It may be Sunday night, but it's still Sunday! I made it! And guess who's back this chapter?

Thanks once again to everyone who faved, followed, and especially takes the time to review!

Mwah!

Only One Person

…

Amara stepped off the bus, adjusting her hood further over her face. She navigated past a group of smokers into the doors of the international airport.

The attendants gave her a funny look, glancing back between Amara and her passport. Thankfully, the woman didn't say anything and processed her ticket. The next flight to Japan was departing in three hours.

After several long lines, Amara sat down in the waiting area. A bunch of people were not so subtlety leaning over to see a man's open laptop loudly playing yet another news segment.

In the few hours that past since the original broadcast, images had been added. A photo of her now filled the screen, followed by picture montages documenting the accelerated healing process of whatever day to day injuries she acquired over the years.

Unbelievable. That's what it was. How could someone as pathetic, as petty as Emms, cause so much damage.

Words replaced the images. Godzilla, the Cure for Cancer? Global Pharma setting their sights on the King of the Monsters.

There was no winning was there? It was like the world was happy to forget Godzilla was a living creature. He went from monster to biological asset so quickly it gave her whip lash.

He could fend off the military, but now the entire world had a reason to go after him.

Emms didn't know what he caused. How much needless destruction his actions would cause if humans didn't leave Godzilla alone, if they tried to kill him in the name of research, if they found a way to contain him.

The only thing governments cared more about than a threat, it was something that could make them money.

If she ever saw Emms again, she would kill him.

…

It was dark when she got off the plane at the Yonaguni airport. Moonlight danced on tips of the waves, mirroring the starts that dotted the sky.

Amara followed a Japanese family off the tarmac and into the building. The interior was busier than usual, especially since it was nearly midnight. She only had her carryon luggage, so she passed straight through to the main entrance.

Tao was outside, leaning against the door of his small truck. As soon as they made eye contact, he rushed over.

He embraced her and took a step back, leaving his hands on her arms. "Daijoubu ka?"

"I'm fine," she answered, not meeting his eyes.

Before he could ask anything else, she beelined for the truck, getting into the passenger side. Tao followed suit. He shifted into gear and took off down the road.

"Amara, what's going on? What happened?" Tao asked in Japanese His eyes glanced between her and the narrow road.

"Remember that man that didn't come on the boat with us?" she replied in more simplified Japanese. "He stole the stuff off my personal computer and gave it to the media."

"He told them about Yonaguni, that Gojira is here?"

"He gave them everything."

"Naruhodo," Tao said and went quiet.

Despite how late it was, there were still a lot of people out. Gathered on sidewalks and talking in groups in their front yards.

"Are people here already?"

"Ships and helicopters from Taiwan. Others from Okinawa. The port is already full."

A feint blue glow illuminated the horizon as they travelled south. Helicopters hovered overhead. It wasn't looking good. But if people were already showing up, maybe the military wasn't a bad thing... As long as they kept their distance.

Tao pulled into the local beach parking lot. A wall blocked the view to the ocean, but a dozen helicopters bathed in blue light left little to the imagination of what it looked like.

Sure enough, walking down the path towards the beach, Godzilla's glowing dorsal plates lit up the night. At the edge of the sand stood countless people—the locals. On the beach were military personnel, tents, and boxes of supplies. It wasn't even the UNTDA, it was a mix of the American and Japanese navy.

These soldiers weren't even properly trained to deal with titans.

Amara took a step onto the sand, then another, and another.

A man dressed in full gear immediately approached her. "Ma'am, the beach is off limits. Please turn around and go home."

"You can't block off the beach, this is sacred grounds to the locals," she gestured to the shrine and tori gate. "These people aren't the ones you need to worry about, cut off air travel to the island instead. Keep tourists away!"

"Wait, you're her. The scientist on the news."

"Yes, now listen to what I'm saying. Cut off air travel and keep your men further away, you're pissing him off if you haven't noticed."

"We have been informed this is only a level one threat display. We are only to retreat when he's level three or higher."

Ugh, why did Monarch have to come up with their stupid threat display system. It was useless, like any other living creature, Godzilla didn't have set warnings. Besides even a so called level one display should be treated like an incoming natural disaster. One could never truly measure the damage a hurricane would do until it passed.

"I'm the head of Monarch's Godzilla behavioral research division. It's in your best interest to listen to me."

"Not anymore, ma'am. As of now, you are a civilian. If you are afraid of what Godzilla will do, I recommend you relocate."

"Unlike you, I live on this island with all these people." She swung her arm back at the locals lined up along the beach. "You can't just…"

The problem was they could.

"If you have to protect Godzilla, you have to protect the whole island."

At that point Tao came running up behind her and gently tugged her off the sand.

She walked backwards, still facing the soldier. "Just keep your distance and your guns down. People will get hurt if you don't."

The man finally acknowledged her with a swift nod and resumed whatever he was doing.

Amara relented and turned to walk with Tao, leaning into him. He put his arm around her, enveloping her in warmth against the cool breeze.

The wall of people parted as they passed through. Many bowed to Amara, uttering prayers and condolences.

Guilt prevented her from meeting their eyes. All this because of her side project. She never should have documented any of it. Or at least put a stupid password on her laptop. These people depended on her to protect them and Godzilla, and now it was out of her hands. Everything she'd worked for was gone.

They got back into the truck. Tao drove her back home. He helped her set out her futon while she changed into pajamas. He got changed as well, joining her under the covers.

"Why does everything bad have to happen at once? I don't know what to do anymore."

"You'll figure it out, Amara. You always do."

"There's nothing I can do. I don't have Monarch. I don't have Mi Sun or Whyley. I don't even have Godzilla anymore. The soldier was right, I am just a civilian again."

He tilted her face towards him. "You can do anything. You just have to believe."

"Believe in what? In who?"

"Yourself."

Amara let out a dry chuckle.

"You saved Godzilla before, you can do it again."

"You make it sound simple."

Tao rubbed his thumb on her cheek. "Ganbatte ne?"

…

There was always something going on first thing in the morning, wasn't there?

Tao was already up, peering out of the window that faced the ocean.

Amara rubbed her eyes and sat up. From her angle on the floor, she couldn't see whatever he was looking at. She could, however, hear the whirring of helicopters passing overhead, and the drone of an incoming plane.

By the time they left the house, people were everywhere. If it was busy last night, it was full on chaos today.

The usual calmness of the island was completely ruined. At only a little past nine, tourists walked down the streets in small groups, taking pictures and talking loudly in various languages. How bad was the beach.

She broke into a jog, Tao barely keeping up. Faster and faster she went, catching the attention of everyone around. Tao greeted them through heavy breathing somewhere behind her.

The area around the beach had never been more crowded. A lone helicopter sat on the grass with body guards surrounding it. It wasn't Monarch, but something else official looking.

Weaving through the crowd with little finesse, she made it to the front facing the ocean. People surrounded a single old man wearing a suit.

Further down in the crowd, Japanese reporters were narrating the scene before them. She only caught one word.

Prime Minister.

He was currently gesturing at the tent set up beside the tori gate. Soldiers ran and began to move the tent to a new location. Once the tent was rushed out of the way, the Prime Minister approached the gates. The group of guards stayed back as he began to pray out towards Godzilla in the water.

Godzilla's dorsal fins still faintly glowed, pulsing from dim to bright at a steady rate. Maybe the man last night did take her advice. The ships and helicopters were further out now, beyond them were more airborne news crews.

"Hey, it's her!" Someone's voice raised over the buzz of chatter.

In under a minute, Amara was surrounded by people holding cameras. Microphones up to her face. Countless faces pushing to see her.

"Dr. Rey, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Is Godzilla really the cure for cancer?"

"How long has Godzilla lived here?"

There was nowhere to go this time. She was completely surrounded. Camera flashes kept blinding her. Question after question. People booing from the crowd. Locals yelling in her defense.

"I—" What was she supposed to say?

"Is it true you were fired from Monarch?"

"Why would you hide such valuable information?"

Why? Why was this her life? If Godzilla would have just listened to her in the first place. If he just trusted her. Kept the connection so she could have done something, anything.

Her throat constricted painfully, her head pounded, her vision blurred.

"Do you care more about titans than humans?"

"Do you feel responsibility to all the people needlessly displaced by harmless radiation?"

Tao came out of nowhere, pushing through the cameras and reporters. They tried to push him back, but he fought through. The expression on his face was one she'd never seen on him before. Anger.

When the camera people yelled at him to get out of the picture, he yelled back, not bothering to speak English.

One of the men shoved Tao back, causing him to stumble into the crowd.

How dare they? "Don't touch him!" Amara yelled at the man, squaring to face him.

"Tell him to back off then!"

"You back off! This is his home, not yours!"

He stood his ground. "We have every right to be here thanks to you."

Thanks to her? So they could get the latest scoop?

Tao recovered, yelling at the man to leave. In a flash, he was bombarded by others jumping to the camera man's defense. More locals jumped in, hollering at the reporters.

Cameras were pushed out of the way, people shoved each other. The yelling got louder and louder.

Is this what she caused? Not only Godzilla, but all the locals of the peaceful Yonaguni Island. Her legs shook from under her. There was nothing she could do. Nothing.

Tao's arms wrapped around her, keeping her steady.

How could she ruin everything again?

Why couldn't Godzilla just talk to her?

A searing pain enveloped her left thigh. Like a knife was jamming into her flesh. She cried out in sudden pain.

Godzilla's roar drowned out all other noise. Everyone halted to a dead standstill, wide eyes towards the water at the titan rising out.

Some helicopters backed off, while some dared to fly in closer.

Godzilla looked down at Amara and the crowd surrounding her. He snarled, the deepness of it rumbling the earth under her feet. Teeth bared, he roared again, taking a step closer to the island. His dorsal plates lit up, visible even against the blue sky.

People began to run inland. Security guards ushered the Prime Minister off the beach and into the helicopter on the grass. The few remaining crews turned the cameras on Godzilla and the navy.

Amara's eyes met Godzilla's. The void in her chest. In her brain. It was gone.

Leave!

Instead of answering her, his focus turned on a helicopter flying close to his head. His amber eyes lit up into orbs of fiery blue. His chest puffed out and released a roar directly at the helicopter. It lost control and spun off, hitting the water with a loud crash.

He was about to swat at another retreating chopper.

Godzilla, stop! Go to the cavern!

Why are they here? His voice rumbled through her mind with the force of an earthquake.

Her leg throbbed as he took another step. I'll tell you there. Go before the military sends backup.

I do not fear them.

I do. I don't want the locals to get hurt. Please!

Godzilla sneered down at the reporters still dotted on the beach, leaning closer so they knew it was a warning for them. With a final growl, he waded back into the ocean and out of sight.

Before anyone snapped out of their shock, Amara led Tao to the dock by the arm he still had around her. They had to get to the islands before anyone could follow.

…

Tao tied off the boat in a concealed bay. Not far up the rocks was the makeshift path up to the above ground entrance to the cavern.

Amara kept a moderate pace up the steep hill so Tao could keep up. It wasn't that he was unfit, he just didn't train everyday like she did.

After the nearly half hour hike up to the top of the island, they entered through the small opening obscured by overgrowth. The stairs down were half made of wood and half carved out of the stone walls. Thick tree branches made up the railing.

It didn't take long to get to the top of the cliff that over looked the underground lake. The water churned as dorsal plates rose from the depths.

Amara nearly stumbled when the pain in her thigh returned.

This time when Godzilla stood, he didn't hide his fatigue. He was slumped forward, arms dangling. His jaws where parted as he released pants from exertion.

Amara's eyes found the massive burn left from Mechagodzilla's own atomic breath. It wasn't' as bad as the burn from the Oxygen Destroyer gun, but his radiation levels were still depleted which halted his healing rate to a near standstill.

When Amara made it down to the cliff, Godzilla leaned in until his nose was inches away from the edge. His massive head filled her vision, bigger than a house, teeth as tall as her.

Tao stayed back while she approached Godzilla. She reached her hands out, letting her palms rest on the warm scales between his nostrils.

He was back home, with her. The ache in her leg was nothing compared to the absence of his presence.

His eyes closed, lulled by her thoughts.

"That doesn't mean I'm not mad at you though," she said aloud, stepping back to better look at him.

Godzilla rose back up somewhat, but his posture remained slumped.

You would have done something foolish.

"So I'm not allowed to, but you are?" her voice echoed through the cavern. "Do you know what you've caused?

I defeated the threat. Is your kind not appeased by this?

Don't call them my kind.

Godzilla's recoiled slightly at the severity of her tone.

And no, they're not happy. They want you gone because you attacked two more cities and blasted a hole into the Hollow Earth. You attacked Kong for no logical reason what so ever. If you didn't cut me off, I could have told you what was going on.

I sensed the three headed serpent return. Then humans transport another titan, and the first world called me to it. I feared the worst. You could not be involved.

I could have helped you make sense of it. An organization—a group of people—where using Ghidorah's skull to control Mechagodzilla.

The titan in a false body?

Yes. They hired Monarch to bring Kong down to the Hollow Earth with them because they wanted whatever is down there as an energy source for the false titan.

The cavern shook with Godzilla's low growl. Humans caused it all.

"It gets worse." Amara took a long breath, glancing back at Tao who leaned against the recently built tori gate. He gave a fleeting smile. A bruise was developing under his eye.

Mark and another man, Emms, came to the island to check on you a week ago. Well…Remember all those tests I was doing on you?

Samples? Godzilla used the word she frequently used.

Emms took them without my permission. He showed them to the rest of the humans.

Godzilla's eyes narrowed. They know my energy can heal? That is why they are here?

There's nothing I can do about it now. Dr. Russell—Mark—made me leave Monarch because of this mess. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears escaped down her cheek.

Is it not a good thing?

It's too much of a good thing. They won't care you're a titan. That you're Godzilla. They want your power. Even more people will be after you. They don't see you as a problem anymore, they see you as the solution. The military is here to keep people away from you, not the other way around.

They will not leave me be?

His lack of understanding rolled through her like gentle waves. Godzilla was wise, but sill naïve to humans. To their greed.

No. They will find you. Not just the military, people like Jonah. People like the man who made Mechagodzilla.

There is nothing they can do to me. He bared his teeth.

Nothing they can do? Look at you, you're injured and tired and too weak to heal yourself. You don't understand what people can do. They won't stop until they have what they want, and what happens to you is none of their concern.

You say one man's actions did this, yet there is nothing you can do to stop it?

I'm just one person with no power to do anything.

Yet one person caused all of this. Your logic is flawed.

It's more complicated than that. You don't understand—

Others are coming.

With the tug of an invisible string, her head jerked up to the top of the stairs seconds before several soldiers rushed in through the entrance.

Godzilla straightened, resuming his imposing posture. He couldn't do anything though, even his roar could collapse the cavern.

"Go!" Amara spun back to Godzilla. Hide!

I will not leave this place. It is my home.

The men yelled at her and Tao to get down, rushing down the steps. More and more swarmed in.

She shook her head. Not anymore.

Godzilla bared his teeth. His tale whipped the surface of the water. The dim light of the cavern lit up in intense blue light. They are not welcome. I will not hide from humans.

Do it, Godzilla. Do it for me! She wiped the tears that ran down her face.

Tao was once again at her side, half pulling her back from the edge of the cliff, half shielding her back from the soldiers raised guns.

Dread welled up deep inside her, sending her down to her knees. Guns. They had guns pointed at her.

Her vision filled with the darkness of that night. Jonah counting down with his gun pointed at her head. The helplessness. The fear.

The end of her life.

Godzilla reacted. His claws landed on the cliff side. He leaned forward, the bottom of his jaw blocking the light from above them.

Amara covered her ears before Godzilla let out a roar. It boomed through the cavern like a crack of thunder. The soldiers flinched and scattered. Some froze in terror.

Stalactites fell from the ceiling crashed around them while some shattered on Godzilla's head, fragments landing on the ground.

They had to get out before the whole thing collapsed.

Guns forgotten, the nearby soldiers turned their focus on getting out. Some that made it onto the cliff ushered Amara and Tao towards them.

She pulled Tao along with her, past them and up the crumbling stairs.

The blue that lit up the cave faded. Godzilla gave her a final look before turning and diving back into the water. He had realized what he had done.

Outside of the cavern, the island quaked. The soldiers led them back down to the bay where their boats sat beside Tao's.

The men loaded Amara and Tao on. Officially under their custody, they were placed in handcuffs.

Tao looked utterly defeated, his eyes never left the ground. The island was already overpopulated and in complete chaos. Godzilla had nowhere left to go. She was headed to jail.

She looked up at the colonel who stopped to give them a once over.

"Tell Director Russell that I'll do it," was all she said.

He nodded in perfect understanding, as if he was waiting for those exact words.

She knew what she had to do.

…

Fun fact: Amara's Godzilla threat display system is: "When he glows, you should go."