Shorter chapter this time around. To make up for it, I have a short preview of what else I've been working on lately at the end. I am also sad to say that I am putting 'Discord messes with Naruto' up for adoption. More details will be released in a 'chapter' on the story itself sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the chapter and the 'teaser'!
Act 2: The Towering Gods
Chapter 2: The God and the Mortal
Serenity. Calmness. Beauty.
None of these things described the night Hiccup had been having. As he shot through the air, trying to keep ahead of the mountainous reptilian creature currently swimming behind him. He could only wonder if there were any other teenage village leaders having problems as bad as him.
He pushed that thought out of his head. Shouldn't imagine that kind of thing on other people, he thought. Though I have to wonder if this kind of thing is just going to happen to me for the rest of my life.
The sound of waves crashing about drew his attention to the scene below him. Right below him, in fact, as Godzilla was moving through the water as fast as they were through the air.
"He's keeping up with us. Of course he is…" Toothless growled in frustration, flapping his wigs harder in an attempt to fly faster. "Don't overwork yourself bud. We need to outsmart him, not outspeed him. Let's head up over the clouds so he'll lose sight of us."
The combination of an incredibly cloudy night (nothing new for the archipelago) and the darkness of night made it real easy for them to slip into the background. Soaring above the clouds, they quickly made a sharp turn right, and kept going from there. When Hiccup felt that they had gone far enough, they made another turn left, and soared a little bit more. By the time they went back below the clouds, Godzilla couldn't be seen anywhere.
"That should lose him." They landed on a small plateau, resting for a bit. "Since he can't fly, there'd be no way he could've followed us. Let's head back to Berk so we can plan a way to get Godzilla and Dragnarok back-"
*CRASH*
As soon as Toothless heard the waves break behind them, he reacted by knocking Hiccup onto his back and taking off. "Whoa!" Hiccup barely had enough time to get into place to control the tailfin. Looking where the waves had parted, his face twisted into one of horror upon seeing Godzilla in front of him. "B-but… how…?" Toothless roared to get his attention. "R-right! Time to go!"
Hiccup and Toothless sped over the water, keeping enough height from the water so as not to be snapped right out of the air. "I can't believe it! He managed to track us that whole way?!" Waves broke below them, letting them know that Godzilla had already caught up. "Aaaagh…. Ok, Toothless, new plan. We shoot a fireball into his eyes to blind him for a moment, then we slip out of sight. It probably won't help our case, but then again, dying won't either."
The chief looked below them, only to see nothing. "Oh no… where'd he go?" Neither of them had a chance to answer before a tail swung out from the water. "TOOTHLESS!" Hiccup yelled. They pulled up as fast as they could, trying their best to get away from the appendage. Hiccup, sure that they wouldn't miss the tail at that distance, braced himself for the impact, while Toothless prepared himself to take the blow for his rider.
The tip of the tail slammed them, flinging them across the sky. Toothless, dazed but okay, managed to right himself before they could freefall. He looked back to his rider… who hadn't been as lucky. Not badly hurt, yet still unfortunately, knocked unconscious. The dragon looked back at the legend that awed and terrified him as a hatchling. The beast was lumbering towards him, likely to remove his friend from his back and…
No. Toothless growled. He couldn't bear to watch that kind of thing happen to his best friend. His human already had to deal with so much, he couldn't just let his human die here and let it all go to waste. Thinking about all the things they had been through, Toothless put on his most ferocious face. You'll have to tear me apart before you can get him… And with that said, Toothless did the only thing he could do in this situation. He stood his ground.
As the alpha predator reached for him, Toothless finally let him have it and gave his best roar.
WROOOOOOAAAAAEEEEEEEEEAAAUGH!
Godzilla, already angry from all the things that had happened, gave him a small roar warning him to comply. Toothless just barked back at him. "NO! BACK OFF!"
Now he was mad. He leaned in, face to face with the dragon, and gave him a low growl. "COME AGAIN, DRACONIS OFFSPRING?"
"You heard me. Back off!"
"YOU ARE EITHER VERY BRAVE OR VERY STUPID, LITTLE ONE. REGARDLESS, YOU SHOULD ALLOW ME TO RID YOU OFF THIS DISRUPTOR AND THE OTHER INSIGNIFICANTS."
"Oh, and I suppose it was better before? When they were killing us, and when we were forced to take orders from a corrupt queen?"
"NO. YOU KNOW WHY I DO THIS. THEIR ACTIONS MAY BE PLEASANT NOW, BUT AS GENERATIONS GO ON, THEIR SENSE OF WRONG AND RIGHT SHALL DEGRADE UNTIL IT BECOMES AS NONEXISTANT AS BEFORE."
"And how would you know?! I've heard your stories, all hatchlings have. The only times you ever come out are to get rid of other alpha predators causing trouble! What makes you so sure?"
"I HAVE BEEN TO MANY PLACES MORE THAN ONCE, DRACONIS OFFSPRING. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. I PROTECT THEM FROM A THREAT ONE GENERATION, AND THEY REGARD ME AS A SAVIOR, A GOD. BY THE TIME I RETURN, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE GAINED NEW FEAR FOR ME, AND REMAIN TERRIFIED OF ME, EVEN AFTER I HAVE DEALT WITH THE NEW THREAT. SOME EVEN WISHED TO TRY TO CONTROL ME THROUGH THEIR SO-CALLED 'SORCERY'. THEY ARE A SPECIES EASILY CORRUPTED BY FEAR, GREED AND MADNESS; EVEN WHEN THEY'VE TURNED A NEW LEAF, THEY FIND A WAY TO DESCEND BACK INTO CHAOS. THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF THESE HUMANS WILL REMEMBER THEIR CRUELTIES AND GREED AS TIME GOES ON, AND LEARN TO USE AND ABUSE YOU. I WILL STOP THAT BEFORE IT BEGINS."
"It won't even happen to begin with!" He roared back, refusing to comply. "I won't deny that there are cruel humans out there… just weeks ago, one attacked us with a corrupted king, hoping to use us for an army. He ended up killing my human's birth father, and another king. But the humans we fight alongside with aren't like that. And I know in my spirit they will teach their young of their virtues, and those young will teach their own as well! I know my human and his pack will keep their kindness for generations to come!"
"AND WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE? HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY WILL NOT CORRUPT EVEN AFTER YOU ARE GONE?"
I've been sure of it ever since I saw the look of fear in his eyes… the eyes that I saw myself in. I've known ever since we worked together to stop the endless war and establish a time of peace. And I can guarantee that each and every one of the dragons in the pack will DIE before allowing you to take their humans from them!"
Godzilla 'said' nothing else after this, only giving him a stare for a while. Unbeknownst to them both, Hiccup was regaining consciousness. By the time he could think clearly, Godzilla had been staring for what seemed like an eternity; he gave one last huff (Hiccup could've sworn it was one of contemplation), and turned to leave. Before he completely submerged back into the water, he turned his head and gave a series of growls only Toothless could understand.
"KNOW THIS, LITTLE ONE. I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY MIND. I AM SIMPLY CONFUSED BY YOUR DECISION TO LAY YOUR LIVES DOWN FOR THESE HUMANS. BUT RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A BIGGER ANNOYANCE TO DEAL WITH. ONCE I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE INTRUDER, I WILL COME FOR THEM."
With that, he dove into the water, disappearing into the night. Hiccup let loose a breath he hadn't known he was holding, alerting Toothless he was awake. He tilted his head back to nudge his rider. "I'm okay, bud, don't worry. But to be honest, I thought we were done for there." He looked back at the direction Godzilla left in, and had only one thought in mind.
Maybe there really is a chance to reason with him…
And now, to close off today's chapter, a trailer of the next thing I'm working on…
A boy in a black and green shirt is seen lying on the ground, battered and bloody. A shadow is being cast over him.
"Calling all plumbers! It is an emergency! No, we need the biggest ships! We must evacuate the earth!"
The boy has a watch on his arm, which seems to be sparking from a damaging battle. Explosions and crumbling earth can be heard in the background.
"This guy is worse than Vilgax could ever be, man. He's even worse than Diagon. The only thing we can do is run and hope we get away."
The boy reaches for his watch, hoping to gain a chance out of his bleak situation. A three toed white foot stamps on his arm, keeping him from doing so.
"The only way to get enough power to fight him and save my cousin… is if I give up my human form."
A white tail picks up the boy by his neck, bringing him face to face with the white faced, purple headed being that caused all this.
"You've done darn got his attention, boy. Now everybody's done for."
The being finally speaks to the injured boy. "I must say, you've done a fine job of putting me through my phases today, Ben Tennyson. But… I think it's time I ended this and put it through your thick skull…
A small speck of energy is seen charging up on the being's finger, which he brings up to Ben's face.
"I am the greatest in the universe. And today…" The being chuckles.
"You and the Earth will die by Lord Frieza's hand."
