She was lost.
The four year old had decided to leave her backyard and head to the nearby video store, maybe get one of those of those chocolates with the marshmallow filling she loved. Oh how she regretted that decision.
Uncertainly, she wandered around, hoping to find her way home before her mother and step-father worried about her. The young girl bumped into a man who looked around 20, with deep blue eyes, a strange curl that seemed to float, a golden cross-shaped hair clip, and was wearing a sailor's suit. She quickly apologised and tried to carry on, but the strange man stopped her.
"You shouldn't be out here you know. You should go home."
The girl almost cried as she responded. "I know I shouldn't be here! I want to go home but I'm lost!"
Those dark blue eyes didn't reveal any emotions, nor did his voice as he offered to take her home.
"But you don't know where I live, how would you take me home?"
"I just do. Now are you coming or not?"
Tears threatening to spill from her eyes, the girl nodded and took his hand. Together, they started walking towards the place the young child called home. When they got there, he turned away and started walking.
"Wait!"
He turned, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes. "What for?"
"What's your name? Will I see you again?"
"You'll know when you're older."
A soft smile appeared upon his emotionless face as he walked away. The girl entered her home the way she left (through the back gate) and happily greeted her dog, then her parents, who thankfully remained oblivious to what had happened, as she hadn't been gone for very long.
…
That night, as she went to sleep, all she could think about was the stranger who had helped her, and what he had meant when he said she would know when she was older. Discontented, she slipped into an uneasy sleep, with dreams of a place she'd never been to drifting through her unconscious mind.
~oOo~
She was lost.
The now six year old wasn't sure where she was, or why she was there. Instead of going to after school care like she was supposed to, she had exited the school and was very confused. Turning around, she tried to backtrack and head back to the school until she bumped into a stranger.
He had messy blond hair, large, brown eyebrows and emerald-green eyes that shone with concern as he looked at her. He wore dark green military clothing, which was strange. It was summer, wasn't he hot? She barely even noticed when he spoke.
"Are you alright, love?"
He had a clear British accent, and it took a moment for her panicked mind to realise what he said.
"N- no, I'm lost and I don't know where my school is. I'm supposed to be at after school care but I wondered off and I'm not even sure why."
He seemed a little uncomfortable as he offered to take her back to her school. Nodding, she took his hand and they started walking. As the pair walked, the child tried to make conversation.
"So what's your name?"
He smiled at her as he responded.
"You'll know when you're older."
She frowned, but held her tongue as they continued. Soon they arrived at the school building. Before he could leave, she asked one last question.
"Will we ever meet again?"
A smile slid upon his face as he answered.
"You'll see."
…
She spent the rest of the day drawing until her mother picked her up. All of her drawings had the same features: thick eyebrows, green eyes and messy blond hair, similarly to how when she would often draw a man with pale blond hair, deep blue eyes and a cross-shaped hair clip.
~oOo~
She was lost.
The eight year old had been on a camping trip with her step-father and her dog and had wandered off while bush walking. Shouldn't Zed have found her by now? Couldn't dogs smell their owner's scent and find them while they were lost? Either way she was scared and alone in the bush.
Still, she continued, hoping to find other campers who could help her when she spotted a man.
"Excuse me!" she called. "Can you please help?"
The man turned around, following her voice. When he saw her, his eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly walked over to her.
"Are you lost, little girl? Vhere are your parents?"
He had a German accent, and was wearing a dark blue military outfit. He had red eyes and light grey hair. She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice as she replied.
"I- I d- don't know where I am or where my step dad is.. C- can you please help me?"
Surprisingly, he grinned and let out a laugh.
"Kesesese! Of course I can help! Zhat is part of zhe reason vhy I'm so awesome after all!"
Still smiling, he grabbed her hand and lead her out of the woods, taking her back to her campsite.
"Are you German?"
"Nein I'm Prussian!"
"But you have a German accent and just used a German word!"
"Ja, zhat's because Prussia had zhe same accent and language as Germany. You probably haven't heard of Prussia have you?"
She shook her head.
"Vell, you know zhe Vorld Vars? After WWII Prussia was… dissolved."
"But World War two was so long ago! How can you be Prussian if Prussia doesn't exist anymore?"
"Let's just say I'm so awesome I can do anyzhing I vant."
They arrived at her campsite soon enough, where they parted ways after one last question.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"You'll know when you're older!"
Smiling, he left. Not long after, a blue heeler came running through and covering her in slobber, quickly followed by her angry step father. She knew he was only angry because he was worried though, so she said what was needed, and said goodnight, seeing as it was growing dark.
…
She couldn't sleep. This was the third time she had bumped into a strange man while lost, who had led her somewhere safe, who had answered the question 'what's your name' with 'you'll know when you're older' and she was beginning to wonder if it was really a coincidence or not. Oh well, if the pattern continued she would meet another strange man while lost in two years time. Maybe she would get her answers then. Closing her eyes, she went to sleep, dreaming of places she had never seen.
~oOo~
She mind was lost.
The eleven year old sighed as she recalled her hopes that she would meet one of those men last year, but she hadn't gotten lost again, and she hadn't met another strange man. It was probably good thing though, she thought as she remembered the many warnings about strangers and rapists she had received from her mother.
Something pulled her back, making her snap back to reality, and see that she had been about to walk in front of a car.
"You should really pay more attention to where you're going. You were about to walk in front of zhat car!"
She turned around, only to see a strange man with shoulder length, golden hair, sapphire blue eyes, and some slight stubble. He was wearing a flashy, blue military coat, and red pants. Panic and concern were visible on his face, though it was almost hidden by his stern expression.
"Thank you for stopping me! I- I was nearly hit by a car… I was nearly hit by a car!"
He sighed. "vous êtes les bienvenus, just don't make me do it again."
She laughed a little as he continued.
"Do you want me to accompany you zhe rest of zhe way so you don't walk in front of anymore cars?"
Against her better judgement, she took the Frenchman's hand and the rest of the walk home seemed to go unnaturally quickly. They soon arrived in the driveway of the apartment she and her mother lived in, and she cut him off before he could say goodbye.
"What's your name and will I ever see you again?"
"Sorry mon cher, but I 'ave to say zhat you'll know when you're older."
With that, he turned back up the street and left.
…
That night she could barely sleep. He had said those annoying words that had haunted her since she was four. Deciding that sleep was futile, she turned her bedside lamp on and grabbed her kindle so she could read, even though she knew she wouldn't pay any attention to the book she was reading, and her mind kept wandering to one thought. Just how old will I have to be before I know what they were talking about?
~oOo~
She was lost.
The sixteen year old was at a party, and everyone was drunk. Somehow, her friends had gotten her to come with them, they had disappeared, and she didn't know anyone else there.
Sighing, she got up and tried to find the exit to this hell hole, but instead found some drunk guys who thought flirting with her would be a good idea. She would just ignore them, but they weren't giving up, and one of them was trying to touch her breasts. Trying and failing. Growling faintly, she turned and shouted 'no' but they just wouldn't listen!
Just when she had been about to accept that she had three drunk creeps following her, she heard someone else telling them to stop. Happy that someone else was on her side and not completely ignoring them, she turned and looked at the stranger.
He was tall, and was wearing a heavy coat and a white scarf. He had purple eyes, a large nose and had ash blond hair. The drunk boys shouted at him, but he was still smiling innocently, until one of them decided it would be a great idea to try and punch him. He blocked the punch, and suddenly his innocent smile seemed a lot more malicious as he pulled a metal faucet out of his coat and a purple aura seemed to follow him. He grinned as he began beating them up with the pipe.
"Wait, stop!"
He stopped grinning as he looked at the girl, confusion apparent on his face.
"They were harassing you, da? Why do you want me to stop?"
"Look at them, they're barely conscious!"
He looked at them, now disinterested.
"You are right about that much."
By now a crowd had appeared around the five of them, chanting 'fight fight fight fight' until the Russian glared at them. He turned back to the teen and smiled.
"You are lost, da? Don't worry, I will take you home."
With that he grabbed her arm and lead her out of the house, back to her own.
"Thanks for helping me out back there…"
"It was not problem. I wanted something to beat up anyway, and they gave me perfect excuse!"
"Fair enough I suppose… Hey, what's your name?"
He turned around and smiled apologetically at her.
"You'll know soon, when you are little older."
The pair arrived at their destination and the man smiled as she entered her driveway.
"Прощай, comrade."
She turned around, unsure of what that meant, but smiled anyway.
"Thanks again. Goodnight!"
…
It was late when she entered her home, and her mother was already asleep. As quietly as possible, the girl got changed and went to sleep. However, at about 4:30am she woke up and realised what he had said when she asked his name.
'You'll know soon, when you are little older.'
She smiled and and slowly went back to sleep, where she dreamed of cold winters and a pale scarf, gleaming in the snow.
~oOo~
She felt lost.
Her boyfriend had just broken up with her, and the eighteen year old wasn't sure what to do. Finally she had ended up in a park, with the starlight gleaming down on her and she cried and sat on a swing. She looked up as she heard footsteps, and saw a strange man walking over to her.
His amber eyes were sympathetic as he silently sat on the swing beside the girl and stared at the stars and moon. He had brown hair, almost copper, with an abnormally large curl sticking out of it and wore a blue military outfit, just like the one she had seen on the so called Prussian man all those years ago. She turned swiftly to look at him as he started to speak.
"It's a beautiful night huh? Much too beautiful for a young girl to be sitting here crying. But you wouldn't be crying if something hadn't happened, and venting can help you feel better, so I'm all ears!"
He turned and smiled at the young adult, who was staring at him. sighing , she stared at her feet, and began talking, until soon she was ranting about how she had deserved better anyway. The Italian had said nothing, just listened, his eyes wide as he heard what had happened. When she finished, he patted her back.
"Abandoning you like that… ve~ that guy was really mean!"
Wiping her eyes, she murmured something in agreement. They sat there like that for a few more minutes before the Italian stood up and held out a hand.
"Let's go home now, okay?"
She smiled weakly and took his hand. "Okay."
He smiled.
"Come on then! Andiamo!"
As they walked, he told stories about himself and his friends, most of which got the heartbroken girl to smile and laugh. When they arrived at her apartment, she turned and asked him a question.
"What's your name?"
"Hehe, sorry bella but you'll find out soon!"
…
He had been another one of those strange men. The Italian hadn't even mentioned being older when she would understand. Did that mean she would find out in one or two years? She hoped so. She sighed as she remembered her boyfrie- no, her ex. She would be fine. It was his loss. She would be fine.
As she went to sleep, she thought of Venice, a place she'd never been to but always dreamed of visiting. Just before she fell asleep, she heard a whisper.
"None of us ever got to say it, but we promise we'll see you again. You'll see."
~oOo~
She was safe.
The now twenty year old had her own home, a small apartment, and was happy.
Sometimes she thought about those strange men, helping her when she was lost, leading her back to somewhere safe, in most cases her home. And yet… She knew there was very little to no hope of finding them again.
She sighed, and jumped when all of a sudden someone knocked on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone, but still, she went up to answer the door. When she opened it however, she had not been expecting to see six familiar faces that she'd thought she'd never see again. She was silent as her eyes met deep blue ones, emerald ones, red ones, sapphire ones, purple ones and amber ones.
For a moment, there was silence. Then pent up feelings and thoughts let loose, and she was crying, and smiling, and gave each and every one of them a hug. Every time her eyes met theirs she would hear them quietly say three words. Their names.
Lukas Bondevik.
Arthur Kirkland.
Gilbert Beilschmidt.
Francis Bonnefoy.
Ivan Braginsky.
Feliciano Vargas.
Norway.
England.
Prussia.
France.
Russia.
Italy.
She smiled. These were good people. They had led her home when she was lost. And now that they had found her yet again, she was anything but.
End~