APH: The Camellia Blossom

The Camellia Blossom.

The flower with no scent. Nothing unique. Nothing special about it.

It sits quietly, failing to be noticed. Yet it is fine with it's place, and doesn't try to change that.

Constantly it is refused and never chosen, having nothing about it that stand out.

Petals look similar to many flowers. Trampled on by young kids. No scent to attract anyone to it.

It quietly embraces it, proud of it's few features. Never thinking bad of what it does not have.

But when it wilts, it's a silent tragedy. Grim. Never pitying itself.

The petals scatter, at times being confused with another.

It does not cry. It does not show sadness of it's passing, letting the next one take it's place.



Though in this case, that is not the truth.

The flags waved in the air, each representing the countries. Rips and tears covered the more battle scarred countries, while some looked brand new. A few were large enough to be used as blankets, others only the size of rags. No matter the size, or the scars, each stood proudly, representing the nationalism of the people who they belonged to.

These people stood outside of the meeting hall, staring with pride at their flag, and only there's as it swayed in the wind, billowing with strength. Some thought of this as a way to strive to do better, others as self-importance.

Yet, not everyone who was at this meeting did not posses a flag. For those who did not usually never came to these meetings, either being territories or in rare cases, no longer countries. Such as the once powerful Prussia, he watched with misery as his flag was burned to the ground and forgotten. Others, such as the Confederate States of America, never truly had a flag, even for only a few years, it was not as painful, but still depressing. Yet somehow, there are a handful who don't fall into any of these categories, and never will.

"Albert, you don't mind waiting here man?" Alfred asked his brother, turning around to look at the brunette. His brother smiled and nodded,

"Yeah, it's not so lonely anymore with Yuki." Albert explained. "I mean, since losing the Confederate States of America, every time coming here just, depresses me. But Yuki knows what it's like, and it just makes it easier."

"I didn't ask for your little explanation, yo." Alfred rolled his eyes, "hey I'll catch ya later!" he waved to his brother, chasing after Arthur. Arthur smiled at him warmly, their hands intertwining as they walked inside the bustling meeting.

Albert sighed, looking up at his brother's flag. There was a few tears in it, but not as much as England, or France, or even Austria. His brother was still a fairly new country, only around three hundred years old, not even. Yet he was already so powerful, why did he ever think of separating from him? It only brought pain and misery. Albert growled, shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts.

He couldn't help but look at the other countries with jealously. The entered, pride on their face to be able to attend this meeting. Each time it was held in a different country, it annoyed him at visiting the beautiful land as he was dragged along by Alfred. This time, it was in Japan, which was the only time he was excited for a visit.

"Kiku!" Albert called when he saw the Asian country. Kiku blinked and focused his soulless eyes on the man.

"Konnichiha Albert-san." Kiku gave a quick bow of respect at the former country. "How can I help you?"

"Where's Yuki? I haven't seen him."

"I haven't seen him either. My twin must have wandered around town this morning, having an insanity attack or something." he answered. "I assume he'll be here sooner or later."

"Oh, thanks Kiku!" Albert waved weakly at the nation as he walked inside to the meeting. "I thought his insanity attacks stopped…" he mumbled, staring at the flags again as the waved. For a second, he thought he saw the Japanese flag stop billowing, but when he blinked again, it was flapping in the wind.

- -

As Ludwig walked around the long table of the meeting room, lecturing everyone on something half the countries didn't even know about, Kiku felt a chill in the room suddenly. He shivered once, unconsciously looking around the room, not finding the source of the chill. Trying to dismiss the strange feeling, he refocused his attention back to Ludwig.

The majority of the nations had started to drift off to sleep, but Ludwig showed no signs of letting up his lecture. Kiku could have spoken up, being the leader of this meeting, but he thought this lecture was somewhat necessary, and should be listened to, even though no one really was. He forced himself to listen carefully, though he started to find this fairly boring.

"Ludwig-san?" Kiku raised his hand slowly, interrupting his speech. "Um, it is getting late, shouldn't we be getting ready to go now? You can continue your lecture in the next meeting, let us absorb this information first."

Ludwig glanced at his old ally with an annoyed expression, but nodded anyways. "Fine. I guess that would be best, Japan."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, sinking down slightly in their seats. A few of them looked over at Japan with a thankful look. Japan stood up, and announced, "Meeting is now dismissed."

The countries stood up, gathering in their usual groups to leave the meeting room. A few of the younger countries glanced outside, absorbing the scenery of Japan. The cherry blossom petals being carried in the wind was a stunning sight for people who haven't been to Japan in a while. For the elder countries, they've seen it enough and were now used to it.

Kiku was the last to leave, making sure everyone was gone and everything was all correct in the meeting room. He pushed the chairs in, and wiped up the tables, trying to make sure everything was clean. "It's a quirk…" he mumbled, scrubbing the cat poop off by Greece's seat.

"Kiku Honda!" someone screamed, making Japan snap his head. He recognized that voice, just the sound of it made his muscles tighten. Standing up straight, he bolted for the entrance, shocked to see that the other countries hadn't left yet, gathered around the walls of the building, leaving the entrance open. Blinking his soulless eyes, he looked at Alfred, who was at the front of the crowds.

"Alfred-san!" Kiku gasped, running towards him. "Why hasn't anyone left yet, and why is everyone so frightened?"

"Look." he murmured, pointing ahead. Kiku followed, and his heart dropped. There, standing in front of him, was his brother. 'Black Kiku', as he was sometimes referred to. He was wearing Japan's former black military outfit, but in a much more fancier model. But, what made it even creepier, was the fact he looked exactly the same as Kiku Honda. Grinning his sadistic smile, the man in the dark uniform chuckled softly.

"Brother, hello, yes?" the man laughed, taking out two long thin swords. "Now, French goodbye, I bid adieu."

"Yuki." Kiku snarled, looking at him with anger in his eyes. Alfred took a step back. "If you're saying goodbye, then leave."

"No no. Brother go bye bye." he laughed again. "I take role of brother. Nation I become. You, rot in grave."

"What is he talking about?" Hungary mumbled to Austria, looking at her former husband.

"I can't tell. He's not speaking proper English." Austria looked back at the man. "And he keeps giggling. He might have a mental illness."

"Quiet your mouths." Yuki hissed, pointing a sword at them. "I keep countries here to watch fall of brother. I become new Japan."

"Do you think just killing me will put you in my place?" Kiku narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms.

"We try now." Yuki lunged at him, his swords leading. Kiku easily dodged the attacked, cart wheeling away from the countries so they wouldn't get hurt. Landing on his feet gently, he unsheathed his kantana, getting in a defense stance. Yuki turned around to look at him, a blood thirty look in his eyes.

"I took you down in the Japanese Civil War, I can do it again." Kiku snarled, tightening his muscles.

"Yes, but I stronger." Yuki answered, looking around curiously. "I no longer pathetic Emperor. I stronger. I take you down now, and return Japan to former glory."

"You're the reason we were so weak." Kiku snarled. "We are doing better because we do not have a monarchy anymore. We do not have a communist government." he narrowed his eyes. "We are becoming powerful."

"But we were never bombed when I was in power, or lost any wars." Yuki smirked. "You were always a sickly child." he ran quickly towards him, thrusting a sword at Kiku's stomach, slashing the flesh and throwing him off his feet. Kiku fell on his back, blood pulsing out of his white uniform.

"That already easy." Yuki said with mock concern. "You still sick and weak child?"

Kiku growled, jumping up and attempting to slash him with his kantana, but Yuki deflected the blade with a sword, using the other to slam the black on the area between his left shoulder and his neck in a twisting motion. Kiku cried out as blood splurted out, splattering the ground and Yuki's uniform.

"Why are you not trying too hard to fight back?" Yuki laughed, slashing at Kiku's head. He leaned back, trying to avoid it, but the tip cut his forehead. Blood dripped down his face and around the Japanese's nose. "You already coated with blood so early, yet you not make mark on me!"

Yuki thrust the sword at Kiku, and he growled when Kiku didn't try to get away, a wound now present on his chest. His eyes widened when he stared at Kiku's eyes, he cried out and covered his face with his hand.

"Stop…stop it…stop looking at me with such emotion…" he cried. "…pity? Stop it!"

- -

"Yao-nii!" Yuki cried, pulling on his elder's robe. "Why can't Kiku come out and play? Hong, Im Yong Soo, and Meimei are no fun! I like playing with brother!"

Yao sighed, bending down eye level with him, holding his shoulders. "Kiku is sick again. Leave him be, aru."

"But-"

"No buts, go play with your siblings, aru."

"They're no fun! And they aren't my siblings!" Yuki cried, stomping away.

- -

Yuki started giggling again with insanity. "You, you sick always. Forced to play with siblings hate I. You always in bed, complain of aches and weakness. Always so thin, Yao thought you not survive."

Kiku was silent, forcing himself into a defense stance as Yuki spoke. Alfred looked at his friend and his twin, nervous for both. Albert squeezed up to him, his eyes focused on the man with the dark outfit. "Yuki…" he whispered.

"Yet, he chose you for nation job." Yuki started laughing now. "He chose you, fear you die if without that immortality. You still weak, but you still nation. Me, I was Emperor, Yao-nii choosing me for that, knowing that I not be around forever. I deserve to be nation, you still weak!" he screamed, taking his two swords and attacking Kiku.

- -

"What do you want to play Kiku?" Yuki sat down on a rock, looking down at his brother, who was hunched over by the creek, staring at the fish. His frail body was shaking slightly as he looked up at him.

"Um…" he blinked. "Whatever you want to play."

"We always play what I want to play Kiku-kun." Yuki crossed his arms. "Let's do what you want to do. What do you want to play?"

Kiku stood up shakily, looking at his brother. "Okay then, I want to play kemari!"

- -

"We have to help them!" Alfred growled, watching the siblings. His hands curled into fists as Kiku received more and more blows, but still wasn't fighting back against his brother.

"No."

Alfred blinked as he looked to Yao, the source of the single, powerful word. The elder nation was shaking slightly, a hand over his heart as he watched his two 'little brothers'. The tears in his eyes were visible, but were not released. His eyes shut as he turned to Alfred, pain present in the stance of his body. "This is the fight that Yuki has been waiting for…he wants the position Kiku has, aru."

"Yao, what are you talking about?!" Alfred whispered hastily to the elder nation. Yao opened his eyes and sighed.

"Yuki and Kiku both are twins, but, Kiku was a very sick child. Nearly every month he would come down with something serious, and would have to be in bed until he got better, but whenever he got sick, he would be crippled. He wouldn't be able to stomach anything, so he would always loose weight, I'd always get scared, worrying at how thin he would get. And never would he play with his siblings, so he would always be so weak, sitting by the creek and just watching the fish, aru." Yao explained miserably.

"But, so wouldn't that mean that Yuki would be the one to represent Japan, not Kiku? If Yuki was stronger than Kiku?" Alfred mumbled.

"That's what everyone thought, because Kiku one day was so badly sick, it was obvious he wasn't going to survive this one, and was going to die. Though, that night, I decided that Kiku was to become the nation, Yuki the Emperor of the nation, or whatever government Kiku would choose, aru." then he smiled. "It worked. Kiku survived the fever, and the day right after I made my decision, he was out playing games with his siblings. Though he was terribly weak and had to sit down a lot, he was still playing with them."

"But Yuki wasn't happy about that decision…" Arthur spoke up, moving his way to stand next to Alfred. He took a quick glance at the fight, Kiku now dodging the blows Yuki threw at him. "He wanted to be the nation."

"That's true, and he argued that it was just a miracle, and Kiku was going to die the next time he got sick. He believed that his brother becoming a nation had nothing to do with him getting better. But, it had. Never again did he get badly sick, just a cold every once in a while. He started getting stronger, and soon, he was as resilient as his siblings. He was a normal child it seemed, though he was always slightly weakened by his sickly childhood. Which is why he's short and skinny, aru."

There was a pained noise from the fight, pulling the nations back to watching the fight. Yao started looking nervous again, somewhat regretting telling a weakness of his brother.

Kiku was knocked to the ground, groaning loudly. He rolled over on his stomach to try and get up, but Yuki planted his foot on his back, pinning him to the ground. Kiku looked at his brother, sadness in his brown eyes. Yuki growled, the side of the blade against the fallen nation's cheek.

"You could never decision. Always making people do for you." he hissed, sliding it up as he cut Kiku's cheek. "You no deserve to be nation. Strong one like me. Hai."

Kiku glared at him. "Yao did it for-"

"Only because you die!" Yuki screamed, raising his swords. Kiku shut his eyes and looked away, preparing for the attack. "You just like namesake. Camellia blossom, flower with no fragrance. No uniqueness. Nothing different. Just pathetic flower, meant to wilt away silently and be forgotten."

Kiku snapped his eyes opened and glared sharply at his brother. "Yuki, I am not like that."

"Shut up." Yuki snarled, picking him up by his neck and holding him up in front of the other nations. Kiku couched, struggling to breath, his legs kicking as his hands tried to pried off Yuki's fingers from his neck. "Countries watch you fall now. Camellia blossom, when wilts it sad, tragic, silent death. Similar with brother."

Kiku's eyes widened as he watched his brother lift a sword, pressing it against his back right near his heart. Yuki grinned a frightening grin, giggling with delight at the fall of his brother.

- -

"Ok, watch this Kiku!" Yuki smiled at his brother, passing the ball to him with his feet. Kiku nodded, a serious expression on his face as he tried to kick it back, but it ended up bouncing under his foot and rolling over to the creek. Kiku frowned slightly, shuffling over to the creek to retrieve it.

"Why did you want to play this Kiku?" Yuki ran after him, standing by the edge of the water with him. "And I don't think Yao-nii is gonna be happy with you out of bed."

"I wanted to hang out with you brother!" Kiku looked up at him, smiling warmly. "And I wanted to try this game!"

"You never want to do any kind of physical game like this."

Kiku didn't answer, holding the ball in his hands as he glanced over at the flowers in the bush. "The Camellia Blossoms are blooming."

"Oh? Those useless flowers?" Yuki shrugged. "They're look just like any other flower, they don't even have a smell!"

"But I think they're nice." Kiku smiled slightly. "Um, want to try again?"

"Try what again?"

"Play kemari again."

"I don't know, you aren't that good at it. And you have to rest."

"I want to play it again…" Kiku muttered.

- -

Yuki's eyes expressed pain, but it vanished instantly. "Prepare for death, brother. Always follow you, finally attack now." Kiku's eyes widened in fear, still struggling to break free.

"We have to do something!" Alfred's muscles tightened. "Yuki is going to kill Kiku!"

Korea and Taiwan both stood next to China, the three eastern countries wanting to spring and attack. Finland was shaking, and he frantically whispered to them, "You heard Yuki before! He'll kill us if we attack, or show signs of attacking!"

"I'm worried, he's got a mental illness by the looks of it…" Switzerland muttered, protecting Liechtenstein, who was cowering behind her big brother, scared of the man white two swords.

"Quiet!" Yuki screeched. "You all talk too much!" he threw one of the swords at the largest cluster of the countries. They screamed as they ducked, the sword implanting itself in the wall of the building.

Kiku struggled even more, enraged he would even try to hurt his fellow countries. Yuki looked at his brother, taking the other sword, and whispering in his ear,

"Kiku-san…you too weak to take care of self country anymore…your country is mine…"

Kiku did not let out a scream as the blade impaled his body, all the way through.

- -

I never wanted to play kemari. I had honestly wanted to curl up and take a nap, very weak just from the walk to the creek. Even after Yao-nii named me the country.

Kiku stared down at his reflection in the creek, frowning slightly. He cried out in frustration, throwing the ball into the water, watching it splash and ripples to form.

"You've got to be kidding me Kik's!" a full grown nation stood behind Kiku, his reflection also appearing. His brown eyes widened as he stared at the new comer's reflection. "You aren't that weak! Who cares if you were sick as a child man, you're stronger than that! You wouldn't fall that easily, dude!"

An adult Kiku turned around to see who it was, but they faded away, his brother also gone. He blinked, looking around for him, but he was completely gone, though he knew immediately who it was, and he couldn't help but smile as he whispered,

"The Camellia Blossom has a fragrance…"

- -

Silence over came the countries as the small man became limp, blood dripping down the blade that had went right through him, as if his body was a loaf of bread, the sword the simple knife. Yet it had caused much more damage.

Yao was the first to react, but it was a silent reaction. His eyes had widened, and tears streamed down his face, falling to his knees with his hands covering his face as he wept quietly. Im Yong Soo seemed numb as Meimei hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

Alfred was in shock, staring at his best friend skewered by his own brother. He couldn't take his eyes off of the glazed look in Kiku's eyes, the blade right through his chest. There was no way someone could have survived that type of wound, it appeared to go right threw his heart.

At first he didn't feel the tug on his jacket, but after the second time, Alfred blinked and looked down at Sealand, who was staring up at the building in horror. "Hey you jerk, look up!"

Alfred obeyed, looking up at the many flags of the nation as they flapped proudly in the wind. "I don't see anything." he mumbled to the small nation.

"Open your eyes!" he whispered. "Look at Japan's flag!"

Alfred nodded, surveying the flags for the familiar white one, and his heart jumped in his throat. It seemed impossible, but the Japanese flag was no longer waving. There was a gentle breeze, but the flags didn't wave because of wind. It showed the countries strength, and that they were still a country. If it wasn't waving, the country would be dead.

"No…" Alfred's eyes widened, watching the flags nearby flap, but his friend's flag hug pathetically, as if no wind was blowing. He shook his head quickly, turning around to look at the gory scene before him. "Kiku! Don't give up! You can't go down that easily!"

- -

"No…" a raspy voice whispered. "You're wrong…"

Yuki's eyes widened, pushing Kiku's body off violently, throwing him forward. Kiku slammed on the ground and rolled, but in a swift motion he was on his feet, looking at his brother with a violent and blood thirty expression. He didn't even stagger, standing in his defense stance, ready to fight with his martial arts.

"Kiku!" Alfred couldn't help but cry, glancing up again to see the flag waving again, slowly going faster and faster. Yao picked his head up, looking at his little brother in shock.

"I'm done with this." Kiku snarled, more angry than anyone ever saw before. "I'm done taking care of you, babying you, pretending to follow all your suggestions because I can't make my own anymore, I'm done!"

Yuki blinked. "No weapon wish to fight brother?"

"I don't need a weapon to defeat you!" Kiku yelled, running up to him, as quick as lightening. He got right up to him, their noses nearly touching, as Kiku palmed Yuki's chest, sending him off his feet. Yuki used his feet to kick Kiku in his wounds as he got up, making the country kneel over in pain. He punched him in the face, knocking him down.

"Don't give up Kiku!" Alfred cried, watching in horror as Yuki raised his sword again to the fallen country. He looked around frantically, then saw the sword implanted in the wall. Making a dash for it, the other countries moved out of the way as he tried to pull it out. "Come on…get out!" he groaned, giving it one more tough yank as it came out. He looked up, then screamed, "Kiku!" as he threw the sword towards him.

The fallen country looked up, then grabbed the handle of the sword perfectly, and just in time to deflect the attack, protecting his body. Yuki snarled, pushing down harder, but Kiku smirked, and kicked his brother in the groin. He groaned and doubled over, Kiku pushing him off.

Kiku yanked him up by his collar, taking the sword and pressing it against Yuki's neck, breathing heavily. Yuki eyed him warily, blinking as he pressed the tip of his blade to Kiku's stomach. The wounded man didn't flinch, instead knocked him away, sending him flying to the ground.

"You get weak brother. No more strength soon." Kiku's darker self grinned, jumping to his feet.

Kiku narrowed his eyes, and suddenly let out a battle cry as he attacked his brother in a quick series of martial arts moves and blows. Yuki had absolutely no time to defend himself, knocked around helplessly as each hit landed on the mark. There never had been so much hatred and anger in Kiku's eyes, Yuki wasn't sure how to react.

Suddenly Kiku had knocked him by the wall of the meeting rom, the countries running out of the way. He growled, grabbing his brother and slamming him against the hard wall, placing the blade against his throat. Yuki was stunned, and couldn't move, but watched his brother's soulless eyes.

It seemed that time had stopped, both brothers staring at each other, neither one willing to move. But Yuki didn't have the option to move, the blade against his throat. Kiku's expression gradually softened, his body weakening from his injuries.

"You no stand well." Yuki muttered.

"You know it's your fault Yuki." Kiku replied in a monotone voice.

"Jealous of brother I am."

"Your brother used to be jealous of you. Now it's even, I believe, though that's very rude to think that way. I'm ashamed of myself." Kiku's eyes narrowed slightly, his body shaking. "It pains me how you don't think I deserve to be the country."

"I be nation I should." Yuki grunted. "Not government, I better than that."

"But you bossed me around as government." Kiku muttered. "If you were mad at me, you had your samurai punish me. I was your battery, if I was alive, so was your government. You had more power than me, and you always will. You separate the government of Japan, I represent the nation itself."

"You respect possess." Yuki snarled, his muscles tightening.

"You have power." Kiku stared at him again. "I don't have that. I have as much power as the common people."

"That lie you do now."

"I'm not lying." Kiku blinked, then stared at the blade for a long time. He removed it from his throat, then took a few steps back. "Get out of here Yuki."

Yuki's eyes widened. "You're letting me go, after nearly killing you?"

"You're my brother, and you can learn better. I'm giving you this last chance." Kiku took a deep breath, a hand on his head as he staggered slightly. "You were having an insanity attack, that's all…"

Yuki nodded quickly, his eyes locking with Albert as he stood beside his brother. The man looked back to his brother, then said,

"The Camellia Blossom has a scent…" He sighed, looking at Albert again. Letting out a small cry, he tore his eyes away from his lover as he bolted away from the countries, not even bothering to look back. But he could see the blood splatters, his brother's blood splatters. He cried out with anguish as he continued to run.

"Kiku!" Alfred called, running to his friend as he toppled over. He was able to get there quick enough to catch him before he collided with the ground. Alfred blinked as people started to gather around them, Yao pushing to the front of the crowd to watch his little brother's shallow breathing.

"I-Is he alright?" Arthur whispered, watching him closely.

"The poor man just got attacked, and nearly killed! He's exhausted and hurt!" Elizabeta snapped at him.

"He looks beaten up." Francis muttered.

Alfred looked down at the small man in his arms, looking over him and all the cuts and bruises he received. "This is Kiku we're talking about man, he'll be fine. Just a few cuts. He just needs a few bandages and stitches, a nice long nap, and he should be fine!"

"Alfred, look at him, aru!" Yao snapped, watching as Albert bolted in the direction Yuki went. "He needs medical attention!"

"I've never seen him that angry…" Heracles stated from where he stood, a cat making it's way to his head.

"Kiku's gonna be fine, he beat Yuki, he'll be fine…" Alfred said with confidence, smoothing out his raven black hair.