It was the end of the world. That was the only explanation that the people of Japan – indeed, the people of the world – could come to as the morning light illuminated a vision unrivaled by even their darkest dreams. Tokyo and even the surrounding cities had already evacuated in the face of this nightmare and all eyes were glued to the videos provided by the few reporters brave enough to stay.
Not one, nor even two, but eight Godzillas stood in a wide semicircle, snarling and glaring not at the city, but each other, sizing each other up.
The demon, a malevolent figure that glowered with pupil-less eyes, the rage of those fallen and forgotten burning in its dark heart. It waited for its rivals to make the first move, and swore it would be their last. Its lip curled in a snarl. It had slain gods; mere animals, even those in his own image, would be no match.
The next, a hero that had vanquished the likes of Hedorah, Mechagodzilla, and the even the dreaded King Ghidorah. Today would be his greatest challenge, but he was unafraid of even the largest of his doppelgängers. He sensed malevolence in the eyeless gaze of the other and challenged him.
Nearby two identical Gojirans circled one another. Mountains of emerald scales and amethyst spines they viewed each other as rivals. One had vanquished Orga, and the other Megaguirus, but now they focused on one another. Both knew that whatever else transpired, only one would survive their duel.
A third stood apart, growling at his similarly sized rivals. Gray hide, jagged silver spikes, and a large scar on his chest, he sensed the two jade titans as instinctive rivals, but was more concerned by the white-eyed demon. It smelled familiar, but his other senses declared it an abomination, more akin to the mechanical mockery that had attacked him before.
Apart from them stood three leviathans, each easily twice the height of their smaller kin. One, enormous and grey roared its challenge to the others, slamming its tail against the ground in a show of strength. It was perhaps the most well known of the three, having rampaged across Japan during the eighties and nineties.
The second was leaner and it was eager to accept. He had been sealed in the Antarctic, allowing his challenger free reign, but now he was free and would take back his kingdom. He and he alone had driven back the Xilien invasion; the entire world was his territory now.
The third stood only slightly higher than the other two, but was far more vast. It roared a challenge that drew the attention of its two similarly-sized rivals. The calls of his ancient foes the MUTOs had awoken him, but now that he had risen he had sensed these other, younger Godzillas. They had ruled as tyrants during his long absence, and had become a threat to the balance of nature. But now he had returned and such threats would not be tolerated.
Eight now stand but seven must fall, for there can be only one true King of the Monsters!
Author's Note: Happy 2016, Internet. I've had this on my hard drive long enough and figured that I'd post it for the new year. Now, why only eight versions of Godzilla? Well, numbers nine and ten would be the original Godzilla (who never fought anything other than the military) and the newly announced Shin Godzilla (who hasn't appeared on screen yet). The eight in this battle royale have all been in movies and fought other kaiju.
This means that as far as I know there are six Godzillas that I have excluded: the manga version of the Heisei Godzilla, who I only know of second-hand; the Hanna Barbera cartoon Godzilla; the Marvel Comics version of Godzilla; the Dark Horse Comics version of Godzilla; the Half-Century War version of Godzilla; and the Rulers of Earth version of Godzilla.
Also excluded are any other versions of Godzilla not currently listed, because if they aren't listed I've never heard of them.