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It had been fifty five years since the end of the Sino-Japanese War, or World War II as the Westerners called it. Shen Yu was too young to remember that war, but he'd stories from his grandfather who did. The loss of face and humiliation, that the Middle Kingdom, once the greatest of Earth's nations had been brought low by a former tributary state had been borne for far too long.

Looking down at the ships being prepared, Shen Yu smiled. First he had done away with those fools who had led the weak and failing People's Republic. Their simple human minds could not comprehend the depth of his strategy, and even with less than a dozen capes and a few hundred supporters it had been simplicity itself to topple them and seize power through a puppet Emperor, all while maintaining popular support. Such was his power, the greatest Thinker cape in the world. He had already seized Taiwan, and his men were battle hardened and ready for further conquest.

Now, with the Americans fully withdrawing their hand of protection and the Japanese capes in turmoil, victory was assured for Shen Yu and for China. Japan would maintain the illusion of self-rule, but they would be a tributary of the Chinese Imperial Union. Already, he was sowing the seeds of chaos in their government and land, and soon his ships would sail to victory.

There was one slight flaw in the plan, one minute hole that would be patched as time went on: his power told him very little about Raiden. He could calculate her potential based on what she had done, analyze for potential weaknesses, but when he tried to calculate what her Shard was or where she was from, even with all available data he got… nothing. He could extrapolate and plan around her still, but usually he was able to analyze what someone's Shard was and what its limits were with ease. This was too much like guesswork, often relying on his own brilliant mind more and his power less.

Still, it was a minor obstacle. They would surely lose some of the Yangban, but the whole point of creating a hive mind was that individual members could be lost, for little overall reduction in effectiveness. He looked out from atop his tower, gripping the railing as he gazed across the sea.

Soon. It would be weeks yet, but- what was that?

Dark clouds began to form all along the horizon, not more than ten kilometers out to sea. He grabbed his pair of binoculars as his attendants began to chatter, and pointed them at a glowing pinprick.

It was her. He grinned. The fool had come to him.

"Deploy the reaction squads on standby! Get everyone ready to-"

I AM RAIDEN SHOGUN, THE NARUKAMI OSHOGO. THESE ARE MY PEOPLE. THIS IS MY LAND.

The voice was deafening, driving Shen Yu to his knees in pain as it echoed not just without, but within his mind, projected directly into his brain like a sledgehammer. He found himself retching and heaving as the words continued, relentlessly driving themselves into his skull.

JAPAN IS THE LAND OF ETERNITY. I SHALL BROOK NO FOREIGN FORCE TO SET FOOT UPON MY SOIL. I ENACT NOW THE SAKOKU DECREE: NONE MAY ENTER JAPAN. LET THE KAMIKAZE BLOW ONCE MORE!

Blinking through watery eyes, Shen Yu looked up and beheld the storm. It blew up out of nowhere, whipping the cold December waters to froth and fury as a wall of lightning struck, the clap and thunder of it shattering every window for a dozen kilometers inland, and deafening millions. A great typhoon began to rage, and with trembling hands, Shen Yu picked up his binoculars once more.

She was looking right at him. Her eyes pierced into his soul, and struck fear into the heart of a man who up until that point had known none. Her lips moved, and her voice echoed in his mind once more.

COME AND BRAVE THE LIGHTNING'S GLOW, MORTAL. IF YOU DARE.

She vanished in an instant, and Shen Yu's binoculars fell from his numb fingers. Below him, the docks were in chaos as the first storm surge hit. Within minutes, his fleet was utterly ruined, his dockyards destroyed, his sailors drowned.

And not just in the Port of Shanghai. All of China's military ports in the East China Sea were utterly ruined, and many of her vessels lost. A wall of typhoons stretched from Yonaguni island to the north, all along the home islands, up to Wakkanai Island near Hokkaido. Then back down through the Pacific, covering millions of square kilometers.

It took some time to confirm all this, as the weather satellites had been utterly overloaded by the sudden burst of energy. Thankfully, there was no large-scale blackout this time, but the devastation was still immense.

"It is a bluff," Tōng Líng Tǎ said, sneering. "She cannot maintain this. It is too much."

Shen Yu just sat there, his ears still ringing, mind still reeling, staring at the map. This was impossible. He tried to calculate the power needed for this, to grasp how much energy these storms represented…and he could not. His mind came up blank. His power was silent.

"Issue an apology. The invasion is canceled," Shen Yu said quietly.

"What?!" the emperor gasped, turning to Shen Yu, outrage on his adolescent face. "We would lose too much face! We cannot apologize to the Japanese!"

That turned into an argument, and for once Shen Yu was too exhausted to quell it. They raged for several hours, but the storm showed no signs of slackening.

The Kamikaze blew on.

When he'd first heard what the Emperor had done, Prime Minister Nakamura had been in a state of shock. He'd revered and trusted the Emperor, and now this? This was a complete subversion of democracy. Appointing a shogun, especially a madwoman, was insanity. The country was in complete panic, two islands were in rebellion, and his own government was collapsing.

Somehow, he had to save this, but his options were running out. Then came the storm. Nakamura watched in horror as people celebrated, the news and the public rejoicing that Japan had been saved.

He called an emergency meeting with just the ministers he trusted, especially the head of the few remaining loyal Sentai, and with the JSDF generals he could trust.

"Raiden must be stopped, now. We have a week, perhaps two, before the country starts to starve to death. The ships that were still bringing us food and aid have been stopped. Those that were caught in the storm were blown out of our territorial waters, unharmed thankfully. Planes can get through the storm, but that's not enough to keep our people from starving."

"There's one option left," the Sentai Minister said quietly. "It's mad, but I think we live in a time of madness. We must deploy Kokusho."

His heart sank, and Nakamura nodded. He'd wanted to avoid killing Raiden. She truly had done much for Japan, and despite her criminal activities, he'd hoped to bring her to heel peacefully and make her into a symbol of Japanese pride. But now too much was at stake.

"The JSDF will do what it can to help. I don't know how much our forces can do against a parahuman of that magnitude, but my men know that their country is on the line," the chief general said, his own tone grim. "I'll lead them myself."

"Only send those you can trust. They can support The Evening Star as best they can, but they are likely to die in the attempt. Let the black wind blow. It is the only chance we have to end this mad storm and save our people."

When the Ministers left, Nakamura contemplated asking for a sword, or perhaps a gun. He wasn't from a line of samurai, but if this failed…death might be the only way to save face.

No. He'd face Raiden, one way or another. He began to compose two speeches. One for success, the other for failure. Either way, his political career, and likely his life, was over. But it had to be done.

Kenta stood atop the hotel roof in Nagasaki, looking out to see where he could see the line of storms. The distant rumble of thunder was audible, as were the sound of celebration on the street below. People were ecstatic that Raiden had solved the Chinese problem, but Kenta was moody. He looked to Raiden, who stood beside him, holding Ami's hand and smiling faintly down at her people.

"So, what's your plan now?" Kenta demanded, feeling a bit queasy. "Just fuck over China and the Yankees? Is that it?"

"Kenta, language," Raiden chided, and Ami peeked her head around, looking curious and somewhat interested. Kids always did like learning dirty words.

"I'm not going to watch my language, even in front of the kid! Because unless you act fast, she's going to watch those people starve to death right along with me!" Kenta said, pointing angrily to the crowd below. "Sure, we'll probably survive, but you've basically guaranteed famine and poverty for us!"

Raiden blinked, obviously taken aback by Kenta's rant, and Ami whimpered and hugged Raiden's waist, looking frightened. "Why do you say this? I have saved Japan from foreign invasion. This is not like the Vision Hunt Decree. My people will be preserved, and I will establish eternity."

"An eternity of poverty and famine! Do you know how many people there are in Japan?!" Kenta demanded angrily, stepping forward, nostrils flaring. He was taller than her at 185cm, even though she was tall for a Japanese woman herself at 171cm. He tried to loom, but somehow, failed.

"I do not. What did the last census record?" Raiden asked, her voice calm.

"Shit, I dunno, it's about-"There was a pop, and Kenta's voice went up several octaves as he continued, "-100 million or something. Damn, woman, are you just petty or crazy!?"

He glared up at Raiden, now in his tiny dragon form, with Ami giggling nervously from behind Raiden.

"I warned you to mind your familiar language, familiar," Raiden chided. Then she looked concerned. "But…100 million? That is…that is many times the population of Inazuma. Nearly that of Liyue…or…perhaps not. I was not monitoring such things as I should have…" Raiden now looked concerned, and Kenta planted his hands on his snake-like hips, drawing himself up to a height of about Raiden's knees.

"Well, this ain't Inazuma! This is- why do I sound like Eddie Murphy?"

Ami giggled more loudly, and came around Raiden, picking up Kenta despite his protests.

"Mommy, I think you should listen to Mushu," Ami said, lifting Kenta up until he was perched on her shoulder. Having to rely on an eight year old for support. Fucking fabulous.

"Very well." Raiden knelt so that her face was even with Kenta's. "Speak. But mind your tongue. You are my familiar, and granted the privilege to speak your mind, but I will not tolerate crudeness in front of my ward."

"Hell of a time to care about manners," Kenta muttered, but continued on. "Look, I ain't some big-brained scientist or politician or whatever. You know what I am: a street thug who got powers and can turn into a damn dragon. That's it! But even I know that Japan can't feed herself. Not even close! More than half the food in Japan comes from the outside. Mostly the USA if you have to know! And a lot of the food we do make on our own is from fishing, which you just totally killed by swinging your-"

Thunder rumbled directly overhead, and Kenta rephrased hastily, "Um, sword around. Look, my point is, are you a harvest god or something? Can you make the rice grow faster? Because if not, we're screwed."

"I…I did not know this," Raiden admitted, looking suddenly deeply concerned and ashamed. "Ami. Is this true?"

"I dunno, you're the grown up. But you're supposed to think things through, right? My old mommy was always sayin' that I had to think before I acted or bad things would happen. Did you think before you made the big storm?"

"I…no," Raiden admitted, blushing more deeply now. "I simply-"

She suddenly surged forward, grabbing Ami and Kenta as a portal opened behind them. Raiden dove through, just as saw something flash out of the sky. Kenta tumbled to the ground, landing flat on his back as fire and debris rained down around him. He realized he was looking up at the hotel, and an instant later the roar of jet engines filled the city as two fighters raced by, windows shattering from the sonic boom of their passage.

"What the fu-udge," Kenta groaned, getting up and dusting his scales off. "Were those Chinese? American?"

"They bore a sigil of a single red sphere. That is that of Japan, is it not?" Raiden asked, standing as Ami started crying and people began to scream in panic.

"Yeah. That's the JSDF. Looks like they're coming for youuuuuuu-RAAAAAOOOOOOOORRRRR!"

His body ballooned, not to that of the western style dragon he'd been when he fought Leviathan, but to that of an eastern dragon, with hints of purple amidst his shining silver scales. He slowly floated up in the air, testing things out. He'd only been in this form a couple times, and he'd never been so large before. How big was he? Raiden looked tiny, and he was longer than a bus, longer than two buses. He was thin, sure, but he could feel his tail stretching out far behind himself.

"Will you fight alongside me still? Even if I have brought doom upon this land?" Raiden asked, reaching out to rest a hand on Kenta's snout.

"Everyone makes mistakes," he rumbled. "Even a god. And you're still mine, Lady Raiden. I don't know why the JSDF is after you, but I'm on your side."

"Than we shall-"

A black form appeared in a snap by Raiden, and Kenta roared in pain as something bit into his side. Dozens of figures in black all hacking at him and Raiden at once. His heart beat faster, and his blood ran cold. She was real. The rumored Fifth Star of the Sentai Elite. Kokusho the Black.

Stop the flying machines. I shall deal with this, Raiden's voice spoke into his mind.

Grabbing Ami, Kenta surged up into the sky, looking down as he watched Raiden and the Evening Star begin to fight. He couldn't even follow it, even with enhanced draconic senses. They were teleporting all around the city, or close enough to teleporting. Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the ring of steel on steel could be heard.

"Kenta, will Mommy Raiden be OK!?" Ami gasped, slipping up onto his back and gripping onto one of his horns.

"She is the God of Eternity. Not even the Black Wind can stop her," Kenta rumbled. "Now hang on!"

He surged up into the sky as storm clouds billowed and rumbled. A moment later, he roared in pain, as bright streaks of autocannon fire bit into his flesh. He called upon the lightning around him, not even certain how he did it, and the jet attacking him smoked and spun out of control, slamming into a recently repaired skyscraper.

There was an explosion, and he looked around, seeing another plane. Before he could attack though, he realized that it was fighting another jet. Then there were three, four, a dozen, he could not keep track of them all. A massive dogfight, all of them JSDF fighters erupted over the skies of Nagisaki. Kenta could no tell friend from foe, and he realized what this had to be:

Civil War.

Rumbling with anger, he herded his storm cloud away from the city and out into the countryside. As he flew, he saw the army units below, and heard the sound of gunfire and the flash of explosives. The very forces that had come to render aid were now undergoing a mutiny. He flew down from the clouds and roared out his anger.

"CEASE!"

The fighting slowed, as men on both sides looked up at him. Some bore white head and armbands with the red rising sun on them, others purple with the triple pronged helix of Raiden etched on them.

"WHAT MADNESS IS THIS? WHY DO YOU FIGHT ONE ANOTHER! HAS THIS COUNTRY NOT SEEN ENOUGH DEATH, YOU STUPID BA-AKA?"

Raiden wasn't close by, but he wasn't going to risk getting turned into mini-me because he couldn't control his language.

"They defy the Shogun!"

"We will not surrender our democracy, monster!"

Someone fired and a bullet hit Kenta, but it might as well have been a flea. Even a jet's cannons hadn't done much more than annoy him, small arms were hardly worth noticing.

"RAIDEN WILL SPEAK WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE EMPEROR. STOP THE FIGHTING. NOW. SHE WILL NOT BE PLEASED WITH THOSE WHO FOLLOW HER TO SEE THEM SLAY THEIR BROTHERS, OR WITH YOU MORONS WHO ARE FIGHTING A GOD. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO A TANK THAT'S HIT BY LIGHTNING?"

There was no answer, but Kenta didn't need one. He saw a tank that looked abandoned, and breathed lightning on it. It burst into flames, flipping over at the intensity of the blast.

"THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENS TO EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU COMPLETE IDIOTS."

"Stop fighting, fighting is bad!" Ami called, her voice high and mostly lost to the wind as she waved from Kenta's back.

Slowly, with some grumbling, the soldiers threw down their weapons, and Kenta nodded. "COME ON, KID. WE'VE GOT TO TELL RAIDEN. AND END THIS MADNESS."

The duel in the sky continued, but Kenta wasn't about to get involved with that. He didn't really want to find out if he was missile proof, and he honestly couldn't tell who was who, even if the rebel planes had doctored their insignia.

He found Raiden standing over the bloody body of a young woman in a burnt black Sentai uniform. She was missing both her arms, her breathing shallow, and her eyes glazed with pain.

"Kill me," Kokusho gasped. "I refuse to bow to you, false god. Kill me. And end this."

"RAIDEN. LEAVE HER," Kenta roared. "IT'S CIVIL WAR. WE HAVE TO END THIS, BEFORE THIS WHOLE COUNTRY BURNS TO THE GROUND."

That was probably a gross exaggeration. The JSDF wasn't exactly a huge force, though Kenta had no idea how big it actually was, it was far from the largest military around. With most of the Sentai on Raiden's side, it was likely that any fighting would be over fast, but it still seemed like a stupid thing to him.

"You fought well, warrior," Raiden said, breathing hard herself. She was wounded in several places, dark blood staining her torn kimono. Even with her speed, she'd not been faster than the Evening Star. But she had been tougher, and with a lot more firepower. "I shall not claim your life on this day. You fought with honor, and for honor. You shall not die. One day, you shall see the wisdom of Eternity."

"Mommy!" Ami wailed, jumping off of Kenta and racing forward, Murasaki floating along at her side. She grabbed Raiden, clutching her injuries, and whispered, "Help me, Murasaki."

"As you wish, my lady," the little dragon said, which shocked the hell out of Kenta. When had it learned to talk? Then sparks flew from Ami's hands, mending Raiden's wounds as the god shuddered slightly. Apparently, it was far from painless.

"Heal her as well," Raiden said, nodding to the rapidly fading Kokusho.

"Do I have to?" Ami asked, but was already kneeling, taking the bloody stumps in her hands. "Murasaki?"

More sparks flew, and Kokusho shuddered, then lay back, unconscious. Her wounds had scabbed over, though her arms still ended in short stumps.

"I do not know what to do," Raiden admitted, looking up at Kenta. "I can command the storms, but I did not foresee this. How can I bind the land together?"

"WELL, I GUESS A GOOD START WOULD BE TO GO TALK TO THE PRIME MINISTER," Kenta rumbled. "CLIMB ABOARD. I SORT OF KNOW WHAT DIRECTION THAT'S IN."

Raiden and Ami both scrambled atop Kenta's back, and once they were seated he took off into the sky, racing north along the coast towards Tokyo.

It was all over. The fighting had lasted only a few hours, but it was over. Nakamura's last hope was extinguished. Raiden and her pet dragon had appeared over each military base in Southern Japan, and ordered them to stand down. Even the bases that were loyal to him had obeyed, overawed by her display of power and the spreading word of her defeat of the hidden Sentai Elite. Kokusho had been his only hope to slay Raiden. She had failed.

He contemplated the gun on his desk, sighing heavily. One of the guards had given it to him. The implication was clear. He had said he wouldn't do it, but…

Reaching out with trembling hands, he picked up the weapon.

"That is not a path I would have you take, Prime Minister Nakamura."

On instinct, he spun, the gun firing wildly. He'd never even held a gun before this, and the shot went wild.

Only, a pale hand darted out, and caught the bullet. He slowly lowered the pistol, dread settling in his stomach.

"So. You have come for me then," Nakamura said, the weapon trembling in his hands. He kept it leveled at Raiden, though it was clearly useless.

"Such a small thing," Raiden commented, studying the bullet in her hand. "Yet it can kill. I was reminded of that today. It was folly, really. Was it not a mortal who defeated me, and sent me to Japan in the first place, not so long ago?"

That comment made no sense to Nakamura, and he slowly lowered the gun, setting it on his desk. "Why have you come? To demand my life, or my surrender?"

He took a deep breath, and continued, "You may kill me, but you have killed this country as well. Without international food shipments, we will starve shortly. Our economy, already on the brink because of the decimation of the shipping industry, will collapse utterly. You will have your petty kingdom, but it will be of paupers and starving beggars."

"I…did not realize this," Raiden said, twitching a finger. A chair dragged itself behind her, and she sat down across from Nakamura. "I confess, I believe the land I knew was closer to Edo period Japan than the modern era, from what I have read. The population was only a few million, and we grew all our own food. Nor did we rely on foreign shipping. It seems I have erred."

Nakamura's jaw dropped open, and he stared at the fidgeting young woman across from him. No…she wasn't young. She looked like she was…well, not in the flower of youth, but in her prime, no more than early 30s. And yet…there was something about her…something ancient. It wasn't just her antiquated speech, or outdated fashion sense. It was in her eyes, her carriage…she was old.

As old as Japan, perhaps.

"You…you made a mistake?" he asked incredulously. "Did you conquer Japan by accident?"

"I did not regard it as conquest. I am a god, and this land is much like the one I hail from. At first, I even thought I had stepped through time to the future of Inazuma, though I know now this was far from the truth. This is not the land nor world I knew. And so, finding myself in a land without a guardian spirit or deity, and seeing it beset by demons and troubles on all sides, I decided I would be the God of Japan."

She said it so plainly. As if it were completely logical. A simple fact, plain for all to see. It was sheer madness, and Nakamura's mind rebelled. So, he asked a question.

"How on Earth did you get in here? The door is locked, and it wasn't opened," Nakamura said. "Do my aides even know you're in here?"

Raiden shrugged. "I do not know if your underlings noticed my arrival. I did not wish to break the window, so I opened a gate inside."

Right, teleportation. "Is there any power you don't have?"

Raiden looked away, clear embarrassment on her face. "I…I do not excel at making plants grow. I know some electro-mages can work with dendro to induce a higher crop yield, but ah…crops I hasten, are, er, not fit to eat."

She was actually toying nervously with her braid. A being Nakamura was increasingly certain was either Amateratsu, or the closest thing to it, was looking down at the floor and playing with her hair like an abashed schoolgirl. Had he blown his brains out, and this was his mind's last fevered conjuring before life faded?

"So, you can't improve the food situation," Nakamura said bluntly, falling into politics mode. "That's a problem if you insist on this Kamikaze blockade. You know, that's what we called suicide bombers during the last war. Seems you've turned our entire country into one."

"Suicide is not an option. Japan must endure and prosper," Raiden declared, looking up, her eyes flashing. Outside, thunder rumbled.

Nakamura decided that was definitely not a coincidence. "So, what will you do?"

"How long can the nation survive without imports?" Raiden asked.

"At a good time, a few months. This is not a good time. We've depleted much of our stores and a great deal was destroyed in Levithan's attack, and your little stunt. You're lucky we're not like the other nations, where thousands died when the power went off in your battle."

"They what?" Raiden blinked, clearly surprised. "How did they die?"

"You turned off the power. What did you think would happen?" Nakamura asked, trying to keep anger out of his tone. "I am not sorry you did it, slaying Leviathan was worth the cost in my admittedly biased estimation, and you certainly saved all of Kyushu from destruction. But you can't just pull the plug globally and not expect some severe consequences."

"Pull…the plug?" Raiden said slowly, a frown on her face. "Ami has used these words. They mean…to remove the electro from something?"

"If you mean turn off the electricity, yes," Nakamura said, sudden realization dawning. "What you said…you're not from this time, or place, are you?"

"No. I am from the land of Inazuma in the world of Teyvat. By our calendar, it was the year 514 since the Cataclysm, or 2059 years since the end of the Archon war, or 2215 years since the Reign of the First Electro Archon began, and I gained control of the main islands of Inazuma."

Nakamura sat back, stunned. "You..you're from the Jomon Period? And ruled though…through to the Edo Period?"

"The precise details do not matter, but yes. I have only begun to read the history of Japan. I confess…history was never my strong subject. I preferred studying the Art of War, or the making of weapons," Raiden said with a shrug.

"What…what exactly is it you want from me?" Nakamura asked, completely baffled.

"You seem a just and wise man. You were willing to defy me, even though it meant your death," Raiden said, putting together two contradictory sentences. "I would have you serve as one of the Emperor's ministers in the new Tri-Commision, which shall rule Japan in my name. I am…not well versed in day to day government. I understand war, and the making of it, and how to raise and train an army. Economics make little sense to me, and my social policies have been…lacking. I need mortals like you to administer the realm, while I see to its defense."

Slowly shaking his head, Nakamura tried to wrap his mind around what Raiden was saying. "So, you want to rule Japan…through me?"

"Among others, yes. Obviously, you have lacked a god for some time. When did Amateratsu fall? I could not find a clear date in your records."

"Lady Shogun," Nakamura said, and to his shock he meant it, "Before this very hour, I would have told you that Amateratsu never existed. There have been no gods in this world for…well, I honestly don't know. Perhaps all the gods were real. Perhaps only some. I haven't the faintest clue. I can tell you the Buddah is said to have lived around 500 BC, but that is all."

"I see. So it has been many millenia," Raiden said thoughtfully. "Well, it is good you have honored your fallen gods for so long, but that is no longer needed. They may be given small shrines, and I shall not outlaw their worship, but all must agree to give me yearly offerings as a show of devotion."

"And those consist of…?"

"It depends on one's station. For the poorest, a simple handwritten prayer, or an offering of a jug of wine or rice, or some handiwork they make as a part of their livelihood is sufficient. For the wealthy, a tribute of fine metals, works of art, weapons, and sponsoring and constructing shrines in my name. What matters is not the value of the gift, but the sincerity in which it is given."

"That seems…entirely reasonable," Nakamura admitted. "And your position in the government?"

"I am Shogun. All answer to me, and the law derives from my will. After all, if justice comes not from a divine mandate, how is one to determine right from wrong?"

"Uh, I don't think any of the answers I learned in school apply anymore," Nakamura admitted. "So, we will not be a democracy?"

"I have read of this democracy. It seems eminently foolish. What does the common man know of rulership? Best for him to serve his Lord and trust in my wisdom," Raiden said with a shrug.

Coming from the woman who just said that she knew nothing of economics, to the point she hadn't even grasped that Japan couldn't feed itself. That said, a foreign policy that involved telling the Yangban and the USN to stick it up their ass and having the power to back it up was extremely attractive. As was having someone around who not only would suppress troublesome parahumans, but could outright slay an Endbringer. His advisers warned him another was likely to emerge, but he couldn't see how they'd be any worse to an island nation than Leviathan had been.

"Well, I suppose I can think of worse things than serving as your minister," Nakamura admitted. "What of the Diet?"

"A house of fools who bicker and do nothing. They will be dissolved. If some are skillful, I shall employ them where their talents are best used. For those that have only empty air to fill a room, they can be given employment at WcDonalds. I have grown fond of their food, and their signage says they will hire anyone."

Nakamura snorted, then despite himself, barked out a laugh. "I am sorry, Your Excellency, but-"

Raiden was smiling, and looking very pleased with herself. She'd made a joke. God was dissolving the government of Japan and making him the new minister of the Tri-Commision, whatever that was, and she was cracking jokes about putting members of the Diet to work at a fast food place.

"-I have often thought that working at WcDonalds is beyond the ability of some members of the Diet," Nakamura admitted, slowly smiling himself.

"Excellent. Now, how can I end the Kamikaze without losing face, and ensuring that both the Chinese and the Yankees do not make war upon us, but resume trade?"

Nakamura absently cracked his knuckles. It was a bad habit, and a tell, but, well, he wasn't certain Raiden couldn't read his mind. Could she do that?

"Can you read my mind?"

"No, I am not Buer."

Right. Of course. Obvious, wasn't it?

"Well, let's get down to business then."

And over the next few hours, Nakamura and Raiden hashed out the basis for the new Japanese government. It wasn't hard really, it was nearly exactly like what the political structure of the Tokugawa Shogunate had been, complete with Sentai as Samurai, and newly created noble lines at Raiden's discretion.

Nakamura was even going to be made a Lord. His wife would be thrilled.