As a precaution, America stopped the boat before they could see the shore. Since they were travelling west, it was still early morning when they arrived. The sun was not quite up yet; it made it perfect for them to sneak about.
"Everyone in!" America called as Italy hopped into the small rowboat. They were supposed to row their way to shore. Before they had departed Germany, Germany had asked America how they were going to get to Chicago after they landed on the east coast.
"Silly Germany," America had grinned. "We're reaching Chicago by boat. There's a river that will lead us through the Great Lakes and we'll be in Lake Michigan when we get out."
So far, they had gone through three of the Great Lakes and passed by locks that seperated the lakes. When they made it halfway through Lake Michigan, America then decided that it was time to get out the rowboat.
"Hey, France! England! Hurry up!" America called.
"We're coming," England said hastily.
As England made his way to the rowboats, America peered over the rails. "Don't fall into the water England," America said with a mischievious grin.
England froze, staring at America. "You wouldn't dare..."
"Ah, well, sometimes I lose my balance, you know." America said. "In you go!" America pushed England past the rails and watched as he dropped into the rowboat below. The rowboat rocked and swayed dangerously, water lopping into the boat. Italy tried to get to one end worriedly as England tried not to fall out of the boat.
"America you idiot!" England yelled up towards America after the water calmed down. "Do you want me to drown?"
There was no answer. Instead, France came tumbling down. Italy and England ashed to the ends of the boat and France collapsed in the middle. Luckily the boat was rather balanced; Italy sitting at the front and England sitting in the back helped the boat from capsizing.
And then there was America.
"Cannonball!" America shouted out gleefully as he jumped off the rail.
"That's only when you're jumping into the water!" Italy laughed.
Only, that was the point.
The three in the boat cried out in alarm as America splashed into the water, soaking them. Sputtering, France said, "My clothes are wet..."
"Well everyone's is." England said with exasperation. He shook his arm in hopes of flinging excess water away from himself as America popped up beside the rowboat, pulling himself in.
"You're making a mess." France sighed, pulling his feet in to avoid his shoes from getting wet from America. America shook his head like a dog and reached into his pocket.
Putting his glasses back on, America pointed south and said, "Onward!"
England, France, and Italy glanced around. "There's no paddle." Italy said.
America dropped his arm, looking around the small boat. "Really? Dang it, where's Vietnam when you need her?" Crouching down, America reached out and paddled the water with his hand.
"Are you serious?" England asked.
"Less talking, more paddling." America said.
It was quite an odd scene. Four countries in a small rowboat paddling on the sides to get to a shore they couldn't even spot. After a few frustrating minutes, where they had only made a couple of feet, England stopped his paddling and cracked his knuckles. "Alright, enough of this rubbish." he said. Feeling the flow of his magic running through his veins, he said, "Let me have a go at it."
America and France exchanged looks and sat back up, their backs cracking in satisfaction from being hunched over for so long. Italy's face brightened when he saw that England was going to 'do magic tricks'.
For some odd reason, the wind started to blow around them, as if wrapping around England himself. America glanced up at the darkening sky and let out a low whistle. "He's getting pretty serious."
And then, all of a sudden, England released his magic and America, France, and Italy shouted out in alarm when the boat started speeding up like a speed boat. The three countries gripped onto each other for dear life as England directed them across the water, having no need to hold on to anything to keep himselffrom falling into the water.
After a while, America laughed outloud. "This is fun! England, you should have done this when I was little!"
"A little America on these rough waves?" France exclaimed, clasping a hand over his mouth. He looked oddly pale. "If I had heard word that you two were up to speeding along the waters like this years back I wouldn't have allowed it."
"Aw, Big Brother France, this is very fun!" Italy laughed. "Ve, faster, England, faster!"
Much to France's dismay, England sped on. It got to the point where the rowboat even got air time.
"Helmets, we need helmets." France declared after the shore came into view. England had slowed them down until they were merely sailing peacefully towards shore. "And life jackets. Bubble wrap shall be a great comfort as well..."
America laughed, patting France on the back. "Dude, if you need to throw up, throw up into the lake, okay?"
And so France did.
Chicago's towers literally towered over them. Empty cars were deserted in the roads and highways; some of the doors were wide open and England found it odd how the cars in America had the steering wheel on the left side and not the right.
"Well, everything seems normal." America said.
"This is normal?" Italy asked.
"Uh, well, no. Normally, it isn't normal. However, the situation we're in, it's very normal." America said, scratching the back of his head.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, the four began to feel somewhat uncomfortable. "Weapons...here in Chicago." America murmured as they wandered around. "What do you know?"
"So how are we supposed to find these weapons and destroy them?" France asked.
"Well, I don't know about you, but back at Guangzhou, Korea and Hungary helped me attract attention by making a lot of noise." America said.
"But we're not here to get captured." England said. "Look where that got us."
America wagged a finger at England. "Yeah, but the Best Buds Group started because of that! We're heading towards friendshipness!"
England sighed. "It's just 'friendship', America. There's no such word as 'friendshipness'."
"Yes there is."
"No, there isn't."
"Well in my book it is."
England gave America a perplexed look. "What kind of books do you read?"
"Ve, did you guys hear that?" Italy asked suddenly, clinging onto France's arm.
America glanced around. Nervously, he asked, "Uh, what did you hear Italy?"
"I don't know. It sounded like someone's watching us!"
"Watching someone makes a sound?" England asked.
"Oh England, you know what he means." France said. But France too had an uneasy look. "I feel like something bad is about to happen. Just be quiet, okay? I'm telling you, there's something dark out there."
"Well, the lights are out after all-" America was saying but he jumped as a few crows cawed out, flying over head.
"The sun's almost out though." England said, pointing to the yellow-pink horizon. Crossing his arms, he said wearily, "Besides, there shouldn't be anything to be afraid about. If it was night then I'd be worried but it's nearly day so don't fret."
"Easy for you to say!" America said, stepping closer to the others. He looked visibly shaken. "You haven't watched any horror movies lately!"
England threw up his hands in exasperation. "You've been watching them with Canada, haven't you?"
"Who?"
England stared at America; it was bad enough that he forgot Canada, but to have America, who was Canada's own brother, forget about him too, England coudln't help but feel bad for the little guy.
Fortunately, America remember that he had a brother seconds later and his face brightened. "Ohhh, yeah, Canada! Well, we were watching all the Saw movies and man, that is a scary movie series!"
"Why watch horror when you can watch romantic ones?" France asked America. "They are much more entertaining-"
"Oh the lot of you, shut up." England scolded. "Let's keep moving. There isn't anything around here."
And so the four moved on. The sun started to rise and the new sky was a light blue, a sky too light and cheerful for a situation they were in. It was as if the sky denied that anything bad will come to them, and even though everything seemed normal (or normal as it could get), they all knew that something was bound to happen.
France had made sure that England had his full energy in case they ran into trouble and France also made Italy promise that if things looked bad, he would have to flee back to Germany's immediately.
"By myself?" Italy asked fearfully.
Before France could answer, America popped in. "Nothing will happen." America said, trying to assure Italy. "And if something happened then I, being the Hero, will make sure you get to safety without being alone!"
"And how is that supposed to happen?" France asked.
"Uhhh...oh look, a penny!" America left the conversation and knelt down to examine a penny that saved him from coming up with a near impossible promise.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, the four were walking along the edge of the lake, kicking stones and whatever was in front of their feet.
"It's so uneventful." England murmured.
"Agreed." France said.
"Ve, can we go back to the boat and eat lunch?" Italy asked hopefully.
America shaded his eyes with his hand, glancing around. "You know we can always go and eat at one of my restaurants."
"You mean fast food?" France asked, raising an eyebrow in America's direction.
"Uh, well, yeah dude, I'm America."
Italy tugged at America's arm. "America, I have that bad feeling again."
England stopped and looked at Italy. "Now that you mention it Italy, I feel it too."
America glanced back and forth between Italy and England. "Guys, if this is a joke, it's not funny." he said nervously. When niether one of them broke out laughing and teasing America for being scared, he started to raise his voice a little. "Guys? This is a joke, right? You guys make it seem too scary!"
"America, whose doppelganger do you think it is?" France asked, sending suspicious looks around them.
America's stomach sunk. He too felt the dark aura. Uneasy, he suggested that they just keep walking calmly. Dang it! We can't find the hideout without running into one of those doppelgangers? We're supposed to be all secret and spy-like!
England perked and hissed, "It's here." He turned to face behind them and the other three did too.
The doppelganger calmly walked towards them, stopping a mere five feet away. His dark red eyes gleamed brilliantly and his smile, though seemingly good natured, had a smirk-like attitude towards it.
"Good morrow, gentlemen." Dark England said slyly. "I pray you came prepared."