UPDATE 10/29/15: May I simply skip the update labels from here on forth?
I'm sorry I barely did anything for this chapter! All the credit goes to my awesomely Prussia friend Silvre, once again! I'll help more, my writer's block is gone, though! (All I did was merely Bella's PoV. It's so short, sorry! Hopefully Ch 5 will make up for it and more, hehe.)
Hei everyone. This is Silvre. Sorry it's been so long but we've been busy...I hope this isn't too boring...I'm keeping it short 'cuz I'm amazingly tired but thanks for reading... :)
Do we really need to restate this? I mean, obviously Hetalia was created by a mangaka, and that is certainly not something we are.
Ludwig's PoV
Lovina quickly led he and the others who had promptly chosen their 'side' skillfully away. Though Ludwig had not known his delicate and quite cheerful little Italian partner for long, he could already feel her misery flowing off her in waves. To choose between a friend and a sibling, he knew, was a hard decision, so of course, he did not blame her in the least for her decision. Things were now complicated, and it was only the third day of school. Although Antonio may have insisted that this whole situation was a mere hoax, there was no telling what this could lead to. Lovina may have had a harsh tongue and a rather rude attitude, but he doubted she would be anywhere near dumb or naive. If she had taken this little "prank" seriously, then this would probably lead to somewhere. Ludwig shuddered slightly at the possibility of a full divide in the school, but quickly shoved away the thought. How could he worry now? His partner should and will be his first priority, nothing else.
Behind him, Ludwig heard a slight sniffle. Tears glittered in Felicia's hazel eyes, and threatened to fall at once. Panic washed over him. With a completely minimal experience with the female population, he had no idea how to help. Fortunately he at least knew that there was no way he could allow his partner to make a scene in the hallway after she had already decided where her support for the war lay. He swept her up quickly, and jogged carefully to the nurse's office, taking special consideration as to not jostle the distressed girl. Two footsteps echoed behind them, confirming that Antonio and Lovina followed. Swiftly entering the nurse's office, without hesitation he set Felicia with care on one of the empty beds. He didn't want to hurt the small, delicate girl anymore than she already had.
Felicia sniffled, " Luddy, I - what do I do?" Sobs racked her fragile frame, and Ludwig froze, not knowing how to handle the situation. He had not read any manuals or books on how to deal with sensitive Italian princesses. He gave her a small hug, hoping that it would work as he had nothing left up his sleeve.
Antonio spoke softly.
"It's ok, Felicia! Everything will be back to normal after I help clear things up. There's not going to be a war." He put up a convincing look and smiled slightly to reassure her. When Ludwig turned around, he was shocked to see Lovina's eye's fill slightly with tears.
"Oh Felicia, I'm so sorry. But I had to. If it really is a fucking joke that was set up, no one'll get away with it unless hell freezes over," she murmured slightly more calmly than usual to her sister. Ludwig stared in awe at the different person in front of him even with the additional cussing.
Felicia had stayed silent throughout their apologizes. She hesitated for a few moments. "I-It's ok. It'll be fine, right Lovi? Right, Luddy?"
"Of course, Felicia. Of course." He reassured.
Felicia's tears reappeared and her calm she had tried so hard to keep shattered. "My friend hates me and my partner won't even call me a nickname," she wailed. "I don't even know if I have any friends left, Mattie's probably going to help Bella as well." She broke down in sobs and Lovina flashed a glare in Ludwig's direction.
"Felici - Feli, I mean, it's ok. You have friends. I'm your friend. It'll be ok." He spoke quickly and was unused to the nickname that came from his mouth. But Ludwig realized that he liked the feeling of having a nickname to call someone, a type of familiarity he never had with anyone besides family. "It'll be ok," he repeated quietly. Felicia mustered up a smile and Ludwig felt the world in motion again. Letting go of the breath he had unknowingly held, he guided Felicia through the rest of the campus, being careful to avoid Bella, Vash, and anyone else that he suspected might've been on their side.
Antonio's PoV
He should have been in the cafeteria with Lovina, Felicia, and Ludwig. But he couldn't. The younger princess was still as fragile as porcelain, even if Ludwig had taken extra care to cheer her up. And of course, Lovina was still a ticking atomic bomb but hid it well. He knew her well enough to know when he walked her home as an escort, there would be a hell of a explosion.
Lars had to be kidding when he said his family had already declared war. And on Antonio's empire, his allies as well! There was no way it could be this serious. Some people were just stubborn, a nice tomato or two could do him good. Antonio mused about the idea of sending everyone a basket full of fresh tomatoes to ease relationships. Feeling childish for considering the war serious or real, he chided himself good naturedly.
Running back to eat his juicy tomatoes he had insisted upon for lunch, Antonio dashed into the cafeteria. The grand room glittered with sparkling chandeliers and there was quiet chatter all around the intricate wooden tables. The walls were covered in complicated designs, painted a warm pale golden hue. There were separate round seatings for every group and everyone was free to get up whenever they wished. Lunch consisted of whatever they wished for the day, made by own personal chefs. It was the students' only free time and they had two hours including lunch. First and second years had lunch together only for today, to get the new ones used to it. There was a slight aura of tension as Antonio entered that had not even been there the first day, but he dismissed it as excitement. His table was by a looming window that overlooked the academy rose gardens. He saw Felicia pick at her pasta quietly, peering every few seconds in the exact same direction. Ludwig looked concerned but seemed to be at conflict as what he should do. Lovi glared at Antonio as she saw him.
"What the hell did you do for so long?"
Grinning, he replied, "Just went to the bathroom. Why? You concerned?" A shove was his only answer. He liked to think it was a warm-hearted, joking thing.
Bella's PoV
Honestly, Bella didn't understand why her brother was acting the way he was. Why did she herself not even receive notice about her parents' decisions? War was a huge thing, especially in such a world where tensions had been steadily increasing since decades, even centuries ago. She recalled her past history lessons, where her tutor had talked about the old wars over territory that had turned into fields of bloodshed.
The individual sectors of the world had then formed kingdoms, empires, and commonwealths, hoping to acknowledge each other as separate but on better terms. But even land, when evenly distributed, wouldn't be the only problem. That was where everything the past rulers accomplished had fallen shortsighted.
Bella wasn't really on wonderful terms with him anymore, but she probably could convince the stubborn Dutchman that Antonio wasn't a bad guy. "At times big brother seems to think everything is a threat to me," she thought sadly. However, as she walked down the hallway, her mind flooded with rather, the good things that she could say about Toni, fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress in anticipation.
It just isn't like him to be so into the prospect of war. Of course I know him, and he's not the most sunny person, but he's not belligerent either. Bella was still very baffled. For a mere second the princess thought of instead, discussing the situation with Antonio. But then there was Lovina to deal with, and she always hung around. Bella didn't know enough about this yet, not at all, and she stopped, resting for a moment against the lockers to consider the situation.
Nor did she know her brother enough, Bella realized a minute too late, as someone came sprinting urgently through the halls at record speed. "Follow me!" A familiar hand grabbed hers and she was pulled along to the resulting parade of mayhem.