| Match 45: |
 |
| By: Nick Anstett |
|
Ogasawara Island was no longer the world of
giants it had been. Following the incident several years ago
with the Killaaks, the project had been abandoned by the Japanese
government as it was deemed too dangerous and unstable a station
to man. Although met with some initial skepticism, the movement
turned out to be a wise one. The Mothra Larva and Minilla died
several months following the final battle with Ghidorah, and
Gorosaurus was killed in a battle with Kumonga. The remaining
monsters swam or flew off to better pastures, and now the island
lay in relative silence.
Only one stubborn kaiju remained, Anguirus. Anguirus
had often been described by kaijuologists as being uncharacteristically
resistant and territorial. It clung onto the former Monster
Island with unchallenged vigor and loyalty. This behavior had
been questioned for some time, but no solution had been proposed.
Ogasawara Island held no legitimate food sources, except for
the native dolphins, and was not particularly contested territory.
Anguirus had seemingly claimed the island as its own, and was
not going to let it go. However, interest was soon lost in Anguirus'
behavior. As long as the gigantic saurian stayed away from human
settlement, it was no longer considered a threat...
Anguirus awoke one summer morning to the sound
of crashing waves and squawking gulls. Every morning began the
same, with the same sounds, and the same scents. Yet, Anguirus
did not feel boredom, if a kaiju could truly understand the
concept. It slept, it ate, and it slept. Anguirus did not want
more, and it did not need more. It was content.
Anguirus rose from its usual resting place, nestled
in between several caves, and lumbered out towards the beach.
The island looked and smelt familiar, but there was something
different in the air. There was evidence that something large
had pushed its way through the palm trees, and Anguirus could
smell blood in the distance. Something had come to its quiet
island and had dared disturb its peace.
The spiked behemoth crawled faster towards the
beach, the sounds of gnawing and crunching grew louder in its
small reptilian ears. However, it also heard the sounds of familiar
roars and grumbles. It was Baragon, the small quadruped that
had taken up residence by Ogasawara's volcano. Anguirus did
not know why the smaller beast had returned but it was not welcome.
The creature had entered its territory, and was most likely
eating its food.
Anguirus entered the beach slowly and with caution.
It caught a glimpse of the beast several hundred yards down
the beach, a dead whale at its feet. Baragon, tore and twisted,
ripping out flesh and splattering blood across its massive ears.
The beast was violating Anguirus’s beach with the blood
of its kill. This meant a challenge. A direct act of opposition
towards Anguirus' claim. Baragon was arrogant, and foolish to
think that this act would go unpunished. Anguirus lowered its
nasal horn, howled a roar of defiance and galloped forward.
Baragon raised its head from the insides of the
whale. It had not expected Anguirus to arrive so soon. It had
smelt the beast's scent from miles away, and had realized the
risk of entering the beast's territory, but had not anticipated
this soon a reaction. Baragon's stomach was full of whale flesh
and he was tired from the voyage to the island, but he was not
afraid of a fight. Baragon opened its jaws and howled a challenge,
and charged forward.
Baragon collided with Anguirus head on. The spiked
dinosaur was caught off guard by the sudden impact, and stumbled
backwards, only to have the smaller kaiju bite down hard on
its left foreleg. Anguirus yelped and desperately tried to shake
Baragon off. However, like a pit bull, the subterranean dinosaur
clamped down hard and began to drag and twist on Anguirus's
leg. Anguirus screamed and desperately tried to bite down on
the smaller kaiju, yet each snap met with a mouthful of sand
or open air. Baragon was maneuverable and vicious.
Anguirus felt a wave of heat growing on his left
leg. Baragon’s mouth began to sizzle and spark with heat
and flame, and Anguirus realized all too late what was happening.
A blast of flame leaped from Baragon’s tightly clamped
jaw, and engulfed its left leg. As Anguirus yelped and jumped
backwards, the assailant let go and burrowed underground.
Anguirus gave a few tentative licks towards its
wounded leg. Between Baragon’s teeth and flame, the leg
stung with unimaginable pain. Even its battle with Mechagodzilla
had not hurt as much as this. Finally, after a few seconds of
blind pain Anguirus came back to its senses. Still favoring
its left leg, the shelled dinosaur scanned the beach for its
opponent. It could smell the beast's stench, but could not get
a good view of his assailant.
Anguirus could feel the vibrations in the ground,
and could almost sense where the beast was moving. However,
Baragon’s movements were erratic and unpredictable. The
instant Anguirus would move to one area, the burrowing dinosaur
would travel to another. Suddenly, the beast burst from the
ground, and slammed its hooked nasal horn into Anguirus’s
gut. Howling and coughing up blood, the dinosaur collapsed to
the ground panting, as Baragon retreated once again underground.
Anguirus rose from the ground on its three unwounded
legs, and attempted to limp to the safety of the jungle. However
Baragon once again burst from the ground behind the wounded
saurian and charged forward. Opening its jaws wide, the dinosaur
bit down hard on Anguirus’s spiked tail. Letting out another
yelp, Anguirus reared onto its hind legs in pain as Baragon
clamped down.
Snarling in anger, the dinosaur snapped its spiked
tail like a whip. Baragon screamed as the sudden movement cracked
teeth, and shredded its jaw. Losing its grip on its opponent,
Baragon spiraled down the beach and landed several dozen meters
away.
Ready to end this insult of a fight, Anguirus
lunged after Baragon. The enraged saurian bit down hard on Baragon’s
right foreleg and tore. Blood spurted out like a fountain and
Baragon squealed in pain. Tossing the creature away like a rag
doll, Anguirus roared a challenge of blood lust. Although weakened
by the dinosaur’s sudden attack, Baragon was quick to
answer.
The smaller beast leapt forward, and swung its
clawed hands, slashing deadly wounds across Anguirus’s
face and neck. It landed several meters away, and proceeded
to blast the angered saurian across the face with jets of flame.
Anguirus charged and slammed its spiked skull
into Baragon’s midsection. Winded, the smaller kaiju stumbled
backwards. Anguirus was angry, and the angrier it got, the harder
it fought. Lunging forward, Anguirus chomped down hard on Baragon’s
neck. Squealing in pain, Baragon was lifted into the air. Anguirus
throttled the burrowing dinosaur violently, and felt warm blood
pooling its mouth. Just as Baragon’s movements began to
grow sluggish and less erratic, the maddened saurian slammed
it into the sand headfirst.
Baragon gasped and gulped in pain. It was wounded,
dazed, and tired. However, it was not finished. Not in the slightest.
Baragon jumped forward, and slammed into Anguirus head on, forcing
the shelled beast onto its back. Roaring maniacally, Baragon
bit down hard on Anguirus’s chest and began to slash and
tear away. Skin and scales peeled away from Baragon’s
repeated slashing and biting, and blood seeped out in torrents.
Anguirus could feel its life forces fading away,
Baragon had outmaneuvered it in every way. It had systematically
whittled away at its opponent until it could no longer stand.
Baragon would have its day, and its territory. However, just
as Baragon prepared a blast of flame to finish Anguirus off,
something primal and dangerous clicked inside the wounded dinosaur’s
head.
Some had called Anguirus a stubborn beast. A
creature that would never die even faced with the most horrible
wounds and opponents. What happened that fateful summer day
would only solidify this idea in the minds of kaijuologists
throughout the world. Despite its wounds, and its pain, Anguirus
issued a roar of challenge, raised its left hind leg and kicked
Baragon in the stomach. The horned beast toppled backwards and
lay on the blood-soaked sand stunned.
Anguirus roared and charged as fast as its wounded
legs could carry it. Just as Baragon was pushing itself off
the ground, Anguirus closed its jaws down around its neck, and
tore. Baragon yelped and struggled, but was unable to shake
itself free of the powerful teeth. Anguirus gave another tearing
twist, and the squealing dinosaur’s jugular split open.
Anguirus let go, and the writhing form dropped to the ground.
Choking on its own blood, the dying creature broke into a series
of violent spasms and jerks. Finally, the dinosaur lay still.
Anguirus let a gasping roar of victory, and collapsed
to the ground. Baragon's attacks had taken their toll on its
body. Its leg and stomach burned with unbearable pain and it
was not sure if it would be able to move properly for quite
some time. However, it had survived, and the island was its
again. Grabbing the lifeless form of Baragon around the neck,
Anguirus dragged its latest meal back to its peaceful caves,
where it was likely to spend many more days of rest and tranquility.
|
