Chapter 12: Freakish Changes
The sound of gun fire filled the air. In the dark of the night, flashes of explosions and gunfire partly illuminated the darkness. A land covered in stone and hills was the sight of a battle. Jeeps rolled around the terrain with turrets attached to them. They sped past destroyed vehicles and corpses of fallen soldiers that littered the area.
"This is Delta Squad! We're en route to the drop zone!" said the squad leader of Delta as he sat in the passenger seat. His dark grey armor bore the MONARCH insignia.
"We're being pummeled down here! We need back up now!" said a male voice over the COM with a frantic tone. The sound of gunfire came through the radio along with shouts from other nearby soldiers.
"Sit tight! We're almost there!" said the squad leader. He then turned to the driver.
"Hey! Get this piece of shit to move faster!" ordered the squad leader. The driver nodded to him as he spun the wheel, causing the vehicle to turn around the bend of the area. The jeep picked up speed as it was followed by a few other armed jeeps. The vehicles roared through the night as they passed a dead tree. As the vehicles continued on, the faint light of gunfire came into view. Several soldiers were pinned down behind a wall of stones while they took enemy fire from a group that was camped by large stones. The jeeps rolled to a stop near the group of soldiers and began to fire their turrets at their enemies. The hostiles dove for cover as the bullets rained down on them, chipping away at the stones.
"Eat lead, you freaks!!" shouted a soldier that fired the turret. The sound of gun fire was deafening, making it difficult for other sounds to be heard. From the other side of the stones, the hostiles remained planted against their cover.
"Damn it! We gotta take out those jeeps!" said a man with a bandanna on his head, bearing the Transmutant Revolutionary insignia on it. Others bore either bandannas or just shoulder bands with the same insignia. These terrorists bore only minor body armor, but they were certainly armed.
"I want heavy hitting Transmutants to go out there and destroy those jeeps! We'll come out of cover and mow the rest down!" shouted the leader of this group. Two Transmutants dropped their rifles onto the ground and crouched onto the ground. They groaned in agony as their bodies began to morph and change. Their bodies increased in mass and their bone structure and muscles reshaped themselves in unnatural ways as their organs were rearranged. The Transmutants transformed into two massive four legged beasts with armored plates covering their bodies and heads. They stood to be over nine feet tall with legs as strong as steel. Five large claws dug at the dirt and their long tails swayed. The creatures bore large under bites with long fangs sticking up from the lower jaws. Their black eyes narrowed as they gave low bellows.
One of the beasts grunted as he looked towards his comrade. The two roared as they trampled out of cover and began to take in the bullets that streaked their way. The beasts grunted as the bullets bounced off of their dense armor.
"Incoming!!" shouted a MONARCH soldier in cover. The two Transmutants rammed into two of the jeeps, flipping them over. The soldiers focused their fire upon these beasts, unable to eliminate them. A few bullets managed to hit them in their exposed areas on their necks and legs.
"Cover them!" shouted the Revolutionary leader of the squad. He and his team leaped over cover and opened fire on the humans. Bullets whizzed towards the human soldiers, passing through their armor and bodies. The remaining jeeps were turned over by the beasts. As one the heavy Transmutants was confronted by a human soldier, who jumped in front of him and fired upon his head. The Transmutant roared angrily as he pounced on the human and bit down on his skull with his massive jaws. A sickening crack came from the human, whose agonized cries were immediately silenced. A Revolutionary terrorist rolled along the ground as he dodged several bullets and immediately stood back up with his rifle drawn. He then aimed at a soldier and pumped him full of lead, taking his enemy down.
Soon, the battle was over. The human soldiers all lied dead and scattered in the dirt as the Revolutionaries began to regroup.
"Excellent work, gentlemen. Destoroyah will be proud," said the leader of the group.
"Revolution!" shouted his team in unison as they pumped their fists into the air. The leader of the group turned as he heard the sound of groaning a few feet away. He turned and found a MONARCH soldier crawling away, leaving a trail of his own blood like a slug leaving behind slime. The leader of the group narrowed his eyes as he began to approach the human. He tossed his rifle to the side and stomped on the human's back, causing him to cry out in agony.
"You're scared of Transmutants? You should be," said the Transmutant as he raised his foot off of his back. He then reared his fist back.
"At the end of the war, it will be us who will inherit the Earth," said the Transmutant. He then shot his fist down into the back of the soldier, breaching through the armor and through his back. The soldier cried bloody murder as the fist punched through his back. The land was filled with destroyed vehicles and littered with dead humans, along with Revolutionaries finishing off any survivors.
It was the late noon. Junior was sitting at a table with Angirasu and Rodan inside of a cafe in town. He bore a deadpanned expression as he read through a book. He heard the sound of a news report going on the TV that was hanging on the wall of the cafe.
"MONARCH military units have suffered casualties in Zebrica, losing an entire region to the Revolutionaries. The organization reassures the public that they will not back down easily," said a woman on the news channel. Junior sighed as he continued to read through his book.
"That news lady is pretty hot," said Rodan as he ate a hamburger.
"That's what you're taking from that?" asked Angirasu with a raised brow.
"Huh? Oh yeah. That's tragic," said Rodan as he cleared his throat. He then looked at Junior, who continued to read.
"Dude, put the book down and chill! We didn't invite you to hang out with us so you could study," said Rodan with a shake of his head.
"Just doing a quick review for my test," replied Junior. Rodan sighed as he leaned back in his seat.
"You know, you gotta relax about that problem you have," said Rodan. Junior shot him a glare.
"Not worry about it?! I can get into serious trouble if anybody found out!" said Junior.
"Hey, bro. The trick is to pretend like you got nothing to hide. It's simple," said Rodan.
"It's not that simple," said Junior in annoyance.
"Well, we can keep your secret, Gojira. Just don't tell anyone else," said Angirasu with a reassuring smile. Junior groaned in frustration. Rodan patted on the shoulder.
"Look, let's talk about something else to get your mind off of it," said Rodan.
"Like what?" asked Junior. Rodan tapped his chin in thought. He then snapped his fingers.
"Here's a topic. Out of all of the girls in the club room, who would you date?" asked Rodan. Junior gave him a deadpanned stare. Rodan shrugged in response.
"OK, let's try this one. Do you have a crush on anyone?" asked Rodan. Junior kept his stare, making Rodan uneasy.
"Um... Who do you like better? Principal Celestia or Vice Principal Luna?" asked Rodan. Junior sighed.
"Celestia is more like a motherly figure to students. Luna is like this respectable woman with a real idea how to exercise her authority. She has this strong personality to her that I kinda..." Junior stopped as he noticed the stares from the other Transmutants that he was receiving. Junior cleared his throat.
"I like them both about the same," said Junior as he looked away.
"Dude, you got the hots for Vice Principal Luna!" said Rodan with a grin. Junior's cheeks brightened up with a blush.
"No I don't!" said Junior.
"Liar! You totally do!" laughed Rodan. Angirasu nodded in agreement as he bore an amused smile.
"Yeah. It's written all over your face," said Angirasu. Junior lowered his head with a look of annoyance.
"Hey, it's all good. You got good taste, Gojira," said Rodan with a wink. He then chuckled.
"I mean, that woman is beautiful. Celestia is too, but Luna... Man! She's got the look worthy enough to fit a princess," said Rodan. Junior found himself picturing Luna dressed up in a gown and a crown upon her head. Her eyes sparkling in the night. Junior shook off the fantasy immediately.
'Damn these teenage boy delusions!' thought Junior as he pulled his hair.
"But age is keeping us from ever scoring with her. What a shame," said Rodan with a shrug. Junior sent him a glare.
"Hey! Don't talk about her like some prize to be won," said Junior in disapproval. Rodan slightly recoiled with wide eyes.
"Whoa. Damn you really do like her," said Rodan. Junior looked away with a blush and scowl.
"It's not really just that. I respect her," said Junior. Angirasu hummed to himself.
"So, you guys doing anything for Halloween?" asked Angirasu.
"Nothing. I'm gonna sleep the night away," said Junior. Rodan chuckled.
"Lame. Goji, you gotta take this coming holiday as a chance to do something exciting! Something like going to the Everfree forest at night?" suggested Rodan. Angirasu raised a brow while Junior kept a blank stare.
"You want me to hang out in the forest at night when I could be at home sleeping? I don't think so," deadpanned Junior.
"Dude, it will be the scariest time of year! You heard about that place, right?" asked Rodan.
"The forest is said to be cursed, filled with unnatural creatures," said Angirasu with a neutral expression.
"Ha! See? Aang knows what's up," said Rodan. Angirasu rolled his eye.
"I've heard about it when I first moved here. I don't really believe that," said Angirasu. Junior nodded in agreement.
"Me neither. It's just superstition that early settlers had of the forest from hundreds of years ago," said Junior with a dismissive tone. He had better things to do then to heed tall tales of the town.
"Well you gotta at least come with the club for the Halloween party that we're throwing," said Rodan. Junior sighed heavily.
"I'll think about it," said Junior. He then began to pack his things as he dropped some money on the table.
"I gotta head home. I'll see you guys tomorrow," said Junior.
"Peace," said Rodan as he took a sip of his soda.
"Later," said Angirasu. Junior began to take off and left the cafe. The Transmutant rounded the corner and continued on down the street until he came across a bus stop. He took a seat where a man sat on the bench as well, who bore a bluish grey hood over his head. Junior sighed heavily as he leaned back in his seat.
"Having trouble finding a place to hang out?" asked a male voice. Junior slightly turned his head and found the man glancing his way.
"Um... Not really. I just came back from this cafe that these guys I know invited me to," said Junior.
"Ah. Well, it's not easy for us Transmutants to find a place where they'll serve us," said the man. Junior noticed the scent that this person was giving off was unmistakably the scent of another Transmutant.
"Yeah, we know that. But you just gotta know where to look," said Junior. The man focused his red eyes on Junior and began to analyze him.
"You look familiar. Have we met?" asked the man. Junior raised a brow at this man's question. He shrugged.
"I don't think so. Maybe you may be mistaking me for somebody else?" suggested Junior. The man hummed in thought. A small smile crept up on his face.
"Yeah. Maybe," said the man. After that reply, a bus began to approach the stop. Junior stood up.
"This is my ride. Um... Take care, sir," said Junior as he prepared to board the bus as it rolled to a stop.
"You too, kid. Remember, Transmutants gotta stick together," said the man. Junior nodded to him in response. He boarded the bus and made his way over to the end of the bus and took his seat. He looked down in thought.
"Hmm. He was a bit odd. His voice... It sounds oddly too familiar. Only a bit deeper," muttered Junior to himself.
Meanwhile back at the bus stop, the man in the hood watched as the bus left. He smirked as he thought back to the younger Transmutant.
Erika was lying down in her bed with a racing heart. She had to face the fact that she was terminally ill. She inherited this same disease from her late mother, who died just when she was an infant. Now her doctor was telling her that her condition was worsening much quicker compared to her predecessor.
"God, I'm so scared," muttered Erika as she huddled in her bed with a deep frown. She feared what dying would be like. Her uncertainty of what would come next frightened her terribly. There was also the fact that she would be leaving behind her friends and father. But she had not told her friends about her failing health. It'd be terrible for them to find out on the day that she passes away. But she wondered if it would be crueler to confide in them about it, where they will go on living knowing that one day she will be gone. Erika sighed heavily as she cupped her hands over her eyes.
"I need to get some fresh air," said Erika as she immediately stood up from bed and began to slip on her shoes. She left her bedroom and made her way out to her home's living room, where her father sat at a table looking over a pile of papers with a look of stress. He looked at his phone with a sigh.
"He should've called by now," muttered Genshiro to himself. He then noticed his daughter walking out to the door.
"Erika? Where are you going?" asked Genshiro. Erika stopped and turned to her father.
"I'm just going out for a walk. I'll be back later," said Erika. Genshiro nodded to her.
"OK. Have your cell phone on you in case I need to call you," said Genshiro. Erika smiled as she gave him a nod. As she walked out the door, Genshiro sighed as he looked over the papers that he had. They were filled with equations and notes on his research. He looked over an illustration of a rose-like plant that bore several thorns and that had a serrated head. On the sheet were a few notes that read, 'anti-viral and anti-bacterial'. The plant also had a few notes on his research at GeneCo.
"All that's missing are the DNA sequences to help boost the anti-viral and anti-bacteria immune system," said Genshiro as he rubbed his forehead with stress. He then glanced at a photo that bore the MONARCH insignia in the top corner. The photo was that of a blurry image of a reptilian-like beast submerging itself into a lake.
"Unfortunately, only one source exists for such a sequence," said Genshiro.
Erika walked alone through the neighborhood in silence. She slightly shivered as a breeze blew over her, blowing her hair into her face. Erika continued on until she came across the local park. She sighed as she took a seat onto a bench under the tree. She gazed up to the twilight sky solemnly. She sniffled as she allowed a couple tears to trail down her cheek. A soft sob came from her as she lowered her head. How hard it was to accept her fate. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. As she continued to softly weep, the sound of leaves being trampled on filled her hearing.
"Erika," called a male voice. Erika gasped as she shot up. She turned and found Junior standing behind the bench with a look of surprise.
"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Junior. Erika's lip quivered as she wiped her eyes.
"Nothing. It's nothing," said Erika. Junior sighed as he came around the bench and took a seat next to her.
"Come on, what's wrong?" asked Junior as he placed a hand on Erika's shoulder. The girl sniffled as she lowered her head.
"It's just... I..." Erika trembled in place. She turned to face Junior with eyes glistening with tears. Junior's expression softened.
"I'm dying," said Erika. Junior's eyes slightly widened as his heart skipped a beat.
"What?" asked Junior. Erika gritted her teeth as her tears trailed down her cheeks.
"I said that I'm dying! I lied when I told you that I was at the hospital for a family member! The truth is that I was there because I'm sick!" Erika screamed, distraught. She broke into a sob as she clenched her fists. Junior stared at her in disbelief as he tried to process this information. Someone he knew was dying and that information was a hard pill to swallow. He deeply frowned as his shoulders slumped and he scooted closer to Erika to wrapped her into his embrace. Erika sobbed against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. All the emotion that she was keeping bottled up was pouring out without end.
Later, Erika had stopped crying. She was currently sitting beside Junior, wiping her puffy eyes. A small hiccup came from her. Junior sat beside her with a solemn expression.
'And here I thought I had problems,' thought Junior. All he had to worry about was being locked away or ostracized for having a broken inhibitor chip, but that paled in comparison to a sweet girl like Erika and her situation.
"I'm sorry about that. I just had to let it out," sniffled Erika.
"Don't worry about it," said Junior. Erika sighed.
"I have this auto-immune disease that I inherited from my mother. She died when I was a baby. Unfortunately, all that I have left of her is her disease," said Erika.
"Well... There's a cure for you, right?" asked Junior. Erika shook her head.
"No. We wouldn't be having this conversation if there was one. What's worse is that I'm getting worse much faster than my mother. I could die any month, year, or even day," said Erika as she huddled her arms. She gritted her teeth.
"It isn't fair. My friends, my father, I'll have to leave them. There was so much that I wanted to do with my life," said Erika. Junior looked at her in sympathy and turned his head forward.
"Well... You told me your problem. Will you tell the others?" asked Junior. Erika sighed heavily.
"I don't know. I feel like that I should, but I feel that it would be cruel for them to go on knowing that one day I'll be gone. I can't even tell Sunset," said Erika. Junior raised a brow at her.
"Sunset?" asked Junior.
"We've been friends since Junior High. She's my best friend, but I can't bring myself to tell her that I'm dying. What should I do?" asked Erika. Junior pondered his response.
"Erika, I can't tell you what to do. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide. You have to do what you think will be easier for you to deal with. That's all I can tell you, I'm sorry," said Junior. Erika sniffled as she deeply frowned. Junior felt his heart ache for this girl. If only there was some way that he could help her or even cure her.
"Erika, I might not be able to cure you. But, I... I want to help you any way that I can. Just... Ask me," said Junior in a soft tone. Erika leaned against Junior.
"Can you hold me?" asked Erika. Junior wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer.
"Like this?" asked Junior. Erika nodded as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Yeah. Thank you," said Erika. The two gazed up at the sky in silence, locked in each other's warmth.
"You're a good friend, Gojira," said Erika. Junior flushed to himself.
"Nah. I'm OK," said Junior. Erika smiled to herself in amusement.
A van was parked just around the corner of Ponyville High. It was grey in color, bearing tinted windows. Inside, a Neighponese woman sat in the back, staring at a monitor. She was looking at a view of a few students roaming through the halls. She then heard an annoyed sigh on the radio.
"So boooored!" said a male voice. The woman scowled in response as she placed on her COM device.
"Koizumi, it's only been five minutes," deadpanned the young woman.
"Yeah, on day five! God, this blows!" said Koizumi. Just inside of the school, a Neighponese man wearing a custodian’s clothing roamed through empty halls.
"Inoue, how the hell did we get into this mess?" asked Koizumi.
"If I recall, we were selected to stand guard in Equestria. Not to mention that it was you who swiped that Transmutant's file from the hospital," deadpanned Inoue. Koizumi sighed in annoyance as he entered the janitor's closet and grabbed a mop.
"I had to. Command wanted eyes on the kid after he went viral on the internet. I thought I could've gotten a juicy check if I got any dirt on him. I even rocked that doctor's outfit," said Koizumi.
"You were wearing scrubs. You were more like a nurse," said Inoue. Koizumi rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. I wouldn't have flashed authority to get the file if I knew that I was gonna be put on babysitting duty," said Koizumi with a groan. He then shook his head.
"Did you know that I caught two girls getting their freak on in the janitor's closet? Kids these days have no sense of decency at school," said Koizumi in disappointment. Inoue sighed.
"Koizumi, let's just keep an eye on the guy. The day will go a lot quicker," said Inoue. How annoying it was for her to hear her comrade bitch about not getting to see any action. Koizumi placed his mop on the ground as he set the wash bucket to the side.
"Yeah, yeah. I got eyes on him now," whispered Koizumi as he glanced from the bathroom and out to the hall. Junior was walking alongside Mosura, conversing with her as the two walked to class.
"I see him too. Looks like he's walking with a girl," said Inoue. Koizumi glanced at his watch and found to red blips moving his way.
"Transmutant. Figures, considering how human girls would run away scared like white girls in Gallobama during the 1960s," said Koizumi.
"No need to get racist, Koizumi," said Inoue in disapproval.
"We're spying on a Transmutant to see if he commits an act of terrorism. Don't talk to me about being racist," deadpanned Koizumi.
Meanwhile, Junior and Mosura continued on their walk. The female Transmutant sighed heavily.
"It's just so sad. I mean that I can't believe how she's going through something like that," said Mosura.
"I know. But we can't do any miracles for her. She doesn't want anyone else to know so let's keep a lid on it. The least we can do is being around for her," said Junior. Mosura looked at Junior with a smile.
"Aw. Is Erika growing on you?" asked Mosura.
"You can say that. But don't make it into such a big deal," said Junior as he looked away.
"Alright. But it is sweet of you that you want to help," said Mosura.
Genshiro was riding in his car with a nervous expression. He glanced at his phone and found that it read, 'Meet me at the old warehouse'. It was the same Transmutant that he managed to have gotten into contact with. Now, he was asking for a meeting and it made Genshiro anxious to know what he wanted.
Genshiro continued on until he came across the old abandoned warehouse. He stepped out of his car and cautiously made his way inside of the building. It was dark inside, little light seeping through, and it made his heart race as he searched the place.
"Baragon? Where are you?" called Genshiro. The sound of footsteps approaching filled his ears, prompting him to turn around. His eyes widened at who he saw.
"It's you..." said Genshiro. A man standing to be six foot eleven stepped out of the shadows with his amber eyes narrowed. His face was hidden behind the mask of a snarling dragon as his body was covered in a dark hooded jacket.
"Where is Baragon?" asked Genshiro.
"He's not here. I decided to come here personally," said the Transmutant. He crossed his arms as he looked down at the man. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with crimson liquid. Genshiro's eyes widened.
"Is that..." Genshiro was interrupted as the Transmutant held out the vial to him. The human was about take it, but the Transmutant took it back with his eyes narrowed.
"I expect every single drop to go to your daughter. If I find out that you are deceiving me and using this for MONARCH, I will kill you," said the man. Genshiro bowed to him.
"I swear that I will honor my word," said Genshiro. The Transmutant than handed Genshiro the vial.
"She's lucky to have her father there for her," said the Transmutant as he walked away. Genshiro watched as the Transmutant disappeared into the shadows. The human held the vial firmly as he turned and headed for his car. Meanwhile, back inside of the warehouse, the Transmutant continued on to the furthest end of the building. There, he met with a few other Transmutants. A few of them armed with weapons.
"Let's move out. I rather we not run into MONARCH," said the Transmutant. He then led the group through the warehouse, where a shorter, red-haired man walked at his side.
"Alpha, I gotta ask. Why did you decide to help him?" asked the shorter Transmutant.
"Baragon, why did you decide to come to me with this problem?" questioned the larger Transmutant.
"Well, I kinda go back with Genshiro. The man once housed me twenty years ago in exchange that he got a chance to 'study' me," said Baragon. He shuddered.
"I hate needles, but it was better than living on the streets," said Baragon. Alpha nodded in understanding.
"So you feel that you owe it to him?" asked Alpha. Baragon nodded to him.
"Well, I was definitely reluctant to help him, Baragon. But... I am a father as well. Like him, I'm willing to make sacrifices for my child," said Alpha. Baragon looked at him in surprise.
"Wait. You have a kid of your own?" asked Baragon. During the few years that he knew this Transmutant, never did he imagine that he had a child of his own.
"I do. But I rather we not discuss it," said Alpha as he turned forward. Baragon nodded to him.
"Sure, I understand," said Baragon with a nod.
"Baragon, I'll need you and a small team to keep an eye on things here. And look out for the human. If he goes back on his word, you let me know," said Alpha. Baragon nodded in reluctance.
"Understood, boss," said Baragon. The group of Transmutants came across a white van, where a young woman sat in the driver seat. Alpha slid the side door open and sat inside along with the rest of his group.
"Take us home," ordered Alpha. The woman nodded as she turned on the engine of the vehicle and drove off. Alpha glanced at his side and out the window, watching as the vehicle drove further away from Ponyville.
Genshiro stood over a table with a lab coat on. His eyes analyzed the blood sample that he had earlier received through a microscope. The sample bore typical blood cells, alongside a few odd looking cells that were present alongside them. Genshiro took a small dropper containing bacteria. As he introduced the bacteria to the sample, he went back to analyzing the result. As the odd cells were attacked by the bacteria, they began to multiply their numbers, splitting apart, before developing antibodies against the bacteria, and proceeded to devour them. Genshiro smiled to himself.
"Genshiro," called a male voice. Genshiro immediately pulled away from the microscope and found a tall and lanky man in a lab coat standing before him. A golden cybernetic hand was visible just at the end of his left sleeve.
"Dr. Discord. I wasn't expecting you here," said Genshiro as he cleared his throat. It was odd how the head of GeneCo was here. He was thankful that he only brought a sample of the Transmutant's blood.
"Just thought I'd pay my fellow scientists a visit. Plus I wanted to see any progress on that special project this company has been working on," said Discord.
"Project: Meta is back in the formula stage. There was some negative side effects on the rodent test subjects," said Genshiro. Discord gave a dismissive wave.
"Surely they can't be that bad," said Discord. Genshiro gave him a deadpanned stare.
"Sir, the subjects suffered from internal bleeding, insanity, and muscle degeneration. This will only kill anyone who uses it in its current state," said Genshiro. Discord bore a blank expression.
"Huh. Yes, I suppose that is bad. Very well, you and your team continue to correct the formula," said Discord as he began to walk away.
"MONARCH needs an enhanced army if they want to stand against the Transmutants. Hideki Industries only manages to put a dent on the terrorists with its machines. Our super soldiers will make them obsolete," said Discord as he left.
"We'll get it right, Dr. Discord," said Genshiro with a nod. A woman walked at his side as she watched the head of GeneCo leave.
"He's been set on this project for years. It's only been recently since the project was approved by the U.N., but now we can't even get the formula right," whispered the woman.
"We just have to keep trying. Listen, I need a sample of the rose that was recovered," said Genshiro. The woman gave him an inquisitive look.
"What for?" asked the woman.
"Maybe there might be something in in that we can use to reduce the severity of the side effects of the Meta enhancers, but I need to have a sample to study," said Genshiro. The woman nodded in understanding.
"Alright. I just hope that you at least might be able figure something out. This project seems to be hopeless as time goes on," said the woman as she left. Genshiro sighed heavily as he turned back to the microscope. He had no plans to use the sample to search for any properties that may help with the project GeneCo had. He needed it more for his daughter and it was a risky decision that would put his job on the line. However, losing his job did not matter, since his child mattered more.
It was the afternoon. Fluttershy was currently sitting beside Twilight and Erika as the three looked through a large book. The club room door opened, revealing Junior, Angirasu and Rodan.
"Ladies!" greeted Rodan as he took his seat at a table. Twilight tore her eyes from her book and smiled brightly.
"Hey guys!" greeted Twilight. Angirasu waved while Junior silently took his seat. He looked around the club room, noticing a couple of members missing.
"Where are Sunset and Mosura?" asked Junior.
"Sunset is out on a date with Flash today. We haven't heard from Mosura," answered Erika. Angirasu looked at the remaining girls in curiosity.
"Say, what are you three reading that's got you all coupe up together?" asked Angirasu.
"Oh! We're reading this book on how to plan a themed party!" said Twilight. Junior raised a brow at her.
"You're reading a book on how to throw a party? Twilight, I've never thrown one before, but I imagine it not being that hard," said Junior.
"Yeah. And isn't Pinkie the one throwing it?" asked Rodan as he scratched his head.
"Well, yeah. But I thought some research couldn't hurt. Besides, I think that it may help Pinkie with some ideas!" said Twilight as she held the book out to Junior. The Transmutant rolled his eyes he took the book and began to read through it.
"Halloween themed parties. Spooky props, games, snacks. Spooky themed snacks?" asked Junior with a raised brow.
"There are some really good ideas in that book," said Erika with a look of excitement.
"Oh yeah? What do you think of this? Sexy costumes for girls?" deadpanned Junior as he showed them the book. Twilight's eyes widened as she snatched the book out of the Transmutant's hands and scanned through it.
"Sexy witch, sexy vampire, sexy nurse, sexy librarian, sexy zombie, sexy pirate. Wow, there are a lot of them,” muttered Twilight as she bit her thumb. Fluttershy flushed to herself while Erika bore a look of conflict. Meanwhile, Rodan pictured the costumes in his mind while Angirasu gave a cough of discomfort. Junior merely kept his deadpanned stare. Twilight sat the book down and cleared her throat.
"Well... If the book recommends these costumes, then we might have to wear them," said Twilight. Fluttershy gasped with a look of alarm while Rodan grinned.
"Don't let a book dictate your decisions!" scolded Junior. He then took the book back and looked through it.
"Here, found some costumes that aren't tagged with the word 'sexy'. Witch, nurse, zombie, angel, demon, wizard, ghost, female Freddy Krueger, etc." Junior handed Twilight the book back.
"Angels aren't scary," said Fluttershy with a look of confusion.
"They are if you drop the image of babies with wings," said Junior. Angirasu shook his head.
"Too elaborate for a costume. Besides, no one really said that you can't dress as something that isn't scary," said Angirasu.
"Right! I bet Fluttershy would look great dressed like a cat!" said Rodan. Fluttershy hummed in thought as she visualized herself in a cotton suit that appeared like a cat. She smiled to herself.
"I'm not really a fan of being out for Halloween, but I think dressing as a cat while in doors for a party seems alright," said Fluttershy.
'Shy, I'm pretty sure you and Rodan have different ideas when it comes to dressing as a cat,' thought Junior with a scowl as he found Rodan day dreaming.
"Do you boys have anything in mind to be dressed as this year?" asked Erika.
"I don't dress up for Halloween. I just sleep the night away. I might not even come" said Junior.
"You would come if Vice Principle was here," muttered Rodan with a coy smile. Junior immediately punched him in the shoulder, which Rodan responded with a pained chuckle.
"What was that?" asked Twilight with a look of confusion.
"Don't listen to him," said Junior as he moved his seat next to Fluttershy.
"Why don't you come over to the party? It'll be fun," said Twilight as she set the book down. Junior sighed in annoyance as he scratched his neck. An irritation on his skin has been bothering him a lot for the past few minutes.
"I don't know," said Junior.
"Don't be a stick in the mud Goji!" said Rodan as Junior went back to scratching his neck.
"Fine, just stop bugging me!" said Junior. Fluttershy looked at Junior in worry.
"Are you alright? You've been scratching your neck aggressively," said Fluttershy.
"I think it's a rash," said Junior as he scratched his neck. Twilight got up from her seat with a look of disapproval.
"Don't keep scratching it. You're gonna scar yourself, said Twilight as she made her way over to Junior's side. She then pulled out a small bottle.
"Here, I always carry some ointment on me in case something like this happens," said Twilight as she squeezed the bottle into her palm.
"You carry that with you all the time?" asked Angirasu in confusion. Twilight shrugged.
"I like to be prepared," said Twilight. She then tapped Junior's shoulder.
"Let me see your neck," said Twilight. Junior complied as he removed his hand. As Twilight was about to rub the ointment onto his skin, her eyes widened and a gasp came from her.
"Is it that bad?" asked Junior.
"Your skin! It's all leathery!" cried Twilight in shock. Junior's eyes slightly widened in response.
"Leathery?" asked Angirasu in confusion. Erika and Fluttershy immediately ran to Junior's side and inspected his neck. Junior cupped his hand over his neck and stood up from his seat.
"I-I gotta go!" said Junior as he stumbled away from the table.
"Wait, let us look at it! It could be serious!" said Twilight as she walked after Junior. The Transmutant stumbled to the door as he attempted to flee.
"No, I'm fine! I just gotta-" Junior was interrupted as Twilight latched herself onto his arm and started to pull him back.
"Let me look, darn it!" said Twilight. Junior looked at her in annoyance. He felt like he was being harassed by an ankle biting Chihuahua.
"Let me go, short stack!" said Junior. Twilight held on tighter.
"I'm not that short!" said Twilight in offense. She yelped as she felt herself lifted into the air. Junior held his arm high up as Twilight's legs dangled a couple feet above the ground. Junior gave her a glare.
"Let. Go," growled Junior. Twilight gulped nervously as she bore a sheepish smile. She released his arm and dropped back onto the ground next to him. She managed to catch Junior's rough patch of skin beginning to darken in color. Her eyes slightly widened in shock while Junior immediately left the club room. Erika and Fluttershy came at her side with looks of worry.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Erika.
"I don't know, but I'm afraid to ask," said Twilight with a frown. Rodan and Angirasu looked to each other. Both aware of the situation.
Meanwhile outside of the club room, Junior was rushing down the hall. He held a hand over his neck. He soon burst into the bathroom. The Transmutant looked under the bathroom stalls for any human presence. He verified that he was alone and quickly made his way to a sink and mirror to look his neck over. He gasped as he found the patch on his skin getting darker and developing into crocodile-like scales. The Transmutant repeatedly slapped his neck in a feeble attempt to stop his metamorphosis.
"Stop changing!" said Junior as he scratched at his neck to hopefully scrape the scales off. He winced as he felt himself being cut. Junior yelped as he spotted black claws replacing the nails on his right hand. He had scratched part of his normal skin near his jawline with those very claws.
"Shit!" said Junior as he fished for his phone and quickly began to call his mother. After a few seconds of waiting, she answered.
"Hello, ma. Listen, I'm going to be heading home early. I got a... A problem with my skin," said Junior, emphasizing his last sentence.
"No, you don't need to come get me. I'll just jog home," said Junior as he anxiously looked at his neck. The scales seemed to have stopped spreading.
"OK. Love you too," said Junior as he hung up. The Transmutant pulled his hood over to hide his scaly neck and made his way over to the bathroom door and peeked outside. He looked back and forth down the halls, finding them to be empty. Junior briskly came out of hiding and power walked through the hallways until he came across the exit of the school. As Junior walked out of the front entrance and passed the Wondercolt statue, a couple of nearby students were still present hanging out.
"Goji!" called a high pitched feminine voice. Junior immediately turned his head and found Pinkie Pie waving at him with a large grin on her face. Junior's face turned to dread as Pinkie approached him while Applejack and Rarity were present behind her by the Wondercolt statue. Without a second thought, Junior burst into a sprint away from the statue.
"What in the world?" asked Rarity in confusion as Junior ran away.
"Hey! Goji, wait!" cried Pinkie as she chased after Junior.
"Can't talk! I gotta get home!" replied Junior as he ran down the sidewalk. His eyes widened in shock as Pinkie quickly began to catch up to him. She was running at his side as her legs moved quickly to catch up with the Transmutant.
'For a girl that's chubby, she's pretty fast,' thought Junior in surprise.
"Let's hang out!" said Pinkie with a grin.
"No, I can't! I have to get home!" said Junior in annoyance as he sprinted harder.
"How come you're wearing your hood? It's not that cold and it's not raining," said Pinkie with a look of curiosity. Junior groaned in response.
"I just am! Please, stop following-" Junior was interrupted as he collided into someone in his path. The Transmutant grunted as he fell on top of the pedestrian, with Pinkie skidding to a halt. Junior panted as he shakily raised himself up to his hands and knees. His eyes widened as he found Mosura moaning in pain as she rubbed her forehead.
"Ow..." said Mosura as she opened an eye. She suddenly went stiff as her eyes widened in shock as she found Junior over her body. Her face began to feel hot with embarrassment as she found herself pinned beneath the boy.
"Sorry!" said Junior as he quickly shot up to his feet with a nervous smile. Pinkie bore a coy smile as she watched the scene. Mosura raised herself up onto her rear as she gave a small laugh.
"Oh, it's alright," said Mosura as she fidgeted with her hands over her lap. Junior cleared his throat as he held out his hand to her. Mosura smiled at him in response. As she was about to take his hand, she noticed that they were covered in dark scales. Mosura recoiled her hand with a shocked gasp while Pinkie yelped in fright. Junior's eyes widened in horror as he spotted the reptilian hand and quickly retracted it before he ran off.
"Gojira! Gojira, wait!" cried Mosura as she shot up to her feet and ran after Junior. Pinkie remained still as she watched the two leave with wide eyes.
Junior continued to run home with all of the speed that he could muster. Too many people witnessed his partial transformation. No doubt they would tell everyone at school about this. Junior panted as he stopped around a corner. He looked back and found that Mosura was nowhere to be seen. He had managed to give her the slip. Junior sighed heavily as he continued to walk the rest of the way back home. He cursed the broken inhibitor chip that resided in his body. It didn’t help that had no clue on how to repress his transformation, since there were not any Transmutants that he knew were old enough to know how. The ones that he knew had all been born with these chips in their bodies, so they would suffer the same problem. The worst scenario out of this situation would be for Junior to fully transform. He would surely be killed or apprehended by MONARCH. Junior sighed heavily at the thought.
"I wish you were here, dad," said Junior in a solemn tone. He eventually came to his home. The Transmutant unlocked the door to his home and made his way inside. He sluggishly shut the door and dropped down on the sofa with a tired sigh. He then brought his hand up to find it back to normal. Not a single scale or rough patch of skin in sight. No claws either for that matter. Junior then closed his eyes, hoping to sleep off this stress. How lucky he felt that he finished his homework earlier during lunch.