Chapter Three:
"So what now?" Gilbert asked. They were currently all sitting down in a circle while Arthur worked on starting a fire. After they had all met up and found a clear spot to set up camp, it had already been sun down. Now it was almost completely dark.
"Well, I was thinking that after this fire finally decides to behave, we could do cook dinner and possibly exchange ghost stories." Arthur replied grouchily, the branches he was using didn't seem to want to light.
"G-ghost stories?" Alfred squeaked, looking pale. Arthur smirked slightly at this, but hid it as he muttered ungentlemanly words at the fire. Gilbert looked interested.
"I know a bunch of good stories from The Seven Years War~ Remember, Francis~?" Gilbert exclaimed, looking happy. Francis sighed.
"Yes, you always had a habit of making up the most gruesome tales…" He groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"Somehow this behavior does not surprise me." Roderich commented dryly. Gilbert smirked.
"It's 'cause you know me so well! But don't get all grumpy just because you lost that one, too! We should have invited Spain, then it would be perfect!"
"Get your head out of the clouds, Gilbert." Roderich snapped. Matthew sighed.
"Guys, come on, let's not fight…" Of course, no one heard him. Finally, after much more grumbling and arguments, the fire was lit and everyone was sitting and eating their dinner. Alfred had been jumping at every hoot of an owl or crackle of leaves. The color had just begun to return to his face when Arthur finally spoke up after their meal.
"So, who would like to go first?" He asked. Ivan raised his hand.
"Oh, oh, I should tell a story, da~? It'd be fun!" He said cheerily. Yao looked a bit worried.
"Umm, Ivan, aru... Maybe someone else should go first…? Save the b-best for last, right, aru?" He stammered. They all had stiffened at the mention of Ivan's stories; they were likely to be even more gruesome than Gilbert's. Ivan tilted his head.
"Mm… if you say so, Yao." He pouted slightly, but looked around, "So who wants to go first?" Gilbert volunteered, and so the night of ghost stories began.
Some time later, they were all looking a bit shook up, especially after Ivan and Gilbert's particularly creepy story. All except for Ivan, of course. He looked like he was enjoying himself.
"So, who wants to go next~? Or should I tell another..?" He asked with childlike innocence that only creeped them out more. Alfred had been shivering and whining the entire time and now took it upon himself to stop.
"M-maybe we should go to sleep…?" He tried. Arthur, on the other hand, seemed to be out to get him tonight.
"No, I have one last story. It's a good one." He said calmly.
"B-but Iggy!" Alfred protested, shaking. He decided that he didn't like the slight smirk that was appearing on Arthur's face.
"Oh, my apologies. You should have let me know if you were scared, we could have retired earlier." The others simply watched the exchange silently, even though they all knew that Alfred would take the bait.
"What!? I'm not scared of some stupid stories!" He exclaimed, standing up, "I'm the hero! Hero's aren't afraid of anything!"
"Even ghosts?" Arthur asked patiently, pointedly ignoring Francis's comment of 'Oh dear, Amérique is in for it now. I haven't seen that smirk in ages.'
"Even g-ghosts!" Alfred confirmed, sitting back down. Matthew sighed.
"So… the story?" He was later going to regret asking this, but none of them knew that now.
"Right. It's an old tale, actually. It took place during the 100 Years War, right around when the ships first found you, Alfred.
Once upon a time, there was a little, orphan girl. When she had just been born, her parents both died in a crash between horse wagons while driving home from the hospital. When the police arrived, they noticed her most peculiar eyes. One was such a light blue that it was almost white; the other was such a dark brown it appeared almost black. Her hair was jet black, and her skin was pale, almost as pale as the snow.
Most people who met her were quite unnerved, especially because of her unmoving, blank, and calm gaze. Any normal child would be screaming and crying, but not her. She merely stared up with clear eyes at whoever came near. She was oddly unharmed from the crash, not even a bruise showing on her snow-white skin.
One of the policemen's wives took pity on the poor child that most were too terrified to even approach, and she took the girl into her care. The policeman tried to object, at first, but soon gave in. They lived happily in a little village, and the two were very content and happy as they watched the little girl grow. Her eyes never changed in color, neither did her ghostly skin. But aside from those points, the girl grew up to be small, but still quite pretty. There was a certain charm about her, and anyone who came close became enchanted. Many a night would come to their door and request for her presence. The girl was then named 'Lacry', out of request on her part."
"…No offence, Iggy, but this isn't really that scary." Alfred interrupted suddenly, looking bored and calmed down. He felt silly, being so scared. It was Iggy telling the story, after all. There was no way and old man would tell a scary story. But looking around, he saw Matthew was slightly pale and Francis looked a bit sick, "…Guys? Seriously? It's not scary."
"I-I think you told us this story, once, A-Arthur… When we were little…" Matthew said. Arthur tilted his head, smirking.
"Nice to see someone actually listened back then." He said happily. Ludwig looked confused.
"I hate to admit it, but I agree with Alfred. The story might have just been creepy to a child, but it isn't that much of a ghost story." He said, "Do you want to try another one?"
"B-but Ludwig! This one is scary enough!" Feliciano whimpered, clutching Ludwig's coat like it was his lifeline.
"Angleterre… are you sure you want to continue the story…? Some of us… might not have the stomach for it… I remember it from your pirate days… you used to adore sharing it…" Francis clutched his sides for support from his memory. Arthur's smirk grew.
"Hmm, I guess I could stop if just the mere memory scares you that much, frog." Arthur shrugged, then counted down from three. One, two, three…
"Wait!" Just on time, "I want to see what Francis is so worked up about!" Gilbert exclaimed, leaning forward and looking interested now. Arthur raised a brow at the others, wanting to see what they thought.
"I agree with Gilbert-san. I wish to see how the story ends." Kiku spoke up, after being silent for a while. Ivan nodded excitedly, clapping his hands like a child.
"Da~ Da~, I want to see what happens next!" Next to him, Yao just shrugged.
"What's the harm in it, aru?"
"That's four against… four. Roderich, Alfred, you two need to choose. Should I go on or stop?" Arthur said, looking at the two expectantly. Gilbert just waved his hand.
"We already know that prissy boy is probably already scared out of his wits, so just count him as a no." Roderich looked a little irritated.
"Actually no, Gilbert. I was about to say that hearing more would be quite interesting before you rudely interrupted. Besides, if you want to hear more so badly, why are you putting my vote against yours? That only tips the balance the other way." Gilbert considered this, but then Roderich got an idea and an uncharacteristic tiny smirk graced his lips, "Unless you're actually scared and are just trying to hide it."
"What!? No way! I wouldn't be scared by some pansy ghost story!" Gilbert protested loudly. Before he could continue, Francis cut in, looking a bit worried.
"Alright… Amérique is on our side, right? Well then it's even, we should just all go to bed…" Arthur frowned at this.
"Alfred? You don't want to hear the rest of the story? I thought you said it wasn't scary. Ah, well, you didn't have the stomach for ghost stories when you were younger, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're too afraid now, too." He looked slightly disappointed, and everyone missed the slight tug at the corner of his mouth.
"Wait, I never said I didn't want to hear the rest of the story! I wanna see what had Mattie and Francis desperate to get out of here! I don't remember this as a kid…" Alfred said hurriedly, attempting to change the subject.
"Oh, yes, I remember it. You wouldn't sleep by yourself for two days." Arthur said, smiling slightly fondly now, the smallest trace of teasing in his voice. Alfred turned beet red.
"Hey! I was a little kid! That doesn't happen anymore! I can take your stupid ghost stories any day!" Alfred scrambled for words, blushing brightly under the amused gazes of the other nations, "Any way, just get on with it!"
"Very well." Arthur said, still smirking. He was victorious once again. And so, he continued the story.
