I do not own Andy Kuhn & Phil Hester's Firebreather characters, and am only using them to tell a story meant for entertainment purposes only.

Fire-Breather

By LJ58

8

"Holy crap, what are those," one of the MEGTAF soldiers rasped as they all heard the thudding steps, and nine huge bug-like kaiju moved out of the desert, came up the street, and began to surround the Rosenblatt house.

"Let's not shoot," another man suggested. "I've heard some of these guys are friendlies now. Maybe….they are on our side?"

"How do we find out?"

"Uh…."

"Hey! Hey, what are you guys doing here," Margaret came out to shout up at one of the nearest insectoids that looked back and down at her considering he was nearly fourteen feet tall.

Every soldier there grimaced as the bug turned to face her, then went it one knee before her, and drawled, "Hail, mother of Prince Duncan, Belloc's heir. We are here to guard his mother and consort until he returns. Know your son, our prince, even now faces his enemies, and is tending to them in his own way."

Margaret looked over at one of the men, and grimaced.

"Oh, boy," she said. "So, you're here to help?"

"So we have said," the bug nodded. "Fear not, mother of our prince. None shall harm you."

"Great. That's great. What about them," she pointed.

The bug turned, his eight companions already tensing as they spotted three, monstrous shapes even larger than they.

"They are treacherous vermin that shall be dealt with," he said, and rose to his feet to lift four hands in complex gestures.

"What the hell are they doing," the lieutenant was asked by one of his men as all nine bugs began mirroring the same movements.

"Do I look like I know about these things," the officer huffed as a glowing, yellow energy began to flutter, and rise all around the block.

Even as the first massive, shark-like kaiju lunged forward, he was knocked back by an unseen hand and fell screeching in fury before rolling back to his feet.

By then, the other two had joined him, and all three slammed into a growing, yellow dome of energy that now covered the entire block.

Margaret rushed forward, grabbed the lieutenant's radio, and shouted, "Hot zone! Hot zone! We have three unfriendlies on site. Get back-up here before they trash the whole neighborhood," she ordered.

"That's for official use only," the officer complained, jerking the radio back. Then saw the three enemy kaiju hammering on the fluttering barrier, and grimaced as he realized they had nothing but those weird bugs between them and a trio of very angry monsters. "Never mind," he spat, shouting, "Send back-up now!" into the radio.

Which was when the very ground shook as if a quake had hit them.

"Oh, man," Jenna gasped, standing in the doorway, and looking out with hugely rounded eyes. "I'd rather be watching this on TV, not living it!"

"Get inside, and take cover," the lieutenant shouted even as a huge shadow rose out of the sands, and dwarfed the trio just before unyielding gouts of flames surged out, and all but vaporized one of the kaiju.

The mostly charred creature fell back, wailing weakly as it was obviously badly wounded even as the to her two turned to face the newcomer even as a thunderous roar filled the air as the bipedal beast rose to its full height, and towered over all of them.

"Belloc," the lieutenant screamed. "Belloc is loose!"

"It's about time," Margaret shouted. "Don't worry, he's on our side."

"Say what," one of the soldiers exclaimed. "Lady, are you nuts? How can you be so sure?"

"Because, corporal, in case you haven't heard, that's my son's daddy," she smiled knowingly at the king of the kaiju tearing apart the other kaiju with a rage she knew all too well.

"But wasn't he….locked up," another demanded.

Margaret only looked up at the huge kaiju now standing over the last enemy that faltered, turned, and tried to run.

A gout of blistering flame caught the creature in the back, all but vaporizing its head, and it fell to the ground with a heavy thud that shook the entire area again before Belloc turned, and dropped to all fours to look down at Margaret.

"Still daring to the end, Margaret," he said with a smirking grin as he eyed her standing behind the barrier.

"What can I say? I have faith in my friends. All of them," she told him, standing as close as she dared to stand close to that barrier that crackled and pulsed as if alive.

"That is good to hear. The Hive will keep you safe this night. I am going to Duncan. He may yet need my help, because I doubt even he understands how duplicitous and treacherous Leviathan can be."

"So, you two have met."

"To my regret, I once had him in my jaws," the king of the kaiju admitted, "And let him slip away. I will not make that mistake again," he growled.

"Just keep Duncan and Daora safe," she told him.

"Of that, Margaret, you may be sure," he said, and turned, and raced into the night beyond the edge of town so fast he seemed to vanish.

"B-But….how did he get out," another soldier was asking as he had watched the kaiju race away.

"You guys don't really believe you were holding him again, do you," Margaret chortled as the lieutenant just gaped, and then looked back at her asking, "Do you think that's it?"

"Far from it," Margaret told him. "So stay on point, man. This isn't over yet."

"That's what I was afraid of," the officer grimaced even as MEGTAF forces only then began to appear.

"Better late than never," Margaret sighed as the reinforcements led by a familiar silver-haired officer only then began to spread out, and check the parts of the neighborhood hit by the three kaijus trying to reach them.

~FB~

Duncan turned from the shouting kaiju that now acknowledged him, and smiled at Daora.

"I'd still rather be at home, watching bad TV," he told her.

"So would I. You, Jenna, and I could laugh at the silliness, and eat the popping corn, and drink fizzy drinks that tickle your nose. I would much rather do that," she told him with a wan smile.

He smiled, and was about to speak again when something nearby rumbled, sending tremors through the entire underground cavern.

Just before Duncan saw the ceiling cracking, and he grabbed, and flung Daora aside even as most of the rock overhead came down atop him.

The grating laughter filled the chamber in the wake of the crumbling rock, and a massive, sinewy kaiju came down out of the fissure behind that fallen rock. A long, sinewy neck supported a huge, toothy maw, and a massive, elongated tail slammed down on the rock that had buried Duncan. The massive serpentine creature laughed again as its gaze swept the chamber, and fixed on Daora who was only then recovering as she stared in horror where Duncan had been.

"Who mocks me now," the beast demanded. "Who dares face me when even Belloc is cowed by humans, and kept like a pet? Who dares deny I am right when that pathetic half-blood lies buried beneath my… Eh?"

Leviathan's natural flexibility saved his life just then as a blast of raw, intense flame exploded virtually beneath his feet. Even as the ceiling rumbled all the more, and a larger, snarling newcomer slammed down atop the surprisingly nimble sea beast.

"Leviathan," Belloc roared. "This ends now," the king of the kaiju shocked everyone with his appearing as he pressed the lord of the seas down beneath his claws.

Even as Duncan burst free, his eyes glittering with fury as he seemed to have swelled at least half again his transformed size.

"In that," the winged hybrid snarled, "We are agreed."

Belloc stared down at his son who burst through the rock that had almost buried him, and saw his gaze was locked on Leviathan.

Then Duncan glanced around, saw Daora shrinking back where she had landed, and saw the gash on one arm she was favoring.

The sight of her injury was enough to add to his fury.

Turning, he slammed a hard fist into the amphibian's jaw, bone cracking audibly as the kaiju howled even as Belloc clamped strong jaws down atop the writhing, serpentine neck to keep their enemy from escaping. The screams now were for mercy even as Duncan hammered the pinned Leviathan, venting both rage and frustration as one until he stepped back, and glared at the bloodied creature.

"Still think hybrids are weak, coward," he spat.

Leviathan's dark eyes fluttered, and Duncan only then seemed to notice Belloc pinning down the large kaiju beneath him as he smirked.

"Hey, almost didn't see you there," he grinned at his father, and turned toward Daora. "I'll just leave this creep to you," he added as he walked toward his cringing betrothed.

He was expecting something, and when Daora's eyes started to round, her lips parting to cry a protest, Duncan was already spinning even as his father's jaws bit deeper, and Duncan unleashed his flames even as the rising claw aimed at his back vaporized under his fiery assault.

In the same instant, Belloc savaged and bit ever deeper, all but severing the big kaiju's head from his neck, sending it flying to land near the edge of the magma pit below. A massive, winged kaiju that had only just arrived looked down at the bloodied head at his feet, sneered, and kicked it into the molten pool.

"You should have done that decades ago, you old fossil," Mephisto, lord of the Eastern kaiju spat as he looked up at father and son standing over the others still watching at the stunningly vicious, and brutal showdown.

"If I followed every instinct, Mephisto," Belloc growled as he rose to tower over the fallen serpent, "You wouldn't be here today."

The winged kaiju just chortled.

"Duncan," Daora rasped as she approached him, still favoring one arm. "Is it…over?"

"Let's find out," he said. He nodded up at his father, not too surprised to find him out of his cage again when he already knew the humans couldn't really hold him, and turned to the gaping assembly below them. "Well? Anyone else want to challenge the new prince? Anyone else want a piece of me," he demanded. "Anyone," he shouted.

Belloc chortled.

"I find you have grown well, my son. In time, you will be ready to lead our people. Perhaps you can even manage the peace I envision. But you are not ready to lead. For now, I shall stay, and calm the fears of our own while you tend to the humans."

"Yeah, I can see someone is going to be upset you broke out of another unbreakable cage."

Belloc snorted.

"A cage with a rock floor," he growled in disdain.

"Right. Real stupid of them, wasn't it."

"Indeed. Take your betrothed home, Duncan. Let your mother know all is well now. Without Leviathan, I doubt there are many of the rebels out there that would dare face either of us."

"Especially if they try to touch my daughter. I am now well pleased you suggested the match, my king," Mephisto declared as he only then approached. "And before you go, daughter," he said, and put a huge hand over her arm.

The faint blue glow fluttered only briefly, but when Mephisto pulled back his scaly hand, there wasn't a mark on Daora's arm.

"Thank you, father."

"Of course, daughter. Now, I will let you go. I am certain you are likely weary, and would like to rest after this madness."

Duncan said nothing as he eyed the big kaiju, and then scooped her up to walk toward the exit beyond the cliff.

"Duncan," Mephisto called out. "Take care of my daughter. I entrust her to your care."

"I'll keep her safe, Wings," he grumbled. "Just don't bother to visit too often. The neighbors would freak."

Mephisto burst into laughter as the two young hybrids disappeared into the darkness down the tunnel. Then he turned to Belloc, and smiled slyly.

"Now that you are back on the throne, old fossil. When will they wed?"
"I noted you waited till my son left to ask."

"Well, these things are too important to take risks with involving them," Mephisto grinned.

Belloc only chortled, and told him, "Best you learn to be more open with Prince Duncan. Even I have trouble with him at times when I simply tried to guide him. He is a stubborn youngling."

"As stubborn as you, I wager. I recall a few of your early misadventures."

Belloc glowered now, and just kicked the limp of Leviathan off the cliff now to join its already severed head in the molten pool below. The dark, rubbery flesh did not last long.

"Let us forget the past," Belloc declared. "And focus on the future. Starting with the understanding that I remain king, and Duncan is my sole, true heir," he thundered for all those gathered to hear.

Mephisto looked around himself, shadowed by the larger kaiju, and still smirked.

"I believe, my king that the point has been well made this day. Well made."

Belloc looked around, and eyed those below.

"Then ensure you spread the word. Belloc still rules," he snarled. "And Duncan rises. Go. And take note of any that still follow the liar," he added.

No one misunderstood him.

No one decried him.

The gathered kaiju just turned, and went back into the deeper shadows of their own tunnels, seeking their own lairs.

All with a fantastic tale to share of the prince standing against Leviathan himself.

~FB~

"We may have incoming," Barnes shouted as more of the neighbors, especially those whose homes had been damaged, and been taken to Margaret's house.

They might not have cared for her son, or the infamy they had brought their town, but even they realized her home was well guarded by both sides, and nothing seemed to be getting near it. Even when MEGTAF and the strange kaiju had fought off two more assaults by smaller kaiju that had come out of nowhere.

Even Jenna's mother was inside now, huddling with her daughter as she tried to stay calm while Margaret was outside, helping to guide the others, or even barking orders at the men as if she were their superior.

Something that few of the neighbors watching fearfully from the doors or windows understood.

"Hold it," she shouted at the man who tended to be trigger-happy at his best. "Look again, colonel," she told him. "That's Duncan."

"The hell it is….!"

The nearly nine foot Duncan landed just beside one of the insects now, and shrank back down even as he let Daora recover, too before he looked up at the nearest bug.

"You have found Lady Daora," one of them noted with satisfaction. "She was not harmed?"

"It's okay. Leviathan is gone, and the danger is over. It's done."

"Leviathan," Colonel Barnes echoed as he stormed over to glare suspiciously at him. "Who is that?"

"The real troublemaker stirring things up of late. Trust me, he's toast. Literally," Duncan smirked as the insects now nodded, and their energy shield seemed to just fade as they made a simple, curt gesture.

"Thank you for protecting my home, and my mother," he told one of the big bugs. "I won't forget the Hive, or your courage."

"We follow the Hive, who follows the true king," one of them told him. "Simply call if you need us, my prince. We of the Hive are ever loyal."

"We appreciate that," he said, and smiled at Daora. "And you missed your chance to know Levi, Barnes. Like I said, he's already toast."

"Did you know your father broke out, too," he demanded now. "Or did you help him….?"

Duncan laughed.

"You don't honestly think dad needed my help if he wanted to leave? He was just waiting for the bad guy to show his hand, so he could crush him. He's crushed, and now maybe things can calm down again. Trust me, dad isn't looking to start another war. He just wants to quiet down what Leviathan tried to start."

"So you say….."

"So I say. Good night, Barnes. Now, be a good boy, and go home."

"Good….boy," the man sputtered. "Listen here, kid….!"

"Duncan, is it really over," his mother asked as they approached the door, all three of them ignoring the fuming soldier behind them.

"You tell me," he grimaced, the first face he spotted on opening the door being Jenna's mother. Who was huddled next to Jenna on a very crowded couch, in a very crowded living room.

"Everyone," Margaret raised her voice as she put her weapon aside. "It's over. Duncan has ended the threat, and the danger is over. You can all go home now."

"Daora," Jenna cried, and leapt to her feet, rushing forward to hug the still reptilian girl. "You're okay."

"I am now. Duncan saved my life, and well avenged me on the creature that dared strike at us."

"J-J-Jenna," her mother whimpered, staring at Daora and Duncan in the door now.

"Perhaps I should change," Daora smiled knowingly, and shrank down to appear as an ordinary blonde girl as everyone in the room just gaped.

"Only if you had done that before you came in," Jenna sighed, hearing the gasps and murmurs around them.

"Actually, I think she had the timing right," Duncan drawled. "Daora is part of my life now, and as long as I'm here, they should be getting used to her, too."

"Uh, Duncan," an elderly, balding man approached him. "Mr. Sulan. Three doors down."

"Yeah, I know," he nodded.

"Well, I just want you to know, I appreciate you pitching in, and helping us out, boy. You, and your….friends out there. They really saved our hides tonight, and I don't mind admitting we owe you."

A few others echoed his words, but mostly the others just stared, and quickly made their way from the house.

"You can't change everyone overnight," Margaret told him when he just grumbled, and walked over to sit on the far end of the couch from Jenna's mom.

Who jumped up as if launched from her seat to head toward her daughter.

"Come on, Jenna," she told her. "We should be going, too. It's late, and…..and….."

"Our lord's consort should stay so she hears the truth of what happened this night," Daora told her as Jenna blushed.

"Your lord's what? You mean…him? She's his….? What," the woman sputtered.

"Uh, actually, a lot of the kaiju do already think we're…..ah, connected," Jenna admitted. "It's why they came after us. Duncan kept us safe, though. He, and his….friends."

"And I'll always keep you safe," he smiled, and nodded her way.

Jenna daringly walked over, and dropped down to sit beside him.

"So, what adventures did you have without me this time?"

"Well, first I made turtle soup," he grinned, and Daora burst into laughter as Jenna's mother only gaped.

Margaret only sighed, and asked the woman, "Coffee? I get the feeling we'll all be up a while longer."

The woman nodded mechanically, watching Daora walk over to push Duncan brazenly aside so she could sit beside him on his free side.

"Explain that one, jerk," Jenna was saying.

"It's Lord Jerk," Duncan grinned, and both girls burst into laughter as Margaret only rolled her eyes, and let Mrs. Shwartzendruber into the kitchen.

"It's best to just ignore him when he gets like that," Margaret told her. "At his heart, he's still just a normal teenage boy."

"That doesn't really help," the woman told her uneasily.

~FB~

"After all that happened, you're just letting him stay?"

"I don't see why not. The reports I have received suggest that this Leviathan was behind all the madness, and now he's gone. End of problem."

"End of problem? End of problem? You didn't see him, sir," Colonel Barnes sputtered as General Taylor only shook his head. "That kid is still changing. Growing! He was all of nine feet now when he changes! Nine! Who knows how big he may yet get! Or how it will affect him!"

"You're overreacting, colonel. Again. Just continue with your current assignment, and maintain your role as liaison for the new prince of the kaiju. After all, we have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure the next king thinks more kindly of us, don't we? We shouldn't squander that kind of a chance."

"But…."

"Go."

"Sir…."

"Or are you offering to resign."

Blitz groaned, and shook his head.

"No, sir. But that boy is dangerous! He's becoming more of a threat every day. Even I can see…."

"I have his own report, in his own words, Barnes. I don't see a threat. I see a potential ally. Try not to turn him against us, will you?"

"And what about Belloc?"

"Apparently, he's gone back to his own. Out of sight, out of mind. And a lot of the usual kaiju activity has been quiet again. Don't borrow trouble, colonel. Just keep your eyes on the boy, and make sure he's happy."

"He's happy," Barnes sputtered as he walked out of the office.

"Have a good day, colonel. Or should I say, coach," the general said as the door closed behind him.

Barnes groaned, and dropped his head.

The secretary carefully hid her own smirk as he stalked out of the office.

~FB~

"I cannot believe you guys were out having fun again without us," Isabel exclaimed as she caught up with Duncan earlier that day, and now knew everything by the time they met at lunch.

"Fun," Jenna exclaimed.

"Fun," Kenny shuddered. "If I never see another kaiju….. Uh, except you guys," he told Duncan and Daora. You guys are cool."

"We understand, buddy," Duncan grinned. "Don't worry. With dad back out, and running things, hopefully no one else is going to think they can stomp all over anyone else."

"Like you?"

"No one stomps over Prince Duncan," Daora smiled. "I have never been as proud as when I saw him attack the gimanju to save me. And the way he ravaged Leviathan!"

"I miss everything," Isabel sighed.

"You, girl, are strange," Jenna told her.

"Freaks," Troy Adams sneered at them as he and his friends walked past just then, glaring at Duncan in particular.

"Well, at least some things don't change," Jenna sighed.

Duncan only grinned as Troy suddenly tripped, and fell face down in his own tray, creating a domino effect with the four boys following him. Their howls of outrage, and shame echoed loudly, and Troy turned to glare back his way as he barked, "You did this," he accused.

"Me? Dude, you're like fifteen feet away from me. How could I trip you," he asked less than innocently.

"Troy," Principal Dave seemed to appear just then. "I saw you trip myself, young man, and Duncan was nowhere near you. Now clean up that mess, unless you would like to stay after to help the janitor."

The boys groaned as Duncan sniggered.

"You did do it," Jenna realized, because she did know him.

"I was just practicing some of that magic Daora was teaching me," he grinned. "Can I help it if some of it….ah, somehow….untied Troy's shoestrings?"

They burst into laughter as Duncan just smirked at a fuming Troy still scraping food off his own face as he glared Duncan's way.

"We might want to make sure we leave early today," Isabel murmured to Kenny.

"I thought you wanted to have fun," Kenny drawled. "Pretty sure if Troy comes after Duncan now, it's going to be fun."

"Not for Troy," Jenna grinned.

"Definitely not," Duncan agreed. "Now, who's up for a movie tonight?"

"I thought you were still banned from the mall?"

"I got a new reprieve. Guess saving the neighbors, even indirectly, helped with my PR."

"That's not all that helped," Jenna grinned. "Even mom may be loosening up now she's gotten to actually know you."

"You're kidding," Isabel exclaimed.

"I say may," Jenna stressed. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Which made them all laugh again.

"So, who's in?"

Everyone joined in at Duncan's query.

End….?