So Feliciano is the only one that apparently can stand between the Holy Roman Empire and the fact that he may or may not take over his former countries. What's the worst that can happen to him? I mean, he may be evil, but he IS Holy Roman Empire...he can't hurt him, right?
/=+=/
Ludwig and Wang Yao returned to the building as Ivan started to deflect the majority of Gilbert's beams straight up into the air. A few feet away, Seyel was talking to Belgium and was taking a few notes down. It intrigued him, so he headed toward the countries with a curious look on his face.
"Are you seriously testing all of this out?" He asked.
"Just so that they know how to restrain their abilities whenever they're with the humans." Seyel answered. "The last thing we need is to reveal to the world that there are mutants, much less human countries."
"Yeah...that's true..." Ludwig blinked. "Did you do it, China?"
"Yeah, aru." He answered. "Mine's completely under control. I can scream whenever I want, but it only activates when I want it to, aru."
"I see..." Ludwig turned to Seyel. "Do you need to check up with mine?"
"If it isn't any trouble...besides, Roderich's the one who wanted to do this."
"Roderich started all this?" He blinked.
"Yeah. He was worried about half the people here and decided that we might as well test everything out here, while we're away from human eyes." Seyel chuckled. "Around that time, Alfred insisted that he became his second-in-command."
"God...can't Alfred take this seriously?" Ludwig shook his head.
/=+=/
"Holy Rome? Are you here?"
Feliciano started to wander around the forest, calling out the name of the man he cared for yet at the same time feared. Instantly, he felt the wind move around him, and the image of Holy Roman Empire appeared in front of him. Instinctively, Italy grabbed his tie and tightened it.
"You wanted me, Italy?" He asked.
"Yes...it's about your land..." Italy felt scared, but stood strong. This was for Doitsu's sake, of course. "Are you...thinking about taking it back?"
"So you do know about my plan." Holy Roman Empire stood up. "Did you figure it out on your own?"
"...yes."
"Are you lying to me?"
Feliciano shivered. He knew that in pressure, he'd cave in and tell the torturer everything. Holy Rome would be no different. However, this was for Doitsu. Not just Doitsu...but for the other countries that were part of his kingdom. He has to lie in order to save all of them. He had to be brave.
"No...I'm not. I heard from Austria that you were surprised about what happened to your land..." He stated. "And I thought that you'd want to do something with it."
"These long years have taught you well..." Holy Rome touches Italy's cheek. "At least I don't have to lie to you...I hate lying to you..."
"Holy Rome..." Feliciano whispered.
"Will you give me your land? Just so that I can be a country again?" He smiled. "Don't worry...I'm not going to do anything to you...I'd never do anything to hurt you...you know that..."
"...what about Austria? And Hungary?" He looked up.
"They will be OK as well. They were so good to me back then...and I trust them."
"...Doitsu..." Feliciano whispered to himself. He looked up to him. "What about Doitsu?"
"...he's a dangerous person to keep alive."
That statement snapped Feliciano back into reality. He quickly backed up, his right hand holding the loose notebook that was hidden in the bag around his waist. Holy Roman Empire didn't seem surprised at the shocked look on his face, but he was surprised when Italy summoned a flaming dog from the book, his collar holding Germany's cross.
"Are you raising your hand against me?" Holy Roman Empire asked.
"...I don't want to, Holy Rome...I really don't want to." Italy looked down at the book, and then to the man he loved. "But...I don't want Doitsu to die either...so...I'll fight you to protect him!"
It was then that Feliciano's eyes darted open, fierce golden-hazels glaring back at Holy Roman Empire. However, he didn't seem the bit worried. Instead, he lifted up his hand and pointed straight at Feliciano with his right index finger.
"Oh Italy...I was afraid you might say that."
/=+=/
"Wow, Ludwig! You can separate all kinds of rock! And FIRE too!"
He wasn't even paying attention to what Seychelles was remarking on. He was dead tired, huffing and puffing with twitchy arms. Germany turned next to him and saw as China's voice actually broke through solid steel. He couldn't help but shiver at that statement. However, he did realize that he had an opportunity to ask something.
"I wanted to ask you something..." He looked up to Seyel. "What did you discover about Feliciano's power?"
"Oh, right...I had a feeling you'd be worried about it, so we decided to look into it." She flipped open her notebook. "When he first got here, he was only able to bring up inanimate objects. But the odd part was that when England was working with Hungary, his magic actually reacted with him."
"W-what happened?"
"He got stronger." She answered. "He can bring animals to life now...the minute we realized that, Italy started to draw all sorts of creatures, to better protect himself, he says."
"I see..."
Suddenly, they heard a howl echo from the other side of the city. Ludwig jumped at the sound, silently concluding that it was just a dog. He turned to rest before seeing Canada run toward him with a panicked look on his face. He obviously translated what it was saying.
"That wolf was talking about Italy." He stated. "Something's happened to him."
/=+=/
Ludwig was running as fast as he could toward the sound of the wolf. After a few minutes, he found himself standing a few feet away from a cliff, another figure standing at the edge. Ludwig lifted his hand, thinking it was Holy Roman Empire. As the figure turned around, he uttered one word.
"...Doitsu..."
He lowered his hand and ran toward Feliciano, shaking him rapidly. It was then that he realized that his eyes were dead, and he was covered head to toe with cuts and dried patches of blood. He started to shake him even more now, screaming at him to wake up. Suddenly, he blinked.
"D-Doitsu?" He shivered. "Y-you're OK!"
"What about you?" Germany panicked. "You're covered with bruises...what happened to you?"
Italy was about to say something when he saw his gaze turn to someone behind him. Ludwig turned his head around and saw Holy Roman Empire standing just a few feet away from them, a smile on his face. He lifted his finger and made a line. Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave way, and they both fell. Ludwig grabbed Feliciano's hands as his other hand grabbed the edge of the cliff.
"Ve~~~~~~! I don't want to die, Doitsu!"
"We're not going to die here!" He answered. "Everyone's coming to get us! I just know it!"
It was then that Germany realized that he couldn't use his powers with both his hands taken. He wasn't powerful enough to manipulate stones without his arms. He could risk dropping so that he could have one of his hands free...but that would be too much for a risk. The only chance he had was to-
No! You're not letting Italy go!
His grip on Feliciano tightened as the Italian stared at his determined face. It was then that he realized something. With the last of his strength, he lifted his other arm and held Ludwig's hand. Instantly, he felt a sensation in his entire body...the same sensation that he had when he kissed him...when he kissed...
"...Holy Roman Empire...."
"What? Where?"
Ludwig darted his head around, seeing if he was anywhere. Instead, he only saw the edges of the cliff that they were dangling from. He looked down and realized that Feliciano was looking straight at him, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I knew it...I knew that he wasn't the real one..."
"Feliciano?"
"Doitsu...you were here...this entire time..."
He lowered his head as Ludwig stared at him. Slowly, Feliciano raised his head to meet eye contact with him, and it was then that he realized that Italy was smiling. What the heck was he thinking?
"I'm not going to lose you again..."
Wait...was his grip-?
"I-Italy?"
Ludwig's grip grew tighter as Feliciano's grew lighter.
"If someone has to die here...let it be me..."
"No, Italy! No!"
"Doitsu...ti amo..."
He let go.
Ludwig screamed as Feliciano's body started to fly downward to the ground. Instantly, he let go to fly after him when he suddenly felt a hard grip on his hands. Looking up, he saw that Alfred had grabbed onto his arm and was pulling him up. Gilbert quickly grabbed his arm as they both pulled him toward safety.
"Feliciano!" Ludwig panicked. "E-er ließ meine Hand los!"
No one had to translate that. Netherlands came running in before throwing himself off the cliff, his wings extended in the air. The others quickly pulled Ludwig out of the way, worried that the ground would cave in on them again. Kiku dug through the crowd and got Ludwig's arm.
"Ludwig, Nel will get Feliciano...don't worry..."
"...Italy..." He looked up. "He knew...he knew that we were the same person."
Everyone around him gasped in surprise. Suddenly, they heard a swoosh of air, and they saw Nel fly up into their vision. His hands were empty: not a good sign at all. Ludwig tried to stand up, but Gilbert lifted his hand, telling him to stand down. Ivan took his place.
"Where is Italy?" He asked.
"I can't find him." He answered. "It's like he vanished into thin air...and I don't think he would survive a drop like this."
Ludwig held his head and his chest, the thought of him losing Italy failing to register in his mind. What was registering were old memories...memories that he had never thought about before...memories that he had forgotten and was now reliving...
"Ve~! I'm sorry, you were right! I'm not a box-of-tomatoes fairy at all! It was all lies, lies, lies!"
Kiku lifted a hand and held his back.
"Hey Doitsu, this is my big brother, Romano!"
He was starting to cry, unable to hide anything back.
"You're never going to forget me, right?"
Kiku retracted his hand. He never saw the nation cry so hard before...not even when he learned about what his boss had done during the second World War.
"Ti amo..."
"Italy..."
"Doitsu..."
...
...
...
...
...
He screamed.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
/=+=/
Oh my god...I can't believe I actually did that...OK, you know what? I'm giving translations just to calm myself down!
[Ti amo] ITALIAN- I love you. (Aw...that's so sweet, Italy...wait, you fell off a cliff. Wait, WHAT? NO!)
[E-er ließ meine Hand los!] GERMAN- H-he let go of my hand!