I don't own Hetalia! end/AN/
"You said I was a nation," Mongolia said quietly, ignoring China.
Russia sighed, saying, "It is a complicated thing, Mongolia. Surely you understand."
"Surely, I do not," Mongolia said, "You signed a treaty with me. Does that mean nothing?"
"He couldn't sign a treaty with you; you're the property of the Chinese empire, you have no right to treaties with other nations," China said, and there was that smug tone that made Mongolia wish it was a several hundred years in the past and he could crush China under his boot.
Russia gave China a look. "We have talked about this, China. He must have his autonomy."
"I don't think that's necessary," China replied, an almost smile on his face. "You have your war to worry about; Mongolia is nothing. Drop him and forget him, Russia."
"I fought you off! I am a country, in my own right, recognized by-" Mongolia was cut off by China.
"Recognized by who? Russia is renouncing it, right before you. And Tibet?" The smirk was irritating, made Mongolia see in terms of blood and how fast he could kill him. "Tibet's word counts for naught before the international community. What is he going to do for you? Offer up prayers?"
"I don't care what you say!" Mongolia hissed, feeling his teeth clench against each other. "I am a nation, and you won't control me!"
Russia's hand settled on his shoulder, sighing softly. "Mongolia, I am sorry. You will have your autonomy as a Chinese territory, but nothing more."
"This bastard starved me, my people, he abused us and cheated us! You can't expect me to go back!" Mongolia was feeling that terrible hysteria of being back into a corner, that promises would not be kept. He was not one to cry; instead, his face was a mask of anger, seething at the betrayal and potential loss of everything he'd gained.
China tsked. "You're a borderline illiterate peasant; you can't expect to be treated any better than any other peasant would be treated."
Mongolia glared, snapping, "I wasn't always a peasant! I was brought down to this, and you know it!"
China looked like he had more important things to do. "Russia. Just sign him over to me, and get this over with."
"He has to sign it," Russia insisted, "And it has to give him autonomy." Russia was remarkably patient; China was spoiled at this point, used to luxury, even if he seethed under the control of the Western powers. And Russia too had some influence over him, like the Germans, British, French, and so on.
China lived in a golden cage; he proposed to put Mongolia into an iron one.
"I won't sign it," Mongolia said shortly.
"You don't have a choice," Russia said, almost gently, and Mongolia wondered for the first time if this was the revenge for centuries ago, and if Russia held a grudge.
"I can't believe I'm negotiating with a territory," China said melodramatically. He looked like he thought he was a god being put upon by mortals.
He shouldn't be acting the way he was. Yes, he had an emperor, but he was in a delicate position. The power of the Qing empire was long gone, the current empire, if it truly could be called an empire, was held together by string. His attempt at trying to do something new, a republic, had turned into the patterns of the old once again. China was a tiger that never changed its stripes.
"We all agree, don't we? Mongolia shall give suzerainty to China, but China shall give Mongolia autonomy. Neither shall violate the rights clearly outlined in the treaty," Russia said placidly.
Mongolia didn't know much of what was going with Russia. He knew there was a great war, far past the other end of the Asian continent. He knew little of the combatants; he only knew what little he knew due to Russia's telling him.
China was silent, lips pursed. He reached for the pen, and added some details.
It was hard to read, to be honest; reading had always been a challenge for Mongolia. He stared, and made out what it said.
"You can't read it?" China sneered.
"I can read it, thank you," Mongolia snapped. But it was unacceptable; he drew lines through the parts he didn't like, and added his own.
China plucked the pen from his hand, reading the additions quickly, and put lines through a few of them too.
Russia sighed, reading it through. "Well, there is autonomy granted, so I'm satisfied."
"I'm satisfied as well," China said, shrugging.
Mongolia wasn't. Mongolia wanted freedom, complete freedom, not parceled out in bits and mostly taken away. He couldn't sign it.
But Russia was already signing, signature sharp.
China took it, and put his name.
It was Mongolia's turn. He looked to Russia, and Russia must have seen the pleading in his face, because he said,
"It is all right. You will be okay, yes? You will have autonomy." He added, almost as if he had to, "You don't have much choice, in any case."
Mongolia's hand trembled, and he knew he was biting back tears. He could not let China see him cry, and he signed quickly, sloppily.
China took that superior look, as if a sloppy signature was a sign of his inferiority.
"It's done," Russia said, stretching and heading for the exit. "I will go back to my home. You both go back to yours."
"Of course," China said.
Mongolia said nothing, mouth tasting bitter.
He'd run to his horse, loading his things as fast as possible. He had no doubt that China intended to take him back home, keep an eye on him in his own house. And Mongolia belonged under the sky, he belonged on the steppes. He could not and would not risk being taken away from his home.
He'd gone to the outer reaches of his home, the little that was left in the Chinese-controlled area of Mongolia; Inner Mongolia was lost to him, and he had his title as Outer Mongolia.
But China would not have him, would not drag him back like some corrected child-runaway.
He was to stay there for the next year, a short time to a nation, but surely a year that vexed China beyond mere irritation.
When he emerged again, it would be to a different to a different world.
/AN/ Well, here's the history: Russia decided to settle things with China. So, they decided that instead of granting independence to Mongolia, they were going to negotiate for autonomy within China. China wanted complete control; Mongolia wanted independence. These negotiations went on for 8 months, while the Mongolian negotiators did everything they could to first, retain independence, and after that was not an option, to give China as little power over Mongolia as possible.
But Mongolia ended up signed over to China. They were to have autonomy, and this depended on Russia still being a power in the region.
However, Outer Mongolia stayed outside of China's control anyway. They were to have a nasty surprise come 1917...
I hope people still like this story. I know it was never all that popular, but it is dear to my heart.