~o~
That night, Arthur lay awake, contemplating what had happened earlier that evening. After trawling the internet, Alfred and Kiku had dredged up some cases about demons,
and after sifting through various mock-ups, photo-manips and hoaxes, they had found a case that sounded suspiciously similar to theirs; a couple named Katie and Micah, who had been haunted by a rancorous poltergeist which haunted the unfortunate couple for several months.
This case, however, had not been as informative as they had hoped, or even especially comforting, as it had ended with the gruesome death of Micah, and the suspected death and disappearance of Katie.
They had moved over America and Japans research fairly swiftly.
After that, they had read through the book they had got from the library. (Actually, by this time it had all got too much for Italy, and he had to head off to the kitchen for some pasta and to make a therapeutic white flag.) This had told them only a few facts, and told them nothing about how to actually get rid of demons.
However, what they had found out, they had noted down;
That demons often had no physical bodies, and were less like beings (like ghosts were) and more like a negative feeling with a mind of its own, whose soul ambition was to cause misery to whichever hapless individual crossed their paths.
They also often haunted the same person (or occasionally multiple, linked, people) for that persons entire life.
At this, they heard a clatter of dropped pasta utensils from the kitchen, which mirrored well the feeling of shock that they were all experiencing. None of them said anything, but all of them were sure of one thing; they had all experienced the occult in some form or another over the years; could it not be the house that was haunted, but them?
~o~
Later that day, Austria had come round to apologise about Prussia (apparently a sound beating had been delivered via frying pan by Hungary), and he had heard about the strange happenings that had been going on in the new house, and wanted to check on them. (Well, he didn't say that, but under his spiky replies they got the gist of it)
His visit was welcome, because since he had been a fairly prominent part of several of their childhoods, he might be able to remember any paranormal activity better than they had.
After these pleasantries had been exchanged (read pleasantries as arguments) they asked him if he could remember anything out of the ordinary from any of their early lives, or whether any of the others countries had experienced troubles similar to theirs.
He had been guarded to start off with, but eventually he told them a recollection about just after Italy had first been taken into his service.
"When I went into his room, I think it was to tell him that Holy Rome was leaving, and, well…"
He hesitated.
"Ah, it's…probably nothing."
The look on his face said that it wasn't.