It was noon. The Takeshi Estate was shrouded in shade from the numerous trees in the forest. Mosura was roaming the house alone. She was curious about Junior's home. She was in awe of the place. The girl admired the great Dojo. While withered, she could only imagine how this place looked when the home was inhabited.

"Wow." Mosura whispered to herself, as she found the old armor to be resting along with the numerous different weapons that lied on racks around the dojo. Mosura turned and noticed a painting. A smile grew on her face as she recognized the dragon that was depicted. She stood before the withered painting, admiring it. She failed to notice the footsteps of Junior.

"Hey," Junior called.

"Ah!" Mosura exclaimed. She turned, finding Junior to be standing with a couple of fish bounded together via string. They dripped to the ground, as the boy had a stoic look.

"I brought lunch," said Junior. Mosura relaxed herself.

"Oh. Thank you," said Mosura. She cleared her throat as she pointed a finger to the painting.

"That painting. It's Gojira, right? Where your name comes from?" asked Mosura.

"That's him," said Junior, nonchalant. Mosura smiled.

"I thought so. This is an impressive painting. It really captures the way the legend describes him," said Mosura, admiring the painting.

"Unlike the dragons of the West, the ones in the East are said to be deities. But Gojira was nothing like either," said Mosura.

"That is if he existed," said Junior, as he began to leave the dojo. Mosura turned and quickly followed him to the main part of the house.

"Do you know the tales of Gojira?" asked Mosura.

"A couple," answered Junior, though his tone wasn't that of interest. Mosura cleared her throat.

"When I was a little girl, my father used to tell my brother and I his stories before bed. My favorite has to be the 'The Golden Demise'. Heard of it?" asked Mosura. Junior said nothing as he entered the kitchen, setting up the fish on a board.

"Well, the story goes that there was once a golden dragon. It was a fallen god with three heads, with a terrible cackle and a lust for destruction. The dragon was called Ghidorah. He was said to have been banished from the heavens and fell to the earth. It brought chaos wherever it went. Causing storms with its massive wings and created desolate wastelands. He devoured gods and men alike," said Mosura. But, she noticed that Junior didn't seem to be listening. All he did was cut the fish, removing their scales. Mosura leaned against the wall, feeling a bit awkward at the lack of reaction.

"Anyway. From the depths of the sea, Gojira emerged. He was enraged at this invader's destructive ways and decided to wage a war with him. He was able to drive Ghidorah away, but could never destroy him. The two had many battles that would end in a stalemate," said Mosura.

"What exactly is it that you find appealing about this story? It seems like he's just stuck in an eternal conflict that can never be resolved," said Junior flatly. Mosura was almost taken aback. She didn't think the boy was actually listening.

"Well, what I like is that Gojira realizes that he can't fight Ghidorah alone. He has to call upon allies to win the battle. When he does, Ghidorah is forced to retreat into hiding, unable to continue his destructive ways," said Mosura.

"So you like it because he was weak?" asked Junior. Mosura's brow raised.

"Weak?"

Junior sighed as he set the scales aside. He began to dice up the fish into small cuts of meat.

"My father once told me that Gojira was held in reverence by our clan for generations. He was the embodiment of the warrior spirit. He was a fierce and powerful creature. With an unbreakable will. The stories I heard told tales of Gojira being a king among the Kaiju. His might was so great that even the gods feared yet respected him," said Junior, as he continued to cut the fish meat.

"Our clan valued strength. It was The Way of Gojira, that we push ourselves to our limits. To never back down from any foe. Doing so would be nothing short of cowardice and would dishonor him and ourselves. Our clan was believed to have been a cult because of how much Gojira was revered by us," said Junior. He looked to Mosura, his brows furrowed.

"There's probably a reason why I was never told that story. Because the source of our philosophy was unable to defeat his enemy. He had to call upon others to help him," said Junior. Mosura frowned.

"You think it's weak to ask for help?" asked Mosura. Junior merely brought a metallic pot and brought it onto the counter. He removed the top, revealing steamed white rice.

"It is when the strong do it," said Junior. He began to scoop the rice and press it together into small rolls. Mosura made her way over to the counter and leaned against it.

"Even the strong need help sometime. If you rely on others, then you can grow stronger," argued Mosura.

"Then what if you can't rely on them? You only have yourself. Therefore, it would be better if you were strong enough to stand on your own. The tales of Gojira are more than bedtime stories. They're guides for how my clan grew stronger," said Junior.

"You might be right. But, I think your view of strength is a bit skewed. Don't you know the code of Bushido?" asked Mosura, incredulous.

"Yes. But what does it matter at this point? Samurai are obsolete. In fact, I think this era with the Global Union will make Neighpon's history forgotten," said Junior He set down a plate with sushi, made up of cut fish and rice.

"Eat up," said Junior. Mosura reached over to the plate and picked up a sushi roll.

"You say that Neighpon's history will be forgotten. But I think that's all the more reason to hold onto those values. They're tied to our history and culture. It's part of who we are. Even the stories of Gojira," said Mosura. Junior sighed, as he placed a sushi into his mouth.

"Hey, where'd you get the rice by the way?" asked Mosura.

"Snagged it from a nearby village," said Junior. Mosura's brows raised.

"Don't look at me like that. I feel lousy about it as is," said Junior. The girl sighed.

"Well, I'm not one to cast stones," said Mosura.

---

Director Onyx found himself standing before a man. He was one of the leading engineers for an important project that's been in the works for some time now. Here, MONARCH gained new assets that helped their military force. Mechs.

The mechs were autonomous machines with Artificial Intelligence that allowed them to enact pre-encoded commands. They're main objective was to eliminate Transmutants. These machines have proven valuable at detecting and assisting in combat against the enemy. But, they still weren't enough. However, there was something being worked on here that should tip the odds in MONARCH's favor.

"The destruction of the Vault has the Neighponese Empire on edge, along with the Committee of the GU. We need Project: Kiryu pushed ahead," said Onyx. The engineer had an incredulous look.

"B-But Director, we have just barely finished the A.I. program. We haven't been able to construct the body! We still have to field test it!" said the engineer. Onyx narrowed his eyes.

"Neighpon is in danger now that all of those monsters are running free again. I don't care what you have to do! You make the damn thing work! Use the subject's skeleton as the frame if you must! We never disposed of it after you used its brain to make the A.I. program," said Onyx in frustration.

"Understood. We'll have to make some modifications to the blueprints with the skeleton in mind, but it should accelerate our efforts," said the engineer.

"It better. Otherwise we'll hear it from the ones on top," said Onyx, as he left the engineer to himself. He began to leave the facility, where he entered a dark van. The vehicle drove off. Onyx heard the sound of ringing. He brought a small device into his ear.

"Yes?" asked Onyx.

"We have everything ready for our latest experiment. It should provide us the edge we need in the field," said a gravelly voice. Onyx smiled. Finally, there was some good news.

"Good. You're subject is Private Erika Shiragami," said Onyx, as he held up a file, depicting the face of a young Neighponese woman.

"Pardon me, Director. But if I'm not mistaken, the girl is deceased," said the caller on the other line.

"Not entirely. The subject's brain was kept intact. Her body is dead, but not the mind. All it will take is a few... unethical measures," said Onyx.

"It's what I specialize in. But, what about Doctor Genshiro Shiragami?" asked the voice. Onyx smirked.

"Who do you think provided the resources for this experiment and the subject?"

---

It was evening. Mosura sat at the porch of the Takeshi home, gazing up to what little of the night sky that she could see from beneath the trees. She sighed, a solemn look on her face. So far, her time with Junior seemed rather tense. He's been quite cold with her.

Mosura looked over her shoulder, finding Junior sitting in the main room, with a lantern burning softly. He's rarely spoken to her and had seemed to just flat out ignore her, though there were the few instances where he offered her some food. So, she supposed that he wasn't totally ignoring her.

The girl began to worry that if maybe he was ignoring her because of what happened at the Vault. Realizing that her brother was a villain was bad enough. But, she wondered if he was ignoring her because of that truth. Did she lose his trust? She figured it was for the best if she explained herself a bit.

Mosura stood up and began to make her way back into the house. She awkwardly brushed a few fingers through her hair, a grimace on her face.

"Takeshi-kun... I think we should talk. I-" Mosura trailed off as she found the boy to be sitting with a picture frame in his hand. The boy had a solemn look about himself. He had just realized that Mosura was beside him.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Did you need something," asked Junior, rubbing his eyes. The girl's expression softened.

"Is that your family?" Asked Mosura, sitting on her knees next to him.. Junior sighed as he handed over the frame.

"Yeah."

The photo was that of Junior as a young child. He was depicted with a man whore a striking resemblance to the boy. His eyes were that of a man who had experienced hardship. But, a small smile was on his face. His face was covered in dark stubs of hair. A beautiful woman with dark hair held the child in her arms. Her eyes were a grayish blue, radiating with kindness.

"I'm guessing that... MONARCH..." Mosura glanced at the house around herself.

"My mother passed away the winter before that. She was sick. And my father..." junior closed his eyes briefly. He faintly recalled something. It seemed like a vague memory, but the nightmares that he's had these past couple of nights reminded him of the details that he thought he had forgotten.

"He was killed," said Junior. Mosura didn't have to ask. She assumed those who were responsible. But, she didn't know that her assumption was far from right.

"You know... I sometimes feel like disappearing," said Junior. Mosura's heart jumped at this.

"W-What do you mean?" asked Mosura worriedly.

"I mean that I feel like that I should just leave. Abandon Ponyville and just hide. It's better than spending more years lying and keeping secrets," said Junior, as he took the picture frame back. He sighed as rubbed his brows.

"What was I thinking? I shouldn't have been so quick to acknowledging those girls as friends," said Junior. Mosura's eyes widened in alarm.

"Girls? As in regular humans?" asked Mosura.

"Obviously," answered Junior. Mosura gulped as she shook her head.

"You can't be serious. I thought you knew that it was better if we kept to ourselves," said Mosura.

"What do you want me to say? I was put into a weird spot. I had a moment of weakness," said Junior. He sighed.

"I thought that maybe I could've had it again. So long as I was careful, things would work out," said Junior.

"Takeshi-kun, I understand. But that's not something we can risk doing," said Mosura. Junior sighed in exasperation.

"What about you? Don't you want to be able to salvage what you lost?" asked Junior. Mosura placed a hand on his own, a sympathetic look on her face.

"Of course I do. There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about it. I wish I could've gone to school like a normal girl. I miss my family. I want friends. I..." Mosura looked away, her face growing red.

"I want to be able to fall in love," said Mosura. She cleared her throat awkwardly, as she quickly removed her hand from Junior's.

"But... I don't have that luxury anymore. Not with normal humans. If not for Rodan and Angirasu, life would be unbearable. You don't have to keep living a lie. You can disappear, but live with us. We'd welcome you like one of our own," said Mosura, a warm smile on her face. Junior held a look of stoicism at the girl's offer. It sounded like an attractive offer.

"I can't do that," said Junior, turning back at the picture frame that he held.

"I've already gotten too close to them. I spent the rest of my childhood living with Princess Celestia for crying out loud. It'd be selfish of me to just suddenly leave without reason," said Junior melancholically.

"Not to mention cowardly. I'll just have to live with it," said Junior. Mosura placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting him with a kind smile.

"You won't have to do it alone. You can always depend on me and the boys. That is... If you're willing. I know that I may not seem trustworthy after... I never told you about my brother," said Mosura, regretful in her tone.

"Don't worry about that. It wasn't my business," said Junior. Mosura sent him an odd look.

"It wasn't? Then why have you been so cold to me since we've came here?" asked Mosura.

"It's just tough being back here after all of these years. I'm not exactly the most expressive guy. I don't like to talk about my feelings," said Junior. Mosura smiled in relief and in amusement.

"For a guy who doesn't like to talk about his feelings, you did a pretty good job," said Mosura, teasingly. Junior rolled his eyes.

"Get off my back." Junior allowed a small smile to grow on his face. But, he sighed in dismay.

"Damn. Everyone's gonna be worried sick. How much longer should we wait it out?" asked Junior.

"Maybe give it a couple of days. We should get prepped though for a trip. We'll need it for sneaking aboard a ship," said Mosura. Junior hummed to himself in thought.

"Maybe we can pay someone who owns a boat to take us," said Junior.

"With what? We don't have any money," said Mosura.

"No. But, this house has some antiques lying around," said Junior.

"You really want to do that? It's your home," said Mosura.

"It was my home. Besides, this stuff is doing nothing but collecting dust anyway. At least someone else would be able to admire them," said Junior, standing to his feet.

"But... Maybe I'll keep the armor and a couple of weapons. Can't part with those," said Junior. Mosura smiled as she stood as well.

"Then I guess we better get to work," said Mosura.

---

It was noon in Equestria. The day went by rather quick. This was much to Angirasu's dismay.

The boy found himself sitting at a bench in the park. He found Rodan and Rainbow Dash to be standing a bit of a distance away in the green field. The two conversed, but their words were inaudible to him. He watched as Rodan began to make slow and deliberate motions with his arms. Rainbow nodded as she listened to the boy.

Angirasu sighed as he slouched in his seat. A grimace was on his face, as the boy taught her a few breathing techniques, along with a stance.

'Well, at least he knows how to teach,' thought Angirasu.

From behind the boy, Fluttershy arrived. She carried a cardboard box in her arms, a curious look on her face.

"Oh. It looks like she was serious about learning from you boys," said Fluttershy. Angirasu flinched with a start. He looked at the girl, nervously. Fluttershy tilted to her head, confused.

"Is something the matter?" asked Fluttershy.

"N-No. You just startled me, is all," said Angirasu, his tone small.

Fluttershy was surprised. Normally, she was the one who was a nervous wreck around others. Not to mention, she was the one who was often startled.

"I'm sorry. I just saw you three over here and thought I'd..." Fluttershy frowned, apologetically.

"No, it's OK. I uh..." Angirasu awkwardly scratched at his head. He found himself unable to maintain eye contact. He never really held a conversation with anyone else before, at least aside from Junior. But, he was much easier to talk to. Aside from being a fellow Transmutant, it might have been because he was a guy. This was a girl. A very attractive one at that. Fluttershy smiled, causing the boy's heart to skip a beat.

"I understand. You're just shy, aren't you?" Fluttershy took a seat on the bench next to the boy, keeping a few inches away from him. As though she knew that he'd be more comfortable if she wasn't too close.

"I can be shy sometimes myself," said Fluttershy. Angirasu lightly blushed as he looked away. He was now sure that part of his awkwardness was due to how pretty this Valkyrie was.

"Uh... Wh-What's in the box?" asked Angirasu, hoping to distract himself from this awkward tension he felt. Fluttershy smiled as she opened up the box she held. She carefully set it down on the bench between them and motioned for the boy to look. Angirasu peered inside, finding a large turtle to be inside.

"Oh. You got yourself a pet?" asked Angirasu.

"No. I found this poor thing abandoned a while back. He was in a pet store box near a dumpster on a hot day He wouldn't have made it had I not worked to nurse him back to health," said Fluttershy, gently running a finger over the turtle's head. Unlike most turtles, this one didn't retract into its shell. It closed its eyes in pleasure at her gentle touch.

"That's terrible. What are you going to do with him now?" asked Angirasu.

"I'm going to take him to a pond and release him. He'll be much happier there," said Fluttershy.

"Well, he is a red eared slider. Those guys are pretty common around here. I'm sure he'll be happy with his kind," said Angirasu, shrugging. Fluttershy smiled.

"Do you like animals?" asked Fluttershy.

"Sure, as much as the next person does," said Angirasu nonchalantly. The girl's eyes seemed to light up.

"Do you have a favorite animal? Or maybe you like all sorts?" asked Fluttershy eagerly. Angirasu slightly recoiled at the girl's sudden rise in her tone. Her voice wasn't soft and almost quiet as it was moments ago. But, it still carried a sweetness to it.

"Oh. Uh... Well, I never had to think about it before. I guess turtles would be one," said Angirasu, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Mine too! I just love how they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors!" said Fluttershy.

Meanwhile, with Rodan and Rainbow Dash, the two stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the pair. Rainbow raised a brow.

"Huh. She doesn't normally go out of her way to talk to people that she doesn't know. Especially guys," said Rainbow. Rodan was smirking. Rainbow sent him an odd look.

"What's with the look?"

"Ah nothing. Just proud of my bro," said Angirasu. Rainbow raised a brow, but shrugged. She smirked as she got into a mock fighting stance.

"C'mon! Let's get back to it!" said Rainbow.

"Patience. That's one of the most important things with learning," said Rodan. Rainbow groaned in dismay.

"Hey. You wanted me to teach you. No one said that everything was going to be fun," said Rodan, shrugging.

"Ah alright. Do your thing, 'Sensei'," said Rainbow. The two shared a chuckle.

Rodan never thought he could enjoy something that would seem so mundane as teaching. But here he was. It might have been because he was hanging out with someone that wasn't as uptight as Mosura. While he hoped that she'd get back, he hoped that it wasn't too soon. This has been the most free he's felt in a long while.

The day was coming to an end. Angirasu and Rodan were wandering through Ponyville. Rodan sighed as he tugged as his collar.

"Nothing like working up a sweat," said Rodan.

"Hmm." Angirasu just kept going. Rodan suddenly nudged his shoulder, a teasing smile on his face.

"So since when did you become a ladies man?" asked Rodan.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" asked Angirasu, confused.

"Ah don't play dumb. You seemed to have been hitting it off with Fluttershy."

Angirasu shook his head, a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"It wasn't like that. We were just talking about animals," said Angirasu.

"Yeah, with a girl who apparently has a fondness of them to the point that she makes her living by taking care of them. You can't say that you didn't feel any sparks when a pretty introverted girl like her suddenly talks your ear off about her interest. It means that she's gotten comfortable with you," said Rodan. Angirasu scoffed.

"Like you would know? How many girls have you talked to that wasn't your mother or Mosura?" asked Angirasu.

"Very funny. But Rodan knows what the ladies like," said Rodan, clicking his tongue with a suave tone. Angirasu groaned as he rolled his eyes.

As the two walked on, his eyes caught notice of a newspaper that was displayed from a blue box. It was the 'GU News'. This paper was mainly focused on international stories of the Global Union. Anything that was of significance internationally, it was published and printed. While Equestria wasn't as heavily influenced by the GU as other countries, it still had access to the international paper and a couple of other privileges.

Angirasu quickly reached for the box, but was unable to open it. He cursed to himself as he felt at his pockets.

"Please tell me you have any bits left!" said Angirasu, urgently. Rodan reached into his pocket and handed two bits over. Angirasu snatched them and inserted them into the slot. A newspaper was dispensed, allowing him to take it from the drop chute. He began to quickly skim through the article that had caught his eye.

"What's wrong?" asked Rodan.

"It says here that Neighpon's been put on high alert after The Vault was breached. The prisoners escaped," said Angirasu, with dread. Rodan's eyes opened.

"Mosu and Gojira..." Rodan noticed that Angirasu began to breathe in panic. He shook as he tightly gripped the paper.

"H-Hey! Hey! Settle down! We don't know what exactly happened. Maybe they're safe. No way those two would let themselves get caught," said Rodan in reassurance.

"But things changed! We can't-" Angirasu stopped as he noticed some stares from the civilians in the area. Angirasu grimaced as he held the paper at his side.

"Look, let's just head back home. We'll try to keep a low profile, just like she wanted," said Rodan, quietly. Angirasu exhaled deeply.

"OK."

---

It was early morning. A couple of days had passed. There were seagulls that cried out, as they soared by a harbor, where many boats lied. Junior and Mosura stood outside of a warehouse, carrying some cases. The boy glanced at her with a wary look.

"So... How do you know where to find Yakuza?" asked Junior.

"Well, Rodan once helped smuggle some weapons from MONARCH for the Yakuza group that runs this area," said Mosura. Junior's eyes widened in shock. Mosura shrugged.

"What? We couldn't apply for real jobs back then. We had to do some shady stuff just to earn enough to eat," said Mosura, looking away. Junior took a breath. Now he knew what the girl meant the other night about not casting stones.

"Well... Let's hope that this works out," said Junior.

Inside of the warehouse, an older man hummed as he held up a golden Shisa statue. It was the size of a man's hand. Being made of solid gold, it was quite heavy. The man looked to Junior and Mosura, who stood across from him. The two were standing among a few large travel cases that stood empty. While on the man's desk, there were several other objects. From porcelain vases, golden oval shaped coins, and a stack of weapons, once held by samurai.

"Hmm. Solid gold. Vintage weapons." The man hummed to himself as he looked over everything that was presented. He hummed as he picked up a small golden statue of a shisa. A creature of Neighponese folklore.

"Where would a young couple such as yourself get your hands on stuff like this?" asked the man. Mosura blushed, while Junior cleared his throat.

"It's just stuff that the family's collected over the years. A lot of this stuff dates back to the early feudal era," answered Junior.

"And you want to trade all of this for a ride to the West?" asked the man, cocking a brow.

"Yes. We need to get off the island as soon as possible," answered Junior. He was beginning to worry that this plan wouldn't work. This guy seemed awfully suspicious of them.

"It's just that you could make a lot of money if you were to auction this off. You must be in quite a lot of trouble if you're coming to me," said the man, his eye giving a steely gaze. Mosura gulped as she stepped forward.

"Listen, our reasons don't matter. I know you Yakuza like to collect a lot of vintage items, especially relating to the samurai. Is this enough for a trade or not?" asked Mosura. The man merely set the golden shisa down and stood to his feet. He turned his gaze out his window, to the harbor.

"It'll be a long journey. It could take a couple of weeks. Maybe more. But then again, you are leaving me with some treasures of an era that has already seemed to have been forgotten," said the man. He turned to the pair with a stoic look.

"Very well. I'll help you. But, I need one more thing from you in return," said the man. Junior and Mosura shared a worrisome glance.

"What do you need?" asked Junior. The man reached into his desk.

"You see, I have a client living in Equestria. He's paying a handsome price for this," said the man as he drew out a small statue. It was shaped like an Eastern dragon, made up of gold. Its mouth hung wide open. A green emerald was held in its jaws.

"For that?" asked Junior, incredulous.

"What's so special about it?" asked Mosura.

"None of your concern. If you want a ride to Equestria, then you'll have to help deliver this. I'll have someone take you. All you have to do is bring the item to the client at the specified location, and hand off the money back to my guy before parting. Do we have a deal?" asked the man.

"So just drop off the statue and hand off the money. And that's it?" asked Junior.

"That's it," said the Yakuza. Junior smiled.

"Alright, you got a deal," said Junior.

---

There was faint lighting in a room. The room was a sanitized lab, with electronics running and with surgical tools that were placed neatly away. The lab was cold, dark, and lonely.

In the lab, there was an older man that stood. He was dressed in scrubs. The man was an elf. His eyes appeared cold, with dark circles beneath them. He stood in the room with a large cylindrical tank before him. In the tank, a clear fluid filled it. Erika Shiragami was floating inside. There were small tubes that were imbedded into her forearms and legs. Her long hair flowed in the liquid that she was suspended in.

"Everything has been prepped. We have the genetic template constructed for the subject's total regeneration," said a woman in scrubs. Her ears were also that of an elf's. The older man nodded to her.

"Inject the subject's body with the mutagen," said the man.

There was a hum. From the tubes, orange fluid began to flow into the veins of the deceased soldier.

"Stimulating the heart," said another man, as he typed away at a console. Erika's body suddenly convulsed. The sound of buzzing could be faintly heard.

"Heart is pumping. Mutagen is spreading through the subject's body," said the woman. The older man smirked behind his mask, as the veins in the corpse began to slightly glow beneath her pale skin. The wounds of Erika suddenly began to seal up. Her body appeared good as new, but it still remained dead.

"Keep the heart pumping. I still need to complete the ritual," said the older elf as he began to draw on the ground around himself.

"Can you believe it? We might be pulling off a miracle," whispered one of the other doctors.

"She'll be one of them though. Maybe she'll even the odds," said the woman.

The older elf had drawn out symbols around himself. He stood in the center, muttering to himself. His eyes became green, as a dark and violet aura flowed from them. The same aura appeared on his hands, as he pointed to the vat that Erika's body was inside. A bolt shot from the hands and struck the vat, causing Erika's body to convulse inside.

"Drain the vat!" ordered the older elf.

In moments, the tank that the girl was in began to drain through a grate inside. Erika's body suddenly lied slack against the side of the glass. The tank was opened up from the front, causing steam to hiss and spew out. Erika was hauled out of the open and drained vat and was placed on a bed. Her naked body was still soaked in the fluid that she once floated in.

The older elf approached the lifeless body. He looked her over, finding her to still be unresponsive. He began to snap his fingers, than tap the girl's head. But, she was still unresponsive.

"Hmm. Perhaps I failed the spell," said the elf in dismay.

Erika's eyes suddenly shot open. They went from brown to a yellowish-green tinge. She let out a long sharp gasp. The two others in this room exclaimed in fright and shock. The older elf merely smirked behind his mask. Erika suddenly leaned over the side of the bed and began to vomit a clear fluid. The vomit splashed to the ground, leaving a foul stench in the air. Erika coughed violently, as saliva fell from her mouth. She wheezed heavily, as her eyes darted around.

Erika began to feel around herself. She was naked and cold. There were no visible wounds on her person. Her lungs ached, as though they hadn't worked in a long while. Her heart was pounding fast and hard in her chest, pushing the blood that flowed through her quickly. Memories slowly returned to the girl. Mainly, the memories of her supposed 'last moments'. But that couldn't have been right. Erika wasn't aware of what had happened afterwards. She should have been dead. Being here now didn't feel natural. She almost felt like she had memories in between then and now, but she couldn't recall. The girl noticed that she was surrounded by an elf, who had placed a blanket over her, along with a couple of others dressed in scrubs. Erika managed to find her voice.

"Wh-Where am I?"

"Back in the world of the living, Private," answered the older man.

---

Junior found himself standing in the middle of a dark land. His eyes were darting all around, as he felt the air vibrate around him. It grew warmer and warmer, until it was starting to burn hot.

A haunting wail filled the air. Junior cupped his hands over his ears, attempting to block out the horrible sound. He ran across the glassed land that was beneath his feet. The earth began to tremble, as the sound of booming thunder echoed in a pattern, like footsteps. The area was suddenly engulfed in fire.

Junior stopped and shielded his face, as embers of flame brushed over him. He looked around himself, finding a ring of fire to have surrounded him. The boy looked up, finding a massive shadowy figure to be rising. A bipedal creature stood, with fangs and soulless grey eyes stared at him. The creature's muzzle seemed to have broken into a sinister toothy smile. The earth began to violently rock.

"Gojira..." A cold, haunting voice whispered. Junior cupped his hands over his ears, as the creature opened its maw.

"Gojira..." The voice called again, as the earth continued to rock more violently. The boy's eyes opened. He felt himself being shaken.

"Gojira, wake up!" Mosura whispered. The boy's heart was pounding in his chest, as he was in a cold sweat. He looked over to his side, finding Mosura to be crouched near him, a worried look on her face.

It was here that Junior noticed his surroundings. The two were inside a cabin of a sailboat. It was a little cramp, but there was enough room for the two to lie in their own cots on the sides. There were cabinets that lined the walls, beneath the beds, and a turned off lamp hanging above. The smell of salt water lingered in the air, as the waves rocked the boat, much like a mother rocking a babe in its cradle.

"H-Hey, you OK?" asked Mosura. Junior sat up, tugging at his sweat covered shirt.

"Y-Yeah..." Junior.

"It's just that I got worried when I heard you tossing and turning. You were muttering in your sleep," said Mosura.

"Ah did I wake you? I'm sorry," groaned Junior, rubbing his eyes. He had noticed that there was moonlight shining through the cabin. He didn't have to look outside above to see that it was still dark out. He had no idea what time it was either way.

"Bad dream?" asked Mosura. Junior merely had a flat look. The girl looked away, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"I-It's just... When I was a kid, I'd talk to my brother about my nightmares. I thought doing the same here would help. Plus I'm sorta awake now and I don't know if I'll be able-" Mosura was interrupted as Junior sighed in exasperation.

"Alright, alright. I get it," said Junior. He leaned against the cabin.

"Look, it was just a nightmare. We all have them sometime. It can't hurt you," said Junior. Mosura got up and sat on the bed next to him. Her deep blue eyes seemed to almost glow in the darkness. This, combined with the girl's closeness caused Junior's heart to throb.

"You're kinda macho, aren't you?" asked Mosura.

"Macho?" asked Junior, raising a brow.

"Yeah. You always pretend that nothing's wrong. It's always, 'Nothing's wrong. I'm Gojira, and I'm big and tough. I ain't afraid of nothin'," said Mosura, deepening her voice in a mocking manner. Junior snorted.

"First of all, I sound nothing like that. Second of all, I know not to use double negatives in a sentence," said Junior.

"I don't like to talk about my feelings! I don't need friends!" said Mosura, still speaking in a deep mocking voice. Junior held a brief annoyed look, but as Mosura continued to portray her caricature of him, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Cut it out!" said Junior.

"Hey, I'm - AH!" Mosura yelped as Junior suddenly brought his hands to her ribs. His fingers began to quickly move along her side, causing her to laugh. The girl attempted to pull away, but the boy held her in place, continuing his assault.

"Beg for mercy and I might consider letting you go," said Junior.

"Hahahaha! Mercy! Mercy! I'm sorry!" Mosura laughed in her tears. There was a sudden loud bang in the air.

"Oi! Shut up down there!" A voice muffled. Junior quickly released the girl, while Mosura let out a few giggles, before making a shushing motion to her lips. After she regained her breathing, the two met each other with a smile. Though, Mosura's face had begun to redden. She looked away as she twiddled her fingers.

"Listen, Gojira-"

"Gojira?" Junior asked, surprised. Mosura blushed as she cupped a hand to her mouth.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so informal, Yasu-san," said Junior, teasingly. Mosura cleared her throat.

"W-Well... Just think of it as me extending a hand of friendship. I-I mean... I know we haven't known each other very long. But I think we will get to know each other quite well on this trip. I might as well start dropping honorifics and actually try to acclimate to Equestrian-"

"You tend to ramble, don't you?" asked Junior. Mosura smiled sheepishly.

"O-Only when I'm... N-Nevermind. Feel free to use my first name. If you want to," said Mosura, looking away. Junior smiled.

"Well, I guess I wouldn't mind being your friend. You're certainly one of the more friendly people I've met in a long while. So, sure, Mosura," said Junior. The mutant girl felt her heart skip a beat from this. She smiled to herself.

"I-I'm gonna turn in for the night. Goodnight!" said Mosura, before climbing back into her cot on the opposite side of the cabin. Junior nodded as he lied himself back down, pulling the covers over himself.

"Yeah, G'night," said Junior.

"Pleasant dreams," said Mosura, sweetly. The boy smiled as he turned on his side. But, his expression turned to a grimace. Reluctantly, he closed his eyes, allowing the sleep to take him.

A couple of weeks had gone by. The sailboat that Mosura and Junior had rode in on was secured to the docks. The pair were given a briefcase by the man who owned the boat.

"Take this to the meeting place and hand it over. The guy is an earthbound named 'Midas'. When he hands you over the money, you bring it back here, and you'll be free to go about your way," said the man, sternly. Junior and Mosura nodded.

"Understood. We'll be back as soon as possible," said Junior.

The two mutants began to make their way through the harbor of Fillydelphia. They eventually made their way to an alley in between two small buildings. They looked around, as they traveled through this dark and sketchy area.

"Mosura, stick close to me," said Junior, as his eyes scanned the area. Mosura complied, her eyes scanning the area as well. She stopped and tugged at the boy's sleeve. She pointed to a large earthbound to be emerging from a corner.

The earthbound was a husky individual. He wore formal attire, which did no favors for his physique. His hair was silky smooth and a drty blonde, as his cheeks seemed to have swelled up. He was flanked by two large muscle bounded men, who had sheathed swords hanging from their waists.

"Uh... Midas?" asked Junior.

"Indeed I am. Do you have it?" asked the man, speaking with an accent. Junior recognized it to have belonged to the more high class residents of Canterlot. He wasn't surprised. It was usually those pompous fools who'd flock for shiny trinkets.

"Right here."

Junior stepped over and opened up the case. He revealed to Midas the dragon statue. Midas's eyes lit up at the sight of this strange yet beautiful artifact.

"The Aureum Draconis. It's even more beautiful then I imagined," said Midas, as he picked up the statue with his large, grubby hands. He admired every inch of the statue, as the gem in its mouth seemed to shine with its own light. Junior cleared his throat.

"Don't mean to interrupt. But uh the payment? Pretty sure we'll get our fingers chopped off if we come back empty handed," said Junior, forcing a chuckle. Midas met him with an indifferent look.

"Yes, yes. Just take it and be off. I have what I want," said Midas, as one of his guards approached with a case. The case was opened, revealing golden bricks inside. Junior's and Mosura's eyes widened in shock at the sight. They were knocked out of their stunned state once the case was closed and handed off to Junior.

"Pleasure doing business with you," said Junior.

Midas said nothing. He and his guards walked off, with the golden dragon in hand. Junior and Mosura shared a look, as the man disappeared into the shadows.

Later, the pair returned to the boat. They had dropped off the payment from Midas, and took their luggage off the boat. After parting from the boat, the Transmutants made their way for the train station. After waiting for the next train to Ponyville, the pair soon boarded.

"What do you think was so special about that statue?" asked Mosura.

"No idea. But I wonder who got screwed the most out of this transaction. Midas, or the Yakuza," sighed Junior, slouching in his seat.

"Well, at least we'll be home soon," said Mosura, yawning. She then leaned her head on Junior's shoulder with a sigh.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Come on, please? I gotta pass time somehow," said Mosura. Junior sighed.

"Fine, whatever," said Junior. Mosura suddenly scooted close and snuggled her head against the boy's shoulder. The boy grimaced, as his face grew red. He leaned his head back and found himself drifting off.

Hours had passed during the trip. The train soon arrived to Ponyville. Junior and Mosura left the train, with stiff necks and backs, while lugging the things that they managed to bring back from their time in Neighpon. Mosura stretched with a wince and sighed.

"So glad to be back," said Junior.

"I'll say. I'd kill for a shower," said Mosura with a gag.

"Yeah. I guess freezing cold salt water on a boat with others around is not ideal," said Junior, as the two walked.

"We can stop at my place. You can use my shower if you want," said Junior.

"Gods, yes!" said Mosura, gleefully.

Junior and Mosura made their way outside of the town, heading down a path towards a familiar house. Junior dug into his pocket, fishing for his key. After he felt the cold metal, he pulled it out of his pocket and continued down to the house. He and Mosura stepped onto the porch; he placed the key into the keyhole, turning it till he heard a rewarding click. Junior turned the door's knob, pushing it open. The inside of the house was welcoming; everything was just as he left it. Semi-clean and neat. He forgot to clean up the living room before he left. A couple of books were left on the floor, a shirt was left on his sofa, and a small pile of letters was left right on a small table.

"Sorry, I was in a rush before I left." sighed Junior.

"It’s not that bad." said Mosura. She made her way passed Junior, setting the luggage down.

"Um...may I use your shower now?" asked Mosura. Junior nodded in response, he made his way down the hall, opening a closet that was filled with laundry baskets and folded bath towels. He grabbed one of the towels and handed it to Mosura.

"Oh! Hold on." Junior ran to his bedroom, coming out with one of his t-shirts and handed it to her as well.

"It's a bit big, but you'll be covered when you’re done. The shower is down the hall at the right," said Junior.

"Thank you." Mosura smiled, making her way down the hall. Junior looked back to the living room.

"Might as well tidy up." Junior spent a couple of minutes picking up the living room. He placed his books away, sorting his mail and setting aside the luggage that was packed. He made his way into the kitchen, coming back out with a trash bag in his grip. After he tossed out the trash, he made his way back to his house.

"Goji!" called a young feminine voice. It was a voice for Junior's sore ears. He turned, finding Fluttershy running toward him. She had a cute, bright smile on her face. The sun shined over her, giving her the appearance of an angel. Junior smiled, happy to see a dear friend. He then realized that she had her arms out, and she was getting closer. This was no good.

"Fluttershy, no!" shouted Junior, backing up to his door. Fluttershy stopped a few feet away, a hurt expression on her face. Junior mentally kicked himself.

"Didn't you miss me?" asked Fluttershy, a frown on her face.

"Of course I did!" Junior said frantically. "It’s just that I didn't get to take a shower yet. You wouldn't want to hug a smelly boy would ya?" asked Junior. Fluttershy smiled in amusement, holding her hands behind her back.

"Oh, alright then. I'm just glad that you're back and safe," said Fluttershy.

"Safe?" asked Junior.

"Yes. You went to Neighpon, didn't you? I've read in the GU paper that there were Transmutants that had broken free from a prison. I also read that travel in and out of the country was restricted," said Fluttershy.

"R-Right. Yeah, that was closer to Trotkyo. I was nowhere near that place. But, I managed to get around the restrictions," said Junior, scratching at his head. He mentally sighed in dismay. Lying again as usual. It seemed that every time he did, he felt himself grow worse. His conscience nagged him incessantly.

"Oh, thank goodness. Um... Why did you leave to Neighpon anyway?" asked Fluttershy.

"I uh... I just wanted to visit my old home. I even brought some sentimental items over."

Junior reached into his hoodie's pocket and showed it to the girl. Fluttershy gently took the photo and gazed upon it with a small smile.

"This is your family?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yep. That's them. And that's just one thing I managed to bring back," said Junior.

"It's a lovely photo. You were so cute!" cooed Fluttershy, fawning over the picture. Junior rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

"I-I was thinking of getting it laminated," said Junior.

"Good idea!" said the girl, as she handed the old photo back.

"So, how were things while I was gone?" asked Junior.

"Pretty hectic," answered Fluttershy.

"How hectic? Like Ursa Minor hectic?" asked Junior. Fluttershy shook her head.

"No. Did you know that there was someone living in the Everfree forest?" asked Fluttershy. Junior felt his heart nearly stop at this. His palms began to grow clammy.

"H-Heh. What? That's crazy," said Junior, feigning ignorance.

"She's shown up a few times in the past before you and Twilight moved in. Her name's Zecora," said Fluttershy. Junior felt some relief once he realized that she wasn't talking about one of the Transmutants. But, an odd look appeared on his face.

"Zecora?"

"Mm hmm. She came from the land of Zebrica. We sorta thought that she was an evil enchantress or something. I-I mean... We misjudged her because of the fact that no one-"

"No, I get it. It is unusual to for someone to live in the Everfree," said Junior in understanding. He'd have to make a note to ask Mosura about this person.

"We also had a bit of an infestation problem with Parasprites. Though we didn't know it was an infestation until they were overrunning Ponyville and eating everything. Luckily, Pinkie was able to lead them away," explained Fluttershy, a bright smile on her face.

"Well, sounds like you girls have had quite the adventure without me," said Junior, jokingly, The Valkyrie softly giggled. The door behind the boy suddenly creaked and opened. Junior turned and went stiff, finding Mosura to be standing in the door way, her hair wet, and a bath towel draped over her shoulders. The oversized shirt that he gave her was worn, covering the girl down to her thighs. This gave a rather suggestive appearance.

"There you are! Thanks for lending me your shirt, Gojira," said Mosura, rubbing the towel over her hair. Fluttershy looked over, her eyes wide in shock.

"W-Wha..." Fluttershy stuttered. She eyed the girl's appearance, then to Junior. The boy almost had a look of guilt.

"Th-This isn't what it looks like," said Junior, sweating bullets. Fluttershy glared at the boy in disapproval. She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff.

"Oh no, I don't think an explanation is needed," said Fluttershy.

"H-Hey, come on! I know it looks bad," said Junior. Mosura winced while Fluttershy puffed her cheeks out in a pout.

"Hmph. No, not at all. What you do is your business. Sorry if I came at a bad time," said Fluttershy.

"But it isn't like that!" said Junior in exasperation.

"Oh! You must be Fluttershy!" said Mosura. Fluttershy turned her attention to the girl, while Junior met the mutant with a raised brow.

"My name is Mosura Yasu. I actually practice martial arts with Gojira. He's told me how much of a great friend you are!" said Mosura, sweetly. Fluttershy looked away with a small blush. But, a frown was on her face. This girl was quite lovely. This must have been the type that Junior was into.

"Oh, don't misunderstand. Gojira and I don't have that kind of relationship. We just ran into each other today. I've kinda gotten into a mess earlier. Gojira was kind enough to allow me to shower at his place," said Mosura. Fluttershy didn't quite buy the story. But, she looked back to Junior. He forced a smile. While he looked a bit worried, he didn't have any shame in his eyes. Fluttershy met him with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Goji. I shouldn't have assumed such things," said Fluttershy, apologetically.

"Nah, I get it. It is unusual for a guy to let a girl to use his shower," said Junior with a sheepish smile. Mosura nudged him with a playful smile.

'Shut it before you make her have more doubts, chief,' thought Mosura. Through her telepathy, the thought was transferred to the boy. He cleared his throat as he turned his attention back to the Valkyrie.

"Well, I should be going. Thanks again, Gojira! You still owe me a match," said Mosura as she handed the boy the towel. She took off, carrying her dirty laundry at her side.

"Oh, right," said Junior in dismay. He didn't want to think about anything physical. He was too exhausted.

"Um... You're leaving like that?" asked Fluttershy, her face red. Mosura smiled as she raised the shirt, exposing her denim shorts beneath.

"Oh thank God," said Junior in relief. As Mosura left, Fluttershy turned back to the boy.

"Sorry, but I have to be going too. But, I'm glad that your OK. Welcome home, Goji," said Fluttershy, as she left, waving. Junior waved back, smiling to her. He felt warmth from her words.

"It's good to be home."

Next Chapter: Anthology: The Golden Demise Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 8 Minutes