I LIVE! :D
Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I changed over to a new computer, but I lost all my work on old one. But this new computer? IT HAS NEW WORD ON IT!
That means...I NOW HAVE THE HETAONI SCRIPTS AND CAN READ THEM!
on another note: This chapter, is basically from italy's point of view. I debating on whether or not to do this part, but I figured why not. Next chapter will probably be from Romano's point of view, as he tries to take care of Italy, who can barely remember anything.
I know it's a short chapter, but I felt that was a good place to end it. Thanks to those who kept with me while I went through the shit of a broken computer (which is still not fixed, I'll have to get a new computer, since this one's my mom's. )
XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD
Rewind the Hands of Time
Chapter 11: A Point Once Seen
There's only one thing I can remember vividly...everything else is shrouded like a cloud. That thing suffocates me, I can't breathe...That thing is when we first came to this place.
Everyone was trying to find a way out, a way to escape. Germany, Japan...everyone...but me. I did nothing to help. I was...useless. I had to be protected like an idiot. And that caused everyone else to get hurt.
After a while, I was alone. I watched...as one after the other...they all lost their lives. Before my very eyes, they fell. And I could do nothing to stop it...
"Ve..."
I opened the door to the piano room, peaking my head in timidly...I didn't want that thing to get me! Nope! That would be bad...since I was pretty much alone. I let out a shiver, I didn't like being alone. Not one bit.
A strained cough made me jump almost three feet into the air. I let out a whimper, holding up a slightly ripped, stained flag in front of me, ready to wave it if necessary. I slowly made my way forward, to the other side of the piano.
What I saw made me scream. It was Nihon! Oh god...he was covered in blood! What had happened? He looked up at me, pain-filled brown eyes searching mine for a moment before a small smile broke his chapped lips.
"...Ita-kun..." he muttered, sounding like it was meant for a question, but he just didn't have the energy to put his voice into a questioning tone.
"N-Nihon? Wh-What happened?" I asked, my entire body shaking. I was close to hysterics, but Japan didn't even seem to notice. He even let out a strained laugh.
"...I'm sorry..." he said as the laughs turned into a fit of coughing, a little bit of blood dribbling out of his mouth. He didn't bother to brush it away. "...It looks like this is the end for me."
I immediately dropped to my knees in front of him, not caring if my pants got smeared with his blood. I started ripping my flag off its wooden stick, desperate to stop the bleeding.
"D-Don't' say that!" I exclaimed, and he blinked at me in surprise...or what I hoped was surprise. "Wait just a minute! I'll make bandages out of this flag and stop the blee-"
"No." Japan cut me off, lifting a hand to lie on top of mine. It felt all sticky and...I couldn't even describe it. "...no. It's hopeless. There's...there is no time." he said sadly. "...Please, just leave me here and go to the others. I figure they've...forgotten...that I came here. Please, leave me..." I jerked my hand away, for once, a glare on my face.
"Of course I can't do that!" I almost screamed, but his face didn't change. "Just..." I faltered..."I'll make bandages right now! Please!" I started tearing the soiled flag into strips, my hands shaking.
"Italy." Japan's voice was as serious as always, and I looked up. His eyes were only half lidded, his breathing shallow. I had to help him soon!
"...W-What?" I asked, my voice stuttering as I continued to strip the flag. He smiled.
"You don't have your flag anymore...do you?" He asked, confusing me. I had one right here..."You have already used most of it to make bandages for everyone else."
"No!...I-I do!" I said quickly, raising the strips so he could see them. "L-Look! I finished! I'll help you right now!" But even as I said that, I watched Japan's head fall forward slightly, a look of tiredness making itself known quite well on his face. I panicked. "NO! Japan! I'll do anything! Anything! Just...Just hold on a little longer!" I exclaimed, jolting forward to press the bandages I had made against one of the worst wounds. It was then I noticed the tears leaking from my eyes. I brushed them away with my sleeve, putting more pressure on the wound.
I felt a hand on mine, and I looked up. Japan was once again looking at me, smiling, a hand over mine, eyes shining with a glaze.
"Ita-kun...you are very kind..." He muttered his voice softer than I had ever heard it. His smile turned into a frown, the glaze deepening on his eyes. "But..." he started to say, however, his voice faltered. I realized then that I...there was nothing I could do. "...I know that you are...lying, even though my vision is dulled..."
"N-no!" I exclaimed again, refusing to accept that there was nothing I could do to save him. We were supposed to be immortal! Japan...his nation was still strong! Why? Why was this happening?
"...It is so...frustrating..." I heard Japan mutter, and I looked up, feeling the color drain further from my face as I saw his head forward, a sheepish smile on his face as his eyes closed. "...till the end...I wanted us to get out...together..." He let out a sigh, and his hand slipped down from where it was on top of mine, landing with a thud against torn white pants.
"...N-Nihon?" I asked, hearing my voice tremble. "...J-Japan?" There was no answer. I abandoned my tries to stop the bleeding, and shook him. To my horror, his head rolled to the side. Quickly, I let go, and his body fell onto the side. "...n-no..."
Japan was the first to fall. I was...so torn up. But...as I rushed to the bathroom, I went over what he had said to me. It was true, our memories were twisted in this place, we had completely forgotten about him. He was so quiet...It would be better if the others just kept on forgetting about him...I decided that I wouldn't tell anyone that he had died. However, I didn't realize that Japan was only the first to fall...
"Let's check in here..." Prussia said. We were looking for the others; Doitsu had told us to go find them. The albino pushed open the door open, and both of us were immediately assaulted by the stench of blood. "Vat the hell?"
We walked in the room, and were stunned to find it covered in blood. Russia was standing in the center of the room, his pipe raised...but he lowered it when he saw who it was.
"Ne...its Ita and Prussen...good timing...da?" he asked, a smile on his face.
"...Ita?...and...Prussia?" I heard France's strained voice from behind Russia, and I looked...but I shouldn't have.
France and China were lying against the wall in the corner. Both were bloodied...but France seemed to be the worst. There was a large hole in the blonde's shoulder, which almost gushed blood. China was not fairing much better. His arm was bent in an odd direction, and his legs were bleeding quite badly. I barely heard Russia talking with Prussia.
"F-France! China!" I exclaimed, rushing over. No, this couldn't happen again! He gave me a shaky smile as Russia stumbled over and leaned up against the wall. China let out a cough, looking at me with the same glazed eyes that Japan had.
"Sorry..." china let out, gasping before continuing. "...This is where I fall..." His voice was strained, and his face twisted in constant pain. Russia let out a light laugh.
"I'm glad we could make..." Russia's half cheerful voice was broken by a cough, "...a new breach, at least" A little bit of blood dripped from the tall nation's mouth and he whipped it away with his sleeve. I couldn't help but tear up.
"W-What? No..." I muttered, feeling hot tears pouring down my face. Why was this happening again?
"Come now, Italy..." France replied, his voice soft. "...don't cry...just go. The monster might show up again..."
"But..." I started to say, but I knew he was right. The monster would come back to make sure it finished the job. Still, I shook my head as I fell to my knees in front of them. I didn't want to leave, I couldn't...I had to make sure I could do something for them!
"Prussia..." France turned his glazing eyes away from me and up to the man above me. "...will you take care of Italy?" he asked, his voice getting even softer. "He's...fast on his feet...but...it's hard to fight...that monster..." I didn't see Prussia's face.
"I know." Prussia answered from behind me. "I'll do it." I turned to look at him, and watched his eyes widen and he quickly turned away, one hand covering his mouth. It confused me, and I looked back at France...
"France?" I asked, his eyes were open. He...he should answer me..."F-France?" Why wasn't he answering? No...not again!
"Quickly..." Russia suddenly said. "Don't let our effort be in vain." He let out a sigh, his usual happy tone gone from his voice. "Really, you're so slow on the uptake."
"...If you stay here, you're only going to get in the way." China spoke up, turning to glare at me. I winced back from him. What was that supposed to mean? "...Just get away, quickly."
I was suddenly pulled to my feet. I looked up, Prussia was glaring at China. The albino's grip on my arm was tight, but...at the same time, not so tight.
"No need to go that far, China..." Prussia muttered, before pulling me towards the door. Wait, what? We...we were just going to leave them? "Let's go, Italy. Let's get out of here."
"Wh-wha...n-no! I won't leave them!" I started to fight against him. I couldn't let him just drag me away from them!
"Get lost!" China exclaimed, the tone in his voice making me freeze. It was then I let Prussia drag me out, tears streaming down my face. He walked me down the hall, turned, and shoved me towards Germany. I fell against him, sobbing, and only barely felt his arms wrap around me awkwardly.
"Vat the hell?" I heard him ask.
"...China, Russia, and France have fallen."
I returned to the room later, only to find both Russia and China dead as well. Their deaths shook me up even more, enough to make me forget about Japan's death for a while. It made me more vulnerable too; I couldn't even walk right for a while. Germany carried me for a bit...I'm really grateful for that...but...I was so useless.
I stood...shaking in front of America, who sat propped up against a bed. On the bed was England. The British man had stopped breathing a while ago, as had Canada who was on the bed beyond the brit, but America...he was still alive. Still alive...and smiling at me. I shook my head a few times, appalled at what America wanted from me.
"We'll be fiiiine!" he exclaimed, laughing a bit, before wincing as he moved his injured shoulder. "so just get out of here and...get us reinforcements or something like that!"
I shook my head again. "N-No! You'll...you'll get hurt beyond help!" I exclaimed, taking a step forward.
"It's fine." America replied, as if it didn't matter. "Besides..." his face took on one of sadness, a look I had never seen on his face. "...I want to do these two a favor, and stay with them."
"America..." I started to say, but he stopped me with a sigh.
"No...that isn't it..." he said softly. "They can't hear me anymore, so I'll say it in all honesty." He took a breath and looked me straight in the eyes, and I noticed he no longer had his glasses on. "I want to stay with them...until my last moment. I know it'll be soon...but they're both very important to me."
I felt my body go slack, the weight on my shoulders intensifying. I knew why he was doing this. I knew...
"Besides, I'm the hero! I gotta protect you! Even though I can't move anymore." He said happily and I wondered if he had lost his mind. He smiled. "...But I'm not making a mistake. And...I regret nothing." I took a step forward in shock. Was...was America accepting defeat? No...that wasn't right! That wasn't right at all!
"...Go for it." He said, still smiling as he moved his head to look at England's bloody body behind him. "...I wish you luck."
After that, Everything was a blur. I don't really remember much. I try and try...but...it's hard. My memory is fading away from me. But I do remember two other things that happened...barely, but I remember it.
"NO!" I exclaimed, falling to my knees yet again. This time it was in front of a bloody Prussia and Germany. "no..."
"We got the key back..." Prussia muttered, holding up a rusted key for me to take. I shook my head violently, tears pouring down my face.
"Hey." Germany suddenly said, and I looked at him, trying to focus on him through the tears. I suppose it was a good thing I was crying, I couldn't really see the extent of their injuries...though I knew it was bad. "Stop crying. We risked our lives and went through so much trouble to get it back. You should be happier."
I shook my head violently again. "Why did you lie?" I asked loudly, my voice trembling. "You said you were only going to take a look around..." I barely saw Germany frown.
"...Ah, yes...Well..." he started, his voice strained. "It's probably for the same reason you didn't tell us that most everyone was dead." I scrambled backwards a few feet.
"You knew?" I asked, unable to keep the surprise from my voice.
"Kesesesese!" Prussia laughed, but it faded quickly into a fit of coughing. "Well...now, West. Why don't we take a little rest? I...I'm really tired."
"You're right, East." Germany muttered, and I saw his head fall forward. "...You can go ahead Italia. We'll catch up to you..."
"what?" I exclaimed, getting on my hands and knees, scrambling towards them. "NO! I can't do this anymore! I'm staying with you two!" I was frantic, trying to keep them awake. But...Germany just gave me a sleepy smile.
"...Anyone who...disobeys me...will run ten laps..." he muttered, his head falling against Prussia.
"Kesese...Look...if you don't hurry up...he'll...he'll keep adding more..." Prussia said softly. I felt something in me break.
"Fine!" I exclaimed. "I'll run! I'll run ten laps! I'll run as many as you want! But I'll run away! And then Germany..." I choked. "will have to run...to catch me..." I whipped my tears out of my eyes...and saw for real what they looked like.
Prussia's uniform was torn to pieces, his silver hair stained red. His arm was torn, the skin mere ribbons of what it used to be. Germany fared no better, a gash above his eyes, and one of his hands completely gone.
"...Prussia?..." I asked tentively, reaching forward to nudge him. The albino's head rolled limply to the side. I turned to Germany next, nudging him as well. I got the same. "...Doi...tsu?..."
Even when I followed different paths...no matter what I did, they still died. It was my fault. I told America the rumors. If only I hadn't...
NO, this is no good. I'll just have to try harder.
What exactly was to happen next? Who would be in danger? What...did I need to do next?
How many more times...can I make mistakes? How many more times will I have to tell the same lies...over and over again?
How many more times will I have to watch my friends die?
I made so many promises...but...when we met next...those promises were forgotten. It didn't matter if we had finally learnt to get along...When we met next...everything was back to the way it had been. I don't want them to forget though...
What can I do? What do I have to do? How can I get them all out of here?
I feel like it's hopeless. It feels like...my head is going to burst...it hurts...so much. I want to try harder...and harder...
But I'm so...so very tired...I...I just want to rest...
