"It's so nice of you to come visit me!" Veneziano told Hungary, leading her over to a stone table in a garden. Tears were filling his eyes at the sight of his old friend. He had missed her so much.

"Instead of crying," Hungary said sweetly, "we need to talk about what we are going to do about the new problems that are popping up on our side of the world."

Veneziano shook his head. "I would love to help fix everything, but I don't think right now is a good time. I know it's all true, but America used to be our friend. And you should be close to him, not running away from him. Besides, I'm poor and innocent. I can't go against someone as strong as him."

"No one is going to make you do something that we don't think you can, but all of us believe that you are just as powerful as him. You may even be more powerful than he is. You are a descendent of the Great Ancient Rome!"

Veneziano wondered idly why everyone kept telling him that. What did his family relations have to do with anything? It was as if they thought he didn't know. "Just believing me to be strong won't actually make me strong. Just as believing pasta to be sausage won't make it sausage!"

"You make me want to lose hope of having you fight against him," Hungary laughed, messing up his hair.

"Hungary? Why did you leave Mr. Austria all alone? Why didn't you bring him with you? He's probably lonely all by himself in that big house of his. You could've brought him with you. Your armies, too. We could've all been safe here together."

"All the good people are afraid to fight America!" Hungary complained, ignoring his question. "Now he is safe as ruler because no one will go against him. And I can't fight his whole military alone."

"Do you think there are people who will fight for me?" the young nation asked her, staring at his hands. "Are there people who will fight with me?" He shook his head and looked her in the eyes. "Germany promised me thousands of troops, but if I win our side will have a worse ruler than America."

"What are you talking about?"

"Me! I'm not strong enough to rule anyone! I can barely rule my own country! Everyone will wish for America back!"

Hungary could help but laugh at him. "You could never be a worse ruler that America."

"I am nothing but a coward," Veneziano pouted.

"The title of ruler belongs to you! You are stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"I don't have any of the things rulers need! I would never be able to help our side stay at peace."

Hungary jumped up and pointed a finger in his face. "Veneziano Italy! You are truthful, generous, merciful, humble, devoted, and courageous! Those are all great qualities to have in a ruler!"

"Do you really think I can rule the way Grandpa Rome did?"

"You are just like your Grandpa Rome," Hungary said, hugging him tightly.

Veneziano smiled widely. "Okay! I'll help you, Hungary! Germany has already prepared soldiers and he is going to be bringing them here soon."

"Is Germania on his way?" he asked a German soldier as he walked into the garden.

"Yes, sir. There is a large group of people standing outside to welcome him."

"Thank you," Veneziano nodded and waved the soldier away.

"A large group of people are outside to see Germania?"

"Mhm. Germania doesn't get out as much as Grandpa Rome did, so no one ever sees him. When they hear that he is going somewhere they gather around to catch a glimpse of him. It's very exciting. That's why we hardly see him during wars. He's usually off fighting somewhere where the other nations aren't. He's been gone a lot more since Grandpa Rome died. I think he's trying to lay low."

Hungary stood up and pulled herself up so she could see over the stone wall that surrounded the garden. "There's someone coming," she said, squinting to see the person in the distance. "It's not Germania, though."

Veneziano climbed up and looked past the group of people in front of the house. "Oh!" Veneziano said loudly. "It's big brother, France! France!" he waved.

Hungary nodded, "Now I recognize him. What's he doing here?" Hungary asked the younger nation, letting go of the wall and falling to the ground.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him in forever!" Veneziano ran out the garden and returned with France.

"Beautiful as always, Hungary," France smiled at her.

"How are things on our side?" she asked him.

"It doesn't feel like home. It has become a very dangerous place. Only the ignorant can be happy. All night we hear screams and shrieks. All day there are more funerals and we barely know who is dying because we are too afraid to ask. Good and beautiful people are dying for no apparent reason."

"It sounds like a bad horror movie, but I know it's real," Hungary mumbled.

"What's the most recent report?" Veneziano asked.

France shrugged. "Whatever news I came here with is old by now."

"How's Austria?" Hungary asked. "And my soldiers, how are they? I left them to watch over him."

They were at peace when I left," France said, choosing his words wisely, not willing to upset Hungary.

"You're hiding something," she replied, studying his face.