Hey everyone, thanks so much for the warm and great response that I got for the prequel.  I'm glad to hear people are enjoying it just as much as the regular season.  I'm sorry this took so long, work, school and finals caught up to me.  I do apologize for the long overdue but thank you for your patience.  Here is episode 2, please comment and pop it if you like it.  If you love Flat, join The Flat Parade, a clan dedicated to anyone who enjoys Flat or loves to show off your work.  Well here is episode 2, enjoy.

Flat: The Story Behind the Story

Episode 2

August 2, 1945

7:57am

-The morning started off again.  Like a day planner, everything was how the clock struck the sun was starting to rise over the Inland Sea.  The sun shimmering in the sunlight, bouncing the rays back to the sky, giving it a hot glowing orange and red flame that lit the world as one big candle to the people.  Each wave hitting the shore of Japan gently and light as a compliment, almost like patting someone’s back and telling them they did a good job.  The waves and that cool refreshing feel to their presence, each one rocking slowly against the shore, moistening the ground around it cooling the world one piece at a time.  Those waves followed with the wind that God blessed the shoreline with as a reward for the beauty that had graced this privileged part of the world.  It blew across the land and against the boats helping the fisherman make a living against the economy.  The men screamed out to each other, casting their nets into the clear crystal water seeing the fish swim toward the boats and away from them, toying with the men for the hunt.  Each man turned on by the game of cat and mouse for that was the purpose of the cast, the catch, and the sell.  Reeling in the mouse that they had fought for so proudly and hoisting it on deck to look at their haul.  This was their life, or as they called it.  Takamichi watched all this in fascination and wonder.  Looking how each day, these men and the world, could stay on the same schedule.  Peering over the sea like a little kid playing hide and go seek, the fisherman waking up 2 hours before the sun and out there, in their boats, waiting to cast the first net into the virgin sea hoping to find something on the reel in.  He sat there and wondered at both saying to himself with a chuckle…-

“Ah, the wonders this world holds.  Fruitful from the Gods that created it.  This world…would be so much more…in 4 days…my love…”

-He smiled more at the thought of being his one true love in 4 days.  His heart raced as every second went by, a countdown to all his wait, his patience, and his heart.  He held the shaven almost completed work of art in his hands holding it to his heart as a door, closed and shut to the world.  Waiting for the next 4 days before he could open it to the world and show them what a guy he really was.  Looking out into the bay, he sat there and stood in the midst of silent thought.  Thinking nothing but only the time as it winded down closer and closer to the day of his holy matrimony.

“Soon…my love…I will be able to take you away…from everything…everything…”

10:41am

-The day started like any other day, the new models of automobiles strolled down the road like a parade.  Stopping and going, going and stopping zooming past the hoards of pedestrians beating their pace against their own.  Each woman coming in collective swarms, showing off the late summer fashion passing each other by and complimenting on their beautiful morning attire.-

“Oh how beautiful you look today!”

“Why thank you, I love your dress.”

“I just got it last week.”

“Did you husband buy it for you?”

-A chuckle from the girl and a short reply and a soft red rouge on her face could tell her answer was a definite yes.  Today the streets were busy with the people of the city.  Happening was going on everywhere.  Man, woman and child could be seen window shopping looking at the new clothes displayed so high and mighty behind a window, teasing the passer bys and onlookers.  It was a beautiful day in Hiroshima, nothing could have spoiled that day.  With his hands in his pockets, Takamichi walked down the same streets and sidewalks that the swarms and crowds of families gathered together to gawk and stare at everything around.  His eyes fixed narrowed down the sidewalk, staring at no one and nothing at all.  Glazed over, his green jade eyes beheld the sights of the buildings stretching toward the Heavens almost as if to get the attention of God to shine down more upon this city.  Keeping to himself, he walked through the hoards of passersby making his way back home for some more fitting…-

“Why look at who we have here!?  Why if it isn’t Takamichi Arasu!”

-Takamichi stopped and looked into the bustle of business and saw an old friend he hadn’t seen in years.  With his ocean green eyes, he looked over a hulk of a man coming his way.  This so 20 year old man with his hair was a straight clean cut brown accenting his blue war costume, buttoned up by the shiny brass buttons that held his insanity and animosity inside.  The stereotypical blue officer hat was off his humungous head and at his side.  The blue flared tight pants completed the ensemble as the man walked up to him and continued to chat with the familiar Takamichi.-

“How has my little bastard been doing?”

-The man gave a hardy laugh and hugged Takamichi deep into his chiseled chest cavity, patting him strong and hard on the back like he was beating a drum.  The laugh continued for a good minute before Takamichi got the chance to breathe after smelling cigarette smoke and clean linen from his shirt.-

“Ah ha sorry about that Takamichi, it’s just been so long since I last seen your beautiful crystal jade eyes.”

-It took a while to focus those crystal jade eyes that this man described so well.  The pupils still fuzzy began to become clear and saw the clear cut man towering over him.  His eyes saw the sun billowing down over the tall man shading himself from the harmful UV rays that would give him melanoma.  The blackness of the figure came to focus as he looked at him with a smile on his face responding…-

“It’s ok, I know how you were like even as kids.”

“Ah ha yes those were the days.”

-The man looked over to his two entourages letting them hear a story of days old…-

“I remember, as kids, this guy would run crying to his mom every time I would open my arms to give him a hug.  HAHAHAHA…yes sir I still got it!”

-The man and friends laughed hard and mighty, Takamichi blushed a bit and gave a few chuckles to this memory he had suppressed for some years now.  Takamichi looked back up to him and questioned his recent presence back in Hiroshima.  He hadn’t seen him in years, he had left after school to join the army to fight against the Westerners.  He was truly loyal to his country and always had been since he met him.-

“What brings you back home?”

-Takamichi questioned.  The man looked back upon Takamichi and responded…-

“I heard you joined the army or you got drafted to go to war, is that right?”

-Takamichi nodded shamefully and responded back…-

“Yes, I got drafted.”

“If that is true why aren’t you at training right now?”

“Well I’m getting married in a couple of days and…”

“Takamichi!”

-Before he can finish the rest of his sentence, the man jumped right on to him and gave him a huge bone breaking hug.  Takamichi was so surprised by this recent attack, he was blanketed, once again, by this bulging man’s arms and smothered into a clean ash tray of a smell.  The smell was overbearing to the point where he could taste it.  The hug was the memory resuscitated to life again.  The hug was like his childhood all over again.  A hug that could shatter each bone, the grip of a full grown grizzly bear and the strength of a thousand men.  The grip was like a bear trap, it would not let go and could hold you firmly in place for other scavengers and predators to pick off the dead.  He stood in that embrace knowing his old friend was in a blessed feeling of congrats to this news.  He didn’t want to ruin it for him…-

“Why you bastard why didn’t you ever tell me about this great news before!?”

-Muffling the words of communication through his shirt, trying to breathe and survive through the cotton shirt…-

“…because…ahh…never found…a…way to con…tact you…mmm…mmm…can you let go of me…ahhhh…please…”

“Oh sorry about that…”

-Letting go of Takamichi from his death bear trap grip.  He just stopped and took a few moments to catch his breath and composure as the man talked waiting for him…-

“It seems I still got it, it would seem!”

-Feeling a pride of accomplishment as Takamichi gasped and coughed for air and retain for posture while the man laughed more of his glee to see it still there.  The men that came with him laughed along with him and joined in on the festive gesture of being buddy buddy.  Takamichi, after several moments regained his person and brushed it off.  He looked up at the gentleman and finally responded to him…-

“Damn it Murazan, you know you can’t do that to me without warning remember?”

-Giving a soft chuckle remembering the promise he made to him as a child and Murazan gave a laugh with him and said…-

“Oh yeah, sorry about that Taka my boy!”

-Giving another hardy laugh as Takamichi butted in quickly to his laugh…-

“It’s ok but I do apologize Murazan, I’m late for my fitting.  Are you staying long?”

“I’m being deployed back at the end of the coming week.”

-Takamichi smiled and asked Murazan…-

“I’m inviting you…to be my best man.”

-Murazan stared at him with shock, a glazed came over him as he stood back teary eyed almost responding to this shocking tribulation…-

“Are…are…are you serious….Takamichi…my boy…”

-Takamichi stared back at him and smiled giving him a soft slow nod giving him confirmation of his promise to him.  Murazan stared back at him and began to cry as he grabbed him and hugged him again hard and tight against his chest that stood firm and hard like a tree.  Unaware of this, Takamichi got snagged in, again, to the suffocation of cigarettes and clean linen.  He struggled to get free of his grip, a little piss with the fact he did not warn him again.  Fiercely struggling to get free as Murazan talked over his muffles of desperation…-

“Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  This is the reason you are my best friend!  Wow I can’t believe you would do that for me!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!”

-Murazan continued his victorious celebration of hearing the wonderful news upon his return back home.  Takamichi paid no attention to what Murazan was saying and just focused on trying to get free from the death trap that he was locked in with Murazan.  Murazan kept the grip on him for a little bit longer before letting go letting Takamichi dropped to the ground carelessly, runs over and cries to his buddies about the good news.  The men start hugging him, comforting him and giving him the salutary slap on the back in good wishes on this wonderful piece of news.-

“Did you hear guys!?  I get…to be…I get…to be…”

“We heard, we heard.”

“Congratulations on this honorable bestowing.”

-Murazan continued to make this celebratory party go on and on for a while, all the while, Takamichi got back to his posture and measure looking over at Murazan.  He could see that his old friend, Murazan, was very happy at this wonderful honor.  He just looked upon the baby that was now Murazan, crying and hugging his other buddies.  He stood there and smiled chuckling to himself a bit thinking…-

Murazan…my good friend…it will be magical…when you are there…at my side…being my best man…nothing can ruin that day…now…thank you…thank you…for everything…

“…oh my God!  I have to prepare!  I have to get a tuxedo!  I have to get…something done with my hair…I can’t just keep it like this…”

-They started to walk away slowly leaving Takamichi behind.  He started to disappear slowly into the crowd still talking to his buddy about what he needs to do to prepare himself for the special day.  He didn’t even turn around to cordially wish his buddy a good bye or anything else, he just left and started off to get ready for the day.  Takamichi watched and laughed a bit seeing he wasn’t the type to not excuse himself out of conversation.  He watched till he left him completely behind and disappeared into the hoards of people waving to him like waves on a beach.  He stood there for a minute, staring into the crowds wondering and in thought.  Staring down at the people, almost a kind staring down to his subjects.  His eyes pierced through the souls of each of them, sinning them into submission, prejudgment before trial, which is how he was and had always been.  His life, a trial against all of humanity like Jesus will do at Armageddon.  He snapped back out of his train of thought and realized about his fitting…-

“Oh my, I must be off, I’ll be late for my fitting.”

-He starts to tread off into the crowd and into the future.-

6:56pm

“Why aren’t you at your fitting today?”

-His beloved fiancée Misato sat there at her desk, occupying herself in the mirror, looking at her own reflection staring back.  She had spaced out and did not realize the time, but, then again, she did.  She looked at her mother, outraged and questionable about her absence and responded with a weak excuse…-

“I forgot mother.”

“You forgot!?  How does a committed woman like yourself forget about her own wedding?”

“I was asleep and just woke.”

“Oh honey…”

-The mother shook her head at her daughter, she knew it was a bold face lie and knew why she did miss it.  Her mother walked slowly over to her daughter as she continued to stare down and intimidate the bluff more.  A mother’s hand is the purest form of touch ever.  It gave birth and comforted the worst, Misato knew this touch well.  She would touch her cheek gently, tracing her hand up the side of her face and would move a bit of hair draped down over her like the curtains in her room and pushed it behind her head, where it truly belongs.  It was her way of showing her that she understood what she was going through.  A mother’s smile is symbolic and a wonderful sight to see.  Most girls don’t get to see a smile that was shown to Misato that day.  The smile could have cured a dying child, the smile could keep hope for the desperate and weary, the smile could have saved anyone.  She smiled down upon Misato and spoke these words to her, from mother to daughter…-

“I know how you’re feeling, my darling Misato.  You are getting the butterflies.  It happens love.  I felt the same way when I married your father.  Oh my…(chuckles)…I remember the day of my wedding…I ran into the bathroom and stood there for an hour just nervous and crying for all to be over.  Then my best friend…god rest her soul…came in and cheered me up.”

“Did that really happen to you mother?”

-The mother smiles and looks into her baby’s great soft brown eyes and nods gently, nodding to her to help set free the butterflies that twinge and knotted her stomach up.-

“Yes it did.  Let me tell you something my dear sweet Midori.  Happiness is those butterflies in your stomach.”

-Misato stares into her mother’s light brown eyes and questioned her philosophical idea with a response…-

“How so mother?  I don’t quite understand your wisdom.”

“It’s like this my child…happiness is not just a smile on your face, the rouge on your cheeks or your heart…beating quickly, sometimes…happiness is too overwhelming to just show or express.”

“I still don’t understand mother.”

“Happiness can be so overwhelming, body, mind and soul that the only way to express it, is to feel anxious and nervous.”

“Why is that?”

“Ho ho my child, you sure are a curious one aren’t you?”

-Stroking Misato’s long golden locks looking deep into her daughter’s eyes as Misato replied…-

“My best qualities came from you.”

-The mom smiles and laughs a bit and retaliates back…-

“I am your mother after all.”

-They both gave a good laugh as the bond between mother and daughter was unbreakable.  They just sat there with each other laughing and enjoying their presence, their warmth and their hearts together.  Midori stood there, staring at her mother, laughing and brushing her hair to straighten it as she thought, with love and warmth in her heart…-

4 days Takamichi…my love…I will always love you…till death due us part…