Author's Note: I have come back from vacation. I love when Independence Day falls on a Monday. I get to post match two on Alfred's birthday. The playlist "You Slowly Realize You Weren't Meant to Save the World, You Were Meant to Destroy it" helped me add more to this match. Looks like we have something interesting going on with 2P!America. What that is, you are going to have to find out. I know who's coming up next week. I know you are looking forward to it. For now, enjoy this week's match.


Match Two: Pagoda:

Alfred played with Baby Florence's little cheeks. She started to have strawberry blonde hairs on her head. The baby giggled as Alfred poked her in the cheek. She looked so precious. Raising her had its challenges. Did the American man regret any of it? Hell no! Alfred wasn't perfect, but he did his best.

Today seemed like a nice day. Maybe he could take his daughter to the park. Alfred reached over and picked up his phone.

"Hello?" Lydia asked on the other line.

"Hey!" the American man said. "You busy right now?"

"No…" she said.

"Great!" Alfred said. "I will see you outside in ten minutes!" He hung before the young woman could say a word. The American man jumped to his feet. He looked down at the baby in her bassinet.

"Right," he said. "Let's get you dressed up to go." The baby squealed as if she understood him. Alfred smiled as he took her out of the bassinet.


Lydia and Alfred walked down the path to the park. She looked up at me.

"What brought this plan on?" she asked. The American man shrugged.

"Just felt like it," he said.

"Heh," she said. They took in the sounds of birds around them. It felt rather warm around them for it being autumn. Lydia looked down at her niece. Alfred had her dressed up in a frilly purple shirt and blue jeans with pink sneakers. The baby looked happy to be riding around in her stroller. Today felt so calm. Maybe a bit too calm.

"Hey, Alfred," Lydia said.

"Hm?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Do you ever feel that something bad is going to happen?" she asked. Alfred took a moment to think about that.

"No," he said.

"Oh," Lydia mumbled to herself.

"Why, what's the matter?" Alfred asked. She looked up.

"Hm?" she asked. The American man gave her a look like she was growing a second head out of her neck.

"Is there something wrong? It's not the trial, is it?" he asked.

"No!" Lydia shouted. She took a breath.

"It's not that," the young woman said. Alfred cocked his head to the side.

"Then… what is it?" he asked. Lydia shook her head.

"Just forget it," she said. She started to walk forward.

"Lydia?" Alfred asked. He ran with the stroller to catch up with her.


In truth, the American man understood what she was saying. He hadn't told her about everything that had been going on. Some nights, Alfred found himself looking over his shoulder. His counterpart didn't really go away. The American man had a sneaking fear that he would come back. What if he decided to harm Baby Florence?

Alfred was glad to know that he wasn't the only one with this fear about his darker self bleeding into the real world. The other countries didn't think he was crazy. Some were even worried themselves. No one seemed to have an answer as to what to do with them.

The American man looked over his shoulder. Lydia didn't even ask him why. She probably suspected that something wasn't right. Was that what she was trying to tell him?

"Hey, Lydia," he said once he caught up with her.

"Hm?" she asked.

"Is it possible that you can see your double in this world?" he asked. The young woman turned.

"Huh?" she asked. Alfred put up his hands in a shrug.

"Nothing," he muttered. The American man looked down at his daughter. Baby Florence looked out at the world. It took about a month for her to open her little eyes. Alfred wasn't used to seeing bright blue eyes on a baby before. Blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair. So precious. She didn't know about the darkness coming for them.

"Hey, Alfred," Lydia said. The American man looked up.

"Did you say something?" he asked.

"I was just asking if we could sit down," she said. He stared at her for a moment.

"Hm? Oh. Sure, sure," he said.

"Thank you," Lydia said. They walked over to a bench sitting on the trail and sat down. Alfred looked into the stroller.

"You hungry yet?" he asked. Baby Florence made a cooing noise.

"Heh, I'll take that as a yes," he said. Alfred picked up the diaper bag and reached inside. Lydia cocked her head to the side.

"You sure you aren't overfeeding her?" she asked.

"Nonsense!" he said. "She's a growing girl. She's going to need all of the feed that she can get." Alfred got out a filled bottle of milk. He noticed the look on Lydia's face.

"Relax, it's oat milk," Alfred said. "I got it off that baby site that you showed me. The doctor said it was safe." Lydia narrowed her eyes before smiling.

"Fair enough," she said. "Still think you need to cut back on the feeding." Alfred ignored her as he unfastened the baby from her stroller.


-Allen-

He is no hero. He's only living an illusion. She will use him to destroy this world. I have accepted that I am the villain in this story. It's about time that he's realized it too. Why does he care about that damned baby so much? Still, she is not to die in this story.

You know something? I can't figure it out myself. I've looked down at that little sleeping face many a night. She's got him wrapped around those tiny fingers of hers. I've wondered if I could kill a baby or not. After all, villains with tragic backstories are all the rage. But somehow, I fill that if I killed that baby, something would go horribly array.

Fine, the kid will stay in the picture. I clicked my tongue.

This puts me in quite the spot. He has to become a villain and bring this world's downfall. But he can't do that with that damned baby in the way. Plus, there's that woman. She too has a baby of her own. Or she will really soon at least. What is with all of these babies lately? I can't stand it!

I freeze when something whispers in my ear.

Hm? What are you saying? The whispering keeps going.

"I don't understand what you are saying," I said. "I'm supposed to do what?" I drop my fist by my side.

It's so clear now. I saw it.

"I understand," I said.

So that's how it's going to be.


Meanwhile, Alfred stood up.

"Alfred?" Lydia asked.

"I don't feel so good," he mumbled to himself.

"Huh?" she asked. The American man started walking out of the park. He could barely hear Lydia calling out to him behind him. He put his hand to his chest. It felt like something had been ripped away from him in that moment.