Title: A Time for Autumn
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.
Summary: Amelia and Sakura join the boys on a friendly Scavenger Hunt during Halloween. This is a glimpse at how they meandered through the city passing friends as they went along. Fem!America and Fem!Japan. Warning: Hetalia and Nyotalia Divergence and Fluff.
Author's Note: For this fic, I actually borrowed the theory of Pocketter where there are two representations for every country. One that represents the actions of the government and the other the actions of the people.You know how sometimes the people don't always agree with the government. It got me thinking what if it's like that?
Also not all female nations were found or wish to be found. Some interact with their male counterparts while others don't. We often see the male counterparts with the government but the female ones are among the people and are usually hidden away. Thus, I wanted to see how the girls would interact with our favorite Hetalia characters.
And unlike the male counterparts who were often cared of by their bosses or head of states. The Nyotalia girls had to fight, work and struggle in their early lives in order to survive. They may not die but they can starve, hurt and suffer like humans and other personifications. Much so because they are in tune to the people themselves.
London, England
The scarlet, crimson, and orange dotted with trunks of white birches and the pure green of the fir trees signaled the arrival of autumn. From the cool and edgy breezes and the windows thrown wide open, the people feel alive without the summer's heat.
During this season, there were a lot of things to do before winter comes. From picking fruits, decorating the porch, driving down the open country road to enjoy the beautiful scenery or even staying at home to bake apple pie; one can never be bored with autumn. And nothing best represents autumn but Halloween. This year, the party would be hosted by none other than Great Britain.
It was a common occurrence that although the male counterparts are officially invited to attend such events, the Nyotalia girls were never mandated to attend. Some of them show up but many prefer to enjoy the night at their own leisure. Others prefer to stay at home and protect the states while their counterparts are away.
With Great Britain as the host. They spared no expense, trying to outdo the previous host last year which was ironically France. The theme was based on the book Harry Potter. Cauldrons filled with food and candy were spread throughout the tables. The ceiling was projected with several candles floating in the air similar to the great hall in Hogwarts. Portraits lined the walls. As standard flags of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin hang on different sides of the ballroom. While ghosts and dementors were placed above entryways as the winds made the sheets move.
Alfred and Amelia went to the party as a courtesy to their adoptive parents. Alfred came dressed as Captain America. From his black boots, dark blue jumpsuit to his utility belt and pair of gloves, he looked every inch a hero. The crowd was impressed when he came up. The only thing missing was the mask. It was only fitting that she also matched his own. Thus, she came as Black Widow. Together they paid their respects to England who was dressed as none other than Harry Potter. They both gave him a hug.
"Happy Halloween, Arthur. Great party by the way."
"Why thank you, Alfred. I couldn't let that frog surpass me, could I?"
Amelia and Alfred gave him a wry smile. Arthur can never let go of his grudge against the Frenchman even though he was in a relationship with Marianne. "Anyway, where's Alice?"
"She's making last minute preparations. I worry about her."
"Why?"
"She tends to go overboard."
"Well, you know, mom. She wants everything to be perfect," Amelia explained.
"She needs to relax. Arthur, you should tell her to take a break."
"Fat chance that would do anything?" Arthur muttered. "So how are you both?"
"Fine," groaned Alfred.
"That bad, huh?"
"Let's just say the presidential elections are heating up," pacified Amelia.
"It's driving me crazy!"
"There, there lad. It won't be long now. Pretty soon, you'll be meeting your new boss," said Arthur sagely. "Let's just hope that the American people would vote wisely,"
Everyone knew that the selection of the new president was no laughing matter. America's new boss would be the leader of the free world. It was an honor but also a heavy responsibility. For the president's actions would influence the whole world. One that may play a vital role in the war on Syria. They stayed with Arthur for a while and made idle chit chat before Amelia excused herself to get a drink.
On her way to the bar, she saw Sakura drinking champagne. She was dressed as a cute female ninja. The maroon tunic top with black trim, attached to black corset, black arm and leg warmers with maroon lace up detailing showed that she had a thorough eye for detail.
"Howdy, Japan!"
"Hello, Amy-san. How are you?" She gave her a hug.
"I'm fine, thank you for asking. You looked great!"
"Thank you. You look wonderful too."
Amelia beamed. Her black skin tight catsuit, two belts buckles with a pair of glovettes showed her curves nicely. "Thanks. Where's Kiku?"
Sakura raised her glass to the west side of the room. Amelia looked to see Kiku dressed as a mummy. He was conversing with Germany and North Italy who were dressed as zombies. With that in mind, it was apparent that Kiku would soon change costumes to join them.
While Amelia ordered her favorite Chardonnay, they talked about the situation in their countries as well as the latest gossip in the rumor mill.
"Amelia!" Alice called. The hostess wore a long, black and green Victorian masquerade ball gown that accentuated her figure. She sashayed towards them with a flute of champagne in her hand. She gave them both a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey mom! You look incredible!"
"Why thank you, darling. With so many things to do. I decided to just grab the thing I had in the attic."
"It suits you, Alice-san."
"Thank you, Sakura. I'm glad this old thing still fits. Now if only I could do something with this party."
"Relax, mom. The party's amazing."
"I can't help it, poppet. With the Scavenger Hunt coming underway. I have to make sure everything goes according to plan."
"Why? The party's awesome as it is."
"It's the centerpiece of this whole thing. I can't let anything ruin it," defended Alice. "That reminds me, do you plan to join the Scavenger Hunt?"
Amelia looked at Sakura. She shrugged in reply. "We're not sure yet, mom. We'll probably pass." Although England's games were often exciting, the girls hated making a fool of themselves in front of the other countries. They often let Alfred and Kiku do that for them.
"Oh? The winner of this game would get an all-expense paid trip to the Caribbean's for a week."
"I thought you were going to give gift certificates, Alice-san?"
"Well, we decided to raise the stakes. This would make you run around the city almost all night. You might not have the time to even enjoy what the rest of the festivities have to offer."
She turned to Sakura, "I'm game but only if you are."
"But Amy-san don't you want to pair off with Alfred or Maddie?"
"Nah. If I know Alfred he'll probably choose with Matt or Kiku while Maddie would definitely take Gilbert." Amelia turned her attention to Sakura. "So, you up for a little game, sis?"
"Hai."
"I hope you win," Alice grinned. "Arthur and I decided to make the game a little more interesting to even out the playing field."
"Oh? Care to give two of your favorite girls a few tips?"
Alice gasped but she looked playful. "Why, Amelia! I'm appalled. I taught you better than that."
"I'm sorry, mom. I should have known," Amelia said. "Everyone knows, it's impossible to get information out of you."
"Well, I hope you wore good running shoes, you'll need it." Alice smirked. "It looks like Marianne just arrived. Late again, I see." She shook her head before excusing herself to speak with the French state who came dressed as Marie Antoinette. "I'll talk to you later alright?"
They watched Alice admonish Marianne for her tardiness before they joined different social circles. The girls worked the room during the entire party. They would speak to friends and give casual nods to their allies and acquaintances. They passed by Toris and Felix taking shots of Tequila in a corner. They were dressed like pirates. The girls met and took pictures with several dignitaries. Later on, they registered for the game before they danced with friends. True enough, Maddie chose Gilbert while Alfred chose Kiku for the hunt.
They watched as the dancers performed a routine on stage. There were several bands that played before the crowd. The song Thriller even came up once or twice. There were several magic tricks and pyrotechnics that lit the ceiling of the ballroom. Amelia loved the theatrics. It was a true Halloween extravaganza. In another part of the room, an indoor home theater played the newest horror movies if anyone cared to watch.
Amelia greeted her father with a kiss on the cheek when she saw him. Francis, who was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, commandeered the bar. He enticed everyone nearby to play the game of tying cherry stems with their tongues. If they ever wanted to become great kissers. Amelia tied her cherry stem with ease. Francis taught her how to do it when she was a child. She recalled the time when she told her mother about it, Alice was furious. She wouldn't speak to Francis for a year and banned him from seeing any of her children indefinitely.
Sakura went to talk to Belgium. She was dressed as a sexy she-devil and offered to do fortune-telling for those who wanted to know their fortunes using tarot cards. She also watched the female Bad Touch Trio perform live on stage.
Pretty soon the main event was upon them. Arthur and Alice went on stage to give the ground rules. "Alright you bunch of cretins! Listen up because we will only tell you this once. In order to discourage cheating, we decided to send the tasks electronically to your phones of the things you have to do. There are ten tasks all in all. Do not forget that with the aid of CCTV, we can monitor everything you do as you go along. You will only be handed the next task if you successfully complete the one given to you." Arthur explained.
"Now, everyone always remember that partners must work together while playing the game." Alice gave her thoughts. "Some tasks deal with strangers. So please do not harass our people!"
"There are only three important rules in the Hunt." Arthur raised a finger. "Rule number one: You cannot bribe or coerce other individuals to complete the tasks for you."
Arthur held two fingers, "Rule number two: No cheating, lying or sabotaging other's work. Always play fair. It's very important to be patient and resourceful. Don't let your competitive instincts drive you to ruin others' chances to win."
"Sabotaging other teams will result in automatic disqualification. It's just a game, guys" added Alice.
"Now, not all pairs have the same task as yours but some do." Arthur raised three fingers this time. "Thus, for rule number three: We allow collaboration when teams converge with others in a given task. You can forge an alliance if you like." Arthur expounded. "You have until midnight to complete everything. So good luck and have fun. Let the Scavenger Hunt begin!"
The players then scrambled out the room. The others who refrained from joining the Hunt nestled in to enjoy the food and other festivities. There was a large screen in front of the ballroom to show what the participants were doing. Some opted to stay to watch the adventure unfold. The micronations who were dressed in animal costumes played online games. While others were placing bets on who would win the Scavenger Hunt.
For the girls, the game began in a spooky graveyard tour at the public cemetery. Amelia glanced at the crowd. There were about a dozen pairs scattered at the entrance. She saw Ludwig and Feliciano at a distance. No surprise there. Matthew, who was dressed as an Indian also came along with Cuba, who was dressed as a cowboy. Even Francis came with Antonio who was dressed as a werewolf and several more teams to name a few.
"I do not see Alfred-san or Kiku-san around."
Amelia glanced at the crowd again. "They must have a different task from ours. Why are you smiling?"
"Nothing. I'm just glad. You are not scared." Sakura teased.
"Hey! I'm only scared of ghosts!" Amelia defended. Not creepy cemeteries in the middle of the night. "Let's just pray that we don't encounter them tonight."
"Hai. We best finish the task as soon as possible then?" Sakura grinned.
Amelia nodded and said nothing else.
The task was easy enough. Take a photo in front of a statue of a cherub. The pairs roamed the grounds in search of it. Little did they know that there were only three statutes scattered in the graveyard. It was hard to find one in a dim lit place. Amelia stumbled into one when she tripped. She found it on top of a child's grave. They quietly prayed for the dead little girl before they took a picture and exited the graveyard.
The second task was to take a picture with a tea pot in an antique shop. They had to hurry because the shops would close any minute. The antique shop was a wonder in itself. Majority of the other things they found were pretty random. They found old furniture, books, toys, tools and canning supplies. Sakura would have loved to browse through the shop if they weren't in a hurry. Finally, they found a teapot in the kitchenware section. They took a picture before leaving the shop.
As they were about to leave, they saw Gilbert and Maddie coming by. Gilbert was dressed as the Winter Soldier while Maddie was dressed as the Corpse Bride. Because of their costumes, they made a pretty odd couple. One dressed in roguish black while the other dressed in bluish white. They wished them good luck before taking a bus to get to their next destination.
The third task came via text message. They were to take a picture with the biggest Halloween pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. This was tricky because there were no pumpkin patches within the city. They had to find the nearest one in their vicinity. They googled and asked strangers if they knew of one nearby. Good thing that there was an elderly couple who pointed them to the nearest one outside the city.
As they bid the couple goodbye. They came upon Alfred and Kiku in the subway. And lo and behold they also met Ivan and Wang Yao. Ivan looked perfect as a mafia boss while Wang Yao dressed as a sophisticated vampire.
At first no one said a word. There was a tense and scary aura emanated from America and Russia. It seems even in this place, politics played a role on their interactions. China and Japan tried to persuade them to play nicely. But no one paid any mind. After all, there was no love lost between them as well. Due to the territorial dispute between them. As well as the war games being held right now in the Pacific.
Amelia and Sakura greeted each one cordially but all they got was a nod from both pairs. If there was one thing that the girls understood. It was that they were supposed to avoid such scenarios.
The girls were free to interact with others. But in no way where they allowed to interfere with their government's foreign policy except by order of their heads of state. That duty was solely placed on the shoulders of their male counterparts. The girls, after all, reflected the actions of the people. While the men reflected the actions of the government. Thus, any enmity between countries were often created by their male counterparts based on conflicting national interests. Sometimes the animosity would be extended to them even if the female counterparts have no hand in such matters.
They stood as spectators as they waited for their train to arrive. Quietly, they watched as the two pairs began with the usual greeting of name calling and hidden insults. It soon sparked an argument as to who would win. A bet was conceived with the losers becoming the slaves of the winners for a day.
Amelia wanted to hear more of it but their train arrived. On the same train, they met the male Nordics dressed as Spartans and the Baltics dressed as ghouls. When they reached their stop, they hurriedly called a taxi to find the nearest pumpkin patch.
They were beaten there by none other than Basch and Julchen. They wore a matching Joker and Harley Quinn costume. The female Prussia looked the part of the blonde femme fatale perfectly. Switzerland would have been the same if he would have smiled. Ironic that he was the Joker.
The Joker that never laughed or grinned.
They were leaving when the girls came. Julchen greeted them warmly but Basch merely gave them a nod before leading his partner away.
They finally found the biggest pumpkin they could find. It was a lovely sight. There were several pumpkins in different shapes, colors and sizes. Some were already carved with different expressions in their faces. They took a picture of the pumpkin before taking more pictures of themselves with other pumpkins. A memento of sorts for tonight.
After sending a picture to England, they quickly received an automated message to the next task. A task that would make them go back to the city.
To be continued.
Author's Note: I've decided to cut this. It's just too long. For any questions, leave a comment. It's always appreciated. Thank you for reading!