Match 225 - Author: Tyler Trieschock
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5 days after SpaceGodzilla’s Defeat -U.S.S. Cowpens
Randy Hernandez slammed against a steel wall within the U.S.S. Cowpens, shaking from the electric jolt that flowed through his body. His black hair clung to the metal surface behind him. His hands shook from the high voltage bolt that traveled through the screwdriver his right palm violently grasped. As his muscles loosened, he looked across the engineering room to Jet Jaguar’s broken body and the elderly man beside him who possessed a toothless grin as he worked upon his creation.
“I told you to avoid that socket,” Goro Ibuki laughed as he returned his gaze to Jet Jaguar.
Randy eyes focused on the robot’s creator, letting loose a forced laugh as he began to walk across the room, tossing the screw driver back and forth in his hands.
“Yeah, I got that. Can’t we just unplug him for like… a day? Getting shocked the last few ain’t been fun.”
Goro ignored the comment and focused on Jet Jaguar’s destroyed arm. The inventor’s hands moved with meticulous precision, delicately splicing wires that jutted from the splintered appendage. Goro stopped for a brief second, his hands shaking before he quelled the convulsions to continue his work.
“As I’ve said numerous times, that could endanger his consciousness. I will not risk that of him, but I think the greater concern is you lack the ability to listen.”
A cocky grin overtook Randy as he grabbed a chair and sat beside the inventor. A slight creak echoed in the room as he titled it backward, placing his arms against the back of his head.
“Look, I’m a guy that likes to get right to the action,” Randy countered as he closed his eyes in assurance. “Who needs instructions anyways?”
Randy confidently stretched out his arms and opened his eyes merely to discover a gaze delivering a death stare so powerful he could feel the rage. A loud thud rang out as Randy fell backward, slamming against the floor as he let loose a pained cry.
“Hey…Monique,” Randy moaned in anguish.
The French agent walked past her fallen teammate, refocusing on the tool she desperately needed.
“How much longer until he is repaired?” Monique inquired, placing her hand on Goro’s shoulder as she scanned the broken machine.
The inventor let loose a calm breath, took a step backward and faced the agent.
“You are worried for your friend,” Goro asserted in a calm voice. “I spoke to Mrs. Tatopoulos when she held the same fear and I will say it once more. Have faith.”
Monique’s cold gaze remained.
“Faith will do us very little.”
Goro eyes began to wander, his energetic face seemingly sinking into one filled with worry and regret.
“My assistant will need time. If I were young, or had adequate help, I would be finished in a day. I sadly do not have either, and so I will need four.”
A splat from Randy jumping to his feet attracted Monique’s as well as Goro’s attention. With a few pats of his clothes and a cocky grin, Randy noted, “I mean, we could just call Mendel. Japan isn’t that far away.”
“Your friend is in Japan?” Goro inquired.
“Yup, and let’s be honest. What could Mendel possibly be doing that is more important than rescuing Jefe?”
*****
Inside the emergency escape pod of Mechagodzilla, Mendel Craven finished the final line of code for his latest enhancement to the monstrous machine he resided within. His long, orange hair launched backward after he jumped a half inch in enthusiasm, shaking the room from his larger frame as he touched down. His favorite, oversized white coat flowed in all directions, settling as Mendel turned to his mechanical creation.
The treaded machine’s singular red eye spun as it focused on its creator. Its long neck extended further to scan Mendel, its sensors unsure of what to make of the outburst.
“Let’s see Randy mess with this!” Mendel happily exclaimed to his yellow, mechanical companion.
N.I.G.E.L. remained silent, its head creaking as it adjusted its optical sensors.
Mendel’s smile gradually faded from the silence and his arms fell to his sides.
“You know, I think I actually miss the team. Wonder what they’re up to?”
Mendel scratched his nose as he contemplated, sitting back into his chair to lose himself in thought.
“N.I.G.E.L.,” Mendel noted as he grabbed a tissue from his pocket and blew into it, “this is the biggest project I’ve ever completed. I mean, working with Dr. Ifukube’s been amazing, butI wonder if this will be the most significant thing I ever...”
Deafening sirens blared to lifethroughout the vessel, launching Mendel from his chair. Red lights pulsated within the room as sirens increased their already ear drum rattling volume. The engineer screamed and burst for the door, tripping over N.I.G.E.L. in his desperate escape.Mendel’s forehead struck a metal beam, knocking him unconscious as the sirens began to lessen and the clatter of panicked footsteps overtook them.
*****
Colonel Watarase felt his muscles tense in preparation of the coming storm.
Like playing a game of cat and mouse, Colonel Watarase led his forces of the Japanese Self Defense Force in pursuit of Legion. Beyond all logic the creature passed Kyoto, Nagoya, Nagasaki and Yokohama, throwing his perfectly planned defensive lines to waste. With only one last logical target for the creature, Colonel Watarase positioned his forces to the eastern portion of Mt. Fuji to protect Tokyo.
Performing another scan, the Colonel left his tent and walked away from the hundreds of men cautiously awaiting for signs of their common enemy. On the edge of a cliff, the Colonel’s movements ceased. With a trusty pair of binoculars, Watarase scanned the eastern basin of Mt. Fuji, trying to discern any strange activity. The cloudy night sky coupled with the slight downpour hazed his vision, but the military officer could clearly see birds calmly roosting in the upper branches of the trees. A sight he was sure the dozens of reconnaissance units under his commandwere also noticing as they awaited the incoming threat.
“No signs, where could she be?”
The slight buzz of his radio accompanied with the sound of his name caught the Colonel’s attention. The officer quickly grabbed the device and asked, “This is Colonel Watarase, speak over.”
“Sir this is air recon echo, we have spotted Legion entering the woodlands of Mt. Fuji! You need…”
The Colonel instantly dropped his radio and looked through his binoculars again, scanning the tree line for any activity. To his shock the officer found no enemy, just the calm movement of trees. Even the birds were still roosting.
The binoculars in his grip squeaked from the pressure his left hand exerted. “Repeat echo recon, tell me what you see, over!”
“Legion is making her way through Aokigahara forest! Repeat, Aokigahara Forest!”
Colonel Watarase’s brow furrowed, his fists clenched with greater strength. “Dammit! Why the hell did she go west?”
Knowing he still had a force to command, Watarase grabbed the radio and selected the channel his subordinates listened to. “Legion has surfaced in Aokigahara forest. We need an aerial bombardment to delay her advance! We need ground forces to relocate, now!”
With reason to move, Watarase dashed back toward his troops. As he organized the men around him, the sound of Jets flying over his position caused the Colonel to pause. His eyes darted toward the dark, cloudy sky. He awaited a spinning beacon of hope, a guardian to burst through the clouds to defend the world once more just like in his youth. As the rain continued to pelt his face and the sonic boom faded, Colonel Watarase closed his eyes and let his childish hope perish under the steady sound of rainfall.
“If only you were still around…”
-------------
Prime Minster Igarashi walked to the clear glass in front of the launch control panel that allowed all those within to gaze upon the mechanical creation that resided on the other side. The Prime Minister’s unflinching gaze met Mechagodzilla’s piercing yellow eyes as they slowly illuminated with life. Beads of sweat began to fall from the politician brow as memories flourished within his mind from nearly two decades prior. A metropolis consumed in an inferno from a metallic leviathan with glowing, crimson eyes.
“Are you sure Dr. Ifukube that he is ready?’ Igarashi questioned without moving his gaze.
A Japanese woman with long black hair and wearing a pristine white coat walked upbesidehim to gaze upon the machine.Unlike the Prime Minster, confidence seemed to glow from her expression.
“Yes Prime Minister. All systems have launched without issue. Unfortunate you could not convince the original crew to return to pilot.”
“Yes, they were a fine group, but if my reports were correct the replacements matched their stats well,” Igarashi noted while patting his face with a small, white handkerchief. “They even passed the virtual test with Hedorah and Godzilla. A fightnot even the original crew passed.”
His worries beginning to fade, the Prime Minsters moved to exit the room.“This will be the machine’s first fight and it won’t be easy, but I expect some good press for our parliament. They are starting to reconsider the increased funding of the Japanese Self Defense Force along with many other things.”
Dr. Ifukube remained focused on her creation.
“I assure you Prime Minister, Mechagodzilla will not lose.”
The leader of Japan stopped walking within the frame of the door to exit the room. Unbeknownst to the doctor, Igarashi’s eyes closed as the memories that haunted him flashed within his mind once more.
“I do not need assurance on its performance Doctor. Just on all other things.”
*****
Legion’s massive form easily protruded from the endless sea of trees. The night sky coupled with the dark clouds hindered her eyesight, but the queen still could sense the grave threat to her brood. She had passed up multiple fertile areas to build her flower to stop the growing creature, and she knew she had to finish it before the terror truly awakened.
The massive insect continued her slow yet looming journey, but a slight hum began to buzz. The sound grew in intensity until the queen, thinking an air strike was incoming, turned to face the approaching object. Instead of another squadron, Legion witnessed the reflective form of Mechagodzilla land almost three hundred meters away from her position. A threat too large to pass up, the queen bellowed a challenging screech before she faced her new attacker. At that instant, almost as if the spirits of Aokigahara forest were listening, the rain pelting the woodlands subsided.
“Good landing team but we just passed up a perfect opportunity for a surprise assault,” Chief Officer Nashi stated as he viewed Legion through the robot’s screens. “Status update?”
“Communication with Colonel Watarase’s forces is operational and ready for use,” Salamiresponded, the crew’s navigational operator. “Unfortunately, it seems something has arisen nearby forcing the Colonel to focus all of his forces on this new threat.”
“Weapons systems are operational and standing by, minus the Plasma Grenade,” Vine noted, the team’s weapon officer.
“Picking up interference from Legion’s horn but other than her, no unusual activity is apparent in the area,” Levy affirmed, the group’s science officer.
“Well engineering is fine for now,” Gregory, the robot’s main engineer stated wearily. “I am shutting all main ports in case any of the queen’s soldiers try to breach the hull. Best to avoid any surprise visitors.”
“Good to hear team. Vine, prepare eye canons for a preliminary assault,” Nashi ordered.
“Roger, ready to fire on your command.”
Legion’s hulking frame swayed as she surveyed her opponent, screeching at Mechagodzilla to react in some way. Her patience wearing thin, the queen opened her horn to reveal massive bolts of blue energy.
Nashi’s eyes focused on the attack.
“Fire!”
Mechagodzilla’s eyes glimmered momentarily, alerting Legion to the incoming strike. The queen quickly shut her horn and refocused her charged power to deploy a blue, transparent shield around her face as well as her abdomen. Twin yellow beams erupted from the robot’s eyes, striking the shield merely for it to dissipate upon impact. Ripples flowed across the barrier while Legion cackled at the pathetic strike.
With the eyes canons proving too weak, Nashi yelled, “Switch to Mega-Buster ray, full power. Don’t let up!”
Mechagodzilla’s maw parted to unleash a constant, multicolored ray at the weakened blue shield protecting Legion. The ray at first diminished upon contact like the previous energy assault; however, a few more seconds proved too much for Legion to cope with. The concussive barrier bloated in a flash, sending a cascade of sparks across Legion’s form while giving the Mega-Buster ray the ability to lance across the queen’s face. The alien invader screeched in agony, drawing immense anger which channeled the queen’s new power that flowed through her newly opened horn.
“Brace for impact team!” Nashi exclaimed.
Legion’s horn burst with immeasurable power. A destructive concussion beam detonated in front of Mechagodzilla, encompassing the machine in a flash of blue. Harsh winds tore open the very earth. Trees splintered from the overwhelming shockwaves. A second ray erupted from Legion’s horn, glancing the robot’s upper abdomen. A massive explosion detonated on the machine’s chest, cracking the diamond armor of the robot while also sending the machine plummeting backward.
“Fire spine thrustersSalami, keep us level!”
Mechagodzilla’s backside ignited with fire as its main boosters burst to life. Trees behind the mechanical creation ignited into an inferno from the shockwave of fire, illuminating Mechagodzilla as it returned to a vertical position. Nashi exhaled with a sigh of relief as he felt the robot touch down. The problem gone, the officer refocused on Legion, the massive insect now crawling toward the mech.
“Do we now have enough power for a Plasma Grenade?” Nashi inquired.
Vine exhaled an annoyed sigh. “Very little, we still need eighty five percent more power to fire the Plasma Grenade safely or we will deplete our reserves to dangerous levels.”
Nashi looked back to his subordinate, his brow raising in shock. “How, we took a direct hit from that thing?”
“The concussion ray is unlike most energy based weapons,” Levy exclaimed, drawing Nashi’s attention to her, “it acts more explosive than kinetic. In essence, Mechagodzilla is trying to absorb heat from an energized explosion and the residue that remains is sparse at best.”
“Whatever it’s made of, the hull on the right, upper abdomen is cracked and the main part of the beam missed us,” Gregory responded as he pulled up a plethora of schematics across his screen. “Another precise hit and we may lose the diamond coating for that part of the hull. Two more and I wouldn’t want to be in this thing any longer.”
“I would suggest lessening our energy use then,” Vine cracked. “We will burn through our reserves without resupply.”
With Legion incoming and with a limited energy supply, Nashi spun around and ordered, “In that case fire paralyzing missiles and our eye lasers at fifty percent draw!”
A low growl echoed from Legion as Mechagodzilla’s barrage began. Twin eye beams splashed across the alien’s exoskeleton, unable to pierce the thick hide of the hulking monstrosity. A mist gradually formed as the missiles failed to penetrate the alien’s armor, the chemicals within dispersing across the area. After twenty seconds of the assault, Legion easily walked through the barrage until she was just meters from the robot. Within range, the queen swung her horn like a battering ram.
“Hold on team!”
Mechagodzilla’s form smashed into the damp earth. Ancient trees launched into the air, dust clouded the robot’s form and mud splashed across its shining hull. With her foe stagnant for the moment, Legion lifted herself up and positioned herself over the fallen mech. Ready to crush her metallic enemy, Legion let gravity overcome her.
“Oh hell! Fire the Plasma Grenade, maximum draw followed by our thrusters.”
Vine looked at his commanding officer with disbelief. “If we do sir we will…”
“I said FIRE!”
A golden hue overtook Legion’s body as it descended mere inches above the robot’s form. A tremendously powerful beam unleashed from the port on Mechagodzilla’s abdomen, striking Legion’s underbelly and encompassing her mass. The forceful attack repelled Legion’s form back into the air. Legion bellowed in anguish allowing Mechagodzilla to activate its thrusters.
Legion, no longer affected by the Plasma Grenade, slammed back to the ground. Infuriated by her foe, the insect’s horn separated into two revealing pure destructive energy to any who noticed the act. Three concussion beams discharged from her horn; two of the energy attacks striking around the fleeing Mechagodzilla before a third beam struck the machine’s back. The shockwaves from Legion’s beam too much to overcome, the crew of Mechagodzilla braced for impact as the machine slammed into an uplifted mound in the relatively flat forest. Alerts as well as sirens cascaded inside of Mechagodzilla, warning the piloting team of the severe damage dispensed upon the mech.
“Status!” Nashi irritatinglyordered as he shook his head to regain focus.
“Main thrusters are down not to mention most of our systems,” Gregory moaned. “I am running a full diagnostic scan as we speak, but we won’t be getting up for a while.”
Vine glanced at his screens, checking over every weapon’s status with complex precision.
“Weapons are online including the Plasma Grenade, but our reserves are gone. No extra power to use for our energy weapons.”
“Communications still up and running,” Salami stated, worry still in his voice. “I’ll try to contact the Colonel for assistance.”
Nashi waited a few more seconds then turned to look at Levy. Her usual focused demeanor replaced with worry in addition to curiosity.
“Levy, status!”
The science officer ignored her commanding officer again, forcing Nashi to yell, “Levy!”
The sound snapped the officer out of her fazed state. “Sorry sir, but there is something very wrong. Either Legion’s beam disrupted some of my sensors or something is actually affecting Earth’s gravity.”
“Explain science officer!”
Levy nodded and pulled up her readings, numbers flashing across the main screen in the cockpit from the strange activity. “At first I thought the results were from the impact, but further examination shows the gravity in this location is pulsating.”
“Levy, focus on Legion we don’t have time…”
“Holy crap, the cameras!” Salami screamed.
The communication officer pulled up multiple optical sensors for his teammates off of Mechagodzilla merely for them to witness uplifted trees from the machine’s impact floating in midair.
“What… the… hell,” Nashi remarked in awe merely for a loud piercing screech to redirect his attention. “Legion is incoming. Are thrusters ready?”
“I need another minute!” Gregory retorted. “In the meantime, why don’t you guys figure out who pressed the anti-gravity button!”
Legion’s scanned the immobile machine as she approached it. Its reflective surface now spotted from debris and other geographic features. With her foe defenseless, Legion’s slowly widened her massive horn. Blue energy coalesced, pulsating with immense power as the alien focused on her target. Two thunderous concussion beams danced around Mechagodzilla, cracking the mound the robot lay on into massive chunks of rock. Shrubbery ignited sending tiny fireballs crashing to the ground while shockwaves tore the surrounding earth to pieces.
Deep under the earth, six eyes slowly opened from the shockwaves emanating from the surface. The creature at first glanced at its surroundings, discovering its location in an unnecessary grave. The dragon as it further gained consciousness suddenly flashed back to its last memories which took place nearlytwo decadesprior by earth time. An aerial battle flashed in the monster’s shared mind, then a guardian’s sudden approach to ram across his wings. As the monstrous insect neared, the images faded until the memory ended with the moth’s passing. Intensified with a sudden rage, the beast’s body began to illuminate a golden hue.
The ground under Mechagodzilla cracked and fractured allowing a golden light to illuminate through the openings. Trees, dirt, even Mechagodzilla lifted off the ground from the gravity defying energy pulsating from within the earth.
“Activate thrusters! Get us out of here!” Nashi yelled as he felt the weightlessness effect his body.
With no choice, Mechagodzilla’s thrusters partially activated. The robot flew into the air, barely able to sustain its flight with its weakened boosters before the machine quickly touched down half a kilometer away from its take off location. Slowly, the metallic doppelganger of Godzilla spun around to allow the team inside to witness the unfolding events. As their optical sensors clearly displayed the situation to them, a sense of fear overcame every member. They could not explain it, but the sense felt almost instinctual as a golden three headed dragon levitated out of the ground with massive chunks of rock circling it like planets to a star.
“What…what is that?” Salami inquired, transfixed on the massive creature.
Nashi’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the figure. “Grand King Ghidorah is its name.”
Levy instantly typed away at her terminal for any information about the beast. “My records showcase that it arrived in 1999 and was dispatched by a Mothra, specifically Leo.”
“So what is it doing here?” Salami inquired.
Gregory sighed at the sight. “Making our jobs that much harder.”
“Cut the rhetorical chatter. We need to know how to beat it. Anything else of importance come up on the reports Levy?”
“Negative sir, the only other useful data comes from an old legend surrounding the beast from Infant Island. They called it, ‘The King of Terror’.”
Nashi glanced back at his crew then returned his attention to the monitors which displayed Grand King Ghidorah and Legion. “We were sent here to destroy Legion and we shall, but we will also stop this ‘King of Terror’. It is our duty, our responsibility.”
Grand King Ghidorah slowly descended to the forest below as chunks of earth crashed all around him. The dragon focused on the ancient war-like alien. While destroying countless worlds he had come across the species, a powerful foe, but nothing that could oppose his wrath.
Grand King Ghidorah took a single step toward Legion, expecting to send fear through the Queen yet as he felt the Earth’s gravity upon him, the dragon stopped. No, it wouldn’t be that easy, not in its current state… With his new body, the terror’s own power would be limited. His body far more frail from his long absence of space, and the effects of wretched planet he walked upon.
An annoyed growl echoed through all three of the creature’s jaws.Grand King Ghidorah knew this fight would be a difficult one.
Legion screeched menacingly at the tri-headed beast. She had sensed the monster’s presence after her stalemate with Zone Fighter. A larger threat than even her previous metallic foe, Legion focused on the Terror King. The queen’s abdomen suddenly burst with hundreds of symbiotic legion, unleashing her army against the great destroyer of worlds.
Grand King Ghidorah wasted little time to counter the incoming army. Red lightning crackled around his wings before they projected forward. The energy bolts burned at least thirty percent of the swarm into charred husks, allowing the rest of the swarm to land on the dragon. Grand King Ghidorah bellowed in agony as the symbiotic Legion clawed at his newly formed scales, slowly ripping away his golden armor.
“Fire our paralyzing missiles! We can take out both the swarm and hit this terror while he is distracted!”
Vine followed the order and fired half of the remaining projectiles. The missiles exploded against the dragon’s hide killing roughly fifty percent of the remaining swarm while also further damaging the dragon’s already weakened hide.
The few remaining soldiers eyed their mechanical attacker merely to discover massive amounts of electronic transmissions coming off the machine. Too much to continue to obey their queen, the alien soldiers flew off of the dragon toward Mechagodzilla.
Repaying the favor to Mechagodzilla and infuriated at the swarm, Grand King Ghidorah unleashed two formidable gravity bolts. The beams burned through the remaining symbiotic Legion and impacted the robot; however, to the dragon’s shock the beams harmlessly washed over the machine.
“Holy crap. Our reserves are charged to fifty percent,” Vine announced. “That thing has a hell of a breath!”
Nashi grinned with amusement from the comment and ordered, “Make him pay for it. Fire the Mega-Buster!”
The multicolored ray discharged from Mechagodzilla’s maw. The beam flew through air but to the crew of Mechagodzilla’s dismay, it dissipated a few meters above Grand King Ghidorah’s golden armor. Ripples flowed from the impact zone, revealing an invisible barrier before it quickly vanished into obscurity.
“What was that!” Nashi yelled merely for Levy to answer, “A light barrier sir. I apologize, but it seems it is immune to most energy attacks unless they are quite massive in scope. Main military reports didn’t list the ability, but its referenced in the infant island archives along with an apparent mystic ability to terrorize the mind.”
“Let’s hope the Plasma Grenade can bust through it,” the chief officer responded.
With her swarm gone, a maternal fury swept through Legion causing her to charge toward the dragon. With the insect quickly approaching, Grand King Ghidorah levitated into the air, dodging the physical attack before unleashing a trio of gravity beams on the queen. The golden rays ruptured Legion’s silicon armor on her backside causing the queen to screech in agony. With one foe taken care of for the moment, Grand King Ghidorah focused in on Mechagodzilla. Red lighting cascaded from the creature’s large wings to Mechagodzilla’s immobile form, but like his gravity beams, the attack reflected off of the robot’s diamond armor.
“That should give us enough! Fire the Plasma Grenade at seventy percent draw!”
A small port opened on Mechagodzilla’s chest, glowing with yellow energy until it unleashed the robot’s strongest energy weapon. A massive explosion of sparks detonated on the dragon’s chest, signaling to the crew the weapon’s successful passing through the light shield.
The ancient dragon hissed in annoyance that the machine found a way to overpower his shields. Grand King Ghidorah quicklydescended, creating a tremor as it touched down, and focused in on the machine with all six of his eyes. He couldn’t blast the machine into oblivion like all those that usually stood before him, but inside he could sense the minds of humanity and like their race, the dragon knew they could be corrupted.
“We got him grounded! Fire our remaining salvo of missiles!”
Nothing occurred. With Mechagodzilla remaining still Nashi turned to face Vine merely to discover him and Gregory now standing up from their positions.
“What are you two doing? Return to your posts immediately!”
Cold, dark stares replied to Nashi’s order as they slowly made their way to the commanding officer.
“Hey guys what …” Salami asked only for Vine to punch him across the face, knocking the officer out cold.
“Sir their under the dragon’s power,” Levy yelled as she jumped up from her seat and moved beside her chief officer who also now stood up.
With no other choice, Nashi sadly raised his fists to engage his fellow teammates.
*****
A fresh series of beeping awakened Craven from his unconsciousness. The engineer groggily glanced around his spot on the floor to find himself forcefully wedged under a control panel.
“How did…I get here?” Mendel inquired before he noticed N.I.G.E.L. somewhat dented nearby.
The sudden distinct cry of two monsters drew the attention of the member of H.E.A.T. from his position on the floor to the screens above him. To his displeasure, Mendel discovered a three headed dragon brawling with a large insect like creature. Panic filled his being, realizing that he had accidentally stowed away on a mission with Mechagodzilla.
“Why does this have to happen to me?” Mendel moaned as he corrected N.I.G.E.L. and moved to the elevator.
Once inside, the engineer directed the elevator to the control room.Mendel paced back and forth in the small lift, tapping his fingers against his side as he nervously awaited the doors to open.
“Please don’t be too mad.”
The elevator’s door parted to reveal a chaotic brawl. Two larger men were fighting on the floor; one person appeared unconscious in their chair while a female pilot tied up another officer using the seats straps. Before Mendel could ask what was going on, Vine punched his mustached opponent in the gut allowing him to stand. With the chief down, Vine continued by kicking Nashi in the abdomen multiple times until Mendel yelled, “Hey you can’t do that!”
Vine refocused on Mendel, stopping his attack and stepping over his fallen team leader as he unflinchingly made his way toward the engineer.
“That doesn’t mean come after me,” whined Mendel who side stepped back into the elevator.
Vine raised his right fist and pulled it back as he walked into the small room but something struck his leg, capturing his attention. The weapons specialist glanced down at his leg to discover N.I.G.E.L., his front mechanical hand latched onto his appendage. With a new target, Vine brought his fist down upon the robot’s head, decapitating it in one go. As the head flew away, wires snapped wildly from the new opening, striking Vine’s hand.
“N.I.G.E.L.!” Craven yelled with disbelief as the robot’s systems electrocuted Vine while also sending the machine into a sparking frenzy.
A few more seconds caused both machine and man to stop their movements before Vine fell to the ground. Safe for the moment, Mendel edged his way around his destroyed robot and the moaning Vine to discover Nashi up on his feet, standing over an unconscious Gregory who was strapped to his seat.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, Nashi glanced over at the elevator to see the pudgy, orange haired engineer.
“Who the hell are you?” Nashi asked defensively.
“Oh, ugh, Mendel Craven. I am one of the main engineers for this project. You may have heard of me as I’m a member of the Humanitarian Environmental…”
The sound of Vine’s moaning drowned out Mendel. His teammate in pain, Nashi rushed over and kneeled beside his subordinate.
“You back to being you, officer?”
Vince rubbed the dust off his face and glanced up to his leader. “Yeah, that jolt brought me back. Just don’t look into its eyes or it takes hold.”
Nashi’s placid face slowly formed a grin as he lifted Vine to his feet and over to his chair. Levy gradually approached the pair and stood to attention in front of her commanding officer.
“Sir, I checked the records and discovered a link with the dragon’s controlling ability and its eyes so I blocked them from all of our screens with black boxes. We should be fine now. Salami is up, but I can’t awaken Gregory.”
Nashi moved next to Levy who tried to her best ability to awaken Gregory to no avail.
“Salami. Levy. Can you two operate Mechagodzilla instead of Gregory?”
“Negative,” the duo replied in unison.
“Wish I could, but engineering isn’t my specialty,” Salami remarked as he sat back in his chair. “I can handle its movements and power but that’s it.”
Remembering Mendel, Nashi looked over at the pudgy man who currently inspected his decapitated creation.
“Can you operate the machine’s internal workings Dr. Craven?” Nashi hesitantly asked.
Mendel looked back at the officer in shock. After a few moments of thinking, Mendel expressed a sigh and stood up.
“I should be able to monitor its systems for you.”
“Good, get in a seat and make sure Mechagodzilla doesn’t fall apart on us then,”The chief ordered as he made his way to his chair.”Levy, Salami, you two help the rookie if something arises.”
Nashi refocused on Mendel, a cocky grin on the leader’s face.
“Welcome to the crew of Mechagodzilla Dr. Craven. Don’t screw it up!”
*****
Legion desperately tried to open her horn but with Grand King Ghidorah‘s left head wrapped around it, the action proved impossible. Unable to blast her opponent away so it would desist tearing her tiny appendages apart, Legion thrusted her spiked leg right at Grand King Ghidorah’s abdomen.
Noticing the act, the dragon evaded backward, dodging the physical blow, but allowing Legion to demonstrate its destructive capability as it opened its horn. Two concussions beams burst from the split protrusion and exploded onto Grand King Ghidorah’s form. One beam blasted a hole through the dragon’s right wing while another vaporized a chunk of golden scales off Grand King Ghidorah’s abdomen.
Screams of agony bellowed from each head until their maws filled with golden energy. Enraged that the pathetic insect had injured him, Grand King Ghidorah unleashed a plethora of gravity beams. Each strike ruptured Legion’s silicon armor sending large quantities of compressed oxygen into the air. After the barrage subsided, Legion retracted her head in anguish but soon returned her attention back onto the dragon. The mighty queen still determined to continue the battle.
Grand King Ghidorah’s maw filled with more energy and the trio of heads readied to unleash their built of power onto the insect, but a detonation of energy exploded across the light shield protecting his backside. The dragon glanced back to discover Mechagodzilla, operational and ready for round two.
With two opponents to face, Grand King Ghidorah fired two gravity beams at Mechagodzilla while firing one at Legion. The insect queen deployed an energy barrier to protect herself, the shield barely strong enough to hold out while Mechagodzilla’s diamond armor absorbed the two gravity beam’s power.
“Control this!” Vine remarked as he fired a supercharged Mega-Buster ray.
Mechagodzilla’s beam struck the dragon’s left head, penetrating the light shield and striking the King of Terror’s right eye. The nerve detonated from the blast, causing the head to recoil wildly, blinding the other two heads of Legion whose horn again gleamed blue. A massive explosion on the dragon’s damaged wing reminded the beast of the queen after a large portion the appendage vaporized from the shot.
Growing more irritated by Legion, Grand King Ghidorah discharged red lighting from its wings at the insect, yet the queen installed another shield. The lightning danced around the barrier until twin yellow eye beams from Mechagodzilla brought the defense down. With no protection, Legion cried with pain as a Mega-Buster ray and two gravity beams set fire to her exposed abdomen.
A wary moan echoed from Legion’s mandibles as the monolithic creature’s head fell forward. Slight pops echoed beneath her. The eggs of her offspring bursting from the energy weapon’s trail of destruction. She couldn’t win by avoiding direct combat any longer. She needed to tear her offspring’s’ killers apart and Grand King Ghidorah would be the first to fall!
Legion lowered her head then charged at the golden three headed dragon. Grand King Ghidorah fired multiple gravity beams to dissuade the charging creature, but the queen’s movements continued unopposed. Grand King Ghidorah levitated into the air, dodging the strike, and continued firing gravity beams at Legion, completely unaware of the massive appendage next to him. By the time the dragon realized the situation it was too late. Legion’s massive back leg smashed against him sending the King of Terror plummeting to the ground below.
Nashi prepared to order another eye beam salvo, but Salami interrupted his order by yelling, “Sir, Colonel Watarase says his division won’t be able to assist anytime soon. They apparently are engaging two beasts to our east. A nasal horned dinosaur and a green ogre.”
“Noted Salami,” Nashi exclaimed as he watched Grand King Ghidorah lay stagnant across the ground. “We need to end this now, and we’re starting with Legion! Prep Shock Anchors!”
“Shock anchors ready!” Vine announced.
“Fi...”
“Hold on sir!” Levy interrupted as she pulled up Legion’s biology. “Legion is a silicon-based lifeform with a physiology far different from our own. An electrical current would most likely be minimal at best against such a lifeform.”
“Would’ve been nice to know earlier Levy, so Plasma Grenade?” Vine inquired as he watched Legion turn toward Mechagodzilla.
“Negative,” Nashi noted with a smirk. “We need to end this in one shot. Salami, Mendel, bring us ahead!”
Salami turned in shock while Mendel inquired, “Wait, like, toward the alien that towers over us?”
“That’s right doctor and when I give an order, you follow it. Vine, fire Eye Lasers. Pin her down!”
Yellow beams glanced across Legion’s form. Sparks followed the ensuing blasts, prompting Legion to charge toward the incoming machine. The monolithic creature lowered its head slightly, crashing through the forest around her, ready to impale Mechagodzilla with her horn. As Legion neared, Mechagodzilla’s arms sprung upward and grabbed the protrusion, launching the machine backward as Legion’s momentum carried the pair a few hundred meters more until the immense weight of Mechagodzilla slowed the two to a standstill. An annoyed screech echoed from Legion’s mandibles before she began to part her horn against Mechagodzilla’s strength.
Blue bolts of raw power swirled around Mechagodzilla’s head as the machine struggled to keep Legion from opening her horn. Smoke pooled form the robot’s hands, small flames encompassing its robotic claws as they struggled to keep the protrusion from opening.
Nashi felt Mechagodzilla tremble from his chair. A harsh grind slowly resonated within the machine, signs of gears stressing beyond their natural limits. An encompassing blue glow overtook the command room, nearly blinding his determined stare. All of these distractions he ignored to focus the destructive orb of energy coalescing in Legion’s…
“Fire Mega-Buster! Maximum draw!”
A blinding light overtook Legion and Mechagodzilla before a shockwave erupted outward in all directions. Trees shattered from the initial burst. Water evaporated from the kinetic energy as the sheer force of the two blasts impacting evaporated the rain as it fell, creating a bubble within the storm for the clashing titans. A brown dust cloud overtook the pair within the void before the rain began to fall once more.
A pair of triangular, golden lights pierced the cloud, a metallic screech following shortly after as rain cleared the dust. Steam continued to vent off the immobile machine. Smoke venting from Mechagodzilla’s parted maw before it began to move. Mechagodzilla’s head slowly rotated to inspect Legion merely to find the headless body of the once defiant queen.
“Scans indicate Legion is deceased sir!” Levy exclaimed.
“Good to hear, that only leaves…” Nashi remarked before Grand King Ghidorah interrupted him by slamming his twin tails against Mechagodzilla, sending the machine trembling forward past Legion.
Grand King Ghidorah glided back toward the machine as Mechagodzilla countered with Eyes Lasers and a Mega-Buster ray. Sparks cascaded across the dragon’s form, but the familiar ripples of the light shield protected Grand King Ghidorah hide allowing the dragon to perform a dual kick. Mechagodzillaplummeted backward while the cockpit erupted with sirens and Mendel’s screaming.
“Status Doctor!” Nashi yelled.
A few seconds of non-responsiveness from Mendel forced Nashi to shout, “Dr. Craven!”
The order forced Mendel to focus on the systems and diverted his fear for the second. “Nothing is broken, but the abdomen and right arm have taken considerable damage. I also think I injured my neck and my head from the fall.”
“Good and next time keep your own problems to yourself.” Nashi glanced back at the screens.“Activate thrusters; get us back on our feet!”
The cockpit rumbled as the machine rose. A deafening thud ending the rumble as Mechagodzilla returned to an upright position.
“Where the hell are you?”
A barrage of sirens erupted from Levy’s station causing the officer to shout, “Gravity shift detected behind us!”
“Damn, turn us around!”
The act came too late as Grand King Ghidorah landed behind Mechagodzilla and wrapped his heads around the machine. The dragon’s left head tangled Mechagodzilla’s left arm, the middle head started to constrict the machine’s neck while the right wrapped around the robot’s right arm. The beast’s massive but still damaged wings moved to cover the action, fully pulling Mechagodzilla into the dragon’s grasp.
Sparks cascaded across the cockpit while sirens rang from every station.
Mendel took a deep breath but announced in a frightened tone, “The neck and left arm are being crushed while the right is slowly being torn off. We need to go now or we are going to become cannon fodder!”
“Damn this dragon!” Nashi remarked. “Fire the eye canons and the Mega-Buster at the wings, full power!”
Grand King Ghidorah moaned as the beams struck his wings, the light shield unable to stop the rays due to the severe closeness, but it mattered little to the dragon. He could withstand the agony considering every second he did, it meant one second closer to crippling Mechagodzilla.
With no results apparent on Grand King Ghidorah, Nashi’s eyebrows furrowed in anger before he drowned out all the background noise in his mind to formulate a new plan.
“Fine he wants us he will pay for it! Fire all spinal thrusters, maximum draw! Dr. Craven, open every port!”
Grand King Ghidorah bellowed in agony as fires scorched his abdomen but even as dozens of golden scales burned black, the dragon’s pain could not overcome its endurance. The creaking of metal quickly overcame both the thrusters and moans of Grand King Ghidorah until the machine’s structure could not take anymore. A sickly snap echoedas Grand King Ghidorah ripped Mechagodzilla’s right arm off. With two heads too weak to hold the robot while it used its thrusters, Mechagodzilla blasted into the air merely to crash back to the ground a half mile away. A large crater formed around the robot’s impact while sparks cascaded in the open shoulder joint which exposed its right arm socket.
Red alerts, sirens and a multitude of other sounds echoed inside the cockpit.
“Damn that dragon,” mumbled Nashi who quickly looked around the room. “Everyone okay?”
“Yes sir, but Mechagodzilla sure has seen better days,” Salami commented.
“Damage is affecting the weapons sir,” Vine asserted. “I would recommend not using the eye beams, there is no response by my scans.”
“Back optical sensors indicate Grand King Ghidorah is walking toward us,” Levy explained sadly. “We have less than a minute before it arrives.”
A few moments passed and Nashi grew irritated by the newest addition but then a congested sneeze echoed.
“Sorry allergies,” Dr. Craven warilynoted. “Mechagodzilla’s structure is still operational but another major injury and we will be finished which might cause a catastrophic failure thus resulting in a core overload.Bright side, the emergency escape pod is still working!”
A growing repetitive tremor began to shake the cockpit as an uneasy silence overtook the room. A wary breath escaped Nashi’s lips before he turned to face his team. Fierce determination still persisted in his eyes, but as he looked upon his team, he noticed fear and uncertainty.
“We can’t lose. We fall and this beast will surely move onto Tokyo or another major city. Colonel Watarase won’t be able to stop Grand King Ghidorah which will mean the deaths of hundreds if not thousands. Mechagodzilla can still fight, we still can win. I know it. If any of you wish to leave I can’t blame you. Take the emergency vessel and get to safety.”
Nashi scanned the room, curious to see who would leave but no one moved. Not even Dr. Craven to his surprise.
Inside Mendel’s mind common sense screamed at him to run, to get away, to live another day, but a sense of courage pulsated through him.He didn’t know why, maybe pressure, maybe a sense of accomplishment to hold over his team or maybe stress impairing his brain. Either way, the engineer sighed as he readied to do his part.
“Good, let us show this King of Terror who he messed with! Activate thrusters!”
Grand King Ghidorah watched surprisingly as Mechagodzilla rose, spun around and sent a metallic screech into the sky. The dragon could not believe the punishment the robot could go through but it mattered not. Even handicapped in the fight considering his recent rejuvenation and little starting power, he was still the King of Terror, still the destroyer of worlds. He would destroy the machine and by doing so begin what he had tried to do millions of years ago. Kill all life on Earth. The dragon had no equal, no superior. He was the embodiment of destruction, pain, agony, fear, and terror. With the thought of all the aguish he could unleash upon Earth plaguing his mind, the dragon shrieked back at the machine before unleashing a barrage of gravity beams.
Massive bolts of gravity manipulating energy splashed across Mechagodzilla’s form, deflecting where the diamond armor still coated yet sparking in areas the absorbing layer was gone. As the assualt impacted the machine, Mechagodzilla stood strong against the onslaught.
“We need to draw him in! Fire the Mega-Buster ray, maximum draw!”
The multicolored ray struck the exposed and unprotected flesh of Grand King Ghidorah’s abdomen, causing the dragon to screech in pain. Angered, the dragon’s walk turned into a jog causing the distance between the two monsters to close rapidly.
Grand King Ghidorah’s right head reached for Mechagodzilla’s left arm merely for the robot to launch its shock anchor. The cable jettisoned into the left head’s maw and punctured through until landing in the terror’s abdomen, pinning the head for the moment.
With the other head trapped, Grand King Ghidorah’s left head lunged forward, wrapping itself around the machine’s neck. Mechagodzilla slammed his metallic claws against the dragon’s neck but it proved too strong for his weak physical attacks to break. To assist the fellow head Grand King Ghidorah’s middle head discharged multiple gravity beams at Mechagodzilla’s face, blowing out the machine’s right eye in the process.
Sparks cascaded across all the computers causing Mendel to scream, “Mechagodzilla can’t take anymore!”
“Plasma Grenade ready!” Vine yelled.
“Give him hell Vine! Maximum Draw!”
Unaware to Grand King Ghidorah, the small port on Mechagodzilla’s abdomen opened. Filled with all the power of the recent gravity beams and too close for the light shield to affect it, the Plasma Grenade unleashed its explosive fury.
A golden flash briefly overtook the dragon. The massive beam of captured energy blasted into the dragon’s abdomen, tearing up a grave wound while it tore Grand King Ghidorah away from the machine. The continous beam carried the dragon a few hundred meters as it bellowed with anguish. Bone, blood and chunks of flesh erupted in all directions as the beast violently crashed to the ground in Aokigahara Forrest.
“This is our chance team! Fire all weapons! Hold nothing back!”
An earthshattering thud reverberated the forest as Mechagodzilla slammed its right foot down to dig itself in. To begin the assault the machine’s maw parted first, unleashing a continuous Mega-Buster Ray which washed over the fallen dragon. Electric bolts followed suit down theShock Anchor still embedded into Grand King Ghidorah’s abdomen while the Plasma Grenade unleashed bursts of unmatched power, blasting chunks of the dragon into oblivion. Explosions detonated across the landscape with unmatched volatility. The detonations momentarily ended, light coalescing in Mechagodzilla’s abdomen and maw until a final white flash overtook Grand King Ghidorah’s form from the combined, full-power blasts. Trees, dirt and other material flew into the air from the final attack, covering the King of Terror in a fresh grave.
A slight grin appeared on Nashi’s face. A tired breath escaped his mouth as his team burst with excitement. Drowning them all out, a deafening clang echoed causing Nashi to turn toward Mendel who was standing with his arms raised.
“Easy Doctor, we still need to get back to command. I am going to get a lot of heat for letting Mechagodzilla lose an arm.”
Mendel shook his head and quickly replied, “I doubt it. I added a few easy features for Mechagodzilla. Like N.I.G.E.L., both machines have easy to replace parts.” The engineer then glanced at his broken robot. “It’s just… expensive.”
“Well then there goes my bonus,” Vine cracked.
“Bonus? Vine we killed a Ghidorah,” Salami happily countered. “I think that will be the least of our concern.”
Mendel relaxed back into his chair with a grin showing something the engineer rarely displayed, confidence. “Top that Randy.”
The Chief smirked at the conversation while Levy continued monitoring her screens.Suddenly, her eyes widened with horror. Her pupils turning to dots as they scanned over the new data.
“Sir, gravity readings are off the charts! It’s not dead!”
Before Nashi could order to restart the barrage, red lighting burst through the dirt and struck the shock anchor’s wire still embedded into the beast. Acting as a conductor, the power surged through the cord until it reached the robot. Explosions cascaded around the control room, ending in a massive flash that followed with darkness. Red lights turned on and the screens flickered back to life as the machine’s reserves used what little power it possessed. Unable to act, Nashi watched furiously as the ground split allowing Grand King Ghidorah to rise from his premature grave, but unlike his first rebirth, the crew now looked upon a now grisly, living corpse.
A dark wound oozed alien fluid from Grand King Ghidorah’s chest. The dragon’s right head lay stagnant against its side before the center head ripped out the shock anchor from his body. More dark liquid flowed from the immobile right head, while the other two heads refocused on the machine. Piercing red eyes glared for what seemed like an eternity at the machine, but as Grand King Ghidorah channeled energy throughout its body, it proceeded not toward the machine but into the air. Grand King Ghidorah vanished into a column of golden light, ascending through the rain until the clouds parted.
Nashi watched the creature ascend through the atmosphere with a bitter stare before Vine inquired, “Why the hell didn’t he kill us?”
“Can we just be happy he didn’t!” Mendel shouted.
“His body most likely was in extreme impairment, forcing him to retreat,” Levy noted.
“It’s called a Pyrrhic Victory,” Nashi corrected as he turned to face his team, “aka, a stalemate, but either way, we stopped him like we will next time he shows his three faces. Though next time he won’t be so lucky. Well done everybody! Too bad Gregory slept through it, but in any case, Salami, notify command of our situation. Inform Colonel Watarase we won’t be able to assist him in his current situation and find somebody to pick us up.”
A high-pitched song with a female voice began to echo throughout the room, interrupting the group’s pyric victory. Its lyrics grated the ears of all those that could hear its dreadful tune. The team in unison turned to Mendel who slowly began to pull his phone out of his pocket. With a click, the music ended and annoyed eyes now looked upon the engineer.
“Hello?” Mendel inquired with a sense of defeat.
“Hey Craven, like the ringtone?” Randy announced over the phone’s speakers. “Before you answer yes, what are the odds you can leave that secret project of yours and catch a flight to the to a random pacific island? Just stopped Cameron from using SpaceGodzilla to destroy the world and long story short, we gotta go through some massive portals to save Jefe. Apparently, some girls and a moth accidentally opened up some tears in time and space, wait, am I going to fast?”
Mendel’s eyes twitched in annoyance. His hand slid across his face in sure disbelief.
“Something wrong Doctor?” Nashi skeptically questioned.
A sigh exited from Mendel Craven’s mouth before he replied, “Yeah, he topped it.”
*****
From an orbit around the moon, Grand King Ghidorah watched the Earth slowly rotate. The fact it wasn’t a barren wasteland incited a slight irritation in his mind. The dragon might have failed twice at killing everything on its surface, but the fact mattered little to him. He had been beaten off many worlds, a supposed victory for its inhabitants until the dragon returned. Each visit symbolized waves to a stone, brushing more resistance off the planet’s surface before the civilization’s great society was left in ruins, overcome with terror for the dragon’s final return. Time was not Grand King Ghidorah’s foe, no, it was his ally.Unfortunately for Earth, the golden beast was not going to give the planet another few millennia to fear his wrath.
Grand King Ghidorah, his wounds rapidly healing, pondered his next attack before noticing a slight white object float toward him. The orbitingsphere of ice bounced off his anti-gravity barrier, causing the object to fly toward the Earth. Watching the object, Grand King Ghidorah succumbed to an epiphany. With the idea pulsating in his ancient mind, the golden dragon flew away from the Moon with his destination the solar system’s interior.
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A very special thanks to E.J. Su for creating this fantastic artwork for the K.W.C. In regards to his previous work, I would highly recommend checking out Godzilla Legends #4 or the many Transformers comics he is credited for including Revelation, Devastation, Escalation, and more. Lastly to see the unaltered banner, you can check out the image below.
