Post-War Memorial

The eyes that were my shutters refused to open. No matter how much I tried, only small rays of light could enter. After a while of constant attempts, my eyes finally opened. The familiar creamed-coloured tatami room made me feel nostalgic. After staying in that makeshift camp for 2 months, the fluffy futon I was sleeping on was a godsend. But one question sprouted in my brain.

How did I get here?

I freshened up and wore the provided kimono in my room, then slid the door open. Unfortunately, Mr Hide wasn’t there. It felt wrong for me not to see his face first thing in the morning. The staircase creaked as I walked down it.

A familiar chandelier hung from the top of the uniformly red room with gold accents. My guess was right: I was back at the temple. I had returned to the place that signified the beginning of my journey.

The sun’s sharp rays assaulted my eyes as I opened the doors. A feeling of deja vu bubbled inside me. Just like 2 months ago, children were playing on the gravelled ground as adults went about their day in typical Edo Japan. It reminded me how useless the war had been. Even with the amount of loss we faced, daily life wouldn’t change for most of us.

Most of the men and women were preparing flowers of numerous colours. Some carried firewood and sticks as well. What was going on?

“Hey. You’re finally awake,” a voice beside me announced.

“Riku! You’re okay!” I hugged him tightly like a young cub meeting its parents. After seeing the state they were in during our final battle, my optimism was at an all-time low for their recovery. Touching him was enough to prove that he was alive.

Riku donned a deep blue kimono like myself, but its material seemed more premium, and several gold accents were made to its sleeves.

“Whoa there, mate! Never expected you to be such a hugger.”

“All of you were almost at death’s door! It’s a miracle that you’re even standing!”

“You’re the last person who should be saying that! Out of everyone’s injuries, yours was by far the worst. It took a week of constant healing magic for you to wake up. But hey, at least both of us kept our promise.”

It had been three days since the final battle. I could barely believe him, but it made sense. Our injuries, even with an expert healer like Chiyo, wouldn’t have healed in a day. But in the end, we both survived, just as we promised.

“Is some event going on? Several people are carrying peculiar items to some place,” I asked Riku out of curiosity.

“It’s for the memorial service for all the casualties of the Sovereign’s Tourney. We’re having it tonight near the riverbed,” he answered.

The event reminded me of the post-war memorials our world used to organise. Humans really were the same no matter where they went.

“You must be confused, Aki. Let’s have a walk. I’ll explain everything that happened these past few days.”

I nodded. It felt uncomfortable to have such a large gap in my memory.

“After you and Yukino defeated Emperor Nobunaga, all of us were unconscious for a while. Chiyo was the first to wake up. She healed all of us as much as she could, but you and Yukino never woke up. And Mr Misao… All we could do was bury his body.”

Riku’s voice choked. Imagining Misao’s half-blown corpse must have sent shivers down his spine. It would have been a harrowing sight for them, since they had been close before and had just reunited. Fate never worked the way we wanted.

“Once we were ready, I carried you while Mr Arakawa carried Yukino. We walked all the way back to Aogiri on foot. You don’t understand how painful that trip was…” Riku sighed. Carrying an average teenager on your back for kilometres was an arduous task indeed.

“Once we arrived, all of us were sent for immediate care. It’s been about a day since then. The people began a memorial for the casualties around the same time.”

So much had happened while I was unconscious. It felt unfair to be helped so much, but I was happy to rely on people I could trust. But I still had some questions.

“What happened to Natsu and Anastasia? Are they alright?” I asked. Riku had not mentioned them at all during his summary.

“Those two are fine. They decided to follow us to Aogiri. I guess they’re probably helping with the memorial.”

I sighed in relief. I was worried that they would be discriminated against once they came. If they were able to live normally in Aogiri, then I was glad. I moved on to my next question.

“What about Yukino? How is she feeling now?”

“She was still unconscious the last time I checked. Shall we go check on her?”

The Emperor’s palace was more extravagant than I could have ever imagined. Outside, the structure stood over 100 feet. It overlooked a lush green garden surrounding the perimeter. The actual building was resting on top of a block of stone. My mind thought of a giant placing the house there for some reason.

We passed through the oak interior, complemented by dark edges and light gold designs on the walls, guided by a guard. After walking through numerous winding walkways, Riku and I finally reached Yukino’s bedroom.

Her bedroom was smaller than expected. It was barely bigger than my own quarters in the temple. A translucent curtain covered all four sides of her golden fleece bed. Through the curtains, I could see Yukino’s figure. Her face was calm and pristine. The rhythmic up and down movement of her chest told us that she was alive and well. It wouldn’t be long till she regains consciousness.

Thump! I felt a sharp pain in the side of my rib. Riku had hit me with his elbow.

“What was that for?!” I shouted softly.

“Look to the side, idiot! Do you know how rude you’re being?!” Riku whispered angrily. He was kneeling on one knee for some reason.

I turned to the left.

A dark blue, silky kimono caught my eye. Its fabric was adorned with beautiful, bright flowers. It was as though hibiscus flowers were swimming on a river. The owner of the dress stared at me. For some reason, she looked identical to Yukino. I could swear they were twins. Yet, she looked older…

I was an idiot. She was Empress Hikari.

I got on my knees and then slammed my head into the ground. No apology could ever save me now.

“I’m so sorry, your majesty!” I shouted in a whisper.

“Hehehehe. It’s alright, dear. I could see how worried you were about Yukino’s condition.”

Empress Hikari covered her mouth with her slender fingers and giggled. She made even laughing look elegant.

“Your majesty, how’s Yukino feeling now?” Riku asked politely.

“She’s still unconscious, but I have hope that she will recover soon.” Empress Hikari smiled lightly at her daughter.

“Me too, your majesty. As long as we have faith, she will wake up,” I added.

We remained seated in silence for a couple of minutes, hoping that Yukino would suddenly wake up. Unfortunately, it did not happen. Riku and I prepared to leave, but Empress Hikari called my name all of a sudden.

“Mr Kurokawa!” Her call was soft.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“I wanted to thank you. Without your involvement, Aogiri would have been on the brink of collapse. Now that the Sovereign’s Tourney has been stopped, we can continue our growth and build connections with other nations. Although my husband’s sacrifice leaves me saddened, you brought my daughter back safe and sound to me. You have my eternal gratitude.”

My face reddened in embarrassment. I never would have expected the Empress of a nation to thank me for saving their country ever in my lifetime. But this show of thanks was what I lived for. As long as the people I helped could smile at the end of the day, I could keep on living with my head held high.

“Glad to help, your majesty,” I replied. Those were my parting words to her.

The next few hours were spent helping with the memorial preparations. During our work, I had tearful reunions with Chiyo, Mr Arakawa and Anastasia. They had all recovered pretty well and were assisting with the hard labour. I still had no idea what the memorial would be like, but I helped in any way I could.

—---------------------

“I’m gonna take a break!” I announced to the others. The sky had been dyed orange and purple, signifying the sunset. We had been carrying wooden planks to the riverbed. My arms were feeling numb carrying all that weight. Not even 2 months of regular sword training could strengthen my muscles that much.

T walked along the riverbed, taking in the fresh air. The river reflected the auburn hue of the sky above, bleeding rays of light with every ripple. Luscious grass grew on hills on either side of the river. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a familiar face.

“Took me long enough to find you,” I surprised the young girl lying on the grass. Her silver hair reflected the sky like a mirror.

“Aki! I’m so glad you’re alright!” Natsu was overjoyed at my recovery. She was about to get up, but I motioned for her to sit down. I lay right next to her, our hands almost touching.

“Sorry for making you worry. Now that I think about it, I do that a lot to you, don’t I?”

“All the time! I’ll never forget the day you got knocked out in the equipment shed! You gave me a heart attack that day!”

We laughed, rekindling old memories. The scent of fresh water and damp mud wafted into my nose. It made me feel nostalgic, especially as we shared stories.

“Hey. Our job here is done, right?” Natsu suddenly asked. My heart stopped for a split second. I knew exactly what she was about to say.

“You’re thinking about going back, right?” We had no reason to stay anymore. Our mission had been complete. It was time to go back.

“Yes. We have people waiting for us back at home. They must be worried sick.”

An image of my parents appeared in my mind. Scenarios of them panicking and calling my name around the town hurt my heart. I didn’t want them to blame themselves for my disappearance.

But I also thought of Riku, Chiyo and Mr Arakawa. They had been my closest allies these past few months. Leaving them would empty my heart into a husk. Each one of them was an irreplaceable aspect of my life.

And Yukino… I couldn’t bear her being alone once again. No, that wasn’t right. I couldn’t bear being alone without her. My reason for fighting had started with her. I wanted to be by her side forever. Not being able to see her laugh, cry or smile again was equivalent to killing me. Not being able to touch her anymore was like burying myself alive. She was my life.

Natsu stared at my expression. I knew she understood what I was thinking.

“You don’t want to go back, do you?” It was as though she stole the thoughts from my head.

“I know I’m being selfish. Of course, I want to see my parents and friends again. But I don’t want to leave the connections I made here, too! What do I do?”

I was desperate to balance both sides. If there were a way, I would take it immediately.

“Actually, I’ve got a plan. But we have to ask them whether it is possible first.”

She then told me her idea. It made perfect sense. If I could do that, then I could have a life in both Aogiri and Tokyo.

“Thanks, Natsu. Your idea might just work out. You’re always helping me out. How can I ever repay you?” I hugged Natsu tightly. My body could not contain the excitement in me.

“You don’t need to, silly. Being my friend is enough. And, I don’t really want to leave this place either. Anastasia would get lonely.” Natsu confessed.

Now that we have a plan of action. All we had to do was tell Empress Hikari. I hoped that she would accept my proposal. I didn’t want to face the pain of severing my connections here.

—------------------------------------

Stars sparkled above the pitch-black sky, twinkling rhythmically in the night. The time had come for the memorial service. I turned a full 360 degrees, hoping to see the person I was waiting for. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Young Yukino still hasn’t come. She must still be recovering,” Mr Arakawa commented.

“If only my healing magic were better. I’m disappointed in my own weakness,” Chiyo chided herself. For someone as self-confident as her, seeing herself self-deprecate was shocking.

“Relax, you guys! Yukino’s super strong. She’ll definitely come, I know it!” Anastasia attempted to lighten the mood with her hope.

All six of us stood on the side of the riverbank. It wasn’t just us, however. Everyone in Aogiri was stationed along the bank, holding a circular lamp lit with a flame in the centre. As a flame shot in the sky, a signal for the start of the ceremony, we placed our lamps on the river.

‘

The dark waters had become a blanket of glowing lights. It perfectly replicated the stars above. With a gust sent by some mages, the lanterns floated above the water’s surface. They slowly rose, trying to touch the stars they copied.

All of us clapped our hands into a praying stance. In this ritual, the souls of the dead were represented by a lamp. Blowing them towards the sky symbolised sending them to heaven to finally rest. I imagined Mr Hide, Stephen and Misao walking into the light of heaven. They were all kind people at heart who deserved a happy ending.

Once the lanterns were out of sight, the crowd of people slowly dispersed from the riverbed. We had returned to the darkness after saying goodbye to the bright souls. It didn’t take long for our group to be the last people on the riverbed. We all stayed for one single purpose.

Yukino’s arrival.