It was frightening. Truly frightening. And Katarina didn't like it. She prided herself on her bravery, her toughness, her persistence to fight. But the truth is, she's easily scared. She's scared of thunderstorms, she's scared of spiders, she's scared of turtle infestations, and she scared of losing people that mean a lot to her. So for her, this whole dilemma was like being in hell. She was so relieved to have her sister here with her, but her heart ached for her boss. For her Isabel Carriedo.

After seeing how her own counterpart turned out, she felt absolutely sick thinking about Isabel. And then there was Isabel's counterpart. Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. Katarina didn't know how to feel about this whole thing. At first she detested him, ABSOLUTELY detested him for taking her place, for acting so much like her. Yet, he wasn't her. It wasn't the same. But at the same time, she felt herself increasingly attached to him. Like he was a part of her. If something were to happen to him, she knew that it would hurt like hell. She would cry. Cry just as much as she would if Isabel had gotten hurt.

And then there was something else. She felt…differently for Antonio. Isabel was like Katarina's mother. A rather annoying and oblivious mother, but a nurturing and caring one. Antonio…well…he was…he was…what was he like? He wasn't similar to a parental figure. Maybe authority figure, but not parental. Not by a long shot.

He was more like a doting lover. After all, in this universe, she is supposed to be married to him. The thought mortified Katarina to no end at first, but now, she didn't mind the idea. In fact, she sort of liked it. She found herself always wanting to be by his side, to always protect him when she could…

Of course, she'd never let him know that she felt this way. He was a tomato bastard after all. But something about that relaxed and crooked smile, those glittering green eyes, that tousled hair, the way he'd look at her with adoration…

Maybe it was the fact that he was male. Katarina, unlike her sister, didn't have much experience with males. Yes, she'd been with a few here and there, but boys had never taken a center stage in her life.

But then there was the other part. This Lovino Vargas. This Italy Romano. Her male counterpart. Katarina knew that she could never replace him in Antonio's eyes. And as selfish as it sounded, it hurt. She wasn't stupid. After all, she knew that Antonio could never replace Isabel, but it still hurt, nonetheless. What hurt even more was seeing the horror and pain on the bastard's face when he saw what Lovino had become. This violent demon-like creature. He and his brother.

And then he had exploded on her. He told her outright what she knew all along. That she could never replace "his Lovi." Yes, she'd probably shun him for saying that, give him the cold shoulder, curse him out as an act of defense, but Katarina understood that Antonio wasn't the bad person here. She knew that if she had seen her Isabel in that state, with cold cruelty in her eyes, doing everything and anything just to kill, she would be driven to grief-stricken insanity.

With these thoughts in her mind, Katarina marched ahead with her sister at her side. She stole a glance at Daisy, taking in her younger sister's appearance. Her skin was paler than Katarina's, her brows were less defined, her eyes shined with a gentleness that Katarina lacked, her curly hair had more of a honey tint than hers did, and her long flyaway curl was located on the opposite side of her head. Katarina was shocked by the overwhelming sense of relief that shot through her. She was so glad that her sister was at her side. No matter how many times they've fought, quarreled, and cried, Katarina knew that she could never live without Daisy Vargas.

The others were behind them. She could hear their echoing footsteps. But she didn't look back. She didn't want to risk seeing the tormented face of Antonio. Elena Laurinaitis suddenly walked in front of both Daisy and Katarina, stopping at a huge wooden door, decorated with a plethora of intricate carvings.

Katarina gulped. She could already feel the ice. Anya Braginski terrified her. So did her younger brother Nikolai. Apparently, Anya has been replaced by her male counterpart, Ivan Braginski. And according to the male nations she was currently with, he was very scary. Very very very scary.

Katarina saw that Elena turned paler as she turned to the door and knocked on it three times. Everything was silent for about a minute, before the doors creaked open, ever so slowly, revealing a huge stone throne room, lined with lit torches. Katarina watched as Elena stepped aside and ushered them in, her eyes wide with fear.

Oh boy. This oughta be good.

They all stepped inside the room. The torch light flickered dangerously and reflected off the floor and ceiling in a strange swirling manner. Shadows seemed to cascade in every corner, twirling up and down the lengths of the huge room.

And then of course, in the center was a huge throne. And there sat a man with platinum blonde hair, icy pale skin, large flashing violet eyes, and an eerily innocent smile placed on his face. He was wearing a thick fur-like robe that cascaded all the way down his body, and pooled in huge piles at his feet. Katarina's breath hitched. That was definitely Ivan Braginski. No doubt about it. Just looking at him made her feel absolutely cold. She realized that the tension in the room had intensified. Everything seemed darker, more sinister, just…colder.

And Katarina realized that he wasn't alone. Standing on one side of his throne was…oh shit. It was Nikolai. Anya's crazy younger, and twisted brother. His glinting eyes flashed darkly from beneath his icy bangs. On the other side stood Anya's older brother, Dmitri. He was the least sinister looking of the three, with his large innocent eyes and nervous expression. Katarina had also noticed that Elena had slowly backed off to the very corner of the room, where she stood with her two sisters, all three of them dressed in similar servant's clothing, all three of them trembling in fear.

No one spoke for a moment. No one dared to. Katarina found herself wishing that she could stand next to Antonio and let him grip her hand like he had been doing for every minute of the short amount of time they knew each other.

Finally, Ivan Braginski spoke. His voice sounded friendly, but it was laced with a strange poison. A poison that sent a chill up Katarin'a spine.

"Ahh, so my friends have all slept well, da?"

No one spoke for a second, but then Alfred came forward, an angry expression on his face. "We were dying. And Meg still is dying! How can you be so freaking light hearted about this shit…"

Everyone held their breath. Of course Alfred would be the one to speak up against his former Cold War enemy.

"Let's not be to angry now," Ivan smiled. "After all, if it weren't for me, you would still be out on the field. And I assure you that you would not be alive."

His voice made Katarina cringe. She could already tell that this man was scarier than Anya. He's the male embodiment of Russia. She felt her throat close up as she backed up a few steps, grabbing on to Daisy's sleeve to pull her with her. Ivan's eyes fell on Katarina, then shifted to Daisy, and then to Alice.

He smirked. "How amusing. So there have been gender replacements in your party as well."

"Look, e-er…Mr. Russia," Alice remarked, taking a few steps forward. Her face was pale, but she looked defiant enough. Alfred wore an expression that was comparable to someone undergoing cardiac arrest. Ivan's eyes settled on her, unblinking.

"W-We were heading here before we got attacked, b-because we need your h-help. Do you…e-erm…have any clue on what could be going on?"

However, before Ivan could respond, Nikolai sneered. "How the fuck are we supposed to know anything? I just woke up here, and my beloved sister wasn't there…and then…last night…I saw her…and she…"

His voice faltered, and a flash of pain shadowed his face. Ivan sighed and finished for him, "My female counterpart lives on the other side of the bridge. She's among the ones who terrorize this land at night. She was quite the fight, and I had no choice but to flee, because we couldn't defeat her."

Katarina's stomach twisted unpleasantly. It all pieced together. The opposite gender counterparts who have been replaced, have turned into creatures of the darkness. Beings who live on the other side of the bridge. It all makes sense. She and her sister are here, so that means their male counterparts are over there. Ivan Braginski is here, so that means Anya was over there .

So…if Antonio is here, that means Isabel is…is…

Katarina felt nauseous. She wanted to throw up. She didn't want to think about it, but the truth was inevitable. It stared at her straight in the face. She felt her limbs tremble.

"I just don't understand this," Alfred said, scratching his head in frustration. "What is going on?"

Katarina looked behind her shoulder to see that both Ludwig and Antonio were as white as ghosts. Gilbert was glaring at his feet, his red eyes glinting. Alice looked like she was going to be sick. And Daisy, her sister who stood beside her, had tears building up in her eyes, her face crumpling in devastation.

Everyone seemed to understand. Except for Alfred, of course.

Ivan closed his eyes for a second before responding, "It seems that our opposite gender counterparts have all turned into beings of the dark side."

Alfred still looked a bit confused. "But…"

"Good God, Alfred! It's not that hard to understand!" Alice burst out, tears spilling from her eyes again. "The reason why I'm here is because YOUR England is on the other side. The same goes for everyone! Since you're here, that means Emily has turned evil. Don't you get it?"

Realization started to flood his face. He looked sick. Absolutely sick. "So that's why both Feliciano and Lovino…"

Alice nodded, biting her lip to prevent an escaping sob.

Alfred looked like he was going to collapse. His face drained of all color as he choked out, "A-Arthur…"

Katarina couldn't stand this. Her Isabel is now an evil being. An evil being whose main mission is to destroy and kill and annihilate. She grasped onto her sister's arm tightly to support herself, and Daisy placed her hand over Katarina's, her limbs trembling.

"Who the fuck is behind this?" spat Gilbert. He looked absolutely pissed. His red eyes were flashing dangerously and his teeth were bared.

Ivan just kept smiling. He shook his head and answered, "We don't know. Though I do suspect someone has manipulated this whole situation so that we are here."

"Well, what are we going to do about it?" Alfred burst out angrily, his words hoarse and his limbs trembling.

Ivan smiled slightly. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out. I do plan on doing something about this, for I do really wish to go back to my own country. However, I do believe that in order for us to reverse this, we will have to cross the bridge."

Silence. Dead silence.

Katarina felt like someone had ripped out her innards. The thought of going over the bridge was just…just…no. Absolutely not. They had barely stood a few minutes against the Italian brothers, before they were sliced to bits. They weren't even sure if Meg would live or not.

"How the FUCK can we go there?" Alfred thundered, looking absolutely panicked.

Nikolai sneered. "Don't talk to him like that, you capitalist pig!"

But Ivan ignored this statement. He just continued to smile, as he answered, "I know of a certain young sorceress who lives in the empire of Chikasti. She happens to have a certain quality that enables her to effectively fight the beings on the other side. I say we journey there, da?"

"Wait, where is Chikasti?" Alice asked.

"I-It's not far from here at all, though it'd take a whole day to get there, according to the maps," Dmitri answered, speaking for the first time.

"Da. If we started to journey now, we would not make it before nightfall, so I suggest that we start our journey tomorrow right at the crack of dawn. For now, I believe it would be good for us to all rest," Ivan stated, his facial expression not changing one bit.

"B-But what about Meg?" Alice choked out.

Ivan responded, "Elena Laurinaitis over there happens to be excellent in the art of healing. I assure you that if she's attended to properly, she shall be fine. If she does not wake by tomorrow morning, you can all deal with the arrangements of how to carry her body with us on the journey."

Alice closed her mouth and stepped back a bit, nodding slightly. Elena stepped forward with a tentative smile on her face, though her eyes shone with fear as she glanced at Ivan. "I will attend to her right now," she stated before she walked out of the room.

"Ve, w-who is this sorceress?" Daisy asked, avoiding looking directly into the Russian's eyes.

"Her name is Chunyan Wang. I'm assuming that you know her, da?" he asked Daisy.

Katarina's eyes widened. Chunyan. China. So she's on the good side then? The male nation's faces paled. They had just realized that that means that the China they know is evil.

Daisy nodded slowly, her eyes wide.

Ivan then spoke, not once blinking, "Leena, Aisma, accompany these nations back to their rooms. I am sorry for disrupting your needed rest."

The two younger Baltics jumped up frightfully before scampering toward the group. However, Ludwig spoke in a deep, grating voice, "Hold on. I have one question."

Ivan smiled at him, waiting for him to continue. Ludwig seemed to cringe under the Russian's non-blinking stare.

"How did you save us? How did we…survive?"

Ivan's smile faltered a bit, before he responded softly, "The question of how you all survived even baffles me. Nikolai, Dmitri, and I barely escaped my lovely counterpart before dawn approached and these beings faded away. We found all of you a few hours later, right when the sky was starting to brighten. We believed that you were all dead, but you weren't. I don't know how to explain this, but I felt something in the air…something strange. All I can conclude is that it was preventing you from losing your lives."

At this statement a shockwave went down both Ludwig's and Gilbert's spine. Ludwig couldn't explain why, but the thought unnerved him. And Gilbert…he faintly remembered right before he passed out…something…some bright white light…warm light…

"Let us not wander too much on the matter. I suggest that you all rest for tomorrow's journey." Ivan then motioned for both Leena and Aisma, before dismissing them with a small wave of his hand.

"поспи хорошо. Sleep well."

XX

However, Katarina didn't sleep, despite how tired she was. Of course, she had been placed in a room with Antonio. And now it was just plain awkward, sitting there on her bed, staring at the opposite wall, highly aware of his presence.

She didn't know if she should say something. She was overwhelmed by everything. She couldn't believe that this was happening. It was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Katarina had a hard enough time being the Southern part of Italy. She struggled with being a nation, with trying to keep up with her prettier, richer, and more prosperous sister. She never thought that she would be placed in a situation like this, where she was…human. Where she could die. And at the hands of other nations.

Then there were her strange feelings for Antonio. She had to swallow he lump in her throat as she thought of his earlier outburst.

Cut it out, Katarina! The stupid tomato bastard has every right to be upset.

Yet, she still felt bitterness. She curled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, glaring at the stone wall. She kept her breathing quiet, though her heart was hammering in her chest.

Then he spoke. His voice was soft, cautious…

"Tarina?"

Her breath hitched and her stomach fluttered. She gritted my teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. No, she would not answer. she would show him that she was angry. That she is NOT torn up over this. Just pissed off. Si, si. That's what she'll do…

"Katarina?" he tried again. Still not answering.

Then he spoke, yet again, his voice so full of sadness that it literally broke her heart.

"Please speak to me."

She bit her lip as her eyes stung. Dammit! Why was she crying! She was so fucking weak! Absolutely weak!

Finally, she spat, "What, tomato bastard?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, mi tomate. For yelling at you earlier. I was just…"

He trailed off.

The air was heavy. And it was hard to breathe. Katarina wondered if this is what it felt like to fall into delirium. She subconsciously wondered if this were all just an invention of her officially cracked mind.

She breathed in, and then out.

"Katarina…" Antonio tried again. Katarina shifted on her bed and faced him. He was also sitting on his bed, his shoulders slumped, and his face tired…so tired and sad. His tan cheeks seemed discolored, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Even from here, she could see the scars on his neck and face.

Yet he was still beautiful. His green eyes were shimmering. The only part of him that seemed alive.

Her throat closed up, and she felt the tears spill down her cheeks. Yet, she didn't let the sobs escape. No, she wouldn't let herself completely lose it. She wouldn't turn into a blubbering mess. She had to stay strong. She had to keep a level head…

"It's fine," she choked out. Her voice cracked, and she cringed at the sound of it. "You're forgiven."

Antonio remained motionless, his eyes never leaving her as she struggled to keep it together. Alright then, fine. She'll do the talking.

Katarina took another deep breath, calming herself, before opening her mouth and saying, "L-Look, bastard. I know that you're upset. Really upset. S-So I can't really blame you f-for exploding. A-And…"

She squeezed her eyes shut, before opening them and looking down at her lap, determinedly avoiding his eyes.

"I-I know. I-I'm not your South Italy. I'm not L-Lovino. A-and…I'm sorry for that, okay?"

Her vision was blurred by the oncoming tears. This was so damn frustrating! She wasn't used to this sort of crap! Katarina didn't do emotional, sentimental confessions, or apologies, or monologues...or any of that shit. Her normal way of dealing with conflicted feelings would consist of a lot of screaming and cursing.

Antonio remained silent. And she was glad for that. She wasn't sure if she could handle him saying anything right now.

Katarina literally felt like she was on a never ending menstrual period. She couldn't control the tears, even though she kept wiping them away with the back of her hand. They were just so persistent.

"B-but, even if you don't like it, I-I'm the closest thing you have to your South Italy, just like you're the c-closest thing I'll have to Isabel. I-I know it's not the same, b-but i-if you promise m-me…"

Where was this coming from? Katarina had no clue why she was saying these things, but it felt like the right thing to do. She still didn't look up. She didn't want to see Antonio's facial expression.

"I-If you p-promise me that y-you'll work with me, even if y-you have to pretend, I promise you that I'll do everything i-in my power to get you your Lovi back. E-even if I have to do it m-myself."

Katarina didn't understand what was stimulating her to say this, but it seemed so natural on her tongue. It broke her heart to say it, but there were magic in the words. It almost felt like a vow was being made, a permanent powerful one.

The air shifted slightly, and Katarina looked up. To her surprise, Antonio was standing right there, towering over her. He looked down at her with tender green eyes. The corner of his lips tilted upwards slightly.

"I'll work with you, Katarina. But I don't need to pretend. I'm Spain, and you're South Italy. No matter who you are, I'm the boss, and you're my henchman, si?"

The small smirk on his lips filled her with a strange sense of hope. The tears stopped coming.

Antonio extended a hand toward her.

Katarina took it.