More updating! At this pace I might actually be able to catch up to the videos posted up on youtube! By the way, to those who don't know yet both videos of part sixteen are up! Really, this series keeps getting addictive with each passing video! The video was adorable, sad and a little scary at the end. But it was good none the less and as I've said, I can't wait to get to those parts.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia. I only own the character concept of Philippines in this story.
Chapter Six
Three pairs of eyes were on the door as it rattled again and the three nations waited with baited breath, hoping that whoever or whatever was out there would leave. Watching the door rattle even more violently than the previous times was agonizing as they wondered if that Thing (they were certain that was that out there) would try and break the down the door to get to where they were.
After several more suspenseful minutes the rattling stopped.
Still, none of them made a move wondering if the Thing was still out there and just waiting for a sign to tell it that they were in there.
Japan strained his hearing to try and determine if it was really gone or not, but the nation could only hear silence. Instead of feeling relieved, this only served to frustrate him. Would the creature really leave them alone that easily?
"Well?" Vietnam asked.
"Is it gone?" Prussia added.
Japan frowned. "I am not certain, but it sounds like it."
Vietnam threw him a look conveying that what he just said had not been comforting at all.
"Then we better get out of here." Prussia started towards the door, sword over his shoulder. "We get West, Italy and that other girl."
"Her name's Philia, you idiot." Vietnam snapped as she followed after him. "She has the decency to know who you are so at least try to remember her name!"
Japan rolled his eyes behind them. Goodness, they better find the others and get out the mansion, the sooner the better. He wasn't sure if he could put up with Prussia and Vietnam's squabbling anymore.
The reminiscing old man was rudely awakened from his thoughts by startled yells and the sound of feet scrambling backwards as the two who went ahead of him quickly moved away from the door.
Japan started backing away as well when the familiar form of that Thing came into the room and advanced towards them. Prussia and Vietnam joined him on either side as they stared at the huge figure that became more and more ominous with each step it took.
Prussia said a few choice words as he stared at it. "I thought it was gone!"
"Apparently not." Japan said grimly. The three of them were backed against the wall with it getting closer.
"This is unawesome! I can't show off my sword skills like this!"
Good grief, Japan rolled his eyes again. Was that something he should really be worried about right now?
Muttering the chant that had powered up his sword and helped drive off the Thing in his earlier encounter with it, he quickly rushed at the creature and sliced at it's stomach. The Thing staggered back when Japan's attack connected.
"Right! Those attacks!" Vietnam quickly followed the older nation's example, repeating the words she had learned as she uncoiled her weapon so that its multiple thin blades hacked into the Thing's clammy grey skin. Like Japan, her weapon had been effective against it.
"How did you two do that?" Prussia gaped, amazement in his eyes.
"We learned these techniques from a book." There was a smug expression on Japan's face that was mostly directed at Vietnam.
The nation in question scowled as she jumped back to put more distance between her and the Thing. "Fine, the attacks did come in handy."
Prussia laughed. "Wow, West was right when he said that reading would be good for me! If that's what I learnt every time I read, I would have become a book worm a long time ago!" Holding up his sword, he smirked. "But I can't let you two have all the fun, attacks learned from books or not!"
With a roar, the albino charged at the Thing. His sword sliced right across its torso diagonally causing it to screech with pain and stumble back again.
"Oh yeah, who is awesome?" Prussia laughed, his confidence boosted by the fact that the Thing could get hurt. "I am!"
As Prussia laughed, he didn't realize that the Thing was eying him venomously. Something in its black eyes glittered and Japan was reminded of the time when that Thing first had first spoken before using that thunder spell on him.
Not quite aware of what he was doing, Japan reached into his pocket and tossed the bracelet at Prussia.
"Prussia-san, catch!" He shouted.
"Huh?" The nation stopped laughing and caught what Japan tossed at him. "Huh? A bracelet? What's this supposed to-?"
"YoU... WOn't... ESc... aPe..."
Prussia's jaw went slack as he realized that it was the Thing that said that.
"It can talk?"
"Move!" Vietnam yelled as Prussia just stood there like an idiot gaping at the monster.
Prussia snapped out of his daze and swore when he saw lighting bolts of all things raining down on him. As he waited for the imminent pain to hit him, a barrier with a pinkish tinge encased around him, preventing the attack from reaching him.
"The hell-?" Prussia choked out.
First he get's chased by the monster thing in front of him, then said monster thing talks and casts a spell similar to England's and now some sort of magical barrier forms around him (well, he didn't mind the last part so much)? What was the world coming to?
Vietnam was just as stunned as Prussia, leaving Japan as the only one to act.
Running behind the Thing as it focused on the still stunned ex-nation, he slashed at its open back with his katana.
"Prussia!" Japan shouted, forgoing the name formalities for the moment. "Move! That barrier will not last for much longer!" He remembered when it had shattered earlier after it had protected him from the same attack.
"Don't die!"
The voice that rung clear and loud through Prussia's mind snapped him into action again. Without even thinking, he charged the Thing, slashing at its mid-section and nicking the jaw line. It was a risky move though since the Thing brought its claw down on him and grazed his arm.
The albino hissed, shaking his arm to elevate the pain.
The Thing left itself open after attacking and Vietnam chose that opportunity to attack it. The multiple blades of her weapon sliced across its face, embedding deep scratch marks into it.
The Thing screeched loudly and began clawing at its face as if pain.
Realization hit Japan as he realized that Vietnam had inadvertently discovered what had to be the Thing's weak point. When he had first fought it, the aura on his sword seemed to blaze like a phoenix's fire. Even though the chant had banished the Thing, it had also left him a little winded, which made him think that he should not be so loose with his new found powers.
The weakness was its head.
With the revelation, Japan gripped his katana and with a loud yell that was quite out of character for him the nation charged towards the Thing. He leaped up into the air and brought down the weapon right into the middle of its forehead.
The Thing stopped screeching in pain as its arms fell to its sides.
Japan quickly pulled back from it, his katana fully embedded into its head, landing on the floor painfully. A strong pair of arms pulled him away as he watched what happened next.
The Thing screeched shrilly as its form began to disappear before their eyes. The trio continued to watch until it had fully vanished, Japan's katana clattering onto the floor. No one dared to say anything until Prussia broke the silence.
"Is it gone?"
There was a pause before Vietnam answered. "I think it is."
Japan held a hand up to his chest to try and calm his beating heart. That had been a very close call; had he been wrong about the weakness...
No. He did not want to think about it.
"I think we should go to where Germany-san is now. We shouldn't keep him waiting any more than we have to."
XXXX
"What's with the huge metal door?" Prussia asked once they were inside the room Germany was sheltering in. The first thing the ex-nation had noticed when entering was the newly fixated metal door.
"This is the fortress where Germany is." Japan explained after he locked the door. With the encounter of the Thing still fresh in his mind, it was better to be safe than sorry. A saying that would be put to the test here, he was certain.
"It's pretty solid." Prussia whistled. "Hey, West! Japan told me you were hungry!" Searching his pockets, he brought out the crushed pieces of mushroom he had shown the two asian countries earlier. "D'you want some mushrooms?"
There was a pause before Germany spoke. "Is that you, bruder? Are you alright?"
"Huh? Yeah, of course I am!"
Since Prussia had his back turned to her, he didn't see Vietnam rolling her eyes. If trembling under a bed with the bottom half of his body sticking out was considered being 'alright', then sure, the ex-nation had been perfectly fine.
"But there's bad news too. Italy and that girl are still missing!" Vietnam slapped the back of his head, glaring at him. Prussia scowled, but continued. "Oh, and we have to go and save one of those white squishy creatures that Japan makes. Mochi, right?" He turned to the japanese man for confirmation.
"Indeed." Japan nodded.
"Alright, I'm done here so we can go now."
Japan blinked, a little surprised. To his shame, he was thinking that his stern and uptight friend would continue to lock himself away.
The door opened and out stepped the german. He took one look at the mushrooms and made a face. "I think I'll pass, bruder."
Prussia shrugged. "Your loss, then."
And much to the others' disgust, he took two pieces of the crushed mushrooms and shoved them into his mouth.
"You haven't found Italy or Philippines yet?" He asked Japan.
Seeing his old friend shake his head, Germany grimaced. If there was a time for Italy's fast feet to come in handy, now would be it. But as far as he knew, Philia (to differentiate her from her twin, Philip) had no fighting experience. And he could not picture the small nation being able to hold her own against that monstrosity of a Thing. He also could not imagine Italy being able to fight back either, but he was at least able to run away at speed that could rival light speed.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Germany made a decision. "Bruder and I will head upstairs to try and free the Mochi you speak of. You and Vietnam will go and search for the other two."
Japan was silent for a few seconds before he spoke up. "I'm sorry, Germany-san but I will have to refuse those orders."
Everyone blinked as they realized that the man who always agreed to practically everything no matter how ridiculous the notion was now against something. Especially from his friend, Germany.
Japan continued, pushing past the discomforting silence. "I will go and search for them myself. I ask that Vietnam stays with you."
"What?" The female in question exclaimed. "With that Thing out there, you want to and search by yourself?"
Frowning, Japan turned to his 'sister'. "I believe that I am capable of holding my own against the Thing. I have fought it by myself once before, remember?"
Vietnam didn't say anything. She had been there when Japan was locked in the washroom with It.
"I am certain that I will be fine on my own. I am more worried about these two," He gestured towards the brothers. "However, with the three of you I feel more at ease since I am sure that if you work together, It will be no match for you."
"So why do I have to be left behind?"
"Because you are the only other one who knows an attack that could drive that creature off."
Vietnam folded her arms and glared at Japan. A few minutes passed before she sighed and uncrossed them again, knowing perfectly well she had lost the battle.
"Fine. But you better bring those two back, the sooner the better."
Japan smiled. "I plan on doing that."
And cut! This chapter is longer than the previous one, but it's still a little on the short side. Oh well, you got a fight scene (even if it wasn't that great since I'm not really good at writing fights). Anyways, I still hope you like it!
If you want an estimate to what Philia looks like, she's similar to a deviantart pic by itemilicious. It's labeled 'The Philippines'. Of course, there are a few notable differences as that she wears a sampaguita hair clip. Though yeah, that is the basis of her appearance; now you know why everyone thinks she's going to utterly fail against the Thing.
