Chapter 15

            The nurse finished changing Hiro’s last bandage, and then helped up from the bed. She had been taking care of him over the week, and had grown found of the boy.

 

            “Now remember… Nothing, and I mean nothing strenuous! Lord knows you lose enough blood just laying there all mopey like!” She smiled at the boy and pushed him towards the door. “So go have some fun today will you!”

 

            Hiro nodded, but said nothing as he made his way out.

 

            The nurse called after him. “And don’t you dare forget to check back in with me tonight!” Honestly, that boy…

 

            The morning sun brightly lit the field in front of the school. Everyone was gathered in waiting.  They had spent all of the previous day and into the night preparing. A large stage had been erected in front of the school. Low-rise bleachers were assembled in a semi circle around it. Tables and chairs were evenly spaced throughout the grounds. Banners, ribbons and decorations of all sorts covered the area. Even the birds sang for the occasion.

 

            Suddenly, cheers filled the air, but they weren’t from the waiting crowd. The senior class rounded the last bend and came into sight down the road. They marched together and cheered military jingles as they drew closer. Kamishi was at their head; a proud smile on his face. He had taught them a little bit of military formalities before official their training. As such, they preformed their march presentably, and soon their cheers were meet by the joyous cries of the spectators.

 

            The crowd split for them, and they moved towards the stage. Kamishi took the center, and his ‘troops’ fell in behind him. Everyone else quickly filled the bleachers and anxiously awaited the words of their leader.

 

            Lisanna found herself crammed between a group of freshman she didn’t recognize.  She felt odd as she scanned the seniors before her. She could not find anyone from Todo’s team. I don’t get it. The messenger said that everyone made it through. Where are they?

 

            Kamishi waved his hand for silence. The cries gradually died down, and he was given everyone’s’ full attention. After clearing his throat a few times, he spoke in a loud and charismatic voice. “My people! Students of my great school! Citizens of my nation! Today is a proud day for Uzario and all of Sazakira! You’re school has poured itself into these students and filled them with its strength. Now your senior class has had their containers filled to the brim. Their strength has begun to overflow and change them. They are no longer seniors of this school! It is with great honor-“ He waved his hand across the group behind him “-That I present to you the newest members of Sazakira’s mighty military!”

 

            Cheers exploded once more. Confetti was thrown, whistles were blown, and a deafening roar of applause thundered across the clearing. The sudden outbreak scared the birds into flight.

 

            After several minutes, things calmed once more, and Kamishi spoke once again. “It is with great regret that I must inform you of the absence of one of our teams. Sadly, they were ambushed on their way back here and died in battle.” Kazuto slipped into the ranks students in the bleachers unnoticed. “It was I who allowed them to go ahead on their own, and I alone bare the responsibility for their loss.”

 

            Murmurs rippled through the audience as they looked around as if just noticing that there was anyone missing. They were quickly silenced as Kamishi continued speaking.

 

            “We can remember, we can learn, we can move on, but we will not regret! We have no choice but to continue onwards! It is with that in mind that I ask these fine soldiers behind me to call up the next generation!” He moved aside, and the ‘platoon’ stepped forward.

 

            Together they shouted boisterously. “Our country hand selected us and called us to bring it honor! We have risen to that call! We have meet its expectations and gone beyond them! We will serve our nation with the same pride we served our school; just as those who came before us have done and continue to do. Where are our juniors?”

 

            The juniors scattered throughout the crowd stood and shouted back. “We stand before you!”

 

            “Indeed you stand, but we stand higher! Rise up and take our place as the seniors of our proud school so that you too may stand higher than your juniors! Set forth the example they should strive for! Show them the strength our great school breeds. Instill in them the pride of our country. Prove to them that none will ever challenge the might of our nation. Do for them all these things; just as we have done for you!”

 

            The juniors ignored the fact that their seniors had set the worst example in school history and roared their response. “We will do just as you ask! Just as our country asks! Just as our leader asks!”

 

            The new military members extended their hands down as if to grasp the hands of the juniors. “Then we welcome you all... as seniors of Uzario!”

 

            A final bout of cheers brought the ceremony to its close. The formalities marked the end of a long journey for the new graduates, and the final steps for new seniors. They had no idea that the true end was only just beginning.

 

            Bleachers were vacated, and the grounds around the stage were cleared as the students set about the beginning of the festival.

 

            However, Lisanna remained were she had been sitting the whole time. They were ambushed… Died in battle. She felt something strange in her heart. Her attention was drawn by a figure to her side.

 

            Hiro sat down beside her without saying a word. He stayed next to her, and they shared in a silence for a while. The sounds of partying echoed behind them. Finally, Hiro carefully stretched out his arm, and placed his hand on Lisanna’s shoulder.

 

            She stiffened under the touch, but did not pull away from it. After a moment, she relaxed again and sighed. “It’s weird you know… I thought I loved Todo.” Hiro did not react. “I just found out he died, and I thought my heart would break… But it doesn’t even hurt. I just feel empty about him. Why can’t I even shed a tear for him? My heart must be stone.”

 

            Hiro’s silence contrasted the din from behind them. The festivities were in full swing. Laughs and shouts of joy accompanied sounds of play.

 

            Lisanna chuckled dryly. “Yet I can cry myself to sleep over some other dummy.” Hiro flinched, and she laughed for real. “You know Hiro, this isn’t how I imagined us talking again… Especially since you haven’t even said anything yet.”

 

            He brought his hands together in his lap and looked down. “Meh… Sorry.”

 

            She smiled softly. “I never though I would be so happy to hear that expression again.”

 

            Hiro took her hands in his own. “Lisanna look-“

 

            Lisanna pulled her hands back to her chest and shook her head. Her voice was soft. “-No. Let me go first.” She looked in his eyes and spoke. “I’m sorry. I told you we were friends, and as friends you only asked to not talk about one thing. Yet I disregarded your wish, and pried so deep into it to satisfy my own curiosity.” She gripped her shirt tightly, and tears trickled down her face. “I even went so far as to resent you over it… I can’t call myself your friend when I’m so shallow! I’m sorry!”

 

            He reached out and gently wiped her tears away. “If you weren’t my friend, you wouldn’t be crying now... I guess your heart isn’t stone.”

 

            She put her hand over his and held it softly.  The tears rolled over both of their hands. “So I can cry…” Suddenly her body started to shake violently, and she buried her face into Hiro’s chest and sobbed uncontrollably.

 

            Hiro rubbed her back comfortingly. “What’s wrong?”

 

            Her hands tightened around his shirt collar. The sobs broke up her voice. “I-I don’t k-know.” She pushed her head deeper into his chest.

 

            Hiro wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him weakly as she continued to cry. He held her until the tears stopped.

 

            When her eyes dried, she looked up at Hiro’s face. She spoke shyly. “T-thank you.” His eyes widened in surprise, and his jaw dropped. She laughed weakly. “You don’t have to be so shocked. It’s just a thank you.”

 

            Hiro shook his head as if trying to wake up. “Lisanna… Your cheek!

 

            She quickly covered the wound with her hand. “Jerk! I’m a girl! You’re not supposed to point out something like that!

 

            He pulled her hand away. “No, that isn’t it!”

 

            Hiro ran his finger over the stitching. She flinched, expecting pain to accompany the touch. However, her eyes widened. She poked at it as well. Her voice was hardly a whisper. “It healed…”

 

            Kazuto withdrew from behind a set of bleachers. He made his way to the tables were the students had gathered. The food had already been set out during the ceremony, and the students were digging in with vigor. He made his way to the table Ares was sitting at. His head turned, and he gave one last look in Lisanna’s direction. Not much longer now.

 

            Darkness had long since claimed the light of the sun, and the moons pale light replaced it. Fireworks lit up the sky in vivid brilliance. The explosions of colors signified the end of the festival, and the end of the year.

 

            That night would be the last the students spent at the school for some time. With the year’s end, they were all allowed to go home until the start of the next school year.

 

            When morning came, the newest members of Sazakira’s military were lined up at the exit of the school. Kamishi stood before them.

 

            His voice was as charismatic as ever. “Alright troops… Fall in!!!”

 

            They all lifted their right arms to the front, and their left to their sides. They shifted around until they were arms length from everyone. The square formation had two extra people at the back left.

 

            Kamishi spoke again. “March!!!”

 

            The sun had hardly peaked above the horizon as Kamishi personally lead them on their way to a new home. Military Headquarters: Trainee Division. There, they would learn the military way of life. Drills, formations, tactics; everything they had spent the last few years of their life learning, and then some. Their intensive and in-depth training started that morning. It would be a long march.

 

            Birds flew across the noontime sky. The day was beautiful, and perfect for travel. Not a cloud passed by to block the sun, making solar navigation easy. With the great weather, most of the remaining students had already left with bags packed. A few remained in bed after a hard night of partying and would leave later. However, there was someone else who could not leave.

 

            Lisanna stood by Hiro’s bedside. The boy’s bandages were no longer stained red.

 

            The nurse had her hands on her hips. Her voice was stern. “Most certainly not! Hiro’s not going anywhere in his condition!”

 

            Lisanna tried to protest. “But the bleeding stopped!”

 

            She grabbed Hiro’s arm. “Do I need to remove one of his bandages to get the point across to you? You know how bad his wounds are, they could still reopen at any time!”

 

            “You let him go out yesterday in worse condition than he’s in now!”

 

            The nurse seemed exasperated. “Yesterday was something different. He wasn’t getting better or worse, and it was an important event… But now his wounds have closed! It’s crucial that we keep it that way and let them heal!”

 

            “They didn’t get better until he started moving, maybe what he-“

 

            Hiro spoke up for himself for the first time in the argument. “-Lisanna... It’s okay… I’m staying here.”

 

            “What?! Why should you have to stay?! Everyone else gets to go home!”

 

            “It’s okay.” He leaned back on the bed. “With all that has happened recently, I think some rest will do me good.”

 

            The nurse nodded her head in agreement. “See? He knows what’s good for him.”

 

            Lisanna’s voice was slightly dejected. “But-“

 

            “Don’t worry about me Lisanna. I’ll be fine.” He smiled sadly. “Besides, I don’t really have a place to go back to.”

 

            She saw the pain in his eyes. “Well if you’re staying, than I’m-“

 

            Hiro exaggerated his speech. “-Leaving! Already?! Well it was good to see you! Have a safe trip!”

 

            “What? No, I’m not-“

 

            He grabbed her hands. “Please, don’t stay because of me. Go.”

 

            “I-“

 

            Hiro released her. “Go.”

 

            She pulled away and smiled softly. “Dummy... Fine then. If that’s what you really want.”

 

            The nurse coughed. “If you’d like to give your boyfriend a goodbye kiss, you can pretend I’m not here, and I’ll just look the other way.”

 

            They both went rigid with embarrassment. Lisanna looked to Hiro.

 

            The boy shrugged his shoulders. “Meh.”

 

            Her face was cherry red as she was forced to defend herself. “N-no! You see. I-it’s not l-like that! We um… we j-just.”

 

            The nurse patted her on the back. “Don’t take it so seriously. Your fine honey.”

 

            Lisanna quickly moved to the door to escape. She opened the door and faced Hiro again. “You know I’m really going?!”

 

            He looked nonchalant. “Okay.”

 

            “Jerk!!!” She slammed the door behind her.

 

            Hiro stared at the door for a while. His sad smile returned.

 

            The nurse grinned mischievously. “You must really like that girl.”

 

            He leaned back in the bed and watched the ceiling. He said nothing, but his face was red, and a new kind of smile took over his face.