January 1, 2027, Friday

Chiba Prefecture, Narita, Narita International Airport, Control Tower

Midnight

Everyone cheers, clapping their hands or blowing their party horns. Including those sitting in their workstations.

"Happy New Year!"

"Welcome Twenty-Twenty-Seven!"

The tower supervisor takes off his2027hat. He is about to head back to his desk to gulp down the rest of his champagne when he notices an air traffic controller staring at his radar screen. A steaming bowl of Toshikoshi Soba sits untouched on his desk.

The tower supervisor knows this ATC was talking with an arriving plane just now and he is pretty sure he did not hear the ATC reply to the pilot's request for a runway.

The air traffic controller says, "This is strange..."

The tower supervisor raises an eyebrow and looks at the screen. "What is strange?"

"The planes..." The ATC points at the screen.

The tower supervisor leans down to look closer. He and the ATC could clearly see the same thing, and the tower supervisor snorts at it. "Tsk. It's probably broken—"

"We've lost contact!" A different ATC shouts.

The tower supervisor looks at that ATC. "What?"

"Mine too." It is another ATC.

And another. "They stopped responding!"

20 minutes after midnight

The ATCs started talking about the probable causes. One theorized a solar flare eruption. Another person joked it was the Chinese.

The tower supervisor looks down at the increasingly chaotic scene on the tarmac. All planes, both arriving and previously departing, queuing and blocking up the taxiways, waiting for their turn as all gates are occupied. The apron area in front of the terminal is full of ground vehicles and personnel trying to move planes in and out to the parking areas, to anywhere where there is space to spare, as quickly as possible.

He looks up at the sky full of hovering planes. An increasing number of planes are being diverted to land in nearby airports and airfields. These were the planes that maintained contact. The missing planes either stopped responding or lost contact, the only thing they have in common is that they disappeared from the radar.

But it is not the missing planes that bother him. It is the unnatural sight of the aurora lights dancing wildly through the skies with its dazzling yet haunting blue colors.

The confusion mixed with this brief moment of wonder simmers in his head. The next thing he knows, it comes out of his mouth.

"What is going on?"

Terminal 1

30 minutes after midnight

The attendant cannot believe what she is seeing. People who were supposed to pick up or drop off passengers, or go to the terminal for their flights have crowded the first floor, blocking airport personnel and swamping the stores and offices. She heard the situation in the upper floors is getting worse.

The same scene is reported everywhere in and outside the airport. People asking questions. It has come to the point where they started asking any personnel they encountered.

This is the situation at the Terminal 1 tourism information center, a kiosk meant for tourists. There are a lot of questions where she could not give an easy answer. But she tries her best. Both locals and foreigners have converged here looking for help.

She could not answer directly, extremely limited to what little she had been told about the situation. Management said there is a global communications crisis and many flights around the world have to be canceled.

Some of them accepted what she said. Some kept returning to the line. Some finally relented and left. As they came and came back or went away, the attendant observed the shift from frowns to tears to grimaces.

All she can do is bow repeatedly and tell them everything is going to be okay. "I understand, Ma'am. I know you are upset."

The old woman is in her face, her elbows planted on the counter, her head trembling as she sniffles. The long queue of people behind her is still growing.

"No, you don't understand! This is the third time I have come to you! No one in this airport could answer what happened to my son's flight!"

The attendant nods. She winces. Her neck is starting to ache. "His flight must be returning now. All planes in the air have to land due to the communications problem."

The old woman whimpers. "But how could I contact him? All mobile service providers are not working."

A man behind the old woman interrupts, "What? It's still working."

The man points the phone up against his ear. The old woman nearly shrieks. "We are not talking to you!"

"I was just pointing it out, lady!" The man shrugs and points at himself.

"Ma'am, calm down. Sir, please wait your turn."

Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe, Suma Ward, Ayuzawa family apartment

1 hour after midnight

A 15-year-old girl spits out the party horn from her mouth. She angrily scrolls and taps on her phone screen. "Is Big Sis ignoring me?"

From the kitchen door, she says, "What happened, Suzu?"

Still wearing her red and white kimono, her mother picks up paper plates and cups and drops them into the garbage bag. "It's nice to have your school friends over. But those foreign exchange students should really learn how to clean up their mess."

The girl looks up from her phone and sighs. "I called her during the countdown. It ended when we shoutedHappy New Year.I thought she hung up because we were too noisy. So I tried calling her again on LINE and Mixi. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram aren't working so I couldn't use them. I even tried calling her boyfriend's phone."

Her mother pouts. "Maybe both their internet and mobile services in England are down for maintenance?"

The girl throws her phone on the couch in front of her and drops herself next to it. "They are probably subscribed to a cheap telecom company."

PCN Central TV, PCN Newstime

2 hours after midnight

Again, to those who are just joining us, good morning. I am Nanami Kuribayashi. This is a P.C.N. Newstime special broadcast on the geomagnetic storm that has crippled travel and communications around the world. Regular programming on P.C.N. Central T.V. has been suspended to allow for continuous news coverage of this event.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Morita has announced that Prime Minister Yomoya has declared a state of emergency under Article Ninety-Eight of the Constitution, an amendment included in the Article Nine Referendum last year.

He said the Prime Minister made this decision upon the unanimous support of the Cabinet. He also consulted leaders of both houses of the National Diet and Minister of Justice Ayasato, assuring him of its legality.

They agree that the situation qualifies as a natural disaster under Article Ninety-Eight. This allows the Cabinet to enact orders that have the same effect as laws passed by the National Diet. Within thirty days, the Diet could review the cabinet order and vote to extend or repeal it.

For their first act under the state of emergency, the Cabinet has issued a national ground stop order, prohibiting airports from granting departure clearances to international flights and diverting en route planes to the nearest airports.

The Japan National Defense Force has been deployed to conduct search and rescue operations for hundreds of missing planes and ships. To ensure safety, the Cabinet has ordered the temporary closure of all seaports. All unauthorized ships attempting to leave will be detained.

Scientific explanations indicate that the magnetic storm disrupted electronic devices, including radio, cell, and satellite communications. However, the Hida Observatory at Kyoto University doubts it is a geomagnetic storm due to insufficient evidence.

Kazunari Hoshino, the Director of Hida Observatory, shared his doubts:

This blue aurora event and the ongoing global telecommunications crisis are strong signs of a magnetic storm. But no extraordinary solar activity has been detected to support this.

Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki

4 hours after midnight

Minister of Defense Darian Yanagida and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Morikawa Seijirou sit in front of a desk, trying to explain the current state of communications to the person sitting behind it: Minister of Foreign Affairs Rina Sugawara.

So far, all three of them understand that their ministries have less than two hours to present a preliminary report on theGlobal Communications Crisisto the Cabinet, a term they anticipate is quickly becoming suspicious. By now, they are sure many people are starting to piece together what actually happened. They have begun calling it theBlue Aurora Event. Something all three of them resist to accept as fact.

Seijirou says, emphasizing each word, "International calls, foreign websites, satellite signals—"

Sugawara interrupts, "All forms of international communication?"

Yanagida answers, "Complete breakdown."

Sugawara takes out her phone from her pocket. "The domestic communications infrastructure?"

"Mostly operational."

Sugawara opens the Viber app to make a call. Seijirou takes out his vibrating phone and shows it to Sugawara. She ends the call.

She puts her phone back in her pocket. "It is good the local internet is still working."

Seijirou nods. "It helps. We need all the research we can get to understand the situation. The data we currently have..."

Sugawara lets out nervous laughter. "Heh. If we do use the current data we have for public announcement, we should immediately resign and admit ourselves to Matsuzawa Hospital."

Yanagida smacks the desk, earning a jump from Sugawara. "We can't disprove them either! The pictures, the graphs— All of this data came from our observatories, our planes, and our satellites. Our American allies at Yokota and Yokosuka confirmed it with their planes. What more evidence do you need?"

Sugawara leans forward. "Yanagida, if this is really what it looks like, this is not going to make easy listening for the people when Mister Morita explains it."

Yanagida threw his hands in the air. "Who will explain it then?! The U.S. Government, the E.U., the U.N.? Based on the new continent we discovered five hundred kilometers east from here, where there should only be Pacific waters, it is extremely unlikely that we are still on Earth."

Sugawara buries her face in her hands and takes a deep breath. "We need more time."

Aichi Prefecture, Shinshiro,Kirigaya family house

Morning

"Fuck."

An overweight, 31-year-old man clicksQuit Discord, waits, and clicks the Discord icon on his desktop screen, repeating this process again and again, always ending with the messageupdated failed. retrying in...This has been going on for nearly 30 minutes, the first thing he did since he woke up. His once-steaming cup of instant noodles he prepared for breakfast now sits cold. He and his stomach is grumbling.

"Goddamn computer, goddamn Discord..."

As he reaches for his instant noddles, his knuckles accidentally push the cup and it spills on the stack of job applications he has collected over the past year, each one he promised himself to completeas soon as possible, written down on every post-it he put on each new empty application he put on top of the stack.

"Fuck this! Fuck the Blue Aurora Event!"

He throws the empty instant noodle cup on the floor.

Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, Imperial Palace, The Kyuden

Afternoon

17-year-old Sachiko sits silently in a chair that is quite too big for her. She spread her petite arms and legs a little further to appear larger, trying to fit in the big space as the future Emperor of Japan.

Her father's Grand Steward, who for now serves her uncle while her parents are away, explained the Japanese emperor titleTennodoes not translate easily for a female emperor. Therefore, the title will be officially translated asEmpress Regnantin English and its equivalents in other foreign languages.

Right next to her is Uncle Yoshihito receiving a naiso, a ministerial practice to personally deliver reports on state affairs to the Emperor. Her father delegated part of the imperial duties to him. As she is still underage, she cannot yet perform official duties herself. Her uncle insisted she should still participate in a number of her future duties.

Today, it is Prime Minister Chiharu Yomoya conducting a naiso. He said he has to brief them on the Global Communications Crisis.

As any leader dealing with an unprecedented situation like this, Yomoya does not look well. His eyes keep getting a little narrower, threatening to close at any moment. The padded, cream-colored armchair he is sitting on is likely tempting him. So far, he has managed to keep his eyes open.

But when they started discussing, it sounded nothing like what Sachiko watched on the news about the crisis.

"...The National Astronomical Observatory has gathered strong evidence. We compared the data we have with those from private researchers and United States Forces Japan. The Cabinet and I are preparing to take the position that this is no geomagnetic storm."

Yoshihito nods cautiously. "Alright. But what about the 'Communications Crisis? Aurora borealis?"

Yomoya plainly says, "We are not on Earth anymore."

There is an awkward silence. Then Yoshihito bursts into laughter. A confused Sachiko smiles awkwardly at both her uncle and the Prime Minister.

Yomoya looks at them with a straight face.

Yoshihito stops laughing. His eyes widen. He gasps. "No. You can't be serious. I don't understand. How—?"

"Neither do I, Your Highness. At this moment, no person in the country can explain what just happened. But one thing is certain: Japan is in a new world. Soon, telling this to the public will be the least of our concerns."

1027 A.G.B., 1st Day of Florescentia, Diemstella

Xadia, Leviathan Ocean, 335 miles west of Del Bar, The Ruthless

Night

Tristan is disappointed. He had come all the way to Neolandia in search of a legendary weapon. Turns out, the old beggar who gave him the tip scammed him out of a silver coin. He wasted an entire year's earnings as a soldier of fortune, including loot, to fund his journey northward.

Luckily, he received a crow from a friend in his previous band. Countess Amaya is offering new contracts to mercenaries at The Breach. Right afterward, he bought a map from an old widow for four silver coins. She said it would lead him to an atoll in the Evenere Canal where a magical trident is hidden. He now watches the stars to guide him in the quickest route he charted to his two new ventures, on the cheapest ship he could hire. But he frowns. "W–We've gone off course, Captain Villads."

Tristan is shivering in his thick fur coat. He could see his breath. The chilling ocean winds seep into his bones. It annoys him that Villads and hisfirst matepet bird look snug in their coats. He thinksWhere the fuck did he get a coat for the bird?

Villads barks, "Nonsense! I studied this here map you gave me."

Berto squawks, "This here map! This here map!"

The parrot flies off the double-eyepatched captain's shoulder to take the map and show it to Tristan.

Tristan shakes his head. "I–It's upside down."

"Berto. What are you, blind?"

Berto flips the map right-side up but not without opening his beak. "You blind! You blind!"

"Why you—!"

"S–See, Captain. We're farther from the w–western coast of Del Bar than we should b–be..."

Tristan pauses. He glances for a moment at Villads and his parrot first mate Berto. He slaps his own face. "W–Why did I even give you a map?! Both of you can't either see or understand it!"

"I know it well enough. Long before I lost me two good eyes!" Villads sticks his finger in his mouth and lifts it in the air. "Besides, the wind tells me where to go. It has never failed me yet."

Tristan cringes. "Y–You did that while wearing y–your...your dirty gloves!"

Villads waves at him dismissively. "Just a demonstration! Of course, I be taking it off when it's needed!"

There is a glint in Tristan's eye.

Berto shouts, "Land! Land!"

"Y–You said the Evenere Canal is four days away. This diversion should've taken us a week or—" Tristan can see a great beacon of light. Its orbs rotate continuously, illuminating the dark sea and the cape it sits on. Other, albeit smaller, bright lights dot the wide landscape, concentrated near the beacon.

His thoughts swim with imagination.

It is beautiful

Almost ethereal

Is it magic?

What if it is dark magic?

Tristan breaks out of his deepening thoughts. "I–Is this the continent in the far west?"

Villads freezes as if he can see what Tristan sees in front of them. "Impossible! There be no way this ship could have gone that far."

Tristan staggers as he takes several steps backward. His lips trembling. "Something isn't right. We should turn around. Now!"

Berto frantically flaps his wings. "TURN AROUND! TURN AROUND!"

"Aye, First Mate!" Villads turns the wheel.

Suddenly, a bright light shines on their faces, blinding them for a second. It comes from the port side. They look and see the light source as a white ship, longer than The Ruthless, its hull unnaturally clean and smooth. Strange blue markings are painted on the bow. Tristan can only read a few words and numbers:08,PS,Guard,Coast, andJapan.

A voice booms from the ship. "YOU ARE ILLEGALLY ENTERING JAPANESE WATERS! TURN YOUR BOAT AROUND!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES

PCN - Abbreviation for "Pacific Cable News," a fictional news channel I made for this story. Originally, I was going to use NHK but it is controlled by the government. It wouldn't make sense for the NHK to drop information against the official narrative of the "Global Communications Crisis."

Japan National Defense Force - The Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) has been renamed the "Japan National Defense Force." It is a reference to the constitutional changes proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP; ruling party of Japan) in the controversial Article 9 revision drafts. Before the main events of this story, the LDP succeeded in amending the constitution.

A.G.B. - It means "After the Great Banishment." It refers to the "Judgement of the Half-Moon," when Luna Tenebris decided to banish the humans from the eastern part of Xadia.

1027 A.G.B. - The year is "1027" because the banishment occurred around one thousand years ago from the main story.

Florescentia -It is Latin for "flowering," "blooming," or "in bloom." It fits the first month of Spring, which would be equivalent to January in the Not!Gregorian calendar that the world of The Dragon Prince uses.

Diemstella -It is Latin for "day of the stars."

Leviathan Ocean- For this story, this is the name I gave the big ocean west of Xadia.

The first chapter and I am already creating a calendar for this fanfiction. I will be doing a lot of this in the coming chapters since there are many gaps to fill in the canon story and worldbuilding of Nihonkoku Shoukan (Light Novel & Manga) and The Dragon Prince (Seasons 1-5). I might get up to mischief and sprinkle references to other anime series or light novels, especially Takumi Yanai's Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There!