So, some of you will probably yell at me to go back to studying and preparing myself for the exams but honestly... I can't. I've just studied the entire day? I managed to study 4 subjects and now my head is completemy refusing to cooperate with me. Everytime I approached a past paper now I get those killer headaches and I feel dizzy. Well, I am sick after all... and I don't think I'm emotionally well. I find myself in the position of counseling my mother through the whole divorce thing, despite not being a real counselor and would you believe that a decade ago I would have done anything to stop my mother from getting a divorce with my father because the idea of divorced parents frightened me? Oh the irony, now I'm encouraging my mother to get a divorce because I know she's been planning for months and I know she wants to be free again. I don't want to sound harsh but my father is really a tyrant and he and my mother haven't showed any signs of love in years. They both need to find someone more compatible, that I'm 100% sure.
Alright, on to other matters. The end of school celebration was quite epic, I have to say that it was really impressive this year. Seems like many of my classmates studied what our predecessors had done in the past years and then they used almost every idea this year. ^^ I think I will miss this school despite it being overpopulated and very chaotic, I like the school for it's diversity. You know, it's a very Hetalia-like school. Our classes were organised into language sections and I was in the English section! 8D Other sections include French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Hungarian and Polish. It's crazy how much the sections resembled the Hetalian characters. Like the people from the French and Spanish section were big buddies, English and French section were always rivals, the German section was always hard-working and quiet, Danish section act quite badass... yup, really gonna miss that school.
Alright, I feel a bit better again. Have the 25th chapter and I really apologize for it's shortness because I've been really stressed out but I still wanted to post a new chapter because it helps take my mind off of some things. You know, just a few hours rest from all the madness in my life right now. It helps bring my stress levels down... enjoy!
Chapter 25
France decided it would be a good idea to remind England where he was geographically and also show him the world map. This might actually encourage England to think himself more as a European nation, so that England was less likely to associate himself with America. The French nation was still uncertain about if it was a good idea that England was starting to resemble America too much in personality.
England's ties to Europe were weak enough, no need to fully sever them.
At the very least England had taken France's warning to heart and was careful when practicing with his wings. He often practiced his flying throughout the day until nightfall and he was actually becoming quite good at it. Almost bird-like. France had to agree with Italy, England really looked like an angel when he was flying.
But angels couldn't get hurt and never were in danger. And England was a nation, not an angel. So France was always a little nervous when England started to practice his flying skills at a higher altitude.
France called England in when the little nation had passed most of his morning in the garden. He led the Brit into his study room where there were many books stacked on the shelves. (and no, not all of them were about love and romance, those had a special room of their own of course)
He took a dusty geography book from the shelf and blew the dust off it carefully. It wasn't exactly an old book but France just really never bothered with geography books. They were dull and France personally preferred meeting the actual nations rather than seeing their geographic location in a book. The French nation opened the book and after sifting through a few pages, he came to the page he was looking for.
"Here Angleterre." France set the book on the ground for the little nation to look at and with a wide smile, he asked, "Do you know what this is?"
England stared at the open book curiously but after a moment of close scrutiny he admitted, "No, I don't really know what this is supposed to be."
"It's a map. More specifically, a map of the current world. Look at the names." France encouraged the Brit.
The little nation sat on his knees to look closer at the words written on the map. After a few minutes he pointed at one spot and stated, ""France" is written here."
"Bravo England, you managed to find my country!" France smiled happily. England looked up at France, his thick eyebrows furrowed in confusion. France realized that England was not following the French nation.
Hmm, maybe France should explain it better. "Look Angleterre, you know that we're nations, oui?" England nodded slowly at that but confusion was still evident in his eyes.
"The biggest difference between us and the humans is that as nations, we are a representation of something. This map shows all the countries that exist and each of us represents a land. Do you follow?"
"Not really..." England replied uncertainly, shaking his head.
"What do you understand by a nation? Did someone explain the word to you?" France asked, trying to find a foothold of comprehension between the two nations.
England frowned. "No one did. I just... knew for some reason. We are connected to the land. That much I know because I can feel it. In Japan's house Japan was connected to the land. In China's house China was connected to the land. Once they were somewhere else I didn't feel the connection."
France blinked in surprise. Really, even after having forgotten so much about himself and about the others, his "sixth sense" was still intact? How unfair... but it was an advantage nevertheless. At least England had the right idea of what exactly their kind was. And had at some point grasped the differences between the nations and the humans.
"Alright, so can you understand now that this connection exists between a nation and their land because they represent the people who live in that land?" France questioned hopefully and was glad to see England nod his answer affirmatively at the question.
"This map then shows where our lands are all placed and how much territory they each have. Except on a smaller scale, to show the actual sizes of the countries on paper is impossible. The place you found that has my name written on it is my country and I represent it."
England listened closely to the elder nation and stared at the map thoughtfully. He finally muttered, "So every nation I met is on this map?"
"The officially recognized ones, yes."
The small nation cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. "Where is America then? And Japan? And Canada?"
"Ah, you will have to look for them yourself." France grinned as England began to immediately do that, tracing the words lightly with his finger and taking the names in.
Then he exclaimed, "I found Canada!" England looked at the picture of Canada's country and then looked back at France's country and he bemusedly added, "Canada is bigger than you!"
"Of course Angleterre, in Europe there are more of us so the countries are smaller. But that doesn't make me any weaker than Canada." France chuckled in amusement at England's reaction.
England frowned after a moment and pointed below Canada's country in confusion. "Is that America? I see his name but there are other words written in front of it..."
"That's his official name. He's officially called "United States of America" but everyone calls him "America" for short." France explained.
The little nation looked surprised at that. Then he asked, "Then where am I? I can't see myself anywhere on the map."
France chuckled lightly. "You also have an official name that not many of us call you by. You're called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or shortened on this map, UK."
England quickly found it and frowning, he asked, "I'm really small compared to every other nation."
You used to be bigger. France thought silently but decided not to voice it. It wasn't the time or the place to bring this up. He heard England marvel, "And I'm also very close to you!" The little nation looked up to France and questioned, "But why am I called the United Kingdom?"
"You and your brothers Pays des Galles, Écosse and Irlande du Nord make up one official country." France answered simply.
"Why?"
"I'll answer that question later." France said evasively and quickly changed the subject. "Alors Angleterre, do you notice something? Since you're quite close to Europe that makes you a European nation, right?"
"Europe... that's our continent? But I'm separated from you all!" England looked at the map closely.
"Oui, but you're still part of Europe Angleterre. A lot of Europe's history has affected you as well, so you shouldn't forget your roots to this continent." France explained insistently and added, "Look, both Amèrique and Canada are on the North American continent."
"But what does that mean?"
"They're not European nations and you're not a North American nation. Japan and China are Asian nations while you aren't. Don't try to forget that." France hoped that this intervention would cause England to strengthen his ties to Europe and weaken the ones towards the North American continent. He was finally fixing the problem that De Gaule mentioned several decades ago.
"But..." England faltered and then spoke up a bit spitefully, "I can understand about Japan and China, we do look different from them but America and Canada look JUST like us, the Europeans. Why?"
Oops. France thought belatedly. England wasn't that stupid and what was worse, he seemed to have caught on that France was trying to manipulate him. And England really didn't look pleased. At all. He even looked like his older self with that suspicious frown directed at France.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That thought ran through France's mind and he had to curse that person who had been idiotic enough to invent this idiom. And yet... it was so true right at this moment.
"Err, I shall explain that later as well. We should go and eat now." France mumbled evasively and stood up hurriedly.
It was better to retreat for now.
Later on, France tried to pacify England as the Brit had stayed a little cold towards him. He had asked what England wanted to do but the little nation was stubborn and had said he didn't feel like doing anything.
Suddenly France got a brilliant idea. A very brilliant idea even. He asked if England still wanted to visit the forest. That turned out to be the correct thing to ask the island nation. England immediately brightened at the idea and he quickly affirmed that he really wanted to go there.
Of course, France knew that England had always had a soft spot for forests. It had been in a forest that France had first seen England after all and for many decades after that the small nation would always be seen near forests.
For France it had never been a simple task to find the elusive England back then. Once England had been "tamed" and adapted to live in a castle, life had gotten easier for France when he wanted to visit the Brit.
So a few minutes later both France and England set out to the forest that lay near France's house. England's wings were itching to spread out and England took off from the ground with a beating of his wings as soon as they reached the first pine trees.
France looked up a bit alarmed and called out, "Angleterre, be careful up there! Fait attention!"
"I am!" England replied back, flapping his wings a few more times to balance himself in the air. He stopped flapping once he felt an air current under his wings and he let the air current carry him. He did not look down at France and soon France sighed and continued walking. And so both nations continued their "walk", one on the ground and the other in the air. Every now and again France would look up to check on England carefully. He still wasn't convinced about the whole flying business.
However England was, strangely so, almost completely at ease in the air. England enjoyed the feel of the wind through his hair and he marvelled at just... how free he felt. He now understood why Japan's bird had wanted to be free. England wouldn't want to be denied this right to be in the air.
Even his fear of heights had been almost conquered. As England got more and more convinced of his capacities he began trying out different things in the air, like small turns, loops, dives, barrel rolls... of course he only did it if he was absolutely sure that he would be able to stay stable in the air.
Unfortunately France did not fully approve of this and very often made it vocally known to England that he shouldn't do this nor do that. But France couldn't fly and so England didn't feel inclined to really obey the French nation.
Anyway, France had tried before to manipulate him earlier and England was still angry about that. Like all nations before him, France knew about something that England didn't and wasn't willing to tell England more about it. That frustrated England but what could he do about it? And to top it off England got the feeling that France had been trying to pass him a message about him being a European nation and not a North American nation.
England didn't understand the motive behind it but he understood enough that France had been trying to manipulate him on something he had no knowledge of, as if trying to convince him of something that must have some importance. Because England didn't have any memories about it he would have to accept the universal truth that he was part of the European continent but the little nation didn't understand why France had seemed so insistent on it.
And it angered him. So England felt no qualms going against France. If France was going to be sneaky, so could England.
He flapped his wings to go higher, pretending he didn't hear what France had said. The French nation called out to him to stop going so high but finally seemed to understand that England was still angry at him.
The small nation looked down at France and continued flying in silence. He looked up towards the horizon and allowed himself to enjoy the feel of the sun rays on his skin. He really shouldn't be that angry with France, he just felt hurt that no one was willing to explain to him what had happened really. Why, was he too "young" to bear the truth? England thought he deserved to have some things explained to him. He felt confused and lost and he hated those feelings.
France looked at England and sighed sadly. He really had gone awry here, huh? France had simply wanted to ensure that England would feel more connected to Europe instead of America and Canada and all he managed to do was make England angry against him. That was certainly not what France had wanted to do.
Fault was that France had underestimated England. The Brit had quickly picked up what France had been up to but had probably not understood the motive behind it. Thus England was now unwilling to listen to France and to make it worse, he had wings and so could do anything he wanted and France couldn't control him.
Curse those wings! If England didn't have them France wouldn't be worrying the whole time over the little nation. And he would be easier to keep an eye on.
Suddenly two shots rang out through the forest.
France froze and an ice-cold chill ran down his spine. The elder nation looked around wildly. Hunters? He could hear their excited chattering somewhere to the right from him. But they weren't even supposed to be here, the hunting season wouldn't be starting for another few weeks! What were they doing here? England had to get down now lest he became an accidental target for the hunters.
He looked up to the sky to call England down but the words died in his throat. France paled and his blue eyes widened. England...
The small nation was nowhere to be seen in the sky.
Go on, shoot me already. I'm completely addicted to writing cliffhangers, while you guys wonder the fate of England, I will wonder my fate with the exams and the marks. Seems fair, eh? Of course not but I couldn't squeeze more out of my mind, I just have those bad headaches lately. X_x Anyway I want to see how many of you guys will guess right whether I actually allowed England to be struck by a bullet or maybe he panicked at the sound and dove to safety into the forest. (but the hunters are still there...)
Alright, we've had our first conflict between France and England. France tries to manipulate England into associating himself more to the European continent and England picks this up and France's plan completely backfires. And now England is angry against France for trying to manipulate him. Oh dear France, you're on a very thin line with England there, you shouldn't think about your advantages first. XP
I want to write more stuff here but I can really think of something else to add, my mind feels a bit muddled right now. Probably doesn't help that I'm watching "Inception" right now but... ah, I'm gonna leave you here now. Hope you enjoyed this really short chapter, the unfair cliffhanger and look forward to the next chapter where we will learn the fate of England. That's about it, I have nothing else to say. I don't know when I can upload the next chapter, definately not next week and I'm not too sure about the week after that.
Translations:
Fait attention! = Be careful
Pays des Galles, Écosse and Irlande du Nord = Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland