Operation Red Herring (Countryhumans Alternate History)

Chapter 30

TW: References to the Holocaust, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Japan was such a dumb*ss.

That was not something she could ever bring herself to admit aloud, but it was true. She sighed, staring at the wall of their base with disinterest.

Why didn't she just come up with a lie?

Why did she insist on pulling on her jacket?

Why had she let herself become so emotional?

She glanced at Italy, who had been doing the same nervous fidgeting ever since Japan and America had returned to the base. He flitted about the room, rearranging papers and other trinkets in a vain attempt to keep himself busy. She felt a little bad for him- he did not do much wrong in this situation. And yet he too had to face the consequences of their actions.

Their actions. They were a group.

It was everyone's fault in all technicality.

Italy could have told her sooner.

Third Reich could have refrained from his practice of human recycling.

Japan could have not been so. f*cking. stupid.

She looked at the clock, hanging over the door, it's ticking almost ominis due the anxious energy electrifying the air. Third Reich and America should be back at any moment. After the disaster that was their attempted trip to Ople, they had trekked back to the damn train stations that caused this whole issue, Japan practically dragging a very uncooperative America onto the train back to Berlin. Then once they had arrived back at the base, Japan had pulled Third Reich into his office, explaining the situation as quickly as she possibly could.

He had seemed... calm. Almost unsurprised, something that Japan still found infuriating. Everything she had done to try and soften the blow of this revelation was imploding, and he was not even concerned. Instead, he simply reassured her with that same infuriating smile, saying that he would explain everything to America. She had objected, saying that it would go better if she were the one to do that, but he had insisted. So, he had gotten America in the automobile this morning, and drove off.

That had been almost two and a half hours ago.

Japan was never one to falsely hope, and therefore had very little faith that this would turn out well. Yet a small part of her yearned for that to be the case. For the two of them to walk through that door, and everyone could go on pretending that this never happened. Afterall, it was a European issue. It really had nothing to do with either of them.

That small bit of hope she had allowed to linger was quickly snuffed when the two of them finally returned. Third Reich had come through the door first, with a grin so confident for a moment she believed he actually pulled it off. Then America came in after him.

And she knew it was all for-naught.

America's eyes were wide, and she seemed almost stunned, like a deer in headlights. Or perhaps a deranged, murderous owl.

"So you see America, a few more years and the entire problem will be eliminated." He rambled on, eyes almost manic as he explained his vision. He was delusional- caught in the perceived perfection of it, and oblivious to the horror of others. It was almost comedic, in a sick way, watching him prattle on whilst America seemed to ignore him. But Japan could tell she was listening from the way her hands slowly closed into a fists, clenching hard enough to start shaking. She blinked, looking at Italy and Japan- her gaze almost distant, like she was looking through them. Japan glanced behind her- the only thing there was the picture of the three of them that was taken the day America signed onto their alliance. Third Reich had insisted on framing the newspaper, citing something about time moral as his reasoning behind it.