I do not own Hetalia or Animorphs. I'm not that creative.
Axis Powers: Hetalia is the brainchild of Hidekazu Himaruya, and Animorphs belongs to Katherine Applegate.
This is my response to guest(s) who have reviewed. Thank you for the review!
1. Weeell, it's not up to me to decide if Crazy Helen did indeed see Tony's ship, though that's an interesting speculation, and it actually fits the story!
2. I won't be posting the list of nations that have been infected, but here's a recap of the names listed in the prologue: America, England, France, China, Germany, Prussia, Italy, Romano and Japan. That's a really long time you've been in the fandom! :o *Salute*
3. Ukraine will get more *boing*. XD Sorry that the States won't be making an appearance anytime soon. I'm not good at portraying OCs. (Heck, I'm not even good at portraying the characters in here.)
"Belarus, shut up," Russia snarled with more force than he had intended. Belarus was making it really hard for him to stay undercover with her constant chants of "marry me".
Belarus ceased her chant. What was even worse than not being with her big brother was her big brother getting mad at her. "Sorry, big brother."
"Thank you."
The both of them had escaped relatively unscathed. No one had managed to catch them as they left through the back door. Russia hoped the vets would be able to patch up the poor jaguar.
Time was ticking away. A large digital clock nearby revealed that it was already one. He had four hours left to acquire more animals, and so far, he had only gotten one.
"Belarus, stay here and be quiet," Russia instructed, smashing the lock with his pickaxe. Belarus hunched in the corner with a sulk.
Russia stepped into the enclosure quietly. It had been designed to resemble a rainforest, and there was lush greenery everywhere. Wide leaves, rotting logs, towering trees... It provided him with camouflage, but it was also going to be quite a challenge locating the black mamba.
A loud hiss drew Russia's attention towards a log near his foot. Well, that was easy.
Russia didn't stir. He knew the black mamba could strike much faster than he could ever hope to move.
The black mamba's head appeared at the head of the log, precariously close to Russia's foot. It was swaying side to side, as if in some sort of dance. Its long tongue flicked out to taste the air.
Belarus hated this feeling. Russia had thrown himself right in the middle of dangerous territory, and she wasn't there to protect him. Screw making her big brother happy by listening to his orders; he'd thank her later for saving his sorry butt.
Belarus crouched and ran into the snake enclosure.
Russia was still unmoving, though a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. The black mamba continued its little dance, its beady eyes now on Russia's boot.
A rustle from behind startled the large nation. Was there another one? he thought in dismay. If I'm surrounded there's no way I'd ever make it out of here.
Then he remembered. Belarus! She was still outside, she could run for help.
Russia moved with such agonising slowness, his muscles screamed at him. He was halfway into a squat when the black mamba vanished from sight. I don't want to have to put my hand into the log, he lamented. It could bite him. Black mamba venom was one of the most deadly venom in the world.
"Big brother, I've caught the offending snake," Belarus drawled, her voice now terrifyingly low.
"B-Belarus? You're here? I told you to stay outside!" Russia groaned.
"I couldn't do it. You would've gotten injured." Belarus stepped forward, parting the fronds of a fern. In her arms was a ball-like object.
Russia stared. "That's the black mamba?"
"Yes. I tied it into a huge knot."
Russia paused, trying to process all that was wrong with that sentence. For starters, Belarus touched the black mamba. She actually had enough skill to knot it. And what she did was inhumane.
"Let me touch it, Belarus."
Belarus stretched her arm out, and Russia pressed a finger to the black mamba's skin. It was surprisingly soft and cool to the touch.
"Right, let's go," Russia commanded. "Unknot the poor critter."
Belarus tossed the black mamba on the ground. "It can unknot itself. Hurry, big brother. Your safety is at stake!" She pushed Russia towards the door.
Once the both of them were outside, Russia forced himself to give his little sister a smile. "You're incredible, Belarus."
Belarus' breath hitched. "Does this mean you'll marry me?"
"No, go away!"
- Hetanimorphs -
Ukraine plopped herself down on a bench, using her fingers to massage her shoulder blades. "Ah, Tony, I'm exhausted and my back hurts."
Tony looked back stoically. "Bitch."
"Tony, buddy!"
They looked in the direction of the shout. The only person they saw had a stubborn cowlick and lively blue eyes behind his red-framed spectacles.
America.
"Act normal," was all Tony managed to utter before America came within earshot.
"Hey, dudes!" America slurped his coke noisily.
"Hello, America," Ukraine and Tony greeted slightly apprehensively.
America's crystal-clear eyes bored into them. "Tony, man, I've been searching everywhere for ya! Where have you been?"
"I was playing with Liet," Tony lied, though that technically wasn't a lie, since he did play with Lithuania.
"At that creepy Russia's house?"
"Russia didn't bother us much," Tony responded.
"I see. That's good!" America slapped Tony on the back. "And what about you, Ukraine? Whatcha doin' here?"
"Just... Looking at the animals!" Ukraine laughed nervously. She knew America was a Controller, and she was afraid of what he might do to her.
"The animals are pretty cool," America agreed jovially. "Hey, mind if I hang out with you guys?"
Tony and Ukraine exchanged glances. They couldn't very well reject him.
"Sure!" Ukraine gritted out, her stomach turning into a butterfly garden.
"So what have you been up to?" America asked conversationally.
The Yeerk in his head is a really good actor, Ukraine mused. What would happen if I became a Controller? Would anyone ever know what had happened to the real me?
"I kicked Liet's butt to my home planet in video games," Tony supplied, noticing Ukraine's silence.
America chortled, "Aw, yeah! Way to go, Tony!"
Tony stepped purposefully on Ukraine's foot, snapping her out of her reverie.
"I'm sorry for zoning out!" she cried.
"Huh?" America was as oblivious as ever. "Oh, it's no problem, Ukraine. Don't get so worked up!"
"R-Right... I've been farming," Ukraine answered America's earlier question.
"Farming? Oh, right, you've gotta supply McDonald's with those greens!" America responded.
"Not only that!" Ukraine protested, but she knew there was no getting through to the thick-skulled American.
America tossed his empty drink can into the bin. It landed inside perfectly, and he gave a whoop. "Anyway, I'd like to introduce a new club to you!"
"Oh?" Ukraine had a bad feeling about this.
"It's called The Sharing. Think of it as a type of boy scouts, except we allow females, of course!"
- Hetanimorphs -
"It feels totally great," Poland chirped.
"Yeah," the Baltic trio conceded. All of them instantly felt more confident after the acquiring, like they weren't completely weak anymore.
"We have to bring the bison back," Lithuania continued matter-of-factly. He was resting his palm on the back of the neck of the bison as it chewed grass placidly.
"I hope t-the zookeepers won't scold us," Latvia whimpered.
Estonia pushed his glasses up. "We didn't do anything wrong."
"Don't worry so much," Lithuania reassured with a gentle ruffle of Latvia's hair. "Come along." He stroked the bison, coaxing it to move.
"He's so cool!" Latvia whispered excitedly to Estonia. They nodded and gazed adoringly at Lithuania.
The bison trudged alongside Lithuania. Everyone else followed behind. People cast half-scared, half-curious looks at the group. Who are these people and why do they have a bison?
"There you are!" An angry zookeeper came into sight, wielding something which looked like a slapper.
They froze.
"Thanks for bringing the bison back," the zookeeper went on as he approached. "There were reports of it leaping over the fence – can you believe it? – and running rampant. Several people have been severely injured and sent to the hospital already."
Poland hid behind Lithuania. Lithuania spoke, "That's terrible. I hope they're recuperating! Here's the bison... We caught it while it was grazing on that field." He pointed in the direction of the grassy plain.
"I can't believe it managed to jump over the fence. It's not a short jump by any stretch," the zookeeper expressed with a frown. "Well, kids, thanks for your help. Come along now." The last part was directed to the bison. He held up the slapper and smacked the animal with it. Sparks shot out from the slapper as it crackled, and the bison jerked.
"That's enough!" Estonia shoved the zookeeper aside roughly. "It's not nice to bully the animals!"
The normally cowering Latvia looked enraged as well. In fact, everyone there had fire in their eyes.
"Chill!" the zookeeper roared, stooping to pick up the slapper. "It's not even going to harm the animal!"
"You could totally see the way the bison jerked, broski!" Poland retorted. "It must've, like, hurt him!"
"That's no way to treat an animal!" Lithuania exclaimed, though slightly more calmly than the others.
The zookeeper glowered. "Do you kids have ten years' worth of experience in handling animals? No? Then shut up and let me do what I know is best!"
"You aren't fit t-to look after the bison, y-you're a monster!" Latvia wept, running to seize the zookeeper's arm.
This sent the zookeeper over the edge, and he lashed out at Latvia with the slapper. It sparked violently, a huge flash illuminating Latvia's small frame.
"Latvia!" Lithuania and Estonia cried. They were kneeling by him in a blink of an eye.
Guilt flashed through the zookeeper's eyes for a second, but it was soon replaced with smugness. "That'll teach you kids to be rude." He grasped a fistful of the bison's long fur and led him away.
"Oh my gawd, is he, like, alright?" Poland inquired, running towards Latvia.
Latvia's eyes fluttered open weakly. "I-It hurts..." Blood trickled out from the side of his mouth.
Estonia and Lithuania's sorrow-filled eyes met. "We have to get him to the hospital," Lithuania breathed raggedly.
"No," Estonia mouthed with anguish. "Latvia, you'll pull through. You're a country, you can't die!"
Poland leaned over them. "All he needs to do is, like, morph."
"He can't morph when he's in such pain!" Lithuania objected.
"Silly Liet." Poland's eyes shone with humour. "The bison wasn't injured when we got its DNA, right? So if Latvia morphs into the bison, he'll be in that condition!"
Poland's words left them dumbfounded. It surprisingly made perfect sense... But...
The two Baltics had the exact same notion: "Latvia can't morph in the middle of the road!"
"I've got it. Let's move him to the field. It's not too far away," Poland crowed with flourish.
"Would it be wise to move Latvia?" Estonia cautioned.
Latvia coughed; a wet, gurgling noise which greatly distressed the others. "I'm f-fine." When he took his hand away from his mouth, it came away bloody.
"R-Right," Lithuania stammered uncertainly. "Just cry out if it hurts, okay?"
"It already h-hurts, so just d-do it."
Estonia slid his arm gingerly under Latvia's armpits, and Lithunia held on to Latvia's feet. They made an awkward, stumbling dash to the open field. Latvia's body bounced with every step they took, and more blood spurted out of his mouth.
Poland felt sickened as he jogged with them. He had never had a strong stomach for these sort of things, and Latvia was practically a bloody fountain already.
"Okay!" Lithuania shouted once they were far in the field. "We're here." The two of them lowered Latvia on to the grass with care.
Latvia gazed at them through tear-filled eyes. "I'll be fine, I-I've survived under Russia's rule f-for this long, right?"
"Y-Yes," they conceded, a lump forming in their throats.
"Well, then, I'll b-begin the morph." Latvia's eyes closed.
Lithuania and Estonia reached for each other's hand. They held on tightly, despite their clammy palms. Poland sat on the grass next to Lithuania.
Latvia changed. The first things to be replaced were his limbs – they grew darker, the tips of his arms and legs hardening. Fine hair sprouted from his skin, covering his entire body. Then, his torso swelled. Latvia's red uniform ripped into shreds.
Poland leaned over and retched on the grass. Latvia looked like the result of a twisted lab experiment.
Latvia's face elongated, his nose at the front. His entire body became darkly pigmented. Finally, his ears shifted to the top of his head and his mop of blonde hair was sucked into his skull.
Latvia was now a bison.
"Latvia, are you alright?" Estonia breathed.
The bison struggled to stand up, then began to gnaw on the grass.
"Latvia..." Lithuania called.
Latvia ignored them.
"At least he doesn't look like he's dying," Poland consoled.
"Latvia!" Estonia bellowed. "Don't let the animal's mind take over you!"
As if a switch was flipped, the bison's head shot up. His eyes found the trio, and a flash of recognition passed through those eyes.
"Latvia!" Estonia ran over to hug him. "You're fine, right?"
The bison's mouth opened and a gagging sound was produced.
"Oh, right." A smile was on Lithuania's face. "Bisons can't talk."
*Grass tastes disgusting*
Everyone's head whipped around to stare at each other, and they all understood that they heard it as well.
Estonia patted the bison. "Latvia, was that you?"
*What's Estonia talking about? Man, I wish I could talk in morph. Maybe if I get a parrot I'll be able to talk.*
"Latvia! We can hear you!" Lithuania cried elatedly. "I think what we're hearing is your thoughts!"
*Huh? My thoughts? Oh crap, I hope they don't find out about my secret vodka stash.*
"And now we totally, like, know you have a secret vodka stash," Poland teased, looking up from his phone. "You'd better share it with us!"
"Latvia, you're underaged..." Estonia berated.
*Stop reading my mind!*
They looked at each other quizzically. Then Lithuania spoke up. "We're not reading your mind, Latvia. You're screaming in our heads."
*W-What? How do I stop this?*
"I guess that's something we'd have to figure out by ourselves," Estonia declared. "Now, the question is, what do we do now? We can't go home with an enormous bison! And if Latvia turns back, he'd still be injured, right?"
"I'm not sure." Lithuania pressed a finger to his chin as he pondered deeply. "We should ask Tony."
"Tony's with Ukraine," Estonia piped up. "I'll call her."
Estonia pulled out a cell phone and punched in her number. He placed the phone against his ear, waiting for her to pick up the call.
- Hetanimorphs -
America had been overenthusiastic about introducing them to The Sharing. It was apparently a club that did charity work. They baked and sold cookies, visited orphanages and raised funds for the needy.
Ukraine had been rather interested to join at the beginning, but when America was away taking his toilet break, Tony explained what The Sharing was.
It was a club that recruited innocent, ignorant people, and turned them into Controllers.
Can I just say I love Belarus in the story? She's such a strong person. Okay, she's kinda like Rachel in the books. XD
The speeches enclosed by asterisks is "thought-speak". It's like telepathy. Their voice just pops into your mind. I'm using asterisks because the "less than" and "more than" signs don't show up here.
I apologise for any OOC behaviour.