//------------------------------//
// Chapter 29: Bloodline  
// Story: Shy and Aggressive 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

Junior sat in boredom at the kitchen table doing his homework as his mother had the TV on, where an action series was playing. He sighed as he scribbled down his answers, feeling angst from the ridiculous amount of homework that the classes thought was an appropriate amount to force upon students. Junior wanted to slap whatever jackass thought it was OK for students to receive a ton of homework throughout the week from every class, while simultaneously studying for the next class for said classes. Junior had to wonder why most students weren't on the brink of insanity because of this.
"Ah. Junior you're missing this week's episode!" said Miwa from the living room as she watched the TV with an entertained look.
"Unfortunately, school seems to be keen on working us to death as some form of population control," said Junior in a sarcastic manner.
"Alright, Mr. Edge Lord. Lord of edginess," said Miwa with a roll of her eyes. Junior raised a brow as he stopped writing.
"Mom, do you even know what that means or are you just saying it because that's what people on the internet are saying?" asked Junior.
"I know what it means! I'm young enough to know! Unlike your father, who was 200 when we met!" said Miwa in offense. Junior grimaced.
"I... I didn't say anything about your age. And actually, dad says that you remembered his age wrong. He was in his late one hundreds when you met. He's 207 now." said Junior. Miwa's cheeks flushed in embarrassment at having gotten her husband’s age wrong. She was making her husband out to be much older than he was when they met, but then shrugged it off, still finding him to still be quite an attractive man either way. As Junior went back to his homework, Miwa slightly glanced at the kitchen where her son was. She had received a notification from the school of her son's latest fight. Knowing how close Junior was to being expelled had her worried. As the show ended, she made her way to the kitchen where Junior was packing his finished homework away.
"Alright. All done. I'm going to bed," said Junior as he stood up.
"Junior. Honey, take a seat for a moment," said Miwa. Junior looked at her in confusion.
"Um... OK. What's up?" asked Junior as he sat back down. Miwa took a seat on a chair beside him.
"I've recently heard about the incident from school. They've told me that if you fight again, you'll be expelled," said Miwa. Junior looked away with a look of shame.
"I... I just..." Junior was interrupted as his mother held his hand.
"Son, I know that it's tough. But you can't always approach something with violence. It doesn't solve anything," said Miwa. Junior was about to argue in his defense but he remembered what was going on in his mind when he confronted Flash. There was no sense in trying to play himself off as a victim since he was guilty of instigating a fight with aggression. So, he remained silent.
"You have to finish high school, Junior. That way you can move onto college and hopefully get a career you may enjoy," said Miwa as she firmly held Junior's hand.
"Don't be like me," said Miwa. Junior sighed as he lowered his head.
"Sure," said Junior. Miwa ran a hand through his hair and pressed her forehead against his with a small smile.




19 years ago... 1988.

It was the afternoon. Students roamed about their halls as they conversed or went into their lockers. Teens were dressed in the latest eighties fashion. It was a diverse and colorful crowd of students. From among the crowd walking through the halls was a sixteen-year-old Neighponese girl. Miwa, bearing short dark hair, walked to her locker. She placed her books inside and took the few necessary text books for homework. As she closed her locker, she found another girl standing beside her. Miwa yelped with a start, feeling her heart race in her chest from the unexpected face.
"Hey, what's up Miwa?" greeted the girl. She bore curly brown hair, with eyes as blue as the ocean.
"Oh. Hi, Cecilia," said Miwa with a small relieved sigh.
"So, are you down for the party at Rhyme Stone's place this weekend?" asked Cecilia with an eager expression. Miwa looked away with a look of uncertainty.
"Ah. I don't know. I mean, my grandmother from Neighpon is coming over this weekend and my parents normally expect me to be around," said Miwa. Cecilia groaned.
"Oh come on! Mi-Mi, this party is going to be fly! The girls are expecting you!" said Cecilia in disappointment. Miwa shrugged.
"Sorry. It's out of my hands," said Miwa. Cecilia placed on a smirk.
"You know, I heard that Carrot Cake is going to be there," said Cecilia. Miwa raised a brow.
"Huh? He's not even my type," said Miwa.
"Oh wait, I was thinking of someone else. My bad. Oh! Coal is going!" said Cecilia. Miwa lightly flushed in response.
"Oh? W-Why should that matter to me?" asked Miwa in embarrassment.
"Oh don't play innocent! I've seen you looking at him," said Cecilia with a sly smile. Miwa looked away.
"I... I was just wondering how the guy keeps himself in great shape," said Miwa with a forced smile.
"Whatever you say. Come on, isn't that enough to beg your parents to let you loosen up with your friends?" asked Cecilia. As tempted as Miwa was, she declined.
"Ah. No, I think I'll stay home. Dad is kind of apprehensive about that kind of stuff. Besides, I want to get a head start on any assigned homework then," said Miwa. Cecilia scoffed.
"Girl, you're way too focused on your books! Why not live a little? Or at least try asking your dad straight up?" asked Cecilia. Miwa shrugged.
"I just want to make sure I pass my classes. My parents are strict about my grades," said Miwa. She then placed her books into her bag.
"Ugh! You gotta tell your folks to chill and give you some breathing room with their laws! I wouldn't let myself be pushed around by them if they were my parents," said Cecilia. Miwa rolled her eyes.
"Sure. I'll see you later, girl," said Miwa as she left. She became one of many students that flocked out of the school to head home. Miwa continued till she arrived at a bus stop, just in time for her bus to arrive. She suddenly felt a nudge on her shoulder, prompting her to find a familiar face. Blaire stood behind her with her blonde hair in a ponytail.
"Sup?" greeted Blaire with a smile. Miwa cracked a smile back.
"Blaire! I thought you were going to miss the bus home," said Miwa.
"Yeah, cutting it close. But fortunately, I made it right on time," said Blaire. As the bus came to the stop, the girls entered the vehicle and took a seat together.
"So, you going to that party?" asked Blaire. Miwa shook her head.
"Nah. Grandma is coming over," said Miwa. Blaire nodded in understanding. She had known Miwa long enough to know of the complications to hanging out when a relative from Neighpon came by.
"That sucks. Man, I really wanted to show you this sweet jacket that I got," said Blaire in disappointment. Miwa smiled in amusement.
"Well, there's no reason why you can't any other time," said Miwa.
"True, but it has to be when all of us are working with style at the party," said Blaire. Miwa leaned against the window next to her seat.
"Hmm. Cecilia seems to think that I shouldn't let my parents be so strict with me. What do you think?" asked Miwa as she glanced at her friend. Blaire shook her head.
"Miwa, don't listen to her. They're your folks. You gotta respect them. It isn't like that they're trying to ruin your life. Parents are just tough on us because they love us. So, your parents must love you quite a lot," said Blaire with a chuckle. Miwa placed on a weak smile but looked back out the window. Blaire sighed as she patted Miwa on the shoulder.
"Well, it's not really my place to say how healthy your relationship with your family is. But it wouldn't hurt to talk to them about this stuff, would it?" suggested Blaire. Miwa hummed to herself.
"I guess not. Yeah, maybe you're right," said Miwa with a nod. Blaire leaned back in her seat.
"Well, more right compared to Cecilia's idea to get whiny with your folks. You're more mature than that," said Blaire. As the bus rolled down the road of Ponyville, a band of people in the streets were marching down the road. There were dozens of them, carrying signs as they gave chants. A few cars that were meant to pass the street turns were halted as the people marched down the road. The bus was forced to stop as well.
"Goddamn Transmutants!" said the bus driver to himself. Curious, passengers peeked through their windows, finding men and women holding up signs bearing slogans, calling for equality, and opposition to discrimination and an end to the school segregation. Miwa was familiar with this. Lately, there had been a trend of civil rights activism on the rise in the country for Transmutants. It seemed that now Ponyville was experiencing the same fight for civil rights with the local Transmutant populace. Transmutants were denied of rights of working for certain jobs, attending the same schools as non Transmutants, etc.
As Miwa watched them march, she noticed a fire truck pulling up in the corner as a band of officers were standing by the street corner as they were armed with nightsticks and wore riot armored suits. As the fire truck parked, fire fighters exited the vehicle and pulled out a hose. There seemed to be shouting between the protesters and the officers. Next thing that Miwa knew, the firemen sprayed a jet of water against the citizens, knocking them back onto the ground and drenching them. Miwa watched in shock as the Transmutants were sprayed. Some officers went into the dispersed crowd and grabbed roughly to haul them away. The Transmutants that resisted received a beating from their night sticks.
"Jesus Christ!" said Blaire in disbelief as she and Miwa watched the scene. Miwa cupped her mouth with her hands as she watched one Transmutant beaten by multiple officers at once. All of this unnecessary force against a peaceful march broke her heart. This reminded her of history class when she learned about the civil rights movement during the early 1900s for Zebrican-Equestrians.



Over an hour had gone by. Miwa and Blaire had gotten off the bus at a stop, where they began to walk together.
"Man. That was some rough stuff, right?" asked Blaire. Miwa nodded.
"Yeah. Assholes," said Miwa as she thought back to what they had witnessed earlier. Blaire sighed.
"It must be tough to be a Transmutant," said Blaire.
"I bet. How can those officers and firemen just do that?" asked Miwa.
"Don't know. Like you said, they're assholes. It's cops like that who give the rest a bad name," said Blaire. Miwa glanced at her.
"Kinda makes you reconsider your career choice huh?" asked Miwa.
"Nah. I'm just gonna be better than those douchebags," said Blaire. Miwa lightly chuckled in response. The two continued down to a street where they began to separate.
"I'll see you tomorrow Miwa," said Blaire. Miwa waved to her in response.
"See ya!" said Miwa. As Miwa walked past the neighborhood in search of her own, she passed a street where a drug store was. In the parking lot were a couple of men who were present by a car. As Miwa walked by, one of them had his eyes drawn onto her.
"Hey baby girl, nice ass!" said one of the men with a laugh. Miwa stiffened as she quickly looked at the man who made the comment. She scoffed in disgust. The man shrugged.
"Hey come on, you can't take a compliment?" asked the man.
"No I can handle a compliment. But I rather not be stared at by some perv while he makes a comment that makes him look like a jackass," retorted Miwa. The man sent her a glare as he left his car while his friend flanked him. Miwa suddenly began to feel discomfort.
"What'd you say to me?" asked the man with a glare as he approached the girl. Miwa backed away with a nervous expression.
"Oh. I-I uh..." Miwa smiled nervously as the men approached. Miwa was backed up against the wall where the man slammed his head above her as he had her pinned against the wall.
"The fuck you say to me, bitch?" asked the man with a harsh glare. Miwa trembled as she whimpered.
"I-I... Sorry!" cried Miwa.
"Not yet, you aren't," said the man as he drew a knife. Miwa quickly shot her knee up and struck the man in the crotch. He cried in agony as he dropped to the ground. As Miwa ran, her arm was grabbed by the other man.
"Help! Help!!" screamed Miwa as struggled to get away. The man slapped her in the face and threw her against the wall of the drug store. Miwa whimpered as she held her face as tears welled up in her eyes, as she remained on the ground in pain.
"My fucking balls. That bitch kneed my fucking balls," moaned the first man in agony as he slowly stood up with his hands over his crotch. As he fought through the pain, who stood up with his knife as he walked over to Miwa.
"I'm gonna cut you for that, little bitch!" spat the man. Miwa gasped in horror as he came closer with the blade. Suddenly, the man was grabbed by the wrist where he held the knife. He cried out in pain as his wrist was crushed. Miwa looked up and found a tall, muscular man with spiked dark hair, a five o'clock shadow, and amber eyes. He glared at the thug as he held his wrist. He then flung him through the air where he slammed into his car window. This new man then rushed towards the second thug as he reached into his jeans. Miwa had only a second to process what came next. The thug drew out a pistol and aimed at her hero, who grabbed the weapon and yanked it away. He then swung the weapon against the thug’s skull and knocked him down. Miwa panted as she saw the thugs taken down in an instant. The man was about to disassemble the gun but then looked it over.
"Thank you, young man," said the stranger as he placed the gun into his jacket's pocket. He turned and found Miwa on the ground, clutching her face. He knelt beside her and reached for her face.
"Are you hurt? Let me see," said the man. Miwa reluctantly moved her hand, revealing a bruised cheek.
"Bastards," said Senior with a hard expression. He stood up with Miwa as she trembled.
"If you'd like, I can walk you home, child," said the man. Miwa frantically nodded with watery eyes. She wrapped her arms around him as she sobbed against his chest. The man caressed her head as she sobbed.
Later, Miwa found herself walking close to her hero into another neighborhood. She remained extremely close, as in against his shoulder. She wasn't going to take any chances should any of that thug's friends witness the ass kicking that occurred. She held a pack of ice against her cheek that the man had kindly went into the store for.
"Do you live in this neighborhood?" asked the man. Miwa nodded.
"Yeah," said Miwa.
"That's good. I live in the area as well," said the man. Miwa looked his way.
"Um... Can I have my hero's name?" asked Miwa in an awkward tone.
"It's rude to ask for a name when you haven't introduced yourself first," said the man in disapproval. Miwa raised a brow.
"Is it? Whatever. My name is Miwa. Miwa Tanaka," said Miwa.
"Gojira Takeshi," said the man in response. Miwa smiled warmly at him.
"Hey, thanks again for saving me. And for walking me home. You moved pretty quickly," said Miwa.
"You're welcome. Those men were shameful for attacking an innocent young woman," said Gojira. Miwa smiled bashfully at the response. She was just saved by quite a noble guy. As the two turned down a corner, a two-story house was in sight.
"Ah. My house is here," said Miwa. Gojira nodded as he turned away.
"Alright. Take care," said Gojira.
"Wait! You gotta meet with my parents!" said Miwa. "They need to know that you saved me."
"I'm not looking for praise. Don't worry about it," said Gojira as he began to walk away, but Miwa rushed to his side and tugged at his arm.
"Come on! Please? I'll get you some tea or something. It's the least I could do," said Miwa with a frown. Gojira sighed.
"Very well," said Gojira as he was led to the house. Miwa fished for her house key and unlocked the door.
"Mama! Papa!" called Miwa. From the living room came a middle aged Neighponese man and a woman. As they came to greet their daughter, they were shock to find her with a bruise on her cheek. Miwa's mother rushed to her daughter and held her face.
"What happened?!" exclaimed Mrs. Tanaka in a thick Neighponese accent. Miwa's father noticed Gojira standing by in their home. He bore a look of suspicion.
"Who is this?" asked Miwa's father.
"Gojira Takeshi," answered Gojira. Miwa pulled away from her mother as her inspection of her face began to annoy her.
"I was attacked by some guys on my way home. Mr. Takeshi saved me," said Miwa as she gestured to the man.
"I just came by to make sure that she got home safely," said Gojira. Miwa smirked as she nudged his arm.
"That, or you just wanted to try my home-made tea," said Miwa. Gojira rolled his eyes.
"Only because you insisted," said Gojira in a dry tone.
"Well... We are very grateful for you stepping in and bringing our daughter home safely," said Mrs. Tanaka with a smile.
"I hope that you informed the authorities to take the men away," said Mr. Tanaka with a raised brow.
"It was actually the drug store owner that did. But they wouldn't be able to go anywhere," said Gojira. Miwa nodded in agreement.
"It was amazing! He threw one of them towards his car window and stopped the other from shooting him!" said Miwa.
"They were armed?!" exclaimed Mrs. Tanaka.
"Not anymore," said Gojira with a small chuckle. Miwa nodded, but her eyes widened as she recalled how Gojira confiscated one of her attacker's gun.
"Please, won't you stay for tea? As appreciation for what you did," said Mrs. Tanaka.
"Gladly," said Gojira as he was about to follow her and her husband out, Miwa tugged at his sleeve.
"Psst. About that gun you took..." Miwa whispered with a slight nervous expression.
"I'm not going to wave it around at you all. I'm just going to have my tea and go home," deadpanned Gojira.
"Just making sure you keep it out of sight," said Miwa as she raised her hands.



Gojira found himself sitting on a sofa where a coffee table sat in front. Miwa's father analyzed the scruffy looking man as he sat in his own chair. Meanwhile, Miwa was in the kitchen with her mother, helping her prepare tea.
"Nice home," said Gojira.
"Thank you," said Tanaka. He cleared his throat.
"Tell me, do you live around here?"
"Yes. Just a neighborhood over this one," said Gojira. From the kitchen emerged Miwa with a cup of hot tea. She carefully came over to Gojira's side and handed him the cup with a smile. She and her mother took a seat in the room as they served themselves their own tea. There was a bit of an awkward silence in the room. However, Gojira was content with the silence as he blew into his cup of hot tea.
"By the way kid, I recommend not walking home down that area we were in. That neighborhood has a few delinquents you should stay clear of," said Gojira as he sipped his tea, tasting the warm contents.
"I'll keep that in mind," said Miwa with a nod. Mrs. Tanaka held her cup above her lap as she cleared her throat.
"So... What is it you do for a living?"
"I work in a warehouse. I help with moving supplies," answered Gojira as he took another sip of his tea.
"Really now?" asked Mr. Tanaka with a raised brow.
"Yes. It puts food on the table," said Gojira, ignoring the man's hint of displeasure of him having a low end job.
"Have you ever thought of being a professional wrestler?" asked Miwa with a chuckle. Her mother merely elbowed her in response, while Miwa shot her a look of confusion and annoyance.
"They wouldn't accept me," said Gojira as his sleeve rolled back as he drank his tea. Miwa's eyes slightly widened in surprise as she saw a set of black ink tattooed onto his wrist.
"Oh," said Miwa.
"I see. A Transmutant wouldn't be accepted into a profession involving physical attributes, let alone jobs that offer a higher wage," said Mr. Tanaka as he noticed the tattoo as well.
"I'm just working with what I can get. A lazy man does not prosper," said Gojira as he took another sip of his tea.
"Well, it's good that you manage," said Mrs. Tanaka with a smile.
"Yes, but work was actually much easier to come by for me in my youth," said Gojira. Miwa looked at him in confusion.
"Really, I thought it was harder. How was it easier?" asked Miwa.
"Because Transmutants weren't easy to identify over 200 years ago," said Gojira. Miwa's eyes widened as she looked at the man in disbelief. Her parents were surprised as they heard this.
"You're 200 years old?!" exclaimed Miwa.
"Actually, I was born in 1807, so I'm currently 181. But I'm close to 200," said Gojira in a nonchalant tone.
"But... You don't look a day over 30!" exclaimed Miwa.
"Thank you, I'm flattered," said Gojira as he sipped his tea. Miwa's mother tapped her chin as she analyzed Gojira.
"How is that possible?"
"Transmutants have a longer life span compared to humans. The oldest I'm familiar with is with being a thousand years," answered Gojira as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a slightly crumpled photograph. It showed signs of age, being worn down on the edges with a few water mark damage on the back. Gojira held the photo out to Mrs. Tanaka, who took it and began to analyze it. Miwa leaned next to her mother to get a view of the photo as well. On it was an image of Gojira Takeshi, appearing exactly the same way as he does currently, minus the scars on his younger self's face. With him were a few other men, including one elderly man in the middle. The men were dressed in kimonos, with sheathed katanas held at their hips.
"This is a photo from the late 1800s. The older man is my father, and the other men are my cousins," said Gojira.
"Wow. You're a real relic for Neighponese history!" said Miwa in amazement.
"Where are your family members now?" asked Mrs. Tanaka. Gojira bore a neutral expression as the question was asked. Miwa looked his way and found him to hold a blank expression, yet almost solemn.
"They died during the 1940s," said Gojira. Mr. Tanaka hummed as he nodded in understanding.
"The war."
"The war," said Gojira, nodding in confirmation. Miwa's eyes softened. She looked back at the photo. World War 2 was one of the most devastating times in human history. It claimed the lives of many men, women and children from all nations. Young men were drafted into the military to fight in the war for their country against opposing forces. Transmutants were no exception. In fact, some countries tried to round up as many Transmutants as possible and force them into combat in order to gain the upper hand against their enemies, as was the case for Gojira and his family. Miwa was knocked out of her thoughts as Gojira cleared his throat.
"Excuse me. I have to get home and be ready for work. Thank you very much for the tea," said as he glanced at his watch and set an empty cup on the table. Miwa immediately shot up as the Transmutant stood.
"I'll walk you out!" said Miwa. Her mother a small look of worry as her daughter walked the man out. They may have just chased away their guest, and their daughter's rescuer. As Miwa and Gojira were out the door and on the front porch, Miwa looked at him with an apologetic expression.
"Mr. Takeshi... I just wanna say that I apologize if my family and I offended you in anyway," said Miwa. Gojira merely shook his head.
"No need. I actually have to get home. I start work in a couple of hours," said Gojira in reassurance.
"I appreciate your hospitality. It was welcoming. Not to mention the tea was good," said Gojira with a light smile. Miwa looked away with reddening cheeks. She quickly wrapped her arms around Gojira tightly, much to his surprise. The Transmutant lightly chuckled in response as he patted the girl's back.
"Thanks again, Mr. Takeshi," said Miwa as she released him.
"Just call me Gojira," said Gojira as he began to walk away.  Miwa's heart skipped a beat in response as she watched the man leave her porch. She bore a bashful smile as she went back inside.
"Such a cool guy," muttered Miwa. She went back to living room where she found her mom anxiously seated.
"We didn't..."
"It's fine mom. He has work," said Miwa. Her mother sighed in relief, glad that she didn't offend the man.
"Miwa, I want you to avoid the area that you were attacked in," said Mr. Tanaka. Miwa nodded in response.
"Yes, father," said Miwa. She didn't have to be told twice. There was no way that she was going to have a repeat of the incident. Her father made his way over to her and planted a kiss on her forehead as he caressed his head.
"Good. I'm glad that you're safe." Mr. Tanaka left Miwa with her mother alone as he left the room. Miwa sat beside her mother with a sigh.
"Still shaken up?" asked Mrs. Tanaka.
"Not really. I'm just tired," replied Miwa. She thought back to her earlier conversation with Blaire and Cecilia in regard of how limited her freedom was. She felt the desire to bother her mother about it, but felt that now wasn't the time. Later, Miwa was busy washing the dishes that were recently made as her mother sat in the kitchen.
"It's a good thing that man was there for you," said Mrs. Tanaka as she held her hands in her lap.
"Yeah. He could have gotten hurt or even killed. But I guess you lose some fear after living over a hundred years," said Miwa with a nod. Her mother stood up and made her way back to the living room. From there, Miwa heard her gasped.
"Oh! I forgot that I still had his photo!" exclaimed Mrs. Tanaka. Miwa's eyes widened in response.
"Ah! Mom!" cried Miwa.



It was the next day. Miwa was sitting at a cafeteria table with a large phone book open. Blaire took a seat next to her along with Cecilia and a couple of other girls.
"What's with the phone book?" asked Blaire as she picked up her fork and prepared to eat. Miwa was knocked out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh. Just looking for someone," said Miwa.
"Who? Ah you know what? Doesn't matter. Mi-Mi, did you talk to your parents?" asked Cecilia.
"Er... No," said Miwa as she went back to reading. Cecilia groaned in disappointment.
"Why not?" asked Cecilia. It was then she noticed a bruise on Miwa's cheek.
"Hey, what happened to your face?" asked Cecilia in concern.
"I was attacked on my home," answered Miwa as she continued reading. The rest of the girls gasped in shock.
"Oh god, are you alright? What happened?" asked Blaire in worry.
"Some jerks got mad when I told them off when they were hitting on me," said Miwa.
"So what happened?" asked another girl. Miwa smiled.
"As this guy came at me with a knife, some other guy came out of nowhere and beat the snot out of them! It was like something out of a movie or a comic book or something!" said Miwa as she recalled Gojira's heroic act.
"Oh snap! Some guy saved you? Did you get his number?" asked Cecilia with a coy smile. Miwa blushed in embarrassment.
"No! No, he just came over for tea. Besides, he's older than me," said Miwa with her flushing hot.
"Ah too bad. It would have been a good opportunity to get yourself a boyfriend," said another girl.
"Lay off her. Miwa isn't a love sick puppy like everyone else," said Blaire. Cecilia scoffed.
"That's mean! You don't have a boyfriend either!" said Cecilia. Blaire smirked.
"So? I'm perfectly fine with that. It's not a necessity for me," said Blaire. She then glanced at Miwa. "Seriously, what's with the phone book?"
"He left something of his at my house. I'm looking for his number so I can tell him," said Miwa. She sighed in annoyance as she read through the book. "I'm not having any luck so far."
"What's his name?" asked Blaire.
"Gojira Takeshi," answered Miwa. Cecilia snorted as her face contorted into amusement.
"The hell kind of name is that?" asked Cecilia.
"A Neighponese one," deadpanned Miwa as she went back to reading. She sighed in frustration as she grabbed her hair.
"I can't find him anywhere in this stupid thing!" cried Miwa, startling the other girls.
"Hey, relax. You'll find him. Besides, he might just come back to your place once he realizes that he left something at your place," said Blaire. Miwa sighed as she slumped down on the table in exhaustion from reading all of the names and addresses in the book. It was likely that Gojira would come back looking for the photo, considering he kept it on him as if it were a prized possession. After all, some members of his family were photographed on there. Miwa put the book away with a sigh.



It was after school. Miwa was running through a neighborhood with a shortness of breath. She had spent the last minute running through her neighborhood in search of Gojira Takeshi's residence. There was no luck so far. She took advantage of the last neighborhood by knocking and asking around if they were familiar with such a man. This had proved to be fruitless as well.  Now she was currently in another neighborhood, hoping that she could find Gojira here. Miwa's muscles began to tire and her stamina began to wear off. She immediately stopped and began to pant heavily. Miwa took a deep and dramatic breath and hunched over.
"Ugh! Where is he?!" cried Miwa. Her ears perked as she heard a door open. She turned and found Gojira Takeshi exiting out of the front door to a small apartment complex. It was just isolated near this very same neighborhood. Miwa's eyes widened in shock as the Transmutant turned. Gojira flinched in surprise as he caught her just on the sidewalk in front of the apartment complex.
"Oh. Miwa, was it?" asked Gojira. Miwa's expression brightened up as she stood up straight.
"Mr. Ta- I mean, Gojira!" Miwa rushed over to the Transmutant, still panting. She found him dressed in a short sleeved t-shirt and jeans, along with a bright yellow jacket. It was the sort you would see some warehouse workers dressed in.
"Hello. What brings you here?" asked Gojira. Miwa quickly reached into her back pack and pulled out a folded photo.
"You left this at our place last night. I came by to return it to you," said Miwa as she handed Gojira the photo.
"Oh. Thank you. I actually realized that I had left this when it was late. I was actually planning to swing by your home on my way to work. But I forgot where you lived," said Gojira with an embarrassed chuckle. Miwa stifled a small giggle in response.
"Well, it's a good thing that I found where you lived," said Miwa with a warm smile.




Present Day...

Holographic images flowed around a in the center of an office. Discord held out his cybernetic hand out to the hologram of a double helix with bits of information appearing on the side as floating text. With him were a couple of his employees, including Amoeba, the woman who came to Discord about his research.
"As you can see, contrary to beliefs that Transmutants are less human than others, you'll find that the only difference between them is that Transmutants hold an extra gene in their DNA. This is known as the T-gene," said Discord as a couple of segments in the double helix were highlighted.
"This gene ultimately sets us apart from Transmutants, but even its sequences may vary between individuals based on a species based system from where a Transmutant bears its similarities.  The DNA of Gojira Takeshi Jr. holds a sequence similar to that of reptiles. Though it can't be linked to any known creatures that we have," said Discord as he gestured to the hologram as holographic images of other double helixes were shown.
"However, we now learned that his genes hold quite the resistance to at least multiple bacteria and viruses. The antibodies were even able to eradicate HIV," said Discord. Amoeba and a few other scientists looked on in shock and amazement.
"Like crocodiles and alligators! Their immune system has a greater innate response compared to humans, which allows them to avoid severe infections when dwelling in their murky waters!" said a woman.
"And that's not all. Amoeba," called Discord. The young woman cleared her throat.
"By looking through his father's medical records, we found out that he has experienced some severe injuries that he recovered from just a day or more shortly after. For example, in 1989, he was reported to be in a work accident. His right arm was amputated. A week later, his stump showed signs of abnormality. It was growing in length, while bone, muscle and cartilage developed," said Amoeba as she held an envelope of medical records. Holographic images of an amputated arm were shown, connected to an unseen man. Alongside were dates that the pictures were taken. As the days and weeks progressed, the amputated arm grew in length, along with the development of appendages until the arm fully recovered.
"How is that possible?" asked a man in disbelief.
"It seems that our dear boy has some form of advanced regeneration that puts lizards to shame," said Discord with a chuckle.
"It's no secret that lately, there have been rumors of Transmutants performing feats beyond super strength and durability. Rumors of some firing rays from their eyes, moving objects with their minds, breathing fire, and one emitting electricity like an eel," said Discord as he caused images to appear. One of them was a man in black, standing outside of a warehouse as violet beams of energy came from his eyes. The image was shot from a police security camera in the street. Another image showed a man with wild blondish orange hair standing in the street as his body illuminated with bright blue lights that seemed to jaggedly course around him like lightning. There was also a video looping of a large man with a burgundy armored hide, with his mouth wide open as a violet stream of energy and mist coursed through an armored vehicle, melting through it.
"We don't know why these Transmutants can do what they do. But it doesn't seem to be an abundant trait among them to have these far more abnormal abilities," said Discord. "This advanced healing just may be one of those rare traits found in certain Transmutants. I am interested to know more about the genes of the Takeshi lineage."
Discord held a short gaze at his cybernetic arm that reached out to the holographic double helix of the recent alleged criminal, Gojira Takeshi Jr. There were promising possibilities running through his mind right now if they were to successfully utilize this Transmutant's genetics. It would benefit himself, MONARCH, GeneCo, and even humanity as a whole. He could kill a whole flock of birds with one great stone. Discord returned his attention to the staff of the room.
"Everyone, we will continue our efforts of the super soldier serum with the use of the Takeshi DNA," said Discord. A few reluctant murmurs came from the staff.
"What about the U.N.? They've always been reluctant about integration of Transmutants into related projects," said a man.
"No need for concern. We'll keep this project quiet until we can get the desired results. Once we do, we'll get Director Onyx to back this up if satisfied, then we'll take to the U.N.. They can't argue with good results, or the potential good this can provide," said Discord as he pointed to the images of the regenerating arm. He smirked.
"Just think, the power to overcome the harshest of illnesses and to heal from the ghastliest of wounds. Traits that God has cheated mankind out of. But that will change," said Discord with a determined smile. No man can resist the idea of godhood. And the first step to that potential was hidden within Takeshi's genetic code.



It was early noon. Junior was sitting in a chair just in front of the principal's office with a look of confusion on his face.
"W-Wait, I don't understand," said Junior. Celestia sat at her desk in front of him with a smile.
"It's as I said. Vice Principal Luna and I thought that you'd be a perfect candidate for showing three new students around the campus," said Celestia. Junior rubbed his brow as he sighed.
"No, I understand what you mean. What I don't understand is why me? Why not get someone like Twilight to do this? This seems more up her alley, with the whole community service crap that the Friendship Club is known for," said Junior. "Besides, I don't have much positive things to say about students here."
"Yes, we could get someone like Twilight to do this. But we think this would be in your best interest," said Celestia in response. Junior raised a brow at her.
"How?"
"It gives you the chance to get newcomers to know the real you, rather than what the rumors say about you," said Celestia. Junior crossed his arms as he looked to the ceiling in thought.
"Hmm. Well to be frank, I honestly don't care what they think of me. Along with everyone else," said Junior. Celestia sighed in response at Junior's response. He really was hard to get through to when it came to a bigger picture that would help with his social life.
"Hmm. Is that so? Does that mean that you're declining?" asked Celestia as she planted her elbows on her desk with her hands locked together, bearing a firm gaze.
"Kinda," said Junior with a shrug.
"Hmm. Well, what if I were to tell you that this isn't an option and that this is mandatory to make up for that fight you started a couple of days back?" asked Celestia. Junior bore a blank expression. He then scowled.
"Hmph. Well played, Principal. Well played," said Junior. Celestia merely smirked in response.
"Oh come on. It won't be so bad. You don't have to show them to popular kids or anything like that. Just show them around campus and maybe answer some questions that they may have," said Celestia in reassurance. Junior sighed heavily. He really wasn't feeling up to the task. The weather and the crap he's been going through lately have just been making him want to laze about.
"Fine. Just let me know whenever they get here and I'll be on top of it," said Junior in defeat.
"Excellent! They should be here tomorrow. They need to get settled into their home here in Ponyville, since they're from out of town," said Celestia in an upbeat tone. Junior couldn't share her enthusiasm since he was being made to take part in this.
Later, Junior found himself walking alone down the hall towards the quad. He mentally griped about how Celestia was forcing him to give a tour to three new students.  He knew better than to just believe that everything would turn out peachy. As Gojira walked through the quad, he heard quiet sobbing. He stopped in his tracks and looked around. On a bench alone, he found Sunset Shimmer sitting with her face buried into her hands. Junior cautiously approached her, unsure of how she would react to him after the incident between him and Flash.
"Sunset?" called Junior. Sunset quickly turned away and began to rub her eyes with her sleeves.
"Oh. H-Hey, Gojira," greeted Sunset with a stutter. She turned to face Junior with a forced smile. Her eyes were puffy and betrayed the facade that she had placed upon herself. Gojira bore a soft expression.
"Hey, you OK?" asked Junior. Sunset waved her hand dismissively.
"I'm fine. Really. I'm..." Sunset's smile started to falter and her eyes welled up with tears again. Her composure crumbled and broke down in a fit of tears. Sunset looked away as she began to cry. Junior approached and took a seat at her side.
"Hey, hey. Sunset, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" asked Junior. He never saw this girl in this state before. She always seemed to have a strong will. Sunset sniffled as she wiped her eyes.
"Flash and I... We broke up," muttered Sunset. Junior looked at her in surprise.
"No. Really?" asked Junior. Sunset nodded.
"Really," said Sunset with a sob nearly escaping her mouth.
"Why? What could have caused you two to break up?" asked Junior in disbelief.
"After what happened, he and I got into a fight. He kept saying that I was putting you, a potential criminal, before our relationship. I kept telling him that wasn't true. I was just defending you from a crime I know you didn't commit. After we spent the whole time arguing, he pulled me aside today and told me that... He thought it was best we ended our relationship, if I was so keen on defending you all the time," said Sunset with a sniffle. Junior turned away, his stomach in knots.
"Oh. Sunset I... Well, I guess an apology is useless since I was the tool that caused you two to break up," said Junior. He never really cared or liked Flash, but he considered Sunset a friend, making him feel bad that he caused them to split off because of her sticking up for him.
"You know, I didn't appreciate you coming out hostile towards him," said Sunset as she glanced at the Transmutant.
"I know. It was a shitty thing of me to do. I'm sorry," said Junior with a sigh.
"But I understand why you did it. Erika filled me in," said Sunset as she wiped her eyes. "I think I'd be just as pissed as you were. I'd probably do the same thing."
"Oh," said Junior.
"It must have been frightening," said Sunset in a small tone.
"It certainly was no picnic. I got shot," said Junior as he rubbed his arm. His regenerative abilities allowed the wound to heal quickly without a scar.
"But with a level head, I realize how stupid I was. I got a confession out of him and what? It wasn't going to change the fact that people think I'm a murderer," said Junior with a heavy sigh. The consequence of his action was just tearing him up inside, with Sunset having to suffer.
"Hey. Why not try to talk it out with him? Hell, I'll even pound him for ya so he can take you back. Hehe." Junior awkwardly chuckled, hoping to cheer Sunset up. But he realized that he just suggested to hurt her now ex-boyfriend to get him to take her back. He felt like a total prick since that's what led to this in the first place. However, Sunset softly giggled, much to Junior's surprise.
"Is it always violence with you when it comes to solving problems?" asked Sunset. Junior shrugged.
"Diplomacy isn't my strong suit," said Junior with an embarrassed chuckle. Sunset shared a short laugh with him.
"Don't do it. Otherwise you'd be in bigger trouble. Besides, I don't think he's willing to talk it out. He seems really hurt," said Sunset. Junior cleared his throat.
"Seriously though. Let me make it up to you. I don't know how, but I'll do whatever. Hell, you can abuse the shit out of me if it will make you feel better," said Junior. Sunset patted his shoulder.
"Forget it. What's done is done. But it's sweet of you to talk to me about this. I wasn't able to show my face to Erika or the others," said Sunset. She stood up from the bench as she wiped her eyes.
"You coming to the cafeteria?" asked Sunset. Junior nodded as he stood up.
"Sure," said Junior. The two walked off together, while Sunset bore a soft smile.
'I see why she likes you,' thought Sunset as she glanced at Junior.



It was the early evening. Inside of this garage of his home, Genshiro Shiragami rubbed his tired eyes as he sat up straight in his stool. His clothes bore the stench of himself from a lack of proper hygiene. His brows were covered in sweat, and his skin itched. For weeks, Genshiro had been spending most of his time either at work or in his lab. He had recently took a leave of absence in order to secretly focus on his work. He naturally lied and stated that he needed to take time off to recover from an illness, which Discord was kind enough to allow. So Genshiro was finally able to fully focus on developing the cure to his child's ailment. But he was also sacrificing the time that he could be spending with Erika while in these difficult times. This pained his heart, but it was all going to be worth it.
Genshiro peered into the microscope that sat on the lab table in front of him, analyzing the sample of blood that he was testing. His eyes scanned the sample as the cells divided amongst themselves, while fusing to the cells of the prehistoric plant sample. He smiled as he watched the cells bond together. Before, the cells of the Takeshi would attack the foreign cells and absorb them whole, completely destroying the cells as common bacteria. By introducing his blood sample to the mix, the cells were broken down and destroyed by Takeshi's. This would only prove to kill his daughter if he had simply transfused the blood into her. He had to modify the cells so they would work in a beneficial relationship with the rose cells, and hopefully bond themselves with Erika's genes to wipe out the cause of her illness.
"Good. The G-cells and rose cells have bonded together. They are completely stabilized," said Genshiro to himself. He took a dropper and took a sample of his own blood and introduced it to the newly bonded cells. He sighed as his heart raced in his chest. Before he could peer into the microscope, a knock on the door startled him. He turned and found Erika peering through the window to the door. Genshiro glanced back at his work, not wanting to miss the results. He quickly got out of his seat and made his way to the door.
"Yes, sweetie?" asked Genshiro.
"Dinner's ready," said Erika. Genshiro quickly looked at his watch. Time had really flown while he was in his personal lab.
"Yeah you've been here since I got home. You should take a break and come eat," said Erika.
"Ah. I can't right now. I've almost made a huge breakthrough. I have to record the effects," said Genshiro. Erika deeply frowned as she looked down at the ground.
"Daddy, you have to stop this," said Erika in a small voice. Genshiro shook his head.
"No, I almost have it! I just need-"
"Just stop!" cried Erika, startling her father. She looked at him, distraught.
"I can't stand seeing you like this! You're a mess! You rarely sleep and eat, and I hardly see you anymore!" cried Erika with her voice breaking. Genshiro looked away as his daughter broke down in despair.
"Dad, I'm going to die one day. We can't change that. But I don't want us to drift apart because of that. I don't need a scientist. I need my father..." said Erika with her cheeks stained with tears. Genshiro pulled her into a tight hug as his eyes watered.
"I'm sorry, Erika. I'm so sorry," said Genshiro as his daughter sobbed against his shoulder. The two released each other, with Erika wiping her eyes.
"I'll be up soon. Just give me a minute to clean up," said Genshiro. Erika nodded with a sniffle. As she left, Genshiro sighed heavily. It felt as though his efforts to save his daughter were fruitless. He was going to lose his one and only child, just like his dear wife. It felt like he could do nothing to stop that from happening. As Genshiro looked over into his microscope, his eyes widened. The G and rose hybrid cells were in the process of bonding with his own cells. They weren't being destroyed, but converted. Genshiro quickly began to jot down notes as he studied the process.
"My god. This... This might be it!" said Genshiro with joy. He laughed as gazed upon his work. After several failures, he had finally found the possible cure for his daughter. All he needed to do was to continue to monitor the cells and test their response to bacteria and viruses. He quickly got out of his seat, intending to keep his promise to his daughter. Right now he was just in a good mood to eat. As Genshiro entered his home and into the kitchen, he bore a giddy expression.
"Dinner smells delicious! Erika, I-" Genshiro was cut off as he found his daughter hunched over as she covered her mouth and held her stomach. She was coughing furiously as her hand was stained with blood. Erika dropped to the ground wheezing as her lips bore blood stains.
"Erika!" cried Genshiro in horror. He quickly rushed to his daughter's side as she wheezed. Her skin had grown pale and her body was growing limp.
"Dad," wheezed Erika. Genshiro was in the process of breaking down as he watched his daughter suffer in this state.
"You're going to be fine! Honey, you'll be fine!" said Genshiro with watery eyes. Erika wheezed as her eyes closed. Her temperature began to rise. Genshiro quickly began to pick her up and carry her to the couch. Her blood stained his hands and coat. As Genshiro was about to call an ambulance, he stopped. This may have been his one chance to save Erika. The mutagenic compound he was testing proved to have successfully bonded with his human DNA, so the same could be for Erika. He didn’t see how it would react to infections or how the long term effect of the mutagen would be, but Erika’s condition was getting worse and she was getting closer to dying. The thought made Genshiro's stomach tighten. He quickly stood up and rushed back out to his lab. He gathered a syringe and the modified G-cells contained in a small bottle. He rushed back to the living room to find Erika still wheezing as she broke out into a fever. Genshiro grabbed Erika's arm and rubbed anesthetic onto it.
"You're going to be OK, Erika. You're going to be OK," said Genshiro as he used the syringe to draw in a red-orange liquid from the small bottle. He tied a band around her arm and searched for a vein. When he found one, Genshiro carefully stuck the needle into her skin. As he injected the liquid into her blood stream, Erika's brows began to crinkle.
"Agh! Ah!" cried Erika in pain as she felt a burning sensation in her vein, which began to spread around. Genshiro panicked at the sudden reaction. He held Erika's hand as she cried out in pain. Her veins were exposed from beneath her skin as the injection spread through her blood stream, spreading the burning sensation throughout her body. Her eyes became bloodshot, and her emerald green irises began to change in color.
"Ahhhh!!" screamed Erika in agony, her cries muffled out from outside of her home.