Arthur Kirkland

Montreal, Quebec

October 30, 2163

I had decided that I would try to skip the meeting, but Alfred actually woke up at FIVE IN THE MORNING, just to make sure that I didn't sneak off. He also dragged me down to the closest McDonald's and made me pick something.

"Hash Browns," I said, my tone flat.

"Aw, come on. You can have my Hash Brown; they always give me one even though I don't even eat them anymore..."

I reluctantly ate the small ovular potato patty that the American had nibbled off of. He'd never let me hear the end of it if I didn't finish it. I really did not want to eat something that touched his lips but if I didn't eat it... not only would he be pissed, I wouldn't have enough energy to stay awake during the meeting. I didn't want anyone to find out what was wrong with me besides Alfred. I had enough trouble with the idiot not keeping his voice low; I didn't need any more of that type of problems.

Promptly at 7:30 AM, he dragged me back to the hotel and said, "Alright, I gotta go get dressed. You have to get dressed, too."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "But you usually wear jeans to the meetings... and you're already dressed."

"I'm gonna wear Khaki today, ok?"

Khaki...? Since when does he wear Khaki...? I thought, mildly confused. I sighed, "Whatever makes you happy, I suppose..."

Walking slowly, I went back to my room and put on something considerably less formal than what I normally wore to world meetings. I pulled the black polo over my head and put on my usual navy suit pants under it. I didn't tuck my shirt in (another first) but I did wear a suit jacket that matched. I was strangely unhappy with the black shirt so I changed into a white one. That didn't feel right either... I ended up changing my shirt 10 or 12 times and yet I still didn't like it... it felt strange to me...

There was a banging at the door, "Hey, Iggy! It's 8:30, dude! Come on!" Shouted a voice. a short pause then, "That was good, Da?"

"Eh... lose the Da and then we'll tawk," said another. "I just can't bulieve that Iggy's still in his room! No'mally he's up and about lawng bufore dad is!"

Jersey...?

I opened the door, having decided on the white shirt, and found a young lady with dark brown hair and a child. The woman turned her bluish amber eyes on me and stared at my shirt. "Is that cotton or poly-ester?" she asked, staring into my eyes.

"Um... Cotton. Synthetics are bad for the environment," I said.

She looked so happy that she could cry, "I love ya, Iggy. And I'm not just sayin' that 'cause I'm pawt of Dad an' all; I really love ya."

"Whatever you say-" I paused and went over what she said in my head. "What...?"

"Oh, neva-mind!" she said, flushing maroon and putting her hand on the child's head. She ruffled his hair, "Lieu-Lieu and me was just comin' to tell ya that Dad already left for the meetin'; he told us that ya might be tryin' to escape."

DAMN IT! I thought, pinching the bridge of my nose. I smiled slightly, "No way... Wait here for a moment; I need to go get some shoes..."

5 minutes later, I was walking down the hall with a woman who chatttered incessantly in a language that seemed like it was english but I couldn't be sure. She talked more than Alfred (if that was possible).

The meeting room was the usual, a mix of old and new. Old chairs, old table, new carpets, new wallpaper, and, of course, the nations which were a mix of old and new even without their clothing. I felt someone's hand on the small of my back, and I groaned when I found that it was François. "Damn it, France! You and I are not friends! We are enemies!"

"And yet, I still love you, L'Angleterre... I wonder why that is..."

"It's because you're a retard who wouldn't know love from lust if love bit him in the ass."

"Ah, don't be that way, Angleterre."

"How do you expect me to treat an enemy?"

"With a little more courtesy and at least a little compassion."

"Fat chance. I hate you more than enough for none of that to apply."

"I thought that you were a gentleman."

"Not when it comes to goddamn frogs, such as yourself."

"Well, if you aren't going to be a gentleman, I suppose that you're being a lady, instead. If you're a lady, I should be the gentleman, non?"

He proceeded to move his hand from the small of my back to my ass and I blushed scarlet when one of his fingers touched my tail bone. I spun around prepared to punch him across his face, but he kissed me. It was nothing like the chaste kisses that I'd seen him give to Matthew or Alfred. It was almost like the deep ones that he gave to Allan and Anne, but it was still deeper and more passionate than that. I felt like throwing up, not because this was one of my enemies, but because this was further than he usually like to go. He was no longer doing this just to see me squirm, this was serious.

I pulled back and slapped him across the face, beginning to cry. I forced my way out of the room and ran blindly out of the Hotel into the dark and freezing night.