December 7, 1941
England didn't know what to do when he heard the news. France had called shortly after 8:40, babbling rapidly in French.
"Calm down, Francis!" England had shouted, "Now, what happened?"
"Amerique, he has been attacked!"
There was a long pause.
"Angleterre?"
"Who did it?"
"What?"
"Who bloody did it, frog?" England demanded.
"Japan."
Click.
That was enough for England. He ran from his house, into the pouring rain, as fast as he could.
America didn't know what hit him. One minute he was walking around outside his house, enjoying the Sunday morning, and the next, he felt a sharp pain spreading across his abdomen.
Looking down, he saw a red stain spreading over his midsection.
"This is a warning," a light, monotone voice said, before knocking America to the ground.
He caught a glimpse of a short man with black hair standing before him before he blacked out.
…Kiku?
When Arthur reached Alfred's house, soaked through, he saw telltale splatters of blood leading from America's yard to the porch of his house. He pounded the door open.
"Alfred!" he called.
"In here, Angleterre!" Francis' response came from the living room.
Arthur made a mad dash, but stopped short at the doorway.
Alfred was lying on the couch, breathing heavily.
His face was drawn and pale, skin slicked with sweat. His torso was bare, save for the blood-stained bandages around his stomach.
"Alfred…" Arthur walked across the room to where his former colony lay.
"He will wake," Francis was saying, "As a country, he won't die from this…"
But Arthur wasn't listening.
"Get up, you stupid git!" Arthur shouted, "Get up! You shouldn't be lying there! You should be fighting back. America doesn't sit back and nurse his wounds, he fights! Dammit, fight back!"- tears were spilling over- "What about my little colony that told me he'd never lose? What happened to the hero? Are you going to let Japan beat you up like this, WAKE UP!"
Alfred heard yelling. Who was it?
He knew the voice. It sounded like Arthur.
What had happened? Something burned…his stomach was aching…what happened in Hawaii?
Japan had done something…but what?…A news announcer, voice heavy with static rung in his ears, "Pearl Harbor has been bombed by the Japanese Air Force. Thousands are either dead or unaccounted for. This day will surely live in infamy…"
Japan had attacked him? That son of a-killed his children! Killed his troops! He'd done nothing and Japan had killed innocents! A new fire burned in his chest, one that spread through his veins, bringing his whole body to life.
Arthur's voice reached him again.
"Get up you bloody git! You can't let him win like this!"
Alfred's eyes snapped open.
Arthur fell silent as Alfred opened his eyes, sharp and aware. No words were spoken as Alfred, no, America, lifted himself up. His eyes went from France, who was watching him warily, to his former caretaker, determination burning fierce and bright in his blue eyes, as he said one small phrase:
"Let me fight."
