Sorry for the long wait. This one is a little dramatic and sad so it was more difficult to write. The end is funny though...
It has been dark for hours. Walking the dimly illuminated path, Serbia is unusually quiet and solemn. We hear her thoughts: "I know it was rude of me to leave like that. It's just that I couldn't stand what would follow. They would all start talking about current events and the wars and the refugees. Of course, Russia would become the bad guy in all of this because no one west of them, could possibly be anything but a sweet angel of mercy" she snorts and continues.
"I really don't get why he is the most acceptable punching bag. I mean sure, in the past he was an expansionist, but so were all the other important nations. Furthermore, there are so many nations who suffer from bad bosses and have to do terrible things in their name. Why not address those issues?" The street gets darker and the only thing heard are her footsteps hitting the concrete.
"If I wasn't so irritated by the humiliating way in which I lost the first round, I would probably nod it off and let them run their mouths amused by the paranoia and lack of common sense. But I'm tired. I just want to have fun tonight and preferably not get into a fight... Boy it sure is a long walk to Russia's night club."
She walks quietly. At one moment, she gives out a heavy sigh and we see a flashback.
Next scene: (After the Yugoslavian war) America is pulling someone by the ear.
"Now, you be a good little nation and tell the jury exactly what happened" he announces with a fairly friendly look on his face.
"Ouch, that really hurts!" Serbia struggles hopelessly trying to escape from his grasp.
"It would hurt less if you cooperated" he says not loosing his pinch the least.
They walk like that until they get into a large hall. Other nations are seated behind a U-shaped table. The only lights in the room are small lamps beside each nation's seat and a very bright reflector in the middle pointed at a single wooden chair.
America ''helps'' Serbia sit on that chair and takes his place on the highest and most decorated seat of them all. "Nations of the world, me, the hero, have brought you here today to judge this poor lost nation. She has gone mental and needs our, especially my guidance to heal her from her uncool ways" he blasts waving his arms dramatically.
Serbia protects her eyes from the reflector. She looks around the room. All of her former roommates are there, some bowing there head, some nervously tapping there pens or removing a not existent spec of dust from their clothes and one grinning from ear to ear with his arms folded. Russia is also in the room. He avoids all eye contact and keeps refilling his glass with what at that time seemed like water.
"Does the accused have anything to say?" America continues getting way into his judge role.
"Say what?" she looks in his direction confused.
"About why you are here" he continues calmly.
"I've no idea. One minute I'm brushing my teeth and the next a small army barges into my house demanding that I come with them right away."
"My boys" America adds proudly "I have to admit they're pretty effective. We couldn't afford to let you run away. There would be no point in this get-together then."
He clears his throat: "You are here accused of crimes against humanity. You have been bad to people of different nationalities and caused a huge war."
"Come on! You can't possibly blame me for all of it! No one is more sorry than I am for that war happening in the first place, but it did happen and there were casualties. Many of my people suffered too, you know!" she yells realizing the pointlessness of wasting her breath.
"So you are denying it. All those tortured souls having to flee from their houses because of your evil soldiers. Young mothers with children strapped to their backs having to run barefoot through snow and blizzard" he paints a horrific picture for the others.
"What! When? Where?"
"Just last week in Kosovo."
"Blizzard? Snow?! It's spring time! Flowers have already bloomed" she utters not believing her ears.
America clears his throat even louder. "I think the jury has everything it needs to reach a decision. All who think Serbia is guilty raise their hands."
All NATO nations put them up in unison. Others hesitate but raise them after America smiles in their direction. Russia keeps drinking from his glass seeming not to pay much attention to what is happening.
"Well, the jury has spoken. As your punishment you will be isolated from the other nations until further notice."
She sits quietly, to emotional to speak.
Next flashback: "How could you just sit there and watch them humiliate me like that!" Serbia cries. She is at Russia's place. It seems slightly dilapidated and filled with empty liquor bottles. Russia sighs and continues filling his glass with vodka.
"Well...aren't you gonna say anything?"
"If I didn't have anything to say then, why do you think I have anything to say now" he says calmly not stopping his ritual for a second. "But where are my manners" he gets another glass and offers it to here.
"I don't want a drink! I wanna know why my life is falling apart. My beautiful home, my dream, all gone and for what? Because those idiot roommates of mine decided to split up like in a bad horror movie!" she grabbed her head in desperation.
"I understand the feeling. Are you sure you don't want a drink?" he says and takes another shot.
"Yes, I'm sure... Don't you think you're overdoing it a little?" Her eyes follow his glass.
"Overdoing what?"
Mad about the absurdity of it all she screams: "I'm in this situation only because of you, you know! They attacked me only because I'm your ally."
Russia smirks.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing...it's just I haven't seen you this distorted since the Austrian's ultimatum. But instead of pleading for help it seems now you want to pick a fight with me."
"I'm not trying to pick a fight. I'm...aghh...now I lost my train of thought. Where was I?"
"You were shouting at me about how bad you have it while I was drinking myself to death" he's blunt.
This enrages Serbia even more. "You big nations are all alike! You in particular haven't really changed since you had that Stalin as your boss! All you care about is your little CHESS GAME!" she bellows with tears pouring down her face.
This hits a nerve. Russia puts down his glass and smiles. A dark purple aura is seen around him and his eyes turn into a matching color. Realizing what she has said, she jerks but then straightens up awaiting his response.
"You are upset, no? You must be, because the little Serbia that I know would never tell such a horrible lie to her good friend."
Intense silence.
"Thought so. Now, if you don't mind I have my own people to worry about" he says calmly passing the glass and drinking straight from the bottle. She turns silently brushing her tears away.
"And find something to help you relax. You'll go crazy if you try and go through this sober."
Next scene: (2016) A tear falls down her cheek. "Damn, why are these thoughts coming to me."
She walks near Poland's place checking if there is someone on the path as well. There's no one.
"Not a single person. I could sure use a distraction right about now. A group of thugs I could teach a lesson, a stoker nation...anything really. Just to stop...remembering."
Next flashback: (a little while after the trial) Serbia's assistant is watching TV in an office filled with cigarette packs and gasoline tanks. It's an elderly lady. She is watching the evening news.
"The NATO bombings are expected to continue tonight. People are advised to-"
"Turn that off" a weak female voice is heard from a leather office chair.
The assistant complies with a sigh. "Is there anything else you need Ms Serbia. If not I would ask your permission to leave."
"Why, are you in a hurry?" the chair rotates and we see Serbia is curled up holding her legs up on the seat.
"Well, I would like to go and be with my daughter. She is not taking the move very well. And my grandchildren-"
"She should consider herself lucky. She has a safe roof over her head. Most of the other refugees don't even have that. They should have run away to some better place. Really no reason to stay here" Serbia says solemnly. Her eyes are pale beyond recognition.
The woman stares at her in disbelief.
"I'm sorry. I talk nonsense when I'm...like this" she says grabbing a few packs from a pile. "You can go. Here take this, you can sell it for some extra cash."
She takes it with a smile that suggests gratefulness but also embarrassment. "I'll see if I can sell it to my neighbors. It doesn't feel right for a government official to be peddling illegal goods on the green market...This will end soon, won't it Ms Serbia?"
"I don't really know" Serbia responds honestly.
After the assistant leaves with the packs in hand, Serbia leans back looking at one slightly damaged box. She takes it and opens it, grabbing one cigarette and tapping it on the table. "Oh well, nothing else to do" she says and lights it. A moment later the phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Serbia it's Montenegro. Listen, this is not working out. I'm thinking of moving out...
Next scene: (back at the present moment)…Really?! Out of everything we've went through, that's how you see me" Montenegro scolds looking at her through his sun shades. (It's still the middle of the night by the way.)
She picks him up eagerly and squeezes him tight. "I'm so happy to see you, you angry little hobbit!" she yells with tears in her eyes. Montenegro bursts into flames from rage.
"LET GO, YOU MANIAC!"
She drops him like a hot potato still smiling. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Oh, Russia invited me over. But I've decided to call it a night" he explains cleaning his suit.
"Why? Have to work early tomorrow?" she teases.
"Heavens no. I have...Well...you don't have to know everything" he smiles cryptically and moves on.
"Weird" she mumbles and continues. The road is still semi-dark. She can see Ukraine's place, Walking in silence she sighs once again.
Next scene: We see Serbia from the perspective of someone very close to the ground. It's very cold and muddy. There are many soldiers in rags marching followed by wooden horse carts. We hear a pleading squeal.
She is in her WWI uniform all ripped and battered. Her hair barely reaches her ears. She looks miserable while explaining: "Look, you can't come with me. The road is very long and I can't guarantee your safety. Go back to the nice family I found for you. That's an order!"
Next scene: "No! I refuse to think about that! Come on brain, why do you have to be such a jerk. Give me something good. We're almost there."
Next scene: We see a large flood carrying something resembling a house.
Back: "Great, the 2014 floods. Just what I needed to cheer me up" she snarks grinding her teeth.
Flashback: Serbia is jumping from one wreck onto another carrying a small child over the water. As she reaches the shore she quickly dries the toddler with a towel. Many nations have sent aid and men. Russia also helped. He actually came in person. She watches him grabbing people from the rapids with incredible speed and skill.
"Is he your boyfriend?" a small voice is heard coming from beneath the towel. Serbia jerks. She looks at the little girl and smiles nervously: "What makes you say that?"
"My granddad says that Russia has been our greatest ally since forever and that you should marry him to make all of our lives better" she responds with child-like honesty.
Serbia stays frozen for a second pondering how to explain geopolitics to a 3-year-old.
"Look sweaty, I can't marry Mr Russia because, among many other things, he lives too far away" she says semi-satisfied with her answer.
"But you like him don't you?" the girl continues staring at her with big inquisitive eyes.
"I do, very much. But he is not my boyfriend. He is just a very very good friend" she speaks very slowly buying time and choosing words very carefully. (if explaining geopolitics to a toddler was hard, explaining the history of the complicated kind of friend-zoney relationship with Russia was impossible)
The little girl laughs hard. "Boys and girls can't be friends you silly. It's just like in those reality shows on TV. Grown-up boys and girls do a lot of weird stuff at night when mum thinks I'm sleeping" she yells very very loudly.
Serbia's lip twitches as her frozen smile loses it's effectiveness. She decides that after talking with the girl's parents she will have a very long discussion with the TV network bosses about what quality programming means.
"Of course, girls and boys can be friends, honey. You go to kindergarten, don't you? And there are many boys there. Don't you talk and play with them too?"
The toddler ponders intensely and then slowly nods.
"Well, there you go. Now, let's get you back to your parents. Okay?"
The girl smiles and nods again. Serbia takes her in her arms walking slowly.
"I have a boyfriend at the kindergarten, you know" the girl says with her squeaky voice.
"Really? Wow!" the nation gasps happily pretending that it's a big deal.
"Yes! I like him a lot. I even give him to color with my crayons. I don't let anyone else have them" she continues filled with pride.
Serbia genuinely laughs. "Well, that's serious. He is one lucky boy." The girl blushes gleefully.
(A little while later) Russia is on the shore eating his rations.
"Mind if I join you?" Serbia says. He looks at her and taps the ground next to him.
She puts her hand into her bag. "Do you want-"
"Want some tea?" he offers his thermos. She accepts, more to be polite than anything else. (it is rare for a Serbian to drink tea if they aren't sick) The nation smiles realizing that there is absolutely no alcohol in the thermos.
"I came over to say that I truly appreciate the efforts of you and your men here" she says quietly. Russia looks at her confused: "Why so formal?"
A big sweat drops appears on the side of her head. "Well, the last time I talked to you informally I said some pretty nasty things."
He smiles. "Water under the bridge" he says and instantaneously realizes that was not the best thing to say seeing an actual small wooden bridge being carried by the massive water.
They continue talking in a relaxed atmosphere. She complains about the massive amounts of paperwork she will have to fill out for the EU to get the new houses built for the flood victims. Russia frowns: "They're making you jump through a lot of hoops. It's not like they can't come here and assess the damage themselves."
"Yeah well...It's okay. A little bureaucracy never killed anyone. That's how things are right now. Sorry but I really need to get back to work" she jumps seeing a frightened cow struggling to keep her head from sinking. He jumps right after her. They make the whole ordeal more fun by competing who can save more people and make a sand bag wall faster.
Next scene: Serbia starts to feel better. Russia's night club is almost at arms reach. She enters, looks around and cheerfully waves at the group situated at the best table. Finally, the fun night out can continue.