There was never a dull moment for Special Agent Sweetie Drops. She stared on through her pair of binoculars as the deck of the naval ship teetered and rocked against the aggressive, monstrous-like waves. They battered and struck the sides of the T.I.T.A.N. ship so strongly that torrents of ocean water spewed forth and doused the occupants with enough power to cripple them, yet the Earth ponies remained vigilant. They held the line and kept the sails alive and vibrant.

A storm of vicious snow and lightning struck the outer portions of the ocean, the winds so powerful that they blew the sails of the naval ship in a vicious, uneven pattern. Aside from Sweetie Drops, the highest command upon the ship was Captain Rosebud. He was a burly stallion wearing a drenched overcoat and spouting off orders to every member upon the ship’s deck. Despite the more… feminine name, it didn’t deter the captain from his duties, nor did the ponies under him see him any differently. He was still that loudmouth captain of T.I.T.A.N. that they all adhered to become one day.

While she let Rosebud deal with his ponies, Sweetie Drops took as much time to recollect as she did spy upon the wicked ocean’s surface. Dark, towering rocks were erected from the waves, water smashing against them as well as the pillars of ice only growing more and more fervent. They were definitely getting deeper into the Frozen North. Sweetie Drops sighed, lowering her binoculars. She really did need to focus on something other than work for once.

Yet how could she think of anything else? The anti-monster agency she had been a part of for three years and counting was her entire life.

No beast was too much for them to contain. No monster strong enough to outwit, outplay, and outpower what was undoubtedly Equestria’s greatest rising task force. Secret? Yes. Confidential? To the highest degree. Yet Sweetie Drops did not seem to mind. Though they worked in the shadows, they ensured that ponies slept well at night without the fear of a beast emerging forth and taking from them everything they loved. It was nowhere near a thankless job. The gratitude from their rulers, the smiles upon ponies’ faces she saw every day, and the thrill of the hunt more than satisfied and encouraged Sweetie Drops to work her hardest in keeping Equestria—and her world—safe from unnatural dangers. She had faced, beaten, and captured more monsters than she could count. From the most miniscule to even the most monstrous, from beasts of natural forces and even to creatures of old, nothing was too much for her. Northing could stand against her and T.I.T.A.N.

Unfortunately, one apparently managed to escape. One apparently managed to slip through their conjoined grip again and again, evading all of their search parties and hiding within Equus’ vast, deep, and dark oceans for decades. The beast never truly showed itself. There had only been grainy photographs to detail the beast’s existence, talks and hushed whispers from higher-ups of horror stories beyond imagination of what the creature was truly capable of, but even then… it had only become a legend from that point forward.

All he really was was a legend.

Special Agent Sweetie Drops knew better than to believe in legends.

Their recent findings with help from the seaponies proved to be the most helpful in years. The Western Ocean of the Frozen North was hiding something within its depths, something that stirred the ocean currents in irregular and unnatural patterns. Naturally, Celestia sent T.I.T.A.N. on the job to investigate, and allowed Special Agent Sweetie Drops to helm the mission outside of Equestria’s borders. It was her first mission beyond her home, the first one that led her away from thick jungles, vast deserts, and deep canyons in search of minor beasts like Hydra, dragons, or even Chimera that threatened Equestria and its ponies. It was a mission Sweetie Drops swore to Celestia and herself that she wouldn’t fail, that she would come home with something.

And who knew? Maybe a legend could be true. Sweetie Drops doubted it, but she never dismissed the golden opportunity that was given to her.

The thunder roared overhead, a devastating clash of yellow lightning shooting across the sky and impacting a nearby rock jutted from the ocean surface. The stone exploded, spraying fragments into the sea and vanishing after that. A rising sense of panic filled the deck of the naval ship, unicorns and Pegasi nearly ready to abandon their posts and retreat to the lower decks to ensure they wouldn’t be thrown overboard from the ocean’s ferocity. The equally fierce look they received from their captain prompted them to stay at their stations and keep the ship afloat. Sweetie watched the deck move and flow like a living body, her foreleg rising to block the oncoming wave of snow impacting her face.

She couldn’t even see beyond the deck. Mere meters of ocean water, some passing rocks, but nothing else. The lanterns upon the deck rattled and swung, barely lighting their way. The rocks were getting bigger, darker, more jagged and sharp. Sweetie Drops tightened her lips, her expression, not wishing to meet the end of those rocks with the front of the ship.

A patch rested on her left shoulder, the T.I.T.A.N. logo showcasing a rising sun upon the world of Equus. It ensured that their world fell under the watchful and protective eye of Princess Celestia and her agency. As long as they stood, no monster would rise and claim their home. Sweetie Drops nearly fell, crying out and pressing both hooves upon the deck to steady herself. Frowning at the tremor the naval ship felt while being smacked back and forth by the ocean, Sweetie rose up and sent a fearsome stare to the captain.

“Keep the ship steady!” she called, jamming her hoof in the appropriate and most important direction: straight ahead. “Avoid those rocks!”

Captain Rosebud acknowledged her with a firm nod, turning his bearded face to the rest of the deck and screaming, “You heard the agent! Keep those sails straight, ya ninnies! I want no pony off this deck until we get this water cleared out and our destination secured! We’ve faced greater storms than this, lads! Don’t give in now!”

He felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, prompting his attention to the lovely young mare stepping forth behind him. Sweetie Drops’ black jumpsuit clung to her body tightly, the ocean water and snow painting her face and mane and drenching the rest in a slick wetness. He knew better than to ogle his superior, raising his eyes and narrowing each to avoid the spewing ocean water and pelting snow.

“How far are we from the shore?” the agent tried to shout over the storm, lightning cackling behind her and lighting up the night sky. Her wet mane and tail blew viciously. “Storm’s picking up! We’ve been at this for hours! Might as well set up camp for the night on some solid ground!”

The crow’s nest swayed haphazardly above them, the Pegasus within it calling out, “I can see the shoreline approaching! Incoming glaciers by the dozen! I’d say we’re about a mile and a half away!”

Dropping his spyglass, the Pegasus gazed down to the deck to see both Rosebud and Sweetie Drops acknowledge his findings. They were staring up at him, unable to witness the oncoming wave approaching the right side of the ship. Only the crow’s nest was able to witness it, shooting out his spyglass and dropping his jaw when he caught a glimpse of it.

Just a glimpse was all that was needed.

His free hoof shot out and rang the bell. Several horrific times. “Alert!” he cried out. “Incoming tidal wave on our—!”

It was too late. The unnatural wave struck the side of the naval ship with such power and ferocity that it nearly toppled the entire ship. Earth ponies had no chance to escape as the water washed them overboard, several screams silenced as numerous bodies hit the water. They became simply one with the storm, the naval ship pushing on without them. Unable to hear them. The unicorns took over for the sails, each one flapping madly against the wind and snow, uncontrolled and uncontainable. As for Captain Rosebud and Special Agent Sweetie Drops, the stallion helped the mare back to her hooves and steadied each other, each pony looking fearfully around the deck of the ship.

Everything was in ruins. Nearly the entire deck was flooded with unicorns and Pegasi trying desperately to scoop out the water with buckets. Boxes filled with camping supplies and depth charges were toppled over and spilled outwards. The tools that were meant to bring the beast out of hiding had fallen out of their reach, fell out of their control. They were unable to react appropriately as those depth charges rolled to the edge of the ship, the rocking of the waves pushing them right through the wooden barrier and sending each one into the ocean depths. Sweetie Drops and Rosebud galloped to the edge of the ship, barely able to see as the depth charges sunk further and further into the black. Out of sight.

They slowly turned to one another, each one seemingly knowing and feeling the same thing.

“Oh, no…” Sweetie Drops uttered.

The explosions were bright and yellow within the darkness of the sea. Several dozen at a time, shooting off and lighting up the ocean floor for a few seconds. It was quick, it was over before they knew it, but within that short moment of light… Sweetie Drops saw something above it. Above the ocean floor, above the flurry of lights. Something stirring…

Something swimming.

Her eyes slowly widened, every last breath taken from her.

The ocean groaned once each and every last depth charge was ignited and exploded. Only there was no possible way for the depth charges to create the sound that followed, a groan so profound and powerful that it shook the deck of the naval ship and sent shivers down everypony’s spines. Sweetie Drops especially felt it, but knew better than anypony else on that deck that whatever sound it was… wasn’t from the ocean.

She had worked in the area of expertise for monster-hunting long enough to know a growl when she heard one.

“Damage report!” Captain Rosebud roared in response, finding his captain’s hat strewn upon the deck and placing the soaked hat back on his head.

The crow’s nest was once more his response, as everypony else was fixated on their approaching obstacle. But even then, Rosebud hardly even heard the Pegasus. He could only stare straight on, alongside Sweetie Drops, as the rocks came into view.

“Captain! Incoming rocks!”

The front of the ship zeroed in on the plethora of ocean rocks rising out of the waves. That was the problem. That was the impossible reality. They were rising. They were moving. They were jagged in every sense of the word and precisely and naturally formed. Sweetie Drops narrowed her eyes to the rocks, realizing sooner rather than later… that they weren’t rocks. Her expression fell, ears drooping and eyes widening. Jaw falling. Unable to warn them in time. They only kept rising higher and higher and higher, torrents of ocean water falling from their peaks and impacting the deck of the ship until…

Sweetie Drops was viciously thrown from the ship before she could even scream.

The bow impacted the obstacle and practically severed the ship. It was capsized, every occupant upon it thrown to the darkness of the seas. They were lost within those waves, every piece of machinery, equipment, and even the ship itself sinking further and further into the depths of darkness. Pegasi tried desperately to fly away as some called out to their fellow crewmembers, and even managed to rescue a few from the subzero temperatures of the water. Yet they simply couldn’t save them all. So many more were lost to the storm.

And none of them could find Special Agent Sweetie Drops within it.

She found her safety upon the shoreline of the Frozen North, hooves shivering as they gripped the solid ice and forcefully pulled the mare out of the freezing waters. She crawled for several yards on the frosty sand. It was hardly a better substitute, the sand turning into the snow and ice freezing against her chest and body as she gave in and laid against it, the mare shivering uncontrollably and breathing vapors of near-ice that escaped the minimal warmth of her heart. Ocean and ice definitely weren’t her expertise. It was a far cry to the lands she had successfully captured and contained monsters within, and it was because of that that Sweetie Drops had reached quite possibly her lowest point.

Stranded in the frozen wasteland, no sign of help, her only means of survival sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

All signs of feeling in her limbs were beginning to fade, that painful numbness ever-consuming and ever-taking from the pony. The snow fell upon the side of her face while the other side was practically frozen against the ice-like floor of the shoreline. Her mane and tail were hardening, ice forming against them, slowly consuming her heart, her blood, and her life. The seconds ticked away to form into minutes. Several painful minutes from an equally painful death…

Death didn’t need her just yet.

A tremor upon the earth literally brought her back from the dead.

Slowly raising her head, the ice began to crackle on her mane as she shifted her eyes in the opposite direction. Directly behind her. Remnants of the T.I.T.A.N. naval ship continued to sink until nothing was left, but that wasn’t where her eyes were trained. Through the vapors of frozen air escaping her shivering lips, Sweetie Drops watched on in complete and utter astonishment as that tremor proceeded forth and rose up from the ocean depths. Stomped upon it. Those same rocks from earlier returned and rose up, Sweetie seeing them again and knowing for certain… they weren’t rocks.

They were spines.

Sweetie Drops only continued to lift her head, higher and higher. She was able to gaze through the snow and fog and witness it for herself. She followed it as it rose above the ocean waves and took that first step upon the icy shorelines. The earth cracked beneath its gargantuan foot, entire floods falling from its mighty hide and impacting the ground, sinking back into the sea. The fog could not conceal it. The snow could not hide it forever. Sweetie Drops paid witness to the grandest sight she had ever seen in her career as a monster hunter.

Her gaze scaled the tower-like legs that could have risen forever. Her eyes rose past the mighty claws resting by its sides, higher past the abdomen and chest, beyond the neck, and finally rested upon the face of the beast that touched the storms of the skies. She saw the eyes…

And it was him. The legend…

Titanus Gojira.

He was real.

And he was staring directly at her.

Sweetie Drops felt her heart fall into the darkest, deepest, most fearful parts of her being. The mere flare of his eyes upon her insignificant existence was enough to make her crumble right then and there. She was already lying on her side, breathless, near-death, and almost fully willing to embrace that cold embrace than experience whatever wretched end the Titan had in mind for her. Only… he merely stared at her. Frowned, more like it. A pitiful, almost sneering glare as the Titan observed the life before him and growled.

Then, he breathed in.

And Godzilla roared.

It shook the whole earth, Sweetie Drops’ ears ringing for several seconds on end as the otherworldly roar rocked her very sense of being and reality. It shook her bones to the very core, her mind rattling and teeth chattering far more powerfully than the cold could ever do. Her heart had seemingly froze for several seconds, the intensity of the roar continuously shaking the earth until finally… he was finished. He returned that fearsome glare onto the mere equine once more, snorting and somewhat… grinning her way. It looked like one to her. A smirk, maybe, showcasing the rows of razor-sharp teeth, emphasizing the power he held just by his roar.

But more so warning Sweetie Drops not to run her ship into him again.

Sweetie was able to breathe once more, until that breath was stripped away when Godzilla pressed onwards, seemingly forgetting she even existed as he proceeded to stomp directly over her. She watched as droplets of ocean water sprayed on top of her, the mighty behemoth of a monster pushing his shadow over and past her with the mare staring on, incredulous and wordless to the phenomenon occurring before her very eyes. She watched as his tail rose high above her, swaying dangerously close before passing harmlessly beyond.

She turned to face the Titan, watched as he searched the glacier for seconds on end.

Until finally… he found it.

He stared to the landmass of icy mountains and valleys lying directly beneath his feet. And then… Sweetie Drops felt her heart stop once again.

She watched in utter astonishment as his dorsal fins began to ignite. They shimmered a powerful and haunting blue, starting from the end of his waving tail and rising up his spine, reaching the end of his neck, and allowing the Titan to breathe in and expel that pent-up energy in an astounding atomic blast. The ripple of energy coursed through the air and practically electrified it, Sweetie Drops feeling an unnatural warmth filling the air as Godzilla jammed his jaws to the sky and spewed that atomic breath to the clouds above.

A storm of atomic energy filled the clouds above and broke the snowstorm. Light was brought forth to the glacier, a somewhat unsettling tint of blue washing over the land. The light faded from Godzilla’s body, the Titan seemingly pleased with his work. He must have been, as he instantly turned away and stomped back into the ocean. Sweetie Drops watched him with every last second she could, the beast dipping his head into the waves and vanishing within them. His spines were all that she could see before they, too… vanished.

Almost like he was never there. Like he was just that legend ponies spoke of.

Just a legend and nothing more.

And with that, Sweetie Drops returned to the storm, witnessing the atomic energy swirling over the land. Flakes of that same blue tint fell softly from it, like snow, impacting the ice over one specific patch of it. Pegasi called her name, but she didn’t respond. She couldn't hear them over the roar echoing in her ears.

She simply couldn’t speak even after they found her and brought her home.

Author's Notes:

Welcome to a new legend