AN: This my own GATE fanfic to make for the failed attempt at continuing one that I ultimately lead to its death. Okay, let us see if this gets me anywhere.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

June 30, 1998

I'm staying over at my mother's house in Montana for at least two years until my financial messes have been taken care of. In the meantime, I will be helping my mother with the landmine collection she has going on. At the very least, they're only models of landmines, so my mother's not in danger of being blown up. And even then, I still worry for her. I'm gonna go help her with the little farming project she has going on.


June 30, 2000

I am going to join the military, like my mom did. I need to get stronger, so that I don't fail, like how I failed her. How I failed my best friend. I've left the others with mom so that they'll be taken care of. That, and she'll teach them everything she knows about my world.


October 31, 2033

Sanford, Florida

Walmart Supercenter

9:15 PM

He felt cheated. Gerome wanted to be the one to do the performances at Rebecca's house. Instead, by a decision of a coin-flip, he was sent out to go shopping for food for the Halloween party. On the bright side, he'll get to cook whatever he want in the party once he gets back with all the ingredients. But in any case, he was there to cook up some spicy payback.

Having gotten all the food he needed, Gerome walked toward the self-check out terminals, where there was a moderately long line ahead. Hold on, why did he feel the ground vibrate a little? And what was going on outside? He could hear police sirens blaring out there. A gun-wielding maniac was on the loose again? He wanted to know, but he didn't want to lose his line—

"To all officers, we need backup! We need ba-ACK!" Gerome looked behind him to see a uniformed officer with his own goods, listening to the radio chatter. From the sound of it, the situation was bad. The officer gave his items to a Walmart employee to hold on to and ran out the entrance to join in and help. Unable to lose his spot, Gerome stayed where he was, determined to buy the groceries.

"What a night, am I right?" he said to literally no one listening. He made an awkward smile before his phone vibrated in his pocket. Letting his hand off the handle of the shopping cart, he took his phone out and answered.

"Hey, Geronimo!" It was Sarah Nolan, a member of the US Marines, and a cyborg. "What's taking so long?"

"Oh nothing, just stuck in a long ass line."

POW, POW! POW, POW, POW! They were small, but the sound was enough to give everyone inside pause.

"Hang on, I'll call you back."

"Wait!" Gerome hung up on his friend and left his cart of things to see what was outside that the gunshots were close. He went through the automatic sliding doors to find himself in a craptastic situation. However, he had a good look at who the invaders were, and all caution went out the window. He charged at the invader, a soldier dressed similarly like a Roman, and tackled him off of the young police officer. Picking up the dropped service weapon nearby, he immediately shot him in the face. The former Marine turned his head to check and see—

Never mind, the cop was fine, just frightened and had his taser out aimed at the middle-aged veteran.

"Are you kidding me, man?" Gerome facepalming and gesturing at the chaos continue around them. "I just saved your ass, and this is how you thank me?"

The stupid officer couldn't a word out, maybe even an apology, before being stabbed from behind by another invader. The former Marine promptly shot the invader and grabbed the dead cop's radio.

"Send in a SWAT team to Sanford," he said into the radio. "While you're at it, why don't you call the Army? …Oh shut up and do it!"


Elsewhere in Sanford

9:25 PM

Three Romanesque soldiers out of several hundred thousand others broke into a house in a neighborhood, hoping to find riches, women and other goods to take to their home. What they got instead were a couple buckshots to the face. Eventually, most, if not all, of the houses began flashing with lights from various firearms. In the middle of the street was a woman dual-wielding a Glock 19 pistol in her left hand and a customized Beretta 92FS Inox pistol in her right hand. The woman in question was of Chinese descent, about 5'5", with slightly tanned skin, amber eyes, and long hair dyed brown. All she can say while smiling like a jackal and shooting down invader, "This is the greatest party in my life!"

And that was why you should never bring a sword to a gunfight.