Shy and Aggressive: Book 2

by Johng117

Chapter 19: The Rescue Team

Hayato Yoshi sighed as he stood. He adjusted the collar of his uniform as he waited in the back of a dark vehicle, grimacing as he looked to the phone that he held.

"Well, let's get started," said Hayato as he began to call. He held the phone to his ear. In moments, the call was answered.

"Mr. Takeshi, I wish to discuss something with you regarding your son," said Hayato. He listened in on the other end. He took a breath.

"He's alive. And I believe I know where," said Hayato. "I ask that you and your wife head to the location that I'll text you. You'll receive the transportation necessary for you to meet me," said Hayato, before hanging up. He then began to go through his contacts again.

"We're here," said the man in the driver seat. Hayato nodded as he stepped out of the vehicle. He made his way to the local bar. Once he entered, he was quickly assaulted by the smell of booze and cigarettes. He found a familiar pitiful sight. A grieving mother with a glass of liquor in her hand.

"Lieutenant Riku," called Hayato. Aiko Riku turned her head to the man with a sluggish look.

"Huh?" slurred Aiko.

"Ah, Riku. Still hanging around here?" sighed Hayato with a frown.

"Ah shaddup! I'm a grown ass woman! I'll drink as much as I-" Aiko hiccupped as she slumped on the counter. Hayato sighed. He painful it was to see a respectable soldier as her in such a low state as this.

"What are you doin' in this backwater town? Don't you have someone to shoot? Oh wait, you just tell people to shoot now," snorted Aiko.

"I'm here because I came to bring you back," said Hayato.

"Why? The only reason I joined was because I thought I could make a fucking difference. For me and my son. Now...I don't have a son," said Aiko, sniffling as she stared at her glass. "I was an idiot. I took the most precious thing for granted because of self-gratification. I should've been there for him."

"You still can, you know," said Hayato. Aiko gritted her teeth.

"Just go away. My only reason for living is gone. Just let me..." Aiko rested her head on the counter.

"Riku, your son's alive," said Hayato. Aiko was silent.

"We learned that whatever happened then was caused by some kind of anomaly. As far as we know, the children were not killed. They in fact transported. To where, we don't know for sure. But we can find them and bring them home," said Hayato. Aiko looked at her glass.

"I must be really drunk. Or you're just fucking with me," sniffled Aiko. Hayato stepped over to her and held out a tablet. Her eyes fall upon a digital schematic, depicting an arch-like structure.

"This is Project DT. This is what we'll use to find your son," said Hayato. Aiko raised her head and then looked to Hayato. She suddenly threw her glass on the ground.

"Hey! You're paying for that!" barked the bar tender. Aiko merely dropped money on the counter and turned back to Hayato.

"If this is bullshit, I'm killing you and then myself!" said Aiko with a glare, her face flushed from being inebriated. Hayato just remained stoic.

"OK," said Hayato. Aiko smirked.

"Come on! Mama's gotta get her boy!" said Aiko as she stepped away from the counter. She suddenly stumbled, prompting Hayato to quickly catch her.

"Hey, you mind we stop for coffee or something?" slurred Aiko.

Hayato stood in a room silently. Aiko stood against a wall, wincing as she held the side of her head. She chugged down a bottle of water with a sigh. Shortly after, the metal doors to the room opened. He found that Gojira Takeshi Senior and Miwa Takeshi stepped inside. They were escorted by a couple of guards.

"Glad you could make it," said Hayato, stepping over to Senior to shake his hand.

"Spare the formalities. My son," said Senior, with his brows furrowed.

"Of course," said Hayato. He then noticed a rose haired woman to be looking around, wide eyed. She was a lovely adult woman, with her hair in a braided pony tail.

"Wait a minute. Who the hell is this?" questioned Hayato. The woman jumped with a start.

"This is our neighbor, Posey. Her daughter was with our son when he..." Miwa fell silent.

"Oh." Hayato cleared his throat.

"Ma'am, I apologize. But you weren't supposed to know about what I brought them-"

"You said that you think their son is alive, right? Surely that means that my daughter is too," said Posey, a hopeful look on her face. Hayato grimaced. While yes, that was possible. But, he was hoping to keep this as quiet as possible. Aside from this being classified info to civilians, he wanted to avoid bringing false hope.

"It's possible. But at any rate, what you'll learn is highly classified. I expect you all to remain silent about what you learn. That means no informing other parents of this," said Hayato, narrowing his eyes.

"Understood," said Senior.

"Good. Walk with me," said Hayato as he walked down the hall. He was followed by the parents and the couple of guards.

"MONARCH was working on a special project that was under wraps. It involved faster travel to get the drop behind enemy lines. We were hoping this project would allow the transport of ordinance, vehicles, and soldiers in just a short amount of time," said Hayato, as he led the group further into the halls.

"So, like a superfast transport plane or something?" asked Miwa in confusion.

"Our leading engineer was much more ambitious than that," said Hayato as he led the group into a large room. He gestured for them to take a seat at the circular table. Hayato drew out his tablet and set it down. He pressed down on a button, which projected a holographic image, and a holographic keyboard on the table. Miwa and Posey stared in awe at the fascinating device.

"You see, we sought to make science fiction a reality. We had someone and a few others on a project that allowed the possibility of teleportation," said Hayato as the hologram depicted an archway structure in a 3D wire form.

"But our leading man thought the idea was too small. He sought to literally break from our current reality and to send those into another. The project was called, the 'Dimensional Tide'," said Hayato.

"Break from our current reality?" asked Senior.

"You should know. Didn't you say that Ark of yours came from a different dimension? Our leading engineer believed that our universe was just one of many. He sought to pioneer the travel to these other worlds. We allowed him, since he promised that the device would still do what we wanted," said Hayato. He then sighed.

"Unfortunately, after an accident with the device occurred, former Director Onyx shut down the project," said Hayato.

"Then why are we talking about this?" asked Aiko impatiently.

"Because this device is the key to finding the children. While the Director did shut down the project, our leading engineer managed to fix the problem with a different power source before his disappearance," said Hayato.

"Disappearance?" asked Posey.

"Some believe that when the project shut down, the brains behind the DT took what time he had left to perfect his invention and decided to leave our reality," said Hayato. "In other words, the device is still intact and is just collecting dust in one of our facilities. But there's another problem."

"What now?" asked Aiko in dismay.

"The power source for the DT was unfortunately stolen. While it was being relocated, it was taken during a raid from the Purists, who stole other prototype technology along with it," said Hayato, as a hologram depicted a violet diamond-like stone. He pointed to the hologram.

"This diamond has the energy necessary to power the DT. It's a very rare stone, with energy like none we've ever seen," said Hayato.

"So the Purists stole it?" growled Aiko.

"Yes, but we've managed to pinpoint its location," said Hayato as a holographic map appeared. It focused in on a mountain region in the state.

"Our satellites managed to pick up its energy signature. It appears that the Purists are holed up in an abandoned missile silo," said Hayato.

"Well, great! Let's just get a platoon and shoot down anyone that gets in the way!" said Aiko, shooting up to her feet.

"No," said Hayato, raising a hand. Aiko looked at the man incredulously.

"I believe that such a strike may risk damaging, if not destroying the diamond. I suggest we take a more diplomatic approach," said Hayato. Aiko scoffed.

"The Purists are fucking barbarians. They don't know the meaning of diplomacy," said Aiko, sitting back down in annoyance. While Senior agreed with the woman's sentiment, he was surprised to hear Hayato to make such a suggestion. Even a tactical attack would be more logical to do involving a group such as this. Just about anyone in a uniform would suggest gunning down those who stole valuable items from the government

But Senior began to recall the late Director Onyx. While he was a hardened force to be reckoned with, the man tried to appeal to the humanity of Scar, the one leading the Purists that attacked the lair. It was a shame that the enemy had none to spare. Senior could see Onyx's trait having rubbed off on this younger man.

"There isn't a need to have a full assault anyhow. Satellite images show that the invasion had hit them hard as well," said Hayato as images of a Millenian ship hovering over the mountain was seen.

"We picked up the readings just hours after the attack. No doubt that most, if not all, of the Purists were wiped out," said Hayato. Aiko scoffed.

"The one thing that those aliens did that I'm fine with," said Aiko.

"So instead, Koizumi and I will go and procure the diamond. We can only always bluff that we have a platoon waiting outside for them if we must," said Hayato.

"Sounds too risky," said Senior.

"Well, I do have one extra person to join us," said Hayato. The door suddenly opened. A young man in dark uniform stepped in.

"Yasu. Good of you to join us," said Hayato. Battra gave a salute.

"Yasu?" Miwa's eyes widened. Looking at the young man, she noticed a resemblance to a certain mutant girl.

"Miwa Takeshi?" asked Battra, looking to the woman. Miwa slightly nodded.

"I... I want to thank you. For looking after my little sister when I couldn't," said Battra, solemn.

"N-No! Not at all! She was- Is! She's a sweet girl," said Miwa awkwardly.

"Our new recruit has proven to excel quickly through his basic training. If things get hairy, his abilities will prove to be of help," said Hayato. Aiko grimaced.

"Mutant or not. I don't like the idea of just letting the three of you do this alone," said Aiko.

It was the next day

Koizumi sported a pair of binoculars. He took in the sight of the current destination. He found there to be an open garage-like section built into the side of the rocky mountain before him.

"Entrance looks clear," said Koizumi. He turned to find Hayato Yoshi and Battra Yasu behind. All were clad in standard issue combat armor for MONARCH.

"Alright. Stay quiet and alert," said Hayato. He took notice of the nervous that the new recruit had.

"Just stay cool and follow orders. Remember your training," said Hayato. Koizumi sighed.

"We should've just brought Takeshi," said Koizumi. The trio began to rush from cover. They ran along the dirt road that led to the garage of the compound. The three began to slow their approach as they came inside. They found the stench of oil to linger in the air. Rubble lied scattered around the concrete floor.

"Move out. Quietly," whispered Hayato, taking the rear. Koizumi took point, while Battra walked between them. The three traveled in a tight formation, searching for their targets, their rifles held firmly in their grips. As they made their way deeper into the silo, they heard idle conversation.

"Can you believe this shit? Aliens! Fucking aliens!" said a voice.

"Tsk. I always thought people were stupid to want to make contact with extraterrestrials. Looks like what happened a couple of days back proved me right," said another voice.

"What are you lazy fucks doing? We need to get everything onto the trucks so we can relocate!" said a familiar voice. It belonged to Adrian. Battra furrowed his brows.

The three soldiers took cover by the wall and peeked over the corner. They found Adrian scolding a couple of unfamiliar Purists. Koizumi cleared his throat as he disengaged his safety. He rushed out and led Hayato and Battra out into the open.

"Nobody move!" shouted Koizumi, startling the Purists.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed one of the Purists. The three raised their hands as the soldiers began to spread out, keeping their sights on their enemies.

"Shit. Wasn't expecting MONARCH to show up. You guys seem a little short on numbers though," smirked Adrian, her hands raised.

"I think you'll find that we're more than enough," said Battra with a glare. Adrian's eyes widened in shock.

"You?!" snarled Adrian, recognizing the young man's face. Battra said nothing.

"Wh- That doesn't make sense! You guys know who this freak is, right?!" asked Adrian incredulously.

"Hey! Hey! No need for any of that!" said Koizumi, like a scolding father.

"How the hell does the Night Angel, a mutie of all people, join MONARCH?!" shouted Adrian, her mind unable to process the shock. Nothing about this made logical sense.

"That's our concern. Now, where's the one in charge? Where's Scar?" demanded Hayato.

"Right here," said a voice. Hayato turned to aim his rifle. He found Scar to be entering the room, flanked by Stinger, Dreadnought, and Alexandra. Stinger and Dreadnought were armed, aiming their weapons at the soldiers.

"Looks like you've managed to find us. Congratulations, Director," said Scar. Hayato kept his expression firm.

"Hey! Hayato and Koizumi! Haven't seen you guys in a while!" chuckled Dreadnought. Koizumi and Hayato hardened their expressions.

"I didn't think you'd be working with these guys. What? Do these guys pay you a better salary?" asked Koizumi.

"Heh. You know it," said Dreadnought with a grin.

"We're not here for a fight," said Hayato.

"Yeah, I failed to realize that when you stormed in with your weapons drawn," deadpanned Adrian.

"Scar, correct? At least that's what they call you," said Hayato. Scar bore a stoic look.

"Why did you come here if not to fight?" asked Scar.

"We just want something. Something that you and your group stole," said Hayato. "A violet diamond concealed in a tightly locked capsule."

"That thing?" asked Dreadnought in confusion.

"What for?" questioned Scar.

"Classified. All you need to know that innocent lives are on the line. They may be lost if we don't get the diamond back," said Hayato. Scar sighed as he scratched at his head.

"I think not," said Scar as the Dreadnought, Stinger and Alexandra stepped forward, their weapons aimed straight for the soldiers. Hayato furrowed his brows.

"Fact of the matter is, I doubt you'll let us go free if I were to hand it over. While I don't even know what the diamond is for, I think I rather it not be in your hands," said Scar as he drew out a hand gun as well, aiming it.

"Scar, please. These are children we're talking about!" said Hayato.

"Since when did you people care about children? You allowed them to integrate mutants into public schools," scoffed Scar. Battra hardened his expression.

"Who are you to talk? If I recall correctly, you guys attacked a high school and killed anyone that got in your way! You actually killed children!" said Battra. Scar showed a small hint of a twitch of his lip. Battra took notice of this, but said nothing about it.

"Have any of you ever even actually thought about your actions? How they might make you look just as bad if not worse as the mutants that you're afraid of?" asked Battra.

"Shut up!" shouted Adrian.

"Don't like the truth? Is it something that you ignore? Are the Revolutionaries just a soothing mechanism to help you to cope with your actions?" asked Battra, narrowing his eyes. Adrian began to violently tremble. Her mind was clouded by a blinding rage and hatred for this young man before her.

"I said to-" Adrian suddenly reached for her side arm.

"Don't fucking do it!" shouted Koizumi as he was about to pull the trigger. As Adrian drew out the gun, a loud bang filled the air. She cried out as the gun was knocked out of her hand.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Battra in shock.

"Ugh. That idiot," said Koizumi with an annoyed look. The Purists looked around in confusion, growing tense. There was a sudden crackle on the COM.

"Moving in," said a familiar voice. Suddenly, the room was filled with a few more individuals. Aiko Riku appeared from the shadows, a rifle aimed at the closest Purist she saw. From different corners of the garage, more popped up. Gojira Senior arrived, a rifle in his grip as well. Inoue appeared as well, joining the side of Koizumi. A couple more soldiers showed up, moving in.

"H-How in the-" Dreadnought stood frozen in shock.

"Why didn't you just pop that bitch's head?" whispered Koizumi. Inoue blushed.

"L-Look, I missed, alright?" said Inoue. Koizumi cocked a brow at her.

"I've seen you shoot before," said Koizumi. Inoue said nothing.

"Good thing I convinced you to reconsider going alone, eh?" asked Aiko. Hayato smiled in response.

"It appears that the tables have turned again, Scar. Additional skilled soldiers, and one extra fierce transmutant have joined this standoff. Do you still want to make this difficult?" asked Hayato. Scar furrowed his brows. He was beginning to slightly tremble as he found Gojira Senior looking at him. Yes. One of the mutants responsible for the Hell he experienced in Solgell when he was a Marine. While he never personally ran into him before back then, he knew just what this monster was capable. This wasn't his first rodeo after all.

"I'd rather-"

"Scar," a male voice suddenly spoke. Everyone froze. Scar turned to find Stinger looking at him dead straight in the eye.

"Maybe it's in our interest to surrender," said Stinger, his tone rough, matching his stoic expression.

"Holy shit, he talks?" asked Alexandra, wide eyed. Scar merely kept his eyes locked with Stinger's. The two said nothing more. Scar merely smirked, turning away.

"It seems that you have us beat, Director," said Scar, his tone carrying a hint of bitterness. He dropped his handgun to the ground. The other Purists just stared, while Stinger did the same. Adrian cursed under her breath as she placed her hands over her head.

"Ain't this a bitch?" Dreadnought dropped his weapon and knelt down. The soldiers began to apprehend the now surrendered terrorists. Aiko scoffed as she lowered her weapon.

"And here I was hoping to kill one of these fuckers," said Aiko.

"Wrath is a toxin that will rot you to your core, Riku," said Senior as he stood beside the woman. Aiko glanced at him, a look of annoyance.

"How can you say that? After the things you've seen and been through?" asked Aiko.

"It's because of my experiences that I'm telling you this," said Senior, glancing at the woman. Aiko merely scowled. In a way, this woman reminded him of himself when he was consumed with rage. That's what concerned him.

"Hey! You're that soldier whose kid is a mutie, right?" questioned Alexandra. Aiko merely sent her a glance. The younger woman smirked.

"Yeah, that's you alright. I think he had spiky hair just like yours. So what reason did you have to join MONARCH if you were married to and gave birth to freaks? Doesn't seem to make sense," said Alexandra. Aiko merely turned to the woman with a glare.

"Let me answer that with a question. What gives you the right to terrorize mutants? Especially children? Maybe you should rethink yourself before criticizing my own decisions, cracker," said Aiko. There was an awkward silence.

"The hell did you just say?" asked Dreadnought with a snort.

"Since you people seem to enjoy throwing around slurs with the intention of hurting people, maybe you should know how it feels," said Aiko, walking off. "It's the kindest thing I can do."

"OK?" Alexandra grimaced. She wasn't necessarily offended nor hurt. If anything, she just felt confused.

"I mean, I doubt they care," said Inoue to herself. Senior watched as Aiko stormed off.

"Huh." Senior tilted his head. He felt Koizumi rest an arm against his shoulder.

"Women. Am I right?" asked Koizumi.

"Hm." Senior merely nodded.

"Still, I think I'm crushing hard on her." Koizumi chuckled.

"Are you even her type?" deadpanned Hayato, as a couple of soldiers came by, one of them hauling a canister.

"Package is secured," said a soldier. Though he realized that no one payed him any mind.

"No, sir," said Aiko, leaning against a jeep. She stared off to the morning sky outside the garage.

"There's only one man for me. And so help me God, it's gonna stay that way," said Aiko, a frown on her face.

"Damn it," whispered Koizumi to himself.

The soldiers began to round up the remaining Purists of this compound into a transport chopper. All bounded in cuffs. They were roughly forced in and were guarded by a couple of soldiers. Battra stood outside, watching with a pondering look.

"Not bad for your first OP, kid," said Koizumi in approval.

"I don't know. It feels too easy," said Battra, furrowing his brows.

"Ah you're just nervous because it's your first mission. Don't sweat it. In fact, appreciate it. Because this is as easy as it gets," chuckled Koizumi, nudging the young man in the shoulder.

Later, the transport chopper began to carry everyone off to the next destination. They landed at a new base, distant from any known town or city. As the chopper settled, the prisoners were escorted out by Aiko and another soldier.

"Move it," said Aiko, smacking the side of her gun against Scar's back, causing him to stumble. He merely continued on his walk, his expression hard. Battra continued to walk on. He swore that Scar was about to have him and his comrades go out in a blaze of glory. Yet Stinger, a guy that no one really knew about, managed to convince him to surrender. The more Battra thought of it, the more worried and suspicious he became. Meanwhile, the canister containing the objective was taken by Hayato and another soldier. The two entered the base, where they brought the object over to a vault. The vault was opened via pin code and finger print scan. He placed the canister inside, securing it to a stand. The vault was then closed and sealed up tight.

"The easy part's done," said Hayato.

"That was easy?" asked the soldier next to him.

Hayato Yoshi stood in the middle of a large aircraft hangar. But instead of aircraft, there were engineers, scientists, and large conduits running through the ground. The conduits all connected to a large archway structure, with an inclined platform leading up to it.

"Good news, Director. The tests have been going well. Looks like he's done much to improve this device," said a scientist, approaching Hayato.

"That's good. Very good," said Hayato in approval.

"Now, regarding a way back. We managed to work with everything that was left behind. It's possible, but you'll need one of these to get back," said the scientist, holding up a controller-like device to the Director. Hayato held it up, inspecting it.

"And it works?" asked Hayato.

"Indeed. Although we've yet to try, 'interdimensionally'. But with our tests of transporting objects and subjects to different regions on Earth, we believe it should work if you were to end up in the next dimension," said the scientist.

"Can we test it?" asked Hayato.

"Of course. Though where exactly do you think our lost lambs are?" asked the scientist in confusion.

"I have someone who knows," said Hayato, turning to find a familiar woman approach.

"Is it ready?" asked the woman.

"Almost. We just need to finalize the tests," said Hayato. The woman bore a pleased smile.

"Good."

Battra was roaming the halls of the base in silence. Pretty soon now, he'd be able to join the search and find his little sister. He prayed that wherever she may be, Mosura was safe.

Battra eventually entered the mess hall. Here, he found some soldiers in uniform to be eating from their trays. Battra grabbed a tray and began to wait in line to be served lunch. Once his tray was filled, Battra made his way out to find a table.

"Yo!" A familiar voice called. Battra smiled as he found Ford and Nakada to be waving to him. He made his way over and took a seat.

"I didn't know that you two were stationed here," said Battra.

"Aw. Tired of us already?" asked Nakada in a mock pout. Battra chuckled in amusement.

"Of course not. It's good to see familiar and friendly faces," said Battra as he began to eat.

"Hey, have you heard of some chick named Riku?" asked Kanada in a whisper.

"As in, Lieutenant Aiko Riku?" asked Battra.

"So you heard of her? What are your thoughts?" asked Kanada.

"I... I can't say. I don't know her well and I haven't been around her as of late," said Battra.

"Well, there's rumors going around that she's acting nuts. Apparently she's always been strict, but lately it’s been worse and she's allegedly acting pretty cruel too," said Kanada.

"Cruel?" asked Battra in confusion.

"You know that the cells in the brig at this base have climate controls, right? Apparently, they use them to assist in interrogation by subjecting prisoners to harsh temperatures," said Kanada. Battra shrugged.

"I mean, we all have feelings on torture and everything. But if it's something that the base has for that reason-"

"No, no. This goes beyond that. She was seen hanging out in the control room while the temperature was high. Without authorization," said Kanada. Battra's brows slightly raised.

"I guess when you're her rank and are in good with the Director, you can get away with some stuff, huh?" asked Ford.

"I don't know about that," said Battra, scratching his head. Though he did have to wonder why Hayato hadn't said anything if Aiko was messing around with the prisoners, let alone without permission. Obviously she wasn't looking for any answers out of them if this was true.

"You know, I personally think she joined MONARCH just so she can kill Purists. You hear how she has a mutant for a son?" whispered Kanada.

"I could understand that," said Ford. Battra shook his head.

"It's none of our business. Let's not spread anymore rumors," said Battra.

"Yeah, but is it right not to say anything about her behavior? I heard she was more level headed than that," said Kanada.

"Look, she just lost her son. I think this is her desire to get him back starting to eat away at her," said Battra.

Meanwhile, just outside of the mess hall, Senior was walking through the hall with a stoic look. He passed soldiers that dared to glance at this titan of a man, who was flanked by two other Guardians. Baragon and Manda. The three continued on, conversing.

"Yeah, but I don't like the idea of being in the same building with those guys. They should've stuck those kid killers in front of a fucking firing squad," spat Baragon. Manda sighed.

"Not to mention they killed someone who just wanted us to see past the surface, and tried to steal the Ark," said Manda.

"I understand. As soon as we find the children, I assure you that they will pay for their heinous crimes," said Senior. His expression was hard.

Alexandra was groaning as she and Adrian lied slouched in their cell. Both were drenched completely in sweaty clothes. Meanwhile, Scar just sat on a bed with his brows furrowed. Dreadnought sat against the wall in his cell, panting.

"That water wasn't enough," complained Alexandra.

"Shut up. You're whining isn't helping," groaned Adrian. Scar glanced at Stinger, who leaned against a wall, his arms crossed.

"So how's it going?" asked Scar. Stinger merely held out a palm, revealing metallic screws. Scar smiled as he turned forward.

"I'll leave it to you," said Scar.

Stinger suddenly turned to the wall, where a large metallic grated vent lied. He drew out a coin and began to remove the last two remaining screws. Once they were removed, Stinger removed the frame. The ventilation system gave a cooler breeze compared to the more heated temperature that they were tortured with sometime prior.

"You better hurry," said an unfamiliar voice. The prisoners turned, finding a guard to be standing by the cell. Scar smirked.

"Is she getting antsy to turn up the heat again?" asked Scar.

"Oh yeah. But Yoshi's keeping her on a tighter leash for now. But still, you wouldn't want someone not in the club to show up," said the guard. Scar turned to Stinger and gave a nod. Stinger merely climbed inside of the narrow vent. He began to shift and worm his way through the metallic ventilation system.

Through the vents, Stinger passed different paths of vents. Along the way, the vents began to get more narrow. His eyes scanned his surroundings and the different paths. Stinger began to crawl through a different path. He passed by a grate, which allowed a view down to the ground. He stopped and looked through, finding a couple of guards to be passing by. Stinger remained still as they passed by. Once he was sure they were gone, Stinger continued.

Eventually, the Purist came across another grate. He could see into the room, through the wall. With his limited line of sight, he could make out lockers. Stinger began to unscrew the screws from his side of the vent. It was tedious, but it was working. He heard the screws lightly drop to the concrete ground. Once they were off, he gently removed the grate, allowing him to climb out. He knelt down and took in his surroundings. He was in a concrete room, filled with several lockers and racks, bearing different fire arms. He smirked.

Stinger began to navigate through the aisles of weapons, finding a man in uniform to be roaming about. Stinger quickly hid, hearing the foot steps. He should've expected that this place wouldn't have at least one or two soldiers here. Stinger looked over the corner, finding that a man carried a clip board, writing as he inspected the weapons at a certain rack.

"Hey, I need you to bring that ammo box! We have target practice!" said a voice from outside.

"One second!" said the man with the clip board. As he set it aside, he began to walk over to an aisle. Stinger remained in the shadows, as the soldier knelt down over to a crate. As he was about to grab it, Stinger quickly lunged from behind. With a swift and rough twist, the man's neck was snapped. He collapsed to the ground, leaving Stinger alone. The Purist began to remove his clothes.

Eventually, Stinger emerged, lugging over the crate. He was dressed in the uniform of the now dead soldier. The Purist made his way over to an office connected to the armory, where a soldier stood patiently on the other side of a set of bars. He set the box down into a tray and pushed it through, which emerged for the soldier on the other side of the bars.

"Finally. Where's that guy that I asked to bring it earlier?" asked the soldier in annoyance.

"He stepped out. He asked me to take care of it instead," answered Stinger.

"Hmph. Well, thanks anyway," said the soldier, before leaving. Stinger turned to the armory connected to this office.

Stinger closed the office door and began to roam about the armory. He carried a couple of large bags and set them down. He drew out a few rifles and began to disassemble them into smaller parts. Once that was done, he hid them in the bags. He then began to gather up ammunition from the crates, inserting them into separate magazines and clips. He even managed to come across an aisle that contained explosives, mainly fragmentation grenades. Of course, he didn't pass up on these. Every little treat in this candy store was one to add, but he couldn’t take everything. He had to make do with as little as he can carry.

Eventually, he began to make his way back to the office. He stepped out to the front heavy metallic door. It closed behind him. Stinger walked, lugging the heavy bags as a cap obscured a part of his face. He passed by a guard, who looked at him oddly.

"Need help with that?" asked the guard.

"No, I got it. Besides, it's not too far," said Stinger as he pressed him. The guard shrugged and went about his business.

"Poor rook, must be getting punked to carry that shit himself," said the guard to himself.

Eventually, Stinger made his way back to the brig. The door opened, revealing a familiar guard. He smirked.

"At ease, soldier," said the guard with a nod. Stinger merely stepped inside and began to set the bags down. The guard then unlocked the cells, allowing the rest of the Purists to step out.

"Alright, hurry and get set up. The camera feed will pick up on you as soon as it clears up," said the guard as the bags were opened.

"I want to get some payback on that bitch!" said Alexandra as she assembled her rifle.

"Don't get cocky. They confiscated the Hard-light suit," said Scar.

"And my goddamn prosthetic," said Dreadnought, raising up what used to be his arm. Now it was a stub with a metallic outlet surgically attached to him. The metallic arm was now gone.

"Look in the bag," said Stinger, as he held out a longer duffel bag to the mercenary. Confused, Dreadnought set it down and unzipped it. His eyes widened in shock.

"Oh shit!" said Dreadnought.

"Apparently they keep those things lying around. Though they only get to keep it when on duty, given that they're armed," said Stinger. Dreadnought picked up the metallic limb, which was coated in a grey camo pattern, with the MONARCH insignia on the bicep. He brought the limb to his socket and plugged it in, causing him to grunt in pain as a painful jolt shot through his nerves. He chuckled as the gears shifted, and the prosthetic began to move. It then shifted into a cannon barrel.

"Did I mention it was my birthday?" asked Dreadnought.

"Happy fucking birthday. Now let's hurry up and get moving," said Adrian, as she loaded up her rifle.

"Here, change into these uniforms and get moving to the motor pool. There's a vehicle waiting for you there," said the guard.

Stinger moved forward down the halls of the cold base. He kept a relaxed stance as he looked around. He motioned for the rest of the Purists to follow, who were armed and dressed in the dark military uniform.

"Just act natural. Most of these people don't even know our faces," whispered Scar.

"Yeah, but I'm sure they'd recognize you," deadpanned Dreadnought.

"Then move your ass, so they don't recognize him!" hissed Adrian.

The group continued on through the halls, passing other guards that patrolled. The Purists were getting antsy. Sooner or later, they would be discovered to be missing from their cells. Stinger pressed on in the lead, finding an exit. The group found an area, where rows of jeeps, hummers, and other vehicles were parked by groups. A couple of guards roamed about on post.

"OK, so which one is it?" asked Adrian, prompting Scar to look at a key he had. He found a letter and a set of numbers to be engraved on the tag it was chained to.

"Look for Lot C. The vehicle is number, '1919'," said Scar. The Purists began to spread out into the motor pool. They made sure to act as inconspicuous as possible. Eventually, the lot was found. They regrouped, and began to search the vehicles, where the numbers were tagged on the hoods of the Humvees.

"Right here!" said Alexandra, waving to the group. The Purists regrouped to the vehicle. Scar stuck the key into the door and unlocked it. He smirked.

Suddenly, the blare of an alarm went off. The Purists recoiled as it blared across the base.

"Shit! Everyone pile in!" said Scar as he hopped into the driver seat. The engine roared to life, and the Purists all piled into the hummer. Scar drove off with a roar. As they drove, a couple of guards shouted for them to stop.

"You aren't authorized to-" the soldier was cut off as the vehicle passed.

"They must've found out we weren't in the brig!" said Scar.

Aiko Riku was pacing down the hall in silence. Senior, the Guardians, and Koizumi followed after her.

"You know that your wife and that lady are trying to come along too, right?" asked Baragon.

"I do. I'm trying to convince her not to," said Senior.

"They just want to see their kids," interjected Manda.

"I understand, but we will be venturing into unfamiliar territory. I would rather her be safe here than-" Senior was interrupted as the group noticed a small gathering of military personnel standing at a line. Aiko bore an annoyed look as she approached.

"What's going on here?" questioned Aiko.

"Lieutenant!" the soldiers stood at attention.

"At ease. What's with the crowd?" asked Aiko.

"Ma'am, we're waiting to get our arms for our shift in guard duty. But no one seems to be inside," said one of the soldier. Aiko narrowed her eyes in suspicion, as she looked to the office window, sealed up by bars.

"It's lunch time right? Usually someone stays behind to document and handle the weapons," said Aiko as she walked over to the door. She began to knock on the metallic door.

"Hey! Simmons, open up! You have people who need a gun!" shouted Aiko. No answer. Aiko grew tense.

"Takeshi, bust down the door," said Aiko, turning to Senior.

"I'm sorry?" asked Senior in confusion.

"Look, I'll take responsibility! Just knock it down!" said Aiko. Senior sighed as he walked over. He suddenly sent a powerful kick into the door, knocking it off of its hinges. The door slammed down onto the ground with a loud crash.

"Jesus!" The soldiers recoiled in shock at the effortless kick.

Aiko rushed into the armory office. She began to scan every corner. Once she entered the actual armory, she continued to search. As she passed an aisle, her eyes widened. A man lied limp on the ground. She knelt down and felt for a pulse.

"Fuck!" Aiko gritted her teeth. She noticed from the wall, a vent grate was lying on the ground, revealing the ventilation shaft. Aiko got up as Senior and a soldier walked in.

"We got trouble! Call this in!" said Aiko, rushing passed Senior. The mutants began to follow, while the soldier investigated the scene.

"Christ!" exclaimed the soldier.

Aiko rushed through the halls. She had a bad feeling inside. She had to make sure of something. As she and the Guardisns reached the brig, they found that it was empty. No prisoners were inside of the cells.

"Those bastards are gone!" cried Aiko.

"How the hell-?!" exclaimed Baragon. Aiko quickly pressed a finger to her COM.

"Yoshi, we got a situation! The Purists are missing from their cells! We found Simmons from the Armory dead! They could be armed and running around somewhere on base!" Said Aiko urgently, looking into a cell, finding the grate to the vent removed. She gritted her teeth.

"We should've killed them when we had the chance," growled Aiko.

Hayato Yoshi cursed under his breath as he held his COM. he turned and found the Dimensiomal Tide Archway to be online. A portal swirled and hummed, as a drone was sent flying inside. The white haired woman looked back at him with a questioning look.

"Alright, you have permission to take whatever action necessary to neutralize the threat," said Hayato. He then switched channels.

"Sound the alarm. We have escaped prisoners. They're considered armed and dangerous. No one is to leave without permission!" said Hayato. Moments later, an alarm began to blare. Hayato stepped over to the engineers.

"We have a situation! We'll have to postpone these tests for a bit!" said Hayato.

"But we haven't concluded the final test!" said the engineer.

"Just shut it down!" said Hayato. There was the screech of tires. A Humvee slid into the hangar, prompting everyone to retreat in shock and alarm. The vehicle was coated in bullet holes. The Humvee crashed into a set of crates. The Purists shot out, wielding their weapons.

"Everyone take cover!" shouted Hayato, as Adrian began to shoot at everyone in her line of sight.

"Fuck, they're coming!" shouted Dreadnought as his prosthetic transformed, as a couple of humvees raced over, screeching to a halt as Dreadnought opened fire. His cannon tore holes through the armor like pebbles through paper. The soldiers got out of their jeeps and began to fire back.

The entire hangar was filled with the echoing and loud bangs of gun fire. This exchange of bullets led to the hits of soldiers, from the Purists. The engineers and Hayato took cover further away from the fire fight, but the DT Archway was still online.

Soon, more and more MONARCH soldiers came rushing over into the Hangar. Among them were Aiko, Koizumi, and the Guardians.

"Scar, this is a losing fight!" said Adrian. Scar turned to find the portal to the DT Archway.

"Maybe not!" said Scar, pointing to the structure.

"You see that? Crimson mentioned once that there were rumors of MONARCH developing a teleportation device! It looks like we've stumbled onto it!" said Scar, flinching as a bullet struck near him.

"You want to go through that?!" exclaimed Alexandra.

"If you want to die here, than be my guest!" said Scar as he shot out of cover and ran. He began to wildly shoot off his rifle at the soldiers, while making his way over to the ramp. The soldiers ducked and fired back.

"He's going through the portal!" exclaimed an engineer. A stray bullet struck near him, prompting him to quickly duck back into cover.

"Fuck it!" said Adrian as she fired. The Purists began to follow, while firing back at the soldiers.

"No! Don't let them through!" shouted Aiko, firing her rifle.

As the Purists rushed to the portal, Stinger drew out a couple of grenades. With their pins pulled, he tossed them away. One of them landed near a device that contained the violet diamond, hooked up to the archways. Stinger quickly ran through the portal.

"Get down!" cried Hayato, rushing and tackling one of the engineers down. The grenades exploded. The shrapnel caught onto a couple of engineers, but the rest were far enough to not be harmed from the explosion. Aside from being deafened. The device containing the diamond exploded in a loud crack, sending bright sparks all around. The DT Archway trembled as it shook, the portal swirling violently. The portal then was swallowed within itself, becoming a single ball. With a burst, it exploded in a gust of wind that threatened to blow everyone off their feet.

There was silence. The soldiers began to spread out, securing the hangar. Some rushed to the injured engineers. Aiko snarled in rage as she stared at the now dead structure. She found Hayato rising to his feet, staring at the structure with a grimace.

"Oh no. The power source," said the leading engineer, pointing to a smoking spot of glass and metallic parts. Violet sparks came from the metal. "The generator can be easily fixed. But the power source was irreplaceable."

"That was the only way to power this thing," said Hayato solemnly.

"You-" Aiko growled, glaring at Hayato.

"Why did you suggest going the diplomatic approach with them?!" demanded Aiko. Her anger catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"Lieutenant-" Hayato was about to speak up.

"We should've killed them on sight! Look at how much damaged only a few of them were able to pull off!" said Aiko, gesturing to the hangar around them. Where shrapnel, wounded, and bullet holes littered everywhere. The destroyed diamond and the device it was plugged into was just the icing on the cake.

"You know, if I knew that this shit was going to happen- If I knew that they were going to cost me the one chance of getting back my son, I would've taken them out back and put a bullet into each of their heads myself!" said Aiko in a low tone. Her face red with anger, her voice cracking. Before Hayato could speak, the woman stormed off. He let out a heavy sigh. He found Senior to be standing still, gazing at the DT Archway with a pained look. He bowed his head solemnly, as Manda placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't despair, Gojira," said a feminine voice. From the corner of Hayato's eye, the familiar woman arrived.

"There is still another way to open the gate," said the woman.

"Wait, who the heck is this?" asked Manda in confusion. Senior raised his head.

"Do I know you?" asked Senior.

"Oh come on! You don't recognize an old friend?" asked the woman teasingly. Senior pondered the thought for a moment. But her voice was familiar. His eyes widened.

"Amber!" exclaimed Senior.

"Yes! Thank goodness! I was about to worry that you've forgotten that I can change form," chuckled Amber.

"It has been a while," said Senior with a small smile.

"Wait, that's the bug?" asked Baragon incredulously.

"Why don't you stay in this form often? You look good," said Manda with a smile, admiring the fairy's new appearance.

"Because I like being adorable and fuzzy," said Amber with a shrug. Hayato sighed in frustration.

"Wait! You mentioned that there was another way!" said Hayato.

"Oh! Sorry," said Amber sheepishly. She cleared her throat.

"As I was saying. That gem wasn't the only power source powerful enough to open the portal. There is another way. The Ark," said Amber. The Guardians' eyes widened. Senior glanced over his shoulder, finding that the rest of the soldiers were pre-occupied with other tasks.

"Amber... That's a horrible idea," said Senior quietly.

"Yeah! I thought the whole point was to keep it out of everyone else's hands!" said Manda.

"Gojira, it's the only way to reactivate the device. It has more than enough power," argued Amber.

"Out of the question. I don't want the gem to fall into MONARCH's hands," said Senior, his eyes narrowed.

"Gojira, it may be a risky decision, but it's the one choice that you have. It's the only way to bring back Junior," said Amber, softly. Senior's expression softened. Amber spoke true. This might have been the only shot to see his son again. Could he face Miwa and tell her that they weren't bringing their son home because of a duty he has since retired from?

"Very well," said Senior. He then turned to Yoshi.

"We have to return to Ponyville," said Senior.

The area was vastly different compared to the loud hangar at the base. Instead, there was a vast jungle that seemed to span for miles.

The Purists found themselves standing in the middle of unfamiliar territory. There were the cry of birds in the air, and the heat from the blazing sun above. The Purists looked around, confused.

"Well... I guess you were right about that thing being a teleportation device," said Adrian.

"Yeah, but where the hell are we?" asked Alexandra incredulously. The Purists began to roam about, their eyes scanning the jungle.

"First thing's first. We move out and try to establish a camp. Maybe somewhere with water," said Scar, reloading his rifle.

"You think there's panthers or something out here?" asked an unnamed Purist, anxiously.

"I don't doubt it. Eyes peeled," said Dreadnought.

The Purists began to make their way deeper in the jungle. Along the way, they picked up the sound of more animal cries. These creatures seemed unfamiliar. With wails and bellows that echoed out into the jungle.

"What kind of fucking animals are those? They're creeping me out," said Alexandra.

"Elephants?" asked Dreadnought.

"Have you ever heard what an elephant sounds like?" deadpanned Adrian.

"Whoa. Hold on. You guys hear that?" asked an unnamed Purist, stopping in his tracks. Everyone fell silent and still. They scanned the area. Everything seemed to have gone quiet. Aside from the faint cries of birds in the air. The hearts of the Purists were all that they could hear, along with their breathing.

"WHOA!!" Alexandra suddenly started shooting into the jungle, prompting the Purists to jump and duck.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" shouted Dreadnought.

"Did you not see that thing?! It was like a big lizard or something!" cried Alexandra.

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Scar.

"In there! I think I got it!" said Alexandra, pointing to where she shot.

"I don't see anything," said Adrian.

"Well, I saw it! It probably ran off," said Alexandra.

"I would too if some crazy chick was shooting into the jungle," said Dreadnought under his breath.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps filled the air. From the side, a large reptilian theropod burst from the bush, standing over 6 feet. A horn sat upon its snout, and its scales were a brownish-red pigment. The beast suddenly swooped in and carried off an unmanned Purists with its jaws.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Adrian as she and the Purists began to fire off at the creature. The Purist that was carried off was silent as his head, down to his chest, was inside of the beast's mouth. From the jungle, three more similar creatures rushed in. These creatures were a pack of Ceratosaurs. One of the theropods snatched up the last unnamed Purist, who gave agonized cries as he was carried off. Meanwhile, Dreadnought focused his fire on the closest theropod that came his way. With one shot aimed for the head, the dinosaur collapsed to the ground, with half of its snout blown off. It shrieked as it attempted to scramble back to its feet, only for Dreadnought to quickly finish it off with several more shots. The remaining theropod quickly retreated with the rest of the pack, as the remaining Purists fired their weapons at it.

"Aaah!!" Alexandra screamed, firing off her rifle. She panted as she watched as the creatures faded from her line of sight.

"What was that?!" cried Adrian. Scar knelt down next to the dead creature, poking it with the barrel of his rifle.

"I think it's obvious what those things were," said Scar with a grimace. He looked around, finding all that were left. Himself, Adrian, Alexandra, Dreadnought, and Stinger. In a land they had no knowledge, where more beasts like those could be lurking.

"I miss the military base already," said Scar with a sheepish smile.

It was evening. A chopper soared over to the base, where the Dimensional Tide was being kept. It held a dangerous and valuable cargo. Senior sat in the back, along with Manda and Baragon. They looked to the Ark, as the top gave a soft glow.

"No turning back now," said Senior with a sigh.

Eventually, the chopper touched down. As it landed, the back opened up, allowing the mutants to take the Ark by the handle bars underneath. They carefully carried the object over to the hangar, where the DT Archway was stored. Soon, they arrived to their destination. The Guardians set the Ark down, where Amber and Hayato joined them.

"Good news. The generator was remade and is now ready for this gem of yours," said Hayato. Senior sighed, a reluctant look on his face.

"Very well," said Senior. His wife approached his side, a small reassuring smile on her face.

"There is one concern we should address," interjected Senior, turning to Hayato.

"The content of the Ark is volatile. The first Purists that tried to removed the top were vaporized," said Senior.

"An obvious reaction to those with blackened hearts," said Amber.

"Yes, but that means that it's risky to even open the Ark. Its raw power could destroy anyone who touches it," said Senior.

"But Fluttershy wasn't destroyed, remember?" asked Amber. Posey turned to the woman, a surprised look on her face. She remembered pretty much the chaos that happened when the Purists tried to attack the Guardians from their territory. They even used her and the children as hostages. But what she didn't know was that her daughter had touched a dangerous object as this and survived.

"So, no one's willing to test their fate?" asked Hayato, looking to everyone around him. No one said anything. There was a tense silence. Hayato furrowed his brows.

"Fine. Then I'll try," said Hayato as he stepped up to the Ark. Everyone watched intensely, as the acting Director reached for the Ark. The air grew more tense. Hayato felt himself beginning to tremble. But, he pressed on. He then placed his hand on the Ark, clenching his eyes shot. He opened one eye, finding that his hand remained on the Ark.

"Whoa," said Manda in shock. Everyone was shocked and amazed at how this man was still before their very eyes. Hayato began to carefully move the top, allowing an opening. A bright white light shined from the Ark, causing him to squint. He looked away as he reached inside. His hand felt something solid and warm. It was radiating heat, like a light. Hayato carefully pulled his hand out, holding a bright glowing white gem. Its glow began to die down, giving off a smaller and softer light. Hayato stared at the gem in awe, feeling a sense of peace and calm from its warm light.

"The Gem doesn't harm those with the purest of hearts. Or even those on the path to purity," lamented Amber. Hayato turned to a capsule and carefully placed the gem inside. Once it was secured, he began to take the capsule and plugged it into the generator. The DT Archway suddenly roared to life. The portal formed and swirled, humming as the raw power of the gem flowed into it. Hayato smiled.

"I want a platoon ready! Get Lieutenant Riku and Private Yasu down here immediately! Make sure we have plenty of MREs packed along with ammo and other essentials!" ordered Hayato, pointing to the soldiers. They began to scramble, while Koizumi smirked.

"What's so funny?" asked Hayato.

"Nothing. Just that the old man taught you well in the art of taking charge," said Koizumi. Hayato smiled.

Later, a platoon of soldiers was formed. A couple of Humvees were parked near the DT Archway, along with a couple of infantry trucks. Among the soldiers were Inoue, Battra, and Aiko. The Guardians stood with Miwa, Koizumi, and Posey. Hayato and Amber stood on the side lines.

"MONARCH, you'll be taking your first steps into unknown territory. I can't guarantee that all of you will make it back. But, I can assure you that your sacrifice will not be in vain. You'll forever be known for your bravery and courage to set foot onto a new frontier. Your heroism will be spread for generations," said Hayato. The soldiers were silent and at attention.

"I know that this mission is unorthodox. To save children not your own from a potentially dangerous world. But as men and women of MONARCH, you have a duty to protect Equestria and her citizens. Go forth with honor, and everyone come back in one-" Hayato was interrupted as Koizumi gave an exasperated sigh.

"Time's up, chumps! Let's do this! KIRA KOIZUUUUMI!!" Koiuzmi suddenly ran up the ramp and through the portal. Everyone just stood silent, most in shock. Hayato stood slack jawed.

"D-Did he just run in?!" exclaimed Hayato. Amber sighed.

"That reference is getting old," said Amber to herself. Hayato cleared his throat.

"A-As I was saying-" Hayato was about to continue, but Miwa and Posey suddenly made a mad dash to the portal. Senior, Baragon, and Manda bolted after them.

"What-?! Hey!" shouted Hayato. Aiko and Battra suddenly followed in suite, leaving behind everyone else. Hayato gave an irritated sigh, scratching his head. He then pointed to Inoue.

"Private! Don't you go anywhere just yet!" barked Hayato. Inoue stiffened.

"I was just..." Inoue cleared her throat. Hayato approached and handed her a controller.

"Make sure you all hold onto this. This will be your only way back home. Use it to open up a portal on your end as soon as you retrieve the children," said Hayato.

"Sir!" Inoue took the controller and placed it into her pouch. Hayato nodded. He then pointed to the portal.

"Move it out, MONARCH!" shouted Hayato.

"LET'S GO!" the soldiers all shouted in unison. They began to pile into the transport trucks, which then began to drive up the ramp. The Humvees followed. The vehicles soon vanished into the portal. Hayato sighed as he watched as the portal closed. It was up to them now to get back home.

The land was quiet. Wind blew, blowing up dust from a lonely dirt road on this sunny day.

In just mere moments, the air was swirling, as a bright light appeared. From the light, a swirling portal tore open through space itself. From the portal, Koizumi came running out. He panted as he looked around, gun drawn.

"Reach for the sky! I come in peace! Take me to your leader!" shouted Koizumi, as Aiko, the Guardians, the mothers, and Battra emerged.

"We're not looking for aliens, Sergeant," deadpanned Aiko.

"On the contrary, Lieutenant! Who knows what inter dimensional creeps could be lurking!" said Koizumi. From behind, the roar of engines startled the group. They quickly dispersed, as the transport trucks and Humvees drove out from the portal, just before it closed.

"Mount up! We can cover more ground this way!" said a gunner from one of the Humvees.

"Alright, civies in the back! Let's move it people!" said Aiko as she and the rest began to board the Humvees. Battra instead joined the soldiers on one of the transport trucks. The small fleet of vehicles began to drive along the dirt road, their engines roaring. They traveled a good mile or so until they came across a surprising sight.

"Lieutenant, we got eyes on what looks to be a settlement," said a voice on the COM.

"Take us there," said Aiko, from the passenger seat.

"Is it really wise to approach the town this way. We could cause quite the disturbance," said Senior. Aiko sighed.

"Change of plans. Take us as close as you can. I'll take a small team out to the town. We'll radio you if we need help," said Aiko, over the COM.

"Copy," said a voice over the COM. Aiko shook her head.

"I just want to get through with this as soon as possible, Takeshi," said Aiko.

"Patience. We'll find them," said Senior.

"But how will we? This is a whole new world. For all we know, they could be on another continent or something," said Manda, looking out the window.

"Don't worry. We have one way on locating them," said Senior.

Meanwhile, from the back of one of the transport trucks, Battra sat. His eyes were closed, and his mind clear of distractions. His telepathy began to scan a great radius around him. He's only pulled this off once before. Hopefully, he can do it again.

'Mosu... Can you hear me?' thought Battra.

Soon, Aiko was leading a squad of soldiers. Among them was Battra. The Guardians, Miwa and Posey followed. The group made their way into the village, where they were met with a surprising sight.

"They're humans," said Battra in surprise. As observed, the denizens of this town, or rather this dimension, were ordinary humans. However, they seemed to be living a more middle ages life style with handmade clothes, small wooden and stone buildings making up the settlement, and the amount of livestock walking around.

"Everyone stay cool," said Aiko. Senior rolled his eyes.

'Says the biggest hot head here,' thought Senior. He noticed that as soon as the villagers laid eyes on them, they either fled in a hurry or stood in a petrified state.

"They don't seem to like strangers," said Baragon. Senior turned to Aiko.

"Perhaps a few of us should ask around. But mainly my comrades, wife and neighbor," said Senior. Aiko sighed as she reached into her pouch.

"Here. Show them this," said Aiko, handing Senior a picture, depicting her son Angirasu.

"You thought of the same idea?" asked Posey, holding up a couple of pictures, depicting Fluttershy and her with the Main 6. Miwa did the same, depicting Junior either solo or with friends.

"Alright. I'll bring it back when we're through," said Senior.

"Yeah, you better," said Aiko in a small tone.

The mothers and Guardians began to go around town, attempting to find information on the children. But the denizens would flee or ignore them, once they took notice of the other strangers with them.

"Why is everyone acting do skittish? We haven't even done anything," said Manda in confusion. Baragon noticed a man sneaking away.

"Hey buddy! Is there someone in charge that we can talk to?" asked Baragon.

"T-Talk to the Lord of our village!" said the man, before running to his home and slamming his door shut. Baragon turned to find a man dressed in a cape and formal looking clothes stood, with a couple of knight-like guards.

"Yo boss. That guy in the fancy clothes might be useful," said Baragon. Senior nodded in agreement. He and his group approached.

"Why are you here in our village?" questioned the Lord.

"Your village? Way to claim this rude place. Everyone's running and hiding like there's a ghost," scoffed Baragon.

"Don't mind him. But what's going on? Everyone seems scared," said Manda in confusion.

"Because of the ones you came in with. We recognize the emblems on their armor," said the Lord, narrowing his eyes. The mutants looked back at the soldiers that stood casually away from their conversation.

"Them?" asked Manda in confusion.

"How would you even recognize-" Baragon scratched his head with a questioning look.

"That emblem has been seen by our nation before. It is a calling card of one of the wicked Empress's Agents of Destruction," said the Lord.

"What is he on about?" whispered Baragon.

"A murderous sorceress leaves that symbol behind, killing those in her path with a metallic staff, that casts spells that pierces through anything," said the Lord, intensely. "She is often accompanied by an armored devil woman, and the dreaded Laughing Man!"

"Hey, maybe we should go. These people might have a few screws loose," whispered Baragon. Miwa suddenly step forward.

"Sir, we have nothing to do with these 'Agents of Destruction'. We only came here because we're looking for our kids," said Miwa, as she drew out her printed photographs. Posey did the same. Remembering what Aiko had given him, Senior quickly drew out the photo of Angirasu. The Lord began to inspect the photos. While amazed at the life-like images on such small canvases, he didn't recognize the teens. But then, something caught his eye.

"You say that all of them are missing?" asked the Lord.

"Yeah, have you seen them?" asked Miwa, hopeful.

"I'm afraid that I haven't. But the girl with the hair of rainbows. Stories of one like her have spread across the land," said the Lord.

"That has to be Rainbow Dash!" exclaimed Posey.

"Yes! That was her name! You know her?" asked the Lord in surprise.

"She and my daughter have been best friends since they were little. Both of them are missing. Please, tell us you know where they could be!" pleaded Posey, desperately.

"The last we've heard, she was in the neighboring country of Sacramentonia. Lucky for you, it's not too far from here," said the Lord. He turned to the guard next to him.

"Go and bring a map for their journey," said the Lord. As the guard left, the Lord pointed to the road.

"Just take that road and it will lead you straight to Sacramentonia," said the Lord.

Later, the Guardians, Aiko and Koizumi were looking through a map. While the land was unfamiliar, it was not too much trouble to study their route.

"I'm thinking we take the longer way. Through this jungle here," said Aiko.

"But that guy said that this road would take us straight to where we need to go," said Manda, pointing to a different route.

"I don't like how he was looking at us," said Aiko.

"It was mainly you and your soldiers he was concerned about," deadpanned Senior.

"Look, it just might be safer for us to take the other route. That way we aren't out in the open. We can't risk drawing too much attention," said Aiko.

"She has a point. The last thing we want is to scare the locals into thinking we're invading. We're just a single platoon, without a way to request reinforcements," interjected Koizumi. Senior sighed,

"Perhaps. The less trouble we cause, the better," said Senior.

It was the high noon. A few soldiers, including the Guardians, took point and walked on ahead on a path. They were followed by the Humvees and transport trucks through the deep jungles. Animals scurried away from the noise of the engines. The leading group remained vigilant as they walked on. It was quiet.

"Whoa, hold on!" called Koizumi, raising a hand to the drivers. The vehicles stopped. Koizumi knelt down to the ground, finding a dismembered arm to be lying on the dirt ground.

"Agh. That's nasty," said Baragon, seeing that the arm was soaked in its own blood and bore large gashes. Aiko walked over, an annoyed look.

"What's the hold up?" asked Aiko.

"What do you think could've done this?" asked Koizumi, pointing to the arm.

"What are you afraid of? We have a platoon armed to the teeth!" said Aiko. Koizumi leaned close to the arm with a squint. He took a flask and began to drench the limb in water. The blood and dirt was washed away, revealing a familiar skull tattoo.

"That's a Purist skull. They must've been here," said Koizumi, standing up. Aiko scoffed.

"Serves them right," said Aiko.

"Oh God," said Manda, pointing to the ground. In the dirt was a large three toed foot print.

"That's either what I think it is, or it's a big ass bird," said Baragon with wide eyes. Senior hummed as he looked around.

"I don't see signs of any other remains. It would be best if we moved on," said Senior.

"Right. Everyone pile into the vehicles! Traveling on foot is too risky!" said Koizumi, as he made his way to one of the hummers.

The travel was going at a steady pace. While the vehicles weren't traveling very fast, they were covering a greater distance than they would on foot. The vehicles drove through the jungle, leaving the trails of tire tracks behind. During this, Aiko kept her eyes out through the window. She stared to the passing trees with a sigh. While they were where the children were supposed to be, Aiko wondered if their pursuit would bear fruit. After all, it has been over two weeks since they've been gone. Aiko wondered if she was deluding herself into thinking that there was a chance that her son was out here. After all, she immediately felt her faith challenged when she bore witness to that lost limb, and the foot print left behind. Just what the hell was lurking in these jungles?

Suddenly, the Humvee screeched to a halt. Aiko felt herself forced forward, with her seat belt securing her in place. Miwa and Posey yelped as they felt the sudden stop in the back.

"What the hell?" Aiko sighed in frustration as she stepped out of the vehicle. "What is going on?!"

Suddenly, a slim bamboo chute suddenly crashed into the earth just inches from Aiko's face. She gasped as she stumbled back. Her head raised up, following the bamboo that stuck out of the earth. The bamboo seemed to be connected to a large
bulbous form. Multiple chutes stuck out of the form, which seemed to be hovering 20 feet over her. It was here that she realized that this form was alive.

"Aah!!" a soldier screamed as he jumped out of the back of the transport truck. He was suddenly snagged up by the living giant, via slimy tendrils that shot out from underneath. The soldier was pulled up and was swallowed whole into the underbelly, which opened up like a hidden hatch.

"Fuck!" exclaimed Aiko, stumbling back. She heard chittering from behind. She turned, finding another similar creature to be walking by. From here, she could get a better look at the beast. It appeared like a massive daddy long leg, standing on long spindly limbs that appeared close to bamboo chutes. It bore multiple large red eyes, and long fangs, with an orifice full of teeth. The spider bore a back covered in long green grass-like hairs that covered it completely.

Suddenly, three more similar spiders began to move through the trees. They seemed to almost blend into the environment around them. Their crab-like claws snapped in the air.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" shouted Koizumi. The soldiers began to quickly exit the transport trucks. The spiders began to slowly move their legs about. Every time they took a step, their appendages shot down like spears and impaled the earth. Some soldiers were unfortunate to be impaled by the long limbs of the creatures.

"Kill them! Fucking kill them!" shouted a soldier. The soldiers fired off their guns at the spiders that surrounded them. The bullets whizzed and pierced through the colossal arachnids, which screeched and gurgled as they were peppered by the hail of bullets.

Miwa and Posey kept in cover inside of the Humvee they were in. They cupped their ears as the air was filled with the constant bangs of gun fire. They yelped in fright as a spider suddenly crashed to the earth, its limbs having been shredded from the bullets.

A spider gurgled as its underside shot forth its tendrils, which snatched up another soldier. Nakada screamed as she was hauled up by the spider.

"Nakada!" cried Battra, aiming his rifle. But he hesitated to shoot, as he found the woman in his line of fire.

"I can't get a shot!" shouted Battra, as the soldiers began to spread out, as the couple of remaining spiders walked.

Aiko yelped as she dodged an incoming limb. It missed her head by inches. Koizumi fell back as a limb struck between his legs. He went pale as he found how close it came to his groin. The leg then raised and shot towards him again. Koizumi quickly rolled away. He then noticed Senior rushing by, swinging his rifle with all of his might against the leg the of the spider. The impact caused part of the leg to snap in half, which caused the spider to stumble. The resulting blow also broke the rifle in two.

"Go for the legs!" shouted Senior, as he tossed aside the destroyed rifle. He turned to the spider that he had injured, his eyes flashing neon blue. He spewed forth his atomic breath, which scorched through the spider, blasting a smoking hole into its body. It gurgled as it collapsed to the ground.

Meanwhile, Nakada had drawn out her combat knife and began to cut away at the tendrils that wrapped around her. She screamed as the spider began to snap its claws at her, as she came closer.

Battra's eyes began to glow. He fired forth the violet rays from his eyes, which he dragged to cut the legs of the remaining spider, causing it to stumble and struggle to stand. As Nakada came closer to the open orifice of the spider, she let out another scream as she furiously cut away. She found herself suddenly drop, as she succeeded in cutting the tendrils. Before she could hit the ground, Battra caught her with his telekinesis, hovering her over the ground.

The remaining soldiers focused fire on the last spider. With their aim clear, they managed to shred through the exoskeleton and the remaining limbs of the spider. It shrieked as it suddenly collapsed and fell.

"Look out!" shouted a soldier. Everyone retreated as the beast collapsed, slamming into the earth with a loud clap. Everyone kept their distance, as the dust cleared. The spider gurgled as it twitched on the ground. Its fangs trembled as its wounds bled to the ground. Senior stepped over to the now crippled spider, raising his hand. He drove his fist into the creature's head, causing it to thrash one last time, as its dome was caved in. Senior pulled out his fist, which was soaked in a sticky orange fluid.

"We should've brought a tank or something," said a soldier, eyeing the now dead spiders.

"Nah. I think we're good," said Nakada, smiling at Battra.

"Look at these things. They look like they have grass growing out of them and their legs are like bamboo," said Inoue in shock.

"And our kids are out here with them," said Senior, his expression turning to a grimace. Aiko hardened her expression.

"Let's keep moving!" said Aiko. Everyone returned to the vehicles, which drove away from the dead spiders.

The platoon had reached a point in the jungle that was darker compared to their earlier place. They had stopped for a quick break. Everyone walked and stood around, stretching their limbs. Some even ate their MREs, and replenished themselves with water. Aiko sighed as she stared at the map.

At this rate, she feared that they wouldn't get anywhere. Who knows where her son or even the others were. It has been 2 weeks. Who knows if they were even alive.

Aiko shook her head. She mentally squashed that dark thought. She had to keep hope that her son was still out there. He was all that she had left to live for.

Meanwhile, Koizumi and Baragon were sitting near a tree together. They were eating MREs and washed it down with water.

"This tastes like ass," said Baragon.

"It is ass" said Koizumi bluntly.

"Oh good, so I'm not exaggerating" said Baragon. Koizumi then noticed a small critter to be burrowing out of the ground.

"Whoa... Check it out," whispered Koizumi, taping Baragon's shoulder. The two bore witness to a furry mammal-like creature. It had long whiskers and an earthy coat. It also bore buck teeth in its mouth. The creature was the size of a large puppy. It looked like a mix of a prairie dog, with the ears of a guinea pig.

"Heh. Hey, little guy. You want a bite?" asked Baragon, holding out a piece of food to the rodent. He dropped it, allowing the creature to sniff the piece. It quickly began to eat the food and squeaked.

"It's kinda cute, ain't it?" asked Koizumi with a chuckle.

"I kinda wanna take him home now," said Baragon. The creature suddenly burrowed under.

"Aw, he's gone," said Koizumi with a shrug. Suddenly, the creature popped back up, standing up right from its hole like a meerkat.

"Oh hey!" said Baragon, dropping another piece of food. The creature sniffed it, then scarfed it up. It then dropped back into its hole. Then just moments later, it came back up.

"Buddy, if you want more, then stay up," said Baragon as he was about to grab another piece. The rodent squeaked before lunging for Baragon's hand, sinking its teeth into his skin.

"Agh! Fuck!" shouted Baragon as dropped his meal. The rodent quickly pulled it under the hole, prompting Baragon to lunge for the hole.

"You little shit! Gimme back my shitty burrito!" shouted Baragon, digging at the ground.

"What do you care? You said it taste like ass, didn't you?" asked Koizumi.

"Yeah, but at least it filled my stomach!" said Baragon as he continued to dig. Koizumi shrugged.

"Well, sucks to be you," said Koizumi. He then noticed the rodent pop up from the dirt at his feet. It stared up at him with its arms hanging down over its belly. Koizumi narrowed his eyes.

"Nice try, but you already had a meal," said Koizumi. The rodent suddenly lunged for his boot foot and gnawed at the toe end.

"Ow! You little fucker!" shouted Koizumi, feeling the buck teeth from his toe. He kicked his foot and began to stomp at the rodent, which quickly dove for cover.

"Aw! Look at this little guy!" cooed Inoue. The men turned, finding Inoue kneeling on the ground, as a rodent looked up at her with its beady black eyes.

"Want a bite?" cooed Inoue, reaching for a peanut butter coated cracker.

"Not a good idea, kid!" called Koizumi.

"Huh?" Inoue looked his way. She herself was suddenly bitten, causing her to yelp and drop the cracker.

"You little-" Inoue kicked her foot, but the creature dove under.

"Wait, I think there's more than one," said Baragon in realization.

"Why do you say that?" asked Koizumi. Baragon pointed ahead. Before the two were a dozen other similar rodents. All stuck out of burrows like meerkats, staring at them in silence.

"Oh." Koizumi slumped his shoulders. He then eyed the rest of his MRE. A few snacks to go with the square pre-made pizza he had. He narrowed his eyes at the critters, who stared. The creatures suddenly snarled as they bared their buck teeth. From the backs, erected long spindly quills.

"What the what?!" exclaimed Inoue, recoiling. The creatures shrieked as they scurried and began to rush after the two.

"Ah!" yelped Baragon, as he stood up and stumbled back. He watched as they ate what sides remained with his MRE. They hissed as their quills shook.

"Fuck this!" shouted Koizumi, quickly dropping his food, drawing out his rifle. He began to wildly shoot at the creatures. Some of them shrieked as they were shot dead. The rest quickly began to burrow under the ground.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Aiko, knocked out of her train of thought. All she saw was Koizumi shooting at the ground, screaming like a mad man.

"Hey! Hey! They're gone!" said Baragon.

"No, those fucking demons are still around! Come out you-" Koizumi quickly reloaded his rifle. But Aiko snatched the weapon away from him.

"What is your fucking problem, sergeant?!" demanded Aiko.

"Oh shit! There's one right next to you!" cried Inoue in alarm, pointing to the ground next to Aiko's feet. A critter looked up at her, appearing more calm and less threatening. The woman looked at Koizumi with a deadpanned look.

"Don't be fooled by its cuteness. That thing's a demon from the bowels of Hell," said Koizumi, pointing an accusing finger at the beast. It suddenly lunged for the mercenary's finger and bit it.

"Fuck!" exclaimed Koizumi in pain, as the creature quickly dove back under. He hissed as he held his hand, staring at the bite wound on his index finger. There was a small indent from where he was bitten. Aiko snickered, looking at the man in amusement. Koizumi scowled as he blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't play with the animals, Sergeant," said Aiko, pressing the rifle back against his chest. She walked off, leaving the soldier embarrassed as the other soldiers snickered at his expense.

"It's alright, Sarge," said Inoue, patting the man's shoulder with a look of understanding. Baragon nodded in agreement. The three stiffened as they heard a hiss. They turned to find the creatures pulling the remains of their meals under the earth. The three sighed in dismay.

Meanwhile, Senior stood with his wife and Posey, as they ate their own meals. He noticed Aiko walking by with an annoyed sigh.

"Riku, I wish to speak to you for a moment," said Senior. Aiko stopped, turning.

"Yes?"

"This incident has just made me realize that we are at a great disadvantage here in this jungle," said Senior.

"How so?" asked Aiko a hand on her hip.

"The amount of ammo used to kill those giant spiders was by no means a drop in the bucket. Considering what we've seen so far, it may mean that we could run into more dangerous creatures in this jungle. We could run out of ammo in a matter of a few short days." Senior theorized.

"Takeshi, I will use a club and my bare fists if I have to. I'm not gonna give up until I find my son. Dead, or alive," said Aiko, her eyes narrowed. There was a sudden loud wail in the air. Everyone froze as they looked around, hearing the cry echo out through the forest. Aiko furrowed her brows. She reached to her back and drew out her rifle.

"Stay here if you're afraid to spend a few bullets," said Aiko, before walking off.

"I have a wife to protect!" said Senior in annoyance.

"Maybe you should go with her," said Miwa, worriedly. Senior merely turned to look over his shoulder.

"Baragon, accompany the lieutenant," said Senior. Miwa sent him a deadpanned look.

"Huh? Oh fine," said Baragon in dismay, picking up his rifle.

"Yasu, on me," ordered Aiko, walking by.

"Yes, ma'am," said Battra, walking after his commanding officer.

"Riku, wait up. Come on, kid," said Koizumi, motioning to Inoue. The young woman followed after.

The small squad began to venture away from the rest of the platoon. It was possibly a bad idea to venture out to unknown territory in such a small group, while there were unknown creatures lurking around. But, this thing could've been big. They needed to know where and what it was and to assess the situation before moving on. They passed on over to a more darker portion of the forest, where the sky seemed to have grayed over.

There was the sudden sound of heavy foot steps. Everyone froze in place.

"We got something big coming," said Koizumi.

"Cool it," said Aiko, narrowing her eyes.

"Lieutenant..." Inoue anxiously called. The foot steps quickened in pace, heading for their direction. Battra hardened his eyes as he kept a firm grip on his rifle. Aiko did the same.

"Get ready..." said Aiko.

From the rustling bushes, a familiar large reptilian quadruped burst out. Everyone recoiled at the sight. Everyone, excluding Aiko, aimed their weapons. Aiko's eyes widened as she stared into the creature's eyes.

"A-Angirasu?" called Aiko, in shock. The creature responded with wide eyes and a confused grunt. That was all that she needed to confirm it. If this was just some random reptile, it would have likely just mauled her on the spot.

"Wait, we found your kid?" asked Koizumi incredulously, lowering his weapon. The rest did as well, shocked and confused. Aiko and Angirasu stared at each other in silence for mere moments. Aiko met him with a soft and warm smile. Angirasu furrowed his brows. He suddenly turned and began to walk off, much to Aiko's shock.

"Wha- Hey!" called Aiko. Angirasu continued on, his tail swaying. Aiko ran passed the bushes with an annoyed look.

"Angirasu Riku, you get back here this instant! I mean it, young man!" shouted Aiko. Angirasu merely gave a disgruntled grunt as he continued on his path.

"Jesus! It's been two weeks, and the first thing you do is nag your son?" asked Koizumi with a cocked brow.

"Shut up! Come on!" said Aiko as she ran after the mutant. The rest of the squad followed in suite. Eventually, they found the mutant arriving with the rest of the teens that they were searching for.

"Holy shit, we found them!" exclaimed Koizumi.

"Mosura!" cried Battra. Mosura gasped as she found her brother. She quickly ran over and wrapped him into a tight hug. She let out a quiet sob as she buried her face against his shoulder. Battra softly smiled as he patted his younger sister's back.

"I missed you, sis," said Battra, tearing up a bit.

"H-How did you guys get here?!" asked Pinkie with a sniffle.

"Long story. We can tell it to you as soon as we get you back with the rest of the platoon. Then we can go home," said Inoue with a reassuring smile.

"Wait a minute," said Baragon, eyeing the teens. "Where's Junior?"

The teens were all silent. They appeared saddened as they heard the name. Aiko noticed Angirasu lower his head, groaning solemnly.

"Oh no," said Inoue, her expression turning to dread.

Meanwhile, from the tree top, a scaly avian was perched on a bald tree. One of its eyes glowed green as it watched the group below.

The bird's glowing eye was the result of magic. This spell was by none other than Sigyn, who remained just a couple of short miles away from the area. She held up a Crystal ball as she had sight of the whole scene.

"I'm impressed that this Endurous was able to go toe to toe with Lucky Dragon," said Kenra.

"Have you been watching?" asked Sigyn. A frustrated grunt came from the crystal ball.

"Damn it! Not only did that fool lose him, we potentially have a new foe!" spat Malicia, her voice echoing from the Crystal Ball.

"They're strong too. They held their own against the Mother Longlegs," said Kenra.

"Yes, but they had demi-Titans among them as well. That along with their advanced weaponry makes them a threat. They could even attract the Sacramentonians. It'd be troublesome if they were to form an alliance," said Malicia with an annoyed sigh.

"What do you want us to do?" asked Sigyn.

"Watch them for now. And be on the lookout for Endurous. That fool better have found the boy by now," said Malicia.

Meanwhile, just in the Dogomite Citadel, Malicia sighed as her crystal ball died down. She stood up and began to rub her brows, taking a breath.

"Inconveniences becoming troublesome. Troublesome becoming disastrous," said Malicia, growling in frustration. As if she didn't have enough to worry about.

"Try not to worry too much, your majesty. It degrades your beauty," said a male voice from the shadows. Malicia turned, finding a figure to be approaching.

"Don't see them as a threat." The figure emerged. He was an older man, holding a strong resemblance to the late Director of MONARCH. Onyx. However, this Onyx had long pointed ears, and piercing red eyes that gave off a malevolent aura.

"See this as an opportunity." Onyx smirked.