Hetalia isn't mine, blah blah blah. If it does become mine, I'll tell you, okay?

Also, all my translations come from Google, except the French and Spanish. If I've made any mistakes, please let me know.

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Prussia strikes first, sword singing as it buries itself in grey flesh. "Bear the cross!"

The Thing howls and strikes. Germany sends his attack before its claws touch the elder nation. "I'll make you submit! Level one torture!"

His whip cracks and the Thing staggers back, claws flailing wildly. Japan leaps back out of range, eyes glittering darkly. His sword flashes violet. "Curse!"

Deep violet light flares around him and throws itself at the Thing. It howls, snapping about itself, and Japan stabs it firmly in the chest. He throws himself backwards as the Thing scythes a claw towards him, barely dodging its attack. Prussia jumps forward again while it's distracted, blade piercing deep into its forehead, ignoring the claw that almost strikes him. He leaps clear as the Thing crumples.

The four of them stand ready, waiting for it to heal and stand up. But instead, it fades away into nothing. Prussia frowns. "Is that it?"

"It would appear so…" Japan says carefully.

The ex-nation grins, turning to his brother and Italy. "Are you two alright?"

Germany scowls at them. "You both completely ignored my order!"

"We're both older than you," Japan points out quietly. "And did you really expect us to leave you to fight alone?"

Germany sighs, blue eyes flickering along Japan's frame. "Are… Are you alright? We've all been worried."

"Prussia especially, ve~!"

Japan glances over at him, so fast he almost misses it. "Oh… Yes. Yes, I'm fine. It's not a big deal. And you two? You ran away quite fast, so I've been worrying about you both."

"Ja," Germany says, uncertain. Prussia shares the sentiment. What's not a big deal?

He leans his full weight against Japan's shoulder. The smaller nation stumbles underneath him. "The hell?! You totally ignored what I said!"

Japan blinks, confused. "Ah… S-sorry?"

"You should be, dammit!" He tousles Japan's hair roughly. The Asian nation shoves his hand away, pouting (so cute~!).

"Prussia!" he protests, brushing his hair back into place. "Don't do that!"

"Kesesese!" Prussia stops, glancing at the curtain off to one side. "Hey… What's that?"

He shoves the curtain aside. "Look! It's a box! Huh. I could've sworn there was nothing here before…"

Japan comes over to look. "Oh! Well, it might come in handy… Maybe you should hang on to it?"

Prussia shoves it into his duffel without answering. Germany frowns.

"How much can that bag hold…?"

Prussia shrugs. "Don't know. I haven't really tested it. A lot."

Japan laughs softly. "Okay, Prussia. Why don't we look around? I don't know about you, but I'm getting rather tired; we should find a safe room to spend the night."

The other three nod in agreement, and Prussia leads the way next door to the lever room. "I don't know if this will do, but it is a nice room."

"We should find one we can lock," Germany suggests.

"Ja, I suppose you're right…"

Japan walks over to the lever. Prussia glances over at him. "Be careful with that! I'm not sure what'll happen if we make the wrong-"

Japan tugs the lever to the central position. There's a loud crack, and it falls to the lowest position. "…Oh," Japan murmurs. "It broke."

There's a ringing sound, and another key drops from the ceiling to land at Prussia's feet. He picks it up. 2F fireplace room. "I haven't seen a fireplace room…" he mutters. "You guys?"

"Well, obviously it's one none of us have been in," Germany states. "I've only seen two…"

"I've been in pretty much all of them," Prussia says. "Oh! I know where it is! Come on!"

He leads them downstairs and to the left, stopping in front of the room that he hadn't been able to enter before. He checks the key; it fits the lock. He grins. "One safe room, coming right up!" He opens the door.

It's cold. That's the first thing they notice. Italy shivers. "It's cold in here, ve…"

"So let's start a fire," Japan suggests. "There's a fireplace, and wood… I don't remember exactly, but I think I saw some matches down the hall."

Prussia grins happily. "Which room?"

"Ah… The one across from the room that was locked earlier."

"The one Italy was hiding in? Okay, I'll go get them!"

"Pru-"

He leaves before Japan can finish his sentence, walking as quickly and quietly as he can to the room Japan mentioned.

"Matches, matches… Ah!" There they are, under the bed. There's a first aid kit on a shelf, so he grabs that too before heading back.

"Got them!"

"Prussia," Japan chides softly, "we shouldn't go anywhere alone in this place."

"Ja," Germany agrees. "We don't know when or where that Thing will appear again. We should stick together."

"Okay, okay… Sheesh, you guys worry too much."

Japan sighs, taking the matches and going over to the fireplace, kneeling beside it and setting to work. In no time there's a wonderful fire flickering happily in the grate, warming the room to a much nicer temperature. They all find a place to sit, Germany, Italy and Prussia at the table and Japan settled comfortably by the fire, occasionally poking at it or adding another log.

"So," Germany begins, "the windows are barred and the front door is locked. Also, have you noticed? Our watches are all desynchronized. So what now? Most importantly, how do we get out?"

The other three shrug. "Well…" Prussia considers, "I doubt we can do anything about the watches, but if we look around we might find the front door key. But if it's a way out you want, why don't we make our own exit? Didn't you guys do that all the time when you were prisoners of war? It's time to put that into practice now!"

Japan laughs softly, eyes gleaming—almost sadistically—as he remembers. "Ah, yes… I miss those times when I kept trying to commit seppuku."

"Veeeee! Japaaaaan! That's not funny!"

Germany pinches the bridge of his nose. "Don't even joke about that. Honestly, between you and Italy…" He trails off into muttered German.

"Heh. I'll try not to mention it again, then."

Prussia tries to imagine what it must have been like when the three of them were captured. Then he decides he really doesn't want to know. "Okay…"

"Well," Japan muses, "Germany-san worked very hard to save us back then. We all have to do our best this time."

"Yeah! Don't worry Doitsu, I'll work really hard!" Italy yawns. "I'm tired. Can we go sleep?"

"Shouldn't someone keep watch?" Prussia asks. "In case the Thing shows up again."

The four of them consider this. "…Why don't we play janken to decide?" Japan suggests.

Italy frowns. "Jan…ke…? What's that?"

"W-well," Japan begins, "it's a very simple game… You play by showing three types of hand signs…"

Prussia zones out. It sounds like Rock, Paper, Scissors; he already knows the rules. Instead, he looks at the other three. Germany is nodding along to Japan's explanation, the eastern nation's hands fluttering in the air as he talks. Italy giggles. "Oh, it's a little like La Morra! I get it!"

"Well then," Prussia interjects, "let's do this!"

"Hai," Japan agrees. "Jan…ken…"

"Awwww!" Italy whines. "I wanted to sleep… Oh! But I'll be a wonderful guard! I won't open the door, no matter what!"

Japan hesitates, still standing by the table. Germany and Prussia are already making themselves comfortable. "I don't mind standing guard, if you want to sleep…"

Italy smiles. They've all noticed how Japan, especially, seems… weary. Like he's been running or fighting constantly since they arrived. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine. Besides, if I'm up all night standing guard, I can have an extra-long siesta tomorrow, right?"

"I suppose," Germany mutters. "Gute nacht."

"Buona notta!"

Japan smiles, hesitating a moment longer before curling up next to Prussia on the side of the bed nearest the door. "Oyasuminasai," he hums sleepily, closing his eyes. Prussia chuckles, absently petting the smaller nation's silky hair.

"Nacht, Japan."

Italy, sitting at the table, listens as his friends' breathing evens and they slip into sleep. "Aw… they're so lucky. I wish I could sleep too. But I promised I'd stand guard, so I have to!"

He stands, glancing over at the bed. "They look so cute when they're asleep~! I wish they were always so adorable."

He shivers. "Why's it so cold in here, suddenly…? The fire's really warm… Weird."

BANG!

"EEEEK! GERMA-" He stops. "No! No, I can't cling to Germany all the time… I can do this!"

He tugs out his white flag. "Okay monster… I… won't surrender this time…!"

He opens the door. "EEE-!"

Blood spatters across the hall.

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You cannot easily set foot in that mysterious mansion in your town. Because if you anger its former occupant, you will not get away lightly…

Especially when there are no people there.

Romano glares up at the mansion. "This is stupid. Can we go now?"

Spain wraps a companionable arm around his shoulders. "Ah, c'mon, Roma! We'll just look around for a little bit. It's not that bad!"

"Don't touch me!"

England sighs. "It's a pity China and Russia didn't come… But I suppose it's not really a surprise. Japan did make this place sound rather dull."

Japan, having overheard America talking about it, had said it was just an old house, really. There wasn't anything to see there. He didn't mention how he knew that, though…

America shrugs. "Dudes, it's a haunted house! What's cooler and scarier than that?"

"Doesn't it look like something's about to come out of it, though?" a soft voice inquires.

France laughs. "Ah, come now, mon petit Canada! It is not that bad!"

"Huh? Canada?" America asks, looking around. France sighs.

"…In any case, it is a pity the Axis chose not to come."

"Hey!"

"Except Romano. I would have liked to waste some time with la Prusse as well."

"I'm here, mi amigo!"

"I know, Spain."

Romano shrugs. "Well, let's get this over with."

The six of them enter the mansion.

"It's pretty clean in here," Canada murmurs as Spain, France, and England head upstairs.

America frowns. "There probably won't be any ghosts here… Not that I'm… happy about that! No! It's so annoying!"

"Huh? How unusual for you, America."

"Are you actually scared? Stupid hamburger bastard."

"I'm not scared! I'm just-"

Whatever America is, he doesn't get a chance to say it as a gigantic… thing comes barreling around the corner.

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"It stinks down here," Spain complains. "I've got a bad feeling about this room…"

France shrugs. "It's probably just the smell bothering you- Angleterre? Are you alright? You look awfully pale."

England looks up. "Hmm? Oh, yes. It's just… this place… It feels like everything's been… consumed."

"So you can't see your imaginary friends?" Spain asks.

"They're not imaginary! But I don't think we should stay here long."

The Spaniard shrugs. "I'll go explore the upper floors, then. Hey, France, you want to come?"

"Non, I'll explore down here~! But you have fun."

"I'll go with Spain," England decides.

France nods, wandering off down the hall. "Okay. I'll see you two in… fifteen minutes?"

Spain grins. "Yeah! You're starting down there?"

"Oui. That room is bad news, yes? I'll do it last."

The other two nod, heading upstairs, all the way to the fourth floor. They duck into the last room and look around; there's a curtain in one corner and a chair held together with tape against the wall.

"Oh! That's-"

"Hey!" Spain chuckles. "That looks like a cursed chair France told me about!"

England frowns. "Yeah… What's it doing here?"

Whatever Spain was planning to say is cut off.

BANG! BANG BANG BANG BANG!

England spins around. "That was America's gun! What happened?!"

Spain shrugs. "He probably just fell for Roma's teasing."

"I wouldn't call what he does teasing… Well, let's go. Even if it was nothing, we still need to go down and meet France."

"It's been fifteen minutes! Where is that damn frog?"

Spain sighs. "We probably just missed each other. I'll go look for him. You stay here so we don't miss each other again."

"All right."

The Spaniard wanders down the hall to the bad-smelling room, pulling open the door. "Aiaiai, this place stinks! Oh, a fire. That's probably why." He walks over to the fireplace. "Huh? What's this blue fabric?"

He tugs it out. "What the heck?! This is Prussia's uniform! He was wearing it at the meeting! Why's it here?!

"And why's it covered in blood?!"

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Dun dun dunnnnnn! Another fast update! Yay for me!

Translations:

Doitsu (Japanese): Germany

Hai (Japanese): Yes
Gute nacht (German): Good night
Buona notta (Italian): Good night
Oyasuminasai (Japanese): Good night
Mon petit Canada (French): My little Canada
La Prusse (French): Prussia
Mi amigo (Spanish): My friend

Angleterre (French): England
Non (French): No
Oui (French): Yes

Again, tell me if I made a mistake on the translations!

See ya~!

-Bird