Sorry for the delay. I don't own Hetalia, nor do I own any of the character songs. I did have to change one little thing in the song later on to have it make sense, so please forgive me for that.
The next morning, Arthur awoke with a splitting headache. He looked around himself groggily. He was in an unfamiliar room, with several beds in it. The beds were all empty except for the two farthest ones, where he could see the forms of two people, still asleep. The distinctive curls of the guards of the Fortis temple were evident on their heads.
Arthur didn't really care as to why the guards were the only ones in here, as his head was still killing him. He tried to remember what had happened. They had arrived at the temple, then had a feast, then…
Arthur bit back a swear. Of course, Gilbert had to break out the alcohol. Arthur knew that he was underage, but he had felt a need to prove himself to all the older people in the room, so he drank three cans of the stuff. He apparently had really low tolerance for alcohol. He hoped that he hadn't said or done anything stupid when he was under the influence of the drink.
Sitting up slightly, he judged that it was early afternoon by the way the light looked, streaming in from the window. Looking at the guards again, he saw that it was Lovino in the farther bed and Feli in the closer one. He supposed that Lovino had also gotten drunk, but he didn't know why Feli was there.
Looking at himself, Arthur saw that his cloak was gone. He noticed it folded and sitting nearby, so he guessed that he had taken it off last night. His tome was under it, with a little note on it. He leaned over and grabbed the note, his head pounding. He squinted at it, the letters finally forming into recognizable shapes. He read the flowery script:
"Next time you get drunk, remind me to take this away from you. You nearly killed me with it.
With love, Francis."
It was signed with a picture of a rose under his name.
Arthur didn't know whether he was glad that he hadn't killed Francis, or sad that he didn't. He felt really embarrassed, as he had probably shouted things that he would never say when he was sober. And what was this 'with love' rubbish? Bloody idiot...
He stumbled out of the bed and put his cloak back on. Deciding not to wake the brothers, he exited the room into an unfamiliar hallway. He guessed that he was in one of the many corridors in the temple, and found his way back to the main room without much trouble. He found Lizzie and Francis sitting on the couches that they had been occupying last night. Francis seemed to be mid-explanation, and Lizzie was nodding, brow furrowed.
She caught sight of Arthur and jumped up. "Arthur! You are an idiot!" she berated.
"Good morning to you too," Arthur grumbled.
Francis stifled a laugh. "You should really stay away from the alcohol, cher," he said.
"Tell me that one more time and I'll wish I had killed you last night," Arthur said threateningly.
"It's not a laughing matter!" Lizzie scolded. "You're too young to be getting drunk!"
"Where're Ludwig and Gilbert?" Arthur asked, trying to change the subject.
Lizzie narrowed her eyes. "We don't know what to do here, because the Vargas brothers are apparently as irresponsible as you, so they're exploring the temple to find some connection to their Goddess."
"How does this temple business go, anyway?" Arthur asked. "Does the Goddess just appear?"
"My Goddess said that she would talk with me in the temple, but I'm guessing that it won't be that easy," Lizzie said. "There's probably a trial or something, for them to prove themselves as true Fortis'."
Francis handed Arthur a glass of water. "For your headache," he explained.
"Thanks," Arthur said halfheartedly, gulping it down. The pain in his head subsided a little bit, but it was still there, just below the surface.
Just then, Gilbert burst into the room. "The awesome me has arrived!" he proclaimed.
He saw Arthur wincing at the noise.
"Look who's here!" he laughed. "It's King Arthur, the ruler of the frogs, faeries, and who knows what other crap!"
Arthur glared at him, face heating up. "It's your bloody fault for giving me alcohol!"
"I didn't give it to you, you took it from my hand," Gilbert retorted. "Drank all of it, too. I was saving that for later!"
"You sure didn't look like you were saving it when you waved it around and challenged someone to drink it," commented Francis.
Gilbert gave him a friendly elbow in the ribs. "Ah, it's all in the past now, so who cares, right?"
"Yes," Francis said dryly, rubbing his sore ribs. "Did you and your brother find what you were looking for?"
"Nope!" said Gilbert cheerfully. "West is checking on Feli and that other guy."
"Lovino," Arthur supplied.
"Yeah, yeah," Gilbert said, waving the matter aside. "Anyway, we found nothing. We're hoping that Feli and, uh…"
"Lovino."
"And Lovino can tell us what the heck we're supposed to be doing here," Gilbert finished.
A noise from the hallway made them turn around. Ludwig was walking in, Feli clutching his arm and babbling excitedly. Lovino was behind them, holding his head and cussing them out.
"Good morning, everyone!" Feli smiled.
"More like good afternoon," Gilbert chuckled. "You sure like to sleep in, don't you?"
"Of course!" Feli said. "Me and fratello always sleep in! Well, we used to, but we're usually not allowed to on guard duty. But now that you're here, we can go home when you're done!"
"That's great, Feliciaco," Ludwig said patiently. "Can you please let go of my arm now?"
Feli noticed what he was doing and quickly stepped away. "Ve… Sorry, Luddy…"
Gilbert choked a little. "What did he just call you?"
Ludwig's expression was displeased. "He insists on that ridiculous nickname. Please, disregard everything he says, because he doesn't have much going on up here." He poked Feli's forehead.
Lovino kicked Ludwig. "Stop insulting my brother, potato!"
"Do I even dare to ask?" Gilbert said, rolling his eyes.
"When he woke up, he saw me and thought I was the 'potato from hell'," Ludwig said, eye twitching. "And therefore, I gained another nickname."
Feli smiled. "My fratello is so funny!"
Lovino crossed his arms angrily. "Shut up!" he yelled. "It's your fault for getting me drunk!"
"You did that by yourself," Ludwig muttered.
Lovino kicked him again, and punched him for good measure. Ludwig simply stood there, his years of training obviously doing him more good that Lovino. That is to say, Lovino's blows bounced right off.
Feli seemed not to notice. "Andiamo!" he said cheerfully. "We'll show you to the trial room!"
"There's a trial?" Gilbert asked, horrified. "Is it like a test? I didn't study! What if I fail?!"
"You're embarrassing yourself, bruder," Ludwig sighed. "It will probably be a test of bravery, seeing as this is the Fortis temple."
"Feeling brave, bastard?" Lovino smirked.
"Yeah!" Gilbert shouted. "I'm so brave, I didn't even get drunk last night!"
"That's not a sign of bravery," Arthur said irritably.
"Follow me!" Feli said, going down a different hall, dragging Lovino with him.
"Let go of me, idiot!" Lovino said, yanking his arm away from his brother. "The trial room is over there!"
"Oops!" Feli laughed. "I guess I'm too excited! I forgot where to go!"
"Why are you always so damn cheerful?" Lovino grumbled.
Feli hummed a little tune, ignoring his brother. He opened a door that led to a big, empty room. "Here we go! After you, heroes."
Gilbert pushed his way into the room. "It's empty," he said, disappointed.
Just then, there was a bright flash of silver light in the front of the room. When it faded, a familiar figure stood there.
"Lady Bonus!" Gilbert cried. He put his hand on his heart and bowed his head. Ludwig quickly did the same. The rest of the group backed off and watched.
"It's so nice to see you again, Gilbert!" Bonus said happily. "And I'm glad I can finally meet you, Ludwig!"
"Y-yes, my lady," Ludwig stuttered.
She smiled gently. "No need to be nervous, silly! We're all friends here! By the way, congratulations on making it to the first temple!"
"Thank you," said Gilbert, pleased.
"What is our trial, my lady?" Ludwig asked.
Bonus put her finger on her chin. "Well...my sisters said that I should do something that will make you have to defy death over and over, but I don't wanna do that."
Gilbert breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Bonus brightened. "I know!" She snapped her fingers, and the room glowed again. When the light died down, three new objects had appeared. There was an electric guitar, a drum set, and a screen hanging in mid air.
Ludwig's eyes widened. "This is the challenge?"
Bonus nodded cheerily. "Yeah! Just play the guitar and drums to match the notes on the screen."
Gilbert ran over to the guitar and inspected it with glee. "Check it out, West! This is just like the awesome one I used to have!"
Ludwig picked up the drum sticks. "This one is familiar as well," he said.
Bonus tilted her head as if listening to someone talking. "My sisters say that I should up the ante a little. Since you're Fortis, I'll do this!"
She snapped her fingers again. Everyone in the room but Gilbert and Ludwig vanished.
"Hey!" Gilbert shouted. "Where did you go?"
A large balcony appeared in the front of the room, growing right out of the wall. Bonus sat on the railing, looking down at them. Arthur, Lizzie, Francis, Feliciano, and Lovino were behind her, all in one giant glass cage. Arthur and Lovino appeared to be yelling curses at the Goddess as loud as they could, but the cage was soundproof.
"What did you do?" shouted Ludwig.
Bonus smiled coyly. "Fortis will do anything to protect their friends, no? Let's see you win the extra-hard difficulty! Remember, if you fail, your friends will suffocate in this wonderfully airtight cage. No pressure, right?"
Gilbert clenched his fists. "I thought you were a good guy!"
Bonus laughed. "Gilly, dear, I am on your team, you know. You simply have to prove yourself! Every moment spent arguing with me means less air for them, so I'd get to it."
Gilbert scowled at her. He turned to the guitar. "West, let's make this the most awesome performance yet."
Ludwig nodded determinedly. He took his spot at the drum set.
On the floating screen, music began to play. After a few seconds, notes appeared, indicating for them to start.
Ludwig tapped his drumsticks, and they began to play.
Feliciano and the others could hear from their cage. "He's good at playing the drums, isn't he?" Feli said happily.
"I'd say yes, but I'm too busy thinking that we're stuck in a prison and relying on Gilbert to get us out," Lizzie said dryly.
After a long intro, words showed up on the screen, indicating that the Fortis' would have to sing in the next thirty seconds.
"We have to sing it, too?!" Gilbert yelled in frustration.
Bonus giggled. "I hope you're familiar with the words!"
"I'm not," Gilbert spat.
Ludwig sighed. "I am."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. This is a song about me. I wrote it."
"What?! But when I was learning the guitar part, you never said-"
"I will sing it. You focus on playing. Quickly!" Ludwig interrupted, and began to sing.
"Alone in a narrow private room, drumming.
Alone during break, drumming.
I will not allow even the smallest offbeat.
He averted his eyes from his brother, who was looking at him with a slightly shocked expression. Surprisingly, Gilbert managed to keep up the melody pretty well.
Turn off the air conditioning, turn off the light,
As time passes by.
Flowing from my hands is steady Rhythmus of unparalleled accuracy.
Feel the rhythm! Keep the beat!
The music of the soul, towards the place I once dreamed of!
Sing it! Sing it!
From deep within you, shout it out loud!
Assemble it! Shout it!
This fierce and proud Harmonie.
Keep the beat! Press on!
The music of the soul, I'll beat it with all the strength I have."
"Wow, Ludwig is a good singer," Lizzie commented.
"He seems kind of obsessed with perfection," Francis noticed.
"After rigorous practice, don't forget to rest!"
"After the break, drumming.
In time with the metronome, drumming.
I will not allow even one mistake.
When I sit up straight, close my eyes, and relax my shoulders,
Gradually I can see the place I dreamed, Viridi, Cana, Rubra, right now! Right there!
Both Lovino and Feliciano flinched.
"What is it?" Arthur asked, seeing them.
"That's the name of the small village we come from..." Feli said, confused.
"Why is the potato dreaming of our village?" Lovino grumbled.
Feel the rhythm! Keep the beat!
The music of the soul, towards the place I once dreamed of!
Sing it! Sing it!
From deep within you, shout it out loud!
Assemble it! Shout it!
This fierce and skilled Harmonie.
Keep the beat! Press on!
The music of the soul, I'll beat it with all the strength I have!"
Gilbert decided that he wanted to say something, too. He decided to compliment his brother.
"West! Your drumming skills sure have improved a lot!"
"Yours, though, brother, just stayed the same."
Gilbert winced. Ouch. Time to redeem himself.
"Alright! Next up is my guitar solo of the soul! Listen up!"
He strummed his guitar fiercely, grinning madly. He played louder than Ludwig's drums, overpowering the song with his awesomeness.
After his intense solo, Ludwig continued to sing.
"In order to continue beside my companion,
from now on, and forever,
I must continue to hone my own skills."
"Is he talking about...Gilbert?" Lizzie asked, confused.
"That's deep," Arthur deadpanned.
The sound of a metronome ticked briefly, then the guitar and drums resumed.
"Break it! Surpass it!
The heart's barrier, believe in yourself and charge onward!
Sing it! Sing it!
From deep within you, shout to your limit!
Harmony! Rhythm!
Stay focused and keep it until the end!
Feel the rhythm! Keep the beat!
The music of the soul, I'll beat it with all the strength I have!"
Gilbert laughed, apparently forgetting the situation they were in.
"West! Let's go get some beer when you're finished!"
Ludwig rolled his eyes.
"Ah, let's make it our debriefing meeting as well. There are so many things I want to tell you, brother."
Gilbert smiled blissfully.
"Heh...let's have fun drinking~"
With that, they struck the last note.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you're underage?"Ludwig said, smacking his brother upside the head. "You didn't have to butt in to my song to talk about beer."
"But my solo was awesome, wasn't it?" Gilbert asked, rubbing his head. "It made your song a thousand times better, admit it."
Ludwig rolled his eyes again.
Bonus landed next to them and pouted playfully. "Aw, the fun is over. You're pretty good at singing, dear," she added to Ludwig.
He wrinkled his nose and stepped back. "I would have rather not sung at all."
"But you had to, didn't you." Bonus nodded knowingly. "That pesky Fortis Goddess imprisoned your friends in a glass cage and forced you to do something you feared to get them out. Oh, the woes you must have experienced!" She swooned dramatically.
Gilbert scowled at her. "Don't talk to West like that."
She laughed airily. "Well, you can blame Proelium, I suppose. She was the one who told me to make it challenging like that. I was all for you just playing the song, really. Facing your fear was showing bravery enough, for me."
"We'll be sure to thank her," Ludwig grumbled. "Can you please let our friends go, now?"
Bonus looked at the cage. An old fashioned padlock was on the 'door', and it seemed tightly sealed. "Well, see, I would, but I misplaced the key."
Gilbert clenched his fists. "Is this some kind of joke? You were sitting on your ass laughing at us the entire time, but you somehow managed to lose the damn key for your magical glass cage with no door!?"
"Language, Gilbert," Bonus chided.
Gilbert was about to form a scathing retort, but Ludwig clapped a hand over his mouth.
"How much time until they run out of air?" he asked sharply.
Bonus shrugged, seeming rather unconcerned. "Depends if they panic or not. With all of them in there, I'd say an hour or two at the most. Though with the little Fortis guard hyperventilating and all, that's not likely."
Ludwig looked in the cage with surprise, where Feli was indeed breathing really quickly, tears running down his face. Lovino was screaming at him to stop, while Lizzie screamed at him for screaming at Feli while he was crying. Arthur, at the same time, was yelling at Francis for sitting too close to him.
Ludwig groaned. They were doomed.
"Where do we look for it?" demanded Gilbert.
Bonus tilted her head. "Well, when Ludwig was singing about that one village, I got nostalgic. So, part of my essence zipped off there for a visit. That must have been the one with the key."
"Essence?" Gilbert repeated. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, Goddess stuff, it doesn't really matter. We can be in several places at once, you know. Anyway, I'll just pop the two of you over there, and you can find it for me!"
"Where do we look?" asked Ludwig. "We can't just comb the whole village!"
"I think I met a boy with brown hair," Bonus said unhelpfully.
"Thanks," Gilbert drawled sarcastically. "We'll be sure to ask every boy with brown hair in the whole village if he met a Goddess today."
"No, wait, I remember!" Bonus said excitedly. "He had brown hair and olive-coloured eyes, and he was smiling really big! You'll know him when you see him; he can't be missed!"
Feliciano and Lovino, who had finally calmed down, were listening to the conversation. Their eyes widened as they listened to the description of the boy. Frantically, they tried to get Gilbert's attention.
Gilbert saw the two brothers yelling at him, but he still couldn't hear what they were saying.
"What?" he asked desperately.
Feli seemed to be mouthing someone's name, but Gilbert couldn't tell what it was. There was a t? Or was it an n?
Lovino pounded on the glass in frustration. Toni, he mouthed. Look for Toni.
Gilbert remembered their conversation the day before, about the Vargas' caretaker.
He nodded to the two, finally understanding. "West. I know who to look for!"
Ludwig looked at him, surprised. "Okay...we have to go, then."
Lovino slapped the glass again. Take quail, he mouthed. Or was it...whale?
Gilbert scratched his head in confusion. "What whale?"
"Hmm? Don't you mean quail? There was a quail here last night," Ludwig remembered.
"Oh," Gilbert realized. "It must be one of their companions. I guess Antonio would trust us if we brought one along."
"But where are they? We're don't have time for this; we'll just have to go without them," Ludwig said.
Bonus walked back over. "Are you done talking to your friends? Ready to go?"
"Yes," Ludwig nodded.
Bonus shook her head. "Oh, Ludwig, you won't be going. Your test has already been completed."
"What?" he asked incredulously. "My brother can't go by himself!"
"He won't," Bonus agreed. She snapped her fingers. Ludwig dissolved and reappeared in the glass cage.
Meanwhile, in said cage, there was an argument going on.
"We have to bust out of here!" Lizzie insisted. "We can't rely on Gilbert to get us out!"
"For once, I agree," Lovino muttered.
Feli sniffed. "But Luddy is with him, so it'll be okay, right?"
That was when Ludwig appeared inside. Feli shrieked and hid behind Lovino, who cursed some more.
Arthur scowled at Bonus, outside the cage. "Okay, now we're doomed. Gilbert cannot do this by himself."
Bonus waved at Arthur playfully and winked. She snapped her fingers again and Francis appeared behind Gilbert.
"Now you can go!" she laughed. "You have two hours, better hurry!"
One last snap, and a bright flash engulfed the room. As this happened, a small furry shape leaped into Francis' arms, and something landed on Gilbert's shoulder and held on with sharp talons. Then everything went white, and they dissolved.
When the world came into focus again, Gilbert wasted no time yelling at Francis.
"Why are you the one who has to come with me? Why not West?"
"If I had to guess," said Francis, cradling Silky, who had come for the ride, "I would say that Lady Bonus decided that Ludwig had already completed his trial. It seems your trial is looking for a person you do not know, with a person you do not like, or your friends will all die."
"Hey, I never said-"
"That you did not like me?" Francis smiled. "Non, I know already. You do not need to worry, it is perfectly natural for you to hate me, seeing as I am Docte and you are Fortis."
"I don't hate you, per se…" Gilbert trailed off.
"But you feel uncomfortable around the Docte," Francis finished. "Like I said, perfectly natural. Let us focus on finding this 'Antonio', and we can talk about it later."
Gilbert nodded uneasily. As much as he disliked the Docte in general, Francis was like family. Their little group was all they had for the quest, so he knew that he should at least make some more effort to become friends with him.
He glanced at Francis. "Look, let's start over. We should be better friends."
Francis nodded. "Oui, I agree. You cannot just stick close to your brother the entire quest! We should all take this as an opportunity, and become as close to each other as possible, so we will be an invincible team!"
Gilbert raised his eyebrows. "Have you been planning that speech?"
"Pretty much ever since we picked up your brother," Francis admitted.
"Well, I agree with you," Gilbert said sheepishly.
They shook hands.
"Now that that's out of the way, we should really get to finding Antonio." Gilbert grinned. "Where should we start looking?"
Francis stroked his chin. "Hmm. How about that building?"
Gilbert looked where the Docte was pointing. The building was shabby and dirty. Someone stumbled out the door and fell over, snoring.
Gilbert looked at the building for a moment. "I'm in!" he declared.
They entered cautiously. Immediately, a bottle came hurling towards Gilbert's face, and he ducked quickly. It shattered behind him, amid drunken laughing. Dorato screeched, upset.
A girl that looked about their age popped up next to them. "Welcome to the local bar!" she chirped. "My name is Bella. We can't serve you our usual, because you're underage, but you are welcome to relax here for as long as you want!"
Francis smiled at her. "Actually, cher, we are just stopping by. You see, we are looking for a boy our age named Antonio. Have you seen him?"
Bella hummed. "No, but the name sounds pretty familiar. I'll ask my big brother, Lars. This is a small village, so he knows everyone!"
She led them to the front counter, dodging drunk people.
"Big brother!" she called.
A man came from the back. He was tall, with spiky hair and a long scarf. He was holding a pipe.
"What is it, Bella?" he asked with a deep voice.
"These two are looking for a boy named Antonio, big brother," she said happily. "Do you know him?"
At the mention of the name, the man noticeably stiffened. "What business do you have with him?" he asked slowly.
"He has something we need," explained Gilbert.
Lars curled his lip. "I do not know where that idiot is, nor would I ever want to. Go ask someone else."
"But sir!" protested Francis. "We have very little time, and I'm sure that you know him, by the way you talk as if you hate his guts. Please, can you tell us where he is?"
Lars shook his head. "Why should I? I just met you. What you do is not my concern."
Gilbert scowled. "Fine. Can you at least tell us where he lives?"
Lars raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I know that information?"
"You seem like you have a history with him," Francis remarked. "Please, just tell us and we'll go away."
Lars heaved a sigh. "All your questioning is useless. Go ask him yourself." With that, he pointed to the corner of the bar, where the very man that they were looking for was laughing to himself and drinking from a cup that looked suspiciously like something that he was not allowed to be drinking from.
Gilbert grinned. "Hey, thanks, bro!"
Lars rubbed his forehead. "Just leave me alone. And if you're not going to buy anything, get out."
Francis and Gilbert made a beeline for Antonio, thanking Bella quickly. When they got to him, his smile widened when he saw the two.
"Hello," Francis said carefully.
"¡Hola, mi amigos! What...can I do for you?" Antonio asked, taking another swig.
"First, I think, you should stop drinking when you are clearly underage," commented Francis dryly.
Antonio shook his head stubbornly. "Don't know what you're talking about."
Gilbert swiped the cup away from him.
"Hey!" Antonio protested.
"We need your help, Antonio. It will not do for you to be completely drunk," Francis reprimanded.
"How do you know my name? And why are you bothering me?" Toni pouted.
"Like I said, we are in need of your assistance."
Antonio frowned. "I only help Lovi and Feli. They left a long time ago, you know. I feel really sad a lot of the time now, so what can I do but come here? If it will help me forget my sorrows for at least one day, I will come every time."
"That...was surprisingly dark," Gilbert said. "Okay, Antonio, I can tell you're a happy guy usually, right?"
Toni nodded dazedly.
"What if we told you that we need your help to save Feli and Lovino?" Francis said slowly.
Antonio sat up with a jolt. "Lovi and Feli are in danger?!"
"Yes!" Gilbert said encouragingly. "That's why we need your help."
Toni scowled, eyes darkening. "How can I trust you? What if you're just luring me into a trap? What if you're the ones hurting mi tomate?"
Francis sighed. "I can see why you would think that. However, we are friends. Here is proof."
He turned around to reveal the lemur that had been clinging to his back the entire time. Gilbert caught on and revealed Dorato, who had ruffled feathers from trying to stay on the albino's shoulder.
Antonio's eyes widened. "Is that Lovi's bird?"
"Ja, and Feli's lemur. They sent them with us to show you that they need you help!" Gilbert said happily.
Antonio stood up, shaking his head like a dog. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on," Francis said. "We need to know if you met a strange lady earlier today."
Toni tilted his head. "Well, now that you mention it, yeah, I did! She seemed to just appear out of thin air, so I asked her who she was. She just laughed and winked, then pressed an small object into my hand. When I blinked, she was gone. It was really weird!"
Francis nearly laughed in relief. "Manifique! Where is the object?"
Toni rubbed his head. "Hmm...let's see. After she was gone, I put it in my pocket and came here. Then I drank some of that stuff-" he gestured to the cup Gilbert was still holding- "and then you guys came!"
"So it's in your pocket?" Francis asked patiently.
Antonio checked it. "Nope!"
Gilbert groaned. "Where is it, then?"
Antonio frowned. "I think it's at my house. I might have changed out of the sweater I was wearing before I came here."
"We're pressed for time here; let's go!" Gilbert said impatiently. "Remember, Feli and Lovino are in trouble!"
Antonio rushed out of the bar without another word. Francis and Gilbert scrambled to follow, Lars yelling something about paying behind them.
They burst out of the door to see Antonio pelting down the street. "This way, amigos!" he called.
When they finally arrived, they found Antonio at the door of a rather large house. He opened it and beckoned them inside.
"There's the sweater," he told them. "Grab the object while I go get something. I'll be right back."
Gilbert searched the pockets of the sweater and held up the key victoriously.
"How do we get back?" he asked Francis.
He shrugged. "I believe we just ask Lady Bonus to bring us back, and she will."
"Should we really bring Antonio?" Gilbert whispered."He seems a little..."
He couldn't finish his sentence, however, because Antonio entered the room holding a-
"Antonio, is that what I think it is?" Francis asked slowly.
Antonio had a determined look. "It's payback for whoever hurt Feli and Lovi. Let's go."
Gilbert swallowed nervously. "Uh, okay." He raised his voice. "Lady Bonus, bring us back!"
Immediately, they began to disintegrate. The last thing Gilbert saw was Antonio grinning and clutching his extremely sharp, blood-stained axe tightly.
Meanwhile, in the temple, Bonus was lying in front of the cage, lazily scratching a picture into the ground with a knife. Feliciano was huddled up in the corner, sniffling, while Ludwig tried to keep him calm. Lizzie was staring at the goddess with disgust, and Arthur and Lovino were quietly seething.
"Hey," said Arthur finally, breaking the silence. "You do know that if we die, the world will end."
Bonus looked up at him, then cupped her hand around her ear in the symbol for 'speak up, I can't hear you'.
Arthur knew it was bait for him to start shouting, so he just shook his head. Bonus sighed and waved her hand.
"It's not soundproof anymore," she explained. "Can you say that again?"
"I said that if we die, the world will end," he repeated angrily.
Bonus yawned. "I'm sure that my sisters and I can handle some silly shadows."
Lovino spoke up furiously. "Yeah, sure you can. That's why the Great Mother chooses the champions in the first place," he snarled.
Bonus waved her hand, unconcerned. "Oh, Mother always exaggerates. How strong can one shadow god be against all three of us goddesses?"
Arthur scowled. "How dense are you? You're willing to kill off the heroes and two completely innocent people just so the Fortis, who are one part of the entire team, can prove their bravery? There are better ways to do that without threatening the entire world."
Bonus shrugged. "Like I've said a million times, blame Proelium. If you survive, you can go tell her all this yourself."
Lizzie, who was listening in, groaned. "So, if we make it to the Bellator temple, we can expect an even worse challenge?"
"Probably," said Bonus cheerfully.
"Great," Lovino deadpanned. "Now please tell me why you got me and my fratello involved."
Bonus giggled. "You may think it is simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, my dear, but I assure you that everything has a reason. Why, if it weren't for you being in danger, Toni wouldn't help Gilbert and Francis! And if Toni didn't help, then the rest of the heroes would die. You see?"
Lovino's eyes widened. "Antonio isn't going to come here, is he?"
"I don't know," Bonus admitted. "I'll teleport them back when they call upon me, and I suppose that if dear Toni is with them when they do, he will appear too."
Feliciano looked up, a fearful look on his tear-streaked face. "B-but big brother Antonio is scary when he's mad," he whimpered.
Arthur regarded him curiously. "What does he do when he's angry?"
Feli got a far-away look in his eyes. "Once, Lovi and I sneaked over to the big Fortis city without telling him. We met a really nice boy there. He told us that his big brother was just like Antonio, so we became friends for a few hours. He even gave us some food, but it tasted too plain."
Ludwig inhaled sharply, but Feli didn't notice and kept telling his story.
"We lost track of time, and it got dark. The boy said he had to go, but Lovi and I couldn't find our way back to the village. We wandered around the city, but it was really dark and scary. Antonio found us at about midnight, and he looked terrifying. He..."
"He was clutching a giant axe," Lovino broke in harshly. "He had a murderous look in his eye, and he scared us senseless. Later, he told us that one of the worst gangs in Fortis city was hiding out close to where we were, and were coming closer to us. The axe was..." He faltered.
Lizzie bit her lip. "So if Gilbert and Francis tell him our situation..."
"He'll grab his axe, teleport over here, and all hell will break loose," Lovino finished.
Arthur clenched his fists. "Are you happy now?" he yelled at Bonus. "We don't have time for these kinds of complications!"
She smirked. "How was I to know they had a mentally unstable caretaker?"
Lovino's eyes blazed. "Don't insult him like that!"
Lizzie crossed her arms. "Lady, that is not something you make fun of."
Bonus looked a little uncomfortable. She waved her hand, and the cage became soundproof again.
"Well, that whole conversation just made our situation switch from bad to worse," Arthur snapped.
Ludwig shifted uneasily. As Arthur ranted to Lizzie and Lovino, he cleared his throat quietly and tapped Feli on the shoulder.
"Ve~ What is it, Luddie?" Feli asked.
Ludwig mustered up a small smile. "I apologize for the inconveniences we have caused you and your brother."
Feli laughed. "It's not your fault, Luddie! I mean, it's not like you gave us bad food or anything, right? Now that would be an insult!"
Ludwig winced. "Actually..."
They were interrupted by Lizzie shouting, "Arthur, shut up right now!"
Arthur glared at her. "I can do whatever I bloody well please."
She coughed. "No, we all have to stop talking. The air..."
Ludwig inhaled, surprised at how little oxygen he seemed to be getting. He saw Feli's eyes becoming panicked, so he gave him a calming look. It seemed to work, and Feli drew in another shallow breath shakily without freaking out.
Arthur sat down and tried to quell his rising fear. They had been fools to rely on Gilbert. They were really going to die, right here.
"I'm sorry, Alfred," he whispered to himself. "I failed."
He looked around the cage. Feli was hugging Ludwig, who seemed too weak to pry him off. Lovino was glaring daggers at everyone, especially Ludwig, but he seemed to be losing his strength, too. Lizzie was closing her eyes and trying to take shallow breaths. Unfortunately, five humans consume too much air, and the supply was rapidly dwindling. Arthur's vision flickered as his brain tried to function without enough oxygen. Just as his sight was fading, he sensed something moving outside the cage.
Bonus had stood up, and was looking at them grimly.
A strange strength filled Arthur as his hate for the goddess burned within him. He somehow struggled to his feet, trying to focus on Bonus through his swimming vision. He took in as much oxygen as he could, and charged at the glass, shoulder out. He hit it with a painful bump, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the goddess. Arthur collapsed, coughing. He just wanted to do something, to not feel so damn helpless. Lovino apparently agreed, as he had also staggered upright, and was hitting the glass weakly. This only lasted for a second, however, before he ran out of steam.
Bonus glanced up like she was receiving a message. She snapped her fingers, but Arthur didn't see what happened next, as darkness had already overcome him.
Gilbert blinked. The blurry room was sharpening, and he shook his head to clear it. He saw that he was back in the temple, still clenching the key tightly in his hand. Francis was beside him, rubbing his eyes. Antonio, however, was charging at Bonus with his axe held aloft.
Bonus looked like she was expecting this, however, and promptly disappeared. Antonio whipped his head around wildly, then spotted the cage. Feli, Ludwig, and Lizzie were already unconscious, but their chests still rose and fell extremely slowly. Arthur and Lovino didn't appear to be breathing at all.
Antonio immediately ran over to the cage and prepared to swing at it with the axe.
"Hey, hey, stop!" shouted Gilbert desperately. "You're going to hurt them if you smash it!"
"I have to save Lovi!" Antonio snarled.
Gilbert hurriedly jammed the key in and pulled the heavy padlock off. The 'door' swung open.
"They're not breathing!" Gilbert shouted. Antonio began to pump Lovino's chest furiously. Francis quickly did the same for Arthur.
Lovino finally started to breath again. He remained unconscious, but was out of the worst danger. Antonio sat down next to Lovino and brushed some of his hair out of his face. "You're safe," he sighed in relief.
Francis made sure Arthur was breathing properly while Gilbert got Ludwig out, then returned for Lizzie and Feli. They were all breathing normally now, but it was evident that they had suffered from oxygen deprivation, obviously.
A few minutes later, Ludwig, Lizzie, and Feli began to wake up. Antonio hugged Feli fiercely.
"Big brother Antonio, please don't be mad," Feli cried. "We didn't mean to get into trouble!"
"I know, Feli, don't worry," Antonio comforted. "It was the woman who was here before, wasn't it?"
Feli rubbed his eyes. "She's Lady Bonus, the Fortis goddess, so we can't do anything about it. But Lovi and I can come home now, right?"
Antonio nodded fervently. "There's no way I'd let you stay here after that."
Gilbert smiled nervously. "Um, Antonio, that's nice and all, but you can put the axe down now."
Toni seemed surprised that he was still holding it, and he set it down and pushed it away with his foot. "Sorry about that," he apologized. "It's for special cases only. When someone threatens my hermonitos, I make sure they never can again."
On that ominous note, he ended the conversation.
Francis glanced uneasily at Arthur, who still hadn't woken up. "How long did we take?" he asked worriedly.
Lizzie coughed again. "Too long for my liking. We were all pretty much dead by the time you got back!"
Francis put up his hands in a calming gesture. "I'm very sorry about that! You see, there were some complications, and a bar…"
"A bar?!" Lizzie shrieked. "You wasted your time drinking when our lives were at stake?!"
"No, no!" Francis protested. "We found Antonio in a bar! We weren't going there for ourselves!"
Lizzie glared at him. "I don't trust you. If Arthur and Lovino don't wake up, I'm never going to speak to you again," she hissed.
Francis nearly cried with frustration. All his efforts, gone. Curse trust. Hard to build, extremely easy to break.
At that moment, Lovino, who was still propped up next to the cage, started coughing violently. He took a deep breath, then opened his eyes.
He didn't have the chance to look around, however, because Antonio crushed him in a hug.
"Lovi! Mi tomate! You're okay!" he sobbed.
Lovino pushed him off, gasping in pain. "Get off, you damn crybaby! Why are you here?"
"You were in trouble, so I had to come save you!" Toni said, hugging him again.
Lovino struggled to throw his arms off. "I don't need your help! I can take care of myself!"
"You can come home now, Lovi!" Antonio laughed, ignoring him. "You should see the tomato garden, it's huge! I'll never let you two go again!"
Lovino flailed and cursed, but Antonio wouldn't let go. Feli thought it looked like fun, so he joined in.
"What a nice family reunion," said a voice out of nowhere.
Gilbert quickly pinpointed the noise, and saw none other that Bonus floating near the ceiling, out of harm's reach.
"You have a lot of nerve coming back," he growled.
She shrugged. "I still have to finish the official procedure."
Antonio looked up and saw the goddess. "You," he spat.
She seemed unconcerned. "Me," she said calmly.
"Haven't you messed with their lives enough?" Antonio said vehemently, indicating Lovino and Feliciano. "Go away and never come near us again."
"Okay." Bonus turned to Gilbert and Ludwig. "I officially bless you with the Fortis spirit. May the rest of your journey go smoothly, and always remember that the bravery of the entire Fortis clan is with you."
Gilbert didn't feel any different, but he guessed that the blessing was the reason that they had to stop at the temple in the first place.
"Now that we're done, I'm leaving," said Bonus. Ignoring a 'good riddance' from Antonio, she snapped her fingers one last time, and disappeared.
Antonio stood up, Lovino and Feliciano behind him. "Thank you for your help," he said to the group. "We will be going to our own village now. By the way, where are Silky and Dorato?"
"We left them in your house," Gilbert explained. "We didn't want them to be involved in any possible combat."
"Wait," Ludwig spoke up, consulting a map. "Your village is quite far away from here, and it seems we will not be getting any more magical teleportation. Going by yourselves would be dangerous."
"You can travel with us!" Lizzie said excitedly. "The village is on our way, and a crowd of people is much safer than a few individuals."
"Hell no," Lovino spat, but Antonio seemed to be considering it.
"Okay, sounds good!" he exclaimed, and Lovino groaned.
During this discussion, Francis was sitting next to Arthur, who was still breathing very shallowly. The Omnes' face was untroubled, almost peaceful, in sleep. None of the frown lines that usually creased his face showed.
Francis sighed. "I'm sorry, mon petit lapin," he said. "I fear I was too late. I am scared that it is my fault," he whispered. Apparently not quietly enough, however, as Lizzie came to sit beside them as well, regarding the Docte with hostility.
"As far as I'm concerned, it is your fault. Now come on, we're staying here for the night and leaving in the morning," she said.
Francis and Lizzie pulled Arthur up and supported him down the hall to the room with the beds. After depositing him in one, the rest of the group, including Antonio, Lovino, and Feliciano, all crashed in their own beds.
