---CHAPTER XI: Take Us Back (Part 3)---

///Reader's PoV///

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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.....?"

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What's going on? What's...going...on...?!!

I leaned closer to the window and stared long and hard at the two people who were standing outside, worry written all over their faces. Their clothes don't look the slightest bit bloodied and their body without a trace of a single bruise. All they had were concerned looks and anxious movements, trying to peer over at the windows of the mansion to see any sign of life inside. It seems they're a tad too far to be able to see us, but we were able to see them. I... I see them perfectly.

I see that they are perfectly well.

Without any mark that they were even inside the mansion...at all.

Then, based on my observation...they...they never got to enter the mansion, after all?

They...never...

After all this time....

They were never in any danger......at all?

Never...

They never....

Then....then....

......Everything they told me......

....Everything about my parents being captive.....

.....They were all.....

.....lies?....

It.....was.....all.................

Unknowingly, tears formed in my eyes and began streaming down my cheeks. I turned around and met the gazes of the countries around me, both 1Ps and 2Ps. I was silent for a while, clenching my fists and shaking uncontrollably...not from fear, from sadness, from confusion....

.....but from.....anger.

My eyes searched for a certain auburn haired, magenta eyed, Italian...who was looking away from me the whole time. I sharply took in a breath and spoke,

"....Luciano....my....parents....aren't inside this mansion, aren't they?"

He gave a heavy sigh and faced me. "...................Si...."

"What?! I thought they were inside that sack---" Gilen exclaimed, pointing at the sack a few feet away from us.

Luciano gave him a deadly glare and answered, "--Do not dare open that sack if you value your life." he then turned to me and spoke softer, "....Your parents...are actually outside. They never....they never entered the mansion.... It was just you..."

"Then.....then...." my mind was going haywire now, I walked swiftly towards the Italian 2P and grabbed both his sleeves and shook him. "Then...that means....all this time......you were lying to me?!!!"

"Ragazza....I....I have my reasons....and you weren't supposed to know this---" he looked into my eyes, his expression a completely different one from what he usually has. It was a look of guilt and frustration.....and it was...genuine? Ha! As if I'd believe him now!

"--Well hell yeah of course I wasn't supposed to know this!!! That's just it, isn't it?!! I wasn't supposed to know this because if I did, you wouldn't have anything against me to force me to do something I would never do! Didn't I already tell you that there were other ways?! Didn't I tell you that there might be other answers?!

I tried understanding you guys before and I did.

I would've tried to understand you guys if you told me your real intentions and maybe I could have.

....but now....

.....I'm trying  to  understand THIS......but no matter how you turn this around......now matter how hard I try I just CAN'T. I can't take this anymore!!!" I shouted, letting out all of the feelings that where swirling in me. All the hurt, the feeling of betrayal, the feeling of...

The feeling of losing hope for them. That hope I had for them. That hope of them possibly being able to change into good.

Luciano raised his hands to mine, that  was clutching the sleeves of his uniform, and lightly squeezed them, as if for reassurance.  "Ragazza, you will understand if you just---"

"No!! No more! You're just going to twist me again! The only reason I was able to lie to the First Players were because I was forced to. Because I thought you guys might hurt my parents if I didn't go along your plans!......But you!!! You...

.....You guys lied just to get revenge." I said angrily, letting go of Luciano and walking over to the 1Ps' side. I turned around to look at him once more. "You wanted to get revenge on the First Players, right? That was your plan, right?"

"Well, yes, that's true. But you have to go with us right now, ragazza..." Luciano said, his forehead creased and his eyes somewhat desperate.

I shook my head. "For what?! So you guys can make me part of your 'plans' again? So you guys could use me like some sort of pawn?! That was all I was to you guys, right?! I thought.... I honestly thought.....that you guys....could change if I tried understanding you. But.....I guess it's too late to change anything. I thought wrong about you guys. I got myself fooled. I was so....stupid..."

"No...No, you weren't just a pawn..." Luciano spoke in a low voice.

I clicked my tongue. "......I wasn't  just a pawn, but I still was. 'I could still be' is probably what you guys are thinking right now, too.... But I'll never be...I will never fall for anything you guys pull ever again. To think! To think that if I knew that you guys were just lying.....I could have......I could have...." I breathed heavily, partly from my mind spinning from all the anger and revelations.

"(Name)-chan...." Japan gently placed a hand on my shoulder, as if to calm me down.

I faced him and nodded, accepting his comfort. I paused for a while and continued what I was supposed to say, "........All this time.......I could've......gotten out of this mansion with the 1Ps sooner.... I could have ended this madness for them...and for myself...... All this time......I could have....... but I didn't........because I couldn't...... No.....

.....because I thought I couldn't."

"But it was for the best!" Luciano defended.

I stepped forward and glared at him. "NO. It was for your best!! For your best interests. For your benefit. For the best of your selfish needs!"

"(Second Name)*.....listen to me....." Luciano looked straight into my eyes, his magenta orbs piercing through mine.

My eyes widened in total shock. "How.....How did you know my second name...? Only a few people I know can call me that... I never even told you guys....."

"I promise I will explain everything truthfully once you go back with us." Luciano told me.

I was feeling slightly confused and curious, but decided to shake it off. "I already told you that I am not falling for your schemes again. You probably just knew that because you gathered information on me before I got here...."

Luciano shook his head. "You've got it wrong, I---"

"Stop. Just...stop. I don't want to hear it anymore, okay?! Why don't you guys just leave us be? You go do whatever shit you guys are planning to do, and I'll be doing whatever it takes to get myself out of here with all of the 1Ps. Go on. I don't care anymore. I don't....." I paused, feeling a lump in my throat as I realised what I wanted to say...

"...............I don't care about you guys anymore. I cared, I really did. But not anymore. You guys never did care anyway." I blinked hard, causing tears to fall from my eyes. Fallen just like how Luciano's face was when he heard the words escape from my mouth. His face showed so many emotions that I have never known he could portray, but as far as I know, all that's probably just for show. To get me to get trapped in their schemes again. I've already learnt from that. Never again.

Luciano just looked at me for a moment. After that, he turned around and started walking away.

"Are we going to finish them off now?" Kuro asked their leader.

The magenta eyed Italian just shook his head and took the sack in his arms to drag. "No. Let's leave. We'll take care of them later."

The other Second Players followed what Luciano said and gathered around him. Zao took out what seemed to be a smoke bomb from his pocket and held it up. "Enjoy your rest while you can, because the next time you would....you'd be resting....in pieces." he said darkly and threw the smoke bomb on the floor, causing the hall to be filled with a grey haze of smoke.

As soon as the smoke disappeared, so did the 2Ps. I stared blankly at the empty hall in front of me, a sinking feeling forming after what just happened. Then, I remembered I wasn't alone and turned around.

"Love, first of all......we're sorry." England told me, rubbing his elbow nervously.

Prussia faced me and nodded. "Ja....we deeply apologise...for saying those things we said earlier. If we only knew that they had your....well....they told you...er.....If we only knew they were doing something to hold you against your will.....we could have acted differently..."

"...Yeah...that's right... It's all 'If onlys' and 'I could haves'....but it's already over. Let's not dwell on those. Besides, I understand how it feels to have been deceived, too. So I have to be sorry as well." I told them.

America walked over to me and glomped me. "Dudetteee.....we owe you hugs. I'll start off with my 'hero hug'. HAHAHA."

"A-Ack...America...let go hahaha." I chuckled a bit.

Canada grabbed his brother's shoulder and stopped him from glomping me. "America, (Name) is quite tired right now, so just save that for later."

"Let us head back to the saferoom, shall we? We all have to take a good night's rest. A day of long explanations are ahead of us, after all." Japan said, looking at me.

"Right." they said as they gathered their stuff and began preparing to walk back to the saferoom.

I stared back to the other side of the hall again. That place... I've walked over there numerous times already, but it feels strange all a sudden. I can't put what it was...sort of....nostalgic....

Suddenly, I felt my whole body feel heavy and my knees weakened. I knew I was going to collapse on the floor, but I couldn't move anymore. Falling on my knees with a loud thud alerted the First Players.

"(Name)!! What happened, fille??" France asked worriedly.

I tried to open my mouth to reply, but I couldn't even find the strength to. All I could do now was.......fall......to unconsciousness......to.....a deep.....deep sleep.....

.....I fell down, lying on the floor with my eyes closed. I could here their frantic voices....calling for my name....

"(Name)...?"

"(Name)!!!..."

Softer and softer.....

"(Name)......"

Until I could hear it no more.