The air was humid in the vast jungle. The noon sun was shining high above the canopy of the forest. Down below, Ann led Junior, Sunset, Fluttershy, the Dazzlings, Rodan, Mosura and Dwan through the jungle. Ann followed close to the few Iwi scouts. As of now, Angirasu was back at the village, to continue training with Kong.
While it seemed like a good idea to learn to control the mutantism, Junior was reluctant. Partly due to his behavior the previous night, as well as the fact that he was too focused on finding the rest of the Main 7. He only wished that he was able to spend more time back home training with his father. While he had somewhat control over himself, Mosura and Rodan were still far more inexperienced in comparison.
"Stay close kids. I'm not familiar with this area," said Ann. The group continued on their journey.
During the walk, Junior took notice of Adagio. She had her arms crossed as she bore a dejected expression on her face. Concerned, Junior began to walk alongside her. The girl jumped as she noticed him.
"Hey, Ada-" Junior was interrupted as the girl began to walk further away from him. Junior bore a confused look as she moved away.
"What's..." Junior grunted as he felt Mosura suddenly pull him close.
"Hey, pay attention. Wouldn't want you to get lost," said Mosura, her eyes narrowed. Junior looked back at Adagio, who was avoiding eye contact as she walked close with her sisters. Junior then turned back to Mosura, who bore a scowl on her face.
"Um... Mosura. I-" Junior fell silent as the girl huffed.
"I don't want to hear it," said Mosura. Junior frowned. "I swear to God, I should smack you for going back on your word,"
"Mosu-"
"Shut it. I'm still pissed at you," said Mosura in a low tone. Junior sighed heavily, his eyes downcast. He couldn't protest, because he felt that he deserved her harsh treatment. As he walked silently, Fluttershy glanced at him with a frown.
"Hey, Ms. Darrow. You never talked about how you ended up here," said Sonata.
"Oh, that's right? Well, I guess that can help pass the time," said Ann.
Manehattan, Equestria. 2005.
The city was a crowded and hectic place. The air reeked of fumes from the many vehicles that filled the air. Horns were honked by angry drivers, who shouted curses from the vehicles in frustration at the traffic. It was the norm in the big city, as known by Ann Darrow.
The young woman was carrying a few bags, over her shoulders. She grunted in frustration as she searched the streets for an empty taxi. She gasped as she found one.
"Taxi!" called Ann, whistling. Her heels clacked against the concrete as she rushed to the vehicle. The taxi stopped, allowing Ann to open the back door and to climb inside. She sighed as she closed the door, setting her bags.
"Where to?" asked the driver, looking back at Ann. She cleared her throat as she removed her sun hat, fixing her bangs. As she gave her destination, the driver nodded in confirmation and proceeded to drive.
Ann sighed to herself as she began to look over her bags. She muttered to herself as she began to look inside, checking to see if she had everything that she needed. There was a sudden jingle in the air.
"Shoot! Where is it?" muttered Ann as she searched herself for the jingling cell phone. She then groaned in annoyance, realizing that her personal handbag was on her shoulder. She dug inside and drew out a flip cell phone. She found the caller to have been labeled "Mr. Denham". Ann answered the call.
"Hello?" answered Ann.
"Ms. Darrow! Where are you? It's almost time!" said a man on the other line.
"Sorry, Mr. Denham! There was a delay at the subway station. I'm in a taxi on my way to the University as we speak!" said Ann.
"Well make it snappy! We need that funding for that expedition!" said Mr. Denham.
"I can't believe that the state is actually considering to fund you for your nature documentary. Let alone recommend students to join us!" said Ann in disbelief.
"Kid, they don't care if I'm shooting an erotic film! They just want people with balls! This is a chance in a life time! Which is why I need you here! They'll be sold once they learn about your research!" said Denham. Ann began to slide the glass window from the taxi, making sure that the driver can't hear her conversation.
"Mr. Denham, my research is lacking! The island exists in legend from different regions on the planet, but there's barely anything mentioned about it! It's as if the ancients were afraid to talk about it," said Ann as she looked through her notes.
"Yes, but you found something that is worth throwing money at! You found a map!" said Mr. Denham, his tone excited. Ann frowned as she found a photo copy of an ancient map, which was charting off the Pacific Ocean.
"Think about it, kid! I spent years trying to find this place! The ancients knew this place was special!" said Denham. Ann found photos of ancient wall art, depicting a stylized skull, appearing almost that of an ape or a man.
"Just think about it! A place on Earth yet to be touched by man! The possibilities of the flora and fauna are endless! These fat cats that own the university would be eager to know they can make money off the research of their curious professors and students!" said Denham.
"I guess money talks," said Ann.
"Remember, Ms. Darrow. I came to you because I know you'd be helpful with your background in ancient history. If we get through this, we can really benefit!" said Denham. Ann sighed.
"Alright, I'll be there as soon as possible," said Ann. As she hung up, Ann proceeded to organize her things and set them away in their respected cases.
"I gotta make up the debt for acting classes somehow," said Ann to herself.
Soon, Ann had arrived onto the campus grounds of the university. The blonde was rushing through the hall of a building with her research, muttering to herself as she attempted to keep her hat on. She soon found an older man to be pacing around by a door. He was dressed in a formal suit and had combed hair. He was presentable in his appearance.
"Mr. Denham!" called Ann, picking up her pace. The man turned, relieved.
"Took you long enough! They're getting impatient!" said Denham. Ann stopped at his side, nearly dropping her bags.
"Sorry! I got here as soon as I could!" said Ann, adjusting her hold on the book.
"Agh! Look at yourself! You're a mess!" said Denham as he took a few bags from Ann. The young woman removed her hat and began to brush her fingers through her frazzled blonde locks.
"OK, ready?" asked Denham.
"Nope," replied Ann, standing up straight as she took a calming breath. She and Denham pushed the large doors open, where they proceeded to walk into a large empty classroom. The room was made up of rows of seats that ascended upwards. A large chalkboard sat at the front of the room and a desk. There were a few men in suits to be standing, conversing.
"Gentlemen! Sorry for the delay!" greeted Denham as he stepped to one of the men and reached out a hand for a shake.
"Save the pleasantries. Our time is short," said the man coldly. Denham gave a forced laugh as he clasped his hands together.
"O-Of course. Um... Please, have a seat," said Denham, gesturing to the first row of seats. The men took their seat, though looks of impatience and annoyance were on their faces. Denham made his way to Ann, who was going through her cases.
"It's not looking good right now. It's all up to you now," said Denham. Ann nodded. Denham stood to the side near the exit, while Ann turned to face the men. Her heart raced in her chest as her palms grew sweaty. She felt a sudden urge to look away and to hide. This was an all too familiar feeling.
"Th-Thank you for coming," stuttered Ann. She struggled to think of what else to say. She glanced and found Denham to be making hand gestures while he mouthed 'move it along'.
"Um... we've brought you here today to present something that may be valuable to the University. Skull Island," said Ann. A few of the men scoffed.
"Not this again, Denham," said a man in dismay. Ann grimaced, having lost what little confidence she had in herself.
"Gentlemen, I assure you that you'll be convinced. Ms. Darrow has found something you may be interested in," said Denham. Ann quickly began to dig through her notes by the desk.
"What we believe is myth may actually be a reality. Recently, I've discovered that multiple cultures in the East and West have had legends of the island. While they had different interpretations of it, they were consistent with the idea of its existence," said Ann, drawing out photographs and proceeded to pass them to men.
"A-As you can see, there's more talks about this island by the South East. Though as far as we know, few who've gone there have returned," said Ann.
"So there isn't any physical evidence that people have gone?" deadpanned one of the men, giving only a glance at a photo of a cave painting of the skull.
"Well... There's the cave paintings," said Ann, sheepishly. The men bore unimpressed looks.
"A few photos of cave paintings isn't enough to convince us to invest in a expedition to a fantasy island." said one of the men in the room.
"What are the odds that these are even real? I've seen more convincing pictures on Cryptids!" said another one of the men.
"I-I..." Ann was about to counter but felt disheartened. It seemed that this presentation was spiraling out of control.
"This reminds me of the time where that one student tried pitching us his 'Hollow Earth' theory," scoffed another one of the men, looking through the pictures.
"Sirs if you'd just take a look at this map-" Ann began to draw out another photograph.
"We've seen enough," said one of the men as they began to stand.
"But gentlemen-!" Denham cried out in alarm.
"We run a respectable University here, Mr. Denham. We aren't interested in funding your fairy tale project. You've wasted our time," said another one of the men. They all began to storm off, leaving Ann and Denham alone. Ann's eyes were downcast.
"I'm... I'm sorry, Mr. Denham," said Ann, her tone small. She knew that she was being counted on, but failed.
"It's not the end, kid. We'll find someone who'll take us seriously. Then we'll show them," said Denham, his brows furrowed. The two began to leave the room, a sense of defeat over them. As they left the room, they suddenly came across a tall middle aged man, with a five o clock shadow. He backed off in surprise.
"Oh. Pardon me. You wouldn't happen to be, 'Denham', would you?" asked the man.
"Yes?" answered Denham, warily. He noticed another man stood at this stranger's side. He was a rugged, slightly younger man. He bore black hair and bright green eyes, which quickly captivated Ann.
'Wow,' thought Ann.
"I am Englehorn. We've 'emailed' each other," said the man.
"I emailed him," interjected the second man with a roll of his eyes.
"Oh! Hello! I-I wasn't expecting you," said Denham with a relieved laugh. Ann sent him an odd look, as to why this man was so tense moments ago.
'I hope he doesn't owe money to someone,' thought Ann.
"Ah. This is my first mate, Jack Driscoll," said Englehorn, gesturing to the man next to him.
"What are you doing here?" asked Denham in confusion.
"Well, I've considered your emails. And I thought I'd come to see your presentation," said Englehorn.
"We uh... We sort of already finished," said Ann.
"Oh. Any takers?" asked Englehorn.
"No." Denham answered flatly.
"Oh. A shame. Well, let's see if you can change that," said Englehorn, as he and Jack entered the room.
"I-I'm sorry?" asked Denham in confusion.
"Come now. I'd like to see if you're serious about this expedition you've talked about," said Englehorn as he and Jack took a seat at the chairs in the room. Ann and Denham briefly looked to each other. The woman swiftly went back to a table, placing down her notes, pictures, and other items for her presentation.
"J-Just give me a minute!" said Ann, excitement growing in her. She hoped that this time, she can be more convincing. She began to present the information to the two men, who listened intently. Although Jack seemed to be a bit more indifferent, Englehorn looked to be captivated.
"So, we've also discovered a map that may potentially lead to the island. It's old, but uses star navigation to find it. It should be in the Pacific, just South of the Equator," said Ann, pointing to a point on the map, which was displayed on a screen via projector.
"Just there, huh?" asked Englehorn, scratching his chin.
"Denham, you mentioned this before, yes? That you believed your mystery island was somewhere in the Pacific?" asked Englehorn.
"It has to be. After all, most of the legends about it are centered around nations in that part of the world. The pacific islanders knew, and so did the South Equestrians. Just about any ancient people that could easily reach the Pacific have legends," said Denham. Englehorn hummed to himself, while Jack sat in boredom.
"Sounds like a crock to me," said Jack. Ann grunted in annoyance.
"Why're we wasting our time over some college girl's and nature documentary director wannabe's fantasy, Cap?" asked Jack.
"Wannabe?!" Denham barked in offense.
"Hmph. I forgot that I haven't told you," said Englehorn, looking at Jack.
"What's that?" asked Jack.
"Recently, I was contacted by an old friend who's in the Navy. Apparently, they came across an indigenous person who was lost at sea in a canoe. He didn't look like from any nation that we know of. But, he spoke in a language that islanders near that region speak," said Englehorn. This drew Ann's and Denham's attention.
"He wasn't able to say much since he sadly passed away due to illness. But, they got this off of him," said Englehorn, drawing something from his coat pocket. He held it out it to Denham, who took it. It was some sort of medallion. It was decorated with brown beads, with a golden medal. Engraved in the medal was the shape of a stylized Skull, which triggered a memory.
"Ann!" Denham called. The woman walked over and began to look over the medallion. Indeed, she too recognized the engraving. She saw a similar skull on cave paintings in her findings.
"Could it be..." Ann stared, wide eyed.
"I think there's a lot more truth to your mystery island then you realize," said Englehorn, with a smirk.
"So wait... How can you help us?" asked Ann in confusion.
"While I may not have millions of dollars, I have a ship and crew. I'm the captain of the 'Venture'. I have a couple of guys from MONARCH that's been looking to explore the region. Saying that satellites picked up something," said Englehorn.
"MONARCH? Why would they come to you about something like that?" asked Ann.
"Eh. Navy friend. Looks like the government isn't interested in these readings. Too concerned about mutants at the moment. So, they were directed at me," said Englehorn. He then stood up.
"If you're alright with slumming it in a good ol' fashion cargo ship, filled with a couple hundred crewmen, with a few eggheads who're willing to pay their own expenses for such an expedition, then welcome aboard," said Englehorn, holding out a hand. Denham grinned. Without a hint of hesitation, he shook the man's hand.
"Happy to be aboard!" said Denham.
"Hold on! What do you get out of this?" asked Ann, suspiciously.
"Like I said, these scientists are loaded. They're willing to throw in their own money for the trip. I just thought of you," said Englehorn, looking to Denham. Ann scratched her chin, still a bit suspicious. Something about this man told her that he had other motives in mind.
It was early morning. Ann and Denham found themselves standing at a seaport, where different ships were anchored. With them, a man lugging camera equipment stood. The three found their ride.
The SS Venture was a large ship. It was a Bulk Carrier ship, showing some age and water damage and barnacles along its hull. The three could see some crewmen moving about the deck, making preparations for take-off. The three began to board the ship, where they were greeted by Jack.
"Welcome aboard the Venture. Jimmy here will show you to your living quarters. Captain Englehorn will be meeting with you, shortly," said Jack, almost dismissive. A young man, appearing no older than 19, stepped over to the guests.
"If you'll follow me," said Jimmy, leading the three. Ann looked back at Jack, who began to bark orders at some of the crew.
"Come on, people! The cap wants her out of here before lunch! Let's get everything on board before we have to raise anchor!" said Jack.
"Unfriendly, isn't he?" asked Denham.
"W-Well... I'm sure he's just busy. It can't be easy being first mate," said Ann.
"Mr. Driscoll is one of the best. The captain thought he was a perfect fit for the role," said Jimmy.
Meanwhile, just below the ship, a man stood in the shadows. He watched as some cargo were brought on aboard through a large hangar-like door at the side of the hull. He drew out his cell phone and held it up to his ear.
"I'm here. Yeah, yeah. Not yet. Don't worry, I'm sure this will turn up with something. Once I confirm it, I'll inform you and we can go off from there," said the man. He hung up and began to make his way up the metallic ramp. Once no one was around, he raced inside, hiding behind large containers that were stored inside. He noticed a couple of crew men, dressed in grey uniforms, to be walking by.
"So what do you think the Captain meant when he said we'd be having a detour?" asked one of the men.
"Who knows. I just hope it's somewhere warm. I'm sick of freezing my nuts off. Winter's a bitch," said the other crewman.
Soon, the ship was setting sail. It began to sail across the Atlantic, leaving Manehattan shores. The ship bellowed as it sailed as the sun began to rise during the passage of time.
Eventually, it was noon. The mess hall was filled with the many members of the crew. They sat crowded at tablets, with plates of hot meals. Among them, were Ann and Denham. The two were sitting with Jimmy, enjoying their lunch.
"Mm. This beats fast food. I was worried that I'd have to be stuck eating that for lunch again," said Ann.
"Get used to it, kid. If this goes well, we'll be able to enjoy nutritious meals more often," said Denham with a chuckle. He then turned to the couple of men before them. They appeared to be dressed in collared shirts and jeans. They were quite casual, compared to the uniformed crewmen. Let alone scientists employed by MONARCH.
"Jack Prescott, was it? What brings you gentlemen onto this expedition?" asked Denham, casually.
"Well, we believe that the readings we got from a recent satellite passing may prove to hold some useful data. Believe it or not, we originally wanted to explore the region back in the 70s when an Equestrian satellite first passed by. This was before MONARCH was formed. But due to the Vietneigh war, the Revolutionary Uprising, we weren't able to," said one of the men, named Prescott.
"So what exactly are you hoping to find there?" asked Ann.
"Oh, who knows. Perhaps geological data. Maybe new ingredients for medicine. Anything, really," said Prescott.
"What does MONARCH need scientists like you if they're just a rebranded branch of the military?" asked Jimmy.
"Well, MONARCH has since expanded from its ways and has taken on endeavors to grow and innovate for the country. Hence why they've worked closely with GeneCo and Hideki Industries," said another scientist. "We just study in the fields of geology, zoology, and biology. You never know what you'll find."
"Sounds like they just wanted an excuse to get them away," whispered Denham. Ann kept a stoic look, suppressing the need to snort.
"We got a stowaway!" a voice shouted. Everyone turned their attention and found a crew member to be hauling an unfamiliar man away from the kitchen area.
"Unhand me!" demanded the man, as he was forced down onto the table. "You'll be hearing from my lawyers!"
"Hey, who is this?" asked a crew member in confusion.
"I caught him stealing food from the kitchen! Check his wallet!" said the crew member, who had apprehended the stowaway.
"Hey!" the man barked, as Denham took the wallet from the man's pocket. He opened it up and began to look through.
"Fred S. Wilson. Why does that name sound familiar?" asked Denham, looking through the wallet.
"Well! It seems you have quite the cushy job," said Denham, showing Ann the wallet. The young woman looked through it and found another I.D.
"You work for the Petrox Oil Corporation?!" exclaimed Ann.
"So?" asked a crewman.
"His company is the worse when it comes to regulations! You know how many oil spills into the environment were caused because of Petrox's shoddy infrastructure?" asked Ann.
"I assure you that Petrox has been working to improve upon our short sighted ways!" said Fred.
"I just read on the paper that an oil rig that you guys own went up in flames," said another crew member, holding up a newspaper. Fred grimaced.
"Including that one," said Fred.
"I bet that company has a lot of lawsuits," said Jimmy.
"Shit, my cousin told me that they charge up the ass for a gallon of gasoline," said another crew member.
"Alright, I think we get it!" Jack suddenly spoke up, making his way over to the group.
"Mr. Driscoll!" Ann recoiled in surprise.
"What I wanna know is what you're doing stowing away on my ship?" demanded Jack.
"Look... We're just looking for new oil veins. We know that you and your crew tend to venture off wherever. You don't need to follow a predetermined course," said Fred.
"So you just want to find more places to set up your cruddy equipment to cause another environmental disaster?" asked Ann incredulously.
"Alright. If it's a ride you'll want, it's a ride you'll get," said Jack. Ann, Denham and a few of the crew looked at the First Mate in shock.
"Really?" asked Fred in surprise, as he was released by one of the crewmen.
"Oh yes, sir. You'll be accommodated properly. You'll be given free roam around the ship, within reason of course. You'll have the luxury of three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. And you'll get your own living quarters," said Jack with a smile.
"Heh. Well, I say that's plenty accommodating," said Fred.
"No way," said Ann in disbelief.
"Oh, but there's something you have to do," said Jack as he took a mop and forced it against Fred's chest.
"You'll be expected to do janitorial work on the ship. I want to see my reflection on every floor, Mr. Wilson," said Jack, with his brows furrowed. Ann snorted, as Fred began to stutter.
"But-"
"Hey, we'd let you off, but we already left the sea port. You're stuck on here for the next several weeks," said Jack with a shrug. Fred went slack jawed.
"Show him to the supply room. I think it's time he learned what real work is," said Jack with a smirk. A crew member began to guide Fred along, who kept stuttering in disbelief.
"Alright, enough gawking! Finish eating and get back to work!" said Jack, as he began to walk off. Ann just watched as Jack left. A small smile was on her face. She began to make her way over to the First Mate, who was walking through the mess hall with a sigh. She tapped his shoulder, prompting him to turn.
"H-Hey," greeted Ann, a shy smile on her face.
"Hey," greeted Jack, fully facing the woman.
"Um... You wanna join us for lunch?" asked Ann, sweetly.
"No, I already ate," said Jack, before turning to walk off.
"Oh. O-OK. See you around," said Ann, forcing a smile.
A Week had gone by. The voyage had been long. Ann was standing on the deck of the 'Venture', leaning on the rails. She stared off at the endless ocean before her. She could never get tired of this sight. It was a big world outside of the big city. If she had it her way, she'd give up on civilization and just live out in the wilderness. Preferably somewhere near an ocean.
To be frank, current human civilization was rough, if not soul sucking. She was in debt for acting classes. Her interest in history and anthropology hasn't bore any fruit either. Well, at least until recently. If Skull Island truly existed, it may change her life forever. Sure, she may not become an actress as she wanted, but she at least would have a pay off for a secondary interest. Things just might start picking up for the young woman.
Ann began to make her way back inside of the ship. She strolled through the narrow metallic halls of the vessel, a bored look on her face. While it was nice to look out at the ocean view, it left much to be desired for stimulation. She wished she had something to do.
Ann soon stopped as she found Jack walking by. She quickly hid by a corner. For as long as she's been here, she's tried to interact with this man. But, he would always brush her off with an excuse. It was usually, 'I'm busy'. Ann didn't know why she continued to pester him. Either she was bored and needed someone to chat with, or she was charmed by his ruggedness and his masculine energy. She didn't meet many guys that were commanding like he was. It was quite attractive.
'Maybe this time will be different,' thought Ann. She took a breath before leaving her hiding spot. She found Jack to be sitting at a table with Englehorn, in a small room.
"And that's how it goes. Sometimes you just gotta roll with the waves," chuckled Englehorn.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Jack with a nod, before sipping from a mug.
"Ah. Ms. Darrow. Wasn't expecting you," said Englehorn, taking notice of the woman.
"H-Hello, Captain," greeted Ann.
"Did you need something?" asked Jack.
"W-Well, actually... You see I was..." Ann, twiddled her thumbs. Jack raised a brow, while Englehorn bore a knowing smirk.
"I thought it'd be fun if you and I would take a walk around the ship. Or the dock. And... Talk," said Ann, with an awkward smile. Englehorn merely glanced at Jack, who had a stoic look. He sighed as he set his mug down.
"Ms. Darrow, I don't think that'd be appropriate," said Jack.
"Appropriate?" asked Ann in confusion.
"I have a ship that I have to help keep in order. Putting off my responsibility for a walk would get in the way of that," said Jack.
"It's just a walk," said Ann, her tone small.
"Listen, Ms. Darrow. Frankly, I'm not too fond of students being on board," said Jack. Ann felt a chord struck.
"It's nothing personal. I just have my role, and you have yours. It's better we stick with that," said Jack.
"I-I understand. Excuse me," said Ann, before turning to walk away. As she left, Englehorn glanced at Jack, as he sipped from his mug again.
"Quite the heart breaker, aren't you?" asked Englehorn.
"I'm not here for romance, captain. Besides, it's better that she didn't get attached. I know her type," said Jack with a sigh. Meanwhile, Ann walked alone in the hall. Her eyes filled with tears.
'That's what I get for not taking a hint' thought Ann.
It has been a couple more weeks. Ann stood with Denham and the MONARCH scientists. They stared, wide eyed along with the rest of the crew.
"This is what your satellite detected?" asked Denham.
"Seems that way," said Prescott.
Before them, was a grand storm that was made up of dark clouds that covered the sky and reached down to the ocean itself. It was like a stationary hurricane. The roaring thunder constantly filled the air, and faint flashes of blue lightning streaked through the clouds.
"What now?" asked Ann.
"We do have some smaller boats. We can set them up on those," said Jack.
"Are you volunteering on going?" asked Englehorn.
"Hell, someone needs to keep an eye on them," said Jack.
"You're concern doesn't sound genuine," deadpanned Ann.
"Listen, you're trying to get to an island that you don't even know exists. A freakish storm is in the way of that. Would you like me to accompany you into the storm?" asked Jack in annoyance.
"Oh I don't know. You don't like to be on board with students," deadpanned Ann. Jack narrowed his eyes at her.
"Ann, that's enough. Yes, Mr. Driscoll. We would appreciate the company," said Denham.
"No one's going. Jack, come on. You know taking those boats into that storm is suicide," said Englehorn.
"Yeah, I know. I'm shocked they went along with it," said Jack with a smirk. Ann glared at him.
"It's alright. We'll take the Venture in. She can handle it," said Englehorn.
Soon, the crew began to make their way back inside of the ship. They made sure that they secured anything they could that wasn't bolted down. They then began to seal up all windows and anything that would allow water in. The boat began to sail off to the storm.
"This is a bad idea," said Jack, wincing as a flash of lightning whizzed above.
Meanwhile, in the bridge, Ann, Denham, Prescott, and a couple of others were seated, holding onto the railings.
"Hold onto your butts," said a crewman.
"Why does that sound familiar?" asked Ann. She gasped as the boat began to rock, as it passed through the humid dark clouds. The heavy massive ship rocked as it rode over the violent waves, tossing everyone and everything around inside. The air was dark in this storm, and the lights on the ship flickered as lightning endlessly struck. Thunder roared, muffled from within the metal walls of the ship.
"Oh boy," groaned Denham, rocking with the motions.
"Mr. Denham, don't you dare puke!" said Ann.
"Come on, where's that eye of the storm?" asked Englehorn, anxiously. The stormed almost seemed to grow more violent. Water from the waves splashed onto the desk, spilling off to the sides before quickly gathering back up, as the ship would rock again. Ann clenched her eyes shut, feeling the rocking and hearing the storm. She felt like they weren't going to make it through.
Soon, the storm became less intense. Rain water ceased. The boats passed through the humid clouds, finding a bright orange tone ray of sunlight.
"My God," said Denham in awe.
"Well, I'll be damned," chuckled Jack.
From the bridge, the crew bore witness to bits of tall masses of land, covered in grass. Beyond them, was an island. Birds began to soar through the tall landmasses. The land masses almost created a Bay that ran from the main mass of land and out to the ocean. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
"Skull Island," said Denham, grinning from ear to ear. He quickly began to unpack the camera from the case he had with him. "This is a great shot!"
Later, the boat had dropped anchor. It was stationary in the middle of ocean, just a distance from the island. The crew gazed upon the mysterious island. Denham was busy filming the view, laughing like a happy child.
"Well, shall we get going?" asked Ann.
"I hope you mean to the island!" said Denham.
"Of course," said Ann with a smile. She then turned to Jack.
"I believe you promised an escort, Mr. Driscoll," said Ann, coyly. Jack rolled his eyes.
"I'll join you," said Englehorn. Everyone looked at him incredulously.
"Well, if there are indigenous people on the island, you might need an interpreter. Lucky for you, I know a lot of languages. A few relating to the ones in this region of the world," said Englehorn. He began to motion for the other crewmen.
"Anyone else feeling daring? Grab some rifles and get on board the boats!" said Englehorn.
"Rifles?!" asked Ann.
"Relax. It's just for our own protection," said Englehorn. Ann grimaced.
Soon, the expedition was officially under way. Denham, Ann, Prescott, Jack, Englehorn, Fred Wilson, and a few other crewmen were riding in a couple of small motorized boats. The boats began to race across the more calm waters, making their way into the bay. They couldn't help but gaze upon the masses of land that stood tall above the waters, like earthy towers.
"To think this place has been hidden here all this time," said Prescott.
"Why do they call it Skull Island, anyway?" asked Jack.
"Maybe it has something to do with that," said Englehorn, pointing ahead. Everyone caught sight of a mountain just on the island. The mountain bore what appeared to be a skull carved into it. The mouth was a cave, where water flowed into. It was quite an ominous sight, compared to the rest of what they could see of the island.
"A little on the nose, but OK," said Denham, filming the carving.
"Land us on the beach ahead!" said Englehorn, pointing.
The boats began to make their way deeper into the bay. They came across a white sandy beach, which appeared to be deserted, aside from a few palm trees and boulders. The boats stopped at the beach, allowing the passengers to hop out. Once the boats were secured, they began to look around.
"I want to retire here," said Denham, still filming the scenery.
"Doesn't look like anyone's around," said a crew member.
"Yeah, well, don't let your guard down," said Jack, as the crewmen held their rifles, checking them. Ann stared warily.
"Well, Denham. You lead on. This is your expedition," said Englehorn, brushing off his hat.
"Let's get moving, gentlemen. And lady," said Denham.
The crew began to make their way across the beach. They began to venture off to the forest, where the sounds of birds chirping resonated like an orchestra. As they walked, Denham was busy filming.
"Mr. Denham, perhaps you should let someone else film for you," said Englehorn.
"Oh alright. Here," said Denham, handing the camera to his assistant. "For God's sake, be careful and don't miss anything," said Denham.
"Hey, get a look at that!" said a crew member. Everyone stopped and found a flock of birds to be perched on a distant tree. They were bright red, and appeared like parrots. Their beaks were sharp and curved downward. They bore black forward facing eyes, and a bony crest that curved to the back of their skulls. Some bore longer crests, likely sexual dimorphism. The birds squawked as they displayed their long, bright feathers.
"Get a shot!" whispered Denham, as the assistant began to film. Englehorn smirked.
"Hello, my pretty," said Englehorn to himself.
"Wait, do you hear that?" asked Jack. Everyone fell silent. There was the faint sound of heavy drum beats. Along with the beats came the sound of chanting.
"Let's go check it out!" said Denham, quickly moving on through the forest.
"Denham, slow down!" said Englehorn, as the crew began to follow. Once they passed through the dense trees, the crew came across a shocking sight. Ahead was a massive stone wall, carved with different images onto different surfaces. A heavy wooden door made up the stone frame. The wall divided a portion of the jungle and the beach, away from the rest of the vast jungle. By the wall, lied a village.
The village was comprised of several huts, made up of wood and thatch. Some were firmly planted on the ground, some were built up as houses held up by nearby trees. There was also some damaged stone houses, and pillars that were closer to the wall.
There were many natives that were standing around a stone stairway, leading up to the wall. They comprised of bronze skinned humans, who looked like they could have been from any other island from the Pacific. They were dressed in loose cloth that covered their bodies.
"Incredible. Do you understand what they're saying, Englehorn?" whispered Denham.
"Not sure. It sounds like a tongue that I know. It sounds like they're saying 'Come.' Or..." Englehorn hummed to himself.
"I wonder what they're doing," whispered Ann.
The chief, or at least what the crew assumed was the chief, was clad in an elaborate headdress, covered in a plume of feathers. He bore markings that were painted along his face, arms, and bare chest. His robes hung below his knees. He carried a staff, which bore a fist-like handle, holding a shrunken skull. He stood among these natives, as he watched as a group of men stood in the center of the village. They were dressed in matted fur-like sleeves and coats, giving them the appearance of apes. They chanted and grunted, pounding their chests to the drum beats, while stomping in place. The 'ape' men began to dance around the fire pit in the center, as the natives continued to chant.
"No, wait. They're saying... 'Kong'," said Englehorn.
"What's a Kong?" whispered Jack.
"I'm going in for a closer look," whispered Denham, hauling the camera equipment.
"Mr. Denham!" Ann whispered in alarm, as the man made his way over to a hut. He began to place the camera on a tripod. He began to film the natives during this strange ceremony. The natives continued to chant as the performers danced, beating their chests.
The chief suddenly gave a shout, which prompted everyone to freeze in place. Denham bore an odd look as he kept his camera filming.
"Ah shit," said Jack in dismay.
It was at this moment that Denham came to a realization. The natives were all staring at him. He stepped away from his camera, as the natives stared at him in silence. The chief shouted something he couldn't understand. He began to approach Denham with a hard expression, as a few natives wielding shields made up of animal hide and wood approached, raising their spears. They approached slowly, while the Chief confidently made his way to Denham.
"Come on out guys. They already know we're here," called Denham nervously.
"Go out calmly. No sudden aggressive movements," said Jack. The rest of the crew stepped away from the trees, carefully approaching Denham from behind. The natives stood, whispering among themselves as they anxiously watched their chief make contact with these foreigners. The chief and the armed natives stopped, staring down the foreigners.
"Englehorn, say something," whispered Denham. Englehorn cleared his throat. He began to speak in a foreign dialect. The chief angrily replied, pointing to the jungle. Ann grew nervous. As she noticed some of the armed crewmen tensing up, that made her anxiety worse.
"He demands that we leave," said Englehorn.
"Ask them what that ceremony is for," said Denham.
"Did you not hear him?" deadpanned Jack. Englehorn began to speak to the Chief in his tongue. The chief replied making hand gestures and directed the attention of the crew to the center.
"He says that they were performing an exorcism to cast out demons from 'Equescidar'. He called it, 'a forbidden land'," said Englehorn. The chief then said the word, 'Kong' again, and pointed to a stone sculpture, depicting a strong humanoid figure, only from the head and down to the torso. The sculpture's arms were spread out, where its large hands lied open and bare. The chief continued to speak, his tone carrying reverence.
"He said that the spirit, 'Kong', will protect them from the evils that lurk on the island," said Englehorn.
"So Kong's like a God?" asked Ann, growing fascinated. A frantic voice filled the air. The crew saw a native, dressed in leafy and grassy clothes, wearing a smaller headdress compared to the chief's. He bore different tattoos on his skin, and a bone through his nose. He carried a staff that bore a skull on it. He rushed over to the Chief and began to speak to him. He then pointed an accusatory finger towards the crew.
"Who's that?" asked Denham.
"Must be the Witch Doctor. He says that we spoiled the sanctity of the ceremony. He says that the pale faces will bring misfortune for their ignorance," said Englehorn.
"Pale- Wait a minute," Prescott's eyes widened in alarm. The natives suddenly growled as they raised their spears. They began to approach the crew, hostility clear.
"Hey! Stand back!" said Jack, raising a rifle with a glare. The rest of the crew raised their weapons as well. The chief began to shout.
"He said, 'You dare to threaten us with violence'." Englehorn translated.
"Hey, they started it!" said Jack.
"Boys, keep those fingers off those triggers! Quick, what's the word for friend?!" asked Denham.
"Ballah," said Englehorn.
"Ballah! Ballah!" Denham cried, stepping closer to the natives, his hands exposed. The chief slightly narrowed his eyes at the man, suspicion clearly on his mind. Then, he noticed Ann to be hiding among the crew, appearing anxious. The chief gasped before pointing. He cried out in his native tongue. Denham looked at Englewood in confusion.
"Did you catch that?" asked Denham.
"Sounds like he's taken an interest to Ms. Darrow. He says, 'Look at the golden woman'," said Englehorn.
"Wait, what?" asked Ann in confusion.
"Well, blondes are certainly scarce around here," said Denham, looking to all of the observing natives. The chief began to speak, holding out his hand. His demeanor more calm and almost respectful. A few of the natives got on their knees and held a hand out as they gazed upon Ann.
"Alright, these guys are starting to bug me. What are they doing now?" asked Jack.
"Staring too?" asked Fred.
"Huh. They seem to have confused Ann for a goddess lost on earth. He says that his tribe will help her get back to heaven," said Englehorn, cocking a brow.
"How do they intend on doing that?" asked Fred with a snort.
"I can think of a couple of ways," said Jack, warily. Ann cleared her throat with a nervous smile.
"Oh! No, no! I'm fine, but thank you!" said Ann. Englehorn began to translate. The natives and the Chief bore confused looks. They began to speak among themselves, clearly puzzled.
"Cap, we should get back to the ship in case they try to do something drastic," said Jack.
"Good idea, Jack," said Englehorn.
"Wait, tell them that we'll be back tomorrow to make friends," said Denham, packing up his camera. Englehorn began to translate. The chief was stoic at this. He showed no sign of approval, nor objection. The natives watched as the crew anxiously walked away from the village. They made sure to watch their backs, in case they get a spear to the back.
Later that evening, the crew had made it safely back to the Venture. Right now, Ann, Fred, Denham, Prescott, the other scientists, and Jack were seated in the mess hall. They bore plates filled with their dinner for the evening. Denham was grinning as he looked through his recorded footage.
"What do you think they were trying to exorcise? What would make them think there's demons around?" asked Ann.
"Could be oil," said Fred. Ann sent him an annoyed look.
"Possible. I'm sure they'd be disturbed by a black fluid gushing from the earth. But I think it could be some undiscovered fauna. Why else would they have that wall? It was clearly built to keep something out," said Prescott. Denham chuckled.
"And that's what I'm here for. Imagine what kind of strange and new creatures that are living on this island! Jack, do you think you can convince Englehorn to talk the Chief into letting us through the wall?" asked Denham. Jack sent him an annoyed look.
"If you want him to translate, than ask him yourself," said Jack.
Ann was walking through the corridors of the ship in silence. She yawned as she scratched her hair.
"Can't wait to-" Ann fell silent as she heard the roar of a boat engine. Curious, the young woman made her way over to the deck, looking over the portside of the ship. Ann cursed under her breath as she rushed over. She found that Fred was riding one of the motor raft boats away from the ship, making its way back to the island. It was already quite a distance, it's motor fading from her range of hearing.
"What in the-" Ann turned to find a few more motor boats to be hanging off the side of the ship, held up by cranes. Ann quickly hopped into one of the other motor boats.
Ann realized that it'd be wise to warn everyone. But, she feared that if she didn't act now, Fred may ruin this entire expedition by somehow angering the natives. So, Ann began to search for a way to get the boat to drop. She grunted a she tugged at the tethers that held it via crane. She grunted in frustration, seeing that Fred was already fading from her sight into the cold night. Swimming was out of the question, considering that the ship was anchored quite far from land, and the water would likely freeze her to death before she could drown from exhaustion. But then, Ann found a control to be hanging from the side. She took the control and found a large red button, along with a couple of other buttons, with arrows drawn on. Ann pushed one of the buttons, and gasped as the crane moved the boat away from the deck, more above the cold dark water below. The student gulped as she looked down, and then to the button. She then looked to the island. With a breath, Ann pressed the red button. She screamed as the boat dropped, splashing onto the water. The control hung above, still connected to the onboard controls of the crane. Ann yelped as the cold salt water splashed on her, during this cold night.
"OK! OK!" Ann began to pull the chord to the motor, causing it to roar to life. Ann yelped as the boat started racing across the water. This thing was tedious to control. She hoped that she would make land before she could accidentally rock over.
With luck, Ann made it to the beach. She found Fred's boat to be beached, but there was no sign of him. But, she saw muddy footprints to be trailing to the jungle. The student hopped out of her boat and began to run along the sandy beach, making her way into the jungle. she heard the faint cry of animals in the air, as she brushed through grass and leaves.
Soon, Ann made her way to the village. She saw it was dark, with some dim torches to be lit. She gasped as she found Fred racing to the wall, looking for a way through. He noticed a small crack in the wall, just big enough for him to squeeze into. He began to move squeeze himself in, disappearing from sight. Ann began to run out into the open, but quickly hid behind a hut, noticing a couple of natives pacing about, standing guard. Whenever they looked away, Ann rushed deeper through the village, taking cover somewhere else. Eventually, she made her way to the wall and slipped through the crack that Fred passed through.
Ann found herself standing before a vast dark jungle. She felt a sudden sense of dread of being out in the open, alone in unfamiliar territory. Ann saw a faint light, likely from a flash light. The young woman began to pursue. She passed through many dense trees and even found herself tripping in the dark of the night.
Ann saw that the light had made its way into a deep dark cave. The blonde steeled her nerves as she ventured inside. She found that the cave bore large crystals and gem stones that glimmered, offering some light in the cave. She was mesmerized by the sight.
"Jack pot!" cried Fred.
Ann turned. She saw the man deeper in the cave, kneeling by a pool of swirling black and purple liquid. Fred chuckled as he held out a bottle to the pool.
"Unbelievable" shouted Ann, startling Fred. She glared at him in disapproval.
"I don't know how you did it, but you're terrible! How can you sneak off and violate another nation's taboos?!" Demanded Ann. Fred scoffed.
"I don't give a damn about a bunch brainless savages! The only value here is the oil! I'm going to do my job and make sure Petrox makes its money!" said Fred, sticking his hand and the bottle into the pool.
"And here I hoped seeing this place would make you reconsider looking for oil," said Ann in disappointment.
"Don't be stupid. Money makes the world-" Fred grunted as he attempted to scoop up the liquid. He realized that it was a lot thicker than he thought it would be. He actually struggled to pull out his hand.
"I'm stuck!" said Fred in alarm. Ann sighed. As much as she disliked this man, she wasn't callous.
"Oh fine, I'll help you. You greedy dirt bag," said Ann. As she took Fred's free hand, there was a sudden violent tremor. The cave rumbled and the swirling pool absorbed the falling debris.
"An earthquake!" cried Ann. The tremors caused her and Fred to lose their balance. The two cried out as they fell into the pool, quickly being pulled beneath the surface.
Ann found herself hurled through a tunnel of light. Her lungs ached as she held her breath, unable to scream. If she didn't know better, she'd think the brightest light at the end was her entrance to the afterlife. Maybe it was.
Ann's vision grew dark as she exhaled, passing out.
Ann's eyes shot open. A sharp gasp escaped her as she shot up. The woman found herself in the middle of a dense jungle. The warm sun bathed her pale skin, drenched in a dark sticky substance. Her heart was pounding. She was definitely alive.
Whatever happened, Ann thought that it brought her to some other part of the island. Because she couldn't see the cave she was in anywhere. She began to look around in confusion.
"Fred?" Ann called, standing up to her feet. As she walked around. She heard a heavy thump. Ann turned, her blood running cold. She found Fred's lifeless eyes staring at her. Her terror only grew, once she found him in the jaws of a great beast. Not just any. It was in fact a large Tyrannosaurus Rex, which held the man in its large powerful jaws. A rumble from the beast's throat rattled Ann's bones.
Without a second thought, Ann quickly bolted from the dinosaur. The creature began to chomp and gulp down Fred's body. It snarled as it began to give chase. Its heavy footsteps thundered through the jungle. Ann whimpered as she ran for her very life, slipping through crowded trees. The Rex shrieked as it crashed into the trees, knocking them over with its sheer brute strength.
"HELP!!" Ann screamed to the top of her lungs, which echoed throughout the jungle. She felt the footsteps growing closer. The hot foul breath of the oversized lizard reached her nostrils, which caused her to break into a sob. No matter how much of her stamina she used to outrun the beast, it was futile. Its large legs allowed it to cover more ground, compared to the woman's smaller legs. Before the beast could chomp down on the woman's top half, a massive furry form rammed into it from the side. The Rex yelped as it was knocked off of its feet, rolling with the furry mass. Ann tripped and fell to the ground. She turned with a pant, finding the Rex to shrieking as a massive ape-like creature placed it in a head lock. The ape gave a loud roar, almost like a lion. It began to tackle the Rex, rolling around with the saurian. Ann panted, unable to move from both fear and exhaustion. She watched as the two colossal beasts fought.
The ape locked its legs around the Rex's torso and forced its head to the ground. He grunted as he grabbed its snout. He began to force open the jaws of the dinosaur, but struggled as it kept clamping its mouth shut. In a fit of frustration, the ape punched the Rex in the head, setting it in a daze. The ape then grabbed its jaws again and began to pry it open. It struggled, as did the Rex that kicked its legs in a fruitless attempt to stand up.
Ann flinched as the ape forced the jaws wide beyond its range of motion. A loud sickening snap filled the air. The Rex suddenly went limp as its lower jaw hung open, where blood began to pour from its mouth. The ape snarled as it began to play with the broken jaw, opening and closing it. The mammal than began to shake it and allowed the beast to rest its head on the ground. The Rex twitched as it lied helplessly, its tongue twitching as it gurgled. The ape grabbed a heavy stone and then slammed it against the dinosaur's head. Ann flinched at the heavy blow. The Rex lied limp, having been put out its misery. The ape stood over the dead reptile, beating its chest and roaring in triumph. Its cries were heard for miles in the jungle, startling any creature, great and small, that heard it.
The ape grunted as it stood upright, on its two strong legs. Its mammoth-like fur hung from its body, blowing in the wind. Its brown eyes fell upon Ann, who cowered before the new creature.
"No! No!!" Ann cried as the ape reached for her. It picked her up in its large rough hand. She squirmed and screamed as she attempted to get away from this savage beast. The ape began to eye the young woman, looking her over. Ann felt herself overwhelmed from the terror she's been exposed to. All of this handling from the beast pushed her to the edge. Ann suddenly fell limp, having fainted.
Ann winced. She felt herself wrapped in something warm. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring up at a leathery surface. The young woman sluggishly raised herself up. As Ann looked around, she gave a startled cry.
A young woman, holding some Pacific Islander traits recoiled with a start. Her expression became relaxed, which oddly put Ann at some ease.
"W-Where am I?" asked Ann. Looking at this native, she didn't look like she could be from the tribe of the natives she saw before. This woman bore strange tattoo markings along her face and arms, which differentiated from tattoos of the others. Even her clothes were different. Instead of plant fibers, feathers, and grass, this woman wore some kind of red cloth robe. She must have been from a different tribe.
The woman suddenly stood up and began to leave the hut. Ann winced as the light briefly shined on her face. She grunted as she began to crawl out of the hut. As she stood, she gasped at what she saw.
Ann was surrounded by a village. It was certainly different compared to the one she's been too. The huts all looked to be similar and design. There were no trees surrounding them. The natives silently walked about in the village, not paying the woman any mind. But the most glaring thing of all was the massive wall. Instead of stone, the wall was made up entirely of wood. Large heavy logs and planks of wood made it up, which seemed to be surrounding the land, rather than the wall that divided the other tribe's village from the rest of the island.
"Are you well?" a deep, gruff voice called. Ann flinched. She turned, finding a tall, muscle bounded man standing over her. He stood at over six feet, and bore intense brown eyes. Ann looked away, unable to keep eye contact. He appeared to be another villager. Only this one was speaking to her.
"I-I don't... What..." Ann looked around, struggling to process what has happened to her so far.
"I apologize. It wasn't my intention to frighten you," said the man, bowing his head.
"Frighten me?" Ann asked in confusion.
"You were about to be devoured by the beast. I had no choice but to take on my Ape form to kill it quickly," said the man.
"Ape form?" Ann tilted her head. Then it clicked. She recalled that a massive bipedal ape had killed the dinosaur. But, she didn't know what this man meant until she took notice of the scars running across his chest. She faintly recalled the ape having similar scars on its own chest.
"That was you? Then, you're..." Ann went wide eyed. It makes sense now. This man was no doubt, a Transmutant. She might have lucked out or gotten into more trouble.
"I am called, Kong. And this, is the home of the Iwi," said Kong as he gestured to the land.
"Kong..." said Ann, softly. Surely she misheard. This couldn't have been the same Kong that the other natives were on about.
"Again, I apologize," said Kong.
"Oh! No need to apologize! I'm just not used to that sort of thing!" Ann tittered. Though she realized how silly that might have sound. Of course, people wouldn't be used to being chased by a living dinosaur and rescued by a native Transmutant.
"You are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. If you wish to return to your land, than I'll be willing to help you," said Kong.
"Oh! Actually, I'm not from Skull Island. I just need to get to the beach to meet with my friends," said Ann. Kong raised a brow.
"Skull... Island," said Kong.
"Yeah. You know, the one we're on now," said Ann.
"You're mistaken. There are no beaches around here. Nor is this an island," said Kong.
"Wait... What are you saying?" asked Ann, growing nervous.
"Hmm. You must be far from home. This land is called Equescidar. This territory is the Roaring Jungle, my domain," said Kong.
"Equesci- No, that can't be! No, I was on an island! That idiot Fred Wilson was-" Ann gasped, growing pale. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew that the pool of oil had something to do with it. The light was no passage to heaven. No, it was to somewhere else entirely.
"Oh my God. Wh-What am I gonna do? Mr. Denham... Jack... My friends... My family... I'm all alone. I'm gonna die out here!" said Ann, tearing up. She began to breathe in panic. If there were dinosaurs running around out here, then she had no chance of surviving longer than a day. This pushed her to the point of despair.
Suddenly, Kong pulled her into an embrace. Ann froze, feeling the steady heartbeats of this mutant. He gently placed a hand over her head, his eyes soft.
"You're not alone. This place will be your home. I will look after you and help you adapt to the ways of the Iwi. And you too will know how to survive," said Kong, his tone soft and caring. Ann sniffled. She broke into a sob, as she buried her face into his arm.
Present Day...
"And that's what happened," said Ann. She had just finished explaining her story to the teens. Looks of fascination and confusion were on their faces.
"So there's more than one way to get here? Where's the place you came in?" asked Junior.
"Sorry, Gojira. When I came to this world, it just dumped me in the middle of the jungle. There was no way back," said Ann. Junior cursed under his breath.
"Ugh. So much for a way home," scoffed Aria.
"So if not for Kong, you wouldn't be here huh?" said Sonata.
"You got that right. He took me in and has been good to me these last three years," said Ann. Her face lightly flushed as she looked to be day dreaming.
"You got the hots for him, don't ya?" asked Aria with a smirk. Ann stiffened.
"No, of course not! What gives you that impression?!" asked Ann incredulously.
"Nah I've seen that look plenty of times. You totally do," chuckled Rodan. Ann groaned in annoyance.
"Hey, we're not here to joke around! Just keep hustling!" said Ann indignantly as she pressed forward.
Along the way, the group came across a more open area. They stopped as one of the Iwi scouts raised his hand. Ann bore an odd look.
"Stay here, kids," said Ann as she approached one of the natives. The teens did as they were told, though were confused.
Ann stood next to a scout. The Iwi man merely pointed to a patch of dirt, further up. The ground was littered with golden orbs, which seemed to glow from the sun's light. Ann slightly narrowed her eyes, noticing a lot of trees to be scarred or having been uprooted.
"Hey, is that gold?" asked Aria with a look of interest.
"No. This is something else. Stay close and be on your toes. We may be passing through a dangerous spot," said Ann as the scouts carefully stepped through the open area in the jungle. The rest of the group followed. Ann had an anxious look on her face as they walked passed the golden objects that littered the ground.
Curious, Junior knelt down and picked up one of the objects. He hummed to himself as he looked it over, finding its crystalline shape and texture. Fluttershy walked alongside him curiously.
"How much you think this stuff is worth?" asked Junior. Fluttershy squinted at the object.
"Goji, I think that's amber," said Fluttershy.
"Isn't that the stuff in the Jurassic Park movies that let them clone dinosaurs?" asked Sonata in confusion.
"It actually preserved the mosquitoes that had dinosaur DNA in them. But yeah, basically," said Rodan.
"Hey, put that down! We need to get out of here!" hissed Ann, looking back at the teens.
"What's the big deal?" asked Junior with a shrug. The teens then stopped as they noticed that there were some larger amber structures lying on the ground. It was here that they noticed something disturbing.
"Oh God," said Sunset with an unnerved look. From these larger pieces of amber, there were animal body parts preserved inside. They were ape-like, looking as though they were crushed and torn.
"I don't remember amber doing that in the movie," said Sonata with a gulp.
"Because it doesn't. It's what made it that did," said Ann.
"Every time you guys say, amber, I can't help but think back to the bug. Man I never thought I'd miss her," said Junior.
"This isn't good," said Ann, growing more anxious.
"Ann, you're starting to freak me out. This disturbing crime scene isn't helping," said Dwan as she eyed the amber on the ground. There was a sudden scream. The group recoiled, turning to find Fluttershy burying her face into Junior's arm, trembling in fear.
"Why did you scream?!" asked Ann incredulously. Fluttershy whimpered as she pointed off. The group found that she was pointing to the ground near tall grass. What they saw sent chills into their souls. On the ground was a human male, mostly intact but looked as though his abdomen was crushed. The corpse was preserved in a coffin of amber, his eyes wide open as his jaw hung.
"What's happened?" shuddered Mosura.
"We need to go back. That scream may have just-" Ann was interrupted as a fallen tree began to rumble. The natives retreated with the group as the large log shook. Large chunks of the tree began to move, planting onto the ground.
"What in the-" Rodan exclaimed as the chunks planted into the earth. It was here that the main body of the tree began to rise. It was here that the teens saw that they were four mantis-like legs, coated entirely in thick brown wood. The log began to extend, revealing a bug-like head, covered in four black eyes. It gave a chitter as its insect mouth moved, revealing its small sharp teeth.
"What is that?!" asked Sunset.
"Everyone, run!" cried Ann. The group began to flee, as the twelve foot tall beast screeched. Its legs allowed it to quickly scurry after the teens. It lunged for one of the natives, extending its head that stuck out almost like a snail from under its shell. The native cried out in agony as the mantis's bone crushing jaws caught him by his head. It began to quickly scarf the native up and swallowed him whole. The creature shrieked as it began to pursue again.
"We can't outrun it!" cried Mosura. Sunset grunted as she stopped and turned as the mantis approached.
"Sunset! What the hell are you doing?!" cried Junior, stopping as well. He began to run to her, as the rest of the group turned in horror.
Sunset took a breath as the world seemed to have slowed for her. She knew that she haven't had much experience with this ability, but she knew that they couldn't flee. This thing was just going to pick them off. Sunset grunted as she clenched her fists, her hands sparked as she prayed that she wouldn't screw up. Sunset gave a cry as she shot her hands forward, sending a stream of fire towards the bug. The insect shrieked as the flames caught onto its wooden carapace, burning it. In a blind panic and agony, it began to scurry around, attempting to put itself out. Sunset gasped as it was charging towards her. Sunset screamed in fright as she braced herself, but was tackled to the ground by Junior. The boy used his body to shield her as the mantis stomped over them. His back caught ember that fell from its burning body, causing him to hiss in pain.
The bug shrieked as it wildly ran. As it approached the rest of the group, the Dazzlings quickly ran up front. With a deep breath, they gave a synchronized super sonic cry. Everyone shielded their ears as the waves from their cries passed the insect, causing it to be blown away onto its back. The bug twitched as the flames consumed its body. Soon, it curled up as it died.
"Nice work!" Said Rodan, giving the Dazzlings a thumbs up.
"Incredible..." said Ann, with a look of awe. "You have got to explain to me what that was!"
Junior grunted as he stood up with Sunset. His back gave off smoke from the hairs that were singed from the ember. He held Sunset by her shoulders as he looked at her angrily.
"What were you thinking?!" demanded Junior. Sunset was taken aback by this.
"I-I just saved our lives!" said Sunset. Adagio scoffed as the Dazzlings bore annoyed looks.
"Hey, we helped!" said Adagio indignantly.
"You could've gotten yourself killed!" said Junior with a glare. Sunset glared back.
"We all could've been killed!" retorted Sunset, prying Junior's hands off her shoulders. But as she made contact with him, Sunset felt a surge of emotions. Panic, anger, and relief. Sunset winced as she held her head. But as she came to her senses, she found Mosura jabbing a finger against Junior's chest, her face red with fury.
"You have no right to get angry at her after what you did yesterday!" said Mosura. Junior was about to protest but merely sighed in defeat.
"You're right. I'm sorry, Sunset," said Junior, his eyes downcast. Sunset's expression softened.
"I'll try to be more careful next time," said Sunset. Mosura kept a scowl on Junior, who said nothing. Fluttershy placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a soft look. Mosura sighed.
"Are you hurt?" asked Mosura.
"Just some singed hair," answered Junior. Rodan cupped his nose.
"Yeah, I can tell," said Rodan, having picked up the foul stench of burnt hair. The remaining natives approached the charred carcass of the insect. The natives knelt as they bowed their heads solemnly.
"Shit, poor guy," said Aria with a deep frown. As the natives mourned the one that was eaten alive, Junior looked to Ann.
"What was that?" asked Junior.
"A Spore Mantis. It's a flora-fauna kind of creature. That thing is basically a mix between a tree and a bug. That amber we've seen is its excrement," said Ann. Sonata looked at her in confusion.
"Huh?" asked Sonata.
"It's shit," said Junior, as he began to wipe his hand against his pants in disgust. Sonata gagged as she stepped away from a piece of amber on the ground.
"Maybe we should head back. We just lost a guy," said Dwan with a worried look. Junior was about to protest but fell silent. He was letting his emotions get the best of him again.
Fluttershy was looking to Junior, worriedly. She knew he's been hellbent on finding their friends. But he wasn't protesting. However, she could see the pain in his eyes.
"I guess..." Ann sighed. She then notice the Iwi beginning to rise. They proceeded to walk on ahead.
"Hey, where are you going?" asked Ann in confusion. The natives turned to her. They said nothing but looked to her with the same stoic expressions. The teens looked to each other in confusion, but Ann softly smiled.
"Understood. Come on," said Ann as she began to walk on. The teens began to move forward, although reluctantly because of what other dangers lied ahead. Junior took one last look at the spore mantis, a pit forming in his stomach.
An hour had passed. The few remaining girls of the Main 7, the Dazzlings, Transmutants, Dwan, and Ann followed the natives through the jungle. It was less dense as their journey went on. They stood close and alert, as to avoid any threat that may come against them. The group continued on until they found a clearing.
"Oh thank goodness, we're gonna be out of this horrible jungle!" said Sonata in relief. The rest of the teens couldn't help but agree. Things were horrifying enough in that jungle. They'd feel much more secure when away from the darkness and whatever predators they might not know about.
As the group emerged from the forest, they found a village to be resting some miles away. Their eyes widened as they gazed upon it. Dark clouds of smoke rose in the air.
"That doesn't look good," said Rodan. The natives quickly began to move forward. They ran on ahead, holding their spears tightly.
"Come on!" said Ann as she began to follow. The teens followed the group. On their run, they grew closer to the settlement. They found that the village was surrounded by wooden walls. At least it once was. The walls were destroyed and some even bore scorch marks. They moved passed the destroyed gates, finding wooden buildings to be lying in ruins. The group looked around in shock, as the buildings burned and lied in splinters and rubble.
"What happened here?!" asked Fluttershy in shock. Junior gasped as he found a man to be buried under rubble. He ran to the rubble and proceeded to lift up the heavy blocks of stone. Rodan and Mosura joined him, moving away heavy rubble. Mosura grunted as she began to pull the man out of the rubble once Junior raised a heavy wooden beam. She set the man down and began to search his neck for a pulse. She looked to the boys, shaking her head with a grimace.
"Damn," said Rodan, furrowing his brows. Junior set the pillar down as he cursed under his breath. He began to look around the area, finding the destruction. It was such a small village, and it didn't look like there were people around. However, he could smell the stench of blood in the air.
"This might've been from those Skull Crawlers. Or even Rexes or something. I mean, what else could've brought this much destruction?" asked Junior as he kicked a stone aside. Ann made her way over to the teens, looking around.
"It wasn't the Skull Crawlers," said a voice. The group turned and found two men in armor to be approaching. Their armor was silver in color, bearing golden details. Their faces were exposed under their helmets. They looked similar to knights.
"Who are they?" whispered Dwan.
"I don't know. Stay quiet," whispered Ann. The knights approached, stopping several feet away from the group.
"Now, what's all this? You look like foreigners. I say you three come from the Orietan region just east from Equescidar," said the first knight, pointing to the Transmutants. He looks to the other next to him.
"What say you, old friend?" asked the first knight.
"I feel like we've lost the plot," said the second knight.
"Equescidar?" asked Sunset.
"Orietan? Wait, huh?" asked Junior in confusion. Rodan leaned in close.
"I think he means we look Neighsian," whispered Rodan.
"You there, what do you know about this?" questioned the first knight with a suspicious look.
"We just got here," said Aria.
"Hey, are those natives? Fancy seeing them here," said the first knight, while the second nodded to him in agreement. The group looked back at the natives, who stood silently behind them.
"I bet they're responsible. It's always the unexpected enemies in stories," said the second knight. The first looked at him in annoyance.
"What are you talking about? You're always saying something weird. Besides, it's not unexpected when a whole population is already suspicious of them," said the first knight in annoyance.
"Whoa, whoa! You're blaming the Iwi for this? They just got here!" said Dwan.
"It's not like the natives to do something like this!" said Ann with a glare.
"Ha! Clearly you don't know what these savages are capable of! Yes they may look docile, but they are a ruthless people, along with their king!" said the first knight. Both Ann and Dwan hardened their expressions at the knight.
"Hey, asshole! You don't know anything about them! Just because they live differently doesn't mean they're savages!" said Dwan.
'They're uncivilized natives that worship a monkey transmutant. That term actually applies,' thought Junior. The teens watched as Ann and Dwan argued with the two knights.
"Seriously, what story is this?" asked the second knight in annoyance.
"Enough! The Iwi will have to answer to this to the crown!" said the first knight.
"Lay not a hand on the Iwi, Sir Harden," said a masculine voice. The knights turned and found a young man to be approaching.
"Helloooo~," said Dwan, a look of interest on her face. The young man wore a leather coat, with chain mail underneath. He bore dark pant-like leggings and a small golden crown upon his head. He was a handsome man, with fair skin and rugged brownish gold hair and green eyes.
"A-Are you a prince?" asked Sonata, breathlessly. The man nodded with a smile.
"Indeed I am. I am Prince David, of Sacramentonia," said the man.
"I guess that's more original then what they call Disney princes. What were their names again?" Junior muttered to himself. He noticed that Sonata was nervously fidgeting.
"Oh! Y-Your Highness!" stuttered Sonata as she did a courtesy bow, slightly gripping her skirt.
"What are you doing?" asked Aria in confusion.
"He's royalty! You gotta show him respect!" whispered Sonata. Aria groaned.
"Do I have to do what you just did?" asked Aria in reluctance. Sonata merely glared at her, along with everyone else. Aria sighed.
"This is stupid," muttered Aria as the rest of the group bowed. However, Junior stood with his arms crossed, a stoic look.
"Yo," greeted Junior. The Prince raised a brow at him.
"Goji. Psst. Gojira, bow or something," whispered Rodan.
"We're actually doing this?" asked Junior in confusion.
"You dare to not show respect to a royal of Sacramentonia?!" demanded Harden.
"His arc may just come to an end here," said the 2nd knight, hardening his expression.
"Look dude, I'm an Equestrian citizen. We don't kneel to kings. Hell I don't even like my own rulers," said Junior with a shrug. Mosura quickly grabbed him by the ear and forced him down with a titter.
"I am so sorry, about him! He's been a real idiot lately!" said Mosura. Junior glared at her in pain.
"Hey, who're you calling a-" Junior was silenced as Fluttershy quickly cupped a hand over his mouth.
"Please forgive him, your highness! He's just grumpy," said Fluttershy, forcing a smile. Junior gave muffled remarks in annoyance.
"Shut up! You're going to get yourself killed!" hissed Mosura. The prince bore an amused look.
"It's no trouble. I admire his bravery to stick with his principles," said David. The group began to rise. Mosura released Junior's ear with a glare, while the boy glared back as he rubbed his ear.
"Your highness, the savages are clearly the culprit! And who are these children? They're dressed strangely and have odd accents," said Harden.
"No they aren't!" retorted Ann with a glare.
"You're defending the natives, right?" asked Sonata, scratching her head in confusion. Aria nudged her in response.
"Look again, Sir Harden. The natives aren't capable of this kind of destruction. Where are the rest of them? There are also no signs of their King being here. I've seen no ape tracks," said David as he scanned the decimated village.
"And no wild dragon or Skull Crawler did this. But rather it was our enemy," said David, drawing out a dark, jagged knife. He held it out to Harden, who furrowed his brows.
"Dogomite bastards," cursed Harden as he threw aside the knife. The group watched, completely ignorant of what was going on.
"It may appear that they recently raided this village. A lot of bodies are missing, so it's likely that they were taken prisoner," said David, his tone solemn.
"Then there's nothing we can do. Not during war time," said Harden.
"War?" Fluttershy said under her breath.
"Were any of you residents here?" asked David.
"No, we've been with the Iwi. They brought us here because they thought we'd be able to find some missing friends," answered Ann.
"Well, you won't find them here. Those heathen Dogomites have just taken prisoner most of the population of this village," spat Harden. Junior felt a pain his chest. His mind raced as he mentally replayed what the knight had just said. If the girls had come across this village, it was likely that they were killed or taken prisoner. Junior felt sick to his stomach as he was reminded of his nightmare.
"Dogomites?" asked Sunset.
"Our sworn enemy. A rival empire that's been conquering the other nations of Equescidar. We've been at war with them for years now. It seems they're starting to push into our territory," said David, his tone grim.
"Why can't you mount like a rescue mission or something for those villagers?" asked Adagio.
"Ah. A valiant sub plot that'd be. But foolish!" said the second knight with an intense look. The group recoiled at his look and tone, unnerved by this quirky knight.
"They'd surely just kill the prisoners if we were to send an army to pursue. Besides, our forces are needed to hold onto our territories and protect the capital," said Harden. The prince sighed.
"A shame that this village didn't have heroes like the rainbow haired girl back in Salera," said the prince. Junior perked up as he heard this.
"Wait, a rainbow haired girl? What do you know?!" asked Junior as he grabbed the prince's shoulders.
"Unhand the prince!" shouted Harden as he drew his blade, Junior's group bore alarmed looks.
"Sorry! Got it, no touching the prince," said Junior with a forced smile. David cleared his throat as he adjusted his coat.
"I presume that she's close to you?" asked David.
"Rainbow Dash is the only girl we know with rainbow hair. Have you seen her?" asked Fluttershy, her tone hopeful.
"Not I personally. But the Lord of Salera has written to my father, the king, that he encountered her and a few other girls," said David. The teens bore brightened expressions from this news. Even Junior couldn't help but smile.
"Hey, do you know how to get there?" asked Junior.
"I would advise against that. Salera was one our territories that's long fallen into Dogomite hands. They do not take kindly to visitors, what with it being close with our territory," said David. The teens frowned in disappointment.
"But I wouldn't worry. Lord Grunge has sent them our way to one of our inner territories. My father has taken an interest in them, particularly the rainbow haired one," said David. Junior didn't like the sound of this.
"Any chance that you could lead us to them or something?" asked Sunset, with a pleading look.
"Unfortunately, I am on a mission to meet with other nations to form an alliance against the Dogomites. We've only come here due to the smoke," said David, gesturing to the destruction behind him. The teens bore disappointed and dejected looks.
"That reminds me. You're familiar with the Iwi, correct? I was hoping to see if they would join us in the fight against this enemy," said David. Ann grimaced.
"I... I don't have that authority or any say in the matter. You'd have to take it up with Kong and the Iwi elders,"
"Your highness, I must protest. The help of the natives is not necessary," said the second knight.
"We have little choice. The war is not in our favor at the moment," said David, shaking his head.
"These Dogomites, are they really that bad?" asked Ann.
"They're terrible! An empire that thrives on war with smaller nations. They're absolutely a degenerate people!" said Harden.
"A war mongering evil empire. Sounds cliche," said Aria to herself.
"Ms. Darrow, maybe it'd be a good idea to talk to Kong about this. This empire sounds like bad news," said Sunset.
"Wait, what about our friends? They're apparently making their way to another town," said Rodan.
"Maybe some of us can head to where they're going to meet with them," suggested Sonata.
"I'll go," interjected Junior.
"Absolutely not!" said Mosura with a glare. "The last thing we need is for you to get into it with more people!"
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were in the mood to talk to me," said Junior, sarcastically. Mosura hardened her expression.
"Maybe I'd be in a better mood if you weren't thick in the head!" said Mosura. The two glared at each other.
"I believe we've stumbled onto a lovers' quarrel," whispered the second guard.
"Mosura, we'll have to find them eventually. At least one of us should go!" argued Junior.
"Well, not you! I don't trust you to go off anywhere on your own out here! You're just going to get yourself killed!" said Mosura.
"Enough, you two!" said Ann. Junior and Mosura merely turned away from each other, still heated. The woman sighed.
"Listen, we can figure out what to do soon. But for now, Kong may want to know what's happening," said Ann. While she didn't know much about the world beyond the mountains, these Dogomites sounded like a threat. If these men knew about the Iwi, then it was likely the Dogomites did as well.
"Then perhaps he would grant us an audience?" asked Prince David.
"No offense, but is the jungle a place for royalty?" asked Junior. He could just picture this guy bitching about the humidity and the journey back to the Iwi tribe. This guy could be a pampered brat for all he knew.
"You insult me. I always enjoy an adventure," smirked David. Junior returned the smirk.
"If you keep up this demeanor, I might actually like you" said Junior.
"Mm. So daring," purred Dwan, eyeing the prince.
"Down girl," deadpanned Aria. Ann looked to the Iwi, who silently glanced at each other. The men proceeded to walk off, headed in the direction of the jungle.
"Come with us, and stay close," said Ann. The group began to follow the Iwi back to the jungle, leaving the ruined village.
It was the noon. Kong was standing with his arms crossed as Angirasu sat in the grass. The teen sighed as he scratched his head, a grimace on his face.
"I was hoping we'd make some progress by now," said Kong.
"Sorry. I don't know what it is. Other Transmutants seem to have the hang of it but not me. Not even my friends," sighed Angirasu.
"Just try again," said Kong. Angirasu nodded, taking a few breaths. He grunted as he closed his eyes, mentally focusing. His veins slightly appeared from beneath his skin, his muscles strained as well. A few scales began to form and his skin around his neck darkened. However, these changes were isolated to one spot.
"Why isn't it working?!" grunted Angirasu. He stopped and began to pant, rubbing his sore neck.
"I did it yesterday! What changed?" asked Angirasu in confusion.
"You're still holding yourself back. Yesterday may have just been a 'fluke', as one would say," said Kong.
"But I've done it before that as well! How can a fluke work twice in a row?" asked Angirasu incredulously.
"Explain to me why you're holding back," said Kong. Angirasu shrugged.
"I'm not! I'm really trying!" said Angirasu. Kong hummed.
"I can tell the opposite is true. Your words contradict your feelings," said Kong. Angirasu grimaced as he looked away.
"Angirasu, you'll never learn to take control if you can't get passed your fears," said Kong.
"You wouldn't understand," said Angirasu, sitting in the grass.
"Explain anyway. Do so carefully, no matter how much I may not understand," said Kong, firmly. Angirasu sighed. It was worth a try.
"In my world, there's a group of people called MONARCH. They're soldiers of the country that I live. They aren't exactly fond of our kind. They were formed to fight people like us," said Angirasu. He shook his head.
"They only go after some of us, like terrorists or criminals, but it makes it hard to fit in society when people see you as a monster. If the ones they fight aren't killed, they're locked deep underground in a prison called 'The Vault'. Almost no one gets out of there," said Angirasu. Kong said nothing but listened and analyzed the information given to him. His expression was stoic.
"My mom always told me that Transmutants that can't control themselves are locked in the Vault. She always told me that as a kid. It's stuck to me to the point that I have nightmares," said Angirasu, bringing a hand over his forehead.
"I just keep seeing this creature every time I close my eyes. Always chasing me in a dark forest. No matter how much I run, I can't get away from it. I'm always trapped in the forest with it, never to get out. They've been getting worse now. Only this time, I see that thing just wreak havoc, only for MONARCH to try and destroy it," said Angirasu, his eyes downcast. Kong hummed to himself, thoughtful.
"Dreams can at times reflect our feelings and inner thoughts. Do you know what this creature represents?" asked Kong.
"I... I guess it's me," said Angirasu. Of course even an idiot could figure that out.
"Yes. I believe it represents the beast you've been taught to fear, your inner power. It follows you, demanding you to accept it. But you deny it and run away," said Kong, taking a seat.
"You deny it because you fear the rejection of those from your land. You dread the isolation it brings and the potential of being imprisoned. All of your fears are rooted in your fear of your power. This results in the beast in your dream going rampant as well as yourself," said Kong. He then scratched his head, still thoughtful.
"Yet that doesn't explain why you can't transform on your own free will. Strong emotions like rage and fear can trigger changes that only those with discipline can prevent on their own. This applies to other emotions as well," said Kong. He then hummed as he looked to Angirasu. An idea began to form in his mind.
"What do you think of Dwan? I hear you two have interacted quite a bit lately," said Kong. Angirasu bore a confused look, not understanding what Dwan had to do with this. But, he decided not to question it.
"Well, I don't know her well. But my impression of her is that... She's a bit more flirty then what I'm used to. She doesn't seem to be a bad person, just direct," said Angirasu, picturing the girl. "She's certainly pretty, and seems nice."
"I see..." Kong crossed his arms as he thought more. He speculated at the possibility of Angirasu's transformation having a trigger from being threatened or sexual urges. However, both were debunked. Angirasu just described Dwan in a platonic way, and the boy wasn't motivated by fear. It's what held him back.
"Look back at your previous transformations. Was there anything that was common?" asked Kong. Angirasu began to think back to his past transformations. They were very few compared to Junior, so he had less examples to work with. But then he began to recall a crucial detail.
"The few times I transformed. I remember that my friends were in danger. I wanted to save them," said Angirasu, turning to Kong.
"Then it would seem that your transformations are triggered by your desire to protect those dear to you. That is admirable," said Kong with a bow. He then stood. "Very well. I'll think of something to help your training. For now, return to the village. I have to continue my patrol," said Kong.
"Sure..." said Angirasu, as he began to walk off. Kong took off in the opposite direction, traveling further into the jungle.
While Angirasu was on his journey, he began to think about what he was told. Kong stated that he was holding himself back due to his fears. Including fearing his own mutantism. Angirasu couldn't argue against that, since he's learned to reject that part of himself just to fit in the best he could. He feared being like those Transmutants that gave into the beast.
Yet, Angirasu's transformation is likely triggered by a dire to protect his loved ones. How could a mindless beast protect? Yet he did. Whatever memories he had in his beast form, they all seemed to be related to a single goal that he could feel inside himself. Angirasu began to wonder if him rejecting that part of himself was wrong. It may be a beast, but Angirasu could feel in his soul that they were one in the same. The creature he hated was almost like a manifestation of his own heart. Was he rejecting his own desire to protect?
Kong grunted as he began to latch onto the vines in the jungle. He swung from the trees and propelled himself through the air, catching the next vine. The king grunted as he swung, not breaking a sweat as he traveled. He soon dropped down and landed on the ground.
Kong narrowed his eyes as he stood before a large burrow. He knelt down and peered inside, feeling heat radiating from the burrow. This was common among the burrows of Skull Crawlers. They dug deep underground and connected tunnels to deep chambers that seemed to give off heat. The demi god stepped back as he scanned the area. His eyes narrowed as he heard the sound a shrill cry in the distance. The cries sounded almost human. Kong began to follow the cries, leaving the burrow behind. He knelt behind bushes and peered through, finding a couple of humanoid figures, to be standing over a carcass of a ground sloth.
The humanoids lacked hair and were a sickly pale color. They were naked, and appeared frail. The humanoids gave guttural sounds as they knelt next to the dead mammal, their backs facing Kong. They began to maul on the dead beasts, giving grunts and quick breaths. Kong narrowed his eyes as he watched as these creatures fed. His heart was pounding, but not out of fear. Rage and war was on his mind.
Kong suddenly burst from the bushes and charged for the nearest humanoid. The creature whipped around, exposing its boney face and its socket sunken eyes. It gave a shrill cry of alarm as blood splattered mouth. Kong reared a fist back and punched the humanoid. The creature dropped the ground, its sharp teeth flying out of its mouth. The other humanoid shrieked as it hunched over. It lunged for Kong, slashing its nails at him. Kong stepped back and grabbed the humanoid by its arm. He then snapped the bones in its arm, causing it to wail. The Transmutant then grabbed it by the neck and slammed it to the ground. As the humanoid attempted to pry off his hand, Kong gabbed a rock and began to bash its head. He then stood and was tackled by the humanoid.
The humanoid screeched as it snapped its jaws at him. Kong held it back with his arm. He then raised his fist and slugged it in the head. He quickly stood and stomped on the creature's skull. Kong grunted as he popped his neck. However, he began to find more of these humanoids to be appearing, snarling as they slobbered. They began to surround Kong, as they twitched and snarled.
"You are not Skull Crawlers. Yet you're like them," said Kong, his expression hardened. The humanoids shrieked as they all began to rush Kong, who began to grow in mass. The air was filled with his mighty lion-like roar.
Later...
Kong had returned to his 'throne room'. It was hardly a throne room, given how it was just a cave with stones that he sits on. Right now, he was standing beside an elderly Iwi man. He was wrinkly, and his skin sagged from his bones. Blue markings covered his skin. He stood at a stone slab, where a stone slab lied.
Before them lied the body of one of the humanoids that was in the jungle. The elder inspected the body, looking over every inch of it. He turned to Kong in silence.
"You've never encountered something like this before?" asked Kong. The elder merely bowed in response. Kong sighed.
"I see. Very well. I want the rest of the village to be aware. Anyone who ventures outside must know that more of these may exist," said Kong. He then noticed Ann to be standing outside of the entrance of his domicile.
"Um... Kong?" called Ann, a bit timid. The Transmutant turned to the elder.
"That will be all," said Kong. The elder took one last bow and proceeded to leave.
"Sorry, was I interrupting?" asked Ann.
"No, I was just consulting with one of the elders. Was there something you need?" asked Kong. Ann had to keep herself from instinctively walking in. This was Kong's personal place. She didn't want to be rude by trespassing.
"Yeah. You see, there was-"
"Why do you stand out there? It's hard to speak with you from a distance," said Kong in amusement. Ann blushed.
"Oh. If it's alright with you," said Ann, surprised but pleased. She entered the cave, immediately in awe of the paintings on the walls and the items that lied in the cave. She then gasped as she saw the dead humanoid on the stone slab. She began to see why most of the Iwi don't enter here.
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Ann.
"Pay no mind to that creature. The elder was looking it over," said Kong.
"What the heck is that? It can't be human!" said Ann, cringing at the sight of the humanoid.
"I do not know. I've discovered them during patrol," said Kong. Ann looked at him with widened eyes.
"You mean there's more?!" asked Ann.
"Yes. Hence why I'm going to be looking into more cautionary measures for outside travels. These creatures are relentless. Now, what was it you wished to speak to me about?" asked Kong. Ann cleared her throat, having just remembered why she came here.
"We investigated that settlement you mentioned, but it was destroyed," said Ann. Kong's brows raised.
"Skull Crawlers?" asked Kong, his tone darkening.
"No. But we ran into a Prince that claimed it was a rival empire. The prince said he was from Sacramentonia. Does that mean anything to you?" Asked Ann. Kong's expression soured.
"Yes. I've had conflict with those outsiders in the past," said Kong.
"Well, they claimed that the friends of the kids were on their way to one of their territories. We were going to figure out how to reach them but the Prince wants an audience with you," said Ann. Kong furrowed his brows.
"What could he want?" questioned Kong.
"I'm guessing he'd want to make an alliance with the Iwi," said Ann.
"Out of the question. The Iwi have enough to worry about. There's no need for them to concern themselves with foreign affairs," said Kong, shaking his head.
"I understand that. Look, I know it's not my place. But I think you should hear what he has to say. From what we heard, that rival empire can be ruthless," said Ann, biting her lip. Kong sighed.
"Very well," said Kong.
Ann began to lead Kong out of the cave and into the village. There, they found the natives gathered near the center of the village. The Prince and his two guards stood with the teenagers. The knights were tense as they had their hands near the handles of their swords.
"Keep your wits about you. These savages can be capable of anything," said Harden, tensely.
"Dude, relax," said Dwan in annoyance.
"Wanna fill me in?" asked Angirasu, looking to Junior.
"We ran into them earlier," said Junior. He found Kong and Ann to be approaching. The Iwi turned their attention to their king, who graced them with his presence. The knights tensed, finding this man of grand stature before them.
"Why have you come here?" questioned Kong, his brows furrowed. Prince David bowed.
"Mighty Kong, it is an honor to meet you. I am Prince David, son King Gareth of Sacramentonia," greeted David.
"Spare me the pleasantries. You should know that your father agreed that our nations would not cross paths again," said Kong. Ann was surprised. She wasn't expecting that these two factions were well acquainted. It also sounds like there was bad blood.
"Yes, but things have changed. I come here on behalf my people, humbly asking for your help," said David, kneeling. Junior raised a brow, not expecting what could be one of the most powerful people in this world to be kneeling before a mere Transmutant that ruled a primitive tribe.
"I am not interested in getting involved with the quarrel between yourself and your enemies. The Iwi have nothing to gain," said Kong dismissively. David raised his head.
"Mighty Kong, our enemy is as much as your enemy as well. The more they expand, the more forces they'll have posted to keep their foes out. Even going as far as subjugating the native population," said David. Kong scoffed.
"We reside deep in a jungle filled with ravenous beasts and demons. The Iwi keep to themselves and only react when threatened. It's not logical for the Dogomites to try and attack given the risk and reward the endeavor would offer," said Kong, crossing his arms.
"Man, this guy would make a savvy politician," whispered Junior, leaning close to Sunset.
"You're highness, we're obviously wasting our time here. Let us leave now while we still can," whispered Harden. David ignored him.
"The Empress has been known to crave knowledge. It's power to her. Whether its the dark arts, legends, resources, and even the Titans," said David, his tone turning grim. Kong furrowed his brows.
'Titans?' thought Junior, curious.
"I believe it's in the interest of both our people that we unite against this looming threat, for the sake of our nations," said David. Kong was silent. David stood to his feet.
"I'll leave you to ponder. If you agree, then please come to the capital in two weeks. That is where we plan to meet with the other leaders we hope to align with," said David, walking away with his guards. A couple of armed Iwi escorted the Sacramentonians to the gates. Kong silently watched as the foreigners left. Ann looked to Kong.
"What are you thinking?" asked Ann.
"I have no intention to involve this tribe in their war," said Kong. Ann's eyes slightly widened.
"Kong, didn't you hear what he said?" asked Ann incredulously.
"The Iwi are safer here then joining a war that's not theirs. So long as I'm breathing, no enemy shall come against them," said Kong as he turned to walk away.
"But-" Ann fell silent when the man turned to face her with narrowed eyes.
"This is not up for debate. What I say goes," said Kong. Ann narrowed her eyes and looked to the ground. Kong merely took off, making his way back to his cave. The natives began to disperse.
"Great. How are going to meet up with our friends now?" asked Rodan. Junior suddenly took off, making his to the gates.
"Hey!" called Mosura.
Junior continued until he slipped passed the small gates. He found the Sacramentonians to be walking away from the wall. Junior ran after them.
"Hey, wait!" called Junior. The prince turned, finding Junior approaching. Harden furrowed his brows.
"At ease, Sir Harden," glancing at the knight. Junior stopped as he stood a few feet away from the three.
"Look, I don't think Kong's gonna join your alliance anytime soon. I doubt he'll even send escorts for us to help us find our friends," said Junior. "Is there any chance you can lend us a map or maybe tell the Lord of the town they'll be in to send them to the town we were in earlier?" asked Junior.
"Well, since you and your friends got us an audience, it's right to compensate you," said David as he drew out a map. He unrolled it and showed it to Junior. He began to trace his fingers over a jungle depicted and a town that resided outside of it.
"Here is where we were this afternoon. Your friends should get here in two more days or so," said David, trailing a finger along a path to a settlement.
"The town is called 'Elsinore'. One of our inner territories," said David. Junior found the settlement to be quite a distance, especially from the jungle. Just looming at this map showed how alien this land was compared to their world.
"Cool. Appreciate it, Prince," said Junior with a nod.
"You people have an interesting way of speaking," said David, a thoughtful look on his expression.
Later, Junior was making his way back to the village. Before he reached the gates, he found Mosura standing outside, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. Junior pressed forward.
"I thought you'd have run off on your own again," said Mosura.
"How long are you gonna hold that over me?" asked Junior in annoyance.
"Until you stop being an idiot," said Mosura, her tone sharp. Junior stopped and glared at her.
"What the hell do you want from me? I apologized already, didn't I?" said Junior in exasperation.
"You think you can just say sorry and it's all done with?" scoffed Mosura.
"Look, I fucked up! I admit it! I understand that you're mad!" said Junior. Mosura shook her head. Mad was an understatement. The girl was livid.
"Mad?! You don't get it, do you? You didn't think to wonder how we'd feel if you went out on your own? Or if Kong decided to throw you out on your ass because you picked a fight? Of course not!" said Mosura. Junior narrowed his eyes.
"And that bullshit you pulled with the prince! How could you be so selfish?" asked Mosura incredulously.
"Selfish?! Excuse me, but I was trying to make progress to find the others! Sorry if I didn't kneel to fucking Prince Charming or make nice with the mutant tribe leader!" said Junior. Mosura groaned.
"God, you can be so irritating! Why do I put up with you?!" asked Mosura. Junior felt a sting in his chest. His demeanor was still rough, but his anger subsided.
"Fine. You don't have to put with me at all if I'm that much trouble. Sorry," said Junior as he walked passed Mosura. The girl was still fuming and barely registered his response and tone.
"Wait. Goji, wait. I didn't-" called Mosura. However, Junior didn't respond. He walked through the gate, finding the teens staring.
"Hey, what's-" Sunset spoke but Junior passed her.
"I'm going to bed," said Junior as he walked off.
"But its light outside," said Sonata in confusion. Aria nudged her with a silencing glare. Fluttershy looked on with worry. Mosura entered through the gates, watching the boy leave. She deeply frowned as she held her shoulder.
Soon, Junior made his way to the spot that he and the boys normally rested. He was about to lie down on his 'futon'. However, he looked around, finding Iwi to be around. Not to mention his friends were bedded in the area as well.
Junior took the hide futon and carried it over his shoulder. He began to make his way from the area and outside of the small hut filled village. He looked around, searching for a spot to rest. Somewhere that was isolated, able to shade him from the light and potential rain. He found a small hole near the rocky wall that made up the mountain. It wasn't a cave, but it looked roomy. Junior made his way to the spot and lied his bed down under the rocky lip that made up the top. He sat down, looking to the village ahead.
This setting was appropriate. Junior was an outsider to the Iwi. It was only fair to be away from them. After all, he's been a problem ever since he got here. Junior sighed as the sky darkened.
"It's better this way," said Junior.
Later that evening...
The village began to darken as flames were put out at the camp fires. The natives began to return to their huts to rest. The girls had already turned in for the evening. Angirasu was looking beyond the village, finding a small fire glow at the base of the mountain. He sighed as he turned, finding Rodan already asleep in his bed by their own camp fire.
"Guess I'll turn in too," said Angirasu. As he was about to lie down, his eyes were covered.
"Hey, Nice Aang~," greeted Dwan with a grin.
"Hey... Dwan," greeted Angirasu, his tone tired. Dwan kept his eyes covered.
"Its a lovely night. But it must get cold," said Dwan.
"Um Dwan? I was kinda hoping to get some-" Angirasu was interrupted as he felt the girl ushering him forward.
"Heh. You're not sleeping outside, cutie. Walk!" said Dwan.
"What are you talking about?" asked Angirasu in confusion, while he carefully walked ahead, with Dwan guiding him. The two were soon at the center square of the village. Dwan held him in place before removing her hands from his eyes.
"Ta da!" said Dwan. Angirasu stared, wide eyed as he found a lone hut, standing among the others. It was the same size as the others, but there was a flag planted at the front. It was tan, with a black image that depicted a familiar armored reptile's head.
"What?" Angirasu stared, his jaw hanging.
"The Iwi seem to take a real liking to you. What with you helping around and Kong mentoring you," said Dwan. Angirasu walked the hut, looking it over. The wood was freshly cut, and the ground inside was covered with sheets of mammal hide. A new bed lied inside. Angirasu stared at the flag outside, finding the depiction of his beast form. He turned and found several natives standing silently.
The Iwi made this, for him. He never asked them to do such a thing nor did he expect them to. They went out of their way and built the hut for him in appreciation. Angirasu felt himself tearing up a bit. He smiled to the natives.
"I... I don't know what to say. Thank you," said Angirasu. The natives merely bowed. Angirasu returned the bow. He began to make his way into the hut, feeling the soft hide rugs at the soles of his feet. The hut was insulated with heat from inside. He lied down on the bed, feeling the sleep take hold. He sighed as he lied down. He suddenly felt Dwan lying down next to him. The girl hummed as she cuddled against him. Angirasu awkwardly glanced at her.
"What are you doing?" asked Angirasu.
"Don't mind me. It's custom for a young woman to sleep and cuddle in the bed with a 'Noble Guardian' for one night," said Dwan.
"If you say so. Though I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with this," said Angirasu, clearing his throat.
"It'd be disrespectful to refuse. Just suck it up and sleep. Don't worry, I won't do anything indecent," said Dwan. She then smirked.
"Not unless you do first," said Dwan. Angirasu gulped nervously. Meanwhile outside, a few of the teen natives stared at the hut.
"She just made that up," said one of the natives. The other shrugged.
"Let her have her fun," said the other native. As they left, Sonata peeked from behind another hut, growling with jealousy.
"That dirty, sneaky skank!" hissed Sonata. Adagio stood beside her with her arms crossed. A bitter look on her face.
"I can relate," said Adagio.
Dogomoto..
The grand throne room of the empress. It was empty, with only the ruler of this land to be seated upon the throne. She was wrapped in a thin black cloak, which was sewed into a web-like texture. A crown made of silver rested on the arm rest of the throne. The crown itself bore points that were shaped into the form of spider legs. A green gem in the center was embedded in the crown.
There was anxiety in the air. Despite the low lighting from the candles in the room, the silence, and the envelopment of silky soft cloak, there was tension. The pale hands of the empress were fidgeting. The slender fingers rubbed against each other, as a loud heartbeat seemed to break the silence. The breathing in the air grew heavier.
There was a knock. The air quickly fell silent. The empress raised her hooded head. Her sights fell upon the heavy doors from across the room.
"Enter!" called the empress.
The doors opened. A couple of royal guards had opened the doors, while Sigyn and Kenra entered. Another figure trailed behind them. The doors closed as the guards stepped in, keeping watch. Kenra and Sigyn bowed.
"Your majesty," greeted Sigyn.
"I have not summoned you. Why are you here instead of carrying out your duty?" questioned the Empress, her tone cold and harsh.
"Forgive us. We feared that this would prove to be a bigger challenge then what we thought, considering our target," replied Kenra. She kept her eyes to the ground, unable to look into the empress's steely gaze.
"You're lack of confidence disturbs me, Sergeant," said the empress. Kenra gulped, keeping her head bowed. Just being in this woman's presence right now was nerve wracking. She could tell that she wasn't in a good mood. It was as if the air reflected the empress's mood.
"Very well. You, present yourself." ordered the empress. "What can you do that my best enforcers are unable to do?"
A tall rugged man stepped forward. He wore a cloak over his shoulders. He wore fur clothes. He was a dirty blonde, and bore strong features from his jaw to his brows. His grey eyes locked with the steel eyes of the empress. He showed no sign of intimidation. But, he knelt anyway.
"It is an honor to be in your presence, Empress Malicia. I am Endurous," said the man.
"Endurous. I've heard of you. The most relentless man in the world," said Malicia.
"And the most handsome," said Endurance with a smirk. Kenra scoffed while Sigyn bore an alluring smirk. "Your enforcers tell me you're interested in catching a demi-Titan. They came to the right man. I am at your service," said Endurous.
"Hmph. I have an entire army at my disposal. Men willing to lay down their lives for me. Men specially trained in combat and the dark arts. Why should I rely on one man to handle this quest?" asked Malicia. Endurous smirked.
"Surely her majesty has better use for her soldiers rather than sending them to their deaths," said Endurance.
"Even the weakest demi Titan can kill up to a hundred men. And that's not taking into account a transformation," said Endurance. He then gestured to himself.
"With me, I can spare you the men that would be better suited for the war. It's not the first time I've faced one of these creatures," said Endurous. Malicia reached to the side and drew out a crystal ball.
"The last known location of the one I'm looking for is in the Roaring Jungle. He was with three other demi Titans, but I only want one," said Malicia as she held out the crystal ball. Endurous stared as images of a teen boy stood, bearing the arm of a reptile.
"Hm. You have an eye for value. You realize what you're looking for?" asked Endurous, as the teen transformed into a bipedal reptile.
"Hence why I want him alive. I will not tolerate otherwise," said Malicia, setting aside the crystal ball.
"For the right price, I'll bring him fully intact. And trust me, his kind in particular are a lot harder to come by" said Endurous.
"100,000 gold. Pure," said Malicia. Endurous whistled.
"I could buy my own land in the outer territories with that. A generous offer. But... it still leaves something to be desired," said Endurous. Kenra gulped as Sigyn bore a look of discomfort.
'This guy is nuts for trying to barter with this chick!' thought Kenra.
Malicia just stared in silence, her nails tapping on the counter. Endurance just bore a smirk, sensing that he was getting under her skin.
"What more do you want? Answer wisely," said Malicia, her tone in almost a sing song voice.
"I'm not asking for much. Just something sentimental. It'll cost you nothing more," said Endurous.
"Get to the point," said Malicia, impatiently.
"All I ask is that you remove your hood. I wish to gaze upon your face," said Endurous. Kenra looked at him oddly, while Malicia sighed.
"Very well," answered Malicia. She began to pull back her dark hood, revealing her face.
The empress was pale. Not sickly, but looked to have been hidden from the sun for some time. Malicia bore long raven hair, as smooth as silk. She bore a small dark mole beneath her eye, appearing as nothing more than a dot on her skin. She looked to be in her 20s, still young and ever beautiful. Her face looked to have been sculpted by the gods themselves, with much care. Her cold eyes were shrouded by dark make up, and her soft lips glistened in the candle light. She stared at Endurance unamused.
"Satisfied?" asked Malicia. Endurance smiled.
"As lovely as they say you are. Now I wished I asked you to remove that entire garish cloak," said Endurance.
"If you succeed, then I might consider it. And maybe more..." said Malicia, as she tugged at her cloak. Her tone was sensual. Endurance grinned.
"Then I should be going," said Endurance, turning to leave.
"I'll be watching you. Remember, I want him alive," said Malicia, her eyes narrowing.
"No problem," said Endurance, his yellow eyes flashing red. As he left the throne room, Kenra gagged.
"Pig," said Kenra in disdain.
"I'd fuck him," said Sigyn.
"Enough. Since you two aren't busy, I'll need you to handle something," said Malicia, drawing the attention of the women.
"There's been a rebellion in Salera. I need you to go to see Lord Grunge and investigate," said Malicia. The empress furrowed her brows.
"As of now, it's likely our enemy is searching for other nations to fight against us. I need to ensure that our own territories aren't influenced," said Malicia.
"If you're worried, why not just burn Salera to the ground? They're not your people and they still have their roots to their old kingdom." said Sigyn with a shrug.
"Unfortunately, Salera is necessary for resources for the war. I can't afford to lose that, not now," said Malicia. She then pointed to the door.
"Now go!" said Malicia. The two women bowed before turning to leave. Malicia placed her hood back on, before lying back on her throne.
"I've come too far," said Malicia to herself.