[Conny]: First to note, thank you goes out to Do You Really Want to Know, Illusion fox, and 2Resonance-Danny for reviewing the last chapter. I know it wasn't the best start for the story, but thanks. Anyways! Finally, I have chapter two done! I'm making these like six pages long (even though I really shouldn't need to). In this story, you get to meet Maria de la Cruz (aka Philippines) and her roommate. I really wanted to bring these characters in, so I hope you readers don't mind. I'll be pushing out more chapters in no time (aha, probably will take me another couple weeks to get the next one going). Anyway, here are some translations for you.

Wara (according to my mother), the Visayan word for "no."
Hindi is another word for "no."
Spratly refers to the islands that are being contested between many countries in Asia.
Ate means "older sister."
Kuya means "older brother."
Ikinagagalak kitang makilala. means "It's nice to meet/see you."
O o, or opo means "yes."
The Katiputnan was the revolutionary group during the 1800s against the Spanish government.
Oh, I should mention that I threw in a verse from an Italian song and am too lazy to find the translation, so yeah...

Anyway, enjoy!

Maria was just so excited to be going back to school. Sure, it was crazy...but she wouldn't trade it for the world. Of course, it was the whole world anyway, so yeah! She was so busy packing things into her suitcases that she had completely forgotten something. It wasn't just her that was going this year. Mr. UN had told her a secret that not many knew. The countries were going to be given roommates! Who wouldn't love that? Oh, the poor person that was stuck with France. The poor lad, he wouldn't last two seconds alone with the European pervert.

"What else do I need?" She already packed away months' supply of snacks, along with the other necessities: tooth brush, clothes, pepper-spray, and her diary. Yes, everything was all organized into neat sections.

Her phone started ringing, so she answered it. She at first expected it to be America (complaining about school with England), maybe Spain (anticipating seeing her again) or possibly even China (warning me that Spratly is his—which isn't true!).

"Maria! Oh, Miss de la Cruz~" She could recognize this voice oceans away, which she was going to need to be able to do.

"Rizal! How are you? It's been too long," she said into the receiver with much excitement. She can tell her (human) friend about her stay in Rome for a school year. The Filipina was just sure he would love to hear about it.

"Ecstatic! I have a scholarship to a school far from home, but it's just for a year." To be honest, a scholarship is one of the more important things in life there. Without an education, where can you go?

"I'm so glad! Where is the school?" Rizal had let out a sigh, it was feathery and slight. Maria knew he always wanted to see America, but he just couldn't pull together enough money. It all just went to his big family. But is that sigh for his wishes finally becoming true?

"I'm going to Rome! Can you believe it, Ate? I'm going to Italy!" She was squealing with joy, but soon realized something. Rizal knows no Italian whatsoever. His English was up to Filipino standards, but he only knew what she knew of Italian (which was only a few words).

"That's awesome! Hey, what school is this?" After telling his friend, Rizal was basically jumping. His recently styled hair was getting messed up, but he couldn't care. The Italians are known to be quite attractive, considering Maria keeps talking about two she knows. Rizal just knew he would be enjoying himself there.

"Hey, Ate—"

"Rizal, I think we will be heading to the same place."

On the fifth hour of their flight, Rizal just couldn't stop himself. He pulled out lipstick and forced his friend to sit still.

"But I don't need—"

"All girls need a little color, so do not be fussy about this." Maria just sighed. What else could she really do? Besides, it's not like Rizal actually packed his— "Ate, think you need more?" Her amber eyes widened a bit, caught off guard by the smaller purse-sized kit he had brought.

"Are you hoping for that slumber party?" Rizal was just far too giddy to sit still. His dream was coming true. He could finally live a life in a foreign land and enjoy spending time with his best friend.

"Hey, Ate? Are your Italian friends going to be at this school?" From what he had heard from Maria, there are two brothers and that they are fun to be around. The older brother isn't too nice to guys, especially to one by the name of Antonio, whom Maria tries to avoid.

"Ah, opo! A lot of the people I've told you about will be going to this school. Including the American," she said teasingly. Rizal became so self conscious at the mention of her friend. He never met him, but has seen pictures of him. No matter who or where you are in the Philippines, a lot of people who marry foreigners choose blonde hair, blue eyed Americans.

"Oh, Ate! Please help me? I think I need to change my hairstyle." He got far too nervous far too quickly. He pulled out his battery powered straightener and his mini make-up kit.

"I think...will you allow me to do anything?" He nodded. Maria targeted his curly bangs, knowing just want she wanted to do.

The rest of the trip consisted of the two of them talking and giggling like two best friends. Maria had styled his hair, so that it was trimmed short in the back and his bangs were long and brushed off to the right of his face. It made him look like a popular television show host back home.

By the time they arrived in Rome, the other passengers had grown irritated by the couple. Maria was glad to arrive in Italy, knowing her friend would find her in no time.

"Ate, where are we going?" The Filipina latched onto his hand and proceeded to drag him through the streets. "Ate!" Running wasn't the best idea in the shoes he was wearing, but Maria didn't really care. She had heels (thanks to her best friend's suggestion) on, and was quite skillful in running with them.

"Rizal, trust me! I know just where Feliciano would be right now." It didn't take too terribly long to find out where they were going. The young man began to realize that the buildings looked more like places people would eat. People were sitting in cafés and there were musicians on the streets. The sunlight filled the road, making the stone roads glisten.

"Non ti accorgevi di me. Se poi mi lasciavo cadere. Non mi accorgevo di te. Che mai mi venivi a salvar." Rizal had no idea what was being said, but they stopped in front of the man who was singing. He had a curl sticking out of his hair, much longer than the rest of the strands. He seemed so happy to be singing. He had a curl sticking out of his hair, much longer than the rest of the strands. He seemed so happy to be singing to the people passing by.

"Ciao, bel—Maria? Ah, Maria," the man gladly proclaimed her name, as he placed the guitar down. He ensnared the girl in a tight hug, a carefree grin upon his face. "It's been so long, Ate!"

"Rizal, this is one of my Italian friends, Feliciano. The other is Lovino—ah, Ano-Ano? Mind telling me where Rom-Rom is?" Rizal was quite familiar with the names and nicknames of many of her friends, but didn't quite picture Feliciano like this. He was a lot shorter than he had expected and didn't really think his eyes really would be the color of amber.

"Fratello is still down south. He said something about having to take care of some—oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!" Rizal was a bit started that he was suddenly given attention. He smiled, and was given a hug by the Italian.

"Ano-Ano, this is Rizal. He's my friend from back home that I told you about." The young man had to wonder what his friend has been saying about him. Hopefully good things.

"You're Rizal? Ate has said so much about you!" Ano-Ano hugged the slightly smaller man, as if they had known each other for centuries. "She says you're the one to go to, if I ever need someone to do my hair and make a complete wardrobe change and—and that you're just all around cool~"

Rizal gave a short lived glare to his pal. Obviously that was a good compliment, but he couldn't help it. He didn't like it when people talked about him, whether it was mean or nice.

"Hey, mind if we do some exploring of Rome, before we go to school?" His eyes spotted plenty of shops, all of which he wanted to have a look around. Certainly he could find something fabulous for his friend and for himself of course.

"Of course we can! I'm the best person to go to, if you need a tour of Rome. You know, it was my grandfather that founded this city."

"That was just so much fun," Maria cheered, while tugging along her suitcase. To make it easier for her, she tied the bags of bargain designers to the luggage, making it a lot easier to carry it all. Feliciano simply swung his bags with his arms, a carefree smile on his face. Rizal handled his things with care, though sharing a smile similar to the Italian's.

"Can we do that again, Rizal?" Feliciano dreamed of dragging his new-found friend and introducing him to his numerous buddies. Surely Ludwig and his brother would like to meet him. Maybe Kiku could meet him too!

"If we have enough Euros for it," he joked, thinking about just how much the rate between Filipino pesos and Euros was. He knew that the conversion from Philippine Pesos to US dollars was roughly 43 to 1, plus there was the fact that the Euro was worth more than the US dollar, so he couldn't imagine just where his Filipina friend would be getting her money from. He was sure that his budget didn't take into account an excess spending.

"Veh~ Ate and I have lots of money, so no problem!" He gave a curious look to Maria, who was avoiding his eyes.

Suddenly, the overwhelming scent of flowers hit them. With the setting sun and the heavenly aroma, all of them could feel the Italian had meant by a city built for and by lovers. Maria knew Ano-Ano's grandfather had built a grand empire, but never really felt the truth until now. Having Rome still standing proved to her that that empire was still alive, even if the man that had brought up from the Earth has passed.

"Ate, you remember the way to the school, right? I have to go somewhere, so can you take Rizal there?" Maria nodded, unsure of why he was acting a bit strange. "I'll see you later!" He kissed both of their cheeks, and then sped away. The Filipina almost compared it to when he was in retreat, but there wasn't anything chasing after him this time.

"Ah…what was that?" The Filipino didn't know how to take the experience he just has with Feliciano. It was obviously fun, but the sudden departure made him wonder. "Was it me?"

"Oh, hindi! He likes you, I'm sure! I think he's just…busy." She didn't really believe her reason, but it was the best she could come up with. "Come on, I have to introduce you to Mr. UN." She took his hand and led him up the long drive. Rizal regretted packing the extra things in his luggage, but figuring it would be worth it in the end.

They came upon the academy, just as dusk was taking over the scenery. Maria led her friend inside, directly to the headmaster's office. She slammed the door open with a huge grin on her face. The man looked up, straightening his glasses. A warm smile showed on his face, as he stood.

"Miss de la Cruz!" They shared a short hug, only lasting a few seconds. "I didn't expect you to come so soon," he said, then glanced to the new face. "I suppose you must be Mr. Rizal Santos. It's nice to welcome you into my prestigious school." They briefly shook hands, while Rizal stood in a daze. He just realized that his best friend had connections to the headmaster, which meant she had some power. Something good could come out of that.

"Ikinagagalak kitang makilala." A blank look formed on the graying man's face.

"He accidentally switches languages sometimes, sir. I'm sorry, he said nice to meet you." Maria soon told the headmaster that she was going to show her roommate around, which he accepted. Mr. UN returned to his work, reminding the two Filipinos that classes would be starting soon. First, you were separated into different buildings. Each building is huge, obviously because it separates the world into different continents. The Americas (North and South) share one large building, and then Europe has their own, Asia has a fairly large structure, sharing with the Oceania nations, and then Africa has claims to its own dorm. In each building, it is divided up by which region the nation is located.

"O o, so the Philippines is located here in the Asia/Oceania building, and we are on the…higher level, near the Oceania people?" Rizal didn't understand why the school was cut into pieces like this. Maybe the headmaster wanted to keep people with somewhat similar backgrounds together?

"Yes, you understand!" On the way up the stairs, there was a commotion on the third floor, where the boy believed he heard Chinese. It wasn't too often that he heard the language being spoken, but there were many Chinese-Filipinos that he had met up with in the past. "Oh, my gosh! Kuya Yao is here!"

Without realizing it, Maria dashed down the hall and into one of the rooms. Rizal sighed, thinking that maybe his friend would be too busy with everyone she hasn't seen in so long. Maybe he'd be alone during this whole experience. Putting on a tough smile, he climbed up the marble stairs once more. He scanned the doors with his umber eyes, just waiting for that golden plaque to say his name. There were names obviously belonging to Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, and Burmese and—there was his name!

Maria de la Cruz

Rizal Santos

He couldn't help the smile on his face. He was really here in Rome, seeing the name of his friend and his own right there, marking the room they would be sharing for the next school year. Excitement just couldn't help but bubble within him.

"Rizal?" The Filipina must have run up the stairs, just to meet up with him. "I'm sorry—you found our room!" They shared their smile, as they entered the room. It was decorated, as if it were another home. The scent of the ocean and food was still fresh, even if the room had been vacant for the summer. Its warmth was something that couldn't be extinguished, no matter the season.

"It's almost like we never left home," he cheered, while tossing his bags onto the bed. "Is this what you had last year? All this luxury?" The furnishings were to die for, while the lavished furniture had to come straight out of a certain famous female TV host and actress's home.

"Now I share this luxury with you." She started unpacking her things, getting used to seeing her room being made for two. At least she still had plenty of space, and the fact that Mr. UN allowed her to keep a small refrigerator in her room (he didn't even allow the American to do that!). All of their snacks were stuffed into their proper storage, knowing it would last them the semester.

"We can have things mailed here, right?" Rizal was already devising a plan, where he and his family could have things shipped back and forth. He knew he didn't have the money for the postage though.

"If you want me to help send things to your family, I can help." Maria smiled, while tossing a shirt to his face. "You packed your shirt in my bag."

"Ate! You shouldn't have to do that for me. I can pull up the money somehow, and don't you have to think about your kapamiliya?" She sighed, not wanting to answer that question. Maria never did get around to telling her best friend a small secret of hers. Maybe this would be the perfect time.

"Rizal—"

"Hey, Ate—" They stopped, accidentally interrupting each other. Neither one knew who should speak first. "Go ahead, Ate."

"Hindi, you first." He nodded a little, and then proceeded to comb his hair.

"What are the classes like here?" He was curious about the school, considering it did take in students from every nation. Would the classes be split up by which continent you came from too?

"I spoke with Mr. UN last year, and he said that he would try his best to make it so that the classes have variety. He's never really did this sort of thing before." He only knew how to deal with the nations because he's known them all since the end of the Second World War. It's true that nearly all of the countries are older than a few decades, but not many of us have changed since the time they were raised from childhood.

"Ate, what are you thinking?" Rizal—even for the short amount of time he's known Maria—was always able to notice little things she would hide. If she had a crush, he could tell. If something was troubling her, he'd see it and try to help. But right now, he doesn't know what's on her mind.

"You see, Rizal, I'm actually the Philippines." The boy took this to thought for a moment, and then grinned.

"You tried out for the Miss Philippines pageant? That's good for you; you're beautiful compared to all of those—"

"No! I am literally The Philippines. I speak every dialect on my islands. I went through centuries of colonization because of Anton—Spain and America. I suffered through the World War Two because of Ki—Japan. I have spoken with Jose Rizal, President Quezon, President Aquino, the founders of Katiputnan, and many more people in our history!" She regretted yelling at him because her friend fell into a silence. She sighed, rising up to dig around the bedside drawer.

Pulling out the old photographs and miniaturized paintings, all of her old memories poured back in. Jose was truly kind to her, and the former presidents were like her best friends. The Katiputnan was her rebellious family against Antonio and the Spaniards. Pictures of Alfred and herself made her smile a bit, along with the single photo of herself and Kiku. There was even a portrait of her and Arthur; the drunkard-pirate had kidnapped her for a brief amount of time. Then smiles of her little brothers, Rom-Rom and Ano-Ano curved her lips into a grin. She offered the photos to Rizal, who took them and looked.

"Feliciano too?" Maria was glad that he seemed to accept the facts so quickly. "So he is Italy?"

"Italy Veneziano—Northern Italy." He nodded, still taking this all in. Just who knew there were immortal beings that represented the nations of the world? He does now! "You don't think it's weird, right? I mean, a lot of people seem to know. The president knows, a lot of the people in the government seem to know, too. I have these three angels that are watching over me that knew-"

"Angels?" Okay, maybe Maria is a little crazy. "Can't they show themselves?"

"Gladly." The second voice startled him, but more so frightened him when a woman appeared. Really, she was a young lady, somewhere around Maria's age. They shared the same island traits: darker toned skin and raven hair. She didn't have bangs, but was still equally as pretty as the country.

"Sorry for scaring you, Rizal. I'm Gabby! It's nice to meet—"

"Hey, I thought you weren't allowed to show yourself to humans." Gabby had a guilty smile on her face, but vanished quickly. Rizal just didn't know what to say.

"Now you believe me?" The brunette lay down on his bed, letting his headache to take over.

"So, Philippines...you have angels and all these countries that are your friends...and I'm your friend too? But I'm just some gay guy from a small town!" Why was fate toying with him? This just seemed way too crazy. "Why am I here?"

"Because I asked for you to be here. I wanted to show you that the world is actually a lot smaller than you thought it was."

[Conny]: So, my wonderful readers (who probably don't really like me). You met my favorite OC of all time, Miss Philippines (aka Maria de la Cruz). This is just the beginning of a very slow process I am developing here. I know this is just the start, but rest assured-this story will be long. It will be entertaining (hopefully) and it will eventually show the true meaning behind what I want to start. Please leave a comment about Rizal and Maria? And if you forgot to do so in the last chapter, mind telling me a little about what you think of Jane and Francis? I'll take whatever you want to throw at me (even a tomato xD). Anyway, thank you for reading!