What is... "Home?" (Hetalia Fanfic, W.A. '13 Finalist)

Chapter 95~!

"Come on, Mattie! They'll all be gone if we don't hurry!" Mini Me called back as she raced through the woods like a blur. Matthew followed, although at a slightly more relaxed pace so he could enjoy the scenery. Wisp was just ahead of Mini Me, darting through the underbrush and weaving around the trees like she knew it all like the back of her hand.

"Ah, Wisp! I got a cut on the back of my hand that wasn't there before!" Mini Me called as she looked down and noticed it for the first time.

Wisp giggled. "And we're supposed to know this place like the backs of our hands?"

Mini Me stuck her tongue out at her and they kept going, using sort of superhuman speed to pull even farther ahead than Matthew. He sighed and poured on the speed as well, pulling even with Mini Me. "___, are we almost there? I still have some paperwork to do, and I've put it off too long."

"Sorry, is it because you've been watching us?" Mini Me asked, and he nodded slowly.

"Yes, but there have been a few other things as well..."

"Okay! But you'll like this way more than boring old paperwork," I promised, looking around myself. "We should be there..."

"___! Over here!" Wisp called, and I zoomed over to her and stopped on a dime gracefully.Matthew jogged up to us while fixing his glasses back on his nose.

"Alright, where are we, eh?" he asked, and we both grinned and clapped our hands against the other's.

A wall of hanging vines pulled back as if by unseen hands, and to the three of us an immense garden appeared. Immense is a lightly-used term in this case, because it almost didn't even begin to describe how enormous the place was. Wide walkways paved with spaciously-spaced stepping stones (A/N: Best alliteration so far!) looped in seemingly random paths through the flowers and trees. An enormous chestnut tree stood in the center of the grounds, which were filled with flowers of both extinct and modern types. And oh, the colors! There were gem-like flowers that sparkled in the bright sunlight and threw rainbows over everything around; the lilies were big enough to sit in, even if that person was a fully-grown man, and they were shot through with every color imaginable; the smaller flowers that went by many names were in shades one would not ever expect of that certain species. Birds sang, bees buzzed on their quest for nectar and pollen, butterflies filled their stomachs on the sweet drink of the flowers, and fairies of all hues flitted about, doing their chores and making light of their work by singing, talking, and just havinf fun.

Matthew's eyes were filled with wonder and awe as he gazed around himself. "This is... unbelievable!"

Mini and Wisp giggled and each took one of his dangling hands, pulling him along. "Come on, this'll be fun!" we said in unison.

He followed willingly, his feet mostly moving on autopilot becasue his brain was too occupied with all the sights and sensations around him. Wisp and Mini dragged him to all their favorite places, including the waterfall, the humongous lilies, the lily pads that could be used as boats on the pond, and finally the huge tree in the center.

"Look, it likes me!"  Mini exclaimed, hugging the tree and giggling when it started to suck her into its bark. Matthew looked alarmed and tried to reach for me, but Wisp stopped him and whispered "Just watch."

Mini Me was enveloped in the tree, and then suddenly she was inside the enormous, hollow center of the magical chestnut. Mini spun around and giggled, her laughter echoing all the way to the topmost branches and out. "You should see this, Mattie!"

"What's in here?" he asked as he came through as well, obviously a little culture-shocked. "Oh, wow."

"I know, right?" Mini laughed, and Wisp joined us a moment later.