In case you couldn't tell, this is back on Earth with the nations at the meeting.

To be completely honest, I don't remember why I wrote the beginning of this chapter, but I'm sure it ties into something important later...That's what happens when I handwrite things in advance, I don't remember if omitting something I now see as stupid (for example, the first half of this chapter [but i think all can accept latvia is a frickin cutie] will have impacts later on...) (flips through notebook) oh my god this is when i was obsessed with greek letters and replaced L and T and E with lambda and theta and epsilon respectively why did i do that

I also should inform you that I have only a rudimentary knowledge of earthquakes, despite having read '8.4' several times. I need to try and learn that stuff through osmosis, because otherwise there's no hope for accuracy.

Ah, and this chapter is so ridiculously late because I hate it and wanted to rework it but instead spent time avoiding it. Also volunteering. The children I work with are so ridiculously cute.

Happy 4th of July! This time last year I was just about to publish "The Marshmallow Test", ha. Better prepare for 'Happy Birthday America' storyspam now.

I apologize in advance for Sweden talking. & for the fact I kept spelling 'Sealand' as 'Sweatland', so if you see that let me know as soon as possible so I can fix it.

yeaah you've probably picked up on the fact i don't like this chapter much at all...

Anyway, on with the story. Review ^^;

There was another earthquake as they were leaving. The first two had simply been shudders, the ground bunching up and relaxing under their feet, barely enough to destabilize them as they stood and to knock a fewer of the smaller nations askew. However, the third was the world shaking itself to pieces around them. A real-seeming apocalypse. Rifts gaped and slammed shut, magma glowed and was vomited up in a few holes, and there was an overarching rumbling sound as if the air was preparing to explode.

The meeting building was half-spilled into a chasm. Old bricks, assorted furniture, the walls, it all collapsed down into the yawning precipice. Nations were dashed over the ground like so many marbles from a jar, scrambling like ants to relatively safe ground.

For a moment, Latvia thought he was going to die (or at least, have his nation-life reset; dying not would be an awful bother, returning to the earth and reincarnating any space of time later), and his eyes filled with tears. I don't want to die. Not here. Not like this.

The ground at his feet shivered and slithered like muscles under skin. It felt like he was standing on the surface of a great earth-snake, quiescent no longer. There was a groan of the earthworks disintegrating beneath him, and the surface he was standing on tilted in a very abnormal manner. I don't want to die...

Estonia noticed his plight and threw a hand towards him from his spot near the door, where the floor was somewhat level. It wasn't all that far away, but for the blond nations, it could have been a mile. The area Latvia was trapped on was sinking like the Titanic, one side pointing up at an almost ninety-degree angle, and was to this crumbling edge that the boy nation clung to, fingers white-knuckled with stress. He noticed the saving hand and extended his own, scrabbling for purchase and leaping, pushing off with every ounce of strength in his legs as the floor vanished beneath and the ceiling crashed down. Their fingers were inches apart-

And gravity kicked in. An awful old scream welled up inside the Latvian, threatening to burst his lungs as the roar of turbulent earth shuddered around him, and Estonia looked on the void his friend had fallen into, sucked in by an invisible hand, and felt an insidious urge to cry. Buried alive. What an awful way to go.

The ground pushed together again, and the quaking ceased. Even before the ground stopped trembling, Estonia had hopped off his safe spot and scrambled to the narrow line in the earth, calling his friend's name with a tremor in his voice. "Lavtia? Latvia?"

Of course, there was silence. The blond scraped futilely at the dirt, digging a short pit, refusing to give up.

Then, the miracle, thin fingers poking up from the bottom of the hole like ill-harvested crops. They twitched, and without even thinking the nation grabbed the hand and pulled.

By a second sort of miracle, the still-loose, shifting soil vomited up the boy, muddy and gray as he seemed. He hacked and choked on the air, seemingly unable to believe that he lived, and turned his tear-streaked face upwards, not looking at Estonia, but at the solid darkness of the sky, and then started crying in earnest.

Hungary, who was nearby (and had had centuries of practice consoling younger nations) came over and hugged him, and he accepted the comfort gratefully. Estonia watched for a moment and then turned away.

"You can stop hugging me now," whispered Latvia , and struggled to his feet. "There are probably others who need it more." He freed himself from the brunette's embrace and limped after the Estonian, trying to shake the dirt out of his clothes.

Hungary said, almost to herself, "It's funny, he seems so young, so innocent, and yet he's one of us." She turned to Austria, who was at her side. "Don't you think?"

Instead of answering, the Austrian replied, "If that earthquake was bad for us, what about the others?"

She had no answer for that.

Estonia was reluctantly taking charge, trying to comb the panicked nations back into some semblance of order. It wasn't going so well, and he sighed and pushed a hand through his blond hair, standing it on end. I know we just had a shock, but that's why it's all the more important that we regroup. They don't seem to see that.

Suddenly, arms circled around his waist, and he was surprised to find Latvia hugging him tightly. "I wanted to thank you for saving me," he whispered, head down. "I didn't get to earlier." Suddenly as that, he was released, and the smaller blond shambled off to find a place to sit. The Estonian idly followed his retreating back with his eyes. Did something happen to him underground? He never used to act like this. It was as if steel was smashed into his spine, make him stronger...

With Hong Kong's help, the nations were assembled, and for the most part, attentive. There was a quick head-count and survey, and most of the nations had emerged unscathed. Not counting Latvia's likely traumatic experience, the worst of the injuries constituted of a long shallow scratch across Cuba's torso.

Sealand stood on his tiptoes outside the ring of nations debating the issue i hushed voices. He wanted to help, but nooo, he had to go home and be a good little boy, according to Sweden. But what was the point of that if the world was going to end in a few days?

For the micronation, the fact the world was ending was still a hazy shape in the distance, an unreal, unfulfilled nightmare that would no doubt be averted. It was okay to joke about it, because everything would be fine. He had faith in the nations, but only if they'd let him help! And if he saved them, they'd have to be nice to him.

But, yes. It would be nice for Jerkland to come back. Sweden and Finland are too distracted with these aliens and Iceland's missing, so I don't have that many people to talk to, especially since Denmark and Norway want to help as well.

He clambered onto a somewhat large stone to try and get a little higher to be acknowledged. Instead, he heard fragments of muted conversation in low, serious tones.

"-use him as bait-"

"-aliens kidnapping? It could be nothing!"

"Well, I doubt it's just a muffin. You saw, they obviously had-"

"-holograms-"

"What about Latvia?"

"What? Me? I don't - I'm not going to!"

"I'll do it!" shouted Sealand, breaking into their conversation and scattering his elders left and right. "I'm made of steel, anyway! They can't hurt me!"

There was a full second of silence before Sweden inquired cautiously, "Y s're y' w'nt t' d' th's? 'ts pretty d'ngr's." Which translated to "You sure you want to do this? It's pretty dangerous."

"Well, how come Latvia was offered? He's my friend, and he's about the same size as me, and why is he so special?"

"Because he's a nation," sniffed Austria. "And you aren't."

"That's because you jerks don't recognize me!" The micronation kicked the Austrian in the shin. The latter squawked and hopped around clutching his damaged limb, ranting impotently. Hungary stifled a smile, but murmured, "You really have a way with words, don't you?"

"You're mean!" shouted Sealand, who had tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. "All of you! I'm a nation, too!" He tried to kick Austria again, but Sweden caught him by the arms. "Wh't d'd I t'll you 'bout k'ckng?" Which of course meant "What did I tell you about kicking?"

The micronation scuffed the ground with the toe of his shoe. "Not to do it, I know."

"Don't do it again," said Finland sternly. Then, seeing Sealand's dejected expression, softened. "You can hold Hana, if you like." And indeed, the dog had followed them to the meeting building and was sitting patiently by the front stoop.

The boy brightened and moved off, burying his face in the soft white fir.

"Y'r too e'sy 'n h'm," remarked the Swede softly.

Finland pushed blond hair out of his eyes. "He's only a kid, Sve. He has dreams, too."

The conversation was back in gear again. "Seriously," Cuba was saying, trying not to scratch the bandage on his chest, "Why can't Latvia be the bait? He's small and vulnerable-looking, which-"

"That's because I am vulnerable!" Latvia burst out, looking as if he wanted to sit down. Temporary steel had rusted out. "I don't want to be b-bait! I've just tired, and I hurt all over. So can I sit or what?"

"See? He objects to us using him," argued Estonia, who wasn't really listening.

"If he doesn't wanna be bait, he doesn't have to," supported Turkey.

"What about Sealand? Why aren't we using him? The kid's energetic. He's got spunk." Denmark, almost an uncle to the kind-of-not-really-a-nation, put in a good word.

"Because he's immature and he doesn't pay attention. I bet you he'd get easily distracted." Austria shot the boy a dark look, still rubbing his shin.

"I am so a nation!" shouted Sealand, but he didn't stop petting the dog.

"I really feel tired," said Latvia weakly. "C-can I please sit?"

And he did. His head hurt, his ribs hurt, and his leg felt like it was going to fall off. Being squashed into the dirt was not a fun experience. There was probably grains of mud still in his lungs. "I really think I'm going to- " Almost on cue, he passed out.

Only Sealand's quick reflexes saved the Latvian from eating dirt a second time. "See?" said Sealand triumphantly, lowering his friend to the ground. "Now you'll have to let me be the bait! Although someone should probably look at Latvia, too..."

More than a little embarassed that they'd ignored the smaller nation's plight, the others were eager to help. A moment later, when all the nations were crouching around him, the young boy nation woke. "Ack! Stop touching me! Why am I lying down?"

"Because you passed out," said Sealand bluntly. Then he did a little dance. "So you're unfit for bait! And that just leaves me!"

Latvia stared at him blankly before smiling at him. "Good for you."

"See?" said Denmark to no one in particular. "He's a good kid."

Austria sighed. "If you insist."

"Oh, I insist," snarked the Dane, and Austria muttered something under his breath that made Hungary smirk.

Romania staggered out of the remains of the building, and the woman's demeanor instantly changed. Narrowing her eyes at her enemy, she flung the nearest thing at hand - a sizable chunk of rubble - in his direction. The aim was slightly off, but the nation got the hint and glared daggers at her.

"You know," said Estonia anxiously, blocking the glarefest with his body, "you're really going to have to stop doing that. We might need the magic he says he has."

Hungary unknowingly imitated Sealand, looking down and scuffing the ground with one foot. "But without that sort of thing, how am I going to keep myself occupied here?"

"You won't be here for long." The blond turned to Sealand, who was still beside himself and chanting "I'm gonna be the bait! I'm gonna be the bait!"

"I hate to interrupt you," said the Estonian almost steadily, "but do you know what being the bait requires?"

The micronation shook his head, bangs flopping like tassels. "Nope. But I'll figure it out!"

"If you're going to be a nation, though, you'll have to do this right." His voice was somewhat condescending, though he did his utmost to bury that hint.

The boy started listening intently.

Austria was appealing to Sweden. "Are you sure Sealand will be able to to this? What if he gets hurt?"

"W'll, th't's h's pro'bl'm. 'nd I do th'nk th't he'll h've t' grow up s'm'eday."

It took the brunette a moment to decipher, which the Swede generously allowed. Then he went on, saying, "Why d' you c're s' m'ch 'nyway? Wh't's Seal'nd d'ne t' you?"

"He did kick me in the shin," pointed out the Austrian. "Also, he's young, immature, and entirely too overconfident in his abilities." He heaved a sigh. "Also, he reminds me a little of a certain young nation that I had to take care of once...he went off to fight a war, thinking he could win, and became someone else entirely."

After a moment, Sweden loomed intimidatingly over Austria. "It'll b' f'ne," said the tall nation reassuringly. "He's r'dy." And the Swede moved away.

"He scares me a little," confided Austria to Finland, and the Fin replied with a small nod. "He can be scary, but he's also nicer than his exterior belies, and he does a great job raising Sealand."

Estonia was finishing up explaining to Sealand the job he'd have to do, and the boy nation was nodding and looking serious.

"All right," said Hong Kong, walking over. Somewhere along the line, he'd been informed of the plan, and was now, for the moment, taking the wheel of the whole endeavor. "Places. Turkey, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, and Hungary, I need to talk to you. Everyone else, just, ah, do something. No phones, please."

Turkey and the rest of the summoned nations turned to the Asian nation. "What?"

"Do you think you're all capable of taking down any aliens that show up?"

"Yeah!" shouted Denmark enthusiastically, and punched the air, altogether too loudly. "Let's-"

"Don't kill them. It'd be best if they were still alive, so we could have some leverage against them."

Turkey, Denmark, and Hungary visibly slumped, with cries of "Aww" in unison.

"Can you do this?" Hong Kong did not tolerate their playfulness. "It's a serious business, and if Sealand is harmed, I won't be able to forgive myself for helping with this half-cocked idea. I can always pick others." Now, he felt a bit like a grammar-school teacher, scolding the children for disobeying. It was not a feeling he liked.

"You remind me of a teacher," grumbled the Dane, right on cue. "But yeah, I can do it." The other two nodded their assent.

Sealand joined their group. "I'm ready. Let's go."