Elizabeta and I borrowed the spare black BMW and drove into the city. We walked to Mauer Park; the largest flea market in Berlin. It not only sold fruit, vegetables, and grains. It also gave me the chance to check out some cute vintage clothes and souvenirs. I even heard that there were bargains on Sundays, too bad it was Friday, but that didn't stop me from buying stuff. Ludwig was never going to let me go shopping for fun as long as I lived with him.

Elizabeta needed fresh ingredients to make pizza, we were able to gather everything from the market; tomatoes, onions, olives, herbs, and flour.

"What about pepperoni? We gotta have pepperoni," I proclaimed.

"We'll get some at a super mart; we can also pick up some ice cream and snacks while we're there." Elizabeta was placing another package of flour into her portable metal cart. "By the way, do you know how to make a pizza from scratch?"

I grinned proudly, "I lived in an Italian restaurant for a quarter of my life." I kissed my fingers in a common gesture used by Italians, "I can I make a pizza," I said this in an Italian accent.

Elizabeta covered her mouth to conceal her laughter.

We walked over to a table filled with stylish, vintage clothes. I lifted a baggy denim shirt with colorful patches of diamond cut patterns sewed onto the back. "This is pretty cool."

"You should get it."

I turned to her, "I should, I mean we do have this," I pulled out Gil's wallet, we were using the cards for food but he had tons of cash. "And you are going to need a whole new wardrobe. After their done with your house, you gonna need some clothes that doesn't smell like poison."

She nodded, "you are so right and you must get something for yourself," she gave a wicked grin.

"I must," my grin slowly turned into an evil laugh and Elizabeta joined.

Elizabeta got new button down blouses, denim and graphic printed jeans, sexy high heeled boots that stopped around the ankles and massive rings with green stones. She also brought earrings, hair barrettes, green and white peasant skirts, sleeveless tunic blouses and mini shorts.

I brought some rings as well, some with turquoise stones, tiger eye, amber, and a stone that took on a crystal/peal effect. I made sure to get matching necklaces. I also purchased a gray wool cardigan and high waisted shorts in the shades of aqua, white and light denim. Graphic tank tops, brown gladiator sandals and I never really cared for dresses but I couldn't pass up on this one. It was a slimming, mini dress with a back opening design that had three pieces of cloth tied together in bows. It was dark blue with inch length pink roses scattered over the surface.

Elizabeta clapped as I strutted out of the changing room, which was just a tall, narrow tent. "It's perfect!" she exclaimed.

I grinned and admired myself in the full length mirror; the dress hugged my toned body perfectly and the hem stropped at mid-thigh. The dark color of the dress bright out my long tanned legs and made me look slimmer. "I don't usually go for dresses, but I look good."

"Try this on," she said as she held up a bra top, it was aqua blue with a red and white floral design.

"I don't really wear anything that shows off my stomach."

"But you have a beautiful figure, try it on."

"But-"

"Try it on," she handed me the top and shoved me back into the tent.

I sighed, slipped back on my worn out high waisted jean shorts and removed the dress. I unhooked my bra and slid on the top. The spaghetti straps wrapped around my shoulders as the top came to the middle of my rib cage. I felt like I was walking out without a shirt on but I swallowed the uncomfortable lump in my throat and stepped out of tent.

"I knew it would look amazing on you," Elizabeta grinned.

I turned to the mirror, the top defined my hourglass figure and the reveal of mid-section was actually kinda sexy. Thanks to all my training with Ludwig, my stomach was taut and my shorts were slightly loose. I must have lost some inches.

I was never blessed with C-cup breasts like all the women in my family were, but this top did make my A-cup chest pop. I nodded at the reflection, "I like this, I'm gonna wear this out." I also ended up buying two more, one that was gold with a purple floral pattern and the other was denim with a zipper in front.

We placed our clothes on the table as the sells woman said, "Will that be cash or card?"

"Cash," Elizabeta pulled out a large amount of bills from Gilbert's wallet.

Once we reversed our change, we moved along to the next table. "They sell records!" I said excitedly as I lifted a record that displayed a picture of Louis Armstrong. "Mr. James would love this," I handed the sells man Gilbert's credit card.

"Who's Mr. James?" Elizabeta asked.

"He's a friend of the family," I answered, "we hanged together when I was younger, he taught me a little bit about the piano and opened me up to wonderful world of jazz." I smiled at the memory, "I think his birthday is next month, oh that reminds me I gotta get Valencia her gift."

The man gave me back the card with a smile and I waved goodbye as we walked along. Three tables down, I spotted an old fashion instant film camera. Valencia loves to take pictures so it would definitely be-in Gilbert's words an awesome gift. Hey, he was paying for it.

"We need to get to a post office and mail this out," I proclaimed as I placed the camera on top of our over piled cart.

"The shipping fees will be expensive," said Elizabeta.

We both looked at each other and laughed again.

After I packed the gifts and had them shipped to their addresses; we loaded up the BMW and headed to a super mart. We purchased three rolls of pepperoni, six bags of chips and over twenty ice cream pints-all in different flavors. I was practically jumping like an excited five year old when I saw that they had my favorite flavor, "they have cappuccino chunky chocolate chip! They have cappuccino chunky chocolate chip!" I repeated this phase as a song till we skipped out of the store. Well I skipped, Elizabeta walked.

Once we were back at the manor, we began to prepare the pizza dough, figuring it was best to have it ready for tomorrow. I watched Elizabeta from the corner of my eye as she worked on her pizza dough; I was on my second.

Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and her sleeves were pushed to her elbows as she beats the dough with her fingers. The silence was relaxing but I was curious about this nation. "So, who taught you how to make pizza?"

She glanced to me, "I learned from Feliciano and Lovino."

I nodded, "cool, I know Feli but who's Lovino again?"

"He's Feliciano's brother, you met him back at your house."

"There were a lot of nations at my house, can you be more specific?"

"He looks like Feliciano, just tanner, with darker hair."

I must have taken too long to think for Elizabeta continued, "Remember Antonio?"

"The green eyes, dark hair and Spanish accent," I proclaimed.

"Yes, he was the one that introduced you to him."

The memory came flooding back, "oh right, what nation is he again?"

"He's the south of Italy, Feliciano is the north."

I gave her a look, "there's a difference?"

She smiled sweetly, like a motherly smile someone would give to a misguided child. "Northern Italy is the main focus for industry; they are also closer to Germany and France meaning they're open to the markets and communication, making the north richer. South Italy is mostly used for farming but they're farther away from the markets so they don't have anyone to sell it to, making them," she sighed, "not as rich."

"How do you know this?"

"Well for one, I've known the Vergas brothers for years and two there's this invention called the internet."

"Ha, good one," I narrowed my eyes at her playfully.

"Amy if I may say; you can't be so ignorant of other countries. It only leaves you open for defeat, to beat your enemy, you have to think like your enemy."

"Think like Feliciano," I proclaimed. "That won't be hard."

Once we had the dough prepared and ate a light dinner, we separated our new clothes and did our nightly routines. Elizabeta was staying in the room next to me and was right now taking a shower down the hall. I had recently taken my bath and was drying off back in my room. I was deciding wither to wear my Batman pajamas or my Captain America ones for tomorrow's slumber party. I glanced down to the Batman top I was wearing, I shrugged, "can't go wrong with Batman."

I collapsed into bed and pulled out my journal from under the mattress. I scanned through the recently written pages of my adventure with Neill the Alien Bounty Hunter and the spirits along with the pages of me playing match maker. I could just imagine how Jamie and Michel would react to the journal. They'll believe that Neill was an alien (we always speculated) but me playing match maker, they would howl in laughter.

I quickly wrote my entry of today and hid the book back under the mattress. Next to it was Grandpa's journal; I tugged it out and opened it to the next entry.


July 1, 1957

I spent all day yesterday locked in the guestroom, only coming out for bathroom breaks. The only time I ate was when Alfred would knock on my door and leave a tray with my meal on it. I never saw the so-called nation yesterday, he must have left me alone to grieve and I appreciated it.

Today on the other hand, he didn't leave me be.

He knocked on my door, I ignored him at first, but then he began banging his fists on the wood. Beating along to Elvis Presley's version of 'Hound Dog' that was currently being played on the radio; he also began to sing along with the lyrics.

"You ain't nothing but a hound dog,

"Crying all the time;

"You ain't nothing but a hound dog,

"Crying all the time,

"You ain't never caught a rabbit,

"And you ain't no friend of mine."

Because of him, I still have that song stuck in my head.

He continued to sing and bang his fists on the door. I was going crazy. I swung the door open and shouted, "what do you want?!"

"We have an engagement party to get to, did you forget?"

I shook my head, "No, we'll visit Rose tomorrow." Before I could close the door, Alfred gripped it and pushed his way through.

"No, we'll see her today. We are not going to let the bride think the groom has left her before the wedding, that's too cruel."

"And going to the engagement party, holding up the urn that was once my brother and saying 'here's the groom' is any better?!"

"We wouldn't say it like that."

I crossed my arms, "I'm not going."

He sighed, "The hard way it is." He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the bathroom. I clawed and punched, but just like on the first day I met him, he showed no sign of my attacks harming him. He tossed me into the bathroom and closed the door. "There are clothes for you on the counter."

I twisted at the knob but he held it down with an iron grip on the other side. I slammed my shoulder against the door, "Let me out!"

"Not until you take a shower and get dress," Alfred exclaimed.

"I am not a child! You can't tell me what to do!"

He ignored me as he continued to sing along with the King.

I banged my fists on the door for a few more minutes till I gave up and placed my forehead on the wood. He has no idea how the tribe will react to the death of my family. He's insensitive bastard that doesn't care about the feelings of Rose or myself; I mean, to tell Rose and everyone at the party that my family died and to announce this at a ceremony that was supposed to be a wonderful occasion. Does he not see the indecency in this?!

I'm really starting to hate this man.

Then I caught my reflection in the mirror. My hair was greased with natural oils, dark bags were under my eyes and I had sweat stands under my armpits. I took whiff and winkled my nose in disgust. A shower didn't sound like a bad idea at that moment.

After I took my shower and got dressed in a clean white button down shirt, khaki slacks and a pair brown dress shoes. I walked out of the no longer guarded door to find Alfred dancing to Big Joe Turner's song, 'Shake, Rattle And Roll'.

He moved his hips, legs and arms to the rhythm as he snapped his fingers with the beat. I lifted a brow as he spun and when he spotted me, he beamed, "you clean up nicely."

I rolled my eyes and stride to my bedroom door, but he snatched my arm and hauled me out the door. "I've already packed up the urns, let's go."

I yanked my arm away when we were on the side walk and heading towards his car. "We can't tell them like this! It isn't right!"

"Then what is!" he exclaimed, "the newspapers didn't release your family's names, they have no idea what happen to you and your family. Rose must be worried sick about Tristen, how long are you going to make her wait? How long are you going to make your tribe wait? How long are you going to hide in that damned room?" He narrowed his eyes at me, "Well?"

I hate to admit it, but he was right.

But I would rather die than tell him that.

I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut, "let's go," I mumbled.

Alfred sighed, sat himself behind the wheel and waited.

"Ain't we going?"

He shrugged, "You're the only one that knows where it is."

I rubbed the temple of my forehead, "You are so frustrating."

He laughed, "I heard worse."

The hall Rose's family had rented was surprising close. It was called the Armitage Hall and it was decent place, a little run down but the inside was large enough for Rose's family and my tribe. Familiar RVs, cars and vans lined the streets; the only space Alfred could find was three blocks away. I decided it was best to leave the urns in the car for now.

When we got close to the hall, a part of me wanted to run back to the car but Alfred stopped me by gripping my shoulder and shoved me forward. We were met with Mister Two Crow at the door; he was an elderly man with white hair and a slight hunched back. I almost didn't recognize him without his eagle feathered head dress. He was one of the medicine men of the tribe and a member of our council. He was also my mentor.

"John," he greeted with a relieved smile as he patted me from my shoulders to my arms. "Where's Tristen? Rose has been asking, and where's your father? The other members are upset that he hasn't answered the CV radio. . ." he trailed off when his eyes fell on Alfred. "Achak," he muttered. That name was another word for spirit.

Alfred grinned like a happy fool, "Hello Kai, it's been a while."

I stood between them as they gazed at each other. Both wore a serious expression, almost like they shared an unspoken agreement with one another.

"Why are you here?" Kai Two Crow asked curiously.

Alfred gestured to me, "I came to drop him off."

Kai knitted his brows at me worriedly, "John, what happen?"

I sighed, "Can you bring the council members and Rose to a private room, please."

Kai moved quickly to gather the members, along with Rose and her parents. Counting my father and Mister Two Crow there are six members in the council. Dakota Nozedar, a tall, muscular man. Ray Stone, the youngest member at the age of twenty-seven. Ayleen Smith, the oldest member and the only woman on the council and Len Silverwolf the second in command and my father's closest friend.

We met in a back room, away from the guests that were cerebrating in the main hall. When Rose saw me, she came running with scowl. She demanded to know where Tristen was and I had to beg her to meet with us in the room. Alfred had followed us, which had the council on their toes; expect for Ray, he wasn't on the council during their meeting with the strange man.

Once everyone was gathered, I had to take a big breath (more than once) and tell them of what happen to my family.

Rose cried out in a heavy sob as she lost the will to stand. Her mother coddled her in arms as she continued to weep. The council grew silent and waited for Rose's cries to soften.

Dakota was the first to speak, "where are their bodies?"

"They were cremated, the ashes are in my car," Alfred informed.

Dakota narrowed his eyes at him in annoyance, "I didn't ask you."

"Well he's right, they'll in the back," I rose to my feet and turned to Rose's father. "I came to give Tristen to your daughter; he would have wanted it that way."

Ayleen, Rose and her mother were left behind as we traveled to the car. Alfred opened the truck and I handed the urn with Tristen's name on it to Rose's father. He accepted it with a grim face and gave his condolences. A moment of silence passed till Len proclaimed, "Alright, gather their ashes we'll hold a ceremony for them."

"Wait," the word came out by surprise and I grew tense when the council members turned to me with confused looks. I swallowed the lump in my throat and remembered of parent's wishes. "They wouldn't want their deaths to be a big deal."

"Our chief has passed John," Len said, "the tribe must be informed."

"Yes, I know but-"

"There is no buts," Dakota exclaimed, "Bring them in and we can scatter their ashes along the Chicago Bay."

My body trembled, "No. I lost them in a river; I refuse for them to be given back to the earth through water."

"It's alright John," Ray added, "We'll scatter them somewhere else."

The council members moved for the urns.

I have no idea what came over me. Maybe it was pride, I didn't want be dragged into the hall where the engagement party would be turned into a wake. I didn't want the tribe to look at me with pity filled eyes. I didn't want them to coddle me like I was something fragile. All I wanted was to put my family to rest.

I jumped in front of the trunk and screamed for at them to get back. They tried to move forward, calming me with soothing words, but I heard nothing.

Kai stepped towards me, "Calm yourself John."

"Stay back, just stay back!"

In a blink of an eye, Alfred wrapped his arms around me, holding me in a warm embrace. I froze as he said "It's okay, you're among people that care about you Johnny." He stroked his fingers into the back of my hair, "Everything's gonna be okay."

I tried to shove him away but his grip was unbreakable. "Let go! Let me go!" I continued to scream at first, but my voice began to lower. "I just-I just-" I thought I was done crying but for some odd reason, I ended up weeping on Alfred's shoulder. Maybe it was because I had retold the story, or maybe the sight of seeing the council gathering my family's ashes just made it all too real. Whatever the reason, Alfred said nothing as he hugged me and waited for me to stop.

The council had left us be, expect for Kai, who stood aside and waited patiently to talk to me. When I calmly pushed Alfred away, he patted my back one last time and smiled. He didn't say anything, just leaned against the car as Kai moved to my side.

"I'm sorry for my outburst," I whispered as I wiped my eyes.

"It's understandable," he nodded as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. He stared into my eyes, searching for answers in my soul. Kai was always met to be a spiritual man, for he had the gift of reading souls. He was the first to approach Alfred on that day twelve years ago. I remembered when I had asked him about it he would only say, "He was a misguided spirit."

Did he know that Alfred wasn't human?

He sighed, "I knew this day would come, you have an adventurous spirit. You are a person that needs to stride out on your own, to create your own world. When you're father brought you to me, he and I knew you wouldn't be satisfied here with us." He glanced to the urns and back to me, "You're brothers, Tristen and Clay were led by Wolf and Goose, they are strong pack animals, they stay with the family while Hawk soars and creates her own family."

He smiled sadly, "Now the time has come."

"No, Kai I-"

"Are you happy here John? Tell me, are you?"

I froze, I had nothing to say.

"Go. And if by some slim chance you come back, then we will rejoice, if not we will hope that you had found happiness." He gave me a final embrace, "The Great Spirit has an amazing path for you." He said as he released me and walked to Alfred.

Kai's face grew serious, "It is because of you, he has the chance to decide now. Thank you Achak."

Alfred nodded to him in respect.

He began to walk back to the hall, "wait," I exclaimed, "ain't you even going to say goodbye?"

He gave me a knowing smile, "We'll see each other again." He waved to me, "till then," his smile grew wider as he continued along the side walk.

I gazed after him, watching as his figure grew smaller and smaller. He said it wasn't a goodbye, but why did my gut say it was.

Later on I would discover that Kai Two Crow passed in his sleep that night. His granddaughter was able to find me and tell me the news. When I asked her how she had found me, for I had left no address or phone number for the tribe to reach me. She said that a raven stole a picture of Kai and me and had taunted her with it; which ending up with her being led by the bird to me.

The tale made us smile, Raven was Kai's spirit animal.

I sat myself on the bumper of the car as Alfred moved to stand by my side. "So what are you going to do now?"

I glanced to my family's urns, "I need to put them to rest, but not here. Clay would want his ashes to be spread in New Orleans and my parents would want theirs in Hoopa, California."

"You're going to need a car," Alfred proclaimed.

"I know."

"You're also going to need some food for traveling."

"I know."

"And you need money for, well pretty much everything. Gas, clothes, hotels, or camping grounds, more food-"

"I know," I hissed. "I'll figure something out."

"Or you could work for me."

I whipped my head to face him, "what?" I said dumbfounded.

"Be my assistant," he proclaimed.

"What could you possibly do that would need an assistant?"

"I'm America," he said proudly, "I'm pretty busy with meetings and I don't have Toris around to help me cook and clean anymore, so I would like to have a helping hand."

"Cook? Clean? Like a servant?"

"I said help; all I would really need for you to do is house sit and make sure it's not in a complete mess."

"Like a servant," I proclaimed. Then shouted, "Hell no."

"You won't be a servant," he repeated. "You'll help me out with chores and I would also like your input in national politics."

I snorted, "My input? I'm Indian. We don't even vote in your elections."

"I know," Alfred eyes glazed over with a sad tint in them. "But I want them to know that their concerns matter to us."

"As you can see, they don't. You treat us, the colored, the Mexicans and everyone else that's not an American born white man like second class citizens."

"And I want to change that," he exclaimed, "and I need someone that has lived it. I need to see it through your eyes."

I stayed quiet as he continued with a sigh, "We won't stay in Chicago for long, we'll drive through the country and visit New Orleans and California. Of course it will be a long road but all I ask is one year. One year to travel with me through the Midwest and then through the south to California; when we lay your parents to rest, we can go our separate ways. Till then, all I ask is for you to be my companion."

He's completely insane.

Why would I travel through the country with a complete stranger? A stranger that I had first met when I was seven then took me out to dinner ten years after (without aging) and then saved my life just a few days ago. He's not dangerous at least I hoped not, but he sure is loud, obnoxious and seems to have a screw loose.

But I must be missing two for I agreed.


I was dozing off as the entry came to its end, causing me to drop the journal to the floor. I rose to sit up and rubbed my eyes tiredly. I moved to grab the journal and noticed the inside of the cover was torn open. I cursed and patted the yellowed paper in place. There was a bulge under the cover. I struck my fingers in and found photographs.

Pictures of my grandfather and his family, "Wow Gramps, you look so young," I said to myself. I skimmed through the old sepia colored photos. I gazed at each one, memorizing each face of Grandpa's family. The last photo was of an elderly man and a young boy. They seemed to be sitting in the middle of a forest as the elderly man showed the boy different plants. I turned it over; it read Kai Two Crow, age sixty-five and John Hawkfeather, age six.

I smiled but then I realized that the elderly man was wearing a familiar eagle head dress. I squinted at the image; he was the old man I had met in the forest back home. "It can't be," I mumbled, but my mind only countered with my statement on how I was wrong. Kai was the old man I had met months before hand. Kai was the one that told me about Alfred and my birth as a nation; then set me on a quest for an eagle that ended up with me finding this journal.

All this couldn't be just a coincidence.

I rubbed my eyes and placed the photos back into the cover. Go to bed Amy, go to bed. Everything will make sense in the morning, hopefully. I guess I was more tired than freaked out because once my head hit the pillow, I was out cold.

When morning came, I was awoken by the sun's rays hitting my face. It was the first morning since I arrived in Berlin that I was able to sleep in. I yawned, stretched and got dressed at a leisurely pace. I decided to temporarily forget of my little discover last night, and focus on my match making mission for Peter and Raivis. I got dressed in my new white shorts and the denim button down shirt with the diamond patches on the back. I folded the sleeves to my elbows and left the first two buttons undone.

I ran down stairs as I bushed my fingers through my hair and leaped over the last three steps. I slid into the kitchen where Elizabeta was making breakfast.

"Morning," I greeted, "Whatcha making?"

"Pancakes," she proclaimed, "what some?"

"Yes please, with chocolate chip?"

"Sure thing," she smiled.

She served me a pile of pancakes with orange juice as she took her seat in front of me. We ate for several minutes till I said, "I'll start cleaning the house after this and if we want to use the guest rooms-"

"No need, I found the air mattresses. We can set them up in the living room, there's not that many of us, so we can stay in same room together."

"Cool, less cleaning for me."

She said, "I'll help."

"Thanks," I grinned.

"Oh before I forget," she grabbed a rectangle board from the seat beside her. "I found this in my room," she placed an Ouija board on the table.

My eyebrows rose, "why would this be in your room?"

"It must belong to Gilbert; he has a fascination with the supernatural. Do you think the girls would want to play with it at the sleepover?"

"Yeah it will be the perfect addition to our Truth or Dare and Never Have I Ever drinking games." I took a slip of my orange juice, "You know in horror movies, this kind of combination is just asking for trouble."

"Don't tell me you're scared of ghosts."

I took a moment; technically I've talked with Kai's ghost twice and fought with spirits that took on the forms of mythical creatures to fight aliens. So why should I be afraid of ghosts? I faced scarier things. I shrugged, "nah, it will be fun."

We finished our meal and I cracked up my portable speaker as an old Beyoncé song blasted through. Elizabeta snapped her fingers to beat as she grabbed the broom and I started washing the dishes. Ludwig didn't allow me to listen to music as I cleaned, which was just whole new degree of evil.


If that was evil to our dear heroine what would she possible think of the dark figure lurking in the trees, watching her through the window?

The figure only observed, analyzing its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

A vapor materialized beside this figure, "what do you wish for us to do Iya?" it whispered in hisses.

"Bring her to me."


Author's note: About the voting for Native Americans, they were given the right to vote in 1924 but they didn't take part in the polls. Also several states outlawed Natives from voting, so it's not until 1965 that all Natives could vote without having to pay poll taxes or take literacy tests. In case anyone is wondering.