Death Before Dishonor

"Death before dishonor!"

- A popular quote from Takeo Masaki

Death Before Dishonor is a fanfiction by EternalBlaze. The fanfiction mainly revolves around Takeo Masaki before the canon Zombies storyline and how he became how he is as a character.

Chapters

Chapter 1
There was a pitter patter on the roof as it started to rain harder. Standing outside, I looked up and saw as rain drops briefly fell around me. I liked this weather, since it always calmed me and helped me ponder things.

My younger sister,, never understood why I liked standing outside in the frigid rain, but she stood with me sometimes anyways because she found it soothing as well; My two older brothers, Ichiro and Keiichi, always made fun of me for being so weird; I didn't mind them though, they were always like that and I would simply just be oblivious to their jokes.

"Takeo, come inside. It's time for dinner!" My mother called to me from inside.

Turning back around, she had already left the front door open. I finally realized my clothes were getting wet and if I was any more drenched, my father wouldn't have it.

Running back inside, the table was already set and my mother was getting everyone ready for dinner. I didn't see what was on the table, since I went to my room to change into fresh robes.

Ah, what was for dinner tonight? Rice... and... sushi... and some meat that I didn't know... and other stuff... Well, it tasted good and that's what counted I guess...

"So," My father said once we were all kneeling and settled. "The army is back in town... I think they're going to recruit some more young men."

He started looking at Ichiro, since he was the first son (Ichirio in Japanese is "first born son" or something along those lines), and then at Keiichi, who was almost the same age as Ichiro. I hoped he didn't glance over at me, since I was only fifteen. I still had a good three or four years of growing to do and I dreaded war, although I was told many times it would fulfill my destiny.

To my dismay, he also turned towards me, even though he clearly knew I was still a bit too young for conscription.

"We're ready to go into battle, father. We will kill the enemy and return with honor, we promise." Ichiro said confidently. Keiichi agreed with a vigorous nod, as his mouth was stuffed with something I couldn't make out.

"Good, or else you know what will happen. Remember, if you are captured, you know what to do..." He said with a smirk on his face.

I thought to myself... Seppuku; it was the only way of keeping yourself honorable even after you have lost it or it was taken. It didn't scare me, but I always wondered why. Why suicide? Maybe it was an old Japanese tradition, but I never really favored history.

After a few more minutes of talk, there was a brief knock at the door.

And another.

And another.

Until the door came bursting down. It was pouring rain outside, as if a million large buckets of water were being tipped over simultaneously, with thunder cracking everywhere. I turned around and saw a couple of soldiers, presumably some IJA soldiers. They stormed into the house, startling my parents.

"We need your children now! The IJA is in need of new soldiers!" The taller one said in a very strict tone.

"It's not time for conscription!" My father retorted, angry that the soldiers had broken into his home while he and his family were having dinner.

"No choice, either you hand us your sons or we kill everyone..." The second one said, taking out a Nambu from a side holster.

My father, who was even angrier, pondered this for a moment. He looked back at them to answer.

"Okay, I'll--" He started to say, but was quickly shot, falling to the floor like a lifeless body bag. My mother screamed and collapsed to the floor, cradling his head and trying to wipe tears from her eyes. She was completely silent and oblivious to the soldiers.

"Too late, we're taking them anyways." One of the two soldiers said.

In an instant, me and my two older brothers were taken by our robes and dragged abruptly out of the house, leaving my fragile mother and sister alone in the house.

We were thrown into the back of a cold truck and driven away. It was the last time I would see my home... for a very long time...