His voice was barely a whisper, yet he heard him loud and clear as though he had shouted.
"And what are you going to do?" He had asked.
"I'm going to kill him for you." He responded with out hesitation.
He smiled then, that upturn of the lips that meant he was satisfied.
"Good...dismissed."
"Yes, sir."
England rubbed his temples as the volume in the meeting room escalated, everyone attempting to shout over one another. It was giving him a head ache and the tenth time that hour he wondered where in the world Germany was. The blue eyed country would have made quick work out of getting everyone to shut up and actually get some work done but for the past two meetings he hadn't been there. Strange as it was, no one seemed particularly bothered except for the usual suspect-Italy.
Green eyes glanced over to the Mediterranean country who had looked fairly out of place with out his hulking friend around to cling to. He had positioned himself between Romano and Japan, the small Asian man also looking just slightly perturbed by the lack of the Germanic country. They were his two best friends so it was only natural they would be concerned for the welfare of their friend. 'I'll have to have a talk with Japan after the meeting. Maybe he knows something,' The Island country thought, glancing to the clock. Actually, it was almost time for the meeting to end.
The Brit closed his eyes and continued to rub his temples, trying to block out the onslaught of noise while counting down the minutes left of the meeting. "You look your head's going to explode," Cracking open an eye to glare at his enemy, England frown.
"Go away, frog. I already have a head ache, I don't need you to make it worse." He snapped, opening his eyes fully.
"It was only an observation," Looking around, the Frenchman leaned in conspiratorially. "You've noticed he hasn't been here either, oui?"
"Who?" Distracted from his thoughts the Englishman watched him roll his eyes.
"Germany of course. You keep looking at his seat then to the door as though you expect him to burst through at any moment."
"You can't blame me for worrying. It's not like Germany to not be here. Not once has he ever missed a meeting." Glancing to the clock, the green eyed country stood up, announcing that the meeting was now over before looking back to France. "I'm going to go talk with Japan and see if he knows something."
"Do you mind if I join?" The Frenchman stood up, following after the Brit.
"If I say no you're just going to come along anyways,"
Ignoring the snail eaters laughing, the blond called out to Japan before he left the meeting room. "Japan, can I have a word with you?" He said, taking the smaller nation by surprise.
"Uh, I suppose so." The brown eyed man replied, glancing to Italy who stood by the door, waiting for him.
"Japan?" The brunette said questioningly, looking to the two blonds momentarily.
"I shall be there shortly, Italy. England wants to speak with me. I'll meet you in the lobby downstairs." Japan assured his friend, watching the brunette glance at the blonds once again before turning his back and left out the room. "How man I help you, England-san?"
"I wanted to know have you heard anything from Germany. He hasn't been here lately and...that's got me troubled." England started, watching the Asian country settle his features into one of neutrality.
"I have figured that is what you wanted to speak about. The truth is, I have not seen Germany for about a month now. I have called his home but most of the time, no one picks up."
"Most of the time?" The Englishman said, the Frenchman echoing his statement with a 'what do you mean?'
"Well, if someone does answer it is his brother. He tells me Germany isn't feeling well but he'll tell him I called."
"Hmm, if Germany wasn't felling well we'd all know by now." England murmured, more to himself than his little group.
"Are you saying Prussia-san lied for the sake of his brother?" The island nation looked almost scandalized that he would do something like that.
"Not necessarily but I don't think he was telling the truth." Biting his lip gently, the Brit gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Japan. That's all I wanted to discuss. You should be getting to Italy now before he thinks you've deserted him." The small man bowed slightly, saying his goodbyes to the two before walking off.
"Well, what do you think?" France said, glancing to the Brit as he put on his coat.
"I think something's up with Germany. He wouldn't have his brother lie for him for no reason." The bushy browed country replied, placing his hat on his head as he exited the room. "So something serious must be happening."
"Like what?" The bearded man beside him asked as they stepped into the elevator.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."
As Japan finished up his talk with England, he walked out the room, only nearly running into Italy. "Italy, I told you wait in the lobby downstairs." He said, glancing behind him to the meeting room then began to walk with the brunette in tow.
"I know, Japan. I'm sorry-"
"Wait until we get into the elevator." The smaller man instructed his friend, glancing behind once more as the elevator doors opened and the two walked in. "I'm sorry. You may continue now."
"I'm sorry, Japan!" The Italian continued, as though he hadn't just been shushed. "I'm just really worried about Germany! He hasn't answered any of my calls and hasn't replied to any of my messages and every time I go to his house no on answers and I'm really worried and kind of scared that's something happened to him!" There were tears in his eyes that Japan had gotten used to see ever since meeting the younger country. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small pocket case of tissues and handed them to the brunette to wipe his eyes.
"I'm worried, too. As England-san said, it's not like Germany to miss a meeting. Especially not two. I've tried to get in contact with him but he does not answer. I fear he may be hiding something from us. And by us, I don't not mean just you and I but the world." Italy gasped, walking out the elevator as it stopped on the ground floor.
"But why would Germany do that? He knows it's not nice to keep secrets! And he normally tells us everything! Well not everything, like one time I found this box in his closet that was full of weird stuff! Like I didn't even know-"
"You must focus, Italy." Japan interrupted the nation before he could start his babbling. "I do not know why Germany may want to keep secrets from us. It is not in his nature to be secretive." Pursing his lips together, the two walked out the building into the cold, English air. "But we should respect his need for privacy as well as be cautious. There could be a very good reason why Germany has not been at meetings and feigning sickness."
"But-but don't you want to know what's wrong?" Italy looked to his friend with wide, amber eyes and Japan could clearly see the frustration and worry etched within them.
"Yes I would, but like I said we must respect his need for privacy." The Asian man grabbed his keys from his pocket, unlocking his car. "Do not worry, Italy. I'm sure Germany will be back. He could in fact just be sick with a human sickness. It is uncommon but not unnatural, even for us." As the man said it, even he partially didn't believe himself but tried to keep a poker face.
"A-are you sure?" Italy said, wiping his nose. And true to his Japanese nature, Japan blinked then responded
"We shall see," Before bidding farewell to his friend and got in his car, a strange feeling in his stomach.
Sighing heavily, England sat down at his table, a cup of hot tea in his hand. Today had been stressful, what with Germany still not there as well as the frog following him around for unknown reasons. Okay, not exactly unknown. He had wanted to know where Germany had ran off to himself but it was still quiet annoying having to smell old wine and roses for another bloody half an hour before he finally left.
"Barmy frog," The Brit muttered to himself, taking a sip of the tea. At least now that he was home he could do some thinking undisturbed. And the first of his thoughts centered on a certain, missing Germanic country. Where was Germany was the question of the day. If he really wasn't feeling well shouldn't he have told someone by now? Shouldn't everyone have been informed? And why was he having his brother lie for him? Of course, Gilbert(England refused to call him Prussia, he was not anymore)could be lying by himself but he wasn't a country anymore and gained nothing for lying so it simply had to be Germany putting him up to this. It certainly was a conundrum.
Placing the cup to his lips again, there was a sudden knock on the door. "I'm coming," He called, setting his cup down. "I swear if its you France, I'm tossing your arse back over the channel." He said as he opened the door. No on was there. "Hello? Who's out-" Before he could answer a small cylinder suddenly flew through the open door, landing before his feet. "This blood hell is that?" He said, as the cylinder opened and gas began to fill his home. "Holy...!" Taking a step back, the Brit attempted to run from the gas but he could already feel the affects.
A flashback suddenly ran through his mind, the events playing out as they had before. 'This happened before,' He thought, falling to the ground, his mind blurring. 'In...in the war...' As in the past, a blurry figure appeared to the Brit, standing over his fallen form. Only unlike the stoic creature that had found him before he passed out, he was met with a smile and a pair of gleaming eyes. "Good night," A dull, raspy voice said before all went black.
A/N: So, I've decided to start another story in hopes that I can actually finish this one. This has been floating around in my head for months and I had the hardest, blooming time trying to figure .Other than that, comments are most appreciated and I hope you like this chapter! Updates will most likely be sporadic as my muse is screwing me hard right now! Comments are loved! Like seriously! I'm unmotivated unless I get comments! ^^~Ciao! Love Stripes!
P.S: Wanna know something I found kind of funny. One of the 'incapacitating agents' aka knock out gasses out there is called kolokol-1. Is it me or is that just kind of funny? Oh and in my stories, World Meetings are held every beginning and end of the month.