Chapter 10
Preparations

The Rose-Order of Knights arrived at Italica at night and are given a surprising sight. As for the condition of Itami, he is still dazed and kept on falling off the horses. They see a defensive system they have never seen before. Turrets are scanning the area from atop the walls until some of the heavy laser turrets set their sights on them. Some of the knights are startled when they are about to set their aim. Some of the archers of the knights were about ready to aim their bows.

"Wait!" Stennis blurted, "Don't shoot! They are Italica's new defenses!"

Bozes looked back at Stennis. "What are you talking about?"

Stennis then waves at the turrets. Once they see him waving, they stop taking aim and continue to scan.

"Those are part of the treaty for Italica." Stennis explains. "It is to help repel any invading forces so there won't be another siege."

"I see." Bozes says after hearing that. "But what about the inhabitants? And the princess?"

"Yeah, what happened to the countess?" Panache also wants to know what happened.

"Go inside and see for yourself." Stennis encourages. "Hey!" he shouted, "It's Stennis! Open the gate!"

A bunch of ghosts appeared through the newly constructed gate that scared some of the knights. The ghosts are dressed similar to Nords from Skyrim and have a glowing cyan appearance. The ghost push open the gates to let them in.

On the other side, they hear the busy nighttime noises and excitement while some of the undead skeletons are finishing their repairs. They see the nighttime markets buzzing with new items from Romalia's gate, including Tyrion's very own Impish Delight wine from his personal vineyards. There are a few vampires that are like the secret police that keep an eye out for near-do-wells that would cause troubles. Brotherhood of Steel Knights along with JSDF soldiers and the local militia.

Some of the ghosts are on night patrols along the walls while keeping an eye out on the inside of the town. Some of the townsfolk are already celebrating their victory and are glad to be alive. Bozes, Panache, and many other knights are taken by surprise on how lively the town has gotten. They even see some other races joining in on all the fun such as Charr, Draenai, Hobbits, and many others. But what caught them off guard is seeing a mage in purple and a staff fighting against a black spiky dragon with red eyes. Yet they see children controlling them.

"Dark Magician, attack!" a child says as many other children watch and cheer.

"You have fallen for it!" another child says.

"What do you mean?!"

A card that was facing down is now face-up to reveal Magic Cylinder.

"What does that do?!" the boy asked.

Two cylinders appear and absorbed the Dark Magician's attack and comes out through the other that struck right back at the master of the Dark Magician. The boy lost all his remaining life points.

"Dang it!" he slams his fist to the ground while everyone cheered for the other boy that used the Red Eyes Black Dragon for his victory.

"So, what do you think?" asked Stennis.

The knights are still in complete and total awe on the complete change. They were thinking that something more horrible was gonna happen, but not.

"Excuse me." Stennis tries to snap them out of it. "But should we heading to met the princess?"

The knights snapped out of it and headed straight towards the manor, with Itami still dazed and have a few bruises from falling off the horses. In other case, he is unconscious.

Once they reached the throne room of the mansion, Bozes reports to the princess about what happened. Which she wasn't happy, and proceeds to throw her golden wine goblet at Bozes while screaming, "YOU IDIOT!"

The goblet hit Bozes on the head and spills all over the floor. Bozes head started to bleed as Panache runs up to her after getting hit to treat the small wound.

Panache looks at the princess and apologizes. "I'm sorry, your majesty! We didn't know!"

"Mr. Itami!" Hamilton tries her best to shake Itami out of it. "Mr. Itami, are you alright?!" But Itami fell down on the floor and Hamilton screamed.

Piña sat back down while looking down with her hands on her head. Worrying about a retaliation from the JSDF. "We just broke the treaty on the same day we signed it." she says to herself in her distress. "What are we going to do?"

"Excuse me, princess?" Stennis approaches Piña. "Actually, they are planning to sneak in and sneak out. But I have already informed everyone to let them in so we can clear-up this misunderstanding. Plus we don't have to worry about any consequences. Itami is more of a forgive and forget sort of person."

Piña snaps out of her worries and look at Stennis. "How do you know that?"

"It's a gift I have. I have the gift to immediately know people once I glance at them. Comes in handy while traveling."

"I see." Piña is amazed by Stennis' ability to read people like that. "If that's so-"

"So no one has to apologize with their bodies, if that is what you're thinking."

The three girls blushed after hearing that. The good news is that no one will have to degrade themselves.

In the outskirts of Italica, the 3rd Recon, Rory, Tuka, and Lelei are welcomed back by some of the riflemen that was stationed in Italica. On the way over, one of the riflemen say something that surprise Shino.

"Say what!?" she blared.

The rifleman guiding them turned around and says, "Yeah. Itami is also a ranger. Did he not tell you that?"

Unlike the USA 75th Ranger Regiment, Rangers in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are not part of the Special Forces but rather, are personnel who have passed a rigorous training course in advanced combat and survival training. While not as demanding as Special Forces training, trainees need to make long treks through the wilderness carrying tens of kilograms of military gear, as well as reaching far higher standards of combat readiness than regular JSDF forces. And Itami is one of them.

After hearing this, Shino dropped her rifle and went "WHAAAAAATTT!?"

"Is there something wrong? Is being a ranger bad?" Lelei asked. She wonders if there is something wrong with Itami being a ranger.

Shino, still shocked, explains, "You have to go through rigorous and difficult survival training and advance combat in order to become a ranger! Rangers are supposed to be bad-asses! Yet that otaku idiot is one of them!?" She is having a hard time accepting the fact that Itami, the biggest loser, is a ranger. "NOOO! I cannot accept this!"

"Kuribayashi, calm down!" Akira ordered the petite sergeant. "We have to get the lieutenant. The sooner we get him back, the sooner we can sort things out. Understand?"

Shino snaps out of it and nods her head. With that done, everyone head inside and found Itami in his room...along with a few maids. So we already guess what will happen.

"Hey, guys." Itami says to the team. "What's up?"

After a while, Takeo bows to Persia. The catgirl maid of Myui's. "Hello, ma'am! I am Sergeant Takeo Kurata! I'm 23-years-old and I am single! Totally single! Please to meet you!"

Persia is astonished by Takeo until she just smiles and goes, "Nya-ha!"

Some of the other men are just sitting and relaxing with Akira going, "Guess we won't report back for a while."

"You can say that again." Soichiro agrees with Akira.

Mamina, a bunny-girl maid, praises Shino, "You were so awesome at the battle! I saw the whole thing! You're fighting-style was amazing!"

Shino just smiles, appreciating the praise. "Oh, it's nothing."

Momu, a human maid, has taken an interest in Tuka's outfit. "How can they make such clothing like that?"

Tuka stretches her shirt. "I don't know. Some form of weaving techniques? But it is really stretchy."

Rory sits on the couch while trying to stay away from Kaine who is praising her. "It is an honor to have an apostle to defend our town! We very much appreciate it!"

Rory just looks away with some blush on her cheeks, "No, it is nothing."

Lelei takes an interest in Aurea's, the medusa maid, snake hair. She touches one of them while asking, "How do they shed?"

"That's a secret."

Outside the room; Princess Piña, Stennis, and Bozes head straight to Itami's room. Once they open the door, they see everyone being lively along with the 3rd Recon Team.

"I told you." Stennis says to the princess, bragging about being right. "They have arrived to get Itami."

"Thank you, Stennis." Piña eye-rolled. "I can see that. Any case..."

Piña approaches Itami and clears her throat. "I greatly apologize for my knights' treatment earlier."

Bozes bows to Itami, "I am greatly sorry! I didn't know about the Norma Treaty!"

Yes, the treaty is called the Norma Treaty. Named after Norma Co Igloo, one of the knights under Piña's command who died in defense for Italica. The treaty was named in honor of his sacrifice.

"I beg for your forgiveness!" Bozes' lip is quivering as she bows her head as low as she can.

"It's alright." Itami accepted the apology. Bozes' head jolted straight up and is astonished on how easily it was. He looked away with his face all red, "I rather forget about how embarrassing it was when you ladies beat me."

"Once again, I told you." Stennis stated. "He is more of a forgive and forget person."

"I can't believe how right you really are." Piña is amazed on how well he knows Itami and his personality. However, she focuses on Itami with an interesting proposal. "Mr. Itami, I would like to visit your country on the other side of the gate. Japan, was it? I would like to speak with the ambassadors of your country. Hoping to settle things peacefully between my world and yours. But I would like to bring Bozes with me as a bodyguard and to explain about what happened with your...'treatment' at the hands of my knights to your superiors."

"Okay, sure." he agrees so easily.

"I know that- Wait, what?" Piña is taken by surprise on how easily it was.

Stennis then leans against a wall, "I will bring two negotiators from my gate to negotiate with Japan and the empire. Since we are busy with diplomacy, ALL parties have to come to an agreement. I do know two of the best negotiators of the empire."

"Yeah, about that." Itami starts to look serious at Stennis. "I would like to know more about where you are from. Old school."

Soichiro stood-up, "I do recognize one of the songs you sang. Hands of Gold, correct?"

"Yeah, I know of it from Old Essos."

"Old Essos?" Soichiro asked.

"Old Essos is similar to Essos where I'm from in every way. But there are a lot of differences between the two. Such as the sand dragons that terrorize Dorn. Another is the Children of the Forest are still around along with dragons, Valyrian steel is more common, and there is a lot more magic there than Old Essos. In Old Essos, magic is very limited depending on where you live."

"I see." Itami accepted the answer. "But according to the reports, you know some magic from other worlds. Is there a reason why you wanted to learn magic so much."

Stennis took a deep sigh. "Throughout history, many can learn more about ones culture through many forms. Art, fashion, music, architecture, history, and craftsmanship. Magic is another way to learn another's culture to understand the civilization. Not only that, I would like to keep a balance style. I study different forms of swordsmanship, archery, magic, stealth tactics, and crafting."

"So you're like some player of an RPG who wants a balanced stat." Itami pointed out.

Stennis just shrugs. He stops leaning against the wall and about to head out. "I'll contact Romalia." he says to everyone in the room. "I'll see to it that the negotiators will come along to Japan. In the meantime, I'll see you soon." And he heads out the door.

The next day, everyone comes aboard on the HMVs. That, and Piña comes along with Bozes. They arrived just a few hours later.

"We've arrived!" Takeo says.

"Already?" Piña says in amazement. "It would've taken us days to reach Alnus from Italica. This contraption is faster than horses."

She and Bozes take a look outside and see soldiers at a firing range and doing practice drills. They both looked at the weapons they are wielding as they witness them firing at the targets.

"Are those...staves?" Piña asked as she takes in the sight. "Is everyone of those soldiers a wizard?"

"They are not." Lelei corrected her. "Those weapons are called rifles. It is common in their world and they are standard-issue. It is complicated to explain, but there is a small pinning device that ignites the metal casing inside that fires a lead bullet by some means of a chemical reaction by squeezing the trigger. The method is similar to a crossbow, but far more advance."

"I see." Bozes says in amazement. "So those rifles are some form of crossbow."

Then they see something moving on the other side of the vehicle. What they see are tanks rolling through while on a training exercise. The two gawked at the size and armaments.

"Iron war elephants?" the princess says as she looks at the large machines of firepower. Then she sees the helicopters flying overhead on patrol.

"How can they create such things?!" Bozes asked as they witnessed them firing a few rounds out in an open field. "Those things spit fire, too?!"

"Not exactly." Lelei corrected Bozes. "The method is similar to a rifle, but on a much larger scale."

"I guess you can rule a nation with force." Piña says to herself before taking a gulp. "But you cannot control the will of the people."

"The empire has stepped on the griffon's tail." Lelei says about the empire rousing the wrath of people from another world.

"You should mind your tongue!" Bozes berate Lelei's insult. "The empire is on the brink of collapse, so be mindful!"

"I am from a wandering tribe of the Rurudo Clan, so we care little for what the empire does. We owe no loyalties to the empire."

Then they finally arrived at the main base. But something else has arrived at the base. A vertibird from Romalia hovers over the courtyard as everyone started to get out close to it. Once it landed and open its hatch, Stennis comes out of the vertibird along with three figures exiting out of it.

"Gah!" Itami and Takeo went with their mouths open as they immediately recognize the three figures coming out.

"Who are they?" Akira asked. "You know them?"

"Who doesn't!" Takeo says with excitement. He pointed out a man dressed in a black business suit with three golden buttons on the sleeves close to his black gloves. He has a black and white tie along with having black suave hair and eyes. He also have a wristwatch. "That guy is Roger Smith, from the anime The Big O! The main character of the series as well as being a negotiator and a mech pilot! And next to him is R. Dorothy Wayneright, the android!"

They see the android with her short-hair, chalk-white skin, and what appears to be bags under her eyes. She is also wearing black with a black jewel piece holding some white cloths around the chest area. (I have no idea what it is called, just so you know.)

"What's an android?" Piña asked.

"But look at that man!" Takeo points out the third figure. "Do you know who that is?!"

"Indeed I do!" Itami's inner otaku is getting the better of them as well as Takeo's. The third figure is a tall man in his thirties with short black hair and dark brown eyes. He is dressed in a dark blue-gray business suit with a white shirt with gray stripes as well as a diagonal red and white striped tie. "That's Kojiro Shindo from Kado: The Right Answer!"

"Hello, gentlemen and ladies." Roger addresses the people from the HMV. "I am Roger Smith. Negotiator. Here to negotiate on behalf of the Crown Galaxy." Then introduces Dorothy, "This is my assistant, R. Dorothy Wayneright."

Dorothy gave a courteous bow with an emotionless expression and the sound of something mechanical making a sound from her body. Roger gave Itami his card and Itami continues to gawk as he took it.

"And I am Negotiator Kojiro Shindo." Kojiro introduces himself along with a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

With introductions out of the way, they head inside and see General Hazama. Although Piña and Bozes have to explain to him about Itami's embarrassing beating with Lelei as the translator.

Outside of the general's office, Itami is asking Tuka to come with him to Japan.

"You want me to come along with you?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was wondering if you would like to come with me through the other side of the gate. Although, it is gonna be cold."

Tuka isn't too sure about going through the gate until someone overheard and went, "You ain't going without me, are you?"

Rory opens a door to one of the bunks and wants to go.

"I would like to go as well." Lelei says behind Itami. He was startled by how Lelei snuck up behind him.

Then another voice went, "Yoo-hoo~!" Another door slowly creeped open to reveal Lelei's teacher, Cato El Altestan. "I would like to come too-oo~."

In the prospering city of Romalia, Tyule and Noriko have been granted full citizenship and are staying at an apartment complex for refugees. It is a large adobe-like structure from ARK: Survival Evolved that has solar panels from Subnautica on the roofs of these apartments as well as lights from Fallout 4. The complex is seven floors high with plenty of room for a family of four. There are elevators from Fallout 4's Contraptions Workshop that help the residence to go from floor to floor. For back-up power, there are four transmitters from Subnautica that draw power from the many generators across the city. That includes the dwarves' thermal plants from the lava being generated.

Noriko has received word that she will be going home, but found out her family might be dead. Distraught with this news, she leans against the windowsill in a state of depression in the bedroom. There were tears streamed from her eyes not too long ago as she looks out the window with the sun setting.

Tyule came in through the bedroom door to check on her roommate.

"Hey." she says softly to the depressed Noriko. "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

No response from Noriko. She still looks out the window in her depressive state. Noriko stares deeply into the colors of the setting sun in the sky, unable to cope with the deaths of her family.

Tyule approaches Noriko and puts her hand on her shoulder. She feels horrible for Noriko, yet understands what Noriko is going through.

"I know what it feels like to loose the people you love."

Noriko snaps out and looks up at Tyule.

"I lost everything when I had to surrender to the empire." Tyule then shifted her gaze out the window. "I had to in order to save as many of my love ones as I can. But I was being tricked, and lost them. I was planning on manipulating the prince who tarnished by people to have the empire enter a civil war. However, it appears Hardy has other plans. But the damage is done. But now I want to help people."

She turned her head back at Noriko, "Just like you. Along with many others who have suffered at the hands of the empire and Zorzal's abuse."

After hearing that, Noriko started to smile a little after hearing that. Snaps out of her depression and want to live.

AN: I'm BAAAAACCK! Thank you for waiting! And thank you Crazy Old Walter for helping me find the planet chart I was looking for. Also, thank you paomayo for telling me about some planet stuff. But I was looking for the chart I saw a few times that had some pretty weird planet-types.

Some include Infrared, Ultraviolet, Soap, Snowball, Opalescent, Lime, Emerald, and Sky World. Does anyone know what they are? I know Ice, Tropical, Gaia, Hydrocarbon, Iron, Living, and many other worlds like that, but none like the new ones I listed.

Also, I need pictures of a Cragland Planet (rocky islands, fjords, and common rainstorms), Bacteria World, a Psi World, and a Sculpted Planet. What a sculpted planet is is an art gallery but on a planetary scale. Couldn't find any images of these. Feels good to be back!