[APH] Hope
Title: Hope
Category: Axis Powers Hetalia / Hetalia World Series
Characters/Pairings: Philippines, Philippines (male and female), mentions of America
Genre/Rating/Warnings: general/G/human names
Summary/Excerpt: Juan and Maria attend President Noynoy's inaugural address.
Hope
Juan’s consciousness woke up at ten that morning. His body had been sitting on the bleachers of the Quirino Grand Stand since four. He couldn’t sleep the night before, and the crew had allowed him to stay and watch them set up the stage.
“Hey, that’s rude,” Maria said cheerfully over the roars of the crowd and the boom of the sound system. “What if they catch you on camera?”
Juan looked up at his fellow personification of the Philippines and smiled weakly. He took the cup of brewed coffee he asked her to get from the nearby Jollibee. He didn’t feel like eating. Maria, however, started feasting on the complimentary breakfast that had been handed out. She loved sinangag.
The weather was crazy. It was hot, humid and chilly at the same time. Honestly, Juan would have wanted to wear a jacket, but it wouldn’t look good over his barong. Seeing the other important personages around him in stiff clothes, lazily fanning themselves as they waited the inaugural speech out made him feel warmer anyway, even just a bit.
“Are you alright?” Maria asked. She was beautiful in a Filipiñana. She should wear one more often. It reminded Juan of the old days.
“I’m tired, Maria.”
The statement could have meant a lot of things. In comparison to other nations, Juan’s commonwealth was young (though he himself wasn’t). Seeing change after change of presidents without the country they governed moving forward somewhat left in him a sense of helplessness and resignation. Will this new government really be the one to save us this time? was a question he had grown tired of asking himself.
“Well, you didn’t sleep last night. Nervous?” Maria asked.
“Not quite,” Juan said. “I’m just…”
What could he say? Seeing Jejomar Binay and Noynoy Aquino swear by the Bible with their families behind their backs sparked a twinge of longing in his gut. Seeing the sheer mass of people before the stage gave him a small shining of hope. But as himself, what did Juan feel? Truth be told, he felt listless.
He stood and sat, along with others around him, during the times they had to applaud and sing and what not. He listened to the new President’s speech and observed the people around him. Juan thought with some cynical irony that he people sitting behind the podium made this look like a world meeting, with the plethora of foreigners hanging on to words they hardly understood. Alfred seemingly didn’t want to let go of his hold on the country for reasons Juan couldn’t fathom (well, he could but he’d rather not say). Juan was also damned sure the other ambassadors only came out of obligation, because really, did his people matter to them if not for being a good resource for human labor?
Juan shook his head and Maria looked at him curiously. Today wasn’t supposed to be depressing. But he couldn’t help feeling reality pressed against him from all sides. After today, what, nothing would have changed much.
Manong Jim would still be pushing carts of newspapers and bottles along J.P. Rizal. Aling Nena would still be selling binatog every 1:30pm. The street kids begging under the Quezon Avenue MRT station would still be begging when Juan would go to Diliman for work tomorrow. Trash would still litter Manila. The Pasig would still be a sickening green-blue-black.
What would have changed? He caught snippets of a hundred promises Noynoy made that had the masses cheering. Promises to eradicate corruption, make the Philippines a safer place for investors and business men, open more jobs and schools and provide better health care in three years. Promises to make the Philippines such that people wouldn’t have to go abroad for work anymore (Juan liked that, he fervently wished it would actually happen). Promises to make the country more globally competitive. Most of all, promises to make the Philippines into something Filipinos could be proud of, as in truly proud of.
Noynoy said that after he stepped down at the end of this term, people would say “The Philippines has come a long way.” Juan wanted that too. So did Maria, the leaders, the senators, the congressmen, the vendors, the camera crew, every Filipino on the face of this planet.
Juan caught Maria’s smile as the President said his thanks and ‘Mabuhay’ and the Philippines finally felt, indeed, there is hope here. Despite the harsh reality looming above their heads, there is hope here. Juan looked up at the gray blue sky, itching to spill rain and thanked his gods past and present for blessing them with good weather.
“It’s almost over!” Maria declared as they stood up to applaud Noynoy. “Are you coming to the street party at the Quezon City Circle later?”
She was dressed for it, Juan could tell. He smiled, looked at the people waving flags and banners and umbrellas and fans and ‘L’ signs before taking Maria’s outstretched hand.
“You bet.”
END
Happy Inauguration(?) everyone~! \O/ LOL
Category: Axis Powers Hetalia / Hetalia World Series
Characters/Pairings: Philippines, Philippines (male and female), mentions of America
Genre/Rating/Warnings: general/G/human names
Summary/Excerpt: Juan and Maria attend President Noynoy's inaugural address.
Hope
Juan’s consciousness woke up at ten that morning. His body had been sitting on the bleachers of the Quirino Grand Stand since four. He couldn’t sleep the night before, and the crew had allowed him to stay and watch them set up the stage.
“Hey, that’s rude,” Maria said cheerfully over the roars of the crowd and the boom of the sound system. “What if they catch you on camera?”
Juan looked up at his fellow personification of the Philippines and smiled weakly. He took the cup of brewed coffee he asked her to get from the nearby Jollibee. He didn’t feel like eating. Maria, however, started feasting on the complimentary breakfast that had been handed out. She loved sinangag.
The weather was crazy. It was hot, humid and chilly at the same time. Honestly, Juan would have wanted to wear a jacket, but it wouldn’t look good over his barong. Seeing the other important personages around him in stiff clothes, lazily fanning themselves as they waited the inaugural speech out made him feel warmer anyway, even just a bit.
“Are you alright?” Maria asked. She was beautiful in a Filipiñana. She should wear one more often. It reminded Juan of the old days.
“I’m tired, Maria.”
The statement could have meant a lot of things. In comparison to other nations, Juan’s commonwealth was young (though he himself wasn’t). Seeing change after change of presidents without the country they governed moving forward somewhat left in him a sense of helplessness and resignation. Will this new government really be the one to save us this time? was a question he had grown tired of asking himself.
“Well, you didn’t sleep last night. Nervous?” Maria asked.
“Not quite,” Juan said. “I’m just…”
What could he say? Seeing Jejomar Binay and Noynoy Aquino swear by the Bible with their families behind their backs sparked a twinge of longing in his gut. Seeing the sheer mass of people before the stage gave him a small shining of hope. But as himself, what did Juan feel? Truth be told, he felt listless.
He stood and sat, along with others around him, during the times they had to applaud and sing and what not. He listened to the new President’s speech and observed the people around him. Juan thought with some cynical irony that he people sitting behind the podium made this look like a world meeting, with the plethora of foreigners hanging on to words they hardly understood. Alfred seemingly didn’t want to let go of his hold on the country for reasons Juan couldn’t fathom (well, he could but he’d rather not say). Juan was also damned sure the other ambassadors only came out of obligation, because really, did his people matter to them if not for being a good resource for human labor?
Juan shook his head and Maria looked at him curiously. Today wasn’t supposed to be depressing. But he couldn’t help feeling reality pressed against him from all sides. After today, what, nothing would have changed much.
Manong Jim would still be pushing carts of newspapers and bottles along J.P. Rizal. Aling Nena would still be selling binatog every 1:30pm. The street kids begging under the Quezon Avenue MRT station would still be begging when Juan would go to Diliman for work tomorrow. Trash would still litter Manila. The Pasig would still be a sickening green-blue-black.
What would have changed? He caught snippets of a hundred promises Noynoy made that had the masses cheering. Promises to eradicate corruption, make the Philippines a safer place for investors and business men, open more jobs and schools and provide better health care in three years. Promises to make the Philippines such that people wouldn’t have to go abroad for work anymore (Juan liked that, he fervently wished it would actually happen). Promises to make the country more globally competitive. Most of all, promises to make the Philippines into something Filipinos could be proud of, as in truly proud of.
Noynoy said that after he stepped down at the end of this term, people would say “The Philippines has come a long way.” Juan wanted that too. So did Maria, the leaders, the senators, the congressmen, the vendors, the camera crew, every Filipino on the face of this planet.
Juan caught Maria’s smile as the President said his thanks and ‘Mabuhay’ and the Philippines finally felt, indeed, there is hope here. Despite the harsh reality looming above their heads, there is hope here. Juan looked up at the gray blue sky, itching to spill rain and thanked his gods past and present for blessing them with good weather.
“It’s almost over!” Maria declared as they stood up to applaud Noynoy. “Are you coming to the street party at the Quezon City Circle later?”
She was dressed for it, Juan could tell. He smiled, looked at the people waving flags and banners and umbrellas and fans and ‘L’ signs before taking Maria’s outstretched hand.
“You bet.”
END
Happy Inauguration(?) everyone~! \O/ LOL