England had only ever once civilly spoken the nation of Amestris directly. But that was a long time ago, about a hundred years or so. Before that was just the two slinging insults at each other. They even went to war once (Amestris won that one). Back then, his first impression of Amestris was that he was a loud and cocky brat who only cared about expanding his borders further, constantly going into wars just for that reason.
England never once admitted that at one point of his life, he was like that as well.
Then, sixteen years ago, Amestris disappeared, and stopped coming to the World Meetings. Gone, just like the personification of Roman Empire. But despite this, Amestris's country thrived as it gained control of more territories. Ishbal was one.
Then came the Ishbalan Civil War. And then the uprising in Liore.
A country had never undergone so many Civil Wars in such a short period of time, so England couldn't help but feel slightly worried for the lad before he pushed away the feelings.
No, he didn't have time to worry about some young upstart country with war like tendencies. Amestris could handle himself just fine.
Drachma tried to invade Amestris, but failed miserably and lost most of his men in the fight to the indomitable General who held Fort Briggs. England would know, since that was all Drachma could complain about during the World Meeting.
Amestris never turned up still.
It was a common debate among all of the countries, the personification Amestris's sudden withdrawal from the world. None of the surrounding countries knew of the cause of his disappearance. The closest they ever got, was Xing commenting that one of his citizens, the next Emperor, had been chatting about one of his friends he had met while in Amestris.
Hair like spun gold in a braid, and eyes that blazed with same hue. It would have seemed the next Emperor of Xing had found the missing personification, but the thought was quickly dismissed once the prince had mentioned he had a mechanical arm and leg to replace his missing limbs.
Nations, while they can lose a limb or two in battle, they always regrow in the end, which meant they had no need of prosthetics.
Therefore, it was quickly concluded that the Xingese prince had met someone who simply bore similarities to Amestris, which wasn't exactly uncommon for the nations.
And now, mere weeks after that particular topic was discussed, here England was, staring at a small boy who had claimed to be Amestris. He even looked like what England would have imagined Amestris to look like when he was younger.
But something was different about him, something that made him seem... Vulnerable? England had quite a few words to describe the nation, and vulnerable was not among them. Right now, he looked so painfully like a lost child who so desperately wanted someone to be there for him, And despite their rather bloody history with each other, this made England's heart clench, reminding him of his own past when his brothers pushed him around.
This must have been the reason Amestris turned out as he had. No one was there for him, so he chose dominance as the path to head down. Being surrounded by strong nations who wanted his hide must not have helped in his mentality as he grew up. The only nation who wasn't actively trying to take over him was Xing, but that was mainly because there was a huge desert in the way, and Xing probably thought it wasn't worth the effort.
Amestris had no allies, and with everyone against him, he grew stronger, and became a powerful nation behind his borders, so strong that now his surrounding nations knew they wouldn't stand a chance against him. And with the science of Alchemy behind him to back him up, Amestris was virtually unstoppable.
Which was why, England was so shocked at seeing Amestris look so innocent and child-like. So much so that his legs had started moving on his own, and kneeling down to reach Amestris's current height level, with a hand outstretched and the words escaping his lips.
"You don't have to be alone anymore."
Inside, England was torn. He didn't know if he should be doing this. He did this once, just once, with America. And look what happened next. America left, and England was left behind, heartbroken with betrayal and grief.
He didn't want to have to relive that pain again, if he got close to Amestris. Amestris looked so painfully similar to America in different ways, down to the stubborn strand of hair that refused to stay down.
But, when the emotionless mask Amestris wore cracked and fell away, England couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, he could change how the nation would turn out.
Golden eyes that seemed so dull before twinkled with a sort of fire that England had never seen on the boy prior to this was proof. He was going to turn out differently this time. England was sure of it.
This time, England walked away, his hand clasping a smaller one, a smile etched onto his face.
0o0
America had once spoken to Amestris, but he had seen him multiple times. Despite being horrible at reading the atmosphere, it was clear to him that Amestris, under all his layers of cockiness, really was just another nation who had cracked under all the wars he had been through.
Amestris wasn't even older than him, which was why America took notice of this, the first time he followed England to one meeting as a colony.
Amestris was close to tears as he was constantly mocked, taunted and verbally abused by the nations that surrounded him during the World Meeting. Creta, Aerugo and Drachma were such examples. Xing just flat out ignored him, turning a deaf ear to the hurtful words directed towards Amestris.
He was only physically eight at the time, while America was physically ten. But no one helped Amestris, did they? No. No one did. No one cared.
The next time America attended a World Meeting many years after that incident, this time as a independent country, Amestris was physically seventeen, and this time, the older nations around him weren't mocking him at all. Rather, they shot him wary glances, some fearful, and kept a fair distance from him while Amestris seemed smug about the whole affair. It was as if he was getting high of the other nations' fear of him.
This time, Amestris feared no one. He was a powerful nation who clawed his way to the top with wars and forceful means. The nations surrounding him feared being annexed into the rapidly growing nation, who would laugh if he did so.
America had asked him once, why did he do what he did? Amestris had simply smirked smugly, a sort of crazed madness reflected in his eyes.
"Call it payback."
That was the last time America saw Amestris before he disappeared, and stopped coming to the meetings entirely.
For sixteen years, Amestris's sudden withdrawal from the meetings and world was a commonly discussed topic. It made no sense as to why the nation would suddenly disappear. The country wasn't in isolation. People could still come and go as they pleased, so long as they weren't terrorists.
Occasionally, a nation would come to Amestris to see if there was any news of the missing personification, but Amestris's leader seemed surprised when first asked. He had no prior knowledge of such a being's existence, which meant that Amestris really was gone, and hadn't just gone into isolation.
However, this time, when England returned from Amestris, he was... Different, somehow. As if he was hiding some sort of huge secret. Being the hero, America took it upon himself to find out what was going on with the English nation.
He was unsuccessful the first few times, but when he finally found out, it wasn't even intentional.
He had been in London just so he could bother England, wandering around the park to kill some time when he heard England's voice, accompanied by a younger voice that had sounded strangely familiar to America.
There, sitting on one of the benches, was the British nation and beside him, was a young boy who looked to be about four years old holding an ice cream and devouring it happily.
England was smiling.
Of course, America had to choose this time to be unable to read the atmosphere as he crept up behind England before slamming his hands down hard on England's shoulders, giving the poor man a fright.
"Hey, Iggy! What's up dude?!"
England yelped in a rather uncharacteristic high pitched manner, falling off the bench as the smaller boy stared at America with wide eyes.
"Bloody hell, America!" England glared at said person as he stood up and tried to regain his composure. "What on earth possessed you to do that?"
"Dude, lighten up!" America laughed in his usual manner, annoying the Brit.
"And what the bloody hell are you even doing in London?!"
"I was bored! Can't I visit you?"
Before England could come up with any other words, a smaller voice cut through the air, ending any possible argument that could have began. "Big brother? Who's that?"
The small boy was tugging on the sleeve of England's coat, his golden eyes looking up at the man he called his older brother.
Wait, gold eyes?
"That git," England was saying. "Is America."
The small boy was silent for a few more seconds, shying away before he seemed to make up his mind, turning around and slowly waved at America. "Hello," He shyly said, looking rather small. "I'm Amestris."
America's brain did not compute.
"Huh?", being the only sensible thing he could come up with, before he finally gained enough of his wits. "Wait, you're Amestris?"
Amestris gave a small 'eep!' before he jumped off the bench and hid behind England.
"Dude!" America exclaimed, looking at England. "What happened to Amestris? He was, what, seventeen the last time I saw him! Why's he suddenly a kid?"
"I'm not entirely sure myself." England answered, still looking slightly annoyed at America's previous stunt. "I found him like this while I was in his country. But I think this could be related to his disappearance sixteen years ago."
America scratched the back of his head. "So wait, you've been taking care of him? I thought you didn't like Amestris! I mean, not that you taking care him is bad, since that's something I would do since I'm the hero, but I wouldn't have thought you would do it!"
"Wanker! I'm not as cold hearted as you make me out to be!" England fumed, before calming down. "Besides, you should have seen him then. If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed that boy was Amestris. So I thought if I intervened, he wouldn't turn out as he did."
America whistled. "Damn! So basically we'd have a completely flipped Amestris running around? Sweet! Wait till I tell everybody!"
England's eyes hardened as he turned to America. "America! Don't tell anyone about Amestris!" He admonished.
Confusion flickered onto America's face. "Huh? Why not?"
"...what happened to the sensible boy I raised?" England moaned to himself quietly, too quietly to be heard by America before the Brit addressed the American. "If you haven't already forgotten, Amestris has plenty of enemies who would take this chance to hurt him!"
"Oh! That makes sense!"
"Idiot!"
Throughout this, Amestris had peeked out from behind England, observing the other person who was talking with his older brother. Although most of their conversation didn't make sense to him yet, Amestris could feel that the other man was nice, albeit a little louder than most people.
This America suddenly didn't seem as scary as he initially made him out to be.
Maybe he'd try to say hello again.
Slowly, Amestris released the grip he had on the back of England's pant leg, before moving over to America, tugging on the said person's pant leg to get his attention.
When vibrant blue eyes from behind glasses looked down, meeting Amestris's golden eyes, he faltered for a moment, terrified, before swallowing his fear and grinned happily. "He-hello A-me-merica!"
He still had trouble pronouncing names, and blushed with embarrassment at his attempt. However, America, judging from his facial expression, thought this was rather cute- not that he'd ever admit it though, since he was the hero!
"Hey England! If you're taking care of Amestris and he's calling you 'big brother', does that make me his brother too?"
"No."
"C'monnnnn!"
"No."
This went on for a good fifteen minutes until Amestris finally realized what they had been talking about for the last fifteen minutes before he called America 'brother America'. Needless to say, the American had been overjoyed, while the Brit wished there was a conviently placed wall for him to thump his head against.
0o0
France had never spoken to Amestris, only having seen him from afar. Mainly because Amestris was avoiding France's L'Amour that he had seen some nations be on the recievinb end of, no matter what gender they were or how powerful they were, and quite frankly, Amestris didn't want to have to deal with him, but France didn't have to know that.
His reaction to Amestris's disappearance was similar to the others. Surprise, and nothing more than that.
He had no reason to be badly affected since Amestris and he had never spoken, and therefore were not friends, or even acquainted. He was just a stranger to him.
France had seen nations come and go in his life, so what was one more?
Although it was strange how the personification had disappeared, and yet there was absolutely nothing wrong with the actual country itself, other than the high number of civil wars.
Life went on, and sixteen years slipped by, with France barely giving a thought to the nation, other than the times when the topic during the World Meetings would slip to the subject of Amestris.
France wouldn't have thought he would ever see the young nation ever again, especially not how Amestris was.
It was gorgeous evening in Paris, after another hectic World Meeting in which nothing was accomplished. However, France couldn't help but notice that during the meeting, England and America were acting rather strange. Not that they weren't already strange, since that being strange or eccentric already came along with the job of being a country, but the former empire and colony were acting extra strange.
For one, England had yet to insult France at least once, being completely unresponsive to France's attempts at spreading L'Amour as he kept on glancing out of the window, seemingly unable to sit still and quit fidgeting.
Secondly, while America was still talking about super heros saving the earth from Global Warming, he too, kept on glancing out of the window and occasionally meeting England's eye, as if they had some secret kept strictly between them.
And once the meeting had ended, the two nations had immediately gotten up, packed their stuff and record speed before promptly leaving together.
That was around the time France assumed they were going to resolve their sexual tension towards each other, before throwing the whole meeting into the back of his head.
Even during the winter, Paris was as beautiful as always, France had noted, stepping out of his country's UN building. After all, Paris was the city of love.
However, these thoughts were cut short as he heard the distinct sound of a child crying. A young one, at that. Feeling rather curious, France followed the sound, his shoes crunching against the snow beneath the soles.
The child, was quite the small thing. Looking to be no older than three or perhaps four, it was quite heart wrenching to see him sobbing, face flushed with the cold.
"Big brothers!" He was crying. "Where are you? I don't want to be alone!"
France looked at the scene pitifully, a frown marring his face before he decided on his next course of action.
"Are you alright, petit garçon?" France asked gently, kneeling down next to the small boy who paused in his crying, wide golden eyes staring up at him cautiously.
"I can't find my big brothers." He sniffed, rubbing at his eyes. "I want big brother Alfie and Artie!"
"Can you tell moi how they look like?" France asked patiently, silently feeling grateful he had experience with small children, thanks to having taken care of Canada when the nation was younger.
"Alfie is real tall!" The boy began. "He wears glasses and this brown jacket with the fuzzy stuff too! Artie is shorter, but he has huge eyebrows!"
France paused, taking in this information before something in his brain clicked. "By any chance, would their names be Ameriquè and Angleterre?"
Although the younger boy didn't know a word of French, he understood the first name perfectly, since it sounded so similar to it's English counterpart.
"Yeah!" He exclaimed, before stopping short. "How do you know their names? Big brother England said no one should know their real names!"
"Ohohonhon~ I know because moi is the Country of Love, this very one you're in!" France laughed, all the while wondering how the boy was related to his favorite British and American nations. After all, neither of them ever mentioned picking up a new colony of sorts.
"What do you mean, you can't find Amestris?!" A voice drifted over to the duo's spot. A ver familiar voice laced with a British accent.
"Dude, Amestris was right there! Then he just disappeared!" An American voice wailed loudly.
"Idiot! And in the frog's country, no less!"
"I told you, I'm sorry!"
The boy brightened up. "Big brothers!" He called loudly. "I'm here!"
France stared at the boy. He couldn't be... It was just impossible! But now that he thought about it, the boy did resemble the missing nation, from the golden coloring of his hair and eyes, to the stubborn strand of hair that refused to stay down.
"Amestris!" England returned the call, only to pause as he caught sight of France right next to his beloved little brother. "What the-?! What are you doing here, frog face?!"
"How rude!" France complained dramatically. "In my own country no less!"
"Big brother Artie!" Amestris sobbed as he threw himself towards England, who staggered back at the point of impact.
"Angleterre," France began, looking uncharacteristically serious. "I believe you owe moi an explanation. Who is that boy, and why did you call him Amestris?"
"I- I don't need to explain anything to you frog!"
"Dude, where's Amestris?!" America yelled as he jumped into the scene, skidding to a halt before he paused, not reading the atmosphere once again. "Uh... Dudes, am I interrupting something?"
0o0
Canada wouldn't say he disliked Amestris. Rather, he and the younger nation were nearly on the friends level. Amestis didn't forget about Canada, and actually noticed him, which gave him a spot in Canada's good book. Whatever the reason was, Canada didn't care, being glad to actually be visible to someone, and not just some shadow in the background.
Amestris was actually quite a nice person, if you could get past his flaws. And Canada appreciated how he would sometimes get the others to notice him.
It was nice not being forgotten for once.
When Amestris disappeared, Canada was quite worried. Around that time, they had slowly become friends, with a bit of reluctance from the younger nation. The last time Canada saw Amestris, the nation had said, "Something's wrong with my country."
After that, he was never seen again.
As the other nations would debate on the cause of Amestris's disappearance, Canada tried to tell everyone what the missing nation had told him. But without the said nation, no one paid any attention to him, and once again, he was but a voiceless shadow in the background.
Not deterred, Canada constantly travelled to his friend's country, hoping to find some clue to his disappearance. However, over the years, he was losing hope of ever finding out what happened to his Amestris, sadness settling into his heart.
He was about to give up, with the thought that his friend might be as good as gone, until one day.
He was in New York City, wandering around his twin brother's city with Kumajirou to kill some time since he wasn't due to meet America for about two more hours when he passed by a playground.
Like all playgrounds, this was also filled with shrieking children, accompanied by the parents or guardians as they enjoyed the sun.
However, one sight stood out from him the most.
Canada blinked, before taking his glasses off and cleaned them with the edge of his shirt before replacing them back on the bridge of his nose. That... Didn't seem possible. Was that America?!
The American was indeed there, at the swings and pushing a small child who shrieked with joy as the exhilaration of the speed of the swing caught up to him.
"Higher!" The small boy cried with joy, wind whipping at his hair.
"Sure, the hero will do that!" America reflected the younger boy's joy, mouth set in one of his trademark grins that looked like it could blind someone with just how bright America's teeth were. "Just don't fly off, alright Amestris?"
Canada froze. Amestris. Moving closer, Canada could see the boy's features clearly. Those features clearly belonged to his missing friend.
Just then, as America slowed the swing so Amestris could get off, Amestris's head snapped up, his golden eyes locking with Canada's own blue ones.
"Alfie! That guy looks like you!" Amestris exclaimed, pointing at Canada.
"Huh? What guy? Where?" America asked, squinting hard in Canada's direction before catching sight of the usually forgotten nation. "Oh! That's my bro Canadia, or Mattie, as I call him! Hey, when did you get here anyway, bro?"
"I'm Canada... And I've been here the whole time..." Canada mumbled, dejected, as his voice was drowned out by the shrieks of the children.
Amestris grinned, happiness displayed right out for Canada to see. "Hello Mattie! I'm Amestris!"
Canada smiled shyly, burying his face slightly into Kumajirou's soft fur. "Hello... Amestris."
Funny... He didn't feel so sad anymore.
[A/N Whew, this chapter was hard to write! Especially since I have never ever written for Canada and France! Theirs was especially hard to write for, so I have no idea if I got their character right. By the way, England is probably going to get the most screen time, besides Ed/Amestris since England is my favorite character from Hetalia, followed closely by America.
This chapter is unbeta'ed.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, so please tell me what you think!
~Gwntan12]
