opia:the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye
One Year Ago
"You called me, Mom?" asked Arthur, as he floated over to where his mother was. Another woman was present; she had many tentacles in place of legs and long not-quite-hair that seemed to float about with the waves.
"I'm glad you came." said Atlanna, with a warm smile. "Karathen and I have been wanting to tell you a secret. Can you keep it?"
"Of course I can, and wait, that's Karathen?" said Arthur, sending a puzzled look at the other two.
The tentacled woman curtsied, and said "Yes, my king. I thought you would be surprised, considering this is the first time you've seen my other form." She then snagged a passing fish with one of her tentacles and gobbled it up.
"Well, this is...new." Arthur said.
Karathen smiled. "If that's new, there's more. I'm not the only one out there that can shape-shift. In fact, all of us can."
"Whaddaya mean by, all of us?" Arthur asked, even more puzzled.
"I'm a Titan." exclaimed the creature-turned-woman. "To be more precise, I am a Titanus Taniwha, one of the weaker subspecies. Karathen is only what I am known to the Atlanteans, I have two more names, as all Titans do. I am known as Kanase to those close to me, and Waterwrath to other Titans."
Atlanna took Arthur's hands, then directed him towards some walls. "My son, the time has come for you to know."
Arthur looked at the pictures on the walls, and his eyes went wide in awe.
"So that's all you know, right?" Barry asked.
"Yes. Mom and Karathen told me everything. Ages ago, Ghidorah fell from the stars. At first everyone thought he was just trying to find a new home but no, he wanted to destroy ours...Godzilla was in his way though. The two fought, and Ghidorah got his ass handed to him. But instead of being humiliated, he felt...fascinated by all that raw power. Soon enough, that turned into a lustful obsession."
"Great, so he's a yandere AND an invasive species..." Barry grumbled.
"We had to imprison him in Gaia's Frozen Heart after he destroyed Godzilla's eggs." said a new voice, making everyone turn their heads.
Bruce introduced several people who Vivienne brought. "Everyone, meet Dr. Ilene Chen, Dr. Mark Russell, Dr. Rick Stanton, and Helios, Titanus Goliger. I assume you already know Firestorm?"
"Hola, Superman." said the heroine Firestorm, a Hispanic woman, extending a hand to Clark. "Nice to meet you. Call me Zakita, by the way."
"I'm Clark." said the Kryptonian as he and Zakita shook hands.
"Listen, Clark, I'm just as guilty about this whole mess as you are. Ghidorah can mind-control Titans with a special Song, and...and my brother, mi hermano, fell victim to it. I couldn't save him." Zakita spoke.
"Your brother?" Clark asked.
"I am a Titanus Volca." said Zakita. "This is only my human form, all Titans are capable of shapeshifting. Helios here is mi amor, my courting mate, the Titan equivalent to a boyfriend."
"Wow!" said Barry.
"Calm down." Victor shushed him.
"Thanks for the efforts." said Mark as he came over. "You see, the boy you failed to save was my honorary nephew. He's practically a son to me. I know you tried, but..."
"I'm sorry." said Clark.
"Don't worry, we'll find him, no matter what." Diana promised.
"Ghidorah wants Godzilla for his power as the Chosen of Mother Gaia...that meant as long as Godzilla was strong enough, he could block Ghidorah's Song from others who were loyal to him." Helios told everyone.
"Wait. Mother Gaia...Chosen...you mean that crap Emma was talking about was true?" yelled Mark.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Helios.
"Emma was saying that when we took Mordred in, there was this weird birthmark on his back...a fox with nine tails surrounding a crown was a sign that Mordred is supposed to take over..." Mark stops as Helios went white.
"Where is he?" Helios growled.
"Ghidorah took him." said Arthur.
"Show me the Muto!" Helios demanded, turning to Rick.
Rick nodded, pulling up the video feed of Maya. Helios wanted to throw up as he watches Maya follow Ghidorah, "Dear Mother Gaia..."
"No matter how much Ghidorah wants, he can't have the power that Godzilla has...unlike him if Godzilla calls, those who are loyal to him will answer his call...even those who are albino or have a mutation, we will listen. That is why Ghidorah wants Godzilla, but Godzilla has a protection around his mind but as long as he has enough Gaia's Gift in him...you already weaken him enough to allow those without mutations to fall into Ghidorah's Song...but if Ghidorah could get Godzilla weak enough to get into his mind...he can use Godzilla to take over those with mutations...we never thought that he would escape Gaia's Frozen Heart." Zakita growled, quaking with anger.
"But what does that have to do with Mordred?" asked Mark.
"Everything!" Helios growled, turning to them, "This Mordred is the next King! The one who will take over Godzilla after he either dies or retires! He is planning on doing a Forced Rite Of Rebirth!" he grips his hair tightly, "A Rite Of Rebirth is how we Titans adopt orphaned Titans and human..it turns the child into the same species as their new parent and gives humans a Core to absorb Gaia's Gift but a Forced Rite is bad especially if it's a human! The human won't have time to get use of Gaia's Gift and the process will rapidly force a Core in them but their body will fight the change as well which in turn will drain the parent who is going to lay the egg! That will give Ghidorah the chance to get into the King's head while also getting the next King to follow in his footsteps!"
"Don't worry." said Mark. "Even if it happens, I'm sure that he'll be fine."
"How are you sure?" Zakita asked.
"You know, when we first met Mordred in Hawaii, he was washed up on a beach. He told me he was from below the sea, so he's special." Mark explained.
"He's Atlantean..." Arthur muttered.
"Hope you don't mind me asking this..but are you from Infant Island?" Helios asked Dr. Chen.
Dr. Chen nodded her head, "Yes. I'm a third generation of Monarch. it runs in the family."
"Do you have a twin sister?"
Mark eyed him, wary a bit as Chen nodded before Helios laughs loudly, "Then you, miss, are going to be very important."
"Why?" asked Dr. Chen.
"Because once Mothra hatches, you will probably be the only person here who will be able to calm her down because she is going to be pissed."
Orange eyes slowly blinks open...taking deep breaths, Godzilla tries his hardest to get as much air as he could in him, "Damn those humans...what did they hit me with…" his whole body trembles as he shakily sits up. To his horror he doesn't recognize the place he was in, a cavern. He looks around and his eyes widen at the sight of his pup..his heiress sleeping in another pile of pillows, blankets and Heat Stones surrounded by metal posts.
He goes to sit up but he then growls in anger. Not only was he in human form but he had Dorien Chains on him. They were black with a heavy purple aura, clinging to his wrists and legs..these chains were to not only drain a Titan from using Gaia's Gift but to keep them in their human forms. He then blinked to see that damned parasite petting a young human, right in front of him.
"Well, my dear Broken Prince, I like you to meet our new hatchling." he heard Ichi say.
"I thought you hated humans. Thought they were beneath you and now you want to adopt one?" asked the Gojira.
Ghidorah simply chuckled. "Well, my dear, this human is far more superior than those worms. Just watch, my dear Prince." With that, he brought the hand that was petting the child, and lightning came upon it. He brought it towards his arm. For a second, Godzilla thought he was harming the child but instead of getting electrocuted, the child simply absorbed all the lightning.
"See, my Broken Prince? This child is special. He has the gift of absorbing Gaia's Gift into her body. It's just like last time!" Ghidorah laughed maniacally.
Godzilla could hear Kevin giggle lustfully. "I must say...you even look more beautiful after all these years..and there's even more of you to hold now," all three personalities huffed lustfully grabbing Godzilla's side tightly, holding the round flesh in his golden talons, "So much flesh to bite into, more blood to drink...I miss your blood all these years in Gaia's Frozen Heart..I could hear it singing to me for so long..it was making me go crazy," Ghidorah's three tongues licked Godzilla's face, making him shudder in disgust.
"But, alas, as much as we'd love to do it with you, we can't have you pregnant before the Rite, now, can we?"
Godzilla's eyes widened at that...and looked to the pup. "No..for Gaia's and Hadnatos's sake no! That is..." he wanted to gag, no, throw up. "A forced Rite?! Are you mad! That is one of the most forbidden things you can do! Especially to the child! He will die from something like that!"
Ghidorah laughs, "Oh, he won't die and it won't be forced! I mean we are making his wish come true..we are giving him the family he lost! You'll be his new mother..." He then turned to the child, then began to speak. "You see, hatchling, when we do the Rite, me and the Broken Prince will fill you with Gaia's Gift or radiation as the worms call it, which afterwards you will be put into a Muto's Sac and then mama here," he pinched Godzilla's cheek, "Will swallow it, putting you into his egg chamber. The sac will turn into an egg and you will become our hatchling...a rebirth for you into your new life as a God! Now, my Broken Prince, I have to get supplies to make sure our son has a more comfortable settling in. You two try to get along~" he finally said as he exited the cave.
"You OK? Sorry about this...you shouldn't have to deal with Ghidorah's crap." said Godzilla as he looked to the child.
"It's not your fault." said the young one.
"But it is! If just destroyed that bastard instead of putting him on ice, then this would have never happened!" He stood up, the chains clinking and clanking as he moved.
"I'm Mordred. Mordred Russell. Who are you?" asked the young one, innocence in his big round eyes.
"I am known as Goji to those close to me, and Blazeheart to other Titans. But I believe you humans call me Godzilla."
Black boots skidded on the snow as blue eyes stared at the giant snake who was now hissing at him. "Dammit, Manda! What has gotten into you?! Is it because I ate the last chocolate? I promise you, I'll get you some more when I go to the market."
He stared into his pink eyes...wait, pink? Manda's eyes were supposed to be yellow!
His eyes widened when the Northern Sea Serpent was about to strike when the beating of wings was heard. A giant moth with colorful wings landed, pinning the snake down to the ground then a blue essence flowed from him into Manda, clearing the fog in his head. "Are you OK, Naoki?" he asked.
"Dad...thank god." sighed the boy, now identified as Naoki.
"Oh Mother Gaia, Naoki, I'm so sorry!" said the Sea Serpent as he transformed into his human form to embrace his metahuman brother. Manda's human form wore a light blue tunic lined with icy blue jewels.
A burst of light, and the Gariki, whose name was Kazari, turned human as well. He wore a blue-tinged white yukata, with colorful patterns on the sleeves, reminiscent of his wings. "A parasite that should have never awakened has taken control." he spoke. "Somehow he has beaten my brother-in-law as King...and is now playing his hypnotic Song to control the rest of the Titans."
Naoki growled, his eyes flashing a bright white. "Now, now, calm down." said Kazari as he soothed him. "You know Argus is going to call you and Manda anytime soon. Just promise me you'll be safe."
"I promise, dad." Naoki nodded.
Faora Hu-Ul was going out for a walk, ever since she forced her way out of the Phantom Zone three weeks ago at the cost of the lives of everyone who went in with her, she now had to deal with living on Earth as well as getting used to her powers. She turned her eyes to Mt. Darkfire, which was still spewing out blue lava. She remembered the two creatures that had appeared some time ago, the one with big red scales breaking the volcano apart to attack what look like a younger one with black scales and feathers made of shadows. What was different was that the younger one had two heads and had cried out in what sounded like confusion, hurt and betrayal as the older one ripped into his wing, before it disappeared into the shadows. Faora couldn't help but hope the younger one was fine, she might be a hardened warrior but she had a soft spot for children.
She took off and jetted off towards the volcano at full speed, eyeing a trail of purple blood on the ground. What she didn't expect to find when she followed the trail was to see a young, dark-skinned girl in what looked like tribal clothes and armor, crying tears of lava as she held up her right wing which had a large slash in it. Coming from her stomach was a shadow-like bird's head which was crying shadowy tears.
"Why did Mama attack us? Does Mama hate us now?"
"Lirio, no, Mama doesn't hate us. remember what Tia Zakita said? It's the parasite...he took Mama...made him attack us..."
"But I want Mama, Airisu...I want Mama.." cried the shadow.
"I know...so do I...we just got to hope that this mad banquet of darkness soon fades away," said the girl, then noticed someone's presence. Frightened, the shadow quickly vanished.
"It's fine, I'm not going to hurt you." said Faora. "People around this place know me as Yuno, but my real name is Faora. What's yours?"
"Airisu." said the girl. "That shadow you saw was my sister and other half Lirio. She hides in my body when I'm out in the open or when she's scared. Most people know me as Iris West, and they don't know who I really am."
"Alright then, Airisu, let's take you to the hospital, shall I?" asked Faora.
"No." Airisu said. "We'll be fine. We'll heal on our own..." She winced in pain.
Faora sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought.
The name of Iris's second head, Lirio, means iris (flower) in Spanish, and Hadnatos is Mother Gaia's twin brother.
Kevin is what most everyone call Ghidorah's left head, the middle and right heads, Ichi and Ni, retain their names.