Solving of the Countries (Book 2)

Chapter 77

        Finally, the Duel was over. Even though it took a couple of minutes it felt like hours to him. Russia couldn't help but think that the Duel was a waste of time. But it did have its benefits. The other countries did stop bugging him and his friends.
    Belarus wasn't all too pleased about it. But that was because she didn't know the motives. Kazakhstan was carefully silent about while Ukraine just glared at him as if he was plotting something sinister.
     They only discovered this by rumors. He didn't tell them. He could hear his siblings chatting downstairs and Ukraine's voice rising slightly. Then there was more yelling from her.
     He thought he heard a voice respond calmly to her statement but he couldn't make it out. Russia felt like exhaling out of exasperation, again. But he felt like he did that way too many times.
     Clouds came into view from the window as he sat up from the bed. When he looked down he saw his shoes were still smudged with mud. Courtesy of it having rained earlier during the Duel. A glass-shattering smash brought him back to the present.
      Then loud footsteps coming upstairs and a door slamming. He felt bad that because of him both Belarus and Kazakhstan had to deal with Ukraine's anger. He heard Belarus' anxious murmur.
     Russia shut his eye and opened them. A dark figure stood at the corner of his room. He abruptly stood but it blurred out and disappeared. He saw it. He knew he did.
    He spotted something floating to the ground. A feather. And not just any plain old black one. Even as he watched it land on the ground he saw it was ragged and sharp.

     
     Blade clashed against blade.
Then another joined. It was one against one against one.
     "Oh come on UNICEF, I was Dueling with ASEAN!"
     EU paused midstrike and twisted away from UNICEF's attack with her silver-like blade with the bluish tint. The Organizations practiced often and this was nothing out of the ordinary. Nearby NATO and FBI sparred. And like UNICEF, UN leaped into to join with an easy going smile.
    He twisted both blades at once and sent them flying. NATO and FBI stared.
     "That was so unfair, we did not expect that,"FBI said half-heartedly. He knew they had to be ready for anything.
    "Just in time UN,"EU said, making his sword disappear. "I've got to go supervise the European countries now."
    UN nodded, then turned to the others.
"We've got a slight problem,"UN said.
    The others turned to him confused.
UNICEF sensed something was amiss.
    "Is it about BRICS?"
Almost instantly the atmosphere changed. UNICEF shifted a bit to get a better view of UN.
    UN sighed a bit, "Yeah, sort of. Ok yes," once he caught sight of UNICEF's look.
     "What is it this time?"
"There was a Duel between Russia and another country,"UN explained, leaping down to the ledge they were battling on. 
     "Yeah?"NATO asked, swinging his  sword in complicated loops.
     "Someone's gotta talk to him,"UN admitted. "I tried, but nothings worked."
   ASEAN frowned. "What's with him?"
"It's got to be with Russia's situation,"FBI guessed. "He hasn't acted like this until the invasion."
    NATO stopped with his swordplay.
"So what do you suppose we should do?"NATO was perplexed.
    UNICEF was curious as well.
"That's the thing, I'm not too sure,"UN said, leaning against the wall. UNICEF noted that although he didn't show it, he was worn out.
     Males, she thought, were quite stubborn. She looked across at ASEAN, mostly stiff and formal. Well, unless he was around EU sometimes. NATO would never admit he was hurt, even if he was stabbed and bleeding to near death. Same as FBI. AU was another matter completely.
      UNICEF sighed. "Maybe I can talk to him."
     "Sure, use your persuasiveness,"FBI spoke up. "It's gonna work."
     NATO smacked him down right before UNICEF realized what he meant. Her face flushed red. She realized ASEAN was frowning slightly.
     "It's not what it seems FBI!"UNICEF scolded. UN seemed confused.
     "Well, if you say so,"UN said.

   "Martial what the frick are you doing?!"North exclaimed as the Law attempted to balance two plates on his arms. And a bowl on his head.
   "Calm down, I've got this-"
Martial said, about to right the plates and bowl. Then, slam!
    Philippines opened the door a bit harder than she meant to since she seemed to be in a hurry and looked with shock as Martial jumped and the plates were sent flying into the air.
     Hurriedly Martial caught them with his fingers, surprising North with his sudden dexterity. They were at Martial's and Philippines' house. Martial was practicing his balance, in the kitchen, until North entered and spotted him.
     "Martial!"Philippines said, sounding more upset than she should be.
     "What?"the Law protested, still balancing the plates. North didn't know if it was just him but it seemed that Philippines' eyes were a bit red, as if she cried earlier. Or as if she stopped herself from crying. Martial noticed as well and his eyes narrowed.
    "What happened?"Martial asked quietly, Philippines shuffled around with her feet a little as if embarrassed. North Korea wondered what happened as well but he kept it to himself.
     "It's nothing,"she sniffed, even as Martial stared at her disbelievingly.
     "Don't say, 'it's nothing' when that's not true,"Martial said.
    Philippines sighed.
"Ok. It's just that...some countries were saying terrible things about you and I tried to get them to stop."
     She blinked a little rapidly.
"They... they said terrible things,"as she spoke North watched Martial carefully for his reaction.
    "Let them,"Martial waved a hand unconcerned. "They can do nothing but talk behind backs anyway."
   "But-"
"But nothing. Don't worry about it."
     Philippines looked like she was about to say something, she shut her mouth and nodded.
   North saw that this may be an everyday thing. He was wrong. This started happening once word got out that Martal was friends with North Korea. Infamous for his Nuking abilities, North wasn't exactly popular in a nice light. He didn't care either.
    Neither did Martial. For all the Law cared, his sister could take the spot for most popular.
    As he watched Philippines walk upstairs to calm herself down presumably, North turned to Martial who went back to balancing plates.
     "Why do you do that?"North asked.
"Why do I do what?"Martial questioned. "You're gonna have to be more specific than that if you want a satisfactory answer."
    North frowned. "Alright you nerd, why do you keep on balancing these plates on yourself?"
    "Isn't it obvious?"
North shook his head.
    "For balance obviously,"the Law said this as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "The reason why I'm using plates is because when they shatter it's absolutely obnoxious. So that keeps me motivated to balance these plates."
      "Why balance though?"
Martial shrugged.
     "I'm going to meet up with China soon,"North said, checking his phone. "Wanna come along?"
     The Law paused. He looked at North as if the country grabbed the plates, unhinged his jaws and swallowed them.
     "Do you think that's a wise idea?"
North rolled his eye. "I didn't say to meet all of my friends who'd be happy to decapitate you the moment they see your shadow. I said "China" didn't I?"
     Martial looked skeptical. "Are you sure?"
   "What, are you scared?"
"No!"
     Now it was North's turn to look skeptical.
    "You sure?"
"No! I mean, yes!"
     North stopped himself from snickering at Martial's attempt to look chill. He gave Martial a stare.
    "You just want me to come along don't you,"Martial stated, it wasn't even a question at this point. He let out a long-suffering sigh. "Fiiine."
    

      China flipped a page and continued reading. He sat alone at the top of a small grass hill. The sun would set soon and he wanted to read until it was too dark to see. Which would take a while.
    Wind rippled the grass and blew strands of hair across his face. Clouds seemed to move slowly about to cover the skies again. It had rained earlier then stopped. It looked like it was going to rain again.
    

Happy Lunar New Year!!♡
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