Farthest North -CountryHumans AU-

They're Not Fine...

     Canada huffed as he tried to carry the heavy bucket of snow up the walk of his driveway. This was the 20th one within the day, and he was becoming exhausted. With one last huff, he set it on the front step, about to open his door when he realized... it was already open.

        "Oh no."

Suddenly finding renewed energy, the Country jumped through his door, bucket forgotten, and ran straight for his bedroom, ignoring the muddy, watery footprints all over his house. He only cared for one thing, and he yanked America from stepping closer to it.

         "Canada..." Japan, stood, stiff as a board as she stared at the sight. 

     There, in the bath tub, lay a shivering Alaska, the snow surrounding her steaming upon contact with her body. She whimpered, trying to find another bottle to throw at the red, white and blue Country who stared at her from behind those idiotic sunglasses of his. She grasped an empty bottle of beer, sneering with sharpened teeth that made the others flinch. She was about to throw it, when Canada took the brown glass from her hand, having pushed everyone else out of the way to get to her. 

         "Just... give us second," he told them, but not a person moved, "Get out!" 

They all skittered away.

~.~

         "A-yaska... vhy?" Russia held her unbearably hot hand.

She was shivering, but not from any sort of chill. No it was like a fever, well over 98 degrees, well over 100 degrees. How she wasn't dead yet, no one knew... except Canada and herself. She looked between the Countries, breath labored as Canada pressed an ice chunk to her head, the piece melting and bubbling immediately.

Germany was unsettled, not tearing his eyes away from the sharpened teeth so much like his father's. 

Japan shivered from how cold the house was, and slight fear... no wonder Alaska had trumped her father, Japanese Empire, so easily...

America could hardly believe his eyes. Did Russian Empire know of this? Is it why he was so willing to sell her off? This proves of his cruelty, to have an heir with this dark a side shows who he was on the inside from the beginning. He only came out of his thoughts when Alaska finally spoke.

         "I was going to inform you all... once I became a Country," she looked to her little brother with a pained smile, but he only frowned deeper at her attempt, "It's always been this way during the summer months. Fires take over my land, burn homes, entire forests." Tears dripped from her eyes, but they never landed on the surface of the couch she was laying on, having evaporated on her blue skin, only covered by a one piece swim suit to help keep her cool, "This is one of the worst years so far (!)... Spring coming early and all."

         "And zhis 'appens every year?" Germany questioned, to which the State nodded with a shaky sigh, "How have you lived?"

Alaska took that the wrong way as she glared at the man, growling as she tried to sit up, but Canada wouldn't let her as he kept her down. She was easier to anger, easier to provoke, hard to control.

         "Alaska why didn't you tell us earlier?" Japan sat on the couch, knowing this State wouldn't do harm without thinking, "We could have helped you beforehand. I'm sure America would have sent fire fighters to help you in advance."

         "I didn't know if my becoming a Country would have been revoked," she shook her head, "The minute you walked in that door, all you saw was a threat," her voice became high as she tried to keep more tears from falling, and she curled up into the couch, away from the group, "All you saw was Third Reich."

And no one could deny it.

     Germany hated that he couldn't see Alaska... he saw his father. And now the State's actions made sense. Her fearlessness, her preparation, always a step ahead of the game, always seeming to win! So nice... so inviting... would she betray them too? The Country shook his head. That wasn't Alaska. It was impossible! She was doing this to escape the never ending line of abuse. Ask her people, she wasn't horrid, a tyrant looking to rule the world. Her people knew a better peace than America's. But so did the Nazi's, at least in their little sheltered world. 

     Japan had to admit as well, she saw her father's former ally. But if she knew anything, it was that Alaska was far from being Third. She saw how willing she was to destroy the failed Country, and all to get him out of Japan's domain. You don't do that for show and stay as steadfast friends... but Third did that. No, that wasn't Alaska. She's far to inviting, to nice. Prepared, yes, but nothing about this State's earlier actions led her to believe she was capable of such monstrosities as Third Reich.

     Russia was a bit more understanding. He knew his father, their father, and his cruelty to those he didn't agree with. Poor Poland, his people were ravaged,  and he couldn't do anything but fight alongside the ones responsible. Alaska was not willing to risk her own people in battle, not if violence could be avoided. Her visit to his own house proved that. This woman was far from Third. He knew that one would have to push her off the edge in order to truly convince her to go through with such villainy.

     America huffed.

         "This is why you need to stay as my State."

The stares were hard, shocked, and frankly rather appalled. Was America truly this shallow?

         "What?" Alaska sat up to look at her Country, a betrayed expression on her face, "W-why?"

         "You'll be safe with me," he explained, failing to understand the context of her one word question, "I can provide more than enough support to put out these fires! You'll be as good as new in no time! Not to mention that if this gets out beyond us, and you become a Country, what's North Korea gonna do? Not to mention Saudi Arabia, that deal is out the window when you run out of oil. Poland will fear you, Israel too. I mean look at Germany!" He pointed, not seeing the pointed glare sent his way by the Country, "How many friends are you going to lose?"

Alaska was silent as everyone else looked to see her reaction, prepared to keep her at bay if needed. To their surprise, no attack came as she stared at the floor.

         "Your nice words," she began, heartbroken, "Your small gifts. Random texts, the roses, so beautifully placed. The fanciful ball," she looked up at him once more, her sharpened teeth bared, and her grip on the couch making the seams split, "Was all to make me feel at home, as your State?"

         "And I thought it was work-"

The attack came as Alaska lunged at the man, making him rear back, falling to the floor, but she was quickly captured by the other four. She struggled against Russia, who was surprisingly just barely strong enough to hold her. This State had strength like her father. He soon needed Canada's help to keep her down while Japan went to get the last bucket of snow in the freezer out back. Germany looked down at America, who shook his head in disappointment of his State. Glasses having fallen off, he lifted a hand for Germany's help up, but only received spit running down his face as the Country walked off, wiping his mouth after his show of distaste in his friend's actions.

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(!) - The worst fire season was logged in 2004, the Taylor Complex Fire being the largest wildfire recorded in the U.S. since 1997, which ravaged over 1,300,000 acres. Summed together the total wild fire count was 6.5 million acres burned within the summer of 2004, the highest total in U.S. history.