HetaOni: The Last Rebellion

Chapter 3: Breakthrough

Words: 2,461

...

I sighed as I was helped by America and Japan to the bathroom. Was there really going to be magic in these things? There bloody fucking better be, because our only other chance of getting magic is in those lumps in the annexe, which might be completely gone now. Not that I can fucking do anything about it.

"England-san." Japan's gentle voice broke me out of my stream of consciousness. I tried to look to the place where I thought he was, probably in vain. "We're here. Can you sense anything?" Here...at the supposedly magical toilet? I concentrated. Come on...there must be something here. The only way in hell that beer and onigiri would come out of a toilet would be through magic.

"Oh..." I muttered. I think...it's there...I slowly stuck out a hand. America grabbed it and moved it so I wasn't grasping uselessly at the air, right above the toilet. Yes...that's it! "I...think I might feel something!" I grit my teeth, mentally pulling at the energy within the store. But it was in vain. I dropped my hand.

"Shit! It's pointless!" I gasped. "It won't come out!"

"Well why don't we open it?" Japan suggested calmly.

"Yeah, that might work." America agreed, pulling off the lid of the magical toilet. I think the bloody burger-eater and Japan looked inside. "Damn! It's just like a normal toilet. I think we're done here. Right, England?" I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration. I heard the sound of the toilet lid being put back on.

"Yes...I don't think I can pull the magic out. You usually can't. This toilet isn't the only magical thing in the world, you know." I pointed out, whipping around defiantly and walking in the direction that seemed right. America and Japan joined me at both sides, turning me to go the right way which thoroughly pissed me off, though definitely more on America's side than...Japan's...

...

I sat down at the table with the others, albeit a little nervously. At least I had France by my side, giving me a comforting, warm smile.

"Remember what I told you," He told me gently.

"Oui." I replied quietly. "...Merci." France chuckled.

"Tu es les bienvenus, mon cher." He assured me. I let out a little breath of air, and then was startled suddenly when Prussia spoke.

"So, all, what's our next move?" He proposed, not having his usual grandeur. How could he, after Italy had almost...no, no! I don't want to...think about that. I looked over to Germany, standing with hands folded behind his back and overseeing the sleeping Italian.

"Well, our main priority is most definitely getting beaucoup de magic back for England, since that's the only way we can get back our dearest Spain and Romano." France responded.

"Yes, and Russia and China are in the annexe, hopefully getting some of that for us. And then, the toilet thing." Prussia continued.

"So, in other words, there's not much we can do right now." France concluded, smiling at me as if I could argue against such a statement. I resisted the urge to sink back in my chair. There must...be something I can contribute to this! Think, just think, Canada! I looked down to see Kumajiro, thank god he's still alive, and hugged him tighter, wishing for some kind of guidance from the bear. Then something popped up in my mind. Of course! How did I not see it before?

"That's it!" I exclaimed excitedly. "It's the beer!" Prussia perked up at the mention of beer.

"What? Beer? What do you mean, kid?" He questioned me.

"Well...u-um...you see...we drink it during battles, right? It helps restore our energy. Like the onigiri and hot pepper do, too. The food that comes from the toilet has the energy we need!" At that moment, the group of three who went to the bathroom emerged and came over to the table.

"Hold up, what now?" America blurted out.

"What was that, Canada-kun?" Japan asked. I blushed at the excessive attention I was receiving.

"Oh...um...I was just saying that..." I smiled. "Wait, did you guys find anything?"

"No." England replied bluntly. "No bloody magic in that useless thing. That I could get, anyway." My heart sank a little bit when I heard that, but I sat up straighter.

"W-well, you see...I was thinking that...it's not the toilet that we can get the magic from, but the food that we get from the toilet!" I exhaled in relief when I finished.

"Isn't it just regular food?" America pointed out. I struggled to put an explanation into words.

"Well...um, Japan! You fight a lot, right? Or at least I think so." He nodded in verification.

"Yes...I suppose I do." I immediately felt guilty. Poor Japan...I shook my head. Keep talking!

"You have to eat...onigiri and drink beer, right? To keep going? It helps restore your energy." I said. Japan looked thoughtful.

"The onigiri is just an ordinary riceball, really. But the beer...it seems to be something different, I will admit." He responded honestly. I was relieved, he agreed with me!

"So you're saying...that the beer has magic in it?" England asked in slight disbelief. I nodded. "I don't have any on me right now...where do we keep it?"

"I believe we store it in the kitchen until a party leaves the saferoom, then we distribute it...non, my dear England?" France smirked. Once again I felt confused as to how France could be so calm in a situation like this. But I saw the desperation deep in his eyes. He was worried for Spain and Romano, I knew it. And so was I. So worried...I could just run to a corner and hide my face in my knees...hide under the covers of my bed...try to fight the urge to break down in tears...but no. I had to stay strong...somehow. Maybe what I said...maybe it can help...I would give anything to make it help! I snapped back to reality. England scoffed, sighing in annoyance.

"Well, then can someone..."

"I've got it!" America jumped up, ready and eager to help, and dashed over the kitchen despite the gaping wound on his shoulder. I shuddered. Bad thoughts began to corrupt my mind again. America...my beloved brother...fought so hard, got wounded countless times...he was so brave...and here I was, invisible to the enemy, somehow unhurt, just sitting here while everyone else threw themselves into the midst of danger. To help everyone get out...including me. But I did nothing, did I? I jolted when France placed his hand on my shoulder. It's like he could read my mind. He smiled warmly at me again, silently assuring me that I was anything but useless. I tried to believe him. Then America was back, placing the requested glass of beer on the table in front of England. "You're welcome." England just rolled his faded eyes and felt around for the beer, grasping it with both hands once he obtained the first touch. He gasped.

"Yes...I'm...shocked that I hadn't noticed it before! This beer is...magical!" England proclaimed, not even caring about the cheesiness of the statement. No one did, since even this operation was dead serious.

"Kesese! So can your magic be restored if you drink it?" Prussia asked, slightly re-energized.

"Well, I might as well try! Not that I've ever done it while...blind..."

"But you've done it while you're drunk! And for you being blind and being drunk are pretty much the same thing, right?" America joked, with his forced smile that really bothered me. If he can't smile naturally, why does he smile at all? When even my brother can't be happy...you know the situation is bad.

"Shut your trap, you bloody twat!" England snapped back at him, blushing slightly. "I'm perfectly capable of doing this. I am a gentleman, after all." He found the lid of the glass of beer with his mouth and tipped back, effectively chugging the entire thing before slamming it back down on the table. Some gentleman he was. Japan's mouth was agape with shock, and he looked slightly offended.

"Not bad." Prussia commented. England looked thoughtful. He felt around, got a grip on the table, and stood up. He then picked up the empty glass of beer.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" He shouted, gesturing at the glass. He stepped back, dropping his hands, and I watched in awe as the glass of beer instantly grew wings and flapped them in the air to stay afloat. "It's flying, yes?" He asked the group, receiving a mixture of approving responses. Some were over-excited, like America's. I looked over to him, and was taken aback. He was grinning. Was that a genuine smile on his face? I hoped so. I turned back to England with lips slightly turned upwards. England reached out to grab the glass.

"Alright, no more silly spells. Finite Incantatum." He muttered. The beer's tiny wings disappeared in a glimmery burst of white. He sighed in relief. "I think I got a slight amount of power back. But certainly not enough to summon a magic circle. And...I'm...not sure if I'll ever have my vision back..."

"B-but!" I protested, not wanting spirits in the room to go down. "At least we made some progress, right?"

"What if England-san just kept drinking the beer?" Japan suggested, in all of his innocence.

"He would get drunk, and none of us want that." America replied bluntly.

"Amerique! This is not the time or place to keep acting like that." France scolded his former colony, showing some compassion for England for once. Said nation looked slightly shocked, but regained his composure immediately.

"Drop it, France. He's just acting a bit immature, is all." He said the last part coldly. I understood why England said that. My brother was going to keep being more arrogant than ever to cover up his extreme guilt over what happened to England. If he wasn't acting like this, he would be crying to England and begging for forgiveness. I feel so useless being in the middle of the whole thing and not being able to do anything. But once England gets his magic back...because he will, right? Right. Once he gets his magic back...hopefully my brother will feel better. Hopefully.

At that moment, Germany emerged into view and joined the table next to his brother.

"Kese! How's my little Italy doing?" Prussia asked him in greeting. Germany looked away slightly, grimacing.

"He's sleeping. He's...fine." Germany made his response short, and it was clear to all of us that he wouldn't want to talk about it anymore. He was still too much in shock over Italy's...heart stopping.

"Well, bruder...we found out that the beer in this place has some magic!" Prussia pressed, gesturing to England who was retaking his seat. The slightest glimmer of hope sparkled in Germany's eyes.

...

"China?" I asked the Communist, who was taking the lead. We were nearly to the entrance of the annexe. He turned around slightly, a questioning look on his face. "What was that puzzle that you wanted to solve?"

"Ah. It has to do with that lever, aru." He responded confidently.

"We could get ourselves killed if we touch that thing." I pointed out suspiciously.

"What? How do you know, aru?" Now China sounded suspicious.

"The lever on the fourth floor. You don't know about it?" I asked him.

"No...I've never seen that, aru. What does it do?" China inquired, stopping. "We're here, aru." I nodded.

"Don't go yet. I should tell you first. ...I had a memory where Japan read a piece of paper on the wall in that room: 'Up is Heaven, Middle is Earth, and Down is Hell.' He was really hesitant to press anything, but he decided to push it upwards. Then...a red light filled the room. Japan tried to run away, but then the floor opened and...something pushed him down. He landed leaning against the piano in the piano room, broken and bleeding. He...was still alive when Italy found him...and then...he died. After apologizing to Italy." I explained, taking a deep breath. "When you push the lever down, it just opens the floor and you can get to the piano room safely."

"Aiyah...that's terrible." China said sadly, cautiously starting down the stairs to the annexe. "It sounds like the first time loop, too. What does the middle do?"

"Nothing, as far as I know." I concluded. It really was terrible. Even to me...especially because I sort of understood how Italy felt. When France and China died around me in the first time loop...I was alone again. Just like Italy was. Of course...I'm really alone all the time...but...maybe not now, after all...I opened the door to the next room. We continued in silence, opening the door to the left which led to the room with the lever. We walked over to it. I spotted something shiny on the floor. "Ah!" I picked it up.

"Isn't this one of those magical lumps? I think we need these." I frowned. "But they feel so sad." I shoved it into one of my coat pockets. China looked at the lever in curiosity.

"Hmm..." China observed thoughtfully. "I keep getting the impression that this is the right time to touch it! As if...others saw it before and said 'Let's not touch it for now.' But now we should." I opened my mouth to reply, but a sick feeling ran through me. I felt my skin turn a shade paler. As if it wasn't pale enough.

"Russia?" China asked, sounding slightly paranoid. I didn't reply, simply turning towards the door. The lights shut off, but I heard the door slam shut. I whipped out my sword-pipe, ready to battle.

"Damn, that was too fast! It's here, China!" I cursed, feeling a bit terrified. Sure, I had beaten the enemy before but...Italy nearly died in here...England went blind in here...

Did Mother Russia even stand a chance?