ITALY, DON'T POKE ZE FIRE! XU
I don't own anything except mein unusual imagination. :3
Grr, Mem-chan.
Your Phantom of the Opera virus is contagious. :P
Dimah's POV
I stare curiously as my love leans close to her best friend, "Your—your eyes…"
"What...?" Issa asks, sounding unsure of whether she wanted to know or not.
"They were...they are...purple..."
Issa slaps herself...
"Ow!" She shouts, moving her hand again, "Seriously?" She mumbles.
"France, let me see your mirror." France blushes and withdraws a small mirror from his pocket, "How did you know I carry one?"
"You're you. You like to look at yourself," Issa smirks as she takes it.
Upon closer inspection, she was right—her eyes are like mine... "...Whoa..." She squeezes her eyes shut, after poking them again, "That...is...freaky..."
She looks at Canada as she passes the music back to France. "...I think everyone should be afraid of you," She states, "You're kinda scary."
Canada decides to take this as a compliment, and he laughs. "Thanks, I guess."
America opens the door, carrying a struggling Alina and leading an extremely confused-looking Vera.
"Hey, she—she's..." He doesn't need to explain.
As soon my syestra sees me, she punches America in the face and runs over to me.
"Brother brother brother brother~~ Let's become one~~" She says, in a voice that's not hers.
Alina stops short when she sees Lauren holding my hand.
Murder is written on syestra's face.
"Get. Away. From. My. Brother," she snarls in perfect Japanese.
Then she pounces at Lauren.
But America catches her around the middle and drops her on an empty cot.
Alina screams in Russian and Belarusian while America ties her down.
Then, a pale-faced England bravely starts trying to calm her.
Slowly, she stops thrashing and sits there with a puzzled look on her face.
"...I didn't do it," she says. "Something—something—took over me..." All the look-alikes in the room nod sympathetically.
Vera shakily backs into a corner.
She puts her hands over her ears and mumbles to herself in Japanese.
"I'm hearing things...I can't actually understand them...I'm still speaking Russian...Not happening...this is...not...happening..." She slows to a stop when she sees most of the room looking at her (I was busy guarding my Lauren).
"...Hi..." she says breathlessly.
"Hello, my dear," England says softly, smiling politely.
"It's not real, right?" Vera asks me.
I stop alternating between Kol-ing at random people in the room and talking to Lauren, and look at my big sister sadly. "It is odd, isn't it?"
Vera nearly faints at the sound of my new voice.
Then, a dreamy look goes over her face.
Then she bursts into tears.
"My boss said I can't see you anymore, Russia-chan~!" she cries out.
She tries to bound out of the door, but Prussia leans against it.
Vera freezes, then goes limp.
Alina and I both black out in sync with her as our linked flashback starts.
Germany was invading.
He tried to take over Poland…
I claimed Poland as mine…
This irritated me…
When I got wind that he had threatened my sisters, I had no choice but to take action.
I ran and when I arrived at the battlefield, the sight in front of me both shocked me and excited me…
Blood.
A lot of blood…and fire on the snow.
Germany stood with his gun, about to fire at my sisters.
I tackled him.
"Verdammt!" He shouted, along with several other words.
I glare at him.
"If you hurt them…I will kill you."
A small fistfight ensued, but as we hold each other in a deadlock, Germany glares at me.
"Why did you attack me in the first place?" He shouts.
"I have to protect my sisters!" I shout.
"That doesn't make it okay to attack someone!"
Neither does a desire for world domination.
I get a cut on his face, and the blood makes me happy…
"I also have to protect Poland. Seizure to exist!" I respond.
Finally, he retreats.
I wake up.
Looking around, I see Josh and Jia Li seem to have the same memory.
Maybe it's that Opium War…
"Oh, good…you're awake…" Lauren rasps.
Something about her seems sad today…
Her hair isn't as shiny as it usually is, and her eyes bear marks of sleeplessness and stress.
Harvey, Zack, Vera, and Alina are asleep, judging by the lack of thrashing and screaming.
Eventually, people begin to exit…
Prussia is gone, America looks too tired to irritate England, Canada is asleep, and England is wide awake, fiddling with his magic and checking to make sure nobody is going to try to kill each other.
I look at Lauren, who is perched on a chair next to me, and I yawn, and she pokes my cheek...
"What happened? You were saying something about seizures during your kol-ing," She mumbles.
"It was World War Two…Germany was going to take Poland away from Mother Russia…"
Lauren nods, and yawns, and Issa wakes up.
"Guys…" Lauren mumbles, and grabs Issa's attention, "I think I'mma go take a nap…"
"Okay…" Issa mumbles.
Lauren stands, kisses me on the cheek (the butterflies flare up then), and as she walks past Issa, she ruffles her hair.
"Hey!" Issa whines tiredly, "Why'd you do that?"
"What?" Lauren asks, confused.
The look on her face was funny…
"Rub my head!" Issa shakes her head a bit, making her hair move out of her face.
"...I don't know. It's been a force of habit in the past few days..." she says.
Issa yawns.
"Oh."
Lauren walks out the door.
"What are you doing?" Issa asks, and I look up—the question wasn't directed at me, but England.
He jumps, spilling some sort of powder on the floor.
"Oh," He says while sweeping it up with his hand, "I'm, uh, making a potion that will hopefully reverse whatever's happening. It's not right, and I can tell something bad will come from it."
"Doesn't Norway know magic?" Issa asks—"And Romania?"
England glowers at the worn-out book in his hand.
"So they say. I'm not going to them unless it's an absolute last resort," He says.
"Whatever you say," She says, lying back down.
I begin to doze off, and my eyes are shut, and I'm almost asleep, when the door bursts open, probably leaving a dent in the white wall.
Startled, I jerk my head up.
"Where is he!" A woman who looks like Alina shrieks.
A woman who looks like Vera has her arms around Alina-number-two's waist, desperately trying to pull her out of the room.
"Bela, people are sleeping!" She sobs.
England stands up.
I notice him shaking…
Something about this woman makes me want to scream and cry and cower under my mattress.
I don't like her…
She's scary…
"Belarus, Russia isn't here," he says in a voice that sounds braver than he looks.
I'm terrified.
I notice Issa looking at me, and I look back at her in desperation.
Pretend you're asleep, she mouths.
I nod and go limp…
Things are quiet for a second.
"You tied him up!" Belarus screeches, and I hear the sound of a blade slicing air.
I twitch in my 'sleep'.
"That's not Russia," England says.
"What do you mean that's not Russia!" Belarus shrilly demands.
"If you calm down and lower your weapon I'll explain," England says.
I feel the tension in the air, and I hear the blade on air again, and then two series of four dull thuds.
England explains about us look-alikes.
Ukraine asks the occasional question. "Why did Germany take them in the first place?" She asks.
A pause.
"He knew," Issa says, "He knew we were going to turn into the countries. I guess he wanted your land for his new empire. It's like the Soviet Union, I guess. Or having colonies," She explains.
I flinch at 'Soviet Union', and fight back another flashback…
I hear my little sister mumble, "Hello..."
"You're my look-alike," Belarus says.
"I guess so," Alina replies.
I feel Belarus' eyes bore holes into my back…
I keep feigning sleep…
My life might be on the line…
I just wish she'd go home!
Suddenly, I have another flashback.
Long story short, I think I was sitting on Canada…
"U-uh, Mr. R-Russia, you're h-hurting m-me...!" Canada squeaks quietly.
"Did you hear something?" I question to China.
"Pay attention, aru," China simply answers.
Germany was lecturing everyone about global warming again.
And...
Cue America.
"Ha! Why don't we just genetically engineer a super hero to protect the earth! We'll call him Super Hero Global Man!" America said, jumping up on the meeting table and striking a heroic pose.
"R-Russia," Canada said. "You're sitting on me..."
I finally notice him.
"Oh, hello, Matvey~!" I chirp, "How long have you been there?"
"Th wh-whole time," He stuttered, "S-so, would you p-please get off of me?"
"Ah...nyet. You are very comfortable, da?" I answer jovially.
"B-but you're squishing me a little!" Canada weakly protests.
"A little?" I repeat.
"If I am squishing you a little, then you are not yet flat."
"A lot!" He gasps, "You're squishing me a lot!"
"Hm...Okay then," I sigh, and stand.
Canada immediately scampers away.
I looked around.
All the other chairs were full…
Canada sighed and sat on the floor against the wall.
Perhaps he should've just let me sit on him, da? When I wake up, Belarus and Ukraine are gone, and England is passed out on the floor, using his spell book as a pillow.
No one seems to be awake but me, so I doze off, finally getting a little peaceful sleep.
When I wake up again, I hear panicked voices.
I'd say it's about three in the morning...
"What... Do you mean… She's gone?" England asks in a low and ferocious tone.
Prussia says, "I mean she left! She left a note, too! Here, look!"
Across the dimly lit room, Prussia thrusts a paper at England.
Here, I sit up, looking around and seeing that Harvey, Jia Li, Josh, and Issa are awake, too…
But that is not my concern at the moment.
England's face remains emotionless while he's reading it.
Then he slaps a hand to his forehead.
"'Just a casualty'...! What were you thinking!" he says in shock.
Is he repeating what he read?
"What's going on?" Issa asks.
Prussia and England hesitate.
"...Nothing," Prussia answers.
Issa tries to imitate Lauren's scary glare...
They don't crack.
They both, however, shift uncomfortably.
"Who's just a casualty?" Issa questions.
"...Lauren..." England finally answers.
That same enraged, terrified feeling I had in the flashback returns ten fold.
My Lauren…a casualty?
"...What?" Asks Issa.
"Casualty means dead, right?" She asks, trying without success to ebb the flow of horror dripping into her voice.
England, in answer, reads the note.
"'To whom it may concern. So, I have recently had an epiphany regarding the fact that I am worthless now...'" A small noise of protest escapes me, but England reads on… "'Even though I saved Issa once and Arthur once, that's all I seem to be able to do. I'm going to prove my worth and attempt to save Russia. It's foolish, but I feel like I need to do it. If I end up dead, I'm just a casualty. Be careful.'" Here, England turns to me, snapping me out of my intent listening; I don't bother to try to hide my horror.
Instead of reading the note, he says, "She loves you..."
My heart rocks in my chest and my stomach does flip-flops.
Whether it was fear, grief, or the words did not matter—the words struck me in a manner meant to be emotional, but yet it felt like a physical force was squeezing and pulling at my heart…
England folds the note and stows it in his pocket.
"...And that's it..."
Prussia pipes up. "No, there was a P.S."
England looks at it again. "'I took the Union Jack bracelet so if you want it, there's a bit of visual surveillance.'"
Issa and I respond to this at the same time. "Let me go," we say in unison.
England looks sad.
"I—I can't. We can't lose you two. You must stay here." It looks like he regrets it with all his life…
If he won't let me see my Lauren, I hope he feels the pain.
"England, let me go," Issa says, fighting to keep her voice level.
I could snap the ropes, but I'm not sure if Issa could…
"England, I need—I need to go after her. She—she has the bracelet, he's sure to recognize it. Please, untie me." Issa pleads.
England shakes his head again. "I can't. You can't go after her. Nor you," he adds at the sight of my struggling.
No longer caring what I look like or sound like, I feel the panic jump into my throat and upward.
"I need to get her back, I need to make sure she's safe," I say, panicked.
"I can't lose her. I can't!"
England takes a shaky breath.
"N-nor I..." he admits. "B-but neither of you, any of you," he adds to the conscious look-alikes, "Can go get her. You all need to stay h-here..."
"B-but—...!" I weakly protest, still at war with the ropes.
Shock has made me weak...
"The camera," Issa says determinedly.
"England, she has the camera!"
She starts to struggle against the rope, but quickly gives up.
"P-please...!" Tears began to slip down her face…
"Wh-what if you have another memory take over?" England asks.
"Then it happens, you can just tie me to a chair in there, okay?" Issa says, twisting against the ropes again.
Finally, he agrees.
Issa rubs her wrists and takes off down the hall.
I easily outrun her in my horror…
Please let her be alright…
I can't lose her…
England runs behind us.
When we get to the computer room, Issa nervously rocks on the balls of her feet while England turns on the camera.
The quality is easily worse than before.
When it finally focuses, I see red.
Lauren seems to collapse, and a scream emits from the speakers.
Issa stands there, trembling and in hysterics.
I bring myself close to the screen, feeling winded.
This can't be happening...
I feel my fingers clench and unclench reflexively.
Out of what seems to us like nowhere, Lauren shrieks, "NO, YOU BLOODY CAT!"
She sobs for a second.
"H-how...?" she asks.
Quiet footsteps mingle with Lauren's gasps.
"No, you bloody—nngh!" Lauren's refusal is cut short, and the camera twitches into a blur.
"NO!" she shouts.
She doesn't say anything for a long time.
"You've never given me any reason to trust yo—AGH!" I stare blankly at the screen, my heart beating a thousand miles in my chest.
The camera shakes for a long time, and Lauren screams again.
B-but...it's only half her voice, if that makes any sense.
I can't really explain it.
It's like someone else screamed at the same time…
"So, do you feel like talking yet?" Germany asks.
I can hear the smirk in his voice.
It makes me want to punch it off…
"Shut up, potato *beep*. I have nothing to say to you," Lauren and someone else say at the same time.
Is...is something...talking through her?
"Who is that?" I pant.
"Teacup," Issa shakily explains, "Her demon. She l-let him take over. She let him."
So Teacup is bad…?
That's why she went insane after our date…?
"...Maybe torture wasn't the way to get you to talk..." Germany muses, thinking aloud.
"You think, stupid Nazi?" Lauren and Teacup chorus.
Quiet...Then, Germany is yelling in pain.
"GET BACK HERE!" He shouts as the camera is insanely blurry.
They're running.
I repetitively whisper "Run, go...!" over and over under his breath.
I'm pretty sure they jump down an entire flight of stairs, and they're outside when only Teacup's voice shouts, "I know that!"
The camera is whirled around, and I see the green of Germany's outfit.
Then he roars, and Lauren and Teacup are off again.
I don't think Germany follows.
Lauren finds a train station and buys a ticket.
The look on the ticket-seller-person's face is priceless, but Lauren must be in really bad condition…
I blink as fast as I could and glare at the screen again.
Lauren gets on a train, finds an empty compartment, and lies on the floor.
Lauren's face comes into view; her hand is level with her face.
Then the camera doesn't move for a long time.
Lauren's face seems okay, although lightly scratched on a few places.
There's a shallow cut on her neck, right next to the deep one she made.
She lost her scarf.
But her brass locket that she produced out of nowhere is okay.
For a minute, I was afraid she died, right there on the floor of a train, but I see her nostrils flare with every breath…
"...Alright..." England says.
I notice him wiping tears from his own face.
"...Back to the infirmary..." Issa nods meekly and follows the man, but I can't make myself move...
"C-can I stay?" I ask quietly.
"Th-that's not such a good idea..." England says.
I look back at Lauren's peacefully sleeping face...
What made her do this…?
I sigh and nod, but before I go, I run my finger on the monitor where Lauren's cheek would be.
When we get back to the infirmary I lean against the wall and watch Issa as she buries her face in her pillow, trying to hide her sobs from Josh, who is conscious.
Russicat bats at her hair, and she twitches head to try to get him to stop.
But he noses his way under her arm and in the crook of her neck.
Russicat licks her neck, mewling a bit in her ear. I see her lips move, but I don't hear what she says...
Russicat presses his kitty-nose behind Issa's ear.
I feel myself start to drift off into another memory...
Or maybe it's just sleep…?
It is at that moment that Canada walks in, looking for Kumajiro again.
"Hey, Mattie," Issa greets.
He looks at her.
"We're related."
He smiles, and continues his quest.
As Issa, Issa's mother, and Issa's sister (Renae, I think) talk with each other, I get dazed.
What's going to happen to Lauren?
Is she going to make it back…?
Will I ever see my svet again? [Light]
I am overtaken by a wave of anguish, and must fight my tears…
She was in so much pain…
What if he—no.
Keep an optimistic view…
…
I can't even fool myself…
There's no light to this other than she made it out alive…
Barely…
Stupid Germans…
W-wha—
I'm hearing Mother Russia…!
…Weird.
…Dimah? The voice asks apprehensively, Is that you, or am I crazy?
Both…
I hear a soft laughter.
It just seems like he's there, but not at the same time…
Dimah, what's going on?
I don't know, Mother Russia. Everything is upside-down…Issa tried to kill herself…suddenly everyone is in the infirmary…Lauren tried to rescue you. She got captured and immediately tortured…we think something's wrong in the head with her… I fill Russia in on the details.
That sounds serious…yes, Germany said that "Issa's friend paid a little visit"… Is she okay?
That's the thing: we don't know. She isn't back…she's bleeding heavily…hope is disappearing quickly. I need you, Mother Russia…
Suddenly, a loud "Aiyah!" reaches my ears, and Canada curiously walks away in the direction the cry had sounded from.
Issa stands up and flies out the door, but Prussia stands in her way.
"Let me through," She says... her voice shakes.
"The Awesome Me was told not to do that. I'm sorry. England said something about you and the Russian dude panicking. Sorry," he says.
I glare at him—being referred to as 'the Russian dude' is kind of…
Insulting…I guess…
"Prussia. Back. Off." Issa grunts.
"I'm sorry! England said he'd do some magic voodoo or whatever on me if I didn't!" Prussia says.
He looks genuinely apologetic, but he still blocked Issa's path.
"I'll be nice to you. One more chance before I get Dimah. And I'm sure said Russian will not appreciate being away from his girlfriend any longer than necessary. Back. Off."
I smirk at the mention of my name…
Prussia doesn't answer.
Issa turns, preparing to summon me.
Then Prussia moves aside.
Completely losing her mind, Issa grins and hugs the white-haired man.
"Thank you!" Before he can do more than breathe once, she runs down the hall.
I stand in silence for a moment…
Why was it so important that she takes off running like that?
I begin to walk toward Prussia, and he quickly moves.
I wonder why…?
…What if it's Lauren that made China call out…?
I hesitantly step, cautious…
What will I see…?
When I reach the front door, everyone is huddled up in a circle.
Through a gap in their legs, I see a rubber sheet being painted red…
Wait.
That isn't paint…
Slowly, my slow footfalls turn into a jog, and when I reach the person lying on the ground, my heart feels as if it stopped.
Lauren is lying in a pool of her own blood, on her side…
She is barely covered by the black shirt and strips of dark pants that were tattered by Germany.
I notice the cuts and bruises on her arms and legs and sides…
I fall onto my knees.
Is…is she…?
Clear, wet, warm liquid drips onto her as I lean over her…
I…I'm crying…
I don't care.
I need to find out if she's…I can't even think it…
Gently, I place my hand near her mouth.
A soft, warm breath made my hand tingle…
My body isn't as tense, but I'm still on-edge.
Gently, I take her hand, and with my free one, I wipe a small stream of blood from the corner of her mouth…
I place my head near hers…
"Moĭ svet, moĭ svet...Prosim vyzhitʹ…tolʹka dyshu…!" I sob. [My light, my light…please, stay alive…just breathe…]
Lauren twitches in pain from the antiseptic that looked home-made, but remains unconscious.
Then, that Spain guy bounds in with his grumpy friend…
Spain gasps.
"What happened to senorita Lauren?"
"Go away," England snaps, and silently, I agree with him.
"But we want to help! Right, Lovi~?" Spain asks.
"…No. Too many helpers do more bad than good. C'mon," And a gentle but constant hiss-like noise tells me that Romano had to drag Spain away.
"Thanks, Romano, aru," China calls.
Romano's faint reply is "Shut up."
I continue to mutter things in Lauren's ear, hoping that somehow she can hear my pleas for her to live…for her to come back to me…
Suddenly—
"Where should we put her?" Switzerland asks, and I tear my head away from Lauren's for a moment to see the look he shoots Issa and I when he says, "The infirmary is full."
I glare back at him, when an idea strikes me.
Slowly, gently, carefully, I pick Lauren up, bridal-style, making sure to support her head.
I stand and begin to walk back to the infirmary…
I feel like I'm going to bury her…
England calls out, "Hey, wait!"
…He means well, but he's beginning to make me angry…
I feel a sudden chill as I continue walking, unhesitant, steady, resolute.
No one seems to want to come near me…
Better that way, I don't want to hurt anyone…
No one but that German…
No one stops me, but several of them follow me back to the infirmary room.
In my little corner, I lay Lauren on my bed, tenderly and as gentle as my shaking arms would allow.
I proceed to lay next to her, stretching my arm across her both to keep her warm and to show people I mean business.
I'm going to keep her safe, and if England tries to make me move, I'll remain resolute.
She's mine, I'm going to make her live…
Seizure to exist.
England approaches me, and I glare at him, that chilled feeling returning.
"She still needs stitches…" England tells me.
Reluctantly, I gently place moi svet in my lap and support her head.
I have to watch as that needle goes in and out of my love's skin…
In and out…in and out…
Needles are frightening…
But I trust them this time, as long as they can keep Lauren safe…
England carefully sews up Lauren's shoulder and some of her deeper wounds.
When he finishes doing that, he and I work together to get Lauren into a hospital gown.
I sit up against the wall; Lauren is leaning against my chest, and I wrap my arms protectively around her waist.
She has to be okay…
Suddenly, she moves…
This is followed by a whimper.
"It's okay, I've got you, I'm here…" I hurriedly whisper, trying to calm her down.
Her eyes open, and I flinch, shocked.
It's not that she's suddenly conscious, but rather…
One of her irises is crimson red…
Veh! A chapter that isn't in Lauren's point of view~! X3
Question time~~!
One: … (This is kind of embarrassing…) Do you have any ideas for Dimah's flashbacks? I haven't studied up on Russia's history… o3o;
Two: What would happen if you found someone you were close to in the condition Lauren was in?
RQ: What language should I take for high school? O3o I've been considering German, but my options are everything that Lauren speaks minus Japanese and Chinese.
Four: What color would you change your eyes to, if you could?
*Hmhm* ... Masquerade... *hmmhmm* ... paper faces on parade... *hmmhmm*
E-churros to those who review, and ten e-churros to those who already have~! X3