AN: As is the case with all my stories, this probably won't update regularly.


Meeting of the World (Continued)

The room began shouting at America, who kept grinning through it all from his standing position at the podium.

"I'm fine as is!"

"Give it a break, there's nothing wrong with me!"

"I just want to go home, this is a waste of time!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Canada..."

Germany grew more and more frustrated with every second of chaos. The shouts, the stomping, the noise... It was eating through his patience the way America and Italy went through hamburgers and pasta, respectively. He didn't think he could take it for much longer. Especially considering all the little ways they were proving America right even while they screamed that he was wrong.

'For once the world is united in protest, and yet each country says 'I' and 'me' instead of 'we'. They don't include even the closest of allies... I'm certain this was different ten years ago.' Germany tightened his jaw and clenched his hands into fists. 'All while hiding their obsessions behind their backs. Literally.'

He watched Japan tuck his notebook into a briefcase and attempt to covertly slide it behind his chair.

Germany couldn't take it anymore. "ALRIGHT!" He shouted, slamming a fist on the table. "THAT IS ENOUGH!"

He stood and moved to the podium, where America stepped back to let him lecture. Germany glanced at the still-smiling nation behind him and then looked back at the temporarily quieted crowd in denial. He spoke.

"As much as I hate to admit it, America is right. We are cutting ourselves off from the world. We do need to... socialize... more." He ground out those last few words. "We need to re-take the opportunities to simply be... friends with one another. Nein, we need to re-take our lives from the usually harmless activities that they have become satellites to. As Spain put it..."

Germany almost shuddered to quote the fellow country "This is an intervention."

One of the Baltic Nations, Latvia probably, asked in the silence. "How do you suggest we do that?"

Germany froze. He'd be the first to admit that he was no expert on socializing. He kept to his small, modern(read: WWII) circle of of friends and only went to large events that he was expected to. For once, the stern nation with a gift for speech was at a loss for words. The crowd suddenly seemed a lot more frightening when he didn't know what to say. He was almost grateful to be shoved out of the way. Almost.

America took over center stage. He optimistically exclaimed. "That's the easy part! Just hang out and talk with your old friends like we all used to, and I'm sure we'll all be back to normal in no time!"

He was met with silence.

"Well, we can start with a lunch break! There's a cafeteria downstairs and everyone except England's free to use the kitchen, I'm sure the UN won't mind after we give their building back!"


Twenty minutes later, China, France, and the Italy brothers were alternately cooking and serving their own cultural cuisine for any of the countries who'd chosen to actually eat in the cafeteria instead of going out to find a restaurant in New York. The three chefs stuck to their own sections of the kitchen and serving window, avoiding contact or conflict with each other, even though it limited what they could cook.

China still had his headphones on, and his head occasionally bobbed to an unheard beat. Italy, between serving and cooking, obsessively wrote down excessively detailed recipes for the various kinds of pasta he was making. Romano, scowling, was bending down to wipe something off his shoes every ten seconds. And France, rather than pouting at the fact that more people were going to China and the Italies instead of himself, simply read through a disreputable tabloid magazine with America's whale and Tony on the cover.

The cafeteria wasn't much better. The circular tables were large enough for a dozen people or so, but the nations seemed more content to sit by themselves if they could, or on opposite sides if they couldn't. Only one group sat together, and that was the G8 minus those who were cooking.

England was arguing with everyone else at the table, even though no one was arguing back.

"Maybe you bloody gits have issues like those bloody comic books and the bloody snow thing and the bloody maple syrup, but I'll have you know that Doctor Who is a national pastime in my country! It is NOT a bloody obsession, and it is NOT a bloody problem!"

Germany muttered under his breath while trying to enjoy a plate of pasta. "I think you have a 'bloody' problem with your 'bloody' language."

Japan just nodded as he sipped a spoonful of miso soup.

Canada quietly took small bites of a vanilla cake with maple syrup drizzled on it.

America wasn't paying attention. Instead, he opted to look around the cafeteria, trying to see someone, anyone at all, talking to someone else.

Russia smiled childishly and said "Da."

That shut England up. The Brit wasn't willing to admit to anything though, and instead plugged a set of earbuds into his iPhone and listened to a Doctor Who soundtrack as he got up and left. He was muttering about finding a cafe. Canada followed him, though no one noticed. By that point, most everyone had scarfed down their lunches and done the same, leaving one by one.

"I just don't get it." America slumped on the table and whined. "I thought getting everyone to lunch together would fix things and make everyone be friends again. Instead, all I see is this."

He gestured to the cafeteria, which was empty of anyone besides themselves. The kitchen was too, as both France and the Italies had taken their lunches to be eaten outside. Actually, the room wasn't completely devoid of other people. China was making his way over to their table with a small bowl of fried rice and chopsticks in hand. The nation of four thousand years sat down next to Germany, headphones still on, though at low volume.

Russia, trying to be helpful, made a suggestion even. "Maybe peoples just need good reason to join together. Motivation. Like nuclear winter. Da?"

America suddenly sat up, cheerful again. He snapped his fingers and exclaimed to his friends. "That's it!" You could practically see the light bulb blinking above Nantucket. "I can't believe I'm saying this as the Hero, but Russia actually had a good idea!"

The two ex-Axis Powers at the table had miniature panic attacks and their faces turned pale while Russia sat there looking content.

"A-America-san!" Japan said. "You cannot be serious!"

Germany added. "Nuclear winter?! Mein gott, that is extreme, don't you think?!"

"What?" America replied, affronted. "No, not the nuke thing! I meant motivation! Giving everyone a good reason to work together and talk to each other again! Why would you think I meant the nukes?!"

The words 'Cold War' flashed through both Japan's and Germany's minds, but neither said them aloud. Instead, they simultaneously responded. "No reason."

China said "Tch." in skepticism and light amusement. He took off the headphones to listen more closely to the rest of the conversation.

'It's a very good thing that America hasn't snapped like Russia.' Germany thought with a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, America-kun." Japan said, moving on. "What were you saying about motivation?" He took another sip of his soup.

"Oh, yeah! The Hero's gonna save the day with my awesome idea!" America exclaimed. He grinned even wider than usual and then shouted it aloud. The words that came out of his mouth next caused a variety reactions in everyone else, except for Russia. Japan spewed soup on the table. China choked on his rice. And Germany began to believe he'd thought too soon.

"Let's start World War III!"


AN: So, any thoughts or opinions on this chapter? This story? Seriously, I'll take anything here.