7. Chapter 7(1)

The Fight we Chose

Chapter 7

Downtime

April 20th, 1964

Dallas, Texas

"Footage collected last week from the president's visit to the American military base in the world beyond the gate in Dallas as well as the investigations into the status of the military situation beyond the gate. Let's go to it now."

Grainy black and white footage switched over from the newsroom to the view of several mountains in the distance.

"Yes, the land beyond the Gate connecting two worlds has proven to be quite fantastical, indeed. From untamed lands rivaling those in Africa and South America..."

The footage showed the vast landscape of the forested mountains in the Dumas region where the fighting was likely going to get worse, as evidence by the multiple UH-1s flying in the frame as well as the unmistakable sight of smoke in the distance.

"To fantastical cities, where all manner of folk mingle and trade for goods."

The footage then cut to a pair of American soldiers, M1 carbines slung on their backs, handing something to a woman in a shop, the woman's cat ears more noticeable as she awkwardly smiled at the camera.

Quickly then, the footage switched to a man on the ground, walking on the main American base, several military jeeps and trucks carrying men and supplies drove behind him, audible in the background noise as the man spoke.

"With more attention shifting on pacifying the region under the control of this nameless 'empire', American forces have been able to establish friendly relations with the locals, as many have flocked to the area around the main base of operations. As I, and many of my colleagues, have discovered, many are former slaves."

The footage switched to a young girl holding a child closely, speaking the strange Latin variant that was close to the one many Catholics knew, but not quite.

The narrator took over, explaining what she was saying.

"This young woman and child were amongst the few survivors of a village that was sacked by retreating Imperial forces, the medieval army not caring for the needs of the very citizens they're supposed to protect. United States Marines, led by a helpful guide, found her and two children. She is currently helping in one of the many growing shops in the rapidly growing town near the main base."

The footage then panned across the landscape near the main road where several American trucks were seen driving off. Near that main road were several medium-sized huts and cabins, with small grainy images of people moving around in the distance.

The footage then cut to the town itself, and the first real matter of strangeness people could witness firsthand in the comfort of their homes.

...or in his case, the Dallas Post Office...

The footage showed a mix of half-animal humans or... perhaps it was a little less than that?

Terry Jones wasn't entirely sure as he and most other early risers observed the scene in the small television.

The narrator continued.

"While many regular humans have come to inhabit this growing town, this is where we see how varied and diverse the lands beyond the gate really are."

A girl with feathers on her head and bird-like legs walked around with a military helmet that labeled her as "Military Police". An actual American MP with an M1 Carbine stood by her, eyeing the pedestrian traffic. It was an interesting way to contrast the two worlds.

"This is Myuute Luna Sires, a being the locals call a 'siren', she now cooperates with the American forces helping keep this growing community safe and orderly."

The camera cut closer to her, a microphone on her face, the American suspiciously eyeing the cameras as the girl spoke.

"I was with the attacking forces of the Allied Armies that faced the Americans a week after the main battle at Alnus Hill... I surrendered, they took me in, and I treated well, and since I picked up their language quickly, I was given this position."

Jones only blinked, not entirely sure of what he was seeing as the footage cut to a short-haired girl with a staff illuminated a field with light.

"Miss Sires is also one of the few users of 'magic' in this region, in fact, she says her ability to 'summon the wind' helped protect her."

It cut back to the girl, her saying "Yes, I can call the wind to help shield me in case of attack."

Cut to a tank firing into the mountains, the explosion in the distance almost appearing as a speck.

"However, scientists have noted the extreme limitations of this so-called 'magic' system, and a young girl has also answered some questions about it, noting that 'magic' in this world is greatly limited by what she has discovered are the Laws of Physics. Essentially, almost useless against modern weapons."

Cut to footage of soldiers, target practicing on the range, M14 rifles cracking loudly as the targets were riddled with bullets.

Jones shuddered.

Cut back to footage of the nearby town.

"Magic isn't the only fantastical element to this world, as most viewers have no doubt noticed or read about, Miss Sires is amongst many of the different types of 'demi-humans. People who are as sentient, and as capable of any human activity, but are born with the features of animals."

A girl with pointy wolf-like ears and eyes stared at the camera, giving it a toothy smile, her canines being far bigger and pointier than normal humans.

Jones heard a man next to him groan something along the lines of "Damn, what kind of demonic hands caused-?"

As if to answer the man before he could finish the question, the reporter on the TV continued speaking, saying "Scientists speculate that this may be the result of some kind of alteration to the DNA of regular humans, but it is clear that these people have developed into races of their own, most of them able to wed and produce children of their own, regardless if they couple with a regular human or one of a different race. This is something some soldiers welcome, like Private Jay Alphonse, an interpreter for the 1st Armored Division's Second Battalion who deployed early in the invasion."

The footage cut to that of the soldier sitting in a booth with a girl who, anyone could agree, was quite cute despite the cat ears.

The private in question was obviously a Texas native given his accent and pale skin; his arm around the cute girl with cat ears in a warm embrace, both looking relatively happy as the journalist asked them some questions.

"And you two are... together?"

"Yeah, I know it's a little strange, but... we really hit it off, and she's been through a lot... if I can take her home-"

Jones didn't hear the last part as a man in the post office huffed in frustration, saying "Kid will get lynched if he tries bringing that girl over here! What's he thinkin'?"

As if to punctuate the statement, the journalist asked "You've heard of the violence occurring back home?"

"Yeah..."

"Does that worry you?"

"I suppose, I just... I just don't think I should cow-tow to some... hooligans who don't like people doing things they disapprove of... I mean, I get it, this is... strange... but I love her, she loves me, and if I have to move somewhere else in the states then I'll do it. I ain't leaving her behind."

Jones nodded, slightly.

Another man said, "Eh, she's pretty enough, I suppose. Hope he doesn't turn out like this guy I knew from Utah, Harris Conway."

"Same Conway from Westminster? Class of '44?"

"Nah, we served in Korea, he was too young to have graduated in '44. Guy married this chink gal from Seoul a little after we liberated it."

"What happened to him?" Jones asked.

The man said "Divorced her! Says she cheated on him with ten other guys when he went on a business trip after the war... And then the girl died in a fire. Police aren't sure if it was started on purpose by someone or if it was an accident, but the guy's a wreck now regardless. Say what you will, he loved her. I think that killed them both in the end."

Jones shuddered.

The TV Continued to play footage of the other world, now showing the American president chatting with and interacting politely with the "demi-humans".

One man muttered, "He's really pushing that they're people same as we are?"

Jones was quick to say "Well, I don't see why we should treat them differently."

The man frowned, not arguing, but not exactly agreeing.

Such was life in a free country.

"Number zero-zero-seven-one!" came the call from the counter.

Jones quickly got up and walked over, package in hand.

"Good morning, sir, how may I help you today?" the young man asked politely.

"Good morning, I, uh... there's a kid I know, he's deployed... across the gate..."

The man nodded, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"See, he's got no one back home, and I take care of his folks' place, God rest their souls... his name is Dennis Orville, and... and this package arrived for him in the mail at his house, so I would like to see if it could be mailed to him."

The young man gave him an empathetic expression before speaking.

"Unfortunately, we can only send written letters from family members across the gate, sir. We can always keep the package and let him know we have it so that he can come and pick it up when he comes back."

"Yes, yes, that would be excellent, thank you."

"Are you a close friend of Mister Orville, Mister Jones?"

The man cryptically said, "We're neighbors."

I wonder how the kid is doing now...

Imperial Capital

The cold rain didn't bother him as he dutifully hopped over the puddles to his home as the bus drove off. His yellow raincoat shielding him from most of the rain, though his shoes and socks were entirely soaked. The grass was the usual green, and his home was the typical faded white paint.

He happily opened the faded red door as he entered his home.

Dark.

Quiet.

Empty.

"Ma?"

No response.

With a look of childish naivety, he asked "Papa?"

No response.

Before he could ask again, a shrill scream as if a wraith straight out of hell had gripped the child's heart as it screamed and wailed, grieving for the fallen, breaking the silence like a crack of thunder in a horror movie.

Dennis felt his eyes shoot open.

He felt the knot in his throat tighten to the point he nearly couldn't bear it.

He nervously sat up on the bed and rubbed at his tired eyes, taking shaky breaths as he managed to compose himself if anything for his own peace of mind.

If I start breaking down like this...

He took a couple of deep breaths and stood up.

There had always been a degree of isolation for him, and the fact was only now beginning to really bother the 18-year-old.

Who would he go home to?

Nothing really motivated him to go back home, except the fact he didn't want to die.

He rubbed his eyes.

When was it, again?

The day he found out his father died in the battlefields of Korea was a quiet August afternoon in 1951, early in his first year of school.

He barely remembered.

It hadn't been raining, though it hadn't been very sunny either.

He'd already gone inside, he remembered his mother was in the living room, reading... they'd barely had time to greet each other when an Army car had driven up on the porch, and men in uniform had come out.

He'd never heard his mother scream so loudly before.

Preferring not to think on it, he scratched the back of his head and focused on the mission.

Stay alive, cook something edible, teach Tyuule basic English... don't die... don't let her die.

At the thought, unwanted images of the hell he had seen at Italica flooded his mind again.

He quickly shook the thoughts away, denying them any foothold on his mind as he considered something to distract himself.

Very briefly his mind drifted to the white-haired girl.

He didn't shake those thoughts away.

...

Sean shook his head as the little girl pulled at his shirt.

Somehow, it seemed she didn't mind the colder weather of the morning, that or her mostly stitched-up clothes were doing their job better than anticipated. The street they were on was empty, and they knew the Berets were already working on their own, far more important operations.

Still, the fact that her life was in danger seemed to mean nothing for the small child.

No, the dog-eared girl had other concerns.

"More?" Sean asked, making sure the girl knew he was tired and didn't want her that close to danger.

She nodded.

He reached into his pocket and gave her another salt cracker, which she happily took.

"Wasn't Misery going to take her off your hands?" Rhodes asked.

"Yeah, but She seems to follow us a lot, regardless. That, and I'm not sure if Misery's mother material... exactly. She probably keeps a loose eye on her and many other orphans, but I doubt she actually takes care of them... Ius?" He added in the local tongue.

The girl only chewed on the cracker, not looking at the American, ignoring the question.

Sean sighed.

Rhodes only said "You should have sent her with Orville. He got you to buy her, didn't he?"

"Not exactly, but even if he did, I don't think he has permission to bring her into the palace, let alone feel comfortable with a kid. He has this... you ever notice how he has a thousand-yard stare half the time?"

Rhodes nodded without reacting.

"Can't blame him too much. Alnus was a mess, but it was a coordinated mess. Itálica... I still don't want to think about some of those close calls."

He still wasn't sure how one massive soldier managed to slip through that wall of bullets and grab the young Ranger, tossing him into the crowd and nearly getting the kid killed. He'd known of surprises in combat, but rules were so different in this world, even someone with Ranger training would find themselves out of their element.

Sean said, "Still when we headed back, he kept talking like normal, seemed normal, but... I don't know. Point is, when he saw the kid crying, he reacted first, and then acted as if nothing had happened. Can't say it's entirely assuring, captain."

"Well, we've all got a lot to deal with. If he can't cut it, he gets shipped home."

Sean frowned, muttering "Right, he's got no one back home, right?"

"Yup. Mother died while he was at boot camp."

"Damn..."

Strength or not, the added weight could make him unreliable, which was far more concerning if something went wrong.

"Just remember that he did qualify and he hasn't complained. Who knows, maybe he can adopt this little pup and have someone to come back to."

"He can just do that?"

Rhodes shrugged.

"Given some of the plans for the land we're going to take, her becoming a citizen and him taking care of her isn't exactly insane, I would think. Even if it isn't, it's healthier to think positive things than to dwell on... everything else."

The little girl promptly sat down on Sean's foot, small tail wagging like any other dog, yet her face, body, and eyes were entirely human.

Rhodes shook his head.

"Tell her to run along, maybe Hastings or Tom can play ball with her..."

Sean nodded, kneeling to be on eye level with the kid, saying "We have to get to work, so you can't stay here right now" in the local tongue.

The little girl pouted but did not disobey, quickly rushing off.

Sean stood as he watched her run off and turned to the captain, giving him a worried look.

"I know, I know... hearts and minds are all well and good, but we have to keep our focus on the mission. She'd be more at risk near as than not."

"I know, captain... feel bad for the kid is all. We can't keep an eye on her all the time, and... three o'clock." He said quickly, shifting from the regular American to the US Army Ranger in an instant.

Both Rangers pushed themselves against the walls, hoping the early morning shadows would help conceal them to some degree or at least make them stand out less.

They glanced at the men entering the building across the street with suspicion. It was only a group of four, all shifting suspiciously and eyeing one another as they slowly pushed into the very clearly broken-down building, one of many, but one with a familiar star recently painted in black ink on the cracked wall, identifying it from the other buildings.

"Keep the safety off."

Sean only nodded.

Across the street, in the large, mostly empty building, stood several men now as there weren't any tables or chairs. A few rays of sunlight shone in through holes in the wooden ceiling above, and the rays of light emphasized the dust floating in the air. All the men stood in a defensive stance as if they would be ready to run or fight at the drop of a hat.

Drew kept his eye on his commanding officer, the older man quietly telling him what to say.

With a tired nod, Drew spoke in the native tongue to the best of his ability as he gave the instructions.

"We are aware the recent... incident left you all weak, as well as created a power vacuum in the Red-Light District."

The remaining heads of crime families of the district did not reply.

Drew continued.

"We recommend you stop the violence, cooperate with the empire to keep the peace, and we will pay you for your troubles."

Silence.

Drew didn't speak.

"Why?" one asked.

"We'd prefer to avoid conflict is all."

An older man, missing an eye, quietly said "Surely there is something else in it for you, Outsider."

Drew translated to his CO, the man nodding.

"Tell them our condition."

Switching to the local tongue, Drew said "We ask that you do not mention our existence to the imperial forces and that you do not attack our positions in the city. That is all."

"That is all?"

"Indeed."

A tense silence followed as the men who were technically trying to kill each other considered the offer.

"What if we refuse?" came the reply from another man.

"Then we will destroy every one of you upon your betrayal as we did with the Besarra crime family."

Silence.

"It's true then? You're the men from another world?" the beast-man, one that appeared to be a tiger of sorts asked.

Now it was his turn to be silent.

A third man said, "We've noticed your men treat the demi-humans with some level of kindness... surely you're not that powerful if you rely on them."

Drew spoke firmly, saying "Do not mistake our tolerance for weakness. We see people as people, nothing more, nothing less. If they wish to help us, we welcome it, if they don't, we won't force them, the same way we won't force you to accept our offer."

"Ah, but your offer doesn't leave much room for refusing it."

"False. You can refuse it. You'll just die before you can reveal our positions."

The crime lords sat in silence, none betraying whether the words had any impact on them.

Finally, one said, "Well, I don't think we have a choice in the matter... my people will not betray your people if you tell us your people's goal."

The other three men nodded slowly, if not reluctantly.

Drew turned to his commander and said "They're essentially agreeing if we tell them what our goals are."

The older man, already a veteran of two major wars, only said "Tell 'em."

Drew turned and said "The Empire attacked our homeland. We're here to resolve the problem started by them."

A pause.

"So... you intend to destroy the Empire?"

"We intend to defeat them, not destroy them. Keep that in mind."

Silence then.

"Alright. We'll stay out of your way." the beast-man said.

The others muttered in reluctant agreement.

The Green Beret didn't show how relieved he was.

"They agreed, sir."

The older man did not smile, walking forward slightly.

"Pleasure doing business with you all!" he said in English.

The men appeared to understand, and nodded, moving to shake his hand in agreement.

Washington D.C

The president sighed.

No, you're not supposed to just open fire on a group of protestors.

No, you're not supposed to just pretend it's all okay.

Worse...

"Look, if we just sit and negotiate with the Emperor further-"

"Oh, Christ, are you on that wagon again?!" the secretary of defense almost spat out at the unfortunate cabinet member.

"We're not negotiating with that man any further. He said it himself, there's nothing to discuss." the president sighed, disappointed.

Outside what few protestors had been relatively peacefully standing near the White House had packed up and left, a sign of how unpopular the idea of avoiding conflict here was.

The man on the other side of the gate was not intent on negotiating.

The man on the other side of the gate wanted reparations and slaves to be returned to pay for "damages".

The man on the other side of the gate had given the United States one month to vacate the region.

On one hand, they weren't intent on leaving anyway.

On the other hand...

Protestors in Saigon were mowed down Sunday morning after the military Junta there faced serious opposition by civilians. Demands for increased military aid have so far not been commented on by US officials, but given negotiations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the possible reunification of Vietnam are underway, with a likely northern controlled government, more aid to the government in Saigon appears unlikely...

And unlikely it was.

More troops were needed in the now nicknamed "Special Region" and the public was now demanding a larger force be sent through to ensure that a proper victory could be achieved. After the most recent report on the failed negotiations, Americans had been signing up in droves, especially with most of the fighting in the other world slowing to a crawl as the main enemy force was currently under siege mountain range and the Emperor was under the impression, he was winning so he wasn't sending out more troops. To the average American, there wasn't a better time to sign up for the military if you wanted adventure.

Probably also to get a chance at some half-human gal to bring home...

"Mister President, volunteers are still lining up to enlist by the thousands, we can more than spare the troops to aid-"

"The people don't care about the reds as much at the moment, and that is an unfortunate fact. Sending more military aid to Vietnam could actually cost us the election, make us lose the currently peaceful transition we're overseeing, worse..."

"But sir, we'd be abandoning-"

"I know! We need to..." the man began rubbing his head, reaching for a bottle of pills with his free hand. He popped it open, easily grabbing two and swallowing. Health had always been an issue for the young president.

"Dear God, I wonder how Roosevelt dealt with his problems... I don't know if I'd even last another term like this."

Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"We need to make clear... crystal clear... that this administration is not abandoning an ally but that we are allowing the people of a nation decide their future... we've already screwed up enough with Cuba and that mess back in November..."

"I somehow doubt Saigon will want to play along... a communist victory could mean their heads at worst, poverty at best. Sir, you've seen what happens when these people are given an inch!"

"I know, I know... I don't trust their guarantees either, but... you read the same report I did! We screwed up when we supported the French back in '54... we're not winning a hearts and minds campaign, not anytime soon... and say what you will, the reds up north know enough to keep their people in check enough to appear like the lesser evil."

He mumbled the last part, opening the newspaper and staring at the almost smug photo of the leader of North Vietnam, happily condemning the evil actions of the capitalist South.

Evil, certainly, worse than what was happening in the North's reeducation camps?

Not likely.

However...

"Rob."

The secretary of defense stiffened at the tone.

The president shook his head before speaking.

"If Saigon won't cooperate, then we need to replace them with someone that will. I'll keep in contact with the Vietnamese, maybe we can work something out. I want you to be ready in case we don't work something out. Understand?"

The Secretary of Defense slowly nodded.

"Go... get it done."

The man nodded, fixed his glasses, and stood up, feeling not unlike a lackey to the Mafia.

The other Cabinet members in the room were silent as the man left.

With a tired tone that the men in the room were now familiar with, the president said "This conversation didn't happen... alright?"

The reply across the room was fast and precise.

"Yes, mister president."

Now to deal with the issue of Vietnam...

Moscow, USSR

The relatively undecorated room was only filled with the noise of men long past their prime shuffled in, none speaking as they sat down on the large table, each looking over the documents briefly as the man who remained standing stood for a moment, lingering as he observed everyone there.

And only once the security officers closed the door did he sit down.

The General Secretary was not pleased.

And neither was the party.

He stared at the reports with nothing more than disappointment, then at the other men in the room, all reading what he already had.

One man muttered, "Then there is nothing we can do?"

Another angrily said "We must demand more access to-"

"It's pointless." The general secretary said.

The men on the table stared at him in shock.

They knew when the general secretary, a man who had lived through the Revolution, witnessed Stalin's great purges, hell, actively supported those purges, had almost pushed the world to destruction alongside the Americans twice... they knew when the man was dead serious about something and now was no exception. He eyed them all with the exhaustion that can only be achieved after witnessing the worst of times in the nation's history.

"The population in this other world is too primitive. Warning them of the evils of capitalism will be pointless. They have been utterly oppressed by an empire and are seemingly being rescued from it by another, seemingly much more benevolent one. They do not care about the sneaky and selfish actions because they either don't know about them, or these actions do not get in the way of them getting a better life... look at these!"

The photos of American tanks and aircraft were pushed aside as the General Secretary picked up the ones he wanted everyone in the room to see.

"This was an entire family that was rescued by the American Army. We all saw the news report! This... Empire... it does not care for its citizens. To have another, far more powerful force, suddenly show even the most basic amount of care... Many of you were here when the Fascist dogs of the Nazi Regime stole the land right from under Stalin's nose!"

Some men shuddered at the name.

The Russian dictator's legacy still gripped the hearts of the people and despite the reforms, many were worried about badmouthing the dead dictator. As if to even speak of him would somehow summon him from the beyond to bring more pain and misery.

The General Secretary, having worked for the man in person, had no such reservations.

"How quickly did the people turn on our motherland believing the lies of the fascists? Promises of liberation and better treatment that the supposed Man of Steel could never provide. Better yet, how quickly did they turn on them when it became clear the Fascist war machine cared only for their complete annihilation?"

Shaking his head, the General Secretary said "The Americans have won the hearts and minds of these people- ANY competent army from our world could have managed that by simply not attacking civilian dwellings. This is a barbaric world, one that we simply have no way of reaching on our own."

The room was dead quiet.

Then, with a breath, the man said "Which is why we need to focus on taking what we can. Comrades... we cannot win this battle, but we already have another one won! Vladimir, remind us of the status of the situation in Vietnam!"

All eyes turned to the KGB Chairman, who quickly said "The people there appear to mostly support us, both in the north and in the south... So assuming fair elections are held this year, we could be looking at reunification under our banner."

"Another ally to our movement and more proof that socialism works!"

"An ally... unless the Chinese get to them first." someone muttered.

The General Secretary eyed the man but did not lose his composure.

Instead, he said, "We've been giving as much support to the North as the Chinese, and thanks to our influence, things have not only been kept more peaceful... the southern capitalists have begun to panic due to the Americans happily abandoning them for greener pastures."

"Which in turn has pushed more people to support us."

"No, it's led to more people support the north. They are not on our side, they are on their own side."

All eyes turned to the moronically brave man who had spoken.

The General Secretary was quick to say "Which will benefit us in the end. The Chinese have been only worsening their attitude toward Vietnam... in time, they will side with us."

"Let us hope that is the case." the man muttered.

The frown on the general secretary's face deepened, but internally, the man smiled.

Even ten years ago, anyone even attempting to stand against the General Secretary's stance would have been so absolutely terrified they couldn't have gone through with it, but now...

It was the ultimate proof of his reforms succeeding.

Still...

He said "I've done my duty so far as General Secretary as has everyone here done their respective duties for the betterment of the Union, and we have come out on top. Our nuclear arsenal vastly surpasses that of the Americans, and our influence in this world, the more advanced world, is growing. Unfortunately, the situation in this other world is one where neither I nor any of you can come out on top. Let the Americans have control over such a primitive land where our ideology will inevitably succeed while we continue to succeed in this world, where things matter. Or do any of you wish to go to war with the United States over this other, far more primitive world where even basic necessities such as water or electricity have not even been conceived yet?"

Silence.

Thought so...

"Then we shall continue with the day's subjects... now, about those annoying British guitarists and their cacophonous rubbish, rotting our youth's mind away..."

Outskirts of Itálica

Pina only sighed at the scene.

Diabo was standing aside, arms raised, and a certain noblewoman was yelling loudly at the American soldiers standing in her way.

"What brutish behavior is this?! Do you children know who you're talking to?!"

The American general quickly said, "Alright, what the hell is happening here?"

Pina, not understanding every word but getting the gist of it, said "That's Lady... I suppose my brother brought her along for legitimacy if there is any..."

She gave Norma an exasperated glower, the knight only shrugging innocently.

How was he to know the noblewoman was so entitled?

The American general only stormed ahead, the angry woman quickly adjusting into a more composed stature, realizing a man with authority had arrived.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked awkwardly, not entirely used to the quasi-Latin spoken by the locals.

The woman huffed, saying "Your men have blocked the road! How is Itálica going to trade with the imperial capital now? The city will starve and you will all come off as monsters to the people! How will you find peace then?!"

"We do not stop civilians from coming through."

"Ah?!"

"We do not-"

"I heard you the first time! Then why have you stopped us?!"

"Because brother and you are of great interest to the Americans. I gave them a description of you so they knew who to stop. They don't mean any harm."

Only then did the girl turn her gaze on the red-haired princess.

Diabo only waved awkwardly.

Lady seemed to shrink then, realizing her folly.

"C-cousin Pina... it would have been much less... embarrassing had you warned us of the enemy's location."

"They're not the enemy anymore, Lady, they're helping us. They've kept order in the lands from Alnus to Itálica and have stopped any bandits or rogue generals from attacking villages or the dwellings of our citizens."

Lady didn't say anything else then, Diabo finally stepping up and nervously saying "What exactly do you mean by rogue general?"

There was a sound, as if a distant TWANG of a bow, and a shout.

Someone yelled "Contact!"

And immediately Pina, Diabo, Lady, and Norma had to cover their ears as the Americans simply unloaded into the forest on the other end of the field.

M14s, M60s, Brownings, and finally one 90-millimeter gun firing a High Explosive round, all fired in the opposite direction of the arrow.

The colonel sighed, saying "Anyone hit?"

"Dan got hit in the shoulder!" someone yelled.

Diabo quickly asked, "W-what are they yelling about?"

Pina only said "One of their men was wounded by the arrow... they want to end this quickly, and right now... Tiberius is in the way of this, but if we reach him we might be able to put a stop to the small guerilla campaign he's running."

Diabo noticed the dark tone with which she spoke and immediately said "Tell me everything."

…

Tiberius observed the men preparing the small farms with some level of pride.

These men know how to survive...

He turned, observing others creating arrows and spears out of the cut-down trees.

Pullo's traps must be working if they refuse to push upward... good.

Hearing the very distant explosions of the enemy's weapons spitting death, his smile widened.

And the enemy is preferring to practice a defensive war instead of an offensive one... excellent.

He turned, then, appreciating the harsh but still traversable terrain of the Dumas Mountain Range. The forests made it easy to sneak his forces through, and he was certain that he could cause some damage now that they were slowly preparing themselves better.

Suddenly a young man rushed ahead.

"General! News from the raiding party!"

He turned, frowning at the alarm in the young man's voice.

"What is it?"

"Princess Pina Co Lada was seen alongside Prince Diabo el Caesar!"

Tiberius froze, eyeing the young soldier.

"What?"

"The princess-"

"No... that's... why would...?"

He sat down in the dirt.

Was she really a traitor all along?

The message she had sent could have been falsified, a trick by these "Americans" but... but to have it confirmed...

He frowned, standing up.

"If she wishes to talk, then we'll let her talk... but we have our orders. Inform the other officers and keep this information as quiet as possible. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

He rubbed his chin then, the information sinking in.

If the princess has aligned herself with the enemy, then she is either revolting against her own father, or perhaps something far worse has happened that...

Suddenly, another messenger interrupted him.

"General! Enemy flying machines have been spotted flying south... the smaller, slower ones... Pullo is suggesting we send dragons and wyverns after them to knock them down. Should we comply?"

Tiberius quickly shook his head, saying "No, we've seen how high up their other metal birds can go. They're probably above the clouds, hiding in wait for us to make a move. We must use our riders sparingly if we want a chance at causing any damage. Why the men are headed south... well, that isn't my concern."

"Understood, general."

He nodded.

Despite the miserable conditions, this wasn't the worst job the old general had taken.

His men were devoted, obedient, and above all, doing their job.

The enemy, he had realized, weren't like the barbarian tribes he had fought against on other fronts, expanding or defending the empire.

These were soldiers, same as his own, and they knew he had an advantage in the mountains.

Sooner or later, however, one side would have to make a move.

He looked at the vast fields below, muttering "Make a move, you bastards... show me how you fight."

Over the Elbe Kingdom

10:00 AM

Yao Ha Dushi shakily clung to the straps on her seat as the American flying machine continued to roughly move through the air.

The apostle of Emroy on the other hand, was almost childishly kicking her legs back and forth, humming some kind of foreign music that sounded somewhat familiar to the songs the Americans played on their small noise boxes... "radios" they called them.

She sighed, focusing on her mission.

Make sure the tribe is safe... Direct the Americans to the lair of the beast... kill it... I wish these noise blockers were better suited to my ears...

She let go of the straps holding her to the chair and held the "noise blockers" tighter to her ears, making it more bearable.

Over them, she heard the Americans speaking to each other... albeit, unable to understand them.

Their tone, however, suggested a sort of arrogant confidence, which she wasn't sure how to interpret, but a part of her decided that if they were able to hurt the dragon, then surely, they could kill it, and that was reason enough to feel secure!

The Marine only said, "Why'd they ask us to come along on this mission?"

Another replied, "To make sure the Army dogs don't... mess it up..."

It wasn't very polite to swear when a woman was around.

Of course, "making sure the Army didn't mess it up" wasn't the reason the Marine squad was being sent alongside the Army air cavalry on what was essentially a reconnaissance mission.

No, the truth was, a certain older than she looked Apostle had requested they be taken along in exchange for her services.

"Hey, sarge, think Rory can take the dragon if it attacks us?"

The sergeant didn't reply.

Rory grinned her evil smile.

"We're not engaging any giant monsters. We're scouting ahead to see if we can locate them... if it engages us, we run. We let the flyboys handle that... mess."

Yao turned to one of the men and asked "Why is she coming along?"

It had been a strange surprise to see the Apostle Emroy Rory "The Reaper" Mercury.

It had been an even bigger surprise to see her get onto the flying machine the Americans called a "Chinook" to accompany them on their quest.

Said apostle turned to the girl, smiling as she said "Do you think they can fully understand your people's language? You would have to speak the language of the Empire to one of their interpreters all while interpreting for your elders and then their interpreter would have to translate to the officers. It's easier to just let me translate for you all thanks to my gift of tongues."

The way she spoke always made Yao feel as if the girl was about to attack her for some reason or other as if there was an inherent danger behind every word.

The Americans didn't seem to notice, or if they did, they didn't seem to care much about it.

"A-ah... I... I see." she finally.

The small girl only went back to humming the unfamiliar tune and kicking her legs back and forth as if she were a child.

Yao then switched her mind to other things.

I hope these 'helicopters' don't cause a panic...

It was such a large metal machine, similar to a dragon, but louder and far less friendly.

Yao could only hope her people didn't panic at the sight.

That, and accompanied by several other of what the Americans called "Helicopters", their expedition was as deep into the land beyond the Gate as the Americans had penetrated yet.

The lands below changed drastically as the somewhat forested mountains became far more jagged and crooked. Rocks stabbing into the air in loose patterns, as if they were the skeletal ribcage of a titanic beast long since dead.

The Marine sergeant frowned and gripped his M14 tighter.

…

Down below it was a different scene.

The village was charred black, some ruins still smoking ever so slightly, to the point that it was a little difficult to distinguish charred wood from charred bodies. The ground itself was an ashen black that could only be caused by fire, and the remaining trees had burn marks on them.

A pair of arrow-wielding dark elves gave up on their task of lifting a fallen arch.

"Forget it, even if we found something, it's probably burned to a crisp." the first one, a deceptively young-looking boy, said.

The other one only said "It would be nice to find something we could bring back. That damned cave is-"

"It is what it is. Yao is probably still a month away from finding these... soldiers from another world. We don't even know if they'll be enough to stop it, and even if they do... I doubt we can rebuild this place."

The other one huffed, saying "I'm sure we can rebuild it. We have time after all. I just... hope... what is that sound?"

Both readied a pair of arrows, hiding behind some rubble, knowing it wasn't the dragon as it sounded too different. Almost like the cracking noise whips made, but faster and many times louder.

Then they saw them.

"Down!" the older one said.

The gigantic monsters flew low overhead before beginning to land on the grassy plains nearby.

The two dark elves peeked from the rubble, watching the large creature, as well as several others, begin to land, with several humans hopping off the smaller ones.

The large one, eyes as hollow as a black cave, began to lower its gigantic mouth... and out came several more men.

"W-what is-?"

"H-hey... look!"

As more men walked off, one was followed by an unmistakable figure.

A short girl with jet black hair wearing an odd dress.

But behind her, a white-haired girl with dark skin and long ears.

"That's... that's Yao... and if that's Yao, then..."

"Those are the men in green?"

They both stared at the giant machines that carried them.

"They really are monsters..."

"Maybe, but they're our only chance of stopping the flame dragon... come on... let's... let's see if we can get their attention."

Imperial Capital

Tyuule sighed as her head began to flare.

She put the parchments on the small table and did her best to ignore the tugging of her skirt by a certain shapeshifter.

"Word, I bring word!" Bouro hissed.

With an exasperated expression, she asked "What?"

"The Rose Knights have received orders from the princess. She is ordering them to meet with the Americans and assist them in engaging Tiberius as soon as possible."

Tyuule frowned.

"Tiberius hasn't made any large-scale moves against them yet. Why would they need help?"

"I believe it is to gain their trust and support. With the emperor's knowledge of the present situation limited to the last bit of news he received-"

Tyuule's right ear twitched slightly, and she automatically lowered them in submission to the approaching man, quickly interrupting Bouro.

"Yes, yes, let me handle it... now scram, he's almost here."

"I'll be quiet."

"Leave, Bouro. You have your orders."

There was a silence, but she could still feel his presence in the room.

Then there was a disappointed sigh.

"Majesty, you make me feel like I'm worthless."

"Your pay is now in gold and silver. If you want a raise, you may ask for it."

There was a groan, but Bouro did not argue, his presence vanishing as the door to the main chamber opened and Zorzal marched in.

The emperor yawned loudly, saying "My... apologies, I knew you were busy last night, so I went and got some cheap concubines from a brothel... good enough for what I paid for, I suppose, but the wine I drank has me... all mixed up..."

Tyuule hid her disgust as she turned and pretended to cheerfully greet the emperor.

"Ah, I hope my emperor feels better after today. I bring good news! More merchants have been interested in supplying you with whatever you wish to fight the enemy from another world!"

Zorzal sat on the throne with a less than dignified groan.

"Don't remind me of such things, Tyuule, just... what's the business for today?"

"Hmm? Well, I organized the new recruitment laws so that the legions can bolster their ranks. You will more than likely be needed to judge officers that can be given the rank of general faster to accommodate-"

"Generals? Did- did I order this?"

No.

"Yes, actually. Last night, you requested it. General Rufus is looking into it now and he plans to bring you some capable officers for you to judge."

Technically on my orders, but he doesn't have to know that.

"Ah... ah, yes... Rufus... good man. An honorable man... hmm... and of the matter of the Rose Knights..."

"I'm glad you asked, Majesty, they seem to want to avenge Princess Pina."

Zorzal sat slightly straighter at the mention of his technically missing sister.

He put his hand to his mouth, appearing to be deep in thought, not that it fooled the white-haired girl, and perhaps even trying to emulate some of the older sculptures of past emperors.

"They... intend to attack the enemy? Directly?" he mumbled.

"Indeed!" Tyuule spoke as if it wasn't a big deal, as if the emperor could just wave his hand and decide based on a whim and it would not change the outcome of the situation.

Zorzal, however, did not envision himself as such a lax ruler.

"Hmm... the Americans have not returned to confirm if they will retreat from Itálica, but... a reckless attack by the Rose Knights may lead to another desperate raid... I don't want that, not after I just regained order in the capital."

Tyuule smiled sweetly, saying "Wouldn't your defiance have already pushed them to a raid after you refused to surrender, majesty?"

Zorzal nodded.

"Yes, indeed it should have, but they have not!"

"What's more, even if they repel some badly trained noblewomen in armor, maybe they'll do some damage and weaken the enemy for your inevitable reclaiming of the land."

"Yes... YES! Indeed! No matter how you slice it, I lose nothing by sending them on the attack! It's such a simple, yet... brilliant move!"

Tyuule giggled, saying "Oh, majesty, your intellect knows no bounds!"

"Indeed! Bring the Rose Knights to me at once!"

She bowed and nodded, smiling all the way.

Partly out of a need to remain pleasant around him, partly out of the fact that she was managing to accomplish what she had strived so long for.

With the planned system of conscription, more of the Empire's men would be drafted into military service or face jail time. Perhaps controversial, but since when did Zorzal care about the plebians? Assuming he attacked the Americans, and it seemed he wanted to do just that, it would lead to even more destruction.

Better still, the fact he wanted a larger army created the need for more officers, which meant that unprepared men could be put in a position of responsibility that did would only result in them doing more harm than good!

Then the thought occurred to her that she was going to genuinely bring about as much destruction on the empire as the empire had brought to her people.

She didn't have to imagine the wails of mothers who lost their children as it echoed in the back of her head, and deep down she didn't particularly care, but...

Why do I feel so uneasy about this all of a sudden?

She heard Zorzal's stomach growl, which reminded her of the individual in the kitchen that had, albeit briefly, gotten her mind off vengeance.

Her face grew warm.

Zorzal noticed and a perverse smile manifested on his face.

"Oh, did my little bunny miss me last night?"

Tyuule felt her blood run cold then, but she only said "Of course, majesty, though I understand how busy your schedule is."

"Oh, I can make time for you..." he muttered grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to him, his other hand reaching for her thigh and quickly moving up to her skirt.

Tyuule reluctantly maintained her smile, hiding her disgust with the young tyrant.

As he tugged at her already loose skirt, she heard footsteps approaching.

Just... just bear with it... Wait... is that-?

"Breakfast, your-" the American said, the guards opening the door for him and letting him push the cart of food inside.

Dennis froze, seeing the Emperor pulling at the white-haired girl's skirt.

He immediately looked to his right; eyes wide despite focusing on the marble walls.

Zorzal laughed, removing the girl's skirt entirely, causing Tyuule to completely freeze up, praying to whatever god would listen that the American didn't turn to look, saying "Oh, what an adorable young man. Have you never seen a naked woman before?"

Dennis continued staring at the wall, saying "N-no, Emperor... my... family raised me on the value that-"

"Oh, the family value of abstinence? Come now, if the gods intended for man to only lay down with one woman for his entire life, then why did they make it so much more fun when there are more than one? Can you not appreciate the beauty of my conquest at least?"

Dennis turned to look at the girl.

On the one hand, the girl's underwear was certainly different from the ones he'd seen on the Sears advertisements, but it was certainly eye-catching in its own way; as if Zorzal wanted her to bring about as much lust as possible.

On the other hand, she clearly didn't want him looking at her, so he turned away immediately as he spoke.

Zorzal laughed then, saying "Oh, you're adorable! Would you like to stick around?"

"An interesting proposition, majesty... b-but they do need me back in the kitchen... so, if it's alright with you..."

Zorzal sighed, saying "Fine, fine, leave the food there... but you can't remain naïve forever, son of Tobias."

"Of course, Emperor..."

Zorzal huffed as the young man exited the door.

"Honestly, loyal as he is, he seems like such a child... oh?"

Tyuule's face as red as a ripe tomato and she looked almost as if she had been violated.

"Tyuule are you unwell?" he asked.

"O-o-of c-course not!" she immediately stammered out, eyes not leaving the door.

Zorzal frowned, mumbling "You're embarrassed he saw you?"

"I-"

He didn't let her answer, standing up, saying "You're not embarrassed when I see you... what's that about?"

"w-well... his majesty has been with me for so long-"

"You're never embarrassed when others walk in on us..."

Damn!

"Well... majesty... none of them are... new..."

"You didn't seem embarrassed when you met him a few weeks ago. Your rags covered even less back then." Zorzal's tone was turning ever more ominous.

He put his right hand on her shoulder, squeezing it so that it hurt, smiling as he asked "Is he distracting you in some way?"

"N-no, never! It's just..."

Think! Think!

"I... he... he reminded me of... someone..." she half lied.

"Oh? Who?"

"A... close... person..." she fully lied.

"Oh... then let me help you forget them." he began, his hand going to her neck.

She braced herself for the beatings to come when the door was pushed open.

Dennis quickly walked in, head tilted forward not looking at the girl.

He picked up the cart, pushed it ahead, saying "My deepest apologies, I forgot to set your breakfast up properly... oh, and may I borrow Miss Tyuule, I need to inquire about some issues in the kitchen."

Zorzal frowned, saying "What issues?"

"Emperor, it's... it's a matter of... confidence. I'd like to consult her before making a decision."

He looked at the girl.

The girl only returned a worried glance before looking away.

Zorzal noticed, and quickly grinned.

"Oh, I see, I see... you've grown interested in her?" he asked, almost playfully.

Dennis knew the threatening tone, and was about to speak, when Zorzal slapped his shoulder, saying "I understand the degree of jealousy one must feel as their superiors have much more beautiful women to be with, no?"

"I... in a way, yes... I apologize..." he mumbled, eyeing the prince's hands.

If I have to kill him here and run... well, I wouldn't mind.

Zorzal surprised him then.

"Look, you helped me a lot, I will never forget that... but do try to remember that Tyuule is mine. I can help you find another Warrior Bunny if you're interested, but this one is mine."

Dennis glanced at the half-naked girl before quickly glancing away.

He turned to Zorzal and smiled childishly as he hid his inner disgust, saying "That... would... be greatly appreciated!"

Zorzal again patted the young man, saying "Well that's all cleared up then! Tyuule!"

"Y-yes?"

"Get me a list of the Warrior Bunny's locations! Our young helper will greatly appreciate it! Quickly now, hop to it!"

"Y-yes, majesty!" Grabbing her skirt, she bowed, and quickly ran off, vanishing behind the side door not too far from the throne.

If there was any relief to be felt, Dennis didn't feel it as Zorzal squeezed his shoulder tightly.

Zorzal's smile faded ever so slightly the second Tyuule was out of sight.

He turned to Dennis and said "I meant what I said... you helped us. I owe you..."

He put his index finger on the American's chest then, whispering "She was an enemy of the empire. I conquered her... not you. Do you understand? If you live by family values, then I'm sure there's something about desiring a man's woman."

"I... I didn't know you two were married."

"Oh, goodness no! Marriage is so tacky... but she belongs to me regardless."

Dennis felt his left hand tighten its hold on the food cart as his right hand moved to the colt.

This would be the moment he grabbed the villainous prince and put the gun to his head.

Maybe present some ghastly threats of bodily harm.

Maybe outright kill him there and then.

Instead, he nodded, softly saying "Apologies, emperor... I'll keep it that in mind when speaking to her."

I'm no John Wayne...

Zorzal's smile returned, slapping Dennis on the back, saying "Excellent! We'll see if we can get you a nice savage girl. You simply must invite me that first night, see how a creature like that plays with a boy like you..."

Dennis shuddered at the thought with a mixture of fear and disgust, moving the food onto a small tray that he handed to Zorzal as he sat back on the throne.

"You made this?"

"No, sir, August did. I mostly help prepare the ingredients they use now... it's good training."

Zorzal took one bite of the smoked meat and sighed in pleasure.

"That man's cooking is as good as it gets... almost makes me forget you interrupted me and Tyuule... oh well... I do have other matters to attend to today..."

Dennis didn't reply, now feeling some genuine relief.

Zorzal said, "Don't do it again."

"Of course, majesty."

Noting the American hadn't entirely understood, Zorzal said "I know you won't do it again. I'm telling you that you're dismissed, son of Tobias. I'll let you know of the status of your concubine soon enough."

"Thank you, emperor."

Dennis turned...

Walked out of the royal hall...

Down the main hall...

He stopped...

He looked around...

He made sure nobody was around...

Saw that he was alone...

And promptly turned and vomited into some bushes.

After a moment he straightened up, shaking his head.

I have to get that girl out of here... God, I can't take much more of this.

He steadied his breath.

Wiping his mouth, he walked back to the kitchen, his mind on a certain white-haired girl,

Said girl was sitting on the floor out in another hall, sun rays shining in through the windows and illuminating the purple curtains she hid behind.

Tears rolled down her face as she tried to compose herself, her body shaking as she cried as silently as she could.

Idiot! Stupid, stupid, STUPID idiot!

Her face remained red as she began to shakily calm herself, wiping away her own tears on her arm.

Don't risk yourself like that for me...

Not that she could actually tell him that given what his mission was. Maybe some other time she could be honest with him.

But not yet.

She sat there, taking soft breaths before she stood up, face hardening again and becoming cold once more.

There was still work to do.

10:44 AM

Clef observed Dennis continue his now DeFacto job of chopping vegetables.

He didn't talk to anyone; he didn't look at anyone.

He just did as he was told until the job was done and then he would leave.

And it looks like he didn't poison the current emperor... unfortunately...

Clef closed the wooden door to his office and pressed his forehead against the well-crafted stone wall of the well-furnished room. He had secretly been worried about his small sanctuary from the stresses of working in the place. His quaint wooden desk, the couch that had been a gift from none other than Molt himself, and the calming purple curtains gave him a wonderful view of the palace courtyard.

He had to be thankful to Zorzal for not pushing the Empire to its brink and forcing him to abandon this calming place... but was it the right choice?

He turned to the only other person in the office, the man staring out the window.

"So... nothing?"

August only said "Emperor is definitely fine. Den doesn't complain, he doesn't even comment anymore... he just does as told. I managed to get another decent look at his room, but I can't find anything... not without alerting that wench."

Clef quickly said, "Mind your tongue!"

"Chef, if the Haryo tribe wants me dead-" he began his defiant monologue, but Clef cut him off.

"You don't know how much reach they have! Even speaking of them is considered bad luck..."

The other man sighed, sitting back into the seat, a scowl on his face.

Neither man spoke, as if they were in the right position to do something, could do something, but didn't know what or how.

August broke the silence then.

"I'm starting to believe the situation is not as complicated as we thought, though."

"How so?" Clef asked.

"Maybe the rabbit is the one interested in him?"

Clef shook his head, moving to his desk to sit down.

"Even if that were true, it wouldn't explain why the emperor is also protecting him... the fact that he's not going to investigate Molt's death is proof enough of some kind of conspiracy is happening between them. And that's ignoring the disappeared praetorian guards I ordered to watch the exits that day..."

No one has asked about them, either...

"I want to investigate the death further, but avenues are limited."

"Indeed... best we can do is keep him at an arm's length."

August nodded, albeit angry.

There was a knock on the door.

Clef walked over and opened it.

"Sir, I finished the-"

"Good, that's all for today from you."

The young man winced, visibly confused.

"...sir?"

"Scram for the day. Go hang out with that rabbit you like so much. I don't want you buggering up the kitchen."

The young man was silent, but politely nodded and left.

August shook his head.

Clef said "We must walk lightly, August. Any misunderstanding could be used against us if the emperor is under the spell of that white-haired witch."

"Then what will we do?"

Clef peeked out the door, staring as the young man left the kitchen.

"We wait... Simple as that."

Near Dumas Mountain Range

Fire Support Base "Bill"

10:59 AM

"Why did they call it Bill?"

"Cause a guy that got hit by an arrow and shipped home was called Bill."

"Really? Shipped home for an arrow?"

"Arrow to the back; he may not walk again."

"Damn..."

"Yeah, keep an eye on those trees... this little trench is probably going to be all between us, the arrows, and the almighty."

"Why the hell are we even digging trenches? The enemy doesn't have any artillery."

"Ballista."

"What?"

"Ballista. It's like a giant bow and arrow. I hear some could take out our Hueys if they hit 'em, and I don't think a line of sandbags is going to be enough to stop a catapult."

"...Damn."

"Yeah, say what you will about the ancients... ways of killing was one problem they were more than happy to solve."

"Juan! Harrison! Less yapping, more digging!" the incredibly loud voice of the man walking over the dugouts snapped the Americans back into doing their job.

The Lieutenant quickly turned to the map that rested on a wooden board on the Tactical Operations Center.

The name made it sound futuristic and high-tech, but in reality, it was just a tent and a few radios surrounding a table.

The colonel from the 7th rubbed his chin, saying "Right if we keep going at this rate, we'll have a fair bit of control over this area."

Another officer, the insignia making it clear he was from a different company said "We've got any more artillery coming here?"

"Couple of 105s. This firebase will probably be the least equipped."

The man shrugged, saying "Can't be strong in all places..."

"That's an unfortunate reality here. There's too much ground to cover and the enemy has gotten wise. They haven't tried anything this past week."

"Have we destroyed all their nearby forts?"

"Yeah, specifically the ones they kept those flying things..."

"Wyverns."

"I don't care. We bombed them and the places are nothing but rubble now."

"Good. Damned things could rip us a new one if they caught us with our pants down."

A pause as the men reminded themselves that even with superior technology they were still at risk of losing people.

"Any plans to begin clearing the forests around here? The cover and concealment those trees provide the enemy-"

"Air Force is cooking something up, but at the moment... we have to ease into this."

The other officers groaned.

A younger one, the pale-skinned young man likely eager to prove himself asked "Why the hell aren't we pushing forward into the enemy capital? What's the brass thinking?"

"Taking the main threats out first, lieutenant."

"Mark my words, this is going to be a mistake."

"Army doesn't make mistakes, el tee."

"Still. We have the main enemy force pinned to the mountain, we should push to the capital, capture it, and then force these guys to surrender."

"Well, not everyone gets to a high enough rank with their brains intact, son." the colonel said, lighting a cigar.

The young man huffed, saying "Don't have to tell me twice... and what's this about an order of knights?"

The colonel flipped the lighter shut and said "Right, Princess Pina has ordered her knights to join us and assist us any way they can."

"We already have guides and translators, what will we need them for?" another officer asked.

"Beats me, captain. They'll probably be arriving soon, though, so make something up."

Itálica

"So, you intend to talk to Tiberius, have him end the campaign, and then eliminate Zorzal to take the throne and establish a republic to better satisfy these... Americans." Diabo mumbled aloud.

The lavish rooms of the Formal Mansion were much more comfortable than the cramped carriage he and Lady had been practically living in the past few days, but the tension in the air was tense, making it difficult to enjoy it. Still, the cotton-linen on the couches was comfortable enough, and the tea being served by the Bunny girl was serviceable enough.

"I don't understand. If they're so powerful then why not just destroy them outright?" Lady asked in a low, almost accusatory tone, lifting her empty cup for the bunny girl to serve more, the girl dutifully moving to do exactly that.

Pina only said, "Because I begged them not to, and... and because of this."

Pina placed several parchments on the wooden table that were certainly... odd.

"What are these?" Diabo asked, grabbing one.

"Photographs, the Americans call them. I don't know how they work, exactly, but they can essentially capture a moment in time if I understood?"

Diabo shook his head, muttering "These are incredibly detailed pictures, so I'll assume that's true. What's this?"

He pointed to several Americans standing next to a hole in the ground.

"Those are photographs of traps Tiberius had his men set on the mountains."

"Ah, so they can't just charge in then. They're really as human as we are, then." Lady mumbled, elegantly sipping her tea.

"Correct, so they're considering other options, including just destroying the entire mountain range..."

Lady nearly spat out her tea.

Diabo quickly asked, "Can they do that?"

Pina only said, "I've seen enough to not want to find out if they can or not."

Diabo stood, and said, "Why haven't you negotiated with Tiberius?"

"I've tried! I sent a messenger to the mountains and haven't heard back yet."

"How long ago?"

"One week. I was speaking with their leader then, and we decided-"

"YOU SPOKE WITH THEIR LEADER?" both almost exploded.

"O-of course I did! We need to establish some form of alliance going forward, so..."

Diabo sat back, contemplating things.

Lady, on the other hand, spoke rapidly, saying "Would that not make you a puppet, dear cousin?"

"They don't intend to... I think... we're trying to create a fairer system where we can better manage our empire and keep the population in better living conditions."

Lady sighed, "You always did care for the commoners more than your heritage."

"C-cousin-"

Diabo spoke, saying "What changes do they intend to push?"

Pina rubbed the back of her head, saying "Well, for starters, no more slaves."

"Impossible."

"Necessary."

"The economy-"

"Most of the economy is already made up of farmers and the military, and if manual labor is so necessary then we can utilize the military, or perhaps a system of mandatory labor where citizens are required to assist in some of the maintenance work of the Empire for a certain amount of time... I have a couple of senators discussing a possible Constitution so that we can better manage things, but... slavery has to go."

Diabo rubbed his chin, saying "Perhaps not."

"Brother-"

"Hear me out... I think they want to end this war quickly."

"No."

"Listen to me. You saw their soldiers; the men have no armor other than their helmets. They didn't push straight into the capital not because of Tiberius... Tiberius is stuck in those mountains waiting for them to attack him."

"I asked them not to take the capital."

"I'm sure you did, but the fact they agreed means they have a vested interest in saving lives... we can use that."

"Brother, you're making the mistake father did. This isn't as simple as outlasting their will because we already killed so many of their people in the first encounter our two worlds had! Have... have neither of you noticed how secure everything is?!"

Silence.

"They prioritized securing civilians and getting them out of the way unharmed. Any army trying that in a total war like this one... would rightfully be called foolish and naïve... but here they went and did it. You read my letter; you know of what happened here!"

Silence, both royals shifting uncomfortably in the luxurious couch.

Pina said "Look... I need your help. Tiberius ignored me, but I doubt he will ignore you, brother. You're the second in line to the throne-"

"I am, aren't I?"

Pina stiffened.

Diabo grinned cruelly, and it reminded the red-headed princess of her older, far more violent brother.

"Indeed, I am, no?"

"Y-yes..." Pina ceded, clearly worried.

Diabo noticed and shook his head, saying "Apologies, but I had an idea I could use to... oh, maybe bargain with these Americans... but let's try things your way first."

He stood up, Lady eyeing him, saying "W-what are you going to do?"

Diabo only said "Why the very thing a leader is supposed to do... fix things. Come, let's do this as soon as possible."

"I... I sent an order to my order of knights, and they should be here in a day's time."

"Not soon enough. Come."

"H-huh?" both girls questioned.

"Tiberius is probing the enemy... I've seen his tactic before. We have but a limited window to talk to him and see if we can force a surrender."

Imperial Capital

12:00 PM

Bozes only sucked in a breath as she began to approach the royal hall.

Hamilton quickly said, "Chin up, we can do this..."

"This is a most unbearable of betrayals."

"Don't think of it that way. We're saving lives, remember? And princess Pina is right, General Tiberius is more of a traitor than we are."

"Perhaps, but to be used in such a way..."

"Just bear with it, please."

The guard opened the heavy doors to the royal hall and in the Rose Knights went.

Bozes did her best to hide her disgust with the white-haired girl standing next to the Emperor, Hamilton gently bumping her shoulder as if to remind her that she was working with them despite how much she hated them.

Tyuule, in contrast, relished in the blonde's disgust, more than happy that Zorzal had forgotten the incident in the morning.

Now Emperor Zorzal loudly said "Bozes! Hamilton! Daughters of the noblest of houses! Friends of my sister! Leaders of the Rose Order of Knights!"

Oh, enough...

With a confident grin, Zorzal finally said "I have heard your wishes. Are they true?"

Bozes said "Indeed. We wish to avenge our leader. We've always been battle-ready and... and we intend to demonstrate our loyalty to the Empire, even at the cost of our lives!"

"Hmmm... Tyuule, what do you think?" he asked, not turning to look at the fallen queen.

"A most wonderful display of loyalty, your highness... however, I wonder if their actions will demonstrate the same?"

Zorzal noticed the look the blonde gave Tyuule but didn't comment on it.

"Emperor, we've been battle-ready since the invasion several months ago! We're fully aware you plan on building your forces for a full-scale counterattack! Let us go ahead and assist General Tiberius!" Hamilton quickly added.

Zorzal mumbled, "Oh, right, Tiberius... haven't heard from him since he left."

I wonder why...

Tyuule's face didn't betray any of her inner satisfaction of the emperor being left in the dark.

Zorzal smiled further, saying "Well, I see no reason as to why I should keep you! You have some incredibly expensive equipment. Go ahead! And tell that moron Tiberius to give me a status report already!"

The two Rose Knights blinked.

Zorzal, perhaps believing they wanted a much grander exit, loudly said "Go forth! Order of Rose! Avenge my sister and push the enemy back! I long to see the results of your expedition!"

The two knights nodded, bowed, and left.

Tyuule only smiled.

It's all going to plan...

Zorzal then said, "Now, what else do I have to do for today?"

Tyuule quickly said "The meeting with the generals and heads of the army, highness."

"Ah, of course, of course... I hope to hear great things from them!"

As do I...

Noting that the Generals weren't there yet, Zorzal said "So... did that boy try anything with you?"

Tyuule forced herself not to react.

Oh, she had been caught off guard before, but not now.

"Nothing other than the occasional look, majesty."

Zorzal smirked, saying "Well, you are a beauty... and I suppose it's only natural for him to find your body attractive. Still, should he try anything..."

At that moment the generals arrived.

"Ah, gentlemen! What word do you bring?"

The men looked at each other, Tyuule noticed the uncertainty in their eyes.

"Good news, majesty, the troop numbers you requested appear possible, and with the support of the merchants, we believe we can be ready to push out in a few weeks."

"Splendid!"

"However, we have some concerns we would like to look into. Nothing certain yet, but... if it pleases his majesty, would it be alright to discuss them at length tonight, so that we can make certain we aren't missing anything?"

Zorzal smiled at the respect.

"Of course, men! I'll have the cooks ready a wonderful dinner!"

Tyuule hid her suspicions, remaining silent.

What concerns do you have, generals?

Dumas Mountain Range

Pina only sighed as she raised her hands in surrender, trying her best not to appear intimidated by the four legionnaires aiming their spears at them. They weren't wearing any armor, but several had the jewelry associated with the northern legions visible through the grass and leaves tied to their hands and legs to better blend into the thick forest of the mountain region.

Diabo on the other hand said, "Well now, is this any way to treat guests?"

"Brother..."

The men in the bushes didn't lower their spears, one loudly saying "Prince, you are out of your league in this forest. We suggest you return to your captors at once. We are not here to free you and do not intend to negotiate with the enemy."

Pina immediately said "Please, we need to speak with General Tiberius! It's imperative that he hear this first hand!"

The legionnaires glanced at one another.

A larger one muttered, "Search them for anything suspicious."

A lone man walked over and patter her down before moving on to Diabo and doing the same.

The man sighed, dejected, saying "I don't feel anything on them."

With an equally dejected sigh, the legionnaire in charge said "Fine. What message would you like to send the general?"

"We would rather speak with him to end this bloody conflict."

Diabo spoke with a confident smile.

The men looked at the forest behind the two royals.

Nothing.

"Fine. Scipio will direct you to avoid the traps. Go."

"Thank you..." Pina said, pushing up, her battle uniform making it far easier to move in the mossy, thick forest than Diabo's tunic. Though the crown prince managed well enough.

Several meters behind them, a pair of American Marksman raised their hands.

Down in the firebase, the colonel said "Tell command the princess is in... now we just wait."

The speck of red hair vanished in the treelined, and the short-haired knight muttered "I should have gone with her."

"Don't beat yourself up. If she gets in trouble, we'll get her out right away..."

On the mountain path, Pina and Diabo pushed on, vegetation partly clearing away as they reached the entrance to a rocky cave that was covered by trees and flanked by cliff sides.

At its maw stood the bearded figure of the old general.

"General Tiberius!" Pina exclaimed, waving at him.

"Princess, I'm glad you're alright."

"General, there is much to talk about. Did you receive my messages?"

"Indeed, though I doubted them until I saw you... what are you doing with the enemy?"

Diabo frowned, unsure as to why the general was addressing the princess and not him, but he wasn't going to interrupt armed men. If politics had taught him anything was that it was better to speak when it was opportune and not when one felt like it.

Pina quickly said "I've been discussing peace terms with the Americans. I have a few senators and nobles on my side already, and with your help, we can end this-"

"Princess, please slow down... peace? With them?"

"Yes!"

"How so?"

Pina felt a surge of hope as she said "Well, brother believes he has a chance against the enemy and will likely march out of the capital with an army-"

"Molt is dead?" he asked suddenly.

Pina winced, confused.

"Did I not mention-?"

"I... you did, but... I didn't believe it... so the capital hasn't been evacuated?"

"No. Zorzal wishes to continue the war in a more conventional sense."

The man scoffed then.

"Of course, the foolish brat would be the old man's downfall. It must be hard for you." the man said with a pained expression.

Pina was unsure of what to say.

Yes, it was hard for her, but she had been so busy and her father had practically tried to sabotage her peace attempts... grief was not on her mind as much as it might have been another daughter after the death of a patriarch.

Instead, Pina quickly said "General, I must be honest, father's choices would have ruined the Empire. They still might if we continue this war."

Tiberius stood there, staring into the distance.

He turned to her then, pointing at a nearby mountain peak.

"Princess, do you know what lies in that direction?"

Diabo raised an eyebrow, but Pina already knew.

"Our headquarters for the Dumas region. It was destroyed earlier this week."

"Correct. Sixty of my men died then. Good men. Veterans of the conflicts with the orcs, many of them even trained fliers."

"General, I-"

"Princess, you were at Itálica... I never got to ask you, but... what was combat like?"

Pina froze as the memories washed over her.

Hamilton holding a shield up as the American translator... whatever his name was... aimed his weapon that spat fire and death onto the attacking Brigands.

She knew how the rifle worked, but something she couldn't get out of her mind was how hellish the American's eyes looked as he killed and killed, as he saw bodies drop, as the night carried on, and it wasn't just him.

Every American soldier she saw had the same look as if they were somehow focused solely on their task of killing and yet focusing on something beyond that.

She only said "It was terrible... I wish to avoid it at all cost."

Diabo cringed, knowing the Imperial standard was to laugh at combat as if it was nothing. Men, soldiers, were supposed to take the brunt of war and show others how it was done, not once admit it scarred them, let alone suggest they couldn't handle it. It mattered nothing that Pina was a girl, as she was still a soldier of the Empire.

To his surprise, Tiberius only laughed, saying "Yes, I believe I had a similar reaction when I first saw combat."

The general shook his head.

"Naive... the innocence of youth... I miss it. However, princess, wishes are not what we are founded on, and I ask you now, Prince Diabo... what is the practical reason that I should choose to betray my dear friend and cease the fighting at once?"

Pina began to stammer something out, but Diabo quickly said "Put simply it will be the most beneficial. Your men will be allowed to live, they will be fed, and it will bring a quicker end to this situation, and we can actually negotiate with the Americans for better treatment."

Tiberius nodded slowly, saying "Negotiations... Princess, how many Americans were killed that first day?"

Pina quickly said "More than three hundred."

"And yet they've killed over a hundred thousand of us, taken the entire county of Itálica, and are surrounding the Dumas Mountain region?"

He laughed dryly.

"No, negotiations are long since done for, princess. Now it's surrender or destruction."

Immediately Pina said "No it's not! Surrender implies we gain nothing, but friendly relations with the Americans can be achieved if we-"

The dark glare the general gave her silenced the princess.

Tiberius darkly said "In all his years of moronic and incompetent spending choices, if there is one thing Prince... Emperor Zorzal... did right... it's that he almost exterminated the Warrior Bunnies. What those savages did to our men... unforgivable."

Angered by the statement, Pina immediately said "Is it any different than what your men did to them?!"

Silence.

"General, a cycle of hate will remain a cycle of hate until it is broken! If we don't try to find peace-"

"Then we face destruction... Princess, with all due respect... we soldiers are born in destruction... we live in it, we cause it, we experience it. After everything I've done, I cannot in good conscience disobey the Emperor's orders to continue resisting the enemy. I will continue to do battle-"

"General, that is not the most practical-" Diabo tried, but Tiberius turned to him in anger.

"I will not be denied my right to challenge and face the enemy on the field. You two can either help me or get out of my way..."

Diabo noticed the nearby guards reach for their blades.

He sighed.

Pina only said, "General, they don't want to destroy us."

"Men are practical, princess. They only sent you up here because they fear a fight as much as you do... so... in a way... I must thank you for confirming some of my suspicions."

"General!"

"I said that I will not be denied my battle. My men died, princess... I will not cease until I have paid these men with the same."

Pina sucked in a breath.

"Is there no way to convince-?"

"No."

So, with a saddened sigh, Pina said "If you are alive by the end of the week... please know that I will try to keep you alive. You've served the empire well, Tiberius. Farewell."

Tiberius frowned as the princess began to leave.

Diabo only shook his head, saying "We would be stronger if you sided with us."

"Why would I side with traitors."

Diabo rolled his eyes and followed his sister.

This time no guards escorted them as they walked down the mossy mountain path.

"Watch your step... they set traps in places."

Diabo ignored her, saying "Well, it was worth the effort. Do your American friends have any plans?"

"Yes, unfortunately. They said they would kill the forest first. I fear as to how they intend to accomplish such a task."

Diabo said "I'm more disappointed in the fact Tiberius refused to listen. I guess I underestimated how much he cared for father..."

"Indeed. Maybe-"

"Stop!" came the hushed whisper.

Both Pina and Diabo looked at the ground, the grass shifting in place.

A man!

The American, almost perfectly camouflaged, said "Traps. On the left. Go to my right slowly."

"...you men are a rather peculiar bunch..." Diabo muttered.

The soldier only said, "I just do as told, sir."

Pina nodded, moving to the right and continuing down the path.

Her mind knowing that hope for a bloodless outcome was looking less likely by the day.

She forced herself not to appear affected as she knew she still had work to do.

Red Light District

12:15 PM

Dennis stopped walking, his tired expression going from tired to startled and back to tired in the span of two seconds as the kid grabbed onto his leg.

He glared at Sean who was only grinning slightly.

"What the hell have you been telling her?" he groaned.

"Oh, nothing much, just that you bought her freedom."

"You bought her freedom..."

"Technically, Uncle Sam bought her freedom, all you did was point her out to me... and besides, look at her. She's scared and alone and doesn't have anyone."

Dennis's face twisted slightly and for the first time, Sean saw the young American appear genuinely insecure.

"I don't want to get attached to anyone here, man."

Sean said "You could always adopt her. You're a grown man, odds are any girl you marry will love someone with such paternal instincts."

Dennis turned and picked up the girl with both hands, unsure of how to even hold the tiny child.

The wagging tail only disturbed him further.

"You're a strange creature, aren't you?" he asked in English, the girl's head twisting to the side slightly.