Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia

Australia walked around his front yard, enjoying the way the hot sun would warm his skin. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he paced his front yard waiting for his younger brother to arrive. New Zealand had received the same letter he did from their Dad, and he was just as eager as the Australian. Their bosses were required to meet that afternoon, and New Zealand had taken the opportunity to visit his brother.

Australia stopped pacing as he felt the presence of another nation nearing his location. He lifted his head and saw New Zealand walking over to him, his Kiwi bird resting in his arms.

"Hey bro!" New Zealand greeted as he slowed to a stop. He stood in front of his big brother so he could catch his breath. "Sorry I'm late I had to give Mila her medication. I didn't miss it, did I?"

Mila was one of New Zealand's many pet sheep, she was the latest pet he had written to Australia about, he had found her when she was only a lamb left behind from her flock, so the Kiwi had taken her in.

"G'day! You didn't miss it, it won't be on for a while," Australia confirmed, "You mentioned before that she was sick, she any better?"

Australia opened the front door of his home and held it open as a signal to his brother to follow him. New Zealand had placed his pet bird on the floor of Australia's house, the animal got on surprisingly well with Steve, so he had no reason to fear his pet being attacked, as the koala normally attacked anything or anyone that wasn't Australia. New Zealand walked into the kitchen and taken out two glasses from Australia's cupboards while Australia went to the fridge in search of the jug of orange juice. They had raided the fridge and selected an assortment of cheeses, dips, fruit and meat and placed them on a plate along with a small loaf of bread baked that morning.

They had taken their dinner out to Australia's back veranda and sat down at the small table and chairs, while their respected animals laid out on the grass. It was a ploughman's meal and often what they ate when they were visiting the other and couldn't be bothered with cooking. Australia turned on the radio and switched to the channel they were both wanting. The radio blared out loud with some random music channel.

They silently they prayed that the very news they had been hoping for would be announced.

"Yeah she's getting better," New Zealand said and waited until his brother had poured the drinks before taking a swig from his glass. "Did Dad say when?"

"He mentioned that the broadcast would happen tonight about his decision," Australia thought back to the letter he had received before spreading some cheese onto a piece of bread, "I really hope the old man announces it"

"Me too," New Zealand agreed with an excited smile plastered to his face, "Just think if he does and we join him, we'd be recognised by the others"

"That'd be ace mate!" Australia smiled. "We'd be able to attend the world meetings and get to meet the other nations"

It was their dream ever since they were still only little and living with England to be recognised as their own nations. They were only ever viewed as England's colonies or the two far away islands in the southern hemisphere. No one really outside of their family took much notice to them, and if they did it was only for their resources. They didn't want to be independent, they wouldn't hurt their father the way America had with his war. But they still longed to be considered as their own nations, they wanted to be known as Australia and New Zealand. Not the two little kids that followed England around. And they thought that this would be the way to do it. They would show the world what they were made of, sure they had no experience with fighting or how to fight against other nations at all. But that's what the training is for isn't it?

"It'd also be good to see a bit more of Europe," New Zealand commented thoughtfully. Australia nodded in agreement. They had also never really been outside of the United Kingdom, so it would be nice to see what else was out there.

The hour had passed swiftly and still no word on the radio. The most they had heard about Europe was that a giant storm was forecast to hit.

Australia and New Zealand had long finished their dinner and now sat under the tree in Australia's backyard. The evening air had grown cool which came as a welcome feeling to the New Zealand nation, it got just a bit too warm during the day at his brother's house at times.

"How long do you reckon it would last for bro?" New Zealand questioned.

"Dunno," Australia replied, "But dad says that if it does happen it wouldn't last very long. Should be over by Christmas he said"

New Zealand was about to reply, until the radio suddenly stopped playing the song.

The two teenaged nations held their breaths as they sat motionlessly. This was it. They didn't want to miss a single word that the broadcast would say.

"Germany has not reached the British ultimatum. Therefor Britain is now at war, and as a consequence Australia, New Zealand and Canada are now at war"

"Yes!" Australia and New Zealand cheered. They gave each other a high five as the very news they were waiting for was announced.

The two teenaged nations were ecstatic. This was what they were waiting for. This was their chance! Australia could barely contain his excitement, he was practically bouncing in place as he couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He looked over to his brother who also seemed to practically bubble with excitement. They both leant back against the tree's trunk, their shoulders brushed against each other.

"This is great bro!" New Zealand turned to his brother and smiled, "We'll finally be recognised by the others"

"Yeah we'll show them that we are a force to be reckoned with," Australia agreed.

And the other countries won't think we are just some inexperienced children

That thought hung in the air unspoken between the two brothers. The only nations that actually saw them as their own nations were their dad, Canada and their other uncles and aunty. They wanted to join this war to prove their name to the other nations, to prove that they are worth a second glance. The other nations that arrived at Australia's home before England weren't exactly friendly about their opinions of his land, they saw it as a harsh and unliveable place. Many of them still have that opinion about him. Australia wasn't like his little brother, his climates were harsher and his animals mostly frightened other people away, but while he loved his home and everything in it, they didn't.

So this was also his chance to prove that he was worth something

"Just think, as soon as our people enlist and then train we'll be heading off for France. We've never been there before," New Zealand observed.

Australia laughed, "That's cause dad always gets into a fight with France every time they see each other"

Australia looks up to the sky to see darkened clouds begin to fill the night sky.

"Hey mate, looks like that storm is rollin' in here too" Australia nodded up to the sky. New Zealand looked up

"We better head back inside then, you just recovered from your cold you don't need to catch another one" New Zealand laughed.

The two brothers continued to chat excitedly as they left to go and sit in Australia's living room about the upcoming war. They had no idea what they were about to walk into

And so it begins, World War 1 has started. I didn't mean for it to get a little sad at the end, but somehow it ended up that way. I tried to find a clip from a radio broadcast that had the official announcement of war, but I couldn't find one for WW1 only the Second war. But I know that the UK gave Germany and ultimatum and time deadline, but as you probably guessed they chose to ignore it and as a result the world went to war. Australia, New Zealand and Canada were the among the first to pledge their loyalty to fight for the Empire. Australia was the only nation out of two (I can't remember the other one) that didn't have conscription, our boys were all volunteers which made the sacrifice more significant

Many Australians were thrilled by the prospect of war as they saw a chance to see the world and experience adventure as they thought it would be over by Christmas that year so they all rushed down to sign up so they wouldn't miss out. But most of them were naïve to the reality of war, which I picture Australia and New Zealand would be. They grew up with England telling them the stories of his battles and he wouldn't describe the pain, death and suffering because they were kids and he didn't think that they would grow up wanting follow in his footsteps. If he did, he probably wouldn't have told them. Australia and New Zealand at first, don't know the harsh realities of war, they know people die. But they don't know just how many of their people will die or how catastrophic it will be. And at this point the Australians and New Zealanders would be heading to France on the western front as soon as they had finished training in Egypt, but then Turkey (Ottoman Empire) entered the war.

How do you think Australia will go in battle? With the very few past experiences he had with conflict it hadn't been easy on him, but he's grown since then and he promised that he wouldn't make the same mistake. Will it all go how Australia and his younger brother imagine? How will England react to finding out they enlisted, as after all. In the letter that he sent Australia, he only asked for their people, not the personifications themselves ;)