ASAGI'S SACRIFICE (2)
Kyoto (1999) Five Years Earlier.
Asagi and Mayumi Nagamine looked on at the city of hellfire that was Kyoto. For as bad as the battle between Gamera and Iris had been, things would only get worse. An enormous flock of Hyper Gyaos would be descending upon the flaming city soon. The flock was so large they could see the Gyaos past all the fire and smoke.
Asagi thought back to what she said to Nagamine just a few moment's earlier. Gamera will fight to the end ,forever. Even if he's alone. Those words replayed over and over in her mind like the verse of a song.
She understood him. Gamera. She once had a connection with him four years earlier when he and the Gyaos birds first reawoke. This had been accomplished through the use of a special magatama made from the ancient orichalcum metal. The coma-shaped bead allowed her to communicate with, and even read the mind of the 80 meter kaiju. The experience had been one of the greatest feelings in the world, however it had been lifted after Gamera defeated the Super-Gyaos. It was broken entirely after Gamera had used it's energy to revive himself the following year in his fight with the Legion.
Although their were obvious drawbacks to the connection, it had been a life changing experience for Asagi. Her relationship not only grew a fascinated for the giant mythical beast, but she grew to care about Gamera, not just as a friend, but as a companion. She would have given anything to have the connection back. But that was not possible now. In reviving himself, Gamera had not only severed his connection with Asagi, but the rest of humanity. No one could have that connection to him like she had. It was a depressing thought to think about, knowing she could never feel that amazing sense she had once had with the Last Hope.
What would any of it matter in a couple of moments? She thought as she saw the ominous flock approaching overhead.
"The Gyaos. They're here." Nagamine said.
"What are we going to do?" Tatsunari Moribe asked as he held Ayana Hirasaka comfortingly in his arms.
"There's nothing we can do. There is no place we can go. The Gyaos will be everywhere soon. None of us are going to make it." Asagi replied depressingly. "None of us." The flock was ranging in the millions. They'd be all over the city before they could escape. It was hopeless. It was also disheartening to know none of the other people trapped in the burning city would make it out either. All of them would fall prey to the Gyaos, but the casualties wouldn't end there.
Gamera was weak. The fight with Iris had made him use up an immense amount of his energy, not to mention he'd lost his right hand. Even if he had help the likelihood him making it out of this fight alive ,let alone winning it, was slim.
Ayana knew this. She had had a similar connection to Iris. The creature had feed off of her hatred for Gamera, and created a symbiotic bond with her. Ayana had hated Gamera since the creature had accidently killed her parents in it's fight with the Super-Gyaos. That hatred gave the Iris monster strength, and their connection had only grown stronger as the creature did. However, that bond had been damaged partly when Tatsunari had rescued her from the creature earlier. By the time Ayana realized Iris' true nature ,however, it was to late, and the creature forcefully tried regaining control. B-But then... i-it... H-H-He saved me. Ayana thought.
Gamera had not been the monster Ayana thought he was. He had a purpose. He didn't mean to cause any damage during his crusade, but if he hadn't been there to stop the Gyaos, they would have killed millions. The collateral damage Gamera caused in his attempts was an unfortunate part of that, but Ayana realized that now. And because of her hatred towards Gamera it had lead her ,and everyone else around her, here. The Hyper-Gyaos would kill Gamera then they would go after everyone else in Japan, starting with everyone in Kyoto, including them. And after Japan...
"I'm sorry... I'm so... so... sorry... about all of this." Ayana cried as she held Tatsunari. "I didn't mean for this to happen... I didn't know..."
"It's alright Ayana. None of this was your fault. You didn't know any of this would happen. You didn't know Iris." Asagi said as she knelt beside her and Moribe. Asagi was an empathetic girl, and having had a connection to a giant monster herself once before, she could understand Ayana, at least to some degree.
"B-B-But I was with Iris... I was so... so angry at Gamera I..." Ayana responded. Asagi hushed her and comforted her with Moribe. "I am so so sorry..." She sobbed.
"I forgive you Ayana." Asagi said to Ayana softly. "Everything will be alright." She lied.
Ayana knew she was lying but she made. She had never been much of an optimistic soul herself ,not after the death of her parents. Still she had to admit that at least hearing it made everything feel a little better. "W-W-Will he win?" Ayana asked Asagi. Feeling a little desperate for that optimism.
"I... I don't know." Asagi responded. The three of them came and stood beside Nagamine, and watched as the gargantuan monster trudged forward through the burning Kyoto. Gamera looked up and roared.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU RUNG
/
He did not stop. In spite of his injuries, he pressed forward. He could not give up now, not when the fate of the world was in his hands. He did not want to give up. It was his duty to protect the planet and stop the Shadow of Evil, whatever the cost. He couldn't even help the humans he'd protected before. Protecting them was too big of a priority. He could not save every infinitesimal life that stood below him. Besides it was never his job too. His job was to protect the planet, and kill the Shadow of Evil. Simple. Easier said than done though.
The Guardian looked up. He saw the Shadow of Evil. His creators called them that. His creators had created them just as they had done him. Unlike them, he was not a disloyal glutton. These creatures were the reason why he was here now. The reason why he was alive. His life was nothing but service to his dead masters wishes and the pain that came with those tasks. But he accepted that. It was necessary. However, he also accepted that the Shadow of Evil were going to die. He hated these creatures, and would do whatever was necessary to destroy them, even if that meant sacrificing his own life.
The Guardian heard the sound of the humans flying machines zooming through the air. He'd dealt with these humans before. Even after showing them he was not a threat, they still wanted to destroy him. Had they been a threat to the planet, he would have destroyed them too, but such was not the case. But of all the times they had to come and bother him, now was the time. He wouldn't fight back, but if they attacked, the Shadow of Evil would win. After he was gone, there would be nothing to stop them. He didn't want that, but right now he was too weak to do much of anything.
He watched the machines streak over. He anticipated their attack. Instead of fighting him thought, they fired at the flock. They were helping. But there efforts did nothing to hurt them. Only distract them. The Shadow of Evil had grown stronger since they awoke, and even before the humans machines were no match for the Shadow of Evil.
/
Nagamine watched as the missiles struck the flock of Hyper-Gyaos. She was an ornithologist ,birds were her specialty. She had had an interest in them since she was young. They were unique animals; unlike any other creature on the planet. Their structure, their behavior, their intelligence, everything about them fascinated her. But the Gyaos... She could not even call them birds. They had fangs, and they lacked feathers. Even their behavioral pattern was different from regular birds. They disgusted her. These things shouldn't have even been alive, yet they were, and very soon they would be all over the place. Ironic. Her death would be in the beaks of these hideous bug-eyed monstrosities.
The planes rounded for another shot, they took it, as did Gamera. The missiles did nothing, just the same as before. Gamera's fireballs managed to blow away a few of them, but it did little to affect the swarm.
The Gyaos began to descend. Most of them focused on Gamera. The few that didn't attack Gamera went after the planes. The Gyaos shot most of them down with their super-sonic scalpel beams. Some of them swarmed the planes, tearing them apart with their talons and beaks before ripping the pilots out to consume them. Once they were finished with the jets they joined the others. Many of them shot their beams at him. Gamera's hardened skin deflected the rays. Others swarmed over him and began tearing into his flesh.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
Gamera screamed a painful roar. He began to swing his arms about, attempting to swat at the mass around him. He managed to swat a few of them down, but his strikes too slow, and no matter how many of them he managed to kill, it did nothing to affect the flock. It was like trying to fight a swarm of bees. The Gyaos continued eating away at him. Their twisted faced filled with the turtles blood. Gamera fell to the ground weakly.
"Gamera." Asagi whispered with visible concern in her features. Gamera got back up and continued swinging and firing. Asagi had been right. Even though it was all on him and the battle was hopeless, he wouldn't give up.
Then the Gyaos did something unexpected. They all began making their haunting screech.
AAAAYAAOOOOONG
The Gyaos began to fly off of the giant wounded turtle. The flock began to fire down at him. Their beams began to deflect, right up until they all focused together. The beams began to cut into his shell, arms, legs, head.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
This was incredible, no, it was terrifying. The Gyaos were beginning to strategize with one another. Before, they'd acted purely on instinct. Despite the fact they flew in flocks, they fended for themselves. Even as babies they were known to eat one another. Although their social structure was lacking, that didn't mean they couldn't learn or think.
"He won't be able to take much more of that." Nagamine said, unable to hide her fear.
"He can't die! He can't! Not now!" Ayana said woefully.
"Asagi, can you do anything to help?!" Nagamine asked. She knew about Asagi's connection to Gamera ever since he woke up four years ago ,the same time she met Asagi. The girl's strange connection allowed her to communicate with Gamera, but she didn't known that the connection had been broken.
"I can't ,Mayumi! Our connection is broken!" Asagi told her.
"What about the magatama?! What if-" Nagamine was about to suggest, before Asagi stopped her.
"The magatama is broken! It was all he could do to revive himself! There's nothing I can do!" Asagi replied showing her a small case with the broken magatama. Asagi refused to do away with the sacred bead, even after it had been destroyed. It was all Asagi had left of Gamera.
"God help us all." Nagamine said, dispirited by the revelation.
They turned their attention back to Gamera. He continued to roar in agony as the beams cut into his body.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
"Gamera please. Don't give up. Not now. Please." Asagi begged, grasping at the small case as if the broken magatama inside still worked. It was instinctive. What else could she do. She knew she couldn't communicate with him anymore, but that didn't stop her from pleading.
Her prayers were met with no answers ,however, and the kaiju gave out a dying roar before collapsing to the ground.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
The Gyaos perched themselves atop their fallen foe and the surrounding buildings. Their triumphant roaring echoed throughout the flaming Kyoto.
AAAAYAAOOOOONG
It was over. The Gyaos had won. Gamera was dead. The Last Hope was gone.
"Gamera." Asagi began to cry. Ayana began to cry with her. Nagamine felt tears begin to fall from her eyes as well. This was all like a bad dream. They wanted to look away, they wanted to wake up but they couldn't. They were awake, and this was all actually happening. The flock began to swarm the lifeless monster's body and began to feed. The feeding frenzy was a mess of winged bodies and green gore. The few Gyaos who couldn't find an area to feed off of the massive beast's carcass turned and flew around them, looking for other sources of nourishment. Humans.
They watched in horror as a few of them flew downwards. No doubt they had found helpless victims to devour. The four even had the misfortune of watching a couple poor people being eaten. But that was the least of their worries.
AAAAYAAOOOOONG
They heard a Gyaos roar as it flew over. It saw them.
"Run!" Nagamine screamed as the bird speedily began swooping down, it's talons and mouth opened wide to grab them. Even though it made little difference they still ran. Everyone except for Asagi. "Asagi! Run!" Nagamine screamed.
Asagi did not listen. She ignored the ornithologist, and instead knelt down, clutching her broken magatama. Gamera was dead, and very soon she would be. She knew their would be no difference in running, and she accepted that. She began to weep. Hopefully maybe she would see her friend on the other side.
"Asagi!" Nagamine and Ayana screamed.
AAAAYAAOOOOONG
As the Gyaos was about to catch her, a fireball came out of nowhere blowing the avian to pieces. Asagi opened her eyes.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
Gamera was still alive. The behemoth stood up, and began clawing at the swarm of enemies, scrapping as many of them as he could off. The birds flew off of him, and began charging up their super-sonic scalpel beams.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
Gamera knelt down.
"What is he doing?" Tatsunari asked.
"I don't know." Asagi replied.
Suddenly the heat around them began to grow cooler. The fire around them began to die. The flames around the whole city began to be extinguished. The trail of burning embers trailed off in streams that flew towards Gamera. He was using the fire as energy.
"He's going to do it." Asagi said, her voice was full of hopeful optimism.
"Do what?" Ayana asked. Asagi didn't answer.
Gamera stood up, the flames all around the city of Kyoto were nothing more than small embers now. The Gyaos unleashed their attack. The scalpel beams cut into him again, but Gamera didn't seem to care.
Asagi noticed a faint glow coming from the cracks of Gamera's shell. The glow appeared again, this time it was a little brighter. It appeared again growing brighter, and brighter. It wasn't just getting brighter, it was getting faster too. It continued flashing faster and faster. Like a bomb. Asagi thought, before the realization dawned on her.
"What's happening ,Asagi. What's he doing." Nagamine asked. Asagi didn't respond.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
Suddenly, Gamera exploded.
The Gyaos were caught in the massive orange spherical wave of fire, vaporizing them. Some of them attempted to flee, but they were also caught in the blast. The wave continued to spread.
The four braced themselves, ready to met the same fate as the Gyaos. They could feel the warmth of the heat wave envelope their bodies, but they didn't feel any pain. They thought they were dead. But they were still alive somehow. They saw the heat wave continue to trail, until dispersing into nothing. The surrounding area had been reduced to nothingness, but they were alright. They saw other people as well. The wave had not touched them either.
Asagi turned to Gamera. "ArigatÅ." She thanked him.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU RUNG
Gamera let out a labored roar before falling to the ground.
"Gamera!" Asagi screamed as she got up and ran. "Gamera!" She repeated.
"Asagi! Wait!" Nagamine called for her. Like before she did not answer, and just kept running. They followed.
/
Asagi couldn't stop running. She had to make it to him. She had no idea what she was going to do, or how she could help. All she knew was that she had to make it to Gamera. His unconscious figure became larger and larger with every step she took. She was able to asses the situation before she even made it to him. He'd lost to much blood, he wasn't breathing. Gamera was able to heal from terrible injuries at a remarkable pace, but this was too much for him.
"Asagi!" Nagamine and the others called out to her as they followed closely behind. She didn't answer them.
"Gamera! Gamera!" Asagi cried tearfully. "Wake up! Wake up! Please! Wake up!" She begged. The lifeless kaiju made no response.
Nagamine and the others quickly caught up to Asagi after she had stopped and began calling out to the monster. They could see what she saw and came to the same conclusion. The thought struck Ayana with just as much grief. Had she not bonded with Iris, Gamera would have been ready for the fight with the Hyper-Gyaos. Now he was dead, and it was all because of her.
"Get up!... Wake up please!... Please wake up Gamera! Please!" Asagi begged.
"I'm sorry Asagi... I'm sorry..." Ayana apologized tearfully as she knelt beside Asagi. There was no other way for her to say it, there was no way around it. What had been done had been done and Ayana knew this was all her fault. What more could she say? What more could she do?
"I'm sorry Asagi." Nagamine said. She wasn't crying but she was pretty close to it herself. "Gamera... He's... he's..." She couldn't say it, she didn't want to.
"No. No he's not!" Asagi said defiantly. This wouldn't be it! This couldn't be! She wouldn't allow it. Asagi grasped her broken magatama hard, it was an instinctive reaction.
"Asagi... I don't know what else to say..." Nagamine apologized.
"No! No, he's not dead! He can't die now!" Asagi said angrily. She concentrated.
None of them noticed as the broken magatama began to emit a faint glow.
Suddenly Asagi felt a sharp pain hit her in the back. The sudden agony shot through her like lightning. She collapsed to the ground ,unconscious.
/
"Asagi! Asagi!" Ayana screamed after watching her fall.
"Asagi!..." Nagamine was able to catch her. Asagi wasn't breathing, her heart had stopped beating, but her pulse was still active. She was still alive, but she needed urgent care immediately. They wasted no time rushing her away from the area. Hopefully their was someone close by who could help.
Suddenly, they were caught by a sudden strong wind. The draft was warm ,no, it wasn't a draft at all. It felt more like breathing. The three of them turned around and were caught by another gust.
It was Gamera. He was alive. The gargantuan weakly opened his eyes and lifted himself up.
AAAARRAAAAEEEAAAARURURU
The giant did not stay for very long. He slowly tucked his limbs into his shell before rocketing himself into the air and spun away like a flying saucer.
Nagamine, Ayana, and Tatsunari were stunned, but they didn't stay that way for very long. They had to get help as soon as possible.
(Thank-you for showing interest in the project ChimaTigon)