"I can do this," Jen said as the sleeping spell fell over the police station. "How hard can it be? England's a magician, sure, but I can take him."

"Are you sure you don't want backup?" They walked through the quiet halls, stepping over slumped guards. "Two nations at once - that's quite a challenge."

"Only come for me if I'm in trouble." They stopped in front of the cell room door. Jen stole the ring of keys from the guard. "We've already lost two people. We can't risk your death, right?" Jen turned and hugged Mei tightly. "I can't believe our task is almost over. Promise me that when we see each other in heaven, we'll still be best friends?"

Mei hugged her back, holding back tears. "Of course. Always."

Jen pulled away, smiled, and entered the cell room.

Mei peeked through the door, watching the fight. She nearly popped into the room when England caught Jen by the throat, and again as America hovered over Jen with the dagger. But America's hesitation gave her pause. She listened intently to his speech, surprised at his lack of blood lust. And as he faded away, smiling at England, she thought of Ukraine, who touched her brother's cheek and told him to fight. And of Germany, who died in peace knowing the information he know about the other nations died with him. Or of Italy, caught for showing concern for a friend during battle.

"But Jen succeeded," she said to herself firmly. "As she wanted."

Still, she thought as she watched England slam himself against the bars. Could someone monstrous be so full of grief?

"No, what we have done is right," she whispered. "Even evil loves something."

But America never killed, she thought. At least he claimed he never killed, and why would he lie to England? The things done by his people would have been done whether or not he personified. Does he deserve nonexistence?

"But not all of them are so passive!" She covered her mouth. Her thoughts were a jumble. She held her hands against her ears to quiet them. "Lady Tara will know what I should do."

She flickered away, the world passing by her in a blur before snapping into focus. The high, echoing corridors of the monastery surrounded her. She sighed, feeling instant relief and comfort to be back in the halls of her youth. However, the stillness and solitude of the place, once bustling with activity, was eerie to her. Here was where she made her first friends, had her first crushes, learned about the world, learned to hone her powers. And now it was empty, like a tomb for her peers gone before her. She shivered and popped out of the hallway, materializing in the long, wide gardens. The pungent perfume of flowers from all ends of the earth filled the air. She walked the gravel paths, brushing petals with her fingers. She rounded a corner into the rose garden, following the sound of humming.

In the center of the square of roses, Lady Tara pruned a bush filled with yellow blooms. She looked up from her task and smiled.

"Mei, my darling." She set her shears in a basket by her feet and opened her arms. "You have come back."

Mei ran into Lady Tara's arms and squeezed her tight. "I'm sorry for coming. I know I must finish my task, but -"

"Nonsense." Lady Tara pushed her away gently and smiled up at her. "You still have time. It is good to see you. How are the others?"

Mei brightened. "Almost all of us have completed our task," she said excitedly. "Only three nations remain."

"That's wonderful news!"

Mei's face fell. "But we've lost two. Will and Oleg. They...were killed...before they were successful."

Lady Tara's beaming face froze. Slowly it crumpled into grief. She covered her face with her hands. "Oh. My poor boys. To give their lives without finishing their tasks. How dreadful." She wiped her eyes roughly and her face hardened. "So, England survives. And Russia! That heinous creature. He is like the cockroach, Mei. You crush him, but he pops back up, ready to spread his disease." She took Mei's cheeks between her hands. "Listen closely, my dear. I will destroy them both. I cannot end them without the sacrifices, but there are other ways. Revenge will be had."

She patted Mei's cheeks then leaned down carefully and picked up her shears. She went back to pruning the roses, her actions rougher than before. Mei watched her for a moment before speaking again.

"Lady, I have a question." Her usually confident voice was small and hesitant. "I overheard America speaking. He...well, he claimed he had never killed a human."

"And you believe him?" Lady Tara smiled as she continued her pruning.

"I do. He wasn't talking to me or any other sacrifice." Mei fingered the petals of one of the roses. "He said that his people are responsible for wrongdoing done in his name, not him. If...if he never was a person, they would have done wrong anyway. Is this true?"

"Look at this bush, child. There are many, many blooms, are there not? Now, if I were to allow every bloom to grow, some of them will come out small, and sickly and rotten. I cut off any that seem to be going this direction." Lady Tara cut through the stem of a rose and held it out to Mei. "But I also cut off blooms that seem perfectly healthy. I do this so that the plant will be healthy - so that it won't have to feed either the rotten blossoms or over exert itself feeding the blossoms it cannot handle. Do you understand?"

Mei took the rose and twirled it in her hand. "But people are not flowers," she said dubiously. "You cannot cut them all down just to get rid of the rotten ones."

Lady Tara chuckled. "You make a mistake. The nations are not people, darling. They come and they go at the will of the people." She moved on to another bush. "Sentient nations cause people pain and anguish. When nations have free will, they become a liability. It's too much for the Earth to handle. And so they must be pruned. Every." Snip. "Last." Snip. "One." She looked up from her task. "China is waiting for you, child. You were chosen especially for him. Prove to me that I made the right choice."

Mei held the rose in her fist tightly, letting the thorns tear into her palm. She nodded. "Yes, Lady." She winked out.

Lady Tara shook her head as she slashed away at the rose bush. "Tiring child."

China looked up from his book. The small hotel garden he sat in was filled with birdsong, which, contrary to tradition, did not silence as his foe approached him. Mei stood on the path in front of him, legs in a wide stance. He placed his book on the bench beside him and stood, straightening his shirt.

"You took your time," he said calmly.

"I've come to rid the world of you, China." Mei lifted her dagger, holding it in her fist with the blade pointed down.

China smiled slightly. "How do you know the world wants me gone?"

"Because I'm here," Mei snapped. "I wouldn't exist with the powers I have if I wasn't supposed to end you."

"Ah. I suppose this is something you were taught by your patron." China took a step forward. "And I don't deny that some of us have taken liberties with our duties." He took another step. "But I am not one of these foolhardy nations. And I have no desire to become a mere idea. I have lived for too long to be taken down by a child."

Before Mei had time to react, China flew forward, took her by the arm, twisted it behind her forcing the dagger from her grip and threw her to the ground. She flickered out before she hit, and flickered back onto the path, standing a few feet in front of him.

He held up the dagger. "This thing is linked to her circle, yes? Let's break that link and have a chat." His eyes glowed for a moment, and the dagger burst into bits of tiny shrapnel, landing harmlessly in a circle around him. Mei stared at the smoking metal bits with wide, shocked eyes. He tsked in irritation. "Technically I shouldn't be using magic so cavalierly. But you and your little cult have pushed my limits. Sit."

Still shocked by the dagger's destruction, Mei sat on the bench without protest. She bowed her head. "I can still be used as a sacrifice," she whispered.

"Of course." China sat next to her and crossed his arms. "And I can, of course, kill you before your patron has the opportunity. And if I didn't think I had a chance to change your mind, this is what I would have done already. But you seem like a sensible girl."

Mei looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You ran away the first time you fought me. You knew I was too strong for you. Very sensible." China leaned back. "And you barely put up a fight now. Almost as if you wanted me to defeat you. Quite sensible. Now tell me - why do you hesitate, girl? Why have you not thrown yourself at me?"

There was silence for a moment, save for the birdsong. Finally, Mei spoke. "Lady Tara's reasons for ending the sentience of the nations are, of course, right." Her voice faltered. "They have too much power, of course they do! They think they can do whatever they want, be whatever they want, force their people to become whatever they want. Except..." she covered her face with her hands. "Except it's not really true, is it? The nations that went crazy and killed people, they're the exception, aren't they? My best fri - Jen. She was the sacrifice for America. I convinced her to go after him, even though it seemed hopeless - she would die before the task was complete. Because this is what Lady Tara would want. And I was right - Jen lost the battle and America had the opportunity to kill her. But he didn't! He just stood there, refusing to take that step, and because of his refusal, Jen was able to end him! He...sacrificed himself so he wouldn't become a killer."

"Not all nations are so noble," China said sardonically.

"Ukraine killed Will and Oleg," Mei said, almost to herself. China perked up at that, but let her speak. "But she did it for the survival of others. Killing them did nothing for her. And Elena caught her because she was protecting Russia. Why would she go to such lengths for another nation?"

"She always did have a soft spot for her little brother," China nodded.

"Brother?" Mei gave China a bemused look.

"Yes, yes, we have brothers and sisters." China smiled. "It's one of those things we can choose to do, you know. See each other as siblings. Sometimes it is better to have family to look out for." He reached behind him and touched his back. "And sometimes not."

"I just don't understand! Lady Tara said you all were evil, but that's not true. And if you can have brothers and sisters, and refuse to kill, and kill to help others survive, and even if you rise up and do terrible things, what does that mean? What are you?"

China shrugged. "We are nations. We are people. We are both. It's not that hard, you know. And people aren't infallible - which means nations aren't infallible, either. It seems your Lady Tara is punishing us for this fact."

Mei stared down at her hands. "I don't know if I want to die for something I'm so unsure of," she murmured.

"Then don't." China stood and picked up his book. "You don't have to attack me, which means you won't die by my hand. And I have a feeling that for any spell to work with you as a sacrifice, you must be willing, yes? A group of willing sacrifices, all trained to hate the nations. Your Lady Tara is an interesting person. So you will not die through Lady Tara. My advice to you, girl, is to find a life away from this. Forget what you've been taught about nations. Make your own decision of the life you wish to lead rather than listen to some crazy person willing to kill one hundred and ninety children to reach her goal. How does that sound?"

Mei looked hopeful and scared. "But what do I do?"

"Whatever you want. I'm certainly not in charge of you. In fact, as my citizen it is quite the opposite. Now excuse me." China gave her a deep bow. "I must make a phone call."

He wandered down the garden path, back to the hotel. Mei watched him leave, her heart swelling, then flickered away.