prayer for them before moving on. That, or maybe whoever knew them in life simply didn’t know what had come of them.

   A few minutes would pass as she walked through familiar alleys and over familiar roads, but eventually she would see that place she had, in another life, seen as a second home. Out by the shore, rows upon rows of seaweed sat upon their racks, drying in the late autumn sun. And there, tending to them, faces she had not seen since a cold day in December of ‘43.
   “Yuna!” The youngest—her cousin, Hiyori—shouted as she ran to greet her, almost causing Yuna to trip when she hugged her. “Are you alright?” She soon asked upon seeing her arm.
   “More or less.” She answered. “I’m glad to see you’re all still alive. Is Ikuko still here?”
   “Of course.” Her aunt, Haruna, answered before pointing toward the door. “She’s resting at the moment, but feel free to say hello.”10:33 AM

   The door slid open, flooding the room with the piercing white light of the sun. From the clock hanging on the wall to the photos on the shelf, it was striking how little had changed, Yuna thought as she looked around. The last time she’d been here, her cousin had warned her that she would marry far away, only for her to find out scarcely a few minutes later that she was right. Some prophecy, huh. But in the corner, sitting under the kotatsu, her sister was waiting for her.
   “Ah, there you are.” Ikuko said, gently. “D-did you cut your hair? It looks…”
   “Awful? I know.” Yuna smiled, trying to ignore the day she did that. Not her proudest moment, even if it was easier to care for.
   “No, it… Suits you.” Her sister answered, her lies falling on deaf ears. After a moment, she motioned to the table before saying “Please, sit.”
   “How’re you holding up?” Yuna asked, placing her bag aside before doing just that. “I heard you’re sick.”
   “Nah, I’m fine. I just get fatigued easily these days…” Ikuko said. “Forgive me, dearest sister, for I couldn’t go out to collect nori on this cold day.” She added in a mock-serious tone before nearly breaking out into laughter.
   “I suppose you are owed a day off once in a while.”
   “You and me both. I only wish it were warmer.”
   “You said it.” Yuna admitted, thinking back on the old days. “Remember the first time we crossed the bay on our own? With Iwao, I mean.” She reminisced, thinking about how they’d all wound up covered in mud, no doubt because the gods had decided to punish their brother for his poor behavior that day.
   “It’s just a shame he won’t be coming home.” Ikuko sighed. She had been so adamant, around this time last year, that he had survived, that to hear her finally admit it came as a surprise. “And Mom, too.”
   “What?” Yuna asked, not really shocked but still struck by what she’d just been told. It wasn’t as though it were surprising; if she’d lived, then she would’ve said something, or if not, then her grandmother or Aunt Haruna. Frankly, she had an inkling that it may have happened based on her calls with her father. Just something about his voice gave it away, but… it still hurt.
   “She was helping set up for the festival, back in the morning of the fifth. Your uncle and I went looking for her, day after day, but… Well, he got sick and died in October. We had a service for both of them at the old schoolhouse.” Ikuko said, pausing momentarily as she took her sister’s hand in her own. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get a word to you.”
   “No, it’s fine.” Yuna said; her words only partly true. It was okay that she couldn’t, given her condition and how badly communication had broken down since the bombing, but she had wished she’d known sooner. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home sooner.”
   “Nah, it’s better you weren’t here. I wouldn’t want you to have gotten sick too.”

   “She won’t catch what you’ve got.” A familiar voice said from behind the door, which soon slid open to reveal none other than their father. As with everyone else here, it had been some time since Yuna had seen Haruto, though of course, they had spoken quite frequently since that day in August. “But I do agree, it’s for the best you stayed put.” He added as he took a seat with them. “It, uh, doesn’t hurt, does it?” He asked, motioning to Yuna’s arm.
   “Not as much as it used to.” Yuna nodded. “I mean, sometimes it feels like I’ve still got that arm, but… Well, you can see for yourself.”
   “It’s unforgivable.” Haruto sighed. “I mean, I saw a lot back in my day, but the Ardians didn’t go out of their way to directly target everyday folks. Neither did we. I suppose… I suppose this war drew out the worst in people, and there’s no real walking back from it.”
   “Dad, I was in the-”
   “In the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m sure everyone in Shinkyo and in Hatsukaichi feel the same way, huh? Sorry to break it to you, but the truth is that all of this was planned out. Premeditated murder on a massive scale, plain and simple. Shinkyo was put to the torch when people were asleep. The whole lot of them burned in their homes because some bastard wanted them to. Same thing with Hatsukaichi and the festival. By the gods, they were trying to wipe us out, and you think I can forgive them for that?”
   “Nobody’s asking you to.” Ikuko answered.
   “I… I’m sorry. I’m gonna go for a walk, clear my head.” He said before standing up and leaving. “They found your brother, by the way. POW camp out in Yakushima. He… didn’t make it.” He added, not even turning around to look them in the eye before slamming the door shut. And so, an awkward silence fell over the room that would last for quite some time. Eventually, they would resume their conversation, but eventually, Yuna would have to leave. She had business in Hatsukaichi before she could go home.