Disclaimer: Godzilla and all related characters and trademarks are © Toho Co. Ltd.
Well, here begins another Godzilla fanfiction. However, if you enjoyed "Battle On Fire," be warned- this will be a very different Godzilla fanfic. It's AU, so like the films in the Millennium Series the only Godzilla film it really has a connection to is the first one.
Just so you know, I have my own look for Godzilla. In this story he is 180 feet tall. For the body, think the GFW design, but more muscular and menacing. The spinal plates are larger and jagged. The head looks like the Heisei Godzilla. He also has a particularly long tail. Also, he has spikes on his sides and on the sides of his head and neck like the G2K design. He has the usual Godzilla powers (strong, regeneration, nuclear breath), and his spikes are razor-sharp.
This fic may be somewhat dark and dramatic. If it is, I've succeeded.
Note: Though this Prelude chapter takes place in 1954, the main event will be set in 2006.
MIKI
Tokyo, 1954"The menace was gone…but so was a great man."
The American reporter looked out on the sea as it churned and frothed. Emiko was bent over, crying, holding the end of the lifeline in her hand. Ogata was knelt next to her, comforting the crying woman.
It had been only a few moments ago. Dr. Serizawa had been a brilliant scientist, and a good man. After all of Japan's military might had failed, it had been that one scientist who found the solution. He had found the one weapon that could defeat the terrible Godzilla.
But the cost was high. Serizawa dreaded what would happen if the Oxygen Destroyer fell into the wrong hands. But, eventually, he was considered that Godzilla was an even greater menace. But still, he refused to let the deadly secret of the Oxygen Destroyer be revealed. And so, he had burned the papers, gotten rid of all his experiments and destroyed his laboratory. Finally, when the weapon was detonated in Tokyo Bay, Serizawa had stayed underwater and cut his lifeline. Having witnessed first-hand the horror of war and nuclear weapons, he had chosen to die rather than let his terrible discovery be unleashed upon mankind.
Behind them was the smouldering rubble of what once was Tokyo. Now it was nothing but piles of scorched rubble and charred, twisted metal. Bodies were lying in the streets. Those in the monster's path who were not burned to cinders had been crushed underfoot. The tallest of buildings had been effortlessly ripped to the ground. The Military had done all they could to stop him, but the only result was more destruction.
Tokyo, 2006
"And that," Prof. Kitamura continued, "Was the first time that Godzilla appeared on the Japanese mainland. Now, before we continue, can anyone now answer the question I asked at the start of the lesson?"
Several hands went up from the class. However, Kitamura's attention was diverted to a 15-year-old girl in the second row. She had her head in one hand to the side, and, most noticeably, was asleep.
Kitamura tapped the desk in front of her. The young girl's almond eyes shot open and she sat straight up, blurting out a random answer.
"Albuquerque?" This got a laugh from several students.
"So, Miki," Kitamura smirked, "You're saying that the first Kaiju to appear after Godzilla was Albuquerque?"
"No."
"Then would you kindly tell us which one it was?"
Fortunately, Miki already knew this.
"Rodan."
"Right. As we know, Rodan first appeared in 1959, two years before its fight with Anguirus in Hokkaido…"
The final bell rang and the students made their way outside. As usual, Miki was among the last to leave.
"Miki," Kitamura called her, "Can I see you for a minute?"
Miki nodded and walked over to the teacher's desk.
"You OK?" Kitamura asked.
"Yeah…" Miki answered quietly, "Why?"
"Well, you've been falling asleep in class a lot lately. That's the third time this week!"
"Oh yeah…Look, sorry about that…"
"Look, Miki, I'm a teacher. It's my job to help every one of my students as much as I can. If there's a problem at home…"
"It's not that…"
"Well, whatever it is, if this starts affecting your grades, I'm going to have to call your parents."
"It won't."
"OK. Are you sure I can't help, whatever it is?"
Miki shook her head and walked out of the classroom. As usual, she walked out of school by herself.
Rebecca stepped through the gates, relieved to be out of school. She'd only moved to Japan about Five days ago, but she'd learned one thing: School sucked here as well.
"Sorry," She gasped as she always walked into a 15-year-old Japanese girl.
"My fault," She answered before regaining her composure. "You new here?"
"Yeah," Rebecca answered, "Just moved her from England. I'm Rebecca."
The girl bowed. "Miki Segusa."
"Nice meeting you."
Miki smiled, turned and walked away. Rebecca walked up to Saeko, a friend she'd made since moving to Japan.
"Weird girl," Saeko thought out loud.
"Dunno. She doesn't seem that weird."
"It's that that she's weird…just she hardly ever talks to anyone. I kinda feel sorry for her, though."
"Why's that?"
Kitamura was late leaving, and another of the teachers, Yashiro, walked into the classroom as he was about to go.
"Problems with another student?" She asked as Kitamura closed his briefcase.
"Not sure," He answered, "Do you teach Miki Segusa?"
"Yeah, I teach her for Chemistry. Smart girl. Why do you ask?"
"It's just she's been falling asleep in my lessons."
"Hardly surprising. She was asleep in my class as well. And English. Smart girl, but…a sad case. And not just the falling asleep."
"Why?"
"Well, as it turns out, her cousin- in 11th Grade- he's a user."
"A User?"
"An addict. A junkie. A druggie."
"Her cousin's a drug addict?"
"In the last year, he's been suspended twice for being high."
"And what about her?"
"Far as anyone knows, she's never touched the stuff. Not sure if that'll last much longer though. The bad ones always seem to drag the good ones down with them."
Pacific Ocean
Miles beneath the waves, a vast, dark shape moved through the water. Nothing this big should exist- but it did.
It was a huge creature, 180 feet tall. The enormous reptile moved slowly through the water, before its attention was suddenly diverted Eastward.
The monster sensed something…something strange…and something powerful.
The creature changed direction, heading toward Japan…
Miki Segusa walked the few blocks from school to what passed for home. Her cousin Akira, typically, was with his friends- stoned. She angrily walked up the steps and ducked under a wooden sign that read "Condemned."
She entered the abandoned building and slumped against a wall. She looked out into the street, at the people passing by. And every last thought, from every last one of them, reached her. She heard everything that went on in their heads.
She put a hand to her forehead to try and block out the noises, but they still kept coming. Eventually, she managed to block them out.
She sat down on the steps and sighed.
In the alley, Akira had suddenly collapsed to the ground, thrashing and foaming at the mouth.
"Dude," One of the other teenagers called to the gang leader, "The stupid bastard overdosed!"
"Like I give a shit!" The leader sighed, "Just throw him down there by the trash cans. Toss him out with the rest of the garbage."
Well, that's the first chapter. Maybe not exactly "dark," but hopefully I got across the idea that Miki's life is more-than-slightly unpleasant.
Yes, Miki's homeless. If you're confused and/or surprised by the story so far, then I have done my job! Kitamura, Saeko and Rebecca will be involved more later in the story, and maybe some other characters. And I know there are no monsters in this chapter, but I'm setting up the story here. There is monster violence coming!
This chapter was actually very hard to write. I went through several ideas before I came up with something I liked, and a good starter/finisher for this chapter.
So, how did I do with the drama thus far? Please Review with your opinions, but no flames! Is this a good or bad set-up for the story? Any ideas on character development are welcome- and for once, I mean any. I will take the serious, the surreal and the sick and I will consider every piece of advice I get. So Please, Please, Please Review!