A/N: Wow! So much support already! You guys are really the best and made my first day of the new year amazing! Thank you to the reviews and the alerts and I even received 2 favorites! Hope I don't disappoint with this next chapter! This one's sort of extensive and long so.. Tell me what you think :] Also warning for some language.. hahahaha
PS. Also, the capital of Denmark is Copenhagen. She'll be making an appearance pretty soon and I don't want your brain imploding trying to figure out which nation she goes with.. :P
Locating each of the capital cities respective and very targeted personified nation was complicated to say the very least. It was something that took a lot more than a friendly phone call or an email. Because though each nation and capital city knew the other existed somewhere, neither knew anything about the other. Not an appearance, no gender or height, nothing at all. These were all precautions taken for the safety of both the capital city and the nation and the governments they were meant to be running. All these precautions were taken so, if one were to seek out the other, it would be like searching for a needle in a country sized haystack. That is, only if the seeker had no idea what a needle was or what it looked like.
The plan however remained to find each nation and return to a safe house set up in Switzerland, chosen partially for its neutrality but mostly for the guns stock piled in Bern's bunker. This was much easier said than done. Many of the personified nations chose to go by aliases that sometimes they used and most times they didn't, where some chose to simply go as their countries name. All factors made the quest of the personified capitals almost impossible.
The capitals knew long in advance it would be difficult, so they split into small teams or pairs to scour the world in search of their nations. They could only hope whatever was after them hadn't gotten there first.
Somewhere in France..
Exasperated and worn out, Paris and her companion Warsaw had decided to take a break at an only moderately crowded street café for some much needed nourishment and caffeine.
"How hard should finding the personification of France. It feels like we've been searching for years." Paris complained, blowing lightly on a cup of coffee. "He should be the French-iest person around, no?" She trailed off into angry grumbling in French as her deep blue eyes scanned the crowd around them.
Warsaw, who sat across from her, drooped onto the table top, still sniffling occasionally. "What's the point of searching.. Poland's gone. He's never coming back"
"Stop crying, we'll get your Poland back I promise." She sighed and waved a hand dismissively at her companion. "I only hope were not too late to help my France."
"Poland's lost Paris, taken away and he's never coming back." Warsaw cried into her napkin. Her hysterics was starting to draw attention from people walking along the sidewalk. Nervously, the French capital laughed and held out her hands.
"Don't worry, well get your doggy back.." She bit her glossy lip. Bad lie, she thought, but people seemed to be continuing on their way anyway. "Come on Warsaw, keep it together. What if the bad guys are around, huh? We can't afford to fall apart now."
The blonde was suddenly silent, eyes wide with terror under her straight bangs. "You think they could be?"
"Just relax." She smiled weakly, taking another nervous look around the small plaza. "We have to remain vigilant, non? And stick to the plan."
"I don't like the plan.." Warsaw muttered with a sniff as she picked at her croissant with bright pink nails and a pout.
"Eh, excusez-moi. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation mes amis." A charming man from the table behind them turned, with a charming smile. "I do love gossip, you say Poland's gone missing? How might I ask?"
Paris paled and struggled for an explanation. Nothing came to mind and she began to panic. Instead, she sat with her mouth wide open, staring at the man who was still only smiling politely.
The man laughed then spoke again. "I just can't help but wonder how a pair of lovely young ladies such as yourselves would be privy to information like that.. Mm? It is quite curious. Only a few in the whole world would know, in fact."
After a moment, Paris cleared her throat and held out her hand politely. "Bonjour, I'm-"
"Paris I presume? France, mon cheri. The pleasure is yours." He winked and took her hand, planting a small kiss on her knuckles. "Now isn't this against the rules? A situation like this isn't something that happens everyday."
Paris offered a small smile. "Blame Washington DC. Can we convince you to come with us so we can explain everything?"
"A plan from America's capital? A daring rescue perhaps?" France stood, dusting a few stray crumbs from his dark pants before dropping a few coins on the table. "Lead the way, mon ami."
With that, the trio left the charming outdoor café, in route to Switzerland.
Around that same time Germany's kitchen..
"No, no, no, no, no, no! This is against so many rules it's astounding! Absolutely not." Germany was livid, glaring down at the much shorter Berlin, his bright blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Unacceptable. No."
"Please, Mr. Germany. Just listen to what we're saying." Berlin tried again. He hadn't expected his nation counterpart to be this intimidating and he was having a hard time keeping his careful composure.
"Come on Germany. These seem like cool guys." Italy practically floated from a bubbling pot to pat the capitals on the shoulders after wiping his hands on the apron that was carefully tied over his smart outfit. "You are cool right? At least listen what they have to say."
"Italy, don't touch our guests." Japan scolded lightly from the table.
"Mr. Japan, you're in danger here. You all are." Tokyo attempted to explain where Berlin had failed. "If we don't get you out who knows who or what will track you here."
"Danger?" Italy tensed and took his hands from they're collars.
"No white flags Italy. No one is surrendering." Germany crossed his arms over his broad chest.
"Poland's already been-"
"Kidnapped, we know." The blonde deadpanned. "It's not something were taking lightly."
"So, you are suggesting we team up against this mysterious enemy?" Japan asked apprehensively, finally turning his full attention away from the book he had been turning through on the table top across the kitchen. "Will that not be very dangerous Germany?"
"A team up? Oh.. That sounds like a party." Italy beamed, returning to his bubbling pot.
"Will you shut up while I'm thinking." The blonde said wearily, rubbing at his forhead.
After a moment Berlin timidly spoke again. "DC thinks it's the only chance we've got."
Japan looked alarmed. "America's capital city came up with all of this?"
"We're all doomed anyway then it seems." Germany gave in with a loud sigh. "Fine, what now? What is this plan and what are our options."
"So we are going to the party? Will there be pretty girls there?"
"Italy, it's not a-"
"Let me finish the pasta! Everyone will be hungry I'm sure!"
Where the mood is exponentially less lighthearted and the weather is cold..
"But how do you know for sure they'll be together? I mean they could be anywhere! This place is enormous!" Riga was growing frantic, taking a nervous look up and down the very cold Russian street. Her wide grey eyes turned on the other two Baltic capitals as her hands pulled nervously at her long braid.
"Don't you think Moscow knows what he's talking about?" Vilnius offered some comfort, a soft smile on her lips and pushed up her glasses.
"Yeah. The guy wouldn't mess around when dealing with his Russia." Tallinn nodded knowingly. "Not to mention we should be thinking about our nations instead of worrying where they aren't, don't you think?"
Riga sighed, a small white cloud escaped her lips and disappeared into the frozen air. She knew the capital of Estonia was right, and they should have been looking out for their nations instead of worrying what could be going on with Moscow's. "Wonder how much luck the others are having."
The three sat on a bench outside a corner store on an otherwise deserted street. Moscow had suggested some food would be a good idea if they were going to be searching such a large area. He also had decided their best bet was to assume all their nations would be together somewhere.
"I'm worried about Latvia." Riga mumbled.
" 'scuse me." A man stopped in front of them suddenly, a soft smile on his lips. "You remind me a lot of some friends of mine. You haven't happened to have seen them around, have you?"
Tallinn glanced to the other two present members of their search party, who seemed to be paralyzed under the mysterious stranger's purple gaze. "I, uh, no we haven't seen your friends." She cleared her throat.
The man only sighed. "I must confess, I am quite worried. They would never leave without telling me." He paused, a thoughtful look passed over his face. "Come to think of it, they wouldn't ever leave.."
"Who are you all talking to?" Moscow emerged from the shop holding a few water bottles and a small bag of granola. He eyed the grey haired man curiously. "Oh, um.."
"Oooh.. Now this just got interesting." The man turned. The somewhat vacant smile returned to his face. "You're all breaking so many rules. How irresponsible."
Moscow faltered. "..Rules?" He seemed to have been rendered speechless.
The man's smile faded for a moment. "You mean you don't know who I am? Disappointing, I know who you are." After a moment of silence passed, the man nodded and turned to the three Baltic capitals on the bench. "Well, Mr. Moscow, I'm Russia. And you three, your nations seem to have disappeared just this morning. So sad, da?"
They flinched under his now slightly sinister smile.
"If you want you could just come back to my house with me. Now that you don't have a nation it would be easy for you to become part of my country, you know. It would be easy."
Moscow cleared his throat and shook his head, trying to form an intelligible sentence. "Mr. Russia, uh, sir. We;re all in danger if we just stay here. Poland's already been-"
"Taken away? I know." Russia turned back to Moscow after a short moment. "What do we do about it? Do you have a plan for us?"
"We, I mean Washington DC, has what I guess could be considered something of a plan.. She thinks we're all safer together." Moscow stole a glance at the other capitals, who still seemed terrified by Russia's presence. "It's all we have right now."
Russia cocked his head. "America's capital?"
"We figure it's the best chance we've got. With nations being picked off like this we're all scared. We have to do something."
"And if this kidnapper should strike while we're all together? What then?"
Moscow shook his head. "She probably didn't think that far ahead to be honest."
Russia nodded thoughtfully, the sweet smile remained eerily frozen on his face. "None of that sounds very comforting. But, I'll go along. Maybe everyone will get kidnapped together. Then it would be a real party, da?"
The others shivered a little at the nation's nonchalant tone. "I don't really think party is the right word Mr. Russia. Let's just get to the safe house before we get snatched up too, standing around like this out in the open."
"Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia would love you guys. You're just so scared and weak. How cute." Russia set a hand on two of their heads as they began to walk down the frozen sidewalk. "This is going to be fun."
Moscow closed his dark blue eyes and wondered what could possibly be done about the missing nations. The plan of action or any kind of recue hadn't actually been addressed at all in their initial meeting. They would have a lot to discuss with the others when they returned.
Where the weather is warmer and Romano's language is bad..
Madrid and Rome considered themselves the smartest of all the groups to break off on their own. Individually they were the only two to go directly to their bosses, to ask for discreet non-specific information on their nations in order to narrow down the options for themselves. They had paired up out of strategy, after they had been told that Spain and South Italy would most likely be together somewhere near by the physical capital in either Spain or Italy.
"Something about all this just seems too easy." Rome pulled on her blazer, to straighten out the wrinkles from the short car ride. She also ran a hand through her dark curled hair, in an attempt to make herself seem presentable.
"Si, but there's nothing wrong with easy, is there." Madrid flashed a grin and knocked on the door.
There was a clatter of plates from somewhere inside the house. "Ah, Romano could you get that?"
"What do you think I am, your servant? Get it yourself jackass!" A second voice snapped back.
"I'm busy! Please go open the door!" The first voice snapped back.
"Well I'm busy too idiot!"
There as suddenly an explosion of angry Spanish followed by even angrier Italian, thankfully muffled by the thick door. Both of the capital cities flinched
Madrid cleared his throat awkwardly. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."
"- I swear I'll call France!" The Spanish returned abruptly to English and earned a loud yelp from the first voice.
After another moment, the door flew open to reveal a far from happy dark haired young man, who was scowling suspiciously at the pair on the patio. "Who the hell are you-"
"Romano! Manners!" The first voice scolded and made the young man flinch.
Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Rome hopped up and down and smiled. "It's so nice to see you Romano! Oh look how tall you've gotten." She clasped her hands together and reached out to touch his face
He only continued to glare. "Do I have to ask who you are again?"
A second slightly older man appeared behind him, wiping his hands on a towel.
Madrid tried to smile, now under the gaze of two nations. "Sorry for the.. Well we're your capitals. We're here to recruit you for a plan."
The younger man snorted. "You hear that Sp-"
"Hush Romano. You should come inside. It's dangerous for us to be out there." The older man motioned them into the hallway after peeking around the front yard. "I'm Spain and this is Romano, but you knew that I am sure. You are Madrid and Rome I presume? You're breaking rules mis amigos. No doubt because of Poland?"
"That's right. We're just trying to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else." Madrid did his best to explain. "We figure sticking together's gotta count for something right? Or at least that's what we all decided. We don't have anything else right now."
"Hm, I suppose you have a point." Spain nodded thoughtfully. His bright green eyes glanced to each of the new people in his hallway. They did present him with an interesting idea. They could join forces but everything was very unsure still. There was a huge risk that went along with the entire situation.
Romano crossed his arms and broke the momentary silence. "So that's it then? You come all the way out here and you don't even have a plan for us?"
"There's a safe house in Switzerland where we're all meeting up." Rome added with a smile. "I just can't get over how big you are Romano. Look at your cheeks!"
"Rome control yourself, would you?" Madrid grabbed his partner's wrist before she could reach out for the Italian nation who was already scowling dangerously at her. "The way I see it is what've we got to lose-"
"No, no, no! Use your head dumb ass! If were all together what happens when that kidnapper strikes again!" Romano said matter of factly. "This kidnapper just needs to find out where we all are and-"
"You scared mi amigo?" Spain teased lightly.
Romano scowled. "Fuck you Spain. Let's go."
Meanwhile at home base..
"So wait, let me get this straight." Switzerland was trying to make sense of the situation, which was in turn making everyone more confused. "We're getting everyone together and putting ourselves in greater danger because of a plan someone cut from the same cloth as America came up with?" He set a hand on his forehead. "I think I'm going to get a migraine."
"Basically that's it.." Bern had taken the opportunity to put together a list of each of the nations that should be arriving and their capital cities on a clipboard carefully organized on the conference table in front of him.
"This is just a bit.. Well dangerous. Don't you think?" Finland asked, stealing a sideways glance Helsinki, who hadn't taken her worry filled eyes off of him for a few hours.
"I was so worried you'd been taken too Mr. Finland." She said for the millionth time. Since they had returned to the safe house she'd been glued to the blonde nation's side with her hands locked around his pale hand.
He sighed lightly. "But I'm fine so you don't have to worry anymore. You should be more worried about Stockholm, remember." He turned briefly to Sweden who sat silently at his other side.
"That's right. They got her when you two split up." Bern put a little 'x' beside the capitals name on his paper.
"So what, that means they're not just after nations then?" Switzerland seemed exasperated. "None of you thought this through. You're lucky Liechtenstein is already safe. At least someone is thinking about the dangers of this situation."
"Everything will be fine. We'll come up with something as soon as everyone gets here right?" Finland glanced around the room, eyes falling again on Sweden, who nodded stoically.
"Until then we're just sitting ducks I guess." Switzerland drummed his fingers on the table in front of him and narrowed his bright green eyes at the window across the room and then slid to the door.
The door creaked open suddenly, and a pair of heads poked in. "Who else is here?" Oslo asked, blinking her dark eyes at the gathered nations and capitals sitting in the room. Her long braid fell down over the back of her neck.
Copenhagen appeared above her. "Everything's safe in here?"
After another moment, they slipped into the room, pulling a pair of less than thrilled Nordic nations after them. Amsterdam followed close behind them, looking thoroughly distraught and worried.
"This is ridiculous. Don't you think I can take care of myself squirt?" Denmark complained loudly, pulling his wrist from Copenhagen's tight grip. "You're acting like some kind of den mother or something.
Norway glanced around the room and his gaze fell on the two already present Nordic nations. "Hm. Got you two?" He sat beside Finland who began explaining quietly to his blue eyed brother.
"Netherlands is gone." Amsterdam seemed distressed as she sat beside Bern and glanced over his carefully prepared list. "Is this everyone else that's gone missing?"
"Netherlands is gone?" Bern stood and turned to the newest additions to the room.
"Yeah. The house was ripped to shit." Denmark had freed himself from Copenhagen's grip in his wrist and plopped himself down in a chair, far enough away from the table to prop his half tied boots up. "By the looks of it, whoever is coming after us is ruthless. I didn't even have time to get dressed before these crazy girls dragged me out of here." He motioned down at his worn out jeans and stained t-shirt.
"Ruthless?" Switzerland set a hand on the rifle he had sitting on the table in front of him. "By whose standards?"
"Did you see who did this?" Finland asked warily.
"No such luck. By the time we got there, whoever had taken Netherlands was long gone." Norway spoke quietly and folded his hands up carefully.
A heavy silence settled over the room as Bern put a little 'x' next to Netherlands name. "All that's left now is to wait and hope everyone is safe, I suppose."
