Act 2, Chapter 3 - The Past Made Present (Part 1)
Mount Fuji, Japan
August 12, 2026
12:18 A.M.
"Mount Fuji." Maaya says in disbelief, viewing the incoming landmark through the Kodiak dropship's cameras on a holographic screen in the passenger hold. "To think that the Nazis were able to secretly fund an excavation right under the Japanese Empire's noses this entire time. I always thought they were allies for the Axis powers."
"Tell that to Soviets when the Nazis betrayed them by invading one of their country's cities." Shiage scoffs as he pilots the Kodiak to the largest Japanese volcano, while Articho acts as his copilot. "And how did S7 get involved?"
"They didn't." Kinuho says, sitting in one of the passenger seats. "Likely they've sent in an infiltration team to recover everything that the Nazis had on their research with alien sites during the Fall of Berlin in '45."
Because they're going to a restricted part of Mount Fuji, the four teens all donned their armor - including Articho wearing his N7 Pathfinder armor - that they made and customized during their time in the Mass Effect universe when the Reaper War in 2186 was still ongoing.
"Makes sense." Shiage shrugs. "Wouldn't want the Soviets get their hands on classified documents that could've turned the tide of the Cold War in their favor."
"What I don't get is why S7 didn't even bother to investigate the abandoned site when Japan had to reorganize into the country we all know today." The short, wavy light chestnut-haired girl added, confused.
"They likely didn't think it was worth their time since they were too busy studying a solid-frozen Megatron and the AllSpark." Articho gives his best answer. "However, there must be something that S7 overlooked."
"If it's a way we can pinpoint the exact location of Tellus, then this had better be worth it." Maaya shakes her head. "For ours and everyone else's sakes."
"We're approaching Mount Fuji." Shiage informs everyone. "Scanners are picking up strange anomalies, however."
"What kind?" The Pathfinder questions.
"Unknown." The ITEM leader answers. "But my best guess is that they must be coming from within the crater at the top of the volcano."
"Bring us in for a closer look." Articho orders.
"I'll do what I can, but there's much I can do to land inside the crater if Mount Fuji decides to suddenly erupt after being dormant for decades." He nods, tapping holographic several buttons to fully pilot the Kodiak.
"Understood." Articho acknowledges the warning before getting out of the copilot seat, and holster his modified M-7 Lancer assault rifle and his modified M-6 Carnifex heavy pistol - which the latter weapon has a faster recoil without sacrificing the damage output it's known for. "Maaya, Kinuho. Be ready. We're gonna have to airdrop from above."
"If we happen to run into lava, don't expect me to use Hydro Hand to cool down any potential heat we might run into." Kinuho jokingly warns. "My Esper ability's basically useless in its Level 3 stage anyway."
"Good to know." Her husband rolls his eyes before his retractable dome-visored helmet clamps shut over his head entirely with his two wives following his example with their own retractable helmets.
Because it's the middle of the night, this gave the Kodiak the chance to slip passed the security sensors undetected. It hovers over Mount Fuji's top crater from a decent altitude. One of the dropship's side hatches opened, allowing Articho, Maaya, and Kinuho step out and airdrop inside the crater. Thanks to their Saiyan physiology and their mastery over ki control, thus enhancing their speed, strength, and stamina exponentially, the trio used their built-in jump jets within the armor's upper torso to slow their descend but landing hard on their feet - forming a few cracks on the volcanic rock's surface within the crater top.
"Best of luck to you guys." Shiage's voice on the comms wishes, as the Kodiak above the trio then flies away. "Hope you find what we're looking for."
"We'll see you back in the city, Shiage." Articho responds on the encrypted channel. "Pathfinder out."
The Pathfinder signals his team to moving out, pulling out his assault rifle as he starts walking. Kinuho pulls out a shotgun, while Maaya pulls out a submachine gun before the female duo followed him.
"Are we even sure Mount Fuji won't erupt at any given moment?" Maaya questions aloud. "It erupted over fifteen times, and I so don't want to get barbequed."
"Your Saiyan physiology prevents that from happening, Miss Awatsuki, which makes you, Miss Wannai, and the Pathfinder withstand extreme temperatures of even the hottest liquids known to man." The Doppelganger's voice reminds her through trio's helmet comms. "So long as you avoid drinking any of it, that is."
"I'm relieved." The indigo haired shinobi princess sarcastically mutters.
"Look, over there." Articho interrupts, pointing at some ruins up ahead.
"Could those be the ruins the Nazis have been attempting to study?" Kinuho questions curiously.
"Let's find out." He says.
The trio picked up the pace, arriving at the excavation site and noticing a few tents and a Nazi banner lying around, as well as some rusted tools that decayed from the number of decades of rain and snow.
"Definitely abandoned alright." Maaya says, holstering her submachine gun before scanning and recording data from the relics with her Omni-tool. "But what really happened to those scientists that the Nazis sent? They don't just up and vanished without warning."
"Doppelganger?" Articho asks the AI in their comms.
"Carbon dating shows that these ruins inside the Fuji crater could've been a site of worship during the early centuries of Feudal Japan." The Doppelganger explains after a quick but thorough analysis on the Gate ruins. "Like the Nazis, the worshippers also abandoned them for unknown circumstances."
"Well, that's good to know." The Pathfinder mutters, scanning the Gate ruins with his Omni-tool. "I've found traces of mana on here, but it looks like this broken Gate predates the Feudal era also. Makes me wonder: were these Gates some prototype method of inter-dimensional travel across the multiverse, but on a galaxy-wide scale like the outdated space bridge technology that the Cybertronians and Quintessons are known for?"
"That is one possibility." She answers. "However, without more data, this theory remains inconclusive."
"Damn it." He curses under his breath. "And we were this close to finding Tellus."
"I know this means so much to you, my love." Kinuho places a hand on the husband's shoulder. "But we'll find another way. We always do, right?"
"Right." He sighs. "Of course."
"Articho..." She says with concern in her voice.
"No, it's fine." He assures her. "Don't worry about it."
"That's exactly my point." She mentally sighs in her head. "It's only natural for a husband and a wife to be worried for each other."
Meanwhile, Maaya notices an open crevice within the crater surface, as her armored glove felt a breez brushing through. Very suspicious, indeed. She then kicks a piece of volcanic rock inside the crevice to determine how deep it goes. Since there's no sound of the rock hitting the bottom, she concludes that it's very deep.
"Guys, I think I found something!" Maaya informs her husband and best friend, in which the two ran up to her.
"That... doesn't look natural." Kinuho points out suspiciously.
"Perhaps the Nazi scientists went inside, but never came out of it." The shinobi princess suggests.
"Good work, Maaya." Articho compliments his indigo haired wife, smiling underneath his helmet.
"Thanks." She smiles back underneath her own helmet. "I'll take point."
Without another word, she jumps down inside the deep crevice with her jump jets with Kinuho following her and lastly Articho after making sure they're not being watched.
Articho was the last to slow his fall with his jump jets and land without any injury. He then sees that Kinuho and Maaya have found what looks to be the remains of the missing scientists.
"Cause of death is likely a mix of broken bones, head trauma, and a major loss of blood." Kinuho analyzes with her Omni-tool. "Looks like you were right, Articho. They never did report in."
"Nazis were scum anyway." The Pathfinder himself says, walking past the two armored girls. "They don't get any sympathy from us, even in death."
"Can't argue with that." The light chestnut haired girl shrugs, agreeing with him.
"Ditto." Maaya agrees as well.
"Holy crap baskets..." Articho utters in surprise at what he's looking at. "Doppelganger, you getting all of this?"
"Affirmative, Pathfinder." The Doppelganger AI acknowledges, as she is surprised as he is.
"Whoa." Kinuho and Maaya said in unison, following his example with their own eyes.
From the side of a cliff, it was a city. Ancient and advanced, but in ruins. And beneath Mount Fuji this entire time.
"It's a city." Kinuho awed.
"Yeah." Articho agrees. "Or what's left of it."
"Thinking what I'm thinking?" Kinuho smirked.
"Hell yeah." He nods at her. "Guess this mission just got a whole lot more interesting."
"I'm all in for excavating ancient ruins." Maaya smiles excitedly. "Feels like the old days when were traveling all over Mobius with Sonic, Tails, and Chip."
"And our brief time on the Starfall Islands last year in that same universe they're from." He adds. "I wonder what we'll find over there."
"Race you to the bottom." Kinuho grins beneath her helmet before sprinting down the rocky slope.
"Hey no fair, Kinuho!" Maaya laughs, sprinting down the slope after her.
"Guess some things never change." Articho shakes his head, chuckling before sprinting down the slope after his beautiful wives.