The Nordics were sitting together back at the resort Alfred had set up for all those involved with the race. Or at least, the majority of them were sitting around with a cold drink to help feel better after the storm. They'd been in the lead for the most of the race, although they'd spotted Arthur and Francis nearby a few times and had been on the lookout for Alfred. Somehow through their combined efforts at seafaring, they'd secured their ship and were heading back to shore in case the storm wasn't done when a squeak from Tino brought them all to the awareness that Ivan had joined their group.
It didn't take long for the Russian to assume control of the radio and to start assessing who was accounted for and who was not. With all the added chaos of the other personifications bombarding them with questions as soon as they were back on shore, they'd ended up lingering by the docks for too long for Sweden to handle. The large man had, inevitably it seemed, started to teeter from the heat and had sagged into Norway's side.
As much as Tino fussed to get Berwald to actually leave him alone to work with Ivan and the others' rescue efforts, the Swedish man had ended up stubbornly refusing to let the Finnish man out of his sight with Ivan lingering so close. This meant that the group had gone back to the hotel to use its lobby as a sort of base to organize efforts to determine how to go about looking for the others – Sweden with a very large, very cold glass of water and more asleep than awake while he sat with Norway, Iceland, and Denmark as Finland joined the others in discussing possibilities of going after their missing friends.
"I still say we should, like, totally just head out right now!" Feliks was saying to an equally worried but more composed German man. Ludwig just set his jaw tighter to refrain from hitting the Polish man for his apparent inability to contribute anything else otherwise.
"For the last time Poland…We need to determine where the others might have been so we don't just go off in the opposite direction and lose valuable time." Ludwig said, Feliks huffing and crossing his arms over his chest as he continued to mutter about how much time was already being lost that he could've spent looking for Lithuania.
"Do not worry Poland. I spoke with Spain on our way back to shore and he has our friend with him." Ivan said cheerfully, although that didn't seem to ease the tension in Feliks' shoulders. "I was able to figure out how far away from our boat his was with the locator from the radio." He said before chuckling a little. "But I always know where my friends are." He said, smiling.
Feliks eyed him warily at that statement, although he knew just how Russia kept a close watch on his 'friends', especially Lithuania. It was the fact that he appeared to just magically know that was the most unsettling, even to Ludwig who just cleared his throat to get everyone's attention back to the topic at hand.
"Well, we need to have somebody here to wait for Spain and the Baltics to show up like Mr. Russia explained." Tino said to the group, the others sure who would volunteer to wait for that group. "You said they were having engine trouble though, right?" He asked as he looked to the Russian man.
Ivan nodded in response. "Da. But I am sure Lithuania and the others will find a way to fix it." He said as though enjoying some inside joke. Tino simply took a couple of steps away from Ivan, only to have the other man follow anyway, Norway tugging on Sweden's arm to keep the giant of a man from confronting the equally gargantuan Ivan.
"Still no response from any of the others, eh?" Matthew asked, earning a jump from the others who had clearly not noticed him. "Alfred's not one to keep quiet. Something must've happened. The same probably goes for the others." He continued to speak, ignoring the questions of who he was and whether or not he was some sort of clone Alfred had made of himself. But he was undeterred since he'd had plenty of experience with search and rescue too, having had the sense to notify the proper authorities while the others had dropped into the usual routine of not getting much done right away.
"I agree with…er...him." Ludwig was saying, gesturing over to where Matthew was standing in lieu of trying to remember his name. "If none of the others are able to answer and Ivan cannot trace them, we can only go from the last position anyone saw of them before heading out. We'll break into groups…" Ludwig continued, delving into the usual well-organized layout for plans that the others thought the man must do even in his sleep with the passion he had for organization.
"We will split up. The Nordics and Russia have volunteered to wait for Spain and the others to arrive however fast their engine will take them here granted they run into no further problems. If we're lucky, they'll arrive before we head out." Ludwig said, Poland one again interrupting.
"Like, I need to stay here too then." He said, glancing over to Ivan to indicate to Ludwig what he meant, the German man sighing as the smaller man stood firm.
"Um…Mr. Germany…." Tino began, not sure if he really wanted to be the one to cause the other man to snap and start shouting out orders military-style as often happened when pushed too far. But Ludwig just looked to him, choosing to either ignore or just not argue with Feliks anymore.
"I don't plan on waiting around here. I'll be more help going out with you guys." Tino announced, this time Sweden successfully shook off Norway's grip to walk over to the Finnish man and pull him aside. As soon as they were a good distance away for some attempt at privacy, Sweden leaned closer to Finland to talk with him, the smaller man hastily shooting out an arm to catch the still unsteady Swede.
"Wait with me." Berwald said, his eyes telling more than his words as he looked at the Finnish man, Tino sending a small smile back at him. "Yer still as shaken as the others from the storm." He said, having noted the heightened level of jitteriness that Tino had.
"Berwald, you know as well as I do that we've gone through storms like that before and not had these luxuries to come back to immediately." The Finnish personification said. "I'll be fine. Sitting here will only make me more anxious, unless…." He said, his confident tone trailing off as he looked over the other Scandinavian. "…Do you need me to stay? Are you alright?" He asked, internally berating himself for acting as though he was completely overlooking the health and safety of Berwald in favor of his own need to keep busy.
But Berwald gave his signature barely-there smile to reassure the smaller man. "'M fine. A little too hot for me. And you." He said with a pointed look to let Tino know it hadn't escaped his attention that the Finnish man was also clearly uncomfortable the past couple of days in this heat.
They had pushed for Alfred to allow them and Arthur to come up with the location since it had been the British man and Dane that had gotten into the discussion of naval prowess in the first place, but the prospect of a tropical getaway ultimately won out until they'd arrived to learn that there had been a heat wave recently. "Ask Denmark to go instead if you want constant updates." Berwald suggested, earning a snicker from Tino.
"And have them have to stop every time he falls overboard?" Tino asked, motioning with his head to where the Danish man sat with three beers in front of him and two already empty glasses. He had taken the offer of 'complimentary refreshments' by the staff to accommodate them after hearing and seeing the extent of what had occurred from the storm, to be a challenge of sorts to see how quickly he could become completely drunk. Looking back to Berwald, Tino laughed again when the other man gave a small shrug.
"Just because we did doesn't mean they'd have to go back fer him." He said, Tino playfully smacking him on the arm as he laughed again.
"That's mean Berwald!" The Finnish man said, although he was grateful that the mood between them wasn't so tense. "Anyway, I told you I'll be fine and if you want, I'll keep you updated hourly. You can stay with the others to wait and monitor the area in case the others somehow manage to make it back without us noticing them." He said, Berwald giving a small sigh and looking as defeated as his typically stoic expression allowed.
With that apparently settled, Tino walked back over to the table where the other Nordics sat with Berwald, attempting to discreetly look over the tall man in case he was still lightheaded and keeping it to himself again. Iceland and Norway sent identical looks of tested patience as Berwald sat back down in his chair heavily, Denmark raising his glass to Finland as he walked back over to where the other personifications were still huddled in discussion.
"Alright, then it is settled." Ludwig said in a tone that exuded finality as Tino rejoined the group. "We will split up then and head out in two hours since it is almost dawn already. If Spain and the others are not back by then, we will start searching in these general areas." He said, Tino noticing that at some point a map had been pulled out and marked with red pen that the German man must've carried on him.
"I will go with my bruder – if he ever shows up again – with Hungary and Austria to this area. Canada and Hong Kong will take this area with Finland. Once you're confident that the Baltics and Spain are alright, Poland will go with whomever else is able to head out to look. Australia is offering to assist and look in this area so report to him if you still want to be a part of the search. No questions? Good." Ludwig said, standing straight and giving an about-face to go look for the missing Prussian whom he was confident was still by the pool asleep from where he'd spent the day lounging about and 'showing off his awesomeness'.
