An armored vehicle bearing the MONARCH insignia was on the road, leaving Ponyville High. Inside of the vehicle were Xenjira and Senior. The two were side by side, restrained by steel plugs that locked their legs and arms in place. Both were unconscious, and were injected by a yellowish liquid by a man in the back of the large truck with them.
"Rogues are secured and sedated," said the man as he placed the syringe away. He made his way to the front of the truck as a couple of soldiers stood guard in the back as the truck moved away from the school.
Onyx stood inside of a room where a man was seated in a chair. The room was small, empty and filled with only a couple of guards. The man was bruised and bleeding from his earlier experience. Onyx approached the man with eyes as cold as ice.
"Now, you're going to tell me what you know. What are you and your group are planning with the technology you stole," said Onyx. The Purist chuckled.
"Stole? We merely found them lying aro-"
"Ah. No. Anything, I hate more than a thief is a goddamn liar. Beyond that, murderers," said Onyx as he pulled up a chair and sat across from the Purist.
"What you used were gases that are not only strong enough to slow down the motor skills of Transmutants, but also render humans unconscious. That is a military product used by our organization. Yet you had access to them, along with prototype Quake cannons! We've lost several prototypes and I've discovered that you are in possession of them! The mech suit, the scorpion harness, and the hydraulic boots and gauntlets! All of which were used in the shooting of Ponyville High. Who told you about these prototypes?" demanded Onyx. The Purist chuckled.
"Why should MONARCH get to keep all of the best toys to themselves. Especially with the rampant growth of Transmutants," said the man.
"Do you think this is a game? Your people shot up an entire high school! Using our property!" said Onyx with a glare.
"Director, you're getting worked up over something so trivial. You don't see the bigger picture," said the Purist as he sat up straight.
"For years, the human race has been threatened by these monsters. What's worse is that we've began to mate with them, the equivalence of bestiality. This is giving rise to unclean hybrids," said the Purist, while Onyx kept his eyes narrowed.
"We took your technology because MONARCH isn't going to the source of all of our problems. It's the Transmutant race itself. We'll be the ones to cleanse this world of impurities," said the Purist. Onyx bore a look of disgust.
"You're going to commit genocide on the innocent? Who's the real monster? Your actions to 'cleanse' the world have cost the lives of innocent humans! Children in that school are dead!" said Onyx angrily. The Purist scoffed.
"These are all acceptable losses for a brighter and cleaner future," said the Purist. Onyx clenched his fist as his blood boiled. The man's disregard for innocent lives by the Purists actions baffled and disgusted Onyx as he rose from his seat.
"You're scum. All of you in your group," said Onyx in a low tone.
"You claim to protect humans from a threat of another race and yet you kill and destroy whatever is in your way. You're no different than Destoroyah and his Revolutionaries!" said Onyx in anger. He then reached for his holster and drew out a pistol as his blood boiled. He pulled the hammer on the gun with his thumb and placed the gun against the Purist's forehead, who merely stared with a hard expression.
"And I'll make sure that you'll be joining them all in Hell!" said Onyx.
"Director, stop!" shouted one of the guards as he rushed towards Onyx and pulled him back.
"Director, we need him alive. Don't forget, he knows something important," said the guard as he attempted to get Onyx to lower the gun. The Director bore a hard expression. As much as he hated to admit it, the man did know something valuable and a corpse cannot be interrogated. Onyx released the hammer on the pistol and then walked to the side of the Purist before whipping him with the pistol, knocking out a couple of teeth. The Purist groaned as he was knocked to the ground.
"Keep questioning him," ordered Onyx as he left the room and holstered his gun. He found himself in the hallway, with his boiling blood settling to a simmer. He arrived in his office, where he took a seat with a sigh. A light on his desk began to flash. He pressed on a button, projecting an image on the screen. It was Dr. John Discord.
"Ah Director. Happy that you answered," said Discord.
"Doctor. To what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Onyx.
"I've heard of the incident over in Ponyville. Very tragic," said Discord.
"Yes. A lot of lives were lost. But is that what you called about?" asked Onyx with a raised brow.
"Not exactly. This may be insensitive considering the circumstances, but I've become aware that your men have found dead Rogue Transmutants at the school. Considering how they were not legal and there is no claim to them, I ask that GeneCo would be allowed to be in possession of their corpses," said Discord. Onyx narrowed his eyes.
"You want my permission to allow your company to take deceased Transmutants?" questioned Onyx.
"Only the rogues, Director. I am not asking for any of the children who have tragically died," said Discord. Onyx slightly relaxed but wasn't comfortable with the idea of GeneCo rounding up corpses. It felt like some kind of sick science fiction scenario.
"What do you want with their corpses?" asked Onyx.
"We're making progress on our Super Soldier serum for your military, Director. We have been approved to use Transmutant DNA. We have a template to work with, but it is bound to decline in quality eventually. We must work with other Transmutant templates. Surely you understand," said Discord. Onyx sat in his seat with his eyes closed. It didn't sit right with him to use these corpses for research. It felt disrespectful for the deceased, but no one seemed to claim them and there was a need for super soldiers to fight back against the Revolutionaries.
"I'll have my men save the corpses for you. Be sure to pick them up. This does not come out to the public," said Onyx with a low tone. He’d rather not stir up any more controversy then this super soldier program has already.
"Thank you, Director," said Discord. The feed then cut off, displaying the MONARCH insignia on the screen on the wall. Onyx sighed as he sat back near his desk and glanced at some framed photos. One in particular was the center of his attention. He reached for a photo that bore himself in his younger years, along with several other soldiers, including his deceased commanding officer. They were his deceased comrades from the Solgell Uprising during the 70s. Onyx bore a soft expression.
"I've been a coward all of those years ago. I hid and gave up during the battle. I was too helpless to stop them. If I hadn't backed down due to my cowardice, would I have made a difference?" wondered Onyx as he stared at his old comrades, who were frozen in time by this photo.
"But I will make this right. I'll continue to lead and fight against them," said Onyx with hard eyes. A knock came at his door, prompting him to put the photo down.
"Come in," said Onyx. From the door came a Neighponese man that bore scars over his face, and wore a dark uniform.
"Lieutenant Hayato Yoshi," greeted Onyx.
"Sir. I've come to inform you that your chopper is prep and ready to take you to your destination," said Hayato. Onyx nodded as he stood up.
"Then let's be on our way," said Onyx.
It pained Celestia as she watched Junior lying down on a cot in his condition. His wounds were properly treated and his stump where his left arm used to be was wrapped up by bandages. He was resting now, but he still appeared to be in pain. Today was a horrifying experience for her and her students, something that she wished that she could have prevented. She realized that she had yet to contact her sister to inform her that she was alright despite her fears that her sister was not well herself. Pushing the thought aside, Celestia stood up and drew out her cell phone and began to call Luna.
"Hey. Who're you calling?" questioned a Guardian that bore a look of suspicion. Celestia mentally sighed in annoyance. Ever since she and her students arrived, these people have been hovering over their shoulders with every little action.
"I'm calling my sister. She was in the school during the shooting," said Celestia.
"Not a word about this place," said the Guardian with narrowed eyes. Celestia nodded as she placed the phone against her ear.
Meanwhile, Twilight was holding her own hand as she looked to the back of the cave where the Ark was present. She still couldn't fathom what that surge she felt could have been, or why these Transmutants were awfully protective of it. She and Applejack had been treated by Zip and Thorn for their cuts and bruises from the day. Applejack merely stared at Thorn as she wrapped up her wrists.
"Um... Hey, are we gonna be OK?" Applejack asked cautiously.
"You should be. Your veins are safe so you won't bleed out. Plus, we cleaned your cuts," said Thorn.
"No. I mean, are we gonna be safe from them?" asked Applejack as she bobbed her head in the direction of Guardians that were carrying weapons.
"Ah. Yeah, you'll be fine. Just don't do anything stupid or threatening and it's all going to be just fine," said Thorn in a nonchalant tone. Twilight glanced at the girl.
"That doesn't really put me at ease when there's a bunch of guys waving guns around," said Twilight.
"Hey, the law says we have the right to bear arms, right? We're just very patriotic," said Thorn sarcastically.
"Hmph. But I bet that about 100% of those weapons are unregistered, which is against the law," said Twilight with a deadpanned stare.
"It's no problem as long as no one else knows about it," scoffed Thorn. Zip slapped her shoulder with a silencing look.
"Excuse my sister here. She likes to smart off a lot," said Zip.
"So, you know Goji?" asked Zip.
"Yeah. He's a..." Applejack stopped herself. She looked away.
"Well... It's complicated," said Applejack.
"How so? Are you friends? Acquaintances? Maybe a lover?" asked Zip.
"Lover? As if," scoffed Twilight.
"Oh, come on. He's a good-looking guy!" said Zip.
"It's not that. He's a real jerk, he's dishonest, and a brute," said Twilight.
"You say brute, I say a tough hunk. This might be old fashion, but there's not enough appreciation for a guy that doesn't cower and stands up for himself," said Zip. Applejack sighed.
"I agree that he has those good points. But it's hard to trust someone who seems to be hiding something. And we were right," said Applejack. Thorn sent her a glare as she tightened the bandages on AJ's wrist, snapping the unnecessary half, which Applejack responded with a pained wince.
"I heard that he actually defended your sorry asses, which cost him his fucking arm. And you two wanna sit here and say he's untrustworthy? Wow, some friends," scoffed Thorn. Applejack sent her a glare while Zip placed a hand on Thorn's shoulder.
"Easy," said Zip.
"We tried being friends to him, but he pushed us. When X came into the picture and we saw that video, it seemed logical to assume it was him," said Twilight.
"That wasn't him! That was his brother!" said Thorn. The girls' eyes widened.
"He has a brother that looks a lot like him, but with white hair and red eyes," said Zip.
"That guy that showed up with the other Transmutants is with you?" asked Twilight.
"So, you've seen him?" questioned Zip.
"Well... Yeah. But I thought that my eyes were playing tricks on me. Everything was happening so fast that I couldn't process it all," said Twilight as she stared at the ground.
"Well, he's the real X. Not Goji," said Zip. Applejack's eyes widened at this revelation. Her stomach tightened. She looked to Twilight, whose eyes were on the ground in utter disbelief.
"Oh, Twi. What have we done?" asked Applejack with shame overflowing from her like water in a glass. Twilight turned towards Junior, who lied on his cot. He was telling the truth all along about being framed of X's crimes. Twilight cupped a hand over her mouth in horror at this realization as guilt overwhelmed her.
"Oh God." Twilight choked out. Applejack looked to the Transmutants.
"How does he know a group of Transmutants hiding in a cave with all these guns?" asked Applejack incredulously.
"Eh. Not really our place to give stuff away to humans we don't know," said Thorn.
"And you wonder why we're suspicious?! This reeks of a Revolutionary terrorist cell!" said Twilight with a glare.
"Sister, if we were Revolutionaries, none of you would be alive right now," scoffed Thorn.
"Well, if he was framed, why didn't he say he had a brother? We would've given him the benefit of the doubt!" said Twilight.
"None of us knew he existed until way later!" said Zip. She sighed.
"Look, what matters is that you all know the truth. I'd like to explain more to you, but I feel it's best if someone of higher authority here came to approve of that," said Zip as she stood up. She then looked to the side with her expression softening.
"Looks like Manda is back with his mother," said Zip. Twilight and AJ glanced at each other in surprise and found Miwa arriving through the cave entrance with Manda. Miwa quickly ran passed everyone in the cave and dropped to her knees at Junior's side.
"Oh God, Junior!" cried Miwa in despair as she held her son close. Her son breathed heavily from his pain.
"He's going to be alright. It was a good thing that we got there as soon as we heard," said Manda as Miwa wept.
"I should've made him stay home. Why didn't I-" Miwa gritted her teeth as she held her son's hand tightly. Manda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Twilight and Applejack stared in surprise. Junior's mother seemed to have known who these people were as well. The mystery was proving too much for them.
Suddenly, they spotted Baragon, Kumonga and a few other Transmutants rushing through the cave entrance, stopping to meet Manda.
"Go get yourself treated," said Kumonga as she looked to one of the men with her, who was bleeding. He began leave the group, while Manda turned her attention to the rest of her allies.
"Oh, thank God. You guys are alright," said Manda.
"Unfortunately, we lost some good men out there. How's the kid?" asked Baragon.
"Stable. But in a lot of pain," answered Manda. Kumonga cursed under her breath as she held her head.
"This was a complete cluster fuck. MONARCH showed up at the school," said Kumonga.
"Wait, where's Xenjira and Alpha?" asked Manda.
"The prick went solo and Gojira took a team and split off from the rest of us to take out the Purists. We tried calling him but we couldn't get a response," said Baragon. Manda's stomach turned as she heard this. Baragon noticed Celestia returning over to Junior's side as she hung up her phone. Celestia's eyes widened in surprise.
"Mrs. Takeshi?" Miwa looked to Celestia in shock.
"Principal Celestia?"
"Wait, what the hell is she- who brought these other humans here?" questioned Baragon. He then looked to Manda with a glare.
"Manda..." called Baragon.
"Oh, come on! They hopped in the van with Junior and we were being shot at! What was I supposed to do?!" asked Manda in a defensive manner. Baragon groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Alright. It's fine. After we get Amber to find the boss, maybe we can ask if she-" Baragon stopped as he noticed something coming from the cave entrance. He groaned.
"Oh, what the fuck?!" shouted Baragon in exasperation. Everyone drew their attention to the entrance of the cave where they found Rodan leading Luna, the rest of Main Six, Mosura, Battra, Maud, Flash Sentry, Erika, Sunset and the Dazzlings. The Guardians armed themselves as they approached.
"Whoa! Everyone be cool!" said Rodan as his companions abruptly stopped.
"Rodan!!" yelled Baragon angrily as he approached Rodan. The teen bore a nervous smile.
"Heeey..." greeted Rodan.
"What part of ‘secret lair’ don't you and Manda understand?! I ought to bust you upside your head!" said Baragon as he grabbed Rodan by the hair.
"Agh! Easy! We just want to find the rest of our friends!" said Rodan. Rainbow quickly stepped in Baragon's path with a glare.
"Step off!" said Rainbow. Baragon growled as he began to stomp towards Manda.
"This is just great! The boss is missing, his kid is missing an arm, and we got humans just turning up in this lair faster than herpes! You know what?! I'm going to take my drinking break, bitches!" said Baragon as he moved passed Manda.
"B-But what should we do about this?" asked Manda.
"I don't care! Tell them everything, since we're just giving away secrets now!" said Baragon as he snatched a glass bottle from a desk and made his way to the ark, where Amber and the other fairies hid.
"Hey, make yourself useful and find Gojira," said Baragon as he took a drink.
Meanwhile, Manda turned and found the Main Six reuniting with each other in relief, while Luna and Celestia wrapped each other into a tight hug. Manda sighed heavily.
"This shouldn't be happening," said Manda as she rubbed her brows in stress. She only wished Senior was present. He seemed to have been better suited for a situation like this. The group then made their way to Junior's cot.
"Aw man," said Rodan with a grimace as he and the others found Junior in his state. Mosura cupped a hand over her mouth as she felt her eyes stinging with tears threatening to flow. However, Fluttershy held nothing back. She broke into a horrified sob.
"He'll be alright, right?" asked Sonata with a sniffle. She couldn't bare the idea of a friend dying, especially after all that has happened today.
"He'll be fine. He's a resilient kid," answered Manda. She then looked around and found all the unfamiliar humans that were present. This was a dire predicament, considering how she knew nothing about them. However, they all seem to know Junior and Rodan, and the cat was already out of the bag, so she decided that it was time to come clean before they could come up with their own answers.
"Principal... Uh... Ma'am," called Manda, drawing Celestia's attention.
"I believe you wanted some answers," said Manda.
"She ain't the only one. How do you know these people, Rodan?" questioned Applejack as she sent Rodan a suspicious look. Rodan looked away with a nervous look.
"Uh..." Rodan coughed.
"You also seemed to be familiar with X," said Aria. Mosura glanced at her brother with a glare.
"He wasn't the only one," said Mosura in a low tone. Battra looked away.
"I uh...." Rodan avoided eye contact from the humans as they stared at him. Kumonga came by his side and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hold on, kids. We're going to explain all that we can since the cat's out of the bag," said Kumonga. She looked to Manda, who quickly jumped in realization. Manda cleared her throat.
"Right. Well, I know how this looks. A bunch of Transmutants hanging out together with a bunch of military grade weapons doesn't look good," said Manda with a forced laugh. Neither the teens nor principals laughed. Kumonga sent her a glare.
"Ahem. But we're not Revolutionaries, I promise! No, we don't go around killing humans. We mainly hang out here... Just bored until we get the opportunity to help Transmutants in need. We call ourselves, 'The Guardians'," said Manda.
"And what were you doing at the school?" asked Applejack.
"As I said, we protect Transmutants threatened by groups like the Purists. When we heard that there was an attack in Mrs. Takeshi's neighborhood, our leader went off with some of our own to find out who planned it and what was next," said Manda. She then shook her head with a solemn expression.
"Then we heard that these Purists were shooting up your school and we heard about this 'cleansing' that was going on. So, we intervened. That's when we found Junior and... Well, your Principal can fill the rest," said Manda as she felt some tension being relieved from herself. Luna placed a hand under her chin as she made eye contact with Manda.
"And just how do you know our students, Rodan and Gojira?" asked Manda.
"And who and where is your leader?" asked Celestia.
"He's my dad," answered a familiar voice, causing everyone to turn their attention to find Junior awake.
"Oh, thank God. You're awake," said Erika in relief as Miwa inspected her son.
"How are you feeling?" asked Miwa.
"Terrible. I'm in a tremendous amount of pain," winced Junior as he sluggishly adjusted himself on his cot. Rodan kneeled next to his friend.
"Hey, man. We found your arm earlier, but everyone threw a fit about me bringing it to you," said Rodan. Junior raised a brow.
"Rodan, it was dismembered by a laser. It's useless to me," said Junior as he painfully raised his wrapped-up stump, causing those in the room to stare at it with winces, and grimaces.
"See? Told you," said Sunset as she looked to Rodan.
"Well, I didn't want him to be pissed if it was salvageable and we didn't bring it," said Rodan with a look of annoyance.
"I appreciate the thought Rodan," said Junior as he patted Rodan on the shoulder.
"Wait... You just said their leader was your dad. Did I hear that right?" asked Rainbow with wide eyes.
"That's right. Gojira Takeshi I. Speaking of which, where is he?" asked Junior as he looked to Manda.
"We don't know. Amber is locating him now. We don't even know Xenjira's whereabouts," said Manda. Fluttershy raised her hand.
"Um... You mean your brother, right? The man who's also X?" asked Fluttershy. Junior looked to Fluttershy in alarm.
"Yeah. You met him?" asked Junior. Fluttershy nodded.
"He was knocked out by Mosura and was taken by MONARCH," answered Fluttershy. Junior bore a look of surprise, prompting him to look at Mosura, who wiped off her scowling expression that was directed towards her brother.
"Really? Damn, nice. You saved me the trouble, Mosu. Thanks," said Junior. Mosura bore a forced smile.
"Sure. I-I guess," said Mosura, unsure of how she should react since it was Junior's brother that she had knocked out and gotten arrested by MONARCH, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Ha! Looks like things took a turn for the better," said Junior. He then noticed that Fluttershy was giving him a scowl.
"What's with the look?" asked Junior in confusion.
"So, your dad and your brother are involved with these guys? Have you always been involved with them?" asked Twilight. Junior sent her a glare.
"Why do you have to assume that about me?" asked Junior.
"I'm not assuming anything! It's just a question!" said Twilight as she sent him a glare back. Rodan quickly stepped in between the two.
"Look! Xenjira isn't a member of the Guardians. They just kept him on a leash here after they found out that he was X. And the reason why we're involved with these guys is because we're kinda members..." said Rodan as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Not actual members! You boys are just eyes and ears! As Gojira said, you aren't obligated to do what they do!" said Miwa as she looked to Rodan. Celestia's eyes widened as she looked to Miwa in shock.
"You know about this? Mrs. Takeshi, I'm at a loss for words that you would knowingly let your son take part in-" Celestia was interrupted as Miwa shot up to her feet with a glare.
"Whoa! Don't you try and tell me what to let what my child do and what not to do!" said Miwa. Everyone in the cave tensed, while Luna stood by Celestia.
"Mrs. Takeshi, there's no need for hostility," said Luna.
"Hostility?! Oh, you haven't seen my hostility! What you fail to understand Principal is that you are in no position to tell me how to raise my child, when I've done it for the past seventeen years! Some of those years were without his father around!" said Miwa in a angry tone.
"Mom, calm down," said Junior anxiously.
"Then why would your judgment allow yourself to let your son be around these people, and a father who's the leader of Rogue Transmutants?" asked Celestia incredulously.
"Because I don't have an inhibitor chip!" said Junior, drawing everyone's attention. The teens unaware of this fact looked at him in shock, while Miwa gritted her teeth as she stared at the ground.
"After an accident some time back, my inhibitor chip was damaged and had to be removed. Every day I get these random transformations that I stress over," said Junior as he lowered his eyes to his lap with a light frown.
"I can't control them, and I was afraid of being caught. That’s why I always lied and seemed like I was hiding something. Not because I was X," said Junior in a low tone. Twilight looked down in shame as she held her arm. It was beginning to make sense to her now. His rashes and his abrupt departure from the group were all a result of him trying to conceal the fact that his body was changing. Flash began to approach Junior as he rubbed the back of his head with a light frown.
"Hey... I'm sorry for accusing you of being X. I was wrong," said Flash. Rodan cleared his throat as he drew out his cell phone with the camera recording.
"Can you say that again?" asked Rodan with a smug smile, while Flash looked at him with a scowl. Junior merely sent him a glare.
"Yeah, but because of you, I've nearly been killed three times by these assholes," said Junior in a low tone. Flash looked down at the ground as he rubbed the back of his neck with a frown.
"Well, Xenjira is one less person to worry about looking for since he is guaranteed to be locked in the Vault," said Kumonga as she looked to Manda.
"And Battra?" called Manda.
"Yes?" asked Battra, while Maud and Mosura looked at him in surprise as how he causally responded.
"You were smart to drop out of that life style sooner," said Manda.
"But what the hell were you thinking taking part in that to begin with?!" demanded Mosura as she turned to face her brother, causing Battra to flinch.
"Mosu-"
"Are you insane?! Risking your life as a vigilante?! Branding people?! Killing people?!" yelled Mosura.
"Mosu, I... Look, I kept a code that I wouldn't hurt Purists that weren't extremists, unlike X," said Battra.
"But you killed people, Battra! I don't even know who you are anymore!" said Mosura a she pushed her brother. Battra felt his eyes sting as his little sister looked at him with scorn.
"Sis... I just-" Mosura scoffed as she shook her head and began to walk off.
"Mosu, wait!" called Battra as he ran after her. Maud watched as he ran after his sister.
"Battra..." Maud said to herself. Manda sighed as she looked on in disappointment.
"So, that's the basic story of it. We stay here in the Everfree as our base of operations. Rodan, Angirasu, and Junior are our additional eyes and ears for anything that may concern Transmutants or Purists on the offhand that they hear something, and we just keep to ourselves," said Manda. Sonata's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait, Angirasu?!" exclaimed Sonata.
"Oh, whoops!" said Manda with a forced smile. Celestia rubbed her brows as she sighed heavily.
"This is a lot to take in. But what I know is that this shouldn't be happening," said Celestia.
"Wait, Principal Celestia, don't let this craziness distract you from what's going on," said Rodan.
"And what's that?" asked Luna.
"There's a real threat from the Purists. We saw it firsthand at school today and in Gojira's neighborhood. MONARCH is more focused on Revolutionaries than Purist terrorists. And these guys seem to be the only ones to be capable enough and willing to step up to face them. We should recognize some good friends," said Rodan as he looked to Manda with a smile. Celestia bore a look of reluctance.
"But Rodan..."
"These people helped saved lives, Principal. Even mine," said Junior as he sat up in his cot. Celestia sighed heavily.
"Well... Alright, I won't say anything," said Celestia. Luna looked at her in shock and then back to all the other Guardians. She then took a small breath.
"I saw and heard nothing," said Luna in a flat tone. Manda turned her attention to the rest who were present.
"And that goes for the rest of you. Not a word about anything here. If you do say something... Well, I rather you not," said Manda as she bore a serious expression, stirring nervousness in the teens.
"Goddamit!" shouted Baragon from the back of the cave, startling everyone.
"Fuck! Shit! Shit!" yelled Baragon as he punched the wall. He then began to approach the group as he held his head.
"What's wrong?" asked Kumonga.
"It's the boss. Amber found out where he was. He's in a MONARCH prison truck with Xenjira," said Baragon. Junior's and Miwa's eyes widened in horror.
"No... Then that means..." Miwa cried as Baragon nodded.
"He's got a one-way ticket to the Vault," said Baragon. Miwa cupped her hand over her mouth as she dropped to her knees and broke into a sob.
"No. After all these years, we're separated again!" sobbed Miwa, while Rarity came to Miwa's side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Junior clenched his fist and attempted to stand up.
"We gotta get him out of there!" said Junior with a wince. Kumonga immediately put him back onto his cot.
"No, you're still recovering. We'll think of something to get him back," said Kumonga. Manda nodded.
"That's right. We'll-"
"No." Baragon interrupted Manda, causing her and the other Guardians, Junior and Miwa to look at him in shock.
"No? Baragon, Gojira is going to be locked away in a heavily fortified prison for Transmutants! We can't just abandon him!" said Manda.
"Manda, I know how you feel. And I hate saying this, especially in front of his family, but there's nothing we can do. It would only make matters worse and we're still recovering from the shooting at the school. Gojira knew the risks. We have to sit tight and guard the Ark. It's why he brought us on board," said Baragon. "It's for the greater good."
"The greater good?! We lost a lot of people today, and all you can think about is THE GREATER GOOD?!" demanded Manda.
"It's either lose more people trying to save the man that wouldn't want to sacrifice more lives for himself, or prevent death from being spread by someone touching that thing!" said Baragon.
"Wait, wait. The Ark?" asked Adagio in confusion.
"An artifact that Gojira has been guarding for years. We keep it here, safe from the outside world," said Kumonga.
"The Ark. Like the Ark of the Covenant?" asked Erika in curiosity.
"Huh?" asked Kumonga in confusion.
"She means the crate that held the Ten Commandments. You know, from the book of Exodus in the Bible. It was also an important plot device in Indiana Jones," explained Rodan.
"Oh. Sorry, I never got into the whole religious thing," said Kumonga.
"It has similar rules to that Ark, but they are not the same," said Manda.
"So, wait.... Are you saying that it's like some kind of artifact from God?" asked Erika with wide eyes. Aria scoffed.
"Oh, come on! You guys are protecting a box because of a religious book?" asked Aria in disbelief.
"Yeah, does this Ark even exist? Where is it?" asked Sunset.
"Back there," said Junior as he pointed to the back of the cave. Sure enough, the humans saw a crate decorated with markings of monstrous beasts, while poles were located on each corner of the crate. A soft light emitted from the top from the glass window.
"Oh..." said Sunset with raised brows.
"I know how it sounds. But this is something real. The Ark contains something that must not fall into the wrong hands, which is why we don’t want someone to touch it," said Manda as she looked to Twilight, who shrunk away while holding her own hand.
"Yeah, and the kid should be dead after touching it," muttered Baragon.
"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Twilight in alarm.
"Fail safe, kid. Every dangerous object has to have one," said Baragon.
"Well... What does it do?" asked Flash.
"We don't know. Gojira does, but he doesn't tell us. I doubt we'll ever know unless Amber feels like disclosing that info with us," said Baragon.
"Who's Amber?" asked Sonata.
"God, too many questions," sighed Baragon to himself. Suddenly, Amber came fluttering in overhead, drawing the humans' attention. They gasped in shock and awe at the large beautiful insect.
"Oh God, that's a big ass bug! Quick, someone squash it!" said Aria as she began to take off her boot.
"Don't you dare squash this beautiful moth!" said Fluttershy as she got in Aria's path with a glare. A gasp filled the air.
"Beautiful?" asked Amber as she descended closer to Fluttershy. The girl yelped in fright, while everyone else gasped in shock.
"It can talk?!" exclaimed Rarity. Amber groaned in annoyance as she faced Rarity and began to flutter up to her, prompting everyone else to scurry away.
"Oh, come on! Clearly, I'm female! Is my feminine voice not a dead giveaway?" asked Amber in offense.
"Chill out, Amber," said Junior. Amber quickly fluttered over to Junior's lap and snuggled with him.
"Good to see you awake!" said Amber. The rest of the humans relaxed as they stared at the moth fairy.
"You're taking this a little too well for comfort, Gojira," said Applejack in a nervous tone.
"Yeah, because I know her," said Junior as he gently stroked Amber's buck. Fluttershy stared in fascination as she sat on her knees next to Junior.
"Can... Can I pet her?" asked Fluttershy.
"Don't ask me. She's the one with self-awareness," said Junior. Amber looked towards Fluttershy.
"Go ahead!" said Amber. Fluttershy carefully reached for the fairy and began to gently run her hand over the fuzz of the fairy. She softly giggled to herself at the feeling of the fuzz on her palm.
"So... What does a freaky talking bug have to do with magical boxes?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I was the one who told Gojira Senior about the Ark. It's an ancient artifact. And the reason why it didn't kill you, Twilight, is because you were worthy to touch it," said Amber.
"Wait, how do you know my name?" asked Twilight in a slight nervous tone.
"Oh. I see you and the others when I go to visit Junior at your school," said Amber.
"You said she was worthy. Worthy of what?" asked Sunset.
"Ah. It's not just her. It's also you, you, you, well all of you. Excluding the boys and adults," said Amber as she looked to all of the human girls.
"Wait, what?" asked Celestia.
"Sunset, you were able to tell that Xenjira was X sooner, correct?" asked Amber. "You saw visions of his actions."
"I... Yeah," said Sunset with wide eyes.
"And Twilight was called to by the Ark," said Amber. Twilight stared at her hand.
"And Fluttershy, I sense that you have been affected on you as well," said Amber. Fluttershy bore a slight nervous expression as to what this could mean.
"The Ark's content is having its effect on you all. Only some of you are beginning to notice it," said Amber.
"Wait, why is this happening?" asked Sunset.
"All in good time, child. For now, don't worry about it!" said Amber.
"Whoa, wait. You're just going to leave us hanging?" asked Rainbow.
"Yeah, and why is it them getting affected?" asked Flash.
"All in time, folks," said Amber as she fluttered away.
"Damn it, you can't just drop it like that!" yelled Junior in annoyance.
"In time!" said Amber, her voice echoed out to the others.
"So... Is anyone gonna explain why the big bug speaks?" asked Aria with an unnerved expression.
"She's supernatural," said Rodan.
"Impossible," said Twilight.
"And yet it stared at you right in the face," said Junior with a deadpanned stare.
"Yeah, but there could be any other explanation for that. She could be a mutation. Or maybe even a robot," said Sunset as she rubbed a hand under her chin.
"We should investigate," said Twilight.
"Hey, stop that. Don't lay a hand on her," said Junior with a glare.
"Hell, if you wanna dissect that annoying brat, I'll help," said Baragon as he drank his alcoholic beverage. Fluttershy merely hardened her expression in response.
It was just moments until he was there. Onyx was sitting in the chopper with Hayato as it soared over a vast wilderness, which bore mountains and trees. The chopper soon landed on a pad that was in a clearing, where a mountain stood tall and proud. Just around the base of the mountain were small military-like buildings that bore soldiers. From the buildings came a rushing man in uniform as the chopper's blades stopped spinning.
"Director Onyx. We weren't expecting you," said the man as he found Onyx and Hayato exiting the chopper.
"I heard that there was a new resident here at the Vault. I came to see him," said Onyx.
"R-Right. We just had him and the other locked up. I'll escort you," said the man as he guided Onyx and Hayato. The three ended up in one of the buildings just near the mountain, where soldiers stood guard as others monitored the air space. Onyx and Hayato were led down a hall and made their way to where a large platform was. The three stood on the platform, where a few other guards stood as well.
The sound of mechanical whirring filled the air as the platform began to descend a dimly lit tunnel. The whirs echoed as the platform descended deep down below. Onyx's eyes were stone cold as he waited and waited. Soon, the platform reached the bottom, and the group found themselves before a much more brightly lit room.
The room was massive, with the ceiling reaching several feet above, while extending down for what could be guessed as a mile. The room bore three different levels, where guards stood by cells. The cells on each level were covered with steel walls and energy barriers. Each Transmutant Rogue or Revolutionary could be seen, wearing grey clothes. As Onyx was led down through the prison, Transmutants began to focus on the Director who rarely graced them with his presence.
"You can't keep us in here forever, old man! Revolution will set us free! And you and your trained dogs will be locked in these cages!" shouted a Transmutant as he slammed his hand against the barrier. A guard made his way to the cell.
"Step away from the barrier!" ordered the guard. The room was filled with clamoring from the prisoners as they shouted for Onyx's head and his soldiers. These Transmutants were big threats and it would be irresponsible to let them wander free out into the world. There were still more dangerous Transmutants out there. Fortunately, Onyx now had one of the ones he feared most locked up. Soon, Onyx and Hayato were led to the third level above, where they eventually came across a cell where Gojira Senior was currently sitting in, as his cot lied in the corner. Onyx stared as Senior raised his head.
"Gojira Takeshi," greeted Onyx.
"Director Onyx, I presume," said Senior. Onyx looked to the guards and Hayato.
"Leave us," ordered Onyx. Hayato looked at him in alarm.
"But sir-"
"Now, lieutenant," said Onyx sternly. Hayato nodded.
"Understood, sir," said Hayato in reluctance as he took the guards away from this spot. Now the two were alone. Despite Senior being locked behind a barrier in a cell, Onxy was still wary of him.
"The Vault. The Equestrian government spent millions in building this facility, investing in technology and man power to run this tight ship. Miles below ground is a wilderness just miles away from civilization that hosts hundreds of trained men with enough fire power to invade a city. Hell, even contingency plans to keep a jail break contained. All necessary measures, considering we hold Revolutionaries and dangerous rogues. And even the leader of a second rogue faction," said Onyx as he crossed his arms and narrowed his hard eyes. Senior merely looked around.
"You seem pretty proud. It is an impressive prison. The name lives up," said Senior.
"As it should. After all, I made sure that this facility could accommodate you and Destoroyah," said Onyx. Senior bore a stone-cold expression at the name. Onyx cleared his throat as he reached into his pocket and drew out a metal plate. Senior raised a brow as the man inserted it into a metal panel that was against the wall. Suddenly, a holographic image of a chess board appears before Senior, where holographic chess pieces appeared on Senior's side. Onyx drew out a tablet as the holographic pieces appeared on his side. It depicted a digital image of the chess board with the positions of the pieces.
"Care to play?" asked Onyx. Senior merely took a seat on a chair that was in his cell and sighed.
"I have nothing better to do."
Junior was currently sitting on his cot with a tired sigh. Celestia and Luna were discussing on what sort of cover story they could come up with for their disappearance. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls were texting their families, informing them of their well-being. Miwa was sitting next to him as she bore a deeply saddened expression. He felt her pain, knowing that his father was now under MONARCH's watch. He noticed Battra approaching nearby him and Rodan as he bore a solemn expression with his hands in his pockets and his head hung low.
"Still not talking to you?" asked Rodan.
"No," answered Battra. He then looked to Rodan and Junior with a hopeful look.
"Would any of you be willing to-"
"Hell no, man! If she's pissed, it's best to leave her alone! I don't wanna get chewed out by her!" said Rodan as he waved his hands.
"It wouldn't really matter, Battra. She's upset with you for fair reasons. You just have to wait for her to calm down," said Junior. Battra as he rubbed his head.
"But what if she never speaks to me again?" asked Battra.
"She has to, man. Mosu does nothing but say good things about you. She can't avoid you for too long. Just be ready," said Rodan. Miwa reached into her purse as she cleared her throat.
"I uh... I have some snacks if you boys are hungry," said Miwa, hoping to break the gloomy atmosphere. As she was about to reach for packaged crackers, she noticed the small glare of her pistol in her purse. Memories of her pulling the trigger, feeling the recoil of the gun, hearing the loud pop, and the horrifying sight of the pyro Purist burning alive because she had ruptured his tank rushed into her head.
"Mom?" called Junior, snapping Miwa out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh! The crackers," said Miwa as she drew out three packets of crackers and handed them to the boys. Of course, she first opened Junior's before handing it to him. Junior looked at his mother in slight concern.
"Ma, are you alright?" asked Junior. Miwa gave a forced smile as she nodded.
"Mmhmm! I'm fine. Just worried about your father. You get some rest. The adults are going to figure out a plan to take the others home," said Miwa as she made her way over to Celestia and Luna. Junior looked back to Rodan and Battra, who both shrugged in response. Junior suddenly felt a weight on his cot, prompting him to quickly look to his side and found Adagio sitting beside him with a leg crossed over the other.
"Hey, you. How's my favorite guy holding out?" asked Adagio with a flirtatious wink. Junior's cheeks warmed up as he glanced away.
"Fine..." answered Junior. He then noticed Aria and Sonata standing nearby as well, unaware of their presence. Sonata bore a small grin while Aria held her arms crossed, scoffing at Adagio's greeting. Adagio softly smiled as she held his hand, which he stiffened at in response.
"We're glad that you’re alright," said Adagio in a soft tone. Junior cleared his throat as he pulled his hand away and scratched his brow.
"Good to know," replied Junior. Adagio then found the spider Transmutant teens to be approaching with Zip taking a seat next to Junior's other side.
"So... Are you gonna introduce us to your friends?" asked Zip with a smile.
"Oh. Zip, Adagio, Aria and Sonata. Girls, Zip, Thorn, and their friends," said Junior as he quickly introduced the groups, while the Transmutant spiders waved to the Dazzlings.
"Hey, those boots are pretty killer. Love the skinny jeans too," said Thorn with a look of interest as she analyzed Aria's apparel.
"Oh. Thanks..." said Aria as she crossed her arms and looked away, unsure how to take the compliment. Adagio gave a suppressed giggle as she leaned close to Junior as she analyzed Zip's pretty appearance.
"Goji, you've been holding out on me. You never told me that you knew other beauties. Especially this one here~," said Adagio. Junior's eyes slightly widened along with Rodan, Battra, and the other spider Transmutants.
"I'm... I'm sorry?" Zip's cheeks slightly warmed up.
"Only a few girls that I've met have caught my eye on their appearance. You are one of the lucky few… Zip was it?" asked Adagio as she spoke in a flirty tone. Zip bore a look of discomfort as Adagio held a hand on her curvy hip, with sultry eyes. Zip tended to flirt with Junior mainly for fun and tended to be as innocent as possible, but Adagio was a lot more forward compared to Zip. So forward that she was getting uncomfortable, especially since she herself wasn't attracted to those of the same sex.
"Damn that's hot," said Rodan. He then received odd stares from Junior, Battra, and the rest of the girls, excluding Adagio. Rodan shrugged.
"What?" asked Rodan.
"Are you serious right now?" asked Junior. Aria looked at Rodan in disgust.
"Ugh. As if your creepiness couldn't escalate even further," said Aria as she backed away.
"Oh, come on! I'm just acknowledging what some of us were thinking!" said Rodan in offense.
"That's my sister!" said Aria.
"I said, 'some'," retorted Rodan.
"But it's a little inappropriate, Rodan," said Battra.
"Don't be ashamed, Rodan. You have good taste," said Adagio with a chuckle as she stood up. She then passed Zip, causing her own hair to brush against the girl. Zip flinched in response.
"Not your thing?" asked Junior with a chuckle. Zip puffed her cheek out with a pout as she quickly left.
"Zip, wait!" called one of the Transmutant girls as they ran after her. Only Thorn remained.
"I guess not," said Junior.
"You know some interesting folks," said Thorn as she crossed her arms and watched Adagio walked off.
"This coming from the teenage Guardian?" asked Junior with an amused tone at the irony of the girl's statement.
"Fair point," said Thorn. She then patted Junior on the shoulder.
"You take care, man. And don't worry. I know that we'll come with something to save your dad," said Thorn with a reassuring smile. Junior nodded.
"Sure. Thanks," said Junior as Thorn left. He then sighed.
"Well... Today's been a real shit show. But, I guess we'll have to deal with the aftermath soon tomorrow," said Aria with a shake of her head.
"Yeah. But I hope things can get back to normal soon," said Sonata with a solemn tone. Junior shook his head.
"I don't think things will ever be the same," said Junior. Sonata lightly frowned as she looked down at the ground.
"Don't listen to him, Sonata. Things will get better," said Rodan.
"I wish Angirasu was here," said Sonata in a small tone. Aria sighed as she glanced at her little sister.
"If you want, we can go see him after school tomorrow. That is if they don't close it down for a while," said Aria. Sonata looked to Aria with a grin.
"Really?! You mean it?!" asked Sonata in excitement. Aria sighed in annoyance at Sonata's enthusiasm.
"Yes. Come on, we gotta get ready to head home," said Aria. Rodan stepped in between the girls as he wrapped an arm around Aria's shoulders, causing her to growl in annoyance.
"If you want, I can walk you home," said Rodan in a suave tone. Aria scoffed as she shot her elbow in Rodan's rib, causing him to slightly grunt in pain as he chuckled, causing him to remove his arm from Aria and clutch his side. Aria began to tow Sonata away.
"Drop dead, creep," said Aria. Junior and Battra both winced at her words as the girl dragged Sonata along.
"S-See you guys later!" said Sonata. Rodan rubbed his rib with a chuckle.
"Geez, Rodan. Why do you keep trying to flirt with her? She doesn't want you," said Junior in disbelief.
"I don't know man. Something about her," said Rodan as he watched Aria leave.
"Something about her?" asked Battra with a raised brow.
"Something about her," repeated Rodan with a nod.
"What about her? That girl is as mean as a snake if it were to be combined with a bear and lioness, with a thorn up its ass," said Junior.
"That attitude. Her bluntness. I can't explain it," said Rodan as he held his chest. Battra bore a disturbed look.
"Are you a masochist?" asked Battra.
"Maybe..." answered Rodan as he held his beating chest. Junior scooted away from Rodan as Battra slightly backed away.
"Rodan, I know I sometimes treat you like shit, but I'm worried for you man," said Junior.
Meanwhile, Mosura was sitting outside of the Guardian's lair, hugging her knees as she stared at the ground. Her eyes were downcast as she slightly shivered from the cold. She then heard footsteps, prompting her to turn and find the Principals, Manda, and Miwa exiting the cave with the Main Six, Maud, Erika, Sunset, Flash, Battra, Rodan and the Dazzlings.
"Mosura, we're going to be dropping off everyone at home. Your brother said that he'd take you home on his bike," said Miwa. Mosura looked to Battra, who held his helmet at his side with a soft expression. Mosura turned away as she looked ahead.
"No, I'll get home myself," said Mosura. Battra deeply frowned.
"Ms. Yasu-"
"It's fine, Vice Principal. She... Needs some space," said Battra, interrupting the Principal. He then looked to Miwa.
"Would you mind driving her home for me when you come back for Gojira?" asked Battra. Miwa nodded.
"Of course," said Miwa with a nod. Battra began to walk to the stone stair cases, only to look back at his sister.
"Text me later, alright?" said Battra. Mosura didn't answer, merely avoiding eye contact. The other teens watched with frowns at the scene. This was an alien experience for some of them who were familiar with Mosura's love for her elder brother, only for her to be cold now. Battra sighed as he climbed up the stair cases.
"Pinkie, I'll meet you at home," said Maud, while her sister looked at her in confusion.
"Huh?" asked Pinkie. Maud quickly walked after Battra as they climbed the steps. As the teens followed the adults, Twilight couldn't help but look back into the cave, only to find Junior sitting alone on the cot. She frowned to herself as she clenched her fist, vowing to make things right with her friend.
Battra was driving his motorcycle with Maud clinging to his waist. The roar of the engine filled the air. The two had arrived at Maud's home, where she hopped off the bike. She turned back to Battra, who looked as though he was prepared to leave.
"Battra, won't you come inside?" asked Maud. Battra looked to her in hesitation. He was surprised that Maud was even willing to still be around him after finding out just who he was. And now she was inviting him into her home. It would be rude to turn her down. So, Battra turned off his engine and parked his bike.
He found himself entering Maud's home, where he found the living room that bore bright creme yellow paint on the walls. Something he would not to expect from Maud in wanting a home, who seemed to prefer much cooler colors. He followed Maud into the kitchen, where she set a coffee pot up before she glanced at Battra.
"Please, have a seat in the living room. Coffee will be done soon," said Maud. Battra cleared his throat as he sheepishly went back to the living room. He took a seat on the sofa and looked around. He found a set of pictures on a dresser, of Maud, Pinkie, and two other teen girls standing together for a photo. Another photo was that of the entire family, with the parents standing behind the girls. It was interesting to see the striking contrast that Pinkie had compared to her family members, who had much more dull color hair, while Pinkie's hot pink stuck out like a sore thumb. He almost couldn't see the family resemblance. He then felt Maud taking a seat beside him on the sofa. He found her holding out a mug to him, with the same blank expression that she held.
"Here," said Maud.
"Thank you." Battra graciously took the mug. The two sat together in silence, indulging in the warm caffeine after a long, stressful day.
"So... You're the Night Angel and a Transmutant?" asked Maud. Battra nearly choked on his coffee. He lowered the mug with a look of discomfort.
"I..."
"No sense in lying," said Maud as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Right. I..." Battra sighed heavily as he looked into his mug. He wasn't sure where to start with this conversation. Maud was obviously aware, and her poker face made it hard to determine what she thought of it. It was driving him insane.
"What made you do it?" asked Maud. Battra sighed.
"I... I don't know," said Battra.
"You do know. No one just wakes up one morning and decides to become a vigilante using their Transmutant abilities," said Maud.
"Well... I guess I just got tired of these Purists just getting away with everything. No one seemed to care, and MONARCH was not concerning itself with their group. I was sick of it. I couldn't risk a chance for them to try and take those I loved. Not again," said Battra.
"Again?" asked Maud.
"When I was a kid, my parents were murdered. It was after school, I came home and found the police marking off our house as a crime scene. I saw my parents... Even the mark of Purists," said Battra as his eyes stung, recalling the past. Maud's expression visibly became soft.
"I was afraid for my sister and other Transmutants. I felt that if I wasn't going to step up, no one would. So, I put on a mask, wore a separate jacket, gloves, and a vest from a cop that was killed on my first night out at this life style," said Battra.
"And you killed?" asked Maud. Battra felt his stomach tighten.
"Maud... Everything that I did, I'm not proud of. I would never boast about taking a life. In fact, I regret it every day, I didn't always kill Purists, only those who shot at me," said Battra in a small tone.
"As time went on, things grew more dangerous and Mosura became more suspicious of where I had been at nights. I began to have second thoughts of continuing what I was doing. When X came along and went beyond my boundaries, I stopped. Gojira Takeshi was arrested because of our carelessness. Every time I foiled the Purists' plots to move weapons, they seemed to grow more aggressive. They were planning something…I knew they were. But I didn't know what until today," said Battra as he leaned his head against his hand.
"But that’s nothing compared to the guilt and regret I held for deceiving Mosura. Me, her big brother. Someone I swear she'd worship," said Battra with a bitter chuckle.
"Now, I've destroyed our relationship," said Battra with a sniffle. "It's my fault. I had it coming. Lying to my sister, taking the law into my own hands, endangering others, and even quitting what I had started when I could have prevented what happened today," said Battra. Maud sat her coffee cup on the table in front.
"You were stupid for taking the law into your hands. You were reckless for endangering your own life," said Maud with bluntness. Battra lowered his eyes, agreeing with the harsh truth that she was telling him.
"And it is true that you may have destroyed your relationship with your sister," said Maud. She then placed a hand on Battra's shoulder.
"But that's why you can't just give up," said Maud with a soft smile, causing Battra's expression to turn to surprise.
"You two are family. You need each other. Avoiding this will only continue to push you both away from each other. You must own up to your mistakes. I can't promise if she will forgive you, but it is better to have confessed to your wrongs to her than to continue living a lie," said Maud. Battra felt himself tearing up. He wiped his eyes with a sniffle.
"Yeah... Yeah, you're right," said Battra with a nod. His expression became hardened. Crying and feeling sorry for himself was not going to solve anything. He had to do whatever he could to fix this, even if it meant facing Mosura's eternal condemnation. Maud scooted closer to Battra as she wrapped an arm around him.
"Thank you for helping me save my sister," said Maud as she leaned her head against Battra's shoulder, causing him to lightly flush.
"Of course," said Battra.
Junior was sluggishly walking through the Guardian's lair, where he ended up just out of the entrance of the cave. He found Mosura sitting alone as the sun began to set to the twilight. Mosura heard his footsteps and turned and found him approaching.
"It's cold out. Why not come inside?" suggested Junior. Mosura turned away.
"No. I'm fine out here," said Mosura in a small tone. Junior sighed as he took a seat beside her, wincing as his muscles strained. Mosura looked at him worriedly as he sat down.
"To think, after a day like today, there's still a beautiful sunset like this," said Junior as he looked to the sky. Mosura nodded in agreement.
"But would it be wrong not to appreciate it? I mean, in memory of them?" asked Mosura.
"I suppose not," said Junior. Mosura sighed solemnly as she leaned close to her knees.
"I wonder how many were killed," said Mosura.
"One would be too many, Mosura. I want to know what MONARCH or even what the police are going to do about this," said Junior. He then glanced at Mosura and found her to be shivering. He took his sweater off his shoulder and used his remaining hand to hold it out.
"Put this on so you won't catch a cold," said Junior. Mosura shyly took the sweater and slid her slender arms through the sleeves. The sweater was over sized for her smaller frame, which she didn't mind. It was rather cozy, like a blanket. She zipped up the sweater and held the collar close to herself. The sweater bore Junior's scent on it, which only caused her heart to race.
"Thank you," said Mosura.
"You're welcome," said Junior. He then looked to the girl.
"So... What are you gonna do now? I mean... With your brother?" asked Junior.
"I don't know. I'm just angry with him. I'm actually upset with you too," said Mosura with a glare. Junior bore a look of surprise.
"Me? Why?" asked Junior incredulously.
"You knew! You knew what he was doing! Why didn't you tell me?" asked Mosura with a look of hurt, feeling betrayed.
"Mosura... Ugh. Look, I know I should have told you. I didn't like keeping it a secret. But I only barely found out. And Battra made us swear that we didn't tell you. He said that he was gonna stop after making us swear," said Junior, while Mosura's expression was still bearing a look of hurt.
"I wouldn't purposely hurt you, Mosu. I just... Your brother loves you. I couldn't bring myself to tell you this because I knew that It would lead to this. Was it wrong keeping it a secret? Absolutely. And I don't blame you for hating me for that," said Junior as he looked away.
"I don't hate you. Sure, I'm upset with you, but I don't hate you. I just wish you told me. I would have rather heard it come from him than putting the pieces together myself because a Purist linked an ability that we have together. I'm angry because he deceived me." said Mosura as she stared at her knees.
"Maybe he just wanted to protect you," said Junior.
"Me? He's the one who endangered his own life! What was I to do if I were to turn on the news or get a call telling me that my brother was dead?!" asked Mosura with watery eyes. She sniffled as she wiped her eyes. Junior frowned as he looked to the ground.
"Well... Maybe now you can have a more open and honest discussion," said Junior.
"I don't even wanna see him or speak to him. I'm too angry with him right now," said Mosura.
"Then what are you going to do? I mean, you two live together. Where else do you have to go?" asked Junior. Mosura glanced at Junior.
"Maybe... Maybe I can stay with you?" asked Mosura in a small tone. Junior looked to her with a puzzled expression, unsure if he had heard her correctly.
"Pardon?"
"Just for a while! I just need to sort things out! And it'd be nice to have a friend there with me," said Mosura as she twiddled her fingers. Junior looked away in embarrassment.
"I... I don't know, Mosu. I mean, if you really aren't ready to be in the same room as your brother, then I guess I can lend a hand. But you gotta discuss it with my mother," said Junior.
Junior stood in the living room of his home with a dumbfounded look. He watched as his mother drag out a mattress into the room on the floor. Blankets and a pillow were sitting on the couch as the mattress was placed in a spot away from the coffee table and the sofa, just enough room for any guest from hurting them self. Miwa looked to Mosura with a smile as she sighed.
"Here you are, sweetie. I have a night gown that you can use. Feel free to take a shower and I'll take your clothes for the washer. Just make yourself at home," said Miwa with a kind tone. Mosura smiled as she nodded at Miwa's kindness.
"Thank you, Mrs. Takeshi. I appreciate this. Again, I apologize for being a bother, even after what's happened," said Mosura.
"Don't worry about it. It's been a hard day. Just get some rest tonight," said Miwa as she handed Mosura a bath towel. The girl took off to the bathroom, leaving Junior and his mother alone.
"Are you serious?" asked Junior in utter disbelief. Miwa smirked.
"You smooth operator," said Miwa with a thumbs up. Junior looked away.
"Mom," growled Junior.
"Junior, I ask that you not let temptation get the better of you, if you catch my drift," said Miwa with an innocent smile. Junior flushed furiously.
"Mom!" said Junior in an appalled tone.
"It's not that I don't want grandchildren, just not when you are still dependent," said Miwa with a laugh. She tapped his shoulder playfully.
"I know you won't do anything like that, sweetie. You're uptight like your father," said Miwa as she left Junior alone in the living room. Junior merely scowled, but then lightly frowned as he recalled his father. Right now, he was rotting in a cell in the Vault, wherever the hell that facility might be. Later, after Mosura had showered, Junior had taken his own shower, coming out as clean as could be. It was rather difficult to scrub all around his body with one hand. Usually he would have to switch hands for the sponge to thoroughly get every part of his body. It was also a pain for his arm, which he had to remove the bandages and feel the stinging of the water on the burnt flesh. He looked in the mirror, finding that his stump appeared to have taken a bit of an odd shape.
"Sometimes I don't know whether to consider my Transmutant heritage a blessing or a curse," said Junior. He sighed as he made his way over to his bedroom and rested on his bed. He stared at his phone, looking at the news on social media. There was a lot of buzz on the shooting. Hopefully this would bring about necessary retaliation against these terrorists by MONARCH. It was the least that they could do. Junior sighed as he turned off his phone's screen and made his way to the wall near his door and shut off the light. With a sigh, he lied on his bed under his blankets. He sighed as he allowed his muscles to relax, ready to embrace blissful sleep. He later heard his door creaking open, prompting his eyes to shoot wide open. He looked to his door way and found Mosura to be standing just in his room, wearing a night gown that reached to her thighs. She bore a flustered look as she stiffly stood in place.
"Er... Did I wake you?" asked Mosura in a whisper.
"Yeah. Kinda," responded Junior with a deadpanned stare. He drew out his phone from the charger in the wall by his bed, finding it to be midnight. He yawned as he sat straight up in his bed.
"Well, what is it?" asked Junior. Mosura held her hands behind her back as her toes twiddled on the carpet, her face growing red.
"I... Well... I had a nightmare," said Mosura,
"Oh?" responded Junior. Silence filled the air.
"And?" asked Junior. Mosura sent him a glare.
"I can't sleep! At least not alone!" whispered Mosura. Junior scoffed his cheeks reddened.
"Are you six years old? What do you want me to do about it?!" Junior whispered back. Mosura scoffed.
"Don't you have a heart? Let me... Gojira, please. It was about today..." said Mosura. Junior's expression softened. He sighed as he rubbed his head with his cheeks red hot.
"Fine. Hop in," said Junior as he scooted over in his bed. Mosura bore a small smile in response as she came over to his bed. The Transmutant couldn't help but watch as the night gown that she wore fluttered over her pale thighs. Her bare, smooth legs under that gown caused his cheeks to grow as red as an apple. He tore his eyes away as Mosura sat on the bed and slipped under Junior's covers. The two were close on the bed, with their warmth enveloping each other. Mosura's heart raced in her chest while Junior's pounded like drums. He was stiff as a board as he lied down on his back. He couldn't help but glance at the girl, who cutely lied on her side with the blanket over her shoulders. Her beautiful blue eyes seemed to have glowed in the darkness, locking with his own. She sent him a small smile, causing Junior's heart to jump as he quickly looked away.
"Thank you," whispered Mosura.
"Uh huh," Junior managed to squeak out. Mosura gave a small sigh as she snuggled in bed, which later led to her small breathing. Junior glanced at her and found that she had fallen asleep, with her beautiful face facing him. He blushed as he looked to the ceiling, but gasped as he felt Mosura snuggling close to him, her head against his shoulder and her leg hanging over him. Junior moaned under his breath in helplessness, feeling his hormones kicking in. Just the feeling of her in this close proximity with her lovely scent and her smooth leg over his own was driving him mad. However, she was his friend and he had to resist what his body wanted him to do. So, Junior gulped as he closed his eyes and took a breath, beginning to count sheep. Soon, he began to drift off to sleep. Meanwhile, Mosura opened one eye and stared at Junior's sleeping face. She softly smiled to herself as she snuggled against him.