Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.
Author's Note: I got great feedback from everyone on the last chapter. Thanks so much you guys! You have some awesome ideas. But my outline is nowhere near complete, so keep the suggestions coming. I can't wait to hear more from you. If you don't have any ideas based on the actual storyline or my story, I suggest you go check out the HetaOni Extra, which includes some scenes from future parts. I'm planning on working all those scenes into my story in some way, shape, or form so, any ideas on how to do that would be much appreciated. Thanks! And now, enjoy part two of my continuation.
"This is it," China whispered.
He slowly pushed the door open. Beside him, Russia's face betrayed no sense of worry or fear, despite that there was a good chance the monster was inside this room somewhere.
"Lead the way," Russia said. "You're the one who wanted to come here."
China nodded and took the lead. It was slightly disconcerting, knowing that Russia was behind him, but he managed not to show any unease.
He stopped in front of the table and deposited the pile of papers Italy had grabbed as he was escaping among the many other papers covering the surface.
"Explain," he demanded, turning to face Russia.
Russia smiled.
"So that's what you meant by solving a riddle," he remarked.
"That's right," China confirmed. "These papers are all written in Russian. The others didn't notice, but I recognized your handwriting immediately. So tell me. What are they?"
"Why should I tell you?" Russia wondered.
"Because I asked," China replied. "Haven't you learned from Italy's mistake? You should share your worries. Not even you can take on everything by yourself."
"Is that what you think?" Russia asked. "We must not have broken enough clocks yet. Don't you remember?"
China stared blankly at the other nation.
"Remember what?" he asked.
"The first loop," Russia said, as if that explained everything. "Usually, you have some memories of it by now."
"What are you talking about?" China asked.
Somehow, Russia had managed to turn the tables on him, and now he was the one being interrogated.
"You really can't remember?" Russia sighed. "Such a bother."
"Just tell me what I'm forgetting!" China demanded.
Russia seemed about to respond when one of the monsters materialized between the two of them. China cried out in surprise. Russia frowned.
"How annoying," he muttered.
"You call this an annoyance?" China asked. "I'd love to see what constitutes a disaster in your book."
Russia smiled.
"Usually, that would be Belarus trying to break into my house," he said good-naturedly.
"YOU…WILL…NOT…ESCAPE…"The monster growled.
XXXXXXXXXX
"We've got to help them," Prussia insisted, watching through a crack in the door as Russia and China fought for their lives.
"Are you sure they can't handle themselves?" Canada asked nervously. "I don't want them to know we followed them. Russia scares me."
"It won't matter very much if they end up dead," Prussia retorted.
"Okay, let's go," Canada agreed.
They burst into the room and leapt into the fray. Prussia swung Japan's sword wildly and Canada launched Kumajiro at the creature. It was shocked and angry, but Canada's polar bear seemed to have much less effect than the last time. Russia's water pipe was doing barely any damage, and even China's wok seemed to have little effect. The monster just kept on advancing.
"Run!" Prussia screamed.
He grabbed Canada's hand and flew out of the annex, figuring Russia and China could make their own way out. Only once he reached the relative safety of the main floor of the house did he dare look back…
…and realize that Canada was not the person he had grabbed.
"Could you let go of me?" China requested.
He quickly dropped China's hand.
"What happened to Canada and Russia?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Italy stepped into the house.
"It's cleaner than I thought," he remarked, more out of habit than anything.
He had a feeling that if he said, 'Let's leave right now,' they would walk out without any arguments.
It was so strange. It felt like the first time again. Maybe it was the first time. Maybe he had come back to the first loop to fix things before they even went wrong. He looked at his friends. Prussia. Japan. Holy Rome. He almost always came with these three, so it was difficult to tell which loop this was based on that, but something told him this was the first time and he was inclined to believe it.
"Let's go further in," Holy Rome suggested.
A crash from the kitchen drew their attention.
"I'll just go and see what happened," Japan suggested.
"No, let's not split up," Italy begged. "We should all go."
"That sounds good," Holy Rome agreed.
Italy noticed that he was no longer wearing his hat. His uniform looked different also. It was like Prussia's, only a darker blue. He shook his head. What was he thinking? Holy Rome hadn't worn the outfit he was thinking of since they were both children. Something must be wrong with his memory. He shrugged it off as another side effect of going back in time so much.
"Are you okay Italy?" Holy Rome asked.
"I'm fine," Italy assured him.
Japan and Prussia had already started making their way to the kitchen, where they found a broken plate on the floor. Japan picked up the largest piece and pocketed it.
"Just in case we need it," he explained. "Shall we explore more of the house?"
"Let's go back to the front door," Italy requested. "Maybe the rest of the nations will come along too and we can meet them."
"I doubt that will happen," Prussia said. "But going back might be a good idea. We don't want to get lost."
As they walked back along the corridor, Italy concentrated on wishing. To his delight, the second they were back in the entrance hall, the door opened and France looked inside.
"The rumors say there are ghosts in here," Russia's voice came from outside.
"What are you four doing here?" France asked.
"Who are you talking to?" England's voice snapped.
"It's Italy, Prussia, Japan, and Holy Rome," France replied.
"Well then move your fat ass so I can get in and see my fratello!"
Italy was shocked to hear his brother's voice, but not unhappy. He supposed that his wish had unintentionally brought his brother, and probably Spain as well, to the mansion.
France was pushed out of the way and Romano stormed into the mansion, followed by the others. Italy smiled. It was so good to see all his friends again, smiling and laughing and teasing each other. But he couldn't quite shake the feeling someone was missing. He surveyed the group.
Who was missing?
Was it Canada? America? England? France? Russia? China? Spain? Romano?
No.
He looked over the three who had arrived with him.
Japan. Prussia. Holy Rome.
They were all there. He supposed he was getting paranoid. All the time loops and death must be destroying his reasoning. Yes. That was it. He smiled as Romano started yelling at him. Next, the monster would come and scare them all, but Italy would make sure they all stayed together. And he'd tell them everything and they'd understand and then they'd all go get the key. Then they could escape together and everything would be alright. This time, no one would have to die.
"Italy," Holy Rome's voice called him.
"What is it?" he asked, turning around.
But Holy Rome was talking quietly with Japan, nowhere near where he had heard the voice.
Italy shrugged. He must have just been hearing things.
"Pay attention to me, Veneziano!" Romano demanded.
Italy smiled.
"Don't worry, I'm listening!"
Thanks for reading.
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