"Has to resit the exam, has to resit the exam…"

"Patty, if I remember correctly, so do you," Kid pointed out.

"What the hell happened, Kid?" asked Liz. "I thought you'd have aced it!"

"Has to resit the exam, has to resit the exam…"

"I… may have had some trouble writing my name neatly enough," Kid confessed, blushing in embarrassment. "I just- I couldn't get the K right, okay?"

"Seriously?" Liz buried her face in her hand. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Has to resit the exam, has to resit the exam…"

"You're in no place to talk!" cried Kid. "You failed too, remember? Rather than studying, you chose to paint your nails and groom your eyebrows!"

"And what did you do?" asked Liz. "You spent all that time designing my eyebrows!"

"Has to resit the exam, has to resit the exam…"

"I didn't expect it to take three days," Kid sighed, and with a smile he added, "Maybe I should have asked Italy do it for me."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Liz said, and she pulled an envelope out of her back pocket. "This came in the mail today. Says it's from Florence."

"Has to resit the exam, has to resit the exam…"

Kid took the envelope with a smile, muttered a quick 'thank you' and ran to his bedroom.

"Has to resit the exam, has-"

"SHUT UP!"

"Sorry!"

Once he was seated on his bed, Kid tore the envelope open and pulled out the paper enclosed.

Hello there, Kid! I'm so happy I could find time to write to you. I know it's only been a few days since I sent my last letter, but every time I get yours and wait for the next one, it feels like forever! But I've been busy lately because I started getting rehab for my legs and soon I'll be able to walk again! The doctor said it would take me at least a year or maybe less, but I promised him that I would be able to do it in a month. When I told Germany he told me that I was being reckless, but I know that he's just concerned about me. He wants me to get better just as much as I do.

Romano and I have been kinda distant ever since I got out of hospital. He doesn't hit me or strangle me as much as he used to and he's started treating me all different. Maybe he's trying to make it up to me for saving his life by not being so mean and I wish I could make him see that he didn't have to do that. All I want is for him to be himself because he's my big brother and I love him! I wish we could be as close as Germany is to Prussia: they've been stuck to each other ever since the Black Forest.

I tried to call Japan the other day, but it turns out he's visiting Greece because he's got a fear of small places because of being locked up and everything in his home was scaring him because it was so small. I'm kinda jealous because Greece has loads of cute kitties and I can't take any home with me. And I found out England's been staying with America because he's been having trouble sleeping (maybe you could go visit them in Washington!) and you remember Big Brother France, right? How he needs to walk with a crutch now? When I called him the other day, he told me he might never be able to walk properly again and I feel really sorry for him. You think maybe you could give him some special reaper healing powers or something? I feel really sorry for him.

I won't say what China and Russia have started doing lately because America says something about it being 'NSFW'. Do you know what that means?

Speaking of which (I don't know why this reminded me) Germany's being acting kinda strange lately. Whenever I see him, he's been blushing more than ever and behaving really sweet and nice. Prussia's teasing him about it and I don't understand why and he keeps saying something like 'er liebt dich, Italien' whenever he sees the two of us together. I don't know what it means, but it always makes Germany kinda mad. I don't want anybody else to tell me what it means though because I know Germany will tell me when he feels ready.

I miss you, you know. I really want to come to Death City and visit my big brother again.

That's all I have time for right now because it's my turn to make dinner and Romano's shouting about tomatoes again. See you soon (hopefully)! And let me know how school is going, okay?

Your honorary little brother

Italy Veneziano

PS: School is going okay, isn't it? You're not getting bullied or anything, are you? Please don't say you're being bullied!

Kid read the letter several times over.

He always enjoyed receiving post from Italy. He was glad to know that he and the other nations were recovering from the Atlantis Incident, especially now that Italy would soon be walking again (according to the letter, anyway). He still had a few concerns though.

He pulled out a sheath of paper and a pen and started to write.

Italy, in answer to your latest query, I am happy to inform you that I am not being bullied at school. This may have something to do with my status as the Grim Reaper's son, or maybe the fact that I was unfortunate enough to gain the friendship of an insufferable idiot such as Black*Star (and yes, the star is mandatory). I think the only reason he respects me is because I kicked his ass from here to eternity and am the first person to achieve such a feat in the history of the DWMA. It was easy. He's too much of a show-off for his own good. Him and his best friend, that Soul Eater character: Soul is friendly enough, but he doesn't really seem to know what's good for him either.

Don't worry about your relationship with Germany. I'm sure that if what's bothering him about you is serious enough, he'll tell you what it is and reconcile with you in no time. I'm not too familiar with him, but I know enough about human nature to provide you with advice which I hope can be of some help. As for your brother, my guess is that he's feeling guilty that while you saved his life and several other nations, he may never accomplish anything on the same level. You should just let him know that you love him and care about him. He is your elder brother, after all.

I'm glad to hear that the other nations are recovering from the Atlantis Incident. I wouldn't be surprised if they had developed psychological issues such as claustrophobia or an inferiority complex (I'm not entirely sure if insomnia counts as a psychological issue) depending on how they experienced the imprisonment. I noticed that in your portrait of China he bore a ponytail, but when I saw him in that place his hair was almost shorter than yours is, so I can only assume that it was cut off against his will. It's unfortunate that France is unable to walk without assistance, but like you I'm sure that he'll find a way to adjust. I should think that as the anthropomorphic personification of a country, you would have to very versatile and adaptable.

I must admit that I am a little concerned about the way you are pushing yourself. If the doctors recommend a rehabilitation period of around a year, then I confess that I have to agree with their professional opinion. Trying to condense 365-or-so days' worth of relearning how to walk into only 30 or so is just foolish, even for a person of your unique physical structure. I say 'relearning how to walk' but really you're just restrengthening your legs to the point where you no longer need crutches or a wheelchair, are you not? Don't think for a moment that I don't want this to happen, however. It would warm my heart to see you walking again and I only wish that I could have prevented you from getting injured. I know the girls feel the same way.

I miss you too.

Your honorary elder brother,

Death the Kid.

Yes. That would do nicely.

He folded the paper into eight perfectly even sections and sealed it inside a nearby waiting envelope.