Chapter Two: Intervention

It was a strange sight that awaited the nations who tumbled into Russia's house. The man himself stood brandishing a frying pan, Latvia and Estonia cowering on the ground in front of him, and China crouched behind them, long red-and-gold sleeves draped protectively around the Baltics. Lithuania watched, astonished, from the kitchen.

America dropped the hamburger he had been munching on.

"What- what are you all doing, aru!" China shrieked. Russia looked over in just as much surprise.

"Yes, you will tell what you are doing, da?"

"We're spying!" Italy chirped, happily.

"You DOLT! You don't SAY that you're a spy!" Prussia growled. Poland meanwhile had rushed to his friend's side.

"Like, what in heck is going on, Liet?" But Lithuania was too amazed at the events of the past few minutes to fully reply.

"Russia... Russia... Ravis and Eduard..."

Russia cheerily picked up the story: "Ah, Ravis and Eduard here were being naughty, so I was giving them a lesson, da? And then you came, Yao, right, da? But why are you all here?" He gave an expansive gesture with the pan he held.

"Well, Hungary said that you and China were-" Italy began, but Poland interrupted.

"Italy, that's like, not important," he stepped over to China and the other two Baltics, "Why are you guys, like, on the floor?"

Estonia and Latvia were too shocked, and afraid, to speak. There was a brief pause, while China's brown eyes glared indignantly at Russia, before Russia spoke.

"Anyway, would you move, Yao? This is most inconvenient, da?" he raised the pan, but China again acted before he struck, leaping up and grabbing the larger nation's hands in his own. Although Russia was much bigger and much stronger, China quickly wrestled the pan from his grasp, slipping slim fingers into Russia's fist and disarming him. The Asian threw it to the ground behind him, where it clattered on the tiles, hissing with heat, to astonished gasps from Hungary, Finland, and Sweden.

"I hadn't realized, aru, until now, what you do to your servants! Yi- Ivan, " he accused, abandoning his affectionate nickname for Russia, "this is terrible, aru!"

"God!" hissed Hungary, realizing.

"That...that explains..." Poland looked at Lithuania, who nodded silently. The normally carefree nation closed his eyes a moment, deep in decision.

"And...and it's not just Eduard! Or Ravis!" he announced to the group of nations who had gathered to watch a Russia-China romance and gotten more than they ever expected.

"Poland, what are you doing-" Lithuania began, but it was too late. Poland had grabbed Liet's shirt and exposed the marks of Russia's abuse for all to see. Lithuania bowed his head in shame — he had kept the scars secret for so long now...

"This is totally not awesome!" Prussia yelped.

"Why... why didn't you tell me, Lithuania? I...Its my job to help people like you, who are hurt, I'm the hero..." America said.

"Yes, aru," China said loudly, "We must put this right, aru. Nations can't live like this, aru, in eternal fear."

Russia seemed perplexed. 'What's all this fuss about, da? They need punishment if they're bad boys." He looked down to see that Estonia and Latvia had moved – now they huddled back against the sofa, not quite believing the events before them.

"PUNISHMENT? Are you out of your mind!" Hungary yelled.

"This can't go on," Finland said, and turned to his partner, "Su-san?"

"Agreed." Sweden spoke firmly. He wasn't going to allow any more of this.

"Liet, you're coming to work at my house," Poland announced, dragging the confused Baltic towards the door, "and by 'work', I mean be, like, my BFF."

Sweden and Finland approached Latvia and Estonia.

"Come under our command," Sweden entreated, pulling Estonia to his feet as Finland did the same to Latvia.

"Please, Eduard?" Latvia begged, hugging Finland tightly. "Can we go with Uncle Tino?" And Estonia, still utterly bewildered, agreed. Anything to get them away from Russia.

-break-

As the nations left Russia's house, dragging the amazed Baltics with them, Russia looked on in confusion.

Soon it was only China left with Russia.

"Yao, what's all this, da? Some sort of joke? You know I'm not a bad master for them..."

China glared at him in distaste. "Do you understand anything of their experience, aru? You frighten and hurt them, aru, and I will not allow myself to fall to that fate. Until you treat others better, aru, you are not my Yiwan."

China stalked off. Russia stood alone in his house, his sanity returning. If you could call his mind sane.

"What! Yao, Yao, wait for me, da?" But China didn't reply.