Downfall: Plight
Title: Падение (Downfall)
Characters: Russia, America, and England
Rating: PG-13 for offensive words
Summary: Russia now had friends, but could they trust him and he them?
Before I begin, I want to apologize to everyone for my lack of updates. Midterms. They're over now so updates will continue for this series and the other as well.
Also, just a bit of a warning for this chapter. There are quite a few offensive words flung back and forth, but please be aware that this is set in the 1940s. Humanity didn't quite grasp the concept of politically correct and words that were just all around hurtful. Ergo, that means I don't believe anything America or Russia say from here below. But I totally couldn't resist using a line from the dub that America says (even though I hate it so).
With that in mind, please enjoy!
Power.
Dominance.
Ivan had come so far. All those that tried to stain his hands with blood, forcing guns into his hands and taking his hoe away to work in the city were no longer thinking he was some child anymore. Nyet, he was now a power to be reckoned with. He had been involved in two world wars and was even a member of an allied force.
He had friends.
Or so he had thought. But those Europeans had betrayed him again. It wasn't a surprise. America's words, however, were. A child in a man's body, he thought he had found a soul brother as he had in China. The boy had been alone so much of his life and had been pushed around by the men he had once called brothers, only to be seen as someone not worthy of the power he now held. Ivan could understand that.
So then how was it America was refusing his friendship, calling him harsh names, and forcing Ivan's boss to storm out of the conference rooms? Ivan was confused. His boss yelled about how it was unfair and he was being tossed aside, not considered to have any rights to taking what was his.
Curious, Ivan approached America and England, the two that seemed to run the peace talks. "Why won't you let me have more of Europe? I did my share of the fighting too you know."
England gazed at Ivan critically, but then again his green eyes always seemed so bitterly cold. "Because we believe your interests don't align with the rest of Europe's."
Ivan tilted his head, his smile still in place. He had learned long ago that despite what he felt inside, as long as he kept smiling, there was a chance no one would grow angry at him. Just keep the peace until everyone saw that his way was the only way to get along in this world. "I don't understand. What is so wrong with my country?"
Again, England stared at him. He crossed his arms, turning away slightly. "We don't want a repetition of the last war. We're trying to be fair to countries. I'm sure you understand that with your…current affairs back home."
"Da, but how is keeping what is rightfully mine fair?" Ivan asked. His smile was growing colder and colder by the minute causing England to narrow his eyes. Ivan felt England was being far too bold. The country was heavily injured and had lost all of his power. Power that should now belong to him and not some child in too big of a jacket.
England stared to talk when America interjected, stepping before the Englishman. "How is another country yours? Are you Poland or Ukraine or any of the Baltics? I thought you were just Russia."
Ivan's smile faltered as he stared at the teenager. America flashed his own bright smile that caught Ivan off guard. He was smiling just like Ivan did; one that was full of fake friendship and an almost scary threat. It was almost impossible to see it behind his glasses, but Ivan recognized it. He had that same smile, only America's was blinding to distract whomever he stared at whereas Ivan's was ominous and cold.
Ivan countered back. "Ukraine and Belarus are my sisters."
"Still not yours," America said, almost a little too childishly. Ivan's smile widened as he thought of how America was far too young to have any type of power. England was a fool to give it to him.
"Ah, but they are closer to me than you, da?"
America shrugged. "As you can see, I'm not asking for a single thing in this entire war even though I'm the one that kicked most butt in it."
England coughed, shooting a glare at the back of America's head. Ivan felt himself resisting a piercing glare as well. "But didn't I help in Japan?"
Laughing, America said, "Yeah right! You came two days after Japan surrendered and did nothing. That doesn't mean a thing."
Ivan pretended to pout, something he hoped would work to make that smile go away, even for a fraction of a second. If it did, he'd have the perfect chance to slide in and win the debate. "As you remember, I was busy fighting in Europe, da? I was preparing to help you at all costs, but none of the Allies were willing to help me with reinforcements. If I had just a few more men I could have come sooner."
America's smile didn't fade even in the slightest. He shrugged, sticking his hands in his bomber jacket. "You weren't the only one needing men and Arthur needed my help more than you did. Didn't you say you did your share of the fighting?"
A human name had been used; a sign of intimacy. Ivan's smile vanished. Catching himself at a disadvantage, he hid his mouth behind his scarf, making his glare look like he was still smiling. They truly were ganging up on him and surrounding him with secretive friendships and backdoor agreements. "And didn't you come in only at the end of the war, just before the Axis surrendered?"
At this, England stepped in. "Yes it was convenient timing for America's arrival, but you cannot excuse the fact that his inclusion in the war did help speed up the war and he lost as many humans as you did. Yours just happened to die at a much more rapid pace than America's."
"I was taking on Germany alone," Ivan mumbled.
"Yeah and I took on three, so get over it," America laughed. "Besides, your people were great cannon fodder."
Ivan almost snapped, his eyes growing wide and his hands ached to strangle the boy. He had almost trusted the blonde as a friend from long ago when he had first emerged. He had rooted for him and helped him to shrug off England, even considering signing agreements to trade with the new country. And now he was insulting his children? His children that had frozen waiting in the snow to ambush those Nazis; those invaders. His children that had never gotten enough help from any of the other countries or even his own bosses because of lack of resources, but still ran out into battle to protect Ivan and the land they all shared.
How dare this boy that had closed himself off from pain and had managed to be graced with the least amount of wars in his lifespan come barging into this war that wasn't his and then start insulting his fallen children that he would forever hold in his heart? Damned if the others thought he never truly had one. He certainly had one and it bled for all his Russians.
England pushed America away, catching Russia's cold glare that America was completely oblivious to, and scolded him. "America, do not treat these talks as some mudslinging contest. That's quite enough from you. Russia held his own for years and was always willing to help in China if you recall. Now I want you both to stop this and get back to the matter at hand."
Ivan inhaled, smelling the sweet scent of his sister's fields and hearing their laughter in a bittersweet memory. It was enough to calm his nerves, bringing his smile back to his pale face. "Da, I agree. But I won't change my stance. I want my sisters and the Baltics and Poland."
Waving his hand, England sighed. "Let's change subjects. What else is your boss so upset over?"
"I want to punish at least 50,000 to 100,000 German soldiers," Ivan started.
England cut him off, bristling at the notion. "Absolutely not. I forbid such a barbarous act! My boss made it quite clear he wouldn't stand for it and neither will I." He then turned to point an accusing finger at America. "And don't make that ridiculous joke about allowing something like only 49,000."
America laughed, slapping a hand on England's back. "Ah come on! I was just joking!"
England muttered, "What a bunch of fools you all are…" before clearing his throat. "Back to the matter at hand…"
"I believe I'm entitled to giving Germany my own personal form of gratitude for betraying me," Ivan interrupted. He glanced at America when he saw a slight flinch. "Da, you know all about betrayal, don't you little America?"
America grumbled, looking down at the floor. Ivan thought he heard him say, "Don't call me little" and had to chuckle. Oh he was still such a child. "Yeah, I know about betrayal, but you don't see me doing that to Japan."
Now was Ivan's chance. "So those two bombs were nothing then?"
Again, England separated the two countries, this time protecting Russia from what looked like the seeds of anger in America. "ENOUGH! Russia now is not the time to be demanding revenge. As you may recall it was those same daft ideas that France had that made Germany fall into hatred again. We cannot allow you to take Germany."
"Then give me his brother." At this, the two blondes seemed slightly surprised. "If you give me Prussia, I will be more than happy to leave Germany alone. I believe Prussia will serve me better anyways."
"Why Prussia? He's not a country." England stared at Russia suspiciously.
At this, Ivan couldn't help but turn his fake smile into a real one. One of his true hatred. "I want to take away the most important thing to him. He took my children. I'll take his beloved brother."
And then, he will surely become my friend.
Hoshiko2's cents: I want to dedicate this chapter to my big sister for all her help in the history. It's all because of her that all this history was put into this chapter. :3
All right, where to start? There's quite a lot, ne?
This is set shortly before the Yalta Conference of 1945. There are references to the Tehran Conference of 1943 and I wanted to include talks from 1951 when it was announced America would stay in Japan and Russia would get nothing, but that would be too great a leap in the timeline. I know that the Yalta Conference happened before America dropped the nuclear bombs, but I'm taking a little liberty there so Russia could get a little slap in America's face, eh heh heh.
After the Yalta Conference, Russia would walk away with both Prussia and Poland under his belt, so he kinda hit it big. As for the power I'm referring to, that would be the superpower status America (and soon Russia) would come into after the war. Before it England had been considered it, but because of the enormous debt the country fell into and the lack of colonies, England lost all rights to be in charge of anything.
Well I believe that's about it. Again, sorry that I failed the past few weeks for both stories, but I'm sure you can all understand that school takes so much, especially when you're about to graduate. oRZ.
In any case, come back next week and I'll have the 4th chapter all ready for you! Please look forward to it!