2nd Player

"Matt!" I called impatiently, waiting for the damn bastard's reply. I held no victory, the silence mocking me for my capricious change in rational behavior.

Why is he not replying? It's been a week now and I haven't seen Maddie either! Exasperated, I pinched the bridge of my nose in utter stress.

I'm honestly starting to get a bit crazed about the whole situation. Okay, that was a misstatement, my sense of hope and reasoning deteriorates that much more with every passing day!

I didn't care to hide my cruel smile. Hope, when does anyone rely on such an unkempt lie to help with the catastrophes of our melancholy reality? How I wish that life could be more simple.

There's no hope for me, life shall never alter it's path for an individual, no matter if they are a country or not.

That's it! All of this...all my feelings from the day I took my first breath on Earth...all of it resulted to this! Why can't I have a say in my life's decisions? This is my life, why can't I live it like a normal human?

Why was the duty of representing my country thrusted upon my soul? I don't deserve it! I want a normal life, a normal...family...

Gods, what am I thinking?! What is this darker side emerging from the depths of my grief? It's probably apart of the string of damn side-affects included as a "package-deal" with the maddening drug.

Shaking my head until I was certain that I had loosened a screw in my neck, I succeeded in ridding my mind of the demonic thoughts...for now.

I tried calling Maddie dubiously, the hollow silence replied with it's airy, scornful laughter. How expectant, I thought sarcastically, smiling mercilessly at my own stupidity. Honestly, why do I even bother!

Speaking of stressing matters, I still have a lot where that came from! During the last G-7 meeting, Germany went on from a particularly worrying topic.

As told by the 2P Universes' spokesperson, there have been countless nation-doubles that have violated the rules of travelling between different universes, some of which have already made human contact. Yeah, it can't get any worse for me, right? Wrong...

Apparently, some of the doubles pose as a threat to us nations, a few sick individuals want to start a war to annihilate us compleatly. On the other hand, some come in peace due to personnal wishes. Those doubles come with temptations that would entice even the most rock-hard nations.

So basically, if anyone found out about Matt, we'd both be screwed over big-time! Although, they didn't say anything about the Fem Nations...

More than anything, I need to do some well-needed reseach. But where to start, where to go?

I know something's up! But what's the link, how is this all relevant? I really need to stop over thinking. After all, I need to buy Francis a birthday present without anyone noticing and before it's too late!

Even though my Papa's birthday isn't for a few months, there's hardly anything to do these days. So I may as well, right?

I shut my door a little louder than necessary, drawing unneeded attention from England, who was quietly sewing next to the fireplace in his favorite armchair.

"Where are you off to, Matthew?" England asked after I intentionally walked past him, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Just going out for some fresh air, a change of scenery." I refuted, I knew my answer would be vague to him.

"At 10 o'clock in the late evening?!" Alfred interjected from across the room, but I had already closed the door mid-sentence.

Well, now that's over, I can proceed onto gift-hunting. Should I start at the wine cellar...or the bakery?

~•~

Whew! I've been searching for hours and I can't find anything suitable! First of all, the wine cellar had already sold out all their French alcohol. Second, the bakery was closed. And third, the strip club was off-limits.

I'll continue some other day, when it's not so late! I thought, nodding at my decision. May as well get something to eat before I head home, I'm famished!

If my sense of direction holds up, I'll be about ten minutes from the nearest cafe. Cutting through the park would shave off most of my time.

The transfer from winter to summer made the flora impersonate a bag of monochrome licorice allsorts. Where puddles of melted snow dotted the pathway and the leaves were growing back as tiny shoots.

For a summer night, it sure was chilly. Clamping my arms tighter around myself didn't make a difference to my chattering teeth and goose-bumped arms.

Should of ruged up more! I reminded my scatter-brained self. The describing word made me laugh at my life's inside joke. Scatter-brained, that describes my state all too perfectly...

Maybe it would help to do up the buttons of my coat, I'll sit down over on the park bench over there. I hope the lady already there doesn't mind.

Upon getting closer to the bench, I noticed countless simalarities in the woman. For one, she had the same loving, passionate demeanor like Papa and she seemed to be inaudibly muttering French while turning someing over in her hands.

"Enchanté, mademoiselle." I greeted, in case she couldn't speak English. The lady snapped out of her trance-like state of imobility and looked up at me, bewildered. But her features softened for an unclear reason before she patted the space next to her.

Taking my seat, she spoke in an authentic French accent that sounded scarily familiar, "'ello, Matthieu. It's a plesure to finally meet you, mon fils!"

It was my turn to stare bewilderedly at her, before I did a double-take. What the hell?! This crack-pot lady thinks I'm her son?! Since when did I ever have a mother?!

That's right...I never remembered having a mother...but then how was I born? Was I born though another woman who I was never introduced to? I looked back to the lady and I was met by anguished pools of violet. Maddie...?

"Ah, I see," The lady realized, sadly, "Francis 'as yet to tell you about me." Okay, now I was getting skeptical. Even my own father has kept the identity of my mother from me!

"Wait, slow down! Can you please explain-"

"Let me guess, tonight you were looking for a present to give Francis for 'is birthday, no?" She cut me right off!

"Yes, that's correct. Now can yo-"

"'ere," She cut me off again, much to my annoyance, and placed the object she was so interested in before into my open hand. It was a silver necklace, on it accompanied a gold and blue fleur-de-lis pendant.

She went on, a noticable catch in her throat, "This 'olds great memories dear to Francis, I saved it from the fires that destoyed a tresured lover of 'is...and mine."

"Now, I won't bog you down with too much infomation, so I best be taking my leave now. Take care, Matthieu!" She farewelled, standing up from the bench and sashayed into the pitch-black night.

"Wait, you haven't even told me your name!" I finally said. She turned around and gave me a heart-melting smile.

"It's Marianne, mon fils," She added, and continued to walk away as she spoke, "Marianne Bonnefoy..."

And with that, I lost sight of her in the sombre nightfall. Looking down at the necklace, I sighed and placed it carefully into my pocket.

Well Papa...you have a lot of explaining to do...!

~•XxXxX•~

"Okay, England...I'm home." I wheezed, breathlessly. Man, I should've taken a cab home! I expected England to be patronizing me about coming home in the twilight hours after 12am. But he sat elsewhere, talking to what sounded like two people.

"Englan-...Aargh?! WHAT IN THE BLAZING-MAPLE ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!" I screeched. This had to be the worst any day could get!

"Oh, hey Mattie...Long time, no see!" Maddie and Matt said in unison, sheepishly.

"Don't, "Oh, hey" me! England is right here! Do you know how much trouble we'll all be in if Germany finds us?"

Arthur stood up, silencing me before pleading his case, "They've explained that they come in peace and I believe them..."

Is this why I couldn't contact them before? Because they were already in this world?

"Nope, we just wanted to surprise you!" Matt laughed telepathically. I swear the next chance I get...

"Though when you are in the opposition's universe, it's harder to communicate our thoughts long-distance." Maddie confirmed

England was wondering why the three of us were all staring at one-another, our movement refrained to only blinking and breathing.

"Arthur, do you mind if I have a word with the two of them? Alone." I asked without expecting an answer, practically dragging the two "me's for another time" into my room and slamming the door, leaving poor England puzzled out of his mind.

~•~

"So the reason why you guys and Marianne aren't floating anymore is because you're now here, in my universe...correct?" I put all the missing information together and most of it made sense.

"Uh-huh, that's right!" Maddie replied cheerfully. All the while since they entered my room, Matt and Maddie examined all my possessions. Maybe, in their universes, things look a lot more different...

"I-We think you should visit France's place to, I dunno, find out more about that necklace and possibly the rest of our father's past." Matt gave his opinion, stressing the 'our'.

That's true. No matter how anyone looks at it, even though we're all from different alternative universes, Francis is our father.

Plucking the necklace out from the pocket I placed it in earlier, I analyzed it again quickly and sighed.

"Well...to Paris, we ride!"

Translations:

• Mon fils = My son

• Enchanté = Good evening, Delighted, etc.

• Mademoiselle = Madam, Miss, etc.

• Matthieu = French way of saying Matthew :/

Tune in next time for 'Chapter Five, Paris'!

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