Memories of Old

Chapter 41: Lessons Hard Learned

Chapter 41: Lessons Hard Learned

The next scene started abruptly. One moment, we were in the World Meeting Place, the next, we were in the Fireplace Room of the Mansion. Francis was laying dead in one of the beds, and Feliciano was standing there, staring at him in shock. Francis was skin and bones, as was Feli. Arthur and Matthew were sitting in chairs, asleep. Though they were just as thin, they were also hurt.

"What are we looking at?" France asked, staring in shock at his corpse.

"Loop 7." I sighed. "I got you all to survive for a few months, but that's when another issue came up."

"No food." England's eyes widened. "Did... did France starve to death?!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" China admonished. "Nations cannot starve to death!"

"Nations also cannot die permanently from injuries." Russia pointed out.

"He did." I stopped the argument. "France died from starvation." The room was silent.

"Wh-what?!" Austria cried out, shocked.

"Hold on, a moment, Dearie." Oliver cut in. "If he starved to death, that means that this place does more than simply make us mortal."

"Are you saying it makes us human?!" Jason glared, as if that very statement offended him. Luciano and I shared a look.

"It..." I stopped myself when I felt my Journal heat up in my grasp, warning me that I was toeing the line again. Yeah, fuck you too, bastard. I sighed. "It's something we cannot explain."

"That's going to get real old, real quick." Kuro huffed.

The next memory phased in to show Feliciano exploring with Matthew and several others in the Basement. "I'll go check in there~!" Feli smiled as he ran into the small square room that's located at the top of the Basement Entrance Room. He dashed inside, careful to close the door behind him. The Thing was waiting for him in there, and he startled.

"Fuck you!" Feliciano flipped it off before engaging it in a fight. It nearly took off his head, when an arrow suddenly embedded itself in the Thing's shoulder.

Feliciano whipped around to find Matthew standing there. "Need a hand, Italy?" He smiled. Neither nation looked too beat up, so it was fairly early in the Loop.

"Aim for the forehead. That's its weak spot." Feli said, as Matthew knocked another arrow. He nodded, and his aim was true. Moments later, the Thing vanished.

"You're getting better at that." Feli complimented.

"Um... thank you?" Matthew looked uncomfortable. "Italy, you seemed to know what it wanted... You've been acting strangely since we got here, and you keep wondering off on your own. What's going on?"

Feliciano was quiet for a long moment, contemplating his next words. "You can't tell the others, okay?"

"O...kay?"

"I... Er.... I'm not sure how to explain it. This isn't really the first time we've been here. But the first time we came, all of you died, and I was the only one left." Feliciano started to cry, as recounting the pain of the First Loop was a bit much for him. "I... I felt so alone, and hopeless... I couldn't! I just... I found this Journal." He showed the book, which looked a lot cleaner than mine was, now. "It lets me go back in time to try to save you all."

"..." Matthew was silent for a moment. "You're being serious."

Feliciano deflated. "I should've known you wouldn't believe me." He turned to leave.