THE TIME WAS 1953
Prussia couldn't sleep. Earlier that day, he watched as one of his best friends, driven by the torment, abuse, and fear Gilbert had brought to him in his twisted mindset, sign the document that dissolved him. As of today, February 25th, 1953, Prussia was dissolved. Gilbert was no longer a country and that thought alone was enough to terrify him. What happened now? Was he going to simply disappear? Was he going to Heaven? ...Was he going to Hell? He has done his best to spread his awesomeness to other countries. He was a nice guy.
However, he knew he had done horrible things as a country. Just in the past few years he had allowed himself to be warped by some of the most evil people in the twentieth century. Gilbert has been responsible for millions of deaths. He had tried to kill some of his fellow nations, some of them on a constant basis. He's killed ruthlessly and mercilessly. He has stabbed men with swords without blinking an eye, returning home just in time to get a drink before going to bed. But that was what nations were supposed to do, right? They were supposed to represent their people's interest. It wasn't Gilbert's fault that his people happened to be interested in war. It wasn't his fault that people were constantly doubting his awesomeness.
Gilbert sighed. He knew from what he heard from Ludwig and Feliciano that nations didn't just die. They had the ability to come back if there was some sort of ultimate crisis with their kin. But that was for the ancients. The first major nations to come into existence. What if it didn't apply to him? He had started out as the order of the Teutonic Knights, but that doesn't mean he didn't sometimes have his own doubts in what came after this life. He desperately hoped that there was something. He didn't want to just simply not exist. Ludwig still needed him. He can't fail him like he did Holy Roman Empire. Gilbert swore that he would do anything for his little brother...which is why he was dissolved instead of Ludwig. Francis may have hated what Gilbert and Ludwig had done, especially Ludwig, but as a nation he couldn't completely hold it against Gilbert. That sliver of humanity was enough in order for Gilbert to make Francis change his mind on dissolving Ludwig. Gilbert swallowed. He hoped his little bruder never found out about their deal. If Ludwig did, he'd blame himself for whatever was to happen to Gilbert next.
Gilbert was willing to face his worst fears if it was enough to save Ludwig. It wasn't completely Ludwig's fault. World War I was enough to break him, to make him desperate. That gave Hitler the foothold he needed to step into his bruder's insecurities and warp his mind. Gilbert clenched his fists. Nations weren't able to kill off their rulers, for fear that the country would attempt to rule itself as an immortal dictator, but Gilbert just wished that he or Ludwig were able to have an exception to that rule. If any leader needed to be offed, it was Hitler. The guy was as unawesome as they come. Yes, they may have been able to stop it all...but they were so hopeless, so vulnerable when it happened. Nobody expected what would come next. He could still hear the whispers and the tears of their people at night, just below his pillow. They would never let Gilbert or Ludwig forget what was done.
That brings him back to his worse fear. Nothingness. To be swept into the air as dust, as if he never exist. As if he never did anything meaningful to the world. To be tossed aside like all those who, to this day, have died unnamed and forgotten in the Holocaust. It would be poetic justice and Gilbert, as awesome as he is, was willing to accept it. He deserved it. He knew he did. Gilbert huffed, shifting around under the sheets. He wasn't awesome. He never was. He just tells himself that he is in hopes that he could forget the past. Maybe that was something to look forward too if he did get swept into dust. He would never have to fully answer for all the horrible things he had done.
"Son, I thought I taught you better?" sighed someone in the room. Gilbert jolted. He lived alone. Sitting up, he looked around and jumped when he saw Germania leaning against the wall. Gilbert teared up, torn between running for the hills and squeezing the daylights out of his father. "V-Vati...What are you doing here? A-Are you here to take me away?" he asked. Germany sighed, walking over to his son and patting his head. "Nein. I was sent to tell you that the exception you were looking for was granted. Though it may not be as satisfying as killing that dunkoff," said Germania. Gilbert blinked. "...I'm not going to die?" he asked. Germania sighed. "Not now at least. Though, there'd be less chance of that if you stop goofing off so much. Don't think I didn't see that time you and your friends decided to reenact some of the Mythbuster stunts with you as the dummy.."
Gilbert teared up and hugged his father, relieved. Germania had to smile as he rubbed his child's back."It was decided that you could prevent another world war from happening. You won't have a nation to answer to. You would have all the experience of being a country, but you wouldn't be as easily manipulated. However, you will be significantly weaker due to not having a country to draw strength from. You will be weakly tied to your brother's eastern regions. It has been made obvious by the past few decades that your brother is still not entirely ready to be left on his own yet. As long as you advise him wisely, you will be allowed nation status. But if you fail, you will not be saved from your country's dissolution," he said. Gilbert hugged him. "The awesome me promises he won't screw this up. Thank you Vati," he said. Germania nodded.
Rome glanced over to Germania as he reentered heaven. "How'd it go?" he asked. Germania sighed. "He has matured. I am certain that I made the right decision." Rome tilted his head. "I hope so. I haven't seen this much pain and suffering since we were alive," he said. Germania sighed. "Which is why I allowed him to get dissolved. They needed something to scare them. To warn them of what might happen. I don't want them to end up like us," he said. The two silently looked down at the two germanic brothers, hugging and crying.
Eerie whispers trapped beneath my pillow
Won't let me sleep, your memories I know you're in this room, I'm sure I heard you sigh Floating in between where our worlds collide
It scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see And it scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah, whoa
I know the moment's near And there's nothing we can do Look through a faithless eye Are you afraid to die?
It scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see And it scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah, whoa
And it scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see And it scares the hell out of me And the end is all I can see Yeah yeah, yeah yeah, yeah yeah, whoa
This story will be put on hiatus until 6/20/16 due to Spring Break.