Title: War Bride
Author: thislilchicken,
originally published on FF.net by me, under the same nameFandom: Hetalia
Rating: PG-13 (for references to violence during war chapters)
Genre: Drama/Romance
Warnings: Deals with controversial historical events; I can't stress enough that I am neither directly supporting nor denouncing various countries. Opinions and assertions are made from the characters' viewpoints.
Pairings: JapanxTaiwan
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.
Summary: Ever-feisty Taiwan has always been tossed back and forth between two powerful men, Japan and China. What is she to them? A little sister? A future bride in training? Are they in it for her or for themselves? From Japanese Occupation and onwards to 2010.
Author’s Note: Constructive feedback is greatly appreciated, even if it is just to say that you didn't like the characterization and style of writing, and why. I'm new to writing fiction, and I feel lost as to whether or not this is good or bad characterization and plot pacing. 多謝!
"Mei mei," said the bandaged and limping man, interrupting the young girl who was trying to fish. She looked exactly the same as the last he'd seen her, whenever that was. She turned and politely pretended to be surprised and pleased at seeing her negligent older brother. He ordinarily would not be bothered, yet today it successfully tore to shreds what Japan had started. "Mei, Japan and I had an argument. We've decided that you will now live in his house from now on, so please pack your things."
Taiwan shrugged it off without caring too much once she got word that China, that hulking, antiquated beast, had been felled by the upstart Japan. Supposedly one had taken a sword to the other's back, and left a permanent memento of their agreement to disagree. These were but hollow names to her, meaningless events that would not affect her in the slightest. Nothing ever did. Taiwan was a small island in the middle of nowhere that contributed nothing to anyone. The far off and strange-sounding countries that China had recently been plagued by probably did not even know she existed. She supposed China expected her to put on an elaborate display of fury, grief, and shame at being traded off to the victor as though she were a whore. Perhaps he wanted the young girl to throw tantrums and demand with her tears to be returned to the older brother she never really knew, never really interacted with enough to care about.
In fact, even China's own clumsy conquest and declaration of guardianship over her did not result in much. He had simply come to her country one day, and violently ejected the Dutch and Spanish traders. In the middle of his victorious gesturing, he had suddenly remembered about the little girl whose island he had just invaded. She had been standing quietly and watching from the edges of the rainforest. Her clear and powerful stare, that of an innocent's, evoked feelings of guilt and slight shame. Certainly, it was enough to make China content to leave her alone and let her figure out her own business. And so she had grown for 200 years with little aim and direction, making things happen solely by virtue of her fiery, feisty temper.
Even as the provisions of the Treaty of Shomonoseki was read aloud to her, Taiwan said nothing. Most likely, China had successfully forgotten about his impulse adoption until out of the blue, Japan decided to take over his role. And even then, Japan probably did it to spite him. As far as she was concerned, her aloof big brother had been replaced by one that would be as equally neglectful. After all, she thought to herself, she was no Hong Kong, who was valuable enough as a port for trading to be seized by the United Kingdom. Looking down at her bare, mud-caked, and calloused feet, she laughed at the nightmare she would be to her next benefactor. That is, if he could find her amongst the rainforested mountains that seemed to overcrowd her island.
China had asked for her to wash her face and bathe, comb her hair, and for goodness sake put on some shoes for the formal exchange ceremony. Of course, not only did Taiwan fail to do any of those, she had left him standing empty handed and without face in front of Japan. As though the brutal slash in his back did not pain him enough, another of his younger siblings had taken the chance to insult and humiliate him further through disobedience. He shifted on his feet as he struggled to explain away this embarrassment. The two men stood alone and apart, feeling empty without the girl present to complete the picture. There was no victorious gloating for Japan, nor a composed and mature resolution for China. At least, China thought, he would not have to endure the other's displays exacted at the cost of his own dignity.
Japan's thorough disapproval was palpable, even though his expression and manner was as prim and concise as always. His "Well yes, of course. I'll find her myself." hid his thoughts: How pathetic, to not even have enough authority to ask a little girl to be present. That was the way the interactions with the Asian countries had always been. Socially appropriate white lies and polite phrases existed to allow them keep up a pretense. It was civilized, it was the way proper individuals conducted themselves.
Neither knew that Taiwan had taken the chance of wording in the treaty to declare herself independent, and demanded that she be now known as the Taiwan Republic. It was with this high handed attitude that she greeted the weary Japan when he finally tracked her down through her splendid mountains and forests. The lack of roads and mountain tunnels greatly troubled him, and there was not much to be said about the public facilities. He had much to do with this new project, and yet inwardly he beamed with pride that he would have the chance to recreate his own Meiji Restoration. He smiled slightly when he saw the girl, no older than nine or ten standing with her feet apart, arms akimbo and wearing a fierce and proud expression on her face. What was it that Portugal had named her? 'Ilha Formosa'? Indeed he could see the untamed beauty in even her young features, unless Portugal had been referring to only her home.
He straightened out his starched naval uniform; it was the cleanest clothes Taiwan had yet to see. The uniform was almost blindingly white to her eyes, an actual cotton-white, not an off-white faded with age nor a gray tainted from sweat and field labor. It was almost sterile; truly, it was the most impractical clothing color she'd seen. It was a wonder that his clothes had not withered in the oppressive tropical humidity. He did not see her smirk as he gave a polite bow, and launched into his formal welcome. "I am very pleased to meet you. My name is Kiku Honda, and I am now-"
"You can go to hell," the girl said. "China wasn't man enough to handle me, and I can tell just by looking at you that you don't even have any balls to try!"
The resounding slap was not so much brutal or vicious as stinging to her pride. The shocked and awed girl stood with her fingers touching her red cheek, her eyes wide with bewilderment. Now more of a cowering cub than the proud tigress she had imagined herself to be, she did not understand why fat tears were steaming their way down her face. She was even more confused by where the stiff man in white had conjured up the boldness and will to produce that slap. It was the first time anyone had done anything like that to her. Her first brother certainly didn't spank her. Taiwan could not form any words, much less thoughts as Kiku Honda continued.
"I am now your guardian and your new brother, and I am honored to have you as my first little sister. I hope that I can set the example for your progress and development, and that we will be able to understand and respect one another."
"Respect". Taiwan was not sure if she detected a wry tone in that word.
**Factoid: Although Taiwan was given over to Japan as a colony, the government actually had to send its army down and defeat the Taiwanese guerrilla forces before they could institute rule over the island. In case people were thinking that it was OOC for Japan to actually slap a little girl.
Note: If you're looking for outright bashing about how horrible either Japan or China was, this is not the place for it. I will try my best to be true to events while showing the other side of it; good always comes with the bad. If you only want to read about how Japan was a heartless whore-monger or China was an abusive, possessive asshole, then please redirect yourself to such a fic. I am only trying to tell a story from the point of view from a flawed, naive young girl (later woman) who through harsh experiences is able to open her eyes.
Artwork by
Lova.
( Chapter 2- Growing Pains )
( Chapter 3- The Talk )