//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19: Initiation 
// Story: Shy and Aggressive 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

It was bright day over the forest, yet the sunlight was blotted out from the trees above. Junior growled as he remained on his hands and knees, breathing heavily. His muscles ached and his body was drenched in sweat. His father stepped forward as he held a firm expression. He raised his hand and gestured for his son strike him. Junior grunted as he charged towards him with his fist raised and delivered punches towards Senior, but they were blocked. Senior then caught his son's next punch and kneed him in the gut. As Junior hunched over in pain, Senior picked him up over his head and threw him to the side. Junior rolled back onto his feet and charged back to his father, sending three quick jabs. Senior dodged the first two and then countered the third. He then forced Junior's fist to the side and punched him in the ribs, but Junior forced his father back by thrashing about and then round house kicked his father in the rib. Senior grunted as he stumbled from the blow that his son had managed to land on him. As Junior lunged at him for another attack, Senior kicked Junior in the chest, knocking him off his feet and down to the ground. Junior clutched his chest, coughing as he gasped for air. Senior relaxed his stance as he watched his son writhe in pain. He then nodded to Amber, who was perched on a branch, and she fluttered down towards Junior to dispense golden sparkles upon him. Slowly, Junior felt his pain subside.
"Goodness, was roughing your own son up like this necessary?" asked Amber.
"Of course. His fighting is sloppy. He just charges in head first without fighting smart. He is taking in more blows rather than working on his defense. Plus, as a bonus, we develop his already impressive endurance," said Senior as he stood with his arms crossed.
"I think I'm gonna hurl," said Junior as he clutched his stomach.
"Yeah. That's your limit," said Senior. He knelt beside his son and pressed his hand against his stomach, adding pressure. Junior felt himself tighten his muscles and his eyes water. Senior quickly stepped back as Junior turned to the side in the grass. Amber gagged as she heard Junior vomit.
"Why?! Bleh!!" Junior continued to dispense the contents in his stomach.
"No sense in holding it in, Junior," said Senior in a nonchalant tone.
"You're horrible," said Amber in disapproval.



Junior groaned as he lied down on a mattress in the Guardian's lair. His stomach ached and was empty, and his body was sore all over. He just wanted to shower himself to be rid of his sweat. Amber gently nuzzled his hand as he rested.
"Aw. You poor thing. My healing magic takes a bit of time, but your healing abilities should help in the meantime," said Amber. Junior waved his hand away from her.
"I just want to rest a minute," said Junior. Amber nodded in response. She crawled up Junior's arm and lied herself down onto his belly. She snuggled like a cat while giving a small sigh.
"That's not... Ugh," scoffed Junior in annoyance. He was too tired and in too much pain to force Amber off. So, he lied his head back and began to relax. After a while, Junior's eyes shot open. He realized that he had fallen asleep and immediately took out his phone, which told him that it was evening. Junior sighed in annoyance, still feeling a bit soar. He found Amber snuggled against his belly, along with a few other fairies. Junior scowled in response as they snoozed on him as if he were a bed.
"I know you talked them into this. Little pest," muttered Junior. His eyes then widened as he found Zip leaning against another mattress with her chin propped up by her hands.
"Aw," said Zip with a smile. Junior looked away with flushing cheeks.
"Hey, why are you looking away? No need to be embarrassed," laughed Zip.
"Easy for you to say," muttered Junior. He then glanced at Zip, who stared at him with a smile.
"You seem popular with the girls right there. You often let them use you as a pillow?" asked Zip.
"No. Also, I wouldn't say I'm popular with girls. Quite the opposite, actually," said Junior as he picked up one of the fairies and gently placed her on a pillow on the ground. He proceeded to do the same with the rest.
"Really?" asked Zip in surprise. Junior nodded to her in response. Zip hummed in thought.
"In that case, would you let me use you as my pillow?" asked Zip with an innocent smile.
"Wha- Huh?!" asked Junior with a dumbfounded look. He wondered how this girl came to this subject all of the sudden. Zip smiled in amusement.
"Hmm. Maybe next time. When you're not sweaty," said Zip as she plugged her nose. Junior scowled in response. Then, Thorn came by with a look of annoyance plastered on her face.
"Zip, leave the guy alone. He just woke up," said Thorn as she stood with her arms cross.
"Oh well that's no fun. I just wanna talk to him," said Zip as she kept her eyes on Junior, who avoided eye contact with her.
"So, how are you doing, Gojira?" asked Thorn.
"Sore. Tired," answered Junior in a dry tone. He began to stand up and popped his joints.
"I really need to stop falling asleep before the evening," said Junior.
"Who can blame you for doing so? Some people react to winter differently," shrugged Zip. Thorn nodded in agreement.
"Not to mention that Alpha is working you till you drop," said Thorn as she brushed a few strands of her hair out of her face.
"So uh... What are you girls up to?" asked Junior rather awkwardly.
"Ooh. Curious, aren't you?" asked Zip as she tapped her finger on the mattress. Thorn rolled her eyes.
"Nothing, really. Just producing more silk to sell. It gets pretty exhausting to have your mouth wide open while harvesting strands of webbing from the back of your throat," said Thorn. Zip glared at her and slapped her on the thigh.
"TMI! Hellooo!" said Zip as she gestured to Junior. The one thing she hated about being a spider based Transmutant was that they seemed to hold more of a despicable ability. Something she hated to have mentioned around Junior out of embarrassment.
"It's fine. I think it’s more pleasant than other places for web to come out," said Junior with a grimace. Thorn snorted.
"OK. Now that's TMI," said Thorn as she looked at Zip.
"Anyway. Yes, nothing really but hanging out and producing silk," said Zip. Junior looked at the two curiously.
"So... None of you leave the cave?" asked Junior.
"Well... Not really. We feel more comfortable here rather than out there. Humans aren't exactly the most understanding of us out here," said Zip with sheepish smile.
"I understand. I've had my share of human scum bags," said Junior.
"Hey, not all humans are like that," said Thorn in disapproval.
"Excuse me. I meant scum bags that happen to be human," said Junior as he took out his cell phone.
"Oh. Hey, thanks again for buying that gift for Manda. She loves it," said Thorn. Junior nodded to her in response.
"No problem," said Junior. Zip looked at Junior with a coy smile.
"Hey, would you be willing to do more favors for us for pecks on the cheek by yours truly?" asked Zip. Junior cleared his throat as he looked away.
"No, I'm good," said Junior. He then placed his phone away and walked away.
"Uh... I gotta head home. Take care," said Junior. The two waved to him.
"Bye, Gojira. See ya next time," said Thorn with smile.
"Bye, Goji~!" sang Zip, much to Junior's embarrassment.
"Why is it now that girls wanna act friendly with me?" muttered Junior. Junior had spent this whole time juggling both school and training to adjust to his Transmutant abilities. It was no easy task and he felt anxious just by trying to keep this secret from the others while attending school. That meant he had to work double time to get his homework done, but miraculously he was able to press on.



Battra sighed in relief as he lied down on his desk with his rough draft from his essay in his hands. He was in his college classroom, right next to Maud, who looked through her rough draft that was critiqued by the professor. She turned to look at Battra.
"How did you do?" asked Maud.
"Pretty good. Just a few grammatical errors and misspelling. You?" asked Battra. Maud held up her essay, where a critique was shown.
"Flawless," said Maud. Battra looked at her in surprise.
"Wow. Seriously? You really worked hard!" said Battra.
"I am attending college for geology," said Maud as she placed her essay into her binder. Battra gave her a smile as he scratched the side of his head.
"Hey uh... Thanks for your help. You really saved my skin," said Battra. Maud nodded to him.
"You're welcome. Glad that I could help," said Maud as she and Battra packed their things. As they left the classroom, the two began to walk side by side.
"I actually enjoyed helping you, Battra. It was also nice to meet your little sister," said Maud. Battra lightly chuckled.
"Yeah, she's great. It's nice being the older sibling with a loving younger sibling," said Battra.
"I agree. I have three younger sisters, all of whom I love very much," said Maud in agreement. Battra looked at her in curiosity.
"You live with your family?" asked Battra. Maud shook her head.
"Not anymore. I'm living in an apartment with my little sister, Pinkie Pie. We both do our part to maintain our home from taking jobs to cleaning the apartment," answered Maud.
"Ah. Same boat as me, eh?" asked Battra in amusement.
"Hmm. I suppose so," said Maud. As she started to split off from Battra, she gave him a small wave, while keeping her poker face.
"I'll see you later," said Maud. Battra nodded to her with a smile.
"Sure. See you," said Battra. As the Transmutant turned to walk away, his phone began to vibrate. He took it out and an email sent to him. He sighed.
"Nothing yet, huh? Damn," said Battra as he placed his phone away. It seemed that he was going to have to search for more leads on the Purists.
Later that afternoon, Battra found himself standing beside X. The two looked over a neighborhood from a pharmacy building. Battra sighed in frustration.
"These bastards are too elusive. I feel like once I make a step forward, they're two steps ahead," said Battra.
"Well, we just need to reach out instead of walking forward. Grab them by the shoulder and pull them back," said X as he glanced at Battra.
"We just need to question these scumbags with extreme prejudice. One of them is bound to know something. The trusted ones that know the game plan are out there. We just need to search," said X. Battra sighed.
"Yeah, but I'm afraid that we'll be too late to learn anything. They have the technology to see us coming, making them much more dangerous," said Battra. He recalled how one time recently, a couple of Purists fired their weapons at him just as he was near them but out of sight.
"We'll figure something out. Those things have a limited distance read out. That's a flaw in the device," said X. He then looked down over the neighborhood.
"They'll burn for everything. We'll make sure of it," said X. Battra nodded in response.
"Alright. Let's split up and start our search. Try not to get shot," said Battra as he jumped from the roof and to the ground. X scoffed.
"Right back at you," said X as he went the opposite way and began his journey. He spent the next hour moving through alleys and avoiding the streets. His eyes and ears searched the areas as he kept searching for any member of the Purists. Searching for the ones that knew anything would prove to be taxing, but he could feel that the payoff would be worth it. Not to mention that he was going to be able to have a little fun humiliating the sorry bastards.



Junior was lying his head down on the cafeteria table. His eyes were closed and he lightly snored as he slept through the small amount of noise that went on through the cafeteria. Meanwhile, his friends were sitting about at the same table, watching him as he slept.
"Is it me, or does he seems to be falling asleep more often than usual?" asked Rainbow with a raised brow.
"I noticed that too," said Rodan as Pinkie poked Junior's shoulder multiple times. Junior grunted in annoyance as he pulled his shoulder away from Pinkie, who flinched in response.
"Stop," said Junior.
"You alright?" asked Angirasu.
"Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" asked Junior.
"Well, you have been sleeping a lot more during the noon lately," said Angirasu. Junior sighed in annoyance as he raised his head.
"So?" asked Junior.
"Plus, you're wearing large sun glasses. Indoors," said Flash as he pointed towards Junior's face. Sure enough, the Transmutant was wearing these sun glasses over his eyes. Junior looked away.
"Yeah, it's kinda odd," said Mosura with a raised brow.
"Maybe I just wanted to try something different," said Junior. Rodan snorted.
"Please. You don't intentionally do anything to stand out," said Rodan with a roll of his eyes. Mosura began to reach for the sun glasses.
"Come on, take them off," said Mosura. Junior immediately recoiled.
"No, I'm fine," said Junior. Mosura looked at him in confusion, but then Pinkie grabbed the glasses.
"Let's see your beautiful amber eyes!" cried Pinkie. Junior grunted as Pinkie yanked the sun glasses off of his face. As the rest of his face was revealed, the girls gasped at what they saw. Just beneath his eyes on his cheeks, were visible bruises. Junior glared at Pinkie and snatched the glasses away from her.
"Happy?" spat Junior.
"What happened?" asked Fluttershy in shock. Junior mentally cursed. The reason from these bruises was from the physical training that he had with his father. His carelessness in combat had gotten him these bruises. The rest were mostly healed but the most recent ones from Sunday afternoon had yet to heal given his father had hit him harder. His mother gave Senior an earful for that. Junior thought it was amusing to see his mother scold his father.
"I uh... Fight. With another Transmutant," said Junior as he cleared his throat. Twilight rolled her eyes.
"Of course. What happened?" asked Twilight.
"I don't think I like the way you asked that question," said Junior with a suspicious glance.
"I'm just curious. You're always fighting," said Twilight.
"It's not like I start them. I just finish them," said Junior with a scoff. He then mentally thought back into his mind where the fight with his father was the one he lost. Multiple times.
"So, what happened?" asked Erika.
"You know what, I had forgotten why it happened," lied Junior. Erika gave him an unsatisfied look along with the rest.
"What, did you get amnesia or something?" asked Sunset with a deadpanned stare.
"No. I just forgot. I was worried about something else," said Junior as he crossed his arms. Applejack looked at Junior suspiciously as she slightly narrowed her eyes. She then glanced at Twilight, both bearing a knowing look.
"Alright, fair enough," said Applejack as she crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. Junior knew that they didn't really buy his answer. It didn't matter as long as they didn't suspect him of his transformation. He felt like that he should at least tell the other Transmutants about his father, but it was too risky. He hoped that by learning how to control his transformation, he could stop with the secrecy. However, his father noted that keeping his stress and anger under control was the way to go. He grunted in annoyance as he felt a force against his head, causing him to slightly hunch forward. Everyone at the table jumped with a start as a basket ball bounced onto the table from Junior's head. Rainbow immediately caught it and looked at a small group of students in annoyance.
"Sorry!" said a male student with a sheepish smile. He then stiffened as Junior glared his way, while growling in annoyance.
"Oh, s-sorry about that! It was an accident!" cried the male student. Junior took a breath before closing his eyes while Rainbow handed the student the ball back.
"Whatever," said Junior as he turned forward and went back to eating. The group of students briskly left the area, fearful of Junior's wrath. Twilight looked at Junior in surprise.
"Wow. I was sure that you were going to cause a scene," said Twilight.
"Indeed! You handled that quite well," said Rarity with a smile.
"Just practicing on suppressing my anger to reduce the amount of times that I get into trouble," said Junior as he leaned back in his seat. Fluttershy smiled brightly.
"Well, that's good. We'll be supporting you," said Fluttershy. Junior nodded in response as he stood up from his seat.
"Thanks. Anyway, I'm gonna- Whoa!" cried Junior as he stepped on a skateboard that had rolled his way. Everyone looked with a start as the Transmutant fell back onto the ground, while the board rolled further away.
"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?!" cried Mosura with a frantic expression as she, Twilight and Fluttershy rushed to his side. Junior growled in annoyance as he glared at a girl that stood still as stone as she held up her skate board with a nervous expression. Junior clenched his jaw as he stood up, feeling irritation on the skin of his hand.
"It's... fine. It's fine," said Junior in a deceptively calm voice. The group held reluctant smiles as Junior kept a poker face. However, Fluttershy was close enough to see him clenching his jaw.
'Oh my,' thought Fluttershy in worry. Junior took the opportunity to walk away.
"Later," said Junior as he left.
"Bye!" said Pinkie with a smile and wave. Rodan whistled.
"Wow. Two irritable things in the span of five seconds and he hasn't killed anyone. It's a miracle," said Rodan as he bit down on his sandwich. Meanwhile, Junior kept his jaw clenched as he walked out of the cafeteria.
'Who the hell throws basketballs and lets skateboards roll along the ground in the cafeteria?' thought Junior in annoyance. His irritation on his hand had stopped, informing him that his transformation had stopped progressing. As he walked through the hall, he noticed a couple of freshmen girls hanging out by the lockers.
"It's Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday! Everybody is looking forward to the-" The girls sang as the music played. Junior mentally groaned as he clenched his teeth from hearing the annoying song. He felt his skin on his neck beginning to itch, causing him to scratch at it and found that a rough patch had grown. Junior growled as he cupped his ears and quickly moved through the hall.
"It's just freshmen girls singing an annoying-ass song, Gojira. They'll grow out of it. Suppress your anger," muttered Junior to himself as he found himself out of earshot of the singing. He had to walk further since his heightened sense of hearing still picked it up faintly. As he came across a cross section in the hall, he heard two blonde girls talking to each other with obnoxious high voices.
"Like, oh my god! You like, totally rock those shoes!" said one of the girls.
"I know, right?! My boyfriend like, said they were ugly!" said the other girl.
"Whaaaa? You need to totally dump him! He has no taste! He should jump off a cliff!" said the first girl. Junior looked their way.
"I know!" said the second girl.
'Thank God none of the girls I know talk like that. And those shoes are ugly,' thought Junior as he clenched his jaw at the annoying voices of the girls while hearing them excessively use the word 'like' in their sentences. His irritation was steadily rising. It seemed that today was just one of those days where all of the irritable things just jumped him like a street gang in order to break him. As Junior continued on through the hall, he heard the sound of music louder in the air.
"I'm in school~! Oh yeah~! I'm in school~! Oh yeah~! In school~!" sang a girl as she walked through the halls along with a few other students, who were part of the chorus. Junior groaned in response.
"No, no, no," said Junior in annoyance as he felt his skin itching even further. His muscles tensed.
"Hello, my boyfriend~! Oh yeah~! Let's hold hands~! Oh Yeah~! Hold my hand~!" sang the girl as she took a boy's hand and began to walk with him down the hall.
"Saying hi to my friends~! Oh yeah~! Hello, my friends~! Oh yeah~!" sang the girl as she came near Junior. Junior's brow twitched as felt his irritation rise. He then turned to the girl as she was about to sing another verse with a glare.
"Please, just shut the fuck up~!" said Junior as he added a singing tone to it. Everyone in the hall looked at Junior with wide eyes while the girl and boyfriend flinched in response. Junior was breathing through his nostrils and a glare, obviously struggling to suppress his anger.
"Um..." The girl was about to speak but Junior narrowed his eyes. The girl immediately went silent. Junior then glared at everyone that was staring at him.
"What the fuck are you all looking at?! Huh?!" shouted Junior. Everyone immediately looked away and continued about their business. Junior growled as he went back to walking through the hall, seeking refuge from all of the things that irked him.
"Goddamn jocks, fucking skateboarders, fucking musicals. Fucking school, fuck, fuck, fuck!" said Junior as his irises briefly changed and his voice slightly deepened. He cleared his throat as he felt his throat growing irritated.
"I... have a foul mouth," said Junior with a deadpanned expression.




Later that day...

Junior bore a look of annoyance as he left the school. He was walking passed the Wondercolt statue. Just as he muttered to himself, Rodan and Angirasu were hiding by the school doors, watching Junior leave school grounds.
"So, why are we doing this?" asked Angirasu.
"I have a sneaking suspicion that Gojira is up to something," said Rodan. "He's obviously lying about not remembering his last fight that has gotten him all of those bruises. He never forgets a fight."
"Well, maybe he just rather not talk about why it happened. Gotta respect his privacy, right?" asked Angirasu. Rodan scoffed.
"Hey, we're his friends. It's our job to nosey our way into his business," said Rodan.
"Yeah. I'm pretty that's the parent's job," said Angirasu with a deadpanned stare.
"Eh. It doesn't matter. Come on, let’s stalk Gojira!" said Rodan as he rolled along the ground and took cover by the ststue. Angirasu sighed.
"Note to self. Throw Rodan under the bus when Gojira catches us," said Angirasu as he walked over to Rodan.
The two spent the hour following Junior's steps as he walked down town. The two followed him from the school, to the outer reaches of the town. Angirasu bored an annoyed look while Rodan held an intense look.
"Rodan, can we stop now?" asked Angirasu.
"Nah. Something is definitely not right. Gojira usually goes home right away after school. He's far from his house right now," said Rodan.
"Well, maybe he has errands to run. Or maybe he just feels like going out for a walk or something," said Angirasu. The two hid behind a street corner, where Junior was leaving further from the town. He traveled down a dirt road, where Rodan and Angirasu followed far behind. As they continued their pursuit, they were shocked to find Junior making his way towards the entrance of the Everfree forest.
"Whoa. Why the hell is he going in there?" asked Rodan. Angirasu grabbed Rodan by the collar and dragged him towards a nearby bush, right before Junior turned around. The Transmutant looked around, looking for anyone in sight. All he saw was a bush several feet away. Junior sighed as he went through the forest. Meanwhile, Rodan and Angirasu peaked out of the bush.
"Yeah. He must definitely be up to something," said Rodan.
"OK. It is odd that he's going in there. Well, unless he's having problems with keeping his transformation under control again. He came out here last time, right?" asked Angirasu.
"Yeah, but I imagine him being more frantic about it. Come on, let's keep following him," said Rodan as he stepped out the bush. Angirasu began to follow him towards the Everfree forest entrance. They remained far behind from Junior, where they were out of his hearing range and far enough where he wouldn't catch their scent. After what seemed like an hour of following Junior, Angirasu and Rodan found that they were led to the old castle that they had visited. They both hid behind a tree and looked to each other.
"What the hell could he be doing over here? Is he on a ghost hunt or something?" asked Rodan.
"No clue. But something is fishy," said Angirasu.
"Right? I mean, what's out here that's causing him to want to come all the way out here?" asked Rodan as he scratched his head. He then peaked over the tree and his eyes widened.
"Oh great. We missed him," said Rodan as he stepped out of hiding. Angirasu looked at him in confusion.
"But it's only been a few seconds. How did we miss him?" asked Angirasu as he looked around in confusion. As the two took a few steps forward, the sound of a gun cocking filled their hearing.
"Don't move," said a feminine voice. Angirasu and Rodan both went stiff as boards, with wide eyes.
"Now. Turn around, slowly," said Manda as she kept her rifle locked on the two. The teens did as they were told and faced Manda.
"What are you two doing here?" questioned Manda as she pointed her rifle at Rodan.
"Er... N-Nothing. Say, I hope you don't mind me saying, but you're really pretty," said Rodan as he bounced his eyebrows. Manda smiled brightly in response.
"Awww! Really? That is so sweet of you!" said Manda as she slightly lowered her rifle. Angirasu raised a brow in response, surprised that this young woman had let her guard down over a compliment. However, Manda quickly caught on and shook her head furiously. She narrowed her eyes and held her rifle back up.
"Oh, don't you try and butter me up, pal! Both of you, get moving!" ordered Manda. Rodan and Angirasu turned around with their hands raised and walked as directed.
"OK, OK. I meant it though," said Rodan as he and Angirasu made their way over to the cliff. Their eyes widened in shock as they found stone stairs leading down the chasm.
"Keep going," ordered Manda. In reluctance, the two walked down the stairs. Angirasu glared at Rodan.
"I should never have listened to you. But no, you thought it was a good idea to nosy our way into his business!" said Angirasu. Rodan looked at him in annoyance.
"Hey! You didn't have to come with me, you know! I didn't force you! Besides, it's probably worse than we thought!" argued Rodan as they went down to the bottom of the chasm and headed for the cave.
"Hey! Hey! Quiet!" said Manda. As the three moved through the cave, Rodan and Angirasu found a large number of people walking about in the cave, carrying supplies. Angirasu's eyes widened as he spotted a man checking weapons at a table.
"Oh shit," said Angirasu. He was afraid that he and Rodan had just gotten involved with the Revolutionaries. As the three moved through the cave, the residents noticed them. Baragon was drinking a bottle of cider but then coughed furiously as he found Manda bringing the boys in. As he calmed down, he shot up to his feet.
"Manda?!" exclaimed Baragon.
"Hey. Found these guys snooping around near the cliff," said Manda. As the rest came forward, Baragon sighed in exasperation as he took calm breaths.
"Manda. Mandy. I know you were just trying to do what you thought was best. However, the whole point of having a secret society, is to not bring people into that secret society. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP IT A SECRET!" shouted Baragon as he pulled off his sunglasses and glared at Manda. The young woman recoiled in response, and then realization came. She smiled sheepishly as she lowered her rifle.
"Hehe. Oops," said Manda. From the other end of the cave, Junior came by with Zip and Thorn by his side. His eyes were wide with shock.
"Rodan? Angirasu? What the-" Junior looked at the two with a dumbfounded look.
"What the hell man?! You're hanging out with cave dwelling terrorists now?! And no, I don't mean the ones that live out in the desert!" said Rodan. Junior recoiled in response.
"Terrori- No, Rodan-"
"Ah! How can you do this man?! Now you got us involved in your little Revolutionary gang! We're guilty just by being here!" cried Rodan as he pulled his hair with stress. Junior sighed in annoyance as he made his way over to Rodan and slapped him in the back of the head.
"Shut the fuck up, and let me explain!" said Junior in annoyance. Rodan rubbed his head with a wince while Angirasu bore a questioning look.
"OK, you got some explaining to do," said Angirasu as he narrowed his eyes.
"What is going on here?!" demanded a male voice. From the other end of the cave, Senior stepped towards the crowd with a hard expression. His eyes slightly widened as he found Rodan and Angirasu, two Transmutants that he did not recognize from his group.
"What are these two doing here? Who are they?" questioned Senior.
"Manda brought them!" said Baragon, ratting the woman out.
"O-Only because I saw them snooping nearby! What if they saw the lair and went back?" asked Manda. Rodan and Angirasu bore wide eyes as they focused on Senior.
"Goji, is it me, or does that guy look a lot like you?" asked Rodan as he glanced at Junior.
"About that..." said Junior as he cleared his throat. Senior narrowed his eyes on his son as he heard Rodan.
"Junior?" questioned Senior.
"Wait a minute..." said Angirasu in realization. Junior slumped his head.
"These are my friends, dad. We go to the same school," admitted Junior.
"Dad?!" exclaimed Rodan in shock.
"And you brought them here?" asked Senior.
"No, it was Manda," said Baragon.
"Of course, not! I didn't even know they were following me!" said Junior, defensively. He then glared at his friends.
"NO! It was Manda!" said Baragon in a frustrated tone.
"Wait, why were you following me?!" demanded Junior.
"You said your dad was dead!" said Rodan.
"NO! IT WAS MANDA!!!" yelled Baragon. Everyone paused and looked at the panting Transmutant.
"I think you need a time out," said Manda, patting Baragon's back. Baragon sighed in exasperation as he slumped his head. Junior shook his head, getting back on topic.
"No, I said he was gone! That could mean either being missing or dead, but neither was concrete! And don't change the subject!" said Junior. Rodan sighed.
"Hey we just thought something was wrong dude. Ever since that transformation incident, you obviously had to cover it up with a lie about being 'grounded'. But lately, we've noticed you've been getting bruises, especially today," said Rodan as he pointed at Junior's face. The Transmutant slightly covered his cheek in response.
"Not to mention that Twilight and the others are getting suspicious of you. We took it upon ourselves to get to the bottom of this, before they found out something that they shouldn't have," said Angirasu. He then looked around.
"I'm afraid to ask what we found out about you," said Angirasu.
"Aang, this isn't what it looks like," said Junior as he raised his hand.
"Oh really? A group of Transmutants with big crates and guns hiding in a cave. If it's not what it looks like, then please enlighten us," deadpanned Rodan.
"We're not Revolutionaries. We're just a group of Transmutants with damaged inhibitor chips that banded together to avoid confrontation from MONARCH, while protecting other Transmutants from the Purists," said Senior.
"Damaged inhi- Oh, hell," said Rodan as he slumped his shoulders. He felt himself growing more as a guilty party, learning more about the illegal amount of activity this group is in.
"Rodan," said Junior in a stern tone.
"You're Gojira's father? It's uh... It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," said Angirasu as he cleared his throat, hoping to change the subject. Senior gave a hum of interest at this Transmutant's different tone.
"Likewise. What is your name?" asked Senior.
"Angirasu Riku," answered Angirasu. Senior than looked towards Rodan, who was silent. Junior nudged him in response.
"Don't be rude to my dad. Introduce yourself," whispered Junior. Rodan sighed.
"Rodan Shou," said Rodan.
"Nice to meet you both," said Senior. Baragon raised his hand.
"Uh... Boss, I really think we should address the fact that two kids followed your son to the lair," said Baragon with a deadpanned stare.
"I was careless. I'm sorry," said Junior as he lowered his head.
"I suppose it was inevitable that you would be followed by someone you knew, since you do come out here for training," said Senior as he gave a tired sigh. From the corner of his eye, Amber and the other moth fairies descended from the stone ceiling.
"Looks like you guys got a pest problem," said Rodan as he reached for a rock and locked his eyes on one of the fairies as they came closer.
"Hey, that's not very nice," said a pink fairy indignantly. Rodan immediately dropped the rock with a look of shock. Angirasu was in the same state.
"Uhhhh..." Rodan's mind went blank as he tried to comprehend what he had witness.
"Yes, the big fluffy moth just spoke, guys. They all do that," said Junior.
"Wha- How- Why- Why the hell?!" cried Rodan.
"This day just keeps getting more bizarre by the hour," said Angirasu as he backed away from a blue fairy that came close to him.
"They're supernatural, guys. There, saved you a lengthy explanation," said Junior as he crossed his arms.
"Oh, you mean like the ghosts that haunt the castle next door? Speaking of which, you guys ever notice any paranormal activity near that castle?" asked Rodan.
"Oh yeah. Junior, I forgot to mention. On Halloween when you heard bizarre sounds and found the skeletons? That was Manda and myself," said Senior.
"Wait, what?" asked Junior in confusion.
"As far as we know, there aren't any ghosts in that castle. We just used props to scare you and your friends to keep you away from the lair," said Senior.
"Why didn't you mention this before?!" asked Junior with a glare.
"I just did," said Senior with a shrug and nonchalant tone.
"So, you guys launched that spear at me from the window?" asked Angirasu with wide eyes. Rodan chuckled nervously.
"Umm... Yeah that was my bad," said Rodan. Angirasu sent him a glare.
"We're getting off track! What are we gonna do with these guys?!" asked Baragon.
"We have a suggestion," said Amber. Everyone in the cave drew their attention to her and the fairies.
"Why not let them join the group? Your son, too," said Amber.
"Wha- No! No, that wasn't the deal we had! I agreed I would train with my dad to control my transformation! Not stay here for years!" said Junior in annoyance.
"I agree. Amber, we can't possibly ask them to join. They're just kids," said Senior. Rodan glanced at the side and found the teenage spider Transmutants standing by.
"Aren't they around our age as well?" asked Rodan.
"Their situation is different. Besides, what we're involved with is dangerous work," said Senior.
"I'm not saying they participate in combat or rescue missions or anything like that. We suggest that they become a part of the group, trusted Transmutant allies from the outside who can prove useful with bringing information. They wouldn't be forced to stay here, but they would need to keep this all a secret. Besides, I have a feeling that they may be needed in the future," said Amber.
"But why us? What's so significant about us?" asked Angirasu.
"We all have a calling, a purpose. But not everyone acts in it. Transmutants hold a grand purpose, that will decide the fate of the world," said Amber. Rodan grimaced.
"This coming from you, I can't help but feel the pressure," said Rodan. Amber turned to face Junior and Senior.
"Just... Trust us on this. We promise, you won't have to risk your lives if you don't want to," said Amber. Junior glanced at his father and then sighed heavily.
"I... I... I don't know," said Junior.
"Eh. I guess we might as well. But I want some fine print to read before signing up," said Rodan. Angirasu nodded in reluctance.
"I... I suppose I can maybe let you guys know when something goes wrong. Mainly with Gojira's transformation," said Angirasu. He wasn't fond of the idea of joining a group that he knew nothing about, but it wasn't like he could just leave without their trust. Besides, Junior seemed to trust them, and one of them is his father.
"Junior?" called Senior. Junior sighed in exasperation.
"Alright fine, but don't tell mom. She'll have a heart attack," said Junior.
"Begin the initiation!" said Amber in a loud tone. Everyone moved away from the teens, with only a few Transmutants remaining present. Senior remained along with Manda, Baragon, Kumonga and few other Transmutants.
"Wait, initiation? What, are we joining the Illuminati or something?" asked Rodan.
"Please. The Illuminati only reach out to the rich and talented media artists out there to brainwash the public through entertainment," said Baragon with a scoff. Kumonga rolled her eyes.
"Don't start with the conspiracy nonsense again, Baragon," said Kumonga as she took a paddle from Zip as the teen passed them around. Meanwhile, the rest of the teen girls wrapped blindfolds around Junior, Angirasu and Rodan.
"What the hell is this?" asked Junior.
"First part of initiation, you must cross the land of stings," said Manda as she and the rest of the Transmutants, excluding Senior, lined up on the sides.
"OK?" said Junior as he and his friends cautiously stepped forward, wanting to avoid tripping. As they walked, the Transmutant Guardians began to slap their backs and rears with the paddles, resulting in the teens to yelp in pain as they walked. A harder smack hit Junior, causing him to cry out louder.
"OK, who was that?!" demanded Junior in annoyance as he turned his head back while lifting his blindfold. Meanwhile, Zip twirled a paddle in her hand as she bore a flirty smile.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself," said Zip with a wink. Junior looked away immediately.
"Player," whispered Rodan with a coy smile. Junior snatched Manda's paddle away and slapped it against his hand as he sent Rodan a glare.
"OK! OK! I'm sorry!" cried Rodan as he raised his hands.
"Next, the Taking electricity like a man' trial," said Baragon as he pulled out a Taser and approached Rodan from the side.
"Taking electri- Yah!" yelped Rodan as he hunched over from the shocking sensation in his neck. He convulsed as he struggled to stand up. Angirasu's eyes widened.
"What did you dooo- Ah!" cried Angirasu as he was shocked in his gut, causing him to hunch over as he felt his muscles tighten, locking him in this state. Junior backed away as Baragon approached him with the taser.
"You better keep that thing away for me! Or else I'm gonna beat the shi- Agh!!" cried Junior as Kumonga appeared from behind him with her own Taser, shocking Junior's back. He then turned around and sent her a glare.
"Oh. If you weren't a woman..." said Junior with a growl. Kumonga merely smirked in response. Senior shook his head as he sighed.
"OK. OK. That's enough, you all had your fun," said Senior.
"Aw! But we didn't get to the trial of cooking!" said Manda in disappointment. Junior's eyes widened.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that this was all unnecessary, and it was just an excuse to amuse yourselves and possibly get us to do your work for you?!" asked Junior.
"Yeah, we don't actually get people to join in through an initiation like that. We do this for fun," said Kumonga as she tossed a paddle away. Junior, Angirasu and Rodan all scowled in annoyance at the humiliation they received.  Junior glanced distastefully at Senior.
"You suck, you know that?" asked Junior.
"You accepted Amber's proposal," said Senior.
"Fine, whatever. Seriously, what's the real way to actually be accepted into the group?" asked Junior with a tone of irritation.
"Actually, we'll decide if you three are worthy," said Amber as she and her sisters fluttered towards the three teens.
"Just don't paddle us on the ass again," said Rodan with a worried expression.
"Be calm, this won't hurt," said Amber as she and the fairies gave off sparkles that matched their wing pattern colors as they fluttered around the Transmutants in a circle. Their patterns gave a soft glow along with their eyes. The Guardians stepped away and shielded their eyes for what was coming next. Junior, Rodan and Angirasu were blinded by the light that came from the fairies, feeling warmth over them. The world around them was silent, and the gravity felt weak against them. As Junior's vision slightly adjusted, the fairies were fluttering in place, next to a figure of light, wrapped in a cloak. Junior was unable to make out this figure, since the light was too great to even keep a focus on. It was like staring at the very sun itself. He noticed Amber's mouth moving, but he was unable to hear any words from her. The figure then turned its attention on them, where a bright light came from the face. Junior clenched his eyes shut from the pure light, wanting to avoid blindness. However, he felt gravity suddenly take hold upon his very being, causing him to fall down to the ground on his knees. He panted as he trembled in this figure's presence. 


The figure turned to Amber and nodded to her. With that, the light faded away. Junior took deep breaths as his body shook and sweat. Rodan and Angirasu opened their eyes, slightly sluggish.
"Anyone else tired?" asked Rodan. Angirasu's eyes widened as he found Junior on his knees. He knelt down and helped him onto his feet.
"Are you alright?" asked Angirasu.
"Y-Yeah. I think so," said Junior with a pant. Senior made his way over to his son and helped him remain standing. He led Junior over towards a chair and allowed him to sit down. Amber made her way over to the young Transmutant.
"Alright, you are all officially members of the Guardians. Welcome aboard, Rodan Shou, Angirasu Riku, and Gojira Takeshi the second," said Amber with a cheerful tone.
"Amber. Wha... What did I see?" asked Junior. Amber's antennae slightly twitched in response. As if it was a surprised action.
"What do you mean?" asked Amber.
"I thought I saw someone here. He looked like he was wearing a cloak. Where is he?" asked Junior. Rodan and Angirasu looked at each other in confusion along with everyone else.
"Don't worry about that. We were just deciding if letting you three join was good. Anyway, let's welcome the new members!" said Amber. The Guardians cheered in response while Rodan bore a reluctant smile.
"I hope this doesn't bite us in the butt one day," said Rodan. As the teens began to meet with the Guardians, Senior glanced at Amber.
"He said he saw someone with you. Was it... Him?" asked Senior.
"I... Yes. Yes, it was," said Amber in a soft tone. She looked at Junior in curiosity, and just how his role with the Guardians will affect the world. One thing she was certain was that she had absolute trust in allowing Junior to join.