Chapter 23: Godzilla vs. Rodan.
Akira floated down towards the ground in his parachute. The air current carried him over the burning oil refinery and into an open field beyond which still had smoldering craters from the battleship's artillery barrage. As Akira drifted down closer to the ground, he realized he was descending too quickly due to the strong air current that was pushing him. He could tell that it was going to be a rough landing and tried to brace himself for it.
Akira made contact with the ground feet first, and then bowled over onto his side. It was hardly his first time hitting the ground after being forced to bail out, but it was certainly the most violent landing he had ever made. After he fell over, the powerful air current kept his chute moving along the ground, dragging him with it. Akira quickly recognized that he needed to cut his chute loose. It had saved him in the air but might kill him on the ground. He fumbled with the clasp on his harness in an attempt to release the lock.
As Akira struggled, the chute pulled him right into a cluster of rocks, which smashed against his legs. There was a brief pause before Akira was tugged onwards and dragged across the rock's jagged edges. The pain was sharp and immediate. Akira finally unhooked himself and the parachute gust back up into the sky like a kite. It danced in the wind like a wild animal that had been set free. Akira looked down to his legs and saw that he was bleeding through his now ripped flight suit on the right side.
Akira groaned and took off the white flight scarf from around his neck and used a knife from his pocket to cut it in two. He turned onto his back and used the two sections of cloth to bandage up his leg the best he could. Afterwards, he rolled onto his belly and used his arms to carefully get a knee under himself to see if it would support his weight. While it hurt, the leg was able to accomplish the task. Akira repeated the exercise with the other leg. He was a little beat up, but it seemed as though he hadn't broken any bones in either of his legs. Akira guessed he had just badly bruised the left leg on top of the abrasions, but nothing that would keep him down.
Akira slowly got to his feet and surveyed his surroundings. He was totally alone. Rodan was long gone, as were the fighters who had pursued him out of the area. The warships of the fleet were nowhere to be found either. They likely would never get close enough to the shore to spot Akira in any case. He saw that there was a road nearby though. It led to the remnants of the demolished refinery. If any civilian or military vehicles came into the area to investigate, they would undoubtably have to come from that direction.
Akira started walking towards the road, periodically looking down to see if the extra pressure on his leg was causing any breakthrough bleeding from his makeshift bandages. The white scarf had a small red dot in the middle, but no blood was leaking through. It seemed as though his cuts were only superficial. He continued onto the road and then followed it.
When Akira came to the end of the pathway leading away from the facility, he saw that it branched off left and right onto a highway. He had to decide if it was worthwhile to wait for someone to come along or if he should press on in one of the directions. If people were respecting the evacuation order, it might be a very long time before any vehicles came anywhere near the coastal area. It was clear to Akira that the wiser choice was to keep moving, though what wasn't clear was which way to go.
Akira thought back to the battle. He had seen a small town at some point when his squadron first flew into the area, but which direction was it from where he was standing now? In the chaos of the fight, he couldn't keep track. He looked down at the road and noticed that the path to the right looked more wore down than the path to the left. That indicated to him that it had more consistent traffic flow on it. People who assumably worked at the refinery must have lived in the nearby town, which must be to the right.
'It's that way.' Akira decided, turning to the right, and starting down the long road.
Akira's deductive reasoning and instincts paid off. After about a half mile of walking, he found a sign which indicated a town called Kazuto was just two miles further up the road. Akira decided that was a reasonable enough distance for him to cover in his present condition. Once he was there, he could find a phone to call the base and let them know where he was.
…
Nearby on board the USS Essex, fighters that had been scrambled to back up the Japanese defenders were just starting to return to the carrier. Marcus was on the flight deck sitting inside of his helicopter waiting for them. He had missed the opportunity to join the other men of his squadron for the battle because they were already on deck and waiting to take off when he had returned from his relief mission in Tokyo.
Marcus had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, he was getting a little tired of being a glorified taxi driver in the sky over the last couple of weeks, but on the other hand, he was frightfully aware of what Rodan could do to a squadron of fighters in air-to-air combat. Marcus anxiously counted the number of returning aircraft as they came into sight. To his pleasant surprise, every one of them was accounted for. One by one, the fighters came in for a landing. The first aircraft of the flight came to a stop across from Marcus' helicopter and he ran over to hear what happened.
"It's running!" The pilot shouted with delight as his cockpit opened up. "We turned back its attack. That bastard is heading north again!"
"That's great!" Marcus shouted back with relief. He couldn't help but notice that the fleet was still moving north too though.
"The monster didn't want to have anything to do with those big Jap guns." The pilot went on, coming down from his fighter.
"I can't blame it on that account." Marcus smiled. "With eighteen-inch guns that fire shells that weigh about 3218 pounds each, it's basically like firing nine firetrucks with each salvo. It takes a while for them to get there, but once they do, they hit hard."
"Yeah, they're formidable guns, but they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, even if they were being fired from inside the barn." Brock pointed out sarcastically. "What good is that much firepower if you can't hit the target?"
"Well in the case of today, I'd say intimidation if nothing else." Marcus answered. "We may have bluffed our way out of a tougher fight."
"I suppose that's good enough for now." Brock frowned, before his attention was diverted elsewhere. A helicopter was approaching the Essex. "What do we have here…?"
The markings on the helicopter identified it as being a U.S. Navy bird, though all of the Essex's helicopters were already on board. Soon, it became apparent that the chopper belonged to the USS St. Lo, which was last seen with the detachment of ships investigating Kamera's corpse. The helicopter landed and out came Dr. Richards, the scientist that Admiral Malek had left in charge of the investigation.
"I think we'd better get-in on whatever news he has brought." Marcus nudged Brock. The two men watched as Dr. Richards entered the Essex and followed him inside.
…
Marcus and Brock entered the bridge of the Essex, assuming that Dr. Richards had made his way up there to report to Admiral Malek, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead, Admiral Malek and the bridge crew were still well-focused on tracking Rodan.
"Japanese radars stations report Rodan continuing to retreat North." Ling reported, assisting the radio man by quickly translating Japanese radio chatter. "The Japanese fleet is intent on pursuing the monster until it is well outside of their waters."
"Helm, match their course and speed." Admiral Malek instructed. "We are going to stick with them for now. Ling, keep me updated on any other significant developments and contact the Japanese flagship, let them know that we are planning to tag along with them. I doubt they will object."
"Yes Admiral." Ling replied. "Actually, I'm getting something new now. Hold on a moment..." He listened closely to a transmission, pressing the receiver close to his ear. "The Japanese have launched more land-based fighter strikes, they thought they could catch Rodan as he retreated. The monster is flying back slower than when he arrived."
"He's either tired or hurt." Admiral Malek reasoned. "Have they managed to engage?"
"Just a moment..." Ling listened again for a time. "No, Rodan has diverted east to avoid them. The monster is still able to outrun the fighters. They aren't going to be able to catch him. In fact, if he keeps going the way he is, they are going to lose radar contact with him in less than ten minutes."
"Damn." Admiral Malek cursed disappointed.
"Ahhhmmm…. Admiral." Dr. Orsini cleared his throat. "It might be a little premature to give up now. I've been thinking, Rodan must have expended a great deal of energy flying all the way down here, in addition to fighting our forces. The monster may need to recuperate some of its strength before making the journey home."
"If it's tired, why would it detour to the east?" Marcus asked. "Wouldn't that just make its flight home take all the longer?"
"The area it's disappearing into is known to be a migrating path for Fin whales." Dr. Orsini began to explain. "Some years ago, I took part in an expedition that was tracking their movements. If Rodan needs to recover some energy, the best way to do that is to eat and then rest. There are a number of islands out here the monster could land on. I'd say he will likely hunt in that area before proceeding back home."
"Captain Hillard, see if you can procure some maps of the area from the chart room." Admiral Malek requested. "Maybe we can narrow down the search area some. Marcus, prepare to launch your search chopper, I want you on point for this. I'm going to put the fighters back on standby. Ling, transmit a message to the Japanese Fleet. Let them know what we are up to."
…
About two hours later, Marcus and Brock were back in their search helicopter, hopping from island to island searching for any sign of Rodan.
"You know something Marcus, we always get stuck with the crap assignments." Brock complained. "Here we are again, in an unarmed search helicopter, out looking for a monster who could squash us like bugs. We can't defend ourselves, we can't hide, and best of all, we're too slow to run away from it. What are we supposed to do if we actually find it, make small talk, and hope it ignores us? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if we radio to report finding it, or try to call-in backup, it'll most likely attack us, right? Isn't that this creature's m.o.?"
"I hate to say it Brock, but this time you have it exactly right." Marcus agreed. "We'll definitely be better off if we don't run into it."
"Marcus, this is Ling on the Essex."Ling crackled over the radio."The fleet is picking up a distress call from a Japanese whaling ship. You're the closest craft to the signal. Admiral Malek wants you to check it out."Marcus and Brock both looked at each other disgruntled.
"Affirmative Ling, can you give us its position?" Marcus asked.
"Certainly, about 40.345 degrees North Latitude, 148.432 degrees East Longitude. Perhaps seventeen miles north of your present position."Ling reported.
"Alright, we're on our way." Marcus sighed.
"You know you don't have to get us there at full speed, right?" Brock pointed out.
…
Just over ten minutes later, Brock and Marcus arrived on the scene. They found a Japanese merchant ship listing badly to port. There was a huge gash in the side of the ship, and it was going down fast. They could see survivors on the surface of the water, which was awash with blood. The white uniforms of the sailors stood out boldly against the red waves around them. There was way too much blood in the water to be from the crew of the ship.
Marcus could tell exactly what happened just from surveying the scene. The Japanese vessel must have had a whale within its clutches when Rodan happened upon them. Judging by the damage, the monster must have swooped in as they had their prize right up next to the ship and stole their catch right out from under them. The ship was badly damaged in the process and Rodan flew off somewhere to consume its meal. Easy pickings for the monster.
"Looks like Rodan took their lunch." Brock noted, coming to the same conclusion as Marcus.
"Yeah, but where did he go?" Marcus scanned the sky around them.
"One of them might be able to tell us." Brock remarked.
They both looked down at the survivors, who were in trouble. The whaler had gone down so fast that it had taken most of its lifeboats with it. To make matters worse, most of the surviving crew did not have enough time to put on lifejackets either. And even worse still, all of the blood in the water was attracting a lot of unwanted attention from sharks. With no whale meat to be found, the sharks had to settle for the helpless men who were kicking and panicking on the surface. The sailors were waving and yelling up to the helicopter for help.
"Never thought I'd feel sorry for whalers…" Marcus said glumly. Just then, he actually saw one of the men get picked off. He was pulled under the water and torn to pieces by the frenzied sharks. Marcus reached for the radio.
"If we radio for the fleet, it will give our position away to the monster." Brock warned him.
"I know… but I can't just sit here and watch this happen." Marcus replied. "We're just going to have to take the risk. Hopefully Rodan is too distracted with his meal to care about us. We have an inflatable lifeboat in the back, right?"
"We do." Brock answered. "I know what you are thinking Marcus, and it's admirable, but if we end up needing it ourselves later, we're really going to regret it."
"How many men do you think we can take aboard?" Marcus asked, ignoring Brock.
"We can handle the weight, no problem." Brock answered. "It's really just a matter of how many will fit." He took a quick look back at the space. "Maybe… ten or so. But this isn't a float craft. You can't land it on the water."
"Inflate the lifeboat and drop it down." Marcus' tone denoted an order, not a request.
"If you had a real thought go through your head, it would be the quickest trip in North America." Brock grumbled to himself heading to the back. He opened the side door, pulled the string on the inflatable, and then tossed it out of the helicopter. "Ok done, now what?"
"Thank you, Brock." Marcus smiled back to him. "Get the hoist ready."
"If you get us killed, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of eternity." Brock shouted to Marcus over the noise of the chopper blades and the wind from the open door. "And I don't know how to use the hoist! I'm a Marine damn it!"
"It's easy!" Marcus shouted back with a smirk. "Just follow the instructions." He turned back to the radio. "Search-chopper three to Essex, we have found the wreck of a Japanese whaler, beginning rescue operations. There are too many men in the water for us to handle alone. We're going to need a little help out here. See if the Japs are willing to lend a hand."
"There's already some enroute."Ling replied."The Admiral wants you to resume your search asap."
"I'm working on that as we speak." Marcus noted. "I'm putting us at risk by transmitting any further. Marcus out."
By the time Marcus put down the receiver, Brock had managed to start lowering the hoist. Marcus took the helicopter lower to get in close to the water. He could see that some of the survivors had made it to the life craft and several others were making their way towards it. The harness at the bottom of the hoist was big enough for two men to be brought up at a time. Two sailors wasted no time looping themselves into it and Brock slowly brought them up.
Once they were aboard, the two Japanese men were overjoyed to be safe. Though they were nearly exhausted from being on the water for so long, they patted Brock on the shoulders and spoke to him enthusiastically in words he could not understand. Brock attempted to ask them about where Rodan went, but it was clear right away they didn't speak a word of English.
"Okay, okay, just go sit down." Brock pointed them towards the seats in the back before sending down the hoist again for the next group.
"Maybe we'll have better luck with the next two?" Marcus suggested. Brock just glared at him disgruntled. It was clear he wasn't happy with the situation.
A second pair of Japanese sailors was hoisted up and once they were aboard, they proved to be about as helpful as the first two. Brock quickly lost patience and had them join the first pair of passengers. Brock's frustration was growing, but Marcus wasn't getting discouraged.
"Try to find an officer down there Brock." Marcus suggested. "We'll have a better chance with one of them."
As luck would have it, the third pair they brought up had a man who turned out to be the second officer of the whaler. Unfortunately, he also spoke no English. Perhaps it was expecting too much for common Japanese fishermen to speak English. Marcus considered contacting Ling over the radio for his translation services but decided not to. They had already taken a big risk by contacting the Essex once. Brock kept pulling survivors up and finally resorted to using hand signals to communicate with them.
"Which direction did the monster fly off to?" Brock motioned with his hands trying to animate his question. One of the Japanese sailors finally understood and pointed northeast past the reef. "Marcus, I think I finally got something useful out of them."
At that point, a Japanese rescue helicopter had arrived on the scene. Marcus looked around and calculated that it should be able to pick up the remaining men on the water who hadn't already found their way onto a lifeboat or in their chopper.
"Alright, let's get moving." Marcus pulled his helicopter up and out of the way to make room for the Japanese chopper to finish the job. "Is there an island in that direction Brock?"
"Do I got to do everything around here?" Brock griped, coming back into the cockpit, and fumbled around with the map. Marcus smirked and just let him be as he examined the chart. "As a matter of fact, yes, there is."
"How far?" Marcus asked.
"I don't know…" Brock frowned, looking to see if the map key had a mile reference marker. After finding one in the bottom left corner, he used his fingers to try to estimate the distance. "Somewhere in the ballpark of forty-five miles."
…
About two minutes later, they spotted the island. Marcus approached cautiously, trying to stay nearby cloud cover should they need to quickly get out of sight. Slowly but surely, the island got bigger until they were nearly on top of it. Everyone, including the Japanese passengers, carefully looked for any signs of movement below.
"I don't see anything." Brock uncharacteristically whispered as they passed over the beach.
Aside from the hum of the chopper's blades, the cockpit was dead quiet. No one seemed to want to break the tension as they scanned over the landscape. The helicopter was past the beach and was now flying over untamed jungle. The thickness of the vegetation made seeing anything on the ground difficult. Marcus guided the helicopter forward, approaching the peak of a mountain that was near the center of the island. As they climbed towards the tip of the rockface, a massive body flew up at the helicopter in a flash from the other side.
"Jesus fucking Christ!"Marcus jerked the controls back instinctively, trying to avoid a mid-air collision.
Rodan passed within fifty yards of the helicopter. It was way too close for comfort. The Japanese passengers came alive with terror, screaming and chattering incoherently while Marcus fought for control. The monster had not been moving at full speed, but fast enough to ensure that their helicopter was flung out of control by the resulting atmospheric disturbance.
"God damn it!" Brock shouted, keeping his head better than everyone else and bracing himself in his seat. He wished that he had buckled himself back in as the helicopter spun in the air.
Marcus finally regained command of the helicopter and steadied the craft. His heart was up in his throat. His eyes darted around looking for Rodan, certain that the monster would be back upon them in mere moments. The Japanese men were still losing their minds in the passenger compartment. It was too much for Brock to tolerate any longer.
"Will you little Jap bastards shut the hell up?!"He snapped in a thunderous voice, which finally settled them down. He then looked over to Marcus, who clearly was a little shaken up. "You alright?"
"Yeah… I'm good." Marcus was trying to regain his composure. Beads of cold sweat were collecting around his mouth. He wiped them away. "I don't see the monster, do you?"
"No, but now that we've cleared the summit, I can see the leftovers from his lunch." Brock pointed down below. Marcus saw a nearly hollowed out whale carcass in the valley beneath them. He also smelled something, but it couldn't be from the outside. "Ah jeez…" Brock groaned. "One of the Japs shit in their pants…" There was a pause as Marcus processed what Brock said.
"Wait, Rodan literally scared the shit out of them?" Marcus half-smiled, then laughed, breaking the tension in the helicopter. "Don't judge him too harshly, I was a half-second away myself." He joked. Brock laughed too. Even some of the Japanese men began to laugh, picking up on the non-verbal cues. Everybody was just happy to still be alive.
"Why didn't he take us out?" Brock asked, trying to get back to the task at hand.
"I don't know, maybe he's in a hurry to get somewhere else?" Marcus replied, cracking open the side window. "You know Brock, I've been thinking, what the hell did Rodan fly all the way down here for anyways?"
…
The Blessed Crab was getting closer to the northern tip of Japan. Captain Tadashi was looking forward to getting home. Usually at the end of a long voyage, he would meet up with some of his fellow captain buddies at the local bar and they would swap stories about their most recent outings. Tadashi felt pretty confident that his story would be the most entertaining this time around.
Tadashi was also looking forward to seeing his sweetheart. He had an extra tight hug and kiss in mind for her. She had never liked the fact that he ventured into the restricted area, so she'd likely have an extra big 'I told you so' waiting for him once he told her what happened. It didn't matter though; he was just happy that he and the rest of his crew had made it through alive. In the scheme of things, he could handle another lecture.
Tadashi figured he might as well tell her. There wasn't the slightest chance that he would be able to keep it a secret from her. The rest of the crew would definitely spill the beans about the explosion and seeing Rodan. It was by far the most exciting thing that had ever happened to any of them. Within twenty-four hours, it would be the talk of the town.
Tadashi also fully expected to be getting a knock on his door from the police, the military, or both. No matter how you cut it, he was going to be in trouble. Tadashi decided that he wouldn't try to avoid it. He needed to tell the authorities what he saw and take the consequences. Maybe they'd just give him a fine? After all, he didn't need to tell them about all of the times his ship had wandered up that way, just this one particular offense. He smirked to himself at the wheel of the ship, lost in his thoughts. Just then, he felt a rogue wave hit the side of the Blessed Crab. It broke him out of his daydreaming.
'That was weird…' Tadashi thought to himself. All of the sudden, the entire ship was lifted up as the ocean under them began to rise up. 'What the hell is going on?!' Tadashi almost lost his footing as the Blessed Crab shifted in the water. The ship abruptly found itself on the side of a mound of water moving through the ocean.
Soon, a row of jagged spikes began to protrude out from the top of the mound, sheering the water in half as it continued to move forward, carrying the Blessed Crab with it. The sailors panicked and shouted to each other, hanging on for dear life as the ship started to slide back down the side of the wall of water back into the ocean.
A larger mass rose out of the water and the single row of spikes multiplied into three. At that point, there was no doubt what was lingering underneath the water. It was Godzilla. The monster didn't even slow down or take notice of the ship as it passed. The Blessed Crab and her crew could only watch, drifting away, as Godzilla steamed northward apparently intent on getting somewhere.
The Blessed Crab came to a standstill on the water. The ocean calmed just as soon as Godzilla had left the area. Captain Tadashi stood at the wheel silently, still processing what had just happened. He decided, right then and there, that his ship would only ever stick to the normal fishing spots from that point going forward.
…
Akira had arrived in the town of Kazuto after a very long walk. It hadn't seemed that far away when he was in the air. It made Akira appreciate his decision to join the air corps and not the army. Long marches were definitely not his forte. He had already visited two homes in the hope of finding a phone to use. He was zero for two so far, no one had answered yet. The whole town seemed deserted. It was dead quiet. Akira couldn't help but be annoyed. He had walked so far on a banged-up leg, and now that he had finally reached his goal, he couldn't find anyone who was home. The town must have evacuated.
As Akira came up to the third house, he promised himself that he would just break down the damn door if no one answered. It turned out he wouldn't have to though. A young woman opened the door almost as soon as he got to it, as if she had been expecting him. Akira decided she must have seen him coming up the street. There was something odd though. If she had seen him through a window, then she certainly wasn't prepared to see the state of him. He was dirty, bloody, and bruised standing in front of her. She gasped as he came into full view.
In contrast, the young woman was quite the looker. She must have been in her early twenties and was wearing a fine white blouse and a stylish light grey shirt. She was neat, clean, and well put together. Akira felt embarrassed by her reaction to him. He must have looked worse than he imagined.
"Excuse me Miss, I am Captain Akira Saegusa of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. Might you have a phone I could use?" Akira bowed in respect and apology.
"It is I that you should be excusing." The young lady bowed back, blushing. "My behavior was very poor indeed. My name is Kiki Shagari. I would be glad to help you. Please come in." She opened the door wide, allowing him to enter. "Right this way." She led him through the living room. On the far side of the room, there was a phone hanging on the wall. "There you are." She turned and smiled warmly at him.
"Thank you very kindly." Akira replied. He picked up the receiver and began to dial the number to the airbase, only he couldn't remember the last two numbers. It had been a very trying day, and he sat there for a moment trying to remember.
"Six and four." Kiki spoke up.
"Excuse me…?" Akira stopped and turned to look at her.
"You are trying to remember the number to the air base." She replied. "But you stopped on the last two numbers. Six and four are the correct ones." She noted.
"You know… I think you might be right, but how did you know that?" Akira asked, surprised.
"The base is nearby; it is common knowledge here in Kazuto." Kiki answered quickly.
"Oh, I see." Akira turned his attention back to the phone. By then, he had taken too long and had to hang up and start over. Just then, it occurred to Akira that from where she was standing, Kiki could not have seen the numbers that he had dialed because his body was in the way. He brushed it off and returned to the task at hand. Instead of dialing the entire number all over again, Akira just dialed zero for the operator.
"Operator, can you give me Yokota Air Base please?" Akira asked. There was a pause while the operator tried to connect the call. Finally, the operator came back on the line and told him most of the lines into the base were busy and only important business could be put through. "What…?" Akira said irritably. "Well tell them I'm a downed airman, that should get their attention. Tell them I'm Captain Akira Saegusa and I need someone sent out to pick me up. I'm in the village of Kazuto, at the Shagari house, if that helps any." Akira paused and waited for their answer. "Oh? Good, that will be just fine. Thank you." He hung up the phone. "They said that the base would be dispatching someone within the next two hours."
"I'm glad it worked out for you." Kiki smiled. "With that out of the way, how about we get you cleaned up and see to your wound?"
"Oh, that won't be necessary." Akira assured her. "I can just go sit on your steps out front until they arrive. I've troubled you enough already."
"Nonsense." Kiki replied. "It's the least I can do for you fighting off the monster."
"Oh, you must have heard about the battle on the radio then?" Akira asked. There was a brief pause from Kiki.
"Why yes, exactly." She agreed. "Well, first things first, there is a tub in the next room. You are more than welcome to take a bath."
"I guess I am rather filthy." Akira chuckled sheepishly, looking down at himself. "You're sure that I'm not imposing though?"
"I'm certain." Kiki replied.
Akira went into the bathroom, took off his clothes, and turned on the water. He slipped inside the tub, slowly lowering himself in. The warm water felt nice until it hit his leg wound, which stung sharply. Akira yelped slightly, but mostly held it in. He looked towards the door to see if Kiki had heard him. He had been embarrassed enough as it was already, the last thing he needed was for her to hear him cry out. Akira settled back into the water and let it cleanse his wound. The pain died down and he started to relax. Akira looked over and realized that Kiki had silently entered the room to collect his soiled flight suit.
"Are you doing ok in here?" She asked politely. "I thought I heard a noise?"
"Yes, I am quite well now." Akira froze in embarrassment. Only his hands moved, pulling more suds closer to his body.
"I'm going to wash this for you, though it might be a bit of a lost cause." She examined the blood-stained holes. "I left you some clothes on the chair when you come out and I made you a new bandage as well."
"Okay, thanks." He started to shrink further and further down into the tub.
Kiki left the room, and Akira resumed washing himself in peace. After he had finished, he stepped out and dried off. Akira wrapped the towel around himself and looked in the mirror to fix his hair. As he looked in the mirror, he noticed in the reflection that he had left a slight stain ring around the tub which was a mixture of dirt, blood, and various other contaminants. He could not let Kiki see it. He seized a sponge and turned the water back on as quietly as he could.
"You don't have to worry about that." Kiki called from outside of the room.
Akira was dumbfounded. How did she know? He ignored her and quickly scrubbed the ring off before applying the fresh bandage and putting his new clothes on. Once he was presentable again, he came outside to the smell of something cooking. He found his way to the kitchen where Kiki was pulling out a duck from the oven.
"Are you hungry?" She asked. He was in fact starving.
"How did you make that so fast?" Akira asked astonished. "I haven't been here that long."
"Oh, I had it cooking before you arrived." Kiki answered. "Please, sit down."
Akira did as she requested. Kiki put the bird on the table, and it looked very inviting. She had already put some potatoes and rice out ahead of time. Akira realized that it was a meal far too large for Kiki to have made just for herself. Of course, she must have been expecting someone else home soon. The clothes she had fetched for him had to belong to someone. She certainly wasn't going to wear men's clothing, and even if she planned to, they would be several sizes too big for her. Then it occurred to Akira, the clothes he was wearing were a perfect fit for him. That seemed like a rather odd coincidence.
"So… do you have a brother or a father due home soon?" Akira asked.
"No, it's just me here." Kiki answered, taking her oven mitts off. "I have no siblings and my parents both died."
"Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that." Akira apologized.
"The refinery was empty by the way." Kiki shut off the oven and then sat down to join him.
"What?" Akira asked confused.
"You said you were worried about that earlier." Kiki replied. "The radio said no one was there. So, you don't have to worry about it anymore."
'Did I mention that to her?' Akira thought to himself. 'I don't remember.' He was exhausted. He decided that maybe he had, and just forgot.
"Better eat while it's still hot." Kiki leaned in and smiled at him.
"Yes, you're quite right." Akira took a bite of the duck. Maybe it was just because he was so hungry, but it was the most delicious duck he could ever remember tasting. The meat melted in his mouth and the flavor exploded on his tongue.
"Wow, this is really somethi…" Akira began to say.
"Thank you." Kiki blushed, cutting him off. "I hoped you would like it."
"Liking it doesn't even begin to cover it." Akira retorted. "This is outstanding."
The pair finished the rest of the meal in relative silence, a testament to Kiki's cooking. When it was over, Kiki brought Akira to sit down in the living room and relax. He wanted to talk to Kiki and find out more about her, but he could hardly keep his eyes open. He had eaten too much. He fell asleep right in his armchair. Akira woke up to the sound of his own snoring about an hour later.
"You'd better wake up; your friends have arrived." Kiki warned Akira.
Akira rose from the chair and looked out the window.
"I don't see them..." Akira began to say, but just then, a military truck pulled up outside. "Oh, there they are."
As the truck came to a stop, Haruki jumped out of the passenger side door. He was still wearing most of his flight gear. Akira went to the front door to meet him. Kiki turned on the radio, then followed behind Akira. Akira opened the door and warmly greeted his friend Haruki.
"You came looking for me yourself?" Akira asked, surprised.
"We were concerned about you." Haruki replied. "The way you went down… it was the bravest thing I think I've ever seen." Akira noticed a whole squad of soldiers in the back of the truck.
"What's with the troops Haruki?" Akira asked.
"Well, we thought we'd have to comb through the entire countryside to find you." Haruki replied. "Didn't imagine you'd make it all the way here. The boys and I were already out looking for you when they radioed us and said you were here." At that point, Haruki saw Kiki lurking behind Akira. "Say… you're out of uniform." He turned his attention back to Akira. "What have you been up to with this nice young civilian lady?"
"She was kind enough to help me clean up my act." Akira joked but stared daggers into Haruki.
"Oh... I see." Haruki smirked, noticing how pretty Kiki was. "Think she could help me too?" Akira elbowed him in the gut. "Ooof. Then again, maybe we should be going boss?" Just then an urgent news bulletin buzzed in over the radio, drawing their attention.
"This is Taki Izo with JNN with a special update on Godzilla and Rodan. A detachment of the American fleet has made contact with Rodan in the north-western territorial waters of Japan. The monster was last seen flying north, presumed to be heading back towards Russia. Additionally, within the last hour, we have received a report from a returning fishing vessel. Godzilla has been sighted fifty miles off of the northern coast of Hokkaido, also heading north, destination unknown at this time. The Home Fleet and American task force are both in pursuit of the monsters. The Government has announced an all clear to the western portion of Japan. The immediate threats have passed. Stayed tuned for further information."
"I hope they wipe each other out." Akira bristled at the mention of both Godzilla and Rodan. Each monster had inflicted great injuries to his country, as well as hitting him on a more personal level. Kiki said nothing but seemed distracted.
"I hope we don't see the likes of either again." Haruki added.
"I guess we had better get back to base." Akira decided, then turned to Kiki. "Thank you for your hospitality. Perhaps one day, I can repay your kindness." He turned to leave. But before he could take off with Haruki, Kiki suddenly clasped onto Akira's hand, preventing him from leaving.
"Be careful out there." She told him firmly. There was something in her eyes as she said it, like she meant something more urgent and imminent than another distant encounter with either Rodan or Godzilla. Akira didn't know what to say. He didn't understand why, but there was weight to her words. "And don't forget this." She handed him his tattered flight suit back.
"I'll do my best." Akira assured her, feeling a little awkward. He looked down, thinking about what to say next. "Say, when I get back to base, would it be ok if I…?" Before he finished, he noticed that there was a note on the top of his uniform with a number on it. It said: 'Call me.'
…
"I finally got through; a helicopter is on its way." Dimitri announced to his men. "They want one of the eggs for research purposes, just like I figured. We should be able to get out of here before the monsters get back."
"What in the hell took them so long to get back to us?" Zev growled. "We've been sitting here for hours."
"They said they couldn't risk contacting us before now, because Rodan is on a rampage. It has destroyed three towns already and is presently laying waste to the city of Temzarsk. Since it is distracted there, they decided it was safe enough to launch an operation now."
"What happened to the other Rodan?" Zev asked.
"It went south." Dimitri answered. "That's all they know for now. Since we got a ticket out of here, let's take care of some business before we go. We only need to bring back one egg. We'll destroy the rest. We can't have any more of these things flying around. Two are bad enough. Clear away some of the debris from the side of the nest, we'll push them out. Once we get them going, those rocks below should do the rest."
Dimitri's men did as they were told and moved branches and small trees out of the way. Then, one by one, they pushed the Rodan eggs over the side. The first one rolled down the rock side, gaining momentum until it came to a crashing halt against a cluster of pointy rocks. It split in half and a copious amount of yolk came splattering out of it.
"Guess they weren't that far along." Dimitri observed.
"Makes you feel a little less like an asshole, right?" Zev remarked. Dimitri only nodded. He was preoccupied thinking about what was going to happen when the parents came back and discovered what happened to their eggs. He watched his men dispose of the rest. "Won't they notice that one of the eggs is missing if we take one?"
"Well, you take a look down there, and tell me if you can count how many individual eggs we started with amongst all that mess." Dimitri pointed out. Zev raised his eyebrows and just shrugged. "I doubt the monsters will be able to either."
"I guess not, but I'll tell you this: I wouldn't want to be around when they discover what happened." Zev remarked.
"Nor I…" Dimitri agreed.
…
Aboard the USS Essex, Marcus and Brock had landed following their mission, and let their passengers depart by motorboat for one of the Japanese cruisers where they would be more comfortable among their own countrymen. The sailors bowed to Marcus and Brock in respect before taking their leave. Marcus bowed back, not sure what else to do, while Brock merely nodded. Afterwards, the pair made their way to the bridge to get updated on the latest news. Unsurprisingly, the fleet was still headed north pursuing both Rodan and Godzilla.
"Are you sure Godzilla is still heading north?" Brock asked. "There have been no further sightings since the fishermen. He could have easily changed direction since then."
"Am I certain…? No. But that's what my gut tells me." Marcus replied.
"What makes you think so?" Captain Hillard asked. "I'm not arguing that he isn't, but what is his goal?"
"I think he's after the nuclear fallout from the failed Russian attack on the Rodans." Marcus replied. "To paraphrase Dr. Orsini from earlier, the monster must have expended a great deal of energy during his attack on Tokyo. Maybe he needs a recharge? As impressive as these creatures are, they're still fundamentally animals. All living organisms need to subsist on something. Remember all of those nuclear test sites that we found strangely inert? Well, I think this monster uses nuclear energy as a source of power, he is somehow able to absorb the residual radiation like a sponge."
"So, you think those fishermen really did see a nuke going off?" Brock asked.
"I think even common sailors know what a nuclear explosion looks like." Marcus grinned.
"Intelligence has yet to confirm that, but the area in question is so remote that even Russian civilians would not have known about it if it happened." Admiral Malek pointed out.
"The area around the Rodan's nest has been deserted for some time. Our contacts in Russia are looking into it, but it will likely be a while before we get a solid answer."
"It's funny, we have all of these resources at our disposal, and yet, the only reason we even know about the attack is due to some Japanese civilians." Captain Hillard remarked. "I can't decide if those sailors have the best or worst luck."
"Well, I can't believe the Russkies botched their attack so badly." Brock sneered. "That was probably their best chance to rid themselves of the Rodans."
"I just don't think it's a coincidence that a nuke goes off in Russia and Godzilla suddenly heads north." Marcus brought the conversation back to where they started. "Not based on what we have seen thus far."
"Well, you've got a very interesting theory Marcus." Admiral Malek cut in. "Would you like a chance to prove it?" He smirked.
…
On a beach on the southern coast of Kamchatka, there was a thud that could be heard and felt throughout the landscape. Birds flew up out of trees and all manner of creatures were suddenly stirred by the disturbance. Then there was a second thud. At that point, every animal that was able to, beat a hasty retreat out of the area. They did so to make way for the enormous dark form which suddenly appeared in the ocean. One thud followed after another as the beast moved closer to the beach, until he finally took his first step onto the shore. Godzilla had arrived in Russia.
The monster was driven forward by one instinct and desire. What had drawn him there wasn't so far away now, and there was no opposition to be found. Godzilla moved onward, saltwater dripping from his snout and off of his back spines as he advanced. The monster surveyed the landscape, which seemed empty. The only signs of life were the trees that were snapping like matchsticks as he stepped on them.
For a long time, it went on that way. Godzilla was seemingly alone, walking through a lonely cool landscape. However, he was not alone anymore. As his journey continued, the mutated reptile could hear a whistling sound approaching from behind him. It was growing louder and louder with each step he took. Godzilla ignored it. Whatever this visitor was, he did not care to let them distract him from his goal.
After a few more miles of walking, the unseen pursuer made its presence more obvious. It came down closer to Godzilla and roared, trying to catch his attention. Godzilla still ignored them, pressing onward further into the countryside on his march.
After another mile's worth of stalking, the thing that harried Godzilla grew even more bold. It swooped down close and passed very nearby Godzilla's head. A torrent of wind hit the back of Godzilla's body. It was not strong enough to put him off balance, but he definitely felt it. The spines on his back waved with the current. The other monster was low enough now that Godzilla could see them as they flew by. The creature was a brown and winged reptile which was almost as big as he was, and it looked angry. It chirped and cackled down to Godzilla. That turned out to be its final warning.
On Rodan's next pass, which occurred only about a mile later, he clipped Godzilla in the back of the head. The blow knocked Godzilla forward. He stumbled to stay on his feet but managed to keep his balance. Godzilla roared in anger as he came to a stop and stood up straight. Rodan was above him circling, looking to see how he would react. Rodan was well out of Godzilla's reach, so he started to trudge forward again undeterred.
Rodan meanwhile was becoming more and more agitated. Godzilla was getting closer to his nesting site with each passing minute, and that was intolerable to him. Rodan roared, and then came down towards the peak of a rocky hill and snatched up a hunk of rock from it. With the stone in his talons, he soared back up into the sky over Godzilla.
Once Rodan had gained enough altitude, he released the rock which plummeted down towards Godzilla like a bomb. The boulder hit home, striking Godzilla in the upper back, and bouncing off of his hide. Godzilla roared in pain and stopped in his tracks. If Rodan wanted to get his attention, he had finally succeeded. Rodan had caused too much damage to simply be ignored anymore. Both monsters were determined to achieve their goals, and as such, were ready to stand and fight. Godzilla roared up to Rodan, issuing the challenge. Rodan roared back, accepting.
Rodan made the first move, descending and banking hard until he came around and struck Godzilla in the side of the head with the hardened plates of his armored underbelly. This time, Godzilla went down. He teetered slightly until he finally dropped over like a massive tree. Dust and debris flew up as he struck the ground with a thunderous boom. Rodan took advantage by landing nearby and flapping his wings. Dirt flew into Godzilla's eyes as he struggled to regain his footing. The hurricane-force winds Rodan produced sent Godzilla rolling back over again.
Godzilla continued to roll until the strength of Rodan's wind gusts started to dissipate. Now that he had a little distance, Godzilla was able to get back to his feet and was pissed. Godzilla's back spines lit up, and out from his mouth, poured a flood of blue nuclear fire. Rodan was completely caught off guard by the sudden and bizarre attack. It hit him full force in the chest, which sent him flying backwards.
Fortunately for Rodan, he had taken the full impact of the fire stream on his armored plates, so the damage from the fire itself was minimal. However, the force of the blow had sent Rodan tumbling off of his perch and into the unforgiving rocks behind him. They scraped the hide of his unarmored back.
Godzilla used the time that Rodan was down to wipe the debris from his eyes and then charged forward, attempting to catch Rodan while he was still on the ground. However, Rodan had also managed to recover by that point, and flapped his wings hard to regain flight and get out of the way. Rodan lifted straight up off the ground. The wind from his flapping actually ended up slowing Godzilla down just enough to allow him to escape his clutches.
Rodan slowed his flapping and floated back down towards Godzilla, determined to retaliate. Rodan pecked at Godzilla's face, hitting him several times in rapid succession, though he missed both of his eyes as he had intended. Godzilla defended himself, swatting Rodan away with his strong right arm. Godzilla was rattled by the attack though. Rodan's beak was harder than steel, and it had ricocheted against his skull several times.
Godzilla turned towards Rodan and swung his tail full force at him. Rodan was in the process of taking back to the sky, and Godzilla's tail hit him in the back, which sent him skidding along the ground on his belly. Rodan tore up the soil for about three hundred yards until finally coming to a stop. Godzilla had meanwhile grabbed a nearby boulder and flung it at Rodan. Rodan was getting back to his feet and turned just in time to see the rock. There was not enough time for him to dodge it. Luck was on Rodan's side though, the stone shattered against the sturdy horns of his crest and did little damage.
Rodan wasted no more time and took back to the sky. He banked and circled around Godzilla's back until he was approaching him from the other side. This maneuver confused Godzilla just long enough for Rodan to come around and kick him in the side of the head with both of his feet as he passed over. Godzilla stayed on his feet, but the attack unbalanced him. That gave Rodan the opening he needed to get in behind Godzilla and dig his talons into both of Godzilla's shoulders.
Rodan flapped as hard as he could and actually managed to lift Godzilla off of the ground in an impressive show of strength. Rodan brought Godzilla over to a mountain full of pointy rocks and then dropped him onto it near the top. Godzilla plummeted helplessly until he smashed into the ground and then rolled all the way down the mountainside.
When Godzilla got to the bottom, he was scraped, bruised, and angry. Rodan landed across the field from him, perched up on a slight incline. He appeared winded from the effort of lifting Godzilla up, but also somehow pleased with the results. Rodan chirped and roared in what almost seemed like a taunt and amusement. He felt like he had gained the advantage in the fight.
Godzilla turned to him with a malevolent look in his eyes and the two titans faced off against each other once more. Rodan took off from his perch and came straight at Godzilla. His confidence was misplaced though. A frontal assault against Godzilla was a reckless mistake. As Rodan closed in, Godzilla whipped his tail around and swept Rodan from the sky. Rodan was forced to the ground in a heap. Godzilla followed up by using his tail like a hammer and beat down against Rodan's back three times.
Godzilla turned his back on Rodan so that he could fully extend his tail high in the air to get maximum impact with his next strike, but in the time that it took him to maneuver, Rodan managed to scurry out of the way. Godzilla's tail came down and hit only the ground. He didn't notice the difference from the impact and went to strike another blow. Rodan had turned around, and when Godzilla missed the second time, he bit the tip of his tail.
The end of Godzilla's tail turned out to be an oddly sensitive part of his body. He reacted like he had been hit by a bolt of lightning. Godzilla thrashed his tail forward towards him, which flicked Rodan off and sent him gliding away into the air.
Godzilla turned towards Rodan, his spines starting to light up again. Rodan saw what was happening and knew what it meant. He had learned his lesson from the first time around. Rodan flew in low and ducked his body behind a mountain to avoid Godzilla's heat ray. It wasn't a second too soon. Godzilla's breath burst forth and the hill erupted into flames. Much of the rockface was blasted away as Godzilla continued to let loose.
Rodan emerged from behind the hill and Godzilla tried to keep up with him with his stream of fire, but Rodan's speed got him clear just as Godzilla's attack ceased. Rodan came to another hill in front of him and flipped mid-air, using his feet to push off from the rocks while also clasping another boulder in the process. He came right back at Godzilla and smashed the rock right into his chest. Rodan wanted to plant it right into Godzilla's face, but it was heavier than he had anticipated, and he'd lost some elevation on the way over to him.
The move had caught Godzilla off guard. The weight of the boulder and Rodan's body were enough to put Godzilla on the back foot and only by catching one of the nearby hills with his claws did he stay upright. Rodan was off balance too and his flightpath became a little erratic. It didn't stop him from wheeling around and making a second attack on Godzilla.
Godzilla, however, was ready for him this time, and shifted his feet which allowed him to catch Rodan midair. Using Rodan's own momentum against him, Godzilla body slammed him onto the ground. The move seemed to knock some of the fight out of Rodan as he ended up flat on his back. Godzilla roared and then brought up one of his feet to step on Rodan. Rodan was able to roll out of the way and started to get back to his feet, but Godzilla was still right on top of him and swatted Rodan right across the face. Rodan reeled before coming back and swatting Godzilla in the face in return.
Godzilla looked stunned for a second, and Rodan used the time to fly up backwards to gain a little distance. A close-up brawl with Godzilla would not be to his advantage. Godzilla was bigger and stronger. Rodan's best strategy would be to stick and move with quick strikes as he had been doing. Rodan landed on a hill about a hundred meters further away from Godzilla and dug in his talons again. He once-more flapped his wings hard to send cyclone strength winds to bracket against Godzilla's body.
Godzilla nearly went down again, but he grabbed a hunk of rock sticking out from the ground and threw it at Rodan. It hit Rodan in the face, which distracted him from flapping his wings. Godzilla followed up by using his tail to hit another outcropping of boulders, sending several small hunks of stone flying up at Rodan. Rodan used his wings to shield his body. Godzilla launched another barrage and Rodan finally had enough and took to the sky to avoid being pelted any more.
…
Meanwhile, back at the volcano, a Soviet mi-6 heavy transport chopper had arrived to collect Dimitri's team along with the only remaining Rodan egg. Dimitri used one of his signal flares to help pinpoint their position for the pilot. Dimitri and his team had tried to clear the area the best they could after getting the egg out into the open undamaged, but the terrain was just too tough and uneven for the helicopter to land. Instead, the helicopter crew lowered a net to load up the egg. The pilot signaled for Dimitri to just load everyone and everything inside the net. He didn't seem keen to stay in the area for very long.
"They can't land!" Dimitri announced to his men. "Just get into the net with the egg."
No one argued. The men carefully rolled the egg onto the net and Dimitri fired off a second flare to signal to the helicopter crew that they were ready for takeoff. The poor preparation did not bode well for the mission. The helicopter lifted them up and everyone was forced onto the egg. They could only hope that the egg was strong enough to hold their weight.
Right from the start, the package swayed underneath the chopper as they were in a hurry to get up to speed. Dimitri and his men were not enjoying the ride. They clung onto anything they could to avoid falling out, though none of that would matter much if the helicopter crew dashed them against a tree trunk or the rockface. The helicopter finally got high enough to clear all the worst obstacles and hazards, but now the men were exposed to the worst of the wind. The higher they got, the colder it was going to get.
"Bundle up boys, this is going to be a long cold trip." Dimitri warned.
Through the noise of the helicopter blades, and blowing of the wind, Dimitri heard something that made his heart stop. It was a sound he knew all too well, a high-pitched whistle of wings cutting through the air at high altitudes. It could only be the sound of one of the Rodan's approaching the area.
…
Godzilla and Rodan's duel had gradually moved north, and they were now within the outer reaches of the blast radius of the nuclear strike. Rodan was starting to tire. He wasn't moving as quickly as he had been at the outset of the battle. Godzilla on the other hand, had not only kept up a consistent level of strength the whole way through, but indeed seemed to be getting stronger now that he was starting to absorb perimeter radiation from the blast zone. Rodan simply could not match the amazing battle endurance Godzilla was demonstrating.
As Rodan came in for another attack, Godzilla caught him by the wing. Godzilla pulled Rodan in and got a clawed hand around his throat. Godzilla pulled Rodan in even closer, looking at him eye to eye. Rodan struggled against Godzilla, beating him with his wings, but he couldn't break away from Godzilla's strong grasp. Godzilla roared in victory. Rodan had been a worthy adversary, but he knew the battle was his.
Just then, the female Rodan came down on Godzilla from above, putting one of her feet right between his neck and shoulder and knocking him over. She kept her foot in place, digging her talons into his flesh and drawing blood, and then riding him all the way down to the ground. As Godzilla fell, he released the male Rodan who wasted no time in flying away.
Her mate safe, the female Rodan took off just as Godzilla settled in the dirt. But Godzilla was quick to whip his tail and hit her in the back for her trouble. She was briefly sent back to the ground, but she outstretched her legs and bounced right back up into the sky and out of harm's way. She was a little more agile than the male Rodan.
Reunited in the sky, the two Rodan's called to each other. They stayed well above Godzilla to avoid giving him any opportunity to attack them. Such as it was, the two just circled above him regrouping and formulating a plan. Godzilla roared up to them impatiently, eager to resume the fight. The Rodans only kept him waiting a moment longer before acting.
The male Rodan began by dipping down and cutting right in front of Godzilla to draw his attention, while the female dropped down behind him snatching up a rock. She changed direction and prepared to smash it against the back of Godzilla's head while he was distracted. Godzilla however seemed to sense the attack coming and whirled around with his spines beginning to glow. He let loose with his atomic breath and the rock that the female Rodan carried shattered to pieces below her.
Realizing she was now carrying nothing, the female Rodan broke off her attack and retreated back into the sky. Godzilla pursued them from the ground and the battle had led them directly to the mouth of the nuclear crater. Godzilla's spikes began to glow and flash as he fed on the abundant raw nuclear energy found there. The Rodans hovered above, not sure what to make of the lightshow. Usually, an attack followed such a display, but it went on without any sort of follow up from Godzilla.
After a time, the Rodans came in for another double strike from both directions. This time, the female dropped down in front, drawing Godzilla's attention. She was moving much faster than the male ever had. Her speed caught Godzilla off guard, and she managed to get a clean kick off into his chest. The male followed up with a similar kick attack from behind.
The two-pronged assault put Godzilla off balance. The female Rodan decided to take advantage of this by going for a second kick, only this time to the face. It was a tactical error though. Godzilla swayed his head to avoid the blow and then chomped down on her foot with his teeth. She tried to fly up again, but Godzilla wouldn't let go. She wasn't strong enough to lift him like the male was. She used her free leg to kick at Godzilla's face, but he simply wasn't budging.
The male Rodan quickly recognized that his mate was in trouble and banked around gaining momentum. He came in low and used one of his wings to undercut Godzilla's right leg from behind, right where the bend of the knee was. Godzilla's leg buckled from the force of the strike, and as a result, the female Rodan was released.
The male Rodan wheeled around for a second time but paid for trying to go to the well one too many times. Godzilla got a hand out and caught him. Godzilla didn't hold on to him though. Instead, he used Rodan's momentum against him, forcing him to fly straight into the female Rodan who had landed outside of Godzilla's reach to inspect the damage he had done to her foot. The two collided and went down head over talons.
Godzilla approached the pair with aggressive intentions. The male Rodan saw him coming and flew up into Godzilla's face to protect his mate. He kicked, scratched, and pecked. The ferocity of the attack forced Godzilla to take a step back. Godzilla recovered and used his claws to slash back at Rodan. The attack caught the bottom portion of Rodan's wing, ripping three small tears into them. The damage was mostly cosmetic, but it was enough to make Rodan back off.
Godzilla was incensed and fired at the male Rodan with his breath at close range. The male Rodan had the sense to get out of the way and only caught a portion of the stream. The damage to him was minimal. The forest behind Rodan wasn't so lucky though. A good section of the already scorched forest was sprayed down, setting what was left of it on fire. The fire spread quickly, filling the whole battlefield with smoke. The countryside was turning into a fiery hellscape.
Neither of the Rodans could avoid the smoke as it filled up the sky. The male Rodan was already reaching the point of exhaustion and would not be able to carry on the fight much longer. Poor air quality was not going to help his case. The female Rodan seemed disturbed by the flames in general.
The two Rodans chirped back and forth before finally turning and retreating out of the area, leaving Godzilla to claim the field. Godzilla meanwhile did not pursue them. He only watched as they flew away from him. From a helicopter several miles away, the end of the battle had been witnessed by several human spectators.
"He's letting them go?" Brock asked confused.
"He didn't come here for them." Marcus remarked.
"Radiation levels down there are dropping dramatically." Admiral Malek announced, gazing at the readout of their Geiger counter, which had been installed into the nose of the helicopter. "Looks like you were right Marcus."
"Maybe it's a little late to bring it up, but aren't we violating Russian airspace right now?" Brock asked.
"Well, it's really not their airspace anymore, is it?" Admiral Malek noted smugly.