The sharp cold harass wind was stinging my rosy frost bitten cheeks. The sound of crushing snow under my boots filled my ears. I watched my little tuxedo friend waddled to the front door of a small cottage-like house.

"Hold on Popper, let me unlock the door!" I said to the inpatient flightless bird.

Popper made a weird sound, a mix between a peep and a quack. After rumbling around for my keys, I opened the door and a wave of warmth and Popper run into the small living room (it was the first room one walks into from the door that lead outside).

I took of my heavy long black coat, my under jacket, gloves, and goggles. I pounder for a moment if I wanted to take off my purple and white striped scarf, deciding that the house was at a good temperature, I placed my scarf on the coat rack along with my other stiff from the cold clothes.

I looked over to Popper; he was on the couch with Antarcticat, a small calico kitten. Her head popped up her heterochromatic eyes looking at me, as if to say…

"You need to relax"

I only sighed and walked into the kitchen, it was only a few feet away from the living room. I lived in a small house, just big enough for one person. I did have an underground cellar, which is about three the size of my actual house. But there is a reason for that, more then one really, but the main one is more when I have to do research.

As I was poring me some brandy (to help get warm, even if I love the cold) it just helps, so I don't catch hypothermia. Out of the corner of my hazel-green eyes I saw a latter on top of the counter.

I set my glass down and picked up the beige envelope. In over almost overly pretty -cliché- handwriting was my "name" in baby blue.

A ,

it read.

I was puzzled. The mail did not come this time of the month. Still puzzled and looking at the front of the envelope, I did not notice Antarcticat jump on the counter.

"Meow." The soft nose broke me out of my daze.

"Antarcticat, did you bring this in?" I asked with an amused smiled, a little surprised that my small kitten went out into the Arctic snow to get the letter. But what surprised me more was that I got a letter, me the girl that lives in the middle of nowhere in a frozen cold waste lane, and at the wrong time on top of that. The mail only comes once a month, and the mail had already come this month

So who….

Then it hit me! I flipped over the envelope and there it was, a small stamp of world map on the back, covering the full backside of the envelope.

" Damn it! WHY?!" I cried in an almost –almost- overly dramatic fashion. Then I face-desk…errr face-counter-topped.

My muffled words –that really were the sound of forcing myself not to cry- were out hared questionable styles of peeps and mews.

I still had my head down and my arms folded under it by this point. My shoulders were shacking as I try my best not to let tears fall. I felt a soft peaking at my leg. Knowing it was Popper, I did not look, yes he was trying to make me fell better but it did no good.

I hated, I mean hated going to world meetings. All the other counties ever did was mock me.

~ Why are you even here? You are not even a real country. All you are and all you ever will be is nothing but a block of ice and snow. Now do us a favor and go back, so the real counties can get work done. You are not needed here. ~

The curl words of England played over in my head. That was back when I use to go to meetings of my own accord. That was over 50 years ago, and I have not been back since. No one stood up for me, and I know I'm to weak to stand up for myself.

I have nothing to back me up against other countries. I have to army, no government, and my resources … I flinched at that thought.

Research.

That all they ever wanted me for, I think, but the might be other reasons too.

But why would any one want a block of ice? I'm nothing more then a desert, of cold. I don't even have real freedom! Not even the others that "have owned claimed" to me will stand up for me or even help me!

Hell England even told me I was nothing more then a block of ice! And he claimed almost a third of my "land"

The tears by now were running down my pale cheeks and they would not stop. Although silent, they fall like the snowflakes I so use to.

~ You will, not stop us, Da. Little one. You stay out of way, if you know what's good for you, da?~

Even more tears come as I remember when Russia come and forced his way into my home with his scientists as they went to work, staid in my house and I could not do a thing about. He would not even let me help with the research. And when I did try to help or even try to tell him, that his team were taking up to much space…he…

I had to stop I could to relive that moment. And all the names he called me. It hurt too much. I hated be weak. But when you are not even a real country and you have a much, much bigger seal population then people… it hard to find courage.

I never had any friends beside the animals that live here, I never had a big brother or big sister to help me out, like the others did. I was always alone. Even when one of my "claimers" comes, they are here for only a short wile, and it's only on business. They never hardly even talk to me while they are here.

Eight. Eight of them have claim to me, and two other have the right to come and do has they please, even though they do not have any claim.

"So why? Why now? Why did they send this to me? Is it some kind of sick joke? Do they just want to see if I'll get my hopes up and fall for it?"

I asked Popper and Antarcticat, looking up for the first time while I was in my self-pity state. Oh, how I wish I were strong, wish I had more to offer the world. People to fight for, a government to try to maintain, try to prove to other that I can be a real country. But that will never happen and I know it.

All I have is quote un quote is smarts. I have read so many times in different new papers and blogs around the world that my home is a place of science and research. (that's why I have my basement/lab) I'm smart and I know it, but the other seems not to believe it or they don't care.

I smiled a little bit, remembering the first time I had learned about String Theory. I still work on that from time to time too.

Drying my face, I ran a hand threw my shoulder length messy curly dark brown hair, stopping at my snowflake hair clip. I finally calmed down, but I did not know what to think. I have not seen the others in over 50 years and I don't know if they really want me there –of course not!- if this is a cruel trick or what is really going on.

"Should I open it?" I ask half-hearty to Popper and Antarcticat.

They both just nodded.

I sighed. "I fell like that shy nerdy girl in high school, that everyone bullies and then they pretend to be her friend, just to play a mean prank on her later." I stated with a sad smile, still looking at the unopened envelope.

I heard a growl, that sounds like a get-on-with-it-already.

I look at my two companions and then look back at the envelope. Finding some bravery… or was it just anxiety of not knowing? I ripped it opened. I unfound the paper that was inside.

After a few moments of reading, my eyes winded at the words on the page. I fell to me knees, my dark blue skinny jeans protecting me from the cold kitchen floor.

My hands start to shack and my breath was uneven, but it stopped all together once I read the every bottom of the letter.

At the bottom of the page, were 10 names, all of them signed.

Eight of them from the courtiers that own claim to me and the last two were from the ones that had basic free range of me.

"Why? Why did they do this? Why me?" I ask looking up.

I felt a paw and a flipper on my lag, as if they were trying to comfort me.

"All I am is a block of ice. Why do they need my help? I'm Antarctica, I'm nothing special" I said looking back down at the letter in my hands.

Dear,

Antarctica, your are request, command to be present at next world meeting being held in America, (DC.) The countries of your claim (and most likely the world) need your help solve a worldwide issue. ALL countries/macro counties have to attend this meeting. A plane well pick you up two weeks before the meeting and at that time you will stay with one of your claimers, then two weeks later attend the meeting and you will not be allowed back to your respected country land, tell we solve the issue at hand. This should take no more then six months.

And at the bottom was, Norway, England, Australia, France, Chile, New Zealand, Argentina (the 8 have claim to me) then America and Russia (free rage)

It was their signatures

Wait….

"S..s…si…SIX MONTHS!" I yelled, scaring my cat and penguin half to death. It was rare for me to yell.

I don't think I can do this. I thought as I got up from the floor and made my way over to my bedroom. It was at the end of the short hallway. Popper and Antarcticat were close behind me. Once there I flopped down on my twin-sized bed, the light blue and white cover getting tangled under my weight.

"I just don't under stand it and what could this 'issue" be?" I said looking up at nothing.

Quack!

"First off, you are not a duck, and second if it was that how could I help? I mean it is just that everything that is slowly killing me. And it is that everything that put me in my weaken state and it the reason as to why I'm so sick all the time." I told Popper, who was not resting by my head.

I could understand him and Antarcticat, as if the were speaking the same language as me. It the only "people" I have talked to in years! But Popper did bring up a point, because of that one thing (besides me being a shy, scared, weak, not-a real-country-) I'm weak as in from illness weak. Some days I can't even get out of bed because of the pain and Popper has found me pasted out on the ground more then a few times with a every high fever.

Meow! I glazed my eyes down at the small kitten on my –in my option to large of- chest.

Antarcticat said in a sad tone, as if she pitied me. And why wouldn't she, I mean I even pity myself.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." I said petting her head.

Last them any of the, saw me was in 1950, because a US Navy Rear Admiral; Richard Evelyn Byrd led five expeditions to Antarctica during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

And I wanted to touch bases with America, so I showed up at a meeting, not telling anybody, and the first person I can into was England…

And that is when he called me a block of ice and told me to get out. I have not seen any of the others since then

Sure I would hear about them from time to time on the new or on the web….well not about them pursay, but about their country. And the last time I saw them; I was Sealand's age he is now.

(authors note: sealnad is still a little kid in here)

But I was found way before that. Kind of sick right, a small child raising herself in this kind of places. Not once do my claimers help me.

I'm just land they want and why I will never really know.

But Antarcticat is right, I was just a kid last time the saw me and I have grown up since then. Maybe I can fine it some were in me to stand up for myself.

I sighed and got up and walked into my bath that was connected to my bedroom. Maybe a hot shower will help me relax.

-time skip-

I had all my things packed, I wish I could take my lab with me, but I would never hear the end of it. Like why did you bring that, or what good would that do you? Or you have no need for this/do you even know how to use this?

Shacking my head from negative thoughts, I look over to Popper. Who was setting on my bed waiting and Antarcticat was by the window.

Today was the day, I was going up in a plane to go stay with one of my claimers, I don't know who it is yet, but it really does not matter who it is.

It well be the same has it always has been. Treating me like the outcast. And that why for the past two weeks, I have been trying to get up the courage to prepare to stand up for myself!

I just hope it works and I don't like a complete dumbass.

"MEWO!" Antarcticat let out a loud meow, telling me that the plain was here.

"Here go nothing." I said, still felling a lot uneasy and unsure.

I zipped up my coat, put my scarf around my nick and over my shoulder. My gloves went on and I pulled down my goggles over my grey beanie to my eyes.

With my one suit case in hand, Popper on my left shoulder and Antarcticat on my right shoulder. I headed out my front door while taking a deep breath.