Ok so this chapter is a bit short because I really want to get to the part that actually takes place in Cardverse. Please bear with me if it's boring. I'd hate to bore anyone. :) Thank you for reading and I hope you like this chapter! I'm trying to keep up with my other story so don't worry, I promise to finish that one. I just had like all these epiphanies about Cardverse and they needed to happen. Like now. So that's where I'm at. Please review, reviews literally make my day!
"I'm tired. I'm hungry. Where are we? Can we go home? England, are we lost?" England looked up, irritated at the youth swinging from the trees above. He had been asking questions like this since they left England's home about three hours ago, but he was no longer irritated about the questions. Now he was bothered because they were valid. He really didn't know where they were. He had never been this deep into the forest before. America had asked him to go for a walk after lunch and England could never refuse his puppy dog eyes. As soon as they were outside though, America had started complaining. But that was just America's personality.
England sighed as he kept going forward. About an hour ago he had stopped recognizing his surroundings. Now they were horribly and utterly lost. America jumped down from the tree he had been swinging in, startling the older nation. "Seriously dude, where are we." He was actually sincere about this question, not his normal annoying self. England understood his worry. They had no idea where they were and the sun would be setting soon. Tomorrow was the world meeting with the other countries, and if they spent the night in the woods the nations, especially France, would never let them live it down. The sun was setting quickly and it was only four in the afternoon.
His huge eyebrows knitting in frustration, England looked up into America's sapphire eyes. He had always thought those eyes were the beautiful but they were even better when he was scared and sincere. Though he would never tell him, England had always had a small crush on the young nation. His endless energy, his magnetic personality. But England kept this all to himself, never telling anyone his secret. It was just a small admiration anyway… "America. You have asked me that question a hundred times in the last five minutes and my answer remains the same. I do NOT know where we are." With that he spun on his heels and continued walking.
America looked after him, a small smile on his face. England was so cute when he was angry, his huge green eyes flaring up and flashing their emerald glare at him. Alfred enjoyed making him angry to see those raging eyes… and because it was fun. He would never tell England, but he had a tiny little crush on him. Had for a long time. They had been pretty close the last few years, especially since WW2. And in that time he developed an admiration for the Britt; his huge emerald eyes, his messy blonde hair, his rare yet exhilarating smile. But he would never tell Britain. That would be… awkward. No, he would continue taunting the man. He pretended to hate being lost out in the woods with England, but really he was loving it. He really enjoyed just spending time with him.
Rolling his eyes, America ran to catch up with the briskly moving England. "Are you even sure if you're walking in the right direction? We've been going this way for HOURS, so maybe we should try a different path." England whirled on him and crossed his arms. "Then you lead the way, Mr. Hero. Save us and get us out of these woods that neither you or I have ever been in." He stood stalk still, waiting for America to move. Smiling smugly, America stomped off in the complete opposite direction that England had been walking in, followed quickly by a scowling British nation.
Another hour of walking and America slumped down against a tree, absolutely exhausted. Glancing at his watch, England found it was past five o'clock. Sliding down to the forest floor, England sighed. How could they not find their way out? They were horribly lost, hungry and tired. Looking over at the American he said, "So now what? We are even more lost now, thanks to your brilliant idea." Rolling his eyes, America glanced at England. "Don't pin this whole thing on me. You're the one that got us lost in your own forest. You should know your own damn backyard!" Shaking his head England responded, "No no no. You wanted to go for a walk. I was happy sitting on the terrace and reading a book." Scowling America said, "Bombs could be going off and you would be happy reading a book." "Not true. You are just impatient and uncultured!" "Yeah well you're snotty and stuck up!" They were yelling now, faces red and only inches from one another. They looked as though they were about to start fighting, when they heard a twig snap just to the right of them.
Swiveling to see what had made the sound, they forgot their anger. "Hello? Is someone there?" America's voice was shaking, making England roll his eyes. That kid was scared of the stupidest things. Standing up, England walked over to where they heard the sound. "England! Get back here, you don't know what it is!" America hissed at him. "What do you think it is, a monster? We are in the woods America, not a fairy tale." He said this as he reached into the trees, his hands running into something small and furry.
Frowning, he began pushing the brush back. America ran over to him and hid behind the smaller man, terrified what was on the other side, but curious to see all the same. With one final push, England cleared the leaves and out jumped a badger. America screamed and jumped back a few feet while England looked on in surprise. Then he looked at the horrified America and burst into laughter. America narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny? Badgers can be mean." Still laughing, England said, "Oh yes. Beware the evil BADGER!" Falling onto the ground, England clutched his sides. America pouted. He must have looked so stupid.
Suddenly England's laughter was cut off as he cried out in pain. Looking back at Engand, America was horrified to see the badger biting England's wrist. "OOOOOOUUUUUUUCCCCCCCHHHHHHH!" England's huge eye brows had shot straight up and his eyes were as wide as saucers. He stood up and started shaking his arm, trying to get the rodent free. "America, help me!" At any other time, America would have been laughing. But this was a badger attack. Time for action. Running over to grab the back of the badgers=, he began pulling him off of the nation. England continued screaming and shaking until the badger finally let go.
It dropped to the forest floor as America and England ran to the other side of the clearing. "Beware the veil badger England." America was smirking as England held his arm to his chest. "Save it, you bloody idiot and RUN!" The badger was still angry about being disturbed and had charged them. Spinning on their heels the two men ran through the trees, trying to escape the crazed rodent. They ran for a good five minutes, even after the animal had stopped chasing them, and the only thing that stopped them was a hedge they ran into.
Both men hit the hedge at great speed, and the thorns stuck them all over their body. Falling to the ground, they groaned and breathed heavily. How had this happened to them? England's arm was bleeding from where the badger bit him, and tiny thorn pricks peppered their bodies. Struggling to sit up, America looked up at the hedge. "What the hell…" England followed his eyes and saw what had him so surprised.
The hedge was huge, about thirty feet tall. It was a rose bush too, but the roses were all wilted and dead. It looked like it was once well taken care of and tamed, but now over grown and abandoned. Struggling to his feet, America looked to the left and right to discover that the hedge stretched on for as far as he could see. Except for a large hole about twenty feet to the left. "England come one, lets go inside!" Running to the hole, England called after him, "No don't! I don't know what's in these woods anymore!" Scowling, America returned to pull England to his feet. "But it's an adventure! Please England, just a quick look…." He pulled his puppy dog eyes again, making England groan inwardly. Those damn eyes.
"Fine. But only a quick look." The sun had set over the trees and the light was fading. Smiling, America pulled him to the hole. Looking in, they saw another hedge on the other side identical to the first. A pathway ran between the two and it turned in about three feet to the right and ten to the right. America's eyes lit up. "It's a maze! Oh England, that is so COOL!" Grinning like an idiot, America jumped into the maze and ran to the right. "Wait America, slow down!" England clambered in after America, just catching up with him before he turned another corner. Grabbing his shirt, England pulled him to a stop. "If this is a maze, we shouldn't separate. We may never find the way out. Let's go back and-" England had turned and immediately ran into a hedge wall.
"But we just came from there!" He looked around. There was no way but forward. Glancing at America, he saw the look of fear flash across the boy's face. He would have to stay strong for America. Sighing, he pointed forward. "Apparently this maze is… special. I guess we have no choice but to enjoy your little adventure. Lead the way." America's smile had returned and was bounding down the path while England rushed to keep up with him.
From time to time they would find odd things. White tables and chairs with black spades painted on them. Tea sets intertwined with the vines of the hedge. It was like a sight out of Alice in Wonderland. America loved it. The mystery was a challenge for him, like playing a video game. England simply found it creepy. At one point America found a very interesting artifact on the ground. "Hey England, take a look at this." Walking over to him, England knelt beside the younger country. It was a crown. It probably was silver at one point but had turned brown and corroded over time. It was bent and misshapen, but they were both taken by the beauty of the jewels that were scattered around it.
It was an old fashioned crown, the one seen in old fairy tale movies. It had pointed silver peaks and jewels surrounding it. These jewels were breathtaking sapphires, but they were strange because they seemed to have been carved into the shape of spades. Odd shape to carve a jewel into. "Wonder who's this was?" America's eyes shone with the reflection of the jewels, while England's eye had caught something else. It was another spade sapphire, but this one was inlaid on a small silver pocket watch. It was no longer ticking and the hands were both stuck at twelve. It was a beautiful clock so England went to grab it. The moment he did, the minute hand began to move again.
Screaming, England dropped the clock. America looked over startled. "What's wrong?" "That clock! It started working again when I touched it!" Looking down at the clock, he saw nothing moving now. "But it's not moving at all!" England reached down and tentatively touched it again. Again, the clock ticked as the minute hand moved. But the hour and remained stubborn and un-moving. America's mouth dropped. "WOOOOOOAAAAHHHH! That's AWESOME DUDE!" He broke out in a huge grin. "This is the coolest day EVER!" He looked at the confused England. "Does this have something to do with your magic?" England shook his head. "I don't think so. I'm not trying to do anything at all."
Standing up, America grabbed the crown he found and pulled England up, who was still holding the watch. "Finders keepers, right?" He smiled as he continued through the ever changing maze, with England at his heels. They continued to find strange things, such as belt buckles, statues of horses and table sets. The strangest thing they found was a partially destroyed painting. It had what looked like two men dressed in blue, back to back. One had a cape on and the other was holding a blue rose. They could only see the bottom of the painting as the rest had been burned or decomposed off.
Finally, America sat down, resting against the hedge. England joined him. The sun had almost completely disappeared now with just a soft light streaking across the sky. "So now what?" America had finally gotten bored of wandering in circles. England was staring at the clock he had found, listening to the tick of the clock. "I don't know." Just as he said this, America reached to his head and place the crown he had taken long before on his head. Then something happened. The hour hand on the clock began to move. England gasped, causing America to look over at him. His eyes widened as the hands on the clock sped up. Then the sapphires began to glow
America's crown was glowing and he cried out as he tried to rip it off. It simply refused to budge. England tried to drop the watch, but it too seemed glued to him. The vines from the hedge and surrounded the two men, swirling with a soft blue light. Screaming, the two men squeezed their eyes closed. The clock's hands were spinning out of control and the sapphires on the crown shown brighter and brighter. And then they were gone. Just like that, in a flash of light, America and England disappeared, pulled into the hedge by the dead roses, crown and clock in tow, leaving behind a darkening sky, a disheveled maze, and no one to explain where they had gone.