Kaiju Fighters Ch. 23
"That was a nice nap," Manda says, stretching her arms. "And the best part, not getting sick from the air."
Rodan stretches his wings, "I still don't like something else flying me around other than me."
The two kaiju have just walked out of the airport. The first thing they notice is that the city seems a bit overcrowded. Not with people and cars but all the light up signs, hotels, and casinos.
"What is this place again?" Rodan asks with amazement.
"Welcome to Vegas, baby," says a human wearing a white sparkling suit with a cape. He has sunglasses over his eyes and his black hair is combed back with sideburns down the side of his face. "How would you like a picture with the king?" he walks right in between them and puts his arms over their shoulders. "Smile for the camera, baby," at that moment another guy walks up to them holding a camera and a flash reaches their eyes. Then the camera guy left.
Rodan rubs his eyes. "What was that about?"
"Why, it's part of the welcoming committee for any arrivals to Vegas. You get a photograph with the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley."
Manda tilts her head. "Elvis Presley?"
"Uh-huh! That's right, baby. What better way to start a romantic vacation than to get a picture with the king?"
"Whoa! Stop right there," the sea dragon tells him. "We may be here together, but we are not together."
"My bad," the king apologizes. "Oh look, here is your picture," the camera guy came back and handed them a picture. The picture shows the Elvis guy smiling with Rodan and Manda wide eyed from the unexpected flash. "Have a good time and remember. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," he leaves the two alone on the sidewalk.
Rodan asks, "What does he mean by that?" and Manda just shrugs.
"There you are!" the familiar voice of a spiked kaiju calls out. He wears his usual brown leather vest.
"Anguirus, how's it going?" Rodan greats before noticing that Anguirus lacks his spikes.
"Where's your spikes?" Manda beats him to the question.
"They're still here. I met a doctor who helped me manage them," he tells them. "I thought I'd attract less attention if I hid them," he then rubs the back of his neck. "Still getting used to it though."
"Well, we have a job to do," Manda pats him on the shoulder. "Huh? It's weird being able to do that now."
Rodan gets ready to take off, "Let's go monster hunting."
"That's not necessary," Anguirus reaches into his vest to pull out a pamphlet. "I found this at the hotel."
On the pamphlet is a man just wearing a pair of swim shorts. His hair orange in color and spiked into mohawk and some hair growing from his chin. He has some sort of flaps going down from his arms to his waist. The poster made it seem like he was flying over an audience. The flyer reads.
Come one, come all,
See the Unbelievable Varan!
Mands cannot help but jump out of excitement, "Varan!" she has found another one of her siblings safe in this world.
"I already got tickets for his show," Anguirus pulls out three small pieces of paper from his pocket.
.oOo.
At some sort of theater all three kaiju have taken their seats. On the stage there is a small pool with a diving board over thirty feet tall.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" calls out a man wearing a suite on the stage. "Boys and girls of all ages," his voice echoes throughout the room. "Let me introduce you to a true wonder. A man unlike any other. Here he is. Varan, the unbelievable!"
A spotlight went on to a man wearing shorts. He bows towards the audience before walking up to the latter to the diving board.
"Varan here is going to perform a marvelous stunt all the way from up there," the announcer says pointing up to the board.
Varan is now at the edge of the board. He stands there for a moment before turning around to fall backwards off the board. His eyes closed and his arms were down to his side. However, instead of just diving into the water, he outstretches his arms revealing the membrane of skin from his wrists down to his waist. Varan glides away from the pool and over the audience. Smiling at the amazement in everyone's eyes. For a moment his face went from joy to surprise when he noticed three unusual people in the audience. Varan finally glides back to the pool for a dive. When he steps out of the pool he walks over to the announcer and whispers something in his ear. Then, he bows to the audience again before walking off the stage.
"We have a nice treat for you," the announcer speaks again. "Three lucky members of the audience get a free backstage tour of the show and meet Varan himself. And the winners are in seat J 25, seat J 26, and seat J 27!" Spotlights went onto the trio of kaiju in the audience as he reveals the numbers. "Come and meet me after the rest of the audience leaves."
.oOo.
"You three are about as extraordinary as Varan," the announcer tells them. "Name's Andrew. Now tell me. Varan asked for you specifically, why?"
"Two of them are old friends," Varan walks up to them with his flaps hidden. "And the girl is my sister," Manda runs up to him and gives him a hug. "How's it going, Mandy?"
She glares at him as they break away, "You know I hate being called that."
"Why do you think I call you that?" he then looks over at the others. "I can only guess that this isn't a formal visit," then he crosses his arms. "What's going on?"
"To sum it up," Anguirus butts in. "We're looking for other kaiju, capturing the bad before they cause trouble and hoping that the good ones will join us."
"So, are you in?" Rodan asks and Manda's smile grew, hoping her brother would say yes.
"What!?" Andrew rushes over to them. "You can't do that, Varan. I mean, think about all that you have accomplished with me as your partner."
"Relax, Andrew!" Varan calms him down. "Look guys, I appreciate the offer. But I have to decline."
"Varan?" his sister pleads.
"Guys, can we please have some alone time?"
"Very well," Andrew agrees. "I'll go ahead and count the earnings from tonight's show," and leaves.
"I think I'll go and explore the city," Rodan flies out of the room.
"And I'll head back to the hotel to contact Mosura," Anguirus left the room as well.
"Mandy," Varan walks closer to Manda. "You're my sister and I love you," he looks into her eyes apologetically. "But I have a life here. The humans actually like me. I'm sorry. I will visit whenever I can. Please tell me you understand."
"I understand," she tells him. "I'll be sure to tell Baragon you said hi."
"You found him too?"
"Yeah, he was a miner, she laughs. "Can you believe that?" she laughs.
The triphibious man joins in as well. "Makes sense. He does like to dig."
.oOo.
After saying goodbye to her brother, Manda left the theater. The sun had gone down but the lights were still on all over the city and the streets were still crowded with people.
Manda was about to call a cab to take her to the hotel before she caught a scent of something inhuman. She turns to a nearby alley and covers her nose finding the stench unbearable. Cautiously walking down the alley, Manda puts her hand on her canteen and removes the cap.
When she is about halfway down the alley, Manda is startled by a hand placed over her shoulder. There is a stinging pain where the hand is set. The water dragon was about to scream out, but another hand is placed over her mouth. Then, she places her hands over the ones that has a hold of her only to find the same pain shooting through them. Manda can feel herself being forced to the ground.
"I know you," says the man standing above her. He is wearing large oversized black clothes, the most notable is the long coat. His hair is long, black, slick, and hides most of his face, he has red glowing eyes. Another thing is that he appears dirty, almost like he's covered in oil. "Oh, yes! You were that sea dragon," he places the hand he had on her shoulder and slid the other across her face and put it around her neck. It only made Manda want to scream even more as burns are left where the hand was. "Shame I have to kill you now. Your face is quite beautiful as a human," he inhales deeply and when he removes his hand from Manda's mouth he exhales releasing a black smog into her face, forcing Manda to inhale it. After that the man leaves her there to die.
Manda tried screaming again but her lungs being filled with the smog made it impossible. She reaches into her pocket to pull out the cell phone she got from Kimiko. The dying kaiju did not even pay attention to who she was calling.
"Help me," was all she could manage before dropping the phone and fainting.
.oOo.
Rodan soars through the city enjoying the wind blowing through his face. This is his favorite thing to do. As he flew he heard some cheers and claps from the humans down below; probably thinking it was a stunt for a show.
The flyer is about to make a sharp turn when his phone rings. He stops in midair to answer it. He grew slightly excited seeing the caller ID showing it is Manda.
"Hey," was all he got through.
"Help me," she says over the phone.
"Manda?" he calls out. "Manda!" he has no idea what to do. Rodan starts flapping his wings hard out of anger. Then, he remembers that these phones are supposed to have tracers of sorts. He quickly went through the apps until he brought up a map that showed a dot.
Looking at the address, Rodan quickly flies to where Manda is. In a back alley he finds her lying on the ground. He sees that she has burn marks on her face. The flyer gets down on his knees and picks her up. Rodan takes back to the sky and heads for the nearest hospital.