This story was originally written for a fanfic mailing list for the TV show Gargoyles that my husband and I ran back in the middle nineties. It features original characters that were created for the list.
Timeline: Non-timeline (October 1996)
Part 1/1
Summary: When a meteor threatens to expose the monastery, it is up to Black Steel, Jasmine, Matt, and Ebony to defend it with the help of a … giant green lizard?
Humor
Disclaimer: Godzilla is not mine. He belongs to Toei. Same for Zog, who belongs to Hanna Barbera. I am borrowing them without permission. Black Steel, Jasmine and Matthew Tower all belong to Brian Henderson, who DID give permission (YOU told me to do this. :P)
The asteroid raced through the dark reaches of space. It had flown for untold centuries, the remnants of a long dead world. It entered a small system on the outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy. It sped past the large gaseous giants of the outer planets, now caught in the Sun’s gravitational pull. It was pulled faster and faster inward. For many millennia, the asteroid had avoided colliding with another world, through all the systems and galaxies it wandered. Now, however, it’s luck was over. The third planet from the sun in this system, a small, rocky, blue planet stood between it and the sun.
The meteor broke through the planet’s atmosphere at hundreds of miles per second. The
sudden exposure to the atmosphere caused the meteor to start to break up. Small pieces of rock fell away as it rocketed toward a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean. A sound, like the meteor was screaming in pain, torn through the air as it neared it’s target; a mountain on the largest of the islands. The explosion was heard and felt for miles all around as the it hit.
“What was that?” Ebony asked as she moved her wings back. She had used them to shield herself and Matt from the falling debris. They were sitting on the roof of the monastery, stargazing.
“It must have been the asteroid,” Matt said. He looked out toward the distant mountains. He knew they would be able to see it, but it wasn’t expected to hit land. Great billows of smoke rose from the crater, blocking out the stars.
“Matthew, what has happened?” Black Steel asked, as he landed on the roof. Jasmine landed next to him.
“It looks like that asteroid that was supposed to miss us, didn’t.” Matt pointed to the smouldering mountain. Ebony wandered around the roof, stamping out tiny fires from the hot rocks, that were threatening to erupt, while the Elders spoke. Black Steel and Jasmine stared out at the impact crater on the side of the mountain.
“What’s that strange light coming from the crater?” Jasmine asked.
“Probably just a fire from the impact,” Black Steel dismissed.
“Since when did fire pulsate?” Jasmine’s comment made them all pay attention to the light. She was right. A red light glowed out from the crater, fading in and out slowly, at regular intervals.
Black Steel’s usual somber expression became dark. “Jasmine and I will go to check out this meteor. You and Ebony stay here,” he said to Matt and took off. Jasmine followed after him.
The two gargoyles reached the crater quickly. Black Steel landed carefully on the ledge. It was already cool. Jasmine landed next to him. She crouched down to look into the crater. The meteor sat there, still pulsating the red light. It was round with a smooth, glass-like surface.
“That doesn’t look like a normal meteor.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Black Steel said. He kept looking around, as if he was testing the air. “And that worries me.” He looked down at Jasmine.
“Why?”
The sound of rotors suddenly filled the air. A helicopter appeared above the crater, shining a spotlight down. The light struck the place where Black Steel and Jasmine used to be. The light circled the edges of the crater before being aimed down into the crater itself.
“That’s why,” Black Steel said as he helped his mate up. “Let us return home. We need to decide what to do.” The two gargoyles slipped past the helicopter and it occupants, who were busy studying the invader.
—————————————
“The mountainous provinces around Mount Fujiyama have become overwhelmed by a flurry of activity,” the TV reporter on the screen said. “Ever since LV-257 struck the side the mountain late last night, scientists have come from all over the world to study this unusual meteor.”
The scene cut from the reporter to a shot of helicopters flying over the crater. It then cut to a close-up of men in contamination suits on the crater’s edge.
“Dr. Iijai Sumi is in charge of the team currently on the mountain.”
“This is very exciting for us,” the middle-aged man in a white lab coat now on the screen said. “There has never been a meteor quite like this one before. We hope to learn a lot from it.”
“What’s different about this meteor?” the reporter asked.
“It’s very makeup. The rock is unlike anything that we have on Earth, or have seen in any other meteor we have studied.”
“The fervor caused by the meteor has many local residents upset,” the voice-over continued as the screen changed to an older man talking into a held out mic.
“Those scientists have no respect for honest work. They’ve trampled my crops and used my fields for their fancy machines!”
“The traffic has become horrendous!” Another man said, holding his presumed wife by the shoulders, who was nodding in agreement. “We can’t even leave our home. We left the city to escape this!”
“To accommodate all parties,” the TV reporter continued. “The Defense Forces have been called in to move the meteor to a place where it can be better studied, and will no longer disrupt the lives of the locals.”
Black Steel switched off the TV.
“About time,” Jasmine said, in response to the reporters’ last statement.
“Until then, we will have to remain cautious. No one is to leave the monastery unless it is
absolutely necessary. Tomodachi, do we have enough supplies to last this siege?”
“No. I was planning on making a run into town tonight anyway. I’ll make sure we have enough to last. Who knows how long it will take to move that thing.” Matt replied.
“May I go with him?” Ebony asked. “I’ll be careful.” She looked up at Black Steel, hands clasped in front of her. He scowled, and looked at Matt. Matt just shrugged his shoulders.
“Let her go,” Jasmine said. “It’ll be the last time she gets out until this all blows over.”
“Very well,” Black Steel relented. “But stay out of trouble.” He pointed a stern finger at her.
“Hai Sensei!” Ebony bowed and stood next to Matt.
“BOTH of you.” The finger moved to Matt.
“Don’t worry, my friend,” Matt said smiling. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
————————————
“Everything’s going according to schedule, Dr.Sumi.”
“Excellent,” Dr. Sumi responded as he looked over the clipboard his assistant handed him. He stood in the middle of the temporary headquarters, with people at computer monitors, watching the crater and studying readings coming in.
“Dr. Sumi?”
“Yes?”
“I’m Colonel Hadashi. I will be supervising the move of the meteor.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Colonel. We’ve –”
“Dr. Sumi! Something is happening!” one of the technicians called.
“What — ?”
“The meteor has been emitting a strange energy.” Dr. Sumi explained as he led the Colonel to one of the stations. “We have been monitoring it since it crashed.” Dr. Sumi immediately began going over the readings the team had recorded. “This is amazing! The energy readings have risen steadily.”
“What does that mean?” Hadashi asked.
“I have no idea.”
“Doctor, look!” One of the technicians cried and pointed toward the crater. There was a sudden burst of light, and a loud explosion. The burning remnants of a helicopter that had flown over the meteor rained down to the ground.
“Oh my god!” Dr. Sumi cried. Beams of light continued to shoot out of the crater, nearly hitting the remaining helicopters that were trying to get out of its way. A piercing shriek filled the air. From the crater, a monster emerged, perching on the edge of the crater.
It was cream in color with large, reptilian eyes. It looked vaguely like a dragon: a small head with a single horn pointing back, long serpentine neck and bat-like wings. It appeared to be a quadruped, but reared up on its hind legs. It let out another shriek, it’s snake-like tongue sticking out. The Zog had awakened.
————————————
Ebony flew high over the buildings of Tokyo. She took advantage of every thermal. Jasmine was right. She knew she wouldn’t be leaving the monastery once they got back, and she wanted to enjoy one last flight. She had grown accustomed to the freedom she had there, and was not looking forward to the self-imposed grounding. She glided over the docks, being careful to avoid the water, and landed on one of the warehouses. Matt was in one, finishing retrieving the supplies they needed.
Ebony looked out over the harbor, and watched the waves wash against the docks. The waves seemed rough, and were getting rougher by the minute. Suddenly, something enormous rose out of the sea. Ebony took several steps back despite the distance between herself and it.
The creature was big. The ships in the harbor looked like toy boats compared to him. He let out a mighty roar. He appeared to be a combination between a Tyrannosaur Rex and a Stegosaurus. Ebony could easily see the dark green scales that covered his body as he stepped onto the shore. The lizard didn’t seem to notice the buildings on the dock, his enormous feet and tail knocking them over like toy blocks.
Ebony glided down to examine the remnants of the crushed warehouses, hoping Matt wasn’t in one of them. She began searching through the wreckage.
“Ebony!” She spun around. Matt had come out of another warehouse spared by the creature, and saw her. He waved her over to his side. “What are you doing?”
“I was just checking to be sure you weren’t in one of these warehouses,” she said, melting into the shadows.
“What happened?” Matt asked, seeing the destruction.
“Didn’t you feel it?”
“Yes, but wasn’t it just an earthquake? A 3.2 at the most. Not enough to do…this kind of…damage…” His voice trailed off as he looked in the direction Ebony was pointing. The distant form of the giant lizard could still be seen as it continued to walk through downtown Tokyo. “I think we’d better get back to the monastery.”
———————————
“You should have seen it! It must have been at least 30 stories high!” Ebony told Black Steel and Jasmine when she and Matt returned to the monastery. “It made the buildings, cars, and ships all look like toys!”
“Aren’t you exaggerating just a little, Ebony?” Jasmine said as she was putting the food away in the kitchen.
“No! It’s true! Matt saw it too -” Ebony was cut off by the TV.
“-the monster, scientists are calling “Gojira” is now headed for the Mount Fujiyama province. His purpose there is unknown. Will he try to stop the menace that threatens us, or will he only add to it.” The TV reporter announced. On the screen, the form of Gojira could be seen moving purposely further inland.
“See?!”
“I don’t believe it,” Jasmine said as she stared at the TV.
“Gojira…” Black Steel mused to himself.
“What is it?” Matt asked the old gargoyle.
“There are legends, legends that were ancient when I first came to Japan of a beast called Gojira.”
“You mean there’s something older than you?” Jasmine asked, unable to resist the temptation.
Black Steel ignored his mate’s remark, and continued. “The legends say that when Japan was in great danger, Gojira would rise from the depths to protect it.”
“Do you think this is the Gojira from legend?” Matt asked.
“It had better be, tomodachi, otherwise, we are in very big trouble.”
———————————
“Colonel, Gojira is almost here!”
Colonel Hadashi turned around. The giant green lizard was coming closer. “Great. Like we don’t have enough problems.” The Colonel looked at the remains of the helicopters the Zog had shot down. His troops had tried shooting the Zog with bullets and missiles. Nothing injured it. “Dr. Sumi!” The Colonel turned to the head researcher. “Have you come up with anything?”
“I’m sorry Colonel. We can’t seem to find any weaknesses in the monster. We just can’t penetrate its scales.” Doctor Sumi looked exhausted. He had worked non-stop since the team arrived yesterday morning.
“Colonel!” One of his aides ran over to him. “Gojira! He’s here!”
Everyone turned to see Gojira clear the last of the mountains. He roared angrily. The Zog turned his attention away from the attacking army, and answered Gojira’s challenge with a cry of his own. Gojira charged at Zog, but he missed as Zog flapped his huge wings and took to the sky. Gojira turned and roared at Zog again, and shot a blue flame from his mouth at him. In the process, however, his massive tail struck several of the army’s trucks.
“Colonel, if we stay here, we’ll be destroyed!”
‘We must fall back!” the Colonel shouted to his troops. His aide brought a map of the area for the Colonel to look over.
“There is an old, burned-out Buddhist monastery to the east.” The aide pointed to the area on the map.
“Take some men and check out the road,” the Colonel said. The aide saluted and left. “The rest of you, start packing up. We’re moving out of here!”
———————————-
Ebony climbed onto the roof.
“What are you doing up here Matt?” she asked. He was sitting, staring toward the mountain, listening to a police scanner.
“Just keeping an eye on the army.”
“What are they doing?” She sat down next to him.
“They’re looking for a place to fall back. It sounds like Gojira is fighting Zog, and they are caught in the middle.” The scanner suddenly came to life, and they listened to the latest report.
“Colonel, it looks like the road to the monastery is clear, do you want us to go up and check it out?”
“No. Get back here, we need help moving the scientists.”
“Yes sir.”
Matt and Ebony looked at each other.
—————————–
“They’re what?!” Black Steel exclaimed.
“The army is heading up here. They want to use the monastery as a base camp,” Matt explained.
“Great. What else can go wrong?”
“Isn’t there anything we can do?” Ebony asked.
“What if we helped Gojira?” Jasmine asked. “Isn’t that the reason they are coming up here?” she said to the blank expressions she received from the others. “To keep an eye on the monsters, and strike back if necessary?” Still the blank faces. “If we help Gojira defeat Zog, then they won’t need to come up here, because there won’t be any battle to monitor. Right?” Finally, a spark of understanding lit on their faces.
“Does he really need our help?” Matt asked.
‘Well, he’s not doing too well.” Jasmine pointed to the TV. On it, the battle between Gojira and Zog was being broadcast. Zog had Gojira in his claws, and hovered above a lake at the base of the mountain. He released him, and Gojira fell into the lake.
“Okay, maybe he does need some help.”
“How can we help?” Ebony asked.
“Jasmine and I will distract Zog until Gojira can regain his strength and the upper hand. You and Ebony will remain here,” Black Steel said.
“But–!”
“Don’t argue Ebony,” Matt said, holding her back as Black Steel and Jasmine left.
“Can we at least watch from the roof?”
“Sure. We can keep an eye on the army as well.” Matt said, smiling. They climbed back onto the roof. The retreating figures of Black Steel and Jasmine could still be seen in the distance. The battling monsters, though several miles away, could also be easily seen as they continued to fight.
——————————
Black Steel and Jasmine reached the battle ground quickly. Zog had just dropped Gojira again, this time onto the ground, and then struck him with the ray from his eyes and tail. Gojira writhed under the assault.
“Jasmine, you go to the right, I’ll take the left,” Black Steel said. “And be careful of those eye beams.”
“Don’t worry my love. I’ll be careful.” The two gargoyles split up and began buzzing Zog like two annoying gnats. Zog turned from Gojira and tried to swat away the gargoyles. Black Steel and Jasmine kept Zog busy, weaving around its head and getting it to shoot its eye beams at its own feet, while Gojira got back on his feet.
“Jasmine, look out!” Black Steel cried as his mate was struck by the tail beam. Stunned, she started to fall. Black Steel caught her before she hit the ground. “I told you to be careful.”
“But you didn’t say anything about the tail,” she said, as she recovered. Black Steel almost smiled, more because he was relieved that Jasmine was all right then for any attempts at humor. They watched as Gojira attacked Zog again, and just as before Zog fended him off.
——————————————-
“It didn’t work,” Ebony said as she lowered the binoculars.
“There must be some way to weaken that monster,” Matt said. He took the binoculars and looked around. His eyes finally settled on the crater. The strange red light was still emanating from it. It continued to pulsate, growing bright for a few seconds before going back to its original intensity. The brightness seemed to correlate with Zog using his laser beams. “That’s it!”
“What?”
“Ebony, you have to fly me out to the crater.”
“But Black Steel said -”
“I know what Black Steel said. But I know how to defeat Zog!” Ebony didn’t argue any further. Matt held on to her as she took off. She flew as fast as she could to the crater.
“What are they doing here?” Black Steel said angrily as Ebony and Matt flew over.
“Do you think the army made it to the monastery?” Jasmine asked, worried.
“I don’t think so.” Black Steel followed them with his eyes. “Matt must have figured out
something.”
Ebony landed a few feet from the remnants of the meteor inside the crater. It was split in two, like an egg.
“Zog is getting his power from the meteor somehow,” Matt said as he approached it. “So, the only way to defeat him is to destroy the it.” Matt reached out to touch it, but received a shock. He stepped back.
“Let me try.” Ebony leapt onto the meteor. It shocked her as well, but she hung on, digging her claws into the rock. She ripped out a piece, and threw it down. The meteor glowed brightly for a moment, and then dimmed.
“That’s it Ebony! Keep pulling pieces off,” Matt shouted. Ebony continued ripping the meteor apart.
Outside the crater, Zog screamed, as he felt the pieces being ripped away. He flew to the crater, and landed on the ledge. He let out another scream.
“Time to go Ebony.” Matt said as the shadow of Zog fell over them. Ebony jumped off the meteor and glided toward Matt. She grabbed him and flapped her wings, trying to gain altitude. “I hope we were able to do enough damage.”
“Me too,” Ebony said as they cleared the crater’s edge. Black Steel and Jasmine were gliding above them. But Zog wasn’t going to let them go unpunished. His head appeared from the crater, eye beams aimed at the human and gargoyle.
“Matthew, what -” Black Steel started, when Zog fired. He hit Ebony full force. She cried out in pain, her wings collapsing, causing her and Matt to fall from the sky.
“Ebony! Matt!” Jasmine cried. Black Steel dived down. He caught Matt, but Ebony slipped from Matt’s grasp. She hit the lake.
Jasmine started to dive for the water when Gojira appeared. She had to back-wing to keep from running into the giant lizard. Gojira stared at Jasmine for a moment. Then, he bent down and scooped up a handful of water. As the water rained from his hand, it revealed a figure in Gojira’s hand. Gojira held his hand out to Jasmine. She landed tentatively, and picked Ebony up. The young gargoyle was alive but unconscious. Jasmine looked up at Gojira, and nodded. She took off and joined Black Steel and Matt.
“Is she-” Matt started.
“She’s fine Matt. She’s just unconscious from the blast.”
Gojira turned away from the small clan and back to Zog. The monster seemed to be cowering in the crater. Gojira ripped away the crater’s edge, sending rocks tumbling into the lake below. Zog tried to push him back with his eye beams, but they were no longer strong enough to affect Gojia. He struck Zog with his atomic breath, sending the monster back to its meteor shell. Gojira then joined the two halves of the meteor, and sealed it with his breath. Once the two pieces were one again, Gojira picked it up, and with a mighty toss, sent it flying back into space. The threat now gone, Gojira sighed, and started the long trek back to the sea.
“I think Gojira has the right idea,” Black Steel said, and led his clan back to the monastery.
———————————–
“With the defeat of the Zog, Gojira is now heading back to the harbor where he first appeared. The army is giving him escort all the way back, just to be sure he makes it without causing anymore damage,” The TV reported said.
“As long as they stay far away from here,” Jasmine said.
“It is nearly dawn,” Black Steel said, holding his hand out to Jasmine. She took it, and they leapt to the window.
“You sure you’re all right?” Matt asked Ebony as he helped her off the couch.
“I’m fine Matt,” she said, smiling at him. Matt took the towel that had been around her neck, sliding it slowly off. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“You know it,” he said, as he put his hand on her cheek and kissed her. Black Steel growled his displeasure at the couple.
“Leave them alone you big grump,” Jasmine said. She turned his head to face her, and placed a big kiss on his lips, placating him slightly. Ebony jumped up and joined them. With one last glance to Matt, she joined her elders and faced the rising sun.
“On a final note, these mysterious figures were spotted during the battle.” Matt turned back to the TV. Clips of the battle were being played. Two blurry figures could be seen flying around the Zog. “They seemed to have helped Gojira.” They switched to another clip of three blurry figures flying away from the crater. “Could they be some of the ‘gargoyles’ we have heard about from the United States? Whoever they are, we at NKH do agree on one thing. We owe them our thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Matt said. He switched off the TV and headed for his own bed. It had been a long night.
THE END