Canada sighed to himself. The sharp stinging pain in his back seemed to have sucked all of his willpower from him. He made it to the top of the small stairwell and into the kitchen but a wave of unease and dizziness made him stop and rest for a while.
After a minute of deep breathing, he continued on, first heading to the refrigerator. He tugged it open just a crack and peered in. One by one, he started to gather any food that didn't require any cooking; there were some that needed to be heated up in a microwave but he didn't even bother with those. He ended up snatching some cheese and fresh fruit. Cheese by itself was okay but cheese with bread was better; Canada decided that a little grain won't hurt.
Slowly, he made his way back down the steps and to England and Vietnam. He cringed as he sat down. It was rather painful, arching his back to sit down. He could have sworn his wound reopened but he felt no new flow of blood running down his back.
Vietnam glanced at Canada when he arrived and said to England, "You can rest. You deserve it."
England groaned as he withdrew. "My poor teeth..." he muttered.
"At least you can use your teeth to eat now." Canada said, plucking the green leafy part of a strawberry. He held it out by England's mouth and England bit into the small fruit, hungrily eating it up.
Canada then offered one to Vietnam but she shook her head. "After England." she said firmly.
England swallowed and retorted, "No you have to eat too. After all, even though I'm tied up and on the filthy floor, I'm still a gentleman."
"It will be faster if you finish eating first and then continue." Vietnam said sternly. "If I eat now it will slow things down."
"I don't eat much."
"Even so."
England gave up and prodded Canada's with his head for more strawberries. Canada felt like he was truly feeding a dog; he held a handful of strawberries out in his hand for England to snatch them up. And then there was the part about his teeth...
After England was done eating, Canada shifted over and started to feed Vietnam with his other hand. She didn't eat much either; a couple of strawberries and some cheese with bread and that was it. When she was done, Canada sat back and started to eat what was left.
There were times where they froze in fear when they thought Dark France was coming. They had heard footsteps near the door and Canada would glance at the gnawed ropes and then he'd turn pale. There were also times where they heard other voices near the door. They still couldn't tell what other doppelganger was present.
By the time Vietnam was able to break out from the ropes, England felt terribly sore. He didn't think he could talk properly. Vietnam, who wasn't as injured as Canada, then tried her strength at the knot that still kept England prisoner and pulled. Nothing.
"Stay here." she said, standing up abruptly after a third attempt.
"Where are you going?" Canada asked her.
"To the kitchen. There's got to be a knife available."
While Canada wondered why he didn't think of that, England contorted his face uneasily. He wasn't exactly content with someone taking a knife and sawing away at the ropes. After the knife incident with Canada, he didn't really want to think about it. When Vietnam slipped back into the basement with the promised knife, he said, "Just don't saw my body into half, you hear?"
Vietnam raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. The next five minutes were spent with Vietnam cutting through the rope and England wincing every time she successfully cut through; the sudden jump from one cord to the other seemed too fast for him and he feared that by the time she got to the last cord, the knife would cut through the last cord and land into his own flesh.
She stopped sawing at the ropes and started to help Canada to his feet. England glanced down and saw that she left a few uncut. "You can certainly break through those, can't you England?" Vietnam asked, throwing Canada's arm over her shoulder so that he could lean on her for support if anything happened.
England sheepishly wiggled out of the ropes and sat up. He massaged his arms and took long breaths, glad that he could breathe regularly again. "So now what?" he asked, rolling his shoulders backwards.
Vietnam glanced around the basement. "Japan is here, right? Maybe we'll be lucky and run into him. He can shelter us for a little bit. If we don't see him we'll return to Germany's house. We'll continue looking for France later. Do you still have the keys?"
England automatically reached for his pocket. The keys jingled as he patted them. "All set." he said.
Vietnam nodded at him and then she and Canada made their way to the stairs with England leading.
Cameroon had never seen Germany so flustered. Of course, there were times where Italy would step past the line and get Germany all riled up but all of those times where Germany had been annoyed at Italy couldn't compare to the expression and aura Germany gave off now.
For some odd reason, Cameroon could feel a dark and cold atmosphere every time he neared Germany. "Where are we going now?" Cameroon asked Germany.
"Home." he said at once. "We need to confirm this before we continue our search. Leaving a doppelganger in charge is the very last thing we need."
Australia cringed. America had started to sing along with the radio and the song was highly pitched. America was okay with songs that weren't so high but Australia swore that the radio played that song just to bug everyone in the car; even Spain had grimaced whenever America attempted to mimic an insanely high note.
Australia glanced in the mirror to look at the nations sitting in the back. They all had different colored ear plugs sticking out from their ears; they were now immune to America's singing.
"Oh ye-ah! Tonight we P-A-A-A-R-R-R-T-T-Y-Y-Y-Y!" America sang, obviously enjoying the song.
Australia flinched but America didn't take notice. If only New Zealand had brought another pair of ear plugs with him.
Thankfully, America took a break after the song was over and took a long sip from his extra large drink they got him. The fast food restaurant was abandoned so they helped themselves. Australia and Spain had to monitor America's 'scavenger hunt'.
"How much longer now?" America asked Australia. The nations behind them tentatively removed their ear plugs (but they kept them just in case the radio started blaring out another high pitched song).
"We're near the border of Poland. Soon we'll be at Germany's."
"So a couple minutes, right?"
"Right."
America sat back in his seat, satisfied.
Japan sighed with relief. He had successfully evacuated the French city of Nice. He thought it was a very beautiful city and it would be a total shame if doppelgangers were to come in and destroy it.
As he watched the last of the helicopters and boats leave, he turned around, thanked the soldiers that accompanied them, and dismissed them.
"What about you, sir?" a soldier asked.
"I will return to Germany for further orders. This is the last region for evacuation. Please go around and double check that the country really is evacuated. If there is need for another rescue helicopter or boat, please contact me immediately." Japan said calmly.
As his soldiers left Nice, Japan contacted Estonia back at headquarters. "Nice is evacuated. Is there something else for me to do or shall I return?"
"Thank you Japan. You may return and rest for a day. Then you will go out and help evacuate Yemen."
Japan had to stop himself from bowing to air. Forgetting that Estonia couldn't see him at all, he reddened with embarrassment and said, "Ah, thank you..."
He started the trip back up north to Germany soon afterward. It was somewhat weird to see every city abandoned; the country was really a ghost town-no, scratch that. It was a ghost country.
Japan sighed to himself. That was a horrible pun and so he trashed the idea of 'ghost country'. Even if the pun was good, it didn't really fit; he passed by France's house and stopped, remembering that England, Vietnam, and Canada were looking for France starting with his home.
"Perhaps I will help." he mused to himself. He was sure Estonia wouldn't mind if he stepped in for a little bit. The gate was locked so he circled around the house, looking for a way in. There wasn't one so he climbed over the fence and hopped down.
Japan never made it to the door; the door itself flung open followed by several more gun shots. The sudden violence he was thrown into made him reach for his katana at his side. He watched England dive out the door and into a bush. Then Canada stumbled out and England pulled him aside with him.
"Japan!" England yelled over four more gun shots. He beckoned towards him frantically and Japan ran to his side.
"What is going on?" Japan asked, looking around. "And where is Vietnam?"
England cursed and leaned in towards the doorway, peering in. Japan did the same, peering over England's shoulder.
They both withdrew quickly as Vietnam dashed out the door. Japan reached out and pulled her aside like England had done with Canada. She nearly hit him with the butt of her gun until she realized who he was. "Japan, what are you doing here?" she panted, looking bewildered.
"What's going on?" Japan asked again as the four retreated to the gate.
As Vietnam scowled about how they couldn't climb the gate with their injuries, England barked, "Dark France is in there! Dark China's with him!"
Japan gaped at him. "Dark China?" He suddenly remembered the incident with Malaysia's nose and the wild chase back at Guangzhou. "And then Dark France...this is not very good."
"Damn right it isn't." England roared. He used the gun and banged it against the lock of the gate. The gate rattled and the metal was dented but the lock was still intact. Gritting his teeth, England stepped back and held out both hands, somewhat embarrassed to do something like this in front of people. There was no other way now and he started to chant.
Japan watched him curiously for a second but then out of the corner of his eye he caught a flicker and turned. Dark France and Dark China were several feet away from them now. Dark France had throw his gun aside; he had probably ran out of ammo. Dark China, on the other hand, still had his.
"England, hurry!" Canada urged.
England's chanting grew louder and his tone darkened. Vietnam and Japan wasn't exactly sure what England was doing but they disregarded him and focused at the doppelgangers. Vietnam had only four shots left and Japan rarely found himself carrying a gun. He made a mental reminder to go get one if they ever make it out of the situation alive.
"-intekantera!" England shouted, ending the incantation. The lock exploded and sparks burst out from it, catching the grass around them on fire.
Dark China started to shoot but England pointed at him and yelled, "Declanavi!" The bullet deflected off of an invisible force. The others didn't complain; they shoved the gates open and fled. Japan noticed they all had a hard time running and he offered to drive the car up to them while they stalled.
"Here," England fished the keys from his pocket and tossed it to Japan, who caught it with ease. "It's parked over there at the corner!" England glanced back and somehow deflected a few more bullets with nothing but a single uttering of a word.
When Japan drove by the three didn't waste time and jumped into the car while it was still moving. Neither one of them had both feet in the car when England yelled, "DRIVE!"
Vietnam glanced behind them and watched as Dark France and Dark China stared after them, their malevolent red eyes following them with an intense darkness that made her uneasy and look away.
"Thank you so much Japan." Canada said gratefully. "Thank you..."
"If you haven't stopped by I don't know what we would do." England said, crossing his arms. "Honestly, if only they weren't sitting within range of the front door..."
Vietnam pursed her lips. "If Dark China was there, why didn't Estonia tell us? Or was Dark China not here when Dark France chased us?"
"But when you contacted him, wouldn't he see Dark China coming towards us?" Canada asked timidly.
"Why not ask him?" England asked.
Japan frowned. "England...I don't know why but I have a feeling we shouldn't."
"Why is that?"
"I...do not know."
A silence filled the car and it remained like this until they were in the outskirts of the city. England sighed and muttered to Canada, "Oi, you're better now, aren't you?"
Canada blinked at him. "Oh, yes. The pain isn't too bad anymore. It stills hurts a little but I think I will be fine."
"So are we helping you evacuate Japan?" asked Vietnam.
Japan shook his head. "No. We're going back to Germany's house. I don't know why but I have a feeling that something is happening."