Chapter 3 'Exploring the Outback'

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia

Edited: 10/08/2018

Australia opened his eyes and blinked away the sleep. He found Steve nuzzled into his side, clinging to his shirt as the sleepy animal slept. The Australian sat up and looked around at his surroundings, it was then that he remembered that England had brought him there yesterday. He wondered where the older nation was, so he decided to go and find him as well as check more of his surroundings out.

"Come on Steve, get up you lazy bugger," Laughed Australia, "You slept for most of the day yesterday"

Steve let out a soft growl of annoyance at being woken up. But he still unlatched his claws from his owner's shirt so he could climb up the young nation's shoulder and settled down, nuzzling into his neck. Australia got up from the bed set his bare feet on the smooth wooden floorboards. It was a weird feeling sleeping in a bed, while it was soft it did take him a while to fall asleep in such an unfamiliar place. He usually slept either on the ground or in a tree under the soft lights of the glistening moon and stars. Or sometimes when it started to get colder he would lay next to the camp fire of his tribe, the warmth of the flame provided the comfort he needed on those cold nights. Cause even if his home land could get quite hot it did get cold sometimes, his people had told him that it was because of the change of seasons.

Australia had walked around the ship until he found England talking to some people. They wore funny clothes that were red and white, wouldn't they get hot? He walked over to his Dad and grinned in greeting, while Steve just narrowed his red eyes and glared at the older nation.

"Who were those people you were talking to?" Australia wondered. England began to descend the ship and signalled for Australia to follow him.

Once the younger nation caught up with him England explained. "Those were some of my men, I told them that we would be gone for the rest of the day"

"Where are we going?" Australia wondered.

"Well I thought that you would be able to show me more of your home"

After all, if this boy was going to be a part of his empire he should at least make an attempt to know some things about his home. He already knew about its lack of value with growing crops but while he did see the other day, it was quite large and beautiful. Besides, it would be the last time for a while that Australia would see his home for a long time, while he lived with him.

Australia smiled brightly, revealing his white teeth. He couldn't wait to show England his home, he was actually one of the only nations to take such an interest in his home. Although, he would make sure they stayed away from any more croc infested billabongs, he was starting to think the others didn't have any of his animals. If they did then they would know to be more careful around them.

XxxxXxxx

"Australia, what are you doing up there? Get down now before you hurt yourself!" He could hear his dad shout from the ground. They had been walking for a while and had sat down in the shade of a tree to rest. Something high up in the tree's branches, so he had climbed up to retrieve it.

Australia didn't really understand his father's fear, he had been climbing trees since he was a tiny little ankle bitter so it didn't bother him how high up he was.

"It's all right mate, don't be scared" he told the animal coiled around the branch. He carefully reached his hand out and gripped his hand around its neck and plucked it gently from the branch and allowed it to wrap it's body around the young boys arm, trusting him. Australia carefully climbed back down the tree to face his worried yet angry Dad.

"Do you know how high up you were? What if you would have fallen?" England demanded to know. When Australia was living with him, he would definitely have to get him out of the tree climbing habit.

"What the bloody hell is that?" asked England as the animal stared at him, hissing slightly.

"This is a green tree snake, wanna hold her?" asked Australia as he held his right arm out to England offering the green snake.

"Is it dangerous?" he cautiously. He had already seen Australia's animals in the first couple of day's he had arrived on the island and he was surprised how the little nation was still alive. Everything looked like it was dangerous and even the weather conditions weren't to favourable either.

"Nah, he is one of the calmer ones. It's the Brown snakes and Taipan's you gotta watch out for, their nasty little buggers when you get 'em angry." The Aussie answered as he walked closer to England, his arm still raised.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they don't get to close to ya" Australia promised. While those particular snakes never affected him if they bit him, he didn't know how his dad would go with their venom.

The Englishman was torn. He didn't want to touch the bloody thing but he didn't want to risk hurting the boy's feelings so swallowed his pride, he shakily raised his arm out and petted the green snake that was offered to him. Australia beamed with pride and then let it slither out of his grasp and into the long dry grass, it was soon hidden from view.

"Is that smoke?" England asked as he observed grey smoke drift into the air. Australia looked to where the older nation was pointing and his grinned widened. England had begun to think that he was always smiling, he had never seen the lad without one.

"It's my camp," Australia explained, "Come on, you gotta meet them. They are really nice, they found me when I was a baby"

Australia grabbed England's bigger hand and pulled him along in the direction of the fire.

Found him? That must mean that there were people other than Australia on this island. Which he will admit it was foolish of him not to think there were, as the land was harsh enough that he was surprised that another nation could withstand it, let alone other humans.

After a short walk, they had arrived at the camp. As soon as England came close he found all eyes turn to him as the people tensed. The elder of the tribe walked forward towards Australia and eyed the English nation warily. His skin was dark and his beard was starting to fade grey from age.

"This is England, he's really nice" introduced Australia.

The elder still looked wary but he trusted Australia's word. He turned to leave, the others returned to what they were doing but they still kept a close eye on the older nation. The kids that would normally play with Australia tried to run over to him but their mothers held them back. The still didn't trust England.

"Why do they keep looking at me?" England asked Australia as the boy lead him over to the campfire and passed him a piece of cooked fish.

"That's because of your skin colour, they haven't seen many people like you before. They don't trust you yet so they are being careful"

"Your skin colour isn't that much different from mine," England pointed out and raised a thick eyebrow in question.

"That's because I am this land, and what it represents," Australia explained seriously for the first time England had met him, "When they found me they called me the spirit that walks like a man but ages like the mountains"

"There were others ya know," Australia spoke softly, "Other nations before that arrived. And there was one called Holland that saw me and then called me New Holland"

Australia frowned at the name, he never liked it. It didn't seem to fit him and it wasn't what his name was. When he was first born the first thought that was in his mind, was the name 'Australia' and he had been going by the name ever since. While he was still too small to speak normally he somehow knew that Australia was him.

"Then there was another one that looked like a shelia, but he left too. I don't know what his name was"

England knew that the second nation was France, he had mentioned something about finding a large and barren land. Australia soon brightened once more and asked him about the other nations. So England told him about them, being very careful to avoid taking about his former little brother, America. For such a young nation he was very curious, and he had already seemed to know a little about the others. Maybe one of the nations that had visited him had told him a little about what a personification was.

XxxxXxxx

"Why is there another ship coming in?" Australia asked.

They had travelled back to England's ship later that day and Australia had spotted more white sails docking at the sandy beach.

"They are transporting more convicts from my home to yours, the guards will remain here to keep them in line. They will be your new people, and you will be their nation Australia"

Australia noticed that some of England's people were packing up his ship. Was he leaving? He did expect it though, none of the other nations stayed, so why should England.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" Australia said softly.

"Yes, but you will be coming with me. As part of being my colony you will be living with me in my home for a while" England said with a smile.

"Really?" Australia asked with a large smile. The koala on Australia's shoulder scowled at England but it went unnoticed by the younger nation.

"Of course," England chuckled. He held his hand out for Australia to take, and the child took it and allowed for England to take him to his home. England smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. After all, any nation as young as Australia shouldn't be left by himself. He would just have to be careful around him, he didn't want to make the same mistake with America and get too attached, only for his heart to be broken again.

So do you reckon that England will keep Australia at a distance, or will he grow to love Australia as his child? Hopefully the two will form a closer father-son relationship as the story progresses.

Ankle biter- It's slang for a very young child or toddler.

Green tree snake- A non-venomous snake found in Australia, but I would still not advise to pick it up.

Brown snakes and Taipans- They are two of Australia's most venomous snakes, so do not pick them up…unless you are the personification of Australia :3

It is a headcannon of mine that Australia would be immune to most poisons and venoms because he has so many deadly wildlife. It's like, America with his strength, England with his magic and Australia with his immunity to venom. And yes, Netherlands was the first ones to sight and land at Australia, they named us 'New Holland' then left because they didn't really see the value in the land, much like France as well. But there are a lot of theories about other nations landing at Australia first, like Portugal. (hint: will be exploring this theory in an upcoming chapter).

The Aboriginals are the people of Australia before England brought over all their convicts. When the English first came to Australia, most of them were killed and many other terrible things have happened to them after that. And as young as Australia is he is kinda naïve and doesn't know what follows so… but he will find out and realise all that has happened, it won't be any time soon but trust me he will find out.