Hello! This is SeekerMeeker! If you know, I was working on "Girls und Odyssey," a science fiction take on GuP, in which the Anglerfish Team ends up in the US! However, as time progressed, I realize that I am not really good at getting the technology right; I am more into fantasy than into science fiction.

Hence, after some time, this is the result. I may or may not restart on the previous one, but I have a feeling that this will be my latest project...

In the meantime, enjoy! And check out our "Amazon Vor!" story, co-authored with Trex98! Panzer vor!

Welcome to America, GuP

By SeekerMeeker

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Opening

The forest shivered in the calm breeze, as robins and mockingbirds sang on top of trees. A single, paved road lied gray and old, snaking through the grove of old trees not far away from the city of Acta. However, the road was slightly ancient, so that grasses and even tree saplings started to penetrate through the cracked asphalt layer. Fortunately for the road, a single car blazed through the trail.

A white 2008 Honda Accord sedan confidently paved through the road, mowing down grasses and little trees under its powerful, jet-black tires. It hummed and rumbled, as it continued up towards its destination. A recently abandoned motel, with nine rooms and a single office room, sat on top of a flat hill. The car passed by a gateway, with a whitewashed sign that read:

Portal Motel: Home to a New World!

"Strange sign," a young man said, as he parked his car and popped out. Rather on the tall side, with a very broad torso, the boy fixed his scalp, a huge crown of rather wavy mahogany-brown hair topping his head like a noble oak. Fixing his blue, square glasses, the man stared at the motel in front of him, his dark blue eyes glowing with curiosity.

The motel was only a one-story building, but it was apparently abandoned quite recently. Its white walls still looked quite well-painted, while its blue roof was remarkably in good condition. However, the motel is raised slightly above-ground, apparently to prevent native rodents and animals from crawling through.

"It looks weird," the man remarked, analyzing the motel. "It looks American, but has some designs of a traditional Japanese house. Raised floor, a large, gently curved roof, and even sliding doors. Plus, I can see that we're supposed to take off shoes, as well..."

Ring! Ring!

"Hello?" he answered, taking out his smartphone.

"Hey!" a voice boomed through the phone. "Mason! Sorry, I have to be late!"

"Late?" Mason sighed in disbelief. "You told me to come to this 'haunted motel,' and now you're late?"

"I'll be there!" his friend called through the phone. "Sorry about that!"

"I am already here. Please come," Mason called, rolling his eyes. "Thomas, make sure you come first, next time."

"OK!" Thomas called, before turning off.

Mason rolled his eyes again, as he put the phone into his left pocket and stretched.

"Man, that was not too long!" he remarked aloud to himself. "But driving feels different from biking. In fact, I did not even need to drive here! It took me only about...eight minutes? That close to home? Man, I should have biked; that's way better!"

Then, he looked at the road.

"Maybe after somebody removes the weeds," he muttered to himself. "In the meantime..."

"I am here!" a young man with very, very shaggy blond hair down to his neck and pale green eyes ran up the weedy road. Huffing and puffing, he was smoking at the same time. Mason was eyeing the whole structure, when the figure appeared before him.

"Thomas," groaned Mason. "How many times did I tell you to either run up the hill, or stop and smoke? Not both?"

"I love to smoke!" declared Thomas. "Even on hikes!"

"Don't make me mourn at your grave," said Mason seriously. "And it's not good for the air, either."

"OK!" Thomas said, lighting up the cigarette. Puffs of smoke floated into the fresh air, and Mason backed away, frowning.

"So, this is the motel you talked about," said Mason, eyeing the building again. "While waiting, I took the time to look around this structure. It's quite well-built. Did a Japanese build this?"

"I don't know," Thomas shrugged. "But you know why we're here?"

"Oh boy," Mason rolled his eyes. "The claim that this place is haunted?"

"Not just haunted," said Thomas, smirking. "I heard that this place, or somewhere near it, is home to an ultra-dimensional portal of some sort. Rumor has it that this motel is the center of it all!"

"Why that today?" asked Mason, frowning. He was no fan of such nonsense.

"Lately, some daredevils came here," said Thomas. "And swore they saw rifts in the time-space continuum! Three purplish-red rifts opened up! Elderly people, who lived all their lives in Acta, admit that they also went up here! Lately, nothing of interest happened here since."

"And what's the point of the reckless teens and the old people?" asked Mason. "And what made you come here in the first place?"

"Aw, you're no fun," said Thomas. "I guess churchgoers like you have little sense of humor."

"Some Christians do," said Mason. "And some don't. And are you a hippie wannabe or what?"

"Just a guy wanting to be himself," answered Thomas. He pulled out a cigarette can, where he threw his cigarette in. "Say, I heard that you just got into anime and manga."

"Yup," said Mason. "Weird, since I heard that Christians are not supposed to look at such things..."

"Mason, make sure you keep away from such things," his mother told him back in high school.

"Why, mom?" he asked her. "They're not all bad."

"Too much stuff that I cannot explain to you," she told him. "And some I have no intention to explain. So, leave it alone."

"And why did you get interested?" asked Thomas. He had a weird grin plastered on his face, and Mason could see a few crooked, yellowish teeth between the cracked lips.

"In my conscience," answered Mason, clearing his throat. "Japanese or not, comics are comics. Like American comics, not all of them are all-bad. And there are some American comics that are far worse than the Japanese ones."

"And what is your favorite?" asked Thomas.

Mason hesitated. Uh-oh.

Silence followed, as Mason silently tried to come up with a way to get out of the situation. Thomas stared at him, eyes wide and mouth stretched to a Grinch-like grin. The wind blew, gently tugging at Mason to say it. The trees swayed, singing for him to say it. The birds on the trees sang, chirping and cawing at him to say it.

"Oh," Mason moaned, then-

"ARRRGHHHHH!"

The roar echoed throughout the landscape. Pines, oaks, and maples in the surroundings leaned away, startled by the voice. Birds flew away, only to come back on their perches. The wind just glided around, waiting for the inevitable.

"Alright!" Mason said. "You win. I like one anime in particular."

"What is it?" asked Thomas, a smile of victory on his face.

"But first, said Mason. "Why are we here, of all the days? You still have not answered my question."

"OK..." Thomas replied. "I got here one day, because one old man told me a secret."

"A secret?" asked Mason.

"You know about unicorns, right?" asked Thomas.

"Yes?" Mason answered, unsure of what was going on.

"The old man," said Thomas. "Told me that a person with a pure heart can somehow 'open up' a portal or something. Rumor has it that a person of pure heart can open up the portal, and his greatest wishes will become true. Just as a virgin can attract a unicorn, so a person of pure heart like you is supposed to open up a portal that grants you wishes!"

"Wait!" said Mason, startled. "And you brought me here, because I am a Christian?!"

"Well," said Thomas, fidgeting. "I heard about great things about you. Your integrity, your purity, even your virginity. You were such a great candidate, so I dragged you along..."

"...just to see if a miracle can happen," Mason finished the sentence.

"Correct," replied Thomas, the sheepish grin on his wrinkled face.

They fell silent, as the revelation echoed in the distant air. The rolling mountains of the Appalachians loomed in the distance, as the mist clothed them in colors of faint white.

"OK, I got my answer," said Mason. "That was...weird. But my favorite anime is..."

He hesitated. The wind died down, listening. The trees stopped dancing, listening. The birds stopped chirping, listening.

"Is?" asked Thomas, curious.

"Girls und Panzer," Mason answered.

Thomas blinked.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Oh, so you don't know," Mason said. "Well, it's an anime about a group of high school girls, who ride on World War II-era tanks for sport."

"That's it?" asked Thomas. "No blond ninjas? No pirate superheroes? No magical girls with wondrous powers?"

Mason shrugged.

"BBBOOOORRIIINNGGG!" Mason booed.

The wind blew hard with joy. The trees shook in the wind with joy. The birds held on tight to their branches, singing with joy.

"Hey," Mason replied. "At least I now share an interest with you: anime and manga. And the surroundings seem to like it."

"But that's it?" Thomas moaned. "Now I remember what you're talking about: GuP. Short for that show, it is a niche anime for tank fanatics! And of all the people to get interested, YOU got into that?"

"Hey," Mason said, shrugging. "At least it's better and more appropriate than some of those...pornographic anime and manga?"

"They're not porn!" argued Thomas. "It's called fanservice."

"I am not totally sure about all those things," said Mason. "But I admire the designs. If only Christian artists could do something like that..."

"Yup," said Thomas. "I think you're the only Christian who actually understands such a cultural phenomenon."

"Hey," Mason said again. "Don't assume that all Christians are alike."

"And why?" Thomas asked.

"Well," said Mason. "Since you're my friend, I will just tell you: I want to go to Japan and evangelize there."

Thomas stared at his friend, jaw agape.

"You know perfectly well," said Thomas, very slowly. "That Japan is 99% non-Christian, and most of them don't know it much, if at all."

"Hey," Mason said. "If I cannot, then why not here?"

"Do you have any plans on how to do that?" asked Thomas, raising an eyebrow. "Money for the trip. Money for the food there. Money for housing. And the number of souls you save?"

Mason shrugged, smiling.

Thomas shook his head.

"You're one crazy optimist," Thomas admitted. "But I admire your passion."

"Thank you," Mason said. "I was hoping to do something like that someday, maybe even here in the US."

"And if your God or higher power or whatever," said Thomas, lighting another cigarette. "Denies you entry to Japan, what are you going to do?"

"I say," said Mason, raising his voice. "That on this day, I shall say: No matter what happens, I will try and do the unthinkable. I've always wanted to do something unusual, something dramatic, something awesome! Especially after I got into anime, I have one passion in mind!"

Thomas craned in. He loved to see his friend grow more and more excited. Mason is rather well-known for his level of passion, even in his old schools.

"And you know what?" Mason declared. "If God is willing, I could even try and reach out to the unlikeliest people on Earth to reach out: those girls in anime!"

Thomas lost it.

"You. Are. Out. Of. Your. Mind!" Thomas yelled, not out of anger, but out of incredulity. He grabbed his friend's blue T-shirt, shaking him very violently.

"Call me a lunatic," said Mason. "But I just love those girls. I wish we had Christian versions of them."

Something clicked in the distance, but Thomas did not hear it.

"You are the weirdest Christian I've ever met, Mason," admitted Thomas. "But that's why I am your friend."

"Thanks," said Mason. "I guess you're one of the few whom I trust. We're both weirdos, I guess."

Both of them laughed aloud.

Click.

Mason suddenly turned around.

"Mason?" asked Thomas.

"I thought I heard something," Mason said. "I-I think I heard it twice. Once, I just ignored, but the second made me curious."

"What do yo-" Thomas was about to say, but his phone rang.

Ring! Ring!

"Oh, excuse me," said Thomas. "Hello?"

"Thomas! Where are you? Your boss is going to fire you if you're not here!" the voice roared. "You're supposed to be here five minutes ago!"

"Oh no!" Thomas cried out. "Not again!"

Mason rolled his eyes. Thomas' old but caring employee screamed at his co-worker only if he was going to be late.

"Get on my car," said Mason. "We're going to work."

"Thank you!" said Thomas, trying to kiss him. Mason frowned, pushing away Thomas' wrinkled face with cracked lips full of the smell of smoke.

"I am a boy," said Mason. "Not a girl. Leave me alone. Just get in."

Thomas dived into the right front seat. Mason then jumped in. The smell of smoke slightly choked him, so he opened his windows.

"Thank you Jesus," he said in a whisper. "That I at least have a car."

"Amen," both of them answered.

"OK," said Mason, putting on his seat belt. "Let's go."

The white sedan then drove out and turned around. The car quickly went down the hill, farther and farther away until it disappeared in the distance. Trails of flattened grasses and broken saplings remained on what remained of the road.

The wind continued to blow in the sky. The trees swayed in the breeze. The birds continued their chorus in the cool air. However, in the distance, something glittered...

A purplish-red line appeared.

Click. Click. Click.

It opened a little.

Click. Click. Click.

Cliffhanger? Maybe, maybe not. So, this is my newest project so far. It is an urban fantasy, so expect some "un-scientific" ideas and physics to appear later on. It is not science fiction, because I am not really good at describing technology realistically. Instead, this is going to have some form of magic called the "anime rules and physics." See you later in the next chapter! Panzer vor!

As usual, please review and let me know how this will go! Check out my previous project, too! Honestly, I like this story now, but let me know if you like my previous project "Girls und Odyssey." And please PM me if you have very detailed suggestions to help this story!

By the way, check out "GuP: Amazon Vor!" by me and Trex98! I got the inspiration while working together on that story!

Update: the first four chapters are all revised and edited again, in order to remove some inconsistencies. Let me know if you see any! Thank you for reading and reviewing!