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"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions
than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."

~Thomas Sowell~

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James Barry Munnick Hertzog-68 years old, white, Afrikaaner, and Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa. (Apparently we're not a republic yet...whoops.) Meeting Mr. Hertzog-James (as he insisted I call him)-was supposed to mean something. It should have felt like I was meeting Obama or Mandela, or someone important.

He was a leader.

And not just any leader, he was the leader of my country.

His decisions directly affected me.

Standing there, in that small conference room, some small part of me registered that meeting him was meant to mean something. And yet, like meeting a celebrity that you've been told is famous without ever seeing their work, it didn't.

Looking back on it, it was probably for the best that I wasn't star-struck. I can't imagine how intolerable life would have been if I had been self-conscious around my own leaders-my bosses. And honestly people really need to earn respect, and not have it thrust upon them due to rank.

But still, at the moment, I couldn't help but feel horrible when James reached out his hand to shake mine-a sure sign of respect-and I let out an unimpressed, "that's him?"

The silence that followed was all too uncomfortable, and telling.

Looks like this is going to be a great partnership.

Luckily Arthur managed to break in with a crack-although I'm not too sure he was joking-about my 'air-headedness'. Playing off my rude comment as "forgetful" rather than "unimpressed." Which was all well and good, except I doubt anyone in that room truly bought it.

Thus began my career as a politician; with an unintended insult and a lie.

...it spiraled from there.

The longer the talks went on;

"So what do you think about the failing health of King George?"

The more obvious it became that I was woefully uninformed.

"...um, I think that it's...sad?"

About life;

"Yes of course, but how do you think Prince Edward will do as king?"

About leadership;

"I'm sure he'll try his best."

But most importantly;

"Well yes...there is that."

About history;

"So, anything interesting happen while I was cooped up?"

'That was the wrong question to ask,' I mused while looking at the room of suddenly ridged men. Arthur would later inform me that the 20 questions had been their attempt to waylay any serious political discussions. Apparently the sexism was real because, their country or not, they felt "politics" to be of "no consequence" to those of the female persuasion.

In fact, it seemed, the only person who would have been on my side-my Prime Minister (who, apparently, approved Woman's suffrage four years ago)-I had effectively snubbed almost instantly.

But my question managed to hit upon the exact topic they had been discussing before Arthur and I had made our entrance. And it was a heavily contested point amongst the cabinet, in short-propriety took a back seat.

"Well," began one of the older men. His eyes daring any to argue against him. "That new up-start, Hitler, just merged Germany's chancellor and presidential offices."

He snorted as if such an idea was ludicrous.

"He calls himself their 'Fuehrer', as in their leader, their teacher. Hopefully he'll do better than old Hindenburg." The man continued, relaying his 'great advice' to all who would hear. "Man was going senile in his old age. Reichstag Fire Decree, please, why not just declare Marshall law, while you're at it?"

Now, I tried.

I really did.

I understood the need to present myself as knowledgeable. After all I was an indirect representation of them and they wouldn't want to look stupid-least of all in front of Great Britain.

There's also the fact that people like them have crazy-long memories. If I did something stupid now, they'd hold it against me for years. And I may never again regain the 'influence' needed to steer them through the upcoming storms.

So, I really did try.

But my mouth, apparently, didn't get the memo...as it rushed to outrun my brain.

"...uh...what?"

::::

Eventually the meeting drew to a close. Although, not without James making it a point to 'remind' Arthur that, come August, his presence in the cabinet would no-longer be required (read; permitted). Seems South Africa was ready to take their training wheels off as we had passed an Act (while I was too busy lounging around at home) that named us an 'independent sovereign state'.

In other words? Arthur-and his King-no longer had a say in my, our, government...which is all well and good...but I wasn't ready to fly solo!

But I digress.

The meeting drew to a close and I was able to ask Arthur some very pertinent questions. Mainly, how did he keep up with all the information? Did he read it all, or was it just zapped into his brain? And if he didn't read it all, did my ignorance mean my people were ignorant or did it have to do with me being relatively new to the political world?

Question after question I shot at him-

How much political power did I have?

Did I have a seat at the World Conferences?

How much power did Great Britain have over us?

When was the next Conference Meeting?

-My new revelation (that I was in charge of actual people, and could make a real difference) spurring on my curiosity.

Arthur seemed enthused by my questions, grumbling about some country-whom I could only assume was America-that didn't take any interest in their position after they had gained independence.

Scratch that, I'm sure he was talking about America.

Arthur explained that no, the information wasn't just "zapped into" his head (I could've done without the patronizing tone, though), and he knew so much because he was Great Britain. He had excellent intelligence networks and so the information packets he got every morning were more accurate than most other (although he said 'every' other) country's.

He went on to explain that my government would probably choose to give me memo's every morning explaining the current affairs going on both internally and externally. Removing the need to constantly sit in on their meetings. But cautioned me to randomly show up every so often, to remind them of my continued existence and to prevent them from lying in their daily reports.

He went on to explain that most of the "ignorant" nations had the information and were just too lazy to read it. And it would be my choice whether, or not, I followed in their footsteps.

He was probably trying to manipulate me into studying, playing on my pride and innate competitiveness, but all I heard was "there's already a set precedence for laziness so don't bother."

And I didn't need to be told twice.

The more Arthur explained what was expected of me, the more I started to realize. I had a job. I had a 9-5, work on the weekends, listen to "the man", job...And Arthur was "the man".

I didn't like it.

But seeing as Arthur was my friend-my only friend-I didn't have much choice in it. So I asked Arthur something that would come to shape the rest of my life (not that I knew this at the time).

"Can I meet the rest of the Nations?"

::::

This isn't quite what I had in mind.

"Oh! Ma cherie, vous-etez tres belle!"

"Leave her alone you lousy Frog!"

"Bwahaha, another side-kick to follow THE HERO!"

"...America-san, should we not first introduce ourselves?"

"Vii, Germany, look! A bella! Do you think she'd want to visit and watch the Games with me? Does she like calcio?"

"Ja, Italy. I have met Miss Elize, already. I am sure she likes the football."

And on and on went the circus.

When I had asked Arthur about when I could meet the Nations I had not expected...well I had not expected it to be so sudden. Although, apparently, it was my own fault. Without meaning to I had "called a meeting" with my innocent statement, which-yes-I suppose I could see how that could be misconstrued, but I didn't realize it was so easy to call a meeting.

Although, I guess that makes sense, when one considers how the cast was all able to meet up, despite serving on opposite sides of the war, at any given time. If all it took was one yelling out "meeting!" or some such variant, that would make our jobs-at least internationally-a lot simpler. I'd rather avoid constant plane-travel if at all possible...at least until we enter the 21st century.

The problem, however, with calling an impromptu meeting of the Nations was two-fold. First, as the Nation who 'requested' said Meeting, I was also the Nation that was hosting it-yes all of these crazy heads were sitting in a conference room in the Middle of Cape Town...no, wait, scratch that, looking outside we are definitely in Pretoria?

Weird.

The second problem is that as Meeting host I am meant to start said meeting...but I don't really have any concerns to address.

"Miss Johannes, why have you called Meeting? Da? I am very busy person. At moment."

I'm sure you are 'Mr. Russia' I couldn't help but sarcastically think. I was, surprisingly, well versed in Russian History, and unless I missed my mark Stalin should be just beginning the 'Great Purge.' A million dead, just like that.

Not that I let anything slip, God no, I'm not going to risk the whole world imploding 'cause I'd messed with time. Messed with history. I have enough on my shoulders having to take on the burden of an entire nation. There is no room left for the rest of the world.

And it's that kind of thinking that starts wars in the first place.

"...yes...this meeting. I totally meant to call this meeting. I have things to talk about you see. Things I planned out in advanced. Things that are important. This meeting...this meeting is totally not impromptu. No sir. I am not the type of person to not be prepared!...ha ha ha..."

I rambled, a blush slowly building up along my cheeks. And unbidden a random image-of an unfinished soccer stadium one month before we were to host the FIFA world cup-popped into my head. Luckily, Arthur came to my rescue.

"I think what Elize is trying to say," he interrupted, pushing out of his chair and walking to stand beside me, "is that she called this meeting because she thought it was high time she found out where she fit in amongst the other nations." I just viciously nodded my head, as if I had any idea what he was saying at all. "After all, most of you have yet to even make her acquaintance. Have you?"

His judgmental eyes weighed down on the Nations one-by-one causing most of them to turn away, excepting Russia, China, Japan, and...America. Which actually makes perfect sense. No one could have really expected them to care about an African Nation gaining some semblance of independence. America and Japan were pretty freakin' far from me, and Russia and China were no picnicking distance away, either!

The other Nations, at least, had some stake in Africa as a continent. They could have easily come to knock on my door and say 'hello'...but they didn't. Not that I really cared. It's not like I have any plans to go to every African Nation that gains its independence and play nice.

...there's alot of them!

And they keep changing!

Fine. Fine. Maybe...m~ay-be.

I'll see how I feel in the next twenty to forty years.

But I digress, the point was Arthur had effectively cowed the room. They all thought that I had called this meeting, on purpose!, as a gesture of good will. As a way to get to know them. Something they should have done, on their own. In a matter of moments Arthur had made me go from incompetent to safely on the moral high-ground.

It was right around then that I began to realize what was really scary about Great Britain. It was not his army. Not his navy. Or his intelligence. No, those were all in addition to his greatest ability...his scariest ability. Great Britain got people, got Nations, to listen. He was only a small island, just off the coast of Europe, yet he demanded so much respect.

Where France would falter, where Italy would join, where Russia would wash their hands, England would stand. He would stand, and he would fight, and-in doing so-he would bolster other Nations into doing the same. America may have turned the war around, but everything, everything, came back to England.

And that scared me.

That terrified me.

Because, at this moment, if he asked me to follow him into that hell of a war.

I just might say yes.

A/N: Sorry for the terribly long hiatus! What can I say? The muse is a fickle thing indeed. School's out though-for now-so I'll, hopefully, be able to get back to this bad boy. I'm going to try to reference all the historical stuff I brush over down here-in typical hetalia fashion-review responses are right below it, so feel free to skip to that if you want!

"...Prince Edward will do as king?"
George V was the reigning monarch of the UK until his death in 1936. He was plagued by illness during much of his reign. Upon his death he was succeeded by Edward VIII who ruled for a grand total of 11 months when he abdicated in favour of his younger brother Albert known regally as George VI.

"...approved Woman's suffrage..."
James Hertzog approved Woman's suffrage for white woman in 1930...he also removed black voters from the common voters poll. One step forward, two steps back.

"...merged Germany's chancellor and presidential offices."
Before Hitler their was no position known as 'Fuehrer'. He created it. By merging two offices that were meant to keep each other in check. If that wasn't a warning sign...

"...Reichstag Fire Decree, please..."
A lot of people supported Hitler because they were so against his predecessor Hidenberg. The Reichstag Fire Decree nullified many of the key civil liberties of German citizens...it was like the anti-Bill of Rights.

"...we had passed an Act."

Status of the Union Act was the South African counterpart to the Statute of Westminster 1931. Basically said that South Africa could govern itself, thank you very much.

"Want to visit and watch the Games with me?"

In 1934 Italy hosted the first FIFA World Cup in which contestants actually had to qualify to compete. Think, before this, it was just a matter of showing up.

"...at least until we enter the 21st century"

Boeing built what generally is considered the first modern passenger airliner, the Boeing 247. It was unveiled in 1933...two years before the first air traffic control tower...

"are definitely in Pretoria?"

Unlike most other countries around the world, South Africa has not one but three capital cities. More precisely, the government branches are divided among three major South African cities: Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. Pretoria-the administrative capital and the seat of the President of the Cabinet. This city is the headquarters for many government departments, as well as foreign embassies. Cape Town- the legislative capital, and the seat of the nation's Parliament. And Bloemfontein - serves as the judicial capital, as the seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Talk about a balance of power.

"one month before we were to host the FIFA world cup."
Fact. One month before RSA was to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup the stadium in Cape Town was still under construction...as was the railways for the new train...that was promptly stolen. But not to worry, it re-appeared a few months later!...in the middle of nowhere.

"Where France would falter, where Italy would join, where Russia would wash their hands..."
During World War II; France is invaded by Germany, Italy becomes part of the Axis, and Russia (well, the Soviet Union) signs a non-aggression pact with Hitler.

I think I got everything. But if not, just let me know via review! Speaking of...here are the responses!

kitsunefireball: Thank you for looking out for me! But it's actually "fuehrer" when you don't use the umlauts. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

rednightmares: Thank you! It's been quite a while, but hopefully you still like this fic, and this chapter!

Daikuro: No its 'fuehrer' when umlauts aren't present, but thanks for keeping an eye out! Ha ha, yup, it's actually really odd that there are so many Hetalia fics, yet so few that aren't just pure randomness. Hopefully this stays good. *fingers crossed* Thanks for the review!