---Chapter XIV: Goodbye (Part 1)---

///Third Person PoV///

"Italy! Hey! Italy!! Wake up!" 

The brown haired, Northern Italian began to stir and awaken. Once he opened his amber eyes, he saw his muscular German friend.

Germany breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, you're awake. Are you all right?"

"Ve?! wh-what happened to me?" Italy sat up, looking around the room to figure out where he was.

Germany placed a hand on Italy's shoulder. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm not...Um, my journal went awry all of a sudden, and then, um...?" he paused, trying to recollect the past event.

Germany shook his head. "Sorry, I don't get it, either. I remember being surrounded by a lot of enemies, but not...the journal going awry?"

"What?! You don't remember, Germany? After I shouted, 'Make me disappear somewhere!' you ran to me with all your might." Italy told him, hoping he'd remember.

Germany creased his forehead. "What? Wait a minute. Did you say...'Make me disappear somewhere?'..."

"Oh, don't get me wrong! I didn't mean I wanted to die. Besides, you see, the fact that we're here means that we did disappear from there, right?" Italy smiled.

Humming a little, Germany spoke, "Mm. Well...you do have a point, but...my memories of being surrounded by the enemies are very hazy...Where are the others?"

"Oh, th-that's right! what are we going to do?! The others must still be fighting!" Italy exclaimed frantically.

Germany straightened his uniform and turned to the door. "All right, let's go back. If we make sure they have a way out, they should be able to retreat. The enemies were in their way before."

The two walked down the hall cautiously, but then stopped when they saw a shocking sight. There was another set of countries that were there by the front door. They froze as they witnessed the happening at a distance. What they do not know that time, was that it was their past selves that they were seeing.

-=-=-=-

"Heeey! Is anyone here?!" Past Germany called out.

Past Japan cupped his chin. "They're not here. Maybe they went upstairs?"

"Sheesh, those old geezers are always going off on their own! They came here first and yet they're nowhere to be seen." Past America complained.

Past Italy looked at the others with pleading eyes. "Look, let's go back!! I told you, we can't stay here!! It was my bad! Come on, let's go back!"

Past China sighed.  "We told you you didn't have to come. If you really didn't want to, why did you-"

"I told you!! This house is dangerous!! I've seen it! we're going to be attacked by a huge monster and everyone is going to die! It's true, I'm telling you!" Past Italy warned them desperately.

Past Germany let out a laugh and shook his head. "Haha! What the hell? We are going to die? We're nations! You didn't have to follow us here if you were that scared. That's very unlike you."

"Germany..." Past Italy looked at his friend with disappointed eyes.

Past Japan tried to comfort the Italian. "You were having a siesta before the meeting, weren't you? Perhaps you are still asleep?" he suggested.

"Even you, Japan..." Past Italy took a step back, feeling a bit betrayed.

Past Russia edged closer to them and asked, "Hey, aren't we going to look for those four?"

"Russia, just shut up!! Anyway, I'll look for them! You just stay here! Don't go anywhere!!" Past Italy snapped, irritation sinking in him.

Past China flailed his long sleeves. "Italy, what's wrong with you? It's like you became a different person all of a sudden, and it's freaking me out! Where's your usual self?"

"Then you have to believe what I tell you! Especially you, Japan, don't go to the piano room, no matter what!" Past Italy told his friend.

Past Japan frowned.  "...Even if you say so...it will be easier to search for them if we split up and agree on a time to meet here again, don't you think?"

"Oh, that sounds good to me. I don't want to stick with you all the time, and if each one goes where he likes, we can tell each other about the places we searched later." Russia told them, smiling his usual smile.

Tears started to stream down Past Italy's cheeks. "Don't!!--!"

"What? Why are you crying? It's the best way! If we huddle together to look-" Past America tried to convince him.

Past Germany huffed in annoyance. " You're the only one who's opposed to it. what are you so scared of? I'm sorry but I'm going now." he told Past Italy as he began walking down the left hall.

"Germany!! I told you not to go there! Don't go to the basement!!" Past Italy cried out.

Past China frowned a bit. "I'm going, too. Let's meet again here in one hour." he told them as he walked down the right hall.

"I'll start looking over there~" Past Russia said, following Past China.

Past Italy looked back and forth from the two halls. "Wait! Don't split up!!" he tried to call after his friends.

"Okay, I'll start on the top most floor!" Past America informed them.

Past Japan nodded. "Then I suppose I will start on the second floor."

Past America and Past Japan walked up the stairs together, leaving Italy alone in the center hall.

"Wait-Japan!! America!! If you do that, then it was pointless to go back in time--..." Past Italy tried to call out, but stopped when he realised that it was already too late.

His eyes darkening, Past Italy lowered his head and spoke in a low voice. "...Now I'll have to go through it all over again. Now that we've already got in, we can't leave until we get the key. First Japan, then China, Russia, and France. America, England and Canada are still fine. The basement is dangerous, too. I'll call Germany back, and if we go with Japan..."

"I'll have to put on an act. This time, I'll save all of them. Even if I have to trick them, I'm going to save them..." Past Italy decided.

Facing the left hall, Past Italy put on a fake smile and called out, "Veee, Germanyyy! I'm coming with you after all!"

Running down the left hall, Past Italy met up with Past Germany.

"Whoa! Wh-what now?! Are you back to normal?" Past Germany asked, looking confused.

Past Italy stuck out his his tongue and laughed. "Ehehe! I was always normal! Anyway, let's look for Prussia with Japan! Come on~" he said, pulling the German's sleeve.

"Wait-let go of me! Stop clinging to me!! Fine, I get it! You're scared of being alone-"

"Haha, you saw right through me! Russia and China are on the first floor, so let's help on the second floor."

"Good grief..."

-=-=-=-

When the coast was clear, the Italy and Germany of the current timeloop walked down the hall.

"Wh-What the heck? Why are we over there?" Germany asked, shocked by what he just saw.

Italy thought for a moment on the possible explanations. Then, he snapped his fingers. "...I see! So this is one of those past memories we're supposed to get when we break a clock!"

"Oh...that thing Japan told us about? But wait, how come I'm seeing it, too? I mean, we didn't even break a clock!" Germany reasoned.

Seeing Germany's point, Italy nodded. "Mm...I-I see. Then what on Earth...?"

Suddenly, Past England walked down the hall and saw the two. 

"What, you're here, too?" the Brit asked, tilting his head.

Italy turned around in surprise. "E-Eng-wait, what?! You can see us?!"

"I beg your pardon? I have no idea what you're talking about. I just heard your voices and came back...By the way, I didn't see the monster you told us about." Past England told them.

When it all dawned to him, Italy only muttered,  "Oh..."

Germany shuffled nervously and spoke, "Well, we-"

"I-I see! Listen, we were looking for you guys! What happened to the others?" Italy cut in, facing Past England.

Germany creased his forehead and turned to Italy. "H-hey-"

"Oh, they split up, too. There are a lot of rooms that we can't open, so we'll eventually meet up again. I'll check out the next room now." Past England explained. 

Italy smiled and nodded. "I see! Thanks! We're also going to look around, then!"

Nodding back, Past England walked up the hall, leaving Italy and Germany in the center hall. The two looked at each other nervously.

Germany gave the Italian a puzzled look. "Italy...why-"

Biting his lip, Italy looked at him in distress. "This is terrible, Germany! Somehow, we've wound up in the past-"

"What?!" Germany took a step back.

Frowning, Italy nodded. "I'm sure of it. The way I just acted-That's the way I acted in the beginning, when I still struggled to keep you from coming to this house."

Digesting the information, Germany just stood in silence, waiting for Italy to elaborate.

"Also, this is the second time loop. Everything I said or did was useless. I still wasn't used to going back in time at all and made a lot of mistakes. I shouldn't have said those things right there...Oh, but I didn't know where the key was yet...I was wrong from the beginning." Italy continued, sighing.

Germany clenched his fists tightly. "I'm sorry..."

"Ve? Why are you apologising?" Italy asked, confused by his friend's action.

Rubbing his arm, Germany spoke, "Well...when your past...tried to warm me, I didn't listen and laughed when you got so desperate to stop me..."

"Ahaha, it's okay! That was because I couldn't explain myself well. Of course no one will believe you when all you say is, 'Just believe me!'..." Italy told him.

Feeling guilty, Germany looked at Italy. "I'm sorry. even though I couldn't have known...So, what should we do now?"

"Well, first we have to go back to our world! But if we're seen by our past selves we could change the future for worse, so let's hide for a while until everyone is together again, okay?" Italy explained.

Germany looked around. "Right. so, where are we going to hide? Isn't the Thing lurking in this time loop, too?"

"Oh, it's our house, isn't it? Well...In that case, let's go to the third floor. The piano room, I did all I could to keep them from going there, so no one will show up...I think." Italy recalled.

Nodding, Germany started walking towards the stairs. "I see. Let's go, then. Even if we're found by the enemy...we'll manage somehow."

"That's right! We're pretty strong now. Let's just be careful not to be seen by our past selves." Italy smiled.

=*=*=*=*=*=*=

///Reader's PoV///

When I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by darkness.

What happened? The last thing I could remember was that I tried to go to Italy....

That's right!....

I gasped and muttered under my breath. "....Italy."

"Hmm?" I heard a voice.

Hold on. A voice?

I tried to move, but I was immobilised. My eyes...no...it's not really dark...

...I'm blindfolded.

This feels oddly familiar. 

Suddenly, I felt someone's presence move closer to me.

"Oh~ Awake now, ragazza?" a low voice asked. This voice...

I felt someone untying my blindfold. When the cloth was off, my eyes adjusted to the sudden exposure to light.

When I did, I realised that I was staring into magenta-coloured orbs.

Luciano. It was Luciano Vargas.

What's going on? How did he get to kidnap me again? Weren't we in that room filled with the monsters?

He stared at me without saying anything for a while. There was something different about him. 

"How did you get inside this mansion?" Luciano asked.

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "Wh-What? What do you mean?"

"Oh, please. Don't play dumb, ragazza. How did you get here? We're not asking you to answer that question, we're commanding you." he told me coldly.

Looking around, I realised that I was tied to a chair, just like before. The other Second Players were also in the room. But...they don't seem like they know me at all...

Why would they not?!....

Unless...

Unless...they haven't met me yet.

Widening my eyes upon that realisation, the 2Ps gave me confused looks. 

The journal...went awry...and I was close to Italy...so I ended up...in the past?

Yes...that's right... I remember that part of the game... but this...?

"Ragazza, we aren't patient people here." Luciano warned me.

I shook my head and gave them a confused look. "S-Sorry, but I don't know! Honest!"

"Heh. You can't fool us with your little lie, dollface." Allen called out. I turned to my left to see him smirking at me and playing with his bat.

I frowned. "Look. I don't know how I get here--and I'm pretty sure that I'm not supposed to be...so...will you guys please let me go?" I asked them.

"You are most definitely not supposed to be here, poppet!" a familiar voice piped up.

Facing my right, I saw Oliver grinning at me like a cheshire cat. "Ollie!" I smiled.

"What? Pardon, poppet... But that's not my name." the strawberry blonde haired Brit told me.

Remembering that this wasn't the Oliver that was from the timeloop I was from, I gasped. "O-Oh. Sorry, I...uhm, you looked similar to a friend of mine."

"So you are with those so-called 'originals'?" Luciano asked, squinting at me.

Was he referring to the 1Ps? "What? No... I have no idea who you're referring to. I just thought he looked like a friend of mine I met before. Not here. The last thing I could remember was that my parents took me on a trip to my aunt's place...and now I'm here. That's it!" I explained.

"Really? No lies, poppet?" Oliver asked.

I nodded. "Yes. Now, please untie me from this chair. It's...It's quite alarming to be like this in an unknown place." I told them, pretending to look scared and innocent.

"Okay! I felt bad for such a nice looking poppet to be in that state, anyway!" the blue-eyed Brit cheered. Before he could untie me, Luciano stopped him.

He looked at Oliver. "What are you doing?! What if she was actually with those 'originals'??" the Italian hissed.

"Uhm, excuse me for being a bit frank...but even if I was with those...whoever you guys are referring to--do you guys actually think that I could do harm?" I asked them, sighing.

Suddenly, Flavio went up to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh hush hush, fratello. We're after those bastardos who banished us--not an innocent little bella ragazza~" he said, winking at me. 

"Fine. But she is NOT going out of our sight. Just in case she's actually a spy or something. We'll just keep her here while we eliminate those wretched people, then if she's actually not part of them, after all...she can go home. Is that clear?" Luciano said.

Francois suddenly spoke up in a groggy voice. "....Are you guys sure? Because I'd love to have her."

"Go look for hookers and sluts. Not an innocent girl, old man." Mattheiu scolded.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard Mattheiu scold him. That relief was short lived when I felt Luciano lift my chin up to face him.

"Alright, ragazza. What's your name?" he asked.

I looked at him with wide eyes. I know Italy and Germany are also brought back to the past because of the journal... if they ever think that I could be here with them...they might look for me and call out my name.

If they do that and the 2Ps were to somehow hear it...they'd find out I was lying. They'd find out I was with the 1Ps...

"Do you not have one? Answer me already. What is your name?" Luciano asked, growing impatient.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke,

"(Second Name)."