Author's Note: Yeah, I admit the timeline gets pretty confusing, especially when nations count the days differently. Them showing up in the middle of a day sort of throws things off, but I'll keep you informed periodically.

So, time to read. And fork over the reviews. Yea, you heard me. Hand 'em over, or I'll call in Italy's mafia. (Not to be confused with the Italian mafia. Italy's are much weaker, unarmed, and will probably flee if you give them a discontented look. But they can still be scary if they try. I think.)

Japan

I finish off the meagre handful of nutmeats before I head off again. I'm really no less hungry after that, but I have to keep moving. I have no time to spare, especially when there seem to be signs of our immortality draining away already. It took me a while to come back after being shot, and the subsequent times I've been killed seem to have taken a bit longer. I don't know just how much time I have before we stop coming back altogether, so I need to find my nation as soon as possible.

I'm not planning to break my promise with America and check China off the list anytime soon, but I still think I'm close to others. Unless other aspects of the island are changing as well, my katana was left behind rather recently. France must be nearby. Or, whoever really took my sword and killed China—ah, and Canada. I still doubt France would do that, but it's hard to say exactly what any of us would do in a situation desperate as this. I'm glad he's taking some action to get home, if he is.

But my first concern is finding him. There are no clear tracks in the vicinity since the ground has better cover here, but the mud starts back again not too far away. When I get there to observe it, there's a whole muddle of prints. A large group? Or maybe just Italy running back and forth. I can't tell. In whatever case, I keep near them, keeping an eye out.

How is Italy doing? It's only been a few hours since I saw him, but I'm sure he could have gotten in any sort of trouble since then. And... was he even okay when I saw him? He seemed worried about something, other than fear of me, but... he acts so erratically it's hard to judge what he's thinking...

Hopefully things will work out for him. And he'll decide to kill while he still has the chance. As will everyone else. But I can't control them. I can only do what I have to do to ensure my own well-being and that of my people.

The light's only starting to dim, since it's still not that late in the evening, but I still keep a careful eye out. I believe I'm approaching one of the spots I put a trap. Since I can't be everywhere on the island, I decided to set up a few to keep some of the nations more stationary. I only formed this idea a few minutes after leaving the fractured Allies group, but I've produced a few since then. Of course, I've only been able to set up a few so far, since I can't just put them all in the same place, but I'll make progress. I'll have to keep careful track of them and check frequently so anyone captured won't have time to escape, but I'm confident in this approach.

I have to give myself a break and suck out what little rainwater remains in my shirt. It's frustrating how tired I am already. But I haven't had much water, I've had even less food, and my head is still pounding from America's assault. My brain doesn't seem to have any real damage at this point, but there's still healing to be done in that area. My jaw's still a bit injured as well. I seem much more beaten than I should be, quite honestly. Normally the fatal wound is almost finished healing when I regain consciousness, and other wounds around at the time only a bit behind. It's probably another effect of the immortality drain. But there's nothing I can change about that. As long as I don't allow the pain to cripple me when it matters, it's not important.

I've only resumed my trek for a few minutes when I hear voices. Pulse picking up, I remove my sword and draw closer to the sound. I still can't see any figures, but I start to pick out words. "Alive," "your own feet," some low-toned muttering.

The sudden loudness and clarity of the next word makes me jump. "Italy!" Spain's voice. Good, I've yet to kill him.

I continue to draw closer, wishing I could see exactly where he and the one he's talking to is.

"Still no sign of him, huh? You don't think he was just trying to get away from us, do you?"

"Damned if I know."

Spain and Romano. So Italy had found them. He was just lying through his teeth in hopes I would leave them alone... Oh, Italy. It's much safer for them if I kill them now.

I'm finally able to see one of them when he screams in high pitch, zipping into the air as a snare takes him. From the quite loud and panicked swearing, I'll assume the first to find my trap is Romano. Spain makes an exclamation and hurries to set him free, but he can't quite reach where both of Romano's ankles are bound. I keep moving as Spain starts to circle the other nation to get a better look at the situation, and...

Snap! He goes up with a startled sound, just one of his feet actually caught in the snare neighboring Romano's. This is working out incredibly well. Perhaps I'll have to set up the rest in pairs as well. But that's a job for another day!

I almost close the gap between us before I realize they're not the only two nations there. Sort of off to the side, not looking quite in a coherent state of mind, France leans against a small tree and watches blankly. He stays that way for a moment, idly picking at the bloody bullet holes in his shirt, until I swoop in. He drops to the ground, throat gaping open.

He certainly didn't seem capable of fleeing, but I can't be too careful. I doubt I would have gotten much speech from him if I asked, anyway. And there's just not enough time to fuss with politeness any more. I can apologize when we're back home.

I dare to spend enough time to ensure he wasn't my nation before I turn to the other two. Spain sort of freezes, while Romano flails around screaming bloody murder and roaring for Spain to do something. I get a step towards them before there's suddenly more yelling to my side. I don't get enough time to see if it's friend or enemy before I'm tackled.

It's not enough to knock me off-balance, and I start to realize it's really more like a hug. Add the sobbing into my chest, and it doesn't take much effort to figure out who it is.

I try to gently wriggle out of Italy's grasp, but he won't let me. Gathering my patience, I look down at the hunched form clinging to me. "Italy. Please let me go."

"Nnn-nnn." He shakes his head for a minute before he can finally look up at me. It's still a struggle for him to get words out. "J-Japan... why would you do that? Big Brother France... I made Spain bring him with us so I could s-see him okay, a-and you... You just..."

"Italy, he's going to be fine in a day or two. Now, please let me go." On top of having to hurry in my quest, I'm really starting to feel uncomfortable from this contact.

"No!" He takes a second to sniffle. "Then you kill Romano and Spain, t-too! And I don't even know if they'd come back, a-and I don't know if Big Brother France will come back, a-and, a-and..."

"The sooner I kill them, the safer it will be for them."

"It's safer if you don't kill them!"

I glance over at the other two. Romano's trying to figure out a way to slip one of his feet out, but both are still trapped, for now. I'm not sure if those vines are strong enough to keep for long. Another squirm on my part proves Italy still doesn't want to let me go.

I close my eyes. "Italy. I am going to kill them no matter what you do. Please let me go. Quickly."

"Nuh-uh!" He's shaking so hard I'm not sure how I can't escape easily. "I can't let you h-hurt them... I won't let you go... Not until they're safe..."

My hand tenses around the katana hilt. "Italy, please let me go or I will have to resort to force."

The tenseness of his body doubles, and he looks up at me again. "No, you wouldn't hurt me. We're friends, Japan... Friends don't hurt each other..." He smiles feebly.

"I won't hurt you if I have any other choice," I respond. "But if you force me, I will do what I must." I look over and realize Spain has started to swing himself back and forth, and he's making far too much progress. "Italy, let me go."

He meets my gaze sobbing but, be it from determination or paralysis of fear, he doesn't let go. "Pl-lease don't hurt me! You're not supposed to hurt me... You're not s-supposed to hurt them..."

I silently give him a moment longer to comply before giving up on him. Since most of my arm is restrained, the best I can do is a stab into his side. With a sharp cry, he crumples, and I waste no more time in watching him. Stepping swiftly, I target Spain first. His snare is close to tearing, but he hasn't made it to any branches. All I have to do is wait for him to swing back towards the ground. He tries to duck out of the way, but there's only so much maneuvering he can do. I slice his jugular open and check Romano.

From the sudden silence on his part, I almost thought he had gotten away, but he's still there, frozen, tears sliding up the face reddened by his inversion. Once he catches me looking at him and—after I'm sure Spain's dead—coming towards him, he regains his voice. After a few weak but frantic "back off"s, he starts struggling and manages to get in a punch to my face before I slash his neck open as well.

"Bastard!" he screams, struggling for breath but not dead yet. "How fucking dare you kill him, how fucking dare you kill me, and what the hell did you... do to my brother, you... fucking... monster...!" After another struggling breath, he goes limp.

I wait a minute. He's as dead as he's going to get. I'm still not home.

Feeling tense, I flick some blood off my katana and wipe the rest off. Replacing it in its sheath quickly, I turn back toward Italy and hurry over. The way he's curled up, I'm not sure he even saw what happened. Of course, he has a rather distracting wound in his side. It shouldn't be lethal, but it's bleeding a lot. What's become of my shirt won't be good for bandages... Perhaps the ends of my pant legs will do?

I sit down behind Italy and start cutting away the fabric. But once I try to pull away the soaked part of his shirt, he suddenly spins away from me.

"Ah... I'm sorry; that must have hurt too much." I scoot closer. "But it will be better for you if we patch this up now, all right?" I reach over to try again, but he pivots before I make contact.

"Italy..." I put my hand back on my knee and sigh. "I'm sorry I had to hurt you, all right? But now you don't have to worry about me killing them after their immortality is gone, and I'm trying to help you with your side..." Thinking I hear a response, I trail off. I'm not sure if he's saying anything, through all of the crying. I'm not even completely sure he heard me just now.

"Just stay still for a minute," I finish quietly. "I'll patch you up, and we can forget about it."

I pause when he says something, but I can't quite make it out. "What was that?"

He struggles to take in a decent breath, and I swear it sounds like he says, "Go away." Before I can ask him to repeat, he does.

"Go away. Go away, go away, go away." He doesn't quite stop there, but the sobbing overtakes him enough for his words to lose enunciation.

"Italy," I start, but I don't know what to say next. "...I had no other option but to do that to you, and I'm trying to fix it—"

"Go away...! Go away!" He curls up further and inhales shakily, bursting out:

"I hate you!"

Struck silent, I just watch him for a minute as he dares a glance back at his companions and completely breaks down into quaking sobs. I don't think there's anything left for me to say to make him see sense. And it's clear he doesn't want me to stay around, either.

Without a sound, I stand and walk toward the two snares. It takes a bit of jumping, but I cut the two free, carefully prop them on trees near France, and wipe the blood from their necks and faces. I clean off France, too, and set him so that he seems to be slouched against a tree napping.

Though I doubt he'll do what he should with it, I take the relatively clean strips of fabric I cut from my suit and set them by Italy's side. A goodbye pauses at my lips. I don't think he wants to hear another word from me.

So I disappear without another sound.