La Bataille de Nos Cœurs (Fruk)

4

I found myself running through the forest near the beaches of Dover.

This area I recognized all too well.

"Show yourself! I know someone is here!" I shouted. As if someone could get away with crossing my borders without me knowing. I heard shuffling coming from the bushes, causing my head to turn. "Took you long enough...how are you doing, old friend?" his voice spoke. My eyes widened, and I watched as he finally stepped into the moonlight.

I felt my heart racing as I saw him. I had not realized how much I missed him until I saw him.

"England! your timing is impeccable!" I cheered. I began to walk toward him with a smile. It was taking everything in me not to jump into his arms. I had begun to open my arms happily when suddenly...

WHAMM!

I fell back as I felt him punch me across the face.

"Don't you dare think about touching me," he spoke. I should have felt scared or threatened, but seeing him again after so many years. It made me happy. I was knocked to the ground as I knew I would be, but looking up at him through the moonlight, made me feel at home.

I knew the area we were in; it was the place we met the first time when we were younger. He lured me out here for a reason, and whether it was good or bad, I did not care. "What are you doing here?" I asked, holding my face. He crossed his arms, and his clothing began to stick out to me.

"Well, I was enjoying my days running the sea with my own fleet but was suddenly given the news that your idiocy has been leading to multiple wars, including a possible revolution! Do you realize what this could do for me? People in England could rise, too; luckily, we have a constitutional Monarchy! something you should have done too, but no! your King loves to have all the power!" He lectured.

What? 'own fleet'? What does that mean?

" What do you mean your own fleet? Haven't you been in the palace with your Crown?" I asked. He began pulling out his sword, and I finally realized why his clothing stood out to me. "I know; that is what my Crown wanted everyone to think. They did now want idiot nations like you declaring war on them, but I see I underestimated their ability to keep things up to par."

"You ran away, didn't you?" I asked.

He...he abandoned his duties as a Nation?

It had made sense...why their naval had gotten so much more robust, why no one had seen him, why he had a fleet, and why he was wearing those clothes. He had escaped his duties to become a pirate.

He came toward me with his sword, and I quickly got to my feet. "Whoa, let's talk this out!" I tried to say. He lifted his sword in the air, soon aiming it at me, but I moved away. He was trying to strike me down. "Why should we? You didn't listen to me, then you teamed up with America against me, which led to me being shunned by my own Crown then! as I am enjoying myself, I hear that you declared war on my country, causing me to come back, and now, I am here to end it!" He shouted.

I began dodging his strikes, moving side to side so he would not impale me with his sword.

"England, calm down!" I tried to say. He began chasing me around the forest and would continuously swing at me. I grabbed a long branch off the ground and held it up for protection, but he only began to laugh at me. "You never cease to make me laugh," he spoke. He threw his sword to the ground, picking up a branch.

"Hey, I know you are really angry with me, but I need to talk to you! This was not my idea! It is my Crown-"

He came charging at me, using the stick to jab me in my abdomen. It hurt like hell and caused me to groan from the pain. Thank goodness it wasn't his sword.

He grabbed my head suddenly, pulling me forward. He used his knee to knee in my abdomen, knocking the last breath out of my lungs. "HUuuuuuH, Will you...let...me...finish?" I spoke, falling to the floor.

"It is what you get! You realize that although I was knocked down from America's rebellious phase, which is your fault, the child grew up to be rebellious, no thanks to you. But nothing you could say could make me want to listen to anything you say. I have come because I am confronting you and will strike you down! I AM THE MIGHTY BRITISH EMPIRE-"

I cut him off by punching him across the face. England fell down, and I used this opportunity to get on top of him and fight back. No more nice guy! "Idiot! Why do you have to be stubborn? I only wanted what was best for you!" I glared. I grabbed his hands as he struggled and began slapping him in the face, using his hands.

"Why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself?" I mocked, continuing to use his hands to slap himself. I began laughing at him as I continued to slap him. "Grrrr! STOP IT!" He yelled. He suddenly lifted up his legs, using them to hoist me over his head. He flipped me over, and I landed on my back, once again knocking the air from my lungs.

"You are such an idiot! Why do you keep trying with me? We will never be more than enemies! Stand down already!" he spoke. I began to stand up, and as I did, he shoved me. "I hate you! Why can't you leave me alone? I don't want to go through another war!"

"You think I do? I don't; I have no choice!" I grabbed his collar, shaking him back and forth. He was so annoying, so he might calm down if I kept shaking him. His eyes widened, and he began to hold onto my arms in shock. "Stop!" he whined.

I began to breathe heavily and finally stopped shaking him. I held onto him as I breathed out, and he didn't say anything. "Hmmm?" I hummed. I began to feel his clothes, and I felt astonished. "What?" he asked, confused. I continued to rub the cloth between my fingers and could not help but feel amazed. "Oh my! this cloth feels amazing!" I cheered.

"IT'S NEW! If you get it now, I'll even give you twenty percent off!" he exclaimed. We both silently stared at each other, and I wanted to laugh. I had finally let go of him, and we began to burst into laughter.

"Oh my! even in a crisis, we seem to care for our economy!"

"Well, I can't help it; our economies are so closely linked," I spoke. We both continued to laugh.

"Let's stop fighting; it's so childish," he laughed. He reached his hand to me, and I grabbed it. "You're right; we should do so...looks like you've really grown up after all..." I giggled. His smile quickly disappeared, and he slapped my hand away. "HUH?! WHY MUST YOU SOUND SO CONDESCENDING? I HATE THAT ABOUT YOU!" He shouted. I could not help but continue to laugh at our banter.

"I read your letter...I understand now!" I spoke. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped.

"Oh..."