Prologue: Yukibara

A white rose, a rare flower that blooms amidst the snow. Although it grows magnificently, with pure white petals and a crystal blue stem, no one dares to touch it. Once embraced, it will melt...

"Yukibara!" called out a deep, rough voice.

I looked up from the book I was barely starting.

"Your break is over, go back to the counter! Alissa needs some help!"

I sighed and looked at my watch. It read 12:40 PM; my ten minute break was over, bummer. I slipped my book into my locker and headed back to the ice cream counter where my coworker was fussing at me for ditching her.

At 4:00 PM, I bid my boss good bye and rode out on my bike to my next job. I stopped home since it was on the way, to see how my mother was doing.

"Oka-sama," I whispered when I closed the front door behind me, "I'm back from work but I need to go back out later." I entered her room and she gave me her faint, weak smile.

"Welcome back," she said in her hoarse voice. She attempted to sit up from her bed but I stopped her.

"No, you don't need to get up." I smiled the best I could; seeing her so weak killed me on the inside.

"How was work?" she asked me.

"It was fine, busy and crazy as always. There was even some kid's birthday party today." I put my hand on her forehead; it was burning up.

She laughed a little and put her hand over mine, "Cold as always," she closed her eyes, "my little ice pack."

I smiled but I replaced my hand with an ice patch. She was tired and I knew because she would always stay up, waiting for me to come back from work. I gave her some medicine and water.

"I have to go now," I whispered in her ear, "I'll be back by 8."

She smiled and nodded. I got up and left her room. I decided to stop by my room and looked into the mirror across from the door. I fixed my black hair that had a light blue streak along the left side of my face. My hair was long, since I could never buy time to get a haircut. It grew to my hips now. I looked up to my eyes. One was a regular, dark brown color but the other was some icy blue color. I never understood why or how it turned out to be like that. They're both different but had one thing in common: they gave off an exhausted look.

My watch beeped for the hour. 5:00, I'd better leave now...

I dashed toward the front door.

"Nana-chan," called my mother.

I stopped and peeked in her room, "Hai?"

"Stay safe."

"Hai," I smiled, "you too."

I jumped on my bike and cycled to the bakery that was five blocks away.

I got home at about 8:30. Thirty minutes later than I had promised. When I walked in my house, there was a figure lying in the darkness. My heart jolted and I frantically turned on the lights. My mother was unconscious by her room.

"Oka-sama!" I slid to her side and tried to shake her awake. She was still breathing but her body was burning. I carried her to the nearby couch and dialed the dreaded numbers: 9-1-1.

Sirens, neighbors, a stretcher, and the color red were all I saw as they carried my mother away to the hospital. They told me to stay home and promised to call me if anything happens. I just nodded at them and slipped back into my house before my neighbors crowded around me. I dashed to my room and slumped into my desk chair.

"Everything will be fine…" I told myself as I turned on my computer. I decided to read the webcomic Hetalia, to keep my mind off of the whole situation, although I kept an eye and ear on the phone.

It was around 1 AM and I started to get drowsy, enough that I started to mindlessly click around. No calls yet…

"She is still okay…" I whispered to myself.

I yawned and eventually lost to my exhaustion. The last things I realized before falling asleep was a pop up window, my hand resting on the mouse forcing it to click, the autofill setting on my web browser filling some information, and my head slamming against my keyboard.

The morning came, the call came, and my worst nightmare came. They told me they couldn't do anything and my mother had found her end. They told me that she wanted me to stay strong. They told me I needed to find a guardian in three days or else I'll lose everything else and move to an orphanage since I'm not legally an adult yet. They told me that someone was going to pick me up so I can see my mother one last time.

The next couple of days went by in a blur: I attended the funeral, which was small and simple since we were poor; met false sympathy since no one really knew us; attended my jobs regularly, despite my bosses telling me to take some days off; struggled to find a good guardian; and mourned every night. On the third day, I gave up hope and started packing. I reflected on the life I had before all this.

My father, mother, sister, and I lived a happy, normal life, until when I was 5; ten years ago. My father was a firefighter and he died in one of his rescues; he died with honor. My sister is ten years older than me and when I was 10, she disappeared to Las Vegas, married some guy there, and never returned or contacted home ever since. Now, my mother was taken away. No pets, besides some stray cats, and my only comfort was music and anime, mainly Hetalia, but they will be taken away soon.

I dragged my stuff out of my room and the doorbell rang. Must be the people from the agency or whatever.

I opened the door and instead found a huge box in front of me. A guy in a mailman outfit stepped out from behind it.

"Hello, how do you do ma'am?" He tipped his mail cap.

"Erm… I'm fine, thanks…" I just stared at the box, "What is this?"

"It's a Hetalia Unit, ma'am," he pulled out some form, "you ordered one three days ago."

"I-I did?" I was dumbfounded. I don't remem—must have been when I fell asleep that night! "Is there a return policy..?"

"Nope," he handed me a clipboard and pen.

I stared at it and looked at the man, "Are you sure..?"

"Please just sign it. I have other deliveries to go to."

I looked at the delivery truck and it had a… green Pikachu with wings..? Flying Mint Bunny… is this some kind of joke?

"Umm… how much?" I asked. With a box that large, probably some thousand…I hope not since I barely have some hundred…

"The first three units are free." he was starting to look impatient.

First three? "You mean there's more..?"

He nodded.

Crap… I saw some people walk by giving me weird looks. I quickly signed the paper, Nana Yukibara, and handed it back to the man.

He helped me put the box inside and handed me a manual, "Good luck Miss Nana." He stepped out the door, "My name is Mark by the way, and I will be back every month or so." Then he finally left.

What in the world just happened? I opened the manual and read the name.

"No way…" I breathed. Knowing him, this won't be easy…

Yep… a Hetalia Unit fanfic. It was going to be the first chapter but I realized it had way too many details about Nana's background life so I decided for it to be the prologue. Can anyone guess which unit she got? Her character profile will be on my page along with Tokumi from my other story, Something Like That.

"Hetalia Units" are inspired by LoliDictator

Reviews are appreciated ^^

ps- "Oka-sama" means "mom/mother" (with "sama" being like the highest respect)