Nobita's Time Heist

"Hey, Gian," Nobita finally seized the opportunity, shaking his head and sighing, "Were you listening in history class? The Black Ships Incident, the Black Ships Incident."

"I just don't want to hear you say things like that!" Fat Tiger was so angry that his face turned red on the spot. If the two of them were still elementary school students, they probably would have punched each other.

But they've all grown up.

"Haha, well, alright, alright, Nobi-kun is right." Dekisugi laughed and smoothed things over. "The Black Ships Incident in Yokohama in 1853 can be said to be the beginning of our country's modernization. It directly led to the later Tokugawa Shogunate Movement."

"Without America, there would be no Black Ships; without the Black Ships, there would be no..."

"There's no baseball anymore." Nobita finally understood this terrifying chain reaction and muttered, "No wonder Koshien became Keju (Japanese football)."

"What?!" Gian probably only heard the second half of the sentence, and his eyes widened in surprise. "There's no baseball anymore?"

“Yes, baseball originated from paddleball, which first became popular in England and was introduced to Japan from America in 1873,” Dekisugi said with a wry smile. “Without America, it would probably have disappeared into the annals of history as paddleball.”

"That won't do! Without baseball, what will my 'Fat Tiger Team' play?"

"You're in high school now, so only Nobita and I in town will occasionally play baseball with you, right..." Suneo said with half-closed eyes.

"That won't work either. Even if only a few of us are left, the Gian team is still the Gian team!"

As if he had made up his mind, he slammed his fist on the tatami mat. "Nobita, let's go! Let's go get the baseball back!"

"Yes, besides baseball, there are everyone in town, including my mom and dad, and their memories of Doraemon." Nobita nodded, his usual laziness gone, his tone becoming very determined. "I'm going to get it back!"

Chapter Three: The Scapegoat

"It's been so long since I've ridden one of these things, I hope there won't be any problems this time..."

Before even starting the time machine, Xiao Fu's legs were already trembling, clearly dominated by the shadows of the past.

"Has this vehicle crashed before?" This was Dekisugi's first time riding in a time machine, and upon hearing this, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"Don't say it's unlucky. I've maintained it with the [Time Capsule], it's in perfect condition." Da Xiong hadn't operated this thing for quite a while, and he was still a little unaccustomed to it when he sat down. He placed his hands on the control interface and had to recall what each button was for.

Time machines actually come in different grades, and of course, given Doraemon's financial situation, he'd use the ninth grade... the lowest grade, the "Flying Carpet Type." In comparison, his sister Dorami's "Tulip" is clearly a level above. Going up a notch, you'd probably find time-travel vehicles or police time machines used by time police.

During the mission to send Pixie back to the Cretaceous period, the time machine crashed due to overloading, leading to a series of subsequent events for the group. After returning, Doraemon, having learned his lesson, made a series of modifications to the time machine, ensuring that the load-bearing problem would no longer occur.

"First like this, then like this, and finally like this... Done." Nobita fumbled around in his memory for a bit and successfully got the old machine running again, letting out a sigh of relief. "What year are we going to?"

Dekisugi, who was always praised as a living encyclopedia, frowned and thought for a moment. "The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. Perhaps we should go there and see what really happened?"

"Snapped!"

The button is pressed.

The good news is that his old friend, which had been dormant for many years, did not disappoint him and truly entered the time tunnel.

The bad news is...

"boom----!!"

A deafening shock followed, and the time tunnel looked completely different from before. It was no longer a one-way passage, but had become a giant block of cheese, filled with hollows. The position of each hollow was constantly changing, as if they were in a swirling vortex, with large vortexes containing smaller ones. In this situation, the time machine carrying the five people was like a small boat in a stormy sea, unable to navigate normally.

"Beep! Beep! Strong spatiotemporal turbulence detected. Some components of the navigation light are not functioning properly, and the spatiotemporal migration capability is interfered with. It is highly likely that the preset destination will not be reached."

The onboard AI also sensed the fluctuations in the spatiotemporal environment and immediately broadcast, "Should we proceed with the movement as planned?"

"...Nobita..." Shizuka looked at him with some worry in her eyes. No wonder, having grown up with him, she was all too familiar with Nobita's personality.

Simply put, his level of cowardice is inversely proportional to the severity of the crisis. The more peaceful the situation, the more cowardly he becomes; conversely, the more urgent the situation, the more his stubborn side emerges, and his actions become reckless.

"If America really is gone, it's normal for such turbulence to occur due to the chain reaction..." Nobita swallowed and asked, "If there's a deviation, how much difference would it make?"

"It could take anywhere from a week to a month, and the location will still be Philadelphia, but we can't guarantee that the city will still be named after that city on the distorted timeline."

"Okay." In an instant, Nobita made a decision. "Everyone, hurry up!!"

"Click!"

Pull the trigger, roar the engine, and the time machine transforms into a droplet, hurtling towards the boundless abyss.

But, at this very moment...

"Boom!"

Accompanied by the crisp, sharp sound unique to warped space, a colossal object suddenly appeared on the flight path, blocking their way.

"This is the 22nd Century Time and Space Administration's Tokyo Special Investigation Division 2! According to the 'Emergency Regulations for Time and Space Navigation,' all-round travel is prohibited during this period! Please immediately shut down the aircraft's engine and tow it to the ship's deck for inspection. Otherwise, this ship will consider you time and space criminals and launch an unlimited firepower attack!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Bang!"

The iron gate closed, and everything went dark; all light was cut off. Shizuka blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness as quickly as possible.

"It's the 22nd century already, I thought the way criminals are treated would be a little more humane..." Dekisugi glanced at the handcuffs hanging on his wrists and smiled bitterly, "They didn't even have an interrogation, they just convicted us right away?"

"Those damn bastards, they're always right on time this time!" Gian gritted his teeth and slammed his shoulder against the wall, but it didn't budge an inch. "Nobita, what do we do now?"

"Nobita?"

"Stop shouting, Gian, Nobita has been taken away by them." Suneo slumped weakly on the ground. "He's the one who opened the time machine, they probably think he's the main culprit."

“I always felt something was off. They locked us up without asking a single question, it was like…” Dekisugi pondered.

"It's as if they've already decided that we're the culprits."

With a click, as Shizuka spoke, her handcuffs fell to the ground, eliciting astonished looks from her three companions who seemed to think, "Are you kidding me?"

"Before we set off, I told him that if we encountered a situation like the Platinum Maze again, we should bring a spare bag. He copied one with the copying mirror... and just in time, this bottle of 'Open Sesame' came in handy."

(Open Sesame: A tool similar to black pepper powder; sprinkle a little on any type of lock to unlock it. From the original manga "Human Piggy Bank")

"No, the problem is, when did you two say that?" Xiaofu looked completely bewildered. "We were together the whole time and didn't hear a thing."

"..." Shizuka paused for a moment, seemingly a little embarrassed about it. "Actually, it can't really be called 'saying'. I just glanced at him, was about to say something, and before I could even open my mouth, he took his pocket out."

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, followed by another deafening silence.

Gian asked very sincerely, "Is 3 yen a good idea for the wedding gift?"

"Xiao Wu!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The headlights were turned on, and the blinding light made Da Xiong squint involuntarily. His hands were handcuffed behind his back and to the chair. Sitting opposite him was a tall man wearing a white police uniform, a police cap, and two medals on his chest.

“Let’s start with the motivation.” He flipped through the file in front of him, only glancing briefly at the cover. “Why did you want to perform time travel?”

“Because…” Nobita tried to shield his eyes from the glaring light, but found that both his hands were locked. “I realized something was wrong. My surroundings have suddenly changed, and everyone’s memories have been completely messed up. I just want to find out why.”

"In other words, you admit it."

"Admit what?" Da Xiong was completely confused by his question.

Which era do you plan to travel to?

"1776, I think?" Nobita recalled the year Dekisugi mentioned. "It seems to be Philadelphia."

"Hmm, I knew it... no wonder." The man quickly scribbled a few words on the record, then signed his name. "Detain him first!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the ship's corridor, the man held the documents in his hands as if they were treasures, walking briskly.

"Captain Isayama, are you serious?" His assistant, who had to quicken his pace to keep up, asked, "Trying to pin everything on those kids!"

“That’s not framing, my dear first mate. They were suspects all along. I just detained them first and then sent them to the 22nd century.”

"You induced him to say completely unrelated things, and then wrote a false report, didn't you?" the first mate pressed. "The timeline has just undergone a drastic change; how could the real criminals be wandering around in a time tunnel? You just kidnapped a few children and used them as..."

"boom!"

Before the words "scapegoat" could even be uttered, the first mate was grabbed by the collar by Captain Isayama and slammed against the wall.

The other officers watched from a distance, each with a different expression, but they also refrained from approaching, seemingly minding the "air."

"In the timeline I'm in charge of, such a huge thing has happened, it's like the sky has been ripped open, do you know that?" Captain Isayama said through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot. "The higher-ups are demanding that we hand over the investigation results within 36 hours. Think about it, the problem originated with us. If we can't deliver on our promises by the deadline, what will become of me, the newly promoted section chief, and you, my newly appointed deputy...? Hmm?"

His expression was exaggerated; he clasped his hands together.

"Slap! Everyone on our side, from top to bottom, was stripped clean!"

Captain Isayama lowered his voice, almost growling, "It doesn't matter who it is, understand? The higher-ups want an explanation, we'll give them an explanation! And then we'll save all of us, it's that simple!"

Chapter Four: You've Bringed My Grandpa Here

"Nobita, Nobita?"

Hearing his companions' voices but not seeing them, Nobita's lips curled into a smile, but he quickly suppressed it and whispered, "[Blind Spot Star], [Invisibility Cloak], or [Stone Hat]?" (These three are all invisibility items, but their principles are different.)

This direct question silenced everyone. Shizuka answered quietly, "It's an invisibility cloak."

"Change it to the [Stone Hat], quick!"

After putting on the hat and unlocking the chains on his hands, Nobita had escaped. He took the spare pocket Shizuka handed him and took out four "wireless phones" (toys that look like paper cup phones, wirelessly connected, and can fly to the other person's ear to communicate). He handed them to his friends one by one, saying, "Blindspot Star uses visual invisibility, and the invisibility cloak is optical invisibility, both of which are easily detected. But the Stone Hat achieves invisibility by 'reducing its presence.' To be precise, it's not invisibility; others can see us, but they will subconsciously ignore our presence."

"How come you're so skilled?" Xiao Fu couldn't help but ask suspiciously.

"Ha...haha..." Nobita laughed awkwardly twice, thinking to himself that he used these props to mess with you guys when he was a kid, so he's not familiar with them.

Of course, every time he tried to use props to create some fun, it never ended well.

"What do we do now?" Fat Tiger's tone was somewhat excited. In his eyes, this was probably just the beginning of a grand adventure, similar to the start of a childhood dream. "Shall we fight our way out?"

"Using the gadgets in the baby care robot's pocket? That's not realistic; the other side is 22nd-century police, you know." Suneo quickly pulled back his impulsive decision-making. "Ultimately, it's because they're so careless, their surveillance of us is practically zero, that we have a chance. Sneaking away is the way to go..."

“Something’s not right.” Da Xiong frowned and muttered, “It doesn’t seem like carelessness. They seem to be in a hurry. The person who interrogated me just now didn’t even let me finish speaking.”

“We’re likely to be made scapegoats.” Dekisugi remained calm as he analyzed, “With such a huge mess, the Time Police are undoubtedly to blame. They’re eager to shift the blame, and we, who have just entered the time tunnel, have become their targets.”

"Damn it, it's always the same, no matter the era!" Xiao Fu was all too familiar with this process, gritting his teeth as he said, "Then we have to run. I've heard my dad talk about this kind of thing too many times. They don't even give us a chance to explain!"

“…Hmm, Suneo is right, we have to escape.” Nobita pondered for a moment, then made a final decision, “They confiscated the time machine. After we use the passage ring to get out, we’ll use the [Time Belt] to go to 1776. But the location is different, it’s Philadelphia. If all else fails, we can just find another way to get there.”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Thump—!!"

In the skies of 2050, the Special Investigations Division II warship was greeted by a row of black airships arranged in a semi-circle, resembling a group of sharks swimming in the deep sea. In comparison, the pure white Time Police warship appeared somewhat frail, trapped within their encirclement.

Like stars surrounding the moon, nestled among them stands a uniquely shaped spaceship. Its entire body is a dreamlike blue, tens of meters tall, and from a distance, it appears as a cross, sharp and angular, standing there like a giant work of art.

"Captain Isayama, this...this is..."

The "gunfire and doves" emblem on the crusader had already made the first mate's voice tremble slightly.

"The people from the [Time and Space Management Institute]. This has blown up too much; they'll have to get involved sooner or later." Captain Isayama licked his lips, even managing a bitter smile. "Look, how do we explain it if we come back empty-handed? The Management Institute isn't like the police inspectors; they truly hold the power of life and death over the Time and Space Police Department. A single word from them can wipe out decades of our efforts."

"Do you want others to die, or do you want us to die?"

……

"Buzz buzz buzz... This is the Space-Time Management Institute Special Mobile Team. Please follow the guidance of this ship and land in the designated area."

"Hello, this is Special Investigations Division 2!" Captain Isayama quickly seized the opportunity to report, "We have captured a group of time escapees. After interrogation, they are very likely the perpetrators of this 'future hijacking case.' I request that they be transferred to your side..."

"I'll repeat myself." Before he could finish speaking, the voice on the other end interrupted him mercilessly, its tone icy and unyielding. "Please follow the guidance of this ship and land in the designated area. Do not attempt any actions outside of these instructions. Otherwise, you will bear all the consequences."

Drop drop drop!

Alarms blared, and the warship was instantly locked onto by dozens of different weapons.

Captain Isayama's face turned ashen; such a forceful attitude gave him a premonition of a very ominous future. In the control room, everyone's expression was grim, but under these circumstances, no one dared to utter a sound. They could only obediently follow the instructions, landing the warship on the only empty spot on the surrounding hillside. All crew members disembarked and awaited further instructions.

It's strange that this mountain has stubbornly remained standing since the Showa era, until 2050, when all the land that could be developed has been developed, and it still stands tall.

"boom----"

Amidst everyone's trepidation, all the warships came to a stop one by one. The one directly under the Spacetime Management Institute still occupied the center position and was the last to land.

Armed soldiers ran in and surrounded the area.

The retractable ladder slowly descended from the warship's exit, and a figure strolled out from the shadows of the cruciform warship.

Blonde hair, blue military uniform, red sash, and a white dove medal pinned to his heart, poised to take flight.

Even the usually strong and composed Captain Isayama finally gasped. He had expected someone of the "Judge's" caliber to arrive, and had prepared a prepared statement. Even so, this was enough to send shivers down the spines of the entire Time-Space Police Department.

After all, in his mind, things shouldn't be this serious.

"Aka, Akahiro Masashi, Dean..."

There's an old saying in a neighboring country: "A higher-ranking official can crush you," which can be considered a golden rule.

Before the aura of power, everyone is intimidated.