The England Experiment

Experiment 1

Arthur stepped through the rippling silver and into the parallel world. Instantly he could feel the difference between where he was and where he is. Warm air hit his face, stuffy and a little humid. He had arrived on the other side of a large mirror placed in a grey corridor. Arthur couldn't see much else, other than the fact that down the corridor were several other paths that split off, and plain doors. You would have to really know the place to know where you were going.

Matt stepped through a few seconds later, breathing a sigh and heaving the bat over his shoulder again. He inclined his head to Arthur as he stepped past him.

"Follow me."

He trotted down the hall after the tall Canadian, knowing he was getting lost. They finally turned a last corner and Matt opened a grey door labelled, 'Labratory #457'. Arthur breathed slowly as they stepped through.

Oliver was sitting on a chair; there was a large table infront of him overflowing with papers, files, and general clutter and research. But this wasn't Arthur, it was Oliver, so the papers were all organised on the table, unlike Arthur's chaotic desk back in England.

There was a large window on the far wall looking into a plain room containing a white surgeon's bed, a cabinet and a small wheeled table next the the elevated bed. It was a blackout window, Arthur could tell that he wouldn't be able to see back through to the other side once he was in that room.

Oliver looked up from his work and smiled wide, his blue eyes shining. He stood and walked over to them.

"Hello Artie! How are we today?"

"Don't call me that."

Oliver ignored him and stepped to Matt, brushing and straightening the jumper that fell loosely around his shoulders. Oliver frowned and Matt tried to shove him away but Oliver's hands dived into the jumper pockets.

His hands found the packet of cigarettes and he brought them out, looking dissaprovingly up at Matt.

"Young man-"

"Yeah yeah I know, just let it go."

Matt tried to turn to the door, but Oliver grabbed his arm. The man then pulled a long knife out of his pocket, paused, then stabbed straight through the box of cigarettes. He smiled and handed the box back to Matt, the knife still in it.

"Ok?!" He said, then pushed Matt out of the door and turned to Arthur with a large smile.

"Right Artie-"

"Don't call me that."

"Artie let's go in and begin, ok!"

Oliver grinned and lead the way through the door into the white room behind the blacked out glass window. Arthur let himself be walked in, laid down on the operating bed; and rolled up the sleeve of his crisp white shirt whilst Oliver was nattering on about nothing.

"Right!" Oliver said at last, holding up a syringe he had taken from the cabinet and then added something to. He flicked it and it made a little clink like in the movies. "Just sit back and relax!"

Arthur breathed out in a long sigh as the needle pressed the cold liquid into his forearm. He got a last glimpse of Oliver, who smiled and put the syringe down on the table beside the bed, before his eyes dropped closed.

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Arthur's eyes snapped open, only to see a blurry vision of everything. His head spun in a headache and his throat was sore and dry. He tried to rub his eyes but his hands were chained above his head. Arthur was knelt down on the floor made of cold stone that made his legs cramp beneath him.

He tried to make his blurry eyes clear, but to no avail. The world spun and dark blotches clouded his vision.

Arthur didn't know someone was there until he felt them.

Not their presence, but their knuckles against his cheek.

He coughed and startled, his eyesight finally clearing to look up at his captor, only to see harsh blue eyes and slicked back blonde hair.

"Ludwig?"

His words were cut off by a boot kicking his ribs. Arthur struggled to draw in breath, and Ludwig crouched down infront of him.

"It is your country's fault that Germany suffered. We did not start the war, but you Arthur, sat back and signed the Treaty of Versailles right in front of me, signing my country's doomsday letter."

Arthur choked out a few quiet words, unable to meet the German's eyes.

"Never... wanted... Germany... suffer-"

Ludwig stood up and kicked him in the gut.

"I will always hate you for that."

Arthur coughed and his vision blurred again. It cleared to see Antonio standing where Ludwig had stood. Antonio cupped Arthur's face in his hands, and held him up a little from where he had fallen sideways on the stone floor. Arthur was righted, and sat a little straighter, supported up by the Spaniard's warm hands.

"There," Antonio said, smiling softly at Arthur. But almost as suddenly as it was there, the smile plummeted to a sneer, and Antonio removed one of his hands, punching him right below his left ribcage.

"Right. There." Antonio snarled, punching him again in the same spot. "That's where you stabbed me just before my fleet sank in the English channel. Remember?"

Arthur closed his eyes in regret. Antonio growled and slammed his fist into the same spot, grazing the pale skin underneath. Arthur bit his lip and winced in pain, trying to curl up; but Antonio's other hand gripped and held him up by his jaw.

"You sunk my ships! Bullshit. Your only saviour was your poor weather." Antonio punched him once more then let go of Arthur, standing up.

"Remember that too."

All Arthur could do was listen to Antonio's footsteps fade as his vision blurred again, and then look up again as a different fist collided with his jaw.

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Author's note: hi! Sorry that this took a while to come out, I suffered from lack of motivation and a writer's block -__- Prepare for more sad feels in the future (when I manage to write them) and thank you to everyone reading!