SOMETHING IS COMING (4)

Nagoya 2004 Present Day

Inside her lab, Mayumi Nagamine carefully dissected the juvenile Gyaos. Although she was positive that the creature was dead, there was that aching feeling of paranoia gnawing at the back of her mind. Better to be safe than sorry, she thought as she cut into the bird's midsection first. Normally she started from the neck down but she wanted to be sure it was dead. The creature didn't respond. With her fears displaced she continued.

There was still a lot to learn about the Gyaos, and although they'd been awake for almost a whole decade now, Gamera didn't leave very much behind after a confrontation with them. Even if one of them had died ,and was still in one piece, they were too decomposed to be worth studying. Nagamine and her team had gotten lucky with this particular find. There were three other specimens just like it when they found it.

Because of the recent surge in the Gyaos' population, governments around the world were being put on high alert for any signs of the creatures. As such the Japanese government spared little expense for funding programs in studying the creatures. If they could learn enough about them they could find a way to defeat them before they became too large. Naturally ,given her past experiences with the Japanese government, Nagamine was not very interested with the idea, however after some persuasion they managed to get her into one of the programs.

Nagamine had a theory that the Gyaos projected the beams by creating high-speed vibrations in their vocals, or that there was some other organ that allowed them to create the beams. Nagamine wasn't sure, but hopefully she'd find out.

Nagamine put careful pressure into the incision. She didn't need to cut too deeply, or else the organs would be damaged. While she had dissected birds before, this wasn't technically a bird, and even if it was, it was a new species, one that she had very little knowledge about. Fortunately, Nagamine was very careful.

As she examined the creature, Nagamine discovered that although the Gyaos looked similar to pterosaurs, they had many bird-like features. Despite their lack of feathers, the Gyaos had hollow bones and specialized lungs that allowed them to fly. Nagamine wasn't very surprised by this however. She'd managed to find fragments of the creature's bones before, and because of this it didn't surprise her that the creature's lungs were specially developed to help them fly. The most unique aspect about the Gyaos was their bifurcated spine. Despite having two necks in its throat, the creature only had one set of vocal cords. Nagamine believed that this forked spine worked in tandem with their vocal cords to create their super-sonic scalpel beams.

The most disturbing trait about the creatures ,however, was their intelligence. As Nagamine examined the monster's cranium, she discovered that its brain was relatively large in comparison to the rest of its body. Birds were very intelligent animals; examples of this included eagles, parrots, owls, and ravens. Nagamine remembered how the Gyaos strategized, concentrating their beams together to cut into Gamera's thick hide. The idea that these creatures could think and learn sent a cold chill down Nagamine's spine.

As she was jotting down her findings, there was a sudden knock at her door. She jumped when she heard it. Nagamine saw from the window on her door that it was just Haruto. Nagamine sighed in relief when she saw him.

"Come in ,Haruto," She invited him in with a smile.

"Hello ,Mayumi," Haruto greeted. "There's someone on the phone for you Mayumi. It's a... Miss Kusanagi?"

"Asagi!" Mayumi said, surprised.

"Yes, that's her," The teenage assistant clarified.

"Thank-you, Haruto," She thanked him.

"Asagi?" Nagamine replied as she picked up the phone.

"Mayumi, how are you?" Asagi asked her friend.

"Working," Nagamine replied, "It's good to hear from you again."

"It's good to hear from you too," Asagi said, "How are things going in the lab?"

"Things are going well here, no thanks to Mr. Saito. He along with the Department of Defense are pushing even harder for us to find a live specimen," Nagamine answered in a frustrated tone.

"They still want a live Gyaos for study, don't they?" Asagi asked.

"Yes. It's so irritating whenever they try to bring that argument up, and they forget what the Gyaos have done," Nagamine began. The Environmental Protection Agency had forcibly employed Nagamine into helping them capture the Gyaos back in 1995, but their efforts had been unsuccessful because of Gamera's interference. Since then, they'd become an unbearable thorn in her side, constantly nagging about the scientific applications of a living specimen. Naturally, nobody agreed with their sentiment, but that didn't stop them.

"I can understand," Asagi agreed. The both of them had tried time and again to convince the Japanese government that Gamera wasn't a threat, and that the Gyaos were too dangerous to be kept alive, yet despite their efforts the government ignored them. At least until five years ago that was, although they still had doubts about the creature's intentions.

"I'm sorry ,Asagi. I didn't mean to go on a rant," Nagamine apologized.

"It's alright. I understand how it is," Asagi excused her.

"Anyway, how are you Asagi, and how is Ayana?" Nagamine hadn't heard from either of them in years. The last time Nagamine heard from them, they were half way through with their college courses at Grand Canyon University. After healing from her mysterious injury, Asagi and Ayana moved to America to further their education. They were studying history, mythology, and economics. Asagi would have gone sooner herself, however the mysterious injury had greatly damaged her spine, confining her to a wheelchair. The damage was irreparable, but everyone was just grateful that Asagi hadn't lost her life.

Ayana left with Asagi because she felt responsible for Asagi's affliction. As such, she took it upon herself to help Asagi as best she could. The two had since become good friends.

"We're both doing well ,Mayumi," Ayana answered suddenly, "We've received our bachelor's degrees, in economics and history." Ayana had had a change of heart after what had happened five years ago, and she was noticeably more cheerful.

"That's wonderful, Ayana," Nagamine replied cheerfully. "It's good to hear from you."

"It's nice to hear from you too Miss Nagamine," Nagamine could sense Ayana's smile. "So how are you both doing?" Nagamine asked curiously.

"We're doing well. We've decided to come home and get our master's degree at Osaka University," Ayana replied.

"That's great," Nagamine replied happily, "When will you be arriving? I can pick you both up if you need me to?"

"We're at Osaka International Airport right now ,actually." Ayana told her.

"You are? That's great." Nagamine said.

"Yeah, we'll be taking the train over to the university to drop our things off. Although we did plan on visiting you afterwards. We were just wondering if you were busy," Ayana asked, sensing Nagamine was eager to see them again.

"That's fine. I'll be working late though, so I can't make it today," Nagamine responded, "I have Friday off though. Will that work?"

"That'll be fine, Mayumi" Asagi spoke before Ayana interrupted.

"I'm sorry, I need to let you go. The train will be here soon" Asagi said.

"That's alright, Asagi. I'll see you both on Friday."

"See you on Friday, Mayumi." Asagi replied, before the both of them ended the call.

/

Osaka

Asagi and Ayana stared at the in-train TV as the train sped towards the university campus. It was the standard twelve-o-clock network channel. The newswoman was relaying a story from the week prior. The Japanese government had increased its funding for the Kaiju Analysis Programs Association ,or KAPA, the institution Nagamine was working for. Asagi would've probably worked for KAPA herself, although given her disability she couldn't. That and the difficulty with the EPA made it less of a desirable option. Nagamine didn't want to apply to the institution for that reason, but life wasn't fair to everyone.

As the program continued, it showed footage of a Hyper-Gyaos attack. A flock of the creatures had descended on San Francisco, California last week. The pictures and videos taken showed the helpless populace running for their lives as the flock loomed over them. One of the videos showed a person running for his life. He recorded a video of the attack as it happened. Suddenly the screen showed the inside of a Gyaos' mouth as the guy was promptly eaten. Everyone onboard gasped when they saw it. The program continued showing videos of Gamera as he arrived and decimated the flock. Gamera had healed significantly since his fight with Iris and the Hyper-Gyaos swarm, even his whole right hand had regenerated. The last video showed the 80 meter monster walking away from the ruined city as onlookers gasped in amazement.

The newswoman then brought up that the attack had presumably been caused by the Occult of Gyaos ,a group of religious fanatics who worshipped the monstrous birds. They'd caused numerous Gyaos outbreaks to occur all across the Pacific coastal regions since they were founded ,five years ago. These areas included Japan, America, China, and even parts of Korea and the Philippines.

Because of the depletion of Earth's mana, the Gyaos had become too numerous. Whole nests were being discovered all across the Pacific. But whenever the Gyaos would emerge, Gamera arrived. Just as Asagi knew he would. But the Gyaos were breeding too rapidly. The situation was becoming increasingly more and more desperate as time passed, and Gamera was becoming more and more careless in his efforts to stop them. Although he'd managed to defeat the Gyaos in San Francisco, he'd nearly demolished the whole city, and he showed little care for the lives of those in the city. Nagamine told Asagi of how Gamera had saved her from the Super-Gyaos back in 1995, and a year later Gamera saved Asagi in Hokkaido from the Mother Legion. Even when things began to be desperate Gamera still showed some care for the lives around him. He'd even saved Ayana from Iris. But now he was... different.

Asagi still believed he cared though, but with each passing day, and with every attack, Gamera became more and more reckless. Asagi was even beginning to question whether he still cared for her ,like she did, or if he even remembered her anymore.

But that wasn't the biggest concern on Asagi's mind. The Occult and the Gyaos were becoming bigger with every day. Their attacks were growing more and more vicious, and their ideology more widespread. Something is coming. Asagi thought. All she could do was hope that they would be ready for it when it came.

Somewhere in Japan

Shinagami Nakamura sat reverently and peacefully in the shrine as he meditated. He was connecting with the forces, those ancient ones that have long since passed away, and those few who were still here. As he concentrated, he felt the eggs in the shrine. He and his followers had built it for them underneath the city, where no one could see them. The eggs were warm.

Perfection. He thought as he felt them. Perfection. He chanted as he soaked up the image of the creatures in his mind. Everything about them was perfect to him, their structure, their hostility, their hunger, nothing about them was flawed. They were a perfect species. Nothing could stop them. Nothing... Except for him.

Shinagami was deeper in thought than he usually was. Normally this would not have taken so long as it did, but there was something more to this than there was before. He continued to absorb the heat from the eggs before circulating it back to them. He could feel the invaluable cargo inside stirring, the heat radiating greater than before. They were not fully developed yet, but they would hatch soon. But when they did, he would come for them. The Guardian.

Shinagami was a patient man, and although he prayed for the day he would see the Last Hope fall, he knew there was much to do before that time came. And until it did, he would wait. There was no need to rush. And even if there was nothing to do at that time, he could just return and meditate like he always did.

But that wasn't what was on his mind either. No, not the Guardian, not the Gyaos, not even the work that would come before their advent. No, there was something else... something reaching out to him. Something had been beaconing his attention for many months now. He'd been waiting to see it for months now, and now... he finally got that chance...

"Most high priest, Shinagami." A voice came from the other side of the room. The room was darkly light, there were only candles to provide any sort of lighting. This place was sacred, he did not allow anything less like flashlights or lanterns to come inside.

"Yes." He replied as he turned towards his deacon ,Hikaru.

"We are ready for you, Most high priest." The deacon addressed respectfully.

The others had been patiently awaiting him. While he had wished to dwell on what he was witnessing, he could not ignore his underlings. Besides, there was still much work to do. This was one phase of the plot. An essential phase that would secure their place, and ensure the safety of the precious marvels in the shrine.

In the moments of his long meditation prior to this, he'd been directed somewhere. To something. He did not know what it was, but it was instructing him. It had directed him to look for something in a particular area. He was also to plant some of the Gyaos eggs in that area as well. There they would start the process of awakening what was calling to him. Something is coming. He thought curiously. Again, he did not know what it was, but he knew where it was.

Mt. Mihara...