I wrote this really quick between classes (it took 30-ish minutes tops) and it's unbeta'd, but I hope it's alright. Also I hope I wasn't too vague about who the kid is, I didn't want to state it outright so I just left clues.
---
He had only met his father a handful of times in his entire life, and truthfully he was fine with that. His father was very busy, what with the whole ‘being a nation’ business and all.
It didn’t make the nation a bad parent by any means: he remembered the birthday and Christmas cards, though occasionally he sent a card for a holiday from an entirely different religion, and sometimes there were cards from holidays that had either died out centuries ago or didn’t even exist in the first place. But he kept each and every card his nation father sent him, even the ones that made no sense. And the birthday checks and funds for schooling made sure that he at least got a good education. Really, he was provided for in every way that he could be, and he loved his father for that.
Perhaps that was why he designed his stage-persona after the man who had helped bring him into this world. It was a homage of sorts, in its own special way. Emulation was the highest form of flattery, wasn’t it? And his father, though he did have his faults, was really a great man. The nation’s enthusiasm and drive to be the hero could raise the spirits of anyone in this politically-torn country. Somehow just hearing his father’s words made him feel like everything would be okay, and he knew that enthusiasm could help others too.
He had heard of others like himself, other half-nations. That was how he had found out that his strange powers weren’t so strange after all. But while others had an unexplainable knowledge of history, a sudden onset of headaches when a tragedy happened, or even the ability to cook pasta perfectly every time they put pot to stove, he had the power of word. It wasn’t just the words themselves, but the soul that carried within them. It was as if every sentence he spoke was accented with fireworks, apple pie, and a majestic bald eagle crying out as it soared high in the sky. His very presence radiated pure Awesome.
And while he didn’t have the military genius or the raw skill that other children of nations had, that presence was enough for him.
He certainly wasn’t the first to have his father’s aura of Awesome, but he was the first to use it in such a way. Others had become explorers, inventors, or even politicians. He had become a comedian. A comedian who presented himself as a Serious News Correspondent, sure, but a comedian none the less. And tonight was going to be his greatest night ever, if he could make it through it without breaking character.
“Stephen? It’s time.”
He nodded to the aide as he smoothed his hair down one last time, and then he stepped out to greet the waiting crowd. This was quite a dinner, with so many extravagantly-dressed men and women. Then again, it was a White House dinner, so that was to be expected. President Bush was seated near the podium, and there were hundreds of people (and dozens of video cameras) situated all around the room. But for one moment, just before he reached the microphone, his gaze fell on one person in the room.
Most had overlooked him as an intern, or maybe the son of someone important. The few who knew who he was had balked at his request to sit in the crowd, rather than at the table of honor. And he almost looked out of place, being easily the youngest adult in this crowd of old people. The rest of the world, save a few important faces in the White House, might not know who he was, but that was fine. This was not the nation’s night. This was his son’s night.
At that moment, both father and son locked eyes. And in the next moment, they both smiled identical, toothy smiles.
The son was introduced, and amid the applause he stepped up to the podium, filled to the brim with excitement.
I'm not an american, so I don't know who this 'son' is (unless my google research by name only was right on first try. then i'm feeling great), but even not being sure about his identity, this shot was just... perfect.
at first i admit i was blah (i admit i was hoping it'd be another nation for once, not america. not that i don't love america, but really.) but i admit easily that this was just GREAT. i love the pace, i love the style of writing, how smooth it is until the very end, all the details and everything, and the small touches you gave to it...
it was really good, anon. you wrote it between classes? damn, i wish i were this good too. i love it. really :)
the ending filled me with awesome, too. thank you for writing this. i'm not OP, but i really enjoyed reading it, and it was probably the best fill i've read in a while now :) thank you :)
I actually had reservations about it for that same reason, but then I decided to think of it as a magical fantasy world where nations exist and this is how it happened. That made me feel less terrible about it ;_;b
OMG COLBERT! You get the image of pies and eagles when you listen to him too?? *3* This exactly describes my feelings for the man his words are pure genius when he speaks them with such...himness/awesomeness ^ ^
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The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-14 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)---
He had only met his father a handful of times in his entire life, and truthfully he was fine with that. His father was very busy, what with the whole ‘being a nation’ business and all.
It didn’t make the nation a bad parent by any means: he remembered the birthday and Christmas cards, though occasionally he sent a card for a holiday from an entirely different religion, and sometimes there were cards from holidays that had either died out centuries ago or didn’t even exist in the first place. But he kept each and every card his nation father sent him, even the ones that made no sense. And the birthday checks and funds for schooling made sure that he at least got a good education. Really, he was provided for in every way that he could be, and he loved his father for that.
Perhaps that was why he designed his stage-persona after the man who had helped bring him into this world. It was a homage of sorts, in its own special way. Emulation was the highest form of flattery, wasn’t it? And his father, though he did have his faults, was really a great man. The nation’s enthusiasm and drive to be the hero could raise the spirits of anyone in this politically-torn country. Somehow just hearing his father’s words made him feel like everything would be okay, and he knew that enthusiasm could help others too.
He had heard of others like himself, other half-nations. That was how he had found out that his strange powers weren’t so strange after all. But while others had an unexplainable knowledge of history, a sudden onset of headaches when a tragedy happened, or even the ability to cook pasta perfectly every time they put pot to stove, he had the power of word. It wasn’t just the words themselves, but the soul that carried within them. It was as if every sentence he spoke was accented with fireworks, apple pie, and a majestic bald eagle crying out as it soared high in the sky. His very presence radiated pure Awesome.
And while he didn’t have the military genius or the raw skill that other children of nations had, that presence was enough for him.
He certainly wasn’t the first to have his father’s aura of Awesome, but he was the first to use it in such a way. Others had become explorers, inventors, or even politicians. He had become a comedian. A comedian who presented himself as a Serious News Correspondent, sure, but a comedian none the less. And tonight was going to be his greatest night ever, if he could make it through it without breaking character.
“Stephen? It’s time.”
He nodded to the aide as he smoothed his hair down one last time, and then he stepped out to greet the waiting crowd. This was quite a dinner, with so many extravagantly-dressed men and women. Then again, it was a White House dinner, so that was to be expected. President Bush was seated near the podium, and there were hundreds of people (and dozens of video cameras) situated all around the room. But for one moment, just before he reached the microphone, his gaze fell on one person in the room.
Most had overlooked him as an intern, or maybe the son of someone important. The few who knew who he was had balked at his request to sit in the crowd, rather than at the table of honor. And he almost looked out of place, being easily the youngest adult in this crowd of old people. The rest of the world, save a few important faces in the White House, might not know who he was, but that was fine. This was not the nation’s night. This was his son’s night.
At that moment, both father and son locked eyes. And in the next moment, they both smiled identical, toothy smiles.
The son was introduced, and amid the applause he stepped up to the podium, filled to the brim with excitement.
He Spoke.
They Listened.
And it was Awesome.
Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-14 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)at first i admit i was blah (i admit i was hoping it'd be another nation for once, not america. not that i don't love america, but really.) but i admit easily that this was just GREAT. i love the pace, i love the style of writing, how smooth it is until the very end, all the details and everything, and the small touches you gave to it...
it was really good, anon. you wrote it between classes? damn, i wish i were this good too. i love it. really :)
the ending filled me with awesome, too. thank you for writing this. i'm not OP, but i really enjoyed reading it, and it was probably the best fill i've read in a while now :) thank you :)
Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-14 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)asdfyhnvsyghsvkzidjmclhLIUHSCGYIKHCNISXRUKFNIHF *keyboardsmash*
(Anonymous) 2010-10-14 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)and you even made it beautiful and not cracky. Marry me, please. If you can't, I'll be your mistress. Your ardent fan. Your house pet. Anything ♥
Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-15 06:50 am (UTC)(link)Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-15 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)I actually had reservations about it for that same reason, but then I decided to think of it as a magical fantasy world where nations exist and this is how it happened. That made me feel less terrible about it ;_;b
Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-15 07:41 am (UTC)(link)Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-15 07:42 am (UTC)(link)Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-15 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2010-10-16 01:40 am (UTC)(link)Re: The Loyal Son
(Anonymous) 2012-09-30 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)Have you read that Stephen Colbert/America fic? It's just as awesome as this.