Joint Pact Meeting [China Attendance Required] [Open to JP]

Ivan kept his gloved hand wrapped around Yao’s as the conversation continued, physically preventing him from brushing this topic of discussion off. Ivan did not like to be ignored, nor dismissed, and yet Yao had a talent of doing both far too often for his liking. No matter how strong he grew, it appeared the older nation would always look down his nose at him. If he planned to do such, then Ivan would forcefully pull his nose to the correct level, but it hardly seemed to matter as a new suggestion echoed in the room.

The words fell out of Venezuela’s mouth, quickly followed by the sound of wood cracking under pressure and more words, oh so many words.

The nuclear weapons might have touched Japan those two days, but the entire world had changed.

Fear.

Terrifying, horrible, frozen fear.

It had consumed him after he saw the impact to the point he could barely breathe. He remembered the tightening of his throat, and the chill over his spine, how he crawled at his scarf begging for the suffocation to end. He hadn’t even been attacked, but he could barely comprehend the danger his people faced, how easily America could invade and absolutely destroy him. He could take everything from him, his people, his culture, his history could all be wiped from the Earth with one simple press of a button, and he could do nothing. Nothing. He was helpless, and all he could do was grip onto his desk, his body shaking and barely standing up.

World War II had ended that day, but a new war began, a very cold war.

His nuclear weapons and entire arsenal had never been created to conquer the world. No, they had always been about protection and defense of his people and land. As America built more, he needed to build more. He had to keep up, one after another after another. He couldn’t allow America to win. He couldn’t allow him to use such a terrible weapon on him. He had to have more, and he did, and as America moved them closer to his boarder, right in Turkey, only minutes, away….Russia did the same.

We and you ought not to pull on the ends of a rope which you have tied the knots of war. Because the more the two of us pull, the tighter the knot will be tied. And then it will be necessary to cut that knot, and what that would mean is not for me to explain to you.

The world had almost ended in 1962.

While the time had been full of miscommunication and misunderstandings between Alfred and himself, they came a deeper understanding out of the crisis. Neither of them wished to destroy the world. For that, after that day, he felt a silent agreement with Alfred F. Jones, the United States of America. It had not been shaken upon, written down, or spoken of. It just was, and they both understood.

I will not use a nuclear weapon unless attacked by such a weapon. I do not want to destroy the world.

Such agreement, slowly allowed for the tension to lesson and the arm race to slow until eventually, it all fell apart, but the agreement itself never ended. Even as the Cold War ended and World War III started, the agreement still held strong.

Could Russia attack Japan with a nuclear weapon? Yes, he could. He could destroy the smaller nation hundreds of times over, even if Japan managed to counter. Is it possible that America might not respond with nuclear force of his own in fear the Russia would send their weapons right back? No…America would respond with nuclear weapons. For at the end of the day, another country or not, such an attack went against their agreement.

You do not break the agreement.

He let go of Yao’s hand and stood from his seat, his movements slow as he went around the table, hands behind his back until stopping behind Venezuela’s chair. He strong heavy hands landed on the smaller boy’s shoulder, a pressure weighing down into his shorter form as he gripped them a bit too tight for comfort. His smile had never left his face through the entire process. “Little Venezuela, you always make me laugh,” he remarked in a happy voice, though obviously he was not laughing, “As I have already mentioned to some of you,” his eyes glanced at the nations in the room with nuclear capability. Oh how much easier it had been when only America and himself held such strength. “Such weapons are only to be used in defensive purposes, never offensive. We understand, da?” he asked sweetly, though not expecting anyone to answer.

He nodded to himself before looking at his sisters. He understood their anger, they both had faced experiences he never wished upon them, but Vietnam was also correct in a sense. He chuckled and pinched Venezuela’s cheek, “He is adorable, sisters.” Because in a way, Ivan honestly thought the little nation was quite adorable. He had much to learn, but he saw great potential in the younger one. “Do not be too harsh on him, I feel he has learn the error in his thoughts. Correct, little one?” he asked, still smiling.