Arthur liked to think they could have a happy ending.

It was a wistful thought, he knew, but he couldn't help it. There were so many things he hadn't said, so many relationships he hadn't bothered repairing. How cruel it was, for fate to tear them away before he could.

It had been almost seven years since the Cry of the Earth, as some liked to call it. It was a miracle his country hadn't been destroyed. After all, many nations were felled during that time. Greece, Italy, and Japan, to name a few. Even Germany, a land-locked nation, suffered enough economic trouble to crumble and perish.

Irunya had called earlier that day. She and her sister were combining their governments for a while, she had said. They had also convinced the Russian government to use some of their land to reestablish some of the old countries. Francis had been delighted when he heard the news. Arthur had been pleasantly surprised, but he still couldn't think about Russia without eventually thinking about the war.

He hated that. Back then, you didn't know who your friend was, or who your enemy was. One day you would be fighting with someone, the next they were dropping bombs on you. Even though they somehow managed to avoid using nuclear weapons until the very end, the destruction was worldwide and much worse than the aftereffects of either of the first two world wars.

Some called it the war to end all wars, and Arthur couldn't help but agree. If only he could just forget about it.

It wasn't just the war that haunted him, of course. What came next was almost worse. At the time, everyone thought that the Treaty of Coexistence would end the suffering, Arthur included. If only the disease hadn't chosen that time to rear its ugly head. Although there was a cure, it was incredibly expensive to make, weakening the economies of every nation that produced it.

Arthur remembered watching helplessly as the disease swept through China, still overpopulated enough to assist in the spread of the illness. It was when he learned of the personification's fate that he realized how far from peace they were.

It was about that time that they fell ill, and Arthur jerked his thoughts away. He wasn't quite ready to start thinking about them yet.

As he finished his tea, Francis came down the stairs. "Irunya requested we hold a meeting sometime soon," he announced, his annoyingly French accent as prominent as ever. "She says she will ask Tino if we can hold it in Finland."

Arthur nodded and placed the cup on the table. "That sounds lovely," he murmured.

Francis frowned and walked over, taking a seat across from him. "Are you alright?" he asked, voice full of concern. "If you are feeling ill, I should call a doctor."

"I'm fine," Arthur insisted. He looked down at the table. "I was thinking."

Arthur knew Francis understood. After all, how could they prevent themselves from dwelling on the lost members of their makeshift family? He was thankful Francis was there; their entire lives, they'd been together, whether they were fighting or supporting each other. Arthur loathed to admit it, but Francis probably knew him better than anyone else ever had.

"We should go traveling," Francis decided. "We can visit the others and still be back for the meeting."

A brief respite would be good, Arthur decided. "Alright," he said. "When should we leave?"

"How about now?" Francis asked. "There is no point to waiting."

Arthur stood. "I'd better go pack, then."

I have another oneshot! I am not dead! I am off to write the next KTD chapter! See ya!