Life's return

Enter Texas, stage left

TW:

New York slid to the end of the log to make room for Texas. 

Texas pushed his hat back as he sat and wrapped an arm around his younger sister. Alaska returned the semi-awkward hug.

"Where's California?" America asked.

"Oh she's still out hunting. Yorkie, where'd you leave off?"

"When we escaped Soviet Union." He let his face relax a bit.

"Okay." He cleared his throat. "She had us cornered and under some kind of spell that made us see things out of our nightmares. Mostly Dad watching as we were tortured, cooked and you know other bad things.

"Anyways, next thing I know, I'm laying on the floor and she has chains wrapped around her. I heard a clink of spurs and chains. A man in a big black coat with a dark Stetson hat just seemed to materialize out of thin air. 

"She went to swing at him but he gestured at us and she paused. 

"These were yours?" She said, she sounded confused."

"And he just nodded, and the ugly B- I mean Soviet, swore under her breath and left. Like a ghost in an old movie."

"And then he looked down at me. He was wearing a mask with the Virginia battle flag on it. He gestured at the others, like he wanted me to protect them. And then he motioned to my pocket where I had my cigarettes, so I offered him one. 

"He took the pack and gestured to my neck, and back to the smokes, then he crushed them in his hand and incinerated them. I was mad, but now I think he was trying to tell me how to break the spell over us. We could only break the spell over us if we gave up on at least one of our vices.

"And then he was gone. 

"So I gathered the others up the best I could. Once Louisiana came too, I told her what I saw."

"Let me tell you, a spirit claiming you ain't a good thing. " Louisiana said. "Especially if you don't know who it is."

"All we knew at that point was who ever it was had a mask of the Virginia battle flag. My gut told me he didn't mean no harm but I was the only one who saw him at that point. We all agreed it was in our best interest to get gone. 

"When we managed to find the square of, York what was the name of that town?"

"Nationsville," New York said.

"Thank you. When we found the square York pointed out that the land was scrambled up proper. But we also found some land markers made of ruble. Yorkie, Lu, and I figured Cali, Al, and Sippy could guard the plane while we went to search on foot. 

"It took a couple days of walking, but found the hospital. UN was there, but he wasn't right. He-"

"He was a zombie." York glared. " Big fucking collar on his neck and a chunk of his head missing. He used what little will of his own he had left to beg for death.  World Health Organization apparently was trying to find a cure for his situation but she was only making him worse. Both were rambling about communism and the glory of a World Soviet Union. Mercy kill was the best we could do."

"Do you have to be that blunt about it?" Texas asked.

"Yes. Or else we're going to be here all night."

"Well, either way we couldn't find much else so we went north. Seemed as good a guess as any. We thought we might have luck with France or UK.

"When we found UK she was in a sorry state. Her and the her four, are they still kingdoms? Anyway, her and her four were locked up in a tower. Apparently they thought they'd be safer there than where British Empire could get them. 

"Scotland sold us some ammo and warned us about how he was hunting for Dad and would likely attack us too on account that he would be looking to reclaim anyone and everyone that was ever part of him. 

"Honestly, I thought the only one who was really in danger was Yorkie."

"Feline bastard found us while we were stopped for fuel." Mississippi said.

"Language!" Texas said. "There're ladies present."

"Tex, they're our sisters, they've heard us cuss before." He put one knife away before pulling out a pistol and an oiled rag. He made a show cleaning it.

East Germany had given up on trying to escape the states on either side of him and just muttered something in German just loud enough to hear.

"*Could you say that again, boy? I didn't catch that.*" Texas asked, switching languages for the other's sake.

"*You can Understand me?*"  He said.

"* So can Yorkie, he's just an ass.*" Texas smiled.

"*And ruin Al and Sippy-cups fun? Nah.*" York let an evil smirk cross his face.

"*Wait, what happened?*"

"* I came here with Alaska and America. These two started chanting "boy friend" and sharpening knives.*"

"Bamma, Sippy, what are you two doing to that poor boy?" 

"He came with 'Laska, and she waited now to friend zone him," Alabama said.

"So we figured we'd put the fear of God in him," Mississippi added.

"*Are you Alaska's boyfriend?*" He asked. 

"*I AM DEAD. I HAVE NO INTREST IN YOUR SISTER THAT WAY. WHY THE HELL IS THAT THE ASSUMTION?*" East Germany yelled. He sounded so frustrated.

"Guys, he's just a friend to her." 

"Oh. Oops."

"Oh so you'll trust Texas but not me," Alaska said sarcastically.

"Well yeah, of course you won't be honest about that," Mississippi said.

"You'd be trying to protect them from your siblings. Hell, Virginia-"

"We don't talk about that outside of family." New York flashed them a glare. "Especially without her here."

"Point Is," Texas said just loud enough to catch his siblings attention, "We got away from him. Then we had engine issues so Al and Sippy cup found a spot to land. And here we are."

"You think they are going to catch anything?" Alabama asked.

"Wait. If y'all are here, Whose with Cali?" America asked.

"They're over there you can ask them." he nodded towards the field.

New York looked over at two familiar figures.