Author's Note: I'm updating this since I already had it written, but I wasn't planning to actually start this fic until I finished up Miserable. I'll probably keep typing on it, but don't expect fast updates until Miserable is over.

Thanks for the reviews! They always make my day. :3


Germany

We're a good fifty meters back into the forest by the time Italy finally starts to calm down. After almost running straight into a tree, he spins around and plops to the ground. I slow myself down, overshooting him a bit before I'm able to come to a stop. Japan, who started off last and never quite caught up, jogs the rest of the way toward us and sits down himself.

"Are we done running?" I start through my light panting.

Italy crosses his legs and looks up at me, blinking some of the frightened tears from his eyes before nodding.

"I'm too old to be running around like this," Japan gasps, finally able to take off his suit jacket.

It's just great to be thrust into this situation, in business clothes, no less. I've already taken off my tie and unbuttoned some of my undershirt, and Japan seems to have shed his briefcase as well. Italy, of course, wasn't in anything out of the ordinary to begin with, but he's taking off his jacket, too.

Of course, our outfits are hardly the worst of our problems right now.

"It's getting dark, so we won't be able to explore any more today," I begin, starting to pace. "We should at least find some food and a source of fresh water. While I wasn't able to keep an eye out during our run, I did catch a few animal tracks near the building, so both food and water must be here. We'll catch our breath, and then we'll be off."

Italy contemplates this, clacking his shoes' toes together. "Do you think there's any pasta here?"

"There won't be any pasta here," I sigh. "Just game, and maybe some fruit or nuts."

Italy whimpers, looking down sadly.

I sigh. "Don't worry; we'll be out of here before you know it."

I think. Obviously, something's going on. We're probably trapped, Russia at least is going to be trying to kill us, and that paper... It's the only thing that even gives a hint as to why we're here, but it can't be right. "Enjoy your immortality while it lasts"? We're nations. We're not going to lose our immortality without some war or revolution. And in a group of twenty of us, major nations, too. It's ridiculous.

Of course, it's ridiculous to show up on this island in the first place...

Let's not worry about this right now. There are more pressing issues at the moment.

"Let's move. Keep an eye out for any signs of game or any edible plants." I take a step forward as the others get back to their feet. "And... keep an eye out for Russia, too." I reach into an inner coat pocket to make sure my one-shot handgun is still there. Even if it takes more than just muscle, we'll be able to defend ourselves, from Russia or anyone else. I won't be able to use this on any game, unfortunately, but we'll make do. We don't have a choice.

We get to walking as the light continues to dim. My wristwatch says 4:00. I might need to adjust it, if time has somehow changed along with place. It's not impossible.

Well, it is, but so is most of what's going on right now. I don't know how this leap of sorts could even happen, let alone how it works. But all I need to know is how to get us out of here. I suppose I know exactly how, if that paper is true. But I refuse to believe it could be. There has to be a better way out. Maybe there's a nearby landmass, or maybe a plane could catch sight of us.

It won't be anyone I could call. My phone has no reception. I have a feeling the others' don't, either.

"Japan. You don't have reception on your cell phone, do you?" I start anyway. Japan checks his pockets but realizes he must have left the gadget in his briefcase.

"We can go back and look for it." Before turning around, I glance at Italy. "You don't have your phone, do you?"

"Nope! I left pretty much everything in the building." He beams.

"All right," I sigh, stopping. "Let's go back the other way and find Japan's briefcase." I start walking, even though I still feel like his phone isn't going to be any better off than mine. But we can find tracks and things in that direction as much as we can this way.

I keep a more careful eye out as we progress back to where our run started. I doubt Russia's still hanging around here, but who knows what he's doing. Or most of the others, for that matter. They're all crazy, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of them have decided to go on killing sprees, too. Whether that paper's the truth or not, this place is much more dangerous because of it.

We've carefully retraced about half of our heavily-indented, running footprints when Italy whimpers that he's thirsty. It's actually surprising how long he's held out. He's only mentioned pasta twice, too. He must be too exhausted to keep talking. I don't blame him this time. We're only walking now, but it definitely hasn't gotten any cooler. I'm just glad he hasn't decided to suddenly stop and take a nap. This is actually quite an achievement for him.

"Are we anywhere near water?" he mumbles, looking up at me hopefully.

"It doesn't look like it," I reply, squinting at the ground that just keeps getting darker. "But..." I hesitate a second before putting a hand in a lower inner coat pocket. "If you really need something..." I wait a second longer before finally making myself pull out a bottle of beer. It takes me another few moments before I'm able to sort of hold it out in an offering position. "If you... really need it..."

Italy smiles, relieved. "Grazie, Germany!" He tries to pluck it from me, but I realize I'm gripping it too hard for him to take it. I force myself to let go, and Italy starts scrabbling at the lid.

"Just... don't drink all of it, okay?" I push a few branches aside to check for Japan's briefcase before moving on. One of the branches flies back and hits my coat. There's a clink.

"Oh! Do you have more than one?" Italy asks, pausing from his attempt to open the bottle with his teeth.

"Er, no, no. It's just the handgun I keep on me."

"But, didn't it clink against something else?" Japan brings up, more thoughtful than accusatory.

"E-er..."

Before I can stop him, Italy flips up the side of my coat. The two remaining bottles in their specially-made pockets are exposed.

"There are more!" he announces.

"Germany," Japan starts as I defensively slap my coat back to my torso, "I know you prefer to drink your beer yourself, but, in this situation, you should let us know of anything that could help our survival."

"Ah... Yes." I bow my head a bit with a sigh. "I apologize. And, erm, in that case..." I hesitate, but eventually flip out the other side of my coat, showing the other three bottles. "I... also have these..."

Italy, who has almost managed to get the cap off himself, looks for a second before having a rare moment of insight. "So why did you bring six bottles of beer to the meeting?"

"I-it wasn't for the meeting! I just, ah... keep some on my person at all times... In case of situations like these!" I nod powerfully.

...Truthfully, just about all of those were for the meeting. But it was one of those times where one other person was always looking...

"Oh! I get it!" Italy responds cheerfully, finally getting the cap off. He tosses the bit of metal behind him, and I can only watch helplessly as he takes a swig.

He then spits it right back into the bottle.

"Yuck, it's warm."

I immediately grab his collar and jerk him back and forth by it. "Of course it's warm; it's been in my coat in the heat!" At this point, he's begun to wail for mercy. "You just ruined an entire bottle of fine German lager, you little—!"

"Germany!" Japan pulls us apart with some struggle. "Please refrain from hurting Italy like that! It is inappropriate for the current situation."

"R-right..." I clear my throat and look back at Italy. He's wailing and clutching the bottle like a child's safety blanket.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry, Germany!" he cries. "Pl-lease d-don't hate m-me!" He sniffles loudly, keeping his tearful puppy-dog eyes on me.

I heave a sigh, cradling my forehead in my hand. "I don't hate you, Italy."

He calms down a little bit. "W-we're still friends, right?"

"Yes, we're still friends."

"Okay." He sniffs again.

"Just... Please. Please. Never. Do that. Again." I exhale. "Ever."

We walk in silence for a second, during which I take off my coat. Since my secret's out, there's not much of a reason to keep this thing on.

"Speaking of things necessary for our survival," I start, "I don't believe you've mentioned that sword at your waist."

Japan pauses, laying a hand on the hilt. "Ah. Well... I'm not a backwards nation any more. I wouldn't carry around an actual sword. This is, ah, purely aesthetic..." He slides the handle out a bit to show the gleaming metal.

"If that's aesthetic, I don't think I want to know how sharp the functional version is," I comment, checking a bush for the briefcase.

"Yes, well..." Japan puts the katana back, looking to the ground in embarrassment.

We go through a few more trees in our path before we're suddenly back at the shore. I immediately check the area for other nations, but it seems empty enough.

"I did not see any sign of my briefcase," Japan says, frowning. "Of course, my eyesight isn't what it once was, but..."

"I didn't see it, either," I reply, crossing my arms and looking out at the waves reflecting the sunset.

"Things simply seem to disappear in this place," Japan comments quietly.

Italy quivers. "We're not going to disappear, are we?"

"Not if we escape," Japan replies, drumming his fingers on his sword hilt.

"What do you mean, 'if'?" I respond, turning towards him. "We are going to get off the island."

Japan just meets my gaze silently before looking out at the water. Without facing us, he slowly draws out his katana.

I check the trees, in case he heard someone coming, but we're alone.

"Japan?" Italy starts. "What are you doing?"

Japan just looks at the half-sun's red reflection on the metal.

"I," he finally starts, eyes flitting up to look at us, "am going to kill both of you now."

Italy immediately squeaks and hides behind me, while I take a step back.

"H-hey, Japan, calm down. I don't know what's going through your head right now, but..."

He takes a step toward us, holding his sword ready to strike. "If one of you is the one I must kill to leave, I should kill you as soon as possible."

"Hang on, there's no reason to...!"

"Do you doubt you'll come back?" he asks.

I find myself taking another step back and starting to wish I hadn't set my coat and gun down just out of my reach. "No, but you can't fall for that piece of paper. Believe me, we can find another way out."

"But what if the paper is true?" He faces us unwaveringly. "If we really do begin to lose our immortality... I want to make sure I kill you while I know you're going to come back." He takes a step forward for momentum, bringing his sword around and hacking into my jugular.

I hold on to consciousness just long enough to see Italy go down, too.


I open my eyes to darkness. Am I... dead? No, I don't think so...

A throbbing starts up in the side of my neck, and I vaguely start to remember what happened before I blacked out. Japan... Did he escape after all? No, of course he didn't. That would mean The Rules were true. They... probably are our best shot at getting out of here, but... There just has to be some other way. Some way that doesn't involve us all having to kill each other.

I shift, propping myself up on my elbows as my eyes start to adjust to the faint moonlight. Japan is seated seiza-style, facing the trees and scanning for enemies. Italy's lying on his side, but I can't tell whether he's started to breathe again or not.

"Ah! Germany!" Seeing me alive, Japan hurries over and helps pull me to a seated position.

"How's Italy?" I start, my voice still recuperating some.

"He hasn't come back just yet." He looks over his shoulder at the pale nation. I follow his gaze for a minute before turning back to face him.

"So. I guess neither of us is the one you're supposed to kill, then."

He gives a start and looks down at his hands. "No, you're not." He glances back at Italy before continuing. "I... I am very sorry for what I did to you both!" He bows deeply, bangs brushing the ground before he comes back up. "I wanted to make sure, but... It was inexcusable for me to do such a thing, especially without your permission!"

"It's... all right." I cross my legs, putting a hand over my neck, where a thin cut is still healing. "I know where you were coming from, and it looks like we're going to be okay." I look back over at Italy. I think he may have started breathing again.

Japan shakes his head. "It still wasn't right. I'm sorry." He nods at my dress shirt, which is now pretty well bloodstained. "I shouldn't have ruined your clothing, either." He looks over at two patches of red sand, and I realize he must have moved us away from where he killed us. "I at least washed the blood off your neck and face, but..." He trails off, still unable to look me in the eye. "I shouldn't have done any of that. I only wanted to make sure, but I just... shouldn't have..." He faces me, his eyes shining. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight, and... I'm... scared..." He turns away from me, thoroughly ashamed.

I try to think of what I could say to him, but before I can come up with anything, he's withdrawing his sword again.

"Japan?"

He looks over the blade, which has since been washed, before turning just enough to offer the handle to me.

"It's your turn," he says. I look at the blade silently. "We should make sure none of us have to kill each other as soon as possible, don't you think?"

"I... suppose." He continues to hold it out toward me, and I go ahead and take it. Without blinking, he turns to expose the side of his neck.

"Go ahead."

I hesitate, weighing the weapon in my hands. "You can at least take your shirt off, so we don't ruin it."

"No, that's hardly fair." He clasps his hands together. "I ruined yours and Italy's, so it only seems fair to kill me as is."

"No. I'm not going to punish you for being afraid. And, survival-wise, it's ridiculous to ruin any more of our possessions. Go ahead." I watch him insistently until he finally gives in and takes his shirt off.

"All right." I hesitate, rubbing the handle with my thumb. I look back over at Italy, who's starting to stir. "Ah! Italy's waking up. Maybe we should wait—"

"Germany." Japan shifts to look back at me for a moment. "Rule number four." Enjoy your immortality while it lasts. "We don't have time to spare."

I exhale, knowing he's right, as he turns back. It won't hurt that much, and I'm sure he'll come back just as quickly as I did. It takes me a few more moments of hesitation, but I finally tell him the strike is coming, ready the sword, and plunge it into his neck. He scoots away from me a bit, to keep some of the blood from hitting me, before he falls to his side twitching and bleeds out.

I set the katana down shakily as the blood flow gradually slows to a dribble.

"G-Germany?"

I jump to see Italy wobbily sitting up, staring at me wide-eyed.

"He told me to," I start quickly, taking a step back from the scene of the crime. "It's... I can't explain it all at once, but..." I trail off, squinting. Why is everything getting blurry? My eyesight has already recovered from dying.

It starts to get brighter, much faster than daybreak could manage. The image of Japan, Italy, and the shore continues to blur out before my vision finally starts to sharpen again. But the two before me don't become any clearer. I rub at my eyes, looking around again before I start to realize what has happened.

The image before me is now my own room, the bedside lamp shining, the bedsheets impeccably straight on the mattress. Bewildered, I stagger to my feet and take a few steps, the carpet spongy under my feet. I reach out and put a hand on the table. It's solid, as wooden as I left it.

It takes a second for it to finally start to sink in. I'm... back home.

Japan was the one I had to kill.

The Rules are real.