"Mon dieu!" Matthew cried, reverting back to his birth language of French. His body wanted to rise up from the chair. His body wished to strike down the man who would even dream of hurting another nation. But his mind kept him rooted to the spot. His hands white on the chairs arms to prevent himself from striking the man standing in front of him. "Why would you even propose something as insane as that?" He murmured his voice a bit high from sock.
"Like a said before," The man replied stepping around the desk and placing his hand on Mathew's head as though the young nation were a puppet and he had all the strings. "I see no other way that doesn't risk this countries safety."
"Then find a way!" He yelled with his more newly found voice. Matthew's body felt tense as the man's hand pushed harder on his head. He pushed himself upward but the boss's hand kept him down. Kumajirou gazed up at his owner with fearful eyes masked in a guise of concern. The bear slid off his master's lap, as though the floor was safer from any rash decisions the blonde would make.
A laugh erupted from the man's mouth. "You are such a child." His gaze directed down his black eyes meeting Canada's blue-purple. The Boss's lips parted in a cynical smile.
"And what is that supposed to mean!" Matthew yelled yet again, his voice shaking in anger and fear. He had come into this room thinking that the nation and his boss would simply be discussing economic recoveries, and now they were at homicide. What had the world come to? He pushed upward yet again, only to find the puppet master's hand still steadily in place.
"You think only of yourself." His Boss hissed, kneeling down to meet Canada's eyes. "Has it even crossed your mind that you would be a hero, that you would protect the people of this country, No" The Boss continued, banging his fist on the arm of the chair "it probably never did. You, Matthew Williams, were thinking about how to make a name for yourself. How to make yourself known to the rest of the world, while you hid in your hole, while you stay safe from real life. How cowardice, how weak. The people need that Hero, Canada, and I am choosing you to fill the role. You can either stay inside your safe little hole or join the real world were you will be 'The Hero.'"
The Nation looked down, avoiding the piercing black eyes "I don't have much of a choice then, do I sir." He murmured through gritted teeth. But that still doesn't mean what I have to do is right. Matthew added in his head.
"And if it makes you feel any better," The Boss stood up, walking smoothly back over to his desk, and taking a seat. His face turned away from the Nation to hide a small triumphant smile. "It's either your death or your brother's."
Canada froze. "He would never kill me." He replied in a voice made of ice from his northern borders, "Don't talk about things you don't know about." Matthews's hands clenched into fists, his nails cut the insides of his pale palms. "My brother would never kill me," He whispered, trying to convince himself of the fact "because I'm going to kill him first." Matthew paused, what had he just said? Was this the stress from having the possibility of being taken over or did he really want to kill his brother? His head fell into the nation's hands, new tears running down his face. "If I kill him… will I be…normal…again?" His words were almost as quiet as when the conversation first began and shook as though is own mouth was afraid of saying them.
"Yes, I supposed you will go back to 'normal'" His Boss replied, almost amused by the fact that the nation wished to be a wallflower. "I'm glad we finally see eye to eye Canada and for that I have a gift for you." The Boss's smile seemed to reach from ear to ear while he pulled a dark object out of the inside of his jacket. He placed it on the table. A gun. "It's just a house warming gift for you new role in society." He said with a bit too much cheerfulness for a man who had just pulled a weapon of destruction out of his pocket. "I would like you to have it."
The black hand gun slid effortlessly across the dark wood desk. Matthew cautiously reached for it, picking it up as though it were a poisoned apple. He turned the gun over, by the handle there was a small golden engraving of a maple leaf, on the opposite side was the "Great Seal of the United States." An eagle surrounded by thirteen starts and holding thirteen arrows and olive branches was situated in the middle. But something was off, he squinted at the tiny carving and found the eagle facing the arrows. "Sir, something is wrong with this seal…"
"I know" The boss responded "I decided quiet awhile back that it would better fit this new era."
An era of war, Canada though. Sliding the gun from hand to hand nervously, looking almost as out of place against his parka as his brother participating in a Socratic seminar. "An era of war, brought on by me."
"No, an era of peace with the elimination of America," His Boss stated in a father-proud-of-his-son tone. "You will do fine Matthew. Make your country proud."
"Yes sir." Matthew Williams murmured picked up his bear, slid out of his chair and moved to leave the room. At the door frame he turn coldly "And sir."
"Yes Canada?"
"Just for later note, when you call me childish your doing the same to your citizens." He glowered at the head of state and angrily left the office.
***
Author's notes
-"'Mon dieu!'"- meaning basically "Oh God" in French. Why French? Because France originally owned Canada before the French and Indian War.
-"But something was off, he squinted at the tiny carving and found the eagle facing the arrows"- Originally before World War I the Great Seal of the United States the eagle was facing the arrows, symbolizing war. After the World Wars it was changed to facing the Olive Branches to symbolize peace.
