heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey another chapter. i changed denmark back to matthias because there seems to be some mutual understanding between the fanfic community that that is his name. alksjflkjasf
Norway = Lukas
Iceland = Emil.
also there's some more foreshadowing.
sorry I took the first names I saw off the hetalia shout wiki :(
And yeah, sorry if it's confusing with the whole Alfred thing. I don't want to label him as Canada or Matthew, because that would be even more confusing.
And I also apologize because I don't know how sweden talks.
I SUMMON THE NEXT CHAPTER.
"Arthur, you do realize that it is three in the morning, and usually at this time, the majority of Europe is asleep?"
Francis turned down the brightness of his phone and rubbed his eyes. He was having a very pleasant dream where he was able to strip a certain forever frenemy nation. Ironically, said nation decided to call him and interrupt his dream, as if telling Francis, "Not even in your dreams."
"Yes, you git, I know that. Normally you would be the last person I would ever call, but I'm here at Matthew's with Alfred."
"You're in Canada? With both Alfred and Mathieu? Why wasn't I invited?"
"I'm not here with Matthew, I'm here with Alfred."
Francis rolled over to his left side and propped up his head with his hand.
"But mon cher, you just said you were at Mathieu's house. How can you be at his house if he's not there?"
"That's what I wanted to call you about it. There's this… dilemma."
"Arthur, I believe it is time that you solve your sexual tensions yourself. Do not get me wrong, I do love helping you, but you must learn to grow up." Francis chuckled. He could already imagine that Arthur was steaming on the other side of the phone.
"Sexual tensions? What – No! That's not what this is about. It's America. He thinks he's Canada."
Francis rolled his eyes.
"He probably is Canada. Do you know how many times you've mistaken poor Mathieu for Alfred?"
"I know, I know, I've heard. But this is different. He doesn't just look like Alfred, he acts like it too. No one can be this extremely annoying but him. He has the same hair, same eyes, same horrible manners, and the same love of hamburgers." Arthur sighed. "The only difference is he calls himself Canada."
"Maybe Mathieu is secretly lusting over you, and believes that the only way to your heart is to be what you love the most."
"… You git. You read too many fanfictions."
"You are wrong, Arthur. I do not read fanfictions, I write them. "
Arthur continued to talk, ignoring Francis' statement.
"The lad ferociously argues that he's Canada. And sometimes I think I'm wrong. Maybe he is Canada. He gets so overly defensive whenever I call him America too. If only the dolt didn't have amnesia he-"
"Mathieu has amnesia?"
"Yes. He can't remember who he is. I received a call a few weeks back from America, asking to be picked up from some remote place in Latvia. When I arrived, I had thought it was Alfred, but there was something different about him. He didn't recognize me, and his hair was longer. He also wasn't wearing his bomber jacket."
"Then it is obviously Mathieu. If he can't remember who he was, he may be acting on from the memories of his brother."
"I'm sure it's Alfred."
"Non, mon ami. You want it to be Alfred. If it wasn't, that would mean that Alfred's out there, in danger."
"He's Alfred."
"He is mon petit. My little angel."
"I never knew you thought of Alfred that way."
"Arthur, he says he is Canada. Believe him."
"Bloody hell Francis, I'm not like you. I remember my ex colonies through and through. I don't just sleep with them and then throw them out like a used rubber."
Francis was fully awake now. He sat up on his bed, feeling the anger well up inside him.
"If I recall, you were the one who stole Mathieu away from me."
"And it's a favour that he would never forget."
"Mathieu was miserable with you. He would never consider you as a father, like the way he considers me."
"Yet he comes running to me every time you show up with your gropey little hands. Shows what kind of father you are."
Francis clenched his hand into a fist. "What kind of father I am?" his voice was rising by the decibel. "Mon ami, I am not the one who forgets Matthieu's name all the time. I have never once mistaken him for America. I am not the one who turned their back on him and left him to mourn by himself in a cemetery full of poppies! You went straight back to Europe! If only I had known, I would have been there with him."
"But you decided to fight against him in the American Revolution."
"Do not make me the villain. It is because of you that Canada is such a conflicting country. He pleads for your attention, and yet you look south. He has your Queen on his currency! All you have ever done is use him to fight, and because he fought under your shadow. You took his accomplishments as your own, and you only acknowledge Alfred's."
"Everything you said is total bollocks. You're a hypocrite."
"At least I can actually see Mathieu. I do not know about you, but I care about Mathieu. If Mathieu was ever in trouble, I would gladly change places with him so he does not get hurt. Do not patronize me when you can not even distinguish Mathieu from Alfred. Au revoir, L'angletere".
Francis hung up before Arthur would have the chance to retort. He knew he was being extremely hypocritical. Yes, he could tell the two America brothers apart, but he had to admit. Lately, he hasn't spent much time with Mathieu. A few seconds later, his phone range again.
"L'angleterre." He said, his voice a low growl.
"Whoa! Hey amigo! It's me, Antonio!"
"Desole, mon cher! I just had a very displeasing argument with Rosbif. Please forgive me."
"No problem! All is forgiven. I dislike that pirate as well."
Antonio let out a cheery laugh, and Francis couldn't help but chuckle. Antonio's laugh was infectious.
"So how is everything? How are you and Romano?"
"Oh, Romano… That is why I'm calling." The happiness from Antonio's voice vanished, replaced by something which sounded like sorrow.
"You may not know it, but he has been missing for a month. No calls, no letters. Do you remember how him and Germany went to a private meeting with Russia?"
Francis scratched at the stubble on his chin.
"I do remember something like that."
"Gilbert thinks that Russia has captured them. He has done some snooping around, and he knows where Russia is keeping them. He plans on showing Russia the true Prussian strength."
"But there is no way he can accomplish this himself."
"Which is where you and I come in."
Francis felt a smile stretch across his face.
"It would be like old times, non?"
"Si. The bad friends trio unite again. Fusosososo~"
"But how did our friend manage to get such information? One can not just simply wander about in Russia and trip over a secret message."
But considering that it was Gilbert, it was highly possible.
"He tells me we will find out when we get there."
"And when and where would 'there' be?"
"We will meet at Germany's house tonight, and then the next morning for Russia."
"This is so soon."
Antonio's voice was but a whisper. "He will not say it outright, but he knows something that we don't. There are terrible things happening, and it would be better to save Germany and Romano sooner than later."
"I understand. Merde, this will be quite a difficult situation to handle."
"Does this mean I will see you tonight?"
"Oui. I shall start making preparations. "
"Gracias, Francis. This means a lot to Gilbert and I. We just want to see Romano and Germany come back home safely."
"It is no problem, mon cher. I must go now. I have a flight to book. Au revoir."
"Adios."
Francis turned off his phone and hastily got out of bed. It was going to be a long day.
Alfred had been listening in on Arthur and Francis' entire conversation. Maybe he was America. It would explain why he wasn't as reserved most Canadians, and didn't have that extreme love of pancakes and maple syrup. But then his mind raced back to that room, where it was just him and someone who looked like him. His brother, probably. The memory was hazy, but he remembered watching his brother heroically walk out the door to face an onslaught of soldiers. That nation had to be America. The nation who walked out was strong and courageous. Alfred could only remember that he had stayed behind, which is what cowards do.
Alfred's reverie was interrupted when someone coughed behind him. He turned around and his eyes met with Arthur's.
"I suppose you heard all of that?"
Alfred looked at his hand and found that he was still clutching on to the phone.
"Umm.. Yeah."
"Come here."
Before Alfred had knew it, Arthur had held him in a tight embrace, which ended as quick as it came.
"Don't worry lad. Whether you are Canada or America, you still would have been one of my ex colonies."
Alfred laughed.
"So I guess that means I still must have eaten some of your shitty cooking. What a sad childhood I must have had."
"You Git! You just have no tastes!"
"And you're just an old man!"
Alfred playfully tackled Arthur to the ground. He lay on top of Arthur for a while, there faces so close. Alfred could just feel Arthur's heated breath, the rise and fall of his chest from underneath him. Arthur had closed his eyes, and Alfred found himself closing the already small distance between them. But Arthur's eyes had suddenly opened wide, with the realization that Alfred was Canada. Alfred reached out with his hand, desperately wanting to caress Arthur's face, to trace his lips with his fingers. Instead, he squeezed Arthur's nose.
"honk".
"…. Get off me."
Alfred quickly leapt up and held out his hand, hoping the older nation would take it. Instead, Arthur brushed it off.
"I'm not so old that I need your help, Matthew."
Alfred sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. He may not be America, but he definitely wanted to be him. There were times when Arthur would call out to Alfred. Alfred would just get mad, and would constantly be correcting him, telling him he was Canada. And that's what would hold Arthur back. The fact that Alfred wasn't America. He felt a sudden ache in his chest, and his hand flew to his heart. Arthur noticed this.
"Matthew? Is there anything wrong?"
Alfred laughed. There was such irony in that question.
"No, nothing at all."
"Alright then. I'll be in the other room. Call me if you need me."
Alfred watched Arthur's back, as became further and further away from him. Alfred yearned for Arthur. Alfred wanted to stand in front of Arthur, and have him accept him for who he was. He wanted him to see him as Canada, and look at him the same way he would look at America. Whenever Alfred saw Arthur, he just wanted to reach out and grab him close, and tell him everything would be alright. Alfred felt his stomach churn. He tried to grasp a memory, something, anything, that would tell him what was real. He knew there was something there. He felt it. He felt the sadness, the loneliness, the separation. He felt the joy, the love, and the admiration. All for Arthur. And yet he didn't know why those feelings were there. Arthur wanted him to be America, and Alfred wanted to be America. So what was stopping them?
Alfred's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a small tugging at his leg. He looked down and saw his polar bear, kuma what what, tugging at his leg.
"Who are you?" it asked.
"I've told you like a million times already. I'm Canada."
The polar bear shook its head.
"No. You're America."
Damnit. Alfred thought. Even my own pet wants me to be America.
Tino felt a heavy weight on his leg. He opened his eyes and found that the weight belonged to Berwald, who had fallen asleep on him. He looked at his surroundings. He was in a bed in a private hospital room. He then noticed that it wasn't just Berwald in the room. Emil was sleeping on a leather couch, and Matthias was sleeping on the ground in front of it. The only one who was awake was Lukas. Lukas noticed that Tino was awake, and nodded. He gently tapped Emil on the shoulder, and then proceeded to kick Matthias in the crotch. Matthias's scream woke Berwald up. There was a lot of shouting, and scuffling, until they all realized Tino was awake. The look that Berwald gave the others showed that he wanted some time alone with Tino. The other Nordics politely complied, and walked out of the room and waited outside. Once they were gone, Berwald turned back to Tino.
"M' wife, what 'appened?"
Tino spoke, but his voice felt raspy and his breath was short.
"We were Russia's test subjects."
Tino thought back to the times he was strapped to a table, screaming. How every time he closed his eyes, when he woke up, he felt lost and confused, and could barely remember anything but his name. He remembered all the times Germany had pleaded to Russia, wanting to take Romano's place.
"What was 'e testin'?"
Tino felt his consciousness fading. He was only able to softly mumble the words before he slipped back to sleep.
Matthias fidgeted. He wanted to know what happened to Tino. There were so many unexplained things, like how his wounds were healing so slowly. He thought back to how they found Tino strapped to a table, pale and bloody. He remembered all the soldiers rushing about. Thank god he had asked Matthew to come help them out. If he and America didn't come -
"Hey Lukas"
Matthias asked. He suddenly remembered something important.
Lukas looked at Matthias, stoic expression on his face.
"Yes?"
"You know that memory magic thing you pulled on America? The one with the amnesia thing? How long does it last?"
Lukas held up a finger.
"One month."
Matthias gritted his teeth. America and Russia had quite the history between them. But Matthias thought they had settled that. Why it was that Russia would want America? He remembered that during the time they infiltrated the lab, Matthew had found a brown package. He and Matthias quickly skimmed through it, and saw something labelled 'Project Amerika'. America was in horrible condition; the soldiers had realized that shooting at the nations would not have a severe dramatic effect, so they shot at their legs. America had charged forward, but by the time they had realized the soldier's new ideas, he was already shot several times in the leg. They still stuck to the original plan, where Matthew, America, and himself would be the decoys, and everyone else would focus on getting Tino out of there. But Matthew wanted Lukas to temporarily remove America's memory. He hit America in the head, and told them that he would pretend to be America, so that if they got caught, Russia would only get Canada, and not America. The plan was going well, until Belarus appeared. Matthias held her off, so that Matthew would be able to carry the unconscious America to safety. Matthias had just barely managed to escape and get outside, which is when a certain albino carrying a certain Canadian fell on top of him.
Matthew and America had planned on leaving with England. Matthias could only assume that America got out safely. Matthew wouldn't just leave his brother there.
Matthias jumped as Berwald slammed the door open.
"We 'ave a problem."
"What is it?" Matthias asked.
"Russia 'as found a way t' temporarily turn nations int' 'umans."
The other three nations gasped. If Russia was able to temporarily turn nations into humans, what would happen?
Then it was Lukas' turn to speak.
"That explains the constant earthquakes in Europe."
"You mean the ones in…."
Berwald nodded.
"Finland, Germany, and South Italy."
"So does that mean that… When a nation is hurt in human form, the actual country suffers?" asked Emil.
Lukas held his stoic expression, but Matthias's face darkened with a sudden realization.
"America is a major nation. If Russia was to capture him and turn him into a human and kill him…."
Matthias turned towards Lukas. A silent understanding passed between them. Lukas pulled out his cellphone.
"I'll call England right away."
I don't mean to be rude but most fanfics are all "I AM A NATION I HAVE DISAPEARED I AM DEAD BUT I AM NOW HUMAN." don't get me wrong, those fanfics are so cute and I always cry and I always shout "WHY CANT YOU JUST LOVE HIM AND REMEMBER HIM ALSKFJLAKSJF". but I think that nations can be humans in other ways too. hi reviews are appreciated. Preview for next chapter:
Spain, Prussia, France, and Canada infiltrate another one of Russia's secret bases. But what they discover is that Russia doesn't just want to take down America.
Anyone wanna guess what else Russia wants? And it's not world domination.