Disclaimer: Not mine.

Brief Authors Note….I am terrible. Feel free to steal my waffles (breakfast is overrated anyway).

Summary: Alfred has some questions. Culture reappears, Tony reappears and coins.

Question I

It was something he wondered sometimes when he was alone in his room, on those late nights after a long, hard day. It was one question that he wouldn't ever admit to, nor ask out loud, but it was still something he wondered about in his darker moments.

What if I wasn't there?

What would Europe do?

What would Asia do?

Would things be better?

What would the world be like?

For, all that the European Union, and even those in Asia made remarks that he was interfering too much in the politics of other nations, what would they do if he left?

What would happen if I didn't exist?

How much would be different?

'Do you want to know?' A familiar voice said, stepping into the dark room,but even in the darkness it wasn't difficult to see his friend (or imagine the face he was making).

(The alien tended to react kind of strange whenever he mentioned the other nations, so much so, that Alfred wondered if maybe he liked them more.)

Although it was a little after midnight, Tony wasn't down in his lab.

Alfred blinked, the words barely hitting him. "What did you say?"

'I asked if perhaps you might to know the answer.' Tony replied, pressing some buttons on his arm, where that strange arm bracelet was. 'Do you? I have both the capability and the knowledge for such an excursion if you desire so.'

"R-really?"

'Yes.'

"But, wouldn't that be dangerous—"

'Not more then 0.0000005 percentage, but I would have to re-calculate if you'd prefer a more exact number.' Tony said bringing up some more floating screens. 'But this remains to be done. I will ask again, do you want to know, Alfred Jones?'

Alfred swallowed a lump in his throat.

Did he want to know?

Sights IV

The fact that they were staring again was starting to irate him.

A lot.

Seriously, what was he wrong doing his time?

He patted down his jacket feeling the eyes digging into him, as he resisted the urge to say something rather rude. [1]

Maybe if he just ignored them for a bit, they would stop.

But five minutes later, he found his efforts in vain.

They were still staring.

"What?" Alfred said, a bit of heat in his voice, while he switched hands. He cut his steak, and took a bite, while he moved his spoon to the soup with his left, stirring it a bit. Some of the nations, the more shyer nations immediately turned back to their food, while others looked away all feeling uncomfortable, but unwilling to say anything.

Except for Hungary.

"Why do you do that, Mr. Amerika?" Hungary asked, intrigued, and ignoring the face Austria was making. [2]

Alfred blinked. "Do what?"

"That." She said motioning with her whole hand to his plate. [3]

"Do what?" He said, ignoring the rather odd motion and focusing on her words.

What exactly was she trying to say?

"I think Ms. Hungary was talking about your eating style." Toris told him to his right a bit hesitantly.

Alfred gently, placed his utensils on the plate and looked up, noticing a few rather bizarre looks he was receiving from his fellow nations. Japan and Estonia in particular seemed to be discussing colonization in whispered tones. For what purpose, or even why Alfred didn't know.

"What about it?" He said casually, feeling a bit uncomfortable with all the scrutiny. He didn't see what the problem was. He was just eating the way he normally did when he was at a restaurant it as nothing special—and then it hit him what Hungary has been trying to get at for the last (absolutely useless) five minutes. "You mean my dining etiquette?"

Toris and Hungary nodded, the later actually looking rather interested as she slid a rather small notebook on to the table.

(Neither Arthur nor Francis were paying attention to the conversation at hand, as the two had once again descended into old arguments over the steak and promptly forgot about the rest of the world. Alfred couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was something going on there besides fighting, because it was beginning to get a little too touchy-feely.)[4]

"Is it really that strange?" Alfred asked, picking up his fork again and spinning it, like one would do a pen. It was a bad habit of his, but it helped him feel a little better.

"Well, no but it does looked rather complex." She told him. "I noticed you tend to change hands, and something use either the front or back of all your utensils, instead of the fork when you eat and—"

"It like a magic show, daze!"

Alfred stared at Yong-Soo, half in exasperation, and half in confusion. "Why a magic show?" He said for lack of anything else to say.

And what could he say?

None of the other nation typically ate with him at a restaurant, and even when a few did do so, the places they ate normal had finger foods, like hamburgers and sandwiches.

"'Cause its so cool!"

Alfred really had nothing to say to that.

Coins I

When other nations first started visiting his country, Alfred often noticed the strange looks that were being thrown his way whenever he paid for something.

Brightly colored paper, with words like "Mechanic Guild" and the "Washington Bank"[5] held room in his wallet for many years until he finally decided on an official appearance for his money.[6]

Though, deep down, Alfred was lying if he said he hadn't been involved in its marking-

"Where the bloody hell are the numbers?"[7]

Chapter Notes:

1: In the US, and particularly in the South, staring, while not in a conversation is rude, and makes other people uncomfortable. However, if you having a conversation and don't look at the other person, it means you are either not listening or don't care, both things that are insulting in America. Typically in the North, staring at other things, such a phone, or other people during a conversation is rather accepted unless in a formal setting such a business meeting, when eye contact is vital.

2:Typically Hungarians are more upfront about personal information, then their Austrian counterparts, hence why Rodrick is making faces. Additional, most Americans welcome questions that for many foreigners may be extremely personal. However, there are limits, politics, and money are usual taboo subjects, unless brought up by the American himself. The reason being, is the only two political party views, which unlike Europe (does Asia have political parties? I can't remember) are completely opposite, and tend to start heated arguments. There are people who are moderate, but the rule of thumb is more republican to the South, and more democratic to the North. On the other hand money, can be embarrassing, because people usually don't want to amount how little (in their minds) they are making.

3: In America, it is rude to point at people, but not objects. So people will use their whole hand to motion to a person, but use a finger to point at something, like an apple or fireworks, or so on. Hence why, Alfred is confused about why Elizabeta is motioning to his plate, but using her whole hand.

4: Europeans in general are more touchy-feel then Americans in both how they greet and how much personal space they have. In America standing less then an arms length away is uncomfortable if you are not family, or friends though there are difference depending on gender and personality. Two girls or two boys will typically stand closer then a boy and girl.

5:Before the official dollar appearance was settled in 1796 (a date I'm still not convinced of), each state and territory had its own money and banks, thus if you traveled from New York to Virginia, you could encounter anywhere from three to ten different banks and types of dollars. Typically banks, were made by people who had a certain amount of metals and tried to back them. Depending on the bank, and the rate of trustworthiness money exchanges were incredibly complicated and completely random.

6: Fun Fact, if you look at the US dollars there are no numbers on them. Which leads to no end of amusement when foreigners have to pay. There a myth that the reason for this is because, although Alexander Hamilton really favored England, he still thought they're prices were ridiculous, and devised a way for Americans to get more out of their money by removing numbers and making the dime (which today is worth 10 cents, .08 euros, 11 yen) smaller then the penny (which today is worth 1 cent, 2 euros, 1 yen). But I'm not convinced.

Author's Note: Probably the worst chapter I have written to date, but can't really do anything about it. My computer got recalled because its flammable or something or other. Can't really remember. Thus, I only had so much time to type and edit, before posting. I apologize for everyone out there waiting for Realizations, and whom email me, I'm still working on it. Parts of it are still choppy. I'll try to include the other request in the next chapter just really pressed for time.