☆ 1 - And you may tell yourself, this is not my beautiful house

[redwhiteandhero]

A) 1445 Mitchell Road - Morning

[So, this isn't his house. And these aren't his pajamas. (Nice though-- he might just keep them.) And he actually had gone to sleep in his own bed the night before, semi-rare occurence as that was, so it seems particularly strange. Everything is all very familiar though; he'd been in a million houses just like it, it could fit in easily in any one of his suburbs.

... The picture on the night stand though? The one of him with an attractive woman who had only the vaguest familiarity about her? In a wedding dress? That was new.]

Now what in the heck is this business?


B) Around Town - Early Afternoon

[Well as long as he's here, he might as well scope out the town. See what's cool, and all that. It's strange-- he's definitely sure the town is one of his, but he can't place it at all. Actually, he can't really place anything at all.]

Comments

[kinship]

[The last thing Cain had been expecting to see as he walked down the street was that familiar face, but when he did he was running over at top speed. So poor America would have a strange German boy waving excitedly at him, beaming.]

Mr. Hero!!

[redwhiteandhero]

[Well he's not going to say no to anyone who addresses him like that!]

Howdy partner!

[kinship]

It's me, Cain!

[He hasn't realised America doesn't remember him yet, he knows people do come back with memories sometimes.]

[redwhiteandhero]

[Awesome! Considering his usual tactic of dealing with people he's supposed to know but can't remember-- faking it until he can put the pieces together-- you've just made his job a lot easier.]

How are things on the home front?

[kinship]

[Well obviously this just makes Cain beam brighter, sure that America remembers him. Yay!]

Good! I missed you... how long have you been back?

[redwhiteandhero]

[Okay wait this is making less sense.]

Uh, well... I just got here.

[kinship]

...You don't remember being here before?

[redwhiteandhero]

Well, not offhand.

1/2

[kinship]

Oh.

[He feels a deflating in his chest like a balloon that's been pricked. America was his first friend here, the first to know his secret and to reassure him that he still liked him, the first to invite him back to his home when they got free.

...not to mention he introduced Cain to burgers.

His face falls almost comically, hurt and realisation dawning in his eyes as he looks up at the nation.]

[kinship]

[Before that smile was back on his lips in the next moment, a mask that covered over the hurt and brought back the same polite geniality he used with all strangers.]

I guess you must want some answers then, Mr. Hero? Don't worry, I'll do my best to help.

[redwhiteandhero]

Whoa, whoa, hey! Don't pout, kid! We can totally still be friends!

[kinship]

Of course we can.

[His smile widens, holding out a hand politely.]

How about we start over? My name is Cain, it's nice to meet you.

[redwhiteandhero]

[Even as a human, America has a mighty firm handshake.]

Nice to meetcha! I'm America!

Oh, but I guess you already know that.

[kinship]

Right... but we're starting over, so I'll pretend I don't.

...

Wow, America is a cool name!

[redwhiteandhero]

It's swell, isn't it?

[kinship]

It sure is... much better than Cain Knightlord, at any rate.

[redwhiteandhero]

I dunno, that's pretty cool too!

[kinship]

[And because he can't resist...]

Cooler than Nightroad, right?

[redwhiteandhero]

I dunno, I guess they're about the same.

[kinship]

What about if I told you that anyone called Nightroad hates hamburgers?

[This is a lie.]

[redwhiteandhero]

Then that guy doesn't know what he's missing!

[kinship]

...You're definitely the same America.

[redwhiteandhero]

I'm the one and only!

[kinship]

But surely you must have changed through the ages?

[redwhiteandhero]

But I'm still me!