hi, sorry for the long wait... i've been sick and all the snow hasn't helped much either...

hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to write... that and i also did put this on the back burner for a while... other stories (and homework) just needed my attention more. sorry for the long wait, but bare with me here... i promise the wait is worth it.

anyway, this chapter continues to visit Kayman's past.

It's kinda formatted like Once Upon A Time on ABC (love that show). i also changed Kayman's ethnicity to make more sense as well. before she had mixed blood, but now she is a full native American with a lighter skin-tone. I'll eventually rewrite "Origins of Germany" because i was not completely happy with the finished product. and going back and fixing things here and there is way more work than just rewriting the whole thing. it's just easier on me. if anything gets confusing, don't hesitate to let me know.

For updates on my stories and why they're taking so long... fallow me on twitter inudigifan201. I also tweet funny, cute, and etc. pictures i find online.

anyway... Enjoy! inudigifan201~

Ch, 3. Becoming a boy

Italy had fallen asleep on the other side of the fire. Elizabeth giggled a little as she picked up her book and pencil and continued to write down her thoughts.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate lying? Well, I do. I'm camping out a few miles away from a battle field. I can hear the guns fire and smell the blood from here. And an old friend of mine, Italy, decided to crash next to my fire. I don't mind seeing an old friend again. He's grown up a lot. You can actually tell he's a dude. But, I had to lie to him and say we'd never met before.

"Pasta!" Italy spoke in his sleep.

Elizabeth smiled. 'Nothing's changed.'

Chibi Kayman had her nose buried in a book and her body sprawled out on the floor as Chibi Italy swept around her.

"Excuse a-me, but I need-a to sweep there or Mr. Austria will-a get mad." Italy looked up at her.

She glanced up at him and then back at her book. "Hold on, I'm at a really good part."

He sat down next to her. "You can-a read?"

She looked him in the eyes. "You can't?"

He shrugged and smiled. "Mr. Austria won't-a let-a me learn."

She became confused. "That's not right."

He became just as confused as she was. "Huh?"

Holy room walked into the room and saw the two talking. He began to panic a little. Fearing that his friends would fall for one other.

Kayman rolled her eyes and stood up. "I could teach you how to read if you want." She offered.

Italy stood up too and grabbed his broom. "No, Mr. Austria would get mad." He explained.

She shrugged. "Ok, your loss." She held up the book she was reading. "Books are a treasure trove of knowledge." She smiled.

"Let me-a see that." Holy Rome grabbed the book right out of her hands.

"Hey, I was reading that!" She turned to him and scolded. "Give it back!" She then pouted.

"The Odyssey?" He read the title.

She cocked an eyebrow as he handed her back the book. "What were you expecting? Something girly?" She joked knowing everyone confused her for a boy.

He blushed. "Not really."

"Well, ok then." She crossed her arms over the book and walked out the room in a huff.

"Why would a-he be a-reading something-a girly?" Italy looked over at Holy Rome.

"I don't-a know." He turned his head away to hide his blushing face.

The sun began to rise and shine in Elizabeth's eyes causing her to wake up. She glance over at Italy whom hadn't moved from his spot on the other side of the pit that used to be a fire. The sound of distant gun fire never ended.

She then packed up camp. Before she left on her travels, she placed a small-ish tin box next to the sleeping Italy with a note on it. "I figured you might be hungry when you wake up. –Elizabeth"

She then tossed her bag over her shoulder and continued on her journey.

She was out of sight by the time Italy finally woke up. "Where did-a Miss Elizabeth go?" he then found the box and note. "She's a very nice-a lady." He smiled.

Chibi Kayman sat on a bench reading in Mr. Austria's garden. It was a beautiful spring day that she didn't want to waste inside. She glanced up a few times just to admire the flowers.

"Ah, so beautiful." She sighed as she gazed at a pink flower that caught her eye.

"You better a-not be-a thinking about-a Italy!" she glanced over and saw Holy Rome.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Huh?" she then jumped down and walked over to the flower she was admiring. She pointed to it. "This is what I was thinking about." She gave him a snide smile.

Holy Rome gasped. "You were-a thinking about giving it to Italy weren't-a you?!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, I was thinking about how lovely it would be in my hair or in a vase in my room. Italy never even crossed my mind. Besides, she's not my type." She shrugged.

"Huh?" He seemed confused. "Why would you-a put a flower in your-a hair? That's-a girly stuff."

She shrugged and then crossed her arms. "What's wrong with being a little bit feminine?"

He began to blush. "Ah, nothing I a guess." He then imagined Kayman in a frilly pink dress with the flower in her short hair. He blushed even harder. "Hey, Kayman?"

"Yo!" She tilted her head a little.

His blush was out of control. "Would you ever wear anything pink?"

She thought for a moment. "Pink's not really my color, unless it's a flower. But, if my outfit was pink…" she giggled a little. "Pink just looks so odd with my darker skin tone. It doesn't really look good on me." She smiled at him. "I look better in darker colors. Black, dark brown, and purple look really good on me."

"I bet." The dress in his mind changed into a purple one.

"Why do you ask?" She wondered.

His face was beat red. "Just-a wondering is all…" He started to run away. "Bye."

"See ya later." She smiled snidely.