Here, have a plate full of my apologies, topped with my slowly deteriorating dignity. Lateness is my secret super power. Shhh...

In response to a few PMs I got that I haven't had the chance to answer independently:

1. Yes, I do write things other than fanfiction. But you know, the name of the site suggests that this probably isn't the best place to upload those works... Thanks for asking!

2. I actually have improved my editing process quite a bit since I began writing. In my earlier works, you could spot mistakes, whether that be spelling, grammar or whole words missing. It's because I tend to edit section by section, as my fanfiction writing tends to flow like that. If you see any mistakes, just ignore them. I see them too and I die a little inside when I do haha.

3. Yes, English is my first language, although Canadian English isn't my first dialect. I think I've mentioned this before in a previous author's note. Anyways, I've mastered this dialect :p

4. Interesting theory! I will admit that I do have a weak spot for the Italy X Romano brotherly relationship stuff, as you can probably tell, but I can't say what I plan to do next. You'll just have to wait and see!

5. I like that analysis! I feel as though the China we see in canon is just the bare surface of his personality. I hope to dive deeper into his character, not necessarily in this story, but maybe sometime soon. Thanks!

As always, reviews, rates, follows, favourites and feedback are all greatly appreciated!

Enjoy!

- luvlani88


Alec had a black eye, and he looked as if he was wanting to return the favour, but Spain, Hungary and Juliette held the two brawling men apart. Romano smirked at the human, enjoying the throb in his still clenched fist.
"Enough, you two!" Juliette shouted, helping to hold Alec back by his shoulders. "This isn't the time nor the place!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Romano spat at her. "You waited until now to tell us that the other nations could be trapped down there! All bets are off!"

"Romano, please…" Spain begged. "Calm down. I'm sure that they didn't mean to-"

"Listen, you bastards." Romano growled, ignoring Spain's plea. "Someone better start working on a solution fast or I swear I'll-"

"Mina." Japan said calmly. Despite the fire in Romano and Alec's eyes, the room went silent. "Ms. Juliette is right. We do not have time to waste in this situation. We must act quickly."

America nodded. "Japan's right. As much as I want to hit somebody, we have to get to work."
Juliette released Alec, who had stopped trying to lunge at Romano. "Exactly." She said. "And please," Glancing at America, she added, "Don't hit anyone."


Germany ran from the room. Well, ran wasn't the best way to describe the way he had stumbled out of the room and caught himself on the wall outside, nearly toppling over on an ancient bust of some philosopher.
Mein gott. He thought, his mind racing. He tried to force himself to breathe, but he couldn't. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible. It wasn't -
Suddenly, he realized he wasn't alone.

He whirled around to see a pale-looking China, who stared back at him with an unreadable expression. Slowly, Germany shook his head. "C-china. T-this...This is…"

Surprisingly enough, it seemed the older personnification was having trouble composing himself as well. Germany watched as he took a few tentative steps towards him, carefully, as if testing his balance. Was China feeling the same thing he was?

"China," Germany whispered. "Are you-"

"We have to leave this place, aru."

Germany blinked. Had China just said what he thought he had? "What?" He whispered back.
It appeared he was right. China leaned in closer and frantically whispered. "We have to leave this place." His brown eyes stared straight into Germany's blue ones. The German was taken aback. For once, China didn't look calm or in control. It was fear that he saw, reflected in the Asian's dark eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Germany frantically whispered back. "China, are these people - I mean, are they really-"

"Yes. I believe they are, aru."

"Then we-"

"We have to leave."

Again, Germany blinked, not understanding, and still trying to breathe normally. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't right, aru." China replied, still frantic. Now, Germany could see that his eyes were darting around, unfocused. "Germany, this isn't right. This place...We have to - "

"Germany."

Startled, the two jumped, and turned to face the voice that had come from the door. "Oh, China." Britain looked absolutely ecstatic. "Come in here! They have some information about Prussia."

He said, and hurried back into the room.
Giving one last confused glance at China, Germany took careful steps back into the room, forcing himself to breathe, one breath at a time.

China lingered outside. His eyes darted around the grand space that he stood in. With a shaky breath, he closed his eyes. And when he reopened them, he forced himself to breathe again. And again, and again. Silently, he put his hands inside each of his opposite sleeves, lifted his chin, and entered the room again, his jaw still set.

Breathe.


"I demand to know what's going on!" Austria exclaimed again. And for the third time, the security personnel had no answer for him. "This is absurd!" The nation paced the room. "You're telling me that the highest profile nations in the world are gone and you have no idea where they are?! And who was the woman that took Japan away? And why is there a streak of blood on the table?!"

Just as another security personnel was about to reply with literally nothing of use, the doors to the room opened again. "Excuse me, Mr. Austria."
Austria turned to the man. He recognized him - one of the United Nations officials.
Not a delegate... but a member of the organizing body. He couldn't remember his name, but he recognized his face. "I believe," The man began, a thick Nigerian accent coming through his voice. "That I have the information that you require. Please," he gestured for the nation to follow him, and the ten security guards that had entered with him. The Nigerian turned and began to exit the room.

Austria stared at him as he left. Well, he sighed to himself. This day can't get worse. So he silently followed the man in the suit, leaving the baffled security personnel behind.


"Remus had held him here as a prisoner of sorts," Winston explained. "Until he escaped."

As if sensing Germany's unease, he added, "You have to understand that it was quite a shock to all of us. To have a personification fall from the sky after so long...It was startling. And quite frankly, many of our citizens were terrified."

"How did he escape?" France asked.

Surprisingly, it was Gandhi who spoke up, after being silent for most of the meeting. "We do not know all of the details. And Remus is very hesitant to tell us."

"Hesitant?" Britain repeated. "Why would he be hesitant?"

"He's a powerful guy." Orville Wright spoke up. "To be duped like that...It's embarrassing, ya know?"

"He won't tell us how Prussia escaped." His brother Wilbur clarified. "He just said that he did."

"Well did anyone of your...citizens see him?" France pressed.

Beside him, Joan shook her head. They sat so close together, their arms linked and hands in each others'. "He's gone." She said. "But we'll help you look for him."


This place is dangerous.

His words rang out in his head, a hollow echo that accompanied the sharp pangs of a migraine. Where he was going, he wasn't sure. He closed his eyes and the rest of him had gone numb. Was this sleep? No. Sleep wasn't this painful. His body throbbed all over. It would've indicated a sign of distress with his citizens, with his country, with himself, but this was a different ache. This was an exhaustion he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

He must've blacked out again because when he could feel himself, he was resting against softness. A bed? Pillows? The empty sensations of the sandy dunes that he had trudged across were gone. The air was still. He was inside. Again, he lost the sensations of himself and slipped back into the nothingness of exhaustion.

Remus lingered before the door, watching. Italy had opened his eyes, managed to blink and look around, but it seemed that he had seen nothing. His pupils were too dilated, and he moved as if swimming. "How foolish of you, little one." He murmured and shook his head. Italy's eyes seemed to focus on him, before finally closing as he settled back into his dreamless state.

"Bring him some water." Remus commanded his servants. "And lock the doors as you leave."

With that he turned away from the Italian, opened the doors, and glided out of the room.