Requested by Kirimilliganhadlen & yobro9000

Narrator's POV

'What day is it?'  Japan wondered as he remained in darkness, a numb pain all he was able to feel.  Japan opened his eyes, only to close them.

'Open or crose, it matter not, for everything is dark,'  Japan thought to himself with a sigh, ignoring the burning sensation in his lungs as he reflected on what had happened;

The time is WWII, and Japan was in Hiroshima, trying to talk his bosses into surrendering, into stopping all this senseless violence when it happened - an atomic bomb was dropped, destroying so much, killing so many, and poisoning whatever was left.

The pain had been unbearable to Japan.  It was worse than the building dropping on top of him, it was worse than the radiation poisoning him, flowing through his veins, the veins of his people and of his land.  It hurt so much, at this point, Japan was in so much pain that his mind forced him not to feel anymore.

'If onry I courd've made them surrender...'  Japan thought solemnly to himself as he remained in the rubble, feeling his katana slipping from his numb fingers, the tip of the blade hitting a stone somewhere in front of him with a metallic clank.

Japan sighed, his consciousness fading as more sounds were heard.

'Perhaps the rubbre is corrapsing again,'  Japan thought, not even hearing the voices yelling out, nor the rubble being pulled away to let the light in.

---------------- Going Back A Bit ----------------

'Oh god, why couldn't my boss just wait for Japan to talk to his bosses?!'  America mentally screamed as he stared at the destruction; an entire city, utterly decimated.  The people mutilated and mutated if they weren't destroyed.  They reeked of poisoning, of death.  Even the American soldiers felt for them, trying to get them help as America wandered around, a look of horror and pity on his face.

"Japan, where are you?"  America mumbled to himself as he looked around.  He had asked some survivors but they had no idea, none at all, other than they had seen him head towards the epicenter of the explosion, the place where there was nothing, not even the ruins of buildings or corpses.

"Japan!"  America called out, yet deathly silence was all that met him.  Tears gathered in America's eyes at the thought that he, his country, had killed Japan, not just the nation, but the person, the person that America loved so much.

"Japan, please answer me!"  America called out, his voice echoing before fading to silence once-

Clank.

America heard it, feeling blood rush to his ears as he ran towards the noise.

'God, please let that be what I think it is.'  America thought as he ran and ran more, till finally he saw it; the shine of a katana, not just any katana, but Japan's.

"Japan!"  America called, getting closer to see a hand sticking out of the rubble behind the katana, numbly holding the very end of the katana.

"Hey guys!"  America yelled, getting his soldiers' attention.  "I think I found Japan!"  America yelled.  The soldiers hurried over, helping America to lift the rubble, gasps being heard as they looked at the ancient personification.

His eyes were closed, blood flowing from one of them, possibly meaning that the eye was gone.  He had deep gashes all over his body, in some places it seemed as if chunks of flesh were gone completely, with singed bits all over him, and obvious radiation poisoning in his wounds.  America gulped back the bile that had risen.

"J-Japan?"  America asked softly.  There was no response, he didn't even look like he was breathing.  Cautiously, America reached forward, placing his hand on Japan's neck.  It was cold, and there was no usual flinch.  America felt for a pulse and held his breath, waiting.

1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... 11 - Thump.

America breathed a sigh of relief.

"He's breathing."  He said, his men relaxing only slightly.  Two came forward with a blanket, helping America gently take the unconscious Japanese man in his arms, wrapping his body in a blanket.

"Bring the sword too."  America said.  One of his men nodded, picking up the blade from the ground.  How it survived with only a few scratches, no one could say, but they could say that it probably just saved Japan's life.

"Let's get him some help."  A soldier said, placing a hand on America's shoulder.  America nodded and walked, unable to look at Japan, his Japan.

'I swear to you Japan, I'll help you, I'll protect you, so this never happens again.'  America vowed as he carried Japan to safety.

~Fin~