It was evening. Junior found himself lying asleep. He turned around as slept soundly in his warm bed. It was great to finally sleep in a comfortable bed after the trip to Neighpon.

The boy's brow crinkled as he heard something faint. It caused a ringing sensation in his ear. The boy turned in bed, his brows furrowing. The sound seemed to grow louder, like a high pitch whine. Junior's eyes shot open. The ringing had stopped. Junior sighed as he lied his head back down. It must have been a dream, he thought.

As Junior continued to sleep, the high pitched whine filled his hearing again. But this time, it seemed to have grown louder. Junior cried out as he fell out of bed. He groaned in pain, cupping his hands over his ears. It was as though he had two speakers giving feedback directly into his ear drums.

Junior stumbled out of his bedroom and out to the living room. The sound continued to assault his ears. The mutant stumbled out of his home into the cold night. His eyes darted around, looking for the potential source of this terrible sound that disturbed his slumber. But, there was nothing in sight.

The sound continued throughout the night. There were moments that there was silence. This allowed Junior some peace in the night. However, he would be roused from his slumber once the sounds started again. This continued all night. Junior found himself lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was clutching his head, as his eye twitched. The whine continued until it stopped once again. The boy released his ears reluctantly, waiting for the sounds to return.

A minute passed. Then two, then three, then four. Still, there was silence. It seemed that the sounds had finally stopped. Junior sighed in relief.

"Thank fucking God!" said Junior, closing his eyes with a smile. Before he could drift off back to sleep, there was a loud ringing sound. Junior's eyes shot open and glanced over at his dresser. The alarm clock was ringing intensely. Junior suddenly snatched it off of his dresser and hurled the clock against his wall, causing it to shatter into pieces. The boy sighed as he lied back down, pulling the covers back over himself.

"Maybe I'll call in sick. I'm sure AJ won't..." Junior muttered to himself as he drifted. But then, there were several knocks on his door. Junior's eyes shot open as the knocks continued. The boy groaned in exasperation as he got out of bed, making his way to the front door. Junior opened it, finding Twilight Sparkle to be standing outside. She met him with a bright smile.

"Good morning, Gojira! Glad to see you ba..." Twilight trailed off once she noticed the boy's appearance. Junior stood slouched, his hair flattened from bed head. His eyes were bloodshot and baggy. He had an annoyed look.

"Please keep it down," said Junior, his tone dry.

"Oh my goodness. What happened to you? You look like hell," said Twilight, appearing alarmed.

"My night was hell," said Junior, rubbing his dry eyes. As of late, Junior hadn't been sleeping well prior to last night. The nightmares made it difficult to return to sleep. Now he was hearing a sound that he couldn't figure out, it was now starting to affect him. He felt disoriented.

"Did you need something?"

"Well, aside from getting the chance to see you... I-I mean, I wanted to- Uh I..." Twilight began to fumble over her words. It seemed that lately, she'd trip over her words whenever she was alone with this boy. The elf was about to speak again, but heard snoring. She raised her head and found Junior to have dozed off.

"Gojira!" called Twilight. Junior inhaled sharply as he shot his head up.

"Huh? What?"

"Maybe this is a bad time. I can come back later," said Twilight, pointing off to the side.

"No, I'm just a little... Wh-What did you need?" asked Junior sluggishly.

"Well, there's going to be a Nightmare Night festival coming up. I was wondering if... You'd like to come?" said Twilight.

"No. No, I'm not worried about Nightmare Moon..." Junior mumbled as he sniffed.

"I said Nightmare Night, not-" Twilight raised a brow. She grimaced as the boy appeared to be standing in a daze.

"How long exactly were you up last night?"

"The kittens are in the water. Y-You gotta get 'em," Junior muttered as he felt himself grow heavier.

"What?" asked Twilight, confused and worried.

"I'm fallin'," said Junior as he began to sway.

"You're falling? AH!" Twilight exclaimed in alarm as the boy fell forward. She caught him, but felt herself struggling to hold him up. She grunted as she found her face pressed into his chest, as her legs begin to shake.

"Gojira, get up!" cried Twilight. She grunted as she began to extend her arms forward, barely pushing the boy off. She used her magic and began to carry him to his couch. She sighed in relief as she sat him down.

"Festival?" Junior muttered, lazily looking at the girl, as his eyes twitched.

"Don't worry about that right now. Try to get some rest for now," said Twilight as she gently lowered the boy onto his back on the sofa. She placed a pillow beneath his head. Junior sighed as he lied down.

"I don't like crowds. Or loud music," mumbled Junior. Twilight lightly frowned.

"Oh. Well, that's OK. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out with us during-"

"I'll go." mumbled Junior. Twilight perked up.

"Really?" asked Twilight, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah..." Junior muttered as his eyes fluttered closed. Twilight smiled as the boy fell asleep. She giggled in amusement as she sat next to him on the ground.

"Oh, Goji." Twilight began to run a hand over his spiky hair. She smiled at the tingling feeling the tips had on her palm. As she gazed at his sleeping face, her heart fluttered in her chest. Twilight felt her chest, where her racing heart lied. Her face had reddened.

Twilight was confused as to how this guy could make her feel the way that she did. But over time, she had begun to realize some things for as long as the two knew each other. While on the surface they were different, Twilight was able to find some things in the boy that reminded her of her, hence why she wanted to extend a hand of friendship to him. Because it's something that she'd want. While Junior would put up a front, she can tell that deep down, he yearned for the same thing.

It might seem off for a girl from a sophisticated city as Canterlot to develop feelings for a character such as Junior. But, she was able to see the softer interior through the cracks of his exterior shell. Junior's bravery, his kindness, his strives to better himself were things that she found attractive in him. Plus, he was actually interested in their conversations. She was able to talk his ear off over something that might seem mundane to others such as books, but still remain invested. She didn't meet a lot of guys that were like that, so it pleased her that he was one. Twilight sighed as she got up and began to leave. She smiled as she took one last look at the sleeping boy, before leaving.

---

Mosura had an incredulous look. She stood in the main house that led into the lair that she called home. She stood before Angirasu, and a guilty Rodan.

"Please tell me that you're joking!" said Mosura.

"He's not," said Angirasu flatly.

"L-Look, I can explain," said Rodan.

"What's there to explain? You've been seeing someone for the last few weeks that I've been gone!" Said Mosura. Rodan sheepishly smiled.

"You're right. I guess I don't have to explain," said Rodan. Mosura met him with a glare.

"This isn't a joke, Rodan! I told you specifically to stay out of sight!" said Mosura.

"You also told us to stay out of trouble. Doesn't that count for something?" asked Rodan.

"Rodan!" Mosura growled. The boy raised his hands defensively.

"Hey, if you're scolding me over that, then scold him! He's been talking to Rainbow's friend too while we met up!" argued Rodan. Mosura did a double take as she heard this.

"Wha- ANGIRASU!" Mosura snapped.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? I had to keep an eye on Rodan. Fluttershy just started inviting herself along. I didn't want to be rude to her," said Angirasu, shrugging. He then sent an accusatory finger to Rodan.

"Besides, we wouldn't have to worry about this in the first place if Rodan didn't drag me along for milkshakes!" said Angirasu. Rodan glared at him.

"Hey! At least I can be composed during a conversation! You were acting like a weirdo in front of those girls!" said Rodan.

"Sorry that I don't have a high sex drive that gives me an obnoxious amount of confidence and makes me do stupid things that risks exposure!" said Angirasu.

"Obnoxious?!" Rodan exclaimed indignant.

"ENOUGH!" Mosura shouted. The boys fell silent. Mosura sighed as she paced about, rubbing her brows.

"Ok. There's no need to panic. They don't know us very well. We can just disappear and hide out forever. Problem solved," said Mosura, nonchalant. But, she suddenly recalled something.

"Wait a minute, did you say, 'Fluttershy'?" asked Mosura.

"Yeah?" answered Angirasu.

"As in, Gojira's friend?" asked Mosura, growing anxious.

"Yeah, you know her? Heck, we met like five other girls who might be friends with him. Even Rainbow," said Rodan.

"Wait, since when were you on a first name basis?" asked Angirasu, looking to Mosura in surprised. The Transmutant girl pulled at her hair in panic.

"Oh, this is a disaster! We can't disappear if they know him and have seen us! It could raise flags for us and put him in a difficult spot!" said Mosura.

"Oh... that's right. Well, what do we do?" asked Rodan.

"Ugh. I don't know. Maybe I'll get Gojira and we can brainstorm. He owes me anyway," said Mosura, putting her hoodie on.

"Seriously, what happened? You keep using his first name," said Angirasu, incredulous.

Mosura didn't answer. She instead rushed out of the house and into the Everfree forest. Her mind was filled with thoughts that brought anxiety. How could things have gone so wrong since she's been away? It seemed that there would be work to do to try and get back into the shadows.

The girl eventually emerged from the Everfree. She rushed down the open road, heading for the residence of Junior. She began to quickly knock on the door. She waited a minute, but no answer. The Transmutant knocked again, anxiously.

"Gojira! Are you home?!" Mosura called. There was the sudden click of a door unlocking. The door opened, revealing Junior.

"Thank goodness! Listen, we have a bit of a situation," said Mosura.

"Can it wait?" asked Junior sluggishly.

"Well it's not exactly urgent, but I'd really- Whoa, what happened to you?" asked Mosura, just taking notice of the boy's ragged state.

"Ugh. I haven't been sleeping well as of late. Last night, I didn't get a wink," said Junior, rubbing his eyes. He gestured to the sofa.

"I had finally just fallen asleep. That is until you showed up," said Junior dryly. Mosura winced.

"Sorry about that," tittered Mosura. The boy sighed heavily.

"Well, I'm up now. What's the issue?"

"It turns out that Rodan and Angirasu have been interacting with those friends of yours. I'm concerned because we've made it a habit to not interact with the non-mutants of Ponyville," said Mosura.

"Mosura, I've been around normal humans for all of my life. I was the only Transmutant and had a few close calls of exposure over the years. They'll be fine," said Junior, making his way back to the sofa. Mosura sighed in frustration as she entered the house.

"Don't you think you're being too lax?"

"I get it. You're worried. But if you guys have made it this far on your own, then I'm sure they're responsible enough to not expose themselves. It's not like I can do anything about it anyway. Twilight knew first that we were acquainted," said Junior, sitting on the sofa with a yawn. Mosura grimaced.

"But I-"

"Mosura." Junior spoke, a mild look of annoyance on his face. The girl fell silent.

"I'm tired. I'm grouchy. I can't think straight. I ask that you let me get some sleep. When I'm rested, we can discuss this further," said Junior. Mosura pouted.

"Oh, fine! I'll see you later, I guess," said Mosura as she began to walk off.

Before she could walk out the door, Junior suddenly let out a blood curdling cry. She whipped around in alarm, finding the boy to be cupping his hands over his ears. He fell to the ground in a fetal position, gritting his teeth.

"GOJIRA!" Mosura exclaimed. She rushed to the boy and knelt next to him. He was crying out, banging the side of his head on the ground.

"THE SOUND! WHAT IS THAT?! IT KEEPS- GAH!" Junior cried.

"Sound? What sound?!" asked Mosura.

"You don't hear that?!"

Mosura could only watch as the boy writhed in pain. Whatever was wrong, it was causing him a lot of distress. He claimed to have been hearing something, but she didn't hear a thing. Mosura began to worry if he was actually hearing something. The girl brought her hands over the sides of his head and held it in place. She closed her eyes and focused her telepathy.

Mosura searched Junior's mind for the source of this. During this, she was able to hear what he heard. She winced as the high pitched whine filled her mind. It couldn't have been in his head. It was as though his ears were sensitive to whatever the source was. She began to hear a second high pitch whine that followed after the first. The two whines seemed to be going back and forth, like a conversation. Suddenly, the whining stopped. Mosura released Junior, a worried look on her face.

"You OK?" asked Mosura. Junior shuddered as he held his ears.

"No. What the hell is happening? Am I going crazy?" asked Junior. Mosura shook her head.

"No. I was able to hear it too. For some reason, your ears are able to pick up those sounds. It was weird. It was like it was being bounced off of surfaces. I couldn't figure out the source was though," said Mosura.

"Bouncing off of surfaces? You mean like sonar?" asked Junior with a wince.

"Or echo location. Something living was sending out a signal to find something else. Normally it's food, but it seemed like there was communication going on," said Mosura.

"But what?" asked Junior.

Meanwhile, just in the air above Equestria, a dark winged figure soared across the sky. It passed through the clouds. Its body was sleek, bearing multiple long limbs, two of which held membranes for its wings. The beast had a split jaw with an insect-like appearance. Its eyes glowed red-orange, as did its limbs. The creature shrieked as it soared across the sky.

The creature felt a vibration in the air. As a high pitched whine was detected. The creature swooped through the air, emitting the same sound from its jaws. It flew passed the land and out to the ocean. The creature continued its long journey, following the source of the sound.

---

It was early evening. The harbor was quiet on this night. Due to MONARCH's increase in activity due to the Vault being decimated, very few boats left the port. Only fishermen were given leeway, but even they were watched by the coast guard.

The Yakuza who ran this harbor found himself sitting in his office on this night. He was reading through a book. Around him were the items that the young couple had traded for exchange for a ride west. The Yakuza had yet to see his colleague return with what he hoped would be the payment for the golden dragon. Whatever it was, it might have been quite valuable if Midas was willing to pay big money for it.

The Yakuza looked over at his desk, where he found the Shisa sculpture that the couple had traded. The creature was that of legend. A beast that was like a dog and lion combined. Legend says that they were guardians who warded off evil and were often at shrines. The sculpture's large bulbous eyes seemed to be glaring at the Yakuza, as it bared its fangs. The Yakuza grabbed sculpture and turned it around.

"How about giving that look at someone who owes me money?" The Yakuza returned to reading.

There was a sudden howl in the air. The Yakuza set his book down and began to look around. The air was blowing against a calendar that hung on the wall. The Yakuza got up from his seat and made his way to the window. He realized that something was off. The windows were shut. He wondered where that breeze could have come from.

Feeling anxious, the Yakuza reached into his desk and drew out a pistol. He plugged the clip into the gun, where its socket was. The weapon hummed to life, as a small light shined from the side. He began to step out of his office and searched the warehouse. No one else was present on this night. It was just him. All the more reason why he felt like something was here that didn't belong.

The Yakuza's heart throbbed in his chest, as he snuck through the dark warehouse, with a flashlight shining through the darkness. There was the sudden loud crash of thunder. The Yakuza dropped to the ground, as the thunder made him deaf, followed by a bright flash of light. Disoriented, he staggered to his feet, his eyes darting through the darkness. He quickly pointed the light in every direction. His heart continued to be beat quickly, his palms grew sweaty and his breaths were fast.

There was then the sound of loud crashing. The sound of animalistic grunts filled the air. The Yakuza drew his gun and searched the warehouse. His hands trembled, as was evident by the shaking gun and light that shined through the darkness. The Yakuza felt the wind brush passed him, prompting him to whip around.

His light caught sight of a large figure. At a glimpse, it was like fur. It could've been a wild animal. But, he would get glimpses of the beast, as it would pass by him swiftly, disappearing into the shadows. The Yakuza began to scream in panic as he fired off his weapon. He was met with a large, mammalian-like beast that charged for him. Its hellish red eyes glared at him, as its mighty jaws let out a bone rattling roar. The Yakuza was knocked to the ground by the creature, dropping his weapon and light to the ground. The creature roared as its heavy body moved through the darkness. The sound of crashing filled the air again. The Yakuza staggered to his feet, as the moon light shone down on him. He raised his head, finding that there was a great hole in the side of the warehouse. He saw the shadowy beast to be galloping through the night, perching itself onto a truck. The creature raised its head, letting out a mighty roar. Its roar transitioned into a haunting howl, much like a wolf's. A few glowing lights began to surround the creature, shimmering in the night. The beast dropped back down and began to run off into the darkness, with the lights trailing after it.

The Yakuza jumped to his feet and rushed to his office. Based on the news and ferocity of the creature, he could only think of one thing that could match its description. It had to be a Transmutant and that was not going to be good for his group's territory if it was allowed to run free. The Yakuza rushed to the office, finding it to be a mess. The desk was crushed, and the furniture was turned over. Claw marks filled the room. The Yakuza scrambled for the phone that once sat on the desk. Miraculously, it was still in one piece. As the Yakuza began to dial on the phone, he failed to notice the missing Shisa statue. Not even a piece of it was in sight.

---

It was a bright sunny day. In the vast orchard of the Apple Farm, Junior was hauling two large baskets full of apples over to the barn. He felt much better after sleeping a whole day away. Though now, he had to work double time to make up for his absence to Applejack. Not to mention his weeks of absence when he went off to Neighpon.

The boy sighed as he took in the warmth of the sun, and felt a gentle cool breeze pass over his sweaty form. Today was a good day to work. Not too hot, and not too cold. The climate was just right.

Junior continued to haul the baskets away until he reached the barn. He set them down with a sigh. Applejack arrived with baskets of her own, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Appreciate your hard work, Sugarcube. Twi mentioned that you weren't well the other day," said Applejack.

"No problem. I gotta make up for my slack," said Junior, stretching his arms. Applejack forced a smile.

"Just try not to push yourself. Alright, hun?"

"I'm fine. Honest," said Junior smiling. Applejack met his eyes for a moment. As though she was searching through him for any signs of deceit. But, she smiled, as if satisfied.

"Alright, then. Anyway, I've got a favor to ask ya," said Applejack.

"Shoot," said Junior, turning to fully face the girl.

"I need to pick up my little sister from school. She normally walks home on her own, but I'd like to check with her teacher to see how she's doin' in class. She's been slacking off a bit as of late. You mind holding down the fort while I'm away?" asked Applejack. Junior nodded in response.

"No problem. It'll be just as you left it," said Junior. Applejack smiled, before turning to leave.

"You're a true friend. See ya soon!" said Applejack, as she jogged off. Junior waved to her with a small smile.

It seemed that Junior was starting to better adapt to interacting with others. Especially with those he was reluctant to get close to. But, it seemed that he was starting to form a bond with the blonde. That was better than making an enemy out of her. He was sure that no one would stand to be around him based on what had happened back with the dragon incident. But it seemed that his gesture before leaving had made that water under the bridge.

At this rate, Twilight would have expected him to have made friends with her or even the rest of the Main 6. But, these things take time. Especially for Junior, who wasn't used to this sort of thing. Baby steps were necessary. Though he wondered if he could get away with claiming Pinkie Pie as a friend, considering how eager she is around him. Maybe that'd be a fast quota to fill. Junior shook his head.

"Ah don't think that way. That's very shallow," said Junior to himself, as he began to make his way about in the farm. He spent his time continuing his other chores like gathering the apples and tending the animals. He was the only one on hand at this farm. Big Mac was in town, selling some apples, while AJ was off to get her little sister. Granny Smith was sound asleep on the porch of her home, on her chair. That left all the remaining chores to the mutant. And he intended to complete as much as he could to make up for his abrupt absence.

Junior carried a sack, dropping pellets onto the ground for the hens to feed. The birds crowded as they pecked at the earth, clucking noisily. Junior then moved on to find Applejack's pet dog, Winona. The Fido yipped as the boy approached, wagging her tail eagerly. Junior knelt down as he pet her head. The dog suddenly pounced on him and began to excitedly lick his cheek. The boy chuckled.

"OK, OK. It's nice to see you too. You hungry, girl?" asked Junior. Winona yipped, panting. Junior stood and made his way to the barn, where he grabbed a bag. He poured kibble into a bowl, before setting it down in front of the dog. Winona eagerly began to scarf the food down in the bowl. Junior left her, while picking up a stack of hay over his shoulder. With relative ease, Junior carried it out of the barn and towards a fence. Junior clicked his tongue.

An orange pony with a blonde mane and tail perked up. The Mare's ears flickered as it found the boy. Her large green eyes stared, as little white freckles sat on her muzzle. The mare whinnied as she trotted over.

"Hey girl, got something for you," said Junior, setting down the stack of hay into the pen. The mare began to approach, with what almost looked like a smile on her muzzle. Junior took a handful of straws of the hay, holding it out for the little pony. She leaned over and took the straws into her mouth. As she chewed, Junior scratched behind the ears of the pony, prompting her to lean her head in with pleasure.

"There's something very meta about this," said Junior, an odd look on his face. The mare looked at him, while chewing on her straw. Junior shrugged, before turning to leave.

Before Junior could leave, he heard something. It was faint yet it grew louder as it seemed to have been approaching closer. Junior searched his surroundings for the source of the sound. But, he couldn't find it anywhere. Junior turned his sights to the mare, whose ears folded back as she looked to the sky. She let out rapid snorts from her nostrils, a sign of fear. Junior wondered what could have caused this pony distress.

Junior followed the pony's gaze, finding that she was gazing up to the sky. However, his sight was obscured by the sunlight. The sound was louder now. It was like something was quickly beating against the wind. A figure was rapidly approaching.

"OH-!" Junior exclaimed as he and the pony bolted in opposite directions. The figure slowed to a descent to the ground, before touching onto the earth. Its beating wings stopped, leaving dust behind as a result. The pony whinnied in terror, standing on her back hooves and kicked her forelegs. Junior stared in alarm once he got a better look at the figure.

From the dust stood a Mantis-like creature. It stood about 7 feet in height. It was a forest green, with big bulbous yellow eyes, with four arms. One set of arms, which sat on the upper thorax, bore hook-like appendages, with serrated spikes beneath them. The two lower pair of arms were more human-like in build, yet held four appendages. The creature was slender, bearing a sleek exoskeleton and carapace. It was slender, standing on two long legs. From the abdomen, the wings tucked themselves. The mantis clicked its mandibles as it locked its sight on Junior. The boy hardened his expression.

"A Transmutant."

The mantis suddenly raised its hooked appendages and spread its wings. It hunched and opened its jaws wide, shrieking at the boy. Junior's eyes darted around. He found an axe to be resting in the stump of a tree. The boy rushed to the trunk, prompting the mantis to give chase. It shrieked as it swung its appendages, prompting Junior to slide under. He snatched the axe from the stump and turned to the beast. He swung the axe, but the mantis quickly stepped back, avoiding the strike. Junior grunted in frustration.

"Come here, bug boy!" said Junior, as he went for another swing. After every swing, the mantis would dodge the strikes. It then raised its leg and kicked the boy in the chest, sending him flying several feet away, crashing into a barrel. Junior groaned as he stood from the broken wood. He gasped as the creature suddenly went charging for the panicking pony.

"Pick on someone your own size!" Junior bolted after the mantis. He lunged for it and swung the axe down on its back. The creature wailed as the blade breached its carapace. The mantis turned and used its lower arm to back hand Junior away. The boy was sent to the ground, a bruise forming on his face. As the mantis turned, it felt a strong force hit its leg. The insectoid fell over, screeching in agony. It turned, finding that the pony had just lowered her back legs, before turning to face it.

"Why you little-" The mantis screeched angrily in a scratchy, high pitched voice. The mantis felt its legs grabbed. It turned, finding Junior to be holding an intense glare in his eyes. He turned and threw the mantis over towards a nearby tree. The mantis shrieked in anger, as it stood. Its wings beat against the wind, carrying it off, away from the farm. Junior sighed in relief. He turned to the pony with a smile.

"Thanks for the help," said Junior, before patting her head. Junior suddenly collapsed onto his rear on the ground, sighing heavily. He began to register the punishment that he had been dealt by the insectoid. His eyes widened once he notice Applejack and Applebloom to be making their way onto the property.

"Hey, Gojira. Lazing about alre-" Applejack failed to make a jab at the boy's expense, once she noticed the destroyed barrel and the boy's pained state. She rushed over in alarm.

"Hey, what happened?!" cried Applejack. Junior winced .

"Just some intruder. I chased him off," said Junior, forcing a chuckle.

"If you didn't catch him, he must've been pretty tough," said Applebloom, her eyes wide in shock.

"Alright, Applebloom, get inside," commanded Applejack. Applebloom looked to her sister in confusion.

"Huh? Why?"

"Now." said Applejack sternly. Applebloom grumbled to herself as she made her way to the house. Applejack sighed, before turning to Junior with an expectant look on her face.

"You wanna try again?" asked Applejack, crossing her arms over her chest. Junior raised a brow.

"Wait, you think I'm lying?" asked Junior.

"I wasn't born yesterday. You expect me to believe that some hooligan managed to rough you up? You, of all people?" asked Applejack. Junior grimaced. He felt that he should come clean about a Transmutant showing up to snatch up the pony. But, there could be some problems with that. Mainly that it could cause a panic. Another problem was that he'd be more suspicious if he was able to go toe to toe with a Transmutant. He was already pushing his luck as is in the past.

But even still, Junior would be irresponsible if he were to keep this a secret. This was Applejack's home after all. A friend would warn her of the danger. But, he feared the attention from MONARCH this would draw. Over a single Transmutant. Junior sighed.

"You got me. This wasn't your average intruder," said Junior, his eyes downcast. He gulped.

"I... I think it was a Transmutant," said Junior. The color in Applejack's face seemed to have faded. She appeared shaken, as her mind processed this information. Applejack grabbed the boy's shoulder tightly, a look of panic on her face.

"Granny! Is my Granny alright?! Where did it go?!" cried Applejack.

"AJ, she's alright. The thing was nowhere near her. I think it was after the animals. Lucky for me, it wasn't that strong. I managed to chase it off. Your grandmother might have slept through the whole thing," said Junior, a reassuring smile on his face. Applejack sighed in relief, but still looked anxious.

"We should tell Twilight. Maybe she can let the Princess know. They could get MONARCH in on this," said Applejack. Junior's stomach was in knots. He was afraid that this would happen.

"W-Well..." Junior was about to protest, but Applejack suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace.

"If you weren't here... Thank you so much, Goji," said Applejack, holding the boy tightly. Junior grimaced. He should be happy that he was being appreciated for risking his life. But, he felt sick. Applejack released the boy, meeting him with a large smile.

"Lemme show ya my appreciation. I'll fix ya a mean meal!" said Applejack.

"N-No, that's not necessary. What are friends for?" Junior scratched his head, forcing a smile. The blonde smiled warmly at him. The smile made Junior's stomach ache more.

'Why did this have to happen now?'

---

A couple of days and nights passed. Over the coast, a dark winged figure soared. The journey it was on felt like an eternity. It eventually found the land it was searching for, after traveling these several days and nights. It soon descended down towards a forest. The creature groaned as it landed. Its head turned, finding Battra Yasu to be standing by with a stoic look.

"Hok?" asked Battra.

"Yes?" The creature spoke in a raspy voice. Battra nodded.

"Your spouse is right this way. She's been waiting for you," said Battra, as he led the creature to an abandoned concrete structure. It was overtaken by the forest. It was an old base that had long since been left to rot by MONARCH. The creature, Hok, was anxious.

"I don't think I'm familiar with a Transmutant like you. I've been acquainted with a lot. You must be the 'second wave' of Transmutants meant to replace us," said Battra.

"I couldn't tell you. I was mostly confined," said Hok. The two soon passed through the base. They found several other Transmutants to be standing about in idle conversation. They began to take notice of Hok and Battra as they entered.

"Where do you plan to go?" asked Battra.

"Don't know. All I know is that things will be harder now that Abra is with child," said Hok. The two soon came across a large, dark room. Heaps of scrap filled the room, piled up all around. The two beheld a Transmutant that was similar to Hok. However, this one was much larger. Two of its longer spindly limbs lacked the membranes that Hok had. The Transmutant was digging into the ground. Its eyes seemed to light up.

"Hok!" the mutant spoke in a raspy voice as well, sounding more feminine.

"Abra!"

The two approached and nuzzled each other. They clicked their jaws and mandibles, while their eyes flashed. Chattering sounds emitted from the two.

"I won't leave your side again. Forgive me," said Hok. Abra merely nuzzled him affectionately.

"We won't be able to leave this place for quite a long while," said Abra as she raised herself. She exposed her underside, where her belly illuminated. Inside were orbs that bore small figures inside. They were eggs. And many at that.

"Oh." Hok spoke, surprised. Battra cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the two.

"One child is hard enough. But, maybe we can help lighten your load. We Transmutants have to stick together after all," said Battra, a smile on his face. Abra and Hok shared a glance.

---

There was warmth that enveloped Junior. The boy found himself staring at the surface of shimmering water, from beneath. He briefly closed his eyes, as he allowed the heat to relax his tense muscles. Gills on his neck flapped, delivering the oxygen from the water into his blood stream.

The boy rose himself out of the water, taking a breath. He let out a long sigh, as the water dripped from his face. His gills flexed open, before folding against his neck.

"Had enough?"

Junior turned to find Mosura to be standing nearby, carrying a towel. The boy stood up, sporting a pair of swim shorts. The cold air quickly brushed against his wet skin, as Junior took the towel.

"Yep. Thanks for showing me this hot spring," said Junior.

"No problem. I'm glad you brought it up. It slipped my mind to ask you about where you get energy," said Mosura.

The two began to make their way down through the Everfree, making their journey towards the lair.

"We'll need to be more careful. If Twilight's reporting a Transmutant sighting to the princess, then we should expect MONARCH trying to increase its presence." said Mosura.

"I know. I'm sorry about that. It was so sudden and Applejack just showed up," said Junior, apologetically. Mosura sighed.

"I can't blame you. If there's one of them out there, then there's probably another and another. The fact that it was a mantis means that there could be more lurking out there," said Mosura. Junior raised a brow.

"How so?"

"There were a number of people that were mutated differently than the rest of us. Some kind of 'experimentation' phase. They're stuck in that state," said Mosura.

"Ugh. As if making their own super soldiers weren’t enough. Now they were purposely making their own monsters?" asked Junior.

"That might not even have been the case. They could have been trying to get rid of the transformation trait, only making it worse as a result," said Mosura. The two soon made their way into the lair. Junior kept the towel wrapped around himself, as he entered the restroom. Mosura slumped down on the couch with a tired sigh. Things seemed to grow more uncertain as time went on.

Mosura's brow raised once she noticed Rodan to be walking into the room, carrying a bag. He chuckled to himself as he began to dig through the contents.

"What's got you so excited?" asked Mosura.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," said Rodan as he began to make his way to Angirasu, who was reading a book on the couch.

"Here ya go," said Rodan, handing the boy a bag. Angirasu had a confused look.

"What the heck is this?" asked Angirasu.

"A Nightmare Night costume. Or at least some stuff to make your own," said Rodan.

"Nightmare Night?" asked Mosura, incredulous.

"Yeah. Dash invited me to hang out at the festival. I thought it'd be fun to make some costumes," said Rodan. Mosura met him with a disapproving look.

"Ok, no. I'm putting my foot down," said Mosura. Rodan groaned.

"Why? It's just some innocent fun! Nothing to get upset about," complained Rodan.

"The fact you had to say that makes me suspicious," said Angirasu flatly.

"Ok, so RD planned some Nightmare Night pranks. But it's all in good fun!" said Rodan. Mosura sighed in exasperation.

"Rodan Shou, I told you that we can't put ourselves out there! We could be caught! Now that a Transmutant sighting was reported, we have to be more cautious!" said Mosura. Rodan sighed, appearing solemn.

"I know. You always have our interest in mind. But, I can't keep living like this. Neither can the rest of you," said Rodan.

"How else are we supposed to survive?" asked Angirasu.

"But I don't want to survive. I wanna live," said Rodan, his tone small. Mosura deeply frowned. It had been years since they've been able to walk among people without fear. She hadn't realize that their life style was starting to wear them down. However, the girl knew that they couldn't be negligent in the world.

"Rodan..." Mosura spoke up.

Junior suddenly emerged from the bathroom. He was dressed in a new pair of clothes, as he dried his wet head with a towel. He looked to the three, curiously.

"Oh. You guys are going to the festival too?" asked Junior. Mosura's eyes widened.

"Wait. You're going?"

"Well, yeah. Twilight invited. I wouldn't otherwise," said Junior, shrugging.

"Aren't you worried? About being exposed? Or something?" asked Angirasu anxiously.

"I'm always worried about getting exposed. But I usually push those thoughts down and try to live like nothing's wrong. It's easy when you have something to distract you," said Junior, shrugging. Rodan looked to Mosura, pointing to Junior.

"See? I wanna be like that! Goji's living!" said Rodan. Mosura sighed as she rubbed her brows.

"Rodan."

"If you're worried, then he can hang with me. I'll keep an eye on him," said Junior. Rodan grinned from ear to ear. He then looked to Mosura, pleadingly.

"I-I don't know, Goji. I mean, we've had plenty of fun times at home. We could tell ghost stories. Or better yet, we can borrow some from the library!" said Mosura.

"Agh but we did that last year! I wanna tell ghost stories with new people. I wanna eat some sweets. I wanna admire the beautiful girls in their sexy costumes! I also wanna hold a scared girl's hand during a Test of Courage!" said Rodan. Mosura groaned as she rolled her eyes.

"That does sound fun," said Angirasu. Junior and Mosura sent him odd looks.

"I-I meant the Test of Courage. I remember doing that as a kid," said Angirasu, a sheepish smile on his face.

"You know, that could add to the festival," said Junior, a smile on his face. "Twilight's helping organize the event. She mentioned wanting to make this year 'extra spooky'. You should slide some ideas."

"I should! And, we should all hang out at the festival!" said Rodan, grinning. Mosura still appeared reluctant. She grimaced as she noticed Angirasu to gradually appear convinced. Junior sat next to her with a smile.

"It's just one night, Mosu. It might be fun," said Junior. Mosura sighed, her face warming up.

"I guess.... That's fine," said Mosura.

"YES!" Rodan cried, startling the three other mutants.

"But, I'm not dressing up. Besides, I'd be too embarrassed to dress in something skimpy," said Mosura, looking away. Junior snorted.

"You know that you don't have to wear a skimpy outfit, right?" said Junior. Mosura was about to retort but felt Rodan lean close to her.

"If you're trying to catch a boy's eye, then I'd recommend you go with the nurse outfit or something," whispered Rodan. Mosura grunted in annoyance as she elbowed him, her face beat red. Though, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to picturing herself in such attire. She groaned, while cupping her hands over her face.

'Nope. Definitely too embarrassing,' thought Mosura.

---

The air was silent, with only the sound of footsteps against the concrete ground. A man in uniform stepped in front of a screen. He was stern, matching his aura of authority as Commander of this MONARCH outpost on Neighponese soil. He stood before a few other soldiers in uniform.

"We've received intel that there have been Transmutant sightings in the Kanto region. The first one was at a local harbor in the countryside," said the commander, as a map appeared on screen. On the grid, there were dots that depicted where this Transmutant was sighted.

"The target seems to be residing somewhere here in the wilderness, based on what little we have to go on. As you know, MONARCH's been on high alert in the country. You're being sent to terminate this one," said the Commander. One of the soldiers leaned back in his seat. He held dark greyish hair. A bored look was on his face. He was a Neighponese man, around his 30s.

"We're looking for one straggler? Sounds like grunt work. Where's the big game? Like Destoroyah," said the soldier.

"Sergeant Koizumi, this mission of upmost importance. Coming straight from the top. With all of the Transmutants running around Neighpon, we have to be quick at eliminating the threats as they come," said the commander. Koizumi sighed in dismay.

"Don't sweat it. Maybe you'll get lucky and it's him," said another soldier.

"Doubtful. No way the leader of the so called 'Revolutionaries' would be out there alone. Especially when he knows that we're looking for him," said a third soldier. He was around the same age as Koizumi. But, his dark hair and scarred cheek gave him an almost withered appearance.

"Don't squash my dreams, Hayato," chuckled Koizumi.

"At any rate, you'll be deployed with a squad. Your 'Slayer' equipment should suffice," said the commander.

"Yeah for us, not the grunts you intend to pair us up with," said Koizumi under his breath.

"Do you have something to say, Sergeant?" questioned the commander sternly.

"Nothing at all, sir," said Koizumi, nonchalant. The commander had a brief annoyed look. He wondered how a man this disinterested and carefree could make the rank of Sergeant.

"Well, you've been briefed. Suit up and prepare for deployment," said the commander.

---

It was an autumn noon in Ponyville. Twilight was sitting at a desk in the library, scribbling on a notebook for ideas. She had graciously taken up the mayor's request to help organize this year's Nightmare Night festival. Although Twilight thought that the holiday lost some of its flare now that the figurehead of said holiday was now reformed. But, that didn't seem to deter the residents who were happy to celebrate it anyway.

"Just need to add into the scare factor. Apparently last year was a bit lack luster," said Twilight, to herself. As she scribbled on the notebook, there was a knock.

"Spike, could you get that?" called Twilight. The young dragon waddled passed her and opened the door.

"Oh, hey Gojira!" Spike greeted. Twilight's cheeks flared up as she heard the name. She scrambled out of the desk and scampered over. But in her haste, Twilight tripped over her own two feet. The elf exclaimed as she tumbled to the ground, groaning in pain. She heard foot steps to be rapidly approaching her. Twilight winced as she raised her head, finding Junior kneeling down, a worried look on his face.

"You OK?" asked Junior. Twilight shyly took Junior's hand and stood to her feet. She lightly winced as she still felt some pain from the fall. But, she mustered up a gracious, albeit embarrassed, smile.

"I-I'm fine. Thanks," tittered Twilight. Junior knelt down and picked up the notebook.

"Working on some notes?" asked Junior, handing the book back to the girl. The elf nodded.

"Just brainstorming. The festival will be coming soon, and I'm trying to come up with some ideas that would give folks a frightening night."

"Any luck?" asked Junior. Twilight opened the book.

"Well, just a few basic ideas. Aside from Nightmare Night themed treats and games, I was thinking that we could do a sort of Haunted House," said Twilight.

"Nothing says scary than anticipating a jump scare," said Junior, although a bit sarcastic.

"Heh. Come on, give me some credit. I know that atmosphere and build up is important," said Twilight, crossing her arms. But, she sighed in dismay.

"But, I feel like I've run into a bit of a quagmire," said Twilight.

"Don't have a house for said haunted house?" asked Junior.

"No, that was taken care of. We're using an old hospital for the location," said Twilight.

"Is that safe?"

"Oh yeah. I've personally looked into it before deciding. No, my problem is the theme and the monsters," said Twilight, scratching at her head.

"I mean, we could go generic and just use just about anything. But that's no fun. Maybe a hospital themed haunted house? But that's too obvious," said Twilight.

"Wow. I'm surprised that you're taking this seriously," said Junior in surprise.

"Well, yeah. I like to organize things. The harder the better. But I also kinda like spooky stuff," said Twilight.

"You?" asked Junior.

"Yeah. I know it's all superstition and silly, but I can admit that there's kind of an allure to it. I guess that scare of me believing we were cursed by Zecora might have awakened something in me," said Twilight, sheepishly. She then met the boy with a smirk.

"Or did you think that I was just a boring egghead?" asked Twilight.

"Never. It's just an interesting thing to learn about you," said Junior. Twilight gasped.

"Learning! Ooh! I think I got an idea! What if the theme was based around another culture's ghost stories? It'd be something new and never seen before for Ponyville!" said Twilight. She grabbed the boy's sleeve with a bright smile.

"Do you have any knowledge from your culture that could be helpful?" asked Twilight. Junior was surprised. This girl was asking for his help so easily. He couldn't decline. Not when Twilight is working hard to bring something about. Plus, it sounded like an interesting project.

"Yeah, I know some stuff. In fact, let me get back to you. I have something that should provide plenty of reference," said Junior as he made his way to the front door. Before Twilight could speak, he was gone. The girl sighed in relief as she felt her heart throb in her chest. Spike sent her a look.

"Really?" asked Spike. Twilight cleared her throat, regaining her composure.

"Hmm?"

"Uh... Never mind," said Spike, shaking his head.

After some time later, Junior returned. The boy arrived with a large tome. It appeared old and withered, with the cover pealing. Neighponese text were printed on the cover.

"This is an old encyclopedia that my family's owned for generations. A couple of my ancestors even filled a page for the later prints," said Junior with a smirk.

"Please tell me there's pictures," said Spike, frowning as he failed to read the cover.

"Don't worry, there's some detailed illustrations," said Junior as he sat. He motioned for Twilight and Spike over. The two sat beside the boy as he opened the book. He took care to turn the pages of the tome.

"This book contains a list of all known yokai," said Junior.

"What's yokai?" asked Twilight, curious.

"Yokai means 'strange apparition'. It's what my people refer to when talking about all sorts of creatures and spirits," said Junior as he turned a page. The page depicted an illustration of a turtle-like creature, bearing a crater in its head. The creature was roughly humanoid.

"For example, the Kappa. They're a species of amphibious turtle-like beings. They're small but mischievous if not outright malicious creatures that tend to dwell in lakes and rivers," said Junior, as he skimmed a couple of pages, showing different illustrations of the creature. It was often depicted residing near water. There was even a detailed illustration of its head, filled with water.

"These guys need to keep that indent in their heads filled with water. It's the source of their life force. Spilling it would cause them to freeze up and could eventually kill them. Hence why they never leave any sustainable water source," said Junior. He chuckled.

"Here's a fun fact. Their favorite food is cucumber," said Junior.

"Cucumber. Really?" asked Spike, raising a brow. Junior merely shrugged in response.

"Hmm. I don't know about this one. Are there any yokai that are more scary?" asked Twilight. Junior chuckled as he turned through the pages.

"Here's a good one. The Oni," said Junior, turning to a page, which depicted a large humanoid figure. It bore two horns on its head, and four long fangs. It was covered by the waist with a tiger pelt, while wielding a large club-like weapon.

"Oni are malevolent, blood thirsty monsters. Ancients believed that they were born from the souls of the most evil people who weren't damned to Jigoku, or Hell, the realm of the dead," explained Junior.

"Yikes, I'd say that's spooky enough," said Spike, as he saw an illustration of this humanoid devouring a human. The creature clearly dwarfed the human.

"But superstition's been fading from Neighpon post feudal era. People these days link them more so to the ogre. These guys tend to come in shades of blue, red, sometimes even white, green and black."

"That's interesting." Twilight quickly scribbled in her note book, a smile on her face.

"You said there were spirits?" asked Spike.

"Yeah, here's one," said Junior as he turned a few pages.

"The Yurei. These are spirits of the dead who weren't able to pass on," said Junior.

"So like ghosts?" asked Spike.

"Yeah, basically. But there are different types that meet a criteria for their classification. A woman who died during childbirth or left behind her young children is called a Ubume. Onryo are vengeful spirits that were wronged in life. Just a few examples," said Junior. Twilight met the boy with a puzzled look.

"Wait, ghosts? I thought you said this was an encyclopedia of real creatures," said Twilight. Junior shrugged.

"It's an old encyclopedia, Twilight. In those days, everyone believed in ghosts," said Junior, as he turned a page. There was an illustration depicting a woman dressed in a white kimono. She stood with her hands dangling lifelessly from her wrists. But, she had no feet. Instead, her kimono trailed down almost like a tail. The woman's hair was long and jet black, as if disheveled.

"Personally, I believe that they're real," said Junior.

"Yeah? You ever seen a Yurei?" asked Twilight, bemused.

"No. But just because I haven't, doesn't mean that they aren't out there," said Junior.

"Alright, let's say that I buy that. If whoever put this together saw a ghost, how would they know? Aside from the tail, which is an obvious artistic detail to cue us in on her being a spirit, how would they know for sure? That could have been an ordinary woman dressed in white that he mistook for a ghost," said Twilight pragmatically.

"Quite the skeptic, for a girl who believed in a prophecy," said Junior smirking. Twilight scoffed.

"That was different! It referenced Princess Celestia, who was old enough to fit the timeline of those texts. And the prophecy had specific signs. And might I add, that I was right," deadpanned Twilight.

"Fair enough," said Junior. He turned the page and found more illustrations of the the Yurei to be depicted, as twin blue flames hovered beside her.

"The Hitodama. A pair of eerie flames that follow the Yurei. These are a dead give away for them," said Junior. Twilight squinted at the page.

"Could be fire flies," said Twilight. Junior rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I thought you liked spooky stuff. Do you wanna use these ideas or not?" asked Junior.

"Yes please," said Twilight, as she began to scribble away at her notebook. Junior sighed.

"Alright, I've got like a bunch more that should help. No skepticism. This is for a haunted house, not a science project," said Junior sternly.

Next Chapter: Chapter 10: Nightmare Night Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 46 Minutes