O' say can you see,
By the dawn's early light?
What so proudly we hailed
at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare,
the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night,
that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave?
O'er the land of the free,
and the home of the brave?
July 4th, 2012
America checked his watch. It was nearly eight, although it was still quite bright outside. His party would start promptly at eight and he promised he'd be there, but yet, there was no sign of him.
America walked over to one of his friends that worked in the airport nearby. "Hey John, are there any planes coming in soon?"
John checked the radar. "Nope. Not seeing any."
America sighed. "'Kay. Thanks for checking."
John seemed to want to say something, but America already walked away.
He should have expected this and not gotten his hopes up. He hadn't come for the past couple of years, and even though he said somewhat reluctantly that he would be here, he didn't promise or anything.
America leaned against a wall. All he really wanted for his birthday was for him to be here.
England.
XXX
July 4th, 1776
He had done it.
He had really done it. He declared independence from England. England! One of the strongest empires and most respected nations in the world! America giggled, overwhelmed by happiness and excitement.
Of course England would be angry, but he'd get over it, right? He wouldn't get riled just over a colony like me. America thought. Then he corrected himself. He wasn't a colony anymore. He was a NATION.
"I'm a nation now!" he yelled to the sky. "I'm the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!"
xxx
"He what? !"
"Mr. England, please calm down."
"No! I will not calm down! That... that idiotic child dares to declare himself independent from me? Me, the British Empire? ! No I will not have that!" England stormed from the room, yelling and muttering incoherently.
"Oh goodness," one of his advisers said to another. "I didn't think he'd react that strongly."
"Of course he did," another one said. "Don't you know how much he loves that boy?"
"As a nation?"
"No. As a child."
xxx
England almost ran to his room in fury. He knew he was incredibly impolite to his advisers who did nothing wrong, but he had to take it out on someone.
"Dammit!" he screamed punching the wall. He stared at his bloody fist through the tears now streaming down his face. "Dammit America..." he whispered, crumpling to the ground. "America..." he sobbed. "Why are you leaving me...? "Don't you know... don't you know how much I... how much I
love you?"
XXX
1956
"Hm... It's almost that bloody git's bicentennial of his independence..." England mused, then went into a extremely violent coughing fit. "I should be a gentleman and do something for him (even though I hate him from the bottom of my heart. Obviously this is just to be a gentleman)"
England called America's house, remembering that America had said something about a broken bell.
"Uh... hello. It's England. Um, I was wondering about that bell that needed fixing... I could fix it for America's birthday perhaps (not that I really want to you know. It's just to be a gentleman)..."
"We don't need anyone to repair the crack on the bell. No one really wants it repaired anyway," a rather harsh and loud voice said.
"O-Oh," England said, embarrassed. "Uh, okay, bye," he said and abruptly hung up.
July 4th, 1976
"You want to get America something?" his adviser asked.
"Uh, yeah. As a country I think it would be good to give him a present on an occasion like this."
"I think it's a wonderful thing to do for both of our countries!" another one said. "It's not like you to say that though. What brought about the change of heart?"
"Well, I am a gentleman and mature adult!" England exclaimed. "The least I could do is celebrate with a smile on my fa-" England erupted into another violent coughing fit, that ended up with him coughing up blood.
xxx
"Let's celebrate like there's no tomorrow!" America yelled at the cheering crowd. This bicentennial party took years to plan and it was totally worth it!
"I'm here toooo..." America heard a familiar voice say. "And I brought a giftt..."
England lugged an enormous bell behind him.
"Behold! The Liberty Bell: Bicentennial Commemorative Edition!" he exclaimed, and then coughed.
"..."
"I-If you don't want it, I-"
"Oh yeah! Didn't you call a government office about fixing the Liberty Bell, like twenty years ago?"
"Yeah, I got flat-out rejected!"
"Hahaha! I see, I see!"
America took off his glasses and swiped his hand across his eyes. "It's really like you to give me a present like this! It's wonderful! Thank you. I'm really happy."
England smiled, and then realized that he hadn't smiled for a really long time.
"Heh. Still just a kid two hundred years later- GRAAAAAGHCK"
"Dude, you alright?"
For the People of the United States of America
From the People of Britain
4 July 1976
Let Freedom Ring
XXX
July 4th, 2009
"England! You're here!" America shouted excitedly as England walked into the party, looking horrible and extremely sick.
"Uh, yeah, HACCCKCOUGH"
"Uh... England you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," England said and turned away. "I'm starving. Is there any food around here?" he asked, then felt something hit his back.
America had chucked a cream pie at him and now it covered England's back. "Food fight!" he screamed at the crowd, but the crowd was too busy laughing their heads off at England.
England's face turned crimson red and he turned his back on everyone, who just howled even louder (of course, they're Americans, what would he expect?) and ran away.
"Huh? Hey, wait! England!" America ran after him.
"England, dude, it was just a joke," he said, when he caught up to him.
England turned to face him. "You think that was funny, you git?" America was surprised to see tears in his eyes. "That was horrible, being humiliated like that in front of everybody!"
"I know it wasn't nice of them to laugh at you, but c'mon! Can't you take a joke?" America laughed.
England became even angrier. "I hate you America! I hate you!" he yelled, then ran off to his car.
XXX
July 4th, 2012
Was it because of the 2009 party? England had been so angry at him, but America thought they were on better terms now. Maybe because it was the bicentennial of the War of 1812? Nah, that wasn't it. No one really cared about that war anyway. Maybe it was the Olympics? There was still a month wasn't there? SO WHY WAS HE NOT HERE?
America paced back and forth, ignoring the party. It had started half an hour ago, and England still wasn't here. Oh no, what if he got hurt? America would go check.
He ran into the grand house and hurried to get to the office where the phone was. Then, he ran into someone.
"Hey move it! I'm in a hurry!" he yelled.
"How 'bout you watch where you're going, you git? You're much stronger and heavier than just about anyone here." said a familiar voice from the ground. A very familiar voice.
"E-England?"
"Who else?" he said rubbing the back of his head.
"E-England!" America shouted excitedly flinging himself on top of England. "I-I though you weren't coming!"
England smiled and gently patted America's back. "Of course not, you idiot. I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Hahahaha! I'm.. I'm so so glad!" America said, still hugging England tightly.
"Now get up. You're squishing the present. Do I still have to babysit you?"
"N-No, of course not! I'm grown up now!" America stood up proudly.
"...Sure.," England said somewhat condescendingly. "Now. Let's head off to the party shall we?"
"Yeah!" America yelled, pulling England along with him.
No matter how old you get America, you will still forever be my one and only love. Out of many, it will always be just one.
XXX
My country 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrim's pride.
From every mountainside,
LET FREEDOM RING
About the story:
You can interpret the whole thing as Fluffy, Yaoi, Brothers or Father/Son.
July 4th 1776: Obviously, the English wouldn't have gotten the Declaration on the day it was written, but let's pretend that they have magical powers (what am I talking about? Of course they do.)
1956: In the strip "Bicentennial Gift" in vol.4, it said England called twenty years before.
1976: Strip "Bicentennial Gift" in vol. 4 (words by Himapapa/translator, not me)
2009: I made this event up (no basis in history) just to give a reason why Iggy might not have went.
Happy birthday America
Many people (like my classmates) don't really appreciate America like I do.
My parents moved here from Taiwan an year before I was born and I have grown up here. When I say, "I love America" I truly mean it. I have had a wonderful education here and so many opportunities available to me as a teenager and as a woman.
I go back to Taiwan every other year, and I always imagine what it would be like if I was still there. First, I would not be truly bilingual because here I'm fluent in both Mandarin and English. And in Taiwan, there aren't as many opportunities. First of all, do you know how tiny Taiwan is? On a high speed train, you can go from tip to tip in like, a few hours! And the education! It is so ASIAN style over there! You have to test for middle school, high school, and college! If you don't get in a good school or drop out (coughBillGatesSteveJobscough) you are DOOMED!
Don't get me wrong, I love Taiwan, but I love America even more. I am proud to say it is my home. Some may disagree with me (cuz I don't know much about politics) but I feel that America is truly by the people and for the people. The American Dream is also true. If you work hard, you will go far. Of course that is not always true, but America is a nation for innovation and dreams.
I feel that it truly lives up to its motto (phrase, slogan? I don't know): E PLURIBUS UNUM
Out of many, one
Shameless self promoting:
On the WWH AU website surveypage is a survey for the WWH city name! When I get a decent amount of replies, I will choose my favorites and have a vote. If you do reply (thank you!) please make the name somehow relate to Hetalia (like how the school is a former WW2 place).
I have a forum called Hetalia MAP(s): Multiple Author Projects:
Hetalia MAPs: Multiple Author Projects OPEN
If video editors can have MEPs, why can't authors? Somebody gives a topic/theme/prompt and each does their own part, be it a chapter or part of one. This group will be based on HETALIA ONLY. Looking for about 10 active/semi-active authors. Please send me an one-shot story to my DocX as your "audition". I will also be checking your other work too. Details coming soon after members are chosen. If you are not very active, you can always come in as a guest.
world- w- high. weebly. com (no spaces)
The Way I Love You: PruHun
The Hero I Need: USUK
The Things I Do for You: Nordics; DenNor; a bit of SuFin
This Torn Heart I Have: HK/Taiwan
Other Stories:
Between Us: Mafia AU (Swiss/Liech; USUK; DenNor; PruHun; Spamano)
Somebody Call 911 (complete): 9/11 with US, UK, Canada (human)
Pinky Promise (complete): USUK fluffy one-shot