(A/N: Updates, finally, hooray! Apologies if it's shorter than usual, I'll try my best to get in a longer one soon enough.
Sorry these chapters are taking longer than usual. I'm trying to at least update 1-2 chapters every month for now. Regents exams are coming up and I'm n o t r e a d y
Expect the next chapter next week, around Friday or Saturday. A few days after that, I will be posting another author's note, but it'll be a very important announcement concerning the future of this book and what I'm planning to do with it. Stick around for that, and as always I hope you enjoy!
~AJ)
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"The art of living your life has a lot to do with getting over loss. The less the past haunts you, the better."
-Richard Ford
"I'm fascinated by the way early experiences haunt and revisit you, remain present in your life for decades and decades - they can even shape who you ultimately become."
-Khaled Hosseini
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|Reader's POV|
"Well, now...er, well...Where should I start? What do you want to hear?"
Japan tentatively spoke, "Well, um...this isn't the first time we...came here, is it?"
I stiffened, scrunching up my eyebrows uncomfortably. We just had to get right to the point, huh?
"Ah, I was also wondering about that. America said that we've gone through this several times..." Russia trailed off, plastering a hesitant expression on his face.
Thankfully, Italy didn't seem too fazed. The brunette nodded and said, "Yeah. We've gone through this several times, ever since we came here from the world meeting."
"I knew it..." America's eyes widened slightly. "So, what happened the very first time?"
"How this started. Okay." Italy breathed out a lengthy exhale, swaying from side to side as he talked. "Before the world meeting, I sneaked away from Germany's training and arrived at an unknown city somewhere. When I was there, I happened to hear rumors about this place. I thought it sounded interesting, and I told America about it."
"Yeah, no difference so far."
"Yeah. Oh, but...the very first time, I came here with nine of you." He mentioned.
"Which is everyone except me and Spain." Romano piped up. "This really is the first time we both are here."
"We were just going to have fun. We were going to go home soon." Those sentences made me flinch a little. "We opened the door and came in, but...as you know, there was that monster inside."
Instinctively my hand squeezed my left arm's wrist. For some reason, I was feeling more on edge than usual. Yeah, I was glad that Italy was finally opening up and trusting us, but his story was so...real. So horrifying. My past memories with the Oni still came as a blur, yet the emotions I felt were simply unforgettable.
"We all ran in different directions and I got lost from everyone, and I was so scared and had no idea what had happened. I wanted to find someone as quickly as possible..."
Italy was a shaking mess. His words came out as a stammer. I was tempted to reach out to him, but he kept on going. "After walking around a lot, I found Japan. I was really happy, but...he had just been beaten by the enemy." I grimaced, a twisted look of shock and unpleasantness. I didn't like where this was going...
"Until then, I'd completely forgotten that Japan had come along. There was a gap, as if something had been erased...While I was thinking that there was something wrong with my memory...China, Russia, France...America, Canada, and England were killed one by one...By the time I'd finally be able to escape, Prussia and Germany were also killed, and I was the only one still alive."
Killed...death...blood...my grip ceased to relax. Like Italy, he also had people he cared about...wiped away from existence.
"You were..." France gulped, barely making out the last word in a soft whisper. "Alone..."
"I was supposed to get out, but I felt too hopeless. I just wandered around without knowing what to do, and before I knew it, I was in the library. That's when I found this book." Italy glanced down at the book, fiddling with the spine in a nervous manner.
"That's the Bible you've been carrying all along, isn't it?" China inquired.
"Yeah, it kind of looks like a Bible, but this is actually a journal." Italy handed the journal over to Japan, who had gestured that he wanted to take a look at it. "When I opened it, it had the name of its previous owner written on it."
I peeked over Japan's arm, seeing that he had turned to the first page, where a name was carved into the book. "It reads "Ryuuzu no Ko", right?"
Something...looks off. I wanted to have a look at it myself, but Japan closed it and gave it back to Italy before I had the chance.
I frowned, remaining silent. Looking at that book again triggered some kind of memory I had, something about me throwing down the journal and screaming at the Thing, I can't recall it clearly...
"Everyone had died right before my eyes, and I was all alone. By then, I wasn't really thinking straight anymore. That's where my memories get a little fuzzy. I was going to throw this book away, too. But...that monster found me, and I unconsciously ran away with the book still in my hands, and at last...I got out. I was alone..." Italy paused for a moment. I couldn't bear that painful look in his eyes. I moved closer to him, wondering if I could provide comfort of some sort, but he met my gaze and I came to a stop.
Shining with the threat of incoming tears, yes, but strong. There was unwavering strength, aglow with hope and confidence and everything in between. He took my arm, and I let him. He didn't comfort, he needed support. I placed my hand on his and smiled.
Then everything but him faded away with the blink of an eye.
It reminded me of whenever I experience past memories in my dreams. I was able to move around on my own, but I seemed to be incredibly engrossed in something that was glowing faintly in the distance.
I stood up and, like a snake entranced with the chords of a reedpipe, hypnotically stepped out the Oni mansion and followed behind...Italy.
The door slammed shut behind me, making me jump.
"I got out..."
His distant, feeble voice. I trailed behind him, walking along the dirt path stretching beyond the mansion's doorstep. The alluring sound of rain flooded my eardrums, but all I was concentrating on was that glow.
Which just so happened to be Italy's journal.
"I'm the only one who survived, the only one who got out..."
As Italy slowed down, I grew closer...and closer...and is that...?
A gasp got lodged in my throat, and only an inaudible breath of air was exhaled from my compressed lungs. Blood. There was blood staining Italy's blue uniform.
I clutched at my head, taking in a trembling breath. I prayed that was just from the...loss of the countries...I'm sure his situation wasn't exactly the same as mine...
"I shouldn't have been able to get out...What the hell? This doesn't make any sense. Out of everyone, I'm the only one left? What the hell? What the hell?"
Italy's head whipped around and all I could see was fury, anger. I turned to look, spotting one evidence of the Thing, just a glimpse of its grey body, and instantly glanced back at Italy. He began to run and I mirrored his swift movements.
Finally, Italy came to an abrupt stop. "Stop!" He yelled as he spun around on his heel, facing the Oni. "I won, right? You couldn't catch me; you lost!"
Madness. There was nothing but madness in his eyes.
"The moment I get out of here, you'll lose! There's nothing you can do from that distance! When I get out of here, this place won't be the same as before, you know! As a nation, I will destroy this place!"
He spat words of frustration. He wagged a finger, infuriated, but I could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
"Doesn't that make you frustrated? Huh? I'm your last trophy, after all."
The rain picked up. Beating droplets of water slapping at my face. The wind went just as wild, tossing and churning my hair into something just as chaotic at what Italy was saying.
"You lost to the guy whose only redeeming feature is his fast feet.
...back...Take us back!"
A hand covered my mouth. No...don't do this to yourself, Italy...
"You can take us back in this warped space, can't you? If you do that, why don't you eat me first? If you can catch me, that is."
He raised his hand, grasping the journal. A brilliant beam of light responded to his booming voice,
"Go back!"
Lightning flashed.
Blinding darkness.
I was back in the mansion. I breathed in and out heavily. Lingering bits and pieces of memories swirled aimlessly through my head as I tried to make sense of it all, of everything.
Rewind-
Do anything-
Get them back-
Friends-
Thank...
you...
"I...Italy."
"(Name)?"
"It wasn't...just the journal that you used to rewind time.
You forgot about the clock."
"T-The clock?"
Italy blinked rapidly in utter confusion. He had a familiar expression on his face, one that reminded me of myself as I scrambled to look for the memories that only come to haunt me when I was in a state of unconsciousness.
And as he took a step back-stumbled, even-someone else pushed forward. Romano's green eyes pierced mine. Ours locked and he refused to tear away from my gaze. He frantically searched, scanned, for clues, for answers: for anything.
"You...
You know about the clock, too, (Name)?"