Atlantis: "We're baaack! Just...Play some creepy music in the background and pretend you're watching The Shining. Anyway, I'm alive! EOM's been busy with school. So...Sorry?"
Yeah, listen to an immortal empire/ Awesome person! Sorry, guys. Been working on a ton of other stuff, and dealing with school and home life alike. Thanks for being patient.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. But I do own my character, Atlantis!
Chapter 2:
"If you're going to be going to one of Papa's silly meetings, you need to look your best, cherie!" Louisiana barges into Atlantis' room the next morning, finding Atlantis wielding a book as a weapon from the shock of the door opening suddenly. "Sorry, 'Lantis."
"It's fine, Jeanette." The girl's sleek black hair is pinned back as she lugs in several outfits and lays them on the older woman's bed. As she does so, Jeanette also takes a moment to assess the woman.
Dark bags under her eyes have been carefully covered with makeup, but her hands tremble slightly and twitch to her burn marks, itching them as part of the habit she'd developed ever since they appeared. Atlantis' hair is curly but long, pulled into a frizzy ponytail that trails halfway down her back and can be used as a rather short whip when she turns corners too fast, as Alaska found out when they went sliding down one of the main hallways in socks and turned a corner. A guitar lies in the corner, well cared for and played rather recently, seeing as a few picks lie scattered about its case.
"Are you done staring like I'm a lost empire? Oh wait!" Atlantis laughs quietly at her own joke and begins examining the outfits Louisiana has assembled. Finally, she settles on a long-sleeved black trench coat over a white button-up shirt, blue jeans, and black boots with no heel. When she's dressed, the two women head downstairs, pausing by New York's room so Atlantis can filch a fedora.
America waits at the front door, dressed in a suit, which is shocking enough as it is. He smiles when he sees the two and Atlantis turns to hug Louisiana goodbye.
"Tell Spain I said hello."
"Of course, Louisiana." The smile on Atlantis' face is real but tired, the woman yawning as she walks out the door with America. When the door closes behind them, Louisiana remains on the stairs for a few moments more before sighing deeply and heading back up again.
"Your children worry too much." Atlantis mentions casually as the driver takes them to the Capitol, where the meeting is being held.
"We all worry. That's a natural response when family is involved." America responds, glancing at his watch and praying to some higher power that they would be on time for once. "So were you striving for the gangster look? Because if we were in New York City, the mafia might think they had some competition."
"I go for comfy clothes." The empire, though she is older, responds like a petulant child. "This just happened to be the comfiest thing available to me when your daughter barged into my room and fairly assaulted me with clothing."
"Excuses, excuses." America waves a hand dismissively and flashes his award-winning smile at her, teeth fairly glinting in the autumn sunlight. "You can nap on the way to the Capitol if you want to, Atlantis. You look tired." Atlantis sighs and wrings her hands together, fingers twitching towards her scars, though she makes a conscious effort to stop them halfway.
"No, America, I'm fine. I won't sleep. I...Can't sleep. Not yet."
"Listen, whatever's on your mind, you can't punish yourself for it. What happened to you wasn't your fault. I guess nature decided it was just... Your time.."
"My people didn't deserve what happened to them." The woman murmurs quietly, her unidentifiable accent making the sigh that follows those words sound musical. "I didn't deserve to lose them all." Her face screws up in sadness before it is quickly schooled back into a neutral expression. "That makes me sound selfish, I know..."
"No." Atlantis' sea green eyes meet America's sky blue ones, vaguely startled at how firm the young nation sounds. "We all have citizens we regret dying, but you're the only empire I know who's had all their citizens die at once. Granted, England got pretty close with the bubonic plague, but what can you do?" He shrugs and Atlantis would be tempted to roll her eyes if she didn't have a vague feeling that she was witnessing an important moment between the two of them. "You're not selfish for missing your citizens. No one blames you for what happened. I know none of the other modern nations do, at any rate." Atlantis thinks on what America has said for a few seconds before she takes off her coat, folds it up and lays across her seat. "Uh, what are you doing?"
"That nap sounds like a good idea right now." Then she promptly gets some well-deserved rest.
She manages to sleep for about half an hour, which is more than she has in a while, so she feels like she can function like an actual human being by the time America's Mercedes pulls up to the Capitol building. The two climb out of the posh vehicle and begin marching up the pavement to the steps of the Capitol as the car drives away behind them.
"I'm glad you were able to get some sleep." America smiles warmly and Atlantis does the same before reaching behind her head and braiding her hair swiftly and deftly, never pausing in her walking.
"As am I. Maybe I'll actually be able to contribute something to the meeting now."
"Don't think like that." America scolds, even as they arrive at the door to the meeting room. He swings it open and the two walk in to take their seats just as the meeting begins.
"Alright, we're here to talk about the issue between England and France... Again." Germany sighs at the head podium and bangs a gavel lightly. "Let's bring the meeting to order."
"What's going on between France and England?" Atlantis asks, leaning over to Canada, since she sits between the two North American countries.
"Papa and England are having what we call a 'spat' and are threatening to embargo each other. Their leaders won't really let it happen, but it's getting slightly heated." Atlantis sighs, bringing a hand up and asking for permission to speak. Germany, looking vaguely surprised, nods as Atlantis sets her fedora down and sweeps up to the podium, inhaling deeply before stepping back down and heading to where the two aforementioned nations are arguing quietly. She seizes one of each's earlobes and drags them to their feet, pulling them to the front of the room an letting off a dark aura that could rival Russia's. When they get to the front, she releases them and crosses her arms as the two shrink back.
"You two are bloody idiots." She hisses, baring her teeth. "Embargoing each other over a childish fight? If I had tried that with the Roman Empire, I would've been laughed at. Instead, I fear to think this group of supposedly world superpowers is even bothering to dedicate an entire meeting to cater to your whims! Apologize to each other." When the two nations begin to protest, her aura darkens even more and silences them with twin squeaks of fear. "Now." Hesitantly, the two apologize to each other and scuttle back to their seats as Atlantis' dark aura rapidly vanishes and her smile becomes sarcastically bright before she returns to her seat between America and Canada. "You may continue with your meeting, Germany."
"R-right." The blond man clears his throat before moving on to the next item of the agenda while everyone else eyes the female nation with looks of either begrudging respect or pure fear. But she is, of course, used to this. Empires weren't conquerors for nothing, after all.
Back and kicking butt, that's Atlantis. Sorry this took so long to get out, but we're ready to answer some reviews! Atlantis, take it away!
A: "Gladly. Guest Awesome is our only reviewer, but we're glad you're back, buddy! We're hoping you like where this goes, even though this chapter was just filler. And we're done with reviews! EOM?"
Yep, that's it. Let's do the outro, and go on our merry way:
Don't forget to do the three R's: Reading this chapter, reviewing, and repeating with the next chapter.
Signing off, as always,
EOM