Author's note: Just saying I'm sorry if the timing in some of the future chatters is a bit weird, it's my first time writing a story like this.
My name is Hong Kong. I am a nation with a rich heritage, and a scarring past. And yet, I am one of the lucky ones. This makes it even worse that I have become so warped from my beginnings. I sometimes wonder what happened to make me like this. Perhaps the view of an outsider will illuminate the truth behind such undeserved self-pity. So will you listen to my story?
As the car pulled up to the Victorian-style mansion, I couldn't help but stare. It looked so… different… from my home with China. Looking up at the large doors as England unlocked them, I could see why so many nations were envious of the older country's power. "This is your home now, Hong Kong." England looked down at me, gesturing to the unfamiliar house.
I looked at it, realizing that the former pirate wanted me to go inside. Raising my arms up, and smiling at the man, I waited to be picked up as I always was. Shaking his head, England gave me a stern look. "None of that. You are a man, you can walk on your own. I won't baby you like China."
I simply looked at him in confusion. I only knew Chinese at the time, and still had problems with that. "Jinxing?" I asked, still waiting to be picked up. Sighing exasperatedly, England pointed inside. Finally, I realized that he wanted me to walk myself.
As I walked into the building, I began removing my shoes. "No." England scolded me. "You wear your shoes inside as well." To get the point across, he walked further inside wearing his own. Well, at least he understood that he needed to demonstrate.
After placing my things in my new room, England led me into the kitchen, and had me sit down in a chair, while he placed a cloth over my chest, and tied it around my neck. Just as I began to wonder what he was doing, I heard the sound of metal sliding on metal, and felt hair start to drop from the back of my head. It made me sad, because I had worn it like China's, but even then I knew it would be best to just say nothing.
Once my ponytail was gone, England decided that I looked acceptably masculine, and proceeded to gather new clothes for me. After dressing me in a white collared shirt, red neck-ribbon, and black pants, he placed all of my Chinese clothing in a box, and moved it to the attic. I could tell he was trying desperately to completely un-asian me.
I now sometimes wonder if he only ever acted that way towards me because of his past with America, but I didn't know of that at the time. I only knew that he didn't like who I was, and that he was determined to change me. Perhaps I would have turned out a little differently if I had been as strong as America. But I wasn't. My heart was weak, and I allowed myself to be easily swayed… Oh right, no spoilers. I'm kinda sorry.
Anyway, once I was properly dressed England dragged me int yet another room, where another child seemed to be waiting. He looked even younger than me! I stared at him, and he simply stared right back. "This is Iceland. I babysit him sometimes for Norway, so you can expect to see him from time to time. I want you two to get along." We both looked up at England as he said this, and nodded.
I smiled cheerfully at Iceland, but he just continued to stare blankly at me. "Twenty Krona says that you'll be a completely different person when you leave this place…."
I just cocked my head, before it occurred to me that it must be a game. "Well twenty Yuan says I will never change!" I stated cheerfully. That was the only bet I've ever lost.
Regardless of what may happen later in my story, there is one thing I will never regret. My friendship with Iceland is likely what saved the shred of myself that stays with me today. We silently decided that day that we would be there for each other. And we were, maybe more than we know it