Beneath the portal

33

Sometimes I forget what I write, so I have to reread my own chapters😰
Writing block has got me again

'East I don't know what to do, do we look for Czechia first or with Taiwan?' West sighed, worried and confused on what to do.
'SHIT! Isn't today the portal closing? EAST I CAN'T DO THIS!!' West was about to grab onto his hair, he has a pretty bad habit of pulling on his hair when anxious. His never never falls out though, I'm gonna assume his hair is made of metal.

East quickly pulled West's hands off his head.
'West, calm down. It will be okay, take a deep breath.'

'TAKING A DEEP BREATH WON'T SOLVE ALL THIS! EAST!! IT'S SO OVER FOR US THIS PORTAL WILL NEVER FUCKING CLOSE I CAN'T I CAN'T I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THIS EAST I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!' West exclaimed, refusing East's suggestion. East patiently let West finish his sentence.
'

'Deep breaths West, you can do it.'

West sighed and took a couple deep breaths before East gave him a hug in attempt to calm him down, eventually West cooled off a bit and East gave him a glass of water.

'You feeling better?' East asked, West nodded hesistantly.
'Look, don't forget I'm here. You won't have to do this thing all by yourself. How about first off, you check out Taiwan's condition and I find Czechia.'

'But.. Czechia could be anywhere!'

'I can handle it, you literally got to locate him within 30 minutes despite where he likely is. I'll use that to get to Czechia. West, if you can't cure Taiwan, then she will be fine by the time the portal closes, don't pressure yourself too much.' East explained, West finished his glass of water and just held the empty glass cup in his hands, later placing it on the counter while his hands still shook a little.

'Taiwan... what time did we see her?' West begun thinking, trying to get an idea of what to do through questions.

'I'm not sure, but it was clearly nighttime. You know I'm bad with time.' East chuckled a bit at the end.
East and time management or anything having to do with time don't get along, time doesn't make sense.

Nighttime he thought, he noticed the missing eye too, the same eye which was mentioned to have to a protection spell.
Her eye was a different color too.
Could it be? No..
Yes.

'East I know what to do.' West said before leaving, West took out his phone to call his step brother American.

W: Hey bro, need you to do me a favor quick.
A: What's up? Oh yeah sure what is it? Just name it Germany.
W: Find me a room with no light, also bring me a clock that will be hanging on the wall.
A: Why?
W: Just trust me, also bring me a blindfold.
A: Alright I'll text you.

West ended the call just to start another one with South Korea, he asked for her help which she gladly agreed to help with, despite being a little puzzled by the idea.

Austria watched West in the halls run with his phone when he stopped to read the message that USA had texted him, which he quickly got to while reaching out SK to update her.

'What the fuck did I just witness.' Austria blinked multiple times to process what she saw, probably nothing too serious, right?

East noticed how the location was moving closer to the portal they have start off at and decided to head there now.
If Czechia isn't back by the time that the portal closes...
He will die.
She knew that very well.

Getting to the portal and on the way down, she noticed a fireball being launched towards her. She dropped herself all the way down and her magic softened her fall, she called out to Remmy, who came almost instantly to her side.

East riled up magic in her hand, ready to use any second someone went near her.
She checked her phone one more time with the location she got sent, it looks like Czechia was around 4 kilometers away.

Taiwan was in the room that West has planned, Japan quickly changed the clock time so it seemed like it was nighttime while American closed all the blinds to dim the room further.
West took off Taiwan's blindfold and took a couple steps back. Taiwan already didn't seem the same, she seemed more mobile, usually needing crutches after her recent accident.

This time she got up fully, glancing over at the clock. She turned back to West with a smile.
'You thought you could trick me?' She whispered to West as she stood up and took steps closer.

'Trick you for what?' He didn't understand what Taiwan meant, he knew it worked, convincing her that it was nighttime.
West got stuck to the wall as Taiwan went closer to him slowly, but every step seemed different. She seemed stable yet unstable at the same time.

Taiwan stood in front of West, when he suddenly got the idea of going straight for her covered eye, pulling off her eyepatch. Taiwan covered her eye as blood oozed onto her hand again. It made her original red skin stain with the dark shade.
It reached to her elbow as she lowered the eye, revealing it in a better view.

Where did her eye go? The other one?

Taiwan reached for her pocket when America thought it would be a good idea to jump at her, restraining her from getting any chances of hurting his little brother.
'You thought you could, you little snake!' America hissed, her eye creeped the American out a little, but he didn't hesitate  to go at her if it was for West's safety.

Taiwan thrashed against USA's grip, scratching him till his skin cut. It irritates him and he was about to punch Taiwan when West also jumped in to stop him.
'Don't! This isn't Taiwan, but it's her body. You damage her and Taiwan will feel all of it later on.' American scoffed and forced Taiwan's arms down while Japan just watched everything.

West reached down to Taiwan's pocket to take out a little knife, Taiwan tried her best to prevent West from reaching into it, but West used his magic to force her legs to stop moving for the sake of him being able to reach her pocket.

'You were actually planning to kill me?'

'Anything for them.'

'Who is.. "them"?' Taiwan didn't speak.
'I demand answers.' West inspected the knife meanwhile until the ending by the handle popped off, the blade falling and getting stuck right next to Taiwan's thigh, it was close to landing on her.

A little paper was inside. He glanced over at Taiwan who tried fighting back more but America's strength was stronger than her desperate moves.
West stuck his finger inside the handle of the weapon and took out a little glass bottle with a strange liquid instead.

It was freezing to touch with just the bottle, it's surprising how the liquid wasn't frozen yet despite it temperatures.

'I wouldn't advise you to hold it too long.' Taiwan smiled at West, suddenly not resisting the American's grip.

'Why..not?'

'Let me go and I'll show you.' Taiwan kept me warm smile, suddenly helpful and cooperative.

'I wouldn't recommend to let her go.' Japan said, noticing the sudden switch in Taiwan's actions. However, the American still saw Taiwan and his friend, not whatever she was now, and gently let go of her. She got up to West, grabbing the blade that almost hit her and took the bottle from West.

Opening the cap, the liquid was poured onto the blade.

'I don't really trust this.' Japan whispered to herself, but no one heard her.
West didn't feel too comfortable, he wasn't sure if this was manipulation, a trick or anything in general.
Taiwan approached West with the broken blade and asked her for his hand. West reached his hand for her, she slowly lowered the blade, before rising it again.

West trusted hospital instincts to move away just in time, when Taiwan smashed the blade, getting it stuck into the floor which caused it to freeze up completely.

The frozen floor crumbled and collapsed to the floor below.
Italy's room.
America immediately grabbed Taiwan again while Japan opened the blinds and turnt the clock to the right time.
Taiwan seemed more calm and fell onto her knees instantly, USA helped her up to lay down somewhere further from the collapsed floor.

'Hello?' Japan called out, West tried to make Japan and everyone else turn away, until they saw FI's face.

'Fuck.'