Ivan arrived at the conference room, 20 minutes early. A guitar was playing. He walked inside, Alfred was the one playing. A window was open. He moved to close it. Alfred stopped. "Please don't close the window, and don't let anybody else close it. I need it open."

"Okay, Alfred." Ivan said. He turned around; Alfred was just dressed in a huge American flag, his clothes laid folded on the table. He heard a laugh, then a flutter of wings. He turned to see an eagle fly out the window. His eyes narrowed. "Somebody has been practicing magic behind our backs." Two polar bears padded into the room.

"Who?" one asked the other. The other reared, turning around and running out. Several minutes later, Matthew ran in. Arthur looked at him from his seat, which he had just taken.

"Hmm, somebody has been into my magic books."

Matthew trembled. At that moment, other nations started filing in. "Where's America?" Ludwig asked. Ivan glanced at the window as an eagle flew in. It circled once, and then landed on his arm.

Arthur frowned at the stack of clothes on the table, then at the bird on Ivan's arm. His frown grew deeper when, as if to confirm his thoughts, Ivan pecked the bird on the beak. The bird ruffled its feathers, shocked, but did not fly off, like a normal one would have. They all watched as the Russian gathered the stack of clothes and stood up. The bird flew off his arm and settled back down on his shoulder, nibbling his ear with affection. Gilbert and Gilbird glared as they left.

"Something tells me I know who that eagle is." Arthur said. "I'm not happy with him at all."

Several minutes later, Alfred walked in. Arthur got to his feet. "Alfred, you and Matthew have some explaining to do."

The twins glanced at each other. "It was an accident." Matthew began.

"Turning into creatures isn't an accident."

"That's not what I meant. The first time we did magic was an accident."

"Explain."

"Kumajirou was hurt. Mattie healed him."

"Healed him?"

"It was amazing. Kumajirou was bleeding and then Mattie touched him. It was gone and healed up, just like that."

"Matthew, can you heal all species or just non-humans?"

"I can't heal Tony. I can't heal humans or nations. So just non-humanoids."

"Can you summon animals?"

"Yes."

"Let me see. Do you see that cat of Greece's?"

"Yes."

"Don't call it to aloud, close your eyes and feel for the cat."

Matthew closed his eyes; he could feel Alfred's curiosity and his nervousness. Reaching further, he felt himself come into contact with the cat. However the cat's mind was entwined with Heracles'.

'Sorry, Heracles,' He thought to the other nation. 'I need to borrow the cat.' He felt the other's mind break contact and he thought of fish, making the cat come to him.

"Congratulations. You did it."

His eyes open at Arthur's statement. Heracles had his eyes open, staring at him. It hit him. "Greece is one, too. His is limited to cats only, mine is open to all." He saw the other nation nod. Arthur frowned.

"Alfred?"

"Weather."

"Come again?"

"We're both shape shifters and I can control the weather."

"I see."

Ivan entered as Alfred closed his eyes. He bumped against the younger man, causing him to set Arthur on fire. "Bloody hell! You git! I'm on fire!"

Alfred's eyes flew open and a rain cloud darkened the air above Arthur's head. It erupted, putting out the fire.

"You are forgiven." Arthur said. "I realize Russia distracted you. So where have you two been learning magic? My books haven't been touched."

Heracles spoke up. "I have been working with Matthew a little; I think Alfred just learns on his own."

"I'll be teaching you both from here on. Alfred? Alfred? ALFRED!"

Alfred jumped. Ivan had distracted him again, this time by standing by the window, allowing the sunlight to fall on his hair and light him up with a glow. Ivan smiled as the American yelled "Yes, sir!"

"Let's see you both shape shift."

With a sigh, Matthew transformed into a polar bear and Alfred became an eagle again, perching in Matthew's fur.

"Who?" Kumajirou asked Matthew again.

"Can we get this meeting started?" Ludwig asked, frustrated.

"Gilbird, are you a human shape shifter, too?" Gilbert asked. Gilbird chirped and bit his nose. "Ow, you bit the awesome me!"

Arthur picked up Matthew's clothes and turned to Alfred. "Do you want to change for the meeting?"

The bird blinked twice.

"He doesn't want to." Heracles translated.

Ivan picked up Alfred's notes. "I'll read his notes," he said.

Arthur and Matthew left the room as Alfred perched back on Ivan's arm. The meeting started once the two returned. It was a quiet meeting. Whenever Alfred wanted to comment, he would nudge Ivan's arm, only to be kissed on the beak. After a while, he gave up, realizing his mind couldn't be read by his companion. He settled with squawking whenever there was a silence. After one loud one, he was silenced for the rest of the meeting when Arthur glared at him. Ivan stood up. Alfred, startled, flew away. Ivan made his way to the podium. Alfred circled once, and then landed on his head. Everybody laughed. A camera flashed.

"Alfred F. Jones! Get off his head this instant!" Arthur yelled.

Alfred moved to his shoulder. Ivan gave his own speech and then launched straight into Alfred's. At one point, his ear was bitten when he slipped into Russian, then back into English. The meeting was concluded when he finished. He gathered Alfred's clothes and walked into the restroom where the eagle flew into a stall.

"Ouch. I was in that shape for too long." Alfred said after he changed back. "May I have my clothes please?" He was handed one article at a time over the door as they discussed the meeting. He walked out, fully dressed. "You," he said, placing his hand on Ivan's arm, "need to learn to read my mind, no matter my form."

"Can Matthew read your mind?"

"Yes, he can."

They walked to Alfred's place, discussing the problem. Before they got too far, an obstacle stood in their way, a Natalya shaped obstacle. There was a pop, and Ivan was gone. Alfred found himself standing next to a nervous Russian Blue cat. He picked it up, kissing its head. It rubbed against him, purring. Alfred walked by, still holding the cat, and Ivan's clothes was folded up with his stuff. "I knew you had magic in you," he said, putting the cat down on his couch when they arrived. The cat leapt down and ran into another room.

"Alfred?"

"I'm bringing them."

"Thank you."

"So, how do you feel about becoming my student? Since that was your first time doing magic."

They stayed up all night doing magic. At the conference the next day, Alfred slept. A very tired Ivan took notes for both of them. Arthur started writing and passed a note to him.

"Your magic is very strong. When did it wake up?"

"Yesterday. Alfred was working with me all night."

"I see. Everybody in this room is capable of magic, most just don't acknowledge it."

Arthur walked up to the podium. He began to speak in another language. Before he knew it, he was looking at a room full of animals. He smiled, knowing what animal each nation could turn into. He sent them all to sleep and walked out, still smiling.