[fanfic] Dark Intentions, Chapter One (Hetalia: Axis Powers)
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers or the major cast. I do not profit financially from writing this story.
Author's Notes: This is my third story for the Hetalia fandom, but the first one to be posted. You iwill/i find historical references and current event references.
I debated the direction in which I'd take this story . . . if I intended to borrow from a story called America's Birthday (Russia x America story - can be found fanfiction.net and deviantArt by Nenema) or if I'd rather go in an opposite direction. I've chosen a slightly different approach.
Warnings: Dark themes, language, magic use, referenced rape and torture, and character death. As the stories progress, the Contains Mature Content will be used.
Rating: PG13, bordering on R.
Summary: The world is in a state of political and economic turmoil, has been for some time now, and the nations snapping and biting at one another. One bears the worst of it, the one they can't seem to leave alone. In the end, they'll realize just how much they truly need him, but, by then, it could be too late.
Pairings: America (Alfred F. Jones) x England (Arthur Kirkland), America x France (Francis Bonnefoy), America x Russia (Ivan Braginski), and America x Canada (Matthew Williams), England x France. (You'll know them when you see them.)
Overhead, the skies darkened with angry-looking, thick clouds. Lightning flashed, offering lamination in the shadow-covered lands. Thunder rumbled, and there was the promise of rain in those clouds.
The weather echoed the overall mood of those gathered - dark, ominous, threatening. The leaders and the nations gathered - Italy, Russia, France, England, Germany, Austria, Prussia, China, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Sealand, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia, Sweden, Switzerland, Lithuania, and Estonia, as well as many others - wore pensive, worried, and angry expressions. The tension in the air had become palpable as those gathered sat in silence. What needed to be said had already been said, and no one was in agreement on what needed to be done.
Their subject of concern was the one nation not in attendance. Indeed, he and his leaders didn't even know they were in one place, holding this meeting. America, as of late, had become more and more aggressive, both towards his leaders (so the rumors said; whenever he appeared in front of Congress and the President, any cameras in the room stopped rolling) and the rest of the nations, when they'd last seen him. Gone were the bright, cheerful smiles and infectious laughter. The younger country's eyes were blue ice swords and guns, his tongue sharp and as deadly as lightning. One never knew where it would strike or the extent of the damage until it was too late.
Not that Russia blamed the younger nation for his feelings. Though some of their old disputes had resumed, he and America somehow had managed to maintain somewhat friendly relations, and he saw many of the same things his friend and rival did: The American nation was in turmoil.
He wasn't just in turmoil with his leaders. What he told them behind closed doors, no one truly knew, but the talks, the arguing, the political backstabbing were taking a toll on him. When he was around the other nations, it showed, but they didn't seem to notice his plights. He'd been on the verge of snapping for some time, and, at one of the last world conferences, the pre-destined event happened. America had finally seen Cuba verbally and physically abusing Canada, of all nations, for things done in the past, the mistakes that America had made and for America's ideology. The sight had only served to fuel whatever rage the young nation already felt with his leaders and the other nations, so, rather than try to discuss things rationally with Cuba as he normally tried, he'd simply punched the island nation.
"You stupid idiot!" America's words still rang in Russia's mind. "How the hell can you mistake Canada for me? We might look alike but we're nothing alike! Nothing! Only an idiot would make that kind of mistake! If you ever so much as lay a hand on him again, I will make you regret it."
Russia had never seen Cuba's eyes so wide and so . . . fearful in those moments. The island nation could only stare with his jaw hanging open. To say America hadn't instilled a newfound fear in Cuba was an understatement. Russia felt it, too. America then turned around and assisted Canada to his feet. What happened next took everyone by surprise.
"Why didn't you tell me this was happening?" America demanded. Canada flinched.
"I just . . . I . . . it didn't seem like . . . it's what you wanted to hear . . ."
America's eyes flared. From the sidelines, anyone who was watching - and everyone was watching - saw it.
"I don't want you tell me what you think I want to hear, dammit! I want you to tell me the truth. The TRUTH. I didn't fight a war with England twice just over taxes without representation. I fought for the whole damned thing - freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, EVERYTHING. When you're in my lands, MY country, you have the right to speak your mind. I don't care if you weren't born there, when you're there, IT'S STILL YOUR FUCKING RIGHT!"
'Still a right. After all this time, he'll still fight for that," Russia mused. He glanced at the faces surrounding him, each showing some form of discomfort over their current situation with the absent nation. Canada looked positively ill. To his right sat Mexico and on his left, Japan. Anger registered on Mexico's face, but anger at what or who, he didn't know. 'No doubt, they are remembering and thinking about the same thing as I.'
At the last, not so secret world conference, the other nations lit into America. Apparently, they'd had enough of his attitude.
"My country is in economic turmoil. What are you doing to do about it? Aren't you supposed to be the 'hero'?"
"It's all your fault we're in this mess."
"When are you going to pay up the money you owe me and my country? We can't keep loaning money to you forever. We have hungry mouths to feed."
"Like you've ever given a damn about Canada and what he's had to endure because of you."
"Stupid wanker."
"Zhis isn't zhe America show! Quit being such an ass."
"Self-centered bastard. You've always been in everyone else's business. How could you not know what was going on?"
"We'd be better off if you didn't exist."
The last two remarks stung the younger nation the worst, and pity for him welled within Russia's chest. Naturally, America didn't know about Cuba intimidating Canada the way that he had. Hell, most of the other nations ignored Canada so they didn't know, either. In America's defense, he knew that the young nation was often too busy with the other nations and their crises. Putting his nose in the business of others? Yes, he was guilty of it, but they also begged America for his help. To see everyone standing there, disapproving and chastising America angered Russia, especially since the other nations hadn't learned to leave him alone.
America had tried twice to stay out of foreign policy, during World War I and World War II. His people were starving, heading to soup kitchens and migrating from one end of the country to the other just to seek work. America's concerns weren't necessarily with the rest of the world on September 1, 1939, the day Germany invaded Poland.
For the most part, America had succeeded in staying out of both World War I and World War II. He'd tried to follow Switzerland's example and remain neutral, trying to supplying both sides with much needed medicines. At the time, Russia had thought it to be very distasteful for America to try and play both sides, but, in retrospect, when your economy is fragile, you're fragile, and when your people need to eat, you do what you must in order to ensure their survival. Russia knew this quite well. When he'd finally joined the Allies* against Germany, it was to protect his people from further invasion and only after he'd learned of Hitler's intended betrayal. In looking back, Russia respected and admired America's decision to try and stay out of the war for as long as he had. Unfortunately for America, the other European nations were unwilling to leave him be, and Russia knew that knowledge could be used as ammunition against the other countries. He knew that he would use that information since he knew that Germany allegedly wanted an alliance with Mexico at that time. Hitler wanted to be able to invade and dominate America the way he'd begun to dominate most of the European nations, and England and France claimed they had the letters to prove such information.
America never really saw those letters. Russia believed it was because England and France still treated him a gullible, impressionable child who would do whatever they asked of him. America was a larger, stronger country than they were combined, and it wasn't lost on them that, if he chose to do so, he could decimate them with a handful of swift, militaristic blows.
Interestingly enough, Canada declared war on Germany long before America did, something the other countries seemed to forget. Eventually Mexico and most of the South American countries had as well. When the world united against them, Germany, Italy, and Japan didn't stand a chance. But, without America, England and France were doomed. Germany was a military power, a definite force to be reckoned with when angered. Russia wanted to remind everyone that part of America's nosiness stemmed from the fact they wouldn't leave him alone, and that, of the nations gathered, America paid more attention to Canada than what anyone realized. He'd heard the younger nation talking about playing catch, tag, and other games with his younger sibling, laughing as he did so. That wasn't ignoring Canada. That was being a good brother. It was certainly was far better than how England and his brothers treated each other or how France treated his. There was something uniquely different and . . . refreshing in watching the North American brothers interacted with each other.
"You want me gone?" America asked. His voice had become extremely quiet, quieter than Canada, and void of any emotion. "You hate me that much? Fine. Consider me gone. You won't ever see me again."
With a calm Russia was certain he didn't feel, America walked out of the conference, stunning everyone assembled. He remained while his leaders did, but no one saw him for the rest of the time their leaders gathered. No one spoke to him, and no one had seen him since. His leaders still spoke and socialized with the rest of the world, still offered aid when and wherever possible, but no one among the nations had seen America, had seen Alfred in some time.
After the conference, Russia would later learn that, in addition to economic, religious, and political woes, wildfires were burning across the U.S. nation. Several hundred acres of woodlands and communities were destroyed. To make matters worse, a heat wave had struck much of the nation, leaving the inhabitants, and America, all the more uncomfortable. The year prior, a record outbreak of twisters not only ravaged the countryside, but they attacked cities, killing more people than in the average tornado season. On top of that, an earthquake had struck near Arkansas and then D.C. the year prior, and one of the news stations had uncovered evidence of his Department of Defense allowing Mexican drug dealers to walk with U.S. weapons into Mexico. (The younger nation had denied doing such a thing, vehemently so, saying it was stupid. Once the media coverage began, America looked the fool and a liar to the rest of the world.) With such things to plague him, Russia no longer wondered why he hadn't seen the younger nation smile in so long. He, too, would be irritable if he'd had to combat intense heat on top of economic and political troubles. It was curious, though, how come no one had even sensed the heat that had radiated from the younger nation as he walked away. Also, as far as Russia knew, no one had even bothered to send aid to America, either to fight the fires or to send food, water, and blankets for those affected by the tornadoes. Yet, that same year, America had sent relief to Japan almost as soon as the earthquake and tsunami had struck. Indeed, the entire world tried to help the island nation through such devastation. The knowledge that America faced his own tragedies alone was enough to anger him, and it reminded him of his ill-treatment towards the younger nation during the Cold War. He'd been more than cunningly cruel to America, had done everything he could to break the man's spirit, but his people believed in him far too much to allow such a thing to ever happen. When he thought of the things he'd done to America, Russia wanted to retch, but he still refused to apologize. What had been done was done. Neither of them could undo the past, and he'd done what he needed to do in an attempt to secure a victory over the smaller yet equally powerful nation. It stung to know that he'd failed and that America had defeated him without having to actually attack him.
"So what do you think we should do?" England said, finally breaking the silence, bringing Russia back to the present. "We certainly can't allow him to keep carrying on like this."
"Allow?" Russia echoed. "What do you mean by 'allow', comrade? He is his own nation."
"I think we should apologize," Canada began, and Mexico nodded his agreement, a surprise to Russia considering the somewhat volatile relationship he shared with his older brother. However, like so many times before, no one wanted to listen to Canada. One nation in particular spoke over him, as if he didn't exist, like he'd done so many times in the past.
"Just because he's his own nation doesn't mean he can act like a pompous ass whenever he feels like it," England said, snarling.
"You mean like the vay you're acting right now?" Germany growled. He sat next to Russia with Italy brothers on the other. "If he's become a pompous ass, it'sh because of you and the influence you've had on him."
"What?" England's eyes flared.
"He is right, comrade," Russia said. "You're the one who supposedly had control over him in very beginning. Everyt'ing he's learned, he's learned from you." He then focused his attention on Canada. The younger nation seemed to shrivel in his chair. "Now, you said somet'ing, comrade Canada. I t'ink everyone should hear."
From the corner of his eye, he saw England's jaw drop. The room itself had become silent, so much so Russia thought that, if someone dropped a pin, not only would they hear it, they'd jump. However, the large nation refused to look at anyone other than Canada. The only one he'd listen to at this point was Canada.
And the younger nation trembled now that he had Russia's attention. It wasn't to say that Canada was an extremely small country. If anything, in terms of land mass, he was larger than America, but he was also the younger one, the forgotten son because his older brother happened to be strong-willed and independent. He wasn't used to the attention, obviously, and so it took him several long minutes to even find his voice.
"I-I said I-I we should apologize," he stammered. All at once, the other nations exploded.
"Apologize! What should we apologize for?"
"He's the one who can't keep out of our business!"
"Stupid git thinks he knows everything!"
"And he's spent my money like there's no tomorrow!"
"He should be obliterated from the map!"
"He's also not asked for help from any of us in a time of crisis!" Canada blurted out, raising his voice for the first time . . . ever. His older brother had no qualms about shouting at someone in order to be heard. However, the younger nation hadn't stopped trembling. Russia wondered at this. Canada's discomfort and the look of illness grew. A quick grasp of the hand from Mexico stabilized him. There were even tendrils of fear in his eyes. Something had rattled him, and Mexico, so much so he spoke without hesitation and his voice grew louder. "Not once! The only time in the last twenty years that we've stood behind him without him even asking us was on September 11. That was it!"
"That's because he's a stubborn, bloody wanker," England spat. "He's too damned full of himself!"
"Agreed . . ."
"Agreed?" Canada echoed. "Agreed? Have you listened to yourselves? Are you even listening to yourselves? If he were to ask any of you for help, you'd consider him needy! If he doesn't ask for help, you call him a stubborn, arrogant fool. He can't win! With any of you!"
"What do you mean, he can't win?" France demanded. "He always wins!"
"Really?" Russia observed as anger, genuine anger, registered on the younger nation's face. In those seconds, he saw in Canada what so many saw in him when he was angered, and a chill washed over him. Perhaps he wasn't the meek little mouse everyone thought him to be after all. Perhaps he was more dangerous than what anyone realized. Perhaps he was more dangerous than his older brother. The thought unsettled Russia. "He always wins?"
"Well, yes . . ."
"Dear lord in heaven . . ." Canada shook his head. His blond locks swayed this way and that, and it reminded Russia of America. "You're such fucking hypocrites!"
"What did you just say?"
"He's been fighting the same damned economic troubles that we have, he's facing countless natural disasters, his people are suffering, his own government is keeping secrets from him and his people, and not once . . . not once have any of us offered to lend him a hand. We're so wrapped in our own troubles that we're forgetting he's going through the same damned thing. But no . . . it would be too damned easy for any of us to remember that. We've got to place our burdens on top of what he's already dealing with, to hell with any consequences!"
"Aren't heroes supposed to be able to handle everything?" England said in a snide tone. "Seriously, at this point in time, I think we'd be better off without him."
"You have no idea of what you're saying," Canada murmured. "You have no idea of how much we need him . . . and how he needs us. There are things he can do that you can't even imagine."
"Oh really. We don't know what is we're saying?" England sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "And what makes you so sure that we don't? You've been blamed enough for the trouble he's caused over the years. Why are you so keen now on defending him now?"
"Because," Mexico said, finally breaking his silence, "of how quickly the rest of you are forgetting the past. Or is simply that you don't want to remember?"
"You mean like how he nearly bankrupted me?" France growled. "Oh, I haven't forgotten that, and it is zomething I won't ever forgive!"
"There is somet'ing you're not telling us, comrades," Russia said. "What is it?"
At his quiet remarks, the entire room quieted, and Mexico and Canada glanced at each other. Their actions only confirmed the guess, in Russia's mind, and he leaned forward. There was something else, too, and it tied in with the fear in the younger nation's eyes. It now reflected in Mexico's eyes. Russia felt his eyes narrow, and he stood up.
"You have seen comrade Amerika lately."
"No." Canada shook his head. "Not lately."
"We both saw him once, Senor Russia," Mexico murmured. "After the last world conference in which he and his leaders attended . . ."
"He . . . apologized," Canada said. "To the both of us . . ."
"He spoke with a sincerity that I'd forgotten he possessed," Mexico murmured. The two were no longer looking at anyone, not even each other. "It is the first time I have seen him so . . . vulnerable . . . and lonely. I believed him when he said he didn't know about operation Fast and Furious**, that, if he had known, he would have fought against it. I forget . . ." The dark-haired nation paused. "I just . . . forget . . ."
"Vhat did he say he vas going to do?" Germany asked.
"He didn't say anything," Canada replied. "Other than apologizing. Not to me, anyway."
"The same with me," Mexico answered. "He apologized, agreed that our countries needed to work harder on solving the issues between us, and then he left."
"So vhy . . ."
"Because . . ." Canada hesitated. "Because . . . because of the things England taught us when we were younger . . . the spells, the summonings . . . it wasn't too far from what we already knew."
"You mean zhe magic of zhe Native Amerikans?" France sounded dubious. "I zhought we'd zaved you from zhat."
"Saved?" Mexico laughed. It was a bitter and harsh sound. "I wouldn't call it saving us from anything. More like trying to destroy something precious within us. The land is older than we are. It gave birth to us, but America, Canada and I . . . we are not so old as to have forgotten what it is our ancestors taught us."
"And if you combine it with what England taught us," Canada murmured, "I'm afraid that my brother could and will do something we would never expect him to do."
"Whatever it is, we can handle it," England said. "I remember those old Native American tricks. They were no match for me."
"No offense, but you couldn't combine your magic with theirs," Mexico retorted. "My half-brothers and I can. What do you think will happen if our older brother decides that's what he's going to do?"
"Comrades, I believe you should start at beginning," Russia said. "What is you t'ink will happen?"
The two glanced at each other once and, this time, they needed. Canada inhaled a deep breath, sitting back down.
"It's like this," he murmured, and everyone gathered leaned forward to listen . . .
1 - According to my U.S. history class in college, America tried to stay out of both WW I and WW II for as long as possible, trying to be isolationist (like Japan) but there were many attempts by the countries of England and France to get America into the war. One such attempt was a letter from a German general allegedly talking about an alliance with Mexico for invasion (thanks to Dr. President for reminding me; the supposed letter is called the Zimmerman letter). My history teacher felt that it's possible the letter never truly existed since no American has ever laid on eyes on it. When I find my history books, I'll update this. There were also agents, known in my history book as Agents X, Y, and Z, who tried to incite the U.S. government into action.
2 - In searching for WWII facts online, I came across a website dedicated to WWII's timeline. For those of you who don't know, Canada actually declared war on Germany in 1940. America didn't get involved in the war until 1941, shortly after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
3 - I've found someone from Mexico on dA who has done some comics in regards to the Mexico/U.S. relationship. Given that this person has provided links for the information he's used in his comics, I've tried to represent how Mexico feels and to include that information to the best of my abilities. However, the PoV is for Russia, and I'm going to leave it very unclear as to what it is that Russia thinks he knows and what he truly knows. If anyone wants to provide me with more information, please do so. Knowledge is power. :)
4 - U.S. recent events from 2011 and 2012; tsunami in Japan (which affected the entire world), the record outbreak of tornadoes in 2011 where the twisters touched down in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, Joplin, Missouri, and parts of Atlanta, Georgia - nearly 1900 reported with an estimated 553 people dead as a result. 2011 is in our history books with one of the deadliest outbreaks in our known history. An earthquake struck Virginia, a powerful one that was reportedly felt as far north as the southern edges of Canada and the southern part of Michigan (where I live). Also, as I write this, Colorado has been dealing with massive wildfires and people from around the country sending aid, and there was a wildfire in the U.P. (Upper Penninsula for the rest of you) that burned up some acreage. After Japan's tsunami and the tornadoes in Alabama, Missouri, and Georgia (only 3 of the 21 states hit with the twisters), many people I know were asking "how come we're sending aid to places like Haiti and Japan but no one's sending us any aid for our tornado and earthquake victims? We should take care of our own first". I believe I've answered that with Canada (whom I find adorable).
5 - Going back to point 3, the person on dA has pointed out in his works (which were dated 2010; I haven't gone completely through this person's gallery), that America has been selling guns to Mexican drug cartels. I can see the character of Mexico, no matter who creates this particular OC, arguing with America over the fact and America denying it, not because he's trying to present himself as being noble, but because he truly would believe it would be stupid to sell guns to drug cartels, who in turn use the guns to kill people, both in Mexico and America. So why on Earth would anyone do such a thing? Unfortunately, Mexico is right in this case because one of the national news networks - CBS - investigated the reports, had the D.O.D. deny it, and then a person within the D.O.D. stepping forward, on camera, admitting the truth behind it. As an American, if a person from Mexico had told me my country was selling guns to the drug cartels, I would have said "No, we're not. We're not that stupid." Apparently, our D.O.D. is because the operation name was Fast and Furious, and there is video footage of it happening. I don't know how many Americans are POed by this, but it's something we should be because our own government is betraying us and everything our country stands for.