Author's note: Hey there!

Sorry about the drama bomb last chapter. XD I tried to stop it, but, once you release the drama bomb, there's no calling it back. Plus, it was kinda necessary for the story.

But I promise this chapter will be lighter!

Now, please enjoy!

Chapter Three: Collapse

A year und a half... Germany thought to himself as he ran around the track, Japan not far behind. It had been over a year and a half since Italy had defected to the Allies.

Training had progressed rather well in his absence, as was to be expected. In comparison, Japan was actually competent and could follow orders flawlessly. There was no need to yell at him about which end of a grenade to throw, for starters.

It had been quiet, though. Without constant cries about friendship and pasta, the air between the remaining two Axis Powers had grown somewhat stifled. After all, everything was rather serious business all the time now.

It wasn't as though they hadn't talked to Italy again, of course. In fact, the first time Germany had held a conversation with him since the separation had been about a month afterwards, when they'd bumped into one another at the dock. He'd cooled down enough by then to retain pleasantries, though the air had felt somewhat strained. Interestingly, though, it had been one of the only times he'd seen Italy with his eyes open.

Of course, the idiot had just had to ruin it. First by bringing up a stupid memory and angering him, then following it up with a rather touching memory. That one had caught him off-guard.

Since then, he'd seen him around, either at world meetings or in the street. They'd greet each other if they crossed paths, but that was it. He never joined them in training and never snuck into his bed at night anymore. Somehow. Despite every window and door being locked. He'd never understood how he'd been able to do that.

Sure, the idiot had never been able to understand work ethic or personal space, but they'd been friends once. Best friends, even. After all, Italy had been the first person to actually want to be his friend. He'd even stuck around him after Romano had run their boss out of office, despite having no obligation to do so anymore. Not that Italy had ever listened to his boss, anyway. He was terrible at following orders.

However, all that had changed the day he'd switched sides. Especially since his own boss had taken something they'd said at their little meeting as a declaration of war. Maybe it had been the part about how they wouldn't be able to see each other for a long time. Maybe it had been Italy's comment, when they'd parted ways, about how he could hopefully put his training to use on the Allies' side. Probably the latter.

Either way, as it stood right now, they just couldn't be friends.

"Dudes!" America cried. "I've been hearing some crazy rumours about Italy's old boss lately!"

"Yes, we know," Britain replied. "Seems the old chap's gotten in a bit of bother with his people."

"Yup!" Italy replied through a mouthful of pot sticker. "Romano was telling-a me recently about how they're thinking of revolting."

"Mon dieu..." France said. "Zat is razer surprising."

"Yes, but dat not really our concern right now," China said.

"He's right," Russia agreed with a smile. "We are meant to be doing the conquering of the Axis Powers."

"Oh yeah, right!" America replied.

"Right," Britain said. "After all, we'll be fighting Germany on the battlefield tomorrow."

Italy said nothing as he ate his pot stickers.

"So, we need to come up with a plan of attack!" America paused a moment, then smirked. "And I've got just the thing!"

"Oh, joy... I can't wait to hear this..."

Germany stepped cautiously onto the battlefield, luger pistol at the ready. He carefully looked left and right, ready for anything.

"Alright, show yourselves, you verdammt Allies!" he yelled. "And let's get zis over viz!"

"Way ahead of you, bro!" a voice called out from the bushes. "Secret weapon! I choose you!"

Suddenly, Italy was shoved out of the bushes. He stumbled around a bit before righting himself.

Germany froze. "I... Italy?"

There was a helmet on the Italian's head and he appeared to be holding one of America's pistols.

"Behold! The master plan has been revived!"

"I don't like-a this plan!" Italy wailed.

"Just vhat are you dummkopfs playing at?" Germany yelled angrily.

Five heads popped out of the bushes. Every single one was smiling.

America winked. "Italy here is gonna represent us on the battlefield!" he said. "Do us proud, little man!"

"You know what to do," Britain agreed.

"Ze fate of ze war rests on you~!" France said.

"Don't screw it up, now!" China said.

"Or we be doing the screwing up of your face," Russia said.

"Ally power!" America yelled.

All five heads ducked back into the bushes.

Germany stared at Italy. After about a minute of staring back, Italy slowly raised the violently shaking gun and pointed it at him. Germany's eyes widened.

"... You have got to be kidding me..." he said.

"P... Prepare to meet-a my wrath, you... you..." Italy said. There was a long pause. "Oh, I can't do it!" He wailed and threw the gun on the ground. "I can't hurt Germany! Why would-a you make me do this? I can't do this!"

Germany paused a moment, processing what he was seeing. After a moment, he frowned, then raised his luger and pointed it at Italy. Italy screamed in response.

"What are you doing, Germany?"

Germany walked forwards, the gun never wavering. He stopped in front of Italy, the nozzle pointing directly at his forehead.

"You've left yourself vide open!"

"No! Germany, wait!"

"I zought I taught you better zan zat!"

"No! Wait! Please! I have relatives in Berlin! Well, not really, but all the same! You don't-a want to shoot me, Germany! I'm too young to die!"

Germany's finger hovered over the trigger. It remained there.

"... Germany?"

The air was tense as they stared each other down. There were tears in the corners of Italy's eyes. Germany could feel his heart ramming against his ribcage.

After a long stretch of silence, he felt his hand shaking. Trying to calm it, he tightened his grip slightly on the trigger.

There was another pause, the luger still wobbling.

"... Tsk... damn it..."

He threw the gun on the floor.

Italy looked surprised. "Germany?"

"Zey knew I vouldn't be able to do it, didn't zey?" He turned around, his mind a mess of emotions. "Are zey trying to make a fool of me?"

"No, Germany, that wasn't the plan at all..."

A burst of anger hit him. "Vhere do zey get off, doing zings like zis?"

"Well..."

"Just... leave, Italy. Zis battle is over."

"But-"

He stormed off, leaving his luger on the cold, hard ground.

"Oh, come on!" America cried. "What's it gonna take to get him to give up, already?"

"I bloody told you it was a stupid idea..." Britain replied.

"If it did not work the first three times," China said, "including with Japan, what make you think it work this time?"

"Monsieur Germany is trés stubborn..." France said.

"Are you sure you aren't wanting me to convince him?" Russia asked.

"Aww, man..." America said. "I thought for sure the super delayed part four of the master plan would work..."

"Just let it go, already..." Britain grumbled.

"Nani?" Japan asked, his eyes widening. "Sey did what?"

"Ja..." Germany replied with a grumble. "Zose verdammt Allies made me fight Italy yesterday. Of all ze dirty tricks..."

"Sat is raser dirty, yes..."

"Zey knew I vouldn't be able to hurt him... Zey knew zat..."

"... You sink sey were trying to make you surrender?"

"Ja. Ja, I zink zey vere... and it's not ze first time zey've pulled zis scheisse, eizer..."

"Hai..."

There was a long pause. The two Axis Powers, who were sitting on the grass, both looked to the sky.

"You know... in my country, it is considered dishouraburu to surrender."

Germany looked at Japan. The Asian kept his gaze on the sky.

"Is zat so?"

"Hai. It is se way of se samurai to fight or die trying."

"I see..." There was another pause. Germany looked back at the sky. "Ve are currently losing ze var. You know zat, right?"

"Hai."

"Large numbers of our armies have fallen to ze Allies. A lot of our land has been claimed. My boss is getting razer stressed over ze whole ordeal and it's unlikely ve'll vin now."

"I know." Japan paused. "All se same, I wirru not surrender. No matter how dire se situation. No matter how many farru or who eruse surrenders." Germany glanced over to see the Asian looking at him with a strange fire in his eyes. Japan clenched a fist. "It is not se samurai way!"

A breath escaped Germany's nostrils. "You are dedicated, I vill give you zat."

Calming down again, Japan looked back at the sky. "Arigatou..."

"Dudes!" America cried. "Big news! The big guy on the German side threw in the towel today!"

"Yes and it's only been a week since our fight with Germany..." Britain replied.

"And two days since Italy's former boss was taken down by his people!" France cried. "Sacré bleu!"

"Does this mean we win?" Russia asked, smiling.

"No, it does not," China replied. "Even if big dogs surrender, it no count as a victory, until de countries surrender."

"I don't think Germany's going to want to surrender, though..." Italy said.

"Yes, exactly..." Britain replied. "We've already tried to convince the bugger three times... four, if you count Japan... and it clearly hasn't worked."

"... Dude, this sucks!" America cried.

The following week, Italy decided to follow Britain on a routine patrol of the area.

"So, what are we looking for?" he asked.

"Anything suspicious, really," Britain replied.

"Anything suspicious. Got it!"

As they walked past a familiar area, Italy remembered how he'd stood on the nearby cliff, waving a white flag the day he'd been left alone and his medication had been wearing off. The day that Germany had invaded Russia and caused the Russian to switch sides in the war. With a strange fondness, he looked up at the cliff. Then he froze.

"Uh... Britain?"

"Yes?"

"... Is the midday sun getting to me?"

"Why on Earth would you think that?"

He pointed up at the cliff. "Because I can't-a be seeing that..."

Britain followed his gaze upwards and also froze. On top of the cliff, glaring down at them with his arms folded, was Germany. Behind him, a large white flag was blowing in the breeze.

Britain jumped backwards in shock. "G-Germany?"

Germany was silent for a moment. Then he leapt down off the cliff, landing in a crouched position on the floor. Standing up, he walked towards them.

Italy quivered, confused. "Germany...?"

Germany stopped in front of Britain, folding his arms again. "... Vell?" he asked.

"W-Well what?" Britain asked.

"Don't you see ze vhite flag? I surrender. Now, go ahead and arrest me, already."

"... Who the bloody hell are you and what have you done with Germany?"

Germany heaved a sigh, looking away from them. "You zink zis is fun for me? Vell, it's not. Now, get on viz it, already."

"I see what you're doing and it's not going to work! You think you can trick me that easily?"

Germany turned to him, looking angry. "You dummkopf! Zis is not a joke! I surrender! You zink I, of all people, vould pull out a vhite flag if I vasn't serious?"

"... You actually surrender?"

"Ja. Zough good luck getting Japan to do ze same. He has a varrior's code to follow, or some scheisse."

"... I see."

"... Vell? Get on viz the arresting, already."

"Uh, right, right!" Britain paused. "Italy, could you go and fetch some rope or something, while I watch over him?"

Italy said nothing, continuing to stare at Germany.

"Italy!"

Jumping slightly, Italy turned to Britain. "Huh?" he asked. "Oh! Uh, si, si..."

With one last glance at Germany, he ran off to fetch some rope.

Germany was sitting in a cage in the meeting room, his arms and legs folded and his face turned away. America poked him through the bars with a stick.

"Duuuude..." he said. "Is he real?"

"I don't think he real..." China replied.

"Maybe you need to be poking harder to be sure," Russia said, holding a pickaxe.

China held up a bowl of cashew nuts. "I check with much safer way."

Picking one out, he tossed it through the bars. It bounced off Germany's head. After a moment, he did it again. America continued to poke him with the stick.

"Zis is incredible!" France cried. "'He actually surrendered?"

"Yes and it's a bloody miracle, if you ask me..." Britain replied.

"Dudes, I told you my plan was fool-proof!" America said.

"Yes, it only took a year and a half for it to actually work..."

"So, what do we do about Japan?" China asked, tossing another cashew nut.

"We make with the convincing, of course," Russia replied.

"Right!" America agreed. "We just need to show him that we've got both his former teammates now, so there's no reason for him to fight anymore!"

"Oui, because zat worked so well ze last time..." France said with a light smirk.

"Well," Britain said, "we don't really have any other plans right now, do we?"

"Zat is true. As much as I hate to agree wiz you, zat is true."

"Right." Britain paused. "What do you think, Italy?"

Italy didn't respond. He was too busy staring in disbelief at the pitiful German that was sitting behind bars.

"Italy?"

He jumped slightly. "Huh?" he asked, turning to Britain. "Oh, uh... yeah, sure! Si, si!"

He caught Britain giving him a look of pity before he turned back to Germany. His old friend wasn't looking at him at all.