Chapter 40: Setting Sun
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Two weeks after the death of Kiryu.
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The world has been dead silent since Kiryu was defeated. People celebrated, yes, but world governments have made no comment. It's almost as if everyone is still in disbelief that they weren't killed. The Kaiju Court has also been awfully silent. Once Kiryu had perished they left South America and began to search for a new home.
They had many options but wanted somewhere isolated. Somewhere where Godzilla can raise his family and live out the remainder of their lives in peace and solidarity. Somewhere where Rodan can peacefully and comfortably live with his friends. A place where Battra could not be found. A place isolated from the world, and that answer was Infant Island.
An Indonesian island named after how recent the island came into existence, no human has set foot there in fear of disrupting it's delicate natural environment. Rodan discovered the island during his rampage in the Pacaific and decided to use it as a home once everything quieted down. Now, as a gift to Godzilla and his family, he shared the location and has offered to live there with them.
It was a small island, yet infinitely vast. A dormant volcano lies in the center of the island and jungle sprawls outwards onto the white, sandy beaches. The cries of birds and insects ring out across the tropical paradise. Coral reefs surround the island along with a sandbar that stretches out towards the setting sun almost as if it's a walkway to heaven. Mothra and Battra land onto the beach as Godzilla swims up to the shore and leisurely steps into their new home. Rodan follows shortly afterwards.
Mothra takes a deep breath and looks around the island. Her blue eyes scan the treeline and the shallow volcanic peak above. She closes her eyes and absorbs the sounds that ring in her ears. The crashing waves, the cries of sea birds, and the buzzing of the jungle in front of her. Godzilla slowly begins to move across the island. Battra squints in the harsh sunlight.
"It's perfect," Mothra said.
"I don't know why we can't just live back on Yucca Mountain. I quite licked the hot sun and infinite nuclear waste," Battra says as he digs one of his legs into the sand.
Godzilla wanderers the island. His large footprints squashing trees as he trudges through the jungle. Finally he spots what he was looking for. A large opening into the Earth below. He ducks his head and slowly enters this unfamiliar cave. Rodan slides in after him. The red glow of his wings cast long shadows on the walls. Godzilla slowly descends further into the cave until he finds a large, empty room. Round and flat, this room gives off a strange heat and energy to it. Godzilla brings his hand to the ground and places his palm firmly on the floor. He removes it and turns to Rodan.
"I felt the warmth of radiation. I didn't know pockets like this existed above ground naturally."
"So does this mean we can move the eggs here?"
Godzilla takes a good look around the room.
"Yes."
Godzilla emerges from the cave entrance and continues to walk around the island.
"Hey let's look at the volcano. I want to know if it's warm or not." Rodan asked. Godzilla nods his head and turns towards it.
After a few minutes of walking they reach the base of the volcano. Rodan files up to the peak and lands. Godzilla shortly arrived at the top as well. Rodan looks down into the volcano.
"Huh. I knew it was dormant but I didn't know it still had some magma in it."
Rodan casually stepped down towards the small bubbling pool of magma and, as if it was a warm bath, just slid into it. Lava overflowed out of the pit and began to fill up the crater. Rodan slowly moved around in the bubbling pit and casually lifted his head from under the surface and looked at Godzilla with a grin on his face. Godzilla, dumbstruck, just stares in awe at this strange sight.
"What? I thought you knew we lived like this?"
"I did but...it's...nevermind."
Rodan dove under the surface and reemerged a few seconds later. He swam to the edge of the magma pit and climbed out. He shook his wings free of lava and took off towards the beach below.
When everyone regathered together they all came to a consensus. Infant island is their new home. Battra, however, had different ideas.
"Battra, why won't you live with us?" Mothra asks. Battra shifts his gaze from her to the now setting sun.
"It's complicated. All my life I have been fighting in a war and now that there are none I don't know what I want to do with my life. I need time to figure it out. I know how I am around you and Godzilla and I don't want to harm you guys anymore. Once I know that the eggs are safe I will leave and go on my own. Do not search for me, for I do not want to be found."
Godzilla looks towards Battra. He turns his head and faces the king of the monsters.
"Where will you go?"
Battra extends his wings.
"Home."
Battra turns back towards the sun and jumps into the air. The trio watch as Battra flies off towards the sun. Never to be seen again.
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Six days later.
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Both of the eggs had been transported and Junior's had started to twitch more than normal. Godzilla opened up the ceiling of the nest to allow light to enter. On the night of the seventh day, with the moon now shining down onto the eggs, it began to hatch.
Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan all gathered around the cracking egg as they anticipated the birth of the young prince. Godzilla was especially excited at the thought of finally seeing his son. The dark blue shell of the egg began to develop large cracks that began to criss-cross across the egg. It began to shake and the kaiju felt large portions of the radiation in the air get sucked into the egg.
"Here he comes! Everyone step back!" Rodan barks to his friends.
The egg stops suddenly. Then, with a loud splitting sound, the egg breaks in two and Junior's form slides out of the shell. Embryonic fluid covers the ground as the three kaiju get close and look at their new addition.
His skin is dark green. Although they haven't formed yet, Godzilla guesses that his dorsal plates will be grey in color. Mothra rushes over and begins to clean him up. Using her long tongue, she cleans his face and body. She wraps her wings around him and sends some of her own life energy into him. Junior slowly begins to open his eyes. When he finally does the trio gasp.
They are a dazzling and shining blue, just like her mother's. Junior slowly shifts his gaze to the strange creatures standing over him and finally rests them on his father's. Godzilla smiles and extends one of his hands to his son's face. He brings it to his cheek and feel's the steady pulse of his son's heart. Tears slowly form on his face.
"I love you, son."
Mothra wraps her wings around her son and closes her eyes. Finally, after all they have been through, all the deaths, all the fighting, all of this has led to them being here. Junior closes his eyes and slowly drifts off to sleep. Godzilla kisses Mothra and the two embrace. Rodan smiles and flies out of the room towards his volcanic home. Life, finally, for them was not consumed by war or politics. Even though the world they lived in wasn't perfect, that didn't matter. All that mattered was what surrounded Godzilla now. He began to weep at this thought.
I've done it father, we are saved. Our species lives on. Our legacy, as rulers, lives on. I hope you are proud of me.
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Author's notes: And there we have it folks, the conclusion to A Kaiju Story: The Age of Man. It has been a long ride. When I first finished A Kaiju Story, I had plans for a sequel but I never knew it would go like this. This, by far, has been my favorite piece I have ever written. Someday I will go back and make it even better but for now It has been a good run and I will cherish these memories forever. Stay fantastic guys, I couldn't have made it this far without you. But this isn't the end. More will come and the next chapter will be the best yet.
A Kaiju Story: Posterity coming soon.