Where Winter Meets Summer (Rusame Countryhumans)

Breaking Through

(Russia POV)

The sky was overcast, layering a murky shadow over the land. The ominous mood was rather fitting, if you asked me, but it didn't make America or Five any less jittery. Nor did it change the chances of our victory.

It was the calm before the storm as we stood face to face with the enemy and sure enough, one was a familiar face.

"So you must be Afghanistan," Five addressed the girl and America began to emit a soft growling sound. She was looking even worse than the last time I had seen her. Soiled bandages and rough, scratchy looking clothing covered her gaunt body. A chadri so faded that it looked more grey than red veiled her face but her trembling body expressed her feelings perfectly.

"I don't want this..."

The hooded man stepped up from behind, placed his gloved hands on her shoulders and whispered something but I wasn't going to wait for them to finish.

Two giant walls of ice burst forth from the earth on either side. With one swift motion, I pulled my arms together and the walls complied, slamming together with a thunderous boom.

"Careful!" I cautioned as we leapt back to anticipate any counterattacks but the field was motionless. They were nowhere to be found.

A streak of black whizzed by the side of my face, followed by a sickening thud and a thread of scarlet bloomed from my peripheral view. I turned to see Five lying on the ground, a pool of red staining his body. Dark shards of gleaming metal littered the ground around him, glimmering in the midday sun.

As I gaped at his unmoving body, a strange smoky veil began to wrap around me and strange images began to surface. It started with a whisper, then a scream. My world began to spin as light and shadows danced. Then it all stopped and showed me something I wish I'd never seen...

(America POV)

My eyes never wavered from the enemy, fearing that if I did, it would be game over.

My situation was the same as that day. I stood there, powerless to defend or attack.

Useless...

... unless I could pull that new thing off but I needed some more time to build up enough energy. Hell, I didn't even know if it was possible but I had nothing else.

"Great day to do endurance training," I grumbled under my breath as I followed every movement in the giant mountain of snow and ice, anticipating for the enemy to pop out and kill us all.

"Looking for something?" a hauntingly deep voice reverberated as a hand suddenly popped out of the ground and grabbed ahold of my ankle.

I may or may not have screamed like a little girl.

My trembling gaze shifted to the puddle of red liquid under Five (most likely blood) as it began to fizz and bubble. Then realization dawned on me.

"Wait... STATUES DON'T FUCKIN' BLEED!" I exclaimed as black shards sprouted through the ground. Their slick edges gleamed, thirsting for blood as they buzzed around me like mosquitoes. Cuts and scrapes covered my body and I couldn't find a way to defend. Evading was also not an option, not with the stupid hand with an iron grip on my ankle.