DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the kaiju mentioned in this story.

-Kaiju BakuSenshi-

-Chapter Twenty-Three-

佳境 CLIMAX - ARC 2 FINALE
Part One: 世界の破壊者 Destroyer of Worlds

RECAP

"The Secretary General of the GDF is about to make a public announcement on live TV. All citizens of Tokyo and surrounding cities are required to watch," Achilles explained. "It's something goddamn big, that's for sure."

...

"Yesterday, the being landed in Tokyo, in the Eagle Building, where it proceeded to destroy the entire tower. Using methods unknown, it killed everyone within ..."

...

"It is likely that it is a weapon created by a superintelligent extraterrestrial being or species ..."

...

"Based on the report, the GDF has come to the conclusion that we are defenceless against this weapon."

...

"These vigilantes identify themselves as the Kaiju BakuSenshi ..."

...

"We are prepared to offer the BakuSenshi the full co-operation of the GDF, as well as all the technology available to us, if they will aid us in protecting Japan from the alien weapon."

Lab Rynthe, Monster Island.

2025

The speech was met with a sudden outbreak of voice. Everyone had an opinion to force on the nearest ear available, and it wasn't necessarily helpful. Achilles tried in vain to get everyone to calm down, but failed spectacularly. Then Rodan took over.

"QUIET! All this noise won't save Earth!"

This astute observation was met with the desired outcome; silence. Now that his audience was listening, Achilles continued.

"All right, first off, who wanted to know who made a website?" Yamato raised his hand. "That was me. Of course, I didn't realise the Secretary General himself would see it. Next: we are going to take a quick and informal vote decided by the BakuSenshi and the BakuSenshi only. No outside opinions involved in this decision. Should we help the GDF or not?"

Yamato stood first. "I vote no. The GDF set a psychopath on us. You saw what happened with Hiroyama!"

Up next, Ryo looked lost in thought. When prompted by Yamato, he looked up. "Umm ... I need a moment to decide, guys."

"I vote yes," Sakura said. "They deserve a second chance. Besides, we're all humans. If the world ends, we'll be every bit as dead as them."

Rei was next. He simply said "I vote no," without even standing up. Everyone stared at him. "What? I don't have to justify myself to anyone."

Tora looked angry, and a little mutinous. "Why are we even taking a vote?" she protested. "This is unbelievable! I vote no; the GDF set a goddamn mecha on you for God's sake!"

Taiga, up next, was cool and collected. "I vote yes," he said. "Let's face it; we need their help and they need ours."

Kazu, up next, stated firmly, "I vote yes. We should give them a chance."

"Ryo, you have the final decision. What do you say?" Achilles prompted.

"I've made up my mind," Ryo said. "My vote is ..."

Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.

2025

A red streak rapidly hurtled upwards, surging through layers of water and air, until it was finally in the upper atmosphere. From there, it glowed red, vanishing into a void of swirling crimson ...

Tokyo City.

2025

It was just another ordinary day, filled with sunshine, traffic, and angry commuters, until the alien flew out of the sewers.

At first, it seemed like the manhole was just clanging. Then, with an almighty screech, a cross between a torture machine and a bird burst through the pavement and began a massacre.

Gigan swung her tail, cleaving concrete like it was butter, and powered up her buzzsaw. She ripped, and broke, and slashed, and maimed, and then something slammed into her from behind at a speed of Mach 1, pinning the invader to a wall. With a growl of wrath, the newcomer stabbed at its alien opponent. Gigan tried using her buzzsaw against her assailant, but to no avail: his skin seemed impenetrable, almost rock hard.

`Let me tell you a story,` the attacker hissed, his words guttural and whispered, his tone harsh. `Once upon a time, there was a planet called Earth. Its people were happy, but for some beings beyond their control. These beings were called the kaiju - the word meaning 'great beasts'. For they didn't realise that the so-called beasts were in fact ahead of the humans in knowledge and power. It was this very fact that would bring about the downfall of both man and kaiju. Stop struggling!` he snarled, and slashed Gigan across the faceplate. The alien recoiled, shrieking, wondering what this seemingly crazed thing would do next. Humouring him, Gigan stayed still.

`With their great knowledge, the kaiju predicted that humankind would unearth a power so terrible, it would end the earth. Nuclear energy - the immense amount of power produced by splitting apart atoms. Do you know about atoms, |#\&$?` The male kaiju's final word was a kaiju slur, calling into question Gigan's pedigree. `Do you even understand what I'm saying?` She could; her cyborg mechanisms translated his words as he spoke. `Never mind. You see, kaiju thought they could save the earth. So, what they did was, they attacked the humans, began a war. A desperate technique, one that worked, for the humans diverted resources that they could have used to create nuclear weaponry, and instead improved existing weapons to kill kaiju. It was a bloodbath,` he laughed humourlessly. `Many casualties on both sides. The kaiju number less than a few thousand now. The humans, though, bred like rats. They were more numerous than us than, and they still are despite their losses.` His laugh died, and he made an oddly choked noise, like he'd forgotten how to speak. His next words were grim and vengeful; he leaned in on Gigan and whispered, `My mate died in that war, killed by human weapons.

`Do you get the moral of the story, |#\&$?` the male growled at her. He struck the wall beside her head, but she didn't flinch. The people around them had escaped; not even the police dared come near them.

He leaned back, releasing her. Despite her machine-like appearance, the male found her almost attractive. It was a shame, really, that he'd have to kill her.

It was all over in seconds. She put up a good fight, but he was a veteran, and several slaughtered enemies of his had put up a good fight. A clash of steel on bone, the clang of gears grinding, a suffocating death-rattle, and the deed was done.

`The moral of the story is that everyone dies, and war is bad for health,` he said, standing over her lifeless body. `Earth is bad enough as it is, |#\&$. We don't need you screwing us over even more."

Destoroya strode away from his third murder in less than an hour.

GDF Headquarters, New York City.

2025

"Mr Secretary General," Achilles greeted him. "Long time no see."

The man leapt out of his desk in shock; he looked like someone had walked over his grave, and then dug it up and played fetch with their dog using his skeleton. "You?! But you're supposed to be du - dead ..."

The BakuSenshi, behind Achilles in full battle uniform, looked completely taken aback. "Achilles knows the Sec Gen of the GDF?" Tora whispered to Kengo, who shrugged. Even Ryo, Yamato and Sakura looked a little shocked; and they'd known him the longest of their group.

"Dom," the Secretary General said, his voice tinged with sadness. "Where the hell have you been? It's been almost nine years, goddamn it, and you couldn't send me a - an email? Anything?"

"I couldn't risk anyone knowing that I was still alive," Achilles said, a little sharply. His face had turned grim as he looked upon a man he hadn't seen in ages, and his disposition grew serious. "Especially not you, of all people."

"I would have forgiven you!" The leader of the world's most advanced peace-keeping force was almost driven to tears. It's pathetic, Achilles thought to himself, a little disgusted. He spoke. "I'm the one who would have to forgive you. Or have you forgotten that the reason you thought me dead was because you gave me to Ghidorah on a platter?!"

"Fine!" The Secretary General's voice turned angered. "Am I forgiven? For whatever crime you say I did?"

"If I had, I'd be in jail instead of officially KIA," Achilles muttered. His voice rose as he said, "You're asking a limbless man to forgive the shark that ripped off his limbs. At least the shark is a dumb fish."

"Will someone please expain what's going on?" Kazu exclaimed, frustrated.

Achilles sighed. "Get out," he ordered, and the Secretary General left, as though he was completely accustomed to being kicked out of his own office. Achilles strode over, locked the door, and then leaned against the glass window. "I haven't been completely honest with you guys. It's a long story, one I'll tell you when we're not trying to save the world as usual. The short version is, my name is Domovik Braun, and I worked for the GDF a long time back. That man out there, Mikael Schmidt, was one of my best friends. He served in the GDF with me during the kaiju wars, until he left me for dead one night. Shit happened. I didn't die; I woke up on Monster Island with amnesia, and I remembered who I was only a few weeks before you guys came." He gestured at Ryo, Yamato and Sakura. Ignoring their questions, he unlocked the door. Schmidt walked in.

"We," Achilles - now known to all as Domovik Braun - said to Schmidt, "have graciously decided to agree to your offer."

"Good. That's ... good," the other replied, stuttering a little.

"Of course it is, you blathering fool. Without us, you would have no chance saving the world, whereas that's what we do every other day. Now," Achilles' voice became a little lighter in tone. "Now, take us to Sector Twelve, or Department Omega, or whatever ridiculous name you've given to your R&D department."

"It's Division X33, actually," Schmidt corrected.

"Exactly, ridiculous. Get us there now."

"Wait a minute, I have a call," Schmidt said, pulling out a vibrating smartphone. "I'm in a meeting, Malik. Yes, it's - what? What the hell do you mean by that?"

A tense minute passed, Schmidt only saying, "All right. OK. Uh-huh. Got that." Finally, he hung up, and looked to Achilles. "The alien is dead."

Author's Note: Ok, just to make this clear, this recap is a one-time-only deal. Or maybe not, seeing as 'divided' storylines will be recurring throughout. It's just a refresher, to remind you what happened last time. As for Destoroya, some character development, huh? Now we get a little insight into his backstory. And just for confirmation, he's a free agent now. As for Achilles - now Domovik - I'm sorry to inform you that his history will not be explored further within this series to great extent. Once this fic is done, I may create a prequel miniseries or oneshot or something like that, detailing his history; but he's meant to be a mysterious character, and I don't want him to lose his mystery just yet. Finally, I'm giving you a teaser. Gigan might be dead - but she's half machine after all ...