It had been a tough time for Thuy. But she was strong, just like all of her other siblings. She may have been a small, polite nation, but she was strong. But Thuy clearly remembered when a man with a blue coat and a strange accent took her under his control and named her 'Indo-China'. Thuy hated it – she was not Indonesia or China. She wanted a name for herself that she had chosen; she wanted freedom. But when she fought for it, the strange man (known as France) lost his reputation as one for surrendering. Thuy was badly hurt that time, but it was not over. Somehow, she would be her own nation. Across her boarder she could see Yao's house. There was no one controlling him and telling him what to do. So when Germany defeated France, she thought that was her chance. She knew that Germany was allies with Kiku, and surely enough he took over. Surely as her brother, he would show her some sympathy, right? He would give her some leeway, wouldn't he? But those were the same foolish thoughts that Yao had. Something about the war had changed him – he was not the Japan she had known before. There was very little remaining of the shy, withdrawn nation that used to make her little models in all sorts of colours. Kiku took control of all of her resources. Thuy was devastated; freedom was so close. But she could feel it slowly slipping through her fingers and fading away with the wind. But one man emerged and gave Thuy a second chance. She had faintly heard other nations worrying about Communism, but she wanted the freedom. Thuy wanted to be herself. So she accepted Ho Chi Minh and let him build his movement against Kiku. And finally, it worked in her favour – it was awful to see Kiku lose the war in such a weak and helpless state, but she was there in Hanoi in 1945. Thuy stood proudly and announced that she was now free. She was not 'Indo-China' anymore; she was 'Vietnam'.
France tried to bring her back under his control, but Thuy had worked too hard for her freedom only to give it up to him again. No, she turned to Ho Chi Minh again, and to a new dawn of war. France was not used to her tactics; he did not know the jungle like she did. She even got help from America and other nations who wanted to free her as a nation. But Thuy soon saw how easily things could change. She saw what could have happened to Kiku. When she got to know America (whose Western culture put them on first name basis), he had warned her about Communism, and that she was to avoid it at all costs. Thuy took his warnings very seriously, and became worried when she heard that Yao was becoming friends with that Ivan that she had heard so much about. It worried her even more when Yao announced that he was Communist. Alfred seemed horrified by the whole ordeal, like it would bring the world to an end. Ivan was the leader of the USSR, and he had control over lots of nations. With Yao, he had access to Southeast Asia. But Thuy assured Alfred that everything was fine, that Vietnam was a democratic nation. But when Ho Chi Minh, the one that had brought her freedom from Kiku and was saving her from once again being France's colony, told her that he was also a Communist, that he had been secretly planning to turn Thuy, she was mortified. Alfred no longer wanted to help her, and fought with France. He took control of the towns and Ho Chi Minh's army, the Viet Minh, had the countryside. Thuy had never felt so trapped before in her life. That's why she needed the Dien Bien Phu offensive to decide her fate. Thuy watched as the Yao and Ivan gave Ho Chi Minh whatever he needed, and how peasants ran to the soldiers with heavy artillery so that they could destroy France's paratroopers. It was official – she was Vietnam. And after years of battling other nations, she was now battling herself.
Any nation would be surprised to wake up and find that they are only half a nation. But Hoa was there, clear as the day, standing beside her. Thuy was no longer 'Vietnam'. There had been a peace conference, and now Thuy was 'South Vietnam'. Now, she and her other half awaited the future. They did not know what was going to happen next, but if Yong Soo and Hyung Soo had taught them anything, it was that it was unlikely that they were going to get along. There were going to be elections soon, though. Thuy and Hoa just had to hold out until then. They had shaken hands and sworn to cease fire.
"Just two more years..." It was something Thuy told herself all the time. The elections were in just two years. After then, they would be united again – Vietnam would be whole. Although neither one spoke to the other, they were both secretly excited. There was something unnerving about being referred to as half a nation. But something happened to throw Thuy off her feet, something to make her worry about the friendship she had rebuilt with Alfred. It was something she was not meant to hear, but she did. She was passing by a room when she heard him. Only when he mentioned Communism did Alfred sound as serious as he did then.
"I don't want there to be elections in Vietnam"
"Al, if you do that then Ivan will automatically go for you. He'll go on about how you're a hypocrite for criticising him, then using his principals!"
"I know, Iggy. But I can't let those elections happen" Silence, then the question she had been asking herself.
"Why?" Thuy held her breath. The hour-long seconds ticked by before the response came.
"Because North Vietnam will win. I can't let another one fall" Thuy had heard enough. She ran as fast as she could away from them. Would Hoa and Ho Chi Minh really win? Did she not stand a chance at all? She ran past the other nations, ignoring their comments and questions. There would be no stopping until she reached home. Even though she would probably take some satisfaction in it, Thuy felt the need to tell Hoa.
Her other half was (as usual) dressed in her full military uniform, her short black hair clipped back at the front. Hoa had eyes that could pierce anyone's soul, but Thuy had to be strong. She had to face her.
"Hoa, we're not getting the elections" She saw the other girl freeze. Never before had Hoa been taken off guard before, but that stung.
"How do you know that?"
" I heard Al—America talking. He doesn't want us to get the elections because he's scared you'll win" Hoa turned and smirked evilly. There it was; the smug satisfaction.
"How cruel, Thuy. He's not even giving you a chance to fight" Sniggering, Hoa slowly moved towards Thuy, but she stood her ground.
"I won't let you win, Hoa. With or without the elections, I won't let you win." At that, Hoa burst into fits of evil, patronising laughter.
"Well, I'll enjoy watching you try. Run along now, I think your new 'leader' is waiting for you" Thuy glared at her other half before turning on her heel and leaving, Hoa's laugh still fresh in her mind and ears. The new ruler of the Republic of South Vietnam was waiting for her, and Thuy was determined. She had beaten others before, and although she did not have Ho Chi Minh or the trust in Alfred that was once so strong, she knew she would be okay. Because even if she found herself thrown into open battle, unarmed and without allies, she would fight until every last drop of blood had been drained from her. Thuy stood outside the door, knowing that whoever was on the other side of it would be crucial in determining her chances of beating Hoa. It was the start of their civil war; a game of Russian roulette. For Thuy, this was her turn. Either her leader would be a strong one, and she would miss the bullet, or she would become weak and lose the game. Deep breaths, Thuy told herself. Whatever the circumstances, Thuy would find a way to win.
"Bring it on" She dared the sky. Willing away those mythical spirits that would take children and terrorise her as a child, she opened the door and walked inside to face whatever hand she had been dealt.
There was no going back now; Vietnam was at war.
AN: Hoa (if you haven't guessed) is my lovely OC for North Vietnam. She's going to be very important.
So we've been revising the Vietnam War and I wanted to write a fic for it. Originally it was just going to be about the fall of Saigon, but I've changed it to the whole thing because that was too short. Alfred's still going to have a big role, but I want to keep the relationship between North and South Vietnam there as well.
Tell me your suggestions, comments, Soviet Russia jokes...I don't know.