SAFE AND SOUND
Synopsis: The same world that once belonged to them, now was their biggest enemy. And it's up to them, now, to fight and take it back – no matter how much it would cost. Hetalia / Nyotalia interactions, multiple pairings.
Author notes: English is not my first language, but I tried my best to write correctly. If you can point me any corrections or gove any constructive criticism, I would be really glad. The chapters will be named after songs, just like the fanfiction itself (this is a song from Kyosuke Himuro and Gerard Way, for the US version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children). I really hope you all enjoy it. Thank you so much for reading.
Chapter 1: Map of the Problematique
- Sir, the areas 25 and 67 are having problems in energy supply – the voice of that woman was very serious and didn't demonstrate any emotions – The tropical storms damaged the transmission lines, and the population is requesting repairs.
- Yes, yes, I'm aware of it – said the man – We'll send people to take care of it as soon as possible. Any other points to be discussed? Maybe you, miss Honda?
- The presence of any of the main representatives of Omni in the inauguration ceremony of the Rehabilitation Center of the area 48 is required, sir – the woman was small, delicate, and her expression was neutral, although the low voice showed how intimidated she was.
- I'll be there. Well, I think we should finish today's meeting. You're dismissed, ladies. I'll see you soon.
The two women did a little reverence, before leaving the perfectly organized room and crossing the corridor that conduced them to the other rooms of the building. Everything was so well arranged, that place could be perfectly a big business center. But, as she released the long blond hair carefully tied in a tight bun, the first one sighed:
- I hate that guy. I. Hate. That all my heart.
- Alice, calm down – the second one approached her – It's not gonna help if you do it. Moreover, you know they don't stay in the same area for more than three months. Soon, he'll leave.
- Yeah, and then another pedantic douchebag like him will appear – another angry sigh – I'm already tired of it, Sakura. Too tired…
- Did you have any news from… them? – the other muttered. The first, on the other hand, just swayed her head, answering, desolate:
- Nothing but what appears on newspaper. They haven't been making too many movements in the last days. And this is good, I've heard Omni has increased their vigilance since the last attacks to their armories. But I think it took too long. Let's face it, they were being very insolent in the last months…
Then, the two passed by a man with white hair and eyes in an interesting red color. In the moment she saw him, Sakura narrowed her eyes, but she still did a little curtsy when he smiled at their direction.
- Well, if it isn't the ladies Honda and Kirkland! How are you?
- I would appreciate if you didn't ask that to me, Beilschmidt. Now, if you excuse me, I have some reports to fill. Mata ne.
She walked away with quick steps, leaving the other two behind. The man watched her leave, some strange emotion in his eyes, but soon he turned them in Alice's direction, saying, with a sarcastic smile:
- Yeah, Honda still hates me. At least she's still more polite than the others.
- Gilbert – Alice faced him – You know why everyone treat you that way. And you know, too, that I'm the only one who doesn't believe in your lame acting.
- Will we have this arguing again, Kirkland? – he kept his smile – You're more stubborn than your brother. Is it so hard for you to accept that this is my choice and I like the way things are now?
- As hard as to believe in your bullshit about your "awesome self" – she replied, her green eyes burning behind her glasses – I don't want to fight with you, Gil. Different than almost everyone here, I still consider you as a friend.
- You're terrible at choosing friends.
- As if yours were much better.
- I'm sure you liked at least one of them a lot.
- Shut up.
- Will we discuss it for the rest of the day? – in the end, he laughed – I know you didn't start talking to me to catechize me. What do you want?
- The usual. Information. You owe me that, Gilbert.
- What always makes you think I know much more than you?
- Cut the crap out, Gil. You're closer to the higher circles than me.
- Okay, okay, I got it – he passed his hand through his hair, impatiently – Well, as much as I know, nothing extraordinary happened. They're increasing the vigilance upon the Neutral, but there were no occurrences until now. And, of course, the area 16 keeps being a pain in their ass. But seriously, Alice, why do you always ask me those things? It's rising suspicions towards you, soon someone will think you're starting a rebellion or anything like that.
- You know why – her voice lowered – If something happens to them, you'll be the first of us to know.
He stood in silence, looking away. And then, he said:
- As far as I know, they're alright. And, honestly, they're the tougher among us. I just think that…
That phrase died in his lips. Suddenly, a hooter sounded, and they, at the same time, ran to the next window. A huge riot could be seen in the street. A while after, black cars with Omni logo on the doors appeared too and joined the chasing.
- I knew it would happen… – hissed Gilbert – We better go there and see what's going on!
Then, both of them ran to the first elevator available. The calm was over. And, if their suspicions confirmed, they knew exactly who was being chased in that moment.
Four hours before
- What do you have in your head, Emily? There's no way for it to work!
- We need guns, don't we? I have everything under control.
- But the bloody armory is only three blocks away from the regional Omni headquarters, birdbrain!
- Exactly. This is why this plan can work.
- You're hopeless, really.
- Anyway, let's see it again. The distraction team will pass in front the armory towards the headquarters. This way, we'll be able to take some guards away. In this team, we'll have Julchen, Toni and Marianne, each one in a car. While you do it, Ivan, Arthur and I will go to the armory. Feli, you'll be our escape driver.
- I still think it's madness.
- Stop bitching, Artie, do you have any better ideas?
Several kilometers away from there, a big and exalted meeting happened in an underground room, in what once was a subway line. It was presided by Emily Jones. Despite her appearance of a young and carefree girl, she was talking very seriously when she was describing that plan to the others.
- We would have ammo enough for two months or more without reposition – Arthur Kirkland, a man whose severe and irritable appearance was reinforced by the enormous eyebrows, still tried dissuading her from that idea – And there are other and more isolated armories. It's a plan too rash and we can't run the risk of losing any more people.
- If you're afraid, Arthur, I'll call someone else to replace you! – she narrowed her eyes in his direction, making him open his mouth to counter-argue – We're running out of time and we can't allow them to improve their defenses any more. If we can't get supplies, all our cause will be lost. Is it so hard to understand?
- We must make ourselves sure not to involve the headquarters itself – remarked Ivan Braginsky, a tall and corpulent man with light-blond hair – Some of our people work there, if someone thinks they work with us they can be killed.
- And we have to think about an escape route, too – said Julia Beilschmidt, a small woman with long white hair and a scar on her face – They won't make our lives easy around their buildings.
They kept checking all the points of that plan, until everything was decided. In the end, Emily stood up and said:
- We don't have much time. We must leave, now.
The four cars were prepared. All their occupants were armed and prepared for anything. One of them, Marianne Bonnefoy, looked away, visibly worried. Another one, a young man called Feliciano Vargas, came close to her and asked:
- Sorella, what happened?
- If I at least knew where Francis is… - she murmured – Julchen and Arthur know, at least. What about me? I can't even say for sure if he's alive or not.
- Don't worry, he's probably alright – Feliciano tried to smile – Didn't he promise he wouldn't die before Arthur? Well… he's alive, isn't he?
- Yes… yes, you're right – she ended up smiling too – He's the kind of person who would try his hardest to survive for a stupid reason like that. Well, we better get going.
The cars departed, with a small distance between them. The first was Emily's, her tires leaving marks on the ground as they left through the tunnel, followed by the others. After a short and tortuous sequence of dark and dusty tunnels, they finally reached the street. They didn't talk during that ride, and the first words were heard through the radios.
- You're all conscious of the risks involved, right? – it was a male voice, very serious and austere – Our enemies know your faces, but we presume that information is reserved only to their higher levels.
- Lud, we know all that. Are you wasting our electricity only to say that bullshit or do you really have something important to us? – Julchen interrupted him through the radio. Her voice could be heard on the other cars, as well as an irritated sigh of the man.
- We managed to contact the Area 4. They're creating a communication network between our bases, as well as a direct flow of data from the enemy bases. Probably it won't have any practical applications for us for the next days, but soon we'll be able to access their systems. Anyway, we're already connected to the other bases, which means we can communicate freely.
- Awesome! – Emily commemorated – We better keep everyone alert. When we manage to invade Omni's systems, we better put all our hackers there at the same time. We won't be able to keep that channel open for a long time, so the more information we can get, the better.
- One more thing – the man's voice was swallowed by static for a second – We'll need you guys to use the secondary path to go back to the base. Some of our sentinels told there has been movement of official cars around the main road. We can't afford to lose it until we find another place to establish.
- Understood – the answer in the four cars was the same.
- I'm trying to trace the surroundings of the armory, I'll contact you if I find something useful. You better not get hurt, or I'll finish you guys when you get here. Stay safe.
After that, only silence. Broken by the sardonic voice of Marianne:
- Ludwig is really adorable, isn't he?
- Well, you guys heard him – another voice could be heard through the radio. Antonio, this time – How much time will we need for this mission? Four hours, like the other times?
- With the building documents of the armory, it will be more than sufficient – Ivan answered – We need to be as quick as possible.
The planning continued, through the radio. That was a safe frequency, established especially for the street missions. That group was specialized in invading official buildings, a work as risky as necessary for the cause they defended. And, for that to work, communication was the most crucial matter of all.
The travel didn't last long. Soon, they were already in the town, and promptly they parted. They were driving slowly, merging into the traffic. So many people there lived normally, without having even the slightest idea they were in the middle of a war. Emily thought about that, as she was trying not to accelerate again. She wanted to end that mission soon. She wanted that war to be over. She wanted to destroy the ones who started it.
Then, they finally reached the surroundings of the armory. That was the time. Turning the radio on, she said, in a very serious tone:
- Okay, guys. It's show time.
And then, hell broke loose.
A while before, a few blocks away from there, Sophie Zimmermann ran.
She was late – again. Trying to equilibrate upon the heels of her shoes, she ran through the sidewalk, trying to reach the bookstore she worked at. Her visits to the hospital always delayed more than they should, and it would be hard to explain to her boss why she was getting late for the fifth time only in that month.
Crossing the street without looking, she didn't notice when a car passed through the red light and almost ran over her. It didn't happen only because someone pulled her back. When she recovered from the shock, she allowed herself to look at the gentle strange who saved her. It was a man, apparently with twenty-five years. Blond hair, blue eyes, a discrete beard and a smirk.
- Ma chère, take care! – he said – The streets of this town are chaotic, you could get seriously hurt! And it would be a shame if such a lovely girl got hurt.
- Lovely… girl? – she looked around, confused, until she noticed he was talking about her – O-oh… thank you, mister!
- Ah, forgive my manners, miss! – he did a little reverence – It wasn't my intention to embarrass you – Only in that moment she noticed she was blushing – My name is Francis Bonnefoy. Can I ask yours? And why were you running in such an incautious way through this wild place?
He was a flirty, that was obvious. And a damn good one because, even if she knew he probably would say that to any girl he saw, his words made her heart beat faster. Sophie wasn't used to those compliments. Very skinny and a little short, she had straight blond hair, always braided, brown eyes hidden behind glasses, and a series of irritating habits. Nothing that could bring her much attention around.
But there was something else about that handsome man with soft voice and charming accent… something she couldn't decipher…
- My name's Sophie – she answered, at last – I work on a bookstore around here and I'm late again… damn, my boss will get mad at me…
- I'm sure you have an excellent reason for being late, mademoiselle – he answered – Would you mind if I went with you? I just remembered I have to buy some books.
She muttered a shy "no problems", and they started walking in the bookstore's direction. What was that feeling? Why did she feel there was something really different about that man and she didn't have any idea about what it was? Why didn't she…
- Forgive my indiscretion, mademoiselle, but could you tell me what bothers you? – she noticed his eyes fixed on her. She smiled, and answered, shy:
- It's nothing, mister. Just a silly curiosity.
- If it's about anything related to me, you can ask – he did an exaggerated movement, that made her laugh – I'm an open book.
- Your accent. Are you from Fran…Area 82?
He faced her for a moment, apparently surprised. And then, he smiled, saying:
- So you still remember the old name of that beautiful land, miss… I'm glad for it – his voice was low, nostalgic – Yes, you can say I'm from there. France. I'll never accept to call it by a number.
Sophie swallowed. She, too, hated the idea of calling nations by numbers. It was almost like eliminating the very own essence of each one of those beautiful countries. It's been a few years already, but she still remembered how it was before. And what happened after that.
- Forgive me. I'm just an old and homesick guy, don't take me seriously – he said, lastly. His smile seemed too sad.
- I wouldn't say you look old, mr. Bonnefoy – she answered – On the contrary, you look really young.
- No. Call me "Francis", cut the "mister" part out. And it's very gentle from you, but believe me when I say I'm just a little older than I seem. Is it here?
They stopped in front of the bookstore. It was an old and charming building, stuck between two big modern skyscrapers. Sophie invited him to come in, and as soon as they approached the counter, there was already a woman awaiting for her, with an angry expression.
- Mrs. Holmes, I can explain, I… - Sophie started, stuttering, but Francis interrupted her, saying:
- This adorable mademoiselle here was helping me – his tone were so convincing than even she could believe in that story herself – I'm new in town, and I got lost. She was giving me instructions to reach the city hall, isn't it?
- Y-yeah, yeah, that's right – she quickly confirmed – Do you think you can get there by yourself?
- Probably, with you accurate instructions – he blinked at her – But, then, she mentioned she worked at a bookstore and, wow, this place is so lovely! – he looked at the saleswoman, who blushed. Yes, he was a flirty – I hope you ladies don't mind if I stay and take a look.
- Absolutely, sir! – mrs. Holmes now showed an immense smile – Enjoy it, please!
He nodded to them, and disappeared among the shelves. Mrs. Holmes did a positive sign to Sophie, who only rolled her eyes. She really let herself go for very cheap arguments.
Suddenly, a deafening sound made her drop to the floor. Cars passing too fast, glasses breaking, sirens, shots. "Not again!", she muttered, covering the ears with her hands. It has been a long time since the last attack, and in that last time people have died. And then, she felt a touch in her shoulder, and flinched.
- Sophie, come with me – it was him. Francis – We need to get outta here right now, soon the Omni agents will be here.
- But… but… - she mumbled, confused. Why should she fear them? They kept the order, didn't they? And she hasn't done anything.
- Sorry for involving you in it, mademoiselle. I promise nothing will happen to you.
And then, without any warnings, he lifted her and put her in his shoulders. She almost started screaming, but soon she changed her mind, as they ran to the back door and, then, disappeared, going down to the subway. In that moment, her mind didn't work anymore, and it only absorbed all the volume of new information without having the work to process it. And she kept her mind as far as possible from the obvious question.
Who was that man?
As soon as the riot in the streets started, Gilbert and Alice went to the street too, trying to find out what happened. When they came down the floors, they could hear the sound of shots against the windows and glass breaking. They knew what was happening, and who was behind that attack, but they avoided to talk to each other. Walls had ears in that building…
When they reached the sidewalk, there were other there. Sakura was there, with a man with dark hair and glasses and a mark in his chin. In the moment they met, Gilbert asked straightly, with a strange note in his voice:
- Who was in those cars? Could you see it?
- Julchen was driving one of them – the man replied – We didn't see the others clearly, but I presume it's the usual group. They'll end up with a bullet in their heads if they don't stop it…
- Roderich… did you see if… - Alice started to ask, but before she finished he said:
- No. But I didn't see for sure, the cars were too fast.
The four looked at the street. Broken glasses in all cars, some crashes, a hydrant destroyed and many people close to panic around. Omni's troops already started to gather in the area. There are too many, probably coming from all the near sites. Which made sense, since that was the power focus of all that Area.
But if they were all there, that meant the armory was…
- Probably they were only trying to make a riot – Gibert said out loud – There weren't any bigger damage, and I doubt they managed to go inside the building.
He had understood it, too. And, like her, he decided to say nothing.
It wasn't hard to pass through the first division of armory's guard. There weren't many guards, and they needed to be taken out of the way discreetly. Arthur was the best man for it. Approaching them in the most complete silence, he hit them and left them unconscious with surgical accuracy. After, he signed to the other two.
If the maps were correct, there was a quick exit to the upper storehouse few meters from the sentry-box. The three walked there quickly, trying to escape from all the guards' sight and cameras they could. It seemed like the distraction plan was working wonderfully. They wouldn't go to the deeper rooms of the building, only to the transportation storehouse. That was the place where the Omni kept the weapons to be taken to the quarters in the next days.
They had a little more work with the door. It was the time for Ivan to show his abilities, breaking the lock with a kick. The surprise element wouldn't last too longer, so there wasn't any reason to keep being discreet. There were boxes with guns and bullets there, of all possible sizes and calibers, and some carryings of knives and stun guns.
- Our focus is to get ammo, so take as much as possible – commanded Emily – Especially the .12, they are…
She stood in silence, though, when she saw some red boxes. She knew those bullets. And she knew the world was upside down thanks to them. Without saying a work, she took a box and put it in her bag, going back to her original task right after.
A little while later, the alarm sounded. The three stood up, startled. The bags were already full with new guns and bullets, and some stun guns. Emily was the first to take two pistols from the storehouse, load them and run to the door, being followed by the other two.
Outside, there were already several guards waiting for them, but not as much as they expected. Words or commands weren't necessary, and in the next second, the three were already running to the gate, hitting everyone in the way. The stun guns were really useful for it: if they could finish that mission with the least possible losses, the better.
- You are so annoying – Ivan said in an almost jolly tone, as he punched the guards. His physical strength was something brutal, and his facial expression only made him scarier – Emily, we better hurry. Sooner their reinforcements will get here.
- I know, I know – she opened a fierce smile, as she stunned another guard – We're lucky for having Feli to drive to us.
The guards, then, started to shoot. Probably not to kill them, they know that Omni had orders to capture any one of them alive. Even though, avoid bullets was too easy for who had passed so much time in missions and battles across the time. They only needed Ivan to open way through the gate, and for the three to get in the car again. A second after, it ran insanely through the streets, while his driver seemed calm and cheerful.
- I'm more afraid of you driving than of they shooting! – cursed Arthur. The chasing has begun. Several cars already followed them. He and Ivan tried to shoot their tires, through the windows – Take us away from here right now, it's hard to keep aim!
- Ve… - Feliciano murmured – I'm already going as fast as possible, but I guess I can take them out of our track.
And then, coming from other streets, the other cars joined them. There were bullet holes in the doors, but apparently no one was hurt. They had chosen similar cars for that mission, and it didn't take too long for the chasers to be unable to identify their car. And they only needed a precise shot in one of their tires to make one of the cars rotate in the road, making the others crash and making a huge pileup.
And then, the four cars disappeared towards the subway tunnels.
- Awesome, they didn't follow us! – Marianne commemorated through the radio – Mission was a success, folks!
- We won't have to come back too early – said Emily, laughing loud – And we wouldn't even be able to, I doubt they would be stupid enough to fall for this trick again. But what… FELI, STOP THE CAR!
They almost didn't see two people walking through the old tunnels, and they almost ran over what seemed to be a man carrying a young woman. They all held their breath, tension filling the air. Would it be a spy?Would he know where would those tunnels go? The reaction was immediate, and they all prepared to shoot if it was necessary.
- What a lack of manners of you all! – the voice they heard, though, put away any fears – Would you really knock down an old friend? Especially when he's carrying a poor scared damsel in his arms?
- It can't… be… - muttered Arthur, getting off the car and walking to him – But… but…
- Why are you so surprised, Eyebrows? – Don't you recognize an old friend when you see him?
Among all the people in the world, it should be him. Arthur wanted to punch him so bad.
Francis Bonnefoy.