Hello much loved readers. :) once again, massive thanks to all who have been supporting this story, I'm so happy that it's successful. Shoutouts go to:
gdesertsand: thanks for the advice, I tried harder to check my spelling in this chapter, so hopefully it will be better. :) and this chapter is longer too :) I also haven't forgotten your requests, they're not in this chapter, but I will try my best to fit them in later.
vaetta: ah, yeah, I was wondering what people would make of that part. :) and thanks so much! It makes me so pleased to hear that people enjoy my writing. I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the story as much. :)
Yozakura Setsumi: this chapter should be right up your street (I hope!) as it is another nightmare chapter, similar to the previous one in chapter 3. I hope you like it! And I'll definitely be looking into the relationship between Prussia and Austria, it has some good potential. :)
riskybanana: haha, I'm loving your energy! That spaghetti part made me laugh. :) and thanks for pointing out that little error, I must admit I forgot that's how you spell it. I'm not sure if I can get that symbol on my keypad, but I'll certainly try. :)
valery-chan: I know... I give up on him sometimes... ;)
HetaRosFangirl: so glad to hear you're enjoying the story! It will certainly be continued. :)
Crimson cat angel: thankyou so much for your review. :) it made me very happy. :)
Another big thankyou to everyone who has favourited and followed this story; I love you all!
Now, I will let you read! Please review to let me know what you think! Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, unfortunately.
The snow whirled around them, each flake spinning and twirling with a uniqueness possessed only by itself, like an intricate dance, as if even the weather was delighting in the merriment of the season. Prussia's cheeks and the tip of his nose were tinted with red from the cold, but he didn't notice. The nation was instead focused on not losing his balance, or tripping over his own feet as he spun around, his little brother held out in front of him. Germany's usually stoic face now wore an expression of pure delight, his eyes scrunched up, and he had a grin so wide that Prussia could see the small gap created by the tooth that had fallen out that morning.
Eventually, Prussia caught his foot on a rock, and the two of them tumbled down to ground, laughing and trying to catch their breath. Germany lay against his brother, and looked up with blue eyes shining, his little chest heaving as he giggled, before he reached up to wrap his arms around Prussia's neck. His big brother hugged him back, nestling his cheek against Germany's soft hair, and breathing in his familiar scent. On an impulse Prussia flopped back into the snow, spread his arms and legs out to the sides, and started waving them back and forth. Germany, now sitting cross-legged on his brother's stomach, giggled again, and said, "You look like a starfish, Gilbert."
"What?" Prussia responded, stopping his wiggling, and lifting himself up onto his elbows. "Does this look like the ocean to you? I'm an awesome snow angel!" Germany looked so happy, but Prussia noticed an almost imperceptible shiver run down his body, despite the numerous layers of clothing he wore. "Let's go back inside, Luddy," he suggested. "You're getting cold."
"Awh," his brother moaned. "Can't we stay outside just a bit longer?" But Prussia was shaking his head, and lifted Germany off him so that he could stand up. "Nah, I don't want you to catch a cold. What kind of person would I be if I let my awesome little brother get sick?" Germany nodded slowly, his eyes downcast. "Ok," he said glumly. Prussia fondly ruffled the young nation's hair, and said challengingly, "I bet you that I can get back to the house before you can." Immediately his brother's cheerful smile returned, and before Prussia could react, Germany was off and running at a sprint in the direction of their house. "Hey, no fair Luddy!" Prussia shouted, before taking off after his brother.
It didn't take long for Prussia to catch up with the boy, having the advantage of adulthood on his side, but as he got closer to Germany, he slowed, thinking how happy it would make the little nation if Germany thought he'd beaten his big brother. Prussia felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he watched his brother charging with all his might through the snowdrifts, some of them so big that Prussia was afraid Germany would be swallowed up by them.
As Germany turned a corner, and disappeared from sight for just a second, Prussia felt a change. His surroundings were still the same; the wind was blowing, and the branches of trees were bowing under the weight of several inches of snow, but something was off. The tone of the area was different. When once it was merry, happy, and cheerful, Prussia now got the distinct impression that he was no longer welcome. The wind that had previously kissed and caressed him was now biting and scratching at his face, pulling at his hair, and lashing at him like a whip. The trees turned sinister, stalking him like black phantoms, half hidden by the whirling snow that had suddenly grown into a full-sized blizzard, intent on keeping him trapped in this wilderness, blinding him, driving him away from the safety of his home.
Prussia pushed himself on, running faster as he tried to catch up with his brother; this wasn't right, and he needed to make sure Germany was safe. When he rounded the corner, Prussia's initial feeling was of relief; a figure was standing in the distance, with its back to the nation. Germany had waited for him, thank goodness. However, as Prussia got closer, the same feeling of unease returned. This wasn't right; something was wrong. "Ludwig?" Prussia called, slowing down to a walk as he approached the figure. As it turned around to face him, Prussia's heart almost stopped.
"Hello, friend," said Russia, smiling sweetly. The wind stopped howling. The snow stopped biting. Prussia opened eyes that he didn't realise had been closed. He was standing in a large room, dark and cold. The walls were hidden by shadows. "I expect you will be having the confusion about where you are, da?" Prussia spun around; the voice seemed to be coming from right behind him, whispering softly, alluringly, tickling his ear, but when Prussia looked, there was no-one there. "Why don't I show you?"
Lights in each corner of the room flared to life, dazzling the ex-nation, and he had to throw a hand in front of his face to stop himself being blinded. As his eyes adjusted, Prussia took another look around the room, and was startled to see himself staring back. "What is this?" he said quietly, looking into the crimson eyes that he knew only too well. "What's going-" Prussia broke off as he realised the other him was only a reflection. Turning slowly around, the ex-nation found that the room was roughly spherical, each wall holding a large mirror, and each reflection looking solemnly back at him.
Prussia approached one; he raised his hand, expecting the other to do likewise. However, his brow creased in confusion as his counterpart remained still. Prussia examined it more closely. Yes, it was him, he was sure of it; yet something was different. As he watched, the figure in the mirror lifted its own hand to its face, studying its fingers carefully, and as it did so, Prussia felt his own hand move up to his own face, as if he were the reflection, and the other was the actual him. Prussia looked at his fingers; they seemed paler than usual, almost not quite there, as if- No! Prussia jumped back, away from this other him, and slowly, cautiously, examined his fingers again.
He could see through them; looking down, Prussia saw the intricate patterns of the floor tiles becoming visible. He was fading. Prussia tore his eyes away from his hands, and tucked them both up under his arms, refusing to look at them. He would not accept this; he was Prussia, the most awesome nation in the world, and he would not allow himself to end his days like that. Prussia turned his back on his treacherous reflection, and walked across the room until he came face to face with another one.
Again, as if he were being manipulated like a puppet, Prussia felt his legs collapsing beneath him, and he and the reflection sank to their knees on the hard stone floor. The figure in the mirror pulled Prussia's hands out of their hiding place, and forced the ex-nation to watch as they disappeared before his very eyes, the fading crawling up his arms like a disease. Prussia started trembling, cold fear gripping his chest like a claw. No, please, make this stop, he thought. I don't want to die, I don't won't to die, I don't want to die. Prussia could feel the sting of tears pricking at his eyes, and he bowed his head, refusing to let his counterpart see him cry.
Prussia didn't know how long he sat like that, hugging himself as tight as possible, as if holding on would somehow prevent any more of him from fading into nothingness. The ex-nation felt more alone now than he'd ever done throughout his entire life; he was going to die here, wherever here was, by himself, with no-one to comfort him, no-one to hold him close, no-one to tell him that everything was going to be alright. Prussia would never see Germany again, his little baby brother, so sweet and innocent; who was going to look after him? Who was going to make his pancakes just the way he liked them, with chopped up banana and maple syrup? Who was going to read bedtime stories for him, and make sure he had his teddy bear with him to help him sleep?
The tears spilled over Prussia's eyelids, marching like an endless column of soldiers down his face, leaving salty footprints in their wake. His eyes were starting to sting harder, and when the ex-nation breathed in, he ended up choking on a lungful of smoke. Lifting his head, Prussia saw through the mists of tears that his reflection was gone, replaced instead by a bright orange glow. Twisting himself around, Prussia looked into the centre of the room, but it brought no reassurance.
"Look here, friend," Russia said. "I would like for you to be seeing this." In one hand, the tall Russian held a medieval-style torch, flame flickering hungrily, and in the other he held the majestic banner on the Kingdom of Prussia, an emblem which had once brought nothing but pride to the ex-nation, but as he looked at it now, Prussia felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow and guilt. As the great black eagle flapped defiantly in a breeze that Prussia couldn't feel, Russia drove the stake into the ground, and turned to face Prussia, smiling as innocently as always.
"You should be looking at yourself, friend," he said mockingly. "You are giving me a lot of the happiness right now, da." Prussia shut his eyes, screwing them up as tight as possible; he wouldn't give in that freak's taunting. "Don't do that, please," Russia continued. "I would not want you to miss this." Prussia felt himself being pulled to his feet, and his eyes forced open. Around the room, the reflections stared back at him grimly, each taking a few steps forward, dragging Prussia along with them, until he collapsed to his knees at the feet of his enemy.
Before the ex-nation could react, Russia leant down, and grabbed a handful of Prussia's pale hair, wrenching his head back, and eliciting a yelp of surprise and pain. "Look closely, friend," Russia whispered in his ear. "I will never forget that this is the day when your little flag burns, and you disappear from this world forever." Russia then raised the torch, and held it close to the fabric, allowing the greedy flames to latch onto it. Prussia could do nothing but watch helplessly as his standard was consumed by fire, burning embers and choking smoke filling the air around them, as Prussia felt himself slip further and further away.
Well, what did you think? Reviews are loved! Now, in case anyone is confused over this chapter, it is basically what Prussia is dreaming about during his unconscious state, similar to Chapter 3. The main difference between these two chapters is that 3 is based more on Prussia's actual memory, whereas this chapter is pure nightmare, which is why I tried to make it more surreal and abstract. Did it go well? Please let me know! :) see you soon!