Chapter 35

Debt

"Did you have some questions for me?"

"Yes I do" Arthur had to fight to keep his hand on the wall. Touching Shade gave him a very uneasy feeling and instinctively he wanted to back away.

"Sure thing. I'll answer your questions if you answer mine" Arthur felt a shiver run up his spine as Shade chuckled. There was something hidden behind his words that Arthur couldn't figure out. It didn't matter either, he needed answers.

"Fine, but I go first" Arthur pressed harder against the wall. "How is it that you can move?"

"Our kind can move if we're attached to a mage" Shade tilted his head curiously "But you already knew this, didn't you?"

"Yes but I was wondering, why isn't my shadow moving?" Arthur looked at his own shadow on the wall that was just as still as ever, only moving when Arthur himself did.

"Obviously, it's still in its sleeping state" Shade was amused and Arthur didn't like it. It seemed like he was giving vague answers on purpose.

"Explain"

"No, no. I think it's my turn to ask a question now" Even though he couldn't see it, Arthur could feel how Shade smiled at him. "Coffee or Tea?"

"What?"

"Coffee or Tea, what do you prefer? That's my question." Shade waited while Arthur frowned. He didn't understand why Shade would ask that of all things. But if these were the kind of questions he'd ask during their little game, Arthur was sure he could play along.

"Tea, obviously" Arthur took a deep breath and stared intensively at the shadow. "Now, explain"

"Sure thing!" His cheery tone didn't fit well with what Arthur knew he was capable of. "Shadows can be in different states. I was in a locked state, I could do nothing but watch and follow this idiots movements. Your shadow on the other hand is in a sleeping state… Do you enjoy rain?"

"I don't like this, I don't like not knowing what he's up to"

"Antonio, shush" Arthur looked at Antonio that frowned but decided to ignore him and turned back towards the wall. "I don't have much choice but to enjoy it, what's this sleeping state you speak of?"

"I see, so you do like rain" Shade chuckled "Your shadow is asleep. It can't see, hear or move and it never have been able to. It would only be able to become like me if someone woke it up"

"How do we tell them apart?" Arthur had to know. If they could find out which shadows were dangerous then they could prevent something like this from ever happening again.

"You can't. But if you've used magic for a long time and nothing have happened you're probably safe" Arthur got suspicious. Shade was being just a bit too cooperative. "Now, I have one question left" Shade tilted his head.

"Fine, what is it?"

"To get Alfred back, how far would you go?" Arthur almost let go of the wall. The other questions had been so simple and now he asked this all of a sudden.

"Why does it matter?"

"I see, that far huh?" Shade chuckled "You really are a desperate fool"

"I don't need to answer you anymore. I've found out what I needed" Arthur was just about to back away when something pulled him back and locked his hand to the wall. "What the-"

"I've also found out what I needed" Arthur saw in the corner of his eye how Antonio turned around and started to move to separate them but it was too late. Arthur felt how something spread through his body and he fell backward onto the floor.

.

"Where is he?"

"Right over here, I'll show you" They were back in the hotel lobby and Mathias led Lukas through the room towards Gilbert that appeared to be telling his brother and Feliciano a story.

"…and then they just threw me off the cliff! But do not worry because I managed to survive by – Oh, it's you guys!" Gilbert looked up at them and grinned. They had managed to find him a wheelchair so he could move around. It had also been discussed if it would be better to just bring him back to the sea since they didn't know if he could be on land forever but he had refused. "Do you want something?"

"Yes we do" Lukas managed to sit down on one of the couches with some help from Mathias and turned towards Gilbert. "Thank you"

"Thank you? For what?" Gilbert looked like he had no idea what they were talking about so Lukas sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Emil. Without you he would've…" He couldn't finish the sentence. Ludwig and Feliciano snuck away to give them some privacy but Lukas barely noticed.

"Ah, that thing. It was nothing really, anyone would have done the same in that situation" Gilbert actually seemed a bit embarrassed.

"But this time it was you. We're all owe you, Berwald and Tino agreed too, so you can ask anything you want from us" Mathias looked down on the ground "Even though what you did was worth so much more"

"I really can't-"

"Even if you say no, there'll probably come a day that you need help" Lukas stood up and turned away from Gilbert "When that day comes, we'll be by your side" Mathias stood up as well and they started to walk away but Gilbert called out to them.

"Fine but you can't give all the credit to me" They turned towards him again. "I might have dragged him out of the water but he was the one that then rode on my back through ice cold water before running for 30 minutes while pushing a mermaid in a shopping cart" Gilbert leaned back and sighed "Not to mention the 'running into a ball of fire' stunt he pulled afterwards" He smiled "Emil is much stronger than you might think"

"Yes, we know" Lukas and Mathias exited the room and left Gilbert alone, though it didn't last long. Ludwig and Feliciano came back inside, it seemed like they had been standing outside listening all the time.

"I think they needed to hear that" Ludwig sat down on the couch where Lukas had just been sitting.

"Of course! I always know what to say" Gilbert smirked at him "And about that offer…"

"You're not actually considering it, are you?" Ludwig tried to give him a stern look which was not very effective with Felicianos face. Gilbert looked thoughtful for a moment and glanced at Ludwig.

"Two words. Free beer"

"Okay"

"Okay? Really?" Gilbert smirked again "Then I think we should discuss the fact that you are inside Felis body. I find it very humouring"

"Says the one that is half-fish"

"Mermaid! Not half-fish! Or is it merman maybe because I'm a guy? Doesn't really matter since…" And so their conversation continued.

.

"Arthur! Arthur, are you okay?" Antonio kneeled next to Arthur and shook him carefully but he didn't wake up. He had a pulse and was breathing so Antonio let go and turned towards his shadow "What did you do?"

"I still have some power even in this state, all I need is some personal info and I can create a weak connection and knock people out" Shade sighed deeply "Though I can't do much more than that"

"Then why did you? It won't gain you anything!"

"You'll see" Shades giggle sent shivers up Antonios spine. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and it slowly creaked open. Keys to Antonios room had been handed out to some of the others just in case something bad would happen.

"Antonio? You in here? Have you seen Arth-" Francis froze in the doorway and Antonio could see Alfred peeking behind him. The stare he got made him realise what they must be seeing.

"No, wait, this is not what it looks like!" Antonio stood up and held up his hands. They had just walked in to see him kneeling next to Arthur's unconscious body and after all that had happened it could only look like one thing.

"Back away from him"

"But listen I-"

"Now!" Antonio obliged and backed away while he could hear Shade chuckling in the background. Francis slowly walked over to Arthur while staring suspiciously at Antonio. "Matthew, go get the others" It wasn't until now that Antonio noticed the small cat on the floor. Matthew quickly turned around and ran away through the corridor. Alfred cracked his knuckles and looked at Antonio with a ready-for-round-2 face.

"Listen to me! I'm still Antonio, it was him who did it!" Antonio pointed towards the wall where Shade furiously shook his head while waving at them desperately. Still, he managed to put a small piece of doubt in Francis.

"We can't be sure, let's wait for the others so Lukas can check" It didn't take long until footsteps were heard trough the corridor and soon enough a group of nations entered the room.

"What's going on? Kiku said that Matthew said that Arthur was hurt!" Feliciano had a hard time standing still and Ludwig stood right next to him. Gilbert rolled in right behind them while Kiku stood a few steps back with Ivan on his head.

"He's saying that he's Antonio but we have been tricked before"

"I'll just check, where's the shadow?" Lukas suddenly entered the room followed by Tino. Mathias seemed to have disappeared somewhere else. After leading Lukas through the room while carefully keeping an eye on Antonio, Francis took a step back again. Lukas reached out a hand and had to take a step forward to reach the wall.

"Who are you?" Lukas got a panicked response within seconds.

"Lukas! It's me Antonio! That person on the bed isn't me, he's lying!" Lukas turned towards the bed and could see the shape of a person that suddenly turned towards them.

"No! He's the one lying, I'm Antonio!" Antonio was furious. So this was his plan all along, to turn them against him. Lukas let go of the wall and turned towards the group.

"They are both claiming to be Antonio but both are sounding equally trustworthy"

"Then what do we do?" The nations fell silent. Antonio stayed still, he could feel that any sudden movements right now would lead to pain. That was at least until a small voice was heard.

"Maybe I can help you?" They all looked towards the small light that seemed to be spreading from Kikus head. No one recognised the voice except for Ivan that seemed beyond unhappy.

"So you're back now?"

"Yes I am! Did you miss me? I know you- Hey! What did you do to my dress?" As Ivan lifted and flew over to the table they could suddenly see a small wand in his hand.

"As if I was going to wear that forever!"

"Ivan what is going on?" Tino was the first one to snap out of it. They were all very confused about this sparkling stick.

"What? Didn't Ivansi here tell you about me" The wand suddenly flew out of Ivans hand. "I am Ivantis wand. I can fullfill one wish everyday as long as he sticks to the rules!"

"Really? Ivan, why didn't you tell us about this?"

"It's annoying, I don't want it." Ivan flew up in the air next to the wand and tried to catch it but it quickly avoided him and flew over to Tino.

"He's so mean! He tried to snap me in half earlier and I was just trying to help. He's scaring me!" The wand was sobbing as it hid in Tinos hair and Ivan received some very angry stares.

"That is not what happened! It was being really rude and-"

"Enough!" Ludwig sighed deeply and looked towards Tino "Did you say that you could help us?" The wand suddenly darted out towards him and spun in the air while creating sparkles everywhere.

"Yes! If Ivan just wave me around and wish for it, I can tell you wish one is the real Antonio"

"Really?" Antonio didn't realise that he'd taken a step forward so he was pretty surprised when he was pushed back.

"Stay where you are" Antonio held up his hands to show his surrender and backed away. They turned their attention towards the wand again.

"But, I've already made a wish today. It was past midnight when I did it!" Ivan raised an eyebrow "Are you breaking your own rules?"

"No, no, Ivanki. I'm simply letting you use tomorrows wish today!"

"You keep talking about these rules, what are they exactly?" Tino tilted his head curiously.

"How about I show you?" Sparkles shot out of the flying wand and formed words in the air for them all to read.

"Whishing rules:
1. Only one whish per day. (Unless the wand is bored)
2. You can not wish for death of another living creature.
3. Your wish can not break other types of magic.
4. The wand can refuse to grant your whish.
5. Be polite.
6. If your name is Ivan you must afterwards wear a dress to be allowed to make a wish."

"You changed it! You changed the rules" Ivan pointed angringly at the list while the wand let out an audible gasp.

"Ivanskipo! I would never do such a thing!"

"Why don't you come over here so I can-"

"Ivan" Francis looked over at him with a very tired look on his face "Can you please just do it?" Ivan looked around the room. He quickly realised that he didn't have much choice right now but to do it, at least if he wanted to get rid of the wand again.

"Fine! Come over here then, I won't snap you in half this time"

"Yay! Ivansikki will make a wish!" It flew straight into Ivans hand and he turned towards Antonio and pointed at him with the wand. He sighed deeply before he waved around a bit with it.

"I wish I knew which one is the real Antonio" Sparkles flew out of the end and floated in the air. It separated into two clouds and placed themselves above Antonio and the shadow. They waited for a moment as the sparkles shifted in the air until it formed words.

"Thank god" Everyone let out a relieved sigh as Antonios name showed up above the nation on the bed while the other cloud formed Shades.

"I agree" Antonio sat down again on the bed "This is such a mess" The tension slowly slipped away and most of the nations found somewhere to sit down.

"Ow, what happened?" Arthur suddenly sat up on the floor and looked around "What are you all doing here?"

"Nice timing, you really gave us a scare there" Francis yawned "I'll tell you about it later, I don't really feel like it now"

"Well then!" They looked up towards Ivan where the wand once again was floating on his own. Francis shushed Arthur before he could ask what the hell that thing was. "I think it's time for your payment"

"Let's just get this over with, I'll change back as fast as I can though" Ivan frowned and crossed his arms.

"You're so boring! But fine!" There was a small "poff" heard and Ivan was surrounded by glitter for a moment. When it faded they all had to hold back a chuckle. Ivan was now dressed in a crystal-blue dress and behind him flowed a long cape decorated with large snowflakes.

"This is even worse than the last one"

"I'm off then! Going to sleep for a while. Maybe a week, maybe an hour who knows!" Then the wand disappeared without a trace.

"Well, Ivan. Do you want to explain?" Ludwig raised an eyebrow. Ivan just sighed and shrugged.

"No, not really. I don't understand either anyway"

"Very well. How about you two?" He looked over at Antonio and Arthur that were very busy looking anywhere else than on Ludwig. "What happened?"

"You see we were just-"

"It was my fault" Arthur interrupted and looked down onto the ground. "I wanted to ask Shade some questions and he tricked me" Then he told them the whole story.