If you found a way to stop war…. Would you do it?
What if it pit family members against each other, made friends chase each other in a murderous rage?
No?
What if those in the fight were hard to kill?
Not because of skill or training, but because when they die they usually wake up after an hour or so.
It seems a lot of you humans think this is fine, as long as your young ones aren't going to war.
It's even become entertainment.
I guess I should explain.
My name is Lovino Romano-Italia Vargas, and I am the personification of the south side of Italy. All Countries have a personification. My little brother's name is Feliciano Veneciano-Italia Vargas, and he represents the north side of Italy.
We used to live together in a villa by the coast of Italy. It was handed down to us from our Grandpa, Romulus Roma Vargas. Want to know where we live now? In a dark cell underground, where we never see sunlight or breathe fresh air. The only furniture are two single beds on either side of the room.
Personifications were kept on a down low for many centuries, our existence only revealed to the humans who had to know. For example our boss, or a fellow man in the military during a war.
When found it was much harder to kill us compared to a human, we were thrown head first into battle. They sent less humans into battle each time, until it was just personifications duking it out on a random field.
The humans decided to add order so they could control it. When a country's leader has a problem with another country, the two personifications are thrown into an arena to fight to the death. The victor can either ask for their alliance, or ask for land.
The alliance system is a simple one. If two countries are in an alliance, and one of them were about to be thrown into battle; the country about to fight can ask for medical aid or a weapon to assist them in their battle. The more allies you have, the easier the battle is.
My brother and I only have two allies. Antonio, the personification of Spain, and Ludwig, the personification of Germany.
Antonio is not a strong battle ally to have, due to the country's poverty he provides low quality weapons and his medical aids are minimal. However, when it comes to providing food for our people, Antonio is a good resource due to his country's farming.
Ludwig, on the other hand, is the best battle ally to have. His country's high engineering skills and his military style training means his weapons are some of the greatest on the field and when we're getting ready to fight his barking orders at us scare us too much for us to risk losing.
Both were happy to help, unless we had to fight them.
What? You think just because we're allies we don't fight?
That would make sense wouldn't it, but fighting seemed to be the only way for humans to make a decision.
It was while my brother and I were talking about who we wanted to make our next ally that our boss came in to give me a message.
"Lovino Vargas?"
This boss was pretty new, I didn't give enough of a shit to learn their name. I walked up to them to acknowledge I'd heard my name. The silver cross that hung low off my neck and upon my bare chest swayed slightly with each movement, momentarily taking my bosses attention off of my heavily scared face. The scar they always seemed to try and avoid was a cut down the right side of my face that was caused in a fight against Alfred, the personification of America. But their eyes went straight for the massive scar that starts at my left shoulder and ends on my right hip…. That one was from Japan, Kiku.
The boss looked me in the eye, speaking clearly, "You will be fighting Ludwig Beilschmidt in two days."
The words rang through my head as I looked at the boss in shock and horror. I was to fight Ludwig Bielschmidt to the death.
I lifted my arms as my mouth straightened into a hard line, "Nope! Fuck it! Get some paper and a pen! I am fucking dead!"
The boss left, not really caring how I felt about this fight. Feliciano tried to get me to calm down so we could think of a strategy for surrender.
I couldn't do it.
I'm scared.
Ludwig has never lost a fight, and he definitely wasn't going to lose to me.
Pacing back and forth, I was thinking about what to give him. More tomatoes? No no, I lost all my tomatoes to Francis. Wine? No no, all my exports go to Alfred now. Land! What land do I own?
…. WHAT LAND DO I OWN!?
I turn to my little brother, seeing the tears roll down his face. He held his hands close to his face, leaning his cheek on the cool silver metal that wrapped around his fingers, "Feliciano, how much land do I own?"
His body shook, making the chains hanging from his black jeans emit a soft clinking sound. "Y-You only own Rome now."
…. That explains it.
Usually when Italy is in a fight, both of us are fighting one opponent, but Ludwig is only fighting me. He's going to claim the only land I have left, killing me.
I have to win.
I pulled on a black tee-shirt and pulled on some black sneakers. Feliciano hugged my waist close, helping me notice how much skinnier we both have become due to the many losses we have suffered.
"Let me go, I have to go talk to Spain"
With a whimper, Feliciano let me go and sat on his bed to cry.
I-It's not that bad, I can defeat the potato bastard…. No problem.
As I enter Antonio's cell, I watched him hunched over and rocking slightly. These fights have done him no good.
His body was littered with scars from stabs and cuts, his hair had grown out of control and was only kept out of his face with a single red ribbon. The red tank-top did nothing to hide the bony body underneath which had stopped nations wanting anything from him in a while.
"Ah, Lovi, what can I do for you?"
His once Spanish accent filled with love and passion was now a monotonous shadow of what it once was. My mouth felt dry as the guilt of how many of those scars were my doing seeped in, "I have a fight in a few days, do you have a weapon I can use?"
A smile graced his smile as he turned towards me, "Oh? Who against?"
My voice shook as much as my lip trembled. "L-Ludwig"
Before I knew it, I was in Antonio's arms. I was shaking in hysterics as I knew this fight was the end of me. Whether I gave Ludwig Rome or he took it by force.
Antonio sighed and backed away before reaching into a small chest in the corner of the room. He rummaged through, the sounds of metal clanking together filled the room to an almost deafening level.
He produced a small knife, no sheath and it was very plain. He shoved it into my hands and looked about to cry in fear himself, "This is the best I have"
"….A knife? Against Germany…. A FUCKING KNIFE!?"
Tears streaked down Antonio's sunken in cheeks as he shook, "L-Lo Siento Lovi, that's all I have."
I ran out of the cell, holding the knife close to me. I was going to die! This was it for me!
I stood outside of my own cell and stared at the knife. I was about to go into that cell and tell my little brother that the only chance I had left, was a small knife that probably wasn't large enough to penetrate a chest.
What was I going to do?
As I opened the door, I heard low mumbles which I hope is from Feli. I get further into the room to find him hunched over a map resting on his bed. I caught a few words when I strained slightly to hear, "So if he were to-"
If who were to what?
"Feliciano, what are you doing?"
A soft squeak of surprise escaped his lips before his head spun to look in my direction. His tense and frightened face quickly relaxed and was replaced with a broad smile as he realised who I was, "Ah Lovino, I'm thinking up a strategy."
I looked down at the map; it was a map of the arena. The circular shape from a birds-eye view was edged with large healthy trees and the centre was a clearing large enough to see any fight clearly.
I'm not sure why, but the fact that my little brother was thinking up a strategy to keep me alive left a warm feeling. "Well, what have you got so far?"
Feliciano turned his attention back to the map and pointed at the outer ring of trees, "Chances are Germany is going to bring a gun with him; so if you hide in the trees it should make you a lot harder to spot."
It's our pride that we hide. We know running is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of a working brain. If you know you can't win, run until things are in your favour.
Our Italian Pride.
Then the dreaded question floated through the air, "Did you get something from Big Brother Spain to help?"
Without another word, I placed the knife on top of the map and watched Feliciano freeze. He stared at that knife for, what felt like, forever. The information must have slowly set in on him as I saw him shake softly.
I felt like shit. I basically just told my little brother that his friend was going to murder the only family he had left and there was nothing he could do about it. There was nothing anyone could do about it.
"This i-is ok, if you hide until you g-get a clear sh-shot you should be fine." I watched him rub his eyes with his sleeve gently, as if to dry them of tears I didn't see fall. "Plus, you love fighting with knives. Small and easy to carry while running right?"
I couldn't bring myself to smile, but there was no way I was going to cry in front of Feli at this time. Now was not a good time to show weakness, and so I forced every muscle in my face to stay in a neutral state, "Right."
We spent the rest of the day over that map, thinking of ways I could kill the potato bastard before he even got a chance to look at me.
What was I going to do if I 'did' win?
I can't ask for his alliance since I already have it.
I could ask for land, but what land do I want from the potato bastard? Chances are if it used to be used for farming he's already planted his disgusting vegetables, but I could use more farming land so I could grow some better crop for my people and maybe even Spain's during the hard times he's struggling through.
Why am I even bothering?
I'm not strong.
I'm not scary.
Hell, I'm not even smart enough to come up with a strategy on my own.
I'm fucked.
Despite how useless it was, I was not going to die without a fight.
When Feliciano went to bed early that night, I grabbed the knife and gave some practice swings; imagining the potato bastard in front of me I stabbed for any fatal areas I could remember and I think the knife will be able to plunge into.
I decided to hold the knife back hand. This will add some strength into my stabs and add some strength in my defence…. Though that bastard could probably break any defence I put up anyway.
From behind, try to aim for my right and his left side of the chest.
From in front, go for the head right between his eyes.
From the side, just under his armpit and stab upwards.
Any cutting is appreciated.
Make him bleed.
Though, what I didn't account for is the fact that thinking of murder before bed tended to lead to nightmares.
Laughing.
Humans, all jeering and laughing as I'm running.
I can't see anything.
Where am I?
What am I running from?
Why can't I stop?
What's going on?
Suddenly, I felt a pain begin in my left shoulder and slowly move to my right hip.
The only thing I can hear is my own screams of agony, my body now on its back and my hands used to hold my insides inside.
With what strength I have left, I look up to see him.
His black hair.
His red-stained sword.
Warm liquid trickled down my face.
Air felt rough hastily inflating my lungs in desperation.
The only sound, the last sound I heard before my eyelids finally got too heavy for me.
"Gomen'nasai Roma-Kun"
My mouth hung open as I tried my hardest to scream, but only felt myself sit up straight. With a quick glance at my chest, I'd found I had healed. I also began to notice the familiar cell and uncomfortable bed of which I sat on.
I looked over at Feliciano who shook with soft sobs. I'd done it again, I'd woken my little brother up again with my fucking nightmares. The fights aren't a big deal anymore, so why do I still dream about them?
Kiku did what he had to, we all do nearly every day.
I didn't know what to do about Feliciano. When I was a kid and something woke me up, I remembered Spain picking me up and holding me close until I went back to sleep…. But Feliciano wasn't a 10 year old, he was 20 yrs old and I don't think I could pick him up no matter how hard I could try.
Being a big brother is a lot harder than Spain made it look.
What would Grandpa do in this situation?
That's when it hit me…. I was going to die before really getting to know my little brother. Fuck, what do I know about Feliciano?
He likes Pasta….. But what kind is his favourite? Well, I knew he wasn't really one to drink wine… heavily… I thought. Shit. I didn't know anything about him.
I got out of bed softly, making sure I didn't sound too daunting as I crept over to his bed and hugged him close. After that, I didn't know what to do as he sobbed into my bare chest. I was sure you were meant to say something and help them feel reassured about the situation, but what was considered comforting?
"Feliciano…" His sobs calmed slightly and I heard a whimper as my response. I didn't really think that far along, "Um, what's your favourite pasta?"
After a few moments of silence, I could tell I'd said the wrong thing….. OF COURSE IT WAS THE WRONG THING!
How was that going to cheer him up!?
That was when I heard a giggle and noticed Feliciano backing away slightly with his hand over his mouth. His muffled giggles quickly turned into laughter as he could barely contain himself, "Fratello, I don't get you sometimes"
Nor I him.
….
The day has come.
I pull on my cargo shorts and a black tank top. I can't wear anything too heavy if I want the plan to work. Feliciano sat in bed, completely dressed and hugging his knees close. I don't think either of us have the confidence that I'm going to survive this one.
I watched him in the corner of my eye, not knowing what he's thinking or how to go about this. This is my little brother, and I don't know what to say to him.
I guess that's nothing new, but this time there was no second chance. I had to say something to him.
I felt the tears threaten to fall as I struggled to come up with something to say to him, however I stopped them from falling so I wouldn't scare him. I couldn't do that to him, I couldn't comfort him and I couldn't get over the fact that after today I'd never see him again.
I drank in everything Feliciano did. I watched his slow breathing cause his shoulders to rise and fall, I watched the grip on his legs tighten slightly in fear.
I'm never going to forget Feliciano. He's the best brother I could ever wish for. As much as hug therapy got in the way, they were the best hugs I'd ever received. Despite Feli having trouble seeing anything good about me, he made me feel loved and cool just by asking for my advice or introducing me to his friends. I want nothing more than to stay alive and keep him safe.
So why CAN'T I SAY IT TO HIM!?
How would I say it anyway without shaking in fear of my impending death!?
Why can't I-?
"Lovino?"
"hm?"
At that I felt his arms squeeze me gently, pulling me closer to him which made me feel his wet face against my back.
"H-Hug time."
I couldn't handle it. My whole body shook in fear as tears rolled down my face and sobs charged past my lips, "L-Let me go."
I didn't mean it, and I think Feliciano knew because he refused to let me go. We just stood there crying until our boss walked in.
Our boss pried us apart and dragged me away before I could say anything. Feliciano grabbed for my arms and tried to pull me back but there was nothing we could do.
Even after all of that, I couldn't say a word to anyone.
Holding the knife close, I followed my boss to a locked door. The door to the arena just looked like an ordinary door, why waste time and money on something extravagant?
Boss pulled out a key, opened the door and I heard cheers of excitement.
The arena.
The boss shoves me in and I see nothing but trees, however I've been in enough fights to know I have to keep walking and find the clearing so the audience get a good look at the battlers today.
As I walked, the trees began to thin out and I used the time to calm down and dry my face. If the audience saw weakness, if Ludwig saw weakness it wouldn't turn out well for me.
As I get to the clearing, I see Ludwig approaching from the opposite direction. The sight of his skin tight, black tank top and dull green cargo pants piss me off already.
I caught a glance at the gun in his hand and breathe a sigh of relief. Feli was right, so if I run into the trees it'll give me a slight advantage.
I look up to see the massive screen used to show the audience a closer view of the action. I heard the words that everyone was waiting for, "Welcome everyone to the battle of Germany and Italy. Today is something special, Romano Italy will be fighting without his little brother!"
On the screen, there was a picture of me crossing my arms and glaring at anyone who dare look. Small videos of my many deaths played all over the screen. I watched the one done by Kiku a long time ago and sighed softly. They didn't like showing my victories for some reason, but I didn't really care how they saw me.
If I'm remembered as a loser, so fucking what?
"This Roman Catholic nation is a descendent of the highly successful conqueror Rome, however his success would make his grandfather cry in disappointment"
I cringed.
I-I would make Grandpa disappointed?
That was when the neural state I tried to keep began to melt away. I felt my whole body begin shaking again, and the air began to thin. I'm going to die!
Ludwig watched me, his face unwavering but I could tell he was feeling smug.
He's a German bastard, what else would he feel?
I couldn't hear the rest of what the announcer was saying, I couldn't hear anything.
There was no sound, until I heard a gunshot and felt the pain in my shoulder slowly spread. Oh shit! I missed the starting alarm!
Holding the wound in my shoulder, I run towards the trees as fast as I could. The pain caused my body to shake more and my vision to blur, but if I let that get a hold of me I knew I'd be in for worse.
The plan was to climb a tree. One look at the wound in my arm and one at the tree severely lowered my confidence. I jumped and tried to reach for a branch, screaming in pain as I reached with both arms. I glanced behind me to find I had lost the bastard, but I don't know how long it'll take him to find me again if I scream like that.
Obviously, not very long.
I placed the knife between my teeth and bite down as hard as I could before jumping again. My cry was muffled by the knife and I felt the cut on my lip from tightening my mouth on the metal. Fuck! I'd put the knife in the wrong way!
My injured arm got hold of a branch and I almost cried in relief. I reached up with the uninjured and pulled myself up, whimpering and groaning in agony.
Bleeding to death was impossible for a nation, however bloodloss had the uncanny ability of making us weaker so I didn't have much time to kill the bastard.
Hide in the tree, wait for the bastard. That was what I was sticking to.
I sat up and pulled my legs up so I was in a fetal position on this branch, remembering all those times as a kid where I'd hide from Spain and his chores by climbing a tree and hiding until he forgot.
I knew I couldn't sit up there forever, but I knew that if I went after the bastard he'd have a cleaner shot of my head and he'd go for it.
In the silence, I get a harsh reminder that I hadn't eaten yet. I hold my stomach and grit my teeth, if that bastard was down there waiting for me…..
I glance down and there he was, looking right at me and aiming his pistol. He took the shot, which scraped my face as I moved back and out of the way.
I reached for the next branch, not caring if I screamed in pain this time, and continued my way up and around the tree. From there I jumped for another tree and cried in pain as I hit the trunk, if I could get closer to the bastard from up here, I might get the gun off him.
Shots continued to flew through the air, a couple only barely missing me as I get slower. Before the bastard could notice I was almost directly above him and, hoping he wouldn't shoot, I jumped for him.
As we both landed on the ground, the struggle for the gun had started. He already had the advantage of strength let alone my disadvantage of a bullet in my fucking arm. So instead of attempting to take it off him, I released all the bullets onto the ground.
As the bullets hit the ground, so did the back of my head.
His hands were holding my throat, limiting the air to my lungs.
I watched him reach for something attached to his hip.
A METAL PIPE!?
How did I not see that?
Of course the bastard would have a second weapon prepared for the fight!
I tried to reach for the knife grit between my teeth, but before I pulled it out of my mouth the pipe came down on the left side of my face. The blood from my cut temple stained the fucking pipe and trickled down my face as I cried out releasing the knife.
Panting softly, I waited for the next blow. I looked up and noticed that Ludwig was hesitating, "I'm sorry Lovino"
"Fuck you! …. We all have our jobs to do"
That was when I felt it, on my left again. Why did my last death ever have to be so slow and painful?
The crowd around the arena cheered him on as my screams got weaker, and the world got darker.
I swear I could hear a crack before he stopped.
The weight keeping me to the ground suddenly disappeared and there was a thud next to me. I looked to find him trembling slightly, now's my chance!
I grabbed the knife and slowly got to my knees with a slight smirk.
I-I'm going to live.
I plunge the knife deep into his fleshy stomach and pulled it out.
I stabbed him over and over until I was sure he'd stopped moving. I ignored his cries of pain, I ignored my own pain, I just focussed on my goal and that was for him to die.
The crowd went crazy as I looked up at the screen. I saw myself kneeling next to the bastard's dead body.
I looked insane, my face and body drenched in not only his blood but also my own.
The announcer's voice screeched over the speaker, "Romano Italy wins! What a shocker! The undefeated Germany is down!"
After a moment, the screen switched to pictures of flooding in a city. I recoiled in horror as I realise that those pictures were of Berlin.
I won because of a natural disaster weakening Germany.
"This is extremely lucky on Romano's end!"
No… No…
I keel over holding my stomach. I don't know what I threw up, but it was here now. After the horror sunk in completely and my body couldn't take much more, I welcomed the darkness and comfortable grass.