I know the chapter doesn't mention it, but this takes place during the events of World War I.
Yao stood at the table in the dining room of his house, angrily staring down at the reports his people had sent him.
His lands were being split up at the borders; divided between Russia, Germany, and Japan. His land was being split. Reading the radio's printed words, Yao frowned when he found that Germany had taken control of Qingdao.
And then reading further, he found that Japan was fighting Germany for control of the city. Japan has won, and had now pushed Germany out of the running for taking Yao's lands.
Yao scowled as he stood up, kicking his chair back and storming to his room. If his people weren't enough to keep Japan and Kiku at bay, then he'd have to go get some other help.
He quickly pulled on his uniform and slid a coat overtop, storming out the door and getting his stallion out of the stable. Telling Panda he'd be back in a while, he flicked the reigns and disappeared into the forest in the direction of their village.
Luckily, the World War I Allies we're residing in Japan from what the radio had said. It was only a day's ride there.
And as he rode, Yao frowned to himself. Kiku was taking his land, again. Hadn't Nanking been enough for him? And what would he stop at to get Yao's land?
Yao found himself wishing he'd listened closer to Kiku that night under the stars. If only he'd been a bit more observant.
As the sun rose higher into the sky, Yao finally saw the large bridge to Japan. Giving his stallion a bit more energy with a quick boost of energy, Yao's face took on a look of determination.
Finally, he'd made it to the Allied Meeting building in Japan, where he stormed in quickly. Several guards went to stop him, but seemed to get the notion that he was not to be trifled with at the moment.
Opening the doors to the room, Yao saw Francis, Arthur, Alfred, both Feliciano and Lovino, Ivan, and Kiku sitting at a round table and talking.
His arrival and the slamming door made the seven nations glance up to the door with varying expressions. Arthur stood, walking a few feet over to Yao.
"Yao? What brings you here?" He asked, taking on a suspicious tone. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Oh, I'm here because I wanted to ask how the weather was over in Britain," Yao responded sarcastically. He blinked and also folded his arms over his chest. "I'm here because I'd like to become part of your alliance."
The room was silent for a moment, before Francis spoke up. "Why would we need you as our alliance?"
"Yeah," Alfred chimed. "I thought you declared yourself neutral anyway?"
Yao frowned at the table, meeting Alfred's eyes. "My lands are in serious jeopardy," he made sure to shoot Kiku a look, before returning his gaze to meet Francis' eyes. "My people will help fight against the Eastern lines."
Britain blinked in surprise and seemed to think it over a moment before turning back to the table. He glanced over his shoulder at Yao.
"Let us discuss this," he stated quickly. "Out in the hall with you."
Yao was ready to retort, when he glanced at Kiku. Kiku glared at him with venom practically seeping out of his eyes. Wincing, Yao nodded to Arthur and turned, stepping out of the room.
And after several moments of waiting outside, Arthur slowly opened the door. Stepping back into the room, Yao tried to read the atmosphere, which proved nearly impossible. He looked to Arthur, raising an eyebrow.
Arthur sighed heavily and shook his head to Yao. "We do not need another alliance; we're afraid of your already broken land. There is no large threat in the East, therefore we do not need help."
Yao blinked in surprise, not expecting to be completely turned down flat. He fought to keep his cool, and nodded slowly.
"I see how it is," he mumbled evenly, biting back a sharp response to Arthur's words. "I'll be leaving then, since I'm not needed here."
Taking one last look at the group at the table, Yao frowned. And before he left, he met Kiku's gaze once again.
The emotionless brown eyes flickered in victory, and a smug smirk was pulled onto his lips. Yao bit his bottom lip and turned, leaving.
And once he'd made it back home, Yao had continued to live normally. He completely tuned the war from his mind, that is, until he received a letter one day.
His doorman bowed and hurried away, leaving Yao to state down at the thin envelope with a golden and red stamp to seal it.
He stepped inside, sitting down at the table with Panda on his shoulder to open the letter. Carefully sliding his nails beneath the flap, he tore it open and pulled out a single, folded paper.
Reading it, his eyes widened a bit. British troops were falling back, and the Allies had decided to accept his offer for an alliance.
Though spiteful, Yao had agreed, and sent his men to Britain, among other places, the help work and fight.
He did this in the hopes that at the war's conclusion, he'd be recognized as an ally and also get his lands back from Kiku.
However Yao quickly realized that his little brother was more set on obtaining his lands than he had thought. His alliance could only be completely accepted if all of the Allies agreed. And every nation did; except for Kiku. Hoping to become the new powerhouse of the East, Kiku had refused to sign the declaration of China's alliance.
However, Yao continued to send troops and fleets of workers. He wasn't going to let one stupid conflict get in the way of his lands.
And as weeks passed, Yao fought with his people. He'd finally come home one night, and had just barely stepped in the door when a knock resonated through the air.
Frowning and turning to the door, Yao was utterly surprised to see Kiku Honda at his door. And taken off guard, Yao didn't have time to react before a katana was at his throat.
He remained calm though, meeting Kiku's eyes. Kiku returned his gaze with a cold glare.
"I am not here to kill you," Kiku said first. "I am here to offer a solution."
Yao blinked, and relaxed as Kiku removed three katana from his throat. The Japanese man revealed a folded paper from his pocket, along with a pen. He didn't let his katana fall though, still pointing it at Yao.
"Twenty-One Demands," Kiku said, pointing to the list of demands on the sheet. He rolled a pen over to Yao, who didn't pick it up. "Shandong and Manchuria are mine. You forfeit these lands, and I will stop attacking your people."
Yao met Kiku's eyes with a shocked expression, that quickly morphed into anger. "You think I'm going to give you my lands willingly?"
Kiku only smiled a bit, raising his katana to poke at Yao's throat. "No. But I'm making you."
Flinching, Yao looked back down at the paper. He glanced at the pen beside his hand, and then to the two signature spots, where Kiku Honda's name was already signed. Then, he looked back up to Kiku.
"Why are you doing this?" Was all he could ask, feeling his heart break a bit more than its fractured pieces already were. Kiku glared at him.
"I have already answered you this; to grow stronger. Now," he drove the end of the katana a bit into the skin of Yao's neck. "Sign it."
Yao sighed in defeat and picked up the pen, hesitantly signing the paper. As he finished, Kiku pulled his katana back and picked up the paper. Folding it again, he placed it back in his pocket.
His a small frown and a glare, he turned and left Yao again, disappearing to wherever he came from.
Yao frowned and watched him go.
It would be fine, he told himself. When they won this war, the Allies would give him back his lands. So, with this perspective, Yao declared war on Germany and continued to fight.
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After the war had been won, Yao and the other Allies had been called to meet and discuss a peace treaty. And so, the Treaty of Versailles was born.
Yao entered the room with confidence, smiling as he waited for the other nations to read over and sign the treaty. When he'd finally made it to look over it, his eyes widened in shock.
The Allies had awarded the lands that Kiku had taken control of, and Shandong, to Kiku. Even after they knew that the lands had been forcefully taken away from him.
Yao belt betrayed. He'd sent his people to battle, into labor. He'd fought with them, witnessing the horrible battles they had to go through. Without his help, the Allies would have found themselves in a bit of a situation. Without his warriors, the Allies would have had a harder battle. His people died because of the war; and this was the way the Allies repaid him?
Stepping away from the treaty, he almost ran into Arthur.
"Something wrong?" Arthur asked, as if he wasn't aware of the situation Yao was in.
"You know exactly what is wrong," Yao growled, pointing a finger at Arthur. It would have looked funny; Yao's shortness usually would make him look less intimidating. Right now, he was anything but less intimidating.
Arthur took a step back, raising his eyebrows. "And what do suggest I did?"
Yao repressed the idea to just tackle Arthur then and there. Instead, he tried to filter his rage through his expression. "My people were sent to war to fight with yours. They went to war, knowing that they were doing it so that they could win their country's land back."
Yao paused a moment, gritting his teeth as he realized the crowd of Allies around them. It didn't matter though, the whole world would soon hear about this soon enough.
"They does to get their land back. And what do you repay them with?" Yao felt his face getting hotter by the second, and squeezed his hands into fists at his side. It only took a quickly glance at the crowd to locate his next subject.
"You give my lands to him," Yao three a hand out, pointing at Kiku. "Even though they were forcefully taken in the first place. You. Gave. Them. To. Him," Yao snarled, feeling the venom dripping from his tone. Acid burned the back of his throat as he felt bile begin to rise.
Arthur blinked in surprise and held his hands out omg don't of him. His eyes narrowed after a second.
"I think we've the more reliable opinion on the treaty. We fought longer than you," the Englishman said plainly. This only infuriated Yao more.
"That doesn't change the fact that my people died! Just because you fought longer, doesn't mean that my people still didn't perish for their land," Yao turned back to the treaty, still holding the pen in a fist.
He turned back to Arthur and the rest of the Allies, and held the pen out in front of him. Squeezing his hand with just a bit more force, Yao felt the plastic crack and the ink leak onto his hand.
He threw the broken pan to the ground. "I refuse to sign this," he growled.
And with that, he stormed out the door.