---CHAPTER XI: Take Us Back (Part 2)---


///Reader's PoV///

The magenta-eyed man wearing a tan military uniform handed the sack to one of his henchmen and turned to us. Breaking the silence of the halls, he darkly chuckled,

"Ciao."

~=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=~


Wide eyes and pale faces were brought about by the biggest shock that the First Players have ever encountered inside the mansion.



"Hmm? So, is no one is going to talk? That wasn't the kind of reaction we expected for our grand reunion." Kuro said sarcastically.



Luciano nodded and turned to look at us. "Si. It's not like we're strangers. All of us here are quite well-acquainted with each other~" he laughed, the other 2Ps joining him.



"How...Wh...What are you doing here?  Germany bravely asked, clenching his fists.


Lutz looked at him and simply smirked. "Heh. That's some question you got there, bastard. Weren't you the ones who threw us away like trash? Obviously, we'd find our ways to survive this shitty world. Think we're that weak to just cripple up and die after you guys banished us? I think not."


"Besides...


...we should be the ones who should tell you off for intruding. This is our home before you guys arrived." Nikolai told them whilst gazing at his steel pipe.


France let out a soft gasp as he assessed what the Russian Second Player said. "If that's true....you mean...all this time..."


"All this time, while your sorry asses were being devoured and killed off by the creature....we were just here happily watching." Zao darkly explained.



Prussia's blood boiled as he heard the statement. "All this time you were just playing with us?! Damn you all, I'll--"


"--You'll what? Kill us? Get rid of us? What? You were never able to do that. We all know that--because we all know you all tried to." Gilen told him sullenly.



Kuro nodded and gave a smug look at the First Players. "Heh. We're just here to return the favour. It's really fun seeing all of you writhe in pain--both physically and emotionally. Though it seems you know more now. Did it feel good to know you've all died before each others' eyes? If it didn't, too bad, because you're going to go through it again."


America stepped forward and spoke angrily, "How...could...you... No... HOW DARE YOU...YOU--YOU MONSTERS...YOU--" before he could finish, a knife flew past his cheek, missing him by a mere centimetre and ended up hitting the wall behind him. It was from Luciano, but the Italian just glared silently.


"Who's the real monster here, anyway?! You think all of you are so righteous and just. Don't give me that shit. You all belong in hell." Zao hissed.


Japan clicked his tongue. "And you think you guys don't?"




"Hahaha...that's rich. For all we know, we probably are  from hell..." Nikolai chuckled darkly.





".....and we're here to drag you down there." Luciano smirked.



In a quick motion, the Second Players charged towards us and began attacking. Both the 1Ps and the 2Ps are putting up a fight. Clashing swords, giving each other cuts and bruises. Using weapons and their hands against each other. It was like one big war. ....And I'm just here watching.


"Fille, get behind us... They'll hurt you..." France told me, pulling me behind him to cover me from their enemy.


Kuro must've heard this because he paused for a moment and spoke, "Ohhh. We'd neverhurt her... We still have an agreement with the girl."


"Wh-What? Agreement?" China creased his forehead.


Lutz looked at me from afar and asked, "Do you have what we told you to get?"


"N-No...I...don't have it yet..." I managed to answer.


England's eyes widened as he heard me. "....You're....You're working for..them...?"



"She is. She's ours. Right, (Name)?" Luciano looked at me in the eye.


I shot him a shocked look after he answered them like that, "L-Luciano..."


"Is that...his name? You--You really know him? You really know them, frau?!" Prussia asked, exasperated.


Nikolai smiled and shot me a glance, "Of course she does. She's spent some quality time with us a while back, didn't she tell you? Ah...well you were all busy being locked up in that cell that time, though."


America turned to me with a look of disbelief. "That time.....you....you didn't fall asleep in a closet... You were actually...with them..? You...You lied to us?!"


"I-I'm...I'm so s-sorry! I..."  I began stuttering, becoming both scared and confused.


Japan gave me a disappointed look. "So you did, (Name)-chan?"



"I...


...I did. I'm sorry." I admitted, my eyes starting to water.


Germany glared at me. "What's your 'sorry' going to do now?! We trusted you! But now we find out that you're actually..........an enemy!"



Tears streamed down my cheeks as Germany called me that. "N-No! I'm...I'm not an enemy. I swear! I-I really am going to help you guys--"



"How can we believe you now?! How do you expect us to believe you'd help us if you were actually working with the people who killed us and are trying to kill us?! Huh? Huh?!" America shouted furiously.



Then they realised that they were still in a middle of a fight and began throwing punches at each other. There were only a few 2Ps, but they were giving the 1Ps an incredibly hard time in exchanging attacks.



I began stepping backwards as I grew even more scared of America's reaction as well as the other First Players. I want to explain...but I feel too choked up to speak.




As I was stepping backwards, I bumped into someone. That person then placed their hands on my shoulders. "Well, ragazza, it seems they don't really like you anymore. Far from it, actually." I turned to see it was Luciano.



"Why...? Why are you doing this to me...? I thought...I thought it was just going to be a secret... Why are you guys facing off the First Players?" I asked him, my voice slightly cracking.



He avoided my gaze and answered, "We were...getting impatient."



"Impatient?! I don't even have what you asked for! Why did you guys even tell them those other things?!  I only agreed to try and take the metal piece so you'd release my parents! My...." I stopped when peered over the end of the hall where the large sack was.


"....Luciano, I swear....If you guys have done any harm at all to my parents, I'll--"


He suddenly pat my head and spoke, "...We didn't. You know what, we'll just take the metal piece ourselves."


"Wh-What do you mean?" I asked, confused.


Luciano looked at me in the eyes with a strange look. "It means...after us Second Players take care of these First Players...we're letting you go safely. You...and your parents."


"W-Wait! Why--" I was going to ask him but before I could finish, he made his way towards the others and fought alongside his comrades against the 1Ps. 
They were all looking so tired by now. Both parties had their fair share of injuries, of cuts, bruises and clothes stained with blood. I feel so helpless. I feel so useless.


What am I going to do now? I have so many things that I need to tell the First Players so they'd understand...but will they still listen to me? Probably not.


As I have expected....they all probably hate me now.


The Second Players, too. I just...I don't understand them! One minute their pulling me down and making the 1Ps hate me...the next minute, they assure me of my safety. I don't understand... There are so many things that I don't know anymore.



I have to try...


I have to explain...

No...wait...


This is it!


This...this could be the time for them to explain how they see each other.


Maybe all their grudges were from some kind of misunderstanding or something?


It's...it's worth a shot, right?


I clenched my fists and cautiously stepped closer to the First Players and Second Players still fighting and lashing out their pent-up anger against each other. Who am I supposed to approach? Of course, I need to tell the First Players the truth...but who's going to listen to me...? 


While I was slowly walking amidst their fight scene, I saw Japan fend back his 2P counterpart, causing the latter to fall backwards at a distance. I took this opportunity to try and explain to Japan.


I nervously tugged on his sleeve. "J-Japan...Please listen to me...I'll tell you the truth... I'll explain everything...Please..."


"...Isn't it too late for that? And besides, how will I know if it's actually the truth?  What if you'll just say things to confuse me?" Japan said, giving me a cold stare.


Slightly flinching from Japan's words and treatment, I took a step back. "I'm sorry... I know that lying to you guys was wrong....and I know that I've broken your trust....but..please understand.... It's not like I wanted to do those things to you guys intentionally! I don't want anything bad to happen to you guys, I swear..."


"Don't you already know who these others are? Anything related to them is already bad...yet you decided to help them out." he said in a low voice.


I bit my lip and looked down. "B-Because I had to."


"Hmm?" he raised an eyebrow.


Looking up to meet his gaze, I spoke, "Japan...they have my pa---"


All of a sudden, Japan pushed me backwards to avoid getting hit by the muscular body of Germany, who was hurled towards our direction by his 2P. "Arghh....that bastard...." Germany groaned and winced in pain as his back hit the wall.


I was about to get up when I heard a faint clank.


A small object seemed to have fallen out of Germany's pockets and slid across the floor...over to me. I squinted at it and picked it up.


"This...." I managed to say, my eyes widening.


This caused the others to look at me as I stood up, holding something in front of me.






It was the metal piece.





Italy saw me and spoke, "B-Bella! Give that back--we need that!"




"No. We need that. Ragazza, come over here now. You don't need to stay  
here any longer." Luciano told me, motioning me to go to the side of the hall where he and the other Second Players were standing.




I took a step back. "B-But...what do you mean by that? You can't just let me out of this place without them!" I said, pointing at the First Players, who just stood in silence.




"Oh yes we can, ragazza. Now, come on. Give that to us and you are home free." Luciano said, giving me a weird expression. I can't put what it was...




England raised an eyebrow and clicked his tongue. "Is that the so-called 'agreement' you guys had? Work for them to get yourself out of this place?"




I shook my head, tears forming in my eyes. "No! It's not that at all! It's becau--" 



"Aiyah. You slow girl. Stop acting like a little btch and give that to us already." Zao said, crossing his arms.



I clenched the metal piece in my hand and look back and forth between the two sides. I stopped and looked at the 2Ps. "I... I can't.... If I do....you'll hurt them! Please.... I don't want you to hurt them! Can't we just settle this without this madness?!"



At that point, looks of surprise and confusion swept across the First Players' faces.




"Ragazza. That's impossible...so let's just get you out of here and you can get over it." Luciano said in a lower voice, his tone was even somehow...pleading.




I blinked the tears away and spoke, "But I....I can't---"




"--You're clearly forgetting about something very important." we heard a voice from the end of the hall.


We all turned to where the voice came from. It was from Kuro.


He was standing with an evil smirk, holding a sword facing down to.....something....


......It was the large sack.


I took a step back, my heart pounded painfully. "N-No....I fo-forgot.... No.... Not.... My.... my parents......"


"Parents?!" Japan exclaimed, seeming to have realised what I meant earlier.

Tears sprang in my eyes all too quickly. "Don't....Don't you even dare! Don't hurt my parents!! ....Please...."

"Hahaha! You're so simple, little girl." Kuro mocked and walked to his comrade, "Lutz, take the metal piece."



Before I could even react, the German Second Player yanked my arm, causing me to  let go of the metal object and into his calloused hands. "H-Hey! You--You can't!! But.... No! That..." my head was spinning by the events happening too fast. Suddenly,  Lutz grabbed my hand and pulled me towards their side. "W-Wait, I--"



"Let go of her!!" America shouted as he got in between Lutz and I, causing him to lose grip on my hand. As we got separated, America threw a hard punch at Lutz. Lutz retaliated by punching back, making the American step backwards and bumped into me. "Sorry, dudette." he told me.




"No....I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything..." I said, shaking.




He shook his head. "No...We....We're beginning to understand." he said in a soft voice and gently ruffled my (hair colour) hair.



"....A-America......." I cried, pulling him into a hug.


We were suddenly pulled apart by someone in a tan military outfit. Luciano.



"Che. We're still taking you back, ragazza." Luciano said in an irritated tone.



I took a step backwards. "Wh-What? But--"




"I'm not going to take 'no' for an answer. Now let's go--" he suddenly got cut off when Japan pushed Luciano away from me. What's with all the pushing away, I'll never know...but while this happened, something caught my eye.


I was standing beside the window. And I saw something outside.


Outside, I saw two figures standing on the front yard of the mansion.


Those people.... I know those people all too well....Even from afar....I know..... 






"M-Mom...? Dad.....?"