Chapter Two

Japan grasped the Omamori in his pocket with a sweaty hand. It had the same charm to ward off evil spirits as the Stone of Atlantis had had. He hoped. "Damn it's dark out," America speculated nervously. It was true. The black sky loomed above them like a blanket, stars shimmering blue-white like tinted diamonds. A full moon glowed, substituting the sun with a gentler white light. The boys would have liked to spend the night outside their dorms. Instead, they waited for forgiveness. Or doom. "What time is it?" Britain asked, heart pounding audibly. America checked his watch. "Eleven fifty nine, ten seconds to-,"

How could you…

The boys froze.

"M-m-midnight!" America stuttered. A silhouette appeared in the shadows of the oaks. Slim, sleek, moving with predatory grace. Another appeared, followed by two more. Twelve shadows appeared in the starlight. "They're here. Act calm," Japan whispered. "H-hi!" America stammered in his uplifted tone, "Uh, you guys must be from New Dawn Academy!" Three girls appeared in front of them. Behind them, three more. Every girl wore black, some with scarves covering them from the nose down, sleek masks covering their eyes; they kept themselves cloaked in shadow. They were covered in sleek black cloth, from shoulder to ankle. One tall girl- the leader of one group it seemed- pointed to the three. She had a silver circle imprinted on her shirt. A full moon.

"You are the three Hetas who displaced the Stone of Atlantis. Do you deny this?" She spoke in a thick accent, implacable to any country the boys knew of. Her fine black hair was tied into an intricate braid. Her coal black eyes held the hunting light of a wolf. "H-hai, we're sorry," Japan apologized. "They admit their crime. Sil-Lyndiana?" Another girl stepped forward. Oh no, Britain thought weakly. This was the girl from the woods that day. Her pale blond hair fell feathery and daintily to her shoulders, her silvery blue eyes shone with a proud light, the same in the leader's eyes. The rest of her features were covered with a black scarf, from the nose down. A full moon had been imprinted onto her shirt as well. She was a couple inches shorter than the leader. Across her angelic features was a grim expression. "Are these three Hetas the ones who displaced the Stone of Atlantis, and hereby plunged our lives and their own into danger?" The girl, Sil-Lyndiana nodded. "They are."

"Well then," another group leader clapped her hands together. Only her golden eyes showed beneath her scarf. A shiny, blood red drop had been imprinted onto her shirt, along with the other three behind her. A dagger glinted, sheathed and strapped to her ankle. "I think we girls are going to have a little fun tonight. How fast can a Heta run, do you think?" "Aw yeah, I love me a good chase!" the third leader cheered. Her group had the gold imprint of a sun imprinted onto their tops. Her flaming red hair streamed behind her, brown eyes sparkling with excitement. "C-chase!?" Britain stuttered. "What you three committed were indeed a crime," the blood drop's leader purred, "and after all, a criminal must be punished." Beneath her scarf, she grinned. "By displacing the stone, you put your school and ours in danger. You basically sent us all to our doom, killed us all. The punishment for murder…

"Is death."

"What!? That's not fair!" America protested. "No more delays," Crisailand said dismissively, "I haven't had a good chase like this in years." "But-," "We'll give you a ten second head start," she continued, "If you make it back to your school, you're safe. If we catch you, you're ours. Go." The three countries tore from the girls in a split second, each taking a different path back to the school. "They ran fast," the sun leader noted, "their pretty powerful countries, even if they are Heta." Crisailand grinned. "We'll take the smaller one, he ran the quickest. Your group will track down the glasses. The Alpha group will take down the blond." With a smug smile, Crisailand took off, her group following close behind. "I love a challenge!" The others chased their prey.

This is great! Sunny thought, I haven't been on a chase before! Ray-Sunnilia was too much of a mouthful for anyone to say, and besides; she hit anybody who called her such a long name, save it for her country. And since her persona was so cheery she had to be named Sunny. So Sunny she was to everyone. "Ray-Sunnilia!" Kavica called, her sun print shimmering in the light of the moon. Except her group leader. Kavica almost always called everyone by their country name. Even if it was a freaking mouthful. Sunny shot her a look. "I told you- don't call me that!" she scolded semi playfully. Kavica rolled her eyes. "We lost the guy-," "And you want me to track him down? Got it Chief!" Kavica sighed. "It bothers me how ninety eight percent of your population is psychic." "Right! Oh, by the way?" Kavica cocked her head. "Yeah?" "You can take off your scarf you know. If we're gonna rip his head off, you don't need to keep a secret." Kavica rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but I look better with it on. I'm an ugly bitch in case ya haven't noticed. Besides, what if he gets away? You should cover up just in case he blames faces." Sunny giggled. "Kavica, your country's really low on the good old trait of confidence. And I don't think he's gonna get away, so what's the point of wearing one?"

She pulled off her own scarf for emphasis. "Fine. Catch him now, will ya? He's gonna get away." Sunny bounded ahead of the group. Cool night air wisped by her rosy cheeks. The stars and moon shone almost painfully with her heightened vision. She heard the wind rustling the leaves of the oak, heard grass blades bend softly under her heels.

This is so much fun!

Sunny almost never got to go on secret chases like this. Everyone always said she was too small, or too little, or too young, or too frail. Just because she looked smaller and cuter than the others didn't mean she wasn't powerful! ... Well, she guessed she did look a little cute to be one of the most powerful nations in New Dawn Kingdom. Her russet brown eyes glittered with mischief and joy against her rosy face, her strawberry blond hair streaming behind her shoulders in loose curls. And she was short. A head and a half smaller than average, even though physically sixteen. Her mind was somewhere else, switching between the mischievous imaginations of an eight year old, to the century old wisdom of an eighty year old, yet cranky shaman. More than the other, she was young in mental age. She frowned at the thought. But I'm not dumb! She snapped silently. I can understand words like heinous, and fiduciary, and all that such paraphernalia. She smiled. Ha, ha. I sound like a-

Thunk!

She suddenly collided into-"Ack! Don't kill me!"Oh. The Heta. Kavica! I found him!"I gotcha!" Sunny cheered happily, pinning him. "No displacing the Stone of Atlantis on my watch-!"

…Huh?

This guy… Sunny stared at him hard. His gold hair was messed from the impact of him colliding into her. His glasses were askew, blue eyes crazed with fear. Under his vest, his heart beat faster than a jack rabbit. He could probably take anyone from his school in a fight, but was no challenge against her. She knew instantly, without her psychic ability he didn't mean to displace the Stone of Atlantis. She knew instantly that he wasn't a bad kid. She knew he was a nice guy. He was Alfred F. Jones, or America. He had the strength to throw her to the ground, and slit her neck with her own knife if he wanted to. But he wouldn't. And he didn't deserve to die.

Besides, he looked too fun to be a bad guy!

"Make it quick. OK?" he pleaded weakly. "Don't… torture me or whatever." Sunny gave him a sympathetic look. And heard footsteps.

I can't let him die. That would be really mean of me. But what can I do? Thoughts tumbled through her mind like kindergartners running a hurdle race. "Hmm." She puzzled. What can I do…?

Ding!

"Let's play a game!" Sunny whispered playfully. He gave her a funny look. "What?" "Let's play hide and seek!" Sunny yanked him up, sprinting for the trees. "What- you're crazy!" he protested. "Oh come on, Alfred!" she teased, "Hide and seek is so fun!" "Alfred!? How do you-!?" But she clamped a hand over his mouth and pulled him into the trees. "Mm!" America struggled under Sunny's hold. "Shush! Or we lose!" she scolded, and added sympathetically, "Crisailand's group likes torture methods, and their prey is your small friend. We scare you first, and then kill you quick and painless." He caught on to the "game", but took on a sick look. Because that's what it is, Sunny thought wryly. It's a big game of hide-and-go-seek-tag. And if we lose, we're dead. And if the small guy loses… I hope they botch the torture, and he dies quick.

"Sunny?" a girl country called, "Did you catch the guy?" Sunny put a finger to her lips. "Shush! I'll be right back. When we're gone, get back to your school quick." She stepped out of the bushes coolly, jogging towards Kavica and the group. "Hey, 'sup, listen; I had to let him go." Kavica stared at her, jaw dropping beneath her scarf. "What- WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM GO?" she shouted. "Oh Huko," one of the girls sighed, "why did we let her come?" "Hey, watch it honey," Sunny warned, "I have my reasons." "Explain your actions, Private," Kavica demanded, mock military. "You let a murderer get away." "Listen," Sunny said seriously, "'cause I'm about to explain something to you." The rough eight year old mind was disappearing, a more mature, wise stature growing in its place. I'm gonna be all lecturing in a minute, was Sunny's last witty thought.

"Have you ever thought that maybe he didn't mean to displace the stone? Maybe it was a big misunderstanding. Maybe we're all just chasing three innocent nations who have a whole population to look after. Maybe their friends and family would miss them if they went away suddenly. Hell, what if we get in trouble? Conducting a secret genocide without Dad's- the Headmaster's permission? We'd be so much trouble. Ever think of that?"

Sunny tapped her foot impatiently, arms folded over her chest. "Well? Ever think of that?" Kavica and the group stared at her. "And here I thought you were just a kid, Private. You got a brain in that cute head of yours." Kavica slung an arm around Sunny, coffee brown eyes dancing. "Let's go home and get a coke. You seem to like Heta drinks a lot." Sunny grinned, and winked to a hidden America. "Huh?" Kavica looked confusedly to the shrouded spot America hid, "What're you-," "Actually," Sunny said changing the subject and jerking Kavica forward, "I like Pepsi a lot more. But I guess the coke would be okay for my big sisters, even though Lyds doesn't really like sweet stuff much." Kavica shook her head. "A Northern, a Central, and a Western country as sisters. Sil-Lyndiana, Det-Katia, and you are an odd bunch." Sunny gave her a look. "Their names are Lyds and Kat. You could even call them Lyndiana and Katia for Huko's sake!" Kavica shuddered. "That Det-Katia… she's getting her independence from Crisailand back. I can feel it."

…

This was the hardest Japan had ever ran in his life.

His lungs screamed, he tasted blood, and his side was beginning to cramp. He couldn't keep running. He was going to pass out if he didn't sit down soon. But they could still be behind me! What then? They could even be the group that grants death as a mercy! But his heart was pounding like a wrecking ball against his chest, and his mouth was desert dry.

And he fell.

It was as though he simply didn't have legs. He collapsed against a tree, gasping for breath. He waited for the girls to find him, get out a gun or a knife and start the process of hell. But he didn't hear them at all. He couldn't even see a shadow. All that was there were the dark greens of the oak leaves and the soft grass, and the bright blue-white of the moon and stars. He heard nothing but the evening breeze rustling the tree's leaves. And it was so pleasant and cold… Maybe I can take a break, he thought tiredly. Maybe the girls had lost his trail? Maybe they had given up? Whatever the case, he knew he could rest a bit.

"Relaxing before death, are you?" a sly voice asked. Or not.

Japan's eyes widened in alarm, immediately stumbling to a stand. But before he could react, his back was pulled against the tree, wrists slammed together painfully. "Tie him up; I don't want him to get away."

So that's why criminals always resist arrest. It hurt!

His wrists were being tied together with some kind of… Oh God. They have rope with them? The rope burned his wrists, leaving them stinging and wet. "Well," the girl who he recognized to be Crisailand stood in front of him smugly. "I think the next couple hours or so will teach you not to fool with us. Won't they?" "What- Tasukete!" he shouted frantically, "Tasukete!" (Tasukete is Japanese for 'help' in an emergency situation) Crisailand slammed his head against the tree, gold eyes narrowing. A groan escaped Japan, head pounding. Casually, Crisailand pulled a white rag out of her person, tying it tightly around his mouth. "Now," she turned and smiled to the group, "who wants her first go at the Heta?" She pulled the dagger from her ankle. The three girls said nothing. The group was thorough in hiding themselves in shadow, only their eyes showing from the sheer black cloth. The three behind Crisailand had silver eyes, indicating a close relation between them. Crisailand sighed. "Alright." She turned smiling nastily. Quicker than the eye, the knife flew across Japan's chest, tearing the vest and spilling his blood. "I'll go first." Oh God.

Let death come soon, Japan thought wearily. Crisailand raised the dagger, preparing to strike again. He shut his eyes, preparing for the blow that would start hours of torture.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What-!?" Japan's eyes snapped open, and Crisailand stumbled back. "Det-Katia! You- You-!" Crisailand snapped. The three girls turned and ran. "Borderlands! Get back here, you cowards!" Crisailand demanded. "No way are we messing with a Blood Sister!" they cried, disappearing into the trees. Japan cocked his head, confused. What were they so afraid of? New Dawn or normal, this person was still just a country. "Idiots! She's my colony! I own her!" "Not for long you don't, you bitch." The leaves above Japan seemed to explode, a country appearing four feet in front of him.

What…?

She was by far the most striking country Japan had ever seen.

Her crisp, crimson hair continued to her lower back, contrasting against her olive skin tone. She wore very little, what seemed to be crimson cloth wrapped repeatedly around her chest, with a roughly stitched, extremely short skirt in the same color. Around her neck was a tight string of black pearls, far too constricted to be comfortable. She turned her head, glancing at Japan.

HOLY...!

It was the eyes that got him. Brilliantly bright, and green as emeralds, pupils slits like that of a cat's. The only thing separating them from being the eyes of a cat's, was the human prominence of the whites of her eyes. Seeing them was like a physical blow, almost a punch in the shoulder, a slap in the face. She turned her head back to face Crisailand. "Here I was," she said, plainly irritated, "just sleeping here, minding my own business. When I hear yelling and smell blood." "Stop it," Crisailand ordered voice uncertain. "So I wake up," the country continued, "and there's a Heta tied to the tree bleeding, and you're holding a bloody knife." "I can a-and will conduct a genocide on that sad hamlet o-of a country of yours!" Crisailand stuttered. "And I thought to myself," The country said, not the least bit fazed, "'she's not allowed to do this. Not to a New Dawn, not to a Heta...'" She growled, the warning a cat makes before she lashes out at her provoker. "'And not to me.'" Sslt!

Claws.

She had claws. This country had claws. Her nails had elongated, sharpened, hardened into silver bright claws overlapping her normal fingernails. They were around an inch long, sturdy, and sharp. She raced forward, gripping Crisailand by the shoulders in an iron grip. She shrieked in pain and anger, as claws sunk into her skin. The country-whom Japan was sure, was Det-Katia-threw Crisailand against the ground, slamming the side of her hand into her neck. Crisailand didn't move. Katia folded her arms over her chest. "I think that means I have my independence back. Tell United Barai that I'm going to kick his ass later," Det-Katia snapped Crisailand's unconscious body. Japan just stared at her, awed. Then she turned her attention, and walked towards him purposefully.

Japan froze. What could he do against her? Det-Katia was obviously a tremendously powerful country- if she had the power to take out Crisailand without breaking a sweat, it would take one blow to do away with him! He bowed his head in defeat, preparing for the pain of claws. At least he would die quickly.

"Thanks."

…What? He looked up. Det-Katia was smiling, pleased. She took a clawed finger, and sliced the gag, the white cloth floating ghost-like from his face. She walked around the tree, and Japan felt the rope loosen from his wrists. "What-?" "I really couldn't care less about why they were chasing you for," she said offhandedly. "But it couldn't have been the bad. You did help me get my independence back." She looked at the wound across his chest, wincing. "Here," she drew a claw across her arm, blood welling up from the cut. Without flinching once, she placed her hand over the blood, soaking her hand. "Don't freak out," she said. She laid her hand against the wound. "What-!?" Japan stumbled back, shocked. Det-Katia shrugged. "I never said it wouldn't hurt. It's gone right?" "What-?" Sure enough, the wound was nowhere in sight.

Det-Katia smiled. "I'm starting to think that the only thing you say," she chuckled, jogging over to Crisailand.

She kneeled down, and snatched the dagger from Crisailand's limp hand. She slipped the blade under the choker around her neck, and drew the blade across the string. The black pearls went flying in all directions.

"Much better." She patted Crisailand's hips, and pulled a pendant from a pocket. A gold and green cat's eye hanging on a long, long, copper chain. Det-Katia undid a clasp, and hung it around her neck, the cat's eye resting against her heart. She sighed, seeming relieved. "Thank the Goddess," she muttered. "Why did you…?" Japan gestured to the severed rope by the tree. He took a step forward, and then backed up. He had no idea what could make a New Dawn angry. Det-Katia rolled her eyes. "I won't bite," she beckoned him with her hand. "Come here." Japan shyly paced towards the New Dawn. So far so good, he thought, I'm still breathing. "Why did you… save me?" he asked. She smiled smugly at Crisailand's unconscious body. "I had to get my independence from her anyway. And there's no use in you dying if-!" She slammed a hand over her mouth. Japan stared. "If what?" he questioned. She shook her head. "Nothing," she croaked, stumbling up.

"You'd better get going. My sister is out. She doesn't like Hetas very much." She let out a shaky sigh. "Good luck." She started off, when Japan remembered the Omamori in his pocket. "Wait!" he called after her. She stopped, turned her head. "What?" He pulled the charm out of his pocket. A small silk pocket hanging from a red ribbon. He knew that the inscribed wood inside of the pocket could ward off spirits and such. Maybe it could repel the Shadow Demon?

"Uh… Here," he placed the charm into her hand. "It… it's supposed to ward off the Shadow Demon." She stared at it for a while, taking it in with slit eyes. "Thanks," she finally said, slipping it on. She gave him one last smile, and disappeared into the trees.