A/N: Hello random human being (Or other species). You have just clicked on my story, which I appreciate it! By the way, this is actually my old story The Innocence of a Girl, but I had to rephrase it, and I felt like the previous setting was really not near to being accurate with anything. So I changed the setting to a more sophisticated, past time. But do tell, all guns from this time period exist there, just like cars just not so technologically advanced.

Important Note: Since this story does take time in previous, our favorite ladies will not be allowed the typical freedom, but more will happen later in into the story. I will mention now that Liechtenstein was under the care of Switzerland, Austria with Hungary (*They're not going to be a couple, but there will be some old flames here and then), a friendship growing between her and Prussia (Accept it), Seychelles is being taken care by England and France, Monaco with France, Taiwan and Vietnam with the Asian family, Belarus and Ukraine alongside Russia w/others (Sorta like the Soviet Union), Wy with Australia (She'll come in the story either the next chapter or the one after), and Belgium with Netherlands.

I do not own nothing. All original copyright belong to our great Hidekaz Himaruya. Please, with all my dear heart, leave a review. All this chatting is giving me the rumbles that only human hands can satisfied. Jk. So now, continue on~

The Life Before

Prologue

"Bruder, please!" Her shy voice called out, grabbing the older male's sleeve and pulling him back to meet her eyes. "You must reconsider. This is unnecessary, and you're well aware of it. Why must you go and aid others? We've stayed neutral since I can remember, so why change now?" Her eyes became watery, pulling her arm back to her chest and clasping them together.

Her brother looked away, not able to look into her eyes. He felt the cold wind stab his skin, lifting his every hair up. Making his hands into fists, he pulled together and made a serious expression, meeting his sister's glance. "Lili..." He mumbled, pulling his sister into a hug; he hid his face in her hair which she had let down freely that day. "I love you. No one will ever change that, but you know that as the war escalated, Roderich and I had spoken of an alliance if it got serious. Now I keep that promise, and we both must go on with the war, and try to get it back under control."

"I must assume that I have to stay back like always, right?" Ending the hug, he nodded. She closed her eyes, her black lashes touching her puffy, red cheeks. A single tear slid down her cheek before lifting her hands to remove something around her neck. As she tied the necklace she had once loved around his neck, he was rather shocked when he noticed at the end was a silver key. "I love you bruder, and I respect what you must do. So without much choice, I shall wait for your return. " As the wind got colder, her feet began moving away from her brother, leaving him with sadness and confusion.

Understanding what she may be sacrificing, Vash Zwingli gave the house he had much personal history with, and knew so well a last glance before walking away from his old life.

"And I shall wait to you see you too, Lili..."

"Elizaveta," The Austrian said, exiting his room to find the Hungarian walking his direction.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Be a dear and grab Feliciano for me. I need him prepared as soon as possible," He exclaimed, hurrying his way downstairs while leaving the younger girl puzzled by his words.

"And what can you possibly need him for?" She retorted, following behind him just a like shadow down the stairs til she managed to hastily catch up with him. "I assure you, he hasn't done anything troubling that involves others, Mister Roderich."

"I know that, Eliza. I just need him to go along with me," The aristocrat answered, grabbing his coat off the hanger and placing it on. His loud steps echoed throughout the lonely house as he entered the Italian's room.

"Come here," Roderich called out, catching the Italian's attention. He look confused walking his way over to the older man. He seemed to be hiding something, secretly hiding an object in his hands which he held behind his back. "Good boy. I need you to get ready."

"Veh~? For what, Mister Roderich?" He soft voice spoke, worrying Elizaveta as she watched both men walking towards the entrance; one aware of events, the other unknowing.

"You and your brother have been involved into doing an alliance with us German nations, so you must come on with us." When he finished speaking, the thought finally hit the Hungarian while the Italian went into thinking.

"To where, sir?" The younger boy asked.

"Sir, you cannot do this," Elizaveta warned, locking her hands on the sleeve of his coat."He's still a young boy, he cannot go. He's not ready!"

"Silence, Elizaveta." Roderich had demanded from her, which surprised the girl.

Grabbing hold of Feliciano, Elizaveta pulled him behind her and stood between him and Roderich. "No sir, I shall not. Do you know what you're doing? He's not old enough to take grasp of what's happening outside this house, what's happening out there. I understand that alliances are helpful, but you know him and Lovino are not strong enough to fight on their own-"

"I was aware of that, Elizaveta. That's why I decided to place the boy with Ludwig and his German troops. Along with his Italian group, I promise you he will stay unharmed. Lovino is expected to reside near Antonio's Spanish fleet," The Austrian explained, looking uninterested as he did so. He crossed his arms together, waiting for the woman to walk away from the Italian. When she didn't, he was rather surprised but nonetheless ready to do more explaining.

"That still doesn't say nothing about him being in danger," She commented, standing tall with determination as she spoke.

"Veh~ Gratzi, Elizaveta. I appreciate what you're doing, but if big brother Lovino is going, then I should go too. Anyways, I heard Mr. Ludwig is a nice man~!" Feliciano said, surprising both the Hungarian and Austrian. "I will be strong and fight, just like how you say the soldiers in your story did."

Smiling with happiness, Elizaveta hugged the Italian knowing that part of her still was restless. As they broke away, Feliciano brought out his hands in front of him.

"Here~" Opening his hands, Feliciano revealed a small pink flower, gently placing it on Elizaveta's hair. "Promise we'll be friends forever, sì~?"

"Sì," Th Hungarian murmured, holding her pinkie up to the younger boy. The Italian quickly did the same, and squeezed her pinkie as they both mumbled 'pinkie promise' together. "I've guess you have grown up, Feliciano..."

"I will see you soon, Elizaveta," Roderich said his goodbye and exited the house while waiting for the younger boy to do the same.

"I will miss you, Eliza~" Feliciano hugged her once more before staling a glance, smiling gently and finally walking outside to meet up with the Austrian.

"Take care..." Elizaveta managed to whisper, watching in sadness as two important figures of her life walked away from her; part of her knowing that it may take a while before she may ever get the chance to see them again.

"Must you really go, Ivan?" The large-breasted woman asked, watching as her tall man fixed his coat, deciding to place a light colored scarf around her younger brother's neck. She smiled gently, realizing how quickly her younger siblings are growing up. She backed away, and studied the Russian man.

"Do no fret, Katyusha. I understand that you are worried, but you and Natalya are strong," He solemnly whispered, sending a confident smile towards his sister. "Toris and the others will keep you company for a while. Then I will need them, but for now you may enjoy their presence," The Russian stated.

"But big brother-" The younger sister, Natalya, cried out, hugging her brother from the waist. She buried her head in his chest, trying to not let go. "-why must you go? Can another of your subordinates go instead?"

Gently removing his sister's hands off him, Ivan sighed and looked back at his sisters. Both women looked worried, he could tell. Katyusha holding her hands up to her lips, her eyes expressing sympathy. Natalya on the other hand had her hands crossed against her chest, her eyes looking a mixture of upset and worry.

"I'm doing this for the three of us," He said before smiling at them. As the three huddled together for a small hug, the familiar warmth from their childhood returned for a second before reality came back, bringing their warm moods down to the chilly ice. "I must go now."

Walking outside the door, he placed a hat on his head before waving towards his sister, disappearing into the blizzard. His sisters, the same sisters who he had become so fond of, now stared into a black sheet of white snow. All they could do was hope for hope for the best.

"Is it really that time already?" The young lady from Belgium asked, rubbing her eyes from the weary look on her face. "I thought we had more time..."

"Looks like you thought wrong," The Dutch man responded, wrapping his neck with the familiar scarf that had the white and turquoise striped pattern. His fingers intertwined with the cigarette, lifting it up to his lips. "The time has come, Bella."

"Hmph, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Bel?" She asked, annoyed by her full name. Looking over at her brother's direction, he stood with confidence. His eyes were staring towards the entrance of the house, waiting for the moment he would walk out. "Same with that smoking habit of yours. You really need to quit it, it's not good for you."

"What isn't good for me..." He sarcastically retorted, blowing a small cloud of smoke out. Remembering the days they were children, always acting like the siblings they were, along with their other sibling from Luxembourg.

The both of them stood in front of the entrance, the cold around them pressing more than before. He knew the moment was near, and she was waiting for him to break the tension.

"You should go.." She mumbled, her glance falling down to the wooden floor beneath them. The common, well-known smile always plastered on her face was replaced with a frown, her eyes heavy from the absence of rest. "They need you. It's for the best, Engel."

Walking away from her older brother, Bel turned away and flashed a smile towards her sibling. "Good Luck. Oh, and try not to kick Antonio's ass, will you?"

"Can't promise," He mumbled, opening the door to exit the house, his sister climbing up the stairs to leave the room. "Bel?

She couldn't help but to let the smile tugging on the end of her lip show, waiting to see what her brother says. "Yes?"

"Imma miss ya, sis. Love ya," He said before slamming the door close, walking off to the direction he knew all too well.

"Love ya too, bro," She whispered before disappearing into her room.

"So you guys are just leaving like that?" The Vietnamese asked, looking over at the small group of men ready to off to war.

"Yes, Bian. I already have sent Kaoru off from Hong Kong to England with his other father, while Kiku and Im Yong Soo are ready to go, aru," The older Chinese man replied, nodding towards the female's direction.

"But what if something bad happens to you guys?" The younger female asked, joining her hands together as she neared the men.

"Please do not worry, Mei," The Japanese man, Kiku smiled gently towards. "We will not let that happen."

Nodding but still feeling worried, Mei and Bian watched as they bowed towards them and waved goodbye, exiting their cozy home to the wild life from outside. Looking away, they remained in the house, too worried to realize how tired they were.

"Don't worry, mon cher~" The French man said, winking towards the two girls.

The tanned one looked sad, seeing her father-like figure preparing for war. The other one from Monaco was more confused than upset, still not aware of all details of the battle.

"But won't it take a while before you come back, Francis?" Soleil, the tanned girl from Seychelles asked as she neared the French man, who looked depressed as well.

"Yes," He replied. "But it will help to keep the war under control, don't you believe?" He asked, looking up to meet the girls' glances.

"Yes, it is," The other girl finally spoke up. "But sending many people of to war? That's not needed, is it?"

"Ah Monet, you girls wouldn't understand. But just don't try missing me much~" Francis tried saying with enthusiasm, but only came out with so bit of it. He looked at his two girls and smiled, knowing that they would understand what's happening sooner or later. "I'll tell Matthew you girls said hello, yes?"

"We'll miss you Francis," Soleil called out, waving to the French man.

"Even though you were a pervert, we will hope for the best of your me," Monet called out, waving as well.

Both girls could only stare with sadness as they saw who seemed like their father disappear from inside their house to the world they really didn't understand out there.

I decided to call Netherlands Engel, meaning 'angel' in Dutch, Hong Kong is Kaoru, Vietnam is Bian (Since it means "secret" in Vietnamese, I believe), Seychelles is Soleil since it's French for sun, and Monet is Monaco, meaning 'to be heard' in French as well.

Yes, yes. I know I have other stories to complete as well, but I thought one's almost complete, so here's a special sneak peek! I won't promise quick updates, alright? And those were the scenes showing the men from the girls' lives going off to war, though they don't want them to. Hope you enjoyed~

Review, por favor!

~Lucy