"Miss Henka? Can you hear me? Miss Henka!" Muffled noises invaded my mind. "I think she's waking up, her pupils are dilating."
'So annoying...'
"Get the doctor." The noises didn't stop.
I was annoyed by the fly-like buzzing that occupied my mind. The half conscious stage I was in was worryingly weird. I had never experienced anything like this.
"Miss Henka!" Another sound resonated in my head.
'Henka...?'
Slowly, other senses reconnected with my consciousness. I felt exhaustion and anger first. Then, feelings like pain, uneasiness and discomfort occupied my mind.
Everything was still dark, just as it was in my cell. 'Is there someone new in the empty cells, or why do I hear voices.' I questioned.
I still hadn't remembered what events had led me to be inside a hospital in the Asian Empire. Not that I cared. Everything was the same. Life or death.
Pain pierced my skull, it was unbearable. If I were able to, I would've screamed. Yet, my throat was so dry that even water could tear it apart.
The pain slowly subsided, and I realized what had caused it. Very bright light was being held into my eyes. 'It was light...'
Once my eyes became used to the light, I was able to observe a few men and women in white robes standing around the bed I laid in.
"Miss Henka?" A woman spoke.
I did not bother to answer. A piercing glance was enough for her to realize I had regained my consciousness fully.
My hair covered my face like a curtain, it was dirty. I waited until one medical professional to notice that I was thirsty.
"Water! We forgot to give her water!" One of the man yelled.
It didn't take long for a glass of water to arrive. The suspension became even greater for them, they observed as if I had been a zoo animal.
After I was done coughing, I spoke in a raspy voice.
"War?"
"It's over, Miss Henka. Congratulations! An agreement to end the war was signed just a few weeks ago." One of the men informed.
***
I had fallen asleep right after I was told that the war was over. I wondered, if there was a winner, or if a Land had had the upper hand.
Supposedly, I was in a coma for 3 weeks. My body was malnourished and very dirty. I tried to remember, but I forgot how I was rescued from the pow camp.
"How are you doing today, Miss Henka?" A nurse asked.
"Fine. When will I be able to go home?" I asked.
"Well, the doctor said that you lost quite a lot of muscle mass, you need to go through physical therapy first." She informed.
"Must it be in this hospital? I have a physical therapist at home. I would just need to get discharged and brought back home. I'm sure the government will gladly help me out."
"I will ask the doctor, but for now, eat this and try to mover your upper body a bit. And if you need anything, call me."
I spent 4 days in that hospital, exercising and gaining muscle mass. When I showered for the first time again, my bones looked like they would pierce through my skin at any moment.
The day came to leave, and just as I hoped, the government flew me back to Japan. In addition to that, they informed me about certain events.
"Expect someone to come and ask you about your time in captivity. You can call a therapist too if you want."
My family waited for me at the airport.
My father, my mother, and my underage siblings all waited for me. Yet, they didn't look that happy to see me. Still, they hugged me, everyone except my mother.
"I am so happy, you made me proud." My father announced.
My family wasn't stupid, they knew how to treat a war veteran, so they didn't ask anymore questions. I was asked from time to time, if I felt healthy or comfortable, if I was hungry or sleepy.
Their lack for "concern" disappointed me, and shattered all the remaining hope I had for my family. When my mind was thinking about my family, I asked if any of my older siblings had survived.
I hoped I wouldn't hear it, but my misfortune struck me hard again. Out of all the possible answers they could've given, it just had to be the one I didn't want to hear.
"Kuzushi didn't make it." My father answered in a sad tone. "Blasted to death by artillery fire."
"Atsushi died too. Killed by gunfire." My mother cried.
'Kuzushi... the only one that saw eye to eye with me, the strongest swordsman of our clan. I'm sorry...'
His death would've struck harder if not for my solitary experience. My mind had numbed my emotions to such a degree that I felt as if nothing had happened. The only person in my family that secretly supported me had died.
"He had a newborn son, didn't he?" I interrupted.
"Yes. His wife is devastated. We offered her to live with us. She has yet to respond." Father said. "Chikako survived too. She was even given an honorary award for her deeds. Daitan lost an arm and an eye, but she didn't lose her spirit. She even got more daring. Cutting lines in stores, telling strangers about her contributions in the war, bragging and using her disability, basically."
'How were my sisters welcomed back? The same way I was? I can't even tell if they are happy about my survival...'
I sat in the car's front seat. My mother and my 3 siblings sat behind me. The kids had grown quite a lot in that time. Saburo, the second most promising talent of the family, had grown to be about 180 centimeters with just 16 years of age. His body became even sharper than his Katana. His eyes, on the other hand, were full of sorrow. Kiyoshi was quiet as always. But he too had grown to 175 centimeters at just 15 years old. His twin sister, Tomoko, had accompanied Kiyoshi's growth. She too cried after our brother.
"Sister, I'm glad you came back. Huuu...." Tomoko cried. "We heard what they did to you. I hope you are okay..."
"What happened to me?" I asked them, probing them for information.
"Weren't you held captive for over a month without water, hygiene and light?" Father asked.
"I was. But what's wrong? I got used to it quickly. It was easier and more helpful to my mind than you ever were." I said nonchalantly.
My father, taken aback by my sudden insult, had finally come to the realization that I hated them. Comparing them to torture, and even saying they were worse than that, made them realized just how I saw them.
"I will get my therapy, then I'll leave the family."
"How dare you?!" Mother jumped from her seat.
She grabbed my shoulder, but because she didn't hug me before, she unknowingly grabbed my bone that didn't even have an inch of muscle around in.
She gasped, her madness vanishing in an instant. That was the moment that she realized it too. I was mistreated and wanted to leave the family.
***
Weeks passed as I did my physical therapy sessions. Eventually, the person, I was told about, arrived.
"Hangaku Henka, I would like you to tell me what happened to you, and who did it to you." He stated.
I explained my conditions, my comrades' conditions. How they died, and how I was about to die. I told him that the guards didn't mention any names or showed their faces. Everything was kept in the absolute dark. I told them about the only person who helped me, the man behind the bars.
"What about the part where you where released?" He asked.
"I don't remember anything about that. I just feel disappointed. I wanted to know the only honorable person's name, yet a thing that easy slipped through my fingers. You know, we got along pretty well. If possible, don't prosecute him for war crimes please. I'm sure he had no choice."