Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. It rightfully belongs to it's owner Hidekaz Himaruya. I am not trying to make profit out of it. Just practicing my writing skills with my favorite manga !
The countries were gathered for another one of their world meetings.
France was standing in front of the door. He took a deep breath. This is it. He thought. No matter what they say, I'm not going to let it get to me. He straightened up and, with a determined look, swung the door open. Everyone who had arrived were in groups of 2 or 3, having a quiet chat. When they saw the door open, one by one they turned to look at the newcomer and instantly the room fell silent. They were looking at France as if he had grown a second head. France put his nose up in the air, marched up to a seat and elegantly sat down as if nothing were wrong. No one knew exactly what to say nor how to address him. If America had been here he would have been the first one to laugh his head off and say something stupid. But he wasn't, and neither was Britain, which was quite unusual. England is usually one of the first to arrive.
No one dared say anything. They were all very shocked but tried not to show it. They had all seen bizarre things, but most of the time it was always the same ones goofing around, namely America. They had never expected France to be one of them, who, even though is a bit perverted, would act normal the rest of the time.
France looked around and just noticed England's absence. He looked confused and a bit worried. But he shrugged it off and decided to make small talk while waiting. Luckily for him Canada was sitting next to him. Although Canada was curious, he didn't seem very surprised at seeing France that way. Just as France opened his mouth to say something, Italy jumped right in front of him, waving his arms.
"France!" Italy greeted, wearing his usual smile.
Here we go. The interrogations have started. France frowned. If they think I'm going to answer all their questions, they're wrong. He thought, irritated.
"Looks like you and England had fun! Is England in the same situation? What did you guys do?" Italy questioned.
France was just about to send Italy away when an idea came to mind. On second thought… I'll play along. He smirked, giving him a leer. "I'll tell you in a few centuries, when your older." Italy looked confused but didn't ask anything else.
Everyone went back to their quite conversations. They were impatient to so see England now; they wanted to know how he would react to this situation.
England strolled down the hallway to the meeting room. He didn't feel the need to hurry. The others were usually late anyway, and there were other things on his mind right then.
As he neared the room he could hear Germany's low but loud voice. "We'll wait 5 more minutes, and if they don't show up we'll start without them."
He opened the door and swiftly entered the room, heading straight for France.
"Hey France, about tha-" He stopped short and stared wide eye at France. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING WITH MY FLAG?!" England shouted. France, who was having a friendly chat with Canada, slowly turned his head to face England with an exasperated look.
France wasn't wearing his usual clothes, with his blue cape and red pants. Instead, he had a white shirt with a big union jack in front and in back, a handbag with a big union jack on it, union jack headphones around his neck, and a cap with a union jack pattern, even his pants had mini union jack print all over it. The others had quietly been staring at France. It was much more fun, after all, to wait and see England's reaction.
That was the last straw for France. He shot straight up from his chair, slammed his fist on the table and glared at England.
"I'll let you know zat I don't 'ave a choice! Do you 'onestly think I want to wear zis?" He grasped his shirt, then threw his hat at England, who dodged it. "Mon Dieu!" He sunk back into his chair and waved his hand dramatically. "Why did it 'ave to be Angleterre of all people?" Suddenly his union jack cap magically appeared back onto his head. Everyone gawked. France crossed his arms and smirked. "See! I 'ave no choice but to where zis stuff!"
"That doesn't explain why you're dressed up like that!" England bellowed, clutching his hands tightly.
Just then America came in. "Hey guys! The Hero has just arrived!" America called, wearing his trademark grin. When the usual comment of "you're late" didn't come his grin disappeared. He then noticed that everyone was huddled in a circle but he couldn't see what they were looking at.
"Dude, what's up?" He approached them. When he saw France he let out a big laugh. "Now that's hilarious!" He turned to England. "What did I miss?"
"We are waiting for France to kindly explain his unusual behavior" England replied bitterly, still staring intensely at France. I think he's just trying to pick a fight with me. England thought. That's what he always does.
"Um… I think I know." Canada murmured, then glanced at France who had his arms crossed and was looking away, pouting. He was clearly in no mood to explain his situation, so Canada felt he should do it.
"Did someone just talk?" America put his hand to his forehead and pretended to look around.
"Stop this nonsense!" England snapped. "This is serious."
America looked at England in surprise. Usually he plays along, he thought, then sulked.
"Go on." England encouraged, turning back to Canada.
"Well…" Canada started quietly. "You know how we represent our nation and people? Things that happen in our country are reflected on us. Well, France told me that right now the new fashion trend with French teens is to be English. They wear exactly what France is wearing and listen to English music all the time."
"Oui! French music is becoming an antiquité!" France added, facing England this time and glaring at him once again, his aggravation increasing. "More and more French groups sing in English, namely Revolver, Aaron and some others. Zey try to imitated Coldplay and other of your pop/rock groups." He spat his last words. "I've even 'eard someone say that Revolver is going to become the new Beatles!" He finish, practically yelling.
England felt confused. He didn't know if he should feel flattered or annoyed. But before he could say anything America interrupted him.
"But that's not fair!" America complained. "I'm the Hero of the World! I should be popular everywhere!"
"Oh Amérique…" France relaxed. "Even you should know zat you can't rule ze world eternally." He smirked, then added "And let me tell you that at my place you were popular before. You reached the summit of your popularity in the 70s and 80s."
"But that was ages ago!"
That ticked England off. He hated when America made him, and everyone else, look old. "Oh really?" England folded his arms and looked at America through narrowed eyes. "If you consider 30 years ago to be ages, what is a century for you? And that's without saying you already have lived a couple of centuries."
"If you're trying to age me, it's not working." America sneered. "I am the youngest of you all!"
"Oh yes, no need to remind me. I can see everyday how immature you are. Your childish acts are visible to everyone." England gave him a smug look.
America immediately lost his sneer. "I'm not a child!" He replied fiercely. "I'm more mature than you! You're just an old man who keeps clinging on to an old grudge!" He accused. Then added "And that's very mature."
"Why you…" England was enraged now, his face reddened by anger. "You'll regret ever saying that!" He sprang towards America and started strangling him which caused a big wrestling match to erupt in a few seconds.
France stud up. "Boys, boys, calm down, there is no need for zis." France called out in a soothing voice, but it wasn't working. They ignored him, which annoyed France. "Très bien. Si c'est comme ça…" (Very well. If that's how it is…) He sat back down.
"Should we stop them?" China asked.
"No." Russia replied, smiling. "I say sit back and enjoy show."
"Actually…" Canada whispered. "I think we should." He noticed England was getting beaten up pretty badly. Usually America restrains himself since he knows he has super-human strength, but this time he wasn't going easy on him. Although Canada could tell he wasn't actually trying to kill England. But that's only because Canada is close to America that he knows all this; all the others think it's the end for England. Despite the fact that countries can't die the way humans do, he still might end up unconscious.
"Russia… Could you break them apart please?" Canada inquired, unsure if he should address him at all.
"I don't see any reason for me to." Russia smiled.
"You're the only one who can." Canada stated.
Russia hesitated. He didn't like England but he hated America even more. He got up and walked over to them.
"If you don't break up now I'll force you to become one with me" Russia grinned, still a bit rancorous about the fact that the Soviet Union broke up and wanting to gain control again.
They instantly stopped fighting and stared at Russia wide eyed. America had one of his fists in England's cheek and his other hand gripping England's jacket. England had been pulling America's hair and had one leg up ready to kick America in the stomach.
They finally separated from each other.
England slowly regained his composure, dusting himself. "I'm sorry. That's wasn't very mature."
"Hah!" America retorted. "And then you say I'm childish!"
England gave America an icy stare. America held his gaze and glared back. You could see the tension rising up again.
"Oh no… Please don't start again…" Canada muttered.
They quickly turned away from each other, both pouting like children who have just been scolded by their parents.
"So France… how does it feel like to be English?" Spain joked.
"Hah! You think zat it is funny!" France replied, aggravated. "I'd like to see you in the same situation!" He accused. "I'd give anything to go back to ze time where I was as the summit of MY popularity!" Suddenly he looked lost in thought, with the tip of his lip turned upward in a small smile. "Where everyone spoke French and had their honey moons in Paris which was, at the time, THE romantic city." He finished, grinning.
England turned to France, frowning. "No one cares about your romantic business; because that's what it is: You don't give love, you sell it."
France looked shocked. He jumped from his seat and went to stand centimeters in front of England's face, yelling. "How dare you insult my beautiful country!"
England grinned, obviously enjoying tormenting his friend / foe. "In fact, if you want to talk about glorious days, you should be talking about my Empire." He turned away from France, looking up at the sky through the window. "Now those were the days…" He sighed. "I was literally the King of the world!" He waved his arms in the air, and twirled once. "I had territories on every continent!" He put a foot on a chair next to him and laughed his evil laugh.
They were all looking at him like he had lost his mind.
"I'm so glad I managed to get away from that lunatic." America muttered under his breath.
England heard that and shot America a death glare.
Italy went to console France. "Remember the Renaissance? That was a nice time, wasn't it?" Italy smiled.
France smiled back. "Yes it was."
"All those artists whom we still cherish!" Italy added. "Remember Michelangelo Buonarroti e Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino e Filippo di Ser Brunellesco Lippi e Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi e Tommaso di Giovanni Cassai e Tiziano Vecelli e-"
"Oui, oui, you can stop now" France quickly interrupted. "But you didn't include the most important one, which you should have stated en premier." He paused. "Can you guess who it is?" France inquired.
"Hmmm… Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio?"
"Non."
"Lorenzo di Cione?"
"Non."
"Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi?"
France sighed. "Ok, I'll tell you. It's Léonard de Vinci! Remember La Joconde? It resides at my Louvre."
"Ah, Yes. Mona Lisa!" Italy beamed.
"François 1er really liked Léonard. He was so amazed by his art that he invited him to stay at the royal court." France added.
Italy looked a bit sad "He preferred to stay at your place, because he said it would give him more inspiration... So he left me…"
France patted him on the head. "No need to feel sad, mon cher. All that is in the past now."
"Hmph! Trying to look cool with your old stuff, huh?" America interrupted. "I don't care what you say, my country is the best country in the whole wide world! 'Cause I'm the hero!" America exclaimed.
"America! Don't start that again!" England replied, irritated. "Do you actually want a fight?"
"Sure! Bring it on!" America brought his fists to his chest, smirking.
"No, please don't…" Canada murmured.
"Hey England, don't forget the Spanish Armada." Spain countered. "You weren't the only one to have conquered the sea. Don't forget I colonized America before you even set foot."
"Hey, don't talk about me as if I'm not here!" America accused.
"Yeah, but you didn't last long." England commented, ignoring America. "I ended your days pretty quickly."
"Who are you?" A voice called. Canada looked down on his lap at his pet polar bear. What was his name again? Canada thought. Kumajaro? Kumajiro?
"Everyone shut up!" Germany slammed his hands on the table. Everyone instantly stopped talking and turned their heads to face him. "We are supposed to be having a meeting about what is going on in the world! Now get back to work before I make you all do 1000 laps around the building!" He glared at them one by one. They all gawked at him.
"You know what" He added. "Do what you want. I'm leaving. You guys are useless. We can never, EVER have a proper meeting. It always ends up like this!" He waved his arms frantically. "You have no sense of priority. I'm sick of it!" He walked to the exit, slamming the door behind him. Everyone just stared.
"Germanyyyyyyy!" Italy cried. "Germany! Come back! Don't leave me!" Italy ran after him.
And thus the meeting ended and everyone went back home.
AN: Reviews are of course welcomed! Tell me what you thought about it!
By the way, I encourage writers to try out the Drabble Challenge I posted. You can use it for any fandom. If you decide to do it, could you send me a message? I'd love to read them!