The JSDF finally shows up in this chapter. The diet is only a chapter or two away. Also, I've been thinking about adding Sumireko into the story as a second "Hero of Ginza" who spoils the existence of humans with powers on Earth (not in Gensokyo), but I'm not too sure. You know what they say about how too many cooks spoil the broth. There's also how I can't really think of a significant role for her. That might change later on, but right now I'm not too sure.

And I'll just get these reviews out of the way first.

RobotMan123: Since each world has their antagonist in gate. What character from touhou are planning being an antagonist? Is it from PC-98 characters, Current Touhou characters, None, or secret?

To answer your question, it's a bit complicated. As far as the youkai are concerned, Gensokyo is their stomping grounds. It doesn't belong to Earth or the Empire. If anyone's going to cause trouble, it's going to be them, not some barbaric invaders or the people who turned their backs on the gods and lost their innate powers. That being said, the Secret History Association will be trying their best to support both the Empire and any countries on Earth in any of their endeavors to invade Gensokyo. Anything beyond that is spoilers.

bobking01: [note – this is just part of their review] The only thing I kind of dislike is the POV of the no-name soldiers. Military and religious propaganda aside, you'd think that they'd start letting go of the Villain Ball once they realise that their invasion is failing. Related to that, the arrogance in those POVs is too obvious of an incoming curbstomp indicator (although to be fair, word probably wouldn't spread fast enough to make them more wary).

I get why you think that, but this is actually canon. The Empire genuinely believes it's the most powerful nation in existence. Hell, the soldiers themselves during the Battle of Italica thought they could kill Rory and were surprised when they couldn't even touch her. In the manga, one of the bandits even got angry at her because she didn't let them kill her. The pro-war faction thought that just wanting to win would let them easily win every battle in the war and kept holding on to that belief even after losing tons of battles. There's also how "when they see our superior power and numbers, they shall lose their will to fight, and we will be victorious" was their mindset.

There was also a PM (I won't name and shame) wanting me to include Abe Shinzo's assassination because it would be "funny" to see how everyone reacts. I have just one thing to say: What the hell is wrong with you? Not only do you want me to include a (somewhat) recent real-life assassination of a major political figure, the reason you want it is because it would be "funny" to see. How the hell is Abe Shinzo's assassination funny?

Once again, here's the poll for Yukari's past as Maribel and Sanae's life before Gensokyo. One vote for each.

Yukari options:

1. Something bad happened to Renko because Maribel made a mistake, and it broke her and made her throw away her humanity to become Yukari after obsessively training to master her ability to see and interact with boundaries so it would never happen again

2. Maribel went on a journey by herself to experiment more with her ability to see and interact with boundaries, and eventually turned into a youkai and became Yukari; she didn't tell Renko about the journey, so Renko is still wondering where Maribel (now Yukari) is

Sanae options:

1. Sanae was friends with Risa (Itami's ex-wife) in high school and hasn't aged ever since she moved to Gensokyo and became an arahitogami (living god)

2. Sanae "mysteriously disappeared" (aka moved to Gensokyo) a few years before GATE canon started

Poll vote results so far:

Yukari 1: 16

Yukari 2: 30

Sanae 1: 33

Sanae 2: 12

As a reminder, the deadline for this poll is when the national diet happens, which is getting close. Well, it's already obvious that Sanae 1 and Yukari 2 already won, but still…

Also, for Zorzal, which of his appearances should I use? Anime, manga, or novel? His appearance is completely different in each one, and I'm not sure which one to choose. Same goes for Myuute (the siren girl who was with the bandits during the Battle of Italica). Should she be an adult like in the manga or a teenager like in the anime?

Disclaimer: I don't own Touhou Project or GATE.

Pina stared at Remilia, trying to figure the girl out. For the last couple days, the emissaries from Gensokyo had kept their word, aiding in the recovery of Italica while fending off the bandits. Thankfully, the brigands had not attacked again since that day, so it was simple enough to take out the occasional scouts they saw. But what happened during the first attack after the Rose Order's arrival would be forever burned into her memory. The sight of the petite girl leading the defensive attack, personally butchering at least twenty bandits singlehandedly before the attackers retreated.

On the other hand, the citizens' training was bearing fruit, and they were now competent enough to be trusted to competently defend at the bulwarks. Though the opponents were experienced soldiers who turned to banditry, they would still face trouble with manned bulwarks, as well as ballistae and vats of liquid.

"Is something on your mind?" asked a voice. Turning, Pina saw that the speaker was one of the demihuman warriors from Gensokyo, a wolf ten-goo or something like that. He stood nearly a full head taller than her, his sharp yellow eyes and rugged brown hair giving him an imposing figure. Tracing Pina's line of sight, he observed, "Oh, you're curious about Lady Scarlet. I don't blame you. Outside of her household, not too many people are familiar with her, since she usually stays in her mansion. All we know is that she is supposedly the descendant of a count who became so powerful and feared as a warrior that he transcended humanity and became a higher being."

"I see," hummed Pina. "So she certainly is a noble, but her exact house rank is unknown." A moment later, she blinked and spun around. "What, what do you mean, her supposed ancestor became a higher being?"

Before she could get an answer, Hamilton ran over and reported, "Princess Pina! A caravan has been sighted approaching Italica!"

Stiffening, Pina responded, "Head to Italica's main entrance at once!" She briskly headed towards the gate but stopped and turned. "My apologies, but I never got your name. May I ask who you are?"

Shaking his head, the wolf demihuman replied, "Not at all. You may call me Kyori. Now please, attend to your duties. I will continue to stand guard here."

As Pina and Hamilton headed to the main gate, the latter asked, "Princess, not to be rude, but why were you being so… friendly? I don't get it."

Waving her arm around, Pina answered, "Look around you and see the good Gensokyo has done for Italica. We cannot afford to make an enemy right now. If we are careful, we may even be able to secure an alliance with their nation to help us fight the invaders from the other side of the Gate on Alnus Hill."

"But how will we do that?" asked Hamilton.

"We'll do whatever it takes, even if we have to bribe or force them," said Pina. "We can't afford to lose this opportunity." She headed over to Grey and stood next to him. "Grey, what were you able to see about the caravan?"

Looking through the peephole, Grey responded, "They seem to be riding some sort of armored carts with roofs made of cloth, though one seems to be iron cast." After a moment, he added, "The soldiers within seem unusual. They're wearing some sort of green clothing with some sort of padded armor on top, though they seem to have some other people with them. Oh, some of them are disembarking."

Looking through the peephole herself, Pina observed the newcomers. "Are the they Men in Green from the other side of the Gate that we heard about on the way here?" she asked. "They don't look particularly impressive though."

From up on the wall, Norma called out, "Who are you?! Reveal yourselves!" The rotating of ballista could be heard as everyone prepared for a possible attack.

Pina's breath caught in her throat when she saw the three people who got out. First was a blue-haired girl she was able to identify as a mage from Rondel, judging by her robes and staff. Next was a blonde girl she instantly identified as an elf, judging by her long, pointed ears and ethereal beauty. But what terrified Pina the most was the third girl to come out.

"I-is that… Rory the Reaper?" she gasped in horror as she slammed the peephole shut and recoiled away from the door. What was an Apostle doing with the Men in Green? Had they somehow convinced her to aid them in their invasion and conquest of Falmart? What were they going to do?

Shaking her head, Pina cleared her mind. She would get them to become her allies, even if she had to use force. Looking at Mayumi, who stood nearby, she got confirmation and slammed the door open. "Hello, welcome to Italica! I'm glad you came!" she shouted.

A thud caught her attention. Looking down, she saw a man knocked out on the ground. Upon noticing his uniform, her blood ran cold. 'Did I just knock out the Men in Green's representative?' She looked up at the girls, her smile shaky. "Did I do that?" she squeaked. The girls nodded in response.

"I must say," commented Remilia from behind, "that was quite the show." Walking over and checking on the man, she continued, "You should have at least checked to see if anyone was at the door." Picking the man up, which Pina found impressive for the girl's size, Remilia said, "We should take this inside where it is safe."

Itami woke up to a sharp scent invading his nose. Inhaling deeply, he quickly sat up, looking around urgently. "What happened?" he asked, "The last thing I remember is a door hitting me!" Upon taking in the sight of the room, he once again asked, "Wait, are we in Italica?"

"Indeed, First Lieutenant Itami Youji, leader of the Third Recon Team of the Japan Self-Defense Forces," answered a young female voice. Turning to the speaker, Itami saw a blue-haired girl in a fancy-looking pink dress sitting nearby, sipping a cup of tea. "You and your allies are currently within the walls of Italica. It has only been ten minutes at most since you entered, so there is no need to worry."

Rubbing his forehead, Itami sat up and groaned, "Thanks. I don't know what we would've done if we couldn't do what we came here for."

"And your business will have to wait," replied the girl. "Italica is currently being sieged by bandits who were originally the soldiers sent to assault the Gates on Alnus Hill and Betula Hill." Getting up from her seat, she continued, "It would also bring to question what intentions Japan has with this world, given that the Empire's army did invade Ginza and cause massive casualties."

Itami stiffened. "How did you kno-" His breath caught in his throat when he realized something else - the girl had been speaking in perfect Japanese the entire time. "Wait, you're speaking Japanese!"

Sipping from her teacup again, the girl was silent for a moment before she answered, "Indeed I am. Now that you have awoken, let us return to the others." Without waiting for Itami to respond, she got out of her seat and left the room.

"H-hey, wait up!" shouted Itami as he ran after her. Chasing the girl down the hall, he was surprised when he found himself eventually entering a room with more people. He immediately recognized Kuwahara, Lelei, and Rory, but the others were new. There was the blue-haired girl, as well as a blonde girl dressed up like a haniwa warrior. Next to them were a red-haired girl wearing intricate armor and a brown-haired girl wearing similar armor, though less detailed. At the head of the table were an older man with grey hair and young girl, perhaps eleven, with brown hair that went down to her chin. Off to the sides were an aged butler with a thick mustache, an elderly woman donning a maid uniform, and a silver-haired young woman wearing a maid uniform with a short skirt.

"You're awake," said Kuwahara. "We don't have time, Itami, so let's get straight to business."

Coughing gently into his fist, Colt began the meeting. "Now then, before we get started, we should introduce ourselves. I am Count Colt Formal, head of House Formal. And this is my daughter, Myui." He gestured to the brown-haired girl, who slightly bowed her head in acknowledgement.

The red-haired girl stepped forth and announced, "I am Princess Pina Co Lada, fifth daughter of Emperor Molt So Augustus. Next to me is Hamilton Uno Ror, a member of my Rose Order of Knights. I pray that this meeting will bear fruit regarding the current situation."

Quickly standing straight, Itami announced, "I'm First Lieutenant Youji Itami, and this is Sergeant Major Souichiro Kuwahara. We're with the JSDF, and we came here from Alnus Hill to establish a relationship with some of the people in this world."

The blue-haired girl performed an elaborate curtsy. She calmly stated, "I am Lady Remilia Scarlet, mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, here as a liaison to represent Gensokyo. With me is Mayumi Joutouguu, leader of the Haniwa Army Corps. So that there are no misunderstandings, I will inform you now that Gensokyo is the land on the other side of the Gate on Betula Hill."

Itami stiffened in shock. "Wait, what?! So all that stuff happening on the other hill was you?" The JSDF had seen the samurai practically butchering the soldiers, and now it had been reported that the soldiers that were killed had been impaled on spears that were planted in the ground around the hill, similar to the notorious warlord Vlad the Impaler. "What's going on? What are you planning?"

Remilia simply smiled in response. "Oh my, First Lieutenant. Whatever are you implying? Gensokyo simply seeks reparations for the actions the Empire has committed against us, and our presence in Italica is part of that effort."

Cutting in before Itami could say anything, Kuwahara quickly said, "If possible, we'd like to open negotiations with Gensokyo. But for now, please allow us to assist in the defense of Italica." Tapping on the map, which was spread out on the table, he asked, "So what do we know so far about the bandits?"

Colt cleared his throat and began. "Originally, there were over a thousand bandits attempting to take Italica. However, thanks to Gensokyo and the Rose Order of Knights stepping in, their numbers have been whittled down to a quarter short of a thousand over the past few days."

Itami continued, "After monitoring scout movements, we've concluded that the bandits plan to attack the south gate tonight. Since it's the largest gate, as well as the main entrance, it holds the most importance out of all three gates. If they manage to take the south gate, they will gain significant control of the battle and take over Italica with sheer numbers."

Mayumi stepped in. "Because they intend to attack tonight, it is likely that all the bandits will attack the same gate to quickly overwhelm the defenses. However, given their experience as former army soldiers, there is a high possibility they may have small groups infiltrate Italica from other areas in order to defeat Italica's defenses from within."

Humming in thought, Pina summarized, "In other words, the bandits will try to force Italica to be fully on the defensive and tire us out as quickly as possible while trying to deny us a chance to fight back. Unfortunately, reinforcements from the Rose Order of Knights have yet to arrive, and they likely will not arrive until tomorrow at the very least."

Calming down, Itami added, "We could call for reinforcements too, but without knowing the exact scale and amount of help needed, we can't call it in before the battle."

"Then it is agreed to set up a trap for the bandits?' asked Remilia. "After hearing what has been said, I can only assume your plan is to set a trap for the bandits at the south gate." As soon as Pina and Itami nodded, she sent a discreet signal to Sakuya. The silver-haired maid quickly stopped time, walking over to Remilia and Mayumi to free them from the time freeze.

"What is the real plan we will abide by?" asked Mayumi. "As the bandits are former soldiers, it is likely they will anticipate such a tactic, and gave the impression of planning to attack the south gate as part of their plan."

Smiling, Remila responded, "We will station the tengu guards evenly at every gate except the south gate. The same applies to the kappa providing support. And to dissuade any action against us, our reinforcements will be arriving tomorrow morning, as reported by one of the tengu guards still in Gensokyo."

"Understood. Shall the haniwa stay stationed at the gates as usual?" inquired Mayumi.

Remilia nodded and said, "Of course. In addition, because the JSDF is here, Mokou must return to Betula Hill so that they do not recognize her. Now let us return to our previous positions."

The meeting carried on, with the others unaware of the secret discussion.

That night, everyone prepared for the bandit attack. As planned, the south gate was left seemingly unmanned, with the JSDF hiding strategically to take on any bandits that approached. The Rose Order of Knights were stationed at the other gates, along with the youkai and volunteers of Italica.

Sometime before dawn, Remilia walked up to Pina. "Are you certain that you don't want any of your soldiers aiding the JSDF at the south gate? It is close to morning, and the attack has yet to happen. It is not too late to decide," she asked.

Shaking her head, Pina replied, "I have complete faith in the Rose Order of Knights, but in this case, I want them to be close by where I will be able to see them. What about your forces?" Truth be told, she had conflicted feelings. On one hand, it turned out that Gensokyo was the country on the other side of the Gate on Betula Hill. While the Alnus Hill survivors had given witness testimony of being massacred by explosions and invisible spells, the survivors from Betula Hill had only one thing to report: monsters. Nature spirits that would simply rise again after being stuck down and continue fighting. A white-haired girl with two swords that easily found their way into the chinks in armor. A red-haired woman who fought with no weapon but took down multiple opponents with ease. But what stood out most was the story about the ice demon, a horrid monster that took on the form of a child and used ice magic to brutally slaughter soldiers.

But on the other hand, Gensokyo had also provided great aid to Italica. The walls and defenses were repaired, food and medicine were being provided, and the men were being taught to defend their homes. They were even providing Italica with food and medicine while the Empire did nothing but continue to plot the invasion and conquest of the lands on the other side of the Gates.

Smiling faintly, Remilia replied, "A minor correction, the tengu and kappa are not under my command. We simply have a common goal and are working together for the sake of that goal." Adjusting her grip on Gungnir, she explained, "They live in the mountain region of Gensokyo, while I live by a lake near the forest."

Pina was stunned. "They are not under your command? I thought you were their superior!"

Chuckling in amusement, the vampire saw where the princess was coming from. "Your inexperience shows, Princess Pina. Tell me, what is more important for a leader? Is it the authority to command others to do one's bidding, or is it the charisma to sway others to a cause?"

Before Pina could respond, a horn blared out. "The bandits are attacking!" shouted Norma. "They're approaching the east gate! Send a message to the others!"

Drawing her bow, Mayumi got into position and commanded, "Archers, prepare yourselves!" She quickly fired arrows at the bandits, killing several of them. "Remember your lessons!"

The archers fired down upon the bandits, while other volunteers helped by dropping large stones down on soldiers trying to climb up the ladders they had propped against Italica's walls. The bandits responded by firing arrows back, killing several guards in the process.

A couple minutes later, Mayumi's eyes narrowed when she felt something wrong. Taking aim, she experimentally fired an arrow, deliberately acting slow enough for others to see her line of fire. The haniwa commander's suspicions were confirmed when she saw a gust of wind knock her arrow off course, causing the projectile to clatter to the ground. "So that's what's happening," she muttered.

Next to her, Norma realized the same thing. "The arrows aren't reaching their targets? They have a mage!" he exclaimed. Hearing a clamor behind him, he turned and came to the sight of bandits climbing onto the top of the walls, attacking the nearest guards. Bracing himself, Norma drew his sword and charged at them, intent on keeping them from disabling Italica's defenses.

…

Back at Betula Hill, everyone was in motion. "Hisoutensoku is ready to deploy!" called out Nitori as she screwed the last bolt back in place. "Hurry up, we need to get to Italica as quickly as possible if reinforcements are to get there in time! Even though we're way stronger than humans, just a couple dozen tengu and kappa aren't enough to defend a large city against an army of over seven hundred!

Curiously, another kappa asked, "Do we really need to do that? We drove them out of Gensokyo just fine, didn't we?"

Sighing in exasperation, Nitori replied, "We were just lucky that most of the people there to fight back the first attack were powerhouses and big names in Gensokyo! This time, the defenders are just regular tengu! And there's only so much that Remilia, Sakuya, Mayumi, and Momiji can do without getting too much attention. We don't want to get their gods' attention too soon, remember? Plus, chances are that the bandits have been preparing for their latest attack after going silent for a few days."

The kappa responded, "So who will be piloting Hisoutensoku? And who else are we sending?"

Jabbing a thumb in Sanae's direction, Nitori said, "Sanae's going to be the pilot. Three more kappa and I will be her copilots.

Having been listening to the conversation, Sanae called out, "It's also because even if the people we sent to Italica did go all out and manage to beat the bandits, it could ruin the trust and reputation we've built up since we got there. But if we send more in as reinforcements, that'll make them think we're serious about helping them." Noticing the looks of surprise she received, she added, "What? I know how this works. We're trying to gain their faith, right? That won't happen if Remilia, Sakuya, Mayumi, and Momiji turn things into a total bloodbath."

"Hurry up!" shouted a tengu. "According to the surveillance devices in Italica, things are getting nasty!"

"Banzai!" whooped Sanae as she clambered into Hisoutensoku, Nitori and three kappa following her. "Let's do this!" Hisoutensoku activated, its eyes glowing a bright orange as it rose to its full height, then flew into the air, its newly installed cloaking device activating as it left the cloaking field at Betula Hill.

The mecha was followed by Mystia and Kyouko, the former to cause chaos among the bandits, and the latter to aid in cleanup. Behind them was another platoon of tengu and kappa, armed to the teeth.

Watching the group leave, Aya snapped a few photos. "That's definitely going in the paper."

The battle for Italica continued, even as the sun rose over the horizon. The fighting had slowed down, with the bandits having to navigate their way around corpses and try to enter Italica through small openings in the defenses, while the guards pushed back the invaders with whatever they could.

Up on the wall, Norma panted as he cut down another bandit, scowling in disgust when he saw the man smile as he died. "Disgusting," he spat, "Do these deplorable thugs truly believe they will be allowed into the heavens after their dishonorable actions here?"

Behind him, Kyori twirled his katana about as he killed two more bandits. "Sir Norma, their zealous fanaticism has clouded their minds to justify their actions," he grunted as he and Norma stood back-to-back, observing the bandits. "They condemn themselves to hell. Let them learn the consequences of their chosen path."

Norma grunted, "Well said, Sir Kyori." He shifted his grip on his sword as he analyzed his opponents. Two swordsmen, three axe wielders, and a spearman. Taking a deep breath, he charged into the group, blocking their attacks and decapitating each bandit. Sighing in relief as he paused for a moment to catch his breath, he was unaware of another bandit on horseback charging up the stairway to attack him.

"Sir Norma, behind you!" Kyori leapt into action, shoving the knight out of the way. Although he was quick enough to save Norma's life, both the man and the tengu still sustained large gashes on their arms that nearly reached the bone, inhibiting their combat ability.

Gritting his teeth as he clutched at his injury, Norma groaned, "Thank you for saving my life, Sir Kyori. I vow to repay this debt."

"Damn it!" cursed the mounted bandit as he looked back to see his target still alive. "I'll get you both this time!" Unfortunately, he forgot that they were still on the wall, limiting his horse's range of motion. Taking advantage of the bandit's new lack of mobility, Kyori and Norma acted in unison, quickly pulling him off his horse and throwing him to the floor before stabbing him in the neck with their swords.

Cleaving her way through a group of bandits, Mayumi approached the two men. "The walls are now too crowded to efficiently defend. The plan has been changed. We will open the east gate to allow the bandits in, utilizing the bulwarks to corral the bandits, enclosing them in the open area of the gate." Noticing their injured arms, she frowned and added, "You two are to retreat behind the bulwarks and get your injuries treated. To engage in battle in such a state is foolish."

Too tired to argue, Norma and Kyori made their way down the stairs, retreating behind the bulwarks at the east gate and sat down with other guards and volunteers who were recovering from combat. Opening a medical kit, Kyori carefully removed his haori and wiped his injury with a towel, wincing in pain as the alcohol stung at the deep cut, before wrapping his arm in gauze soaked in antibiotics. Pushing the kit over to Norma, he said, "Here, use it to treat your wound. It should be good enough until we get actual medical treatment from a doctor."

Accepting the box, Norma carefully removed his armor and tore off his sleeve, carefully tending to his injury and hissing in pain as he did his best to mimic Kyori's actions. "Thank you, Sir Kyori. It's a shame we must retreat due to our injuries. You're an excellent warrior, and your contribution made the defense much easier."

Shaking his head, Kyori replied, "There is no need to thank me. After all, we're working together to defend Italica. Besides, reinforcements are arriving." With his uninjured arm, he pointed at the dawn sky in the direction of Betula Hill.

Squinting, Norma managed to make out several dots in the sky that seemed to get larger. Relaxing, he slumped against the wall. "That is a relief," he sighed, "Perhaps now we can finally rest after staying up the whole night."

Watching the battle as the bandits pushed their way through the gates only to find themselves corralled in the courtyard and surrounded by guards and tengu, Kyori responded, "Hopefully we can." His lips twitched in amusement when the kappa up above removed their camouflage cloaks and poured vats of boiling water on the unsuspecting men below. Though it did not have too much effect on the bandits clad in armor, those that did not howled in pain as they felt the scalding liquid splash all over their bodies.

The sound of gunfire rang out in the courtyard, catching everyone's attention. Helicopters, not that the citizens of Falmart knew what they were called, soared across the sky as the JSDF's Fourth Combat Unit fired upon the bandits, taking down the ones that were still climbing up the ladders propped against Italica's walls. Meanwhile, loud music reverberated through the air, echoing through the streets.

Up on a watchtower, Pina watched in awe and horror. 'Is this the power of the Jayesdeef?' she thought to herself. 'Is this how the Empire was defeated at Alnus Hill?' She snapped out of her thoughts when the ground rumbled, as though something extremely heavy had fallen on the ground. "What was that?" she gasped. She looked around in shock, and then she saw it.

The air shimmered then gave way, revealing a figure obscured by dust clouds. Rising to its full height, the figure was revealed to be a massive golden giant, clad in black and red armor, with strange red wings protruding from its back. Its piercing orange eyes swept the battlefield, and its large smile seemed to become even larger.

Everyone stopped fighting to stare at the new arrival in shock, especially the JSDF. Next to Pina, Remilia chuckled for a few seconds before it escalated into full-blown laughter. Removing her helmet, she wiped away her tears and turned to Pina, who was looking at her questioningly. "Now," she said as she caught her breath, "now that our reinforcements have arrived, the counterattack begins."

Yep, Norma survives the Battle of Italica, though he's going to be off the battlefield for a while. At least he has company to pass the time with.

Please tell me what you think, review, constructive criticism appreciated, and NO flames. Keep your insults to yourself. They contribute nothing to the story (unless you're insulting characters that honestly deserve the burns).