Thanks to TheMovingChristmasTree, EverythingMath, Dragonfire78, Miss Akiyata, mayday237892, BloodLily16, Aprincessb1215 and an anon for reviewing. Wow, that was a mouthful. Thank you!

This chapter once again focusses on the other Nations. And I know there will be a few questions, but everything reveals itself in due time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 20: Observers

Something that makes the game worth playing is an audience.

For what fun would it be if no one sees?

…

Egypt gasped. There was something else in there with him. And inside a tomb, you did not want to know that there is another being there.

He stood from his seated position, looking warily around. He was trying to pinpoint what it could be that made him and Greece both uneasy by trying to ask his mother's gods.

But now there was something in the tomb with him. Something that did not belong.

He gasped when he felt a rush of cold air. He couldn't see or hear anything, but he knew that there was something there.

He screamed when he felt claws rake themselves down his back, creating bloody trails. He whirled around, but he couldn't see anything. He screamed again when something grabbed his arm, twisting it until he heard a crack.

And as soon as the attack came, it was all over, and he was left alone.

He grabbed his right arm, which was most likely broken, and bit back the tears of pain that threatened to fall.

He needed to find out what attacked him, but he had a feeling that it was somehow linked to what he was trying to figure out.

And now he had to trek back to the very edge of the Valley of the Kings, where he left his jeep, with an injured arm, in the middle of the night. Across a desert.

Oh, joy.

…

Jamaica awoke in a cold sweat.

He felt nervous, his senses on high alert. Something was there. He was sure of it.

He didn't have long to ponder it before he felt himself pinned to his bed, a hand on his throat.

But he couldn't see his attacker.

You should stay out of things that don't concern you.

The grip on his throat tightened, and he struggled, the need for air becoming stronger. Grey dotted his vision, and he was about to pass out when the grip was released.

He gasped in grateful gulps of air, only to scream as something embedded itself in his shoulder.

And with that, he was alone once again.

…

Lutz sighed, arriving at the home of his older brother.

It was the middle of the night, and knowing Gilen, he would probably be asleep. He would also probably forget the meeting of the Northern Nations, which is why he was there.

Honestly, his brother was more trouble than he was worth. But they kept him around because he was a force to be reckoned with when the bloodlust sets in.

He opened the door, chastising his brother for leaving it unlocked. He made his way to Gilen's room, where he found the other in a chair, sitting in front of the mirror. Surprisingly, he was wide awake, looking at the mirror with fascination.

"Are you a narcissist now?" Germany asked, and Prussia yelped and spun around, looking wide-eyed at his brother.

"Nein," Prussia said, looking worried. "I just thought I saw something in my eyes. A fleck of red, perhaps."

Germany's eyes narrowed. His brother was hiding something, but he didn't care to dwell. Unless it had something to do with the South, he didn't care.

"Whatever," he said. "I came to remind you of the meeting tomorrow."

Prussia's eyes widened. As expected, he forgot.

"Danke," Prussia said. "Is that all?"

"Not quite," Germany said, stepping closer. "I heard you've been spending time with Poland. Is that true? And don't even try to lie."

Prussia swallowed nervously.

"It's nothing, really," he said. "It's just…"

That was when Germany caught sight of the mirror. His eyes widened when he saw, not the room, but a completely different scene.

He saw someone that looked like his brother, but with shorter hair and red eyes. His arm was in a sling, and he appeared to be sitting in a room with a group of other Nations. He recognised someone that looked like England, and he recognised someone that looked like Lithuania…

"Prussia," Germany said, his tone dark. "Explain."

"Well, you see… It's a long story. That's why I've been spending time with Poland. New game."

"Tell me everything."

…

Bulgaria laughed.

A few hours ago, he had discovered that Moldova was right. There was an alternate reflection.

And he and his counterpart got along swimmingly. He wasn't too different from Vlad, and the two Bulgarians enjoyed each other's company.

Dimitri was a little worried about the bloodstains, but after hearing the other's description of his world, he figured that it was natural. Nicolai had also explained that he was one of the Nations that was frequently injured by the others, so none of his clothes lacked the splatters of blood.

Bulgaria and Moldova had discovered that they couldn't see their counterparts if the two of them were reflected by the same mirror, but that sparked the question whether or not they would be able to see each other if both sides were looking at the other side through the same mirror.

Andrei and Nicolai had a meeting to attend the following day, and they could depart together afterwards, and then they will be able to try it out.

"So, what's Romania like?" Dimitri asked.

Nicolai's face fell, and Dimitri realised that it wasn't the best thing to ask.

"He's horrible," Nicolai said. "He's cruel, and he's vicious, he's ruthless… He's seriously one of the worst. He's the one that hurts me the most. Once he finds a target, he won't stop until they've completely submitted."

"And… did you?"

"Not yet. He must have a new, temporary target, because he hasn't come to see me in days. But once he loses interest, he'll be back to torturing me."

Dimitri sighed.

"If that's the case, then I hope he doesn't get his hands on Vlad," he said. "He may like scary things, but he's harmless. Mostly. He's cheerful and somewhat mischievous, but he's also a good friend."

"Then my Romania should definitely not get his hands on him. He sounds like his ideal target."

…

South Africa groaned as she opened her eyes. She was sprawled on the couch, while the others were on the floor. Except for India, who sat in an armchair, watching them all.

His eyes shifted to her and he smiled.

"How's your head?" he asked.

"Better than expected," she said. "Dizzy, but not in pain."

He nodded.

"By the way, England called. He wants to speak to you."

"Isn't it really late in his time zone?"

"He called during karaoke."

"And you're only telling me now?"

"He's under the impression that you're a dangerous drunk. The last thing we want is for him to think that there's a chance you can be agreeable. No one that knows informed him about that. It's too fun to let him think that there's a chance you can be more dangerous."

She paused, before looking at him oddly.

"You're actually playing the game as well?" she asked.

He chuckled.

"It will be fun to see that the entire Commonwealth of Nations had been playing some sort of game with him. You always start the torture sessions at the meetings, and the rest of us have fun any way we can."

She shook her head, chuckling, and went towards the bathroom, intending to have a shower.

But when she looked in the mirror, she paused.

She didn't see her usual blond self, instead she saw someone else, speaking to two others. They looked like India and Brazil.

Remembering her encounter with the two Canadas, she immediately realised who it was.

"India! Brazil! Get here, NOW!"

…

"Merde, merde, merde…"

Francois was pacing nervously, muttering under his breath.

Prussia had called. Germany now knows, and the other had informed Italy of it. And there was a good chance that that would be discussed at the meeting the following day.

And the entire North would know, and they would also want to play with their counterparts.

…

They turned their attentions to the mirror that was hanging near them when they heard the call.

"Well, well," Alida said, smirking. "Anika, I presume?"

…

When he heard the shout, he immediately moved to wake Brazil. They didn't think. They needed to find out why South Africa had called them.

When they entered the bathroom, their eyes immediately fell to the mirror, and their eyes widened with what they saw.

"How…?" Brazil whispered.

"Blame Canada," both South Africas said.

"Who?" India asked.

"Poor form," Anika sighed, shaking her head. "Anyway, these are the versions of us in another world, where we're among the strongest."

Roberto and Raj were intrigued, and went to step closer, standing side-by-side with Anika.

"So, you're our counterparts," the other Brazil said. "The name's Ricardo, and this is Alida and Mahesh."

"Roberto, and this is Anika and Raj."

"How's this possible?" Raj asked.

"Canada was lonely, and this is the result," Anika sighed. "Don't know why we're suddenly affected, though."

"Who cares?" Alida said. "Tell me, how do the Northern Nations treat you?"

"We're mostly overlooked," Raj said. "We don't mind. Means that they leave us alone."

"Well, in our world, we're in the middle of a Cold War," Alida said. "Let's just say, we've had enough of the Northern Nations pushing us around. The last straw was when Madagascar was practically beaten to a pulp by Russia."

"Then I guess we should keep Ivan out of this, nê?" Anika said.

"I noticed that there were others there," Ricardo said. "Who are they?"

"Russia and China," Raj said. "The five of us are the BRICS-group. We're emerging powers, and we're close friends."

"I see," Alida said. "I suppose, since circumstances are different, we'll let that slide."

"Something tells me that there's more to this," Anika said.

"Yes," Alida said. "See, we need allies. We don't want the Northern Powers to grow stronger, and we would appreciate any help we can get."

"So, you want us to help you?" Roberto asked. "How do we know we're helping the right side?"

"I heard what it's like from Canada," Anika said. "Most of them are vicious, and others are insane. Basically, they treat each other worse than anyone from our side treats their enemies."

"Pretty much," Alida said. "Both Ricardo and I were raised by Portugal. He was downright abusive to us. And Netherlands neglected me."

"China tortured me," Mahesh said. "I could show you the scars, if you'd like."

"We'll take your word for it," Raj said.

"Scotland and England tortured Australia as well," Alida said. "Bruce was forced to consume so much poison…"

"It's British cooking," Anika said. "Trust me, it's torture on its own."

"And still they insist that they know how to cook," Raj snickered. "But seriously. You don't trust a Brit's cooking."

"So, they're just incompetent in your world?" Mahesh asked.

"Yep," Roberto said. "It's common knowledge. Prussia once passed out after eating some of England's cooking."

"But it's vile," Anika said. "Seriously, do not eat British food."

"We'll keep that in mind," Mahesh said.

"But would you be willing to help us, if you were able to come to our world?" Alida asked.

The other three shared a look.

"We'll think about it," Roberto said. "But if we're able to access your world, then we'll have to see for ourselves if what you say is true."

"Fair enough," Alida said. "Until then, we'll see if we can do something about this glass barrier."

…

Im Hyung Soo was beyond frustrated. Yong Soo wouldn't leave him alone, and the North Korean was fed up with it all.

And now he had to deal with his twin making himself comfortable in his bed. Something had to be done.

He picked up the phone and called Japan. Hopefully he would know what to do.

…

Alida frowned.

As soon as their counterparts went away from the mirror they were using, the image disappeared, and they looked at their own, normal reflection.

Seeing their normal selves after encountering their other selves, they could see exactly how dark they are, in comparison with their brighter selves.

"Do you think they would help us?" Brazil asked.

"If they see that we told them the truth, they might," South Africa sighed.

"The biggest difference between us and the Northern Nations is the fact that we don't try to kill each other every chance we get," Mahesh said.

"I suppose we'll have to see," she sighed.

She couldn't help but feel just a little suspicious. Canada had told her that he can see his counterpart any time, even if the other wasn't in front of the mirror. So why…?

"The Northern Nations also have a meeting tomorrow," Brazil reminded them. "Do we have enough spies?"

"More than enough," South Africa said. "Nothing would be discussed that we won't know about."

"I fear the day that Italy realises we have spies among them," India said.

"There's a possibility that he might already suspect," South Africa said. "Let's just hope that they aren't caught."

…

Brazil and India left the bathroom, allowing South Africa to have that shower.

India was still mulling it over. He couldn't believe that there were alternate versions of themselves. And they were powerful Nations. He could see that clearly.

But he was worried about the fact that they appeared to be dark. It was either something about their own world, or it was they themselves.

He didn't know whether or not they should help them, should they be able to gain access. But he knew that they had to see it for their own eyes.

And why did the name 'Canada' seem so familiar?

"You thinking about what had just happened?" Brazil asked.

"Yes," India sighed. "I'd really like to know whether or not to believe them."

"Why don't we ask Canada then?" Brazil asked. "Anika said that he was involved with it all."

India nodded, before he suddenly felt himself being pushed away, landing with his head hard against a nearby wall.

He was in a daze, but he snapped out of it when he heard Brazil's scream of pain. He looked towards his friend, who appeared to be pinned against the wall by something invisible, his feet several centimetres from the ground. He tried to move, but something held him back.

India recognised that scream, and he recognised the look on Brazil's face.

Roberto was forced into having a vision.

…

He didn't know where he was. This was different from what he was used to.

He found himself on a white horse. He tried to move, but he couldn't. So instead he looked around, trying to get his bearings.

There was someone in front of him and to that person's left, but no one on his left. He tried to speak, but he had no voice. And it was hard to tell who the one in front of him was from behind, but he knew who it was on that person's left.

Prussia.

He looked around. To his right stood someone he only recognised from the meetings, but beside him stood South Africa, dressed in white and looking regal.

Beside her stood someone he recognised from the meetings, and the one beside him was also someone he recognised from the meetings.

And on his right stood India.

There were about fourteen of them in total.

He then looked at the terrain, and he started to feel cold. It looked like a chess board. Which meant that there were two missing. And it also meant that there were others.

He looked across the board, where their opponents were standing.

The one that stood in front of Ricardo looked like Spain. Next to him stood someone that appeared to be France, and next to him stood someone that looked like England. He recognised Alida and Mahesh, but the others were unknown to him.

The two rooks were missing. And that meant that he was a knight.

He shuddered when he felt hands on his shoulder, and he came to a horrible realisation.

Someone was playing a game of chess with the Nations.

…

She was immediately on high alert when she heard Brazil's scream.

Leaving the shower running, she only grabbed a towel before she wrapped it around herself and rushed out of the bathroom.

Her friend needed her.

…

Russia was startled awake when he heard Brazil scream, and judging by the jolt, so was China.

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed his pipe. Anyone that dared to hurt his friend…

The thought made him feel warm. He could call them his friends, and they didn't mind. They felt the same, and he was grateful for them.

And all four of the other Nations were warmer than him. China was a little more susceptible to the cold, but the IBSA trio were warm Nations, and one could tell just by looking at them. He didn't admit it, but he needed their warmth.

And right now, one of his friends was in trouble.

He and China hurried towards Brazil's location, only to stop when they saw him hovering against the wall.

His eyes widened. Something magical was attacking him.

His specialty lay in curses, so he himself couldn't see anything. But he knew that there was something there.

He grunted when something hit him with a lot of force, sending him crashing against a nearby wall, and judging by the sound of China's startled cry, he was thrown back as well.

Russia bit back a grunt of pain when he felt something similar to claws plunge into his stomach. Luckily, nothing vital was hit.

He saw South Africa coming into view, and he wanted to tell her to get away, when it suddenly stopped. Brazil stopped screaming and slid down to the floor. Anika was by his side in an instant.

"They're gone," she said. "Come on, we need to get him to his room."

"England mentioned something about being attacked by something that no one with the magic touch could see," India said, as China helped Russia to his feet.

"If that's the same thing, then I have some disturbing news," South Africa said. "I could see it."