Homeless (a Hetalia Fanfic, Book Three)

The Red Potion

Multiple F-bombs, you guys. America gets angry, like really angry.

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Silent.

Serene.

Safe.

The Magic Trio was making progress, as it would seem, and Vale was on a roll with eliminating causes for the parasite. Alice and Canada were talking quietly, not really doing much of anything important-- except, you know, mending their relationship.

"I hope the kids are alright since we've been gone for so long," Alice mused to herself as she propped her chin up on her knees. Matthew was leaning against her tiredly, feeling worn out after so much talking and laughing. He couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since he'd laughed so genuinely, so purely from his heart.

Silent.

Serene.

Safe.

"Do you see this?" England hissed to Norway, who looked over his shoulder at the pages his book was open to. An archaic image of a man with pitch-black eyes and a coil of black vapors around his feet looked back at the Norwegian and Englishman.

His purple-blue eyes wandered up to the title of the passage and translated it with ease. "... It does look like a possible match."

"Find something?" Romania asked quietly as he came over and peered at the open book. "... Huh. Let's show Vale."

England nodded and kept his finger between the pages as he carried it out of the inner library; Norway and Romania followed him, not wanting to be left out of this. What if they had found the explanation they had been searching for for two days entire days? What a relief that would be!

Silent.

Serene.

Safe.

"Vale?" England called when he opened the door to the research lab and stepped inside with purpose. "You should see this."

The Scribe stood up from her potion-brewing tools and met them halfway between the table and the door. She accepted the book and scanned it with rapidly moving green eyes, and then carried it back to the table while her face seemed... disturbed.

"Someone call me an idiot right this second," she announced.

"Uh... You're an idiot?" Romania said unsurely.

"Yes, I am," Vale agreed. "This is almost exactly right."

"You found it?" America asked happily from where he was playing solitaire. Alice and Matthew looked up with varying degrees of both curiosity and apprehension.

"I said almost," Vale corrected him. "And the answer's been right in front of my eyes this entire time."

Oregon stood and made her way over while Matthew had her back the entire time. "Are you going to tell us what it is, or are we gonna have to wait?"

She didn't receive a reply for almost five entire minutes as Vale began to mix things with measured speed and unbreakable concentration. Then, while she waited for the brew to set, Vale looked up at Alice, whose temples were dotted with an anxious cold sweat. "If I told you now, this thing would only make your head hurt, or it would make you forget immediately. Just be patient, alright?"

That made Oregon frown with utter dislike and she clenched her mechanical fist against her thigh to help her stay calm. 'Dammit, we're so close now that the suspense is killing me!'

Maybe not the only thing that's killing you...

'Who said that?' she wondered, looking around the room slowly while she pivoted on her heel. Nobody had said anything... And the voice didn't sound like anyone in there. 'Wait... Oh, shit. I'm hearing voices again!'