Chapter 35: The Final Bullet

The memory that came next arrived in a swirl of colors. Feliciano stood on a familiar hill that overlooked Holy Rome's Meadow. The empty bloodstained pole of the Roman Empire's flag stood wearily beside the shattered remains of the flag of the Holy Roman Empire. Feliciano paled.

There was a third flag. One, which held the bright colors of Germany's flag; black red and gold. The same colors he'd stopped flying in 1933. The flag was stained with blood, and the edges looked like they were moth-eaten. The pole looked dusty and it was also splattered with blood. As they watched, the flag started to slowly dissolve. A silhouette that the nations recognized as Acel appeared by his broken flag.

"I want you to look after Luddy." Acel's voice echoed as it did the day he left. "Ludwig's my baby brother, and I'd only trust you and Gil to look after him."

"I'm trying, Acel! But what do I do?! His flag is fading just like Grandpa Rome's did! A-and yours!"

"You have time, Feliciano. Please... Save my brother. From himself." With that, the dream faded away and Feliciano bolted upright in bed.

"You..." Germany looked at me.

"I had a Fading Dream about you. It's part of why I told fratello to pull out of the war. At that point, I didn't care who won or lost, as long as I didn't lose you." I leveled him with a serious look.

"Danke." Germany finally said.

"I'm the one who should be saying that!" Prussia grinned. "You protected my baby bruder when I couldn't."

"Well, someone's got to look after him!" I joked, and Prussia let loose a booming laugh.

"Ain't that the truth!"

"I am right here." Germany shot his brother a glare.

"I promised you then, Acel. And I swear it now. I'll protect Ludwig. No matter what." Feli's eyes gained a very hard sheen to them, as he silently put on his military uniform and crawled out the window. The dogs looked ready to start barking, but Feli pulled out some treats he'd filched from Ludwig a few days ago in preparation for any escapes he may have needed to do. The dogs stayed quiet after that, wagging their tails like puppies.

While he was glad for it in this situation, Germany facepalmed. "Perhaps I should have gotten a better alert dog..." He sighed. "No wonder you always managed to sneak around."

The scene blurred, showing Feliciano spying on something or someone—it flashed too quickly to see—and making preparations. It looked like it took weeks, at least. Feliciano coughed badly at some points, blood dribbling through his fingers. "I know. I hear you. I know the marching is hard... if you can just hold on... I'll end this."

Another scene transition, and we found ourselves in a dark hallway. I smirked, a bit of an, albeit slightly insane and maniacal laugh bubbled up from my chest. In the dimly lit hallway, they saw Feliciano, face set like stone. He stalked through the shadows like a man possessed, and upon reaching the door he was looking for, he wasted no time in picking the lock and inviting himself inside.

And within, he found Adolf Hitler, hiding with his wife. "Who are you?!" He demanded.

"I am Feliciano Vargas, Personification of Northern Italy. And I am your murderer." He said, raising the gun and shooting the wife. Hitler gulped, eyes hard as Feliciano stalked towards him. "You are worse than the devil. Worse than sin itself. You have murdered and tortured thousands, no millions of people! You've hurt Ludwig and Gilbert. And today. Today you will finally die."

He pulled out a different gun, and held it up to the man's temple, and Hitler smirked. "I have done my work. I have cleansed much of the filth from this world. My only wish is that I could've finished."

Feli fired the gun, and the man fell, dead. He then carefully placed the gun in the man's hands, making it look like a suicide. It was only then that the nations realized that Feli was wearing black gloves.

Feliciano Vargas looked at the corpse at his feet. "That one man could cause the death of so many innocent people astounds me." He walked out of the bunker and the memory finally faded.

"Danke." Germany looked at me with so much gratitude that I had to blink to make sure I was seeing it right.

"Dude, that was kickass!" America grinned. "You killed Hitler!"

"Alfred." Canada groaned. "It's bad enough you made me watch Supernatural with you because you were too scared to watch it alone, but please don't brag about an achievement that isn't yours. You're not Dean Winchester."

"Good job." Romano clapped me on the shoulder. He looked so proud of me.

"I'm cooler than Dean, though." America pouted.

"I'm starting to think that Italy may have prophetic dreams or something." China muttered under his breath.

"You're only figuring that out, now?" Japan smirked lightly.

"Oh, shove it. I don't want to hear anything from you." China huffed.

"Now, now. No need to go into a tizzy." England reminded them. "Do you think it's about time for that break, now?" He turned to me.

"Uh... maybe after. There's still one more piece of this war left to watch." I said, sending an apologetic look to Japan, but he merely smiled.

"I figured it would come up, Itary-kun. No need to worry." He reassured me.

The scene shifted again, this time Feliciano was at the door to Kiku's house. He knocked again, but there was no answer. "Japan?! Japan! Please let me in! I have a really bad feeling that something's going to happen... Something really bad. And I think you're in danger, please! Japan?" Feli stopped calling, and looked to be in a fierce debate over something for a moment. "I'm really, really sorry about this!" He quickly picked the lock, heading inside the modest two-story house, almost forgetting to take off his shoes before stepping on the raised platform in the house.

He did a quick search only to find that Kiku wasn't there. He then saw something marked on the calendar. Meeting in Hiroshima. The date was August 6.

"Oh, no." America paled. He looked at Japan. He hated that he'd had to drop the bomb like that, but it had ended the war. His boss had ordered it of him. But a small part of him had wanted to do it, because Japan had attacked Hawaii, his daughter (not that the Asian nation knew that).

Feliciano suddenly went pale. "That's wrong. He shouldn't be there!" He ran out the door and hopped in the nearest car. He quickly hotwired it and drove off as quickly as he could in the direction of Hiroshima.

Oh, please... Feliciano thought rather loudly. I know I'm not one of your people, but I'm in your lands! JAPAN! HONDA KIKU!! Please! It's Feli! Hear me!

A couple of tears of frustration ran down Feli's face as he sped around people, breaking more than a few traffic laws.

"Itary-kun?" Kiku's voice sounded in Feli's mind.

"What is going on?" Germany asked his brother quietly.

"Nations can talk to their people, too, not just look in on them. But you've gotta know 'em really, really well. It's much easier with another nation, but again, you've gotta be close to 'em." Prussia explained in a whisper. "You know how we hear the voices of our people all the time? It's like a reversal of that or something."

"Yes, Japan! It's me! Please, listen to me! You've got to get away from Hiroshima, now! I don't know why, but something really bad's about to happen. My gut's screaming at me! Please!!" Feli cried back, and there was a long stretch of silence.

"Okay. I'm on my way out of the city. I don't understand, though. You came all the way to my country during wartime to warn me of some gut feeling?" Kiku sounded perplexed.

"Yes. I know it sounds insane, but my gut is never wrong. I came as Feliciano Vargas, not Italy."

"I see. Yes, I'm just leaving Hiroshima, now. It may be a while, though. There's been some kind of accident or something. There are delays."

"Get out and run if it's faster." Feli urged. The scene blurred, and Feli could now see Hiroshima in the far distance. He caught sight of an airplane approaching quickly.

"Japan... That feeling's screaming at me even louder, now. I don't care how you do it, get out of there! NOW!" Feli screamed.

"I'm just outside the city borders." A moment later, the bomb was dropped.

"JAPAN!!!" Feliciano cried out as the shockwave hit him, nearly knocking his car of the road. He took a moment to stare at the absolute devastation. The silence of the aftermath was deafening. He coughed as he approached the city border. The entire area was so quiet that it was almost like someone hit mute, like something out of a horror movie, and ash rained down upon the city like a blanket.

Feli felt a pull towards a car that was just within the blast area, and rushed over to find a bloodied and unconscious Kiku. He wasted no time in busting open the door, and providing emergency First Aid to his friend. Once he was satisfied, he carefully picked up his friend and placed him in the seat next to the driver's seat in Kiku's car. Feli fired it up, and it amazingly worked.

The next scene showed Kiku lying in his futon. Feliciano looked worried. A moment later, Kiku started to cry out in pain. He curled in on himself as red started to stain his clothing. Feli moved fast, trying to minimize any excess damage and treat the wound as quickly as he could.

Upon seeing Kiku's injured state, the nations gasped. His torso was raw and bloody, and the edges were burned terribly, showing signs of severe infection. Of course, whatever happens to the nation is reflected on the personification, but nobody's really seen the damage of an Atomic bomb on the personification before. Not like this.

China gasped in horror, his eyes brimming with tears. America looked pained, and though he'd apologized and the two had made peace with one another, he still felt guilty.

Feliciano stabilized his friend as best he could, and settled back down to wait. He looked at the Calendar. August 9, 1945. "Please be okay."

The memory faded out again. When it came back, Kiku was waking up. "Itai..." He winced as he tried to sit up.

"No, no, Japan! You can't move yet! You're very badly hurt!" Feli gently pushed him back down. "I'm so glad you're awake! You've been out for two weeks!"

"N-nani?! T-two weeks?! What happened?"

"You... were bombed. Hiroshima and Nagasaki... Atomic Bombs were dropped on the two cities... thousands dead. Maybe more." Feli said sadly. "Your country has officially announced its surrender. The war is over."

The room was silent for a moment as Kiku digested the information. "Itary-kun?"

"Yes, Japan?"

"Why is it so dark in here?"

The nations froze. They felt a vague sense of déjà vu, but this was Japan! It seemed like what had happened to Feli and Lovi all those centuries ago was a different lifetime, and seeing it happen here and now in a relatively modern setting was disturbing.

"Japan. It's the middle of the day." Feliciano looked at Kiku sadly. "You can't see, can you?"

"I... No... no I cannot." Kiku swallowed hard, turning his blank gaze downwards. His eyes were clear and fogless, though he could not see. "Onegai... may I have some time alone?"

"Of course. Call for me when you're hungry. I've made you some miso soup, I hope you don't mind my using your kitchen."

"No, it's fine. Arigatou."

Feliciano left the room, leaving Kiku to contemplate his thoughts and emotions.

"I have my vision back, now, if you were wondering." Japan spoke up, and America looked particularly relieved.

"I'd feel awful if I caused you permanent damage or something."

"It's all forgiven, Alfred-kun." Japan smiled.

The next scene faded in, showing flashes of Feliciano showing Kiku how to navigate blind using echolocation, and even showing him how to sense his surroundings. It seemed as if several months had passed, and at some point, even Yong Soo had shown up.

"I was coming to check on him." South Korea explained. "I had actually come to tell him I was no longer one of his territories, and that with his surrender, I was my own nation. Since I was so mad about everything, I'd decided to close trade off to him. But when I saw the condition those bombs had left him in, I had to stay and help. South Korea was mad at Japan, but Yong Soo wasn't mad at Kiku. At the end of the day, he's still my big brother." He smiled, and Japan blushed lightly.

"What about me, aru?!" China wailed.

"Oh, hush, Nii-san." Japan stuck out his tongue, but China still grinned.

"It's such a nice night out." Kiku said, as he and Feli enjoyed some tea on the back porch. The bamboo fountain provided some nice background noise.

"It is. The cherry blossoms are in bloom again." Feli smiled as he watched the pink blossoms fall like snow, dancing in a gentle, cooling breeze.

"Ah. I wish I could see them." He chuckled. "I cannot thank you enough, Feli-kun. You've given me the tools to survive in this strange, dark world I now find myself in."

"I've been there, you know. When I was little, I once went blind, like you. I had to learn all this stuff from the ground up; I didn't have a teacher. Though you've picked up very quickly, I must say. It sort of scares me, watching you make sushi knowing you're blind." Feli laughed.

"Ah, well. The hands don't forget things."

"Indeed they don't. Just don't make any puffer fish dishes." Feli smiled with a chuckle as the two just sat there, listening to the peace of the world around them. Kiku smirked, amused at the joke.

They listened to the water run, the cars and people on the nearby streets. The hum of life, the wind in the trees... They sat in silence and listened to the world turning around them, utterly content to warm their hands on the tea that they drank in one another's company.

"There's a meeting in a few months." Kiku spoke quietly.

"Si. Think you're ready?"

"I should be, with all that you've taught me."

"We'll see. I'll cover you if need be."

"Oh, come now, Feli-kun. You're making me feel like I'm heading into a warzone." He laughed. "These last few months have been so nice. I got tired of war a long time ago."

"As did I. But such is the way of man. Hopefully we won't have another for a long while."

"May I ask you something personal?"

"Of course, Kiku-kun. What is it?"

"Why did you come back to help me? You had nothing to gain. You were under no obligations. Your country had finished your fight. So why?"

"You're right. Italia was finished fighting. But you're my friend, Kiku-kun. You're like family to me, and I don't leave family behind. Call it a quirk." Feli smirked, echoing some of Kiku's old words back at him.

"Huhuhu, you really are a rare one, aren't you?"

"Hm? What do you mean by that?"

"Most people would've left me. But you... you're loyal. You're kind. You're selfless and such a beautiful person. I'm so lucky to have you as a friend. Arigatou, Feliciano-kun."

"You're a great friend, too, Kiku-kun. I mean it. You're smart, loyal, enduring, you're great at listening, and you're observant. When someone's hurt, you notice. And you really do care when someone's in pain. I'm happy to call you my friend." Feli grinned.

"Then let us promise that we won't let what our countries dictate to us ruin our friendship." Kiku smiled.

"Yeah! Feliciano Vargas and Kiku Honda will always be friends! Brothers!" Feli cheered, happiness sparkled in his eyes as the scene finally faded away.

"Okay, now we can have that break." I chuckled, and England sighed in relief.

"Finally! Thought you were going to have us stand here and starve." England replied dryly. A quick chant later, and the Break Room was back.

I cooked dinner for everyone that night, making my specialty pasta. And before I knew it, we were all off to bed.

I curled up with Flavio, Romano, and Luciano. The bed was big enough, and everyone was too tired to complain. And I'll sleep... between you and Japan... The old memories floated through my mind as I finally fell asleep.

A/N: As promised, here's the second half of the Double Update~! So we've killed Hitler~! :D (I'll admit, I enjoyed writing that part). If anyone can draw some fanart of that part, or one of the scenes with Kiku and Feli, that'd be awesome! [and I'll go back and put it in this chapter... unless I get like five of them, then I'll put them elsewhere. LOL]

So this is a nice, long chapter for you. ^^ This chapter ends the World War Arc. We have one chapter of fluff, and then the Arc we've all been waiting for. The one I've been hinting at since the start!

HETAONI! IS COMING! :D And boy, am I excited. We'll have more Yang, more 2Ps, and more hurt/comfort from our favorite nations. (And shock and horror. Lots of shock. XD) HetaOni starts chapter after next, so be ready and have those tissues in stock! Run to the dollar store and stock up on your ice cream and comfort food, because it's gonna be awesome! (It's honestly something I've been looking forward to writing for years, now).

Let's just hope that I don't jump too far ahead of HetaOni: Italy's Story. XD And yes, it's part of that universe. So if you don't know what HetaOni is, go to YouTube and search SotetAG. They've got an awesome commentary-free walkthrough of the original game. It starts slow, but stick with it, and you should end up in tears, begging for more.

If you haven't read my fanfic, HetaOni: Italy's story, I'd recommend reading it. Since the two are in the same universe, I'm sure you'll find some references to Memories of Old. And you'll also get a richer experience with this fic, as you'll be seeing things from a different angle. ^^

See? I'm creative! I make connections through my stories.

Words: 2,718/2,822

Pages: 6

Posted: 01/22/2019

Edited: 03/11/2019

The art featured in this chapter is by Fireypikaling, on Fanfiction.net. Thank you so much! ^^