Shy and Aggressive: Book 2

by Johng117

Chapter 6: On The Wrong Side of The Bed

Adagio was sleeping soundly. The sun was rising, casting its morning light into the tent. The girl felt warmth against her back, and an arm draped over her. The girl snuggled against the warmth that was on her, under the embrace of the covers.

Adagio's brows crinkled as she felt something uncomfortable against her. Her eyes shot wide as it poked her from behind. Her face flushed as she glanced behind herself as something pressed against her rear. Adagio gulped as she cupped her mouth, suppressing the flustered sounds that rose out of her. As Junior moved behind her, the more she felt it press against her. She slowly reached behind herself to push him away. But as she got around to her rear, she felt his thigh.

"Oh..." Adagio scowled. She had felt that Junior's knee was pressing against her rear. She snorted to herself as she turned, finding the boy sound asleep. His left knee was raised and pointed outward towards her.

'Geez. Don't surprise a gal like that,' thought Adagio, blushing in embarrassment. She began to stretch, but winced as her arm felt sore. She looked to her arm, finding where she was poisoned. Her normal color complexion had returned. She turned back to Junior, who still lied asleep. The girl lied back down and wrapped an arm around Junior, running her fingers through his hair, a small smile on her face.

"Hey, Adagio. Are you-" Aria stepped into the tent but froze. Her eyes widened as she found Adagio lying next to Junior. The curly haired Dazzling retracted her hand as a look of alarm was on her face.

"What the hell is he doing in here?!" asked Aria incredulously.

"Shh! You're gonna wake him!" hissed Adagio.

"You know the others were looking for him, right?" deadpanned Aria.

"Nothing I can do about that. He came to see me and fell asleep," retorted Adagio. Aria scoffed.

"Both of you better not have been acting freaky," said Aria with a glare.

"Oh shut up! Where are my clothes?" asked Adagio, as she got up and began to look around. She found that her clothes were resting in the corner.

"You were just sleeping with him half naked. You're worried about modesty all of the sudden?" asked Aria.

"I have to use the bathroom. Besides, I'm not that kind of girl," said Adagio, pulling up her tights to her waist.

"Could've fooled me," said Aria. Adagio glared at her sister as she placed on her romper.

"Whatever. What's Sonata doing?" asked Adagio as she placed her hair in its band.

"She's helping with finding the others. They were going to get Gojira but couldn't find him. Mosura assumed he was sleeping somewhere still so she asked me to keep an eye out," said Aria, glancing at the sleeping boy. Adagio winced.

"Shoot. He seemed really determined to find them, too," said Adagio to herself.

"Well in any case, I should catch you up to speed while the others are away. Come on, let's get something to eat," said Aria as she walked out of the tent. Adagio placed on her ankle boots and followed. But she stopped and knelt beside Junior. She planted a kiss on his head.

"Sweet dreams, Goji," whispered Adagio. She quickly left the tent, leaving the boy to stir in his sleep.

Later that morning, Adagio found the Iwi going about their village. This was the first time that she had ever had a good look at this place during the day. It was actually quite incredible to behold. The grand walls that surrounded the land, the river that ran passed the frontal wall and through the side of the landscape, the greenery and the other structures made by the natives.

"I see you're doing better," said a familiar voice. Adagio turned to find Dwan to be standing by, with her hand on her hip. Adagio's mood began to sour at the sight of her.

"Oh, it's just you," said Adagio. Dwan scoffed with an offended look.

"Hey, be more grateful! I was the one who told The Healer that you needed help, after all," said Dwan.

"Oh yeah, sure. You were a big help," said Adagio sarcastically. Dwan growled.

"God, you're just as much of a bitch as I remember!" said Dwan.

"You haven't even been gone for that long!" said Adagio in annoyance. She shook her head as she looked around.

"Where's everyone else?" asked Adagio.

"In the jungle. They're looking for the rest of your friends," said Dwan.

"You know, they're not really my friends," said Adagio as she crossed her arms, indifference in her tone.

"Wow. That's harsh," said Dwan in disbelief.

"I'm just being honest. It doesn't mean that I don't care what happens to them. It'd crush Goji if the worse happened," said Adagio. Dwan looked at the girl suspiciously.

"Are you sure you two weren't an item?" asked Dwan.

"No, of course not. We're just friends. Who I happen to flirt with for the fun of it," said Adagio with a smirk.

"Oh yeah? Well I heard that there was bad blood between you. Something about games being played?" Dwan said, her tone thoughtful, though she smirked at Adagio, whose brows furrowed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Adagio, turning away.

"Heh. Poor guy. Lemme guess, he actually thought you were interested in him but was heartbroken when he figured you out. What's that make? Like, 12 guys that thought you were serious?" asked Dwan. Adagio turned to her, her expression hard.

"Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but none of that is your business! You need to stay away from him!" said Adagio with a glare.

"Aw. What's wrong? Afraid that he'd like me more than you?" asked Dwan in a mocking tone. She brushed her fingers against her short hair.

"I already got him wrapped around my little finger since you were out," said Dwan. Adagio scoffed with an amused look.

"Bullshit, Dwan. I saw how he was acting when you were flirting with him the first day. He was turned off to the point where I bet that you thought he was gay," said Adagio with a smirk. Dwan looked at her in annoyance.

"You see, Goji's not like those sleazebags back at home. I can tell that he has a taste for more wholesome girls. I barely succeed with my flirting with him, myself. But man, I think you're losing your touch. Or you're a one trick pony. Or maybe you're just a trick," said Adagio with a snicker. Dwan glared at her.

"Fuck you," said Dwan.

"You wish," said Adagio as she perked her lips and made a smooch sound.

"Ugh." Dwan walked off in disgust. Adagio smirked as she crossed her arms, enjoying the victory of today's battle. Just like old times.

Though, Adagio began to think back to the conversation. About how Dwan was trying to get into her head by hinting at that she talked with Junior while she was out. She could only imagine what their conversation entailed. But if she knew that there was unresolved issues with them before, then she was trying to exploit that. While Adagio knew her game well and wasn't easy to fall for her tricks, she couldn't help but feel saddened. To think that things had gotten bad by a stupid mistake she made. He thought that she was playing games with him. But that wasn't the case. At first, sure. Adagio enjoyed getting him to react with her flirting, and would escalate to there. But he was almost resistant to it and treated her differently than the guys in Applewood.

Adagio looked back on her life. She was thought as easy, what with her flirting. But she never went on dates with those guys, or even girls for that matter. Adagio wouldn't consider going out with people who thought so little of her. When she met Junior, she figured he wouldn't be any different. But as time went on, she saw that he had some genuine care for her. Even going as far as to deflecting her flirts, no matter how tempting she may have been. Hell, he even confronted her about why she flirts with him. It was a surprise, yet she liked it. She never met anyone who was direct like that.

As time went on, Adagio began to realize something. It was what drove her to pull that stupid stunt with him. And why she just started carelessly using her power, without considering the consequences. Looking back at it clearly caused the girl's heart to weigh heavily.

---

Meanwhile...

Twilight Sparkle was walking alongside her friends in silence. A guard was escorting them through the village and to the house of Lord Grunge.

"What do you think he wants?" whispered Rainbow.

"He's probably angry because we interfered with the tax collectors," whispered Twilight, looking at Rainbow in annoyance.

"Hey, we were just trying to do the right thing!" whispered Rainbow, defensively.

"Well these people must have a completely different view of right and wrong," said Twilight. Along the way, the teens noticed that some of the villagers that they passed by gave them friendly waves, smiles and greetings. Rainbow scoffed as she waved back, while Applejack sheepishly smiled.

"At least these people appreciated it," said Rainbow. Twilight shook her head. She couldn't fault Rainbow and Applejack for acting. Most people would if they could. But she feared that they may have gotten themselves into a heap of trouble. Whatever Grunge wanted, it couldn't be good.

The girls were led by the guard into the home of the lord of this land. They were led through the hall of the house and into a familiar room. Grunge was staring out the window. His back was turned to the girls.

"You... wanted to see us?" asked Twilight, timidly. Her heart was racing from her anxiety. The others were growing nervous themselves.

"You've done the most daring thing one could do in this town. Also quite foolish," said Grunge.

"Sir, let me just apologize for what happened," said Twilight, stepping forward. Rainbow looked at her incredulously.

"You invited us to stay but we disrespected you and your hospitality by causing trouble. And we're sorry for that," said Twilight. Rainbow hardened her expression.

"What you've done is far more offensive. You attacked Royal guards and men employed by the Empress. The penalty is steep," said Grunge as he kept staring out the window.

"Please, have mercy on our friends! And maybe the rest of us too. We'll just get out of your hair and we can pretend we never ran into each other," said Rarity with a nervous smile.

"Are you kidding?!" asked Rainbow. Twilight and Rarity sent her a glare.

"Rainbow! Shh!" hissed Twilight.

"Don't shush me! We didn't do anything wrong!" said Rainbow. She turned to grunge with her brows furrowed.

"Listen up, old timer! I wasn't going to stand around and let those people get killed!" said Rainbow.

"Darling, would you please shut up? This is bad enough already," said Rarity as she leaned close to the tomboy. Her tone nervous but a forced smile on her face.

"No, I agree with Dash," said Applejack. Rarity grunted as Twilight grimaced.

"Mister, where I'm from, we look after our neighbors. Now you say what we did is against the law, but we were focused on saving people from injustice. If that makes us criminals, then I rather be locked up then to let good people die," said Applejack. Twilight and Rarity trembled nervously as Grunge said nothing.

"I see," said Grunge. He turned to face the girls with a smile.

"Then you won't mind doing me one last favor before going on your way," said Grunge. The girls stood with confused and surprised expressions.

"You're letting us go?" asked Rainbow.

"Well you can't stick around here anymore. The empress will send more men here to arrest you herself," said Grunge.

"But I thought... Wait, why are you letting us go? In fact, why didn't you have the guards arrest us yourself?" asked Twilight, a look of suspicion on her face.

"Because I loathe the Empress," said Grunge with a shrug.

"Huh. Good enough for me," said Rainbow. Grunge pointed out the window.

"This land used to be under another kingdom. However, given the distance from the capital, and the expansion of the Dogomite Empire, we were abandoned," said Grunge, staring off to the distant jungle beyond the town.

"We were defenseless, we lacked the man power and resources to fend off the barbarians and the monsters from the jungle. We had no choice but to pledge our loyalty to the Dogomites," said Grunge as he turned to the girls.

"We were allowed to keep most of our Sacramentonian culture, but we are forced to done their flag, their rules, and pay our dues," said Grunge, solemn.

"That explains the high taxes. Something tells me that the Empire doesn't like you guys very much," said Rainbow.

"The Sacramentonians and Dogomites have been rival nations for many years. I believe the reason that they have these high taxes is just to make an excuse to reduce our numbers. There's much they do that doesn't make sense," said Grunge.

"That's horrible," said Rarity, a hand over her mouth.

"It is what it is. We just try to live the best we can," said Grunge as he stepped over to a table, pouring himself wine.

"So, we really have to leave?" asked Pinkie, a bit saddened. She was just starting to like this place.

"If you wish to live, then yes. Please understand. I would allow you to stay, but I am already less than favorable to her majesty. I need to be around for my people," said Grunge.

"We understand, your Lordship," said Twilight with a nod.

"You mentioned that you had a favor before we left?" asked Applejack.

"Indeed. The family you saved is marked. Their heads will fly for not paying their taxes or offering a tribute, which is why I'm sending escorts to help them reach the safest Sacramentonian settlement. They'll be safe there and may have a chance to start over," said Grunge. He turned to the girls.

"I ask that you accompany them. They may benefit from your skills," said Grunge. The girls looked to each other briefly.

"Can we have a moment?" asked Twilight.

"Of course. Please, take your time," said Grunge as he turned away to his table. The girls began to huddle.

"I told you there'd be consequences," said Twilight.

"Hey, I'm not gonna apologize for standing up to the bad guys," said Rainbow in annoyance.

"Well now we have to leave! Who knows how far we'll be from the others!" said Twilight.

"We can try going for the mountains again. Maybe that's where they are," suggested Rarity.

"You want to go back into the jungle?! We barely survived!" said Pinkie.

"Hold on, ya'll. The reason why those people are forced to leave is because of us. Dash and I can go with the escort and y'all can head for the mountains," said Applejack.

"Out of the question! We can't afford to keep splitting up at a time like this. We stay together," said Twilight.

"Then let's help that family get to the Sacra- Whatever they called it, Kingdom," said Rainbow.

"Rainbow, they could be looking for us! What if they happen to stumble here and we're miles away?" asked Twilight.

"Simple! Grunge can tell them where we are! They can wait for us and we swing back for a quick peek, and bam! We're together again!" said Rainbow. Twilight sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She wondered how they ended up in this situation.

"Twi, we can't stick around here anyway. Besides, maybe we'll find a way to navigate the jungle safely," said Applejack. Twilight grimaced. She didn't like the thought of moving farther away from their friends. But right now they had little options. Currently, the forest was too dangerous for them to travel in on their own.

"Fine," said Twilight. The girls broke their huddle.

"Grunge, we accept," said Twilight. Grunge smiled.

"Excellent. You are to depart this afternoon. For now, accept this," said Grunge as he stepped over to a wall. He pressed his hand against a panel, causing the wall to slide open. He reached inside, as he drew out coin purse. He proceeded to place gold coins inside, filling it up to where you could throw it like a baseball, but it'd hurt more. He filled another purse as well. He brought the purses and handed them to Twilight.

"You will need supplies on your journey. Don't spend it all on one place," said Grunge. The girls smiled brightly in response.

---

Kong walked along a hill in silence. The wind blew against his hair as he stood over a ledge, finding the late morning sun in the air. In the distance, pteranodons soared in the distance.

Kong looked back, finding Angirasu to be panting as he climbed the steep hill. He grabbed the stones on the ground to help himself climb. He soon stood up, looking over the vast green land.

"Behold, my kingdom," said Kong, gesturing out to the wilderness. Angirasu looked on in awe as the wind blew his hair.

"Incredible. You rule this entire jungle?" asked Angirasu.

"I rule only what surrounds these safe mountains. I cannot afford to journey too far from the Iwi," said Kong.

"Still, this is one heck of a view," said Angirasu. A smile was on his face.

"It's funny. Even the dangerous things and places have some kind of beauty to them," said Angirasu.

"It's true. Which is why I try to protect it," said Kong.

"So you guys never adventured farther away?" asked Angirasu.

"There's no need. We have all that we ever need, here," said Kong. He took a seat on the ground, prompting Angirasu to do the same. A gentle breeze blew against them.

"Hey, how was it that we changed back into our human forms? I barely even know how to change, yet you guys forced us to change back," said Angirasu.

"There is a plant that has the capability of weakening us. I have no idea how it works or why, but the Iwi knew about it for some time. Their ancestors used it against the wicked demi Titans," said Kong.

"Before you were around, huh?" asked Angirasu.

"Yes," nodded Kong. Angirasu sighed.

"They say that our kind don't develop properly because they take away our ability to transform. I don't see the point of teaching us defected Transmutants," said Angirasu.

"What you don't know, you can learn," said Kong, placing a hand on Angirasu's shoulder.

"You are only holding yourself back with thoughts of fear. I can see it in you, as well as your friends," said Kong.

"Well, where we're from, we have a lot to fear. Our kind isn't welcomed in our world. They see all of us as monsters and forced us to be under them in society," said Angirasu, his eyes looking down.

"You're giving into the fear, that’s the problem. When you do, you find yourself unable to act, or making rash decisions, or not acting with reason. You must control and temper that. Only then, can you control the beast within you," said Kong. He stood up and waved to Angirasu to follow.

"Walk with me," said Kong. Angirasu groaned as he got back up.

"We're going back down already?" complained Angirasu.

"It's the way of being a guardian to these people. You must always be on the move, looking for that which threatens the natural order," said Kong.

"The Skull Crawlers are a threat to a natural order? Can you tell me more about them?" Asked Angirasu as the two began to walk down the hill.

"I'll tell you what I know. These demons were ancient foes against the Kongs. This rivalry was because of their fallen state," said Kong. Angirasu raised a brow.

"Fallen? As in what way?" asked Angirasu.

"The Skull Crawlers were damned to be in a constant state of starvation. They rarely rest and they are always searching for food. I don't know why they're this way. They threaten all of life in the world. I guess that's why the Kong's were here to fight them," said Kong as he and Angirasu traveled down the hill further.

"An appetite that can never be satisfied. I wonder if Rodan or Erika would make a biblical reference to these things," said Angirasu.

"Sometimes when I've killed enough, they go into hiding and go into some sort of hibernation. It slows their hunger enough to where they can hide out," said Kong as the two were close to the bottom of the hill. Angirasu gasped as he slipped but kept his footing. He sighed in relief as he carefully moved on.

"If they're so dangerous, have you considered hunting them into extinction while they're hibernating?" asked Angirasu.

"Believe me, I'd like nothing more than to eliminate every single one of these serpents. But they hold out near with a much larger one," said Kong. Angirasu grimaced.

"How... big are we talking?" asked Angirasu, reluctant to know.

"Enormous. It's almost as old as the old gods," answered Kong. Angirasu gulped. He could imagine just how horrifying such a creature would be.

"It's far from the Iwi and is in a slumbering state. I choose not to risk going after their nests closest to the Alpha. I sometimes clear out burrows closer to the Iwi but will leave the rest. So long as nothing wakes them, they're no threat," said Kong. He then looked back at the teen.

"Though a stampede is enough to stir any hidden pockets awake," said Kong. Angirasu grimaced.

"Sorry about that. We have no idea what happened. A bunch of predators just spooked our rides," said Angirasu.

"Well, once you learn to control yourself, you can make up for it by helping me on the hunt," said Kong. Angirasu nodded.

"Alright. When do we begin?" asked Angirasu.

"Now," said Kong as the two reached the bottom. He turned to face Angirasu.

"You must transform yourself," said Kong. Angirasu bore a reluctant look.

"I've never changed at will. The couple of times I did, I was threatened," said Angirasu.

"As I said, you must not give into fear. Because you've never changed out of your own will, you have no ability to control yourself as you are now," said Kong. He raised his hand with a firm expression.

"Focus. No fear. No dread," said Kong. Angirasu sighed as he took a breath. He closed his eyes as he felt his body aching. He muttered to himself as he grunted. His skin began to grow irritated. He felt a wave anxiety over him as he began to morph. Memories of his nightmares flooded his mind. Angirasu fleeing from the shadowy monster that haunted him. The boy snarled he collapsed to his hands and knees.

Angirasu recalled the pain that he's been put through. The fear of MONARCH one day hauling him away and locking him in the Vault. The memory of being lost in a mindless state against unfamiliar creatures and Transmutants. The drive to fight overpowering any human thought. These memories flooded his mind as he changed.

Angirasu wailed as he was in his alternate form. His slammed his tail onto the earth and thrashed. His eyes were bloodshot as his humanity was overcome by the beast. Before he could move, he was suddenly slammed to the ground. He snarled but was met with a plume of dust from Kong. Angirasu sneezed as he inhaled the dust and began to graze his head in the dirt. He began to slowly change back to normal. He winced as he rubbed his nose.

"Ugh. Why does my nose-" Angirasu found Kong looking down at him. He sighed in disappointment.

"Damn. Guess I didn't do it right," said Angirasu. Kong tossed him a robe that he had rolled up at his side. Angirasu took it to cover himself.

"We'll just have to keep trying until you do," said Kong. Angirasu sighed with a nod.

---

It was the afternoon. Junior's eyes began to open. His sight was a blur as the sleep forced his eye lids to flutter close. He found himself drifting back to sleep again. His body demanded he continued to rest, given his lack of sleep from the past couple of days.

Junior found himself standing in the quad of his school. The air was chilly, and quiet. No one was around except he and Twilight. The girl bore a weak and apologetic smile as she held a hand out to him. Junior merely stared at her, his brows furrowed. He looked down at her hand and found a familiar sheet of paper. The boy suddenly hardened his expression.

Junior snatched the paper from her hand. He began to tear it apart viciously, as rage burned in his eyes. That paper was an affront to his sight. He wanted it away from him. He wished that he never saw it in the first place. Junior then scattered the pieces, which were caught in the wind. They began to blow off to a cold dark abyss beyond the quad. The abyss seemed to have grown, slowly encroaching the walls.

Twilight bore a teary eyed expression as she stared at Junior. The boy kept a hard expression, despite the shedding of tears. Junior thought she had no reason to cry. After all, she brought it on herself. Junior turned and began to walk away. However, he stumbled as he felt his arm tugged.

Junior turned to find Twilight clinging to his arm. She looked up at him with a desperate look. Her eyes pleaded to him not to leave. But Junior's heart had hardened. He wanted her to go away, to leave his sight. Junior began to pull his arm but Twilight still kept a tight hold. It was almost impossible to pry her off.

Junior grunted as he forced his hand against her as to push her off. The girl whimpered as she held on, keeping a tight hold. She just wouldn't let up. Junior wondered why she wasn't this way when he needed her. Why did she turn him away?

Junior gave a cry as he pushed Twilight to the ground. He was panting as he walked off. He could hear her sobs as he walked further away. But her voice echoed around him. He was unable to escape.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Twilight's voice called out to him. Junior gritted his teeth angrily. He turned to find Twilight on her knees and hands. Junior stormed back to her.

"You're sorry?! For turning on me?! For not hearing my side of the story?! It's not gonna cut it!" said Junior angrily. He shook his head as he looked down on Twilight.

"Just go away. I never want to see you again," said Junior, disdain on his tongue. Twilight slowly raised her head. Her eyes were cold and dead. The air grew colder as the area around them began to decay.

"It's OK. You won't," said Twilight, her voice hollow. Junior watched as Twilight began to decay before his eyes, turning to dust that blew in the howling wind.

Junior gasped as he shot up. His eyes were wide and alert. He was sweating profusely as his heart rate spiked. Junior panted as his eyes darted around. Junior rubbed his hand against his face with a shudder.

"Fuck," said Junior to himself. He gasped as he found the daylight to have been the tone of the afternoon. Junior quickly got up and rushed outside. He ran through the Iwi camp, startling some of the natives. Junior was looking around in a panic. No one he knew seemed to be in sight. He began to run towards the wall, the nightmare still fresh in his mind. He didn't mean what he said to Twilight. He didn't want her to go away. He wanted her and the others back, safe and sound.

"Kong! Kong, where the hell are you?!" shouted Junior as he stopped.

"Gojira?" called a familiar voice. Junior turned and found the Dazzlings to be kneeling by the river that flowed into the area. They bore baskets filled with clothes.

"What's wrong?" asked Adagio as she stood up to face the boy. Junior rushed to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. Adagio gave a pained and startled gasp.

"Where are the others?! How long have I been asleep?!" asked Junior frantically. Aria stared with wide eyes as Sonata cupped her mouth in worry.

"They left hours ago. You've been asleep all day," said Adagio. She began to grow frightened. Junior had a crazed look in his eyes as he looked ragged.

"They left without me?!" cried Junior. Adagio recoiled.

"Y-Yeah," answered Adagio. Junior released her and began to rush to the wall.

"Wait, where are you going?!" asked Aria.

"I need to go find them!" said Junior as he made his way to the side entrance. He stopped as he found Kong and Angirasu entering. Junior looked passed them.

"Where are the others?" asked Junior urgently.

"The others? We weren't with them," said Angirasu. Junior looked at him incredulously as the Dazzlings came over to them.

"What do you mean you weren't with them?! We're supposed to be looking for the rest of the girls!" said Junior. Angirasu recoiled at his tone.

"Gojira, I was with Kong learning how to control myself. Mosu and the rest are looking for them," said Angirasu. Junior glared at him angrily.

"Who gives a shit about that?! Why weren't you out there looking for them?!" demanded Junior. Angirasu glared back at him.

"Hey, you have no right to be pissed at me! You were the one sleeping all day! Mosu was looking for you and decided to let you rest longer!" said Angirasu.

"Hmph. Maybe he needs a longer nap," muttered Aria. Junior turned and glared at her.

"Shut up, Aria!" snapped Junior. Sonata recoiled while Aria glared back at him.

"Hey, take it easy!" said Adagio in disapproval.

"Yeah, you're acting like a fucking lunatic, dude!" said Aria.

"My friends are out there and I'm not there! What do you want me to do?!" yelled Junior.

"How about not give me shit for trying to learn to control my mutantism. Something we all should be doing!" said Angirasu. Junior groaned in exasperation.

"Whatever! Do what you want!" said Junior as he began to walk to the exit. Kong got in his path with a hard expression.

"What do you think you're doing?" questioned Kong.

"Get out of my way, Mighty Joe Young! I'm going to find Twilight and the others! This time I'm going farther from this place!" said Junior with a glare.

"Gojira, no!" cried Sonata in alarm.

"You can't leave. Night fall will be approaching and no one will accompany you at evening," warned Kong. Junior growled.

"Buddy, I've tried going your way, but it's not working! Now move!" Said Junior as he attempted to walk passed Kong. However, the man merely forced his hand against his shoulder, pushing Junior back. Junior felt his skin growing irritated as his blood began to boil.

"I've been itching to hit someone," said Junior as he popped his knuckles. The girls bore alarmed looks. Kong furrowed his brows as Junior approached. However, Angirasu got in Junior's path.

"Get out of my way, Angirasu," growled Junior. Angirasu stood his ground, holding a hard expression.

"That's enough, Gojira! If you want to hit someone, then come at me," said Angirasu. Junior growled as he clenched his fists. He was wasting time here. They needed him. He had to find the girls, or else his nightmare will be a reality.

"Baby, I know things seem bad~," sang Adagio. Junior turned and found the girl slowly approaching as her expression was soft.

"Seeing you this way makes me feel sad~. I know you're fearful~," sang Adagio as her eyes softly flashed. Junior furrowed his brows. Adagio turned to her sisters and made quick hand gestures. Aria and Sonata glanced at each other and began to vocalize.

"I know you don't mean what you say~. I know what's making you feel this way~. Baby, just don't leave~," sang Adagio.

"Please don't leave~," sang Sonata and Aria in unison.

Junior's expression began to soften. He felt his racing heart beginning to settle, as the power from the music began to affect him. This wasn't like what he felt when Adagio used her power on him. This felt different. The boy began to feel weak as his reptilian eyes reverted to normal. His skin softened as his nerves settled. He felt his eyes growing heavy.

Angirasu watched in shock as Kong stood silently. Junior began to sway as his knees grew weak. Before he could collapse, Adagio caught him and held him.

"Sleep, for a better tomorrow~. Forget your sorrow~." Adagio softly sang. Junior sighed as his eyes closed. His breaths soft.

"What did you just do?" asked Angirasu incredulously.

"I gave him a lullaby, obviously," whispered Adagio as she got on her knees and lied Junior's head down on her lap.

"I didn't know we could do that," said Aria in shock.

"Me neither. I just took a gamble. There's probably a lot about our powers we don't know. Something we should've learned," said Adagio with a frown as she caressed Junior's head.

"Is he going to be OK? He was really..." Sonata looked down as she tried to think of a way to put her thoughts down kindly.

"He was acting like a nut!" said Aria. Adagio shushed her with a glare, prompting Aria to cross her arms with a scowl.

"I'm sorry about this, Kong. I swear he's not normally this hostile," said Angirasu, though he realized that he implied that Junior was typically hostile. That wasn't going to look good for vouching.

"He's an undisciplined and untempered fool. See to it that he doesn't disrupt the peace anymore." Kong merely walked off. Angirasu frowned as he lowered his head, while Adagio shot Kong a glare.

Later that evening, Junior was lying inside of a hut alone. He was sleeping soundly. Meanwhile, the remaining Main 7, the Dazzlings and Transmutants were outside, sitting around a fire pit.

"Still no luck. It's starting to feel hopeless," sighed Sunset as she held her knees.

"Not to mention that the Iwi are reluctant to traverse certain areas in the jungle," said Mosura. Rodan bore a cold and almost dead eyed look. Aria stared as a look of discomfort was on her face. She wanted to say something but couldn't muster the courage to speak. He seemed to be looking worse.

"Guys, we should probably tell you," said Adagio. Everyone excluding her sisters and Angirasu looked to her in confusion.

"There was a bit of an incident earlier with Gojira," said Adagio.

"Is he OK?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"I don't know. He woke up this afternoon and started freaking out. I think he was angry that you guys left him," said Adagio.

"Yeah, because he's not getting enough sleep. We left him so he could rest properly," said Mosura.

"Mosura, you know that he wants to find the others as much as you. He probably didn't think of that," said Adagio. Mosura slightly narrowed her eyes.

"So what happened?" Asked Mosura.

"What?" Asked Adagio, confused.

"He seemed pretty serious about going off on his own the last time I spoke to him. How'd you convince him not to leave?" Asked Mosura.

"I uh... I never said he was trying to leave. He just got angry," said Adagio awkwardly. Though she began to grow nervous.

"Then why would you bring it up if it's all that is?" Asked Mosura.

"Uh... Come on, you've seen him angry right? He gets kinda scary," said Adagio with a nervous smile. Mosura narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She glanced at Sonata and Aria, who avoided eye contact with her.

"Hey guys! What's going..." Dwan trailed off as she stepped over to the group. She felt the tension in the air.

"Did I miss something?" Asked Dwan.

"Adagio..." Mosura spoke in a low tone.

"I didn't-" Adagio gasped as Mosura abruptly stood up. The mutant stepped over to her and firmly planted her hands on Adagio's temples. Mosura briefly closed her eyes, as Adagio gulped nervously.

"Fill me in. What's happening?" Whispered Dwan.

"Mosura has psychic abilities as a Transmutant. I think she's using telepathy," whispered Angirasu.

"Really? Neat," whispered Dwan.

"That liar..." Mosura growled as she had visions of Adagio's memories. She bore witness to Junior attempting to go off on his own. Thus breaking his promise to her.

"Mosu-" Adagio spoke up but was immediately shushed by Mosura. The mutant shot her eyes open. They burned with anger. She released Adagio and took a step back.

"You- You're unbelievable!" said Mosura.

"Wait, let me explain!" said Adagio as she stood up.

"What? What'd you see?" asked Sunset.

"Well for one, I saw that Gojira was about to fight Kong and Angirasu just to go out into the forest on his own!" said Mosura. Sunset's eyes widened in alarm.

"He what?" asked Sunset incredulously.

"And I just found out that they used their magic on him!" said Mosura, pointing to the Dazzlings. The sisters recoiled and were met with a glare from Sunset, while Fluttershy frowned.

"Well what were we supposed to do? He was losing his shit! If we-" Aria spoke up but Mosura groaned, scratching at her head in irritation.

"I can't- I need to go before I do something I regret!" said Mosura, storming off away from the camp.

"Magic? What?" asked Dwan in confusion.

"They have a magic ability to bewitch people through song. I know from first hand," said Angirasu, glaring at Sonata, who shrank back with a frown.

"Seriously?" asked Dwan. She snickered to herself as she glanced at Adagio, recalling what she heard from Junior.

"I guess by 'playing games', he meant 'mind games'," said Dwan. Adagio narrowed her eyes at her rival. Dwan sighed, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Using magic tricks to get a guy's attention. You're pathetic," said Dwan.

"Shut up, Dwan!" said Adagio, before storming off. It wasn't right. She just managed to patch things up with Junior, but now Mosura thought she did something wrong. It didn't help that Dwan was rubbing salt into an old wound. She had to fix this quick. Adagio took notice of Mosura pacing about, muttering something to herself. Her face was red with anger. Adagio gulped.

"Mosura... I-"

"Shut your mouth," said Mosura in a harsh tone. Adagio recoiled as the girl looked to her with hate filled eyes. The mutant turned to fully face Adagio and approached.

"Let's get one thing straight, Adagio Dazzle. I don't like you," said Mosura in a cold tone.

"I... think you made it clear prior," said Adagio. She gasped as Mosura was suddenly in her face.

"You think this is a joke? As far as I'm concerned, you're a pain the ass! What you pulled with Gojira before was unacceptable. And now you did it again?!" demanded Mosura. Adagio shook her head.

"No! It's not what you think!" cried Adagio.

"I don't believe you! You're a shifty brat! I don't know why Goji tolerates you!" said Mosura angrily.

"Wait, are you jealous?" asked Adagio with a soft expression. Mosura growled.

"What difference does it make?! The point is, I don't ever want to see you alone with him, again!" said Mosura. Adagio glared at her.

"Who're you to dictate that to me? You're not his girlfriend! He can make his own decisions!" said Adagio. Mosura grabbed her by her jacket and yanked her close. Adagio trembled fearfully as Mosura glared at her.

"Don't test me. I may seem nice, but I can be a real bitch," said Mosura, venom in her tone. She pushed the girl back and stormed off. She passed the rest of the teens who just arrived.

"Mosura, wait! I was just helping him!" cried Adagio. She watched as the girl left, while the rest of teens stared. Sunset sighed as shook her head.

"I wished you listened," said Sunset as she walked off. Adagio deeply frowned as she left as well. Fluttershy turned to Adagio, her expression soft.

"Well?" asked Adagio.

"Thank you... for taking care of him while we were gone," said Fluttershy as she walked off. Adagio lowered her head while Sonata joined her side.

"Let's head to bed," said Sonata as she walked with Adagio away from the remaining teens. Angirasu, Aria and Rodan remained.

"It's like we're all falling apart..." said Rodan, his frown deepening.

"Yeah..." said Angirasu with a nod.

"She was trying to help, you know," said Aria softly, glancing at Angirasu. The boy nodded.

"Yeah... I know," said Angirasu.

---

Later that evening, Angirasu was walking through the campsite. He bore a solemn expression. It seemed that his friends were becoming lost. It's like this world was bringing the worse out of everyone.

Angirasu nearly had to fight Junior. The guy who stood up for him when Spinner and his gang attacked him. The boy didn't know what was going to come out of it. He hated that they got into a confrontation such as that. Angirasu wondered if anything would be the same between them once he awakened.

Angirasu found Sunset Shimmer sitting outside her hut in silence. The girl bore a frown as Fluttershy and Mosura were resting inside. Curious, the boy made his way over to her.

"Sunset? What's wrong?" asked Angirasu. Sunset flinched as she heard him.

"Oh. You're still up too?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah. Just thought I'd look out for the others for a bit. Goji's out, so I thought I'd do that for him," said Angirasu. Sunset glanced at him.

"Aang, tell me the truth. Did what Mosura say really happen?" asked Sunset. Angirasu sighed as he took a seat.

"It's true. We almost got into a fight," admitted Angirasu. While he didn't want to get into it, Angirasu couldn't lie. He knew it'd likely make things worse and Sunset deserved to know. She was one of Junior's closest friends after all. Sunset deeply frowned in response.

"I was hoping it wasn't. What's happening?" asked Sunset.

"I guess... he's just worried as much as any of us. I know I am," said Angirasu. Sunset nodded in agreement.

"Still. Leaving on his own? I can't believe he'd be so stupid," said Sunset as she furrowed her brows.

"If anyone has the guts to do it, it'd be him. Granted it's not wise, but I can't help but admire him," said Angirasu. Sunset glanced at him.

"Goji always has this brave aura about himself. He's not afraid to fight and doesn't care what people think of him. I sometimes wish I could be like that. Not afraid," said Angirasu . He knew that all of his life, he was chained by fear. Fear that was perpetrated by his own mother after his father passed. Angirasu was envious of Junior. He wondered how his life would turn out if he had a fraction of what Junior had in his life. Maybe he'd be successful in controlling himself when transformed.

"You're wrong..." said Sunset. Angirasu looked at her in confusion. Sunset bore a deep frown as she stared at her knees.

"I think out of all of us, Goji's scared the most," said Sunset.

"What do you mean?" asked Angirasu. Sunset was about to answer but stopped. She knew it would be wrong to talk about Junior this way behind his back. Still, she didn't like what she sensed from him the last time her empathic abilities worked on him.

"Never mind. The guy just worries me. He's gotten hurt so bad so many times that I'm scared that... no, I'm not gonna say it. Erika always said that the tongue has a lot of power in it. I think that was a biblical quote or something," said Sunset with a sad smile.

"Don't worry about Gojira. I'll always have his back. Even if he tries to fight me," said Angirasu with a chuckle. Sunset shared the chuckle. She smiled warmly at Angirasu.

"It's good to know that he has friends as loyal as you and Rodan," said Sunset. Angirasu lightly blushed as he looked away with a smile.

Meanwhile, Aria was lying down on a mat in a hut, housing herself and her sisters. Sonata and Adagio were sound asleep, though Aria could make out the dry trails of tears on Adagio's sleeping face. Aria sighed to herself as she looked up to the wooden ceiling above. It seemed that every day, more conflict began to grow with the others. At this rate, Aria was betting that all of them would turn on her and her sisters. Friendship. She knew that was too good to be true, which is why she never got close with any of them. It was better that way.

Aria heard a voice in the air. She rose herself up with a confused look. The voice was distant, but still audible. Aria got up and placed on her boots. The girl proceeded to leave the hut, her blanket draped over her shoulders. She looked around for the voice that had brought her out.

Aria began to move away from the hut. As she did, she could hear the voice more. It was Rodan's. Aria walked further, nearing the river that flowed passed the village and through the land. The Dazzling stopped as she found the boy standing at the edge of the river, holding rocks.

"In his hands~. He's got the whole world, in his hands~," Rodan softly sang to himself as he tossed the rocks into the water.

"Rodan?" called Aria. Rodan quickly turned with a start, finding Aria.

"Sorry, did I wake you? I-I'll just go," said Rodan as he dropped the remaining rocks he had. Aria raised a hand.

"It's cool, I was already up," said Aria as she approached Rodan. Her expression softened as she looked into Rodan's eyes.

"Were you crying?" asked Aria. Rodan gave an embarrassed chuckle, looking away to hide his puffy eyes.

"Heh. It's lame, I know," said Rodan with a sniffle as he rubbed his eye. "I just get emotional reminiscing the past. I learned a lot of songs in Sunday school."

"Oh." Aria scratched her arm awkwardly.

"You uh... You were thinking about her?" asked Aria.

"She's all I can think about these days," answered Rodan.

"You really liked her, huh?" asked Aria.

"It's not just that. I loved her. I wanted to know more about Eliza. She was like the only girl that liked me too," said Rodan as he lowered his head. Aria said nothing. She didn't know what she could say, let alone what.

"I mean... I know we were completely different. More than what I thought possible. Still..." Rodan sniffled. Aria frowned.

"She was the one girl in the universe, literally, to like a loser like me. Now, she's gone. And it's my fault," said Rodan, shuddering.

"Rodan, you can't blame yourself for that. Things were crazy and the military was-"

"The military? I never said they killed her," said Rodan with a cold tone. Aria bore a confused look. Then, it clicked.

"Oh God," said Aria. She felt a chill in the air that froze her in place. Rodan turned back to the river and sat down in the grass. He took a pebble and tossed it back into the water.

"Now you know. Don't tell me it wasn't my fault again. If I hadn't gone after her, I wouldn't have..." Rodan began to tremble as a sob escaped his mouth. He brought his hand over his eyes and brows as he cried. During this, he realized the gravity of what he had done. It hadn't hit him immediately. He was stuck in a constant emotionless state, only for it to shatter once he was about to utter those words out loud. He killed Eliza. She was gone, and she was never coming back because of him.

As Rodan sobbed to himself, he felt an arm around him. Aria was sitting next to him as she draped the blanket over both of them as she brought his head to rest on her shoulder. As Rodan cried, Aria kept a firm expression. While she couldn't think of anything to say, she hoped that her actions could offer some kind of comfort.

---

It was the next morning. The cold air was brushing against the skin of Angirasu as he stood outside. He was holding a flat stone as he carefully picked off bits of cooked egg. The egg themselves were coated with some shredded spices that the Iwi tribe had gathered.

"Eat up kids. We got a big day ahead of us," said Ann as she passed over an egg filled stone to Aria. The rest of the teens, including Dwan were sitting around the smoking pit with breakfast.

"Say, where did you get the eggs? I notice the natives don't seem to raise chickens or anything," said Aria in curiosity.

"You're correct. The natives gather whatever they can that's edible. These eggs I think came from either some of the birds in the jungle or maybe some reptiles," said Ann. Fluttershy froze.

"These are fertilized?" asked Fluttershy as she pointed at her breakfast.

"Most likely," said Ann with a shrug. Fluttershy grimaced as she looked down.

"Mm. This tastes pretty good. Bet it's rich in protein," said Sunset. She noticed Junior to be making his way over.

"Morning, Goji," greeted Sunset.

"Morning." Junior awkwardly stood. Adagio was looking to the ground, while Mosura bore narrowed eyes. Fluttershy had a look of worry while Angirasu was stoic. Junior sighed as he looked to the ground.

"Aang... I uh.... Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday," sighed Junior. Shame was in his tone. "How I behaved was unacceptable. I shouldn't have taken out my emotions on you. Oh, and uh... you too, Aria," said Junior. Angirasu nodded.

"Apology accepted," said Angirasu. Aria sighed.

"Alright, fine. I guess I can let it go. But don't let it happen again," said Aria with a warning glare.

"I'll try not to," said Junior. Aria sighed.

"Alright, I guess that's good enough," said Aria with a soft smile.

"Are you hungry, dear?" asked Ann.

"Sure," said Junior. He noticed Fluttershy holding out her breakfast to him.

"You can have mine if you'd like," said Fluttershy with a warm smile.

"Thanks but aren't you gonna eat?" asked Junior.

"I can't bring myself to eat fertilized eggs. Sorry, Ms. Darrow," said Fluttershy as Junior took a seat next to her.

"Shy, you gotta eat. I mean, sometime along the line, you might have to eat meat or something with protein to survive. You might as well start now," said Junior as he took the egg covered stone from Fluttershy.

"I can't do that. I like animals too much," said Fluttershy with a frown. Junior sighed.

"Alright. You do you," said Junior as he began to eat. He noticed Mosura to be glancing at him with an icy stare. Junior felt some discomfort from this.

"So... what's on the agenda?" asked Junior.

"We're going to be expanding our search up north. Last night, Kong mentioned that a scout had found that there was a settlement beyond the jungle," said Ann. Junior's brows rose.

"Kong mentioned that?" asked Junior.

"Uh huh." Ann nodded in confirmation. Angirasu cleared his throat.

"Speaking of which. I'm gonna set out this search too. I'm going to be learning some more skills with Kong. Hopefully I can gain control of transformation. Hope that's fine with you," said Angirasu. Junior couldn't help but feel stung from the question. While he sensed no passive aggression from Angirasu, Junior couldn't help but feel guilt over yesterday.

"It's probably a good idea," said Junior in a small tone as he ate.

---

Twilight winced as she stirred awake. She sat up from a sleeping bag, finding her friends to be awakening, rolling up their own sleeping bags. The girl noticed a couple of lightly armored men to be conversing as they analyzed a map.

As Twilight took in her surroundings, she found that she was in the middle of vast flat land. Some bushes and shrubs were along the way, with some distant mountains. However, the area seemed mostly empty. Twilight yawned as she stretched. She proceeded to roll up her own sleeping bag, rubbing her tired eyes before placing on her glasses.

"Pick up the pace. We still have a long journey ahead of us," said one of the men. He proceeded to make his way over to the horses, which were standing up as their ears twitched.

The horses weren't like any that Twilight has ever seen. They bore zebra-like manes on their heads. They had horse-like tails, and large strong bodies. Unlike the horses in their world, these ones bore much thicker legs, from their shoulders and haunches down to their hooves. They bore dark coats, with light pattern spots on their coats.

A domesticated triceratops groaned as it stood up, shaking off its sleepiness. As one of the men hooked up the large reptile back up to a wagon, Twilight and the rest of the girls were placing the sleeping bags in the wagon.

"We've traveled so far already," said Twilight, looking back with a grimace. She could faintly make up a few distant mountains, as the morning sun rose.

"Hmph. If they're worried about time, I could've easily dashed us to where we're going," said Rainbow with a scoff.

"Bad idea. You never took along anything like a wagon on a run. You could end up killing us from the whiplash or the wagon could tip over and grind us into paste and dust from the speed," deadpanned Twilight. Rarity gulped.

"That's vivid..." said Rarity. Rainbow sighed in annoyance.

"Relax. Just enjoy the scenery of a new frontier," said Applejack. The girls began to board the wagon, as a second smaller wagon was towed by a single horse passed by. From the second wagon, the family that Rainbow and AJ stuck out their necks for was riding inside.

From the wagon of the girls, the guard that was related to the family approached. He had long since abandoned the dark heavy armor that he wore back in the village. Instead, he wore leather clothes, and some chainmail that was hidden beneath. He was a young man, with blonde brown hair. He took the reins. He sat himself at the front as he prompted the reptile that was connected to move forward. The journey had resumed. Twilight was sitting in the wagon as she looked over the map. It was a vast land, and she knew little about it. If they were going to survive, it might be a good idea to learn something.

"Um... Excuse me, sir," called Twilight. The guard glanced back at the teen.

"Call me, Leon," said the former guard.

"Leon. Could you tell us more about this land? Maybe the political climate," said Twilight. Rainbow groaned.

"Boring," said Rainbow.

"I'm not very savvy on the politics of the Dogomite Empire and the Sacramentonian Kingdom. But the empire is imperialistic in nature. It's been expanding its power and influence these last few decades by conquering neighboring kingdoms and subjugating the populace," said Leon, as the wagon was towed across the land. The rest of the girls turned their attention to the guard, who was giving them some insight on this new world.

"And the town we were at happened to be one of them?" asked Twilight.

"Indeed. It's not easy for us, but it's better than the capital," said Leon.

"What's so bad about the capital?" asked Rarity in confusion.

"I dare not speak of it. Just know it’s a hive of scum and villainy. Degenerates," spat Leon.

"Well, at least ya'll will be away from the Empire," said Applejack. Leon scoffed.

"We'd probably be better off back where we came from," said Leon.

"Why would you say that? You guys were gonna be executed!" said Rainbow incredulously.

"The winds carry the word that disaster is inevitable, between our nations" said Leon. The girls glanced at each other.

"Excuse me. I shouldn't be despairing. It's weakness," sighed Leon, holding a look of shame.

"Let's change the subject," said Applejack, forcing a smile

Comments

[Vendetta5756]

Amazing Chapter Johng i just got done re-reading the arrogance of man and your writing skills have really improved by a long shot since you've been focused on this story can't wait to read more.

[Johng117]

10417822
Thank you!
It's good to know that I've been getting better at this

[Kozy248]

"Don't test me. I may seem nice, but I can be a real bitch," said Mosura , venom in her tone. She pushed the girl back and stormed off. She passed the rest of the teens who just arrived.

Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed.

If she doesn’t like the fact that Gojira is concerned about them, then I don’t even know why she’s being so adamant about it.

Overall, it’s a great story, keep it up 👍🏾

Also, the fact that this story is getting great makes me want to make a story with these characters as well.. that is if I have your permission first..

[talontitanbane]

10418093
Oh gee it sounds kinda like the name of the chapter doesn't it?

[Nyxquinn]

Ugh i wished AJ didn't agree with RD in to going to this other place, they should focus on looking for the others, not playing Hero.

Anyways great story, loving it since the first one