Title: The War of Two Earths
Rating: M for violence, gore, and profanity.
Disclaimer: Fallout franchise is own by Bethesda Softworks while Gate - jietai kare no chi nite kaku tatakaeri created by Takumi Yanai.
Warning: AU Fallout and Gate, swearing, death, and violence.
Summary: A strange Roman-like structure rise and Japan found itself invaded by the strange clothed humans and fantasy-like races acting familiar with Earth, claiming retribution against...America?
Chapter 2: Preparing An Expedition
Somewhere in Japan...Year 2014...
"I wish that Gate thing never happen." A 33 years old Japanese otaku bemoaned privately in his mind. "So we wouldn't have to deal with all these crazy things and I would have less stress to deal with." Never mind being figuratively shoved into entirely different world due to his "heroic action" and having necessary experience to handle his new mission. Also figuratively shoved onto him.
Yoji Itami is not having a good day with two months worth of crazy and mostly negative events that he and the rest of the world have to go through.
First, a random ancient Roman-like structure popped out of seemly thin air in the Ginza District in Tokyo with a ragtag diverse group consisting of humans and fantasy races rushing out in manner of angry ants swarming out of their nest in multiple different directions with their goal being kill everyone in their sight and cause as much destruction as possible.
Elves?
Dwarves?
Beastkins, Kobloids, or whatever the term used for animal-like humanoids?
Itami has seen them all, primarily using swords, spears, and arrows. Now one would think such "adversaries" would be easy to handle in the 21st century even with primitive grenades and few rifles sighted. Couple elves and animal-like humans demonstrated their speed and reaction to be greater than humans but still manageable. Some have even opted to pick up the pistol or rifle from the dead police to fire whatever the remaining ammo before discarding in favor of melee weapon. Even then, still manageable for the police and Special Assault Teams (Japanese SWATs).
No, it was the crazy war beasts that were bought along with the invaders. Including dragons! Real life dragons! Except those dragons were surprisingly easy to take down with a coordinated gunfire. Unfortunately, the other beasts were a different story. Especially the elephant size lion with unreasonable obsession to bring the world of pain and death upon Itami and few police officers with him. Probably because its tamer or whatever got shot couple times.
Itami found out the hard way when his borrowed .38 special pistol along with the police officers' gun couldn't penetrate the skin of abnormally large ferocious lion whose abnormally large body that might well have been pumped full of steroids with thick skin and bulging muscles. Strong enough to smash a car into a pancake when Itami and his group were trying to get away from the large lion hellbent on killing them. Or maybe eating them.
It was fortunate that a JSDF squad showed up just in time to save Itami, two police officers, and a group of civilians from being maimed and eaten by the lion creature in horrifying gruesome death. But even then, the JSDF squad barely hurt the lion more than tickling until one woman and her impressive throw blew the lion's inside up with a grenade after flying straight into its wide open mouth. Couple civilians were traumatized from witnessing and hearing the people being crushed by the lion's sheer weight during the pursuit and also have to be treated for over-exertion of their body.
It took the JSDF reinforcement almost a half an hour to down and rout the aggressors and their beasts back to the Gate while few have been captured. Thus, the event known as the Battle of Ginza also known as the Ginza Massacre came to end.
The result of a typical busy day in the Ginza District being unexpectedly invaded by angry out-worldly barbarians? Over 200 Japanese citizens, 30 Chinese visitors, 23 American visitors, 10 South Korean visitors, and 6 Australian visitors died while over 1,000 invaders died with barely 30 invaders captured along with the weapons including the unfamiliar beaten rifles. Off course, the JSDF personnel have their hands full with how uncooperative and hostile the prisoners acted. Then, there's their language still undergoing translation whose progress is slow even before the expedition through the Gate.
Second, it has been revealed after the session of questioning the prisoners that some of the aggressors from other end of the Gate have mistaken the Japanese to be Americans as well as believing the Japanese writing system to be part of English because few aggressors displayed a sign of recognition of English words displayed on the store display windows and street signs.
It turned out that during the chaos and running, Itami and many people have heard the said aggressors screamed "AMEEREEKAA! AMEEREEKAA!" in their alien language like a mad bunch of weapon-waving maniacs as if a certain country located across Pacific Ocean has committed unspeakable crimes against the aggressors. Thanks to the testimony given by the survivors of the Ginza Massacre and how the media spin it, the anti-American sentiment grew among Japanese population with several protesting being held at different locations in Japan that have US military base.
The USA had a hell of time defending itself from the accusation and outcry. Including the rifles whose origin being disputed with their damning engraved "U.S.A.F" because there is no weapon factory in the USA or anywhere on Earth manufacturing such bizarre rifle containing wooden parts AND chambered in .45 PISTOL rounds. Many gun experts have been observed to be baffled or insulted when being presented the strange and impractical rifle design.
Because Itami has worked with the US military in the past when he was part of the JSDF humanitarian aid effort, he was even asked if he recognize the rifle as a US military weapon. Only to answer "No" on a microphone in the large room occupied by the politicians, JSDF officers, and others.
Third, ANOTHER invasion came through the Gate almost four weeks after the conclusion of the Ginza Massacre. It happened when Itami and the JSDF personnel along with the representatives from USA were answering the questions in the international setting with several other countries such as China, South Korea, UK, France, and Russia. As cued by the sound of gunfire and agonizing scream heard on the radio, the session abruptly ended with the JSDF personnel and superiors having to leave.
Much to the JSDF's horror, the aggressors of the second invasion were completely different from the first invasion. The new invaders were mostly green skin tall muscular humanoid creatures with some having wicked nose, ears, fangs, and claws. Taller than the first invaders and far more bulging muscles as if injected with steroid with diverse appearance that lack anything suggesting natural or least in Itami's opinion.
Some have hunched their back with their arms longer than legs. Some have freakishly large head with small body builder body. Regardless, the green skin invaders have proven to be extremely aggressive as if they were no better than rabid beasts that have to be put down with extreme prejudice.
And dangerous. Far more dangerous as the JSDF reinforcement realized upon arriving to the Second Battle of Ginza. Possessing greater durability, strength, and speed, the green invaders have outright butchered their way through the perimeter set by the JSDF and police around the Gate. They were armed to teeth with various crude weapons with few have even pulled out the street sign and tree out of the ground as if pulling weeds out.
Along with throwing civilian cars albeit poor aim. Good thing Itami reacted fast enough to avoid getting squashed by a flying car.
It took almost two hours with greater amount of firepower and the US military's response to end the Second Battle of Ginza. Due to over two hundred green invader corpses polluting the street with unbearable stench, the entire Ginza District had to be quarantined with bio-hazard unit working to implement safety measures to prevent possible unknown disease from spreading. This time with greater JSDF presence and US military joining in to shut the Ginza District and nearby surrounding areas down.
This second invasion attracted more attention from the United Nations as the news about the outworldly invaders attacking Japan not once but twice! The people watching television or browsing through the Internet questioned the validity of the news and whether to believe or not. Some of the Ginza Massacre survivors posted their phone video online, displaying the chaos and death.
Not a good thing for the JSDF and US military as they faced backlashes from the Japanese citizens for not only failing to stop the green invaders and the hazardous mess remaining on the streets but also failing to prevent the kidnapping of over two dozen Japanese as captured by cameras. Recording few green invaders snatching the screaming people before running back to the Gate for whatever reason that nobody know.
Who know how the bodybuilder goblins-orcs whatever think. The people want and have demanded action. Though some have called for the Gate structure to be destroyed, such measure is currently being heavily debated with the cautious scientists and military experts versing the politicians. Itami will leave that subject up to them.
Having fought off another invasion, Japan announced its plan to deploy the JSDF through the Gate to launch a rescue operation to bring back the kidnapped citizens. In conjunction, the USA has also announced its plan to send its military to aid the JSDF as well as the team of investigators to investigate the other world now called the Special Regions "allegedly" being oppressed by the "supposedly" American force. A claim that is officially being denied by the US Government who has accounted all of its military.
Both announcements have been met with criticism, particularly by China, Russia, South Korea, and Japan. Because the detail on the captives from the first invasion and their hostility against America as some records caught the invaders screaming "AMEEREEKAA" on audio, China and Russia don't believe the USA will conduct the investigation in "fair, proper, and unbiased" manner while the Japanese harboring distrust and dislike toward the USA claiming the US government be wanting to do damage control to save its face.
It was due to the outwordly prisoners, China also believe that the JSDF should not be allowed to step into the Special Regions. It was mainly because how people died in first and second invasion of the Ginza District, China and South Korea don't trust Japan's ability to keep its JSDF in compliance with the anti-war Constitution if the self defense force is in entirely different world set in ancient Roman Empire time. Even with barely acceptable amount of progress in translating the alien language spoken in the Special Regions and one dwarf prisoner surprisingly possessing a very limited ability to speak English.
So another meeting was called and this time, it was with more United Nations members. After hour and hour of headache inducing arguments and debates, a general agreement has been made. The Japan-US Special Regions Operation will be joined by the squads from South Korea, Australia, and China whose citizens died in the First Battle of Ginza. Other nations have opt to take on sit-and-wait approach.
Officially, the international squads will be providing support as well as conducting "fair and independent" investigation.
Unofficially, the squads will also be monitoring the JSDF to deter it from getting "too aggressive" and the USA to ensure the investigation will be concluded in "fair and proper" manner. Also to prevent Japan and the USA from claiming the Special Regions as their own.
So here he is…
Freshly promoted First Lieutenant Yoji Itami himself after being bluntly told by his superior officer to "pack your gear. Congratulation, you're going on grand adventure with your very own team that you will be in charge of" and got forcibly shoved through the Gate into the Special Regions where he will have limited options to-
Oh wait, that was just his brain playing wild otaku imagination.
"Huu-hem! Psst!" Itami felt something tapping his side.
"Hmm?" Itami glanced at one of his squad mates named Soichiro Kuwahara who has just discreetly elbowed him.
Sgt Major Soichiro gestured with his eyes in left and right directions. Following it, Itami could see everybody looking at him expectantly.
Including Lt. Damien Charley from the USA and Captain Chaoxiang Jun Hie from China with their respective team standing on the opposing sides of the JSDF Third Recon Team as if there's unspoken agreement to have a barrier between the US and Chinese military in low budgeted stereotypical yakuza movie setting.
"Could you repeat?" Itami asked in English, "I didn't catch that."
Wearing stoic expression, Captain Chaoxiang spoke sternly to Lt. Charley in English, "My team will be boarding the vehicle now. We'll follow when you two are moving." A tall clean shaven Chinese left with his squad of seven following him.
"Don't worry about him, Lieutenant. I said, our route will be through the forest this way and scout for any Greenskin base." A tan skin American held up a printed map with his finger trailing from the recently established foothold around the Gate to northwest direction.
The joint expedition group has established the foothold just on the other side of the Ginza Gate after wiping out the makeshift camp set by the Greenskins, a term used for the green skin aggressors. Almost resembling goblins or orcs but look different than how they were typically displayed in movies, tv show, folklore, and etc.
"We will at first get on the same route. But once we get to this point here, we'll split up to do our own recon. Our Chinese buddies will be scouting this area here. My squad have this area here. And you can do this area here."
"That's a lot of ground to cover." Itami commented, "Didn't our drones get good layout of the land?"
Itami recalled the JSDF sending its drones through the Gate to survey the Special Regions.
"Afraid not. The drones weren't able to get clear picture. Either because of poor weather, poor connection, or even something downing the drones. We'll have to do a lot of footwork." Lt Charley responded in his deep accent before adding sarcastic remark, "Just make sure you don't get into lead pissing contest with the Ameereekans." Using the pronunciation spoken by the captured invaders from first invasion.
As with the majority of US Military, Lt Charley doesn't believe the unconfirmed testimony of the US force ruling a portion of the Special Regions for 10 or 20 something years. When the recording of the first invasion prisoners got released to the media and the Internet, the US citizens and politicians have rather divided and varying opinions.
Some expressed sympathy toward those grieving the loss of relatives and friends.
Some believed the Ginza Massacre merely played in the upcoming movie.
Some believed the invaders mistaken this world's USA as different world's USA and have came up many contrasting ideas of what the USA in different world look like. Mostly in unflattering image by judging the captured invaders' strong reaction toward the US flag. For whatever reason, the prisoners kept drawing 14 stars instead of 50 stars on red, white, and blue flag on papers.
Some conspiracy theorists believed this world's USA already has the Gate somewhere on its land and through shady mean, the government ordered it to be hidden while having the moral ambiguous operatives and scientists conducting a series of inhumane experiments or even attempting to improve Americanization process. It was just a matter of time and effort to find the hidden Gate that opened somewhere in the USA.
However if there's anything, the general census in the USA from the low wage workers at fast food restaurants to even the US President is that there are questions needing to be answered. For the government, to disapprove any idea of the USA committing wrong-doings in different world occupied by primitive humans and fantasy races. Never mind governing the land there and collecting taxes.
Glancing at his watch, Lt Charley put away his map as he told Itami.
"Alright, we got maybe five hours before it get dark so I'm taking my squad on board now. So get ready and you already have our frequency."
Right, Itami mentally sighed before turning to face his squad who's already getting ready to board on their vehicles.
"Am I seriously the only one not looking forward this?" Itami wondered as he took his first step toward the vehicle in front.
Carrying his rifle issued by the JSDF whose decision is to have its personnel equipped with modern weaponry rather than the Cold War era weaponry as some have suggested. The JSDF did initially planned to equip the Third Recon Team and other teams with old weapons but the superiors changed their mind after the conclusion of the Second Battle of Ginza with the bodybuilder monsters being difficult to kill.
Itami mentally shuddered, remembering the trip through the Ginza Quarantined Zone. Wearing full body suit from head to bottom before stepping out of the tunnel leading to the Special Regions. He thought he has experienced the worst stench in his entire life.
Meanwhile…In the New World...Falmart...
The USAF New World Command is buzzing with the reported sight of unknown flying objects hovering around in the eastern Falmart. In the world known to lack industrialization, the unmanned objects flying around caught the attention of USAF operatives who were on reconnaissance-sabotage mission and have reported the sight to the Command.
Upon receiving an order, few objects flying at low altitude got shot down to be collected. Upon retrieving the downed objects, the operatives were confused by the unfamiliar and complex design with impressive advanced camera. The objects did look something humans might make though. Just in different way.
Despite being unfamiliar, the drones did mean two things to the operatives and the USAF.
One, the USAF is not the only force in the New World with technological superiority.
Two and based on the written language that has been deduced to be in Chinese language, there is a chance that China has its own Gate.
It is rather unfortunate that the operatives who collected the drones have never been to Japan. Nor will have chance due to being in the New World and rarely, anyone have permission to return to Earth outside of those transporting resources. Otherwise, the operatives would've known the difference between Chinese and Japanese written language in term of appearance. Not that they have any reason to go to Japan or think about Japan in the first place since the disbandment of the United Nations and America, like every other remaining nation, has its own things to worry about.
Right now? China having its own Gate and that alone is not acceptable for the USAF.
And the Enclave.
The New World belongs to America and only America.
It is also unfortunate that the Command was thinking about the wrong China. Or even consider the possibility of...different Earth.
Author: As you can see, Ginza District didn't get invaded once but twice along with the anit-American sentiment growing. Another difference thanks to couple prisoners taken (and flipping a coin), there's a greater interest to get involved and Japan's insistence to limit the Special Regions access to JSDF-only to be damned.