The Consequence of Loyalty

Giving In (Accompanying Oneshot, 1942)

They were surrendering. Philippines knew it would come eventually, but that didn't mean he hated it any less.

He didn't want to give in. He didn't want to stop fighting the puppet. It was a want, a need that burned through every fiber of his being, fueled him with rage and stubbornness, with defiance, with the ability to even throw off the puppet.

But the pain was too much, the power of the puppet state too strong. There wasn't enough resistance to allow him to fight now that the Army had surrendered. Philippines knew it would not be the end of his people's resistance, but no matter how hard they tried, Philippines could tell now that it would not be enough to allow him to fight.

He could barely move, only half aware of the things he said as he sent Kentucky away. But he did so and then sat down, closing his eyes so he would not have to see his men watch him succumb to the puppet.

He could barely stand the shame and humiliation himself. He hated having the pain in his head fade away, the stiffening of his limbs, and he lost the ability to do everything. He didn't want anyone else to see him this way.

Philippines wasn't sure how long he sat there, cross-legged, until he felt hands grab his shoulders and pull him upright. One of them forced his eyes open, and Philippines, now trapped behind the glassy eyes of a puppet, could do nothing about it. It was a Japanese soldier, eyes curious.

"It can't do anything?" he asked the soldier beside him, who shook his head. Philippines wanted to grit his teeth and tell them that he was not an it, that he was a he and wanted to be addressed as such, but he could do nothing.

The worst part about their words, though, was the fact that they were speaking Japanese, a language that Philippines previously knew but not well.

Now, he heard it as if it were his first language. Japan has made her language his official language—another way to show her absolute control over him. Philippines hated him. He might not be able to control his body, but he could taste the hatred on his tongue.

"No, he can't. He's been put into this state to ensure that he can be taken back to his government and freed from the Ame-ko. It's a precaution, as they don't know how much control the United States had over him," the other soldier said, "It's only temporary until Nippon-sama can officially tell him that he is freed, like what she did with Manchukuo, and like what she is trying to do with China."

Freed. Ha. This wasn't freedom. She trapped him in a prison of his mind. Martial law would have been better. At least Philippines wouldn't have to watch his body do all the things he never wanted to do while still being himself.

America wasn't Philippines' favorite person, but he was better than Japan, for he had never done this to Philippines.

"So...what do we do?" the first soldier asked.

"We take him back to Manila and hand him over to his government, where they will break the United States' control over him. That is why he can't move. The Ame-ko puppet state keeps him from moving, even though his flag has changed," the second soldier said.

Philippines didn't know whether he felt like laughing or crying. America was the one who had him under his control? America was the one who forced the puppet state on him?

Oh, Japan knew how to lie. She really was becoming a proper empire. Not that the Spanish Empire could lie, but he was no less dangerous than the others.

"How do we move him?" the first soldier asked, moving to look Philippines in the eye, confusion in his eyes.

"We're just taking him to the car, then he will be driven to Manila to reunite with his government," the second soldier said, carefully taking Philippines by the arm and tugging him forward. Much to Philippines' horror, his legs began moving, and guided by the soldiers, he was forced to walk towards a vehicle.

Dammit! He had hoped that the nature of the puppet state's control over him meant his legs wouldn't move and that the two soldiers would have to struggle to drag him to the car. It would have only been a temporary delay, but it would have made Philippines feel a little bit better to know that he was still causing problems for them.

Fate was not on his side.

Internally, as he could no longer do anything outside his own mind, Philippines sighed.

He had only given in a few moments ago, and it already felt too long.

He hoped America would come back soon. He didn't know what he would do if he had to be under this government's control for a long time.

He really, really didn't want to be.

But it's not like he had a choice.