10th Fight: Futility
"How can they change the arena that quickly?" Gojira wondered out loud.
"That's a tough one to answer," replied Angiras. "I'm guessing it must be some kind of trick."
"Shh!" The girl with the blue goggles insisted.
"All right, let's move onto the next match after the exciting tag-team one we just witnessed," Katsura stated from her podium that was slightly above the row of seats Gojira was sitting in. "This time, it is brother versus brother as the two descendants of the Kaiju Frankenstein will be battling each other for the chance to surpass the legacy of their father, who competed in the first Kaiju Fight Club Tournament but lost in a tie to Baragon. Please welcome Gaira, the Sea Beast, and Sanda, the Mountain Beast!"
From a miniature mountain that was to the left of the coastal city emerged a tall teenage boy that was covered in gold-colored fur from head-to-toe. Then out of the artificial sea rose a similar-looking boy who had green-colored fur instead of gold.
"I really don't want to fight you, Gaira," said the boy with the gold fur.
"Well, you don't have a choice, Sanda," responded the boy with the green fur. "Our dad failed to win this tournament, so now we must succeed where he didn't. But it's only going to be one of us, and I'm not going to let you stop me from taking on King Ghidrah for the Champion title."
Gaira then charged at Sanda, and the two wrestled each other while destroying several miniature buildings along the coastal city. While Angiras and the girl with the blue goggles watched the match with great interest, Miki frowned which Gojira noticed.
"Are you reading their minds?" Gojira guessed.
Miki shook her head. "No, I'm looking into the benefactors' minds and it's the same lack of individuality I felt when I read Namikawa's mind. The only things I'm getting from them are images of distant planets and underground cities."
"Weird. Are you saying they're aliens?"
"Several alien races did try invading the Earth during the Twentieth Century, but they were thwarted by the Earth Defense Force with some Kaiju helping them, so it's possible."
"Hey, Godzilla," interrupted the girl with the blue goggles. "Mind telling your girlfriend to shut up so I can watch the match in peace?"
"For your information, I'm not his girlfriend," Miki insisted.
"Then who are you?" The girl with the blue goggles asked.
"His assistant, of course." Miki then stared at the girl with the blue goggles carefully and her eyes widened. "Wait, do I know you?"
Shaking her head, the girl with the blue goggles' close-cut orange-red hair barely moved. "My name is Mothra, and don't you forget it."
After that, Miki remained silent as the match continued on.
###
Once the match between Gaira and Sanda ended with a tie, Katsura announced there would be a short break before the next and final match of the night. Miki chose this opportunity to insist on leaving to take Rokuro home to his uncle, so Gojira reluctantly agreed to escort them upon Miki's request.
"I don't want to go home!" Rokuro whined as he, Miki, and Gojira rode the elevator back up to the surface. "Besides, I haven't thought of a good excuse to explain why Jet Jaguar's control device is broken."
"But the consequences will be worse if you don't go home," Miki pointed out. "Your uncle might call the authorities, and that could be bad for everyone in the Kaiju Fight Club."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Rokuro conceded. "They all seem really invested in winning the tournament, and the 'benefactors' are counting on them too. But I don't know if I want Jet Jaguar to continue fighting or not."
"Speaking of which, I wonder how Jet Jaguar is still functioning without the control device," Gojira said as he looked at the cone-headed robot.
In response, Jet Jaguar made a series of musical sounds.
"He says that he found a way to reprogram himself after the device was destroyed," Miki said, leading Rokuro and Gojira gave her bewildered looks. "I can interpret his sounds from the thoughts he's making."
Rokuro's eyes widened. "That is so cool!"
"He also says he wants to withdraw from the tournament," Miki added.
This caught Rokuro off-guard. "What? Why?"
"While he enjoyed fighting alongside Gojira, the fight between Gaira and Sanda made him realize the futility of fighting for sport," Miki answered while she, Gojira, Rokuro, and Jet Jaguar got off the elevator. "Instead, he wants to dedicate himself to healing them from their battles."
"How?" Gojira questioned.
"By working alongside Misato and her father," Miki responded.
"Okay, though won't he get recognized?" Gojira pointed out.
Jet Jaguar lowered its head as a bright flash of light emanated from him. When the light died down, his colors had changed from silver with blue, yellow, and red stripes to being completely white with a red cross in the center of his chest.
"You can change your appearance?" Rokuro exclaimed. "Did you program yourself to do that?"
Nodding, Jet Jaguar lowered his head again, followed by the flash of light and he was back to his regular colors.
From there, they walked to Rokuro's home which was at the top of a hill overlooking the buildings on Monster Island. At the foot of the stairs to his house, Rokuro and Jet Jaguar waved at Miki and Gojira before they parted ways.
"Maybe you should follow Jet Jaguar's example," Miki suggested.
Gojira grumbled. "You know I won't, though."
Reluctantly, Miki nodded. "But why do you want to keep participating in the Kaiju Fight Club, despite the shady nature of the people running it? Angiras even tricked you, which you're still hurt about."
"I know, though I guess it's like…I feel more powerful when I'm down there fighting other Kaiju than up here where I'm constantly bullied by people like Ozaki."
"Ozaki doesn't represent everyone. I don't bully you, and I'm sure you could befriend other Kaiju who aren't like Angiras."
"Like who?"
"Dorat."
Rolling his eyes, Gojira responded, "You just want me to be his friend so the other kids stop bothering him, right?"
"It doesn't matter. He's alone and needs a friend. We could even meet with him tomorrow at lunch, so you two could get acquainted."
"What if I don't get along with him?"
"He's really sweet, so I don't see why you wouldn't get along."
"Okay, fine. Consider it payback for those rollerblade pads you gave me, while this agreement to walk Rokuro home was to show my appreciation for Jet Jaguar's help during the tag-team match."
Miki giggled. "You don't have to justify your actions, Gojira. I know you may act tough, but you're actually considerate of others."
Gojira said nothing and briskly walked down the hill while Miki kept pace with him.
To be continued…