Nations these Days
Encounter 4: Switzerland approves of his neutrality, but disapproves of his hesitance. America- speak up!
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Switzerland was cranky- The kind where fumes were rising from his ears and he was stomping around noisily as he did his work.
He was generally annoyed with the rest of Europe at this point in time.
Particularly France, Austria, and Hungary. Oh, how he wanted to kill them, putting all this stress on him!
Especially France- even if only because of Napoleon- Switzerland wanted to shoot the perverted nation, multiple times, in his vital regions! That would teach the French man to stay the hell away from his territory!
Austria, though Switzerland still hated him, had helped him out in getting rid of the French influence in him, and for that, Switzerland supposed that he might have earned some respect back for the fellow German nation.
But then there was the fact that Austria had gone and married Hungary!
You see, Switzerland was in the middle of a restoration period. That should have said everything in two words.
Restoration was hell. It always was, for nations like him. They taxed the body and the mind, as they didn't know quite what path they needed to choose to continue. It was a choice. You could go with the flow, if your people were ready to move on, or you could feel split apart by the sheer agony of your people rebelling against the coming change.
In short- it was torture for him, because his aristocrats were being picky, and even though they had gotten everything straightened up again, their way of life was destined to fail.
The only real good thing about this period in his life was the sense of patriotism growing in his people. They were coming to all truly be proud of being Swiss. It gave him strength, when his people believed in him, and in their country.
But, he was angry, because he had to work a lot now more than ever.
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One day in the late 1820's, however, he spotted a young and able boy that looked a bit down, even though he was watching Switzerland with curious blue eyes. He just looked a bit injured, but looked well on the way to healing. Perhaps he had been injured in the Napoleonic Wars?
"Well, are you going to say something to me, or just stand there? Speak if you want to say something!" Switzerland snapped at the boy, who literally jumped four feet into the air, and booked it out of his home.
"Hmmm…" Switzerland said quietly to himself as he watched the boy's disappearing figure. "Maybe I shouldn't have snapped at him?"
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The next day however, the boy was there again. Switzerland got a nice good look at him. Dirty blond hair was shaggy on his head, and he had a pair of blue eyes that seemed to have seen wars. It was a likely thing, as it was only recently that Europe had stopped fighting, though it did pain him a bit to think a child had to see such horrible things.
Switzerland vowed silently to himself to shoot France the next time he saw him.
But, Switzerland was again surprised by the boy when he started speaking in the mother tongue.
"H-Hello? I don't understand German…. Can we talk like this?"
The mother tongue was a language spoken by all nations since birth, to help them communicate with one another. No one knew which country knew it first, but it was for as long as any of them could remember.
"You're a nation." Switzerland stated in the same tongue. The boy nodded, shakily.
"Who are you?" He asked the boy, while squinting his eyes at him, trying to see if he recognized the face.
"U-um… That doesn't matter…." The blond-haired boy seemed unsure of this, though.
"Of course it matters! State your opinion loudly; otherwise you'll get left behind!" Switzerland tried to corner the boy.
"I-I… My boss told me I shouldn't tell anyone… He… told me I shouldn't come here anymore… but… I was told that you were neutral a lot….so…" The boy looked down, unsure of what Switzerland would do.
The Swiss nation froze. "You are declaring neutrality?" He questioned. The boy made an affirmative noise.
"Well…. Kinda…" The boy looked unsure. "I'm not sure if it could be called that, but it's something like that…"
Switzerland closed his green eyes. "All right- I suppose I won't ask for your name."
The boy smiled happily up at him. "Thanks!"
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For a few years, things went like that. The boy, who dubbed himself 'Al', came by to see him every couple years. Switzerland eventually grew to like his quiet presence, although he was a whirlwind whenever he was worried, anxious, or sad.
One year, the boy started randomly wearing a pair of glasses. He was told they represented a new piece of territory.
It was an odd thought that something that was removable-like glasses- could be a piece of land. Usually, it was a strand of hair, or a mole, or a birthmark- something that couldn't be changed about a nation.
For example- Austria's curl represented Mariazell. Switzerland had heard that Italy's nipple represented Corsica, one of his islands.
Al just shrugged it off, smiling. "I wasn't born with it! So it's detachable!"
It continued as an easy going relationship, just Al and Switzerland.
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Until that day when he didn't come- He had said that he would, but he didn't. Switzerland was a bit worried for Al.
The year was 1848.
His new boss, Jonas Furrer, called him to Bern, his new capitol.
Although he didn't want to leave his workplace-in case Al came by- he had to obey his boss.
He sighed as he made his way toward his new heart.
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"Hey! Switzerland!" The blond German nation's green eyes widened as he saw Al here, in Bern. "Told you I'd be here!"
"Al!" Switzerland made a beeline for the younger nation, stopping practically right on top of him. "What are you doing in Bern, of all places?!"
"America…?" An ambassador was watching them from the entrance of the official office.
Switzerland froze mid-rant, and Al squirmed under the ambassador's gaze.
"You are America?" He asked Al, who didn't look at him while he nodded.
"Speak up!" Switzerland demanded of the boy. "You are the nation that defeated England! You aren't going to be lost to history!"
Al-or more accurately- America straightened up. "Sir, yes, sir!"
"That's more like it!" Switzerland conceded with approval.
The ambassador spoke up from the background. "America, you know that President Polk isn't going to like this…"
America looked afraid for a second, before saying defiantly, "Well, I think he'll be a bit mad at first, but after that he won't mind. After all!" He wrapped a thin arm around Switzerland's shoulder. "We're both neutral for now!"
Switzerland had to give the younger nation a faint smile.
But, something in his gut told him that he'd regret telling the nation to speak his mind.
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