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hetalia2010-12-23 12:29 am
blackrabbit9.livejournal.com) wrote in hetalia2010-12-23 12:29 am
[Fanfic] A Christmas Story: Catastrophe in 24 Acts (22/24)
Authors: Treyen and Blackrabbit
Beta: CrescentLilly
Characters: Ensemble. In this chapter: Australia, Egypt, France, Iceland, Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, Canada, Romano, Finland, Prussia, America, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Belarus, China, Russia, Germany, General Winter, bunch of others
Pairings: mistletoe/world
Rating: T
Genre: adventure, comedy
Warnings: Mistletoe, ridiculously cute critters, blatant disregard for foreign holiday traditions, abuse of classical ballet, some cursing and a few OCs.
Summary: With only a few days to Christmas the Nations should be busy preparing for the party. Only no one is really feeling like it, and that kinda-crucially-important little Finn is nowhere to be found.
Previous parts | On ff.net
~~~
Australia opened the door for Egypt who was carrying most of their shopping. Before they could step further in than enough to be out of the wind, they both stopped to look at France. He stood in the middle of the hallway, hands resting on his chest, looking at them expectantly with a mischievious glimmer in his eyes. When the two didn't seem to understand, he coughed and pointed up above their heads. There, over the door frame, hung a mistletoe branch.
Australia shrugged and turned to give Egypt a peck on the cheek. Egypt frowned and pulled him back when he retreated, giving him a proper kiss on the lips instead. Now satisfied, Egypt nodded and stepped inside, gesturing Australia to close the door behind them.
France smiled brightly, happy to see the tradition upheld, but it turned into a frown when he saw what Egypt was holding. "Um… Egypt," France said, looking at the pile of gingerbread dough that Egypt needed both hands to carry.
Egypt gave him an enquiring look, but France just stared at the dough, looking for words and failing to find any. Egypt gave him a questioning look next (and yes, there was a difference between the two, Egypt couldn't understand why so many people didn't see it). He rather wanted to set his load down already.
France turned away. "…Nothing. Ukraine! Australia and Egypt are back with the– uh... supplies!" he called, going towards the kitchen.
She shouted back something to the effect of "not now", but France didn't give up. He dragged Ukraine away from baking Christmas bread and into the hall. "No, this just needs your attention, ma chère."
"But but but!" Ukraine squeaked and tried to grab the nearest towel with her. "The flour will stain everything again!" she tried to object, but France showed no mercy. Upon seeing what he meant, Ukraine let out a wailing sigh. "Oh no, Egypt, please..."
"You can't be serious?" Iceland frowned from the stairs, coming down. "There must be at least ten kilos of that stuff."
"Fifteen," Australia grinned. "We just felt like it suddenly."
"Oh please." Iceland rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth was twitching suspiciously. "Australia, I do hope that's ham."
"No, lamb." Iceland was about to give him a piece of his mind, but Australia just laughed. "Don't blow your fuse, we've got ham too."
"Hey, great!" Korea cheered, shoving Iceland out of the way and coming to take some of the dough off Egypt's load. "Let's make a gingerbread house."
"How big a house do you imagine we can make from that much dough?" France asked.
"Well, let's make an apartment building," Taiwan said simply.
"But we have only one oven," Ukraine sobbed. "What about everything else that needs to be baked?"
"Calm down," Egypt said.
"Yeah, just leave it to us and we'll work it out somehow, Boss. You don't have to take care of everything," Australia reassured her. Then he turned to frown at Egypt. "Wait, did you just talk?"
~
"May I join in?" Canada asked cautiously. Finland's dining room had been invaded by Korea, Taiwan, Egypt and Australia, who were all busy dealing with the gingerbread dough, all in their respective corners of the largest table in the house.
"Just what were you doing for so long in that damn sauna?" Korea smirked and gestured Canada to the free spot at the table. "Take some, there's plenty for all of us."
"Where did Cuba go?" Australia asked conversationally when Canada took a piece of dough.
"He went with Norway to get our Christmas tree."
"About time," Korea sighed, dropping a chunk of light brown dough to the table with a dull plop. "May I decorate it?"
"Romano already said he'd do it," Australia said. "He found the tree decorations while he was turning everything upstairs upside down looking for the Christmas presents."
"Did he find them?" Korea asked eagerly.
"Nope," Australia shook his head. "Either Finland doesn't have them or then they're really well hidden."
Korea looked suddenly terrified. "There's a possibility we won't get any presents?"
"You could say that."
Korea seemed to lose his ability to breathe. He slammed his dough on the table and ran out of the room. "Romano! Romano! Where didn't you look yet? We have to find them!"
"Wait! Korea!" Taiwan set her masterpiece on the table and ran after the nation she had promised to keep out of too much trouble.
Australia sighed and glanced at Egypt. "Now it's just the two of us again."
"But..." Canada said. "But I'm here..."
~
"Romano! Romano! Romano!"
"What's your problem?! Hands off! Where do you think you're touching?!" Romano tried to wiggle away.
"Your waist," Korea answered before going back to panicking gear. "The presents, Romano? Where are they?"
"I already told you I didn't find them," Romano scowled.
"Well let's go look for them." Korea took his hand and started dragging him upstairs. "Where haven't you looked?"
"I've looked everywhere," Romano said and frowned at Korea's hand that was holding his. "What's that brown stuff on your fingers?"
"Gingerbread."
"Speaking of brown stuff, no one has still cleaned that toilet," Iceland noted, going past them. Romano looked like he was going to be sick and immediately tried to detach his hand.
"Disgusting, mon chér," France mumbled, following Iceland towards the living room. He hung a mistletoe branch on Romano's hair curl as he went.
In the living room Iceland went straight to the fireplace to tell Norway's troll that it didn't have to dust that damn vase every ten minutes. France was about to head straight across the room for their original destination in the storage closet Monaco had managed to stuff most of her bowls and plates in, when he stopped by the sofa: Austria was still huddled against an armrest, hugging yet another tea mug. For a while France could only stand there, stunned by all his glorious, delicious options. Then he smiled, leaned down and put a branch behind Austria's ear. When this prompted no reaction, France gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
Austria jerked from the sudden contact and looked up briefly, long enough to see France give him an encouraging smile, before slipping back to his catatonic state. France left the mistletoe branch behind his ear and straightened up, a hand lingering in the aristocrat's hair fondly. When Iceland finally gave up on the troll they went to get those dishes Ukraine had asked for.
"You think the heroic rescue operation is a success?" France wondered aloud as he opened the door.
Iceland nodded. "Got to be. They'll be back soon."
~
"Could we go ask Grandfather Frost for help?" Lithuania said.
"He barely let us leave, you think he'd help us with it?" Prussia asked. He plopped down beside Hungary on one of the dead snowmobiles. They had given their best combined effort to repairs, but only three of them actually worked, one offered a valiant try and the rest remained silent. And there was no way nineteen nations could possibly ride home on three snowmobiles. General Winter coudn't carry them without freezing them solid. They couldn't walk. The reindeer was gone. Finland had been happy to hear she had escaped safely, but he was starting to miss the loyal partner who had carried him all the way here but was not there to help him back. All in all, it looked like they were going to spend Christmas in central Russia.
One by one they had given up on the frozen snowmobiles and found places to sit or trees to lean on. Finally America told Estonia to get out of the way, aimed a good kick at the machine they had been working on and stomped off. Estonia sighed and sat down on the snowmobile. The group fell back to silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Even Italy was subdued. Finland petted Christmas gently. The little creature sensed something was wrong, and did its best to give everyone a comfortable and warm feeling.
"Oh yeah," Switzerland said suddenly. He flung one rifle down from his shoulder and offered it to Finland, who was sitting on a snowmobile in front of him. "I presume this is yours."
"Oh," Finland took the weapon. "Thanks."
"Nice gun."
"Fat load of good it did me though… Oh. Switzerland, can you carry this for a while longer, please?" Finland handed the rifle back as soon as he had taken it. He turned to calm the white fluffball on his shoulder, who was staring at the firearm like a cat faced with cold water. "It's okay, Christmas, Finland is putting the bad thing away now, see? See?"
"It doesn't like guns?" Switzerland asked, almost disappointed.
"No, Switzerland, Christmas is totally a fan of firearms." Poland rolled his eyes.
America showed a thumbs-up to the little creature. "Like a true envoy of peace."
"But wait," Greece frowned. "It didn't seem to care about weapons before. I had a rifle too. And it's been happily riding around on Belarus."
Belarus glared at him half-heartedly for the comment. Finland smiled briefly.
"Well, you were kind of rescuing it before," he said. "It wouldn't do to be too picky when brave heroes come to bust you out from magical isolation, right Christmas?"
"Would you people shut up and think up a way for us to get home?" China barked. "I don't want to stay in here for ages."
"You don't like Russia, comrade China?"
"Russia maybe, but not snowy cold forests when we could be on our way to a party." China glared at the General, who coughed, trying to look like it wasn't his fault.
Silence fell again. Hong Kong started building something from the snow to kill time. After a while Italy joined him, and then America. When Poland and Turkey tried to join in, Sweden gave them a disapproving glare and they went back to thinking of a way to get home.
Time passed. It was already dark and getting even darker, mid-winter that it was. Warm clothes and the presence of Christmas had kept them from getting too cold, but there was a limit to their efficiency and gradually everyone was getting uncomfortable. Greece, Turkey and Italy had already huddled together in a miserable heap.
Germany sighed and opened his mouth to break the silence after a long while. "General. Could you at least take Christmas to the others?"
General Winter nodded. "I could."
"Let's not be too hasty," Prussia hurried to say. He didn't like the idea of the cute little hairball going anywhere.
"But it's the 23rd already, and it's getting late. We won't make it before Christmas," Germany rationalised. "The others have done all the work to make the place ready, and we're not going to make it there. The least we can do is introduce them to Christmas."
"Ya think they've actually done somethin'?" Denmark asked. Not that he doubted Korea's leader skills, Romano's ability to cooperate or Norway's boundless energy.
"Of course they have," America said, sounding very sure in his opinion. "Korea promised to handle it."
"Thass in itself kinda worrying," Turkey noted to Greece, who nodded.
"But I say, they have the right to meet Christmas," Germany turned the conversation back on track. "General– Finland, what is it?"
Finland stood up suddenly. He stared intently at the night sky, but when the others followed his gaze, they found only stars. Before anyone could ask, Finland laughed. He chuckled to himself, eyes still locked to the sky, then whooped loudly when he couldn't contain himself anymore.
"Yes! Yes!" Finland jumped to Sweden's arms to give his neighbour a hug to everyone's, especially Sweden's, bewilderment. "We're going to get home! I know it! I knew it!"
"What?" Hungary stood up. "What are you talking about?"
"Look!" Finland pointed exitedly at the sky and raised Christmas up with both hands so it could see as well. "There! Coming this way!"
First they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then England noticed and pointed out one star that looked peculiar. It was indeed coming to their direction from the north-west. And it burned bright red.
~~~
A/N: sigh, another unbetaed chapter since we are cutting too close to the deadline for Lilly to have time to do her part. It's already past midnight again on our time zone =.= Gods, we fail so much.
Beta: CrescentLilly
Characters: Ensemble. In this chapter: Australia, Egypt, France, Iceland, Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, Canada, Romano, Finland, Prussia, America, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Belarus, China, Russia, Germany, General Winter, bunch of others
Pairings: mistletoe/world
Rating: T
Genre: adventure, comedy
Warnings: Mistletoe, ridiculously cute critters, blatant disregard for foreign holiday traditions, abuse of classical ballet, some cursing and a few OCs.
Summary: With only a few days to Christmas the Nations should be busy preparing for the party. Only no one is really feeling like it, and that kinda-crucially-important little Finn is nowhere to be found.
Previous parts | On ff.net
~~~
Australia opened the door for Egypt who was carrying most of their shopping. Before they could step further in than enough to be out of the wind, they both stopped to look at France. He stood in the middle of the hallway, hands resting on his chest, looking at them expectantly with a mischievious glimmer in his eyes. When the two didn't seem to understand, he coughed and pointed up above their heads. There, over the door frame, hung a mistletoe branch.
Australia shrugged and turned to give Egypt a peck on the cheek. Egypt frowned and pulled him back when he retreated, giving him a proper kiss on the lips instead. Now satisfied, Egypt nodded and stepped inside, gesturing Australia to close the door behind them.
France smiled brightly, happy to see the tradition upheld, but it turned into a frown when he saw what Egypt was holding. "Um… Egypt," France said, looking at the pile of gingerbread dough that Egypt needed both hands to carry.
Egypt gave him an enquiring look, but France just stared at the dough, looking for words and failing to find any. Egypt gave him a questioning look next (and yes, there was a difference between the two, Egypt couldn't understand why so many people didn't see it). He rather wanted to set his load down already.
France turned away. "…Nothing. Ukraine! Australia and Egypt are back with the– uh... supplies!" he called, going towards the kitchen.
She shouted back something to the effect of "not now", but France didn't give up. He dragged Ukraine away from baking Christmas bread and into the hall. "No, this just needs your attention, ma chère."
"But but but!" Ukraine squeaked and tried to grab the nearest towel with her. "The flour will stain everything again!" she tried to object, but France showed no mercy. Upon seeing what he meant, Ukraine let out a wailing sigh. "Oh no, Egypt, please..."
"You can't be serious?" Iceland frowned from the stairs, coming down. "There must be at least ten kilos of that stuff."
"Fifteen," Australia grinned. "We just felt like it suddenly."
"Oh please." Iceland rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth was twitching suspiciously. "Australia, I do hope that's ham."
"No, lamb." Iceland was about to give him a piece of his mind, but Australia just laughed. "Don't blow your fuse, we've got ham too."
"Hey, great!" Korea cheered, shoving Iceland out of the way and coming to take some of the dough off Egypt's load. "Let's make a gingerbread house."
"How big a house do you imagine we can make from that much dough?" France asked.
"Well, let's make an apartment building," Taiwan said simply.
"But we have only one oven," Ukraine sobbed. "What about everything else that needs to be baked?"
"Calm down," Egypt said.
"Yeah, just leave it to us and we'll work it out somehow, Boss. You don't have to take care of everything," Australia reassured her. Then he turned to frown at Egypt. "Wait, did you just talk?"
~
"May I join in?" Canada asked cautiously. Finland's dining room had been invaded by Korea, Taiwan, Egypt and Australia, who were all busy dealing with the gingerbread dough, all in their respective corners of the largest table in the house.
"Just what were you doing for so long in that damn sauna?" Korea smirked and gestured Canada to the free spot at the table. "Take some, there's plenty for all of us."
"Where did Cuba go?" Australia asked conversationally when Canada took a piece of dough.
"He went with Norway to get our Christmas tree."
"About time," Korea sighed, dropping a chunk of light brown dough to the table with a dull plop. "May I decorate it?"
"Romano already said he'd do it," Australia said. "He found the tree decorations while he was turning everything upstairs upside down looking for the Christmas presents."
"Did he find them?" Korea asked eagerly.
"Nope," Australia shook his head. "Either Finland doesn't have them or then they're really well hidden."
Korea looked suddenly terrified. "There's a possibility we won't get any presents?"
"You could say that."
Korea seemed to lose his ability to breathe. He slammed his dough on the table and ran out of the room. "Romano! Romano! Where didn't you look yet? We have to find them!"
"Wait! Korea!" Taiwan set her masterpiece on the table and ran after the nation she had promised to keep out of too much trouble.
Australia sighed and glanced at Egypt. "Now it's just the two of us again."
"But..." Canada said. "But I'm here..."
~
"Romano! Romano! Romano!"
"What's your problem?! Hands off! Where do you think you're touching?!" Romano tried to wiggle away.
"Your waist," Korea answered before going back to panicking gear. "The presents, Romano? Where are they?"
"I already told you I didn't find them," Romano scowled.
"Well let's go look for them." Korea took his hand and started dragging him upstairs. "Where haven't you looked?"
"I've looked everywhere," Romano said and frowned at Korea's hand that was holding his. "What's that brown stuff on your fingers?"
"Gingerbread."
"Speaking of brown stuff, no one has still cleaned that toilet," Iceland noted, going past them. Romano looked like he was going to be sick and immediately tried to detach his hand.
"Disgusting, mon chér," France mumbled, following Iceland towards the living room. He hung a mistletoe branch on Romano's hair curl as he went.
In the living room Iceland went straight to the fireplace to tell Norway's troll that it didn't have to dust that damn vase every ten minutes. France was about to head straight across the room for their original destination in the storage closet Monaco had managed to stuff most of her bowls and plates in, when he stopped by the sofa: Austria was still huddled against an armrest, hugging yet another tea mug. For a while France could only stand there, stunned by all his glorious, delicious options. Then he smiled, leaned down and put a branch behind Austria's ear. When this prompted no reaction, France gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
Austria jerked from the sudden contact and looked up briefly, long enough to see France give him an encouraging smile, before slipping back to his catatonic state. France left the mistletoe branch behind his ear and straightened up, a hand lingering in the aristocrat's hair fondly. When Iceland finally gave up on the troll they went to get those dishes Ukraine had asked for.
"You think the heroic rescue operation is a success?" France wondered aloud as he opened the door.
Iceland nodded. "Got to be. They'll be back soon."
~
"Could we go ask Grandfather Frost for help?" Lithuania said.
"He barely let us leave, you think he'd help us with it?" Prussia asked. He plopped down beside Hungary on one of the dead snowmobiles. They had given their best combined effort to repairs, but only three of them actually worked, one offered a valiant try and the rest remained silent. And there was no way nineteen nations could possibly ride home on three snowmobiles. General Winter coudn't carry them without freezing them solid. They couldn't walk. The reindeer was gone. Finland had been happy to hear she had escaped safely, but he was starting to miss the loyal partner who had carried him all the way here but was not there to help him back. All in all, it looked like they were going to spend Christmas in central Russia.
One by one they had given up on the frozen snowmobiles and found places to sit or trees to lean on. Finally America told Estonia to get out of the way, aimed a good kick at the machine they had been working on and stomped off. Estonia sighed and sat down on the snowmobile. The group fell back to silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Even Italy was subdued. Finland petted Christmas gently. The little creature sensed something was wrong, and did its best to give everyone a comfortable and warm feeling.
"Oh yeah," Switzerland said suddenly. He flung one rifle down from his shoulder and offered it to Finland, who was sitting on a snowmobile in front of him. "I presume this is yours."
"Oh," Finland took the weapon. "Thanks."
"Nice gun."
"Fat load of good it did me though… Oh. Switzerland, can you carry this for a while longer, please?" Finland handed the rifle back as soon as he had taken it. He turned to calm the white fluffball on his shoulder, who was staring at the firearm like a cat faced with cold water. "It's okay, Christmas, Finland is putting the bad thing away now, see? See?"
"It doesn't like guns?" Switzerland asked, almost disappointed.
"No, Switzerland, Christmas is totally a fan of firearms." Poland rolled his eyes.
America showed a thumbs-up to the little creature. "Like a true envoy of peace."
"But wait," Greece frowned. "It didn't seem to care about weapons before. I had a rifle too. And it's been happily riding around on Belarus."
Belarus glared at him half-heartedly for the comment. Finland smiled briefly.
"Well, you were kind of rescuing it before," he said. "It wouldn't do to be too picky when brave heroes come to bust you out from magical isolation, right Christmas?"
"Would you people shut up and think up a way for us to get home?" China barked. "I don't want to stay in here for ages."
"You don't like Russia, comrade China?"
"Russia maybe, but not snowy cold forests when we could be on our way to a party." China glared at the General, who coughed, trying to look like it wasn't his fault.
Silence fell again. Hong Kong started building something from the snow to kill time. After a while Italy joined him, and then America. When Poland and Turkey tried to join in, Sweden gave them a disapproving glare and they went back to thinking of a way to get home.
Time passed. It was already dark and getting even darker, mid-winter that it was. Warm clothes and the presence of Christmas had kept them from getting too cold, but there was a limit to their efficiency and gradually everyone was getting uncomfortable. Greece, Turkey and Italy had already huddled together in a miserable heap.
Germany sighed and opened his mouth to break the silence after a long while. "General. Could you at least take Christmas to the others?"
General Winter nodded. "I could."
"Let's not be too hasty," Prussia hurried to say. He didn't like the idea of the cute little hairball going anywhere.
"But it's the 23rd already, and it's getting late. We won't make it before Christmas," Germany rationalised. "The others have done all the work to make the place ready, and we're not going to make it there. The least we can do is introduce them to Christmas."
"Ya think they've actually done somethin'?" Denmark asked. Not that he doubted Korea's leader skills, Romano's ability to cooperate or Norway's boundless energy.
"Of course they have," America said, sounding very sure in his opinion. "Korea promised to handle it."
"Thass in itself kinda worrying," Turkey noted to Greece, who nodded.
"But I say, they have the right to meet Christmas," Germany turned the conversation back on track. "General– Finland, what is it?"
Finland stood up suddenly. He stared intently at the night sky, but when the others followed his gaze, they found only stars. Before anyone could ask, Finland laughed. He chuckled to himself, eyes still locked to the sky, then whooped loudly when he couldn't contain himself anymore.
"Yes! Yes!" Finland jumped to Sweden's arms to give his neighbour a hug to everyone's, especially Sweden's, bewilderment. "We're going to get home! I know it! I knew it!"
"What?" Hungary stood up. "What are you talking about?"
"Look!" Finland pointed exitedly at the sky and raised Christmas up with both hands so it could see as well. "There! Coming this way!"
First they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then England noticed and pointed out one star that looked peculiar. It was indeed coming to their direction from the north-west. And it burned bright red.
~~~
A/N: sigh, another unbetaed chapter since we are cutting too close to the deadline for Lilly to have time to do her part. It's already past midnight again on our time zone =.= Gods, we fail so much.