Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng Silanganan, Alab ng puso, Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.

Homonhon toyed with the idea of having the rest of the provinces over and hopefully Philippines herself could come. It had truly been a while since they last had a gathering. His crops were just about ready for the harvest and he was sure the others wouldn't mind bringing a little something to the party. Why, he was sure Laguna or maybe even Quezon could bring tuba. After all, what was a party without a little alcohol?

'Yes…' Homonhon decided. He may have been one of the older provinces, some of the youngsters not even knowing who he was, but he was sure they would come. It would be the perfect opportunity to meet them, introduce himself to his family. They would have fun and chase after the pig and swim in the ocean and share stories as they used to do before.

As he sat himself on the bamboo mat, Homonhon stared out at the ocean surrounding his island and wondered if his entire family could come over. He hoped so. He'd really missed them. He wondered if they'd missed him…

"¿Quién está ahí?" Homonhon stared out at the beach. He had seen the ship, but he had thought, as all the others did, that it would simply sail along. He had not expected anyone to dock, much less approach him. The man was taller than Homonhon and he dressed too hotly for the climate on the island.

He said many things but in a language that Homonhon could not understand.

"Las Islas de San Lázaro." The man had declared, nodding.

Homonhon didn't know what that meant, but he welcomed the man with a smile and open arms. He would have to postpone his family gathering if he didn't want to overwhelm his new and somewhat strange guest.

Mactan did not like the new guest. Some of the provinces didn't understand him but he was old and was known to stick to his old ways. Homonhon had asked him why he didn't like Magellan (the man's name now that he knew a bit of, what was it? Ah, Spanish). The older province simply told him that things were fine as they were now.

Philippines had met with Magellan, and she had been as welcoming as her provinces, inviting the Spaniard to stay with them, trading with them the spices they had seen in Homonhon's island.

Everything was all right, peaceful.

Until Magellan paid Mactan a visit.

"What happened anak?" Philippines had asked Mactan as he laid on his bed, recuperating. His island had been hurt, he had won the battle but he had suffered to do it.

Mactan did not shy away from looking at his mother. He had done what was right and she had not opposed his decision to stand for his beliefs. "I do not want my people turning faith. We are Islamic, my cousins can do as they please and convert but I will not."

Philippines had respected his decision, but she had worn a frown on her face for more than a few years as he recovered from the battle.

"Las Islas Filipinas."

Samar eyed the new comer with curious but cautious eyes. He had not been there when it had happened but he had been told countless times after dinner when everyone would remain seated around the table and exchanged stories. They told them about the odd man that found himself on the shores of Uncle Homonhon's island and how he had caused trouble for Uncle Mactan.

Leyte had taken one look at her brother and she expressed that she didn't think he would hurt them. She was more open to the new comer, smiling and shaking his hand. Neither were too familiar with the Spanish language, but they managed to understand that the man knew their mother.

"Pilipinas."

"Filipinas."

Cebu hadn't been prepared for him, but he knew that the man meant trouble. For one thing he wasn't Spanish. He may have said some things that resembled Spanish, but Cebu knew it wasn't. He just had that gut feeling.

Or maybe it had something to do with the five ships that had sailed with him. Even with trade, no one had yet to come to the islands with such a fleet.

Cebu had staggered away from the man, but he had been taken without amble.

Philippines looked up from where she had been reading her book. Her sons… Manila and Tondo were not faring too well but she prided herself for being peaceful and non-threatening. As long as her children were not hurting, they had told her that they could take the pain. They would faze through this and keep everything calm.

Tondo had taken her advice, just as the majority of the provinces and made friends with the newcomers. Why fight when they could do things without war? Manila… he was a very proud city, very much so. He had refused the friendship he had been offered. He had tried to ask Pamapanga and Pangasinan for their help to protect his city but his brothers had refused.

War would not be brought to their waters. Philippines… they had promised her and she trusted her sons and she knew that they would be okay.

"Ina we cannot allow this!" Tondo stood before her a fierce fire in his deep brown eyes. His brothers had the similar look, something she had hoped she would not have to see again after what had happened with Mactan.

Philippines looked at her children, so many of them had come to visit her. To think that she had been so overjoyed. But the moment she had caught sight of Tondo, Pandacan, Marikina, Candaba, Navotas and Bulacan her heart had dropped from her chest to the bottom of her shoes. She had tried to smile, of course she did but it didn't work.

"They killed them all." Marikina sobbed as she clutched her mother's arms wrapped around her. Bulacan was a stronger girl, crying but not hysterical. "T-They were our leaders. They were important to us!"

Philippines could do nothing but hold onto her daughters, her eyes moving to gaze at her sons. She did not want trouble but could she deny her children to the right they earned? Their leaders had been killed. She wanted to stay firm on her standing. She did not want war.

The sounds of crashing waves had added insult to injury. Her heart hardened just a little as more of her children rushed to the safety of her beaches. Zambales, La Union, Ilocos, and Cagayan were a little worse for wear but fire too shined in their eyes.

Philippines took in a deep breath to steady herself and firmly shook her head. "We do not want war mga anak. No."

China was pacing stiffly around the nipa hut and he looked very hot in his clothes. Philippines wondered if she should ask him if he'd like to change and she would have had China not looked at her like she was crazy the last time she had simply hinted on it.

"Those…" China cleared his throat. "They are turning my people into Christians, Philippines-aru. I will not stand for this."

"Mawalang galang po," Philippines had said fanning herself with her abaniko fan. "I do not want to wish war on my children or my people. Change is not all bad Ginoong China."

"I hope you know what you're doing-aru." China had said as a way of goodbye.

Philippines appreciated how she had not been pressed on the issue and hugged her fellow country and showed him out to sea. She waited until his ship was no longer in sight before she returned to her home. She hoped she knew what she was doing too.

"They sent this for you." Manila had taken the big box to her and Philippines eyes widened at what she had seen inside. The dress was beautiful, something she had never seen before. It was elegant, and had many layers she wondered if she would be able to walk in it.

There had been a card in the box and it had read, "Para usted poco Filipinas. Desde España."

Philippines smiled delighted and looked at her son. "We must make sure to get Spain something equally as beautiful when we next see him Manila. A gift like this can't be overlooked."

"Opo." Manila chimed. He waited to see what his mother would look like in the Spanish dress. In truth, it didn't look too different from the Baro't Saya she always wore, just more gaudy with many gems and colors.

She looked beautiful, as always but Manila wished she would return to using any of her dresses apart from that one. Philippines looked best when she was simplest.

Manila looked through the box and unearthed the missed pearl earrings. He wondered if his mother had piercings in her ears and she had laughed when he'd asked. She looked even more beautiful when she donned them, living up to the fact that she was the 'Perla del Mar de Oriente'.

The Pearl of the Orient Seas.

Philippines had a new country on her beach with Spain and she was confounded by such formality. He had flinched when she attempted to kiss his cheeks and had gone so far as to ask her to kindly give him his personal space. She had done so but with great embarrassment, wondering why she had been rebuked so pointedly.

As it turns out it was just how Japan was. He didn't do touchy-feely as Philippines did (or so Spain had told her discretely as they readied themselves for lunch) and she respected that, after apologizing profusely for her errors they had gotten to talk. She had noted that like China, this country wore clothes much too hot for her islands and she wondered if she should apologize for that too.

The talking had began almost immediately.

Japan wanted to trade.

Spain had no qualms and Philippines was just glad she'd made a new friend.

Philippines was growing worried. Her resources were growing low and her children were barely getting by. She had asked Spain if she could do anything. They had so many trading partners, couldn't something be done to improve her standing?

"Estoy haciendo mi mejor esfuerzo niña." Spain had promised. "If something could be done it would have been done so already."

Now Philippines trusted Spain, and didn't want to doubt him. But she couldn't help herself. Where were all her goods going?

"Bloody Spaniards." The troops had surprised Manila, shocking him into surrendering when they'd swarmed his city. It was just his luck that his mother had just left the area as the overtaking took place.

Great Britain had looked at them with contempt on his face, making Manila wonder what he had done to receive such harsh glares. He began to question himself and he scoffed. He had done absolutely nothing. The only reason he knew this was Great Britain was because Spain-.

Spain.

"Let's see those wankers get by without their settlements here." One troop had jeered as they contained the city.

Manila fought very hard to keep his words to himself, his thoughts more on his mother than anything else as the British invaded and imprisoned his people.

"You must do something." Philippines huffed and glared fiercely at Spain. "I will not stand for war but I will not let my children hurt because of it. This is not our fight, this is yours."

"Mi Dios." Spain breathed shaking his head in what was disbelief. "And here I thought you prided yourself in being loyal Philippines. You have definitely changed."

Philippines winced. That was a sore spot for her. "I am loyal, I am. Pero nakikiusap ako sayo, Spain… my son. Please."

Spain watched gleefully as Great Britain sailed away from the island. He waited until they'd gone from his sight, not out of courtesy as Philippines or her children did but out of contempt. They were fleeing and how he rejoiced at the thought.

"Maraming, maraming salamat!" Philippines had cried, sobbing in his arms though he did not hold her. She clung to him, shaking as the aftermath of the battle settled in. "Thank you so much Spain."

Gingerly, he pried the hysterical country off of him and turned to the people around them. First he eyed the Chinese people and sneered. "Usted bastardos ingrates. Traitors all of you! We welcome you to your lives here and you repay us with what? Siding with the enemy! That was a very bad choice. Lock them up!"

Jose Rizal was a brave, brave man and Philippines knew it. She approved of his means of getting through to people through his writing. It was better that way, no bloodshed was required. Of course maybe it was because of said bloodshed that the man had to resort to such incognito means to spread his ideals.

Now though, no matter how much she wanted to and no matter if she said anything, her people were moving forward towards a goal with means that she didn't entirely approve of.

Kalayaan. They were fighting to be free.

Spain had done so many things, both good and bad but more on the latter and her people were tired of it. Philippines still did not want war but if her people were to fight for their freedom… honestly she just wished there was an easier way.

"Nothing is ever easy Nanay." Cavite had told her, hugging her before he left to aid the troops hiding in his city. The Katipunan was an underground association leading the rebels. She wished him good luck and watched as he rode on his horse and away.

Some leaders were being banished from Philippines, and had she not had it ingrained in herself to respect her elders she would have overthrown Spain many years back. Sorry to say that she was indebted for his helping her change, for his helping her improve. But enough was enough.

China had helped and sheltered those leaders, entrusting him to a dear city of his, Hong Kong.

It wouldn't be too hard now, Spain was preoccupied with a much famed country that Philippines had yet to meet, America.

Cavite had said his goodbye to his mother for fear of not lasting. He was a base for fighting and he would shoulder whatever the troops needed even if he needed to give up his life in the end. All for the good of his mother, he held her dear in his heart.

"I received word Cavite." Emilio Aguinaldo had approached him one night. His leader was shifty, cautious, and always looking around them. Paranoid. Paranoid was the word to describe it. "America wants to help."

"Doña Marcela Marino de Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad we thank you for doing this for us." Philippines had thanked the women for delicately stitching the sun and the stars. It was bold. Like she imagined her country and people were. She loved it, she truly did.

"Perhaps we can unfurl it sometime soon Ginang?" Marcela asked, beaming proudly.

Philippines nodded her head, her eyes catching sight of her reflection in the mirror. No longer did she wear the gaudy dress Spain had given her. She once again donned her simple baro't saya.

She was free. She'd hoped to stay positive as this was a big thing for her people but she couldn't remain completely at ease. Manila had taken a beating as Spain and America fought for him, for them.

"I'll be fine Ina." Manila had insisted. "Celebrate our kalayaan."

But had it really been freedom? Really?

AN: Um so I finally got the guts to write a Hetalia fic. Yay me. It's a lot more choppy than my usual stories since I'm having a bit of a hard time depicting Philippines as a person as well as building her character.

You have to believe me when I say that I thought long and hard if I would write a male or female Philippines. In the end female won for the sole fact that I was going to push the notable preference of males in the country. I thought "Well Philippines can just have the provinces as boys. There's no need for an all-male population."

I think the fact that I'm a girl factored in on that cause it'll be easier for me since I am a Filipina.

Big question: Am I allowed to use names like Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo? Or does it violate the "Stories with non-historical and non-fictional characters: actors, musicians, and etc."rule?

I would really appreciate your help in figuring that thing about the rule. Don't wanna go against site rules. If it is I'll just take down the names :)

Thoughts?

Nique