Fluttershy hummed to herself as she wandered down the road. She had just returned from the cafe, spending the noon with her friends. She had just come to find out that Junior had given some gifts to the other girls as a form of apology. It seemed that he's come quite a ways since the day they've first met. She was happy that he was trying to make friends with the others. The girl hoped for his swift return to Ponyville.

As Fluttershy neared her home, she noticed two Neighponese boys to be standing in front of Junior's house. They were looking at the note on his door, and seemed to be in idle conversation. The two seemed rather distressed. Curious, Fluttershy made her way over to the house. She would normally not go out of her way to interact with people she never met. However, they looked to have been worried. Maybe they needed to see Junior for an important reason.

"Um... Excuse me," called Fluttershy.

"AH!" Angirasu yelped with a start, whipping around. Fluttershy gave a startled, high pitched yelp in response.

"Geez! What are you? A man or a cat?" asked Rodan in amusement. Angirasu sent him a brief glare. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," said Angirasu apologetically.

"N-No, it was my fault," said Fluttershy, timidly. Rodan suppressed a grin that threatened to creep on his face. He was mesmerized by the beauty of this Valkyrie. From her large eyes, her soft angelic voice, and long rose hair. This girl was a knock out. The timid behavior scored high in his book.

"Hey, I don't think we've met. What's your name, gorgeous?" asked Rodan. Fluttershy slightly recoiled, her face flushing red. Angirasu suddenly nudged him with a disapproving look.

"It's polite to introduce yourself first," said Angirasu.

"Oh right. Rodan Shou," said the boy sheepishly.

"I'm F-Fluttershy," said the Valkyrie, her voice small.

"My name is Angirasu Riku. It's a pleasure to meet you," said Angirasu, politely. He bowed briefly to the girl. Fluttershy looked to the two, curious. She had never seen these two before. They didn't get a lot of foreigners in Ponyville.

"Um... Did you need to see Gojira about something?" asked Fluttershy. The boys glanced at each other, surprised.

"You know Takeshi-san?" asked Angirasu. The girl nodded in confirmation.

"He's my neighbor and friend," said Fluttershy.

"S-So you know? When did he leave?" asked Angirasu urgently. Fluttershy shrunk back a bit.

"Dude, ease up. You're scaring her," whispered Rodan. He met the Valkyrie with a smile.

"I-Is something wrong?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"No! Not at all! We were just supposed to hang out, that's all," said Rodan nonchalantly.

"Oh." Fluttershy thought that the story didn't seem to add up. After all, she wasn't aware of Junior having any other friends beside herself and Twilight. Angirasu also seemed a bit too eccentric when it came to asking when the boy had left.

"So... How do you two know Gojira?" asked Fluttershy, a suspicious look on her face.

"Us? Ah well, we're classmates!" said Rodan. Angirasu raised a brow, while Fluttershy tilted her head, confused.

"Classmates?"

"Yeah! We train together in Martial Arts!" Rodan glanced at Angirasu, giving him a wink. The taller Transmutant nodded with a forced smile.

"That's right! We've been meeting for a while to hone our skills," said Angirasu.

"Ah. That makes sense," said Fluttershy. Rodan chuckled as he tugged on his collar.

"Yep. I don't mean to brag, but I'm the best of our class," said Rodan, smugly.

"Oh, really?" asked Fluttershy, a smile on her face. Angirasu scoffed.

"He's just trying to impress you. So far Takeshi's been the best in terms of strength," said Angirasu. Rodan groaned in annoyance.

"Dude!"

Fluttershy suppressed a giggle. Rodan scowled, his face growing red. But, he wasn't too sour. He had just heard the laugh of an angel after all.

"So, you're friends of his?" asked Fluttershy. Rodan shrugged.

"Well... We've never exactly stated that explicitly. But, we're cool," said Rodan.

"Oh. Well, I haven't seen Goji at all today. I can only assume that he left for Neighpon sometime this morning. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help," said Fluttershy.

"No, it's alright. Thank you for your time. If he's not home, then we'll be going now," said Angirasu. He and Rodan began to walk away.

"Hold on!" called Fluttershy. The boys stopped in their tracks, stiff. They slowly turned to face the Valkyrie.

"Yeah?" The boys asked in unison. Fluttershy smiled sweetly.

"Would you mind looking out for Gojira? He can be quite stubborn and has a tendency to get into trouble. But, he's a very dear friend to us. We worry about him sometimes," said Fluttershy.

"Us?" asked Rodan. Angirasu grimaced.

"Y-Yeah. We'll be sure to keep him out of trouble. Don't worry about it," said Angirasu, as he and Rodan walked off. The Valkyrie bided the two farewell, as she returned to her cottage.

"What is he thinking?" asked Angirasu.

"You mean going off to Neighpon or getting close to the people here?" asked Rodan. Angirasu sent him a flat look.

"Both."

"Come on. The guy lives in the town. He's bound to have some human interaction. And it's to be expected that he gets close to someone," said Rodan.

"It's asking for trouble. One's bad enough. But more than one? That's a disaster waiting to happen," said Angirasu, shaking his head.

"At least he isn't living in fear. Unlike some people," muttered Rodan.

"What was that?" Angirasu glared at the red haired boy.

"Nothin'. We should tell Mosura about him going to Neighpon. It's not safe," said Rodan. Angirasu nodded.

"Agreed. Let's move."

Rodan and Angirasu rushed towards the Everfree forest. They hurried passed the endless trees and made their way to their hidden home. The two continued to jog towards the house. They entered and were running toward the hall. They continued down the metal walk-way and stood, searching the lair. They found Mosura sitting on the center of the platform down below. Her eyes were closed, her posture up and her breathing was calm.

"Damn, she's meditating!" whispered Angirasu. Rodan kept walking, making his way to the metal stairway. Angirasu grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Angirasu demanded. Rodan turned and pried Angirasu's hand off of his collar.

"This is important. Gojira may be in trouble!" Rodan hissed.

"What?!" The two tensed as they slowly turned their heads, focusing on a now shocked Mosura. She stood up from the platform, crouching down and leaped up to the upper level in between the two.

"What do you mean, 'Gojira may be in trouble'?" demanded Mosura. Rodan gulped and was about to answer before being interrupted by Angirasu.

"We went to Takeshi-san's house, but found that he left a note. Apparently he's going to Neighpon for a trip," said Angirasu. Mosura's eyes widened in alarm.

"Why would he go there? Doesn't he know the risk of being in Neighpon?!" asked Mosura.

"No clue. It was sudden," said Angirasu.

"Something's off. He doesn't strike me as the guy who would go out of his way to go on a trip," said Rodan. "Especially to a place where he'd be in grave danger."

"It doesn't matter. I'm bringing him back," said Mosura, her expression serious. Rodan and Angirasu bore shocked looks.

"But Mosu-" Rodan was cut off as Mosura raised a hand.

"He's one of us, Rodan! I'm not going to let him go off to get himself killed or captured," said Mosura. She briefly closed her eyes, her lip quivering as she recalled an older memory.

"I won't make the same mistake that I made all of those years ago," said Mosura. Angirasu and Rodan frowned deeply in response. Mosura began to make her way over to a small chamber in the cave, which was obscured by a curtain.

"I'll be gone for a while. You boys just stay out of trouble and out of sight," said Mosura.

"Got it," said Angirasu.

"Mosu, the boat there is probably long gone by now. How're you going to catch up?" asked Rodan.

"Being a Transmutant has its perks. Remember?" Mosura stepped into the chamber, closing the curtains behind herself. Angirasu and Rodan glanced at each other.

"Not a word about the girl," whispered Rodan. Angirasu furrowed his brows in response.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you." Angirasu whispered back.

---

A couple of days had passed. It was the late afternoon. The sun was setting, transitioning the time to the twilight. Junior was sitting in silence, waiting for the darkness to set in. However, the boy was growing nervous. He was going to be breaking into a highly secured prison containing Transmutants. No doubt it would be heavily guarded by MONARCH, if such prisoners were kept within.

Junior noticed Battra to be approaching. The Transmutant reached into his pocket and drew out a familiar glowing green gem.

"Here. You'll need your strength," said Battra, tossing the gem. Junior caught it, before crushing it in the palm of his hand. He sighed, as he felt the energy course through him.

"I noticed that I haven't been feeling hungry after absorbing this stuff," said Junior. He cocked a brow. "Is that normal?"

"Like I said, radiation is like sustenance for us," said Battra. Junior smirked.

"Sounds like it could be one heck of a diet plan. Only problem is the convenience," said Junior. Battra smiled in amusement.

"Come on. We need to get moving," said Battra.

The pair made their way through the wilderness. They climbed rocky hills and traversed through thick forests. The two were nearing a clearing. They bore witness to a grand metallic structure, which was built within the side of a small mountain. Junior's eyes widened in awe at the sight, as the lights shone brightly over the facility. There were great stone walls that surrounded the perimeter of the facility. A faint glowing dome also encompassed the entire facility. Junior gulped at the sight.

"OK, we found it. How the hell do we get in there?" asked Junior.

"We'll go around the corner. I can partially disrupt the magic barrier with my own power. Once an opening is made, we'll have to rush through," answered Battra.

"And what if we get seen?" asked Junior worriedly. Battra waved his hand dismissively.

"Not a problem. My psychic powers can cloud the minds of the guards. They won't be able to perceive our presence. It helps that humans can be so weak minded," said Battra. Junior grimaced at that last comment. But, his mind registered one particular detail.

"Wait, you're psychic too?" asked Junior surprised. Battra sent him a questioning look.

"Do you know of any other?"

"Well... Yeah. Just some girl. She's a Transmutant too," answered Junior. Battra hummed to himself, his eyes facing forward.

"You'll have to introduce me to her sometime," said Battra.

"Sure. I think she'd be thrilled to meet someone new that we can trust," said Junior.

"Anyway, we'll have to be careful. I have to maintain concentration and be careful not to make physical contact with anyone or do anything that could alert them to our presence," said Battra.

The two Transmutants jogged down the hill in the dead of night. They made their way down around the side, away from the main entrance. The two quietly approached the wall, which just stood a few feet away from the magic barrier. The two knelt down, before leaping several feet high into the air, over the wall. After landing, the pair sneaked over to the barrier. Battra's eyes began to glow violet. He jammed his hand into the barrier, causing it to spark. He grunted, as he used both hands to tear through, creating an opening. The two crossed over, just as the barrier sealed itself.

Battra raised a hand and made a shushing motion. He began to calmly walk across the yard. Junior gulped as he followed behind. They passed fully armored MONARCH guards. Junior anxiously passed by, but was in awe at how they were able to pass by unnoticed.

The two Transmutants followed a guard that made his way into the facility. They entered, only to separate from him and trailed after another guard. The guard led the two over to a large platform. The facility itself was vast, with metal walls and lights making up its structure.

The guard unknowingly led Junior and Battra to the platform. A few other guards joined them. Junior and Battra made sure to keep their distance. One of the guards pressed a button on a control panel attached to the platform. A loud mechanical whir filled the air, causing the platform to descend. Junior nearly lost his balance from the sudden movement but quickly composed himself. The platform descended further down, into a wide, dark shaft. Only small lights lit their way.

The platform continued to descend deeper beneath the facility. Eventually, it came to a stop at the bottom. The guards proceeded to leave the platform, entering a long hall. Arrows marked the walls and pointed to different directions at separate corridors. Neighponese characters were painted above these arrows. Junior and Battra separated from the guards, making their way towards another corridor. The pair soon came across a grand metallic door. It was round, shaped much like a vault door one would see at a bank.

"One hell of a door," said Junior, wide-eyed.

"That's why they call this place, 'The Vault'," said Battra.

"So how do we get in?" asked Junior. Battra drew out a key card.

"Swiped it off of one of the guards," said Battra as he approached a computer panel. He inserted the card into a slot. A green light flashed on the card. A beep filled the air. Battra removed the card, as he began to press a button. There was a metallic rattle. Gears built into the door began to shift, as a wheel in the center spun. The door creaked and groaned as it slowly opened. The two Transmutants passed through, where they beheld a great room.

Large cells with transparent fields made up the room. Inside were the prisoners, who were left confined in these small cells. Junior's eyes trailed up, finding that there were several levels above, where empty cells were found. But, some filled them. Most of the prisoners however, made up the cells on the ground level.

There were at least over a dozen people that were confined in these cells. They comprised mostly of men and a few women. Some appeared older than Battra, while a couple looked to be around his age. Junior felt a knot in his stomach, as he found the prisoners. He could hear weeping from one of the women, which echoed out in this room. His eyes trailed over to find a woman with long, grayish brow hair, with red tips, to be crying in her cell. She had her head buried into her knees. She raised her head, her eyes widening at the sight of the two Transmutants outside. She scrambled to her feet and placed her hands on the field, causing it to ripple from her touch.

"Are you here to let us out?! Please! I was separated from my husband! I'm pregnant!" The woman begged, desperation in her bright orange eyes. Junior felt sick to his stomach as he heard this.

"Don't worry. We're here to let everyone out!" said Battra. His voice caused the rest of the prisoners to stir. Some seemed to notice the mutant.

"Battra! You came for us!" cried a man from his cell. Battra gasped as he took notice of one particular cell. He rushed over, a smile appearing on his face.

"Sensei!" cried Battra. Junior followed, still glancing at the pregnant prisoner. As he turned his sights to the cell, he recoiled at what he saw. He beheld a man who bore a grand stature. He was bald, with a couple of scars running along his head and face. His flesh appeared to have rotted, with a crustacean-like carapace to be exposed beneath. His arms, legs and torso bore this unnatural carapace exoskeleton, like armor. The man turned to reveal his bright, yellow soul-less eyes. Junior felt a chill as he met those eyes. Something about them made him feel uneasy.

"Friend of yours?" asked Junior cautiously.

"This is our leader. He led us against MONARCH and helped us survive. But, he was captured a while back. Meet Destoroyah," said Battra.

"So... Is this everyone?" asked Junior.

"Yes. At least those who were captured. I don't recognize some of these faces. They must be from another group," said Battra.

"You." A gruff voice called. Junior turned to find Destoroyah looking at him. The boy had a hard time maintaining eye contact. Something about this guy felt off.

"Me?" asked Junior.

"You look familiar," said Destoroyah. Junior smiled with a nervous chuckle.

"I uh... I think you're mistaken. I've never seen you before in my life," said Junior.

"Hmm. Perhaps," said Destoroyah, an unnerving smile on his face. Junior gulped. But as he thought about it, he felt like he should've known who this guy was. However, he couldn't put his finger on it.

"What is your name, boy?" asked the mutant. Junior recomposed himself.

"Gojira. Gojira Takeshi Jr."

"Gojira Takeshi... It's a pleasure," said Destoroyah, giving a small unnerving smile. Sharp teeth were revealed. Junior forced a smile in response. Battra made his way over to a control panel. He inserted the key card into a slot, allowing the field to die down. Destoroyah sighed in relief as he emerged from the cell, standing to his full height of 8 feet.

"Hurry, Battra. Release the rest!" ordered Destoroyah.

"Right away, Sensei!" Battra quickly began to use the keycard to open up the rest of the cells. The Transmutants emerged from the cells and gathered to Destoroyah, who kept a smile.

"Brothers and sisters, tonight we shall be free! For years we suffered injustice at the hands of MONARCH! They took away our homes, our families, our lives! But now, we will be free to take back everything we lost! And it is thanks to Battra, and this brave young Transmutant, Gojira Takeshi!" said Destoroyah. The prisoners erupted into cheers for the two Transmutants. Junior smiled, feeling embarrassed from the sudden praise. So far, it seemed like a good thing that he came out here. He only hoped the rest of the night would go as well.

Junior's eyes widened once he took notice of a figure to be standing outside of the Vault. It took a moment for him to recognize her. It was Mosura Yasu. He began to make his way to through the crowd.

"Yasu-san?" called Junior, surprised. Mosura had a look of dread about herself, as she looked passed the boy.

"Oh... Oh, Takeshi-kun. What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Junior.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You came all the way out here to Neighpon?! And you didn't think to tell me about it?!" demanded Mosura. Battra began to make his way over to the boy, standing at his side. Mosura seemed to stiffen. It was subtle, but it looked like an involuntary reaction out of fear.

"Get away from him," Mosura uttered, as calmly as she could.

"Hold on now, he's a friend," said Junior.

"Long time no see, little sister," said Battra, a stoic look on his face. Junior's eyes widened.

"Wait, Sister?!"

"Hello, Battra," greeted Mosura, her tone soft.

"What brings you all the way out here? Last I saw you, you were leaving with Rodan and Angirasu," said Battra, his tone almost cold. Junior had noticed that this wasn't a heartfelt reunion. Mosura cautiously stepped into the vault.

"What's going on here?" asked Junior. Mosura looked at him, incredulous.

"Do you have any idea what he's made you do?!" asked Mosura. Junior bore an odd look.

"Yes. Break into the Vault so we can release Transmutants that MONARCH has been keeping prisoners," answered Junior.

"And I didn't MAKE him do anything. Takeshi came on his own volition," argued Battra. Mosura glared at him.

"Maybe if you had told him the whole story, he wouldn't have!" said Mosura. Battra growled.

"You're one to talk! How much of the story have you failed to fill him in?" retorted Battra. Mosura gritted her teeth.

"ENOUGH!" Junior barked, standing between the two. The siblings fell silent. Junior turned to Mosura, raising a hand.

"Look, we need to be able to escape from this place with the prisoners. We can pull it off unscathed with two psychics at work. With more Transmutants on our side, we can stop MONARCH from doing to others what was done to us," said Junior. Mosura shook her head, appearing enraged

"You don't know what you've done. These aren't innocent victims, Takeshi-kun. My brother and his so called 'Sensei' formed a group of Transmutants that call themselves, 'The Revolutionaries'. But their mission isn't just to fight MONARCH. It's to harm innocent humans as well! They're terrorists! And you just helped him release them, when they rightfully belong here!" cried Mosura. Battra hardened his expression. Junior was stunned into shock. He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. After all, Battra had potentially saved his life. There was also the pregnant mutant that was in here. It couldn't have been true.

"You don't believe me? Ask him!" said Mosura. Junior slowly turned to face Battra, his eyes narrowed.

"Is it true?" Junior demanded, his tone low. Battra shrugged.

"More or less. Though my sister has always been the most naïve out of both of us. The Revolutionaries are a beacon of hope for every Transmutant that walks the Earth. A few necessary sacrifices have to be made, if we are to survive," said Battra.

"You lied to me?" demanded Junior.

"Not entirely. That girl right there, she's not a member of our clan. She and a couple others here fit the 'innocence' bill. I didn't lie. I just left out some information," said Battra nonchalantly.

"If I knew that I would be helping a terrorist, I would've turned you down!" yelled Junior. Battra glared at him.

"And what? Let your kind to rot! Allow MONARCH to continue enforcing the will of the Global Union?!" demanded Battra.

"I don't have a kind! And I don't have a dog in this race! I'm just trying to live out the rest of what life that I have left!" argued Junior. Battra shook his head, a look of disdain on his face.

"And here I thought that you of all Transmutants would understand. The fear of being hunted and destroyed. To live in isolation from the rest of the world. I mean, how couldn't you? You're Lucky Dragon," said Battra. Junior furrowed his brows.

"Takeshi-kun we need to go," Mosura called, anxiously. She noticed that some of the Revolutionaries were starting to step closer, their eyes full of harmful intent. Destoroyah held a dark smile, which caused her heart to race.

"If anyone would understand the necessity of our war, then it'd be you. Together, we can conquer our enemies and claim dominion over humans. We'll avenge everyone that we lost. Our families, our fellow Transmutants. We will make every human scum pay! Join us, and we can rule this world for ourselves!" said Battra, holding his hand out. Junior looked at his hand, pondering everything that this man said. Mosura swallowed the lump in her throat. Mosura felt a pit form in her stomach, as Junior took his hand.

"Takeshi..." muttered Mosura. Junior met Battra with a firm look.

"That's not what I want," said Junior. Battra barely had a moment to form a response. Junior had suddenly butt his head against him, causing him to stumble back. Junior took Mosura's hand and bolted off with her.

"After them!" Destoroyah shouted, as he began to force his way through the other prisoners. The Revolutionaries began to give shouts and give chase. Battra snarled as he shook off his disorientation, joining the chase.

Junior and Mosura ran through the metallic hall of this underground prison. They heard heavy footsteps and snarls behind themselves. Junior looked over his shoulder to find Destoroyah to be chasing after them.

"Big problem!" said Junior. Mosura's eyes caught sight of an alarm. She picked up the pace and led Junior. She reared her fist back and slammed her fist into the glass covering, hitting the button.

An alarm began to blare. Above, heavy metallic doors began to descend down along the corridor.

"Bigger problem!" Junior exclaimed. Mosura tightened her hold and kept running. The pair ran, as the Revolutionaries struggled to keep up. The doors began to cut a few of them off. However, Destoroyah kept up. He roared as he followed the two Transmutants to the lift. Junior and Mosura turned, finding themselves cornered. Mosura narrowed her eyes and widened her stance. She grunted, sending her hands forward. Her telekinetic powers sent the large Transmutant back, just as a heavy door closed in on him. The two panted, sighing in relief. But suddenly, there was a loud bang. The door began to warp, as Destoroyah's muffled cries could be heard.

"That won't hold him for long! Let's get out of here!" cried Mosura. The lift was activated, raising the two up the shaft. They heard the sound of loud crashing, along with Destoroyah crying out in rage. Mosura winced as she felt at her hand, which was bleeding from the glass that she had punched through.

"You're hurt!" cried Junior, taking her hand. Mosura winced.

"I-It's not so bad. Right now we have bigger problems," said Mosura. As she said this, the lift had just made it to the top. The two stiffened, as they noticed the guards to be scrambling about. Several were waiting at the lift. Junior and Mosura smiled nervously.

"Going down?" asked Junior.

The guards all drew their weapons on the two. Junior and Mosura both raised their hands and backed away. The boy gulped, realizing that they were at a grave disadvantage. He noticed Mosura to be trembling violently, while struggling to maintain a brave face. Junior furrowed his brows as he met the stares of the soldiers. They only had once chance to get out of this.

Before Junior could unleash his Atomic Breath, two beams of light scorched through the platform. Junior and Mosura fell back, as the beam caused the lift to explode, sending soldiers flying.

"Alert! The Vault has been breached. The prisoners are escaping!" a frantic voice shouted over the intercom.

From the smoking shaft, Battra burst out, his eyes glowing. He was followed by several strange creatures. They looked to have been somewhat anthropomorphic, while carrying traits of beasts. From reptiles, mammals, and insects. The Transmutants began to scatter about, attacking the soldiers. Roars and screams filled the facility, along with the sound of gun fire and explosions.

Destoroyah climbed out of the smoking shaft with a snarl. He gave a war cry, raising his arms to the air. Junior and Mosura stared wide eyed at the chaos that was unfolding. The two scrambled to their feet and fled. They shoved disoriented guards out of their path. Junior picked up a sheet of metal and pulled Mosura in close. Bolts of magic shot from the rifles of the soldiers, causing the boy to stumble a bit. Mosura used her telekinesis to pick up debris and sent it flying at the soldiers. This bought them time to escape the facility, while they were occupied with the now escaped prisoners.

Meanwhile, the soldiers found themselves getting overwhelmed by the superior might of the mutants. They were mauled, clawed, trampled, and scorched by the Transmutants. Battra fired his eye beams at the soldiers, vaporizing them. He snarled as he found Mosura and Junior to be leaving the facility. It was a shame that Junior decided to stand against them. He would have made a valuable ally. As for his sister, he didn't expect her to see the foolishness of her ways.

Eventually, the facility was completely devastated. After the successful prison break, the structure finally collapsed into a pile of rubble, burying the dead guards. The Revolutionaries stood by, cheering at the destruction and their gained freedom. Battra looked on at the destruction, his expression stoic.

"I hope that this won't affect your resolve to fight our enemies. She is your sister, after all," said Destoroyah. Battra closed his eyes, clenching his fists.

"It won't, Sensei. Mosura is a fool. She chose to abandon us, but I won't. I'll make sure that MONARCH crumbles and that every human will submit to us. Even if it means that she becomes my enemy," said Battra. Destoroyah nodded in response.

"It's a shame about the boy. He could have been valuable to us. No matter. He will suffer the same fate as the rest who defy us," said Destoroyah, turning the moonlit sky. A dark smile grew on his face.

'Besides. He and I still have unfinished business,' thought Destoroyah.

---

It was late evening. Junior and Mosura found themselves wandering through the city streets of Trotkyo. They wore their hoods over their heads, to avoid their faces being seen. It was already bad enough that they came here. After all, MONARCH would likely have surveillance here.

"OK, we can't leave Neighpon right now. Things are gonna be hot for a while. So, we'll just have to lay low for a while. Maybe we can-" Mosura stopped as she noticed that Junior was nowhere to be seen. She began to panic.

"T-Takeshi-kun!" called Mosura. She noticed that the boy was standing not too far away, his eyes staring off into space. She sighed in relief. The girl quickly made her way over.

"Takeshi-kun, don't space out! We have to stick together!" said Mosura, tugging at the boy's sweater. Junior was knocked out of his daze.

"Huh? Oh. I'm sorry," said Junior. Mosura began to lead him away from the area, her hand locked his. Junior couldn't help but look around. Never had he seen so many people, especially those of his race. He had never been in the city before in Neighpon. But, he heard it was much different compared to the country side, where the people still retained some of the old ways.

Junior was mesmerized by the infinite lights that made up the streets. The large signs that bore text of his native language, advertising different kinds of products. Some of these products were electronic, and looked to be more advanced than anything that Equestria had. He even saw metallic vehicles that drove on the asphalt covered streets. This was nothing like he'd seen in childhood, let alone in Equestria. All of this technological progress must have been due to the assimilation of the Global Union. So much has changed since his father's generation.

"Oh shit!" Mosura quickly wrapped an arm around Junior's. The boy blushed.

"Walk with me! Walk with me!" Mosura whispered. Junior complied, as Mosura stood close with him. He glanced at the side, finding A MONARCH LAV to be driving down the road. It was followed by a dark Humvees. Pedestrians stopped and watched, as the vehicles drove by.

"This isn't good," said Mosura.

"Hey, you!" An authoritative voice barked. Junior and Mosura stopped dead in their tracks, as a squad of soldiers stepped over. Mosura tightened her hold on Junior, trembling again. Junior maintained a look of stoicism, as the soldiers approached.

"Yes, sir?" asked Junior.

"Didn't you hear? There's a mandatory curfew being put in place. All civilians must get in doors," said the soldier.

"Oh? I'm sorry, we didn't know," said Junior.

"Well, now you do. You two hurry and get home. The rest of you! A curfew's in place! Please return to your homes!" said the soldier, as he began to direct his attention to the other civilians. Junior and Mosura briskly left the area.

"This is why we can't come here, Takeshi-kun. We're open to getting exposed and captured much more easily," whispered Mosura.

"I didn't know it was so bad here for us," said Junior, his expression solemn.

"That's why we had to leave. We thought Equestria was the safest place for us because of the GU's reach not being as great there," said Mosura. She sighed.

"If a curfew's in place because of the Vault, then we need to find some place to hunker down for a while. We can't get on the trains. They installed scanners and checkpoints that are meant to sniff us out. They could be closing those down right now anyway," said Mosura. Junior stopped. Mosura looked at him in confusion. The boy looked at her with a melancholic look.

"I think I know where we can go."

Later that evening, the two Transmutants had managed to leave the city. While the journey was long going on foot, they were able to stay under the radar. They had close calls on with some of the patrolling squads, mainly since the curfew was in place. Fortunately, they were lenient to what they assumed was a young couple trying to get home. They used the excuse that their home was far and they couldn't reach it sooner without the trains working. That seemed to work.

By now, Junior and Mosura were traveling through a forest. While it was alien to Mosura, Junior was all too familiar with it. It was miles from Trotkyo, with only a rural town to be the closest thing to this place. Junior continued to lead Mosura to a large traditional home. He gazed upon it, finding that nature had begun to claim it. Plants had grown all around it. The door was missing, allowing plant life to continue growing. Junior made his way to a wall, where he teared away at the plants that hung. He revealed the Takeshi family crest on the wall.

"The Takeshi family crest. Wait a minute. Gojira Takeshi. As in, THE Takeshi?" Mosura asked, incredulous. Junior said nothing. He merely stepped inside of the house. He found that the possessions were left behind, albeit some were scattered about due to the decay of the house and what led to its abandonment. Mosura followed behind, finding some picture frames to be resting on furniture, collecting dust. She stopped once she noticed an open shrine. She was about to approach it, but heard Junior give a tired sigh.

"Home sweet home," said Junior. Mosura grimaced.

"You don't think they're spiders around, do you?" asked Mosura. Junior raised a brow.

"I don't doubt it."

Mosura groaned in dismay. Junior made his way over to a room, where he found a futon to be lying in dirt and grass. He picked it up and began to brush it off. He brought it over to Mosura and handed it to her.

"Make yourself comfortable. For now, my home's yours," said Junior. He walked off, leaving the girl alone. She was about to call out to him but thought against it. Judging on him moving to different rooms in this large house, she had a feeling that he wanted to be alone for a while.

Junior found himself wandering through his home in silence. Nostalgic memories began to flood him. In place of this old withered home, he imagined it appearing clean and pristine. He found himself in the Dojo, recalling himself often here with his father, learning the way of combat and the samurai. Junior approached a stand, which carried a suit of samurai armor. The armor was silver and grey in color. On the chest piece was an emblem that resembled the family crest. Junior also found a mask, which resembled the muzzle of a dragon. A metallic tri crest was on the helmet. It was his father's old armor.

Junior often marveled at the stories that his father told him of his days as a warrior. The Takeshi clan was renowned for its line of samurai. His father became a ronin, but still maintained the ways of his family. Junior ran a hand over the armor with a sigh. He turned to find a familiar painting. A dragon with dorsal plates shaped like maple leaves. The painting was still here, but withered over the years. The boy sighed as he left the dojo.

Eventually, Junior returned to the main room of his home. He carried with him a bucket full of hot water, along with an old medical kit. The boy set the bucket down, as Mosura rubbed her hand, which was bleeding. Junior damped the cloth and motioned for the girl to come over. Mosura stepped over and held out her hand. Junior gently took it and began to rub a smaller cloth over it. She winced and hissed at the sting of the water.

"Hopefully this won't get infected," said Junior. Mosura's face lightly flushed as the boy tenderly cleaned her wounds. For a guy so rough, with strong calloused hands to match, he could be quite gentle. After cleaning her wounds, Junior began to wrap the bandages over the girl's hand.

"How's that?" asked Junior. Mosura slightly flexed her hand, but it was restrained by the bandages.

"Thank you, Takeshi-kun," said Mosura, smiling graciously. Junior slightly nodded.

"Let's get some rest." The boy set down an old futon and lied himself down. He stared up at the ceiling, his expression solemn. He heard the sound of a futon being placed down as well. He turned to find Mosura lying down beside him, pulling an old blanket over herself. She met him with a small smile. But, the boy merely turned on his side, his back facing her. Mosura frowned. She lied her head back and closed her eyes.

Junior panted as his eyes darted around. He found himself fleeing through the dark forest. There were sounds of distant inhuman shrieks that filled the air. Junior hid behind some trees, as the wind blew above him. A great flying figure soared past the red moon above. Junior panted as he took to running again.

There was another horrifying shriek that filled the air. He could hear the heavy beating of wings to be closing in behind him. He was blown off of his feet, as a massive form crashed into the earth. Junior rolled along the grass, only to raise his head and find a great beast to be standing among the trees. Its soulless yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. The creature was like a demon, with a scarlet body with great bat-like wings, and beady eyes. It's face seemed almost human-like, with carnivorous teeth that dripped with saliva. It shrieked as its single horn glowed. Junior panted as he scrambled back. He stopped, once he found a familiar bipedal reptile. It weakly looked his way.

"Junior..." The creature groaned.

"Dad?" Junior muttered. He turned as the scarlet demon wailed, displaying its grand wings. Junior found himself knocked back by a blast of violet energy. He groaned as he lied on the ground. As he raised himself up, he found that the creature began to disappear from sight.

"DAD! NO!" Junior cried. He was suddenly pinned down by the demon's pincer tail. The creature sneered at him, as it seemed to give a distorted chuckle. Junior panted as he lied helpless. He then noticed a white orb to be descending down from the red moon. It glowed brightly. The demon slowly turned with a snarl.

The orb of light burst. From the orb came a female Avatar. She hovered in the air, with sapphire blue hair that flowed and sparkled like the night sky. Her wings were dark, allowing her to hover above. Junior was mesmerized by her beauty that he barely managed to recognize her.

The Avatar raised a hand and cast a ray of white light. The demon shrieked as it enveloped in the light. It suddenly burst into shadow, fading in sight. Junior noticed that the landscape began to change. The moon changed from red to white. The forest suddenly changed to a flat plane, exposing a starry night sky. The Avatar descended down towards Junior.

"Princess Luna?" asked Junior. The Avatar gave a kind smile before bowing her head.

"Hello, Gojira," greeted Luna. Junior looked around.

"What's happening?"

"Tis is a dream. But, I am real. As princess of the night, I have the power to enter the dreams of others. I use this power to vanquish nightmares that plague my subjects," said Luna.

"I see. So that thing..." Junior furrowed his brows briefly. He shook his head.

"Never mind. I almost didn't recognize you, by the way. You look older," said Junior. But, he quickly cupped a hand to his mouth, realizing how that may have sound insensitive.

"N-No! Not old! I meant that- I mean- You looked younger the last time I saw you! But right now, you look like a young lady! I mean, I know you've lived much longer, but I- YOU LOOK GOOD!" Junior exclaimed, frantically. Luna had a brief odd look. But, a blush began to grow on her face.

"Ye... find me beautiful?" asked Luna, her eyes wide.

"Um.... Y-Yeah, of course! As lovely as the night sky!" stuttered Junior, embarrassed. It wasn't easy complimenting a pretty lady directly. He must have sounded like a bumbling fool to the Avatar. But, Luna giggled like a school girl, appearing pleased. She gasped at her lack of composure. She quickly stood up straight and cleared her throat.

"Y-You're compliment is appreciated," said Luna. Rarely did men have this effect on her. For as long as she could remember, they often were mesmerized by her sister's beauty. But, it pleased her to know that she could have the same effect.

"I apologize Gojira, for not being able to purge that nightmare sooner. I was able to sense you, but it was already day time when I did. I had a hard time sifting through the dream realm for you. But, I would be willing to help you resolve your troubles in the waking world that would cause such a thing," said Luna.

"Resolve my troubles?" asked Junior.

"Indeed. I use this power to also assist my subjects in their waking lives," explained Luna. Junior sighed, his eyes downcast.

"No, I'm fine. That was the first time that I've had that particular nightmare. Besides, I don't see how a dream could tell you something is wrong," said Junior.

"Dreams are sometimes our subconscious trying to tell us something. You'd be surprised how common it is," said Luna.

"Well, thanks. But I'm fine. I just read a horror story that stuck with me," said Junior. Luna stood, not appearing convinced. But, she held her head high and folded her wings, giving herself a look of regality.

"Very well. I will not pester you if you say nothing is wrong. But, I will be checking in on your dreams whenever I can. It's my duty after all," said Luna.

"Do whatever you want," said Junior dismissively. Luna frowned at the boy's cold response.

"Would you... Like me to deliver a message to Celestia?" asked Luna. Junior shook his head.

"No, not really. Well, actually... You can thank her for the care packages that she sent me. They came in handy," said Junior, a small smile on his face. Luna nodded.

"Very well. Until we meet again, Gojira," said Luna. She ascended into the air, as she was engulfed in a white light. Junior winced at the brightness.

The boy's eyes opened. He found himself staring up at the ceiling of his home. He looked over to the side, finding Mosura on her side, facing him. She was snoozing peacefully, as her hair hung a bit in her face. Junior felt a heart skip a beat at the sight of her, and the fact that was sleeping beside an attractive girl. Junior raised himself up, rubbing his eyes. He found that it was dawn. They had gotten to his home passed midnight, so he didn't have much sleep. But, there was no way that he was going back to sleep now. Junior sighed as he climbed out of his futon and made his way out the front door. Or lack thereof.

---

It was the next day. Twilight found herself in Sugarcube Corner along with Spike and the rest of the Main 6. The group of friends sat at the table, conversing as they dined on Milkshakes on this noon.

"It's been a tough week. I may have got a little too lax with Gojira's help," chuckled Applejack, before stretching herself out.

"Oh, I know the feeling! I've been working intensely for this order that I've been working on!" exclaimed Rarity.

"Aside from work, I've been super-duper busy with planning parties for the next couple of weeks! And I hope that all of you can make it!" Pinkie bounced in her seat joyfully.

"Hey, I'm there!" said Rainbow, bumping fists with the hyperactive Earthbound. Twilight smiled as her friends talked about their week and their upcoming plans. She noticed Fluttershy to be absent mindedly stirring her milkshake.

"How have you been, Fluttershy?" asked Twilight.

"Um... I've been well," replied Fluttershy.

"Anything new? Interesting maybe?" asked Twilight, not satisfied by the Valkyrie’s response. Fluttershy stopped and thought to herself.

"Well... I did meet a couple of boys a while back," said Fluttershy. Her friends all looked at her with slack jawed expressions. Fluttershy shrugged.

"What?"

"My, my! Our dear Fluttershy has gotten bold since the dragon incident, hasn't she?" Rarity teased. Fluttershy raised a brow.

"Huh?"

"You met with not just one guy, but two? I didn't think you had it in you, Flutters," chuckled Rainbow.

"What are y- Oh, no, no! I didn't mean like that!" Fluttershy exclaimed frantically.

"Aw it's OK, Fluttershy. I'm proud that you got the guts to talk to guys. They'll be putty in your hands if you work that confidence!" said Pinkie, pumping her fist. Fluttershy groaned in dismay.

"It's not like that! They were just looking for Gojira!" cried Fluttershy. Applejack raised a brow.

"What would they want for him?"

"Uh oh. It wasn't for trouble, was it?" asked Twilight worriedly. That might have explained the boy's disappearance. She worried that he left to hide from bad a crowd that he might have gotten mixed with. But, those fears were put to rest once Fluttershy shook her head.

"No, they said that they were going to ask him to hang out. Apparently Goji studies martial arts with them," said Fluttershy.

"Hmm. I can see that. Well, maybe not the part about them wanting to hang out with him," said Rainbow, leaning back in her seat, sipping her milkshake.

"Come on, was that necessary?" asked Twilight. Rainbow shrugged.

"What?" asked Rainbow.

"Are you still holding onto what happened a while back? I thought it was water under the bridge," said Twilight. Rainbow huffed.

"Like I'm gonna let him off that easily. He was such a jerk." said Rainbow.

"I'll agree with you there. He IS a jerk. But, he's also kind underneath. He just has a hard time expressing his feelings, that's all," said Twilight.

"Hmph. You know him that well?" Rainbow scoffed.

"I like to think so," smirked Twilight, sipping her own milkshake. Spike leaned close to Pinkie.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" whispered Spike.

"Are you thinking of getting another milkshake? Cause I am," said Pinkie, placing down an empty glass.

"Ah forget it," sighed Spike.

Meanwhile, Rodan and Angirasu passed by. The taller mutant sighed with an anxious look.

"Why did we have to come here?" asked Angirasu.

"What? I like their milkshakes," said Rodan with a shrug, as the two approached the counter.

"Couldn't we have just gathered some stuff to make our own?" asked Angirasu.

"I only have enough to buy shakes for ourselves. Otherwise we'd have to resort to your least favorite thing," said Rodan as he took a seat. Angirasu grimaced as he sat down as well.

"Fair point. Where'd you get the money by the way?"

"Fountain," whispered Rodan. Angirasu glared at him in disapproval.

"What? If people wanted it, they wouldn't throw it away!" hissed Rodan.

The two Transmutants ordered their milkshakes. Angirasu sighed as he rubbed his brows with a grimace.

"What's wrong now?" asked Rodan.

"Aren't you worried about Mosura? And Takeshi-kun?" asked Angirasu.

"Well, yeah. Which is why I wanted to come out here. So I wouldn't have to think about it," deadpanned Rodan. Angirasu rolled his eyes.

"Look, no sense in worrying over it. The best we can do is wait and hope they come back," said Rodan.

"Two milkshakes!" said Carrot Cake, as he slid the two glasses to the boys. They caught the glasses.

"Thanks, boss," said Rodan, as he began to drink. He then glanced over his shoulder and looked around. His eyes widened.

"Yo, Aang. Check out the babes," whispered Rodan, nudging Angirasu.

"Huh?" Angirasu looked behind himself, finding 6 attractive girls. Two of each tribe of humans. He cleared his throat as he looked away.

"That's nice, Rodan," said Angirasu, dismissive.

"I'm gonna go talk to them," said Rodan smirking.

"Don't. We're supposed to keep a low profile and you'll just embarrass yourself," said Angirasu. He then turned and noticed that the boy was gone. He groaned as he found Rodan strolling over.

"Idiot!" Angirasu shot out of his seat and made his way over.

"Hello, ladies~!" greeted Rodan. He stiffened once he recognized two of these girls. Twilight and Fluttershy.

"Oh, hello Rodan!" greeted Fluttershy with a friendly smile.

"Ah. H-Hey," greeted Rodan awkwardly. Angirasu suddenly appeared by his side.

"Sorry to bother you. We'll be going!" said Angirasu as he was about to haul the boy away.

"Hey I remember you two!" said Twilight.

"Wait, who are they?" asked Rainbow in confusion.

"These were the guys that were looking for Gojira. But I didn't know you met them Twilight," said Fluttershy in surprise.

"They came by for a book. Heh. Small world," said Twilight.

"Yeah, a little too small," Angirasu said under his breath. He cleared his throat.

"Well, it was nice to see you again. We'll leave you to your milkshakes," said Angirasu.

"Hey, hold on! Why don't you join us?" suggested Twilight.

"I-I don't know. We wouldn't want to-" Angirasu was interrupted as Rodan pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Don't mind if we do!" said Rodan. Angirasu sighed in dismay.

"Well, if you insist," said Angirasu, before pulling up his own chair. He was anxious, as he found himself among these unfamiliar girls. It wasn't so much as a boy being nervous about being around attractive girls. It was because he and the rest didn't make it a habit to interact with normal humans. He glanced at Rodan, who sent him a look. He mouthed the words 'Keep cool'. Angirasu gulped as he sat.

"How did you say that you knew Gojira again?" asked Pinkie curiously.

"We study martial arts together. We tend to spar too to test our strength," said Rodan, flexing his arm. Angirasu grimaced. Maybe getting exposed wouldn't be so bad if it meant he didn't have to watch Rodan try to flirt with these girls.

"So, you know Gojira? You two got a read on him? Like, what kinda guy is he?" asked Rainbow.

"Takeshi? Well..." Angirasu scratched at his head awkwardly.

"G? Ah he's pretty cool. Tough too. You should see him mop the floor with Angirasu," chuckled Rodan. The brown haired boy glared at him.

"It wasn't as funny as the way he mopped the floor with you," said Angirasu.

"No way! I tired him out!"

"Yeah, but you got so cocky that you didn't see that kick coming," said Angirasu, smirking. Rodan's brow twitched as he first a chuckle.

"So, he's barbaric?" asked Rarity in dismay. Angirasu raised a brow at her.

"I wouldn't say that. The ability to fight doesn't equal barbarism. In fact, Takeshi seems to display some traits of a true samurai. He always fought with honor and always showed us respect," said Angirasu, smiling. Twilight perked up at this.

"There are 7 Virtues of Bushido. Justice, Courage, Mercy, Respect, Honesty, Honor, and Loyalty. These are important for a samurai to have, if he is to be effective," explained Angirasu. Rodan smirked.

"Look at you, big guy. You can hold a conversation," said Rodan, teasingly. Angirasu blushed with an annoyed look.

"Gojira mentioned that he came from a family of samurai. That might have something to do with it," said Twilight. Angirasu's eyes widened in surprise.

"Then he's from the Takeshi clan?!" exclaimed Angirasu. The girls and Spike recoiled at the question.

"I-Is that bad?" asked Applejack. Angirasu cleared his throat with a sheepish smile.

"No, not at all. Sorry, I got a little excited. If my hunch is right, he could be related to the legendary Takeshi clan. They were one of the greatest houses of Neighpon that served during the feudal era," said Angirasu.

"I never knew all of that," said Rodan, confused.

"Heh. That's because most who know about them usually lived in the country side where the old ways are intact, or they're from a military family. Or they're a history buff," said Angirasu, shrugging. Rodan rolled his eyes.

"Yeah? Why's that? What makes them so obscure?" asked Rodan.

"Oh. Because as far as anyone's concerned, that family line is extinct," said Angirasu, sipping his milk shake. Everyone just stared, in shock. However, the boy had just registered what had come out of his mouth.

"Oh, wait," said Angirasu, regret in his tone. There was a melancholic atmosphere, which grew heavier as this information settled in.

"So... He has absolutely no family? No aunts, uncles? No grandparents? Or cousins?" asked Pinkie, a deep frown on her face. Angirasu said nothing, as he stirred his straw. Rodan cleared his throat.

"O-On the bright side, that line lives on as long as he does. Plus, if he meets someone and has kids..." Rodan awkwardly scratched at his head. Angirasu nudged his shoulder.

"Change the subject," hissed Angirasu.

"Uh... E-Enough about us and history! Hey, you! What's your name?" asked Rodan, turning his attention to Rainbow. The valkyrie recoiled.

"Me? Uh... I-I'm Rainbow Dash."

"Rainbow Dash huh? Nice hair by the way. Is it natural?" asked Rodan, curiously. Rainbow snorted.

"Totally. I wouldn't be caught dead dyeing my hair," said Rainbow, quickly forgetting the melancholic mood that had overcome everyone. This dictated the atmosphere for everyone else, as their attention was directed onto a lighter hearted topic.

"Hey, I think I've seen you doing some neat tricks in the air!" said Rodan, turning his seat to fully face her. Rainbow smiled smugly.

"Well, aside from being the fastest flyer in ALL of Equestria, I like to add some style," said Rainbow.

"Oh brother," Applejack sighed. Just what he wanted. Another bragger.

"Sweet! I'd like to see that sometime," said Rodan. Rainbow hummed, smirking.

"Sure. But you gotta teach me some your moves in martial arts," said Rainbow, sending a few jabs.

"Deal!" said Rodan. Angirasu smacked his forehead, a bewildered expression on his face..

"Is that not OK?" asked Fluttershy.

"N-No! I mean... It's just..." Angirasu stuttered. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of Rodan fraternizing with any of these girls. But, he also had to maintain the image of being a normal human being. His mind worked to come up with a reason that could deter the two from commonly meeting up.

"Learning martial arts takes a lot of discipline to learn. Plus there's using it responsibly..." Angirasu scratched at his head.

"Nah, I got this, Aang. I'll teach her everything we know," said Rodan, grinning. Angirasu sighed in dismay. He hoped that Mosura would come back soon.

Next Chapter: Chapter 8: Sketchy Business Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 43 Minutes