MW: This is one massively late update, am I right? I feel like I had a really good excuse (something do to with the play I was in), but I'll just skim over that old line. Anyways, it seems as though this series will not end by the end of this month, especially when I have a 20+ page paper due at the beginning of April. For now, let's say that we'll finish this all up by April 10th (aka: the anniversary of FG's first chapter).

Thank you to everybody who has stuck with me for so long, especially HimekoUchia, greydragon987, NotSilentAnymore, Isuckatreviewing, and Krinos Bara. In the second AN is a link to a post on my writing blog about my next Hetalia fanfiction that I may or may not do. It's really important, so even if you guys have better stuff to do, I beg you to please check it out.

And last but not least, Christoph Andretti's 2015 Hetalia Awards are back in town. This year, Larry and Leah (from Kidnapped by Straight Men) have been nominated for Best Male/Female OC respectively. The competition is really stiff, but please check it out and give them a little vote. It would be pretty hilarious is a homophobe and a lesbian won the same category.

I've talked enough. Enjoy!

Chapter Summary: Larry and Sherry are ready to go down with a fight, but there are still secrets yet be revealed.

Warnings: Strong language, mentions of death, and mild violence.

~Chapter 13~

Fandom and Canon

"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance."

-George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and co-founder of the London School of Economics

The Fanboy: The Void

It worked, though I didn't realize it at first.

The infinite blackness of the void was an accurate depiction of what I imagined death was like: empty, limitless, sensationless. Yet, as I rubbed the pads of my fingers on the ground beneath me and my fellows woke up one by one with irritated groans, I realized that I was still alive and my plan had worked. Man that was lucky. I found myself giving a humored chuckle, even though I didn't think it was funny. If anything, I was relieved. I still had some time left. I still had a chance to think.

Lars's irritated drawl cut through my daze. "Okay, who's up?" he demanded.

"Me," Sadiq groaned.

"I am." That sounded like Sherry.

"What is this place?" Ari asked. I didn't have time to wonder why he was among us when Antonio's panic shout muted everyone else.

"Where's Larry?" he demanded. I heard him shuffle to his feet, ignoring everyone else as he rambled. "Himaruya better not have taken him, or else I'll-" He gasped. "Larry!" His feet pounded on the ground and, the next thing I knew, he was sliding to join me on the ground. His eyes were damp with worry, but he wasn't crying. The tears that wanted to line his eyes were replaced by deep sets of worry lines, surrounding his eyes like the veins of a leaf. Trembling, he cupped my face and lifted my head onto his lap. "Are you alright?" he asked.

I smiled, though it was hard to do. I felt wasted. I felt like someone had taken a spoon and scooped my insides clean. Even though I knew I was not injured, my stomach still felt wounded. My arm hurt too, though it was hard to say where thatcame from. "Yeah. I'm okay," I said.

Relief flooded his features. "Thank God." He looked down at me, his face suddenly hard. "Don't you realize how dumb that was?" he demanded. "You could have died! Where would I be then? I can't lose you!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, you sure can't lose your one-sided homosexual romance. That would be a crime."

He frowned at my snide, though he didn't get the chance to call me immature, insensitive, and every other insult in the book. Ari's panicked voice cut through the air once again. "Seriously, what the hell is this place?" He ran his fingers through his hair, on the verge of hyperventilating as he stalked around in a circle. "Are we dead? Did I die? Oh God, what if I'm hallucinating?"

Sadiq grabbed his shoulders, holding him in place. "Calm down, Kid," he ordered. "This is that in between world Hidekaz told us about."

Ari squeaked. "But why amI here?"

Lars shrugged. "Maybe because you were in the room when we got sent here?" he offered.

"Wouldn't Belarus be stuck here as well?" Sherry pointed out with a finger on her chin.

Ari's bewildered eyes shot towards her. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Why are you asking?" she demanded, raising her voice in irritation. "I know you're, like, in panic mode and shit, but you know how I look like!" Ari responded with a series of incoherent noises, each more distressed than the last. Sadiq tightened his grip on Ari's shoulders, trying to quell the teenager's anxiety with soothing words, but his attempts seemed to only make things worse.

I groaned and sat up. "You know, I had a perfectly serious inner narration going on and you ruined it with your freaking out," I snapped. Somehow, that cut through his panic attack with enough force to silence his shouting. "Now get a grip before I get up and punch you out of it myself."

Ari blinked and, for a brief moment, I thought that he was going to listen to me. Then he cupped his hands over his mouth as he gasped. "Larry, is that you?"

"You're reallytesting my patience here, Icey."

He pulled out of Sadiq's grip, stumbling over his feet as he ran towards me. He slid onto his knees and allowed his remaining momentum to carry him to my side. He caught me by the shoulders, his head just scraping the side of mine. "Play along," he whispered.

His voice was quick and fleeting, but it was enough to convey everything I needed to know. I tightened my hands into a fist. He was pretending. His cool head reigned once again, giving him the freedom to do whatever he needed. I skimmed my gaze over our wide-eyed audience. I didn't know exactly who he was trying to fool, but it had to be one of them. Why else would I be the only one let into the loop?

Ari rocked me from my thoughts once again as his hands were suddenly patting my stomach the same way one tests a bed. "But you have more abs than me!" he exclaimed, continuing his act. His forehead creased as he lifted the hem of his shirt just enough for me to see his dead white, muscle-less stomach. "I'm older than you. How do you-"

"Sorry for being late, chaps." Hidekaz appeared at the edge of our group, taking a few steps to signify his presence. Each one landed soundlessly on the black floor as he adjusted the cuffs of his coat.

I frowned at his cool expression, wishing that I could just smack it away. "Where were you?" I demanded, pushing Ari away. He fell back with a squeak that turned into anxious mumbling. I pretended to not notice Antonio bowing his head in respect to the blond man. "We needed you back there. What the frack were you doing?"

Hidekaz shrugged away my concerns. "Not my fault there. While Belarus and I were seeking out my sibling, we got wind that something had happened to France. England panicked and took temporary control of his body once again. We spent the time searching for France, not that it matters though. Even if the plan did not work out exactly, we still managed to bring everyone into the mutual domain. In my opinion, all is well."

"But it's not," Sadiq hissed beneath his breath, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Hidekaz turned towards him, raising a thick brow. "Really? How so?"

I remembered what Antonio had told me about Sadiq. He had betrayed us and even dared to drag Sherry down with him. Yet, while his face contorted with guilt, Sherry picked at her nails in complete oblivion. Neither of them looked capable of turning their backs on me, yet there was no amount of denial that could have masked the quiver in Sadiq's voice when he said, "It's nothing."

Ari broke his facade long enough to give me a quick but serious look, one that confirmed that his pops was lying. Ari pressed his lips, as if to order me not to call him out on it, before returning to his nervous rambling. I glared at the Turkish man. Every inch of me wanted to smack the truth from him, but I had to restrain myself. Ari was planning something. I couldn't ruin that for him.

Antonio, however, had no such qualms.

"Don't act so innocent. I know what you did." He rose to his feet, approaching Hidekaz with a combined brash and respectful air. "Boss, I know for a fact that he and Sherry-" Said girl exclaimed her objections "-have betrayed us. If anything happened to France, then they would know."

"I didn't betray anyone!" Sherry shouted.

"Don't get her involved in this!" Sadiq barked. "Yeah, I went against the plan but only because..." He trailed off, his golden eyes widening as a memory dawned on him. His face snapped towards me. I flinched. "Larry, Antonio-"

"How is that not a betrayal?" Antonio demanded, throwing his hands up in frustration. "If you knew what is at stake here-"

"Stop acting all high and mighty!" Sadiq yelled. "You're the cheater you! You-"

I opened my mouth, prepared to scream for them to stop acting like children when Lars's crisp cough cut through the air. Every pair of eyes turned their glances towards him as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. "I hate to interrupt, but we have business to attend to," he stated plainly.

Antonio rolled his eyes. "Of course you'd be the first to defend him," he sneered. I flinched, suddenly realizing how tense the atmosphere had gotten. Even Sherry looked disturbed by it, hugging her arms to her chest in an effort burn away the chill. I felt an objection of my own rise like bile up my throat, but it died when I saw the lines of stress on Antonio's face. He was acting so rudely because he's worried, I realized. He was frightened and scared and had no idea what to do. His cheerful demeanor could not stand up to this pressure.

Lars found his cigarette and, with the same nonchalance, placed it in his mouth. "I have no reason to defend him," he said as he fished his lighter from his pocket. When it was lit, he pulled the cigarette from his mouth and blew a long stream of gray smoke. "I killed France."

A silent moment in which no one was sure what to even think of the news passed over us. Then, as the three words were slowly registered, our faces broke into horror. Sherry gasped and covered her mouth while my stomach dropped into a sick well. Sadiq looked away, contrite, as Antonio's glare chipped into a stun stare. Ari forgot about his act and sat on the ground unmoving.

Yet, through it this, Lars only shrugged and puffed smoke from his mouth. Nothing about him even hinted to the slightest trace of regret or sadness.

He simply did not care.

I wanted to barf.

My hand shot into my pocket. I wrapped my sweaty fingers around my knife. Disgust churned in my stomach. My eyes narrowed. It was Alfred all over again. I lost someone else.

Something in my head shattered.

I shuffled through my memories, searching for a hint, a sign pointing towards this. Where was the divergence in the road? Which path should I have taken to keep him glued to my side like the friend he should have been? I thought back to everything- to our conversation under the stars, the way he carried me on his back- but nowhere in the seams could I see him turning his back on me.

Except.

Except he loved Mathias. He held Mathias to his heart like the Dane was his life force. How he treasured every breath his friend made, every slight glance of the eye. Lars loved Mathias in a way that transcended any labels and my own understanding. Strings of fate tied them together, circling their pinkies like soul mates and necks like killers.

I choked.

But Lars killed a France.

Our friend.

Hisfriend.

And he did not care.

I felt sick. I couldn't bear to look at him anymore.

"What?" Hidekaz's eyes turned red as tears leaked down his face. His limbs shook as though a never-ending earthquake ran through them. Slowly, as if the very effort caused him pain, he brought his hands to his mouth, covering it just as he gave a broken sob. Biting my lip, I joined Sadiq in reaching out to comfort him when he suddenly shouted, "Not France! Not my stupid frog! Not-"

"He'll be fine," he snapped to himself. I retracted my hand, unsure of what I was seeing. "No he's not- yes he is! Keep it together- I can't!" His face contorted as two different expressions fought for dominance on his face. His mouth tried to purse with determination as his eyes continued to cry in despair. All the while, he went back in forth in his one-sided conversation, stuck somewhere between wanting to wail for France and wanting to continue on.

Except, the more he talked, the less I thought it was one sided. As he placed his hands on the side of his head, shouting for someone to "get the bloody fuck out" of his head, his voice turned slightly more feminine as he replied, "you're in this until the end!"

"What's going on?" Ari breathed as everyone exchanged concerned looks. How were we supposed to help him when he seemed like he was getting crazier by the second.

As quickly as it started, it stopped.

Hidekaz stopped shaking and his breathing returned to normal. His hands fell from his head, revealing the determined countenance as the winner. All his crying was gone, though the dirty trails on his cheeks remained. Taking a deep breath, he smoothed his hands over his hair. "Forgive me," he said, regaining his composure. "I lost control there."

"Of yourself?" Antonio asked.

He shrugged. "In a way. England retook possession of his body for a moment and he refused to give it back."

I remembered all the times Liechtenstein had done that to me. The thought of that complete loss of feeling made my skin crawl. At least Hidekaz had enough will to fight England away. Once Liechtenstein gained control, it was by her own accord to leave. "Why did he do it?" I asked.

Everyone looked at me as though I was an idiot. "Because his boyfriend just died," Hidekaz stated. "Really, Larry, You can be so dense at times." I scowled as he clapped his hands, signaling a change in the subject. "Anyways, we need to get a move on. Although the plan is in shambles, we still have a chance of separating Himaruya from Prussia."

"So we're going to ignore the fact that Lars not only betrayed us, but also killed France?" Antonio demanded, looking even angrier than before.

Hidekaz's shoulders fell. "I suppose that does offer an issue." He turned towards the traitor, narrowing his green eyes into a sharp glare. "If you have a fair reason, you better give it now. I just might be merciful with you."

Lars raised his chin, unfazed by the threatening tone of Hidekaz's tone. He stuck a thumb in his pants pocket, posing like the stereotypical thug. He pulled his cigarette from his mouth, positioning it between his fingers like it was his prop. "I told you that I would follow you as long as I got to free Mathias," he said. "But Mathias isn't imprisoned anymore. He hasn't been for a long time. I'd rather stand by my best friend than by a liar like you."

Hidekaz's mouth twitched. Gone was all trance of gentlemanly courtesy. Contempt consumed his face, causing his green eyes to flare with unspeakable fury. "I am nota liar," he stated, voice echoing off the Void's nonexistent walls.

I saw Sadiq roll his eyes, muttering a small "yeah right" under his breath.

Green eyes pinned their venomous gaze on him. "Is there something you'd like to share?" Hidekaz asked, barely able to contain himself.

Sadiq looked down at Sherry (who was drawing circles on the ground and pretending none of this was happening) before looking back up at him. His eyes then drifted towards me and stayed on me for a haunting second. The creases around his eyes aged him and hollowed him all at once. They never left me as he said, "Yes, there is. Sherry remembered how she and Larry got here." I gasped, shooting a surprised gaze to my sister. If she had looked up at me, she would have seen my disbelieving look, but she never gathered the courage to do more than shrug and continue her circles. "She told me that Spain was sent to convince Larry to come here, but when he refused, there was a struggle and he stabbed Larry."

I felt dams in my head break. Suddenly, I could see myself crying at the table when Antonio arrived. I remembered him begging me to come back like I said I would, but I couldn't go through with my promise since...

I couldn't remember. I knew that there was something holding me back, enough to make tears swell in my eyes, but I couldn't say whatit was. Yet it was enough for me to lash out at Antonio until we fell and...

"Sherry made a contract with him in order to save your life," Sadiq continued, aiming his words directly at my skull. He gestured to Hidekaz and Antonio. "Both of them have been using both you and your sister from the start."

I felt Antonio come towards me. "Larry, let me explain-"

I held up a hand, demanding silence. He fell silent, a broken looking crossing his face as he stepped away from me. He bowed his head in shame, knowing that he had broken my trust. Hidekaz looking at his nails, seemingly unaware of what was happening.

Emotions billowed inside me, all of them too strong to ignore and too confusing to label.

How many times in one day could I be betrayed?

Was there anyone on this fucking planet who I could trust?

I felt like my life was shattered on the ground and it was their mission that was preventing me from joining it. I stared at the two men in question, wondering what the ever living fuck I was supposed to do. I knew them. They weren't evil. I couldn't excuse them for tricking me and my sister, but I couldn't turn my back on them.

But they tricked you,a voice in my head persisted.

"Being a hero means you have to do some pretty unheroic things," I said, replying to both myself and Sadiq's accusations. I felt Antonio's relief and Sadiq's crushing disappointment crush against my chest. I pressed my lips, wondering where I had heard those words before. Someone said them to me in such a way that my mouth had turned bitter at the thought. Funny how I was hanging to it like my life depended on it.

My life wasn't dependent, but my sanity was.

"I can't believe you," Sadiq whispered, caught in a moment of shock. My sister at my feet continued her disinterested drawing.

At stared at her, watching the child-like movements of her finger. Over and over again she drew that circle as though her arms were caught in a mechanical cycle. Why wasn't she interested in this? If she was feigning ignorance as a coping method, then I would have seen the worry in her eyes. Instead, there was nothing but a blank stare and the endless circles.

Draw a circle, there's the...

That wasn't Sherry.

"What are you doing here, Agatha?" I demanded.

All heads whipped towards the girl as the same realization dawned in their minds. I heard Ari mutter a soft swear as his hand reached for his silver locks. Agatha rolled her eyes, leaning back on her hands as she regarded me with an mocking stare. "Took you long enough," she said, toes clicking together like a child. "How did you guess?"

"I think I know how Sherry acts by now," I explained, anger hardening my voice. Sherry had to be back at the Room then, if she was not here. I didn't want to think about what was happening to her while I wasn't there to protect her.

Agatha chortled, but before I could challenge her on it, Hidekaz spoke up. "What are you doing here, Agatha?" he demanded, his eyes drawn into their sharpest glare yet. "I thought my sibling had no more use for you."

Agatha released a long sigh, throwing her head back like a diva. "Oh, I never really had a purpose to begin with," she moaned. She reminded me of the actresses you see in soap operas. "I'm just here to complicate things and make your lives miserable, but even that's a stretch. Oh, what a terrible existence I've had-"

"Get on with it," Lars snapped.

She sent him a fast glare. "You can't rush art, you John Travolta rip-off. I was just getting to the good part."

"Well can't you speed it up?" Ari demanded. He looked down at his wrist as though he had an invisible watch there. "We're in a hurry."

Agatha groaned. "Geez, you guys sure like cutting off my dramatic monologues." She waited for a chorus of laughter, but she was only met with a series of unamused glares. Sighing, she traced a large circle on her right side. "I'm only here to do one thing and that's to show you where Liechtenstein and Seychelles are."

"Where are they?" Sadiq demanded, his hands curling into tight fists.

She shrugged and drew another circle on her left side. "Here, you just aren't looking close enough."

His tone lowered to a growl. "What do you mean?"

Agatha stood, burying her hands into her coat pockets. "I mean that they're right here. Look." Like magic (at this point, I could say with complete confidence that it probably was), the circles she had drawn on the ground appeared. I stepped forward, trying to get a glimpse at what it was exactly. Although it was still tinted black, I could see through it like a window. I squinted, trying to catch sight of what laid on the other side.

Liechtenstein.

I shouted her name and, forgetting how dangerous Agatha could be, sped to the window. I slid onto my knees, bringing my face closer for a better look. Liechtenstein looked as though she was asleep, her eyes closed gently, her pale face framed by a halo of short blond hair. I banged on the glass, hoping to wake her up.

"Seychelles!" Sadiq and Ari mimicked my move, the younger of a two looking on the verge of tears as he stared down at the girl. He looked up, exchanging a silent look with me, one that asked me if I knew they were here the entire time. I shook my head.

Lars drifted to my side, a thumb hooked loosely through his belt loop as he gave Agatha a critical glare. "So how do we let them out?" he asked, a fierce tone edging his previous nonchalance.

Agatha shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't put them here." She turned her mischievous gaze away from Lars, focusing it instead on Antonio and Hidekaz. I followed it with my eyes, raising my brows in surprise. Hidekaz maintained his passive countenance, but Antonio could not help but to shift uncomfortably on his feet. "I don't know how they got there," Agatha said, "but I'm sure they do."

Antonio scowled. "Don't start making accusations you can't prove!" he snapped. Quickly. Too quickly. Another sick feel consumed my gut as I realized that I may have sworn my allegiance to them all too soon.

I didn't think it was possible for her to look any perkier, yet Agatha's smile somehow managed to brighten. "But that's why I'm here, Spain! I spread suspicion and grief." I wanted to say that she was being sarcastic, but nothing in her tone suggested the necessary dryness. She looked down at me. Her blue eyes did not look surprised to see me gaping at her, even when my hands were still pressed to Liechtenstein's window. Her smile softened as she knelt down to my height. "Hey, Larry-" She raised a hand and I tensed.

I waited for her to look offended, but something in her eyes told me that she understood. Slowly, as if she were approaching a scared rabbit, she placed it on my shoulder. "The end is coming," she said. Her mouth twitched as if there was something she wanted to add to the end. I wanted to say it was a simple brother,but I didn't want it to be. I didn't know it at the time, but for years afterwards I would be denying the sisterly look on the doppelganger's face and the love in her eyes. I didn't want to remember that she was a replica of my sister- a sister who loved me. I wanted the clone to always be that evil force with no emotions beyond what was slated for her.

I wanted black and white morality.

Agatha was not supposed to be gray.

Yet, in this great scheme of things that seemed content with fucking up my life, she passed me a gentle smile. "Do your best, man. A lot is riding on you."

"You just want to use me for Himaruya's plans," I grumbled, trying to destroy the growing sense of uncertainty in my blood.

"Everyone wants to use you, doofus." Her smile wavered as though she were remembering a sad memory. "But unlike me, you weren't created to be a tool. You get to choose what happens next. You know, after this I'm going to stop existing." My heart dropped. She chuckled "Yeah. Pretty weird, right? I mean, I knew that it was going to happen someday, but you kinda forget until it's right on your ass. I know you hate me- and I honestly still think you're a prick-but I just want to say goodbye. Our rivalry was fun."

I didn't know what to say, or even what I should be feeling. A part of me swam in the relief of finally getting her off my back, but another didn't want her to go. Mostly, I wished that she never told me any of this, so that I did not have to feel the pain of her death.

What if this was just another manipulation tactic from Himaruya?

What if this really was her ripping open her chest for me to see the feelings beneath?

Tears did not prick my eyes, I'm glad to say. But a strangely empty feeling hollowed out my body as I nodded. "I could have done more with it," I stated, revealing no emotion.

She barked a laugh. "Yeah. We could have used some more development." She sprang back to her feet, stretching her arms with a merry little grin. "Welp, it's time I be going now. Say 'hi' to your sister for me."

I lifted a hand from Liechtenstein's glass and, not sure what else I could do, gave a small wave. "See you around."

She smiled, looking at me with the greatest pity. "Sure." She turned away from me and, with a chin raised high with pride, took a step away from me.

Agatha disappeared.

If I'd blink, I would have missed it.

I sat in silence, forgetting for a moment that five pairs of eyes were trained on my face, searching for a reaction. I forgot that Liechtenstein slumbered under my fingertips, and that I should be more worried about freeing both her and Seychelles. But in one moment, this strange calm before the storm, I wondered how she was able to die so contently. Every instance I had seen death had been violent and filled with anguish. She had smiled and approached it with confidence. I didn't know if it was a facade or not and, no matter how much my head screamed otherwise, I wanted to know. I wanted to spend the rest of my life sitting on the ground of the void, ruminating over her last words to me.

But the storm was upon us, brewing over our heads and the air between us. Filled with static, it buzzed around our ears and stabbed the surface of our skin.

Ari broke the quietness, clearing his throat in an official manner. "So," he started, addressing Hidekaz and Antonio, "about releasing these two..."

Antonio opened his mouth, about to object when Hidekaz raised a silencing hand. Giving the sheepish Spaniard a regal glance, he stepped towards the girls' graves. "It seems like my sibling encased them here," he said. "Lucky for you chaps, it seems like I can free them."

He bent down to the space between the windows, about to place a hand on the ground when Ari spoke up again. "Hold on." Hidekaz paused and gave him a respectful look. "Agatha said that you knew why they were in here to begin with," Ari said.

"I thought you were having a panic attack," Antonio chimed. His frown was thick with suspicion, though I could still see the traces of concern lining his lip.

Ari glowered. "There are more important things right now-"

"Please, you bloody idiots. Don't forget who the enemy is!" They jumped away from Hidekaz, as amazed of his sudden scolding as I was. Taking a deep breath, he ran a hand through his sandy blond hair as though he was brushing away the stress. "For your information, Iceland, Himaruya approached them with an offer to join his side. When they refused, he must have imprisoned them to prevent their interference."

He started to lower his hand again, but this time Lars was the one who interrupted him. "So they're locked away?"

"Yes," he replied, tight lipped.

"Don't you need his key then?" Lars rolled his shoulders in a way that almost looked like a shrug. "You can't just use one key to unlock a different lock."

He groaned. "Didn't I just say-"

"And how do you know that Himaruya approached them?" Sadiq added with a thoughtful tap of the chin. "And with that specific question too. You had to have been there, which means that you let them be imprisoned and didn't do anything to stop it."

I suddenly saw what they were getting at. Insinuating that Hidekaz meant for Seychelles and Liechtenstein to be kept away made my stomach churn. I wanted to point out some sort of counter argument to help him out, but instead of a defense, I came up with a another point against him. I felt it lay in the cave of my mouth, tempted to swallow it back down my throat. I should have, if I wanted to keep everything a perfect monochrome.

Then I saw Antonio. He stayed at his awkward place to the side, his hands lying at his sides as he sent Ari, Sadiq, and Lars a hard look, as though he was the one being betrayed.

Let's say, for argument's sake, Hidekaz did lock them away. Antonio would have known about it, else he would be looking more broken about this than he was. But he looked sure of himself, as though everyone was blind to the main point but himself. If he knew, then he would have been lying to me again. He would have dragged me here without my permission, refused to arm me with a knife, doubted my judgement, andlied about Liechtenstein's whereabouts.

Incensed, I spat out, "and haven't you been able to sense where Himaruya's powers have been?" Hidekaz flinched, not expecting my wraith. "We've been here before. You should have sensed that they were here and told us, unless-"

"Unless I wanted them to be locked away." I felt my resolve weaken as Hidekaz finished my point. He released a long sigh, laying his arms over his bent legs. "I won't lie to you then," he continued. "I did seal them away here and neglected to tell you."

Anyone could see the anger flare in Ari and Sadiq's faces, though Lars and I could not bring ourselves to mimic them. A jolt of shock zapped down the lines of my body while Lars gave a thoughtful "ah." I tried to fill my mouth with saliva, hoping that I could get rid of the disgusting dry taste in it. I wanted to ask why, but Ari beat me to it.

Hidekaz brushed a hand over the nape of his neck, like he expected his hair to fall well past it. "Because when I formally asked them to join my side, both refused. Because I wanted to shield them from Himaruya's power. Because sometimes it takes twice as much water to douse a fire. Trust me when I say that this was a last resort. If there had been any other options, this would not have happened."

"Why wouldn't they follow you?" Ari asked, skeptical.

Hidekaz pressed his lips, as though he couldn't decide if he could keep this a secret or not. With obvious reluctance, he wiped his hand over his mouth, shaking his head. "Because I told them the truth." Dead air settled between us as he tried to find the words to explain. "This really isn't about Hidekaz versus Himaruya, chaps. It's the Canon versus the Fandom."

The silence pressing against my ears was deafening. I couldn't hear the pulsing of blood in my ears, though I was sure my heart was beating fast enough for it to have been. I felt like I couldn't rip my eyes away from Hidekaz, not even to see how my friends were reacting. Was Antonio as shocked as I was, or was this another secret he kept to himself? Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. "Which are you?" I heard myself ask.

Hidekaz raised a large brow. He didn't expect me to ask. "I'm the Canon," he said. "You can refer to me as such if you like."

The Canon. That was simple enough.

Lars turned the cigarette between his fingers, trying to hide his discomfort under an air of indifference. "That doesn't answer why Liechtenstein and Seychelles were-" Here, he added a few air quotes. "-'against' you."

The Canon looked up, as though he could hear the urging chimes of a clock. "We're running out of time," he said.

"Answer the question."

This time, his sigh sounded exasperated. "To summarize: my sibling wishes to maintain this world full of imperfections and chaos. I wish to revert it back to its former, truerstate and restore order. Apparently both girls preferred anarchy. Now come." He rose to his feet. "We need to confront my sibling soon, or else all is lost."

I nodded, gathering myself up to join him. I didn't know why Liechtenstein and Seychelles wanted this terrible world to stay like this, but I had to ignore it. The pangs of my earlier uncertainty were eased away by the explanation. Order was perfect. A world where Sherry and I never came here was perfect. I would fight for that heaven, if needed.

Ari stopped me with a cough, glaring at me as though I was a traitor myself. Even Sadiq, who now seemed filled with the uncertainty that had earlier plagued me, could not restrain his contempt. Ari folded his arms over his chest and gestured to the windows in the ground. "I won't help you restore yourorder until you release them," he said.

The Canon filled the air with the groan I wanted to give. "Why are you so keen on releasing them?" he demanded. "Especially when they'll do nothing but complicate things?"

Ari did not bat an eyelid. "Because Seychelles is my girlfriend, in case you've forgotten."

"I'm only in this to help Mathias," Lars said behind me. "But if you release them, I might feel more inclined to lend you a hand."

Sadiq never voiced his stance, though I would bet it had something to do with my sister.

"We don't have time for negotiations," Antonio snapped.

The Canon held up another hand, signaling another call for silence. It came reluctantly, Antonio having muttering an apology beneath his breath. Emerald eyes glared at the three men holding him up for ransom. "I hope you gits realize that this is exactly what Agatha wanted. That, and I hate you all." With that, he finally placed his hand on the ground.

The windows slid back, like the doors of pods I had seen in a few sci-fi flicks. But this time, they weren't filled with incubated clones prepared to fight for the future of the planet or something weird like that. Once they were fully pulled back, two collective gasps filled the air as Liechtenstein and Seychelles jolted back to life.

I leaned over Liechtenstein, watching her place a hand over her collarbone as she coughed a few times. She ran a hand over her eyes, smudging the makeup that had been dolling up her face. "Are you okay?" I asked, taking her hand and helping her to sit up. "Are you having trouble breathing or-"

Lars joined me at her side, knocking a heavy hand against her back as she hacked away. From the corner of my eye, I saw Seychelles give a much more elegant revival as she wrapped her thin arms around Ari and Sadiq's necks. Liechtenstein kept her hand on her chest as she scanned her surroundings. "I think I'm fine," she said, throat raw. Her eyes landed on me and, for a second, it was obvious that she did not recognize me. Then her eyes twinkled and she gave a smart grin. "That last time I saw you, you were a scrawny little thing. How old are you now, Larry?"

I smiled, feeling a light blush decorate my cheeks. Something about being around gay people for the past week (has it only been a week?) made me forget that there was such a thing as straight women. "Eighteen."

She punched my arm. "Well you got handsome, that's for sure."

Lars cackled as I felt my face turn an even darker shade of red. His laugh was so loud that it attracted the attention of the other group, prompting Seychelles to pull away from her hug and nudge her boyfriend's shoulder. "Who's that?" she asked. Ari shielded his mouth with his hand as he whispered my name to her. I watched her brows jump up her forehead as her gaze on me became significantly more intent. "Sherry never told me she had a hot brother."

"Oh my God." My hand met my face in a hard smack as Lars roared with more laughter. I was glad that he found this all hilarious, especially when Ari was now demanding if he was manly enough for his girlfriend. Seriously. I knew that I was attractive in some respects, but not enough to warrant this much attention.

Apparently, it was too much attention for Antonio as well.

"That's enough," he grumbled, marching towards me. Without skipping a beat, he grabbed my hand and pulled me past Liechtenstein.

I rolled my eyes as I followed him. I tried to pry his fingers from mine, saying, "I think your best friend pretending to be gay with you in front of the creepy guy at the bar routine is only applicable for girls."

With how stressed he was, I was afraid my wry humor would only made him grumble. Instead, a sweet chuckle left his lips, causing them to curl into their usual beaming grin once again. Now that we were a good distance away from the others, he released my hand and let his hang at his sides, at ease. "There's a lot we can learn from girls, Larry," he told me. "I mean, I think they got a pretty sweet arrangement going on."

"You think any excuse to act gay with me is a 'sweet' one."

He laughed again, but this time I could not help but to join in with him. For a split second, one hardly longer than that lapsing moment between consciousness and sleep, I forgot about everything that had just happened. I forgot that Sherry and Jerry were with Himaruya- the Fandom -and that the rest of my allies were teetering on the edge of absolute betrayal. In one euphoric moment, Antonio and I were only two friends.

But moments end, along with Antonio's smiles.

With a tight frown, he eyed the men surrounding the awaken girls. Liechtenstein and Lars were in the middle of an uncharacteristically loud conversation about Italy while Seychelles engaged her two men with a hushed monologue. Of course, the Canon laid his attention on the loud pair of blonds, oblivious to the now wary glances of Sadiq and Ari. Whatever Seychelles told them was enough to send them free falling into the Fandom's hands. I wanted to march over and order her to stop ripping us apart, but Antonio held me down with a hand on the shoulder.

Or maybe he just wanted to touch me without it being awkward. I didn't know.

He looked down at me. Sad: that was the only word to describe him. Unspeakably sad. "Larry, we're going to have to go up against Himaruya soon," he told me. He tried to maintain his firmness, but it was lost in his overwhelming concern. "Really soon..." He made a face, as though he had just lost his line of thought. He started over. "I'm sorry Larry, for not telling you everything. I know that you trust me, but I couldn't-"

I could see that this was just a reiteration of our conversation in France and England's hallways days before. Freed from the emotional binds of the menstrual cycle, I managed to silence him with a firm "I know."

He nodded. "Of course. Thank you." He glanced back at his boss and friends. "Are you sure you can go through with our plan?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked.

"Liechtenstein, she'd-"

"I get that she isn't on our side anymore. I won't let that get in the way of making sure that I do what's right."

"So you're going to do it?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course."

He bobbed his head as he chewed on my answer. His hand tightened around my shoulder. He brought his face closer to mine and, for a tense moment, I thought that he was going to kiss me again. He came to his senses before that could happen and pulled away as if he had been shocked. His hands unclipped from my shoulders and slapped his sides once again.

He stared at me for a long moment. I looked at his eyes and saw the great sadness shining in them. I wanted to say something to comfort him, but I couldn't figure out what, especially when I wasn't sure how this was all going to end myself. At last, Antonio turned his face towards the Canon, saying, "should we get going now?"

The Canon must have felt as fed up with our constant starts and pauses since he jumped onto the idea. "Yes, let's get going now," he ordered, speaking to the others as though they were his children. All of them scowled as though a secret was held on the tip of each tongue. I suddenly was very curious as to what Seychelles and Liechtenstein had told them.

Antonio grabbed my arm, turning me towards the blackness of the void. "Wanna know how close we are to that door" he asked.

I strained a smirk. "It has to be at least a five minute walk. "He merrily shook his head and reached out a hand. It felt the dead air for a moment before wrapping around an invisible door knob. I barked a laugh. "You have to be kidding me. That's freaking bullshit."

Antonio opened his mouth to say more when his joyful face fell. A pair of skinny arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me down as Liechtenstein pressed her chest into my back. When I was bent to her height, I felt her breath tickle the rim of her ear as she spoke. "I haven't seen you in centuries. Do you really think I'm going to let you go without talking to you first?" she asked.

I tried not to feel irritated, but I just wanted to confront the Fandom and end everything already. "I don't have the time-"

"Yes you do."

"I believe Larry is right, Liechtenstein," the Canon said, coming to my rescue. "We've already delayed enough and we're running out of time." He said the last part in a tense growl, like the grinding of his teeth was the only thing preventing him from hurting her.

"Let them talk, old man" Lars insisted, rolling his eyes in disgust. "It'll take five minutes."

The Canon glanced at the rest of our faces, but besides Antonio and me, everyone seemed to agree with Lars. "They might not get the chance to talk to each other again," Ari added with a light shrug. Seychelles underlined his words with a firm nod.

Liechtenstein did not wait for further permission. She grabbed my wrist and ushered me away, saying, "As long as you don't talk while I am, I can get this done in five seconds."

I frowned, feeling my wrist bone crack under her grasp. A spark of anger flared in me. I stomped my foot on the ground and twisted my arm from her grasp. Liechtenstein stopped in her stride, turning to look at me with a surprised face. I massaged my aching joint, giving her a hard look. "I don't have time for this," I said.

I saw her eyes quickly glance at the blond behind me before refocusing into a glare aimed at me. "You can't trust-"

"I know what you're going to say," I interrupted. "'I can't trust Hidekaz.' I'm not dumb. I know he's lied to me plenty of times before and he's probably tricking me right now. But I can't turn my back on him. Doing that would mean siding with Himaruya, and I would rather die than betray myself."

"Take a middle road," she insisted, trying to maintain her gentle tone. But each word chipped it away more and more. "This isn't us-versus-them, it's-"

"I want to do the right thing!" Only when she flinched did I realized that I was shouting. I rubbed my hands on my jeans, trying to get rid of the sticky sweat pooling in the creases of my hand. "I want to end everything and go home knowing that my family and I will be safe from the bullshit of thisworld."

Any and all attempts of friendless disappeared. The mask of the gentle spirit dropped from her face like a rock, leaving behind the worn visage of a warrior. Tired and haunted, she raised her chin, reminding me of all the power she held at her fingertips. She was still a living breathing country, infinitely older than I. In her eyes, I was nothing. "You're not Larry." She stated it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The Larry I know wouldn't follow other people's orders so blindly. I know you've learned not to. You can't put your trust in him, Lar. He's going to-"

"Restart everything," I completed. I watched with victory as her confidence faltered. "I'm not an idiot, Liechtenstein. I know what's happening right now. Everything here is wrong. Too many terrible things have happened. I want it to start over."

She looked back at the group behind me. She bit her lip as some of her previous determination returned to her. I felt my nerves unhinge themselves as I saw the little girl returned to strong woman ready to fight for the world. Even if it meant fighting me. "Terrible things are meant to happen," she said. "I won't let you be a coward."

"I'm not being a coward."

"What are you then?"

"Brave."

"Then why are you trying to change the past?"

"I'm trying to do the right thing!" I was back to yelling.

She gave me a skeptical look, as if to say that the loss of my temper made her better than me. I wanted to smack it away. She folded her arms over her chest, shooting me a challenge. "What is the right thing then?"

"What I'm doing," I said.

She shook her head and spat, "bull."

"Is that all you can say?" I demanded. "Aren't you going to fight me on this?"

"You're not worth it."

I pressed my lips as all my frustration and self-doubt threatened to tear through my skin. My knuckles turned a ghost white as my hands turned into shaking fists. "Fight me!" I shouted.

That was the worst possible thing for me to have said.

Liechtenstein rushed at me, her fist raised and aimed at my face. I caught it with my hand, using my free one to catch the punch her other hand tried to inflict. The shouts of our friends hit my ear as she hooked her foot around mine and flipped me over her shoulder.

I slammed into the ground with a bone-breaking force. I yelled when I made contact, not in pain but in the way my martial art lessons taught me. Those same lessons guided my movements as I struggled to prevent her from pinning me to the floor. I swung my leg over her back and placed my hands in the right position. Liechtenstein yelped as I rolled her over, effectively switching our positions.

I dug my knees into her legs and easily held both of her wrists above her head with one hand. Somehow, my knife appeared in my hand and I was pressing it against her neck. I didn't know what I planned to do with it since a new pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away. I blindly struggled against the hold until I realized that the strong hands were Lars and the hands that were holding down my legs were from Sadiq and Antonio.

"That's enough!" Lars shouted, loud enough to shake my bones. Everyone abhorred me as though I had murdered Liechtenstein. I knew that I didn't since Seychelles and Ari were helping her sit up, but a guilty feeling still burned a hole in my stomach. "What the flying fuck is wrong with you? Aren't you supposed to be her friend?"

My tongue lay dead in my mouth. I didn't do anything wrong, I told myself. It was Liechtenstein who egged me on. She acted like she was better than me, like she didn't expect me to do anything any better. Even Lars knew that I tended to react defensively when people challenge me. Jerry was met with that short end when he first told me I was gay.

The knife dropped from my hand, clanging on the ground.

But wasn't I over this by now? I thought that I had managed to work through that feral part of me. Why was it now coming back, when I was so close to the end? This was not supposed to happen again.

I bowed my head, hiding my shame. I sucked in a large breath of air, but none of it seemed to reach my lungs. I fucked up. I fucked up badly.

"Are you alright?" Antonio asked, loosening his grip on my ankle. His eyes pleaded with me to agree with him, to speak up and say that I was not as cold-hearted as everyone thought I was. He wanted me to say that I was sorry, that I didn't know what came over me and that I promised not to let it happen again. But I couldn't trust myself to not lash out again. I couldn't tell him that I wasn't a terrible person when there was no part of me that wanted to apologize. She shouldn't have egged me on...

A bright white light shone over my face. I looked up, squinting at the luminous sight. The door to the Room had swung open, the shadow of Roderich standing at the doorway. While the light around him was argent like the blaze of an angel, his face was stuck in the ominous shadows. Yet, I could still see his professional visage as he dusted his hands. "Himaruya is ready for you now," he announced, as though we had been waiting for him. I knew that it wasn't the case- he was only trying to undermine our sense of control -but I still felt the blow to my confidence. Roderich stared at my restrained self. "Am I perhaps interrupting something?"

I rolled my eyes and yanked my arms from Lars's grip. I grabbed my knife off the ground and stuck it in my pocket. "Yeah. We were reenacting the murder of Orion," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Do you know what that is, or do you only know how the be a little bitch?" Sadiq and Seychelles smothered their chuckles, but that was all I needed to gain a little smirk of my own.

Roderich was not amused. "I am well aware of it, Mr. Sue," he stated testily.

"I'm not sure I believe you."

Anger twitched on his face, but he did not let it break his composition. "Orion was a well-known hunter in Greece. One day he became too full of himself and raped one of Artemis's sworn attendants. Artemis, being a goddess of abstinence, killed Orion with her arrows. Still, he was admired for his heroic deeds and given an honorable place in the stars by Hera."

I frowned. "That's not how the legend goes," I said.

His brow quirked. "Are you so sure, Mr. Sue?" he asked, amusement seeping into his voice. "There are many interpretations of the same story. There is one version in which Orion loved Artemis so much that he dared to rape her. In others, he was the great hunter who swore to kill all animals and Artemis, being the protector of wild animals, killed him before it could happen. One would be wise not to rely on a single version."

Ari raised his hand high into the air. "Excuse me for asking, but what does this have to do with anything?" he demanded.

I nodded in agreement, though I knew that I was really trying to ignore the terrible boil in my stomach. I felt sick, like someone had taken a part of me and distorted it into something strange. I knew in my heart that it was still mine, but I couldn't recognize it. A part of me wanted to fear it.

Roderich turned to Ari, giving him the welcoming look. "Wonderful to see you here at last, Iceland. Why haven't you come to visit sooner?"

Ari glared at him, but before he could speak up, the Canon cleared his throat. "You said my sibling is waiting for us?" he asked.

Roderich nodded. He stepped aside and gestured towards the room. "He awaits you at this very moment."

The Canon nodded. "Then we might as well get this over with. Let's go, chaps." He sent me a quick look, one that ordered me to not betray his trust. It was up to me to go through with the plan and defeat the Fandom. I gave him an assured nod, a silent promise to end this soon.

Antonio stuck to my side like glue as we followed behind the Canon. Lars rushed to his side, eager to see Mathias again but damn his cigarette if that enthusiasm ever showed on his face. Sadiq, Ari, and Seychelles were a trifecta tailing behind me, all three silent with the knowledge of the impending storm. I didn't know where Liechtenstein had gone until I noticed that she walked at my other side, a tight frown on her lips. Her eyes never turned to look at me. I looked away from her, instead focusing my attention of the plan. I placed my hand in my pocket, feeling the smooth side of the knife blade. I had one chance. For the sake of everything, I dared not ruin it.

For some reason, my arm still hurt.

I let myself be happy that this was the last time I would ever have to stand in that reflective room. The white walls were still nauseating and the constant show of the mirror surface was disorientating. I heard Ari let out an awed gasp behind me. I suddenly remembered his panic charade from earlier and wondered what his plan was, or if he even was going to go through with it.

I found Mathias first, as Lars had dropped his cigarette and rushed to his side. My eyes followed him to the other side of the room where the two friends hugged each other, both speaking too quickly and too quietly for me to make out what was going on.

"Hey, Liechtenstein!" Alfred stood at the other corner of the room, his white suit camouflaging him into the background. He waved an excited hand at the girl. "Nice to see ya! Bet you wished you were on this hero's side, right?" I frowned and, by reflex, stepped between her and him.

She stepped around me, her lips curled into a sneer as she snarled, "If you think that for one moment that I'd join you-"

The Canon placed a hand on her head. "That's enough," he said, pushing her back like a child. Liechtenstein's face burned a fierce red as she looked ready to turn her anger towards him. Before she could muster the words to say, he shifted his attention away from her and towards the table at the center of the room.

Unlike the table from last time, this one was large and circular. A tea set sat in the center, along with platters of cakes and other sweets. At the farthest end of the table sat Himaruya- the Fandom- wielding Prussia's pale body with ease. A light smirk played on his invisible lips as he brought a teacup to his lips.

I glared at him for a long moment before realizing who sat with him: Jerry and Sherry.

Both sat at opposite ends, equal distance from the Fandom and each other. Both wore those starchy white clothes that made their orange hair stand out like flames. I gaped as I stepped away from Liechtenstein's side and around the Canon. "Are you two alright?" I asked, unable to help the panic that edged my tone.

"We're fine," Jerry said, doing his best to sound calm. He didn't look as though any harm had fallen him, though I would never get used to the sight of him in that ghostly suit. "We've literally just been sitting here having tea."

I turned towards Sherry, feeling my heart raced as I thought back to the terrible state I had left her in. "And what about you?" I asked. "You were half dead the last I saw you. Are you-?"

She cut me off with an awkward shrug that was both incredibly irritating and so incredibly Sherry. "Yeah, I'm okay."

I gawked. "Has Himaruya-"

"Himaruya here hasn't done any weird shit, either," she interrupted. The corner of her frown twitched, which was just enough to tell me that under the cool front she was giving, she was terrified out of her wits. I watched her run her sweaty hands down the length of her slacks. "We've literally done nothing but eat cake and talk about our feelings, which I still think is just a lead in for some torture or some shit like that." She said that last part with a raising voice, intending to cut at the Fandom's resolve. He only shrugged and chuckled into his tea.

The wash of relief that came over me was palpable. "So no deals?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No deals, wagers, or anything."

The Fandom placed his cup back on its tray. The small clink commanded the room's attention. I saw in the wall's reflection of Sadiq start to move to Sherry's side, but Seychelles and Ari held him back. He sent that worn glare of his at the man in Prussia's body while giving the supportive vibe that my fretful sister needed. I could tell from her face that she was relieved to see him.

"Do you really not trust me by now?" The Fandom asked. "I thought that after all this time, you and I had reached some form of an understanding."

"I understand that I can't trust you," I replied.

He accepted my words with a brisk nod. "Yes, that would seem to be the safest route for you." He gave me a toothy grin. "So what would you like to do this time? Should we try to have a civilized debate that will inevitably end in violence, or should we skip straight to the fighting?"

Antonio reached out a nudged my shoulder, reminding me of the plan. The Canon sent me a look through the mirror walls, ordering me with his eyes to not start a fight. Although we had an (unreliable) army on our side, right now was a time for intrigue. I felt said army boring their eyes in my back as they waited for my response. "Fight," Sadiq muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear it. I swallowed as the green irises of Liechtenstein begged me to avoid the fighting and keep the peace.

I glanced at Jerry and Sherry one last time, as if to tell them that I knew what I was about to do. I didn't wait to see if they understood or not.

"Alright, fine." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my knife. Every muscle tensed around me as feet slid into fighting stances. I made a show of looking at the silver blade, noting with satisfaction the raised brows of the Fandom.

Wordlessly, I threw it on the ground.

I raised my hands into the air. "I surrender."

"What?" Sadiq lunged forward, but didn't make it a single step. Seychelles and Ari grabbed his arms, grunting as they dug their heels into the slick floor. He fought against their hold, nearly lifting Seychelles clear off the ground as he tried to throw her away. "You have to be fucking kidding me! After everything he put us through, you're just going to let that thingwin?"

"Calm down, Pops!" Ari shouted as he pulled him back. I stared at Sadiq as I realized all too suddenly that I misjudged him. Whatever Seychelles had told him was not enough to convince him to change sides. The tense expression I had seen on his face was really his anger towards the Fandom boiling under the surface.

If I had read him wrong, then who else really hadn't change sides?

I couldn't tell, not when everyone from Liechtenstein to Antonio were giving me shocked stares. Even Lars and Mathias ended their small reunion long enough to stare at my odd choice.

God, this better work out or else I'm screwed.

"You're giving up?" I turned back towards the Fandom, amazed to see his smooth disposition gone. "After all this time, you would surrender to me?" He looked like a clear confusion of amazement and uncertainty, but I could see that he might be willing to believe me. I just had to seal the deal.

I pressed my lips as though I was uncertain myself. "I think I get it now. Kinda. You were never really 'bad.'" Sherry looked at me with surprised eyes. She looked more impressed than betrayed, which was something I wasn't sure how to take. At least Jerry was acting the way I expected him to, with his sympathetic visage. "You weren't good, but you weren't bad. Liechtenstein had said that you were trying to preserve this world, not start it over." Numbly, I walked around the table, daring to join the Fandom at his side. "Plus, Jerry seems to trust you. You didn't try to mess with my sister or him while I wasn't here. And you weren't the one who dragged me here in the first place."

Antonio gave a loud groan. "I didn't mean to stab you," he said, playing the part of the hurt companion perfectly. He was a more convincing actor than I was. "Seriously, Larry. I don't know what you're planning, but it's not going to work. Step back right now."

"I'm not planning anything!" I snapped back. "I know this hurts you, but I'm sick of this! I just want to go home!"

The air around the Canon darkened as he sent me a malicious glare. "I won't let you betray me," he growled like a dog ready to tear the meat from my bones.

"Stop me!" I knelt on one knee, bowing my head to the Fandom like a submissive knight. I said the words that would activate the first part of the contract. "Himaruya, I swear that I will serve you for as long as I can."

"You idiot!" Antonio yelled. Sadiq shouted something as well, but it was covered by Alfred's victory whoops. If he was convinced of my performance, then I must have been doing a freaking good job. I bit back a smile. I just needed one last thing to make this plan work.

For a worrying moment, the Fandom only looked down at me with a skeptical look. He knew I was lying, I realized. My heart jumped in my chest, threatening to beat so fast that the muscle ripped into halves. He might have guessed that I was lying, but that didn't mean that he knew about the plan.

Like a king, he extended his royal hand towards me. "I accept your pledge," he said, humored. "Kiss my hand, Larry Sue."

I smirked.

I grabbed his hand and felt a jolt of electricity when the conditions of our contract activated.

I saw the Fandom's eyes grow wide as he realized that, for the first time, he made a mistake.

I yanked forward, pulling his soul from Prussia's body. Antonio dashed at him, grabbing the albino and pushing him to the ground. The Fandom crashed into my chest and, by reflex, I grabbed onto his significantly smaller form. Antonio and Gilbert rolled on the ground, nearly knocking into Lars and Mathias's legs before they stopped. They laid sprawled on the floor, staring at the ceiling as they both started laughing in relief. "Oh my God," Gilbert breathed between pants, his voice suddenly sounding like his own once again. "I'm out."

"Hima-pops!" Alfred darted for me, concern crossing his face as he prepared to attack me. Antonio sprang from his spot, grabbing onto Alfred's legs and sending him crashing onto the ground. Their scuffle of punches and kicks lasted a single second before it ended with a light cough from Roderich.

Staying in his aloof corner, he turned his austere gaze onto the Canon. "The cat's out of the bag now," he stated plainly. "Why don't we end all charades and tell everyone the truth?"

I gaped at them, about to shout my confusion when everyone else beat me to it- "What do you mean?" "What are you talking about, asshole?" "What's going on Hidekaz?"

I searched the Canon's face for any sign of regret or maliciousness, but I only found the cold logic that defined him. "I suppose you're right. No point in keeping secrets anymore." Emotion appeared in his face in the form of a of a gentle smile he gave Sherry. "I'm sorry," he said.

He stepped forward, but England's body never moved. He stayed still in place as the tall figure stood in front of him. The figured stayed as a blurred silhouette for a long moment as England suddenly regained his motor control. He stumbled back, a hand on his forehead as he spewed a line of curses. "What the bloody..." Liechtenstein caught him in her arms, holding his steady.

The foreign figure solidified into a real person.

No one from Hetalia gasped.

But Jerry, Sherry, and I? We did.

My hands shook as my grip on the Fandom tightened. Sherry placed a hand over her mouth, and I swore that she was about to cry because that was not Hidekaz. This was not a being who controlled a part of an entirely different universe from our own. This was a beautiful blond woman who attended college in England, who played soccer, and was my sister's best friend.

It was Bella Moon.

My brain stopped working. I couldn't understand why Hidekaz was Bella, or why she was the personification of the Canon. I grew up with her, spent the Fourth of July with her, saw movies, attended weddings, divorces, laughed, cried. How could it be she?

Then I realized that I wasn't holding Himaruya like an enemy. I should have pinned him to the ground like the animal he was, but instead my arms were wrapped around him in a comforting hug. I hadn't thought about it. It had been instinct. Because my body knew that moment my skin touched his that Himaruya was not what he seemed.

I think I also knew, but I didn't want to believe it, not without evidence. Not when my sanity stood like a fragile vase tipping off the display stand.

I looked down and saw silky black hair streaked with vibrant neon colors. The body in my arms was petite, like the wrong touch could crack the surface and shatter like glass. Gently—because I felt like I was going to break—I took my arms from Himaruya. I placed my hands on the sides of his face and lifted it towards me.

I recognized the face all too well, but I didn't want to believe it.

I didn't even want to say the name.

Yet, in a moment of numbing awe, one like the split second moment between jumping and fall, it tumbled off my lips like a drug.

"Sayaka."

MW: And you guys thought I had no more tricks left in me.

Here's the link to the information on my next possible Hetalia fic (remove the stars): http*:*/*/*aphwriter*.*tumblr*.com*/*post/113770345681/*next-fic-stuff-that-i-wanted-to-talk-about

No Notes

Next Chapter: Yeah, I'm not telling you.

Thank you for reading! Please remember to check out the link above. Have a great week! See you then!