Berwald Dressed in Blood

Note: So sorry about the several-month wait! I've been ridiculously busy with school, and then the spare time I did find I spent mostly working on video games. Horrible excuses, I know, but I don't plan on giving this up at all. Also, the next chapter will be introducing someone big! I'm sure you guys know who already, though.

Warning: Gore involved.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, nor do I own Anna Dressed in Blood or any other references I may slip in. I am merely playing around with my writing skill, these characters, and this plotline.


Eduard von Bock practically dragged me to some strange, dark restaurant. I couldn't tell what it was supposed to be based on decoration, and its menu was a hodge-podge of dishes from places all over the world. The guy ordered some sort of Japanese thing – I wasn't sure what it was he had said, but it didn't sound appealing – and gestured for me to order whatever I wanted. I only got a water.

While we waited for his food, he tried to start out with idle chit chat. I, however, wasn't in the mood and just stared at him, eyes narrowed some. He had seemed able to read my thoughts earlier, so I tried to keep my mind as blank as possible while projecting all of my distrust at him.

When his food – mochi, I had discovered it was called – arrived, he took a bite of the pastry-looking thing and watched me while he chewed. He pointed to me with the end of it that had a bite in it, allowing me to see it was stuffed with some sort of reddish-brownish stuff, and swallowed before speaking.

"Okay, so. You're some sort of hunter thing, right? And I'm pretty sure you've figured out I'm a telepath. So what're you here for? Wait, don't tell me," he said, taking another bite. He chewed, staring into my soul, and swallowed before continuing. "You're here because of him."

"Number one: I don't know who you are, and before you say anything, yes I heard your name and no that does not mean I know you. Number two: Why did you drag me here? And number three: Who do you mean by 'him'?" I asked. "If you don't hurry up and spit it out I'm leaving."

"Whoa, there! Calm down a bit! First, why don't I start out with this: When did you move to town?" Eduard von Bock asked. I quickly counted in my head and decided to blow the time out of proportion.

"Iunno, maybe two weeks ago or so? Three?"

"August twenty-sixth."

"Excuse me?"

"You moved here on August twenty-sixth. Today's the second of September, so that makes, what, seven full days here?" he said. I stared at him before allowing a single, almost-imperceptible node.

"Well, y'see, I get these headaches behind my third eye. And no, it's not real, stupid, remember I can hear you," he said as he brushed his bangs out of the way momentarily before finger-combing them back into place. For a moment I wondered how he knew that I had imagined a big third eye on his forehead before realizing I was having a blond moment and remembered the telepathy. "August twenty-sixth was the worst one I've had in my entire life, but the next day it was gone again. Then it comes back again the moment I see you at school today. I bet you don't even remember passing by me?"

I thought back over the day and shook my head.

"Well, when I got it again when I passed by you I figured it out. You're here because of him. And just wait a second and I'll tell you this 'him' even though I know you know exactly who I'm talking about. Anyways, I realized that unless I talk to you and offer help, this thing's not going to go away. So here I am." He paused, then sighed. "I know you know who 'him' is, but since you're going to insist… 'Him' is Berwald Dressed in Blood."

I narrowed my eyes and took a big gulp of water, watching him over my hand as I had grabbed the glass by the rim. I chewed up a piece of ice before I responded.

"Okay, Eduard von Bock. I appreciate the offer, but I'm not one much for teamwork. So why don't you leave me alone and get back to your witch's brew I'm sure you've got going back at home," I said. He opened and shut his mouth like a fish, and I immediately felt bad for what I had said, but I didn't want to risk getting anyone hurt and didn't know the guy.

He started to protest, but I shot him the image of every single ghost I had re-killed in the past year. I made him watch the transformation of the Succubus of Angel Point from her human, angel-like appearance into that monster and watched him cringe, satisfied. I felt even worse now, but he needed to know that what I did was serious business. No one who was unprepared should even mess with the basics of what I did, and based on his reactions, he was at the very bottom of the pit of unprepared-ness.

I got up to leave while Eduard was still in shock, dropping two dollars onto the table in the process. "Look. I appreciate the offer, but you're not a Ghostbuster, and I prefer to fly solo. Besides, if I let you come with me, that means I'd have to be worried about covering your ass at the same time as fighting. You'd probably get hurt, or worse. And I can't let that happen."

With that, I stalked out of the restaurant and onto the street. However, I was utterly lost. He just had to have taken me to a restaurant in a part of town I didn't know. Just my luck. I was probably four blocks down the street when Eduard caught back up to me in his beat-up old car.

"Look, I'm sorry. And I understand if you're not gonna forgive me or 'humor me', but at least let me give you a ride. You have absolutely no idea where you are," he said, leaning out the window. I sighed, shaking my head, and walked around to the passenger seat.

I slid into the seat grudgingly, slumping in my seat and hugging my bag to my stomach after I had buckled up at his request. Most of the ride was spent in awkward silence after I told him my address. As we approached my place, though, Eduard began speaking again.

"I know you don't seem to like me, but if you're gonna go after this guy, at least come to me if you need info on the local lore. I swear you'll get the truth and nothing but the truth from me, but most other people in town… You're more likely to get better information from some little kid's sleepover party at ten at night than from the stories you can get from most people fifth grade and older here," he explained.

"I'll keep that in mind."

More awkward silence ensued.

"Hey, you going to that thing tonight? It's out by the old covered bridge. There's a little waterfall there that makes it easy for them to hide the booze or something, so a lot of parties get held there," he said.

"Yeah. Probably just hang out with Lukas and Emil and Matthias though. Maybe Elizabeta if her hoard of stalkers aren't surrounding her the whole night."

"Alright, well, I'm gonna be there too. Whatever you do, don't let the Lumberjack Pack trick you into going there. They'll probably try something on you," Eduard warned. Just then, he pulled into my driveway.

"Got it. Thanks for the ride. And try not to get tangled up in this. I don't need the stress of worrying about another person on my hunt." I shut the door and rapped on the top of his car, causing the metal to rattle. "See ya."

I could almost hear him think, "Maybe this guy isn't so bad." As I watched him drive away, I regretted my harsh words and mean mind trick with his telepathy. I felt bad being mean to him; it wasn't like me to act like I had been. But I couldn't let more people die needless deaths because of this monster. I stared up at the forest at the edge of town, where the house was supposed to be hiding behind. I wouldn't let it continue its reign of terror. I was going to stop it, once and for all.