2. The Silent Talking Chapter

...in which everyone is doing their best

They stared. A human? Now it really was their first sight of intelligent life. Staring at them in silence, the human waited for them to make some kind of a greeting. He was tall, had short brown hair and an army uniform that didn't match any design they had seen before. But what really caught their interest was the fact he had a handgun dangling from his waist, and that the man had been able to come so near them without anyone noticing.

"Who... Are you?" asked England, standing up from the chair he had used.

"A nation," the other answered simply.

"Like... What?" Poland, who was closest to the door, asked. He was practically only one meter away from their uninvited guest.

"The same as you," their guest repeated his last words in another way. "In here at least." He was very calm despite having Switzerland's rifle still pointing at him.

Germany took a step towards him. "I don't really understand, but I think that's not a very uncommon feeling right now. Anyway, does this mean that you know where we are?"

The other one nodded and let his eyes wander over them again.

Austria coughed a little, clearing his throat. "And would you perhaps care to share this information with us, sir? If you do not mind."

Unexpectedly, the man smiled and answered cheerfully. "Actually I do mind. So no, I won't be telling you anything."

"Excuse me?"

"Why is that?" Switzerland asked emphatically as he moved to better firing position without breaking his stance. For some reason the man pissed him off. "And what do you mean by saying "as always". If my memory serves me right, this is the first time we've met."

"To you that's the case, yes. I, however, am different," the foreign nation admitted casually, and this only made Switzerland clench his teeth in frustration. "I know you quite well actually. And I have my reasons not to answer your questions."

Germany had made his way to the door and pulled Poland out of the foreigner's reach. "Why do my senses tell me not to trust you?"

"How should I know about your senses?" the foreigner inquired sarcastically. "But I have to say that they've got a point there. I am, after all, here to inform you that I'm going to get rid of you."

Switzerland shot. It was meant to be only a warning, but it didn't live up to even that. The bullet curved unnaturally far from its target, and no one could see where it hit. The neutral nation frowned and tried to shoot again, but England stopped him by taking a grip of his wrist.

England sent their suspicious guest a cold look. "Are you using magic?"

The brown haired man smiled. "No," he pointed his finger to the right side of the door where they couldn't see. "He is."

Germany took one more step away from the door and pushed Poland back too. Norway stepped in front of him to prevent all magic-based attacks if necessary. He still hadn't changed his expression, but his fellow Nordics who knew him best could see some hidden negative gleam in his eyes.

The magician the other had talked about stopped leaning against the wall outside in an angle no one could see him and slowly walked past the first appeared man. He was little shorter than the other one and wearing a different uniform; grey in comparison to the green one. He walked away without bothering to wait for his comrade.

The brown haired man continued. "It's necessary for me that you all die. If you feel like living, all you have to do is leave here within two days and hide from me. Should be simple enough." Then he, too, turned and started to walk away like he had just said something completely natural.

America snapped and pushed Norway out of his way to get outside. Most of the nations followed suit and spread out to the yard behind him like an opening fan, as America went a few steps further. "Stop kidding around! What are you talking about? Why do you want us to die?"

"And if I may add," Russia smiled at the nation. "You seem to know we are mostly defenseless right now. May I ask why you didn't kill us right away, but are willing to wait those two days of yours? I wouldn't do that."

"Yes, knowing you, I can believe that," the man turned to them again, stopping for a while. "Two days is the time I need to mobilize and transfer the needed troops into this area. And although I do really prefer you dead, I have quite a respect for you so I'm going to give you a proper death. That would be the main reason."

"Whoa wait, wait, wait!" China stepped forward. "Troops, you say? You are going to use an army? Against us? There is only... what, thirty of us in here? What have we done to deserve this kind of treatment? And to second Russia, you need not wait, do you? What is the point?"

"I have no obligations to answer that," the man said in return, and moved to take his leave again.

"That is stupid! Why do you came here in the first place if you are not going to tell us anything?"

"To warn you. And I have a policy of properly greeting my enemies before I kill them."

"That is even stupider!" China shouted, but the nation was already walking away from them again.

"There is no reason for you to know my situation. You just have to die. If you don't want to; run. It's all up to you."

America was seething. "Stop screwing around! What's this for? What? We have no idea where this is or why we're here, and you just come out of nowhere and declare a war on us!" He took several steps forward, clearly frustrated. "We don't even know you! Who are you, and who's that with you? 'You have no obligations,' you say? 'Respect'? Fuck that! We have all the rights to know! Why you—"

America stopped talking in the split second when he felt a searing pain in his right shoulder. The world around him slowed down. The sound came almost five seconds late. By that time, he had already lost the sense of pain and could only faintly understand what the sound he heard was.

"AMERICA!"

.*** *** ***.

The other nations watched America walk after their newfound enemy, shouting questions one after another. They could easily agree with him. Not everyone understood what exactly was going on, but there was no one who thought there wasn't a good reason to be angry. Some even nodded to America's speech to show their approval to the points he made.

Then the unknown man turned to face them once more; only this time his calm expression was long gone, and his eyes were now filled with something showing pure, unadulterated irritation. He turned around fast, his gun suddenly in his hand; in a position ready to fire. Then, there was only the sound of a shot still echoing in the woods. Startled with the sudden turn of action and silence everyone just stared, wide-eyed, at the man holding the gun. Switzerland's hands were shaking and squeezing his rifle.

When America's legs then gave in they finally came to their senses from the silent shocked state they had all been in for the last second or two.

"America!" England screamed, looking absolutely terror-stricken. With Canada beside him he reached for the falling nation and caught him just before America hit the ground. "AMERICA!"

"You filthy little..!" Switzerland shouted in anger and quickly aimed at him with his gun. Not that he was friends with America, but he had more unfriendly opinions about his current kill list number one. He however didn't have time to shoot, as Austria grabbed his gun and his shoulder to prevent that.

"Stop," the Austrian said, with a voice that was telling how he himself was holding back his anger. "Wait. Remember the magic– Switzerland, listen to me!"

Behind him, Liechtenstein was holding Hungary's hand with a shaking grip.

Switzerland wasn't the only one to react violently, but all three of them had someone near to hold them. Norway and Iceland had stepped forward to hold Denmark and to Germany's surprise he found Russia holding his raised arm.

"Let go," Germany ordered irascibly and tried to free himself but stopped when Veneziano's hand grabbed his chest and the Italian pressed himself near him. Germany stared at him, clearly confused.

"Please don't," Northern Italy shook his head. "Germany."

"As I already said, I'll be coming back here in two days," their enemy suddenly spoke and they all gave him a glare. "Decide you run or not, I'll be here."

Sweden dropped to his knees and took the shaking Sealand gently against his chest.

The foreign nation continued. "If you have any more disagreements feel free to run after me. Goodbye," with this said he turned once more and finally made his leave.

For a little moment the nations were silent.

Then Japan approached England and Canada. "How's he? America... Is he still–"

"That guy was all so mighty, but he, to be quite blunt, sucks at aiming," England answered and opened America's bomber jacket, which now had a big hole in it. "I was sure it hit his chest fatally, but it seems the bullet missed both the heart and lungs."

"But either way, we have nothing to treat him with," Canada said, and pressed America's shirt against the shoulder to prevent any more blood from spilling out of the wound. "And the bullet is still inside."

Germany looked to his right. "Norway, can you do anything about it? With magic I mean."

But the little Scandinavian shook his head. There wouldn't be any miraculous healing shows to be seen.

Greece popped into the conversation. "What if... Can some of us... Do it?" he asked, trying to form a good sentence.

"Well," Turkey seemed irritated about the fact he thought the same. "Almost everyone has been in a war, okay..."

"True!" Northern Italy caught the idea too. "Who's a good medic?"

England made a meditative sound and then, after browsing his memory in two or three seconds, he pointed to the one he had picked. "Finland! You have the world's best doctors!"

"What? No!" the small Nordic replied hurriedly. It looked like the words had really pierced him. "I don't, that's... That's an average!"

"Then you have a better chance of not killing him than we do."

"But—"

"Sounds good," Russia put his hand on his forever-rival's shoulder. He smiled at him. "It's okay, it's just America's life that's in your hands," the smile widened. "Nothing more, da?"

"Russia, you sound like you want to kill America and make it my fault..."

"Why, I would never do something like that."

"Yes you would, and we can always have a conversation about this."

"Shut it, Finland, and do your job, it's been decided," said England, and he ignored a loud objection. "Besides you're a sniper so your hands shouldn't shake."

Finland, however, really didn't want to have this job. "But... uh... Switzerland is a sniper too!" he tried. "And I can't do it alone!"

"To have Switzerland to treat America?" Canada frowned.

"No. Fucking. Way," the Swiss ended this conversation short. "Liechtenstein, you go help Finland. And take some other girls with you, they should do."

Liechtenstein looked at her brother. "With pleasure if you want, brother. But what are you going to do?"

Switzerland rapped his gun. "I think we have a new conference to attend."

.*** *** ***.

They had moved America carefully and as quickly as possible to the one of the three smaller rooms of the hut. The room was positioned to the immediate right of the main door that led outside, and it had three beds and one window. They had laid America down on one of the beds, and Finland, who had surrendered and was now taking his job dead seriously, was kneeling beside him and investigating the wound.

After a while, he looked up to his audience behind him. "Okay, I know what I should do. But I have three problems. First of all, I don't have any tools, nor anything to prevent the wound from getting infected. I have also slept two days in a forest, how clean do you think my hands are? And lastly, WOULD YOU STOP STARING?"

Germany turned around and – quite literally – kicked everyone behind him out of the room and followed the orders himself, glaring at ones still in the little room. "You heard him. We chose Finland to do this, now we obey him."

"Good," Finland turned back to America and started doing what he could in that situation. "Then try to find some water and bring it to me. And try to make fire too if possible. Does anyone have something I could use to take out the bullet? Something like... uh... Bobby pins? Norway?"

"No."

"I got acupuncture needles," Korea offered and investigated his sleeves. "Here, ya want them?"

The Nordic took the six nicely packed needles and investigated them. "Liechtenstein, you said you would help? Come and hold this wound for me, I need two sets of hands."

"Korea, why do you carry things like that to conferences?" Japan asked when they were outside of the room.

China's head appeared from over the Japanese male's shoulder. "Wait a minute, those are mine."

"Yeah, I borrowed them last week," the youngest Asian answered. "I took them with me to the meeting so I could give them back, since I already had my way with them."

"Well, you did not tell me you were going to borrow them. I looked for them and... What do you mean 'had your way with them'?"

"These won't do," Finland interrupted, still bent down over America. The Asians realised that he wasn't talking to them. "They're too thin and short," the Finn bit his lip trying to think about the options he had, and the time he had to think. Because he knew America wasn't going to be able to wait too long. He looked at the other nations once more. "Don't you have anything else?"

"Well, I have these," Ukraine pointed the pins she had in her hair. "But they aren't any longer."

"Okay, then it's time for some Finnish innovation. Sve, Eesti, give me your glasses."

"Huh?/H'h?"

"No wait, only Sve's will do… I'll use America's own…"

England looked at his chosen doctor and was not sure if he had made a correct decision or not.

"Well," Japan interrupted as Sweden was really about to give his glasses to his neighbour. "I have chopsticks. Not that they would be any help but you asked so..."

"That's it! Give them to me, Japan!"

"Huh?" This time the voice rose from many different mouths. England raised his hand to cover his eyes, and he was really hoping the Finn knew what he was doing.

.*** *** ***.

They had gathered in the biggest room of the hut once more.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Germany asked one more time. Norway nodded silently and he turned to the other magician. "And you are too?"

"I've said it already, God knows how many times," England sighed. "The unfortunate thing is that we really have no choice if we want to get back home."

"So our next week's schedule is to stick in this area protecting Norway from an evil villain and his who-knows-how-big army until he can arrange us home which means six days a least," France summarized their quickly organized meeting. "With one rifle, one axe and five daggers."

"And dying is forbidden," Russia reminded them about that one particular one detail, poking Latvia's cheek out of habit.

An annoyingly deep silence followed.

Turkey sighed heavily. "Guys..." he leaned against the wall and let his gaze wander to the ceiling. "... This sucks."

.*** *** ***.

Sweden watched as his eastern neighbour took a deep breath and slowly began working, eyes sharpened in a way he had seen before only on a battleground. He noticed that it was just as England had said; the hands doing the job weren't shaking. But there was someone else seemingly nervous standing behind Finland. And another one who had managed to hold his hands still up 'til now, but was clearly shaking beneath the surface. The one standing by the door was leaned against the wood, trying not to watch the scene. They were all waiting for Finland to say something. And yet they somewhat hoped he'd keep silent.

Sweden stepped silently a little to his right and laid his hand softly on Seychelles' shoulder. The girl stopped wrinkling her long shirt and blinked at the man, clearly surprised.

The Nordic looked back for a while. They all knew to remain silent. Sweden took his hand off the girl's shoulder and let himself smile a little at the younger nation.

It was okay. They wouldn't let the Finn fail.

.*** *** ***.

"Starting from the scratch," Switzerland walked out of the door and raised his voice a bit so that they could still hear him. "We can anticipate that his going to attack from the direction he disappeared to. That's not an absolute fact since we don't know all the circumstances, but it's better to start with this than with nothing at all."

"It's impossible for us to defend this hut for six days by hiding inside it," Germany said and leaned to the door frame massaging his temple. "We can barely fit in here everyone at the time, it would be impossible to defend it that way, let alone if he has bombs."

"That means that we should get known with surrounding grounds little better," England continued from behind him. "From what I can see right now, I'd say that we're going to have guerrilla warfare on unknown grounds with minimum materials and against superior forces. That means three points decrease in our survival chances. If I may add, I would try to get rid of at least one of them."

"Do we like, even have that 'increase points' part?" Poland asked sarcastically.

"Yes, I think we have one," England answered as he looked at him. "I would say no matter how many wars that nation has been through or how old he is, there is not enough experience to challenge all thirty-six of us."

.*** *** ***.

Liechtenstein was kneeling beside Finland and holding America still, just in case. If the injured nation woke up, it would be a real problem. Finland had told them that it worried him maybe the most, since they didn't have any painkillers or anaesthetics. Norway had been able to deepen America's sleep, but it was only a matter of time before the magic would wear out.

Sweden had finally stopped Seychelles' shaking, and Liechtenstein had barely understood how. She thought Finland hadn't even noticed his neighbour move. The girl looked at the man as he silently searched his mind to find a way to get the bullet out with a pair of chopsticks and five needles.

Liechtenstein held her suspicions and fear inside her and kept telling herself it was going to be okay. She would have wanted to tell that to the other nation as well.

.*** *** ***.

"I would like to have a map, damn it," England swore, and Germany nodded.

"We just have to survive with what we have," Austria said and closed his eyes. "Of course, it is possible for us to make a map of the area in these two days we have."

"With what?" asked Russia, clearly interested.

Austria opened his eyes and nodded to the centre of the room. "We have a smooth wooden table. And Belarus has knives-"

"Whoa there," said the woman in question as she approached the man from the other side of the room, and stopped in front him, locking their gazes. "Don't you dare to use my knives for something like carving wood."

The man raised his chin a little and looked down at the shorter women. "My deepest apologies, miss, but if it would prevent someone I care about or myself from dying, I would gladly steal your knives anytime."

Belarus stared at the man silently for a moment before she smiled faintly. "Very well then," she bent down a bit and took one knife from its sheath that was attached to her shin.

Austria looked at her little, surprised. He hadn't actually asked for one; however, he took it anyway.

Before Belarus let go of the knife she was going to hand over, she came very close to the man's face and smiled viciously. "I want it back sharp."

Austria stared into her eyes with a strict expression. "I always take good care of the instruments I play."

.*** *** ***.

Belgium leaned to the door that led out of the room. She was waiting for some kind of errand that she would be able to run. She kept her gaze on the floor and just listened to the sounds – near-silent movement, clothes rustling, breathing – that the others were making. She wondered if the others were as nervous as she was. Belgium knew she wouldn't let it affect her actions, for the sake of everyone else in the room – especially America.

"Belgium."

The blonde woman raised her eyes and met Finland's violet ones that had turned to her a second before.

"Bring me one of Belarus' knives."

Without asking why, Belgium turned and opened the door of the room, hurrying out.

.*** *** ***.

Belarus looked moody, but gave the knife to Belgium after Ukraine and England scolded her.

"In any case, we have an axe and knives," Germany continued their earlier conversation as Belgium disappeared into the little room again. "With them, we can make wooden weapons… Not that they would help much, but they would be better than nothing."

"Stakes," said Turkey suddenly, and Germany looked at him, clearly expecting an explanation. The masked man smiled. "Making the forest into a needle bed would be fun."

"And just who is going to do that in the time we have?" Greece asked. "Thought I have to admit that would maybe give us some time."

"But not for six days," France reminded. "And have you wondered what do we do then, if they start burning the forest?"

"Norway," Germany sighed as he looked desperately at the magician that had been sitting upon the table the whole time, and who was still holding Sealand.

Now the Nordic shook his head. "I already told ya. Whatever it was that pulled us here, it's the only way for me to find the right way back. I have to do it as close to the place we appeared as possible."

.*** *** ***.

Seychelles held the water for Sweden as he helped Finland. Canada had earlier found a little spring in the woods, and that little source of clean water was now their saviour. To their luck, there had been some bowls in the hut, so it was much easier to use the water several hundred meters away.

Seychelles watched the blood run down America's shoulder and soak into the mattress. It had been doing that for a long time now, she noted sadly.

Sweden had bent down to America's level, but he was concentrating more on Finland, ensuring that it would be as easy as possible for him.

Finland raised his hand and handed Liechtenstein a bloodstained knife, without letting his eyes wander from his patient.

Seychelles closed her eyes for a while and then opened them with determination. She had vowed that she wouldn't break until they got back home. After that, she could talk about this laughing with everyone. When she would be able laugh about it afterwards, it would be okay to break.

But since it wasn't now, she just had to make sure the bowl wouldn't shake or the water spill out.

.*** *** ***.

"So," China started talking after a long silence. "Do we have a plan?"

"Not any good one for sure," Japan answered. "Unarmed like this, there isn't much we can do."

"Well, what if we just," asked China smiling and raised one of his fingers. "Trust that he underestimates us and clear this with bare hands?"

"Are you going to practice some kung fu on him?" asked Hungary. "If you teach me, I could help you. Of course, it would be better if you could make me a frying pan, Norway."

Nordic shook his head. "I won't waste my magic on anythin'."

Spain smiled. "Does that mean that you could do it if you wanted to?"

Norway sent a cold glare at him. "Summoning kitchen tools is easier than summoning trolls. Thought I'd have to know their exact location first, so it wouldn't help here."

"Hey, I have an idea," Korea suggested as he put his hand on Hungary's shoulder. "Hungary and I team up, you summon us frying pans and we make it into effective kitchen artillery,"

Japan hit him lightly. "This is serious."

"I am serious!"

"Then it must mean that we really are short of ideas," Japan shook his head and tried to ignore Taiwan, who was chuckling behind his back.

Suddenly the door of the little room opened again, and this time it was Finland who came out. Everyone sitting stood up and all eyes stopped to the Nordic whose hands were covered in red blood that had not yet fully dried up. His eyes looked empty, as if he wasn't really looking at anything, or that he was even conscious. Sweden appeared from the room too and stopped behind the smaller nation, looking extremely worried.

England stepped forward. "Well?"

A/N: Silent talking refers to the silence between those who deal with America.

Some notes:

Firstly, the thing that "Finland has world's best medics in average" is true, but I fail to remember what year stats those were OTL I think it was somewhere around 2007...

Secondly, I personally don't like this chapter, because out of all my own characters I've ever made, our main villain is the one I dislike the most on the author-level. Maybe that's the reason he actually shows in this story only twice after this. And besides, this thing is melodramatic -.-'

Thirdly, I'll send my thanks to my beta who's doing this for me even though she has so much other things to worry about. Scott, you make me happy.

Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and to the people who read this in general.