Wakes [Godzilla]

[Thuktun Flishithy]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A/N: This is yet another side-story to Leviathan, my Godzilla/NGE fusion, but like the other side-stories, this is purely a Godzilla story. Set in 1970, this is the story of a twelve year old Miki Saegusa, and of how she became bonded to the King of the Monsters. Compared to the other side stories, this is going to be far less of a war/history tale, and instead one of character.

As a warning, this is a bit more emotionally heavy than the other stories as well, and may contain thematic elements the readers find uncomfortable.

And so, without further ado...[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Whenever she dreamed, and unfortunately that was all the time, she dreamed of sinking.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She had never even gone swimming before, and yet the sensation of the icy cold water enveloping her was too real to be her imagination, the pressure in her chest as she tried to hold her breath too frightening to dismiss. Every time, she was surrounded by inky blackness, with only a faint pale shimmering far above her giving any semblance of a surface. The same could not be said for the bottom- as far as she knew, there was no end to the depths beneath her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Every time she finally lost the battle to stay awake, she sank. Every time she crawled into her bunk and closed her eyes, she would open them again and see those blank faces, staring at her through the shimmering surface.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]And every time she let sleep take her into the cold water, the pressure in her lungs would become too great, and she'd open her mouth to breathe-[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki's eyes darted open and she bolted upright in her seat, sending her pencil clattering to the floor. Mrs. Shimura was looking at her tiredly, but Miki knew that she was also more than a little fearful. Around her, she could sense that same fear in her classmates, mixed with a few sprinkles of revulsion, pity, or even anger. In her lingering grogginess, it was enough to make her lip tremble slightly.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Then casually, she leaned back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest. Mrs. Shimura looked ready to reprimand her, then clenched her jaw shut. She took a breath to calm herself - not very effectively, if what Miki sensed meant anything - then sighed.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki, if you were listening, then you should be able-"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"If you were going to ask me the question about the Christmas War Treaty of 1957, the answer is that each signatory nation limited themselves to fifty hydrogen bombs." She raised one hand and rested her fingers against her temple. "And for my next trick, I'm going to guess that your card is the Ace of Hearts."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Mrs. Shimura hesitated for a moment, then straightened. "Yes, the answer is fifty warheads each. But I'll remind you, Student Saegusa, that getting the answer right is not the only thing school is about. I'm docking another five points off your behavior score."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"While you're at it, you should probably take ten off Yoko's score," came the lazy drawl. "She's been making out with Akihiko in the girls' bathroom while Tobao is running on the track."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]bitch[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]!" A few gasps, a few annoyed groans, and a very cross Shimura slapping her hand on the nearest desk.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Student Saegusa[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]," the middle-aged teacher said, her voice a hiss, "you are dismissed from class. Go straight to the principal's office, and stay there until the specialist arrives. Student Ito, half an hour extra sweeping duty for that outburst."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki sat there for a moment, then slowly stood up and slung her bookbag over her shoulder. Dragging her feet, she started making her way out of the classroom. She didn't even need to brush against Yoko's mind to sense the hate and disgust coming from the girl as she walked by. As she reached the door, close to Tobao's seat, she stopped to look at the lanky boy. His ice-blue eyes were wide as he looked at her, and she sighed.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Sorry you had to find out that way. But us freaks should be looking out for each other, right?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He shrank back into his seat. She shook her head, then finally left the classroom.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Sinking, drowning...[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]teachers, and get kicked out of that one, and so on.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Seventh time's the charm? She let out a dry, humorless laugh at that.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]As her eyes focused, they fell upon the bulletin board they let students use for their clubs and the like. There was the usual invitations for go club and Human-Space Alliance, but what drew her attention was a small illustration someone had made on scrap paper. An all-too-familiar monster, recognizable even through the distortion of amateur drawing skills.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Hero of the World[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif], it said underneath.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki stared for a moment, then got up and walked over to the board. Gently taking the paper down, she looked at the drawing, running a thumb over the words written at the bottom.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Then she calmly ripped it in half, and threw it in the nearby recycling bin.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She was plopping back down in her seat when she felt two presences coming around the hallway. Straining her ears, she fell silent as she listened.[/font]
[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"-and for how long has she displayed this behavior?" a man's voice asked.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"The school board records say she's been a bit of a troublemaker since, well, after Zero Day," came Mrs Shimura's reply. "But this specific behavior? It's been in the last year or so."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Mmm. How accurate would you say her 'guesses' are?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Too accurate. Just today, she managed to guess the answer to a question I hadn't even asked, right after waking up."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Is it always after waking up?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I wouldn't say so. But she does have narcolepsy. Is that important?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"It very well might be."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The two finally appeared around the corner, and Miki looked their way. The man accompanying Mrs. Shimura was tall and surprisingly well-built, with a tanned complexion. His left eye seemed oddly glossy, and she realized it was made of glass. She decided to skim along his mind, and noticed that he was a surprisingly well-guarded man. Nothing she couldn't crack, she supposed, but she didn't feel like making another scene.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki," Mrs. Shimura said, "this is the specialist here to see you today."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Saegusa." The specialist extended a calloused hand. "You can call me Dr. Hirata."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki looked at his hand, then back to his face. "You look like Dr. Serizawa."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Dr. Hirata smiled lightly. "I do get that sometimes. Are you studying him in class?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"No." Miki shrugged. "But he killed Godzilla."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]To her surprise, the response from him was a short laugh. "A personal idol, then."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She smirked slightly.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki," Mrs. Shimura interrupted, "Dr. Hirata is here to talk to you about your... well..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I'll take it from here." Dr. Hirata knelt down, looking her at eye level. "Ms Saegusa, I work for a government department that researches extrasensory perception in those borne from marriages between people from Earth and those from Mars and Planet X. That's a fancy term for psychic powers. Knowing events before they happen, sensing the feelings of others, even when they're not in the room, and even reading minds."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki shifted in her seat. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Something tells me you already know that answer." Dr. Hirata looked over his shoulder at Mrs. Shimura, then to her. "The school has given me permission to do some tests. Would you agree to them?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She averted her eyes and looked away, hugging herself.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You'll get a sweet bun if you do it," the specialist added, sing-song.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A sigh. "Fine."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki stared at the opaque plastic divider that had been laid across the table, then looked up at Dr. Hirata, who had taken the seat across from her. He simply smiled as he neatly placed down his briefcase and opened it.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"It's to make sure you can't see what I'm doing," he said. "Wouldn't be much of a test otherwise."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]There was a rustling of paper as he rummaged about, then he handed her a sheet, along with a pencil. Taking it, she saw that he was producing his own. He carefully slid his briefcase to the side, and set the paper and pencil down.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"This is one of the simpler tests," he said. "I'm going to draw something, and I want to see how accurately you can copy it without seeing. I'm, er, not the best at illustrations, but I hope you won't mind."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]have been a duck, but the man was telling the truth about his abilities. Fumbling for the pencil, she began to copy him, eyes closed still as her hand subconsciously matched with his.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A minute or so later, she let the pencil clatter from her hand, and she opened her eyes as she flaunted the paper at him. Surprise radiated from Dr. Hirata like heat from a coal as he looked at her drawing, then back down to his.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You even copied the smudge I made with the eraser," he murmured. A moment passed as he tapped his chin with the pencil, then he set it down. "Let's move on to the next test."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Reaching into his briefcase, he pulled out three playing cards, raising them above the divider so Miki could see them. Jack of Hearts, Eight of Clubs, Deuce of Hearts. Then he placed them on the desk, and Miki could hear the whisper of paper against the desk as he slid them about. Stopping, he straightened and looked back at her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I want you to try and guess which one I'm pointing at," he said.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki sighed. "You're not actually pointing at any of them, 'cause your hand is closed. By the way, the middle's the Jack, the left one is the Deuce, and Eight's one the right."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The specialist's eyes widened, and a smile broke out across his face. "Well done, Miss Saegusa. I think I can actually skip the next few tests and go right to the last one."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He promptly brought down the divider and leaned forward, staring her intently in the eyes. Miki shrank bank, surprised by the hardness in the man's stare.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"What am I thinking of right now?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Straightening, Miki stared back. Her brow furrowed for a moment, then she smiled.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You're thinking of a dog with a red collar, juggling three blue balls while riding a unicycle."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Dr. Hirata leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. Shaking his head slightly, he let out a small laugh.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miss Saegusa, even through these preliminary tests I can tell that you're leagues beyond all the others we've tested. Most of them can only roughly capture the pencil strokes, or know that I'm thinking of the color red. But you..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"There are others?" Miki asked, suddenly feeling like she'd been hit in the gut.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Dr. Hirata nodded. "You are not alone, Miss Saegusa. And I hope that you'll get to meet them soon. If your teachers agree, we might transfer you to our research institute, so you can cultivate these talents with others of your kind."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Collecting his things, he paused to hand a small plastic package over. Taking it, Miki saw it was a red bean sweet bun, and she promptly unwrapped it. By the time Dr. Hirata had all of his things in order, she had already devoured the treat and tossed the wrapper in the trash. Leaning back contentedly, she watched as the specialist stood up and made for the door.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Dr. Hirata looked back, a wry smile on his face. "I hope we'll meet again soon enough."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He walked out the door, and Miki sighed. Lazily rising out of her seat, she grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder. It was going to be an hour's walk back home, and she preferred to do it before it got dark.[/font]


[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]It had only been three years, and yet sometimes it was easy to pretend that the most destructive conflict in history had never happened. Even here, on the outskirts of the final stage of that maddening day of death, life had achieved its normal boredom. A few patches of tarmac that looked suspiciously like giant footprints, a few solemn epitaphs on doors, a handful of condemned buildings... the wounds of Zero Day had already sealed over.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Of course, wounds that sealed too quickly had a tendency to fester, and Miki felt like such an abscess.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She looked at the smiling faces of those out enjoying the warm weather as she walked down the street, and clenched her fists. Fucking two-faces, all of them. She could taste it coming off of them without even trying, just picking up the faintest outside thoughts and feelings as she passed them by. She knew that the businessman who always sat on the bench near the izakaya was secretly sleeping with his secretary, and that the owner of the nearby drugstore had once gotten away with beating a Xilien refugee. Secrets, infidelities, crimes, all available for her to see past their masks.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Why did such horrible people get to be happy after Zero Day?[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Breathing in through her nose, she pulled her headphones out of her bookbag and snapped them over her ears. The snug fit of the fake leather against her ears was soothing, and she closed her eyes for a few moments as acid rock drowned out the sounds of the outside world.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]That lull was quickly broken, as a hand shoved against her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she saw Yoko glaring at her, flanked on each side by her friends. She couldn't be bothered to remember their names, but a quick brush against their minds provided them.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Tiredly taking off her headphones, she offered a bored expression at Yoko. "You trying to sell me something?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]me in front of the entire class."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Should've done it sooner, if you're just gonna throw that word around. Or is Tobao somehow less of a Mysterian than me? Last I checked, I'm only half."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]freak[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Freak," Mina repeated. "You even smell like you're from outer space."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I bet even Godzilla smells better than you," Himiko added.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki straightened, clenching her fists. Yoko noticed, and smirked.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]worst thing ever[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]. Maybe you wanted the aliens to take over, huh?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You don't know what you're talking about," Miki said, throat tight.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Oh, I think I do." Yoko took a step forward, puffing her lips in a pout. "Are you just upset because your mommy and daddy got smooshed like the freaks-"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The older girl stopped suddenly, blinking rapidly as she drew in a shuddering breath. Stepping back, she placed a hand to her chest, hot tears running down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, probably to try and speak, but a half-choked sob came out.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Yoko?" Mina asked, rapidly stepping away. "Yoko, what's wrong?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]do[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]?" Himiko demanded.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki didn't reply, instead focusing on projecting the painful memories onto Yoko's psyche. She took a step forward, and the older girl retreated, falling back on her butt as she tried to fight the tears. Kneeling down, Miki looked her in the eyes, her face a blank map.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Don't you ever mention my parents again," she said, a snarl breaking free. "And don't mention that thing again. I hate it. Do you hear me? I hate it. I hope it dies, and I hope you die, too."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki," Mina pleaded, still stepping away. "Stop it! You're hurting her!"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Help!" Himiko screamed. "She's hurting my friend!"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]That was enough to snap her out of it. Like the tide, the painful memories receded back into her core. Miki blinked, a sudden chill washing over her as she looked Yoko. The girl was holding her legs to her chest, sobbing hysterically.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The chill got worse, and Miki felt it get harder to breathe. She looked about wildly, and saw that the passerby had begun to stare at her, one even reaching into his pocket for a bulky portable phone. Their feelings washed over her, and she found herself unable to hold back the flood of confusion, revulsion, and fear that billowed from them like hot ash.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She ran.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]No one moved to stop her as she bolted down the sidewalk, her shoes clacking against the pavement. Turning down an alleyway, she dashed across the train tracks and into the tall grass that extended towards the mountains. She tripped, the earth leaving small cuts in her cheek as she fell, then she scrambled back up and continued running.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She ran, and ran, letting her memories guide her. Even as her lungs burned, she ran past the abandoned homes near the Road, and losing a shoe didn't stop her from jogging past the abandoned police barriers and occasional ruined tank. The sun began to set over the mountains, casting it all in a warm orange light as she limped across faded footprints and still-blackened patches of earth.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]By the time she arrived, she was practically crawling, gasping like a fish as she trudged to the Road. Even through the pain and fatigue, she still found the strength to shake her head at the name. The Road of the Gods? The Road to Hell was a better name.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Sure enough, it was there. A furrow wide enough to fit an ocean liner, filled halfway with water from the rains, edges made of now-cooled molten rock that shone like glass. Looking one way, she saw it disappear over the horizon, and when she looked the other way she could follow the Road all the way up to what had once been called Mount Fuji.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Creeping towards the edge, she sat down, hugging her legs to her chest as she stared into the tranquil smooth water below. There was something mesmerizing about the glittering sides of the Road, made from what a teacher had called Alamogordo glass. Atomic glass. Melted and cooled in instants, as a horrible golden monster from beyond the stars was pushed along the ground by a burning force like that of the hydrogen bomb.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]People said that you could see shadows of the old ground in the glass, what had been there before the Road's birth. The rocks, the trees, the homes.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She had been here more times than she could count. And yet, she could never see her parents in the glass.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A sob wracked her, and she sniffed, rubbing at her nose. She recalled the reactions of the passerby, recalled Yoko's own sobbing, and she closed her eyes.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I'm a monster, just like you," she whispered. "Is that what you wanted? Is that why you took them from me?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Another sob escaped her, and she rocked gently, trying to force everything out of her mind. The wind rustled her hair, and she focused on it, as if hoping for it to carry her pain away.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She didn't know how long she was there before she heard a twig snap behind her. Whipping her head around, she blinked a few times, as if to dispel the image before her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Dr. Hirata?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The specialist was standing a handful of paces away, clutching something small in his hand. This time, however, there was no warmth exuding from him. Where there'd been a glass eye, he now had a black patch, and he frowned as he took another step closer.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She stood up, and that was when he raised the object in his hand and squeezed the trigger.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Pain lanced up her shoulder as the dart sank in, only to be replaced by numbness. Miki opened her mouth to scream, but there was only a slur as she stumbled forward. Clutching at the grass, she tried to get back up, only to feel the strength leave her. Falling forward, she merely stared into the grass, vision unfocused.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The last thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness, was Hirata's footsteps as he approached.[/font]

 

[Thuktun Flishithy]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]needs some attention. Feel free to comment there as well![/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Sinking, falling... a last breath...[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Her eyes opened to an unfamiliar ceiling, and she felt a scream try to crawl past her dry lips. Instinctively she tried to bolt upright, only to wheeze as something tight about her neck caused her to jerk back. Sputtering, she forced herself to suck in deep breaths, even as tears welled in the corners of her eyes.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Wetting her lips, she darted her eyes all around, taking stock of her surroundings. A furtive glance down revealed that she was in a gurney of some sort, bound with an excessive number of rubber restraints. Looking back up, she saw that she was in what seemed to be a hospital room of sorts, complete with an IV drip and a tray of surgical instruments. No windows, no clocks, nothing to give her any sense of grounding.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You're finally awake," came a low voice, to her side.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Straining her neck, Miki looked over and saw Dr. Hirata sitting in a metal folding chair, one leg casually folded over his knee. Instead of a suit, the man was now garbed in something reminiscent of a military uniform, complete with insignia and stripes. His hands were folded calmly across his lap, but she could still see the holstered pistol on his hip.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She tried to reach out and feel for his mind, and it was then that she realized she couldn't. For the first time in years, she couldn't sense what was coming off of other people. A chill ran down her spine, and she squirmed against the restraints.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You're probably wondering by now why you can't read my mind," Hirata said. "That would be the sedatives I've given you. Don't worry, however. Your psychic gift will return when they've worn off, thankfully."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Where am I?" Miki croaked.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"That, you'll be allowed to know if you prove agreeable." Hirata stood up, straightening his uniform. "Now then, I believe some new introductions are in order. As you might have already deduced, Hirata was a pseudonym. You may call me Captain Ryuui. I am the leader of the Red Bamboo, of which you are now a member."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]anything. Just let me go home. I'll... I'll say I ran away, I'll-"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]miss your foster parents, considering you go through them like a crab goes through coconuts." Ryuui smiled thinly. "And besides, if you do what is asked of you, you will return home a hero of the nation."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Hero of the nation?" Miki mumbled. "What are you talking about?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]tour[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He tapped his foot once, and the door opened to reveal a quartet of guards, one of whom was carting a wheelchair. Deftly, they undid her bindings and hoisted her off the gurney. She tried to struggle, but they didn't even seem to notice as they plopped her in the wheelchair and secured her again. One of them began to push her along, and she saw Ryuui guide the way.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]They wheeled her out into the hallway, and she saw she was in an expansive medical wing of some sort. It was hard to tell as they pushed her along down the hall, but she was sure that most of the rooms were occupied.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"This is our infirmary and medical laboratory," Ryuui said, speaking almost as though he were giving a tour of a museum. "It was here that the seed of our greatest project germinated, thanks to contributions from a few members of the Ishii Company."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A muffled scream echoed out from one of the rooms at the end of the hall. Miki shrank back from the sound and looked to Ryuui. For his part, the man didn't seem to notice.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Of course, we had our predecessors to the great project. No matter the differences in technique, however, the core was always the same."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He continued to guide her down the hallway. They soon left the medical wing behind, and Miki found herself being wheeled into some massive enclosure, perhaps a hangar or dock. A metal gangwalk crossed its center, and as the guards pushed her along, she saw that it was like the submarine pens she'd seen in textbooks. The sea filled the bottom in through a trio of large archways, through which sunlight shone.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The guard pushing her stopped, and Miki jolted as they turned her about, allowing her to look at the water below. To her side, Ryuui continued.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"At the dawn of man, nature was the mightiest weapon of all. Teeth, nails, fists. Then some hairy creature barely in the semblance of a man picked up a rock, and soon the mightiest weapon were clubs and spears and arrows. The secret of metallurgy gave rise to the domination of the sword, and after that gunpowder gave us the cannon. It seemed as though man had finally reached his pinnacle of savagery with the atomic bomb built by the American devils, only for that to be exceeded by the hydrogen bomb."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He gestured to the water. "But now... it has come full circle, and once again nature is the mightiest weapon of all."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]thing[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]more[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif], at least three or four of them slumbering in the pen beneath her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"We call them Ebirah," came Ryuui's proud answer to an unasked question. "And they are but a taste of our growing power. At first we could barely tame these kaiju, using a specially grown fruit, but with the advent of the Monster Zero War, we suddenly had far more sophisticated methods of control. And with that, our numbers have grown."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki closed her eyes, then forced herself to slow her breathing. "Why do you need me? You already have your monsters."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"These kaiju under our control are indeed mighty, but we lack the most crucial one of all." She heard cloth rustling, and opened her eyes to see Ryuui had stooped to one knee. "Why did the Xiliens lose the war? After all, they too had an army of kaiju at their disposal."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Because they got duped by a three headed space monster?" Miki offered, herself surprised by the sarcasm in her voice.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The guard gripped her shoulder like a vise, prompting a wince, only for Ryuui to raise a hand. The guard let go, and the Captain leaned in slightly.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"They lost the war even before Ghidorah's coming. No, it was another beast that had foiled their invasion. You know its name, Miki."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki looked him in the eye.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Yes," she said flatly. "I do."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"The mightiest army this world had ever seen, undone by that one monster. Warships set aflame off the Horn of Africa, kaiju that had defeated an entire armored division struck down in the middle of New York... its title is a well-earned one. Not even the Xiliens could bend it to their will, with all of their technological wonders."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Ryuui reached out with a hand, and Miki recoiled as he cupped her cheek.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"But they didn't have you, Miki. You are the most powerful psychic we have ever found after half a decade of searching, to such a degree that the others might as well not even have the gift. You are the key to bending the King of the Monsters to our will. And when we have it under our heel, we shall be an army greater than the Xiliens had ever dreamed of."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"To do what?" Miki asked. "Hold the world ransom for a hundred trillion yen?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"No," Ryuui said, suddenly sounding wistful. "No... to restore the Empire to its glory. The Americans and Soviets are weakened, still licking their wounds. They would be hard-pressed to stop our army as it is, and with Godzilla it would be impossible. We will retake what they had denied us twenty five years ago, and the world will fear us once again. Tame Godzilla for us, and you shall be the hero of the Empire as we make the Pacific ours once again."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki wet her lips, and gripped the arms of the wheelchair tightly.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"N...no." She averted her eyes. "I d-don't want to hurt... I won't say anything if you let me go... just please..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Ryuui let out a soft sigh and stood up. He nodded to the guard, and began walking once more.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I have something to show you before you make up your mind," he said, a smug knowing tone to his voice. "I have a feeling it will change your mind."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The guard continued wheeling her down the gangwalk, until she suddenly found herself outside. Sunlight assailed her eyes, and she held them tightly shut. The sounds of the ocean caressed her ears, and when she opened her eyes, she saw she was on an island. It was a fairly large one, with even a small mountain in the distance. Craggy volcanic rock dominated the landscape, with roughly-hewn pathways crisscrossing it.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]They continued pushing her along, the wheelchair rattling and jolting on the uneven ground. It was noontime, and in minutes Miki found herself drenched in sweat. Straining her vision, she saw rows of tents and small prefabs set up along a ridge near the coast, waving the Imperial Navy's flag. A large crowd of people was milling near the tents, and she realized they were hacking away at the stone with pickaxes.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Those are the slaves," Ryuui said casually, looking back over his shoulder. "Chinese dogs, for the most part. We use them to build our fortifications, as well as subjects for testing. They also make good entertainment when you throw one to the Ookondoru."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She didn't even want to know what that meant. Glancing over, she saw a trio of guards beating down a straggler, and she hurriedly looked away.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Is that what you wanted me to see?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"No," came the cheery reply.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]They came closer to the mountain, and though the noon sun still weighed on her skin like a hot anvil, Miki felt her hairs standing on end. Now that they were closer, she could see that there was a passageway carved into the jet black stone of the mountainside. No light seemed to penetrate the shadows of the tunnel, and as she stared into the blackness she felt herself begin to shiver.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]By the time they were a hundred paces from the entrance, the shivers had given way to full-out trembling, shaking the wheelchair to the point that the guard had to clamp down. Sweat poured down her face, and she realized her breathing had turned rapid and shallow. Her chest felt as though someone had slipped a phantom hand through her ribs and squeezed her heart.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Ryuui looked over, a bemused expression on his face. "My, you're reacting so early? The others had to actually get into the mountain to show such signs."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"What," Miki gasped, tears flowing down her cheeks, "is in there?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The captain smirked, ever so slightly. "Something we feed psychic girls to when they're being naughty."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Okay!" Miki wheezed out, sucking in a shuddering breath. "I'll do it! I'll use my powers on Godzilla! Just... don't make me go there..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Excellent," Ryuui said, clapping his hands together. "Your first session starts tomorrow morning. In the meantime, be sure to get some rest."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He snapped his fingers, and the guards turned around and began to wheel Miki away from the mountain. With each step, the terrifying presence faded, and Miki found she could breathe again.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The relief was indescribable, and yet all she could do was bow her head and weep.[/font]

 

[Thuktun Flishithy]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]They returned her to the infirmary room she'd awoken in, and finally unshackled her. Rubbing her wrists, she rose from the wheelchair and backed away, watching as Ryuui ordered his men about. An orderly brought in a tray with rice porridge and a lone egg, while one of the guards laid out a simple white robe on her bed. The last man to enter was a doctor of some sort, who placed a pill on her food tray.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Eggs are hard to come by on this base," Ryuui said. "Consider this special treatment for your cooperation, a treatment that can easily be revoked. There are two guards stationed outside your door at all times, and you are under constant surveillance. You will be escorted to your first contact session at 800 hours sharp, and you will be wearing the hospital gown. I recommend you take that pill, lest you want to be vomiting for the next week."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki simply nodded, throat too hoarse to talk. Ryuui studied her for a moment with his remaining eye, then let that toothy grin break at the corner of his mouth.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Tomorrow, the first step on the path to the Empire's restoration begins, Miss Saegusa. You should feel honored."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]At that, he turned about and left the room, the rest of his men following suit. The door swung shut, and Miki felt her knees wobble as she realized she was finally alone. Wrapping her arms about herself, she glanced about wildly, trying to see just where they could be hiding the cameras, but only aged white drywall greeted her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She looked at the bowl of rice porridge and frowned. For all she knew, there could be more sedatives waiting in there for her, or perhaps more of the drugs Ryuui had used to disable her powers. She sat down on the bed across from it and stared, as if waiting for it to bubble like the poisons in the old cartoons she used to watch. Grabbing the pill Ryuui had given her, she dropped it into the bowl, half-expecting to see the thing explode.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Then her stomach rumbled, and Miki felt a day's worth of hunger weigh down on her. Tentatively, she reached out and grabbed the bowl of porridge, peering at the white sludge within. The smell of warm food caressed her nostrils, and suddenly she began to ravenously dig in, forgoing the spoon as she scooped the egg out and ate it with her hand, then tipped the bowl back and drank the porridge.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Hunger sated, she set the bowl down and looked at the hospital gown. She didn't want to change into it, especially not with cameras on her, but she remembered the thing in the mountain. A shiver overtook her, and she grabbed the gown, shimmying under the sheets so she could try and keep her privacy.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Once she was changed she curled up into a ball, sheets bunched over her as she closed her eyes and tried her hardest to get some sleep. As if on cue, which it almost certainly was, the light in her room switched off and left her in darkness. The only thing she could hear was her own breathing, and she focused on it, hoping it could lull her to sleep.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Instead, she simply began to sob again, shaking gently as she rubbed her puffy eyes.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I miss you," she whispered. "I miss you. Please... please..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]As it had been a thousand times before, and just as it would be a thousand times after, there was no reply.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

pleasedie

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She bolted upright, placing a hand over her chest as she gasped for air. She looked about frantically, half-expecting to see his burning orange eyes staring into hers, then forced herself to breathe in. She rubbed her chest to try and alleviate the tightness seemingly gripping her lungs, taking note of how her heart hammered against her ribs.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The lights in the room snapped on, and Miki watched as the door opened, revealing Ryuui and the guards. The captain arched his eyebrow as he studied her panicked face, then smiled. An odd feeling emanated off of him, one that Miki wasn't sure she even wanted to understand.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Awake just in time," he said. "Excellent. Time for your first contact experiment with the most powerful thing on Earth, Miss Saegusa."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki stared at the ceiling of the room they had brought her to, counting each fleck of dirt on the drywall one by one. It was the most she could do to distract herself from the doctors milling about her bound form on the operating chair. It could have only been five minutes or so, and yet it felt like an eternity as they wheeled in their equipment and fiddled with their tools.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]One of them leaned over and applied electrodes to her temples. She tried to shy away from the ice-cold gel, but they had even bound her head to the head of the chair, so tightly that she could barely feel anything in her scalp. She brushed her mind against the doctor, hoping to learn at least an iota about what was happening, but he quickly moved away.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I'm sorry it couldn't be a bit more comfortable," Ryuui said, just out of her field of vision. "The straps are for your safety."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"But why would I need them?" she asked.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Ryuui ignored her. "Dr. Yamashita, is the blood sample ready?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"We already have the dose ready for injection, Captain."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"I'll take it, Doctor." Ryuui suddenly loomed over her, a smug smile as he shook a large needle in her face.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Blood sample?" Miki murmured, weakly.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Psychics such as yourselves have shown to be best at finding a mind when you have something they owned. Clothes, toys, blood..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]blood?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Heavily diluted, of course. His blood is highly reactive, and even a single milliliter would cause a fatal shock to your system." He leaned in, hot breath on her cheek. "This will hurt. You'll be lucky to have a few minutes of lucidity to find him, so I advise you use those few minutes."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He moved away, and Miki sucked in a gasp as she felt a swab of iodine on her bare thigh. She pressed against her restraints, but she couldn't even wriggle as a gloved hand held her leg down.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Wait," she pleaded, and then yelped as the needle stabbed in.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]At first, she couldn't feel anything, save for the slight bite of the needle as it was withdrawn. The doctor applied a cotton ball to the site, and Miki relaxed slightly, hoping that maybe it was just a mind game Ryuui was playing on her.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Then her skin felt as though it was on fire.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The chair rattled slightly as she jerked against the bonds, the pain of the leather cuffs scraping her wrists barely an afterthought as she let out a choked cry. Her stomach twisted one way, and her heart felt as though it was lurching in the other direction. The world blurred before her as she felt her bones creak under the tension of her muscles. She closed her eyes-[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]-and then opened them to see darkness.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]No, not quite darkness. There was light, however faint, illuminating the sandy landscape all around her. Miki absentmindedly rubbed her wrists, letting out a long breath. At least in here, she couldn't feel the pain of the injection.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]was. Simply glancing around revealed silvery sand for as far as the eye could see, with the faint outline of a cliff face in the distance. Kneeling down, she dragged her fingers through it, noting how cold it felt. It was damp, as though the tide had just receded from the beach. Holding up a clump, she peered closely and marveled at how fine it seemed.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]A few tiny motes moved at the corner of her eye, and she absentmindedly waved them away, only for them to return. Straining her vision, she tried to look at them, to see what they could be. It was then that she became very still, as she realized that it wasn't motes that were floating about.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]They were fish.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki began to rapidly breathe in and out as she looked around once more, her vision becoming clearer. She was underwater, standing on the seabed of some vast grotto. The light itself had to be an illusion, for when she turned her gaze upwards she found no sun shining down on her, only a seeming-infinite expanse of dark water.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"No," she whimpered. "[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]No[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She became aware of something else at that moment. Muscles that weren't hers, flexing; a heart that wasn't hers, beating. Simultaneously, she could feel what it felt, and sense its presence with her own senses as it lurched behind her. Not just physical sensation, but emotion. Different from what she was used to sensing, but recognizable. Confusion, a modicum of curiosity, and an undercurrent of genuine shock.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki turned about, and found herself staring Godzilla in the face.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]him[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]. He was in front of her, so close that she could have touched him if she wanted. Memories of hot glass and lost smiles burst into her mind, as a meeting she could never have imagined or wanted was made reality.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Godzilla cocked his head to the side as he finished rising from the seabed, silt rolling off his scaly skin. He sniffed once, and Miki felt in her bones the faintest start of a growl. Like the shimmering of water before it began to boil, she could feel a deep anger in him begin to take hold.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]No[/font][font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Godzilla took a step forward, sending massive clouds of sand billowing as his foot came down, and Miki backed away as though she had been electrocuted. She began to hyperventilate, tears rising into the water about her as she stared at the murderer of her parents.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She fell, the world slipping away as darkness consumed her, and felt a scream claw its way past her lips-[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]-and woke once more.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The doctors and technicians were moving in a frenzy about her, yelling rapid-fire as they ran between the instruments. They didn't even seem to be registering her screams, until she heard one of them suddenly fall to the ground and begin to scream as well.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Miki!" Ryuui appeared in her blurry vision. "Miki, what did you see? Where was he?"[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She simply continued to scream. Ryuui made a gesture, and suddenly a needle stabbed into her arm. Instantly the world became a little more clear, even if her bones still burned.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"What did you see?" he repeated.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"D-dark," she managed to choke out. "Cold. Uh, he was at the bottom of the ocean. Cli...cliffs around us, so tall... no plants, just fish..."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"A deep sea trench," Ryuui murmured. "Likely the Mariana, considering where he was last seen... too deep for almost any sub to dare try and visit."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He looked back to her and cupped her cheek. "Already you have succeeded where all others have failed, Miki. Even the ones who survived were unable to provide his surroundings."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]For her part, Miki simply drooped her eyelids, too tired to even speak. The burning in her bones endured, and only seemed to grow stronger.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You have earned yourself more food privileges, Miss Saegusa. As well as an hour's outdoor activity, under guard." His toothy smile widened. "Already I can see our ultimate victory against the inferior peoples of the world."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]He straightened, smile fading. "We will have another contact experiment in three days. In the mean time, be sure to get some rest, so you may begin the next phase of the operation- subduing the beast's mind."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Even through the haze of pain and drugs, Miki had the urge to snap at him, to tell him where he could shove his operation. But the memories of the mountain still lingered, and she managed to hold her tongue. Even seeing Godzilla hadn't sent her into the same panic as simply drawing near to that cavern.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Yet, as she felt the first pang of nausea hit, she wondered if she would soon find the cave to be the preferable option.[/font]

 

[Thuktun Flishithy]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]As Miki lay on her bed, all she could think was that she'd never had a headache like this before. It was less a sharp and localized pain, and more like as though Godzilla himself was stepping on her head. Just the very sensation of her own pulse felt like her skull was about to split open, like her blood was made of ground glass. She didn't even dare to shift her position on the cot, fearing that she would promptly vomit if she so much as twitched.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Not that it stopped her stomach from feeling like it had been twisted into a balloon animal. Every time she breathed in, she could feel the nausea roll up to the back of her throat. It had reached its peak shortly after being escorted back to her room, rising just as the aching in her bones had begun to ebb.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Her mind wandered to happier times, before that monster took everything from her. She remembered how her father would sometimes have to lie down on the couch for the day, an ice pack on his head. Every time she tried to go over to play with him, Mother would pull her back, speaking quietly but sharply about how he had to stay on the couch. Migraines, she told her. Something about not being used to Earth's gravity and blood pressure.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She remembered when she used to think being half-Mysterian was the greatest thing ever. Like a badge of pride to wear on her backpack as she skipped into elementary school and told her classmates how her daddy was from Mars.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]The thought wracked a humorless laugh out of her, and she immediately regretted it as the pain redoubled. There was no pride in it. Only hateful stares from classmates, fear from the teachers, and now heartless experimentation at the hands of megalomaniacs.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Oh, and now she had incurred the direct anger of Godzilla himself.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She closed her eyes, carefully managing her breathing. At least she didn't mind that last one, not in the slightest. How strange was it, that she had never actually seen the thing who killed her parents? He'd disappeared into the sea right after killing King Ghidorah, and hadn't been seen since. Some even said he had died from his wounds. She had half-hoped that was the case.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]But now, she relished that he was still alive. He didn't even know she existed when he took everything from her, and now he was going to choke on that. She focused on that confusion she had felt from him as they made contact, using the memory to distract her from the pain. This monstrosity that had destroyed the mightiest war machines on Earth, that had slain the greatest terror the world had ever known, was caught off-guard by her. Her. Twelve-year old Miki Saegusa had shaken the King of the Monsters.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She held on to that feeling, and let it carry her to sleep.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

thing-hasmadishopeless."

"Perhaps not," Daiyo said. "Something I saw made me realize that escape was not the false hope I thought it to be."

Miki's eyes widened. "You changed your mind."

"No, you changed that man's mind. You made him not see what we have been doing." Daiyo managed the weakest of smiles. "Miki, perhaps you are the key to that impossible escape."

Miki slowly looked around the beach, her eyes falling on the tired men and women around her. She saw the ribs visible under stretched skin, the callouses of their hands and feet, the hollow looks in their eyes.

"We need a plan," she said, slowly. "Not just the rafts. We need to find a way to trick them, or fight back, or-or something else."

Daiyo nodded. "I have some ideas."[/font][/size]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]==/*\==[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]She didn't know if it was due to how draining the contact experiment had been, or if it was because she was technically still awake while talking to Daiyo, but it was nearly a full day before she finally woke. Immediately she bolted upright on her cot, looking around. A tray with a glass of water and some fried fish had been left out for her, and she licked her lips as she realized that it had been nearly two days since she had something to drink.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Draining the glass in one go, she tore into the fish next, and all the while her mind was going a mile a minute. She had to play this right if there was any hope of it working. Weighing her options, she made her first decision as she finished swallowing the last hunk of fish.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"You guys can hear me, right?" she asked, voice wavering slightly. She cleared her throat. "I want that hour of outdoor activity I was promised."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]At first, nothing happened. As the minutes wore on, Miki felt her shoulders sag as she began to wonder if Ryuui had been lying to her about being able to leave the room.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Then the door swung open, and two guards stepped through, rifles slung over their shoulders. One of them was carrying what appeared to be a uniform and a pair of boots, and he tossed it over.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]"Your hour's already begun, so make it quick," the guard said. "After your hour is finished, you will be escorted to the situation room for a meeting with Captain Ryuui."[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]Miki nodded, and ducked under the covers, hastily throwing on the uniform. The sleeves were too long, and the boots too big, but it was better than wearing a hospital gown. Hopping out of bed, she warily walked up the guards. They marched her out, making sure at least one of them had her in sight.[/font]

[font=Calibri, Corbel, sans-serif]As they began to leave the ward, Miki slowly breathed in through her nose. Step one to the escape plan was already underway.[/font]