Author's note: Hey there!

Wow, my first Hetalia fic that actually deals with historical stuff! Yay!

The stuff that happens is mostly accurate... but with a Hetalia spin on it! Woo!

Well, I hope you enjoy it.

P.S. I tried my damndest with the countries. I hope they're accurate. If anything's amiss, just let me know! I'm happy to listen.

P.S.S. Writing for so many countries at once is hard work... XD

Chapter One: Defect

"Dudes!" America yelled happily, holding Italy up by the back of his collar. "Check it! Step one of the master plan is complete!"

"Dat was fast!" China said.

"Ciao!" Italy said, waving.

"Bonjour, mon ami," France replied. "You are looking well."

"Thanks! You too!"

"Let me guess," Britain said. "The little blighter gave up without a fight again?"

"Yep!" America replied. "You got it!"

"One nation is down, two is to go!" Russia said with a smile.

"Now, my little man!" America set Italy on his feet. "We had a long hard discussion between the five of us..."

"And me..." some voice in the back added.

"And we want you..." America pointed at him dramatically. "To become one of the Allies!"

Italy stared at him for a minute. Then he burst out laughing. "Oh, that's a good one!" he replied. "I didn't know you were so funny, America!"

"Well, I have been known to crack a good joke or two... but no! This time, we're deadly super serious!"

"Quite," Britain added.

"What?" Italy asked. "You're serious?"

"Deadly super serious!" America replied.

"Oui oui," France said. "We zink you would make an excellent addition to our quaint little team."

"But what about Germany and Japan?" Italy asked.

"You forget about dem and join our side!" China said with a wink.

"We make with the crazy and the fun times!" Russia said.

America pointed to himself with his thumb. "You can thank the hero here for this brilliant idea!" he said.

"Oy!" Britain snapped. "Bloody wanker, we came up this plan as a team!"

"Oui!" France agreed. "It was ze one time we managed to agree on somezing!"

"But, guys!" Italy said, panicked. "I can't just-a leave Germany and Japan! They're my friends!"

"Aiyaa..." China said, "I knew dis would happen..."

"He's never going to go for the idea, America..." Britain said.

"Come on, guys!" America said. "We can't give up now!" He slapped a hand on Italy's shoulder. "Look, here's the deal. We think you're kinda cool. Even if you're totally hopeless, at, like, everything..."

"And he annoying, to boot..." China added.

"He not so bad..." Russia said. "He kind of cute when screaming for the help..."

France slid over and nudged America out of the way. "Allow me to 'andle zis," he said. He put his hands on Italy's shoulders. "Mon ami... you 'ave always craved for peace, 'ave you not?"

"Huh?" Italy asked.

"To be free of ze burden of fighting... to be able to live ze peaceful life again."

Britain's eyes lit up. "I see what you're getting at..." he said.

"It certainly explain de mass white flag-producing..." China added.

"You no like fighting?" Russia asked. "But fighting gives me great pleasure smile!"

"Non, non..." France said. "Little Italy 'ere is a lover, not a fighter. Is zat not so?"

"Well, si!" Italy replied with a smile. "I'd love a world where-a we weren't constantly beating on each other!"

"Exactly, mon ami... and we, ze Allies, can 'elp you attain zat."

"You can?"

"Oh, yeah, totally, dude!" America replied. "If you join our super awesome team of Allies..." He gave a thumbs up. "I can guarantee that Germany and Japan will give up without a struggle! Then bam! War over!"

"Really?"

"Really really! Isn't my plan just totally awesome?"

"Oy!" Britain snapped. "We've been over this, America!"

Italy felt conflicted. "Ooh... I dunno..." he said, "can I phone a friend?"

"If you join Allies today," China said, holding up a plate of dim sum, "I give you free dim sum as welcome gift!"

Italy grinned. "Free food? Ooh, you drive a hard-a bargain..."

"I give you pirozhki," Russia said, holding up a plate of pirozhki. "I promise it not poisoned."

France twirled away from Italy's shoulders, holding up a plate of fois gras in one hand and a plate of pot-au-feu in the other. "And, of course, you may 'elp yourself to my fine French cuisine!" he said.

America held up a hamburger in one hand and a drink in the other. "And have a burger and shake on me, dude!" he said.

Britain held up a plate of scones. "And perhaps you'd like a scone or two, old chap?" he asked.

"Mon dieu, Britain!" France cried. "We're trying to win 'im over, not kill 'im!"

"Say that again and I'm cursing you, Francey-Pants!"

"Ohhh, I don't know..." Italy said, drooping slightly. "Germany will be really mad at me if I defect... Probably Japan, too..."

"Oh, don't worry about that, dude!" America said. "Sure, they may be a little pissed off at first... but they'll come around!"

"Either that, or they kill you violently in your sleep," Russia said.

"You be fine!" China said. "Though Germany and Japan rather hard-hearted... and hard-headed... I sure they good people! At least, Japan is."

"You want ze world to be at peace, non?" France asked with a wink.

"Well..." Italy replied.

"Just zink about it! Zere's no need to surrender if zere's nozing to surrender from! You know what zey say, mon ami! Make love, not war! And, wiz no war, zere is more time for love~!"

"That's true..."

"Imagine a world where everyone is at peace wiz one anozer~!"

"So, we can all be friends?"

"Of course, dude!" America replied.

"Well, if we must..." Britain added, glancing away.

"Hooray!" Russia cheered. "New friend for me!"

"I would be happy to make new friend," China said.

"Will it be like-a that time we all saved the world from Pictonians and had a bon dance?" Italy asked excitedly.

"Uh..." America replied, "sure! Except better!"

"Wow, really?"

"Really really!"

"That sounds really cool!"

"So, what do you say, dude? Are you in, or are you in?"

Italy looked between the five of them for a minute. He ran the options through his brain as he viewed each smile.

Eventually, he broke into a smile of his own. "Okay!"

They all beamed at him.

"Aiyaa!" China said. "Dat is big relief! Here, you take free dim sum now!" He handed the plate over.

"Grazie!"

"Here, you take," Russia said, handing him the pirozhki.

"Grazie!"

"For you!" France said, handing him the fois gras and pot-au-feu.

"Grazie!" The pile was beginning to wobble.

"Here and don't complain!" Britain said, handing him the scones.

"Grazie!"

"And one more for the road!" America said, laughing loudly as he placed the hamburger and drink on top of the pile.

The pile of six plates and one drink swayed and wobbled back and forth. Italy started swaying with it in a desperate attempt to keep it straight.

After a minute or so of balancing, he finally got it to stay still. He sighed in relief.

"All it needs now is some pasta!"

"I have you covered!" China replied, holding up a plate of seafood pasta.

"Pastaaaa!"

China carefully placed it on the pile. Italy immediately crashed to the floor with a wail. After a moment, five heads leaned over to look at him.

"I think we may have overdone it..." Britain said.

America burst out laughing again. "Gee, ya think?" he asked.

"Is good hospitality to treat guest to much food," China said.

"You look funny with the food goggles on your face," Russia said.

"Ooooh..." Italy replied in a daze.

"... I wonder when my turn will come..." some voice in the back said.

"Who are you?" another voice asked.

"I'm Canada..."

"Count off!" Germany yelled.

"... Ichi!" Japan replied.

"... Vhere ze hell is Italy?"

"I don't know! I haven't heard from him since yesterday!"

Germany growled. "Zat dummkopf! He skipped out on training again! Zis is ze zird time zis veek!"

"Hai. He is being very reckress."

Germany clenched a fist angrily. "I varned him zat if he pulled zis stunt a zird time, I'd chase him around ze track viz a chainsaw! Looks like I'm going to need a chainsaw..."

"Sat doesn't sound safe..."

"Come, Japan! Ve vill continue our training wizout him!"

"Hai!"

Germany began running around the track, Japan following suit.

"I svear, when zat lazy Italian shows his face, he'll have a lot to answer for!"

"This is a cosy meeting room!" Italy said happily, sitting at one of the chairs.

He stuck another scone in his mouth. Oddly, he'd gotten used to the taste of petrified couch stuffing. It wasn't all that bad.

France leaned his chin on his entwined fingers. "I suppose it is alright," he replied. "A little drab, perhaps, but it serves its function, non?"

"Yeah!" America replied. "I wanted to hang hero banners on the walls, but no one else wanted 'em. Such a waste!"

"It not bad," China agreed.

"It give me opportunity to scope out new territory," Russia said.

"Yes, it's alright, I suppose," Britain agreed, sipping a cup of tea. "Nothing terribly special, but it doesn't particularly need to be."

Italy kicked his feet beneath his chair as he ate another scone. "I really hope Germany doesn't get too mad at me..." he said.

"I'm telling ya," America replied, "it'll be fine, dude!"

"I'm late-a for training, so he's probably wondering where I am..." He paused, then he dropped the scone in shock. "Oh no! This makes three times this week!"

"So?" China asked.

"He said if I miss another training session, he'll chase-a me around the track with a chainsaw! Oh noooo!"

America brightened. "A chainsaw, ya say?" he asked. "Hey, I have a chainsaw back at my place! It's really big and really powerful and will scare the crap out of any man, guaranteed! Maybe I'll let him borrow it! If he asks real nicely!"

Italy screamed and hid under the table.

"... You're not helping, America," Britain said.

"Anyway! We need to get step two of the master plan underway!"

"Zat's right," France agreed, "now zat we 'ave ze little country, we need to use him as leverage."

"Exactly!"

"Alright, so how we go about doing dat?" China asked.

"First, we head to where Germany and Japan are! Then we show 'em that Italy's on our side now! It's fool-proof!"

"You do realise," Britain said, "we're dealing with two of the most stubborn gits on the planet?"

"It's true!" Italy said happily. "Japan and Germany have heads of rock and hearts of steel, but I love-a them both anyway!"

"I'm sure I could make with the convincing..." Russia said, holding up a faucet.

"No, I'm certain this will work!" America replied. "We go in, guns blazing, I give 'em a heroic speech and the Axis are putty in our hands!"

"Yeah, no," China said. "I don't think dat will work..."

"I'm wiz Monsieur China," France said. "Ze operation needs to be delicate and strategic."

"... I give the heroic speech, then go in, guns blazing?" America asked.

"Bloody idiot..." Britain grumbled.

"Alright, ve're done wiz training today!" Germany called out.

Exhausted, Japan bent over, breathing heavily. "Hai..." he replied.

Germany quickly scanned the horizon, then frowned. "Tsk. Still no sign of ze idiot. Vhere ze hell is he?"

"I... don't know... Gomennasai..."

"Zat verdammt dummkopf..."

"It's not rike... he uses se training... for anysing usefuru... anyway..."

"Ja, but von can never be too careful. If all it does it improve his running speed, it's better zan nozing..."

"Hey, Germany!" a voice called out. "Hey, Japan!"

Both heads snapped in the direction of the voice. A nervous-looking Italy stood in front of the surrounding bushes.

Germany felt steam billow from his ears. "Italy!"

Italy jumped in fright. "Yipe!"

"You scheisskerl! Vhere ze holy Fuhrer have you been?"

"You are rucky Germany does not have a chainsaw on him right now..." Japan said.

"W-Well..." Italy replied, sweating bullets, "about that..."

"You'd better have a damn good excuse for skipping out on training for the zird time!" Germany yelled. "And, if it involves cats, pasta, pizza or siestas, I am going to rip your zroat out!"

Italy screamed. "Don't hurt me!" He pulled out a white flag and started waving it around furiously. "I'm too young to have my throat-a ripped out!"

"Zhen explain. Now!"

"I joined-a the Allies!"

Germany's brain screeched to a halt. "... You did vhat?"

Loud laughter suddenly drifted from the bushes. After a moment, five familiar faces came out and stood around Italy. Every single one looked very pleased with himself.

"That's right!" America yelled, slapping a hand on Italy's shoulder. "Italy's on our side now!"

"Now zat you're one member down," France said, "perhaps it's time to rezink where you stand?"

"It is now six against two!" China said. "De odds are not looking good for you!"

"Perhaps it's time you put a sock in it, eh, chaps?" Britain asked.

"Then we can make with the conquering!" Russia added.

Germany and Japan just stared at their friend.

"Italy...?" Germany asked.

"Itary...?" Japan asked.

Italy merely looked back sadly. He weakly waved the white flag at them.