Like a Phoenix

Chapter 1

"I am so totally like, exhausted, Liet!" Poland sighed as he collapsed onto the closest couch he could find.

"How did it go?" Lithuania asked, glancing up at the Pole from the newspaper he was reading.

"Not that good. The tensions are like, up through the freaking roof!" Poland exclaimed, putting his hand onto his forehead. Lithuania chuckled a bit and continued to read his newspaper.

"Well you should expect that from Russia, Poland."

"I like, know that! It's just, I'm trying to like, keep a peaceful relationship with our like, countries, to the max." Poland explained, annoyed. He then sat up and glanced at the old-fashion clock on the tan-painted walls of Lithuania's house. Poland let out an annoyed grunt and stood up. Lithuania set down the newspaper and looked over at Poland.

"Leaving so soon?" he questioned.

"Well I totally like, have another agonizing meeting with him, to the max. So I'm totally like, gonna head home and like, get some beauty sleep." Poland explained as he headed towards Lithuania's front door. Lithuania stood up from his arm chair and followed his friend towards the door. Poland stepped out onto the porch and started to walk down the side walk.

"Hey, Poland?" Lithuania called from the frame of his front door.

"Yeah?" replied the Pole turning around.

"Be careful, okay? You know how Russia can get. Just…Just look out for yourself, alright?" Lithuania asked. Poland looked and saw the concern and worry on his friend's face. Something he hadn't seen since the Soviet Union times.

"You worry too much, Liet!" Poland laughed, waving a hand in the air. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." And with that being said, Poland walked down the cold, gray sidewalk back towards his house.

. . .

"All I'm saying, Poland, is that wasn't a very smart move on your behalf." Russia explained; a calm smile folded from his mouth.

"I totally know what I'm like, doing Russia!" Poland snapped. He was right. This was terribly agonizing since it was only him and Russia together in the room. Poland really wished Lithuania was there to at least to give him support but he didn't want to trouble him and he wasn't involved with the situation at hand. Poland stared deeply into Russia's menacing purple eyes. Those eyes. Oh how he had remember that shade of purple. Some memories can't be erased like others can.

"So allowing America to put missile bases in your county is a good thing?" Russia sneered.

"We are both like, trying to prevent total nuclear warfare!" defended Poland. Russia sighed and then stared at the angry Pole.

"That was a grave mistake, Poland. Keeping U.S. missiles in your country won't prevent war. Oh no. It will only cause other countries to be pointing their nuclear weapons in your direction. That includes my country as well." Russia spread out one of his creep-ass smiles that Poland knew way too well. Poland remained quiet, taking in everything Russia had said. Was Russia really going to attack him again? And other countries as well? No, remember what America had said. He said that this would help prevent the chances of a nuclear war. America was his ally and he trusted him. Russia was not Poland's ally and would never be. So why should he trust him? For all Poland knew, Russia could be lying to him.

"What's the matter? Oh, how do you say it? Cat got your tongue?" Russia cheerfully remarked. Poland got shivers down his spine as if somebody had slide an ice cube down his back.

"I-I totally like, think this meeting is like, done." Poland said standing up from the chair he was sitting in. Russia had done the same and he started to walk out the door of the conference room. Before he left though, he turned and looked at Poland and called out,

"Remember what I have told you. I will have no pity if your country perishes by my hands or by anybody else's. I suggest you make your move soon. You have been warned, partitioned nation."

Poland watched, wide-eyed, as Russia had left the conference room. His body started to shake, but he ended up controlling it. Anger started to swell up inside of him and his face started to burn. "D-D-Damn it!" he yelled as he slammed his tightly bound fist into the conference's polished table.

. . .

"So how did it go this time?" Lithuania asked Poland through his black cell phone. "…Hey, Liet. Do you like, wanna totally go shopping with me, like to the max?" Poland asked from the other line.

Lithuania sighed. "That bad, huh. Alright, I'm coming over to your place now."

"Yaaay! Thanks Liet!" Poland cheered in Lithuania's ear. Poland then hung up the phone and so did Lithuania. Whenever Poland doesn't answer his question and brings up shopping, it means that things did not turn out well. Usually Poland, being upset by whatever it is, will go splurge when he goes shopping to try and not thing about it. Lithuania, when asked by Poland to go shopping with him, usually will say yes even if he doesn't want to go. But he still goes so he can hear what Poland is troubled with. He's been considerably lucky during this new century. The Soviet Union times were horrific, dark times that nobody there will ever forget. But now a day, his country has been doing great and has had nothing bad happen. But, he only wished he could say the same for Poland.

Poland always had to get stuck with all the trouble, and always is the one getting targeted. Lithuania wished that things could get better for his friend, but whenever it seems like good sailing for Poland; the ship always gets hit by an opposing current that retracts its progress. Lithuania, even though he had it horrible during World War II, knew for a fact that Poland had it worse than himself by far. How Poland had lived and survived those battles and those god awful concentration camps, Lithuania would never know. But no matter how goofy Poland could be, a bright determined lit flame blazed in Poland's heart. And Lithuania admired this most about him.

Lithuania reached Poland's pink-painted house and knocked on the old oak doors. Poland answered with a half-grin plastered on his face.

"Took ya long enough, Liet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Lithuania sighed. "Just be glad I even came."

"Okay. What are we like, waiting for?! Well let's totally like, go to the mall!" Poland exclaimed, grabbing his car keys.

"Alright." Lithuania agreed following the Pole out towards his hot pink car.