Bonjour mes amis! I apologise in advance for any confusing things I say. I currently have France and Korea fighting for control of my brain DX its very worrying! Anyway, I'm still looking for a beta, so if you're interested, please PM me :) hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 12 - Concealment
"Well, this is... nice." I said awkwardly. Japan, Italy, England and I were standing or sitting around the kitchen. It was very modern, or at least had been adapted to be. The cupboards and surfaces were formed from a sparkling steel-like alloy, which when combined with the pale mint-green walls made a stunning display. We had been barricaded in here for about ten minutes, nine of which had been spent in awkward silence. I sighed from my perch on the counter.
"It's times like these when you actually want to see the Bad Touch Trio." I muttered to myself. England coughed and shot me a look from his seat on the island. I rolled my eyes. "Now who's thinking something disturbing?" I remarked. Italy was cooking pasta again. I let him get on with it. It kept his mind off the problem outside.
"Brother Russia, I know you're in there. Your friends deny it, but I know they're lying. Come out, Russia!" Belarus crooned from the other side of the door. Yes. That was the problem. I had disabled the door and removed the sensor crystals so she couldn't open the door that way, but instead she was trying to prise it open with her knives and bare hands.
"Right. That's it. Anymore of this and I'm going to go crazy. Shut up." I added to England, who opened his mouth, thought better of it, then shut it again. "We need to do something."
"What do you suggest, Rachel-san?" Japan said calmly. He was sitting on the dishwasher. I smiled innocently, before holding up the pack of cards I had procured from Dr Taylor's desk in the infirmary.
"How about a game of poker?"
"Ve~ Germany told me not to play that. He said I lose too much money."
"You can be the dealer instead if you like." I smiled at Italy. He nodded enthusiastically. Japan looked unsure, but inclined his head in assent. England raised an eyebrow.
"Cassandra, in case you have forgotten, we don't have any money with which to bet." I grinned at him. Money had been considered unnecessary when we were transferred here. The lack of shops or any other place to spend it made it worthless.
"We're not playing for money. We're playing for time." Now Japan looked really confused.
"I am sorry, Rachel-san, but I do not understand." I smiled and explained.
"Its the way my brother Adrian plays it. Its the normal rules of poker, two of a kind, flush etcetera, but instead of money, you play for time. Say, if you bet two minutes and lost to me, then you would have to do what I wanted for two minutes. Make sense?" Japan nodded slowly. I slowly slid off the counter to my feet, wincing as my shin protested. Italy served up his pasta into four bowls and sat down on the floor, cheerfully accepting the deck of cards from me. England, Japan and I moved and sat down with him, forming a cross shape. Italy shuffled and dealt. I looked at my cards, keeping my face blank as I took a mouthful of spaghetti. Bugger. I saw Japan and England do the same.
"Check."
"Call."
"Call." Italy discarded the top card and laid out the flop: 6 of hearts; 2 of diamonds; 4 of clubs. Slightly better.
"Check."
"Fold." Japan backed out. Now it was between me and Iggy.
"Check." Italy laid out the fourth card: King of diamonds.
"Raise. Two minutes." I called his bluff.
"Call." Italy laid out the final card: Queen of spades.
"Check."
"Check."
"Ve~ Show me!" Italy chirped. I turned my cards over. 2 of hearts, 9 of spades. "Pair." Italy pushed the two of diamonds up. Arthur grinned at me, before turning his cards over. Crap. King of clubs, Queen of diamonds.
"I believe, Miss Smith, you owe me two minutes of your time." England looked smug. I rolled my eyes.
"Thank god France isn't playing. What shall I do?"
"Sing."
"Ya what?" I looked at him, bemused.
"Sing that song you sing when you think no one can hear you." I glowered at him. Italy smiled.
"Ve~ Yay, singing!" I sighed, before taking a few breaths. It was a song my mother had taught me when I was a child. As I sang I watched their faces. Italy was swaying happily to the tune. Japan was calm and collected. England was... Pleased? I couldn't tell. My watch beeped, indicating my two minutes were up.
"There." I said, acting aggravated. In truth, I didn't mind so much. Italy clapped.
"That was very good, Rachel-san."
"Indeed, Cassandra." I shrugged modestly.
"Thanks." I replied, before sitting back and starting the next hand. I folded out of the next hand. Japan won. He made England do a hand-stand for a minute. It was quite amusing. He fell over twice.
England won the next hand. I had to balance a bowl of pasta on my head for 30 seconds. Japan had to do an impression of Greece. It was actually quite good. Then I won. Japan held his breath for 2 minutes. Then it was England's turn. I fixed him with a grin.
"You have to answer my questions truthfully." He looked worried.
"Question 1: Are you responsible for my new hair?" He grimaced.
"Yes, Cassandra. Although under duress, I must say! Singapore said she'd have that perverted frog do something... scary if I didn't."
"To you or me?"
"Me."
"Fair enough. I kinda like it actually."
"It actually backfired. It was supposed to make you bald." Silence. I coughed, before returning to my questions.
"Question 2: What the hell did I do or say to you that means you cant look me in the eye anymore?" He looked at the ground, his face tinged a bit pink. I raised an eyebrow. Dear God, if you love me, you will not allow Iggy to say what I think he's gonna say...
"Well... You said... You and the frog had discussed... Big Ben..." He mumbled. I interrupted.
"Not while sober, Iggy. Don't worry, I cant remember a bloody thing."
"Ah. Good. Well there you go."
"There's more."
"No there isn't!'
"There is!"
"Really! There isn't!"
"Iggy, I swear I will sit on you in a minute."
"Okay okay! You said I was cute and you kissed me." He rushed out. I sat there for a moment.
"Oh." Japan coughed.
"Italia-kun, shall we make more pasta?"
"Ve~ Okay!" The two Nations got up and moved to the cooker, out of earshot.
"Roll on the awkward times, huh." I stretched my legs out in front of me.
"Quite so."
"This is... unawesome." England chuckled.
"You sound like Prussia."
"Well we do share a hair colour now." I turned and stared straight at him. "Arthur." He looked at me uneasily. "How about I get Ivan's supply of vodka and we pretend this conversation never happened, yes?" The Englishman looked relieved.
"Good idea." Just then there was a loud metallic clang from the door. I frowned at it. Please don't tell me Belarus is attempting to hammer the door down now... Then an all-too-familiar voice sounded through the door.
"I am assuming there are people in there, da?"
"Yes, Ivan!" I called back, attempting to push my self to my feet. England stared at me for a moment, before offering me a hand. I accepted it gratefully. "England, Italy, Japan and I are in here."
"You can come out now, da?"
"Is Belarus conscious?"
"Cassandra, I wouldn't be standing here if she was." That hadn't occurred to me.
"Okay, we're coming out." I limped over to the door and replaced the crystals in the sensor, before waving my hand at it. The door slid open to show Russia and Hungary standing there. The latter was hefting a cast iron frying pan and shooting wary looks at Belarus. I sighed again.
"Russia, could you take Belarus to the infirmary please? That's the second time she's been knocked out today." A look of pure fear flashed over the Russian's face. "Never mind. England, same request please."
"I'm supposed to be looking after you."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not. You have-"
"Say it again and I'll borrow Hungary's frying pan."
"I'll be happy to lend it to you, Cassie."
"Hey, no need to gang up on me!"
"Brother Russia!" Russia squeaked. Hungary swung her frying pan...
CLANG!
Not again, I thought as for the second time that day, everything went black.
I'm mean to them huh? Hehe oh well, they'll live. Reviews will be rewarded with cookies! ;) Hope you liked the chapter!
Much love
Mel xx