Ok so I had to look this up. Taylor and Hayley's parents' names are Ford and Brina Travis. I'll be using that for them from this point on.
Hayley paced the deck, her face growing more nervous as Adrian and Taylor explained everything that had happened while she was on Infant Island. Once they had finished, she remained silent, but her face showed she had become very afriad.
Taylor attempted to comfort her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hayley, I know this may be a lot, but-"
Hayley pulled her shoulder away, glaring at him. "You were supposed to protect him!"
Taylor put his hands up defensively. "How was I supposed to know that he was gonna get snatched out of the air by the Sisters!?"
"Yeah, we've been dealing with a lot right now!" Adrian added, "Did you not hear our story? We literally had to face a plant monster and a Titan that may as well have come from hell!"
Hayley looked between Adrian and Taylor, struggling to say something before Mei suddenly stepped in. "Ok, that's enough. Look, I get it, we messed up. But don't take your anger out on us just yet. We can still track Boy and rescue him before anything happens. I know you care about him, Hayley, but sitting here and yelling at us isn't going to help anything. So can we please just all calm down and figure something out?"
Hayley knew Mei was right and seemed to calm down, though her eyes were still tearing up. Taylor put a hand on her shoulder.
"Listen to them, Hayley." Miana said, "While this is a problem, there is still hope." She glanced up at the sky as she said this to see the falling meteor-like object Gypsy had noticed earlier. Thanks to Mothra's senses, she knew exactly what it was. However, her eyes suddenly flitted to see another creature that was much closer; the Gyaos that had followed Gypsy from the canyon. Mothra also noticed this too, and the others on the helipad were startled as Mothra suddenly turned away, letting out her cry before her eyes and antenna flared blue. The Kaiju Sister riding the Gyaos saw this and turned the creature to attempt to escape, but it was too late. A split second later, a blue beam of energy fired from Mothra's antenna, striking the creature in the chest and sending it and its rider hurtling to the ground.
While Adrian was surprised, he noticed the blue beam was slightly similar to what he saw Godzilla use in the fight against Biollante. While it was less intense, it still seemed very powerful. Did both creatures draw power from a shared energy source? He would have to ponder this more later.
"Uh, what was that?" Mei asked.
"We were being watched" Miana replied, "It is handled now."
Suddenly, Madison burst out onto the pad, a bit out of breath as she ran the whole way.
"Hate to break up the reunion" she panted, "But Hana wants you four in the control room."
...
In the control room, Hana bent over the main table in the center of the room, her head buried in her hands from the stress as the table projected a holographic map of the continent. Various multicolored dots littered the map as well. After a few moments, Adrian, Mei, Hayley, and Taylor entered, Madison and the Mothra Twins followed after them. Hayley immediately looked at Hana with worry.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
Hana looked up at the four of them, her face a mixture of worry, shock, and maybe a few other things. "I'm...not sure. Everything is starting to get out of hand. First the Titans around the Black begin to wake up, then Godzilla shows up, then Kong. Now Mechagodzilla and Gigan have become sentient and have disappeared to who knows where, and the kaiju boy has been stolen!"
"We have Mothra now" Maina advised, "There is hope!"
"Not only that." Miana added, pointing to a monitor showing the meteor, "The third Alpha approaches. He will be here soon."
Hana glanced at the monitor. "Another Alpha Titan...?"
"Wait, third alpha?" Adrian interceded, "I thought Kong and the Big G were the only ones."
"No" Hayley responded, "I saw a cave painting of it on Mothra's island. There's a third Alpha; some kind of giant turtle."
"A turtle?"
"Don't ask."
"That's not the only thing we've seen coming from orbit." Hana explained, typing a few coordinates on the holo-table, which moved up to show another object currently in orbit. "We've found this...odd cluster of what we can only describe as crystals hovering near where Apex Cybernetics used to experiment with Hollow Earth energy in secret. It should have been pulled in by Earth's gravity a long time ago, but it's still up there, meaning whatever it is...it's alive."
"Eerie." Taylor shuddered, wondering what the crystals could possibly be hiding inside. He didn't wonder long as Mei interrupted them. "Yeah, weird, now can we focus on what's important right now? Boy seems to be the key to whatever the Sisters are planning, at least that's what I inferred from Shane. If we get him back, we'll likely hold the Sisters back and buy ourselves some more time."
"And how do you suggest we find him?" Hana asked, now more curious than worried.
Maina spoke up. "Mothra can find him. She made a connection with Hayley and is able to sense where the boy is as her connection with him is strong as well."
"I also happen to know where the Sisters' main hideout is" Mei added, "I've been there a few times back when I worked for Shane."
"That could also work" Taylor replied, "but I have another idea. There's only one other who could potentially track him down as well as give us a bit more muscle. Apex."
Adrian looked confused. "Who?"
"Apex" Hana explained "A Jaeger with a complete mind of it's own as well as a slight fusion with Kaiju DNA, making it a sort of bio-mech. You really think he would help?"
"Hayley and I have met Apex before. It and Boy seem to share a neurological connection with each other. If anyone could help get Boy back, it's Apex."
"Then we need to find Apex." Adrian agreed.
"Not you two" Hana said to Adrian and Mei, "You've already been in Gypsy for a while. We can't risk the strain the Drift will have on your minds for so long. You two rest. Taylor and Hayley, Take Atlas Destroyer. It's been refitted while you were gone, Hayley, so you'll be able to put up a decent fight now. Moguera will join you for backup."
"Thank you." Taylor said with a nod before turning to leave. Hayley shortly followed before Hana suddenly stopped them.
"Both of you..." she said, her voice still carrying a hint of warning, "Be careful."
Hayley gave Hana a smile in an attempt to reassure her. "We'll be fine. Don't worry."
Hana turned to the other two pilots as the siblings left. "You two get some rest. We'll keep you updated."
Mei nodded her thanks before the two left, neither one saying a word. Hana saw it coming, she could tell that both of them knew the gravity of the situation and wanted to fight, but Hana knew they needed to rest if they were to be at peak condition for when the real fight came...
...
Minutes later, Atlas and Moguera, still in robot form, trudged across the desert as they approached Apex's last known location: a Kaiju graveyard in the middle of a wide canyon.
"You kids doing ok over there?" Ford asked over the coms.
Hayley rolled her eyes in amusement. "Dad, that's the fifth time you've asked. We're fine."
"Hey, I'm just wondering. It's amazing how well you two seem to pilot that thing."
"It took some practice." Taylor admitted, "but we're doing better now. Though personally, I'm curious to see how Professor Otaki's upgrades will hold up on this."
Taylor and Hayley had been briefed on the upgrades before they left. Atlas now packed a heavy plasma cannon on it's standard arm. As for the arm Apex had given it, that had been left untouched as the chain whip was a useful weapon on its own.
"I think we'll be finding out soon." Brina said as Moguera stopped and pointed out ahead of it. Atlas followed its gaze to the the canyon right ahead. Kajiu corpses in various states of decay littered the canyon floor. Both teams had seen this before, but they couldn't deny it was still very disturbing to see.
"Well, looks like Apex has been staying here for some time." Brina continued, "We should be careful."
The two Jaegers cautiously descended into the canyon below, looking at what was left of the kaiju around them.
"I don't get it" Hayley said, "Apex kills kaiju to consume them. Why would he leave so many bodies like this?"
"Maybe he wanted leftovers?" Ford suggested.
"Ew, really, Dad?" Hayley cringed.
Ford's laughter came over the coms before Brina spoke up. "Yeah, he really hasn't changed much in the humor department."
The four shared a brief laugh. It reminded them of the days before the Black, how close they were then. Things would have been nicer if the war hadn't happened...
Suddenly, Atlas's radar alerted them to something up ahead. The two mechs stopped, looking out to see a red, humanoid figure crouched over one of the kaiju's corpses: Apex. It had to be.
"Ok, kids, let's take this easy." Ford said.
"Relax, Dad" Taylor said as Atlas stepped forward, "We've met Apex before, he won't hurt us."
"Be careful" Brina warned.
As Atlas got closer, Apex became aware of their presence, turning around to see them and standing up. Seeing the arm, it immediately recognized it as the same Jaeger it had helped earlier. The same one it's friend was with. As soon as Atlas got close, it motioned for the Jaeger to stop before sending a blue beam of light from it's eyes, connecting it with Atlas and adding itself to the pilots' Drift. Hayley and Taylor expected this. What they did not expect was for Apex to suddenly speak in their minds.
"I remember you two." his voice came out deep but clear.
Taylor gasped, "Wait, you can talk?!"
"In a way. I use this connection to speak with you. you are the ones who found my little friend. I was-oh, I see what the problem is."
"That's actually why we're here" Hayley added, "As you probably saw from our memories, he's been taken. We need your help rescuing him."
There was silence between the two, and Moguera considered intervening, when Apex suddenly smacked his fist into his open palm in a fighting gesture. "I will fight."
Elated, Hayley spoke to her parents over the coms. "He wants to help us!"
Apex continued. "I have made some friends as well."
This caught Taylor off guard. "Wait, what friends?"
Before Apex could answer, a kaiju's roar echoed out, and the three turned to see a Copperhead charging toward the cliffs. Two Quetzacoatlus kaiju flanked it, flying just above it. They were moving incredibly fast, but it seemed as if they were running from something.
"Those your friends?" Taylor asked.
Apex looked tense. "No."
Suddenly, a red colored blast exploded behind the three kaiju, sending the Copperhead tumbling down the cliff. The Quetzacoatlus dodged the blast, only for two sets of barbed grappling hooks to wrap around their wings, throwing them to the ground.
Apex seemed to tense, but then relaxed again. "But they are."
Just then, a very familiar mechanized roar sounded out, and the smoke from the blast cleared to reveal Mechagodzilla and Gigan standing there, weapons ready. Gigan especially seemed to be dragging his arm blades across each other, sharpening them with malicious intent.
"What are they doing here!?" Hayley gasped.
"Better question," Brina said, "Is how the hell did Apex befriend them?"
"They're living machines" Taylor theorized, "Mechagodzilla and Gigan must see Apex as one of their own."
The two mechs watched as Gigan and Mechagodzilla jumped down the cliff, approaching Apex, who nodded in acknowledgement before turning to see the three kaiju, who were recovering from the blows. All three could see they had been backed into a corner; no other choice but to fight. The kaiju turned to face Apex and the others, roaring in challenge.
Atlas and Moguera raise their weapons in response, knowing a fight was coming. The two Quetzacoatlus kaiju were the first to strike, leaping into the air before going into a dive. Atlas rushed first, taking one of the kaiju head on and grappling it into a wall as it dove. Gigan immediately went for the second one, swinging one of his blades across the kaiju's path, only narrowly missing its face and causing it to slam into him. The Quetzacoatlus took this opportunity to pin Gigan to the ground, attempting to peck the Titan's face. Gigan dodged the first few strikes, provoking the kaiju to try and impale Gigan's chest with its beak...which turned out to be a really terrible idea.
As the kaiju beak dove forward, the sound of a buzzsaw could suddenly be heard before the sickening slicing noise of Gigan chest saw cutting through the kaiju's face soon followed. The kaiju tried to pull it's head back, but Gigan grabbed it with his tail, forcing its face all the way down the saw, splitting it's head and killing it. Moguera, having gotten caught in a wrestling match with the Copperhead, managed a glance over as Apex distracted it. Both Brina and Ford watched Gigan stand up, his chest spattered with kaiju blood as he looked down at the corpse, emitting a sound that almost sounded akin to laughter, as if he enjoyed his kill.
Suddenly, the Copperhead bashed Apex out of the way, though it was very much wounded, and body slammed right into Moguera. Though pinned to the ground, Moguera was only to hold the kaiju back with its drill hands, stabbing them into the kaju's torso, with only seemed to anger it more. Copperhead began to repeatedly bash Moguera's head, only for Mechagodzilla to grab its arm after the first few swings and drag it away from the mech. Meanwhile, Atlas grappled with the Quetzacoatlus for a few minutes before Taylor activated the wrist cannon on Atlas's arm. Though not really aiming, Atlas raised its arm and first, blowing a hole through the kaiju's wing.
"Nice shot!" Hayley said.
"Wasn't where we were aiming, but it's good enough!" Taylor replied. With the kaiju grounded, Atlas pinned it with its foot to the ground, finishing it off with a shot to the head. Just as the kaiju's head exploded from the shot, a pained roar could be head, and Atlas turned to see Mechagodzilla hold Copperhead up by its arms before whipping its tail around and impaling it with the scythes on the tip. The blow left a massive hole right through Copperhead's chest, leaving Gigan to rush up and drive his sword arm through the same hole before pulling downward, gutting it like a fish as Apex tore the kaiju's head off. As Mechagodzila dropped the mangled corpse, it turned to face Atlas and Moguera.
"Kids, be careful!" Ford warned.
However, neither Mechagodzilla nor Gigan made no motion to attack them, instead looking more with curiosity. They both recognized Moguera from the earlier battle, but only Mechagodzilla recognized Atlas, having sensed it during its time in the hangar. Then, to the pilots' amazement, the three bio-mechs seemed to converse with one another, sharing a series of mechanical grunts and growls, or screeches in Gigan's case.
"They're communicating." Taylor observed.
"Let's hope they're not deciding how to kill us." Brina added with a shudder, Gigan's buzzsaw kill still fresh in her mind.
After what seemed like forever, Apex turned to the mechs, reconnecting with Atlas. "They say they will help us."
Taylor and Hayley breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."
They had the backup, now they just needed the plan. What they didn't realize, is that the Titans had other plans...
...
Kong and Godzilla were alerted by Okeneba's barking. It seemed as if something had attracted the wolf Titan's attention. Kong was the first to react, noticing Okeneba, and then following his gaze to see a massive object falling from the sky. Godzilla also noticed the object, narrowing his eyes, but there was something about this object that was...familiar. More curious yet was that four different spots of flame were coming from the meteor, as if it had its own jets and was slowing its approach to the ground. The two Alphas watched it land some distance away, startling a flock of wild Gyaos. The smaller Titans were angered to have been awakened, swarming above the crater, ready to attack. Suddenly, a dee growling echoed form the crater, a growl that the Gyaos recognized all too well, and the flock immediately scattered in terror. Godzilla watched the dissipating swarm in interest before the sound of the growl reached him and Kong, the latter of which managed to clam Okeneba down.
Yes, this growl was definitely familiar, but Godzilla had not heard that roar in millenia. Frankly, he had assumed that Titan was dead. Guess not, but Godzilla knew that whatever the case, this Titan had arrived, and they now had a massive boost in muscle. Taking this opportunity, Godzilla roared in the direction of the crater, hoping to get the other Titan's attention. Back at the crater site, the last of the Gyaos fled as the towering form of a tusked turtle emerged from the smoke. Climbing out of the crater, he was alerted to Godzilla's call, and roared as well in triumph, not just to return the King's call, but to call out to every Titan and kaiju in the Black that could hear. He was back...
Gamera had returned.
Many apologies for the late entry. Gamera's design here is the one in that tribute video everyone thought was the trailer for a coming movie years ago. Same goes for the Gyaos. As for Gigan, yes he is a hero here, but I still wanted to keep a bit of his personality from the movies, in this case his love of killing; feel free to share your thoughts on that. Hope I do both it as well as Gamera justice in chapters to come.
Let me know what you think so far!