Hello again. After Walk in the Shadows, I will be uploading chapters of my next fic, DuraOni, a HetaOni and Durarara crossover. Please read it when you have the time.
I own nothing.
Gilbert was not having fun, to say the least.
The Saika Army was a greater foe than he had expected, having so many people on its side. This was worse than World War II, even.
However, he did not have the time to be thinking about the past. He had a battle to fight.
Gilbert continued to stab the members of the Saika army, his face grim.
"Are you holding up alright, Gilbert?" Celty asked.
"Yeah!" Gilbert responded, looking over his shoulder. Celty was doing okay, but she did not seem like she could keep this up forever.
"This can't go on forever. There aren't enough Saika copies to go on like this," she commented.
Gilbert nodded, and a wry look appeared in his eyes.
"There are so many people here, I'm surprise if Saika is actually a nation," he commented.
"Save the jokes for later," Celty muttered, swinging her scythe again.
"Gilbert!"
Gilbert looked in front of him to see France, China and England storm to the Saika army. France had his rapier in hand, China with his woks, and England with a spell book.
"Fran…Francis! Yao! Arthur!" Gilbert shouted.
Celty turned around, and seemed surprised.
"More of your friends, Prussia?" she asked.
"Gilbert, don't tell me you told her the secret!" England shouted, flipping to a page in his spell book.
"We'll settle that later! We've got an army to fight!" Gilbert yelled, annoyed.
China nodded and smacked a Saika clone with his wok, knocking his opponent backwards.
"Aiyahh. Gilbert, why do you make so many enemies?" the brown-haired nation questioned.
"Don't blame me!" Gilbert shouted, continuing to fight.
"Rain down on those who defy you! Fire of the Heavens!" England chanted, raising a hand. Fire burst from it and collided with more Saika copies.
France slammed the bottom of his rapier into another clone's forehead, then kicked another one as it tried to get near him.
"Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but I prefer to remain a virgin until I truly find someone I like," the blonde nation teased.
Gilbert backed up from where he stood until he stood back-to-back with France.
"Glad you came, pal. Me and Celty couldn't handle all of them by ourselves," the silver-haired nation panted.
"Hmph. The almighty Prussia, who took Austria's vital regions singlehandedly, now has to rely on another of the Bad Touch Trio for battle support? Next thing you know, you'll need Spain to cook your food for you," France scoffed.
"I'm not that old yet!" Prussia complained.
"Of course…this is a lot like HetaOni, isn't it?" France asked.
Prussia swallowed hard.
"Let's not bring that up right now. I just don't want those memories reminding me of what I've done wrong."
France observed the battle. China and Celty were doing a marvelous job of fighting side-by-side, but both were starting to tire.
"None of us will be able to keep up this fight for long. Any aces up your sleeves?" he asked.
"Nope. You?" Prussia asked.
France shook his head.
"We're both scr-"
"Everybody OUT OF THE WAY if you value your lives!"
Prussia and France looked to see Izaya running towards them.
"Izaya, what's going on?" Prussia asked.
"Gilbert, you and your friends need to get out of the way, now. Remember Shizuo?" Izaya questioned.
"Tall, blonde and idiotic? Yeah, why?"
"Let's just say…vending machine."
Prussia's eyes widened.
"Celty! Yao! Arthur! Move!" he shouted, running from the Saika Army.
Celty, China, France, England and Izaya all followed him as a large vending machine was hurled at the Saika Army and collided with several people there.
"Holy…that was a vending machine, right? Right?" England asked.
"Yup. Looks like our ace in the hole has arrived," Izaya responded.
Shizuo approached the army, looking mightily ticked.
"Well, if it isn't the Saika group. You're all much bigger and stupider than I remember," he commented.
"Join us, Shizuo!" someone called, and the Saika Army erupted into calling similar phrases.
"Shut up! I'm just fine being under my own will. If you guys want me so bad, then come on and fight me!" Shizuo shouted.
Several members looked scared of the idea of fighting him, evidenced by them stepping back.
"Go on and run, cowards! Just don't let me catch you!" Shizuo threatened, throwing off his sunglasses. A bloodthirsty look appeared in his eyes.
"And now approximately half the Saika army is doomed," Izaya noted.
"That's a good thing, right?" France asked.
"As long as you're not a Saika clone, yes," Izaya responded.
Shizuo snarled loudly as he charged at the Saika army, driving them away.
"Well, that was an evening oddly spent," China remarked.
"[I'll say,]" Celty agreed.
"Prussia!"
Prussia facepalmed as America ran up to him.
"You idiot!" he snapped at America.
"Sorry, dude!" America apologized.
*~*~*~*
"So that's what's happened…" Izaya realized. He, the nations, Celty, Shizuo, Mikado, Anri, Shinra and Kida were gathered at Izaya's place, where Prussia, China, England, France and America had explained what happened.
Prussia's head was lowered, and no expression was easily seen on his face.
"So he's no longer a nation, right? Someone can take custody of him?" Mikado asked.
"Well, yes and no to both questions. He's a fully-grown adult in both human terms and nation terms. He can take care of himself, but considering how desperately he wanted land, he'll have to be taken custody of," America admitted.
"He is technically a lost nation. He has no land, but people continue to think of themselves as part of Prussia. Until that day comes where he has no people who think of themselves as Prussian and he ceases to live, he continues to exist in a sort of physical limbo," China explained.
"Wow…" Mikado murmured.
"You know, I just realized how different you guys seem when you're not acting like humans," Kida commented.
"It's hard to explain to humans about us. Some can't accept the fact we represent their land and people, some can. Shizuo, I believe you and someone have met the one who represents Japan already, right?" America asked.
Shizuo thought for a moment, then facepalmed.
"Kiku is Japan, isn't he?" he asked.
"Yup. Not as old as me, but just as wise," China responded.
"[It seems so fantasy-like…the nations we know so well as people in front of us,]" Celty commented.
"It seems like nothing is truly just normal in Ikebukuro," Shinra joked.
Looking at Prussia, Izaya asked, "So what will happen to him now?"
"Well, about that-"
Prussia stood up.
"America, why didn't you just kill me the time I attempted to take your land?" he questioned.
"Well, if you'd just let me finish…" America began.
"Just kill me already! Germany wouldn't want a brother who couldn't win a battle!" Prussia shouted. He swiped America's pocket, closed his eyes, and held the item up to his head.
To his surprise, he felt paper beneath his grip.
"Yeah, Prussia? It's pretty hard to kill someone with paper without a Devil Fruit," America teased.
Prussia opened his eyes and unfolded the paper.
"As of this date, blah, blah, blah…New Prussia?" he repeated.
"Yup. Welcome back, Gilbert," America greeted.
Prussia slumped to his knees, tearing up.
"Mein gott…" he murmured.
"New Prussia?" Kida asked America.
"It was made official today. Now you have no reason to kill yourself, Prussia," the blonde nation teased Prussia.
*~*~*~*
The give nations soon were about to board a helicopter. The ones who knew the secret of the strange visitors were allowed to see them off.
"Well, it's been fun, but we need to get back home. Germany's waiting for us," England informed.
"[Have a safe journey, and watch out for Saika clones!]" Celty advised.
"Come back to Ikebukuro anytime! Well, unless Shizuo and Izaya are fighting again," Kida invited.
"Hey!" Shizuo complained.
Izaya walked up to Prussia.
"Go home safely. You have a family and some friends that are worried about you, and now that you're a nation, you shouldn't be making people worry," the informant reminded.
Prussia nodded, a smile on his face.
"Thanks. Izaya, try not to get into so much trouble with Shizuo, and learn to love, okay? It isn't fun being without a wife all your life," he advised.
"You loved someone, Gil?" Kida asked.
Prussia nodded, eyes growing thoughtful for once.
"It was a long time ago, but now I know she can't love me. Hungary already has Austria," he murmured the last part.
"Hmmm?"
"Nothing, just the ramblings of an old nation," Prussia responded.
The nations boarded the helicopter.
"I can't wait to see Italy again. The little guy probably gained some courage while I was gone," Prussia commented.
"Prussia, you were gone for a few days! He wouldn't be courageous in a hundred years!" France pointed out.
"Don't make fun of him! Geez, you guys are mean!" China joked.
*~*~*~*~*
Germany heard a knock on the conference room door. He, Japan, Russia and Italy were eagerly waiting for news about Prussia.
"It's open!" Italy called.
The door opened, revealing Prussia, America, England, France and China, all weary but none worse for the wear.
"…bruder!" Germany shouted, running up to Prussia.
"West!" Prussia shouted, hugging his brother.
"Don't ever leave me alone again!" Germany cried.
"Kesesesesese! West, you're such a chicken!" Prussia teased, ruffling the blonde's hair.
"Stop, idiot! Ve aren't kids anymore!" Germany complained.
"Hug time!"
Italy ran up to hug Prussia, looking so happy.
"Italy! You haven't grown!" Prussia teased.
Hungary walked up to Prussia, just as happy as Italy.
"Welcome home, Prussia," she greeted, hugging him.
Prussia's eyes widened, then relaxed as he nodded.
"Yeah. I'm home."