Here it is everyone. Chapter 10. I have bad news. This story is wrapping up, so the next chapter might be the last. I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been working 5 days a week and school happened, and even this is a last minute thing (I'm sorry again Sydney, I promise you get to edit other stuff). I've actually been working on this on and off for a while, so I hope you like it! Oh yeah, and the soccer game is played on the school's field. Just clearing that up now.

Please don't kill me for the ending.

CHAPTER 10

in 10 years time!

Clyde sighed and pulled on a casual button-up shirt and jacket. He tried to calm his messy blonde hair, running a comb through the feathery layers before giving up. He knew Alex Jones would tease him. Alex always found something out of place on him, pointing out even if a button was undone. Maybe Hitomi would be free for lunch. He blushed and shook his head. She would probably be with Luciana and Ingrid. Clyde picked up his backpack and headed downstairs. His adoptive father was most likely in the kitchen, reading and sipping tea, as he did every morning.

Sure enough, England was sitting at the table as Clyde made himself toast. The nation looked up at his adopted son, a smirk crossing his face, "Good morning."

" 'Morning," Clyde mumbled underneath his breath, annoyed with the day already. "I can't believe I'm going out to play football with them today... Alex is insane, as well as Dmitri and Louis. Not to mention Viorica. She's freaky." Clyde wouldn't admit Alex was the closest thing to a best friend he had, besides Hitomi.

"Don't be so harsh. Hitomi will be there, and the younger kids will be as well. You'll be fine. You better get going, or you'll be late."

"Fine, I'm leaving now then. Have fun at your meeting." Clyde slung his backpack over his shoulder and held his toast in his mouth as he left the house.

"Have a nice day as well."

...

Clyde trudged along the sidewalk, wishing that the school was closer. He was lucky they were studying in London this month, so it wasn't too far of a walk. The next month they were in Tokyo, and that meant his Japanese could improve. He walked to the dorms (he didn't live there since he lives in London anyways), passing various patches of flowers and trees that lined the entrance.

Soon he was inside, walking down the familiar path to Hitomi's dorm. He knocked on her door like every morning. "Hitomi, it's Clyde, time for the football game!" Soon the girl emerged, gently smiling.

"You don't have to walk me to everything Clyde. Thank you though," The soft speaking girl tugged him down to peck his cheek shyly, a familiar motion to her.

"CLYDE! DUDE, YOU'RE TOTALLY LATE TODAY!" Alex's voice rang throughout the building, popping Clyde's eardrums and shattering his peaceful bliss. Alex ran down to meet them, giving Hitomi a quick hug and Clyde a clap on the shoulder.

"ALEX! Bloody idiot, I'm going to kill you someday! Don't touch me!"

"Dude, you love me. Hey, Vampire! Luci, Ingrid! Wait! We'll walk with you. We're going to the park next to the school, right?" Alex waved at the group of girls, who impatiently stopped and waited for the boys and Hitomi to catch up. Luciana had her signature grin on and Ingrid held a cocky stance, arm slung confidently over Luciana's shoulder. Viorica wore a long skirt, hair tumbling down her back in dark curls. She scowled at Alex, black parasol ready to be used as a weapon. Words quickly overlapped in eagerness to be heard over each other, as usual.

"Veee~ I'm going to kick butt in football today!" Luciana happily raced to the field, tugging Ingrid along.

"Hahaha! Clyde, your face is so totally red when you stand next to Hitomi, dude. Like a lobster! I'll win today!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Look, we're here." Ingrid ran onto the field to the small group of younger kids.

"Yo, Vi. The sun's out, are you going to sparkle?" Alex grinned and took off toward the field, dodging Viorica as she screamed at him, swinging at his back with her parasol. Clyde sighed as he watched the chase, the others holding back laughter as they met with the others.

...

The game lasted an hour and a half, Ingrid's team eventually winning. It was filled with Luciana yelling at players, Clyde and Alex an equal match, Ingrid scoring only slightly more than Louis. Serveral more games were played, each intense in their own way, both teams winning and losing. After the day passed into late afternoon, they all collapsed in the middle of the field, laughing and exhausted. Krysta spoke up first. "Like, that was totally awesome."

"Mega awesome. Clyde is almost as good as me." Alex laughed, wiping his forehead. Clyde glared over at him.

"It was super fun though, huh Ingrid?" Luciana giggled, "You were so cool!"

"Ja, und Louis couldn't keep up with the amazingness that is me."

"Hey!" Louis pushed her shoulder playfully. A car pulled up, stopping near the playground next to the field. A family got out, young kids dashing eagerly to the structures looming over the grass. The nation's children grew quiet, eyes following the family with a slight sadness.

"I wonder what our human parents were like." Luciana nearly whispered, almost to herself.

"Don't talk like that! We have good parents now. They may be nations, but they take good care of us!" Ingrid gently scolded Luciana, not wanting her to get upset. This was followed by some murmurs of agreement and then silence. Which, of course, was broken by Alex.

"So, does anyone else think its totally weird that our parents are siblings?" This caused laughter to errupt.

"Please, be mature. Don't you know that we're a challenge for them? Its to improve border relations between siblings and neighboring countries." Dmitri rolled his eyes, "You should know that by now, da?"

"Don't be mean, ve! Alex was just-a making fun of them." Luciana stuck out her tongue, Hitomi laughing at her. "But... has anyone noticed? They don't age..."

The children grew quiet again, a silent agreement. Nellie sat up first, "It will only be hard when we grow really old. My big brother doesn't age either, so soon I'll look a lot older than him. Besides, we all know what happens when we turn 18."

"We leave for good, and spare our parents' the pain of watching us grow old and die." They all said together, the accents mixing. They knew it was the only option, they met their parents' bosses and they were given that instruction. They were after all, just a program to strengthen relations.