Disclaimer: Don't own Hetalia or HetaOni

Author's Note: Okay, I feel really terrible for making you all wait so long. My life has been really hectic lately, and I haven't been able to find time or inspiration to write. But I finally finished this chapter and I think things should move a bit more quickly now that I've been able to get back into it. Plus, it's summer so I have more time to write.

"Italy! Japan!" Prussia shouted.

The two nations whirled around in surprise, relaxing when they saw Prussia.

"Oh, it's only you, Prussia," Italy said. "I was afraid it was a monster."

"Why are you here, Prussia-san?" Japan asked.

"Russia's betrayed us," Prussia explained. "He tried to kill Canada, and then ran off with one of those creepy aliens!"

"Is Canada okay?" Italy asked desperately.

"He's fine," Prussia assured him. "America, England, and France are looking after him. I just came to warn you all."

He looked around, suddenly realizing that the group was much smaller than it should have been.

"Where are Spain, Romano, and my brother?" he asked.

"Germany-san was feeling unwell, so Spain-san and Romano-kun decided to escort him back to the hideout, while Italy-kun and myself searched for England's magic," Japan explained.

"You mean you actually let Germany out of your sight?" Prussia teased.

Italy looked away.

"I didn't have a choice," he said. "I need to do everything I can to protect everyone. Besides, I know Romano and Big Brother Spain can take care of him."

He brightened slightly at that thought.

"I should probably try to find them," Prussia remarked. "They need to know about Russia. And I want to check on my brother. That dummkopf never admits he's hurt unless it's really serious."

"Why don't you stay with us?" Japan suggested. "They're probably back to the safe room by now. Besides, you really shouldn't be running around by yourself. It's dangerous."

"We might need your help to get England's magic," Italy added. "I doubt it will be unguarded."

Prussia weighed his options.

"I guess I should stay with you guys," he decided. "You'll probably need my help if we run into those aliens."

His instincts were telling him to go find his brother and make sure he was okay, but his brain was quick to remind him that Italy was more important. If necessary, Italy could turn back time, and save them all again. Prussia didn't want Italy to relive this nightmare again, but if it came to that, he wasn't above buying their lives with Italy's sorrow. Besides, one or two more times wouldn't hurt the kid too much. Prussia trusted him not to break. And that was good, right?

It was dark. That was the first thing Germany's tired mind registered. The second was that he seemed to be floating. He soon realized that it wasn't really dark, so much as it wasn't light. There was a sea of nothingness surrounding him.

"Where am I?" he asked, but the nothingness swallowed his words.

Something approached from the distance. Germany tried to move towards it, seeking any escape from the nothingness, but the something continued to move only at its own measured pace and Germany seemed trapped in this nothingness.

Minutes, hours, seconds later he made out the form of a person. Another span of time, and he was looking directly into his own eyes.

No, that wasn't quite right. This…person could be his twin, but it wasn't him. There was something…different.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"You don't remember?" the doppelganger asked, and its voice was richer…wilder…younger.

"Nein," Germany replied. "Tell me."

"I'm you," the mirror image declared.

There was a long pause.

"Or I should have been you."

"I don't understand," Germany said quietly.

"Of course you don't."

A sad smile crossed Not-Germany's face.

"Let me tell you a story…"

Many years ago…

The Holy Roman Empire stared up at the castle before him.

"I've never heard of a castle here before," he remarked.

"Does that matter?" one of his soldiers whined. "We're tired, it's abandoned. Let's rest here for the night. Anything's better than camping out in the woods."

Holy Rome thought about it and finally nodded. They were right. His men were brave soldiers, but why should he ask them to camp out on the cold, muddy ground when there was an abandoned castle right here?

"We'll rest here for the night," he decided. "I'll lead a scouting party to make sure the place is safe."

"Should you do that, Holy Rome?" one of his advisors questioned. "If there is danger, we shouldn't lose our commander."

"I may look small, but I am in no danger," Holy Rome promised. "I'll lead the scouting party."

He chose five of his best soldiers to accompany him and the group approached the castle. A sense of foreboding seemed to grow as they approached the stone structure, but Holy Rome ignored it. He didn't believe in silly things like haunted castles.

The doors creaked as two of his men opened them. All of them were quiet. There seemed to be some hidden, unspoken danger hidden inside. But the lure of shelter for his army overpowered any fear that might have pushed Holy Rome away. He was an empire, and he wouldn't let a little thing like fear get in his way.

He stepped inside.

"See, there's nothing to worry about," he told the other members of the scouting party.

He wondered who he was trying to reassure. Them? Or himself?

The five men followed quickly.

"There's something strange here," one of them murmured.

"Maybe we should just sleep outside," another suggested. "This place is evil if I ever saw it."

"Stop acting like children," Holy Rome scolded. "Let's just search the place."

They searched the entire castle, but found nothing even remotely suspicious. In fact, the castle was in perfect repair. No dust, no drafts, there was even food in the kitchens. It was as if everyone living here had simply disappeared just this morning, leaving their lives behind.

Then, they returned to the front hall.

"What idiot closed the doors?" Holy Rome asked.

"Nobody," one of the soldiers said in confusion.

"They were definitely open when we left," another remarked.

"Must have been a draft," Holy Rome muttered. "Get them open."

But try as they might, the doors remained closed.

And the worst was yet to come...

The story felt like a dream to Germany as he listened to Holy Rome speak. He could almost remember it, but every time he tried to think more closely about it, it vanished.

"So you died here," he said.

"I guess you could say that," Holy Rome agreed. "But I wasn't supposed to. It… changed things. My people lost the war. Then, the world created you, to fix the wrong that had occurred."

"So I'm a mistake," Germany surmised. "A bandage to hold the fabric of reality together until you come back."

Holy Rome shook his head.

"It's not like that at all."

Quick poll: I'm considering the idea of switching from larger chapters with several parts to smaller chapters with only one part each so that I can get updates up faster. What do you guys think of this idea? Love it? Hate it? Tell me in your review please.