I wanted to do a series of one-shots involving my OCs for hetalia and the Cardverse AU. I really like how unique it is, and I wanted to see how my OCs would be in this situation. First is Mari aka Vilnius, with an interesting backstory between her and Gilbert (You'll get it if You've read Mirrored Darkness.)

As for Mirrored Darkness itself... It's back on haitus. I'm having trouble with the fight scenes, so it's gonna take a while for the next chapter. In the mean time, I'm working on a few other Hetalia story Ideas. I'm gonna make a poll for that later this evening.

I don't own Hetalia, only my OCs.

Mari: Curiosity of the Wildcards

"Good morning Mari. The king has a message for you to deliver today."

Forest green eyes opened as Mari heard Melody's voice awaken her, the older girl standing by her bedside. It was obvious it was Melody, given the unique mixture of blue and green clothes that clashed in harmony, amethyst eyes, and brown cascading hair that was a few shades darker than her own had always caught her vision in the morning, whenever she was awoken by her. The little girl who appeared to be about the age of 11 was very aware of things despite her outward appearance.

But that would be the least of her thoughts at the moment, for the second Melody spoke the words 'message' and 'deliver', Mari almost immediately leaped out of bed and to the uniform that was given to her when the king appointed her his messenger girl. Behind her, the younger sister of the Jack of clubs chuckled in amusement. "It's amazing how fast you awaken after you are told that the King has a job for you," Melody pointed out.

"I like my position in this kingdom Melody. It allows me to see what the world is like, allow the kingdoms to satisfy my curiosity. Did Ivan tell you which kingdom I was going to?" Mari asked.

"I'm afraid not, but he did say to wear boots to prevent yourself from getting wet."

The kingdom of Hearts then. Mari realized, and mentally giggled. She had friends in the other kingdoms, ones that she visited once a moon, once a month when she was called upon. The king employed her 3 times every month, one for every kingdom other than their own. It was a perilously job that harmed many, but for Mari, she often returned home with very few times where she was badly injured. And it often left those in the court wondering just how special she was.

But between her, and those within their court who were close to her, they would find out that she was just like them, that being only mostly human. It was her dear friends who were special.

After half an hour of preparation, Mari found herself looking over her appearance in the mirror to check for any mess-ups she may have missed in her uniform. But today, it seemed, she had been lucky to keep it correct as she looked at herself.

A white dress shirt and skirt under an emerald colored vest that matched the boots and tights that clung to her form. Wood brown hair was partially concealed under a matching green cap, a light green club marking that symbolized their kingdom on the right side of the headwear, with a matching bag over her shoulder. Around her left arm, was a multicolored piece of cloth given to her by her crush in the Hearts kingdom.

"You look pretty little sister. I just hope you will be alright today."

Mari smiled as she turned to the door, Her older brother standing in the doorway with his uniform on. Toris closes the distance between the two, and fixes several strands of his young sister's hair and adjust her glasses. "The hearts kingdom has a more strict king. None more than Ivan, but still strong and strict. I can't help but worry about you when you go on your journeys." The other admitted, placing a backpack on the younger sibling's back.

"Tori, I'll be fine. It's not the first time I've been there. And don't worry, I'm guided there safely." Mari stated.

"I know Mari. It's just a brotherly thing. You better get going if you want to avoid any storms on the way. It looks like rain this afternoon."

Mari giggled and waved goodbye, before racing out of the room and making her way to The throne room. There was always a certain thrill to her job, knowing there was a bit of danger to it. But it did very little to dampen her spirits and anticipation.


"Privet Mari. I see you're already prepared for your job today."

Mari nodded as she entered the throne room, greeting the king of clubs with a polite curtsy. "Melody told me you have a job for me today, King Ivan," she pointed out.

"Da. I have a message to be delivered to Ludwig in hearts. The magicians have their meeting later this month, and Lukas wanted me to send a message to let him know to remind his court magician." Ivan explained, handing the scroll to his messenger, "I hope our wildcard will provide you with good luck on your journey."

"Thank you, your majesty. I will not fail with this task."


It had taken her a while, but she had finally made it to the crossroads that tied the four kingdoms together. The sun had already risen in the sky, beating down on the little girl and starting to wear down her stamina. But she knew that things would be a lot better the second she stepped on the path to Hearts. The beauty of it's rivers did wonders to lift her spirits on the way there.

Not to mention, there was always that sense of someone waiting for her on the path, ready to welcome and guide her safely through the Kingdom's borders.

The second Mari stepped onto the path, the feeling had grown, and for a moment she thought she could feel the tell-tale, Cheshire grin of her guide mere seconds before he materialized in front of her, silver hair and mischievous red eyes a welcome sign. "So Ivan has sent you into mein bruder's territory today, hasn't he Mari?" The figure asked, pulling down the hood of his black sweater-like clothing.

"Taip. He said it has to do with the court of magicians meeting later this week," Mari explained, before walking down the path way, The pale figure following her footsteps, "How's the kingdom doing this past month Gilbert?"

"Very good. The kingdom's fishing has been great this summer. Ludwig's lucky to have a wildcard of a brother."

Mari chuckled as Gilbert flashed a grin at her, then handed her a box and a bottle of liquid from thin air, before they sat and took a break from walking. The wildcards, or Jokers that protected their kingdoms, were some of the most random of people she had met. But they were also the few that had shown her the world and helped realize her calling as a messenger.

"You didn't think I'd forget to bring a snack to eat did you?" Gilbert asked, opening the bottle of clear liquid and pouring it into a pair of glasses, "I brought some liquid diamond and some more gems we found recently. I think you'll enjoy the newest ones we've discovered."

"Thank you Gilbert," Mari giggled, taking a sip of her beverage. The sharp flavor of peppermint collided with her mouth, numbing her senses as she allowed the flavor to embrace her taste. It was a powerful flavor, but a welcome one. It was an odd prospect that Mari still didn't understand was possible within the kingdoms, the whole being able to eat gems and riches. Perhaps it was due to her status of being part of the court she had mused in the past, but some of the delicacies danced upon her taste buds happily like a dream.

"I wished you would visit more in the clubs Gilbert. Feliks is often on missions to Spades and Diamonds, and lessons have been less often recently," Mari admitted, popping a piece of morganite in her mouth and savoring the taste of rose petals on her tongue.

"I understand that Mari. I wish I could as well. But you know how it is with wildcards in other kingdoms. Our powers are a double edged blade." Gilbert pointed out, flicking an onyx in his mouth.

Mari nodded in understanding. The role of a Wildcard/Joker had two sides to it. One was to make sure their respective kingdom was prospering and doing well. The other was to cause misfortune to their enemies. Each kingdom had one, and they used their potential wisely. Of course, that didn't stop the wildcards of Heart to allow a little miracle to happen within Clubs.

It was how she met Gilbert and discovered the secret of the wildcards.


Mari could recall that fateful encounter to the last detail, from the meeting to her understanding. Before she found out the truth about it, She was warned as a child to do one thing. Never cross paths with the joker, for he would steal her from her life in the world, and cause mischief to those around her. She never questioned it, and listened to what she was told. She studied her lessons as a quiet little girl, and lived at her brother's side.

So never in her life would she understand just how the silver haired, ruby orb male constantly crossed her path and she survived. And it made her wonder why.

It had started when she was 8. She had finished listening to Roderich play the piano. When the male wasn't busy with duties, he often played music that soothed her soul. But it was on that day, while she was on her way to prepare for a test in her lessons that evening, that she noticed movement outside the building. While she knew that she would be late, Mari was, to a great extent, quite curious to something she didn't know. So she made her way to where she saw movement in the palace gardens to find out what it was.

And in front of her stood the silver haired man, pale skin shimmering in the moonlight. fear filled her as piercing red eyes connected with her soft emerald orbs, his form conceiled mostly within dark shadows. An almost canine grin crossed his face as he kneeled to her level, a small smirk playing against his lips as he played with the girl's brown hair. "What a curious little girl you are to have crossed paths with me. but at the same time, it wasn't unintentional." The joker stated.

Mari wasn't sure what to do. She hadn't meant to cross him, yet at the same time the joker was right. She was mearly curious at what she saw. And know that she had crossed paths with him, she just had to wonder: What exactly was going to happen to her.

"You're the Ace's little sister in this kingdom, aren't you?" The joker asked, and unsure what to do, Mari nodded. "Do you have a name?"

Mari opened her mouth to answer, and though a bit. Would being honest spare her from her painful death, or would it make it worse on her brother? Either way, in the end she had mused, it probably wouldn't matter. "M-Mari Laurinaitis." The little girl stuttered.

"Mari Laurinaitis. What an interesting name." The joker pointed out. And then he did something she didn't expect.

He just simply disappeared.

The little girl's eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't sure what was going to happen, but for a second, she new that wasn't what she had heard would happen. Was he sparing her out of pity or sympathy? Or was she just plain lucky and didn't want to take her away? Whatever it was, she wasn't sure of what she was gonna say to her brother.

So she decided not to say anything. She would keep the knowledge to herself.

Because in that one brief encounter, it had just made her all the more curious about what happened.

After that, the Joker's visits came regularly, and least twice a month. Sometimes he would never say anything, and he was invisble to everyone in the room if she wasn't alone, but she could tell he was there. Sometimes he would just make the occasional one-sided conversation, and she would listen. But every encounter was the same. He would never take her away.

So one time, after about a year of visits and encounters from the Joker, she found herself asking the question.

"How come you haven't taken me away yet, Mr. Joker? I'm told you do by my brother," Mari stated as the joker watched her collect skipping stones by the stream outside of the kingdom where she went to think. Most of the time that's when he would visit her there, and on occasion, he would skip rocks across the lake as well. They did many tricks in those times, skipping in the air and performing little cart-wheels like the their tosser would do in the palace. They intrigued her to no end, and at the same time, entertained her eyes.

A rough laugh had escaped the silver haired figure. "She finally speaks! I was wondering if you had lost your voice or something!" The joker had teased, ruffling the other's brown hair, "Well first, you introduced yourself but I haven't introduced myself. The name is Gilbert, the awesome wildcard!"

Mari raised an eyebrow. 'Wildcard? I though he was a joker.'

"And second, while that is a job of ours, we rarely use it in that perspective. The job of a Wildcard, or as most others call us Jokers, is to provide fortune and prosperity to our kingdoms while causing misfortune to our enemies. Most of the time it's famine, drought, or just weather based stuff. Each Kingdom has one, and I'm the one for hearts. Feliks is your kingdom's." Gilbert explained

Oddly enough, that explanation made a lot more sense then the stealing souls warning that she was taught. But it also raised another good question.

"Why do you visit me then? If your Hearts wildcard, why do you visit me." Mari asked, and once again, Gilbert laughed in amusement.

"You're a very curious girl. Children learned to avoid us in fear, but you were the first one who even though was afraid of the awesome me at times, was curious about what I was." Gilbert admitted, before leaning down to her level, "And it left me curious as well."


It was since that meeting that Mari understood the role of a wildcard, and why she was spared the misfortune. She was just as lonely as the wildcards were, their role sacrificing the ability to be able to live a normal life. So she became a messenger, to allow herself the chance to see her new-found friends.

And after that day, the two would meet every time on the night on the full moon at the kingdoms crossroads, just to skip rocks or discuss their lives. Every so often the other wildcards from the other kingdoms and her kingdom would get together to have just a day to discussion and fun. Feliks would initiate games of capture the flag. Antonio taught her how to play cards and flip coins in the air. Peter just liked to show her stories and toys that the kingdom of spades made. And Gilbert would be there, with his magic tricks and the occasional instruments that, with the other 3, would strike up a fanfare.

The other wildcards were unique, but there was a type of bonding that she and Gilbert had that reminded her of siblings bonding. Granted they had siblings of their own, but their loneliness allowed the two to become almost family to each other.

"Toris and Feliks are lucky to have you there." Gilbert added, and Mari nodded as she popped a piece of sugilite in her mouth to embrace the chocolate-like flavor, "You are one of the few that understood our role and the price we pay for this power. That's what allowed the miracle of you meeting us to happen."

"Well it's not just me. there's also Melody. I don't think she would've gotten away with the blue-greens and turquoises without you and Feliks." Gilbert laughed at the other's statement, and Mari gave a chuckle as they finished their snack, before standing up. "I suppose we should finish the task of delivering the message before the sun goes down. And I don't think Feliks, Antonio, and Peter would appreciate us being late for the full moon's rise."

"As you wish, Mari."

If you guys know my story Mirrored Darkness, You'd know regular Vilnius has a huge hatred for gilbert (I've got a one-shot explaining that coming in the future.). So my cardverse headcanon for Mari is that because of her brother's duties to the castle, she's rather left on her own, so she ends up bonding with the joker figures like Gilbert.

If you guys want me to work on these one-shots more, let me know in the comments below.