Orange and Navy (The Many Colours of Life and Death AU)

Chapter Four

Canada visited Portugal's house again. It was a miracle his father even let him go out after his powers.

"Let's go to the forest again!" Canada told her when she opened the door.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Portugal said, and they ran out together without even asking the Kingdom of Portugal.

"Portugal, can I ask you a question?" Canada asked when they arrived at the creek.

"Sure, even though you already did," Portugal said with a grin that covered her entire face.

"Do you want your father back?" Portugal's smile disappeared.

"Yes. Very much," she whispered.

"I want to experiment with my powers. Maybe it's not just toads. Or only healing. I want to see if I can bring him back. Would you be okay with that?" he offered.

"Of course!" Portugal cried. "That would be awesome!"

"Great! Should we try to find injured animals? To see if I can help them?" Canada said.

"Ooo yes we should. We can be the guardians of the forest!" She said.

They didn't find much at first, but then Portugal found a monarch butterfly. One of its wings was completely gone, and it fluttered sadly on a flower. Canada hesitantly approached it.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to," Portugal said.

"I'm sure. I have to help it," he responded.

The butterfly tried to get away as he came near it, but it didn't get very far. He placed one of his hands, very gently, on top of it. His hands started tingling, something he hadn't noticed before.

Then he raised his hand. Like with the toad, the butterfly's wing was back to full health. The butterfly fluttered around his face before soaring high into the sky.

He braced himself for the pain, but it didn't come. He felt no pain.

"It's not just toads! Yay!" Portugal said. "Are you okay?" She stopped celebrating, peering closely at him.

"Yes. I don't feel anything," Canada said in awe.

"Do bugs feel pain?" Portugal furrowed her brow.

"I don't know."

Later on, they found a dying squirrel. Its stomach had a large hole in it, and it was hardly breathing. It did not try to escape.

"Oh no..." Portugal breathed. Canada felt like throwing up.

He, once again, put his hand over the squirrel's body. The pain did come this time, and it came quickly. Canada tried not to cry out in pain. It's worth it. They need to survive this, he thought.

When he removed his hand, the hole had only grown smaller. It was still seeping blood though. Why didn't it work?

He put his hand over it, and the pain came again. He grit his teeth and pressed on until the pain disappeared suddenly, and a sense of peace flowed through him. He removed his hand in shock. The squirrel no longer breathed. The hole was still too large.

It was dead.

The French Empire approached the Roman Empire after the Mongol Empire's death. She had watched from behind a tree with fascination. She never knew it'd be possible to kill the Ruler of the Dead.

"Congratulations. You did it," she said, and he whirled around to face her.

"Why are you here?" he asked.