//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Tale of The Kaijirin 
// Story: The Other Side of The Story 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//


15 years ago...

It was a late afternoon over the land of Neighpon. The village was busy as usual with farming. The foals played in the road as adults towed carriages, filled with contents from food to trading goods. As the children played with a ball, one of them accidentally kicked it too hard, causing it to fly passed their circle. The ball bounced away until it landed at the hooves of a kirin mare, who wore a priestess kimono, bearing a white and red color. She bore light blue scales with a mane that was pure white and was curled in a pony tail. She bore blue eyes that looked at the ball. The mare's antlers began to illuminate as she levitated the ball into the air with her magic. With a warm smile, she tossed the ball back to the foals.

"Thank you, lady Kawasaki!" said one of the foals as they ran off to play. The priestess continued her walk through the village, making her way over to a house, where an elderly kirin mare sat down.
"Good afternoon, Isshiki-san," greeted Kawasaki. The elderly mare turned her head.
"Eh? Oh, lady Kawasaki. Good to see you," said the elderly kirin as she looked back out to the horizon. Kawasaki took a seat looking out in the same direction.
"I was told by your son that you were experiencing trouble in your home," said Kawasaki. The elderly kirin nodded.
"Yes. Right this way," said Isshiki as she led the priestess into her home. Their hooves clopped against the wooden floor. The creaks with every few steps that they took gave away the fact that this was an old home.
"My husband has been very ill. Doctors did everything that they could to try and treat him. But he has not made any improvement in his health," said Isshiki in worry as she led the younger kirin through her home. Kawasaki looked around as followed the elder. The house bore little lighting, and began to feel colder the deeper they traveled inside. Soon, they came to a nearly empty room, where an elderly kirin stallion rested on a futon.
"Husband, the priestess is here," called Isshiki in a soft tone. The stallion panted as his body sweat profusely. His scales were pale, his mane was ragged, and his odor gave a foul stench. Kawasaki walked in closer with Isshiki and analyzed the sick kirin, who appeared frail, slowly slipping away. Isshiki sniffled.
"He was so healthy before. He ate well and worked hard. I don't understand how he can be so sick," said Isshiki as she wiped her eyes with a fore leg. Kawasaki hummed as she knelt beside the sick kirin and held a hoof on his forehead, closing her eyes. She crinkled her nose and eye lids as her antlers began to softly glow.
"Just as I feared," said Kawasaki as she raised herself up with furrowed brows.
"Your husband is not suffering to any natural illnesses. No, his spirit is being attacked by dark spirits. Should we leave him like this, his body will die," said Kawasaki. Isshiki's eyes widened with dread.
"Wh-What do we do?!" asked Isshiki in a panic. The priestess placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Now that we've confirmed a supernatural element, we can counter it. Please, leave the house and wait outside, for your safety," said Kawasaki as she began to walk around the room with her antlers glowing.
"What will you do?" asked Isshiki.
"I need to draw out the spirit. But I can't risk it attacking you. Please leave," said Kawasaki. Isshiki nodded in reluctance as she proceeded to leave the room. The priestess scanned the room as she carefully walked around. She could sense a dark presence, but it wasn't close. The fact that the inside of the house was cold during the middle of summer was a dead giveaway for the presence of a dark spirit when she first arrived. Now, the spirit was causing Isshiki's husband to suffer.
"I should search the other rooms," said Kawasaki to herself as she left the bedroom. She stepped carefully through the house, with her body slightly tensed, ready to react to any sign of danger. Her heart gave steady beats in her chest as her ears were erect with alertness. The priestess stepped into a room where a vase sat alone, bearing black markings. The markings weren't anything recognizable, such as Neighponese characters, or artistic depictions. They were slightly jagged and ran all around the vase. Kawasaki's eyes narrowed as she made her way over to the vase, feeling a dark presence. As she stepped a few feet in front of the counter that held the vase, she firmly planted her hooves on the floor as she slightly lowered her head.
"Come out, demon!" commanded Kawasaki as a beam of bright sparkling magic shot from her antlers, slamming into the vase. The vase violently shook as a howl filled the air. The vase shattered, revealing a shadow, in the form of a rat, with hellish red eyes. The shadow screeched as it shot towards Kawasaki, who quickly stepped to the side, dodging it. The demon crashed into the ground and scurried across the wooden floor, squeaking. Kawasaki threw a paper talisman, bearing Neighponese characters painted on the front. The charm flew through the air and stuck itself on the back of the demonic rat. The creature screeched as it rolled onto the floor in pain as the charm's magical properties began to affect it. Kawasaki rushed towards the rat with her antlers glowing.
"Oh, spirits of light, dispel this demon, who brings pestilence with its foul presence!" chanted Kawasaki as her antlers grew brighter. A beam of magic was launched, striking the rat. The demon wailed with a screech as it was engulfed in light. Its form began to change, appearing as an anthropomorphic rat. It suddenly disappeared as its cries echoed out. Kawasaki sighed as her body relaxed. She then rushed towards the bedroom and found Isshiki's husband rising from his slumber. His breathing became calm and his body stopped sweating. He looked around with a drowsy expression.
Later, Kawasaki was sitting in the bedroom of the stallion while Isshiki sat by her husband in relief as she watched him eat from a warm bowl of broth. Kawasaki levitated the remains of the vase in front of herself on the ground.
"This vase was possessed by a demon. It was the cause of your terrible illness. It would have killed you, if it wasn't expelled from your home," said Kawasaki as she bowed her head. The male kirin of the house groaned as he looked at the vase in disappointment.
"I knew that vase's cheap price was too good to be true," said the kirin.
"For future reference, it would be wise to avoid getting items at such prices. Sometimes they could be damaged, or even cursed," said Kawasaki. Isshiki and her husband both bowed their heads to the ground before the priestess.
"We thank you, priestess. We are in your debt," said Isshiki. Kawsaki smiled warmly as she stood up to her hooves.
"I'm here to serve. Please, rest yourself," said Kawasaki as she began to leave the house. As she did, Isshiki cupped her muzzle as she glanced at her husband.
"You really need a bath," said Isshiki. Her husband sniffed himself and then gagged in disgust.



It was the early evening. Kawasaki sat on the steps of a temple that sat on a hill, overlooking a village. Her eyes stared off to the twilight in the horizon. Her mane blew in the cool breeze, along with the green leaf trees that surrounded the temple. She was raised in this temple for many years. She was taught in the way of being a priestess by her guardian, who had long since passed. Now, she was known throughout the villages, rooting out dark spirits and expelling them. It was always her pleasure to lend a helping hoof, especially from forces that were beyond the control of others. Though she couldn't say that she could take on these entities by herself, for it was impossible. Kawasaki turned her head as she heard hooves clopping against the ground. She found another kirin mare arriving.
"Lady Kawasaki, it is getting dark. Will you be coming inside soon?" asked the mare. Kawasaki nodded in response to her.
"Yes, Lori. I'll be inside soon," said Kawasaki. Lori bowed her head before turning to leave. Kawasaki sighed as she looked out to the village that the temple overlooked. It was small compared to the ones that she had been to. But it was just near an ocean, allowing a grand view of the green fields that led to the beach. The sight of her home made her warm in her heart, along with the inhabitants that dwell within the village and who visit this temple. As Kawasaki stood up, she turned to return to the temple that she was raised in. As she took a step, the sound of thunder filled her ears. She turned and found dark clouds quickly beginning to form over the evening sky, blotting out the moon and stars. The priestess tensed as thunder roared and lightning flashed. The sudden arrival of this storm felt unnatural. The ground rumbled beneath Kawasaki, causing her to drop to her rump. The land violently shook, prompting her to brace herself as she felt herself sway from the rocking motion of the earth.
Down in the village below, the villagers gave panicked cries as the earth quaked as the storm shrouded the sky in darkness. Back on the temple grounds, Kawasaki heard rumbling. She turned her head and found another nearby hill experience a land slide. The mounds of earth and trees slid down the hill. From the hill, jagged rocks appeared to have been revealed. Her eyes widened as she gazed at to where the rocks emerged. The tremors stopped, allowing everything to settle. Kawasaki panted as she stared off to where the neighboring hill once stood, her heart pounding heavily. From the temple, several kirins came rushing out.
"Lady Kawasaki! Are you alright?!" cried Lori in worry as she came to the priestess's side.
"I... I'm fine," said Kawasaki. Lori noticed that she was distracted. She looked to where the priestess was looking and gasped as she saw jagged rocks sticking out of what remained of the neighboring hill, shrouded in shadow. An elderly kirin stallion gasped.
"The grave of Gojira! It's been unearthed!" said the kirin in shock. Lori looked at the elder in confusion.
"What? But Gojira is just a legend!" said Lori. The wind began to pick up, violently blowing the trees. The kirins shielded their eyes as debris flew all around. The clouds swirled above the land, drawing in debris. The kirins cried out in horror as a twister began to form. The winds grew stronger as the twister was forged, moving through the land. Kawasaki watched in dread as the twister came near the village, fearing for the lives of the villagers. However, the tornado merely went around the village, leaving it unscathed. Such a bizarre action, for a force of nature to avoid the village, meant that its movements appeared to be guided, as if something was moving it, or inside of it. Kawasaki quickly began to run down the steps of the temple's hill.
"Lady Kawasaki!" cried Lori in alarm.



The twister scourged the field that was in its path, sweeping up dirt, grass, stones, and other debris. It continued its path down towards the neighboring hill, where the land continued to slide, revealing more of the jagged stones. However, as the land continued to slide down, the stones were revealed to be bony plates. As the tornado came closer, it began to suck in the debris at the base of the hill.
Meanwhile, Kawasaki was rushing through the woods that led to the neighboring hill. The leaves stuck to her mane as she pressed through the breeze. This was a stupid idea to head in the direction of a tornado. However, she had a bad feeling about it, if it was moving in such an unnatural way, so to speak. As Kawasaki continued her run, she soon came at what was once the base of the hill. Mounds of dirt and trees were in her path. She gasped as she spotted what was sticking out of the hill. She saw a massive, skeletal figure lying in the dirt. It bore small, sharp teeth, with a box head and snout. Its brows were like an eagle's and its head was flat. It bore three rows of jagged dorsal plates along its back, down to its long tail.
"It truly was a grave," said Kawasaki, breathlessly. She then spotted the tornado approaching, stopping just near the hill, sucking in the dirt that was around the skeleton. Kawasaki remained close to the ground as she struggled to see through the wind and debris. The tornado had become stationary in one place, only swaying around with debris to keep itself formed. This was definitely an unnatural phenomenon. Her heart sank in dread.
'A demon must be inhabiting that tornado! What does it want with the remains of Gojira?!' thought Kawasaki as she gritted her teeth. She stood up to her hooves and began to charge her magic. Her antlers glowed brightly. As she prepared to strike the tornado with a spell, the center of the tornado suddenly glowed red. The winds began to scorch as the light spread throughout the vortex. The swirling winds had grown into a swirling vortex of fire, scorching the earth just beneath it. Kawasaki watched in shock as the flames crackled and the wind howled.
From the fire storm, a stream of flames shot towards the giant skeleton, engulfing it whole. Kawasaki shielded her eyes and face from the intense heat and brightness. The earth around the skeleton turned to glass as the skeleton began churn and strangely enough, liquefy. Soon, the flames ceased, and the twister dispersed. Kawasaki looked up and found an aura of light where the smoke and debris fell. She found herself mesmerized by the light, which bore a rainbow in a ring-like shape. The light suddenly vanished, leaving the area in darkness. The clouds began to clear up, revealing the moon and stars. The earth had settled, and all was calm. Kawasaki panted as she stood up to her hooves, gazing up to where the figure of light was present. She gulped as she began to head over to where the fire storm had struck.
"Lady Kawasaki!" cried Lori. The priestess found the members of the temple rushing out from the woods.
"What has happened?! There was fire in the air!" said a kirin mare in alarm. Kawasaki turned her attention to the grave of Gojira, her stomach in knots.
"I don't know," said Kawasaki as she began to travel up the mounds of dirt.
"Lady Kawasaki, wait!" called Lori as she went after the priestess. An elder stared at the destroyed hill in solemn. Soon, the kirins found themselves going over the mounds of dirt, where they found the earth hot, and patches of glassed earth. In the center of the grave was a mound of tar-like substance, where the remains of the giant creature once lied.
"Behold, the grave of the great dragon of the sea, Gojira," said an elderly stallion as he gestured out to the area.
"Not much of a grave. It’s more of a tar pit," deadpanned Lori. Kawasaki turned to the elder.
"Hasashi-sensei, is this truly the resting place of the fabled Kaiju?" asked Kawasaki.
"They are more than fable, Lady Kawasaki. They are rare, but they live on through legend. In our land, Gojira had burrowed himself and died here long ago before this village was built," said Hasashi with a nod as he looked over the glassed land. "To think we would see it unearthed. I only wish we could have seen the rest of the remains."
"What happened to it then?" asked another kirin mare.
"I saw what happened. The storm came and turned into a swirling wind of fire. The fire burned the bones until it was nothing but this tar," said Kawasaki as the tar-like liquid began to take in the soil, becoming a black, muddy muck.
"Was it a demon?" asked Lori in alarm. Kawasaki shook her head.
"I don't know. But what happened here was not natural," said Kawasaki as she began to walk down into the grave. The earth had cooled down, but the glass patches were still red hot. The other kirins called for her, but she didn't respond. She was too focused on what had come about this whole fiasco. If it was truly the work of a demon, then she had to put a stop to it. As she neared the muddy-tar, she stopped as she carefully inspected it. The tar gave steam and a strong smell of burnt trees and earth. She levitated a stick that was on the ground and began to prod the mound of solidifying mud with it. Steam escaped from the puncture, causing Kawasaki to recoil with a start.
"Be careful, Lady Kawasaki!" called a kirin mare from the edge of the grave with the other temple members. Kawasaki took a calm breath as she circled around the mound, which had become more solid like a mound of black dirt. She then noticed a small bit of movement in the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks, finding that something was pushing a small space of dirt. The priestess slightly stepped closer to the mound as the solid dirt was carefully breached, like a hatchling inside of an egg. Kawasaki's eyes widened as she saw a quadruped figure seemed to have been emerging from the black dirt. Clawed hooves stuck out, along with a small head. The creature began to give cries like an infant, causing Kawasaki to gasp in shock. She carefully stepped closer and found a kirin foal to be what was emerging from the earth, with claws instead of a cloven hoof, and an entire coat of charcoal grey fur, which was only further darkened by the black dirt. The infant cried as it slid out of the mound and onto the ground.
Kawasaki gulped as she stared at this infant, which had suddenly emerged from where the remains of Gojira once lied. This could have been the work of the demon, creating an evil spawn out of the remains of the kaiju. She then realized that she was letting herself make up a judgment too soon. First, she had to be sure. She lowered her head as her antlers softly glowed and closed her eyes, while the foal continued to cry. Her antlers' glow died down as she fluttered her eyes open. She gazed at the infant that cried its eyes out as it lied on its back, covered in this black dirt. She felt no sign of darkness inside of this foal. It was a pure, innocent soul, much like all foals at birth. She lightly smiled as she levitated the foal as it continued to cry. She brought it close to herself as she sat on her rump, patting the back of the baby.
"Shhh. It's OK. It's OK," said Kawasaki in a motherly tone. The foal began to calm down, but continued to whimper.




Later that night...

Kawasaki gently lied the charcoal grey furred kirin onto a futon. He was washed, clean from head to hoof. He bore an armored under belly that was a tan sort of color, and a short tail that bore dark hairs at the end. His dark hair was spiky, and his amber eyes had closed as he breathed softly. Kawasaki quietly left the room and slid the door shut. She then noticed the temple members all staring at her in disbelief.
"Lady Kawasaki, how could you bring that thing into this sacred temple?!" asked Lori.
"Lower your voice! And he is not a thing!" said Kawasaki with a hiss. Hasashi stepped forward.
"Child, I ask you to reconsider keeping that creature here. It was spawned from the remains of Gojira! It has gills, fangs, and claws! We mustn't keep it here," said Hasashi.
"Sensei be that as it may, he's just a foal. I sense no darkness inside of him," argued Kawasaki. The temple members all looked at each other in reluctance and worry. They weren't comfortable with the idea of such a creature living in their temple. Kawasaki deeply frowned.
"Friends, do you not trust my judgement?" asked Kawasaki. The temple members winced in response.
"Have I steered you wrong before? Have I deceived you and your kin?" asked Kawasaki as she looked at everyone in the room. Lori rubbed a hoof against her foreleg with a light frown.
"He may have been forged from the bones of a Kaiju, but his destiny is not dictated by that fact. With guidance, he can grow to be just like you and I," said Kawasaki as she turned to the room where the infant rested.
"I do not ask for your approval, but your trust. I shall be the one to raise him," said Kawasaki as she made her way into the room. She then bowed her head before sliding the door closed.
"I bid you all goodnight," said Kawasaki as she slid the door closed. With that, she fixed her gaze at the foal that rested peacefully in the futon. The priestess lightly smiled at the sight as the foal stirred in his sleep. She made her way over to a lantern and blew out the flame, allowing only the moonlight to shine through the window. She made her way to the futon and lied herself beside the foal. She pulled the blanket over herself as she held the foal close, who breathed softly.
"Don't worry, little one. I'll take care of you as if you were my own. Hm. I've always wanted a child," said Kawasaki with a suppressed giggle. She gently ran a hoof over the foal's ear, which twitched in response.
"My little Gojira," said Kawasaki as she rested her head against her pillow.



It had been a few weeks since Kawasaki had taken in the foal as her own. In that time, she fed, bathed, and held him. She made sure that her voice was what he always heard when he was awake, not able to clearly see just yet. As she held him, his amber eyes met with hers as he cooed, causing Kawasaki to smile, aware that he saw her a clear as day. As the days rolled by, the temple members had been reluctant to come near the foal. Kawasaki kept him to herself most of the time. As time rolled by, Kawasaki was teaching him how to walk. She sat across the room with her hooves held out.
"Come on, Gojira! Come to mamma!" said Kawasaki. Gojira stood up to his hooves as his short legs slightly trembled. He began to take a few steps forward but stopped. Although he struggled, he started to crack a smile as he breathed quickly with a laugh. He took more baby steps, making his way to the mare he recognized as his mother. He stumbled into the forelegs of Kawasaki and began to laugh.
"Great job, Gojira!" said Kawasaki as she clapped her hooves together, prompting Gojira to do the same with a big smile on his muzzle.
Later that day, Kawasaki lied a sleeping Gojira onto her futon. She sighed as she looked at him in worry. She made her way out of her room and into the temple hall, where she found Lori wandering about.
"Lori, I must ask you a favor," said Kawasaki.
"Yes, lady Kawasaki?" asked Lori. Kawasaki sighed.
"I've been called away from the temple to a western village. Would you mind looking after Gojira for me until I get back?" asked Kawasaki. Lori's face turned to reluctance.
"Oh. I... I don't..." Lori looked away. Kawasaki bowed on the ground.
"Please? He's taking a nap right now and he's usually a heavy sleeper. I just need you to watch over him for me for the day until I can return," said Kawasaki. Lori sighed.
"Very well. Anything for you, lady Kawasaki," said Lori. The priestess smiled brightly as she hugged Lori.
"Thank you! I promise that I'll let the others take care of the next problem until Gojira is bigger!" said Kawasaki as she rushed down the hall. Lori sighed as she began to make her way over to Kawasaki's room. Kawasaki hasn't really been carrying out her duty as priestess of the temple since she started raising Gojira. It was concerning, but she just didn't want to part with the foal since she was reluctant to ask others to look after him. But today there seemed to have been a problem in the west that couldn't be ignored.
As Lori made her way to Kawasaki's room, she slid open the door and found Gojira to be sleeping soundly. Lori sighed in relief as she slid the door close. She then heard Gojira whining, causing Lori to stiffen. She sneaked a peek inside of the room and saw the baby sitting up on the futon, beginning to cry. Lori moaned in response.
"You lied to me, Lady Kawasaki," said Lori. She sighed as she stepped inside, reluctant to be near the spawn. Gojira continued to cry out for Kawasaki as he slapped his hooves on the futon. He then heard rattling. He stopped crying and only gave small whines as he turned to the source of the rattling. Lori stood a few feet away with a nervous expression as she levitated a wooden rattle in the air. Gojira sniffled as he turned on his rump towards the rattle.
"Bah!" Gojira reached out for the rattle with a strain. Lori levitated the rattle into the foal's hooves, who struggled to hold them. As Gojira held his hooves together, he began to pout as he was unable to properly hold the rattle. The toy fell to the ground, causing the foal to whine. He then leaned down on the ground and bit down on the handle and then raised himself up. He then giggled as he shook his head, causing the beads in the rattle to bounce around. Lori couldn't help but crack a small smile at this.
"Huh. Persistent little guy, aren't you?" asked Lori as she watched Gojira shake the rattle. The foal threw the rattle on the ground as he blew a raspberry. He then stood up to his hooves, shaking a bit. He then steadily walked towards Lori, whose eyes widened in alarm. She took a step back as the kirin walked towards her with a laugh. Lori found herself backed up against the wall as the foal continued his pursuit, giggling. She flinched as she clenched her eyes shut as the foal was just at her hooves. Gojira lied on his belly as he ran his hooves against her, babbling. Lori nervously opened an eye and found Gojira feeling the long hair just around her ankles. Gojira continued to babble as he wagged his short tail. Lori relaxed with a nervous smile as she knelt and began to run a hoof on his head.
"Aw. You're actually... kinda cute when you look passed how you came to be," said Lori with a small smile. Gojira sat on his rump and raised his forelegs up.
"Umph!" Gojira gave a small toothy grin as he held his hooves up. Lori's antlers began to glow as she levitated the foal into the air, who squealed in delight as he kicked his legs. Lori gave a small giggle.
"You like that? You like to fly?" asked Lori as she began to levitate Gojira all around the room, who continued to laugh from enjoyment. Lori lowered him back down to the ground after a minute of letting the baby enjoy the levitation. Gojira gave off a whine as his lips quivered.
"Uh oh. What's wrong?" asked Lori in worry as she knelt down. She then heard the foal's stomach grumbling. Gojira whined again as he brought the tip of his tail to his mouth and began to nibble on the hairs at the end.
"Oh. H-Hold on," said Kawasaki as she rushed out of the room. After a minute, she returned and brought a ceramic pig-shaped object, filled with milk.
"OK, here's the milk that Lady Kawasaki gives you. The donor is quite generous," said Lori as she sat with Gojira and levitated the ceramic pot near him. Gojira made his way over to the snout of the ceramic pig and began to drink. He licked his lips as he chugged down the milk, causing Lori's eyes to widen.
"Whoa! Slow down, little one," said Lori as Gojira held his hooves on the pot. In a few short seconds, later, Gojira sat back down on his rump with a burp, licking his lips. Lori looked inside of the ceramic pig with a grimace.
"Yikes," said Lori. She had never seen an infant chug down milk like this one before her. He had a monstrous appetite, which was ironic. She then looked at Gojira, who opened his mouth wide with a yawn.
"Now you want to sleep?" asked Lori in amusement. She levitated Gojira into the air and placed him on the futon. Gojira lied down on the pillow and stretched his limbs and then snuggled. Lori placed the blanket over him with a sigh. She lightly smiled as she watched Gojira sleep. It was just like taking care of any other foal. It wasn't so bad, and he was quite cute. This was the first time that she had ever been this close to Gojira.



It has been seven years since the day of the fire storm. The late morning sun was over the land. From the bushes, a seven-year-old Gojira peaked his head out, finding Kawasaki sitting in a garden. Her eyes were closed as she took in the fresh air. The foal smiled as he stalked out of the bush, with his belly close to the ground. He wiggled his rump as he firmly planted his hooves on the ground, like a cat ready to pounce. He lunged for the mare, but suddenly felt himself levitated into the air. With a yelp, he found himself hovering in front of Kawasaki, who bore a smirk on her face.
"Got you, little mister," said Kawasaki. Gojira groaned as he crossed his forelegs over his chest.
"No fair, mother," said Gojira. Kawasaki brought him close to herself and began to rub her hoof against his side. Gojira laughed hysterically as he was tickled.
"Oh no! What's this?" asked Kawasaki with her eyes widened. Gojira tilted his head in confusion. Kawasaki reached a hoof behind his ear and pulled it back, revealing a bun.
"Oh! It's a bun!" said Kawasaki.
"Ooh!" Gojira eyed he treat in amazement. "That's a great trick, mother!"
Kawasaki smiled as she tore the bun in half and gave one half to him. The two ate their own half of the bun as they sat together in the garden.
Later that day, Gojira was kicking a ball just at the base of the hill. He chuckled to himself as he bounced the ball into the air in place. He then slapped his tail against it, sending it away. Gojira began to trot after the ball, still kicking it. He eventually found himself in the path of a few children from the village, who walked together down the road. Gojira smiled as he made his way over to the other foals with his ball.
"Hello! Do you wanna play with me?" asked Gojira as he bounced the ball in place. The kids gave him odd looks, some even began to snort.
"It's that weird kirin from the temple!" said a colt. A filly pointed at Gojira's neck.
"Eeew! What's that on your neck? They look gross!" said the filly as she pointed at the charcoal grey kirin's gills. Gojira raised a brow as he felt his neck with his hoof.
"They're gills. I..." Gojira was interrupted as the kids laughed at him.
"You're so weird! What are you, a fish?" asked a colt. Gojira's ears flattened against his head as he lightly frowned. His cheeks were hot with shame and embarrassment.
"N-No. I'm a kirin," said Gojira in a small tone.
"No you're not! My mommy says that you're a demon spawn!" said a filly. Gojira flinched in response.
"Yeah! We don't play with monsters! Go away!" said a colt as he kicked Gojira's ball away. The charcoal grey kirin walked away with a frown as he had his head low.
"What is wrong with them?" muttered Gojira as he went after his ball. He never met these children before, but they treated him so harshly. He wondered why they he would call him those things, and why they would make fun of his gills. He always had them, and they helped him breathe under water. What was there to mock?
Gojira continued after his ball and proceeded to kick it. He thought that perhaps those kids were just rude. So, he continued to kick the ball around in the field, enjoying himself. He later found himself kicking the ball near the village area. He accidentally kicked the ball too hard, causing it to fly off further towards the village, where a small crowd of adult kirins were present, socializing. The foal rushed over to the village, as a male kirin levitated the ball into the air as he found it land in his direction. Gojira stopped a few feet away as he panted.
"Sorry. Can I have my ball back?" asked Gojira. As he asked this and drew the kirin's attention, he was met with a look of disgust and contempt. The other villagers whispered among themselves at the sight of him. One word ranged in Gojira's ear. It was the same word that they kept calling him behind his back. The male kirin that bore Gojira's ball tossed it to the side, away from the village. The foal ran after the ball, like a puppy playing fetch. He ran across the area until he managed to stop his ball just away from the villagers. He turned to look back and saw that they were leaving the area. In just seconds, the area was empty like a ghost town.
"Kaijirin?" Gojira said to himself in confusion.
"Gojira!" called a familiar voice. Gojira turned his head and found Kawasaki standing just at the base of the hill that held the temple. Gojira rushed towards the kirin who raised him and hugged her. After a quick nuzzle, the foal tilted his head.
"Mother, what's a Kaijirin?" asked Gojira. As he asked this, his mother didn't answer. She was dead silent. Gojira then noticed that her eyes were glistening with the beginnings of tears.
"Mother? What's wrong?" asked Gojira. Kawasaki merely brought him in a warm embrace, as her eyes continued to run with tears. Gojira couldn't fathom why she would be crying. Did he do something wrong to upset her? He hated to see the sight of his mother in tears. Today was not what he would call a good day.




Later that night...

Gojira was roaming through the temple by himself. Soon would be his bedtime. The temple was quiet and almost empty. Some of the members who he normally saw had either went to their own homes or returned to their own rooms, living in this large place. As he passed the house of worship, he heard voices. He stopped in his tracks as the voices sounded distraught. He stepped over to the building and leaned against it, with his ear against the door. He heard his mother speaking, sounding upset. There was someone else in there with her. Curious, Gojira peaked through the building and saw Kawasaki standing in the house in tears, with Lori.
"I don't know what to do! Ever since the villagers found out, they felt distant from the temple!" cried Kawasaki. Lori sighed.
"Lady Kawasaki, I'm sorry. Things just haven't been the same since a few of our members left. They had to have been the ones who told them about Gojira," said Lori. Gojira's face turned to confusion. He wondered why he would have been a relevant topic for the former members of the temple. He didn't even know who they were.
"Do you know what they call him?" asked Kawasaki in despair. Lori nodded solemnly.
"Kaijirin, I know. It's awful," said Lori. Kawasaki continued to lightly sob.
"What kind of future does this hold for him? I just..." Kawasaki sniffled. Lori placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder.
"Maybe... Maybe it's time that you told him the truth," said Lori. Kawasaki looked at her, appalled.
"I.. The truth. I can't-" Kawasaki was interrupted as Lori shook her head.
"He has to know sooner or later. He deserves to know," said Lori in a soft tone. Kawasaki sniffled as she looked down at the ground. Gojira looked on in confusion. He didn't know what they could be talking about. ‘Why did they keep talking about telling the truth?’ he wondered. Gojira slid the door open further, not being able to take the confusion or the sight of his mother in despair anymore.
"Mother? Miss Lori?" called Gojira. Kawasaki and Lori gasped in surprise at the sudden call. They turned to find Gojira walking into the room.
"Mother, why are you crying again?" asked Gojira with a light frown. Kawasaki glanced at Lori, who nodded to her. Kawasaki sighed.
"Gojira, come sit down, sweetie. I need to tell you something," said Kawasaki. Gojira nodded as he made his way towards the two mares and took a seat in front of them.
"Gojira, remember that word you heard?" asked Kawasaki, daring not to utter that very word. Gojira nodded in response.
"Have you been treated harshly lately by others in this temple or outside?" asked Kawasaki.
"Well... Some kids were mean to me today when I asked if they wanted to play. They made fun of my gills and said I was weird and a monster," said Gojira. Kawasaki choked up a sob while Lori deeply frowned.
"Honey, there's something I have to tell you," said Kawasaki before taking a breath. She levitated a scroll over to herself and held it at her side.
"Gojira, I'm not really your mother," said Kawasaki. Gojira's eyes widened in shock, denying what he was hearing.
"Wha... What?" asked Gojira in a small tone.
"I adopted you and took you into this temple when you were just a baby," said Kawasaki in a soft tone. Gojira shook his head, struggling to process this information that slammed into him like a boulder.
"Th-Then... If you're not my real mother, then who is?" asked Gojira. Kawasaki bit her lip.
"I..." She was about to lie and say that she didn't know to spare this foal's feelings, but she didn't have the heart to deceive him.
"You don't have a mother. Or a father. You weren't even born," said Kawasaki. Gojira looked at her in confusion and disbelief.
"I-I don't understand," said Gojira.
"There was a night where a terrible storm and earthquake came. The hill next to ours was never like the way it was before. Before us, there were the bones of a Kaiju, a giant creature that was thought to have been a legend. He was called Gojira," said Kawasaki as she unrolled the scroll and showed it to the foal. On it was an artist depiction of a wingless dragon that stood upright, with sharp claws and teeth. On its back were jagged spikes. The creature stood over a bay, spewing fire from its mouth, with a face that reminded Gojira of a tiger's.
"Gojira? That's my name," said Gojira in confusion.
"Yes. The bones of the kaiju were burned by a tornado made of fire until it mixed with the ash and dirt. When I came to the grave, all I found was a mound of black dirt. In that mound of dirt, I found you," said Kawasaki. Gojira shook his head.
"I... No! That can't be true!" cried Gojira in disbelief. Kawasaki sighed solemnly.
"Then I'll show you," said Kawasaki. Gojira looked at her in confusion.
Later, the young kirin found himself just at this so called, 'grave', with Kawasaki and Lori. They walked through the unearthed grave, passing patches of cool, hard glassed dirt. Gojira's eyes looked around the area with a slight nervous expression. He then suddenly found himself in front of a black mound of dirt. His eyes were wide as he found himself staring at it. Kawasaki then pointed towards a small hole in the side.
"I found you there, covered in black dirt. You were crying, just like a newborn foal," said Kawasaki in a soft tone. Gojira slowly stepped over to the mound of dirt as he fixed his gaze at the hole. He slowly reached up to it and ran a hoof along the dirt. His eyes ran with tears. This was no joke or no cruel lie. This was in fact, the hard truth. He wasn't born, he was made from the very ashes of a monster. Gojira slowly turned to face Kawasaki.
"I'm... I'm a monster," said Gojira. Kawasaki pulled Gojira close to herself as her eyes continued to run with tears.
"No, don't say that," said Kawasaki as she pulled herself away to look into the foal's amber eyes.
"But I'm not like the others. I don't have a mother or father. I don't even look normal," said Gojira with a quiver.
"I may not have given birth to you, but you are still my son. And I love you with all my heart. I always will," said Kawasaki. Gojira buried his face into his mother's chest, sobbing. Kawasaki smiled as tears ran down her face as she held her child, not ever wanting to let him go. Lori watched with a soft smile as her eyes glistened with a few tears at the scene. She was once fearful of the foal like the other temple members all those years ago. She would never think of being anywhere near him. But that fateful day of watching him had caused her to change her view. This was no monster before her, this was a child.



One night, Gojira found himself walking beside Lori. They headed towards Kawasaki's room, where the young foal was tucked into the futon. Lori sat beside him and ran a hoof over his foreleg.
"Are you comfortable?" asked Lori. Gojira nodded.
"Yes. Thank you, Miss Lori," said Gojira with a yawn. Lori smiled warmly in response.
"Your mother should be home soon. But right now, I'll read you a story. It's one of my favorites," said Lori. She then levitated a scroll over to herself and cleared her throat.
"Once upon a time, Red Oni and Blue Oni lived in the mountains of Neighpon. Red Oni wanted to be friends with children. So, he put a board in front of his house. He wrote these words on the board: 'Open house. Please come in.' But everyone was afraid of him, so no one came in. He felt sad and finally took away the board. One day, Blue Oni came to Red Oni's house. He said, 'Do you really want to be friends with children?' Red Oni said, 'Yes, I do.'" As Lori read, Gojira listened intently. Lori continued to read.
"'Okay. I have an idea,' Blue Oni said. Red Oni listened to his idea and said, 'That's a good idea, but you may have a hard time.' 'Don't worry,' Blue Oni said. Then, they went down to the village. Some children were playing in the village. Suddenly, Blue Oni came. He shouted, 'Get out of here, or I'll hurt you.' The children were afraid and cried, "Help us!" Then, Red Oni came and shouted, 'Go away!' Blue Oni whispered, 'Hit me. It's okay.' Red Oni hit Blue Oni, and Blue Oni ran away. 'Thank you for saving us. You're very strong and kind. Let's play together!' the children said. They went to Red Oni's house and played together. A few days later, Red Oni went to Blue Oni's house to thank him. Red Oni found a letter on the door. The letter said, 'Dear Red Oni, I'm glad you have many new friends now. I want to see you again, but I'm afraid I'll scare your new friends. So, I'll go far away. I'll always be your friend. Good-bye, Blue Oni.’ Red Oni read it many times. He cried. He never saw Blue Oni again," read Lori. Gojira lightly frowned in response.
"Miss Lori, why did the children not want to play with the red oni?" asked Gojira.
"Well... Because he looked scary to them. Demons, Oni, and some yokai aren't exactly the nicest of creatures out there. But he and the blue Oni were nice. Unfortunately, their origins and their appearance made the children scared," answered Lori.
"But... Now that the red Oni has friends, then what about his other friend, the blue Oni? He's all alone now," said Gojira with a deep frown. Lori smiled.
"Even though he had to leave, he and the red Oni were still friends. But just because he left didn't mean that he would always be alone. One day, he could find new friends as well," said Lori.
"You really think so?" asked Gojira. Lori smiled as she nodded.
"I do," said Lori. Gojira looked at her in reluctance.
"Even me?"
"Of course, even you," said Lori as she ruffled Gojira's hair, getting a chuckle out of him. Lori stood up and began to walk out of the room.
"Goodnight, Gojira. Have pleasant dreams," said Lori.
"Goodnight, Miss Lori," said Gojira with a yawn. As Lori slid the door shut, Gojira snuggled in his futon.
Gojira lied in his futon, sleeping soundly. The soft breeze of the night blew through the window, washing over him. Such a peaceful hour this was. In his sleep, Gojira picked up the smell of smoke. His eyes shot wide open and got up to his hooves and looked around as he saw an orange flare of light outside of his room. The smell of smoke grew strong. The foal got up from his futon and approached the door. As he came closer, he could faintly feel heat radiating from the door. The air was tainted with a smoke that burned his lungs.
Gojira slid the door opened, only to find the hall to be engulfed in flames. Gojira yelped in fright as he saw fire eat away at the wood in the hall. Gojira frantically looked around, feeling his brain trigger one action. Gojira took off running through the burning hall with a look of panic. He rounded down the corner of the hall and passed a room. He heard a groan filling his hearing. Gojira stopped and looked inside of the room, shocked to see Lori lying on the ground, surrounded by flames of churning wood. Gojira quickly rushed inside.
"Miss Lori!" cried Gojira as he made his way over to the mare's side. As he was about to help her, Gojira found himself swiped away by a large hand. Gojira rolled along the floor and slammed into a wall, moaning in pain. He gasped as he saw his assailant. Before him was an anthropomorphic creature that bore dark skin like charcoal, at the height of six feet. Its fiery red eyes glared at him, as it bore fangs from its large lips. The creature bore a muscled body, with a loincloth covering his crotch. He bore dark red scraggly hair and a beard. On its head were dark short horns that stuck out of its skull. The creature's body gave off smoke as it breathed heavily.
"An Oni," said Gojira to himself. This was the exact kind of creature that was in the story that Lori had read to him for his bedtime. But this one appeared to be far from benevolent. The black oni roared as he raised a flaming kanabo. Gojira gasped as he rolled away from the beast's attack, narrowly dodging a splash of flames that continued to spread.
"I will devour you and spit out your bones, little Kirin!" roared the oni as he stomped towards the foal.
"Gojira, run! Save yourself!" cried Lori as she lied on the ground in pain. Gojira gritted his teeth but then quickly evaded the monster's next attack. He ran away from him through the room, tripping over furniture. The black oni continued his pursuit as he maniacally laughed. He opened his mouth and spewed forth a stream of flames towards the foal. Gojira quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding the flames. The flames only singed the tips of his mane.
"Miss Lori!" cried Gojira, as the flames grew closer to her.
"Please, just run away!" cried Lori as she watched in despair as the child remained present with the monster. The oni roared as he grabbed Gojira and picked him up in the air. He laughed as the foal continued to struggle in his grip. Lori cried out to him.
"No! Please, he's just a child! Leave him alone!" pleaded Lori as creature licked his lips. Gojira groaned as he felt himself being crushed by the creature that reeked of ash.
"Stay still. I am hungry," said the oni as he opened his jaws. Gojira continued to struggle in his grip, not wanting to become this monster's dinner. In his panic, he felt his belly beginning to boil. He groaned in pain as the heat began to build up inside of him. His mane lit up along with his eyes. The oni looked on in confusion but then suddenly was met with a blast of neon blue fire in his face. He cried in agony as he released Gojira and stumbled back through the wall of the room. Gojira dropped to the floor and began to pant, feeling his stomach.
"Wha... What was that?" asked Gojira. He noticed Lori looking at him in shock as she lied on the ground. The foal rushed towards her and began to pull on her hoof.
"Miss Lori, we have to go!" said Gojira as he tugged on Lori. The mare snapped out of her dazed state and slowly began to stand up.  The two navigated through the hall of fire with the air growing much more toxic. The two coughed at the lack of oxygen around them, which only fueled the flames. Suddenly, the hallway's wall burst open, revealing the black oni with his face covered in burn scars. He roared angrily as he pounded his chest.
"I will crush you for that!" shouted the black oni. He roared as he charged down the hall towards the kirins. Gojira held Lori tightly as he clenched his eyes shut. The two awaited their demise, but the oni was struck by a bright beam of light. Gojira and Lori gasped as they found the oni crashing into a wall from the beam. They found Kawasaki standing in the hall with her antlers glowing.
"Leave this temple, you fiend!" commanded Kawasaki as she rushed in through the hall. The black oni got up to his feet and began to swipe his claws at the priestess, missing her.
"Lady Kawasaki!" cried Lori.
"Take Gojira and go! I'll take care of the oni!" said Kawasaki as she began to dodge the monster's attacks. The oni groaned as he was met with a buck to the face, causing him to stumble. He then shot his hand forward, launching a fire ball at Kawasaki, who was knocked off her hooves and onto the ground.
"Mother!" cried Gojira as he broke away from Lori and rushed towards the priestess, ignoring Lori's cries to return to her. As the oni was about to slam his kanabo on an incapacitated Kawasaki, Gojira rushed towards the oni's ankle and bit down on it, causing the monster to cry out in pain. The black oni grabbed Gojira and threw him to the side. The kirin cried out as he slammed into the wall and slumped down. Kawasaki's eyes widened in horror. She then glared at the oni as he approached her son. She gave a cry as she charged towards the monster, but was then met with his kanabo. Lori gasped in horror as she watched the priestess slumped down on the ground.
"No!!" screamed Lori in despair. She gritted her teeth as the oni laughed in triumph.
"This was the great priestess? Bah! I hope she tastes better than she fights!" laughed the oni as he reached for Kawasaki. Lori rushed in with her horn glowing, firing bolts of magic. The black oni grunted as he struck by the bolts. He looked at her in annoyance as the mare came closer.
"I'll avenge you, Lady Kawasaki. I'll save your son!" cried Lori. As she continued her attacks, the black oni stomped towards her. Her face turned to dread as he came closer.
"Such heroic nonsense," said the oni in a mocking tone. The last thing that Lori saw was the flaming kanabo coming her way. The oni laughed, satisfied with his swing. He then felt an agonizing pain on his back. He wailed as the neon blue flames burned his back. As they ceased, he turned and found Gojira stomping towards him with his eyes glowing, along with his mane. The oni stumbled back through the hall as the foal continued his pursuit. Gojira then opened his jaws and spewed a stream of his flames, which engulfed the oni, who cried in agony. The hall was lit up by the neon blue light as the cries continued, which soon ceased. Gojira panted as he stood where a pile of ash was present, among churning wood. Gojira rushed over to Lori as she lied on the ground. He gasped as he turned her over, his eyes welling up with tears. A sob escaped from his mouth as he stared at the one friend that he had in this temple.
"Miss Lori..." muttered Gojira with a sniffle. He then gasped as he saw his mother on the ground, slumped over with her mane singed. Gojira quickly rushed towards her as she gave ragged breaths.
"Mother! Mother, the oni is gone! We have to go!" cried Gojira with his eyes filled with tears. His mother's face bore burns as she lied on the ground. She attempted to stand but merely fell back down on the ground, while Gojira whimpered.
"I can't..." said Kawasaki with a wheeze. She began to cough from the lack of oxygen.
"Mother, please! We gotta go!" cried Gojira. Kawasaki shakily brought a hoof over to his cheek and wiped away a tear. She gave him a weak smile.
"I love you, Gojira," whispered Kawasaki. Gojira sniffled.
"I love you too, mother," said Gojira with a sob. Kawasaki sighed as she lied her head against the wooden floor, as the hall was ravaged by the flames. Gojira began to sob as his mother slipped away. She and Lori had sacrificed their lives to save him. The sound of wood creaking ranged in Gojira's ears. He looked up and saw the ceiling on fire, with parts of it falling to the ground. Gojira quickly ducked down as the ceiling collapsed, burying him, his mother, and Lori. The building on the temple grounds began to collapse as the flames consumed it. The other temple members and a few villagers came rushing towards the area with buckets of water, dousing the remaining flames.



It was early morning. The sun was just barely rising, clearing away the sight of the stars with its light. The small building that housed Gojira and Kawasaki lied in shambles, with churned wood and ash. The kirins that had spent the remainder of the night trying to stop the flames from ravaging the rest of the temple grounds all stood around the debris. A few kirins began to move around wood.
"Lori was here," said a stallion kirin in a solemn tone as he moved debris around, finding the kirin.
"This is terrible. How could this have happened?" asked another stallion as he moved the debris away. The stallions went silent as the sound of planks of wood being moved filled their hearing. They turned and found wood and debris being pushed aside as a figure rose from the ashes. Gojira was covered in ash and cuts as he sluggishly climbed out of the debris that was once his home. He coughed as he shakily stepped out. He turned and found the kirins looking at him in shock.
"You. Where's Lady Kawasaki?!" cried a mare. Gojira solemnly looked to where he had climbed out of. He didn't answer.
"What happened?! Why was there a fire?!" cried another mare. Gojira still didn't answer. He knew the answer, but he was still trying to process everything that had happened the previous night.
"It's obvious!" said a kirin stallion, drawing the attention of the others. The stallion glared at the foal that stood on the mound of debris of the house.
"I saw what happened last night! I was meditating and saw the fire! When I went to investigate, I saw him spewing fire from his mouth! This was all his fault!" said the stallion. Gojira's eyes widened in response.
"I..."
"He's the spawn of a kaiju! He caused the fire that ravaged the temple grounds and killed Lori and the priestess who raised him!" said the stallion as he pointed a hoof at the foal. Gojira shook his head.
"No! No, I would never..." Gojira was met with looks of fear, contempt, and anger. Their fears of what they knew about the foal were resurfacing with much more force.
"I knew that he would be trouble!" said a mare. Other kirins began to shout in agreement as they condemned Gojira for this destruction and the deaths of those closest to him. Gojira shook his head.
"No! Please, it wasn't my fault! It's not my fault!" cried Gojira. He gasped as a stallion kirin threw a rock at him, which he narrowly dodged.
"Leave this sacred place, kaijirin!" shouted the stallion. The rest of the kirins began to shout in agreement as they began to pick up rocks and began to throw them at the foal. They called him demon, monster, and kaijirin, repeatedly. Gojira quickly scurried away from the mound of debris and began to run away as the kirins chased him off the temple grounds. Gojira ran down the hill, passing trees, his ears still ringing from their condemnation. His eyes ran with tears as he ran away.




Present Day...

Gojira remained on the sandy beach with Adagio Dazzle under the moonlit night. His expression was solemn as he sighed.
"After that, I was run out of the temple and village. I was not welcomed by the kirins, because they believed that I was the one responsible for the death of my mother and Lori. I spent the next year living off the land, away from the village," said Gojira, as Adagio listened with a deep frown.
"Before, I never knew what kaijirin meant, and why it upset my mother so. But now, I understand. It's 'Kaiju' and 'Kirin' combined. Meaning part Kaiju, and part Kirin. A monster," said Gojira as he lowered his eyes to the ground.
"Don't let what those villagers think of you get you down, Adagio. You're a wonderful creature, bearing the most beautiful singing voice that I have ever heard. I'm merely something that was made from the ashes of a monster," said Gojira. Adagio couldn't help but flush at the compliment, but she still frowned at what Gojira had said about himself. She scooted herself closer to Gojira and placed a comforting hoof on his foreleg.
"Gojira, you're not a monster," said Adagio. Gojira looked at her in surprise as she looked at him with a firm expression.
"You're different, sure. But that's what makes you special. You're strong, you're brave, and you're..." Adagio's cheeks flushed lightly. She shook her head as she nudged Gojira's shoulder.
"You're a great friend! Someone like you with your unusual origins can't be all bad," said Adagio as she gave Gojira a warm smile. The kirin looked away, still with a light frown. Adagio gave a small sigh as she looked at the ground. She then smiled as an idea came to mind.
"I can see the light in your eye~. A little glare that tells me that you're ready for flight~. Don't let the darkness or the doubt snuff out your light. Just move on, to the dawn. Don't let anyone keep you on the ground. Just move on, to the dawn. Don't stop, until the promise land is found~." Adagio began to sing, drawing Gojira's attention. His mood beginning to lighten.
"Just move on, to the dawn~. Keep your head held high. Stop that sigh. And just spread your wings and fly~," sang Adagio as she leaned her head against Gojira. She began to hum the song as she gently rubbed her head against Gojira. The kirin lightly flushed in response, but his muzzle formed a smile. The kirin lowered her head and leaned against Adagio as well, with their cheeks touching. Adagio's humming continued, as the two gazed up towards the night sky, where the stars gently twinkled and the moon cast its light down upon the earth. The sea glistened as the stars reflected onto the surface, illuminating the area around the two youngsters. Gojira had truly found a land to call his home, where he may be in peace.