A/N: Okay. Okay. I lied. I totally lied about giving up on longer stories. The two other oneshots I've posted this week were good and all, but most of my ideas take up far more space than one chapter allows. This was actually originally going to be a oneshot, but it didn't fit. This is good, because now that it'll be spread into at least five chapters, I'll be able to fit more stuff in it that I wouldn't otherwise.

As a new Hetalia fan, I find the idea of rewriting history with the characters very intriguing. I'm not a history scholar so a lot of my historical knowledge is a little flawed. But this is different. It's something that sticks with me very well for some reason.

I am an American girl who really does love her country. In Social Studies I always hear about awful things that happen in other countries, from simply having less freedom to having full-blown genocides. I always think to myself, "That kind of stuff never happens in America." But it did. The whole story with the Japanese internment camps and Hiroshima and Nagasaki reminds me that my home is not perfect and that we have done some horrific things.

I really don't understand how America and Japan become such good friends in Hetalia after the war is over. I simply don't see how Japan would ever be able to forgive us.

(end sentimental rant, proceed with story)

I'm listing any pairings in here to keep the summary from scaring off any readers. There's some very evident RoChu, especially in the second chapter. Later there will also be some implied USUK, but it's only there if you squint. Opposers to the pairing can easily read it as strictly familial love if they want to.

Please, enjoy this first chapter! And take the time to leave a review.

It could have possibly been the best day of Italy's life. Germany was finally making use of one of the many special presents he'd been given over the last six years! Despite the overall circumstances, Italy was beaming in pride.

His gruff friend was not as excited. Germany weakly raised his present, a pathetic little flag that sported nothing but a sad shade of off-white, above his head. Pained, he looked each of his five attackers right in the eye, then looked down and said, "I surrender."

"No, Germany, like this!" Italy said cheerfully. He waved his flag in wild circles around his head and shouted "I SURRENDER!" at the very top of his lungs.

An enormous hand enveloped both Italy's tiny flag and Italy's tiny hand. Italy stopped his flailing short to see Russia smiling at him. "Just shut up, little Italy, da?" he suggested.

Italy whimpered and nodded.

Pleased, Russia let go and walked back to the other Allies. "Now, what did you say again, Germany?" he asked.

"I said 'I surrender,'" Germany repeated.

Italy meekly raised his uncrushed hand and added, "And I was serious about what I was saying, too. If Germany is giving up, then so am I."

The reactions of the Allies were delayed – for a moment, they couldn't believe what they were hearing. But soon, their conference room was filled with cheering and cries of joy.

"We won! We really won aru!" China exclaimed

"Yes, we did," Russia responded, throwing an arm around the smaller man and hugging him close. For once, China was elated enough not to care.

France smirked at the man whose troops had attempted to abduct him under Nazi rule. His Allied team had managed to get him out of that, and now Germany had failed in more ways than just that. "It's so wonderful to watch you be defeated," France told him cooly.

"To tell you the truth, America, I never thought we'd be able to do it," England told his beaming colleague. "The group has never been able to successfully get anything done. But look at this . . . "

America joined him in concluding, " . . . we've won the war!"

"I have no other options," Germany said somberly. "The great Fuhrer is dead, and my troops no longer have anything to fight for."

America's grin grew sad as he took a step towards the ex-drill sergeant. "Yeah, Germany. About your Fuhrer . . . This is awkward, but –" He turned to Russia, who used his free hand to take a pair of handcuffs out of his jacket and hand them to the self-proclaimed hero. "– we need a public apology for his war crimes, or else."

Italy gasped. "War crimes? But Germany didn't commit any crimes, only Mr. Hitler did!" he protested.

"Yes, Hitler ordered the mass murder, but as his country, his main subordinate, Germany committed the crimes by extension," England clarified. "So, America, take him in. For the cruel murder of millions of Jews – was it millions?"

Germany placed a hand on his forehead. "Over six million."

"Six million! Aiyaah! That's a lot aru!" China wailed.

Russia leaned closer to him. "Trust me, Yao-Yao, I've seen worse," he whispered.

"Anyway!" England shouted, regaining his control. "For the cruel murder of over six million Jews, either apologize or be put on trial, Germany."

Germany clenched his hand tightly around his white flag and held both arms out with no qualms. "The Holocaust had other leaders, too, and unless they plead guilty, I'm afraid I'm condemned to stand by them until they do."

"Then we'll put them all on trial," England said.

America took a breath and stepped up to Germany. "Six million dead because you had a little economic issue, buddy?" he said as he strapped the handcuffs around the fallen enemy's unfaltering wrists. "Just get it into your head that genocide can't solve all your problems, all right?" He latched the final cuff and stepped back, giving both Axis countries before him a proud and chilling stare.

Meekly, Italy raised his hand. "You know how Japan came with us? We left him in the hallway and I want to see if he wants to surrender, too."

England frowned. "I suppose you could. Someone will have to escort you because we have papers we need you to sign to confirm your surrender, and we can't have you running off."

"May I ask something?" France said. "Shouldn't we have had Germany sign the papers before we put him in chains?"

This made Russia's eyes light up. "I have an idea! All the rest of you can help Italy, and we'll stay back and watch Germany while he's signing." He shook China to signify who he meant by we. "He'll be out of the handcuffs but we'll make sure he doesn't try anything funny, da?" He looked at both Germany and China in a very creepy way.

England nodded. "Sounds fair enough," he agreed. He slapped three contracts on the table. "Germany, sign. Italy, America, France, out."

Those four countries left Germany, Russia, and China behind, closing the door on them as they did. Italy led the way down the hallway towards the front of the building. He was practically skipping, and for someone who had just lost a war, he seemed very happy. He had really hated all the fighting and would much rather get back to his painting. Maybe Japan would like to join him!

When he saw Japan sitting stoically on a stool in the lobby, he ran to him, ready to propose his surrender and his fun painting idea. America, England, and France could hardly catch up with the excitable country, but they stayed on his tail and reached the calm Asian nation just as Italy was pulling out a third white flag to hand to Japan. He tried to say something, but he was panting too much from all the running he had just done.

Japan heard the panting and looked up. He was planning on first making a condescending comment to his young, red-faced ally, but then he saw the three blond enemies standing behind him. Finally, he saw the little flag in Italy's hand.

"Italy-kun," he said in deadpan. "So you really went through with it."

Italy had caught his breath and was about to respond, but England took the chance first. "And Germany too."

"You have nothing more to fight for, either, Japan, so why don't you be a good little man and join your friends, hmm?" France added.

"Yeah, Japan! Join your friends!" Italy exclaimed. He held the flag further out, as if it were a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful thing that Japan would have no choice but to accept.

America said nothing, and simply watched as Japan's gaze silently flickered between the four faces before him and the flag. He felt something empty in the pit of his stomach, as if this were an anticlimax to the great war that had raged for six years. He hadn't expected Japan to be defeated this easily. In fact, he hadn't wanted Japan to give up this easily. He ran his hand over a nip in the cartilage of his ear that he remembered to have been far worse at the start of the war. It was a memento to the very reason he had joined this war, and it might never be avenged now.

Eventually, Japan did slowly reach forward for the artifact in Italy's hand. But it seemed fate was listening to America's thoughts, for as soon as the Asian man had a hold of the flag, his face twisted in spite and he threw it on the ground. He stood up and stepped on it. It snapped under his foot.

The other four all gasped, and Italy's lip quivered. "But, Japan . . . " he whimpered.

Japan looked about to explain himself, but he was interrupted by a loud, girlish wail sounding from several rooms away.

France went stick-straight and turned his head towards the noise. "It must be China! Alone with Russia . . . Oh, I'd better go help him!" he said as he heroically dashed off.

England was right behind him. "Oh, no you don't! I'm not comfortable with how you might try to solve this issue!" he shouted as he marched purposefully after the smarmy Frenchman.

Japan turned his head away. "This didn't concern them, anyway." He kneeled to meet the eye level of Italy, who had tears forming in his eyes over both his good friend and his beautiful white flag. "Italy, I am sorry. You and Germany may have grown weak, but I am still a part of the mighty Axis. I'm not ready to give up."

Italy nodded and suddenly burst out in sobs, collapsing into a fetal position on the ground.

Japan stared at his former ally and sighed. Then he stood up, now with a visible new agenda. There was a hint of contempt as he looked America right in the eye.

America cringed as Japan slowly approached him. He wished he could follow France and England, but it had been made very clear that someone needed to stay with Italy.

"You and your Allies might have already won, but the war between us is not over," Japan said coldly. "I will stay fighting until I have been rightfully defeated. And by you, America. None of the others."

"What do you have against me?"

"You don't trust me and you hurt my people because of it. Many good Japanese men live in your home, and just because I am the enemy, you punished them." Japan pointed to America's mutilated ear. "You wouldn't want me to do that again, would you?"

America covered his ear. No. He wouldn't put himself through another Pearl Harbor. He stared at Japan in a mix of bewilderment and blind determination. "Okay. It's on then," he uttered.

Japan showed a slight smile, like this was just an awkward business deal, but it gave way to his emotionless default far too quickly. He leaned down and placed a hand on poor Italy's shoulder. "Please do not worry, Italy-kun. The pain of war is over for you." He rose up, gave both Axis Power and Ally a respectful nod, and walked to the front door. "Tell Germany I will see him at Nuremberg," he said to nobody in particular. Then he walked out of the building.

America stared at the closed door and swallowed. He didn't want this. He didn't want a personal feud with another country. In retrospect, it would have been a lot less stressful if Japan had just surrendered.

He reached down and dragged crying Italy to his feet. "Come on, Italy. I have a China to help and you have a paper to sign."

A/N: I am also Jewish so I feel very strongly concerning the whole situation with Germany. Doesn't taint my opinion of the character himself, but still. Very bad things happened there.

Also, a second disclaimer about my knowledge on this subject: I am still not a history scholar and although I remember more from history class about this subject than some others, I still don't know every detail. But then again, this is Hetalia fanfic, and Hetalia didn't exactly show history down to the last detail itself.

I hope you liked this chapter! Another one should come soon-ish. Please review!