Chapter 24

"WWHHAAATTTTT!? Dead...no...he-he can't be..." Italy whimpered out not believing what he was hearing. "Y-you said…you promised me you'd b-b-b-be o-okay…..why is this happening?!" Italy cried out, tears soaking up his face.

"I-I'm so sorry Italy. It's not our fault….the ice…..the ice was slippery and started to crack, I….." Prussia took this time to sniffle and wipe snot that was coming down his nose onto his long sleeved jacket. "I…..we just couldn't…I only have one arm that's useable and Francis started not being able to feel his lower body anymore…I-I tried to wrap more things around his wound but nothing made a difference…He kept telling me to go on without him but-but I refused. He was one of my best friends and I-I couldn't even save him…." Gilbert stopped to sniffle once more. "After I fell in the water, Francis tried to pull me up but…when I got up…he-he slipped and fell on his face and his body weight is a bit heavier than mine…so he ended up slipping out of my grasp into the water. I tried, Feli, I really did! But-but he couldn't get up and I'm weak…we just couldn't….then the Ice snapped…"

Italy's eyes began to widen as the news of his friends seeped into his skin. His mouth, being unable to utter any words, hung open in disbelief. It seemed the only action he was capable of was a slight back-and-forth movement of his head shaking no…no why, God, why...?

"After that, France just stayed there…" Prussia looked down at France though blurry eyes, and began crying even more "he told me to go to you and live but still…I couldn't just leave him…" Gilbert couldn't continue, his eyes couldn't even see anymore, his face was all red hot and bothered, bringing some color to his albino skin, and his nose was running like crazy. After a few minutes, Gilbert looked over at Italy and then watched Germany.

"I-I'm just glad you're alright Bro. Sorry to look like such a crying douchbag in front of you. I-I mean t-t-t-the a-awesome me shouldn't be crying…I'm supposed to set a good example right?" Prussia smiled, a kind of cheesy smile, but still a smile.

Germany knew though that this was not the best time to tell him the news, yet this man in front of him that Italy says is his brother…he seemed familiar, and he was on the tip of his tongue, but Ludwig just could not seem to remember him.

"I-I'm glad you're happy for my safety, and I'm really sorry about your friend, but…I'm still trying to figure out who you are. This Italian here says you're my brother, but I just can't remember…b-b-but please d-don't be sad I'm sure I'll find it out soon!" Germany hesitated, trying to smile.

"Wait…what?" Prussia commented, slightly confused…the news not coming though to his end. "You…don't…know…me...?" Prussia announced, tears already forming back up in his red eyes.

"Ha..ha…it…it's a joke right haha nice one West! And here I thought you were just a stern macho man with no humor…haha that's...a...good..one…-?" Gilbert stopped upon seeing the faces of the two people in front of him. Something was off, was West really being serious? Prussia looked distraught, and he looked up at his bruder and knew by the way he was looking at him with such blank expressions that Ludwig was telling the truth. It really wasn't a joke… Gil kept on staring, not wanting to believe.

"Great! First my best friend dies in my arms and now my brother can't remember who I am!? This is the worst day ever!" Gilbert yelled angrily up at the sky while weeping loudly.

"I mean…" Prussia paused to sniff, "F-first Francis now this? I-I don't understand…How is this possible, and how did this happen to you bro.?" Prussia shakily asked leaning closer and looking into his bruder's light blue crystal eyes.

"I-I don't know…I'm not even sure how I got here." Germany responded back. "All I do know is that we have to get you back to the cabin so come on lets go."

"B-but what about Francis? I can't just leave him here!" Gilbert shouted as he looked down once again at his friends face.

"Gil-…" Italy started but was cut off by Germany.

"Prussia, we don't have enough room and we need to get you back! So get in this boat! If we have time we can get him later but come on." Ludwig preached and Gilbert observed his brother, and after minutes in silence he finally said "okay…" and got up slowly and shakily got up from the block of ice and into the canoe with some help from Germany and Italy.

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Back at the cabin Ivan sat alone in a room with Vash discussing, yelling, hitting, and beating information out of the Swiss nation.

"Now, if you think I'm just going to leave you that easily, you got another thing coming.~" Ivan pointed out as a smile appeared across his face.

"Go…away..Scumbag, I don't need you patronizing me. I can do whatever I want, it's my land!" Switzerland growled trying ever-so-hard to yank his hands from the binds. Making small cuts appear around the wrist.

"Hmm? Is that what this is all about? Us being on your land?!" Russia dictated at the man whom still showed no emotion of caring.

"You kill people! Good and bad, but you kill them! You even killed one of your own! Just because…what was it again…oh yeah, because we were on your land! Are you really that low?! Do you have no pride?! Is hurting others fun to you?!" Russia snapped suddenly all flustered. He swung his pipe down to the ground, hard, making Switzerland flinch, "She was your friend too you know…You guys loved each other. So why kill her? They were all your friends….Why…?"

"Friends?! They weren't my friends. I don't have any real friends, I don't need them!" Vash yelled back.

"That's what I used to think…but they're different." Ivan stated as he looked at the man in the chair.

"Don't give me that bullshit! I thought you hated me; you were just like me Ivan! And even if you were right you guys barely even acknowledge me anyway! And when you do it's when you are fighting with each other on MY LAND! You never ask, you just waltz on though like I don't give a fuck. Well sorry to burst your bubble, but no one is ever allowed on my lands without my permission! And I'm not even getting started yet!" Switzerland shouted, flustered and out of breath.

Russia stood up and swung his pipe, hitting the side of Switzerland's chair making it topple over to the side. Switzerland's head slammed down on the ground when the chair hit the floor. A slight cut and bump appeared on his head near the temple and it slowly leaked out.

Russia's expression calmed and his lips formed into an evil grin as he started to giggle. He took pleasure in beating things with that pipe of his. "So that's how it is going to be, da? You are scum; no you are worse than scum. You are a bug, a worthless parasite. Shall I smash you?"

Switzerland kept an expression of pure anger on his face, eyes ablaze. This didn't amuse Russia, he took his pipe and swung aiming for Switzerland's chest.

But as Vash flinched, Russia suddenly stopped just as he heard a loud bustling from outside the door in the living room.

"Ah, you got lucky this time, but next time you won't be so lucky…" Ivan commented as he slowed his swing to a stop and let his pipe lightly touch the floor by Switzerland's face and left the room to see what all the commotion was.