Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.
On land the full moon looks bright, standing out amongst the stars but underwater it looks foreign. The rippling of the constant moving water makes the moon lose it shape appearing incomplete. Due to this those that choose to remain underwater their whole lives miss out on its beauty. Down below a young mergirl swam on her back staring and reaching towards it.
"Feliciana what are you doing?" The girl heard someone ask with a laugh.
"I'm trying to touch the moon Grandpa Rome." She answered not altering her position.
"You sure do love the moon." The merman swam to his granddaughter and held her in his arms.
"Sometimes I just want to swim on to the surface and touch it." Feliciana reached out her hand to touch it.
"Feli, you know we don't venture out of the lake."
"You did Grandpa Rome."
"But that was before you were born and I had no choice. I was only gone for three months but."
"It was the longest three months of my life." Feliciana and her grandfather said in unison.
"Have I really told you this story that many times?"
"You've told me many things about the surface world. I'm not interested in that stuff Grandpa Rome you're stories are good. All I want to see is the moon."
"Just the moon?" Feliciana nodded to reply. "You remind of someone I met on my travels."
"I do!" The young mergirl's eyes grew wide at the statement.
"I never knew why but this man longed for the full moon. After it happened the first time I asked him why he said. 'Romulus it's a part of me I can't change it's my nature.' The next time a full moon came he showed me why and all was understood."
"What happened Grandpa Rome?"
"Well that's something I think you're a little too young to know about."
"What was your friend's name?" Feliciana asked hoping to at least know a little more about him.
"His name is Wolfgang." Romulus paused for a moment. "So it's the moon you want to see?"
"I do, I do want to see it!"
Romulus looked around a bit and insured that the two were alone. He brought his granddaughter closer. "Then I will show you."
Soon he swam up with the mergirl tightly in his arms. When the two broke the surface Feliciana couldn't help but shiver in the when cold air hit her body. She also took note how her grandfather made sure to keep both theirs full submerged in the water. Soon she looked up and saw it. The moon, it was so pretty when she wasn't underwater and she couldn't take her eyes off it. After a few minutes Romulus took them both back underwater."
"That was beautiful." Feliciana whispered still looking up at the moon.
"It sure is, now this will be our little secret okay." Feliciana nodded in agreement before the two swam back home for the night.
As the years pasted Feliciana grew to be a beautiful mermaid. She spent most of her time swimming around the lake she had called home her entire life. She lived in a tribe with her parents, grandparents, and two brothers. Romulus continued to regale his grandchildren in stories of his travels on the surface. Feliciana never lost interest in them and continued to listen to them intently, but there was something else that never stopped. Occasionally Feliciana would swim breaking the surface to look at the moon.
Ever since the night when she was younger and her grandfather showed her it, Feliciana would sometimes sneak away when everyone was asleep just to look at the moon. She never stayed out to long a few minutes at the most. After a while the air started to slightly hurt her arms, especially the fins on them. Life remained normal until one day.
"Feliciana!" the young mermaid heard her older brother calling.
"Lovino what's wrong?" She asked very concerned.
"There's a new parasite going around. Mom and Dad are already effected and we're worried it's infected you too."
"Is Marcello alright?" Feliciana grew major concern for her younger brother.
"As far we know yes, but he could be infected."
Worried about her family Feliciana followed her brother. Once they arrived to where the affected mermaids were Feliciana found her scales being examined very intently.
"Lucky you," the medical merman said after he was done, "you show no signs of the parasite at all."
"Really?" Feliciana said in shock.
"I'm serious but I'd advise to swim away now so you don't risk anything."
Nodding Feliciana swam right away. As she swam she took a look at her parents and saw her grandfather swimming over them. Soon she found a spot where no mermaid were and settled there. This looked like the safest place for her. She sat there for a while until night fell and saw her grandfather swimming towards.
"Grandpa Rome," she called to him causing him to swim over faster in her direction.
"Oh Feliciana I'm glad I found you." Romulus didn't do anything besides swim in front of her.
"Is everyone alright?" Feliciana asked fearing her grandfather had bad news.
"As far as I know not really. Everyone in the family either had the parasite or signs of it, except for you."
"Oh Grandpa Rome what are we going to do?" Feliciana put her head in her hands.
"The only thing I can do," Feli looked up at her grandfather, "Feli you're going to have to go live on the surface world."
"Live on the surface world?!" Feliciana couldn't believe what she just heard. "But I can't leave everyone. How will I know if you're alright? Where would I even go?"
"My friend Wolfgang is nearby. He'll help you."
"I can't leave you. I can't even go on land."
"Feli please just do this. I'll bring you to the surface. You're parents know they think it will be the best for you. Please protect yourself."
"Alright I'll do it." Feliciana sighed. Following Romulus the two soon broke the surface. Romulus lead her to the beach by the lake.
"Okay Feli all you have to do is to lay down on the sand and let your trail dry out. When it's all dried out you'll have legs and will be able to live on land."
Feliciana crawled herself onto the beach. The cold air stung her tail as she pulled out of the water. "Will I be able to see you again?"
"Hopefully Feli," Romulus started to descend back into the water. "I love you."
"I love you too." Feliciana reached out to her grandfather as he descended into the water.
Laying on the sand Feli could soon feel a numbness in tail, fin, and gills. She could hardly move those parts of her body. Closing her eyes she remained there until it all went away. After a few minutes she was able move again. Looking at herself she looked like a stranger. She felt her neck and where her gills were a section of scales. Her ears and arms also had some scales where her fins used to be.
"I look so weird," Feli commented looking at herself. "And I still haven't even looked at."
She paused. Gulping she sat up and looked where her tail once was. It was gone. In its place were two legs. Both were covered in scales, mainly around the bottom as the number shrank as they went up. She reached for the bottom of them she saw odd webbed appendages at them.
"Now how do I use these?" she asked herself. Pushing herself up she was able to stand vertically but very wobbly. "Okay I can do this."
Attempting to take a step she soon fell on her face. She remained there for a bit before trying again but had the same result. It took her couple of tries before she was even able to take a step, but shortly after she fell on her back.
"Are you Feliciana?" an older voice asked. Feliciana lifted her head and an older man standing near her. "My name is Wolfgang I am a friend of your grandfather."
Feliciana nodded but remained silence. This was it this was the moment she would have to leave everything she ever knew behind.
"Here put this on." Wolfgang handed her some cloth in a weird shape that she put over her head. It was a little big but it could work. "There that should keep you warm. Here let me help you up."
Taking her hand Wolfgang brought her too her feet. Still wobbling a bit he helped her walk before she was finally able to get the hang of it.
"Thank you." She said walking with him. "Where are we going?"
"I'm taking you to my sons," Wolfgang explained, "you'll be safer there."
Feliciana took a deep breath and headed off in the direction she was going to scared to asked questions.
"Hey West," the young man turned to see his brother approach him. "Are you ready for tonight?"
"I might not be going," he answered not looking up from what he was doing.
"It a full moon tonight!" The older of two freaked out. "Are you seriously going to miss it because of some girl you don't even know?"
"Gilbert I can handle it!" He turned to face his brother. "Father could bring her here any minute and she's probably scared out of her mind. Not to mention she's probably never seen anything like us before."
"No Ludwig she's never seen anything like Alfred before, I'm sure she's seen a lycan before."
"From Father has told me she's spent her entire life in an isolated lake. I highly doubt that she saw other species before."
"Have it your way West." Gilbert started to walk away. "But when the full moon is out tonight good luck trying to subdue your desires."
Ludwig closed the curtain of the nearby window. It was nighttime now and the full moon was shining brightly.
"Keep it together," he encouraged himself, "just don't look at the moon."
"I'm surprised you're out in the woods," a voice noticed.
"Hi Alice," he greeted, "not sure if my father going to be here or not."
Alice looked outside for a minute before speaking. "You really think he'd travel in this."
"I'm not planning on risking it." Ludwig scratched behind his ear.
"Suit yourself I'm heading out."
"Going to drink I suppose."
"It's not my fault I need to drink blood to survive."
"Good luck in the human realm and please don't turn anyone."
Alice didn't say anything but left swiftly. Ludwig stayed by himself away from the windows. It was roughly nine o'clock at night, meaning of the other pack residents were out doing something. Not to mention it was also in the middle of summer. He bolted up when he heard a knock at the door.
"Be right there." He said heading towards the door. Taking a breath he opened the door. There stood his father and next to him stood a girl with long auburn hair and had scales all over her body.
"Ludwig," his father started to say, "this is Feliciana."
AN: Happy Gerita Day! Similar to last year I decided to publish a story. It's been over a year since I published anything Hetalia related and I missed writing it. I've attempted to write other stories but never finished them. So I figured the best way to return was with the ship I love most. I hope to update soon. See you next chapter!