Disclaimer: The Hetalia characters and their personifications belong to Hidekaz Himaruya. 日丸屋 秀和

What Not to do if You are a Knight by Gilbert Beilschmidt:

15.) Do not underestimate your stupid, cheating, smart-ass opponents.

16.) Do not get mad when hanging upside down from a tree... it only makes the blood rush to your head faster.

FLASHBACK - Brains over Brawn

"I hid the flag!" Antonio proclaimed cheerily.

"That's great." Eli commended. He knelt on the ground, fiddling with something in the leaves.

"Sooo, what have you been doinggg... exactly?" Antonio prompted, more or less at a loss.

"STOP!" Eli warned, putting out his hand. "Don't come any closer. It's booby-trapped."

Looking closer, Antonio saw a craftily hidden net partially buried by dead leaves.

"Where did you learn to tie such intricate knots?" the Spaniard asked, astonished.

"Just a place, okay?" Eli snapped. Then he sighed. "Sorry... You know, Antonio, I'm quick... reflex-wise, and skilled when it comes to stuff like this," he gestured toward her trap, "but..." he hung his head resignedly. "Francis is right. I don't think I could survive as a knight on my own... not without you guys. I'm not strong, or super fast, or-"

"Woah, Woah, woah, stop!" Antonio commanded, for the first time a serious expression upon his face. Eli looked up in surprise. Antonio continued, "Even if you are not the most muscular, you are still strong. Even if you don't have the longest stride you stay quick and light on your feet. Heck, on top of that you're brave and smart and a little crazy..." He paused to wink at her, "but, you see, you need all of those together to be a great knight - which you are. You win every fight through sheer technique and create these intricate traps and strategies all on your own. Chico, if you've taught me anything, it's that it does not matter how you overcome your opponent," he put his hand on Eli's shoulder. "Trust me, you've got what it takes."

The boys smiled gratefully at each other, until they heard fast-paced footsteps approaching in the distance.

"You go get their flag," Antonio commanded. "I'll stay here and guard ours."

"Okay," Eli nodded, but before he left, he remembered something. "Oh! Just don't walk..." He scanned the area. "Don't walk," he said flatly, and slipped away carefully in the direction of the other team's base.

"Wait, just stand here?!"

"Don't move a muscle!" Eli called over his shoulder.

Antonio watched Eli trot off. That guy was definitely different than the other boys. He turned around as he heard the crunching of leaves behind him.

"Well, well," said the albino prowler.

"You will have to go through me before you pass any further, mi amigo," the Spaniard dared, raising his sword and pointing it towards his opponent.

Standing about ten paces away, Gilbert snickered, "Kesesese! Come on, Toni. You think I don't know Eli well enough to fall for his little tricks? I know that you are only standing there so I come forward and trip one of his clever little booby-traps. But the Awesome Me is too clever for that~" he sang. "No, he is too predictable, so instead, I shall go AROUND you, mein friend." He strutted confidently to the left and leaned against a tree. "Hm. Who's the smarter one now, eh Eli-" Suddenly, Gilbert heard a snap, and a rock the size of his head fell from where it was discretely suspended in the tree. It landed directly on young Gilbert's toe. He yelped, dropping his sword and clutching his foot while hopping frantically on the other. He hopped right over another trip-wire, and a large quantity of mud SPLATTED into his face. He stumbled back, releasing his foot in favor of wiping the ooze out of his eyes. Antonio stood with an innocent face off to the side, watching the chaotic scene unfold.

Gilbert, now blinded and caught off guard, fell over a log and into the pile of leaves directly at Antonio's feet.

SSSSSSHHHHHHPPPP!

The next instant, Gilbert was staring down at the happy Spaniard's upside-down smile from the net now suspending him in mid-air.

"Gah- F***! ELI!" the pale pre-teen raged.

"Haha! He may be predictable Gilbert, but apparently not as predictable as you!"

Across the forest, Elizaveta smiled to herself as she heard Gilbert's shouts and curses echo over the treetops.

She slowed to a trot and eventually a walk as she came close to the area of the forest where her opponents were likely to have schemed.

"Now, if I were their flag, where would I be...?" she mused quietly to herself.

A figure emerged from the shadows, dangling a white cloth before her eyes. "Do you mean this one, mon cher?" came the familiar French accent.

More than a little startled, Eli drew her bow.

Francis threw his hands up innocently.

"Hey! You're not allowed to carry the flag!" Eli accused. She tried to snatch the cloth, but the slightly taller blond held it out of reach.

"In what rule book does it say that?" the Frenchman smiled.

"Unwritten rules," she ground out.

Sensing her anger, Francis responded quickly. "Well, you see, since you are so big on 'strategy' maybe you could find a way to convince me to hand it over to you... Maybe by answering a few questions of mine?"

"No," she responded promptly.

"Oh, come on, just a few innocent little questions?"

She had a bad feeling about this. "Like...?"

"You are Hungarian you said, oui?"

"Yes," she said shortly, standing in a defensive position.

"Hm. What a coincidence, just like the Lord Héderváry, but... you are no relation...?"

"..." Silence.

"Ah yes, and his daughter, I hear, is right around our age as well, but I have never seen her before."

"She is often in her chambers. It is the Lord's orders to keep her inside," she answered.

"Ah, oui. So it is. Now, just one more question."

She knew what was coming. Her secret was out. Francis was always too smart for his own good. She already had the reply in her mind: No I'm not a girl, no I'm not a girl, no I'm not a girl. She repeated the mantra over and over again silently.

"Are we not friends, mon cher?"

She was caught off guard by this. "What?"

"Friends! Comrades, allies, knights of a common creed, non?"

"Uhh... y-yes- I mean yes. Of course we're friends, Francis," she answered genuinely.

Francis's mouth tilted into a half smirk, and, handing her the cloth, he said gently, "Then perhaps we should be more trusting of one another, Mademoiselle."

Her eyes flashed alarm.

"Oh, I apologize; I meant 'monsieur'. Slip of the tongue!" he quickly amended. Then, with a wink he added, "But I promise, it won't happen again."

She smiled, and a moment later, wrapped him in a tight embrace. Shocked by the affection Eli was NOT known to show, Francis hesitantly hugged her back.

When they let go, Eli began leading the way back to the forest's edge. "Hey, Francis, you do have your sword, right?" she called behind her.

"Uh, oui. Why, might I ask?"

"You're gonna need to cut your partner down when we get back!" she smiled.