It took a second for the smoke and dust to settle but once it did, the crowd exploded in applause and cheers. The match had lasted no more than 10 minutes before one figure stood triumphantly over the other, laying semiconscious on the ground, her body a wrangled mess of burns and bruises. Her eyes watered in pain and embarrassment, cursing the horrible luck that paired her with the reigning champion in the very first round.
She stood no chance.
Though he smiled and waved jovially to his adoring fans and spectators, only she could see, laying somewhere beneath that golden charm, the sheer boredom and apathy that outlined his features. Through her burns and smoldering clothes, she shivered.
The sun hung high and bright over the midday sky as the Tournament picked up its momentum. The Colosseums and their grounds were jam-packed with tourists and visitors, all milling about doing their own business. The mood over there was nothing but upbeat as spectacular displays of power and grit rumbled all throughout the stadium as the three branches clashed in a deadlock.
At this time, the pressure was on. Every contestant from every Branch was hard at work and that included those who weren't currently in the field.
An ear-splitting wail faded with the putrid fog as Japan collapsed again. The world swirled and smudged together like a bad hallucination as her muscles spasmed.
Her brother stood in front of her with a white-knuckled grip on the shining golden mirror. Beads of sweat dappled his pale face as he finally remembered to breathe.
"Japan... *huff* why don't we... *huff* take a break?" he wheezed before collapsing as well. "We've been... training non-stop for 2 hours now!"
"Not yet," Japan groaned as she struggled to push herself back onto her feet. Her hair had been yanked out of her usual tidy bun and now spilled messily down her shoulders. Cuts, scrapes and bruises were more than abundant for both of them and bloody, corroded holes dappled the training grounds to make for an abominable sight.
It had been two hours since she had first summoned the Wrath of Izanami. During the two hours, they had failed to subdue her Awakening a total of 132 times and Japan had to step in every single time, using his Sacred Mirror.
Even though the mirror had yet to fail to ward off the vengeful god's power, they had some pretty close calls and their surroundings clearly showed that.
"Japan, I agree with your brother," Canada peeped as he glanced over the shoulder of Chrysanthemum from where he had been huddling. "I'm running low on energy too."
In truth, Canada was the only reason they were able to push on for so long. They both had run out of energy long ago but thanks to him, they were able to go on nonstop. Even so, manifesting the god's form had taken its toll on all of them.
"Please, Nihon. There's no reason for you to push yourself to such an extent. You'll only grow more and more frustrated," Japan urged as the mirror dematerialized. "The power of Izanami isn't something that can be mastered in a night. Let's go get something to eat and if you feel like it, we can go watch the Tournament together!"
Canada nodded in support of his suggestion and seeing that it was two vs one, Japan sighed and let herself relax. She was a wreck and she desperately wanted a bath after wallowing in the presence of rot and filth for two hours.
"Alright, fine. I guess I was being too impatient," she admitted as they helped her to her feet but she was still itching to go again. EU's words echoed in her head, warning that if she didn't find a way to control her Awakening soon, she would be disqualified from the Tournament without ever starting it.
Then again, her brother had a point. Training all day would become boring sooner or later and her Consequences were still unknown. Therefore, they might as well go take a look at the ongoing battles and take a break. Besides, she was still a little worried about America and Russia after they had their fight.
"I wonder if those two managed to kiss and make up yet."
...
"Ugh!" the lady of light growled as bullets of burning wood rained down all around her. Explosions of smoke and dust sent thundering shockwaves ripping through the area as a singular figure, just as blinding as the other walked into the billowing clouds with their partner in their arms. The shackles clinked with every step as their forms were swallowed by the smog.
Her eyes snapped open wide as an arc of fire whistled past her peripheral vision before her head was ripped back with a sickening lurch.
"Hair grabbing?!" India exclaimed in disbelief at how low he was willing to stoop as her fist swung back. However, her blow did not connect with a person, but another burning log and it sent another wave of heavy black smoke to envelop her.
Before she could react, a hearty kick sent her into the dirt. She gasped as all the air rushed out of her ethereal lungs and her vision slowly blurred in and out of focus.
From somewhere to the side, America looked down at her and thought to himself, or a being of pure light, she was looking quite ragged and messed up. The smoke billowed around them, masking them from all peering eyes in the stadium.
"To be honest, I've gotten really tired of you," America admitted as he let a few strands of her golden hair flutter to the ground. His voice faltered from his usual, pompous, lofty tone and suddenly dropped an octave lower into one filled with scorn and fatigue. With no one to see, he allowed his mask to slip and from the looks of it, he was done playing games.
With one heel pressed down on her back, he gestured to the Russian, who was still sleeping soundly.
"Sure, you've been a huge pain in the ass but in the name of good sportsmanship, I'll let you go if you wake Russia up right now."
Struggling to lift her face out of the dirt, India finally caught a glimpse of the Superpower, the champion of all the past Tournaments.
"Tch! Arrogant prick!" Through gritted teeth, she was able to twist herself around painfully and take another swing, only to be thrown to the ground again like a rag doll.
"If I weren't chained to him, I would have had you eat dirt at the very start," America scoffed. "But I'd rather not scare the audience so I'm still willing to put on a friendly face if you wake him up, dammit."
"And what if I refused and let him sleep forever?" she groaned, attempting to smirk but her ragged form was making it hard to gloat.
"I'm sure you wouldn't want to find out."
India's eyes, as golden and bright as the sun, stared into Ame's cruel, pitch-black ones. His ultraviolet irises gleamed as he glanced over the rims of his sunglasses, sending shivers down her spine. As intense as it was, there was something shifty about his demeanor.
"... you're bluffing."
It dawned on her. Her eyes widened as a sense of euphoric relief washed over her and fits of giggles tickled her throat.
"You're bluffing! Look at you– you're shaking all over!" India exclaimed as America's grasp slipped straight through. She crawled back to her feet as the smoke and dust had finally cleared away and America had to bite his tongue from cursing or showing his dread.
He was bluffing.
His time was up.
"15 minutes and that's it?" India snorted. "So the restrictor cut your already pitiful duration of 30 minutes in half. Well, I certainly won't complain!"
America's grip on Russia tightened but he was already feeling the Consequence of his outburst. After training with the Partial Awakening, fully triggering his form just felt so... fleeting but it was so exhilarating nonetheless.
But now, it left him and Russia practically defenseless and India was looking very excited to repay him for the beatings tenfold.
(AMERICA POV)
The next few minutes felt like hell. Despite her many injuries slowing her down, India was still relentless and the fact that her abilities were magnified didn't help either. This fight had long turned from friendly competition to personal grudges.
I felt like I was on the verge of collapse. With the cuffs on, my energy wasn't replenishing quickly enough despite the huge breakfast I had this morning. Russia wasn't making this any easier either. I had to worry about both of our safety and dragging him around slowed me down. I didn't know if it was my imagination but he only got heavier as time passed.
The ground beneath us exploded as a tree slammed down where my head had been a few seconds ago.
"Holy shit— did you pull that out of your ass or something?" I groused, without thinking. She didn't find my comment amusing and with one hefty swing, it struck my side and sent me crashing into the dirt.
I flung the both of us right back into the cave with the sleeping incense for some cover, hoping to finally catch my breath. Of course, our sudden entrance kicked up a lot of dry dirt and dust so, with a struggle, I pushed myself against the wall and dragged my shaking legs further into the cave where the air was clearer. Thank god we were underground where the broadcast couldn't show the world how haggard I was.
Seriously, I was in a real bind.
I rested on the ground with my head against the wall, feeling my pounding head throb painfully against my skull. I would be surprised if I didn't have a concussion at hand.
Tilting my head to the side, I glanced at Russia who lay motionless on the ground. Aside from a couple of scratches and bruises, he was mostly unharmed thanks to me. Hmph. Gently, I propped his head against my side so he wasn't just lying on the cold hard ground.
For a moment, it was peaceful. This felt oddly nice but it wouldn't last.
Bobbles of light floated in and out through the dust cloud as the light spirit approached the mouth of the cave but she seemed unwilling to come in. Even so, if push came to shove now, even the shadows wouldn't be able to save me. I only had a tiny amount of energy left which meant I would probably have to overexert myself. Again.
"You can't hide in there forever," India beckoned from the entrance. "Just give up. You can't win with your power limited like that."
"I guess that just means we'll see how much it'll take to break said limits," I replied with all the false confidence I could muster as I felt my hands begin to itch. My cells began to hum as their energy built up like liquid fire, waiting to burst and tear me apart.
I wasn't stupid. I knew this was a losing battle so I just needed to hold out long enough to escape with Russia but with the available energy, I wasn't sure I had enough to last even that long.
"Hold on, don't go..."
A sudden chill shocked my system as a nice refreshing coolness settled against my skin. My Awakening sputtered out of existence as I glanced down to see Russia had turned in his sleep with his brow knit into a frown. He mumbled something more and wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his face into my chest. I could feel his temperature drop as mine rose. My face burned, I didn't know why but I could feel his glacial aura through my clothes and it felt so calming, clearing my head.
"Damn, what the hell is he dreaming about," I chuckled to myself as I put my hand down right on the ground before immediately jerking it away.
There was a small soaked patch on the ground right beside a tipped-over tray. There was a slightly exotic and sweet scent to it and from the slippery feel, an idea popped into my head.
There was another tray a little ways away from where we sat but before that, I dug my heel into the crumbling dirt to kick up another dust cloud as the other faded. I saw India recoil, slightly suspicious of what was going on.
"What are you-" she squinted as she raised her sleeve to block off the dust but suddenly, a blast of heat blew her back. Her eyes widened as a fierce red glow ignited from somewhere in the cave.
As fast as I could, I tore off another chunk of cloth from around my wrists and added it to the burning pile dipped in the tray holding the liquid, which turned out to be incense oil. It didn't take much power to beckon the fire, twisting and flailing to form crude silhouettes through the rising smoke. After I was satisfied with my handiwork, I stepped in, allowing my Awakening's nature to shield me from harm.
Through the smoke and haze, I let out a bellowing laugh as the flames leaped towards the mouth of the cave, seeking more sustenance. India edged back instinctively but then leaned forward as her face shifted with a nervous grimace.
"Oh dear, what's wrong?" I pouted with a mocking tone of false sympathy. "You look distressed all of a sudden."
"Fire... so much fire... that's impossible," she breathed as her eyes narrowed, "Or were you lying about your limits?"
She slowly reached into the cave brimming with flames, as if testing the waters, hoping that the light the fire shed was enough to sustain her ethereal, untouchable form.
"Nuh-uh." I clicked my tongue disapprovingly as a shower of golden sparks sent her reeling back.
I grimaced, hoping COE and Olympia wouldn't mind a teeny tiny bit of Sunfire. "Oh come now. Why are you so hesitant?"
"Oh shut your cocky mouth," she spat but her voice wavered. "I could bring this whole cave down on you if I wanted to!"
"Then why don't you?" I replied, genuinely curious before a sly smirk slipped onto my face— not that she could see it through the smoke. "Oooooh. Is there something you're keeping in this cave?"
"N-NO! OF COURSE NOT!" she stammered before jolting forward, only to be stopped by another shower of gold.
"HEHEHEHE you are a terrible liar," I giggled like a child as I scanned my surroundings. This cave was so pleasantly decorated— it had to hold something important. How could I have not noticed?
There was nothing in plain sight until a glowing ember hissed against a dirty black backdrop of the end of the cave. As soon as my fingers touched the back, it gave in. It was a cloth that blocked the path to a place deeper down; a small chamber further down. Within said chamber, a single figure lay sound asleep on a golden seat.
"Oh my, look at that," I whistled as I tossed the cloth into the flames, letting it rip it apart. "So you do have something precious hidden away in here. It's your physical body."
With one arm holding onto Russia I walked into the chamber where another gust of sleeping incense slapped me in the face. My nose began to burn from the overexposure to all these suffocating smells and my headache only worsened so with one sweep, I sent all the oils and sticks scattering away.
"No! Don't touch her!"
India, with the fire leaping behind her, stormed into the chamber with a wild look in her eyes but I was quicker to react. With a single, powerful jolt, India stirred from her slumber and the figure of light faded before it could reach us. Her Awakening was deactivated, drowning us in the dark.
After my eyes had adjusted to the newfound dark, I glanced over at India who was now wide awake and alert. For a moment, we stared at each other, completely motionless until a mangled scream was choked out of her. Every cut, burn and bruise that had been inflicted on the light spirit was now grafted into her flesh, allowing all the pain to come crashing down at once.
Her body went limp before I could move but honestly, I was surprised she didn't die from shock.
I sighed in relief, knowing that this was finally over but she seemed to disagree. A low, growling and guttural whisper was all she could manage as she pushed down the pain, "P-PAKISTAN!"
The cavern began to shake as dust began to rain from the unseen ceiling. A cold, murky feeling swept past us and before I knew it, I could see no longer. It was as if my head was underwater as all the sounds of the cave collapsing seemed to come from somewhere far away but that clearly wasn't the case. Chunks of dirt and dust, tree roots etcetera came crashing down. I couldn't see anyone anymore so by touch alone, I found Russia through the darkness and pressed him to the ground, shielding him the best I could and squeezing my eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable crushing pain.
...
When I opened my eyes, I was met with heaps of dirt and debris, trying to bury me alive. That, and the furious wails of a woman, clearly unhinged and hysterical.
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING— WHERE WERE YOU?!" India shrieked. She was awake and looking like a hot mess. The light spirit was nowhere to be found but Pakistan stood over her, watching her with the most deadbeat face ever.
"I was taking care of some other opponents. They—"
"IF YOU HAD BEEN ACTUALLY DOING YOUR JOB, GUARDING ME, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!" she interrupted, cutting Pakistan off rudely.
I saw a vein throb in her temple and for a second and she looked like she wanted to punch India in the face. Clearly, she had better self-control than me because her face returned to stone as she simply stood there silently and took the barrage of insults like it was nothing.
After a minute of rapid-fire complaining, India finally calmed down enough to breathe again. Pakistan sighed and glanced over at me as I finally finished sorting out what had just happened.
The cave came crashing down and I had taken cover, shielding Russia from the falling debris but somewhere during that chaos, a cover of darkness had swallowed us. I barely registered when India was pulled away but that must have been Pakistan. I didn't remember any pain or feeling and I certainly wasn't a pancake on the ground right now. She had protected... all of us?
"Uh... so um," I struggled to string my words together. "First of all, thank you for saving us. Second of all, why the heck would you save us? We are opponents, you know?"
"I do." she stated simply, "But that doesn't mean I should allow you to get crushed by rocks. Or was that your intent?"
She looked genuinely confused for a moment as she tilted her head in thought. "If so, I am very sorry."
"N-no. No need to apologize," I stammered, a little concerned with how nice she was being. This was one of the most awkward conversations I've had in a while. "So uh... are we gonna have to fight now or what?"
"No. I'm not here to fight. We're leaving."
"WHAT?!" India craned her neck to stare at Pakistan in disbelief. "
"What?" I echoed with a slightly hostile edge to my tone. Pakistan looked down at India and repeated it for the both of us, "We'll leave. India, you are really hurt. We need to seek medical treatment. And you, America, shouldn't push yourself any further either."
"No, absolutely not!" India huffed. "He's been weakened already why don't you finish him off-"
I blazed to life for an instant with a coy little smirk just to give her the warning; 'I've regained enough energy to kick your sorry ass. Try me.'
Despite her best efforts, Pakistan didn't budge and with a knowing glance, a layer of shadows wrapped around them and they disappeared before reappearing somewhere further into the forest.
I stared at the spot where they stood a moment earlier and frowned, wondering if I should have forced them to surrender for good. They were gone now but we would have to have another confrontation sooner or later.
Then again, I was dead tired and fighting Pakistan was the last thing I wanted to–!
A soft snore from Russia reminded me of the initial problem.
India still needed to wake him up!
"FUCK, WAIT COME BACK!" I called out to no one in particular before hauling Russia over my shoulder and bolting back into the forest.
GERMANY POV:
"Hurry, this way!" Our beaten-down team that included the two Southern Branch Hunters wandered deeper into the thickets, united by our shared determination to get away from the other opponents.
Colombia and Venezuela leaned on one another as they limped onwards, threatening to collapse at any moment and I wasn't doing much better. Every part of my body ached so much as I hobbled away from the absolute wreck of a battle that just happened. Poland was in the best shape out of all of us, his wings had been his saving grace.
"What the hell happened with South Korea?" Poland voiced my exact thoughts. "How did he get that strong?!"
I had caught wind that South Korea had entered into the Tournament under the Eastern Branch and was quite surprised at the time. Some had been inquiring about his sudden disappearance and I found EU's reaction... far too calm when I had inquired about it. It seemed that he was well aware of his transfer.
"He certainly made good use of his time," Poland grumbled sarcastically. "That traitor."
"Oh, c'mon you don't mean that," I chuckled as I tried my best to steady my trembling legs before Poland swept me off the ground. The amount of strength he had, despite his petite form, always surprised me.
As much as I hated to admit it, China was undoubtedly a great mentor. SK's improvement was evidence of that.
Mexico and Peru had taken off, snaking through the forest like homing missiles and stopping for nothing. They barely flinched when an opportunist mechanical puppet jumped out like a spider before it was promptly swatted away in the blink of an eye.
"There's a battle going on up ahead," Poland called out as he soared overhead. "It looks like a one-sided one too."
A soft hiss escaped through Mexico's gritted fangs as his body disappeared under a sheet of emerald green scales and feathers, transforming him into his serpentine form. He reared his head and shot into the air like a bullet. Peru also stomped down hard on the ground which sank before catapulting her forward like a spring.
"Those two really know how to move," I commented before grasping Poland's extended hands, and letting him swing me off the ground.
We could see how dire the situation was before we even landed. Firstly, the surroundings were a bizarre sight. Everything was black and white as if all the color had been drained out, leaving the ground, trees and even a portion of the sky bleach-white.
The only touches of color were the two nearly identical Hunters from the Southern Branch and the familiar silky red color of China. South Korea was standing in front of him as if shielding him. He was just as colorless as his surroundings but honestly, he had very little color to begin with.
Standing by his side was a magnificent white tiger, seemingly made from ink and flaming clouds. Its once blue eyes shone with malice, ready to attack at South Korea's beckon.
"Woah, when did he get a familiar?" Poland commented but our sightseeing moment was cut short by a powerful rush of air and a shrill, ear-shattering roar. Mexico unfurled his massive wings as he landed with a boom. His tail lashed out violently, taking out a good chunk of the forest and forcing the Eastern Branch duo to back away.
"Tian a (Oh my)," China grinned under his mask. "What a colorful dragon. You seem pretty out of place in this blank white canvas."
Mexico barred his jagged fangs in response as a low hiss escaped. The tiger responded with an equally icy stare, its muscles tensing with anticipation.
"Mex, what are you doing here?" one of the Southern Hunters grimaced, her hand clasping a bleeding gash on her arm. Her voice was mellow and sweet but laced with annoyance. "Where's Peru? I thought we told you to run and go hide!"
"Screw that," the other said, his messy bangs spilling over his eyes that were clouded with urgency. We shouldn't fight them right now. It's too risky."
"You wanna run away, Ven?"
He nearly jumped as Peru popped out of the ground like a mole.
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP DOING THAT! And no, we are just readjusting our plans!" he hissed irritably. China and South Korea weren't too keen on the idea of letting them escape and a pulling force began to drag them toward SK's extended hand.
"Sorry guys. Nothing personal," he smiled apologetically as the pull increased, manifesting as flickering black stripes. Mexico dug his claws into the ground before abandoning his form altogether to grab onto Peru.
A layer of strange blackish goo enveloped the boy's hands before hardening into wicked blades that he used to anchor into the ground. The colorful girl was not as lucky, however.
"VENEZUELA!" she screamed as she lost her grip and lurched backward.
"Colombia!"
We had been watching this unfurl from above and with a knowing glance, we decided it was time to step in.
Poland let go and I began to freefall as Poland's wings began to bloom with energy. I clasped the glowing iron cross, digging into my reserves as well and mini Bundesadler responded. A dark shroud began to slow my fall into a soft glide. Looking up, it seemed that Poland was just about ready now.
"Welp here goes nothing," he grumbled as his wings drove a cutting wall of wind screaming down into the clearing. China and South Korea were slammed back as the invisible force ripped a trench out of the ground. With a flick of my wrist, mini Bundesadler lifted off my shoulders and hauled Colombia out of the way, just in time.
"Is everyone alright?" Poland chortled as he touched down, as light as a feather."
"Nope, that was great," Venezuela grinned. "The look on her face was priceless."
"Don't even... start with me," Colombia mumbled as mini Bundesadler lowered her back onto the ground. "Let's just get out of here-"
Without warning, all the air seemed to rush out of our lungs as we were all plunged into the ground, our bodies crushing us with our own weight.
"Gah!" Poland strained as he slowly peeled himself up and shot back into the sky while he still could. The rest of us could only wish we had wings as our visions began to blur with black stripes, strapping us to the invisible core of the world. South Korea appeared out of my peripheral vision with a small stream of blood running down his temple.
"Germany, Poland, it's nice to see you two again but that wasn't very nice of you." he groaned as black stripes ran down his face and arms.
To think that South Korea's ability was now able to alter gravity– his improvement was inconceivable. Or perhaps it felt that way because my skull was currently trying to crush my brain into a pulp. I tried in vain to summon Kerberos but they immediately dissipated before they could even form.
Somewhere from the side, I heard Mexico groaning for Peru to do something and she did.
The ground opened up underneath us like a trap door and before I knew it, I was free-falling into darkness.
"Ugh, that was horrible." Venezuela groaned as he pressed down on his head gingerly. It throbbed painfully and he pulled his hand away with a grimace. "Honestly, this is such a nuisance. We shouldn't even be here!"
"Oh c'mon don't say that," Colombia chided as she dusted a few cobwebs out of her honey-blonde hair. "We held our own for a pretty long time. China is the runner-up from last year's Tournament too."
"That's not what I meant," he growled as he combed his hair back. "If Brazil and Argentina didn't reject their offers, we wouldn't be fighting this mess of a fight."
We all slumped to the ground in without a sound before Mexico broke the silence.
"You know they have their reasons," he scowled darkly. "Brazil needs to look after Amazon at all times and Argentina..."
He faltered for a moment and I felt his eyes dart toward us for a split second,
"... is Argentina. My point is, I don't want to hear another complaint about them or yourself. You're just too lazy to give it your best. You never do."
Venezuela responded with a huff but didn't say anything in return, though he still clearly didn't want to be there. Colombia was absentmindedly playing with the tiny wildflowers, spinning them through a roulette of colors with her Awakening. I couldn't help but take note.
Mexico stood up and Peru went with him, "I'm exhausted. I think we'll lie low for a while." He glanced back at the other two. "You two can come if you want."
Venezuela shook his head, "Nah, we'll go see if we can find any puppets to bash. I need something to unleash my frustration on."
"Yeah," Colombia agreed. "I'm not quite done yet either. I think we'll stick with them since we still owe them for saving us."
Peru turned and gave us a playful little smile before she spread her arms wide. The earth responded and a mossy stone staircase rumbled into existence. "Well, then I guess this is where we part ways."
As we watched them disappear below, I suddenly remembered something from before. "Wait! What about our box?"
Mexico glanced back with a truly reptilian gaze and a shudder ran down my spine.
"What box?" he grinned before the tunnel completely disappeared at Peru's command. They were gone and I was pretty sure we weren't going to get our box back.
"... so should I like... slit their throats or something?" Poland asked half-jokingly. He pointed his spear at Colombia and Venezuela who looked confused if anything.
"Your box?" Colombia murmured, "Isn't your box supposed to be with your teammates?"
"Watch where you're pointing that thing," Venezuela scowled as he eyed Poland's spear warily. I waved it off, knowing that fighting them here and now would be more of a detriment than anything. At the moment, we were still on good terms and the Eastern Branch was still our biggest threat. The best course of action would probably continue this alliance while collecting information on them and their abilities.
"We have to regroup with those two." I decided at last. "Hopefully they were able to make it to the Unbinding challenge without a hitch."
Smoke poured from my hand as the iron cross flickered against my palm. In an instant, Ker Ber and Ros appeared before us, sitting at attention. Colombia perked up and mouthed, 'omg dogs' to Venezuela who paid her no mind. With a simple command, they leaped into action and trotted into eastward into the forest.
Aside from a couple of mechanical puppets, our journey was pretty uneventful. Even the few puppets that did show up were easily swept aside by Venezuela, who was taking the front.
"You've been maintaining your Awakening at full throttle for a while now," Poland remarked at one point. "Aren't you going to get tired?"
"Don't worry about him," Colombia replied, "He might act like a lazy bum but he has more than enough energy to spare."
"Hey! I heard that!"
"I'm just telling it like it is," she stuck her tongue. Venezuela's face flushed and he was about to retort when Ber's ears pricked up.
"Quiet," I commanded as I watched Ber begin to growl at something in the distance. The other two also joined in with their attention pinned in one direction only. Someone was coming. Though our hearing was nowhere as good as a canine's, we still heard them before we saw them.
It was the voice of a woman, a familiar one at that.
"I was so close! We were so close why can't you ever finish what we've started?"
"It's because I worry about you," another exasperated voice sighed. "Now please relax a bit before your wounds open again."
"... How many times do I have to tell you not to worry about me? I heal fast."
"I'm sorry, I can't help it."
India and Pakistan, the two we had been scuffling with earlier, emerged from the shadows and I was a little surprised at how broken the former looked. Aside from her numerous injuries, her clothing was torn and blackened around the edges– burned. Without a doubt, they had run into Ame and Russia.
A sliver of panic raced through my head. Knowing Ame, he wouldn't just let an opponent walk away scot-free like this, yet Pakistan looked completely fine. I couldn't help but wonder if they were alright. Venezuela seemed to sense my dread.
"Who are they?" he murmured as he eyed the two newcomers. The dark, murky substance that covered his arms morphed back into long blades.
"India and Pakistan. They're Eastern Branch Hunters," I replied. "Be careful, they're dangerous."
"I figured as much," Venezuela replied before he shot towards the two like a bullet, his blades raised high over his head. Pakistan ducked to the side to avoid his first attack but it did knock her off balance, creating an opening which was exactly what Ker, Ber and Ros were waiting for. Pakistan's dark eyes widened in fear as they pounced towards her and with one swift move, she was able to redirect Venezuela's blades to come cleaving down on two of them. With a somber whine, Ker and Ros disappeared, leaving Ber as the only hound left.
"Wolves... dogs..." Pakistan's eyes darted wildly as her breathing became erratic. All color drained out of her face, leaving her ghastly white despite the fact that Colombia had yet to use her Awakening.
Ber, who had witnessed his companions disappear, bared his fangs and snarled. She cowered and a small sob escaped her lips.
"... I thought you said they were dangerous?" Venezuela commented as he watched Pakistan back away from Ber as quickly as she could. India, on the other hand, wasn't having any of it and with a little effort, her golden hands began to glow with a dim light.
"S-Stop! Wait!" a terrified Pakistan whisper-yelped as she grabbed India's wrist. "You'll just anger it more!!!"
"Hey- UGH LET GO-"
Ber rushed in with his jaw snapping which prompted India to defend but Pakistan's petrified, iron grip forced her hand back. Ber dodged and circled back around just in time to see India's Awakening miss him entirely and redirect towards Pakistan. She jolted stiff in surprise as a rush of warmth and surety washed over her before her eyes rolled back before she slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
...
(INDIA POV)
I froze as I watched Pakistan's body fall limply to the ground as she fell under my power's influence. It was as if time slowed down, letting the shadows crawl away slowly to leave a strange emptiness that was only waiting to be filled.
This was not good. I had just made a terrible mistake.
"Well... that's one down?" Poland stated hesitantly. "That was pretty easy?"
Snapping out of their confusion, they turned their gazes directly at me, and pressed forward with a look that said, 'just give up already'. Though I was proud, I will admit, I wasn't stupid to see that I was not going to win but they were unaware of something crucial that I knew.
"Wait! Please listen for a moment," I pleaded as a new expression stained my typically calm visage. "There's no time– we all need to leave right now."
"Uh, and why would we do that?" Venezuela cocked his head to the side and pointed the tip of his blade at my neck. "We just need to incapacitate you and that's it."
"No, that's not it," I scowled as I pushed his blade away. "You don't understand; there's something about Pakistan that-"
A sudden rush of cold, dead air swept through the clearing like a ghostly whisper, chilling us all to the bone. She was awake.
I spun on my heel to face away from Venezuela which would have been a stupid move if his attention wasn't tacked on something new– something monstrous that I was quite familiar with.
Our Awakenings were two sides of the same coin; fundamentally the same, yet completely different. Both our abilities are fully manifested while in a dreamlike state which is why one of us would sleep while the other would guard.
It was what we were taught since we both awakened at the tender age of 15, which wasn't young enough to brand us as Primo Awakeners but young enough for others to expect great things from us.
While I summoned a creature of light, she would manifest one of shadow and for a while, we were unsure who was more powerful since we were so similar.
It was my turn to practice guarding her when we finally found out once and for all. Her power was unimaginable, surpassing mine by unfathomable amounts but there was a catch. She couldn't control it at all and what ended up manifesting nearly killed me and all those around us.
The elders were convinced it was the work of something evil and it was determined that I would sleep while she would guard. There was one instance where her shadow formed accidentally one night and the elders forbid her to sleep for an entire week after that. Eventually, she was allowed to do so but only with restrictors on her.
After her powers were deemed forbidden or taboo, she was treated as if she was powerless and so she was placed under me. She was bound to follow behind me like a shadow.
In moments like these, however, I would be forced to acknowledge that she was not being protected, she was simply being suppressed.
A ghoulish wail shuddered the ground as the blackness around Pakistan's sleeping form began to twist and shift and twist into a woman with inky black hair. Though her face was gaunt and her eyes were hollow, she carried a sort of haunting beauty with her.
"Oh my fucking god– what is that?" Poland's quivering voice asked in disbelief. Germany and Colombia also stumbled back. Venezuela grabbed me and pushed me behind him before brandishing his blades wearily.
"You heard him. What is that thing?" he demanded but I barely had the voice to answer.
"Pakistan's shadow. It loses control when she sleeps."
"And how do we beat this thing?"
My mouth opened but no words came out as I stared into the pulsing darkness that snaked through the trees.
"I- I don't know," I admitted with a shiver. "I guess we'll have to pray and find out."
Pakistan's shadow craned her neck towards his voice and after a moment of stillness, she opened her arms and drowned us in pitch blackness.
(UKRAINE POV)
A hand tapped on my shoulder and I turned to see a petite girl with a lovely, shy smile offering me a blanket.
"It gets pretty cold at night. Make sure you keep warm."
I smiled back, forcing off the fatigue that I felt as I accepted the blanket, "Thanks Afghanistan."
"No, no. I should be thanking you," she sighed as she pulled her own blanket tighter around her shoulders. "You really didn't have to go out of your way to help me like this."
"I've heard a bit about what you've been through," I replied reassuringly, "Helping you get back on your feet is the least I could do."
We were staying with a small populace, camping out in a community of tents while UN's agents oversaw the rebuilding efforts. Afghanistan's towns and cities had sustained quite a bit of damage during her disappearance from the Academy. Though I wasn't told what exactly happened to her, I was keyed in enough to know not to ask for more information.
We had finally finished delivering hot meals to the people and tidied up for another quiet night, hoping to get enough rest for the next day though it wasn't easy for Afghanistan to settle down. Ever since her return to the Academy, she had been slowly recovering her natural physical prowess of a countryhuman but her Awakening had yet to return and it really stressed her out.
In truth, I could relate to how she was feeling since I had yet to Awaken at all. It wasn't uncommon but it was still so disheartening.
'No, stop that,' I scolded as I shuffled into my sleeping bag. I had promised myself not to feel down about it and be a little more patient. I was bound to Awaken sooner or later, despite the little annoying voice that tried to tell me otherwise.
"Lights out," I sighed as I blew out the lamp, "Good night Afghanistan."
"Mhm. Good night."
I had waited a good hour or two before I gave up on trying to force myself to sleep. In truth, I've been having trouble sleeping ever since coming to this place which was strange because I've always been a heavy sleeper. At first, I attributed it to being nervous since this was my first mission on Earth but a growing sense of dread had been following me ever since. Tonight, it was even worse than ever.
"Uki, is that you?" a semiconscious Afghanistan mumbled as I pulled myself out of the covers and into a light coat. "Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to take a look around camp and make sure everyone is alright," I whispered.
"Wait, lemme come with you then. It's dangerous to go out alone at night."
"No, that's alright," I assured her quickly. "Don't worry, I'm going to stay within the perimeter. I won't go outside of camp."
"But..."
I slowly pulled open the tent and stepped out, "Hey, I'll be back don't worry. I'm just doing what I was sent here to do."
Afghanistan blinked a couple more times before finally giving up and slipping back into her covers. With a small sigh of relief, I picked up the lantern and began my little stroll through the night.
At first, everything seemed perfectly normal and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A couple of people were still awake but they were all keeping to themselves. After a few laps around the community and still finding nothing, I was finally able to convince myself to go back and sleep damnit but just as I was about to head back, a sliver of movement darted across my peripheral.
'Aha! I knew something was going on!' I thought to myself, somewhat relieved that I wasn't going insane just yet and with a click, I turned off my lantern to quietly tail them.
The shadowy figure was outlined by nothing more than the dim aura of the moonlit sky and I lost sight of them a couple of times. Luckily, I would spot them a couple of seconds later until I realized that they were heading out of the campgrounds.
Afghanistan's warning about staying in camp rang in my head. I was already doing something pretty stupid but I wasn't so stupid that I was about to walk into unknown danger in the middle of the night.
Then again, I was a countryhuman and my job right now was to help protect Afghanistan's people. If they were indeed human, they would be in more danger wandering out into the night than I would be in.
'Just a quick step out,' I assured myself before I jogged off, away from the camp and towards the hill in the distance.
I didn't sense anything peculiar about this person and as I stepped closer to the hill, I could see that it was a young man sitting at the top of the hill. He was dressed in dark, loose clothing that cloaked most of his face and he looked like he was waiting for someone. That someone was me.
"Oho! Good, you catch on quickly," he whistled softly and I flinched. I was still a little ways away from the base of the hill and he was facing the other way but he still saw me. "Ukraine, was it?"
I steeled myself, expecting a fight but the man was still as calm as ever. He hopped down the slope with his hands in his pockets as if we were just two old friends meeting at a mall. He lifted his hood slightly and let a lock of silvery hair fall over his black blindfolded face. A single symbol of an eye was etched into the fabric.
"Oh, wait I remember you," I murmured, finally piecing the puzzle together. "You're that man, Fift-
"AHEM- please, call me Five." his mouth snapped into a forced smile. "I'm glad to see you remember me."
"What are you doing here?" I frowned. "Did UN send you?"
"He did," Five stated matter-of-factly. "Well, indirectly, he did. You see, he asked for me to do a bit of snooping and-"
His face suddenly twitched and with a finger against his lips to signal for me to be silent, he led me over to the other side of the hill, away from the main path.
"UN has had his worries about where the enemy has been operating from," he whispered in a tone so deep that I only I could possibly hear since I was crouched right next to him. "After we recaptured Afghanistan, there has been no traces of enemy movement which is unheard of. That's why he sent me and lookie what I found."
A small group of shadowy figures with heavy, hooded cloaks trudged up the road, their cautious eyes, scanning for any signs that they were being followed. I nearly screamed when one of them suddenly swiveled around with their stare directed straight at us. If it weren't for the hill, we would have been caught dead in our tracks but thankfully they lost interest quickly. Their attire underneath the cloak was nearly identical to Five's and I could have sworn he started to growl softly.
"UN should've listened to me and gotten rid of these fools when I suggested it," he hissed. "But noooooo, everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves apparently."
"Who- who are they," I whispered after he finally declared it safe to speak.
"More of... uh- old enemies, yes," he grumbled. "They're the ones that took Afghanistan."
My heart pounded fiercely in my chest as the overwhelming sense of dread from before came crashing down all at once, "Wait, do you mean-"
A knowing smile pressed his existing frown into a bitter grimace, "I told you I found something, didn't I? The reason we didn't detect any movement is because they never left.
"The enemy is still here."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
*unintelligible gurgling noises of death*
I had this chapter planned out a month or so ago and only now do I finish it. Ugh I feel awful.
But hey, as an apology, I'll dust this chapter off with...
A Special Short!!!: Drinks on Me
NATO always liked to consider himself a very regimented man. He always had a plan and schedule in mind when there were things that needed to be done and rarely did he get sidetracked. That was no exception on this lovely night as the Power's quadrennial, well deserved break left him with piles of work.
Agents on break who came and went would often stare at his to-do list and goggle for a few moments before offering to help but NATO would brush them off with a reassuring smile.
"That's very kind but I can handle it. Please enjoy your break," he would say and the agents would leave but not without making a mental note to keep him in their prayers.
This man was a workaholic at best.
The time on the clock read... irrelevant. NATO still had to finish some small, ordinary tasks such as verifying the numbers in their ranks and armory, planning a couple humanitarian assistance missions on earth, perhaps stopping a war or two- who knows. All he knew was he was going to fall behind on his schedule if he kept dawdling like this-
"YO!" the door slammed open as his worst nightmare waltzed into his office and plopped himself right onto his desk.
"Five, move your ass. I'm still working, you know." he sighed as he straightened the stack of papers so that they wouldn't fall.
"Then stop working. You've been glued to this desk since dawn," he frowned as he picked up a piece of paper from the pile. "Security protocols, what's this?"
"Hey, give that back!" NATO snapped as he yanked the sheet out of the other's grip. "These are important documents that you probably shouldn't even be seeing."
"Oho, I live for confidential info," Five grinned as he slowly slid his gloved finger down the stack. "You know I can't resist taking a peek-"
"Alright that's enough out of you."
With a playful shove, Five hopped off the desk with a humph, a bit disheartened to see how serious NATO was being. For the past few days, ever since the Powers left him in charge, NATO had been nothing more than a machine and everyone was starting to worry about him. They knew it was simply his nature but everyone had their limits.
"Did you know? The old pub finally reopened."
NATO's hand jolted to a stop mid-signature as he peeled his eyes off the document. "The one down that crooked avenue?"
"The one and only," Five grinned, relieved that he actually remembered. "I was sure it was going to be demolished but no, they tidied that old nest up. From the pictures I've seen, it looks pretty incredible"
Five dug his toe into the ground as his demeanor shifted into something more mild, "The grand opening is today and I was hoping that you would be willing to go. Just like old times, you know?"
"And by that, you mean drinks are on me, right?"
"Haha, you know it."
NATO smiled at the thought but a small notification on his schedule reminded him of all the work that had yet to be done. His smile faltered as his diligence took back the wheel.
"Five I- I'm so sorry but... you see, I'm just so busy with the Powers gone and all that- my plate is just so full right now," he stammered without any composure but no excuse was getting past his best friend. Five had immediately recognized the crestfallen look in his eyes and with a swipe, he deleted his schedule.
"FIVE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" NATO exclaimed as his guilt immediately changed into disbelief.
"Helping you clear up that plate of yours," Five scowled as he placed his hands on his hips all matter-of-factly. "All of tonight's work has already been done for you so you better start thanking your agents. They aren't as useless as you think."
He gestured to the door where NORAD and a couple others peeked their heads in timidly. He smiled and gave NATO a little thumbs up, signaling that it was no problem at all.
"NASA also finished all the surveillance routines and stuff with her satellites. WHO is on Earth right now, tending to a butt ton of stuff so you don't need to worry about that," Five droned on as he counted off on his fingers. "You know, if UN worked like you are right now, he probably would have more mental breakdowns than there are stars in the sky. He lets himself rest in the capable hands of his agents so why don't you let them help you out?"
NATO slouched down into his chair seeing that there was no point arguing. Five was right. While he was on the field, his greatest emphasis was always on teamwork yet in the office, he had lost sight of that very thing. With a defeated sigh, he allowed himself to be dragged away from his desk by an extremely giddy FVEY who basically tossed him through the Gate.
"Ooh, I should also invite NASA!"
"Don't you dare disturb her."
The sunset streets of suburban England welcomed the two to the human realm as their defining, colorful skin melted into far more ordinary tones. Though the changes here were far less prominent than the changes in the city, it was still startling nonetheless. After a quick change of clothes, the two strolled out and seamlessly blended into the crowd like they had done a million times before. Through the avenues they walked and took the sights in, NATO especially.
"Look at that, the robot finally came back to life!" he smirked triumphantly. "I believe a great celebration is in order."
"By celebration, you mean you're gonna get pissed drunk, cause another scene, perhaps blow something up and then force me to carry you and your tab back," NATO grumbled. "I can see where Ame gets his inspiration from."
"He only learns from the best," Five cackled before wrapping a scarf around his exposed neck. "C'mon, the line is gonna be a nightmare if you don't move your ass."
...
The pub was absolutely jam packed with people during the first few hours, probably because of the promotional discounts that the grand opening came with but as nightfall slowly sank in, so did the calm quietness that left only a couple people in the pub. The space had been so frivolously refurbished until it was sparklingly new yet somehow, all the traditional touches were still intact. It was like a breath of freshness in a new age yet all the good memories were there to stay.
The two old friends sat in their exact same seats as they ordered their rounds and let colors fly.
"ANOTHER!" Five hollered as he slid his glass back to the bartender, who glanced warily at NATO since it was automatically assumed that he would be footing the costs. NATO just gave a subtle nod as he slowly sipped on his drink like one should.
"Hehe, this brings me back," Five giggled, clearly intoxicated but still controlled enough to keep a somewhat sensible conversation.
"That's the fourth time you've said that," NATO shook his head as he nudged the drink toward him. "But yes, it really does."
"What was the year? 42? 43?" Five murmured as he took a big gulp. NATO gingerly pressed the drink down to stop it from going down too quickly, a last ditch effort to make sure he didn't get puked on later. "Back when we were just humans."
"Late November, 1942. You introduced this place and challenged me to a drinking contest and we both got thrown out after causing too much of a scene."
Five sloshed his drink around his cup before belching out a laugh, "Heheheh, I fucking hated your guts back then. You were always protocol first. No fun."
He turned to stare at the other with a stupid, lopsided smirk, "I guess some things never change."
"Hmph. Likewise," NATO sniffed haughtily. "You were always too careless. To be honest, I wondered why Britain held you at such high regard."
"Cuz' I'm awesome. Duh."
A small gap of silence settled between them as Five downed the rest of his drink. His mind was undoubtably getting really foggy now but that also when every mask slipped off his face. As a spy who was always being targeted, that was the equivalent of a death sentence but when he was with NATO, he knew he could afford to lower his guard.
"...During the war... when you joined us to investigate the breach... did you ever suspect me?"
NATO watched as Five slumped forward, resting his head on his hand. His pale skin was already reddened, a sure sign that he was inebriated.
"At first, I had my suspicions," NATO admitted. "But despite my background checks, I decided to have faith in you."
"You are an idiot, NATO. There's no place for faith in war."
"Okay, well you knew I was there to investigate yet you did nothing about it."
Five shrugged as he finally put his glass to rest, "I guess I just wanted to see how long it would take for you to figure it out."
The tinkling glass of people finishing their drinks slowly drifted to a stop and soon, they were the only ones left in the pub.
"20 thousand men," Five swooned as he traced his fingers in the shape of two x's over his blindfold, "20 thousand men I killed with a single word."
"And 20 thousand more you must save. I know."
The pub finally closed and with a heft, NATO hoisted an unconscious FIVE onto his back. When they finally returned to Aliaterra, the morning sun was already on the horizon.
"I'm going to assume he drank all your money's worth," NASA smirked as she greeted them on the other side of the Gate.
"He didn't throw up all over me so that's a bonus," NATO shrugged. "I'll take him back to his quarters. He's going to have a horrible hangover when he wakes up so could you ask WHO to whip something up?"
NASA pulled out a little box stamped with WHO's symbol. "A million steps ahead, NATO. A million steps ahead."