Chapter Text
Our worlds are more connected than we think. However, we must also try to avoid tampering in the affairs of Hollow Earth. Which is why, senators, an invasion of Hollow Earth would result in disaster. We've done well enough to stay out of Godzilla's crosshairs for the time being. I suggest we stay that way.
-Mark Russell on discussing the aftermath of the Battle of Rio
Monarch Crew Residence
Barbados
Director Hampton took a swig of her drink in victory as Mark Russell gave the senators a piece of his mind on the course of action regarding the second Rio incident. He made it very clear to those buffoons that, if Kong hadn't been given the B.E.A.S.T. Glove, the world would've faced its second ice age at the hands of the Hypothetical (or Shimo as Dr. Andrews called her) and the Skar King, whose literally shattered remains had been collected and disposed of.
It wasn't until her second sip that she realized she was drinking cold coffee, again. Even in celebration, she couldn't escape her least favorite drink in the world. Eh, kinda thirsty and I don't wanna spit it out.
"Director Hampton?"
Hampton turned to look at Laurier.
"Yes?"
"We're picking up a bio-electric signature within Paris."
Hampton groaned. A bio-electric signature could only mean one thing: A Titan emerging from Hollow Earth. France was not having the best of luck when it came to Titans. First last year when Godzilla feasted on a nuclear plant in Montaghac now this.
"Have they at least issued an alert? I don't want a repeat of Rio like last year."
"Yes, ma'am. I have received word from President Roache," Laurier confirmed. "Civilians are now in shelters but not without casualties. Military is en route."
"What about the Titan that decided to pay the surface a visit?"
"Titans." Laurier corrected. "Three of them."
Sure enough, on the map, Hampton saw three signatures expanding out of Paris.
"Visual on the three Titans coming up now, Director."
WIth that, Hampton turned to the video feed of the new TItans who chose to climb all their way up to the Surface World. One thing all three Titans had in common was that they were reptilian and bore spikes similar to Godzilla. But aside from that, all three newcomers were completely different.
The first one was somewhat chubby and rather small for a Titan, roughly the size of the young Great Ape Dr. Andrews called "Suko". Its rhino-like hide was burgundy with two ridges on its back. Its head reminded her of a pug she used to own as a little girl with rather big, hungry-looking, ruby-red eyes, elephantine ears, an up-curved, somewhat crystalline, orange horn, and a mouth filled with nasty looking fangs. It was quadrupedal with its front feet sporting enormous, mole-like claws and ridges on either side of its hands. A somewhat stubby tail waved behind it.
The other Titan was much lankier, standing half the size of Kong. It had pebbled brown and gray skin with what looked like two flaps of skin running down its elbows to its thighs. A long tail whipped through the air. On its back was a row of spikes connected by a fish-like membrane. Its head reminded Hampton of an iguana but much meaner with two fins on either side of its Komodo Dragon-like head. It too had a mouth full of teeth. A pair of malevolent, yellow, cat-like eyes seemed to gaze upon the fleeing masses with hunger.
The last one was much stockier than its colleagues. Its body was covered in crocodilian armor that reminded Hampton of knight or samurai armor. It lumbered through the streets like a rhinoceros. On its back rested a carapace absolutely covered in rows of quills resting between exposed vertebrae. A long, spiked tail ending like an organic morning star smashed buildings with each swing. Its head was roughly crocodilian with a crown of seven horns poking out behind its skull while a single horn poked out above its snout. Ferocious looking brown eyes peered forward, seemingly oblivious to the fleeing citizens as it marched through the streets, annihilating buildings as it moved forward on four, elephantine legs. In the instant they emerged, Titan sirens blared out across the City of Love.
"We got names for these three?" Hampton asked, already prepping herself for the phone calls.
"Not at the moment, Director," Laurier replied.
Hampton looked at the new Titans as if judging what to name them.
"Okay," she stated, pointing at the monsters currently tearing through the City of Lights, shrugging off the efforts of the hastily deployed French military. "The dog looking one we call Baragon, the tall one's Varan, and the oversized porcupine is Anguirus."
Laurier rose an eyebrow.
"Anguirus, Varan, and Baragon, ma'am?" she asked.
"I named them after a trio of dragons from Caribbean mythology, Angira, Baragora, and Baradagi." Hampton shrugged.
Just then, another alert blared, catching Hampton's attention. It was another Titan heading for Paris and, from the looks of it, this one was putting the pedal to the metal. Not to mention, this one was exhibiting a very familiar bio-radioactive signature.
Godzilla.
I was wondering when he'd show up. Hampton thought grimly.
Laurier tracked the King of the Monsters as he was starting to reach Paris.
"It looks like Godzilla will be making landfall in less than twenty minutes." she reported.
At this point, Hampton took a swig of her coffee and sighed. This was JUST not her day, nor was it Paris'.
Valley of the Wind
Periphery
"Do you feel it, Nausicaa?" King Jhil asked as he hoisted his eldest daughter on his lap. Eight-year-old Nausicaa didn't know what her father was talking about. All she could see was the night sky, complete with the stars and the moon.
"Feel what, Papa?" she asked.
"The Wind, Nausicaa," Jhil replied with a chuckle.
Sure enough, there was a brisk Autumn gust blowing by, tickling her face and stirring her pigtails. But this didn't feel like anything new. It felt like any other gust of wind. What was so special about it? Well, other than it was the only reason the Valley wasn't consumed by the Sea of Decay.
"It is not just any other wind, my sweet Nausicaa," Jihl explained. "It is the wind that you shall ride one day. This is Yara's Wind, and it carries the legacy of the Wind Riders who came before you. And, when you have come of age, my daughter, you shall leave your own legacy for other Wind Riders to follow. It is also the wind you shall ride when you take my place on the throne."
Nausicaa's eyes widened at her father's words. Was her father going to die? Her lip began to quiver, her eyes starting to fill with tears, and a quiet whimper eased from her throat. Jhil chuckled before bringing his daughter close to him.
"Don't worry, my child," Jhil assured her. "The Jungle's poisons haven't gotten me yet. I might be lucky to pass long after I see you take the throne."
Seemingly comforted, Nausicaa hugged Jhil tightly and both father and daughter turned their gaze to the Autumn sky.
Nausicaa's eyes snapped open as she returned to the waking world. She stood up sharply, startling Teto from his own rest. Dawn was starting to break and the first rays of sunlight began to peek through the windows. She then rest her hand on her father's bed- No, her bed. It wasn't her father's bed anymore since he...
With a saddened sigh, Nausicaa flung the covers off and started to step off the bed only to yelp when her bare feet touched cold stone. Overcoming it, Nausicaa stepped off and looked at herself in the mirror. Three years had changed her quite a bit from a fifteen-year-old Wind Rider to an eighteen-year-old queen-to-be whose only signs of change were a slightly taller stance and hair that now reached down to her back. It seemed like yesterday when the Valley of the Wind's hierarchy had changed; the crash-landing of the Tolmekian air freighter, the death of Princess Lastel, the Tolmekian incursion, crashing in the Sea of Decay, meeting Asbel, discovering the true nature of the Sea of Decay, the Ohmu stampede, her death and resurrection, and repairing the Valley as well as allowing the Pejiteians sanctuary until their kingdom could be restored.
So much has changed. Nausicaa thought solemnly. She then walked over to her wardrobe and got to getting dressed into her Wind Rider attire. When she was done slipping up her boots, she made sure to apply her leg guards. She then stood up and clicked her tongue to Teto. The Fox Squirrel perked up from his sleep and leaped off the bed onto his master's outstretched hand. Once he was curled around her shoulder, Nausicaa exited her father's former room.
She had just made it to the watch tower overlooking the Valley village. She looked over to the newly blooming forest but could still see the scorched earth underneath as visible as a scar. Three, almost four, years and the forest had yet to be regrown to its former glory. With a sigh, she strode up the stairs. Once she arrived, she noticed Gol still asleep. The man then let out a snore as he stirred only to snap awake when he saw his future queen stand before him.
"Princess!" he sputtered. "I didn't realize you were up. What brings you here?"
"I'm just taking the Mehve for a fly around." Nausicaa replied as she tied her goggles to her chin. "By the way, have Lord Yupa and Asbel returned yet?"
Gol chuckled. "Princess Nausicaa, the moment Lord Yupa or Prince Asbel return from their voyages, the entire Valley would know. But, I hope it's soon since the Tolmekians are coming by next week for negotiations."
Nausicaa sighed, somewhat disheartened. She hoped to see Asbel and Yupa since it had been months after they left to travel the world and inform any kingdom willing to listen of the Sea of Decay's true nature. How it was actually cleansing the world of its toxins and how the Ohmu were needed to protect it so it could do its job. She also realized she had forgotten the Tolmekians were coming by for another set of negotiations such as reconciling with the Valley and Pejite for their occupations of both kingdoms due to the presence of the God Warrior pupa.
"You're not taking your mask, Princess?" Gol asked.
"I'm just flying around the Valley," Nausicaa replied. "I need to clear my head a bit."
Gol nodded and waited until the daughter of his late chieftain climbed aboard the bird-like glider. She slid down her Ohmu lens goggles and started up the Mehve. The sound of the Old World engine revving up rattled her bones even more so today than it did normally. She then flipped up the throttle and she shot off into the sky, Teto digging his claws into her jacket. As she soared above her kingdom, Nausicaa couldn't help but feel uneasy. As if something that would make the Tolmekians or an enraged Ohmu stampede seem trite by comparison.