Chapter 8: Changing Winds

                                    

                                          


                          
A/N:  Hey... Here to let you know I'm still alive. :) A friend requested this  update, so give Kisa a big hug, k? Also!! Sorry it's so short, I wrote  this in about two hours. As you can tell, we're gonna start getting into  some Mansion stuff, and I've decided to bring the 2Ps into this!  Whooo!! 

                          
Hope  everyone's staying safe with Corona out there. I'm trying to update a  story a day to help keep morale up and relieve boredom. Mostly, it's my  new My Hero Academia stories (amazing anime, check it out!!) but I'll  try to keep my Hetalia stories up to date, too! So please stay safe,  social distancing and all that. If you think your sick, please stay  home~! 

                          
Yang: And Wash those nasty ass hands!

                          
Me: Yang! You aren't in this story! Shush. 

                          
Yang: Yet. Shut up, bitch. I'm in whatever story I wanna be in. And I think I'll crash here for a bit. :)
                          
~~~

                          
The nations wondered back into the meeting room in much higher spirits. Italy was humming a song under his breath as he took his seat next to his brother and Japan. 
                          
Japan, himself, tilted his head in confusion. He could've sworn the book was thicker than it had been when they'd left, but he must've imagined things. 
                          
The late breakfast had been a very interesting and light-hearted affair. Nations were starting to understand one another better, and everyone was getting a lot closer. He smiled softly. 
                          
"I'll read, then." Japan went for the book, only to have South Korea snatch it. 
                          
"Nope! I wanna read, Da Ze!" 
                          
"I really don't care who reads, so long as someone does." England rolled his eyes as he took a sip of his neverending tea. 
                          
"Oh! It's Japan's entry! Dear Diary, I'm such a nerd. Anime is so incredible... I wonder what the other nations would say if they saw all my collectibles and cosplays? I think America likes anime... maybe we can go to a con together with Italy? He likes it, right? Ah... or maybe I'll just keep to myself again this year." 
                          
"Dude! I'd love to go to a con with you!!" America grinned, pumping his fist in the air. 
                          
"I wouldn't mind coming along, too." Canada shyly smiled. 
                          
"Ve!! Fratello, let's both go!! I can be Izuku from that new anime, and you can be Bakugo!!" 
                          
"OI! Why the fuck do I have to be the fucking explosion asshole?!" 
                          
"Maybe because you cuss all the time like him?" China pointed out. "Either way, there's nothing to be ashamed of, dìdì!" He shot his brother a grin. "Anime is part of your culture! Do what makes you happy!" 
                          
"I really wish some of my worlds were real, though." Japan sighed.
                          
"Next entry!!" South Korea grinned. "It's America's. "I'm actually the one that runs Denny's tumblr. Don't tell anyone." 
                          
The room burst out laughing. "What?! Just 'cause I've had to get a couple of job before." America pouted. 
                          
"It's just funny, that's all. If anything, I thought you would've run the McDonald's social media." England smirked. 
                          
"Honestly, I'd rather not work in food at all, but it's still better than retail." He shuddered. 
                          
"Uh..." South Korea's expression was rather dark, all traces of humor gone. 
                          
"Yong Soo? What's wrong?" China asked, concerned. 
                          
"Do... do you guys remember that... erm... Mansion incident?" He asked, and Italy stiffened. All eyes flitted to the little Italian for a moment. 
                          
"How could anyone possibly forget?" Romano asked, voice heavy. 
                          
The Mansion... Ages ago, Italy had heard a rumor and unwittingly fell into a death trap. He insisted his friends come along, and everyone ended up dead except for him. He somehow gained a power to go back in time and loop back to try to save them. The memories were simultaneously fuzzy and unbearably crisp. Once the others had realized what had been going on, Romano and Spain had rallied the troops and headed there to help out. 
                          
They didn't really remember the escape itself, but they certainly recalled the Mansion itself and all the pain that their little Italian must've gone through in that place. 
                          
"Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden, aru?" China asked, scared of the answer. 
                          
"Because this next entry has to do with that..." He gulped, and Italy paled. 
                          
"Italien?" Germany inquired, noticing his unease. 
                          
"I... I can't." He shook, blinking back tears. 
                          
"Now that you mention it... I don't really remember how we got out..." Japan tilted his head, before a dawning realization made his eyes widen in horror. "Itary-kun?" 
                          
"Yes, Japan?" 
                          
"Did... Did we get out on that loop where everyone showed up?" 
                          
"What're you talking about?!" France demanded, affronted. "Of course we did! There's no way we'd put little Italie through that again!" 
                          
Italy's hair shadowed his eyes for a long moment. "No..." He finally said, and the room stilled. "I'm surprised you remember that much, to be honest." He looked up, a startlingly teary smile on his face. "I really thought you'd all forgotten that place." 
                          
"I... I recall what happened in that loop... up until we got out with the key." Japan said, and several others nodded. 
                          
"That's because you died after that. You wouldn't remember that. Though I'm surprised that Loop 189 is the one you remembered." He sighed. "I suppose that gives me more room to talk, though." 
                          
"More room to talk? What, you couldn't talk beforehand?" Romano asked, concerned. 
                          
"Maybe this'll explain it." South Korea spoke back up. "Dear Diary... I can't believe it. We've finally made it out! After so long... it doesn't feel real. I suppose it's nice, that they don't really remember. But he left a note in my Journal. I can't talk about the Mansion with anyone who doesn't already know. If I tell... if I let something slip... he can drag me back. He'll take me back to that place and I'll be trapped all over again. I know I won't make it out a second time. Forgive me. I'll take this with me to my grave." 
                          
"Oh." Romano breathed. How had his brother been coping all alone like this?!
                          
"Um..." Italy spoke up, startling the room. "If it helps at all, I wasn't completely alone." He didn't say anything more as one eye flashed fuschia, indicating that Luciano was listening in. 
                          
"You mean... the 2Ps went through the Mansion, too?" Japan's eyes were wide as he felt Kuro watching the scene through his eyes. You really think we didn't mirror you? Luciano's gone through what Feli's gone through. We don't know all the details, though. 
                          
A new note appeared above the table, floating down into Japan's fingers. 
                          
"It's from the Ancients." He felt his eyes widening as he read the note. "The 2Ps will join you for the remainder of this book." 
                          
The nations all muttered amongst themselves. Many were on civil terms with their Second Personality, or 2P, as they called them, while several were either scared of them or flat out hated them. 
                          
Japan counted himself lucky for having such a close relationship with his 2P, Kuro. Though perhaps Romano's reaction summed up exactly what the room as a whole was feeling. 
                          
"FUCK!"