A/N: Well hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter!
This one, I admit was really fun to write. I hadn't planned on using Canada in this at all, but SilvermistAnimeLover brought it to my attention, and I couldn't help but pass off on using him too! ^^ So it seems like Italy is sort of brain washing him, but hey, it will owrk out later. And if you don't like this, then seriously? WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE?!
Canada's P.O.V.
I sat in my chair alone with only Kumajiro's company. I finished my lunch a long time ago so I came to the only place where I can sit without anyone questioning me or trying to figure out who I am. Sighing, I messed with the small little maple leaf that had been pinned to my seat.
Every chair had some sort of item that identified each nation at the meeting so no one would fight over their spot. I have to admit that it was a pretty smart idea on Italy's part. Whenever it was his turn to hold the meetings, he would always do thoughtful things like these. Everyone would get along better, either it had something to do with their personality match up or if he had just begged them to, world meetings were always more…peaceful.
Ya…that's the word, peaceful. He's always been good with people I guess. I scowled thinking bitterly, unlike me who can never be remembered. I'm always forgotten; even my own bear forgets me! And I feed the ungrateful thing!
Kumajiro looks up at me, blinking his small little beady black eyes. When I first got him I almost thought he was a stuffed bear…until he actually opened his mouth and scared me half to death. The plushy looking bear tilted his head and I already knew what four words were going to come out of his mouth.
"Hmmm…Who are you?"
Yup, there they were…I sighed, rolling my eyes. I swear this bear hated me, or really liked messing with me. I mean, he would remember everyone else and often wondered off from me and played with the other nation's pets instead. It really, really irked me. Gritting my teeth I responded him...like always.
"I'm Canada, your owner! You know? The one that feeds you eh?"
Kuma nods blinking, as if he suddenly remembers me. "Mmm...You should try to be more noticeable~"
My eye twitched. As if I hadn't noticed. That's all I ever try to do! Of course it takes about a while more before I give up frustrated and all but throw him off my lap.
Kuma doesn't really like it when I do that. He turns back to glare at me before turning back around in search of his other animal friends. I buried my head in my lap very irritated and close to tears. I don't mean to cry, but when I get mad I tend to cry unlike others that wants to punch someone else's face out.
"Ve~ how do you put up with him?"
I quickly raise my head to see who it is. Though, I know it's pointless since I only know one person who would start their sentence off with a "Ve~"
I blink seeing the smaller Italian brother. He looked very comfortable sitting in America's seat. Don't blame him. Al's chair always was for some reason the most comfortable out of everybody's. Italy sat leaning towards me, his head resting on his palms that were supported by his thighs. The small unusual curl bobbed still sticking out from the rest of his auburn colored hair. It always amazed me how different him and his brother acted, yet looked almost exactly the same. I wonder if me and Al are like that… The Italian still wore the light green apron over his (probably) expensive pin stripped suit. Judging by the stains the apron sported, Italy had a hard time juggling the lunch rush.
"E-eh? I-I'm sorry?"
Italy? Why is he…? Oh….ya. He asked to talk to me after he had finished serving lunch and ate his own. I guess bringing my own lunch does have its own pluses….
Italy smiled, chuckling softly. "Ve~ it's okay you don't have to apologize! I should be apologizing since I probably scared you huh Mr. Canada?"
I blushed slightly. I always hated when people would address me as "Mr." I mean I get that's it's respectful, but I just don't really think it's necessary! Wait…why did he make sense? More importantly…why isn't he tripping over his own words of apology in several other different languages and why didn't I hear him sitting next to me? He's never been so quiet before!
"W-when did you-? W-why didn't I hear eh...?"
He only smiled as if I had noticed the most important thing in the world. His golden brown eyes quickly looked me over. It seemed that he hesitated before he spoke. Again…WEIRD!
"Eheheheh~ of course you would notice…not much for subtly are you Matthew? No, of course you'd notice. You're so used to the quiet, that…."
Italy trailed off staring into space. Ohhhhhkkkayyy~ well he's acting…strange. Wait…. I blinked noticing something.
"Um…Did you? Uh, call me Matthew?"
"Hmm? O-oh si I did~ Why?" He tilted his head to the side. "Did you not want me too?"
Then it hit me. Maybe he just wanted to be my friend. I laughed nervously shaking my hands back in forth in a, no-I-didn't-mean-that- kind of way. Flustered I opened my mouth again, though I have a sinking feeling this won't end well.
"N-no!" I saw him visibly deflate and I realized my mistake. "I-I mean yes it's okay. I-I don't mind…really! I was just wondering, eh."
Italy nodded with a straight face. "Good. Ve~ this will help a lot."
"E-excuse me?" He looked my straight in the eyes and I held my breath for a moment.
Just for a moment I could almost feel the pain, hurt, (and…revenge?!) that he felt, but he avoided my gaze looking down and the feelings were gone.
"Aren't you tired of getting stepped all over? The way everyone seems to ignore you, and when they do realize your there they dump their work onto you?
"Ve, don't you want to, even just for a moment see them suffer? See how they would like it if suddenly everything they knew was gone? To know how you feel?"
The Italian looked at me completely serious, not a smile on his face, nor was there a single playful tune to his voice like their always was. With each word, his voice grew faster and more urgent and I felt myself nodding.
Italy took a deep breath looking down. I waited, patiently yet curiously to see where he was going with this. When he looked back up I flinched pressing myself against my chair. An insane glint shown in his eyes, the way he smiled sent the hair on the back of my neck standing up. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought Russia had taken over Italy's body.
A dark aura surrounded the petite man. It wasn't exactly purple like Russia's; it was more black and red than anything, resembling a fierce fire if I had ever seen one (which I had). The Italian's eyes were glassy, a small strange laugh bubbled up in my fellow nation's throat.
"Ve~ Oh all the beautiful and painful ways to kill them off are more than I can count~ Of course, I can't do this alone. I need the…help…of someone else. Fratello wouldn't get it," Italy scoffed showing his disgust. Even his voiced turned acidic just at the mention of his brother.
"He's too happy with that idiot Spain. I honestly don't see what things he whispered into my poor innocent brother's ears to keep him by his side. But if Fratello gets in my way…" He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Then well, ve~ couldn't say I warned him! Now wouldn't you like to see this too? Aren't you done with the abuse you get? Once I get my way, we'll be perfectly fine~ we won't ever have to work or put up with this kind of stuff ever again!" The Italian giggled the insanity in his voice steadily showing more, and more. He closed his mouth turning to me again.
"So?" He raised an eyebrow looking at me. "How about it?" He smirked, but stayed completely quiet, waiting for my answer.
How about sending you to rehab!? To say I was shocked was an understatement. I never would have thought words like those would ever come out from his mouth.
The brunette tilted his head, lacing his fingers together obviously not pleased with my silence. "Ve? What's wrong? Are you not up to it? "He sneered. " Or are you just to chicken to say what you really feel? You know…America was right. You really are just another tree-hugging-moose-loving-drag-my-ass-around-chicken-Canadian..! "
I breathed heavily; already I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me. I didn't let him finish his insult because I already had him by the throat a good three feet off the ground. Through clenched teeth I hissed my opinion.
"Don't. You. Ever. Say. That. If, you want to live. Al…" I blinked slowly setting him to the ground. "Al...He, no he would never say that about me!"
Italy smirked, uncharacteristically calm and pleased at my reaction. "Oh really? Oh if you only knew what secrets I knew! You'd be surprised at what your own family would say about you~ It's always what your own family has to say about their own members that is the worst."
Italy shaked his head smirking. "Ohh~ If only you knew what I did~" He looked at me, a knowing look flashed in his eyes. "And I could tell you…if, maybe….you agreed to help me..?"
I froze staring at the obviously insane Italian. It was as if my body was deciding to be bipolar. One minute I was hot with anger and all I could see was red. Next minute, I felt ice cold, my own thoughts were frozen and I felt cold to the bone.
"W-what do you…?"
The Italian sat back down calmly in Al's spot. Very leisurely crossing one leg over the other before propping his elbows on the table behind him.
That glassy eyed look of insanity never fading, but somehow hid behind other emotions. It was almost as if he had done this for a long time now that he doesn't have to control it anymore. I was honestly scared like I never have been in my life before.
Neatly, he laced his fingers together once more. His posture, reminded me of in those old black and white films where the bad guy would sit with a big fedora and expensive suit and was about to offer the soon to be hero an offer that usually led to trouble. In this case, all Italy needed was the fedora, and this little conversation would be fit for Hollywood.
With his chin held high, his gaze never faltering he spoke. It was smooth and even, not a hint of playfulness in it. Whoever I had seen before was clearly not the Italy I was beginning to know now.
"I'll make you a deal, si? If you were to help me accomplish what I want, or rather invision, I will give you whatever it is you desire become reality."
I shifted in my own chair, looking down twirling the maple leaf in my hand. It sounded like a good idea, well more like an insane one, but good to me nonetheless. I slowly traced over the veins of my national leaf, buying me some more time.
Italy wasn't very happy with me taking a long time to decide. "Ve~ Okay, if that's it, then I'll throw in another offer. As you accomplish small tasks I set for you, given that you don't blow it. I will tell you one secret at a time. Anyone you want. It could be about you, your family, your lover, anyone. Of course…"
He tilted my head up with his hand so I would meet his gaze, insuring that I heard him. "This is all if you say yes. Remember I could have asked any other nation in this conference but I chose you."
I found myself becoming lost in his gaze, but I knew that was what he wanted, for me to give in easily. Angrily I sharply moved my head away from him. "Why chose me eh? Why not someone else?"
Italy give a sharp and irritated sigh. "Oh stop playing dumb Matthew. You know why I picked you. I know that you know why. We all have nagging feelings or voices in our heads. If you were smart you'd listen to them, I have myself have a long time ago. Why don't you listen to your own for that answer hmm?"
Because I'm not crazy?! Of course I want to scream this at him, but if this was the true Italy then I'd better not. He was right, I did know why. He was also right when he said I have a voice. Right now it was telling me that because I'm the only one who would understand him. So call it a safe shot here, but I told him so.
"I-is it because I was the only one who would really get it? B-because I'm the only one who would understand what you meant by being stepped all over? Because no other nation would understand because they're all so perfect and are never forgotten."
A big smile and knowing smile curled onto his face. He nodded. "Si, that's why. They're all so fine and dandy in their lives that they all forget about us and wouldn't even side glace our way once. Now you see why I picked you? See I could have gone to some other nations like Egypt, Bulgaria maybe, Latvia even. But I choose you."
I nodded. Not because I only wanted to please him and get the hell out of here, but because I agreed. I made a fist in my right hand crushing the leaf. Raising my head, I made sure to harden my gaze making my voice as hollow and sure as possible.
"Where do I sign up eh?"
The smile only curled upward even more. "Molto Buono~ this will make things go much more smoothly, ve~" (1)
Releasing my grip, I watched the red pieces of the leaf float to the ground and I realized something. I had just made a pact with the Devil.
Other nations may argue saying that they "supposedly" met the Devil or, God for that matter, but I knew better. I myself haven't thought much about it, but I'll tell you this.
That day I had truly met the Devil, and not only met him, but made a pact with him. But in reality I was okay with that, as scary as "signing your soul over to the Devil" was, I was perfectly fine with it.
In fact, I was more than fine with it. And as I would come to realize, the Devil really would turn out to become my best friend. Grinning wickedly, I had already started to begin thinking evilly. Of all the different ways of getting my own revenge, of my own desire. My true want and needs.
What secrets could my family be holding against me? I shook my head clearing it of those thoughts.
"Oui, very good~"
I watched the last of my nations tree leaf float off, with it taking the last of my innocence. Right as the last piece dropped, the conference doors slammed open brining in all the other nations with them. I smiled softly as Italy seemed to float over to the former Axis's side, only giving me a slight glance my showing of his approval.
For once, I was happy no one else noticed me~
A/N:
(1) Molto Buono= Very Good
So how did y'all like it? Heh..heh...I liked this chapter so far... As always, I love to hear all of y'alls thoughts and stuff so review please?
Mucho Amor~Forever South
