Japan shifted the rifle in his hand and tested the grip. It felt alien in his hands, for he would much rather have a sword. It is the more honorable choice. Guns are for the Americans, who aren't even worth the bullets they shoot. At least, that's what everyone tells him. He glances back toward the work camp, Cabanatuan, with it's ghastly appearance and terrible purpose. It's shadow fell heavy over the landscape. The nearest guard tower is within sight of him, just across the open field. It wouldn't be too dangerous to just go into the jungle a ways right? Japan wants to get away from the terrible cries of the prisoners inside, just for a little while.

He keeps walking, and comes upon a small, well-beaten trail. It was probably used by the Philippines before he came here. Not an animal was in sight, nor was any to be heard. It made the place even more eerie than it already was. Japan shivered as a headway breeze from the ocean blew by, rustling the trees and dense brush.

The Japanese man pondered. How was Germany and Italy doing right now? He hasn't heard much lately because he was too busy in the Pacific dealing with America, who was turning out to be harder to defeat than previously thought.

'It's a shame,' he thought, 'that such a bright young nation will have to fall.'

Japan stepped over an untouched booby trap. It was a grenade with a green tripwire tied to it's pin, that camouflages nicely with the ground. The fact that it was untouched showed that no intruders have passed by.

'What was that?' he froze, listening. It sounded like a footstep. That didn't make sense though, no guards were posted out this far from the camp. A nearby bush rustled and shook. Japan readied his gun, fumbling with the safety for a moment. He pointed the cumbersome thing at the bush and asked, "Dare ka? Jibun o hakki!"

No one answered. The dark haired nation jumped back as a dark shadow leapt out of the bush and ran off. He sighed in relief, it was just a cat. Japan straightened his uniform and kept walking. How did cats get all the way out here anyway? They're all over the world, especially Greece and Egypt. But how did they become so widespread? One can find them in the remotest of areas...

His line of thought was interrupted when he was overcome by the oddest sensation. It felt like he was being grabbed by the shoulder and leg. Then it felt like he was flying. Next thing he knew, his nose had made contact with the ground and was bleeding profusely. He'd lost his gun at some point, he didn't know where, nor did he find it too pressing of an issue as he clutched his bleeding nose and sat up. He oriented himself and discovered that he had been thrown a good twenty yards from his previous position. He looked for a culprit, but couldn't find one. The place was just as quiet as before. He stood up, staggering a bit. Then he was on the ground again. His ankle felt like it was on fire. 'Probably broken...' he thought to himself. He felt someone tug him up by the hair and a blade to the throat.

"Hey, remember me?" a familiar voice asked. The japanese man struggled under a knee that held him down by the small of his back.

Japan let out a small, "Nani?" as he tried to find purchase on the ground to push off his attacker.

America laughed, but not like his usual laugh. This one was darker, and hinted at worse things to come. "I just thought I'd drop in and say hi." he said, "And pick up the five hundred guests you were kind enough to host for me."

It took Japan a moment to put together an english sentence, but when he did it came out hoarse and throaty, "Guests? What do you mean?"

America continued on like he hadn't heard him, "Of course, there used to be more. But there's just no such thing as surrender in your strange, strange culture." He slammed Japan's face into the ground, "That's for Midway." He stood up and kicked Japan in the ribs, earning a weak cry of pain as the shorter nation struggled to stand. "And that's for the men who died at Palawan."

Japan looked America in the eyes, looking for some trace of the nation he was familiar with, but he wasn't there. He only saw terrible anger behind a mask of dark face paint. "And wait 'till you see what I've got in store for Pearl Harbor." Whatever he was about to say next was interrupted by the sound of a single plane in the distance. Alarms sounded, followed by yelling and gunshots. America stepped back and pulled out his M1 Carbine, "Well, that's my cue! Excuse me while I sort through the crap and find my people."

Japan sat down again, stupefied by how much had changed in five minutes. He searched for his weapon again, but it wasn't anywhere to be found. What could he do? It was too late to warn anyone. He hated feeling so helpless.

Bombing Pearl Harbor was supposed to be simple. It was meant to destroy the aircraft carriers and the dry docks. Thus keeping America out of the war. Where had that gone wrong?

Don't hate me for this please! I have nothing but respect for the Japanese and their amazing culture. I just needed to do something for this after learning about it in World History and this is what I could come up with. Also, remember that there was heavy anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States around that time. So, America is getting caught up in the negativity his people feel over Japan right now.

Translations:

Dare ka? Jibun o hakki!=Who's there? Show yourself!

Nani?=What?

Cabanatuan was a Japanese death/work camp in the Philippines that held about 500 men left over from the Bataan Death March. America sent in their special forces, the Alamo Scouts, to gather intelligence on it and the surrounding camps. But it wasn't good. They found out that POWs at Palawan had been crowded into a warehouse and torched to the ground. 11 escaped to tell the tale. So the Alamo Scouts along with the 6th ranger battalion went in for a rescue mission to make sure it didn't happen again. When America says 'Midway' he's talking about the Battle of Midway and when he says 'Pearl Harbor' he is, of course, referring to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. I felt that America deserved some payback after that, so he was with the Alamo Scouts.

Thanks for reading! What did you think? Please tell me, I don't bite!

Later dudes. ^J^