A/N: So I added an early one ^_^ This one's really short compared to most of the others, so sorry about that, but good news! Next chapter... Parallel point of view! Yayyy! Okay maybe I'm getting a little over-excited about this, but I haven't slept in two days so don't judge me O_O But anyway, stick around, I think you'll like it! And to answer my amazing reviewers - even if they never asked any actual questions:
Guest: I'm glad you like it! This chapter's kind of short, but I'm real proud of the next one!
Aprincessb1215: Thanks! And now here they are...
Britain, Japan, Canada, Russia, China, France, Italy, Germany, Romano, Hungary, Prussia, Spain, and him. America hadn't been around for the 'War of the Borders' or whatever, but that seemed like a lot. On the stairs, Romania spluttered. "Eh, I - we - I think we need to... Erm, okay." He took a deep breath. "I'd like all who participated in the War of the Borders and everyone experiencing these symptoms to follow Hungary and me. The rest can either leave or remain down here, but other than that there's really nothing you can do. Just, um, uh -"
"Just stay out of our way, yeah? Come on," Hungary interrupted impatiently. Romania huffed, but watched the nations comply to directions without complaint. America had to admit, his stomach did hurt kind of. But it was nothing the Hero couldn't handle. Canada, Italy, and Britain on the other hand were pale and nearly shaking as they began to climb the stairs after Hungary. Bored, he began to watch the expressions of the others. Japan looked kind of pale, too, but he was trying not to show it. Germany was stoic, as usual. Romano just looked pi**ed off. Everyone else seemed generally pained or bored.
"Hey, dude!" Three heads turned, but it was Japan that America rushed up to. "Whassup?"
"Oh, America-chan. Hello. You are pained, too?"
"Yeah, but it's no biggie. Nothing I can't handle, of course," he answered loudly, his voice rising volumes over the murmurs of the others.
"That is fortunate. In the last war, the more pain one was in seemed to have a connection with the strength of one's parallel self. It seems your friend Britain may be in for quite a fight, if I am correct." Japan gave the nation a worried look as he lurched up another stair.
"Probably just his cooking he's feeling," America laughed. Japan just grimaced, though it went entirely unnoticed by his taller friend. "Dude, since when were these stairs so friggin' long?"
"There have been no recent renovations to my knowledge." America stared at him blankly. "They're as long as always," Japan corrected himself.
"Oh."
The group walked up the rest of the staircase in near silence, holding it even after Romania had led them into a large sitting room and shut the door behind them. Hungary twisted her dress anxiously, and finally called out unsurely, "So, okay, past fighters in the war to the right side, people feeling the symptoms on the other. If you're both, follow the nations with the symp-"
"Hey who made you the leader! Why not the Awesome Me, eh?"
"Prussia I swear if you don't shut your mouth right now I'm going to kick your ass into next week!" Hungary snarled. Prussia dropped to the couch seat, pouting with his cheeks tinged red. "Now, I'd like you to raise your hand based on the level of pain you feel, one being almost nothing, and five being Hell. One?"
Russia, France, and Romano raised their hands.
Hungary nodded to Romania to write it down. He rushed to a side table and began to paw around through its contents before procuring a pad of paper and a pen, scribbling on the names with his tongue peeking out from the side of his mouth.
"Two?"
America raised his hand proudly, China following.
"Three?"
Spain and Prussia raised their hands. Hungary thought it over for a moment before raising her hand, too.
"Four?"
Germany and Japan. Romania scribbled it down.
"Five?"
Britain, Canada, and Italy raised shaking hands.
From the other side of the room, those who had been through the war were murmuring worriedly and beginning to talk amongst themselves. "Well, okay then," Hungary sighed, frowning worriedly. "We're going to have a conference, but unless you're feeling a 'one', I don't want you to participate. We'll wait for the pain to reach its peak and die down, probably sometime tomorrow morning, before we confront this physically. It's best if you try to get some sleep, now. You have a long night ahead."
Hungary turned and left for the other side of the room where Romania was already starting to gather the other Nations. Night had just fallen outside, though it was probably only around seven.
With nothing better to do than heed Hungary's advice, Canada had begun to crawl over to the wall that France was leaning up against. He scooted closer to his old boss, but cringed as a wave of pain crashed through both his stomach and head. France simply pulled him the rest of the way and put a sympathetic arm around his shoulders, for once not looking as if he were mentally undressing the object of his attention.
America would have gone to comfort Britain, but his former boss just so happened to be a condescending jerk-wad when he was in pain. Or drunk. Or sober, really. So instead he just watched the blonde Nation curl up on a long couch, shoving a pillow over his face and yelling insults at anyone who came too close. America sighed.
Meanwhile, Italy, Germany, and Japan had claimed an entire corner of the room for themselves. All three had claimed to feel the higher numbers, and it was beginning to show even among the two strongest of the group.
"Does this mean we're staying here overnight?" Germany asked gruffly. He was sitting in the very point of the corner, facing the opposite corner of the room on a perfect diagonal. Italy leaned up against him, whimpering, and promptly fell into his lap at the sound of his slightly-too-loud voice. Japan sat on his other side, a grimace fixed on his face, though he tried to hide it.
"I believe so, Germany-san."
"I guess I'd better cancel the rest of my meetings…" The annoyance in his voice was almost tangible. He shuffled in his seat as he attempted to pull out his cell phone, but Japan put a hand on the Nation's arm to stop him.
"I think your leader will understand. Get some rest before the pain grows too much."
Germany paused, then gave a slight smile. "I… I guess. Thank you, then. I will."
Japan returned the smile, but it disappeared quickly as Italy gave a yelp of pain. The brunette grimaced before giving a weak laugh. "Yay, sleepover…" he murmured, and passed out on Germany's lap.