April 11, 1942

Manila, Philippines

The day was hot and humid, many people walking the crowded streets of Manila. Civilians and soldiers moving left and right. Vehicles passed in a uniform. Though these vehicles were not the everyday thing to see on the streets. The crowds noise were of shouting and whispers. Many faces young and old were seen. The faces of the young and old were in distraught and despair. A march had occurred, but it was no regular match.

An office building had its windows opened due to the weather. In the building there were many people working in the office. Those who were all in uniform. Along with the people in the building, there were lots of desks for those people. A personal office was located in the right of the room of desks and people. In the personal office a plate was in front of the door with two different languages. One in Tagalog and Japanese. It read "Shirei-kan" in Japanese and "Opisyal na namumuno", which meant "Commanding Officer".

In the room, a man was sitting in front of his desk. He was using a typewriter, which he was typing reports. A stack of papers were on the right of his typewriter. Each time he pressed on the typewriter's keytop it made a loud click. Then a ding, which he had to push the typewriter platen to the right with his left hand. There he heard a knock sound at his office door. The man's face was revealed.

His appearance is that he is of Asian descent. His skin tone of light yellow was showing. Along with his skin tone his hair and facial hair. He bears short hair that is jet black along with a moustache like the emperor, but along with a soul patch. Eyes, a dark brown, darker than his wooden desk. The clothes he wears is of a Japanese Imperial Officer's wear. His height is above average than his own compatriots, which is listed at 5 feet and 11 inches. His body was fit to still be an active soldier on the battlefield. His face held a scar, which was on the right side of his face. This was given to him by a soldier he had encountered on the Chinese soil.

He spoke in his native language when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in." he said while looking at the door. Another man dressed in uniform opened the door and entered the office, but his uniform was that of a soldier not an officer. The young soldier marched to the officer's desk and stood straight up with discipline. "You may sit." the officer replied to the young soldier. The young soldier sat down on the chair that was on the left of him. "Sir, during our search for the yanks, we encountered a group of villagers." the young soldier said. "So? What? Were they of importance to us?" the officer replied with confusion. "They seemed to be very strange. When we talked to them they didn't speak any languages from the region." "Maybe they might have been from the further islands down south. We surely haven't fully discovered all of the Philippines."

"We pointed our guns at them, but they didn't feel intimidated with us pointing our guns at them. They just stood still, relaxed. The one closest to me pulled their arm out and was holding out an amulet that was connected to a chain. It was very suspicious, but he offered it to me. So I took the amulet. Then I brought it here to give to you." The soldier pulled out the amulet and handed it to his superior. "I don't know what to do with it." The soldier said hesitantly.

The officer just stared at the amulet that was being handed to him. The amulet's colors were silver with a purple and orange gem fused together. This was nothing he had seen before. A gem fused together was a sight to see. Throughout his life he has only seen gems with one color, not two. He then began to raise his left hand and reached for it. Closer and closer he got to the amulet. Then he finally got a hold of the amulet and picked it up from his subordinate.

"Was that all you found?" the officer asked. "Yes, but we're still on the lookout for those yanks that got away from the march." the soldier nodded. "Thank you Gocho (Corporal) Maeda, Tetsuya. You may go on to your duties." the officer said with a smile. The soldier stood up from the seated position and saluted his superior. "You're welcome, Rikugun-Taisa (Colonel) Maeda, Hiroyano." The young soldier smiled back. Then he exited the room.

The officer still looking at the amulet in his hand. He then opened his desk drawer and placed the amulet with caution. Then he again started to type his reports. He then looked straight to onto the wall ahead of him. A poster of a picture of a man. A man who was identified as a yank who had fled the march. The death march.

With this one picture it represented on how the man looked. It was of course a white male with short hair and no facial hair, but there was no color in the picture. This made it hard decipher on how the man's hair color was. There was information on the poster. It read in both Japanese and Tagalog:

WARNING! ESCAPED CONVICT. FIND THIS MAN AND BRING HIM TO THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN. WANTED ALIVE NOT DEAD. It also showed the man's name. "Ryan Maddox".

April 9, 2017

Bataan, Philippines

Footsteps after footsteps was only heard. Then proceeded with yelling in a native tongue from the far east. A line of soldiers marching in a uniform, but these soldiers weren't apart of the empire. These soldiers were prisoner of war from either with the Philippines or the United States. The soldiers marched and marched without stopping. Bear feet they marched. Feets bloodied and in pain. Fall after fall the soldiers began. Most got back up from their falls while some just lay flat with no motion. Inhumane it was.

The Imperial soldiers shouted at the prisoners. Those that fell behind were beaten and or killed. Those that fell behind and not killed ran back into the march, continuing their march. Prisoners tired and famined. Few amount of food was given to these men. The only thing that these men were looking forward to was death itself. Faces of dread and misery.

A noticeable soldier was in the march.

It was indeed the man on the poster in the future. Private First Class, Ryan Maddox

Ryan Maddox, wore American military issued fatigues, hair short like the poster, hair color brown, skin tan pink, body in shape, and a clean face. His height, the average of a soldier, listed at 5 feet 11 inches.

Ryan's face was covered in mud that had hardened. His face was exhausted from the march, but he was still in able to continue the march with ease.

Throughout the march he had saw many events that had occurred. He saw his own allies get beaten, saw them get killed by the Japanese soldiers, and some even fell to the floor with no signs of life. His view of humanity had changed from what he saw.

A man, an American soldier to the right of Ryan whispered to him. "Hey, I got a plan to get out of this hellhole." the man said quietly. He was the same height as Ryan. "What plan do you have in mind?" Ryan whispered back. "I was able to persuade one of the Filipino soldier to lead a distraction. Also I told the others to run when he distracted the guards. I told him to…" Then the Filipino soldier ran into the jungle area. The Japanese soldiers began to yell in their native language to get the man. "Damn it!" the American soldier yelled. Then the a half of the marchers began to run into the jungle area too. "Hey follow me!" shouted the American soldier to Ryan. Ryan began to follow the soldier. His adrenaline was nonstop. Fear was in his system. He heard shouting in the back of his head. It was the Japanese soldiers. Gunfire was also heard from his back. Screaming was heard. He had known that those Filipinos and Americans that were killed had ended their suffering.

Deeper and deeper they got into the jungles of the Philippines. No stopping. Just full on sprinting. Ryan was surprised that he hadn't tripped over any of the jungles vines. He was lucky that he didn't.

An hour had passed by. Ryan and his compatriot had escaped the Japanese soldiers and are now at a stop. Both men exhausted from the escape. "Damn it!" the man said again. "I specifically told that damn man to not run until I queued him to. We all could've gotten away from those Japs." he angrily said.

Ryan began to sit on the ground and just continue to stare at the man, tired. His feet ached in so much pain from the march and the escape. So much had happened today.

The man had stopped ranting and began to look at Ryan. "Hey. I never got to know your name kid." The man questioned Ryan. "My name… My name is Ryan Maddox. Private First Class Maddox. Yours?" "Names, Randall Brach. Sergeant Randall Brach, but enough with introductions we're going to have to find some footwear of sorts. We can't really travel far without them." "Yeah. Of course, but how are we going to find footwear?" "Well… If we stumble across a village we can sneak around and take some. If you're asking on why we're going to steal them, just trust me. Them Japs probably took over those villages. This region is infested with them Japs, so I don't want to take the risk of alerting any villagers." Ryan nodded at what Sergeant Randall had acknowledged to him.

"When we get the footwears we're going to be headed to Manila." Sergeant Randall advised. "Why Manila? Isn't it being occupied by the Japanese?" Ryan worried. "Of course it is, but there are airplanes that we could take to get off this hellhole of a country. Though it might take us a couple of days to get there, but it's worth the risk. Plus I know how to fly a plane. Learned it from my dad back on the ranch."

April 11, 1942

Manila, Philippines

The day was beginning to become dusk. The office building was beginning have fewer people crowding it. Officer Maeda was still working in his office, typing more reports. He started to get bags in his eyes.

Hiroyano's Thoughts:

Desk work is boring, but it is crucial to our emperor. It is best to give reports to my superiors. I wonder what my brother is up to. Was he still hunting for those escaped captives or was he at the bar? It's only 21:45 (9:45). He shook his head left to right.

Then a knock began at the officer's door. Hiroyano glared at the door. "Come in." he shouted. The door didn't dare to open. Hiroyano had suspicions about that. He opened his drawer and pulled out his nambu pistol. Then he began to make his way to the door with the nambu pistol behind his back. He opened his door slowly. It creeked.

"HAI YAW!"

Then with a surprise the young soldier that had entered the office room previously, jumped scarred Hiroyano. Luckily Hiroyano didn't pull the pistol in front of him or he would've shot the young soldier.

"Don't you dare scare me!" Hiroyano exploded. The young soldier was laughing with joy. The soldier was obviously shorter than Hiroyano. He was seven inches shorter than Hiroyano. "Hey, hey. You know that I always do that to you brother." The young soldier said joyfully. Hiroyano just shook his head with disappointment. "Why must I have this little brother of a kind?" Hiroyano sarcastically said. "Now away with that nonsense. How was the search, Tetsuya?" "Nothing to report. I just came here to get my older brother out and go celebrate his birthday." Tetsuya exclaimed. Hiroyano shook his head.

"I don't need this celebration at all. It's really not that necessary Tetsuya." Hiroyano insisted. "Yes you do. You've been working at this office for hours now. Since the rise of the sun. Plus when we get back to our homeland I'll have to find you a girl." Tetsuya laughed. Hiroyano shook his head yet again. With all those head shakes Hiroyano's head should have cleared off.

Hiroyano looked up at the clock and saw it was time to leave the building. "It's getting late. We have to head back to the apartment, so that we can rise early tomorrow to get back to work." "Come on. We can just go to the bar and have a drink. For your birthday of course." Tetsuya begged to Hiroyano. "No." Hiroyano with a vague answer. Tetsuya's face was unhappy. "I don't even know when your going to celebrate your birthday. I want to at least spend some time with you on your birthday before I leave." Tetsuya sorrowfully said. Hiroyano just stared at him. "Work is more important than just having leisure time." Hiroyano discussed. Again Tetsuya was unhappy.

Before they left Hiroyano's office, Hiroyano had grabbed the amulet given to him by his brother when he encountered the strange villagers. The two brothers then began to make their way out of the building to their apartment.

Meanwhile, the two American soldiers made their way to Manila hidden from the Japanese soldiers. Hiding in the jungle area to not get spotted. They were able to find footwear and food to continue their journey to Manila to steal an airplane.

It was nightfall and the two men still exhausted from their journey.

"We're finally here. Manila." Randall exclaimed with happiness. Ryan just stared at Randall with confusion.

Ryan's Thoughts:

Why is he so happy? We just got here and we just escaped a death is wrong with this guy? Was he drugged before we even got here. Did he eat something that drugged him? Is that why he's acting like this? He should know that we're both in enemy territory. I just think that he has completely lost his mind.

"We still have to be quiet. We don't want to grab anyones attention. They'll know that we're Americans due to our skin complexion and English skills." Randall explained. "Why don't you be quiet. What if there's someone around the corner listening to us!?" Ryan hushed Randall. Randall gave him a furious stare. "Why are you talking to your superior like this! You're just a private first class, while I'm a sergeant. Do you talk to your mother and father like that!" Randall's voice got louder by the second. Ryan just stared at the ground. "I don't have a mother and father. I don't have either." Randall's face began to change to a sorrowful mood. "Hey, kid, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you like that." The sergeant said with remorse.

The two then heard chatter coming from the road. It sounded foreign to them. The two soldiers got quiet and laid low to not get spotted.

Ryan peeked his head up slightly and saw two civilians walking by talking to each other. "It's just two civilians." Ryan expressed to Randall. "Thank god it's only civilians. Not, Japanese soldiers. Randall not worrying. "Ready to head out?" Randall questioned. Ryan nodded his head.

The two no longer in the jungle parts of the capital, are now on the streets of Manila. It was silent. No one was awake at this time. Ryan looked at his watch and saw 22:25.

The two American soldiers made their way down the silent streets of Manila, but they were unaware of what was to come next.

The two Japanese soldiers exited the building and made their way to their apartment on foot. The streets were indeed silent. Though there were some civilians and beggars on the street. Hiroyano still dressed in his officer uniform, but now equipped with his nambu pistol and katana on his sides. For Tetsuya, he still had his soldier uniform on along with his nambu pistol equipped too.

"Why didn't we just take a cab to the apartment? It's dangerous to walk out here at night." Tetsuya questioned. "It is dangerous, but there is the two of us well equipped from being mugged by any thug." "Yeah you're right Hiroyano, but what if we encounter any of those escaped soldiers?" "That is unlikely. Why would they want to be here in Manila? It's occupied by the empire. Even I wouldn't be that dumb to walk into enemy territory without an army." Hiroyano laughed. Tetsuya laughed along with his brother.

While the two Japanese brothers continued to walk they noticed two strange figures make their way out of the jungle and onto the streets. The two Japanese soldiers thought that, that was suspicious, so the two began to follow the two figures.

"Hey what's wrong?" Ryan asked when Randall stopped dead in his tracks. "We're being followed." He whispered. Ryan began to panic a little. "What are we going to do?" Ryan nervously asked. "We're going to split up. You're going to the left while I'll take the right. Go."

Ryan began to walk to the left of the fork passageway, as Randall began to walk to the right.

"Go right. I'll take the one on the left." Hiroyano directed his brother. Hiroyano slowly followed Ryan while Tetsuya followed Randall.

Ryan began to sweat heavily from being followed by someone. His pace was still the same, but it seemed like his follower was getting closer and closer to him. Hiroyano's pace did indeed get faster. Instead of Ryan keeping his patience he started to pick up his leg. Hiroyano started to pick up his feet as well. The two men were running at the same direction. Hiroyano began to yell at Ryan in his native language. "Ima sugu teishi suru! (Stop right now!)" Ryan now knows that he was going to die if he stopped running. Hiroyano began to pull out his pistol. Ryan not knowing that the person chasing him had a pistol at all. Hiroyano began to aim his pistol while running at Ryan. He aimed his pistol at Ryan's leg, but while running his aim was mostly off. POW!

Ryan heard a gunshot that was near him. Now he knew that the person following him was armed and ready to kill him. Almost out of the city again, Ryan started to run back into the jungles of the Philippines.

Ryan's Thought:

Why did I agree to come here? Now I'm going to die in this godforsaken hell of a place.

Hiroyano still chasing his target with his pistol out. He noticed that his target was going to run into the jungle. He didn't care if he was going to run into the jungle.

Ryan entered the jungle first then Hiroyano, second. The heated chase had gone for ten minutes. Ryan wondered if Randall had gotten away from his assailant.

Another gunshot was heard not to far from where the two were. Ryan thought if either Randall was shot, unscaved from the shot, or he had the gun. The same thought was with Hiroyano except with Tetsuya. Both men's breathing got heavier and heavier. Then Ryan, had saw Randall a few yards away from him.

Ryan's Thought:

Why here! Why is he here! Now we're both going to get killed by these Japanese soldiers!

Randall kept on running forwards to Ryan. He wasn't able to see Ryan in those few yards. Then both Ryan and Randall collided with each other. Both men on the ground aching in pain. Hiroyano and Tetsuya saw the two men on the ground. Both having their pistols aimed at them.

"Anata wa daredesuka, naze ni wa fushin'na kōdō o shite imasu ka. (Who are you and why are you two acting suspicious!)" Tetsuya yelled at the two on the ground. With the moon shining at the four soldiers, Hiroyano noticed one of the man on the ground. It was Ryan Maddox. He was one of the prisoners who escaped the march. When the two Americans were being yelled at in Japanese they both just stared at him cluelessly.

Hiroyano looked at Tetsuya and said in his native language "I know who these people are. They are the escaped prisoners from the march." Tetsuya gave a shocked look at his brother. While the brothers were talking to each other, Randall noticed the Japanese soldier in an officer's uniform. It was Colonel Hiroyano Maeda. Randall whispered to Ryan "That's Colonel Hiroyano Maeda, he's one of the officers in charge of the invasion of the Philippines. If we capture him and take him with us to the nearest U.S. base we could be heros." Ryan was astounded on who the officer was.

"I got another plan and it revolves with us taking these Japs out when they're not looking at us. Like how they taught us in the army." Randall whispered. Ryan couldn't agree with Randall's decision. It was either get killed or get killed.

Both Japanese soldiers still aiming their pistols at the Americans. Tetsuya signaled the two Americans to get up. The two Americans stood up from the ground. Tetsuya again signaled the two to get moving, so that they could imprison them again.

"You ready?" Randall whispered. Ryan could only agree.

Hiroyano was behind the two and Tetsuya was in front of the two. Randall was in front of Hiroyano and Ryan was behind Tetsuya. Randall then turned quickly and tried to grab Hiroyano's gun. Ryan charged at Tetsuya and tackled him.

The fight between the Americans and Japanese erupted. Ryan was able to successfully tackle Tetsuya while Randall struggled with Hiroyano. Randall knocked the pistol out of Hiroyano's pistol, but was unlucky for choosing to fight against him.

Hiroyano unsheathed his katana and began to slash at Randall. Swing after swing, Randall was able to evade some swings, but had cuts. Randall was in pain. Hiroyano was without a wound.

Ryan was able to get on top of Tetsuya and disarmed him. He began throwing punches at Tetsuya. Tetsuya not being able to move get away from Ryan was being punched.

Randall tried to reach for Hiroyano's pistol, but Hiroyano swung his katana and sliced Randall's hand off. Randall in extreme pain. Randall fell onto his knees with his head hanging down, not being able to bear the pain. Fuck... Hiroyano then positioned himself and sliced Randall's head with one swing downwards. Then Hiroyano heard a shout from the side and saw his brother captured by the American soldier.

Hiroyano was afraid of his brother's capture. "Put your sword away or your brother gets killed." Ryan shouted at Hiroyano. Hiroyano didn't respond to Ryan's demand.. Hiroyano began to go into a subconscious state and walked towards Ryan and his brother. While he made his way to Ryan, his pocket began to glow. This caught the attention of both Ryan and Tetsuya. "Brother! Your pocket! Your pocket is glowing!" Tetsuya shouted in Japanese. "Get back! Get back, right now!" Ryan shouted in fear. Hiroyano still walking forward, not hearing his brother and the American. Hiroyano got closer and closer to the two. Now glowing with a orange and purple aura. Ryan aimed the pistol at Hiroyano. "Get back or I'll shoot you!" Ryan threatened Hiroyano. POW! POW!

The bullets shot from the pistol had no effect. The bullets disintegrated, as it reached Hiroyano. Ryan was in shock, which he fell onto the ground. Hiroyano began to lift his katana up and about the swing at Ryan. Then the purple and orange aura engulfed the three men together.

Hello, fellow readers. Ever since I played the Mass Effect series it caught my attention on how vast the universe it is. I've only played the first, second, and third game. The Mass Effect franchise has impacted me greatly because I'm an avid fan of Sci-Fi genres. I came up with this fanfiction, as I too read many fanfictions by others. This is my first ever story and I hope to continue this story!

I've always wanted to create something else than focusing on the main characters of the Mass Effect trilogy, so I went with creating my own characters.

Though with me writing this fanfiction, I'll be busy with school as well. But I hope to not disappoint you, the readers! I will keep updates on each chapter as this story goes on.

Also give some feedback on how my story is. Negative and or positive. It doesn't matter. It would help greatly!

Enjoy!