1940


The posters showed Spain triumphant, crushing the hammer and sickle, but the truth was that artists implied in their making took his face as a model and drew the rest using other sources. Spain was excused from doing the salute because he could barely raise his arms. When he descended the train in Hendaya, he was moved in a wheelchair by his assistant.

Upon their arrival, Germany smiled and approached, Hitler following him closely. Now that he was seeing him in person, Spain thought he was as impressive as the photos and records suggested. That man really had something. It wasn't a surprise he got so many adepts so quickly. As for his nation, Germany, he looked good the last time Spain saw him. He had gone through terrible times after he was defeated in the Great War, but recovered and it seemed Spain was not wrong when he thought he would rise from his ashes like a phoenix. Now he was triumphant, glorious—he had never seen someone standing so tall and healthy. He had Europe on the palm of his hand. He got his delicious revenge. The contrast between him and Spain was great—it almost seemed like a joke that it was Germany the one asking for help.

Franco and Hitler shook hands, posed for the cameras, so did Germany and Spain. Franco complimented Germany's magnificent looks, Hitler expressed his his admiration for Spain after surviving something so tough. Soon, the four of them walked to the room where the meeting would be held. Franco and Hitler walked in front of Spain and Germany, allowing them to have a private moment.

"How is your recovering going?" Germany asked Spain.

"Good. You know..." Spain smiled, but didn't finish the sentence.

Germany gazed at those green eyes, barely alive, and nodded.

"Of course."

After being recorded and photographed by the press, it was time to get down to business. They were taken to the room, the door was closed and the four of them were left alone. There was no need for translators: Germany and Spain knew each other's languages.

"France has surrendered. He is under our control now. Our next target is England. He has put obstacles in your way for centuries. He has hurt you, stolen from you. Why not taking this chance to settle scores? You have something that is very important to England: Gibraltar" Hitler said.

"Yes. Without Gibraltar, his access to the Mediterranean sea would be cut off" Franco nodded. "And without access to provisions or a escape..."

"He will have no chance but to surrender."

"But England is an enemy to fear. And if we attacked him, America will surely come to the rescue" Franco replied.

"If we are together, we can defeat them" Germany said to him.

"This war is coming to an end" Hitler said.

"And the Allies soon will fall" Germany concluded.

"So you want Antonio to help you speed up the process..." Franco said, pointing at his nation with a gesture of his hand.

"His alliance would be very useful indeed..."

"You want him to fight by your side..." Franco clasped his hands. "Well, there is just a problem you can easily see: he is in no condition to fight. His enemies, the false friends of the Republic, that bunch of communists almost got him killed. He is healing from his sickness. He needs help."

"Of course, we would provide everything you need" Germany replied, looking at Spain. "Food, construction material, petroleum, troops to crush the remaining threats..."

"I know of something that will make me feel better" Spain intervened.

"What is it?"

"Morocco."

"Morocco?" Hitler frowned.

"Yes" Franco nodded. "You have made France—if you pardon me the expression—your bitch, isn't he? He has affronted Spain in the past so many times."

"Morocco has not been very nice to me, either" Spain mentioned.

"Good friends don't let shame go unpunished."

"I have quite a few unfinished business with England too, now that I remember."

"If the Axis won, I am sure you could, ahem, convince England to let Spain be the sole manager of Gibraltar."

Germany and Hitler glanced at each other.

"It is true that France controls Morocco and we control France" Hitler stated, "but the new Europe we are building cannot exist without him. We want him happy, collaborative."

"If we stole his underling, he will never be on our side" Germany said.

"I don't want to hurt my dear neighbor, no, no, no" Spain shook his head.

"We just want to make sure an old debt is paid" Franco finished the sentence.

"Oh, and Argelia" Spain suddenly said. "I fought there long time ago and it would be a nice place for the holidays."

"Are we forgetting something, Antonio?"

"Cameroon."

"Ah, yes, Cameroon."

"He looks like a guy who could be useful."

There was a long silence from Germany and Hitler, broken by the nation clearing his throat.

"Well...We...can consider your demands and see what we can do. There is no pressure. First, you have to take care of yourself" he said, standing up.

"Whatever you decide, I am with you, Germany. You have a friend in me" Spain smiled at him.

"I will send you these days a list of all the Jews in our territory" Franco said.

"That will be much appreciated" Hitler smiled with a nod. "We will be in touch."

Spain had the feeling that the goodbye was a bit cold, but that was only his perception. His leader was satisfied.

"They act like they are winning, but they need you, Antonio" he said to him as they got out of the room. "If they want to win this, they will have to use your assistance. And I am not going to let you go through all that trouble for nothing."

He left because minister Serrano wanted to introduce him to someone. Spain supposed it was time to go to sleep. He consulted his pocket watch. Seven hours?! They had been talking for seven hours?! No wonder he felt so tired!

He was about to leave, not waiting for his assistant, when he noticed a man he knew smoking near the scene. His uniform was German, but he wasn't with his group. Spain approached.

"Did your friends leave you out?" Spain asked.

"Germany is the big guy here" Prussia said, and Spain noted a bit of scorn in his voice, something natural, taking into account how important he used to be in the European picture. "And the representation of the Aryan race. They seem to have something against white hair."

"Don't listen to them, you are the cutest thing" Spain smirked.

That made Prussia drew something similar to a smile.

"You still have strength left to joke?"

"Crying's getting me nowhere."

"Yeah...When I lost everything and had to move with my little brother I thought the same. You and I used to be big, now look at us..."

"You are part of the Axis. I'd say you are pretty big."

"Nah. Between you and I, I am in Germany's shadow. And I'm telling you, brother, that's bullshit."

Prussia threw away what was left of the cigarette and expelled the smoke.

"Yep. Germany and the Führer should accept the deal. Losers like us need to stick together."

"...We can still hang out together" Spain said.

"...Yeah...Sure, why not?"

When one year later Spain met with Veneciano, Romano and their leader Mussolini, Romano talked to Spain in such a way Mussolini had to ask his nation to calm down. Was he going to join the war or was he going to wait until everything was over to get the benefit? Spain replied it all depended on Germany giving him what he needed. He was still weak like a kitten. He was sorry that their last battles were not very successful, but that was the state of things.

Spain never got to formally join the Axis, even though he expressed his desire that they had good luck. However, since that interview in Hendaya Prussia visited his house very often. For the first time in a lot of time, he actually had a friend, someone who valued him not for what he could get from him, but ignoring his poverty and weakness.

Too bad Germany's previsions were too optimistic. Franco's worst perspectives came true: the Axis crossed swords with America until they got him involved, then everything started to go wrong. Four years after that series of interviews, Germany and his allies were forced to surrender and went through hell and humiliation in the hands of the victors. As for Prussia, he became part of the loot and Spain found himself alone again—and judged by the whole world.


1946


The ones who set out the question were Australia and Mexico. Spain's former colony was very interested about this. She didn't mention Spain explicitly but everybody knew who were they referring to...

The Axis Powers were going to pay for what they did—but what about the countries who collaborated with them and whose dictators still held the power?

Poland didn't want to lose time with implicit suggestions and asked it very clearly: what should they do to Spain?

The debate was intense. Spain could do nothing but wait at home, doing small progress getting up from his chair to move around the house. Franco said that was all he should be concerned about. In December, the resolution was published.

«Considering Spain is guilty of plotting with Germany and Italy, circumstance which resulted in war, the nature of Franco's regime is fascist and was set with the help of said nations, and sent brigades against Russia and Morocco, ignoring the protests from the Allies, the United Nations have determined that Spain should not be part of us. Furthermore, we recommend all countries to recall their ambassadors in the Spanish territory»

"Don't be sad, Antonio!" Franco said to him upon hearing the news, patting his back. "You don't need them! You can manage perfectly on your own!"

He was not sad. Nor disappointed. He just thought a lot about the voting. They didn't even bother to make it anonymous.

Some names were obviously in the list of those who voted yes: America, Russia, France and England. Poland too, like all nations who had been screwed up by the Axis. It was obvious. There were more. Bolivia, Belgium, Chile, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela...So many familiar and dear names.

Cuba and Holland abstained. Colombia, Honduras, Egypt and Turkey too. Oh...

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Perú, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Argentina voted against this veto.

Ah, Argentina! He was not completely alone and that was a relief! His beautiful girl didn't see him like a monster!

"I brought you food, papaíto. Wheat, corn and oil. I also have some money I can give to you..."

No wonder she looked so concerned. His bones could be seen, as if he had no muscles under his skin.

"If there is...something more I can do for you..." she muttered, her arms crossed behind her back.

Spain didn't want her to be worried. He smiled at her, probably the first time he sincerely smiled in a lot of time, and kissed her forehead.

"Having you here is enough for me, mi preciosa."

He was not alone. He had Argentina. Thank God his precious girl was with him. And she was not the only one to leave her ambassador stay in Spain. Switzerland declared he was neutral about this. Vatican and Ireland kept them too. So did Portugal, with whom he kept in touch. He would often call to see how he was. Spain tried to sound merry over the phone, to have a clean handwriting when he wrote to him...

...But he was not alright.

He could hear it. He thought the end of the war would end with it, but he still had those echoes...His stomach was growling constantly, as much as the regime fed him, because his people were dying of hunger...At night, in his bed, he heard the shots, of the opponents being captured and killed...Their suffering, the fear, the resignation...Asking themselves day after day—would they live to see a new day? It was not strange to him to cry himself to sleep. Wishing one of the two sides had managed to kill him...It was unbearable...For how long would he resist?

"My baby boy...Don't you cry...You promised you'd be brave..."

"I've tried, Mother...I've tried...I know I promised you I would protect my siblings, and...shit, I've failed...It is me they had to protect themselves from...They killed you and Father because of me..."

"...All that power will turn against you one day, and then you shall feel the sting of a million knives in your back, one for each of your sins..."

"I'm so sorry, Aztec...Inca...Maya...You sure got your revenge..."

"This is what you get for thinking you can be sovereign of anything. You are like a child who needs guidance."

"I know I have made mistakes, Ferdinand, but I never wanted to hurt anybody. I am not like you. I didn't care about power. I only wanted...I only..."

"What happened, then?"

"...I don't know...I wish I could tell you, Isabella, my dear..."

"I'll tell you what happened, my dear Hispania: power is like a drug—sweet, pleasant, but very dangerous and addicting. It destroys your mind, makes you see chimeras, changes the character...I wish I had warned you about it..."

"No, Rome, it's my fault. I should have paid more attention to the lesson you were giving me...Now it is late to make amends..."

"You are not dead yet. As long as there is life, there is hope."

"Señor Al-Malak...Gosh, I forgot about you...But...I have done things that cannot be excused."

"Time heals all wounds. You have the gift of time. We were sure you are destined to do great things. And we were not wrong."

"Yes, you were never wrong...Ferdinand, Isabella...I know Franco is praising your work defending the faith, but I...I am very proud to be your son...I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but you knew, right?...I...I've done things I cannot excuse, but I think...you are right...you are all right...I didn't listen to your advice, to your experience, and let my heart grow dark...I lost myself...I let others control me...I let you and others decide...But not anymore...This...will pass too..."

"You know who you are."

"...I know who I am. I am Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. I am Spain...I will always be. No matter what. No matter who is in charge. There is only one person who can decide what I am, and where I want to go, and that is me. Leaders, kings, presidents—they can possess me, but there is something inside of me they will never own...Philip...I never told you, but..."

Spain blinked. Who was he talking to? He was lying in his bed and there was no one in the room but him. Phillip, the others, had been dead for a very long time. The morning sun was filling the room.

Running a hand through his face, he got up. He had to support himself on the walls, use a walking frame. But that morning...he felt different. The sickness was still there. He wouldn't get rid of it in a while...But that morning he felt...he could deal with it.

He had breakfast and left the house. His assistant wanted to help him, but he told her he wanted to do this alone.

He left the luxury of El Pardo and walked to the poorest area of the city. Many buildings were still in ruins because there was no money to reconstruct—there was barely food to eat. Spain caught a couple of men who were selling fish and chocolate when nobody was looking, using newspapers to hide their merchandise. Many walls still had bullet holes. Still, a group of seven or eight boys played soccer in the street, screaming and laughing, like any child their age.

Spain smiled, gazing at them. They didn't know it, but they were filling him with life.

"Hey, kids. May I play too?"


After Franco's troops won the war and the republican leaders had to flee, the regime approached their fascist colleagues during the Meeting at Hendaya, in which Franco and Hitler discussed Spain joining the Axis Powers. Spain's intervention would have been beneficial to Hitler because of Gibraltar, a crucial place both UK and Spain owned, because it is the entry to the Mediterranean sea. Without it, England's coming or exit would have been cut off. The matter is that apparently Spain demanded too much in exchange for their support. The country was devastated after the civil war and it was questionable if he would turn out to be a useful ally, so in the end Spain remained neutral, though they always declared that everything depended on Germany's initiative and the regime was a moral supporter. This resulted in a Germanophile movement in Spain, and I like to think this is the beginning of the friendship between Spain and Prussia, resulting in the Bad Touch Trio. There is a curious story about this encounter related to Franco being an attention wh*re, manipulating photos so he looked taller than Hitler, and Hitler thinking he was insufferable.

We know the story: the fascists lost the war and it was time to make them pay. This left Spain in a complicated situation. It is what is called the Spanish Question, a debate in which they decided that the country was a supporter of Hitler and so couldn't join the UN. They even advised all ambassadors to leave the country, but a few countries didn't obey. Argentina was probably the biggest, maybe only ally Spain had during this period, due to Perón's regime being close to Franco's (that is why in 1947, when he and his famous wife Evita visited the country they were very well received by the people, as a way to thank them). Franco then convoked a protest in which he basically said the world he didn't care and they could manage on their own, and started an autarchy, in which foreigners were not trusted. It wasn't until the world forces started battling communism that they thought Franco was not that bad and let Spain join in the 50s.

I am finishing with a show of Spain's resilience. The post-war period was really cruel. Hunger and repression killed a lot of people. There was a lot of work to do. Food was rationed (and there was a big black market called estraperlo going on). But resistance started, and like author Ramiro Lacayo Deshón said, being happy was a form of resistance.

By the way. Argentina and Spain. Himaruya, please, we love Argentina and I have it understood that they like us back. Show them canonically, please. In the meantime, I have flopylopez97's wonderful design in mind for her.