M:   Mandara nodded, "of course, and Belarus and I are going to have some strict words later, I can assure you that." he then turned to Russia and Iremacht when he heard the German squirming, "Rus, you can put him down now."

"Gladly," Russia grunted, shrugging off the smack to his face.

He set Iremacht down and backed away from him, then wiped his clothes down like Iremacht gave him some sort of germs. Poldara was laughing so hard that he fell on his ass and cackled like a hyena at a comedy show.

L:   Iremacht scrunched up his face at Russia too. If they had been on the streets, he would've spat at his opponent like they did in the movies. He heard Poldara laughing on the ground and stomped over to him.

"Aye, get your butt off the ground and act appropriately," Iremacht scolded, despite the fact that he'd just screamed at Russia. He lifted Poldara up by the back of his shirt. "You'll end up snorting and choking yourself."

Wehrmacht chuckled at their banter. But he tugged on Mandara's sleeve and murmured, "Don't be too harsh on Belarus. It was my fault. I ..." He pursed his lips and let go. "Never mind. Germany and I are going to walk ahead, maybe snap some photos to take back home." Wehrmacht glanced at where Iremacht was lifting Poldara. "I think we'll take Machty with us this time."

M:   Poldara couldn't stop laughing as he dangled in Iremacht's hands, he was definitely snorting but he didn't start choking yet. He eventually calmed down enough to stand on his own, "are you guys going on a date now?" he joked

"NO," Russia shouted, "we hate each other, I wouldn't go on a date with him if my life depended on it!"

Poland and Mandara were snickering at the scene, Mandara almost didn't hear what Wehrmacht said, but he turned to the Germans, "alright, but I don't want you to think that you need to keep Iremacht away from Poldara, they have a bond that is too precious to break. And he saved my son today, remember that too."

L:   Iremacht promptly dropped Poldara at the mention of a date, not caring if the kid fell back on the ground again.

"That is messed up," Iremacht said to Poldara. "Russia is married and I have someone in mind already. I wouldn't date this cyka blyat in the afterlife!"

Wehrmacht blinked in surprise that Mandara would still trust having Iremacht around Poldara. Belarus's accusations still rang clear in his head.

"That's enough swearing coming from you!" Wehrmacht called to his son. "Now get over here. Let Mandara catch up with Russia in peace."

"Fine, fine," Iremacht said. "Come on, Polds - "

"Nein," said Wehrmacht. "Poldara stays with his dads. You can't keep hogging him."

Iremacht narrowed his eyes but Wehrmacht's expression was very serious, a silent message saying that they needed to have a chat. Iremacht shrugged; he trailed after his father and cousin.

M:   "Aww," Poldara whined as he stood up, "I want to come too."

"What, you don't want to hang out with your dads and uncles, Blue-Jay?" Poland asked with mock offense, "what are we, chopped liver?"

Poldara chuckled, "no," he said simply.

"Good, because I want to see how my favorite nephew has been doing," Russia said, he then picked up the 12-year-old and placed him on his shoulders, Poldara giggled and flapped his wings at the action.

"Ok, ok, I'll stay." the kid said.

"France, will you be joining us or the Germans," Mandara asked.

L:   "Uh ..." France's eyes darted between the Mandarians and their friends and the Germans. She searched for the right words to say.

"You should check on Kazakhstan and Belarus," Wehrmacht suggested and France flashed him a grateful smile.

"Oui, I'll do that," France said, stepping away. "Both of you boy bands, don't cause any messes while I'm gone."

So Germany, Wehrmacht, and Iremacht went ahead, but not before Iremacht bought two more chili corn dogs. He handed this second one to Germany.

"Why'd you pull me away from Polds?" Iremacht asked casually as he munched on his snack. "You don't trust me?"

"Frankly, I don't trust myself," Wehrmacht sighed. "I can't chaperone and I have no power over what you do. Even if it isn't your fault that things got out of hand, I wouldn't be able to stop it."

"But it's usually my fault," Iremacht pointed out. "Quit beating yourself up because of it. You're starting to sound like MA with all the I-blame-myself-so-I'm-giving-up talk. Don't take the blame for everything."

"Not taking the blame isn't great either," said Wehrmacht. "You have to be responsible for what you say and do."

"I'd rather be confident in myself than a push-over."

"It's not about being confident or push-over, it's about owning up to yourself."

"Exactly!" Iremacht stopped and looked his father in the eye. "What Belarus said to you was wrong. I'M clearly the source of all the problems and making things hard for you, and you're just trying your best to do what's right. To be a good father, which you are to me. If she wants to pick fights, she can pick it with me. Call ME names. But not you."

M:   The Mandarians and Russia walked in the opposite direction, Mandara and Poland were done with their chores for the time being so they could hang out until the ceremony later.

Poldara was having fun on his Russian steed, who was even making a few whinnies as he played along.While the two were doing their own thing, Mandara and Poland trailed a little way behind to talk about the "change of scenery" for their son.

"How do we know it will be different," Mandara whispered, "for all we know the kids in your country are as bad if not worse than the ones here, how could we risk sending him somewhere that may be just as dangerous?"

"How could we not risk it, Mandy," Poland responded, "we know that those teens aren't going to stop, their attacks are going to get worse until it becomes a life or death situation. If we want to protect Poldara, then we are just going to have to take the gamble."

Mandara's brows furrowed, "y-you don't actually think they would go that far, do you?"

"They put your brother in the emergency room, Mandara, I absolutely think they would go that far!"

"Ok, ok, you made your point, I just hope we aren't making a mistake."

"We're not hun, we are doing what is best for our son, there is no mistake in doing that."

Mandara nodded, the two then fell into silence and continued following Russia and Poldara.

L:   "A good father," Wehrmacht said, "wouldn't have let their only son turn out this way."

Iremacht stiffened. Germany, finishing his corn dog, met his cousin's guilty gaze.

"You're right," Germany said. "We don't deserve this. But you do and yet you refuse to accept it."

Iremacht glared at the ground. "Only a fool would incriminate himself."

"And a greater fool would believe he can get away with his wrongdoing," said Germany. "I think this discussion is over."

Just then, the three Germans heard squealing sounds from a crowd of people that they were nearing. Though he couldn't see through the number of fans, Wehrmacht felt a vibration in his wings.

"That looks like MA's paparazzi," he said.

"Let's hang back," Germany said. "Fans get quite violent."