Matthew should've known his knowledge of shooting would be the reason why they were, a week later, on their way to France.
"We'll continue training there," Kiku had explained. "More of our allies are there, and you may be able to learn a thing or two from the French."
They had spent the entire week training, and preparing themselves before they headed off to where the war was really happening. They were supposed to keep training even longer than a week, but France was falling quickly, and was in dire need of reinforcements. Not all of the American troops were ready but Kiku had confidence in Alfred and Matthew.
Now here they were. On a boat that was slowly making its way to the real battlefield. The week had gone by too fast for Matthew's liking, and Alfred wasn't helping at all.
"Matt! Matt! I think I saw a dolphin!" Alfred shouted, leaning over the railing. "Oh! This is amazing!"
"Alfred, I hope you remember where we're going," Matthew reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah, I do," Al replied, falling onto the railing. "We're about to go and see the war ourselves. That's why I'm enjoying every bit of this before it happens. Who knows when I'll be able to laugh again? I don't think I'll be able to do that when we do get there."
"You are naïvely thinking," Kiku commented, "but it's good to be optimistic while we still can be." He turned to face Matthew. "Your brother is right. You do seem a little pessimistic for an American."
"Canadian," Matthew corrected him. "I'm Canadian."
Kiku raised an eyebrow in confusion, while Alfred ran across the deck, claiming he had seen a shark swimming to the other side. "You're Canadian? I do not understand."
"Alfred and I are stepbrothers. Sure, we look like twins, but Alfred's actually a year and a half older than me," Matthew began to explain, leaning on the railing and looking out at the sea. "Alfred's father died in a shooting or something like that. Mother never really told us the whole story. A few months after his death, she met my father. Alfred was born around this time. Then a year later, I was born, coincidentally on the same day. We inherited a lot from our mother."
"I noticed you two looked alike. But there is one thing that makes you two different. Your eyes," Kiku said. "Alfred's eyes are blue while yours are purple."
"Alfred got his from his dad, I bet. Mine came from my own."
"Now I understand why you two have different surnames."
"Alfred loved his father." Matthew rested his chin on the railing, and sighed. "I wonder how he thinks about it, knowing that his father is never coming home. Plus, I'm a reminder of that."
"Why do you say so?" Kiku asked, leaning on the railing next to Matthew.
"If Alfred's dad, Mr. Jones survived that shooting, I wouldn't have been born," Matthew replied, the same fear he felt when he first realized this coming back to him. "I wouldn't be here, on this boat. For all I know, Alfred would die in the war, and I wouldn't be able to save him or anything at all because I wouldn't exist."
"Matthew, you overthink," Kiku commented. "Your thoughts will bring out your feelings. With those feelings, you become vulnerable. I hope you aren't like this in the war."
"I hope I'm not like this too," Matthew agreed as Alfred appeared beside him.
"Matt, you have to look at this." Matthew stood upright almost immediately, noticing the tone of fear in Alfred's voice. "What is it- Oh my god."
Matthew ran to the front of the boat, Alfred running ahead and Kiku following shortly behind. He leaned over the railing, not believing his eyes. "This can't be," Kiku said, terrified.
"France is falling to the Germans."
The boat was forced to change its course, in hopes that it would not get hit in the crossfire. The Germans were bombing onto France, and Matthew was grateful that Alfred's childishness had actually saved them for once. If he hadn't noticed the heavy fire France was taking, they would've sailed right to their death.
"This ride is going to be a little longer," Kiku informed them. "We can't dock in France right now. We'll have to enter the battlefield from England."
Matthew nodded, as Alfred sighed next to him, collapsing on his cot. "When are the rest of Japan and America going to join us?" he wondered aloud. "I can't bear to think how many innocent people are going to die because of this."
"We don't know yet, Alfred," Kiku replied. "All I know is your president is trying to stop your people from joining, and most of Japan is dealing with the German lands in the East. We are also trying to get Italy to finally be on our side, after all these years."
"Why did you join so early, Kiku?" Matthew asked, curiously. "I mean, shouldn't you be back in Japan helping your country deal with the German territories down there?"
"… I have friends in England and France. They wrote a letter to me personally, asking me to help them out," Kiku answered.
Alfred nodded in understanding. "Hopefully the rest of the Americans come, right, Matthew?"
"Grandfather wrote me a letter, saying that the Canadians might be joining as well," Matthew notified them, earning a nod from Kiku.
"Having the Canadians as allies is good news," the Japanese said. "France and England will need as much as help as they can get against the Germans."
Matthew yawned after a bit. "Is it getting late?" he asked, lying down on his own cot.
"It is," Kiku confirmed, standing up. "You two should get some rest."
"Sure," Alfred managed before yawning and curling up on his cot. "Also, Kiku, where did you learn to speak English so well?"
"My friend from England helped me out there," Kiku answered. "Before things got out of hand and Japan closed off all connections with the world… for a while."
Matthew nodded, and the oil lamp soon died, and there was the sound of someone leaving the room – Probably Kiku, Matthew thought – before the darkness enveloped him and he fell asleep.