Majorly lied in the last Author's Note. I haven't worked on this for nearly five months (it will be two more days' time). Without further wait, enjoy.
"Alright, we'll split into groups." Michael states as we head into a clearing. "Rules haven't changed, last team standing wins. Julie, what have the Italies decided on?" Julie looks up, appearing to be a little confused. Dumb bitch, oh but I shouldn't say that, it's not nice. Screw being not nice. I think to myself as I tell my conscious to shut up. Hey, at least I didn't say it out loud.
"Ve, we decided to sit this one out." They all hold up white kerchiefs and turn to look expectantly at me. "Aren't you going to join us Bella?"
"Undetermined can choose for themselves." James says right behind me, catching me off guard.
"CHIGI!" My hands slam over my mouth and all at once everyone shoots their gaze my way. One of the Japan girls steps forward. She had long, raven black hair cut straight on the ends and emotionless brown eyes which seemed to look right through me but at me at the same time.
She takes out a hair pin and points it at me. A moment later it extends into a short katana. "Kimi wait." Michael says, stepping forward.
"I suggest you prepare your weapons. I believe we're about to be surrounded." She says, her voice somewhat flat.
"No time for that chaps." A familiar voice rings out. Twisting my hat twice I heft my twin pistols and look around for Laura.
"But we'll spare the pretty new girl if she agrees to go on a date with me." My eyes roll involuntarily as I hear the head of the America house, John.
"Swell, who would want to go on a date with a git like you." Laura shoots back. By now I had started to edge away from the clearing. Just a little more and I'd be concealed by Hawaiian foliage.
"Sounds likes someone's a little jealous, non?" Celeste adds in. "I know, I'll take her on a date myself. We'll have dinner, go on a romantic walk on one of ze beaches, and when we come back I'll make love to her so much she won't be able to think straight." Rolling backwards I land in my desired bush and start crawling away.
"You have no chance frog, besides she looked mighty interested in that James bloke." Laura adds.
"The fuck?" I mutter.
"Hey, that reminds me, where is the cutie? Maybe she's part England! Especially if she can do bogey magic to make herself disappear." John quips and a moment later Laura tackles him to the ground, nearly crushing me. Two thumps later and they're shoulders are covered in red paint.
"McLain, Morris, you're out." Romano's voice comes in from hidden speakers. The both curse and turn towards me. I in turn flip over to see James just lowering an assault rifle.
"Why you!" Celeste yells as she pops up behind him, getting ready to shoot. Thinking fast I lift both hands and start shooting. Only after she shouted for me to stop shooting did I actually let go of the triggers. She was covered with red paint, it dripped from everything, even her hair.
"Blier, out." Shots echo from around the clearing after Romano calls Celeste out. "Aumont, Lenoir, Vartan, Bale, Felton, Laurel, Reed, Wyeth, Waters, and Foster, you're out for the Allies side. All Italies," Here he paused then added a small sigh. "Surrendered, and Yukio, Esaki, Shigeho, Masao, and Kenji are out on the Axis side."
Laura sighs and hauls John up from the floor. "Well, looks like I'm out of soldiers and you're half dead America. How many more people do you have John?" Apparently they must have forgotten about us seeing as they weren't paying us any attention.
"Only three. Hopefully they get new girl out soon, I want more time to flirt with her." Laura sighs then directs his gaze over at us by tugging on his chin.
"Doubt she wants you now due to how she's positioned with the other unclaimed." Glancing up I realize I had my arms on either side of James head, since the idiot didn't move for me to get a clear shot at Celeste and he had his legs in between mine. Before I can explode on him he scoots back.
Letting out a loud scream I slam my hands together, incidentally turning my gun back into its first form. I could feel my mind go into full panic mode as it processed that I just might have been sexually molested. Good thing I was somewhat of a rational thinker and knew that this wasn't the case. But my shrill scream did alert the other team to my position.
A moment later I feel myself being hefted into the air. "Don't question me now Bella, just shoot." James says as I open my eyes. Just as I did movement in the corner of my eye makes me pull the trigger, unleashing a wall of red paint on anyone or anything that revealed itself. Several screams and yelps later a buzzer sounds and James drops me back on the floor. "There, that wasn't so bad now was it?" He says, walking away and dusting his hands off.
As I stalk past him I hit him lightly with the butt of my gun. Well, lightly for me. As we walked back indoors Sam runs up, grabs me around the waist, and swings me skyward. All of our 'fallen' comrades cheered. Well, all of the ones with blue paint, a few were splattered with red and looked quiet sullen. Michael walks up to me with a slight smile. "Yata, we finally did it. The Axis side finally one a match as full axis."
"Michael, don't!" Julie squeaks from where she was sitting. She quickly runs over to him and gives him a pout. "You know what happens when you call someone one of the Axis descendants straight out."
"All I remember is being scared into not saying things. I'm tired of being scared, I'm a man, not a rabbit. And we know of only one country that says 'Chigi'. It's obvious Bella is a daughter of South Italy." The room goes instantly quiet and all the 'Axis' people look at the floor. The 'Allied' people looked at me, a few with mixed emotions but most with hostility. Other nation children who had filled into the room to congratulate the Axis team looked to each other.
A lone pair of clapping hands makes everyone look over to the open doorway. Romano leaned in the frame, slowly clapping. A quick glance at Michael made me instantly think of him as a rabbit. His eyes were wide and he shook like a leaf in the wind.
"Don't be alarmed Esaki, although I do suppose I'm something to be feared outside of the war zone. But why should I eliminate you for speaking the truth. Bella Gerhardt, I claim you as my daughter, and rightful head of the South Italy house." Light swarms up from the floor, bathing me in the colors of dark forest green, pristine white, and a red the shade of fresh blood. When the light faded and I had a chance to look at the faces in the room I realized something, a feeling I had never fully known.
I was completely, and utterly alone. Accompanied with this feeling was an overwhelming sense of unbelonging. I looked at these people and knew one thing. I was unwanted and that I would always be second best.
"Ah, looks like I've been put in a rough situation. Romano does like doing these things to me I suppose." All heads turn to look at someone who was standing right in the place Romano had been a few moments before. He was taller, with a sun-kissed tan, dark brown curly hair, and laughing green eyes. "Hola, while things are being taken care of with Romano I will be taking over for him, you can call me Spain."
Oh noes, what happened to Romano! Guess you'll find out next chapter. And no, I'm not saying when it comes out so ya'll have to suffer!
Ciao!~