Okinawa: Rising from the Ashes
Location of Okinawa.
Pre-Vanishing Okinawa.
Okinawa is a city in, who'd have guessed, the Okinawa Prefecture. It ran the gauntlet during the 23 Hours and the events afterward, getting beaten to a pulp by Gojira 2000's rousing death match with Megaguirus (Which ended in a draw after Vortaak intervention whisked Megaguirus away, much to the confusion of both the giant dragonfly and her dinosaur opponent). The wasted ruins of the city quickly filled with the less savory Fiction species, and is said to be the nest of an alternate of Diva and her Chevaliers. One of the more sinister goings on in the ruined city was an experiment by rogue Gray to combine Chiropteran and Kaiju DNA. The result was a larger, stronger, reptilian chiropteran. If Diva hadn't figured out how to put these beasts under her will, they would have most assuredly wiped out the normal Chiropterans.
Pre-Vanishing Locales
Okinawa City Hall: The rusting hulk of this once grand building is now a "nest" for Diva, her Chevaliers, and many Chiropterans. Rough estimates based on Blackhawks fitted with thermal imaging cameras places around 150 Chiropterans and 70 Kaijopterans in the building's wreckage. Salvagers beware, for if you disturb them in your treasure hunts, you will be unwillingly drafted into Diva's cause.
Kadena Air Base: This US Air Force base was a major bloodbath site. Since the Kaiju Defense Force couldn't reach the area in time, most of the aircraft were incinerated by Gojira 2000 on its furious rampage in search of Megaguirus. The primeval dragonfly herself had bedded up in the Asian University of Maryland University College ((UMUC for short)). The surrounding area was decimated by her hurricane-like wing blasts at Gojira, who responded in kind with crushing tail blows and radioactive breath. It would have been a quicker battle if Megaguirus hadn't previously juiced up on zaps by sticking her power-sucking stinger into an electrical plant. The casualties were enormous...the only survivors of the rumble was the 18th Wing. They weren't out of the woods either, however. While most of the crew of the Wing survived, their craft were devastated, leaving only 3 HH-60 Pave Hawks, 6 F-15 Eagles, and a single Lockheed P-3 Orion, all with malfunctioning radios from the aftershocks of Megaguirus' electronic scrambling waves. The survivors were left alone in the wreckage zone, forced to survive on what unspoiled MREs they had left. Then came the final death blow. In a repeat of the Vietnam flashbacks in the Blood+ anime, Chiropterans swarmed the base, ripping through the soldiers and ground crew as if they were tissue paper. Only three survived this ordeal, one of whom was infected with the Chiropteran genes and forced to be killed to let the other two live long enough to get evacuated. Few pre-Vanishing military disasters caused so much of an uproar as the Kadena Massacre.
Southeast Botanical Gardens: Once 100 acres of beauty, the Southeast Botanical Gardens are now 100 acres of horror. Giant fly-traps, monstrous spiders and scorpions, giant praying mantis, and natural (if you can call anything made by CLULESS natural)) chimeras in the lake that resemble sea dragons of old (in reality, genetic mixtures of the carp of the lake and the Avatar universe's unagi).
Post-Vanishing Locations
Kadena Memorial Defense Barrier: The public was so outraged by the Kadena Massacre that the Japanese Government was pressured into coming in and solving the problem of a potential Chiropteran outbreak. The solution was simple: put up a big wall...literally. The entire city of Okinawa is covered in a nearly impenetrable barrier reverse-engineered from the shield technology of old Imperial II-class Star Destroyers and implemented with Gray technology, magitech, and basically everything AND the kitchen sink. The only thing that would crack this egg would be some intense firepower from the slightly weaker inner field, and the military doesn't plan on letting Diva's Chevaliers get a hold of that kind of weaponry any time soon.
Characters and Creatures
Diva: One of those "Ultimate Evils" that is hard to forget once you met it head-on, Diva is one of the current two surviving Chiropteran Queens, the other being her sister Saya. The version of Diva that dwells in the city is the post-timeskip Diva, meaning that she is carrying two new Chiropteran Queens. Section 9 already has plans to bring Saya in to hit hard and fast as soon as the stork delivers and Diva's blood is no longer fatal to her sister. Diva is childishly sadistic, finding killing humans almost like a game, which makes her even more dangerous if she were to ever get out.
Amshel Goldsmith: One of Diva's Chevaliers, Amshel is also one of the most tricky. Most Asian countries have him on their watch list, since Amshel's shapeshifting escapade from the anime has been attempted in Coreline as well, with Amshel attempting to impersonate Motoko Kusanagi to exit the barrier. Amshel was furious to learn that Solomon had already abandoned his Chevalier duty and snuck away to join Section 9 before the barrier was even up.
James Ironside: Ironside is fitting for this militant Chevalier with an armored Chiropteran form. A WWII survivor, James is one of the most dedicated of Chevaliers, considering Diva like his own mother. James can also before just as ruthless and sadistic as his "mom", and has more than once made futile attempts to use the Corpse Corps. to bust down the barrier.
Nathan Mahler: One of the more eccentric Chevaliers, Nathan is almost carefree despite the vicious surroundings. He is a theater lover, and often considers it without taste to kill an opponent without "the proper stage". He is loyal to Diva, but is oddly immune to Saya's blood. Most theorists (read: Otaku) believe that this may be due to Nathan actually first becoming a Chevalier under Diva's mother or a previous Queen rather than Diva herself.
Chiropterans and Kaijopterans: Chiropterans are the bloodthirsty beasts that are the heart of the reason Okinawa is blockaded. They kill without remorse, beasts that feast upon the red liquid of life to survive. Even worse are the Kaijopterans, experiments that are mentally unstable to the point of psychosis. Kaijopterans make no distinction between Chiropteran and human blood, and if left without their Queen's "leash", they slaughter endlessly until they feel they are happy with their death "art".
"If there's anywhere in the universe that can truly be called Hell, that wretched planet is it. Even I wouldn't claim that place."
-Tyber Zann
In Coreline, the Hollow world of Hueco Mundo is an entire planet near the edge of the Star Wars Galaxy's Unknown Regions, one half a hellish white desert, the other half a boiling sea. Few who have set foot on it have ever returned. Demons, devils, and the infamous Hollows dwell there, ruled over by the traitorous Shinigami Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen from the Arrancar fortress of Las Noches.
Locations (All Post-Vanishing, for obvious reasons)
The Endless Desert: Covering half of the planet, this white desert enshrouded in the darkness of eternal night and covered in trees and spires of quartz is the ultimate nightmare of any traveller. Hollows and fiends patrol its wastes looking for any shipwrecked people to feast upon.
The Boiling Sea: Heated by near endless thermal vents, this ocean covers the other half of Hueco Mundo, and is filled with amphibious and fishlike Hollows.
Las Noches: The fortress of the Arrancar and Rogue Shinigami, Las Noches is a massive domed building with spires around it. According to Hollows, it takes a total of three days just to get around the huge structure.
Characters and Creatures
Hollows: Varying widely from individual to individual aside from a common white mask, Hollows are darkened soulless beasts that roam Hueco Mundo. One ability all Hollows possess is the ability to rip a hole in the fabric of space and time to appear on any planet at any location. They prey upon other souls, who become Hollows in return. More powerful Hollows include the Gillian and Vasto Lorde Menos.
Espada: Ten elite Arrancar, the Espada are Aizen's personal warforce. Woe unto those who face the Espada, for they are intensely powerful, nearing the power of the Shinigami Captains.
Neliel Tu Oderschvank: Called Nel Tu for short, she is the only good Arrancar (albeit thanks to some amnesia). She has a childlike affection for Ichigo Kurosaki, and is likely to help anyone who might know a way to get her off of Hueco Mundo and to Earth. Nel's Zanpakuto has the ability to absorb powerful energy.
Nerima Prefecture, Japan
"And it was another perfectly normal day in Nerima.
*CRASH* "PERVERT!" *WHAM*
Yup. Perfectly normal."
Nerima is the birthplace of Anime. As such, the number of aspiring manga-ka and anime studios there provided quite a serendipitous combination for CLULESS. Mere minutes into the hours, hundreds and thousands of Fictions had spread all over the town. Dizzy and confused, most of these fictions did what came naturally to them.
Fight.
Property values in Nerima one week after the Vanishing went down by an unprecedented 1400%.
Pre Vanishing Locations:
Anime/Manga Studios
After the Vanishing, the creation of new Anime and Manga (And, theoretically, new characters who could be brought into existance by CLULESS) was strictly controlled and regulated by the Department of Fiction Affairs in the Japanese Government. Because of most of the red tape involved in this process, as well as the
advancements required to contain possible new fictions who are considered dangerous, the look of an Anime Studio has slightly changed with the Vanishing.
Pre Vanishing Studio
Post Vanishing Studio
Musashi University
Musashi University was one of those locations replaced during the Vanishing. Unfortunately for it, it occupied the same location CLULESS decided Furinkan High School was going to occupy. It no longer exists.
High Schools:
6 out of the 10 High Schools in Nerima were replaced with more fantasitical versions during the hours. These included Kolhotz High, St. Baccus School for Girls.
Post Vanishing Locations:
Nekohanten:
Nihao! What can Shampoo do to you?
(Mass Nosebleed)
The Nekohanten is as popular as ever. People can generally enjoy dinner and a show, as somehow or other something insane tends to happen before your meal ends. Wheither it's property destruction or a view of someone outeating a vacuum cleaner, it's never boring at the Nekohanten.
Ucchans Okonomiyaki
What can I get for ya, sugar?
Ucchans is now a major chain spread throughout Japan. Boasting the best Okonomiyaki anywhere, each Ucchans is run by an alternate of Ukyo Kuonji herself, ensuring universal goodness. The Nerima Ucchans is slightly more sedate than the Nekohanten, but it is still Nerima after all, and the front wall of the store still has to be replaced every other week or so.
Furinkan High School
The New Principal:
SHUUUUUULTZ!
Ah, Furinkan High. The Epicenter of the Insanity that is Nerima. Occupied by every member of the Nerima Wrecking Crew (Who can find it.) and policed by the newly appointed principal, Wilhelm Klink, this building has, by itself, increased the revenue of the Nerima Construction Agency (Now a multinational corporation) by over 3000%. Robert Hogan teaches one of the classes at Furinkan High, acting as an agent for the Goddess Relief Office. HE has recruited a team of students to help him keep the general damage level down to a minimum and to keep Nerima-ku itself from required collateral-damage inducing help for every minor mishap.
The Saotome/Tendo Dojo, Home of the Saotome/Tendo Musabetsu Kakoto Ryu
Sign out front:
Tendo/Saotome Dojo. To challenge the master in savage combat, please go around back. Classes Available! Please inquire around back.
The newly combined Saotome/Tendo Schools of Anything Goes Martial Arts find a home in what used to be the Tendo Dojo. The compound has since been expanded to include several nearby building which have been torn down and new training halls (Incredibly Sturdy ones) have been erected. With the popularity of the show and the obvious interest by Pre-V’s who could not learn magic, the Saotome/Tendo School has a massive following, with Dojos in New York, Boston, LA, London, Beijing, Toronto, The Lagrange Colonies, and assorted other locales. The company which controls these dojo’s, Anything Goes Inc. is owned by the Tendo/Saotome family, and managed by CEO Nabiki Tendo. The compound is widely considered one of the safest places in Japan, as it has approximately 100 people in it who are 1st dan or higher in Muabetsu Kakoto at any given time (This would equate to a 5th or 6th dan in other martial arts) as well as the presence of the Saotome/Tendo family itself who could probably give most of the JSDF a run for their money.
Characters and Creatures
Ranma and Akane Saotome:
“Wow. How was I EVER that dumb. It was so obvious you had the hots for me back then.”
“Hmph. Are you kidding, you haven’t taken your eyes off of me for more than 2 minutes at a time. Talk about clueless, baka.”
“Tomboy.”
-Ranma and Akane, upon observing Alternates of themselves at Furinkan.
Ranma and Akane Saotome (Age 34) run the Saotome/Tendo Dojo and hold the controlling interest in Anything Goes Inc. They live in the compound and give private classes to the best students of the school, handpicked by them. They have a daughter, Lia Saotome (16) and a son, Christian (12). Ranma still has his Curse of Jusenkyo, and Akane has a matching curse, changing to a boy. They also both seem to have the old Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.”
Not much more ‘interesting’ than Post Vanishing Nerima.
Widely regarded as the most powerful human martial artists in the world, Ranma once fought Son Goku to a standstill, though a rematch was immediately vetoed by their wives as they had already leveled 3 mountains, sunk two islands, and caused over 150 million dollars in property damage.
Lum Invader
Lum and her race appeared above Nerima during the hours. She still chases Ataru, and Ataru still chases everything with breasts and a pulse. They both now attend Furinkan High School. An attempt by the GRO to keep the destruction contained.
It fails, of course.
Nabiki Tendo
Now CEO of Anything Goes Inc. Nabiki (35) has a lot of money and a lot of power. This is not a healthy combination to anyone on her bad side. She is, however, nostalgic of her high school days, and has been known to secretly provide support to her alternate who still attends Furinkan High. With a massive network that extends globally and beyond, Nabiki Tendo is one of the most well-informed people on the planet. She has been known to leak out tidbits of this information for her own amusement or when it is needed. She has mellowed out a bit in the intervening years and is no longer obsessed to the point of madness with money. Her family comes first.
Especially since they hold a controlling interest in the company…