|Reader's POV|
"...Do you really think there's gonna be food in a bathroom?"
"It's worth a try." Japan replied with a shrug, going into the bathroom.
I was just about to follow him when I saw a door, opened ever so slightly. I peeked into the bathroom, seeing Japan searching for any source of food. I glanced back at the door and stepped towards it cautiously, a hand extended.
But what was on the other side?
.
..
...
....
.....
I sadly didn't get the chance to figure out what exactly what it was.
"ARGH!"
I screamed in surprise, feeling an invisible force field of some sort flinging me back. I hit the ground, expecting some sort of pain...
But there was none...?
Huh?!
"Are you hurt, (Name)?"
"No...just surprised. Was that your doing?"
"Ja. My apologies if that surprised you. Please do not go past that room alone. It's not safe."
"Why can't you just...I don't know come out from wherever you are and just tell me that?"
"I'm afraid I can only speak to you in your head, (Name). And even if I wanted to see you...I can only do so...Nevermind."
"What do you mean nevermind?!" I exclaimed in confusion. I sat upright, my eye twitching in annoyance.
"Perhaps you should turn around."
And that was the moment I remembered Japan wasn't actually deaf and probably heard that scream.
I stood up, spinning around.
"(N-Name)? Who...were you talking to?"
After all those attempts of trying to convince Japan I wasn't mental, he caught me talking to a voice in my head.
"Um, well, I...can ex-"
I felt something grab onto the hood of my sweater, which pulled me down and dragged me across the ground and into a dark room.
"J-J-JAPAN!"
|Japan's POV|
I raced after (Name), stumbling blindly through the dark and grabbing at empty air.
"(Name)! Where are you?" I stopped to glance around, releasing my grip from my katana to use both hands to try and find the switch. "It's pitch black in here. Where is the switch?"
Light suddenly filled the room to my relief. I unsheathed my katana as soon as my eyes spotted that monster and I charged towards it. I attacked it mercilessly until it released its strong grip on (Name). The girl fell to the ground, gasped for air and grabbed at her neck. I stood right in front of her and steadied my breathing as the monster readied itself.
It let out a piercing cry and approached me. I bent my knees slightly and braced for an attack.
|Reader's POV|
'Ow...ow...oh god...'
I massaged the purple bruises on my neck from the rough grasp that monster had on me before.
But...
There was something else on my neck...
Is that...?
The hologram I saw last time Japan battled that thing appeared in front of me again. No time to think. My hand left my neck and I clicked on some moves, but the monster hit him real badly. I scrambled to my feet and ignored the pain on my neck. I ran towards him, buckled my knees and dropped beside him. Japan grunted in pain and held his head.
"I-I'm alright, (Name). L-Let me finish this." He attempted to get up, but I gently pushed him down.
"N-No! Japan, stop moving. I can't just let you keep fighting like this." I persisted and looked over what we had, anything at all that could help him.
"I-I'll be fine. Go, r-run!"
"(NAME)!
Move!"
"YeS (Name) liStEN To HiM...
gO AhEaD...
yOu'Ve SeEn wOrSE DeAtHs riGHT?!"
"(Name)! Don't listen to them! Stop-"
"ShUt uP!"
Two voices battled in my head and gave me a headache from trying to figure out who they were. One of them I knew as the one that healed me before but...
The other one...
"No."
I stood up and took a stand in front of Japan.
"I won't let him die. And you can't make me."
I shut my eyes, pressed them tightly and clasped my hands together.
"Because there's always..."
My eyes flew open. A shock went through my body that seemed to almost give me power. My hands gripped the familiar handle of a familiar sword...
"A third option."