I do not own Hetalia in any way, shape or form, possible or impossible.

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Japan looked around him. Buildings were toppled or on the brink of being so. Fires of varying sizes were practically everywhere, and yet everything was waterwashed. A thin layer of grime covered piles of debris, and the street seemed to be flooded with an inch or so of water. A strange, snow-like substance, glowing slightly, seemed to be floating down from the skies above…..

"Heyyy! Japan!"

A cheery voice snapped him from his terrible daydream. He turned, his heart laden with an unusual heaviness, as his happy-go-lucky companion ran up to him. "Ohayo, Italy-kun. What do you need?" Internally, he wondered: 'And what was that vision all about?'

"I caught another crab!"

Yep, they were still stranded on an island in the middle of a vast expanse of scenic ocean.

Japan's mouth twitched upwards in a smile as he watched his friend point excitedly at the small red crustacean, the first of its kind to not latch itself onto poor Italy's face in some way. And then, of course, the inevitable happened. The little creature, none too pleased with being caught, raised its large pincer and snapped onto the excited Italian's ear.

"Ahhh! Not again! Japan, get it off me! Please! Ow! Help!" The Japanese let out a small laugh. Italy was still so carefree and childlike. He wished, sometimes, that he could be able to revel in such freedom once more.

"Matte, Italy-kun. Wait, hold still, I'll get it off." He smiled to himself as he squeezed the crab in just the right way, making it release its vicegrip on his friend's ear. Then, tossing the little creature back into the ocean, he turned away.

"Aw! Japan, what'd you do that for?" Japan simply shrugged. He didn't much care to tell his younger friend that the same thing was bound to happen….over and over and over. Actually, Germany took care of that duty for him.

"Beruhigen, Italy! Calm down. If you keep catching those things, they're going to keep pinching you. It's that simple." To himself he added, "Gott verdammt…" Japan shook his head, smiling slightly.

He still felt saddened for some unknown reason. He felt like there was something weighing him down. He felt depressed…there was truly no other word for it. He closed his eyes.

The air lay thick with greenish tinged smog, and floodwaters up to his knees had enveloped the streets. Waving his hand through the air, the fog-like substance cleared momentarily. Through it he could see a cluster of….cars? Yes, they were cars alright. Some were rightside up, some upside down, some lying on their sides, missing wheels, pieces and an assortment of other variations. They were all drenched, the frames that had once held windows now dripping with filthy water and the interior soaked to capacity.

Japan gasped as he was once again wrenched from his strange vision. He panted, quickly drawing in air and releasing it as he clutched his chest. 'Wha-what is this? Such a terrible pain…and…those visions… where are they….coming from?' He looked around. He noticed nothing out of the ordinary. His two friends were completely distracted.

"Gott verdammt, Italy, what did I tell you about catching those crabs? You can get this one off yourself, for all I care."

"But Germany- Ow! Please help me- Ow! Get it off! Japan! Can you help me again?" He looked over at his friend. "…..Japan?- Ow!" However, Japan's thoughts were elsewhere. Far elsewhere.

The air, still thick with a noxious smoggy blend, had drastically reduced the visibility for the confused Japanese. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The air smelt of several different things. Of wind, of smoke, of rain, of water, of salt, of earth, of flames, of wood…so many, many different things. A cocktail of strange, misplaced scents. Raising his hand once more, he swept his hand through the air, temporarily displacing a good deal of the smog. Again, he saw something through the opening. This time, he saw Tokyo Tower. 'Wait, Tokyo Tower? But, then, that means-'

Japan's eyes widened and his body froze. 'Then, those images…that's…..my country? Such terrible things have befallen my people?' His people were suffering…..so many, many people were suffering, scared, injured….dying even. And the only way he found out about it was his sixth sense, the sense that always told him when something was happening in his country. The pain he had felt earlier returned, with a vengeance. It came in waves, wave upon wave upon wave, and ten times more intense. "They're all suffering…." He said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. He hadn't the strength to speak any stronger.

He managed to overcome his paralysis -for the time being, anyway- and turned to his companions. Forcing his voice to sound normal, he called to them. "Italy-kun! Germany-san!" The two turned their heads to face him. He swallowed thickly. "Um, I'm going to go look for more fruit! I'll be back in a while!" Before his friends could say anything, he turned and ran off into the forest overlooking their little camp.

"In his good clothes like that?" Germany wondered.

Japan didn't know where he was going, he just went. He felt ashamed for lying to his friends, but he had to get away from them as quickly as possible. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his feelings in check. He hated for people to see him so emotionally weak, and he certainly didn't want his new companions seeing him like this.

After running for some time, he came upon a tiny clearing at the base of a cliff. Barely able to keep his emotions under control any longer, he sat down against the edge of the sheer rock face. He drew his knees up against his chest and rested his chin against them, wrapping his arms around them. He clamped his eyes shut in a futile attempt to keep back the tears that were already welling up. Eventually, he gave up on it and opened his eyes, not caring to wipe away the tears that now flowed strongly down his cheeks. To himself, he began to think.

All consuming, I feel it.

Pain, a pain so strong

Only few have ever felt this.

Sadly, I am one of them.

Oh, such pain.

What have I or my nation done

That warrants such suffering?

None deserve to feel this.

It consumes me, devours me as I live.

A strange void forms inside me.

I feel immobilized.

These tears I shed, they fall for the suffering of my people.

I can still hear their cries as clearly as on that terrible day.

When will this end?

Do the other nations see us?

Do they hear our pleas?

Can they sense this deep feeling, this distress, radiating from us in waves?

Let us only hope they do,

For this is an ordeal we cannot overcome alone.

I pray, for myself and my people.

He drew in a deep, shuddering breath. Tears still came in streams down his face. He didn't care anymore. He added one last line to his silent plea.

"Kami, give us strength."