Hetalia: The Sapphire Kingdom

Chapter 8.2

  "We really are just alike, aren't we?" he asked me, his white hair blazing like lightning in the chilling breeze.

"What are you doing here?" I growled at him, allowing agitation to show in my voice.

"I was just exploring," he shrugged. "And listen to what I've found! Your government collapsed, and –obviously—and your capital city is in ruins. Face it! You're not Atlantis anymore. You're hardly a country at all!"

"You are wrong. I am not dead, but sleeping. I will be a strong country again very soon, unlike you."

"Hah!" His eyes widened. "I never knew you could speak in such a malicious tone."

"Get out of my land, Prussia."

"Your land?" he scoffed. "As far as I can see, it doesn't exactly have anyone's name on it yet. And, you and me being of the same status..."

"You're not taking it from me," I spoke in a dark voice, beginning to approach him with a deathly threatening fierceness in my eyes.

"There's no one here to keep me from it but you."

I stopped not but three feet away from him. He rested his arm on the column beside him, crossing his legs casually.

"You see, we're nothing more than ordinary people. No citizens we're connected to to strengthen us, no military to rely on, no leaders. The only difference I can see is that you were a peaceful country and I very much wasn't. Also, living out in the world as a wanderer, you grew soft and you fighting skills dulled. I, on the other hand..." he drew a long blade from the sheath that hung on his side. "I never lost a bit of my physical strength!"

I drew my own sword, standing my ground. My glare intensified, but I did not move, as I wanted to show a fraction more of mercy.

"You have seen no evidence that my strength has diminished. And my peaceful nature does not confine me to weakness."

He laughed, unconvinced, suddenly taking a forward step and charged me. He trusted his blade at my abdomen, but I blocked. He showed both surprise and approval at my reflex, but didn't cease his interrogation as we continued in the motion.

"You have a lot of aggression, little girl!" He attempted to slash my arm, which I quickly blocked, and proceeded to send a warning counter. "Ha! You're not fitting the description of the peaceful country well. More like someone who keeps the storm locked tight inside!"

"How dare—!" I froze. He froze with me, but quickly proceeded the battle.

"You're hiding something, I know you are!" He teased as I jumped back in an effort to still him. "I may seem pretty arrogant, but I can figure people out pretty fast! It's one of my many talents. So, spill it!"

"I'll tell you NOTHING!" I charged him, attempting to knock him over. He didn't even budge. I must have pulled back with last-minute kindness. I had never taken a life over something like this, and though there many have been a suitable enough reason to, I had no intention to kill the brother of the man who offered me hospitality.

"Oh, but you're going to. You've already admitted there's something you're hiding!" I stepped away from him, covering my face with my hand. "Come on, you're dying to say it, get it off your chest. This is why you keep an unnaturally calm exterior. This is why you hate secrets!"

I could only stand there, breathing heavily to silence the words that were begging to escape.

"Or," he shrugged, lowing his defense. "I could be wrong. Maybe you're just weak... maybe you hid for that reason. That makes sense. You thought you'd come back strong, but... you're as weak as you've always been. And I bet those great stories about Atlantis were all tall-tales. Hah! And to think I was going to have a real fight with you!" He turned away from me.

My eyes opened like lightning, my grip tightened on my sword. I charged him with all my rage and knocked him across the ground. He tried to get up, nearly staggering. I placed my foot on his chest and stabbed my blade into the sleeve of the arm that tightly clasped around his weapon.

"You fool! How can you be so ignorant as to know nothing of my power!?" I glared down at him, my brownish strands whipping around in the now wild wind. "I am Atlantis, The Great Sapphire Kingdom, the one that succeeded at world domination."