The screaming was followed by a series of French swearwords and curses, yet it was not done by France since it was a female's voice. And at the next minute, they saw a name tag being grabbed and thrown at France, who was trying to say something.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" even those who did not understand French could easily work this part out. The figure then continued speaking in French.
"You have the nerve to ask me whether I am well after all that you have done? You abandoned me to England and could care less about what happened to me, but now you suddenly want Quebec?"
"My dear, it isn't – " if Canada was not so angry, then she would have been shocked at how sincere and concerned France was.
"Shut up! You abandoned me! If you really cared about me then you would not just have gave me to England as if I was merely a thing! And if you really care, then why do you ignore me when I became independent? And today of all day…England wouldn't know anyway, but you are different. France…papa…"
Upon hearing his name in French- which he recognised- England decided that he ought to do something.
However, the reaction that he provoked was equally bad. Since her own name tag was gone, Canada grabbed France's tag and chucked it at him.
There was a certain irony to it.
"Ca-Canada?" England was completely shocked because his largest ex-colony was also the gentlest. Therefore, he could not believe that she was actually behaving like this.
"You never cared for me, England! It was your revenge at France, wasn't it! And then, it was your attempt of replacing America. Because I am America's sister…because I looked like America when I was younger. My hair…you even cut my hair so that I would look like America more!"
At this, she grabbed a large chunk of her hair and cut it. She then grabbed another strand.
"My dear, what are you doing?" France demanded as he grabbed hold her hand, only to have the scissors stabbing him.
"I am seeing if he remembers me! This is the Canada that England remembers."
She then turned to the last member of her family, the one who had played a very large part in her being upset.
"And you, America!" Canada continued. "What a good idea it is to have a world meeting on this day!
"But what is wrong with this day?" America asked innocently, although there was great concern in his voice.
At this, Canada stopped and it almost seemed that she was calming down. However, her mouth then parted and a series of French curses were released.
America and England did not understand any of what she just said, but they could easily tell that she was very upset and they had clearly done something very wrong.
France tried to embrace Canada, but she shook her hand off and spat out: "Get your hands off me, you are not my papa anymore!"
With that, she was gone.
Belgium suddenly felt a hand placed on her shoulder and turning around, she saw that it was Netherlands. Her brother was also staring at the door that Canada just slammed with an intensity that she has not seen for such a long time.
"Translate everything." He said simply.
When she was smaller, Canada always liked to be at a high place, especially a lighthouse, as it let her see whether her papa was coming to see her. However, when she began to be under England's rule, this habit began to become very depressing.
However, she has begun to do this once again, because it was no longer impossible.
Today, she ought to be at a lighthouse and waiting for her visitors to come.
However…
"Canada, I am so sorry but your brother had a fight with my brother, so I won't be able to come today." Ukraine was actually so sorry and upset that Canada was more concerned with comforting her.
"My boss had some sort of issue with America's boss and even though I am really determined to go just for the sake of pissing your brother off, I know that I can't do this, as it might make things worse." Knowing what Cuba was like, this self control was actually quite amazing and rather touching, especially when it was due to him thinking of her.
But there was one person who should have gave her an answer, but did not. It almost seemed as if he forgot all about her, just like the rest.
Like her papa, father and brother.
It really hurt because he thought that he was different, and to be here was really bad. After what happened during the year, she really wanted to be with her people as she was lucky that she could still celebrate her birthday with all of her people.
Luckily, Quebec still chose to be with her, but how close it all was made her really frightened- she almost lost part of herself.
Therefore, today was meant to be special. She should be with her people, not in some meeting where nothing was being done.
She was standing at the top of the tower, and she leant forward.
If she leant a bit forward, would she be able to rest?
Was there such a thing as rebirth for them?
Usually, countries die due to war or nature, but what if a country chose to die?
"Canada! Where are you?" this was Ukraine and the panic in the other's voice did make her guilty.
"Canada! I'll beat up your brother for you so come back!" at Cuba's suggestion, she couldn't help but to chuckle.
"Don't yell!" this voice was very different from the others as it was much brisk and calm. Yet there was also a sense of worry in it. "You might startle her."
This was the person that she did not want to face.
"I think I might know where she is." This said nation said.
Was it because he was thinking of the same memory as her? When the two of them climbed up a tower in order to look at the tulips?
At this, a fresh burst of tears appeared. He did not even come to the tulip festival this year! She knew that this was childish but this was the first time that he did not. That and this was all too much.
She climbed over the rail and sat there, her legs dangling. The space was actually much wider then what she thought.
"Canada." This was a soft whisper.
"Hey, where is she?" Cuba yelled out and his voice then changed to a loud roar. "Netherlands, what is wrong with you? Why did you lock the door?"
"Please, I want to talk to Canada too!"
"Yes, it is better for you to lock the door." Canada said softly. "I don't want them to see."
"And so I should?" Netherlands asked angrily. "You would have me see this sight?"
This was not the noblest strategy but if he could convince her to stand back, then he was willing to use any dirty tricks.
"You will forget all about it so it wouldn't matter to you much." She retorted before she accidentally said the following: "You forgot all about me this year…just like the rest."
All of a sudden, it all made sense.
"I know that I did not go to the tulip festival this year, but it was not because I forgot about you." he began, speaking very carefully. "But it was because I was too busy due to preparing your birthday present. I wanted to make sure that it is perfect."
"My birthday present?" she examined in surprise.
"Yes, wouldn't you at least see it?" he pleaded out before he repeated: "I wanted to make sure that it was perfect."
"…you did not forget." Her tone consisted of so much wonder that he wanted to hurt all those that caused her to be like this, when she did not believe that people ought to remember her birthday. "I thought that you forgot…just like the rest."
"You should know that I would never do that." He assured her. "After all, when have I ever forgotten before?"
"That was why it hurts so much." Canada said softly. "The prospect that even you might have forgot about it."
"I never will, I promise." He said firmly as he allowed himself to take a few steps forward. "So…won't you at least see it first?"
Upon this, she finally nodded. However, he was still not able to relax because it seemed that she might easily slip.
"I – " Canada began, but found herself forced to stop due to Netherlands.
The moment she was away from the rail, she was embraced very tightly by the other. It was almost as if he did not want to let her go.
"I am fine now." She said softly.
"I am not!" was what he muttered as he allowed himself to sit down with her still in his arms. "Do not do this to me again."
"Netherlands…"
"Do not ever do that again." He whispered over and over.
When her gaze met his, the anguish in his expression stunned her- he only looked like that he spoke of the war.
"I am sorry." And she truly was due to his expression. "But it was suddenly all too much and I feel that no one cares about me at all."
He shifted his hold so that she had her back to him, but he was still able to see her face due to the angel he placed her in.
"Tell me about what happened." He said gently.
A few hours later, Canada was in Netherlands with the personification of the nation being her guide. The first thing that he did was showing her the gift that he had prepared for her so carefully.
"Then we will go back and celebrate in Canada." He assured her. "Cuba and Ukraine are already setting it up."
"What did you say to my brother?" Canada asked curiously.
"It is true that I had some words with him." Netherlands admitted. "But I actually did not need to speak that much with him. He did feel very bad for what he has caused."
"When he remembers." She said darkly. After all, what happened to make her like this was not just a few days' neglect. But it was almost centuries of hurt. "But at least you will always remember."
"I always will.' He promised her once more.
They then arrived and upon seeing it, she began to cry again. However, the tears were very different.
The white and red tulips were carefully planted so that they made up the Canadian flag.
"Thank you so much." She whispered as he embraced her and gently rubbed her back. "This is the best present that I have ever received. You are the best friend that I can ever have."
He planned to wait a bit longer to confess, but then that word came up and it was too much.
"No, not your best friend, Canada." He said as he tightened his hold on her, knowing that the first part of his sentence would cause her to be upset. She would most likely run off without hearing the most important part.
"Canada, I don't want to be your friend, not even your best friend."
She turned very pale and he could see that she was trying very hard to not cry in front of him.
"It is because I love you more then that." He said quickly. "I don't want to be your friend, even your best friend, because I want to be more then that. I want to be your boyfriend."
She was still silent and even though Canada was usually silent, Netherlands was still very worried.
"If you really don't think that you want that then I won't force you, but I really hope that you will be willing to try." He continued, saying anything that entered his mind, because even he might find the silence daunting. "And I swear- I don't do drugs that much despite what everyone else says. If you want, I would only do it when you are not there. And…"
He found himself stopping due to her hand touching his lips. She then spoke and even though the words were soft, he knew that he would always hear these words.
"I think I can love you. Perhaps I already do."
After all, did he not show how special she was in so many ways?
Author'sNote: The idea is to work with a Canada who has a breakdown, which then allows Netherland to help her. After I heard about the tulip story between the two countries, I really feel that these two countries would have a close relationship. In addition- after I saw a fic where Canada, Netherlands and Ukraine are really good friends, I just really like the idea. I think that Ukraine and Canada are a really good pair too, but I just like CanadaxNetherlands more. Although it seems my fav pairing in Hetalia is DenmarkxCanada.
For someone like Canada, who has been ignored for so long, I really feel that the fact that the one person who always remember her seemed to forget her would really cause her to snap, especially after what had happened.
I admit that I portrayed England in a quite negative way, but I feel that it is possible that he might have tried to find a replacement in Canada given that the two brothers are meant to look really alike.