Apparently, Hetalia still hasn't fallen into our ownership. Maybe it's a good thing; we don't want to be swarmed on our way to school.
Bella's PoV:
The train ride was less relaxing than Bella thought it would have been. Halfway through the long trip from the capital to the provincial parts of the kingdom, the gentle sunshine had turned to rain, causing her makeshift pillow, or rather the window, to become very annoying and very cold. Her eyes drifted open, and she decided that if she couldn't sleep anymore, she might as well stare out the window for the agonisingly long rest of the time.
Across from a small wooded area was a cluster of brick houses lining a narrow street that seemed like it had not even been constructed to accommodate a person's daily back and forth travels to the market. It was certainly a far cry from the bedecked quarters of her castle, and it made Bella feel slightly luckier to be born into royalty. The princess continued staring absentmindedly, though she kept a close watch for the round, thick leaved bushes marking the presence of Nightglove. Although they greatly resembled basil she knew that it was one of the few herbs rarely grown in her kingdom, instead native to Lovina's and Felicia's. Sometimes, although Bella knew it was an uncharacteristically selfish thought, she wished that it had been the Italian princesses who had to deal with the poisonous plant instead of her and her brother.
Bella heard the train pull to a stop in the brightly lit station. She stepped out, grimacing slightly as some remaining steam from the engine dissipated into the air, creating a trace of a burning smell that certainly wasn't pleasant. Although puddles remained in the cracks of the asphalt and water had muddied the grass, the rain had at least ceased. Bella pulled her plain brown civilian styled jacket over her vest, glad that she had retained enough good sense to ignore her usual lacy dress in favour of clothes more suitable for the situation.
The Nightglove bushes were surprisingly noticeable, although at first glance, no human would ever recognise it, instead mistaking it for its harmless doppelganger. The princess lingered slightly around the side of the dirt path branching around the main one, struggling to get a good look if not just to prove that her memory served her correctly. After all, she was quite sure that an ordinary person like herself would barely be able to recall the exact location of something from their childhood, even if she had been told that it was to be kept as occult as possible.
Bella felt exasperation grip her as she walked on along the path, trekking into the woods and swatting occasionally at the passing gnat or pulling her boots out of the mud. She began to wonder how on Earth this could have been an accident. Even a five year old child wouldn't wander this far through such a inconspicuous town to pick basil. After all, it was nearly nonexistent in her kingdom. Plus, as she walked, careful to scan her surroundings as carefully as a search crew would have, there was nothing; no evidence otherwise of a malignant person who would've snatched up a sprig on purpose. Leaning against the trunk of a tree and wiping the drenched remains of her notebook cover on her coat, Bella made an adventitious glance downward that had given way to another, more hidden row of bushes, with some nearly pulled out to the roots in what seemed like a precipitous and childish manner.
Well, so she found it, didn't she?
The disguised princess was seated at the small round table of a coffee shop, waiting patiently for her so delectably named chocolate coffee. There was a group of students boisterously talking with a tone loud enough for even a snake to hear, ignoring their broken pencils or wet papers. Two people were arguing in line about something so insignificant that no one even bothered to pay them any mind, and a child made many fruitless attempts to steal a sip of his mother's drink.
"Enri Hendrick!" The princess nearly forgot that she had used an alias and it took her a full half minute before she stood up to get her drink. She muttered an "Oops, I'm quite sorry" to the rather unamused employee before picking up her things and making her way out.
The bell attached to the door jingled as Bella walked to the veranda, seating herself directly in the now shining sunlight from an angle where she could see far ahead into the distance. It held a strange sense of comfort for her knowing that all was, in a way, solved and that it could be what prevented those houses and market stalls over the hill from destruction in wartime. She pulled out her notebook once more and added a small detail into her inferences of what might have happened. For there would not be another conflict like the great war. That she was sure of; after all, whatever should stem from an argument as meaningless as that of the people in the coffee line?
After a while, Bella noticed another girl about her age trudge in and take a seat on the exact opposite side as hers, though it didn't seem that she had noticed Bella, as the girl did not look her way but simply pushed her own somewhat oversized black hat out of her face. She wore nicer clothes than the average civilian, donned in a ruffled blouse and long skirt that made its way to her knees as well as heels that she didn't seem quite comfortable in. The girl took a long sip of her coffee, with a scowl on her face that Bella wasn't sure was because of the bitterness of her drink or an unfavourable thing that may have happened earlier.
The expression did seem familiar, reminding Bella greatly of Lovina, and she would have struck up a small joke if not for the small glance the stranger threw her way that made her somewhat more uncomfortable. Of course, it didn't seem hostile, but at the same time wasn't exactly fitting for a leisurely everyday encounter.
"Um...hi! I suppose something's on your mind?" Bella started, unsure of what exactly she should say to start the conversation appropriately.
"Hello," the girl answered hesitantly, glancing up in surprise. "Nothing that I'm aware of."
"Oh...well that's alright! You sort of remind me of my friend in that case!" Bella laughed a little. At least the stranger girl didn't talk quite as abrasively as she expected, although it still reminded her of Lovina. It wasn't exactly a lie, however, that she considered Lovina a friend.
"Is that so? Who?" Her voice radiated curiosity, while a gentle mirthful smile appeared on the girl's face with an small innuendo of slyness that mixed in.
"Well, it's this Italian classmate of mine. Although she often seems angry, I think she's kind at heart." While staring at her conversation partner, Bella detected a flash of some unidentifiable feeling in her eyes that seemed to resonate with something keen to annoyance.
It was a rather queer reaction for a stranger, but just like Bella would've thought. Perhaps? It was walking on thin ice, but the princess decided to take the chance.
"I take it that you know her; Lovina, I mean," she said with a hint of the slightest coyness. Her statement was not quite what she was thinking, but close enough to, with luck, validate her presumption.
A long period of silence fell upon the girls as Bella awaited her conversation partner's reaction. Perhaps...this stranger really is Lovina in disguise? So in that case, what's she doing out of school?, she pondered silently. However confusing the situation was, and very confusing it was indeed, she was not ignorant. What other person would take such a long time to answer a question? It was a simple matter of "you know her or you don't", after all.
"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure." A pause, followed by a gentle smile on the other girl's part. "But if we are to continue this chat, then please, take a seat." The girl smiled up at her, motioning for Bella to take one of the two chairs that sat across from her. "So we've chatted for so long yet I still do not know your name! How silly!"
"Oh...me? My name's Enri. What happens to be yours?" Her false name which she had used already once rolled off her tongue easily this time, and Bella awaited with slight curiosity the name of her conversation partner. She was slightly disappointed that the matter was not settled directly, but the ability for deception was a big deal occasionally.
"Well then, Enri!", exclaimed the other girl gleefully. "My name's Marie." Bella really smiled this time, "Lovina" was doing an excellent job at pretending,
Suddenly, a red haired young man with slightly ripped jeans and a dark denim jacket thrown over his tee rushed in their direction, shouting "Hey!" in a very obnoxious manner. He panted with the effort of what Bella expected must have been in a hurry.
Marie seemed well-acquainted with the bearer of the voice, talking to him as a long known friend, with the slight tone of admonition. The man seemed to pay no heed to her tone as she continued as usual, "How has it been?" He grinned widely. Bella was slightly confused by this manner, as she had not expected the princess of the Italian kingdom to be quite so close to many outsiders. The Academy was an exception. Bella just didn't want to let go of her assumption quite so soon.
"It's been just wonderful!", Lovina answered, with a light gesture for him to take a seat next to them. She proceeded with a chuckle, looking towards Bella. "I've just made a new friend. Please meet Enri. She's just such a dear." The other girl's voice was calm and seemed to sparkle with a true delight.
Bella suddenly found herself shaking hands with the slightly cordial red-headed man. He took her hand vigorously, and Bella found it a bit hard to stay on her feet with the energy he exuded. "It is such a great thing to meet a friend," he chattered, still not showing any sign of releasing Bella's hand. "Lovina" stepped over to save Bella from his infinitely energetic handshake. She leaned over to give him a small kiss on the cheek.
A wave of confusion ran through Bella. The only thing she could think of was, "Lovina would never do such a thing. No, she wouldn't." It just did not match up to what she had been thinking. This was just someone who at first reminded her too much of her fri-enemy. After all, she wasn't always right, and maybe she'd thought a little too much. That in itself was fine; she still had to be careful.
Lovina's PoV:
Lovina found Ralph in a dimly lighted room, playing poker with a few soldiers. If not for the fact that he was one of her captains, she would have probably half-murdered him right there. She watched from the doorway as a plea of rowdy laugh erupted from the small crowd. Coughing dramatically, she watched as the red-headed captain finally looked up. To others he didn't look the part of the mafia, he looked more so the part of a truant teenager, but all of Lovina's captains were her age or younger. It was her own proclivity that affected her choices.
"Boss," A delighted grin remained on Ralph's face. "Come and join us! It's just gotten good."
"I didn't come to gamble," she said as she strode towards the table. "I've come on business, personal business." Rolling her eyes in annoyance, she practically dragged on out the door as he continually doubled his bets all the while ignoring her. If it had been anyone besides Ralph, they would have been dealt with a long time ago.
"W-wait" he yelled as she pulled him by his collar. "Time out! Let's take a break!" Ralph continued his futile efforts.
"Please," she said as she located his office amid the underground hideout. "If you actually need the money, I'm sure I can get it back for you after you help me. Besides you're paid enough for what you do." Throwing him in, Lovina shut off his office's camera's as well as security. She motioned for him to lock the door.
"You want to give me a short epitome of what is going on?" Ralph glared at her from across the room. "I think you just made me lose at least half a million." She waved him off.
"Don't be ridiculous. There's more than one way to get your money back, but that's not important." A frown appeared on his face. She ignored it and continued, "I've been poisoned. I need the remedy."
"I don't suppose your way is exactly meritorious." A sigh floated out of him. "Can't you get Vincent to get it for you? Or Remus?"
"Unfortunately no, you bastard. Why the hell do you think I'm here? It's fuckin' Nightglove, you dumbass." A look of surprise shot across his face before he roughly took her right hand.
"How bad has it been?", he asked all business. The enormity of the situation had finally hit him, and Lovina silently thanked heaven for her captain's final clarity.
"Numbness in my left hand, and for my right side all the way up to my elbows." she answered noncommittally, shading her own concern for herself.
"No trouble in your breathing yet?" He started pacing the room, and Lovina could virtually see the gears in his head. "I'm guessing since you came yourself you don't want to have anyone with you. However, I can still come up with a strategy for you."
Although Lovina would have prefered doing it herself, she consented to his idea with a nod. She would map out the area today, and start her infiltration the next day. As for her sorella and the others, there was no helping them knowing she was gone. Remus and Vincent could delay them for a few hours or even a couple days, but they they would know eventually.
"Then I expect it finished by tonight while I'm gone," she said as she slid out of the room.
"Of course," he said as he inclined his head to substitute a bow. "You'll find your usual suite at the Marigold Hotel exactly the same way you left it." Ralph was tapping away on his keyboard, and she left him at that.
A subtle glance at her watch told Lovina it was around 2:30pm. She was sitting on the veranda of a coffee shop; rush time for restaurants were long past, and the market had started to slow down to a stable pace. After arriving at her suite, everything had been left exactly as she had remembered when she visited last. Her closet had been updated, probably thanks to Ralph who despised anything out of date. She now wore a large brimmed black hat that tipped at an angle on her head. Twitching uncomfortably in her new cream colored blouse and polka-dotted skirt, she shuffled her matching heels under her chair. A couple of the staff had been notified of her station as well as her current situation, and had insisted they treat her as her rank enjoined. However she declined, determined to keep her alias.
Lovina took a sip from her coffee, and fought the urge to go back underground. It wasn't the pressure or the increasing numbness bothered her; it was more like the lack of weaponry on her person. There weren't anonymous places to place a dagger or two in a skirt or heels. She could only manage to slide some thin poisoned needles in the hidden compartments that decorated the inside of her sleeve without anyone noticing. Although they were deadly, they weren't the solid assurance that Lovina prefered.
Feeling a stare that permeated through her, she looked up to the curious face of Bella, sister to Lars. Keeping her own sangfroid in check, she sent a flaring glare towards the other girl's way. Lovina hoped that it'll keep the cheerful girl away from her space, although she had the feeling it wouldn't work all that well. Turning her gaze towards the street below, Ralph was waving from below with vigor. A thick manila folder swished back and forth in his hand. Lovina inclined her head in greeting, silently asking him to come and join her.
"Um...hi!" Lovina hid her flinch from Bella while carefully turning her focus on her interloper. Struggling to put her scattered thoughts into place, the words that came next from Bella's mouth were a blur. She placed a placid look on her face, hoping that Bella wouldn't notice. The Belgian princess was always quite distracted, and she hoped that particular characteristic would work again now. However she froze when she realized Bella was finished and was waiting patiently for an answer.
"Hello," Lovina returned the salutation. Surmising from what she had heard, she hoped the sounds that came from her mouth next would make sense. She distantly remembered the Bella asking if she was busy or something of the kind as she continued to speak. "Nothing that I am aware of."
Keeping her words vague, Lovina couldn't help using the giant brim of the hat to hide her face, adding to her air of mystery. It was good that Ralph's sense of style was actually useful for something besides looking pretty on display. She couldn't help a smile grow on her face when Bella took up the strings of the conversation, even mentioning a friend Lovina reminded her of. If only she knew who she was speaking to right now!
"Is that so? Who?" Lovina couldn't help asking, sneaking in a pinch of gentle curiosity to complete her alias. However her reaction fell flat with Bella's description, and her anger flared slightly. Lovina needed no such compliments by anyone, especially not by an enemy. She needed her tough image to survive the underworld. If any of her business associates ever heard this, rumors would spread like wildfire, and she did not have time to make displays out of her mockers. Besides her hands were drenched in the deep colors of crimson already, she didn't need a darker shade of red. After all Ralph regularly reminded her that any darker shade color wouldn't match her complexion or any of his prefered styles of clothes, and Feli's suspicions would then be proven true. On top of that, Lovina prefered to keep her hands clean. For a while anyway.
"I take it that you know her; Lovina, I mean." Lovina smothered the cold, chilling laughter that threatened to pool out. Even the sometimes air-headed Belgian princess had noticed Lovina's reaction, which only relayed the fact that she was extremely out of practice. Collecting herself, Lovina fished for a reply.
"I've not had the pleasure," She smiled good naturedly at Bella. Bella had made no move to take a seat, and stood while holding her coffee in her hand. "But if we are to continue this chat, then please take a seat." After Bella sat, Lovina continued, "So we've chatted for so long yet I don't even know your name! How silly!" Placing a naive expression on her face, Lovina waited for the alibi that Bella was using. She was pleasantly surprised at the amount of skill the princess used to lie.
"Well then, Enri!" Lovina grinned like a carefree puppy. "My name's Marie."
"Hey!" A loud voice screamed in their direction. Bella turned towards the direction, and Lovina copied her in turn. The red-headed moron faked a pant as he reached their table.
"My friend, how great to see you again after so long!," Lovina stood up gracefully to greet him in a friendly hug. "Why are you making such a scene?" she whispered into his ear under the curious eyes of the Belgian princess. "Don't be such an asshole."
"How has it been?" Ralph ignored her without much effort. Afterall it was something that he practiced on a daily basis. It was amazing that Lovina even got a shred of work out of the lazy bastard.
"It's been just wonderful!" Lovina exclaimed, motioning for him to take a seat and hide the folder. "I've just made a new friend. Please meet Erni. She's just such a dear." Ralph gave her a knowing smile, while moving forward to shake Bella's hand with vigor.
"It is such a great thing to meet a friend," he babbled. Lovina watched as Bella's hand was leaving faint silhouettes from Ralph's ridiculous speed of hand shaking. Instead of glaring at him, she gently placed her hand on his arm while muffling laughter.
"I think that's enough, love" she smiled, leaning over to peck him on the cheek. Satisfaction spread through her as Bella's face easily exposed that all her doubts had been put to rest. She continued to speak as she turned towards Bella. "I'm so sorry to cut our first meeting short, but we must go now. It'll be great if we could meet again!"
"Yes, it would be nice if we could meet again some time," Bella stood up to meet them, giving final good-byes. It was only after Lovina and Ralph mingled into the streets that they disentangled themselves from each other, still careful to keep each other close in case of another surprise meeting.
"I can't believe you actually managed to do that," Ralph guffawed, leaning on her to keep from falling over. "Your face though…" The end of his sentence was covered up with uncontrollable laughter.
"Shut the hell up," Lovina hissed, still trying to keep up appearances. "Why the fuck couldn't you have been more normal?" She snatched the folder from slipping.
"Normal?" Bursts of laughter continued to slip out of him, and Lovina fought the urge to slap him across the face. "You called yourself normal?! I should've brought a camera. I mean really…" Peals of laughter buried the end of his sentence.
"You fucking bastard," Lovina said to him as she smiled affably to an elder couple that passed by her. "Wait until we get back to my hotel room. I'll have your fucking head stuck on a stick in hell." A sharp jab with her elbow was added to Ralph's side to emphasize her words.
"Ok fine," Ralph conceded, rubbing his side in a grimace. "However you're paying for my hospital bill if that gave me internal bleeding. You'll also have to win me back that half a million I lost this morning."
"First, I pay you enough money," she smiled to the attendant at the front desk as they entered the Marigold Hotel. "Second, you can fucking bleed to death you lazy bastard."
"But the half a million was my three day's wage," he whined. "I put hard work in that!"
"Are you fucking kidding?" Lovina said, pushing the elevator button. "I called your vice-captain last week, and asked what the hell you were doing. Do you know what the fucking answer was? You were sleeping for the last 24 hours! How the hell is that even possible?"
"I had a good reason," he said as he slid the room card threw and held the door for her.
"He said you gambled for 72 hours straight," Lovina gritted out with great pains, while ripping the folder open. "HOW THE HELL DO I NOT PAY YOU ENOUGH MONEY?" She allowed herself to scream from annoyance after the door shut, knowing the walls were soundproof.
"Fine," Ralph sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to sneak out of this one. He would have to change his vice-captain too. He wondered why his vice-captain didn't tell her about all his other 'adventures', but he was content with only this one event coming to light.
"You're not changing you're vice-captain," Lovina spoke firmly without looking up from her flipping. "When does this happen?" She motioned to the pile of papers that laid abandoned on a desk. Ralph grinned, mischief glistened off his eyes. Now this was more his style.
"Tonight." The one word earned him a pleased nod from Lovina.
A/N:
Hello, it's Vulpi speaking! (That seems to be my tagline nowadays, I always start out with that phrase, haha). First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to those readers who celebrate it because I almost completely forgot about the holiday! Go eat tons of food and be happy and be thankful for everything you should be people! Haha, just kidding, sort of. Stereotypical Thanksgivings….Anyway, Silvre and I thought it would be good to explain our rather interesting choices for the PoVs of this chapter!
As you have read, assuming you did not skip all the way to the end just to read this Author's Notes (because, one, you would be telepathic to know that we put it here, and two, because where is the fun in doing that?), we had the same exact situation for the second parts of both Lovina's and Bella's PoVs. We wanted to try to express the same important plot event from two drastically different characters' minds because that way, it would not only be more fun, but you could see the situation more clearly and be assured that the mystery stranger girl was indeed Lovina speaking. She had some amazing acting skills, does she not? It is very very amazing indeed, hahaha.
Anyway, I am writing what seems to be much more than I should so, I guess the tl;dr would just be that we wanted the situation that almost signifies the end of the big-mini-plot event, a.k.a. the Nightglove poisoning, to be very clear to the readers of what is going on. At least, this is my sort of deeper interpretation because in reality, we just decided, oh, hey look, let's make this more exciting and write the same thing for both PoVs!
Hi! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is Silvre! I will also refrain from using any more exclamation marks. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and wasn't too bored out by both the PoVs that are rather similar. Of course there was a reason we did that, but Vulpi explained everything in detail so no need for me to repeat. :)
I know we took a rather looooonnnggg time, but school work overload must be done with first. This is one of the sad but true facts of the world. However I hope you still enjoyed it! :D Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you had fun while you did! Please comment to tell us your thoughts! We always welcome constructive criticism and ideas! :) (Oops I used more exclamation marks…)