"We are waiting for an answer, Kirkland." Ivan's voice contained promises of so much pain most normal men would have crumbled to hear it. The effect was like dry ice to the nervous system, leaving it painfully frozen and oh so very brittle afterwards. It would only take a tap of a pipe to shatter someone caught by his tone, and there was no doubt the Russian clansman would do more than simply tap with that metal.
Arthur, however, would not flinch under it. Yes, there was a certain tension in the line of his jaw, a certain set to his expression that gave away some level of fear. He wasn't a stupid man, he wasn't brave beyond his abilities. However, the Representative of Clan England would not give the satisfaction to the other. He would not give up any sort of weakness. It was vital that he remain on equal footing in this alliance of theirs, it was vital his clan could not be strong armed into gaining less of the spoils waiting at the end of it all.
With a sharp sniff though his nose, Arthur gave his answer. "We're allies, are we not? There's no reason for me to attempt to control all of you when we're working towards the same end." He looked to Alfred, feigning indifference to all the emotions he saw playing out in those so very expressive blue eyes. There was no room for guilt… no. He was only doing what he must. "I only acted as I did to save that git's life."
Ivan did not seem satisfied, and if the shifting of Yao was any indication, the Chinese Representative wasn't pleased with that answer either. "You haven't answered yet aru. Can you control us?" It was a much more diplomatic tone the Asian man used, though it did very little to break the tension in their camping space. With what some might call foolish arrogance and others a confident swagger, Arthur grinned.
"I can't see how I have to answer such a question. As I said, we're all allies, yes? The situation simply won't arise to find out then, will it?" Was it willful provocation? Was it the posturing of a man who knew he was in no danger? From his position, Kiku couldn't quite tell. The only thing he could read for certain from the Englishman was that he knew how to bluff if nothing else. The man didn't have a perfect poker face, but he could and would play games of trust boldly.
Ivan was clearly not happy with the answer, and seeing all too well the futility of words, he sought for action. He took a very decisive step forward, his gloved hand adjusting its grip on the rusting pipe. There was no threat in the action, no hint of what was coming. No… it was a promise. Ivan was going to force the issue. Right here. Right now. Kiku's senses felt as though they caught fire, his body filling with adrenaline and coming perfectly alert. Oh he kept it masked away, but every cell in his body was ready to react. This could, hopefully, be a chance to escape.
It was as Ivan brought the pipe up to swing, as Arthur drew up that antique gun to fire back, that a sudden voice seized the moment. "He can't!" It was Francis, his eyes wide, his face stricken and panicked. Arthur absolutely sneered, all aggressive movements from the weapons on a momentary hold. The Frenchman had stolen center stage though, and while he was fretful he was clearly unhappy about this moment. He crossed his arms and refused to meet the gaze of any of his allies.
"You frog! How dare you!" Arthur began to mutter angry insults, dredging up snippets of bad blood between the clans France and England. The insults seemed to draw Francis's ire as well, brought him slightly out of his discomfort. It was enough to cause the man to toss his head, shifting his wavy hair slightly in a haughty pose.
"You need not waste your words with insults dear Arthur! I certainly did not say such a thing to defend you! You are simply part of this alliance… and… I will not see it fall apart until we have completed the Journey!" The animosity that ran between the two didn't exactly match the venomous aura that Ivan could produce, but it certainly rivaled it. This hatred ran deep… this hatred was old.
Kiku frowned. 'Their hatred… it doesn't simply come from old clan biases… these two have known each other for some time then?' The Japanese man weighed his new theory in his mind, testing it for flaws. It seemed sound, however. From this apparently long running grudge to Francis's apparent knowledge of Arthur's skills… it all seemed a bit much for those who'd only met recently for the Journey. The way the two often looked to each other, so conspiratorial… it only seemed to confirm it further.
Kiku knew all too well that if he was coming to this conclusion, Ivan and Yao must be as well. He flicked his eyes to the American, to Alfred, uncertain how well the youth could read the atmosphere. It was possible he was still lost over what was going on. It didn't appear he was in any position to speak or act even if he did have ideas. He seemed trapped and bound, Arthur's to command.
"You will explain this," Ivan said, breaking up the little clan spat going on. He gestured with his pipe towards Alfred, letting his gaze flick between the two men. "I do not care who, but one of you will begin speaking now, da?" Without a doubt, if answers did not begin to flow, violence would commence. Watching the way Francis shrunk back, Kiku knew exactly which man would be the first target.
Arthur seemed wholly uninterested in defending Francis, alliance be damned, but grudgingly he began to speak. "I won't have that idiot spreading lies or twisting the facts," he began, contempt rolling off his tongue. His eyes settled on Alfred, though it was only too clear he was keeping the Russian where he could see him. Ignoring the scoff that almost sounded like a squeak coming from Francis, Arthur pointed. "On his neck, hidden under the neckline of his clothes, you'll find a tattoo. Go see for yourself."
Ivan cocked his head to the side, curious as a bird of prey eying the tiny mouse as darted about the tall grasses. He made no other move, perhaps torn between wanting to keep in physical range of Arthur and checking on this tattoo. Of course, perhaps the Russian was merely waiting to hear what the relevance of this tattoo could possibly be to the situation.
Seeking to fulfill his own curiosity perhaps, it was the Chinese clansman who approached the American, pushing down the layers of clothes he wore, revealing the blond's neck. There, etched in dark black ink, was the tattoo. It was a simple barcode, broken in the middle by one simple letter, and two plain numbers. "C13?" The dark haired man looked into Alfred's eyes, perhaps a small courtesy in seeking some sort of answer from the 'ally' immobilized like their prisoner. The American couldn't speak, though his eyes conveyed a lack of answers.
Arthur nodded. "Indeed. C13. 'Colony Thirteen'… what my clan refers to the Americans as." The statement garnered no immediate statements, only the unspoken demand that Arthur continue. Green eyes kept the American in focus, Arthur's face carefully keeping back most of his emotions. "We have a rather… long history with that Clan you might know. Perhaps not. It's been quite a while since Clans have needed to care. However… regardless of their name… regardless of their supposed 'independence'… Clan America will always be nothing but the property of Clan England. We created them… and we will use them."
Kiku wished that he could get a better look into Alfred's eyes, into anyone's eyes for that matter. Remaining mute and unnoticed was of course ideal for him, but he was in no position to ascertain the truth of this conversation brushed off to the sidelines like this. He tested his restraints discreetly, finding perhaps just enough leeway to begin working them looser. This conversation seemed to be more than ample cover for such efforts. He was as forgotten and ignored at the moment as a piece of trash.
Still gazing at the American, Yao raised his voice in careful question again, his voice clearly thick in thought, yet careful not to betray them. "I believe Clan France also had a hand in the founding of Clan America?" Francis tensed yet again, almost shivering at the prospect of being drawn back into focus. Arthur merely crossed his arms in disgust.
"Indeed… they did." The Chinese Representative continued to study the American, even reaching out to grasp at his arm, feeling the way Alfred shook and struggled yet was stuck rigid. At length Yao's eyes slipped closed, the man taking a step back rather gracefully. When he opened his eyes, however, something within them seemed quite old… far too old. He shook his head, perhaps pity in his gaze.
"I remember," were his simple words, careless and unexplained.
Ivan, who'd been silent all this time, crafting his own conclusions, finally spoke up. His voice had lost the edge of a threat now, traipsing down a road of seemingly innocent curiosity. "How long have you known Alfred?" It seemed the Russian didn't care to look at the American, keeping his attention divided between Arthur and Francis.
"Personally, I didn't meet the lad until you all did, at the start of our Journey together." Ivan watched as Francis nodded his head swiftly, letting Arthur's answer apply to him as well. The Russian hummed in thought, as if deciding whether or not he would continue to voice his questions, or if he would instead wait for the explanation to continue. The latter appeared to be his choice as he nodded for Arthur to continue.
"It's all rather simple if you bother to consider it really. Truly… leaving the fate of our clan up to little more than chance? Relying upon an alliance forged before the world was ruined? No, I think not. We took steps, careful measures. We took risks to ensure that we would be the Clan that thrives." The answers came to Kiku's mind just moments before they were spoken aloud.
"Your clan has been to the surface… has been going to the surface… far longer than judged safe." There was a sort of wonder in Ivan's voice at that, yet he sounded quite assured. He even turned violent eyes to Francis, as if measuring the man anew. "Both of your clans have…"
"That was a dangerous gamble, aru." Yao shook his head, giving off a mild sigh.
"Perhaps, but a successful one in the end. After all… we were able to properly groom the Americans back to their proper function over the course of the years… and of course… none knew. They suspected nothing." His smug voice was dampened predictably by Francis's words.
"We knew, Arthur. You would not have been successful had we not also assisted in your… efforts." Before the situation could devolve into a petty argument Ivan cleared his throat.
"So you have modified the Americans, then, da? You have changed them? You have found a way to make them obey only you?" Arthur nodded, waving his hand rather dismissively.
"Exactly. Of course I didn't have a personal hand in the matter, no. As the Representative who'd be making the Journey, well, I had better endeavors to consume my time. But others in the clan, it was their duty to groom the Americans under false pretenses." He laughed, actually laughed at Alfred. For all the mockery in the tone, Kiku almost wondered if it wasn't a hollow sound. Joyless. "From what I was told, the fools were only too easy to trick. Get them as children, and anything is possible."
"How was it done?" Ivan asked, obviously keen to know if it could be done to him now. Arthur seemed to sense this and shrugged.
"As I say, I wasn't directly involved. As it was explained to me, a small collection of methods were employed to ensure total control and lack of suspicion on their part. Subliminal conditioning, personality training… specialized injections and, well... magic was involved not that any of you believe in it I'm sure." He did frown for a moment, shaking his head. "Granted… there perhaps were some side effects… his strength was not something I was told to expect… but certainly you can see you're in absolutely no danger? I am unable to recreate the processes that bound him to me… and he's been perfectly crafted for our use."
"Your use," Yao corrected. Arthur flashed an empty smile.
"My use, and I am your ally. Hence, this has all been blown out of proportion." Arthur's tone was triumphant, secure in his knowledge he was no longer in a position of danger or suspicion. He seemed almost too pleased when once again Francis was the center of attention.
"How are you involved, comrade? Do you know how to do this?" Ivan didn't need to make any threatening motions, yet he tapped his pipe impatiently upon his hand anyway, perhaps enjoying the way Francis seemed to squirm.
"Of course I do not! Ah… well you see… there was a certain level of… collaboration on this, yes? Though it was perhaps more of a competition. We shared certain notes while we both… we both ran our own version of this… this experiment." He looked to the ground, but only for a moment. It wasn't wise to ignore Ivan. "Our version was not… usable."
Apparently satisfied, Ivan turned his back on Francis and Arthur, moving to stand before Alfred. He looked deep into the American's eyes, using his pipe to carefully tilt the other's chin, forcing a steady gaze between them. Kiku could only imagine the look that must be in the American's eyes, the feelings at hearing about this. The humiliation alone had to be maddening. It was no wonder he found the American to be just a little 'off' in his personality and actions. Whatever had been done to him had obviously warped him without the youth knowing.
"That is a good look," he heard Ivan whisper to Alfred, something dangerously pleased in his violet eyes. Kiku was no longer in a position to see much of Alfred's reaction, but he didn't feel he needed to. Betrayal, even by a casual acquaintance, stung. Betrayal from someone who was supposed to be your ally had to hurt even more.
Kiku turned his gaze away, realizing that soon enough attention would return to him. He did not wish to give away how interested he'd been in this entire conversation. Resting behind a mask of indifference, he began to wonder if perhaps… perhaps… he could find an ally in the American. 'Well… if not an actual ally, perhaps he could be… persuaded… to release me.' It would certainly be an act of defiance, something Kiku thought the youth might be utterly salivating for. Besides, this alliance was all but crumbling before his eyes. He sensed that it was only a matter of time before they all turned on each other.
Guessing that nothing could be done until Arthur fell asleep, Kiku resolved to get some rest. Hopefully in sleep Arthur would lose control, and hopefully the American was so fixated on heroics that he wouldn't immediately get up to seek vengeance on his manipulator. 'Heroics, the obsession with doing 'good'… yet another safeguard to stop him from disobeying?' It was pitiful.
Hopefully, it would also be useful for Kiku.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
The darkness melted away, giving in to the daylight, lifting the curtain for at least one happy reunion. After wandering and fretting and hoping he'd gone to the proper rendezvous point, Feliciano was overjoyed to see two blond figures coming his way. Granted, he would have absolutely melted into a puddle of euphoria if he'd seen not just two blonds but also his brother and Kiku, but the Italian was a young man who could appreciate the small miracles in life with a smile.
Ignoring his fatigue and bounding over like a puppy, Feliciano did indeed throw himself into Ludwig. The muscular blond, though obviously surprised at such a warm and physical welcome, could only react on instinct. His arms came up, carefully catching Feliciano, mindful of the still injured arm. The Italian squirmed, apparently refusing to be denied a hug of reunion. Like a worm he wiggled his way right up against the German's chest, wrapping his good arm around the man in bliss.
Blushing red and out of his depth, Ludwig gave stilted pats to Feliciano's back.
"Ve~ Ludwig! Ludwig is safe now! I'm so relieved! Now we can get Kiku back and Lovi back and then we can all complete the Journey then have pasta together!" His excited babble, humorous as it was, also brought a smile to the corners of the German's mouth. The pain he felt in separating from Gilbert once again was eased by his alliance's personal bundle of sunshine. He gave out a sigh, shaking his head before carefully prying the Italian off of him.
"Settle down Feliciano," Ludwig said, and driven by an impulse he couldn't quite figure out, he gave the auburn hair on the Italian's head a fond little pat. The smaller man just grinned wider, bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet as he looked up at his companion.
"I'm so glad you're ok!" The German felt his cheek heat up rather intensely, and all he could do was cough. He was spared needing to say anything when the Italian suddenly abandoned him, moving instead to grab onto the stuffed paw of the strangely floating bear doll. "And thank you so much for saving him Kumalini! I couldn't have done it without you~"
"I-It's Kumagoro…" said a meek voice, coming from the man who seemed to fade in from nowhere. Ludwig tensed as he momentarily fought to recall who this person could be, before relaxing just slightly. He was still wary of this man's motives… he still wasn't certain he could be trusted. Feliciano, however, didn't seem to have any reservations for the young man. "You're very welcome, though I'm very sorry we couldn't rescue your brother as well…"
The Canadian seemed genuinely sorry, and Feliciano's smile softened further. He moved to touch Matthew's hand instead of just his bear's, giving a physical show of his appreciation. Then he stepped back, placing his good hand over his heart while shutting his eyes. "Don't worry… Lovino is ok… I can feel it. Big brother… he… he knew it had to work that way. So… so we'll meet again later. I know we will. He came all this way to find me for something, so we'll meet again." His words were filled with the strength of a true believer, of the faithful. It seemed that somehow, the Italian had lost any doubts during the night.
"Well then… if you're sure… then… should we focus on saving your other companion?" The Canadian looked to Ludwig for confirmation on this, having easily assessed the power structure between these two. The German man debated for a moment if he wished to involve Matthew in this. Part of him screamed no, especially as he was now unarmed… but the very fact that he was unarmed impressed the need for additional assistance. He was reluctant, but he would be careful.
"Yes. As Gilbert did not capture Kiku, it can be assumed that he was taken by the Five Allies we encountered before." It was at this moment that Feliciano piped up, raising his hand as he spoke like an excited student.
"Oh oh… and Matthew said he has business with them, right?" Unable to read the worsening atmosphere he'd just created between the blonds, Feliciano waited for the answer. Slowly Matthew nodded, his face friendly and shy as ever, even if he snuggled his bear a bit closer.
"Yeah… I do…" It was such an unassuming voice, so nonthreatening. It made Ludwig's hairs stand on end, but he said nothing.
"Then you know where they might have headed? You have information on them that we could use in saving our companion?" If it simply came down to a case of Matthew using them to gain something from those Allies, Ludwig wouldn't mind. Not so long as they did indeed save Kiku without losing anything in the process. If, however, Matthew was out to do something that might negatively impact his own allies… then the German man would need to be prepared to act. Swiftly, too.
"I think I can find them… I have… well, I'm sure we can track them. I… I haven't actually met all of the Representatives in their group… but I'll answer any questions you can think of." Ludwig nodded his head, and took a seat. Matthew did the same while Feliciano started to rummage through his pack. Carefully he started pulling out the rations to prepare a cold breakfast. They'd need their energy if they were going to race off and save Kiku.
A/N:
Clan England… Clan France… deviously evil? Or is there more to the story (insert dramatic music). I'm a dork.
Who likes good news? Well, sort of good news. It's highly likely you'll get another update next week! It's not guaranteed this time, but the next chapter is coming along well.
The Axis will reunite soon I promise! There shall be more happy scenes for them! There shall eventually be more Antonio and Lovino and Gilbert! And and (again, eventually), Elizaveta and Roderich!
Reviewers/Readers… you know I love you all. Always. You all rock my socks. Even if I don't wear them.
Oh, and for those who celebrate it, Happy Halloween.