I walked down the quite path my blonde little pigtails bobbing off my shoulders. Things were so peaceful here. It made me happy! My name is Mattie, I'm a 10 year old country. (Canada) I have a twin sister, she basically the total opposite of me. Her names Alfie. Were close and all but she can get on my nerves. My guardian is Iggy. He's been raising me and Alfie ever since we were 4. He seems to like Alfie more than me though... But I try not to let it get to me. I ran my hand down the wooden fence and listened happily as the snow crunched under my leather boots. I like these times. The times of peace and thought. My face was almost swallowed by my Canadian scarf. I was wearing my usual, Brown winter coat, red Canadian scarf, red t shirt, leather boots, leggings, a denim skirt, a barrette, and my hair in pigtails tied by red ribbons. Sigh. If only times were always this peaceful. I pressed y best friend Kumajirou closer to my chest. Kumajirou is my little polar bear friend. He doesn't know who I am though, along with the rest of the world. I live in my sisters shadow. Only her and sometimes Iggy notice me. I sighed. "Who are you?" Kumajirou squeaked. "I'm your owner Mattie..." I looked down.I kept walking until i came across a berry bush. "I could bring some home and maybe I could make some berry pie. I smiled, they loved my cooking, and me and Alfie both hated Iggy's. "Kumajirou can you help me pick som-" A loud screaming interrupted me.
I turned around. "What in the maple leaf is that?" I squinted and lean closer to see my sister Alfie speeding down the path heading straight towards me as Kumajirou in a homemade sled. I shrieked grabbed the bear and ran. "LONG LIVE THE HERO!" She screamed. Her little ponytail was whipping in the wind. "Alfie please stop!" I cried. "NEVER!" She threw an ice filled snowball at me. "Alfie-" I turned around and the snowball hit me straight in the face. I fell face first on the icy pavement. I moaned. "Maple leaf..." Alfies homemade sled ran straight over me. "I WON THE WAR!" She rode straight down the path crashing into a pine tree. She leaped out of the tree with bright eyes. "That was like totally cool! Dude I so went airborne it was totally like amazingly awesome! "For you..." I groaned. Iggy came running down the path. "Alfie! Are you okay? You forgot your helmet! Oh my goodness Did you crash? Are you ok?" he was freaking out. "Yeah I'm fine. Can I go home and have some hot cocoa?" she asked excitedly. "Of course you can. It looks like you got a scratch on your face.. And your covered in dirt. Come along now, let's go get you patched up." he began to walk away. Tears flooded my eyes. "Iggy..?" I croaked out. I laid bruised broken and hurt on the pavement. I was covered I mud and my pigtails were undone and messed up. My skirt was covered in slush and I was wet and shivering. "Anyone?" A tear landed in the snow. Kumajirou came and sat down next to me. He flopped down on my back. "Who are you?" He asked. "IM MATTIE!" I screamed. And started sobbing. "No one notices me! I'm not invisible I'm here! Why do they ignore me! Even my guardian! He's supposed to take care of me but he just ignores me and cares for my STUPID twin sister! She just takes advantage of me! I sobbed. I pounded the ground with my fist. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" I screamed. "That is quite the story. You must be Britain's little girl if I'm correct." I looked up. There was a man holding his hand out towards me. "Who are you...?" I asked shyly. I wiped my years with my wet mud covered sleeve. "My name is France. I can take you home if you'd like." I sniffled and nodded. He picked up me and Kumajirou in his arms and began to walk down the path. "You look cold. Take off that old wet coat and put this on." He took off his cloak and wrapped it around me tightly. "thank you, but won't you be cold?" I asked. "Don't worry about me." He smiled. I leaned my head against his chest and fell asleep in the warmth of the cloak.
I woke up still in Frances arms. We were on the porch of my home. He knocked on the door. Iggy answered with a frown. "What do you want you cheese drunken twat?" He scowled at him and then looked down at me. "MATTIE! You were supposed to be an hour ago! You sisters hurt! Help me by making dinner and helping her! Gosh you need to be more responsible! Look at you your covered in mud and your soaking wet! What have you been doing? Never mind I quite frankly don't care. Get your butt in here and start helping out around here!" he yelled. Tears flooded my eyes again and I buried my face in Frances chest. "Please take me home with you Mr. France!" I cried. Iggy glared at France and then suddenly softened his glaze. "what's wrong love?" He asked me. France pressed me closer. "I found her face down on the pavement covered in bruises shivering and mud covered." Iggy looked at me. "oh dear are you okay?" I started sobbing. "ALFIE RAN OVER ME WITH HER SLED AND HIT ME IN THE FACE WITH AN ICE SNOWBALL AND THEN SHE CRASHED AND THEN YOU CAME AND LEFT ME THERE AND TOOK HER HOME!" I pressed closer still to France. "I'm sorry love I didn't see you." his voice sounded guilty and soft. "Of course you didn't." I sniffled. France glared at Iggy and then stroked my hair and whispered kindly in my ear "I'm going to give you back to your daddy now. Don't worry though I'll come back and visit soon. Don't worry everything will be okay." I sniffled and nodded. He gave me a squeeze and gave me to Iggy. "Thank you Mr. France!" I called after him. I smile and waved as he walked away. I shivered and Iggy held me close. "How about I run you a bath and then you can go watch the tele with your sister. I'll make sure to bandage your scratches to. I am sorry sweetheart." I looked away and dragged myself and Kumajirou up stairs into the bathroom and shut and locked the door. I turned on the hot water and shivered. I heard a small knock on the door. "Mattie? Are you in there? Are you okay?" it was Alfie. "Um I'm fine..." I replied.
"Can I come in?" she asked meekly. I sighed unlocked the door and opened up. "what?" I asked. "Can I take a bath with you and your bear? I felt bad about earlier... I just got carried away being the hero and such.." I smiled a little and hugged her. It wasn't a real apology but coming from Alfie it meant something. We stripped down shut the door and hoped in the warm bath. I splashed her and she splashed me. We both giggled and Kumajirou sat clinging on to me. Alfie splashed us both and we both squealed and got her back. We eventually ended up soaking the bathroom. Iggy came in had a fit and then laughed and brought us towels. We both hoped out and went down stairs. We sat down in robes while Iggy tended to our wounds. We drank cocoa and watched TV. It was nice but weird hanging out with Alfie like this. Later we both went to my room and chatted. "Have you ever wondered what it will be like when we grow up and become real countries?" I shook my head. "have you?" she nodded. "I'm going to be a hero. And I'll take over the world! You can be my sidekick. After all, all heroes need a sidekick." she beamed. "I suppose." I flopped down. "have you ever thought about.. Other countries?" I asked. She looked at me like I was crazy. "My underlings? Ha-ha no. Only you and Iggy are important to me now. And that's all I need. Why, have you?" I nodded. "meeting Mr. France today made me think. When I get older ill need allies right? Why not start now. When we're countries we can just do it all on our own!" once again she gave me a crazy look. "well you can't. But I totally can!" she jumped up on the bed. "IM THE HERO!" she yelled. I just laughed and jumped up. "And I'm the sidekick!" we giggled and fell back down on the bed. "Allies for life?" She looked at me with her big blue eyes. "of course!" we smile and drifted off to sleep.