Germania walked over to the cauldron, ladling out soup to all the boys. It was a wonderful cream of mushroom with bits of beef. It smelled delightful. Roderich turned to Gilbert who was poking him, and he started to poke back, getting annoyed.

"Nein, stop it you pest!" Ludwig looked over, watching the two, and started to giggle. Germania walked over and set all the bowls down in front of the hungry little children. He looked over to his problem and raised an eyebrow.

"Mein Gott Gilbert...what is the problem now?"

"Just playing Vati..." Prussia said looking up childishly. "Is it ready I am starving? I bet I can eat more than Roddy and Basch together!" He said grabbing a spoon and standing on his chair. Little Basch had been quiet after his close call and just shook his head wondering why everything had to be a contest with Prussia.

"Ja Gilbert...it is ready. Sitting in front of you, go ahead and eat your lunch." He then walked over to the counter and got some fresh bread, and cut it in slices. Putting it on a plate, he walked over and set it down on the table, and then he sat down, next to Ludwig. "Okay little one, you are getting more soup on your face than in your mouth, here let me help you." Roderich nudged Gilbert back, and glared at him.

"Stop playing...I don't want to play with you. I don't want to get in trouble with Onkel!" He put his spoon into his soup, and ate a bite. The creaminess of the mushroom soup made him smile. "This is yummy Onkel!"

Gilbert stuck his tongue out at Roderich, and then turned to his soup and started to eat it nosily down slurping and smacking his lips.

"Hey Vati you know what would go good with this soup? An apple strudel...you haven't made one in a billon years!" Prussia said between gulps of his soup.

Giving Ludwig another mouthful, he then set the spoon down, and glared at his eldest.

"Gilbert Beilschmidt! What the Hölle is the matter with you? Do you want me to get you a bib like when you were still in cloth diapers? You will eat your soup like a proper little boy, or you will not eat at all!" He wiped Ludwig's face, and then looked to Austria and Switzerland. "Are you both enjoying the soup? I am glad to see you two can eat like regular children." He took some of his own soup, and then looked back to Prussia. "And Ja, it has been a while since I made strudel, but as of late, you have not earned the chance to have some. Naughty..."

Prussia blushed he couldn't believe Vati had mentioned "that" again and he scooted a little farther down in his seat.

"I..I was only thinking of the cousins...they haven't had your apple strudel. We could go pick apples for you. I won't even eat the strudel, I will just enjoy smelling it Vati." Gilbert said thinking that was a very grown up thing to do and say.

Seeing as the boys were finishing, Germania stood up and started clearing the plates. He set them in the basin, and then looked back to Gilbert.

"Of course you were thinking of your cousins little one, that's all it has been about, them right?" He shook his head, and walked to where Ludwig was, and helped him down. "Roderich, Basch, if you two would like...we can pick some apples." He wiped the table, and then spoke some more. "Alright Gilbert...I will make strudel, but if you want it, we all do this together." He walked over and grabbed two wooden pails, and headed to the door. "Let's go outside little ones."

Gilbert gave a hurt look at first, but then hearing Vati would make strudel and they were going to be picking apples. Prussia's grin returned and he leapt up ready to go. He actually liked picking apples because he was sometimes allowed to climb the tree and the apples were really fun to pick from way up high.

"Ja Vati! Hey Roddy, you ever picked apples before?"

Arriving outside, Roderich skipped and walked alongside Basch. He cast a gaze over at Prussia, and sighed, nodding his head.

"Ja, I have picked apples before...its not like its something only you have done!" He walked to the tree and looked up. There were several trees, and they were loaded with fresh ripe apples. Germania set a bucket down, and looked to Prussia.

"Alright little one, you know what we always do...I will lift you up, and let you get high in the tree, the apples need to be thrown down, is that clear? And you will not launch them at anyone."

Prussia was tempted to punch Austria in the arm, but they had already arrived at the tree when Germania started talking. Prussia nodded smiling, he loved this job.

"But Vati what if an apple accidentally slips from my hand and hits Roderich on the head...accidentally?" Prussia decided he should cover his basses.

Picking the boy up, and scoffing, Germania put the boy up in a lower branch. He then responded.

"Well...I suppose if it "accidentally" slips from your hand, then I would "accidentally" put you over my knee...and "accidentally" spank you." He smirked, and set the bucket underneath where the apples would drop. "Try it, and you will see...start picking young man." He walked away, and looked down to Ludwig. "Your job is to put the apples in the buckets okay?" Then looking over to the other two, he smiled. "Alright little ones, if you want to climb other branches, and get the other apples. Okay?"

Prussia knew that Germania wasn't even joking a little bit about that and decided he would keep a firm grip on the apples, afraid now that it might actually be an accident. Prussia climbed the tree as high as possible and started picking. He was looking down before he dropped them so as not to accidentally hit anyone especially Roderich even though it was a tempting thing. Roderich walked over to another tree, and shouted to Switzerland.

"Come, come Basch, let's pick some apples, and away from Gilbert, he might hit you in the head...haha!" Ludwig was having fun putting apples in the bucket. Germania watched and backed away, sitting under a closer by tree. He grabbed a large stick, and took out his dagger, and started to whittle something, not sure yet, just to pass the time. He was enjoying this outside with the children.

Prussia could hear what Roderich said and frowned but said nothing and saw he was climbing up a nearby tree.

"Hey Roddie what's taking you so long I already picked fifteen apples! You need some help over there?" Austria looked over and shook his head.

"Shut up Gilbert!" He hastily picked the apples, looking down, having them slam to the ground. He had only counted eight, and was mad. "Ugh, you are such a jerk!" He tossed more apples down below. "Come on Basch, you need to count them, and make sure there are more than stupid Gilbert." He shouted down. Germania looked up, but not really listening to the boys, as what he was working on, he was more focused. It was late in the afternoon, and he was getting tired.

Basch sighed, as the two were really impossible sometimes and he started putting the apples in the basket sensing trouble. Prussia smirked as he heard him.

"Hey you need some help?" Prussia had picked a particularly rotten apple and tossed it toward Bosch's basket and it landed in with a splattering squish. Basch now had pieces of rotten apple on him. The younger nation tried to be patient and glared up at the tree.

Roderich looked down, and saw Prussia throw the apple at Basch, and looked over to his uncle. Germania had let his dagger and the wood he was working on fall, and he slumped to the side, sleeping. Gritting his teeth, he did not want to start a fight, and as much as he wanted to throw an apple back at Prussia, he held back.

"Basch...are you okay?" Ludwig looked over to his cousin and walked over. "Ummmmm...Basch...you have yucky apple on you!"

Basch calmly started dusting off the bits of apple off of him, then without another word went to the basket and took a large apple and then without another word hurled it at Prussia with all his might. The apple flew and conked Prussia in the face and he lost his grip on the tree branch and started to topple down screaming as he did.

Roderich looked up with wide eyes as he watched Prussia start to fall. He then looked over at Basch.

"Oh Mein Gott...what did you do Basch? You are going to be in so much trouble!" He started to climb down. Germania moaned and snored slightly. He had heard little cries, but thought maybe it was just the birds outside. He folded his arms, getting more comfortable. Ludwig just sat down, looking at the two, and then back at his brother.

"Bruder?"

Prussia had grabbed many branches on his way down to falling the very last one had managed to stop him from hitting the ground at full force. He finally plopped down feeling rather dizzy, and he couldn't believe that he hadn't been able to see that one coming. He was not hurt, just scratched here and there and was shaking his head to clear it. Basch stood there still looking angrily at Prussia and ignoring Roderich.

"No we won't Roderich, because if Prussia is a baby and tells...then he knows very well he will be in trouble too and I DON'T think he wants that." He frowned, now seeing how the game worked.

Austria was very worried, he saw that his uncle was asleep, but he was sure the nation would wake up, if enough naughty behavior happened. He walked over to Basch, and grabbed his shoulders.

"Um...um oh Nein, he still might tell, or he might wait...and then you'll be in big trouble." Ludwig walked over to his brother, and sniffled a little.

"Bruder...are you okay, are you hurt? Do you want me to get Vati?" Roderich looked over to his smallest cousin, and held his breath.

"Nein...NEIN Ludie!"

Prussia's head had cleared now and he stood up glaring at Basch and rolled up his sleeve.

"Nein Ludwig...this is between me and Basch!" He said narrowing his eyes at his cousin and started to march over to him. "You think your pretty smart DON'T you Basch?" The other country frowned.

"Only compared to some." He answered he was not in the mood for this. Ludwig got frightened and ran over to Roderich and held his hand.

"Roddie...what's going to happen with Bruder and cousin?" He started to get very upset. Roderich looked down, and shook his head.

"Um...I don't know...but, but um...your Vati is not going to be happy if he wakes up. Should we wake him up before anything else happens?" He looked down, but Ludwig just shrugged his shoulders. He was not sure what would happen. Austria looked to the two. "Hey! You guys better stop it!"

"Quiet Roddie!" Basch said holding out a hand to Austria but keeping his focus on Prussia. The two were now inches away from each other glaring, Prussia had his hands clenched and wasn't blinking.

"You don't want me as an enemy Basch...I have a crop...and I KNOW how to use it!" Basch didn't bat an eye.

"And I have a whole list of naughty words I am sure you would just love to hear!" Prussia blinked at him.

"What? Really?" He looked intrigued suddenly.

Now thinking Austria would not be able to do anything to intervene, Roderich pulled Ludwig's hand, and brought him over to a tree and sat down. It was the only thing the two could do because they did not want to get into trouble. Austria seemed to think that Prussia and Switzerland were going to make Germania very angry. Ludwig leaned against his cousin. He called out.

"Gilbie, you better not be naughty, I will wake up Vati!"

But at this point the two Prussia and Basch were now talking. They spoke in quieter tones, whispering. Then Prussia blushed and covered his mouth and started to giggle. He then would gasp as Basch whispered another word into his ear. Prussia made the look of question then Basch started to make motions with his hand sticking his finger in between a hole made with two fingers. Prussia then giggled and gasped nodding his head and the two went on like this for a full fifteen minutes.

Germania rolled his head to the side, and yawned slightly, he noticed that it was quiet, and wondering if it was a dream. He went to open his eyes, but they felt a little heavy, and he just continued to nod off more. Ludwig looked over at his Vati, and then got up. He walked over to his brother, and tugged at his shirt.

"Gilbie...Gilbie...what are you whispering to Basch...what are you saying Gilbie?"

Prussia's face was red from all the nice new juicy words he had just heard. It now made falling out of that tree worth it. He pat Ludwig's head.

"Just a bit of cultural exchange Ludwig, no need to worry. I think me and Basch are the best of friends now right?" He said patting his shoulder Basch tried to hold back a wicked smirk!

"Oh yes best of friends." It had been too easy, and now it was up to Prussia to hang himself with his own new words. Ludwig was not sure what to think, and walked over to Germania tugging on him.

"Vati, Vati...wake up Vati...the apples...they are picked Vati!" The child kept calling, and Germania slowly opened an eye, and rubbed at it.

"Ugh...whaaaa...oh little one...ughhh." He sat up, with his back hurt. He got up, and set a hand down on the boy's head. Then walking over to where the apples were he smiled. "Ja, very good boys. You have picked out a lot of apples. Why don't we go inside, and then I will start the strudel. Come along. Everyone take a bucket, but if it is too heavy, just drag it okay?"

"Oh Ja, sure thing Vati. You have a nice nap? You didn't have any dreams did you?" Prussia said giggling to himself and started to drag the bucket along, Basch wondering how long Prussia could go before he spoke out one of the words he had taught him. Germania cast a slight glance at Prussia, and cocked his head.

"Little one...you don't usually care about the well being of my naps. Now get that bucket inside, so I can make you all a treat. Once that is done, I need all four of you to wash your hands, because you are indeed filthy. I don't want to hear any excuses." He grabbed up a bucket, and walked inside. Setting it down. He held the door open for the children. "Come, come, inside boys."

"Oh...no reason Vati. I was just curious if you had a soggy dream?" Basch slapped his own forehead. Prussia couldn't even remember how to say it right, he was so stupid. Prussia giggled as he heard Vati say the word filthy. "Filthy...filthy like a Shizer log." This time Basch tried not to choke. Prussia was terrible at using vulgar terms. Germania looked down at the boy, and was slightly taken aback. He couldn't believe he was hearing these words out of the child's mouth.

"What? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY GILBERT?" He grabbed Roderich's bucket, and the boy walked in. He set them down, and then turned his attention back to his eldest. He cast his hands on his waist and shook his head. "Gilbert Beilschmidt..." Prussia feeling pleased with his new vocabulary turned around smiling.

"Oh Ja Vati I have been wanting to tell you this for a long time." He then stuck up his middle finger and grinned. "GOOD LUCK VATI you lucky son of a bitch!"

"Was zur Hölle?" Germania walked over to Gilbert and grabbed him firmly by the arm, hauling him inside. He looked over his shoulder to Ludwig and Basch. "Both of you come inside. NOW!" Roderich was already inside, and his eyes almost bugged out of his head, as he heard what his little cousin uttered at his uncle. He could not believe it. Ludwig quickly ran inside, and ran to the table. Closing the door, Germania still held on to Gilbert, and pulled him close, as he knelt down. "Gilbert...that was very adult language...WHERE DID YOU HEAR IT?"

Basch had been the only one not shocked by what Prussia uttered in fact he had been smirking the entire time, that is until Germania asked the question of Prussia. The question that could bury little Basch. The smile faded from Switzerland and he shook his head and tried to take a step back behind Austria. Prussia was scared. Vati looked mad. Maybe he shouldn't have tried to use them all at once, and he pointed a finger in the direction of Basch.

"Eh Basch, he told me they were super awesome words to use that made you grow up faster."

Holding the little nation firmly, Germania then looked over to Basch, and extended his finger out, making a come hither motion.

"You...come here, right now." Ludwig knew this tone about his Vati, and knew that something bad was going to happen. He walked over to Roderich and pulled at his hand.

"Come on Roddie...Vati is mad...and...and we can play with my blocks...come on." He pulled, and Roderich did not disagree with anything right now. He followed his little cousin towards the living room, and they both sat down. Austria looked over feeling bad to his cousins.

Basch blinked a few times but walked over to Germania. The situation had turned much differently than he had expected, but he stayed silent and waited for the inquiry that was soon to come and could only hope that he could manage to use diplomacy in this delicate situation.

Germania did not say anything, but grabbed up Prussia and Switzerland into his arms, and sat them down on the counter, in front of the sink. He knew they would not be getting down, not while he had them in his grasp. He walked over to the sink, and took up the bar of lye soap, and then turned to the boys.

"Gilbert...Basch...when did this come about with the use of naughty language?"

"When Gilbert threw the rotten apple at me!" Basch said not holding back the information, if he was going down he was going to make sure Prussia came down hard with him as well. Prussia gasped at this.

"HE KNOCKED ME OUT OF THE APPLE TREE!" He shrieked. Germania looked at the two, and shook his head, putting up both his hands.

"Nein, Nein, Nein...you two...stop it right now!" He did not want to hear this right now, he just needed the boys to understand the naughty words that came out. He turned his back on the children and turned on the faucet, running his finger through it. He then rubbed his finger alongside the lye soap, and built up a lather. Turning back around, he spoke in a stern voice. "Gilbert...open your mouth." Casting a glance at Basch, he continued speaking. "And you...you are next."

Prussia teared up. He had had the soap before and it was terrible and stingy. He knew better though than to disobey and opened his mouth slowly and not too wide. Basch's eyes widened and he put his hand to his mouth, he did not want that in his mouth at all. Germania leaned forward, holding the boy's chin with his free hand, and with the soaped finger rubbed a generous amount of soap all across Prussia's gums, and teeth, even on the boy's tongue.

"Keep it there until I say you can spit it out." He then turned back to the sink, running the water, and then rubbing the soap a second time, he turned to his nephew. "Alright Basch, open your mouth now. I am not even going to ask you a second time." He held a finger and waited for the boy. Ludwig and Roderich looked over feeling slightly scared. Ludwig got soaped just once, and that was only repeating what his older brother had said once.

Basch was terribly afraid to not listen to his uncle. He slowly removed his hands and opened his mouth. Prussia was meanwhile moaning and crying and sobbing with the stinging soap being all inside his mouth making him feel as if his mouth were on fire. Germania did the same, making sure to get all the same spots as little Gilbert. Once he was done, he wiped his finger on the side of his tunic, and stood back against the sink.

"I am thoroughly annoyed with the two of you, and the bickering and fighting." He then turned his attention to Prussia. "And you young man, you have not stopped since your cousins got here. When are you going to learn?" He said this to both children, because for once he wanted to talk without them talking back, as they really couldn't. He waited a little longer, and looked over to the others, but did not say anything. "Hmmph...alright you two..." He grabbed a bowl from the basin, and two glasses of water, Setting them down, he held the bowl to them. "Alright, spit out the soap, and rinse your mouths out."

Prussia was moaning and sniffling and was more than ready to spit out the terrible nasty soap and sputtered coughing taking the water. Basch did the same, his eyes and mouth stinging from the terrible soap. He was afraid he would be sick as he spit it out but took the water and drank it down.

Once this was done, Germania grabbed up Prussia and put him down on the ground, doing the same to Basch as well. This was not over, not in the least bit. He turned to cupboard, and reached in and grabbed a small knife. He turned to Gilbert and leaned down handing it to the boy.

"Outside...the both of you. Geh und schneide mir eine Rute! Be quick about it." He then looked to Basch. "You go with him too, a learning process if you will for what is going to happen to you both." He stood back up and crossed his arms. "I will wait right here." Prussia had gasped his stomaching doing a flip flop.

"B-but Vati! W-we are sorry and already got the stingy soap." Prussia had never gotten switched after a soaping before, but of course this was only his second time. Basch was now paling at the words. He was trembling and shook his head

"Onkle please we are sorry please. Not a switch my little buns cant take it!" Keeping a firmness about him, the nation pointed outside.

"Do as I say right now!" Roderich's eyes widened. He was frightened. A switching, that seemed so much worse than a belting, or just a regular spanking. He guessed that saying bad words really was very bad."

Prussia knew that tone, he practically felt it in his bones and without another word as quickly as he could grabbed and pulled Basch by the arm to follow him to where he knew was a suitable place to get switches. With tears in his eyes, he went to cut one he knew Vati expected. Basch was silent and too scared to say anything as he watched Prussia expertly find one that looked way too big and long and sliced it with a knife and started to return back again in record time.

Germania watched the two, and when they came back in, he was surprised by the switch that Gilbert had picked. He held out his hand, and cleared his throat.

"Hand me the switch Gilbert...I want to test it out and make sure that you did a fine job. If by chance this is not up to my standards...you will most certainly will understand your faults. He raised an eyebrow, and waited. Roderich and Ludwig sat on the floor. The elder cousin worried about the well being of his cousins, and he was not sure what he would even say, knowing that his uncle was not something to trifle with when he was in this much of an angry state.

Prussia gulped nodded and handed the switch to Vati. He had been so fast about it he had just picked the first one he saw. His eyes widened as he realized it was much thicker and longer than he usually got. His little eyes had just been full of tears when he had cut it, and he had been so scared that he hadn't paid enough attention to it. Basch was clutching the back of his trousers biting his lip, he was going to be killed for certain by that thing. Germania turned the switch over and over in his palms, and then looking to the child with a slight smirk.

"A little thick...you must think I am a monster...hmmmph." The nation took the switch, and walked over to the counter and took his dagger from his waist. He began to whittle it down, making it slightly thinner, but also so it would have a nice crisp sting to it. As he did this, he looked over to Basch, but did not say anything, as he wanted to make this as quick as possible. As he finished, he walked to the boys, but then turned to Austria and the smallest one. "You two...stay right there and don't move a muscle...I am going to take care of something." He then looked to the boys, tucking the switch under his arm put, and grabbing both boys by the arms. "Come...I am taking care of this in your bedroom Gilbert, because afterwards it will be bedtime."

*Translation:

Geh und schneide mir eine Rute!-Go cut me a switch!