Chapter 7
Freedom.
Pure, unadulterated freedom.
He walked, or was in floated, or moved, in the expanse of space. He wasn't sure if he could ever define the color of the space.
It was more like dreaming than anything else, really.
As he walked he saw the space morph into something else, something more familiar. It was a great grass field, like, one of those beautiful fields of grass that are only in sappy romance movies and equally sappy books. As he walked he noticed that there was a road beneath him, slightly elevated in the middle. Deciding to follow, he dreamily watched the beautiful surroundings, heard the soothing noises, and let his fingers feel the tall grasses that caressed the tips as he passed.
A figure appeared in the distance, as he drew closer he saw a red cape and old armor, one that hasn't been used in centuries.
A small smile touched his lips. It was true, all roads did lead to-
"Rome? Roman Empire?" He asked.
The handsome brunette spun around to face him. A charming grin crossed his face as Rome engulfed the blond in a smile.
"Alfred! I haven't seen you in so long! How's my favorite student doing, boy?" Rome laughed, tussling America's hair the way he used to when he taught him all those years ago.
"Wasn't I your only student? And I'm very dead, thank you very much," America responded, trying to get out of the headlock.
"Yeah, we have to talk about that…" Rome trailed off, suddenly looking unsure.
"What do you mean?"
"Have a seat first, boy."
The scene around them changed to a room. It was rounded room of the Roman Senate, when it existed. Rome sat on one of the chairs and gestured for America to sit as well.
"What do you mean 'we have to talk about that' Rome?" Alfred asked, sitting down.
"It's… Complicated. It's one of the reasons I was sent to see you."
"You're not making any sense. And where is Virginia and my states? Can I see them soon? So do us nations have a Heaven or Hell? Is this one of them? And-"
"Stop with the questions! How am I supposed to answer one if you bombard me with a million others?"
"I'm sorry. But-"
"Wait, I will explain some things first, then, after I'm done, you can ask me stuff, okay, kid?"
"Okay."
Rome nodded approvingly and took a deep breath before continuing, "There are several things that could happen to a personification after the nation they stand for crumbles away. Or sometimes even while they are declining. The first, which is what happened to you and me, is that they become fully human and will age and can die. There is an ex-nation, I cannot remember his name right now, who is currently doing this somewhere in Japan."
"But why-"
"What did I say about questions?" Rome looked at America, then sighed, "Don't look at me like that, Alfred… You know what I told you about the puppy e- Oh, you're so cute!"
A brief tackle hug war happened afterwards. After they both managed to regain some dignity they sat down again and Rome continued.
"You died because you were still the house while it was burning. A nation's first house is actually connected to the nation itself, why do you think they stay around so long?
"Another thing that could happen to a nation is that they could choose to stay immortal. Don't say anything, I'm coming to it! You, and all the others, know Prussia, correct? He had chosen to stay immortal after death, you had that choice too, remember?"
As the fire crept closer and closer to him he wondered if he wanted to run out of the house and live. For some reason he felt as if he would make it…
"Yeah."
"However, most nations choose to die, we fear that we may be forever stuck in that world. That we may never know of what is beyond. So, obviously, you don't see many dead nations still running around.
"One more thing that could happen, when a country is completely conquered, hurt, or fallen to the point of no return, they can be killed and choose to stay dead. The ways how and reasons why are shaky. But it's happened before… to my dear Greece…
"The final thing that could happen, that I know of, is that a nation can be sent back into the human world. DON'T SAY ANYTHING!"
"I WASN'T GONNA!"
"GOOD! Okay, a nation could be sent back into the human world if they left something unfulfilled. The funny thing is that it's only if they were missing something in their human side, not their nation side. This has only happened once before, so the theory is as shaky as the theory on staying immortal. And you should know about this beca-"
"Who was the person who wa-?"
"What did I say abou-"
"I don't care I-"
"Just let me-"
"I'M ASKING QUESTIONS NOW AND THAT'S FINAL!"
The teacher and the ex-pupil stared at each other.
…
"Fine, carry on."
"Who was the nation who was sent back?"
"If I tell you, you can't tell anyone."
"I'm dead, who could I tell?"
For some reason Rome looked uncomfortable again, it passed quickly though, "The personification who was sent back was called Holy Roman Empire."
America snorted, 'You must have liked that name. But I didn't know anybody named that. Did he die again?"
"No, I believe he was reincarnated, as whom, I'm not sure."
"Okay then, whatevs, when can I see Virginia and the others?"
"Alfred…" Rome looked uncomfortable, though he seemed more sad than anything else, "Look, it's going to be hard to-"
"I was right, wasn't I?" America cut him off.
"…What?"
America stood up, starting to cry and looking defiant, "I was right, wasn't I! I killed them! I kept them from ever reaching the afterlife! Or even actually living!"
"No, Alfred, look-"
"Don't tell me to 'look!' They never made it to the afterlife, did they?" He nearly screamed.
"I…"
"Answer me!"
Rome looked away from him, "No, we never found them…"
He looked back just in time to see Alfred look at him with utterly desolate eyes before collapsing into hysterics. Rome caught him and held him to his perfect body, much like a mother would to a small child. He rocked Alfred back and forth like he saw Virginia do during the Revolutionary War and how he did when he comforted the crying nation, all those years ago, trapped in the body of James, one of his states.
"Explain."
The voice startled Rome, who looked down to see Alfred's puffy red eyes staring back at him.
"What?"
"Explain what ha-happened to them. W-why I can wake up and be in their bodies with… with their personalities."
"I… I don't know for sure, kiddo."
"W- what do you th-think?"
He stroked a hand through the blond hair, "I think that when they died their souls merged with yours. Making yours… unstable…"
America spoke in a clearer voice, "So, they're trapped in me?"
"Maybe."
"Why do these things always happen to me?"
Rome looked confused for the first time, "What? This has happened before?"
"No, it's just that I always seem to be different. I don't think that I could say that anybody ever understood me and I've always been apart from everyone else. And things always happen to me that don't happen to anyone else… They call me strange because of it… Like when I talked to Ameriwhale and made friends with Tony."
Rome smiled, "It's because you're different. And that's not a bad thing."
"If it isn't a bad thing, then why are my states, the only ones who ever really loved me, gone because of me?"
"I don't know, Alfred, I don't know," Rome sighed as America buried his face in his shoulder. The young nation, despite how he had acted, was a fragile and emotional being. In fact, if it hadn't been for the spirits of his states having him lead different lives every other day, Rome was sure that he would have broken completely a long time ago. Then again, it was the loss of those states that broke him so much.
He knew that Alfred always blamed the death of his states on himself, so knowing that it could be him that was trapping them in limbo, preventing them ever from leaving to the afterlife was beyond unbearable for him. And, in all truth, Rome didn't know if it wasn't his fault…
Rome grimaced, he had more to tell the blond, and it wasn't going to be pretty.
"Alfred…"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry, but there's still something that I have to tell you."
"What is it?"
"You… you're going to be sent back…"
"…What?"
"You're going to be sent back to the human world, something is missing in you."
The effect was instantaneous. America sprang to his feet, hitting Rome's jaw with his head as he go up. He looked incredibly upset and… angry.
"No, no! You- you can't send me back! I-I- do you know what it was like for me there? It was Hell! Do you really want to send me to my own Hell?"
"It's not my choice, I would have you stay here with me if I could."
"No, oh God please no…" Alfred sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands, "I can't go back, it hurts so much. Everyone hates me there… Do you know what it's like to have people hate you after you try and try and try so freaking hard to help them? To have to put a smile on your face that cracks every time they insult you to your face and keep it from shattering each time you remember that they honestly believe to their core that you're the root of their problems and misery? I can't go back there! I- I-"
Rome just looked sadly at him, "I'm so sorry."
The world they were in seemed to be getting cloudy, fogged, hazed with that indescribable color.
"No- no! Please-"
His screams were silenced by the blackness once more.
/
Please don't leave me alone…
/
His eyes were closed, if he opened them he might not be in that happy place with Rome anymore. He was flat on his back, the sun shone on his unburned face.
He must be in that field again with Rome that could be it. That had to be it.
A hand touched his shoulder.
Rome, must be Rome.
He opens his eyes.
Please be Rome…
Red eyes stare back from a silver body.
Tony.
Around them is the remains of a burned house.
No…
No…
Damn it, no!
He was sent back.
To his Hell.
I do not own Hetalia.
Okay, my faithful followers- Does anyone get reminded of Lord Voldemort whenever you say follower? Please tell me that I'm not the only one- and newcomers, I have a request for all of you guys. I am trying to get to 100 reviews before this month gives out. Maybe I'll give a double update if I get it, I don't know. There will be no changes to the schedule if I don't, but it really would be nice. So help me pretty please with a double update on top? Or cherries, I like cherries.
Also, just for reference I am, was, and will always be a 'She.' You know, just saying.
I'm not too happy with this chapter, but I like Grandpa Rome and since America's senate and republic and stuff is pretty similar to Ancient Rome's, or so I'm told, I like to think that Rome gave him a visit or two while he was starting out.
And, two more things, do you remember that roleplay I was talking about, the one I had to ask my friend for permission to publish? Well, she said yes, so I'll do a shameless advertisement and say that it is called Call Us Idiots, Will You? featuring America and Italy. Also, I ended up writing the fic featuring an America with multiple personalities and it is called, please excuse this advertisement, A Game of Dice.
Please, please, please review, I would really like to reach 100.