Author's Notes: It's admittedly a very belated move on my part, but here's a fic for the Doomsday-verse AU! This was originally posted on DeviantArt back in November but made after Halloween ended. But after all, if Himaruya could keep a sustained event well past October 31...well, better late than never! Though more seriously, part of the reason I made this was to help alleviate some of the frankly depressing news from the parts of my country affected by the recent typhoon.
That said, this fic is also meant to introduce the Doomsday-verse version of Canada along with other countries alongside the Alpines (Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein) that also managed to make it out in (relatively) one piece. Despite the horror angle though, don't expect this to be really serious or dark. You'll find out soon enough...though given who the "ghost" here is, well, I don't blame you.
As for pairings, it's predominantly AusHun/AustriaxHungary, though there's some implied and off-screen SwedenxFinland and SwitzerlandxLiechtenstein, along with some perhaps implied IrelandxScotland. Admittedly, there are some nods to Hetalia, the 1983: Doomsday source material and earlier Doomsday-verse fics, though I tried to make it accessible regardless.
And just to be sure, this is a work of fiction. I do not own Axis Powers Hetalia nor 1983: Doomsday. No ill or harm is intended at the slightest.
Wasteland Madness
A 1983 Doomsday Tale through a Nation's Eyes.
Outskirts of Vaduz, Alpine Confederation. 2013.
For Matthew Williams, it was but another impromptu meeting. Of course, that in itself wasn't really unusual. Neither was holding these in Liechtenstein's house, let alone anywhere in the neutral Alpine Confederation. But why did it have to be on Halloween? the Nation of Canada, lately the Canadian Remainder Provinces sighed to himself. Meanwhile, the other members of the Atlantic Defense Community went about yet another shouting match. A tired smile crossed the Canadian's face though, knowing that much of that wasn't aimed at him.
"Why don't we just beat Romano's arse and be done with him, laddies?!" he heard Scotland sneer. "That bugger and his Mafia dons have been giving us nae but a constant mess!"
"What?!" A clearly frail yet frustrated Spain snapped, fresh scars still visible on his skin. "Mierda, we're supposed to free my little Lovino, not kill him!"
"I mean no disrespect, Antonio," Ireland cut in. "But on behalf of the Celtic Alliance, Tá tú go hiomlán dÚsachtach! Have you seen the poor sod lately? We wouldn't be in this situation if he just makes his bloody leaders sleep with the fishes!"
"I was told that this is supposed to be a civilized meeting. Not a film club," a young lady in uniform named Hilda Beilschmidt quipped dryly in crisp if stilted English. For Matthew though, the Survivor-Nation of North Germany very much resembled and acted like her dead predecessor. "Perhaps we may need more discipline. But Bitte, aren't there other matters to attend to?"
"Just wait your turn, lass. We'll get to East Germany – I mean, Prussia soon enough."
"Dame un respiro. We just fought Romano a few years ago! Why can't you give him the same treatment?"
"Look here, boyo. We're just doing mankind a service here. Just fixing up Alfred and Ivan's mess on our own backyards wasn't a walk in the bloody park..."
Mon Dieu. Some things never change, Canada sighed as he let his eyes wander about the simple yet elegant hall. While it was irritating at times that some still mistake him for the late United States of America despite a Survivor-Nation taking Alfred's old name, at least people remembered him now. Aside from the Celtic Alliance, Spain and North Germany, not everyone was present. The Nordics were apparently busy, with Berwald and Tino clearly having thoughts involving each other rather than the agenda. Greece meanwhile, while present seemed to have fallen asleep again, which betrayed just how far that Nation turned his fortunes around since Doomsday. Sitting there, Matthew found it hard to believe that it wasn't long ago when they were all just trying to survive the atomic fires. How times flies…wait, hold on a minute!
His attention soon turned to Austria, sitting at the far end of the table. Although the Alpines weren't part of the ADC, either Switzerland or Liechtenstein were usually around to observe every time the alliance met on their territory. But not this time. Why him? Despite Roderich's impeccable if outdated appearance, Matthew heard many rumors about the former aristocrat. That he never recovered from the Soviet invasion after Doomsday. That he supposedly fathered a child at some point. That he was so obsessed with finding his beloved Hungary that the Nation lost his mind upon finding her corpse. As the Canadian quietly slipped out and walked towards him, he wasn't so sure whether to feel sorry or keep his distance. Only one way to find out...
"Can I help you, Herr Williams?" the bespectacled Nation asked stoically in German-accented English as he turned towards him. It was almost a miracle at all that Canada could hear him over the shouting contest behind him. "For if you intend for me to break up this rabble, then my neutrality cannot help you."
"It's not that," Matthew sighed. "I just haven't had seen you in quite some time." It was then however that he saw a young girl in an old yet clean dress sitting beside the Austrian. As the child turned with a grin, it startled the Canadian just how much she resembled both Roderich and a long-dead Elizaveta, right down to her green eyes. No…must be a coincidence."Um, is that kid related to you? I don't remember ever seeing her, eh?"
Austria smiled slightly, though something about it seemed oddly unsettling for Canada. "An understatement, though I believe you could say that. Isn't that right, Julia?"
"Ja!" the girl beamed before sliding into a thickly accented English that sounded like a mix of Austrian and Hungarian. "It's nice to meet you, Herr Canada!"
"Oui, it's great to meet you too! What do you think o-"
All of a sudden, he heard the doors and windows inexplicably locking shut, one by one. It was enough to actually cause the other Nations to stop bickering as it became clear what was happening. Matthew, of course knew along with the other allies that Liechtenstein had taken up her brother's penchant for being absurdly prepared for anything. But this is just too much.
"Um, Austria?" The Canadian asked. "You do have the keys right?"
"End up locked inside?" the former aristocrat finished for him nonchalantly while standing up. "We already are. And I'm afraid the keys are with Vash at the moment. I do not know if he or his sister will be here today."
"You're not serious, Herr Edelstein!" Matthew heard Hilde snap. "For what reason are you holding us here?!"
"If this is some joke, Roderich…Dios Mio, this has gone too far!" Antonio blurted out with growing concern over the growing commotion, only for the Scotsman to outstage him in even more blunt terms while dragging Ireland closer to him.
"You tear those bloody doors open, ye ken?! Or Lord knows what I'll do, ye German bastard!"
Just then, unsettling sounds seemed to fill the air all while Roderich and Julia remained as calm as they could possibly be. At that moment, Canada wondered if he inherited England's supposed talent for seeing the supernatural. He brushed it off with much difficulty. That can't be it…can it?!
"I would say this was my idea, but that would be giving myself too much credit," Austria sighed as he held the young girl's hand as a fog slowly began to obscure them. An unnerving and unnatural cold grin crossed his face. "For this plan - is also hers."
Matthew suddenly found himself being thrown back as a fog seemed to fill everything in front of him. Neither he nor the other allies could see Austria or the child. Instead, a female figure stepped out. Her body and military uniform were horribly decayed, a spear and frying pan on her hands as she hummed a distorted version of some song. But it was the rotted flower on what remained of her hair that caused the Canadian to gasp in shock. Once upon a time, he welcomed her people. He knew her. And yet he could only mutter one word.
"H-Hungary?"
The figure tried to laughed, only for the voice to come out coarse, barely human yet uncomfortably familiar. Matthew himself never really bought into England's faerie superstitions or France's tall tales of exorcisms. Yet he found it hard to ignore that this rotted corpse actually was once Elizaveta Héderváry. Whatever other thoughts were in his mind were quickly silenced however as he, and no doubt the others heard loud noises in the background that sounded suspiciously Austrian.
"You're correct," the former Nation hissed in English as the she stepped forward. "And I have come back to the living from the ashes of my land! Oh, how I missed you all."
"T-This has to be a bloody trick!" he heard Ireland gasp. "We've s-seen Arthur die. Nations aren't supposed to do that – Right, Mattie?"
"Conall, I think we've gone way past that!" Canada snapped. Glancing behind him, he noticed a twitchy Spain grasping a Crucifix while Scotland mumbled some half-remembered psalm with his Celtic sibling. Not far away, he saw North Germany sternly keeping her distance, though something about her seemed more bemused than frightened. Meanwhile the Nation's mind raced to find something, anything to stop whatever that creature was. But as he turned back to face her, the fog lifted, showing a limp Austria collapsed on his seat and the panicked looks of a young girl. Just like some sick horror movie. If only Alfred…Crisse de tabarnak! Not now! Matthew cringed as he shook his head.
Then he felt a cold arm on his shoulder.
"Got you," Elizaveta murmured teasingly as she twirled the Nation around before pushing him back. "Istenem help me. I'm definitely enjoying this~"
Enough with this! "Just stop!" he snapped. "I know you can hear me. If we did anything against you in the past, then we're sorry! Hurting us won't solve anything. So please, Hungary! End it! Rest in peace already!"
"I have. But I've also seen how much this world has changed – while you're still unwilling to give Romano another chance to live on it!" she shot back. "So he's made mistakes, but does that justify killing him?! What would his people – what would Feliciano think of that?" The once-Nation moved closer towards the Canadian, her voice growing more otherworldly. "You know, this special day only happens once a year. Not enough time, perhaps for me to give you all a taste of your own medicine. Then again, that alone wouldn't be interesting now, would it?"
Matthew saw Antonio, despite his already weak condition, push himself angrily through the startled crowd towards her. "Usted está loco. If anything happens to us, I swear to God…"
"That you'll what? Roderich is better off now. Just as you'll all be soon!" Her voice turned into a barely audible whisper as she reached to cup Canada's face. "Now then, let me show you h-"
"BOO!"
"A kurva életbe!" Elizaveta snapped, startled as she turned around to face another figure in an absurdly large sheet. In the blink of an eye, the Magyar turned from a shambling corpse into a more familiar if somewhat unsettling form, her uniform and body pristine. "I knew I shouldn't have brought you here! Don't you have better horror traditions than that?!"
"Come on, Lizzie. As if your little show's a real tradition too! Besides, we're supposed to have fun right? It's Halloween…"
"Ah, Matthew," Canada heard Scotland whisper as the other Nations watched the strange sight unfold. "Dinnae tell me this is a dream – is it?"
As if that helps us here, eh? He sighed, only to recognize that newcomer's voice. He had known that for so long that there was no denying it. Oh no, don't tell me… True enough, Hungary took the sheets off with her spear, revealing a seemingly young, if similarly unsettling blond man in an old bomber jacket. An old face he both longed and loathed to see again.
"Uh, hi guys!" Alfred F. Jones, formerly the United States of America faulted, beaming up upon seeing his brother. "Hey Mattie! Didn't see you there! Sorry about all that."
The Nation resisted the urge to knock some sense into the dead superpower. "Sorry? Sorry?! You and Elizaveta just killed Roderich over there, with us locked in this madhouse and all you can say is SORRY?!"
"I'm not dead if you must know," the Austrian groaned in English as he tried to stand up, the young child helping him up. "I have my own surprises too, Herr Williams. One learns quite a few things from the Opera." There was more than a hint of contempt however as he glanced at the American. "Though this peculiar setup would have been much more enjoyable if the dummkopf responsible for killing my dear Ungarn isn't here."
The Hungarian frowned as she faced her former husband, yet there was no anger in her voice. "In another time, I would have thought the same, drágám. But America's not the monster behind Doomsday no more than Russia was. Neither are we here to start another world war when we should be having fun. So even just for today, let bygones be bygones." She smiled as the child ran towards the couple. "At least do it for our Julia~"
The former aristocrat nodded warmly, if only with a little prodding from his ex-wife. Though that was enough to ilicit a grin from Alfred. "So guys, you willing to give a hero another shot too?"
Canada simply stood dumbfounded along with the rest of the Atlantic Defense Community as the hall stayed silent, save perhaps for the Austro-Hungarian family sharing a moment that would have been sweet if not for one of them being dead. To his surprise, Spain was the first to break it.
"¡Caray!" Antonio gasped. "Why didn't you tell me you had a daughter, Austria? She looks so cute!"
"Oh, come on, boyo. That's really all you're gonna say?" Ireland shook his head. "Though to be fair, I didn't know that bloody Austrian had it in him."
North Germany groaned. "I was hoping Ludwig would show up. Didn't you say that, Frau Héderváry?"
"All in good time, Hilde," Hungary replied with a chuckle. "We're just getting started…"
As the room filled once more with noise though of a very different tone from just a few minutes ago, Canada tried to sit down next to Greece. The mere fact that Heracles was still fast asleep, aside from some faint murmurs on cats, emperors and his mother was almost as baffling to Matthew as the notion that he had just spoken with ghosts or whatever on Earth it was those dead Nations had become. Then again, so was Doomsday. After all that, perhaps giving a little more room for Romano didn't seem so bad. At least it's a change of pace. Ah Mon Dieu, what could possibly happen now?
"Oh yeah, there's this one other thing," Alfred added as the American joined him. "Hungary invited a few others over…."
"Wait, there are more of you?!" The Canadian resisted the urge to palm himself.
His dead brother however grinned. "Don't worry. It'll be fun, just like old times! After all, Halloween only comes once a year!"
Somehow, Matthew knew, this was going to be a long day.
As for some reference:
The Alpine Confederation is a partnership, alliance and federation between Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, with the latter two being the more predominant (the central capital is in Vaduz), which emerged in the AU's version of 1997.
Sopron, is one of the Survivor-Nations that emerged from the "Hungarian Wastes" in 1983: Doomsday. She's also in more than one way, Austria and Hungary's daughter.
Canada, aka "The Canadian Remainder Provinces" survived Doomsday to become at once the oldest continuing country in North America, a founding member of the Atlantic Defense Community and a strong player in the international stage as the continent's premier representative to the restored League of Nations.
North Germany is the name of the Survivor-Nation formed from what remained of German society in the northern coasts and fringes of West Germany, who also happened to be considered the successor state to that country. It eventually became increasingly intertwined with the Nordic Union while keeping ties to Prussia.
The Republic of Sicily, aka South Italy is the part of Italy that managed to survive Doomsday more-or-less intact. Unfortunately, the chaos would see the Mafia and their allies take control and the South Italians trying to reunify all of the old country, including the north. This led to conflict with the Survivor-Nations in what used to be North Italy, their Alpine Confederation allies "in self defense" and eventually the Atlantic Defense Community before a cold stalemate emerged. Needless to say, Romano didn't exactly recover from the trauma.
The Kingdom of Prussia is what ultimately became of East Germany after Doomsday. Berlin escaped the destruction seen elsewhere, but with the Communist government largely wiped out and the remnants overthrown, the East Germans turned to the Hohenzollern survivors and rekindled their former identity as Prussians. Their kingdom was formally renamed Prussia though in 1992.
The Nordic Union is an EU-esque league of the Scandinavian Nations, along with Estonia. That is to say, all the Nordics survived Doomsday, though not without a few blows. It's also mentioned that Denmark is the most adamantly anti-Prussian.
The Celtic Alliance is a union of Celtic lands led by Ireland and Scotland that's one of the leading powers of Europe and virtual guardian of the Survivor-Nations living in what used to be Great Britain.
Tá tú go hiomlán dÚsachtach - "You're absolutely mad!" (Irish Gaelic)
Dame un respiro - "Give it a break" (Spanish)
Dios Mio - "My God" (Spanish)
Mon Dieu - "My God" (French)
Istenem - "God" (Hungarian)
Drágám - "Darling/Beloved" (Hungarian)
Dummkopf - "Idiot" (German)
Usted está loco - "You are insane!" (Spanish)
Caray! - "Wow!" (Spanish)
Mon Dieu - "My God" (French)
...along with some swearwords in Quebecois French and Hungarian that I'll leave for you to guess.