Fallen World: Wrath of Shin Godzilla

Ravenous New World

Dr. Nick Tatopoulos rushed out of a fog filled tree line, falling to the shattered pavement before bolting back on his feet. He couldn't stop moving in the apocalyptic San Francisco he found himself in, or he would face certain death from the two-legged beasts that hounded his every movement. For five days he evaded death in the new world, scavenging the homes around him for food, water, and medicine. Pain relievers suppressed the severely sprained leg he ran on. Bandages and crude stitches held together a torn right shoulder blade. As he dived into an abandoned military base, he felt every wound flare, but like his previous altercations he ignored the agony, turned around, and laid down suppressing fire.

Explosions detonated across the parking lot from Nick's energy rifle, scaring away the trio of car sized bi-pedal beasts. As the echoes of their heels dissipated, Nick let loose a sigh of relief before slowly pulling himself up. He had an hour, maybe two to find what he needed before the trio returned. The scientist for a brief second looked to the crimson sky and the white as snow portal in the distance before he ventured into the complex.

The skeletons of American soldiers randomly lined the hallways of the facility, their flesh long since perished from their bodies. A flashlight illuminated the corpses whose skulls held one self-inflicted bullet wound. As Nick inspected the rifles, he discovered their ammunition reserves depleted. He couldn't help but wonder the circumstances. Were the men out of supplies and could no longer fight, wishing to exit the world on their own terms or did they simply wish to leave a world they no longer recognized? A world which possessed something more fearful than death itself? With an uncertain mind, Nick ventured further until a bright light attracted his attention.

"Hello!" Nick instinctually called out.

The scientist ran down hall, bolting into the illuminated room. There Nick found the heart of the facility, a room filled to the brim with computers, lights and equipment. Water purifiers fed into the wall, collecting rain water from the roof. A miniature garden lay spread across a nearby table, its produce growing over the edges. Nick searched for any sign of recent human activity merely to discover none as he sat upon a chair in front of a computer.

For a brief second, he took a deep breath, focusing on the situation he found himself in before looking at the computer's screen. The scientist tapped the mouse, bringing the device online with no password to protect its trove of information.

"Convenient," Nick commented aloud.

Immediately, Nick's eyes widened and the scientist accessed the military facilities' database. Would the contents of the computer reveal to him the horrors outside the facility? The source of the creatures which scavenged the desolate landscape? It might hold a key to helping the few remaining stragglers, to ignite a beacon of hope and help save the world he found himself residing in. These questions and hopes flooded Nick's mind until a particular file caught his eye.

*****

San Francisco – May 16, 2014

Dust poured off the behemoth as it arose from the rubble. The mountains made by men laid scattered around him in a state of ruin from his battle with the Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms. As the ancient leviathan turned its head for a brief second, it noticed the floating corpse of the female M.U.T.O. in the San Francisco bay. As its decapitated head receded back into the waves, Godzilla returned its attention to the sea. Pride and satisfaction of a well fought victory fueled its staggered walk. As gravity finally strained its ancient muscles, Godzilla plunged into the waters of the irradiated bay.

Dust clouded the bay immediately from Godzilla's entry due to the debris coating his hide. A blanket silence also greeted the beast's ears, allowing the behemoth to enter a serene state as it descended into deeper waters. Godzilla nearly fell a slumber until a call immediately caused its eyes to bolt open.

The echo reverberated across the water at a frequency unheard of by most creatures. It called for a response, a companion, a fellow member of its species yet nothing responded. Bubbles exited Godzilla's maw from a tired breath. For the time being, he needed to recover from his exhausting battle. He would kill the new parasite in time, but first he needed to rest.

Nick studied the familiar yet stark differences of the Godzilla and the M.U.T.O.s as both species flashed upon the screen. Godzilla proved similar to his own world's counterpart, but the M.U.T.O.s fascinated him. Their physiology, adaptations, and even their appearance, compared to the dozens of monsters he discovered in his life, were truly unique.

"Minus the name," Nick quipped before he discovered another file on Godzilla. As images flashed open, a red hue flickered across the scientist's body. Nick's eyes widened with horror at the sight. This creature did not represent the defender of earth but an abomination of dread.

*****                                           

Tokyo – October 1, 2017

An icon of fear stood frozen by its very creators, humanity. Its eyes fixated over the landscape of Tokyo. Occasionally, the mutation caught a glimpse of a human gazing upon his presence. A look of terror would envelop them, acceptance would follow and the insect would scatter away to join its pathetic kind. It, like every action, caused no response for Shin Gojira, for why would it care about the insects scurrying beneath its shadow?

Humanity did not matter, nor did their constructions of refined rock. They were mortal in their existence, unlike himself. Soon his body would adapt to the stone like prison they encased him in and his wrath would be unleashed. Not of vengeance, for how could he bring fury upon insects, but one to demonstrate its superiority. It was a god to them and...

Humans began to scatter in terror, catching Shin's attention. Soon the land lay barren with no movement in sight, but the familiar sound of human weapons detonated in the distance. Gradually, the explosions and impacts continued to grow in volume until they were silenced by the repetitive hum of footsteps. Steps which began to even rattle Shin. A massive shadow rapidly revealed a hulking behemoth to Shin. The mutation's eyes gazed with curiosity at the sight before Shin watched the beast turn to face him. Shin Gojira immediately assured itself it could not be killed, even by another creature, but a thunderous roar then echoed from the behemoth's jaws.

Godzilla sensed the abomination in front of him since its creation. A rogue beast which believed it was the apex of evolution, but it would soon face the same legend which all others of the same belief fell to. Nature could only support one apex predator, and in a few seconds, there would only be one predator remaining.

*****

Nick studied the reports of the battle with fascination. On that day, Godzilla shattered the petrified Shin Gojira. Like glass, the beast's impenetrable armor cracked from Godzilla's legendary strength. The statue like creature's flesh vaporized instantly from the ancient creature's breath, leaving nothing but ashes in the ruins of Tokyo.

Nick sat back in his creaking chair as he thought about the data. Pieces were still missing to satisfy his understanding of the world around him. How was this Shin Gojira connected to the apocalyptic scenes around him? If Godzilla was still alive, then did he cause the destruction and was he somehow connected to the two-legged beasts that stalked the city?

Dr. Tatopoulos leaned forward and searched for any files, videos or images to solve his question. Upon opening a final file, he discovered a written report of an investigator from an organization he hadn't heard of beforehand.

Monarch.

He opened and scanned the document to discover the cause. As he read it over, he realized he'd been asking the wrong question. He did not need to know what caused the apocalypse around him, but more importantly, who.