A/N: I wasn't sure about this story at first, but after all the wonderful positive feedback, I know I'm going to see it through to the end! (^-^)

Thank you, world!

And did I mention this story features Nyotalia?


America sighed dramatically, twirling her hair with a delicate finger.

"Iggy~" she asked as her brother took a seat next to her. They were perched on the wall of ice that ringed the village, watching the ocean.

The blond turned his head to her, cocking an eyebrow.

"When do I get to learn waterbending for real? This village is so lame! Can't we go somewhere?" The American frowned, tugging at a curl as she watched her brother with imploring eyes.

"Honestly Amelia, won't you ever shut up? It's not like we can just leave the Southern Water Tribe defenseless without a man like me to protect it," he declared, climbing atop his 'fort' to proudly overlook the sea. America rolled her eyes at this, and losing interest in his lecture, began examining her fingernails.

"What are you talking about? We both know I'm the hero! How many times have I saved your - !"

"Besides that," England interrupted hastily, "even if we were to leave – and had good cause, mind you – how would we even get across the ocean?" Amelia frowned a little, twisting her hands this way and that to see her nails from a better angle. As she did so, the waves her feet dangled over grew in size.

"The only place to study waterbending properly is at the Northern Water Tribe on the other side of the world," England continued. The waves grew higher and higher. "I doubt a canoe would get us there – Ack!" England's monologue abruptly ended with a face full of icy seawater.

The blonde looked up at her brother. "Did I do that? Oops," she said unapologetically.

"Hey, watch where you're bending, you twit! No! Sorry, sorry – don't cry! I'd forgotten how sensitive you are."

With a pout and a glare, Amelia muttered, "I'm not sensitive. I just don't like it when you yell at me." She turned away from him suddenly, focusing on something in the distance. "There's an old Fire Navy ship down that way, you know. I bet I could…"

"Oh, no you wouldn't! I refuse to allow my little sister to commandeer – Where are you going? Hey! Come back here! Wait!" Hopping off of his 'fort', he started to run after her. "What's that brat up to now?" he wondered.

"Hahahahaha!" America laughed haughtily, prancing away. "You'll never catch me! I'm the hero! That's a girl!"

He didn't catch her.


"Just how can a ten ton fluffy beast be your brother? Please tell me you're not related by blood," Germany said, trying to figure a way to climb on.

"We are," the Italian cheerfully affirmed, giving the taller man a boost with his airbending. Germany cast a look at the bison, then at Italy, then back at the bison, then back to Italy…

"You see it's a very long story." Luckily, the Italian had an affinity for long stories. The German did not, however, although no-one ever cared to ask him about anything. "But a long time ago, a witch cast a spell on Romano and me. Romano said he wanted to travel the world, and I said I wanted to settle down for a while somewhere that smelled like tomatoes."

He hopped up onto Romano easily, with an airbending-enhanced jump.

Germany looked at the bison, then at Italy, then at the bison again, then back to Italy… That explains… but a witch…? Tomato box… Germany's thoughts no longer made sense.

Ignoring – or perhaps oblivious to – Germany's stupor, Italy grabbed Romano's reins. "Fly!"

The bison stayed put, growling.

"Soar! Ascend!" Italy tried.

Germany sluggishly turned his thoughts back to the present. "Maybe he has some sort of code phrase. Yip, yip!" he invented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Italy asked when Romano still didn't budge.

"It sometimes works when I'm trying to get my dogs to cooperate," Germany explained awkwardly.

"Cooperate with what?" Italy frowned.

"Er, nothing."

"C'mon, Romano! Vamanos!" Italy tried again.

"Let's get to it! I know that we can do it!" Germany said loudly in a gruff voice.

Italy turned halfway around just to stare at him. If it's possible to stare with your eyes closed, that is. Romano took the opportunity to throw Germany off – having already been insulted by being called a fluffy beast. Fluffy, maybe. But 'beast' was a no-no. Romano growled softly, shooting daggers at Germany's back.

You creep.

Pushing himself up out of the snow, Germany defended himself from Romano's unspoken statement. "I was only quoting Dora!" he snapped.

"Up, up and away!" Italy shouted as soon as a disgruntled Germany climbed back on. With a grunt, the bison moved slowly at first, then with a tremendous roar that sounded to Germany like a string of profanities, Romano took to the skies.

Awed, Germany exclaimed, "I knew he could do it all along!"

Just moments later, Prince Ludwig was hurtling toward Earth like a sack of potatoes.

You creep.


Both England and America eventually ended up on the old, abandoned Fire Navy ship.

As they walked, a floorboard creaked ominously behind them. Grabbing onto her brother, America moaned, "What was that? It's a ghost! I know it's a ghost! Uwwaaaah! Scaryyyy!"

"Calm down, will you? Ghosts aren't that scary, even if there was one on this ship. Isn't that right Ms. Unicorn?" England asked, petting thin air.

"Waaahhaaaahaaaa! An imaginary unicorn! Scaryyyyy~!"

Just as England prepared to make a witty comeback, he slipped on a banana peel and slid on one foot all the way down the corridor. He then fell forward and did a face plant.

"I give that a perfect ten," America congratulated, talking around the large chunk of banana in her mouth.

"Mmrph," came England's angry yet muffled reply. Just then, a high-pitched alarm bell split the air. "What is that?" England asked, picking himself up. "An alarm? I knew we shouldn't have come on board, that's why this place is forbid – "

"Aaaah! It's a ghost! It's a ghost! It's gonna eat us! IT'S GONNA EAT US!"

"Will you relax? Everyone knows that ghosts don't have lips."

She couldn't argue with that logic.

"Blast!" England swore, examining something near his feet. "Looks like you made me trip a wire."

"I didn't make you," America said, swallowing the last of her banana, "you're just clumsy."

"Well for whatever reason, this ship was obviously booby-trapped, and we've walked right into it."

"You walked into it," she corrected under her breath.

"We've done it now!" England panicked, glancing out a window to see a flare rise into the sky.

"You've done it," she amended.

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to do you!"

"Oooh," America taunted, making kissy faces. "Your imaginary friends not good enough for you? Hahahahaha!"

With some difficulty, he ignored that statement. "C'mon, we've got to get off this ship. The Fire Nation has probably been alerted to our location." He walked over to Amelia and tugged her sleeve. The second banana she'd been peeling fell out of her hand. "Let's g- OW!"

Oh clumsy, clumsy England.

"I'm the hero-girl!"


Italy rubbed the giant boo-boo on Germany's head as they soared over the clouds on Romano. "Onii-chan gets a little excited sometimes," he apologized.

"It's alright," Germany muttered awkwardly.

"Hey, what's that? A shooting star?"

"In the middle of the day?"

"Hm. Must be fireworks then!" Italy said, clapping his hands together excitedly.

Germany's brow creased. It looks like some sort of flare. There could be trouble up ahead…

"Romano, head for that sparkly thing!" Italy said, pointing.

What do you think I am? A taxi?

"Please~"

"The bison turned grumpily, headed in the direction of the sparkly thing.

"Thanks, Romano nii-chan~!"

Rawr.