Prologue

Italy wrenched the door open and slammed it shut behind him. Out… He was finally out of that horrible mansion, breathing in the wet, fresh air of a rainstorm.

He took a few steps forward. Out… He was the only nation who had made it out of the mansion with his life intact. How? How was that possible!? He was the teary, useless nation whose only virtue was his fast feet. Out of them all, why him?! Germany, Japan, America, Russia, they were all so much stronger than him, so why were they dead and not him?

Italy was snapped out his thoughts by the sound of the door opening behind him. He turned around, and there was the monster, a terrible grin on its face as it closed in on its final target.

It was only pure instinct. Italy turned tail and ran, tears streaming from his eyes…

A flash of light…

"Wh-What?"

He was no longer outside the mansion. Instead, he was surrounded by shadows. They swirled and contorted, almost as though they were beckoning him to come closer into their grasp.

"Ve… I miss Germany…" He was very scared, shaking from head to toe.

"Why, hello there."

Italy jumped, and looked for where the voice had come from. "H-hello…"

Suddenly, a mass of black and white rose up from the ground in front of Italy. Italy scrambled backwards, away from the thing.

The mass became more humanoid, a tall, slender figure that would have towered over even Russia. The hands had long, thin, spidery fingers. And the face… It was simply a swirling mass of black and white.

The figure bowed. Italy didn't move, absolutely terrified out of his mind.

"I am called M. Welcome to my humble abode."

"I-Italy."

"Thank you for introducing yourself. It wouldn't do if I had to call you 'random guest' throughout our whole conversation now, would it?"

"Okay… You're welcome…" Italy had no idea how to act in this situation.

M turned, back towards Italy. It brought a hand up, fingers toying with something that looked like a die. "Now, I understand that you've recently been through something terrible?"

Italy teared up. "My friends… they're all gone…"

M tsked. "Terrible for you… A bit entertaining for me."

Italy was shocked, and got a little angry. "How is that entertaining?"

M closed its hand over the die. "It is my mansion after all, of course. But a lot of the time, there's nothing to do with it except change up its rooms… So when you and your friends came in… I saw my chance for a little fun." It was now steepling its fingers.

Italy pointed an accusatory finger at M. "It-it's all your fault then!"

M snapped its fingers, and faced Italy. "Correct! Though responsible is a better word for it… How did my piece make you feel?"

Italy had never been this angry before in his life. "I was scared out of my mind and lost my friends!"

"And you would do anything to get them back, am I correct?"

"Yes!"

M mockingly put a hand up to its "ear." "What was that?"

"I would do anything to get my friends back!"

M clasped its hands together, something of a grin appearing on its "face." "Excellent! Then how about we make a deal?"

"…Alright…" Italy warily said.

"How about we play a game? You go back in time to try and save your friends, while I send my pieces after you to try to stop you. You win when you successfully save them all, and of course, you lose if you don't achieve that. If you do lose, then we start another game."

"And what do I get if I win?"

"You have your friends, and I leave you alone unless you decide to come back. Fair enough?"

"Fine."

M's grin got wider, clapping its hands. "Splendid! Now, just one more thing before we start."

"What?"

"That's quite the journal you have there in your hand." M said, pointing at it.

Italy looked down at it. He'd been planning to throw it away, but now… He tightened his grasp on it. "I found it."

M held out its hand, curling its fingers. The journal floated out of Italy's hand, and into the front of his face. It opened to the first page, and Italy saw the name already written there, "Ryuuzu no Ko," fade away. M snapped its fingers again, and a pen appeared next to the journal.

"Just sign to seal our contract."

Italy took the pen and signed his name, the ink blood red. M snapped yet again, and the pen popped out of existence. The journal floated back into Italy's hand.

"Just a few things to remember. You can talk to me whenever, wherever. I'll communicate with you telepathically, so there's no need to say anything aloud. And most importantly: M is always right.

"Now, off you go!" A final snap, and there was a bright flash of light.

Italy rubbed his eyes and looked around. He was back in the world meeting hall, journal in hand.

"I have to stop this before it starts…" And with that, he rushed off to find America.

Back in the other dimension, M was sitting at a table. On top of the table was a game board that showed the rooms of the mansion. M chuckled, steepling its fingers as it watched Italy futilely beg America to not go to the mansion.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you… I have never lost a game."

The laughter rang out, echoing into the shadows…