Fondness and Fatalities
The next day, Reina looked down from Tokyo Tower with the military, scanning the city for any sign of Hedorah or Godzilla. Her intense glare was noticed by Emi. "Is Reina-chan OK?", she asked. "We're still grieving", said Takuya, "No sign of Junko has been found yet. Any news on Dr. Forester?" "He's dead, Takuya", said Emi, "Ohashi too, and it gets worse. The Americans want most of the city evacuated for their bombing run when Hedorah shows his ugly mug". "What about Godzilla?", asked Takuya. "He'll be here", said Reina, "He won't resist a challenge like Hedorah". Just then, they heard the radar ping. "That must be him", said Reina coldly. Just then, Hedorah landed in the middle of the city! His many eyes scanned the area before he sprayed acidic mist from his tubes! At once, missiles flew through the air and exploded against the acidic smog! "No good", said one of the soldiers, "He's using the smog to block all of our attacks!"
Hedorah hissed as jet fighters flew through his smog and fired bullets at him! He opened eyes all over his body and fired lasers from then, blowing up the jets and taking out the tops of several buildings as he moved toward the famous Shibuya Scramble! There, several tanks and M270 MLRS' fired on the beast, who simply crushed them under foot! Suddenly, Hedorah's tubes expanded before spraying black sludge all over Shibuya. Just then, the sludge bubbled before several, smaller Hedorahs, each about 50-feet tall, crawled out of it. They began to attack the soldiers as they fired their guns, tearing them apart and growing larger!
"He's reproducing", said Takuya in horror. Hedorah looked down as his children grew to about 80-feet and began smashing parts of Shibuya. Just then, as one was climbing up the Shibuya 109 Building, a blast of atomic breath blew it apart!
Cue Song: Battle in Outer Space by Akira Ifukube
Hedorah looked to see Godzilla enter the city, roaring with all of his might! His dorsal plates lit up before he fired another blast of atomic breath, frying some of Hedorah's children! He then fired at Hedorah, only for his acidic mist to disperse the attack, sending beams into several buildings and causing them to explode! Godzilla snarled as he charged at Hedorah, only for the beast to turn to liquid and dodge Godzilla's claw slash! He then hit Godzilla with his own claws before knocking him back with his tail! Godzilla growled as the smaller Hedorahs attacked! He swatted some aside with his claws and tail, only for hundreds of them to climb onto his back! Undeterred, Godzilla charged up his dorsal plates and fired several beams from them, burning the Hedorahs away and slicing into the tops of several buildings! Just then, Hedorah turned to liquid and slammed Godzilla through several buildings before lifting him above his head and tossing him into the Tokyo Mode Gakuen building! Then, he opened eyes on his chest and the palms of his hands and began firing lasers at Godzilla! Hedorah and his children laughed as Godzilla writhed in pain.
Suddenly, B-2 Spirit bombers flying overhead dropped their payloads, blowing parts of the district and distracting Hedorah! Then, jet fighters flew in and fired missiles at the beast! Hedorah let out an angry roar before more eyes appeared on his skin! He looked to the sky and fired his lasers, shooting down the bombers, while some of his children flew into the air to take down the jet fighters! What none of them realized was that Godzilla had sent atomic energy into his tail, and as he stood up, he whipped his tail at Hedorah sending out a purple beam that sliced the creature's right arm and eye off! Godzilla let out a mighty roar before charging back into battle against Hedorah's children and attacking helicopters that fired missiles at him!
Meanwhile, in the Minato district, a very much alive Junko was watching the battle with a sad, cold expression. She spent all night at the refugee camp searching for Reina to no avail. She had given up hope as Godzilla fired multiple beams from his back that streaked across the sky. Just then, she caught sight of the military strategising on TV and saw someone in the background. She leaned in closer and saw Reina, glaring intensely at the ensuing carnage of the battle! She ran out of the tent and looked around to see a reporter covering the battle. "Excuse me", Junko said desperately, "I need to say something".
"Reina-chan, look at this", said Emi. Reina turned to see Junko holding a microphone on the news. "Reina, I'm alive", she stated nervously, "I know things are crazy right now, but if you can do it, find me at the Minato refugee camp. I'll be waiting...and I love you". Reina stood in silence, a single tear being the only sign of emotion on her face. "GET DOWN!", cried a soldier as a piece of Hedorah's child splashed against the glass windows of the observation deck! "If you're going to save her, you only have one chance", said Takuya as he took the keys for a Humvee, "I'll drive you there now". "If you're going to do that", said a soldier, "best to do it with all haste".
Godzilla snarled as two of Hedorah's children flew at him. He grabbed both of them and slammed them into the ground, splattering them all over the place! Just then, another Hedorah slammed into Godzilla, holding onto him as it transformed into a bladed arm that tried stabbing him! Godzilla grabbed the blade and snapped it before taking the Hedorah and bashing it against its siblings as they flew at him! Godzilla then noticed sludge flooding the area before it receded like a tide, knocking him down! The sludge turned back to Hedorah, who turned his left arm into a tentacle and used it to throw Godzilla into a building! Godzilla snarled as Hedorah charged over. He tackled the slimy beast and slammed him into the ground! Hedorah kicked Godzilla away before opening eyes on his hand and shoulder and firing lasers at him! Godzilla roared before he readied his tail for attack. As Hedorah aimed at it, Godzilla struck, stabbing his claws into Hedorah's left eye! Another eye grew above the wound and fired a laser, forcing Godzilla back! The wound bubbled and sealed shut as Hedorah hissed with rage. Just then, both of them were hit by tank shells and more bombs! As the two monsters grappled with each other, their tails slammed into the tanks, blowing them up! Hedorah then opened multiple eyes on his chest and fired lasers at Godzilla, knocking him back! He then fired more lasers as several jet fighters flew past!
One of the jets cashed into a building as the Humvee drove past! "Damn", Takuya exclaimed, "Their getting closer!" Indeed, Hedorah and Godzilla's fight was getting closer to the Minato district by the minute, much to Reina's panic. Helicopters flew in to shoot at Hedorah's children as one of the 80-foot monsters caught sight of the Humvee. It growled and began to chase it. "We've got company", said Takuya as the beast ran after them. Reina took off her seatbelt and climbed up to the gunner's chair , ready to attack the beast. She aimed the machine gun and fired, blowing out one of the creature's eyes as it fell over! She then shot down two more flying Hedorahs! "Nice shooting, Reina-chan", cheered Takuya, "We're almost there!"
Cue Song: Stand My Ground by Within Temptation
Hedorah's fingers grew into blades before he extended them like whips into Godzilla's chest, causing him to roar in pain! He then tossed Godzilla through several buildings as the JSDF fired upon them! Hedorah opened eyes all over his body and fired lasers in every direction, hitting Godzilla, the jets, and the top of Tokyo Tower, which crashed onto several other buildings! "Time to get out of here", said Emi as she and the soldiers ran out of the observation deck. Godzilla snarled as he was set upon by Hedorah's children. He fired his atomic breath, taking out some of them! He swatted some aside with his tail before stomping on some more with his clawed feet! But then, Hedorah's hand enlarged and slammed down onto Godzilla, knocking him down! He held the radioactive dragon down as his children began to crawl all over him! But then, Godzilla fired his atomic breath at Hedorah's wounded eye, forcing the creature back! Then, he got up and slammed against him, knocking him onto two buildings! Then, he sent out another tail slash, cutting apart Hedorah and his children!
Junko stood at the edge of the refugee camp, keeping an eye open for Reina. Just then, she caught sight of a Humvee heading towards the camp. She saw Reina waving wildly from the top of it and smiled. Just then, the buildings between the Humvee collapsed, trapping them behind debris! Junko immediately ran out of the camp and into the battle field. As she dug through the rubble, Godzilla was overtaken by the smaller Hedorahs!
As she dug through the rubble, Takuya was pulled clear of it. "Where's Reina?", asked a panicked Junko. "She's still under there", said Takuya as Reina pulled away more debris. She and Takuya pulled the rubble away to find Reina lying facedown in the seats of the Humvee, the side of her head bleeding. "No", said Junko softly. She picked up Reina and brushed her hair aside to look at her face. Just then, the felt the ground shake as Hedorah strode towards them. At that moment, Reina awoke. "You're alive!", cried Junko as she embraced her. "Not for long", said Reina, "I need to tell you something I should have done at the park". "What? What is it?", Junko asked, not even looking at the approaching Hedorah. "I love you", Reina said. "I love you, too", said Junko.
At that moment, the smaller Hedorahs began to shrivel and rot. Then, a white flash filled the air as Godzilla got up and roared! Hedorah turned to see Godzilla, with his dorsal plates burning white, firing his atomic breath, reducing his children to cinders! Hedorah roared in grief and attack, only for Godzilla to slash him with his claws! Hedorah held his dried wounds as he sprayed his acidic mist throughout the area! Godzilla wasn't deterred and hit the creature with his tail before firing his white hot atomic breath! Hedorah shrieked in pain as his liquid body solidified! As soon as Godzilla stopped firing his atomic breath and his energy went down, Hedorah was completely dried out! Godzilla roared in victory before turning away, his long tail shattering Hedorah's dry body.
"He just used his own radiation against him", said Takuya. "Fuck yeah, he did", smiled Reina. Just then, Godzilla turned towards them! Junko grabbed a nearby handgun and aimed it at the monster. Godzilla snorted. Then, he turned away. He walked out of the battlefield, smashing every building that stood between him and the ocean. "Why did he just turn away?", asked Takuya. "Maybe", said Junko, "Because inside all of us, there lies the capacity for destruction equal to Godzilla's".
Cue Song: Fallen Angel by AmaLee ft. Lollia
Several weeks later, after many cleanings to stave off radiation sickness, Junko and Reina walked together into a cemetery on a hill by the sea, paying their respects to people killed both by Godzilla and Hedorah. They did this until they arrived at their destination, a single headstone with the name "Koizumi Yagi" on it. "I can't believe we have to be here", Reina huffed. "I know", sighed Junko, "But he is my father". She laid down a bouquet of white lilies on the headstone and stepped back. "Even after what he did", said Junko, "He deserved better than Godzilla". Reina didn't forgive Yagi, but even she agreed. "So, what happens now?", she asked. "If you're up for it", said Junko, "We could...make more art". "Why would I do that when I already have a masterpiece in front of my eyes?", asked Reina. Junko blushed and looked away, only for Reina to turn her face toward her and kiss her. They stayed like that for next few minutes.
Emi looked over the mural with Takuya before looking over her notes. "So, what do we know?", she asked. "This mural tells us nothing about Godzilla other than what we already know", said Takuya, "So long as humanity is capable of great evil, Godzilla will always try to destroy us". "What about something like Hedorah", asked Emi, "After he defeated him, he left without further conflict". "Well", said Takuya as he looked out the window and stared at Tokyo Bay, "I suppose that the only way to defeat a monster is another monster. Now, we'll just have to wait and see if Godzilla has any further conflict with humanity".
Cue Song: Godzilla March by Michiru Oshima
Out at sea, Godzilla burned some spilled oil with his atomic breath before letting out a tremendous roar! He then dove under the water, seeking to destroy any sources of pollution he missed, knowing that another Hedorah could be made again. As he blasted apart a sunken oil tanker, a small, tadpole-like creature skimmed the fallen oil drums, hoping for something to eat. As another ship passed, Godzilla surfaced and let out a mighty ROARRRR!
And yet, another one?