So I'm looking at the poll I put up so far... I will say some of the results are making me giggle. But just remember, don't count anyone out. It could be anybody at this point.

Notes: Chapter may contain possible OOC from a couple of the characters.

Disclaimer: Take a guess.

The weeks passed. Peter's regimen became ever the more stricter. He went from ten pushups a day to twenty, and went on from there. Jump rope went longer, and his legs became more tangled. More foods were cut out, having been deemed unsafe.

But it was worth it. Pound after pound came off. Each time the scale said a lower number, Peter's day was made. If it was higher, however, he was miserable.

In time, he finally reached his goal, and the one after that, and the one after that. The boy was amazed at how easy it seemed to become, now.

Peter was so happy he could scream. But he didn't. As overjoyed as he was, he couldn't celebrate just yet. After all, he still saw fat on him. He reached his goals, but the haunting rolls and double chins were still there. It didn't help he still got the occasional hunger pangs.

The Sealander mentally wrote down his next goal. After the scale was put away, he descended the stairs to look for any signs of life. Besides Hanatamago rolling around on the floor, no one was home.

That was to be expected, though. Today was the world meeting, and Tino and Berwald had left already. Never mind that, Peter could sneak in anyway. This way, he could go in undetected better.

...

"Oh, Eduard, don't do that," Toris said to the expectant mother laying on the couch. That wasn't the problem, though. The problem was what he was doing. "I don't think you should be using your belly as a table for your laptop. It might hurt the baby."

Eduard rolled his eyes and sat up, with a lot of effort. "I know. I was only trying to get comfortable." Pressing the off button, he packed up his laptop and stood up.

Toris couldn't help but notice how big Eduard was getting, now. His normally smooth skin was now displaying ugly red stretch marks. No matter what kind of remedies the Estonian used, they never really went away. Toris handed him a loose T-shirt that would've been big even for a certain Russian.

"Here. Put this on. As far as I know, it's the only shirt that sort of fits you now." Eduard threw it on with ease, concealing any marks his belly showed. "Unless, of course, you could put on those other outfits I got you-"

"For the hundredth time, Toris," The blond said, cutting his fellow Baltic off, "I am not wearing a dress! I'd like to keep some dignity, and-" He himself was cut short by something, and placed his hands on his bump.

"What is it? Is the baby kicking?" Eduard nodded with a little smile on his face. Toris placed his own hand on his stomach, and sure enough, the little one was kicking up a storm.

"This one's going to be so energetic when it's born, isn't it?" After the baby finished kicking, both men suited up and got in the car, going to meet up with Raivis at the world meeting.

...

"Guys, we're here!" Tino said as he and Berwald came through the door. There was no sign of Mathias and Emil, but Tino figured they were probably upstairs. Lukas was in the kitchen, cooking something.

Emil came downstairs, apparently not fully dressed. "Thank goodness you are both here. Mathias ripped his good pants, and I was hoping one of you can do a quick fix on them, before he..."

A very audible ripping noise came from upstairs, followed by, "Emil, this pair needs to be fixed too!" The Icalandic man could do nothing but facepalm.

"Just come with me, Berwald." The Swede silently followed him, leaving Tino to bother Lukas. The Norwegian had several things out on the counter, many of them the ingredients for some kind of baked good. Next to them was a bowl of some oddly fragrant liquid.

"What are you making?" Lukas looked over at him for a moment, then went back to stirring. He didn't seem to want to say anything. "Can I have a taste?" The Finn slowly reached towards the bowl contents, his curiosity piqued.

At that, Lukas suddenly whirled around and smacked Tino with his spoon handle. The Finn held his hand as he looked at his Nordic pal, confused. Lukas had a frenzied look on his face.

"Lukas, what's gotten into you?" The man stood there with his spoon, holding it as though it were a knife. He then lowered his arm and shook his head.

"I apologize, Tino. I am simply overworked lately. Things have been worrying me."

"Worrying you?" The Finn kept holding his hand (Lukas had hit him pretty hard with that spoon) as he tilted his head to one side. "Like what?"

Lukas looked away. "It is something best discussed with Peter when you return home." He then turned off the oven and began bottling whatever he was making. "For now, however, let's get the others and go."

...

The world meeting building was as big as ever. Peter looked around for any signs of the other nations, but the halls were deserted. Perhaps they were inside already.

The boy watched from his hiding place as his parents and three uncles appeared, going in all together. A short while later, the three Baltics followed. Watching Eduard waddle in and shut the doors, Peter finally jumped out.

Sure enough, the meeting was already starting. Peter could hear the roll call being taken, and he pressed his ear to the door to hear better.

"I wish I knew a way to sneak in without being caught," the child whispered to himself. He waited for the call to end, when he was interrupted by an irritated-sounding, "Ahem."

Peter turned to look behind him. He saw a clearly miffed Arthur, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. Behind him, Alfred said his usual, "Hey, Petey."

"Nice try, Peter, but it bloody well isn't going to happen. Now move it." Peter rolled his eyes, clearing the way for the pair to go in. Arthur went in first, but the American hesitated.

"I'll spend some time with you later, all right, Peter?" Alfred smiled and waved as he followed Arthur, and closed the door behind him.

...

"All right...England and America are accounted for. I suppose it's time to start the meeting! Now, any recent events you want discussed? Please stand and address it if so!"

As the person talking droned on, Eduard cursed his luck at sitting next to a certain someone. Mathias was softly giggling and poking his cheek with a pencil. Quite frankly, it was annoying him.

Of course, the Estonian kept quiet out of politeness. Slowly, though, he was reaching his breaking point. He rubbed his huge belly to try to calm his apparently restless baby.

"Hej. Hej, Eduard." Mathias was snickering as he leaned in closer to Eduard's face. The younger man, of course, leaned away until he stopped. As soon as he moved back again, the Dane did it again. This bizarre process kept repeating itself.

The pregnant man grit his teeth. After several times, he had it. In a whirl, he turned around and snatched Mathias pencil out of his hand, and broke it in half. He then glared and snorted in frustration.

"Whoa, jeez! Sorry..." Eduard said nothing, simply glowering at him for a few more seconds. The sour face then melted into a hurt expression. He then turned his attention back to the important matters at hand.

"Eduard. Hej." Mathias wasn't laughing anymore. Eduard ignored him, not wanting to deal with all of this right now.

Right now, he just wanted to be home, napping or working on things with his laptop. He almost didn't notice the note that was passed to his lap. Quietly opening it, he read it silently.

Want to come over? -Tino

Eduard closed it again, nodding silently. Hopefully he wouldn't chicken out and blurt out the baby's identity when he went over.

...

Peter was so bored. There was nothing to do other than wander the halls and listen to the meeting go on. How he wished he was in there. How he wondered what it was like to sit amongst the full-fledged countries.

...How he wanted the walls to stop moving. Seriously, Peter thought he was in the meeting halls, not that Forest Temple from that one game Alfred was so fond of.

Trying to make it stop, the boy hummed to himself, and leaned up against the wall when he felt too dizzy. He'd grab a Melon Soda, like he did last time, but diet restrictions made doing that now a big no-no.

"Ugh...Quit it, stupid walls..." Who was Peter kidding? He knew it wasn't so much the walls as it was him thinking they were moving. "I don't feel so good..." But Peter figured, no pain, no gain. Walking around was a way to get some exercise in. He'd do it even if he came down with the flu.

The little trooper kept at it, until he needed support from whatever he could grab. It didn't stop. If anything, the moving walls became worse. Peter could've sworn he was swaying along to them, like some convoluted dance.

When he couldn't follow the rhythm anymore, Peter collapsed. He tried grabbing a table with a vase on it, but only succeeded in knocking it over with him. Peter remembered the loud thumping and shattering, and little else.

He tried moving, but was unable to. He thought he vaguely heard the meeting doors open, and several panicked voices. By the time Tino and Berwald rushed over to him, the poor kid was already out cold.

Now we're getting further story-wise! Soon, when the time is right, everything will be made clear. Let's just hope everyone stays around by then.

-Emerald-Shadow-Knight