Chapter Two:
Kiku sat on one of the sofas in the living-area of the mansion, his head resting in his palms. Sweat beads formed across his face, and his eyes became dampened with anxiety. He couldn't stop thinking-it was just one of the curses of being trapped. He couldn't quell the unease that he felt when the thoughts swam through his head, drowning him in a deep sorrow.
First, he and the few people he had grown to know and value as what he considered "friends" were now trapped inside a time-looped dimension. And there had been no evidence on how to escape the situation. They were staying here for quite a while, it seemed, until the time dimension could be resolved. Which Arthur, Alfred, and Antonio discovered would be when the city lights were able to be seen through the night. Maybe it would take until the next morning until they could leave.
And Secondly, Yao-his brother and former mentor-had disappeared. Sure, maybe he had gotten lost out in the woods or somewhere in house, but that was the problem-they weren't sure where he could be exactly.
They hadn't noticed him disappear before they left the house, but that didn't mean he hadn't. To be honest, Kiku had felt a...presence in the group change before they had left this huge mansion, but he had taken it as relief, thinking it was the change of tension. Not a sign that his "brother" had gotten himself lost or worse-kidnapped.
These thoughts continued to plague Kiku's mind. And it was suffocating him.
And not too far from the overthinking Japanese man, rested another fellow country under distress.
In the far corner of the living space, standing in front of the fireplace-in which Arthur and Ludwig had been able to start a small fire with the matches-resided a still-silent Matthew. He was quivering, his light violet eyes trained on the flickering flame.
After a few moments, he brought his arms to his chest in a comforting gesture and proceeded to sit down to get warmed by the blaze.
Not that he was cold. Actually, far from it. He was used to the cold by now.
It was because of the chill-a resonating tingling that vibrated throughout his being without end-that happened to run down his spine and raise small goosebumps to the surface of his pale skin. The chill that was caused by all that had happened that night.
With them getting trapped in a never-ending time-loop, Matthew felt a small panic attack rising from his chest. The pressure-it was pulling down on him like a ten-ton safe. And the tension that lined the air around their "base"-of which Feliciano suggested they call the small living-room, to try to lessen the severity of their situation-gave him the notion that the others were in their own little "worlds" as well. They all had despair consuming their thoughts.
The whole room was on edge-with the exception of maybe Feliciano, who tried to keep a cheerful atmosphere, and the still-energetic Alfred, who couldn't face the responsibility that this was mostly his fault.
"Come on, you guys! We can still work this out," Alfred patted Ivan's shoulder, who gave him an enraged glare, "We can just wait it out! I'm sure by the time that sun rises over the clouds tomorrow morning, we'll be able to leave this place behind."
"I'm not so certain of that, Alfred," Arthur walked into the room, his arms crossed across his chest. Matthew noticed that the Briton's green eyes were glazed over with a pang of-was it worry? But Arthur was usually never worried-about anything.
"Why not? Even you said this shouldn't be permanent!" Alfred huffed, taking a seat on the sofa beside Kiku. Kiku lifted his shoulders, in an attempt to respond, but continued to stare at the floor, deep in thought. "We couldn't possibly be stuck here forever, dude!"
"You imbecile!" Arthur snarled, "Have you no conscious to consider that possibility? It's not like one of your 'productively successful' Hollywood films! This is reality, and there may be no way to get out!"
"W-wait!" Feliciano stepped in between the pessimistic Brit and the oblivious American, "Why-a don't we consider this as a chance to get to-a know one another better? Like a sleepover! Oh, won't it-a be fun?" he turned to look at Lovino and Ludwig, who had taken opposite ends of the other sofa. They both cast him a dirty look. "I mean...since-a we are already here, why not?"
"I agree with the happy Italian!" Alfred raised his hand, waving it high in the air, "It'll be like a sleepover! And then, in the morning, we can try to escape again! Or investigate on how to escape this time-loop! It'll be an adventure! Fun!" He laughed, standing to his feet and lifting his fist to the air. "Don't you guys agree?" Everyone stared at the two, flashes of reluctance still on their countenances. Eventually, Ludwig sighed stridently, eyeing his Italian friend.
"Fine...it can be like a mission..."
"I agree," Antonio spoke up, shocking Lovino, "Why not make the most of us staying here?"
"You stupid idiot..." Lovino muttered, before Francis cut him off.
"I have to agree with zhem. It does sound like a good idea. Like a...vacation!"
"This is no holiday!" Arthur grumbled, tearing his eyes from the lot to stare at the flames. Matthew caught his eye and gave him a small smile.
"Dude, this can be our chance at-"
"Becoming one?" Ivan added, placing his arms around Alfred, a sly smirk across his face, "Wouldn't everyone like that?" Alfred almost jumped out of his skin.
"I suppose..." Arthur murmured, closing his eyes and sighing, "Without the 'becoming one' part..."
"Yay!" Alfred was just barely able to break away from the Russian to make it over to Arthur, "Thanks bro!"
"Don't hug me, you git!"
Matthew smiled softly on the outside, seeing the others becoming a bit optimistic in front of him, but inside, he started to get even more anxious. How long would it take to leave here and get back to their surviving countries? That's where they needed to be-not stuck here in New York. Even if he was close to his home, it sure didn't feel like it.
He felt like he was isolated in a different dimension away from the rest of the world.
Arthur was running. He wasn't sure exactly why he was running, but he knew that he was doing just that-his legs were moving at a swift pace, his breathing was shaky and quick, and sweat was running down his back and through his blonde locks. He couldn't tell where he was going, either.
Only the sensation of being followed by something pressed him on.
He swerved through a vast amount of trees, fear accelerating him forward. Through the darkness, he could hear a sound. A weird...laughing sound. Almost...like a giggling child. It was behind him. Was he being chased by a child? Was this just a normal dream, and not even a nightmare?
Why would a child be chasing him in a nightmare?
Almost abruptly, Arthur had to come to a halt. Before him, the patch of earth slanted in a ninety degree angle downwards. Trying to look down into the pitch black, Arthur could see no end. If he had never stopped, he would have fallen in a pit of darkness that would have been incessant.
Though, the laughing behind him increased in volume.
Until it was...
Right.
At.
His.
Ear.
The sensation of warm breath flooded over the back of his neck, where his jacket and scarf-the clothes he remembered wearing before-had once resided. They were now gone.
"Hello there, toy..." The voice murmured behind him, "Ready to play?"
Arthur turned to get a glimpse of the intruder behind him, but only found more darkness. What was that? Who was that?
"What's wrong?" Another childish giggle. Then a push.
Arthur was falling through the obscurity of the pit beneath him. His screams almost cut off the next voice.
"Ready to die?"
Arthur woke up with a scream still echoing out of his gaping mouth. Fortunately, it had been silent, so he didn't wake up any of his companions. Sweat pooled of his body in streams and his blonde hair was disheveled and up in angles. He was sure his eyes were bloodshot as well.
He glanced around the living-area. Alfred had passed out on one of the sofas, sprawled out and snoring clamorously. Kiku rested at the other end, silent and still guarded. Feliciano was sleeping next to Ludwig, who was sitting up on the other sofa, his eyes closed but still held a serious expression. Not far away, Lovino, Antonio, and Francis slept near the fireplace. There was no telling where Ivan had gone to sleep.
Arthur had been the only one to snooze beside the front door, on watch. Or so he thought.
Sitting beside the Brit, rested a familiar Canadian. His long blonde locks-which resembled Francis's-covered his face, his little twisted curl swayed up-and-down as he breathed. Arthur smiled.
So the lad wanted to help him keep watch? Arthur felt a sense of honor swell in his chest. Well, at least someone wanted to be beside him. At least he wasn't completely alone...
Standing up, he stretched his limbs out, trying to still be silent as to not wake the fellow nations around him. A sudden impulse brought a memory to his mind.
Dude, the bathroom works! Awesome, right?
Thus, the Englishman headed straight for that area.
Inside the toilet-after finishing what he had originally went there to do-he turned the faucet on and began to wash his face. The warmth immediately gave him a sense of tranquility. As if none of the events before had occurred-as if they weren't trapped inside a time-looped dimension. Arthur laughed. How idiotic of him...
Turning the faucet off, he glanced up at the mirror above to get a look at how disheveled he probably appeared. He would have to freshen up a bit more once they arrived back at their own houses.
Though, as he took in the image in the mirror, he gasped loudly and stumbled back, reaching for the nearest wall. He brought his hand to his mouth.
No...
No...this can't be...
Why...?
And it wasn't his reflection he was so afraid of.
It was the little girl's face that smiled back at him from inside the glass.
"N-No...W-w...H-how..." He stuttered, never letting his eyes turn away from the sight. He had to be dreaming. But hadn't he just been woken up from his dreams? He usually was able to see all kinds of "mythical" creatures, yet this one shocked him the most.
Maybe because he hadn't expected the being to be there.
"Cat got your tongue?" She giggled, before disappearing into nothingness, Arthur's now bewildered face staring back at him through the mirror.
Arthur couldn't utter a word. He was literally speechless. How had he not sensed this kind of atmosphere before? He should have quickly noticed it as soon as he stepped foot into the house.
Alfred had been right about one thing.
This house was haunted. And from what Arthur was immediately gathering, based on the cramped air around him, there were plenty of spirits here.
"Kiku! Wake up! Kiku!" Kiku was immediately awoken from his dreams-once full of random cats and anime girls dancing around singing Hatsune Miku songs-by the cries of a frantic Arthur. He inwardly groaned. What did he want?
"Hai...what is it, Arthur?" He asked, sitting up and facing the wide-eyed Brit. He rubbed his eyes with his hands, but then noticed the expression on his friend's face. Wow, he looked frightened. As if he had seen a ghost...
"Kiku! This house...do you feel it?" Kiku gave him a weird look. Feel what?
"Um...I'm not sure I understand what you are asking me..."
"The spirits! The paranormal! Can you not feel them, Kiku?" Immediately, Kiku tuned into his super sense.
He understood instantly. The atmosphere...he could tell that there was at least a hand full of spirits wandering these hallways. So many, though, made the home feel cramped. That's probably why Kiku had started to feel so anxious late last night before they had all entered. He just hadn't recognized the spirits until now.
"Yes...I can sense them. There seem to be many of them..." Kiku stood to his feet, eyeing the situation around him, "Would you like me to wake everyone up? I believe we should start investigating..."
"You're right. I don't see the city lights, and the sun has risen." Arthur was at the window, looking out into the forest. "It's like...an enormous mass of fog is isolating us here. I wouldn't want to go near that dense fog either..." Kiku nodded.
"We should try to find out what's going on here, and maybe the spirits can help us." He said, walking over to where Alfred rested on the couch, "And find China on the way."
"Of course."
After waking everyone from their slumber-including a bed headed Alfred, who responded with, "Just five more minutes..." and had rolled back over-and ready to walk the halls, they began their investigation.
"We should probably get groups of people to look at each floor," Ludwig suggested, rousing a sleepy Feliciano off of him, "So we could cover more ground." Arthur nodded.
"Good idea. Right: Alfred, Matthew, and I will check the first floor."
"Aw! Can I come too, mon ami?"
"No!"
"Feliciano and Kiku can come with me to the second floor." Ludwig replied, while Ivan rose up from where he was sitting near the fireplace.
"Me and Francis can check out the third floor, da?" Arthur smirked and nodded, nudging the shaking Frenchman over. Russia hugged him, picking up the nation off the floor.
"Oh, this will be great! We can find all kinds of secrets up there!"
"Oh, mon Dieu..."
"Where will-a me and Antonio go?" Lovino walked up, his former Spanish mentor by his side. Feliciano raised his hand, but Ludwig quickly made him drop it. Arthur thought for a moment.
"Well, I believe there is more to this house than what we know of. Why don't you both try to explore the house further and see if there are any places we don't know about yet?"
"Alright! Let's go, Lovi!~" Before he could protest, Antonio grabbed Lovino by the arm and started to drag him away.
"W-wait! Stop-a! Where do you-a think you're-a going, you damn tomato eater?"
After everyone had gone to their separate locations, Lovino and Antonio started to look around the first floor, but away from the hallway Arthur, Matthew, and Alfred were investigating. They went to the opposite end of the living space, where a small dent in the floorboards had gotten Antonio's attention.
"I wonder where this leads..." He murmured, trying to open up the cracks in the floor.
"I-a bet it's-a from the ancient-ness of this-a house. It-a probably has too many cracks-"
Creak!
"Oh, look! It opened, Lovi!~" Antonio announced, opening up the small entranceway. Inside, a set of stairs descended down.
"It must be a basement..."
"I don't-a care! Who knows what's down there!" But before he could protest, Antonio grabbed ahold of Lovino's hand and led him down the stairs.
"CHIGGIII!"
They explored down in what they found out was a basement-there were barrels stacked up on top of each other, and old shelves lined with all kinds of different things. Dust covered the whole place, and a small entrance shown a long hallway leading to more tunnels.
"Let's go explore the tunnels. We should be able to find something, yeah?" Which they did. But after about an hour of searching, they realized something.
They couldn't find the entrance to the basement again.
"You idiota Antonio-we're lost now! Just great! Sooner or later, the day's gonna end and this light will go out! Plus I'm starving!" Antonio brought out a tomato from his pocket, handing it over to the red-faced Italian.
"Here you go! ~ I kept it in case we needed something to eat!" After a moment's hesitation, Lovino grasped the tomato and started chewing on it, mumbling a miniscule "Thanks" as he continued to munch on the fruit.
What he didn't know, was that the tomato may just as well be the last thing he would ever get to eat. Because, let's face it.
There's not much to eat down in the tunnels, is there?
Especially when you're...trapped.