DISCONTINUED

Chapter 37

The tower was practically barren inside. The nations all slowly walked up two flights of stairs, passing a prison cell and another empty room before coming to a stop on the second to last floor. Applebloom had set up her shop in there as well. While they were traveling through the Wasteland, they had come across her. 

"Welcome travelers, care to barter?~" She said cheerfully as the nations walked over.

"Guten tag, pixie!" Prussia said. They had met when the nations found Applebloom before, and even then he called her a pixie, even when England told him it was a Faerie. 

".....Faerie." England corrected him with a huff. 

"Hello! I got a new item in stock!" She said happily. Flying to a table behind her, she held up a purple pillow. "Since you all are other world travellers, these pillows should help you recharge in battle! Just hug them close and you'll feel well rested!" She handed the pillows to America, who happened to be the closest. "I enchanted them myself!"

"Neato!" America exclaimed, holding one of them up and looking at it closer.

"Danke, not-pixie!" Prussia said, getting a frustrated huff from England.

"She has a name, you know." Canada said.

"Apfelkuchen!" Prussia said, one of his infamous grins on his face. Germany gave him a "Really?" look.

"Her name is not apple cake." He said. Applebloom gave a small, tinkling laugh.

"Better luck next time!" She said before selling the group a few more supplies. They eventually left for the stairs, heading onto the floor above.

"Grrr......Where did those intruders go?!" A man, who, as Prussia had guessed, bore a striking resemblance to Switzerland, growled, glaring out the window. A gun was leaning against the window, polished and well-kept. The man had the same hair Switzerland had, blonde and slightly long. It just barely reached his shoulders in this case. He wore a silver suit of armour, with a leather bag slung over his back, possibly for any cartridges for his gun.

"...Hm, I don't think he's noticed we're here yet." Canada said, watching him trying to find anyone down below.

"No one escapes the Tower's eyes." The man, Tower, hissed, tightening his grip on the stone. 

"Pfffft." America said. "Except for us, apparently." 

"The Tower, that means he's the sixteenth arcana if I remember correctly." France said.

"I'm not sure what his number has to do with anything, but good to know." England huffed, looking Tower up and down.

"Ah, this'll be easy peasy!" Prussia said, with an air of confidence around him. Perhaps a bit too much confidence. He began walking towards the arcana, one hand slowly going to his sword.

"Bruder! Get back here!" Germany scolded as he got closer to Tower. Prussia didn't listen and instead tapped Tower on the shoulder. The Arcana gave a start.

"Hey Switzy!" He said as Tower slowly turned. "It's your good ol' buddy Prussia! Mind if ya open the gate for us?"

"YOU!!" Tower roared, instantly grabbing his nearby gun and pointing it right at the German. Prussia gave a yelp and jumped back.

"Schiesse!" He yelled, running back over to his younger brother. Germany pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Ugh, you are useless." He muttered. 

"What do you outsiders want?!" Tower demanded, moving forwards slowly. The gun kept fixing onto the other nations, as if Tower couldn't pick a target out of any of them.