"As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world." - Virginia Woolf
A/N: Not supposed to be on the computer. Ooh, I'm bad. Oh well. I'm updating at any rate, just like I promised. Thanks for all the lovely reviews by the way! I enjoy hearing from you guys. It makes me motivated to write more. ^-^ I really need to name Piri-chan's brother, but the anonymity suits him somehow.
Enjoy!
He could still remember that day. When the trade winds blew bitter breezes onto the land. When the glorious summer sun seemed to dim. When all but their erratic heartbeats could be heard. He'd remembered because of his sister, then Lakambini, cried to him about outsiders prowling the island. This day marked the end of their quiet days as brother and sister.
Monsoons came. Typhoons blew. Wars were waged and fought. Won or lost, their people were ravaged and sorry. Rebuilding began. Alliances were mended. History re-written by the victors. The cycle began again. And again. And again. Dizzying, never-ending, never stopping even for a moment. He went through the motions. Closed his eyes and kept them shut. If he closed them hard enough, he could still remember her heartbreaking words...
"D-don't let me go! Brother, please. Pr-promise me. Promise me you won't let go. Pangako!"
If he closed them hard enough, he could still remember her heartbreaking words...
"How could I ever call you brother after what you've done? Ang ganitong mga pangako ... nasayang."
What his sister was to him, as of right now, was somewhere in between the spectrum of innocent child and backstabbing bitch. He learned to stop hoping for the first option centuries ago. Painstakingly, of course.
ヘタリア!
"You alright there, mate? I've been noticin' a little extra baggage around your eyes lately," Keith mentioned. We were taking a walk around the pleasure gardens. He suggested we take a walk the next time he visited. It was a nice day and I hadn't protested much, but now that we were out in the open I wasn't so sure anymore.
I hadn't been sleeping very well lately, but I didn't want him to know that. His thickly furrowed brows were quickly catching on. I had to distract him. Somehow.
"Too many nights staying up to play with Sol is all!" I lied,"Really, it's nothing to be worried about. I'd be more concerned about possibly contracting rabies from your koala. Seriously, when was the last time he was checked?"
"Hey now, Steve's not rabid. Leastaways, I don't think he is. He's not foamin' or nothin'."
"His eyes are red."
"So are yours! In fact, all those days cooped up in the hospital have made you a little pasty, Sheila."
"Then it's a good thing we're out on a walk in the sun, isn't it?"
"Mmm...I wouldn't call it a walk at the pace we're goin' at. More like a stroll," he corrected. I puffed out my cheeks.
"Strolls are what old people and couples do. This is a walk," I replied. I didn't like to be corrected. I may not know much, but my opinions were my opinions. One of the only things I had control of in the world.
For a good minute there was nothing but the scuffing of our soles against the walkway. I clutched Sol's uncharacteristically untalkative form to my chest. He turned away to get a better look at the blooming flowers. I wasn't paying much attention.
Keith moved his lips and I think he mumbled. "...We could be a couple...if you got your memories back right and proper..."
"What?" I whipped my head back to his face. Surely my ears were a little off from my head injury. He looked surprised and slightly flushed, but he quickly corrected himself.
"Walks are for the young and single then? Ha, I suppose it suits us then. Me at least. You, my little granny, are most definitely old. Ancient even."
"Am not!"
"Are too! I'm a younger country than you are, but I'm bigger and taller."
"All that extra mass must go directly to your fat head."
"And your scrawny arms and legs are something to be proud of?"
"Of course, fatty."
"I didn't know we were talking about America."
"I think I'm supposed to find this funny, but I have no idea who you're referring to," I pointed out. He made a little embarrassed, "Oh." Absentmindedly he started to pick at invisible lint on his clothes.
Reminders of my current condition seemed to fade when we talked. Even the white bandages, which were coming off soon, ceased to exist. The sunlight on my skin felt good. After so many days in that room, it felt like I'd forgotten what the sun was. Thankfully Sol was always there to remind me. Take that as you will.
We were nearing a statue of a weeping monk, when a flag popped up from behind it. There was some sort of fanfare. A shout of "To-ma-toes!" A man dressed as a scarlet matador appeared. Behind him, an angry man masquerading as a bull.
"Filipinas, let's passionately fight for our countries!" winked the odd matador, "I hereby challenge you for your pages."
ヘタリア!
"Take a squizz at this show pony." spat Australia distastefully, "What a man! Ambush. Real classy, Spain."
"Hey bastard-"
"Romano, enough," Spain said with a wave of his hand, "Obviously being one of England's colonies it's a miracle he has taste in anything at all. Except Philippines. She's your saving Grace!"
Australia got really mad then. He ran up to Spain and held him towards the weeping monk. He had him dangling by his collar and although Spain was rather uncomfortable there was an ardent gleam in his eyes.
"Don't talk about her like she's an object, whacker!"
"Well if it's a fight you want, then it's a bullfight you'll get!"
"What?"
"Ole!"
A strong gust of wind picked up, so strong that it hurt if you didn't cover your eyes. The wind whistled by your ears. Like a typhoon...
ヘタリア!
When Australia and Philippines opened their eyes, they were in a pen. Or at least it looked like a pen. Spaniards were on either side of the outer pen. Cheering wildly in Spanish and throwing roses towards Spain. A few hit Romano by accident. He cursed back at them in Italian.
They were not in a pen at all. The ragtag group was in the middle of a street. Sides of said street were just penned off, for whatever reason. The real pen was located behind them and locked by giant blocks of woods blocking the exits. Keepers kept away from the doors though. Like something would soon pop out.
"Señoras y señores. Los niños y las niñas. Bienvenidos todos y cada uno, para el funcionamiento de los toros!" announced a rather large man with a well-kept moustache.
The magaphone he was using was rather bad, so his Spanish sounded like it was neither country, minus Romano and Spain himself, knew any Spanish the interpretations were left to the crowds reactions and the man's fluid movements.
"I can't understand a bloody word he's saying! What's he saying?"
"Shhh!"
"Estas almas valientes están aquí para hacer una cosa y sólo una cosa," he paused for full affect,"llegar lo más lejos posible de estas monstruosidades. En un segundo, vamos a verlos correr como asustada niñas!"
"I have a bad feeling about this, Sol..."
"Go!"
"¡Corre! ¡Corre! ¡Corre!"
Spain took off, Romano not too far behind. Soon this pair was followed by Australia and Philippines, due to the fact that there was a huge stampede of at last a dozen bulls behind them. The object of this challenge became painfully clear. Run. If you haven't been trampled by these beastly bovines by the end then you've won. Just try not to die. Emphasis on the "not dying" bit.
Coming up near Spain, Australia panted, "Dammit, that was dirty. You knew we didn't understand what that guy was jabbering about!"
"You might not have, but Filipinas should have. Her Spanish would have been so great if she did not combine it with all of those native words," came the reply. Feet pounded on dirt and pavement. Sweat dripped from foreheads and armpits, feet and fingers. Cooling skin with its sickly charm.
The first one to go was Romano, not because he got trampled, but because he got bored. He suddenly hopped out of the pen and took a tomato out of his costume. Spain didn't have to go this elaborate for a challenge. He's a poor motherfucker himself. Munch. Munch. Munch. Stupid bastard. Chomp.
Less people for the bulls to potentially gore, but more room for the remaining three to run like rabbits. Australia's turn came next. Steve bit his ear. Painfully, he had to tear him off and stop running. Some Spanish medics took him out to have a look at his ear. His koala was suspected to have rabies. Australia was indignant and hid his worries for Philippines in his bitching about his "rabid marsupial."
"So...it's down to...you and me..." breathed Spain. Man, he was tired. He was getting a bit too old for this, but victory was so close.
"Just...a few more...meters!"
"Right!"
Spain, although he felt a little tired, was mostly alright. He's been doing this stuff for years. Philippines on the other hand, was a different story altogether. Combined with trying to keep from wetting herself, she was charged with the duty of clutching her only advise, who happened to take the form of a very squishable plush toy. Her lungs were on fire and she was barely near Spain at all. She was almost positive that her legs or lungs would give out first.
The end was in sight. the place where either one or both of them would jump came up. Before the run, Spain had strategically placed a banana peel on the ground. He didn't particularly wan to harm Philippines, but when he won he could get his little Filipinas was caught in a reveire, reminiscing on his wild Conquistador days.
"Spain...!"
"Huh...?"
"Spain, watch out! Banana...peel...!" warned Philippines. But it was too late. Spain looked down and saw his demise in all of its fruity glory.
"¿Qué? ¡Oh, Dios mío!"
Slip!
The crunching of flesh and bone had never sounded like a sweeter symphony.
ヘタリア!
Philippines had ended up winning a page of her history in the end. Only to collapse and find out, much later when she came to again, that this meant she had to stay longer for "further observations." Australia heartily patted her back and promised to continue visiting.
"It's just a few more days," he offered sympathetically," What've you got to lose?"
"My memory!"
"Yeah...that too..." he admitted. Something seemed to stir in the room. The energy felt uplifting. Warm. Radiant. Like the effects of could only mean one thing.
Crap.
"Ahhh~! What a lovely nap. Oh. Did I miss anything important?"
"Sol!"
"Uh-oh, you're talkin' to that voodoo doll again."
"Watch who you're instulting, Bandaid Boy Wonder."
Spain on the other hand, had to be taken care of by Romano until he fully recovered. His hospital bills plunged him further into his cold. Which meant Romano had to scramble for money. Again. And he just finished paying off the mafia. Again.
"Tomato bastard! I told you bull running was a fucking stupid idea. I told you we should've done something else, dammit!"
"Ah, Lovi. I like it when you use your dirty mouth. It's sexy."
"B-Ba-bastard!"
"Lovi~!"
By the day's end Philippines had only remembered a little bit of her past. Mostly information about Spanish colonization in her home. Spain had apparently given her the small cross around her neck. Quite useful, actually. When no one was looking she used its fine edges to clean her nails.
Along with other things until she kicked him out three and a half centuries later, she and Spain seemed to be genuinely fond of each other. Like brother and sister, one could say. Although not out loud, for the walls have eyes. And ears. And-hell. Mindanao had this place filled with spies.
ヘタリア!
"Sir, my sources indicate that the Spaniard and his accomplice were unable to defeat the Philippines. She somehow won," stated Mindanao's underling. He looked up at his employer expectantly. He was extremely displeased. Not angry, just...not happy.
"Idiots. Both of them. We'll just wait until the next imbecile comes around. Anything else to report?" he asked boredly.
"No sir..."
"Dismissed."
"Yes sir."
"Oh and by the way..."
"Y-y-yes sir?"
"Keep an eye out for a Russian. Russia personified, actually. Ivan Braginski. Tall. Scarf. Big nose. Can't miss him."
"Ye-yes sir." gulped his underling. He did not like Russia. Not one bit. He was almost as terrified of him as his own boss. It didn't help that Russia carried around a steel pipe. Or that his subordinates feared him. Or that his heart came popping out at irregular intervals. Or perhaps, that he and his country shared a holiday. June 12. God save us all if he ever got on the bad side of Russia.
唄う!
We were born in expectation
The church bell blessed us
For selfish adult's reasons
Our future was ripped in two
- Len Kagamine, Servant of Evil
A/N: Wah so emotional, but I hoped you liked it! At least it should've been emotional. At the end I went, "Fuck this." and wrote a silly ending. Originally they were supposed to bullfight, but I was too lazy. :p It's almost summer vacation, so I'll have more time to update more soon. Won't that be swell? However I also have summer courses to take, so it won't be too often. I'm so sorry.
I'd like to point out some minor irony about promise here, for those of you who haven't Wikipedia'd Mindanao as of late. According to Wikipedia, it's also called "The Land of Promise." I'll let you fill in those blanks for yourself. Heh. Not that I don't like y'all, but I'm busy and I have a paper due on top of writing this so could you Google Translate up any phrases you don't understand?
Review please?
