(Just call me George R.R. Martin for how long it takes me to write stuff at this point.)

Queen's Reign

Ariake Sea

Shiro Miyasaka leaned against the railing of the Shikishima, letting the cool sea breeze caress his worn face. Splashes of saltwater landed on his glasses and he removed them, vigorously rubbing them dry on his pewter coat before returning them to his face. Even out on a battleship, he insisted on dressing to the nines, looking completely out of place amongst the troops in uniform patrolling the ship, the sailors lost amongst their day-to-day duties, and the scientists who were easily picked out of a crowd due to their bleached lab coats and tired eyes. The rising sun peaked out from behind a group of clouds, shedding a scarlet light over the calm waters. Miyasaka let out a yawn, having found sleep elusive during the eventful night. He had taken a personal chopper back to Kumamoto and had arranged for a hotel to stay until dawn. With the Karyu's victory, the city had returned back to a sense of normalcy. Military presence was still felt, but the citizens were more concerned with Japan's victory over a monster than any worry about future threats. Damage to the city had been scare, with the battle fought mostly in the forests outskirts. The Karyu had carried its package along the Shirakawa River before clumsily dispatching the load into the Ariake Sea. Scorched earth was a consequence when giants were engaged in combat. Miyasaka's slumber was constantly disturbed by visions of the deceased King, of his past destruction and his present defeat. The battle replayed itself again and again in his nightmares, forcing him awake in a cold sweat. The Karyu had done its job…hadn't it? Worrying was a waste of time. What was important was securing anything of biological value off the corpse before the government decided how best to dispose of a radiologic heap of flesh. On his flight back to the Shikishima, he had spied numerous would-be reporters trying to convince police officers to let them borrow a boat from the port and snap pictures of the research site. He had smirked at the sight of it all, before letting out a loud curse as his expensive coffee was sent careening out of the helicopter after a sudden gust of wind shook the vehicle.

He was really missing that shot of liquid energy at the moment as he gazed drowsily into the waters, assembling a mental picture of the creature that lay below, deceased for all intents and purposes. He pondered whether the scavengers of the sea would try their hand at feasting on the lizard. A King desecrated by peasants.

How morbid.

His attention was drawn to a darkening shape creeping towards the surface. He squinted, attempting to identify the object before realization settled in. The Search-Godzilla-System burst from the indigo depths, a man-made machine contrasting against the natural beauty of the sea, drawn upwards by the tether that connected it to the Shikishima. It tipped forward and back before righting itself against the currents of the sea.

"Ready to bring aboard!" One of the scientists, likely the operator, scurried to the railing beside Miyasaka.

"I hope you got something good," the head of the CCI coolly stated.

"We had a few…setbacks during the night while you were gone. We had to bring her up twice to fix some malfunctions. Third time down is the charm, wouldn't you say," the scientist replied, nervously chucking and scratching the back of his head. Miyasaka raised an eyebrow and nodded, having heard something similar in the past. With the SGS close enough to the hull of the battleship, the overhead crane slowly shifted into place above the remotely-operated underwater vehicle. A claw reached down and latched onto a handle on the roof of the submersible where the tether attached to the submersible, securing a grip. With a groan, the crane lifted up the ROV from the water and rotated counter-clockwise, stopping once the SGS hovered over the ship. Gently, with the care of a mother holding a child, the Search-Godzilla-System was placed down on the deck of the ship with a muted thump.

"Careful, careful," Miyasaka murmured as he approached the mini-sub. He noticed a dark red coating the arms of the SGS, even extending to some parts of the oval hull of the ROV.

"Messy job, I take it?"

"Incisions here, a peek inside a wound there…messy is one way to put it," the operator replied, who's name Shiro now saw as 'Suzuki' after taking a glance at the name badge. Suzuki shrugged and strolled up to the ROV, running his right hand along the right side of the submarine until he found what he was looking for. His hand gripped a lever tightly and with some noticeable exertion, yanked it downwards. A loud hiss emanated from the vessel, and the roof of the capsules on the right side slid open, revealing their contents. In one was a piece of a reptilian scale. It had been sliced off of the corpse below using a specialized cutter, made into a more reasonable size for transport. In another was a red fleshy mass, from what part of the beast it came from was unknown. A chip of pink bone-like material lay in the last tube, having come from one of the damaged spines jutting from the beast's back.

"We've obtained some unique samples for the CCI, Mr. Miyasaka. As you can see, we've got a G-Scale. With the sample we lost a year ago, I felt it suitable to replace it. Our scientists can analyze its physical structure to pinpoint any weaknesses and adapt our weaponry further. The FMMs managed some penetration but not as deep as we'd hoped. This particular sample was taken from the head of the monster," Suzuki explained, pointing at the misshapen sage scale. He lowered his finger to the lump of gore in the second tube. "The wounds that were caused by the dragonflies did not heal up. We managed to…widen the puncture site and take a sample of what's underneath that tough exterior of his."

"Intriguing. We've never had an opportunity to harvest actual flesh. We may gain an even better understanding of the regenerative properties. Perhaps even harness them? Or maybe we could attempt to cleanse the meat of all possible hazards and sell it as G-Spam. Feed the starving!" Suzuki stared at Shiro, mouth agape. "Only kidding about the last bit…mostly. Carry on, Professor." Suzuki laughed off the crazy idea proposed by his superior.

"I never took you for a man of humor, Mr. Miyasaka. As for this bit here, it's a piece off of the spikes that run along the creature's spine. I'm not quite sure what use it'll be. They act as conduits for the monster's breath weapon, and they look magnificent, if I may say so myself. A good trinket to keep before the military disposes of the body. Assuming that death halts the regeneration process, of course." Suzuki walked to the opposite side of the submersible and repeated his task of finding the lever and pulling it downwards. The ROV gave another hiss, but this time the twin capsules' dull gray exterior vanished, becoming translucent. The contents within could be seen as if one was looking through a window. One giant vial was filled with a dark red liquid, the same hue seen on the coating of the SGS.

"Godzilla's blood."

"Precisely."

"The first time we've ever managed to obtain it. Such a large sampling would allow us ample chance to experiment," Miyasaka excitedly said. "This could be big. The key to mastering regeneration. Replacing limbs, curing diseases…"

"That would be the ideal, Mr. Miyasaka."

"…or biological warfare." Miyasaka's brow furrowed and he stared intensely at the vial of liquid life-force.

Oh, if Shinoda could see this now. Medicine is the noble pursuit, but weaponization is where the money lies.

"I suppose it could be engineered as such but…"

"And what is in there," Shiro interrupted Suzuki, gesturing towards the second tube. A quarter of it was filled with a sickly yellow liquid, almost pus-like with chunks of God-knows-what amidst it. Almost as if somebody had lost their lunch into the vial.

"Well, while I was examining the puncture sites, I noticed that secretion coating the inside of the wounds. I believe it is what the dragonflies used to halt the regeneration and keep the wound from sealing up."

"An anti-Organizer G1?"

"It's just a guess but…yes. That's what I was thinking. If we could manipulate it and use it on our weaponry, we'd have an advantage in case he comes ba-"

"Godzilla is dead, Suzuki. We've no need to worry about him any longer, "Miyasaka barked. Whether he was trying to convince his associate or himself was the question. "Let's get these samples loaded up and ready for transport to CCI headquarters. CCI guards and scientists only; keep the JSDF in the dark for now."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"We will tell them. All in due time, once we've had a chance to explore the potential of these samples. You've done a hell of a job, Suzuki. Expect a bonus your way." Shiro smiled, flashing off straight white teeth as he shook the hand of Professor Suzuki. Uncomfortable as he was with some of the ideas and plans that Mr. Miyasaka had, he certainly wasn't one to bite the hand that was going to be paying him handsomely for his work with the Search-Godzilla-System.

Kumamoto

"His condition looks to have stabilized, Doctor."

"That's reassuring. I thought we were going to lose him." The doctor pushed his glasses upwards, and let out a sigh. He was nearing the end of his twelve-hour shift and frankly it had been a nightmare. The Kumamoto Medical Center had been thrown into chaos with the arrival of injured soldiers, courtesy of Godzilla's rampage a day ago. They had lost quite a few patients, and quite nearly lost the one in the room before him. Poor man. Scored by the hellish flames of an explosion caused by Godzilla. His left leg had to be amputated directly below the knee. Nearly an hour had gone by since the patient first started coding. Several medical care personnel had responded, doing everything in their power to keep him from passing on. Bagged him, compressions, injected him with epinephrine to kick-start his failing system. Finally, he stabilized and the crew quietly celebrated. It was a small victory in a twenty-four hour period filled with loss. The exhausted doctor nodded at the nurse, who proceeded to the next patient. One who was in better condition, but just barely.

"I need a cigarette," the doctor mused to himself. He ditched the gloves stained with blood and washed his hands at a nearby sink. Sterilization was key; a statement pounded into every person's head daily who worked at the hospital. He had been stationed on the top floor, the medical intensive care unit. Those who needed urgent care immediately were sent to the top, and would be sent down a floor once their condition improved. Drying his hands and tossing the rough brown paper towel into the waste basket, he turned around and walked towards the window that overlooked the city. With the sun casting its light upon the streets and buildings, the denizens of the Chūō-ku sector were awake and starting their daily activities. Cars and trucks zoomed down the streets. Those who were dog lovers were enjoying the gorgeous morning with their four-legged companions. Children waited at bus-stops to prepare for their trip to school. The one thing that stuck out to the doctor was the presence of military personnel patrolling the streets, intimidating jeeps and tanks manned by stoic soldiers. The JSDF felt it was necessary to keep an armed contingent within the city. Headlines would no doubt have the Karyu front and center, describing its heroic conquest of Godzilla. The head of the CCI had boasted about it rampantly on the evening news. The doctor was overjoyed, but that was short-lived after he witnessed all that had been injured in the assault. Sure, the Karyu and its crew would receive the glory, but would the grunts who had put their lives on the line against Godzilla receive any love? Were they to be forgotten footnotes in what was known as the 'Defense of Kumamoto'? He placed a hand against the window, closed his eyes and recanted a prayer for those who had sacrificed themselves to try and stop the behemoth known as Godzilla.

He wasn't sure what he sensed first. The glass in front of him beginning to vibrate, increasing in intensity every second, or the noise clawing inside his head, a sound akin to nails screeching across chalkboard. His eyes snapped open and he gritted his teeth. The screaming in his head was unbearable! Behind him, patients began to yelp in pain and his associates cursed and clutched their ears, the pain becoming unbearable. In the streets, civilians ran for shelter, clutching their ears with mouths agape in silent screams.

"What the hell-"The glass shattered. The barrier that supported his weight vanished. Shards sliced his skin and tore through his coat and clothing underneath. With a shocked yell, the doctor plummeted from the seventh story, the dreadful noise assaulting his brain until he collided with the pavement below.

The nurse he had been speaking to just a short while ago screamed as she saw him fall outside of the hallway and into open air. She scurried over to the edge, managing to ignore the pain of glass shards piercing her skin. She risked a peek and resisted the urge to vomit as she saw the doctor below, lying still in a sickening position. Arms and legs positioned at impossible angles. All below her, people screamed and ran for cover. Gusts of wind attacked the buildings below, rocking their foundations and shaking trees violently. The current even reached her, slapping her cheeks and tousling her hair. The noise in her head was overwhelming and she begged for it to end, shutting her eyes tightly.

It did. The noise cut short. The strong winds that had assaulted her halted. Yet the panicked screams grew even louder. Soldiers who had regained their senses began barking orders and the sound of rifle fire reached her ears. She slowly opened her eyes and she too wailed in terror.

The gigantic insect hovered directly in front of the medical center. Stunning emerald wings beat rapidly, up and down. Anything directly below it was swept aside or pummeled by the havoc caused by the sweeping air currents. The nurse couldn't comprehend the horrible animal before her. The mutant dragonfly was coated in bronze-colored armor, appearing impenetrable. It certainly must've been, as the bullets ricocheted off of the carapace. The poor woman could do nothing but stare at gleaming green compound eyes, eyes that held a dark malevolence to them. Megaguirus spread apart her mandibles, let out a squeal of delight, and shot forward into the side of the building, devouring the nurse and any unfortunate humans within the vicinity. She snapped her head back, releasing a hiss of delight. The hospital had a gash in its side, floors smashed and ripped away. Patients screamed in terror as they lay in their beds, those that weren't dragged out to their death or completely unconscious. A health care worker clung to the side of the newly-created hole in the building, crying out for help before his grip failed him and he slipped off the side. Those who weren't consumed in the initial bite fled out of the ward, most ignoring the moans for help of their patients. A few stayed behind to try and save the wounded, but their lives were snuffed out as the dragonfly queen lunged forward, feasting on those unfortunate to be caught in her mandibles. Her armored head penetrated deeper into the building, gnashing and thrashing, gobbling up humans left and right. It was a slaughter. When she could extend herself no further, she yanked backwards, leaving a massive crater in the Kumamoto Medical Center. Megaguirus squealed, raining chunks of human flesh upon the streets below. Her devilish eyes turned downwards; to the human resistance doing all they could to attack her. Megaguirus landed, crushing anything beneath her with her wicked legs. She stabbed at the JSDF, gouging the concrete and killing any soldiers that met her wrath. Satisfied, she jettisoned upwards, leaving behind a whirlwind to ravage the nearby vicinity.

The prehistoric queen was a harbinger of destruction; Dive-bombing between buildings, gobbling up citizens and soldiers alike. Her emerald wings eviscerated buildings; her outstretched arms tore at the earth as she snapped up humans by the dozens. A platoon of tanks stood their ground, firing their missiles at her in the hopes of penetrating her carapace. Megaguirus, with reflexes lightning-quick, ducked the barrage and slammed into the earth, crushing the tanks beneath her clawed legs. Men screamed, metal groaned, and the insect queen hissed in pleasure. Megaguirus took off once more, flying across the Shirakawa River and landing on top of the Kumamoto University Hospital. The building shuddered as the giant monster latched on and began stabbing through the roof, removing the barrier that separated her from her prey. Within seconds, her scythe-like arms had hit gold, and below she could see humans screaming in fear, could sense their utter dread.

So enchanted with the buffet below her, Megaguirus did not hear the F-15Js quickly approaching. Nor did she give herself a chance to dodge as dozens of missiles fired at her, slamming into her side. The mutant screeched, nearly losing her grip from the roof of the hospital. The squadron of jets zipped by, saving those within the hospital from becoming bug food for the moment. Megaguirus screeched in anger and flapped her wings rapidly, taking off and ravaging the hospital with the whirlwind conjured up by her take-off. Glass shattered while people and objects alike were thrown about like they were weightless. Her many eyes pinpointed her attackers. The jets were fast. She was faster. The fastest creature on Earth caught up with the heroic pilots in no time at all. There were eight in total. With a snap of her mandibles, that number fell to seven. A sweep of one of her sword-like appendage and two more burst into flame. The remaining five quickly split up, with two heading north and three continuing east. The hunt invigorated Megaguirus and she could not help but find joy in it all. Traveling at speeds unreachable by man, the queen flew beside the three flying eastwards. She spread her arms and struck each of the fleeing jets, destroying them in the blink of an eye. Four missiles pelted her backside and she knew the remaining foes had turned around to combat her. She darted straight up and did a back-flip in the air, finding herself behind the speeding jets. She lashed out with her tail, introducing each jet to the pointed stinger at the end of it. The burning husks of the JSDF air force collided with the concrete jungle below, destroying buildings and beginning to conjure up flames and smoke. Her devilish cries filled the city below as she hovered around the district. Few pockets of human resistance remained, but were swiftly snuffed out by the ever-hungry insect. Kumamoto's residents realized safety was found in buildings. Those who were too slow to seek cover were devoured by the ravenous bug. The casualty list quickly rose as Megaguirus stalked through the city, diving down into the streets, carving a gash into buildings and streets as she ate, before jumping back into flight. Another aerial assault was launched to stop Megaguirus, comprised of AH-1S helicopters and several more F-15Js but they too were quickly grounded by the speedy terror. The pilots who managed to jettison out of their crashing jets were snatched up mid-air and crunched between iron-hard mandibles. Megaguirus cackled as she glided around her hunting grounds. The dominant species on this planet had just become prey. Kumamoto was only the beginning.

CCI HQ, OSAKA

"We're sorry to interrupt your program, but this is an emergency broadcast. This is coming to you live from Kumamoto…" The female anchorwoman gave a curt nod to somebody unseen, and the screen transitioned to a live feed from a helicopter circling the outskirts of Kumamoto.

"Hey, what the hell gives-" Hajime barked, jumping up from the couch. Was he frustrated that he was currently missing his morning action shows? Perhaps. But anger soon turned to a sickening unease as the footage began to play.

"This is Yusaku Yara, on the scene above the ravaged Kumamoto. Look, there!" The cameraman followed Mr. Yara's directions, aiming the camera at the point of interest. In the distance, a massive insect could be seen dive-bombing the streets, mandibles gnashing and claws slicing through concrete and metal. The bug's haunting screech sent shivers down Hajime's spine.

"This insect appeared out of nowhere and began attacking the city. The JSDF stationed here have put up a fight but…there have been many casualties. The bug looks to be…eating the civilians below." The roar of Megaguirus could be heard over the beating of the chopper blades, and Hajime could almost swear he heard screams of terror. Or was that just his imagination? A squadron of F15s zoomed by, intent on engaging the enemy. Megaguirus turned around, cackled, and seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye, only to reappear behind the puzzled squadron. The fiend clipped and smashed each jet, one-by-one. The demolished aircrafts fell to the city below, damaging buildings and spreading flame.

"Can you get us closer?" The pilot fired back a muffle response, harsh in nature. The news helicopter veered closer, taking in the destruction below. Chunks of buildings had been cleaved cleanly, husks of tanks and jets lay below. And people…some whole, some in pieces, were strewn amongst the streets. Splotches of black gunk here and there adhered to surfaces, its purpose unknown. The crew was revealing to the nation a massacre. One monster had been dealt with, yet another had risen to take its place. The crew's curiosity was to be their doom.

"Look out!" The camera snapped up, and Megauirus's visage filled the screen, gliding right towards the crew, mouth agape and eyes glinting with gluttony. As the insect's mandibles made contact with the helicopter, the feed died. The anchorwoman reappeared, face frozen in shock. Her lip began to quiver as she struggled not to burst into tears.

The door hissed open and Kiriko and Yoshino marched in, stone-faced. Both were already suited for combat, the intense blue fitting their personalities. Hajime picked his jaw up off of the floor and turned his attention to them.

"Girls, did you –"

"We know. The Karyu is being prepped for launch. Other than being unable to reattach the cutter component, the Karyu has been repaired. Get your gear on and let's go. We've got people counting on us."

Hajime scurried to grab his jumpsuit, cheeks flushed after realizing that he had been speaking to his superior whilst in an undershirt and boxers. A man's got to be comfortable when watching the tube, right?

"So…it wouldn't be the best time to reveal that I have a fear of insects, right? Especially the big, man-eating kind?" Yoshino let slip a giggle, her serious demeanor falling for a moment.

"We killed a tyrant and you managed to not piss yourself. Hopefully, playing fly-swatter won't have you fainting." Hajime groaned and clipped his helmet onto his head. The logo of the CCI was emblazoned upon its left, whilst a rough silhouette of their kaiju-stopping ship was sketched on the right. He fell in behind the other two, both his seniors in age and experience. Hajime knew he had been naïve to think that their role as monster-slayers was going to be short-lived. He just didn't think the next big threat would show up the next day! He let out a sigh and shook his head.

Why me?

Kumamoto

The military, or what remained of them, had retreated to the outskirts of Kumamoto. Those who had directly opposed the insect threat had been crushed or devoured. The JSDF had made it apparent to stand down. After culling the city of all life, Megaguirus's aggression level had diminished and now the queen had landed upon the remnants of Kumamoto Castle. The taller of the two towers that made up the scenic sight had been cleaved off, becoming a roost for the devious creature. Megaguirus remained immobile upon her perch, other than the odd twitch from her emerald wings. The few who survived the attack on Kumamoto made a break for it, and were fortunate that Megaguirus did not pursue. Black ooze dripped from the mandibles of the prehistoric dragonfly, forming puddles of ooze upon the trashed castletop. With the monster momentarily in a trance, the JSDF used the respite to prepare the next battalion of troops. The Karyu was inbound, yet not quite at one hundred percent. The 'Godzilla-Slayers' could use some help if they wanted to add to their resume of monster-killing. Video analysis had already been sent to the Karyu's crew. The dragonfly, currently un-named by the JSDF, was incredibly fast. Faster than any jet. It was ruthless. Godzilla may have had brute strength, yes, but he was not the speed demon this creature was. The extent of the insect's abilities had yet to be determined, which was not a good omen.

Megaguirus let out an anguished squeal. Her body seemed to shudder and heave. Her appendages stabbed deeper into the structure, gouging out chunks of stone and wood. Her wings began to flap rapidly, and her tail swung to and fro. The gunk began to pour from her mouth, viscous and dark. The prehistoric insect began to heave, her pained cries echoing throughout the desolate city. Her wings began to flap more violently, her stinger-tipped tail swinging more haphazardly, and her clawed legs clenched tighter onto the base of her roost. The scene was eerily reminiscent of…childbirth? With a sickly squelch, an oval object the size of one of Megaguirus's giant eyeballs, coated in the biological black muck, launched out from the maw of the queen, nestling itself in the castle courtyard. Of course, the landing was less than graceful as the egg crushed walls and vegetation that had surrounded it. Megauirus clicked her mandibles together, eyeing her precious package with an almost maternal tenderness. She raised one of her scythe-like front leg to gently tap the surface of the egg, wiping away the tar-like goo to reveal a beautiful emerald-colored egg.

"Shinoda, we're on our way back to headquarters…over Kumamoto…it flew? Are you saying its - what the hell is that!?" The helicopter carrying Shiro Miyasaka and the findings from Godzilla had picked quite an unfortunate route. In their haste to bring their specimens to the CCI, they'd flown on a collision course with Kumamoto, now home to a territorial mother insect. Rebuffing any attempts at communication from the JSDF prevented them from knowing of the arrival of Megagurius. The roar of the chopper blades drew the ire of the new mother, who's scream managed to pierce the Miyasaka's earmuffs. He cringed and shook, losing his grip on his cell phone as it fell out of the helicopter, his friend shouting on the other end.

"Go low!"

"What," the pilot yelled back, eyes wide in fear as Megaguirus leaped from her roost, buzzing directly for them.

"Dive! DIVE!" Miyasaka tumbled forward and jerked the stick downwards. The helicopter's nose dipped and descended downwards. The G-specimens, along with Miyasaka's insides, rattled about. Megaguirus zipped by overhead, mandibles snapping shut on air. Cleavers on the end of her arms missed their mark. Yet even so, the sheer velocity of her flight was enough to send the helicopter careening down towards earth. Towards the ruined buildings and decimated streets. Towards the nesting site and death itself.

"A civilian helicopter was downed by the insect. Near where it had been resting, on the remnants of Kumamoto castle…"

"We'll search for survivors after we've taken care of the monster. Keep what's left of your forces on the city outskirts. We don't need any more casualties' today."

"Understood, Commander Tsujimori." Kiriko clicked off the mic and sighed. Outside the viewport, the clouds of Japan's sky parted as the Karyu flew to its destination. With a quick push of a button, a map popped onto screen, with coordinates displayed. Her mouth was a thin line on her face and she studied it intensely for a brief moment, mentally readying herself for what was to come.

"Yoshino, its time to drop."

"Roger. Hold tight". Yoshino's fingers danced upon the buttons on the panel in front of her. A lever that previously had been unlit, turned a bright red. Yoshino's hand gripped it and her thumb hovered over the illuminating red button on the top of it.

"3. 2. 1." Yoshino pressed it. The blaring engines died. The Karyu dropped. The massive aircraft plummeted down, slicing through the clouds. The empty city of Kumamoto raced up to meet them. Megaguirus screamed, buzzing her wings in a threatening display. The metal foes from before had been much smaller…this was gigantic. This was a dangerous adversary.

With another click of the button, the Karyu roared to life, and Yoshino gripped the thruster and moved it forward. The Karyu's freefall stopped and instead the ship lurched across the streets, sending debris swirling in its aftermath. The Karyu slowed itself to a hover, several ship-lengths from the terrifying insect that lay ahead.

"We can light her up from here, Kiriko."

"Do it," she fired back."

"Wait, Commander. Something on the radar," Yoshino said, with nervousness in her tone. "Its not an aircraft. Its…bigger."

"Which way is it coming in from?"

"…above."

A shadow descended upon the city. The queen of insects slammed her pincers into the concrete jungle, her wings buzzing furiously and she shook her head sending globules of black saliva everywhere. Hatred burned in her eyes as she stared at the rapidly approaching challenger. An ancient rival to her, an entirely new foe to the crew of the Karyu.

"What in the hell -," Hajime began before the newcomer landed amongst a group of small buildings, destroying them in the process. Giant wings of bronze and blue flapped, summoning up a windstorm that scattered the rubble, with some pieces pummeling the hull of the Karyu whilst others hit a little too close to home to the egg of Megaguirus. The monster straight out of the dinosaur age strode forward, holding up his wings so as to not dirty them on the ground. The bony peaks jutting from behind his skull crackled with violet energy. A golden beak opened and a ferocious, primordial cry was released. His head shook from side to side, wings flapping, spike-covered chest puffing out. A display of confidence, a newfound strength.

"I-I thought it was dead!" Hajime spun around in his chair, a hopeless expression plastered on his face. "Godzilla…killed it." Rodan was very much alive. His calculating eyes studied the Karyu, then Megaguirus. He snapped his beak threateningly at her, and in return she snapped her claws repeatedly. Death threats, as clear to see to even the humans aboard the Karyu.

The Queen of the Insects. The Prince of the Skies. The Kaiju Killer. The three aerial fighters hovered, akin to a scene one would find in a western, where gunslingers stand awaiting for someone to make a move. Who would it be?

"Hajime, fire missiles. Both targets." And so it begins.