The carpet of love ( Italy Veneziano & Taiwan )[Unknown]

[Lokitama]

The elder Italy thought for a moment. Could he teleport without sleeping ? Usually, he would have answered yes right away.But this wasn't usually; usually he was with his Fratellino, usually it was him who was asking if he could manage do teleport. Usually, they were using their powers to go somewhere. He closed his eyes, trying to feel where Veneziano was, once again.

Romano felt his heart ache, empty. It was almost like when his brother's heart was stopping. Almost. He could still feel the little beating, somewhere. But it was like it was the beating of a living puppet.

"I...I think I can manage, but if we have to fight, I won't be at my best. Plus : I'm not sure that we can land where Fratellino is. I'm the attacker, he's the assurer, after all..."


"Doc' !" A scientist exclaimed, pointing the subject's hand, which was moving frantically. The leader gasped, and yelled some orders. "Bring me a sheet of paper and a pencil ! NOW !" Three seconds later, he had what he asked. He put the pencil into Veneziano's hand, and the sheet under it.

The scientists frowned. "We need to move, again. Someone, stay in the back with it !" The more experimented nodded.

Why it ? Because, first of all, it wasn't human; it was a nation. And now, they locked away his spirit, so he hasn't a human soul anymore. It was just an guinea pig for their experiences.

[Weronikus]

Taiwan thought about it.
"I... I think I have an idea... But we have a bigger change of getting destroyed than getting where we want to. But if that means you'll be full of energy if we have to fight, it's better..." She sighed and grabbed his arm tightly, half scared for his - and half scared for her - safety.
She thought deeply about Veneziano. About his cute smile, about his carefree laugh, about the way he looked at her... feelings for him suddenly burst in her, but she had to concentrate.
Veneziano. Take me to Veneziano.
She also thought of her bottled up anger, fear, sadness, happiness as well... her feelings being the fuel for the hurricane she sterted whipping up. She concentrated hard, and she unconciously gripped Romano's arm tighter and tighter. She closed her eyes to focus better. The hurricane rose around them, roaring with the sheer force.
Come on... Come ON!...
They were lifted off their feet. The powerful force of the hurricane went up, and made a sudden jerk left, nearly making Taiwan lose her concentration. They fell dangerously a few meters, but she was able to stabilize the wind again.
She kept fueling the wind with her most powerful feelings, while thinking about Veneziano. Her concious mind might not know where he was, but maybe making a connection with Romano will help...
She suddenly felt something.
Yes.
The hurricane zoomed forward, taking them with it. Taiwan kept her eyes closed, concentrating.
They almost fell five times. They were almost flipped over ten. The hurricane kept losing and taking up on strength, as Taiwan focused more and more on her target.
After an excrutiatingly long time she thought she felt a twinge. They were almost there...
Her heart made a sudden jolt - she'll see him again.
She was so relieved, excited, determined - the feelings cobined, giving too much force to the hurricane. It suddenly threw them upwards, and her eyes snapped open as she screamed. She lost her entire conentration and the wind died down immediately. She gripped on to Romano, wailing loudly as she panicked.
She brought a death sentence to the both of them. And there was nothing she could do.

[Lokitama]

As they were falling, Romano cursed. He hugged Taiwan, putting an arm around her waist, and the other behind her head. He turned around, heart beating frantically, waiting for the impact.

Which came rather fast. Fortunately, they landed into a miracle; it was an oasis. But the shock was sufficient to plunge him into unconsciousness.

[Weronikus]

[Egypt time? XD]

Taiwan panicked as she fell, Romano's arms didn't help - it was all her fault, she did it wrong, she shouldn't have done it...

Her impact was muffled by Romano, who fell unconcious. Thanks to him she didn't.
Oh why, why, why, why did she decide to do it...
Asshe panicked more and more the hot wind from the far desert came to her.
Calm down. It will only be worse if you lose to your emotions now.
She tried calming herself, but it was no use. The wind just got stronger...
She then heard a snap of fingers and she felt calm again. The wind died instantly.
"Do not fear, young one. You will need not fight any longer." A deep voice boomed down on her. Without any fright, but with a certain dose of curiosity, she turned to find a figure clothed entirely up to the face, so only his eyes, nose and a bit of the mouth were visible. He looked down at her, unblinking, serious and yet calm, which also seemed to contain an ancient power deep down.
"Egypt." Taiwan simply said, with a small nod. Her lack of negative feelings or any strong positive ones made her a bit curious, but when she saw Egypt she understood - he used the powers passed down to him by his mother - Ancient Egypt - to calm her down.
He nodded to her and raised his hand in greeting.
"I have seen you fall from the heavens, young own. You and your companion were certainly on a journey, yes?" He didn't ask how they did it. He either guessed or knew, having powers of himself.
Taiwan nodded to him. "Romano's hurt. And I need to get to Veneziano, or he might be injured a lot - I don't know what's happening to him, and-" her voice was turning more and more panicky as she felt herself loose control again.
Egypt chuckled in a low voice and snapped his fingers again. Taiwan felt her panic escape immediately.
"You still have a lot to learn. But do not fret, you also have the time to do so."
Taiwan scowled ever so lightly. "I know lots already."
Egypt smiled softly in the way you smile to children when they are certain that they're right, and yet they're not. "You only think you know much having not known any better. But in reality, the world is a vast unknown to you. Now, enough of this talk. Let us camp. Ra's light will soon fade; darkness will arise. We will have to stay away from the chill." He held out a hand to her, and she took it to stand up - she then, with Egypt's help, picked up Romano and moved to Egypt's camp.

[Lokitama]

They didn't felt like tying it; it was already broken, so, unless they wanted it to, it couldn't move.

Meanwhile, deep in a freshly-locked and dark corner of himself - or should we say itself ? - Italy Veneziano began to remember events that happened in their recent past.

He clutched his head, clamping his teeth. He should have remained amnesic. Why did he ever wanted to remember ?

"Te odio, Veneziano !*" Romano yelled.

He didn't want to do that, when it was that human that was his boss. It wasn't him anymore, at that time... He choked a little, on his own tears.

[* I hate you, Veneziano !]

[Weronikus]

The leaves outside rustled.
Taiwan turned on her side, unable to sleep. The wind changed with her mood.
She finally got up and out of the tent.
"Go to sleep, young one. You will need the energy." Egypt's calm and low voice boomed to her from the shadows. She knew he was watching over camp for them, and she appreciated it very much.
"Egypt... how can you be so calm?" She whispered, sitting down next to him.
He looked at her.
"For I have not a thing to fear."
"But, if Veneziano is hurt-"
"Then for now you can do nothing but pray he is well. Relax, youngling. We will save him." Egypt turned back to the dark sky he was observing. Taiwan followed his gaze.
"What are you looking for?"
"Signs."
"The stars can tell you stuff?"
Egypt frowned slightly. "Not 'stuff', youngling. Messages."
"What messages?"
"It is almost time."
"Time for what?"
"I know not yet."
Taiwan sighed quietly. "You are quite mysterious, you know."
He chuckled in his low voice. "My mother taught me how to be."
Taiwan moved uneasily next to him. "Why can't we go save him now?" She asked, almost desperately.
Egypt looked at her calmly. His eyes sparked with intelligence and that mysterious power of his. "It is not up to me to decide what the stars say."
Taiwan gritted her teeth angrily. She got up and looked at him. "No! If you're to behave that way, I don't care if you come with me or not! I don't care if I'll die trying to save him, but I will know I tried and not just lie here doing absolutely nothing! I'm going, wether I have to go myself or not!" She said angrily, and felt the wind building behind her, ready to throw over the enemy it was facing.
Egypt smiled at her and got up. "You are finally learning, young one. We shall go."
Taiwan stopped in her tracks, surprised. "Learning? Learning what?"
"Trust in yourself before you trust in others. If inside you are lost, everyone will guide you to the wrong light." He walked over to the tent and snapped his fingers again. She heard stirring and knew it was Romano waking. She looked at Egypt with awe.
"This was all just a lesson?"
"Of course. Only being ready can you defeat the enemy. You were too full of doubt, young one. If you want to find Veneziano, you have to be certain of your goal."
Taiwan looked concerned for a moment. "I can't whip up the wind, we'll fall again."
"Worry not. We will sunmove."
"We will what?"
"Sunmove. It is almost sunrise. When the first rays of sun touch us, I will be able to use Ra's power to deliver us to the sunrise where Italy is. In a few minutes Ra will awaken."

[Lokitama]

Romano groaned, plunging his hands in his hair, and their link stirring like hell.

Benito...

He snorted a little, looking around him. He soon spotted a familiar but not-so-familiar head in the same time. "E-Egypt ?" He stuttered. He groaned again, the world spinning in front of his eyes.

B.... M....

He gritted his teeth together, hearing long and pained... words ? Was it really words ?

Benito... M....

[Weronikus]

Egypt nodded.
"We must leave. Ra will awaken in exactly a minute and forty two seconds."
Taiwan blinked and looked at him, confused.
"How do you know that?"
Egypt smiled at her.
"I'm Egypt, young one, the son of Ra. I know when the sun rises."
Taiwan still didn't understand, but gave a small "oh" anyhow.
Egypt turned back to Romano and helped him up.
"We must leave now. There is no time for change of clothes." He boomed with his low voice, and gestured outside. Taiwan grabbed Romano's hand and took him out of the tent. Egypt shook his head.
"No, we must go to the fine sand of the desert itself. Only feeling the hot below and above can I sunmove." Taiwan obeyed, and moved out, with a bit of regret, from the safe oasis into the wide open. Egypt followed them, and then went in between them, so that Taiwan had to let go of Romano's hand.
Egypt's eyes bcame unfocused, but his face remained smoothly calm.
"Ra will greet us in three... two...one..." The moment "one" left his lips the first rays of sunlight broke the dark sky. Slowly, the sun rose.
"Now take my hands, younglings. As soon as Ra's full glory will be visible, I will take us to your companion." Taiwan feverishly grabbed his hand, wanting to have it over as soon as possible. Egypt turned his head a fraction and looked down at her with his chocolate brown eyes.
"You love him." It wasn't a question, it was a statement - Taiwan just couldn't figure out how she showed him that.
"Yes."
Egypt nodded and looked at the rising sun again. "Good, then. Your and Romano's feelings will help me in locating him. Ah, at last." He said, looking at the sun. The sun was now fully visible, and Taiwan had to squint her eyes so they wouldn't hurt.
"I plead you, oh Mighty Ra, use your powers to move us to Veneziano, also known as Noth Italy, also known as The Roman Empire's grandchild." Egypt called in such a deep voice Taiwan could barely hear it; it seemed to be lower than the scale she was used to hearing. And then the most peculiar thing happened - the sun came zooming towards them. It was so fast, Taiwan was certain it would crash or make them go to flames; in a way, they did catch fire. But the fire didn't hurt her. She felt the warmth, but not hotness. She couldn't see anything, because orange flames danced in front of her eyes. Then the sun escaped as quickly as it came - back to the sky, where it belonged. And they weren't on the desert anymore, but in a forest. Just as soon as Taiwan could see and feel again, she also felt she was holding a different hand - slightly bigger, and stronger. She looked sideways and saw Romano by her side, not Egypt. She was slightly confused, when she looked down: words were written down, or rather burned out in the ground, as if only seconds ago a fire burned there:

I can only help you this far. Your climate does not do well with my well being.
I return to Ra's land. I hope all the best in your search, younglings.
Egypt

"Nice. He dros us off in the woods and then gives us a beautiful goodbye letter." Taiwan grumbled under her breath. She looked at Romano. "Can you locate him or something? We need to hurry." She said urgently, though she knew she needn't - Romano must know Veneziano is close, very close. Even she felt it.

[Lokitama]

Romano red the burned-letter, and felt a vein pops on his forehead.

"How the hell dare he call me a 'youngling' ! We're almost brothers with Greece ! Hell ! Even Egypt's Mother and my Gramps slept toge-..." He rubbed his scalp slowly. "I wish I never said that... nor remembered."

He tried to localize Veneziano. He only found a long feeling of...nothing. As if he were on the verge of a never-ending abyss, ready to make a step. He shuddered when grim and high-pitched whispering danced around him, trying to communicate him something.

Benito...

"W-What ?"

Benito... M...

He shuddered again, whispers were like cold hands running slowly down his spine, hugging him slowly, resting their chins on his shoulders.

He didn't noticed that he was lost in a daze until he felt a warm, comforting squeeze on his hand. He blinked and looked down. He blushed a little under Taiwan's concerned eyes. "I-I'm sorry... I was thinking about... something."

Well, it wasn't true. He closed his eyes, trying to localize his brother, once again. And, once again, the macabre whispers rubbed themselves against him, danced around him.

B.... M....

"I don't care about that, dammit. Take me to my brother."

The whispers shut themselves down a moment, before speaking again, it was even harder to hear them.

Ta.... gir.... back...

Romano took some steps, trying to approach himself from the voices. He shuddered, feeling them.

Take... girl...on...back.

He could almost feel a little smirk on their non-existent face. It was dangerous, but he felt that it was the only way to know where was his brother.

"R-Repeat, dammit. Or speak louder."

Take the girl on your back

He nodded shakily, and opened his eyes. He told Taiwan to climb on his back, and she did so, seeming suspicious. He closed his eyes again, and the whispers where faint, once again.

B...

He took some steps forward, trying to catch them, letting them hug his body. He subconsciously wondered if Taiwan could feel them, too. He hoped that she couldn't. It was an awful feeling.

Benito...

He took some steps forward, following them, it was sure that they were showing him the way. That word... 'Benito' he was sure that he did heard it somewhere, before. Was it... Spanish ? Or an ancient word in Italian, no longer used ?

Benito... M...

And what this 'M' meant ? Was it another word ? Was it a word ?

The elder Italy didn't noticed but... right know, he was running through the woods, eyes closed, dodging the trees as they came up. The whispers where showing him the way, letting him run over the abyss.

Unfortunately...

Benito...Mu....

... when you were a nation, particularly a nation named Italy, who ever it was, North or South, you never had good luck. Or rarely. The bridge that the whispers were making soon began to crack as realization hit Romano.

Benito... Muss....

He was still running.

Benito.... Musso....

It was a name. And not whatever name... It was 'that man' 's name.

Benito Mussolini.

The bridge cracked, and Romano screamed, falling harshly against the muddy ground. Unwanted memory filling his head.

Except that it wasn't only his.

"Feliciano Vargas, a.k.a. North Italy. From now on, you will be under my commandment."
"Ve ~ ! Yes, sir ~ !"

Veneziano gulped down as a smirk grew on his new boss' lips.

[Weronikus]

[I should've thought. What other Benito have I heard about... XD]

Taiwan laughed a hollow laugh as he yelled at the words. It seemed to give a ray of light at the current situation, brinnig a bit of Romano back from his shadow of concern.
Taiwan looked at him with concern, as he started trying to remember something. Or maybe feel something? She squeezed his hand and looked at him with eyes full of concern.
He started talkingto himself, but Taiwan didn't care. She spoke the same way when she was possessed by the demon.
She was suspicious when he asked her to get onto his back, but obeyed nontheless.
He ran... and ran... ran...
She felt the wind whipping her face, and hoped it wouldn't; the moment the thought formed in her head she and Romano were in a safe bubble, and the wind whipped around them harmlessly.
But then he screamed and tripped, and Taiwan yelled and jumped off his back in time. She sort of levitated towards the ground as the wind comforted her fall.
"Ro-Romano! What happened?!" She yelped, and came to help him up. She saw panic and fear on his face. She didn't know what could be the cause. She looked around frantically, and her sight fell on a tall pole.
A flag was attacked there.
Oh.
Oh.
"I'm sure it's not him, he's d-dead, right? Right?!" She said with a note of fear in her voice. She never say the man. But she heard about him. About him, and Hitler, and Stalin. The Big Trio. Only Mussolini was Italian. And if he was alive...
"No. It's not possible and that's that!" She said, and stomped her foot.