Sorry for the delay. Chapter ended up being longer than I had envisioned. Hopefully, this one will satisfy those who were craving some monster interaction. The finale is just getting started.

Reawakening

The trio stalked downwards into the mine, the morning light beginning to grow fainter and fainter as they delved deeper into the cavern. Yuki traced the path with the flashlight, eagerly analyzing the tracks that littered the floor and the ceiling once they looked upwards. How many of these insects there were could not be estimated, but there must've been hundreds of them, all equipped with talons on their appendages that left marks in the stone and dirt, reminding all whose territory they were in. Ebony slime littered the floor, with Robert being unfortunate enough to step in a pile of it.

"Oh, you've got to be…" He planted his boot against the wall of the shaft, grumbling as he tried to scrape it off, but the muck clung to his boot tightly. He begrudgingly gave up and they resumed their journey into the mine. It was all a case of déjà vu for the American, as he retraced his steps, murmuring to himself as he took the lead.

"You remember the way," Yuki inquired, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah…just a couple more turns." His mind was calculating all the possible ends they could meet if the Meganula were indeed present in the mine shaft, each one as gruesome as the last. He led the way, eyeing the two sets of human footprints that guided them ahead. He refused to acknowledge that only one set made it to the exit. The tour ended abruptly ended at the remnants of the destroyed obsidian colored wall. The shards of the blockade littered the floor, along with chunks of goop and other remnants of something Robert did not want to imagine. He wasn't sure whether the mere sight of it was what made him nauseous, or whether it was the repulsive smell that nearly made him lose his breakfast. His face noticeably turned pale and he had to take a step back, an arm across his nostrils to attempt to block off the stench.

"Oh, come on Robert. It's not that bad," Io teased.

"You're kidding me. If I do that, I'll lose it all over the ground. Maybe even on your shoes too!" Io shook her head before jogging ahead of him. He reached a hand out to stop her but she quickly disappeared ahead.

"Watch out for the pit in the center!" There was no sign of acknowledgement as she clicked on her own personal flashlight, much smaller than the one Robert currently wielded, and hurriedly moved into the chamber where the Meganulon were first encountered by human kind.

"Adventurous, isn't she?"

"She definitely gets it from her father." Yuki and Robert strode ahead beside each-other. Io could be seen off in the distance, examining the structure of the ancient chamber, bringing to mind a miniature scientist at work. She removed the backpack she had slung on her back; a 'GPN' logo stitched onto the back, and dropped it onto the ground. She dug into it, yanking out what appeared to be a lantern of sorts. With a flick of a switch, neon blue light bathed the once dark chamber and allowed them to see every inch of the underground lair. The pods that Robert had seen before still littered the walls, the black juices still polluting the floor. The former inhabitants of these cocoons were nowhere to be seen. Io quickly equipped a pair of latex gloves before grasping a dropper as well as a test tube of sorts. The eight-year old, a fact that still stunned Robert and Yuki, was already procuring samples of the liquid for further research. With that task being done, she set it inside a small canister and stuffed it back into her bag, before pulling out a cheap, disposable camera. Repeated clicks filled the chamber as she went about photographing evidence that would prove the existence of the prehistoric insects.

"She's a child prodigy," Robert remarked, absolutely in awe at what she was doing, and the pace at which she worked.

"It really is amazing. She's something special." Yuki followed her American guide as he walked towards the center of the cavern, stopping behind him as he abruptly halted at the mouth of the tunnel leading towards the core. He flashed his light downwards, making sure there weren't any unfriendly animals awaiting them in the darkness. He directed the light at the edge of the crevice, and his eyes caught sight of something that would help ease their exploration.

"It looks like we can clamber down from over there, Yuki." He walked around to the other side, setting down his light. He carefully crouched down and lowered his right leg down over the edge, feeling out for an outstretched rock to rest his foot on. Finding it, he sighed loudly, his heart beating rapidly and sweat began to pour down his brow. Yuki knelt beside him, patting him on the shoulder

"You alright, Robert? I mean, we can find another way. Perhaps there's rope in the van."

"No, no, I got this. I'm just worried about the possibility of plunging to my death."

"It's not too bad of a drop, you know."

"Oh trust me, it is," he replied, frowning as bad memories once again plagued his mind.

"I see. Well, do you want me to go first then?"

"Who would be there to catch you, then, if you fall," Robert replied, beginning to descend into the pit with a smirk on his face.

"I think you're underestimating me, Mr. Kennedy." Yuki heard a curse in response followed by a thud. She looked at Io, alarmed, but the girl was very involved in her work at the moment. She shouted down, hoping that the man hadn't severely hurt himself.

"Yeah…I'm fine. Just…landed on my ass." Yuki chuckled before she herself made the trek downwards, dropping off the flashlight to the awaiting, and bruised, hands of her compatriot. He barely caught it, fumbling with it before shining it on her form climbing down the rock wall at a much more faster and graceful pace than he had. She managed a perfect descent, finally touching down on the lower level. His eyes focused in on more than just her finish, but Yuki turned around, forcing Robert to redirect his eyes.

"Well, this is it. If they're here, we take some pictures, grab Io, and get out of here."

"And after that?"

"Isn't it obvious? We'll call in the JSDF and get them to exterminate them. I'll be the wonderful investigative reporter who found their lair, and managed to save Kitamatsu. With the help of Shinoda's daughter and my American sidekick, of course." She playfully punched Robert before snatching the flashlight from him

"You make it sound so easy, Yuki."

"It's terrible, isn't it?" Shinoda stood beside the prone form of the winged reptile dubbed 'Radon' by Kamura. Since the original analysis of Radon, the research crew had not found much use for the body of the pteranodon. Other than the initial awe at discovering a prehistoric reptile, most of the people who had been assigned to obtain any useful information or items form the corpse had been pulled out. Soon, a covert team would be sent out to eradicate al evidence of Radon. The world needn't know how easily a new monster had arrived in the world. What if there were other dormant beasts lying in wait? Godzilla had been bad enough; the globe was not ready to be thrown into a panic due to the potential of there being dozens of dinosaurs and the like awaiting to retake the earth.

It sounded like the cheesy plot of a monster movie.

"You were a victim… not ready for this time. Godzilla was created out of man's carelessness. What spawned you? Were you always like this? Or did we somehow alter you as well." Yuji was an ant compared to the magnificent flying creature, which lay still as Shinoda openly spoke to it, as if the reptile could understand and hear him.

"A unique, lost creature brought down by another just like it…" He sighed, hands thrust deep into the pockets of his jeans. Violence seemed to be the force that moved everything in this world. The death of Radon was no different. He was outmatched by the force of nature mankind had created. The nuclear leviathan, responsible for countless deaths, had joined his ancient adversary in death's embrace thanks to the efforts of the Karyu. Man had finally conquered the giants of the world.

"You truly are spectacular, Radon. I cannot imagine what it must've been like to be all alone, for millennia. To finally awaken, only to be killed by a monster who was once very much like you. It's terrible." Shinoda's hand patted the neck of Radon, feeling the surprisingly soft, leathery skin that covered the beast's body.

"I am sorry." He gazed once more at the fallen animal, before turning his back. The majority of the guards had already left the premises. Only one jeep remained, in which Shigeru and an armed driver awaited his return. Before he got too far away from Radon, he stopped in his tracks as he heard something that startled him. He swiftly turned around, searching for the source of the noise. He found it; it was a fallen Geiger counter hidden in the grass. Whoever was responsible for loading the equipment into the trucks had forgotten this gem. Now, it was beginning to hum to life, the intensity of its clicking increasing every second. Shinoda was confused as he tried to discern what was triggering its sensor. The Geiger's sounds became akin to screeches from a raptor, before Shinoda finally caught on to what was the cause.

Radon's body had begun to glow. Dimly at first; a faint amethyst aura surrounded the body of the pteranodon. Yuji gasped in alarm and began to backpedal away from the spectacle. Half of him was afraid, yet the other was fascinated. The radioactivity of Radon was increasing at an unbelievable rate. The light that covered Radon lit up the forest, no doubt something that one could see from miles around. Upon closer inspection, Shinoda noticed that the numerous abrasions and wounds covering Radon's body began to seal up on their own, as if nothing had ever happened to the winged wonder.

"My God…" Shinoda covered his eyes with his hand as the flare of purple light was blinding, almost as if he was peering at the sun itself. Daring a peek, he saw the light seem to drift towards the crests that rested atop Radon's skull. With a muted explosion, the energy flowed into the bony peaks perched on Radon's skull and seemingly were absorbed by the reptile. Shinoda fell to the ground, astounded. The Geiger counter continued to screech, still registering radioactivity in the area. The sound of feet trampling the grass reached Yuji's ears and he turned around to see Shigeru Kamura and a soldier who had been assigned to assure their safety.

"What the hell was that light, Shinoda?"

"It was…Radon!" Shinoda was helped up by the pteranodon expert, brushing himself off in the process.

"We need to get out of here, Mr. Kamura. It isn't safe," warned the soldier.

"Right. Shinoda, let us go."

"Wait! Listen!" The two men behind him followed his order, a bit confused as to the reasoning behind his proclamation. Yuji took a step forward, a frightened look drawn upon his face.

Lub-dub…lub-dub

"It's…alive!" As if on cue, the pterandon's eyes snapped open, revealing fiery red orbs that rapidly blinked, looking around. With a cry, the ancient beast focused his attention on the three miniature figures standing, petrified as what was once dead had now come alive. 'Radon' hissed, studying the strange new creatures before him. One brought something up and pointed it at the mighty creature, but one of the tiny things stopped him from doing whatever it was he had planned to do. The Duke of the Skies opened his beak and released a terrifying cry, launching the three insignificant animals away from his presence. Using the talons on the edge of his wings, he clumsily got back onto his two feet. The memory of what had occurred to him earlier was fuzzy at best, and it would take some time to truly recover what had been lost due to his time amongst the dead. He looked over his body, chirping as he realized the pain he had once felt had been treated; the methods currently unknown to him. He grew confused, yet intrigued as he now realized that, all throughout his scaled body, scarlet lines pulsated mystically, adding a fierce image to a predator who, to be honest, did not need anything more intimidating added to him. His leathery blue membranes on his wings were traced with the same red lines, which glowed even more brightly then the ones coating his body. He let out a screech, letting the world know of his return to life, and began to flap his large wings, flinging the three humans below his feet away from his site.

Rodan, dubbed 'Radon' by the scientists, took to the skies, where he ruled. For now.

"It's dead, Yuki." Robert gave the corpse of the Meganula a strong kick, sending the corpse flying into the wall of the tunnel. He frowned and stared at it, unsatisfied with his meek attempt at vengeance. Yuki strolled over to the dead insect, removing her specialized, and quite expensive, camera from its pouch that had been secured around her waist, and snapped a few pictures of it. She smiled, growing more ecstatic about her growing collection of valuable photographs.

"How long do you think this tunnel runs?"

"I don't know. Could go all the way to the core. You think?"

"Highly unlikely." Yuki and Robert continued their trek deeper into the decrepit tunnel. They weren't quite sure how long it had been since they'd left Io alone to her work. The eight year old scientist, an astounding fact, was alerted to their departure and assured them she'd be fine alone.

"I'm not afraid of the dark, if that's what you two are thinking. I can handle myself."

Yuki smirked; you could really appreciate the girl's spunk. Robert groaned as the tunnel began to condense on itself, gradually shrinking the available room they had to maneuver.

"Oh man, you've got to be kidding me," Robert whined, his eyes darting all around them.

"What are you, claustrophobic?"

"Yes!" Yuki blinked, assuming he'd be joking or something, yet the seriousness written upon his face was very sincere.

"Well, if you'd rather wait back there-"

"No, I'll just…I'll be fine, ok?" Robert wasn't planning on looking like a wimp in front of this woman, even if the whole 'investigating murderous insects' would be a hell of a reason to chicken out.

"I appreciate you sticking it out."

"Little too far along to back out," Robert replied, letting out a nervous chuckle. The hair on the back of his neck began to rise, a warning system all humans seem to have when things were about to go awry.

"I suppose so. Do you hear that?" The two stopped for a moment, intent on honing in on the source of the mysterious sounds. It sounded like…rhythmic clicking. It was clearly not human. Though, if one could personify it, it would almost sound like…chanting.

"You don't think it's-"

"Only one way to find out!

"Yuki! Damnit!" Robert snuck after Yuki, who was now crouching down to better acclimate herself to the narrow passage. The reluctant follower couldn't complain about the view, but he surely could find something to nitpick in the fact that they were heading towards a possible doom at the hands of flesh-eating monsters!

"Hold up," Yuki whispered. Robert bumped into Yuki from behind, eliciting a curse from the both of them.

"Sorry, sorry."

"It's fine. Check it out." Mr. Kennedy looked over her shoulder and let out an audible gasp. Before them was an incredibly massive catacomb of sorts. The melody of trickling water reached their ears, not quite drowning out the racket of the insect-like clicks. A crevice in the ceiling brought down sunlight from above, illuminating the entirety of the cavern. How far down were they?

The two were looking out from the exit to the passageway, which ended abruptly into this massive area. They were quite a ways up, which didn't provide comfort to a man who was not only claustrophobic but acrophobic as well. The very thought of falling to his death made him nauseous. A body of water circled a very large rock formation in the center of the antechamber. Neither could discern where the water had come from, but it was possibly from an underground reservoir. Atop the island of stone was a flattened plateau, in which lay a gigantic black pod. It was almost exactly like the ones Robert had saw in his prior expedition into the mine. The only difference was this one had neon purple patterns drawn all along its surprisingly smooth surface, or at least, what bit of the outside of it could be seen underneath the hundreds of Meganula, their eerie song echoing all throughout the cavern. The insane risk that Yuki had put them in by shining the light into their lair seemed to have no consequence, as they paid no heed. Their attention was on the husk before them. Their legs clung to the capsule, but what was strange was how still they were. The only noticeable movement on their bodies was the slight twitches of their mandibles as they produced the strange chatter that filled the air.

"What the hell are they doing," Robert questioned, pointing at the mass of insects. What was most interesting was that each and every one of the prehistoric dragonflies had the stinger on the end of their tail embedded deep within the giant pod. Their syringe-like weapons were glowing vibrant orange, yet as time passed, the light began to gradually fade away. The egg or whatever it was began to glow itself as well as increase in size until it was nearly hanging off the edge of the plate of rock it lay on.

"It looks like they're…giving it energy? They used Godzilla to siphon away his life force, or radioactive energy, to give it to this thing?" Robert's mind ticked away like clockwork, before finally settling on a reasonable conclusion. Or, as reasonable as one can be when trying to solve the mystery of giant monsters.

"My God…think about it. The Meganula were just drones. Hunters on the lookout for food. They found it in Godzilla, and now have returned to give it to the-"

"Queen," Yuki said, finishing his revelation. With one deafening shriek, the Meganula grew silent. All light that exuded from their abdomens and stingers had been extinguished, now finding a home within the pod. Their eyes grew dim and, by the dozen, the Meganula began to fall off of the husk. It was sickening to watch; lives being snuffed out so quickly, and all voluntarily. The bugs had given their lives to fuel their queen's. The only question was what the leader of the Meganula would look like.

"We need to go. Now."

"Not until I get some quick pictures, Robert!" Robert groaned, as Yuki began to record the scene via several pictures. Once the Meganula had all fallen off, dead as can be, the chrysalis began to shudder. The blazing light within the capsule began to reach its peak until cracks began to appear in the hull. Ooze, a disgusting oil color, seeped out of the holes. Suddenly, the egg shattered entirely, sending fragments shooting into the air.

"Get back, Yuki!" A chip was sailing in their general direction, seemingly with murderous intent. It barely missed, slamming directly under the mouth. The blunt force shook the tunnel violently, pieces of rock dropping from the ceiling. One fell directly onto Robert's shoulder, who grunted in pain. Yuki let out a scream as her foot slipped off the edge, into open air. The rest of her body soon began to follow, her yell Robert's eyes widened and darted forward, grunting as he landed on his stomach. He grasped Yuki's outstretched hand, hoping she could handle a bit of pain. He groaned as gravity began its assault, tugging at Yuki's dangling form.

"I've got you, just hang on," Robert bellowed, gritting his teeth as, with his free hand, he struggled to find something to grip to ease in pulling her up. In doing so, his eyes wandered to the scene unfolding before them. Everything seemed to slow to a stop; time ceased to exist except for the horrific yet fascinating event taking place on the plateau underneath. The pod was gone; the remnants littering the rocky formations and drifting in the circular creek.

The Queen of the Insects. A title made up on the spot, yet seemed so fitting to the beast that stood in the center of the chamber. The insect's body was a pleasant topaz, ironic considering its…her identity. All along its body, the odd spike or irregular armored plate jutted out, giving off a very intimidating presence. She was massive, most likely the same size than the Karyu. Four armored legs ending in two claws twitched randomly, being stretched out than flexed. The Meganula queen could easily lift the Karyu with those muscular limbs. The other two appendages were even scarier. They were pincers of sorts, reminiscent of those of a crab. Oddly enough, the way the 'arms' were structured, forced the larger-side to face downward. Clearly, they were not used for grabbing. Their true purpose was revealed upon closer inspection, as the bottom portion was serrated, as if several sharks' teeth had been arranged neatly in a row on each claw. They were akin to cleavers, designed by Mother Nature for decapitations and mutilations. The extensive tail was perhaps the most frightening part. Spines ran down the length of it, until it ended with a blade-like stinger, curving downward, a reverse of what a scorpion's would typically look like. It was the same color as the rest of the maleficent being, though it no doubt had the same capabilities of the Meganulas'. The tail twitched, swinging to and fro, as if hungry for something to stab. Upon the back of the Meganula queen, a diamond-shaped armor piece seemed to be attached to the back of the thorax. Its usage was uncertain at this time. Robert groaned as Yuki's hold on his hand tightened. His left hand finally found a cone-shaped rock extending out from the ground. He wrapped his hand around it, ignoring the rough texture. He squeezed it, his boots digging into the earth in an attempt to gain some leverage. Finally, with a roar, he lifted Yuki up, adrenaline and fear fueling his actions. She quickly grabbed onto the side of the opening, her shoes kicking at the side of the cavern, seeking a foothold of sorts. Robert quickly aided her, pulling her further upwards until she was completely over inside the tunnel. She turned towards Robert, whose heavy breathing was the only noise in the area. She studied his face for a moment, before his eyes widened and pointed at what was behind them. The shaken photographer turned around and gasped.

The Queen was staring straight at them. The face of the monarch was absolutely hideous. Protuberances akin to warts covered the visage of the primordial dragonfly. Tiny stalks, presumably antennae of sorts, wiggled in the spotlight. A beak stuck outwards, then crooking downwards, very much like a hook. It looked like a witch's nose. Beneath it, a frightening mouth filled to the brim with jagged teeth opened and shut, as if it hungered for flesh between the daggers in its maw. On each side of her head were dozens emerald orbs, compound eyes that were uncanny to the two amateur adventurers. Staring into them was like staring into a mist of pestilence, of death. Many had seen their end reflected in those cold, emotionless spheres.

Yuki, hands shaking violently, raised her camera up; momentarily surprised it had survived the earlier scare. Staring at the giant dragonfly, she snapped a picture, the flash brief yet intense. This was it; this was how they would go.

The Meganula Queen seemed to smile, her vile mouth twisting into a grin of sort. She knew they were there the whole time. Robert and Yuki gaped in horror, prepared for death

Releasing a scream, announcing her revival into this new age, the queen raised an arm upwards and slammed it into the ceiling, carving up the rock as if it were the flesh of her foes. Robert and Yuki rose to their feet, unnerved by the shriek but thankful for the opportunity to live. The two scurried back the way they came at a feverish pace. The world had a new enemy to face.

The ancient insect continued to cut into the earth, creating a tunnel of her own as she clambered up through the layers of the planet. Digging was not exactly her specialty, but she knew how to get free of her underground lair. Within minutes, the ground above shook then was violently ripped asunder as the insect burst out from the earth. The Queen crawled out, leveling trees down and raining down dirt and stone upon the forest.

Now, the queen could reveal her most prized possessions. The carapace on her back now had its purpose revealed as, slowly, brilliant green wings began to slide out from under their shield. They drifted down towards the tail, beautiful to gaze at, as if one was looking at the windows of a church. One wing shot out to the left, and the other to the right. Both were incredibly long, noticeably more so than the dragonfly's body. They truly were the queen's most divine regalia. With a banshee-like wail, the Queen flapped her wings, building up speed until they were but a blur in motion, reaching super-sonic speeds. The trees remaining, as well as any unfortunate animals, were thrown about violently as if tornados had been summoned into the area. She zoomed upwards into the sky, tail curled protectively underneath her abdomen. Now, it was time to feed. Feed on the populace of this new land, and to usher in a new generation of her kin.

Megaguirus had returned.

For Rodan's look, I tried to go for the more classic Showa look. Hopefully, I conveyed that in this chapter as well as the other.
For Megaguirus, I wanted a change, so I took some inspiration from the concept art of GxM. I tried to illustrate that; hopefully you can all see it too. I could always improve my descriptions.

As always, read and review and thank you!