A Hetalia One Shot about 9/11
"Why am I not surprised." England sighed, looking down to the cup of tea he was holding, only to see his reflection looking back at him.
"It's America, what do you expect." France's thick accent making England jump in surprise, almost spilling his tea on the floor.
"Bloody hell, France!" England yelled in shock, one hand over his heart as he panted and looked over to the amused blonde-haired man.
The blue-eyed man just shook his head at the scared Englishman and burst out laughing at how scared he looked. He held his stomach and wiped the straying tears that escaped his eyes as he howled in laughter. He managed to calm down, stifling small laughs here and there, looking up to meet angry green eyes.
"Frowning makes you look ugly." France sassed, running a hand through his shoulder length hair and tossing it behind him.
"Takes one to know one." England smugly accused, turned his head to the other direction with his nose pointed high in the air.
Today's World Conference meeting had been going very slowly, all the countries sat around the long, round table. Waiting for one loud and obnoxious country that had something "super duper awesome" to present to the others. It was mostly quite, Germany shouting at Italy once in a while.
Most countries were somewhat interested in what America wanted to say today. He never came up with anything realistic they could use, but always had some type of story behind every presentation he did. Every Idea he came up with was pathetically laughable, but could really do something if they were tweaked here and there.
Every country had an opinion about America, some good, some bad, and some downright have to be censored for the sake of the older countries hearts. Known as the one country with a bunch of fat people or the country that happened to break away from England. Either one had some truth to it, but they knew that America had somewhat good intentions.
All seats were filled with a warm body except one, America's seat.
"Where's America?" China questioned, getting up from his seat and looking out one of the wide windows.
"Probably got lost." That was Sweeden for you.
"We've been doing this for so long, I think he knows where to go." Germany rolled his eyes at the lame excuse.
All the countries looked at each other and began to state their theories of where the infamous America was. Some speculated he really was lost and couldn't find his way to the conference room, while others just thought of the likely possibility of him just sleeping in and forgetting there was a meeting today.
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America hummed to himself as he strolled down New York City with a little tune playing in his head. He was supposed to be at the World Conference meeting today, and he was going to go, but he had gotten a little preoccupied with some comics. He smiled to himself, everyone was probably dying to hear what he had come up with.
He stopped once again, noticing a little girl sitting alone on the sidewalk, looking down at her lap. He slowly strided to her and kneeled down to be at her level, she looked up once she felt something blocking the sun. She locked eyes with him, curiosity filled her as he pushed up his glasses.
"You okay there, kid?" America questioned her, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head.
The little girl sat quietly, not knowing how to answer.
America sighed, "You don't have to tell me."
"My mom went to go get my brother and dad. She left me in front of the building, but I walked away and got lost." The little girl bowed her head in shame.
America sighed and let out a soft laugh, what was some lady thinking? Leaving her little kid outside alone, especially in New York City. That's just begging for the police to help you find your missing child. He shook his head and stood up to his full height and pointed to himself, a wide smile spread across his face.
"I'll take you back, that's a hero's job." The little girl giggled and interlocked her hand with America's hand.
"What's your name?"
"Alfred, your's?"
"Anna."
"Do you know what building she's in?" America interrogated the girl.
"Two tall towers!" Anna raised a hand high up in the air.
"You mean the World Trade Center?" America chuckled at the little girl's antics and began to walk to the Twin Towers.
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America stopped in his tracks as he saw people running away from the route he was taking, his hold on Anna's hand tighten. His eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed once he began to hear cries and screams. He looked left and right, people kept running away from the World Trade Center and stopped to look back.
Anna gasped, she moved closer to America once she caught sight of two tall buildings slowly being engulfed by fire, debris and fallen parts from the twin Towers fell around them. America's eye widen once he looked up to see the World Trade Center being destroyed to nothing but ashes.
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China switched his gaze to the pondering countries and decided to find out what happened by himself. He slipped out the room, unnoticed as he made his way through the hallways, leaving all the voices behind him. He stopped in front of an open door to see a group of people crowding around the television.
China raised an eyebrow, this was strange.
He stepped inside the room and felt the tension as thick as butter as he made his way to the front of the crowd. What was so important that everybody was so desperately trying to see with their own eyes? China faced the T.V and waited for a quick commercial to pass, a female news reporter popped on the screen and began to talk vigorously.
"Standing in front of the disaster, people try to escape from the burning building." The camera panned to two tall towers slowly being licked by flames.
'Oh no.' A sinking feeling sat in China's stomach.
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"We can start without him," England announced, grabbing on to his papers and making his way to the front of the table.
"I'll like to start with m-"
BANG!
All eyes turn to the door to see a panting China as he tried to catch his breath, hunched over, breathing heavily. Tears streamed down his cheeks, new ones appearing and following the same trail the old ones went. His whole form was shaky as he tried to get his words together, countries looked at him in worry.
"C-China? Are you okay?" England asked, slowly walking over to the crying Chinese man.
"America! The World Trade Center! It's been attacked!"
England's face now void.
"America..."
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He began to sprint towards the two burning buildings, hand still clasped with Anna's as she began to feel terror set at the bottom of her stomach. An officer stopped America once he got too close to the terrifying scene.
"Keep her safe." America let go of Anna's hand and pushed gently to the police officer and went back into his sprint.
"Sir! You can't go back there!" The police officer called back turning around.
"I'm America!" America shouted back, turning a corner.
The police officer bowed his head and looked to the little girl next to him and sighed. He grabbed onto her hand and began to make his way with another police officer. Anna looked around, what was happening?
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America gasped, trying to catch his breath, he stood in front of the disaster. Tears began to stream down his cheeks as he barged into one of the buildings. He lifted his shirt to block out the smoke from evading his lungs. He looked around and climbed the almost collapsing stairs without thinking.
He caught sight of a crying little boy with an unconscious woman next to him. He rushed to the little boy and proceeded to pick him up along with the light woman. He rushed back down the stairs and out of the building, once he got out he saw firefighters, ambulances, and policemen right outside trying to calm down the raging fire.
"Medic!" America yelled, wrapping his sweater around the crying little boy as medics rushed around him and took the still girl and little boy from him.
"There's too much debris, you can't go back in." A firefighter held America back from reentering.
"I have to! Those are my people!" America sobbed as more hands grasped onto him and pulled him away.
"I'm America, god dammit! Let me through!" He collapsed to the ground, the two buildings following suit after.
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"America?" A battered America turned around to see most of his friends walking through the ruins.
"2,996." Was the only thing America responded with as he looked anguished at all the destruction around him.
This wasn't how his country was supposed to be.
He felt weight get placed on his shoulder and knew it had to be someone's hand. A warm hand, a hand connected to a living, breathing person. He looked down to his feet, his glasses slowly sliding down his nose and falling into the ashes on the ground. Tears joined the dropped glasses as America shook.
"6,000."
England and France looked at one another, Canada walked beside his brother and turned to face him. Canada moved closer until his mouth was near America's ear and began to whisper softly. America's eyes widen as his brother, the brother who he always made fun of and teased, was helping him.
Canada was the first to take action.
America fell to his knees, bringing Canada down with him as he began to sob heavily. Crying out everything he felt sounded like the best option he could do at the moment. His screams and cries echoed, the other countries looked away, not being able to see the once happy go lucking nation become like this.
"THEIR ALL GONE!" America screamed out, his grip on Canada tightening as he squeezed his eyes shut and sobbed quietly.
"Women, men, children, all of them..." America sniffled, his gaze locked on to the lonely shoe parallel to him.
Canada held him closer, he felt as if America could break at any moment if he was left by himself to deal with this. America's face was battered and bloodied, his clothes tattered and covered with ash. He looked like he's been through hell, and the worst part was that he did. He had watched his people get killed.
The Twin Towers were attacked by terrorist.
And because of that, America was never the same.
"Gone." America wept, the air around him cold.
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Australia invoked a treaty.
Austria had his church bells chime in unison
Belguim had her people hold hands to symbolize a human chain.
Bulgaria and Greenland had their people gather in the town square with candles and prayed.
Canada was informed of the first hit of the World Trade Center and had his men fly in to help. He opened his land America's planes to land and stay.
Finland had buses and other public transportation take his people to pay tribute to the victims of the attack.
France showed America friendship and support as the events played out days after. Writing an article in the french newspaper, Le Monde, stating "We are all Americans."
Germany had all of his major skyscrapers close, postponing the public opening of a new Jewish museum. 200,000 Germans marched to show their solidarity to America. He had the American flag up with a banner below is reading "We Stand By You."
Hungary had her firefighters tied black ribbons at the back of their trucks in honor of the victims.
Croatia declared a National Day of Mourning.
Italy had his race car drivers silence their engines out of respect for the victims at the Italian Grand Pix and shared intellegent news with America about the terrorist.
Norway and Sweeden had trams and buses stop out of respect.
Poland's firefighters and other professional rescue workers sounded their sirens as Poles lighted hundreds of candles in front of U.S embassy in sympathy.
England pledged that he and his people would stand alongside America against terrorism. Traffic was put to halt during the tribute and a Service was held at the cathedral where thousands of people attended.
China opposed all manner of terrorism and supportedAmerica through condolences. Tens of thousands of his people visited the U.S Embassy, leaving flowers, card, and hand-written notes of condolences.
Cuba expressed pain and solidarity with his longtime adversary and offered air and medical facilities to help.
India conveyed his deepest sympathies to America and condemned the attacks. Children from the country taped up said that read, "This is an attack on all of us."
Japan stated, "This outrageous and vicious act of violence against the United States is unforgivable" and ordered special security all around the United States.
Russia supported tough actions against these barbaric acts and tried to attack the terrorist group, but was stopped by words of America's representatives. He then stated that all pre-existing hostility towards America would be put in the past. All radio stations and television were stopped in respect.
In addition to all the other countries who helped and supported America through these past few days. Countries sent sympathies and prayers to all the victims of the World Trade Center which later became knows as 9/11.
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"Today, we all sit in silence... We are all different in some ways, but are here for the same reasons." America began with his speech as thousands of thousands of people listened.
"We all want some type of revenge for what was taken away from us. We've all lost something precious to us: a brother, a father, a mother, a sister, a child, our safety." America wiped the inner corner of his eyes, this was not the time to cry, he needed to be strong.
"Today is an event we can never forget as it stains us all, let it be 3 years, 5 years, 10 years from now, this day will forever be engraved in our minds. Innocent people were killed in a terrorist attack against the U.S. It was just Americans who were attacked, people from 78 different countries were also attacked. As we all come together and share the grief of what we feel, we as not Americans, but people should not only be strong for ourselves but for everyone else as well. To all of those, who are not American, but stand and support us through one of our darkest time, god bless you." America closed off with his speech, walking away from the podium as the National Athem played.
At the very front of the crowd were all but some countries with their hand over their heart as they sang the national anthem, staring sadly at America go backstage. Tears rolled down some faces as they continued to sing and show the support America and his people needed at the moment.
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Rest in Peace to 9/11 victims.