“I admire all forms of life.” -Dr. Ishiro Serizawa on the Titans, Godzilla 2019
Beginning Isle: Mothra’s Temple
“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful…” Twilight whispered to herself as she flew up to the larva and ran a hoof across her face, the creature chirping and cooing gently in response. Mothra eyed her in curiosity. The gaze of an unthinking beast this was not. Bending towards them, Mothra never moved for a time as she sat like a snake, poised to strike. Subconsciously, Twilight took a step back in case something happened. But Mothra just sat in the faint light head unmoving. The eyes looked downwards and Twilight let out a soft gasp.
Twilight’s eyes widened in response to this. “...You, you can see me can’t you?” she whispered in awe and wonder as she saw Mothra watching her.
Twilight turned back to Fluttershy. “Are you seeing this?” she asked with a small squee. “Are… are you seeing this? Please tell me you’re seeing this!” she repeated in a more excited tone.
“I am…” Fluttershy whispered back in response with Mothra turning to look at her. “Magnificent…” she whispered as she wiped away a tear of joy from her eye. To think that Grogar of all creatures and the planet itself could somehow give birth to creatures like this was absolutely, positively astounding. For a moment, if only a brief one Fluttershy wondered what else was out there before deciding that it was best that she didn’t think on it for too long. Granted, this was going to be winding up as a moot point sooner or later but for now at least Fluttershy could take solace in the fact that Mothra was the biggest thing out there.
“Yes, she is, isn’t she?” the Shobijin said in unison over Mothra’s chirps and cooes as the Queen of the Mothra shook herself clean of the amniotic fluid that had covered her. The plates on her exoskeleton fluttered and the gigantic creature rose herself up to her full height of four-sixty feet with a level of elegance no creature should have been able to possess. And yet somehow, this one did. “Truly a guardian of this earth and the giver of life is she not?”
Twilight was tempted to agree, and she suspected that Fluttershy was already on her way there.
“...You gotta be kidding me,” Celeano muttered under her breath. She was less keen to approach the creature. A giant wonderous animal she may have been, -and even the wondrous part was arguable at the moment- but in the end she was still just that. An animal. “We came all this way for a larva? A bloody larva? I was expecting something… more. Like, much more.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers, right Captain?” Mullet remarked. “Personally, I would take what you can get. Frankly, I’m more worried about how in the White Mother’s name we’re supposed to get back home without a ship…”
Celeano blinked. “...Didn’t know you worshipped Celestia. ...Learn something new everyday really I suppose…”
“Well, she is very… worshippy in some manners,” Mullet replied. “Don’t look so surprised, I mean Equestria worships her for a reason.’ he deadpanned. As the two squabbled amongst themselves Daring rolled her eyes and looked back at the Shobijin.
“Uh… yeah, no offense intended here,” Daring stated as she flew back down towards the two little changeling-like creatures. The two tigers that they rested themselves atop growled out warnings and Daring backed up a little before speaking once more. “...But I like to think realistically here. As interesting as Mothra is, she’s still a larva. Let’s get real here, unless the titans that got awakened were massive larva themselves -and I doubt that highly by the way I should feel free to point out- I honestly can’t see your Queenie here doing us much good.”
“She hasn’t yet reached her full size and splendor,” the Shobijin said in unison. “But rest assured, she will as time goes by!”
Nearby, Tem… No, Fizzlepop Daring had to correct herself seemed to be moved to tears by the giant lepidopteran’s calls.
“Oh, yeah, when will that be actually?” Daring questioned. “Weeks? We’re not exactly on a gracious time limit here… Must we forget that?” she grumbled before walking off. As she did so, Mothra eyed her but Daring paid her no mind. She was much more interested in the carvings on the temple walls. Monarch member she may have been, but she was still an explorer at heart. Daring chuckled to herself, it was a real damn shame she couldn’t just put this adventure in a book really.
Now Daring wasn’t quite sure what the language meant, it was far older than any she had paid witness to before but the pictures scrawled on the walls were telling enough. A soft fluttering of feathered wings from behind her. Twilight, Daring knew. They were much larger than Fluttershy’s own, and there was a gentle warmth in the air, something soft and comforting. Magic. It subtly pricked at her as all unicorn magic did.
“Curious, isn’t it Princess?” Daring remarked as Twilight walked up alongside her with both of them looking upwards to see stones bleached white. They depicted a massive reptilian beast, spines of some sort jutting from the backside roaring skywards at the heavens. More of the unusual language was below it. Daring suspected given enough time she and Twilight could probably put out a rough enough translation of it, but right now she didn’t think they needed to.
The depictions said far more than the inscriptions themselves. The giant reptilian beast was joined by a moth, one that resembled Battra and presumably Mothra as well when she reached adulthood herself. Sometimes they seemed to be just comrades in arms, and at other points they seemed to be in more gentle situations. It did beg the question of what exactly the relationship between these two species was. Daring wasn’t stupid, she knew what she was looking at. Queen of the Monsters? That seemed an apt enough title Daring supposed. “...So, uh… I’m going to go out on a limb here and take a wild enough guess and hypothesize that Mothra and the big guy here have some sort of thing going on.”
“That’s… that’s ridiculous!” Twilight sputtered out although she didn’t exactly sound particularly convinced of it herself. “If anything, they probably have some sort of symbiotic relationship. Her and Gojira I mean. One protects the other. It’s very common in nature.”
Small chingling musical laughter. The Shobijin? Possibly, Daring thought to herself. The Shobijin laughing at them over some private joke.
“Agh, don’t give me that Princess,” Daring replied in turn. “I’ve been out in the wilderness long enough to see cutesy behavior when I recognize it. Surely you’ve been over to your friend’s cottage enough times to see that sorta thing as well…”
“...Well, nature is a curious and wondrous thing…” Twilight murmured to herself finally relenting and again Daring let out a bark of laughter.
“If you ask me, nature is just plain messed up.” the explorer muttered to herself. Twilight laughed in response perhaps in agreement with her. Then, it came. A chirping call, longer than the prior ones. Daring’s fur stood up at this one. Was Mothra calling out to another of her brethren?
She broke out into a gallop as she ran back over to the Shobijin. Another call came, a high bass call that sounded like it was reverberating in the pit of Daring’s stomach. It made Daring wonder if something was calling Mothra back. And that prospect simply terrified her.
“What.. what is she doing?” Daring asked the Shobjin. Beside her Celeano looked as equally keen to know as well. “Who… just who exactly is she calling? Don’t tell me she’s waking up any of the other Titans out there.”
Celeano shuddered at the thought. There were more? She really should have been paid in advance she mused to herself. One of these creatures was bad enough as it was. But the sheer idea of the possibility that there were more than one of these things was truly frightening. They couldn’t stop Battra so how could they handle any others?
“No miss,” the Shobijin said in kind. “Mothra does not have the capability to do that. She is calling to the ones already awake out there, warning them that their Queen has returned and asking them of their intentions. That is all!” they laughed gently as if to reassure the group.
“So, she’s reasserting them of her authority, is that it?” Celeano surmised. “I can respect that.”
Nearby, the giant caterpillar was walking down the steps on her many stubby legs, light glittering off the remains of the chrysalis she had left behind. She was wandering into a side tunnel as if following some ancient track laid down by those who came before her. It was an inchworm crawl taking a few minutes, but a hasty crawl nonetheless. Mothra it seemed knew exactly what she was doing and where to go. She knew something was wrong perhaps, and that she was needed. Daring for a brief moment wondered if they should follow after her but decided against it. Mothra was allowed her privacy really. It was only fair. She shouldn’t have been treated like a circus animal on display. The tunnels were lit up with a soft blue-green glow, Mothra’s almost mystical bioluminescence providing the way forwards.
“...So, where is she going now? That bug seems like she has a place to be,” Celeano remarked. “She’s definitely moving with a purpose, that’s for sure. ...Wait a moment.” she commented as she suddenly realized something. “Back up just a tick. She’s telling them she has returned? What is she, something of a phoenix?”
“That is an appropriate enough analogy, yes Captain Celaeno,” the Shobijin said. They knew they shouldn’t laugh at the rather tired creature in front of them. Mothra may have seemed simple to them but to everyone else she was something very unusual indeed. “She with each new rebirth gains the knowledge and experiences of her previous incarnation.”
Celeano looked quite alarmed by this.
“So there’s a chance of her gaining the mindset of Battra?” the parrot replied quite understandably unnerved by this prospect. “...Wonderful.”
“Battra was one of the odd ones out in regards to Mothra’s reincarnations you must understand,” the Shobijin said in a gentle reply, soft and reassuring. “He grew fat on his power, ruling over this land like a tyrant and protecting his kingdom with a great pride. Godzilla was not quite sure how to take this so he could not help us. Heartbroken perhaps as for the longest time Mothra was his closest comrade. He simply did not understand.”
“And the possibility of this Mothra becoming like her predecessor is…?” Celeano asked quite tired and wanting the two to get to the point.
“There is that possibility, but it is unlikely,” the Shobijin said in reassurance. “More often than not, the creature you call Titanus Mosura is benevolent, a guardian of ponykind.”
Titanus Mosura, so that was her scientific name. A shiver ran down Celeano’s spine at the thought of it. Was it fear, or was it wonder? She couldn’t be certain.
“Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Celeano said dryly wondering where the hell her hip flask was at this point. The two tigers let out low warning growls sensing her agitation and realizing there was a possibility that the parrot could strike their masters. “No offense intended priestesses, but I’d rather not chance myself on a creature I barely know a thing about. Battra destroyed my ship, and killed a good portion of my crew in doing so. Now if you excuse me, me and what’s left of it are going to get the hell out of here. Feel free to stop me if any of you want but I’d much rather be back home hopefully replacing my ship.”
“I’m not even going to try,” Twilight said as she stepped out of the way to allow Celeano to pass. “I can understand your position. I’m truly sorry for bringing you all into this.”
“Save me your sympathies Princess, just pay me in full when we all get back home,” Celeano stated. “...As soon as I figure out how the hell to do that,” she realized suddenly remembering the fact that she was in absence of a ship on an island. Quite the predicament indeed she realized with a low chuckle.
“...Ah, you don’t happen to have a boat anywhere do you?” Celeano asked turning back to the Shobijin who could only giggle in response. They chanted something, a language long since forgotten and the air crackled and fizzled before a glowing blue portal opened up. On the other side of it was a city in the desert wastes rising tall and proud over what surrounded it. Celeano didn’t know how the two priestesses had pulled this off but she didn’t bother to question it. Magic was a funny thing and it did as it pleased. You were better off not questioning its intricate workings more often than not. Oh yes, Celeano knew of the spell crafters and magical theorists in Equestria but she wasn’t a smart bird by any stretch of the imagination. They were a bit beyond her.
Still, Celeano mused to herself as she tossed one final glance towards the egg now deprived of its mystical blue glow she didn’t exactly feel comfortable just up and leaving like this. Even if she wasn’t exactly sure why she felt such a manner. She sighed to herself, Twilight could handle herself. She was after all, the mighty Princess of Friendship and the Element of Magic. Taking a step through the portal she tossed a small wave before vanishing from sight.
“You sure she’ll be alright?” Twilight asked of Mullet. The parrot sighed to himself.
“Celeano’s just in a bad mood, not that you could blame her I suppose,” Mullet mused. “She needs time to mourn and to grieve. I’ll make her see sense. Storm’s coming Princess, and if anything I do want to help you weather it. Be seeing you.” he said with a small smile before following after his captain.
“You coming Flutters?” Fizzlepop asked as the portal changed to that of Ponyville. Fluttershy shook her head catching everypony off guard.
“No, I cannot,” Fluttershy answered softly. “I need to stay here. Mothra is too curious of a creature for me to just up and leave like this you understand. I will return when I’m good and ready. I feel there’s still work for me to do…”
“You’re a mare after my own heart, you know that?” Daring chuckled. “True blue explorer and Monarch scientist. I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you.”
“I’d like that,” Fluttershy smiled. “I’d like that very much. Goodbye for now Daring.”
“Yeah, I’ll put in a good word for you,” Daring mused to herself with a sad sigh. “Presuming of course Monarch’s still standing after this is all over.”
“There it is again,” Serizawa shouted as machines recorded the sound and the shockwave needles tapping away in succession. “Stronger than the last!” he exclaimed as his paw rapidly jotted down something on a sheet of paper. A wavelength recording. Rising and falling in succession. Outside, the massive thorn-like chrysalis glowed an eerie orange gold hue in the evening light.
“What’s going on?” Stellar whispered as she stepped out of the tent. “It can’t be… can it? Please tell me that thing’s not waking up. By Writer’s Quill, please tell me that’s not the case!” she whispered in a panicked frenzy.
“No… No. I don’t think that’s the case,” Serizawa murmured to himself. “It’s too early for that I think. Yes, this creature is supposed to wake up eventually, but in just a matter of a few short hours? No, I don’t think that would be the case…”
“So, what’s it doing then?” Stellar asked. The Oxygen Destroyer as it had been termed. Neither of them spoke of it. They had agreed not to at least for the time being. Serizawa had took a lighter to his notes destroying any evidence that the machine had ever existed. At least… any physical evidence. Still, Stellar worried. Serizawa was in quite the state as it was. She was worried he might do something rash eventually. What exactly, she wasn’t quite sure really. And truth be told she wasn’t exactly sure if she wanted to find out.
“I think… I think it might be communicating really,” Serizawa theorized. “With what I’m not exactly sure yet.”
“You don’t think it’s with… that do you?” Stellar whispered in a fearful tone. “But that thing was destroyed, we made sure of it!”
“I don’t think so. These communications, they don’t seem to be with how an animal would treat it’s mate. They seem almost… I wouldn’t quite label them as terrified but their urgency does seem to indicate something aside from friendliness. By Boreas, what I wouldn’t give to understand the Titan language!” Serizawa breathed.
“Same..” Stellar agreed as dusk fell. The stars and Luna’s moon above them cast a beautiful almost tranquil glow over the fog covered grounds surrounding the massive chrysalis. “So who do you think it’s talking with if not it’s mate?”
“Her… Titanus Mosura at my best guess.” Serizawa said motioning for another scientist to come closer. The scientist did and unrolled a massive piece of paper featuring a charcoal rubbing of the massive titan. Stretching an estimated 803 feet at full size from wingtip to wingtip, this rubbing only captured a small part of the creature’s presumed majesty. And even then this size was at a best guess from photographs taken and hidden away by Monarch over the years. The real creature could have been much larger. Without proper scale references it was hard to say really.
“He’s talking to his queen. Not his mate but to his queen,” Serizawa continued as he studied the piece of rubbing. He was well aware of how that sounded but right now he had more important things to worry about. Such as studying any known information on Mothra. For however bad this Titan was there could always be something far worse. Yes, the information on Mothra usually depicted her as a benevolent protector instead of a wrathful god but there was always those other tidbits that made him worry. Such as Captain Fizzlepop’s story. It didn’t hurt to be too careful really. A bit of paranoia didn’t hurt anyone.
“You don’t think she’s urging him to wake up and reclaim his lands do you?” Stellar asked worriedly. “I’d rather not have the public in mass panic when two of these things show up. Generally when two animals, solitary predators show up and meet together it’s either for one of three reasons. To fight, to feed or for something far more intimate.”
“Calm yourself Stellar,” Serizawa urged. “I’m not sure that Mothra and these MUTOs are even the same species. I have several working theories, actually.”
“Do tell,” Stellar asked with an eyebrow raised her curiosity suitably intrigued. She still kept a watchful eye on the chrysalis all the while but she walked over to Serizawa all the same. “I’m listening.”
“Well, there are several possibilities. One this is simply a case of simple divergent evolution. It’s not unprecedented in any case,” Serizawa explained. “Notably, both the MUTO species and apparently from these text’s Mothra's species as well are symbiotic with Gojira’s. They are just different kinds of symbiosis. The MUTO species are just parasitic compared to Mothra and Gojira’s mutualism. It is hardly unknown for evolution to cause jumps from one kind of symbiosis to another is it?” he remarked with Stellar nodding her head all the while.
“No, it isn’t. This could also be a case of speciation happening and specialising in different what are simply different kinds of symbiosis,” she agreed the scientist in her suitably stirred up. “Or maybe it’s mimicry. Deceptive mimicry. It’s possible that the male of the species evolved a similar appearance to Mosura. He would use this to lure unsuspecting, inexperienced members of other species to the female’s nest and then said female would pounce. I wouldn’t know, we would need to get a good look at both the male and female in action. Granted, that would involve waking them up which is the last thing we want to… do.” she trailed off as another shockwave slammed into the ground flooring both Serizawa and Stellar. Stronger than any of the others before it, this next one required a good minute or so before Serizawa and Stellar could pick themselves up off the ground and toss aside the fallen desk.
“Ma’am!” one of the other scientists shouted towards Stellar. “Recommend evacuation! Or at least we move to a safer distance. I don’t know how much longer we have.”
Stellar was inclined to agree and she turned to look at Serizawa again.
“You know what must be done,” she told the griffon who could only hang his head in resigned defeat.
“Yes… that I do. Kill it.” he whispered sadly not meeting Stellar’s eyes. Just as the order went out an alarm was raised around the facility. As this happened ponies moved away as the massive cranes that held up the Chrysalis were charged with electricity. A loud shriek of pain went up forcing everypony to cover their ears. It was the most horrible sound one could possibly imagine, a high pitched shriek that was nearly deafening in volume.
Then the chrysalis lit up as beams of energy ripped through the facility around them carving up the valley around it. One crane was sent crashing towards the ground as the wires went wild.
Fire and smoke rose up from around the facility and once again a massive shockwave was emitted flattening many more buildings. Some ponies were sent flying by the massive energy surge. But Monarch would not give up. Serizawa even as he looked on with a sheerly heartbroken expression at having to do this to such a beautiful creature sent more surges of electricity from the cranes. Part of the chrysalis crumbled and was sent toppling to the ground like a massive stalactite.
“All readings are flatlined.” a scientist said from his console and Stellar looked at him.
“Get a visual!” she ordered not confident in this creature being really dead. Upon her orders several ponies in Royal Guard armor moved up with energy surge rifles in hoof.
All was quiet as the ponies moved down into the crater. Even the chrysalis itself had stopped glowing and humming. It seemed whatever was inside was dead now. The captain of the group looked up as more of the chrysalis began to crumble. Several scorch marks were now visible on its scarred exterior.
“All seems quiet,” he radioed in. Commander Hardsteel was a veteran having served under two Princesses. When he had been transferred to the Monarch division he wasn’t exactly sure what he could expect. Personally, he had long thought the group was about as insane as those guys who thought aliens existed. And yet now looking up at this massive cocoon he found his own views changing. “Tango’s not reacting to anything. It’s as if we simply aren’t here.” he continued subconsciously wrapping his hoof around the surge rifle’s trigger and clutching onto it tightly.
In his office, Serizawa whispered: “Why should it notice us? We are simply like ants to it in the end..”
Next to him a few scientists scooted their chairs away from the griffon looking quite nervous.
“Seriwaza,” Snap Shutter commented his hoof wrapping around a coffee cup as he took a swig. “Please for Celestia’s sake don’t do that. You sound almost in awe of the beast. Freaking us all out here.”
“Apologies for that,” Serizawa replied looking rather embarrassed with himself. Sure enough his facial feathers were a flustered red. “I do apologize for that little… display if you will.”
Back down on ground level Hardsteel walked up to the chrysalis and shone a light on it from his horn. The cocoon was now oozing some sort of unearthly gray colored goo. He groaned in disgust with a few of his troops soon to follow.
“Celestia, Serizawa…” he muttered fighting back the bile in his throat as he looked upon the truly massive cocoon now laying as still as the night. Another soldier wasn’t quite so restrained. Not that Hardsteel could blame him really. “You didn’t tell me that this thing would be so disgusting in death.”
A loud crack. The cocoon now was beginning to stir once more and cries of alarm rose up. Something peered out at them from the blackness. An eye slit watching them with violent emotion coursing through it.
Then the entire cocoon smashed open and shouts rose up from the squadron as this massive forelimb whipped out and slammed into the ground. A trumpet like call rose up from the creature as it ripped itself free of the cocoon covered in amniotic fluid. Orange eyes shone through the night as the massive creature strode forwards letting out another angry call.
As the forelimbs hit ground glowing with a red light another wave hit. This time all went black around what remained of the facility.
“Power’s out!” Snap shouted. “Anti mana wave! Here it comes again, brace for impact in five… four… three… two… ONE!”
Side effect of soaking up the natural radiation he guessed. He along with the others could only watch in horror as the massive creature stomped through the facility. Surge rifles were discharged and magical fire was blasted towards the creature but it had little if any effect at all.
“Crikey,” Snap muttered to himself. “That thing’s a beast! And I thought Wyverns were something else!”
More surge rifles were discharged as the troop tried in vain to halt the creature’s advance. Another whip of its foreleg sent soldiers flying. Another anti mana wave came almost as if on cue.
“Fire everything!” Hardsteel shouted and through the flames for just the briefest of instances he and the MUTO’s eyes met. Was it understanding that passed between them or something else? It was hard to be certain. In any case the MUTO let out another trumpeting call and continued on his march forward slamming his forelimb to the ground and crushing a soldier underneath.
“Get the back ups online,” Stellar ordered her team in a frightful urgented tone. She really didn’t want to see that creature leave the facility even if there was a very distinct possibility of that occurring now. With luck, they could fry it before it did so. “Get them online now!” she barked out once more beads of sweat trailing down her face.
“We’re trying,” Snap said in reply looking equally frightened. The crackling of flames was heard as fire rose up around the facility. “That wave pretty much fried everything we have, it’ll take a miracle to get this place back up and running.”
“Then start praying,” Stellar muttered as she flipped a few switches and then the lights came on for just the briefest of moments. Her eyes widened in horror as she whispered: “Dear Goddess in heaven…”
In front of them was this massive insect creature roaring to the heavens with firey red eyes. It turned to look at them and let out another call. Then she realized. It knew who had tried to kill it. As it advanced it ripped through another of the barriers and raised a forelimb to strike out at them. Stellar braced herself before all went black…
Far away on the crest of a hill Twilight and company emerged only to see flames rising up from the valley. Then lightning lit up the night as the MUTO rose up from the fire and took to the skies like the world’s largest wasp letting out another cry as it did so. Twilight’s blood ran cold as she saw the now non terrestrial creature take to the skies blocking out the moon for a moment or so.
“...Dear mother of Celestia…” she whispered as she saw the creature fly south.
“...I… I don’t think she had anything to do with this…” Daring whispered in an equally horror struck tone. Then she regained her wits and took to the skies expanding her mighty golden wings. She flew towards the facility letting out a shout of: “Come on, we have to get down there!”
Twilight wasted no time in following while Fizzlepop broke into a gallop to follow on after her. It took but a half hour to reach what remained of the outpost. Charred and burnt remains of ponies and other things surrounded them.
Daring tried a radio to warn the nearest facility of what was coming even as the rainclouds broke open drenching the facility with pouring rains. Sadly there was no such luck. She swore to herself.
“...If only I was here… Then maybe… just maybe…”
“Maybe what?” Fizzlepop asked. “Maybe you could have been killed like the rest of them?”
“You don’t… you don’t know that…” Daring whispered a fury in her eyes before she sighed to herself. Fizzlepop was right. There was nothing they could have done even if they were here.
“But there are still things we can do…” Daring thought to herself. “Stop that creature and make sure this tragedy doesn’t happen again.”
Then a shout rose up from amongst the ruins and the rubble. Twilight rushed over to what looked like the remains of a command center and quickly began tossing aside metal with Fizzlepop coming over to help. Then coughing rose up from the ruins. Twilight’s eyes widened as she stumbled across a familiar figure in the midst of the ruins. Then a sigh of relief was breathed as she let out a breathe she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Fizzlepop was soon to follow her.
“Seri… Serizawa?” she asked. “Is… is that you?”