Chapter 3

Dashing past the yaoi crazed France, Veneziano runs towards the closest room: the costume gallery. Italy had a split second of genius, diving into the mass of costumes to hide himself. He navigated past several Goku's, five Inuyasha's, and near 50 Ichigo's till he was in the crowd's center. Realizing silence was necessary to throw off his pursuers, Italy hushed his insipid whimpers. He went full stealth mode, finally using the tips and strategies Germany gave him years back.

Veneziano peeked over the cosplayers signing up to check if his fangirls were still there. He saw them by the door, deep in discussion. Although there was great distance between them, Italy was certain they were devising a way to find him. Being captured and brutally adored by a bunch of otakus was not on Italy's agenda for today. He stopped his peeking and resumed his sneaking, only to be interrupted by a huge cosplayer.

Positively gigantic, metallic, sharp, and appeared to be very dangerous. It was an imposing, living suit of armor and it was staring at Italy with dark, empty eyes. The country's face turned the lightest shade of white possible; He nearly passed out from shock. But as Veneziano stood, near collapse, the armor…spoke. In a light, prepubescent voice, it said, "Have you seen my brother Edward? He's really short and get's angry all the time."

The calm, caring voice coming from the armor put Italy off his guard for a good ten seconds. The suit stood there, nonexistent eyes latched onto Veneziano. It only frightened Italy even more until he finally replied, "No, Mistah Walking Robot."

"Oh, well ok. Goodbye," the huge creature said before he walked away. The absurd lengths cosplayers go to. Even a country from Hetalia considered it insane.

Refocused once again, he went back to figuring out a way to make it past the girls. Despite one door being covered, there had to be another door. Looking around Italy noticed another door: one a bit secluded from the other. Still, if he tried to make a run for it the otakus could easily see him. Veneziano needed a disguise and luckily he was in a room full of them.

But which one would be good enough to fool the pack searching for him. The "robot" could work, but he never wanted to come face to face with that thing again. Italy walked around through the crowd inspecting every cosplayer he could, never finding a good enough one. Besides, it was unlikely anyone would share their costume with him!

Soon, after being shoved around by a mob of Vocaloids, Italy came across his savior. A disguise so foolproof, so perfect, it would definitely hide him from the fangirls after him: a box of tomatoes. Two holes for legs cut out on the bottom and little eye holes poked out. Just left on the ground with no one around it. It seemed like God had left it there due to an odd plot hole.

It was a bit of a risk, but a tomato box was better than nothing. Hopping inside, Italy unleashed his inner Solid Snake and boxed his way to the second door. With no fangirls the wiser and no one on his trail, it seemed Veneziano would finally be free. Italy quickly sneaked away out of the cosplay gallery with luckily no one on his trail. He sighed in relieve, but then immediately crashed into something.

"What the heck was that?" a voice spoke out as a box of tomatoes ran into him.

"It was the box of tomatoes fairy! Please allow me passage!" Italy cried from inside the box.

"I think somebody's in here," the voice said as Italy watched it kneel down beside him.

"No, no, please! Do not open the box of tomatoes! I'm just a regular, simple fairy!" Veneziano screamed in terror while his disguise was opened up. He looked as the box opened, and found himself face to face with Todd Haberkorn.