Freak Weather Patterns Across the Pacific
The Sydney Morning Herald
Yesterday a sudden and unforeseen storm of tremendous proportions ravaged its way across the East Australian Coast. Many towns and cities along the coastline were damaged as the storm system continues to tear its way northwards. Meteorologists are scrambling to study this series of events, as this phenomenon defies normal storm behavior.
Dr. Manning of the Queensland Meteorological Centre at Brisbane responds: "Storms don't just appear out of the blue. They require a specific set of conditions to generate. That is not what we're seeing. According to our data, the storm appears, quite literally, out of nowhere."
Scientists investigating this anomaly believe it to be related to a similar incident on the southwestern coast of South America a week prior, which was not as prominent due to its occurrence in a lightly-populated area that incurred little damage. Meteorologists have observed an anomalous frequency of storm activity along the Pacific, though any connections have yet to be determined with veracity.
According to scattered reports from survivors, strange creatures have been sighted in the wake of this anomalous weather. The government has yet to offer a response to these sightings to focus their efforts on saving lives from the storms.
Lawrence Cohen's Field Diary
Date: January 18, 12:00 PM
Queensland is quite the challenging environment for birdwatching. Australia's fauna are proving to be fearsome obstacles in my search for birds hidden in these lush rainforests. Unfortunately, the harsh climate is equally as dangerous as the animals. The hardened locals, however, are far more amicable.
Upon my return from another day out in the field, I saw a news report at the local tavern about the freak storm. Curious about its effects on the native ecosystems, I decided to investigate the areas affected by its passing.
I arrived at Bransen just a few miles west of Innes Park, where the storm last appeared. I was shocked at the intensity of the damage. Entire sections of the forest were leveled and barren. There were barely any animals I could find. The worst I saw was a road littered with dead animals. It was as if they had no warning.
When I headed to town, the damage was even more devastating. According to the few locals I interviewed, the massive storm tore up the place. Exploring my way through the remains of the town, I found something half-buried under the bricks of a ravaged movie theater. It was a giant red feather. Only it wasn't a feather, but an all too familiar scale.
Quetzalcoatl.
Taking the feather with me, I drove back to Innes Park where I could send a message to Elsie. H.E.A.T. had to be alerted about this. But questions filled my head. Where did this Q come from? How was it connected to the strange weather? Tomorrow I will rendezvous with the H.E.A.T. team at Rossmoore further up the coast and hopefully we can stop Q before it and this strange storm level the rest of Australia.
Date: January 19, 1:45 PM
It's good to see H.E.A.T. again. Elsie's even more beautiful than last we met, and her wit even sharper. Unfortunately our pleasantries were cut short when the storm arrived at Rossmoore. Q had arrived.
This second Quetzalcoatl bears anatomical differences to the individual encountered at Yucatan: the specimen features bright blue plumage on head and wings, as well as a larger array of rectrices and facial caruncles. Based on comparisons with modern birds, standing theory suggests that this is a male of the species.
The Quetzalcoatl's presence this far from Mexico is explained by the second mutation that emerged from the storm clouds: the Sub-Zero Manta Ray. Apparently Elsie had encountered this mutation in the past during her sister Kate's wedding. She assumed it disappeared when Godzilla sent it to the depths of the sea.
Apparently the clashing fire and ice breaths of these two mutations was responsible for the anomalous storms that have been plaguing the southern Pacific Rim. The frequency of these clashes suggests that the two have been locked in combat for days. Based on the damage they have caused, it has become clear that neither is willing to back away until the other is defeated. Left unchecked, they would cause untold damage.
Indeed it happened before my eyes. I watched as the two monsters shatter the sky with their battle. Blazing fires and trails of ice scarred the town from above, threatening the lives of innocents. Then Godzilla rose from the sea to join the conflict. I joined H.E.A.T. in rescuing civilians caught in the crossfire as Godzilla drove the mutations away from town. I accompanied Elsie, fearing a repeat of Mexico. Thankfully that did not come to pass, but that did not stop her from telling me that I was somewhat 'overbearing.'
My later research into recent news reports and volcanic activity from South America suggest that this Quetzalcoatl emerged from the Chilean volcanic zone. I theorize that it crossed paths with the Manta Ray while the latter was flying to Antarctica in search of a colder climate. Perhaps they are battling for control of territory?
Once H.E.A.T. had contacted Major Hicks I shared to them my proposal to use ultrasonic signals to lure the monsters out to sea where they could be handled with the aid of the military. As much as I would love to study this second Quetzalcoatl the damage it and the flying Manta Ray had caused is already too much. Unfortunately for us, the mutations had already taken their three-way battle to Brisbane.
Date: January 19, 9:00 PM
This was the most intense day of birdwatching in my career, beating the Mexico ordeal by a country mile.
The storm that loomed over the city made the operation incredibly difficult to execute. I've worked in the face of heavy rains and strong winds, but this was something else entirely. The monsters' battle must've been reaching critical mass if the storm had grown this intense. The frequency of lightning strikes and tornadoes was like nothing I've ever seen. It was extremely dangerous flying in these conditions, but we had to risk it in order to draw the raging creatures' attention. While we relied on Ms. Dupre's expert piloting skills to keep us airborne, I worked with Drs. Tatopoulos and Craven in using his Sonic Signaler on the monsters. The experience was harrowing, but thanks to Godzilla giving us some cover fire we managed to stay out of their reach.
Once the mutations were lured out of the storm we corralled them into Major Hicks' fleet, and with our combined efforts the two mutations were finally blown out of the sky. The Major's fleet also consisted of two capture crews that would take them to Monster Island to be contained. I had heard only rumors of the place, so I was not surprised to learn that they were true.
As I watched the helicopters and submarines affix their nets on the unconscious mutations, the Major approached me for a proposition. He said he was offering me a position to join the research division on Monster Island. Evidently my ornithological expertise would be useful in containing Quetzalcoatl. It was so sudden. I would either decline and continue on my globe-trekking research, or take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study one of the rarest and most unique avians on the planet. I missed my chance to do this in Mexico, I wouldn't let it slip now.
Elsie made no effort to hide her opinion. She was far from excited about the prospect of seeing me the next time H.E.A.T. visits Monster Island, nor the idea of letting me near another bird mutation. But I've known her long enough to tell what she's hiding behind her biting words. She was concerned for my safety, and she had every right to be. The last time we met I almost got myself killed for the sake of my own research, and I even dove headfirst into a volcanic crater filled with hungry mutant birds just to save her. But I told her that I wasn't the same Lawrence in Mexico, that I've changed, and that I can do this. She sighed and said that I didn't change too much, but she was willing to let me prove myself. She gave me a hug for good luck before departing.
Next stop, Monster Island.
A/N: I ain't dead, I was in pyrostasis. Quetzalcoatl and the Sub-Zero Manta Ray were two of my favorite mutations in the show, so I wanted to have them do a sky battle. The Manta Ray won't be the only returning episodic enemy monster, but he was the easiest to bring back. The other monsters, well, I might have to do some retconning.