The World's Music

A little one shot, I wrote this during the school year because.. Well I love my band program. I watch hetalia. So, I combined the two harder than the pineapple pen, and this was the creation. I might, MAYBE, write a second chapter to it about a daily band program that all of the nation's are involved in. And maybe find music for some nations to play to go with their history. Maybe give the Arabic nations and Turkey some Klezmer? Anyways, enjoy.

Germany stood a podium, holding a thin stick, brow creased in concentration, barking out orders under his breath to himself, but grinning like a mad man working on Frankenstein.

Before Germany, unlike the normal crowds, was a large crowd of nations, some holding woodwind pieces. Some brass. Some sticks like his own standing in front of triangles all the way to bass drums. Some strings even.

America sat, trombone in hand, laughing to himself. It was his idea that everyone should meet up at a meeting and bond to make people think that they all worked together with ease a lot more often then they did. He'd kept it a secret HOW they were going to be doing that of course.

Russia sat under the tuba, maintaining quick breath, and tested the valves, flexing his fingers, a sly smile under his breath. He'd always wanted one of these. Once he'd found out what the cooperation promotion event was gonna be, he'd instantly called the tuba. He liked lots of instruments, but didn't much play the tuba. He preferred the clarinet.

Japan slouched, flute in his sweating hands, he pleading in his mind that Germany would stop conducting so fast, even if this wasn't a performance, how did Germany expect them to keep up what he was doing!? That tempo was insane! Japan took light morale in the fact he played the flute quite a bit, but only as a hobby.

Italy stood, happy about the two sticks he was holding, loving every moment as he stood before the snare drum, and while no one was looking, did a drumroll. Sure, it attracted the attention of a now crazed Germany who was focusing too hard, but America and several others smiled and laughed.

Romano, standing to his left, dead panned. "Germany, are you SURE I'm playing this!?" "Positive!" Romano held the triangle a little closer to his head, struggling to hear himself. He let out a 'tiiiiiiing.' And sighed in relief when America turned around, hearing, but no one else. At least someone heard it.

Prussia smirked, being sat down right next to Hungary, her holding a clarinet. To be completely honest, Prussia was not a music guy. Okay, he liked some. But only lyrics, never playing one of these instruments. "I wonder if the octave key on your instrument can go higher than that time his voice broke glass when you-" "I hear you!" Austria warned, sitting at the piano, as usual. Hungary giggled, much to Austria's annoyance.

Prussia looked back to the brass object in his hands, chuckling, flexing the trumpet's valves. He quickly recited the A flat scale in his head. He saw his brother, almost bursting a blood vessel from concentration, sweat coating his forehead on the podium, waving the conductor's wand like mad. "Bruder, please, breathe."

China looked down at the object in his hands, purely and crazily confused. It was an American instrument he had only seen so many times. 'This.. Saxawhatchamacallit... Saxophone! Yeah, that thing.' China looked up in annoyance, as Romano lightly tapped the gong with the triangle's stick. He tested himself a little, holding the neck strap like it might snap at any moment, cringing when the reed squeaked.

Before he knew it, Germany was in front of him, breathing heavy and it almost looked like he was about to froth at the mouth. Germany hissed through clenched teeth. "E flat scale." China quickly complied, not wanting to face the wrath of a mad conductor. Thank the lord, the reed had not failed him. The German stalked away.

America smiled at his handiwork, the world all playing different instruments. He then got up next to Germany on the conductor's podium, and shouted "Hi! Just wanna say, it's great to see so much diversity here. Sure, one instrument can play a solo that sounds awesome," he nodded to Spain, who was holding a guitar "But man, we could sound amazing playing all together, yes?" He looked at France and England sat down right next to one another, the former holding a bassoon, the latter a piccolo flute.

America walked around the room, setting down pieces of sheet music down for everyone, special notes for every single instruments. He stood up again, saying "This is a special piece for the one nation present who isn't happy.. Other than Germany that is.. China!" China finally read the name of the piece, expecting something American, but actually found it was Dragon Dance.

At the moments notice, the weight of the saxophone disappeared, he felt almost like he was floating. America smiled for the Asian nation. "Your welcome."

He sat down, picked up his trombone, as Germany started directing, smiling like a mad scientist as he kept tempo, just slow enough as to where everyone could keep up. It was unusual for the other nations to see Germany so devoted to something, and not glowering as he did it.

Once again, China was thankful nations knew almost everything or learned quickly. He had gotten a hold of the American instrument, and played very well. The keys were well oiled, and the reed new, so all was quite easy with very little problems.

The song of the Chinese New Year festival was over, but then Russia grew a large smile, walking around and putting a new piece of sheet music on everyone's stand.

He grinned, saying nothing to anyone as he did this, but grinning a little bit wider at the Baltic's, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. All of the Baltic's had formed a quartet of Violins. Poland had picked up a guitar and some odd looking drumsticks, and just tapped the strings with them. Ukraine and Belarus had decided on Cello. They all looked down at the sheet music.

"Soviet Intentions" it read. America raised an eyebrow.

Ivan sat down, everyone wearing a stupefied expression, while his remained calm. The most notable expression made came from Latvia, hands shaking and a face of pure, pants shitting horror as his hands quivered, almost dropping the Violin.

As the piece began, no one knew what Russia's sheet music was. They soon learned, he was playing bass very very well, keeping just under everyone else's notes, but making sure to be loud at the beginning and as Ukraine and Belarus played their parts they quivered slightly. As did Poland.

The song told a story Latvia and the rest of the baltic's, Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus know very well. Small flashbacks of pain and loss and Russia's smiling face and lead pipe caused them to cringe and attempt to shrink away.

Near the end, Estonia was crying, though knew better than to stop playing, and everyone else looked really disturbed or wearing faces of daze and shock. It was, in fact, really pretty music. Hand written by the Russian himself. But they could feel fear seeping from all corners of the room's Baltic states. Even America looked confused by the end of it.

Germany was now wearing a worried expression, and put down the director's wand. "Okay everyone.. I'm done channeling my inner Leopold for the day.." America put away the trombone on a rack, mumbling in agreement as everyone except Russia stood up and put down their instruments, as Russia continued puffing out whole notes, playing fast scales.

Finally, almost three minutes later, he stopped, and put away the many feet of coiled up brass, and everyone finally got ready to leave. The mood of earlier had gone, and nations were now laughing and smiling, Prussia bragging about his trumpet skills, Estonia arguing with France and Britain over the origin nations of lots of instruments.

And if you listened hard enough you could hear Austria and Germany arguing about where Beethoven was from.

Hope you all enjoyed this one shot. I know a lot of nations are OOC and such, and maybe some nations play canonical instruments and such, but I'm new to the fandom and just applying my reality to Hetalia. Band is fun, and after this summer, if you're in middle school or high school, join the band program. It's fun, in most there's free stuff, and fundraisers, and all other sorts of awesomeness even Prussia would gawk at. Also, go check out Soviet Connection by Michael Hunter (I don't own GTA IV, don't sue me Rockstar Games.) if you want to know what song Russia had everyone play.