World Invasion: Battle Tokyo - A GATE Story

Chapter 4

After what was seen on the TV news and the live carnage of dozens of people, including Kuribayashi's sister, Itami had remained silent, dismal, as he finished adjusting his military gear, helmet on his head and checked the condition of his weapon one last time. Standing at the entrance to the armory, Rory, Tuka and Lelei watched without daring to say anything, they too having been marked by what had just happened. They had never seen Itami looking so dark and determined. Under other circumstances, Rory would have found it attractive, but she and the other two shared at this moment the pain he felt towards his people. People were dying now, probably by the thousands, and a fight would be inevitable.

Once ready, fully armed and equipped, Itami walked over to his three friends, looking at them one by one. Rory rested her apostle halberd on her shoulder, giving him a firm nod and a very serious expression. Tuka, equipped with her elven bow and arrows, as well as Lelei holding her sorceress scepter, both did the same. Itami, without smiling, nodded back at them and all together, walked without a word down the hall, towards the exit to join the others who were waiting in the yard to embark on a new fight.

**********

The truck trips being too long, JSDF helicopters had come and landed in the yard of the base where all the soldiers had gathered, in perfect rows, all armed and equipped. In the sky, the first meteorites were looming, all heading in the same direction and attracting worried glances. In the ranks of the soldiers there was a gloomy atmosphere after what they had seen on television. Kuribayashi, having witnessed what had happened to her sister Nanami, remained silent, withdrawn, in shock, but nonetheless ready to do whatever it took, all her comrades being there to try to support her as best as possible morally.

The members of the Third Recon Team were gathered in a line, one behind the other, and awaiting the arrival of Lieutenant Itami in order to embark. Tomita turned to Kuwahara to ask his opinion on the current situation.

_ "Tell me, Kuwahara, what do you think it is?"

_ "Well ..." replied the veteran of the group in a rather surprising calm. "They would be aliens."

_ "Aliens? Seriously?" Furuta retorted, not quite convinced.

_ "And why not? After all, we have proof that elves, wizards and dragons exist now, so frankly, creatures from space couldn't surprise me more than that..." Wataru commented to his turn, scoring a point on that shot.

Kurokawa did not commented on the question, keeping an eye on Kuribayashi who remained immersed in his pain and his silence. But while they were divided on the precise identity of this mysterious invader from the sky, the entire Third Recon Team came to attention when Itami, accompanied by Rory, Tuka and Lelei, arrived and ordered everyone to do so a firm and authoritative voice, to listen carefully. Everyone obeyed, and inwardly, they were both surprised and unsettled to see Itami so serious.

_ "I know what we just saw shook us, both physically and mentally. But here is the situation, soldiers: we are facing an unknown enemy. We have no idea how strong he is or what he is capable of, but we can be sure of one thing: We're fighting for our planet, our family, our home and our country! So we're going to show these things how a JSDF soldier fights! Got it?!"

_"YES SIR!" the Team members shouted in unison, all showing the same determination in their eyes as their commander.

_ "Know that you will not be alone in this battle. The JSDF can count on the support of my magic." Lelei shouted in turn, causing the crystal of her scepter to shine with a bluish glow.

_ "Of my arrows ..." Tuka said in turn, clutching her bow firmly in her hand.

_ "And my halberd!" Rory finished, swirling her gun around her dexterously before slamming the end firmly against the floor, letting a thudded metallic thud echo.