Disclaimer: No, I have not magically gained ownership of Hetalia or HetaOni since last chapter.

"Mr. Lithuania?" Liechtenstein ventured.

She felt slightly more comfortable talking to him. Poland was…weird.

"What is it?" Lithuania asked.

"I think there are some people over there," she said, pointing to a group of moving shapes in the distance.

"I think you're right," Lithuania observed. "Austria, I think. And it looks like he has Korea and your brother with him. But who are those other two people?"

"Maybe it's, like, Latvia and Estonia?" Poland guessed.

"Maybe," Lithuania agreed. "Let's go find out."

He and Poland ran towards the figures, and Liechtenstein hurried to catch up. As they neared the group, it became clear that the two extra people were in fact Latvia and Estonia.

"Like, where've you guys been?" Poland asked. "We were looking everywhere for you!"

"Where were you?" Estonia retorted. "You said you were bringing reinforcements."

"I totally did," Poland told him. "You guys just weren't, like, there."

"You must have taken a while," Latvia said. "We waited around there for two hours after Austria, Switzerland, and Korea came and saved us. We thought you weren't coming."

"But I was back within, like, ten minutes."

Liechtenstein wouldn't have put it past him to exaggerate things, but Poland seemed completely serious.

"You must have gotten really lost," Austria remarked. "The clearing we found them pretty far that way."

He pointed opposite of the direction they had come.

"Actually, it was that way," Lithuania pointed out, gesturing in the other direction.

"Like, learn to use a map!" Poland joked.

"Actually, Austria's right," Korea replied. "It was definitely that way."

"No, Liet's, like, totally right," Poland insisted.

"Well, clearly someone's wrong!" Switzerland pointed out.

"What if this place sort of circles around?" Liechtenstein suggested quietly, hoping to stop the fighting. "Then they could both be right."

"Still doesn't explain how they were gone when Poland came back," Switzerland, the only one who had been listening to her, remarked.

Austria and Poland, meanwhile, were continuing their argument, and it was rapidly turning personal.

"Well, at least I don't get lost on the way to the grocery store, four-eyes!"

"You know, that's not very intimidating coming from a man who usually wears dresses."

"Can you both calm down?" Lithuania requested.

"Um, Lithuania, you have something on your face," Latvia observed.

Lithuania looked at the ground.

"I know."

"You shouldn't let him push you around," Estonia said.

"I don't mind," Lithuania replied. "He's much nicer than Russia."

"Yeah? Well so's your face!" Poland declared in response to something Austria said.

Liechtenstein, busy listening to the Baltics' conversation, hadn't heard the original insult, but she figured from the furious expression on Poland's face that it had been pretty bad.

"Hey everyone! Now isn't a good time to be fighting!" Korea declared. "Ending arguments peacefully originated in me, so I'll settle this. You're both right!"

"That doesn't make sense," Austria told him.

"He and Liechtenstein might have a point," Switzerland said. "I've noticed some pretty weird stuff about the geography of this place. I don't think it's consistent."

"Like, what are you talking about?" Poland asked.

"I have a pretty good sense of direction," Switzerland told them. "But my internal map's been really messed up ever since we came here. It's almost as if the landscape is changing around us."

"You might be onto something," Estonia noted. "I could've sworn the mansion was way over that way just a few minutes ago, but now it's definitely closer."

"Now that you mention it, I think I walked by the same tree five times while going in a straight line," Latvia admitted.

"So now we're not only lost, but we're lost on the enormous grounds of a mansion where the ground shifts under us and we don't notice it?" Austria summarized. "We'd better see if we can find Hungary."

He took off in a seemingly random direction. Poland looked about to say something, But Lithuania hurriedly shushed him.

"We might as well follow Austria," Switzerland remarked. "He can't get us any more lost than we already are."

"Big bruder, can you teach me how to use your gun?" Liechtenstein requested quietly.

"Not right now," Switzerland told her. "Maybe later. But I really don't think that's necessary. I'm here. I'll protect you."

Liechtenstein sighed. Why did no one take her seriously? She just wanted to help, but no one would let her.

"Sorry," China whispered. "This is where I fall."

"No! You can't!" Italy sobbed.

He looked up at Holy Rome.

"You promised!" he screamed. "You promised I could save them!"

"I didn't," Holy Rome replied evenly.

"But you said things would happen however I wanted them to," Italy whispered.

"I lied," Holy Rome told him. "I had to. But that doesn't matter. There's something important you're forgetting. Please remember."

Italy turned away from him, tears flooding his eyes.

"I'm glad we could at least make a new breach," Russia remarked.

He almost didn't seem to notice the many wounds covering his body.

"Come now, Italy, don't cry; just go. If you stay here, that monster is going to show up again."

France was trying to sound comforting, but his injuries were the worst. Italy couldn't understand why he was still trying to help, even as he was dying. Italy never understood why everyone fought to their last breath for his sake. Some of them didn't even like him that much, but they always fought to protect him. Why? Why didn't they save themselves?

"Holy Rome, will you take care of Italy? He's fast on his feet, but it's hard to fight that monster," France continued.

"Don't worry, I'll keep him safe," Holy Rome promised.

France smiled and closed his eyes.

"France?" Italy ventured.

There was no response.

"Quickly," Russia ordered. "Don't let our efforts be in vain. Really, you're so slow on the uptake."

"If you stay here, you're only going to get in the way," China added. "Just get away, quickly."

"I can't," Italy sobbed.

"Italy, we have to go," Holy Rome insisted, gently taking his arm and pulling him towards the door.

Italy smiled as they left the room.

"We're so lucky, aren't we?" he remarked. "We might have been separated from each other, but nobody's died yet. I'm sure we'll be able to save America and England and Canada."

"I'm sure you're right," Holy Rome agreed listlessly.

"What's wrong?" Italy asked.

"Italy, there's something very important that you've forgotten," Holy Rome told him. "You have to remember. Please remember."

"But, I remember everything," Italy insisted, confused.

It was true, he felt like he was missing something, but he was certain that he couldn't have forgotten anything. Not anything important, at least. He wouldn't let that happen.

"Italy, come back."

It was Holy Rome's voice, but it was coming from behind Italy, not in front of him. And Holy Rome's lips hadn't moved.

"Maybe we should check that room again," Italy suggested. "I think I heard something."

"I'm sure it was nothing," Holy Rome said. "Anyway, we should hurry and catch up to America and the others. They're going to need our help."

"Yeah, you're right," Italy agreed. "Let's go."

Author's Note: Some quotes from the actual game in this chap. Anyone have any ideas for what Austria said to make Poland so upset? There's no right or wrong answer. I just want to hear what you guys think. Also, several people mentioned that last chapter was paced too fast. They were right. Sorry about that. Thanks for the constructive criticism(Seriously, I love constructive criticism. It helps me improve.) I hope this chapter is better.

Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoyed :)