Canada—The Wechuge [Canada's intervention in World War I, 1914-1918]
Be careful of what spirits you let into your body, someone had once told Canada. But at that moment he couldn't remember who or when. You see, when Germany is using that awful gas on you and your troops, and you have lost your glasses, so you can't see but can hear how your men are dying all around you, and your head spins and you are coughing your lungs out, the mind has a hard time focusing.
But what did he expect? This was war after all. And not any kind of war. It seemed this time, any kind of monstrous invention (mustard gas, flame throwers, machine guns, mortars...) was allowed, and there was no code of honor among gentlemen.
Canada never wanted to get involved. Only his status as England's underling forced his drafting. However, if he had to fight, he would make sure that he returned home with as many men as he could.
And since Germany liked to play rough, he would let the bear take over. He would see...
Germany thought he could have a peaceful Christmas day, the same way he had with England the previous year. 'Merry Christmas', him and his men said, their arms up. He had a cigar box in his hands as a sign of good will. Canada didn't think twice before shooting.
'No prisoners', his personal instructions were, and, in spite of the pleas, the promises of not resisting, of the family pictures the Germans showed him, the tears and whimpering, Canada mowed them all down. He wasn't sharing his rations with that vermin.
"Don't you think you are going too far?" England reprimanded him. To which Canada scoffed. He was just doing what everyone did at war.
Throw a can of corned beef into trenches full of hungry Germans and once they were all in the same spot, once they shouted for more...He was the one who pulled the ring of the first grenade. He also sharpened the bayonet he used to raid the trenches with care and love.
That was why, every time Germany spotted him, his face became livid and encouraged his men to fight their hardest or run their fastest.
Which would make Canada smile with satisfaction.
He kept a gas bomb on him all the time for him, just for him, saved for the precious moment when he got his hands on him and made him swallow it...
Nothing wrong with this, he said to himself, failing to see that everyone around him looked at him with terror, for they didn't recognize him anymore and only saw a vicious bear demon with barely any humanity left.