2A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone so long. :/ Well, here's a new fic, in a new fandom! Tell me what you think! In my opinion, it's way better quality than the things I've posted previously. In fact, I'm considering deleting the others. What do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews! Now, enjoy the story! PS: It has a self-insert (names all changed, of course), so if you don't like those then be warned.
Drains, a Hetalia fanfiction
Based on Gutters by glassamilk
Chapter 1(?)
Isabel was woken from her shaky sleep in the too-hot bunker by a pounding on the door and voices outside. The small 14-year-old squinted to see what was happening, fumbling for her cracked and slightly-melted but still usable glasses. Arietta, the barely-nineteen-year-old who had had no voice even before the Calamity and had taken it upon herself to take care of Isabel, quickly came over and set them in her hand for her. "Tak, Ari-"(Thanks, Ari-) Isabel began to say, but was interrupted by a fit of coughs. Arietta shook her head and motioned for her to save her voice. The younger girl nodded resignedly. In the Before, she loved words, reading faster than the authors wrote, singing and speaking even when no one listened. But with the Calamity, the ashes kept tickling her throat and making her choke, and her throat was raw from coughs. She felt under her pillow for the one precious treasure she had, her notepad and pencil and pen, and wrote, Who's outside? Arietta took the pencil and wrote, Don't know. Ida's checking. They both looked up at the sound of footsteps down the stairs.
Ida was leading four people, one boy and three men, into their shelter. None of them were familiar immediately, so none of them had Isabel's trust right away. Her glasses were too dirty to be much help, so she took them off and wiped them on the hem of her ragged blouse and replaced them. She looked at them again, and was so shocked she couldn't move, even as Ida pulled the tallest over to them. "This is Mathias, he's Danish too!" she said happily.
"What?" Agnete, Ida's grandmother, said. "Really?"
"Yes!" Ida replied, reaffirming it.
"Yes, I'm Mathias, I lived in Midtjylland, what about you guys?" the newcomer asked, just as relieved and joyful to see his fellow countrymen as they were.
"We lived in Syddanmark Before, how did you get here?" Gregers, the head of the family, replied. The blond man proceeded to tell his story of how he had been in Messina, in Italy, and then passed through Naples, Switzerland, and a great many other places, then found his nephew Peter in a bunker in Germany, and they were trying to find his parents in Sweden.
While he told the tale, Isabel sat in her bed and stared. First examining every inch of him, from his sticking-up hair to his boots, and then looking over to where the other newcomers were, the twin North Americans and the boy. She looked every single one up and down, and knew exactly who they were. She was unable to move from part shock, part excitement, and part horror. She knew these people! A month or two before the first flash, she had started getting into the anime Hetalia. By the time she'd been a part of the fandom for a week, she'd watched all the episodes, knew the song, and watched the movie. These people... were nations! The reason her friends felt so comfortable around Mathias, that was because he was Denmark! She didn't feel that ease, though, because she was from California and had been in England for a vacation when the first flash came, and then was picked up and brought here. But as soon as she saw the man with the one strand of flyaway hair sticking up, she felt a deep connection with him. From her experience as a month-old Hetalian, she knew this was Alred F. Jones, America, whatever you want to call him. And his brother, with the unseeing eyes and the faint smile and the looping curl, was Matthew Williams, otherwise known as Canada. And as for the boy, even younger than her, that was Peter Kirkland, Sealand, the most ambitious micronation. She almost wanted to scream with joy for meeting proof of her fandoms' existence, but she knew there was something wrong. For starters, why were these four the only ones? What happened to England, who had probably been struck first? And where was Denmark's partner Norway? And Canada was in such bad shape, and Denmark was so sick, and, and, and...
She felt a scarred hand on hers, and looked up to see Arietta looking at her in that way of hers. She always knew when she was worried or stressed. Isabel smiled slightly, grateful for the comfort, and just listened to what was happening, content to bask in the presence of the countries.
-M-A-G-I-C-A-L-T-I-M-E-S-K-I-P-W-I-T-H-T-I-M-E-T-U-R-N-E-R-
Everyone else was asleep in the bunker, but she couldn't make herself relax enough. She was in the presence of characters from her fandom! She had to at least meet them and talk to them. She got out of bed, careful not to disturb anyone, and let her eyes adjust to the blackness before tiptoeing to the newcomers' beds. She narrowed her eyes in the dark, trying to discern who was who, and nudged Canada's arm, trying to wake him. She saw his eyelids opening over pale irises and whispered, "Hi. Please don't be scared or anything, I wanted to talk to you."
He nodded slightly, and said, so quietly she had to strain to hear, "Help me up?"
She nodded in return, and supported him as he sat up. He leaned against the wall and patted the bed next to him. She gingerly took a seat next to him.
"So, who are you?" he asked, in that same quiet voice.
"I'm Isabel. I lived in California in the Before, and was on a trip to England when the flashes started. Somehow I wound up here and now Ida's younger sister Arietta takes care of me and is my friend."
"And why did you want to talk?" he wanted to know.
"Because I know you. You, and Alfred, and Peter, and Mathias too to some extent. It's kind of hard to explain, but you guys are in an anime show I loved and so I had to at least talk to you guys. I'm a major Hetalian, I know all the songs by heart, you're my favourite, and thanks to Hetalia I'm a lady of Sealand, so you guys being here is really exciting and it's kinda hard for me to talk without screaming in fangirly joy." In fact, she was slightly shaking, and her pulse was racing too.
"Well then, do you want to talk to the others too?" he asked her.
"Oh, yes, please! That would be wonderful! This is the best day of my life," she hugged herself in excitement.
"Okay then. Alfred!" he called in a slightly louder whisper. "Alfred, someone wants to talk to you."
The snoring American mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "McDonald's" before rolling over in bed. Hearing that, so completely in character and absolutely fandom-wonderful, Isabel gave a muffled squeal that was surprisingly loud in the silence. This seemed to wake him up, and he lifted his head blearily. "Whazzat?"
"Alfred, get up!" Canada repeated patiently. "Someone wants to talk to you."
"Fine, fine, I'm getting up," the sleepy man responded, sitting upright and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He looked around for his glasses and Isabel, who'd been half-hiding behind Matthew in shy excitement, rushed over to grab them for him so he didn't knock them off.
"Here's your Texas," she said quietly, placing the rectangular spectacles in his hand.
"Thanks, little lady," he replied, before registering what she said. "Wait- how do you know what my glasses are? Who are you?"
"Oh! I'm Isabel, I lived in California Before, I know all you guys because of an anime I was watching before the Calamity. For instance, you're Alfred F Jones aka America and you love hamburgers and soda and pissing off England, that's Matthew Williams aka Canada and he has a pet polar bear named Kumajirou and you guys always ignore him, that's Peter Kirkland aka Sealand and he wants to become a full-blown nation one day and he's totally badass because he sells titles for only 43 dollars and it took me a while to save up but it was worth it, and that tall guy is Mathias Koler or however you pronounce it and he's Denmark, he's usually really energetic and stuff but now he's sick and in pretty bad shape but this is really cool meeting you guys and can I hug you please?" she explained in one long breath.
"Whoa there, girl, how about breathing every once in a while?" he joked. "And sure, if ya want to." He opened his arms and Isabel ran into them and squeezed the man as tight as she could, which wasn't very since she was so small and tired. In return, he gave her a great bear hug that nearly squished her. She didn't mind though, because this was her country and her fandom character and he was here and existing and really nothing could make her upset at this point. She grinned into his chest and then let go.
"Huh?" a tired, younger voice sounded. A short shadow sat up from the bed past Alfred's, rubbing its eyes. He got out of bed to see what was going on. "I heard my name. What is it?"
"Oh, hi Peter!" Isabel grinned happily. "This night just keeps getting better and better." She scrambled over Alfred's cot to get over to the side he was on, and hugged him too.
"Whoa, what? How d'you know my name?" Peter asked.
"It's kinda a long story, but to sum it up, I know you guys from an anime I used to watch in the Before. Sea-kun, it took me like a month almost to save 43 dollars from my allowance! And I had to fake my birth date too 'cause I was too young! But-" she pulled out a folded-up printout, ragged from the things it had gone through, and showed it to him. "I'm a lady of Sealand and it's really awesome!" Her excitement was infectious, despite keeping it down to barely above a whisper level, and Sealand found himself smiling as well.
"So you're a lady? Cool!" he said happily. "So's Uncle Denmark, and Uncle Norway, and Uncle Iceland, and Papa Sweden and Mama Finland!"
"Really? That's awesome!" Isabel exclaimed, reflexively adding "but not as awesome as Prussia."
"Hej, did someone just say I'm less awesome than Gilbert?" a voice spoke up. "Now, he's my friend and all, but I think we can all agree that I'm more awesome than he is." Denmark lifted his head from the pillows and grinned, although it left his face rather quickly as he muttered, "Assuming he's still alive..."
"Hey hey hey, don't think like that!" Isabel exclaimed, rushing over to him. "After all, he's," she adopted a very fake German accent, "zhe awesome Preußen. He wouldn't die just yet. He's still got a lot of length left on his thread."
"Thread?" Peter queried.
"Oh, you know, like the Fates. The Three Fates, from Greek mythology? One spins the thread, one measures it, one cuts it? And each thread-"
"-represents one human life, right?" America interrupted.
Isabel stared at him through the dark. "How'd you know that?"
"Oh, um..." He scratched his head. "I'm not sure, actually. Maybe I heard it from Greece at some point."
"Hmm..." Isabel tapped her chin. "Maybe it's because of Percy Jackson." Seeing the confused looks on their faces, she quickly added, "Nothing, just a book series." Actually, it wasn't nothing, but it wasn't the priority at the moment, so she glossed over its importance in her life. "Anyways, sorry to keep you guys up like this. I was just really excited to meet you guys." She laughed. "Figures, it took the end of the world for me to meet my fandom's characters and I only get to talk with them for one night."
"You could come with us in the morning if you want!" America offered. "You said you're from California? Maybe your family is still alive..." although, he silently added, it's unlikely. Everything on the coasts is underwater.
"Nah," she declined, though with obvious pain. "My family was just a bunch of homophobes, anyway. My brother was racist against Mexicans, too. I think I'd rather not see them again. Now, if you were to meet one Jackie from Arizona, that would be cool. I've never met her in real life. But, I think I'd rather stay here with Arietta and the others."
"Are you sure?" Peter asked. He looked so disappointed. "It would be really cool to have you with us, and I could teach you all the stuff going on with being a lady of Sealand and stuff!"
"And don't you know at least one person you want to see again?" Canada asked quietly.
"Plus, there's probably a lot of other nations at the North American camps!" Denmark added. Isabel looked so torn. On the one hand, she knew she wouldn't be able to travel at their pace, and she wanted to stay with her friends here. But on the other hand, there was the possibility of getting to meet Jackie, and see her home continent, and meet all the other countries she loved. That in itself was almost the selling point. She looked between them all, thinking about what could happen and what she would miss if she didn't go. Finally, she sighed and half-laughed, half-cried.
"I guess I really can't just stay here. But I was never a very fast runner, even Before. It's more of a slightly-energetic walk than anything, really. But on the morning, right? I want to say goodbye to everyone."
"Yay!" Sealand grinned, happy to have another companion.
"Well, we should, like, sleep before leaving, right? I mean, rest is important. Sorry to keep you guys up so late." She smiled with a tinge of sadness and watched Peter tumble into his cot, Denmark laying down in the one just across from it. She then turned and went back to her own bed, seeing on the way America helping Canada lay back down. She settled herself under the thin blanket and closed her eyes tight, a small tear or two leaking out. She didn't know if it was from sadness or joy.
A/N: Well, that's it! Let me know if I should post a second chapter. If I do, it'll include goodbyes, hard journeys, and a death :/ All that happy stuff. So, review please! Reminder that any flames will be used to roast marshmallows whilst singing England's Marshmallow Song, so no hate! :) See you~!