1914 A.D. The Warlord Era

Alfred revisited China 3 years after the day of the conference. He wanted to check up on Yao, fully aware of the raging war between rival warlords which immediately sprang up after Yuan Shikai tried to declare himself the new emperor. It was hell as the power struggle dragged on. Each warlord wanted a slice of land here and there, so they would recruit vast conscripts of soldiers from the farms and villages to fight in their wars. They basically sent young men to kill each other, the American was disgusted by the displays of brutality he had heard from the military leaders, who were like ravenous wolves fighting over a carcass.

When he arrived in the country, the clouds were already casting a depressing mood over the setting that was presented to him. He had seen people hungry in the streets while the soldiers hoard all the farmers' taxes to feed their armies. He heard stories of many families who crumbled in despair at the news of their lost husbands and sons. Things get worse when he found out what a pugnacious warlord might do to people in a captured territory. Too gruesome by American standards.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Things were supposed to be better. Lives were supposed to be better under a free society. This is not freedom, it is poverty and despair.

Morbid musings aside, Alfred finally found where Yao was staying: at a mental hospital.

That doesn't seem like a good sign

"Oh! Ni-hao Alfred!"

"Hi Mei!" Straight to the point. "I'm here to see Yao, he's here right?"

The Taiwanese territory nodded. She bowed respectfully, flustered at his sudden appearance. "Yes, he's here. Do you want to see him?"

Blink. "That's what I said."

Mei flushed at her blunder. "Oh right, never mind what I said. I'll take you to him right away!"

She adjusted the pink flower in her hair. Mei couldn't collect herself at the moment, being too self-conscious in America's presence. It's not that she had any personal feelings for him, she was simply noting how handsome he looked.

Not that America noticed.

Taiwan led through the institution, her nerves now collected by Alfred's visit. She sought some small talk.

"Why do you want to see him?"

"Well, just to check up on him. I want to see if this social experiment is going to work. I am a republic myself after all."

"Well, Alfred. Things aren't going so well. The whole country is in chaos over the pointless fighting. It's stupid really, everyone wants a shot to be emperor. It's not healthy for Yao, not at all."

"What's wrong with him?"

"You'll see for yourself, she led him to a stop at one of the many doors holding patients."

He stared at the door. "He's here? I can't believe it'd be here out of all places. . ."

"Yes, you know that we represent overall stability of our nation and represent the culture and ideologies of the people. I want you to go inside this room where he is, and just see with your own eyes what things have become. Let me warn you, no mentions or any moves relating to violence."

"Why so?"

"He's not in a very stable state, I couldn't identify his exact symptoms; it's completely new in the field of psychology and is perhaps unique only to nations. The psychologist took a look at him, and dubbed it 'warlordism'. Take a guess as to what that means."

"Yao is suffering a new form of PTSD?"

"He reacts aggressively to certain triggers that relate to causing harm. It started when he began flipping out whenever the politicians spoke of the war, or read an article on the newspaper describing the losses. He nearly took out someone's eye when a servant dropped a dinner plate, he probably thought it was a grenade. It degraded to the point we could not keep him in charge and sent him to the only suitable institution that could house him, my own. We had to substitute him with a volunteer general. I've taken precautions and refurbished his room to be devoid of red. I even gave strict instructions to never include knives in his silverware."

"It's that bad."

"Thank you for being so blunt. Are you ready to see him?"

Alfred was not sure if he wanted to. he had not seen Yao since the conference to announce the Republic of China to the world theater. How much had he changed since then? Was he really in such a state as Mei had described it? To answer these questions, he slowly opened the door and entered the room.

The room was a soft shade of yellow, and he noted at the adorable plushies present on some shelves. There was a simple bed, and a window opening to the view of a beautiful garden. Somehow, he didn't notice Yao sitting a chair and looking out the window until a few seconds later. His eyes were sunken, his body slouched forward, and his hair had grown back into its trademark ponytail. He looked. . . a lot more sickly since their last visit. The soft smile on his face as he gazed out the window seemed fake, in his opinion, perhaps an attempt to lighten the sullen atmosphere that threatened to choke him in this room. Did he not notice him enter?

"It's been a long time, Wang Yao."

His response was too long, he thought. He turned his head to face him two seconds later. His smile then, seemed genuine. "Oh. Alfred. It is a pleasure to see you again aru. I haven't seen you since the conference all those years ago."

"It's only been three years, buddy."

"Ah, I've been losing track of time, time seems so meaningless when you're as old as me. You should be able to relate to me on that matter. Still, two years to a mortal is still a long time. Have you come to visit me aru?"

"Yea, just wanted to check up on you."

"Wonderful! Come and sit aru." He slowly motioned to the bed close to his chair. Alfred sat on the side so that he would be angled towards Yao and the window.

"So. . . how have you been this whole time?

The small Asian man closed his eyes as if to contemplate a deep meaning, like he would usually do when he philosophized. "I suppose I have been faring well in these recent days. Mei was kind enough to let me stay here temporarily, to clear out my thoughts before I'll return to the field of politics. From what I have heard, there's been a lot going on in my absence. But I have faith that our leaders are competent and will do their best for our republic aru" He smiled at his words, his eyes still closed cheerfully.

Physically, he was a disaster. But he didn't seem mentally sick so far. Perhaps Mei was just exaggerating something or perhaps she was pulling some weird.

But judging from past conversations, Mei isn't the joking type. Alfred will make sure that he doesn't set him off into some violent outburst, he has seen what an incensed China can do with all his experience of fighting. Not even he could easily subdue him when the Alliance powers kept pestering him to do chores for them, that had set him off rather nicely. . . the gaping holes in the walls could testify that.

"Although," he continued. "I feel as if, a half of me is missing, just like before aru"

"Wait, you mean to tell me there's another one of you again? I mean you are still in a state of- wait no I mean!" Crap, he was steering this conversation in the wrong direction!

Yao furrowed his brows. "To answer your question, no. I do not believe another one of me exists. We already got rid of my counterpart, and it's too soon for another one to just appear. Besides, we would have heard of him or her by now aru."

"Well, it's true. I haven't heard of a 2nd China."

It would seem that Yao was having difficulty concentrating, his irises were trembling. He averted his gaze from Alfred, as if trying to block out the fact that he was here with him. Perhaps he was trying to level out his thought processes after dancing around dangerous subjects. But he seemed to be in control, for he resumed his soft smile and turned back to face him. "One day, we should go out to a tea house and enjoy the world my people have built for us. I look forward to that day aru."

Alfred chuckled sheepishly. "I'm sure we'll have that day, Yao." Alright, the conversation seemed stable, and as long as she avoided a disturbing topic, things should go smoothly. He decided to start on a topic she knew Yao would like.

"So. . ." he teased. "You've been here for a while now. Has Hue had a chance to visit you? How is she?"

Alfred knew something was wrong when China's brows furrowed even deeper, his smile flipped into a frown. He withheld his tongue and didn't speak for a long awkward silence.

"How should I know? I haven't seen her since. . ." His eyes were glassy, silence once again gripped his tongue for a brief moment. "I have not seen her since the day she saw me, in one of my fits. Hue saw me in my greatest moment of weakness! My violent display drove her away. I scared her, Alfred! This stupid war has ruined me! I can't control myself at the mere thought of it! All this fighting. People dying. I can hear the crying. The screams of anguish. I can feel their life fading away. Why must it come to this! So many have died. Everyone is DYING!"

Things escalated quickly. He was ranting, and Alfred knew that an episode was starting. He stood up to try to calm him down. With a quick burst of speed from the old nation, Yao had lunged forth and trapped his neck in his clawed hand. The force of the lunge allowed him to pin him down onto the bed as he proceeded to tighten his grip.

Alfred was being strangled. He couldn't muster the strength to force him to relinquish the chokehold. As strong as he was, China seemed to be fueled by pure fury. Try as he might, his hands couldn't pry the hands away from his neck. The best thing he could do was get him to regain his senses.

"Yao! Stop! It's me, Alfred! Your friend! Let go!"

He showed no signs of heeding her pleas.

"YOU BASTARD WHITE DEVIL, I'LL KILL YOU!"

This was wrong. China may have his temper, but this was downright demonic. His brown eyes stared down with such a petrifying glare as to send chills down his spine. Chills which were being overpowered by the panic.

It's a painful pill to swallow, if he could swallow.

Alfred could feel the blackness closing in on his vision.

"Yao, snap out of it!"

His fierce expression faltered, as did his grip. He stumbled back and landed on his rump, panting. As quickly as it came, his episode had ended.

Alfred was coughing, quickly trying to inhale the much needed oxygen and rubbed is neck where the iron grip had constricted his jugular vein and trachea. He stared down at the pitiful man, now harboring a newfound fear and respect for what he was capable of.

But it couldn't relate to the utter despair on his face.

"I almost killed you. . . all I do is hurt people aru!" he slammed a fist onto the carpet. "This is why Hue left me. How could I have been so foolish to think, that I could ever be with her?" Tear lines ran down his face. "No one wants a man with a violent temper. I was a fool to think, that with our history, she would eventually accept me. It's ironic in so many ways. I allowed myself to feel excitement and glee, that whenever I see her, her warm and friendly company would be stepping stones to her heart. But I lied to myself. She didn't love me, not after I tried to control her for all of these millennia. All I've ever been to her was a friend, that's why she's always so nice to me. Now even that's gone, and probably with that much more worthy Thailand, what do I have now but wolves on all sides to pick at a dying dragon? I am a sorry excuse, a shadow of myself, a disgrace to everything I once stood for!"

His long tirade ended with him just sobbing uncontrollably on the floor, uncaring for another soul watching him in the room. Feeling that he had done enough damage, Alfred fled out the door.

"Now you see what he has become? If Yao from a decade ago saw himself now, he would have laughed and spat on it. This is not a sign of good health for the country."

"That must be an understatement . . ."

The two had returned to a living room, Mei was sipping tea provided by the attendants of the institution. Alfred had not touched her cup, which was still hot.

"But it is interesting to note that Yao did like Hue, and that her leaving him must have left a serious impact on his psyche. I can't blame her though, it's really difficult to see someone you care about behave so terrifyingly. It's a shame for Hue and Yao. They would have made a decent couple."

Of course she would express her shame on what things could have been. "You're still the romantic one. You don't even know if Yao's feelings were requited"

Mei smiled, "One can fantasize. I'd like for teacher to be happy with someone. But now I just hope he gets better soon. We could use his leadership."

Alfred took a sip from his tea, bitter like the mood of the atmosphere. "I hope the same thing." He finished the drink and set it down. "Thank you for the tea, and I must return home soon. Politics and all."

"No problem Alfred. You're always welcome to visit us, perhaps when things get better." Mei smiled, trying to lighten up the mood.

The American flashed a smile back at her hospitality and left the institution. He thought back to the murderous expression on Yao's face. Then he imagined that same face on several generals with bling uniforms. What a pleasant sight. . .