Monsters and Magic

By: DJ Rodriguez

(Author's Notes: Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you liked the Godzilla move as much as I did! Saw it twice in one day and it was… AWESOME! They FINALLY made a new Godzilla movie that pays excellent homage to the original, true Japanese Godzilla! I have to say, summer is going to be excellent from here on in!

I have to say, I have a little bit of mixed feelings here. Though I'm getting a lot of views and visitors to my story, only got one new review. Oh well… I just have to hope to see more reviews from this story. But, I won't quit! Also, got some good information from my lady love Sarah Brown that needed to inform you. While France and England are close as neighbors, they are still separated by a body of water, and in the olden days, it would take some time for people from France to journey to England. And vice versa. Maleficent's now vacant home lies a bit more in the interior of France, and the closest body of water that leads to the ocean is the Bay of Biscay. So even it will take time for Maleficent to reach her quarry, about a day after Melody's birthday.

And one last issue to address. The monster heroes/heroine of this story; Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and Anguirus. They will not stay shrunk for long. Just trust me on this, for I have planned this story out very much. Until then, enjoy the story! Also this little info. While King Triton has the ability to communicate with any and all sea life, including amphibious beings, its only limited to the Disney universe. He can't quite understand sea creatures that come from a DIFFERENT universe altogether, hence why he didn't understand Godzilla clearly when they met.

I do not own Godzilla or any of the Toho monsters, Disney or the characters they have. I only own the OC characters of my creation, and the songs I put up here. Though some will come into play in the future that are already owned, and thus I will give proper respect and recognition to them when the time comes.

Now, on with the story!)

Chapter 10

It was about early afternoon, around 10:30 a.m. or so, and the day again seemed to be another beautiful one. Two large carriages were seen leaving the castle of Eric & Ariel Marcel, ones that were made to accommodate a great number of people. Fortunately for the occupants, the carriages did not have roofs or walls to encase them. The riders in the carriages could enjoy the glorious day to its fullest. The leading carriage held the royal mothers; Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, and Belle. The other carriage behind them had their children, and surprisingly no guards. The fathers/husbands were also not in attendance, which many would beg the question on why the royal families would do such an action given on what the events happening two nights ago.

~Flashback, two hours ago~

Everyone was seated at the dining table this morning, where again a great serving of food was prepared by Chef Louie. The children were all cleaned up and looking presentable once again, and the kids snickered a little when they heard Louie mutter something about missing food items and unusual serving orders for Melody's birthday party. It seemed the chef was curious on what occurred in his kitchen, but thankfully was not aware of what truly occurred early this morning. Luck seemed to be on the children's side when the chef just shrugged, and went back to the kitchen to make sure all was ready for the trip to the village to get the necessary food items on his list. While they started to eat, Florian looked at his wife and inquired, "Snow, why did you and the others not wake us up earlier? To tell us on the children leaving the castle so early in the morning?".

Snow White-Rhoda answered, "We thought it would be best to let you all sleep, considering that you work very hard to keep us safe and also to get ready for Melody's celebration.". Kathrin smiled warmly, seeing that her mother was indeed keeping her word on trying to keep the monsters and what they were doing with said beings a secret. While the husbands were a little flattered at Snow White's words, that she and the others had consideration for their well-being, Philip was a little skeptical. He felt that there was something more to this then what Snow White was letting on. However, he did not want to sound rude or anything, so he kept it to himself.

Léandre asked, "Speaking of celebration, what are your plans ladies? Do you have any ideas or such to add to Melody's birthday party?". However, the women had some secret smiles on their faces… ones that made the men a little nervous at the moment.

Belle answered her husband's question, "Well, we have different plans for the day. We believe it is your turns to handle the celebration plans and ideas, dear.". Now THAT caught the menfolk off guard. While they did help with the decorations and planning of the party, that was just on a small scale. It was the womenfolk that handled the majority of the work so far for the party celebration, and now they were given the reigns? Ariel and the other wives giggled softly at seeing the look of fear on their significant other's faces, knowing full well that it would take a long time for their husbands to get anything done, organized and done right. In fact, they were hoping and counting on it.

Eric looked at his wife suspiciously and asked, "And just what ARE your plans, Ariel? What are you and the others going to do while us poor, tired husbands are handling the plans and ideas for Melody's 13th birthday party?".

The redheaded beauty simply smiled and giggled at her husband, finding it cute on how flustered he looked right now and how he tried to play the pity card. She answered, "Oh, me and the girls are thinking of going to the village with the children. You know, to give our new friends a more in-depth tour of our kingdom. We don't plan on staying cooped here on the royal grounds and castle, you know.". Melody saw that her mother's plan was simply excellent! This would fit well in their plan to get the children of the village to the sanctuary where the monsters were staying. Now, all she could do was hope that her father and the others would go along with this.

After some moments of mental debating, it was Philip that spoke out. The king stated, "I think that would be a good idea. The women can see how life is in the village, and we CAN handle the plans and ideas for the party. Besides, how hard can it be at this point to make sure that everything is set up well?". Famous last words for any male that would try to organized a large party on this scale of magnitude. The other men flinched a little at Philip's words, but they were determined now to see this through.

Eric added, "Yes, I… I believe we can handle things here while you all are in the village. I just need to know how many soldiers I need to send with you all as your escorts.". The children did not like the idea of soldiers coming with them on this little outing. They handled Nicholas and Godfred well last time due to the help from the village kids, and also that the two underestimated their abilities and skills. With competent escort guards… that could be a major problem. However, it seemed that the royal mothers came through again. The clever women were dead-set on keeping their promise to the little ones.

Ariel answered this one, "I believe that no escorts would be needed. If we arrived with escorts, then there is a possibility that something might be wrong and bring tension to the people. That is something I do not want the people to experience, nor do I want my new friends to see the people all tense with armed guards around.". It was a bit of fabrication to it, as the villagers were a little used to guards around when the royal family came to visit them. Eric thought on that, but he also took into consideration this particular factor. He now assumed that when the people learned that many royal visitors would be in town, it WOULD make them nervous if said visitors arrived with a rather large escort. He weighed the possibilities and such in his head, and after a few moments, came to this conclusion.

He said, "Well… considering that the bandits and their leader are locked up, with their two strongest henchman in the cell infirmary, I guess it is alright for all of you to go out with no escort. BUT… I am trusting you all to be on your best behavior, and not to get into too much mischief.". That last part was aimed more towards the children, but they took it. It seemed that the moms came through for them! The kids cheered loudly, and seeing plus hearing the happy emotions sent a good feeling through the adults. When Ariel stated that they would go as soon as they finished their meal, the kids quickly tore through their breakfast. Fortunately, they didn't make a messy scene but rather quickly but cleanly finished their plates. Grimsby took the children's plates, and the little ones got out of their seats to go and get ready for the trip back to the village.

Aurora asked her friend, "Ariel, do you think it would be best if the children picked out the carriages? I'm sure that they can pick out some excellent ones for us to use on the trip.". The redheaded princess nodded her head, and called Melody and Dianne to her. The two little princesses went back to their respective mothers, and when Ariel told them that they could pick out the carriages, the two were delighted to do the task. Aurora stated that it would be good if the carriages were large enough to hold them all, and when she gave a subtle wink to the two, the pre-teens saw what she meant by that.

Melody thought, 'She wants each of the carriages to be large so that not only can it fit us… but the village children that we're going to take to sanctuary! Way to go, Mrs. Valentin!'. Dianne thought the exact same thing, and both girls went out quick to fulfill their mother's request. The menfolk were a bit surprised by the children's enthuiasm, but soon chalked it up to excitement to going back to the village to have fun over there with the other kids. As soon as the kids left, the adults soon enjoyed the rest of their meal in a bit of peace and quiet. After finishing their plates and allowing Grimsby to take the dirty dishes and cups back to the kitchen so they can be scrubbed and clean, the mothers went upstairs to get ready for their little trip to the village. Before they all left, the women turned to their respective husbands gave off some small smiles that made the men pause in rising from the table.

Cinderella said, "I really do hope you do your best in making the necessary plans and decorations for Melody's birthday, Asce. If you need any help, I believe that Carlotta will be able to assist you.". The women giggled and left the room, some of the husbands wondering and hoping if they could survive finishing the decorations and plans for Melody's birthday party. While some like Eric and Asce was glad for this change of pace, worrying about which decoration goes where and such rather then focusing on the prisoners down below, they all hoped that they would get the plans and such right the first time around.

Well… hope springs eternal, especially in this case.

~Flashback ended~

Now, the royal members were on their way to the village. Snow White asked her companion, "Ariel, can you please tell me what your village is like? What kind of things can we expect from it?".

Ariel answered, "The village is truly one of a kind, my friend. Since it is located close to the shore and a part of the shipping lanes of the sea, many people from all walks of known life and culture live there. So expect to see some people that you and the others might have not seen before. We have people from other lands like Spain, France, and Germany. We also have wonderful and exotic people that hail from Africa, the Middle East, and on the rare occasion from the Far East. It's not as impressive as some big cities or villages in other parts of the land, but it is the most welcome.". The beautiful princess hit the nail on the head with her answer. Though the village was small compared to other major port cities in the country, the residents that came from other parts of the land were welcomed more warmly and rightly then most. Eric and Ariel really believed in a tolerance policy, and it paid off as the people of the land really respected the royal family and held them to the highest degree of love and honor. While some of their traditional ways and such did seem to make some of the residents a bit nervous or tense, it never really warranted hatred and such. Just as long as nothing was taken to the extreme that it would be breaking laws and such.

While the women were discussing things that they were hoping to find in the quaint, bustling village, the children were figuring on what they needed to do in order to convince the adults of the village kids to come with them. Ideas and suggestions were bouncing off one another as they rode in the carriage, but it seems that no solid plan was forthcoming. Sebastian popped from Melody's right pocket and offered his ideas as well. The small crab was taken from his little water bowl by Melody, who wanted him along for the ride so he can observe. She wanted to show the musical genius that Godzilla and the others were beings who could be trusted around humans, that they were more then just what he witnessed yesterday. When they saw the village entrance coming up, they realized that time was running out and they needed a plan fast.

It was then that Tracy came up with a decent plan.. She suggested, "How about we simply go out and bring the crowd together? Bring them into the village central square, and tell them that the children are invited to a special gathering near the beach? We could say that it's a celebration only kids that are from five to thirteen years of age can attend, like a pre-celebration party for Melody?". The kids thought on the idea, and saw that it was indeed a valid plan. It was one that was clever enough, and also one that held some weight in both common sense and smarts. Before they could do any kind of serious debate, they were now at the entrance/exit to the village.

Melody whispered, "Okay, we'll go with that plan for now. Let's spread out and see if we can gather as many of the villagers as possible, to tell them about the important announcement at the center of the village.". Once again, the children and Ariel were greeted with warm welcomes from the citizens. Many of them also greeted the other royal ladies, who were very much impressed on what they saw. Like their friend Ariel stated, many people from many walks of life resided in this small but warm town. Snow White, Belle, Aurora, and Cinderella indeed saw many kinds of people that they did not see back at their homelands. True they saw men and women of French, German, and even some of Spanish descent. However, they also saw some citizens of the kingdom whose skin was dark in various shades and tones, many reminding the fair-skinned ladies of the tales told by others back home of a place called Africa. They also saw people that seemed to be of Arabian ancestry, also hearing stories about beings in the Far East that had an exotic culture and heritage to them. To the queens of the European countries, it seemed a bit strange to enter a realm with this many different faces, cultures and who knows what else. But at the same time… very exciting!

Belle waved to the people who greeted her and the others, and accepted graciously a single rose that was given to her by a small child of Spanish descent. She smelled it and thanked the young one, who stopped her running and had on a brilliant smile that just warmed the queen's heart. Mrs. Célestin whispered, "I really am going to enjoy this visit to this place.". The others agreed, as they were accepting various small but heart-felt gifts from the children that were following their carriage. Soon, the carriages came into the central part of the village, where the villagers stopped and gave the royals some room so they could exit. Ariel was the first to exit from her carriage, Melody from hers, and the two helped their friends out from their respective rides. When they were all out, it was Melody who went to stand in front of a statue that was situated in the central square. This statue was of a brilliant bronze that showed the royal couple of Ariel and Eric, back when they were first married. It was very fine detail, down to the very last bit as showing that the artists who made it were very sure and fine of their craft.

She stood at the base of the statue and yelled out, "Everyone! Please, can I have your attention?!". When she saw the majority of the citizens now gathered around her, she smiled and continued on. She announced, "Everyone! I know you met my friends from yesterday! Now, I would like to introduce to you their mothers! Please welcome to our home the royal guests for my celebration that is going to be held tomorrow! Their husbands are friends of my dad, and that is why they are here. I want to show them all not only a good time here, but to show them that this little kingdom is has a lot offer in many ways. Please say hello to Queen Cinderella, Queen Snow White, Queen Aurora, and Queen Belle!". The crowd let out a loud cheer, clapping and yelling of positive compliments to the now blushing royal women. Ariel smiled, giggling softly in seeing her new friends blush from the praises that were being heaped on them.

After letting the four royal mothers get the warm greetings for a while, Melody raised her hand so she could continue. The crowd quieted down so their princess could speak. She stated, "Also, I have a little announcement to make here later on. I would like for any and all children, along with their parents, to come here for said announcement. That would be at around 11:30, around noon.". The men, women and children were a bit puzzled and wondering on what kind of announcement Melody had for them. The pre-teen princess jumped down from the statue and asked that everyone make the visitors first time in the village as memorable as possible, in a good way. The citizens promised that they would, and Melody smiled and thanked them before going to her mother and her friends.

Melody looked at the older rulers and whispered, "Mom, you and the others go around the village and have a good time. Me and the others will try to get any others that weren't here to hear the message I just gave. Do you still trust us on this?".

Ariel answered, "Of course I trust you, dear. We all trust you. Now go on, do what you can and must. I'll make sure that our special guests have a good time here.". The former mermaid really meant it. She wanted her new friends to see the village in a good, positive light. She also wanted to show them that when you visit this kind of town with so many diverse people, to expect something new and exciting for the heart and mind. The ladies soon hugged and kissed their children goodbye before following Ariel to the east of the village, the redheaded beauty wanting to show them a section of the town that was populated by some of Spanish descent. When they were out of sight, the children soon spread out to see what they could do to complete their objective.

~Twenty five minutes later~

The daughter of Ariel and Eric was in the southern part of the town, and had already managed to convince some of the families that were not able to hear her announcement earlier to go to the central square to hear said announcement. So far, she was doing pretty good. However, it was now that she ran into a little trouble… and with a meeting with a young lad who would be a big part of her life in the far future. When she turned a corner, she saw three teenage boys picking on a smaller boy. The leader was a tall lanky teen of about sixteen years of age. He had ginger-colored hair, freckles on his face and green eyes. His two partners in crime were of various size and shape; one was hefty and looked to around fourteen years of age. Though not fat per say, he did have some bulk on him that was either fat or muscle. None could say. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and an aristocratic face. The other was like him, only lean and lank like their leader. He had black hair, black eyes, looked be around fourteen years old, and having a face that belonged to spoiled nobles. Their clothing was also of the expensive kind, showing to Melody that these teens were brought up in some high class.

However, she knew these three pretty well, sad to say. "These three are at it again…? Won't these bullies ever learn their lesson?!" she muttered to herself in anger. The one with ginger-colored hair was named William Dashboard, eldest son to Jackson Dashboard, one of the captains in the royal guard. The hefty-looking teen was called Hector Manchester, middle son to Balder Manchester who was a noble that lived out in the country a bit a ways from the village. And the one with black hair, his name was Alfred Folding, youngest son of Barry Folding, who was a noble like Balder Manchester. Melody knew from personal experiences that the Manchester's and Folding's abused their noble privileges and such to become bullies to those of lower rank. However, she knew that Jackson Dashboard was actually a soldier of honor and dignity. She knew that he would never raise William like a bully, but it seemed that William hid his negative activities from his family. The princess had often seen them abuse their privileges and places in the social order, teasing and picking on smaller children. Melody could never stand a bully, and more often than not broke the torment up. Huffing in annoyance and a little bit of anger, she walked up to the three boys to break up their teasing of the smaller boy.

William was enjoying this little 'game' he and his friends were having; making sure the toy soldier then had 'liberated' from their smaller victim was always in their hands. They laughed as they tossed the wooden toy to and fro to one another, taking delight as the child cried for them to give it back to him and trying to get it back. The son of Dashboard laughed as he stated, "Hahahaha! What's the matter, small-fry? Want your little toy back?". His mocking was murder on the ears, but to him and the others, it was alright. The small child pleaded with them to give him back his toy, which was apparently a memento of his father. However, his plea fell on deaf ears. The taunting, teasing and tossing went on for some time until a slim but agile hand went out and plucked the toy in mid-air. The teenagers and the small boy turned to see that it was Melody that caught the toy!

"Excuse me, but I believe this does not belong to either of you. Only to the boy over here." Melody said firmly, her eyes hard and determined to stand her ground. The teenagers sneered at the princess, while the little one ran to her in joy. The black-haired young lady grinned at the kid, giving him back his memento. The small lad thanked Melody profusely before running from the scene, obviously running towards his home. Melody waved goodbye to the small child, and when the kid was out from her sight, a scowl formed on her face as she turned to the upstart teenage brats who really got on her nerves with their bullying ways. The three teenage boys were also upset, very much not happy with the princess spoiling their little 'fun'. William motioned for his friends to back him up, which they did. Melody saw this little tactic of intimidation, but this would not work on her. She, after all, had faced worse then spoiled brats like these three.

"When will you learn not to interfere in our games, princess?! You know that having fun with these peasants like that is our right!" William exclaimed, the others nodding their heads. Melody sighed in exasperation, seeing that William's 'logic' was once again at play. The three had come to learn that with their position was power, and they often abused it with 'games' such as bullying, intimidation, and on rare cases thievery. Melody had thwarted them in the past, the young lady halting their activities but the fools fleeing from the scene before being caught. In addition, coming up with tales that would convince their parents and others of their innocence. However, Melody's parents knew of Melody's little heroic exploits and were very proud of that trait. Sadly, without concrete proof, the three bullies often were let go with only a warning.

The princess shook her head and stated, "You three are really starting to test my nerves. Bullying a little child over something he treasures very much? Are you three really that weak and petty?". The three were now red the face, very much not liking Melody's words against them. She had wounded now their pride, for they considered themselves strong and above all others except for royalty. Alfred and Hector started to close in on the girl, wanting to do something physical to her. Normally, this would be considered suicidal if this was done in the open. However, they were in a place that was now free from adults and little eyewitnesses.. William was now formulating some kind of story to tell any and all who inquired about the bruises on Melody's being, and his wicked smile and eyes showed Melody on what they were intending to do. But… fate came in to help out Melody, in the form of a long, thin but strong stick smacking the hands of the two encroaching bullies. Hector and Alfred yelped as they pulled their hands away, in the process backing away from Melody. The princess turned around to see that her savior was none other than a twelve year old African boy.

Melody recognized him as the one who helped out with the little chase he and the other kids led Godfred and Nicholas yesterday. He looked to be about Melody's age, also very close to thirteen. He was slightly taller then Melody, short black hair, eyes of deep brown like the earth, and wearing clothes of the village with some soot on some places. This indicated that he was mostly likely a blacksmith's son, or perhaps an apprentice to one. Around his neck was a wooden figurine in the form of a lion, a symbol of power and strength. In his hand was a long, thin but sturdy piece of fine timber that he held at his side. Melody saw that his posture was relaxed yet also ready to strike at a moment's notice, like a coiled snake. His eyes showed both strength, determination, and pride. He then spoke in a soft but strong voice, "So, it takes three men to overpower a lady? And our beloved princess at that? Are you three mad?".

William was the first to recover, again upset that his plans for petty revenge was foiled. He glared at the ebony-skinned lad and exclaimed, "Know your place, outsider! This does not concern you! Now go back to your own lands! We have much to discuss with the lady here!". The black pre-teen had a scowl on his face, but it vanished quick as he now held a confident smirk that somehow unnerved the captain's son and the two noble sons. He slowly made his way to them, soon standing in front of Melody. The black-haired beauty was a little stunned that a strange would come to aid her, though she was not complaining about it. The youth who saved Melody then put his long stick by his side, his smirk never leaving his face.

The lad replied, "First off, SIR… I was born and raised in this land, so this village is my home. And I know my place, which is now defending the princess against fools like you who believe that your nobility and ranks keep you from justice. And… I believe the princess would like to discuss more pleasant things with others rather then you.". Hector and Alfred glared at the African boy, and tried to get him out of the way. The Manchester teen reached out to shove the stranger away, but the young lad's reflexes were quick and sharp! He spun away to let the bullying teen stumble from his failed attempt, then smacked him on the back with his stick. The sudden burst of pain caused the teen to yelp and jump, which caused him to trip in mid-stumble, and he fell into some barrels that were left out on the side of a home. Most likely this home belonged to a family that loved the sea, for when Hector smashed into said barrels, he was covered in the containers contents which was small fish.

Melody and the stranger chuckled at Hector's plight, but his comrades did not find this amusing one bit. "Argh! Take this, outsider!" Alfred exclaimed, charging at the one who smacked his friend into the barrels of fish. The African boy turned to his face new foe, and he motioned for Melody to stand aside, which she did. The young boy sidestepped the charging foe, which reminded the boy of rhino, an animal that his parents often told him about in stories that concerned about his ancestral homeland. The boy knew that his new opponent would not make the same mistake his friend did, and he guessed right when the teenager quickly turned around and charged at his little opponent. But, the dark-skinned lad was resourceful and it showed when he subtly moved one of the slippery fishes into Alfred's path with his stick. He then stepped aside again, only this time he delivered a whack to the legs of the son of Barry Folding. The action caused a necessary stumble onto the small pile of fish, and the teenager was now sliding towards some crates that were up by the village's tavern! The three; Melody, William, and the stranger winced a little upon hearing the loud sound coming from when the teen and the crates connected rather harshly. The crates contained purple grapes, that were to be processed into wine later on by professionals.

The strange lad smirked wide and laughed a little, saying to Melody while keeping his eyes focused on his last foe, "It seems that the noble is dining on wine, just not the way he expected!". Melody got the little clever quip and giggled, but it soon died down when the two saw that only William was left. The leader was in shock at seeing his friends taken down so easily, and by a child! What made matters worse was that this child was an outsider, someone that in his view did not belong inside the kingdom. Even though his father had told him stories of proud, strong black skinned people that inhabited an exotic and beautiful land called Africa, William got his view from others who viewed people who were of dark skin beneath them.

The strong lad inquired, "The choice and move is now yours, noble. Do you try to fight, or do you flee?". William snarled at him, slowly making his way out of the area. Hector and Alfred, who were slowly recovering, limped over to join in his escape. Though William was the son of a captain, he did not know much about fighting or military strategy. His father did try to instill some kind of discipline into him, but it seemed to have come up short. The bullies made their way out of the area, all of them shouting various curses, vows of revenge, and so on. When they were out of sight, the African boy sighed and turned to Melody, who looked at him with respect and awe at his skills and actions.

"That was incredible! You took them down with little effort!" she exclaimed.

The boy was blushing a bit in embarrassment, making his dark cheeks a little more darker. He replied, "It was nothing. I learned a lot from my parents who taught me to live, fight, and work smarter and harder. Oh, I'm sorry princess. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Oliver Oxen, pleased to meet you.". He took her left hand and bowed a little to her, making Melody blush a little. He rose up and let go of her hand, which brought a little sadness to the two. Melody was a little surprised to see a twelve year old boy doing such a gesture. Oliver saw her look of surprise, smiled and explained that his father and mother taught him on how to act around women folk. The little princess was glad to see that chivalry was not dead. He turned around and prepared to go, but Melody stopped him by asking a question.

She asked, "Please, may I speak with your family? I would like to ask them something. And… I would like to know a little more about the brave boy who saved me.". Oliver's face heated up again a little, but a true and warm smile was on his face when he replied that he would be glad to take her to his folks. Along the way, they started to converse with one another and it seemed a solid, good friendship was blooming.

~On the western side of the village~

Just as Melody had trouble on the southern side of the village, Dianne was having some difficulties of her own. She had just convinced a family of four; a mother and father, and two daughters to come to the center of the village to hear Melody's announcement, when she heard some laughing. However, this kind sounded very unwelcoming. Like something of malice instead of innocent laughter. She followed the sound, and when she turned a corner, she found four teenage boys of around fifteen years of age laughing at an upside-down boy. The little one was crying, being held by his ankles and upside down by one of the tall, cruel boys. Like the ones Melody encountered, they looked to resemble nobility and/or those of significant rank. They shook the boy up and down, and from the little one's being dropped various items. Some were gold coins, while others were items such as a small flute made of fine brown wood and small cross made out of glass. The glass did not shatter upon impact on the ground, and one of the bullies picked it up to inspect it. As it turned out, it was made of a hard gemstone of sort.

"Hahaha! Look at this! This little runt got himself a fine piece of jewelry! Maybe we can sell it for something valuable? Or maybe keep it ourselves! Hahaha!" one of the four teenage boys cackled. The small child reached out for his item, begging to give it back. He told that it was a memento of his mother, a precious treasure she willed to him before she departed from this world. This only made the teenage thugs laugh more, and mock the poor child. Dianne was seeing red, her patience and tolerance reaching its max limit fast! While she was a prankster at heart, she never would do something this cruel and harsh. She was told and taught about certain limits when it came to pranking, and everything else, but these four teenagers were sorely testing her patience. The four older boys dropped the small child with a thud on the cobbled streets, causing the poor kid to cry out in pain and clutch his side as he rose up. One of the boys still held the kid's treasured cross, and were laughing at their victim cruelly as the other three took the coins and other treasures. However, Fate again seemed to step in and help remedy the situation. Dianne found a piece of fruit on the street, a slightly bruised and old apple, and tossed it hard and fast at the bully!

The teenage boys were prepared to leave, when their leader, the one holding the gemstone cross, was hit in the back of the head by the apple! It hit him soundly and squarely, causing the boy to flinch and stumble from the hit. He held the spot where the apple made contact and growled, "Who hit me?!". He and the others turned to see Dianne, who was holding another piece of fruit she found off the ground. It was a pear this time, and it seemed to be a bit spoiled. When it came to getting a little dirty, the princess did not mind as long as it was for a right cause. The teenagers were a bit stunned to see that it was a girl that threw the offending apple, and were a bit surprised to see a smirk on her face.

Dianne tossed the pear up and down in her hand and stated clearly and firmly, "You four are very sorry if you're getting your kicks like this! Give that cross back to the kid, along with his other valuables, or get a bad fruit right in the face!". Though inside she showed confidence and determination, on the inside she was a bit nervous. Whenever she dealt with bullies of nobility or not, and got caught after pranking them, she would either had the guards or her parents as back-up. But since neither were there, she drew up her courage and smarts should it come down to them chasing her.

One of the brutes yelled out, "Stay out of this, peasant! Know your place among your betters, or you're going to get plucked by us just like that weakling there!". The child was off to the side, clutching his side still as it was throbbing after the rough fall on the cobbled stone street. Dianne held her head up high and retorted that she was a princess, a guest of Ariel and Eric and friend to Melody. The noble's eyes widened, as did the child who heard this. Apparently, the five did not see the royal figures come in earlier or hear on Melody's announcement at the center of the village. The four teenage nobles soon had glints in their eyes, seeing that the princess was not with guard escorts, and was dressed in fine clothing. They soon started to close in on her, which made Dianne nervous but she held her firm stance and stood steady.

One of them commented to his comrades, "Say, what do you think a princess like her is worth? Do you think we can have our parents strike a bargain with her folks, and then she would be engaged to us when she comes of age?". The comment got snickers and other colorful comments that made Dianne back away a little in disgust. She knew that if they said things like that in her kingdom, it would take half of the royal guards to hold her father and grandfather King Stefan back. Those two were very protective of her. Dianne was preparing to throw the fruit at the face of one of them, when she saw something that would alter her life in the future. A young lad dropped down from one of the roofs, right down in front of her and the bullies, acting as a barrier of sort! The young boy was a dark brown color, with short black hair that had a little hat of some kind on top of it, had clothing that suggested he was part of the merchant class, and carried a small dagger at his side. He had eyes of pure blackness, like the sky on a moonless, starless night. But these eyes were full of confidence, strength, and also mischief. He looked to be a year older then she, around thirteen years of age or so. His skin and style of clothing were of Arabic descent, suggesting that he was from the Middle East. The sudden appearance of this stranger caused the teenagers to back off a little, stumbling a little in their small retreat. Dianne and the small boy, who was now by her side, had a look of surprise on their faces.

The stranger chuckled as he stared at the bullies. He stated, "I can see now the difference between nobility and royalty. Nobility like yourselves are often cowardly, weak and void of morals. Royalty, however, like this beautiful princess here are strong, sure, and ready to defend the innocent.". Dianne blushed a little at his words, but was wondering on who he was. The four bullies sneered at the stranger who had interrupted their attempt at 'getting to know' the princess Dianne. Though they were physically weak, and never as much landed a punch or something in that degree, they used intimidation and their superior numbers to try and tell this stranger off.

One of the bullies gloated, "Hahahaha! Another fool trying to be a hero! You obviously don't know your place, so why don't we show it to you?". The stranger merely smirked wider, and took a stance that Dianne had never seen before.

The copper-skinned pre-teen replied, "Try it, and I will show YOU all on how I deal with nobles who have their heads and noses too high up for their own good.". Before anyone could react after that statement, the strange hero started to run around all over the place! He started to hop, flip, jump and perform all sorts of quick and precise acrobatic moves! Using the enclosed walls that were on both sides of the group, he started to laugh as he continued to bound here and there like a crazy monkey! The bullies were very much perplexed by his actions, and whenever they tried to corner him, grab or hit him, he would always bound away while laughing at their plight. The stranger also seemed to possess eyes in the back of his head, for when one of the bullies pulled a stray plank from nearby and swung it at him from behind, the hero jumped high at the right time so the plank missed him and instead the bully hit his own comrade. Dianne was simply amazed at this stranger, who had saved her and the child from whatever action the noble teens were about to do to them. The dark-tan skinned lad was slight of frame and size, and he used to his advantage greatly. He showed much agility and dexterity that one would mistake him for an acrobat rather then a merchant boy.

The hero kept this up for a few minutes, when he stood in front of Dianne and the small kid. He grinned at them, gave the princess a little wink which made her blush greatly, and he glared at the bullies who were trying to catch their breath and regain their bearings. A victorious smirk was on his face as he stated softly, "Okay… time to end our little game.". He took out the dagger that was at his hip, unsheathing it to reveal a small but curved blade of great craftsmanship and brilliance. The lot gasped, thinking the hero was now going to deliver a deadly blow to the bullies. With a yell, he charged at them! Dianne covered the small child's eyes with her hand, and she closed her eyes tight. The bullies yelled in fright and shielded their faces with their arms… but nothing happened. They unshielded their faces and opened their eyes, a bit confused as they had felt no pain and no kind of mark was on them. Dianne and the child did the same, opening their eyes and wondering what happened. The mysterious hero was facing them, a grin on his face as he held up his dagger. Dangling off the blade was the gemstone cross! It was still attached to the thin rope that held it, and it was perfectly fine!

The hero then stated, "I would believe you all are finished. So, I would go home right away before you do something indecent in public.". The entire lot was confused, and when the hero took off the cross and put his dagger back in his sheath… the expensive clothing of the noble bullies just fell away, exposing their undergarments to the three! Dianne blushed and looked away, not wanting to see such a sight! The two males, however, laughed and pointed at the now disgraced and shamed nobles. They were laughing so hard when the four teenage bullies looked down, and cried out in anger and embarrassment when they saw that their clothing was now gone! The heroic lad seemed to have cut the seams that held the shirts and pants together, so the clothing itself was fine. Just… not at the seams.

The leader exclaimed as he held his clothing to his front side tightly, "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, OUTSIDER!". He and the others ran away as fast as they could, clutching their clothing tightly to their fronts and yelling in embracement. It would be a long run for the four, as they were now entering a part of the village that was now active at this time of day. Let's just say, a lot of women shrieked in fright at seeing such a sight, and the menfolk would be making jokes and all other humorous tales of the four souls for some time. Once the creeps were out of sight, the dark tanned boy went to Dianne and the small boy, who was smiling in joy at seeing the bullies get justice delivered to them. The hero kneeled down and gave the small lad his treasure back, plus the gold coins and other stuff the bullies dropped in their hasty exit.

"Oh, thank you, thank you stranger! Thank you for your help! And thank you too, princess!" the little one yelled in joy at both of them before leaving, very excited to have gotten back his heirloom and that the bullies were dealt with. The two smiled and waved a farewell to the small child, then when he was gone, Dianne looked at her savior in the eyes.

She said, "Thank you for your help. I would have been in some trouble if those… brrr! If those goons had gotten to me.".

The hero smiled and replied, "It was nothing. I saw things from a far, and was about to intervene myself when I saw you and what you did. I have to say, it is rare to see a princess. Especially one who is brave and courageous like you.". Dianne blushed at that response, but smiled brightly. The thirteen year old then apologize for not introducing himself earlier. He stated that his name was Hadrian Shearer, and that he was an apprentice to his father and mother's trade. He then said goodbye and was about to go off, when Dianne stopped him with a little yell of "Wait!". He did indeed stop in his tracks and gave the daughter of Aurora a puzzled expression.

Dianne asked, "I would like to speak to your parents, and you, about something important. Can you take me to them, please?". Hadrian smiled and replied that it would be his pleasure, going to the princess and offering his arm good-naturedly. Dianne smiled, a warm feeling creeping into her heart as she accepted his arm and the two walked in the direction of Hadrian's parents.

~Back at Sanctuary~

While the humans were making their preparations at their village, the monsters were a little restless, wanting to go out more and explore more of the world they were in. However, the Twin Fairies pleaded with them to stay at the sanctuary for just a bit longer. They explained that if they did go out on their own to explore, more likely they would run into some humans that would cause much trouble. For them, and their human companions. While Rodan and Anguirus did not mind the battling part of humans… in fact, they would welcome the challenge! They did not want to get rusty in their strength and fierceness that made they quite formidable back in their world. On the other hand… back in their universe, they were tall as titans and just as strong. Still, they wanted to get some kind of exercise. And also, the sound of bringing problems to the humans, the little ones that brought them food and sheltered them, not to mention actually playing with them, did not sit well with the giant pteranodon or the mutated Ankylosaurs.

Suddenly, they saw a powerful geyser rushing out from the sea a bit of a ways from sanctuary! The action caught the interest of the monsters, as they saw the tower of hot water erupting from the sea, and sensing the ocean getting a bit warmer due to whatever caused the geyser. The former titans saw the spot steaming and sensing something familiar among the area. A sound that was too low for humans to hear came to them, and they were a bit surprised to hear that it was a growl of pain… and it was coming from the King of the Monsters, Godzilla! The Twin Fairies were wondering on what could have caused pain to a being like Godzilla, who had endured a LOT during his time on their Earth. Each monster had a distinct quality or attribute that made them quite infamous in the human world. Anguirus was known for his tenacity, a fierce and unyielding spirit that showed whenever he went up against foes more powerful then himself. Rodan was known for his swiftness, his unmatched speed in the air that let him create intense Mach 5 sonic booms that would really stun his foes. Mothra was known for her mystical qualities, such as her connection with the earth and for her intellect on how to deal with foes that seemed unstoppable.

Godzilla's unique quality was his endurance, his will never to quit, and his healing. He had endured so much at the hands of enemies, be they human, monster or mecha. So, he could take a good beating before retaliating. Speaking of the king, he rose up from the sea and made his way back to the land. Anguirus called out to him, wanting to know on what happened. It was good that the Twin Fairies put up the sound barrier, as the noise would have called to attention anyone within a good distance. Godzilla growled at his ally as he lumbered towards the three monsters. The Twin Fairies used their powers to levitate themselves up to Godzilla's neck, and were a little shocked to see a wound on the back of his neck! The wound was mending itself as usual after an attack, but it was doing so slowly and that puzzled the mystical beings. They knew Godzilla's healing ability more then most beings, and to see it repairing the damage slowly surprised them.

The twins asked, "Godzilla, what happened? Who did this to you?". The saurian answered in growls and grunts, which no one but the monsters or the fairies could understand. Rodan, Anguirus, Mothra and the twins were a little stunned to hear that Godzilla had been injured by humans with fish halves on the bottom, and that one of them wielded a powerful weapon that shot out a strange golden electrical blast. The Twin Fairies rightfully assumed that the weapon shot out magic, for magic reacted explosively and negatively towards radiation entities. Godzilla was injured, not from his wound but it was his pride that was damaged. He was taken off guard by a strange creature, and he would NOT let it happen again! The King of the Monsters refused to show battle weakness to foes, especially ones that could harm him like this. The beast then sat down on his haunches, looking out at the sea as he wondered if he would ever see the human-fish that dared to cause him harm.

Things were heating up!

(Author's Notes: Hey everyone! Cutting off here for now. So, how do you like the OC characters I brought in for Melody and Dianne. Even though they have English names, they do have other names that are tied in with the land their ancestors came from. Their bios will be explained in the next chapter. I just hope that you all approve!

In the next chapter, Melody and her friends plus their mothers managed to gather up the necessary children and are about to execute the next phase of their plan… to let the monsters gain the little ones trust, and vice versa! However, certain people crash the little party, and it's not just human intruders! Also, you get to see Triton again as he gathers up a council to see on what could be done about Godzilla. You can imagine that many a citizen of Atlantica will be VERY cautious when they hear about the saurian.

Before I go, I want to ask this question. If you were seeing the bullies in this chapter in real life, what would you do to stop them? As you can see, I REALLY dislike people who abuse their power and rank into becoming bullies to the innocent. And, which quality/attribute also makes the monsters more unique and special?

R&R, no flames, enjoy and leave long reviews!)