Here's the next part, I hope it is as enjoyable to read as it was to write :) Also, as a reminder, this story only tells the childrens' POVs(and in the version Sebas-chan001 wrote,is from the parents POV) so expect the stories to be told slightly differently (in case you read/have read both) but the end result will be the same. Just thought I'd point that out. Anyway, enjoy!
When Scotland caught up with the colonies at the back door, he noticed the gray rain clouds above them.
"Oh no!" Canada looked worriedly at the sky, "I think it's going to rain."
"Rain only stops cowards." America told his brother matter-of-factly while a sudden downpour of rain started drumming against the wooden deck.
"No, rain stops smart people," Scotland told the young boy with a shake of his head, "I don't want to risk something bad happening because the ground is slippery, so we'll have to do something else until the rain stops."
"But..."
"You're pap and dad wouldn't appreciate my putting you two in danger. Now, how about we go get you two started in your bath? If I remember correctly, your dad instructed me to give you one."
"Can it be a bubble bath?" Canada followed Scotland back into the main room, with a sulking America behind him.
"Sure, kid, why not?"
"Yay!"
America and Canada waited in the living room while Scotland went to start the bath water. America, deciding he was bored with his goody-two-shoes brother, found his eyes wandering to the small end table with a drawer in it, beside England's sewing basket.
"Hey, Mattie, want to have some actual fun?"
"What do you mean? Scotland said we could take a bubble bath, and then we can play sea captains with our boats! I think that's fun."
"No, I mean like actual hero stuff." America murmured, walking over to the drawer and sliding it open.
"Alfie, what are you doing? Daddie said to never ever open that drawer." Canada hurried over to his brother, gently tugging his arm away.
"Aw, Come on Mattie. Do something fun in your life for once." America rolled his eyes at his brother's worried expression. He picked up a dusty, old looking book from the drawer and gave his brother a mischievous glance.
"America….that's….that's daddies spell book. We're not supposed to touch that!" Canada widened his eyes in horror as America started flipping through it, not paying attention to the younger brother, "I'll tell Scotland and you'll get in trouble if you don't stop."
The young boy's pleas to his brother drifted past deaf ears. Instead, America muttered curiously, "This one looks cool, it has a picture of a shadowy wolf above it. I bet this will help us to play hero."
"I...I mean it. I'll yell for Scotland!" Canada warned again, and after the mischievous colony did nothing in response, cried out, "Scotland! America's trying to do something we're not supposed to!"
"I can't hear ya up here, but I'm coming down!" Came the muffled reply, followed by the water turning off.
"Tattletale." America glared at the younger.
Scotland came running into the room a few seconds later, glancing between the glowering American and the frightened Canadian.
"What's going on?"
"America's trying to use Daddie's spell book, and we're not supposed to touch it! Daddie says it's dangerous!"
"America…." Scotland started, turning a serious gaze towards the other colony.
"It's ok! Nothing's going to happen! I've watched Daddie cast spells before and it's super easy! I promise nothing bad will happen. Mattie's lying so he can get me in trouble." America told the older country, hoping to get away with the lie.
"I...I'm not a liar!" Canada's eyes started to fill with tears.
"Somehow I don't think that's entirely true. I know your dad, and I also know that magic is dangerous. He definitely wouldn't want his little…"
"I'm not little! I'm hero-sized!"
"Whatever, the point stands that he couldn't want his 'hero-sized' son playing with dangerous magic."
"But...we can be actual heroes and save stuff if we use it!"
"No, I don't want to hear it. Let's put that book back, forget about it, and go take your baths."
Scotland gave the little hero a stern stare, until he obeyed and replaced the book in the drawer, closing it and grumbling about unfairness.
"Is the bath ready?" Canada asked, his fear fading away with the book out of sight.
"Yep! Let's get you two clean."
Scotland left the two in the bubble bath, with their plastic boats, and promised to be back to check on them in a few minutes.
Matthew was happy to begin playing with his toys, but paused when he noticed the sour look on Alfred's face.
"Come on, Alfie, let's play battleship! My boat is heading in to blow up your ship!" He grinned, making little boat noises as he sailed it across the bubbles. The attempt to cheer his brother up was successful, and America grabbed his boat.
"Not if we blow you up first!" America said with as much bravado as he could muster, blues eyes shining as he imagined moving his fleet into position. Secretly, he promised himself to go check out the spell later, when Canada wasn't around to tattle on him.
"Fire missiles!" America called out, flicking some bubbles at his brother with the best explosion sound he could make.
"Oh no! You sunk my battleship!" Giggled the Canadian, "Fire missiles back!"
He splashed some bubbles at his brother, and soon their toys were forgotten as their play had interrupted into an all-out splash battle. By the time Scotland returned with a couple towels and their pajamas, the two were laughing loudly, and water was all over the floor.
"Oh no! A civilian, let's call a cease-fire." Canada pretended to radio his brother.
"Roger that."
"Looks like you two had some fun." Scotland smiled, helping each toddler out of the tub and into their towels. Then, he helped dry Canada off and dress him. America stubbornly refused to be helped at first, claiming that heroes obviously didn't need help from anybody. In the end, he'd put his jammies on backwards and the Scotsman had to help him fix it.
"Scotland, did it stop raining?" America asked hopefully.
"Let's go check, shall we?" Scotland replied. He went over to the closest bedroom and peered out the window, "All clear."
"Yay! Can we shoot your guns now?" America and Canada gave their babysitter their best smiles, causing him to laugh.
"Well, I suppose. As long as you two promise to listen to me, we don't need any accidents happening, now do we?"
"Ok!" They agreed in unison.
Once they were in the backyard, Scotland had them watch as he taught them about the pistols he had in his holster. America frowned, bored of the adult who hadn't even let them touch the gun yet. All Scotland was going on about was stupid gun safety. Everyone knew that you didn't point the end of the gun at your face to look inside it.
"I'm bored! Scotland, you promised we could shoot the guns!"
"America, safety's important though!" Canada looked at his brother with a serious face, "Someone could get hurt otherwise!"
"Canada's right, America. But I was just finishing anyway. Now," He said looking at the yard, then gesturing at the old oak tree, "We'll use the tree as a target. Here, hold the gun like this, no don't put your finger on the trigger just yet. Ok, now feet apart, arms straight forward. Good."
Scotland instructed them, helping America get into a good position to shoot from. Canada waited patiently behind, watching wide eyed as his brother pulled the trigger and the shot chipped the side of the thick oak's trunk.
"That was awesome!" America squealed, letting Scotland show him how to load the chamber.
"Well done! You'll be a good shooter in no time!" Scotland praised the brave little colony.
"I wanna try!" Canada jumped in place.
Scotland chuckled, leaving America to try shooting the tree again, while he helped Canada to hold his other gun, giving him the same instructions, and helping him into the proper stance.
"Come on, Canada, let's shoot together and see who aims the best!" America grinned at his brother, who nodded in response.
There was a loud dual banging sound as the guns fired. The colonies' smiled at each other.
"That was so cool!" They said together.
"What's going on here," Came England's voice from behind them, on the back deck. Canada looked worriedly at him, hearing the anger in his dad's tone, "I demand an explanation!"
"Are you ok Daddie?" Canada asked, watching as his father nearly lost his balance as he wobbly made it down the stairs.
"I'm fine. What's going on?" He asked again.
"Scotland was teaching us how to shoot, like a real hero!" America grinned widely at his fathers.
"Shoot? A gun. What were you thinking? Do you have any idea what time it is?!" England demand of the Scott, "I knew this was a bad idea. Thanks for jinxing us and creating holes in my father's tree!"
"No, calm down Iggy. The boys wanted to have some fun, and well what's more fun than shooting stuff?"
"How about shooting things without bullets?!" England yelled, "You know they have Nerf guns right? What if something terrible happened! Bullets are dangerous! Especially in the hands of a child! Let's count your blessing for not injuring one of my children. But you will be in HUGE trouble for giving them actual guns!"
"Daddie we learned all about guns and how to be safe with them!" Canada told his father, wanting to explain to him that they were being safe and that he didn't have to be angry with Scotland, and scared for America and himself.
He was also oblivious to the scots shaking of his head as he said it, his red hair standing out from his pale skin.
"I don't care how 'safe' you were being with those guns. Guns are dangerous, and should not, under any circumstance, be played with by kindergartners!" England growled, "Out! Leave my house this instant! Never go near my children again! Oh, and what money you could have made is gone now. The authorities will be paying you a visit shortly." And with that being said, France told the boys to go inside the home, taking the guns from them as they did so. France followed them in, closing the door as the first shouts from the adults outside began to echo in the otherwise quiet night,
"Pappa, why is Daddie so angry?" Asked the still oblivious Canada
"Daddie is just mad at how Scotland ignored the instructions he gave him and put your lives in jeopardy." He hugged the boy, "I'm just glad you're safe."
Outside, Canada saw Scotland walk away, his red hair matching his red cheeks. England staggered back into the house, and let out an exasperated sigh as he closed the door. Canada and America yawned in unison. France gave them a soft smile, picking up the sleepy America and catching the other father's eye as he headed towards the stairs. England picked up Canada, and followed up the stairway.
"You," England muttered to his husband, "You are going to give me two massages tonight. And not so rough this time, the last time you gave me a massage it almost broke my back. I thought you were French, but you honestly lack in the Romance department."
"I've clearly been holding back." France replied.
They reached the colonie's shared room, and as Britain was tucking Canada in his bed, across from America's, the tiny colony hugged him.
"Daddie I'm sorry we made you mad. I just wanted you to be proud of me."
"I am Canada." He replied softly and kissed the boy's temple, "So very, very proud of you and what a great country you're becoming. I love you."
"Love you too Daddie..." Canada said, his eyelids drooping shut.
England smiled and went over to America to kiss him and tell him goodnight as well, only to find the older brother already sound asleep.
America woke from his sleep, finding that he really needed to use the bathroom. He clambered out of his blankets and crept into the silent hallway and into the bathroom. Once he finished washing his hands, he paused. Wasn't there some hero stuff he was going to do, when Canada wasn't around. Oh yeah, the spell book! America smiled at himself in the mirror, shutting the lights off he headed back into the hallway.
He was about to go downstairs, when he realized that if his parents were awake, they would surely hear him and send him off to bed, and he'd probably lose videogame privileges again. So, he went opposite of his and Canada's room, and leaned against the master bedroom's door. It was silent on the other side. He was glad that his parents were sleeping as well.
Carefully not to make a sound, he crept down the stairs and into the living room, pausing only once on the step that always squeaked really loudly. All the lights were off, so it was up to his hero senses to navigate the darkened house. The little hero was proud of himself, only stubbing his toe once, on his way back to the end table.
He took out the old book again, and flipped through it until he found the drawing of the shadowy wolf again. The words were in some weird language, so he tried his best to pronounce them. As the last sentence left his lips, a sudden black portal appeared, and out stepped a growling beast. His previous bravado left him, and America screamed as the creature lunged at him.
