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Japan stared at Canada, blinking a few times before regaining his voice. "Are...Are you sure, Canada-san?"
The Canadian nation nodded his head, clear certainty in his violet eyes. "I live close to America, and I have met Tony several times before," he explained. "I'll admit they do look alike, but Tony would never attack America."
"At-Attack?" England gaped at Canada's words. "It attacked America?"
"Ye-Yeah, it knocked America to the wall but he survived and began shooting at the Thing. It had no effect on it though..."
"So that's why we heard gun shots!"
"We tried to help," Russia added, "but then thatThing knocked us out in the end. Like I said before, they were gone when we woke up."
"I'm sorry, it was my fault really," Canada sighed and patted Kumajirou's head. "If I hadn't let my guard down, then maybe Russia wouldn't have tried to protect me and gotten knocked out as well."
"Oh, you weren't a burden!" Russia piped up happily. "But it was hard to fight while protecting someone. So how about this, thank me by becoming one with me, да?" Everybody cringed at that, but Russia didn't notice. "So anyway, now that we know what's going on, there are three nations missing and we should look for them. And now that we also know that America had nothing to do with it, we cannot feel at ease that the Tony-look-alike would go easy on us."
Japan nodded. "Yes, and please also keep in mind that in here we are only humans, so please be cautious."
"Got it!" They all said.
"Oh!" Italy suddenly gasped when he saw something shining in the fireplace. The other nations turned to him as he crouched in front of it.
"What is it?" Germany asked.
"The wooden box we threw in had something in it!" Italy exclaimed and tried to get it out of the fire with his bare hand, but he drew back quickly and waved his hand around as he cried, "Hot! Hot! Hot!"
"Careful," Germany handed Italy a clamp to use. Carefully, he got the thing out of the fire and set it on his palm but then he dropped it as he shouted, "Hooooot!"
"Careful!" honestly, where did that serious Italy go?
Japan took out his handkerchief and picked up the item. His eyes went wide when he saw what it was. "It's a key!" he exclaimed.
The nations snapped up at Japan, eyes shining as they stared at the key in his hand. "What's it for?" Italy asked while blowing on his hand.
Luckily, the sticker on the key wasn't completely burnt off, so Japan could make out the words. "'I - Hallway Key'. Hallway?" There was a door to a hallway?
But the nations just cheered, "We have a new breach!"
Japan closed his eyes and smiled, before he threw the key into the air and caught it in his hand again. "Finding a way out was our priority, but first we must find our friends. If we are thorough with our search, I'm sure we'll find them. Those three are tenacious, so they have to be alive somewhere," he gave a smile to Germany then, who returned it with his own rare smile. He noticed Canada nodding in agreement and England just smirking and muttering, "Of course they are, that bloody frog and git."
"Friends, huh? That sounds interesting," Russia mused. "I was caught by surprise before, but next time I see that Thing," Russia's violet eyes shone with the intent to harm, "I'll have a lot to thank for."
England stood up from the table. "Let's go then. I don't want to lose any more people."
"We'll split into three groups," Germany said to them, "it is too dangerous to go alone, so each group should have at least two people."
