(Author's Note: This was written after part 27, so it has some pretty heavy spoilers.

Part 27 made me cry. I hate clone!Prussia's boss so, so much... _ He better die by the end of the series.

Contains the "fanon" nickname for clone!Prussia: Rune. Also, this is obviously kinda AU-ish, I guess, since I highly doubt this will actually happen in-game. XD

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia nor HetaHazard, much as I adore both.)

"I don't want to be called Prussia."

The cloned albino's new mentor turns around, confusion clouding brown eyes. "What the hell brings this on?"

The clone shuffles his feet slightly, glancing at the ground. "I… I just… I want to be… me."

The Italian turns and faces him fully, confusion slowly melting into annoyance. "What the hell does that mean? You're already you, moron."

"No, I'm not," 'Prussia' insists as Romano leans against the wall, ready to listen to his new friend. "I'm not me. I'm Prussia."

"Ok, now you're making zero sense."

The clone sighs, struggling to find the words to explain his tangled thoughts. "Being called Prussia… It's… It's a reminder of what I was meant to be. A clone. A shell. A hollow copy. A… A fake puppet."

His voice cracks slightly on the last phrase. The memory of when his boss-correction, ex-boss-called him that still burns in memory banks. He'd been so certain he was the real one, that he wasn't just some fake. And then his former boss had dropped that phrase on him like a ton of bricks.

And, of course, to add insult to injury, he'd later told him that he hadn't even wanted to keep him close to him.

Romano's eyes soften slightly. He'd told his mentor about the incidents earlier as they were walking. He hadn't said anything in response, but the clone had noticed the anger that blazed up in his eyes.

"So…," Romano says, "You want a name so you can… create a new identity for yourself?"

The clone nods eagerly, glad Romano had figured it out. "Yes!"

"So, what were you thinking of?"

The albino frowns, biting his lip. "…I don't know. I don't know any names."

Sadly, that was the truth. The only names he knows are of the nations he'd heard about from his ex-boss, and he certainly didn't want to use any of those. He wants a name all to himself.

Romano sighs. "So?"

"So I was hoping you could… help me out?" The clone requests, scarlet eyes hopeful.

The hope quickly turns to disappointment when Romano shakes his head. "Hell no! This is your name. If you're gonna make a new identity for yourself, you should come up with it yourself."

The clone frowns and bites his lip, admitting to the truth in Romano's words. "But… But how will I come up with one if I don't know any names."

Romano sighs in irritation. "I dunno. Just keep thinking about it until something comes to you. Geez…"

The clone falls silent, completely lost in thought. Romano waits beside him with as much patience as he can muster, deciding he should give his new protégée some time to think.

Just as Romano is about to turn and start walking again, the clone blurts out, "Rune."

Startled, the Italian turns and stares at the albino. Neither one says anything, quietly processing the name.

"Rune?" Romano finally asks, raising one eyebrow.

The clone nods. The more he thinks about it, the more he likes it. Rune. Yes, that's him now. He is Rune.

Romano shrugs. "Not bad. Anyways, it's your name. You gotta live with it."

His name. The words send a spark of excitement through Prussia's-no, Rune's-body. It's his name now. His own identity.

Romano turns, walking down the hallway once more. "Well, c'mon, Rune. We gotta keep moving."

Rune grins, the sound of his new name being used sending excitement coursing through his body. Happily, he follows after his mentor, freed from his past and origins.

He is Rune, Romano's protégée. And he is a new man.