(Authors notes: I tried to add what I could to make it not a complete carbon copy of the movie but I just love most of lines and plot too much to rewrite it extensively. However I am rather pleased with my decision to make several of the main characters be played by two or more Hetalia characters...namely Rose, Jack, Lovejoy, and Ruth.
The story is told in two different rooms but being pieced together by the same listener so sometimes it switches between Lovino and Feliciano in the middle of a paragraph quite often and sometimes doubles over their words or what others are saying to them like/this. Sorry if that gets confusing but really...Rose embodied characteristics from both twins at different points in the movie
Something to keep in mind is that I consider this a parallel dimension where America has embraced the new technological world for the most part and Europe is still stuck in the past.
Last thing "This indicates voice-over."
Enjoy!)
Ch.1 Cross of the Fairies
The newscaster turned her attention onto the man in front of her.
"Mr. Alderforth what is your response to the accusations being flung at you by the public and survivors of the S.S Hetalia? Many are calling you a grave robber and claiming that you have no business poking your nose around the ship when it has only been a year since its sinking."
The man with bright gold hair and shiny teeth beamed brightly at the reporter and camera.
"Well it is true that it has only been a year but I am no grave robber I assure you. I'm simply looking for clues. Clues that will open doors to the untold stories of what happened on the Hetalia. We all know that the captain and ships designer both went down with it, and we know that the band did as well, playing till the very end. What I am looking for is the stories hidden beneath the surface. Take this for example. We just uncovered it today."
He pulled out a slightly damp drawing from a folder and displayed it before the camera.
A strong muscular man was sketched perfectly from his navel up wearing only a strange cross. The artist had taken great pains to make the cross appear to glitter as if it contained some kind of gem.
Mr. Adelforth smiled at the camera again.
"This is just the type of hidden story I'm talking about. The date at the bottom of the drawing matches the date that the Hetalia sank. Who was the model? Who was the artist? Why was the drawing done? What allured them to the ship? Maybe one or both were among the survivors or maybe they were both casualties. These are the stories that I am interested in."
With that he gave another bright smile and walked off camera.
The TV clicked off and the remote trembled in his hands.
"So that's what you were doing Feli." A broken and slightly angered voice whispered at the now blank screen. His dull green eyes and disheveled hair looked back at him from the reflective surface. He sighed and rubbed an arm across his face to catch the tears that were threatening to escape.
"How long were you in the room with him? That potato bastard."
He stood up and headed for his bedroom to take his mind off what he had just heard and seen, though he was certain it would be hopeless. Even as he collapsed on his bed, the memories of his time on the Hetalia returned in a torrent that he had kept at bay for so long. The music and dancing...which he had hated...except that one time...the abundant food...the weird people...the constant questions and all the older adults fawning over his brother and his pretty little fiancé ...and his own fiancé, Bella, smiling and clinging to his arm with an overly sweet vice grip. And Antonio...oh Antonio...he closed his eyes and allowed those bright green emeralds to stare down into his own grass ones. Felt the sweet tomato laced breath tickling his exposed skin and the strong but gentle arms holding him carefully. Sultry lips descended towards his own chapped ones and he took a quick shaky breath in preparation for what he longed for but would never...and had never...admitted...and...
Lovino opened his eyes in a rush and sat up holding his head and trying desperately to ignore his blurry eyes and moist cheeks. He would not cry over that bastard...not again...not after a year.
He groaned and rolled onto his side to face the dresser next to his bed. He reached over and pulled out one of the drawers in order to get inside the body of the dresser. He reached his hand far back until he touched metal, then he pulled and lifted his treasure off the secret hook. Removing his hand once more he took a deep breath and closed his eyes before he would look at the object...the only thing left of Antonio beyond the memories. The cross was not as breathtaking or priceless as the one Feliciano had inherited from their grandfather, but to him...it was worth more. The silver was tarnished with age and had spots of rust on it from when Antonio had nearly drowned at age 12, but the message etched into the back still sparkled clear...
To Protect the One I Love
Lovino ran his thumb over the inscription and wondered for probably the first time who else of Antonio's ancestors had done the same thing. Who had they been? How had they lived? What untold secrets had the cross witnessed?
He stopped and took a deep breath.
Untold secrets. Untold stories...
He brought the cross to his lips and kissed it with gritted teeth.
"I cannot believe what I'm about to fucking do."
He pulled out the newspaper article that for some god forsaken reason he had kept and scanned the page for what he needed. The number for Corman Alderforth aboard the Caloway.
~*~Artists Studio Several Miles Away~*~
"Vee~ they found my drawing of Ludwig. What do I do now Doitsu?"
The silver black cat looked back up at his master with blue eyes and simply twitched his tail.
Feliciano sighed and ran a paint stained hand through his slightly disheveled auburn hair.
"I never wanted to reveal my true identity. I was afraid that Elizaveta and Roderich would try to claim me again. If they're still alive."
The cat looked at him with a quizzical accusing stare.
"No I'm not trying to forget. I can never forget what happened to me onboard the Hetalia...and I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget Ludwig."
He slipped off his stool and went to the back of his small studio where an unused supply cabinet housed his favorite work. He pulled open the doors slowly and stepped inside kneeling before the painting.
He whisked off the cloth covering with a flourish and gazed into the sparkling deep blue eyes. His skilled hands had been able to capture the gentleness hidden beneath the stern expression. The slight uncertainty enclosed in the firm set lips and every other line and angle of the man's face. Ludwig was just as handsome and perfect in painted form as he had been in flesh and blood.
How Feliciano longed to be engulfed in those sturdy muscular arms. How he yearned to rest his ear against the strong heart again. How he wished to hear words of comfort and assurance that everything would turn out right.
He was alive...that much had been truth. But Ludwig would never breathe again. His last breath had been drawn without Feliciano even being aware...it had been too cold to be aware of much of anything.
Feliciano shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself as if that could keep away the memory of the biting cold that had invaded every inch of skin, exposed and covered alike.
Doitsu seemed to sense his master's distress and came over to rub against his knees.
Feliciano looked down and smiled at the creature that was his only real comfort in the last year.
"Ve I'm sorry for worrying you Doitsu, I'll be all right in a little while."
He stood up and pulled the hidden chain from under his shirt collar. The diamond cross swung before his hazel eyes in a graceful arc, catching the slight bit of sun that crept into the room and sending beams of crystal light dancing around the small cabinet.
"Yes I'll be all right, because I'm not going to hide anymore. " He whispered in a confident voice.
"Mr. Alderforth will hear my story. This will make certain of that."
Doitsu gave another flick of his tail and cocked his head. Both indicated the same direction.
Feliciano lifted the newspaper article off the messy desk and located the number at the bottom.
Call this number for Corman Alderforth aboard the Caloway.
He smiled at Doitsu and fished his cell phone out of his pocket.
"I think I'll take him up on that offer."
~*~Aboard the Caloway ~*~
"Hey boss I got someone on the phone that wants to talk with you."
"I got someone on the other line too boss and I think you should take my call first."
"Pfff I doubt it, mine is way more important!"
"No way dude, mine's got to be ten times more important."
Corman Alderforth held up his hands.
"Guys please I don't want to take any phone calls at the moment all right. We're heading down for another go at finding the cross."
"But boss you really need to speak with him."
"You need to speak with mine more!"
"If I speak with them will you both shut up and let me get back to work afterwards?"
"Of course."
"Yeah duh."
"All right I'll speak with yours first Dave and yours second Sam, and no protesting."
"This had better be good." He muttered to his co captain of the team.
She just shrugged and rolled her eyes.
~*~First Phone Call~*~
"This is Corman Alderforth who am I speaking with?"
"So you finally decided to take time out of your fucking precious schedule to talk with me bastard."
Corman gaped at the phone.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I'm a survivor from the Hetalia and I want to tell my story damnit."
Corman ran a hand over his eyes and sighed. Another pissed off survivor that thought what he was doing was wrong and they were using the excuse of a story to talk to him. Well he was sick of it.
"Look Mr.?"
"Carreido, Lovino Carreido...though that wasn't my name a year ago."
"Mr. Carreido. The only story I'm interested in right now is the one that surrounds that drawing we found so if you can't help with that then..."
"I can help somewhat with that."
"Oh you know who the model was?"
"Yeah a fucking potato bastard named Ludwig, but the artist is the important one."
Corman was very intrigued now.
"Oh and who would that be?"
"My younger twin brother, Feliciano Vargas."
~*~Second Phone Call~*~
"This is Corman Alderforth I'm in a good mood right now so..."
"Vee~ hi Mr. Alderforth I'm so happy you decided to talk to me."
Again Corman was a bit taken aback. Unlike Lovino, this caller was overly cheerful and polite.
"Yes, um like I was saying I'm in a good mood right now so..."
"Oh of course you would be after finding something exciting! I always am in a good mood when I discover something fun and exciting that I didn't know about before."
Corman blinked and sighed, his good mood was starting to turn to irritation at the perky young man that constantly interrupted him with trifles.
"Look Mr.?"
"Beilschmidt, Feliciano Beilschmidt...vee but you can call me Feli!"
Corman did a double take at the name Feliciano but he wasn't about to get his hopes up.
"Mr. Beilschmidt..."
"Feli"
"Feli...my good mood is slowly fading so..."
"Oh dear! You should eat some pasta! That always makes me feel better...well that and painting."
Corman was at his wits end.
"Feli I really am trying to be nice but I'm really focused on this drawing right now and..."
"Oh yes the drawing! It is really good isn't it? Don't you think the model is handsome and well portrayed? Don't you think the artist did a good job at making the cross sparkle?"
Corman was about to interrupt and say that if Feli had nothing important to say then he was going to hang up when the young man's voice came in a hushed and mischievous tone.
"Have you found the Attraversare delle Fate yet?"
Corman gaped and looked at Sam.
"Told ya it was important." His preservation specialist winked.
Corman turned back to the phone and took a deep breath.
"All right Feli you've got my full attention now. Do you know anything about the drawing?"
He waited in nervous anticipation for the answer.
"The model was Ludwig Beilschmidt, a wonderful German mechanic. And the artist...is me."
~*~Back on the main deck~*~
"So what was his phone call about huh?" Dave smirked, waving an unconcerned hand in Sam's direction, "Not as good as mine huh?"
"You kidding me? Compared to my caller yours was definitely a wash out."
"You're both wrong." Corman smirked and looked out at the shimmering sea, "They were both beneficial and I sense that we're getting closer to finding that cross."
He turned back to address his confused and excited staff.
"Troops. Make the guest rooms ready. We're gonna host the Vargas twins on the Caloway...and I think...stage a reunion."
~*~A Few Days Later~*~
Corman had planned it all out perfectly. Feliciano would be arriving first and he would be placed in the guest room closest to the stern of the Caloway and kept occupied by Jane while he went to deal with Lovino who would be arriving about half an hour later and would probably be as foul tempered as he had sounded on the phone. Corman would much rather have left the irritated older twin to be taken care of by the rest of his team and shown to his guest bedroom closest to the bow of the Caloway, but...he was certain that Lovino would have a fit with that. He didn't want the older Italian to start yelling and attract the attention of his younger brother...the reunion wasn't about to take place until the camera crew arrived that night to broadcast the joyous event that he had brought about. Hah! He was reuniting twin brothers who had thought that the other had died in the sinking. Let his haters suck on that!
He grinned and his smile turned even wider as the helicopter carrying his first guest dropped down.
The door flew open and a bright auburn eyed and auburn haired young man leapt onto the deck holding a rather terrified looking cat.
"Vee~ look Doitsu we made it!"
The cat kept his eyes tight shut and his claws embedded in his master's jacket sleeve.
Corman was a bit taken aback by the fact that the boy, whose appearance fit his voice perfectly, had brought a cat onto his ship. But he quickly recovered himself and stepped forward hand outstretched.
"Feli. It's good to properly meet you. Welcome to the Caloway."
The boy grinned at him excitedly as his eyes seemed to take in every inch of the ship.
"I haven't been on another ship since the Hetalia." He explained, bouncing on the balls of his feet anxiously, "I'd forgotten what it feels like. And this is Doitsu's first time ever on a ship!"
The cat gave a brief mrow as if to say that he would have been fine never having been on a ship at all.
Corman smiled slightly and rolled his eyes at the deck so the Italian couldn't see it.
"Well then shall we get you settled? My co captain Jane would be happy to do anything to make you feel more at home."
Feliciano smiled even wider as a blush spread over his cheeks and his eyes took on a slightly more flirtatious tone. The lovely brunette that had just come out of the preservation room gave him a brilliant and equally flirtatious smile and held out her hand.
"Shall we Mr. Beilschmidt?"
"You can definitely call me Feli." He responded in an awed whisper, as he maneuvered Doitsu into one arm leaving the other free to accept her hand.
Jane laughed lightly, playing her part out perfectly.
"Feli then."
Corman had to hand it to the woman, she was a dang good actress.
He turned his attention back to the helicopter pilot.
"My other guest is on his way right?"
"Carl's bringing him over as we speak." The man responded with a nod as he pulled the door closed and started up the chopper once more.
The Caloway rocked as the helicopter rose into the air and headed back in the direction it had arrived.
Corman waved it off and then sighed and set about to waiting for the other one to show up, with the considerably less friendly Italian.
~*~Later in the Bow Bedroom~*~
"You call this a room? Last time I was aboard a ship the room was considerably nicer and larger."
"This isn't the Hetalia Mr. Carreido. We're tight on space aboard the Caloway." Corman sighed and regarded the frowning Italian perched on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed.
Lovino snorted and looked back towards the doorway.
"So you got me here. Now I assume you want to know about the Attraversare delle Fate?"
He smirked a bit as he saw Corman's eyes flash at the name.
"Yeah I know that's what you're really after with your snooping around the Hetalia. You think I'm stupid or something?"
Corman sighed and smiled a bit.
"It's true that is my main purpose but, what I told you isn't a lie."
"I also want to hear your story Lovino Vargas."
"Is there anything I can get you? Anything you would like?" Jane asked gently.
Feliciano's eyes stopped scanning the room and fixed on her briefly before dropping to the floor.
"Is it all right if I see my drawing?"
Jane's smile turned sincere and gentle.
"Of course, right this way Mr. Vargas."
The young Italian man caught his breath at the name and then shook his head.
"It's Carreido/Beilschmidt now."
"Why that name?" Dave asked sitting in a rolling chair he had pulled into the room.
Lovino took a breath and then closed his eyes gritting his teeth.
Sam looked at the younger Italian gently as the boy stared at the drawing and took a deep breath.
"Because that was his name."
"His name?" Dave's eyebrow roes a bit, "You had an affair with a guy onboard? Dude that's crazy!"
"Do you want to fucking hear my story or not?" Lovino shouted, glaring challengingly at Dave.
"Yes. We would." Corman responded, trying to calm the young man down.
"Even after what I told you?" Feliciano asked quietly.
Corman nodded.
"Tell us what happened to you Lovino/Feliciano. Tell us what happened back when you were still a Vargas onboard the SS Hetalia."
The boy looked up at the ceiling with his far away eyes and began.
"I can still smell the new varnish; feel the fresh paint beneath my fingers, the clean linens."
"Everything was so fucking clean and new, all the scents nearly made me gag."
"Hetalia was called the ship of wonder."
"I guess in a way it was."
"Vee~It really was."