Author: Christian Salabert | Banner: Stephanie Hughes

The giant quadruped known as Anguirus tread through the jungles of Monster Island. The mutant ankylosaur was in a rare, quiet mood and had no desire to struggle against his fellow kaiju today.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for Anguirus.

A loud rumbling was heard, filling his ears. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head from side to side, trying to seek out the source of the noise. He saw nothing, but the sound was getting louder by the second. Something was approaching Anguirus and very quickly at that. He began to turn and look behind him, when suddenly something smashed into his side. The armored beast howled in pain as he flew through the air, flipping around sideways before crashing onto the ground on his back. Woozily, Anguirus shook his head as he got back on his feet. Screeching angrily, he turned to face the fool who dared to attack him.

The narrow, amber eyes of the plant monster Gororin glared back at him.

Anguirus howled in fury at the spherical plant, which did not respond in kind. The armored quadruped charged but Gororin rolled out of the way, dodging Anguirus’ attack. Gororin swerved and spun towards Anguirus, again smashing into the beast’s side. Anguirus howled in agony as he felt the creature’s needles pierce his flesh. The monstrous cactus rolled back, then slammed into its foe again, lodging more needles into his skin. Anguirus staggered backward, hurt from the attack. Gororin rolled to a safe enough distance and glared at its opponent, planning its next move. In an instant, it began tumbling towards Anguirus, aiming straight for his head. Anguirus spotted it and hatched a plan of his own. Seconds before Gororin struck, Anguirus lowered his head and forelegs, raising his hind legs.

Gororin rolled up Anguirus’ shell as if it were a ramp. With a strike from his spiked tail, Anguirus sent Gororin careening through the air, slamming to the ground with a mighty thud.

Anguirus straightened up and stared at the unmoving Gororin for a moment. Another minute passed and still the plant kaiju did not move. Anguirus nodded, satisfied, then reared his head back into the sky, howling triumphantly.

A volley of needles shot out from Gororin’s being, striking and planting themselves into Anguirus’ neck. Anguirus cried out in pain and crashed to the ground, clawing at his neck.

Gororin sat and watched as Anguirus tried desperately to remove its spines. It decided it was time to finish the dinosaur off and began to roll towards it.

The roar of Godzilla pierced the air!

Gororin spun itself in an attempt to catch sight of the new arrival, only to receive a face-full of the Monster King’s powerful tail. The blow sent Gororin soaring through the air before roughly crashing into a mountain, stopping its flight cold. Godzilla roared furiously as the cactus creature rolled down the side of the mountain and back towards him. He would make sure Gororin realized that attacking his allies was a grave, grave mistake indeed. Godzilla’s dorsal fins flashed, powerful energies burning inside him, and he spewed forth his atomic ray. The blast hit home, striking Gororin dead-center… only the plant’s advance was not halted, steam rising from the plant’s heated skin being the only visible effect. Godzilla looked puzzled and tried again, but this blast was as successful as the first. By now, Gororin had gotten too close and it leapt into the air, bodyslamming Godzilla right in the chest. Godzilla shrieked and fell onto his back as Gororin returned to the ground and began to turn, planning to strike again. Godzilla started getting back on his feet, but Gororin struck again, slamming into Godzilla’s neck and knocking him flat on his face.

By now, Anguirus had managed to dislodge the needles in his neck and roared angrily at Gororin, seeing the spot that Godzilla was in. He charged as the cactus neared Godzilla, then leapt towards it, flipping over on his side. Anguirus’ jagged shell slammed into Gororin, knocking him away from Godzilla and sending him bouncing away. Anguirus groaned, as some of Gororin’s needles had managed to even pierce through his shell into his flesh underneath. Godzilla growled in fury as he got to his feet, ripping out a few needles that had become lodged in his chest.

Godzilla scanned the area, looking for the needle-covered orb. The King of the Monsters refused to be outmatched by a mere ball. Suddenly, a bark from Anguirus called him to attention, and he spotted Gororin rolling in from the southeast, heading directly for them. Godzilla quickly unleashed a series of atomic blasts at Gororin, and though it incinerated the foliage around it in huge bursts of fire, the rolling demon remained unharmed. Anguirus cried worriedly as Gororin approached, but Godzilla narrowed his eyes and readied his tail. Just as the plant monster was within reach, Godzilla swung his tail forward, slamming it into Gororin’s side and knocking him away. This time, however, Godzilla shrieked in pain. He had not struck Gororin’s face as he had before and had gotten his tail stabbed with several needles. Godzilla roared as he spotted Gororin and fired another blast at it. Though Godzilla’s ray was just as ineffective as before, this time Gororin responded with its own projectile. Dozens of needles shot from its body, striking Godzilla in the chest and neck. Screeching in pain, Godzilla staggered back before tripping over Anguirus and toppling over him. The two reptiles cried out as they collided.

Gororin watched as its opponents struggled to get back to their feet. Each time they got close, it would fire another series of needles at them, sending them back to the ground. Though the cactus monster possessed no voice, its yellow eyes conveyed its evil glee all too well.

Godzilla managed to get to his feet and looked over to Anguirus. Both mutant dinosaurs were tired and wounded by this vegetation, and neither of them liked it one bit. Godzilla roared at Anguirus, giving him instructions on how to deal with their foe. Anguirus howled and nodded, understanding.

Gororin watched as Anguirus began to circle around it, keeping his distance. Just as the plant began to move towards him, Godzilla gave it a blast of his atomic breath, grabbing its attention and placing it back on him. The cactus monster glared at Godzilla and rapidly rolled towards him. Godzilla made no attempt to attack or move out of its way and in fact spread his arms, as if daring the creature to attack him. And attack him it did, as Gororin once again bounced into the air and smashed into Godzilla’s chest. This time, Godzilla took a step back, but did not fall. In fact, before Gororin could bounce away, Godzilla wrapped his arms around it, holding it against his chest. Gororin shook, his needles tearing into Godzilla’s arms and torso, but the Monster King did not let go, forcing himself to ignore the pain. He looked at Anguirus and roared. It was time.

Anguirus approached Godzilla as he held onto Gororin. He howled reluctantly at Godzilla, but a glare from the King was all it took for him to follow through on Godzilla’s orders. The quadruped turned his back to Godzilla, then stood up on his hind legs. Flinging himself backward, Anguirus slammed his shell into Gororin… forcing his needles even deeper into Godzilla’s flesh. Godzilla howled as the pain wracked his body, but did not release Gororin. In fact, he was incapable of doing so. He pulled his arms away and Gororin still remained on his body, his needles jammed too deeply into Godzilla’s flesh. Godzilla roared and Anguirus quickly backed away.

Godzilla growled as his dorsal fins flashed, the light growing brighter. His eyes flashed the same color as his atomic fires coursed throughout his entire body. Gororin tried to shake itself free, but it was too late.

In a massive explosion, Gororin was blasted from Godzilla’s body by a nuclear pulse!

Flung through the air, Gororin crashed to the ground, and though it could not shriek out in pain, its pain was evident. Most of its needles had been burned away and parts of its skin were burnt.

Anguirus walked over and stood next to Godzilla. The two watched as Gororin twitched and shook for a few minutes.

After a moment, Gororin’s eyes opened, still alive and angry. But its anger was no match for Godzilla’s. The King of the Monsters took a step forward, roaring in fury. His dorsal fins began to light up once more, but this time their blue glow was replaced by a crimson flash. Super powerful energies built up in Godzilla’s gut, which he released at Gororin in the form of his ultimate weapon, the red spiral ray. The powerful blast struck Gororin and struck it hard. The rest of the cactus’ needles were incinerated. Another blast and its skin was charred black. The plant monster caught fire and continued to burn, the flames giving no sign of fading any time soon.

Godzilla and Anguirus watched as Gororin burned to a crisp. Eventually the two allies turned away from their fallen foe and began to travel inland, exchanging roars and howls about their latest victory.

Winner: Godzilla (Heisei), Anguirus (Universal)