Kiku-san's Past!

Last time on...No! You know what? If you want to know what happened last time, go read the last chapter! Because frankly I don't even know how to explain it and I helped write it!

It was a quiet day in the Hogwarts library...well it wasn't very quiet because Alfred was there. Kiku sat across said American, his face in a book.

"Kiku!" Alfred whined, "I'm bored!"

"Arfred-san." Kiku said, "Prease be quiet. We are in the ribary."

"So?" Kiku sighed.

"I am here to tutor you, nothing more."

"But that's boring!" Kiku slammed his book shut, making Alfred jump.

"Transfiguration is an important part in becoming an auror, Arfred-san." Kiku reminded him. He pulled a book out of his bag and pushed it in front of Alfred. "Prease just study."

"But studying's so boring!" The American complained. "Can't you make it more exciting?"

"I wirr try." Kiku took the book from Alfred and began to flip through it. He stopped on a page and showed it to Alfred. "Human transfigurations can be quite exciting."

"But just reading about it doesn't make it more exciting!"

"Then try to transfigure me." Alfred raised an eyebrow and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"What?" He asked. Kiku sighed.

"Practice on me. I don't mind." The Japanese answered. Alfred pulled his wand from his pocket.

"What do you want me to turn you into?" Alfred asked him. Kiku thought for a moment.

"A cat." He said after a while. "Hord the image of a cat in your mind as you cast the sperr. And remember the charm is: Crinus Muto." Alfred nodded.

"Crinus Muto!" Smoke filled the room. Alfred coughed and waved his hand to clear it. Once it was gone, he saw a

cat

-more specifically a Japanese bobtail-in Kiku's place. Oddly enough, it closely resembled Kiku's own cat.

"Haha!" Alfred laughed. "I did it! Hell yas!" Cat Kiku rubbed his head against Alfred. "Huh? What is it, Kiku? Is Feliciano stuck in the well?" If cats' could roll their eyes, Kiku would've. He batted his paw against Alfred's wand hand. The American held it up so his wand was level with his face. "Oh, yeah. I need to change you back." Taking a quick glance at the book, Alfred cast the counter curse. Smoke filled the room once again, sending both boys into a coughing fit. Alfred stopped coughing when the smoke cleared, but Kiku didn't. "Kiku...you okay?" Kiku nodded, but continued to cough. Soon, the cough turned into a violent hack. His pale hands clutched at his chest, directly over his heart, and Kiku collapsed onto the ground. "KIKU!"

The hospital wing was quiet. Strangely too quiet. Alfred had brought Kiku to the hospital wing. The Japanese teenager was now fast asleep in a hospital bed, having passed out on the way here. Kiku's older brother, Yao, stood with Alfred. A teacher had gotten the Chinese boy after what happened.

"Is he going to-" Alfred asked before Yao cut him off.

"Yes." Yao answered.

"But, what happened to him? He just started coughing and wouldn't stop."

"That's none of your business, aru!" Yao said rather harshly. Alfred held his hands up, as if surrendering.

"Calm down, dude!"

"Don't tell me to calm down." Yao's words switched over to Mandarin Chinese.

"English, dude." Alfred said, taking Yao by the shoulders and shaking him slightly.

"Fine, aru. You're a lazy ass who is blind to the fact that my kid brother has a-" His words cut off there, as if he couldn't say anymore.

"Has a what?" Alfred said, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing, aru." Yao said. Alfred sighed.

"Okay. Tells me when he wakes up. I wanna know if my best bud is okay or not!" Alfred turned to leave, but Yao stopped him.

"I wouldn't call you 'best friends'," Yao said. Alfred turned back around. "You purposely burnt him last year, aru."

"It was an accident!" Alfred counteracted, "He forgave me! Though I really didn't deserve it..."

"You didn't. He hurt you on accident, aru. You turned around and hurt him back." Yao slid into an open seat next to Kiku.

"Why are you acting like you hate me?" Alfred asked. Yao turned to glare at him. His gaze softened and he sighed.

"You caused my brother to have an attack, aru."

"Attack?"

"Yes. An attack."

"What are you talking about?" Yao turned away from the American.

"I'm not telling you, aru." Alfred groaned in frustration. He then sighed.

"Fine." The door to the hospital wing opened. The two Allies turned to see Ludwig and Feliciano walking in.

"What do you want, aru?" Yao asked.

"Ve!" Feliciano sighed, "We heard Kiku was in the hospital wing, so we came to see if he was okay!" Yao muttered something in his native language before turning away.

"Yeah...he's kinda pissed," explained Alfred." Ludwig sighed.

"Vhat did you do zhis time, Alfred?" He asked.

"I did nothing wrong!" Alfred said, offended. "At least I don't think so...Kiku was helping me out with some stuff. He had me practice on him. But when I turned him back, the dude started coughing like crazy!"

"That sounds scary!" Feliciano said, shaking.

"It is." Yao said. All attention turned to him.

"How do you know?" Alfred asked. "You weren't there. And don't you mean 'was' instead of 'is'?" Yao shook his head.

"What I say about my kid brother is none of your business, aru." Yao hissed. Alfred took a step back.

"Y-Yao?" Feliciano stuttered. "What's wrong with Kiku?"

"You've been friends for what? Four years, aru?" Yao asked. Feliciano nodded. "But Kiku didn't tell you."

"Tell us vhat?" Ludwig asked. Yao grabbed his brother's hand.

"For as long as I've known him, Kiku has had a heart condition, aru." The others stared at him blankly. "Did I stutter, aru?" Alfred shook his head.

"No way." The American said. "I just never noticed."

"His heart will quicken or slow down at random times." Yao explained further. "Usually it happens when he's coughing heavily or in a state of great fear, aru. But...once it stopped all together."

"Does that mean Kiku almost died?" Feliciano asked. Ludwig nodded. There was a pause for silence.

"So...how long until he wakes up?" Alfred asked.

"Maybe an hour or two, aru." Yao shrugged.

"But he will be okay...right?" Feliciano asked. Yao nodded. "That's meraviglioso! Kiku is the one who keeps us together, after all!"

"Watcha mean, dude?" Alfred asked.

"Kiku iz zhe one who keeps zhe Axis together, like a voice of reason." Ludwig explained. "Zhat, und he gave us our name. Do you remember how Kiku vas before ve became zhe Axis?" Alfred shook his head.

"He was distant and hid his emotions, aru," answered Yao. "Many students thought him to be cold and heartless. Everyone but you, aru. You followed him around, trying to get him to open up."

"Well, yeah. He looked so sad all the time." Alfred challenged. "Even though his face showed no emotion, you could see it in his eyes. He needed a friend. Someone to help him and make him laugh and stuff you know?"

"I remember!" Feliciano chriped. "Kiku was strange back then!"

"I'm still confused on how he became friends with you two, aru," Yao said.

"Well...it started when we got assigned a project during our second year..." Feliciano began.

"For your assignment, I want you to write and present a project on how magic was used during the second World War. Everyone will be paired up in groups of three for this project." The current History of Magic teacher said. A young, second year Kiku's hand went up. "Yes, Mr. Honda?"

"I was wondering if I courd work arone for this assignment." Kiku asked. The teacher shook his head.

"Mr. Honda, this is a group assignment. I'm afraid this time you can not work alone." Several students around Kiku whispered to each other. Although they thought Kiku couldn't hear, he did hear all the harsh things they said. "Quiet! Mr. Honda, you'll be partnered up with Mr. Feliciano Vargas and Mr. Beilschmidt." A loud smack echoed from behind Kiku, followed by some unintelligible talking. He sighed and slid down in his seat.

Later on, Kiku sat across from the German and Italian in the library. He was shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

"Are you alright?" The Italian, Feliciano asked. Kiku nodded.

"H-Hai." Kiku stuttered "I-I rearry want to get this project done..." He sat up. "If I remember correctry, and I do, Magic was attempted to protect the peopre of Rondon from the bombings."

"Didn't zhey do zhat for other countries?" The German, Ludwig asked. Kiku nodded.

"Armost. Japan wasn't protected. They thought they courdn't be touched. But then..."

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to."

"That's what I was tord when I was younger." Kiku said. "What about you two?"

"What do you mean?" Feliciano asked.

"Hm? Werr...arr of our homerands fought together as the Axis Powers, correct?" asked Kiku.

"Ja, vhat's your point?" Ludwig asked.

"Si! La mia gemella, mia sorella e mio nonno sono tutti italiani!" Feliciano said. Kiku's face turned into an expression of confusion, having not understood the Italian.

"English." Ludwig reminded Feliciano.

"Eh...sorry." The Italian apologized.

"You do zhat vay too much."

"Ve~ I can't help it Ludwig! Hey! Why don't you say something in German?" Feliciano suggested.

"Nien. I don't vant to."

"Please? German is such a funny language!"

"Vhat?"

"Nothing!" Kiku held a book up to his face, in order to keep himself focused on the task the three were assigned. Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose before his head dropped onto the table. A small laugh cracked on Kiku's icy surface. Feliciano and Ludwig stared at him.

"Kiku?" Feliciano said, pulling the book away from Kiku, "Did you just laugh?"

"N-No. I-I didn't." Kiku stuttered.

"Stop lying." Ludwig said to him. "Ve heard you loud und clear."

"N-No I didn't!"

"But I thought the Ice King didn't smile! Or laugh!" Feliciano added. Kiku's brown eyes stared at the Italian.

"What did you say?" He asked, his voice sewn in with an undetectable hurt. Feliciano's face fell.

"I-I heard other students calling you that in the History of Magic classroom..." He explained. Kiku's face fell. "But they're being mean! And it's not true...right?" The small boy nodded.

"I'm just craustrophobic. I rearry rike my personar space." Kiku told them.

"I can understand that!"

"Can ve get to vork?" Ludwig asked. "Zhe project is due in three veeks." Kiku nodded.

"Hai."

About a week later, our second year Kiku was walking down the hall. It was quiet, since most students were either in their dormitories or in Hogsmeade. It was just Kiku, who made the mistake of reading and walking at the same time. The boy's thin body collided into that of an older fifth year Slytherin student.

"Gomen'nasai." Kiku apologized quickly. "I am sorry for-"

"Watch where you're going, Ice King!" The older student snapped.

"I rearry didn't mean to-" The student grabbed Kiku by his collar. "Watashi o iretekudasai!"

"Speak English, you freak!"

"Put him down!" A new, yet familiar voice piped up. The older student smirked and let go of Kiku's collar. The boy fell to the ground, where familiar hands help him up. It was Feliciano.

"H-He didn't mean to bump into you...right?" Feliciano stuttered. Kiku nodded. "Are you okay?"

"H-Hai." Kiku said, slightly shaken by the contact.

"Stay out of this!" The older student said before pushing both boys to the ground.

"Stop zhis," ordered Ludwig, who had just seen the situation, "Now."

"Why would I listen to you?" Ludwig smirked. At this point, Feliciano covered Kiku's eyes. The sound of a brief fight was all Kiku heard.

"Stay with the freak for all I care!" He heard the older student yell, "He's cold and heartless and he'll just hurt you!" Feliciano took his hands away from Kiku as the student left.

"Kiku?" Feliciano said as if he was worried.

"I'm...not heartress...am I?" Kiku asked.

"No!" Feliciano answered, "They just don't know you!"

"Kiku, from vhat I can see, you're not heartless or cold." Ludwig added.

"Ve! That's right! I thought Ludwig was scary when I met him two years ago, but now we're best friends! Right?" The German nodded. "And you're our friend, too Kiku!"

"Nani?" Kiku said, confused. "But you onry known me for a week."

"So?" Kiku, for the first time in seven years, smiled.

"Arigato. I never had a friend before." Feliciano began to jump with excitement.

"I have an idea!" He said brightly. He pulled a piece of parchment out of his bag and wrote something down on it. Kiku and Ludwig stared at him curiously.

"Feliciano, vhat are you doing?" Ludwig asked. Feliciano ignored him and continued his writing.

"And...done!" He held out the parchment for them to see. On it was written: Our Pact of Steel, in big bold lettering.

"Pact of Steer?" Kiku questioned, raising an eyebrow. Feliciano nodded.

"Si! It says that we'll be friends forever! Like allies! We will help each other when the others need it! What do you think?"

"It sounds like a good idea," Ludwig said, followed by a short sigh.

"Hai, I agree." Kiku added. Feliciano scribbled his name on the blank space at the bottom before handing it off to Ludwig.

"Feliciano," The German asked, "Vhat's zhis blank space here?" Kiku looked over at the document. Amongst the Hufflepuff's handwriting was a rather large blank space.

"Well...I figured we could have a name for ourselves. Sort of like a team," explained Feliciano.

"What about 'Axis'?" Kiku suggested after a moment's thought.

"'Axis'?" Ludwig repeated. "Like zhe one side of Vorld Var II?" Kiku nodded.

"Our homerands are Itary, Germany and Japan." The boy said.

"The three main Axis countries!" Feliciano jumped in. Kiku nodded again.

"Yes. It makes sense to carr ourserves that." All three boys agreed on the name of 'Axis'. Ludwig and Kiku signed their names next to Feliciano's.

"Zhen it's official." Ludwig stated once the trio had finished, "From zhis day forvard, ve vill be know as zhe Axis!"

"I think I still have that somewhere!" Feliciano said once his story was done. He began to search through his bag for the document.

"After four years Feliciano I'm sure zhat-" Ludwig tried to say before he was cut off.

"Found it!" Feliciano pulled out the parchment from his bag. He showed Yao and Alfred the parchment with his twelve year old self's handwriting. But, instead of three names, there were six.

"Dude, I thought you said only you, Lud and Kiku signed this?" asked Alfred. Feliciano nodded.

"At first! But then we got then we got sorella, fratello, and Gilbert to sign!" He explained.

"Kiku did." Ludwig explained. "I vas against it."

"I still don't understand why."

"She vas in her first year. Mien bruder iz an utter idiot und your bother hates me."

"So?" Ludwig facepalmed himself. From the hospital bed, the sound of the pale body stirring ricocheted off the walls. Everyone's attention turned to the Japanese teenager. Kiku's dull brown eyes opened and his face went red.

"What?" Kiku asked quickly, "Why am I-"

"You had another attack, Kiku." Yao explained. The boy's face went redder.

"How bad was it?" He muttered.

"You were coughing like crazy," said Alfred. "I'm pretty sure you almost threw up your lunch on me. Oh yeah, and you also got really hot!"

"I understand..."

"Understand?!" Yao snapped, "Your heart could have stopped again, aru!"

"I know."

"And I don't want you to die!"

"I don't either." Kiku then tried to get out of the bed, but Yao pushed him back down.

"Stay here, Kiku." The older sibling commanded.

"Nii-san." Kiku tried to interject.

"I mean it, aru! You just had an attack-"

"Nii-san."

"And you're my kid brother. Not to mention with everything happening-"

"Yao!" Kiku almost yelled.

"What, aru?" Yao blinked.

"I can take care of myserf." Kiku shook hia hand out of Yao's grip. Yao stood up.

"Are you sure your okay?" Kiku nodded. "Nǐ zhīdào wǒ huì gàosù māmā zhè jiàn shì, aru. Wǒ xiǎng tā yīnggāi zhīdào."

"Watashi wa sore ni hantai shite itaga..." answered the boy. "Nani ga okotta no ka haha o oshietekudasai. Watashi wa kyōshi ga kanojo o oshiete iru baai, kanojo wa shinpai suru hitsuyō wa arimasen." Yao nodded and grabbed Alfred by the wrist. Much to the American's objections, the two Allies left the room. The Axis sat alone in silence. Kiku's eyes stared at the ground.

"Kiku." Ludwig said sternly, snapping the Japanese from his trance. "Vhy did you never tell us of your heart condition?"

"I never thought it wourd be cruciar for you to know..." He answered.

"But Yao said you almost died once!" Feliciano jumped in, "And we tell each other everything!"

"I rearry don't think we have ever tarked about our bodiry fraws."

"Ve all have our flaws, Kiku." Ludwig added."Und I'm sure it came up once or twice in the past four years." Kiku remained silent. Remembering the item in his hands, Feliciano held put the worn parchment.

"Kiku, we made a pact!" Feliciano said, "And if you need our help, we'll be there for you!"

"I know, Fericiano-san." Kiku said, pulling himself upwards. "But there are somethings we can not terr the other."

"Like vhat?" Ludwig asked. Kiku's eyes held a second with the German's.

"Fericiano-san's an exampre."

"Si!" Feliciano said cheerily. "Wait...an example for what?"

"Nozhing." Ludwig said. "But I do have to admit, I am curious to vhat Yao said to you." Kiku dug his fingernails into the sterile white sheets.

"He's going to terr our mother what happened." The teenager explained. "She worries about me a great dear. My berief is because of my heart probrems, but I feer rike it's something erse."

"What are you talking about?" Feliciano asked out of worry.

"Something that is connected to my father's disappearance." The other two Axis members' eyes widened.

"Your father disappeared?!" Kiku nodded.

"Hai. When I stirr rived in Japan ereven years ago." Kiku began. "Everything was wonderfur. My parents and I rived a peacefur rife, and there was nothing to worry about. But one night, my father disappeared. It was rike he vanished. Arr his things were reft behind so I know he didn't reave us. My mother was heartbroken. I stirr don't know why this happened, but we moved to Rondon not rong after it happened. Harhaue starts to cry whenever I mention him. I haven't even heard from him."

"That's so sad." Feliciano commented. "But...it sounds like you're an only child. I thought that Yao and his younger brother, Leon, were your brothers!"

"They are adopted," explained Kiku. "I was rost in the woods behind our house one day and I courdn't find my way home. Yao found me and brought me back. Hahaue asked him where his parents were, since he was arone. Yao said that his parents were kirred in a car crash. Onry he and Reon survived. Hahaue adopted them. She was surprised when they were rike me."

"Vait." Ludwig interuppted. "You're muggleborn?" Kiku nodded.

"I thought you knew that."

"Nien. Vhy vould ve talk about our blood statuses?!" Feliciano laughed a little bit in response. "Is there anything else you vant to tell us?"

"Not at the moment." Kiku said, shaking his head.

There was an awkward bit of silence between the three Axis, until a voice shouted something from down the hall.

"Ludwig!" The person shouted. "Your idiot brother and his idiot friends are trying to summon Cthulhu...again!" Ludwig then proceeded to groan and facepalm

"Are they drunk?" He asked. The other person was silent for a moment.

"Yes!"

"Again?" said Kiku worriedly. Ludwig nodded.

"Don't ask."

"Ve~" Feliciano sighed, "Can we check Kiku out and go?"

"I wourd appreciate it." added Kiku.

"Fine. Let's just hurry before somezhing explodes." The German said before leaving the room.

MWHAHAHAHA!

Kitten...have you been in the vodka?

What? No. I'm just really really excited!

May I ask why?

What chapter's next? C'mon! Guess!

Um...No.

Guess before I have to get the flashlight!

Flashlight?

It's Halloween! Mwhahahaha! And it's the first task, too I guess.

You and Halloween, I swear!

Beware, Angel! The witching hour is nigh and I say to thee, dear sister, EXPELLIARMUS!

Really?

Yes. Doctor Who is awesome. And can you blame me? Halloween is so fantastic! My ears are twitching in excitement! And I have to purrfect way to test our champions bravery during the first task...heh heh heh.

...Cat puns..Thats looooow. Boo. Do better!

I could make angel puns. And I am called Kitten for a reason.

Right...that whole 'neko' thing you have going on there.

And you are a literal angel. So then...shall we?

Next time on Hogwarts from Around the World!

Halloween's Task!

We'll see you then!