//------------------------------//
// Chapter 43: Adjustments 
// Story: The Arrogance of Man 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

It has been a few days since the Transmutant Four had returned to the Everfree forest. The lair lied untouched in the forest. Nothing was out of place or missing. It was truly a hidden haven for them. But now, there was no more hiding. The humans of Ponyville were aware of their presence. Now the Transmutants must try to live as citizens, not as outcasts.
The Transmutants were outside of the town and at an empty park. No other person was around other than themselves and the fairies that had taken up residence with them.  Amber, Blossom and Cornflower all sat perched on a bench as they stared at the Transmutants, who waited patiently to hear them. Amber cleared her throat as she twitched her antennae.
"Now, we would like to know how you all have been feeling since the essence was integrated with your souls," said Amber.
"I've been craving meat lately," answered Junior with a deadpanned stare.
"Hold the freaking press everybody! Gojira Takeshi the 2nd is craving meat!" snorted Rodan as he cupped his hands over his mouth and amplified his voice.
"I mean more than usual. Plus, I think I'm getting territorial like an animal," scoffed Junior. Mosura looked to him in confusion.
"How do you mean?" asked Mosura.
"Well, just the other day, I caught myself growling at the guy that moved into my old house when I was with Fluttershy," said Junior.
"Growling?" asked Angirasu. Junior nodded.
"Like this," Junior slightly opened his mouth and furrowed his brows and emitted a beastly growl. His rumbling vocals startled everyone, prompting them to step back from him. Rodan chuckled nervously.
"Yeah, I can see that belonging to a territorial animal," said Rodan.
"Yeah. I scared the shit out of Fluttershy from doing that," said Junior as he held his hand over his face in shame. "I spent two minutes apologizing to that poor girl before she stopped shivering. I think her animals hate me now,"
"Well, your species in a past life were very territorial. They'd usually battle each other or other Kaiju to defend what's theirs. Some usually just straight away attack instead of warning them," said Amber.
"Good thing I have enough restraint. Otherwise, I think I would have leaped from Fluttershy's outdoor table and beaten that guy to a pulp," said Junior. He then looked to the other Transmutants. "What about you guys?"
"I was having lunch with Rarity and Applejack yesterday and I..." Mosura rubbed her arm as she blushed in embarrassment.
"What?" asked the male Transmutants in unison.
"I was eating the flowers!" cried Mosura as she placed her hands over her face.
"Huh?!" exclaimed the male Transmutants. Rodan suddenly broke off into a fit of laughter. Mosura glared at him as her face grew redder.
"Shut up!!" shouted Mosura.
"Well...I think it could have been worse," said Angirasu.
"Ten people, including Rarity and Applejack were staring at me! It took me ten seconds to realize that I was chewing on flowers!" said Mosura. Angirasu hissed as he looked away.
"Yeah, never mind," said Angirasu. He then chucked to himself. "I feel the need to fight for some reason,"
"Huh? Why?" asked Junior. Angirasu shrugged.
"I have no idea. It's nothing personal. It's more like rough housing or something. I keep having these memories of myself in a past life doing that with other members of my kind," said Angirasu.
"Ah yes. Mosura is experiencing habits as a moth Kaiju. They would sometimes feed on the nectar from giant flowers. They would even sometimes lick the wounds of certain Kaiju that they had formed mutual bonds with, taking in the salt from their blood," said Amber. Mosura gagged at the thought of licking wounds in a past life. "Think of it kind like how the trochilus bird picks decaying meat out of a crocodile’s mouth,"
"Wait, that's a thing?" asked Rodan in confusion.
"So, what kind of Kaiju would they form a mutual bond with?" asked Junior.
"Well, rarely it was a member of your species. That's due to the fact that your kind were often solitary unless they had a mate and were spending some years looking after their young until they were old enough to fend for themselves. Other species were mostly mammalian and Shisas," explained Amber. She then looked towards Angirasu. "Your species, on the other hand, rough housed with each other to become experienced in a fight or for fun. Sometimes, they lived in packs and would stand together. But the solitary ones were strong enough to stand on their own to some species of Kaiju. Your kind enjoyed fighting, even if they lost," said Amber.
"Makes sense," said Angirasu. Junior scowled in response.
"So you get a thrill when we spar?" asked Junior.
"Maybe. Don't you?" asked Angirasu.
"Eeeeh. A little," said Junior. Angirasu rolled his eyes in response. The Transmutants all looked to Rodan, who cleared his throat as he kicked the grass.
"I keep climbing up to high places and I would spread my arms out and pretend that I could fly," said Rodan. Junior looked at him in a suspicious manner.
"Is that it?" asked Junior. Rodan sighed.
"No..."
"What's wrong?" asked Mosura. Rodan inhaled deeply and then sharply exhaled.
"I was with Rainbow Dash a couple of days ago. We were hanging out and everything was going great. But then I ended up doing something weird. I was putting my arms in this weird position and I started taking small steps around her. I even made this weird squawking sound," said Rodan. The other Transmutants all looked to each other in confusion as they wondered what could be the cause to such behavior. "It was really weird. She looked at me that screamed that she was creeped out. I told her that I was just delirious because of a lack of radiation, which she bought. We never talked about it again," Blossom gasped loudly while Amber pawed at the bench while looking at the ground. Cornflower merely scoffed in disgust. The Transmutants looked to them in curiosity.
"Why was I doing that?" asked Rodan.
"Shou...who's this Rainbow person?" asked Amber. Blossom was giggling to herself.
"Oh, she's this really awesome friend of ours! You know, the Valkyrie girl with the long rainbow hair?" replied Rodan.
"Tell me, how do you feel about her?" asked Amber. Blossom kept giggling to herself while Junior looked to her in annoyance. There was something that she knew and found amusing. Whatever it was, it better be funny since she was annoying him with her giggling.
"I like her. Like...a lot," said Rodan as he looked away in embarrassment. Amber nodded in understanding.
"Oh, then you were just performing your species' mating dance," said Amber in a nonchalant tone. Silence filled the air as the Transmutants stared at the fairy with blank expressions.
"What did you just say?!!" exclaimed Rodan. Mosura cupped her hand over mouth as her eyes widened. Angirasu's jaw dropped and Junior was snickering to himself.
"Yes! You are in love and you saw her as a potential mate! Your primal instincts took over and drove you to show your desire!" said Blossom with glee. Rodan began to hyperventilate as he blushed.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no! Oh god, what I done?!" said Rodan as he paced around in panic.
"Hehehe. Do-Pfft! Don't worry about it. I- haha! I don't think she knows that's what you were doing," said Junior as he tried to keep his amusement hidden. Rodan glared at him.
"This shit ain't funny! I was trying to mate with the girl that I have a crush on like an animal! Look, let's not talk about this anymore!" said Rodan as he held his head and sat down. He tried to take calming breaths as Mosura sat down next to him and patted his head.
"For a flirt, you genuinely care about this girl. That's good," said Mosura with a reassuring smile. Rodan sighed as he began to slightly calm down.
"Now, you are all experiencing primal urges from your past lives. These aren't permanent so don’t worry too much about them. But, you may find yourself acting in ways humans would normally not act. Takeshi, you might need to be the most careful," warned Amber.
"Why? Wh-what's wrong?" asked Junior in a worried tone.
"You may experience more aggression within yourself if you experience something you find unpleasant enough to make you mad. You might end up hunting for meat if you don't keep those cravings under control as well. Just keep those in mind and you should be fine. That goes for the rest of you," said Amber. The Transmutants sighed in response.
"OK," responded the Transmutants in unison.
"Don't feel bad. The other Transmutants in Mustangia are dealing with urges as well." said Cornflower. The Transmutants nodded in response.
"Well, I guess I'll be going then if that's it. Rarity wanted to see me today, so I gotta head on down to her place." said Junior. Amber fluttered over to Junior's shoulder and began to tap her clawed foot on his shoulder.
"Can I go with you?" asked Amber. Junior shrugged in response.
"Sure. But I'm not stopping for food," said Junior as he began to walk. Amber moaned in disappointment. The Transmutants waved to them as they left the park.
"Hmm. Amber seems to like Goji a lot," said Angirasu.
"You think maybe she...has a crush on him or something?" asked Rodan with a raised brow. Mosura lightly smiled as she watched Amber speak to Junior as he walked with her perched on his shoulder.
"No. I think it's something else. Like a brotherly and sisterly relationship that's about to form," said Mosura. Rodan snorted in response.
"More like a pet and its owner," said Rodan.
"I take offense to that!" said Cornflower in an indignant tone.




Later...

Junior was walking down the road in Ponyville. His way to Rarity's boutique was uneasy. People stared at him warily, aware of his power. So far, people shot him glares or just outright avoided him, but he didn't pay them any mind. The Transmutant later arrived at the Carousel Boutique. He lightly scratched his head as he stared uneasily at the door.
"What's wrong?" asked Amber as she looked to him from his shoulder.
"I haven't actually talked to Rarity since before I ran away from Ponyville when everyone found out that I was a Transmutant. She was the least fond of Transmutants," said Junior. He sighed as he slowly backed away from the door. "I wonder what she wants,"
"You'll never find out if you stay out here. Just step inside and see what she has to say," said Amber. Junior nodded in response. He steeled his nerves as he knocked on Rarity's door. He waited several seconds before knocking again.
"Coming~!" sang Rarity from within the building. Junior sighed as he waited patiently. He then heard the sound of the door opening. He found Rarity with her hair tied up behind her head as she sported a pair of red glasses. She slightly craned her neck back to meet Junior's face.
"Oh! Darling, you're here," said Rarity in surprise. Junior nodded in response.
"Yeah. I mean, you did ask me to drop by," said Junior with a forced chuckle. Rarity nodded.
"Right. Please, come inside," said Rarity as she stepped to the side, allowing Junior to get inside. The Elf closed her door and turned to face Junior. She raised a brow as she stared at him.
"You wouldn't happen to have gotten taller, have you?" asked Rarity.
"I did. I think I would have been the same height if I wasn't exposed to so much radiation," said Junior. Rarity's eyes widened as she took several steos away from him as she held her hair with dread.
"You're radioactive?!" exclaimed Rarity. The thought of losing her beautiful hair from radiation poisoning chilled her spine.
"No, don't worry! It's absorbed into my body. You're in no danger of being exposed unless I used my atomic breath on you," said Junior in reassurance. Rarity looked at him in confusion.
"Atomic...breath?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah. You know, like how dragons can breathe fire? Except I can spew a concentration of hot radiation," said Junior.
"So you are radioactive," said Rarity with a deadpanned stare. Junior returned the stare.
"Rarity, I promise you that you'll be fine. I was around you guys for weeks before I ran away. You never suffered from any symptoms of radiation poisoning," said Junior. Rarity's expression softened as she began to relax. She cleared her throat as she removed her glasses from her face.
"Sorry. I just never knew that..."
"It's fine. There's a lot of things that even I don't know about myself," said Junior. Rarity cleared her throat as she began to walk towards a sofa.
"I've made some coffee earlier. Would you care for any?" asked Rarity.
"No, thank you," said Junior as he followed Rarity across the room. She led him over towards a sofa. The two sat down and were silent. Rarity glanced at Amber warily.
"Need I worry about her eating my dresses?" asked Rarity as she gestured to a few manikins with dresses placed on them.
"No, you're thinking of moth larvae," answered Amber. Rarity sighed in relief.
"Oh, thank goodness," said Rarity. Junior lightly sighed as he looked to Rarity.
"So...what did you want to see about?" asked Junior. Rarity took on a solemn expression. She placed her hands on her lap as she looked down at the ground.
"Gojira, I've realized as to why you were so offended when it came to remarks about the Transmutants. Do you remember?" asked Rarity.
"I do," answered Junior.
"I must be honest with you. I have been afraid of you because you were a Transmutant. Something powerful and portrayed as a mindless monster from years of attacks by the Transmutants that attacked Ponyville. In fact, I didn't think I could trust you after finding out what you were," said Rarity as she bit her thumb. She avoided eye contact with Junior. Her shame was building as she continued to speak. "I even tried talking Twilight out of searching for you, because I was afraid that you would hurt her,"
"Oh," said Junior as he lightly frowned. Rarity gritted her teeth as she heard his disappointed tone.
"But...it took the other Transmutants to help me realize that despite what you were, you still had more humanity within yourself than those other Transmutants. You've been around to help with a problem, you were there for my sister when she was in danger, and you were there for us when we were in danger," said Rarity as her voice slightly cracked. She slightly turned to face Junior as her eyes stung. "I wasn't that much of a friend to you compared to Twilight and Fluttershy. They were the ones who willingly went out to look for you and the others. For that and everything that I've said about you, I am ashamed,"
"Rarity, you don't-" Junior was about to finish speaking but was interrupted.
"No, let me finish!" said Rarity with pleading eyes. Junior slightly recoiled from her panicked tone. Rarity took calming breaths as she tried to settle her nerves. She took his hand into her own hands and held them tightly. "Could you ever forgive me? Could we...start over as friends?"
"But...weren't we already friends?" asked Junior. Rarity looked to him in surprise. She found him to be staring at her with a small smile.
"Wha-? I-" Rarity stuttered. Junior shook his head in amusement.
"I forgive you. Besides, there's no need to start over. We just need to take what we have and make our friendship more genuine. None of the superficial crap," said Junior. Rarity looked to him with a slight hurt expression.
"Oh. Do you really think it was superficial?" asked Rarity.
"Uh that was probably a bad choice of words. It was just kind of stagnant because we never really talked unless we were with Twi and the others," said Junior as he looked away with a nervous smile. Rarity lightly smiled as she released his hands.
"Well, I believe you. Thank you, Gojira," said Rarity as she wrapped Junior into a tight hug. The Transmutant lightly smiled as he returned her hug.
"Ow! Ow!" yelped Rarity as she felt Junior's muscles contract against her. Junior immediately released her with a look of worry.
"Oh, shit! Are you alright?" asked Junior. Rarity rubbed her back a bit.
"Yes. I think so," said Rarity. Junior groaned as he rubbed his forehead.
"Sorry about that. Strength of a dragon is acting up right now. I swear my hugs don't normally hurt," said Junior.
"What's wrong?" asked Rarity in curiosity. Junior tried to think up an excuse. He would rather not tell her that he had taken in power from a Kaiju's ghost that was actually him in a past life.
"I must be getting withdrawal symptoms from lack of consumption of nuclear or geothermal energy. It makes me stressed, irritable, more aggressive and weak. I guess random muscle spasms are symptoms as well," lied Junior. He, of course, had no need to intake geothermal or nuclear energy anymore. It was likely the effects of the spirit essence that was inside of him.
"Oh! Well, you simply must take care of that! Twilight was telling us that you can die that way!" said Rarity in a worried tone. Junior chuckled as he scratched his head.
"Well, it takes a while for me to be drained, but your concern is noted. Thanks a lot," said Junior as he stood up. Rarity gasped as she shot up from her seat.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" exclaimed Rarity. She took off across the room and into her work area. The Elf reached under her desk and pulled out a charcoal grey sweater. She then made her way back to Junior and smiled brightly as she held it out to him.
"This is something that I made for you," said Rarity. Junior looked at it in surprise as he unfolded the sweater.
"Oh, wow," said Junior with a smile.
"I held onto your old sweater, but it was filthy and torn to shreds. So, I threw it out and decided to remake it. Of course, with a little something that I added," said Rarity as she smiled proudly. Junior looked to her curiously.
"Like what?" asked Junior.
"Look on the back," said Rarity as she pointed at the back of the sweater. Junior turned the sweater over and found something that made him gasp.
"This is..." Junior stared at the image that was depicted on his sweater. It was sewed in black and bore the same resemblance as his family's medallion. He lowered the sweater as he stared at Rarity.
"I thought you'd like to carry your clan's symbol with you. Like a warrior," said Rarity as she held her arms behind her back. Junior looked back to his sweater as he felt his smile grow.
"I-I don't know to say. I'm speechless!" said Junior. He pulled Rarity into another hug. This time, he was careful not to hurt her.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for this," said Junior. Rarity smiled as she hugged him back.
"Anything for a friend," said Rarity. Amber sat on the sofa as she stared happily at the two. She thought nothing was better than watching two beings sharing affection such as this. It was also an added bonus that could help shape the young Transmutant's future for the better rather than dread his destiny. Junior and Rarity broke their hug.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around then," said Junior with a nod. "Thanks for having me over and for the new sweater. I'll do my best to take care of it,"
"Anytime, dear. Also, one other thing," said Rarity.
"Yeah?"
"Be good to Twilight. Like you always do," said Rarity with a firm tone. Junior nodded to her.
"I will," said Junior.



The hour was reaching the afternoon. Angirasu was walking down a road outside of the park. He was humming to himself as he bore a small smile on his face. He suddenly heard the sound of struggling. Angirasu stopped and turned to find Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo attempting to climb a nearby tree. He turned and began to approach them in curiosity. Apple Bloom held Scootaloo on her shoulders as the young Valkyrie stretched her arm out towards a high branch.
"I...can't reach!" said Scootaloo in frustration. Sweetie moaned in disappointment.
"This is unbelievable! Way to toss the Frisbee up there, Scootaloo!" said Sweetie Bell. Scootaloo scoffed in response.
"Blame Apple Bloom! She's the one who didn't catch it!" retorted Scootaloo.
"Me?! You were the one who tried to perform a fancy throw!" spat Apple Bloom. The girls argued with each other as their voices built up in volume. Angirasu sighed as he quickly approached.
"Hey!" called Angirasu. The girls immediately went silent and turned their attention towards Angirasu.
"What's going on here?" asked Angirasu. Scootaloo climbed off of Apple Bloom's shoulders and stood next to her friends.
"We're trying to get our Frisbee. It got caught in the branches," said Scootaloo as she pointed towards the bright blue disk. Angirasu nodded in response.
"Ah. Yeah that's pretty high. Gotta hate it when that happens," said Angirasu.
"Angirasu, can you please help us get it back down?" asked Sweetie Belle. Angirasu nodded as he gave them a small smile.
"Sure! I can do that. Stand back," said Angirasu as he approached the tree. The girls did as they were told and took a few steps away from the tree. They watched as the Transmutant grabbed the tree and climbed it. His shoes were firmly planted on a lower branch, allowing him to slowly stand on it. He looked up to the higher branch and found the disk planted among leaves and smaller branches. He breathed softly as he grabbed the branch and pulled on it. The branch began to lower, allowing the Frisbee on the far end to descend. He reached his hand out for the disk but was unable to reach it.
"Shoot," said Angirasu. His hearing picked up the sound of small cracks. His eyes widened as he looked down at the branch. He noticed how his weight was weakening the branch. He turned back to the branch that he held and saw how he was able to bring it down. He smiled as an idea formed in his mind. Angirasu shook the branch up and down, causing it to rock and the leaves to rustle. The cracks grew louder, causing him to sigh nervously.
"Fall, you stupid disk," Angirasu muttered to himself.
"What's that sound?" asked Apple Bloom in a worried tone.
"Just the branch that I'm standing on cracking. Nothing to worry about," said Angirasu in a nonchalant tone.
"What?!" exclaimed the CMC in unison. Angirasu scowled as he began to shake the branch even harder.
"Or maybe I'm just desensitized to things like this," said Angirasu. He then gave another hard shake of the branch that he held, causing the Frisbee to fall to the ground.
"Hey, you got it!" said Scootaloo with a grin. Angirasu chuckled to himself. Suddenly, he heard a loud snap.
"Uh oh," said Angirasu. He yelped as he plunged down from the branch that he stood on and fell on his back at the trunk of the tree. He lightly groaned as he a few leaves fell down on him. The children gasped as they rushed over to him.
"Oh my goodness! Are you OK?!" asked Sweetie Belle in a worried tone. Angirasu slowly stood to his feet and began to dust off his jeans.
"Yeah, I'm good," said Angirasu. He then winced as he felt stiffness in his spine. He placed his hands behind his lower back and forced them against it as he curved himself back. A small popping sound came from his back, causing the girls to wince.
"Are you sure?" asked Apple Bloom as she raised a brow. Angirasu nodded.
"Hey, I've been fighting other Transmutants and a sea dragon that dealt more pain than falling off of a tree. I'm fine." said Angirasu as he rotated his arm.
"Oh! Tell us about that!" said Scootaloo eagerly. Angirasu hummed to himself as he looked away with a nervous expression.
"I don't know. They were pretty violent experiences. I don't think your sisters would appreciate me exposing that to you. Heck, we haven't told them about it. Not yet, at least," said Angirasu. The girls moaned in disappointment. Angirasu shrugged in response.
"Sorry girls," said Angirasu.
"Well, thanks for helping us get our Frisbee anyway," said Apple Bloom with a small smile. Angirasu nodded to them.
"No problem. Have fun," said Angirasu as he turned to walk away.
"Wait! Play with us!" said Scootaloo. Angirasu stopped in his tracks and looked at the children in surprise.
"Play?" asked Angirasu.
"Yeah! Toss the Frisbee with us! It's more fun with more people!" said Sweetie Belle. Angirasu looked down in thought and glanced at the children’s eager expressions. He couldn't bare shooting down their offer and watching their smiles turn into frowns. He smiled back as he walked back to the children.
"OK. Then let's play," said Angirasu. He and the girls walked down out to the grass, away from any nearby trees. The four had divided up and gathered into a wide circle. Scootaloo curled her arm back and then tossed the disk over to Sweetie Belle. She shot her arm after it and struggled to keep it still in her hand. She juggled it for a few seconds but managed to keep a firm hold on it. She laughed as she tossed the disk over to Apple Bloom, who tossed it to Angirasu. He tossed it back to Scootaloo as he spun it down towards the ground. The disk glided over the grass and bounded off of the ground. As it glided overhead, Scootaloo leapt as high as she could and caught the disk. She chuckled as she continued to pass the disk around.



Junior walked down the road of Ponyville in silence as he held his new sweater over his shoulder. Amber fluttered right next to him in silence. He glanced at the sweater and lightly smiled.
"You seem to be doing well adjusting back to life here," said Amber.
"Yeah. I thought it was going to be hard. But now, things finally seem like they're turning around," said Junior. He sighed in disappointment. "I still wonder how long it will be before people stop freaking out or shooting me glares when I'm around,"
"I thought you said that you didn't care what they thought of you," said Amber in confusion.
"I don't. I'm just worried about-" Junior was about to finish his sentence but he stopped when he found Twilight with several books in her hands as she excitedly walked down the road. The Elf stopped and turned and found Junior standing a few feet away. He greeted her with a wave and a smile.
"Hey, Twilight," said Junior. The Elf lightly gasped as she went stiff. She turned away as a bright blush broke on her face.
"Oh, hi there!" said Twilight in a shy tone. Junior approached her as she remained in a petrified state. She turned to face him as her face kept the luminescent blush.
"So uh...how are you?" asked Twilight.
"I'm alright. I just came back from Rarity's," said Junior. Twilight's expression turned neutral. But, Junior was able to detect a hint of uneasiness from her scent.
"Is that so? What did she want?" asked Twilight.
"Well, she wanted to make amends about what happened months ago. There's no hard feelings. Also, she made me this sweater," said Junior as he removed it from his sweater and showed it to Twilight. She looked to it in confusion.
"Isn't that your old sweater?" asked Twilight.
"Oh, hold on," said Junior as he turned the sweater over and revealed the image that was depicted on his sweater.
"Oh, wow! Isn't that..." Twilight began to look over the black image with interest.
"It is," answered Junior. Twilight looked to him with a smile.
"Well, it was most certainly kind of her to have made this for you. I'm also glad that you two were able to talk," said Twilight. Junior nodded to her.
"Me too. It's good to be back. E-Especially with you." said Junior as he looked away with a small blush. Twilight smiled bashfully as she loosened her grip on her books. She ended up dropping them down to the ground.
"Oh, shoot!" said Twilight as she knelt down to gather her books. Junior did the same and gathered a couple as well. The two stood up to their feet with the books in their grip. Junior looked down at the titles on the books and raised his brows.
"What's this?" asked Junior.
"Oh! Well I've been interested to learn more about Neighponese culture. So, I went out and got a few books on it for myself and the library," answered Twilight.
"I might have to borrow one of these sometime." said Junior with a smile. "I really ought to learn more about my heritage,"
"Sure! Feel free to do so anytime," said Twilight with a smile. Junior was about to hand the two books that he had in his hands back to her, but stopped.
"Say, why don't I help you carry these home?" offered Junior.
"I'd appreciate it," said Twilight with a smile. He nodded to her in response.
"Then let's get going," said Junior. The two walked side by side. Amber fluttered after the two in silence. She firmly planted herself on Junior's shoulder.
"Takeshi, what was it that you were going to say that you were worried about?" asked Amber. Junior was about to answer but then glanced at Twilight. She bore a small smile as her cheeks burned red. His ears picked up small whispers from behind them. He glanced to his left and found a few of the citizens shooting him dirty looks while a few looked at the pair anxiously.
"What the hell is she doing with that freak?" whispered a woman.
"Are they a couple? Gross!" whispered another woman.
"Betcha that the kids would be deformed or something," whispered a man. Junior clenched his teeth as he furrowed his brows. He gave a low growl in his throat that went unnoticed by Twilight. Amber on the other hand caught this.
"That's why," answered Junior.
"Oh," said Amber as she lowered her antennae in disappointment. Junior faced forward and kept a hard stare as he continued walking at Twilight's side.
"Hey, are you OK?" asked Twilight in concern. Junior lost his hard expression and turned to find Twilight looking at him worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine," said Junior as he faced forward. Twilight frowned as she caught his annoyed tone.
"I hope I'm not being a bother," said Twilight.
"Don't be silly. I've just got something on my mind, is all," replied Junior. Junior was worried about how the residents of Ponyville would view his human friends now that they openly associated with him and the other Transmutants. The two continued on down to the library in silence, leaving behind disgusted and worried humans in their wake.




The next day...

"Gojira, I think you're worrying too much," said Mosura. She sat on her bed in her chamber inside of the Transmutant cave. The male Transmutant that was present with her was pacing around with a worried expression.
"What if I'm not, though? What if it gets worst from here? I never gave that much of a reason for people to like me before they knew I was a Transmutant. How can they do so now?" asked Junior. He sighed as he rubbed his head in frustration.
"What if people start treating the girls with disdain because of their affiliation with us? A lot of people are pissed that we're being allowed to stay near Ponyville to begin with!" said Junior.
"Why would they do that? They're national heroines for crying out loud!" said Mosura in exaggeration. Junior gave her a deadpanned stare.
"Mosu, we've been segregated into a separate race that's less than human. We're being associated with monsters that attack innocent people. How does that look when the national heroines start getting friendly with the big and bad monsters?" asked Junior. Mosura sighed in response.
"OK, I see your point," said Mosura. She stood up from her bed and made her way over to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she gave him a reassuring smile.
"Look, we'll warm up to them eventually. Just keep your cool and we should be fine," said Mosura. Junior sighed in disappointment.
"Fine," said Junior.
"Atta boy. Come on, Rodan's prepared lunch," said Mosura. The two left her chamber and walked around the great cave. They made their way back up the metal bridge that led up to the backroom of the house. The smell of meat reached their sinuses. Junior's belly growled as he caught the scent. The two Transmutants found Angirasu and Rodan setting plates on the counter as they began to place fish meat on bread.
"I'm telling you, these sandwiches are going awesome!" said Rodan. Angirasu groaned in annoyance.
"I know! Shut up and help me finish setting them up! I'm starving here," said Angirasu as he placed lettuce and tomatoes over one of the sandwiches. Rodan spread mayonnaise on one side of the bread and then placed slices of cheese on a few other sandwiches. Junior and Mosura sat at the table that sat in the middle of the room. Junior placed his hand under his chin as he bore a small frown. Angirasu and Rodan arrived with several sandwiches on a large plate and placed it in the center. Angirasu handed Mosura and Junior glass cups filled water. Rodan sat a small glass bottle of red sauce in the center of the table.
"My homemade hot sauce is right here if you guys want any!" said Rodan. Mosura gasped as she smiled brightly.
"Oh, I am going to use that!" said Mosura as she grabbed a sandwich and levitated the hot sauce over to herself. The rest of the Transmutants grabbed their own sandwiches and waited for Mosura to pass the sauce. Junior merely kept his frown as he took a small bite out of his lunch.
"Why the long face?" asked Angirasu.
"I'm just worried if our relationship with the girls will ruin their lives," answered Junior.
"Why? Cause we're Transmutants?" asked Rodan as he took a bite out of his sandwich.
"Yes. I heard some people whispering about me and Twilight yesterday. I don't think they like her being with me," said Junior.
"Dude, we're the good guys! How dare they ignore our awesome heroism?" asked Rodan as he gave a prideful tone. Mosura smiled in amusement while Angirasu rolled his eyes. Junior sighed.
"It takes more than a few heroics to convince people that we're on their side," said Junior as he took another bite of his sandwich.
"Well, fate seems to be in our favor lately. Something might come up eventually," said Angirasu with a shrug. The sound of fluttering reached their ears. The Transmutants turned and found the three fairies approaching them.
"Takeshi! You and the other Guardians are needed now!" said Amber in a frantic tone. The Transmutants looked to each other in confusion.
"Huh. I wonder..." Angirasu rubbed his chin in thought.
"Let's not hold our breath," said Junior with a deadpanned stare. He turned to face Amber. "What's wrong?"
"We sense that Transmutants are near Fillydelphia! Some conflict seems to be brewing," said Blossom in urgency.
"Fillydelphia? That's like miles away, near the edge of the continent! How are we going to get there now?!" asked Rodan.
"Major conflict has yet to start! But we must get there as soon as possible!" said Amber. She and the fairies fluttered around the group and began to tug at their clothing with their claws.
"But what about lunch?" asked Rodan as he grabbed his sandwich and began to scarf it down.
"No time!" said Amber.
"Let me get my bag of bits! We'll need train tickets!" said Junior as he rushed back down to the cave. Amber groaned in exasperation.
"Hurry!" called Amber.




Fillydelphia. A few hours later...

The city was filled with grey buildings of every size. Rivers ran through the city and into the ocean that was just beyond the land. Panic filled the streets of one particular area. Local law enforcement was questioning the civilians of what had happened. Beside the local law enforcement, there were a few members of the royal guard and a dozen Rebels. Blaire stood by in silence as she listened to the woman that was being questioned.
"There was this group of women that just went crazy! They were jumping all over the place and picking up carriages with their bare hands! Carriages!" cried the witness.
"Was anyone injured?" asked Blaire.
"A few people were thrown across the street. I don't think anyone was killed, thankfully," answered the witness. Her face turned to dread.
"But they started bursting into a pet shop that's down the street and came out with cages filled with dogs and cats!" said the witness. The rebels, guards and local police looked to her in confusion.
"What the hell? Were they trying to adopt pets or something?" whispered a male rebel. His comrade shrugged in response.
"Would you have any idea as to why these women would do such a thing?" asked Blaire.
"Well, lately it's been said that the cows that would graze outside of the city have been disappearing. Some people have found tons of spider webs all over the grass and believe that this is the work of giant spiders, but those are in darker areas like caves and dark forests!" said the witness. Blaire looked towards Koizumi and Inoue.
"Any thoughts?" asked Blaire.
"MONARCH has dealt with something like this before in the Garuda Kingdom. From what the witness is saying from human women picking up chariots and spider webs out in the fields, it points to something familiar," said Koizumi. Blaire nodded in understanding. She turned to the witness.
"Thank you for your cooperation ma'am. We'll handle this problem as soon as possible. Report anything suspicious that you may find," said Blaire. The woman nodded and walked away. Blaire turned back to the crimson armored man with a sigh.
"So it's that kind of problem. Are they affiliated with the Revolutionaries?" asked Blaire.
"Nah. Transmutants are divided into different groups. Some are even solo. This group is comprised of mainly arachnid Transmutants," answered Koizumi. He then smirked under his helmet. "They're such a thrill to shoot at. Jumping all over the place and climbing walls,"
"Dully noted," deadpanned Blaire. She shook her head. "Can they be reasoned with?"
"Don't know. We were only given orders to shoot to kill. The king wanted them gone," said Koizumi with a shrug. Blaire sighed in response.
"Right. Damn, I wish Goji was here," said Blaire. Koizumi looked over the guard and found four figures rushing down the road with three moth-like creatures.
"Well, looks like wishes do come true. Where the hell is my personal airship with a giant TV screen that I wished for?" asked Koizumi with a scowl. Blaire looked to him in confusion but found him pointing behind herself. She, the guards and the rest of the rebels turned to find the Transmutant Four rushing over to their position. Inoue scowled in response as she caught sight of him.
"Great," spat Inoue.
"Let it go, Inoue," said Koizumi. Blaire left the crowd and made her way over to the Transmutants in surprise.
"Hey, what are you guys doing out here?" asked Blaire. Junior panted as he began to catch his breath.
"We...*Huff* were told that there was a problem. Involving Transmutants," said Junior. Blaire raised a brow.
"Who told you?" asked Blaire.
"We did," answered Amber. Blaire looked to them suspiciously.
"Hey, how did you know?" asked Blaire.
"We sensed a disturbance," said Amber. Blaire sighed in annoyance.
"I take it that I won't get a straight answer out of you?" asked Blaire.
"Sorry," said Amber.
"Look, we're already here and apparently people are freaking out about Transmutants. What happened?" asked Junior.
"Right. Well, apparently they hurt some civilians in the streets while causing property damage after they stole some animals from the local pet shop," answered Koizumi. The Transmutants were silent.
"A pet shop? Seriously?" asked Rodan in confusion.
"These Transmutants must be from another group that was in the Garuda kingdom a few years back. They are mainly comprised of spiders," said Koizumi. Mosura shuttered in response.
"I hate spiders," said Mosura. Rodan smirked as he popped his knuckles.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go kick these guys in their asses!" said Rodan. Koizumi was about to eagerly respond but was interrupted as Yoshi approached them in his armor.
"No. This is an opportunity to settle this situation peacefully. Also, this group mainly comprises of females. There's at least two or three men in the group," said Yoshi. Rodan's ears perked.
"Is that so?" asked Rodan with an interested tone. Mosura gave him a deadpanned stare as she frowned.
"Rodan," called Mosura. Junior rolled his eyes in response.
"Right. So, what? Are we going to go offer them a welcome basket or something?" asked Junior.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea if we want to keep things peaceful," said Angirasu with a shrug.
"That was sarcasm," deadpanned Junior.
"I know. I just thought that it deserved serious consideration," said Angirasu.
"Hold on! Who said anything about you guys coming along?" asked Inoue with a glare. Junior glared back at her.
"Well, why not? There's a group of Transmutants stirring trouble and all that is here is a few guards and rebels. I don't have much confidence in you guys succeeding alone," said Junior.
"Excuse me, buddy, but we have been trained for this sort of thing. Besides, we have Yoshi and Koizumi to back us up if things go sour! Two Slayer units with loads of experience on the field!" retorted Inoue. Junior scoffed in response.
"Yeah, which is why I think this plan is gonna go to hell in a hand basket real fast. You guys are just gonna scare them and provoke them to attack just by showing up," said Junior. Inoue growled at him in frustration.
"You aren't even a soldier! Step off, civilian!" said Inoue as she and Junior butt foreheads together.
"Make me, jar head," growled Junior. Yoshi and Mosura immediately pulled the two away from each other. Blaire watched in slight concern but half amusement. Sapphire leaned near her as she kept her eyes on the scene.
"Is he always like this?" asked Sapphire.
"Only with people that get on his nerves. He rarely went at it with a girl," answered Blaire. Inoue and Junior looked away from each other as they scowled with their arms crossed over their chests. Yoshi sighed in annoyance.
"Actually, I was hoping that you guys would come to help," said Yoshi. Junior glanced at the man in armor as he raised a brow.
"I think the only way we can settle this peacefully is if these Transmutants know that others are peacefully walking among us as citizens. We'll need you four to encourage them," said Yoshi. Mosura stepped in front of Junior as a smile brightened up on her face.
"We'd be happy to help. After all, this is why we came here," said Mosura. Yoshi nodded to her. He then looked to the other rebels.
"Are we clear on that?" asked Yoshi in a loud voice. Koizumi nodded.
"No complaints here, boss," said Koizumi. A few other rebels answered in reluctance, or with indifference. Inoue sighed in annoyance.
"Fine. Whatever," said Inoue. Yoshi mentally sighed as he turned back to the Transmutants. Blaire merely placed an arm over Junior with a grin.
"Well, lil bro, looks like you get to hang with your big sis for a while!" said Blaire. Junior nodded.
"We'll do whatever it takes to get the job done," said Junior. Sapphire smiled.
"I like the determination," said Sapphire. The guards led the Transmutants down the city and over to a group of chariots. The rebels trailed after them while Yoshi and Koizumi lagged behind with Inoue.
"Why do you keep picking a fight with him? He's just trying to help," said Yoshi. Inoue rolled her eyes in response.
"Hey, he's the asshole who thinks he's hot shit because he can pick up a tank," said Inoue.
"So cool," Koizumi said to himself with a smile.
"Look, just try to get along with him. We're likely going to be asking for their help more often," said Yoshi.
"Why his help? All he is a barbarian like Koizumi," said Inoue.
"Sticks and stones, Inoue," said Koizumi.
"Not everything is as they seem," said Yoshi. Inoue shook her head.
"Sure," said Inoue as she picked up speed and joined the rest of the rebels. Yoshi sighed in disappointment.
"You know what they say about a guy and a girl having this much tension, right?" asked Koizumi. Yoshi looked to him in confusion but then his eyes widened. Koizumi chuckled to himself as he shook his head.
"I'm kidding. But seriously, if this goes on, I'm setting them on a date," said Koizumi.
"Sheesh. I'm worried about them killing each other," said Yoshi with a shudder.




Later...

The Transmutant Four sat in a chariot that was pulled by a team of Pegasi. A few other chariots were in the air besides them, filled with guards and rebels that were incapable of flight. Valkyries, however, were flying at the side of the chariots. Junior held a torn piece of clothing in his hand as he stared at it. He turned his head and found Yoshi giving him a thumbs up from another chariot. He sighed in response.
"Why does this feel humiliating?" asked Junior.
"Don't let it bother you, Goji," said Mosura in reassurance.
"Yeah. It's not like he's going to put a collar on you and make you fetch," said Rodan. Junior took the piece of clothing and brought to his nose. He sniffed the cloth as he closed his eyes. His sinuses took in the smell while his brain processed the smell. It was definitely from a female Transmutant. He lowered the cloth as he stuck his head out of the chariot window. He sniffed the air in an attempt to pinpoint the location. His eyes hardened as he determined a direction. He turned his head and found Blaire flying towards him.
"Hey, we need to head down! I think I found where one of them could be!" said Junior. Blaire nodded to him.
"Got it!" said Blaire. Junior brought his head back inside and sighed.
"Well, looks like we're going to meet these new Transmutants. Any ideas?" asked Junior.
"We could just drop in and say hello. We can just tell the rebels to remain with the chariots while we bring just a small number of guards with us," said Angirasu with a shrug.
"Maybe. What else?" asked Junior.
"Since most of them are women, we can take these ladies out on a date. Huh. You know what I'm saying?" asked Rodan as he bounced his eyebrows. Junior sighed in response.
"No! We're not going to date these Transmutants!" said Junior in disapproval. Rodan smirked.
"Dude I'm just messing around. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to get to know a girl down there, eh?" asked Rodan as he nudged Junior.
"I'm trying to start an intimate relationship with Twilight," said Junior.
"Then what's holding you back? Just because a few people are talking behind your back?" asked Rodan with a deadpanned stare. Angirasu looked away as he rubbed his head.
"Rodan, don't-" Mosura turned to Rodan with glare.
"I don't know. Look, can we drop it?" asked Junior.
"Fine. I mean, we're finally back home and Twilight still likes you. I've helped Aang plan out his first date with Fluttershy and I'm working on asking Rainbow Dash out. Here you are back peddling away because-"
"What did I just say?" asked Junior with a glare. His tone was filled with annoyance. Rodan shrugged.
"Hey! I'm just being real with you, bro! Twilight's not gonna wait on you forever because you're afraid what people will think of her! Ask her how she feels about it before you lose something that's good," said Rodan. Junior sighed in response.
"Yeah, you're right. Let's get back on topic though," said Junior. He then looked to Mosura. "Any ideas?"
"Yeah, I agree with Aang's plan. If things are to go south, let's try not to kill them," said Mosura. Junior nodded.
"OK. That sounds fair enough," said Junior. The Transmutant Four felt their chariot descend further down to the ground. With a bump, they slightly bounced and felt their chariot rolling to a stop. The Transmutants exited out of their transport along with guards and rebels that were occupying separate chariots. The group searched their surroundings and found themselves in a forest. Junior sniffed the air as he attempted to pinpoint a direction. He took the cloth that he was given and sniffed it again. From behind, Yoshi approached.
"Where to?" asked Yoshi. Junior sniffed the air again and pointed towards an area filled with bushes and trees. Ahead, one could make out a mountain in the distance.
"Down there near that mountain. I can smell more than one." said Junior.
"How many?" asked Blaire.
"I say roughly about over a dozen. Most of them female, like Yoshi said," said Junior. Rodan pumped his fist.
"Score!" said Rodan. Mosura scoffed as she pinched the skin on the side of his neck. He grunted in pain as the female Transmutant brought him close.
"You better stop that or I'll have to tell Rainbow Dash," warned Mosura with a coy smile. Rodan chuckled nervously.
"OK, you made your point," grunted Rodan. Mosura smiled as she released him. Junior turned to face Yoshi.
"Yoshi, can I count on you and the other rebels to stay behind while we move up ahead?" asked Junior.
"What the hell for?" demanded Inoue.
"Yeah, how come you guys get to hog all of the action?" questioned another rebel.
"This is about peace talks. This isn't an extermination mission," deadpanned Angirasu. Junior nodded.
"Well said. If these Transmutants find people armed with MONARCH weapons and wearing the same kind of armor, you can expect things to go wrong," said Junior.
"Oh. Yeah that's a good point," said Inoue. Yoshi nodded to Junior in approval.
"Very well. We'll stay in contact with the COMs. Let us know if there's any trouble," said Yoshi.
"Got it. Let's move out guys!" called Junior as he led the Transmutants and the guards through the forest. Blaire made her way by Junior's side as she took soft breaths.
"Just stay calm, Blaire. They can smell anxiety," said Junior. Blaire smirked.
"Hey, I'm supposed to be the one to tell you to remain calm!" said Blaire jokingly. Junior chuckled in response. The group continued on, leaving a few royal guards behind with the rebels. Sapphire made her way next to Mosura as she glanced at her curiously.
"Say, he seems to be more trusting with the rebels, doesn't he?" asked Sapphire. Mosura shrugged.
"Oh no, I just scanned through his thoughts and he doesn't. Right now, he thinks one of them is gonna sneak after us and snipe the first Transmutant we run into," said Mosura. Sapphire's face went blank. She then looked to Junior in concern.
"Wow. He's really paranoid. I feel sorry for him," whispered Sapphire.
"I know. But don’t worry. We'll get him out of that," Mosura whispered back. Junior scanned the area as he sniffed the air. He stopped dead in his tracks, prompting the others to stop as well.
"Wait. One of them is close," said Junior. His eyes carefully scanned the area. Nothing but trees lined the area. His eyes trailed up a tree and up to a branch that was obscured by another branch. He could smell fear radiating off in this direction. As he looked closer, he caught sight of green eyes staring at him from the bushes.
"Mosu, up front with me," whispered Junior. Mosura slowly made her way up to the front.
"Careful guys. Don't make any threatening movements," Junior whispered to the guards. He cleared his throat as he stared at the branch that was hidden by leaves.
"I know you're there," said Junior. He heard a small gasp come from the branch, unheard by the humans. He and Mosura walked closer to the tree with cautious steps.
"It's OK. We're not here to hurt any of you. We're Transmutants, like you," said Mosura with a warm smile. The figure in the bush quivered and held onto the tree branch.
"Little girl, it's OK. We won't hurt you," said Mosura with a kind smile. Junior looked to her in confusion.
"Little?" Junior whispered to Mosura. He then turned as he heard leaves rustling. The figure began to climb across the branch and then descended from the tree. Junior's eyes widened in shock as did the other Transmutants. Before them was a little Neighponese girl with short black hair. She was wearing a pair of slightly torn shorts and a dirty white t-shirt. She dropped down to the ground and stared at the Transmutants warily. Mosura made her way closer to the child and placed her hands on her knees as she looked at the child. A warm smile was on her face.
"Hi there. Do you have a name?" asked Mosura. The girl lightly whimpered as she took a step away from Mosura. Blaire stared in fascination with the interaction.
"Mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Especially if they're Transmutants like us," said the girl.
"Smart kid," said Junior with a nod.
"Yeah but she came out of hiding," said Rodan.
"To be fair, she is a little girl and we did catch her hiding place. No point in ignoring us," said Angirasu.
"I see. Well, could we perhaps talk to your parents?" asked Mosura.
"Why?" asked the child.
"Oh, well because we are part of this group that wants to help other Transmutants. You see, my friend's mother is the princess!" said Mosura as she gestured to Junior. The girl looked to Junior in confusion.
"But...she's not a Transmutant," said the child.
"I was adopted when I was a little kid." said Junior with a shrug.
"Right. The princess is allowing good Transmutants to stay in her kingdom and to live as her subjects!" said Mosura in an upbeat tone. The girl stared at her in wonder.
"R-really?" asked the girl. Mosura nodded with a grin.
"That's right! We want to help other Transmutants with this opportunity. Could you take us to your mother?" asked Mosura. Suddenly, the sound of something zipping through the air reached their ears. Mosura felt a white silk wrap around her arm. She gasped as she shot up and looked at her arm.
"What the-?" Mosura yelped as she was suddenly yanked away. Junior gasped as he found Mosura being dragged away.
"Mosu!" cried the Transmutants. Rodan broke off into a sprint after her. A figure dropped behind the guards, causing them to whip around. A woman with long black hair, with a tan coat and black jeans glared at them. She sent quick jabs to the guards, knocking them down to the ground. Blaire and Sapphire yelped and dodged her attack. Angirasu yelled as he rushed towards the woman and sent a few punches. The woman dodged each punch and merely slid under him. She sent a punch into his ribs, causing him to stagger.
"Mommy, no!" cried the girl. Junior rushed over to help Blaire and Sapphire, but stopped as another woman dropped in front of him. He growled as a woman with golden highlights glared at him. She yelled as she charged towards him and tackled him to the ground. She sent quick punches towards him, which Junior took with grunts.
"You! Stay away! From the child!" shouted the woman. Junior growled as he pressed his hand against the woman and shoved her off of himself.
"Ms. Kumonga, don't! They want to be our friends!" said the girl. The woman merely scoffed as she hopped back onto her feet and glared at Junior.
"Don't be silly. They just want to hurt us. We aren't going to give in to them!" said Kumonga. Junior growled in response.
"Hey, you're making this a lot worse on yourself. We just want to settle an incident peacefully!" said Junior.
"Settle this!" said Kumonga. She rushed over to Junior and sent a quick jab against his face. A few other women dropped from the trees and assaulted Junior as well. The Transmutant roared angrily as he swiped away one of the women, sending her towards a tree. As Kumonga sent a kick towards his skull, he caught her leg and swung her around. The woman cried out as she was spun around and around. The girl burst into tears and sobbed to herself. Junior glanced at the child, feeling terrible making her cry. Suddenly, he felt something catch him on his back. He turned and found his back covered in a web that was connected towards the woman with black hair. His eyes widened as he found her with her mouth wide open and fangs hanging out. The web appeared to be coming from the back of her throat. The woman was crouching over Angirasu, who was tied up in the webbing. The woman stood and grunted as she pulled on the web, causing Junior to fly off of his feet. He dropped Kumonga on the ground and was dragged across the ground. Junior turned around and yanked back on the web and forced the woman closer towards himself. She chomped down on the webbing, causing it to disconnect. She was about to flee but was grabbed by Junior.
"Not so fast!" shouted Junior as he caught her leg and slammed her on the ground. The woman cried out in pain as she was dropped to the ground.
"Aah!" cried Sapphire. Junior gasped as he turned around and found the Transmutants dragging away Blaire and Sapphire in their webbing. Kumonga grabbed Blaire by her hair, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Let them go!" demanded Junior as he stood to his feet while holding onto the woman.
"First, you let her go!" demanded Kumonga. Junior growled in response.
Meanwhile, Rodan was sprinting after Mosura, who was crying out. She was being dragged along the grass and dirt, catching twigs and leaves in her hair. A woman was dragging her across the land and towards a cave with a large strand of web in her hand.
"Let go!" shouted Mosura. She turned and found Rodan chasing after her. She waved frantically for him. "Rodan!"
"I got ya!" said Rodan. He dove for the Transmutant and grabbed her foot with one hand. His eyes widened as her shoe came loose. He planted his feet into the grass as he wrapped his arms around Mosura's legs to get better leverage on her.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" cried Mosura as she felt her arm sting as well as her legs. The female Transmutant with short spiked hair stopped and found Rodan holding Mosura back.
"Sorry!" apologized Rodan as he looked to Mosura with worry. He used his arms and pulled on Mosura's legs to pry her away. He soon wrapped his arms around her waist, causing Mosura to gasp as her face brightened up into a blush.
"H-Hey! Watch the hands, buddy!" said Mosura as she felt his hands on her thighs.
"Again, I'm sorry!" said Rodan as he gave a strong tug on Mosura, causing the foreign Transmutant to lose her grip on the web. Mosura yelped as she and Rodan suddenly fell back onto the ground. The two groaned in exhaustion as they lied down. Mosura gasped as she found the Transmutant charging towards them. She shot her hand forward, pushing the Transmutant with her telekinesis into the cave using great effort. Rodan immediately stood up and helped Mosura up to her feet.
"Let's go find the others." said Rodan. Mosura nodded to him in response. The two broke off into a sprint while they heard shouts.
"First, you let her go!" shouted a voice. Mosura and Rodan picked up their speed. They later arrived to where they were last standing. Mosura gasped as she found the standoff. Junior glared at Kumonga as he brought up the woman that he held.
"I swear if you don't-" Junior growled but stopped as Kumonga placed her arms around Blaire's neck. His eyes widened as he found the position that the two were in.
"Don't you dare threaten me! You let her go, or I will snap her neck!" shouted Kumonga. Tension filled the air, Junior's rage began to boil.
"Sarge!" cried Sapphire. Junior gave an animalistic growl.
"You think I'm playing around?!" demanded Kumonga. Blaire glanced up at Kumonga and saw her expression. She appeared to be holding a menacing expression, but Blaire could tell that she was frightened due to her trembling arms.
"I swear to god, if you kill her, I'll kill your friend too!" shouted Junior as he grabbed the woman by her neck and held her up. The woman cried out as she held onto Junior's hand. Mosura stared in horror and Kumonga visibly flinched as fear struck her heart. Blaire immediately turned to face Gojira with dread.
"Goji don't!" said Blaire.
"Blaire, she's going to kill you!" shouted Junior. His breaths grew heavy as his heart raced.
"Gojira, just do as she says!" said Blaire. Junior's breathing grew panicked.
"I-I..."
"Goji, did you hear yourself? You just threatened a mother. In front of her child!" said Blaire as she glanced at the crying child. Junior's eyes softened as he found the helpless child. He looked down at the woman that he held, who looked at Junior fearfully as she held onto his hand.
"Please don't kill me. My baby girl," said the woman in a distraught tone. Junior's heart nearly stopped. If he were to take this woman's life, he may never be the same again. His muscles began to relax.
"Goji, just let her go. It's going to be OK," said Blaire as she held her hand out to him with a calm expression. Junior nodded to her. He released the woman and dropped onto his knees. The mother gasped loudly as she attempted to catch her breath. Junior began to hyperventilate as he held his hand over his face.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," whispered Junior. Kumonga stared in disbelief at how soon he yielded. She watched as he held his head down and trembled. She released Blaire while another one of her group members released Sapphire. Mosura and Rodan came rushing over to Junior as his breathing grew shallow.
"Goji! Goji, just breathe!" said Mosura as she took his hand and placed it on her lap. Junior's breathing would not settle. He instead kept playing the incident in his mind.
"Gojira!" cried Mosura. Junior snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at Mosura. His eyes watered as he immediately hid his face.
"Don't look at me. Just-" Junior held in his sobs, but trembled. Mosura brought him upright and wrapped him into a tight hug.
"Shh. I know, I know," whispered Mosura. Rodan wore a worried frown as he watched Junior and Mosura. Angirasu lowered his head as one of the spider Transmutants made their way over to him and began to tear the webbing that bounded him.
"Oh god. I'm a monster," muttered Junior.