Hydraheads

Chapter 2: Kawaakari

The sky that morning was as grey and turbulent as the static of a dead television channel. Low mist obscured the view of downtown skyscrapers. Neon signs from various buildings gave refreshing vibrant colors that cut through the light morning drizzle. People walked by the sidewalks while opening their transparent umbrellas. Wipers cleared the front windows of cars on the streets.

One car was waiting for the traffic light. The driver's eyes scanned the gigantic poster at one of the affluent apartment towers. It greeted everyone to the lovely city of Hiroshima-2 with superimposed pictures of Australasian jungle wildlife and the golden-peaked Pagoda of Asian Peace. It also reminded everyone of the founding fathers by putting Emperor Burai and General Tomoyuki "Tiger of Australasia" Yamashita right in the middle.

The equally-humungous digital screen on the other side of the road showed the map of North America instead. Then, the whole continent disappeared into an endless ocean. "Remember America. Moral degeneracy and hubris caused America's eviction from reality. We must be vigilant in upholding our values. Remember America," narrated the voice repeatedly like a mantra.

"Half a century ago, Imperial Navy's experimental aircraft brushed the outer atmosphere and dropped an atomic bomb on the other side of the Pacific. Today, we have broken traffic lights," carped the driver.

"Why is it called 'Hiroshima-2' anyway?" asked the girl in the back.

"We are our names, Rie-chan. The imperial government decided that it would make this city as industrial and prosperous as the original one. Do you know that there's a 'Hiroshima-3' in India?" the driver glanced at the girl through the mirror. She was sitting with a big student's bag on her lap that matched her sailor uniform.

"Isn't that where the Axis headquarters is located, Uncle Sao?" asked Riamu the front-seat passenger. He freed one of his ears from the wireless headphone. His gakuran uniform was unbuttoned.

Sadao nodded. "Ironically, it was located at the capital of the Mad Mountbatten's little fiefdom, our former enemy. Of course, he changed sides after he realized that the Allies had lost. He needed Japanese money and supplies to suppress the natives anyway." He pointed to the urban morning ambiance outside of his window. "As for our glorious city, it was chosen for the strategic location just like its sisters. Hiroshima-2 was once called Sydney before the Japanese conquest. It was one of Australasia's main hubs of industry, logistics, and basically everything. The old British and Federal governments wasted the city's potential and chose to build a new city instead. No wonder they were shipped to the inland camps. The Japanese were wiser, but I think they should have named it 'Hiroshima-32' instead."

"Why―Oh no." Riamu just regretted asking that. He hated puns.

"Mi-zu, here's so much water here," said his uncle with a triumphant giggle.

Rie felt tickled too. "Is that why you live here, Uncle Sao?"

Uncle Sao shrugged and chuckled. His khaki officer uniform moved, but the high collar with emblems exhibiting his rank as captain was rigid as a rock. "Well, yeah. The money here is good. Not just the available jobs, but also the living cost. You can spend three times as much if living in Honkon or Syonan. It's even cheaper if compared to Jagaruta, right?"

Riamu and Rie nodded. No doubt about that.

Uncle Sao's left eyebrow went up. "Wait, I thought you were studying Geography?"

"Oh, I am. I was looking at Mengkukuo―you know, before it turned into the Reorganized Mongol Empire―and I saw Kublai's name and I thought about the invasion of Java...." Rie got lost in her thoughts. "It's a long story."

"Well...." There was a pause. "Did you know that Genghis Khan was a Japanese? The Mongol invasions of Japan were just a matter of family feud."

Riamu gave a faint smile. "We know, Uncle. That's all I can remember from our middle school besides 'the mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell'."