Chapter 8

If you've ever put a seashell to your ear and heard the ocean waves, you're already there...

That soft, soothing sound danced over a pointed ear bringing a sense of tranquility to the world which lulled him into a deep sleep. Over his head and around his back swam several schools of fish, a few sharks gliding through the area, and even a whale accompanied by several manta rays. Despite the size differences, once would think there was a universal truce among them as they all seemed to take pleasure in sharing this space.

And as the sounds of the ocean tucked him into bed and kissed his weary mind goodnight, the slumbering giant slipped into that reality-bending world of dreams.

... Time ceases to be, and the echoes of the past always find a way to return.

How long ago was this vision? Ten years? Twenty? Perhaps more?

He was racing through the water towards shore. But which shore? Did it matter? There was a boat ahead. And as he approached he dipped down well beneath the waves before gripping it in his jaws and launching himself into a standing position. He held it firmly for a few seconds, and then crunched it in half with one powerful bite.

Spitting out the excess wood and debris, he looked down at the shoreline where he saw a bunch of humans... Including that girl from before.

Back in the present, he snarled in his sleep and emitted a growl which sent the fish swimming around him scattering into the gloom.

In his dream, he took in the measure of the girl. Her face was slightly different from what he remembered of the encounter the other day. Her cheeks were a bit rounder in this vision. And her hair was different too. Was it just how these puny creatures changed over time? Whatever. She dies here, surely.

But no. Instead, he walked forward and they all got into some kind of metal box that moved through the paths between these odd boxy structures all around him that reached up to his hips. They crumbled before his might, of course. But they were still irritating. He lost sight of their little box after a while, and the vision slowly began to fade into a new one.

It felt like the same time period, roughly. Maybe a few days apart. But now he saw flashes of gold. Three long, flexible columns moving about randomly. Golden wings? They definitely weren't Mothra's. So who did they belong to? He could also hear some kind of high pitched cackling sound. Almost like something was giggling or laughing at him which made his blood boil.

In the present, his claws on the ground scraped the ocean floor sending up a small cloud of mud and sand.

Why was this happening? What were these visions? Was it him? No. He'd never seen these things before. Nor had he heard that sound before. So what was happening?

That girl suddenly appeared again, and some kind of new sound was emerging...

Back in the lab with Chiharu and Hans, Miki sat in the corner quietly humming a melody to herself.

Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm, Hmm Hmm Hmmmmm...

... Was this a song? He heard it so clearly it was almost as if she was singing it right in his ear. And then, almost as if by magic, she split into two people. On the left was the version of her he saw in his visions. And on the right was the version he saw just the other day. Were there two of them?

And that melody. Something about it relaxed him. In the present, his claws slowly slid out until his claws rested flat on the ocean floor, no longer curled or flexed in frustration at the giggling sound he heard earlier. His body subtly adjusted itself, flattening out a bit more as his muscles all released the built-up tension.

Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm hmm hmmmmm...

That melody. Why did it calm him so?

Suddenly, he was thrust into another vision. A much more violent one. He was fighting with Mothra all of a sudden. And a large reptilian bird creature as well. Mothra was hesitant to attack him at first, hanging back and circling more than striking as he seemed to be chasing her. But why?

His movements weren't quite right though. They were jagged. Uneven. Like he had stumbled his way through the fight somehow. Was he injured? Or was something else going on?

Ziiiiiiinnnnnnggggg!

Godzilla's body lurched in his sleep, thrusting to the right side as if he'd been struck by some invisible force. His mind was ringing. Like something was screaming inside his head. He couldn't gather any coherent thoughts anymore. Watching this battle was like watching the world on auto-pilot while peering through the windows that were his eyes. Like he was trapped inside himself and couldn't function on his own anymore. The strain was becoming unbearable, and the pain shooting through his body was maddening.

Finally, one thought came through clearly as some kind of device fell from his ear. He collapsed to the ground, and the fight seemed to end. The bird and Mothra hovered nearby, refusing to attack him further. And he felt that girl again. She was trying to do something for him. And Sayuri. He remembered Sayuri from Infant Island, holding a baby in her arms. Her mental footprint was there too in this vision, right alongside the girl's. They were working together on something. And it hurt his head. But the pain wasn't stationary. It moved through the front of his skull, around the side, and through his ear before finally fading.

At last, that static was gone. But his vision had given way to darkness. The world went silent, and he thought the vision was over until he felt his heart pump within his chest. But it wasn't by its own power. Something was pumping it for him. Or... Someone.

It was that girl again. Her friend tried to stop her, but she refused to break her concentration. She pumped his heart for him again, and again, and again. Until at last it beat on its own once more, and his consciousness slowly returned to normal. The haze, pain, and static were gone. And he looked around before spotting Mothra. He then took his leave, but it wasn't the end of this vision.

In the depths of the Pacific, he felt a pain in his heart. But not a physical pain. An emotional one. Like he'd lost someone dear to him. Both in his vision, and in the present though he still slumbered, his body began roaring in sorrow.

Back in the lab, Miki's humming stopped as she felt a twinge of pain in her chest.

"Ah!" She gasped.

Hans turned his head.

"Is miss Okumura okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. You're not dying are you? Shame as that'd be." Chiharu jabbed.

Miki waved them off.

"I'm fine."

The two returned to work, but Miki walked outside. She couldn't go far due to the presence of armed guards, but she didn't need to. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to relax as she focused on that pain in her chest.

And inexplicably, she started to shed silent tears.

"Wh-... Why am I crying?" She asked.

Suddenly, the pain shifted to her head causing her to stumble back into the doorway, barely catching it to steady herself with her hands as she lowered herself into a seated position. Her brain started throbbing in her skull, and curse human anatomy she couldn't reach it to do anything about it. She held her head, fighting desperately to shake it free.

Friends...

It was the Shobijin. But they weren't actually talking to her. Was this a memory?

"Godzilla." She whispered.

The pain began to subside as the memory became clearer. She saw herself... No, not herself. Saegusa. It was Saegusa in a hospital bed with a heart rate monitor attached to her. The beeping was steady, but slower than usual. Was she injured? Or was it worse?

"I want her back!"

It was her mother's voice. She was younger though. So this must have been a memory of Saegusa. But if that were true, then why...

Her eyes opened further, and her jaw hung in shock.

"Godzilla. This is your memory."

Yes, Miki.

Miki gasped. This time, they were talking to her.

"But wait. If this is Godzilla's memory, then how am I-"

Your Godzilla is experiencing the same memory as we speak in his dreams. We have formed a link between you to synchronize your experience. So concentrate, Miki. Relax your senses, and let the memory flow.

Miki obeyed without question, sitting down and closing her eyes as she released a deep breath.

She saw Godzilla's vision flashing before her. The pain. The static. The lack of a heartbeat, then forced to function by the power of Saegusa's abilities. The awakening. The retreat to the ocean. And then the roars, filled with sadness and shame. It was not unlike the feeling she had of herself this whole time. The feeling of failure, like he let someone close to him down.

Beneath the waves, Godzilla released one final roar of sorrow before lying down as the vision faded. When he opened his eyes, he could still feel that pain coursing through his heart. Whoever that other version of the girl he had seen was from the dream, she had been important to his predecessor. Very important. So much so she risked her life to restore his when his heart failed.

Miki's link to Godzilla slowly faded, and she opened her eyes.

"What was all of that?" She asked.

Your mother has the answers, Miki.

"Is she all right?"

We do not know. Wherever she is, we cannot reach her.

"... I need to make a phone call. Thanks you two."

Be careful Miki. You tread a dangerous path with this Kaiju Coexistence group. And we don't trust that Miyamoto one bit.

"Neither do I."

Miki stood up slowly, gathering herself after that experience. Her legs trembled slightly until she managed to breathe and shake it all off. Bringing out her cell phone, she dialed Miyamoto's phone and waited as she heard the other end ringing.

Beneath the sea, Godzilla began to move in the direction of Tokyo.