A/N: Whoop! This is literally the first time I reached chapter 10 in ANY story, in YEARS.

Anyone who follows me might know, that I seemed to have a curse on chapter 6, where I either couldn't reach it, or go anywhere past it! It was weird that I always got stuck there (now I hate the number 6)! D:

But wow, only now I noticed that this is Chapter 10! You guys are such awesome readers! Thanks! X3

A HUUUGE THANKS to tavi . myart, a Russian reviewer who was kind enough to point out the inconsistencies in the last chapter (I changed and added a few little things here and there), and also flippin' awesome for having a conversation with me over a bunch of stuff about his country, the Russian people, and many other interesting things that you won't usually find with our Western media (still conversing, actually). Russia as a character is much less stereotypical now, and a lot more fleshed out, and I can't wait to write about Russia again! :3

It would be great to do this with other countries as well, honestly. o/ So if I write about your country, and you see any inconsistency, or if you have any thoughts on it (no one knows a country better than the people who live there), don't be afraid of giving me a heads up. I want this fic to be as consistent with reality as possible.

Anyway, thanks for still being here, I'm really enjoying writing this story, and I hope you guys are too. o/

Also, I don't know why I used this title. I just kinda like it...


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Chapter 9

Imperial Support


Tokyo – Imperial Palace (UTC +9) 7:32 p.m

Dinner was relatively quiet to Japan. There was a mild chatter, but nothing intrusive to his thoughts as he poked around his food with the chopsticks.

His mind continuously reeled back to the problem at hand, which was the foreboding fact that sooner or later, everything would fall apart for him. He wasn't able to find anything concrete when looking for the culprit... He only reached dead ends, with no actual information on this elusive enemy. This disappointing turn of events led him to his current cloudy mood, as he already knew that only one week was more than past the point where there's no turning back.

Too many people already knew about them, and the fallout would soon follow.

"It's going to be fine, Nihon-sama..."

Japan sighed, continuing to stare at the food on the plate he held. Normally this could be seen as impolite, but considering everything that's happening, and the tenebrous future Japan expected to face as an individual, he did have the right to sulk, didn't he? "I'm not so sure, Ai-chan..." His princess... She was 14 years old, and still sat beside him whenever she could.

She's always been sweet like this...

She was to his right, and to his left, was little Prince Hirohito, trying hard to not make faces at his food, but still diligently eating all of it. His two older sisters were beside him, trying to not say anything about it, holding back smiles.

Ai's mother right beside her, Crown Princess Masaki, gave him a sympathetic smile, and her husband, Natsuhito, had his eyes on the smartphone on the table – he really wasn't supposed to have that there, but this was an informal dinner... A small family dinner.

Which is why not all of his Imperial Family was present. Only the Emperor and his wife, their two sons, each with their wives and children. Of course, Japan was part of the family as well. Tradition often dictated that he should raise his heirs, and he's been doing it for generations now, although, the current Crown Prince and Princess decided they wanted to raise their child themselves...

Japan couldn't say it didn't hurt a little, but he understood. His more conservative citizens certainly didn't... Maybe that's why he felt somewhat bitter about it.

The eldest human in the room was on the seat directly opposite to Japan. "Please, do not cower, Nihon-sama." Emperor Akishito spoke, his voice resonating in the room and across the table. He had his wife beside him, a regal and quiet woman, who often even served tea to America whenever he visited – he always accepted it without complaints, but Japan usually had to drink it for him, as America absolutely refused to actually drink any tea... "You need to be ready to be held personally accountable for your war crimes."

Japan flinched, wincing slightly. Even his Emperor acknowledged his crimes. But of course he did, he once apologized to many other countries on his behalf, years ago. Especially to those under his rule during the Great War. Heh, not so 'Great' after all...

Japan sighed. "My purest regret is not nearly enough to be accountable for anything. It will never be enough... I was harsh, callous, and overconfident, and I've paid for my actions dearly." He gritted his teeth at the sudden memory. "Although..." His posture sagged. "some might say I haven't paid enough..."

He and Emperor Hirohito were both to blame. However, Hirohito has left this world, years ago, and now, Japan would be the sole bearer of his country's sins. All of them. His once allies would fall under this scrutiny as well, although, Japan couldn't help but think Italy was the least deserving.

"Are you afraid of repercussion?" His Emperor challenged. Everyone's attention was ping-pong-ing between the two of them now, remaining respectfully silent.

Japan frowned. Repercussion? Was he afraid of being trialed in court for his countries' crimes? No, it's not that... He shook his head. "The Amerikan people might have... reservations against my friendship with Amerika-san, now that they know conflict happened between the two of us like this." No. He was more afraid of losing a friend at this point...

"Ah," Hirohito's father, Prince Fumito straightened, as if he'd just realized something. "Will this hurt our economy and trade with Amerika?" His wife pursed her lips, he did barge into the conversation, after all.

The Emperor didn't seem to mind, though. "It will hurt our bond. Trust, it's what is most important, in any type of relation." He responded, nodding sagely.

"B-But how can they ever trust me now...?" Japan looked down at his food once again, placing it back on the table. It was most likely cold at this point. "I cannot lie to them, and say I didn't approve of the attack against Amerika's harbor, or that I did anything to avoid the cruel mistreatment of prisoners or their executions, or about everything else. I did nothing! What about our people? What will they think of the one who approved the-!" He stopped, admonishing himself when noticing his voice was getting louder and louder.

Both kids were looking at him with wide eyes. He meekly tried shrinking away from the two, feeling like they were too innocent to be anywhere near someone like him... But he had no space to move and the constriction made his skin crawl.

Japan shook his head, hands massaging his temples. He did his very best to forget, forgive and forget... forget, forget, forget, but sometimes it just comes back and hits him in the face again...! It's sometimes difficult to ignore it when he looks at America, and Japan knows that America feels the same.

Both of them do their best to push past it. By ignoring it entirely.

The Emperor scoffed bemusedly, chopsticks neatly together on the chopstick-rests beside his plate, indicating his finished meal. "I remember you when I was a young boy. You were stiff, always armed, always alert, never smiled or showed any form of emotion..." Japan's brows furrowed as he listened, feeling shame sprouting inside. "It would have been appropriate for human soldiers to behave as such. However, in your case, that on its own should have been heeded as a clear sign that something was deeply wrong with our country..." His voice was raspy with controlled emotion, but Japan could hear it clearly.

Japan intertwined his fingers, eyes darting to any direction other than the man, while his Emperor leaned forward as he took his cup, his wife serving him more sake.

"I saw you change, Nihon-sama. Just like this entire country has changed, you have changed as well. You shall face all accusations with honor, and you shall prove to them that mercilessness to you is the same as mercilessness to all of us. The past shall be remembered, the dead mourned, but our new generation is blameless." The elder gestured at the children, innocent... "You forgave Amerikagasshūkoku, a tremendous moral strength it required. They ought to do the same to you." The aged man nodded to Japan, showing a rare smile. "We shall strive to keep this trust from crumbling altogether, but please, Nihon-sama, I ask of you, please fight for this bond the two of you have built... over the ashes of war and death."

Japan shuddered and felt tears prickling in the corner of his eyes, but raised his head to keep them from falling. "I'm... I'm not deserving... but..." He stood up and bowed. "I thank you, Ten'nō-sama. I'll commit these words to heart."

"As you should!" His Emperor remarked with mirth.

"Sulking doesn't quite fit you." Prince Fumito chuckled softly from his seat. His wife nodded to Japan, her smile much more stretched. Japan sat again, suddenly feeling like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders, leaving him somewhat exhausted, but relieved.

"Ah, we wouldn't want the people to think you're weak and broody." Crown Prince Natsuhito suddenly pointed out, waving his phone to Japan, then reading on it. "'He looks pretty scared' is what they're saying..."

"Eeeh...?" Japan tilted his head, brows tilting upwards in confusion. "C-can I see?" The table wasn't all that big, so Naruhito simply tossed the phone. His wife frowned, mumbling 'A bit rude in the table, no?', to which the man replied, shrugging 'It's a family dinner, Mariko!'.

Japan caught the object easily, paying them little mind, and continued reading. It was a forum post, maybe belonging to one of those kids? They got two pictures, one of when he was busy talking to Hiroshi-san, trying to pry the man's hands off his with a somewhat obvious distaste for skin-contact. The other was from when he was nearly cowering behind Hiroshi-san... He did look really scared...

'He looks pretty scared of you...'

'I'm guessing it's because you did pop his bubble out of nowhere like this. Or maybe he just doesn't really like humans...'

'A real Tochigami, making deals around car companies. Will I be blessed if I buy from them?'

'Help! Does he have a shrine? I don't know where to pray!'

Japan nearly laughed, but held back with trained expertise. "Tochigami, ka... I don't remember the last time I've been referred as such..." It was much too common in the past, but his society grew out of certain superstitions and customs. Nothing but folklore nowadays...

Ai leaned forward on her seat, inquiring with a soft voice. "Well, aren't you?" Little Hirohito nodded along, but Japan wasn't sure if he knew what exactly they were talking about.

He raised an eyebrow at them. "I'm not entirely sure."

"I always thought you were Isonokami." Hirohito's older sister, Princess Maiko who was already a young woman, remarked after being quiet for the entire dinner. Her expression showed some mild curiosity, which she seemed to be trying to repress.

Their eldest sister, Mayu, piped in. "Weren't you born with the Yamato Kingdom? It was where the Isonokami Shrine is, no?"

Japan gaped for a second, thinking. "I... don't remember." He cupped his chin in thought. That shrine, it was... his old home? He faintly remembers visitors who wished to pray to the local entity... Honestly, it has been a long time since he last gave his childhood any thought. It was starting to get fuzzy. It's not like he had any reason to remember those... darker times... Not many good memories there.

"Getting old, now?" Prince Fumito joked, wiggling his cup of sake. Much to Japan's embarrassment, making him blush and shrink on his seat again. Even the Emperor chuckled, as did everyone else. All in all, conversation resumed slowly, and they succeeded in lifting his mood and confidence. Japan finally felt at ease again as he smiled sheepishly.

He's protected this family with incredible devotion ever since he's known himself to be a Nation, and moments like these always have him feeling glad he did. Even when he supported other governments, like the Shogunate, or the Edo, and even when they weren't worth protecting, the Imperial Family's safety was always a priority...

With his mood lifted, Japan was ready to face this change. He would be leaving just after dinner, to go to the meeting, and soon, Japan would face the ghosts of his past with honor and courage, and with his head held high.


A/N: I just loved this chapter... What can I say? I love Japan. :)

Why haven't I ever read about Japan's Imperial Family here? Did everyone forget that he has one? They're literally the longest running dynasty in the world! (Also, changed the names a little).

Anyway, not much history here, but this is more about Japan himself, because he's a main character here (and I love him, did I mention that?). So points of interest:

I'm not going over the members of the royal family, you can simply look it up on google if you're interested, but it's interesting to point out that throughout the Imperial Family's history, the parents never raised the heirs. They were put under the care of other people instead, tutors and such. The current heir's parents decided to break tradition and raise their son themselves, which angered a lot of the more conservative traditionalists...

In this case, I believe Japan would have raised many of his future Emperors, making him a permanent member of the Imperial Family in a way, and he would also be very close to them.

Throughout Japan's history, there were the Shogunate, the government of the Samurai (Japan was definitely a Samurai, c'mon), and the Edo Government, but the Emperor could still be "Emperor", even then, so I like to say that Japan has always been very protective of them, accepting to side with new governments as long as the Imperial Family was safe, even when Imperial mismanagement and carelessness drove him away.

If you watched that awesome video, the 'history of japan', then you know that at the beginning, there were a lot of small kingdoms across the land, one of which was extra important, the Yamato Kingdom. I believe that would have been little Japan, while the other kingdoms would have created other Nations, his brothers and sisters, with who Japan must have dealt with for a loooong time, and who didn't survive until modern days, because Japan was the strongest and most resilient... (Or was that really it? Hmmm) It helped that Yamato was very militaristic. I really want to write more about this (I'll probably write a one-shot to publish along with the one-shot collection related to this fic, keep an eye out, the name will be 'History Buff', it will have everything prior to this story).

Then the Tochigami. It's a Japanese legend of the Shinto religion, known as a type of kami (a spirit of sorts). A Tochigami would be a land spirit, often residing in shrines built for them by new settlers, where they were worshiped. The shrines were built to grant the humans permission/blessing to live there (I have no doubts that Japan was worshiped as a land deity when young). The Isonokami Shrine is the oldest shrine in the Yamato Kingdom, also believed to have played a great role in its history.

There's more (way more) about this, but if I go on about it, this author's note will never end.

Anyway, the number of overall views of this fic is climbing, which is great, and I have a lot of readers from other countries as well, which is also great. I intend to mention as many countries as I can, but I'll keep POV strictly on the main characters, with the occasional switch, but never on OCs, unless I'm asked to do otherwise by enough readers.

I hope you liked the chapter, I'll see you guys next week! ;)