Title: In The Aftermath
Author: WingedPanther73
Pairing(s)/Characters: None
Rating: G
Summary: While watching Rodan, my wife made a comment about building underground. This is the result.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Rodan, Godzilla, etc belong to Toho Film (Eiga) Co. Ltd.
Beta Reader: Sybil Rowan
In the 1950s, monsters began to assault Japan. Tokyo was especially hard hit. Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and many others caused non-stop devastation on the cities and people of the now peaceful country. Initially, it seemed that the military was able to fend off these monsters, but it soon became apparent that the people of Japan were helpless to stop them. Sure, there were some initial successes, but the constant reappearance of Godzilla and others made it clear that the people of Japan would never truly win. As this continued for decades, a new reality struck the island nation.
As the relentless assault continued over the decades, rebuilding Tokyo, Soho, and the many other metropolises of Japan became unfeasible. Building up just made it easier for the monsters to tear things down. The cities almost served as targets that attracted the monsters. Aside from abandoning the country for communist China, the only option was to dig in... literally.
Tokyo is now only one story high. The buildings dig deep into the ground, with reinforced steel frames designed to withstand the weight of the various attackers that have the annoying tendency to walk over them. Frequently, the honeycombed underground buildings seem to remove all signs of life from the surface. Subways at various levels make travel through the labyrinth convenient. Advances in artificial lighting make it possible for people to stay underground for months without seeing sunlight.
For most people, life in Japan continues on, with only minor interruptions. These days, Godzilla coming ashore is a problem for farmers and fishermen, but most people just ignore it. Rodan's flights cause no real problems, since there's nothing to knock down. The main activity these days is found in the scientific community. Researching the reason all these monsters are attracted to Japan in the first place is the new activity.
There are theories that the residual radiation from the initial bombs that ended the second world war somehow "marked" Japan for them. Others believe that there is something about the size of the islands that makes it appealing. Still others think that Japan was where they all evolved in the first place, and that they are simply returning to their native territory. Regardless of the cause, the people of Japan have learned to live with the monsters that have become so common. Fighting them is just a waste of resources.