Hawai'i Talks Story [Countryhumans and Statehumans Oneshots]

The Lost Battalion

Vosges Mountains, France

~November 1, 1944~

That was a disaster.

Texas pushed himself off the makeshift cot, breathing heavily. He tried to stand on his leg, but found it numb and limp. He took a small, tentative step, and hissed a little in pain.

That stung. A lot.

It was bad enough the entire 141st battalion had been surrounded by Germans, and that it was days until help arrived. Then there was that one battalion that had tried to get them out had gotten gunned down quite quickly. Add the fact that the folks who actually got the battalion out of that hell were Japanese. Japanese from Hawaii.

And he just knew that as soon as Hawaii got wind of it, it'd be over for him.

"Oh, you're awake." A voice said, and Texas turned to see an Asian man standing by the door. He had wavy black hair and tan skin, and he gave a little smile in Texas's direction.

"Hello."

"Good to see you among the living." The man said laughing, before he frowned, cocking his head at Texas. "For some reason, I imagined you to be... older. Well, I suppose you are older than you look, I just didn't expect someone-"

"You imagined wrong." Texas stared at the man, who stared right back. It was odd to see him staring at him for so long. "Are you going to tell me your name, or will I have to ask?"

"Kimo Yang. I would say Jimmy works, but then again, there are one too many Jimmys in this battalion. People loved naming their kids James, I think." The man said, shrugging. "I suppose you can call me James if you want."

Texas didn't give him any response either way, and so James took that as a sign to keep talking.

"The boys call me the 'Chinee Jimmy', but that's for the boys. We've got a Chinee Jimmy, three Japanee Jimmys, and now a Haole Jimmy, from your battalion."

"That's nice." Texas pushed himself off the side of the bed, but found it nearly impossible. "You can leave now. I don't need some J-p to help me. Get me the doctor."

Kimo, James, whoever he was, he raised his eyebrow, before a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I see. Well, your haole doctor's out at the moment, so I guess you're stuck with me."

"Just leave me alone. I need to get back to my men." Texas said. James sat on the chair next to Texas, and watched him try to keep himself from wobbling on his legs. Texas held himself up, as a sharp pain went up his leg from his calf, and he gritted his teeth, to keep him from falling.

"I won't stop you, but I will let you know you took a bullet to the calf, so you won't be walking all that well for a while." James said. "We're probably going to send you home."

"I can't be sent home. I'll be fine! I'll heal quickly," Texas said, gritting his teeth.

He then looked over to James, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"You think this is funny, don't you?"

"I do find it funny when someone has their pride get in the way of them getting help. You really are as prideful as they say." The man laughed, and Texas felt his face getting hot in anger. "Now, I think that's enough standing on that leg. You took quite a hit."

"What do you not get about me saying that I don't need a J-p to help me?"

"One, 'J-ps' were the ones saving you and your battalion. Unless you'd rather they leave you to be captured by the Nazis." James said, "Two, I'm the medic assigned to you, so we gotta deal with each other for a little while. Three, I'm not Japanese. I am Chinese-Portuguese-Hawaiian, and I am proud of it."