//------------------------------//
// Chapter 24: The Boot 
// Story: Shy and Aggressive 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

It was late afternoon and Junior was sitting down in his cell in silence with a tired expression. He had grown restless ever since he had been incarcerated a few days since ago. He was waiting for the investigation to be over and for his trial to begin, which filled him with anxiety and had kept him up at night. He hadn't had any visitors, but he was able to get one phone call, which he spent on contacting his mother. It was hard to hear her distraught over the phone. Junior feared that his mother possibly believed that he was actually the one that had attacked the men, as he was accused of. However, she didn't say anything about it and merely reassured him that everything was going to be fine. However, the Transmutant thought otherwise, considering how much the man in the video looked a lot like him, and that everyone else likely believed it. Junior sighed as he sat against the wall with his face buried into his knees. As he lamented his situation, Gojira's ears perked as head the sound of the gate being unlocked. He raised his head and found an officer opening up his cell. Junior remained seated as he locked eyes with the officer, who bore a neutral expression.
"Come on kid, you're coming with me," said the officer. Junior took a breath before standing. He made his way over to the officer as he raised his wrists. The officer merely stared at his wrist and then raised a brow. He then turned and made his way away from the cell.
"Come on," said the officer. Junior bore a look of confusion as he looked at his wrists, finding them to be free. The other individuals from the other cells murmured in confusion as Junior left his cell and went after the officer.
"Wait. I-I don't understand. Shouldn't you cuff me? I am supposed to be put on trial, right?" asked Junior as he was led away from the holding area and towards the lobby of the police station.
“Nah. No cuffs, and no trial," said the officer. Junior's stomach tightened in response. It seemed that he may have been automatically sentenced as a Transmutant terrorist and may be locked in the vault. He then thought again about the officer's response, who refused to cuff him. Junior found this all rather strange, which began to concern him. Junior suddenly found himself just by a window, where a woman was present.
"Can you bring out the items under, 'Gojira Takeshi II'?" asked the officer. The woman nodded in response as she went to the back. Junior was puzzled.
"Wait, what? What's going on?" asked Junior. The woman came back with a back pack and cell phone. She handed them to the officer, who then handed them to Junior.
"You're being released, son. You're free to go," said the officer. Junior's eyes widened.
"Are you serious?" asked Junior in shocked.
"Yep. Charges were dropped. Apparently, there have been more attacks with X's involvement, despite you being locked up. We tried to match up your DNA with the crime scene, that got you arrested, but the tests came back negative. Still, I should ask if you may have a relative out there who looks a lot like you. Father, perhaps?" asked the officer. Junior cleared his throat.
"Uh... I haven't seen him since I was a little kid. I don't remember him all that well," lied Junior. He felt himself slightly rising in anger as he thought of his father being X. Though he was normally in the Everfree forest with the Guardians. All that Junior knew was that he was going to be demanding answers from his father.
"Alright. You're free to go. Be careful out there and stay out of trouble," said the officer. Junior nodded as he began to leave.
"Yes sir. Thank you," said Junior as he left. As he made his way outside, he found his mother standing by her car in the parking lot. The two met with a tight hug. Miwa began to shed tears of joy as she held her child as tight as she could.




Later that evening...

"OK, let me get this straight. You weren't here at all? Not even for a minute?" asked Junior. He was standing in the living room of his room, looking at his father in confusion, who sat on the recliner with a sigh. Miwa was kneeling by his side as she held his hand, while Amber was perched right on the arm rest of the sofa.
"No, I was in Fillydelphia, just like Amber told you," answered Senior.
"That's right. I couldn't sense your father nearby in Ponyville, so it couldn't have been him. It wasn't you either, because you were with that nice girl with pink hair~," sang Amber in a teasing tone. Junior looked at her in annoyance while Senior bore a look of confusion.
"Who?" asked Senior with a cocked head.
"I was just helping her at the animal shelter. Wait a second, how did you know that I was there?" asked Junior with a look of suspicion.
"I was watching you that day. You two look really adorable together!" giggled Amber. Junior scoffed as he looked away with flushing cheeks. Senior glanced at Miwa with a puzzled expression.
"Wait... Does Junior have a..." Senior was interrupted as Junior turned with a glare.
"No, I do not! We're just friends!" cried Junior. Miwa sighed as she scratched her head with a grimace.
"He's been friends with several different girls, and yet he hasn't made a move on any of them," said Miwa in disappointment.
"Mom!" said Junior in annoyance.
"I just worry about you baby, that's all," said Miwa with a small laugh. Junior sighed in exasperation.
"Alright, so neither of us are guilty of being X. What now?" asked Junior. Senior sighed as he stood up.
"Well, this is a very peculiar situation. Out there is someone lurking in the streets with a face like ours. To prevent another situation like this again and to get to the bottom of things, I intend on finding this Transmutant," said Senior. Junior nodded as he smirked.
"Sounds good, I'll come with you to help find that son of a bitch," said Junior. Senior shook his head while Miwa looked at her son in disapproval.
"No! Absolutely not!" said Miwa.
"She's right, Junior. You've already gotten into trouble just by sharing whatever appearance we may have with this person. I think it'd be wise if you remained away from the lair for a while, at least until things blow over. I plan on finding this man and this so called, 'Night Angel' as soon as possible," said Senior. Junior sighed in annoyance.
"Dad, come on. Technically I am a Guardian, right? My friends and I did make that pack," said Junior with a deadpanned stare. Miwa grimaced as she crossed her arms.
"Which I still don't like," said Miwa. Senior cleared his throat.
"Well... That was only to get the others to trust you and your friends. You and your friends are just eyes and ears outside of the lair. You aren't obligated to take part in risky missions like we are," said Senior as he glanced at Miwa with a nervous smile. Miwa smiled at him in approval.
"Right. Besides, you need to get your behind back in school. You gotta graduate and get yourself that diploma," said Miwa. Junior sighed.
"Oh right, school," said Junior with a grimace. Miwa patted his shoulder as she gave her son a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about it. The media has gotten the word spread about you being innocent. I'm sure things will be fine. Besides, a few of your friends wanted to visit you, but you know..." said Miwa as she thought back to Junior being locked in a cold holding area.
"The police wouldn't let it happen," said Junior with a sigh. He shook his head.
"Well, fine. I guess I'll just forget about this crap and go about my life. I'm just relieved that everything worked out in the end," said Junior in relief.
"We should all be thankful," said Amber. Junior stretched as he began to walk away.
"Alright, I think I'm going to hit the shower and go to bed. Good night," said Junior.
"Good night," said Miwa and Senior in unison.
"Pleasant dreams!" said Amber. Miwa smiled warmly at her husband as she made her way over to him and wrapped him into a hug.
"I'm so glad that he's back home. I just wish... You could too..." said Miwa with a light frown. Senior lightly frowned as well. He caressed her head with a sigh.
"Well... I'm still here. I won't leave you two alone ever again," said Senior. He then closed his eyes as he held his wife. Despite his son being home safe, he was mildly concerned. His son's innocence was proven through a DNA test. The fact that MONARCH was involved in the investigation worried him more. The blood of his son, which came from himself, was in the hands of MONARCH. He had spent this whole time trying to prevent them from getting a drop of his DNA, knowing that they have a contract with GeneCo. Only time would tell whether they still have a sample of his blood or not.



The next day Junior was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal, early but a bit drowsy still. He was not used to mornings, no matter how early he slept. Miwa made her way over to his side and planted a kiss on his cheek before taking a seat down with breakfast as well. Miwa had felt the energy that she had lost since her son had been gone suddenly rejuvenated back into her body. However, there was a bit of a concern that she had regarding his friends. She knew that Fluttershy, Mosura, and Erika believed that he was innocent, but they also hinted that the others didn't. She hoped that things would work out as the news announced that the chargers were dropped due to the DNA test proving negative, which might change the opinion of those that distrusted Junior.
"Sweetie, would you mind running to the store for some milk and eggs after school?" asked Miwa. Junior nodded as he drank the milk from the bowl.
"Sure mom," said Junior as he wiped his lips and placed the bowl in the sink. He rushed over to his mom and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Gotta run. Love you, mom!" said Junior as he rushed out of the house. As he came out of the house, fully dressed and with his backpack in tow, he quickly made his way to school. The one benefit of being jail, he didn't have to sit through classes all day. However, he knew that was also a negative considering how he would have to make up for those days. Junior rushed down the sidewalk, but was surprised to find Fluttershy standing just outside of his home by the mailbox. She slightly jumped, startled by his sudden appearance.
"Oh, Fluttershy," said Junior in surprise. He cleared his throat as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and looked away.
"Um... Listen, about what the news had been saying..." Junior was interrupted as Fluttershy lunged at him with her arms wrapped tightly around him. Junior was taken aback by this.
"I was so worried! I knew you were innocent!" cried Fluttershy with a joyful expression. Junior lightly smiled as he patted her on the back. He was amazed at how this girl still had faith in him.
"Thanks Shy. Hey, we should get going or we'll be late," said Junior. Fluttershy released Junior with a look of embarrassment on her face.
"Oh! R-Right. Hehehe," Fluttershy shyly laughed. The two walked down the side walk together as they headed for school. On their walk, Fluttershy remembered something that made her stomach tighten and her heart drop in her chest.
"Um... Goji, I'm really glad that you're back. In fact, Mosura, Rodan, Angirasu, Erika and-"
"I know, you're all glad. I appreciate that Shy. You girls and guys are true friends. But really, it'd save time if you just said our 'friends' or 'club members'," said Junior with an amused smile. Fluttershy bore a deep frown as she looked away, which went unnoticed by Junior. The two were headed closer to the school right now.
"Yes, but Gojira... You should know that... Well, some people still think that you are actually one of those vigilantes," said Fluttershy. Junior sighed.
"Figures. These idiots just look for everything to try to make me out to be a bad element. But it's only some, right? I mean, I was scientifically proven innocent. People like Twilight can't argue with science," said Junior. Fluttershy bit her lip at the mention of Twilight Sparkle.
"A-Actually..." Fluttershy was interrupted as Junior opened the door to the school for her, allowing her to step through. The two made their way down the hall, passing by other students. Some shot harsh glares at Junior, while others skittishly moved away as he approached. To Junior, this was nothing out of the ordinary, but Fluttershy knew that it was a bad sign. She had heard the students talking unpleasant things about Junior's arrest and the whole situation. She realized that her stating that 'some people' still believed that Junior was X was far from accurate. In fact, a lot of people in this school thought he was X.
"I'll see you in the club room, Shy. Gotta get to class," said Junior as he power walked away.
"Goji, wait!" cried Fluttershy, but her cries went unheard. Junior was already leaving the area, while a crowd of students had blocked her way. As Junior continued on, he had made it to class. The Transmutant found the other students inside acting more skittish than usual as he stood in the door way. Junior found this a bit odd, but recalled what Fluttershy had previously said. He slumped his shoulders and sighed, making his way over to his seat, where Mosura was present. She greeted him with a warm smile.
"Hey you," said Mosura. Junior smiled back at her.
"Hey. I'd say it's good to be back, but honestly I don't missing coming back to school," said Junior. Mosura gave a small laugh in response. She cleared her throat as she twiddled her thumbs.
"I'm... I'm glad that it's all worked out," said Mosura.
"Same. Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt," said Junior. Mosura bore a look of dejection as she looked away.
"Right. But I have some bad news..." said Mosura. Junior raised a brow as he took his seat and turned to face her.
"What?" asked Junior. Mosura sighed.
"Well... It's about Twilight and the others," said Mosura. She was about to continue but the teacher had arrived, causing Mosura to go silent. The teacher cleared his throat as he made his way over to his desk and warily looked over to Junior's direction.
"Mr. Takeshi. How pleasant of you to join us," said the teacher. Junior slightly stiffened.
"Um... Good to be back. Do I need to see you for any make up assignments for the time I've been gone?" asked Junior. The teacher bore a look of discomfort at the question.
"Uh... See me after class. I'll have something for you," said the teacher. Junior nodded in response.
'Great, even the teacher is nervous around me. Perfect,' thought Junior with a scowl. Mosura frowned as she lowered her head.




Later...

Junior was standing in line in the cafeteria with Rodan and Angirasu. The two were nearing the front of the line as they waited patiently. Rodan nudged Junior in the shoulder.
"Hey, good to see you that you got off. I knew that it was all bullshit," said Rodan. He then chuckled as he moved his fist back and punched Angirasu in the chest, who grunted in response.
"This guy believed it, though!" said Rodan. Angirasu sent him a glare as he punched Rodan's shoulder, much harder compared to Rodan.
"Gah!" yelped Rodan as he clutched his shoulder.
"I did not. I said I was conflicted, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt," said Angirasu in annoyance. He then sent Junior a smile.
"It is good to see that my faith wasn't misplaced. Good to have you back, Goji," said Angirasu.
"Thanks Aang," said Junior with a nod. He sighed in exasperation as he came next in line.
"But what really sucks is that I have to make up work for the time that I've been sitting in a damn cell. This sucks," said Junior. Rodan hissed in response.
"That sucks and all. But that's the least of your worries," said Rodan as they all had gotten their food on their trays. Junior bore a raised brow as they made their way over to where they normally sat.
"What do you mean?" asked Junior.
"You mean, Mosura and Fluttershy hadn't told you?" asked Angirasu in worry.
"Told me what? Look, let's just get to the table. I'm starving," said Junior. Rodan and Angirasu glanced at each other with worried expressions as they followed Junior. They came by the table, where the Friendship Club, the Main Six, and Flash were present. Junior was about to sit his tray down by Fluttershy, but Rainbow immediately scooted over and took the spot with her tray. Junior bore a puzzled expression.
"This seat is taken," said Rainbow.
"Um... OK?" said Junior with a look of confusion as Rainbow sent him the stink eye. He looked to the other girls, who all immediately avoided eye contact with him.
"What? What's going on here?" asked Junior. Fluttershy looked at him sadly, while Mosura clenched her fists as she remained in her seat, regretting not being able to talk to Junior sooner. Twilight sighed.
"Gojira, I'm revoking your membership in the club," said Twilight. Junior's eyes widened while Angirasu winced.
"Wait... What?" asked Junior. He felt that he had misheard the girl.
"I'm kicking you out of the club. I'm sorry," said Twilight with a sigh. Junior placed his tray down on the side as he held a hand to his forehead.
"Wait, you're kicking me out? Why?" asked Junior in disbelief. Rainbow scoffed.
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Rainbow. Rodan sighed.
"Guys, come on. Is this necessary?" asked Rodan. Erika nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, come on," said Erika. Junior shook his head as he had a realization.
"Wait, this is about-"
"Yes, this is about you being X," interrupted Rarity.
"But- No, guys. Come on, didn't you see the news? I'm innocent! They did a DNA test and it came back negative!" said Junior.
"We know, but that ain't enough," said Applejack as she crossed her arms and looked away. Junior looked at her in disbelief at what she said. He couldn't believe his ears.
"AJ, you too?!" asked Junior.
"Afraid so, sugarcube. You haven't really been the most honest of people with us. You're always leaving abruptly and we saw your face on that video. I just don't think I can trust you anymore," said Applejack.
"But that's- That wasn't me, dammit! The crimes kept going even while I was in holding! You know that, right?!" asked Junior.
"How do we know that? You could've just had your buddy Night Angel try to cover your butt by making it look like X was still on the loose," said Rainbow with hard eyes. Junior looked to the others with a look of disbelief.
"Twilight? Sunset? Rainbow? Rarity? Come on!" said Junior with a forced chuckle, hoping that what he is hearing is some kind of joke. However, no one was laughing. Everyone avoided eye contact with him. Twilight bore a look of hurt and anger, while Rainbow was scowling. Sunset bore a look of disappointment as she sat next to Flash, who merely bore narrowed eyes at Junior. The Transmutant then turned to Pinkie, who bore a sad expression as she avoided eye contact.
"Pinkie?" called Junior, in an almost desperate tone. Pinkie felt her eyes beginning to water as she continued to avoid his gaze. She immediately stood up and ran away with teary eyes.
"I'm sorry! I-I just can't be your friend anymore!" cried Pinkie.
"Darling, wait!" called Rarity as she reached out to her. But Pinkie was long gone. Junior felt as if he was struck by a heavy hammer against his chest as he watched Pinkie run away from him.
"Pinkie?" muttered Junior as he slumped his shoulders, with a look of disbelief. The one girl that seemed to be exceptionally fond of him had just turned on him along with the others. They believed that he was X and no amount of reasoning seemed to convince them otherwise. It hurt knowing that Pinkie of all people was with them, since she was always so friendly with him, trying to be his friend since day one when they met. The Transmutant turned to face everyone else with a hard expression.
"S-So that's it? You're kicking me out of the club? Y-You're all just gonna deny my innocence?" demanded Junior. He tried to keep himself from stuttering from the anger and pain that he was feeling right now, but he was slowly beginning to falter. No one answered.
"Who else could it be in that video? You're the only with the face that guy had," said Flash with disdain in his voice. Junior narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. He couldn't exactly come out and say that there was some impostor out there that just happened to look like him. His days of keeping secrets from these guys was finally beginning to catch up with him, putting him in an unsavory position.
"Alright. You know what? Fine! Who gives a shit? Like I'd wanna hang out with you damned traitors anyway. If you won't give me the benefit of the doubt, then screw all of you!" spat Junior as he took his tray and began to walk away. He then shook his head as he glared at Twilight.
" I guess I was just fooling myself. 'Friendship is magic', my ass!" said Junior with disdain. Twilight shot him a glare back and then looked away. Angirasu sighed as he shook his head while Rodan looked at the rest in disapproval.
"What's with the look?" asked Rainbow in confusion.
"I'm just amazed at how you all just told Goji to fuck off like it was nothing," said Rodan.
"It wasn't- Ugh!" Twilight scoffed as she crossed her arms.
"You know why we kicked him out of the club," said Twilight.
"I do, but you're all wrong," said Rodan as he took his tray and walked after Junior.
"Goji, wait up!" called Rodan as he went after his fellow Transmutant. Angirasu sighed.
"I was hoping that maybe the recent news would have changed your minds," said Angirasu as he went after the Transmutants.
"Fat chance. Not with how dishonest he's been," said Rainbow. Angirasu sighed in disappointment as he heard this. The three Transmutants made their way over to the table that they had once been segregated to. However, Junior stopped, feeling betrayed by the people that he thought were his friends as they still believed that he was responsible for X's actions. It made his blood boil and caused his muscles to stiffen. He held his tray tighter, feeling his claws threatening to seep out. Junior exhaled sharply.
"You know what? I'll catch you later guys. I lost my appetite," said Junior in a dry tone as he turned and made his way over to the dumpster.
"Wait, Goji!" called Rodan. Junior ignored his call and merely continued through the cafeteria after throwing away his lunch, proceeding out to the hall. Rodan and Angirasu were left behind, filled with disappointment. Mosura frowned deeply as she sat in her seat, along with Fluttershy, Erika and Sunset.
Junior was stomping through the hallway with a hard expression. His anger was at its boiling point and he felt an irritation on the skin of his hands. He held them in his pockets until he had made his way over to the locker room in the gym.
"Those fucking-!!" Junior growled as he punched a locker, causing it to dent. He groaned in exasperation as he held his head.
"I don't fucking believe this shit! Just like that?! Fuck them!" shouted Junior. He panted as he slumped down on the bench in the locker room, breathing to calm himself down. He let out a long sigh as he held a hand against his face. He slightly felt his lip quiver, but Junior grunted in annoyance as he moved his hand away.
"Ugh! Damn it! I'm not doing that!" said Junior in annoyance. He refused to have a breakdown over this. No matter how much he felt betrayed by the rest, he wasn't going to let them bring him down like this. If they didn't believe him to be innocent and decided to end their so-called friendship with him, then it couldn't be helped. ‘Screw them,’ he thought. Junior sighed as he shook his head, wondering how it all had gotten to this point. One moment, he had a modest number of friends and then that number was significantly lower.
It seemed that he was back to square one, being a loner. However, Junior then realized that he still had the loyalty of Angirasu and Rodan, along with the trust of Mosura and Fluttershy. Despite the comfort that realization brought, it didn’t help that he thought that maybe he could form some kind of real friendship with the others. They made him believe that he could, but that was immediately severed. Junior felt himself only able to make friends with Angirasu, Rodan, Mosura, and Fluttershy through a set of random events, which may not have necessarily been a bad thing. It made their encounters more memorable to him. Junior bore a soft smile to himself as he sat down. But, his eyes hardened.
"This all wouldn't have happened if it weren't for those vigilantes," said Junior. Although he did support the idea of taking scum like the Purists on, he couldn't help but be angry at them. They have gotten him into trouble due to a case of mistaken identity. Furthermore, X’s actions had gotten most of his friends to turn on him in the first place.
Junior raised himself out of his seat and made his way out of the locker, having vented off some steam. As he came outside with the door opened, he found Sunset gasping as she stumbled back with a startled expression. Junior's eyes widened in response, but he then looked away with a hard expression. He began to walk passed her but Sunset reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Gojira, wait!" cried Sunset. Junior sighed as he kept his eyes forward.
"Look, I'm sorry that you were kicked out of the club. But Twilight made what she called an 'executive decision'. I just want to let you know that the rest of us didn't agree with it. And that...I believe you're innocent," said Sunset in a soft tone. Junior gave a heavy sigh.
"You see why I always kept to myself, Sunset? It's because of things like this. I'm always seen as the bad guy," said Junior.
"But how are you even supposed to make friends with that attitude?" asked Sunset.
"I guess some people aren't just meant to be friends," said Junior. Sunset deeply frowned in response. She made her way over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Don't talk like that. You still have me, Fluttershy, Aang, Rodan, Mosu, and even Erika," said Sunset with a warm smile. Junior looked away in response as he felt his eyes stung. He quickly blinked to get rid of the sensation as he cleared his throat.
"Erika too, huh?" asked Junior. Sunset nodded.
"Mmhmm. I was surprised too," said Sunset. Junior chuckled in response.
"Well, that's good to know. But wouldn't Flash disapprove of you coming near the big bad vigilante?" asked Junior in a teasing tone. Sunset rolled her eyes.
"He thinks I'm in the bathroom. I didn't wanna hear him act like a worry wart over me wanting to cheer you up," said Sunset.
"Hmm. Well, thanks," said Junior with a nod. Sunset merely gave him a bright smile in response.



It was late into the afternoon. Junior was present in his home from school. Today was awful. Stares were all focused on him throughout the entire day. It turned out that most, if not all, of Junior's peers in school still believed that he was X. This brought about a tense feeling over the Transmutant, along with the feeling of exhaustion as he pressed through the silent false judgment of the humans at his school. The Transmutant was still sour about the fact that the people that he once called his friends had turned against him, unable to let go of their distrust after all that's happened. He partially blamed himself for making up lies that may have led up to their distrust, but he felt himself justified to have made them. After all, his freedom was on the line.
Now, Junior was present in his home at the kitchen table with a scowl on his face. He was reading through a text book as he tapped his pencil on the side. He was given a few assignments that he had to do to make up for his absence. It was a pain in the ass, especially after being in jail for the past couple of days. Worse, the Transmutant could tell the skittish nature that the teachers had around him today, giving away the fact that they too thought that he was X. Junior sighed in exasperation as he held his head.
"Fuck!" groaned Junior. Meanwhile, Miwa had wandered into the kitchen with her purse draped over her shoulder. She made her way over to her son's side.
"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Miwa. "You've seemed down since you've gotten home."
"Ugh. Just..." Junior gave a heavy sigh in response as he shook his head.
"I'm just pissed right now. Bad day at school. Apparently, a lot of people still think that I'm guilty," said Junior. Miwa's eyes widened in response. Her son gave a heavy sigh.
"Twilight had me kicked out of the club. The rest of the humans that I thought were my friends pretty much just gave me the boot from the group. Teachers seem to think I'm guilty as well. They reek so much fear that I can't remove the smell out of my nose," said Junior as he propped his head up with his hand. Miwa deeply frowned in response as she took a seat next to her son.
"Oh. Sweetie, I'm sure that... They'll come around. This whole thing may blow over soon," said Miwa with a forced smile. Junior glanced at her and then looked away.
"I doubt it. They're right. I've been keeping too many secrets, from hiding my broken inhibitor chip, to random transformation, and to leaving to train with dad. But I still can't believe that... Ugh," groaned Junior in frustration. Just talking about this was making him more upset.
"But you know what? It's OK. If they think I'm guilty and that I'm so kind of vigilante, then screw them. I was just fine without them before, I'll be fine from now on," said Junior in a mellow tone.  "At least I still have the trust of Aang, Rodan, Mosu, Fluttershy, Sunset and Erika."
"Don't talk like that. They have no reason to distrust you," said Miwa as she rubbed her son's shoulder.
"Sure..." said Junior. Miwa felt saddened by her son's negative thinking. It was heartbreaking for her to hear that Junior's incarceration has caused a greater strain on his social life then she thought it would. She rested her head against her son's shoulder as she caressed his head.
"I'll be back later tonight. See you later, sweetie," said Miwa as she planted a kiss on Junior's cheek.
"See ya," said Junior as Miwa began to leave the kitchen. As she left the house, she stood against the door with a solemn expression. She gave a deep sigh before leaving the porch and getting into her car. As she left the neighborhood, Junior remained in his seat, working on his make-up assignments. He felt himself possibly staying up all night at this rate just to catch up and get his homework done. Junior moaned in misery as he planted his head on the table. After a couple minutes, Junior heard the doorbell ring. The Transmutant turned with a raised brow and then sighed as he got up.
"Mom probably forgot her phone again," said Junior to himself. As he made his way over to the door and opened it, he was surprised to find Mosura standing on the porch with her back pack over her shoulder. She greeted him with a bright smile as she waved.
"Hello!" greeted Mosura.
"Mosu? What are you doing here?" asked Junior in confusion.
"I thought I'd drop by and help you with any assignments that you may need help catching up on. You don't mind, do you?" asked Mosura.
"Uh... No, not at all. C-Come on in," said Junior as he stepped to the side and allowed the female Transmutant inside of his home. She looked around briefly as Junior closed the door.
"I'm working in the kitchen right now. Can I get you some water or something?" asked Junior.
"No thanks. I'm good," said Mosura. The two had made their way over to the kitchen, where Mosura sat her back pack on the side. Her eyes widened as she found a stack of text books on the side on top of the table, along with some work sheets.
"Wow. You look like you've been busy," said Mosura as she found a work sheet written on while a book was open.
"And I haven't even gotten to the homework that I had missed. It's driving me crazy," said Junior in annoyance. Mosura smiled as she took a seat.
"Well, the sooner we get started, the sooner you can get this work done. Just have a seat and I'll help you get through this," said Mosura. Junior smiled in response as he took a seat next to Mosura. He scooted close to her as he looked into the text book. Mosura's heart jumped in her chest as she felt Junior's elbow rub against her arm. Her cheeks began to flush at his close contact while her joints locked in place.
"So, where in the book does this take place again for Marine Biology?" asked Junior as he tapped at his work sheet. Mosura was knocked out of her dazed state as his voice reached her ears.
"Huh? Oh! Uh... that should be right over here on chapter nine," said Mosura as she looked at the worksheet, finding herself to be against Junior's shoulder. She gulped as her heart raced while feeling the warmth from his body. The air in the house was getting rather cold, and just being here made her want to bring herself against Junior's side to lie against with his arm over her. Mosura's face broke off into a brighter blush at her thoughts.
'Ugh! What the heck am I thinking?! It’d be weird if I did that!' thought Mosura as she shook her head. She then glanced at Junior, recalling the events that had transpired earlier today.
"Hey, Gojira?" called Mosura.
"Hmm?" answered Junior.
"Um... I'm sorry about... You know," said Mosura as she looked away. Junior sighed.
"Mosu, I rather not discuss it anymore. What's done is done. No sense on dwelling on something that I can't change," said Junior.
"Still though, I know it must be-" Mosura stopped as Junior looked at her with a deadpanned expression. The girl looked away as she rubbed her shoulder.
"N-Never mind," muttered Mosura. Junior turned back at his paper.
"I do appreciate you still believing in me, Mosu. Thank you," said Junior. Mosura lightly smiled.
"Well, of course. There's no way you could've been that guy. Despite some similarities, he was too large and his eyes were red. If anything, it could've been some kind of impostor," said Mosura as she tapped Junior's shoulder.
"Impostor, huh?" asked Junior in thought. Mosura waved her hands frantically as she noticed his deep thought.
"Er- I-I mean- I'm just guessing! Who would want to frame you?  You heard of how some people just happen to look like others, right? Maybe this guy just happened to look like you! It doesn't mean there's some big conspiracy going on!" said Mosura with a laugh. She wouldn't want the Transmutant trying to focus on something that may not have been true.
"Well, I wouldn't think that was the case anyway. I was just wondering who in their right mind would have to gain for framing me," said Junior with a shrug. Mosura cleared her throat.
"Let's change the subject. What matters is that they catch the real X and Night Angel. Maybe then, you'll be cleared for sure," said Mosura.
"Sure," said Junior.



Gojira Senior was present inside of the Guardians' lair. His eyes were hard and his brows were furrowed as he stood over a desk that had a map on it. He turned to the side and found Manda, Kumonga, and a couple of other Transmutants with him.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, thanks to a source of ours, we've managed to find a base belonging to the Purist extremists in the west side of Ponyville," said Senior as he dropped a few photos onto the table. The pictures were of the area, where there was a nearby forest. There were pictures of men in skull masks, armed with weapons as they appeared to be standing guard. Another picture showed multiple wooden structures, barricaded with spiked wood and barbed wire. There were watchtowers in the pictures, filled with the same men in skull masks.
"From these photos, we can tell that they are holed up in the wilderness. Our source tells us that there are multiple crow nests around the area, along with multiple structures: this includes barracks; an armory; and other facilities that would be required for them to be living out here. He estimates around over a hundred or so Purists in this area," said Senior as he began to point at a map that was present on the table, where a circle was marked over a region on the map.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Manda.
"Simple. We take a team and eliminate the base. Along with any survivors," said Senior. Manda bore a look of reluctance.
"Alpha, sir. Is it really necessary to eliminate every single one of them?" asked Manda.
"Our enemy never spares a Transmutant during their attacks. Sparing them would only lead to survivors to regroup and continue to pose a problem for us. It's best to limit the problem as much as possible. As a... comrade of mine once said, 'efficiency is crucial in battle. Spare not your enemies, lest you be open for a sneak attack'," said Senior as he stepped away from the table.
"Besides, our source informed me that the Purists in this region are apparently in possession of some sort of prototype equipment produced by Hideki Industries. They're planning something with these prototypes, so we need to eliminate them as quickly as possible," said Senior.
"Understood, Alpha," said Manda as she bowed her head.
"I want our forces ready for the raid in an hour. Bring some of the Transmutant Cuffs along as well," said Senior as he began to walk away from the war table. The Transmutants looked at him in confusion.
"Why? I thought you said we weren't taking prisoners," said Kumonga.
"This isn't for the Purists. I'm expecting some guests while we're there once we're through," said Senior with a hard expression.



It was late in the evening. The Guardians were sneaking through the forest in silence. Tall red wood trees stood tall, as hills caused the Transmutants to sneak through cover in order to avoid being seen. The sound of crickets filled the air, and the night was lit up by fireflies. Senior wore his mask as he was armed with an assault rifle. Kumonga was leaping from tree to tree as she carried a sniper rifle on her back. Her hands latched onto the bark, where microscopic hairs stuck out of her fingertips and onto the surface of the tree. Her blue eyes searched far and wide across the tree tops as she searched for any potential enemies. She held a finger against her ear.
"The area ahead is clear, Alpha," whispered Kumonga over the COM.
"Alright, move up," ordered Senior as he continued to tread through the dirt and grass in the darkness. The Transmutants continued on, passing bushes, hills, boulders, and trees that blocked out the night sky. They were silent as can be, stalking like tigers for prey. As they continued on, Senior stopped as he spotted distant lights.
"Hold your position," ordered Senior. In unison, the Guardians stopped where they were. Kumonga hung from the side of a tree as she squinted her eyes, focusing on the ground below. She spotted a clearing in the forest, where crow nests stood, along with distant wooden and metal structures.
"Kumonga, take your sniping position. Scouts, move up," ordered Senior as he glanced to several Transmutants on the side. Six Transmutants covered in dark clothes and bullet proof vests ran out of cover, moving up closer to the structures.  As they moved up, Manda took the lead as she dove behind an abandoned and destroyed vehicle. She peeked over the side and found a Purist soldier standing with his rifle in his hand, looking around the area in boredom. There was another next to him.
"This sucks! Why do we get guard duty? It's cold out, and these damn mosquitoes are biting my ass!" said a Purist in annoyance as he slapped his neck.
"It's not that bad. Stop whining," said the second Purist in a dry tone. Manda took a breath before drawing out a combat knife.
"You know what's bullshit about all of this?" asked the first Purist.
"Oh I'm sure you'll tell me," said the second Purist with a roll of his eyes. He was suddenly yanked from the shadows by Manda with his mouth covered.
"Fucking Jenkins. He hasn't had guard duty in weeks. He's currently sitting in the barracks right now all warm and mosquito free, with his big fucking melon head!" said the first Purist, unaware of the second's disappearance. He turned to the side in annoyance.
"Isn't that bull- Uh... Zeke? Where did you go?" asked the Purist in confusion as he looked around. He suddenly felt his mouth covered as a blade slashed against his neck, causing his eyes to widen from the shock. He gave a muffled gurgle as he began to bleed out from the knife wound. He dropped to the ground dead as a Guardian stood over him with a blood stained knife. The scouts moved closer to the camp, taking out any lone Purists from the shadows. Manda rushed over to the side of a metal structure, where she planted herself against the wall. She leaned to the side to take a peek through a barred window. Her eyes looked inside and found a set of weapon racks. On the side she also found a couple of Purists inside.
"Found the armory, Alpha. I spotted four Purists inside," whispered Manda over the COM. She then spotted a Purist standing over a large crate that bore the Hideki Industries logo.
"Found one of the prototypes," said Manda.
"Stay out of sight, Manda. Plant the explosives to make an entrance. I want those prototypes gone," said Senior.
"Copy," said Manda as she reached into a bag strapped to her back and pulled out a pack of C4. She stuck it against the wall and quickly made her way far from the distance of the explosion. Meanwhile, other Guardians were planting explosives against the crow nests, while avoiding detection from the Purists that were above. After the explosives were planted, the scouts took cover away from the explosions. Manda sighed as her heart raced. She knew that things were about to get hairy after this. So, she held up the remote detonator in her hand and pressed the button. With a click, the C4 she had planted exploded against the armory, blowing a hole in the wall. Soon, the rest of the C4 exploded as they were detonated by the rest of the scouts. The Purists that were present on the crow nests fell with the structures and were crushed by the mangled metal. The sound of shouts from the Purists was heard.
"Move up!" shouted Senior over the COM. The scouts began to spread out around the camp as the rest of the Transmutants moved up to surround the area. Kumonga remained perched on a tree as she peaked through the scope of her sniper rifle. She spotted a Purist soldier running out a building with his weapon drawn. She pulled the trigger, where the weapon kicked back as the gunfire echoed in the forest, startling forest animals. The bullet whizzed through the area until it struck the mask of the Purist, who dropped dead immediately from the shot.
Manda rushed through the area, but was quick to take cover as she heard loud gun fire coming from deeper within the base of the Purists. She gasped as a Purist appeared from the roof of a structure with a turret with metal shielding around it.
"Turret!" cried Manda as she dove behind a building wall. The air was pierced with the sound of the minigun firing rapidly as bullets rained on the ground, causing scouts to run for cover. Unfortunately, some were shot down by the minigun. Manda panted as she slightly trembled in place as she listened to the cries of her comrades as they were shot down by the loud turret. She held her rifle tightly as she moved around the building, just as a few more Purists came in her direction.
"Oh crap!" cried Manda as she quickly raised her weapon and fired. The Purists began to fire back at her, causing Manda to run back as she fired her weapon. The bullets whizzed around her, causing the adrenaline in her to spike. Manda quickly burst through the door of the building that she was near, allowing her to take cover inside. She found herself in an empty room, appearing as a kitchen with stoves, pots, pans, etc. She yelped as she heard more gun fire from behind, where bullets whizzed through the nearby window. Manda ducked behind a counter as bullets slammed into pots, knocking them down to the ground, where they gave their painful clanging sound from the collision. She clenched her eyes shut as the bullets continued on from the Purists that she had the misfortune of running into.
Meanwhile outside, Senior was rushing through the area with his soldiers as they began to break off into teams. Bullets whizzed through the air, smoke filled the air, and the night was lit up by the flashes from weapons. The war veteran knew that the Transmutants had a major advantage to them. They were capable of seeing more clearly in the dark compared to the humans in this dark forest in the evening. Only a few wore goggles that he assumed were for night vision, while the rest fired at what everyone else fired at, in hopes that they may catch a Transmutant.
Senior rushed through the battlefield as he raised his rifle, which bore a bayonet blade at the end beneath the muzzle. He gave a war cry as he rushed towards a Purist that had his back towards him. The human turned but was impaled in the chest by the Transmutant, with the blade sticking deep into his chest from the combined speed and strength of the Transmutant. As Senior did this, he was quickly reminded of his days during the second world war. He remembered this exact scenario, where he and his comrades would charge against the enemy with bayonets, seeing their foes agonize from the impalement.
Senior's thoughts came back to the present, where he found himself with a Purist dying as the bayonet remained in his chest. The Transmutant kicked him away just as additional Purists turned to find him. The Transmutant quickly fired a few rounds at the closest enemy as he ran. After shooting him down, Senior grabbed him before he could drop to the ground and threw him against the next enemy, throwing off his aim. Senior then rushed towards him and jabbed his rifle's bayonet against his gut. He yanked the bayonet out and then slammed the butt of his rifle against the Purist's skull, knocking him to the ground. He grunted as he turned to find more Purists leaving the structures, heavily armed. He and the rest of his soldiers continued to return fire at their enemies, causing the night to be lit up by the hundreds of flashes.
Meanwhile, inside of the barracks. A man with a bald head and a skull with a DNA helix tattooed on the back of his head coughed as he staggered onto his feet. Debris in the air floated as his ears rang from the explosion from earlier. His vision cleared up, finding his fellow Purists rushing to grab all the weapons that they could carry as they frantically shouted. He heard a muffled voice calling his name as the man remained in a prone and dazed state. He felt a hand tug on his shoulder, causing him to turn and to find another man with his mask covered in dust. His hearing returned as he shook off his daze.
"Impact! Are you alright?!" shouted the Purist.
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm alright," said Impact as he struggled to get back onto his feet. This was when he noticed the loud sound of gunfire an shouts from outside of the barracks.
"What the hell's going on?" asked Impact with a cough.
"We're being attacked! Scar wants you to suit up with one of the prototypes! We can't let the base fall!" said the Purist. Impact nodded in response as he rushed over to the back of the barracks, where a large crate remained. He reached inside and picked up a gray helmet, which bore holes with black glass making up the eyes. The mask's front was a blank surface.
Meanwhile, Manda was busy firing back at the Purists that had her pinned in the kitchen. She grunted in annoyance as she duck behind cover as she reloaded her rifle.
"Why the hell am I the only one fending for myself here?!" shouted Manda. She growled as she shot up from cover and began to fire several shots, causing the Purists hide behind the wall for cover. Manda groaned as she sat back down with a look of misery.
"At this rate, I'm gonna run out of bullets and die! There was so much that I wanted to do! So much that I wanted to see!" cried Manda as she clutched her rifle against her chest. As she lamented her situation from inside, the Purists glanced at each other in confusion over the noise as they attempted to kill this lone Transmutant.
"Man, I almost feel bad for this," said a Purist as he slightly lowered his rifle as he remained against the wall.
"No going soft! This bitch and her crew just fucked with the wrong guys!" said a Purist as he reloaded his rifle. Suddenly, the Purist gave a grunt as the sound of a bullet whizzing through the air came. Blood sprayed from his skull as he dropped down on the ground.
"Oh shit! Sniper!" cried one of the men as the group dispersed. However, two more were taken down by Kumonga, who smirked as she continued to fire her weapon. She placed a COM against her ear.
"Manda, sweetie, I think now is the best time to leave and join the others," said Kumonga as she went back to firing at the remaining Purists that had her ally cornered. Manda poked her head from the door frame of the kitchen as she looked around, finding the Purists running for cover from the sniper.
"Thank you!" said Manda as she ran out of the building and went off to join the other Guardians. As she ran back to the field, she found Gojira Senior running through the battlefield with his rifle strapped onto his back. He ran away from the coming bullets from the minigun. The Transmutant slid by the building that the turret was parked on, where he was safe from the weapon's line of fire. He then leaped up onto the roof of the building and rushed towards the gunner. Just as the gunner turned his turret to face Senior, the Transmutant grabbed the gun and forced it to the side with his overwhelming strength. With a mighty push, Senior had snapped the turret off of its stand and caused the gunner to fall back. Senior then slammed the weapon on the Purist, crushing his bones.
"Damn, that's brutal," said Manda as she slid by a barricade where a few of her fellow Transmutants were. As the battle raged on, Senior was running through the camp as he held his rifle in his hand. He had to find the prototypes before the Purists could escape with them. They'd be stupid to remain here and fight when they have something that may pose a great threat to Transmutants.
As Senior came across a corner, he found a figure rushing towards him. Senior whipped his rifle to the side to fire it, but the figure punched the weapon, knocking it out of the Transmutant's hand. Just as Senior was about to recover, the figure punched him in the chest, causing a tremendous force against the Transmutant. He cried out in pain as he was forced a couple of feet away. He groaned as he clutched his aching chest, shocked at how one man was able to knock him off of his feet. His eyes widened as he found the figure stepping over to him. He stood to be six foot two, clad in grey tactical armor. He wore gauntlets that made a hydraulic whir as they shifted. His blank faced helmet bore glowing blue eyes as the figure looked down on him.
"Gotta hand it to the Neighponese. They've really innovated Anti-Transmutant technology," said Impact as he rushed towards Senior. The Transmutant shot up to his feet and dodged a punch from his opponent, where he saw the gauntlet extend forward with a punch.
'Hydraulics?' thought Senior. His eyes widened as Impact swung his other fist his way, where it struck him in the gut. Senior stumbled back as the wind was knocked out of him. Impact rushed towards him as he performed a drop kick. The boots bore hydraulic parts as well, which sent the Transmutant flying. Senior crashed into the earth with a grunt as he slid back. Impact got back up to his feet with a chuckle as he slammed his gauntlets together, causing them to spark.
Impact charged towards Senior as he remained on the ground. As he reared his fist back to strike Senior, he missed as the Transmutant rolled away. Senior got up to his feet and tackled Impact to the ground, where he delivered multiple punches against him. The armor absorbed most of the blows, but Impact was able to feel the force. Impact raised an arm and caught Senior's next punch with the steel gauntlet, which allowed him to counter Senior with a blow to the jaw. The Transmutant fell back but quickly got up. Impact and Senior both began to exchange powerful punches, which were both blocked by the other. The Purist ducked under a kick that was delivered by the Transmutant and swung his arm against Senior's remaining leg, striking him in the knee. Senior cried out in agony as he felt his knee dislocated from the force of the swing added from the gauntlet and its aim. The Transmutant fell over on the ground, groaning in pain as he gritted his teeth to the point where his gums began to bleed. The pain was too intense for him to stand up. Impact chuckled as he rotated his shoulders.
"So, you're the mighty Alpha that has been climbing his way up along with Destoroyah and his Revolutionaries? I'm not impressed, honestly," said Impact as he made his way over to Senior's side. His gauntlet sprouted a blade from a slot, reflecting a glare of light onto the ground. He stomped on Senior's chest and brought his blade up, ready for the kill.
"One less Transmutant to worry about," said Impact with a hard expression behind his helmet. As he thrust his knife, Senior immediately caught the blade with his hand, where the blade began to cut through his leather glove. His blood stained the blade as he held it tightly. Impact's eyes widened as Senior grabbed the gauntlet with his free hand while still holding onto the blade. He yanked on the blade broke it in half. The Transmutant then jabbed the blade into a gap in the gauntlet, where Impact's wrist was vulnerable with merely a leather glove being present. The knife dug into the wrist, causing Impact to cry out in agony as the Transmutant continued to wiggle the knife in the wound like an arcade stick. Senior then yanked off the gauntlet and removed it from Impact's grip.
The Transmutant raised his good leg and kicked Impact in the head with all of his might. Impact was knocked back several feet away, with his visor cracked on his helmet and a dent in the fore head. He groaned as he crashed into the ground, dizzy from the impact. He shakily got up off of his feet as he dropped his helmet on the ground with a grunt. Senior shakily stood as he held his dislocated knee without putting pressure onto it. He grunted as he pushed down on it, resulting in a loud pop and loud grunt from him. The Transmutant panted as he felt the heat in the swelling beginning to subside along with his pain beginning to become numb. The tissue in his knee worked to repair the damage. Senior sighed as he slowly put weight onto his leg, feeling a bit of a stinging sensation.
"That's impossible," said Impact with wide eyes. Senior popped his neck with a relieved sigh.
"Yet you see it before your very eyes," said Senior with a sigh. He reached for his mask and grabbed a small latch on the side of his head, which caused the muzzle half of the mask to hang sideways. Senior did the same with the other side, causing the entire muzzle of the dragon mask to drop to the ground, exposing Senior's chin, his mouth and nose. He took a breath and released it, allowing for the heat inside of his body to rise. He felt his belly beginning to grow hotter, as if it was boiling with raw power. His exposed upper neck began to brighten, as if a light was shining from within his body and exposing his nerves and muscle from beneath. Senior's eyes glowed a neon blue as a low whirring sound filled the air.
Impact took a step back as he saw this sight. Senior clenched his fists as he took a deep breath, exposing a neon blue light from the back of his throat. Impact cursed as he began to run away, recalling rumors of the Transmutant vigilante known as Night Angel apparently having some kind of heat ray vision. He didn't believe it at first, considering how absurd it was, but seeing Alpha glowing like this was made him reconsider his thought.
Senior opened his mouth wide and let out a stream of concentrated radiation. This appeared like a bright blue stream of fire, coming from an living flame thrower. The intense heat from this atomic breath burned the air in the space surrounding it. Impact had dove out of the way near a building, while the atomic breath flew passed him and collided with a bush. The bush was quickly vaporized into radioactive ashes as the concentrated radiation made contact with it.
Impact began to run away with a look of panic as Senior turned his head while still spewing his atomic breath, dragging it across the ground. The intense heat glassed the earth as it dragged across the ground. Senior's atomic breath began to make contact with a building that Impact was hiding by, burning through it like a torch against a surface. The flames startled those nearby, finding them dragging across the building and causing it to burn. An explosion occurred from a window, resulting in a large hole in the building. Senior closed his jaws as he stopped spewing his atomic breath, taking this time to breathe. He picked up his mask and began to limp towards the building.
Senior puffed out his chest as his eyes glowed and the back of his throat illuminated. He spewed his atomic breath all around the nearby buildings, scorching them. A few Purists that were seeking shelter from the gun fire had the misfortune of being in one of these buildings. Their agonized cries filled the air as they were burned to a crisp. Meanwhile, Impact was rushing through the area as he held a finger against his helmet.
"Impact, the rest of the prototype suits are secured!" said a Purist over the COM.
"Get the getaway vehicle ready! The base is compromised!" said Impact. He rushed towards where his men were being assaulted by two Transmutants with rifles. Impact took advantage of their backs being turned towards him and slashed the blade of his remaining gauntlet on his arm and slashed the Guardian on the nape of the neck. The Transmutant dropped to the ground as his spinal cord was severed from the deep gash, allowing Impact to retract his blade. The remaining Guardian turned as he heard his ally's gurgled cry but was slow to react as Impact sent his gauntlet fist against him. The hydraulic powered gauntlet struck the Transmutant square in the face. The force of the punch crushed his nose and knocked in his front teeth. His head was sent back from the force, where he dropped down to the ground from the intense whiplash, resulting in brain trauma. This Transmutant was obviously weaker than Alpha, not to mention that he was caught off guard. As the Transmutant dropped, Impact turned to his allies, where they hiding behind a barricade.
"Get moving! We're retreating!" ordered Impact. The Purists quickly scrambled away from the area, while shooting back at the Transmutants that pursued them. Senior was limping through the battlefield as the turret continued to fire at his men. He couldn't afford to have this weapon to go on much longer, lest they suffer greater casualties. Senior made his way around a corner of a building and leaned against a wall as he heard footsteps coming.
He turned his head and found a Purist rushing out of the corner with an RPG. Senior smirked in response. As the Purist came closer, Senior grabbed him by the shoulder and slammed him against the wall. As the human dropped to the ground, Senior snatched the rocket launcher from him and continued on his walk. He caught the turret in sight on the roof of a small building, with the metal shed cover covered in bullet holes. The sound of bullets ricocheting off of the turret's cover ringed in Senior's ears as the minigun itself plowed the earth with its barrage of bullets. Senior raised the RPG over his shoulder, taking aim. As he fired, the rocket flied wildly through the air as it zeroed in on its target. The rocket then crashed into the building, missing the gunner on the turret. However, the explosion caused the Purist to be blown off of the roof, where he fell onto the ground below.
Senior tossed the empty launcher to the side, while his hearing picked up the sound of roaring engines. He turned and found a large armored truck rolling through the field. The truck was tailed by vans that bore iron grills over the windows and bumpers. Gunners were on top of the vans with miniguns. Senior dove for cover as the truck smashed into what remained of the shed building, causing it to collapse. The vans trailed behind and proceeded to shoot at the Transmutants that were in their path. Manda yelped and scurried on the ground as she was nearly ran over by a van. The Transmutants proceeded to fire at the vehicles that were fleeing, attempting to stop them in their tracks. Unfortunately, the vehicles were slowly disappearing from sight. Kumonga was leaping over tree tops as she aimed for the vehicles, attempting to shoot them. As the vehicles disappeared, Kumonga sighed in exasperation as she lowered her rifle.
"Shit. Alpha, targets have escaped," said Kumonga over the COM.
"What about the Prototypes?" asked Senior over the COM. The radio crackled as a pant came into their hearing.
"Nowhere in sight, boss. They must have escaped with them," said Manda as she peaked inside of the armory with a few Guardians by her side. Senior sighed in frustration.
"Damn it. Alright, I want everyone to regroup. And...search for our fallen," said Senior as he found a couple of fallen Transmutants on the ground. This mission hadn't turned out as he had hoped. He knew that there would be risks on assaulting a Purist base, and he was willing to make sacrifices to prevent them from using technology that would pose a great threat. However, they had nothing to show for it. Senior sighed heavily as he lowered his head. This was something that he hoped that his son would never have to take part in. He would never forgive himself if his son were to perish by taking part in something as dangerous as this. Senior raised his head with a furrowed expression.
"There's still something that we can salvage out of this," said Senior as he limped over towards the field to join his men.