///(Halifax)///

Nova Scotia stood on his Atlantic port, watching every move the sailors made. The docks were scrubbed clean and shined against the Atlantic sea. The European nations would hopefully be quite excited to arrive.

"NOVA! C'mon we have boxes to put away!" New Brunswick yelled to him. He turned around and rushed over.

He yanked on a large box and began carrying it over to the side. "Sorry Brunsy, I've been so swamped with work I didn't even noti-"

"Ah, don't worry. You've just been blanking out a bit." New Brunswick laughed a little bit. Nova Scotia smiled, his sister's laugh could always cheer him up.

They worked in quiet for a little, well as quiet as a busy harbour is. That's of course before Nova Scotia broke the silence, "Are you worried?"

"Weill all of Europe is coming so of course I'm-"

"No Brunsy." Nova paused and looked south. "Are you worried about them. Maine should be announcing his lobster's campaign for governor. He used to call us, now he's missed every call since POA came in and it's freaking me out!"

New Brunswick grabbed him out of his thoughts, "What did I say about going full Nova Scotia on me?! Of course I'm worried. But we're going to go down and we're going to save them." She let him go and looked away, mumbling the last part quietly, "No matter what."

Nova Scotia sighed, looking down at his sailors and boats. "I think we need a change of scenery. PRINCY? NEWFIE? YOU GUYS NEED HELP?"

"FERTHEFIFTYTHTIME! ITSISLANDER! HAVYOUEVERWATCHEDCOMEFROM AWAY!"

"Yeah we could use some help. GRAB A MOP ON YOUR WAY!" Yelled Prince Edward Island. "I think someone puked on the floor."

//(Edmonton)//

Alberta was absolutely drained.

She sat on her chair in her office in Edmonton, war plans spread all over her desk. They need more oil here, weapons need shipping there, Yukon's defences need this... it was all so much.

She was quite young during the wars of past, so maybe this was just the normal amount of stress a province experiences during war. The screaming in her head, the overwhelming stress, not seeing her siblings or cousins in months.

Probably normal.

BEEP! Alberta grabbed her phone and answered the call. "Alberta Canada speaking."

"Woah... that's quite formal for you."

Alberta gleamed up and rolled in her chair. "YUKI?! GIRL IVE BEEN MISSING YOU!"

"Calm down. I just want to check on you. The west has been so quiet all of a sudden, all I've had for company has been Northwest."

Alberta laughed a little to herself, "Oh my. How's it like up North? Everyone down south feels rushed, BC and Mani won't talk to me."

"What about Sask?"

Alberta grimaced, "... how is Alaska doing?"

"Not well. He's acting like Nova, no, he looks worse then Nova. To think I have to go and watch him be hurt more... with my own hands. I know I need to or else everyone will be hurt even more- but he's family."

Alberta sighed, leaning on her desk. War plans were spread across detailing every nook and detail needed for the coming invasion. Her forces combined with some europeans would go through the midwest, her cousins, her friends. Seeing that would be horrendous and made her stomach drop. But she had to, her siblings meant the world to her and nothing was going to stop that. "See you next meeting Yukon."

"Wait what-"

Alberta hung up and put her phone away. She had barrels to transport and troops to prepare for.

//(Montreal)//

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

"Quebec, thinking doesn't require a bar. C'mon we-"

Quebec grumbled at Ontario and turned away, taking a sip of his drink. Ontario scrunched up his eyebrows. The bar was warm and stained with ceiling light. The sky outside had long turned black, enclosing the city in shadow. "Go away."

Ontario sighed, sitting on the bar stool next to him. He ordered a drink from the bar tender and looked at Quebec. "I'm not leaving until you do, which is about 2am."

"Pulling the good old, bar closes on me, card?" Quebec took another sip of his drink, "That's low even for a racaille anglaise like yourself."

Ontario rolled his eyes, "If you're going to insult me, tell me in English you grenouille française." He said in a poor French accent.

Quebec smiled a little, looking at the liquid in his glass. "What do you want Rio?"

"Well I need help with preparations of course. The Atlantics are much too busy to help and I think New Brunswick put French on the boxes just to piss me off. Guess she's just following her big brother."

"You need a translator? Do you not know French or something?"

"Well I need both muscle and a translator. Plus from your reaction to my accent... I'm probably going to get something wrong."

"When do you not?" Quebec sighed and got off the stool. "Say, I'll come help you if you pay my tab."

Ontario scoffed, "Sure, how bad could it be-" The bartender handed him a receipt and his eyes widened in complete shock, "Completely pay for it?"

"Mmhm." Quebec smiled, "Or else I'll just stay here.

Ontario nervously laughed, "How do you even spend this much money on drinks?!"

"Oh please, it can't be much for the richest province? Unless Alberta-"

Ontario slapped a check on the bar table, "Paid! Now hurry up before I take out a loan for your drinking habit."

///(Outside of Brandon)///

Manitoba paced back and forth through the base. He scribbled down a few notes in his notebook. "Training going as planned, no surprises there. Would prefer more ammunition for training purposes. Only one casualty via malfunctioning drawback on weapon."

Manitoba's combat boots clicked against the floor. So much like Canada's... too much like Canada's. He stopped and sighed, he didn't need this right now. He had a war to prepare for, not a moment could be wasted on the past.

"Did I come at a bad time?" A woman's voice came from the entrance.

"No no, come in,"

British Columbia gave a little wave, entering the hall. "You look different."

Manitoba kicked his boot. Combat boots, dog tags, short curly hair, black jacket, eyepatch. "I really look like him, don't I?"

BC laughed pitifully, putting an arm behind her long wavy hair, "Well... I suppose so. I mean you still have your locket, Canada never had that." Manitoba played with the small golden chain. "Tea?"

"So how's the preparations on your side?"

She stirred two sugar cubes in her tea, "Oh please, can we not talk about war. Your stupid letters tell me enough about that." She huffed, taking a sip. "How was moving out? Your new room any nice?"

He shrugged, "Not as nice as the prairie house I'll tell you that," He laughed a little, "It's okay for a temporary apartment. I have a place to sleep and I'm close enough to the base and the capital which is a bonus. You stay in Vancouver?"

She shook her head, "I wish. I moved back to the capital, unrelated to the war. I still have floods and fires no matter how much soldiers arrive."

Manitoba took a sip of tea, looking nervously at the contents. "Have you talked to Al'? Or Yukon or Northwest or Sask? They haven't answered my calls for days."

"I talked Yukon a few days ago. She's doing well from what I hear. Alberta is quite busy, last I heard from her she was shipping weapons and oil to the east. North and Nunavut I'm unsure."

"Well that's good. At least they're alive."

BC laughed a little, "Suppose so. Heard the East is doing very well, as well as one can. You think we could visit them anytime soon?"

"Ontario and Quebec?"

"Perhaps they would be nice. I heard the Marintimes are lovely for a drink." She smiled, contrasting Manitoba's strong frown. "Mani, we need some company and everybody else isn't responding. This could be a chance to at least try and make up."

He looked away, "I think I have more work to do."

"Don't give me that bullshit." BC grumbled, hand to her head, "At least consider it. Drowning yourself in your work and thoughts shouldn't be your first thought."

"Please, BC, go home."

"I'm travelling to Toronto to talk with Ontario and Nova Scotia on naval defence. I came for a detour here because I wanted to see you and your stupid face. You don't have to come with me, but I hope you can make time in your busy schedule to talk with your family." She packed away the tea and other accessories. British Columbia then put her hand on the doorknob out, "Tomorrow, that's how long you have to decide. I hope you make the right decision Manitoba."

SLAM!

///(Northwest's shack near the Nunavut border)//

"Why hasn't big sibling Hawaii come over? It's been sooo long." Nunavut mumbled, fiddling with her braid.

"They're busy, they has a bunch of sisters and brothers to take care of y'know." Smiled Yukon, patting her head. Yukon knew the truth though. Alaska said Hawaii had been missing for days now, same as a few other states. Not good, not at all.

Nunavut's frown didn't cease, "But they promised they'd at least call every month. It's been more then a month!"

"Please Nunavut calm down. They have a whole family to take care of. They'll be right back once they're ready okay?"

"Okay..." Nunavut twirled her blanket around and cuddled Yukon. "I miss them."

"I do too."

Northwest Territories put some freshly chopped wood into the fire and hanged his axe back up on the wall. He walked over to the couch and sat right by Nunavut. "There's the wood all done."

"Thanks big brother." Nunavut said before yawning and snuggling into her blanket.

"Seems as if someone's ready for bedtime." Northwest Territories laughed, picking Nunavut up and carrying her to her room. "Mind watching the fire?"

Yukon nodded and waited as the two left to the hallway. A few minutes later Northwest came back and crashed onto the sofa, "Have I ever told you how much I fucking hate this house?"

"Language! There's a child in the next room." Yukon whisper yelled.

"She's out like a light. Must have had too much fun," He smiled and Yukon laughed softly. "This place is boring, has worse insulation then a vacation home, is super hard to visit and so so expensive." He rubbed his eyes.

Yukon looked away, "You blame yourself for them not visiting?"

Northwest sat quietly, "They left and a day later they refuse to talk. I said something wrong, didn't I?"

"No."

"No?"

"They're... they're gone." Yukon fiddled with her ponytail. "Alaska told me... he and the states haven't seen them for days. Not just them either, some other states are-"

"A kidnapping?" Northwest looked completely alerted. The room fell so quiet she could hear Nunavut's soft snoring and the fire crackle. Kidnapping, why would she have to mention something that could hurt her little sister. "... are they just after states?"

"North I don't mean it like that. Nunavut and the rest of our siblings are okay. I called them all when I found out."

"Answer the question Yuki."

Yukon sighed, "I don't know North. From what Alaska said the rest of his siblings are-"

"Why didn't you tell me?! I thought we agreed to work together!"

"We are!" Yukon yelled a bit too loud, "You've been doing everything is this god forsaken house that you forgot about your sisters!"

Northwest's eyes crinkled, "How dare you. I care about every one who has stepped foot in this house! If you want to be an immature prick maybe you shouldn't live with me. I already have a damn child to care for."

Yukon felt her eyes sting as she wiped them away with her hoodie. Northwest wasn't much better, his breathing hard and his eyes red.

"I'm sorry big brother..."

Yukon's eyes darted to the small crying child. "No no no, sweet pea he wasn't talking about you-"

"I'm sorry!" She sped off and out of the room.

———————————————————

2035 words

The Tenebrous AU is a really cool AU in a really cool book (The war against all) by Reflectiron  . I was reading its state centred chapters and was thinking about how the Canadian provinces would react to the whole event. Since it's not my AU this is not accurate to their book and I tried to only focus on my characters.