Disclaimer: I don't own APH, duh.
This is the beginning of an attempt to fill an LJ Anonymous APH meme request.. and attempt which will likely be aborted.
Request went something like this: Sometime in the near-ish future, China surpasses the U.S. as the world's top superpower and the U.S. fades from its international role. China generally likes being the one everyone looks up to, listens to, etc, even if it is a bit stressful. After a while he visits the States and comes across America, who lets him stay for a bit to unwind from the stress. China enjoys his time in the U.S. and finds an empathetic friend in America, and grows attached. Once he leaves, China becomes focused on bringing America back to more prominence in world affairs, sparking major concern. Does Chinamerica happen or no?
Prologue
Despite the boisterous, overbearing, and sometimes downright childish attitude of the United States, no one expected its decline from superpower status to go quite as… well, "smoothly" couldn't describe it, and neither could "catastrophically"… in any case, the nation had not left his world pedestal kicking and screaming which surprised – stunned – everyone. In fact, he had more or less dropped the mic on stage and walked off without any sort of forewarning, leaving momentary confusion, and then a scramble for said mic.
After several international crises in the last few decades, the public of the U.S. decided quite suddenly, and shockingly unanimously, that they no longer cared about the affairs of nations overseas. Sure, the States were a superpower when involved in international affairs, but many thought back to George Washington's words, to not meddle in global affairs, to maintain isolationism…
Within a cycle of elections, the government found itself populated by a collection of legislatures in all seats of power that worked with surprising bipartisanship to recall all troops from foreign shores, close almost every foreign military base, ease sanctions and embargoes, and more or less reduce every United States embassy and consulate in every foreign land to a formality. The nation himself began showing better manners at nations' meetings, speaking for his required time, listening to everyone else, and refraining from ordering others around or needlessly antagonizing others. That is, when he bothered to show up at all; domestic affairs suddenly consumed the nation's life, and many World Meetings went without the previously demanding presence of America. Friendlier nations felt a mixture of surprise and concern at the sudden change in demeanor; England insisted that a foul spirit must have possessed the nation, and once went overboard in his attempts to "exorcise" it. Other nations, however, only saw the States relinquishing the spot as top world power as an opportunity to fill the void, and a memorable scramble rapidly ensued.
China, of course, emerged victorious. With a strengthening economy, well-invested military, and rapidly-growing political influence, China quickly claimed the spot as world superpower. The States were still a force to be reckoned with, given their nuclear arsenal, but China had its own supplies, and interests to protect in Asia and on other continents.
To say the nation enjoyed his triumph would greatly understate his euphoria. A golden age had dawned on the immortal land once again, and China would do everything he could to make sure this one lasted long and brought permanent prosperity to his people. He went head-to-head against his main rivals in Asia and commanded foreign policy through the UN stretching across all seven continents. To command the former superpower, to read off proposals at the world meetings and have the United States acquiesce to them, whether by choice or by necessity, gave him a thrill. He enjoyed commanding the States' attention because he actually commanded it. He enjoyed getting the better end of trade deals, policy agreements, diplomatic meetings with the North American nation. Success tasted so satisfyingly sweet. The only cloud to his silver lining was the lack of reaction the old superpower seemed to have to his fall. But that momentary disappointment faded as the years passed and China became the new status quo.
He was far too busy to worry about what the has-been thought; he had an international platform to manage.
So. That's a prologue. I don't actually have anything else written yet.
