Chapter 18 - The King Of The Monsters

Date: April 20, 2014

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((My sincerest apologies for the LONG wait regarding this chapter to close out this fanfic retelling of "Godzilla (2014)". School has been a bitch and a half, as well as work and a few personal life changes recently having been made. But I'm back in action and have time to write again, so I will be back on track with all my stories and hopefully might even finish one of them before the Summer is through. Happy reading guys, and I hope you enjoy!))

The dawn brought a most unwelcome sight to the people of San Francisco. Everywhere one looked, there was chaos and destruction. Hardly a single building remained in tact, being partially or completely crushed by debris or burned from the sea of flames which had overtaken the city in the wake of the monster's battle. Skyscrapers were torn in two or non-existent. What used to be rural areas were now barren wastelands of rock and asphalt. And what was once downtown San Francisco was nothing but a pile of ash and rubble.

It was their worst nightmare come to life. Hundreds of billions of dollars in damage done in a single night, caused by three of the most horrific creatures ever to walk the Earth.

It was a lot to take in for the good people of this city, and almost as big of a blow to the rest of the world which observed the aftermath of the carnage on a globally broadcast news station.

"In less than the span of twelve hours, three giant monsters turned the city of San Francisco, California into a pile of smoldering ash. Officials have estimated that over twenty thousand lost their lives, with an estimated sixty to seventy thousands injured or missing amongst the city's ruins. The reports of these numbers remain approximations, and are constantly being updated. More on this and other news regarding the monster's nightmarish struggle as it develops…"

Struggle is one word for it, Ford thought to himself as he held his son Sam close to his chest.

Sam himself was traumatized, and hardly speaking. Having witnessed the monster known as Gojira, or Godzilla according to news and other military personnel, up close, he was having trouble maintaining his grip on what to think. His mother had been his rock up until now. Having spent most of his time with her, without her here it was that much harder. He could barely even pronounce the names of these creatures, and in one day they had destroyed his home, separated him from his parents for what seemed an eternity, and caused the world to turn upside down.

Ford continued to watch the news and shake his head as speculation about what happened circulated among the announcers and reporters. Some wondering if the monsters were aliens. No such luck there. The fact that these monsters were home grown made them that much more terrifying. Others were wondering if this was God bringing down his divine justice. Not a chance. If this was God's work, it wouldn't have been an isolated incident. All of humanity would have paid the price. No, this was all just bad luck as far as Ford was concerned. These monsters were innocent of prejudice, and did only what they were instinctually programmed to do. He understood it, but he didn't have to like it.

Minutes ticked by, and Ford watched the entrance with Sam for signs of Elle who had yet to return to them.

Meanwhile, outside, rescue efforts were underway. The fire department, national guard, US Marines, Navy, and Air Force were all present and accounted for in the effort.

Doctors Serizawa and Graham were not far from the fallen form of Gojira. He was lying under a pile of rubble brought about by a building of medium height, approximately 20 stories, falling on him in the wake of the force of the nuclear warhead exploding out at sea. No breathing. No sounds of a pulse. Noting. Both doctors feared the worst had come for the proud creature. The military had placed hazard signs and a makeshift fence around Gojira's body in the wee hours of the morning to prevent people from getting too close. But many people were within a stone's throw of him regardless. And that was exactly what they were doing.

Dozens of citizens, angry and shaken, were throwing rocks at the body of Gojira screaming obscenities and slandering him for destroying their home. Others still chanted that he deserved to die for what he had done. All the destruction, all of the death, all of it and for what? So he could kill two other giant creatures who were less of a threat to them and their world than he was. The doctors observed the citizens behavior and though they were appalled, they could not judge them.

Outside of the military and the staff of MONARCH, nobody knew that Gojira just wanted to destroy the MUTOs and that he didn't actually wish to destroy everything in his path. The only thing the world knew about Gojira was that he was a giant monster who was more than capable of bringing death and destruction on a level unseen since the atomic bombs themselves. Facts fueled the fire as well, and there was no defending against them: Gojira's appearance in Hawaii killed thousands with the tsunami upon his approach. His tromp through the Golden Gate Bridge killed a couple hundred. And his fight in San Francisco killed thousands who were trapped within "shelters" and who had either refused to evacuate, or simply had not been able to evacuate in time.

To the people of the world, he was just a monster and a bringer of death. Not a single individual in the world, save perhaps doctors Serizawa and Graham, actually knew that he was not a direct or deliberate threat to the human race.

Back inside the shelter, Ford and Sam sat quietly as they waited for Elle to return to them. Sam's eyes were glued to the entrance, and Ford's were scanning the crowds making occasional returns to the entryway. Minute after minute ticked by, with other families being reunited and leaving together after seeking medical evaluation. It lowered Ford and Sam's spirits, until another familiar face caught Ford's attention.

"Sam. Do me a favor buddy. I need you to go over to the gentleman in the wheelchair and give him a big hug. Can you do that for me?"

Sam merely shook his head.

"Hey, come on buddy. Do it for me okay?"

Sam finally looked up at Ford.

"Why?"

"Because he's your grandfather," Ford replied.

Sam looked at Joe, wheelchair bound with a neck brace, but very much alive. It took a moment for Sam to gather his courage and leave Ford's arms, but he was finally coerced into doing so. It only took a moment for Joe to spot Ford and his grandson, and he smiled lovingly at them as he wheeled himself over. Ford pushed himself to his feet, using his crutches to balance himself as he started toward his father. Joe's eyes welled with tears at seeing his now five year old grandson for the first time in who knew how long, and as Sam reached him Joe pulled him into a warm and tender embrace.

"You've gotten so big and strong…" He said, fighting to speak through his tears.

Joe kissed Sam's head a few times, stroking his hair and marveling at how his grandson resembled his father. Ford made it to him, and with Sam still in his arms Joe reached out to Ford and gave his son a hug. It was a moment which Ford didn't think would come, seeing his father alive after all he'd been through. Whether or not he'd made it out alive from the airport in Hawaii had been unknown until now. But here he was, after all of this. All that was needed now was…

(HUFF)…

Gojira's nose ejected a torrent of air and dust, his enormous body stirring sending hundreds of angry and now panicked citizens running for their lives. Doctors Serizawa and Graham were amazed at the fact that he suddenly began breathing again after all of this time. What amazing will could bring a creature like this back to life so suddenly? It was just one more mystery to solve for a later time as Gojira's eyes slowly slid open. His pupils dilated in response to the light, and scanned the area before returning to a neutral position within their sockets. Serizawa couldn't help but let a small smile find its way to his lips as he observed Gojira stirring and trembling as he attempted to make his body work.

Back inside the shelter, at long last the moment the boys had all been waiting for had arrived. Out of the dark gloom of the shelter entrance emerged a young woman with blonde hair. Her blue eyes were somewhat glassy, a sign of her mental and physical exhaustion. She was dirty, walked with a slight limp, but there she was. Elle had finally made it.

Sam broke free of his grandfather's arms and sprinted over to Elle.

"Mommy!" He yelled.

Elle's glassy eyes looked up very slowly.

"Sam?" She whispered.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Sam yelled again.

Elle's eyes cleared, her eye welled with tears, and despite her limp she began running to her precious child.

"Sammy!" She cried!

Kneeling down against the pain in her leg, Elle embraced her beloved son and bawled uncontrollably. She almost collapsed due to exhaustion and relief, and was kept up only by her son's own determination to stand on his feet. Ford and Joe both struggled to reach her as fast as their crippled forms could take them, but as they made it they both found a way to reach out and hug Elle.

The entire family was finally together once more, safe and sound after all of this chaos had nearly broken them down to their core.

It took several minutes, but Elle's crying finally came under control as she wiped her tears away and started doing what a panicked mother would do. She asked Sam a million questions a million miles an hour about whether or not he was okay. Was he injured? Where was he injured? Was he still frightened? Did he need anything? It took a moment to dawn on her that her husband and father-in-law were both there, and by the time she did she had already returned there embrace, kissing both numerous times as they all shed silent tears together for their reunion.

"It's still alive!" Came the horrified shout of one citizen who had entered the shelter.

All around them the people began to panic, looking to the live coverage screens as Gojira had finally managed to make it to his knees. He was not yet on his feet, but he was on his way.

"What do we do?!" Elle asked in a panic.

But Joe and Ford were both as calm as could be, looking around almost angrily as they then shared a look of understanding and returned their gaze to Elle.

"Joe? Ford?" She asked.

"It's all right Elle. We're going to be just fine," Ford assured her.

"How do you know?!" She demanded.

"Elle, trust us. Though it may seem impossible, believe us when we say that creature is not a threat to us. Not so long as we respect his space," Joe affirmed.

"How can you say that after what happened last night?" She asked.

Ford put a hand on her cheek, calming her down.

"Elle, the fact that we're alive is because of him." Ford said gently.

"Him?" She asked.

"Gojira," Joe replied.

"His name is Gojira." Joe continued.

Elle shook her head, unable to comprehend how they were so calm.

"Believe me Elle, it took a while for me to get it too. But Gojira is not our enemy. Not so long as we give him his space. Doctor Serizawa, a man dad and I have met and worked with, has confirmed that Gojira only acts out of instinct and necessity for his own survival. He's not trying to threaten the human race. He's just an animal doing what he has to in order to survive, the same as us when you think about it."

Elle was still a bit overwhelmed, but she took a few long, deep breaths to calm herself down. She trusted her husband, and she both trusted and admired her father-in-law. If they said that this Gojira creature was not a threat, she would believe them. Still, she picked up Sam in her arms as they all walked outside together.

Panic was all around them. The military had mobilized all available troops in the area to evacuate the citizens on the ground and begin opening fire with all available weapons ready vehicles and munitions devices such as mortars on Gojira as he struggled to stand. A few fighter jets who happened to be in the area responded to the order, opening gunfire on Gorjia along his back and neck as he pushed himself off his knees and to his feet. He was still hunched forward, debris and dust falling off him like waterfalls as he straightened himself out. It was a long, painful, tedious process to stand up straight after all that had happened to him, but he made it at last. Upright and exhausted, Gojira stood there for a moment catching his breath as the jets returned opening fire with their sidewinder missiles. The missiles impacted his body, but he didn't even flinch. He barely noticed what was for him but a tiny "pop" as they struck his densely armored hide.

Ford chanced to look about, and caught sight of Serizawa and Graham.

"Doctor Serizawa!" He called.

Both Serizawa and Graham looked to him, and were both visibly happy and relieved that Ford and Joe had survived the incident. The two jogged over to the family, shaking hands and giving hugs as Gojira released a roar which brought them back to reality. Gojira was now on the move, despite the efforts of the military who pelted him with missiles, mortars, and tank fire, he ignored all of it. He was too tired and wanted nothing more to do with the tiny specs which shot these little pellets of metal at him. He wanted to return to the sea, where he could rest and recuperate.

All around them, citizens were screaming and shouting for the military to kill the creature. Chanting and ranting and raving for its destruction all around. Serizawa and Graham led the Brody family away to a more quiet street where they could observe Gojira's return to the sea mostly unimpeded by the chaos of San Francisco's surviving populace.

"Dad, where is he going?" Sam asked.

"He's going back to the ocean buddy," Ford replied.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because that's where he belongs, Sam. It's his true home," Joe replied.

Sam seemed content, and rested his head against his mother's shoulder as she held him and started to nod off to sleep. It had been a long time since he'd gotten any real rest after all.

As they watched, the military continued their efforts in vain to stop and destroy him. Once, and only once, Gojira turned his head and snarled at the tanks and jets as they flew by him, but otherwise continued on his course.

"Where do you think he'll go doctors?" Joe asked.

"He will likely return to the Pacific, and remain there until the next time something like this happens." Serizawa replied.

"Do you really think something like this could happen again?" Ford asked.

"It's uncertain, but given that Gojira exists and the fact that the MUTO's exist, I'd say there's a high probability that others are out there somewhere waiting to awaken." Graham responded.

"I suppose the best question in this scenario would be: Do you believe he will do this to help us, or will he just help himself?" Joe asked, almost directly to Serizawa although it was technically an open question to anyone.

"Nature has an order. A power to restore balance. But nature herself is impartial. Uncaring of our feelings in the matter," Serizawa began.

"Mother nature will defend herself by any means necessary from whatever threatens her stability. We believe that Gojira is her instrument of choice," Graham added.

"In the end, nature always wins. Even after we are all dead and gone, she and Gojira will still be here… Forever ready and waiting to challenge what imbalance may bring." Serizawa concluded.

Ford only nodded, content with their answer though he still wished it was a bit more of a black and white answer. Joe, on the other hand, smiled warmly as he returned his gaze to Gojira who was now fading in the distance as he made it to the docks.

"Whatever happens in the future, I wish you the best of luck Gojira." Joe said quietly.

Gojira reached the water, wading in knee deep as he released one final roar to the skies to finalize his supremacy. The MUTO's were defeated. The human military had finally given up their attack. And he was free to return home. He waded out further and leaned forward into the water before swimming away at an even clip. His spines cut through the water like a row of shark fins before he slowly and smoothly disappeared beneath the ocean's waves.

Ford put a hand on his father's shoulder, and wrapped the other around Elle's shoulders as she rested her head on his with a smile.

"On behalf of a rather ignorant and ungrateful human race, we thank you… Gojira," Ford concluded.