This story was influenced by "Giving In" by Artificial.
Chapter 23: кровавый снег
[Translations at bottom of page]
1942
Within the year of 1941 of WWII, Germany had invaded the Soviet Union in an attack called Operation Barbarossa, despite the nonaggression pact the two nations signed earlier on in the war. Germany and Hitler believed the Soviets were inferior fighters and believed they would fall in less then three months. Germany sent his soldiers in three groups to attack the North, South, and the Center. The plan changed several times, they believed the plan was successful, they captured soldiers and cities, but Germany was wrong. Close to Moscow, the Germans could not go any further. The harsh snow fell and they were quickly out of supplies.
The Germans quickly withdrew against orders. With help of American supplies, the Soviets regained strength and prepared to fight again. Later on, the Soviet Union attacked Romanian and Italian armies and encircled the city of Stalingrad. Soviets captured more then 338,000 soldiers and sent them to prison camps, Germans began another attack with the Great Patriotic War, where the Soviets stopped them. They suffered heavily but took control. They moved towards Hungry and Romania.
Russia could remember every second of that war, he believed Germany had betrayed him even after their agreements. Cities were destroyed, he feared when each attack would come, he was angry about how many people had died, what this was costing his country, or back then, or more of their country. One day he couldn't forget, one that burned in the back of his mind, after the Germans had withdrew, Germany himself came back for a little "talk" with Russia and the others.
The attacks had been hard, everything was destroyed. Soviets citizens had tried to pick up what they could and rebuild, everyone from children to the old, Russia himself had even helped, he believed it was all his fault, helping was the least he could do. He did whatever he could while waiting on orders, whether it was simply picking up rubble or helping with supplies to even finding dead bodies, which always made him flinch thinking how he was suppose to protect them.
"g-n Ivan." A little girl had snuck up behind Russia as he picked up burnt wood. He turned and looked to see who it was.
He would recognize her anywhere. He knew her voice, it was soft and always cheery, he enjoyed hearing someone who was happy, espically during this time. But she was more quiet today. She was the only blonde haired girl in Moscow, straight yet curly hair, her eyes were a bright hazel, she was quite pale, she was small, only up to Russia's hip if not smaller. She wore a long black coat with a white inside, it was originally her father's and it showered below her knees to the cold world. It was ripped up from worn and tear, Russia offered to sow it for the girl once or twice but she always replied with a confident "I can do it myself sir".
She was a poor little child, like her family, and worked on farms. Russia knew her from before the war even started, she was a little girl who happily did her parent's work and visited Russia, they had met at a market and she was talking about sunflowers, which caught his immediate attention. Even in all the destruction, her sweet smile never went away, her interest in flowers, especially sunflowers, her soft humming when she skipped around; she was a child that Russia had liked and even cared about, he enjoyed her company.
"Zdravstvuĭte Mar'ya." Russia gave a little smile to the girl. She looked at the rubble of the what used to be a market and got sad eyes. "Eto budet v poryadke. YA budu zashchishchat' tebya." She looked back up at him.
"Budete li vy zashchishchat' moi roditeli?" She asked. Russia first didn't answer.
"Da. YA eto sdelayu." He said. She must of known he was being hesistate because she got a uncertain look. "YA mogu dat' vam moe slovo Mar'e." He tried to comfort her.
She looked at him with a bit of a smile. "YA schitayu, vy." Russia smiled a little bit. He noticed the little girl hid something in her hands behind her back.
"Chto u vas v rukakh?" He asked. The little girl got a bashful little face, he saw her surprise. She slowly started to take the object out.
"Podsolnechnoe." She said and took the sunflower out. It was a bit wilted and not that bright, but it was alive and there. "Eto byl yedinstvennyĭ, kto vyzhil zimu i boevykh dyeĭstviĭ." He looked at it blankely, how he never got to see any like this, if he ever saw one, especially at this time of year, it would be completely dead, wilited belong help. "YA khochu, chtoby vy yest'. Vy poluchaete udovol'stvie ot nikh, i vy posmotrite grustnyĭ." She handed the flower to him. He grabbed it gently and held it.
"s-spasibo." Russia smiled. The little girl grinned and decided to help Russia with his work. He stood there a moment looking at the flower before he gently stuck it into his pocket, just the stem was in it though. He then started to pick up parts of building again.
"G-n Ivan . Eto budet v poryadke." She said. He gave her a nod.
It began snowing again. He figured much, he was hearing General Winter's voice in his head lately, and so the snow began, only adding to what was on the ground. He could see his own breath as well as the little girl's. Everyone continued to pick up everything, Russia's anger and sadness were suppressed by talking with the little girl. When he had finally calmed down and relaxed, Germany came.
He heard people running, some people even yelling, and the little girl had looked up with wide eyes to see. Russia looked at her and then looked the same direction. Germany himself and a few soldiers of his army came in on old fashioned military motorcycles. Soviets ran, hid, some stood put, parents hid their children away or protected him, which got Russia's attention, he didn't see her parents anywhere.
"Mar'ya . Otoĭdi ot Menya." Russia ordered. She got that frightful look in her eyes that Russia never liked to see, especially in a child like her. She listened and got behind Russia, he quickly hid her away as the Germans got off their motorcycles. He put his hand behind and grabbed onto her tiny hand.
"Commie. How are you?" Germany said with a smile, Nazi Germany.
"You betrayed me. We had a deal." Russia said with a cold tone.
"Our objective changed a bit. Sorry." Germany said, he was playing with Russia, he could just tell he was.
"You attacked my cities and expect to get away with it? Do not think you will."
"Of course not, but we are allied." Germany said. "Or did you forget that?"
"I'm starting to think joining the Allies would be a better idea. You wouldn't stand a chance with me on the opposing side."
"I believe I would. Hitler's plans are working, all of them. We only left because of your damn winter."
"Didn't think that one though did you?" Russia decided to play back. Germany wasn't amused.
"Alright Commie. This is what will happen. You will surrender to the Nazi power and put you're people into the German rule." Germany said. Russia could see wondering eyes of his people, they didn't know what was happening in a language they didn't know, or who they really were. Russia growled.
"I will not surrender to your so called, 'inferior' rule." Russia said. Germany frowned.
"Rethink that."
"I have. I will be fighting against you Germany. Period." Russia said. Germany definitely wasn't amused now. He started walking toward the Communist Russian.
"Are you sure?" His steps got closer.
"I'm sure. You will be my enemy Germany."
"Alright," Germany took out his rifle, all the citizens quickly ducked or protected their children, Russia's expression didn't change. "You must be punished though."
"Are you going to shoot me? You can go ahead." Russia said, he didn't care about a bullet wound. Germany gave a chuckle and smiled at Russia. He then lifted his hand and pushed Russia to the side. The rifle clicked and bam!
Russia's eyes widened. Blood splatter onto his face. Her grip loosened as she fell to the ground until she fell so low he had to let go. She hit the ground with a soft thump and the snow slowly turned red under her. Blood dripped down her face from the wound, her eyes still open and teary. Russia couldn't turn his eyes from her.
Germany cleaned off his rifle and went back to his army ready to go. Russia slowly turned his eyes from her and to Germany. He put his helmet back on and looked at the Russian. "Someone needed to pay." He said. Russia's entire body flinched with anger. Soviets cried and screamed, he heard the little girl's parents now, her mother screaming and crying as neighbors pulled her back from running to her child.
Russia's mind was made up now. "Germany. You will regret this." He said, his eyes piercing and filled with anger and hatred. "You will pay for this Germany! I swear it! I'll be the last person you face and I'll be the one to put a bullet in your brain!" Germany smiled, clearly amused with Russia's threats. The motorcycles were on and they started driving off, Russia staring at him as he waved a devilish good bye and drove off.
Russia stood there and listened to the sound of the cycles drive off and her mother still crying. After a moment, he looked toward the innocent child. He bent down to the ground, the snow now soaked in blood, something's he's always seen here. He reached over and closed the little girl's eyes. He slowly took the sunflower out of his pocket then and placed it on her.
One thing he liked, cared for, that little girl he had talked to, she was gone now, anything he cared for was gone, always. He would never see her smile again, her happy hazel eyes, her beautiful bright blonde hair was soaked in blood now, he had promised to keep her safe and it was his fault she was dead now. It's always my fault, he thought. Always. He let down his people in everyway he tried to protect them. His people died while he failed at fighting in a war. His involvement cost lives he was suppose to protect, his people rebelled, they must of hated him. He always believed if they knew about their nation as a person that they would blame him.
He always saw their blood, heard their screams, felt their pain, always, he was scared.
Russia let his head go and uncovered his ears. Reliving that damn moment had stopped it. He moved his hands, thinking the girl's hand was still holding onto his. He whipped his face, thinking the blood was still there. He looked around the room, hoping he wasn't in that wintrily hell anymore, he wasn't. Russia took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. That was the moment he regretted the most, he always believed it was his fault and tried so hard to forget about it. General Winter used that memory to his advance when it came to touring Russia, sometimes, her voice would echo in his head, you said you promised Mr. Ivan. He realized that looking at Canada now would start the nightmare over again.
Russia quickly got off his bed and made his way downstairs to the fridge. He searched through the milk cartons and juice bottles to find his extra glass bottle of Vodka, he needed a pick-me-up. Russia took the cap off and started gulping from the bottle, it would all go away soon. The voices still echoed in his head as he gulped down the bottle, not taking a single break.
"Russia?" Russia paused and looked for the voice, it wasn't in his head, he knew that. He turned to his side and saw the Canadian standing there. "Russia. A-Are you okay?" Russia stopped drinking his bottle and looked at him, Canada was the last person he wanted to see.
"Matthew." Russia said, Canada blinked with the fact he called him by his real name instead of Matvey. "We are responsible for our people right? It's our job to protect them right?"
"W-What? What's this all of a sud-"
"Answer the question!" Russia slammed the bottle onto the counter and made a crack.
"I-I guess."
"Yes or no?"
"I don't-"
"Yes or no!"
"Yes!" Canada said without thinking. He did believe that, but he wasn't sure what to do with the situation. Russia stared at the boy for a second before going back to drinking his Vodka. "A-Are you okay? Russia?"
Russia looked back at him with piercing eyes. "You do understand we are not friends right?"
"What?"
"Tell me you understand. I know what you've been thinking. Oh Russia's not that bad of a guy, maybe we really are friends, he seems nice, don't get any ideas!"
"I-I'm not." Canada said. He sensed the tense mood and was actually a bit afraid to say anything. He knew Russia was angry, he knew never to get involved with angry Russia. But, he already did.
"You understand the difference then?"
"Y-Yes."
"Then tell me! How are we different boy? !" Russia yelling sent shivers down Canada's spine, he could feel his heart beating faster with every word from the Russian, he was terrified now.
"I-I."
"Answer this question. What color is the snow?" Russia said.
"W-Wh-"
"What color is the snow?"
"W-White." Canada said. Russia smiled, his creepy and terrifying smile.
"Matthew. You see, where I come from, the color of the snow is always crimson." Russia said. "That should explain the difference enough." Canada stood there not really knowing how to react to this. Russia stood there for a moment, leaning against the counter with his Vodka. Canada didn't make a move or a sound, he couldn't.
Russia gave another look at the Canadian. A sudden strike of pain struck through his chest and Russia lifted the Vodka bottle a little more, Canada watched. He lost it. Russia slammed the bottle into the side of the counter and shattered it everywhere, not caring if it cut him or the boy next to him, it was better then smacking the boy in the head with it, which he was thinking about. Russia's hands bled from the broken glass and he quickly took off up to his room again and left the boy puzzled.
Russia returned to his room and whipped his bloodied hands onto his pants. He flashed his anger out at the one person who didn't deserve it. He might of screwed up now. Russia laid down and put the pillow on his head, thinking he could of just ruined his friendship with Canada, something he never wanted to end up doing. He ruined it.
OOOOOOThank you~
First off, this is influenced by "Giving In" By Artificial. We did talk it over and the author has given me permission to start it like this.
I do not own the characters used in this nor do I own the anime they come from.
So I kinda got dramatic with this.... I know it's a little out of character for Russia but I figured I put that in. The little girl was Marya and Russia got along with her very well, she often gave him whatever surviving sunflowers off her farm too. She was sweet and innocent and her actions were similar to Canada's.
Plus I put in a little history fact~.... Yeah. Some of it is not completely accurate, I will say that.
So poor Mattie got the bad part here D :
He Didn't know what was going on but it could have been worse.
Also, the quote, "Where I come from, the snow is (red) crimson." I found it on a you tube video with Russia and China. But since Canada has experience with snow too, it fits, only adding to Canada's poor innocent self and past~
Translations:
Russian:
кровавый снег: Bloody Snow
g-n Ivan: Mr. Ivan.
Zdravstvuĭte Mar'ya: hello Marya.
Eto budet v poryadke. YA budu zashchishchat' tebya: It will be okay. I will protect you.
Budete li vy zashchishchat' moi roditeli?: Will you protect my parents?
Da. YA eto sdelayu.: Yes. I will.
YA mogu dat' vam moe slovo Mar'e: I can give you my word Marya.
YA schitayu, vy: I believe you.
Chto u vas v rukakh ?:What do you have in your hand?
Podsolnechnoe: A sunflower.
Eto byl yedinstvennyĭ, kto vyzhil zimu i boevykh dyeĭstviĭ: It was the only one that survived the winter and the fighting
YA khochu, chtoby vy yest'. Vy poluchaete udovol'stvie ot nikh, i vy posmotrite grustnyĭ Ivan: I want you to have it. You enjoy them and you look sad Mr. Ivan.
s-spasibo: t-thank you.
G-n Ivan . Eto budet v poryadke.: Mr. Ivan. It will be okay.
Mar'ya . Otoĭdi ot Menya.: Marya. Get behind me.