//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: American Fox // by madhat886 //------------------------------// ! Inside one of the office rooms of the Dark Hand, Tomoko has been put to work in identifying agents from other agencies around the world. Currently she's busy looking through the pictures that spies have been able to take and ones that were already publicly known. And from the line up that Spookhouse has been able to gather, gives them a very powerful team to call upon. "The pictures of people in costumes at the main compound of Spookhouse are superheroes. People with powers or are really skilled who go around fighting crime. The biggest hitter I see is Kara Zor-El or Supergirl. Her powers are fueled by the sunlight making her almost invincible, super strength, fire beams of heat from her eyes, super breath, fly, and doesn't even need to breath air or even eat or drink just sunlight like a plant. 16 and 21 are the only ones who be able to hurt her and even then she can still beat them. Both of them have their limits while Supergirl has none at all. The only weakness that she has is a certain type of radiation which would be just as harmful to us as to her, and magic which doesn't work in this world. She can be depowered by red sunlight," Tomoko said to Abelia who is sitting on the other side of the table while other workers are writing everything Tomoko said down. "This Supergirl is that powerful?" Abelia asked. "She's a one woman army, or more effected then any nuclear bomb as she won't leave a radiation filled wasteland behind her. As for the other heroes, I don't really know much as I wasn't into western comics or shows. I only know some of them because of how iconic they are around the world in my world," Tomoko said. "So the other heroes that you don't know can either be just as strong or stronger then her?" Abelia asked. "Yes," Tomoko said. "But if they're like Supergirl they're still good guys and won't just attack without reason. Hopefully anyways." Tomoko looked over other photos and spotted a family picture of the royal family of America. "This is the Norton's right?" Tomoko asked. "Yes the royal family of the United States," Abelia said. "Can't believe the Americans voted to have a royal family," Tomoko said. "Yes from what I read about them it's surprising," Abelia said. "The Americans are the most powerful nation in my world and they're on their way in this one if they're not already. They simply have more room to grow and vast resources to call upon. It's the reason why Japan couldn't beat the Americans as they would had simply outlast the imperial army. Also how they seem to be getting all the the good stuff, like a entire city of advance atomic power giving them a city's worth of resources from factories, to people with skills. While here in Japan from what I have seen is getting more schools coming from events. Which while there are some with advanced technology, about half are useless in this world thanks to them being only able to do something like making holograms for a game or something like that. Then there are the ones which used exotic power sources that don't work in this world or magic which also doesn't work here. Or the machines that can only work for one person and no one else for 'insert reason' here," Tomoko said said as she reaches down and began flipping through some files. "Yes that is a problem," Abelia said as some machines are built so that they will only work one way or only by one person. Which left the hard way of studying what the machine does then trying to build one from scratch. "Then there's the simply fact that most of the people from events are mostly one trick ponies," Tomoko said looking through the files. "Mostly fighters, gamers, magic users, or other skills that are all but useless in this world. The people who actually know how to build things out of part or from scratch are very few and far between events. Not to mention how there seems to be that no one coming out of an event has skills that would be more useful to raise the standard of living. I never realized how much I would miss a flushing toilet till I had to go without it or toilet paper. Not to mention tampons." "Yes we're really lacking in that department. We're mostly getting people who are only really good in one thing, or school children who really don't know much as they're mostly seem to be taught to memorizes facts and not having much skills. Not to mention the ones who are completely useless. The schools do sometimes have useful things but the ones like that farming school with people who have hands on experiences, are way too few," Abelia said. "Let me guess you had to send people to other countries to learn the skills needed here, or hire expensive workers," Tomoko said. "Yes," Abelia said with a flat face and tone. "Even the giant robots we get that can still work are all but useless as they're made to serve one purpose mainly fighting. Not to mention that the people who come with said robots have no idea how to maintain their robots as they had someone else doing it for them, most of the time anyways. But then the ones who do know either have their robot being powered by magic or something that's only found in their world and how the engine works can't with anything else. Or that the stuff the robot is made out of can't be made or just way to costly to be useful." "Let me guess it will cost millions just to be able to use them in the field," Tomoko said. (1) "Sounds about right," Abelia said. "We simply can't afford to spend that much on a giant robot that won't just break down because of lack of something or a part that can't be replace finally breaks." "None of the schools have a giant robot workshop?" Tomoko asked. "There aren't any that uses technology that works in this world," Abelia said. "What about the robots like the ones from America?" Tomoko asked. "There was an Astro Boy but he ran out of power a long time ago and his body has been melted down to make several swords. And then there are those robot girls that appeared in the past," Abelia said. "And they all broke down right?" Tomoko asked. "Yes, without the equipments and know how they all broke or ran out of power. I don't know why some of those robot girls were so...," Abelia struggled to put to words. "Built for sex?" Tomoko asked. "Yes," Abelia said in a flat tone. "Most of them ended up in whore houses before they finally broke down or as sex slaves for men in power." "Let me guess there been alot of women who appear who are overdeveloped, with giant breasts and butts who are very lewd. And of course men who are very perverted who go and rape women. Who all are surprised in the people around them aren't as dumb as the people they're use to back in their world and that people don't just stand back letting them get away with anything," Tomoko said. "Yes the men are very surprised in how that people aren't just going to stand back as they rape women. And those monsters who all seem to do nothing but to kill men and rape women. Then there are the women who... seem to be made only to have sex, not to mention the ones who have male parts. Japan got a lot of events where sex demons both male and female appearing going on a rampage before they could be stop. It's the reason why the Dark Hand was created and why people began hunting and killing out worlders," Abelia said. "Japan is very well known for all the smut and hentai. Which explains why there are so many of those events," Tomoko said. "Then there are the ones whose body proportions are all wrong. Many magical girls have giant translucent eyes, long spindly fingers, giant head, thigh-length hair, large breasts, and elongated skeleton. Not to mention the ones with very small or have no nose to begin with. There are so many women with giant breasts that would be big even for western women, with the taste of clothing that's better for a whore house," Abelia said. "Let me guess in this world they leaned that they couldn't just go around wearing next to nothing," Tomoko said. "Many were assaulted and raped, or taken as wives or sex slaves. That happen alot in the past, mostly around Tokyo and the island it's on," Abelia said. "Well that explains why there are so many women around here... are different from most other women on the other islands," Tomoko said having seen many women around here who, have odd colored hair and are much more busty than normal especially for Japan. "Yes all those women from hentais appearing in the past is the reason why there are people born with wild hair colors and women with busty figures instead of the slender ones. It is a recessed gene so it pops up here and there, but mostly around here," Abelia said. (2) "What about the non human ones?" Tomoko asked. "The dangerous ones are killed while the others are sold to clans and nobles to be used as breeding stock. The clans and nobles pay huge sums of money for any non humans found, after children born from such unions displayed things like enhanced strength, speed, toughness, and senses from their non human parent. Of course some unions resulted in children born who can't have children of their own, and others have different problems thanks to mixing of non human genes, with some resulting in still births and children who don't survive into adulthood. Not to mention how many are completely unbalanced some of the children are, mentally that is," Abelia said. (3) "Which is why I haven't been seeing cat girls running around?" Tomoko asked. "The children born depends on the cat girl as some are closer related to humans then others. The results of some births had disfigured children because of how mismatched the parents are on the genetic level. The best results came from the elves and other races who can past as humans. Of course the ones who are already half human to begin with have better chance of parenting a healthy child then a pure blooded one, so they're the ones who are sought after by clans and nobles who wised up. They're the ones who have people with people who are display superhuman abilities with some ninja clans specializing so much that many of their members have powers like those superheroes," Abelia said. "Really now?" Tomoko asked, very interested to see this world's ninjas. ! Russia - From the command center of the Mobile Construction Vehicle or MCV for short, Talzin watch as the uruks loaded the transport vehicles with weapons and supplies. The MCV in the short amount of time that they been here just outside the city of Moscow, has changed things as well as the other gifts she has given to the Russian royal family. The strange factory that some scouts discovered several years ago, she never would had guess that it would lead to such advancements. There were only bits and pieces of information found, but it seemed that the world the factory came from is one where the Soviets of that world have masted the art of prefabricated elements, allowing them to quickly build just about anything quickly. The only thing that was needed was power and the resources to do it. That's how the first MCV was built after the people she sent finally figured out a way to power the factory and give it the resources to build the MCV. Then all what was needed was to drive the MCV to Groznjy Grad where there was the resources and power it needed to work. The villages that fall within Talzin protection that had valuable resources like mines, or because of the amount of food they can provided were built with new buildings from a MCV base that was driven there. The reactors allowed heaters to keep homes warm and provided lights. Greenhouses were built allowing food to be grown even in winter, with massive barns made to keep farm animals fed and warm. The war factories gave them vehicles that allowed for quick transport, the ore refineries gave the villagers work. The bases that formed around the MCV gave the villages and smaller ones nearby protection against bandits. Which now in the capital Russia was now being shown. The base built around the MCV had everything, reactors, ore refineries, barracks, war factories, an airfield, and a battle lab. The newly built Super Reactor is providing the city with power, that is protected by fortress walls, sentry guns, flak cannons and guards. Which also gave the base power, which she and her people are staying at. The barracks machine shops produced guns and equipments for soldiers who are clearing out the metro tunnels underneath the city. The Tesla and Desolator troopers are making short work of the creatures but because of their size of their armor suits couldn't go into small spaces. That's where the uruks, goblins and olog-hai came in. They were able to see better in the dark and their sense of smell allowed them to fight the creatures of the metro better then humans. With them being armed with guns and armor allowed them to fight better then when they were only armed with melee weapons. The dark lord who use to rule the uruks, goblins, and olog-hai had no idea what he had created. He just saw them as minions, while she saw what they're really be able to do. Once introduced to advance machines they took to it like ducks to water. The young ones especially learned how to used and make the machines, and as a workforce they're able to do much in a short amount of time. Learning to maintain and build the machines the uruks, goblins, and olog-hai are,'t just cannon fodder that the dark lord saw them as. Like the grog that the uruks make, which is such a strong drink that it can be used as fuel. Which were used till those glowing mushrooms made their way here, as the main source of fuel. Which while grog is still made the uruks have also started to make grog from the mushrooms as well, which does keep it from freezing in the cold. The goblins farm the mushrooms in vast underground chambers, which thanks to them already experts in farming mushrooms as a food source. Allowed to be enough fuel to heat homes, and power the machines. Talzin looked at the newspaper with the goblin bank being opened. The goblins who run the bank are a different breed from the ones of the Goblin King. But he still welcomed them in when a group of them came seeking a home after finding themselves in this world. They came from a magical world and like so many others lost their magic once in this one. But Talzin recognized the usefulness of the new goblins in their metal working skills and banking. They brought a real economy to the region she controlled, instead of the barter and trade system that was always used. Which the other goblins seeing how rich the new comers were getting joined in and learned from them. The dwarves of Lonely Mountain of Austria-Hungary became the biggest financial powerhouse in the world, but the goblin bank with the right investments can become a rival. Which is why Talzin is having the goblins go and invest in Cookie Corners company owned by the Norton's the royal family of the United States. Having a connection to that powerful family would be useful. The royal family like others have made attempts to have a member of their family to marry one of the Norton children but nothing came from the plans. While one of the daughters of Nicholas the current emperor of Russia could still marry into the American royal family seeing that the two older male children are still single, but what Talzin has in plan is in the royal prince, Alexei Nikolaevich. She had her best doctors and what advance medical equipments she had to treat the young prince for his hemophilia, as well as using her own powers. For he is one of the rare humans on their world that is born with a connection to the force. Talzin made her plan known to Nicholas and his wife about what she has plan for their son. She will teach him how to use the force, herself or one of her other students. Having a ruler with powers would get people to forget about his little medical condition. But more importantly Alexei should be sent overseas for schooling for part of a year in America. Namely in San Francisco to the school that Vanellope Von Schweetz Norton goes to, so that he can get close to her. Barbie Norton made it clear that she wouldn't force her children into any arranged marriages, but if Alexei could get to know Vanellope and form a relationship with her, Barbie wouldn't have any problems with them getting married when they're older. Alexei can even be housed with the Norton's while he stayed there, giving him plenty of time to get close to Vanellope, as well as being help learn to use the force from Jedi Barbie and Rose. Which can be the cover story to the reason why their sending their son overseas, so that he could learn how to control his powers. The royal couple agreed to the plan, and once their son is well enough to travel they will make the arrangements. ! United States - Hammerhead is a gas station and repair shop in Leide region which suddenly appeared in Colorado. That was over 10 years ago when that happen and Hammerhead is now also a truck stop as the station happen to appear near a main road that many trucks used. The diner is still there run by Takka, with Cid and his granddaughter Cindy still running the station. But now the station has expanded to cater to the truck drivers, with the caravans being replaced by an inn but they're still there incase of guests filling up all the rooms of the inn. The small town of Petersome which is near the station has grown thanks to the money that came from the visitors coming in to gas up. The lifeline of the town before the station was the train station, which is still in operation. But thanks to the station showing up getting people to visit the station to see one of the events up close, which people were already aware of thanks to T.R. show casing the giant talking fox around. The station attracted drivers of wagons who transported goods to stop by to get something to eat and rest their horses. And once cars began appearing with trucks being used to replace wagons, the station really got going being the only gas station around for miles. Cindy still runs the station but no longer wears the revealing outfit she use to wear. Seeing how badly the natives reacted to her outfit of choice, she now wears a jumpsuit like her grandfather. And that the outfit really isn't suited for anywhere that isn't close to the beach or for the standards of the culture. Cindy still works on cars, training workers in fixing cars and Cid still works on weapons mostly guns as people really didn't used melee weapons anymore. (4) The reason is that some of the animals from their world also came with them. There's the garula, herd of large quadruped mammals that are like elephants. They been rounded up and are now farm animals but there are still some wild ones around. Then there are the Dualhorns, a large, two-horned herbivore. Using their sturdy legs to support them, they charge at enemies with their entire body weight. Their rough, armor-like skin protects them from both hunters and the heat. Anaks, a long-necked herbivore. Scientists suspect its spine lengthened over time so it could pick the leaves and fruits off tall trees in an otherwise barren region. The females create herds around prominent males and raise their young together. The Mesmenir, a mild-mannered, herbivorous creature with a large, blade-like horn atop its head. Thanks to its long and limber legs, the mesmenir can gallop at speeds that rival an automobile. Its vehicular potential is wasted, however, as this creature is not domesticated enough to ride. And then there are the Sabertusks, an omnivorous and ferocious four-legged beast known to form packs and ravage the land. The Sabertusks are the the reason why people are armed with guns as the Sabertusks hunt humans. But thanks to over hunting the Sabertusks are mostly only found in zoos now. The other wild animals are also hunted for sport and for their meat. Some people are trying to domesticate some of the new animals mostly the garula who provide much meat, fur, tusk and hides, with some farms being able to tame them. But in the past couple of days strange things have been happening. It first started when a local hunted brought in a deer like machine on the back of his truck. Then came reports of sightings of strange machine like animals, like machines that walked on two legs and from their single eye they can fire a laser. Sightings of robot birds, with some being giants that can rain lightning down from the heavens. Even the rivers and lakes came sightings of giant robot alligators that could spit out ice. Then more and more machine animals began appearing, with some attacking cars and other transports. There are even machines as big as mountains that dotted the land scrap. Spookhouse agents have been called in to handle things, with the agents in the area using the station as a base. The large scale event brought a great number of agents and soldiers to handle damage control. ! Elsewhere - The machines aren't the only thing that came with the event as people and settlements appeared as well. At Colorado Springs, ruins appeared along side the buildings of the town along with strange animal like machines. With a group of people living in what was a bandit camp before a young woman name Alloy killed the bandits. A squad of 9 soldiers were sent in to defend the townspeople from the machine animals, lead by Captain John O'Rourke and agent Calamity Jane. With support from 4 eyebots and 2 securitrons, with 2 engineer protectrons. The army squads sent to the different towns and cities in the states effected by the event, all came equip with standard equipments but are also armed with energy weapons and have robots as support. With a cargo truck, a transport truck and two jeeps. The army is testing out small but well equip squads for rapid deployment used by soldiers who joined the military who came from future worlds. The larger cities effected by the event had more soldiers deployed to maintain order. "I think that's the last of these machines," Calamity said as she kicks the body of one of those scrappers that the natives called them. The people who came from the event reminded her of the native Americans in how they lived but they have been living along side with those machine animals. Which they hunt for parts that they use to build things even using shards of metal as money. Many agents have been called in to help ease them into learning that they're no longer in their world. The people at the camp are made up of outcast and travelers. "Expect for the Tallneck but it's harmless," John said. "Unless it steps on you," Calamity said. "Gadget wants to study it," John reminded her. The reason why their squad got extra robots was because of one of Mr. House workers tagged along with them, with her own guards of 4 securitrons, 2 Mr. Handies and 1 assaultron that serves as the driver. She and the 3 other lab coats are studying the machines and how they work. "A tiny mouse controlling a robot," Calamity said still finding strange things even after all that she has seen since working for Spookhouse. "I knew that the world was changing but I had figured that I would be an old man by then," John said turning to Calamity and saw that she's on her cellphone. The cellphones are still limited as the cell towers are still being setup but they are given to Spookhouse agents incase they discover something. "Smokey just called in from Yellowstone. He hadn't been able to contact anyone because of how much the event changed things, with a giant bear like machine destroying his cabin and equipments. The entire park is now covered in snow and those strange machine animals. He managed to befriend a shaman of the Banuk tribe name Ourea. He discovered much thanks to her help. He's calling in any help that he can get as something called the Cauldron is causing volcanic activity in Yellowstone," Calamity said. "Yellowstone has a volcano?" John ask. "Yellowstone is a volcano, the entire park is inside the mouth of a super volcano," Calamity explain causing John eyes to widen. "That would mean if it blows up...," John said trying to think. "That's why T.R. called in the big guns to handle things. But anyone close by is to drop everything and go there, it's a Dragon level threat," Calamity said. (5) "That bad?" John asked. "It won't end the world but it will effect alot of countries if it blows," Calamity said. "You're calm," John said seeing she's taking things well. "The reason why Smokey was able to make the call is because Diego Marquez Norton is there with him," Calamity said. "What's a member of the royal family doing there?" John asked. "He was doing a research on the local wildlife with a group of bodyguards, when he happened upon a young woman name Alloy who was traveling to Yellowstone following a signal from a device she has. So one of his mother's copies is heading there as we speak and her other copies are gathering as much help as they can get. So you see her highness has it all covered," Calamity explains. "Her highness does have many connects and favors she can call on," John said. "You have no idea," Calamity said. ! Yellowstone - Song's Edge is presumed to be the southernmost Banuk settlement, sitting atop a cliff northwest of the Grave-Hoard. Like most Banuk settlements, Song's Edge is comprised mainly of tents, although there is a hut operated by Oseram merchants. But after the event much of the land scrap has changed, where there were mountains was now flat ground and buildings that weren't there before with people in strange clothes and carts that moved on their own. (6) Then there's the strange creature that walks and talks like a man that Ourea found. His name is Smokey the bear, he's a bear that wears pants and a ranger hat. He showed off his strength as he's able to tear the machines apart with his bear hands and his shovel. He also doesn't mind the cold thanks to his thick fur that covers his body. Smokey and the rangers who survived have made their camp at the Visitor Center after taking care of the machines there. The intact buildings were all fortified and a fence made around the camp. And with the help of the Banuk learned how to used the machine parts from the destroyed machines. Even supplementing their limited ammo for their guns with the bows and metal arrows that worked on the machines. And in turn Smokey and the rangers helped the Banuk to understand the world they're now in, also the new animals that they share the world with. In the camp is a shaman name Enjuk, who at some point, he discovered a animal figurines, and noticed that it matched a totem in Hollow Hall. He also believes that Montana Recreations (abbreviated MonRec), the Old Ones group that ran the visitor center, was a person. He came to see this MonRec as "The finest natural scholar the Old World ever produced." His fascination with wildlife both past and present drove him to take temporary residence in Hollow Hall to study the holographic recreations of extinct wildlife and deeming the location "the shrine of forgotten beasts." He considers himself to be the apprentice of MonRec, hoping one day to become Enjuk Recreations in its memory. Smokey and the other rangers help him learn about the new animals and even found the other animal figurines while searching for supplies. And they told him about the animals that the holographic display showed of the animals. And Enjuk helped them find parts as they tried to fix the radio that was damaged during a machine attack. But that proved pointless as Diego and his ground drove in two RVs. Smokey called in for help, while Diego and his group helped out where they could. They went to the ruins of Greycatch which is a dam that's still standing. Where they met a man name Gildun who accidentally damaged the control mechanism for the floodgates, causing the facility to flood. They fixed the controls stopping the flooding, and gave Gildun a mirror that he was after. The dam would be important as even in it's damage state it could still be repaired to provide power to the region. They also went with Ourea to the auxiliary control center for Firebreak. Project Firebreak was a top-secret environmental protection project designed to stabilize the Yellowstone Caldera beneath the mountains of what was once Wyoming in North America. It is overseen and maintained by an AI called CYAN. The ruins of its facility, now called Thunder's Drum by the local Banuk. They learn about it thanks to the two protectrons and Mr. Handy that Diego brought with him, who were able to interact with the computers that are still working. "Aratak hold off the attack till more help arrives," Diego said as he, Alloy, Cracker and Lenny stood in front of the Banuk chief having drove in the RV to the village. Two squads of soldiers and Spookhouse agents have already arrived, setting up camp nearby the village. "How long?" Aratak asked. He has seen the power that these people have, with weapons that fire light like the machines. Even controlling those 5 strange machines that helped his sister Ourea in the ruins of the old ones, fixing the machines there. Like that floating eyebot as they called it that's watching them. "In a 2 to 4 days. They're gathering the equipments and soldiers so that what happen before won't happen again," Diego said. "We will wait then, it will give us time to learn to use the guns you gave us," Aratak said. "Thank you," Diego said before the eyebot began beeping. "What is it saying?" Alloy asked as the eyebots can talk but in beeping sounds that only Diego and his group and understand. (7) "My mother is here, she's at the visitor center," Diego said sighing. "Knowing her, she would just had to be nearby," Cracker said shaking his head. "What's wrong with your mother?" Alloy asked. She has been traveling with Diego and his group for a couple of days now and gotten to know them. She still doesn't know much about Diego's family just that his mother is Empress of the United States of American the country that she and much of her world is in now. She's still getting use to the fact that she's in another world thanks to something called a event, that took a piece of her world and brought it to this one. But it is nice to be with Diego's group who treat her better then the Nora ever had with few exceptions. "His mom still treats him like a little kid," Lenny said. "My mother was the same," Aratak said. "She's always mothering me and the rest of my siblings, mainly me and my younger brother and sister," Diego said. "You did just became an adult, old enough to live on your own, well your big sister still lives at home but she is the next empress," Cracker said. "Empress what's that a shaman?" Aratak asked. "You don't know what an empress is?" Diego asked. "Well it's important right? I never heard of the word before," Alloy said. "Empress and Emperor are another word for king and queen. Diego is of the house of Norton the royal family of the country of the United States which we are in," Lenny explains. "I have been traveling with a prince?" Alloy asked. "I thought you knew," Diego said. "I thought it was like a chief," Alloy said. "Well she is more of a figure head but she still has alot of power," Lenny said. "Come on, I'll introduce you to mom," Diego said leading his group to the RV. Leaving Alloy to wonder what's his mother is like. !