Matthew Williams, the personification of Canada hurried down the hall. His heart was pounding, his hands were shaking and sweaty. He was late to the Group of Eight (G8) meeting, and everything was going against him today. A laundry list of things went wrong today. First, his alarm didn't go off, he slipped getting out of the shower, then he burnt his pancakes, and the traffic was absolute hell! The bumper-to-bumper traffic aggravated him and made his anxiety worse, by the time he finally got to the building that hosted the meeting, he was a mess. His long legs carried him quickly down the hall, if there was a speed walking competition he'd be the grand champion.
His eyes quickly scanned the room numbers until he found it. Room 325, is the room hosting the G8 meeting. His hand reached for the doorknob and he twisted it. It rattled. He tried it again. The door was locked. "What the" He grumbled angrily to himself. He looked through the little window on the door. The table was a long conference table, all seven seats were occupied. Germany sat at the head of the table, and to his left were France, England, and America, across was Italy, Japan, and Russia.
Matthew watched them; France and England were bickering. Nothing surprising there. Japan sat there quietly observing them. Italy seemed to be asking Germany if he wanted any pasta. America was laughing loudly and Russia had his signature smile on. Matthew could see Germany's patience was running thin…
Matthew knocked. Sighing he knocked louder. Not a single head turned, not a single head noticed. He tapped the glass, hoping to attract someone's attention, when he finally noticed.
There were only seven seats.
Only seven seats for the G8 meeting.
They weren't expecting him even though he's been coming to these damn meetings since 1976.
He took a step back, a sigh escaping his lips. "I rushed all the way here for fucking nothing." He felt angry tears prick at his eyes, his hands trembled, and he found himself sighing loudly again. He should've taken Kumajirou's lead and stayed in bed. He spared one last glance at the meeting door before scowling and walking away.
He shook his head in frustration, he'd put up with this nonsense for too long. Sure, he isn't the loudest, funniest, most charming, but to be this ignored? What really warranted that? To be sat on, ignored despite sitting right beside people, constantly being mistaked for America. Then the only times he is truly noticed is when he is needed. "Hey, Canada mind if I borrow some money?" "Canada help me with this…" "Canada do this…" They don't notice him for anything else, never just spend time with him, never acknowledge all his accomplishments, nothing.
He scoffed at the memories, and he found himself now at the door of the building. He glanced down the hallway and found one thought blaring in his brain. I'm never coming back.
Matthew Williams sat in his car, his hands resting on the wheel. He's breathing rapidly. He's starting to see red. "I have to calm down, eh." He looks at himself in the rearview mirror. His cheeks were flushed. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his pupils dilated. He hasn't felt this angry in this way in a long time, maybe never fully this kind of anger. He's been angry before of course, frustrated, furious, but this, this felt like something else. This betrayal had been building up for so long and he had just kept ignoring it, pushing it down, telling himself that all was fine.
Why was this the catalyst for him? Was it because the morning was extra bad? So frustrating? And then the blatant…disrespect, impoliteness, and insolence. The damn meeting is called the Group of Eight, not seven! He glanced at the passenger seat, wishing Kumato was here with him. "I won't make a final decision until I really think hard on this." He said that to himself but the cogs in his brain were already turning, a plan was forming, and he was done being a damn keener. He was done living his life like this.
The drive to his hotel was a quiet one, spent reflecting and planning. He wasn't even staying in the same hotel as the other personifications! They had forgotten to book a room for him, even his own boss forgot, he had to book it himself. Entering the hotel he spared a glance at the reception desk, before walking towards the elevators. An 'out of order' sign greeted him on both of the elevator doors. He really should've been prepared for that. Matthew Williams sighed and looked toward the stairwell, at least it was only five flights of stairs. As he climbed he felt a little burn in his calves. He glanced at his watch when he reached the fifth floor, 10:46 am. He really had spent 30 minutes at that cursed building, and then traffic was insanity.
The G8 meeting had been located in the heart of New York City. The other personified countries stayed in a hotel a five-minute walk away from the meeting building. By the time Canada had looked at the hotel to book a room, they were all taken. Never having been a fan of New York City he decided to stay in Yonkers, about a half-hour drive away. Matthew though had not suspected the traffic to be as bad as it was. But at least the drive out of Yonkers would be better than the drive out of New York City.
He unlocked his room door to see Kuma sitting on the bed. "Who are you?" The bear asked in its high-pitched voice.
"I'm Can," Matthew paused. "I'm Matthew Williams."