Gojira stared forlornly at the shore, thinking about all that had happened. When the worlds had ripped open, it had been a very unpleasant experience. It had left his mana out of whack, and made him feel like ejecting bad food. However, there was no food in his gut to eject, so he'd tried to walk it off. There had been things in the way, but that had never stopped him before. Then the turtle got in his way, and that couldn't be allowed. He was King, and all who were like him bowed to him! There could only be the one who was dominant, and those who submitted. That was the way of the world. So he had fought the turtle to establish dominance. There was noise, but that did not matter. Things got in the way, but they did not matter.
And then the tiny figure on his muzzle sealed his eyes shut. That made him angry. How dare that one interfere with a dominance struggle! Admittedly trying to block his sight was a good dominance tactic, as fighting while blinded was quite difficult...but dominance struggles were one on one! At least the turtle had the decency to not take advantage of it, and had given him time to clear his eyes before tossing aside the small one and continuing the brawl. That was worthy of respect.
And then the small one showed she was far from small. She was akin to him, her mana called out to his, and she roared her dominance of him. He would not fight her. She was the first female who was like him, the first potential Companion. If she wished to be dominant of him, so be it. But how to express that? He didn't know how to submit to a dominant female in that way. The only dominant female he'd met before was not like him, was instead far more so. That was different. But this one...
She had been a small one. And the one who came before spoke often of the small ones, trying to get him to consider there worth despite how small they were. They exchanged tokens, flowers and shinies, to show submission and affection. There were no flowers big enough...but that wall looked like flowers. So he took the wall, cut out the flowers, and offered them. It seemed she understood his desire to submit to her, as after a time she ordered him back to the waves, and he went.
Her closeness in the waves showed him he had been mistaken in thinking she was one like him. She was one Like All Things, and her mana - though leashed - dwarfed his own. Even had he not desired to submit to her as a female, he would have been compelled by battle to submit to her as the stronger. He may be King...but she was an Unmatched Queen.
The Queen then guided him to take her home after taking her small form. He did not mind her small form, as her mana was still the same and that was how he knew others. She was weary and irritable, and so he was quiet as he carried her, bringing most of himself under the water as they stepped between the worlds so she would not be disturbed by the motion of waves. Then she'd looked ahead to the destination, gotten angry, and raced across the waves in a new form.
When she arrived, the situation was plain. This was her territory, and another water beast was trying to stake a claim. This could not be allowed! As his Queen, he must aid her in guarding her land! And so he had risen from the waves and stalked forward...
And she had become enraged and rounded on him. He was confused, but he eventually realized she was upset about him stepping on something. He was contrite. Apparently it was not just the land she considered hers, but the small ones who lived there and the things they built, and by trying to help he had threatened them. He had to make amends. However, even as he pulled back into the waves, it seemed his show of force in service to his Queen had done its job. The water beast had fled in an eruption of terrified ink. He would not return to upset his Queen again.
He had watched then as his Queen withdrew to what was obviously her den. She was upset with him. He had to make things right. He did not know how to do it as one like him...but gifts in the manner of the Small Ones had shown intentions before. Perhaps that would appease her and show his contrition?
He had searched beneath the waves for something he could give her, as she had ordered him to remain in the waves unless called so he did not break the Small Ones and their Structures that were Hers. He had found what looked like underwater flowers that were still growing, and a spar on which they could be held. She said something about the shinies and rebuilding, so he grabbed a Small One box that was filled with shinies as well. Perhaps if he offered to fix the damage in that way, she would forgive him?
He felt her distress and had made his way back. Her distress faded before he returned, however, leaving only a sunken feeling. He did not know that feeling, but he did not like it. He must get to her to be by her side through this bad feeling!
Before he reached, the feeling faded, and he felt a bit of joy. Someone must have aided his Queen. He would have to indicate his gratitude to that one. As he breached the surface, he saw his Queen with one who had mana of This World and The World Beyond, equally balanced within her. She must have been the one to aid his Queen, but she had been hesitant at his appearance...and said something that made his Queen feel something else that felt good rather than empty, so that was an improvement.
He had offered his gifts, and had lowered himself to Her level, hoping she would be pleased. ...she did not seem displeased. He waited as she spoke with the other one. The conversation seemed to improve her mood.
She had not been active the next two cycles, but then had come back out to patrol her lands. She did so as a Small One, and he did his best to follow from the waves, to make sense of things. He wished to be with her, to know her, to be hers...but she did not leave the world of the Small Ones, a world far too small for him to be a part of. He did not understand why she did not release her mana to be her true size. Surely it was unpleasant to have it so compressed?
As he watched, however, he began to understand. She had Bonds in the world of the Small Ones. The one whose mana was of two worlds, there was a bond there. The one whose mana was of the cloud riders, there was a bond there. The ancient one who lacked true mana but smelled of the false-mana machines, there was a very strong bond there. Even the male who smelled of mana but not true thought, there was a bond there...but it was not the sort that was competition, so he need not try and establish himself against him. Besides, his mana was comparatively minuscule. If he sought anything with his Queen, her mana would overwhelm his and he would not survive. Of those he had seen, only himself and the on with mana of two worlds would be able to handle his Queen's overwhelming mana when relaxed and released. He was certain his Queen knew that, which was why she was the most relaxed with either her or the ancient one.
...he was not truly ancient by Gojira's standards, but he was by the standards of the Small Ones, and as he wanted to be part of his Queen's world, he would respect her customs.
As he came to understand the Bonds, he realized why she would not leave the world of the Small Ones to be with him. If he had such bonds, he would not wander as he did. He would not endlessly walk, seeking what he could not have. He could not ask her to leave her Bonds for him. She would not be a part of his world...but he was far too large to be a part of hers.
This thought left him with the feeling she had experienced just before the one whose mana was of two worlds spoke with her. He did not like this feeling. That feeling truly faded when his Queen was doing things again. He needed to do things.
He wanted to be part of her world. He wanted to be a Small One, one of her Small Ones. How could one such as he become a Small One?
...how did she become a Small One with mana so vast? She changed form. He had seen her take many forms, and each time she made her body shake in ways that other Small Ones found interesting, ways he did not understand why he was drawn to save that her mana was always active while she did so...
...is that how she did it? Did shaking her body activate her mana so she could take many forms? ...could he shake his body, and shape his mana to become a Small One?
Whether it would work or not, it was a path of action, and one he desperately needed. He considered doing it beneath the waves, but eventually decided against it. For one, his mass reshaped the waves as he moved. Shaking might make big waves that damaged Small One structures that were Hers. Beyond that, if it did work, he did not know if he could stay afloat as a Small One. He did not know how they did that to begin with. No, if he were to attempt this, it would have to be out of the water...
...his Queen had forbid him from leaving the water unless she called him...
He felt himself sink inside at the avenue closed to him...but then thought about the why. He had stepped on structures. He might step on Small Ones. That was why she did not want him out of the waves.
...then if where he exited had no Small Ones or Structures, then standing there would be okay?
Over there was the itchy ground. There were no Small Ones. There were no Structures. There was nothing but itchy ground going right to the waves. Perhaps there would be alright to stand?
Carefully lifting himself from the water, he closely examined the ground before every step he took, ensuring he was not stepping on anything that was Hers. The itchy ground was empty. He took only two steps past the waters edge, as he could see a structure nearby, and he did not want to risk hitting it with his tail while he made his body shake.
He thought about the way She made herself shake. She always stood upright, her arms fully extended in one direction or another. The shaking always began in her belly.
Lifting himself as upright as he could get, he extended his arms. It was painful to extend them to full stretch like that, as the scales at his joints rubbed irritably against themselves, but if he could make this work it would be worth it...and if not, it would pass.
...she did not have a tail when she made herself shake. What was he to do with his tail?
...this was about activating his mana. He'd let his mana guide it. Looking down, he made his belly shake, trying to mimic the movements she did when she did this. He felt his mana responding...but it was trying to expand. No! It was supposed to compress! He wanted to be smaller, to be like Her!
He closed his eyes and focused, pressing his mana down as he thought about what he sought to do. He remembered Her walking through the places that were Hers, going inside the Structures, talking to those with whom she had bonds. He visualized being there by her side, being a part rather than observing from outside. He visualized being With her, a part of Her world. If it was what it cost to be With her, gladly would he leave His world behind where his only Bond would always find him when she did not slumber. Shape was not what mattered. Size was not what mattered. Mana is what mattered, and his called for hers, yearned to be with her, urged him to...
...he briefly lost all sensation...
When sensation returned, the ground was rough and coarse, not itchy. Stretching his limbs no longer made his scales hurt him. He felt much warmer from light on his skin...
...skin?
He opened his eyes, blinking against the strength of the light on them. He lifted one arm to shield his eyes - something he'd seen the Small Ones do, but he'd never had to - and saw the green-grey skin on the inside of his hand and arm, and his dark green-black scales on the outside. He saw his claws, and clenched them into a fist before relaxing them. He felt the scales on his back, and on the front of his legs. He felt the claws on his toes, but a different shaped foot. He felt his spine fins wriggle in the light, felt something akin to but different from kelp caught in head fins dangling against his skull. Reaching up, he tugged on it and felt it pull at his scalp.
...he had hair?
His tail wagged in excitement, only to pause. He still had his tail? Did it...not work?
Turning towards the structure, he saw it soar into the sky above him, massive and looming down over him. He did not like that...
...but it did mean he was now part of the Small Ones world! Part of Her world! Turning, he raced in the direction of Her lands! He could not wait to show her! He was certain she would be pleased!