How did America and Mexico's friendship started?
Spanish Louissiana, 1775
New Spain had been walking through some forests, mainly to blow off steam. Spain had been visiting, and of course he was being a bastard. At this point she had just accepted that bastardry simply was his personality. So the fact that she was still upset irked her. Because she should be used to this by now. She should be used to the remarks and taxes and aches she had been dealing with since her creation. And yet she still found herself wanting to scream at the reality of her existence.
She looked up at the trees, their leaves dull hues of orange and red. It was different- down south the leaves turned gold for a week. Here they turned different muted versions of fiery colors, like dying embers.
New Spain stopped walking when she heard a twig snap. She whipped her head around, eyes searching the foliage behind her. He wouldn’t have followed her, right? Oh Dios, ella realmente no podía lidiar con él en este momento-
“Wow.”
What the- that wasn’t Spain’s voice.
She slowly looked up at the tree she was standing closest to, and-
New Spain put him (she assumed it was a ‘him’, given the clothing) down. “Um, who are you?”
He flashed a grin, “I’m Thirteen.”
“Like… the number?”
“Yep!”
“Who the hell named you that?”
“I… don’t really know. I think Great Britain referred to me as it once, and it kind of… stuck? I don’t know, I’m still figuring things out.” He answered, causing New Spain to raise a brow.
“Wait- Britain?” She thought for a moment, “So you're the Thirteen Colonies?”
“Yep!”
“…I thought they were just a group of separate colonies?”
“They were, but now I’m here, and we’re gonna be a country! I think.” Thirteen shrugged, “At least that’s what Massachusetts keeps telling me.”
“Right.” She didn’t believe that for a second. “Then… why are you so far west?”
“Well, they told me to go on a walk while they had a meeting. So I just started walking.”
“…how long have you been wandering around?”
“Uh….” He thought for a moment, counting on his fingers before responding. “I think this is the fifth day?”
“What the- and no one has come looking for you or anything?” She asked, more surprised than concerned to hear that.
“Nope! It’s fine though, their meeting always take a loooooooong time.”
…either this kid was stupid or really young and naive.
“How old are you?” She asked, waiting once again as he counted on his fingers.
“I think about five months now.” He responded.
“Ah. That makes sense.” Okay, so he wasn’t a moron, just a literal child. “And… they are telling you that you’re going to be a country?”
“Eh, the Northern ones are.” He crouched down, picking up a random stick as he spoke. “You know, Massachustes, Rhode Island, Connecticut.” He stood up with a stick, twirling it with his hand. “The others think I’m gonna die soon.”
They were probably right, but New Spain really didn’t feel like breaking that news to this kid. Instead, she asked, “And… what do you think?”
“I have a hunch that I’m gonna make it.”
“A…hunch?”
“Yeah, like a feeling!”
“Oh yeah?” She chuckled bitterly, “Trece, you have about as good of a chance at becoming a country as I do.”
“And who says your chances are bad?”
New Spain paused for a moment, the idea entering her mind before she quickly pushed it away. There was no way that could happen, “Flaco, estás loco.”
“What?”
“You’re crazy.” New Spain sat down, leaning back against the tree. “They’ve got all the power over there.”
Thirteen huffed, crossing his arms and plopping down next to her. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah! They have the money, but we have the people. And having the people are like, a gazillion times more important than money.” Thirteen looked up at her. “Afterall, if the people aren’t behind you, then they aren’t gonna fight very well for you, right? But if they want you to win, then they fight with all they got!”
New Spain really wanted to believe the mismatch of colonies, but she could tell that the younger didn’t truly know what he was talking about. He hadn’t seen the brutality of Europe’s military forces as she had. It was kind of nice to see someone so hopeful, someone who thought that the two of them were on the same playing field as those across the sea.
New Spain sighed, patting Thirteen’s head. “You should go back where you came from. It will be dark soon.”
He looked up at the sky, seeming to just now notice the orange hues of sunset. “Aw, you’re right.” Thirteen stood up, thinking for a moment before extending his hand. “I will see you again though… right?”
She forced herself to nod, a small smile on her face as she shook his hand. “Por supuesto. I am sure we will meet again.”
He smiled brightly at that, nodding before walking back through the trees to wherever he had come from. He turned and waved at New Spain one last time, before racing off.
She sighed, allowing her smile to drop, “Es una pena. No durará un año.”
*WHEEZE* “YOUR SO TINY COMERADE!!!”
