Handling a Crisis

Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Final Straw

SPEEDRUNNING. NO PROOF READ.

Before anything, here's Torriku Sotaru's latest animatic! Don't you just love it?

Chapter warning: anti-Chinese rhetoric, death is a very present theme here, shooting, brutality, fighting, mentioned insurrection and war

There once was a brother in a set of five... He, his four brothers, and everyone they knew were in danger... There will be three alive... Two will not survive... Will things ever be okay one day?

Last chapter let's gooooo

Can't wait to do the after-story stuff 😃

Thanks, Buttersaurus for helping me out! No spoiling 😁

And thank you to sinfulthesis_CH for translation help!

*hides in bunker and watches while eating popcorn*

The drive back was dead silent. America, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus didn't speak a word the whole ride. They didn't need to say anything. The fact that America was in tears and the fact that they'd left without Canada spoke volumes. It said things that they didn't need to vocalize. Something had gone horribly wrong, but what happened? Nobody knew, but everyone knew that the group was going to have to speak eventually.

Japan looked at America, who was curled up against Russia. She sighed sadly and returned her gaze to the window beside her. Being able to create pockets that you can use to see events happening in the main story had its consequences. Knowing something that you're not supposed to and not being able to do anything about it was one of them. Not being able to let people know that you know was another. Usually, she'd talk to South Korea about it, but he wasn't in the car with her.

Yes, Japan watched Canada die. She watched as their remaining team was forced to leave New Pangea behind. She couldn't bring herself to watch anymore after that.

Across from her, Russia cradled America's torso in his arms, trying to comfort the grieving country, who was holding the clothes Canada had left in the car and his flannel. Russia was worried about what Canada's death would do to America. When NATO went comatose, America was metaphorically falling apart, not just literally. If that's what America was like when someone went comatose, what would happen to him because of a death?

Well, whatever happened, Russia swore to himself that he'd be there for America. He, personally, didn't let anyone in when his father died, not even his siblings, and it was hell. He didn't want America going through the same thing he did.

Nobody knew how much time had passed since they left the area. It felt like hours, but at the same time, it was as if only a few seconds had gone by. They made it to one of the entrances to the northwestern Alequoqians' home. The vehicles were driven into an "archeological site" and were lowered underground. The humans that the countryhumans had brought with them stared in awe, taking in what they were seeing.

The floor stopped moving down and it rose back up to cover the hole it had left. The incomers were greeted by Spain, Mexico's family, Philippa's family, the UK countries, Japanese Empire, the Nordics, Poland, Russia's family, and America's adoptive family.

"Where's my dad?" Spain questioned.

"Dead," Mexico told him. "His neck was snapped while we were trying to get out."

Spain nodded slowly, seeming conflicted. "Oh! Oh, wow, o-okay. That's, uh, wow."

"You going to be okay, 'migo?"