Chapter 16: Redemption
Mothra took off to find Battra shortly after the gathering was over. She said goodbye to her mate and then flew off. Although the two moths are drastically different, both of them are connected spiritually. Since they are siblings, and the only surviving members of their species, they can feel each other's thoughts and feelings. They are also able to know where each other are. Mothra has sensed that Battra is hiding deep in a cave on some faraway island. After a couple days of flying through terrible storms and ash, Mothra gets sight of the island.
A perpetual storm surrounds the island. A massive wall made of clouds surrounds the island. Flashes of lightning illuminate the dark blue water. Waves as tall as whole buildings smash up against towering rock spires. Ash and water sting Mothra's eyes. She takes a deep breath, and flies right into the clouds.
Almost at once she is thrown upwards by the air. Lightning strikes her wings. She flies faster and faster to get through the dark abyss. The howling winds drown out any noise. Lighting and thunder crash around her. She flaps her wings harder and harder. In what feels like hours of flying, she finally breaks through the other side of the clouds. A massive wall of sunlight hit her. She squints her eyes and looks around. The island is very mountainous and full of thriving jungles. She looks down and traces the shape of the island. It's skull shaped. Very odd.
Mothra flies over the island before settling down in a field. She folds her wings behind her and looks around. The cries of animals surround her. She closes her eyes and concentrates on finding her brother. A small tingling feeling swells inside of her. A short image of a cave flashes in her mind. She opens her eyes and looks behind her. There it is. Several large vines and shrubs block the entrance. She walks over and slashes them. She looks inside but sees nothing. She cries out to Battra.
"Battra? Battra? Are you in here? I want to talk to you."
Her voice echoes back at her. Then, at once, the small clacking sound of talons come from deep in the cave. Mothra jumps back a bit and then opens her wings. The sound gets louder and louder until it's source is shown.
Battra looks like he got hit by a train. Several deep cuts and burns cover his body. One of his wings are torn and his horn is broken. Two of his legs are broken and one of his eyes has a slash across it. Along with these injuries is the fact that one of his mandibles appears to be broken. Mothra gasps at the state of her brother. He slowly looks up at her.
"You shouldn't have come here."
"What happened to you? Why aren't you healing yourself?"
A look of sadness flashes across Battra's face. He stumbles closer to her.
"You wouldn't understand."
Battra stares at his sister for a brief second and then turns around and limps back into his cave. Mothra notices that most of his back spikes are broken and a large burn wound covers his back. Whoever did this to him is relentless.
"Battra, we need you."
Battra stops and looks towards his sister. He is visually annoyed.
"I am done with fighting. As you can see, I have done enough of that. Now get off my island and leave me alone!"
He attempts to pick up a rock and hurl it at her but he cries out in pain and falls over. Mothra move forward to catch him. He looks at her and shakes her off.
"Don't help me. I don't need it."
"Yes you do, look at yourself! How did you get these wounds?"
Battra gets flashbacks of his fight with Ghidorah. His gravity beams, along with his strength, were immensely powerful. He coughs and glances at his sister,
"Ghidorah, he did this. He will do this to everyone if we don't join him."
Mothra gasps. She now knows how powerful this entity is. A wave of fear hits her.
"I can feel your fear, I know just what kind of plan you have, it's not going to work. You need an army. You have nothing."
"Battra, that's why I'm here. You still have good relations with the Mutos. Go back to them. Try to get them to join us. We can take him down Battra, but in order to do so we need you. Come back to us, Battra."
"Ghidorah will know that I am back. He will most definitely destroy me. I can't challenge him without others to help me. He's too powerful."
"You have others. You have me, the other surviving kaiju, and my mate."
Battra is taken aback by this. Who is this other male moth? Or is it even a moth?
"Mate? We are the only members of our race, Mothra, who did you mate with? A corpse?"
A dreamy gaze hits Mothra, her antennae droop slightly and her wings pulse.
"No… No I mated with someone who is big, strong, smart, funny, and caring. He loves me deeply and will do anything to save me and make me feel on top of the world. I wouldn't know what to do without him."
"Who is this kaiju?"
"Godzilla."
Battra jumps back in shock. This… this is very odd. He doesn't know what to think. He is happy she found someone, but he doesn't like the fact that he is not one of her kind. He steps back.
"That's… great Mothra. Good for you. Not to kill your mood but I did try to kill him back before the asteroid hit. Are you sure he won't squash me?"
"He might be upset at first, but he will see that you are a valuable asset. I will make sure that you aren't killed. But heed my warning, if you try anything funny, I will make sure you are squashed."
Battra ponders his options. He could go with her and make a new name for himself, or he could stay here and forget about the outside world. After all, he has all he needs her. No enemies, endless food, and shelter. He looks back towards his cave home. All he feels there is sadness and hate. He then turns towards Mothra.
"Fine. let's go."
Mothra chirps in happiness and hugs her brother. He winces in pain. Mothra then wraps her wings around him and starts to heal him. Within seconds, his horn sprouts out again, his eye is fixed, and his wings aren't torn anymore. All his cuts, scrapes, and burns vanish. Battra feels his legs fix themselves and his spikes regrow. He then uses his own healing energy to fix the rest of him. Mothra lets go of Battra and then takes flight. Battra looks back towards his island home and flies after her. Leaving behind his past and forging a new future.
After several days of flying, the duo arrive at the Kaiju Resistance base. Located deep in the Rocky Mountain range in Colorado, the remaining kaiju have taken refuge here. A Rodo on a guard post spots the two moths enter the area. Mothra lands right in front of Godzilla. The two kiss briefly just as Battra lands. His dark and shadowy figure is easily recognizable. Godzilla frowns and pushes Mothra aside. He stomps right up to the moth and grabs him by his neck.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't smear your guts across this entire mountain range you traitorous little bug!"
Battra wraps his pincher around Godzilla's neck. His large black wings drape behind him.
"Oh I can give you several."
Mothra jumps on Godzilla's back and yells at him to stop. Godzilla exhales out of his nose and then drops Battra. Battra shakes himself and sits up.
"Mothra your mate is a brute, you should tell him to calm down."
Mothra turns to her mate.
"Goji, I brought him here for a purpose. I think we can use him to win this war."
Godzilla huffs.
"How. How and why should we trust him. HE SOLD OUT YOUR WHOLE KIND MOTHRA, HOW WILL WE KNOW HE WON'T DO IT AGAIN!?"
"Goji, he won't do it again. Ghidorah mopped the floor with him so he has nowhere to go but here. Plus he wants him gone just as much as we do."
Godzilla looks down at his mate, then at Battra. Battra's pincher clacks. Although he hates this moth for killing his and Mothra's family and toppling their kingdom, Mothra makes a good point. He has good relations with the Mutos and he could possibly turn them to our side. Godzilla taps his foot and then looks at Mothra.
"Fine. if what you say is true, we can use him. Anguirus! Show our new guest a room. Also, make sure he is on constant watch, I don't want him to desert us."
Anguirus bows and takes Battra towards a stone building. Godzilla feels Mothra climb onto his back.
"Mothra, I don't know about him. What if he sells us out to Ghidorah. I don't want to lose this. Especially you. I don't want you to get hurt."
Mothra blushes and nuzzles Godzilla's face. She kisses him on the cheek.
"I love you too."
The two spent the rest of the day huddled together near one of the many campfires. That night, while Godzilla was sleeping, Mothra sneaks off. She flies to a distant cave opening in one of the many mountains. After several hours, she flies back out towards her mate. Leaving a large, glowing silky egg behind in the cave.
Notes: I love writing this thing. Although I say this quite often, I have never had this much fun writing anything ever. I am pouring my heart and soul into this thing and I hope y'all are loving this story just as much as I am. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. It is starting to set up the ending, so get prepared. I'll see you guys soon.