animus_network | 1st video; bad birthdays

[ Sealand’s face can be seen, very close to the screen, his expression bewildered yet somewhat excited. He's on the terminal closest to room 1-20, and he might seem familiar to anyone in the tower who knows England. The only real differences between the two are his somewhat tamer hair, his blue eyes, and the fact that he looks no older than twelve years old.

Oh and guess who totally hasn't read either of those important letters by his bed yet? Who needs to read when it's finally his birthday. He's pretty proud of himself for having figured out how to use the terminal without any help. Technology can help him out here! ]

Hellooooo?!

This is the weirdest birthday surprise I’ve ever had and I don’t know if I like it yet. It’s for a party, uh, right? A surprise party? …Here, for me? This is a strange place for a party, but it’s okay, there must be some reason for it!

I bet my dad organised it! Is he here? And Fin and Wy and everybody? Is this like a game? Is there a cake?! And why did you change me into this suit thing? It's weird.

Anyway, I’m forty-six years old now, you know, I'm practically ancient and more than ready for true nationhood! I hope I have lots of presents and you’ll all take the opportunity to realise how much I’ve grown!

Oh, also, I think this computer’s broken. I can’t find the internet link and I need to get on facebook! I should have lots of birthday messages!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not quite.

[France grimaces and blows a strand of hair away from his face.]

Look, to make a long story short, this is not a very good birthday surprise, no? [He looked down and spoke lower, more to himself than Sealand.] Perhaps it would be better if I told you this in person, hmm...

No...

[ A frown. It hasn't been the best birthday so far. He has clearly been trying to stay optimistic about this whole waking up in a strange place business. But things are beginning to worry him more than a little now. ]

Oh, o-okay. Where are you? I'm just outside this bedroom I woke up in.

[France tries to keep his tone neutral and his face soft when he replies.]

I'm on the third dormitory floor. Could you look at the screen by your door and tell me which room you've been assigned to, s'il vous plait? I will come find you.

O-Okay!

[ He disappears from the screen, running off to look at the door of the room where he arrived. He's back a minute later. ]

It's number one-twenty. I'll be in that room, merrcay, France! [ A small bit of butchered French for France there. He offers a nervous smile. ]

[That awful French, which normally would have made him cringe, actually elicits a chuckle from him. It's nice to hear Sealand make the effort, however butchered it might have been.]

De rien. I will be there in a moment.

[With another tiny nod and (what he hopes is) a reassuring smile, he shuts off the video feed. After trekking up a few flights of stairs, he finds himself at the door to room 1-20. He gives the metal surface a few gentle raps.]

Sealand?

[Sealand nods at the screen and turns away once France had closed the feed. He spins around in the chair and make his way quickly over to the room he had first appeared in the tower.

He's sitting on the bed as he waits, but it's only a minute or two later he hears the knock at the door and greets France eagerly, albeit looking rather nervous now.]

France, hello!

[He offers a smile, and nods to the room behind him.]

This is where I woke up.

[Though he's feeling nowhere near as peppy as he usually would be, France manages a wide smile when he sets eyes on Sealand in person. He hates to think of the people he cares about getting hurt in this place, but there's something comforting about seeing another familiar face right in front of him. He'd been beginning to think that he, England, little America, and Prussia were the only nations to make it here.]

Bonjour, my little friend! I am so relieved to see you.

[He leans down with the intent to embrace Sealand, but he'll settle for a pat if he's stopped. He just needs to make sure he isn't an illusion.]

[Sealand accepts France's hug with no arguments, admittedly quite relived he is finally with someone who he recognises. This isn't turning out the way he hoped it might, and he's getting steadily more and more worried.]

Me too! I was afraid no other nations were here...!

[He looks around the room nervously, trying to size things up, and spots the notes France was talking about by his bed.]

What's going on?

[France holds onto Sealand for another tense moment. He pulls away, smile still on his face, though his eyes lack all traces of good feeling. It looks more like they're filled with pity, or sympathy, or some combination of the two.]

Let's sit down, shall we? This news is... not something to take standing up.

[Sealand frowns, his nervousness having turned into outright fear now. He sits down on the bed he'd woken up in, looking up at France with wide eyes.]

What happened? Where are we?

[France contemplates taking a seat beside him, but he's too antsy for that. Instead, he paces in front of Sealand, moving his hands like enough motion will bring the right words to his head.]

We are... in the Tower. I believe it might have a name, but that escapes me at the moment... [He waves a hand in front of his face.] Not important.

We are no longer on Earth, mon petit. No longer in our own universe. The world that we were in-- That world...

[This is even harder than he thought it'd be. His voice hitches, and he feels something in his chest more akin to an emptiness than an aching. Even after having used England's special glasses that one morning, his trip to his dead world left him feeling more lifeless than ever.

His voice trails off.]

1st video; bad birthdays

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