The Ingenious Plan to Absolute Disaster
\1638\ - With world domination at England's finger tips, being locked in the Land of the Rising Sun put a serious damper on his plans. Especially when the nation in control wouldn't let him go. Crap. Pirate!UkxIsolated Japan.
Chapter One:
It was quite the beautiful sight.
Peacefully quiet, it was. The once gorgeous Sakura trees shook slightly with the wind, and some of the last of their pink bloomed leaves that had been knocked loose floated away. The manmade bridge underneath them overlooked the small waterfall that trickled down the stone wall and into the placid koi pond.
It was cast over with the shadows of the trees, making the water appear dark and contrasted with the light pink petals that disturbed the calm surface of the pond, which was outlined by blunt, grey rocks, under which the colourful koi swam.
And standing on the manmade bridge, overlooking the peaceful Koi pond, was a small man, his clothes swaying slightly in the wind and his face masked with no sentiments.
He appeared to be emotionless; with his mouth twisted into a grim straight line, his shoulders straight, head bent low and his arms at his sides.
The man was dressed in a light kimono the colour of deep-red cherries with a snow-white obi tied modestly around his thin waist and a black haori hanging off of his shoulders. Suddenly, he lifted his head upward and opened his eyes, revealing brown orbs.
His eyes were the only things that were different.
His eyes. His eyes told a different story.
His eyes, though seemingly devoid of feeling, were a sea of conflicting emotions. Pain was just one of the many fighting for dominance over his expression, which, throughout it all, had not changed. Another man, a tall one, this time, strolled to the middle of the bridge to stand with the impassive one. For a few minutes it was silent, the only sound being the splashing of koi in the pond.
Finally deciding to speak, the taller coughed, trying to choose his words carefully, attempting to be circumspect in case he brought up any... unnecessary topics.
"Sir, how are you today?"
"I feel the same, as always. Such an old nation like myself, I can only say that I am feeling adequate."
The man coughed again, thrown off by the immediate response. No, not entirely immediate. The shorter man was always polite and respectful. He had waited exactly two seconds before he gave his reply. Still, there was not sufficient time to think of something to say.
"The... the weather is quite beautiful today."
"I suppose it is."
Small talk, it simply was, but it always hinted to something more serious.
The taller man furrowed his brow and turned to look at the Sakura leaves, frowning at how many leaves were left upon its branches. "When the last leaf falls...It is the end."
"That was the message indeed." The silent man said, automatically. "Though," his voice churned with melancholy. "The Western powers have already reached Asia and have started to take their claim. I fear that we are not strong enough to face them; there is a small chance, indeed, that the Divine Winds will save us once more. I say this is for the best."
"The Divine Winds were a godsend," the taller replied. "But why must we close ourselves off to the world?"
A small bout of silence passed between the two before the smaller finally answered; his voice as dead and cold as his face. "The Tokugawa wish it. They fear that the ancient customs of Japan will be upset by the advancing Western countries. Spain-san and his companion have already made themselves comfortable in the New World and the Philippines. Who is to say that they will not head for us next?"
"But–"
He was cut off immediately. Even though it was considered rude to do so, but the nation did not seem to be caring for manners at the moment. "It is not as if we are completely shutting ourselves off. The old companion of the Spaniard, Netherlands-san, is allowed to dock at our ports as well. And do not forget China-nii-san, Korea-nii-san, and Ryūkyū-nii-san. They too are allowed to trade with Japan in the harbour of Nagasaki."
"What's to say that our isolation will stop the others from invading?"
A quick answer was given.
"Any European that steps foot upon the shores will immediately be sentenced to death."
"Is this it, then? Are we cutting ourselves off for fear of losing ourselves to the Western World? To the fear of losing our gods to the Christian belief? Do we fear what do not understand, Nippon-sama?"
The shorter did not answer at first and looked up at the sky as if it would give him the answers the other desired from him. The white clouds above him slowly swirled into lazy patterns. One might have seen a rabbit, maybe a cat in the pure white fluff, yet he saw death. Death, destruction, pain. He saw people screaming in terror; running, fleeing away from something. He saw himself just standing there with dead eyes and a grim expression, unsure of what to do for his people. Had he done anything for them in the first place?
"I fear what cannot be manipulated by my own hand." A twin set of emotionless brown focused on two colourful Koi chasing one another around in the pond.
"If you fear that, why did you let the Tokugawa execute those who believed in what they wanted?"
"There is nothing I can do at this point. I can only try and hold the hands of my people; the decisions I make are no matter to them as my leaders believe that what they want is what everyone wants. Executing the Christians from Japan is what had to be done to eradicate the rest of the Western Influence," he answered dully. "I will bring upon the death of my own people if I do not do what I have to do now."
The shorter man's voice captivated him as he explicated his reasons. It was... It was something he could not refute. He could not completely agree, either, but he definitely could not deny it. He, himself, was disapproving of the Europeans. Most of the people of Japan were afraid of the Europeans and how easily they conquered and attacked one another. He had heard of what they had done to the natives of the Americas. They could utterly devastate the culture and society they had been building for centuries.
"So this will be it then," The taller of the two asked in his quiet voice; dark eyes trained on the Sakura tree to his left. "When that last, single leaf falls from its perch - the isolation of Japan begins."
"Yes, that is how it shall be. No sooner, no later. There will be no exceptions."
And in the quiet silence after the nation's words, the last Sakura leaf fell at last.
Hey ya'll it's TEMT and BrazilianMafioso this time around. Not the creepy Xara or even Jonna who amazingly has just come back from the dead. Anyway. This story is just in the kinks of being worked out. Like, totes dude. If none of you know who I am, then sucks for you because I'm lazy. But BrazillianMafioso is the bastard who lives seven hours away from me in my own state and wants to kidnap me apparently.
Annnnnnnnyway. Depsite EnglandxJapan being way out of my league, because I always make the Azn man and Igglebrows fall short. I mean, I can totally write America because I'm American and I can write other characters because I'm awesome like that!
ANYWAY. LONG RANT IS LONG.
This story might or might not screw with the events of history. I don't know at this point. But I hope you all come to enjoy this story.
…Review yes?
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"Do svidanya even now ne panimayu do svidanya to what lies beyond the darkness… As if calling to the utter stillness, a flower blossoms! Please sing!" – "Зима"