Forever

Leave.

(All French is google translated; we all already know how this is gonna go

Bad, if you don't know)

Canada was walking to his room, taking in the faint patter of the rainfall outside. Canada never knew why everyone seemed to hate the rain. To him, the noise and sight of it made him feel calm. Even if he got wet, he would just close his eyes and take in the sounds. It reminded him of a brief memory, long ago in Paris....

"Fais attention, ma chérie! Ne glisse pas!" France exclaimed. She and Canada were on a walk in the palace garden, when it began to rain. Canada was jumping around in the puddles, getting his shoes soaked and his clothes muddy. France flinched every time Canada ran, skipped or jumped.

"Maman! Regardez-moi!" Canada exclaimed, as he jumped into a big puddle. When he landed, his feet slipped, and he ended up falling onto his back.

"Mon enfant! Est-ce que tu vas bien?" France exclaimed, rushing up to her child's side and kneeling down next to him, disregarding the mud she had gotten all over her dress from doing so. Canada had started crying from the shock of the fall, and clung onto France. France held the toddler close, and gently whispered to him. "Tout va bien, je suis ici... tout ira bien,".

Canada snapped back to reality, and realized he had begun to cry. He quickly wiped away his tears and looked out a nearby window to watch the rain. He looked out at the forest beyond the palace, and the ground below him...

He gasped, seeing an unlikely sight. Canada immediately began running towards the kitchen, knowing that there was an open exit there. He sprinted down staircases, and through countless halls, until he finally was outside.

There, just as he had seen through the window, was Thirteen and Colie preparing a carriage in the darkness of the night.

"Thirteen!" Canada whisper-yelled. Thirteen looked over at Canada, his eyes wide and his body shaking from an adrenaline rush.

"Canada...," Thirteen whispered, almost in a pleading manner. Canada ran up to his older brother.

"Thirteen, what are you doing?!" Canada exclaimed. Thirteen grabbed Canada by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"Come with us Canada. British Empire will never bother us again, I promise. Please Canada, come with us," Thirteen pleaded, his voice and body trembling. Canada was silent. A million thoughts were running through his head.

Go with him-
No, you can't leave New Zealand and Australia-
They hate you anyway, just go-
No, what if British Empire finds out? How are we supposed to survive on our own? Where would we go? I can't do this...
I can't
I can't
I can't
I can't

"Canada?" Thirteen said. Canada met his brothers pleading eyes.

"I.... can't," Canada said, backing away. Thirteen looked pained, as if Canada had just given him a death sentence. "I'm sorry," Canada said, before running back inside. Thirteen was still. He didn't know what to do. Thousands of doubts were running through his head.

You can't be doing this-
How could you just leave your brothers... your sister...
We shouldn't do this-
We can't do this-
No-
Please-
I just want to go home-
I just want to go to the forest-
I can't do this-

"Thirteen! The carriage is ready! Hurry before Canada tells on us!" Colie exclaimed. Thirteen winced, remembering the exact moment the whip hit his back for the first time. "Thirteen! Hurry!" Colie shouted. Before Thirteen let his thoughts stop him, he leapt into the carriage. Colie pulled at the reigns, and the horses they had stolen began to run.

And just like that, they were gone

As they traveled further and further away, a single memory ran through Thirteens head.

"We'll be friends forever, right Mexico?" Thirteen asked, holding onto his only friends hand tightly, fearing losing him if he dared let go.

"Of course, forever," Mexico said.

Thirteen struggled to regain his composure. The carriage shook with every bump they hit, and it did nothing to help Thirteens jumbled mind.

"I'm so sorry....," Thirteen whispered to himself, knowing he did the one thing he swore he'd never let happen.
Leave.