Silver Umbrellas

Thirty-Six-- Special Delivery

With an undetectable sigh, Tino lifted the last pink potion bottle up to his lips and swallowed the mouthful left in the bottom. Would it be enough to get them to Norway before sunrise? Time would only tell, and it looked as though they were running out of that too quickly. 

'Not enough to turn back time again... We still have about half an hour before sunrise, though, and the sleigh is full of countries. We can make it' he thought, refusing to let his anxieties put a damper on his magic. 

What he had neglected to mention was how his wound had begun to ache again, and slowly the pain's intensity had gone up as he continued using magic. 'Is this magic poisoning...? Ei, ei! I'm not going to think about something like that tonight. It's Christmas and I have to deliver all these presents without fail. That's the duty of Santa!'

From between Italy and Ukraine, Liechtenstein leaned forward to see Finland with more ease. "How are you doing, Tino?"

"Fine," he answered instantly. "We'll be cutting it a little close, though." He didn't have the heart to lie to her-- not on Christmas, not after all they'd been through together.

"How close are you meaning?" she pressed, worry lifting her eyebrows and pulling them closer together. "Are ve going to make it before sunrise?"

Finland inhaled deeply, then let it out and replied. "The sleigh is full of countries, right? We'll travel farther in less time than we would have if it had just been you, me, and Alice and Yao. I have confidence that we can make it before the sun rises."

"Even vith the time zones?" Lili asked, apparently unable to let her worry go. "Vhat about the boosters?"

"I just drank the last one," Tino answered, adjusting his grip on the reins. "Now I'm giving it all I've got, but it would help if everyone were awake to concentrate on traveling."

She understood and nodded, then put a hand on Italy's shoulder to shake him awake gently. His eyes snapped open and he looked all around quickly only to relax when he remembered where he was. "Sì, Lili?"

"Ve need everyvone to be avake now" she explained. "Can you climb back there and vake everyone up, please? I can't move very vell vith Ms. Ukraine leaning against me."

The Mediterranean nation saluted her cheerfully and stood to do as she asked. Once the other passengers had blinked themselves into a state of semi-awareness, Finland spoke over his shoulder and addressed all of them. 

"Everyone, I need you all to be awake so the sleigh will go farther in a shorter amount of time. It's going to be a little while before we reach Norway, and the sun will be up soon. Can you do that?"

"Sure," Hawaii answered around a yawn she hid behind a hand. "No problem..."

"Don't sleep," Oregon said, and pushed on her older sister's shoulder to make her eyes open back up. "Remember?"

"Right, right," Miliana sighed, rubbing her eyes with both hands. "Ugh, I'm just so tired..."

"You've all been wonderful passengers," Tino complimented them honestly. "When we make it back, you all can sleep as long as you'd like. I'm certain we can make it in time."

"And... vhat if ve run out of time?" Liechtenstein dared to ask him softly.

"I'll just do an emergency landing and we'll walk the rest of the way," he said. "I'll make sure we all get there by morning. That's a promise."

When Finland makes a promise, he keeps it, no exceptions whatsoever. Knowing this, Liechtenstein found that she could smile a little through her trepidation.