Well then: now that my exams are over (that explains the wait), I can finally upload something for all you nice people. Enjoy the chapter, as our enemy monster (finally) appears in all his claw-waving glory.

Godzilla is © Toho

EBIRAH

“Well, well,” Number 1 chuckled, waving the soldiers to lower their weapons. “Captain Osaki, I take it.” He turned to Akane. “And this must be the lovely Ms. Yashiro. We meet at last,” he seemed to barely stop himself from laughing. “My apologies, but I always did want to say that.”

“So you’re the head of the Red Bamboo,” Osaki confirmed.

“Indeed. I understand that my subordinates have had the occasional run-in with your organisation. Frankly the idea that a team of six managed to compete with us so well is very impressive. My congratulations.”

“What’s going on here?” Osaki demanded. “Why have you done this to the islanders?”

“A necessity. They make an excellent workforce, actually.”

“I said ‘why’?”

“You wish to know?” Number 1 smirked. “Very well. As it happened, there was a chemical leak from the reactor on this island some fifty years ago. The result, as we discovered was… quite remarkable. It was just controlling it that was the hard part. Sending signals into Godzilla wasn’t that difficult, but that carapace is extremely irritating- no nerve endings in it at all.”

“Carapace?” Akane butted in inquisitively.

“Let me introduce you.” Number 1 nodded to his men, who instantly raised their rifles at the two G-Force members. “Follow me, if you will.”

As Number 1 led the way out, all Osaki and Akane could do was give each other a worried glance and follow at the behest of the armed soldiers. At least, for about two feet.

“Now.”

Akane grabbed the nearest soldier’s gun, slamming him round into the other before she lashed out with one foot at Number 1’s neck in a strike that would knock out most men… because most men didn’t turn, grab her heel, throw her off-balance and deliver a strike to her stomach. And that was what Number 1 did.

Shoving off a concerned Osaki, Akane swept her foot at Number 1’s feet, but he simply rolled to land on all fours, swinging up to throw his fist at her face. Akane ducked to one side, grabbed his arm and delivered a jab to his wrist. For at least twenty seconds, it continued furiously, with the two ducking under or blocking each other’s blows, until finally Number 1 managed a solid right hook that floored Akane.

Osaki, however, had not been idle. Grabbing one of the soldiers’ rifles, he pointed it at the head of Number 1, who rose sharply to his feet at the sound of the weapon clicking.

Then Osaki himself froze as the other soldier’s rifle pressed at the back of his head.

“An admirable effort,” Number 1 grinned as he disarmed Osaki. “You certainly make a formidable opponent, Akane.”

Without another word, Osaki and Akane stepped after him as the armed soldiers followed from behind.

--

The last of several doors opened before Osaki and Akane. To their surprise, within was a massive square pool of water, literally a hole in the bottom of the ship. The dark waters churned below, while the walls were lined with canisters of green liquid. The only elevated surface was the one they currently stood on; a ladder leading down into what was essentially a massive dive tank.

“And it’s in here,” Number 1 grinned. “The fruit of our labour. And this is where we part ways.” He turned back to the door as he kept his eyes on Osaki and Akane. Lifting a small device in his right hand, he flipped a switch and, below them, a low-pitched sonar signal rang through the water.

“We’ve got it very well trained,” Number 1 beamed. “These creatures could make rather good pets, actually.” The soldiers exited the room behind him. “Well, sir and madam, it’s been a great pleasure. Nice to meet some worthy opponents.” He stepped out of the door, and with a metallic ‘swish’ it closed behind him. “Give my regards to Ebirah.”

“…Ebirah?” Osaki asked aloud after a second.

“I think,” Akane nodded, looking down at the water below. “That’s it there.”

Beneath the shape, something dark and massive approached the ship.

“Oh hell…” Osaki managed to say as it reached the ship.

Judging by the colour of its top quarter, which poked into the enormous dive tank, the entire of the giant lobster- for that was what it was- was coloured a dark red, sunken eyes glaring up at its prey as it gave a shrill, high-pitched screech. The water before it convulsed with surf as a pair of massive, spiked claws rose on thin, sinewy limbs.

“Yeah, I think we’ve found it.” Osaki breathed as Ebirah reared up.

Ebirah pulled back one of its claws, closed together in a single, curved point. As it thrust the claw forward to snatch at the two humans before it, Osaki and Akane leapt from the balcony, each of them having the wind knocked from them after the fall into the rolling water.

Akane came up first, gasping for air as she spat salty water out of her mouth, coughing to dislodge some from her throat.

Above her, Ebirah turned, snapping its claws together as it lunged.

Then everything was a blur.

Akane dived. The water churned. She was pushed up, rolling in a massive backlash of water. From the sheer shock, her mouth was forced open for air, flooding her throat before she could close it. Everything was swirling, chaotic black.

Then something grabbed her, pulling her up into the cold, harsh air as she coughed and spluttered.

“Akane!” Osaki shouted as he shook her, “Come on, breathe!”

Coughing out a mouthful of water, Akane nodded briefly. No point in asking if he was alright when he’d just managed to pull her out. Making a mental note to thank him properly when they were out of mortal danger, Akane followed him towards the ladder that led back up to the balcony.

“Any plans?” Osaki shouted over the churning water as they pulled themselves up the churning bars.

Akane looked up, pushing a mat of soaked hair out of her eyes as she glanced around at the tanks full of liquid.

“One,” She answered as they finally reached the top. “Just pray I’m right about what this juice is for. Do you still have the grappling gun?” Osaki held it to her. Akane took it, aimed at one of the pipes, and fired, the grappling hook wrapping around and trailing the wire behind it.

Beneath them, Ebirah rose back up towards the ship…

Having tied the grappling gun to the railing, Akane crawled across it to the most accessible tank.

“Whatever you’re doing,” Osaki shouted as Ebirah reached the surface, “Do it fast!”

Ebirah leapt up from the water, the wire catching on one of the many small spikes on its carapace and snapping like an apron string. Akane was sent flying through the air, slamming against the side of one of the tanks and saving herself only by grabbing one of the pumps.

“This,” she muttered as she stabbed her knife into the side of the pipe, “Is why I don’t like seafood.”

As she pulled the knife out, the juice from the tank above gushed out in a mini-waterfall, straight into Ebirah’s face.

The effect was immediate. Shrieking in pain, Ebirah fell back, flailing its claws uselessly at the liquid attack. With another agonised screech, it turned and dived back into the water in a wall of surf.

Diving down past the churning green liquid, Akane swiftly made her way back up the ladder to Osaki.

“It’s poisonous to it,” Osaki realised. “They used it to control Ebirah; like a spray-bottle with a dog. That was amazing!”

“Thanks,” Akane nodded, leaning against the wall.”

“By the way,” Osaki couldn’t help grinning, “Was that a pun up there?”

“I believe it was,” Akane shrugged.

“Huh. Guess Kazama’s rubbing off on you.”

The glare Akane gave him was scarier than Ebirah could ever hope to be.

And there we have it. That was fun to write, I must say. But damn it, this story is taking so much longer than it should. At least Ebirah finally turned up, even if it was driven off by one human- and I doubt that’s ever been managed before.

Ebirah is given one new ability for this story, but there wasn’t really any point at which to show it here, so it’ll be revealed in the tussle with Godzilla that’s to come soon.

All reviews welcome!