[ CW ] In an alternate universe , everything is identical to our world except for one little thing- getting a third foul ball in baseball is treated the same as the third strike . Write a story that takes place in this world , but has nothing to do with baseball .

July 18, 2014 
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 The streets of New Tokyo were littered with the debris and garbage of the latest raids. Market stalls were tipped and fruits and trinkets spilled into the usually bustling plaza. The setting sun was hidden behind the Shōri tower, framing the monstrous skyscraper in blazing red and casting a shadow on its surroundings. 
 
 To a visitor the site may have been horrifying, but to the citizens of NT it was just another day. If the Japanese knew one thing for certain, it's that the Americans made up for their lack of military strength with persistent annoyances. Though the `` Resistance'' was allowed to continue its attacks mostly due to pity from the Empire, some of the raids actually had some degree of success. Granted, the Resistance had gone below rock bottom by now, and if they managed to steal some produce or break some windows they retreated and called it a win. There were very few full-blooded Americans left, and the majority of them were loyal to the Empire. 
 
 The war was a long time in the past, and the world was for the most part a peaceful place. The cooperative ruling of the Führer and the Emperor kept crime to an unbelievably low point. This was, of course, at the cost of many liberties. The citizens did n't mind paying a fee when they did n't know they had a choice. 
 
 
 March 25, 1940 
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 Albert sat back in his chair, the radio going on in the background. He was deciding something important, and his decision would shape his future. Was he doing the right thing? The Nazis were obviously evil, but could he justify creating one evil to stop another? The Manhattan Project was supposed to be the lance that thrust the Allies to victory, but did the lives of so many innocent warrant that? 
 
 `` I am no god, and I have no right to make this decision.'' 
 
 Einstein's decision was still inconclusive. Maybe for once in his life, he should stop figuring. This was a problem to which there was no solution. Perhaps the only way to come to a conclusion was for fate to come to one for him. He put his head in his hands and listened to his surroundings. 
 
 Crickets chirped outside his window, dampened every now and then as the dead of the night brought a cold, howling gust of wind. The radio... Albert began listening to the radio. 
 
 *'' With runners on second and third and a full count, the White Sox are going to need something big here! Luke Appling has been known to get himself out of some pretty tight situations, but a 4-5 deficit in the bottom of the ninth might be too much for even him!'' 
 One more pitch was dealt to Appling, and another, and another. 24 pitches fouled off total before finally, like a hurricane after the calm, Luke unleashed his fury and sent the ball deep. 
 `` It's going! It's up there! AND IT'S GONE! Appling with a three run home run to take this game for the Sox! They've won it all! VICTORY FOR THE WHITE SOX! `` * 
 
 And that's the sign he needed. A sign that victory was the most important goal, no matter the cost. The bomb would be completed. 
 
 But that's not what Albert heard. It could have been, and in some universe it may have been. But not now. What he heard now was different. 
 
 `` With runners on second and third and a full count, the White Sox are going to need something big here! Luke Appling has been known to get himself out of some pretty tight situations, but a 4-5 deficit in the bottom of the ninth might be too much for even him!'' 
 
 One more pitch was dealt to Appling, and he made contact. It flew like a rocket, grounding into foul territory and cracking off of the stadium wall. Luke hung his head and dropped his bat to the ground. 
 
 `` It looks like there will be no miracle save today folks... but that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. The Yankees win by one run, but I do n't think this is the win people were looking for. Fans love a good underdog victory, but that's not what they got today. I guess you ca n't always get the victory you want.'' 
 
 Albert shook his head slowly. You ca n't always win when you want to. Sometimes your morals were more important than victory, and he knew that if the atom bombs were completed the blood paid for winning the war would not be justified. He began writing his letter of resignation to the team. 
 
 
 
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 If it sucks I apologize. It's late and I have n't checked grammar or anything, and I sure as hell would n't trust my history. That goes for World War II and baseball both. I felt like I had a cool idea though and I hope I was able to represent it in a way that is n't stupid.
