This chapter is considered "Safe For Work."

***Warnings: Vulgar language, bullying***

***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia nor the characters in this chapter. The plot is mine.***

Plop.

"Sit down." Germany commanded, having already taken the liberty of resting his ass on the bench and taking up a large portion of it, pointed to the other part. Her eyes rolled as she examined the area: a new, small town.

The last two hours, they left the original town, out onto the highway, veered off the concrete road to the untamed wilderness, and trekked through trees, animals, and who knows what other shit they went through. Her brittle commentary came endlessly, questioning the German's sanity only to be answered with silence. She fell quiet when the voices of people came from a quiet drone to a louder bustling. They emerged in a new town. Apparently, he did know what he was doing.

With silent regard, she took his request, legs crossed as she sat next to him. Belarus glanced at his leg, pushing it away distastefully. "You are the one with proper hiking attire."

Germany hmphed. "Says the one who would have hiked in heels, from what Honda told me." She glanced at him. How the hell did he know that? The man pulled his hat down. "... He was thinking out loud when he was shopping for your clothes."

Belarus did not hide an incriminating smirk. "The princess is interested in pretty bows and laces. Surprising." She felt a glare on her and flicked her hair to the side, gaining a small growl. "Either way, I am familiar with those shoes. I feel… childish in this crap."

A silence. Germany huffed. "You mean exposed."

Her back straightened, eyes growing more focused but not daring to turn her head. Her hands rested on her crossed legs, smirk falling into that brooding… forceful frown. She forced her fingers to be slack.

As much as she hated to admit it, the man had spoken correctly.

These clothes felt… Unnatural despite their casualness. Uncomfortable despite the way they fitted around her skin just so. Of course, they functioned correctly - though, she questioned the use of the hat and the exaggeratedly long cardigan. Not to mention the shoes dug into her unprotected Achilles' and failed to shield her from the unforgiving touches of the underbrush.

No… There was more to what he said.

She didn't feel like her.

Subconsciously, her fingers began to knit together, brow furrowing. These clothes were not hers, this world was not hers, hell, was she even in control of her own actions anymore?

A smile came to her face to laugh it off. She caught herself. She didn't laugh. Was she about to laugh? But she had smiled. What had she been preparing for?

"Hey- don't start having a mental breakdown or something." Her attention snapped to the present and her head whirled to look to the man. Germany. His name was Germany. His eyes searched her face, frowning. In worry? No. Wait. Why did she care? Holy shit, was she really having a mental breakdown. Germany sat up. "Damn, breathe-"

"I am fine," she snapped, rising to her feet. "Your presence is simply pissing me off." He huffed, as if expecting such a response. Before any other words could pass through her mouth, a rumble escaped her stomach. Her eyes widened. His eyes widened. He stared at her in disbelief.

"…You were hungry? That's why you're catty?" She opened her mouth to deny but shut it again. Her body had betrayed her enough today, mouth included. Her eyes turned away as she heard him stand with a groan. "Fine, princess, we'll get you some food. Gott, stop being such a brat." She did not answer, simply turning and moving further into town.

Unlike the other town they had been at, this one proved to be bigger. Big enough, at least, to have a small market place, already bustling with people filled with after school hungers. The strange smells perked at her nose. She did not know where to go to. In fact, wouldn't a bustling place such as this be the easiest place to be found in?

'Belarus, did you lose your experience as well as your dignity? A crowded area is the most difficult place to be found in.'

Rolling her eyes, she took the liberty to search the area, lips tight and narrowing down a stall with food she would not find too radical. After all, she had only come to Japan on the rare world meeting. Any other time, her international travel usually were blocked by her government. She always had work to do. Vacation time was spent inside her country. Belarus felt herself waver to a truck parked to the side, a small line gathered in front. The smell of sweet potatoes reached her nose as the faint calling of song creaked past the old metal death trap. It was food.

Belarus glanced behind her, taking note of the German standing a few feet away. She rolled her eyes. "I need money." Her hand came out and a few coins met her palm. She examined the encryption of numerals before nodding in silent thanks and returning her attention to the line. The drone of "yaki-imo… yaki-imo…" brought her back to her thoughts. She wondered when she'd be returned to her world. When she'd be given back her clothes. That was a thought. Everything had been stripped of her. Would her identity be another thing lost to her in this distant place?

Her eyes came into focus as she felt the heat of the car approaching- no, she had been stepping closer in her mindlessness. Belarus's eyes focused ever so lazily, turning to the sky. It was… Four in the afternoon.

"The devil."

Her whole body snapped into focus as something came within her… space. Belarus turned, hand snapping and flinging off someone who had been reaching for her. Her eyes narrowed and her opposite hand instinctively reached for her blades… Which there were none. Either way, she could act accordingly if the situation called for such.

The man who had reached for her stared a bit, confused. His eyes settled on her, trying to search hers as his hand lowered. Belarus scowled. "What the hell are you doing?" What about this man's appearance struck her? Something…

Slowly the man began to laugh, uncomfortable to be caught. He rubbed the back of his neck. "S-sorry. You just had something on your hat. You know. Um… It's…" He nodded to her hat again. She reached up, removing a leaf. Her uncertainty remained. "I saw the leaf so I thought I could take it out without you noticing-"

"Are you always a bumbling idiot?" She retorted. He nearly stumbled back from surprise. Her eyes rolled, noticing it was her turn in line. She stepped forward only to be cut off from the man who was behind her. She prepared for a retort before stopping. They were speaking in Japanese. Her jaw tightened none the less. How dare he cut her off. As he turned, she prepared to punish him for his rudeness when an aluminum covered bundle appeared in front of her.

"H… Here." The man offered. "Sorry. Just wanted to apologize and… Paid for your lunch?" Belarus's eyes narrowed. "Sorry, am I-"

"Stop apologizing. It's pissing me off." She snatched the bundle, slowly unwrapping it to reveal the dark skin of a sweet potato. Belarus raised the hand with coins and handed it to him. "Order some more. I have someone who's here with me." The man raised the brow and turned to order some more. While his back was turned, she moved toward Germany, peeling off skin and taking a bite into the creamy potato beneath. A familiar enough taste.

The German looked to her, brow raised. "You satisfied?" His hand raised, fingers curling to call for the change.

"I'm having someone else get your food," she answered, finishing her bite. "He's coming." Germany's jaw nearly dropped.

"Uh… Miss!" She turned, acknowledging him with a nod as she took another bite. He came over, arms full from sweet potatoes. "I didn't know how many to get you so I…"

"You bought as many as you could."

"…Yes."

She rolled her eyes, returning her gaze to her "caretaker." "Well, he used up all your money. Have some sweet potatoes."

"They're actually called yaki imo," the man offered. He looked over to Germany, waiting for the other to reach out as his own hands were full.

For a moment, the German seemed… Confused. His eyes rested on Belarus then began to look blindly at the other man. The silence remained before he reached out and took a potato. "…You got a fuck ton of them."

"You'd think he'd have some common sense," she reasoned, making the man who helped her blush. Belarus glanced over to him then to Germany. "Let's get a bag, Mr. Beilschmditz." He stiffened at the name, glaring at her angrily. She did not hide her silent amusement as she took the last bite of the potato and wrapped it up.

He gave a forceful grin. "Well, Natalya, I think that is a wonderful idea." Regardless of the situation, she gave a deft punch to his arm. He snickered. His eyes turned to the man carrying the potatoes, a bit distastefulness in his gaze. "Come with us. It is the least we can do for having the little princess treat you as a servant." She glared at him with fury but nodded to the man who had so diligently followed orders to follow them.

The trio weaved through the crowd, the man calling out at times to have them slow down. Germany finally pulled to a stop, retrieving a plastic bag and holding it out for the confused man. He sighed in relief. "Thank you… I am quite famished." He grabbed a potato and moved to take the bag only to have an empty plastic bag be shoved in his chest. He looked up, confused.

"I would rather you take what you bought and go. Natalya and I have some things to do-"

The man's face lit up. "Well, I could show you around and I don't need to go immediately."

Dear god, they had a third wheel. Belarus came over, draping herself on Germany's arm. "You see, my brother and me have spent quite some time apart. We would like to spend some time together." Her fingers dug into his arm, causing his jaw to tighten. "Alone." She reached over, placing some potatoes into the empty bag and then handing them to the man. "Here. Shoo." Her eyes bore into his, daring him to bring the matter into discussion.

For a moment, the man stared at her, shocked at her sternness. His hands suddenly enveloped the one that held the bag, pressing some paper into her hand. His cheeks grew red. "M-My name is Karsten. Thank you." He took the bag and disappeared into the crowd as suddenly as he had appeared.

Belarus, caught off guard as the interaction had taken place, frowned and stared at the paper in her hand. A number? She rolled her eyes, thinking to toss it away before reconsidering. The man had done her a good turn. With a shrug, she placed it in her pocket and turned to her shell shocked "brother." "You… Got a number. From a random man. While we are quite occupied with something else entirely?"

She glared at him. "Do you know Japanese? No. He offered, I took it. Simple as that." Belarus snatched up another aluminum bundle, peeling away the skin for another bite. "What is the plan now?" Germany rubbed his temple, seeming unaware of what had been asked. "You act as if you haven't used your espionage skills to your advantage before?" Nothing. Then it struck her. This man lacked any matter of poise. "… You never were a field agent, were you."

"Quiet," he huffed, stomping away from the market grounds. "It does not concern you what I have done or not done."

"The same applies to you."

"But you just got a number from a random man, and in this place if I might add-"

"Oh, I had no idea you cared-"

"I'm going to care if our necks are on the line and I-" Germany breathed slowly, gathering himself. "Nat-"

"Arlovskaya."

He rolled his eyes. "You're too old for him anyway."

"Bumbling idiot is not my type," she added, thinking back to a certain man in her world whose IQ level dropped whenever he saw her.

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "… I must be honest. I have never seen a Reaper before." Her eyebrow raised, wondering what had caused the conversation to veer so suddenly. "I mean, yes, we are not supposed to see Reapers but… I never chanced it. Even after the sudden outbreak in 2000 when Fe… some nations close to me had been attacked. I can only get what I can from reports." He said no more on the matter, changing the topic rapidly. "We'll rest here for the night. From my guess, the group will think that we moved past this town to a more distant location. I do not want to trust the big cities yet. They may force Honda to put up posters of you. As much as I trust Honda, I do not trust his actions when forced by the Security Council."

"But word travels fast in small towns." She received a glare then a sigh. Belarus followed him, knowing well off the back he knew what he was doing despite his lack of experience in the field.

They walked for sometime before coming upon a small inn. Germany came in first, examining the room before approaching the front desk and speaking for a few moments. Belarus waited on the side, finishing the second helping and tossing the wrapping away just as Germany completed the transaction. The man nodded to her and she followed him to the room, watching him fall in after her.

In comparison with the original room, this one felt much simpler. A bed, a side table with a lamp, a couch, drawers, a window with curtains, and an adjoining bathroom. Simple. Belarus looked to the window, peeking out the curtains to view the busy people passing by. Why did... Part of her want to wave? Her fingers curled and she tore herself from the window, settling on her place on the bed. The German plopped on the couch, helping himself to the plethora of the sweet potatoes.

In her mind, she went over the last words that left him, her fingers intertwining. "… Why did you bring up Reapers?" Belarus asked, her eyes meeting the German's. He did not break their meeting eyes.

"Because I didn't see Karsten was there until you mentioned him."

Author's Note:

Major thanks to Resistant Raisin for being the beta for this chapter!

It's great to be back on this. I can't say I'm off hiatus just yet but I'm making slow progress with this story in my free time. Schedule wise, I'm still waiting to see what colleges I got accepted to but I'm also working on scholarship essays and a lot of planning things at school. Well, that's it for what I'm doing! Please leave reviews on how the chapter was, "theories," and other comments. Thanks again!