Chapter 4: The Calm Before the Storm
A/N: It's annoying that superscript doesn't transfer with the rest of the text. I'm sorry this one is so short! Really each chapter is 1k or higher but this one is shorter than the last one. Also I'm finally a beta reader! (I think) I completed the profile stuff and clicked "active" so yeah, if anyone wants me to beta their story I'd be glad to do so (as long as it meets the listed criteria). If you think anyone, especially America, is out of character read my profile for explanation, these notes are long enough and my reasoning applies to every fic I have.
Still don't own Hetalia
Somehow, the Nations missed the part that Alfred was capable of performing magic. It just never came up really, until he and Arthur both worked together on summoning one of the jokers. And the whole time that was going on all America could think about was a man appearing with green hair, a purple suit, and a crooked smile. Could you blame him?
And another thing, there were things in this game universe that had yet to be explained. Were the face cards immortal like the Nations, or were they human? It had been implied that whoever these jokers were, they were alive back when the Red and Black Dominions were around, so at least a few hundred years ago. Either they were descendants of the only survivors or they were immortal. In the end it seemed Prussia just couldn't catch a break with representing fallen kingdoms.
That just made him even more awesome, and dramatic apparently. Because as soon as the summoning ritual was complete a red smoke exploded in the center of the throne room and in the center stood Gilbert, Joker of the Black Dominion.
He wore a smoky gray, almost black blazer with matching pants and a red shirt underneath. He appeared to have devil horns and a tail, though they might have been for show this land was capable of magic so he might very well be a demon-esque figure.
"You know, just because you summon me does not mean I have to show up, so this better be good, I was er… busy. So what do you dummkopfs want?" The scratchy, arrogant, German-accented voice fit its owner perfectly, even if the little horn-like protrusions looked kind of cute.
Arthur rolled his eyes, looking like he hated his life, before continuing. "What do you know about the missing Timepiece?" He said, efficiently cutting to the chase. Gilbert's devilish grin widened in response.
"Ah… so that's what this is about. Well I know a lot of things about that little trinket. I know what it can do, who possesses- or sorry possessed it, and where it could be. You have to be a bit more specific than that, Queenie." Gilbert showed no fear, even in the face of very powerful people who were not in the joking mood, even had the gall to laugh that kesesese sound of his.
"We are well aware of the first two," Arthur said through gritted teeth. "We would like to know where it went or at the very least who took it."
Gilbert showed a sudden interest in his finger nails and with another poof of red a pitch black staff appeared in his hands which he proceeded to lean on. "Well I can tell you that the culprit isn't that hard to figure out, but I require payment first." He sang the last line, knowing they would be willing to pay a lot for information.
"What do you want in payment for information on the thief?" Alfred asked, quickly taking over before Arthur could blow a fuse.
"Tsk, tsk. Are you sure such a young king should be handling treasury affairs? I knew your predecessor you know; he was really good with savings." Gilbert chuckled at Alfred's sneer and twirled his staff before answering. "What do I want as payment. Hmmm… that's a tricky one."
"We know you already have an idea in mind, we're running out of time here with no help from your filibustering." Yao growled.
Gilbert shrugged. "Actually you're out of time, seeing as your precious clock is gone. So technically time is running out of you. However, you caught me. Chips. And a lot of 'em. Oh and passage through the great Spades without harassment from soldiers."
Alfred crossed his arms, eyes narrowing, "How much?" Gilbert's blood red eyes seemed to glow brighter with glee.
"Ten thousand."
"Absolutely not!" Arthur screeched. Gilbert shrugged and renewed interest in his fingernails.
"You need me more than I need you, as a con artist one must know how to scam easy prey. Compared to that horrid Jack of Diamonds you are like stealing from a tree."
After watching the whole exchange for a while, Germany finally stepped forward. "How about information in return for information?" He offered, piquing the demon's interest.
"And who do we have here? Is it Ludwig or his doppelgänger that I'm speaking to?" Gilbert sauntered over to Germany and looked him over, nodding in response to his own question.
"I come from a world where your doppelgänger is very well known to me. You hand over information on the whereabouts of the Timepiece and I'll tell you anything you wish to know of your double." Gilbert stepped back and spun in a slow circle, pondering the deal on both ends. After a while of random haphazard spinning, the joker finally responded.
"Very well, Germany, I accept. And I will hold you to your word." Both Germans shook on it and Gilbert skipped back over to the face cards. "Now then. Here's your information. Not one of the other three suit kingdoms is at fault for the theft. Rumor has it some Chessmen had a hand in its disappearance and with their ancient magic it's not surprising if they are behind it after all. However, if they are, there's a new player in this game of war, one none of you want to face." Gilbert erupted into a cloud of red smoke and something fluttered to the ground in his place.
Arthur picked up the black joker card and handed it to Germany. "He is nothing if not dramatic. Here, it is a reminder of your debt to him, once you're ready to talk he'll come to collect the card and information." Germany nodded and pocketed the card, the weight feeling heavier than it should have been.
"So what now?" America asked the one thing on everyone's mind.
"Well, the other kingdoms know we no longer pose a significant threat and won't hesitate to mobilize against us either allied with each other or from all different directions. They come with a vengeance over centuries of inferiority to us. If we don't find the Timepiece Spades will fall. Of that I am certain." Yao said, effectively ruining the mood in the throne room.
"It sounds to me that a trip to Europe is on the horizon. Whether its name is France or not it is still my land and I would be glad to see it." France said, obviously volunteering himself for the task. The trio looked like they wanted to ask what this "Europe" was but decided against it.
"Wait, we're forgetting the one advantage we still have in this war." Alfred said, gesturing to the gathered Nations. "For a moment even Gilbert was fooled by Ludwig's double. Why not use the illusion we have against them? The entire Hearts leadership as well as our own is standing in our castle, or at least that's what it looks like. We also have the Kings of Clubs and Diamonds at our beck and call. I think it's safe to assume we share more than just appearances."
"What are you implying?" Arthur asked and Alfred grinned.
"I say we send America, England, and China on the mission posing as us. The Chessmen are bound to know what we look like if they really are behind this and sending the three rulers of Spades off to the Chess Empire as a decoy will fool the other kingdoms and give us leverage in foreign territory while we stay here and fend off the invaders behind closed doors." Twelve heads nodded slowly as they caught on to the plan.
"Would it not be wise to send Matthew's double as well? The ace of any suit is powerful on their own." Yao suggested and all heads turned to Canada once again who smiled, happy to be of service.
"What about France, Germany and Russia?" England asked, motioning to the three Nations. "If we're talking about fooling rival kingdoms why not take it a step further into espionage? If Spades really needs to win this war then send those three acting as their respective counterparts into the heart of the enemy. Battle strategy, secrets of each kingdom, and trust most of all would be ready for the taking. And if the people start doubting their king's loyalties well… I must say citizens are very effective in ousting unwanted rulers1." Alfred clapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning wildly.
"I like this one. He has good plans." Yet another difference between America and Alfred: neither would ever openly compliment the other so nonchalantly. It was a thing of pride. "Let's give them a good night's rest and send them off tomorrow, hopefully before the drums of war reach our ears."
-Line Break-
"You know, I can't remember the stars back home ever looking this magnificent." America walked up behind Alfred who leaned against his balcony overlooking the kingdom of Spades down below. They hadn't figured out what time period it was here, maybe an alternate dimension where instead of technology they excelled in the supernatural? Regardless the absence of light pollution made the sky take on an ethereal glow.
Billions of stars of all different colors dotted the inky black expanse, glittering endlessly regardless of day or night. Even the Milky Way was visible, a dark stripe arcing diagonally across the sky.
"So tell me, America, what is your world like?" Alfred didn't turn to face him, just stared ahead at the little lights down below the stars making his blue coat turn purple. America decided to join him at the balcony, half trying to figure out just where in relation to his land this castle would be.
"In a lot of ways, it's very similar to yours. We're always fighting, sometimes over the stupidest things too. Back where I come from the others and I aren't normal humans." At this Alfred arched an eyebrow; they had yet to discuss the Nations beyond names. "We personify the lands we live on. Literally, national personifications of the land, the people, ideology, anything that makes our land unique to us. And when we fight, sometimes it hits home in a less literal sense because we've known our enemies for centuries, millennia for a few of us.
"But there's a lot of good in our world too. We've come a long way as a species through innovation, discovery, always outdoing our predecessors. Just a few decades ago man finally set foot on the moon. The moon! Talk to anyone who doesn't know and they'd call you crazy for even thinking it possible."
Alfred smirked before turning away and frowning. It didn't go unnoticed. "Here in our land we could never dream of visiting the moon. Our world has little of this 'technology' you speak of. Though we do have people that live for centuries. At least in the Cards Dominion, each kingdom must always have three rulers and an ace. However the people do not choose these rulers, nor are the positions a birthright. Take Spades for example," Alfred turned his back on his kingdom, leaning back against the stone railing to talk with his hands.
"Each role is chosen by the kingdom itself, no one has control over it and if you are chosen you play the role you are assigned until death. With that role comes the gift of timeless age. It's not immortality, we are as fragile as humans. It is simply a life that never grows older." Alfred looked down at his hands, examining them as if they had changed between now and the last time he saw them.
"We are immortal. We live as long as our nations do and some even beyond that. Prussia, our Gilbert, his nation was dissolved after a war by me and my allies yet he still lives as the eastern half of his brother's land. The same goes for Romano, or Lovino, he and his brother's lands were reunified into one country yet both are still alive and kicking."
The sound of footsteps alerted both Americans to the doorway where England appeared. "America we're having a discussion about tomorrow down in the guest quarters, you're needed." America's trademark smile plastered itself onto his face and he slouched ever so slightly.
"Yeah thanks, Iggy, I'll be down in a sec. The hero needs to talk with his double." England rolled his eyes but left the balcony and the goofy grin disappeared along with the slouch. Alfred watched the subtle transformation and dared to ask him about it.
"Why do you do that?" America cocked his head in confusion so Alfred elaborated. "Act like that around him and the others."
The Nation turned back to the city below and sighed. "Because I have to. We all do it too, wear a mask. It's to protect ourselves. I know how they feel about me and my attitude but if they didn't pass it off as being 'ignorant to the atmosphere' or 'just the stupid hero complex' they wouldn't treat me or my land the same way and we all need that barrier in our lives for more than just that. I'm only 237 years old officially and by Nation standards, that's very young. And yet here I am as the world's super power. Sometimes it's just easier to hide behind ignorance."
Alfred pondered the new information, slowly seeing how it all made sense in a way. Maybe it was like that for Nations but in his world, kings held no masks, they just told it as it was. And Alfred expressed that to him.
Footnotes:
Thank you for 195 views, 5 reviews, and 7 follows. Keep up the trend!
1. Just... French history. Louis the... fifteenth? Sixteenth? I can't remember at the moment but those guys loved ousting their rulers with either a mob or a guillotine. The English too, something about jumping out castle windows to avoid being killed. And the Russians. We just kind of protest and complain until they're annoyed out of office (Nixon).
There's really nothing else historical here unless I need to explain the German and Italian unifications in 1871 and 1875 (I'm pretty sure those dates are right. All these facts are from memory). Oh and filibustering can be defined as the American form of government.
In case you didn't figure it out: Chips, as in poker chips, are the currency of that area. Can you figure out who Alfred's predecessor was? Who else caught by FMA reference? See ya Saturday.