Monsters and Magic
By: DJ Rodriguez
(Author's Notes: Hi everyone! How are you all doing? Well, I hope considering that it is Finals for many colleges out there. In any case, hope you all are doing fine. I may get only one review per chapter, but that's okay. As long as get at least one review, and a good one, I'm good.
In this chapter, the adults try their best to coax some information from the children on their new guardians. However, kids have always been depicted as being clever and smart in Disney films, and this is no exception! Plus, you will see Shadowsneak come up with a risky but bold move for escaping from his prison. And finally, you will see King Triton try to get some information as well from Flounder when he returns to Atlantica. Oh, almost forgot. Expect Godzilla and his allies/friends to get more acquainted with the new universe, which is more peaceful then the warring universe they were born in.
I do not own Godzilla or any of the Toho monsters, nor do I own the Disney characters. I do own the OC characters of my own creation. Now, on with the fanfic!)
Chapter 8
The royal children were at the top of the stairs, all of them cleaned up and in fresh clothes. Each of them managed to find washroom upstairs, each one with their own bathtub. They cleaned up as best they could, given that there was sand in certain places that irritated them a lot. The servants brought them fresh, clean clothes from the room they were staying in, and the total time it took for all the kids to get clean and dressed was about thirty minutes or so. Melody was wearing a yellow dress with a small blue ribbon in her black hair, which made her look quite lovely. Each of the children were wearing their own unique set of clothing, but all of them looked decent. As they made their way down the stairs, the aroma of sweet food greeted their nostrils and the royal kids were anxious to eat. However, Melody felt that something was a little off when they saw their parents all at the table, waiting for them. She did see the smiles on the faces of the adults, but… she felt that there was something else underneath them. But she couldn't quite place it.
'I hope it's just my imagination. That, or I think I'm being a little paranoid here.' she thought. One would say that she was a bit paranoid, and it was a given. Trying to keep a secret about monsters from another universe from adults, especially your parents who were high up in society and influence, well… it would give rise to a LITTLE bit of paranoia. The daughter of Ariel and Eric simply shook off the feeling for now, and soon joined everyone at the table. Chef Louie was quite proud of his light but plentiful culinary masterpiece, and it showed. The entire group started to dig in and eat, the boys being forced to mind their manners and such at the table thanks to their mothers. Sebastian was placed in a special little alcove that was prepared for him whenever he came over, and the small crab took delight in the small pieces of lettuce and such vegetables that were presented to him.
As they ate, it was Ariel that decided to get things rolling. After swallowing a piece of her sandwich, she looked to Melody and inquired, "Melody, honey. What are you and the kids planning on doing for the rest of the day?".
The soon-to-be preteen thought on it for a moment and answered, "I think we're going to stay here in the castle for the afternoon. We have had quite a time in the village, then at the beach. I believe we want to take it easy for the rest of the afternoon.". The other royal kids heard this, and silently agreed with her on this. They were a little beat from the little chase they lead the royal guards Godfred and Nicholas on at the village, and with playing with their monster guardians on the beach. Eating resumed for a few minutes until it was Asce that spoke up to his daughter Tracy.
He asked, "Tracy, I was wondering about something. Last night, when we found you in the forest, how is it that you and Melody managed to smash the lanterns together to create a blue flash bomb? And without burning your hands or any part of your body?". Melody and Tracy winced a little at that, remembering what they told their fathers last night after they were recovered from the forest. The feeling that Melody felt a little earlier returned full force, and the young lady knew that something was up with the adults!
Tracy answered as best she could, "Umm… the lanterns we smashed together weren't ours! They belonged to the bandits! When we first went to the crater to investigate where the stars fell down at in the forest, the wind came and blew the lanterns we were using. We heard one of the voices of the bandits, they lit their lanterns up. When they tried to take us, Melody took their lanterns and we ran for it. When we saw they were getting close, we smashed the lanterns together to create the large flash bomb! It must have turned blue because of something the bandits put into their lanterns. And why we weren't burned was because we threw the lanterns at them and they smashed together when they hit the ground.". That was a best cover story that she could come up with on the fly, and Melody had to admit that was a pretty convincing diversion.
Asce thought on this, and while he knew it was a bit far-fetched, that was a pretty convincing story. He had heard tales back in his kingdom in France that certain countries had used different colored flames in many situations, among them was the green-colored Greek Fire that was quite famous due to its uses in wartime. However, he did see on how Tracy was a bit stunned by the news and how she seemed to hesitate a bit on the story. He felt that what she stated was not the truth, but not a lie either. Just a clever fabrication. However, he knew that subtly was the name of the game here. He smiled and answered, "Ah, I see. Then that flash of blue we saw last night was from you two. Glad to see that you girls used your heads in such a dangerous predicament.". Tracy sighed in relief a little, beliving that her little story succeeded.
However, Melody was not fooled. She felt that Asce did not buy completely into the story, then her fear on what was going on with the adults was confirmed when Léandre asked his son Mainard, "Son, I have to ask you something as well that is related to the capture of the bandits and their leader. Can you describe what you and Dianne sounded like when you two scared the bandits away when they were chasing you?". The daughter of Ariel and Eric quickly realized that the parents were trying to find out about the monsters!
'I guess the talk with the bandits and their leader gave them some information we hoped to keep secret until later! Now we HAVE to stall for time, otherwise…' Melody thought, derailing the horrible scenario that passed through her head. In her mind's eye, she pictured the fathers finding out about the monsters on their own terms. And there would be a bloody battle between their new friends and the royal military! Fortunately, it seemed that Mainard also figured this out and decided to try his hand at crafting clever tales.
He answered, "Well, a bit hard to describe, really. Me and Dianne were running very fast from the bandits, and we were out of breath and a little desperate to see if we could do anything to either slow them down or drive them away. By lucky chance, we found a large log that as a little rotten. We came up with quick plan, pulling the long into a brush and letting out a combined noise that formed an unusual sound. The long made our combined voices sound bigger with an echo, and I believe the bandits thought it was a monster or large creature. You know how the night likes to play with the minds of evil people like them.". Now that was a clever little fabrication, Dianne and Tracy impressed with Mainard's little story. Their parents were a bit skeptical of the story, but decided to humor the children by agreeing with him.
Belle stated, "I see. That was indeed very clever for the two of you. It was risky, but it seemed to work. I'm very thankful that the bandits were so gullible.". Mainard smiled at his mother, and he felt that his little story bought them some time. How much, neither child could be sure of. The entire luncheon was like this, the parents asking some tricky/sneaky questions concerning the kids little outing, and by a miracle of their own imaginations, the royal children created some believable fabrications. Sebastian was looking on from his tank in amusement, seeing Ariel and Eric trying so hard to trick the children into giving some information up. But it seemed that the little ones were always a step ahead of them. He shook his head, glad to see that Ariel was getting tricked by her own daughter, and knowing that her father would love to see this as well.
"Hahaha! Ariel always drove her father bats when he tried to find out what she did when she was little, now Ariel getting same thing from Melody!" he chuckled to himself. He looked up from eating the lettuce to see Chef Louie glaring at him before going to the kitchen. Apparently there was still no peace between them, as the chef was made a fool by Sebastian some time ago and he never forgot it. The musical genius of Atlantica simply 'hmphed' and continued eating, knowing that the human chef would love to try and make a meal out of him if he got the chance. Fortunately, Sebastian was still a wily crab that could outsmart the human chef.
Forty-five minutes had passed, and soon the kids were full. They were full in stomach, but drained in mental energy as trying to keep the stories believable as possible. And it was not such an easy task when it was on the fly. Still, it seemed to have done its work of making the parents believe them. The royal children sighed, both in delight at being full, the luncheon over and also seemingly achieving a small victory against the adults. Melody thought, 'Well, it wasn't easy… but we managed to satisfy our parents and also buy some time for the monsters. I just hope they are doing okay now…'. The black-haired beauty got up from her seat, thanking Chef Louie for the meal when he came back out to see how everyone was doing.
She looked at her parents and said, "Thanks for the lunch. It was very good! And the conversations were… interesting. Glad to see that you all care about us, and also on what happened last night.". Ariel and Eric smiled and said it was their pleasure for the meal, and that it was their duty and responsibility as caring parents to worry about their children. However, inside they were a little disappointed that their little coaxing strategy was a bit of a bust. The rest of the parents were having similar thoughts, and also the children were glad to see that this little match was won in their favor.
Snow White inquired, "What are your plans for the rest of the day?". Melody thought on it for a moment, then answered that she and the others would be resting for the remainder of the afternoon.
The princess of the sea and land looked to Ariel and Eric and asked, "Mom, Dad. Mind if we use the Art Room for a bit? Right now, feeling a little creative and want to work away some of the sandwiches we just ate.". The other children realized what she wanted to do; talk with them in private with little to no interference. They looked to their parents and asked if they could join her. Belle and Léandre, Aurora and Philip knew that their children possessed little to no interest in the arts. Mainard, Dianne, and Edgard were more into physical activities, and while they did TRY their hand at artwork… well, let's just say that they were a bit sub-par, and leave it at that. However, they saw a subtle motion from Ariel and realized that she too had a little plan of her own. All of the adults then gave their respective children permission to join Melody in the Art Room.
"Thank you very much everyone! Tracy, everyone! Come on! I'll show you all to the Art Room!" Melody exclaimed before running back to the stairs, the children soon running and catching up with her. The adults saw them off, all of them genuinely happy that they were all getting along together quite nicely. However, they were all a bit disappointed that their subtle interrogation methods did not work. When they saw that they were upstairs and out of sight, they all heaved a little sigh as they stood up from their chairs.
Florian looked to Eric and stated, "Well, at least we know that the kids can come up with some fabulous tales quickly. Though their tales were original and well-crafted, I saw their little hesitations and found the stories a little hard to swallow.". The seafaring king nodded, replying that he noticed their slight hesitations as well, now a little more convinced that their children knew more then they let on.
Eric added in, "My little girl is quite clever. I believe that she saw through our little plan, and is going to be more cautious then ever around us.". The parents nodded, sounding off with pride amazingly that their children also picked up on their little game. Ariel turned to her husband and said that she and the mothers would try their luck. Since a combination effort was thwarted, perhaps the women would have better luck in finding some information from the kids.
Ariel said, "Us ladies know a bit about being subtle and patient when it comes to finding out what we need to know. I have a plan that I hope works…". The former mermaid started to tell her plan to all, and the adults smiled a bit, and Sebastian, who heard everything, had to give credit to Ariel for being sneaky but not showing it in a devious way… like a certain sea witch whom shall remain nameless.
~In the Art Room~
Upstairs was a moderate-sized room that was filled with art work, projects, and tools that one would use to create paintings, sculptures and the like. Ariel and Eric created this room for Melody when she was about five years old or so, the little princess a ball of energy and the adults wanted to channel that energy into something constructive. That, and seeing their little daughter hand-paint the walls in the rooms with various, gooey liquid also forced their hand into creating such a place. The room had a good view of the ocean, and surprisingly a good view of the area where Godzilla and the others were at! Melody was actually an excellent drawer, and not a bad painter. Dianne and Kathrin also excelled in the arts, while the rest preferred more to do physical activities. Now, the room was occupied by the children, and when Melody closed the doors, all of them breathed huge sighs of relief. Melody herself plopped into a chair, apparently for the little mental marathon they had with their parents.
Mainard slumped to the floor, careful not to sit in any spot that had paint on it. He sounded off, "Now that is something I hope never to go through again! I may have my mother's brains, but this put me through a workout!". Edgard and Dianne found some chairs and sat on them, both of them mentally exhausted. Kathrin and Tracy found some stool to sit on, careful to wipe away any and all kinds of stuff that was on them. Melody opted to just stand up, leaning against the wall.
"It seems our parents may be on to us. I mean, I bet the bandits they brought in AND their leader must have told them about the monsters!" Edgard said, very much not liking the bandits who squealed. Dianne agreed with her brother, adding in that their parents were most likely trying to see if their stories matched up to the ones the bandits told them.
Kathrin was in deep thought for a moment or two, then the gently princess looked to Melody and inquired, "What do we do now, Melody? I fear it may be only a matter of time before our parents see the connection, and then try to find our guardians on their own.". The kids were very worried, having dark thoughts that Melody had earlier on what would happen if the adults found out about the monsters.
The black-haired beauty sighed and looked out the window, seeing the spot where they played earlier with Godzilla, Rodan, Anguirus, and Mothra plus the Twin Fairies. She was a bit pensive at the moment, then turned to look at her new companions. She replied, "We got to buy some time, just on the day of my birthday. I have an idea that is risky, but I believe that this maybe the only way for the people to see the monsters as good beings instead of evil ones. Maybe even friends…". She then explained to the surprised group that her plan revolved around having the entire village, the royal guests, and her parents see the monsters when THEY bring them in to the party. Timing was critical here, so they would have to wait until the time was right to show them all their new guardians. Needless to say, the group voiced their opinions on this plan.
Tracy exclaimed, "Melody, are you crazy?! Bring in the monsters with EVERYONE at the party?! That is reckless and really dangerous!". While the daughter of Cinderella and Asce Charming was a bit adventurous herself, even she saw the danger and risk in Melody's plan. Said princess was listening to everyone's opinions, and most of them objected to her plan. However, she was patient and waited for them to cease their voices. When the group calmed down a bit and were now waiting for Melody to speak, the princess did but in a soft tone that had strength to it.
Melody stated, "Everyone, believe me. I know this plan is risky, but I have thought it out and I see that this is the ONLY way that can ease both the fear from the people upon seeing Godzilla and the others… and also showing the monsters that our people are not like the ones back in their world.". The children saw that indeed Melody had a point. Their goal was to help the citizens, the humans to see the monsters as some beings that were actually good then the others believed in stories. And also to show Godzilla and the others that not all humans jump to conclusions and deciding to hurt them.
The daughter of Ariel sighed and went to a chair, picking it up and putting it near the window. She then took a large, rectangular white blank canvas and put it on a wooden setup that she put near the chair. The others were a little puzzled on what she was doing, and more so when they saw her carrying some small canisters that contained various color paint. Mainard inquired, "Ummm… Melody? Just what are you doing right now?".
Said princess looked at them all and answered, "I need something to take my mind off this serious stuff, so I'm going to paint. It's a little hobby of mine, besides going to the sea and driving my parents a little crazy. How about you all do some drawings yourselves? Take a little break from this stress.". The other children looked at one another, and seeing that they had little else to do, took Melody's advice and started to set up their own workstations. Fortunately for them all, there was enough tools and materials for everyone.
As she painted, letting her mind and emotions flow and take over her body for the moment, another part of her mind wandered about something. She thought, 'The sheer craziness that has come to us in just a couple of days… monsters that came from another world… shrunk down to a little above human standards… and us bonding with them! It's almost too bizarre to be true! And yet… it is. The really strange thing about it all is… I don't mind at all.'. As she continued to both think and paint at the same time, a soft and steady beat of music flowed into her soul and she started to sing in her mind. As she sung, mental pictures came into her head, floating in front of her mind's eye.
When the unexpected happens… when your world is turned around on its head.
Do you start to feel that there is something you must dread?
Or do you see past the fear, take a chance and a leap of faith for the best?
I believe that this is all a big part of a grand, important test!
Coming into her mind now was a memory from the past, when she first met Godzilla and Mothra. She remembered when the big brute Tightfist grabbed her, and she was helpless in his grip while Tracy and Kathrin were captured by the other bandits. It was then that Mothra and Godzilla came on the scene to rescue them! The King of the Monsters surged forward to lock into combat with Tightfist, and even though Melody was still held by the bandit, she did not feel any kind of fear when she was near Godzilla. In fact, she admitted that she felt safe, especially when she saw Godzilla trying to help her slip from Tightfist's grip. And after the green-skinned behemoth let loose his blue flames at Tightfist, defeating the large bandit, Melody felt safe and secure when she went to the King of the Monsters.
When life throws a curve at you, putting you in a place or event that tests your heart.
Do you think that this is the end, or something of a brand new start?
When you experience something mysterious yet familiar at the same time,
Will you let that feeling go, or let it wrap around your heart and mind?
Her mind then shifted to when she met the other monsters, when they went to go search for Mainard, Edgard, and Dianne. When she saw the other monsters, Anguirus and Rodan, she felt no fear. She was in awe at seeing the creatures, that much was for sure. But like with Godzilla and Mothra, she felt no fear or any kind of negative feelings or emotions towards them. She felt in her heart that they were good, that they were different from any kind of creature that she knew of or read about in books. Some say that she was crazy, but for Melody, it was the truth. Unlike most adults in the world, she retained still a strong empathy that let her sense good and bad in living beings. Most children still retained that quality, and even more rare is when adults still retained that mysterious ability.
Never let fear and doubt take hold when you come across the unknown!
Shed away the negative and wrong, go on forward with a positive tone!
Keep true in your mind and heart what is good and right!
Don't follow what the world does or thinks, keep on following the light!
Her mind then showed images on what happened earlier when they all went into the village, and gaining the help of the other kids there to aid in their attempt to get some food for the monsters. Melody giggled a little mentally, remembering the fun she had in seeing Godfred and Nicholas chasing the children while she got the meat for Godzilla. The children in the village were happy to help them, and this got Melody thinking. What if the little ones saw Godzilla and the others as well? Would they accept them, or not? Yet another gamble, but this time instead of thinking negative and dark like before… Melody started to thinking positive, now images showing up of the children getting along with the powerful monsters!
Take a gamble, take a chance! Rise up and hope that your plans come through!
Keep a positive and encouraging mindset, be sure that it truly comes from you!
No matter how bleak or grim things might seem, never let a dark cloud settle in your soul.
Race to a bright and shining future with your friends and loved ones, make it towards your goal!
Melody's mental mindscape changed, and the young princess was now back in the memory of when she and the others were playing with the monsters. She remembered on how she saw Godzilla, stoic and silent as a guardian. As a king. And when the Twin Fairies explained to her and Tracy on why Godzilla was like that, that he only knew of fighting and surviving. On how he never experienced any kind of joy due to the humans polluting and destroying his home, and also trying to destroy him due to his sheer size and power. The princess of the land and sea felt sadness, and it was later replaced with determination! A determination to show Godzilla the joys, the good side of life! To show him that humans like her and the others were not like the ones back in their world. To show him and the others a side of life that was filled with positive things that made life worth living!
When you see or feel the negative and wrong try to swallow your heart, never give up or give in!
Replace those gloomy feelings with determination to accomplish the bright side, put those wrong things in the bin!
Seeing the light, feeling strong and being optimistic in your mind and heart is really the way to go!
Set aside all fears and worries, and let the right and encouraging feelings continue to grow!
This time, Melody felt the world change according to her now positive mood. The mental landscape changed to show that she was at the beach, at the base of the castle home. Beside her was a strong, handsome young man but for some reason… she could not see his face. Though she saw that he was dark-skinned and had a good build. In his arms was a little bundle, a baby! And holding her hand was another little one, a girl that looked like her only with a dark complexion. On her right side were her parents, older yes but still alive and together. And on her left was… Godzilla! It seemed that he did not change, but she still felt his strength. The young man did not flinch at the sight of the tall monster, and the baby in his arms actually cooed and stretched his little arms to him. The little girl beside her squealed in delight and ran to Godzilla, the King of the Monsters kneeling down and allowing the child to climb on his body!
Never let fear and doubt take hold when you come across the unknown!
Shed away the negative and wrong, go on forward with a positive tone!
Keep in your mind and heart what is good and right!
Don't follow what the world does or thinks, keep on following the light!
Melody could not help but smile, and believed that what she was seeing now was the future. Instead of dark and fear taking over like last time, she saw a possible future where Godzilla stayed instead of going back to his own world. Where he was accepted by the people, and apparently she herself had found what she did dream of frequently. A family of her own; a young man that was strong and good in heart, mind and spirit. And with children, great blessings that really made their parents feel more alive than ever. And her parents still with her, giving her their blessings and helping her out whenever she needed them. Melody saw that her dream of this kind of future had improved, and that was thanks to Godzilla!
The future is unclear, always shifting and changing like sand on a beach.
So keep your head and heart held high, keep the light in reach!
On some days when you feel the weight and need some help, don't hesitate to call out.
Keep on going with friends and family… that is what it's always been about.
Melody's eyes were closed for the moment, letting the song she was singing in her mind fade away but being absorbed into her heart and soul. She let out a breath that she was holding, and looked at her canvas. Her eyes widened in shock and awe when she saw that she had painted a truly great work of art! On the canvas was the beach, with the water on the far left with the forest forming on the far right, and in the setting were the monsters! Godzilla started in on the left near the ocean water, Anguirus was situated beside him, Rodan shown by the spiked-shelled beast, Mothra was ended the line with the Twin Fairies shown in good detail. The daughter of Ariel saw that she also painted herself and her friends in the picture! She was sitting with a smile on her face on Godzilla's right shoulder, with Tracy being close to his side and giving off a warm smirk. Mainard was beside Anguirus's head, smirking as he showed no fear whatsoever at being close to the monster's snout and spikes. Dianne and Edgard were by Rodan, who had his wings speared wide and with the two children underneath a wing. Dianne was giving off a smile while Edgard had his eyes closed and smiling wide. Lastly, Kathrin was by Mothra, and in her hands were the Twin Fairies! The small girls were painted in good detail, and all three were smiling while Mothra's beady sapphire eyes seemed to actually shine within the painting.
Melody was just amazed on what she had just accomplished, and the others seemed to be in awe as well. The princess turned around to see that the others had finished their crafts some time ago, and were seeing Melody in action. And it seems that the watch was well worth it. Dianne looked at the painting and whispered, "It looks so beautiful… so real too! Melody, how did you create such a work of art!". In her view, this painting was incredible! Not like the ones created by famous artists like Leonardo DaVinci or Michelangelo, but still very impressive. Melody sheepishly answered that she just let her thoughts and feelings flow through her work, and she herself was surprised on what she had created. The other royal children just nodded their heads, also surprised on how she created this masterpiece.
"Hey, let me check your paintings! I bet they're good as mine, or maybe even better!" she stated before going to Kathrin's workstation first. She wanted to get some attention off of her, a distraction one might say. She saw that Kathrin's painting was indeed beautiful; a lush forest setting with various animals situated in it. But what really stood out was Mothra, and Kathrin did an excellent job of really getting the worm's details down. Mothra had part of her head raised, as if she was showing she was Queen of the Forest. By her side were the Twin Fairies, also down to exact detail especially with the clothing and the characteristics of their faces. However, a major difference was that the girls were taller. Instead of being fairy sized, they looked like regular-sized women and looking ethereal while maintaining the exotic look. Needless to say, Melody was quite impressed by Kathrin's drawing.
She turned to Kathrin and told her that the picture was excellent, that it was a good masterpiece. The daughter of Snow White blushed from the praise and replied, "It is nothing. I used a mix of my memories from my home to put together with Mothra, and also decided to show the fairies as human-sized rather then show their true size.". Edgard went to see the picture, and when he complimented that it was very good, Kathrin's blush became a little more pronounced. Tracy saw that, and made a mental note to look further into this later on. For now, she would just observe.
Melody then went to see Dianne and Edgard's pictures, and saw that both drew Rodan. However, each was a little bit different. Dianne drew a picture of her and Rodan flying high in the skies, above where Melody assumed was their home kingdom. Down below was a castle followed by a small village that lay before said castle. Dianne looked like she was having fun, her face in a wide smile and it seemed she was laughing as she and Rodan flew through the skies undisturbed. Melody then turned to see Edgard's picture, and while it was more like a sketch then a picture due to the young prince using black ink rather then color, it was still decent nonetheless. It showed him and Rodan, seemingly fighting off some hordes of what looked to be beings that were half-animal, half-human soldiers. The large pteranodon's wings were wide open, and his beak opened like if to really peck at the drawn soldiers. Edgard was wearing a knight's armor and wielding a sword, seemingly hacking at the hordes that were coming at them.
The princess turned to the twins and stated, "These pictures are pretty good. Dianne, you look wonderful flying in the skies on Rodan! And Edgard, it seems you want to be heroic and have Rodan as your comrade! But, what are the soldiers you two are battling?". Edgard regarded his picture with pride and answered that they were demon soldiers, ones that used to exist in his kingdom according to the stories told to him and Dianne by their father Philip. Melody was surprised to hear such a thing, but Dianne calmed her down and put in that the soldiers were long gone. She stated that when their leader and queen Maleficent was defeated by her father, the armies just vanished deep into the Forbidden Mountains, which was in their territory. Melody was glad at this little news, but couldn't help but wonder if the armies were really gone. Pushing the thoughts aside, she then went over to see Mainard's drawing.
Mainard was similar in the drawing department like Edgard, but it was not so bad and he used color rather than just black ink. This picture was of he and Anguirus together, the young prince sitting on the neck of the monster, riding on him like one would a horse. The two were what seemed to be a town square, with many people looking at them. Melody noticed an trio of identical blonde women that were beautiful, but yet had a melancholy air. Mainard and Anguirus were in front of a fountain, and the spiked-shelled monster was rearing up on its legs. Melody had seem that Anguirus was capable of standing and moving on his hind legs, but the monster preferred to walk on all fours rather then walk standing up. She looked to Mainard and asked on where the action was taking place. The son of Belle answered, "That's the village where my mother grew up in. We go there from time to time, and while it is pretty good, I often go there to liven up the place! And if Anguirus was there, well… we would REALLY give the villagers a bit of a shock!". It seems the young man's appetite for stunning crowds was quite large, as evident in his drawing.
Melody gave the prince a little lop-sided grin, showing that she found his imagination very amusing. She then went to Tracy's painting, and the princess saw that Tracy's painting was indeed a masterpiece. Very close to her own, actually. Tracy had drawn Godzilla, down to a very good detail. The King of the Monsters was walking in from the ocean to the beach, a look of fierce protection on his face. The waves in the picture parted a little as Godzilla seemingly walked through it, and the sky showed a storm on the horizon. In front of the large saurian was Tracy, standing firm and strong against both the storm and whatever it was the two were facing. It was like Godzilla had emerged from the water, and was coming up behind Tracy to protect the princess. She looked to the daughter of Cinderella and stated, "Tracy… this painting looks incredible! So bold and strong… you really wanted to show that you see Godzilla as the ultimate protector, right?".
The princess nodded and replied, "Yes, I do. Whenever I am around Godzilla, I feel… safe, secure. Like whenever I'm around my own father. But while my dad is more refined and precise, Godzilla's protection is… more primal, more instinctive. That's the best I can describe it.". Melody nodded, agreeing that there was a kind of primal but strong protectiveness that Godzilla seemed to emit. The princess put down the picture and looked at her friends.
She said, "It seems that all of us have grown closer to our new friends, even if it has been only two days.". Now that was the truth, as they all nodded their heads. Melody continued, "Look, I know this plan I have is a risk. But it's one we need to take, and hope for the best. My birthday is the day after tomorrow, so we need to prepare as best we can so the plan can work.". Now THAT they really agreed on. They needed to do what they could to make sure that things fell into place, that the people would come to accept the monsters instead of freaking out and panicking. Mainard suggested that he and Edgard take care of the food preparations, that they would run errands for the chefs and such while also getting some food for the monsters at the same time. Edgard added in that while getting extra food for the monsters such as the meat for Godzilla and Anguirus, and fruit for Mothra, it would be under the guise of getting the items for the party.
Melody thought on it and stated, "That could really work! But, you would need some extra money for the items. Fortunately, I have some gold coins saved up so that should cover it. At least until the party.". They would worry only about getting food for the monsters except for Rodan, who would more likely seek fish out in the ocean. The black-haired granddaughter of Triton could only hope that Rodan did not eat any of the fishes she knew of, or go after the merpeople. Now THAT would really cause a stir! They started to go over various plans and such that they would execute tomorrow, and also some back-ups in case their primary plans failed or were altered.
Little did they know that their plans and discussions were all being overheard by Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White!
Shortly after the children left to go to the Art Room, Ariel had suggested to everyone that she and the other royal women would sneak in and try to see or hear what the children were up to. To see if they could glean some kind of information. Ariel was able to crack open the door without making a sound, which was pretty impressive considering that the door had some slightly rusty hinges. They got more then they hoped for when they heard about Melody's plan that was going to take place on her birthday, and also saw the children painting/sketching. The mothers took turns peeking into the room, and were stunned to see the drawings of the monsters. They looked like how the bandits described! However, their mindset seemed to shift when the children described on how the beasts meant to them, and how they were willing to go along with the risky plan.
Ariel was thinking, 'Melody and that monster… Godzilla, was it? She really has bonded with it? The others with those other monsters too? How…?'. The others were thinking along similar lines concerning their respective children and the monsters that they seemed to be bonded to. The royal women's eyes widened a bit when they heard Kathrin suggesting that they go to the washrooms to clean up, seeing as they were all a bit messy and sticky from the paintings they were doing. The mothers quickly scooted back and hid in various places in the hallway, the door opening up and the kids coming out from the Art Room. Indeed, the children did get some paint on their clothing and hands and decided to wash up and probably change into some fresh clothes. Once they were gone and out of sight, the mothers all heaved a sigh before coming out and going into the room the kids just vacated from.
Coming in, each mother went their respective kids picture. Ariel was simply amazed on the detail that her daughter put into the picture of her and the others with all four monsters. "Wow… Melody, you never made a picture as wonderful and detailed as this! You must have had your heart and soul flowing strong through you when you made this…", she whispered to herself. She noticed that in the painting, her daughter was smiling warmly and showing not a hint of fear or such. It was the same for the rest of the kids in the picture, and Ariel was wondering what kind of beasts were these to make their children just so happy, her daughter included.
Belle was thinking along the same lines when she saw Mainard's drawing, and was now imagining her son coming down to the village riding on the spiked-shelled beast. 'I bet the villagers would really panic upon seeing such a sight! And I must admit… this creature, Anguirius was it, is truly like nothing I have ever seen before. The only thing that comes close is a picture I saw in a book that showed creatures called dinosaurs…' she thought. And though she knew that her son was not the greatest of artists, she saw that he put in much effort into his drawing then the ones he used to do back home.
Snow White was looking at Kathrin's painting, and was indeed impressed on what she saw. She said to herself, "Kathrin… your drawing here is simply amazing! I bet Florian and the dwarves would be proud on seeing such a painting! And this… Mothra creature, what an unusually large worm. And these twin girls here… are they really fairies? And what is their real size? And why do they look so much different then the people I have seen?". Snow White did not know much about anything that occurred outside of Europe, so she did not know any people of Oriental creation. She did admit though that the women were indeed beautiful, having an exotic and allure that was hard to not to see.
Aurora looked at Edgard and Dianne's drawings, and was very much pleased to see that both still had the creativity juice flowing through them. She thought, 'It seems these drawings are more in detail and good then the ones they used to do back home when they were little. So, this creature is Rodan… looks like a flying dragon or bird. But, I can see that it's not. I did read a book some time ago about creatures that some say existed some time ago, finding their bones but not a body. And if I remember right… this Rodan looks just like it!'. The queen saw that each drawing showed a different kind of personality of her children. Dianne loved to fly fast and free, showing that she rather enjoy a peaceful yet exciting time with her monster. While Edgard showed that he would rather fight and live on the edge, Aurora shuddering slightly upon seeing the demonic horde that was once under the control of the witch that almost ended her life and the lives of those in her kingdom.
Cinderella saw Tracy's drawing, and the blonde beauty was indeed impressed on how much power and passion her daughter put into the painting. She said to herself, "So this is Godzilla… I must admit, this creature looks very intimidating. It almost looks like a king, strong and proud. And the way she has shown it along with the storm… its very strange, but I feel I would be safe as well if it was protecting me. And what my daughter said earlier, would she feel more safe if this was protecting her instead of her own father?". Now Cinderella knew that her daughter loved Asce very much, and that she did compare the two males equally when it came to protection, but she wondered if Tracy would prefer this creature Godzilla's protection over theirs? It was a question that only Tracy could give, and right now was not the opportune time to ask.
Ariel looked at the mothers and stated, "I think we should keep this from our husbands, at least for now. After seeing and hearing all of this, I think it would be wise to confront our children about this before we make any kind of rash decision.". Surprisingly, the royal women agreed with her. After all of this, they too felt like the children did, that this situation was more delicate then they realized and they would have to tread and plan carefully before anything else could be done. Aurora asked on what they should do with the paintings, Ariel suggesting that they put them in the closet for safekeeping. She did not want the others to see them, at least until the time was right. So the women took the paintings/sketching, careful not to damage them in any way, and put them in a closet that Ariel opened for them. Once the paintings were secure, the door was closed and the women left the room. As they walked in the hallway and downstairs, Ariel had an idea forming in her head.
'Maybe… maybe a little R&R is in order. Something that is a little out of the ordinary.' she thought as she and the others descended down.
~In the dungeon below~
While Ariel and Melody formed plans, Shadowsneak was formulating a plan of his own. He was still watched over by the guards, and his men that were nearby in cells were also under guard. However, his devious mind was working overtime as he conjured various scenarios in his head. He thought, 'Okay, let me see… the royal family is getting ready for a party for their spitfire of a daughter, and the party is to be held the day after tomorrow. No doubt there will be plenty of guests… rich guests to the little event. And there will be added security…'. He would have thought more when he heard one of the guards talk to one another.
One of the royal sentries inquired, "So, when can we expect the trial of the Monster bandits here? I hope they are taken to one of the larger neighboring kingdoms, and thrown into one of the more deeper dungeons there.". However, this guard's hopes of a quick trial were dashed when his partner answered that due to the party of Melody coming up soon, they would have to endure more time with the bandits before they could take them to one of the kingdoms for trial. This was not good news for the guard, but it was excellent news for Shadowsneak! He saw that the guards were a bit agitated by the news, plus he observed that the royal sentries were a little lax due to the fact that they were going to be guarding prisoners in cells.
"Well, this is good information. Now, how to get out…" Shadowsneak said to himself when he saw something that caught his eye. It was a piece of long metal, probably a piece from one of the guard's armor. He slowly and carefully went over and picked it up from the floor, very cautious not to let the guards see his actions. When he sat down on his makeshift bench, he saw that the metal was long and thick enough for his purpose. He grinned wickedly, an idea forming into his head. Right now, he decided to bide his time and wait for the opportune moment to strike.
"Hehehe… soon… I will have my way. I will not only escape, but I will take something that is far more valuable then just mere gems and coins." he whispered to himself, an evil glint in his eyes.
~At Atlantica~
King Triton was in his throne room, and apparently it seemed he had seen better days. When Sebastian had gone, he was fully confident that he would find a suitable substitute for the musical genius to complete the birthday concert for his granddaughter. However, that certain task turned out to be a real nightmare! While there were good and decent musically-talent beings in his and the neighboring kingdom, none seemed to be able to follow Sebastian's lead. Triton learned the hard way that the Jamaican crab was in a class all his own when it came to creating superb music and concerts. He once thought, 'When he gets back from Ariel and Eric's home, I'm going to give that crab both a raise and a plea to teach someone so that his musical genius will not die out.'. Yup, it was that bad for the king of the Atlantic Ocean.
He was about to leave the Throne Room to go to his private quarters to sleep, and hopefully forget about this dismal day of listening to half-decent musicians and composers when he saw someone enter the room. He looked to see that it was Flounder, followed by his little guppies. He said to himself, "Ah, its Flounder! I wonder if he did indeed go with Sebastian to check on Melody and Ariel.". He then noticed his nervous facial features, not to mention a certain tension in the air around him. He was wondering what would have caused his subject to be this tense. He greeted him as best he could, and urged him to come forward so they could speak face-to-face. Flounder gave a small bow and swam up to meet the king, his chatty children following close behind him.
Triton posed himself as best he could on his throne, his trident in hand. He looked to his subject and inquired, "Flounder! How good to see you. Tell me, did you by chance see Sebastian? He was on his way to see Ariel and Melody at their home.".
Flounder answered nervously, "Oh, I found Sebastian and yes, I did follow him to Ariel and Melody's home. I wanted to check up on them too. Umm… it seems that they are okay. Nothing out of the ordinary! Both girls are okay, everything clear and all! Hahahaha…". Triton did not buy that one bit, and gave the small fish a piercing gaze, one he reserved only for those that tried his patience. Heaven knows he gave that glare often to Ariel during her days as a mermaid. Flounder tried to look away, but he felt like a guilty child telling a lie to his parent. In a way, it was. Flounder was not going to reveal the monsters to Triton, but… when facing a stony gaze for him, his will was tested and it seemed it was crumbling fast.
The king was about to ask Flounder again, when a group of fishes and sea creatures stormed into the throne room! Triton looked up while Flounder and his little ones turned to see the panicked group coming up fast! Many voices shouted out such as "MONSTER!", "GIANT BIRD!" and even "DINOSAUR!". King Triton tried to use his voice to calm his subjects down, but when that didn't work, he raised his trident high and let out a huge flash of power that got his subjects to silence immediately! Triton was always glad when that little technique worked, because it reduced the chaos and the headaches that would form in his head. He turned to the massive collection of fish, sea life and even a merperson or two. He then asked them to calm down and tell him what the fuss was about. He pointed to a dogfish, saying for him to speak first.
The dogfish wailed, "Your Highness, it's terrible! Horrible! Me and my friends were swimming around like normal, when all of a sudden… WHAM! We saw a terrible, huge sea beast of sort! It was like nothing I have ever seen before! It stood on two legs with green skin, and strange dorsal spines coming from its back! It was like a nightmare!". Flounder winced, knowing that was an accurate description of Godzilla. Triton did not see Flounder's reaction, which was a little bit of good news for the yellow and blue fish. Triton thought on the dogfishes's words, then he looked to a common thresher shark.
The shark was shaking as he stated his story, "Your Highness! I was swimming around trying to find a meal, and was about to eat on a school of herrings when… WOOSH! A huge thing came out of nowhere and scooped some of the fish out of the water! I looked up to see what it was, and what I saw scared me! It was a huge red bird of some sort that got my meal, only it was not like a bird! It had no feathers and looked very terrifying! It was awful! I could have been its meal!". Flounder couldn't help but wonder how much food Rodan could eat before it could be satisfied. And hoping that his kids would not be on the monster's next meal. The entire mass now was telling their stories en masse, and it was giving Triton a headache. After a few moments, he had enough! He picked up his trident, which glowed a brilliant golden color and sent out a huge pulse of power!
"ENOUGH!" he ordered out to all, the combination of voice and pulse of power more than enough to silence the mass. Triton sighed as he finally had things calmed down enough. He looked to his subjects and stated, "Look, I will look into this matter personally. If these two monsters do exist, I will see to them immediately. Now, tell me where you saw them.". He pointed to the dogfish, who told Triton the location of the green-skinned monster, and fortunately for Flounder, the location was a bit away from Melody's castle and the location of the monsters. The shark then gave the location of the red bird, which was near the location as the green-skinned beast. The king thanked his subjects for the information, then told them to leave the palace. The fishes and sea creatures swam away slowly, very confident in their leader protecting them. Soon, only Flounder and his children remained.
Triton gave the fish a stern glare and stated, "We will talk about our previous meeting later. Right now, I must gather up some mermen and take them with me to investigate this matter.". The king knew in his head and heart that these monsters were connected to the trident glowing and the images he saw earlier. The question remained if these beasts were good or evil, and even he could not tell. But, he had a kingdom to defend and so set out to see if he could handle the situation well. When he swam out, Flounder breathed a sigh of relief and just floated in the water, the release of that much tension that built up in his body was a bit much for him. The guppies gathered around their father, and started to ask questions to see if he was okay and/or if he knew about the monsters the others just claimed to have seen.
Flounder gave his little ones a weak grin and replied, "Kids, I think the entire kingdom, both the one on land and this one here… it's going to be in for one crazy time soon…".
~Coming nightfall~
Night was falling now, and it seemed that everything was alright in the castle. During the rest of the day, the children had opted to explore and play around the castle. Eric had gotten a report from Nicholas and Godfred earlier, and he was a bit amused and miffed at the same time when he learned that his two guards were lead on a merry chase through the village by not only the royal children, but the other little ones as well. The miffed part was when they explained they fell asleep in the carriage when they brought the kids to the forest to relax a little, only to wake up and find that their children had been down to the beach with no adult supervision. Eric was tempted to demote the two, but found another way to punish them. Their new orders; watch over Melody and the children ALL the time while his royal guests were here. Needless to say, the two royal guards looked like they had been assigned to watch over a terror or something, judging by the looks on their faces.
The kids were in the living room, talking and doing some activities. Thanks to Godfred and Nicholas now watching over them, not to mention their own parents, they had little to no choice in trying to go to the part of the beach where their friends where at. Melody was writing something in her private diary when she saw the moon coming out, full and bright this time with no clouds in sight. That is when her mother and father came down the stairs, and she was confused upon seeing a picnic basket in Ariel's hand and some towels in Eric's hand. Ariel smiled at the children, who was looking at her a bit strangely, no doubt due to the items she had with her.
Ariel stated, "Melody, everyone. Me and the adults decided to do something different this time, since it's so close to your birthday and that we have special guests. Any of you care to join us for a little moonlit picnic at the beach? Right underneath the castle!". Now that got everyone's attention! The kids stood up and answered excitedly that they would love to go to the beach this night and have a moonlit picnic. However, Melody looked worried. She was nervous and anxious due to the fact that Godzilla and the others were out there, and even though in a remote place, the chance of Godzilla appearing to them was just too great to risk. She was about to say something when Tracy took her hand and shook her head slightly. The princess looked up her hosts and said that they would love to join them all for a picnic in the moonlight.
"Let's get ready first! Can you hold on a moment while we change into something more suitable for the picnic?" Tracy asked. Eric said it was okay, and that it was wise. At night here in this part of Britain, the temperature dropped and it would be a bit chilly for anyone to even think of swimming or playing in the ocean. The princess thanked them, and the kids went back upstairs to change. Tracy kept a good grip on Melody all the way, and when the girls were all inside Melody's room, Tracy let go of her and apologized for the tight grip.
Melody hissed at Tracy as she rubbed her sore left wrist, "Tracy! What do you think you're doing?! If Godzilla or any of the monsters are seen…". She would have continued, until Tracy raised her hand in order to stop Melody's talking. Melody did indeed stop her ranting, and listened to what her friend had to say.
Tracy explained, "Hold on a bit, Melody. I know what you were thinking, and don't worry. Even though it's a great risk of the monsters getting caught, I know they won't. All of them are very intelligent beings, more so then the ones back in their world gave them credit for. They know they won't come out, at least to this area of the beach. Besides, at least if we are out there, we can divert their attention IF we do see one of them did show. Now please, have some faith in them and in us. Believe me, we know what to do.". Now this got Melody good. She was worried and was about to do something that might have given them away even more. She realized right there that she indeed needed to trust her friends and her monster guardians more. Melody looked down a little and was about to apologize for her ranting, when it was Kathrin that stopped her.
She smiled at her friend and stated, "It's okay, Melody. Believe me, we understand that you were nervous about this. We are too, but we tend to hide it a little bit better then others.". Melody gave a sheepish grin, and saw that her friends were understanding her quite well. The girls then started to change into some more comfortable clothing for the night's activities. In ten minutes, they were all dressed in new clothes and raring to go! They were met by the boys when they arrived at the top of the stairs, and all soon descended downwards where they saw their parents waiting for them.
Philip spoke up, "Let's get going! First time for most of us to have a picnic at a beach under moonlight!". Now this be true; the royal couples here aside from Eric and Ariel had never been to a beach due to their kingdoms being far from water. And now that they were going to enjoy a moonlight picnic at the beach, they were really wanting to try this new experience. With food, drink, and family now together, the entire lot went outside and down towards the beach that was underneath the castle. Once they got to a good spot, the adults put out the towels to sit and/or lie on the soft sand while the kids ran around and started to play in the water. It was cold, but not enough to hinder their little splash time.
As the children and adults got situated in a good spot, little did they know that they were being watched from afar. Peeking out from under the water, not close to the shore but at least close enough to see good was Godzilla and Anguirus! Rodan and Mothra were on the cliff that separated the public beach from their side of sanctuary. Even though the moon lit up the entire place in a beautiful blue glow, and stars shining like bright white gems, the monster's dark colors and distance from the little party cloaked them so they could not be seen. Godzilla was looking from the water, seeing his new companions playing with the adults. The King of the Monsters had often seen children with their parents, the old humans that looked over them as was the natural charge of life. However, he had only seen them flee from his presence. Whenever he arrived, be in the foul-smelling cities or the decent scent of the countryside, he had seen adult and young children fleeing from his sight. More too often then not… he had seen the family groups separate, and some were crushed beneath his titanic feet. Now… he was witnessing human families laughing, playing, enjoying the night! New feelings crept into the saurian's heart, one that mixed in with the various new, foreign feelings that had been creeping into his heart and brain.
He was not alone. Rodan and Anguirus were in the same boat. Though Rodan lived in the mountains of active volcanoes and was rarely seen by humans, when he did come out, many of them fled and screamed in terror. It was the same for Anguirus, though he only ventured out whenever his friend Godzilla went out too, preferring to stay on Monster Island. But now that they were seeing humans being happy, not to mention being in the company of little ones, was changing them and they did not know how to cope with such feelings. However, Mothra had seen families and such like Melody and her folks when she lived on Infant Island, where the natives worshipped her as a deity. The Twin Fairies also aided her when the gigantic worm was called by the earth herself to fend off threats, be it from space or from the planet itself.
Godzilla continued to look on through the water, staring as Melody was hugging her parents and having a good smile on her face. He saw that his charge was safe for the moment, and he knew his presence was not needed. So with a little snort from his nose, he dived under the water to go and sleep for a bit. The others got the same idea, seeing that everything was alright at the moment deciding to go to sleep. Rodan hopped off of the cliff while Mothra crawled along the wall, and Anguirus swam back to the sanctuary shore to sleep somewhere near the forest. The giant pteranodon leaned up against the cliff, folding his wings around himself like a bat. Mothra and the Twin Fairies went into the woods to sleep, the fairies saying a small prayer and blessing to the little ones and their families. Godzilla swam under the ocean, going to a lone rock that was near his position.
He leaned against said rock and started to sleep… but little did he realize that was the same rock that Ariel had been on long ago when she was a mermaid, the same rock where she declared loudly after saving Prince Eric from a storm and shipwreck that she wanted to be part of the human world! Some would say it would be poetic, for soon in the future… Godzilla and the rest would be a part of their human charges lives in a big way!
(Author's Notes: And… cut! I will leave off here! I hope you all liked it. The song I put in here is of my own, just like the last one. I call it Follow the Light, and I hope I did a good job of it. Again, my respects to those who make songs, for it is NOT an easy task!
In the next chapter, the kids go to some lengths to aid the monsters. The mothers start to see the kids point of view, and finally… Maleficent's forces are on their way to the party! Talk about uninvited guests! I won't be able to finish the story in time for when Godzilla comes out in theaters… but I will continue to pursue this story! I really want to complete it, and hopefully make it into a movie!
Quick questions before I go. One, what would you have done if you had seen Godzilla or any of the Toho monsters like they in here, large human-sized versions of them? And also, if you would have to paint/draw yourself with any of the monsters, what would your design be? Like Melody and Kathrin's, or like Tracy and Mainard's drawings?
R&R, no flames, enjoy, and leave long reviews!)