The evening grew cooler and cooler as shadows lengthened, and a stiff breeze came from over the ocean to chill the air further. Intermittent overcast gave rise to an almost wintry ambiance. After the string of warm days that had come before, one would have been surprised that their breath wasn't misting.

"The aquarium?" Kaori asked doubtfully. "Why should she be interested in that?"

Her coconspirator zipped up a light jacket and thrust her hands into her pockets. "It's the best I can think of," Sandra replied, "So long as we can get her out of that house… and besides, have you been there after hours, when they turn off the walkway lights? It's mystical."

"Or just kinda dark."

"I just hope Sanada makes good on his promise…"

"Wait, Sanada? But he-!"

"Yes, Kaori, I completely missed the dazed look he gets every time he's near Ms. Sakaki, and I've never noticed the way he stumbles all over himself trying to do right by her." Sandra said sarcastically. "I'm counting on him being sensitive enough not to press his case just now."

"I don't know…"

"Look, he wants to help her too. He's gotta know that romantic entanglements are the lastthing she needs. I mean, heck, if even yourealized it…"

"Hey!"

"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm a little on edge."

"No kidding… yeesh." Kaori shook her head. "You know, this doesn't feel right."

"Yeah…"

"We're doing something for fun while Chiyo's in… that condition." It wasn't a coma, properly, but what it could be had them baffled. Not even Mr. Mihama could get a straight answer out of the doctors, simply because they had no straight answer to give.

"But what are we supposed to do, shut ourselves away like Ms. Sakaki did? I don't think Chiyo would want that…"

"Hey stop it. You're talking like she's dead already!"

"Al…ready…?" Sandra looked at her uncomfortably, then shuddered. "It's horrible, isn't it? And whatever happened to her, Ms. Sakaki saw it firsthand. No wonder she's so upset!"

"She'll pull through," Kaori said positively, not specifying which 'she.' To tell the truth, it didn't matter. There was nothing in their corner but optimism that cold evening and neither wanted to go without it.

"Assuming San-san comes through for us, this evening should be a big help," Sandra agreed. "And Chiyo will be fine. I… I mean, what more could happen to her?"

Biollante was even taller than she looked from the ground. Chiyo's fingers dug into the plant's firm skin, releasing runnels of a thin green juice that crawled down her arms and vanished before she'd found another handhold. Howling wind lashed across Chiyo, alternately frigid and blazing, and damned if she could figure a pattern to it. There were about five suns that crawled across the sky with ridiculous speed, so everything had three or four nauseously turning shadows. (Or more, depending on whether the shadows decided to care about light sources.)

At some point during this arduous climb, she realized that she surely must have been insane; either because this astonishingly detailed and vivid nightmare existed in her head, or alternatively because now that she was trapped in this strange land, its workings seemed perfectly natural. That scared her most of all.

But enough about that: be motivated! Up and up. Chin up, eyes up, climb up, and forget about the fatigue because this isn't really your body. Climb, Chiyo, climb. Just don't think and don't worry. Things can't get any w—

"Agaa!" She tumbled free from Biollante, blood gushing from the backs of her hands. The wounds vanished before her feet even lost contact, but the released blood drifted skyward and dissipated on the frigid wind. By steering her fall Mega Man-style, Chiyo ran up against the vegetable mountain again and skidded to a halt, fingers aching. Now what on Earth…?

"Ah-HAAA!" a gravelly voice yelled from above, "Would ye look at tha'? Can ye believe who they're sendin' now?"

Descending the organic cliff was a roundish bundle of vines, employing its dozens of tendrils to climb with freakish speed and grace. In spite of the fact that this was a malevolent koosh ball advancing on her, all Chiyo managed to think of it was, That's the worst Scottish accent I've ever heard! Maybe my subconscious is translating...?

"Um, h-hello?"

"An' it talks! Will tha wonders nevah cease?""

Chiyo wasn't sure how to proceed. Was this some kind of guard, or just a creature whose territory she'd intruded upon? Why had it attacked her, or did it even need a reason? As she clung there fretting, two more of the monsters emerged from Biollante's surface and regarded her. "Uh, I'm very pleased to meet you. My—my name is Ch-"

"We dinnae ask wha' yer name is, lass," the first said sharply, "Give it tae us an' ye can gu'on through!"

"I'm sorry, but what are you asking for?"

"Well, whit d'ye have tae give?"

"But… but I don't know what you…"

"Would ye listen tae me, ye daft coont!"

"Er… did you just call me a-?"

"Chill, boss," one of the other monsters said, "It doesn't have anything."

Chiyo tried a different tack. "Could you please let me through? I… um, have an appointment…"

"Well… it nae be gettin' any higher if it cannae bribe us, eh?"

"I suggest that we cut it into tiny pieces," the third said in a voice that sounded vaguely like Stephen Hawking's. "And fertilize the mistress with its blood."

"Now you're talking!" the second cried. "Le's do it!"

"Um… but…!" Chiyo faltered as the three creatures swarmed down around her. Sharp vines lashed out and pinned her limbs to the wall, releasing more puffs of floating "blood". "Ow! What-? I'm sorry! Ah! Wait a second, I-! Please, don't-!"

"I would like you to hold still, please," the Hawking-voiced creature crouched over her. "Refrain from thrashing as this will hurt a great deal."

She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut… but then nothing happened. The monsters froze, sensing something new on the air. "Wha'?"

"It's on! We're throwing down!"

"Battle stations!" All three vanished back into Biollante, leaving Chiyo to slide free for a moment before she remembered herself and caught the wall. Weak… it seemed that she needed the blood or chi or whatever it was they'd released from her. Chiyo felt disoriented and anemic, and those colossal blue petals were as high above her as ever.

Chin up, she reminded herself. Be motivated!

Forcing her trembling arms into action, the prodigy resumed her climb.

We now travel to the real world to witness a scene only slightly less surreal. Biollante's physical form still stood in the ocean by the Mihama summer home (well what would she do, get up and walk away?), fronds stirring from the seabreeze and that mighty blue bud turning slowly to catch the last rays of the setting sun.

Enter Godzilla.

Of course the King of the Monsters would choose an appropriately dramatic time to hit the scene. He was a great dark wall of armor and muscle, the orange waves just lapping at his waist as he plodded towards Biollante. The beast didn't looklike he was out for a fight; he led with his thick snout, apparently following a scent only he could detect.

The military types that had infested Mr. Mihama's summer home were in an uproar. Again the Big G had put in an appearance without causing so much as a ping on the coastal sonar established solely for his (un)benefit! Ignoring them completely, the multi-millionaire pulled a lawn chair out onto the yard and settled in to watch the looming confrontation.

Now, this wasn't exactly the smartest move; it wasn't even a particularly good idea to be within ten kilometers when this sort of thing went down, but he couldn't bring himself to look away. For some strange reason, the possibility of being struck by a stray atomic death ray didn't cross his mind.

Godzilla ground to a stop and cocked his head to one side while a particularly strident burst of wind made Biollante sway as if she were bowing to him. So the standoff continued for long minutes: animal staring, plant waving. For the first time, Godzilla was drawn to a giant creature that he had no particular urge to tear limb-from-limb or obliterate with his death breath-a humongous, delicate rose of all things, one that was even taller than he! This situation was a real head-scratcher, especially for a creature with his blunt, simple mentality.

Just as Godzilla grew bored and started to turn away, though, the seemingly delicate plan sprang into furious action! (That's a bizarre sentence, isn't it?) Green tentacles lashed up out of the water and latched onto his thick hide, straining to draw him closer.

While these limbs had been huge and terrible when they attacked the girls, to Godzilla they weren't even cobwebs. He brushed at them in irritation, becoming only slightly vexed when they refused to let go. He turned back towards Biollante and grunted warningly, but the sound was swallowed as more substantial vines snapped up and wrapped around his muzzle.

More of the heavier tendrils started to rise, grasping his arms and wrapping about his broad shoulders. From the way he jerked and struggled, one could see that he was under attack beneath the churning waves as well. The monster king took a staggering, reluctant step towards his foe, pulled violently against his will. As he drew near, yet thicker limbs wound about him and drew tight.

But then, Godzilla put his foot down.

With a muffled snarl, he wrenched one arm free of the entangling mess and tore the vines away from his face. Biollante wobbled strangely as the saurian crashed towards it, for the first time loosing his dreadful roar. One mightily clawed hand took hold of the rose's thick, ropy stalk as ominous blue flashes leapt up and down Godzilla's dorsal fins.

At this point, Yasuhiro came to his senses and started running for his car.

Behind him, Godzilla opened his mouth to release his atomic ray… but all that emerged was a horrible strangling sound and a few flecks of foam as Biollante's tendrils wrapped around his throat. Could this be the end of…?

Enraged beyond all measure, Godzilla jerked his other hand free, grasped Biollante's body firmly with both sets of claws and, with little apparent effort, tore her in half. The vines instantly lost their hold on his body, flailing free in a one last grotesque seizure as the ray that had been stoppered in Godzilla's chest finally howled free, blowing vegetable matter away like a sandblaster set against an ice sculpture.

Biollante's form dissolved into a cloud of glittering golden spores and vanished. Godzilla took a few moments to realize that he wasn't wrestling with anything anymore, but when his enemy's disappearance finally got through to him, he quickly decided that there was no reason to stick around and slid beneath the darkening waves.

"Damn…" Mr. Mihama turned back towards the water and slammed his car door. "Did he just… is that…?" All at once, he threw his fists in the air and gave a Dukes of Hazzard-style yell. "Yeah! Go, go Godzilla! You wasted that thing! Whoooo!"

The King of the Monsters had come, seen, and utterly annihilated the demon that had tried to take his daughter from him… it almost made Mihama feel bad for designing weapons to fight the big guy! What a wonderful feeling, to see that chlorophyllic bastard…

…vaporized?

But… but what of the plans to study Biollante in order to find an antidote for Chiyo? "You prehistoric son of a whore! What the hell were you thinking! Get back here, Godzilla! I'm gonna kick your scaly…!" He continued in this vein for quite some time.

"Zounds!" Tomo yelled, "Blackmail most foul!" True to her word, she'd hijacked one of Yomi's shirts, a dark brown one that hung halfway to her knees. The reason for her exclamation was an envelope Mrs. Mizuhara had returned from shopping with; it was usual for there to be a roll of photos or two to have developed, but this time she'd come back with an unusual number of copies.

"What are you talking about?" Yomi asked tiredly, walking up behind her and leaning on the table. "And can you keep it down? It's getting late."

"Yon vile fiend! Thou hast… uh…" her archaic language stumbled for a moment, but she recovered admirably. "What vile deviltry dost thou plan for these!"

"Oh," Yomi took the picture in hand. "Yeah, Mom thought it was cute."

"Cute? Cute!" Tomo cried, mortally offended, but then about-faced and added, "Yeah, I guess I am pretty cute."

The photo in question had come from a few hours earlier. Tomo hadn't lied when she said she'd caught up on some sleep; in the picture, she was leaning back on the bench in mid-thunderous snore while Osaka slept in her arms under a blue quilt. It was very carefully framed, so whoever snapped it had obviously taken their time.

"Relax, Tomo," Yomi realized the contradiction in terms, but plowed on regardless. "We're not going to blackmail you."

"Ahh, you won't gull me with that line, Yomikins! I know how your evil mind works…" Tomo poked at her temple. "But I have a few evil plans of my own! Oh, yes, you'll rue the day you threatened me with these!"

"Nobody threatened…"

"Hey, guys," Osaka greeted, making her unsteady way down the stairs. An orange shirt hung enormously over her narrow shoulders, also snagged from Yomi. There hadn't been anything particularly wrong with her own shirt, but she knew a good idea when she saw one. "Whatcha yellin' about now?"

"Look at this!" Tomo snapped, shoving the photograph into her hands.

"Aww…"

"You don't get it! If this gets out, my reputation will be ruined!"

"Huh? What reputation d'you got?"

"Tomo Q. Takino does not snuggle!" Tomo yelled, throwing her hands out in a sideways-chopping gesture. "Never! Absolutely not! Ix-nay! And what's more, with all those jokes you make, someone might get the idea we're, you know,into each other!"

"We're not?" Against Tomo's openmouthed shock, Osaka could only hold a straight face for about two seconds before breaking into an evil smirk. "Gotcha."

Tomo looked ready to launch into a ninja assault right then and there, but when she lunged forth, Osaka cringed so pathetically that it stopped her cold. "I swear! The moment, the very moment that bone knits, I'm gonna break every bone in your body!"

"Sounds like fun."

Yomi covered her eyes. "I'm surrounded by numbnuts… oh, Lord, preserve me."

"Girls?" Mrs. Mizuhara called from the living room. "You might want to see this." Her tone put an end to the argument and summoned them forth instantly. As they entered, the television was on to the 10 o'clock news, and showing grainy, jittery footage of…

"Oh, that guy," Osaka commented as Godzilla's roar issued tinnily through the speakers. "How's he doin'?"

"Shhh!" Yomi hissed.

So it was that they witnessed the fall of Biollante two hours after-the-fact. Just as the plant monster burst into golden flecks, the news cut to an interview with Yasuhiro Mihama, who was uncharacteristically promising an "insane ass-whooping" for Godzilla when he resurfaced. When pressed on how it would be administered, he smiled coldly and said it was classified, then dismissed the reporters before they could start asking questions about his daughter.

"Wow," Yomi said. "I guess that takes care of that."

"No." Osaka looked disturbed, a rare sight.

"What?"

"Yeah, didn't you see? It got blown up real good! No better than real good…" Tomo groped for an adjective, but none came to mind. "Like… so awesomely!"

"That's how it came," the Space Cadet murmured, sitting down. "I went out durin' the storm the night before… before we got jumped, an' I saw those sparklies in the air. It ain't dead, it's jus'…" The sense she got from watching the spores swirl was very specific, and she took a moment to choose the right word. "Vacillatin'."

"Vacillating?" Yomi asked, looking at her oddly. Normally she would have written it off as Osaka being Osaka, but after their little adventure the previous fall… "Well, that's good news, I guess. They probably want to study it to help Chiyo-chan, after all."

"Oh, I have a feeling she don't need their help…"

But Chiyo certainly needed somebody's help. She sat with her back against Biollante, straddling the base of one of the smaller fronds, gasping for breath and praying that she wasn't dead. The Carrot Mountains crowded out to the horizon beneath her, still and majestic except for when one would jostle another for space. She had no idea what had just happened, except that it had hurt like nothing else.

Biollante had dissolved beneath her, just as its physical form had in the real world… which wouldn't have been a problem if shehadn't dissolved as well. For an endless few seconds, her consciousness was lost in a cyclone of pain and confusion before she suddenly found herself whole again, clinging to the plant monster as if nothing had happened.

At first it seemed like the only logical thing to do was rest for a few minutes, but it quickly became apparent that the pause wasn't helping her at all. Chiyo was growing weaker and weaker every second, and there was nothing to do but climb again.

Stay motivated! Chin u… oh, screw it.

She scaled on autopilot for what seemed like years, aching and burning and just wanting to let go of the plant's skin and fall to a comparatively gentle doom. Not an option, of course, but it sure was nice to think about. Mere moments before she started to consider it seriously, though, Chiyo's hand fell on a ledge, and she was able to pull herself up onto what obviously wasn't the peak, but all the same must have been pretty near.

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay. Soul… what in the world does Biollante's soul look like? I gotta find… gotta find…"

At first, the verdant platform seemed to be empty, but over the course of her quest, Chiyo's astral eyes had become used to picking out the different shades of plant matter about her. With a prickling sensation on the back of her neck, she realized that there was another creature standing not five meters from her.

It was… her.

No, it wasn't. Its form was very similar to hers, right down to the pigtails, but there was chlorophyll running through its veins beneath the pale skin of a rose's stalk and fluttering hair even more shockingly red than her own. The being was apparently naked, but leaves that grew from its shoulders, waist and hips gave the impression of some kind of dress or kimono. It turned towards her and opened a pair of piercing amber eyes, noticing her with every bit as much surprise as she did it.

Okay… contact! Now,then… I've got to keep it from destroying humanity's only protector or something… I wish that guy who didn't exist had told me more! I don't want to hurt her, um, it, no, her, even if she did poison me… okay, this should be easy,she seems pretty happy to see me.

In point of fact, the Chiyollante looked altogether toohappy to see her, walking swiftly towards the flesh-and-blood girl and taking her hand. Chiyo opened her mouth to greet her other self—but instead yelled for pain as the plant girl raised the proffered hand to her mouth and took a big bite into her wrist.

Acting purely on instinct, Chiyo socked Chiyollante in the nose and leapt back, heels skidding dangerously close to the edge. A terrifyingly huge plume rose from her wrist, a cloud of crimson life escaping her. Standing straight and (not quite) tall, Chiyollante ran a finger over her slightly-damaged nose in mild surprise.

Maybe this'll be a little harder than I thought…