Episode 2: Mid-war
The war has lasted two years now. The Germans were repelled from France, but the Gensokyoian Master Spark tanks arrived and a stalemate occurred on the Ruhr and in Belgium. The Youkai of Gensokyo, while quickly dominated the Pacific met stalwart defenses in the Hawaii invasion. The Third World War is reaching a point of stagnation on either side.
******
Sinclair Research's business boomed with the Smart Mask, a gas mask equipped with an emergency respirator and a cell phone. The factory supplying Gensokyo with vehicles was nationalized by Yukari Yakumo and was converted to produce war machines. But Sir Clive only want what was best for the public. So he, Harold Archeia and his robot assistant, Hapsby, started making civil defense pieces including the aforementioned innovation with the gas mask. But Sir Clive still wanted to make stuff having to do with personal transport. But shortages mean't it had to be saved for a peacetime that would never come.
"Do you think the war might end?" Asked Harold.
"I don't want to give my hopes up, the last one lasted for a good five or so years. I really don't want to discuss this." Replied Sir Clive Sinclair.
"My calculations state that the chance this war ends in three years is 13.2%." Hapsby chimed in.
"We can only hope." Said Sir Clive.
The three continued to work in the workshop, designing and prototyping. Then Sir Clive remembered someone.
"Does anyone remember ZUN?" He asked.
"Yeah...I hope he's okay." Said Harold.
******
"You baka!" Yelled Yukari.
"You can't just publish doubt. We need everyone to remain confident in this war!"
"But the Americans are holding out strong! If we're going to break their defenses we need more sea power. Danmaku alone isn't going to break through that damn island chain!" Explained Jun'ya.
The Hawaii invasion was a wash. While the American jets were useless against the barrage of projectile magic. The land troops had buffered the beaches with palisade walls and electrified barbed wire. The missile cruisers and destroyers also kept any chance of a successful capture useless. Plus Gensokyo doesn't have any access to open ocean and Japan was keeping its efforts in capturing the mainland, so the Japanese navy was focused on attacking coastal cities.
"You and Aya are going to publish an article and it better say something that will keep the humans and youkai feeling good about this." Demanded Yukari.
Yukari exited into a gap. Leaving a threatened ZUN behind. "What's with all the yelling?" Said a confused Aya.
"It's nothing, we just to make the public like this war even more."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Said Aya.
"Me too, so much for freedom of press."
The two stared at each other for seemed like forever. ZUN had a feeling that this war might strain his relationship with Yukari. Deep down he wished he never left Japan and got captured by Jack Tramiel or met Sir Clive Sinclair. He felt all this change happen because of all this.
******
Frisk walked alone in the streets of Boston. Seeing the American warships docked in the harbor. He arranged for the double funeral of Alphys and Undyne. One died fighting the Gensokyoian Axis and the other of the great American lynch mob. Frisk felt depressed, of course both were pretty old, Frisk only knowing both of them when was eight or nine, he could never quite remember anymore. He and Bushnell talked about the war and the deaths of his long time friends. He thought about running for president of the Republic of the Underground. But that would make him feel nostalgically sad, seeing everyone under and around Mt. Ebott would only yearn for something to fill the void. Frisk remembered ZUN from several years ago. "That man probably works for the enemy now." he thought to himself.
"A man like him should never the cause of those deaths." he continue thinking.
This made him angry, almost ZUN himself was responsible for everything. He remembered when the former king of the Underground appealed for peace in the last UN assembly.
A sort of determination flowed in him. It was like if he ever came across any youkai, he would fight them instead of appealing for their mercy like he had to the monsters as a child.
His phone rang. Frisk picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Yes, I'm Elon Musk, you know anything about this friend of yours, Sans?" Said the voice.
"Yes, I know him. Why?"
"You see, I was designing an electric tank that would win us the war you know. So I heard about the Master Spark tanks. So I called your buddy up, since he knew about this thing called a 'Gaster Blaster'. Anyway, I called to inform you that we assumed he has died, while we tested the new tank. It exploded and the roof collapsed on it. We're not sure-" Frisk hanged up.
He walked into a nearby bar, he ordered the strongest drink they had. A man said "Hey, aren't you that man who held a funeral for that anime lover?". Frisk nodded. A bar fight ensued.
It almost felt like he had deserved it. But his determination against ZUN kept boiling. The police were called in. Frisk got off Scot-free because of his diplomat status. So went to the airport, to catch next flight home. Not his personal residence, but his home home, where he lived right after the fall of the barrier.
******
They never did find Sans' body in the wreckage. But Elon decided to declare him dead anyway. The Tesla Gaster was deployed in Europe. The Armored Gaster Blaster turret produced a thicker and more powerful laser beam than the Master Spark, defeating the Gensokyoian tank force in western France and in Belgium. But the Gaster Blasters drained on the tank's electric powertrain so the tank often needed to recharge. ZUN and Aya had to make the best of the defeat and stated that Kappas where working on better war machines. While they had o fabricate that, it suited Yukari's needs to keep the public conscious on keeping the war going. They also chose to run a story about the Underground destruction of the colony and wrote so it could agitate the public into being more war fervent. But this only left Jun'ya and Aya feeling like this was against what they believed in. Even though Bunbunmaru subscriptions were through the roof.
*******
"Ah, so you must be Mr. Dreemurr." greeted President Hillary.
"Yes, nice to meet you Mrs. Clinton. I need to talk to you about if there's ever going to be any peace anytime soon." Asked Asgore.
After a failed colonization attempt that was scorned severely by the other nations of world and a few other controversies, Asgore abdicated and the Underground was democratized, becoming the Republic of the Underground.
"It doesn't seem that way anytime soon. Our troops are doing the best they can and the Axis won't listen to us." Hillary said.
"Hmmmm..."
"What's with that look?"
"It's nothing. It's just this war caused the deaths of my old royal scientist and the former head of my Royal Guard." Asgore replied.
"That really is troubling, having two of your own old cronies getting killed for sake of fighting."
"If there was a way to end this war quickly." said Asgore, he got up and left.
Hillary Clinton watched him close the door and then proceeded to open a drawer.
"If history is truly repeatable, then maybe we will have peace soon." she thought to herself.
The drawer contained small strips of paper, containing nothing more or nothing less than nuclear launch codes.
******
"Yukari-sama?" Asked Ran.
"Ran?" Replied Yukari
"Why do you abuse Mr. Ota so much?" Ran questioned.
"I just need to keep him in line. Besides, he's only Minister of Media and Propaganda."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You see. He's only temporary. I have a strong feeling this war will end soon. His part would be complete. Jun'ya is only temporary." Yukari answered.
Ran was about to answer a question. But she stood down, Yukari had plans for ZUN past the war's end. But she had doubt to whether this is good or bad for him. Either way, Yukari was the sole leader of Gensokyo. Ran didn't know if questioning her decisions or her power, hell even the plans for Jun'ya, would lead Yukari to distrust her, even if she was her shikigami.
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