Fat Man and Little Boy
July 6, 2023

The two advisers cast long shadows before the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokio as the sun peaked over their shoulders. One stood much taller, girthier, than the other, who was slim, wiry, and short. There was a definite difference in appearance between the two: the bigger man was older and had experience etched in the lines of his face and grayness in his hair, while the thinner, shorter man was much younger, almost youthful in his appearance.

They met directly with Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who sat on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet and wielded considerable influence over Nippon foreign affairs.

The little man attempted an awkward bow, offering a well-practiced "Konnichiwa." The wrong greeting for the occasion, but Foreign Minister Hayashi took no offense. The bigger man offered no bow and simply said, "You must be Hayashi." This made F.M. Hayashi bristle slightly, but he maintained his pleasantries with the man and introduced himself formally.

"I'll get down to it. The Patriot Front sent us, and it needs Japan's assistance." The bigger man wasted no time. "We've consolidated most of New England, and we have New York. We have an alliance with Michigan, and the South is being consolidated by the League of the South and will soon be in our pocket. America is ours. We want Japan's help."

The little man beside him looked almost embarrassed at the bigger man's intrusive conduct, but he let him talk.

F.M. Hayashi took a moment to respond before saying, through translators, that whilst Nippon graciously thanks the advisers, her attention is focused for the time on Asia and the Pacific. F.M. Hayashi did not comment on the fascist authoritarianism of the Patriot Front or the rumors of massacres that had occurred by them.

The bigger man frowned. He had come all this way for nothing. He stood to leave.

F.M. Hayashi rose and, in English, said:
>"Mr. Bannon, Mr. Shkreli, thank you for your time."