I don't know why but I dislike camels. Next up, visiting Hong Kong, or China I haven't decided yet. I don't own Hetalia.
Egypt stood expectantly at the Cairo airport, awaiting the plane carrying his northern friend as pride swelled his chest. He couldn't wait to show his friend Egypt in all his glory. His mother's pyramids, the sphinx, the food, and the rich culture he had. Finally, the plane door opened and people began to disembark, bright eyed children, laughing parents, they all passed by until he saw him.
Canada, Matthew Williams. One of the few nations he could stand for extended periods of time and genuinely enjoyed his company.
... What the hell was he wearing?
"Gupta, I'm here. Long flight eh? God its hot here, but I guess you're used to it eh." Matthew said with a bright smile, jogging down the ramp with a suitcase before pausing, out of breath and bent over double, panting. Looking up between his blonde bangs he gave a curious smile to the disapproving look in Gupta's eyes. "What?" Matthew asked, straightening.
Gupta pointed at the shirt Matthew was wearing. Matthew looked down at the bright orange Hawaiian shirt, pineapples decorating it with wavy green lines running perpendicular down the garment. "Oh." Matthew blushed darkly at that. "S-sorry, I don't really have much tropical clothing, only what I have from visiting Cuba."
"Perfectly reasonable, tropical weather isn't something you would be accustomed to." Gupta almost frowned, almost. He recognized that monotone. Glancing behind the Canadian Gupta had a flash of annoyance cross his features at the young Chinese boy wearing his casual long sleeved red shirt and black pants, unbothered by the heat, standing behind Canada and staring neutrally at the Egyptian.
By Osiris, were they attached at the damn hip or something? Gupta stared at the Chinese boy resentfully, who stared right back completely unfazed. "Oh ya, Hong Kong came along after he heard I was coming to see your house. He said he always wanted to see what Egypt was like." Oh I just bet he did, Gupta thought to himself irritably while eying the Chinese boy.
"Hey Gupta, do you have any ideas for more appropriate clothing for the weather?" Matthew asked curiously, a genuine smile lighting his face.
Oh that was just too perfect an opportunity to ignore.
Gupta gave a short nod to the Canadian, motioning for him to follow him. Starting away, Gupta gave himself an internal smirk at the small victory; he had the perfect outfit in mind for the Canadian following him. Hong Kong trotting directly after the two, concerned about leaving his brother with his rival for too long.
()()()
"I don't like it." Gupta cast a glare at Hong Kong, annoyed at the younger's meddling.
"I don't see the problem, it seems to work." Matthew said cautiously, turning around in front of a mirror and examining the outfit he was wearing. "It's very billowy." He added, giving an experimental spin, the long garments blowing outward with the motion before settling around him.
The three were standing in one of Egypt's open aired markets, shop owners hawking their wares loudly while arguments broke out over prices and heckling. The three nations stood before a clothing stall, various shirts and hats lining the cart around them while a full length mirror stood before them.
"What do you think Gupta?" Canada asked, turning to the insofar silent member of their party. Gupta gave a nod of encouragement while Hong Kong inwardly scowled. It was no surprise that he would like the outfit, it was the exact same thing he was wearing.
"Could you find out how much it is for me?" Matthew asked, smiling at the encouragement that Gupta gave him. Egypt nodded and turned to haggle with the shop keeper.
Hong Kong turned from the scene of the two Egyptians haggling (or one speaking loudly and the other holding up various fingers to indicate how much he was willing to pay) to observe his brothers outfit somewhat disdainfully. White robes and Keffiyeh sat on Matthews's thin frame, hanging off him casually. The clothes would have been the spitting image of Egypt's if not for the fact that the man wearing it was almost as white as Prussia.
"So how much were they?" Hong Kong snapped back to reality as Matthew asked Gupta, who had completed his negotiations with the shop keeper.
"142.13 EGP." Gupta stated simply and directly. Canada reached for his wallet and pulled it out. Opening it he began sorting through it, but found only Canadian dollars.
"O-oh, I was sure I visited the exchange before I came." He said helplessly, going through his wallet a second time in search for the elusive local currency.
Hong Kong sighed at the somewhat unexpected mistake on his companion's part and reached for his wallet, at the same time as Egypt. Both halted, noticing each other's intent at the same instant and both nations froze in mid motion, staring at each other challengingly. They could have split the price between them, but it was an odd number. That and they really didn't want to, really, really didn't want to.
"I could have sworn..." Matthew mumbled to himself as he continued staring at his wallet, going through it yet again in the vain hope he had missed something in the cavernous hole that was his money pouch. Miss something he did, as Hong Kong and Egypt had both brought to bear their most powerful stare as time was of the essence for the purchase, the concentration which was required to use these stares so great that for any normal man it would have brought about a migraine about the size of the pyramids.
While Matthew was distracted by his wallet, a single man had begun to pass closer to him than either silent nation believed comfortable in such a setting. His intent may have been unknown, but it mattered little as when he came too close for either stoic nations comfort they took matters into their own hands.
As the man came closer both Hong Kong and Egypt turned at once, causing the man to freeze in his place, held horrified before their gaze. To his credit he lasted longer than expected, a full five seconds, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he started to foam at the mouth.
Collapsing in a heap before them, Hong Kong and Egypt turned back to each other as though the event had never transpired, Canada still desperately going through his wallet and oblivious to the passed out man beside him.
"Oh, right my other pocket." Canada said brightly, reaching into the second pocket in the soon to be purchased robes. "How much was that again?" He asked the shopkeeper brightly, flashing a relieved smile to the Egyptian man.
The shopkeeper, who looked as though he had swallowed his lower lip in fear of drawing attention to himself by speaking, glanced between Canada, the two still staring nations and the passed out individual. "Free, is free for you!" He said desperately in fractured English. Canada looked startled before saying a bright thank you and shaking the man hand warmly before turning away and walking towards his two travelling companions.
"That was awfully nice of him; your people are very friendly Gupta." The two stoic nations, who had broken their silent competition once Canada had been given the garments as payment was no longer an issue, turned to him and Gupta nodded in appreciation of the compliment.
"How did you get him to give it to you?" Hong Kong asked in his monotone, the only indication that it was in fact a question being the wording and the time Canada had spent associating with the Chinese boy giving him a hint.
"I guess he felt sorry for me." Canada said helplessly with a polite shrug. Hong Kong stared at the northern nation blankly in response. "Anyway, where to next Gupta?" Canada asked, turning to the third member of their party. Hong Kong would never be sure, but right before he led them off he could have sworn that the Egyptian cast a smirk his way.
()()()
"The pyramids." Gupta said, a twinge of pride creeping into his tone as he swept his arm towards the awe inspiring creations. The three nations were on a large dune, a decent viewing distance away from the awe inspiring man made mountains.
Three camels stood behind them, idly glancing in random directions to alleviate their boredom. Gupta had had the three of them ride them in order to get a better feel for classical Egypt. Of course there had only been two camels as Hong Kong was a late addition to the party so (after another staring match which caused four nearby camels to pass out when they looked about to spit and one passing snake to go blind) Matthew rented his own as he was too polite to impose on the other two.
Built to house the dead pharaohs in their journey to the afterlife with treasures from their lives, the stone and sand monuments counted as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one remaining of the ancient version of that category. Though weather worn, they had survived millennia of war and change and stood still in silent testament of Gupta's history. One of the few surviving relics from his mother, they were a physical embodiment of his mothers accomplishments and her love for him in that they were bequeathed to him.
He was only too happy to share her gift with the world, and the fact that Canada wanted to see them was an even greater joy.
Thump. Turning at the unexpected sound, Gupta observed something somewhat surprising.
"... Why is Canada lying face down in the sand?" Gupta asked the Chinese boy beside said nation, perhaps he had been so overwhelmed in awe that he had fallen over in shock. Hong Kong shrugged, glancing at the white robed figure on the ground in concern.
"I believe he is suffering from heat exhaustion." Hong Kong answered in his monotone after nudging the unresponsive form on the ground with his foot.
... Lovely.
Well... I don't know, whatever. Read and Review.