Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

If I did, the Nordics will get more screen-time. Why? Because they're awesome. xD But Sweden is REALLY hard to write. I mean, his dialogue consists of everything but vowels. Seriously! All separated by a comma, too... I'd rather die than write his dialogue.

Bleh.

Heracles dropped and rolled backwards as the creature took a swipe at him.

When it realized it had missed its target, the creature growled heinously and charged at the nation.

Greece got low on his haunches, getting ready to dodge to the side when the monster came in a three feet distance from him. Sleeping all the time had its affects, good and bad. He was now rested, and alert, but he was slower than usual.

I can't . . . keep up.

He stepped aside just in time for the creature to fly past him. He swore its claws nicked his hair. Heracles immediately spun around, not risking to take his eye off the creature for a second.

It wasn't just his hair.

A three pronged streak opened up in his cheek. Blood slid down the side of his face. The cool, night air stung his newest acquired wound.

The smell of blood seemed to have aroused the monster even more. Saliva dripped from its wide-rimmed mouth, mixing and leaking into the blood on its front. The creature brought up its claws and licked Heracles' blood off of it.

Heracles grimaced. How can I win? I can't keep this up forever. I don't have weapons . . . I don't have the stamina to last me a full fight. I can barely defend myself as it is. All I can do is run.

What he needed first, he decided, was some high ground. Maybe he could evade the creature and go around to the ladder leading onto the landing, the one that the orange tabby used to get onto the ground.

It was risky. But what choice did he have?

It knows. It knows every one of our weaknesses.

Heracles sprinted full speed to the left of the creature. He scrambled up the landing and then drew up the ladder so the creature couldn't follow.

Though, if it was such a capable killer, then it wouldn't even need a ladder to get to him.

These things have done their research. But perhaps I can surprise them. To beat them . . . To beat them, us nations need to go down a road to where we haven't gone before. It understands I detest not being on the firm, solid ground. It wouldn't expect me to attack all the way up here . . .

"Ο Θεός να με βοηθήσει," he prayed.

The creature lingered underneath the landing. It was facing and bumping at the wall, as if finding the perfect place to climb up.

Of course. What else were those claws for other than cleaving flesh in two?

I have to hurry. I can't stall forever.

And Heracles launched himself off the landing.

He fell smack-dab onto the back of the monster and kept his arms tight around its long neck. The Grecian hung on for dear life as the creature lashed its head from side-to-side, bent on getting rid of the thing that intruded on its personal space.

It wasn't a pleasant experience, getting whipped from left to right by an animal stronger than a bucking bull. Heracles felt like his arms were going to snap off.

Then the creature turned around. No, let me rephrase that.

The creature's head swivelled completely 180. At first Heracles was shocked still by the sight of rows-on-rows of sharp teeth, but when a long tongue reached out to taste his face, he was done.

Heracles let go and fell onto the pavement.

Okay, scratch everything. Getting licked in the face was, by far, the worst experience yet. He nearly lost his head in the process, too.

The creature raised its arm. Heracles was only halfway through standing and getting far, far away when its arm came down like a guillotine.

If he was a normal human, his head would have come right off. Thankfully, he was a nation and therefore much, much stronger than the average mortal.

Heracles, instead, was sent vaulting through the air and into a concrete wall. The impact was deafening as the structure altogether collapsed.

The Grecian got to his feet shakily as the ruins of the wall crumbled around him. A huge wound above his forehead sent blood flowing down his face, rendering an eye unusable.

He wiped sweat away from his brow.

Dammit, he caught the creature off-guard for a moment, but that didn't erase the fact that he had no weapon! How was he supposed to injure it at least a little bit?

If I go, who will miss me?

That's right . . . Did he have anybody worth living for? Were there any people who would miss him if he were to die? Was this struggle pointless? Regardless, the odds weren't in his favour.

Heracles collapsed to his knees.

But I don't want to die. Mother left everything to me . . . I can't just give up. What happens to my country if I disappear? There's that bastard Turkey I still have to settle things with. There's . . . There's Japan. He was the only friend I had in a long, long time.

And everyone . . . Everyone seated around that long table, every single nation. I'll miss seeing them everyday. Even if they bicker loudly, causing me to lose precious sleep . . .

It wouldn't be the same.

"That's enough."

Heracles raised his head. A glint of shiny metal blocked his view.

"You're not alone, Heracles-san. We will fight together, ne?"

Greece glanced up with his single good eye.

"Ki . . . ku . . ."

Japan turned and smiled. "That's right. You're not alone. You are going to live. What happens to the world if you choose to turn you back and abandon it? We'd lose an important piece of the Earth's history and culture. You're important, Heracles-san, despite what you might think."

"But how did you . . . ?"

Kiku Honda switched his attention back on the monster. "It is my duty to read the atmosphere and judge my actions based on that," he said, frowning. "I felt a disturbance in the air. Also, I do believe that this act of violence has warranted total extermination of the offender."

"B-be careful. It's fast."

Kiku nodded. "Can you fight?"

"I can't even stand."

"That's all right. I'll be taking care of this, then."

By now, the monster had probably realized the newest partaker in battle. It stood completely still, as if it was analyzing its opponent. Then, without warning, it charged forward.

Kiku had his katana up in a blocking position, but the creature was stronger than he thought. His feet grazed the concrete as he was being pushed back.

Finally he managed to break lose and jump back to reassess the situation.

Japan narrowed his eyes.

It's definitely intelligent. But even so, shouldn't it have known the amount of security around here? Why attack Greece? Why not another nation? There are plenty of choices in this building. With its claws, it has no problems climbing up and breaking in . . .

Unless . . . Unless it was sent to attack Heracles specifically?!

Greece must've realized Kiku figured it out, because he shouted over: "It knows!"

Kiku risked a glance to the side.

"It knows!" Heracles repeated. Every word seemed to pain him. "It knows my weaknesses. I think it was sent to attack me. If you fight it, I think it will have a hard time adjusting to your abilities."

"But why?!"

"I don't know. Maybe it's because there are more of them, and a specific set has been ordered to find a certain nation. But I'm not sure yet. Do whatever it takes to defeat it! If it reports to its leader that I'm alive and it failed to kill me, they might send more. We cannot compromise the safety of the other—No, WATCH OUT!"

Kiku barely blocked the next strike. There was no time for talk now; he had to focus on defeating this nightmare.

Heracles slid back and propped himself up against a jutting rock, watching Kiku run back and forth, trading blows with the monster. The battle didn't seem to go anywhere.

They were evenly matched.

So that meant his theory was right. Kiku was definitely more faster than he was, more agile.

The creature was having a hard time adjusting to Kiku's speed, unlike earlier where it totally mopped the floor with him. Heracles tried to figure out a strategy from his place on the ground.

There's no need to cause panic. We don't have to tell the others. We don't need the officers knowing. We better hurry up and end this, or this scene will cause a commotion.

Kiku jumped onto the creature's arm as it swung down towards him, and he used his sword sheath to knock it in the side of the head. With his blade, he slashed across the neck, but like he feared, there was not a scratch on it.

"What tough skin," he murmured, retreating.

Antonio had been attacked, right? But he was alive, judging from Romano's words. That meant he killed the creature. If not, then he would have surely died, so . . .

How did he kill it?

The land of Japan had been once filled with magic and mystery. He thought his country had lost the ability of the Sight. But despite everything, magic still existed—he just couldn't see it. Ever since Arthur's visit, he'd been trying hard to reattain his Sight.

Kiku called on that ancient power from deep within his soul and channelled it straight into his blade. The feeling was familiar, and then not so. He hadn't done this in thousands of years. Closing his eyes, he was once again thrust into that era of euphoria and nostalgia, of bloodshed and war.

Then he prepared himself by going into an offensive stance, ready to end it once and for all.

As if sensing this unknown power, the creature took a hesitate step backward, and then bolted altogether. It ran into the shadows and flashed out of existence.

Kiku let out a breath and sheathed his katana.

"What the hell happened?" Heracles said. "Did it just . . . run away?"

"I believe so," said Kiku. "However, this is no time to be worrying about that. We need to treat your wounds."

"I'm fine. I'm rather worried about getting out of here before the government officers find us. It would cause panic amongst the nations, and once their respective countries find out, there will be another global war. We can't have . . ."

"I understand. Let's get inside before the government officers find out what's going on. My guess is, they won't be too pleased, especially after we destroyed hotel property."

"Do you think . . ."

Kiku quirked an eyebrow.

"Is this what attacked Antonio?"

". . . I don't think that's a definite as of the moment. We need to ask the witness personally. And last time I checked, the second closest witnesses have not returned from wherever they've gone off to. Now, I believe it's time to get you checked out."

Heracles briefly registered the wave of dizziness washing over him. He nodded. "That sounds about right."

Kiku helped the Grecian stand and using the elevation of the landing, the two returned back into the hotel through Heracles' open window. Kiku needed to procure some Japanese herbs in order to treat him, so he briefly left his patient to gather them.

But first, he barred all the entrances. If the creature was really after Heracles, it would definitely come back. Who knows what it was doing out there.

In the distance, sirens wailed. The night wasn't even half over.

Kiku practically jogged through the halls up to his room. He didn't feel at ease leaving Greece all by himself.

And just when he got the medicine he needed, he bumped into Turkey.

Well, shit.

"Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" said the Turk, a toothbrush in his mouth. He looked halfway between getting ready for bed. He was in his pajama pants, but he was still wearing a tie.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Kiku retorted flippantly.

"Whoa." Turkey, or Sadik Adnan, held his hands up in surrender. "Didn't mean to offend. I was just going down to grab a few more towels. With this lockdown and everything, the staff have gone home, leaving us to get things for ourselves. But hey . . ." He frowned at the bandages and ointments the Japanese man was carrying. "What's all that for?"

"Nothing you need to be worrying about," Kiku replied politely. "Goodnight, Sadik."

He turned to leave, but Turkey and his strange accent didn't allow him to ignore it.

"Is someone hurt?"

"Well, obviously."

"I'm going to go downstairs anyway. Maybe I could help out."

Kiku eyed him warily. "I don't . . . think so. If I told you who it was, you wouldn't want to help out."

"Oh, come on! Who is it? Tell me."

"That is none of your business, Sadik-kun."

Kiku started walking away, but being the persistent person he was, Sadik followed.

Japan found himself with no choice. He led the Turk towards Greece's room.

"Hey," said Sadik. "Isn't this . . . ?"

"Hai," Kiku sighed.

He pushed open the door. The inside was dark, so when the light from the hallway washed over the room, it bathed the inside with an eerie glow. Heracles Karpusi, otherwise known as Greece, was sitting in a chair, his hair and shirt matted with blood, glaring over in Turkey's direction.

For some odd reason, Sadik felt a sense of rage and over-protectiveness for his former charge. He took a step forward.

"Who did th—?"

Heracles, on the other hand, wasn't that much inclined to see his ex-guardian. "What are you doing here?"

Kiku found the situation getting more awkward and awkward by the second.

Oh, Japaaaaaaaannnnnnnn~! We've got a badass over here. Ah, thank goodness Greece survived. He's a cool guy. I figured that perhaps this chapter isn't about him changing, but rather seeing another side of Japan, the more magical and mythical side.

Next time: If Japan didn't defeat the creature, then where has it gone? It will be revealed soon~

Also, next chapter is more about England's/France's meeting with Russia. Then it will be the Italybros/Germany/Prussia/America approaching Greece, and so on and so forth.