As soon as class was over Arthur walked out of the classroom and followed the mob to the cafeteria.
It was a huge room located dead center of the school, with the wallpaper being the flags of every country.
Even though the school is located in upstate New York U.S.A, most of the students come from all around the world., and if they missed put on any students flag, you can be sure the parents would be up in arms.
Because of this it also has the biggest assortment of food one could ever dream of.
The second he walked in he was hit by the wafting scent of the multicultural delights and his mouth started to water.
He would be damned if he ever admit, but even he knows he couldn't make a decent sandwich to save his life.
He walked up to the shortest line, the one for Austrian food, and picked the first thing that he saw, which was some sort of sandwich.
He paid his for his food and a cup of tea and walked over to the table by the prom banner, where Ludwig had told him to go.
When he got there he saw that Ludwig, Kiku, Francis and the lighter haired Italian from Math were already sitting down.
He took a seat across from Ludwig and wasted no time.
"Look, can you please explain what is happening and why everyone here is intent on stopping me from getting with Alfred?"
Ludwig was about to start his well rehearsed explanation, but he was interrupted by two other teens.
The Spaniard he had met during science and math was clinging onto the other Italian and said Italian was groaning, cursing and trying to push him off with all his strength.
…Sadly that isn't much…
"Get off me tomato bastard. I just want to sit down and have a nice pizza with my fratelo".
"Aw Lovi your so cute" the Spanish kid smiled hugging tighter.
The twin groaned again trotted over to the seat on the opposite side of his brother and finally managed to fling the other green eyed kid off his arm.
Finally when things calmed down, another shout echoed through the cafeteria.
"West! The awesome me has arrived!" the self proclaimed Prussian that Arthur had saw during math burst in.
He strutted in and sat on the other side of his brother and clasped him on the back.
"So who's the kid the 'Superpowers'are gonna kill?"
"Nein, they will not kill him. He hasn't learned the rules yet so they'll give him a break."
"Um excuse me" Arthur interrupted. "What are you talking about? And who are the 'Superpowers'?"
He had heard that word fluttered around and he had no idea what it meant.
The albino kid looked at him, stared him right in the eyes.
Then started laughing.
"That is the kid trying to get with 'Mr. Hero'. He'll be dead or wishing he was, within a week".
"What that supposed to mean!" yelled Arthur.
Once again before anyone could answer the doors burst open, although this time making a dent in the wall (not that anyone would dare to comment on it).
"The Hero has arrived!" Alfred announced earning a glare from the two on either side of him and the rest of the cafeteria quickly averted their eyes.
When he saw Gilbert laughing, he smiled and walked over.
The tension from everyone else at the table instantly skyrocketed and the room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"Hey dudes. What's so funny?" the American asked innocently.
Gilbert immediately stopped laughing and froze, a shiver passing through him internally.
Alfred wasn't used to people being afraid of him yet and still didn't quite get the whole deal.
He was always well known, and always had a lot of people not like him; but back then they would say it to his face and most likely punch him in it.
But as his intelligence, strength and power grew, people started to become scared of him, and therefore the American had started to become afraid of himself.
"…awkward moment haha" laughed Alfred nervously.
"Hello Alfred" said Gilbert smoothly.
He was trembling like a leaf on the inside, but he was strong and good at faking suavity.
"Feli' just showed me a video on his phone" he lied.
The bells went off in Alfred's head, but he decided this time it was better not to know.
"Cool" he answered.
"Hey Feli' we really need to hang out sometime. I miss my atmosphere searching partner" he joked.
Feliciano was clutching onto Ludwig and shaking but managed to give a weak nod.
Alfred's smile grew a little sad. When he rose to power in the school, Feliciano, who had been a good friend of his, suddenly became scared whenever he came within the general vicinity.
"Oh and Hey Artie" he chirped.
He was glad Arthur didn't act as if he was some sort of untouchable tyrant.
He had always hated people who acted like that when ever they got any power and he dutifully hoped that he hadn't turned into one.
"I knew you would make friends here super fast. I haven't talked to y'all in a long time now". He said gesturing to the group as a whole in the end.
'Even has a southern accent. I can't see what he possibly could have done to make him so attainable?' thought Arthur.
"Oh so you're from the south? So tell me how's Florida this time of year?" he said in a sultry voice.
The jaws of every person in that room immediately dropped, except Alfred who had no idea why everyone was staring at Arthur like that.
"Pretty hot I think; although you know what they say, don't like the weather drive five minutes".
"Oh really so I w…" Arthur began but had a large hand put over his mouth.
"Alfredka, the line for the grease you consider food is getting long. You better hurry before they run out, da." Ivan suggested.
The wheat-blonde looked to the American food line and sure enough the line was getting long.
Sure he knew that if he wanted he could cut to the front and no one would say a word, and the teachers always kept a few burgers separate for him to prevent a temper tantrum, but he didn't want to have to have to cut and preferred the fresh ones anyway, so he shouted "Oh dang Red; your right! Thanks for the warning. See you later!"
Arthur sighed 'doesn't curse too. I don't care about his friends, if he really has as much power as the others say he does and I lay him, I'll be a legend!'
As soon as he left Yao glared at him.
"Ludwig, has he had the talk yet?"
"Nein" he answered.
"Ok then, so he has a pass this time. But let me get it started for you aru".
He walked right up and pointed at Arthur.
"Alfred is like a little brother to us and if you lay you finger on him you will die. And if you some how you manage to get past us to him, just remember Allen, aru".
Then he simply walked away with Ivan to a secluded table on the other side of the room.
"Who do they think they are threatening me? I'm Arthur bloody Kirkland. They cannot tell me who I can or cannot chase!"
"'Superpowers' mon cher, plain and simple" Francis answered.
"What the bloody hell is a 'Superpower' because last time I checked we don't go to Sky High."
Francis rolled his eyes, "Not as in the action movie superhero kind. It's meant in the political kind". "Those three pretty much own a third of the school each".
"You can't 'own' a school unless you are the headmaster" said Arthur.
"Really?" Francis answered sarcastically, "Because as I remember me and you pretty much owned the schools we went to".
Francis had a point, thanks to their charms and good looks, the two of them had the entire student body in their hands (more like kissing their feet) within weeks.
"But no one was scared of us. And if we ever threatened anyone it would be the end for us, so what makes them any different?"
Francis thought for a second and the idea lit up in his head.
"It's more like a school run by the mob".
"How so?" asked Arthur.
"Think of Hetalia High as the earth" explained Francis.
"We are all the countries where we are from. We all can fight and declare war all we want but the only ones with the real power are China, Russia, and the most frightening of all, America."
"That's why we call them 'Superpowers' idiota" Romano grumbled. "I hate every one of their fucking faces. But we can't do a thing about it, or we'll either end up mortally wounded, ruined socially or insane depending on which one you anger."
"Si, no one goes against them for fear. They are actually pretty nice, unlike people in Mean Girls or even other schools. They won't attack unless provoked. Basically they act as the school government no one elected. Although they probably would have elected Alfred anyway, but Ivan and Yao just sort of took over for theirs". Antonio said.
"But what does any of this have to do with I can't sleep with Alfred?" Arthur demanded.
"Because" Francis answered. "Alfred is A: known as the Bi-Polar member, and is also simultaneously the Mafia Dame and leader."
"And B: You bed him and either Ivan or Yao will kill you, or Alfred will make you commit suicide".
Arthur leaned back in his chair; this was a lot to take in.
'Ok so if I keep going after him I run the risk of facing ruin and death. But if I succeed will essentially own a third of the school' he debated. 'And besides if things go awry I could always transfer again'.
"Can I get a rundown of the characters?" he asked.
"Ja" agreed the German.
"That first, and most obviously deadly, is Ivan Braginski, the one in the scarf. He is eighteen and was the second to join the powers, shortly after Yao, and can make anyone within tremble with fear."
"He is known for A: being rich just like the other two. B: being able scare the life out of you by just smiling, let alone his skill with a pipe, and C: having servants".
"Huh?" said Arthur confused.
"We call them the 'trembling trio'" answered Francis.
"My awesome name for them" commented the Prussian.
"They are essentially Ivan's slaves. He picked them out of the student body and since then they have been too threatened to even attempt to leave. If it wasn't for Alfred they probably would have died from exhaustion. He keeps Ivan in check".
"The next and oldest" Ludwig continued, "Is Wang Yao."
"He's the oldest of the three and the first member."
"He may not look it but that man is deadly. He may not be physically the strongest but he moves as fast as lightning. But that's not why we all fear him".
"Why?" asked Arthur.
"The Tea-Bastard has dirt on all of us, including the staff. He could end all of us with ten dollars and a photo."
At that Arthur gulped. He does have quite a lot of blackmail worthy moments….
"He's also is the richest person at this school and knows how to use it. We all buy our stuff from him. If you need something from exotic animals to weapons he's the man" finished the Spaniard, then went back to poking and ever angrier Romano.
"But what about Alfred? He doesn't seem like he could hurt a fly?" Arthur commented.
All of them instantly paled, they all had at least one experience with the supposedly angelic American that were far from saintly.
Despite the fact he never cursed or laid a hand on them, he scarred them for life.
"Kiku, I think you're the one who is best to handle this" said Francis.
Kiku nodded than began.
"Alfred F. Jones. The least threatening person you will ever meet… until you step over a line that no one knew was drawn. Sophomore but taking senior classes and sixteen. Also the youngest member and last to join."
"He is also the most complicated, contradictory, Bi-Polar person you will ever meet."
"I still don't see how that" Arthur said pointing to the boy across the room who was creating a statue of liberty out of french-fries, "could do anything?"
The others started getting even paler, even Gilbert who had gotten away rather clean in terms of Alfred.
"One, he has some sort of super-strength but rarely uses it, and two he doesn't need to lay a punch to break you".
Arthur scoffed; he had seen the atmosphere challenged teen. What could he possibly do?
"He descended to 'Superpower' status the fastest in school history. He actually came to power due to a so called 'Cold War' with Ivan, which taught everyone just how scary the kid they were all picking on could be when he tried."
"But I still don't get it, what does he do?" Arthur pushed.
They all looked to each other and Kiku spoke again.
"We call what Alfred does the 'Allen Jonas' effect".
"Why?" Arthur asked again.
"Well a few years ago, in the height of the so called 'Cold War' a transfer named Allen Jonas came to our school."
"He looked similar to Alfred but darker hair, skin and much more southern features. He came from Alabama and declared himself part of the Confederacy."
"He and Alfred became friends fast; in fact it was the closest he ever came to a relationship. They shared similar interest and Allen seemed like a southern copy of Alfred."
"But it turned out that he had only been befriending him because his dad wanted an excuse to get close to Alfred's uncle."
"So when the deal with Alfred's uncle and Allen's father went sour, Allen believed it was his duty to get revenge on Alfred himself."
"What did he do?" asked Arthur, actually interested in the story.
"He told everyone Alfred's biggest secret. Now keep in mind back then the school was crawling with bullies and Homophobes. Alfred was the one who put a stop to that. So when Allen told everyone Alfred was Gay his world stopped."
"He went from being the popular kid, to the bottom of the heap within a day".
"But I thought he came to power during the 'Cold War'?" said Arthur.
"He did" answered Kiku. "Only because after that everyone saw how truly terrifying he could be".
"Even though most of his time was spend competing with Ivan for everything; In his free time he started by hacking all of Allen's electronics and sending out messages to everyone Allen knew. He also started spreading rumors and lies. By the way he is the best lair and lie detector in history. But basically got every person in the school to hate him."
Arthur shrugged, that didn't seem like such a big deal.
"But he wasn't done, he wanted revenge."
Now that unsettled Arthur a little bit.
"You see, while he chooses not to read the atmosphere, he does have an unnatural ability to be able to point out every weak spot in person.
Every insecurity, the slightest regret simply by hearing your voice."
Now Arthur was very unsettled.
"So he watched Allen for a while, learned his ticks and mannerisms, but most of all his weak points.
He took every insecurity Allen had and used it to make his life a living hell. He had an acute fear of blood so everyday Alfred put a dead, bloody rat in his locker.
He felt insecure about being adopted so Alfred pounded it in hard, never saying a single curse though.
People watched as Alfred's usual sunny aura changed drastically when Allen walked in the room and understood why they were starting to be frightened of him.
They also noticed how Allen was changing to.
Every time anyone saw him he was thinner and paler and only showed up for school about half of the time.
He became increasingly skittish and paranoid and became convicted that someone was constantly watching him.
Probably because Alfred had planted camera's everywhere and had hired a few kids to follow Allen around wherever he went.
Allen started hearing voices, which Alfred confessed to me he caused by hiding tape recorders anywhere he went and triggered them with a wireless remote.
But yet everyday Alfred still never said a curse, or even an insult, but still was able to hit the mark so perfectly Allen would run off and cry"
Now Arthur was shaking, he knew from experience psychological pain is a million time worse than physical.
"Uh what happened to Allen?" Arthur squeaked unable to hide the quiver in his voice.
"One day the paramedics came and dragged him out of the school while he was screaming that he was being stalked. They took him to a shrink and she diagnosed him with advanced schizophrenia."
"He was sent to an insane asylum in Alabama where he committed suicide and wrote on the walls, 'Jones is the devil' and 'the south will rise again' over and over again in his own blood."