AN- And at long last the 'fantasy' part of the genre tag is coming in. Hope it was worth the wait :D Also we're getting close to being caught up to where this story was before, hooray!

I don't own Hetalia.


If pro is opposite of con, then what is the opposite of progress?

This should never have happened.

Tino and Erik had become...aware of some personal changes that they sure as hell didn't tell you about in health class. Unlike growing a few feet, having outbreaks of acne, weird dreams or realizing that they found someone else attractive, they were brought about by a severe bought of the flu that left them weak and drained and no longer who they had been.

They were now monsters, abominations of nature.

For all that they didn't look any different, they felt the changes sure enough and now lived in fear of their discovery. Both had been so careful, to not get caught and to not expose their secret for two years.

But then, on a hot day Erik was shirtless and putting something in the attic and had leaned back too far on the ladder and had fallen. Tino had instinctively caught him, his bare hands pushing him back to safety. And just like that, they had been ousted, their mother staring at them.

Then a lamp went flying at his head, followed by a picture ripped off the wall."Get out you freaks!Devils! Demons!"

Erik, getting over his shock faster, pulled Tino into their room, slamming the door shut. As he did so, he saw the portrait on the ground. It was their last family portrait from when their Dad was alive, when things were still okay ...and now they would really never be so again he knew.

He heard his mother's fists hit the door. "What have you done with my children! Where are they!"

Both of them snapped out of their stupor and wordlessly began to pack their bags, Tino pulling on his gloves (that he should have been wearing, why had he forgotten? Why had he been so stupid?) and Erik gently pulling the picture out of the shattered glass and putting it in his pocket.

Then with a steeling look at each other, they grabbed each others hand before opening the door and tearing down the stairs and running for the door, dodging whatever was thrown their way.

"Give me back my Tino and Erik!" They heard her shriek behind them before running down the stairs after them.

This was what they had feared all along.

"GET OUT AND GIVE THEM BACK!"

Not knowing what else to do, the two took off, their mother's shouts echoing in their ears as they did so. Both pretended not to see the others tears or notice that their hearts were breaking just a little more with each step.


Everyone now awake, the newcomers congregated at the pillow pile near the hammocks where those who already shared Bohmeia's secrets began to take up residence.

Hopping down from the hammock he had been napping in, Necolai began. "This is a slightly different talk then one I'm used to giving so please bear with me. After all, most of you have yet to... awaken." He paused and then slumped with a sigh. "And I'm sure that made little sense and did absolutely nothing in the way of convincing you I'm not crazy or seeking attention... Where to begin, where to begin... Hmm. I would like to ask you a question first. Have any of you, ever had something strange happen, maybe when you were frightened, nervous or upset?"

Matthew and Kiku slowly raised their hands while the rest of them looked confused. Ludwig mentally groaned, he didn't want theatrics; he wanted answers and then a bed where he could sleep this cold/flu off!

"Oh," Necolai said, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Oh dear. I thought more of you...That makes things a little bit harder still to explain. Usually by the time they end up down here, they are usually aware of some things... I'm sorry; I'm not quite sure where to start." The teen looked flummoxed, completely out of his depth.

"How about the beginning?" commented Arthur dryly from where he was perched in the hammock. "That way you're less likely to leave anything out, yeah?"

Nicolai took a steadying breath before giving a wry grin to the other boy. "Thank you Arthur, we've only known each other two weeks and already you have proven to be very helpful. Your best idea yet even! In fact, why don't you just explain all of this?"

"I try my best" Arthur replied, a shark's grin spreading across his features, "and no, I don't think I will. It's a little amusing to see you flounder when you're usually a step or two ahead of the rest of us."

"Please get on with it! If we're confused or whatever it is you're worried about, we'll ask questions. Just...please." Ludwig groaned as he rubbed his temples, exhausted and sick with a wicked headache growing.

"Alright then," Nicolai acknowledged "first off, I must ask that you do not interrupt once I begin. I'm worried as it is a little hard to believe, especially when most of you have yet to experience anything and I can't see how this meeting goes. Secondly, please understand that all of the information we've gathered is as certain as we were able to get and that I'm telling you all we know. Any gaps we have are because we haven't been able to find out."

He looked around the room and as they nodded, he continued. "So, right. The beginning...I suppose it would be best to start with them, they are after all the cause for everything. There were a group of scientists involved in an internationally-run, highly experimental, genetics program that developed a drug that was supposed to reduce the chances of miscarriage, infant mortality and genetic mutations with pregnant women and the fetus. Or at least this is what they told the governments funding them, whether or not this was actually the case we don't know. Anyway, it passed all previous tests and they got approval to start testing on humans. It was administered on a weekly basis to ten volunteers from around the world. After its twelfth year, the project was scrapped when there was no significant drop in mortality, miscarriage or genetic mutations rates. However, it turns out that the chemicals continued to have effects after the nine month period, even years after the drug was initially introduced. The mothers showed no symptoms but the babies... at some point or another they began getting reports of the children falling horribly ill. If they survived, they were not the same and had developed some, umm mutation? Ability, developed an ability I suppose being another way to describe it. All of us in this room were once part of this project and who knows how many others, this is why the world's governments are sending people after us, because they wish to hide their own failures and also see if they can replicate the results..."

There was a moment of silence before the oldest Asian teen with a pony tail, Yao if Ludwig remembered right, shakily said, "I call bullshit" as the others around him nodded.

Necolai shook his head vehemently. "No, it's true! Er, we can prove it! Jackson? Would you mind?"

The younger boy with chestnut brown hair and thick eyebrows gave an enormous grin and nodded, hopping down from his hammock and... there was no real way to describe it. Ludwig felt his eyes grow round and widen in shock as the boy's form seemed to to to melt as he fell to the ground. When he landed in a crouch, he now looked identical to the Asian teen (minus the clothes which remained no-longer-loose, raggedy All Blacks t-shirt and sweat pants) who was stammering in surprise as the others looked at him, jaws dropped and speechless.

Jackson gave a laugh, seemingly delighted that he had managed to surprise them all as his body went all liquid-y and the eleven year old was in front of them again, wide grin with missing tooth beaming at them. "Pretty cool, huh? I can be anybody though being bigger and older makes me hungry and...are those potato chips? MINE!"

Not seeming to require any prompting, the others then began to set about doing impossible things. Steven growled as he rolled up from where he was dozing in the cushions, black stripes appearing faintly on his skin, teeth and nails sharpened and had an aura about him that screamed 'predator'. Then he seemed to fold into himself and a scaly pattern appeared instead as his tongue flickered out and he blinked translucent eyelids to reveal elliptical pupils. He then went to go thieve some chips from Jackson how grumbled but surrendered the bag.

Georgi stretched and got down from his hammock, the ground rising up to meet him as he did so, Mathias clambering down after him. Once on the ground, the spiky haired boy frowned in concentration before the earth began to crack and splinter around him.

"If you get any heavier Mathias, you could send us all into one of the lower tunnel." Georgi chided poking him as he did so.

"Yeah." Arthur said as he and Peter floated down from their perch before throwing his brother at the Dane causing the cracks to stop growing and both boys to go sprawling.

"Art-hur" Peter cried, rubbing his head. "That hurt you meanie!" The then jumped to his feet and pointed dramatically "Just you wait until I figure out how to make our gifts stronger rather then weaker! Me and Mathias will get you!"

Arthur just laughed as he walked forward and poked him in the forehead. "I'd like to see you try brat!"

"Jerk!" Peter grumbled, ducking his head to hide a small grin and punching the other boy's shin. "Just you wait."

Georgi laughed as the two brothers began to wrestle as he moved his hand a bit and the ground 'healed', smooth rock once more.

Necolai rolled his eyes before he turned to Tino, "Tino, if you would, could you please place your bare hand on my arm for a few seconds?""

The other boy flinched and looked at him open-mouthed in shock. "A-are you sure? You know what this will do to you - that it will hurt."

"It's quite alright Tino, I trust you and besides, Erik is here."

The youth pulled off his right nylon glove with his teeth. "Are you sure?" He asked, hand hovering over the exposed skin.

Necolai flashed a sure smile. "Positive."

With a defeated sigh, Tino placed his hand on Necolai's arm and the reaction was instantaneous. In the two seconds that they were in contact a hissing sound could be heard and as Tino withdrew his hand there was a dark burn in the shape of it. Necolai through gritted teeth then said, "Now Erik if you please."

The stoic boy nodded and brought his own hand up which then began to glow and soon it was as if the injury had never been there.

"You see..." Necolai began again. "Each of us that has ended here has a 'gift', Erik's restores any health lost and Tino's disintegrates anything organic that his skin comes in contact with. Georgi can control the Earth, Mathias can control his weight or something else's to be as heavy or light as he wishes, Steven can 'borrow' the instincts and some features of various animals and Jackson can change his form. There are a few more subtle gifts like Peter here can make anyone's gift stronger or cancel it out while Arthur's a telekinetic. You were wondering how I knew that you needed help; it is because I can see glimpses of the future, though only when I'm asleep. It is not always the most clear or precise as it can change with a single decision but I felt that this dream was certain, or at least as close to as I can get. That is why we were waiting for you tonight, we knew that they were coming for you sometime in the evening; that they're after what you can do, just like they're after us. They're after you because you are now showing up on their radar as your gifts are also awakening as Matt showed earlier today."

"There is no way this is real." Yao said, shakily in denial as he stood up before a hand on his arm stopped him. Kiku then said. "That is untrue brother...For the past six weeks I have been able to hear the thoughts of others but I was too afraid to tell you. Right now you're thinking about Auntie Viet and her knowledge on hallucinogenic incense, hot buns and whether or not you returned that library book yesterday."

Yao, rendered speechless for a moment stuttered out, "I-is that why you've been refusing to leave the house? That was why you vouched for them earlier in the tunnels?"

"Yes. I'm sorry to disappoint you for having not told you but please don't be mad at me."

Before Yao could answer, Berwald then stood up. Ludwig looked to his cousin, surprised as Gilbert exclaimed. "You too Berwald?"

The stoic boy nodded before he rubbed his hands together and drew them apart somewhat allowing all nearby to see the ball of static electricity floating there.

Matthew, still not looking that great, with each new demonstration had him become more and more pale. Alfred grabbed his hand, concerned. "Mattie? Are you alright?"

Then Matthew vanished again.

"Oh my God I'm invisible!" His panicked voice sounded from the air, then all the light in the cave went out.


Týr groaned and shivered as he continued to trudge up the mountain side while the wind and snow howled and swirled around him.

Cold didn't bother him, not anymore. It couldn't, it was after all a part of him now, just like an arm or his liver but it didn't stop the memories.

He hated the cold where once he had loved it, had loved the ice and snow and wind. But they had taken that from him. They had locked him in freezers, they had tossed him in frozen lakes and shocked him when he tried to climb out, they would lock him in a dark room and lower the temperature until ice formed on his skin and it hurt hurt hurt. They would find any weakness and exploit it. To them, he was not human, nor were any of the others trapped with him. They were not anything but dogs, dogs to train to kill and to mindlessly obey any order.

He crossed the crest of the mountain with no small relief and began to descend into France, hoping that he would be able to find some of the others. Find them and warn them, help them. He had seen the map in one of the rooms when he escaped, he knew they were closing in.

He could do it, he could warn them.

He just needed to figure out how considering he never learned to write and could barely read. Which wouldn't be so troublesome if they hadn't cut off his tongue.


Francis could hardly believe it as his feet crunched the gravel of his native soil as they left the airport. Their search, the few little clues they had managed to gather had led them here, here to his home town of Paris.

He could almost sense it, the aura of the ones who were leading them on this chase contaminating the purity of his old home, the air itself seeming tainted with malice, secrets and hidden danger. The sooner they caught these kidnappers the better; he decided, the poison was beginning to spread too far.

Just recently he had been watching the news and there had been another disappearance, this one in Mexico. The sheer similarities between the cases, the invisible perpetrators and the police's general helplessness had caught the international media's attention. Already walking around the streets, he could see no child without the watchful eye of their parents, their eyes turning upon them as strangers with unease and hostility. Doors were shut early and despite the time of year, windows were firmly closed and locked.

It was when they were outside of La Notre Dame that he saw something now out of the ordinary. Three boys, likely homeless by their attire, who looked like they had been to hell and back were wearily perched on the edge of the bridge spanning the Seine. They looked to be about the same age and were likely from the Mediterranean area judging by their skin colour. One wore a mask on his face, the second had a desert hat on and the third looked sleepy and had a white beret with a cat pin on. This could work for him. They would need guides for the Parisian underground, his own connections not being enough and children heard everything, people frequently not noticing or discounting their presence. These three could do quite nicely, helping the Trio find the blight that was contaminating his city.

Also, then he could use his employment of them as an excuse to feed the youngsters, his instincts pressed into him by his Mère shouting for him to cook for them without them treating it as charity. He may not be able to help every hungry child in the world but he would always try to help those that appeared in front of him. So, whispering his plan to Antonio, he began to approach them to see if what they knew of the city.

Then he saw the boy with the desert hat sway a little and so he picked up his pace just as the child went limp and pitched forward towards the river. He saw the eyes of the other two widen as their hands reached for him but they missed, their mouths open as they cried out wordlessly. He unconsciously began to run and dove over the rail, reaching for the child. The boy hit the water first and began to sink instantly causing Francis a few moments of panic as he searched the dark water before he brought him up, pulling him over to the side where a worried Michelle and Antonio were already waiting.

As Francis hefted the boy from the water, it quickly became apparent to him that even dripping wet the boy was far too light...It was no longer a question of whether the three would be staying with them or if they would be helping them but it was rather a matter of whether or not Francis's old home's guest rooms were clean enough to have the youths sleep in and how late the markets would be open to get some food. They would not be given the choice of leaving until Francis ensured that they were properly fed and had some weight on them.

Besides, as he looked down at the two smaller bodies hugging him as they profusely thanked him for the third child's rescue, he felt a surge of hope. His instincts said that these three would be able to help.

Maybe they could get to the bottom of this.


He was not happy.

The experiment that had escaped months ago had yet to be recaptured and his men had also failed to find the new signals that were appearing.

Needless to say, those in charge of those operations were no longer able to issue any orders ever again.

He wanted results and he wanted them soon. He had a buyers conference in a few months time and he needed to have both information on recreating the mutations and obedient super-soldiers to sell. Neither of which were present due to the incompetency of his staff.

He made a mental note to have the rest of his...'employees' terminated in the same way their leaders had just been after they found his precious experiments. This delay in time was inexcusable.


And now onwards to our actual plot! I hope this meets your expectations :)

Song for this chapter: Numb by Linkin Park

Just in case it wasn't clear – Tino's power dissolves anything organic so when he caught Erik, the seconds that his hands were in contact with his brother's back, he dissolved the back of his shirt and some of his skin, which Erik's ability healed and their mother saw. I hope that makes sense.


So for those having trouble keeping everything straight, here's a guide :D

Ran away because of parent's death 2 Years on streets

16- Feliciano (N Italy) / 16- Lovnio (S Italy)

Dad died and were going to be deported back to Germany, family-less. 7 years on streets

19- Gilbert (Prussia) / 15- Ludwig (Germany) / 16- Roderich (Austria) / 14- Berwald (Sweden – Electrcity manipulation)

Kicked out of her religious house 3 years on streets

17- Elizabeta (Hungary)

Parents in debt, were going to try and sell them 9 years on streets

18- Matt (Canada – Invisibility?) / 18- Al (America) / 16- Miguel (Cuba)

Private Investigators looking into case.

26- Francis (France) / 25- Antonio (Spain) / 09- Monique (Seychelles)

Abandoned and banded together before meeting others no time on streets

11- Yong Soo (S Korea) / 12- Kiku (Japan - Telepath) / 17- Yao (China) / 10- Mei Mei (Taiwan) / 10- Kaoru (Hong Kong)

32- Viet(nam) and 34- Thai(land)

Ran Away because of parent's abuse 5 years on streets.

16- Arthur (England-Telekinetic) / 07- Peter (Sealand- can negate/strengthen someone's ability)

Guardian was a druggie, had had enough. Ran gang with Arthur 6 years on Streets

17- Lars (Netherlands) / 15- Bel (Belgium)

Parent/Family found out about power kicked them out 4 months on streets

15- Tino (Finland- Disintegration) / 14- Erik (Norway- Heal)

Abandoned or Ran Away time on streets unknown

15- Necolai (Romania- Precognition mostly in dreams, walks in dreams) / 16- Georgi (Bulgaria- Earth manipulation) / 10- Mathias (Denmark- Mass control) / 12- Steven (Australia- animal mimicry) / 11- Jackson (New Zealand- shapeshifter)

Parents died, banks foreclosing and shouldered with debt could not pay 6 months on Streets

14- Vash (Switzerland) / 10- Lily (Liechtenstein)