I don't own many things that I wish I did. Hetalia, the new Professor Layton game, you get the picture.

"Are... You like me?"

The girl blinked, her gold eyes staring into Prussia's red ones. It took a moment for Prussia to come out of his daze. "What, awesome eyes and hair? Yeah, other people can't handle it, can they?" He laughed, causing the people in the shop to stare again.

She looked at him questioningly, and when she spoke, it was halting and quiet. "Uh... Sorry... That's not what I meant... You're a nation, aren't you?"

Prussia's face fell slightly, and McCoy tugged at his arm, indicating that they should probably go. But... Prussia couldn't move, he couldn't leave her behind.

Slowly, he crouched down to her level. "...How did you know that? Did you hear that on the Internet or something?"

"I'm like you... I'm a nation too."

It was Prussia's turn to look at her questioningly. "A nation? Then... Who are you?"

She gulped. Now or never... "My name is... Defiant."

Several expressions flashed across Prussia's face within a matter moments, and he was wondering if he heard her correctly. "Wha..." He stood up to his full height again, stepping back slightly. He shot McCoy a look, and it seemed she hadn't heard what the child had said. Prussia looked round, it seemed that the others around them were no longer paying attention, all but one man, who at this moment strode up to the child and grabbed hold of her hand.

"We can't stop, it's too risky, they might catch up with us."

Before Prussia or McCoy could say or do anything, Defiant was pleading to the unknown man, tugging back on his hand to stop him from leaving.

"No!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "He's one of them."

The man stopped. He looked Defiant in the eyes, and when she didn't break eye contact, he turned to face Prussia. "...Is that true?"

As Prussia was contemplating whether to answer, McCoy came between him and the man. "Just what is going on?! Who are you?"

America also walked up to them, placing his hand on Prussia's shoulder. "Yo, what's going on?"

The man looked scared briefly, calming down soon after. He looked the three of them over before he spoke again. "You two... You're nations..."

America practically jumped backwards, taking up a fighting stance. "Aw, hell, you're not one of those Defiant dudes are ya? I don't wanna cause a scene in here but I will if I have to!"

The man winced, little Defiant clinging to his leg. "No... Well... Not any more. We're here to help you."

Prussia tapped America on the shoulder before hissing in his ear. "That girl said that she was Defiant. Like, actual nation Defiant."

America's eyes widened. "What?"

He his eyes darted between everyone, but before he could start anything, both McCoy and the man stopped him. There was an awkward pause, before the man spoke again. "Perhaps we should take this outside, or at least elsewhere. We're getting looks again."

Outside in the car park, away from most of the prying eyes, England had been waiting for them to come back, leaning on the car as he was still slightly weak on his feet. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the two unknown figures trailing behind the three that he knew. "Can I help you two?"

America came bounding right up to him, uncomfortably close. Didn't that idiot understand the concept of personal space? "Iggy, you'll never guess who the kid says she is."

England pushed him away slightly, partly to remind America about how he shouldn't be so close, but also so he could get another look at who he was referring to. The child in question was was trying to hide behind the other stranger, and a hood obscured any facial features that might enlighten him as to who she was. "Is it really... We don't have time for games, just tell me."

Prussia butted in before America could do so. "She's apparently the personification of the Defiant."

"...what. What the bloody hell are you playing at?! First off, that's impossible, secondly... What the hell-"

"It's true!" ...The three nations and McCoy all now focused on Defiant's guardian, who had by this point had enough. "If she wasn't like you, she wouldn't have been experimented on by them! She's been through too much already, and we didn't go to all this trouble for you to turn her backs on her! At least one person has already given their life to try and save her..."

His voice tailed off, presumably as he thought of the person who had died. Defiant looked sullen too, but she tried to comfort him as he fought back tears. There was another long silence as words failed them all, either because they didn't know what to say or where to start. McCoy walked over to him, comforting him like Defiant was. "Hey, it's all going to be okay. We'll help you-"

"McCoy, if this was true, which it isn't, it would likely be a trap! Either way, it probably is! The Defiant murdered all those people, and I'm not going to let it happen again by falling for such an obvious ruse as this!"

England lunged at the man, but had forgot about how he was still recovering, leading to him stumbling and grabbing onto Prussia for support. He resorted to glaring at him instead.

Prussia sighed. "England, I believe them."

"You can't be serious! How could an organisation such as the Defiant create a nation?"

"Hey, you're talking to the former Teutonic Knights here. It's possible."

". . . ...but..."

America spoke up again, having spent the last few moments looking unusually thoughtful. "Iggy, we've all had bosses who we've either not agreed with or who have treated us badly. ...You still remember the tower, right?"

England's face softened and fell. They... All made good points. Not that he would willingly admit it. But did he believe her, that she was the nation of an organisation created to oppose them?

"...Alright, we'll help you, but only on the condition that you help us."

The look of sheer joy and relief on Defiant's face helped to assure England that he had made the right choice.

"Are you sure this is what you want Defiant? We didn't free you so you could get captured again."

"I'll be fine. They need me, and besides, I'm sure the other nations will keep me safe! Right?"

Defiant turned round to face the rest of the group, and was given a grin from America. "Sure I will, I'm the hero after all!"

He struck a pose, which cued Prussia to chime in as well. "Ja, you won't get hurt with the awesome Prussia around as well."

They continued to talk as McCoy was talking to England a little way away from them. She couldn't help but smile at the resilience and enthusiasm of little Defiant. "So, nations aren't always tied to countries?"

"Hmm? No, not always. We're more... Embodiments of identity. There's no set criteria for the birth of a nation, but being associated with a specific area wouldn't be one of them if there were. As Prussia said, before he was Prussia, he was the nation of an order of knights."

"...Wow... To think all this went on without everyone knowing; history lessons would be a hell of a lot more interesting with you guys. But..."

"...yes?"

McCoy looked worried as she glanced across. "...If she is Defiant... What will happen to her if we do take the Defiant on? Will she be okay? I mean, if what they did to your government affected you like that... Will she live?"

McCoy couldn't place the look in England's eye as he met her gaze, but right then she could tell that he was much, much older than what his face seemed to be. "To be honest, I don't know."

Gah, dreadfully sorry for the wait, it's a paradox when you're more busy during the holidays than term time. It is... 25 minutes till midnight on Christmas eve as I am typing this, so you probably won't see an update for a few days at least. IM NOT DEAD AND I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU GUYS I WOULDN'T DARE.

Till next time, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night/morning/afternoon/evening (delete as appropriate).