[Continued from Match 225]

Outskirts of Tokyo – 1991

Terrified, human eyes gazed upon an unbeatable leviathan.

The behemoth scanned all in its presence, uncurling dark lips to reveal razor sharp teeth. Neon energy sparked within the beast’s maw. The air rippled from the intense heat gathering near the beast’s jaws as it prepared its signature weapon of destruction. A bright light encompassed the human as he witnessed the colossal reptile’s unmatched power first hand.

The figure’s vision vanished in a sea of radioactive fire, the space around him atomizing as the light consumed all within its way. Through the intense blaze, the lone figure could not feel agony nor could he watch the vessel he stood within vaporize away. For the miniscule amount of time remaining before his consciousness faded, the figure could only focus on the hate he felt for creature that would soon kill him.

An irradiated dinosaur which consumed his past.

A creature that extinguished his hopes for a brighter future.

A monster he’d curse with hate until he vanished from existence itself.

Godzilla.

*****

Infant Island – 1999

In a vast, flower filled meadow on Infant Island, two young women meditated under the glow of dawn. Standing only a few inches tall, the women easily blended into the endless sea of vibrant plant life with their black hair and colorful kimono-like dresses. Each meditated to the world around them, listening for signs of trouble for the planet they swore to protect. A weak gust of wind gradually blew across the meadow, whisking thousands of pedals off their stems. The pair’s eyes opened in unison. They watched in awe the pedals dance across the orange skyline.

Lora’s gaze and mind solely focused on the demonstration from nature. The tiny guardian rose, her blue sacred dress blowing in the wind as the pedals continued their dance. A childlike smile overtook her as she succumbed to the beauty of nature. Unlike her sister, Moll remained still, returning to her meditative trance. Moll’s mind fixated not on the flowers, but the wind that guided them.

Behind the dazzling display, a cold presence accompanied the wind. Moll centered in on the anomaly, a sense of familiarity overcoming her as she tried to recall its source. A dark memory gradually overtook her mind, one of a golden destroyer that nearly consumed the world just a year prior.

“Do you feel that Lora?” Moll inquired as she stood. “It’s an echo. Like the Earth is calling for help from another time.”

Lora’s childlike wonder vanished as she looked to her sister, realizing the gravity of the situation if her sister’s comments held true. In harmony, the pair shouted to the heavens for their spiritual companion.

“Fairy!”

A golden moth descended from the sky, gracefully landing in front of the duo while it chirped happily from their call. Lora and Moll quickly sat down upon their companion before Moll instructed Fairy to take them to their god. The tiny insect chirped in response, flapping its wings vigorously before it took off for the massive cave inside the island’s dormant volcano.

The artwork of the natives that used to exist on the island flashed beside the trio as they soared through the caves until a massive chamber opened up. Inside of the hollow volcanic vent, two monstrous forms resided; one a massive silk cocoon, the other a slowly coalescing form as thousands of glowing moths fused together in preparation for its priest’s arrival.

Azure light gradually gained depth and more intricate color as the moths finished their fusion. Two bright, bulbous, sapphire eyes gazed upon all within the cavern. Sharpened wings grazed the cave’s walls while its meager flaps sent hurricane-like gusts spilling out of the cavern. The creature took a step forward on its six, small legs to gaze upon its priests as they landed. From afar, the giant moth looked gentle, its white fur coating emanating a docile completion, but to his guardians, they knew of his true strength. For their god possessed an immense power only exceeded by its bravery in the face of death. A true Leo among all Mothras which came before.

Lora and Moll carefully climbed off Fairy, attracting the attention of another pair of guardians whose soft red dresses and long black hair blew in the wind created by Mothra Leo.

For every guardian of Earth in Mothra’s lineage, so too would a pair of guardians be created to represent their god. For Leo, Moll and Lora acted as its priests. For the hibernating dark moth born eons ago, Belvera acted as its cleric. Now for the larva slowly being reborn, the Shobijin patiently awaited their god’s rebirth.

“You two feel the disturbance as well?” the Shobijin inquired merely to receive a dual nod. 

“Yes, the echo, it calls from the past, and I think it best if we investigate the disturbance,” Moll explained before looking at Mothra Leo. “Our guardian can traverse time and with your recent reincarnation and Mothra still growing, I think it best we go alone.”

An ear-piercing chirp of agreement echoed from Mothra Leo. The guardian’s edged wings began to glisten. Sparks cascaded across the appendage while scales that clung to it channeled raw power. The white, orange and blue lines across Leo’s wings vanished as streaks of a dozen colors materialized in preparation for the trip through time itself.

“Do you think it wise?” the Shobijin inquired in unison. “Our memories are still recovering from our time as the Cosmos and other past lives, but we do know one simple truth. Time is a precious thing. Interfering with it could result in unforeseen consequences.”

Lora moved in front of her stunned sister, her hand placed across the top of her orange dress. “How can you doubt her on this? She saved me and nearly lost her own against Grand King…”

Moll’s hand gently pressed against her sister’s shoulder, silencing and easing Lora’s nerves. Moll walked in front of her sister and affirmed, “We all understand what is at stake, but as guardians of the Earth we cannot overlook such an act. If it endangers the planet, how can we stand by?”          

Silence filled the chasm.

A deafening chirp from Mothra Leo alerted its guardians the need to depart. The two walked toward Fairy, readying to join their deity when the sound of footsteps caused the pair to look back at the Shobijin.

“Blessings for you both!” the two announced in unison before bowing slightly.  

Two thankful smiles replied to their respective protectors before Moll, Lora and Fairy ascended.

The trio landed upon the gigantic insect and grasped their god as Mothra Leo began to flap its mighty wings, sending massive gusts of air in all directions. One final chirp by Leo was its last sound before the moth rose from its spot and flew out of the dormant volcano. Seconds after its exit while flying high above the island, Leo vanished into the fathoms of time in the clear, dazzling sky. 

A circular chasm of hues encompassed Leo and its guardians. Columns of multi-colored light swirled around the time traveling creature, revealing flashes of eons long since passed and futures still yet written. Lora took in the beauty, her eyes wandering across the millennias. Great beasts of old walked in herds across an open, grassy field. A golden, godly humanoid of light battled a monstrous, draconic demon in a fiery landscape. Massive wooden ships of man battled each other in the open sea. The images transfixed in the guardian a state of wonder until she noticed thousands of beams of light beyond the column of space and time the trio traveled within.

“What are those?” Lora commented as she looked on in wonder at the parallel beams of light merely for Moll to answer, “The lines of time for worlds beyond our own reality.”

A hand rested upon Lora’s shoulder once more. The child like wonder vanished and a focused demeanor returned in time to see two, unmistakable tears within time itself. One seemed to emit light at the center of the chasm, while the other cracked the circular chasm of time Leo traveled within, emitting its own miniature column of light which projected into the unknown void of time.  

“The echo,” Moll affirmed to her sister before their god aimed itself for the glowing tear in space and time.

A deafening boom, like that of a muffled drum, reverberated in all directions as Leo re-entered their world’s reality. A flash followed his exit causing the group to glance back. Ripples radiated across the sky, bending and distorting light itself until a miniscule ball of light projected from the opening. The bolt struck the ground, tearing apart the earth until fading as fast as it formed. As the anomaly ceased, the guardians refocused on their objective. Lora as well as Moll quickly looked down upon the unknown island beneath them, curious at what the disturbance was or what time period they now visited.

“See anything Moll?” Lora inquired only for her companion to reply, “No, nothing.”

As the moth headed inland, the group immediately discovered the anomaly. Tropical forests lay charred for multiple square miles. Smoke clogged the air while ash swirled across the landscape with every gust of heated wind. Leading the degradation of plant life lay a mechanical monstrosity of familiar, golden features.

“What is that horrible thing?” Lora inquired in shock. 

Moll glanced at the cybernetic abomination, unfazed by the dragon or the carnage it unleashed. “It’s a Ghidorah. One corrupted by the essence of man.”

“The same from before?” Lora countered as she watched the cyborg unleash its destructive breaths across the island’s jungle.

“No, this is another Ghidorah. One I thought destroyed by Godzilla.”

*****

An aging Caucasian man with greying, brown hair growled with fury within the cockpit of Mecha-King Ghidorah. His eyes focused on the destruction caused by the cyborg’s gravity bolts, unwilling to look away from the inferno until he watched the carcass of the dinosaur he despised incinerated with the future he equally dreaded. 

“Where are you, you damn dinosaur?”

“What are you doing?” two feminine voices asked in unison, frightening the individual before he regained his composure. 

Slowly the pilot scanned the cockpit before asking, “Now who do I have the pleasure of meeting? Are you psychics but then why would you combine your voices in unison? No…which of Mothra’s guardians do I have the honor of meeting or at least hearing?”

A slight smirk of confidence returned to the aging figure. “It really doesn’t matter, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Chuck Wilson of the 23rd century.”

Alert signals hastily notified Wilson to something approaching behind the cyborg he piloted. The cockpit shook as Mecha-King Ghidorah turned, allowing the Futurian to discover his newest guest, Mothra Leo.

“Well then Lora and Moll is it, welcome to Lagos Island,” Wilson announced with arrogance flowing out of his voice in droves. “It’s completely devoid of any human activity, at least for a few more months until the Japanese eventually invade this isle.”

“Why have you traveled through time and how are you here?” the duo telepathically inquired. 

“Unfortunately for my associate, Grenchiko, I alone was sent back to the future perfectly intact while he and our ship were destroyed by Godzilla in the year 1991. A secondary ship called K.I.D.S. I ducked into in the nick of time. I nearly died, the ship barely holding together as it made the journey with the shockwaves of Godzilla's breath still rattling it, but I returned none-the less. And when I returned to my time, I found a different future, but one still plagued by problems of my own, so my work was not yet finished. So, when I gathered my strength and fixed my ship, I found an old friend and took the tool she wished to correct history. Mecha-King Ghidorah is this cyborg’s name. As to why, well I am here to finish what I started oh so many years from now. Without Godzilla, King Ghidorah will destroy Japan and ensure my world’s ascension!”

“Only the arrogant believe they can bend time to their will. No being truly can, but if you don’t stop, we will-” instructed the two only for Wilson to interrupt, “Or you can die.”

Destructive gravitonic energy burst from Mecha-King Ghidorah’s biological heads and its Laser Triple beam from its mechanical jaws. The lightning-like beams, to Wilson’s surprise, harmlessly deflected across Leo’s body while the insect used its Pressure Field technique to protect his guardians. With the cyborg distracted, Lora as well as Moll flew to the ground on the back of Fairy so not to interfere with the battle.

Leo gazed upon its priests and with their safety assured, he focused his full attention upon the desecrator of time itself. As the dragon ended its barrage, Leo deactivated the field around its body before he unleashed his Cross Heat Rainbow Laser beams from his forehead. The energy beams lanced across the mechanical dragon, sending sparks cascading over its form before Mothra smashed its left wing into Mecha-King Ghidorah, creating a cascade of sparks across the mechanical monstrosity. Wilson held on from inside the cockpit as the cybernetic dragon fell to the charcoal colored ground, erupting dirt in all directions.

With his enemy down, Leo glided back around to face his time traveling foe. Energy sparked on the insect’s forehead before the guardian of Earth began unleashing another barrage of its Cross Heat beam across the downed cyborg. The powerful rays detonated across Mecha-King Ghidorah, creating miniature explosions that charred the metal of the mechanical monster. The moth circled around after a few successful strikes for another run merely to collide into Mecha-King Ghidorah as it jettisoned off the ground at an incredible speed. Mothra chirped in surprise and flew right into the three mouths of the cybernetic dragon. The two biological heads each grabbed a wing while the cybernetic head crunched its metallic jaws on one of the moth’s legs. Mothra cried in agony as the dragon crushed the insect within its grasp, swinging the moth from side to side. Then in a show of force, Mecha-King Ghidorah swung Mothra to the ground, ripping off small chunks of the moth’s wings as well as a leg. Green blood erupted out of the wounds while Mothra crashed down to the ground, screeching in anguish. 

Wilson released the parts of Mothra protruding from each of the dragon’s mouths, drawing a slight amount of pleasure from the battle.

“Like a moth to the flame.”

Energy beams burned over Leo as it struggled against the barrage of gravity bolts and lasers to regain flight. After a few failed attempts, Leo slammed its wings against the earth, hurtling it upward. Gradually, Leo came to a halt hundreds of meters above Mecha-King Ghidorah, its abdomen directed toward the cyborg.

Bluish energy sparked across Leo’s abdomen, forewarning Wilson of the incoming attack. Mecha-King Ghidorah’s wings screeched as they folded. The two appendages encompassed the cyborg as a blinding blast of energy pulsated from Leo’s abdomen. The Mineral Chest Beam blasted across the cyborg, severely disfiguring a wing while also sending Mecha-King Ghidorah skidding backward. As the attack ended, Mothra lowered itself to a hover over the ground while the cybernetic dragon uncovered itself from behind its crippled wings. 

“Who would think a moth could be such a problem?” Wilson commented before a few notifications appeared on his screens. The Futurian quickly read the warnings and worry pulsated across his face. 

Confused at why his foe was not engaging, Mothra Leo took the initiative and flew toward it only to hear an ear-piercing screech. Mecha-King Ghidorah unleashed its energy weapons to right of Leo causing the insect to dodge left. After an effective evade, Mothra aimed itself back at the dragon with his forehead beam charged simply to find the dragon down on the ground in a cloud of dust. Shocked, Leo halted its aerial movement.

Leo’s head moved side to side to survey the charred landscape. The guardian noticed no new danger in its immediately area. Nothing of threat appeared in the distance either. The guardian chirped, calling out the invisible attacker merely for two massive, insectoid eyes to overtake its vision before the new creature swung its right pincer at Leo’s face.

The moth barely dodged the swipe before unleashing its Cross Heat Laser beams from its cranium. Two successful beams lanced across the unknown attacker, sending the massive dragonfly recalling. Sparks at first blocked the mysterious attacker’s view but as the energy remnants faded, Leo discovered his newest aggressor.

Anti-gravity thrusters brought Mecha-King Ghidorah upright allowing Wilson to comprehend his latest opponent. Draconian in its appearance with a truly gargantuan sized insectoid body, the newest beast hovered just in front of Leo, dwarfing the meager guardian. The creature snapped its dual pincers menacingly while moving her stinger in preparation of a strike. The appearance was unmistakable to Wilson as he flashed back to a holographic image of the creature that he witnessed in class as a child.

“Megaguirus, but how?” Wilson muttered to himself.  “How did that oversized dragonfly get here? Unless… Mothra Leo must have entered this time through the tear I created. Maybe a wormhole opened from him so if Megaguirus came through then…”

Wilson eyes widened from the epiphany. With Mothra distracted by the prehistoric arrival, the Futurian piloted the cyborg away to the wormhole’s opening. 

Mothra Leo extended its wings and unleashed a bellowing chirp to deter Megaguirus. A large gust of wind blew past the ancient predator, but Megaguirus screeched in fury before snapping its pincers.

Power. It radiated off the gigantic moth with seemingly no limit. No creature in Megaguirus’s past compared to the meal that now flew in front of her. Why would she run, when she could feed!

Megaguirus emitted an ear-piercing shriek, announcing its hostile intention as its wings vibrated at supersonic speed. In less than a second, the queen vanished from sight merely to reappear and ram Mothra in the side with immense force. Leo spun wildly through the air, extending its wings at the last second to avoid impact. The guardian of Earth flew back toward Megaguirus, but his speed proved negligent as Megaguirus sliced across his abdomen with its wings in the blink of an eye. Green blood leaked from the small cuts inciting Mothra to chirp in anguish and unleash its Cross Heat Rainbow Laser beams in an attempt to hit the giant dragonfly. Beams passed through multiple afterimages, failing to strike the target until the dragonfly’s image completely vanished.

A maniacal screech echoed from every direction around Leo. A laugh at the pathetic attempts to strike the queen. With no target in sight, Leo ended his beam barrage and slowly scanned the horizon for any sign of Megaguirus merely to notice another creature. 

In the distance, Mecha-King Ghidorah flew toward the unscarred portion of the island, either in pursuit of its target or in fear of the draconic insect that hunted them both. Either way, Leo could not let him leave. The massive insect began flapping its wings to move in pursuit simply for a massive pincer to close around its neck.

Did its prey forget it was being hunted?

Leo struggled in the queen’s grasp, but the acts proved useless while Megaguirus turned the insect upright in the air with its superior strength. Energy cascaded across Leo’s abdomen, the insect preparing a Mineral Chest Beam on his foe, but to Megaguirus it signaled the time to drain the moth’s energy. The queen stealthily bent her tail down and impaled the moth in the back with her stinger. At that instant, Leo discharged its Mineral Chest Beam only to sadly discover that no attack was unleashed. All the precious energy from the moth channeled through Megaguirus’s tail. Megaguirus arrogantly screeched in the moth’s face of its folly merely for Leo’s wings to unleash a burst of colorful powder.

Energy cascaded from the discharged scales. Megaguirus winced, removing its tail and smashing its right appendage against Leo’s head. The guardian of Earth collided with the charred landscape below. As Megaguirus gazed upon the fallen creature, it discovered its prey’s eye’s naturally bright aura diminished and his wings movements subsided.In a blur, Megaguirus vanished once more from sight, leaving its prey to fade into desolation while it tracked down its next meal.

A small light gradually descended from the sky as the dragonfly disappeared, landing next to the brutally battered moth. Looks of worry in addition to fear appeared on Lora’s as well as Moll’s faces as they sensed their god on the brink of death. The duo looked at each other, gave a slight nod to the other and joined their hands together. A song of pure hope reverberated throughout the area, a plea from Lora as well as Moll for their great guardian to arise.

*****

A glowing, tear in reality warped between complete opacity and transparency as Mecha-King Ghidorah landed beside the formation. Wilson immediately began scanning the disturbance which fluctuated with a texture similar to shattered glass. His eyes scanned over the data for a brief moment before a high pitch screech alerted Wilson that he was now not alone. The massive cyborg turned to discover Megaguirus, hovering in the distance. Wilson smiled evilly at the sight of the power-hungry queen.

“I guess Mothra is gone so once I eliminate you, I can finally kill that damn dinosaur.”

As if the insect heard him, Megaguirus vanished into thin air, leaving only an after-image which faded into oblivion. Wilson shook his head in disappointment.

“You can’t hide from me insect.”

Megaguirus launched itself from behind the cyborg to impale the dragon only for the central head to turn suddenly and unleash a bolt of energy from its maw. The energy weapon detonated on the insect, slightly burning its face before she faded into obscurity. The middle head continued firing into the atmosphere, creating an explosion of sparks with every strike. As the fifth made contact, Megaguirus reappeared in front of the cyborg, its eyes burning with utter hatred for the machine.

“Why so angry? Your speed is impressive and while you might fool the eyes of a living creature, not all the eyes of Mecha-King Ghidorah are biological. As I said you can’t…”

Megaguirus burst forward, bashing the cyborg with its immense bulk and sending it skidding backward through the intact jungle. Wilson’s head slammed against the back of his chair, drawing a pained yell before he looked back at the screens.

“HOW DARE YOU!”

A barrage of golden and purple beams discharged toward Megaguirus, causing the insect to once again charge toward the cyborg. Trees vaporized from the explosions as the queen watched and evaded each incoming beam. She couldn’t play with her opponent like the last, no, the next strike needed to be the killing blow!

Dust flew in all directions as the queen’s wings increased in speed until Megaguirus found its opening and dashed at Mecha-King Ghidorah, its stinger ready to impale through the cyborg’s chest.

A smirk of confidence suddenly overcame Wilson.

Smoke vented from Mecha-King Ghidorah’s torso as it activated its greatest weapon. Two cables launched from the piloted weapon’s upper torso and snapped onto the insect’s pincers while the massive hand that had once been used to clutch Godzilla smashed into Megaguirus’s thorax. The force of the launch proved too much for Megaguirus as she flew backward with all the air in her lungs venting in a single pained breath. After pushing the queen back, Wilson retracted the Machine Hand, keeping his eyes focused on the queen who turned its attention back toward the mechanical dragon.

Megaguirus screeched in annoyance and thrashed its arms around to remove the restraints on her pincers; however, its motivation to escape increased greatly as Wilson activated the cables electrical ability. 

Electricity flowed down the cables, creating sparks on the large wires before shocking Megaguirus, stopping her wings from moving at their hyper-sonic speed. The massive dragonfly, unable to evade with thousands of bolts of electricity flowing through her, helplessly hovered as Mecha-King Ghidorah took full advantage of her limitations and began unleashing energy weapons from its three maws. Megaguirus swayed left to right then back in the air from the barrage while crying out in anguish, her skin smoldering from the beams before she flew directly at the cyborg in a desperate move.

Wilson launched the Machine Hand again to send Megaguirus recalling only for the insect to fly above the hand at the last second and impale the cyborg in the upper abdomen with its stinger. Sparks discharged inside of the cyborg as the electricity that flowed into Megaguirus redirected back into Mecha-King Ghidorah. Wilson, with no other choice, disabled the electrical feature as smoke started to fill the control room allowing Megaguirus to regain full control of her limbs. With a distance of only meters between the duo, Megaguirus grabbed Mecha-King Ghidorah and pulsated its wings at such a speed they disappeared into a blur. The severe closeness coupled with the concentrated aim of the dragonfly overloaded the natural shielding that protected the cyborg and caused the computers inside of Mecha-King Ghidorah to spark wildly from the concentrated shockwaves of electronic disturbance.

Wilson scrambled to lessen the damage to Mecha-King Ghidorah, but he soon grabbed his own ears as the pitch grew louder. Wilson’s ears pooled with blood. The Futurian screamed in frustration, yet he couldn’t even hear his own voice before the monitor’s around him exploded.  

Lights across Mecha-King Ghidorah faded while the cyborg’s central head collapsed onto Megaguirus, its golden heads motionless as Megaguirus gradually slowed its wings. With no resistance, the queen snapped the cable off her pincers and slowly flew backward from her stagnant foe. Her skin still smoked from the energy weapons unleashed on her from the cybernetic dragon, forming anger that she didn’t know she possessed.

Death would not suffice for this prey. Megaguirus wished it gone from existence and with power flowing across her wings, she focused on completing her new goal.

Wilson slowly rose from the floor, awakened by the sound of severe static. As he regained full cognitive ability, he looked around the room only to discover most of the computers were fried except for a single one. The Futurian fiddled with it and found what frequency the cyborg was picking up. A tranquil almost empowering song echoed throughout the control room from the guardians of Mothra. The Futurian listened to the music until a bright blue light caused him to look outside of the control room. A large swirling sphere of sapphire energy rapidly formed beneath Megaguirus, and he needed no explanation on its intended target.

The Futurian dashed toward the K.I.D.S. connected to Mecha-King Ghidorah. Echoes of his footsteps reverberated throughout the machine as he ran. A sudden shockwave shook the cyborg, signaling to Wilson the clap of Megaguirus’s wings.Wilson scrambled into the machine and quickly activated the emergency launch. Smoke vented from Mecha-King Ghidorah. The ship known as K.I.D.S. ejected just as the sphere impacted the cyborg. In a bright flash of light, the cybernetic creature disintegrated into thin air. A shockwave followed shortly thereafter as the cyborg’s core ruptured, expelling winds so powerful even Megaguirus retreated.  

The immense shockwave overtook the K.I.D.S.’s flight. The machine barreled through multiple trees, fracturing them with ease as Wilson held on for dear life within. An uplifted mound of earth halted the ship’s movements, sending Wilson into a nearby control panel. With a resounding thud, Wilson bounced off the panel and rolled onto the metal floor. Blood slowly dripped onto the floor from a fresh laceration across his head and from his ears. For few seconds, the Futurian battled to stay awake merely for unconscious to take hold.

*****

A Remote Facility 100 Miles outside Los Angeles – 2204

Crimson blood flowed down the cracked, metal walls. Lights flickered as grey smoke clogged the air. A few people moaned as they recovered from the initial explosive shockwave, rolling on the charred carpet as pain overtook their form. In seconds the agony they once felt abruptly ended as red flashes illuminated the room.

A lone woman with black hair coughed for oxygen, regaining consciousness as a foot stepped beside her head. Twitching eyes gazed upon the lone figure standing over her. Immediately her eyes widened with terror, drawing a terrified breath.

“You can’t be. I watched Godzilla k…”

A red laser blast discharged from the lone figure’s weapon. Smoke steamed from the gun’s barrel as the woman’s movements ceased. With no other living person in the room, the lone gunman walked over the other corpses lining the room to gaze upon a dirt covered piece of glass. A smile overtook the individual as he found the tool, he needed to finally correct history.

“I am Emiko but thank you. You’re more resourceful than I ever imagined.”

The cybernetic creature Wilson gazed upon gradually vanished as a grey room overtook his memory. Moans began to echo in the room as Wilson stood, stumbling to the wall to assist his balance. Wilson let loose a pained yelp as the locker he stumbled upon cut open his left arm. With a simple flick, the Futurian opened the storage area and pulled out a high-powered energy rifle and a pistol.

Warnings continued to ring across the vessel, forcing Wilson to stumble out of the machine. His body immediately fell to the dirt as he lost support, avoiding fire and sparks as the K.I.D.S. detonated behind him. Pieces of metal rained down upon his surroundings, but Wilson crawled through the wreckage with defiance. Supporting himself on the base of a tree, Wilson propped himself up to glance at the inferno while he regained his composure. 

“Well Emiko, you’ve disappointed me yet again. Now I’ll never see the future I’ll create. And yet, you and Grenchiko will be alive to experience it.”

A brief laugh echoed from Wilson until the pain of breathing caused the sound to subside. His eyes focused on his pistol, stuffing it into his right pocket before he clutched the energy rifle and began to walk into the jungle.

“I’ll have to kill him myself.”

*****

Lora and Moll ended their chant to watch Mothra’s eyes regain their hue and movement return to his wings. Reinvigorated and recharged of energy thanks to the pair, Mothra Leo ascended back into the blue skies. Green blood still dripped from its torso, but he would tend to his injuries later. It was time for him to finish the queen off once and for all.

Lora looked on with concern as her god flew away.

“Should we follow?”

“We should not,” Moll affirmed, gazing upon the untouched landscape of the island. “We need to find Wilson.”

*****

Megaguirus watched the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah burn to ash. For decades she hunted for meager prey, consuming them with barely a challenge and receiving pitiful resources with every kill. Now, she possessed unparalleled energy and far away from her location, she could sense immense power signatures waiting to be consumed.

Megaguirus’s bulbous red eyes focused, her head turning slightly to the left.

Prey which included the moth that now flew directly toward her. A deafening screech echoed across the island from the Queen for Mothra Leo to hear. If he wished to fight once more, Megaguirus would happily ensure it would be his last.

Trees beneath Megaguirus’s form shattered from the shockwave of its sudden acceleration. A trail of dust tore across the landscape pointing directly at Mothra Leo. The queen’s pincers snapped, its jaws wide open in anticipation of tearing into her prey. As the beast closed in on her meal, Megaguirus could not help noticing Mothra’s energy signature rising.  Megaguirus burst forward even faster, its eyes wide with gluttony merely to be blinded by a crimson flare.

In a second, Leo head-butted the dragonfly as it burst forth with shocking speed from its Excel Dash technique. Its head firmly planted into Megaguirus’s abdomen, the guardian of Earth descended toward the trees and used the queen like a sickle upon the jungle. Dirt, rock, trees; all rocketed into the air until Leo rapidly slowed with a counter flap of its wings. As the guardian came to a halt, Megaguirus bounced like a stone across the island until the waves of the ocean finally halted its violent collision.  

Mothra Leo unleashed a mocking chirp as he watched the queen descend into the coast. As a full minute passed, Leo took notice as the ocean erupted with a multi-hundred-meter-tall splash. Water gradually fell from the air, revealing an enraged Megaguirus with cracks in her exoskeleton that leaked its own blood. Without echoing a sound, Megaguirus vanished from visible sight once more.

Leo remained ever vigilant as it flew from side to side in preparation of the approaching attack, but its mind overflowed with thought. He couldn’t stay in the open, not against a foe with such unbelievable speed. Unlike Grand King Ghidorah, Dagahra or Desghidorah; Mothra Leo knew firepower wouldn’t be the edge in the battle currently at hand.

A low hum suddenly caught Leo’s attention sending it barreling to the right, evading Megaguirus’s left pincer as it swung downward. Leo recovered rapidly, its chest sparking with sapphire energy for a Mineral Chest Beam, merely for the queen to charge forward and smash its right appendage across the guardian’s chest. Leo soared backward, redirecting its channeled power into its rainbow-colored wings as Megaguirus burst toward him again. Realizing it needed time, Leo unleashed a Sparkling Pyre road.

A series of bolts tore open the earth beneath Mothra Leo’s wings. The island shook as beams of light burst forth from the new chasm, unleashing waves of energy as the canyon cut through a third of the island in mere seconds. Megaguirus soared just above the unbelievable display, its armor singed by the burst of power before it smashed the back of its pincer against Leo’s forehead.

Leo fell into a freefall as his vision became an all-encompassing blur. With a quick shake, sight returned allowing Mothra to soar just above the tree-line. Leaves blew into the air en-masse from the shockwaves of Leo’s flight, their green hue gradually diminishing as a monstrous shadow overtook the trail. A familiar hum of death rattled the guardian’s ears, panicking Leo as its adversary quickly closed in behind him.

Megaguirus’s screeched in anticipation, its right pincer snapping shut in preparation of its attack. Her prey could not flee any longer from its impending death. No matter its strength, she could evade every strike he made. Soon, its power would be her own and-

Mothra Leo banked right, its body shifting nearly ninety degrees with its left wing pointed toward the sky and descended into the earth. Megaguirus’s flight came to a screeching halt. The queen’s head looked across the ground below, discovering the chasm the guardian created mere moments ago. The insect’s eyes widened in rage.

HE COULD NOT HIDE FROM HER!

Megaguirus dove into the chasm with its left wing aimed toward the sky. The spiked carapace of Megaguirus tore into the wall, creating an avalanche of rock behind her, but the queen pressed on, tearing through the earth until she found her target once more. A deafening cry alerted Leo to the queen’s presence as its right pincer launched forward, scraping the side of the chasm but only clipping the back of the moth’s wing.

The darkened monsters began to illuminate as Leo’s body glowed with an energized aura, creating specs of energy which fell off his form. Megaguirus’s eyes focused in response to the sight. She didn’t know what Leo was planning, but she would not give him the time!

The draconic insect burst forward, her left pincer outstretched as it struck Mothra Leo’s thorax. The claw sliced through the insect’s body, splitting Leo down the center only for his entire body to explode. A cloud of millions of tiny, glowing insects surrounded Megaguirus for a moment, but the miniature moths of Leo flew upward, ignoring Megaguirus as she passed through swarm in seconds.

Megaguirus glanced back at the ascending mass of tiny insects which coalesced back into Mothra Leo. A look of bewilderment overtook Megaguirus. Its mind raced with only a single thought.

How?

As the queen refocused in front of her, her eyes widened in shock.

A wall of black appeared.       

A consistent blur overtook Megaguirus’s vision. Her ears rung with a constant hum while she slowly scrambled onto her legs at the bottom of the chasm. As thought returned to its primordial mind, Megaguirus realized the danger of its situation. Her massive frame began to climb up the chasm’s walls, unable to fly due to the tightness of the feature. As she neared the canyon’s surface, Megaguirus spotted the sun radiating in the sky. Its overwhelming blue radiance shining down upon it’s…

Megaguirus’s eyes widened to their limits in revelation.

Blue?

A sapphire ray enveloped the queen, slamming her into the bottom of the chasm. A shockwave erupted from the impact, fire scorching the sides of the canyon as rocks cracked off the chasm’s walls. Smoke and sparks filled the feature as a cry of agony echoed from Megaguirus. A moment of silence gave Megaguirus time to feel its injuries before a second ray lanced it and the chasm once more.

Mothra Leo watched the chasm shatter and fill with mountains of rubble from the detonation of his second Mineral Chest beam. As the movement of rock came to a halt, Leo began to look across the destroyed landscape of the island. Scales fell off the monstrous insect's wings, impacting the ground and spawning new plant life to instantly form. Trees ascended toward the sky, bushes burst in every direction, and flowers bloomed. As the moth began to cover the island in new life, the battles of the day vanished beneath the fresh growth.

*****

Wilson stumbled through the forest, his energy weapon clutched ever so tightly in his hands. At first the Futurian stumbled through the brush, but for every step he took his bruised muscles moved more fluidly. Instinctive memories and reflexes gradually kicked in, turning the stagger into a tactical advance he learned ages ago when he was a far younger man. An almost unmistakable sound snapped Wilson out of his memories in the American military. The Futurian climbed over a downed tree then jumped over a bush before he glanced through a large pile of undergrowth to discover a massive, carnivorous dinosaur.

The flesh of a native pig dotted the massive beast’s jaws. Lumpy, brown skin covered the large animal’s body, flexing as it arose to its natural twelve-meter-tall height. Nostrils flared above razor sharp teeth. The dinosaur’s eyes scanned the shrubbery around it cautiously.

Something entered Godzillasaurus’s new domain.

“Finally I found you,” Wilson whispered, aiming his weapon at the beast’s head. Hearing the crunch of plant life, Godzillasaurus turned toward the Futurian before uttering a powerful roar at the intruder. The Futurian ignored the warning and opened fire on the Godzillasaurus.

A single laser blast impacted above the dinosaur’s eye, sending Godzillasaurus recalling backward. A few more shots pierced the beast’s chest cavity, causing its skin to blister from the intense heat. A misstep caused the dinosaur to fall over onto his side, allowing blood to flow across the grass at Wilson’s feet. The Godzillasaur shrieked in fury merely for Wilson to fire three more shots into its chest cavity. The roars of fury evolved into shrieks of agony giving Wilson confidence as he neared the fallen dinosaur king. With a few commands, the rifle channeled all of its power in a final blast which the Futurian readied to unleash on the crippled creature’s head. 

“Now you die, you damn dinosaur!”

SKREEEONGK!

Wilson’s eyes snapped toward the sound only to witness darkness as something struck him. The Futurian flew backward, launching into a shrub which lessoned his impact. Wilson dashed to his feet, scrambling for his weapon merely to discover it lay under the foot of a new creature, one which comforted the injured Godzillasaur.

The new saurian appeared to be a few meters smaller and possessed far lighter skin, but its classification couldn’t have been more apparent.

“Another Godzillasaurus…”

Wilson’s thought process grounded further to a halt as a juvenile Godzillasaur exited the jungle behind the apparent female. The infant glanced at the Futurian a brief second until the female took a step forward and unleashed a fearsome roar at Wilson. 

Fear replaced confidence in seconds.

Wilson ran for his life, feeling the quakes of the dinosaur’s footsteps as it pursued him. Realizing he could not outrun the beast, Wilson dived behind a tree and cowered in terror. The Godzillasaurus, losing sight of his prey, swept its head side to side before hearing a sound in the distance. The dinosaur roared with an unparalleled fury and charged toward it, leaving Wilson alone. The Futurian let out a sigh of relief as the quakes subsided in intensity.

“We warned you,” two female voices commented in unison.

Wilson scanned the area before finding Moll, Lora and Fairy. Rage flowing through him, Wilson yelled, “You insignificant natives! How dare you! Do you realize the lives I’m trying to save?”

“You mean the life you’re trying to take,” Lora countered.

“Take?” Wilson muttered in shock. “I’ve taken many lives in my life, people I’ve despised and once called a friend, but your noble hands carry the blood of millions! I’m trying to save my time. You two are dooming it!”

“How exactly?” Moll inquired, calling his bluff. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Wilson yelled before he slumped to the ground. “Your moth created a wormhole through the time stream, a god damn gateway that Megaguirus used to arrive in this period.”

“So how does this affect Godzillasaurus and you?” Lora questioned, still not understanding his point.

“Don’t you two get it? Megaguirus wasn’t the only thing that came through the portal, but the Godzillasaurus as well. Not just one damn dinosaur, but three giants that eventually turn into Godzillas. My guess is the female dies in fifty-four, Junior then rages on until his disappearance in seventy-five with his son before dear old dad shows up in eighty-five! When that thing invades the United States, charring the earth and killing millions in 1995 against the Gryphon, the blood of my ancestors will be on your hands!”

Moll and Lora looked at the other, silence overtaking the jungle.

“A Gryphon?” Moll inquired skeptically.

“Yes! After Mothra dies from Gigamoth, Godzilla levels New York battling the Gryphon. The start to two centuries of decline for my country and the world while Japan enters a period of unrivaled prosperity selling weapons and manipulating monsters to ensure its dominance. King Ghidorah would have ensured this senseless death doesn’t occur, creating a prosperous future for all instead of the stagnated world that I called home. Japan and Godzilla need to be killed, don’t you two understand?”

“Godzilla dies in 1995,” Moll countered merely to receive a look of contempt from Wilson. “Our previous guardian died battling the Ghidorah of Death a short time after. No Mothra has ever battled the Gigamoth you speak of.”

“Trying to deceive me won’t change my mind you pathetic, weak minded-” 

“The second tear in the chasm of time,” Lora mumbled to herself, drawing a look of ire from Wilson and a sense of revelation from Moll.

“Your machine,” Moll inquired with a look of concern, “Are you sure it sent you to your own time?”

Wilson’s brow raised in curiosity at the question. He remained silent, contemplating some details in his mind.

A look of sorrow overtook Moll. “I once tried to change the past, to stop Grand King Ghidorah and save my sister, but I was foolish. In the end, Grand King Ghidorah always lived. Some events in time are fixed and no power is great enough to change them, even with the best of intentions.”

“Grand King Ghidorah?” Wilson muttered as he thought. His eyes moved side to side, looking at a mental list of all the creatures that plagued his world.

“I think you may have not traveled through time alone but passed to another space,” Moll continued. “The future you say you returned to I believe was not your own. The past you exist in now I also believe is not the one you wished to return to or connected to the future you visited.”

Wilson’s eyes stopped their side to side motion. His mouth opened to speak, but no audible words formed.

“Do you understand what we’re saying?” Lora inquired as Wilson continued to stare past them. “It’s like each world is a long piece of twine. Instead of traveling from end to end, your machine jumped from one to an-”

“Enough!” Wilson screamed at the top of his lungs, his pupils now transfixed on the group as his short, deep breathes made the only noticeable sounds. “My future, my world…”

Moll’s eyes drifted toward the ground. “Our entry to this time created the wormhole which those monsters entered. I am unsure if they are from our world, are connected to the world you originate from or are separate entirely, but they exist now and I think are fated to be here, on this island.” 

Wilson’s head fell forward, glancing at the scars of old and new that peered through his tattered clothing. With a pained breath, Wilson slowly recovered to his feet and glanced to the jungle around him. Keeping his sight away from Moll and Lora, the Futurian took a few steps forward.

“Stop!” Moll demanded as Fairy flew behind Wilson.

Wilson kept his back to the trio, his gaze still focused on the tree line as he inquired, “How does Godzilla die?”

“In 1995, he absorbs too much radiation and perishes from its own power in Japan,” Moll affirmed.

“And what year do you two come from in this reality?”

“1999,” Lora replied with a soft voice.

A weary breath escaped Wilson’s lips. His gaze shifted to the sky, taking in the clear air and light of the sun.

“My time ma... the machine I used to travel here is no more. Mecha-King Ghidorah is no more.”

“So, what will you do now?” Lora asked with slight sympathy radiating from her voice.

Wilson stood motionless, allowing a light gust of wind to flow past his form unopposed. The Futurian’s head gradually shifted toward the pair, a defeated gaze filled with sorrow emanating toward the group.

“I’ll ensure your future remains intact. That is all I can do now.”

The Futurian began to walk away sparking Moll to snap forward on Fairy in objection. The beginning of a yell started to form, but a hand pressed down on the guardian’s shoulder. Moll retracted her extended body, her eyes looking upon the hand and Lora’s wide eyes. The anger within Moll gradually evaporated as her naturally stern face appeared.

“I believe we’re finished here,” Moll noted allowing Fairy to ascend into the air.

As Wilson faded from view, the duo gazed off into the horizon. Smiles formed across the guardian's faces as they witnessed Mothra flying across the destroyed island, burying its wounds under literal tons of plant life.

Wilson parted the flora in front of him to gaze upon the orange waters of Lagos Island’s coast as the sun began to set. With a few more steps, the Futurian walked to the edge of a cliff-side which overlooked nearly a third of the island’s beaches. A mile from his location, his eyes witnessed two Godzillasaurs enter the ocean’s waters.

“And so, they depart,” Wilson commented while watching the female and the infant swim against the waves into the open ocean as the Male watched from afar. A trumpet like roar echoed from the Male, its thundering echo filled with grief. The sight caused a slight smirk of amusement to form on Wilson’s defeated face as the colossal shadow of Mothra Leo briefly overtook him.

The Futurian’s hand fell into his right pocket. His eyes closed as his mind imagined a universe where he succeeded. The outrage of the future he originated from and the creature which plagued it faded into obscurity in his mind as he focused on the resonance around him.

A powerful gust of wind whistled as it swept the trees a few feet behind him.

The hum of an insect briefly buzzed his ears.

The deafening chirp of Mothra Leo echoed for all to hear as it vanished into the fabric of time.

With only the desire for a brighter future, Wilson raised his right arm and allowed his hate, his hope and his mark on this reality to vanish in a red flash. 

*****

The circular tunnel of their world’s time flowed around Leo, Lora, Moll and Fairy as they traversed the time stream, bathing them once more in millions of images of days gone by and future’s still yet to be experienced. Unlike the trio’s first trip; however, the guardians focused not on the flashing visuals of time, but on the colossal cancerous object latched onto Mothra Leo’s throat, its jaws embedded deep into her prey as it clung onto the moth with all its strength.

Megaguirus relished the blood of Mothra as it flowed into her jaws. Did it think he could leave her to die? To scurry away in shame from its defeat? She couldn't fathom where she was, but so long as her prey died, Megaguirus didn't care.

Leo screeched in agony, the sound reverberating through time in an endless, horrifying echo. The sapphire eyes that illuminated with hope dimmed, but defiance still thrived within the guardian. He would not allow this creature to return to his time!

Leo banked right, throwing himself and Megaguirus against the radiating perimeter he traveled within. Energy bolts of every hue sparked from the monster’s contact, tearing across their flesh with the simplest of ease. The agony forced Megaguirus to relent, its jaws wide as it screeched in agony only to extend its wings and slow Mothra’s flight.

For a brief second the two reappeared on Earth, speeding through a dense fog over the ocean, but power channeled through Leo. He couldn’t let his opponent terrorize any time! He would not yield this fight!

Leo’s form burst forth with unparalleled speed once more, disappearing into the fathoms of time with its adversary still latched onto his body. A climatic flash overtook both creatures as the chasm of swirling hues returned. Holes burst through Megaguirus’s wings as they failed to halt the guardian’s progress, but the impaired queen would not be deterred either.

Claws and teeth sunk into Leo’s flesh, spilling blood into the fathoms of time, yet Mothra Leo pushed on. Thousands of images continued to flash by, overloading both monster’s sense of sight until an overwhelming crimson flash overtook both monsters followed by a cataclysmic boom.        

*****

Unknown Island in the Pacific – Minutes after SpaceGodzilla’s Defeat

Color returned to Moll’s eyes as she regained consciousness, awakening to a world covered in ash and death. The guardian struggled to rise but as she stood, she discovered the ash lay up to her chest in depth. A weak chirp brought Moll’s attention to her right merely for her eyes to widen in horror.

A white crystal protruded from Fairy’s abdomen. Its eyes barely glowed with life, but another weak chirp echoed from its mandibles as it noticed its master safety. Moll’s hand slowly extended toward Fairy, the guardian’s eyes swelling with tears before the light within her faithful companion finally faded.

Ash parted as Moll fell to her knees, her eyes focused on Fairy’s lifeless form. Tears splashed across the rock beneath her, unable to remove her gaze until a terrifying thought entered her mind. Moll’s mind rapidly focused on Lora’s essence, trying to discover her location merely to find no trace. Her eyes closed and greater amounts of concentration were applied yet the same result occurred. With no trace, Moll fell forward in shock, barely able to hold herself as her arms shook with grief.

Alone in a wasteland of her own creation.

*****

San Francisco’s Ruins – 7 Days after SpaceGodzilla’s Defeat

Nick Tatopoulos gradually pressed a moist cloth against the cuts across his body, soaking the wounds in a combination of alcohol and water. Droplets of liquid ran down his muscular, bare chest and stained his torn brown pants. He breathed heavy with every tap. The pain coursing through his body like an electric current. As he finished applying the cleanser, fresh bandages laced the wounds, but a burst of coughing halted his actions. The scientists’ right arm covered his face, deflecting the projectile fluids which rocketed out of his throat. Calm breathing gradually returned to Nick, calming his nerves until he recalled his arm merely to discover blood specs doting his appendage. A worried sigh escaped his next breath.

“Who are you?”

Nick’s eyes dashed across the decaying room around him. Beside the miniature garden, a small woman in the brightest of clothes stood, her face filled with disbelief and confusion. A footstep from Nick toward the tiny figure immediately made her retreat. Nick’s arms immediately raised to defuse the situation before grabbing his shirt and covering his badly scarred abdomen.

“Hey, no, sorry. My name is Doctor Nicko Tatopoulos. I found you near the anomaly the other day. I assume you’re not from this reality, are you?”

A confused expression from the tiny figure answered the scientist’s question.

“I’m Lora, priestess of the Mothra humanity has given the name Leo. Where am I?”

Nick eye’s widened and he took a step forward. “Can you call Mothra? Could he fly us out of here?”

Horror gradually took hold of Lora’s face, snapping Nick out of his questions.

“I can’t sense him. I can’t sense anyone! Where am I?” Lora yelled. 

The room shook from a colossal tremor. Dust poured from the square ceiling panels, chocking the air as a roar echoed down the military facilities halls. A secondary growl boomed down the narrow walkways, catching Lora’s attention until Nick walked beside her.

“Relax,” Nick affirmed as he grabbed a nearby metal chair and sat beside the greenery. “It knows we are nearby, but he can’t track us. Too deep inside this place to hear and the-”

Nick paused as he looked down the dark hallway which glowed an eerie red where it turned toward the main doors. Juxtaposed between the eerie light and the darkness, a decomposing hand lay stagnant, illuminated by the shifting color.

“Just be happy you can only smell the plants,” Nick commented as he leaned back. “The things called a Skullcrawler. Smaller ones ravage most of the city. The Big One you heard keeps most away for now. My guess is he took interest in the anomaly, couldn’t hypothesize as too why, but it’s where I found you when I was going to my ship for supplies. On where we are, it’s Earth, just not the one we are from. We were sent here by going through the anomaly. Think of a giant tear in space and time that looks like fragmented glass with a mountain of rock residing beneath it. Honestly thought I was hallucinating when I found you until-”

Nick glanced back at Lora, her eyes still wide with terror. His hand slid behind his neck, sliding against his skin to calm his nerves.

“Apologies, I haven’t spoken to someone in a week. That's my defense, but my wife would just say I overexplain things.”

Nick let out a forced laugh at the thought while Lora’s eyes gradually closed as she tried to focus. “I am sadly familiar with the tears. My sister and I created one, and I think this new one is our fault as well. I’m also not in fear of you, I can sense your heart is pure. What I fear are the creatures outside. The Big One as you described and what lies underneath the mountain you mentioned.”

“You mean there are two?”

Lora shook her head in disapproval. “No, it is not a Skullcrawler, but the creature that followed us. The man we traveled through time to stop called it Megaguirus.”

Nick turned his chair to face Lora, a spark of curiosity in his eye. “Well Lora, we got some time before we can go on another run for supplies so tell me, how did you create that portal?”

*****

Command Center of the U.S.S. Cowpens – 7 Days after SpaceGodzilla’s Defeat

Moll sat motionless in the control center of the U.S.S. Cowpens while the world moved on without her, like it had done for so many years. Voices echoed. Humans appeared and disappeared before her sorrowful gaze. Time could not even affect the distraught guardian as hours flashed by in what felt like seconds. In all that time, the familiar voices of the Shobijin tried to comfort her with telepathy. They reinforced the decades of peace in her absence, broken only by minor conflicts, but Moll never responded to their pleas, eventually silencing the Shobijin from her mind.

A dark shadow descended over Moll.

Her mind raced with questions. Could she undo the tears she created? If she dared to venture into them to search for her sister, would it place the Earth in ever more risk? More of the creatures she promised to protect…

Footsteps and yelling gradually captured the attention of Moll as she awakened from her trance. Crew of the vessel she resided upon dashed around her. Men yelled of weapons coming online. Others yelled to hold fire. As the shadow darkened around her in the midst of the chaos, Moll glanced out of the window she resided next to. As her eyes looked toward the heavens, Moll discovered what eclipsed the sun.

Hovering hundreds of feet above the water, a massive humanoid figure gazed down upon the U.S.S. Cowpens. Human only in shape, the red skinned figured studied the man-made ship with golden eyes as the sun’s light enveloped him. Silver armor covered the mysterious being’s head and shoulders while a crest atop his head seemed to radiate glowing energy that even the sun’s brightness could not rival.

The wings of Mothra Leo quickly flew into view of Moll’s eyes. The great guardian of Earth emitted a chirp of warning to the arrival, the humanoid taking a stance of combat in mid-air as Leo approached. Each sized up the other, both unsure of their next move.

Footsteps attracted Moll’s attention once more as two figures stopped next to her. The aged captain of the U.S.S. Cowpens stood undeterred by the chaos while he spoke to a younger man of seemingly Japanese descent. The young man’s mouth moved quickly, spouting words that Moll’s ears seemed to disregard. His face continued to enhance with worry with every second, trying desperately to convey a message until Moll could make out a single word as he gradually exited her shocked state. A word the young man continued to scream as azure, alien armor overtook the young man’s body.

Seven.