Godzilla Lives!
A Godzilla fanfiction by Travis J. DeSantis
Chapter Nine
The craft rocketed backward, throwing Sho forward in his seat so sharply that the straps cut into his chest. Higa, performing his duty as co-pilot, had pulled back on his secondary flight controls when Kuroki didn't act soon enough. For the second time, they narrowly escaped certain death as Godzilla's jaws snapped closed.
The beast glared at them for a moment, then cut loose with a roar that nearly blew out the cabin's speakers. It sounded like metal girders being twisted together with a hint of 'tortured screams of the eternally damned.'
Sho snapped back to his senses and launched a Zuni salvo at point blank range. The rockets detonated off Godzilla's scales uselessly, but the explosions did prevent him from taking another swipe while they were still within his range.
"Nice strategy!" Yashiro barked sarcastically. "I think I just aged five years!"
"S-sorry!" Sho apologized shakily. "I don't know what happened. Thank you, Sergeant Higa."
"Think nothing of it," came the reply. Amane sounded calm enough, but he looked the way Sho felt. There was no experience in the world quite like being nearly eaten by a giant radioactive dinosaur. Only a fool wouldn't be scared out of his wits.
Godzilla was watching them very closely. Maj. Kuroki could practically see the cogs turning behind those hate-filled eyes. They were at a stand-off, which would probably aid the first few civilian evacuation helicopters that were now flying in to the island. But where were the JSDF's support forces? Regardless, keeping the beast's attention was now top priority.
"Okay, you ugly bastard," the major muttered. "Let's see how you handle something bigger."
The Super-X2 launched a pair of Hellfire-IIs and they streaked towards their target. Godzilla had no reason to fear them. Anything short of the Oxygen Destroyer seemed ineffective against his radioactive hide. But the AGM-114K had a dual-warhead specifically designed for penetrating reactive armor. The missiles slammed into Godzilla's chest and he was pushed back by the concussive force of the blast. Inside the cabin, Amane and Yashiro cheered as the giant stumbled and fell down the side of the volcano, flattening a stretch of forest.
However, their cheer was short lived. The beast immediately began to stand back up and his angry growl sounded like an avalanche. There were a pair of gashes on Godzilla's broad muscular chest, but even as they watched, the wounds appeared to be healing. The flow of black ichor subsided as the gashes scabbed over in seconds. And soon enough, new scales began to grow.
Sgt. Higa couldn't believe his eyes. "Did I just see what I think I saw?"
The black giant seemed to answer back with a tremendous roar, showing he was no worse for wear. Sho quickly took the opportunity to launch an ASM-2 Type-93. The high-explosive anti-ship missile could blow open a battleship, so surely it would cause some damage?
But the beast apparently had enough of missiles and snatched this one out of the sky. He looked down curiously at the struggling ASM-2 in his hand. Once the missile's fuel was expended, he crushed the weapon like a soda can and tossed it aside.
The rows of jagged silver plates running down Godzilla's spine now began to crackle with energy. A hazy blue aura surrounded them and the giant took a deep breath, the same unearthly glow coming from deep within his gullet.
"Open the Fire Mirror!" Kuroki ordered.
Yashiro quickly went to work engaging their secret weapon. The front of the Super-X2 unfolded like a clamshell to reveal the Fire Mirror's transmitter, which extended forward ready for action. Their own weapon hummed to life and the energy distortion field was raised just in the nick of time.
Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath.
The SX2's crew braced themselves as the river of plasma washed over their craft. They would have been dead for sure, completely incinerated, if not for the Fire Mirror's distortion field. Through the craft's forward-view monitor, they could see the violent blue energy slapping against the field. It was operating as promised and held strong, absorbing the nuclear radiation that would have destroyed them.
Though spared immediate annihilation, the SX2 was propelled backwards by the sheer force of Godzilla's breath. Sho struggled with the flight yoke, but managed to regain control.
Behind him, Yashiro spoke up in surprise. "We're alive. And the batteries are charged. Hell yeah!" the teen cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "Throw that shit back in his face!"
"Will do," Sho replied with a grim smirk.
The Fire Mirror switched over to offensive mode and fired a brilliant white laser with the stored atomic energy. The trio watched in satisfaction as Godzilla's own attack was turned back against him. He roared in pain as the laser sliced into him, cauterizing the wound as it was made. After moment, this too began to heal, but the process seemed to be slower and Godzilla was definitely hurting.
Furiously, the beast exhaled another blast of plasma and it too was 'reflected.' Godzilla staggered, breathing heavily. He was eyeing the Super-X2 warily now. A radioactively mutated giant dinosaur though he may be, Godzilla is a fast learner. And he has a long memory.
The crew expected their opponent to launch another atomic tirade, but instead, the beast turned and walked away. A few giant steps later, he was already wading through the ocean, apparently having lost interest in the battle.
"What the? Is he giving up?" Amane said disbelievingly.
Sho gritted his teeth. "I'm not letting him get away that easily." The Super-X2 quickly sped up to catch their quarry and it trailed behind Godzilla, readying more Hellfire-IIs.
Without warning, the beast's long, powerful tail whipped up and caught them by surprise, slapping the craft out of the sky. They tumbled dangerously, but Sho pulled them back upright and the SX2 crash-landed onto Oshima's sandy beach. Various warning lights and sirens went off in the craft's cabin.
"Is everyone all right?" Sho asked, though not sure if he was all right himself. The helmet probably kept his skull from splitting open on the control console, but he still had one heck of a headache.
"I think Honda puked, sir," Sgt. Higa responded.
Yashiro groaned his reply, but seemed unhurt.
"What's the damage?"
Amane checked the systems while Yashiro was otherwise preoccupied. "The right missile launcher is inoperable, probably caved in from the blow. Two of the port-side turbofans have been damaged. One on starboard is operating at half-power."
"Maybe Yashiro can jury-rig the systems and get us enough power for flight. What's your assessment, sergeant?"
Suddenly, the entire craft trembled and huge waves washed over it. Godzilla was turning in place to face them and he stared at the downed Super-X2 with a look of pure malevolence. The black giant growled and his dorsal spines lit up with atomic power.
Higa swallowed audibly. "We're FUBAR, sir."
