Mechagodzilla: Shiryu

-12-

The first area that they chose to explore was the mystical one.

This place had all sorts of things that have not yet been discovered. Bioluminescent plants, as well as bacteria that made the water rivers glow with eerie colors, small trees that had some sort of their own movement like small plants, insects that thrived on such bioluminescence, and even more new creatures. Akane was now easily lost like those at the command center, and she gladly made Shiryu kneel down to scan the samples. The most interesting part was these peculiar veins of blue light that ran all over the ground, as if they were a mix between organism veins and plant roots. They pulsed with a strange energy that Shiryu detected as radiation, though it was much more energized and didn't not show any signs of harmful radiation effects. That's when Akane remembered what she was told about this new energy source from Hollow Earth. "Come take a look at this." Akane called out to Rick, who piloted his Shiryu Kai to kneel next to her unit. "Do you think this is the same energy source that powers Shiryu's battery and reactor?" Akane asked. ["I believe it is. Raw Hollow Earth energy. We still haven't come up with a name for this, because it behaves in a way that it doesn't let any energy go to waste. Radiation energy."] Rick said, making his unit scan the sample terrain. "Harmless radiation energy. Or maybe natural radiation, as this looks similar to what the titans consume and then let out" Akane said,

Moving Shiryu's hand in order to turn it to drill mode, Akane took a small physical sample in order to reserve it for later testing, as per Monarch instructions. ["You seem to know a bit more than me and the others."] Rick said to her. "I met my father right before starting my training. I flinched out he was working on how to use the titan's radiation to make better plants and develop cures for illnesses. And my mentor taught me about titan biology." Akane explained, finishing drilling and taking the small sample up to Shiryu's optic eye level. ["Ah. I see. But...now that I think of it...I'm not sure if we should make much progress with this. Who knows, this could be used as a weapon."] Rick said, now having a concerned tone. "My father believes in that too. That's why he hid from me; to protect me and his work. Monarch should do this too, and not let history repeat itself. I trust that we will be able to steer others in the right path." Akane said, examining the sample she took before placing it inside Shiryu's chest compartment. ["Wise words"] Chen said on the radio, who was also watching all of the sample acquiring. ["I'd say the same. Oh! I think I got goosebumps right now"] Rick said with a chuckle, making Akane giggle a bit.

After they were done, they started to pilot their Shiryu units, further into the realm. The Heron aircrafts continued to fly around and ahead of them, beacons turned on to light up the way. As much as the bioluminescent plants and glowing rivers of water and energy veins lit up the place, there were still some areas that were very dark, and could hide from view an obstacle or something particular of interest. And a good thing they needed such as soon they heard a sort of commotion up ahead. ["Heron 3, I'm picking up some movement ahead"] a Heron pilot said, making Akane look up in the direction where the third aircraft was located. Indeed there was a ruckus coming from far ahead, at a hill that was covered in bushes and ferns. "I see it." Akane said, straightening Shiryu up and moving it towards the location. The shrubs and bushes shook some more as something made its way towards them, emitting small growls. Akane made sure that Shiryu had its mazer wrist blades deployed and energized, ready to face off against the new creature should it attack. After a few moments...the bush exploded with its leaves torn off as something small bursted from behind and out into the open. The beacon lights moved in order to shine the lights onto the creature that has come out of hiding, and they slowly saw what the thing was as it recovered and stood on two legs...

["...What in the...?"] one of the other Heron pilots said as everyone soon began to realize what the creature was. Akane was in utter shock of realizing that the creature...looked like a miniature version of Godzilla. She could also hear the shocked gasps and murmurs of those at the command center as they were as equally stunned to find the small baby creature. "My god..." Akane breathed out, only to have her sentence finished by hearing Rick say ["...zilla..."] on the radio with the same amazement and unintentionally making a joke. ["It's...it's no doubt a young one, of the same species as Godzilla. Possibly a hatchling...maybe close to juvenile age..."] Chen said on the radio, unable to contain her awe and excitement. The small Godzilla baby looked up at the towering mechagodzillas, eyes blinking cutely and narrowing as it tried to shield from the bright lights. ["Try getting close to it so you can get a more clearer picture"] Chen said after recovering from her amazement, to which Ackane nodded and dimmed down the headlights before approaching the hatchling with Shiryu. The small Godzilla hatchling squeaked softly, scared as it looked up at the large mechagodzilla, and began to back away. "Oh, no no no! Don't run away, please. I won't hurt you." Akane said, doing her best to calm the small creature down as she spoke in a soothing voice through the speakers. She also deactivated the mazer wrist blades and slowly extended a clawed hand to them. The hatchling hesitated, watching the large mechanized hand with wariness, before slowly starting to approach it. "There...that's it...come on..." Akane said as she coaxed the small Godzilla to come closer to the hand. The baby creature stopped as it moved its snout to the hand, giving it some careful sniffs...

...before it sneezed, growled while eyes narrowing more, and biting Shiryu's clawed fingers.

The whole suddenness gave Akane a scare and made her flinch, nearly scaring the daylights out of her. The small Godzilla hatchling growled as it clamped its teeth around Shiryu's fingers, trying to take them off. Akane made Shiryu lift its hand and try to shake the young one off, this one not bulging or letting go. Those at the control center back in the surface were entertained to see the adorable struggle, the majority being heard chuckling and laughing on the radio. After enough was enough, Akane made Shiryu use its other hand to pry the little one off from the fingers. The small godzilla hatchling looked up at the mechagodzilla that now gently held it with both hands, tilting its head to the side curiously as its cute little eyes blinked. Shiryu tilted its head to the side in the same manner, mirroring the baby Godzilla's action as Akane made it. ["Do you think we should give it a name?"] Rick said on the radio as he piloted Shiryu Kai to have a closer look at the hatchling. ["Please, Rick. We are not naming it as if it were a pet."] Chen said in an almost deadpanned manner when she heard Rick said that. ["Come on! We aren't going to name them 'Titanus Gojira Specimen 2' are we? And they aren't a pet! The old man specifically said that."] he countered in an annoyed manner. Akane took another look at the small hatchling that Shiryu held in its hands, thinking of a name that would fit. "How about Chibisuke, or Chibi for short? It means 'cute little thing' in japanese." Akane suggested after a brief moment of thinking. ["That...actually sounds like a good name. I was thinking of Mini Zilla, but yours sounds better."] Rick said after a moment of thought. ["I like the name. It describes him perfectly."] Chen said, sounding proud from where she was. "Okay then. Chibisuke it is." Akane said, smiling as she set down the small Godzilla down. It stood up straight and had its dorsal plates glow for a moment, letting out a weak and adorable atomic flame that made Akane giggle in endearment.

Then, immediately after, there were roars that echoed from ahead of them. Whatever the roar that came from those creatures made the small Godzilla squeak in fright and immediately get under Shiryu's feet. "What's wrong?" Akane asked, looking down at the hatchling that was hidden under Shiryu's feet and shaking in a scared manner. She made Shiryu stand up and get ready, Rick doing the same with Shiryu Kai as they moved to be side to side. "There is something else that is out there. Something that Chibisuke is afraid of." Akane said, scanning their surroundings in the direction where the roars originated. ["Heron pilots, investigate further"] Colonel Togashi commanded, to which one of the pilots flew their aircraft towards the front. The aircraft flew ahead and scanned with their search lights on going further and further...until there was a yell of terror and the transmission was abruptly cut as the aircraft was taken down by an unknown creature. ["Heron 3 signal lost!!"] a member from the comman center exclaimed. [Shirtu units! Enter defensive battle position!"] Colonel Togashi ordered, to which the mechagodzilla pilots and the Heron pilots moving closer to be on guard. They moved their headlights around, alert when they heard and saw movement behind the foliage of the large trees and bushes.

It didn't take long before one of the creatures burst out from the side towards them and attacked.