//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Into the Woods // Story: Shy and Aggressive: Book 2 // by Johng117 //------------------------------// Junior snored as he lied in his cot. The early morning sun was beginning to shine on his face, prompting him to roll onto his side. He mumbled as he pulled the covers over himself more. "Rise and shine, boys~!" Fluttershy said sweetly, as she, Mosura, and Sunset stepped over to Rodan's and Junior's sleeping spot. "Mm. Five more minutes," grumbled Junior. "An hour for me," said Rodan from his cot. "Guys, come on. Aang wants us to train with him some more," said Mosura, shaking Junior's shoulder. The boy curled himself more under the covers. "If I wanted spiritual guidance, I'd go to church," said Junior. "Mama, I don't wanna go to church today..." mumbled Rodan. Mosura sighed in dismay. "Uh oh. Look who's coming," said Sunset as a familiar iguana crawled over. It snorted as it made its way to Rodan, nudging him. "Meh..." Rodan turned away. Jira then turned to Junior and nudged him as well. "Go away, Jira. God I can't believe they called you that," grumbled Junior. "Jira, can you wake them up for us?" asked Fluttershy. Jira grunted as he continued nudging Junior, who wouldn't budge. He then bit the cot and began to drag Junior along the grass. "Hey! Cut it out!" said Junior in annoyance. He yelped as Jira pulled the cot from under him, leaving him on the cold grass. "You little-!" Junior got up with a shiver. Jira then made his way to Rodan and then lied himself down on his body. "Oof! OK, I'm up! Get off! Get him off me!" cried Rodan, frantically. The girls all laughed in amusement. Jira groaned as he stepped off Rodan, allowing him to get up. He glared at Jira, who swayed his tail in almost a wagging motion. "I'm pretty sure this thing still wants to kill us," said Rodan. "Don't be silly. He's relying on us for survival at this point. Besides, Goji beat him for dominance," said Fluttershy. "This thing still seems like more trouble than its worth. By the way, it stinks around here, doesn't it?" said Junior as he took a step. He yelped as he stepped in something, which caused him to slide along the grass. His face turned to a grimace as he regained his balance. "Please tell me that's mud..." said Junior. "Well..." Sunset glanced at the grass with a grimace. "That's a lot," said Rodan in shock. "Eew…" Mosura and Fluttershy groaned in disgust. Junior growled as he glared at Jira. The iguana's eyes widened once he sensed Junior's growing aggression. He scurried off away from the group. "Yeah you better fucking run!!" said Junior as he ran after the iguana. "Dude, wipe your feet!" called Rodan. "What a morning this turned out to be," said Mosura with a sigh. Angirasu grunted as sent several jabs. Kong swiped at him, but the teen narrowly dodged. The boy countered with a strike in the side. "Good. Again," said Kong as he sent another strike. The rest of the mutants stood by, watching. Angirasu repeated the process of dodging and countering, "Now this is what I had in mind. Though I still have to question what fighting has to do with transformation," said Junior. "Well since we can't master it like Aang did, I'm fine with doing something unrelated," said Rodan. "He looks like he's enjoying this at least," said Mosura, as Angirasu panted as he broke a sweat, a smile on his face. "Very good. Your reaction time and speed will only improve. Now, I will teach the rest of you," said Kong as he approached. He sent a fist towards Junior, who yelped as he fell onto his rear. Rodan chuckled, Kong smirked and Junior scowled. "You can't be jumpy. An unexpected strike must always be expected," said Kong. "Huh?" Asked Junior in confusion as Mosura helped him up to his feet. "He means to be ready for anything," said Angirasu. "No, I get that. It's just that with everything that's happened, I don't think that's possible," said Junior. "To endure the pain of transformation, one must experience pain. To be a fierce fighter, one must master his fists as a man. To be of sound mind, one must accept that the beast is always within, and to starve its carnal nature," said Kong. "Again with the metaphors," said Junior in annoyance. "It's fractal, Gojira. These teaching are both literal and metaphorical on different levels. It requires discipline and self-control to master the transformation," said Kong. "I think I'm starting to understand. We have to train ourselves physically and have a certain state of mind, right?" asked Mosura. "Yes, something along those lines," said Kong with a nod. "Alright so what do we do first?" asked Rodan. He yelped as Kong suddenly flipped him over and dropped him to the ground on his back. Rodan groaned. "Train your body and mind. You must endure, and be quick to react," said Kong. "Great." Rodan groaned. Junior found Angirasu looking his way, popping his joints. He felt unnerved by the smirk growing on his face. "How about it? Want me to demonstrate?" asked Angirasu. "Um... sure?" Junior raised a brow. "I've been wondering how I'd do in a fight with you. Don't go easy on me," said Angirasu. "Dude, I'm starting to think you're too eager to do this," said Junior warily, taking a step back. Junior yelped as Angirasu moved towards him with a punch, prompting the boy to side stepped. "Hey, I wasn't ready!" said Junior. "Expect the unexpected!" said Angirasu with a chuckle, sending several punches, causing the boy to step back to dodge. Mosura watched wide eyed, then noticed Kong stepping over to her. The girl's stomach sank. "On second thought, I think I'll do chores!" Mosura cried as she stumbled back with a nervous smile. "Calm yourself. I'm only having them fight for my own study," said Kong as he stood next to the girl. "Wait, you mean this isn't actually necessary? Then why are you having them do it?" asked Mosura in confusion. "Hey, not bad " said Junior as he slid to the side. He grunted in pain as Angirasu jabbed him in the side. "But I still don't see the point of this!" "OK, I think I'm good," grunted Rodan as he sat up. He yelped in pain as Junior stepped on his foot, stumbling as Angirasu kicked him back. Junior groaned in annoyance as he lied on his back. "Pathetic. On your feet!" said Kong. Junior grunted in annoyance as he shot back up. He returned to exchanging jabs with Angirasu, as Rodan got up with a wince. "It's necessary for all young men to train their body and mind. It's their responsibility to defend and provide for their tribe. I am trying to rear Angirasu to be that, as is the role of a Titan to be a Guardian.," said Kong . "Titan...?" Mosura cocked a brow. "It's what our kind are. At least where we come from. You and your friends have a responsibility," said Kong. He gestured to Angirasu and Junior as they continued to spar. "Which is why I'm overseeing their combative abilities," said Kong. Angirasu grunted as he tackled Junior to the ground, then placed him in a headlock. "I said don't hold back!" said Angirasu in annoyance. "Ow! I can't help it!" said Junior with a wince. Mosura noticed Kong smirking at the scene. Something about that expression told her that he just wanted to see if Angirasu could dominate Junior. It seemed like the dislike between the two was mutual. It was later into the day. Junior and Angirasu lied in the grass. They were covered in dirt, sweat and bruises from the sparring. Angirasu bore a smile as Junior bore an annoyed look. "Well, that was fun," said Angirasu. "If you say so," said Junior. "Don't mind him. He hasn't been a rough house kind of guy in years" said Rodan taking a seat nearby, along with Mosura. "Really? I never would've thought he would be," said Mosura. "Yeah, but now Goji's more like a tired old man," said Rodan. "Am not. Fighting just became a last resort when necessary for me, rather than for fun," said Junior, staring up to the tree tops above. As a gentle breeze brushed the branches and rustled the green leaves. "Hey Goji, could you teach me?" asked Mosura. The boys gave her confused looks. "You mean to fight?" asked Junior. "Yeah. I mean, you seem good at it," said Mosura, shrugging. Junior bore a reluctant look. "I don't know, Mosu. I don't want to hurt you," said Junior. "Oh come on. It's not like I'm asking you to beat me up. Just show me how you do it," said Mosura. "Why not ask Kong? He seems more experienced," said Rodan. "I would, but I'm sure he'd make me fight one of you or something," said Mosura. Junior sighed as he stood up. "I thought you knew how to fight? Weren't you the one who took down Xenjira and a couple of Purists one time?" asked Junior. "With my telekinesis. I've never... actually fought like that before," said Mosura. "Hm. Adagio seemed to think you have. She was sure that you'd put out her lights," said Junior. Mosura stiffened. "I-I don't..." "She told me what happened between you a few days back," said Junior. Mosura grimaced as she looked away. "G-Gojira..." "Look, I'm not mad at you. I get it. But we're in this together. Remember?" asked Junior. Mosura nodded. "Alright. Come here," said Junior. Mosura stepped over to the boy. "If you want to learn to fight, I'll show you. I can't teach you anything flashy, but I have some tips," said Junior. Mosura smiled with a nod. "Ok. First thing. Don't be afraid to be hit. You're bound to get hurt in a fight, so try to push through that. Hesitating will only leave you in a worse state," said Junior. Mosura nodded. "Second, always keep moving. This will let you get distance to dodge, advance, or do anything you need," said Junior. "Got it," said Mosura. "Ok, next. Don't be afraid to fight dirty." said Junior. Mosura looked at him in confusion. "That doesn't seem fair," said Mosura, raising a brow. "Well sure, in a professional boxing match or something. We're talking about a scenario where some creep wants to hurt you," said Junior. "Do you fight dirty?" asked Mosura. "I rarely have to. I mean, look at me, I'm a train compared to most people," said Junior, gesturing to himself. Mosura snorted in amusement. "OK. Anything else?" asked Mosura. "Yeah. Ration your stamina. You don't want to burn it all out in the beginning," said Junior. He then popped his knuckles. "Ok. So now, show me your punch," said Junior as he raised his hand. Mosura balled up her fist. "No. No. Not like that," said Junior as he took the girl's hand. Mosura blushed as his large strong hand held her own. He began to guide her thumb out from palm. "Like this, so you don't hurt your thumb. Also, don't ball up your fist too tight and not to lightly," said Junior. Mosura shyly nodded as he released her. Rodan and Angirasu just stared. "Psst. Let's make ourselves scarce," whispered Rodan as he casually walked off. Angirasu shrugged as he followed in suite. "Keep your hips squared, your arms like this, one foot in front of the other," said Junior as he showed Mosura his stance. The girl awkwardly mimicked his stance. "No, more like this," said Junior as he stepped behind Mosura. She softly gasped as he placed his hands on her shoulders, lowering them down. "Stay loose." Junior then knelt down and moved her leg back a bit more, while the other forward. Mosura shuddered with a flustered look. Junior then stood in front of her, raising an open hand. "Alright, hit as hard as you can," said Junior. Mosura grunted as she sent a punch forward. She winced from the smack of her skin against Junior's, as well as the almost solid form of his palm. "What are you? Made of stone?" asked Mosura as she shook her hand. "Hehe. Come on, again," said Junior as he held his hand back up. Mosura narrowed her eyes. She grunted as she began to jab her fists against Junior's. She continued this process several times, her wincing becoming less. "Alright, harder!" said Junior. Mosura began to apply more force into her punches. Junior could feel the blows gradually increasing in force. His palm was beginning to ache. While she was nowhere near as strong as he is, Mosura was at least stronger than the average girl. "Alright, not bad. But since you're smaller, you gotta fight smart," said Junior as he lowered his hand. He began to look around the area. He then noticed a large fruit lying on the ground. He knelt down to pick it up. "Give me a minute," said Junior. He then spent the next minute crudely carving a rough head with his claws. He quickly analyzed it, finding a rough jaw line from the half of the fruit he carved. "Ok, so when you go for the punch, you go for this spot right here," said Junior as he circled around the jaw just near the ear. "Here, here, and here," said Junior as he began to point to different points along the crudely sculpted jawline. "You can knock a guy down quick if you hit these points just right. But I recommend you use your palm at this point here, as to not damage your fist," said Junior. "I see," said Mosura with an attentive look. "What else you got?" Junior merely gave Mosura a smirk. Elsinore... Twilight was sitting at her usual spot on the desk. Her friends all lounged about in the room as she scribbled away. They have been brainstorming ideas for their next quest, which was to help put together a theater performance. It seemed that the theater owner was looking for something fresh and original for audiences. That shouldn't be too hard for the girls. At least, that was what they thought originally. As of now, they've come up with a few ideas but had to scrap them for varying reasons. "Rainbow, for the last time, no plagiarizing your favorite movies!" said Twilight in disapproval. Rainbow groaned in exasperation. "Oh come on! They wouldn't know! Besides, Applewood movies are perfect material to wow them!" said Rainbow. "We're not putting together a movie. We're writing a play. Besides, I don't think these people are capable of suspending reality enough to comprehend the science fiction of movies like the Terminator and such," said Twilight. "Hey, we can take artistic liberties," said Rainbow with a shrug. "At that point, we're better off with coming up with something from scratch," deadpanned Applejack. Rainbow sighed heavily. "Fine, I give. What do you guys got?" asked Rainbow as she slumped in her seat. "Oh! I was thinking of a homage to the likes of Romeo and Juliet or West Side Story! Two lovers from rival factions! Just something romantic," sighed Rarity. Rainbow gagged in response. "I was thinking it'd be a musical! Who doesn't appreciate a song?" asked Pinkie. "Hmm. Those can work. I had an idea myself," said Twilight, turning to face her friends. "I was thinking of a Slice of Life kind of play. But we use events from our lives to create the story," said Twilight. Rarity hummed in thought. "Would it be directly retelling our lives or would our history just be inspiration?" asked Rarity. "Maybe the latter. That way we have more freedom for a theme and story. We can even make it a musical," said Twilight with a smile. Pinkie grinned. "I'm sold! Let's do it!" said Pinkie. Rarity bore a thoughtful look. "I want my character to marry a handsome prince and to be swept away to a castle made of gems!" said Rarity. "Wow, quite a fantasy. That's sad, Rarity," said Rainbow. "Oh come now. I was just joking," said Rarity in amusement. "I'm interested in your concept." "Me too!" said Applejack. "Alright, I'm game if you guys are into it. So what did you have in mind for the premise and theme?" asked Rainbow. Twilight bore a pondering look. "How about the magic of friendship? The play is about how our friendship has managed to get us through tough times. I think a message like that would be good for the people in these times," said Twilight. "Oh! Let's start by retelling your story!" said Pinkie, pointing to Twilight. "Wait, mine?" asked Twilight. "I like that idea! After all, your story is an example that I'm sure others can relate to," said Rarity. "W-Well, I don't know..." stuttered Twilight, an embarrassed look on her face. "I didn't mean to make it seem like I was putting myself at the center of attention." "Ain't none of us thought that, Twi. I agree with them. After all, it made you start that club. The main character's goal could be to share that," said Applejack. "Maybe the main character could try to, but sometimes makes a mess of things since she's so new to friendship. Then she has to resolve it somehow," suggested Rainbow. "My! That's actually a good idea, Rainbow!" said Rarity in surprise. Rainbow glared at her in offense. "Hey! I only say it because Twilight did that herself when she first started attending our school," said Rainbow. "I sure did," said Twilight awkwardly. "So... Should we just retell our lives since we're going with Twilight's past?" asked Rainbow. "Eh. Why not?" Twilight shrugged. "I'm super nervous-cited to see how this turns out!" grinned Pinkie. "That's not even a word," said Applejack in amusement. "Hey, we should include the others in the play!" said Rarity. Twilight was silent as her friends were bouncing ideas off each other. While she was happy that everyone seemed to be enjoying this process, she wished that the others were here with them. It was late noon. Adagio, Aria and Sonata were just outside of the walls of the Iwi village. They were accompanied by a few other women and teen girls from the tribe. While the men were expected to take on tasks such as building, hunting, protection and exploring, most of the women handled more domestic tasks. In this instance, gathering fruits and berries from nearby bushes and trees. Adagio and Aria didn't complain, since they didn't fancy the idea of being around Dwan. While they were outside of the safety of the walls, they weren't too far. That left the girls at ease since the village was close in case they needed to flee from predators. "Rodan seems better, huh?" asked Adagio. "Yeah. I'd say so," said Aria nonchalantly. "I'm sure you'd know. After all, I overheard you both," said Adagio teasingly. Aria scoffed. "Don't make it sound like that," said Aria in annoyance. "I'm just teasing. But it was surprisingly sweet of you," said Adagio. Aria shrugged "The poor guy was in mourning. I'm not that heartless," said Aria. "Ah. You always had the biggest heart out of all us," said Adagio. "Do not," scoffed Aria. She noticed Sonata to be sluggishly picking berries from a bush. The pony tailed girl gave a heavy sigh. "You're still moping over Angirasu?" asked Aria in mild annoyance. "Of course I am! The love of my life hates my guts!" said Sonata. She began to begrudgingly pick more berries. "It just isn't fair! Now Dwan is getting clingy with him, and he's falling for her slutty charm!" said Sonata. "Maybe he's into that," said Aria to herself. "What else grinds my gears is that Dagi and Goji seem to be friends again! And she did the same thing that I did!" said Sonata. Adagio grimaced as she looked away. "That's because Adagio didn't totally ruin his life, unlike a certain someone," said Aria. "Aria!" said Adagio in shock. "It's true!" said Aria. She then glared at Sonata. "Not everything is about you, Sonata! The universe doesn't revolve around you and your fantasies!" Adagio winced. Aside from the harshness of her little sister's words, Adagio almost felt like she was the one being yelled at. Mainly since that statement easily applied to Adagio's love for attention. "You're right..." said Sonata in a small tone. She sniffled. "I just became obsessed with him that I didn't think about all the dumb stuff that I was doing. I really did ruin his life." "This must be my punishment. Not only does he hate me, I have to live with knowing what I did," said Sonata, her eyes watering. "Aw. Hey, come on. I'm sure things will work out. Besides, he might forgive you," said Adagio, wrapping a comforting arm around the youngest sibling. Aria sighed. Adagio was wrong about her having the biggest heart out of the siblings. After all, she couldn't bring herself to say something that she didn't believe to comfort her sister. Aria began to walk off further from the area. As the Iwi were filling their baskets, the Dazzling began to scan the area for another bush. She noticed a tree that was covered in fungi along the base. Curious, Aria approached and knelt next to the trunk, looking over the mushrooms that grew. The large bulbs stood on long stalks, bunched together almost like grass. She wondered if they were safe to eat. The girl noticed a few natives picking at the trunks of trees, taking similar looking fungi. Aria shrugged as she proceeded to harvest the mushrooms. As she was about to reach for another, she noticed that the earth began to move. She froze still, feeling her gut wrench as if it were sensing a threat. Aria stepped back as the earth began to move more. She yelped as she tripped backwards and fell, finding that she had wandered into another mound of moving earth. A bony and sickly arm burst from the mound and grabbed Aria's boot ankle, prompting her to scream in fright. The natives and her sisters turned, startled out of their tasks. Aria began to kick her leg, managing to free herself. She scrambled away as a sickly humanoid creature with sunken eyes, pale leathery flesh and a bony frame began to emerge. It gave a guttural cry as it opened its mouth, full of sharp yellow teeth. "What the fuck?!" whimpered Aria, before running to join her sisters. A native girl screamed as she was suddenly grabbed by several arms that emerged from the earth. Everyone fled as she was pulled under the earth. More and more of these abominations began to rise, giving their guttural cries. "Quick! Back to the village!" cried Adagio. The Dazzlings fled from the area with the rest of the natives. The humanoids gave chase, sprinting after them. Some ran as they flailed their arms, giving hellish shrieks that echoed out into the forest. Others ran on all fours, using their arms to carry them across the forest floor like apes. The monsters were so fast that they tackled any woman that lagged behind. The Dazzlings dared not to look back as they heard the pained and pleading cries of the victims. They mustered up all the stamina they could once they saw the village gates in their sights. "Open the gate! Open the gate!" Ann cried from the wall. A few Iwi that were on top of the wall took notice of the women as well as the creatures that pursued them. They quickly drew their bows and arrows, while men from below took arms with their spears and curved clubs. Meanwhile, Junior and Mosura were running through the village, having heard a loud horn being blown. They didn't know what was going on, but they had a feeling that it wasn't good. They found Sunset, Fluttershy, Angirasu, and Rodan to be in the midst of the chaos. "What's happening?" asked Mosura. "We got trouble!" said Dwan as she ran by, wielding a bow. Angirasu began to run after her. "Angirasu!" cried Fluttershy. Junior began to follow. "Hey! Guys, come back!" said Sunset. Angirasu and Junior began to rush over to a group of older Iwi. One of them immediately turned to find the two mutants. He tossed a spear over to Angirasu. Junior was handed a club. "I want the women and children to take shelter away from the gate! Every able bodied man is to take arms!" said Kong as he jogged by, as an Iwi presented a stone axe, bearing the tribal markings of the Iwi. He stopped over to the two mutants. "Angirasu, you're with me!" said Kong. "What about me?" asked Junior. "I need you to defend the entrance," said Kong. "But I can-" Junior was interrupted as Kong and Angirasu ran off. He gave an annoyed sigh as he gave chase. From back outside, the Dazzlings and gatherers were nearing the gates. But the humanoids were gaining on them, while picking off the slowest ones. The gates were slightly raising up, but there wasn't enough time to allow the women through before the humanoids reached them. The gates hadn't risen high enough. Adagio stopped and turned to face the incoming horde of humanoids. "Dagi, what are you doing?!" cried Sonata, as she and Aria stopped. Adagio trembled in place as she found the grotesque creatures locking their sights on her. Adagio took a deep breath, her irises beginning to glow. Adagio began to vocalize, her voice boomed and echoed, sending waves of sound towards the humanoids. The creatures shrieked as they collapsed onto the ground, clutching their heads. Adagio continued to vocalize as the humanoids stopped, wailing in pain. Some of them began to stumble on, pressing through the pain. Adagio was about to stop but heard two additional voices. Aria and Sonata stood at her side, their irises glowing and their voices amplified by their super sonic vocals. The air in front of them became distorted as the earth and trees trembled at their voices. The humanoids collapsed, thrashing in agony. Their bones rattled from the loud volume and growing vibrations in the air. This allowed the women to escape to safety behind the village walls. The Dazzlings thought themselves victorious as some of the humanoids attempted to rise and flee from their voices. But then, the earth around them gave in. The sisters fell over, screaming in fright as a couple of humanoids burst from the earth for a surprise attack. As these monsters prepared to attack, they were struck by arrows. Adagio turned to find Dwan and a few archers to be firing off at the humanoids, especially the disoriented ones. Kong suddenly rushed passed them, followed by Angirasu and a few other Iwi. They stabbed the downed humanoids with their weapons. Junior knelt down and began to pull Adagio up to her feet. "Come on! Get up!" shouted Junior as he helped up Aria and Sonata. He allowed them to run ahead of him. He took one quick look at Kong and Angirasu as they attempted to eliminate the remaining humanoids that were regaining their senses. Kong gave a war cry as he swung his axe against any creature in his path. The power of his swing led to the effortless hacking of limbs. Junior sighed begrudgingly and began to follow the Dazzlings, escorting them back to the village. Kong seemed to have the outer perimeter covered. Once he and the Dazzlings reached the safety of the village, a few more of the men began to run out to confront the humanoids. "They're having the women and kids take shelter. Follow them!" said Junior as he pointed to the fleeing villagers. Before Adagio could protest, a mound of dirt began to rise. Junior quickly pushed her back, as a couple of humanoids burst from the earth, shrieking. The creatures began to rise and rushed Junior, tackling him to the ground. "Gojira!" cried Adagio. "Go!!" Junior kicked off one humanoid, then rolled along the ground with the other. More and more mounds of dirt began to rise, where humanoids emerged. The Dazzlings took off running, leaving Junior to fend for himself. "I told that damn dirty ape that we should've followed them into those creepy woods!" grunted Junior, swinging his club against a humanoid, knocking its teeth out. He began to step back as the creatures began to surround him, swiping their claws and snapping their jaws at him. As his heart raced and his adrenaline kicked in, he began to recall his father's teachings in combat. 'Always keep a level head. A man that uses his mind can conquer any foe.' All of those years of experience of street fighting and the words of wisdom of his father came flooding back to him. He noticed how off balance the creatures were. Stumbling and swaying as their sunken eyes darted about. While they were physically strong, they appeared to be very reactionary like animals. One humanoid lunged for Junior. The boy swung his reptilian arm, batting the creature several feet away. A second humanoid came to his left, its sights focused on the boy's shoulder. With his current momentum from his last swing, Junior swung his right and slammed his club against its head. As it fell limp, Junior ran and tumbled into the last three humanoids, knocking them to the side. As he got back up, Junior spun and swung his mallet against one of the three humanoids, knocking it back. But, the second of the last three humanoids tackled him. It began to slash it claws at his skin. Junior held its head back as it attempted to maul him. There was a high pitched screech. A heavy figure dropped down beside Junior and the two remaining humanoids. A large tail struck the humanoid that pinned Junior down. The boy found Jira snarling as it turned to the last humanoid and bit down onto its head and torso, violently shaking it. Junior found Fluttershy to be riding on Jira, sitting between the largest dorsal plates. "Come on!" Fluttershy held out her hand to the mutant. Junior got up and took her hand, climbing Jira's back behind her. Jira began to scurry away to safety, as more humanoids began to rise out of the ground. Some managed to pick off certain natives, either mauling them or dragging them underground. Jira leapt over to the far side of the village, where a large number of Iwi women and children were. There was a deep cave with a large wooden door in place. Junior and Fluttershy climbed off the hybrid, finding Sunset and Mosura rushing to them. "Where's Rodan?" asked Junior urgently. "Rodan went off to help Ann at the wall!" said Sunset. "OK. You take shelter! You're the last line of defense!" said Junior. "Be careful," said Mosura, anxiously. Junior nodded to her. He noticed Fluttershy holding Jira's head close. "You go and help protect the village. Gojira needs all the help he can get," said Fluttershy. Jira grunted as he began run off back into the village. Junior began to follow the beast, his club in hand. There was a familiar trumpet-like sound in the sir. Junior stopped as he noticed some of the humanoids freezing in place. They began to grunt as they took to returning to their burrows. Others merely began to run away from the village. Junior just watched and stared, while a few Iwi natives chased off the remaining abominations. "What the hell?" Junior grimaced. About an hour had passed. The Iwi kept a watchful eye from the now closed wall, and from within the village itself. Junior found that Kong was visibly agitated as he spoke with Ann. He also noted how a lot less children were running around. Things had escalated quickly that the village was much different from how it was this morning. The boy began to make his way to the huts that the girls were living in. He found that all of his friends were accounted for. "Are you guys OK?" asked Junior. "I'm a bit traumatized, but I'll live," said Aria dryly. Adagio suddenly threw herself onto Junior, holding on tightly. "You were so brave! You were like, 'Go on without me! I'll hold them off!' It was so cool!" squealed Adagio. Mosura growled from her throat while Fluttershy scowled. "I-I didn't exactly say all that," said Junior with an awkward smile. He grew red as the pop star nuzzled against his shoulder. "Hey, take it easy, Adagio," said Sunset as she pulled the girl off. "I'll throw myself on you if you save me next time," said Adagio with a wink. Sunset sighed. "So what were those things?" asked Aria. "We saw a couple of them these last few days. But we've no clue what they are," said Rodan. "I told you guys that we should've followed them when we saw them. But the 'fearless' king is afraid of the dark," scoffed Junior. Angirasu glared at him. "Hey, we don't even know what's in that forest! How about you be a little more humble with the situation?" Junior furrowed his brows in response. "What the hell is your problem?" asked Junior. "Enough! Look, let's just check with him and Ann, then see what we can do to help," said Mosura. "Fine," said Junior and Angirasu in unison, both tones filled with frustration. The two stormed off. "Jeez. Those two have been aggressive lately. Especially Goji," said Adagio. "Yeah..." said Sunset. Later, the teens found themselves standing within Kong's domicile. He was sitting on his "throne" as he scratched his head. He appeared a bit anxious, but he kept a stern aura about himself. Ann and Dwan stood by the teens. "These things are capable of burrowing into the village. That just goes to show how vulnerable we are to them," said Ann. Kong hummed to himself as he furrowed his brows, reflecting his pondering. "These creatures are unnatural. They behave like those demons, yet they aren't them. Based on our recent observation, they have an Alpha that controls them," said Kong. "I believe we'll be able to find the master, or at least where they come from." "Well, shit. Let's get going," said Aria. "No, there is no need for you to go. I can handle it on my own. Besides, you may be better suited on looking after the Iwi while I'm away," said Kong. "Kong..." Ann was about to protest. "We can join you since we were with you when we found them heading off to that forest," said Angirasu. "The journey will be dangerous," said Kong. "All the more reason you need us along," said Angirasu as he patted Rodan's shoulder and wrapped an arm around Junior. With a sigh of reluctance, Kong nodded. "Very well. Gather essentials and weapons. We leave next dawn," said Kong as he sat up. Rodan gave Angirasu a flat look. "I didn't agree to this." It was the evening. Junior found himself setting aside a sack of berries and dried meat. He also placed a hallowed out gourd that was full of water into the sack. He gave a tired yawn as he stretched, but winced as he felt his wounds stung. He began to feel around his skin from his sides and arms, finding his skin having not healed. This was strange, since Junior would normally recover from something like this by now. He stood up, rubbing his shoulder. "Hey G, what's up?" asked Rodan as he walked over. "Hey. Did you pack?" asked Junior. "Yep. I was just making my way over to take a bath. I reek," said Rodan. "Heh. Have fun with that. It's freezing right now," said Junior. "Oh no, I'm not bathing in the river. There's some hot springs," said Rodan. Junior bore a surprised look. "Really?" asked Junior. He noticed the cloth that Rodan held over his shoulder, and was sporting a short loin cloth-like apparel around his waist. "That explains why you're in your underwear." "Well duh, I'm not going commando. Aang was telling me about it this morning. He's down there right now. You should come hang out. Have one last night to relax before dying in a creepy forest tomorrow," said Rodan with a joking tone. "Why not? I can use something close to a hot bath," said Junior. Later, the two traveled away from the village, but still within the protective walls that were long ago built. They made their way near the rocky area near the hills and mountain. Once they moved down a small hill, they found pools of steaming water, surrounded by plants and stones. Junior felt the humidity in the air from the springs. He noticed Angirasu waving to them as he sat in one of the springs. Rodan grinned as he jumped into the spring, splashing water everywhere. "Oh, that's hot!" cried Rodan, his hair soaked. "Dumbass." Junior sighed. "Good to see you've joined," said Angirasu. "Ah you know. I was sick of bathing in cold water," said Junior as he set his animal hide based towel onto a stone. He began to descend down into the pool, gasping from the heat. He began to give a relieved sigh as he sunk himself lower into the water. His pores opened up, and his wounds were soothed from the heated water. His body adjusted to the heat. "That's nice," said Junior as he leaned back against one side of the pool, while Rodan and Angirasu took a spot for themselves. "Sure is. Just like home," said Rodan. "Nah. I'd say this is better than home," sighed Angirasu. "Yeah..." Junior nodded, though he didn't like hearing that from Angirasu at the moment. Lately he seemed to be making himself too comfortable here. "Hey Aang, where did you learn about this? Any of the natives ever come down here?" Asked Rodan. "Not often. But Dwan was the one who told me about this place," said Angirasu. "Wait, Dwan?" asked Junior in worry. There was a sudden splash in the middle of the pool. The boys instinctively covered their eyes from the coming water. Once they uncovered their eyes, they found a curvy slim figure rising from the water,with bare tannish skin. "Mm. That feels so nice~," said a sultry feminine tone. The boys bore slacked jaws as their faces grew red. And it wasn't from the heat of the spring. "Dwan?!" exclaimed Junior. "Hey, boys~!" Dwan turned to face Junior, her breasts obscured by the steam. She was completely naked. "It's a full moon..." Rodan stared while Angirasu covered his own eyes, blushing furiously. "I'm getting the hell out of here!" said Junior as he scrambled out of the water. He failed to notice the Dazzlings, Sunset, Fluttershy and Mosura approaching. All carrying towels as they were dressed in their under wear. "I mean, are we seriously going to skinny dip?" asked Mosura with an embarrassed look, while Sunset was in the middle of undoing her bra. "We're all girls here," said Sunset as she was about to pull off her bra. Suddenly, Junior rose up in her line of sight. The two froze once their eyes locked. Sunset suddenly punched junior's face, causing him to stumble and fell back into the water. The boy shot up with a cough and a glare. "Hey!" barked Junior. "Oh crap! I'm so sorry! It was just a reflex!" cried Sunset as she covered her chest with a towel. The rest of the girls did the same. "Hey! What's the big idea?!" yelled Aria furiously. "We were here first!" said Junior, rubbing his face. "Oops! I'm sorry guys! I didn't think you'd be here tonight," said Dwan with an innocent look. Junior narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure you didn't ," said Junior with a dry tone. "That's alright. Mistakes happen," said Angirasu with a chuckle. Junior scoffed. "Dude, you don't honestly believe-" "Anyway, I think we were in here long enough. We'll leave," said Angirasu. "Aw man. We were only here for less than a minute," grumbled Rodan. Junior had to admit that even he was annoyed. "Hold on! There's not a reason why you can't just stick around," said Dwan. "Huh?!" exclaimed the girls. "I can think of a few," deadpanned Junior, looking away from Dwan. "I'm serious! We're just a bunch of friends chillin' in the hot springs. There's plenty of space," said Dwan. Junior growled. "Yeah I think I-" "I-I'm fine with that," said Adagio, removing her towel. Everyone excluding Dwan bore shocked looks. Adagio dipped herself into the water, her face red hot as she felt junior's eyes on her. "Anyone else? Remember, underwear is optional," said Dwan. "Clearly," deadpanned Aria as she stared at Dwan. "I'm comfortable in my own skin! Get in! You'll miss out on a relaxing experience~," said Dwan. Mosura gasped as she noticed Adagio moving to Junior's position. "F-Fine!" Mosura dropped in, wincing as she felt the heat. She quickly moved into Adagio's path, sending her a glare. Adagio smirked as she splashed water into the mutant girl's face. The pop star took advantage of her blindness and swam over to the other side of Junior. Mosura scowled after wiping her face. One by one, the rest of the girls began to dip themselves into the spring. All except Dwan kept their undergarments on. The sheer awkwardness of this made it hard for anyone to relax, save for Dwan. "So... you guys been good?" asked Sunset, awkwardly. "Eh." Aria shrugged. "Feels pretty nice, huh?" asked Adagio, loosening up a bit. He hair floating on the surface of the water. "Yep..." Junior cleared his throat. Adagio gasped as she looked to Junior. "Oh! You should totally try going to a sauna or something when we get home! All that stress relief would do ya wonders," said Adagio. "If we get home," remarked Angirasu. There was some tension in the air from that comment. "I guess that sounds cool..." said Junior. Mosura grumbled to herself. "If you're stressing, I can help," said Fluttershy. "Mm. I'm sure you can," said Dwan with a suggestive tone. Flutterdhy grunted in annoyance. "N-Not like that. I meant a massage," said Fluttershy. "Ooh~! A massage," said Dwan, motioning her hand up and down. Fluttershy gasped with an appalled look. "Would you please?" asked Junior in annoyance. "Hey, I'm not the only one who thinks you can use a handy!" said Dwan. Junior groaned. "Dwan!" Adagio glared at the girl. "Oh I'm just teasing! Lighten up! Don't act like you don't do the same thing," said Dwan. "Yeah but I have a line," said Adagio. "Eh..." the rest of the teens all gave audible credits to uncertainty. "I do!" whined Adagio. "Do you?" deadpanned Mosura. "At least Adagio doesn't make me feel like that I'm gonna to catch Chlamydia," said Junior. Dwan gasped in offense while Adagio and a few of the girls snickered. "Hey!" said Dwan. "Damn, that's brutal," chuckled Rodan. "Gojira, come on," said Angirasu. "What? She's the one that was talking about handjobs!" said Junior. "Why are you so mean to me?" Whined Dwan. "Oh, I'm mean? Sure," scoffed Junior. Dwan grunted with an annoyed look. "Alright, enough. Let's just get along, alright?" said Angirasu. Dwan crossed her arms with a childish pout. "Oh alright. But only for you, Nice Aang," said Dwan as she moved close to the boy. She seductively moved her hip against his own hip. Angirasu cleared his throat as he took a breath. Sonata furrowed her brows at this. She turned to Junior. "Hey, Gojira. Can I ask you something?" "Um... sure," said Junior, surprised by Sonata's serious tone, while she's normally bubbly. "Remember how you and Dagi weren't speaking to each other for a while? How come you easily forgave her?" asked Sonata. "Sonata..." growled Aria. Adagio awkwardly looked to the side, while Junior was surprised. "Yeah. That's what I wanna know," grumbled Mosura. "Oh. Well..." Junior was about to answer, but Angirasu gave an annoyed sigh. "Because all Adagio did was try to get a kiss from Gojira. What she did is far more tolerable compared to making someone ditch class and almost get imprison for the rest of his life," deadpanned Angirasu. There was tension. Sonata's lip quivered. "I-I just..." "It doesn't matter what you wanted. You did what you did for selfish reasons. At least Adagio has some semblance of self-control. You on the other hand, do not," said Angirasu with a glare. Sonata looked away with a deep frown. "Angirasu..." Sonata muttered. "I don't wanna hear it. It's over. We're here now, which is leagues better than our world. Now if it's alright with you, I'd like to stop discussing it," said Angirasu. Adagio sunk down to mouth level in the water, out of embarrassment and guilt. She avoided eye contact with everyone present. Junior cleared his throat, thinking to change the subject. "Uh... Ro! I uh... I noticed you've been well behaved tonight," said Junior. "Huh?" Rodan cocked a brow. "You aren't your pervy usual self, considering our current situation," said Junior with a forced chuckle. "Yeah, I noticed that too," said Mosura with an odd look. "Eh. Not really feelin' it right now," said Rodan nonchalantly. "Huh." Junior fell silent. It wasn't exactly a satisfying response, but he wasn't sure what he was expecting. It also did little to lighten the mood. Aria cleared her throat. A thought had been nagging her a bit lately. Tonight prompted her to ask the question. Whether it was curiosity or bravery, Aria couldn't say. "Angirasu... I know you said that you wanted to drop the subject, but I gotta say. I get the feeling that you don't want to go home," said Aria. "Your feeling is correct," said Angirasu. Everyone looked at him in shock "Dude, you're joking right?" asked Rodan. "Angirasu, you can't be serious," said Sunset, eyes wide. "I'm dead serious," said Angirasu. "But why?" asked Mosura incredulously. "Come on, think about it. Back during the invasion, we lost control of ourselves and became monsters. I was even on my way to being locked away before then," said Angirasu. "What?" asked Sunset softly. "Even if by some miracle, we returned home, MONARCH would just be waiting for us so they can round us up and imprison us," scoffed Angirasu. "And let's not forget that people would despise us if they found us back. The Purists would likely gain more support and could return to Ponyville." Junior shook his head. He knew that he had a bad feeling with Angirasu's behavior as of late. "I knew it. You're going native!" said Junior. "Of course I am! The Iwi have been welcoming. Why shouldn't we adopt their lifestyles?" asked Angirasu. "Dude, I ain't adopting shit! I wanna go home!" said Rodan. "There might not even be a way back!" said Angirasu. "There has to be. And if we find it, we're all going back," said Junior, firmly. "No," said Angirasu, no sign of hesitation in his voice. "No?" Junior repeated. "Gojira, I think I made it clear as to why I don't wanna go back. You guys are free to, but I'm sticking around," said Angirasu, leaning back. Junior's brow twitched in annoyance. "You're being ridiculous! We don't belong here!" said Junior, raising his voice. "Gojira, settle down," said Aria. "We didn't belong in our world either! At least the Iwi respect mutants!" said Angirasu. "Because they're so damn primitive that they think we're gods!" said Junior. "Yeah, how lucky," said Dwan with a chuckle. "You hush!" barked Junior. Everyone flinched at the sudden turn on the girl. "Dude, what is your major malfunction?" asked Dwan in annoyance. "My 'malfunction' is that I think it's not a good idea to keep making these natives think we're something that we're not," said Junior. "Oh piss off! I think you're just jealous because they like him a lot more than you!" scoffed Dwan. "Jealous?! You know what, just stay out of this! It's not even about the goddamn natives! It's the fact that Angirasu has become hopeless after the Vault situation happened!" said Junior. Angirasu scoffed. "Who are you to cast stones?" asked Angirasu. "Excuse me?" Junior turned his attention to Angirasu. "Weren't you the same guy that got hissy when Twi and the others kicked you out of the club over a crime that you didn't commit?" asked Angirasu. Junior narrowed his eyes. There was a growing tension in the air. Fluttershy noticed that Junior was slightly trembling, as his fists were balled under the water. "You... Fuck you, Aang. Fuck you," spat junior, his tone harsh. Angirasu merely crossed his arms with an indifferent look. Everyone was in shock at Junior's response. "Fine, stay in this world. Have fun duping a bunch of natives into joining Kong's little cult," said Junior as he climbed out of the hot spring. Angirasu narrowed his eyes as Junior stormed off. He thought that at least him of all people would understand where he was coming from. Angirasu took a calming breath, subsiding any anger that he felt. He noticed that the rest of his friends stared at him in shock and disbelief. "Aang... you're actually gonna stay?" asked Rodan. "I mean, sure our world's not perfect. But it's not that bad." "I just want acceptance, with no strings attach. That means, no states watching me like a hawk, no inhibitor chips, and no hypnosis," said Angirasu, sending a quick glare at Sonata. Dwan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about that anymore. The natives seemed to have accepted you here more than those in our old world," said Dwan. Sunset lightly frowned, concerned over Angirasu's statements, along with how he and Junior fought. Adagio herself felt guilt welling up more inside of herself. After all, she thought herself the catalyst for most of this conflict. Meanwhile, Junior had returned to the village. He had changed back into the clothes given to him by the Iwi. He was fuming to himself. He hated how Angirasu was acting. He just wasn't the same. His friend was giving up on their world to stay in this bizarre world. It certainly wasn't boring, but it wasn't their home. Angirasu was going to bail from their world. He was going to leave not just his friends, but his family too. To put his own mother through that was wrong. But, Junior recalled that Aang told him that Aiko herself was intending to apprehend him, going as far as to point her gun at him. Appealing to him about his family would be foolish since he would associate with his mother, which would cement his stance. But what set Junior off more was him bringing up the fallout with the club. It wasn't an accurate comparison. After all, Junior's trust was betrayed. He actually considered Twilight his friend. But when he needed her, she turned on him. "Goddamit," Junior sighed. His hypocrisy became clear to him once he thought of it. His situation really wasn't any different from Angirasu's. Junior was only focused on the fact that he was going to lose another friend. He hated him for that. It was dawn. There was a sliver of the sun's light appearing at the horizon. The rest of the sky was still dark, filled with the shimmering stars above. The call of birds was in the air, as the nocturnal beasts retreated into darkness. From the Iwi village, Junior was walking through the cold grass. A stoic look on his face, as he carried a sack on his back, full of essentials such as food and water. He found Kong and Angirasu waiting just outside of the gates. Junior turned back to find Rodan jogging after him. "Hey. After last night, I didn't think..." "Compared to those things attacking, that argument doesn't matter. We need to keep this place safe until we can find the others and get home. They're on their own after that," said Junior. "Right." Rodan slightly nodded. "Gojira!" a voice called. Junior turned, finding Fluttershy stumbling over as she ran. She stopped with a pant, her eyes still crusted and her hair a mess. She must have just bolted out of bed. "I just wanted to wish you luck. You guys be careful out there, alright?" said Fluttershy, her tone filled with concern. Junior nodded to her with a reassuring smile. As he turned to walk, Fluttershy took notice of his bare back. She distinctly remembered there being a nasty gash on his back from the stampede awhile back. It was now gone, not even leaving a scar. Fluttershy softly smiled, feeling some relief. The boys made their way outside of the gates, joining Angirasu and Kong. They then began to make their journey, with the gates closing behind them. Later, the four made their way over to a familiar area in the forest. They stared off at the darkness that the trees ahead made, and the haunting atmosphere that it gave off. Kong held a stone axe at his side, while the boys carried clubs. "So... You've never been here before?" asked Rodan. "Once." Kong answered. "Well, that's a relief," said Junior in a sarcastic manner. Kong began to walk ahead, his expression stoic. "We must go. Time is of the essence," said Kong. Angirasu tailed after him, followed by Junior and a hesitant Rodan. "At least I got to go to the hot springs last night," said Rodan. The four mutants spent the next several minutes on their journey. Kong kept point as his eyes scanned the area, while keeping note of tracks that the group came across. The teens kept their eyes peeled for their surroundings. While the forest was darker compared to the other portions they've been in, it seemed like an ordinary jungle. At least by this world's standards. There were still some strange and prehistoric plants that littered the ground. There were also certain critters that they've seen around, from small mammals to birds. But these birds looked darker in color and were more watchful rather than the singing counterparts outside. The atmosphere of this place was foreboding. Junior himself couldn't describe it, but something was off about the jungle. His senses felt themselves being blinded by a sense of growing paranoia, like he was being watched by an unseen force. "Hold," said Kong as he raised a hand. The teens stopped as he knelt down and took dirt from a foot print left behind. He took a brief sniff, his brows furrowing. The smell was both familiar yet alien. "This way," said Kong, leading the group deeper into the jungle. Along the way, Junior felt the earth at his soles grow colder and moist. He found that the area they ventured to was a large swamp. There were many dark trees that stood tall, casting an eternal shadow that made the swamp dreary and cold. Some trees stood on dry land, while others stood over the murky and moss riddled water. The trees themselves added to the foreboding atmosphere, as they twisted along each other, with their claw-like branches sticking out as though they were about to grab any traveler that passes. "Mind your step. You never know what may be lurking in these waters," said Kong as he stepped over a log. "Just how deep is that water?" asked Angirasu. "Deep. See that mass over there?" asked Kong, pointing further off into the swamp, where an island covered in moss, stone and dead trees. "The island?" asked Junior. "That's no island. You'll find that there are other beasts in these jungles that are one with the natural world. Much like the Spore Mantis you encountered," said Kong. Junior looked back to the "island", an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He wondered what other kinds of beasts lurked in these jungles that he'd fail to catch. The journey resumed. The group picked up the sound of nature in this gloomy swamp. The crow-like sounds from dark feathery avian-like reptiles from the trees, the croaks of frogs on logs, the buzzing of mosquitoes and the splashes of fish from the water. Along the way, Junior felt a sensation in the air. He looked around briefly, not finding anything around. He resumed with his eyes forward, ignoring the sensation. "Gojira." A voice whispered. Junior froze in his tracks. He looked around again, looking for the source of the voice. He went back to walking, brushing it off as his imagination. "Gojira," the voice called again. This time, it was louder, as though it was next to him. Junior turned to Rodan. "Dude, don't do that," said Junior in annoyance. "Do what?" asked Rodan in confusion. "Don't whisper in my ear like that. It's creeping me out," said Junior. Angirasu and Kong stopped and looked back at the two. "I wasn't whispering in your ear. I haven't said anything the last few minutes," said Rodan. Junior lost his glare. "You're joking right?" asked Junior. "No," answered Rodan with a shrug. "You heard voices?" asked Kong. Junior nodded to him. The ape mutant scanned the swamp around them, his brows furrowed. "Let us move on from this area," said Kong. As he left, Junior looked to Rodan, who shrugged. "Gojira," the voice called again. Junior briefly looked back, his heart beginning to race. He knew what he was hearing was real. Kong's reaction was all that he needed to confirm that. The boy quickly followed his group, still feeling as though he was being watched. The creeks of branches made that obvious.