That's What You Get {Playing With Fire}
Start: Chapter One
I.
The truck door opening blinded me for a moment, light spilling into the compartment and sending harsh glares into my eyes. I blinked rapidly, just making out the dark shape reaching for me and hauling me up and out. I felt the cramps in my legs anew, and the burn in my arms for being restrained for hours worsened at the not-so-gentle touch.
I was set on my feet and pushed towards a door. I stumbled forward, meekly accepting the nonverbal order. Every step burned but every time I tried to stop and rest I was pushed forward. The door hadn't seemed that far when I started off.
Eventually I made it, stepping into a room that was too white and yet so filled with black – the dark costumes of the creepers moving everywhere. It made me catch my breath and tense, desperate to flee. But the creeper seemed to sense this and stopped trying to make me walk, picking me up and half-dragging me instead.
A few moments of pause in which my captor spoke to another figure in black. I caught a few words, "sensory… sound… put him with the other one…" but could not make sense of what any of them meant. Then we were off again, down a hallway, and through a door.
I was dumped unceremoniously on the ground, on which I then crumpled. Footsteps headed out the door, which I heard close and lock.
I peeked out from my spot on the floor, took in the white room and the two beds. I blinked, struck by how normal it seemed, and then the room was filled with things that did not exist.
Little women with wings flitted around my face, glowing orbs of light that giggled and chattered. A horse with a horn headed towards me, brown eyes gazing at me silently. A couple pockets of lights burst, raining down rainbows.
This wasn't possible. What was this place? I shrank against the door.
All of a sudden a boy was walking towards me. I glanced at his blonde head, trying to calm myself as he grabbed my arm and pulled me right through the creatures. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the… guards of the room I guessed. The things that should not exist.
"Bloody hell, they can't even touch you! There was no reason to freak out like that!
I looked through my eyelids at the boy. He was slightly shorter than me, but only by a couple centimeters, had ash-blonde hair, bushy eyebrows, and a scowl that looked rather permanent. I bit my lip. Who was he?
He stared at me, eyes narrowing the slightest amount, in thought I supposed. "Haven't you ever seen hallucinations before?" he asked. "Sorry if they caught you off guard, whenever that door opens, it's become a habit to throw them up. Surprise the creepers, you know."
I took a couple shuddering breaths. This boy was a muttie. He made hallucinations. That explained it.
"No, I haven't seen hallucinations… My brothers and I, we usually kept to ourselves," I said softly. "I'm Roderich. I make music."
The boy's eyes widened now, in surprise. "Sound… Don't see many of those among us sensory mutties. We're almost always sight. Well, I'm Arthur. You've just been stuffed in my room, so I guess you're my new roommate. My last one ran away. And they'll never get him." Arthur sent a pointed look at the door. "And if you're lucky, you won't be in here very long. He went out to get help, my old roommate did. Heard tell of some fire elemental muttie. He's air, you see. The two elements together, they could do just about anything. Including bust this place open."
Intrigued as I was, I didn't know much about what Arthur was saying. Sensory, elemental… One thing stuck out at me. A fire elemental…
"This fire elemental… What did you hear of him?" I listened to how quiet my voice was compared to Arthur's who almost shouted what he said and spoke in a mild British accent, toned down with American and stuffed with Southern highlights.
Arthur sucked in a breath. "It's amazing, really. We've heard he can pull fire out of the air just by snapping! He goes around with these two other kids… Both mutties, and the creepers we overheard it from think they're related. And I believe they said something about him looking like he came from the fire itself… Red eyes and all."
Smiling, I looked Arthur right in the eye. "We'll get out all right. And I don't think you're old roommate will have to go far. That's my brother. And you bet he's already coming for me."
II.
Gilbert could hear the quiet movements of Ludwig behind him, could imagine the mental battle the young boy was having. To approach or not to approach… Hopefully the kid had the good sense to stay away. Gilbert was at the end of his fuse, shaking, and only wanting one thing – his brother back with him and the three of them all on their way out of the state, if not country.
Why had he kept running? He should have turned around, should have shot the creeper to the ground for daring to lay a hand on Roderich. Weak, quiet Roderich. His music could have concussive qualities, yes, but once he'd shot once, he wouldn't again. And he could be so damn stupid, always trying to look after Gilbert, even though it was obvious who was the one who needed looking after.
A movement just outside the building caught Gilbert's eye and he slowly stood up, one hand raised in a defensive position. He could hear the rustle of clothing as Ludwig also stood, and the two brothers faced the door together, staying as quiet as possible, tensed and ready to fight.
Though now Gilbert was wondering if he should – if it was the creepers, why resist? They would take him to his brother.
The door opened a crack, and a voice obviously teenaged called through. "Please don't hurt me, I just need a place to crash for the night!"
Quizzically, Gilbert stared at the door. Another teenager? But the only kids who wandered about… He lowered his hand the slightest amount, but did not give any offer to let the owner of the voice in.
Apparently, no offer was needed, as the door opened more and a tall blonde stepped in. He was dressed all in blue, the clothes dirty and obviously well-used. He glanced around the room, looking at anything but the two brothers.
"I'd forgotten about these places until I saw you in here," he muttered. "I didn't realize that people still kept them up."
Now Gilbert lowered his hand fully and stepped forward, taking in the boy. He didn't look particularly impressive, but you could never tell… You could never tell who were the dangerous ones.
"Not all norms hate us," he said softly, running a hand through his white hair. "Who are you?" Gilbert had never been one to beat around the bush. That had been Roderich's job.
The boy finally looked at Gilbert, his blue eyes meeting the red. Gilbert watched him flinch back, then lean forward, eyes widening in surprise. "You-you're the fire kid!"
"I prefer Gilbert," he said dryly, deciding that whoever this kid was, he wasn't the brightest. Couldn't even answer a normal question.
A beaming smile broke across the kid's face. "I can't believe it! I found you, so quickly!"
Gilbert's eyes widened as the boy flew, literally flew, across the room and landed before him, leaning towards his face and jabbering excitedly. "I'm Alfred. I've heard about you, heard a lot! Can you really just snap and fire comes out? You do know that fire is the most rare elemental power, right? I'm just an air, the most common elemental, you know. But I don't care; it's awesome being able to fly! I think my old roommate was even jealous of it…"
Finally the words stopped, but not before Gilbert's head was spinning. Suspiciously, he stared at Alfred, half expecting him to start up again. "What's the matter?" he asked. People aren't supposed to just randomly stop talking.
"I almost forgot why I was looking for you. And now I remember and I remember Arthur and… I can't believe I left him there."
Hearing Ludwig step up next to him, Gilbert stole a glance at his younger brother. Calm. It seemed as if he was the most lucky, having the physical attributes that Gilbert had and the relaxed demeanor of Roderich. Of course, his power was the least impressive, but even it was awesome.
"Gilbert… See, I remember your name now!" Alfred's beaming smile broke through his sadness for a second before once again he remembered something. "Wait, don't let me get sidetracked. I need your help. You see, I'm a runaway. From the creepers. And I need your help in freeing my roommate, Arthur."
Finding that he couldn't speak – this was all just too perfect! – Gilbert let Ludwig talk, not breaking in like he normally would.
"It just so happens, Alfred, that you have come at a convenient time to ask for such a thing," the preteen said in his unexpectedly commanding voice. "For you see, our brother was just captured. And I believe that I speak for both of us when I say that it has been our only thought since then that we get him back."
The two older boys smiled, but for reasons quite different. Gilbert could imagine that Alfred was grinning because he had succeeded in this first part of his mission. But Gilbert himself was showing teeth because it was true, he had been thinking only about ways to free Roderich. And only now did he realize it.
III.
The man stood in front of the window, his face in complete shadow. But everyone around him could feel the frown on his face in the atmosphere of the room as he looked in on the two boys. Only he could hear what they were saying, but they all could feel the tension. And tension is even less good than usual when you don't know what causes it.
Finally he turned back to the other people. "He is still spreading that rumor. Why have you not found the escapee yet? Two days. It should not take you this long. Damn it, damn all of you, he has been marked!"
A few people trembled, a couple hid behind clipboards.
"But sir," some brave soul called. "The marker's signal has been interrupted!"
"That's impossible!" The first man snapped. "Our markers are infallible. The best in the world. Let the other countries have runaways. Let them chase mutties across the globe. Let them sweat it out, for they know they will answer to us. We do not lose kids here! We have never lost one and then you all but let some flying boy ditch because you are afraid he'll kick you in the head! Stupid!"
"Think what you like," a cool voice called out from the back of the room, "but your underling speaks true. I have checked it myself. The signal has been interrupted."
The people parted, letting a tall woman with waist-length brown hair to the man by the window. The two faced each other as equals, but no one missed the clearly superior attitude of the woman.
"How can you be so calm about this?" Two brown eyes stared from the man's face. "What a nightmare. If we cannot bring them all here, where will they be when the time comes? Dead, that's where they'll be! We have to protect our future."
Laughing softly, the woman gently put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Do not worry. We will get them all. But have you never considered another approach? Honestly. Children do not like being chased. It is the reason why they run without even needing to know who they are running from."
"You have another idea?"
"You know me too well."
End: Chapter One
Author's Note: I know, I know, too long since an update. But guess what? It's Thanksgiving break! Yay! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please continue to review!
StarGazer453 – Have I ever mentioned how much I love that you stalk all of my fics? I should, because I do…
EhCanuck – Why thank you! And no worries, a whole bunch of different Hetalia characters will be showing up in this one…
APHxENGLAND – Of course! And it's fantasy just for you my friend. Because I know how much you love it.
Lightning834 – Yes, it's really different from what I normally do, huh?