(A/N: Had this fic in the drafts and workshop, and I feel it's ready to start releasing this. Many things are already set in stone, so if you hope for something to happen or want to give a suggestion for something to happen, it most likely won't happen, since I have a good idea of where I want to take this. But who knows? Maybe I will.
I seriously considered rewriting everything, but then I remembered that I'm the one writing this and don't have to appeal to anyone, and people can just stop reading when they want, since they're not being forced to read this.
So, I may have been way over my head when writing this chapter and the early ones to introduce the protagonist, because I'm sure this will cause a lot of people to get upset. I'm sure people will abandon this just from this first chapter, but it's what I wanted to write. Or at least, it's what I settled on after many different drafts for a first chapter and protagonist. I say this because when looking back at what I initially planned, I wanted to extricate myself from this mortal plane from sheer cringe.
Anyway, since this is the first chapter, I made it like 5,000+ words, not counting these author's notes, as a sort of special release for the start of my new fic. I tried to catch as many mistakes as I could, but I'm sure there will be some left in. Sorry about that in advance.
I started writing and planning this in December of 2025, a bit after my first fic ended, and it was also supposed to be released that month, which is before a whole bunch of stuff happened. So, this is kind of outdated and possibly too on-the-nose and filled with things that are too soon and recent, given certain things that have happened. And if you wonder why, it's because the background I gave my protagonist would help explain why they know certain things and fit the powers they'll get. And it's also the kind of background that will make them talk about certain things, both controversial and unpopular, maybe even insane, and stuff like that. Though at times, I feel I may have overdone it. You'll see what I mean. And things like that will only be present in the first few chapters as my protagonist gets used to going to a new world. After that, it'll be typical and standard stuff. If you can put up with it, cool; if not, also cool. This stuff isn't supposed to make any sense in the first place and is just a wannabe armchair analysis that has no merit or empirical grounding to it.
This new fan-fic will hopefully be better, but it probably won't be, since this is my second time doing this, and there's a whole bunch of characters to juggle around, and I don't think I'll be able to get around to literally everyone, or show everyone, or give appropriate screen time to everyone given the where I plan to take this story and what the protagonist will do. It also means I most likely won't be able to write everyone in-character or do a proper characterization of them. But I can promise to try my best not to make things too out-of-character, but it's not a guarantee. And to those who read my first fic will probably know, but I'll try to scale certain things back this time. Unfortunately, or fortunately for those who liked it, it's not looking good with the plan I have for the story.
Feel free to comment on whatever you want throughout this story. I like reading the comments on my chapters occasionally, no matter what they are. Now, again, for the last time, this chapter will be inflammatory as hell—if the title of the chapter didn't give a hint already. Don't say I didn't warn you.)
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Order exists to protect the innocent. That is what they told us.
[1: Masters of War]
"Hayes, are you ready for the first day of your internship?"
"Yes, I am. Thank you for the opportunity."
'Geez, just call me by my first name. Calling me by my last name makes me feel older than I am. I'm barely in my twenties.'
Well, those are my thoughts. If I said what I really wanted to, I would be in big trouble. Anyway, this was it, my third internship. If I can't get a full-time job after this, especially knowing the stuff that's happening right now in the world, then I'll use the knowledge I have to drone strike this place.
Just an exaggeration, obviously. The places I've worked at make all of the drones, missiles, aircraft, and whatever other technology you can think of. Yup, that's right, I work for defense contractors. First, it was Lockheed Martin, then it was Northrop Grumman, and now it's RTX. And yes, it may be an "internship," but it functioned like a full-time job. And also yes, I've worked and seen the stuff they're all working on, and I mean the really nice and cool toys.
Now, how do I have the security clearance to see the really cool stuff across these different companies, which would make issues like knowledge of classified information and conflicts of interest arise? Don't question it. That's not important. What is important is that I'm going to make so much money helping to develop drones, missiles, and laser weapons. Yeah, that's right, laser weapons. Things that'll make the HELIOS weapon system outdated. But it's mostly the drones that are the main thing right now. The things that'll make an aircraft carrier a giant floating target instead of the country destroyer it is.
Imagine it, a multi-billion-dollar supercarrier being taken down by a few million dollars' worth of drones. A drone swarm, basically. Sure, a lot might get taken down, but they can't get all of them, and with enough drones making hits, it'll be enough.
Anyway, let's see what's up with this place.
"With your experience from working with our…collaborators, you'll be a good help around here."
That was the program manager speaking. There's a lot more, especially from the military. I've seen a lot of generals around, not just here, but also in the other places I've worked.
"We're about to receive a lot of funding from Uncle Sam because of the war happening, which means a lot of work and collaboration with the other places you've worked with. And also from our European and Asian contacts."
Damn, the Middle East conflict is spreading that far? Well, of course it is. Like the reason for any intervention in the region, it's oil. Well, in this case, oil is one of the many reasons
But still, who would've thought that war with Iran would spread that fast?
That was sarcasm, by the way. It doesn't take a genius to know that it would leverage its oil to get other countries involved, for example, China. Everyone knows what they're up to in Africa, but since it's not a Western country, nobody cares. They only care when it's a European country or America. Anyway, since China is involved now, that's why we're going to work with our Asian counterparts.
It's a shame the world will run out before we ever find a replacement for it. And I don't mean in terms of energy. Oil is in so many things that people don't even know it.
"So, I assume Britain, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Taiwan? Though mostly Germany and Japan, since they're the powerhouses in their respective regions? And Israel because…well, you know."
The program manager just raised their eyebrows and let a small laugh. "Yeah, basically, but also other NATO countries, as well as Australia, South Korea, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. But that's for other companies to handle, not us. We're going to be working with major defense companies for other countries."
"So, we're going to be mainly working with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, Rheinmetall AG, Airbus SE, Elbit Systems, and BAE Systems? Am I missing anything?"
"No, not really. You got the major players."
I let out a groan. "I guess I'll be having no days off?"
"Yeah, but you're going to make a lot of money with how much you'll be working."
Yes, that's true. So much money is going to be made here. People ask who the bad guy is. The people who use the weapon, or the ones who make them? The answer is simple: the bad guy is who you aim it at. Some people cry about war; I make money off of it. Because here's the thing, you can't stop war, but you can profit from it. Ukraine and Russia? Oh boy, the rebuilding of Ukraine will be teh best economic opportunity in Europe this decade.. Hundreds of billions will flow into it. Better get those companies that will be involved in the rebuilding. Reconstruction is big business.
I'm getting ahead of myself.
"Yeah, that's true. War is so profitable. Alright, let's do this. What's the agenda for today? I assume some of that introduction and orientation stuff?"
"Yeah. I'll introduce you to the team working on drones. That's the program I'm managing."
"Please don't tell me I'm going to handle the boring stuff. If I have to deal with layers of bureaucracy and administrative tasks, I'm going to lose it. Even the money doesn't make it seem worth it sometimes."
"I know what you mean, but I'll be honest with you, you'll have to do that as well. You know how things can be at places like this. But with war happening, things shouldn't be as slow as they usually are because of all the reviews and stuff."
"At least I'm being given a heads up this time."
As we were heading to the place that made the drones, I thought that at least I'll have more money to spend on Azur Lane. Actually, I have more concerns before spending money on that game; that game is mostly a distraction from other things in my life. I may not be able to have as much free time to watch anime, but I bet I can sneak in an episode or two during work, though. I'll see. And if it's weird that someone working for a defense contractor likes to watch anime and play gacha games, then people don't know how many furries work in science. It's a lot more than you would think. I guess they need a way to pay for those fursuits in some kind of way.
Yeah, this war is a good way to pay for that. Respect to the ones that are going to go fight, except for that one country, the Federal Reserve, the fossils in government, and a bunch of other stuff I don't want to spend time listing. I'm just going to be here saving lives by helping to develop drones, missiles, and other stuff.
Drones are the future. Metal before men, as it goes. Send in saturation attacks of missiles and drones before sending in any troops. They're cheaper to purchase and operate, provide increased safety, reduce military casualties by having the drone operators far away from the conflict, are more efficient, and can do things that would be too dangerous for manned aircraft. Why send boots on the ground for small groups of enemies when a drone strike can take care of the problem instantly?
That's why Barack Obama had the right thing in mind with drone strikes. If only the republican party knew what an ally they had in Obama. If Obama were white and a republican, he would be seen as the second coming of Ronald Reagan. Just look at the deportation numbers, his fiscal management, protection of wealthy corporate interests, and hoping the free market will work its magic, and low taxes. These are classic republican thoughts. His administration was also competent and technocratic. And I get tired of hearing the babble of "but the drone strikes! The expansion of the surveillance state!" Blah, blah, blah, get over it. He was a great guy.
Anyway, back to drones.
With drones, you don't have to deal with all the different problems that come from having troops on the ground. I'm talking about land mines, IEDs, snipers, dangerous weather, harsh environments, and more. And then there's the risk that boots on the ground for a small mission could escalate into something further. Not like that last one matters in this situation, since this is that "escalate into something further" moment I was talking about.
What I'm saying is: like it or not, drones are the future, and any country that can develop and advance them will do so. The future of all military forces will be drones. No more manned aircraft, those will be replaced by drones. Aircraft carriers and their strike groups will only carry drones and laser weapon systems to counter drone swarms. All naval warfare will be conducted with drones, swarms, lasers, electronic warfare, EMPs, and cyberwarfare. Air warfare will be drones. The only humans used for war will most likely be special forces.
And me? I am more than happy to contribute to this. Well, as long as no stupid international law gets passed making drones a war crime. That would be a big shame.
Maybe I should get involved in politics and start my own party. I'll call it the…War Eagles, and our mascot will be a drone. Not something stupid like a donkey or elephant. I'll bring Dick Cheney back from the dead for president, Hilary Clinton for vice-president, Henry Kissinger for Secretary of War, and also bring Douglas MacArthur back from the dead as well and accomplish his dream of a Sea of Irradiated Cobalt. This would be awesome. Sucks it'll never happen, though. May they rest in peace.
The program manager swiped a card, and we went into a large assembly room. "Alright, Hayes, here we are."
"Very nice." I saw drones being assembled. It was a beautiful sight. "So, when am I meeting the team?"
"In a bit. They're testing a new missile right now."
"Oh, really? I'd like to see it."
"Yeah, sure, you'll do it yourself while you're here, so might as well get a look at how it is."
We entered the lab and saw the missile testing going on. It was very technical stuff. I know a few things about missiles and other things, but drones are my specialty. But I can tell that the regulations and rules are being followed very strictly here; obviously, the last thing a defense company wants is for a lab accident to happen. If it does, that lawsuit is going to be insane. And I don't think Boyle v. United Technology Corp. would help them in that scenario, since it wouldn't fit the three things needed for a government contractor defense. But I'm not a lawyer, I'm someone who helps make weapons that will be used to kill soldiers, but unfortunately also civilians, non-combatants, innocents, and more.
It sucks, but it's going to happen, and I'm going to keep making them. I only make them, not use them. And if it isn't me, it's going to be someone else. Kind of a lame excuse, but oh well.
Morals and ethics? I have them, but unfortunately, morals and ethics won't pay for my school, food, my rent, my medication, and most importantly for me, they won't pay for my mom's hospital bills. You want to call me someone with no ethics? Well, I'd rather be who I am than some healthcare CEO who can literally save lives but chooses not to, because they care more for profits and the "bottom line" than they do for people.
Saving lives, even in my situation, is more important than how you're seen. It matters more than how you look, your image, the optics, etc. In my case, it's military lives I'm saving by reducing the need to send in troops to an area.
That's why I said that Azur Lane was mainly just a distraction for me. It's a fun game, and maybe a bit of a money sink, but ultimately a distraction. Though the thought of battleships is super cool, I know they're outdated and will never come back. Aircraft carriers are also cool, just not as cool as battleships. But it's fun to fantasize and imagine. A futuristic, maybe 22nd-century battleship with a battery of railguns, laser weapon systems, hypersonic missiles with AI guidance, and missile swarms. And for an aircraft carrier, imagine it sending out drones of different kinds. Enough drones to block the sun, a drone swarm. You know what? Just combine them. A…super…battlecarrier or something like that.
"That's a bit odd."
"What?" I snapped back to reality as I heard the program manager speak.
"The data and simulations of the missile are way off from what we theoretically projected."
I looked at the screens, and as I said, I don't know much about missiles, but it doesn't look good.
"I'm ending the test. Something is clearly wro—"
I had no idea what happened, but one second I was in the lab, and the next second I felt like I was falling through a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes of vast proportions. Colors I don't even know how to describe, and shapes that seem geometrically impossible kept warping around me like paint mixing in water. I felt like my stomach was going up to my mouth. It felt like I was free-falling. Eventually, everything seemed to slow down as it felt like I fell through glass, if the glass shard-like shapes I could see were of any indication, which is also the only shape that made any kind of sense to me.
I looked around, and finally, everything seemed calm.
'What the?' I thought to myself as I looked around. Except that sight seemed to be the only thing left of me. I had no body or anything else. It was all a black void, but there was what seemed to be a massive river filled with motes and sparks of bright, yellow light. It was…beautiful.
"Quite the sight, isn't it?"
"Woah!" I turned around and saw a…thing? A figure? A being? Let's just call it an entity.
"So, you are dead."
"Straightforward, huh?"
"You can say. You died in a lab accident with a missile."
If I had a body, it would probably be shaking from trying to hold in my laugh.
"That's weird. You're laughing at your death?"
"No, no, it's not that. I'm laughing thinking of that lawsuit. Holy hell, knowing the number would be nice."
"Oh, that. Well, if it makes you feel any better, your family won't have to worry about money ever again. Especially your mother, she'll live to grow old and die of natural causes."
"Really? That's nice. Everything I did was worth it then."
"I guess so. So, let's start talking about your new life."
"That reincarnation stuff?"
"Yeah. And before you died, you had a favorite game and a recently watched anime. So, we'll use those. Or do you want to come up with something on your own?"
Oh, I know what they're talking about. Let's see…Azur Lane and My Hero Academia. That sounded good to me. "Yeah, let's use those."
"Pick a world from those two."
This is an easy choice. "My Hero Academia."
"Now, before you died, you mentioned something about a 'super battlecarrier' and things about railguns, laser weapons systems, and a bunch of other things. And considering that the world you're going to takes place during the 22nd century, those technologies have made great advancements. So, I'm giving it to you. And since the powers will be Azur Lane-styled, pick an aircraft carrier and a battleship. This is only for your appearance."
"I choose USS Enterprise and USS New Jersey. And if I can make a request, I want to lean more towards Enterprise's appearance."
"That's fine. And you're going to need a hero costume. Want one of the outfits from the game?"
"Yeah, that sounds nice. I like the Soaring Wings of Freedom outfit. Oh, and could I have an outfit to look cool in? I mean like a ceremonial and decorative outfit?"
"Alright, you got it. It's just an outfit, so it's not a big deal. What were you thinking of?"
"The ceremonial dress of the Italian Carabinieri. I'm talking about the black uniforms, the bicorne hats with the red and blue plume, the black and red capes. The historic black uniforms."
There's no other military uniform that comes close to how cool those look. In my opinion, at least.
"Yeah, that's fine. They look really nice."
Look at that. The Italians made a uniform that can impress even a superpowerful entity.
"Now, let's go over your powers, or quirk, now. So, enhanced stats across the board, water-walking, radar, and the usual stuff, like the riggings, and you'll also get Enterprise's bow. But the fun part is the weaponry."
Yeah, this is where the fun begins.
"So, I'll give you railgun batteries that can shoot at Mach 8 to 10, modeled after USS New Jersey's Triple 406mm guns, but more sleek and futuristic. Also, hypersonic missiles with AI guidance, laser weapons systems for attacking and defense, and the ability for missile swarms. Now, for your bread and butter, the drones. Now, this is simple. You can throw out drones, whether from the arrows you shoot or from the carrier deck of your rigging."
"When you mean 'throw out drones,' what does that mean exactly?"
"You can summon drones of whatever you want. You want to summon a drone version of an Apache Helicopter? Go ahead. An F-35? Go ahead. A normal drone like an MQ-9 Reaper? Go right ahead as well. Whatever you can think of. Drones are the future, aren't they? It's not just a military approach. Use that brain of yours."
My own words are getting used against me. I'll see what I can do then.
"So, is that it?"
"Yeah, pretty much. You have a new world you're going to, and your powers and quirk. Oh, and before you worry, I'll make your quirk impossible to take away. Your quirk is a mix of emitter and transformation. You'll see what I mean when you start using it. Oh, and I'm going to give you two extra gifts. Make sure not to lose them."
"So, now this is it? This was a lot faster than I thought it would be."
"Well, it's not like there's much else for you to do here. Any questions before you leave?"
This is the part where I ask why they're being so generous with the powers they're giving me, but I'm not going to ruin this chance by asking a question of why I'm getting these powers. As a matter of fact, I'm not going to ask any more questions.
"Nope. No questions. I'm ready."
"Alright. Enjoy your new life. Live it how you want; it doesn't matter to me."
Again, I was pushed back, and I was falling backwards through the same warping of colors and shapes as when I arrived here. I don't know how long it lasted, since time doesn't seem to be relevant here, but I eventually fell back onto something soft.
It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust, but when I looked around, I was in a room. It looked like a hotel. And I also noticed I finally had a body. It looked different and also felt different, so I guess I need to get used to this new body quickly. I also feel younger, and I don't have my diseases anymore. Oh, this…now this is awesome. I don't have to deal with that anymore? I'll gladly change my body if I don't have to deal with those diseases.
I reached around the bed I was on and felt something like paper. I looked down, and it was an envelope. 'Is this the trope of a message from the entity that reincarnated you?' I thought to myself as I grabbed the envelope and opened it.
"Eleanor R. Hayes. That is your new name. It's basically the same, with the only difference being your first name; consider it something that connects to you, given your past life. To make this short and to the point, I'm going to tell you the start of this new life. Your background is that you're from America and are in Japan as part of a transfer program. Don't ask the details, just know that I made it like that. Why Japan? Since this is a new world and also set in a time period you don't know, I placed you somewhere you'd be most familiar with, given your knowledge. Also, your hero outfit, ceremonial dress, and those special items I mentioned will be in the wardrobe of the hotel room you're in. For the hotel, you have one month to stay there. In the envelope, there is also basic ID, other things, as well as paperwork for taking the entrance exam to U.A., which will happen in three weeks; use that time to familiarize yourself with your powers. As for your new body, I let chance take care of it. It was a fifty-fifty chance of male or female, and you got female. (A/N: I actually flipped a coin for this.) You also have a card that has the equivalent of $10,000 USD. That is basically it. Also, though I gave you the opportunity to take the entrance exam, you don't need to follow the path of a hero; if you want to be a villain or vigilante, go right ahead. If you have any feelings after the ethical concerns of your last life's job, then you can also use this chance to try to change, or not. The choice is always yours. That will be all. Enjoy your new life."
This was a bit to take in. But most importantly, right now, what do I look like? I got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. It was standard, nothing fancy, a normal bathroom. I looked in the mirror, and whoa, I look good, really good.
That entity wasn't lying when they said I'd look more like Enterprise than New Jersey. I had silver hair with a big streak of blue in it. It looked like I had poliosis but blue hair instead of white. It looked really cool, to be honest. I also had striking violet eyes. As for the rest of my body? Well, let's say that I certainly have a…blessed figure, to be humble about it. Definitely that Azur Lane influence.
There's no sign of my powers, so I guess I have to transform or summon them. Question is…how am I going to practice? I'll deal with it later. Let's see the wardrobe.
Leaving the bathroom, I went to the wardrobe. I opened it, and there it was: the Soaring Wings of Freedom outfit. It was the same thing as Enterprise's default outfit, but the little details made it look cooler in my opinion. The best part was the coat and hat, though.
And then there it was. The historic black and ceremonial dress of the Italian Carabinieri. Seeing it in person is so much cooler compared to pictures. I've decided! I'm going to wear this every chance I get! You know what? I'll make this my regular dress from now on. It would be a travesty not to wear this every moment I could. I'll wear this to U.A. if I go there. School uniform policy? Yeah, I don't care about it. And besides, a military dress uniform accomplishes what a school uniform is meant to do, but times ten. So, I'll be fine.
And, well, I'm kind of used to not having uniforms in high school. Most of the clothes I wear tend to be warmer and long-sleeved because of growing up and living in Alaska for some time, but I can make exceptions. And before you ask, no, we don't live in igloos, we don't ride polar bears, we actually kill them, but only in self-defense. I use blackout curtains to sleep in summer, I use a SAD lamp for winter, the daylight hours are not strange to me because I lived and grew up there, in fact, the daylight hours of lower 48ers are what's strange to me. Yeah, we get paid to live in Alaska from the PFD, but it's only like $1,000 to $2,000 a year, except for that one time it was like $3,000. Our internet costs a lot more than in other states, not all of Alaska is covered in snow and ice, there's a lot of green actually, and a bunch of other stuff. But I swear, if I have to explain the concept of taking a ferry to an island because that's where the airport is, I'm going to lose it.
But I'm not there anymore, I'm in Japan, which is also made up of a bunch of islands. Wait a minute…I can go to the Aleutian Islands. It should be an easy trip from Japan, since they took over Attu and Kiska during World War 2. Hmm…I'll think about it. Home is a lot closer than I thought.
Anyway, so, besides that, I also saw what I assumed to be the two special times that entity mentioned. To put it simply, it was a tablet and what appeared to be a fighter pilot helmet, but those really advanced ones. The ones that give a HUD and a bunch of other things. The money spent to buy these things is enough to buy a house, and I'm talking about a good house. It looked sleek, but the choice of cosmetics was…out of place. The thing had bunny ears. New Jersey influence, I guess. It kind of fits in a weird way.
I don't know how I'll take that around, but I'll find a way. As for the tablet, yeah, it looked way too advanced, not just for the 21st century, but even for the 22nd century. It's supposed to be a "special" item, so there's definitely more to it. Either way, I have three weeks to try to figure everything out about my powers, the helmet, and the tablet.
But before all that, I need a plan. A plan for my future one month from now. I only have one month in this hotel; after that, it's on to the streets. Do I want to be a hero? No, not really, and I doubt some people would call me a hero because of my job and opinions in my last life and what I contributed to, but if I get into U.A., I can definitely get some assistance in that part. I think they have dorm rooms, right? They just weren't open this early on. I can definitely live there, especially since they'll want to keep an eye on someone like me with the quirk I have.
Does that last part matter? Well, for some, yes. But a bit of cybersecurity, hacking, and electronic warfare can solve surveillance and privacy issues. For now, I'll go into U.A., since I need the resources they provide to students. Mainly a place to sleep and eat, and also to practice using my quirk without getting into trouble. I know Japan here is very iffy about quirk laws.
Huh, that makes me think a bit. I may be a bit biased when I ask this question, but how does America handle quirk laws? If America in this world is anything like how I remember it, then I have a good hunch.
I grabbed the tablet and turned it on. It seemed pretty normal so far, but I could definitely see some out-of-place things that a normal tablet wouldn't contain. Whatever, I'll discover the other features later. I went to the internet and searched for keywords like "US Supreme Court," "2nd Amendment," and "quirks."
It was literally the first search result, and I talked out loud because of how expected the answer was. "HA, I knew it! Oh man, would you look at that? The Supreme Court put quirks under the 2nd amendment. Oh, I'd would've loved to see the debate around that. Let's see what else happened in this world, since I'm curious now."
(A/N: I'm making all of this up, by the way, since some countries no longer exist after quirks appeared according to the lore, if I understand it right, so I'm just pulling stuff from out of "nowhere". Though if any of the nonsense I wrote ahead somehow comes true, then the world truly is going through a dark time, darker than it already is.)
.
.
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War in Iran, operations in South America, Africa and the Middle East went through a big mess, stuff in Asia, and wow, I knew Europe was weird with its borders, but what the hell happened?
South America became a big conflict. It seems all the talk from Russia about support for Venezuela was just talk—again. And China and Iran. So, things in Venezuela got crazy, which made a chain that exacerbated already existing tensions and conflicts between various countries, and now some of them are gone. Rest in peace, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Chile. Those are the main ones, but new ones have popped up, and some have expanded or lost territory. For example, Guyana expanded their territory.
In Europe, there's no more UK; Scotland and Wales went independent, and Northern Ireland reunited with Ireland. I bet the IRA is cheering from their graves; one last "up the RA" for them. I'll drink a whiskey and a pint of Guinness in their honor. Well, if I'm able to get any. Oh, and an Irish car bomb.
Let's see…what else? Belarus got swallowed up by Russia, Ukraine lost territory, the Balkans went nuts; rest in peace North Macedonia, you'll be remembered for Alexander the Great even though he's Greek. Kosovo is also gone, which really suck, but at least Serbia didn't get them back, because well, those borders are ugly. Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, all of them. It's like they tried to feast on everything and somehow got nothing, but still changed. I don't know.
Turkey got parts of Syria and Iraq. Iraq and Iran got broken up into smaller countries. Saudi Arabia is no more after it ran out of oil; renewable energy doesn't help when oil is used in more than just energy production. Palestine and Israel are gone. It seems it was one of those "if I can't have it, no one can" situations. Not surprising there. Turkey got some of it, but so did Egypt. Turkey went for a bit of an Ottoman Empire comeback. Just don't mention the Armenian Genocide. Do they still deny that in this time?
In Africa, Ethiopia and Sudan are gone; there's a federation of countries in Africa, so it seems that idea came to fruition somehow. And wow, China really got its hands in there. I guess that caused the federation to form, or at least was one of the factors.
In Asia, Taiwan and China are still separate, which is a little surprising. Korea is reunified, though. What? No, that doesn't make sense. Why would Korea be reunified? China would not let that…oh…there was a war between India and Pakistan. It seems the Kashmir dispute really became a literal hotspot. So that was used as an opportunity to reunify Korea while China was focused on India and Pakistan, and they got backing from Taiwan and Japan. Yeah, that makes sense, kind of. Korea is basically a buffer for Taiwan and Japan. If Korea falls, Taiwan is next, and if Taiwan falls, Japan would be next.
But you know what? What's more surprising to me is that Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea would help each other out, given their… not-so-friendly past. I guess all this time that passed must've healed the wounds, or they're more pragmatic, or the common enemy thing. Is Nanjing still an issue for China and Japan even this far into the future?
So, in summary, this is insane. All this, and yet, no World War III, since these were all regional conflicts. Well, mostly regional. How none of these became a global-scale conflict, I have no idea. It absolutely should've, but it didn't. So, uh, at least there's that.
My final verdict? None of this makes any sense. But then again, reality also makes no sense and isn't normal. What was the quote? Stories have to make sense, but reality doesn't. Something like that. And since this is now reality, things aren't going to make sense.
So, a lot of wars, border changes, countries gone, and new ones appearing; the stuff that didn't really appear in the show. Or am I in an alternate universe?
Whatever, I'll see. It was fun—and kind of depressing—knowing some of the history of this world, but now I have to focus on myself.
Let's start training. I can't wait to unleash my first drone strike.
/\\//\\//\
(A/N: As I said, I was definitely way in over my head on some of these things. I didn't write this because I wanted to cause an argument, even if it did and will, but because it seemed interesting to describe a future, even if it is kind of dark and crazy. I was just having fun. But let's hope none of this becomes remotely true, even if it may seem like it may come true.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new fic. It should be better than my last one, since I'm supposed to have more experience, but I don't know. I'd say this will be mediocre at best, given the outline and plan that I have for this story. I expect view counts to drop expeditiously fast. That's what I'll say. But like my other fic, I'll finish the story. No Cody Rhodes)