Things I'll Always Remember [1/3]
anonymous
April 24 2009, 21:23:13 UTC
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I tried to write humor and ended up with angst
The invitation from Alfred took Ivan by surprise.
The other country very rarely invited him to his house, and for a movie, no less…
He was even more surprised when he read further in the invitation and realized what the movie was about. Anastasia…Little Anastasia, his dear little Anastasia…He could remember her bright, fearless young smile as she begged for a ride on his shoulders or for a story before he had to leave for business.
He had been there the day the Romanovs had been tied to a chair and shot, all at once.
He had been there when her blood had stained the dusty floor of that cold cellar red.
His sweet little Anastasia was dead.
The movie said she was not.
If Ivan hadn’t known better, he would have thought that Alfred had made the movie just to hurt him. But he did know better. He knew that Alfred was not manipulative enough for that.
Well…Ivan was intrigued, to say the least. So he accepted.
---
“America.”
"Hi, Russia!” the other country exclaimed cheerfully. Pleasantries were not to be long, however. Alfred was far too excited about showing off his new animated film.
Soon, Ivan was seated in the theater, empty but for the two of them.
He began to watch the movie with an honest smile. As the movie continued, his smile changed.
The beginning of the movie was promising, and Ivan watched with some amusement. An enchanted world? It had certainly not been so, but…surely that was the closest Alfred had ever come to paying him a true compliment.
But then…
His enjoyment darkened just as the movie did.
Rasputin…
Russia waited with the rest of the royal family, waited just as nervously to hear news of the only heir.
They were desperate; not one of them protested when the Tsaritsa brought a wandering pilgrim to the palace. Grigori Rasputin didn’t look like much, but…Alexei was in pain and was bleeding, and they allowed this peasant man to help them.
The Tsarevich got better.
It was from them on that the “holy man” became a part of their household.
“Consumed by his hatred of the royal family, Rasputin sold his soul for the power to destroy them,” the narrator informed the seated countries.
Ivan turned to protest this-he himself may have had doubts about the man, but he knew that Rasputin had never hated any one of the royal family. He was shushed by Alfred before he had even said a word, the American’s eyes glued to the screen.
From then on, Ivan kept his observations to himself.
The revolution, though glossed over and lightened for the intended audience-for children-still brought back painful memories for Ivan.
“Bread! Give us bread!”
The shouts of his peopled haunted Russia. He met the Tsar; Nicholas II told him, “I have given orders for the army to stop these disorders tomorrow.”
Russia looked at him sadly and left the room.
The next day, the riots began.
Ivan was drawn from these horrible memories by…The sight of St. Petersburg dancing.
Ivan stared.
And then, despite himself, despite the time and how his people were so inaccurately portrayed…a smile quirked his lips.
He had never thought that he would have ever been treated to such a sight. The very novelty of it was enough to distract Ivan from thoughts of the end of World War I, thoughts of hunger and pain…
But no…No, that time was over, and he was watching one of Alfred’s childish films
He was watching…Ghosts come from portraits, apparently.
Ivan blinked. Then he sighed slightly. Oh, good…Anastasia was insane in this movie. Wonderful.
He watched incredulously as the movie became even stranger as the bat-that bat-travelled to…somewhere?
And…Rasputin was alive. And singing.
Ivan just stared.
Alfred was grinning, bouncing in his seat, amused by the movie.
Things I'll Always Remember [2/3]
anonymous
April 24 2009, 21:26:46 UTC
Ivan continued to simply stare, still shell-shocked by the strangeness he had seen, until the side character, whose name he still did not know, said, “That’s what I hate about this government. Everything is in red.”
The unexpected jab at him, and in a children’s movie no less, almost made Ivan laugh. Instead he smirked. Perhaps Alfred was more devious than Ivan had given him credit for.
The Russian was given a chance to get back at Alfred when what should have been a routine train ride became so much more.
He sighed.
“An American movie is nothing without explosions,” Ivan muttered. Unphased, Alfred just grinned at him.
They watched in silence once more.
But when the movie began to again speak of Anastasia’s past…
“Ivan! Ivan!” Anastasia ran up to him, holding her arms up for a hug. He obliged, scooping her effortlessly into his arms. Then, because he knew that innocent look she was giving him, Russia asked sternly, “What have you done now?”
“Me?” the child asked, wide eyes completely innocent.
“Yes, you,” Russia said, holding her close.
“Well…” She looked up at him, still all innocence, even as she said, “I might have hid all of my teacher’s books and wrote all over his maps and-“
Russia, who knew how much she hated her lessons, was not surprised. He shook his head, but stopped her from continuing with her list with a finger on her lips.
She looked up at him, tearful now. “Please don’t be angry, Ivan!”
He sighed, but smiled at her. “How could I ever be angry at you, my little shvbzik?”
She giggled and hugged him.
Ivan clenched the seat’s armrests tightly with both hands. Beside him, oblivious, Alfred munched loudly on popcorn.
And Rasputin, up on the screen, said, “I shall have to kill her myself, personally!”
But this image of him…Ivan simply could not reconcile it with the man he had known…
Russia stepped into the sunshine and watched the picture before him. Anastasia played with her elder sister, Maria. Their laughter lightened the tired country’s heart.
Anastasia stopped, plucked a flower, and brought it to the man sitting near them.
Grigori held the young Alexei and watched the young girls play with a fond smile Anastasia bounced over to him and held out the bright yellow flower. Russia was too far away to hear their exchange, but he did see Rasputin gently shake his head and point. Anastasia followed the finger and laughed in delight when she saw Russia.
She ran to him and offered him the flower.
Russia accepted it with a smile and looked over Anastasia’s head to meet Grigori Rasputin’s eyes. The man smiled at him.
Ivan closed his eyes. He missed Alfred’s depiction of Paris, but from the sounds of it, it had received a similar treatment as St. Petersburg had.
And…now they were going to a Russian ballet.
Ivan opened his eyes. Oh, how he remembered…
Anastasia bounced impatiently in her seat. Russia smiled and settled her down with one hand on her shoulder. The others of the royal family were engaged in watching the ballet, but Anastasia seemed bored.
Russia glanced at her and she looked at him sadly. And he realized what was wrong.
The country smiled and lifted Anastasia onto his lap. Now that she could see over the banister, Anastasia watched the show happily. The bright smile of gratitude she gave him would have made Russia do anything for her.
Things I'll Always Remember [3/3]
anonymous
April 24 2009, 21:31:47 UTC
Ivan bit his lip and tasted blood. But he did not cry. He simply stared straight ahead, at the climax of the movie.
Chaotic images of pain and loss, happiness and joy…
“Long live the Romanovs!”
A mocking sneer in the movie, an honest, joyful cry in his memories.
Death…Rasputin crumbling into dust, and…finding his body in a far less glorious state in the icy river, broken, beaten and shot…
“So? So?” Alfred asked, jumping to his feet, all grins and excitement. “What did you think?”
Ivan stood also, slower and looked away. He said, “It was very…inaccurate.”
“Geeze, Ivan, lighten up!” Alfred said with a grin. “So maybe it wasn’t completely accurate! The movie needed a villain!”
Russia turned away from the confused American and walked out. The movie had needed a villain…And so had the 1917 revolution.
Notes: Um...Just a few little things. Anastasia was definitely killed with her family. There's no doubt about it. There's no evidence that Rasputin was a bad man in the least. And Anastasia definitely loved him. The 1917 revolution would be much too complicated for me to explain, but if you'd like, look it up on wikipedia. It's interesting stuff. "shvbizk" is, if I'm not mistaken, "imp" in Russian. It was a petname for Anastasia, since she was a mischievous child. Also, she didn't like her lessons and would often play pranks on the palace staff.
And, and...I'm sorry. I failed at making this humorous at all. I hope you still like it? ^^;
Awwwwwww~ That was so much more then this anon was hoping for. Ivan's flashbacks during the movie were sad but at the same time the ones with Anastasia made me smile. And him saying how inaccurate the movie was at the end was perfect :) Really loved it even though it was angsty, it made me realize how sad some of the countries reactions to these movies could be, especially Ivan's (or if there was a Native American-tan watching Pocahontas). Anyway, loved the fill, it was great :D Here have some internet cookies :)
Re: Things I'll Always Remember [3/3]
anonymous
April 25 2009, 05:07:47 UTC
This one doesn't care all that much for Ivan but any stories with moments of Ivan interacting with the Romanov children always manages to capture my heart. Very very bittersweet flashbacks there on Ivan's part.
Ah Anastasia... darn that movie. My history teacher stated that that movie was banned from her house due to the inaccuracies. First time I saw it (having missing the first half and no idea what it was about) I figured it was just some nice fairytale or something like that. Dang was I wrong. After studying the Romanovs, I found the movie to be rather appalling. As nice as it would had been for Anastasia to had lived... still...
Re: Things I'll Always Remember [3/3]
anonymous
April 25 2009, 08:11:21 UTC
Ah yes, this topic never ceases to strike a cord somewhere in me. When I found out the truth about the Romanovs, I never looked at the movie the same way again. And "Once Upon a December" is one of my favorite songs of all time, you know?
Thank you so much for doing this writer anon, I've been wondering what would've happened if Russia saw Anastasia.
Re: Things I'll Always Remember [3/3]
anonymous
April 27 2009, 00:05:47 UTC
Um...I know this is a kink meme and I'm sorry to get all SRS BZNS on you but there is plenty of evidence that Rasputin was not a nice guy. Opinions on him go either way, but there is evidence that he drank and slept around and a lot of people in Russia hated him. He also bragged in public about his influence on the royal family. I really liked your fill, though, it highlights that a lot of American movies twist history to become more "entertaining" without thinking about at all. Geez, Alfred. -_-
The invitation from Alfred took Ivan by surprise.
The other country very rarely invited him to his house, and for a movie, no less…
He was even more surprised when he read further in the invitation and realized what the movie was about. Anastasia…Little Anastasia, his dear little Anastasia…He could remember her bright, fearless young smile as she begged for a ride on his shoulders or for a story before he had to leave for business.
He had been there the day the Romanovs had been tied to a chair and shot, all at once.
He had been there when her blood had stained the dusty floor of that cold cellar red.
His sweet little Anastasia was dead.
The movie said she was not.
If Ivan hadn’t known better, he would have thought that Alfred had made the movie just to hurt him. But he did know better. He knew that Alfred was not manipulative enough for that.
Well…Ivan was intrigued, to say the least. So he accepted.
---
“America.”
"Hi, Russia!” the other country exclaimed cheerfully. Pleasantries were not to be long, however. Alfred was far too excited about showing off his new animated film.
Soon, Ivan was seated in the theater, empty but for the two of them.
He began to watch the movie with an honest smile. As the movie continued, his smile changed.
The beginning of the movie was promising, and Ivan watched with some amusement. An enchanted world? It had certainly not been so, but…surely that was the closest Alfred had ever come to paying him a true compliment.
But then…
His enjoyment darkened just as the movie did.
Rasputin…
Russia waited with the rest of the royal family, waited just as nervously to hear news of the only heir.
They were desperate; not one of them protested when the Tsaritsa brought a wandering pilgrim to the palace. Grigori Rasputin didn’t look like much, but…Alexei was in pain and was bleeding, and they allowed this peasant man to help them.
The Tsarevich got better.
It was from them on that the “holy man” became a part of their household.
“Consumed by his hatred of the royal family, Rasputin sold his soul for the power to destroy them,” the narrator informed the seated countries.
Ivan turned to protest this-he himself may have had doubts about the man, but he knew that Rasputin had never hated any one of the royal family. He was shushed by Alfred before he had even said a word, the American’s eyes glued to the screen.
From then on, Ivan kept his observations to himself.
The revolution, though glossed over and lightened for the intended audience-for children-still brought back painful memories for Ivan.
“Bread! Give us bread!”
The shouts of his peopled haunted Russia. He met the Tsar; Nicholas II told him, “I have given orders for the army to stop these disorders tomorrow.”
Russia looked at him sadly and left the room.
The next day, the riots began.
Ivan was drawn from these horrible memories by…The sight of St. Petersburg dancing.
Ivan stared.
And then, despite himself, despite the time and how his people were so inaccurately portrayed…a smile quirked his lips.
He had never thought that he would have ever been treated to such a sight. The very novelty of it was enough to distract Ivan from thoughts of the end of World War I, thoughts of hunger and pain…
But no…No, that time was over, and he was watching one of Alfred’s childish films
He was watching…Ghosts come from portraits, apparently.
Ivan blinked. Then he sighed slightly. Oh, good…Anastasia was insane in this movie. Wonderful.
He watched incredulously as the movie became even stranger as the bat-that bat-travelled to…somewhere?
And…Rasputin was alive. And singing.
Ivan just stared.
Alfred was grinning, bouncing in his seat, amused by the movie.
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The unexpected jab at him, and in a children’s movie no less, almost made Ivan laugh. Instead he smirked. Perhaps Alfred was more devious than Ivan had given him credit for.
The Russian was given a chance to get back at Alfred when what should have been a routine train ride became so much more.
He sighed.
“An American movie is nothing without explosions,” Ivan muttered. Unphased, Alfred just grinned at him.
They watched in silence once more.
But when the movie began to again speak of Anastasia’s past…
“Ivan! Ivan!” Anastasia ran up to him, holding her arms up for a hug. He obliged, scooping her effortlessly into his arms. Then, because he knew that innocent look she was giving him, Russia asked sternly, “What have you done now?”
“Me?” the child asked, wide eyes completely innocent.
“Yes, you,” Russia said, holding her close.
“Well…” She looked up at him, still all innocence, even as she said, “I might have hid all of my teacher’s books and wrote all over his maps and-“
Russia, who knew how much she hated her lessons, was not surprised. He shook his head, but stopped her from continuing with her list with a finger on her lips.
She looked up at him, tearful now. “Please don’t be angry, Ivan!”
He sighed, but smiled at her. “How could I ever be angry at you, my little shvbzik?”
She giggled and hugged him.
Ivan clenched the seat’s armrests tightly with both hands. Beside him, oblivious, Alfred munched loudly on popcorn.
And Rasputin, up on the screen, said, “I shall have to kill her myself, personally!”
But this image of him…Ivan simply could not reconcile it with the man he had known…
Russia stepped into the sunshine and watched the picture before him. Anastasia played with her elder sister, Maria. Their laughter lightened the tired country’s heart.
Anastasia stopped, plucked a flower, and brought it to the man sitting near them.
Grigori held the young Alexei and watched the young girls play with a fond smile Anastasia bounced over to him and held out the bright yellow flower. Russia was too far away to hear their exchange, but he did see Rasputin gently shake his head and point. Anastasia followed the finger and laughed in delight when she saw Russia.
She ran to him and offered him the flower.
Russia accepted it with a smile and looked over Anastasia’s head to meet Grigori Rasputin’s eyes. The man smiled at him.
Ivan closed his eyes. He missed Alfred’s depiction of Paris, but from the sounds of it, it had received a similar treatment as St. Petersburg had.
And…now they were going to a Russian ballet.
Ivan opened his eyes. Oh, how he remembered…
Anastasia bounced impatiently in her seat. Russia smiled and settled her down with one hand on her shoulder. The others of the royal family were engaged in watching the ballet, but Anastasia seemed bored.
Russia glanced at her and she looked at him sadly. And he realized what was wrong.
The country smiled and lifted Anastasia onto his lap. Now that she could see over the banister, Anastasia watched the show happily.
The bright smile of gratitude she gave him would have made Russia do anything for her.
Reply
Chaotic images of pain and loss, happiness and joy…
“Long live the Romanovs!”
A mocking sneer in the movie, an honest, joyful cry in his memories.
Death…Rasputin crumbling into dust, and…finding his body in a far less glorious state in the icy river, broken, beaten and shot…
“So? So?” Alfred asked, jumping to his feet, all grins and excitement. “What did you think?”
Ivan stood also, slower and looked away. He said, “It was very…inaccurate.”
“Geeze, Ivan, lighten up!” Alfred said with a grin. “So maybe it wasn’t completely accurate! The movie needed a villain!”
Russia turned away from the confused American and walked out.
The movie had needed a villain…And so had the 1917 revolution.
Notes:
Um...Just a few little things. Anastasia was definitely killed with her family. There's no doubt about it.
There's no evidence that Rasputin was a bad man in the least. And Anastasia definitely loved him.
The 1917 revolution would be much too complicated for me to explain, but if you'd like, look it up on wikipedia. It's interesting stuff.
"shvbizk" is, if I'm not mistaken, "imp" in Russian. It was a petname for Anastasia, since she was a mischievous child. Also, she didn't like her lessons and would often play pranks on the palace staff.
And, and...I'm sorry. I failed at making this humorous at all. I hope you still like it? ^^;
Reply
Reply
That was so much more then this anon was hoping for. Ivan's flashbacks during the movie were sad but at the same time the ones with Anastasia made me smile. And him saying how inaccurate the movie was at the end was perfect :) Really loved it even though it was angsty, it made me realize how sad some of the countries reactions to these movies could be, especially Ivan's (or if there was a Native American-tan watching Pocahontas). Anyway, loved the fill, it was great :D Here have some internet cookies :)
Reply
Oh, a Native American-tan watching Pocahontas would be heartbreaking...T.T
Whee, internet cookies~!
^_^ I'm so glad everyone liked it~! <3 And agrees with me on the inaccuracies! xD;; I rewatched Anastasia while writing this and...Ack.
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Ah Anastasia... darn that movie. My history teacher stated that that movie was banned from her house due to the inaccuracies. First time I saw it (having missing the first half and no idea what it was about) I figured it was just some nice fairytale or something like that. Dang was I wrong. After studying the Romanovs, I found the movie to be rather appalling. As nice as it would had been for Anastasia to had lived... still...
Wholeheartedly agreed with Ivan there at the end.
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Thank you so much for doing this writer anon, I've been wondering what would've happened if Russia saw Anastasia.
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Boney M has never lied to me.
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