This whole chapter sounds like some video game: first one to get enough food from the store without dying wins!

Warning: Angst, violence, weapons, someone gets shot (I'm gonna let that annoy you until you get to that part), some jibes at American food and imitations, America insults England (though not knowingly).

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA. I have fun manipulating their characters, though.

Speed Shopping

It was an hour and a half before they finally reached the small town. Long before then, the Italies had finished the berries and nuts. Everyone was hungry and exhausted, but Marge refused to let them take a break. "We have to keep going." she said. "It's eight in the morning. Whoever's hiding near here along with us are going to be here soon if we don't hurry."

After walking very cautiously throughout the town, Marge finally had them stop outside a small supermarket.

"I'm going to check if there's anyone already in there—"

"No," said Alfred. "I'll go in. I don't want you to get hurt."

Marge rolled her eyes, but she had to deal with this all day, so she said, "All right. Go in first if you like and tell us what you see."

Alfred disappeared around the corner and through the doors, the glass absent after being shattered by many customers before them.

Five minutes later, he returned. "I've scoured the whole building. No one's here."

"Yet," Marge corrected. "But they will be, come noon."

"We'd better speed shop, then." Matthew said. "Careful. There's glass on the floor."

They all stepped through the door frames and immediately grimaced.

The smell was overwhelming. Rotting vegetables, fruits, and meats could make anyone queasy. Feliciano had to force the bile down from his throat as he walked in. The meat smelled so bad, they were forced to walk in a wide circle around the whole section.

"God, that smells like something died." Alfred said, nearly gagging into the back of his hand.

"I do not smell anything." Ivan said and they all looked at him in alarm. He shrugged. "What? I do not know what you are all talking about."

Matthew cleared his throat. "Anyway… we need to grab some canned foods. Sure, it may not be as good as fresh, but at least it won't rot within a couple hours. And there's canned meat too…"

"Is there pasta?" Feliciano asked hopefully.

Matthew shrugged. "Not canned, but the noodles last for a while and there is canned sauce, so yeah, I guess."

Feliciano gave a wide smile and immediately darted off for the pasta aisle.

"I'd better make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Damn idiot." And Lovino darted after him.

"We'll have to get plenty of fruits and vegetables." Arthur said, picking up the nearest can and examining it. "Trust me. You don't want scurvy."

"Scurvy? Dude, what's that?" Alfred was barely comprehensible as he munched on chips. He suddenly stopped, grimacing at the bag. "Ick… these are stale."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "That's because they're past the expiration date, git. And scurvy is what you get when you don't have enough vitamin C, which normally comes with not eating many fruits or vegetables for a long period of time. I got it often when I was a pirate. We couldn't properly store anything that wasn't either pickled or dried." Arthur began stuffing various canned foods into his bag. "It's a wonder you haven't got it, Alfred."

"Hey! Hamburgers can have lots of stuff on it, not just the patty!"

"Whatever, Alfred…" The argument was hopeless anyway, as Arthur had known from many similar arguments they'd had in the past.

"I'll guard the door." Marge said and started off for the front of the store.

"No!" Alfred yelled a bit too loudly. "Come back here. Sadiq and Yao will go."

Marge looked miffed as she sulkily made her way back to stand idly beside her father while Sadiq and Yao raced each other to the doors.

Ivan, meanwhile, was examining the snack aisle. "постыдный." he said as he read the ingredients for a bag of Cheetos. "How striking. It's a wonder that everyone in this country did not die from diabetes and high cholesterol before the Uprising."

"Shut up, commie! My food is awesome! Way better than Artie's."

"Belt up about my food, will you?" Arthur warned. "And stop standing there and eating everything in the vicinity. Grab something and be useful!"

"Okay! Okay! Sheesh!"

Kiku turned into the Asian aisle and was surveying the food there. "These imitations are… creative."

"Thanks, Kik!" Alfred called.

"… creatively disgusting…" Kiku muttered under his breath, setting the package of Yakisoba back on its respected shelf.

"Stop looking around and grab what you can!" Arthur said in frustration. "What time is it anyway?"

Marge looked at her wristwatch. "About 10:00. We need to hurry."

"Right," Alfred said, now beginning to collect cans in earnest.

"Ah, I'm all full." Arthur said, hefting his backpack over his shoulder. "Erg… well, at least it will give me a good workout."

"Hey, man, I could carry it for you." Alfred said, his backpack bulging with supplies held lightly in his hand, another slung over his other shoulder.

Arthur stared for a moment before growling, "Absolutely not! You'll probably drop it or… something."

Marge snatched the extra bag off her father's shoulder. "Tch. I told you, I can carry it myself!"

"I just wanted to make sure you could handle it." Alfred said, pouting.

"I'm not weak, Dad." Marge snapped. "When are you going to realize that? When are you going to start treating me like Penny, or Terax, or even Red?"

"I don't think I can." Alfred said. "You're my baby. And you're still so young."

"Alexei and Kalola are younger than me! The youngest, in fact!"

"And I treat them like babies too. Though, I'm stricter about gun use." He eyed her rifle as if it would suddenly explode. "Honestly, when I saw you get that rifle for Christmas, I was mortified." He glared at Matthew.

"What?" Matthew retorted. "It was what she wanted! And she'd been shooting my crossbow. It isn't that different."

"She was eight!"

"And she was responsible and talented." Matthew said with finality. "I don't regret giving it to her."

"Yeah, Dad, just think." Marge said. "If Mattie hadn't of given me this rifle, I wouldn't be as confident as I am now. Nor would I know how to get around in the forest. I wouldn't have ever found you!"

Alfred frowned sadly. "I don't know. Maybe it's because you are so grown up. I mean, you're not Moriah anymore… I feel like you're growing up too fast, that you're too independent."

"Dad," Marge sighed. "I'm a hundred and twenty-three years old. I ought to know what I'm doing by now."

"Eh, well that's nothing." Alfred said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. "I mean, just look how ridiculously old Iggy is! And he still doesn't know how to stop fighting with Francis."

"He gets what he bloody well deserves!" Arthur flashed back at him. "If I didn't say something when he did something I didn't like, he'd be trying to molest you all in your sleep!"

Francis frowned. "So cruel, amour."

"I can be as cruel as I want, frogface! And you," He pointed accusingly at Alfred. "You fight with Ivan as much as I fight with Francis. The only difference is that we don't actually attempt to kill each other as well as the rest of the world!"

Francis smiled. "That's good to know. At least now when I fight with you, I know you won't have the guts to kill me. Ahonhonhon!"

"I will if you don't shut your—!" Arthur's last words were muffled as a hand closed over his mouth. He thrashed and shouted into the hand until Sadiq whispered, "Yao and I heard something around the store. It's getting closer."

They were all silent for a moment, hearing a soft scuffling just outside.

Suddenly, Yao ran over to them, wok in hand. "They're coming in."

They stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. Then, Marge whispered, "Scatter!"

Kiku and Yao paired off, running toward the Asian aisle. Sadiq ran after them following a brief decision. Ivan took off to the meat section, no one daring to follow him. Ludwig pulled Feliciano into the wine aisle. Lovino silently protested at not being allowed to follow, thrashing and kicking as Gilbert forced the Italian to follow him the into toilet paper and paper towel section, most of which was nearly cleaned out. Francis grabbed Matthew by the wrist and ran with him to crouch behind a register. Alfred tried to follow them, but Arthur, knowing they would be spotted sooner if they were all grouped together, tugged Alfred to the cereal aisle, Alfred in turn pulling Marge along with him. Ruby looked between Matthew and Marge for a second, before darting into the aisle with Marge.

"… fuckin' thought I heard someone in here."

"You're always hearing things, Dave."

"Shut up, you two." It was a woman's voice. "We won't ever know if Dave heard something or not if you don't be quiet."

There was silence, then: "Roxie, you're just as crazy as Dave. I don't hear nothin'."

"Fucking shut up already, Jim! I'm trying to listen!"

Both men ooohed. "Must be her time of the month." Jim said to Dave.

"It will be if you guys don't keep quiet, goddammit!"

"Okay, okay! Hormonal much?"

There was silence for five whole minutes, the nations holding their breaths. Francis was currently forcing Matthew further beneath the register as the three people walked past.

"Nothin', Rox, just like I toldja."

Roxie snorted. "Whatever. You said that the last time we got jumped here."

"Yeah," Jim replied. "But I've got a gun this time." The cocking echoed around the store, making all the nations flinch.

"Oh, don't give me that crock o' crap." Roxie retorted. "We have one gun between us—"

"And a knife." added Dave.

"And a knife," Roxie amended. "Tell me, how the hell are we supposed to defend ourselves if say thirteen people were here?"

All the nations tensed.

"I'm not blowin' smoke up your ass here, but I am a pretty good shot." Jim said.

Roxie scoffed, but didn't reply. She was currently lingering around the register that was hiding Francis and Matthew. Ivan was watching them closely, AK-47 out and loaded.

"Hey, you don't suppose there's still any money in these?" Roxie was eyeing the cash register greedily.

She was about to lean over to force it open, Francis and Matthew holding their breaths, when Dave said, "Nah, I doubt it. The vultures that cleaned this place out before probably got it all. Besides, the old money system don't matter now. It's just barter."

"More like posin' death threats if ya don't get whatcha want."

"Oh," Roxie said and continued on her way. Ivan lowered his gun. "Are you talking about that… what're they called… Organization Coup?"

"Partly," Dave replied, now currently examining some rotten vegetables. "Though all those who're still true to the system probably swept in here after them to pick up what they left behind."

Jim scoffed. "I don't give a damn which side I'm on or not. I just wanna survive until the government's back up and runnin' again."

"Agreed," Roxie said.

"There's always the worry that some tyrant will put himself as the head." Dave said.

"Eh, we can do somethin' about him when he comes to power." Jim replied. "Depending on how many people we can gather who believe in the old system. That is, if they ain't all killed beforehand."

"And what if the tyrant isn't so bad?" Roxie asked.

"Well, then he wouldn't be called a tyrant, now would he?" Dave said.

Roxie scoffed. "Smartass,"

Dave was now sweeping close to where Ivan was crouched behind a shelf of potatoes.

"Well, it's official, Rox." Jim said. "There's nobody here. So go do what you're gonna do and hurry. Them vultures will be here again in no time."

"Yeah, I know." Roxie replied with annoyance. "I watched them come here and raid the store countless times. We'll be lucky if there's anything left." And she headed off further into the store.

"Hey! And remember to get some canned meat. I don't feel much like huntin' today!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

She walked past the aisles, not bothering to look into them, intent upon her destination, not noticing the nations who tried to crush themselves onto the long, empty shelves or against a wall.

Then, she turned into the toilet paper aisle. "Finally, some rolls." she muttered to herself. "We were pushing our last one. Thank God we won't have use leaves or something."

She reached up to pluck a roll off the topmost shelf when she heard something scrape the floor softly behind her. She wheeled around, opening her mouth to cry out when a hand went over it. A knife was held against her throat.

"Struggle and I'll cut you." Gilbert hissed into her ear and forced her onto her knees and ordered her to cram herself into the empty, lowermost shelf. Lovino was breathing heavily and shaking behind Gilbert laying on the opposite bottom shelf, trying hard to suppress frightened whimpers.

"Be quiet, Lovino!" Gilbert whispered, still holding his knife to the woman's neck.

Lovino swallowed and shook his head. "They'll know! They'll find us! Dammit!"

"I said be quiet, idiot!"

"Hey, Rox! Be sure to get some condoms too! That girl back at camp looks like she wants me." Jim shouted, then was silent. "Rox?"

Dave was moving closer and closer to Ivan. Just a couple more steps, and he'd turn a corner and find him crouched there. But he was too busy looking around for his friend. "Rox! Hey, Roxie?" He paused, listening.

"Ah! I see, you don't like me screwing around with your friend!" Jim said, laughing. "But, I tell ya, Rox, she's givin' me vibes. Honestly, it's not my fault."

Silence.

"Where'd she go?" Jim asked, nonplussed.

But Dave hushed him. "Something's wrong here."

"Whadaya mean?"

"I mean, I was right. We're not alone."

Dave was now looking all around him, knife at the ready. Then he looked down. "Oh shi—!"

But that was all he could get out before a shot rang out and the man fell over, screaming, cursing, writhing on the ground and clutching his bleeding leg.

"Dave! Holy shit!" Jim rushed forward to help his friend, but he only got halfway there before Ivan sprang up from behind the potato shelf and pointed his gun threateningly at him.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Drop your weapon."

"Fuck!" Jim did as he was told, though hesitantly.

"Hands up."

"Shit, man." Jim said, now shaking, his hands up. "What did you do with Roxie? Tell me, goddammit!"

"She caught sight of me and ran." Ivan replied coolly. "I threatened to shoot her if she didn't. I am alone, and you would do well to leave also if you do not want to end up like your comrade." He nodded to Dave who was whimpering on the floor.

Jim looked horrified. "But D-Dave…"

"Take him." Ivan ordered. "Take him and leave quickly. Tell no one what happened or I'll come after you. I know where your camp is."

"But… what about his wound?"

"Just tell them you accidentally shot him." Ivan smirked. "I'm sure they won't be too surprised; with the way you handle a gun, it was bound to happen sometime."

Jim nodded and bent to grab his friend under his arms and pull him to the front, his eyes never leaving Ivan. When he got to the doors, he felt confident enough to stand up straight and say, "Y-you don't know where our camp is, liar."

"Do not underestimate me." And he lifted his gun to him, making the man flinch.

With that, the man promptly pushed open the doors (kicking away the glass) and dragged the semi-conscious Dave through.

Ivan waited until he couldn't hear them anymore before saying, "All right, they are gone. Let us be gone from this place before he alerts the rest of his camp. I have a feeling they will be coming soon. And Gilbert," he added just as they were starting to emerge. "Let the woman go. Take her out through the back."

Gilbert stiffened, still holding Roxie. "W-what the hell? How the fuck did you know that?"

Ivan smirked. "I saw you pull her into the aisle. I am surprised you kept her quiet for so long."

"I'm awesome enough to keep her quiet!" Gilbert growled, escorting Roxie to the back of the store.

"Great work, Ivan." Arthur said.

"But did you really have to shoot him?" Francis asked, emerging with Matthew, looking shaken.

Ivan shrugged. "Eh, I had to. Otherwise he would not have gotten the message, da?"

"Whatever," Alfred said, holding onto Marge's wrist tightly. "Let's just get the fuck out of here before more show up."

"Yeah," Matthew said, looking over his shoulder to the doors and out of the windows. "I'm sure someone must have heard that gunshot. Let's hope it's not this 'Organization' thing…"

"What is that anyway?" Arthur asked, turning to Alfred.

Alfred shrugged. "I have no friggin' idea. C'mon, let's go."

"Ugh, Dad! Stop pulling me. You're going to rip my arm off!"

"Ve! They're going to get us!"

"Nein, Feliciano, calm down. And stop clinging to me!"

"Stop yelling at my brother, damn potato head!"

"Why do you have to be so unawesome at a time like this?"

"Shut up!" Everyone looked at Kiku. He quickly bowed his head, his face reddening. "I apologize for such rudeness, but we must be on our way and fighting will only forestall us. I can sense this place will no longer be safe very soon."

"Then by all fucking means," Lovino said. "let's get the hell out of here!" And he made for the doors, grabbing his brother along the way. "Come on, fratello."

"Wait!" Ludwig yelled racing ahead of him and blocking his way. "We have to check if the way is clear first. We wouldn't want to run out and be pelted with bullets."

"Not after surviving what we just did." Matthew muttered.

"Da," Ivan smiled and held up his AK-47. "You would not want my efforts to be for naught."

"No…" Alfred said slowly, making a wide skirt around where Ivan was standing. "Ludwig, do ya see anything?"

Ludwig held his handgun at the ready as he peered around one side of the building, then the other. "Nothing, but I have a bad feeling."

"Screw bad feelings!" Alfred said, holding Marge close to him. "We need to get the hell outta here!"

Ruby barked her accordance and led the way out.

Before they were even out of the store, there was a confrontation involving Ludwig grappling with Lovino.

"Get off of me, kraut breath!"

"You are too weak to be in the front. Get back in the middle and take your brother with you."

"Get your wurst hands off of me!"

"Please don't shout, Roma." Feliciano's lower lip quivered, threatening to spill sobs.

"I'll take care of them, West." Gilbert came up behind both brothers and grabbed them, eventually letting go of Feliciano because he followed him without a struggle. Lovino meanwhile…

"Fucking potato bastard! If you don't let me—!" The rest of his threat was muffled by Gilbert's hand coming over his mouth.

"Eh, stop squirming." the albino said, smirking.

"Try to keep them calm." Arthur told him. "Their anxiety builds off the other."

At this, Lovino grumbled even louder behind the hand and flashed the Briton a scathing look.

Arthur just shrugged. "I can't help if it's true, mate."

When they were halfway across town, Yao stopped them and said, "We need medicine!"

Alfred whirled around and smacked a hand to his forehead. "Oh shit, yeah!"

Gilbert took his hand off of Lovino's mouth, for the Italian had been obediently quiet for some time. Immediately, the Italian said, "I am not going back there, dammit."

"But we need medicine, you and Gilbert-san the most." Kiku said. "And it will be better if we travel as a group. It will be safer."

"I told you, dammit, I am not going back there!"

Sadiq sighed and unsheathed his kilij, making them all jump. "I will go back, all right? The idiots need treatment, but I'm no doctor, so I need someone who knows what they need to come with me."

Ludwig stepped forward. "I will go."

Feliciano clung to his arm and whimpered, "N-no, Ludwig, don't leave."

"Get off of me, Feli."

Lovino was about to defend his brother, but Gilbert hastily covered his mouth with a pale hand.

"Then I will go." Yao volunteered, but Kiku held him back.

"No, Yao-sama, you are too old. Your reactions aren't what they used to be. I will go."

Yao growled. "You say I am too old? You are not exactly young yourself, xiǎodì! Besides, I am wisest nation. I know more about medicine than you do."

"Enough," Ivan said, and they all quieted. He bent to scoop up some twigs from off the ground, breaking them until they were all different sizes. "Okay, all who know medicine well, raise your hand."

Ludwig, Yao, Kiku, Matthew, and Arthur all raised their hands. Then Ivan turned around, stuffing the twigs into his fist, and turned back around, holding out his hand. "Take one. The one with the shortest twig goes."

There was silence as everyone watched them take a twig, as if it was their death sentence. Then, one of them presented the shortest twig in the palm of his hand.

"It's me," Arthur said, looking around at the goggling faces. "What? I've read plenty of medical books in my day. I like to be informed."

Then Alfred stepped forward. "I'll go. I'll go in your place if you tell me what I need to get."

"What! No, git, I drew the shortest twig, so I have to go. What don't you understand?"

"Just tell me."

Arthur scoffed at that. "Like you would remember if I did. You'd probably return with an IV stand and a heart monitor ripped out of the wall."

"You're too old." Alfred said sternly.

Arthur laughed spitefully. "Old? You're too young!"

"I'm faster than you and I'm stronger." Alfred said and Arthur frowned. "Plus, I'm a damn good shot. You know that."

"Don't you try to tell me I'm some weak, defenseless old man!"

"But that's just it. I am."

"You—!"

"You're not what you once were. You know that too."

Arthur wanted to retort, but held his tongue. In answer, he turned and motioned for Sadiq to follow him. "Come on, Sadiq. Let's go. I'm ready." He pulled out his pistol and cocked it.

"Angleterre!" Francis suddenly shouted. "Be careful, cher."

"Thank you, Francis." Arthur said bitterly and continued walking.

Alfred couldn't stand there while he watched his older brother walk to his death… possibly. He took only two steps before someone took hold of his arm and pulled.

"Stay here, Al." Matthew said.

"What, and let him be killed?"

"You don't know that."

"It could happen." Alfred went on, jerking his arm out of Matthew's grip. "And I don't want to regret not going."

"Nyet, Amerika." Ivan had snagged him and as much as he struggled, Alfred could not get away. Damn. "You let Matvey worry about you when you decided to do something dangerous. Now you will know how it feels to wait as well."

"If I know Arthur," Francis began, pushing back his blond hair. "I know he does not go down without a fight. He never surrenders. And he's found a way out of every trap in history."

"Yeah, but what about me?" Alfred protested. "What about what happened when I—" The words caught in his throat.

"Rebelled?" Matthew finished for him and sighed. "Al, that's different. He raised you. He loved you. That's why he couldn't bear to hurt you. Trust me, I know. I lived with him after the war and he was really gloomy. But with strangers that present a danger to him or any of us, well," he laughed. "he won't give them any mercy. In that situation, yes, he is like his old, domineering self. He's not as weak as you may think, Al. This Uprising's hardened him, like it has all of us."

Alfred stilled in Ivan's arms. "I don't care. None of us should be splitting up. Not now. It's dangerous."

Ivan snorted. "Like you cared about danger twelve hours ago."

Translations:

постыдный-Shameful

xiǎodì-little brother

A Word From the Writer: Trust me when I say this, American-produced packaged Yakisoba is disgusting. Stick with the ramen, people, really. It won't make you want to gag. And I wasn't exaggerating about the Cheeto ingredients. Go ahead, look on the back of that little bag you just got and see the shit ton of crap you'll be adding to your thighs.

Annnnywho, England wants what England wants. Back into town we go... next chapter!