Since leaving Yellowstone they had made it all the way to Nebraska. Natalya looked out of the passenger seat window to the endless farmlands, thinking of a time when they were all grasslands full of bison.
If only she visited when he became a country. She had already been in Alaska with her siblings trying to set up a colony, even if they just went to eastern Alaska they could've seen the wood bison in the forests.
"Are you thinking about bison?" Alfred wondered. Natalya looked over at him and nodded. He smiled in understanding, having had that same thought many times before. "I was thinking about them too. It's really hard not to when you drive around the Great Plains."
She sighed in agreement, it's straight up depressing to think about. The plains and its animals were all but gone. It's a miracle they aren't extinct already.
Quickly she pushed those depressing thoughts away, she couldn't spend the last couple days of vacation being all sad.
Luckily Alfred was able to distract her from diving back into those thoughts by announcing, "I can not wait to get back home."
She nodded and looked to him as he continued. "I've got so much stuff to do. I've gotta work on all the crops, do the makeup report for the G8 meeting... ugh I've gotta go meet with your bro in Vienna for four days for some space security stuff."
He seemed to have forgotten about that, as just thinking of it destroyed any ounce of happiness he had been feeling. Nothing sounded more dreadful to him than four days one on one with Russia.
"It's only for four days, we still have two whole weeks before the next world meeting," Natalya reminded him. It helped cheer him up somewhat.
"Yeah you're right, we've got so much stuff we can do, we still haven't planted any flowers. What's your national flower, the sunflower or something?" He asked.
"That would be my sestra's, mine's the flax but I do prefer sunflowers," she explained, ticking off Alfred slightly as he remembered how many times he mistook those pesky flax flowers for Davie's.
For a while longer Alfred fired off multiple things they could do, which quickly bored Natalya enough to where she had to distract herself with her phone. She's got less than fifty years left in the notebook and she is finishing it today, no matter how much she has to read.
July 4th, 1976
Today is my 200th year anniversary, and I held an even sicker party than the last one. This time England gave me a new Liberty Bell since the last one was cracked, which I found pretty funny because he got rejected last time he tried.
What wasn't funny was when he gave me a pet unicorn, which was just a floating leash. That freaked me out.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya chuckled quietly to herself, though just loud enough for Alfred to hear. "What did I say?"
She gained her composure and waved him off. "Nothing. It's nothing." He didn't believe that but shrugged and continued speaking about whatever he was saying, she wasn't paying attention.
September 7, 1977
Carter is giving the Panama Canal back to Panama the day before 2000. Panama is really happy about that.
September 17, 1978
At Camp David we were able to end the conflict between Egypt and Israel. A conflict that lasted for thirty years! And I thought Vietnam was a long time.
January 1, 1979
This is the first time in thirty years I'm talking with China. Ever since he became a commie we weren't exactly on speaking terms.
November 4, 1979
Some school kids in Iran just took a whole U.S. embassy hostage. I get the sense that we aren't welcome in the Middle East.
January 20, 1980
Now I'm not even able to be in the Olympics because Russia won't leave Afghanistan. That's bullshit I love the Olympics.
January 20, 1981
After 444 days the hostages in Iran were finally let free. Seems like a pretty good start for Reagan's presidency.
March 30, 1981
Reagan nearly just got killed by some psycho named John Hinckley Jr. Apparently he did it due to some crazy fixation on Jodie Foster.
January 28, 1986
Those poor astronauts, all seven died when the Challenger erupted into flames.
Russia called me afterwords having seen the broadcast. He actually gave me his condolences. It's nice to see we can connect on something even if we're arch enemies.
April 27, 1986
Yesterday a nuclear reactor had a meltdown in Ukraine, which as someone who nukes my own land on the daily knows that it sucks. But as where mine is in an empty resting range, Chernobyl was full of people and next to a nearby town.
I called Russia about it and he said he had to take care of his sisters, they weren't doing too well. Ukraine was in immense pain and even over the phone I could hear her wailing, meanwhile Belarus got the brunt of the radioactive fallout so she was beyond sick.
I gave them my best wishes and hung up to let him get back to helping his sisters.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya suddenly felt sick to her stomach, Chernobyl was like a trigger word for her.
"Nat are you alright? Are you hungry?" Alfred wondered as he looked to her hand clutching her stomach.
She eyed him darkly and spoke through her teeth. "What did I tell you about asking if I was alright?"
He held his mouth closed and looked back to the road with a flat expression.
Once she was no longer on the verge of puking her guts out she realized her harshness toward him.
"I'm fine, my stomach was just hurting is all," she apologized. "I can run into a store and gets some tums or something if you want," Alfred offered, but she refused insisting it wasn't that bad.
Once he was off her back she went back to her phone.
June 12, 1987
We're putting more pressure on Russia to take down the Berlin Wall, and I think they're about to crack, both figuratively and literally.
November 9, 1989
I was there to watch the Berlin Wall fall, and it was beautiful. Families being reunited, people taking pieces of the spray-painted walls to museums and as souvenirs, reporters recording the entire thing for the world to see.
But nothing was more amazing to watch than seeing the two German brothers, one on either side, sprinting as fast as they could to tackle each other in a tight embrace. It was like something out of a movie. I don't think I've ever seen Germany cry before this moment.
I almost did myself, I hadn't seen Prussia in 28 years. First thing Prussia did when we met was call up Denmark to plan an Awesome Trio reunion. I can tell we're going to get wasted tonight.
July 31, 1991
Russia and I met to sign the START treaty. We're going to have to sign a million of these, aren't we?
December 26, 1991
Finally! I finally fucking won! HAHAHAHA, the hero wins the day!!!
I'm the sole superpower power now, you can suck my Florida with your failing economic system. Oh my God I can't wait until the next world meeting, this is the best late Christmas present ever.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya glared at Alfred in rage. How dare he laugh at big brother like that?! That was one of the most miserable days her and her brother had ever experienced.
Alfred felt the feeling of pure hatred blasting the side of his head, but only gave Natalya a millisecond glance before snapping his eyes back to the road without ever looking away.
'What the hell is going on?!' He silently freaked out. She was so calm before, but now she looked like she wanted to kill him. Just what was she doing on that phone?
After about fifteen tense minutes she looked back down at her phone, giving Alfred a chance to breathe.
January 6, 1992
I came in the meeting room expecting Russia to be all pissed off, but he just looked sad, miserable even. This isn't what I wanted at all.
February 1, 1992
With the Cold War officially over, NATO is now tasked with taking in the newly independent nations to get them on track with their new economic systems.
I insisted on taking Lithuania in, as I have before and we're friends so it would be pretty easy to jumpstart his economy, but for some reason NATO refused. Their logic was that as the superpower, I should deal with the hardest one and leave the easier jobs for the smaller countries.
Meaning I will be taking in Belarus, Russia's little sister and arguably the only one that hates me more than him.
This isn't going to go well.
February 13, 1992
After the last meeting I took Belarus with me, and it went about as well as I expected. I couldn't even get her in the car before she started chucking knives and promising me with death.
I think I understand why the other countries thought the superpower needed to deal with the bigger challenges, because the others literally aren't strong enough to rein her in.
I'm so glad the meeting took place in my country, otherwise whatever poor plane we boarded would probably get hijacked and crashed by her.
February 20, 1992
No progress with her yet. Why couldn't I just have Lithuania? If it were him we would be having a coffee break and relaxing right now. Instead I have Russia's mental sister barricading herself in one of the bedrooms.
I think I would actually prefer Russia, because at least with him I could fight back whenever he tries to attack.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya cringed at how she had acted toward him. She still acts just the same today, and has no qualms about insulting or beating him up, but something about being so openly hostile toward him feels... wrong.
Maybe it was because she still considered him an enemy, but now as his friend she found herself regretful and embarrassed with her behavior. It's surprising he didn't throw her out then and there.
March 17, 1992
I came home after grocery shopping to find all of my candy gone. Turns out Belarus ate all of it. Funny, as she seems to always call me a fat pig.
I would be mad but it's good to learn something new about her.
April 8, 1992
Another thing I learned about her is that she really likes rock music. I walked passed her room and overheard her listening to that famous Nirvana song.
June 14, 1992
Today she actually left her room, and stayed out for the entire day. She never talked to me, but hey, progress is progress.
July 4, 1992
I tried to get her to come to my birthday party, but she declined. Which is probably for the best, Mattie was the only one that arrived.
February 17, 1993
I called her Bela on accident, as I have a habit of giving people nicknames. Like Iggy, Mattie, or Francypants.
Big mistake. I nearly got cut in half.
December 8, 1993
President Clinton set up this big free trade agreement between Mattie, Mexico, and myself, which I'm surprised wasn't a thing sooner.
July 11, 1995
I've reestablished diplomatic relations with Vietnam, which was surprisingly easy. It's nice to see turning communist didn't actually change her personality too much.
It was also nice hanging out with a girl that isn't trying to murder me in my sleep.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya was actually a little hurt by that. It was true, as proof from what she attempted not that long ago until Molossia stopped her, but Alfred didn't have to compare her to Vietnam like that.
August 20, 1998
Conflicts in the Middle East are really heating up. And it's giving me a very bad feeling, I just can't place what.
May 9, 1999
Over the past few months I've noticed that Belarus has gone from barely talking to me to extremely clingy.
To get her to open up and stop being so depressed I offered to be her older brother, which she at first almost killed me for, but after a while she accepted it. Only problem now is that she really got into it and is giving me the same treatment as Russia.
I can't walk anywhere in the house without her following me around or clinging to my arm. In most cases I would be flattered, but when I'm trying to take a shit and she's sitting outside the door silently it begins to grow creepy.
I'm not sure how many more broken down doors I can handle.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya was immensely ashamed of herself at this point. It was like reliving an embarrassing childhood memory.
September 27, 1999
I really tried to hold out and get some sense into her, but it just became too much. The annoyance, the scary jumping out at me and staring at me when I'm sleeping. The thousands I've spent on busted fucking doors!
I had to send her back with her family, I need to keep some ounce of sanity. God but if I don't feel like an asshole for doing so. She looked devastated when I told her to leave. At least I was able to cheer her up by reminding her about Russia.
September 10, 2001
Something doesn't feel right. It's just like Pearl Harbor and the Civil War. I'm experienced enough to know something bad will happen soon. But what, and where?
If only this strange sense would show me where this is going to happen, then I could stop it.
September 11, 2001
Dammit I knew something was going to happen, but not this bad!
Planes. Fucking planes! What psychopaths crash planes into buildings?!
I should've done more, I knew it was coming, I could've told the government to be on watch for something. I should've stayed longer and helped clear debris to help the people still buried.
This is my fault, I killed these people, traumatized the nation.
I can still hear their screams, the falling bodies splatting on the ground, the shouts of agony of people burning to death. The cries of the families who's sons, daughters, and significant others were killed.
Please... make them stop. MAKE IT STOP!!!!
- Alfred F. Jones
And here she thought she wouldn't be reading any more sad articles. That was dumb of her to assume.
September 12, 2001
I don't know who is responsible, but they're so dead. They're so fucking dead!
September 17, 2001
Taliban, al-Qaeda, Bin Laden. I knew messing with the Middle East would raise problems.
August 30, 2005
It feels like there's fluid in my lungs. Fuck you Hurricane Katrina.
April 16, 2007
Why do school shootings keep happening? And why does it seem like they're getting more common?
And why children?! What did they ever do to you?
September 18, 2008
Another recession, this time with mortgage loans or something. I'm already trying to hunt down Bin Laden for what he did, I don't need depression slowing me down.
November 4, 2008
We elected our first African American president, Barack Obama. I thought that was pretty neat, but I'll have to wait and see what he does about the recession and Bin Laden before I discern the kind of president he'll be.
January 6, 2009
I'm not sure if it's the recession, my involvement in the Middle East, or something else, but it feels like everyone hates me.
They keep shooting down my ideas and giving me annoyed looks. They think I'm too involved in the world, but isn't that my job as the superpower?
October 9, 2009
China is complaining about me paying back my debt, but why is he complaining so soon? Our trade agreement hasn't even been around for a decade yet.
May 2, 2011
We finally got him. Almost eleven years we've been chasing that bastard.
Hopefully with him gone we can pack up and go home.
August 14, 2011
I didn't think Mattie could yell for so long. I don't even remember why we started arguing but it didn't have to end with him shouting at me for three hours.
I know I keep forgetting about him, and I need to fix it, but calling out all my flaws was uncalled for.
The others do the same thing, but him? He's my older brother he's not supposed to call me stupid, and a pig, and obstinate, opinionated, and arbitrary like I don't know what they mean.
The fact that Mattie needed Iggy to stop them, with how much he insults me, should show that Mattie crossed the line.
And thinking that he can just apologize and pretend everything is ok by giving me a burger, after telling me how fat and gross I am? You're an asshole.
August 16, 2011
Mattie came to me and we talked it out. So now I'll make sure not to forget him as long as we never argue like that again.
I know he's truly sorry about it, but knowing he still thinks those things of me... it really hurts.
August 4, 2012
My flag fell right as the Russian National Anthem came on, at the Olympics of all places. Belarus and Russia rigged it, that was way too coincidental.
So embarrassing.
- Alfred F. Jones
She chuckled again, but didn't try that hard to cover it up.
Alfred was once again confused, though didn't do anything about it. He was just intrigued with what on that phone could make her flip from angry to happy like that.
June 5, 2013
I'm not that fat, right?
Iggy says the amount of hamburgers I eat will give me a heart attack. One, we're immortal so that is impossible unless I was actually dying. Two, I workout plenty to burn it off. Plus my high metabolism kinda makes it a necessity to eat so much. The hero needs his protein.
July 5, 2013
There's no way I'm this heavy, I've been working out like crazy. 170 lbs. that's five pounds heavier than last month. Maybe I should ask some of the other nations about how to diet.
July 10, 2013
Well they were no help at all, except for Japan. France's advice was to "workout," as in have a shit ton of sex.
China is thin because of a ton of tea. No chance on that, it's coffee all the way for me.
July 25, 2013
Using the advice I got from Japan I made a dieting machine, so hopefully I can lose some weight.
August 5, 2013
I gained weight? What the shit?!
I worked out for almost five hours yesterday, then ate a single piece of steak. What am I doing wrong?
March 12, 2014
What am I not doing wrong is more like it. I can't do anything right these days. I'm a fat, oblivious, narcissistic, smiling dope.
The weight thing I'll give to them, I have no clue why I keep gaining. I even tried fasting, but that was a grave mistake.
But on all the other points they have no idea what they're talking about. The thing they don't seem to realize is that it's all intentional.
Sure, I can be oblivious at some points, but for the most part I'm fully capable of reading the room, I just choose not to. There's so much drama and arguing, I figure it's best to act like you have no idea what the hell is happening.
Narcissistic? Self-centered sure, but I'm not a narcissist. I am aware of the many problems my country has. I'm not ignorant of them, I simply prefer to look at the bright side.
The problems can be dealt with silently, meanwhile being happy with one's achievements. Is that so bad?
My problems are personal and should be dealt with within my country. Pretty sure same-sex marriage is going to get legalized pretty soon, but I don't need to announce it to the whole world beforehand and simultaneously apologize for not doing so sooner. (Massachusetts did that all the way back in 2004.) That's for afterwards where I can celebrate it as another achievement.
And smiling? Fuck anyone upset with that, I can smile all I want. Why be all pissed and sad all the time when I can just smile the pain away, while hopefully cheering others up while doing so? Though apparently it's giving off the opposite result.
That rant really cramped my hand up.
- Alfred F. Jones
'So that's why he smiles much... two-faced bastard.'
April 14, 2014
Why is it so hard to make friends? Am I trying too hard? Am I really too obnoxious?
It seems like the only friends I can make that won't die or leave me are other loners.
Japan shut himself off from the world for centuries.
Mattie isn't seen by anyone except for a select few.
Prussia is no longer a nation, and annoys people to the point where his own childhood friend beats him with a frying pan every day.
Denmark pushed away his family, and even now still feels as if he's permanently secluded from them. Norway's strangling doesn't help.
Molossia and Peter are micronations and are completely ignored or unknown by most nations.
Lithuania. He doesn't even need an explanation.
Guess we're all just a big sad loser club.
- Alfred F. Jones
And now she was added to that list, a loner that scares everyone away and got herself banished from her family.
June 26, 2015
And would you look at that. Same-sex marriage is now legal. And even if I was late I'm still the 21st out of 196 countries.
March 20, 2016
I haven't been to Cuba since the 20's. It's bizarre. The country is a mix of modern, Cold War, old Spanish architecture. It's both more and less developed than I expected it to be.
Cool to see they love baseball, albeit needing a license to talk about it is a little strange.
August 29, 2017
North Korea is getting a little too hostile for my liking. They're now launching missiles over Japan, most likely with future targets being Guam and Hawaii.
They're not really a threat right now, but if they try anything funny with my Asian allies or my islands then they're gonna see what real missiles look like.
January 1, 2018
China has been getting on my nerves, way more than normal. Maybe because he's competing with me for the biggest economy, or due to some rumors of bad treatment toward the Uyghur people.
Whatever reason it is, it's giving me straight Cold War vibes and I don't appreciate it.
June 13, 2019
China keeps taunting me telling me I'm going to fall, just like Rome did. That's so dark coming from him, he was around to see it happen.
I'm not going to fall, not in the modern age. At least I don't think so, Russia's been around longer than I am and is almost twice the size. Well then again his empire did fall apart twice in the time I've been alive.
Mattie hasn't fallen and he's still larger. Wait but his nation is almost 100 years younger than mine.
China is pretty large... but has been broken apart and taken over hundreds of times.
. . .
Am I going to fall?!
June 19, 2019
No, I'm not going to fall, I'm too powerful. Plus the hero can't be defeated, they always win.
. . .
Rome probably thought the same thing before he fell.
July 30, 2019
But It's not like I'm going to be killed like Germania did.
. . .
I do have a lot of enemies though. North Korea, Russia, ISIS, China himself. If they all teamed up... nope not happening.
October 31, 2019
I don't want to fall. I can't fall. The world needs me, right? But if China becomes a superpower too they won't.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya read in sorrow as Alfred went down this dark spiral, becoming alarmed as she found herself flipping to the last page.
February 29, 2020
Why do they keep insulting me?! What do they want from me? Do I go away or stay?
If I go away into isolation and focus on infrastructure and internal problems more, they'll only grow angry with me for abandoning them. That's not heroic at all.
But if I don't do something and keep bending over backwards for them, stretching myself out more and more, I'm eventually going to grow too thin, crack, and my nation will crumble.
What do I do?! They call me immature and a child, and they're right! I'm just a kid, I don't know what to do!
I don't want to die!
June 4, 2020
...Then again, would that solve everything? No more insults, no stress, no responsibility over those ungrateful. They say all those mean things to me... is this what they want?
June 5, 2020
No. That's a stupid thought. What kind of hero would kill themself to escape their challenges?
Why is this even effecting me? I purposely let them unload their anger onto me, that's the whole point. I shouldn't be getting worked up over insults I intentionally make happen.
Besides, how would I even go about offing myself? I'm immortal. I could fire myself into the sun and I'd still regenerate at the last point of DNA contact. And even if that wasn't the case, my atoms would probably find some way to regenerate even after nuclear fusion.
What are you doing to yourself Alfie? Getting scared over nothing.
- Alfred F. Jones
Natalya gawked in horror at the final entries. Alfred was thinking of killing himself? And what was that final entry? His conscience making logic of the situation, or him being in denial? The first step in him becoming depressed and truly suicidal.
And those dates, they were right before a world meeting, specifically the one that began their friendship.
If she wasn't here would he have gone through with it, or did he actually talk himself out of it?
Her heart beat hard against her chest, disturbed at the uncertainty and the new meaning behind what he said not living a long time. Was it because he would fall, or end on his own terms?
As she struggled to process it all, on the brink of losing it, the RV stopped abruptly, drawing her attention away from the phone to the darkening sky.
Alfred stretched his arms above his head with a relived sigh. "That time already? It feels like we haven't gone anywhere. Welp, guess it's time to make dinner."
Natalya watched on as he got up to leave, immediately dropping her phone and standing up as well. Before he could leave the cockpit she darted forward and clung to his jacket while burying her head into his back.
Alfred tensed up on the spot. This came out of nowhere, he wasn't prepared for this... affection, especially not after the death glare she gave him earlier.
He could feel his heartbeat in his ears, increasing in intensity and speed as more time went on without either speaking. Eventually he mustered up the courage, taking a large gulp before finally breaking the silence.
"N-Nat-" he tried to say, but paused as she pulled on him while pressing her forehead deeper into his back. "Don't you ever leave me, understand? If you do I may have to kill you."
Alfred quirked a brow in confusion. "Where is this coming from? I would never leave you. What kind of hero would I be if I abandoned a friend in need?"
She laughed warmly and pressed only the top half of her head to his back, revealing the steady stream of tears pouring from her violet eyes. "You are very important to me Alfred, if you were gone... I'm not sure if I could go on."
She blushed at her confession to him. She hadn't even known of this feeling herself until realizing the grim reality Alfred's death would pose to her. Without him, her sole friend and care in the world, she truly would be alone.
Alfred's face shifted to a deep red as she snaked her hands around his waist to give him a full back hug. Despite the fluttering in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a little troubled.
"Do you happen to still be on your period or something?" He wondered out loud. She smiled to herself and nuzzled into him.
"I wish. . . *sigh* I really wish I was."
"Zhey stopped moving. Let's find a motel or somesing to stay in," Hungary instructed. Prussia nodded and pulled into the first motel they saw.
They parked their car right next to a limo, which they found pretty odd. "Vhat loser can afford a limo but still stays in a motel?" Prussia wondered.
"I don't know, vhat losers need a motel despite being immortal beings vith government money?" Hungary shot back. "Zhey're probably just staying zhe night, like us."
The three of them entered the lobby, quickly got their key, and went to their room.
Prussia collapsed on the bed, but shot up just as fast as he threw the sheets off and checked the covers of both beds.
"Prussia what are you doing?" Japan asked in a panic as Prussia tore apart the room. "Just making sure zhere aren't any bedbugs. Or cameras and vires."
After confirming there was nothing, he remade the beds and collapsed onto it for real this time. "Zhis better be vorth it. I svear, if ve don't catch him laying pipe zhen zhis vas a vaste of time."
Japan shuddered at the thought. "So vurgar!" Though his nose seemed to have no problem with what Prussia said.
Suddenly Prussia got a call on his phone, and as he picked it up he saw Germany's ID. He answered the call and put it up to his ear. "Ja West, vhat is it?"
"Bruder, vhere zhe hell are you?" Germany asked, seething in anger. Prussia cackled loudly. "Being awesome in America, vhy?"
"Because I come home, and you're gone. I go visit Austria and Hungary and she's gone. Italy invited zhe Axis out to lunch, and Japan is gone. I know you're vith zhem, and more surprisingly vith Hungary, vhich means you are most likely doing somesing you shouldn't."
Prussia gasped in offense. "West, have some faith in your awesome bruder. I'm just spending some time vith my friends."
"Ve both know zhat's a lie, now tell me vhat is going on," Germany called his bluff with ease.
Prussia sweat dropped at his brother's incredulity. "Uhhh. Sorry it appears ve are breaking up!" He excused. "Bruder, don't you dare-"
Before Germany could finish the threat, Prussia had hung up and turned off his phone. "Anyvay, let's get back to zhe investigation."
Little did they know as the three of them were going over their notes and continuing their theories of the mystery lover, Russia was in the room right next to them doing almost the exact same thing.
He was looking at a map of the U.S. covered in points where his sister had gone. He was trying to figure out where she would go next, in the hopes he wouldn't get lost for the millionth time.
Connecting the dots, he could see they were going southeast. Based on how they started their journey in Virginia, it was safe to assume they were going back.
That aggravated Russia slightly, as that meant he could've just stayed there and waited. But no matter, at least he finally knows where she's going to go rather than following a trail.
He rubbed his head and closed the laptop. This was proving to be very taxing on his temper, he just wants to get his sister back and have this whole ordeal be over.