Summary: China, Wang Yao, does not have a soul mate. More accurately, it is best to say that he has no need for one. As he himself has said, all things could be found from within himself… except for money. Soulmates can see colors prompt. Part of Colors of the World series. Can be read alone. Complete.

A/N: Another story so soon after the last? What? And it's not angst? Yeah, I've actually had this written for about three years and typed for about a year... I just forgot about it, and then when I found it I wasn't satisfied... But I've tweaked it and I think it's okay now.

Warnings: None

Enjoy!

Orange, The Color of Inner Fire

For a long time, China did not see in color. He remembers vaguely that he had in fact been able to see color once, long ago. When he was but a young nation of merely a thousand years, he thinks there may have been someone. However, it had been many years since then. As is the universal truth, time passes and with it takes both life and memory. He could not remember what the colors looked like, nor could he even remember who his soul mate was. He didn't know if they were rich or poor, kind or harsh, male or female. Were they lovers? Were they a family? He couldn't remember any of it. It was nearly a miracle that he even remembered they had existed at all.

It didn't matter anymore. They were long dead and his memories of them had long since faded. Nothing lasted forever, and very few things were ever truly constant if anything all. China had first hand experience of that. What he had not realized was that even the gray did not last forever.

Over the millennia China had grown wise to the ways of the world. He had traveled far and wide hoping to gain something. Hoping to recapture colors, recapture the love he was sure he felt, find something new, anything at all. He went farther from his homeland than any nation had before him. He was ground breaking. He changed the course of history. Watched the birth of fledgling nations and then their deaths as grand empires. He was the only remaining person alive to have witnessed the bonding of the nations of old. In his life, China had become one of the constants of this Earth. A presence that changed but nonetheless remained.

He had seen things anyone else could only have imagined. Despite all the marvelous things he had seen and done, none of that ever compared to the feelings of completeness he had whenever he returned home once more. If there was one thing that his travels had taught him was that all he would ever need, besides money, could come from within himself. Peace, wisdom, and even love, could be found within his own borders in his own people. He was the land, he was his people, he was always with them and they were always with him. All of the wonders he had seen and the achievements he accomplished were nothing compared to the wonders of the lives he represented. He was content with this knowledge.

He felt the bond he shared with his citizens deepen as he devoted his soul and whole being to his people. Whatever flaws and troubles there may be he would handle it for there was so much more being offered.

In that moment, Wang Yao, as a singular man, ceased to be just an individual and he became so much more. As his duel identities of man and nation bonded, China became himself. He became whole. He realized that his soul was within him and within the land, and that was all he would ever need.

When he finally opened his eyes he was greeted by an orange sunset and a world filled with color.

End.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Reviewers get lots of love and cookies.

Published: 19 April 2018