The eleven nations were taking their break with relative seriousness.
Germany awakened Italy and Japan out of habit for running at 5h30th a.m., and succeeded partially since Italy fled at high speed the exercise, so far that he decided to run after him to avoid his clumsy friend to get lost.
This arranged Japan's case since the buffed country forgot about him, and he could quietly return to bed instead while internally thanking the italian.
Later,Spain and France prepared breakfast to everyone's pleasure, and even Arthur took a bite at it, pooting half-heartedly.
America proposed a baseball game and everyone refused except for poor Canada, who couldn't escape his brother's grip. Mapple! He knew he was going to have a bad time!
Russia was more thrilled at the idea to meet with some bears and Canada (and Kumajiro who felt somehow a little concerned about it) tried to tell him they were protected species to avoid the poor creatures to have to face the determined russian, but the tall man was already taking the direction of the mountain. China had offered to follow him and stop him for doing anything reckless...to the bears obviously.
After breakfast, England and Japan walked together in the morning, talking like the old men they were about everything, while France was supporting from afar his former colony with an amused smile.
Spain was tracking off Romano, who had left quickly to take some break from him (or maybe because he wanted to be found by him like in a game, though he would never admit it out loud).
And finally were left Germany and Italy, who took another pass in the woods.
The italian was loud as always, talking and talking, not once interrupted by his travel partner, who had stopped listening anyway.
"Ve! This place is incredible! It reminds me a little of the Middle-age when everything was still wild. Forests weren't that easy to travel in, and it was scary to fight there when burglars could jump on you from the trees…. Oh, a river, do you want to bathe in?"
"No sorry! I already took my shower this morning...and it's kind of cold here. But indeed, this area has something refreshing…"
"Oh ok….How about a siesta then?"
The blond looked at him, and then…,agreed.
"Yes... let's do that! It's been a while since I could do one without thinking about work..or something else."
And both decided to lie down on the grass, relaxing and closing their eyes.
xxxxx
"England….England!"
Arthur and Kiku were still quietly walking on what seemed to be a natural pass, the former helping the other to spot animals for photos, when the british man looked at Flying Mint Bunny. Normally, he would avoid talking to him in the presence of someone, but Japan was a close friend that was...used to his strange monologues, and so he replied.
"Yes, what is it my friend?"
His smile went down a little as he saw the magic bunny ears up, fixing something to his right.
"I'm feeling something...weird….I can't explain it, but it's coming from here...could you go see what it is? Since we aren't in your country, I can't really wander on my own."
Raising his eyebrows, England still interrupted Japan's track and told him they could try going at the direction his magical friend had talked about, promising there would be interesting birds. Actually, the forest was huge and the asian didn't care much about where to go so he obliged, his mind focused on his camera and on the animals he was going to capture with a 'tourist habit' of his.
Walking toward their new goal, the blond dishevelled man was getting curious, as Flying Mint Bunny sometimes would stop on his track, then proceed in a direction and suddenly, turn to another.
" So..are you sensing it again? Is it magic? Could you try explaining it to me?"
Flying Mint Bunny flew above his head, and stopped on the air, still searching, sniffing like a dog would. He didn't look very thrilled by what he was receiving and expressed that.
"No..and yes. It's a little like...how to explain….I don't want to sound alarming since it's probably nothing but... It's like I'm sensing one of 'you' very, very faint but when I try to identify the source, it disappears…..I need all my concentration to even capture it when it's there..."
"One of us? Maybe it's Italy or Germany you're sensing, they didn't take a way too far from here." shrugged England.
"No… I can sense them two clearly, and it's not...besides, the scent is getting closer to us from the opposite direction…."
Having been in his presence for so long, Flying Mint Bunny had gotten very skilled in identifying presence and recognizing creatures and magical beings.
And he would rarely make mistakes, so for him to say there was a scent from a country he couldn't pinpoint was to be taken seriously. Maybe there was a new nation over there! But even if he were to meet one, there was no way he would make it his colony...Seeing the political environment.
"Arthur-san? Are you sure we're taking the good path? Why did we turn there and then suddenly turned back? Are we by any chance lost?" Japan began to worry. He was so focused on his hobby that he didn't look much on the way they crossed so far.
"Oh well don't worry about it! We're near, that's what my fellow Flying Bunny told me!"
Ah yes, his imaginary friend! How reassuring! Japan played along for now because he didn't want to return empty-handed, but wasn't going to let England take the lead too long.
"It's near! Almost there!" informed Flying mint bunny, getting excited as the small impulse he was feeling was approaching.
England too was getting eager to find it, and started searching around with as much effort as Japan was to find his birds.
But before they could find their treasure, the loud voice of Italy disrupted their track, followed by an exasperated Germany.
"Feliciano! How many times did I tell you to use our aliases and to not scream in the forest!"
"Ve...sorry Ger..Luddy! But there's no human around here!"
"How many times indeed Feliciano! One of my friends was just about to tell me something important and…"
"And you've chased away the birds I wanted to photograph them Feliciano-san…"
"Vee...sorry sorry!" apologized the clumsy brunette, wriggling in all directions to express his discomfort of being reprimanded.
Germany rejoined them and indicated with a finger the opposite direction.
"Anyway, we should head back or we will be late for lunch. And Feliciano promised to cook pasta with his brother."
"Oh that's right! Pasta! You will see I will make the best italian dishes!"
Actually, the german had some energetic bars on him, he was a forward-looking nation, but behind his hurry was that he wanted to avoid Romano to make a fuss about his brother's absence. It may have not been apparent, but the elder brother could become a pen in the *** for the rest of his vacations if he wanted. And he would prefer not!
The group agreed and the four nations headed back, England trailing behind as the Axis was reunited and talking with each other.
"Sorry England. It seemed to disappear for good this time. I'm under the impression it is hiding from us…"
"Hiding? If he's a newborn nation, he shouldn't be able to do that on purpose…"
"I don't know, I've not traveled much outside of your territory when sensing new born nation you know.."
"That's true."
The blond green eyes shot a last glance at the trees, but seeing that nothing moved and that the other had moved forward, he abandoned and fastened his pace.
xxxxx
That night, England was thoughtful during dinner, and France, knowing him better than anyone else (except his brothers but that was another story) noticed it.
"So England? What with this look? Perhaps you don't like my cuisine, uhm?"
"That's not that...and I'm not, Frog! I mean, it's edible at most!"
Well, he couldn't talk about Flying Mint Bunny in front of the others or he would pass for crazy, as always.
He prefered bickering a little with the annoying french instead, not attracting attention, and it worked perfectly…or that is what he had thought.
Because after France, there was another person that would notice the imperceptible details, and even England wouldn't have guessed who.
It's only way after lunch, when everyone went to their room and Arthur started to read a book before sleeping, that he sensed the two sharp ceruleans orb on him.
"What is it America? You don't want me to tell you tales to help you sleep uhm?" the gentleman asked without leaving the book from his eyes.
"Yeah well actually...what was France talking about there? I know you're hiding something old man!"
How on Earth could the superpower nation have been able to actually listen to his environment was a complete mystery for the former empire.
The reason was however, quite simple. America was using the nations he had invited to gather information on the area and was, especially now, very observant of the others.
That was how, but the young country wasn't going to reveal that!
Anyway, he became insistent, and, since it was a news that could actually have an impact on him, England abdicated.
"You're so stubborn sometimes but actually...it might concern you. My...magical friend has sensed something today and it might be a new nation, although I'm not so sure of that. It was really faint and different from us."
America deadpanned at that, and a silence ensued before he tapped the older man on his shoulders and laughed.
"Hahaha! Your imaginary friend told you there was another nation around? In the middle of a national forest in MY place were no one's lives? Man, you should really stop the scotch a bit, no wonder you're hallucinating!"
Several shades of red passed on England's face before he angrily barked back with his usual "You Bloody git!", throwing away his book at the american face.
It was so much fun to see the british man getting mad, even if America knew it wasn't a good idea anymore to stay around.
And so, he waved a cheeky good night before turning around and going to his room.
Now, the laughter had stopped and his face had become somewhat serious, his smile becoming bestial. Actually, he did believe England, this man had a hunch for things (even if there was no way he had some unicorns and fairies in his garden), and what he discovered right now didn't make him happy.
It was more serious than he had first though. Professor Travasco was possibly studying nations for a few decades now and may be that what sensed his President when he sent him here.
But now, it was over, America swore. He didn't have time to chill while exploring the area and find information here and there anymore.
Tomorrow, he would go dig up the matter himself.
In the other bed of the room, his twin brother felt the intense determination of his brother, but decided to ignore it for today and question him later.
In the wooden corridor leading to his room, a pair of purple eyes observed suspiciously his last moves, before getting in his sleeping bag too.
