AN: This, I kid you not, is based off of a dream I had about two weeks ago. Scared the shit out of me, too. Only difference is that it was Arthur and not Matt that was in it. But there are so many stories about Iggy's POV of the Civil War, and pretty much none about Matthew's. So here we have it. Maple is remembering Al's inner conflict and what not. This will be a short two shot, so expect the end to be up very soon. Yeah.
I so totally own Hetalia. *is shot* ...or not. x.x

I remember it like it was yesterday. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, it might as well have been. No one should have to watch their twin, their other half, fight himself like I did.

It started with a twitch, just under his left eye. I didn't think anything about it, simply figured he'd been working too hard. A lack of sleep, perhaps. But then the spasms started coming more often and more pronounced. I asked him to go see a doctor, but of course he refused; told me it wasn't a problem.

Alfred never has been a very good liar.

We were sitting in his den, talking about nothing, when it happened. Mid conversation, mid laugh, Alfred fell to the floor without a sound. I didn't know what the hell was going on as he jerked and groaned and starting foaming at the mouth.

As blue eyes so much like my own rolled back and my brother lost consciousness, I wished more than ever that Arthur or Francis were here. They would know what to do. They could make this better. They wouldn't just sit there and cry like I did.

Gently, I turned Alfred over so that if he began to empty his stomach he wouldn't choke on the bile. All I could think of was how this could happen. He was the strong twin, the big brother, the up and coming world power. Damn it, he was the United Fucking States of America!

United. Haha. That thought always has been morbidly humorous since then. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

A soft moan let me know that Alfred was waking up. I thanked my lucky stars as his eyes opened. But my gratitude didn't last long. Once heavy lashes lifted and he sat up, I felt ever muscle, every nerve, ever single blood cell that I owned tense and freeze.

Call it a twin thing, call it being a good neighbor, call it the power of observation, I didn't know which. But what I did know is that the person in front of me wasn't my brother. Not anymore. His beautiful ocean blue eyes, still being shadowed by glasses, had now been replaced by a heterochromic gaze. The right iris was now a dark navy blue, hidden by a cracked lens, the left was a steely gray. Both were staring me down with a gleam of passionate insanity.

"A-Are you alright?" I whispered, taking a step backwards.

The voice that answered me wasn't his anymore than those demon eyes were. It seemed to be twisted, warped by two factions. One voice was nasal, yet proper; the other twanged and cocky.

"I'm fine Mattie," they said, head cocked to one side in mock confusion, "What's the matter, little brother?"

I wanted so badly to wake from my nightmare, to have Alfred, my Alfred, with his childish voice and excited cerulean eyes hold me like he had when we were children and I was afraid. To tell me that everything was alright.

Too bad it wasn't a nightmare.

"You're not my brother! Where's Al?" I screamed, more tears falling.

His expression fell and his gazed hardened, "Alfred isn't here anymore," for a moment the voices separated into their individual accents as his left hand pointed to the navy eye, "There is only Billy," right gestured to grey, "And Johnny, now."

Before I could even think of something to say to this new information, the imposters drew a small knife from their trouser pocket and used it to slice themselves right down the center of their face.

"And this," they said, "Is war."

An: I really should stop abusing Alfred. But it's just so effin fun! Meh heh. In case you are confused, let me explain something: The eye twitch? South Carolina seceding. The others? Other states? The full on epileptic fit? The formation of the Confederacy. Billy and Johnny? Billy Yank and Johnny Reb, old comic representations of the North and South. (: Like I said, it's going to be a two shot, so next chapter ends it all. Mostly just Matt reflecting some more and what not. Please review! Bye now~