Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Castle Bravo, Outpost 54, Bermuda

Late November, 2031

Click… click… click. The momentary clicks of the mouse echoed in the quiet room. The soft, rippling blue glow of the open ocean outside the window and a single desk lamp revealed the layout of the office enclosed by concrete and glass. Artifacts from centuries long forgotten decorated the interior, giving the space a reverent air.

Dr. Ilene Chen scanned through the latest batch of test results listed on the screen as dark circles hung from her eyes. The results were not pleasing. All were showing between the fiftieth and seventy-fifth percentiles. None of them were good enough. She needed at least one who tested in the ninetieth percentile. Even higher would be better for the tests that would come after.

Or better yet, none at all.

A soft knocking sounded from the ajar office door. She glanced up to see her twin sister, Dr. Ling Chen, looking at her with a sheepish expression. If not for the different set of clothes and the long, dark braid hanging over her sibling’s shoulder, Ilene would have thought she was looking at a mirror.

“May I come in?” Ling asked.

Ilene smiled and motioned for her to enter and join her at her desk, grateful to have a small distraction. Ling pulled up one of the chairs on the other side of the desk and sat next to her sister as Ilene sat back in her seat, putting her palms over her face in exasperated exhaustion.

Ling peeked at the screen. “No matches yet?”

Ilene shook her head. “Not one. Not a single one of the past seven-hundred candidates have been able to make it to ninety. It’s starting to get really frustrating. And I’m tired of looking at this damn screen.” She paused before adding under her breath, “This is a mistake.”

Obviously ignoring the last comment, Ling said, “We’ll have to ask Monarch to find more people then.”

“Monarch tries to find the best qualified people they think are good enough, but they keep bringing us people who don’t have what it takes.”

“We have to keep trying,” she pressed. “Because you know as well as I what they’ll do if we can’t find someone. And I don’t think we need that on our consciences.”

“I know, I know,” Ilene answered, being annoyingly reminded of what was at stake. “But we can’t keep going like this. Either they bring us more suitable candidates or we try to dissuade them from this scheme, which I very much doubt will happen.”

“What do you suggest we do then?”

Ilene glanced between her sister and the screen, recognizing the impasse they faced. She put her hands back on her face and slumped in her chair. “I don’t know.”

Silence entered; the twins’ heads lowered in despondency. Then strangely, at the same time, they both rubbed their respected left shoulders in unison. Looking at each other, they stopped their similar actions, slightly unsettled. Ilene gave a small smile to Ling. “You still feel her?”

“Always,” she responded with her own smile.

Ilene nodded. “How are they doing?”

“Fine. We’ve had a couple of bumps but nothing too serious.”

“We’re going to have a lot more than bumps with this one,” she gestured at the screen.

Ling just nodded. The silence continued as Ilene tried to think of a solution to the problem they faced.

“Should I go ask Rick for some help?” Ling suggested, showing a sly smile.

Ilene gave her an annoyed look. “Don’t even think about it.”

Ling chuckled at her reaction.

Ilene shook her head and could only smile at her sister’s teasing, knowing very well that she and everyone else knew of her small rivalry with Dr. Stanton. How that man got through college, she would never know.

Her mind caught something in that thought and inspiration lit her eyes as an idea started to form in her head. She went back to the computer and opened a blank document.

“What are you doing?” Ling asked, becoming curious at her sister’s sudden actions.

“I am creating a poster. If Monarch can’t find the people we need, then we need to widen our search.”

“You want to go to the public? You know they won’t allow civilians into the organization, especially for this assignment.”

“But they could allow a test under the pretense of a public test, if we word it correctly.”

“A public test? To which demographic would this poster be directed at?”

“I was thinking… young adults in college.”

Ling understood her sister’s choice for that particular group. “Okay, so what colleges and universities would we select? Harvard? Yale? Oxford?”

“Why not advertise to all of them?”

Ling’s eyes widened at the answer. “You want the search to be that wide? Do you realize how many we would have to interview just to make sure they have it?”

“If it’ll get us what we need, then yes,” Ilene affirmed as she turned to look back at her.

“Even if we do find someone, what makes you think Monarch will accept them? They won’t allow any civilian in here just because their score was enough.”

“Which is why this will be the first of many tests to get them interested in at least a couple of candidates and to make sure they’re qualified. They’re just as desperate as we are. They want someone who can fill the position so we can all sleep at night.”

Ling looked at her, unconvinced, and Ilene knew her apprehension. Knowing the severity of the consequences if a candidate was not found soon and the dangers if an inappropriate one was chosen.

In the end, Ling gave a tired sigh. “I just hope they’ll consent to it,” she conceded.

“Me too.”

“Mind if I help with the poster?”

Ilene scooched over for Ling to get a better view of the screen as they worked together on how to advertise to the candidate they needed.

Chapter Text

University of Washington, Seattle

Mid-February, 2032

Late. Late. Late! Why did she always have to be late? She hated being late. You could tell a lot by someone’s punctuality, and from what people would guess by her lateness, she would loathe their thoughts of her.

As Clair raced across the soaked university’s quad, the skeletons of the famous cherry trees not yet in bloom, she cursed and damned all of the things that led to her tardiness. Her wild, unruly red gold hair kept trying to escape from the confinement of her ebony hood, with her envying and admiring how it had more will than she did to fight for freedom. Though she mostly kept her focus on getting to class nonetheless on this gloomy day.

Trying to avoid the rain that was pouring down from the dark clouds above where she could, weaving between pathways and fellow students, she finally made it to the door of her class. She paused before entering, catching her breath, shaking off some of the droplets, and regaining her composure. When she deemed herself ready, she calmly opened the door.

“Ah, Ms. Cantrell, glad to see you finally join us,” Professor Erickson greeted her, a little too loudly, standing in front of the entire class. “I was almost about to mark you absent. Please take a seat.”

Ignoring the stares from everyone else in the room, Clair nodded to her professor in thanks before turning to the only empty seat in the class, her empty seat. Maneuvering past some of her classmates, she sat down with a small sigh of relief as the tension slowly slipped away. She removed her pack and jacket, tucking her damp hair behind her shoulders, and started to retrieve her materials for class.

A presence was felt next to her as Hannah leaned over with a quiet “Hey.”

“Hey,” she greeted back, easing up more now that she was in her friend-for-the-quarter’s company. Her calm demeanor and soft complexion with golden brown hair and deep brown eyes gave some relief to Clair’s nerves. 

“What happened this time?” she inquired.

“Got caught up at work… and traffic. I swear they’re trying to make me late on purpose.”

“Well, at least you got here on time.”

“Barely,” she stated as she removed her laptop from her pack.

“Did you finish the homework?”

Clair paused at the question, grimacing when she knew the answer. “Damn it,” she hissed under her breath. “I completely forgot about the homework.”

Anxiety and burning frustration started to set in, making her nerves go on high alert again as she mentally kicked herself for forgetting to submit the document.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Hannah tried to soothe. “Maybe you could ask Erickson for an extension? I’m sure he’d understand.”

“Maybe. I’ll probably talk to him after class.”

Hannah nodded as they both turned their attention to today’s lecture. The topic was about the circulation of the atmosphere.

As Clair took notes that would prep her for the upcoming quizzes, she palmed the blue jewel hanging from her neck, feeling the cool smoothness of its surface. Just touching it calmed some of her distracted nerves, calling all of herself to here and now, to focus on what was happening. Her resolve hardened as she ignored her anxiety and focused on the task at hand, scribbling down notes as fast as she could.

After about two-hours’ worth of earth sciences talk, the lesson concluded with a preview of the affects the atmosphere had on the oceans and vice versa. Most of the class filed out of the room to either sprint to their next classes or to make for the parking garage before it became crammed with traffic.

Clair would have been with the latter group, but she stayed behind to talk with Erickson. She waited her turn as a few other students talked to him about their own inquiries, wanting to be the last so she wouldn’t be rushed.

Finally, once everyone else was gone, it was her turn to speak with him.

“Professor Erickson?” she started. His hazel gaze turned to her, framed by his peppered hair and clear glasses. She had his attention.

“I realize that the homework you gave us was due today, but I didn’t have a chance to submit it. So, I was wondering if I could possibly have a small extension, just to turn it in.”

He looked at her expectantly.

“I was a little busy with work and forgot to submit it before class. I know I’m asking a bit, but it would just be a big help if you could extend it.”

“Clair,” he began, a sternness in his voice and posture. Now she’d done it. “You know that the deadline is there for a reason and is inflexible. Now, this is the fourth time you have asked for an extension. I can’t keep giving you one every time you miss the window for submission. Either make your education a priority or drop the class.”

Clair winced at the sharp harshness in his voice. She knew it would’ve been a long shot to get him to help her out again. But she could see that he had reached his limit with her.

A small sensation was felt tickling the back of her skull, trying to encompass her head and travel down her spine to her body. She squashed it before it could reach her neck, taking a deep breath and clenching a fist behind her back.

Once it was subdued, she downcast her eyes and gave a quick, “Thank you, Professor Erickson.”

Keeping her eyes down, she adjusted her pack on her shoulders and made for the door, just as Erickson called out behind her, “I’m sorry, Clair.”

Giving a swift nod, she left the classroom.

Passing through throngs of other students making their way around campus, Clair felt the heavy weight of dejection with a hint of frustration settle on her shoulders. She just wanted to go home and made her way to the parking garage.

Before she exited the building, she glanced over at the event board. Even though her busy schedule barely allowed her to go to any sort of gathering, she still liked to look.

What she saw was mostly the same old same old. Flyers for wanted roommates and job opportunities. Meetings for topics and clubs she wasn’t that interested in. And of course, the poster for everyone, telling them to be vigilant citizens and keep on the lookout for signs of Titan activity.

Eighteen years were coming to pass since the first proper introduction of monsters into humanity’s view, not counting the Monarch files released that spoke of the 1954 encounters. And almost thirteen years since the Rise, when the usurper nearly destroyed the world. All she remembered from those events were going to the other side of the mountains and staying with her grandparents. After that, all the fights kind of just blurred together. They fought here, that city got destroyed, these people died. It was becoming a repetitive occurrence and people were just trying to live their lives before they got stepped on or incinerated.

When Clair stepped outside, after deciding there was nothing on the board for her, the rain that was pouring on the Emerald City had all but disappeared. The main system had already left the city, leaving behind a blue afternoon sky with little, pale orange cotton balls in its wake. As if the weather were saying that today wasn’t all that terrible. She wished it were so.

Locating her blue F-150 among the hundreds of other vehicles in the garage, she hopped in and slammed the door behind. She took a moment in the cab to just breathe and get some of the negativity out, letting the tension slip away. After that, Clair started up the truck and made her way home.

She passed through the compacted neighborhoods near the city and got onto the freeway. Diverging from the main interstate when it became too crowded, she drove the highway that rounded the northern tip of Lake Washington, heading east. The waters of the lake churned from the storm’s leftover crisp winds that swept across it, causing the normal sapphire blue water to turn a dark teal, mirroring her eyes perfectly. Buildings became more spread out and she no longer felt constricted. A small smile spread across her lips at seeing the Cascades in the distance, with swath patches of this year’s snow still gripping to their sheer sides.

Woodinville, a small city that lay on the east side of 405 and growing bigger with every year, was Clair’s home town. She spent her entire life there, knowing the little stores and shops like the back of her hand. She swung into town center to grab some groceries with the little money she had to spare. Once she got what she needed, more or less, she went to Cottage Lake, the main suburb of the area.

Turning down a quiet road with spread out homes, she found the dirt driveway that led through a barricade of alder trees which would sprout broad leaves in the spring but currently sported empty branches, revealing between the naked boughs a home on the other side. She passed through the grove and parked the truck in front of the garage.

The small wood mostly surrounded the house, mixing with cottonwoods, firs, maples, and cedars as it drew away from the road. It gave the house a coveted privacy and shut away the world, something Clair was very grateful for.

The house looked the same as she left it, quiet and lonely. The quiet part wasn’t too bad, it gave a needed calm of coming home from a stressful day. The lonely part was a bit more unwanted.

When Clair entered with the groceries, Kayley, her grey Manx, came trotting up and rubbed against her leg, before proceeding to flop to the floor in front of her, demanding to be petted. Clair could only shake her head at the regular greeting behavior and obliged the silly cat.

“Hey, baby girl.” She lowered the groceries next to her as she rubbed the exposed fluffy belly of the feline, pulling away when it proved to be a typical trap with small paws trying to wrap around her hand for a bite.

After dropping her pack on the small bench, Clair walked through the foyer and went into the kitchen to put away the supplies. Once everything was sorted into the fridge or cupboards, she decided it was a good time to get dinner started.

She crouched down and was just starting to get a pizza pan out of a cupboard from the island when she glanced over at the cupboard next door. As she looked at it, knowing what it held within, she could still feel the stress of today, now more prominent, crawling up and down her spine, the little sensation from before rising up at her notice. It all wanted out. She held it back though, knowing what it could do if released.

Just for the heck of it, she opened the cupboard door and beheld what was inside.

Empty mason jars lined the two shelves, all in varying sizes with different imprinted labels and patterns. They were taunting her with their very presence, all waiting for her to do something with them, begging her to give in and just go nuts. Her stress and sensation agreed with the personified jars. She was tempted herself.

Not tonight, she thought, exhaling a large breath. She closed the door, banishing the thought of the event that would occur if she chose one of the jars. She’d try to stick it out and just do her routine, hoping it would do the trick.

Quickly tossing a frozen pizza into the oven, she went upstairs with her pack and down the hall to her room. It was still the same color that she wanted when she was fourteen, a royal blue to sate the period where she wanted to be herself and learning that blue had a calming effect, which remained so.

Unpacking and plugging in all of her devices to recharge, she lay down on the bed to do the same for herself.

Placing the blue jewel on her forehead with her eyes closed, she slowed her breathing and relaxed her body, working from the feet up, and made the journey to her subconscious. She muted all the thoughts that were running a marathon in her head and went down the imagined staircase. At the end was a door. She opened it and went into her mindscape.

It was a place that belonged solely to her, created a while back when she visited a medium for help. The door opened onto another set of stairs that led to the bright green carpeted floor of a beautiful valley. It was bordered by rolling green hills that were canopied by a clear blue sky. The valley contained a small brook that flowed gently through it, with a single oak tree on either side of the banks. A few evergreen bushes were scattered around the valley so that it wasn’t bare. It was simple and elegant, a serene place.

Climbing down the stairs, Clair crossed the bubbling brook to sit in the shade of the oak with a bush nestled against the trunk. As she sat there, she drank up the peace and tranquility her mindscape had to offer, admiring its imagined beauty. A gentle breeze strolled through the valley, bringing fresh air that rolled across the grass in waves while rustling the leaves above. It was a good place to be.

Yet, even with the calm of this part of her mind, peace did not reign supreme here. Not really wanting to, she glanced behind the trunk to her back, beyond the door, and saw the dark part of her mind. A mountain as jagged as a serrated knife loomed to the north of the valley, darkness covering all of its pointed peaks. She had not created it on purpose, it just appeared there one day and she had never bothered to erase it, if possible.

Getting up from her spot, she crossed the brook once more and came to stand at the base of the foreboding mountain. The sky was not blue but a shadow above it. It was made up of black barren rock that had the texture of soot. Nothing grew there, but something did live there. It was the place where her sensations would originate.

She thought of climbing the steep path that led up among the peaks, to visit the thing that lived there and bring some balance to herself.

Distantly, she heard the five-minute warning for the pizza go off. She mentally sighed as reality called her back, knowing she would have to neglect this part of her mind today. Increasing the intake of her breath, she went back through the door and took a minute to return to herself, shaking off any lingering disorientation. When she did, she felt lighter, easier going, with the hardships of the day now distant memories.

Turning off the alarm on her phone, because the one on the oven didn’t work, she saw a notification for a text from Emily, her sister-in-law.

She had texted Clair a photo of Jason, and her body shook with laughter as it revealed her brother in his boxers, with a goofy expression, cuddling with their dog and cat. The text read: Fur babies have claimed their human.

Clair was just happy Jason was home safely from deployment. She texted back so and wished them a good night, saying she would talk with them tomorrow, knowing it was late for them back there.

Emily texted back an okay and a love you.

Clair got out of her messages and checked her email, just to delete any junk mail filling up her inbox. There was a new email from Erickson: Email me the paper now and I’ll give you half of the credit was the basic message.

No way. She couldn’t believe her luck for a moment, but it quickly wore off as she opened her laptop and sent the document. A weight was lifted off her shoulders as the screen showed the success of the delivery. Even though it was half credit, it was better than nothing.

Having a bit of blissful relief for the rest of the night, she got her dinner and headed for the basement. Kayley joined her on the leather couch as she started to chow down on one half of the pizza, saving the other half for tomorrow. The screen of the TV lit up as she handled the remote for the local news channel. It was probably going to be another slow night for the news.

It couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

Chapter Text

Kirkland, Washington

Mid-February, 2032

“As the cleanup from the latest Titan battle begins, residents continue to search through the rubble for lost loved ones and the irreplaceable objects that were once part of their lives before this catastrophe struck. City and government officials are urging the public to steer clear of the area as some buildings have become unstable and may pose a serious risk. Monarch, the American Red Cross and other organizations have set up relief camps on the outskirts of the ruined city, helping those in this time of crisis adjust to the new reality that their former lives are gone. Reporting live from Perth, Australia for CNN, I’m—”

“I can’t believe they’re just doing nothing about this.”

Clair looked over at Amanda, having missed the female reporter’s name from the outburst. “What do you mean?”

“I mean they’re just doing nothing about the Titans stomping on our cities. They let them do whatever they want and we have to clean up the mess.”

“I’m sure they tried to stop it from happening.”

“Didn’t do much good though did it? What’s the point of having an organization like Monarch who know all about the Titans and have advanced weapons to deal with them if they’re not going to use them on those monsters?”

Her co-worker’s frustration with Monarch and the Titans was nothing new to Clair. Amanda was not the only one at her work who had lost family in the attacks since the Rise. But instead of commenting further, she just kept silent, maintaining some of the peace while eating the remainder of her afternoon snack as a new report came in from the newsroom.

“We currently don’t have an official count on the number of casualties from the latest battle as of yet,” the male anchor started. “But there seems to be a new trend emerging in the data of rampages. Even with the growing rate of attacks on major cities, the number of fatalities from these conflicts appears to be dipping.”

The screen displayed a statistics chart, a red line for the attacks going steadily up while a blue line for deaths looked like it was starting to go down. Now that was interesting. Cocking her head at the information, Clair wondered if perhaps the governments or Monarch were installing new measures for Titan attacks. If so then they weren’t just doing nothing as Amanda had claimed.

Although she was probably giving Monarch more credit than they deserved. The Titan research organization had become a little more appealing to the public in the recent years, but the controversies of 2014 and 2019 still plagued their reputation. She personally thought they could have handled them better than keeping quiet until it was too late. A lot of people still doubted their ability to be the first defense against the Titans.

Not that there was anything wrong with the lumbering giants. She really wasn’t one of the people who detested the Titans. Yes, she thought some of them were being asses in a couple of situations. But they were just doing what they have done for millennium. And their ability to change behavior at the snap of a finger proved that they were more in tune with the Earth than humanity was. They knew things far beyond what mortal man could even comprehend, just by her watching their movements from the media.

She actually found them quite fascinating. Plus, the fact that she loved dinosaurs as a kid and loved animals to this day also kind of factored in as to why she admired them. Brand new species that were on a weirdness scale that was cranked up to an eleven, showing that nature knew no bounds and was just starting to be understood. Titan research and biology were new frontiers in the scientific community, not to mention the affects they had on their environments.

And it was only the beginning. When the battle of Hong Kong took place, Godzilla had drilled a hole in the middle of the city with Kong emerging out of it only a few minutes later brought to light the Hollow Earth. An entirely new subterranean ecosystem with a vast network, nearly untouched by the world above. Monarch allowed its existence to be known, but kept any other details tightly under wraps. It made her wonder what else the Earth was hiding within its depths besides monsters and worlds within worlds.

The questions that came with these new discoveries were driving her insane. She so desperately wanted to know, to understand how the world and its inner mechanisms worked. It was why she was taking the course she had now, to get her degree that would undoubtedly bring her closer to the answers she desired. She was this close to reaching that goal, all she had to do was keep up with her current studies and try to maintain her position at work, and then she could go running off into the blue.

But being within a ten-mile radius of any one of the Titans was just as close as she wanted to get. Staying on the outside of a fifty-mile radius was more prudent. They were still powerful beings that had the capabilities of wiping out a city within a day. And there was no doubt that it was so dangerous to work with them that Monarch’s hazard pay was probably over what any normal hazard pay would be.

No longer able to take the news as it showed repeating video of Godzilla being shoved through a skyscraper, Clair finished the remainder of her meal and returned to her duties. Going to the rear of the warehouse, she began loading up a cart of the remaining newly shipped inventory. Marv and Alex, part of her team, came around the corner just as she finished up, talking in low voices. She smiled when they approached her.

“That the rest of it?” asked Alex, his red head towering over hers.

“Yup. Nothing to do for the rest of the day after this.”

“Well,” Marv commented, his warm smile crinkling his already age worn face, “we could just make sure all the other shelves are full with the stock from above.”

“Got it, Marv,” a bit of fond annoyance in her voice at the reminder of what else could be done. “Hey, your daughter’s okay, right? She went over to Australia for a trip?”

“Yeah, she and her husband got out just in time before the battle took place. They’re both okay. They’re catching a flight back home as soon as they can.”

Clair nodded at the news, glad to know her co-worker hadn’t lost any of his family to the attack.

Adjusting some of the boxes on the cart so they wouldn’t fall off, she and her team proceeded out to the storefront, restocking the part of the store with mostly barren shelves.

They were working in the paint section, with her putting away a box of new brushes. The task was a tad tedious, but she dealt with it, it gave her something to do anyway.

Working at a local lumber store was a decent job. It paid well enough to help make life a bit more bearable. A bonus was that everyone in the company was friendly and looked out for each other, something like a family. Her team was a good group to work with. They had their own quirks which she respected and had grown used to over the last two years.

Clair had liked the job, at least for the first six months, then it started to grow boring. She was the kind of person who liked to be shown new things and be given a challenge every now and then. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for this kind of employment. She just tried to do her best every day to maintain her position as a full-time stocker.

“Hey, Clair?”

Braking out of the focused mode she put herself in, she looked over to see Marv walking down the aisle toward her.

“Chris wants to see you in his office.”

A startled presence clutched her breast for a brief moment before she calmed herself. Over time, she learned that if you weren’t called to the manager’s office or were asked to speak with them, you were doing good. Maybe there were a few instances where you were doing more excellent than normal and were to be commended for it, but those were few and far between.

This probably had something to do with her earlier request. Hopefully it would be good news.

Straightening up and dusting off some of the sawdust that had somehow managed to attach itself to her blue work attire, she headed to the other side of the store and up the stairs.

She politely knocked on the closed door and heard a voice asking her to enter. Chris sat at his desk with a window that overlooked the store to his back. A small smile formed on his polished appearance.

“Marv said you wanted to see me,” she explained herself.

“Yes, it’s about your request. Would you like a seat?”

Taking the invitation, she closed the door behind her and sat in the semi-comfortable chair across from her boss. It felt like there was a scared, shaking hare imbedded in her chest as she anxiously awaited the news.

“After reviewing the companies’ procedures and your contract with us,” he started, with a grim look. “I’m afraid that an increase of your current salary is not possible.”

Clair’s heart dropped at the words put together in a sentence that would ultimately make her life more miserable than it needed to be. She tried to think of a response, something to help salvage the situation.

“Are you sure there’s no way that I could be given a bonus or something? Just anything to help me out.”

“I’m sorry, Clair, but there’s nothing we can do.”

“Chris, I’m working over forty hours a week on minimum wage. I’m barely making it as it is. I need more than what you’re paying me. I need this to survive.” And she really did. If she got a raise, she could cut back some of her hours to divide more time to school and maybe make a few lingering bills disappear.

“If you’re really asking for this, and since were not able to provide, then I can’t see any other way than to terminate your employment.”

Ice gripped her heart, its cold tendrils slipping through to the rest of her chest as it clenched. No, no, no, this was not happening. This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t be giving her an ultimatum.

Yet they were and they had the power to do so.

Clair became silent as she contemplated the decision before her.

This response had blindsided her, but she already knew it was coming. The job, as good as it was, had grown too tiresome, and she felt within her chest a sickness. One that indicated it was time to move on. She tried to ignore it at first but it had only become more noticeable as the days passed. It wore her down to the point where she would breakdown after work. Denial of its existence only prolonged in maintaining her time there. Not to mention the potent mix it was creating with her depression.

The strain it was putting on her was too much. Her work was cutting away at her valuable time in school and leaving her mentally drained. It was affecting her wellbeing.

There was no choice then. She had had enough. Taking a breath, she formed the words on her lips that would be her death sentence. “I need a raise, Chris.”

He looked at her with disappointment, exhaling a small sigh. “I’m sorry, Clair, but I’m afraid we have to terminate your position here.”

For a brief moment, she felt a bit of weight lift from her shoulders. Only for it to be replaced by a heavier weight that told her what she was up against without her job. She wanted to cry. She could feel the tears start to brim her eyes, but she held them back as best she could.

“Do you want to sign out now or wait until your shift is done?” At least he offered her the rest of her time so she could get the most of her last day.

“Sure, I’ll wait ‘til my shift is done.” She then added in before she forgot, “Would you mind writing me up a letter of recommendation?”

“Of course.”

Despite the intimidating position of authority he held, Chris was a good man. She didn’t hate him, just wished it hadn’t come to this.

Clair left the office on decent terms as a few tears cascaded down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away as she took deep breaths to calm herself.

Her team did not take the news well. Some of them were upset that she was leaving. A few were concerned about what she would do next. She didn’t know, making the termination all the more frightening.

With all the inventory put away and the shelves fully stocked, she whittled the rest of her hours away in the breakroom. She casually checked on her phone for any openings at the stores she liked, but couldn’t see anything.

Once it was closing, she checked out for the last time and turned in her timesheet. Only half the amount she would normally get would be on her last paycheck since she got paid this week, but at least it was something.

It had always felt good to go home at the end of a hard day, but today was tinged with worried bitterness. Within her chest was a crack on her heart at knowing that she was leaving behind the first job she had worked and all the people whom she had created certain friendships with. It felt hard, knowing she wouldn’t be working there anymore.

When she saw the driveway, she noticed the mailbox next to it and remembered she had forgot to check it yesterday. Unlocking the house first, she gained the keys and walked back to the box. A few letters were taking up the small compartment when she looked.

Returning inside, she checked them. A groan escaped when they were revealed to be bills that needed immediate attention. Going to the office computer, she checked her bank account. What she had been able to reserve would cover a few of them. But that was all it could cover. The problems would arise with the other bills. And that would lead her into the shared fund, which meant she would have to talk with Jason.

Bringing up the account with the fund, displaying the decent amount that would serve them both for a while, she called her brother. Already, a nervousness prickled along her body as the phone rang.

She heard a shuffle on the other end. “Hey, sis. What’s up?”

“Hey Jase, how you doing?” She wanted to gauge his temper.

“Okay.”

“Good. Did you get home alright yesterday?”

“Yeah. Everything went okay. Did you like the picture we sent you?”

A smile grew as she remembered the image. “Yeah, that was a really cute one.”

“Glad you liked it. Is everything alright there?”

The joyfulness of the image was replaced by the unpleasant events of the day. Hesitation stayed her answer. He sounded in an okay mood to talk to. And there was no point in trying to hide it. “I lost my job today,” she exhaled into the receiver.

“What?! What happened?”

“I tried asking for a raise and they said they couldn’t give me one even though I’ve worked there for two years on the same salary since I started. I insisted and they gave me the boot.”

“That’s not right. There was nothing they could do?”

“No.” She then moved onto the part where it would probably get ugly. “I got a couple of bills today and I’m able to pay a few but… I think I need to take some money from the fund to pay the others.”

A pause on the phone indicated the annoyance rising. “How much?”

“One or two… thousand?”

“You need all that?”

She internally winced at the incredulity in his voice. “I know it’s a bit, but I really need it, Jase.”

An annoyed groan sounded on the other end, then, with her barely able to comprehend, he uttered under his breath, “Why did they leave us that house?”

“You know why. They left it for us so we could have a base. And I would have to live five counties away just to make it in an apartment. Not even that, I would have to live out of state.”

His anger rose. “Living in that house is draining the fund that they left for us. Its chipping it away. You’ve got to find a better job that can provide for you.”

“I’ve tried! Every place I applied to has rejected me. And I can’t get anywhere without my degree!”

“Then try harder! You’re a grown up, Clair, act like it! If you can’t make a living by yourself, then how can you live by yourself?! You can’t use the fund every time to bail yourself out when you can’t make a payment! We can’t keep going like this! I have half a mind to take that house out of the trust and put it up for sale!”

The clear threat created a fear that gripped her, sending a horrified jolt up her spine. And with this dreadful feeling, the presence in her head bloomed like a newborn flame. The sensation was back, and it wanted out.

“No! You can’t!” she cried, struggling to fight the two fronts she faced, one burning hotter than the other. “They left it for both of us! Where am I going to live?!”

“You’re an adult! Figure it out!”

“You—you—”

Her brother’s fury was trumped by the scorching sensation.

With a shrill scream, she cut off the conversation and threw her phone across the room. A loud thunk sounded when it hit the wall. The screen went dark.

She tried to grasp at any sense of calm she could find. But she was overwhelmed. The worry, the anxiety, the anger, the stress, the sensation, it was too much.

She needed the jars.

Rushing to the kitchen, she opened the cupboard and got a large mason jar out. She placed it on the countertop and stared at it. Heat raced all across her body, making it feel like she was covered in a hundred flaming spiders. All the while, the sensation she had been trying to suppress for the last two days reemerged with a swirling inferno of vengeance. It spread throughout her skull and traveled down to the rest of her body. She braced herself against the countertop, holding onto some sort of foundation.

Once it took hold of her, everything phased out and only she and the jar remained. Focusing intently on the glass, making sure she didn’t think of anything else; her mind’s eye saw all of the small imperfections that would ultimately be its undoing.

With the intensity of her stare, the glass started to shake, its base increasingly tapping against the counter. The sensation was building, like a dam after a heavy rain. It needed to be released.

It burned in her skull, trying to claw its way out. She begrudgingly obliged it.

The glass shook violently. A crack appeared at the rim, traveling down to the base.

It shattered.

Shards of varying sizes tapped lightly against the counter as the frame collapsed in on itself. The mason jar was no more. Only a pile of broken glass remained.

Yet she was not satisfied, and neither was the sensation. She took out another jar and placed it next to the previous one, repeating the process.

Once that jar was reduced to nothing too, she released the breath she’d been holding in. The heat started to leave her body. Exhaustion set in as well as a minor headache. But it was done. And hopefully she wouldn’t have to do it again for another week.

Turning away from her destruction with a defeated sigh, she glanced over to the other counter and saw something. On hesitant steps, she went over to the object of her attention and picked it up. It was a family photo. With her, her brother and their parents.

The frame was broken, the glass fractured, the cracked lines splitting her family. Two cracks slashed across both her parents, her brother was cut off from the family, and she… she was split down the middle.

She didn’t know if it was mere coincidence or because she had done it. As an empty hollowness formed in her chest, faded memories came flooding back in as tears formed in the rush. Her brief rage may have been quelled, but her sorrow still remained.

Slumping to the floor, Clair sat against the fridge as she held the broken family photo to her chest, quietly sobbing. Her mind turned against her as she reprimanded herself for not being stronger. For being weak in the face of a challenge. For not having enough control to make sure something like this didn’t happen.

So many times, she considered just letting it loose to wreck whatever havoc it needed to do just so she could have some peace. To let itself run ragged so it wouldn’t bother her for a time. But what she could do and because she didn’t have absolute control was the reason why she had the jars, an outlet to keep herself safe from a world that wouldn’t understand her. And to keep the world safe.

Depression, the dark cloud that it was, closed in and draped over her like a weighted blanket. She curled in on herself as much as she could in this position, heaving with every wet sob she could muster. Trying to feel something that wasn’t nothing.

Then, a warm presence was felt rubbing against her leg. Blinking through the blinding tears, she saw Kayley’s grey whiskered face, highlighted by her green irises looking up at her with concern.

She gave a weak smile to her furry companion, setting down the picture of a family long forgotten as she cradled the fluffy feline, taking comfort in the warmth she provided.

Suddenly, the home phone rang. Clair knew who it was, wondering if she didn’t hear her own phone or if it was busted from the outburst. He obviously wanted to talk with her. Though, she didn’t know if she had the energy to talk with him anymore. She certainly didn’t want to get into another argument. She just sat on the floor, waiting for the ringing to stop.

It did. Then it started again.

Sighing, she corralled her remaining strength in pushing herself up off the floor and answered the phone.

“Clair, are you alright?” Worry dripped through her brother’s rushed tone.

“I’m fine,” she answered weakly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I forgot about it and I know you’re trying. It’s just…” He took a breath.

Clair realized then how bad of a decision it was to bother Jason about money when he’d been home for less than a day after a ten-month deployment. She cut in before he could continue. “It’s okay,” even though she didn’t feel like it.

“Are you okay?”

The question struck her more than she thought it would, her voice breaking a little. “No.”

He paused before asking, “Did you have an episode?”

“Yeah,” she admitted shamefully.

“How many did you use?”

“Two… and I accidently broke the frame of one of our family photos.”

“Oh. Which one?”

“The one where we’re like ten and seven. I’ll get another frame for it.”

“I’m sorry, sis.” He then cautiously asked, “Do… do you need to pay the bills tonight?”

“No. Not tonight.”

“Kay. Why don’t you take it easy for now? Get some rest and we’ll figure it out tomorrow. That okay?”

It sounded like a plan. “Sure. Sounds good.”

“Kay. I love you, sis.”

“I love you too, Jase. Night.”

“Night.”

Ending the call and retrieving her phone, relieved to see the military grade casing had held up, she cleaned up her mess and retired to her room. Shedding her work clothes and putting on ones that would only be worn for a few hours, Clair decided to make the trip to her mindscape.

Settling on her back above the covers of the bed and placing the blue stone on her forehead for the power it would provide, she once again entered her subconscious.

Walking through the door to the valley, she saw that it was the way she’d left it last. But instead of going to the tree where she would find her usual comfort, she went the other way and made for the mountain.

She halted at the base where the path began, a thin trail of lighter colored ground than the black rock it was carved upon leading up. The feeling the mountain gave was not as volatile as when she last stood there, the recent event having seen to that.

Gathering her courage to face the thing that lived there, she traversed the pathway. The slope was steep, black dust became disturbed by her shuffling steps, but it bared no trouble to her.

Finally, the ground became level as she neared the pointed peaks. The trail went through a tight little canyon that was barely large enough to let her pass. She continued to follow it, carefully weaving between the closed in walls. A wave of shadow descended on her as she traveled farther in, chasing away the light of the valley. Dagger like spires twisted out from the black walls reaching for the grey sky, like someone on the other side of the rock had pushed them through. A place like this would be the nightmares of some, but it was a part of her, so she knew not the fear that it inspired.

Soon, the canyon ended, and she entered the vast caldera held within the confines of the mountain.

Desolation reeked through the land, the terrain as dark as ebony wood. Trees long dead were scattered about, their barren branches a stark contrast to the ones in the green valley below. Darkness was in the air, choking out the sun of her mind to provide a silent shadow of unease.

But not all light was snuffed out. Little specs of brightness that were the size of golf balls, spores she had called them, flitted about. All of them ranged from different colors of reds, blues, greens and yellows. A tender touch of wonder to this sterile place.

One drifted toward her, the pink of its brightened hue enveloping her face, its presence like that of a pitiful welcome. She lifted the back of her hand to it, letting it bounce gently across the ivory skin. With a gentle flick, she sent it back to drift aimlessly over the dark landscape.

After watching it go, she looked to her reason of coming here.

On the opposite end of where she entered, gutted out from a steep rock wall, was the yawning opening of a cave. Solid bars like that of gold crisscrossed over the entrance, preventing the thing within from easy escape.

Even with the recent release of power, she cautiously approached the opening, the creature inside having a temper.

The cave was huge, the very roof possibly reaching over a hundred feet from the ground. The bars were thick, boring haphazardly into the ground for solid footing. Instead of a nice even patter, they were at different chaotic angles, creating spaces of oddly shaped diamonds between them.

When she stood before the entrance, there was nothing to be seen except for a black abyss. She waited patiently, letting the creature take its time.

After a moment, movement was heard from within. Slowly, a set of captivating blue eyes revealed themselves from the shadows; they were like hers but they weren’t quite human.

They stared directly at her, the eye contact bringing about a form of understanding.

It hated it in there. Hated the confines of the space that pressed in around it. Hated seeing the same thing every day through the bars. Hated being trapped. It wanted out. It wanted freedom. It knew it would not be like this forever. It knew that not even the prison it was in could hold it indefinitely. The power it wielded was too great.

It was why she would have her episodes. The rage built up over time from containment would seep through the bars and build up in the caldera, like a volcano about to blow.

She lowered her eyes at knowing its seething hate.

Though it didn’t hate her. It thought she was in the wrong for keeping it locked up. But it wouldn’t go against her. It knew the cost of such a privilege as freedom, and that it was too high. Which is why it tried not to knock down the bars holding it in.

It should hate her, though. Hate her for denying its freedom, for suppressing it to this cage, for not letting it be itself. And if she was being honest, she hated herself for doing it.

She knelt before the cage; head downcast in remorseful respect. A hurt not easily forgotten formed in her chest. She didn’t want this for either of them. But she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to make it any more bearable for them. She felt so lost.

A quiet clanking rattled the bars, making her glance up. Carefully wedging between the bars, a large grey claw passed through and placed its weight delicately in her open hand.

The contact stirred an emotion, chasing away the hollowness and, for a brief moment, she felt herself whole, like before when everything was… together. She hugged the talon tightly in the upper half of her body, latching onto it for dear life for the comfort it, her other half, provided.

They stayed like that for a while, two halves trying to make a whole.

Within her other half’s presence, she felt a transfer of energy. It was meant to give her strength, telling her to keep going. To not give up. She took it, grateful for it.

Too soon, the claw slipped through her grip and the eyes disappeared, her other half retreating back into the shadows. Its work done.

With a slow gasp, Clair returned to the real world, wishing for a second that it wasn’t real. She felt the dried, salty streams of tears shed from the interaction, feeling more about to come. That moment was one of the better ones she had had with her other half, close to being the best. Exhaustion and relief weighed her down. She felt so much better, better than yesterday.

She decided to let go of the conflict with her brother, knowing he was the only physical person she could solely rely on. He would have his moments of anger, but he still loved her and tried to do what was best for her. He was the last part of their family left.

And like her and her brother, she and her other half would have their tiffs, but they were part of each other. Her other half would support her, whatever may come.

It was just them against the world.

***

Entering the class without making a huff in exhaustion for once felt extremely satisfying. Everyone milled about, talking together in a few groups of three or four, while some just sat in their seats looking at their phones or laptops. It was an unexpected sight for Clair to see the class this way. At least they didn’t all stare at her when she entered. Just one.

“You’re here early,” Hannah stated, sounding surprised.

“Yeah,” was Clair’s acknowledgment to her.

“Is everything okay?”

“Lost my job last week.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you gonna be okay?”

“Maybe. Don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I’ll figure something out.”

Clair then focused on prepping her laptop before Hannah added in, “Hey, I think I saw something out on the event board about a survey and them giving you money. Maybe you could sign up for that. Something to help tide you over for a while, if you’re interested?”

A survey, huh? She’d seen a few programs that offered something like that, where the recipients were given a reward for their insightful services to a company.

“How much?” she asked.

“I don’t know, a couple hundred I think?”

Okay, that was a bit of money even for a survey.

“Maybe. I’ll think about it.”

“Better think quick, ‘cause the slots are filling up fast.”

“I’ll check it out after class then.”

Class started and ended on schedule and Clair could meander for a while. She finally managed to get her homework in on time, so there was no need to talk with Erickson, which she thought he was probably grateful for as well as her.

As she passed the event board, she caught sight of the flyer Hannah had talked about. There were actually three on the event board. Blue paper with the questioning headline in black ink ‘Do you want to help others?’.

The information provided said the people behind the flyer were trying to gauge student mentality. They wanted to see if some of the measures they had in mind for colleges to implement could provide resources students could use in maintaining good morality and mental health. All that was required to apply was being a current student. And the reward for doing the survey was five-hundred dollars.

Maybe it wouldn’t be too horrible to take it, it was basically free money, and Clair could use some of it.

Lifting the first sheet of one of the flyers, she saw underneath the sign-up sheet was already full. She checked the next one over and met the same result. Hannah wasn’t kidding about slots filling up.

Luck was with her when she checked the last one.

There was a single open slot left.

Taking one of the pens attached to the board, she filled out her name, email address, and phone number.

Hopefully she could get something out of this.

Chapter Text

University of Washington, Seattle

Late February, 2032

The Red Square was mostly barren at this time of night with only a few shadows crossing its quiet bricked surface. At least the thick, black long-sleeved shirt and jacket she wore were providing protection against the crisp night air that hung over the university. Clair didn’t mind the silence that surrounded her or the chill in the air, it gave her some peace as it sharpened her senses.

A week after signing up, she received an email from the company running the testing about the time, which was in a few days, and the place where the survey would be.

Nearing the entrance to the Suzzallo library, one of the university’s most famous landmarks, she opened the doors. Never would the feeling she was about to be sorted into a weirdly named house by a magic hat leave whenever she walked in, blaming the gothic designs engraved into the building’s interior.

A horde of students took up most of the first floor as a symphony of mindless chatter blasted her ears. From the slots filled on the flyers, she knew there would be plenty of others here, given that the email said she was part of group D, yet she didn’t expect to be part of a pack of six-hundred plus people. She wondered then how many flyers were spread out over campus.

When she walked by, she noticed that the grand staircase was guarded by a couple of staff members, not allowing anyone up to the third floor. As she and the throng waited for some sort of announcement, she gravitated towards a quiet corner of the room, the overwhelming sensation of being among so many people already wearing her down. The quiet and solitude in active environments was more appealing, it gave her nerves a chance to settle and take in the scene. From her calm retreat, she spotted a familiar face among the crowd, just as they spotted her. Clair gave a friendly smile as Hannah walked over to join her. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“I signed up, same as you. No way am I turning down free cash.”

“Fair enough.” She scooted over for Hannah to sit beside her.

“So, how did that interview go?” she asked.

“I think it went alright. They gave me a paper to read, which I did. But when they asked me about a certain part I glazed over… Yeah, I think I might’ve flunked it. They said they would call me in the next few days to see if they’re going with me. Nothing so far.”

“Hmm, might be a good move to keep looking. I just wouldn’t waste my time by waiting on a maybe.”

“Yeah, I already got some other positions in sight. I’ll see where I can get with them.”

Just then, a silent hush fell upon the gathered crowd. Clair and Hannah looked up with everyone else as a tall woman with short brown hair came down the grand staircase, announcing that the test was ready to begin. A few eager participants dogged the woman’s feet while the rest just calmly climbed up with her, slowly being led to the legendary main Reading Room. Hannah walked up beside Clair, providing some of her remaining company.

Ancient chandeliers glowed brightly as they hung down from the high arching ceiling of the cathedral. Painted glass windows, now dark with the ebony night, were bracketed between the grey pillars. Old and new books gathered across the decades filled the hall with their mixed must. The oak study tables that were always there had been cleared away, making room for multiple rows of single desks lining up and down the hall. A revered sense filled the space, something the architects had aimed for when creating this place of learning.

Clair gathered that there was no assigned seating and chose a spot in the middle near the back. Hannah took up a spot a few rows before her. At least not as many fought over a spot back here as they did up front.

Once Clair was settled, she noticed something. Up near the front, there was a small black object on a stand, placed in the shadows. Upon closer observation it was revealed to be a camera. Her eyes wandered down the hall as more cameras became visible, perched between the staff at certain points along the walls and above the line of sight, looking down on the volunteers. It shouldn’t have been so surprising; the email did say this event would be recorded. She just didn’t expect to be watched from every angle.

As the last of the students seated themselves, the woman that had led them up stood at the front of the hall with a mic, looking passively at the assembled group.

“Welcome and thank you all for being here tonight,” she began, her voice booming from the large speakers. “We do appreciate your participation in this survey to help us understand how we can help you and future students successfully complete their higher education.

“During this survey, which will take as long as needed to complete, you are not allowed to talk to your peers. There are no right or wrong answers as we ask for your complete honesty. We also ask that you turn off all cellular devices during this time so as not to disturb others. After you have completed the study, which is now being distributed down the aisles, there are drop-off bins at the exit where the tests will be collected. Please refrain from starting until we ask you to.”

As Clair was handed the test from a passing staff member with a pen taped to the front, she quickly flipped through the pages, seeing that all the questions were multiple choice in the six-paged study.

When all the tests were finally handed out, the woman said, “You may begin the survey.”

A collected sound of pages instantaneously turning filled the room as everyone started. Clair firstly filled out the required personal information. Full name, address, contact, current age and day of birth, reminding her she would be turning twenty-two in a couple of months.

The questions came next. They mostly asked about what emotions had been felt over the last year. If she had become overwhelmed at one point or many times. Situations that proved stressful. Current events that had affected her. Ways she tried to decompress. Anything that had influenced her mental wellbeing and ability to navigate through college.

The entire hall was as silent as an in-use cathedral. The sounds of papers turning, pens scribbling, and people breathing were only heard. As she jotted down the answers of yes, no, sometimes, and maybe to what she’d been through the last couple of years, there came a question of whether any family members had died within the last year.

No, was her answer.

The next question was the same but if there was a death within the last five years.

Yes.

It then asked the cause of the death. The options: illness, accident, or attack.

At the mention of attack, she was grateful that her family and close relatives had managed to avoid the fights and battles over the years, it becoming a natural thing to be lounging around one minute, and then the next getting everything of value packed up and heading for the hills. Only the deaths of distant relations, ones she had doubt she’d ever met at any point in her life, reached her knowledge.

She filled out the circle next to accident, pushing aside the welling up emotions.

As the minutes ticked by, students were starting to finish up. Clair noticed Hannah had already finished, giving her a small thumbs-up as she passed by, which she returned.

Questions about if any stressors were affecting her body and mind came next. They mostly asked if her senses had tricked her at a few points. If she could keep track of time. If she had encountered any headaches or pressure in the past month and if those were felt in the front, middle or back of her head.

Her episode after her termination came to mind, it having led to the small headache she received. Almost two weeks after the incident, there hadn’t been another one since to which she was thankful for.

She wrote down her answer, not giving it a second thought.

After an hour of scribbling in dots, she completed the survey. Clair was one of the last few to finish as she weaved through the mostly empty desks towards the exit. Turning in the test at the small, staffed desk, she was given a small envelope. It was a check with the five-hundred. A small sense of accomplishment came with it.

As she returned down the staircase with reward in hand, ready to go home, something caught her eye. It was a small black cord running along the floor, taped down for passing feet. She’d never seen it there before, and the crowd possibly hid it from view. Her eyes followed its path as it led up onto a perch above the waiting area, a small camera positioned to look over the participants. As she looked harder, other cameras unveiled themselves all around the first floor.

So, they were recording outside the survey. It felt a little unnerving, knowing that they were being watched. With the survey over and done with, she ignored the sense of unease and left the building, knowing that there was a camera pointed in her corner.

***

She was downstairs in the basement today. A plate of a half-eaten peanut butter sandwich with a few remaining baby carrots sat on the table beside her part of the couch, it half-forgotten as she scrolled through her laptop. The internet was not providing much entertainment today. Just old news from the sites she frequently visited. Maybe the occasional animal or reaction video gave her something to look at. The same could almost be said for the news on the TV.

CNN was broadcasting the latest coverage of the dispatching lawsuits against Apex Cybernetics. Nothing else but this was on, and it was only mildly enjoyable. Apex had been on the downfall for the last nine years ever since the disastrous reveal of that mechanical abomination. She definitely thought they screwed up big time with that stunt, it having led to the deaths of thousands, including their own CEO. Not to mention the ire it drew from Godzilla, putting humans on his radar for a while. Only the thought that they were about to go bankrupt here in a few weeks, barely making peanuts in an economy that turned against them, made her somewhat relieved.

Kayley readjusted herself at her side, snuggling into the crook of her arm while trying to place a mischievous paw on her computer, unintentionally or intentionally moving the mouse—Clair could never tell. After removing the paw for the umpteenth time, Clair gave the cat a small scratch behind the ear before fiddling with her stumpy tail, happy to have her companion’s company.

The laptop dinged, showing a new notification in her email. It was a reply from one of the companies she applied to. She instantly clicked on it.

Dammit, it wasn’t good news. A small dismayed sigh escaped as an automatic rejection letter took up the screen with the usual excuse. One of the few she had already received this week.

As it was lifelessly dropped into the trash, Clair mentally checked off that place to apply to. The painful disappointment of being rejected again briefly passed through before she hardened to it. She was then thankful for the money from the test. It may not have been much, but it would prolong her survival here for a bit longer.

Jason had cut her a deal when they spoke last; she would be funded from the savings for the next two months and in that time, she needed to find employment and pay the fund back. After that, she was on her own.

And if she didn’t find something soon, the pressure would be on him, with him essentially running two houses. Clair grimaced at the thought. The stress of caring for this house had already put a strain on her with a job. The military paid better than minimum wage, but not enough to manage two households at the same time. And she couldn’t do that to Jason. She had to help him out for both their sakes. Otherwise, she would have to go live in North Carolina with them.

It wasn’t a terrible place, but it wasn’t Washington. A home of mountains, cities, and a beautiful ocean compared to flat rural nowhere. Clair wanted to stay here, where they grew up. But with every passing day, that drive was weakening with the growing reality.

The thought of going back to her former employment grated against her mind again. Her old position was still open when last she checked and they’d likely welcome her back. Yet it felt like admitting defeat if she returned. How could she work for a place that didn’t support her the way she needed? It had been money, yes, but it felt sickening. Not only did her pride hold her back but a loathing fear of feeling that sickness again. If worse came to worst, she would try to apply to them, even if she hated the thought.

Turning away from the bad news and negative thoughts, the good news was more gratifying. With now undivided attention, her homework was getting done on time and her grades had risen, enough to a point where it wasn’t too much of a worry whether she would get her degree before spring quarter. She’d already submitted an application to receive it. Maybe now was a good time to start looking for positions in that field.

She was just about to search for the site of a group she’d been eyeing for a while when she got another email. She arched an eyebrow when it was revealed to be from the company who organized the survey. What could they want?

Checking the email, it said they were asking her to come back and take another survey. Double of what they paid last time.

Surprised firstly by the increased amount they were offering, Clair thought it a bit strange. The email from before never mentioned anything about a second testing. She even clicked back on it to make sure. Yup, nothing there.

Why would they want her back? Had she not answered the last survey the way they wanted her to, with complete honesty? An excuse of maybe they just needed to gather more information was a possible reason why. It probably wouldn’t hurt to give them what they wanted; she wasn’t busy.

Plus, they were paying more this time. And with her still current, compromised position of unemployment and financial trouble, how could she say no?

***

The survey was taken at the same time as last but in a different, smaller part of the library. The participants size had been reduced to a fraction of over a hundred individuals. Clair noticed Hannah wasn’t among the diminished group.

She wondered what made her and these people so special. Everyone looked okay, just regular guys and gals amongst different ethnicities, all varying in age.

Once again, staff were placed along the walls as cameras were spread around the room, recording the students. The tests were passed down while the rules were restated as before, but this time there was a time limit of an hour and a half.

The survey was a few pages longer, with multiple choice and short answer questions. Clair mentally thanked the organizers for giving them the extra thirty minutes.

As they began, she noticed that the questions seemed a little more personal this time: Do you prefer animals or people? Have you ever felt dissimilar among your age group? Are you sensitive to the emotions of others?

She shrugged off the oddness and just answered them, knowing what prize awaited if she completed the test and how it would help. She was about thirty minutes in when she came to a certain question.

Have you ever felt a sensation you couldn’t explain?

She paused. Thoughts of the episodes came to the forefront of her mind. She knew what the sensation felt like but it was definitely hard to explain. Why would it ask something like that?

Conflict of how to answer made Clair hesitate. It was a simple yes or no. But it was a very personal question. Only Jason and Emily knew of her condition. No one else knew about it and she swore she would keep it like that.

The pen hovered above the no, ready to darken the circle, yet it made her feel wrong about saying that. Something was telling her to be honest with this question, telling her to say yes. Could she take the chance?

She glanced up around at the staff. As far as she could tell, these people didn’t know anything about what she could do. They didn’t know her. They only knew the answers she provided. No one would ever know, she just had to keep it that way as best as she could. Hide in plain sight.

The honesty won out in the end as she darkened the circle for yes. It was probably nothing to worry about, just paranoia getting to her. Hopefully it wouldn’t come back to haunt her.

Another question came on later. A short answer. How would you describe your childhood in one word?

An amused huff escaped as the answer came to her, writing it down on the pallid paper.

Interesting.

Clair finished up within the time limit, with fifteen minutes to spare. As she turned in the survey and started to leave with her prize, she noticed two staff members’ gazes following her out. Their expressions were docile but their eyes held a sort of interest. A slight heat rushed to her cheeks at the unwanted attention, making her pace quicken as she exited the room. It was then she started to feel a worrying regret of how she answered that certain question.

***

Sobs filled the living room as the chapter revealed the final twist in the story. Oh, how could he have done that? What was the heroine going to do? Damn the author for instigating these feelings.

Clair had decided to take the day off of doing job searches, having already applied to quite a few. Her letter of recommendation had finally come through, thank you Chris, and she used it to elevate her status as an experienced applicant. There was still no response yet from that group she signed up for. They were probably still looking over others’ applications. With any luck, hers would be their top pick.

With the final pages having been read, she closed the fifth book of the small but great series, already anticipating the final installment to come. It felt rewarding to start and finish the book she’d gotten some time ago, never finding the time to read it. Except now she was in a book hole, not knowing what other books to read or what else to do. Plus, she still needed to digest the scenes in her head and sift through the conflicting emotions. So, she decided to gaze out the window for a more peaceful viewing.

Already halfway into March, birdsong played outside with the sun peeking out from behind the low hanging clouds, a good feeling brushing through her waning sadness as the yard exposed itself. The bright green of new blades on the lawn were beginning to rise as the rosebushes were starting to grow new stems, promising an abundant blooming brood this year. She regarded the few bushes Dad had planted for Mom; her nose hungry for the fragrance the yellowy pink petals would give off.

Contentedness filled her as she watched time go by, anticipating the day when the Spring Equinox would arrive. Spring was one of her favorite times of the year, not only did it bring new life but it also brought the hope for new possibilities to arise at any time and give chances to people no matter who they were. Like her.

With life currently in a lull, she was just happy none of the minor stressors were getting to her, the check from the last survey having seen to that and giving her a small break from her condition. No signs of the sensations had been felt since her termination.

And best yet, she finally finished college and obtained her degree. A bachelor’s in the sciences. Now that she had it, the chances of getting into that group increased. She was hopeful she would gain the open position among them.

Life felt good now, so good that she started to hum a little, before her voice found its way into the world. She was just testing out notes, singing haunting tones of nonsense and a few incomplete verses from nursery rhymes. She was told she had a beautiful voice; she didn’t know if she believed it, but she probably could with the genetics from her parents. It felt nice to give her family name meaning while just letting her soul have some freedom.

Her melody ceased when a small, short muffled buzz was heard from above, it being the one of many alerting notifications from her phone. Clair ignored it for a moment, wanting the serenity to last a bit longer, but ultimately removed herself from the cozy couch and lugged herself upstairs to her room. There were a few notifications on her phone when she looked at the screen, but the latest one was an email. Being a little more comfortable with reading emails on her laptop, she got it fired up and took a look at the message. It was from the organizers of the surveys.

“Dear Clair Cantrell. Due to your results on the past two surveys, we would like to offer you the opportunity of a one-on-one interview. This will solely be for the purposes of gaining the psyche of selected individuals and tweaking a few aspects to the implemented plans for the support system in place. A sum of $3,000 will be provided for your appearance and participation in the interview. We would like to hear back and know your answer, please.”

Holy shit. Gawking, Clair did a double take with the letter, wanting to know if she read it right.

An interview with them, after less than a week from the last survey? And they were offering that much just for her to come? It was more than what her old job paid in a month.

Her immediate response would have been to say yes. The sum was too high to refuse. However, considering how the last survey went and what she saw, accepting this invitation was approached with caution. Again, why her? She wasn’t in school anymore, making her opinion less valid. Was it just her or were there others they were personally interviewing? That worrying regret resurfaced as she considered the letter, wondering if it was just harmless or if there was an ulterior motive. Was it safe?

A month’s salary though. She could stay here in her home for another month with the first already beginning to close. It gave her more time. It was too good to pass up.

As she replied to accept the invitation, she just told herself to be prepared for anything.

***

Clair gingerly polished the deep blue stone with a damp tissue, helping the pyrite within the indigo depths shine like the starry heavens on a clear night. Resting it back onto her chest, she examined her identical twin on the other side of the bathroom counter. The outfit chosen was a navy-blue shirt with a stylized piece of metal on the front. An open-front, black cardigan hugged her arms and shoulders, with black yoga pants completing the look. Though the white and blue tennis shoes kind of ruined it. She was probably a little overdressed, but it was better than being underdressed.

Brushing her hair out for the last time, trying to get the waves of the long, red auburn strands to align perfectly, a sigh escaped when the split ends became evident. She mentally kicked herself for not remembering to make an appointment for the salon before the interview.

A ball of fluff was perched on the edge of the counter, wanting her attention while watching with a bored look.

Clair turned to Kayley for her opinion. “What do you think? Do I look good?”

Meow.

She grinned at the response. “Well, thank you.” A small scratch under the chin was Kayley’s reward.

With one more glance over, she deemed herself presentable and headed out.

Driving down to a part of Seattle that was north of campus, being guided by the typed in address on her phone, Clair found the building where the interview would be. It looked like some sort of clinic or center, not exactly catching the name of the place as she drove in. It was a fairly new building, barely a story high, painted white with nickel and chrome highlights. The shrubbery was nicely grown, enough to give good privacy while still looking inviting. The lot out front was mostly empty, so thankfully there was plenty of parking.

She was a good ten minutes early, happy to give herself a bit more time to prepare for the interview as she remembered to smile, look them in the eye and give a good, firm handshake. And to be just herself.

She finally strolled in and right up to the reception desk, finding an older woman typing away on the computer. “Hi, I’m Clair Cantrell, I’m here for the interview.”

The woman looked up at her, taking in her appearance. “Ah, yes. The interview will take place in the courtyard. If you’ll just wait outside, please.”

The courtyard? Clair looked down the hall beyond the receptionist desk at the door with a window imbedded into the frame. The scene outside looked pleasant enough, just low clouds today with zero chance of rain. That didn’t stop the sun from shining every now and then. It was a bit curious to be outside for an interview when it looked like this place probably had a couple of spare rooms. Actually, if Clair didn’t know any better, it seemed like her and the receptionist were the only occupants in the building.

“Uh, sure. The courtyard,” she agreed. “I’ll go wait outside.”

A warm, gentle breeze kissed Clair’s cheeks sweetly as she stepped out into the open space. Newborn leaves were emerging from the spindly branches of the few trees in the courtyard, giving the sign that spring was now here. The warmth of a southwestern breeze was helping in giving off the scents of new growth, sending everyone into a restless excitement as they prepared for the festivities of spring and planned for the party that was summer.

The rectangular courtyard was at the center of the building, two sets of white outdoor tabling had been assembled, and the glass windows allowed those inside to view its green splendor. Gardens and retaining walls of grey stone were placed along the borders and corners of the courtyard, allowing for vegetation to grow in the confines. There was an oval-shaped garden in the middle of the court with a large oak, the trunk as thick as her, growing out of the restricted dirt.

As she stood in the middle of the area, the songs of hidden birds playing from the bushes, a slight ghosting pressure seeped into her forehead. She put her hand up to it, trying to force away the feeling with her own touch, it making her feel clouded when she needed to be prepared. Not drinking enough water this morning was probably to blame. When the pressure subsided with a small shake of her head, Clair’s sight was caught by the daffodils that had sprung up from the earth, giving alluring splashes of yellow and orange to a revived world.

Waiting on whoever was to come, and undecided on where to sit, Clair casually walked over to the flowers beside the oak. They bobbed to her in greeting, welcoming her to this little placid haven. A small smile spread across her lips as she crouched down and gently cupped the cool petals of one, examining the hollow tube at the center. The stem allowed her to handle it, almost as if ready to pride itself on its bloom. It was looking good, gorgeous even, near perfect.

They’re beautiful, aren’t they?  

Clair’s entire being froze as her brain screeched to a halt, a pulse becoming audible the moment she realized the question was asked in a voice as clear as day, but not aloud. And it didn’t belong to her.

Her head snapped to the right when she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Slowly, a woman of Asian descent stepped out from behind a bush. Her short black hair matched the outfit she wore with black pants and jacket. Her dark brown eyes crinkled with a knowing smile.

Clair immediately straightened as the woman came closer, a fear gripping her as it awakened the dreaded sensation, making her back away all the more hurriedly from the stranger. No, no, this wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be found out like this. She needed to leave right now and never look back.

The door was just a few feet away. She could probably just dart to it and escape. In her panic filled state, she’d almost tripped rushing backwards when the woman’s smile faltered, realizing Clair’s terror. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

The woman’s voice matched the one that intruded into her head. She didn’t come any closer, stopping between the table set and the oak. Hesitating in her retreat, having nearly knocked over one of the patio chairs, Clair waited for the woman to say more while making quick glances at the door.

“My name is Dr. Ilene Chen,” the woman started. “Would you like to tell me your name?”

Clair thought about refusing to answer or to flat out lie about her name, but what would be the point when they already had it on paper. At least she was being given an introduction. “Clair. Clair Cantrell.”

The woman smiled warmly at the answer and slowly, meticulously, walked over to the tree, sitting on the wall holding it in. “Do you mind if we talk, Clair?” she asked, patting the grey stone on her right invitingly.

Clair didn’t budge for a moment, eyeing at the self-proclaimed doctor with scrutiny while trying to maintain control over herself. She was just trying to breathe, to calm herself before she took the next action, which would either be to take the seemingly innocent invitation or to bolt. The former was beginning to take on more appeal as it would appear suspicious for her to run. She tried to imagine herself in control of the situation, knowing she could fight her way out if she wanted.

Yet the woman didn’t give off any sinisterly dangerous or warning vibes that would incur her violent nature. Actually, she had an air of calm about her, with a hint of enticing warmth. And the fact that she had spoken firstly to Clair without so much as uttering a syllable gave rise to her curiosity. The woman might even be like her.

The slight flare of the sensation diminished, but remaining a constant reminder if needed. Deciding to keep her guard up, Clair walked forward and sat not-exactly-next to the woman, keeping a decent distance between them but close enough so their conversation could be somewhat private.

The quiet of the courtyard consumed them as they took each other in. Clair was sure she had two inches over the other woman, giving her more confidence in the situation. The woman gave a kind smile to her, trying to show that she was friendly. Clair tried to return the smile, only for it to become sheepish.

“That’s a beautiful gemstone,” the woman commented, trying to get a conversation started.

“Thank you,” Clair replied, if nothing but to be courteous.

“It’s lapis lazuli, right?”

Clair was slightly surprised with the question. Not many people recognized the stone or ever heard of it when asking. “It is, yes.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Ten years, maybe?”

“Was it a gift?”

“No. No, I picked it out myself.”

She paused before asking, “Mind if I ask why you chose it?”

Clair thought back to the day she and her mother were in that tiny gem shop. She remembered seeing the stone in the glass case, it being the largest of the bunch. And it felt like it called to her. “I just liked it.”

The doctor considered her answer. “What do you know about that gemstone, in general?”

“That it was mined in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to create jewelry, daggers, statues and other stuff. It was also used in the Middle-Ages by artists to create a rare blue pigment that was reserved for the depiction of the Virgin Mary.”

The doctor looked impressed. “You know your history. Do you also know what its metaphysical properties can do?”

Clair knew the answers well, with repeated research done. “It’s a stone of the mind. It helps in connecting with your inner-self as well as enhancing focus and intuition.”

The doctor seemed pleased with the answer.

“You seem to know a lot about it,” Clair politely accused her.

“As a mythologist, I try to study what people thought about certain objects and subjects from long ago.”

She registered that into her head. “So, I take it that this is the interview?” Clair asked, trying to deduce why she was talking to this woman.

The doctor nodded.

“Who are you, exactly?”

“I am Dr. Ilene Chen; I work for Monarch.”

Clair’s eyes widened at the information. “Monarch?” she asked disbelievingly, seeing the seriousness in the doctor. “What are you doing here then? There’s not a Titan coming to Seattle, is there?”

“No. There’s no Titan coming,” she reassured. “I’m here for a very special purpose. I’m here to recruit someone.”

Clair was taken aback by that. Recruitment? Into Monarch itself? This was unbelievable, it had to be a dream. She then cautiously asked, “Does this have something to do with what just happened with the daffodils?”

“Yes.”

Clair was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say next. So, the doctor filled in for her. “You are a telepath, Clair. I am too. That’s how you heard me. And it’s probably why your forehead felt a little weird before.”

“That was you?”

She confirmed with a nod before continuing, “You are a very rare find, Clair. Not many people know the sensation of another’s consciousness against theirs, let alone can hear another’s mind. Did you know you could do that?”

She debated on how much to tell her. With her ability, Clair thought there were other aspects that came with it, but she never had the chance to test them out. She decided to settle on half-truths.

“Sort of. It’s, uh, not something I’ve tested out but I’ve tried to keep quiet about it. Not many people would understand, if you know what I mean.”

The doctor appeared to accept that. “That is what we’ve been trying to find for some time now.”

“So, those surveys were just to find someone like me, to get people who are like you?”

Another nod.

“And how does telepathy tie in with Monarch, exactly?”

“It’s for a special program we’ve created. I cannot stress enough the secrecy of its purpose. But it does have something to do with the Titans.”

Telepathy and Titans. Telepathy and Titans. The two concepts made a small connection in her head that had it spinning. Clair looked to her with even wider eyes. “Oh, man.”

The doctor gave a small smile. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. I’d be violating my own contract if I did. But I’m here to tell you that if you’re interested in joining the program, if you want to learn more about your ability and how it can help people, then we have an opportunity and a place for you.”

It was a lot to take in. Too many things were swirling around in her mind for her to come up with a coherent answer or question.

Dr. Chen then pulled out a large envelope from inside her jacket, offering it to her.

“This is a temporary contract,” she stated as Clair took it hesitantly. “I ask that you don’t tell or show this to anyone else. You’ll be started out on a trial basis of three months to see if you can correspond to our requirements. If you can, then you’ll be given the contract that officially signs you onto the program. And to see if it’s something you want to do. You’ll be well paid during that time.”

Clair took out the top of the contract, glancing over the first few sentences briefly, not entirely focused.

“I know this all may be a little overwhelming,” Dr. Chen continued. “You don’t have to give your answer right now. You’ll have a week to make a decision. If you do decide to join, the number for this place is on the front sheet, just ask for me. If you don’t respond within that time frame, then we’ll know your answer.”

“This is serious?” Clair asked. “You’re recruiting me into Monarch?”

The doctor gave another small smile. “Please take your time with this news. And think very carefully of what you want to do. This offer may not come around again.”

Clair thought of a middle ground response. “I’ll… definitely think about it.”

“Thank you. And thank you for coming in today.” Dr. Chen rose from the wall, indicating that the interview was now over. Clair rose with her.

“It was nice to meet you,” the doctor stated, holding out an open hand.

Clair gripped it, remembering to be firm with handshakes. “It was nice to meet you too.”

“Remember to call if you take up the offer.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Clair left the beautiful courtyard and the satisfied doctor in a light daze, one that lasted the rest of the day.

***

The next morning when Clair awoke, a moment passed where the entire meeting seemed like a wistful dream. That she had just made it all up to give her head a spin on what it would be like to be in that kind of situation. She actually thought that until she saw the proof of the physical contract on her desk.

She sat in her bed for a while, looking at it, contemplating its existence in her room and what signing it would mean.

It was completely unexpected. Straight out of the blue. Never in a million years did she think an opportunity like this would ever present itself to her. But there it was, just a few feet away.

Even without official confirmation, Monarch was working with telepaths to communicate with the Titans. And it was a chance to communicate with Titans.

Exhilaration was the word to describe the way that thought tickled her, working with the beasts she admired from afar. Endless possibilities sprung from the depths of her imagination at the thought of speaking with one. Dr. Chen’s voice was the same when she spoke in and out of her head. She wondered what the Titans’ voices sounded like.

The reasons why Monarch would need to communicate with them came in waves, bringing the likelihood of having some of her questions answered. Understanding certain behaviors? Finding out more about the Hollow Earth? Learning about the past? Trying to avoid attacks?

She paused on the last thought, a sense of reservation setting in. An opportunity like this was sought after by so many who have tried and failed to become part of the Titan organization. But like what admiration from people had always done, it overlooked the dangers of a subject.

Being a part of Monarch, it was either a dream or a nightmare depending on who you asked. Only a professor or two ever gave a retelling from a second-hand account of a retold event from a rare retired Monarch operative. It was sometimes a great job to work at, if it was your calling. Other times, it was hell on Earth. No doubt that could be said for the event of the Rise. Clair remembered hearing gruesome tales about that. People had gotten shot by undercover extremists, crushed by fallen debris or a misplaced foot, and some were indifferently eaten.

She shuddered to think of ending that way, hoping it went fast for those poor souls.

And they wanted her. Her. She had only just found out in the interview of her telepathy. But she was also the girl who had the ability of being able to crack skulls open with a simple twitch of her eye, not that they knew it.

The awakening of the sensation at the interview, however faint it was, was the first since she lost her job, and that was over a month ago. A lapse that long hadn’t been common in nearly two years. Perhaps it was because of the reduced stress that she didn’t have an episode in all that time. But she didn’t know if it would last.

Because of Monarch’s secrecy, Clair had no idea what to expect if she took on the position, what kind of situations she’d be exposed to. And if any one of them would set her off. She could be discovered.

And that fear made up the strong argument of not signing right away.

The next couple of days went on as normal, a debate of what to do was going on inside her head with her not even having looked at the contract in all that time, too worried that something in there would make her jump the gun. In the middle of the given time frame of signing the agreement, the highly anticipated email from that group she wanted to join finally arrived. Clair quickly opened her laptop and clicked it with bated breath.

They rejected her.

Very few words could describe the way that crushed her. The message didn’t even give an excuse, making it all the more disheartening. Her positive side tried to console her, saying that it was just one position and there would be others, she was still waiting to hear back from other job opportunities. But this one is what she wanted most of all, one she wanted to do. For a brief, anger-filled moment, she wondered if this was Monarch’s doing, trying to funnel her into joining their program by closing off other options. But what did it matter? The letter was sent out and she had already read it. It was done.

A tired depression of being rejected one too many times set in and she decided to take a small rest in the day, trying to recharge her emotional battery. Her dark thoughts quieted down as she drifted off, knowing Kayley had joined her on the bed, giving what comfort she could.

Upon awakening in the late afternoon, she felt a little better. The memory of the rejection still hurt but it was less now. Kayley gave a small brr at being disrupted from her nap. Clair gave a small chest scratch to placate her, it being accepted with a sassy meow. As her eyes rose from the pacified feline starting to give herself a bath, the Monarch contract came into sight once again, tempting her with its untold contents.

What the hell. It wouldn’t hurt to take a look.

Getting out of bed and pulling up a chair, she began the process of looking over the contract. As she tugged it out of the envelope, using gravity to help, a small piece of paper fell out and onto the desk. She picked it up and turned it over, seeing it was the check from the interview, it having completely slipped her mind on why she went in the first place. A little sticky note was attached to it. “Hope this helps, Dr. Chen.”  

The words tugged a smile from her. That was sweet of her. Although it made Clair wonder what Chen and Monarch knew about her. They probably did a background check before she met with the doctor, figuring out if she could be trusted. But the note also put an uncertainty in her earlier thought on whether they manipulated her job applications. Maybe she really did have a choice in signing up with them.

The check was set aside for later as she began to examine the contract. Looking over the ten-paged agreement, being a fool if she didn’t read over everything before considering signing it, the terms and conditions came to light. Secrecy was the top most priority overall, not surprising. She’d figured Monarch was like the FBI or CIA, they were out in the open but still opaque. They listed the dangers and risks as well, with her being proven right about the hazard pay.

It continued on with acceptable behavior, access to resources, and conduction of procedures. Just the usual mundane stuff.

Proceeding to read, she got down to the benefits of being with Monarch. Clair balked at the salary. It was high, obscenely high, higher than the one she made at her old job and higher than what a normal scientist would be paid. She didn’t know if they considered her one but that’s what they were mostly made up of. It would definitely help with the house and she could pay the fund back.

Finishing looking the contract over, Clair had noted all the places where she needed to check boxes and sign her name on. Overall, it looked like a pretty good gig. But was it something she wanted?

Isn’t this what she wanted? To get out into the world and explore? To see things only a few have ever dreamed of? Learn about everything there is? To know about the Titans? Joining Monarch was the best chance she could have for that.

She would have to be away for three months in a strange, undisclosed place though. The house would be unguarded and Kayley would be by herself. Clair would be alone with strangers. And the threat of having an episode played in her head again. What would she do if she was discovered in those three months?

It was a worrying thought. But to be honest, she was sick of being afraid, of seeing the same thing every day. She wanted to see what was out there. Needed to see what there was to keep her sane. She loved her home and she loved Kayley, but variety was too tempting. And what she read in the contract assured her that she could walk out anytime. It was just a test run after all.

And the thought of saying no was more terrifying, because down the line she would ask herself if she made the right choice by refusing this extraordinary chance and what could have been if she said yes.

The adventure, the support, the knowledge. It all won out against the risks and her fear. She wanted to take the chance.

Taking a pen from its spot on the desk, she began the process of signing onto Monarch. Every box was checked off, information was filled in, and she signed the places asking for her name.

Then the final spot for her signature was reached. The ball-point hovered above the line as she took in the significance of the moment. It passed as the pen glided smoothly across the white paper, secreting black ink as she carved her name over the line. The contract was signed. Now for the last step. Looking for the number for the clinic, Clair entered the digits into her phone.

“Hello, is Dr. Chen there?” she asked.

“Just a moment please.”

She waited, understanding it was the last chance to back out.

“Hello?”

Too late.

“Dr. Chen? It’s Clair Cantrell. I’d like to join the program.”

Chapter Text

Woodinville, Washington

Late March, 2032

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Wincing, Clair yanked the phone away from her ear as Jason practically screamed the question, taking the news as well as she thought he would.

Already in the midst of packing to wherever Monarch were taking her, now seemed a good time as any to let her brother know of this career change, knowing it was best to keep him in the loop. She was slightly regretting it now. Deeming her eardrums safe for the moment, Clair continued the tense conversation with the raging volcano of a brother on the other end. “Well, apparently I’m in my mind if they want me for this.”

“You just met this woman,” he accused, managing to keep his volume restrained for the moment. “How do you know she really works for Monarch? How do you know you can trust her?!”

Clair asked herself the same question before returning the signed contract. When meeting with Dr. Chen again, she asked to see an official ID or something that would legitimize her, which Chen provided. Clair also asked to have Chen speak to her again in her head, which she did, still feeling as strange as the first time. With the threat of tearing up the contract no longer necessary, she sealed the deal with the release of her grip and had no doubt then that this was really happening.

“Jase, everything checks out. Monarch wants me.”

“Do you have any idea the risks you’re taking with this?” he fumed.

“I know that my episodes aren’t completely under control, but I—”

“I’m not just talking about the episodes, Clair. I’m talking about what you’ll be around. I don’t care how safe they say their measures are, you’re going to be at the mercy of those monsters. They could kill you!”

“So could an earthquake,” she countered. “So could a bear. And so could an orca if I had the option to work with them.”

“Then work with orcas. Don’t pick a job that puts you near Titans!”

“Jase, since when does the opportunity to work for Monarch ever offer itself up to regular people?”

“But you’re not a regular person!”

Clair flinched not only at the tone, but at the statement. Its truth cutting a little more than needed.

Jason must have realized that, for he instantly took a gentler approach. “Sis, please,” he begged. “Don’t go through with this. You may think this is the opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s worse than it actually is. I’ve heard the stories. I’ve seen the aftermath. I don’t want to see you be a part of it. And you know that lunatic is still out there. What if he attacks a base that you’re at? You could get killed.”

He was making some valid points, points that she had already considered. She needed to get him ease off. “You sound just like them when you said you were going into the Marines.”

Silence followed, her statement having the same effect on him as his did to her. Clair didn’t really want to say it, but she needed to in order to make him understand. She still remembered how her parents reacted to his announcement. They didn’t have much money to send him to college, so Jason took matters into his own hands and planned his future. Dad seemed disappointed but accepted and respected his decision in the end. Mom just bawled in misery, begging him not to go, saying it was a death sentence. She finally came around when he was at the threshold of conscription, but she continued to worry for his safety. Clair didn’t know how to feel at the time, it wasn’t her place to have a say in his choice, only hoped and prayed she would still have a brother later on in life. So far, her hopes and prayers have been answered.

“Jason, I know what I’m getting myself into. I read everything and considered everything. Plus, it pays good. You wouldn’t have to worry about the house anymore.”

An exasperated groan escaped him. “Clair, I wanted you to get a job, not throw yourself into the jaws of a Titan.”

A small flash at remembering those stories passed though before her resolve hardened, staying firm with her decision. “I know this is unexpected and scary, but I’ve made up my mind about this. I’m going.”

With the finality of her tone, she could hear Jason fuming on the other side, trying to figure out a way to get her to refuse this opportunity. To change her mind. He wasn’t about to give up, so she tried some reassurance.

“They haven’t given me a full-on contract. It’s just a test run for me and them. I’ll just try it out for a month, if it’s not something I’m comfortable with then I can drop out anytime I want. And the place they’re taking me to is somewhere near Bermuda. I’ll just be a few hours away and I can come and visit if you want.”

The line was quiet as Jason considered this bit of information, with her wondering if it would be enough to get him to relent. He wasn’t here to stop her physically, the distance between them preventing that. But she did wish for his consent. To know that if he would not stand behind her decision, then to at least give his support to her.

“Just let me do this, please,” she begged.

A long-awaited heavy sigh came through the line, his resistance finally giving in. “Do you really think you can do this?”

She considered the questions before answering. “I wanna try.”

“Alright,” he consented. “But listen, if it gets too much for you, if you can’t handle it, let me know and I’ll come get you. And we’ll figure out something else. Kay?”

Clair let out a sigh of her own in relief, gratified to know that she would have his support as she did this. “Kay. Thanks, Jase.”

“Just please be careful. I only got one little sister you know?”

“I know and I will.”

Ending the call with a promise to keep him informed, she resumed her packing for the trip. Tonight was the last night she would be able to sleep in her own bed for tomorrow night was when Monarch would come and spirit her away.

As she replayed the conversation in her head, it finally dawned on her why Jason was so averse to her decision. Monarch wasn’t just about researching the Titans but stopping them from destroying major population centers, partnering up with the US military to make that happen. Clair had to remind herself that Jason was part of that, he’d been trained and conditioned to live in highly dangerous environments, facing stressful situations that would make most full-grown men faint. She particularly remembered the one story he spoke about during his training where he and his team were operating on a severely wounded pig, trying to piece it back together while it was still kicking. A shudder ran through her as she imagined the awful high-pitched squealing the animal surely made as it slowly bled to death. Good news was that in the end their pig lived. The bad news was that Jason was probably scarred for life.

He lived that life near every day, and he didn’t want her to be part of it. Knowing it could be very well she who would become the pig at some point.

Anxiety tried to grip her heart at the possibility of the scenario, but she pushed it away with a heavy sigh. She would do this. Clair made a deal and she intended to keep it.

Remembering the load of laundry that needed to be changed if she wanted more clothes for the three-month stay, she walked out of her room to do just that. That’s when she found Kayley on the stairs, draped over the top step with a depressed look in her green eyes. Clair sighed at the pitiful sight, feeling slightly guilty for causing it. Kayley knew she was leaving for a very long time. The cat had actually tried to prevent Clair from packing by sitting in her luggage bag, not budging when asked to move. She had to be kicked out of the room at that point, left to wander the house as her human became too busy for her.

Deciding she could spare a moment from packing, Clair dropped down a few steps and placed her head on her arms as she sat below Kayley’s spot. Kayley wasn’t looking at her, her green eyes downcast as she tried to ignore her person, looking very indignant.

God, she would miss her so much, especially her affectionate nature. The small headbutts she would give, the snuggling hugs, and the sandpapery licks. As far as Clair knew, Monarch didn’t exactly allow pets in their facilities.

“I know you don’t want me to go, but I kinda have to,” she started. “I promise it won’t be for long and you’ll have company to look after you.” Clair managed to ask Emily’s parents who lived on the other side to town to look after Kayley and the house while she was gone.

Kayley’s green gaze shifted to her as she spoke but flitted away when she was finished.

“I’ll come back. I promise.”

Using her finger, Clair gently stroked Kayley’s furred face, minding her whiskers and eyes, and scratching a favorite spot behind the ear that she always leaned into. Unable to resist the attention, Kayley offered her forehead to her, and Clair bumped it back at once. Nuzzling one another, Clair felt a loving prickly lick on her cheek. She gingerly gathered the cat in her arms until she became cradled like a babe. Kayley rested her head in the crook of her arm while Clair gave her massaging scratches to her cream chest.

She settled on the top step as she continued to give the cat the affection that would be sorely missed for the next few months. A very long time to be away from her and home. The longest time in her life actually.

As a sense of anxiety crept up, Clair turned her head to look down the opposite end of the hall from her room. The door to the right was never open, always locked, as she kept it that way. Only on certain occasions would she enter, finding some solace inside during times of acute stress. She considered it for a moment, questioning if she should perhaps spend the night in there.

She shrugged, thinking it would be fine to sleep in her own room. She wasn’t a scared little kid anymore. Letting Kayley down, she went to change that load of laundry and continued with her packing.

It wasn’t until later that night that Clair shot awake from a fitful dream in a cold sweat, imaginary screams echoing between her ears as the images of a recurrent nightmare faded away. Breathing heavily, she checked the window, seeing no damage done to the panes of glass.

After a few moments of sitting in her bed as she calmed the rapid beating of her heart, she took her blanket with her and went down the hall, Kayley following close behind. Feeling along the edge of the doorframe, she found the key that allowed her inside, deciding to spend the rest of the night in there with a cat that did not want to lose sight of her.

***

The sound of the great rotary engine rumbling on was the first and always constant thing that returned to Clair when she awoke. She’d never been in an Osprey before. She’d actually never been in any sort of helicopter until now. It was a little bit different from the usual commercial flights, but it had the same feeling one would always have when flying in an aircraft, there was just more leg room thankfully.

She wondered again how well Jason would be taking this. Flying coffins he called these things, an account of how many accidents there were with them. It made her a little more hesitant when she boarded, but Dr. Chen assured her that the pilots were experienced and knew what they were doing, though she was asked to refrain from using her brother’s term around them, especially a woman called Griffin.

So far, the flight had been uneventful, rounding up to about nine hours. She mostly tried to sleep, having left late last night, but stirred during the last leg of the trip. Rousing her body from the cramped position of leaning on her duffel bag, she turned to the port window above her. Gazing out to gain some vague idea of their whereabouts, endless blue took up the view at is stretched out for miles around, signaling that they were very far from land.

Already—despite the confined air inside—she could feel the heat of the sun blazing down on the azure waves. She was grateful then for wearing her regular blue V-neck that was reserved for the summer months under her jacket. Jeans were more of a regular for her when she didn’t know the exact conditions of the climate she was going into.

“Have a nice sleep?”

Clair glanced back to see Dr. Chen sitting across the cabin from her with her own luggage propped up next to her, awake as well. “As much as I could get.”

She smirked at the reply. “Don’t worry, when we reach Castle Bravo, you can get some proper rest.”

“We’re almost there?”

Chen nodded.

Clair hummed at the confirmation, breathing in and letting out an anxious breath at the reminder of their destination, wondering again what Monarch’s headquarters would look like and how she’d be received.

No doubt, with their destination looming closer with each passing second, Clair could finally get some of her questions answered. She had held back for as long as possible, Chen saying it would be best that they could be answered behind closed doors. Well, it was probably best to discuss the bulk of them at the base, but what better privacy to discuss a few of them than in cabin of an Osprey hundreds if not thousands of feet in the air with the only other company being the two busy pilots in the cockpit. Without further ado, Clair began her inquires. “So, uh… how many others are in the program?”

Dr. Chen considered the question for a moment before answering. “About seven others, including myself.”

She figured as much, though it didn’t stop her from asking, “You talk to the Titans?”

“Just one, but the connection’s not as strong as it used to be, not since my daughters took over.”

Clair’s eyebrows shot up at the information, not only about some sort of connection but about the family relations. “Y-your daughters are in the program?” When Dr. Chen nodded in confirmation, Clair continued, “Are… are you okay with that?”

“It’s what my family has done for generations. And I wasn’t about to break tradition. Besides, I trust my daughters know what they’re doing.”

The confidence and pride in her voice didn’t leave any room for question, so Clair left the subject at that. Yet it didn’t stop her from asking aloud another. “Which Titan are they connected to?”

“Mothra.”

“Mothra,” Clair whispered to herself in awe. The very mention of the Titan’s name seemed to summon a reverent hum to the air. One of the most mysterious and beautiful Titans known to mankind, Mothra was a creature that inspired harmony and coexistence. Despite her seemingly tragic demise in Boston, it had been revealed that there was an egg lain before the battle, giving some comfort that her legacy would live on in the form of her offspring.

Though it did give rise to another question. “Generations, huh? So, is this like a lineage thing or…?”

If it was, Clair didn’t know how she fit in. Nothing in her family history stated they had a connection to any sort of mythical being, let alone a Titan.

However, she had learned from her mother that some of the family—her side in particular—were a bit sensitive to certain energies and supernatural phenomena. Part of Clair wondered if that’s where she had gained her condition. Or if it was perhaps a certain culmination of genetics from both her parents that granted it to her. Yet none of their history explained what she had.

“In a way,” Chen responded. “But not all of us have to have family history with the Titans in order to connect with them. Some can create connections on their own.”

Nodding her head in understanding, Clair pondered how people could just come out of the blue with a bond to a Titan and came up with the question that had been bugging her for a while.

“I wanted to ask you earlier; how did you pick me among the hundreds of others? I’m pretty sure I haven’t bonded to a Titan that I’m aware of.”

Chen’s smile turned shy. “Certain questions were put on the survey that would tell us the signs of others being telepathic, or at the very least displaying psychic abilities. Those who were most likely to be receptive to another mind would have the usual symptoms: headaches, strange sensations, behavior around others, past behaviors, and reactions to certain situations. Those were the signs we were looking for. Staff and cameras were also placed around so we could observe the current behavior of certain individuals. You just happened to be one who caught our attention. But to be honest, we were just guessing. We had to narrow it down as much as possible to particular individuals who could possibly have the ability.”

“Oh.” Clair didn’t know whether to be flattered or disturbed by the information. She had an ability that Monarch had recognized and chose her for it, leading to this impossible situation. But at the same time, Monarch had noticed her despite her efforts to conceal herself. If she was that obvious, had others figured her out too?

Pushing away the concerning thoughts, she went on to ask, “So, I have the ability to connect with a Titan?”

“Possibly.”

At her confused frown, Chen went on to explain, “While you do show that you are capable of being receptive to another’s consciousness, it does not necessarily mean you are capable to receive that of a Titan’s. Connecting with a person is one thing. Connecting with a Titan is another. It’s a process that will be explained later on with Dr. Price’s input.”

Clair almost rolled her eyes as she nodded again to the partially complete answer, inwardly groaning that her curiosity would have to be put on hold a little while longer when her patience with the suspense was already wearing thin. Before her questions could be put on hold, she finally decided to ask the question that was on her mind the minute Dr. Chen communicated with her. “Have… others shown abilities beyond being telepathic?”

Dr. Chen gave a slight tilt to her head at the question. “No. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, just wondering if I would be levitated out of my bed one night as a prank.” It was a simple lie.

An amused smile tickled the doctor’s lips as she probably pictured the scenario. “No, you won’t be levitated out of your bed. It’s not that kind of program.”

Clair reflected her smile as her heart drooped. “Good to know.”

The hope about there being others like her diminished with the answer. She had let it build inside of her that she may finally get some answers only to have it be smothered and crushed. It was a long shot anyhow. Even her parents—with their many connections—had tried and failed to find others like her. A way to explain what she had. A rather fruitless endeavor in the end. Though it was worth trying.

A series of chiming beeps sounded out from the cockpit, causing the pilots to start speaking to their comms. Chen perked up at the noise as did Clair, bringing her out of her disappointed state.

“We’re here,” Chen announced.

A wave of exhilaration gripped Clair, snuffing out the nervousness and anxiety and causing her to rise to her feet to see what Monarch headquarters looked like. Chen followed close behind. Building anticipation swelled in her chest as she looked out from the cockpit, waiting to see the base as the clouds parted.

She was underwhelmed by the sight.

The sun, at its highest peak on a clear day, shined down upon the deep blue of the North Atlantic, with the waves writhing beneath its intense heat. A beautiful sight in and of itself. What marred it though was nothing more than an old oil platform, the thing they were heading towards.

“Huh.” There was no denying the disenchantment in her voice. “I thought it would be… bigger.”

Chen gave a small chuckle. “This is just the entrance.”

Clair turned to her in confusion as they descended onto the platform. It quickly parted for the incoming Osprey to reveal a large shaft that led down below the waves.

“Woah,” Clair gasped as they went past the cleaved landing pad. Amazement and bafflement went hand in hand as they descended into ocean through the concrete chute. Soon, the further they went into the concealed Monarch base, a large cavern appeared with structures built into the rock formations.

Clair was still gazing out in astonishment as they landed on the actual landing pad. As soon as Chen tapped her shoulder, she broke out of her trance, gathered her belongings along with Chen and disembarked.

Stepping out of the Osprey, Clair gaped at the cavern all around her. Bathed in a blue light, multiple levels aligned the stone walls (she wondered how long it took to complete the base), with people either hustling between catwalks and stairs or gathered in small groups, discussing whatever subject was on their minds. This truly was Monarch. And she was here witnessing it.

Chen started to lead the way into the base, no doubt expecting her to follow suit. It was slow going, as she marveled at everything around her.

When her wandering gaze traveled up to the higher levels, she noticed two sets of eyes on her. A boy and a girl leaned against the railing of a catwalk a few floors above. Though they were at a distance, making it difficult to discern their features, they did look young, around her age maybe. They didn’t move once they were discovered, both looking directly at her, studying her. She stared back at them, knowing that they were measuring her out.

A moment of suspense passed as the two parties sized each other up.

Then the girl raised a hand and waved to her. A friendly gesture. Realizing it would be rude not to respond, Clair shyly waved a hand back, a small smile accompanying the act. Noticing Chen was getting farther ahead, she took her eyes off the mysterious duo and raced after the doctor, leaving the cavern behind. Chen led Clair through halls as people greeted and welcomed back the returned doctor. Clair was mostly ignored until she and Chen came to an elevator, where they descended further into the base.

A long corridor took up the floor they came on with multiple doors lining up and down the elongated hallway. Walking past most of them, Chen approached a certain door. Using a card to unlock it, she opened the entrance to the room beyond and stepped aside for Clair to peek in.

The room was fairly standard. Near the entry they were in, a table with a few chairs sat in the corner with a desk facing the wall near it. On the opposite wall, a doorway led to a private restroom with a large dark wooden wardrobe taking up the same wall. At the other end of the room was a single bed, nicely made for its next occupant. But what caught her attention was the view beside the bed.

“Wow,” Clair breathed. An enamoring vast ocean blue took up the entire window, the light from the surface above trickling in through the writhing waves as schools of fish swam by.

“These are your personal quarters,” Chen stated with a smile.

“This is mine?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Still in awe, Clair cautiously walked in, taking in the atmosphere of the generous apartment. The space was about the size of her room back home, if not bigger. The polished grey concreate floor was poles apart from the comforting carpet she was used to, though it had the essentials that were needed. Crossing the room with Chen loosely following, she set her duffel bag on the bed as she peered out the window, wondering what else she could see from this privileged view.

“We thought to give you something tranquil while also visually stimulating,” Chen explained a few feet behind her. “And what better than an ocean view?”

“Consider me stimulated,” Clair murmured to herself.

As fish swan by, she wondered what other creatures she might see from the window. Whales would be a wonderful sight to wake up to. But at the reminder of where exactly she was, could she possibly wake up to something that was bigger than a whale?

The ruffling of fabric turned Clair’s attention away from the window just as Chen rifled through her coat pocket and pulled out what she was searching for. “Here’s your keycard and identification tag. There’s a kitchenette down the hall to the right if you need it. I have to go check in with the others right now and let them know you’re here. I’ll be back in an hour or so and then we can start the tour of the base.”

Clair studied the cards given to her while Chen made her way to the door. Before she stepped out, she called back. “Oh, and Clair?”

She glanced up at the doctor to find a warm, welcoming smile directed at her. “Welcome to Monarch.”

Chen left the room, leaving Clair to settle in. She decided to sit on the bed and take in the situation, breathing in and out to calm the bubbling excitement within.

She was finally here. At Monarch. About to work with Titans. This was beyond any of her wildest imaginations. Her healthy respect for the great animals had always told her to keep a distance from them, but thanks to her condition, she was able to be in the same vicinity as one. She just had to be cautious and make sure no incidents occurred, from the Titans or her. Which reminded her of something.

Opening the duffel bag, she saw that the items she had packed for the three-month stay were still inside. Bringing out a few things—laptop, selfcare bag, and a few clothes that were reserved for summertime—she found the little bundle of clothes that were wrapped tightly together. Carefully taking apart the cocoon, she uncovered the precious cargo nestled inside.

None of the jars looked broken, having survived the journey by being safely tucked away for the whole trip. She had only brought a couple along, just enough to where four or five episodes would be her max, if she had that many. She casually wondered if any of the scientists would miss a couple of beakers if the need to swipe a few arose, though the thought of stealing left a bitter taste in her mouth. She definitely couldn’t call it borrowing if the items were destined to be destroyed.

Clair decided to put them in the dresser for now, tucking them away and out of sight. She also put a few other things away as well in the dresser, believing it was probably a good time to unpack. Most of the room had places to put her belongings in, being most efficient for the long run. Though she made sure not to unpack everything, just in case things didn’t go as planned.

Just as she placed her self-care bag in the bathroom, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. It was a text from Emily’s mother. A picture of Kayley on her back took up the screen, showing off her fluffy belly.

Baby misses you, the caption read. A forlorn twinge shook her heart. Kayley had followed her around all afternoon yesterday, never leaving her side. She even followed her to the door as Clair left, knowing it was the last she would see of her. Clair was already missing the demanding furball, longing to run her fingers through a soft, grey coat. Wanting so desperately to feel an attention seeking nudge on her leg.

I miss baby too, she texted back.

She then moved on to the person she had to text before they decided to storm the castle to make sure she was all right.

I made it, and I’m okay. I’ll call you later. Love you, she texted on Jason’s thread.

The response was almost immediate. Good. Please be safe sis. I love you too.

Already in the bathroom, she decided it was as good a time as any to spruce herself up, seeing in the mirror that the long flight had given her an exhausted appearance. When she was just about done, a polite knock sounded on her door.

As promised, Dr. Chen returned to the room within the hour. But she wasn’t alone. A woman who looked exactly like her, aside from the long hair and different clothing, appeared in the doorway. “Clair, this is my sister, Dr. Ling Chen. She’s also part of the program.”

“You can just call me Ling, if you want,” Ling offered, holding out a greeting hand.

Clair was slightly relieved for that clarification, knowing it would have been a little awkward for there to be two Chens. “Thanks for letting me know,” she said as she gripped the twin doctor’s hand for a good shake.

“Shall we start the tour?” asked Chen.

Leaving behind her newly acquired living space, they went back the way they came. Clair was shown nearly everything, all the departments from the training area to the biology labs to the gym and to the military hangars. As they passed by all the levels, she couldn’t help but notice a few pieces of technology that had the Apex logo on them. She guessed it’d make sense that Monarch would get their hands on as much of Apex’s tech as possible before someone else who did not have good intentions did.

They soon entered what Chen called the Hub. Screens and monitors lined the multiple desks as they illuminated the whole room, showing readings and data from all around the world to personnel that watched them and muddled about. Though what took up her attention was the large glass wall that showed the abyss of the sea, the shield as Chen called it.

As they went further into the room, their presence became known as tall man turned away from looking at a monitor to glance at them. Stress lines creased his face with graying hairs mixing into the dark ones atop his head. He almost reminded Clair of her father, though Dad was more rugged in appearance.

He walked up and greeted Chen. “This her?”

Chen nodded and introduced the man. “Clair, this is Director Dr. Mark Russell. Head of Titan Relief.”

“And part of operations,” he added after shaking Clair’s hand.

“Right, where’s Guillerman?”

“Right here,” another tall man with a dark complexion called, walking their way. “James Guillerman, Director of Monarch. Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you. It’s wonderful to finally be here,” Clair replied politely, realizing it was the time to make good impressions.

“What do you think of Castle Bravo so far?”

“It’s definitely impressive.”

Next, a woman dressed in military greens and as dark as Director Guillerman strolled over, with an expression of calm confidence. “Ah, I see we got a new one in. Colonel Diane Foster,” she introduced herself.

“Clair Cantrell,” she introduced back.

“That’s one hell of a grip you got there.”

“Make an impression, right?”

The colonel gave her a friendly smirk.

“Colonel Foster is part of our military unit and leader of G-team,” Guillerman explained. “Helping in defense against the Titans when necessary.”

“Basically give them a few pokes when they get too close for comfort,” the colonel supplied.

Chen then turned Clair’s attention to another man with a mop of auburn brown curls and lean body, looking a little too busy with a monitor. “Here’s someone else you should meet,” she announced loudly, gaining the man’s stunned attention as he turned around.

With an unsure voice, he greeted them. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Sam Coleman, Head of Technology.”

His scruffy features did little to hide the lack of confidence the other Monarch members had. The man seemed jittery, like a squirrel with too many nuts to find and stash before winter.

Before Clair could reply, a new voice called out. “Hey! Why wasn’t I invited to the party?”

Chen made what sounded like an annoyed sigh. “And this is Dr. Rick Stanton, our crypto-sonographer.”

The guy that came over had a shock of white hair on top of his head while wearing a set of headphones around his neck, almost looking like one of those mad scientists from pop culture media. “Yeah, I basically record whatever the monsters are squawking. And then some.”

“Don’t we know it,” Chen muttered.

“Who’s this?” Dr. Stanton asked, pointing at Clair.

“This is Clair Cantrell,” Ling introduced her. “The new recruit for our program.”

“Oh great, another mind reader. Just don’t go poking around in my head kid, you may not like what you find.”

“Like there’s anything worth finding in there,” snarked Chen.

“Oh, you’d be surprised Chen, especially with all I’ve seen recently.”

“Careful,” Ling warned before Chen could respond. “Don’t make yourself too tempting.”

“Shut up, Ling”

“Shut up, Rick,” Chen retorted.

Clair couldn’t help but snicker at the doctors’ banter. It was all good-natured annoyance, like friends bickering on a repeated topic. Seemed Chen and Stanton had some sort of rivalry or something from what she could tell.

“Come on,” Chen turned to Clair, clearly done with Dr. Stanton. “Let’s go meet Dr. Price. I think you’ll like her.”

“Oh, I’m coming with you. Be nice to finally understand all this psychic mumbo jumbo for once.”

Chen looked like she was about to turn him down, be decided against it, probably being more of a hassle to refuse him. “Suit yourself.”

“I better come to,” Dr. Coleman said. “I need to talk with Nicole about the new equipment were supposed to be getting in.”

“We’ll meet you at the conference room in a little bit,” Dr. Russell called as he turned away with Guillerman.

As they traveled to their next destination, Chen leaned over to her. “How’s the tour going for you?”

There was already a lot to take in about this place and the people, yet they were showing her more of it as if her brain wasn’t about to explode from the overload of information. “Fine, just need to get used to how this place feels like a maze.”

“You get used to it after a while,” Stanton leaned over as well, “once you’ve been trapped down here for a couple years.”

“If it’s so confining, Rick, maybe you should consider retirement, what with your age and all,” Chen quipped.

“Retirement can kiss my ass. No way in hell am I losing this job.”

They continued to walk on as they descended to a lower part of the base. Soon they reached one of the labs on the lower levels. Strange machines Clair didn’t recognize dotted the space as scientists milled about, checking results or speaking with each other.

“This is the neural lab,” Chen stated. “We mostly study the brains of Titans here, but we’ve also included those of certain humans, mine and Ling’s included.”

Going deeper into the lab, a few of the scientists looked their way, but were too preoccupied to interact with the guests. Clair didn’t know exactly who Dr. Price was, but she guessed they were waiting on her.

“Nicole?” Chen called after a moment.

A hard thud sounded from an island, followed by a pained grunt as a woman with light brown hair tied into a ponytail popped up from behind it, wide eyes rimmed with square glasses as she rubbed her head. She stumbled her way around the island and zipped over to greet the group. “Sorry, I was trying to hook up a few different wires to make our computers run better.”

“You call me for that,” Coleman reminded her.

Chen nudged Clair forward. “Clair, I want to introduce you to our lead neurologist, Dr. Nicole Price. She helps monitor our connections with the Titans. Makes sure that everything is running smoothly.”

“Hi, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” the new doctor enthusiastically greeted, gripping Clair’s hand eagerly.

“Likewise,” Clair said.

“You have a wonderfully broad frontal bone.”

“Huh?”

“She says you got a nice forehead,” Stanton translated.

“Oh. Uh, thank you?”

“I’m sorry,” Dr. Price apologized. “I just get really excited when we get a new Link in. Another new brain to study.”

Clair couldn’t help but shyly chuckle at the confession. “Well, so long as you don’t come at me with a scalpel to look inside, I think we’ll get along just fine.”

“Well, thankfully for you, we’ve moved out of that barbaric practice and onto more advanced ways of taking a peek inside someone’s head. But that’s for tomorrow.” She turned to Dr. Chen. “Has she met the others yet?”

“She’s about to.”

“Wonderful,” Dr. Price cheered. “Let’s go meet them then.”

Once again, Clair was ushered out of the room and led to another destination. The doctors talked amongst themselves as she followed behind. A fluttering excitement filled her as it collided with her nervousness. This was it; she was about to meet more people who like her. Sort of. She could only hope everything went well.

They came to a pair of doors that opened into a conference room with a large table and multiple chairs. Dr. Russell and Director Guillerman were already inside. On the other side of the room, a group of young strangers conversed until they noticed their entrance. Clair realized that they were the other members of the program. Funnily enough, they all looked near her own age.

A pair of Chinese girls who were near identical immediately walked right up to her, bringing warm smiles with them. Twins she comprehended. Dr. Chen’s daughters more precisely.

“Hello,” the twin on the right greeted. “I’m Amy Chen”

“And I’m Eu-meh Chen,” the other announced.

“My daughters,” Chen confirmed to Clair.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Clair Cantrell.”

The two girls looked young, younger than her by a couple of years if Clair had to guess. Each wore their own personal set of clothes, but that’s as far as the difference went. Both looked exactly alike and were the same height—an inch or two shorter than their mother—while wearing the same style of braided hair like their aunt.

Before Clair could take note of any other similarities shared between the two, another figure walked up to them. A young man with raven hair and tanned skin stood next to the twins. He was lean and not much taller than her, and not too bad looking either. For a moment, he looked vaguely familiar before she remembered that he was the same guy from the catwalk in the cavern.

“Dante Rodriguez,” he introduced himself, with a hint of a Hispanic accent.

“Clair Cantrell,” she introduced back.

A disarming smile graced his lips. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled back with a nod before she noticed the next newcomer. A girl with braided dark brown hair and a red shawl stood next to Dante, nearly as tanned as he was. She was a little on the small size, almost smaller than the twins. Perhaps just as young too. Clair made a guess to her ethnicity. Pacific Islander, maybe?

Hi, the girl signed.

Clair was caught off guard. She didn’t know there were people who signed American Sign Language here. But it only took her a moment to respond back, trying to remember the motions of her hands for the normal greeting. Hello. It’s nice to meet you.

You know ASL?

“A little. I took a class in high school,” Clair answered, switching back to English.

The girl nodded, understanding her reply. She must know how to lip-read.

She signed her name to the deaf girl—at least she assumed she was deaf. C-L-A-I-R.

The girl understood and signed her name back. J-I-A.

“Jia,” Clair repeated, giving a friendly smile.

A dark figure in the corner caught her attention next, turning to see what looked to be the last member of the program that had yet to be introduced. The girl was maybe around the same height as her, with dark hair pulled back into a bun and big brown eyes studying her. It was the same girl who waved at her. The others made way as she approached Clair.

The girl held out her hand as she said her name. “Madison Russell.”

Clair froze.

Madison Russell? The Madison Russell? The daughter of Emma Russell, the madwoman who teamed up with eco-terrorists and basically orchestrated the Rise, killing millions of people and changing the world as they knew it forever? Whose daughter was also said to be in on the plot of mass genocide? That Madison Russell? She was part of the program?

Quickly snapping out of her stupor before it could become awkward, Clair greeted the girl calmly, “Um, nice to meet you.”

She internally winced at hearing the lack of conviction in her voice, making her feel like an idiot. It must have been noticed for Madison’s smile didn’t quite reach her critical eyes. It almost appeared as though she knew Clair’s exact thoughts—most likely if she claimed to be what she was. Clair made a quick glance at Dr. Russell who had the remnants of a hard stare focused on her.

Great, not even a full day here and she already managed to screw up something. So much for first impressions. Hopefully there was a chance to fix it.

But now wasn’t the time for Chen quickly ended introductions. “Alright, now that everyone’s been introduced to each other maybe we can give Clair some answers.”

Everyone immediately took their seats for the meeting. Clair was a bit lost in the sudden motion of bodies until she noticed Chen waiting for her with an open seat up near the front of the conference table. She quickly took it as the members of the program took their spots opposite of her. Dr. Coleman and Dr. Stanton took their seats next to her as the directors stood in the shadows behind. Chen stood in front of the screen ahead with her sister, Dr. Price on the other side.

“Thank you all for being here and welcoming our new recruit,” Chen began, “as we will be here to explain to her anything she has questions about. Let’s begin.”

The seminar began with the dimming of lights, the flicker of the projector above and the display of a black screen with bold white lettering with the Monarch logo above.

“The Link Program,” Chen repeated the words displayed, “is a program we have created at Monarch for the benefit of both humans and Titans. In this program we have single individuals with high extrasensory perception, or ESP, to communicate with the Titans on humanity’s behalf. A sort of symbiotic relationship building, if you will.”

The screen switched to a picture of the human brain with a highlighted piece in its center. “This part of the brain is where the hippocampus and the amygdala are,” Price informed. “The hippocampus is the area in the brain that is associated with memory and the amygdala is the area associated with emotional awareness. Both become activated when telepathic communication takes place between the recipient and the sender. It is found in some high ESP individuals that they are extremely sensitive to the frequencies a Titan gives off with their own hippocampus and amygdala, providing the possibility for communication.”

The slide switched to one with a Godzilla-like figure standing next to a human. Price continued the lecture. “With the high ESP sensitivity of some, we can have people, or Links as we call them, telepathically or, at the very least, emotionally communicate with a Titan. This can only happen if the individual’s and the Titan’s brainwaves match up, leading to a certain synchronization which will allow a form of communication to commence.”

The slide switched to the individual human and Godzilla facing each other with see-through brains, as a faded frequency line formed between the two of them.

“Through this way of communication, the basis of a relationship forms, one that may become positive over time,” Ling spoke. “We believe that having intimate relationships with the Titans would be more beneficial to understanding them better. Technology and observation can only take us so far with their external behavior. Knowing the inner thoughts and feelings of the Titans could help in predicting when they become agitated and save the lives of thousands, if not millions. This could then lead to a more peaceful coexistence as others speak on their behalf and ensure a safe existence for both species.

“Which is the entire purpose of the program, to be a link between man and monster.”

The projector was turned off as the lights returned to their brightness. The lecture was short but to the point which Clair appreciated. Everyone looked at her, waiting for whatever reaction she was about the give.

Finding an interesting spot on the wooden table, she pursed her lips, letting out a breath as she took in all the information given to her. And there was a lot of it.

After a few moments of going over it in her head, the first question finally hit as she looked up at Chen. “How long has the program been going on for?”

“It started a few years back,” she explained, “when we found out Madison and Jia could connect to their Titans.”

Noticing the number of Links across from her, she then asked, “How many Titans have been linked?”

“So far we only have four Titans interacting with the program. And each of their Links are here now.” Chen looked purposefully at them, allowing them to state the Titans they were connected to.

“Mothra,” the twins spoke in unison.

“Rodan,” Dante stated.

Kong, Jia signed.

Clair glanced at Madison. “Godzilla.”

The King of Titans. She shouldn’t have been surprised yet she was. Figures that the most powerful and complicated of the Titans would be part of the program. He’d been in nearly every fight she saw on the news.

The memory of that earlier news report abruptly bounced to the forefront of her mind, causing her to look at Monarch in a new light. “That’s why casualties are going down,” she spoke in awe. “You guys are working together with the Titans to save people.”

“Well, we’re not exactly superheroes,” Madison replied. “We just try our best to direct the Titans in battles so we can save lives, and maybe cause a little less property damage.”

“So they actually listen to you?”

“Sometimes,” Amy spoke. “It can be a little difficult, especially in the heat of battle. You don’t tell a Titan what to do. You simply state what you want to them. They are very prideful and will not tolerate being commanded.”

“Can you all communicate with each of them?”

“No,” Ling answered. “Each and every one of us has a single Titan we can communicate with. Other than the case with Mothra, there have been only single individuals matched to a Titan. That’s all.”

If that were true, then Clair would only to be able to talk with one Titan.

“How’d you find out about them?” she asked Chen, gesturing at Madison and Jia.

“It was more accidental really. We saw the signs and made our conclusions.”

“But not enough signs with me to say that I’m connected to a Titan, right?”

“Right. You were part of a fairly new process where instead of waiting for Links to come to us, we went to them. So far, you’ve been the only one we could find among the hundreds of universities and colleges where our testing took place. But we are grateful to have found you instead of no one, and in our view, that is a success.

“You’re what we consider a blank slate. You will be paired with a Titan, Clair. But for that to happen, we need to prepare you to be able to do so. It will take a few months as we train and test you before we can find a match.”

Clair became silent as she went over all the answers given to her, it all now starting to become clear.

“Do you have anything else you would like to ask us?” Chen asked.

She probably did, but with the whirlwind of information swirling around in her head, it didn’t seem like the time to ask anything else. “No, I think I’m good.”

“Alright then, this meeting is dismissed then. Nicole, would you accompany Clair back to the dorms. I need to speak with our Links for a moment.”

Rising to her feet, Clair looked at the others across from her. “It was nice meeting you guys.”

She received acknowledging nods as she allowed herself to be ushered from the room, hoping she made a good impression to most if not all.

***

Once Clair and the others departed, leaving Ilene, Ling and the Links alone, she turned to them. “Well? What did you think of her?”

It was only right that she looked at the situation from the perspective of the others, as they were the ones that Clair would be working closely with and should be trying to build positive relationships. It was imperative to gauge their feelings now of Clair’s impression, so that they might avoid any trouble down the road.

Jia was the first to answer. She seems alright. Very quiet.

“More reserved really,” Dante added. “But she’s definitely curious.”

“She asked some pretty good questions,” Amy inputted.

Eu-meh was the next to speak. “This is probably all very strange to her.”

“It most certainly is,” Ilene agreed. “She said that she hasn’t had much contact with people like us or her. So, you can only guess what might be going through her head when we say she’ll be paired with a Titan.”

“Hope she’s paired with a protector,” Amy admitted. “Seems like she would be a good fit for one.”

“Already started matchmaking?” Dante teased.

“Listen,” Chen cut in before the two could get into friendly banter. “I know it’s exciting to have a new Link here, but we can’t get our hopes up for anything. Life doesn’t always pan out the way we expect it to. Whoever she becomes paired with, we’ll be here to support her through it. But other than that, do you guys think you can work with her?”

They all looked at each other before nodding in agreement.

She turned to the one who had not nodded, and she had yet to hear from. “Maddie?”

She was leaning against the table, her arms crossed as her gaze lingered on the door Clair disappeared through, a troubled look in her eyes. “I think’s it’s too early to tell… but I’m willing to be open.” She gave a slight smirk with a peculiar glint in her eyes. “I will say that she’s pretty well-built. It’s going to be fun sparring with her.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she gently reminded them. “She’ll need time to settle in and get used to everything. This is a whole new experience for her, you have to understand. She hasn’t grown up around Monarch like you all have.”

A wave of comprehension seemed to wash over the young faces before her.

“For now, we just give her space and be courteous to her. Let her go at her own pace. Everyone understand?”

They all nodded.

“Good. You’re all dismissed then.”

Like the last bell of school, they all but rushed out of the room, ready to get into whatever mischief was on their minds.

“Kids,” Ilene huffed once they were all gone.

Most of them may be adults now, but they still acted like teenagers in her opinion. Amy and Eu-meh were no exception, still being teenagers with a few months left before they turned eighteen. Though they were young and inexperienced, some more than others, they were the future of Monarch. Them as well as Clair now. If they could help build positive relationships with the new recruit, then all the better for the long run. They couldn’t afford to have infighting.

Ling sidled up to her. “You’re worried.”

“Hard not to be.”

“She was rather charming and very well-mannered if you ask me.”

“I know. Good qualities for forming fast friendships.”

“You think she’ll fit in?”

“We’ll see.”

Everyone seemed to like Clair with her respectful politeness. Though Chen did catch her hesitance with Maddie. Understandable but a critical error that may disrupt in disharmony. Maddie’s reply for her cooperation was the best Chen could hope for at this point. The survey may have given a few indicators of her personality, but only time would tell what the girl was really like.

“Let’s hope we can prepare her enough for the pairing,” Ling said.

“You’re just as bad as Amy. She’s yet to be tested and you’re already wondering what Titan she’ll bond to?”

“I’m not talking about any Titan.”

Ilene looked up at what she meant before it finally clicked. A troubled frown set in at the reminder of what the survey had been truly about, souring the good mood she’s been in. A part of her wanted to tell Clair, but the possibility of it not working and worrying her for nothing kept Ilene from saying anything. Only her ability to link could determine who she would be paired with.

“She really was the only one we could find?” Ling pressed.

“I’m afraid so.”

There was a satisfying amount of people who signed up for the survey. Not many had been able to pass the first testing, leaving only a very small pool of people for the second test, if any for most of the universities. The few that remained for the final testing never passed. All except one.

“Perhaps we should tell her,” Ling suggested.

“We don’t even know if that pairing will happen.” Ilene tried to convey nonchalance, but a tone of concern slipped in.

“But what if it does? Do you think she’ll be able to handle it?”

“If it does, then no amount of training could prepare her for it. Which is why I’m praying that it doesn’t happen… for her sake as well as ours.”

They stood in silence for a moment before Ilene began to walk past her sister. “Come on, we have work to do.” She left before Ling ever had a chance to reply.

***

The next day was when testing began. That anxious feeling from yesterday had not gone away, much to Clair’s annoyance as she hustled down the halls. It didn’t give her much of a restful night as she had wanted, making her feel worse than she was. It was probably her already feeling the touch of homesickness. Her brother’s familiar voice having possibly brought it on when she spoke to him last night, confirming she was all right with her own words.

The multiple twisting hallways didn’t help her mood much either, as she tried to find a way to back to the neural lab. Finally, after a few wrong turns, she entered the lab where Drs. Chen and Price were patiently waiting for her. Chen was the first to greet her. “Have any trouble finding the lab?”

“I, uh… did get turned around once,” she embarrassingly admitted, not entirely proud to and refusing to say more than twice.

“Well, repetition is key when learning something new,” Price commented as she led the way through the halls. They soon arrived at a room with an MRI machine on the other side of a glass window.

“Now, before we begin,” Price said turning to Clair, “I need to ask: Do you get claustrophobic?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Good, then there’s no need to delay.”

The MRI scan went off without a hitch, as did the fMRI, the brainwave scan, and so many others that Clair forgot the names of. Even with all the machines prepped for the scans beforehand, it took about two hours to finally complete everything. Once it was all done, Clair was made to sit in a waiting room with Chen as Dr. Price looked over the results. She finally reappeared just as Clair was getting antsy, and it took Clair a long time to get antsy.

“Everything looks pretty good, as far as an unlinked brain goes. Beautiful activity by the way.”

She handed Chen a clipboard of the results and Chen let Clair take a peek at them. She was able to decipher some of the terms and meanings on the paper, but the rest was just gibberish to her.

“I would like to have you take a few more test after some training, if that’s alright?”

Clair didn’t see the harm of a few more tests. “Sure.”

“Great! See you back here in a bit then.” With that Price took the results and retreated back into the lab, most likely to run more tests.

“We’ll go work on your linking capabilities a little later,” Chen stated. “I first want to show you what else you’ll be doing besides that.”

They went through the base until they came to the gymnasium. Mostly soldiers from what Clair could tell took up their positions with various workout equipment and exercises, putting as much effort into their activities as if they were in combat at the moment. The clanging and clinking of metal mixed in with the grunts of men and women as they prepped their bodies for any situation that would present itself in the future, ready to fight and defend with their lives.

Sounds of exertion started to penetrate the air as Chen led her to where it was coming from. On an open mat in one corner of the gym, two forms were exchanging blows with one another. On closer inspection, it was Madison and Dante who were on the mat, fighting each other. The other Links were watching the duo on a small grandstand.

“Watch you’re footing!”

Clair winced at the shout, its source coming from a tall, broad man standing at the edge of the mat, white tank top adorning his squared shoulders with camo pants completing the look. He was observing along with the others. A soldier. Or perhaps their trainer. Maybe both.

Chen followed her line of sight. “That’s Chief Warrant Officer Jackson Barnes, second in command when Foster’s not around. He’s the one that usually supervises Link combat and physical training.”

Clair nodded as Chen directed her over to the bleachers, where she was seated with Amy, Eu-meh and Jia, all greeting her with silent nods. They were all wearing training attire.

“This is another process of training,” Chen explained, sitting next to her. “Sparring helps with mental precision as well as expansion and relieving any stress build up.”

The longer they remained here the more Clair worried if she should have worn what the others were wearing.

“You can just observe today,” Chen gently whispered to her.

Letting out a breath of relief, Clair nodded absently as the match continued.

Madison and Dante were both facing each other now, their bodies heaving for breath as sweat beaded from their skin. With a wave of her palm, Madison invited Dante for a strike and he took it without question. He lunged for his opponent only for her to step sideways, striking a blow to his exposed side. He grunted in surprised pain, staggering away quickly before she could land another strike.

Clair was impressed by their skills, no doubt taking years to hone. Their fight was controlled, skilled, graceful. It was… intimidating. Her mind became puzzled of how she could ever get up to that level of fighting.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t fight, but about how much she could control during a fight. Sure, it would probably be easy during the first part, but looking at how both were so exhausted from this exercise and the thought of how long it must have been since they began… Sometimes when there was so much energy bound within her and her mood had darkened to a degree, she would crave for a physical altercation, lust for combat.

At the same time, she worried. If she was expected to fight to be part of the program, could she handle the stress put on her? The last thing she wanted was to trigger herself during a fight and accidently win by breaking a bone, if not more.

She snapped out of her future-tripping with a small shake to her head. She would deal with it later, not wanting to get stressed out already just from thinking about it. She just needed to focus on the now and nothing more. Be in the present.

Like Chen could read what was on her mind, which was probably likely, she went on to assure her. “You’ll be taught basic defense first before you go into offense. Sparring with the others will come later. It’ll be easy once you get the right mindset.”

Clair gave her a nod of gratitude for the clarification, relieved to know sparring would be a little ways off.

Madison was now advancing towards Dante, striking at him with quick fists as he desperately tried to block each and every one of them. Too overcome with exhaustion and keeping up with her fast movements, his blocking maneuvers slipped up, allowing Madison to land critical strikes to his abdomen and chest.

Dante fell with a pained grunt, crumpling to the ground as he folded his arms over his abused front. Madison came to loom over him, a fist raised in preparation for the continuation of the fight. A tense moment passed as Dante considered his options before he tapped the mat in submission.

“Pin,” Barnes called out.

At the ending of the match, Madison quickly removed herself from Dante, helping him up off the mat. They grinned at each other, clasping hands in good sportsmanship fashion.

Jia signed something Clair didn’t understand.

“Undefeated champion of the mat once again,” Eu-meh translated before she looked at Clair. “At least amongst us. She’s only ever lost to soldiers, but they rarely spar with us.”

“Why’s that?” she asked.

“They’re afraid they’ll make our Titans angry if we get hurt,” Amy explained.

Clair was taken aback by the information, not having seen much of an affectionate side to the Titans, especially towards humans. “They care for you that much?”

“Well, yeah. We’re basically family to them once we link. To them, anyone who hurts us hurts them.”

That was actually a sweet way to look at it. “Should I be worried then?”

“Nah, I think you’ll be fine. Just so long as you don’t go too far with one of us that is.”

“Noted.”

Madison and Dante got off the mat, being greeted by a proud looking Barnes. “Nice pin, Maddie.”

She smiled at the praise. “Thanks, Barnes.”

“Dante, good job at keeping up with Maddie, but we got to work on your stamina. Girl took you down like a lion would a gazelle.”

Dante frowned at the analogy while Madison smirked. After a few more pointers, they were dismissed, walking their way with Barnes following behind. “Chen, nice to see you again.” He then looked directly at Clair, nodding toward her. “This the new recruit?”

“Yes. Chief Barnes, this is Clair Cantrell.”

“Just Barnes will do. It’s nice to meet you ma’am. Now I need to ask, have you had any experience with any sort of combat training?”

“Well, my brother taught me a few moves but nothing other than that,” Clair admitted.

“Well, somethin’s better than nothin’. We’ll do a session tomorrow, around say zero-eight hundred hours?”

“Sounds good.” Though Clair was not much of a morning person, preferably a night owl.

Now that she had a training session set up, she waved goodbye to the others as she and Chen went on to finally do some mental training. Everyone waved farewell, all except Madison, who didn’t meet her gaze as she left and all but ignored their departure. Her behavior hurt Clair a little, but given how she reacted firstly to Madison yesterday, she guessed it was justified.

Chen was the one who brought her out of her self-loathing with some information. “Based off the scans Nicole was able to provide, you do have the ability to link, it’s just underdeveloped. What we need to do is to strengthen your mental psyche. And we need somewhere quiet for that.”

Chen led her through the halls to a single door that was in a quiet part of the base, away from the hustle and bustle of everything.

Inside was a room that would be described as peaceful, mellow in a way. An assortment of chairs took up the room for whatever comfort type you were. Bean bags, comforters, sofas, yoga mats and a few recliners. The low, warm light of one of the lamps in the room provided some serenity giving an air of calm. But Clair still felt nervousness gnawing at her. She was about to prove if she was as capable as the people she was about to work with.

“This space,” Chen began, “is usually reserved for personnel who need to destress and use it for meditation. We’ve basically taken over it since it’s become an asset for Link training. Thankfully for the people working here, we have more than just one of these rooms.”

Having the go-ahead to choose her seat, Clair sat in a very snug recliner as Chen took a seat in a comfy looking armchair adjacent to her. “Are you comfortable?” she asked.

Clair nodded in answer.

“Good. Have you been through this process before?”

Clair nodded again, recalling the sessions she used to have with the medium she saw. She still remembered the praise of how quickly she could go into a trance.

“Very good. Now I just want you to relax, Clair. Let go of everything that is bothering you and be in this space here with me.”

As quickly as she was instructed, Clair went through the process of relaxation like it was one of her meditations for her condition, only this time when she cleared everything from her mind, she didn’t go down the stairs to her mindscape. Instead, she lingered in the back of her subconscious, where it was the darkest, but also the quietest part of her head. The tension of her nerves and anxiety slipped away as the calm of the tranquility washed over her, finally giving her peace.

“Are you relaxed?” Chen’s voice came distantly.

Deep as she was in her mind with the steady rhythm of slowed breaths anchoring her, Clair could only give single, silent nods of her comprehension, lest she break the trance she was in.

“Now, I want you to think of a door. Imagine its color, its shape, its material, its feel. Keep in mind that it is a door that separates you from the rest of us. It is your barrier to keep others out. You want it to be strong. Nobody can pass its threshold without your permission.”

Following Chen’s words, Clair visualized a door in the darkness, with the color of red wood but enforced with stylized iron bars. Its feeling inside her head felt… open, like she had created a small tear through the fabric of her mind, and the door was a band-aid over it. She indicated its creation when Chen asked.

“Now imagine what is beyond it and know that it doesn’t lead to another part of your mind. It goes outside of yourself. It goes into the world. I want you to go through the door, Clair. Can you do that?”

Gathering her courage, she did, feeling herself expand and shrink at once. And what she saw on the other side of her door was… breathtaking.

Chen’s voice came back into focus, but it felt so distant, like the remnants of an echo. “What do you see Clair?”

It was hard to describe. It was like a void, but it didn’t feel like it. Lights, like the stars of the night sky, dotted the black canvas. Some close, some distant, yet all so very far away and in a rainbow of colors. She was floating amongst them, her own little star as far as she could tell, radiating a stunning blue.

She explained to Chen slowly all of what it looked like to her, feeling how open it was yet closed off at the same time. Her own little universe.

“Good, Clair. Do you think you can find me?”

Clair gulped in apprehension but tried.

“Follow my voice, Clair. Listen to how I sound, the way I breath, how I am to you.”

She followed her voice in the void, the lights winking out one by one until she was left in utter darkness. Soon there was only one light left with her. The light reminded her somewhat of the spores she would encounter in her mindscape, though it seemed more solid. A mixture of colors swirled within the sphere of light, yet the most dominate of them all was a green that reminded Clair of newly born blades of grass. It was where Chen’s voice was coming from.

The light was Chen.

“Can you see me?” Her voice was faint yet so close.

Clair nodded. “…I see you.”

“Can you feel me?”

It was more of a sense than a feel. Chen’s light exuded her presence more strongly in here than it did in real life. “…I can.”

“Good, Clair. Now think of a color, any color you choose. Know its meaning and what it means to you. Picture it in your mind.”

The only color that came to mind was her favorite, the thought of it comforting as always.

“Now, feel yourself. Gather all the energy that you can, all the strength you have and send it out with the thought of the color to me. Let me know the color you are thinking. Push the thought to me.”

Thinking only for a moment on how to act, Clair willed all the energy to gather in her head, letting it swarm around the thought. It was almost a buzzing sensation, pressing on her brain, yet smooth like the waters a river. So much was already gathered that it needed to be released. No longer able to hold back, she finally sent it out, letting it pulse from her very being to the green light of Chen. She waited for Chen’s reply to her thought.

Nothing.

The room was filled with silence as Chen waited for her word, like she had never sent it. Doubt started to creep in, but Clair tried again, letting more of the energy gather in her head as she let it and the thought merge. She pulsed it out once more and waited.

Still nothing.

The doubt was beginning to become suffocating, bringing back some of the anxiety. If she failed this next time, she would lose hope, not believing she was one of them. Taking a breath for calm, she tried one last time, letting the energy and the thought become one until it was something else entirely. The pulse she sent out was stronger than the ones before, with as much of her energy behind it and she prayed it would work this time.

“…Blue.”

The doubt was extinguished as Clair perked up at Chen’s long-awaited response. A flowering giddiness enveloped her at the confirmation the thought was received. She could project her thoughts to others. She was a Link. And that realization came with the beautiful sense of belonging.

Coming out of the trance with a joyful smile, Clair found a proud looking Chen waiting for her. “Well done,” she praised. “Keep this up and we’ll be able to do it more quickly. And with enough practice, you can send your thoughts to the others as well and maybe more than one at a time.”

The topic of communing with the others felt so sudden to speak about, but it didn’t feel quite so impossible when she had already done the impossible.

Clair sat up in her chair, beaming with her own pride at the accomplished session. “So, is this basically what it’ll be like when I link?” she asked.

Chen’s smile faltered. “Not exactly…”

The wonderous mood she was feeling was slipping away as her shoulders slumped in confusion, brow furrowing for an explanation.

“Being a Link…” Chen began, eyes searching for the right words, “it’s something that takes a lot of mental strength, Clair. Linking is not just projecting your thoughts but synchronizing to the other, knowing their inner thoughts and feelings all the time.

“When we were in the garden and what happened just now, was akin to standing shoulder to shoulder. You know the other person is there and you know their intentions. With linking, it’s like bumping shoulders together but also intertwining hands. The thing is you never let go of each other. You never stop being a Link. It’s more intimate than marriage really. Yet just like any relationship, it takes time to build trust. To learn how to be open and honest with each other. No matter the distance, or what is in your way, you’ll be connected together forever.”

Clair let the foreboding words sink in, dampening her good mood further. The way Chen made it sound was so intimate, it felt frightening. Especially when she remembered that it was not another human being she was going to connect herself to. With or without Monarch, Clair would be connected to a Titan for the rest of her life.

She realized that this was Chen’s warning to her, to not take this lightly and to consider how serious it was. Asking her if it was really something she wanted to do. To commit herself to.

“I know it sounds scary,” she went on, “but I’m just trying to prepare you for what might happen.”

It did sound scary, especially when Clair didn’t know who she was to be paired with. But at the same time, she understood. She had already come this far and she was determined to see this through. She still had time anyway to reconsider if needed. She wanted see how far this went.

Looking to Chen with surefooted confidence, Clair gave her answer. “Let’s go again.”

***

Training concluded for the day, and Clair had retired to her room. Yet the drowsiness of sleep eluded her, making her pace the apartment. It was starting to get late and people were already settling down for the night. Yet she couldn’t join them until the anxious feeling in her belly went away. And that could only happen if she went down the hall and knocked on a certain someone’s door.

But she was overthinking the task at hand. Again.

What if she came in at the wrong time? What if they weren’t in the mood to talk. What if her tongue slipped and she said the wrong thing? What if she only worsened her already compromised position?

Anxiety gripped her and she gripped her lapis in turn. It wasn’t enough to wake up the sensation inside her thankfully, but it was enough to make her begin stressing. She needed to calm down. It wasn’t like they were going to kill her if she misstepped, though they could probably sic a Titan on her.

Sending a prayer to the one she needed guidance from, she asked for strength and courage to do the task. “Please help me.”

Clair breathed in and out as she tried to calm her mind. Seconds ticked by, then minutes which would then turn into an hour if she didn’t do something soon. She needed to make things right before she lost her chance.

Just do it!

Listening to herself, she made her move.

Opening the door and looking down the hall, it was revealed to be barren and dark, perfect conditions for sneaking around. Her target was just a few doors down on the other side, quiet as the rest of the hall. Carefully creeping out and trying to make as little noise as possible, she made her way down the corridor. The chilled concrete bit into the soles of her feet as she kept walking, smothering the urge to whimper at the cold. The last thing she needed was to let anyone else become aware of what was happening. This was meant to be done in private, she didn’t need another’s prying eyes.

Finally, Clair reached the unassuming door. Shaking off any hesitation, she quietly knocked on the cold metal and waited.

And waited.

She knocked again and waited some more. Still no reply.

Her heart sank realizing her mistake. The occupant inside was probably already asleep and here she was annoying them for the sake of her conscience. This was a bad idea. She shouldn’t have come and disturbed them. Maybe she could try tomorrow?

Just as Clair started to turn away, there came a telltale click and a creak as the door opened.

“Clair?” Madison was in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Oh. Hi. Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, uh… not really. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” she quickly assured. “I, uh… I just came to apologize for earlier, when we first met. I… froze when I didn’t mean to. I know it probably made you feel uncomfortable and that wasn’t my intention. I just… didn’t expect to meet you here is all. I’m sorry.”

That was probably not the best apology she could have come up with, and it made Clair feel all the more horrible. She knew she should have practiced it before coming here!

Madison looked stunned by her apology, apparently not expecting it. Then, to Clair’s surprise, her face softened with a solemn smile. “Well… you’re not the first one who’s given me that reaction,” she admitted.

A twinge of guilt strummed Clair’s heart. “I didn’t mean to give you another.”

“I know. Don’t worry about it. It won’t be the last either, but at least it wasn’t the worst.”

Clair still felt bad about her behavior. No doubt Madison had dealt with it plenty of times in the past and here she was giving her more of it. “…Would you feel better if you punched me?”

Madison looked bewildered at the offer. “What? No, no I think I’ll get plenty of opportunities on the mat,” she joked.

“Problem is I probably won’t know which punch it’s for,” Clair countered.

“True,” she said, nodding in agreement.

Clair turned, offering her shoulder to Madison. “Go on. I won’t hold it against you.” At Madison’s reluctance, Clair put in a guilting peep. “I won’t sleep tonight if you don’t.”

Hesitating for a moment, Madison slowly raised a hand as it curled into a fist and gave her light tap.

“Really?” Clair deadpanned.

“You want harder?”

“If it’ll make you feel better.”

The punch came again with more force behind it this time, making Clair stumble a little and letting out a small grunt from the impact.

Madison’s expression turned apologetic. “You okay?”

“Yeah, barely felt it. Feel better?”

She made a snort of amusement. “Yeah.”

“Good. I am forgiven then?”

An annoyed smile crept up. “Yes.”

Clair sheepishly smiled back, nearly sagging with relief. Now that her newly forming relationship with Madison was secure, she decided that she should probably leave before she did anything else that might be inappropriate or invoke Madison’s ire. “Okay, uh… well I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I’ll go back to my room now and let you get some rest. Goodnight.”

Before Clair turned to leave, Madison spoke up. “Hey, how are you holding up? With all this I mean.” She gestured at the base around them.

Not expecting her to ask such a well-meaning question, Clair turned back to her. “I’m okay, just… a little overwhelmed is all. A lot of new people… A lot of names.”

Madison gave a sympathetic smile. “Yeah,” she agreed. “How’d training go with Chen? Since you’re still here, I’m assuming it went well?”

“Yeah. I, uh… managed to project a few thoughts to her today.”

“Nice. Well, if you want some advice, take everything at your own pace. Let them know when you can’t handle something, and they’ll give you space. It’ll be easier that way.”

That brought some assurance to Clair, knowing that she could say stop when she needed to, and she appreciated that. “Thanks, Madison.”

“You can call me Maddie.”

Clair’s eyes widened a fraction as she nodded, startled Madison would let her use a nickname already.

“Just know that if you ever need anything,” she continued, “we’re right here. Kay?”

“Kay. Thanks.”

“Better get some sleep,” she said, gripping to door to close it. “Gotta long day tomorrow.”

Clair nodded in agreement, finally bidding Madison goodnight and returning to her own apartment.

Closing the door behind her and enjoying the absence of the anxious weight, she held her lapis once more, looking up at the ceiling in gratitude with a small smile. “Thank you.”

***

The days passed by fairly quickly, already turning into weeks, with Clair learning the layout of the base and knowing the areas of access and restriction. She mostly kept to the gym, the Hub, the science departments, the meditation room and her apartment. Her reserved nature remained in the first few days, deterring her from overstepping any boundaries if any that were unknown to her. But as she warmed up to the accommodating people around her, her reservations sloughed off like the melting snow of spring, allowing her to become more at ease in the new environment.

The private defensive training with Barnes was very informative. He was a good teacher, letting her know where she was weak in her defenses and how to make up for it.

“Now, when I come at you, you don’t want to expose your side or I’ll hurt you real bad,” he would say when they were facing each other in their lessons. “Get you in your liver or kidneys, and we don’t want that.”

She nodded at every direction given to her, having little to no questions about training.

“Now you want to get your arms in front of your face, make a shield out of them. Try to block any blows coming for that pretty little head of yours.”

It was basically all slow-motion training. Him telling her how to block certain blows and where to watch where she was vulnerable to attack. They gradually picked up the pace once her body and instincts picked up on the moves and positions and how best to employ them, where he would strike at her in quick succession only for her to block each punch with what he taught her.

Usually after physical training came the mental training. Her communication with Chen was improving by the day, and now she was able to project a few sentences at a time. The sentences were usually about the weather or what she had seen around the base. Relaying the information became a breeze, she barely had to concentrate anymore when she sent it to Chen.

Coming out of the neural lab from her latest brain scan since Price needed updated images almost every day, she headed to the cafeteria. The thought of retreating to her room for lunch as she had done so for every meal since arriving here was tempting. But she decided that she needed some more social interaction if she was going to work here.

Clair entered the bustling cafeteria and chose a decent looking hamburger with a few sides of fries and apple slices.

Finally wandering into the maze of tables, she found most of them were occupied with soldiers and scientists, though barely any of them intermingled. She considered the options before her. She definitely didn’t belong with the soldiers, even if they had a carefree nature. The scientists? Eh, not really counted as one despite what her degree said. Unsure of where to sit, she meandered down the aisle until she came upon a completely empty table. It suited her just fine, letting her have her meal quietly while she observed the occupancy.

Halfway through her burger, the other Links entered the cafeteria. Because of her private tutoring, Clair rarely got to see them other than glimpses after her training with Barnes and in the halls. Once they were all served, they walked her way. Jia and Dante sat next to her as the twins took the opposite side. Madison sat across from her. “Glad to see you found our table.”

Clair blinked. “I did?”

“Yeah, this is where we usually sit.”

She was actually surprised by that. She’d only been to the cafeteria once and that was during the tour. Never did she see the others in here before and she just so happened to find their table? Coincidence perhaps?

As everyone seated themselves and began their meals, Clair could finally study them with nothing else to preoccupy her other than her food, which she could eat at her own leisure. They ate in silence at the moment, no one really making conversation. She thought she should be the one to initiate.

“So, uh, how long have all of you been at Monarch?”

Everyone looked at her and she wilted under the stares. Amy was the one to speak first. “Well, some of us have been with Monarch our whole lives really. Eu-meh and I are actually fourth generation Monarch.”

“And I’m second generation,” Maddie chimed in.

Jia was signing her answer as Amy translated. “Been with Monarch since I was a little girl, so first generation.”

“I’m also first, though I arrived a few years ago,” Dante confirmed.

“Yeah, until you came along, Dante was the most recent addition to the program,” Maddie said.

“Newest and youngest, in Link terms,” he added.

Finding interest in the new information given to her about her cohorts, Clair decided to keep the conversation rolling. “So how long have you guys been linked to your Titans?”

Madison answered. “Well, officially we’ve been linked for… what? A couple of years now?” She looked at the others for confirmation with all of them nodding in agreement.

“And… unofficially?” Clair asked, noticing the specific word choice.

“It depends on each of us. For me and Jia, we had what Chen called ‘fledgling’ connections. Like we were more attuned to our Titans and their attitudes, but not officially connected to them. Until she taught us how to later.”

Clair hummed in acknowledgement, then asked, “What’s it like being a Link?”

Madison thought only for a moment before she gave her answer. “It’s not what you experience every day. You’re still your own person but… it’s kind of like having an imaginary friend in your head. Like you can hear their opinions and thoughts, but you can’t control them. It also can be a little difficult to tell whose feelings are whose when you get strong emotional reactions. It can be a little confusing when you don’t exactly know who is who in your own head.”

If only she knew how much Clair could relate already.

“It’s definitely going to be a little scary at first when you link, but I’d say it’s worth all in the end.”

“Is that why you guys hang around each other so much,” Clair asked, “because only other Links know what it’s like?”

“We actually don’t see each other that often,” Madison admitted. “With our main priorities being our Titans and them rarely interacting with one another beyond the fights, we keep to ourselves mostly. So we’re getting our time together as much as we can.”

“The only reason we’re all here together is because of you,” Amy confessed.

“Me?”

Madison nodded along with Amy. “Chen wanted us to get to know you and vice versa. It’s a safeguard really. She says it’s good for Links to bond with one another, that way we can calm fights down between our Titans if there’s a misunderstanding. Which has happened in the past.” She pointedly looked at Jia. Clair understood her meaning if she recalled all the facts from Hong Kong correctly. “So yeah, you’re part of our group now whether you like it or not. No way out of it.”

Clair snorted at the mocking threat. “I guess I don’t have a choice then. Just tell me one thing. You guys don’t pull any stunts with the Titans, do you?”

All of them were playing innocent for a moment before mischievous grins slid up their faces, letting her know all she needed to. “Oh my god, you do!”

Everyone laughed at her reaction, it apparently funny at the reminder of how great it was to be friends with a Titan. Clair could only shake her head at the thought of all the ridiculous antics they could possibly get up to with the great beasts.

As the humorous laughter died down, without warning Madison went still, her face becoming slack with a distant look in her eyes.

“Maddie?” Amy questioned. Then she got a dazed look as well as Eu-meh.

Suddenly, all three jumped up and dashed out of the mess hall, not even acknowledging the friends they left behind, especially a somewhat startled Clair.

Before she had a chance to understand the strange behavior, the loudspeaker came on with Foster’s commanding voice. “Madison Russell, Amy and Eu-meh Chen, all members of G-Team, report to the Maglev terminal immediately.”

Two thirds of the occupancy made like the three girls and zipped out in a rush of curses and groans.

“What’s going on?” Clair asked, bewildered by everyone’s abrupt departure.

“An attack’s going to happen,” Dante said with a frown, already getting up from the table. “We need to go to the Hub.”

Forgetting her half-finished meal, Clair followed a rushing Dante and Jia through the halls. The Hub was alive with frantic activity, people rushing to and from workstations to give reports and lend assistance.

She heard Dr. Russell call out, “Stanton, where are they heading?”

“Godzilla and Mothra are on a direct path towards South Africa. Cape Town more accurately.”

A few seconds passed before a large wall of screens came on, two targets with course projections heading straight towards where Stanton said. Everyone hustled to get data and reports in, keeping up as currently as possible. Clair managed to spot Ling among the crowd and at the same time wondered where Chen was.

Another screen came on that caught her attention as a news station Clair didn’t recognize covered what was happening. Dark storm clouds engulfed the view of the camera, yellow lightning flashing every few seconds. And in the middle of the unnatural storm, the illuminated silhouette of a well-known three-headed monster appeared.

Ghidorah.

Cape Town lay beneath his storm. Not a big city, but definitely famous. The golden Titan began his attack as he rained down lighting upon the unsuspecting city, killing countless lives in the process.

Mouth dropping open in stunned horror at what was happening, Clair tried to think of doing something, anything to make the slaughter before her eyes stop. When her mind drew a blank, she waited for directions from someone. But when she looked at the others gathered around the screen, they were just standing there and doing nothing.

“Uh, shouldn’t we do something?” she desperately asked Dante.

“There’s nothing we or you can do. Not unless our Titans somehow get involved in the fight. This one’s up to Godzilla and Mothra.”

Dante’s response made some sense to her terrified mind. Kong was all the way down in the Hollow Earth, possibly dealing with problems of his own and Rodan so far hadn’t shown any interest in becoming involved with the fight, if Dante’s remaining presence was any indicator.

Returning to the news, Clair watched helplessly as local military forces soon arrived and were desperately trying to hold back the mad Titan, only to fall victim to the golden lighting he spewed.

It wasn’t a minute too soon when Monarch forces arrived to lend aid as the destruction continued. The Argo, Monarch’s main ariel ship, flew overhead, firing its artillery at the three-headed Titan. Even among the booming thunder Clair could make out his pained screeches. In vengeance, he chased after the Argo, ready to do the same damage it had inflicted on him. Right when he was about to have the Argo in his grasp, another screech in pain came from him as another, faster aerial craft flew up from behind, saving the Argo from its fate.

The Atet, the latest addition to Monarch’s fleet. It was similar to the Argo, yet smaller in size with a sleeker body. Built with the engines and thrusters of Apex’s H.E.A.V. craft to outrun the fastest of aerial Titans while still being able to pack a punch. Named after the barge the Egyptian sun god Ra traveled on, members of G-Team said that it had the firepower fit for a sun god. Which came in handy when you were battling something similar to a deity. And so far, the Atet was living up to its name.

Clair could barely tear her eyes away from the battle. Hours seemed to pass as Ghidorah and the Monarch vessels danced around each other, with ground forces offering as much assistance as possible.

Then, a familiar roar suddenly sounded off camera as it rocked the world, which had the view of the event swivel to the right as Godzilla emerged from the sea. The first of the two linked Titans to arrive. His spines were flashing, pulsing, their intimidating bright blue as his eyes lit up with the same color of the catastrophic energy held within. His dangerous claws flexed as his tail twitched like an agitated cat. Overall, he looked pissed.

He shot his atomic fire into the center of the storm, making it roar in pain. The storm descended in retaliation, swallowing him and the view of the fight in dark storm clouds. The screen lost the signal for a moment only to return to another camera view a fair distance away from the fight.

“Maddie and the twins should be there by now,” she heard Dante murmur.

She could only take his word for it, as none of the cameras were focusing on a trio of unsuspecting girls when two monsters were brawling it out.

They stomped and crashed through doomed buildings and wrecked streets, nearly oblivious to the damage and harm they were causing.

Godzilla at the moment had the upper hand, forcing Ghidorah back with brute strength. Just as they were about to barrel into a building, Godzilla immediately sidestepped, brining Ghidorah with him and avoiding the building completely.

What was that? He had him. And he turned?

It wasn’t until Clair glanced at Dante and Jia that she understood Godzilla’s decision.

Madison.

It had been costly though, as Ghidorah slipped away from Godzilla and barreled right back into him, making him lose his balance. With the King at his mercy, Ghidorah loomed over him with his elongated necks lighting up for his most vicious attack.

Before he had the chance to fire, a high-piercing shriek filled the air with a colorful blur speeding past the camera, the next thing was Ghidorah’s heads all trapped together in a web of silk, stumbling off of Godzilla.

Rising to his feet, the source of the attack landed next to the King as Mothra perched on the top of a building, splaying her wings with an aggressive red bioluminescence.

With a show of strength, Ghidorah freed himself from the webbing and hissed at the newcomer. Mothra hissed right back.

The fight continued as Godzilla and Mothra charged at Ghidorah. It was brutal with bites to body parts, swipes of sharp claws and the exchanging shots of energy.

After a beating from Mothra’s wings and serrated forelimbs, Ghidorah managed to shove her off and stepped away from the two as they closed in. He seemed to assess the situation and came to a conclusion: He was no match for a united force of Titans.

Finally, after what was no doubt hours of battle, the golden Titan was driven off, flying back up into the darkened heavens and disappearing from the world. Even the blip of him on Dr. Stanton’s screen blinked out of existence, no longer able to track him.

Once it looked like Ghidorah wasn’t coming back for the battle, Godzilla and Mothra—wounded and bloodied—soon made themselves scarce, dispersing back into the directions they came from and leaving the humans to deal with the aftermath.

Reports were already coming in of the damage inflicted and the number of killed. More viewpoints of different cameras appeared on the screens as they filmed the crumbling buildings and the distraught looks of survivors.

In a Titan fight, there were always casualties. Always.

Dr. Russell was already directing efforts for relief to the city as Ling, Jia and Dante gathered around a communications console, possibly to speak with the others. Clair automatically tuned out the devastating reports and conversations, focusing on anything else besides the screens in front of her. The shield is where her eyes wandered, finding peace in the blue of the ocean and the passive fish that swam in it. Slipping away and huddling on the steps she continued to gaze at the comforting scene, wondering if there might have been something she could have done besides standing there. After a while, a presence appeared next to her, being none other than Dr. Russell himself as he joined her on the steps. Perplexed as she was that he was next to her and not doing his job, she was grateful for the calm he brought with him.

“The Argo and Atet are enroute back to Castle Bravo,” he stated. “Madison, Chen, Amy and Eu-meh are alright. They’ll be back soon.”

So that’s where Chen went. She nodded at the slightly comforting information, not knowing what else to say.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

With her emotions muted for her own protection, Clair shrugged her shoulders as she picked apart how she felt. “…It’s kinda weird. Before you guys found me, the battles felt so far away that… it didn’t feel like a concern. Now… now that I’m a part of Monarch…”

“You’re closer to the action and you feel a sense of responsibility,” he offered. “But you don’t know what to do or how to help. And it’s frustrating, right?”

That was a pretty good way to put it. “…Yeah.”

“Well, you’re not the only one,” he sighed, a sad distant look in his eyes. “All you can really do is offer whatever help you can and be an anchor for others.”

She mulled over his words as he was called away to direct efforts in relief, leaving her alone with the calm, oblivious fish.

It wasn’t until late into the night when Chen—who was only at the battle to give any help should the others have needed it—Madison and the twins returned to Castle Bravo. Shoulders slumped, eyes drooping, gait slow, they all looked like they had been through a twenty-four-hour marathon. They barely spoke as they returned to their rooms, getting the rest they were well deserving of.

Returning to her own bed, Clair thought of all she had seen today. The Titans fighting, the exhausted Madison and twins, the mayhem that ensued, the helplessness she felt.

It was the toll of being a Link.

***

Sparring sessions were canceled for the next few days as Madison and the twins mentally recovered from the fight, leaving Clair to work on her linking abilities with Chen. Though it was a little harder for her to concentrate with her worry for the others.

Price had been only giving praise to the growth of activity in her brain as she practiced linking, making sure to document near well everything when she was communing. Clair sometimes entered a trance while a helmetlike contraption was on her head, monitoring her brainwaves and activity. It was a little difficult the first few times, but she learned to put up with it. All in the name of science, right?

It was late one night as she was surfing through the internet and looking at pieces of information that piqued her interest. She had just gone through a few papers that Chen needed her to look over for her continued stay at Monarch, should she become a permanent member of the Link program someday.

Feeling the sucking vortex of unconsciousness call to her tired mind, she was about to call it for the night when she heard a small knock on her door. Curious as to whoever could up at this late hour besides herself, Clair opened it to find Madison’s grinning face greeting her, the other Links just beyond in the shadows.

“You want to do a raid with us?”

The question caught her off guard. “What?”

“Do you want to do a raid with us?”

“Um, what’s a raid?”

“Just a little bonding time between Links,” she stated innocently. “You in or you out?”

“Yeah. Yeah, just give me a minute.” Still trying to figure out what the heck was going on, Clair flung her coat over her pajamas as she slipped her feet into her shoes. Quietly exiting her room, she followed the others as they led her though the silent halls of the sleeping base.

After a few twists and turns, avoiding the night guards that were on duty, they snuck into the darkened cafeteria, stealing behind the kitchen and into the pantry. Once they were in, everyone dispersed to different shelves and cupboards, leaving a very confused Clair in the entryway. She saw Madison stalk over to some cupboards, rummaging through them.

“Jackpot!” She held up two boxes of Oreos in triumph.

“Jia’s got some chips,” Dante translated. “And I got some Sprite.”

“We got snickerdoodles,” one of the twins announced.

Madison sauntered over to her. “Well go on, don’t be shy. Pick a cupboard.”

Clair glanced at her skeptically. “Are we allowed to do this?”

“Not really, but no one’s gonna stop us. Might as well join in.”

Looking around, she asked once more for confirmation. “Any cupboard?”

“Any cupboard.”

Clair walked to her right and opened a small door at the end. A small smile appeared as she viewed the lucky prize inside. “Awesome.”

She held up a sharable group bag of peanut M&Ms, her favorite treat. Everyone silently cheered.

Sneaking back out of the cafeteria with snacks in hand, Madison led the way as they crept through the base. Clair didn’t really have a clue where they were going, but there was no turning back now.

Peeking around a corner, Madison motioned for everyone to cross. Clair was in the middle of the crossing when a lone figure appeared in the hall. She froze along with everyone else as a heavy-eyed Barnes in a T-shit and boxers looked at them.

The air became tense for a moment as the two parties stared at each other until Madison pressed her index finger to her smirking lips while looking directly at Barnes, her meaning clear. He seemed to understand, shaking his head as he trudged the other way, apparently too tired to deal with them right now.

Small laughter accompanying the group from their brief encounter, they continued their journey until they reached a well-known set of doors.

The Hub was just as dark as the rest of the base, the only light source coming from the floodlights on the outside. A stark contrast of what it had been like a few days ago.

Clustering together on the floor of the Hub, they sat right in front of the desks that stood before the shield. Only the lights from the outpost could penetrate the pitch-black water as schools of fish swam around them, attracted to the brightness. It was a peaceful sight, one that reminded Clair of the time she and Mom had gone to an all-night sleepover the aquarium had hosted, though she could have done without the mouse that had scurried along the floor and causing a small panic among the other guests.

Everyone was opening up their bags of snacks and digging into them with ferocious enthusiasm, clearly unconcerned of whether they would get caught in here.

“So, you guys just steal into the pantry like a bunch of delinquent racoons whenever you want?” Clair asked.

“Racoons that get what they’re owed.” Madison waved a chip bag in victory to emphasize the point. “But we only do this on special occasions. Otherwise, we’d definitely get in trouble if we did this almost every other night. The cooks would have a field day with us.”

Clair huffed but decided to join in on the feast as she opened her bag of M&Ms, stuffing a few into her mouth before offering some to Madison. “You do realize that most of this stuff will keep us up all night?”

“There’s no rush. We don’t have to do any sparring for the next few days anyway.”

Now she understood why they did this. A bit of a break for them all. She could appreciate that.

As they continued to eat sweets with her studying them again, she noticed something about the group. “So, Dante. I see that you’re the only guy in the group. Why’s that?”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,” he said with an exaggerated frown. “When I first got here, I thought the Link stuff was only for girls. And I’m the only guy? What gives?”

The others snickered at his mocking complaint, obviously not a new one.

“We thought so too until you showed up,” Madison piped in. “I personally think it’s something to do with like psychic ratio.” When Clair raised a questioning eyebrow, Madison continued. “You know, like there’s more psychic women then there are psychic men?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve seen that.”

“That’s probably why we’ve only got Dante so far. But I’m betting will get another guy in the program. Just don’t know when.”

“We also thought it might have something to do with the role the Titans play,” Amy commented. “All of the girls in the group are linked to protector Titans and Dante, the only boy, is linked to the only destroyer.”

Now that was an interesting concept to think about. So would that mean Clair would become linked to a protector Titan? She would have to wait and see as only the tests could predict who she became paired with.

“What are they like, the Titans?” she asked.

Eu-meh went first. “Mothra is very wise and friendly. She likes to interact with us a lot when we can. It’s actually been helpful for our link to her, keeping the bond strong.”

“The Chens were the first Links,” Madison supplied, “their family going back generations with Mothra, though they were called… shobiji? Shojojo?”

“Shobijin,” Amy corrected. “It was a revered title we were given for our connection to Mothra. But since it was reserved for our family only, the program was named something more updating and inclusive.”

Clair nodded to another piece of information in the pocket and looked over at Jia for her answer. Madison was the one to translate.

“Kong’s quiet. Usually makes sure everything’s fine in the Hollow Earth and keeps an eye on his troop.”

Clair did remember hearing something about there being more Kongs found in the Hollow Earth. She glanced at Dante next.

“Rodan’s a bit of a troublemaker to put it mildly when he’s not helping with fights. Sometimes he plays chase with the raptor squadron on our island when there’s nothing to do.”

Clair tried to smother her laughter. “Oh, shit.”

“Yeah,” Dante sighed, “he’s been a handful.”

“I can imagine.” She lastly looked at Madison. “And what about Godzilla?”

“Godzilla is pretty much the strong silent type. Keeps to himself until there’s a problem.”

“And by problem you mean when he finds you with Josh,” Amy commented.

A slight pink arose on Maddie’s cheeks as she shot Amy an annoyed glare.

“Who’s Josh?” Clair asked.

“Maddie’s boyfriend,” Amy disclosed in a teasing tone, dodging a cookie that nearly struck her in the head.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Madison all but shouted. “He’s just a friend that happens to be a boy, okay?! Not my boyfriend!”

“Then why does G always act weird whenever you’re with him?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he thinks I’m in trouble or something.”

“Boyfriend,” Eu-meh taunted. She got a cookie in the shoulder.

The playful joking elicited a bout of snickering from everyone. A certain warmth fluttered within her as Clair got to see all their smiles with laughter lighting up their eyes. A wonderful sight to see.

“Ugh. Between him and my dad, I don’t know who’s worse,” Maddie groaned. “At least I’m able to calm one of them down.” Clair had a feeling that was meant for Godzilla.

“Honestly,” Clair started, “I thought that would work the other way around what with all the shipping from the internet’s been saying.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, Mothra and G have been close, though I’ve never really thought of them as that close. They’re just friends, really.”

“Heard it from the big guy?”

“Sort of. Because of their symbiotic relationship, I’m able to understand Mothra on some level though not nearly as well as G. So I kind of heard it from both of them.”

“Wait. I thought there was only one Link per Titan?”

“I’m not linked to her. It’s more of a secondhand thought whenever they communicate. The twins can even do it with a G. I mean what else does he think about besides food and sleep?”

“Probably Ghidorah,” Dante muttered, then immediately regretted saying it.

The mood of the room shifted as a deathly silence barged in at the mention of the alien Titan’s name. Clair snuck a glance at Madison and the twins, who were no doubt still recovering from the brutal fight. Their eyes were lowered in solemn understanding. But she noticed a lingering tiredness to them, the resulting toll from the battle. They were exhausted. She then realized that this little party was actually a way to boost their spirits.

Madison’s eyes suddenly held a fierceness to them, a burning hatred, with Clair internally wanting to scoot away from her.

“Why did he have to come back?” Madison growled, crumpling a cookie in her fist as tears brimmed her eyes. “Goddamn you, Jonah.” The remains of the treat were littered onto the floor as she pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her face in them.

Clair understood what she was referring to, remembering the news report well as her family made preparations to get out of dodge.

The incident happened a few years back, in the Arctic when Ghidorah came bursting out of the side of a mountain on some remote island, missing two of his three heads. A short battle ensued with Godzilla, and then he disappeared for a while before coming back with all three to wreak havoc once again.

A major scandal about the incident was the fact that the island belonged to the Russians, prompting a major national investigation which, unsurprisingly, led to nowhere. Apparently, the facility had evidence of eco-terrorist activity, which made sense given that Alan Jonah was still on the loose.

And with the consistent reports about that robotic-affront-to-nature and the Ghidorah skulls involved, people were able to put two and two together and deem that Jonah was attached to the entire Hong Kong debacle. Which led to more discredit going towards Apex and their Chapter 11 ending.

“He just keeps coming back,” Madison’s voice cracked. “He’ll never leave us alone.”

There in her eyes was an unresolved trauma. A painful one. A part of which Clair understood and sympathized with. Despite what Emma Russell had done to the world and the way she went out, distracting Ghidorah long enough for his first demise, she had also been a mother who had a loving daughter. A daughter who missed her dearly.

Dr. Russell’s words suddenly came back to her, giving her a hint. Pausing for only a moment, Clair reached out and laid a comforting hand on Madison’s shoulder. A set of bleary eyes looked at her from behind the shielding arms. She tried to give a reassuring smile, but it turned more into a grimace. “At least you guys are still here and Mothra and Godzilla are okay, right?”

Sniffling away the tears, Madison looked at her with her own smile creeping up. “Yeah. Thanks, Clair. But why are you crying?”

Was she? She finally noticed the build-up of moisture in her own eyes, blinking them away as quickly as they came. “Sorry, uh, just really sympathetic.”

Maddie huffed. “That’ll be a trait that will come in handy when you link.”

She clearly wanted to move on to another subject and Clair was happy to oblige. “So, who is available that I can link with anyway?”

“We don’t’ know. It’s not just about being available but who you’re most likely to match up with.”

“I know. But you guys got any guesses?”

“We actually took bets on it.”

Clair gave an unamused look. “Really?”

Madison helplessly shrugged. “It’s not every chance we get to do this, what with every Link coming in already with a Titan.”

Shaking her head, she decided to humor them. “Who do you guys got?”

“I was thinking Tiamat.”

The water dragon? Ooh, she would be an interesting one to link with, but her temper? Hm.

“Behemoth,” Maddie translated for Jia.

The giant sloth-like mammoth. He seemed very quiet, kinda cute looking too. Clair felt bad for him when she learned he lost a tusk in battle with another Titan. Thankfully there was a new one already growing in.

“We thought Methuselah,” Amy spoke her and her sister’s choice.

The moving mountain. He didn’t sound too bad either. She had kinda wondered what it would have been like to be on his back as he moved, as the old stories about him saving people that way were told. Clair had adamantly refused to call such a noble looking creature “Archie” as social media had dubbed him.

Dante shrugged when she looked at him. “Na Kika, maybe?”

The Kraken? Oh, it’d be a definite coincidence when her home’s hockey team was named after it.

She considered them all and wondered if one of them was the one she would link with. With none of them having Links of their own so far, they seemed probable.

“So which of our guesses do you like the most?” Madison asked, a hopeful expression in her eyes.

Clair decided to fool around with them a bit. “I don’t know,” she said in a faux careless tone. “Let me get back to you on that after I do a bit of research.”

“Oh, come on. You can’t just leave us here not knowing which one you like.”

“Hey, if it’s my link and I’m playing judge, I’ll decide on my own time.”

They all groaned as they conceded to her decision, making her laugh as she reveled in the torturous suspense she had put them in.

Soon the snacks vanished and in their place were empty containers. With no other reason to stay in the Hub, it was time to leave.

As they picked up after themselves—because they weren’t animals—Clair and the others began the journey back to the dorms, ready to get some sleep before tomorrow’s events began. Before entering the hall with the others, she glanced one more time at the Hub, replaying the conversations and making sure to remember this good moment. She hardly had them anymore and this one was to be treasured.

Her gaze wandered lastly to the shield and the pitch-black darkness of the ocean beyond. She was about to turn away when she noticed something. Out in the gloom of the sea, there were two little lights. Both were the same color, similar in size and parallel with the other. For a moment, she believed them to be two bioluminescent creatures she’d never seen before, one following the other as they drifted along the current.

Suddenly, they flickered simultaneously.

Blinking.

A chill seized her body as her heart skipped a beat when she realized what she was actually looking at. Sucking in a nervous breath, Clair briskly exited the room, not daring to look back. She caught up with the others quickly, falling in quietly behind them. Once back in her room, she immediately closed the shade to the ocean view and sat on her bed with her heart still racing and her spine squirming, wondering if she just saw who she thought she saw.

It was going to be impossible finding sleep tonight.

Chapter Text

Castle Bravo, Outpost 54, Bermuda

Late April, 2032

After that unnerving encounter in the Hub, Clair had kept the blinds closed for the next few days, too afraid she might wake up in the middle of the night to find the same pair of eyes lurking outside her window. She ultimately felt like the scared little girl she used to be who thought there was a monster hiding under her bed, in her closet or in the dark corner of her room.

Finally, managing to shake off the disturbed paranoia, she let the curtains go up but still kept a wary eye on the windows of Castle Bravo.

At least in the meditation room there were no windows to worry about.

Clair entered the room like her usual morning sessions with Chen, but today her muscles were taut with tension, for today was the day when she would communicate with the others.

Instead of the two chairs that would sit closely together when she would train with Chen, an assortment of chairs sat together in a small circle.

Up until now her sessions had only consisted of her and her teacher, no one else, and Clair was just fine with that. Performing her linking abilities in front of one person was easy, but in front of a group, no.

Her linking may have been improving every day—getting up to the point where she didn’t even have to close her eyes in concentration anymore—she doubted she was a good as the others.

But of course, she wouldn’t perform as well as the others, considering she was new to all of this, even with a little less than a month of experience under her belt. She just hated the thought of possibly lagging behind when everyone was pressing on the accelerator. Swallowing down her nerves, Clair got comfortable in her own seat.

She didn’t have to wait long before the Links walked in, followed by the mentoring Chen and Ling. Dante and Jia settled in their seats on either side of her while Madison and the twins took their seats opposite of them.

Maddie, Amy and Eu-meh were just cleared yesterday for training, bringing their group back to full capacity. They still looked tired but less than when they came back from the battle.

When everyone was settled, Chen stepped up to the attention of the Links. “Good morning. Now, since this is a group session and Clair is inexperienced with most of everyone currently in the room, you all will have twenty minutes of free communication to let her become familiarized with your minds. You may begin.”

The silence of the room became pronounced as everyone concentrated on telepathic communication.

Taking that as a cue to proceed, Clair momentarily closed her eyes, allowing the door to her mind to become open, an invitation to anyone willing to connect with her.

She thought about taking the initiative, but hesitated when seeing how the others looked preoccupied with already established conversations. She elected to wait until someone decided to come to her, not wanting to interrupt anything that was already being discussed.

As she waited while looking at everyone in the room, a small thought crossed her mind, one that required investigation. For curiosity’s sake, she closed her eyes and entered the dark void. There she found the lights of the others, shining like the stars they were in all their rainbow-like glory.

They were assorted like they were in the physical realm, Clair being able to sense who each of them were. Madison was the first to grab her attention, being a mix between red and blue, fluctuating with each pulse of her being, though red was the more dominate of the two.

Both of the twins were a solid green, much like their mother, (and much like Ling when Clair spared a glance at her) although Eu-meh was a bit of a lighter shade than Amy, something like a spring green compared to one of emerald.

Jia’s was the color of a dying sun at the end of a day, a beautiful rich orange color with dashes of green.

Lastly, Dante was mostly a yellow with a few hints of orange and red sneaking in and out of his light.

They were all stunning to her, reflecting each of their inner selves.

Clair startled when she felt an unfamiliar presence brush up against her. It wasn’t like Chen’s whose presence was gentle and respectful: this one was prodding and eager to communicate.

It flinched back at her alarm, conveying guilt in the small pulse it sent.

Uncoiling from her fright, she opened herself up more to it. Pulses of happiness, appreciation and regret for spooking her were sent her way. Stalling for only a moment, she in turn sent happiness of her own along with forgiveness. She then tried to speak to the new presence as it sidled closer to her.

So, who is this I’m speaking to? she inquired.

Look to your left, the unfamiliar feminine voice said.

Clair did and found Jia smiling at her.

Jia?

You sound surprised.

I am, she admitted. She hadn’t expected to hear from her, especially not like this. As far as Clair knew, Jia did not speak verbally. It was strange to be communicating with her in a non-visual way. Your voice sounds beautiful by the way, she commented, at least that’s what my brain is telling me.

Her compliment got a bashful smile out of the Iwi girl. Thank you. Yours does too.

Before Clair could continue their growing conversation, a new presence brushed against hers, and a familiar voice barged in, sounding distinctly male. What’s going on over here, girl talk?

Dante, Clair realized aloud.

In the mental flesh.

Wow, this is really strange. Having two people in her head was a bit of a leap, considering she only had to deal with one before.

Are we making you uncomfortable? Jia asked worriedly, starting to back off a little.

No, no, it’s fine, it’s just interesting to hear you guys like this is all. I guess I just have to get used to it.

That’s the spirit, Dante praised. So, let’s just keep talking, get you familiarized with us. Got anything to say or ask?

She thought a moment before deciding on a subject to speak about. How are your days going?

They were in the middle of Dante’s recount when another mind entered the conversation.

What’re you guys talking about? Hi, Clair.

That sounded like one of the twins. Amy?

Yup.

Hey, don’t leave us out! Eu-meh whined.

Madison and Eu-meh mind’s intermingled with the others as everyone began to speak. They all crowded around her mind, causing a storm of thoughts to flood her brain as pulses were sent in every direction, sending it into overdrive. Becoming confused by the overflow of information, Clair backed away from them. One followed her though.

Hey, everything okay? Madison asked.

Yeah, just too many people in my head. I think I can only do a couple at a time. Everyone had their limits on what they could do, and being host to more than five people in her head had overreached it.

Got it. We’ll let you decide how many you’re willing to take.

Discovering her limit, Dante and Jia decided to back off while Amy and Madison talked with her a little bit before Eu-meh replaced her sister. It was a little better taking shifts than being swarmed with too many voices.

After their twenty minutes was up, Chen spoke. “Alright, has everyone communicated with Clair?” They all nodded. “Good, then we can begin practice.”

Producing a deck of enormous cards she split with Ling, they passed a card to each one of them.

“You’ll receive a picture and be given five seconds to relay the information to your partner. You must communicate enough descriptors of the picture to have your partner accurately describe it in three details at the minimum. Anything less or inaccuracies will be a failure.”

Clair was only mildly surprised by the time limit, before remembering that thought was received much faster than verbal communication.

“Partners are Dante and Eu-meh, Jia and Madison, and Clair and Amy,” Ling announced.

As she was given a card, Clair smirked at the simplistic picture, it being a cartoonish pink elephant, standing one legged on a yellow circus ball with a blue star. She took in every detail of the picture, making sure the descriptions were correct in her head.

Dante and Eu-meh went first, with the former sending thoughts of the picture to the latter. Eu-meh got the picture right, which was an orange lion sitting with a giant white daisy.

Going clockwise, their turn came next. Looking one more time at the picture, Clair made eye contact with Amy, ready to send the information over.

Having the stopwatch on her phone, Chen called out, “Go.”

Clair went quick, brushing her mind up against Amy’s as she sent pulses of the information over, praying that all of it was received and in the correct order.

“Time.”

Clair immediately stopped the pulses and retreated. Hopefully Amy was able to get all the information.

“What did Clair say about the picture?” Ling asked Amy.

Amy took a small moment to gather the thoughts received. “It’s… a pink elephant, standing one legged on a yellow ball, with a blue star on it.”

Ling looked to Clair. She took that as a signal to turn the card over, giving proof of Amy’s accuracy. Smiles and nods of approval went around the group as the picture was seen, letting it be known that she did well.

Moving on, Madison said Jia’s picture was a green t-rex with sunglasses on, riding a red skateboard.

It was their turn again next, with Clair being the recipient this time.

Informative pulses were sent her way as Amy’s mind brushed up against hers. Clair let her mind put the picture together, almost seeing it in front of her eyes as the details came in.

“Time,” Chen called.

The pulses stopped. Clair held onto the specifics of the picture, making sure she didn’t forget a thing.

“What did Amy send?”

Clair took a breath. “It was a… man wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans, walking down a sidewalk with a smiling sun in the sky.”

Everyone looked to Amy, who turned over the card. It was exactly as Clair had said.

Pride swelled within her at the correctness of her answer, satisfied that she got it right without any mistakes.

They continued on a few more rounds with the cards, before Ling introduced them to a different set, much more detailed than the last and they were expected to give seven descriptors without the cards as reference, this time with different partners. Clair was paired up with Madison, then Dante and then Jia.

She did make a couple of mistakes with the new cards, like saying the pillow was yellow instead of green, or a bench was on the right instead of the left, but she wasn’t the only one and she was getting better with each one they trained on.

Just with a little more practice, Clair would be just as good as the others.

***

Standing at the edge of the mat, Clair observed her first opponent who wasn’t Barnes.

After weeks of private training, she was judged ready enough to join the Links in combat training. Now up to speed, Eu-meh would be the first one she would spar with, and Amy would spar whoever won the match. It’d figure that because of her inexperience she would go up against the youngest of the group.

There was a bit of an audience today. Besides the other Links, Chen, Ling and Price were present, holding up a small camera to record the lesson as Clair stepped barefoot onto the mat. It was explained that seeing and examining her fighting style and prowess would also factor in to determine who her match would be. So, she had better give it her all for this.

Flexing her fingers, she got used to the fabric and feel of the training gloves lent to her, as much protection for her as it was for Eu-meh. Wearing flexible clothing was also essential, the stretchy yoga pants and form fitting shirt provided more mobility than her usual outfit. And with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, it was less of a hinderance for sight.

Having sat in on a few sparring sessions, Clair managed to see how the others fought, gaining some insight on how to counter their moves when she would inevitably go up against them. She just needed to keep her cool for this.

Watching as Eu-meh stretched, Barnes walked into the middle of the mat, gaining the two’s attention. “Three rounds, whoever wins two rounds goes up against the next opponent.”

They both nodded in understanding.

“I’ll take it easy on you,” Eu-meh offered as she moved closer.

“Don’t hold back on my account,” Clair replied.

Eu-meh just grinned, taking up a battle stance. Clair did the same, cracking her neck while taking up a stance of defense, eyeing Eu-meh across the mat. They stood still for a moment, waiting for the other to make the first move. It was Eu-meh that initiated the fight.

As quick and light-footed as the wind, she jabbed at Clair with balled up fists, her strikes almost impossible to see as some got past her defenses and right into her gut. She tried backing away, putting some distance between them. Clair swung out a fist at Eu-meh, aiming for her exposed side.

But Eu-meh saw it coming a mile away. She jumped back, avoiding Clair’s punch. Clair made the mistake of exposing her back and Eu-meh took advantage. She struck the sensitive upper back below the shoulder blade, causing a paralyzing pain to flare up. Clair grunted and winced from the strike, taking a knee to the floor.

That was also a mistake.

Because of her compromised position, Eu-meh took full advantage and tackled her, despite her smaller stature. They wrestled on the mat for a moment or two before Clair was locked in a position where she lay on the floor with her arms pinned behind her back. She struggled in the restrained position, finding no way out of it. Huffing in submission, she stopped her struggling

“Pin,” Barnes called out.

Eu-meh easily let go, offering a hand to help her up off the floor. Pride wounded Clair took it reluctantly. Barnes taught her that it was better to show good sportsmanship during these lessons than to be surly about losing a single round. Though it did little to ease the bitterness of defeat.

As they readied for round two, Clair took a few breaths, not only to catch up with her breathing but to calm herself. Training with Barnes had helped her manage her power, letting her take moments of respite when things got too intense, allowing her to control it when needed. She managed to create a few techniques to make sure it didn’t get out of hand during a fight.

Once under control, she examined her advantages. Okay, she had size and strength in her favor. Eu-meh was small and quick, definitely using Clair’s size against her.

She may have watched Eu-meh fight but this was her first taste of what it was like to be on the receiving end of those skills.

But she was quick too with the right mindset. Grasping at what knowledge she could, Clair went against Eu-meh again. Her mind became focused, watching every move her opponent made and guessing what might come next.  

After a bout of deflected punches, Eu-meh came after her, throwing out a fist, aiming it for Clair’s torso. Clair quickly deflected it and surged forward, sending Eu-meh up and over her back. She went down to the floor, the air knocked out of her. Acting quickly Clair placed herself on Eu-meh, trapping her between her and the mat.

After a moment of useless struggling, Barnes called out, “Pin.”

Letting her up, Clair regained another fighting stance readying for the final round which would determine the victor. She was the first to move.

They were both wary of each other now, one not making a hit unless the other would absolutely receive it. She struck out a few jabs at Eu-meh who blocked off each one. They then became locked in a stalemate as the other tried to force the other back with brute strength. Clair should have been the one winning this round, but Eu-meh was stronger than she looked, holding her back. Clair’s eyes darted all around the body before her, trying to find a weak spot. An idea came to her when she looked at Eu-meh’s legs. Willing to compromise her balance, Clair braced as she swung out her leg hard into Eu-meh’s, knocking the latter off their feet. Now on the floor, Clair pounced, locking Eu-meh in the same position she had had her in the first round.

“Pin!” And the final round went to Clair.

Helping Eu-meh off the mat, both looked at each other as they heaved for breath, sweat glistening down their bodies. Eu-meh nodded to her, signifying that she approved of her tactics in the fight. Clair returned the nod.

It was then that Amy took her sister’s place on the mat and Clair had a feeling she wouldn’t be taken down so easily.

Three rounds later and Amy was declared the victor, beating Clair in the last two rounds.

Out of breath and her muscles already beginning to ache, she went to the stands to take a much-needed break, watching as the doctors compared notes they took about her fighting style. Taking a sip from her water bottle to refresh her parched mouth, a small tap was felt on her arm to gain her attention. “Hey, nice job out there,” Eu-meh complimented as Amy began to fight with Dante.

“Thanks. You too. Man, you were quick.”

“Helps to know your strengths in combat. Also, to take a few lessons from the Titans in battle.”

“The Titans?”

“Yeah, they got a few moves that come in pretty handy when you need them. It’s also a good bonding method to try to mimic them in a way.”

Learning some moves from the fighting style of Titans, now that was something she wanted to try next time. For now, Clair was just content watching as Amy was forced to the ground by Dante.

***

Going through the last of the files on her laptop, Clair finished up the nuisance of the accumulated bills for the time being. Monarch’s generous pay was starting to become really helpful, letting her hold onto the house when she was three thousand miles away.

Sitting back in her chair, she released an alleviating breath as the tension seeped out. Not only were the bills finished, but the paperwork Chen gave her to look through and sign, a necessity to prolong her stay at the base. It had been a few good hours of nothing but boring paperwork, but completely worth it to be a part of all this.

She decided to do some browsing on the net, looking up some of the local stores back home and the consumer products they sold. Amy and Eu-meh’s birthday was coming up, and she thought it would be a good opportunity to give them something special.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, seeing it was a text from Jason. He sent a picture of himself at the beach with Emily, wearing the shirt she sent him for his birthday a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the shirt, sis, miss you, he texted.

Smiling and texting back a short message and pushing away from the computer, now felt like a good time to simply relax. Sitting on the floor cross-legged, she let all the stress leave her body in a couple of large exhaling breaths. Of course, now she could feel the abuse her body recently went through from this morning.

Small to medium bruises dotted her arms, the purples and blues being the most recent of acquisitions from training. Her arms and legs were sore to the bone, feeling as though she had gone on an unprepared hike that involved climbing a mountain. It was hard to move but the dull pain was easily ignored.

Lying back, the cool of the concrete floor sunk into her sore muscles, combating the heat of overexertion. The gravity of the Earth held her down, securing her in its mighty embrace like a protective hug. The lack of action allowed her mind to quiet down, letting it drift as she contemplated different subjects that inserted themselves into her thoughts.

Sometimes she would clear her mind and meditate, sounding as good as a plan as any at the moment. She was about to do just that before a knock on the door came. She almost called out to invite whoever it was in before she remembered the door was locked on her own accord.

Opening up, it was Madison on the other side. “Hey, come with me. I want you to meet someone.”

“Who?”

“You’ll see.”

The hint in her teasing tone said she knew something that Clair didn’t and that unnerved, but also intrigued her. Who were they meeting? Was it someone important?

“It wouldn’t happen to be someone named Josh, would it?”

An annoyed smile crept up Madison’s face.  “You’re going to tease me like all the others, aren’t you?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Maddie only shook her head. Deciding she’ll find out soon enough who they were going to meet, Clair went along with Madison down the quiet halls. After a few moments of unhurried strolling, Madison bluntly asked, “You’re from Seattle, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You ever see Godzilla in your waters?”

“I’d thought you would know that?”

“I know he goes by there; I’m asking if you’ve seen him?”

“No, I’ve never seen him personally. He has come up on the news sometimes, when he surfaces and gives the locals a scare.” And giving the local Godzilla-watching-tours a spike in funds.

“Yeah, he does do regular patrols along the west coast,” she confirmed. “From what he says he likes those waters, saying they’re rich with food.”

Clair couldn’t help but put on a proud smirk at that comment, knowing the riches the pacific northwest was often praised for.

“Can I ask you something?” Madison inquired.

“Shoot.”

“What were you doing before Monarch found you?”

It had been a while since Clair thought about what she was going to do before the survey happened, feeling like it was years ago. “I was trying to find a job since my degree in biology was finished.”

“Oh? What were you thinking about doing?”

“I was trying to find a position with the scientists up in the San Juan Islands mostly, the ones who study the resident orca pods up there.”

“You like orcas?” It was more of an observation than a question.

“Yeah. I really admire them, not just because of their intelligence but also their adaptability. Besides the Titans they’re the top predator of the ocean. They even have their own cultures.”

“Hm, really. Well, you might’ve had a chance to see G at one point if you were going to work on the ocean anyway.”

Clair never did factor in the possibility for an encounter with the big guy himself, always assuming it would be like a one in a million possibility, or the equivalent of getting hit by a flying toilet, which was the case for shark bites.

“What do you think about him anyway?” Madison asked.

She should have known this question was coming yet it still caught her off guard. Her immediate response would have been to answer right away, but knowing herself to ramble on without a filter and the fact she was talking to the person who was directly linked to Godzilla and would no doubt get offended on his behalf if the wrong thing was said, Clair took her time to come up with an appropriate response.

“I believe he’s good… in his own way. He may not do things that others may like but he’s just trying to keep things in order.”

Madison didn’t look like she was satisfied with the response. Clair had come to learn that she wasn’t one to take bullshit for an answer, being very direct when she wanted to be, a trait Clair admired.

“Okay,” she tried again, “he’s… proud and can be little arrogant at times, but I do admire him. From a safe distance. He knows how to handle things and keeps the other Titans in check even when he doesn’t do it for himself. He’s… incredible.”

She still remembered seeing him on TV for the first time, with their family gathered downstairs and scrolling through the channels. She and Jason were both dozing on Mom when she tensed up, tightening her grip on them both. Dad was cursing under his breath. A young Clair had blearily opened her eyes to see the Titan moving back into the water, mumbling out tiredly “Dinosaur?”.

“So, you like him overall?” Madison prodded.

“I do.”

“Good.”

Ending the conversation there, they soon entered the Hub and, to Clair’s confusion, it was nearly empty. Strange. The Hub was always filled with people manning the monitors and communicating with the other bases. Only during certain times in the night was it left unattended. Instead, the only people in the room were the Chens, Jia, Dante, Price, the directors, and Stanton. And they were all looking at the duo as they entered, waiting on them.

Anxious, Clair dared to ask, “What’s going on?”

Chen spoke up. “We thought it was time that you meet someone important.”

Important? Who could be more important than all of the people in this room right now? Then, another detail about the room caught Clair’s eye: the shield was closed.

Price then walked over. “Here, put this on.” In her hand she held a small device no bigger than her thumb with a few suction cups lined with sensors.

“What is that?” Clair asked as she eyed the thing.

“A new device that will help monitor your brainwaves,” Price explained as she placed the new tech on the back of Clair’s neck, sticking to the base of her skull. 

Before Clair could ask anything else, Madison walked forward, having the room’s full attention as she turned to Stanton. “Open it up.”

Red lights blinked white as the shield slowly moved the doors aside. Bright blue light pierced through the enlarging gap, blanketing the room in its hue. Clair’s first thought was why they had the floodlights on so—

Wait a minute.

The floodlights weren’t… blue.

Her heart rate kicked up a notch at the realization, just as the doors finally opened up enough to reveal what was on the other side.

Like there was a star drifting in the vast sea, bright blue bioluminescence radiated off the sharpened maple-shaped dorsal plates of the one creature that could create it, casting the world beyond the shield in a dazzling light.

Her stomach dropped while her heart soared.  “Oh, my, God.”

“Zilla,” she heard Stanton whisper.

Godzilla was before the base, casually floating through the water with the light of his spines exposing himself in the gloom.

Clair was completely dumbfounded.

His focus was on the base, the shield in particular. Yet he wasn’t acting aggressively if his spines were any indicator. They weren’t flashing like they usually did when he was angry, more like they were a guide for attention. Allowing the inhabitants of the outpost to track him.

Clair was so focused on Godzilla she almost didn’t notice Madison approach the shield. Her was gait calm and confident yet slightly hurried as if she was eager to close the short distance between her and her Titan. Everyone looked to her, her presence commanding attention as they watched her reactions. She was the one who had most of the control in this situation, she was in charge even if she was an ant to a god. Despite the distance, Godzilla’s eyes immediately locked in on Madison, never wavering for a moment as she came near. He glided closer to the base, the gap shrinking to where his head took up the entire view of the oversized window.

Once at the center of his gaze, Madison placed a hand on the thick glass, showing him that she was there. The reflection of the shield betrayed the smile she had, revealing how happy she looked.

A low rumble vibrated the floor beneath Clair’s feet, making a small tingle run up her spine—it was a wonder that her own bones didn’t turn into jelly. The sound wasn’t threatening, not even a hint of hostility in it. It actually almost sounded… affectionate. And she could have sworn there was fondness in that stern reptilian gaze.

It was like seeing two close friends coming together, or a parent and child reuniting after a long separation. Their joy and elation at being close to one another rolled off the pair in waves that could almost be felt, filling the room with utter happiness. It was a heart-warming sensation. Nearly intoxicating.

It was astounding that this creature, who no less than a week ago had mauled another of near equal size with the ferocity of an enraged bear now act with such tenderness towards something so tiny compared to him.

This went on for a few moments, Madison and Godzilla both interacting with each other in silent communication.

Managing to take her eyes off the scene, Clair noted as she studied the others that Chen and Ling were watching with approval and pride in their eyes. The other Links had differing smiles that stated they were content to see their friend reunite with her Titan. The others in the room were harder to read, mostly stone faced.

Glancing over, Dr. Russell watched the scene between the two as calmly as everyone else. However, Clair couldn’t help but notice that there was a tension in the man’s body, an unease set in his features as he closely observed the interaction between Godzilla and his daughter. No doubt the worrying parent instinct was kicking in, telling him to be on guard for anything.

She jumped when he suddenly looked at her, quickly averting her gaze. When she checked to see if he was still looking, it was not only him that was staring at her. Her eyes darted between the faces turned to her, confused by the expectancy in their calm eyes.

Then glancing at the shield, she instantly froze.

Madison and Godzilla were watching her now. That fierce, giant amber gaze rested on her, its intense focus cutting through her being like a knife. It made her blood run cold, making it difficult to breathe. It alone should have knocked her to the ground.

Her mind went blank, she didn’t know what to do or how to act. Should she listen to her basic instincts and flee? Should she stay put and hope his vision was based on movement?

Deciding to help her out, Madison managed to get her attention, tilting her head invitingly.          

Suddenly, the quiet base along with the nearly empty Hub made a lot more sense. This was meant to be a private audience with the King. She squeaked at the realization.

“There a mouse in here?” Stanton snarked.

He instantly got a heated glare from Clair, but it quickly dissolved as everyone continued to stare at her, particularly the Titan who was waiting to meet her.

“Oh, boy,” she whispered under her breath.

Just breathe. Breathe, Clair.

The words became a mantra, bringing calm and some courage as she began her stilted walk to the shield, taking deep breaths.

Clair had no idea how her legs managed to keep her upright, trembling as they were, along with the rest of her body as they brought her closer and closer to the Titan. Yet they did not falter as they finally carried her to stand next to Madison.

Her insides were on a rollercoaster that had no stopping point as they tightened into a huge knot. It was difficult to fight the options of either throwing up or fainting on the spot. Somehow, a position between both was maintained as she continued to gaze up at the Titan King.

He was massive. Enormous! His presence was almost suffocating.

There were simply not enough words to describe how gigantic he was. It was a wonder that anything else could fit into the world with him taking up most of it. Titan was definitely a term to use for these creatures.

And the power and might he exuded; it was almost unfathomable that Madison could have any sort of sway with him.

As she dared to meet those amber eyes, she got a distinct feeling when looking at him. It wasn’t like when she was looking at some animal but at another person. Intelligence lingered behind those eyes. It made him all the more frightening.

“…W-w-who do I talk to?” she asked, managing to tear her sight from Godzilla.

“You can talk to him,” Madison answered. “I’ll just be the translator.”

“What do I say?”

“Anything you want.”

She locked eyes again with him, taking a few breaths before she swallowed nervously, stammering out, “Uh, h-h-hi… How you doin’?”

Clair had never in her entire life wanted to kick herself in the face so badly right then, she felt like an idiot. ‘How you doin’’? What kind of a person says that to a Titan?

Nevertheless, Godzilla rumbled and dipped his head in greeting, showing that he understood her. She took that as a ‘fine, thank you’ and permission to continue.

“Um, you’re, uh, bigger than I imagined…” she tried to joke.

Before she could expect a response, a certain pressure came to her forehead, making Clair glance over at Madison. Slightly confused as to why she wanted to communicate, Clair opened herself up anyway. Yes?

Expecting to hear Madison’s voice, she was completely blindsided when not only did she hear it but also a masculine baritone bass that overlapped it, vibrating her very being. And you’re smaller than I imagined.

No way…

Clair was at a loss for words. She could actually hear Godzilla! It must have been a comical sight with her mouth hanging open and eyes as wide as saucers as she did a double take and triple take between the human and Titan.

“Holy shit.” She froze when she realized what she just said. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to curse.”

“It’s okay,” Madison assured, placing a friendly hand on her back. “He’s heard worse.” When Clair continued to stare at him, Madison gave her a nudge. “Say your name.”

“Clair,” she blurted out, then said in a controlled, quieter tone, “My name’s Clair.”

Well met, Clair.

His voice was like that of the roaring waves of the ocean that would crash onto the seashore, but so much deeper. As she continued to stare at him in amazement, Madison chuckled beside her, clearly enjoying her shocked reactions to all of this. “You can hear him alright?”

Clair nodded dumbly, never taking her eyes off Godzilla.

“Well, now that you can hear him, ask away.”

Clair thought for a moment, making sure to keep her thoughts quiet enough for her own mind. “Uh, was… was that you I saw the other night? When we we’re in the Hub, here?”

Madison made a small laugh, explaining for him. “Yeah, that was him. He was just checking up on us. Me more specifically. And he might’ve been a little curious to take a look at you.”

“Oh.” Then, sensing an opportunity to ease some of the tension, she slid Madison a sly glance. “Really? Or was it because we were talking about Josh?”

Clair could practically see the daggers pop out of Madison’s eyes as her cheeks went pink. “Shut up.”

Amongst Clair’s smothered laughter, a cough like rumble came through the shield causing her to look up and see, to her bewilderment, a hint of amusement in Godzilla’s eyes, air bubbles puffing out from between his jaws. “You too,” Madison grumped.

She couldn’t believe it; she got Godzilla to laugh! The disbelief of the situation was so ridiculous that it was hard for Clair to regain her composure for a moment. She finally calmed down, examining as much of Godzilla as she could from this angle while thinking of what to ask him. Calling on all the knowledge learned over the near two decades Godzilla was on the minds of the human population, a thought popped up.

With all the hectic chaos in the Hub when the battle happened, a small detail nearly slipped out of her memory right before the attack occurred.

“You… felt him,” she said to Madison, “before the attack when we were in the cafeteria, didn’t you?”

She confirmed with a nod. “Because of the distance between us, I wasn’t able to hear his thoughts, but I could feel his emotions. They’re the first warning sign when something’s wrong.”

“Hm.” She filed that small tidbit away for later. She looked back at Godzilla. “You did look pretty angry.”

I was furious, he growled, slightly showing his teeth. Ghidorah does not know when to quit. At least he was driven off this time.

So great was his anger that Clair could almost feel it. It made the golden Titan all the more horrible. Looking him over again, she saw all the aged and faded scars from battles past. But not everything was old. There was an ugly ragged gash next to his gills. It was red and raw, even with newly forming tissue trying to repair the damage done. She recalled from the live footage seeing Ghidorah make a few slashes to that particular area. If she remembered correctly, Godzilla’s gills were extremely sensitive.

“Does that hurt?” she asked, a hand tapping the side of her neck parallel to his.

A plume of air bubbles rushed from his mouth. A huff with what Clair would call an annoyed look.

A scratch, though Madison looked skeptical.  

“Mighty big scratch.”

Just another scar to add to the collection. Nothing to be concerned about.

“Well… I guess better a scar than a missing head, right?”

That coughing rumble shook the base again. Very true. So, you don’t have a connection to another?

“Yeah, I’m what they call a blank slate.”

His gaze narrowed as he examined her through the shield, making her squirm under the scrutiny. Not for much longer as I hear.

Hearing the words come from him made the realization all the more exciting and terrifying. Sensing her nervousness he soothed, We’re not all bad as some claim we are.

“I know, you’re proving your point just by being here.”

Another huff of air bubbles came out. This was going pretty well, but there was one question she needed to ask before anything else. “You guys like it right? It’s not a hinderance being connected to a human, sharing your mind with someone?”

Quite the opposite. I’ve learned so much that I don’t get stung nearly as half as I used to with your weapons. It also creates an understanding so there is no trouble. Madison understands me and defends my decisions on my behalf. I’m fortunate to have her.

An embarrassed blush came to Madison’s cheeks as she gave a small smile to the praise from her Titan. It was plain to see that these two were close, having something special.

And the prospect of teaching had an appeal to Clair. Talking with a Titan was one thing but to actually teach and help them understand was another. It made the expectation of linking a little less daunting. “I guess we’ll see what Titan I’m paired with will have to say on the matter.”

Godzilla nodded. Indeed. Well, I am glad to have met you, Clair. Until we see another again.

With that, Godzilla swung his head away, his bulk passing by the shield, revealing his true gargantuan size. As the Titan disappeared back into the murky depths, air seemed to suddenly flush into the room, more than what Clair knew what to do with, making her wobble.

“Woah there.” Madison gripped her arm, keeping her steady. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Clair responded dazedly, seeing the room spin. “I… I think I need to… I need to lie down for a moment.”

She lowered herself to the floor, letting her body finally melt into a puddle of relief and fried nerves from having her first close encounter with a Titan—but not just any Titan. The Titan King. Godzilla himself!

As the reality sunk in of who she just talked to, she could practically feel the grin on Madison’s face as she knelt down next to her, a friendly hand gently patting her back. “Yeah… First time’s always a bitch.”

“That was a pretty quick talk.”

“What can I say, he’s a busy guy, has a whole planet to cover.”

“That’s fair.”

Once she was ready enough after taking in as much air as needed, Clair stood and faced the others in the room, all expressing approval of the event and her reaction to it.

“This was planned?” she asked Chen

The doctor nodded. “We thought it’d be a good idea for you to start meeting the Titans, letting you get to know and be comfortable around them since you’re going to be linked with one soon.”

“Titans, as in plural?” She was going to meet more of them?

“Just the linked ones.”

“Also doesn’t seem fair meeting only one half of the program,” Dante commented.

She looked back at Madison. “Did I at least make a good impression with him?”

“He didn’t growl at you once and you made him laugh. I’d call that a good sign that he likes you.”

“And your brain was reacting in all the right ways,” Price spoke up, examining a tablet as she came to collect the device from Clair’s neck, coming off with a few small pops.

“Wait, did I just link with a Titan?”

“No. No, Madison only transmitted Godzilla’s voice so you could hear him to a degree. But this baby provided some information as you reacted to him.”

“So, you’ll know what it looks like when I link with a Titan for real then?”

“Yup.”

“So, this is going to happen when I meet the rest of them?”

“We believe so,” Chen stated.

What had just happened with Godzilla was probably the prime example of what it might be like with the other Titans. And Clair, with excitement and dread swirling around in her belly, had absolutely no idea how she was going to handle meeting the rest of them.

“Oh, boy.”

***

Her sight had been taken, leaving nothing but touch, sound and intuition. Giving focus to her mental hearing, she listened as her partner gave instructions, relying on blind trust, literally.

Move your right foot forward, Dante directed.

Clair did as he said, placing her barefoot forward and felt nothing but solid concrete. Good, she didn’t step on one of the obstacles in the room.

From what she had seen before the blindfold went on, there were multiple objects placed on the floor, looking near impossible to cross without touching one thing. It was small cups, pens, rocks and balls she had to avoid stepping on or inadvertently moving, otherwise she would have to start at the beginning. Again.

This was their second attempt to get her across as she listened to Dante.

Okay, now place your left foot in front of your right.

Outstretching her arms for balance, careful not to topple onto the floor, she moved at a snail’s pace to get to the finish line, carefully listening to Dante’s instructions.

Walk forward now.

Like walking on a tight rope, she hadn’t taken three steps when he called out, Stop!

She almost fell, catching herself at the last moment with her foot hanging in the air.

Dante release and audible breath of relief, before commanding, Right foot to the left.

She hesitated, knowing the awkward position it would leave her in. But if she wanted to get through this course, she needed to listen to her partner. Slowly placing her foot where Dante said, cold concrete greeted her sole once again. She managed to keep her balance too with the crossed feet.

Alright, keep going in the direction you’re facing.

Untwisting herself, she walked the way she was facing, feeling as though she was nearing the end.

Stop. She slightly groaned from the command, feeling frustration seep in, wanting this to already be over with. One big step.

Clair did as she was told, stepping over whatever object was in her way. As she paused for more directions from Dante, she startled when a hand came up and untied the blind. Dante stood before her, smiling and looking relieved. “You did great.”

“You’re the one who gave the directions,” she pointed out with her own relieved smile.

“But you listened to them this time.”

She conceded. The first time doing this game was a little confusing, especially since she needed to rely on another’s thoughts to guide her. She hadn’t made it five feet when she knocked into something, making them restart from the beginning.

They sometimes played games like this. It was a good exercise to build trust between the Links, helping in maintaining close friendships and relying on each other when needed.

Madison and Eu-meh were the first to finish with Jia and Amy taking second place. That meant she and Dante were the last to finish. But it wasn’t really about winning, more about listening.

“Okay, you ready?” he asked her, with excitement in his tone.

She sucked in a breath and nodded, knowing what was going to happen after they finished the game.

Instead of heading to the Osprey Bay, they went down to the lower levels, coming to a large hangar with strange looking shuttles as Chen waited for them.

“This is a Maglev terminal, curtesy of Apex when they were in business,” she explained, noticing Clair’s intrigued stare. “This will take us to the nearest terminal near Adonoa, from there we’ll go by Osprey.”

Apprehension gripped Clair as she looked at the transport. She didn’t do too well in enclosed spaces if the monorail back home was anything to go by, feeling queasy from the twists and turns it took. But she shoved it down, hoping this wouldn’t be the same.

“Why isn’t there a terminal on the island?” she asked.

“The island’s structure isn’t suitable for supporting a terminal, not to mention incredibly dangerous since it’s an active volcano.”

That made sense. “How long will it take us to get there?”

“In half of the time it would take for a plane.”

Loading up into the shuttle, Clair, Dante and Chen strapped themselves into the seats just as the pod was lifted by a crane and placed onto a platform in a large metal tube. A humming sound started up, getting the car to levitate and become stationary. Clair’s nails dug into the leather seat beneath her, it being a completely new experience, waiting for something to go wrong. Just as quickly as the humming started, the car quickly moved along, gaining speed to almost over a thousand miles per hour.

“Sheesh. This thing’s movin’,” she commented.

“The Maglev comes in handy when time isn’t a luxury, especially when we need to get to battles,” Chen stated.

Seeing as nothing was wrong at the moment and her insides were doing fine with the momentum of the transport; while knowing it would be a while before they got to their destination, Clair relaxed and decided to catch up on some z’s for most of the trip.

Sometime later, they arrived in at the destined terminal, which was apparently in Australia. From there the waiting Osprey carried them across the sea.

Adonoa Island was their destination, coming closer and closer as the Osprey flew on. It was the tropical island north of Fiji that was home to the next Titan Clair was supposed to meet. Excitement and anxiousness plagued the air around her as their ETA became shorter by the second. Chen took up her usual seat across from Clair, acting as a chaperone for the trip. Dante sat beside her, excited too but for a different reason. It’d be the first time he’d be home in weeks.

“So how long have you lived on Adonoa?” Clair asked him.

“We arrived a couple years after Rodan made it his home. It was a new experience moving there to say the least, but we’ve made due.”

“A little different from your old home, huh?”

“It’s not quite like Isla de Mara, but it’s still an island.”

“You’re from Isla de Mara?

“I was born on Mara,” he clarified, then a trace of sadness laced his voice when next he said, “I was also there when Rodan woke up.”

Clair’s chest constricted in sympathetic sadness as she lowered her eyes out of respect, knowing what happened. An entire town blown away with a single pass over by the Titan who was their neighbor. Then with that weird oxygen-bomb-thing the military set off in the island’s waters, it made it impossible for the local fishermen to do their job as it basically wiped out the fish population. Without Isla de Mara’s main industry and source of income, the local way of life died and the island had all but become abandoned. Not even the healing properties of the Titans could undo the harm of humanity, leaving a permanent scar on this world.

It made Clair wonder how much more damage humans could inflict before enough was enough and the Earth shook them off like dead skin. Though after the immediate pruning of the human population to just about half of what it used to be, maybe that was enough recompense.

“I’m sorry,” she said

Dante waved it off. “We’ve moved past it, besides there’s no point in mourning when you still got a life to live.”

Clair smiled at his upbeat attitude, a rare commodity in a perilous world.

They soon started their descension, the small airstrip of the island enough of a landing area for them. Hot, humid air wrapped around Clair like a suffocating hug as they stepped out into the sun, already making her sweat. It’d figure she’d melt like a popsicle in a climate that was warmer than her own. Thankfully, the couple of family trips she would take to Hawaii gave her some preparation.

The passengers headed for the base attached to the runway. Two cars were waiting for the newcomers. One a dull grey Jeep wrangler with a Monarch logo printed on the door, the other another Jeep wrangler painted hot red with an open top.

Chen went to the former while Dante headed to the latter. Undecided of who to go with Clair looked to Chen for confirmation. “You go on with Dante,” Chen assured, “I’ll meet up with you later.”

Nodding, Clair caught up with Dante. He hopped into the driver’s seat while she took shotgun, taking out the keys hidden underneath the console.

“Nice car,” she praised.

“Thanks. It was a small gift from Monarch.”

Starting up the engine, they drove down the road to where the small town on the island was, weaving around groups of people as they traveled to and fro.

“Hmph, tourists,” Dante scoffed as a large group formed a solid barrier in front of them, oblivious to the passing car. “Can’t decide which side of the road they’ll be on when they’re all going the same way.”

The crowd finally made enough room for them to pass, allowing them to come into the town and find a spot to park.

Just as they got out of the car, a small vibration shook the island.

“Woah.” Clair outspread her arms to keep herself steady, just as the quake subsided. Looking up, the sole volcano of the island rumbled and shook, causing a thick, black plume of smoke and ash to rise from the crater. People began to rush past them, but it was not in fear, but more of in anticipation and excitement as they ran closer to the volcano.

“Ah,” Dante said, tugging her along with the crowd, but going at a more reasonable pace, “just in time for the midmorning show.”

Right when they found a decent spot among the crowd to view the scene, a large form emerged from the mouth of the volcano, its dark red molten rock hide covering every inch of it as golden eyes blinked open.

Rodan had awakened.

He was a terrifying sight to behold, the massive two horned Pteranodon-like Titan gazing out on the island he called home, creating a screeching call that echoed out for miles.

Taking a few steps, he lifted off from the volcano, flying the opposite direction of the town before circling back. From out of nowhere, two fighter jets came up to meet the Titan. Clair held her breath, worrying that some sort of confrontation was to be had. Instead, the jets made wide respectable arcs around Rodan’s oncoming form, coming back around to flank him, keeping a reasonable distance but ready to intervene if he tried anything with the local population.

Rodan didn’t seem to mind, ignoring them as he continued to fly over the coastal waters of the island, letting all see his glory and magnificence.

The people around them oohed and awed at the sight. Rodan clearly knew what he was doing, going as far as to do a large backflip in front of the town. The roaring cheers of the crowd was almost deafening. From her vantage, Clair could have sworn she saw a grin on that wicked looking beak.

“Show off,” Dante scoffed. “He can’t resist giving his admirers a close up, he loves the attention.”

“Sounds like a diva.”

“He can be.”

Rodan then wheeled away from the island, proceeding with his flight out towards the open ocean.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you two later.”

“Not now?”

“No, he needs to hunt. Besides, I don’t think you want to meet him when he’s got an empty stomach.”

“Fair point,” she agreed, knowing what might happen if she did. “What’s on the menu for him anyway?”

“Hmm, shark or whale, if he can catch them. They’ve gotten smart and avoid the waters around the island. It’ll probably be a while before he catches anything.”

Clair nodded and turned again to see Rodan fly off in the distance, becoming nothing more than a small dark red dot.

“Come on,” Dante said. “I’ll show you around.”

Going back into the heart of the town, the life of the small city filled Clair’s senses. People laughed and spoke in a myriad of languages, the colors of different clothing fashioning all but a rainbow to her eyes.

The food from the countless vendors smelled excellent. Different scents wafted and intermingled through the air, concocting an aroma that was sweet and sour at the same time. It was difficult to get enough of it. It was almost like Pike Place Market on a gorgeous summer day.

As they walked through the street, Clair couldn’t help but notice that some of the locals didn’t quite all look Fijian.

“Are some of the people here Mexican?”

“Mm-hmm. After the Rise, some of the refugees from Isla de Mara came here, making a new life.”

“Even with Rodan here?”

“Some of us can trace our roots back to when our people knew of Rodan in that volcano. My family on my mother’s side was particularly knowledgeable about Rodan and the Demon’s Nest, what we called the volcano,” he explained.

“Is that why you have connection to Rodan, because of your family history?”

Dante’s look turned thoughtful. “It’s possible. It’d make sense in hindsight, but there were plenty of others to choose from.”

“But the gift is rare, isn’t it? So, I guess you lucked out with Rodan.”

“I guess so.”

She hesitated before asking the next question, hoping it wasn’t too much of a touchy subject. “What was it like seeing Rodan the first time?”

Dante thoughtfully paused before answering. “Terrifying, but… awe-inspiring. To think that something like that only lived on the other side of the hill all your life, it was kinda amazing.” His look then turned troubled. “Just wished it could’ve remained like that for a while longer…”

Deciding to remain quiet for the time, they made their way to a giftshop Dante knew well. Clair had to laugh at a couple of knick-knacks they were selling, one of them being a version of Rodan as a drinking bird.

“You guys really are Rodan worshippers,” she laughed.

“Well, when the Titan’s the one bringing in tourism revenue for the small island economy, you got to show your appreciation in some way.”

She nodded in agreement. “So, what does he think of all this?”

“He doesn’t mind. Neither do any of the other Titans. They find it strange but amusing too that we’ve become obsessed with them.”

“I guess I’d find it strange too if my face was plastered on every item in a giftshop.”

“But would you try to burn any of the merchandise you thought was too stupid?”

Clair snorted. “Which ones didn’t he like?”

Dante was silent, but his eyes purposefully darted over to one of the clothing shelves, Clair seeing what he meant: Boxers with Rodan printed flying across the fabric, “Speed Demon” written in cursive red.

She had to put a hand over her mouth before fit a laughter could cause a scene, no doubt turning pink from it.

Dante grinned at her reaction. “He threatened that if he ever saw someone wearing those, he’d burn down the gift shop selling them,” he stated.

Barely able to contain her amusement, Clair choked out, “At least they’re not speedos.”

“They tried, but…” he couldn’t continue, the mental image just too damn funny, causing both to finally laugh out loud.

Finally taking their leave of the giftshop, they entered the center of town. It was the liveliest part, most of everyone gathering around a large fountain placed directly in the square. Spotting a certain vendor, Dante bought them two shaved ice treats. The chilliness of the flavored ice a welcome relief in the humid heat.

They continued to walk around the village, letting Clair take in the sights of the architecture, the culture and the people. A few kids ran past them, one holding a Rodan plushie, another a fighter jet as they took turns chasing after each other. Finishing up their tour of the town, they went back to the jeep and headed to their next destination.

The confining, crowded roads of the village dropped away to more spacious housing. Dante turned onto a road that had a private sign, going through dense foliage until they came to a clearing with the most stunning house Clair had ever seen.

It was a huge villa on top of a hill, a beautiful garden with an assortment of plants surrounding it as the palm trees acted as sentinels. It even had a decent sized pool.

Her widened eyes couldn't get enough of the picturesque scene. “Woah. Is this your house?”

“Yeah. Monarch had it made as a way to compensate after we lost our old home.”

“It’s really nice. Did you lose a lot of things?”

“My mother managed to save a few items, things that were important to our family.”

Parking the jeep out front Dante led her inside. The inside was gorgeous, with rich wooden walls and the ceiling arching overhead like that of a church. Family pictures hung along the walls, giving a pleasant feeling to the home. Overall, it felt warm and inviting like any house should.

“Dante, is that you?” a feminine voice called out as the door shut behind them.

“Sí, Mama,” Dante answered.

A woman with dark curling locks crowning her head came around the corner, wearing a white stained apron shielding her front with a smile as warm as the sun itself gracing her lips.

“Oh, mijo, look at you.” She came up, grabbing Dante’s face and proceeding to give him a tsunami of kisses on the cheeks. “More beautiful every time I see you. But too skinny. What, Monarch doesn’t have any food at those headquarters of theirs? Do I need to have a talk with Chen?”

“Mama, enough,” Dante sighed, batting his mother’s hands away as his cheeks flushed, “we have company.”

Her deep brown eyes settled on Clair. “Oh, and who is this lovely young lady?”

“This is Clair, a friend and a colleague,” her son simply stated, before turning to Clair. “And this is my mother, Maria Rodriguez.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Rodriguez.” Clair held out a hand.

Maria happily accepted it. “And you as well, but please call me Maria.”

“She’s our new recruit for the program,” Dante explained.

His mother’s smile drooped a little. “So, not a girlfriend?”

“Mama!”

“What? I just want to know when my beautiful boy is getting the love he deserves.”

Clair decided to have a bit of fun. “Please, as if I’m that lucky.”

Maria smiled while Dante just groaned. “Please don’t encourage her.”

Maria seemed excited to have her son home. “Come on, I just made some treats and after a long trip I think you’ll want some.”

Following her into the kitchen, the scent of cinnamon and sugar wafted into their faces as Maria presented a cookie tray lined with golden brown churros. Smiling himself, Dante eagerly took one, shoving it into his mouth while savoring the flavor.

Clair was more polite when she took one, examining it for a second before popping the end in her mouth to take a bite. An explosion of sweetness erupted on her tongue, overwhelming the tastebuds and causing a moan of pleasure to escape “Mm! This is good!”

Maria gave a bashful smile. “Thank you.”

“Mama makes the best churros on the island,” Dante claimed through his stuffed mouth.

“You’re just as sweet as the churros, mijo.”

Dante’s eyes then shifted around the kitchen. “Where’s Papa?”

“He’s down at the town hall, helping map out the possible locations for the new hotel.”

A small racket came from upstairs followed by two younger voices shouting in Spanish causing the occupants of the kitchen to look up at the ceiling. Maria sighed tiredly. “Ah, uh, please excuse me, I need to see what those kids are doing up there.”

Maria strode out of the kitchen, muttering something in Spanish before shouting at the children Rafael and Sofia to stop roughhousing.

“My siblings,” Dante explained as he finished his churro. “Let’s step outside for a moment.”

Coming out onto the tiled patio, they enjoyed the sun and the killer view the villa had of the sparkling blue ocean. Walking around the garden that Dante said his mother had crafted, Clair was briefly reminded of the one she would create back home during this time of year, making her fingers twitch to dig into the rich new soil she would buy and bring new life to the house.

“So how many siblings do you have?” she asked before she could begin to miss home.

“I’m one of five. One older sister, one younger sister and two little brothers.”

“And all your family lives on the island?”

“Not all of us, my sister’s back in Mexico getting her degree, but yes.”

“Wouldn’t you guys have preferred to stay in Mexico?” she wondered, thinking it was not an easy move for them.

“When you’re a Link, it’s better to stay close to your Titan, being near their nest as a way to keep close tabs on them. It was my mother’s choice to move here, then I found out I was a Link and the rest is history.”

“So, your mom knew about him?”

“Yeah, so much so that we actually had Monarch officials come to our house and ask a few questions.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Sometime in the midafternoon, after getting acquainted with the family and their fill on Maria’s wonderful churros, Dante took her to the outpost. It was stationed on the other side of the island between the volcano and the beach, being placed next to what appeared to be an old lava field.

Parking the vehicle next to an aircraft hangar, Dante showed her around a bit on their way to the main base. A small group of airmen came out of the hangar, chatting amongst themselves before spotting the pair.

Dante’s expression lit up. “Guys! What’s going on?”

The group with big smiles on their chiseled features came trotting up to Dante, clasping hands and hugging in a friendly manner. “What up, Rodriguez!”

“Where’ve you been? Big Bird’s been missing ya.”

“Been training with our new recruit,” he replied. “Everyone, this is Clair.”

They all looked at her and she just nodded in greeting with a shy smile.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” the one on the right greeted.

Going in order from left to right, Dante introduced them. “This is Carlos, Adrian, and Cameron. All part of Raptor Squadron. So, who’s up today?”

“That’ll be Tristan and Jorge,” Cameron replied. “Drew the shortest sticks.”

“Funny,” Dante said with a suspicious glint in his eyes, “they seem to be doing that a lot lately.”

The airmen just shrugged sheepishly, knowing that they might’ve just been caught.

As they continued to chat, Clair’s gaze wondered over to the open hangar doors, revealing the fighter jets inside.

“Those aren’t F-22s, they’re F-35s,” she said aloud, catching everyone’s attention. Clair clearly remembered the distinction between the two aircraft when her brother corrected her on a walk around the former base he was at as one of the latter, a Lightning, flew overhead when she thought it was a Raptor.

Carlos looked impressed. “Girl knows her jets.”

“We know,” Cameron said. “We just call them Raptors, in honor of Big Bird. Kinda trying to get him to like us.”

“Except when we get too close during one of his flights around the island,” Adrian added, “then we’re as good as bird feed.”

“Yeah, Rodan can’t resist fucking around with us, especially when we accidently get in his spotlight.”

She turned to Dante, shaking her head with a grin. “Definitely a diva.”

“Well, we gotta get some grub, talk to you later Dante,” Cameron said, walking away with his comrades.

They continued on to the base. Climbing up a set of stairs beside the main building, they found Chen waiting for them at the top of the observation deck. “How was the tour?” she asked.

“It was really nice,” Clair stated. “I would like to come back here again if Dante’s okay with it.”

“Of course, I would be,” he replied. “But maybe you want to consider that after meeting Rodan.”

Running inside to get a handheld radio, Dante led Clair out along the walkway that jutted out into the old lava field that had a separate deck at the end, a fair distance away from the rest of the base. Chen hung back while they came to the end of the path. Time passed as they waited for the Titan to appear.

“Where is he?” Clair questioned as she continued to look at the empty sky.

Dante’s frown then turned into a grin. “Right over there.”

True to Dante’s words, Rodan appeared over the island, returned from his hunt. He circled above in the air, like a buzzard over a tempting carcass. It was not a comforting comparison.

The jets from before made a reappearance, flying alongside with Rodan as he circled.

Dante held up the radio in his hand, talking to the jets in the air over the staticky frequency. “Ease up a little guys, don’t want to get too close.”

They seemed to listen for a while until one of them started to crowd Rodan again. Clair noticed a subtle change in Rodan’s body language as the jet came closer.

Dante’s voice held a bit of tension when he spoke. “Tristan, you’re in his space, you got to back off.”

The jet did as commanded, both finally retreating to a respectable distance from the volcanic destroyer.

She turned away from the scene to look at Dante. “A little more tense than with Godzilla, huh?”

“When you’re dealing with someone like Rodan, you never throw caution to the wind,” he explained as he continued to follow the Titan with his eyes, “even if he’s not causing trouble… yet.”

Soon the jets banked off to the other side of the hill where the airbase was, allowing Rodan to fly at his leisure. Dante then stepped forward and tracked Rodan. He must have been communing with him because Rodan then had the base in his sights, or more accurately Dante in his sights.

Slowly he descended to where he finally landed with a powerful tremble to the earth on a scorched field that had no doubt been used multiple times for this occasion. Embers from his massive burning wings swept towards them from the gusts, making the wave of heat more intense. Crawling on his folded wings, the great firebird came towards them, keeping his eyes on Dante, and just stopping before the platform.

Clair slightly backed away, still not quite used to being in the presence of a Titan. Thankfully Rodan wasn’t as intimidating as Godzilla. But no less frightening with his gnarled features and demonic appearance.

Unphased by the Titan’s presence, Dante reached out a hand, letting the large tip of Rodan’s beak touch his palm. A gurgling croak escaped the Titan, obviously enjoying the touch of his Link

Rodan then looked to Clair, his golden eyes glittering with interest. She let out a shuddering breath as anxiety set in.

“Don’t worry,” Dante called as he lowered his hand, “he doesn’t bite… much.”

The joke did little to quell the anxiety coursing through her.

Finally working up the nerve to approach, Clair came forward. Hot breath blasted her face as she came to stand next to Dante, almost making her choke on the sulfuric smell. How Dante could stand to be so close she would never know. Being close to him, she felt the familiar brush of his mind against hers, allowing her to properly speak with the Titan.

She was the one who initiated the conversation. “Hi.”

Rodan examined her for a moment before speaking. So, you’re the new hotshot all the buzz with the King.

His tone was cocksure to say the least, having something of a tenor ring to it, almost like the crackling of a burning fire. It wasn’t exactly what she was expecting. Then what he said registered. “Wait, Godzilla talked about me?”

Mm-hmm. Said how the Monarch humans now have an unbonded human in their ranks, wondering which one of us will get to be the lucky one.

“Don’t you mean linked?” she asked.

Dante was the one to explain that. “The Titans don’t really care for the term we’ve given ourselves, saying it’s not personal enough and sounds weak. That it’s meant to be special.”

Furrowing her brow, Clair gave that concept a thought, comparing ‘bonded’ and ‘linked’ together and ultimately found herself siding with the Titans. “Then why not call ourselves bonded?”

“Blame the government for that one, saying the name sounded too mystical. Linked sounded a little more… professional to their ears.”

She huffed disdainfully. “Well, who knows, the name might be changed later.”

Maybe I could help that along, Rodan offered, give your government chiefs a scare to change the name.

“Nice try Rodan,” Dante huffed.

Hmph, you’re no fun.

“Well, anyway, it’s nice to make your acquaintance,” Clair said to him.

You too.

“Got anything to ask him?” Dante inquired.

Clair went over some of the questions she wanted to ask but settled on one that would be more current. “Did you manage to catch anything out there?” she asked, indicating the ocean around them.

Yeah, wasn’t much, a shark as you call them. Then he gave her a sly look. Though looking at you, I’m getting a craving for something sweet.

Her eyes widened as she took a hurried step back.

“He’s joking,” Dante quickly assured, “aren’t you, Rodan.”

Maybe. Maybe not.

As Dante groaned in annoyance, she whispered over to him, “He’s definitely a handful.”

Hey, I heard that.

“You were meant to,” Dante snapped. “Now please behave for our new friend here before you scare her off.”

The Titan snorted, but kept quite as Clair tried to find her nerve again. She finally decided on a topic that might be an interesting one to talk about.

“You ever been to Washington?”

Tilting his head, Rodan gave her a blank look.

“Uh, the west coast of the landmass east of here,” she tried again, “a little farther north. Has lots of forests, ranges of mountains and giant volcanoes?”

Rodan’s expression suddenly lit up in recognition. Ah yes, I know the land you speak of, good nesting grounds.

“Nesting grounds?”

Why yes, perfect place to raise young and make them grow strong.

“How?”

The lava here only comes from a “hot spot” as you humans call it, it’s not as thick as the lava that comes up from the seams in the earth. Not as rich.

“You’re talking about the tectonic plates?”

Yes.

“Okay, answer me this then, and please don’t take it as an invitation, but if my home has such good nesting grounds, why aren’t you there?”

The lava’s too thick for me. Don’t like to be weighed down. Good though for building strength in young ones. And as you can see, I don’t have any young ones.

“Hm.” Clair knew what he was talking about, having taken a course on the geography of the pacific northwest, teaching her that the magma was plenty more viscos than most because of the tectonic boundary it laid on. “Well, good to know a reason if you or someone like you comes along and decided to stick around.”

You sure you’re not inviting me to come home with you? he playfully asked.

She gave a small chuckle. “No, I think you’ve got a good setup here. Besides, you wouldn’t want to leave a place where the people adore you, would you?”

No, I suppose not. He then studied her for a moment, looking her over with a critical eye. You know, you’re not too bad, for a redhead.

Feeling a bit brave she shot back, “And you’re not too bad for a hot head, Speed Demon.”

That was probably the wrong thing to say. Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Rodan leaned forward, getting into her space almost in a threatening manner, staring her down. Clair stood still, eyes wide and heart beating like a racehorse as she contemplated on whether to apologize or to run. Dante had stiffened as well, eyes twitching back and forth between them.

Bold of you to call me that, he growled. Then with a cough like chuckle, Rodan declared, I like you.

Clair’s mouth slightly dropped open from the bluntness of his statement.

She’s a keeper, Dante. You sure you don’t want to date her?

“RODAN!” Dante shouted with chagrin.

The volcanic Titan just laughed with a coughing cackle, turning away without another word and lifting back up into the air, their meeting apparently over.

Clair released a tense breath, stunned to still find herself in one piece. “Did that just happen?”

“Ugh, I’m going to get him back for this, I swear.”

Clair didn’t see how that could happen, but maybe she could help Dante out in that department, give him a couple of ideas if she could think of any.

“He kinda comes off as a crazy friend, doesn’t he?” she commented.

“I see him more as a crazy cousin,” he said with an exasperated smile.

Walking back down the walkway, with a wide-eyed Chen waiting for them, Dante suddenly asked, “Would you like to stay for dinner tonight?”

Surprised by the question, Clair thought it was sweet of him to offer her dinner, but didn’t want to intrude on anything. “Oh, no, no I couldn’t possibly…”

“Mama’s making tacos tonight.”

Her favorite food. “…Well, if you insist.”

As they walked off the platform, Dante’s stride faltered for a moment as he looked at her with narrowed eyes. “You’re not a flour tortilla person, are you?”

Clair smiled and, in a mocking, outraged tone, she cried, “What a blasphemous thing to say!”

Dante just grinned and led her back to the base.

***

Today her opponent was Jia. And since she had time between sparring and linking, Clair began to relearn sign language, her memory recalling a few hand gestures to know what Jia was signing half of the time.

You ready? Jia asked, already taking up a fighting stance.

Clair gave her a smirk. Ready.

Barnes watched them before saying and signing, “Begin.”

Clair went after Jia, quickly closing the distance between them. Before she could land a blow, Jia sidestepped her, coming around the side to strike. Clair was ready, managing to block her incoming fist and deflect it. Knowing what was coming, Jia backed off, distancing for defense.

Jia’s fighting style was like the twins. Quick and swift, but she preferred more contact than them.

Deciding to risk being caught, Jia dashed in, trying to get Clair in her vulnerable spots. She managed to keep the Iwi girl at bay, blocking almost every one of her hits. Clair was getting better at sparring, if prolonged fights that lasted a solid ten minutes were anything to go by.

She decided to use her superior strength to her advantage. Slapping away the invading limbs, she grabbed one of Jia’s arms and swung her away. The girl landed on the other side of the cushioning mat; Clair grimaced slightly from the impact. Maybe she had done that a little too hard. She waited with anxious breath as Jia got to her feet.

You okay? she asked.

However, something in the air changed. Jia’s entire demeanor was different. No longer was she controlled by the fact that this was meant to be sparring, there was hatred and anger in her eyes, with her teeth bared at Clair. Unsettled fear struck a chord within as Jia eyed her. Suddenly she lunged, attacking her with the ferocity of a Titan. Clair could barely keep up, her lagging defenses allowing fists to hit her in the gut, the chest and a few headshots. Pain bloomed in her abdomen and suddenly Jia was no longer in front of her but on her back, clambering to get a hold with sharp nails. Hissing from the sharp cuts, Clair felt Jia twist around on her and jab a foot into her throat. She gasped for air but none came. Clair was on the floor in seconds, distantly hearing the others call and shout at Jia to stop. Jia then took hold of her arm and pulled it taut, threatening to break it.

Clair's mind began to race. What was wrong with her? Why was Jia doing this? Panic and confusion were swirling inside, yet intense anger flared up; one she knew would lead to disaster if she didn’t get control of it right now.

Shit, shit, shit!

It was near the surface, threatening to break out.

It wasn’t until different sets of hands came in that Jia was finally pulled off of Clair. Taking the recently absent air in greedily, trying to calm herself down, she watched as Barnes and Madison tried to calm Jia down. Barnes held her as Madison stood before her, holding Jia’s face in her hands.

“Jia, look at me,” she nearly shouted.

And just like that, the anger abated, replaced by a confusion before becoming horrified as Jia glanced between Madison and Clair on the floor. Then her eyes lit up with some sort of realization, signing something quickly before Clair could understand.

Before she could respond, Maddie got that dazed look again, and when Clair looked over at the others for an explanation, Dante had it too. Once released from Barnes’ grip, all three ran out of the gym, just as the alarm sounded for a Titan fight.

“Shit,” Barnes muttered, looking back to the twins and Clair, marching to the latter to help her up. “You good?” Clair nodded. “Okay, you guys are dismissed. Take her to the docs to see if she’s got anything bad.” He then ran after the soldiers that had emptied out of the gym, leaving the trio alone.

Amy came over, examining her. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” But it was a lie. She didn’t feel okay and that was way too close of a call. She almost lost control. If the others hadn’t stepped in… “What the hell just happened?”

“We call that a spillover,” Amy explained. “It’s when our Titans get an emotional reaction so strong, it floods the link, making their emotions become ours in a way that’s overpowering. It can also happen vice versa.”

“But it’s incredibly dangerous,” Eu-meh added walking up, “as you have just experienced.”

“No kiddin’,” Clair replied dryly.

“It only happens on rare occasions. This was just one of them. It’s also why we take time to ourselves after a battle, to sift through the emotions until all we have are our own.”

So that was Kong’s anger then, not Jia’s. It wasn’t directed at her. She recalled the look Jia gave when she snapped out of it. Confused and frightened as if she had been somewhere else only to come back to an entirely different situation. Like she was replaced for a moment.

“Let’s get you to the doctors,” Amy said, “see if Jia did any damage.”

After getting a checkup, the medical doctor said there weren’t any serious injuries, Jia’s punches would leave a few bruises, but advised Clair could skip the next few sparring lessons if needed, which was fine by her.

Finally reaching the Hub, they got to see what all the buzz was about. “What’s going on?” Clair asked.

“Ghidorah’s attacking H.E.L.” Dr. Russell replied, looking at one of the monitors bringing in the news.

Clair furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry, why is Ghidorah attacking hell bad?”

“H-E-L,” Stanton clarified from where he sat, “as in the Hollow Earth Launch station. The only gateway into the Hollow Earth that’s accessible right now.”

“Oh.”

“This isn’t the first time he’s tried to get in,” Dr. Russell continued, “thankfully Kong’s acting as gatekeeper, and doing a pretty good job at it.”

Shaky video showed up on the monitor, showing the battle itself, or what little of it as a blizzard concealed everything in the dark. The outline of Kong could be seen in the swirling snow, his glowing blue axe in hand as he battled a three-headed shadow, swinging it at the monster.

Clair watched as the two shadows fought against each other, with the sparse militaristic forces trying to defend the remains of the base.

On a completely separate monitor, the blips of Godzilla and Rodan were quickly closing in on H.E.L., coming to the aid of the mammalian Titan.

Clair then noticed Chen entering the Hub. Why was she not with the others? She locked eyes with Clair, her brow furrowed in concern as she came over. “I heard what happened, are you alright?”

“I’m good, just got a couple of bruises,” she brushed off.

Chen still looked troubled, like a worrying mother, but resigned to the answer. “Come on.”

“Where we going?”

Chen gave a small grin. “To H.E.L.”

Clair snorted at the joke, no doubt an old one, though nervousness crept in at what exactly was happening there. “During a battle?”

“Kong’s on the surface now, there’s no telling when that might happen again. It’s as good a time as any to get a chance to meet him.”

“But what about Ghidorah?”

“We’ll stay out of the way until the battle’s over, then we’ll move in once the danger’s passed.”

Clair was still skeptical. “You sure he’s going to be in the mood to meet people?”

“We’ll just stay for a short amount of time, long enough for introductions.”

Clair conceded, going along with Chen as they went down to the Maglev.

“It’ll get us to Antarctica pretty quick. Hopefully before Kong returns to the Hollow Earth.” Chen walked over with a poofy winter jacket and other cold weather clothing. “Here, you’ll need this.”

Clair took it without question, knowing that it was almost winter in Antarctica right now, and that the temperatures were below freezing at that point.

It took a couple of hours to get where they were going, Clair having slept most of the way, trying to ignore the dull pain in certain parts of her body. She only awakened when the jostling of the decelerating shuttle roused her.

“We already there?”

“Not quite,” Chen spoke. “We’re at the southern tip of the south American continent. This is as far as the Maglev will take us. We’ll wait here until the battle’s over and then we’ll go on Osprey and meet up with the Atet.”

The base they were at wasn’t as large as Castle Bravo, just about the size of an average small outpost. Though it still got the same feed that was playing when they left, only this time Godzilla was on screen.

With no large population to consider, it was a free for all in the fight. Godzilla and Rodan had already arrived, fighting alongside Kong against the golden terror. The battle had moved away from the base, letting there be enough room for the giants to brawl.

At one point, the fight came really close to coming back around to the base. Some armed groups looked to be in the pathway of the clashing Titans, then they would move, a minute before they would have been trampled. This happened more than once, the military almost having the foresight to move out of the way before damage could be done.

Clair knew how that was possible, with the explanations already there now.

Ghidorah, suffering multiple injuries from either the slices by a certain tool or by the claw marks of others, was now caught between Godzilla and Kong, both of them ganging up on the golden Titan. He lunged towards Godzilla, allowing Kong to jump on his back. The right head spun around and bit into the big ape’s shoulder, throwing him off. Getting his legs underneath him, Ghidorah kicked Godzilla away, making the King topple while lifting off into the air. But this allowed Rodan to come forth from the cover of the clouds and slam into Ghidorah. Just a few moments of ariel combat, Ghidorah threw Rodan from the air, making him crash into the ice below.

Ghidorah landed and stalked towards the fallen Titan, planning on finishing him.

Then Kong jumped back into the fray, tackling Ghidorah. They tussled and roared, trying to get the upper hand on each other. Ghidorah may have had three heads, but Kong had hands and a weapon to help him.

Pushing Ghidorah to the ground, Kong rose his axe over his head, preparing to bring it down. In a desperate move, Ghidorah tried to lunge for Kong.

Only for the axe to come down, severing the right head from the body.

“Off with your head,” Clair whispered, grimacing at the sight of the black blood that spurted from the neck stump and splattering onto the pristine snow.

Ghidorah screeched furiously, wailing at the loss of one of his heads.

Now a head short, Ghidorah decided to cut his losses and flee before he lost anything else. Slightly wobbling, he took off, taking most of the storm with him and disappearing once again. After a solid thirty minutes of waiting, Ghidorah did not come back.

“Alright, let’s go,” Chen said.

Loading onto the Osprey, they weren’t in the air for more than half an hour before the Atet showed up. Clair held her breath for the docking process, the disconcerting sounds of metal clanging on metal as their aircraft was swallowed up by the larger one. From what she knew, the Atet was equipped to house a single Osprey and a fighter jet if needed, the latter coming in handy for hasty refueling or pilot switching. It took about another hour before they came within sight of H.E.L.

“Why isn’t there a Maglev terminal at H.E.L.?” she asked Chen.

“We prefer to keep the gateway to the Hollow Earth as remote as possible, lest there be any unwanted human parties trying to get in.”

“Has that happened before?”

“Once or twice, both were thankfully thwarted before they got in.”

It wasn’t surprising, with the Hollow Earth being an untapped natural resource. Who knew what kind of stuff was down there that could be exploited by people and their greed. It was probably best to keep it secluded for as long as possible, to make sure it wouldn’t become ruined.

“This wouldn’t happen to be a trip to the Hollow Earth too, would it?”

Chen gave her a sad smile. “No, we won’t be going into the Hollow Earth today. You’ll need some preparation before being allowed down there. Plus, the trip can be a little risky and I don’t think you want to lose your lunch on the way.”

Clair consciously placed a hand on her stomach. “The trip’s that bad, huh? Must be a hell of a rollercoaster ride then.”

“It puts the best rides to shame.”

The process of deploying from the Atet was a little more terrifying, dropping out into freefall before the wings of the Osprey caught on the wind and flew once more. Looking out one of the portholes, it was almost too dark out to see anything, only the faint traces of the sun on the distant horizon gave any indication that it was supposed to be daytime right now.

The Osprey soon landed, letting the occupants loose. Stepping out of the aircraft with her jacket on, the climate was more agreeable with Clair. Coming from the most northern section of the lower forty-eight, she was used to the cold and dark. Though the freezing dry air was already sucking most of the moisture from her exposed skin. The storm had abated for the moment, allowing a light snowfall to drift down.

But it didn’t affect her vision as Clair got to see the damage for herself. The base was still intact but had taken a few hits. The helipads in the canyon were destroyed so they had to land on top of the glacier. Black smoke billowed sluggishly into the cloud covered sky, unhurried by a small break in the fierce winds that hounded the land.

Clair had never been anywhere near the aftermath of a Titan battle. Sure, she had seen the filtered graphic images the news would report sometimes. And they were pretty bad.

This… This was horrific.

The ground was trampled, jagged blocks of ice were strewn all over, either sticking up from the crushed ground or completely relocated. Overturned or scorched vehicles were everywhere, from tanks to gutted helicopters. The white snow made it easy to spot the red marks of blood, like someone had accidentally dropped a can of red paint on the pure white canvas. Some were in lines that led away back to the base and some were just red splotches in the center of an impact point, like a bug crushed underfoot.

Feeling sick to her stomach, she glanced back at Chen, who had a sad look in her eyes before averting them. Now Clair understood. It was another learning experience, letting her know what she would face in the aftermath of a fight.

Heading towards the base, they passed by a group of soldiers tending to their dead. Looking at the still bodies, Clair saw the young faces of men and women who gave their lives to defend their world, above and below. Most of them had the usual G-Team uniforms, but a few were different, some wearing the same uniform as the one her brother had.

Clair knew that G-Team was composed of soldiers picked out from the military branches of the U.S., almost forming an entirely separate branch for Monarch’s purposes. This just brought the reality of that fact all the more closer to home.

She instantly shoved the thought that popped into her head away, trying not to imagine a particular face among the bodies of fallen soldiers.

In the distance the lumbering form of Kong could be seen, his head turned upwards to the sky with his famous axe gripped in his hand, ready for use if the call to action arose.

Rodan and Godzilla still lingered in the area as well, making sure Ghidorah wouldn’t come back. They both sported new wounds from the fight, cleaning them out as best they could. Though Clair wondered where G’s partner was.

“No Mothra?” she asked Chen.

“Sadly no, but it would have been a good opportunity to introduce both her and Kong to you. Mothra wasn’t able to join this battle because her wings wouldn’t have been able to withstand the freezing temperatures for an extended period.”

She would have been grounded for the fight then.

Coming upon another smaller group, Clair could see it was the others. Noticing them, Madison and Dante came trotting up. “Hey,” Maddie greeted Clair. “You made it.”

She could only grimly smile. “Yeah. I guess I get to see all the carnage and stuff. How are you guys holding up?”

“We’re fine,” Dante replied, already looking worn out. He turned his attention to Chen. “Rodan’s got to get out of here pretty quick. He’s speeding up global warming just by being here.”

Proving his point, Rodan was hopping around on the ice, not because it was too cold for his feet but because he was literally sinking into the pools he was creating from his intense body heat.

“G’s gonna take off here soon too, just until after the head’s gone,” Maddie added.

Using his atomic fire, Godzilla burned away the severed Ghidorah head, scattering the ashes to the winds. He was doing it to ensure that there wasn’t another chance that Ghidorah may come back from the dead when and if they finally managed to kill him.

“Alright, you two can head back to Castle Bravo if you like,” Chen told them. “We still need to meet with Kong.”

Maddie and Dante elected to head for one of the waiting Ospreys, ready to finally put the battle behind them.

Just as they left, another figure came up to the group. Jia looked just as tired as Dante and Madison. But it wasn’t fatigue that made her hesitant to approach.

She walked up to Clair, looking somewhat guilty and ashamed.

Hi, she shyly signed. I’m really sorry about what happened to you back there. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Honest.

Now knowing what she knew, Clair couldn’t blame Jia for what happened, especially not when she had been on the cusp of doing something terrible herself.

“No worries,” Clair waved off, signing as she did. “You felt Kong get angry and his anger became yours. It’s fine.”

That seemed to give Jia some comfort, but still retained the guilt in her eyes. You sure?

“We’re good,” Clair affirmed, ending it there.

Giving a small smile, Jia nodded in agreement, happy to know there wasn’t any animosity between them.

Before anything else could be done, a tall dark-haired woman walked up to the duo. Clair instantly recognized her. Doctor Ilene Andrews, head of the base down in the Hollow Earth that monitored Kong and Jia’s adoptive mother.

“Dr. Andrews,” Chen greeted.

“Dr. Chen.” Andrews acknowledged.

“No Nathan?”

“No, he decided to stay in the basement for this one.”

“Shame, I would have liked for him to have met Clair.”

Andrews shifted her focus on Clair, “Hey, how’s it going?”

“Good,” Clair replied. “I’d ask the same but…” her eyes purposely shifted around them to get the point across.

“Yeah, it’s a mess right now, sorry you have to see it like this.”

“I’m just lucky to see it at all. So, you both have the same name?” she inquired, looking between Andrews and Chen. “That must be confusing.”

“We just stick to our last names, easier for everyone that way. Jia’s told me all about you. Do you know any ASL?”

Clair demonstrated. I hear you are a very smart cow.

Andrews gave her a weird look. “What?”

Anxious she had not properly signed, Clair said aloud, “Um, I was trying to say that I hear you’re a very smart woman.”

Dr. Andrews narrowed her eyes as her gaze shifted between the two girls. “Jia’s been teaching you to sign, hasn’t she?”

Catching the accusation in her tone, Clair groaned aloud, “What did I say?”

“I think the sign you meant was woman,” she supplied at she performed the proper sign, “not cow.”

Cow? She called her a cow?! Horrified at what she actually signed to Dr. Andrews, Clair turned to Jia with a furious glare, making her annoyance known, only to receive an amused smile with a silent laugh.

Why that little gremlin! She should have known Jia would mess her up. She had been teaching her a couple of signs but Clair learned from the others that a few of her signs were wrong during important moments, thanks to Jia’s so called “lessons”.

“Okay that’s it, I’m looking up all my signs from now on.”

Jia continued to laugh while Dr. Andrews just chuckled. “Well, thank you for the compliment regardless. It was a nice attempt.”

Heading down into the base, they went to the lower levels to a large hanger beside the canyon. Inside looked something like the shuttles for the Maglev, only more asymmetrical.

“These are the H.E.A.V.’s,” Andrews explained. “They get us from here to the Hollow Earth and back when needed.”

“I thought that’s what they were.” Clair examined the strange vehicles, looking slightly different than the first model, somewhat sleeker with the Monarch logo printed on them instead of Apex’s.

Looking out the hangar’s doors, she could slightly see the dorsal plates of Godzilla on the other side of the glacier. It made her wonder where the Titan she was supposed to meet was.

“Is Kong gonna talk with us?”

“He took quite a beating, might be a while before you talk to him.”

“Well, if that’s the case, got anything to teach me?”

Andrews smiled. “Come here,” she beckoned.

Clair did as instructed and followed her to a computer console. On it were a few camera feeds of a green environment, a bright sun burning on the horizon.

“Know where these are?” Andrews quizzed.

Clair tried to take a guess, not remembering seeing the geographical formations on any nature show she had watched. It wasn’t until she noticed the top of the screens that it made sense. There were mountains in the sky, upside down to be correct.

“The Hollow Earth,” she whispered in awe. It was more beautiful than she imagined.

Examining the pictures, she could see the majestic land, covered with abundant flora unknown to her with a light source that was always shining. “That’s the Earth’s core, isn’t it?” When Andrews nodded, Clair went on to say, “I’m surprised you guys don’t burn to a crisp down there.”

“Wanna take a guess why that is?”

Clair took a closer look at the pictures, trying to rack her brain for an answer. The Earth’s core was said to be hotter than their own sun, yet the Hollow Earth was as lush as any pristine wilderness. So why was it not at least some barren desert or scorched rock? What could possibly be protecting it to sustain life? Suddenly a lesson from astronomy class came rushing back to her, giving a possible explanation. “Earth’s magnetic field.”

Andrews smiled at the answer. “Not only does it protect the Earth’s surface from the radiation of space, but the Hollow Earth from its own core. You ever see those diagrams of how it spreads out around the Earth coming from the poles? Well, when it comes back in its more concentrated around the core as it gives protection against the raging heat. At least that’s what Nathan says.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

“I’d love to see it someday.”

“Maybe in the near future you can, for now, I’d stay on the surface. Gravity can be a little strange down there. You also got to deal with the predators too.”

That’s right. She’d forgotten about the dangers that lurked in the unknown land, deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to research up everything known about the hidden environment before she would go in, getting as prepped as possible.

Clair felt a tap on her shoulder, Jia getting her attention. Kong’s ready to meet.

They all went to the edge of the hangar, feeling the ground tremble with his approach. Jumping down from the top of the glacier, Kong crouched in his landing before the hangar, creating a small earthquake.

He looked worse for wear. Patches of fur were singed while blood slowly oozed from bitemarks littered across his body. One looked really bad on his right shoulder, with scorched skin being a replacement for brown fur.

Kong approached the hanger, crouching on his knuckles to better view the humans. Because of his primate features, he looked a lot more human than any of the other Titans, making him that much more sentient.

Like she had seen the others do, Jia approached him without any fear, completely at ease in his presence. He seemed to relax in hers too. Placing his axe aside, his humanlike eyes settled on her. Reaching out a hand, his index finger curled out for Jia to touch, making physical contact.

There was no signing between the two, both seeming to communicate exclusively through the link, creating a soothing air between them.

Kong then looked to Clair, his blazing brown eyes scrutinized her, like the cover of a book you’re thinking about whether or not to read. He seemed suspicious, not entirely trusting of strangers.

Gulping, Clair decided to not sign for this conversation, lest there be some sort of miscommunication.

Feeling the brush of Jia’s mind, his voice was not as low and rumbly as Godzilla’s but it was gruffer than him.

Jia’s told me about you. And what happened before the battle.

Apprehension gripped her for a moment before finally speaking, knowing it was the truth. “I’ve forgiven her. And I don’t blame her for what happened.”

Do you blame me?

Taken aback by the question, she carefully considered it before giving her answer. “No.”

Why not?

“I’d be pretty pissed off too if I found someone trying to break into my house.”

Kong seemed satisfied with her answer, his lips forming a human-like smile. Jia looked relieved, seeing as Kong was beginning to let his guard down.

“I’m sorry if we have to do this now,” Clair apologized. “I didn’t think it was a good idea after a battle to meet with you. You must be exhausted.”

Being the first to fight Ghidorah, he battled all that time to keep him out of the Hollow Earth, even when Godzilla and Rodan showed up to help.

I will be fine. I’m willing to spend some time to meet a friend of Jia’s, even if not under the best circumstances.

She looked at his wounds again, feeling guilty but getting a small idea. “You know, I think that if you put some snow around your wound, it’ll help slow the bleeding down.”

Kong seemed surprised by her suggestion, contemplating the snow around him before taking a large handful. Unsure, he looked at her again.

“Just around the wound, not on it.”

Giving her a skeptical look, he did as she said placing the white snow around the wound, baring his teeth a little in pain. But after a few moments the bleeding slowed, almost stopping.

Looking as surprised as herself, he gently said, Thank you.

“You’re welcome.” Then working up the nerve she asked, “Mind if I ask some questions?”

He nodded in consent.

“What’s it like down there, in the Hollow Earth?” It’d probably be best to have an account from the very being who ruled there.

Very beautiful, he replied. Plenty of land to explore and to grow strong. So much life.

“Are there a lot more Titans down there?”

Many. Some very strange and unrecognizable.

She could only imagine what strange beasts still lurked in the depths of their world, yet to be discovered.

“Do you ever miss it up here, on the surface?”

Sometimes. I miss the stars. It’s always day down there.

“That’s right,” Clair murmured, “the core is always shining.” She didn’t know if she could handle constant daylight all the time, it becoming a nuisance to have no sense of time down there. And the fact that there was no actual sky to look at and wonder what else the universe might have to offer.

But there is room and food, and I have found my family there, so I am grateful. Perhaps you shall see it one day.

“Hopefully. I guess I’ll just have to wait until I finally link and maybe my Titan will take me down there.”

Better remind them when they do that it’s my kingdom down there. My rules.

She chuckled at his light warning. “Duly noted.”

Having asked all the questions she could think of, she finally said, “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I appreciate it.”

Dipping his head in acknowledgement, Kong seemed to regard her for a moment, taking in her person as he studied her. She maintained eye contact with him, looking into the depths of his blazing brown eyes, wondering about all they had seen and witnessed below the surface of the Earth.

Be good to Jia, he finally said, she’s more than my Link.

With that he turned away, taking his axe with him as he galloped through the canyon.

The great door in the glacier, having taken a beating from Ghidorah, managed to open up, allowing passage for the Titan. Kong disappeared through the tunnel, going back into the Hollow Earth, to remain as its king.

***

Fighting with someone of equal size was refreshing, but presented its own challenges. Dante was no exception, having everything Clair had in fighting prowess and more.

He had her in a lock against his body, pinning her arms as she struggled to get out of this predicament.

Getting an idea, she shouted in a scandalized voice while jerking her body away, “Hey!”

Dante, being the gentleman he was, froze at her shout, grip slightly loosening around her, thinking he touched a sensitive body part inappropriately. She took advantage. Squirming out of his grip, she spun around and tackled him, forcing him face first into the mat while she held him down.

“Pin,” Barnes called when Dante couldn’t get up.

“Ugh, no fair! She tricked me!” he shouted as his face continued to be smooshed against the mat.

“All’s fair in love and war, Dante,” she said, making him groan in defeat. Lifting off of her opponent, she helped him up.

Dusting himself off, Dante admitted, “I guess that was a pretty good move. Maybe you’ll even be able to beat Madison when you go up against her.”

A snort of contempt came from the subject of conversation in the stands. “Yeah, I doubt it.”

“Well, I don’t,” he argued, continuing to make his case. “Come on Maddie, she’s beaten everyone but you, and I think you’ve had the undefeated crown for a bit too long.”

“Not my fault I can send all your butts to the mat.”

Getting offended on behalf of the others, Clair turned to Madison with hands on her hips. “What’s the matter Russell, afraid of some competition?”

Arching an eyebrow, Madison gracefully rose from the stands and came down to her, mimicking her stance. “You wanna go, Cantrell?”

The tone was threatening, even if on friendly terms. She’d never sparred with Madison, Barnes placing the older girl in the advanced category as he called it. If Clair had gone up against her in her first match, she would’ve been taken down within seconds. But now that she was able to take down Dante, it made it all the more likely that she could send Madison to the mat. A tingle of thrill ran up Clair’s spine at the prospect, eliciting a smirk from her. “I don’t see why not. I just beat Dante and he’s the best fighter after you. Seems fair I finally move up to the next level.”

Madison looked to Barnes for confirmation, only for the chief to just shrug, apparently fine with the fight. Seeing no objection, Madison turned back to her, mirroring her smirk. “Alright.”

But before they could get on with it, Chen’s voice called out, “That’s enough training for today. It’s time for the party.”

Amy and Eu-meh were the first to react, large grins lighting up their faces as they bolted past their mother and into the base, ready to finally get the celebration going.

Madison looked back at Clair. “To be continued.”

Making like the twins, everyone went to their rooms and changed out of their training attire, switching into more casual clothing. Clair gathered up the two beautifully wrapped boxes on her desk and placed them into her pack along with a spare change of clothes. Once she had all she needed, she headed out to meet everyone down at the Maglev. Settling inside the shuttle, they traveled halfway across the globe in half the time to one of the places Clair thought she would never visit in her lifetime.

China always sounded so ancient and distant that it was never really considered a factor in everyday life. Clair certainly never thought she would be going there anytime soon, especially not with the lifestyle she had before the testing.

The late afternoon sun beat down on them as the dampened, musty smells of the jungle of the Yunnan Province filled her nose. The squelching of mud beneath her shoes and pitter patter of water droplets falling onto the emerald leaves became a cacophony to her ears. The chatter of foreign birds and insects adding to it.

Clair was briefly reminded of the green forests back home. Of course, they weren’t as dense as this.

Hopping into the waiting jeeps at the terminal, the lush green of the land passed them by as they went deeper into the wild, heading towards a place she thought she would never see.

Through the thick canopy, there was a strange formation that did not look like the organic shapes of the jungle. Gasping in wonder, Clair gazed at the great pyramid that stood in the middle of the valley, yellow brown stones forming the great structure as greenery grew from its ledges. Just by looking at it, she could tell it was old, even older than the great pyramids in Egypt.

Soon they reached the outpost that was stationed before the pyramid, studying its remains and guarding its secrets. Not to mention the observing of the resident Titan.

“Welcome to the Temple of the Moth,” Chen said to her.

The only reason they had to come to this place was to celebrate the eighteenth birthday of Amy and Eu-meh Chen, the largest coming of age event in a person’s life. And they wanted to celebrate it at the place of their ancestors with the Titan they were connected to.

Funny enough, it was also eighteen years ago to the day that Godzilla made his debut to the world.

Coming to a stop, some of the scientists of the base came up to greet the newcomers, hugging and chatting with the older Chen twins and bringing a few reports to their attention.

Clair and the Links were directed towards the living quarters of the base, having decided that they could spend the night at the outpost for the party.

Getting out the two presents from her pack, Clair and the others with their own placed them on the two tables designated for each twin, already an assortment of presents taking up the limited space.

It would be another hour before the party started, and Clair decided to take the time to look around the base.

Wandering into one of the labs, she found that it was one overlooking some of the carvings and stones that were being studied from the temple. Propped up on one wall, a large stone tablet depicted a creature with a serpentine body mounted with a head like that of a lion. Clair knew what it was once her eyes adjusted to its form, carefully examining its depiction on the ancient rock.

“There you are.” Clair startled at Chen’s words, watching with a hand over her heart as the doctor walked in. Chen’s look turned apologetic. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Clair said brushing off the scare. “Just thought I’d have a look around the base.”

Chen nodded in comprehension, coming to stand next to her as she glanced at the mural Clair stood before. “Like that one?”

“Um, yeah, it’s interesting. Very detailed. Where’d you find it?”

“A mile from the temple, covered in vines by a small stream. Took a while to excavate it.”

“I can imagine.”

“Are you interested in dragons?” Chen asked.

Clair made a small laugh. “Yeah, I’ve basically been obsessed with them since I was little. Always been attracted to anything about them.”

“Truly?” Receiving a nod, Chen went on to say, “Well you’ve come to the right place where the people here revere dragons. The East regards them as sacred divine beings who embodied wisdom, strength and redemption.”

Clair’s eyes widened in astonishment at the statement of the creatures she adored. “That’s beautiful. But the East isn’t the only ones who regarded dragons as sacred beings.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve heard that the Celts were also reverent towards dragons, seeing them as indicators for energy sources that brought luck and fertility.” Then, remembering what kind of person she was talking to, she added, “Or so I’ve been told.”

“You do a bit of research yourself,” Chen stated.

“It’s always good to look up your roots, know where you came from and what your ancestors were like.”

“Very true,” she agreed. “So, you’re Celtic?”

“Just a small portion.”

“Hm. That explains some of the red hair.”

Clair chuckled a little, knowing the coloration was not as normal as most, a mutation formed long ago that had spread from an unknown source.

Chen smiled as well before motioning with her head. “Come, it’s time you meet our host.”

Exhilaration captured Clair’s heart, making it beat faster at the knowledge that the last Titan was about to be introduced.

Gathering the other Links, they walked in the direction of the temple as the sun hung low in the sky. Clair had heard many good things about Mothra, coming to learn that she wasn’t as intimidating as the others, but held her own sense of magnificence.  

Going closer, they came to a large clearing next to the temple. In it the tables of the party were set up as red lanterns hung from the boughs of the trees. The perfect place to host a group of people along with a Titan.

Waiting and looking up at the temple, Clair wondered where Mothra was.

A high-pitched shriek that echoed across the valley answered her question, ringing in her ears and shaking her very being. All four Chens looked up at the temple, waiting for the Titan to appear. They didn’t have to wait long.

Long, thin insectoid-like forelimbs crested the side of the pyramid, followed by a bulky body covered in white and reddish-brown fur. Bright blue slanted eyes peered down at the humans as Mothra spread her glorious wings out, displaying the brilliant colors of black, orange, yellow, and blue staining them. The eye spots on the ends indicated who her allegiance belonged to. Another roaring shriek came from her, letting everyone know who ruled here.

“Woah.” Clair gazed in awe at the majestic Titan, feeling not the fear or apprehension that accompanied her when she met the other Titans, but a sense of reverence as she looked upon a bright hope that there may be actual peace in this world.

Ending her regal display, Mothra crawled down over the great pyramid, heading straight towards the group of assembled humans.

Uncaring of who saw, the younger Chen twins ran up to her excitedly, standing before the Titan queen as she lowered herself down to them, chittering and trilling happily as they touched her fur covered head, gently nudging them with her mandibles. Somehow, this reunion was even happier and more infectious than Maddie and Godzilla’s, bringing a genuine smile to Clair. The urge to run up with the twins to greet the Titan was almost overwhelming to her, yet by some miracle she restrained herself.

Already with three encounters under her belt, Clair could feel she was slightly more relaxed in the presence of a Titan, though it could have been the knowledge of Mothra’s benevolent nature that gave an edge to that feeling.

Chen came to stand silently next to her, watching her daughters interact with the oversized insect.

“She’s beautiful,” Clair commented in awe to Chen, who only hummed in agreement. Cameras and pictures did this Titan no justice, only managing to capture half of the shear majesty she exuded here in her presence. It was almost a relief not to feel the severe overwhelming intimidation she felt with the others.

Soon came the beckoning looks from the twins as they glanced at her, letting her know it was time to talk. Mothra, with kind blue multifaceted eyes that looked at her as well, chittered invitingly.

Slowly striding up to her, feeling warm anticipation curl in her chest, Clair felt the familiar push of the twins’ consciousnesses against hers, allowing her to hear Mothra herself.

Greetings, little one.

Her melodic voice was as soothing as refreshing water while being as sweet as honey. It was a voice that was fit for heaven. A mist appeared in Clair’s eyes as she tried to fight the need to cry. With both Amy and Eu-meh’s minds transmitting Mothra’s voice, it felt like it was more amplified than it needed to be, causing her harmonious voice to almost overpower the twins.

Taking a deep breath, Clair returned the greeting. “Hello.”

Mothra began to closely examine her, looking at her from every angle. You are quite a beautiful one. Don’t meet many with your coloring.

The flattering comment received a heavy blush from her, not used to such compliments. “Thank you. And you are as well.”

Mm, beautiful and courteous, she praised. Any one of us will be lucky to have you as a bonded.

“Here’s hoping. I do appreciate this audience with you. It gives me a chance to know more about the Titans.”

It’s my pleasure. I hope my priestesses have been treating and teaching you well.

It took a moment for Clair to understand who she meant. “Oh, yes. The Chens have been very kind to me. Without them, I don’t think I’d be talking to you.”

Hm. And since you are, are you curious about anything?

Clair already had a question in mind for this particular Titan. “I’ve… heard a couple of rumors float around from people, even got a few hints from the twins here, but my question is… uh, are you the same Mothra who died during the Rise?”

Yes.

The answer was so unexpected and astonishing and spoken without any hesitancy that it took Clair a few moments to speak again. “H-how?”

I can pass on the memories of myself and my predecessors along to my prodigy, allowing me to live eternally.

“Oh my… By the Mother.”

Yes, it is quite extraordinary. Much like yourself. I don’t believe I’ve encountered an unbonded before.

“Well, there’s always a first for everything.”

Indeed.

To Clair’s surprise, Mothra lowered herself, looking directly at her while staying perfectly still, gently trilling to her. She was giving permission for Clair to come to her. She realized that this would be the first time she would touch a Titan.

Cautious at first, she stepped up to Mothra, taking in her beauty and majesty, how those multifaceted eyes stared into her soul. Shakily, she reached out a hand, hesitantly waiting for Mothra to back away. When she didn’t, Clair made contact.

Right when she touched Mothra’s soft down, a strange sensation, almost like electricity, spread through her hand, tingling up her arm and into her head. She flinched at the sensation, not from pain or fear but of how strange and… resonating it was. Almost like déjà vu.

Mothra seemed to have a similar reaction, withdrawing from Clair for a moment. Those large blue eyes studied her and she could have sworn she saw something in that gaze. It was fleeting, gone in the blink of an eye, yet what she saw was surprise, confusion and almost… recognition.

How was that possible? She’d never encountered Mothra until today.  

But as quickly as it had come, the moment passed, everything returning to normal… or as normal as being in the presence of a Titan could be.

Reaching back up, the second contact finally let Clair take into account how soft the down fur felt, so supple it was almost like her hand was touching nothing but the fluffiest cloud this good green earth ever produced. She kept her strokes light and respectful, not letting her hand wander. Mothra trilled lowly under the miniscule ministrations, obviously enjoying them.

After a few more moments, the Titan pulled away, albeit reluctantly. Clair was reluctant to let go herself, already missing the feel of the fur beneath her hand. The Titan backed away, settling down in a spot at the edge of the clearing, content to just stay there. She guessed that meant the meeting was over.

The tables were set up and the guests all arrived.

And the party finally started.

People gathered around the food tables and talked about trivial or crucial things. Some played cards games at the guest tables, ones that either played for winnings or played for laughs.

Mothra was still settled in the field as the party continued on, watching and enjoying the lively humans that celebrated her Links’ day of birth. Sometimes she could be heard trilling along softly to a couple beats of music, appearing to respond positively to the selection as some of her natural bioluminescence pulsed with the beats.

Amy and Eu-meh were both having a blast, smiling brightly and laughing while dancing along to the music with Dante, Jia and Madison. Clair joined in too, her moves subtle yet vigorous, trying not to draw too much attention.

Finally getting overstimulated by the jubilant event, Clair retired to an empty table, still wearing a grin, watching as the party kept going while trying to take a quiet moment. She hadn’t had this much fun in a long time, enjoying almost every second of it as she could.

Occasionally, she caught glimpses of Mothra watching her, a strange curiousness in those large blue eyes as they stared into her soul, almost looking for something. When eye contact was maintained for too long, either she or the Titan would tactfully look elsewhere, almost trying to be discreet.

Unsettled is what Clair felt, feeling it ever since she touched Mothra. It wasn’t much of a good feeling, hating that it was associated with such a gentle giant. And it raised so many questions. Why did she feel that sensation? Why did Mothra react to her that way? Did it have something to do with her power?

Not wanting to spoil the mood, she decided to push the thoughts away for now, becoming alert when Chen walked over.

“We’re about to open the presents.”

Clair nodded, anticipating how her gifts would be received by the twins, hoping she picked out the right ones.

Everyone gathered in the field beside Mothra, Amy and Eu-meh sat on two low chairs with their respective presents beside them.

The twins eagerly dug into their troves of surprises. By some sort of coordinated system, they each opened the presents from the same person at the same time. Most of the gifts were from the workers of the outpost, having known the girls and their family for a while.

The gifts from the Links were the last to be opened. Madison gave the girls two shirts: Amy got one printed with her favorite band while Eu-meh got one printed with her favorite popstar singer. Dante gave them each shelled wind chimes, made by a close friend on Adonoa. Jia gave them two bracelets that had dazzling gemstones from the Hollow Earth, handmade by herself.

Clair’s gifts were next to be opened. “It’s just something from home,” she explained, “handmade by one of the local shops there.”

Watching pridefully as her gifts were opened with excitement, Clair remembered to cherish the amazed gazes of the twins when they looked at their presents. Gingerly dipping their hands into the boxes, they both pulled out glass blown figurines of butterflies about the size of both their hands. Amy held one with soft shades of orange and green. Eu-meh held another colored brightly with blue and yellow. The smooth ripples in the glass represented the formation of the wings.

“These are so beautiful,” Eu-meh exclaimed, never tearing her open-eyed gaze from the ornament.

“Clair, these are great,” Amy praised. “Thank you so much.”

She only nodded as Mothra leaned down to get a closer look, trilling approvingly as the sculptures were lifted closer for her to inspect.

With the last of their gifts gone, it seemed like everything was over with.

“Wait a minute,” Eu-meh said. “Did we get a gift from mama?”

“I don’t think so?” Amy answered.

Both the twins looked at their mother, who only gave a warm smile. “No, I haven’t given you your gifts yet.”

Walking forward, she stood before them and from behind her back, she pulled out two plastic cards, giving them to each of the girls.

Their eyes blew wide when they looked at them, jumping up from their seats and squealing in elation.

“Yes!” Amy shouted in excitement.

“We’re finally with Monarch!” Eu-meh cheered.

Letting the other Links examine the cards, Chen had given her daughters their official Monarch IDs, allowing them to finally become the fourth generation of their family to join and work with the Titan organization.

They both ran up and hugged Chen tightly, expressing their gratitude. Then they ran up to Mothra and hugged her. The Titan queen only trilled in happiness, reveling in the excited emotions of her Links.

The party concluded on the happy note Chen’s gifts provided, letting everyone get a chance to come down from the high of the celebration.

Later that night, Clair woke up for some reason. It was a little past midnight and the humidity had snuck into her room, making her sweat in bed despite the air conditioning. Feeling gross, she decided to get up and refill her near empty glass of water, with plenty of ice this time as her body dried off a little. Coming into the kitchen, she glanced out one of the windows facing the temple, seeing the gorgeous pale waxing moon as its light settled over the valley.

From this angle she could see that Mothra was still in the field. But instead of being asleep like everyone else, she was wide awake as she sat there, not moving an inch and standing still like a statue. It looked like she was waiting for something.

Then, with her eyes narrowed into a questioning look at the Titan’s behavior, Clair heard the door quietly click shut below her on the first floor, watching as Amy and Eu-meh silently snuck out of the base, heading straight towards the Titan. She arched an eyebrow at the suspicious scene. What are they up to?

Mothra chittered to them gently when they reached her, nudging them lightly with her mandibles in fondness as she lowered herself down more to them.

Clair gazed on in openmouthed astonishment as Amy and Eu-meh then proceeded to climbed up onto Mothra’s back, settling behind her head as she began to move. Unfurling her powerful wings in a single noiseless sweep, she lifted off from the ground, taking to the night sky with the twins on her back.

Clair could only look on, dumbstruck as the twins rode on Mothra around the valley. In the back of her head, she wondered if they were allowed to do this, or if it was like the stunts she accused the Links of doing with their Titans when no one was looking. But to have that sort of relationship where not only could you just interact mentally but physically with the creature you connected too, it put a whole new sense of awe on the bond shared.

Circling over the temple a few more times, Mothra took off in a direction, disappearing into the night with her Links by her side.

Chapter Text

Castle Bravo, Outpost 54, Bermuda

Late May, 2032

The untamable waves of the North Atlantic crashed against the colossal pillars that held up the topside of Castle Bravo, creating a rhythmic din of saltwater beating on concrete. A violent contrast to the peaceful cumulous clouds that rolled by overhead with the breeze on this sweltering late-spring day.

Clair herself was already sweating under the humid heat in the dark clothing she wore as she stood atop the rig, leaning against the safety railing and looking out over the open ocean, waiting for the okay to begin the exercise. At least the salt laced wind was helping to cool her down, even as it brought darker clouds on the horizon closer to the base. Yet it didn’t hinder the slight whimsical smile that she was currently sporting.

The memories of the Titans were still very much present in her mind, studying, analyzing, and admiring over each interaction. It had all felt like a fever dream really.

A giddiness would bubble up every time she lingered on certain moments with the great monsters, to be in their overwhelming presences and that she had the honor of meeting them. And what she had seen with the other Links and how they acted around the giant animals was breathtaking. It almost seemed sacred, the relationship between human and Titan, something that could not be replicated.

To think that is what she may have one day when they found her own Titan. To have a connection that made her look like half of what the others were feeling when they reunited with their Titans. A happiness that made you feel complete. She wondered if that is how Amy and Eu-meh felt as they rode on the back of a living goddess.

As her mind wandered to the night of the party two days ago with pure white clouds passing by overhead, Clair was brought back to memories of her childhood self, how she would gaze up at the clouds with awe and longing. How she would wish that she had the power to fly on the brisk wind on a gorgeous summer day and touch the cool tufted tops of fluffy clouds with inquisitive fingers. She wondered if Amy and Eu-meh got the chance to touch them.

She was quickly brought out of her nostalgic daydreaming at the sense of another person settling beside her on the railing, only to glance over and see Dr. Ling gazing out at the ocean as well. The woman kept silent for the moment and Clair was just content to stand there like that and enjoy the view. Despite her being part of the program, it felt a little strange to be with the other Chen sister for this long. Chen was Clair’s main mentor for most of her training, and Ling was just a co-mentor, sometimes being there when it involved group activities with the others. But Clair didn’t linger on it too long, lest she make herself uncomfortable.

Continuing to watch the day roll by, Ling finally spoke. “Their almost done setting up. We’ll begin in a moment.”

Clair hummed in acknowledgement, breathing in to settle her buzzing nerves. Hence why she was looking out at the sea, the scenic view was helping to calm her. Before she could work herself up about what would be expected of her for the exercise, she returned to the moments with the Titans, bringing back the smile she had on previously.

Ling must have glanced over at that moment and saw, because she gently asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Clair’s smile grew another fraction. “The Titans.”

A smile of her own tugged at the doctor’s lips. “What did you think about them?”

Confronted with the question so soon, Clair tried to rattle her head for an appropriate description of what she felt towards the Titans, only to come up with an exhale of disbelieving breath. “They were incredible.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Ling almost sounded relieved.

“Are they all like that?”

“It depends on which ones you meet and what the circumstances are, but I’d say that they all have a certain charm to them.”

“Wonder if mine will be charming,” Clair chuckled nervously.

Ling gave a knowing look from the innocent confession. “Anxious?”

“It’s hard not to be,” Clair admitted. “To think that I’m… It’s just so… It’s going to be wonderful, isn’t it?”

Ling’s smile faltered a little bit. “In time, I believe so. You just have to remember that it’s going to be a new experience for both you and your Titan. There’s no telling how it will go or how they might react.”

Hearing the caution in her voice, it dimmed her smile as Clair thought about it for a moment. Taking into consideration about how a Titan might be startled by her was a humoring thought, but was dampened when memories of startled animals came to mind. The closest one that came to her was a frightened horse, rearing up with sharp hooves and whinnying at something that could possibly be inconsequential to her. A startled horse or any large animal could be dangerous to people who were too close. She didn’t have to imagine what a Titan was capable of.

It was a sobering thought, one that reined in her fantasies and reminded her to keep her guard up. She didn’t know who she would be paired with, and despite the consistency of how the others were matched to their own Titans, Clair didn’t have a clue if she would end up with a protector or a destroyer. She wondered if they would like her at all.

“How close are you guys to figuring out who I’ll get?” she finally asked.

“We still need to conduct a few more tests. But after that, it’ll be up to the algorithm to decide.”

Clair gave a small scoff of contempt. “Really trusting a computer to do the matchmaking for me, huh? You know, I’ve never trusted dating apps. Maybe you guys should just have Amy do it and call it good.”

Ling gave a scoff of her own. “My niece is many things, but a matchmaker, especially when Titans are involved, is not one.”

“Had much experience?”

“Believe it or not, she at one point tried to set me up with Sam Coleman.”

Clair had to hide an amused snort behind a hand for that. “What? Um, when did she try that?”

“When she was about six and wanted to have a few cousins.”

“Well, she seems to have failed in that regard. He wasn’t you’re type?”

“I’m not into guys still going through the awkward teenage phase. She stopped trying to find me someone when she turned eight. I just don’t feel like I need a relationship.”

“Don’t feel like helping your family grow?”

“My nieces are more than enough to carry on the family line. More than likely only one of them will have a pair of twins and our legacy will continue.”

Clair did find it strange how most of the Chen family were mainly consisted of twins, seeing a picture in Chen’s office earlier of four generations of identical twin women. It was probably just really consistent genetics that kept that trait going.

Before she could ask how Ling could be so certain she would gain future grandnieces, the radio on Ling’s hip crackled to life. As she lifted it and spoke into the receiver, Clair became alert as Chen’s voice came over the speaker.

“Foster’s set everything up. We’re starting now,” Chen’s static voice announced.

“Got it.” Ling placed the radio back on her hip and turned to Clair. “That’s your cue.”

Nodding and taking a breath, Clair prepared herself as she trotted away from Ling and over to the entrance of the base, descending down the stairs and into its darkened depths.

Moving quickly down the stairwell, one light step in front of the other, she looked for the door she was meant to exit out of. Once she did, she found herself in an empty hall on one of the upper levels.

Her eyes scanned for any danger within the immediate area, only seeing an eerily empty space. No one was around, and the only noise she heard came from the vents cycling in warm air that seemed to press around her, making her body tenser. It gave her a moment to go over the objective for this training exercise one more time: find the other Links, get to the safe zone, and avoid getting caught.

Pretty simple really. She just needed to get over the fact that these were trained soldiers who were hunting them down, with plenty of experience in scenarios similar to this one.

Taking out her phone, she looked at the time, it just being one minute past twelve. This training scenario began the moment she entered the base, and would end on the dot at one, whether or not she found the others. They had an hour—now fifty-nine minutes—to succeed.

As far as Clair knew, the others were scattered around the base, making it more of a challenge to track them down with the limited time and when she was still trying to get a grasp on the layout of Castle Bravo. She would really need to rely on her sense of direction and intuition for this one.

As she moved silently down the hall and her senses heightened to the situation, Clair became acutely aware of the device on the back of her neck, the same one used when she met with Godzilla. Sticking to her like a blood-sucking tick, it sucked up the information on her brain activity, with the others being fitted with their own. Dr. Price explained in the beginning that it would provide more information to who she would likely be paired with in the future. But so long as it did not hinder her in this, she did not care.

It was a little unsettling seeing that there were no other people in the hall besides herself as Clair continued to move forward. Staff were made aware of the exercise beforehand and were asked not to intervene. She took it that most made themselves scarce and retreated to sections of the base where the exercise would not interfere with their own work.

Moving on, Clair went down branching off hallways and another flight of stairs. She didn’t want to make it easy for the soldiers to find her, getting as far away from the starting point as necessary. But as far as she could tell, she was the only soul in the base. She was just waiting for someone to contact her.

Clair was a little apprehensive with this training exercise, knowing that she had trouble keeping up with multiple voices in her head. Granted with the time she spent here and with the others, she’d gotten better at having most of the group in her head for short periods of time. This exercise would force her to go long term with it though, something that was a must when battles could last up to hours.

Finally, feeling a tickle in the back of her mind after minutes of agonizing silence, she easily opened up to it and heard Madison’s voice. Hey, where are you?

Clair nearly sighed with relief. I’m somewhere on level two, on the west side, I think.

Even if Maddie was the only one she could hear at the moment, the others were no doubt listening in on their conversation, holding back at the moment for Clair’s benefit as they made the Chain. The Chain she was told was something the Links made when the need to connect their minds together for issuing commands when a battle arose, offering instantaneous communication for all.

Okay, if you’re on the westside of level two, Maddie thought out, then you should go to the stairs that should be on the south side.

Okay, got it. What about you guys? Where are all of you?

I’m on level twenty-six.

I’m on level thirteen, near the Hub, Dante’s voice chimed in.

I’m on level seven, Jia sent.

I’m on level sixteen, Amy added.

I’m on level twenty, Eu-meh provided.

That meant Jia was the closest to her. Clair would need to find her way down to the Iwi girl first and then take it from there.

Okay, Jia. I’m making my way down to you and we’ll try to meet up if we can. Just keep letting me know where you are.

You got it.

Keeping the connection to the others open, Clair made her way to the stairs Madison said to go to. Once again finding herself in the stairwell, she made her way down to the level Jia said she was on. Before she could pass level four however, Clair had to stop in her tracks as unfamiliar voices could be heard further down the stairwell, steadily getting louder as they came up, with a commanding lilt to them.

Shit, I got soldiers on the stairs. I’m going on level four and I’ll find another way down.

Okay. I have to go down a few levels. They’re closing in on me, Jia supplied.

Got it.

That put Jia further out of reach. But so long as she was able to evade the soldiers, Clair still had time.

Turning around, she let herself onto level four and made her way through the grey concrete halls. She was still alone as she jogged her way over to the other side of the level. Soon enough, she found the door to the other stairwell.

“Hey you!”

Clair’s insides jumped at the gruff voice, turning with wide eyes to see a male soldier running towards her. Letting out an alarmed squawk, she ripped the door open and practically leapt down the stairs. She heard the pounding booted-steps of the soldier above, chasing after her.

Running on pure instinct, she saw another door to a different level and tore it open as well, sprinting down the hall to get away from her pursuer, hoping to God there weren’t any other soldiers on this level. If she got caught it was game over for her and everyone else, making the exercise a failure. He was still after her though, even when he was clad in full gear and she was in less constricting attire for this, keeping pace.

Deciding to make multiple turns to try and throw him off, running down branching off hallways, she turned down one hall and came to a fork. Heart pounding painfully in her chest, Clair looked left and right, undecided where to go, only to spot a little alcove hidden in the dark natural rock of the base walls, just behind a water dispenser.

Taking a chance, she dashed over to it and squished herself in, crouching and turning enough to where her back was to the hall and her left eye peaked out. Between the wall and the dispenser, she saw the soldier come to a stop in the fork. Viewing up and down the hall, he walked in her direction, disappearing behind the dispenser.

Keeping as still as possible, Clair held her breath, her muscles tensing as she closed her eyes, waiting as the thudding footsteps drew closer and closer. They grew so loud that she knew he was standing right next to her, searching for her. She waited for the inevitable to happen.

But then the thudding became softer. Fading, she realized.

Opening her eyes, the soldier was not in front of her as she expected him to be, but behind her and continuing down the hall as he continued to look for her.

Heart in her throat, a disbelieving Clair silently stepped out of her hiding spot as the soldier disappeared behind the corner. Once she deemed it safe, she quietly jogged the opposite direction and tried to find a way off the level. She was so thankful she decided to wear black clothing today.

Clair, where are you? Jia’s voice demanded.

In her dash to escape capture, Clair hadn’t bothered to look at the number of the level she was on. She had no idea where she was at the moment.

I don’t know, she answered truthfully. I got chased by a soldier before I could find out. But I’m lower than before.

Okay, I got chased too. I’m on level twelve. But good news is I found Dante.

Well, that was a relief to hear.

Okay, I’ll try to find out what level I’m on but can you guys try to make your way up to me if possible.

We’ll try Clair, Dante said, but this place is crawling with soldiers. You might have a few coming up towards you.

Great, she deadpanned.

Soon enough, she found the other stairwell and looked at the number beside it.

Okay it says I’m on level eight. What about you guys?

We managed to get up to ten, Jia informed.

We’re on the north side, Dante added.

Just two levels down, and there were no soldiers in sight at the moment. She could finally meet up with them. Okay I think I’m on the southside. I’ll come down to you and we’ll meet up.

Going down and opening the door to level ten, Clair once again found herself completely alone. Cautiously, she silently traversed the halls, not knowing who else was down here with them. As she continued on, the urge to call out to the others was overwhelming, but she refrained, not knowing if any soldiers were on this level. If she called out, she could expose them all.

I’m making my way toward you guys.

Same, Dante answered. We should meet up in the middle soon.

Keeping her steps light, Clair came upon a hall with a four-way intersection in the middle of it. If she guessed right, Dante and Jia would be coming from the opposite end from where she was. Slowly sauntering her way down the hall, she expected to see the duo round the corner.

Except a group of soldiers came around the corner of the intersecting hall, spotting her immediately.

“Shit!” Clair bolted, running back the way she came, escaping the soldiers and getting further away from Jia and Dante in the process.

Soldiers! Jia exclaimed.

Oh, damn! Dante cursed.

The duo no doubt made their own escape the other way, as she made hers. Opening the door to the staircase, Clair leapt and hurried down the stairs as fast as she dared, hoping she wouldn’t lose her footing and cause a serious accident. The soldiers were right on her, with her looking back only once to see a gloved hand nearly grab hers on the railing, saved by the quick reflexes she had to pull it out of reach. She doubled her speed to try and get away.

Suddenly, voices from below caught her ear. Her heart dropped as another group of soldiers came up the stairs toward her. She couldn’t keep going unless she wanted to get caught between the two units. Having no other choice, she chose the door on level fifteen.

Tearing through the opening, she sprinted as fast as she could, looking back with disbelief. Both groups joined forces and continued to chase after her, running her down. She doubted she could hide from so many eyes this time. She had to run then. Going at breakneck speed, making as many turns as possible in the halls to throw them off, she found the stairwell on the other side of the level and continued making her escape downward.

Her lungs were burning as her muscles worked overtime. Sweat was beading down her forehead and into her eyes, almost blinding her. She didn’t know how long she ran for but by the time she looked back, Clair finally found herself heaving for breath in a small sitting area on level nineteen. No soldiers were in sight, letting her have a moment of respite to rest her overworked lungs and aching legs. She thought about sitting for a moment, but quickly rejected the idea if in the most likely case another soldier came along. Making a quick glance down at the time on her phone, it said that there were only twenty minutes left.

“Fuck,” she hissed between breaths, not thinking time had passed that quickly. She didn’t know how they were going to finish this without failing.

That’s when Maddie’s voice came through with some good news. I found Jia, Dante, and Eu-meh. Clair, Amy, where are you?

The pure relief that came with the declaration soothed some of Clair’s frazzled nerves, finally getting her head back into the game. I’m on nineteen, she replied.

I’m on twenty-two, Amy answered.

Okay, we’re all on level seventeen. We’ll meet up on eighteen.

Just as Clair rose from where she rested, ready to meet up with the others and finish this game with pride, Maddie’s voice came through again.

Shit! We got soldiers. We’ll try to get to you guys.

Immediately, Clair knew that wasn’t a right move. Maddie and the others were in a larger group being pursued by soldiers. They could easily be captured or separated. The focus was on them, and if they led them to her and Amy…

No. Wait, Clair called out. I’ll get Amy. You guys just try to stay away from them and stay close to the safe zone. We’ll meet you there.

If she could get to Amy, then they could try to get up to the others. A group of two was less noticeable than a group of four.

The connection was silent, her proposal being contemplated by the others. For a moment she thought it would be ignored. Until Madison spoke. Alright. You get Amy and we’ll keep the soldiers busy. Just hurry.

Taking this opportunity, Clair quickly fled from her resting spot before a soldier did decide to come along, heading down to the lower depths of the base. As she went lower, the temperature dropped significantly, going from cool to nearly chilling. Soon, she found herself on level twenty-two, the level Amy said she was on. But it didn’t look as easy as it sounded, as Clair tried to figure out the maze that surrounded her. Crates and boxes of varying sizes were stacked on top of each other, lining the walls and making the path ahead look complicated. The ceiling lights above—the only source of warmth on this dingy, mildew smelling level—illuminated the hall every five feet, creating an eerie surrounding. It was completely silent here; the only sound was her breathing and the buzzing lights above.

Amy, where are you?

I’m still on twenty-two. On the east side.

Clair believed she was on the west side. Okay, we’ll make our way to each other.

Okay.

Going forward, Clair tried to keep her steps light as she weaved through the wooden crates. Most of them had the Monarch logo while others had Apex’s or ones that she was not familiar with.

At a place like Monarch, you’d think organization was a key trait they’d like to uphold. Clair thought different as she tried to move through the barely traversable path amongst the crates, having to climb over a few just to keep moving and wasting time.

Suddenly, she heard voices in the direction she was going. Sounding way too authoritative to be Amy.

Damn it.

Holding back her irritation for the soldiers and quietly retreating the way she came; Clair chose a different avenue to get to Amy.

Amy, you still here with me? We got soldiers.

I know, had to hide behind a box from them.

Okay, I’m trying to find a different way to you, just try to stay where you are.

Time was running short. There was only ten minutes left before the test ended. As Clair kept going, voices sounded off again from the halls, coming from the direction she was going. She wanted to scream. These guys really weren’t making it easy for them. She quickly backtracked as they came near, keeping silent as she ran. The frustration was mounting as her muscles became more tense with the situation. The overhead lights were starting to give her a headache as she moved along their path. Light. Dark. Light. Dark.

It was doing no favors to improve her worsening mood.

Then Amy spoke with some disheartening news. Clair, I have to move, the soldiers are getting too close.

They only had seven minutes left.

Swallowing down a growl, Clair tried to get a handle on where Amy was at.

Okay, where are you going?

I’m heading to the stairs to get out.

Okay, just try to stay put, I think I’m close.

But just as she thought the words in her head, a burly soldier stepped out from behind a corner and spotted her immediately.

Gasping, Clair bolted the other way. A shout rang out from behind, the soldier alerting all in the area that they found her.

Where are you?! Clair shouted to Amy.

Clair, Amy, what’s going on? Madison demanded.

I’m being chased! Clair frustratingly informed.

I’m sorry Clair, I had to go up the next level.

God dammit!

Clair, Madison barked, calm down, we’ll figure something out. Just try to get to the door.

Reigning in her boiling emotions with a breath, Clair heeded the command, continuing to run through the crates to find the exit. Just as she spotted the door that led to the stairs, a group of soldiers came bursting through it, noticing her.

Shit! Quickly making up her mind, she went another direction.

They’re at the door, I can’t get out.

Sprinting down a hall, she heard voices coming from the direction she was going. She tried to go back but the sound of the soldiers already pursuing her came closer. There was no other way out of the hall.

Frantically looking around to find some way out of her predicament, Clair instinctively backed into a little nook between the crates, trying to hide. It worked once with that one soldier earlier, maybe it could work again. But it was a fool’s hope, there were too many eyes looking for her now.

I’m trapped.

What?! Madison sent.

Where are you?

How many soldiers are there?

You have to get out of there!

The game is almost over!

Clair, you have to move!

Everyone was in her head. The voices were becoming too jumbled as directions and pleas filled her mind. Jump through the window? Cross over the soldiers? Run towards the crates?

Breaths coming fast, she raked her fingers through her hair as she became more and more confused, quickly drowning in the incoming information as the situation worsened, the soldiers closing in on her. It was getting too much.

Then the inklings of a prickling agitation were starting to grow within, soon to become a burning that would consume her if she did not do something.

The soldiers were getting closer.

There were only three minutes left.

It was too much.

She couldn’t do this.

Stop it.

Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it stopitstopitstopit.

Stop it!

Slamming the door to her mind, Clair shut everyone out and retreated into its dark depths, desperate to calm herself. But even with the door sealed, voices still managed to get through, plaguing her thoughts, her sanity.

The prickling was starting to burn. She tried to latch onto something that would overpower the voices, attempting to distract herself with memories, feelings, anything.

Her breaths were getting more labored as she curled up on the floor. The scent of wood and mildew overpowering. The cold air pressing around her.

She tried to think of something solid to put over the door so that nothing would come through, that would seal if for good. What was so sturdy that it could block this assault?

A flickering thought of her parents surged forth, one of the early days of her childhood, where she was surrounded by those who were dear to her. Where not even the darkest thought could penetrate the comforting joy of what those long-ago days brought to her and her family.

It was perfect. Taking the memory, filling her head and wrapping herself up in it, she tried to place it over the door, desperate for it to work and silence the voices. But it only muffled them, creating a noise in her mind that soon became a drumming too agonizing to endure. She didn’t know how much more she could take before she snapped.

Through her anxiety and frustration, in the darkest depths of her subconscious, another familiar door creaked open, the small crack letting through the sensation of power to enter her mind. For a second, Clair almost panicked, thinking that this would be the moment where she would damage and hurt everything around her, including the soldiers, with no jar to focus on. But as the power seeped into her mind, it did something strange. Instead of gathering into a point of attack, it dispersed amongst her memories, washing over them and flooding everything. It didn’t feel like it was burning, but it felt cool, soothing, like aloe vera to a sunburn.

It reached the memory of her parents and covered it. Her power was a part of her as much as she was a part of it. That memory of her with her parents, it was of both of them, she and her other half. Clair finally understood. It was not filling her head for destruction. It was doing it for fortification.

The memory and the power combined and formed something solid against the door, clamping down over it and sealing it shut.

The voices quieted, finally blocked with what she treasured most. Her thoughts slowed, her mind becoming lazy, letting her drift as the block over the door remained. Her breaths evened, finally able to slow to the now calmed rhythm of her heart.

Finally, once she had returned to herself, she looked up to see men and women clad in military green fatigues towering over her. The lead commander came forth, revealing Barnes.

Acknowledging the situation she was in; Clair sadly closed her eyes as she let out a defeated huff.

The game was over. They had lost.

An upturned gloved hand entered her field of vision, belonging to a Barnes that was sporting a sad smirk. Subtlety nodding, Clair took it without issue, rising to her feet as she was escorted out of the maze of the storage level.

Failure wasn’t feeling too good. Its bitterness filled her mind and body as little scenarios of what she could have done differently to avoid this outcome played over and over in her head. But she forcefully pushed them away when the feelings that accompanied them became too much to bear. What’s done was done, now they just had to face the consequences.

Though strangely, instead of being escorted to the gym where the safe zone was at, they went to the security room. Clair gave Barnes a quizzical look before he motioned her through the door. The lights of the room were slightly darkened as bright screens lined the walls; cameras scattered all throughout the base recording from different angles of the daily events of Castle Bravo.

Drs. Chen, Ling, and Price were there, along with Stanton seated at one of the monitors. Upon entering, the other Links had turned to acknowledge her. Confronted with the sight of the others gazing pityingly at her made Clair feel all the more a failure. Now knowing she failed them.

For a moment, the reason why they might be here was for Ling and Chen to criticize their coordination as a team from a third-party perspective. Clair would gracefully accept their critique. She was the one who got caught and thus she made everyone else fail the exercise. If one Link is caught, then they all might as well have been caught.

As she met the eyes of her friends, Clair let the apology spill out. “I’m sorry. I… It just got too much and I didn’t know what to do. I had to block everyone out just to figure out what to do. I promise I’ll do better next time. I’m sorry.”

It was a pathetic excuse in her opinion, but it was all she had to explain herself.

After a moment of silence, it was Chen that stepped forward. The stare directed at Clair was thoughtful as she waited for the beratement to begin. “You actually passed this test, Clair.”

There was a moment where the words didn’t make sense, that somehow Clair had misheard them, but playing them back in her head, she became even more dumbfounded.

She looked at Chen with surprise. “What?”

From the corner of her eye, Clair caught a few smirks on the other Links’ faces. “We lost the game, right?”

The confusion was mounting, how could she have passed when they lost.

“This was something of a trick exercise,” Price explained, walking over and plucking off the device from her neck. “As you know, communication is key for Links and their Titans, especially in high-risk situations. Learning to navigate while listening to others is essential for coordination in differing aspects of battle.”

“None of us were where we were telling you to go,” Maddie spoke. “We were all right here.”

“We were here to see your progress through the cameras and direct you as if we were in different parts of the base,” Eu-meh said.

Clair became incredulous, her eyes darting between the smirking faces. “You mean, I was running around the base alone this whole time?”

She almost felt like an idiot.

A few snickers came from them at her question, Chen throwing them a chiding look over her shoulder before turning back to Clair. “The test was to see how you handled yourself in a stressful situation,” Chen stated. “By simulating one, we were able to evaluate your techniques and how you changed along with the circumstances. From what we saw, you seem resourceful, such as using the environment to your benefit. Your reactions were quick and you made good decisions for the benefit of the group. And your blocking was a bit of a surprise.”

Clair only became more confused. “My blocking?”

Chen nodded. “It’s a mental defense, where you close off your mind and drown out everything to regain your focus. You can repel the thoughts of others.”

Clair blinked. She didn’t know there was a term for what she did back there, she was just trying to make everything go quiet so she could think.

“It took us a while to master,” Amy said. “You’re lucky you got it so quick.”

Clair barely registered what she did, knowing her other half was responsible for how it happened. “I barely remember how I did it,” she confessed.

“We’ll help you learn how to use it,” Chen promised, “once we go through some more exercises with linking.”

Clair nodded, finally getting a grasp of what happened. It was another new aspect of linking for her, one she could use to her benefit if needed. Even if she had failed this test, she managed to gain knowledge that would help in the long run.

Finally knowing what the test was for, she turned to Amy with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry if I snapped at you, Amy.”

“Eh, it’s fine. Sometimes it just gets too rough. You should’ve been here when we made Dante go through it.”

Dante groaned with annoyance. “Don’t tell her about that.”

Clair’s intrigue was piqued. “What happened?”

We made him go around in circles for ten minutes straight before he knew what was happening, Jia signed.

Clair couldn’t stop the amused snort from coming out. “Seriously?”

“They were really convincing!” Dante tried to defend himself, starting to become indignant.

Clair couldn’t disagree nor refuse the sympathy she felt, she was fooled the same way. But it was still funny to her. “Oh, I’m sure,” she teased.

“Actually, I think Stanton’s still got the video of it,” Maddie added, looking over at the man.

“Yeah, I’ll pull it up. Got it in the funny shit file.”

As the girls gathered around the screen to watch the video while Dante sulked in the corner, the feeling of failure for Clair was slowly starting to be replaced with acknowledging contentment. She learned something from this experience and she would try to do her best when the time came it was needed again.

***

The mat under Clair’s bare feet gave a little as she placed her full weight atop it. Breathing in through her nose, the smell of foam and processed leather filled her senses, along with the odors of sweat from different bodies and a myriad of strong deodorants. From her breath, a woosh of tense air escaped from between her lips as she readied herself, relaxing her muscles to release some of the tension imbedded within the taut sinews. Yet a buzzing excitement continued to hum throughout her body, as if there was an active hive of bees within her chest as the working drones crawled through her veins and beneath her skin.

Across the mat, Madison seemed equally excited, her dark chocolate eyes holding a glint of eagerness as they roved over Clair’s form, clearly studying her for any opportunity of an easy victory.

After nearly two months of training, this was to be their first ever sparring match together, both girls ready and willing to take on the other. Even if Clair had seemed ready to go up against Madison before the party, a hint of anxiety lingered at the prospect of fighting against a pro, hoping not to make a fool of herself.

In the stands, the others had taken their seats, the anticipation clear as they waited to witness the first fight between the reigning champion and the upcoming rival. All the Links were here to watch it, along with the doctors and even some of the soldiers. All were keen to see if Madison would be beaten today.

The prospect of doing so definitely filled Clair with a sense of purpose, a task which she was committed to. Even if it didn’t happen today, it would be something she would strive for in the future.

Barnes stepped forward, and Clair knew it was time. The air became thick with a suffocating tension, making her chest tighten with her own anticipation and excitement. Planting her feet firmly on the mat in a fighting stance, Clair prepared herself as she eyed Madison across the mat. The other girl doing the same.

“Same rules as before,” Barnes announced, glancing between the two girls. “Three rounds, two out of three is the winner. Ready?”

Clair nodded when Barnes looked at her. Madison nodded as well.

Satisfied, Barnes stepped back and out of the way, leaving nothing but open space between the two of them.

A hushed silence fell.

Trying to keep her breathing even, Clair’s stare was hard, trying to give no emotion away. The rhythmic thu-thumping of her own heart was all she could hear in that moment, just waiting for the opening.

“Begin!”

Madison lunged forward before the last consonant left Barnes’ mouth. Letting out a startled yelp, Clair only just managed to evade Madison’s grasp, quickly spinning away and out of reach.

Instinctively keeping her distance, Clair tried to stay out of Madison’s range, going on the defensive. Madison eased back as she saw this, going on the defensive too. Clair had been lulled by the hesitancy of the others in previous matches to not expect an instant attack, effectively catching her off guard. Maddie was smart for using that tactic.

As they circled each other, Clair became more aware of Madison’s demeanor. There was a deadly focus in her eyes, a single-minded determination, one she hadn’t seen with the others. It made her feel like a rabbit in a snare, eyeing the predator about to claim them. Unsettling was one word for it.

Brushing away her shock, Clair honed her own focus as they squared off, keeping her eyes solely on Madison.

Clair was aware of her own shortcomings, ones that would very likely give Maddie an easy victory. She tried to recall all she had seen with the elder in their training sessions. Madison was well trained for sure, rarely making any mistakes when it came to sparring. She had stamina, going longer than most of the others. And she was a heavy hitter, one that could knock the average person out with just a few punches. She had a tactical mind, one that has led her to victory multiple times. Madison made up for her shortcomings with the ferocity she showed. But she could be overconfident, with her undefeated title holding some influence in her decisions. If Clair could exploit that, then maybe she stood a chance.

Finally, Clair made her move.

Rushing forward, she tried to jab at points on Madison’s torso or at least in the shoulders.

But Maddie effectively blocked what Clair threw at her, brushing them off like they were nothing.

Soon, Clair began to tire, her punches having less force behind them. This gave Madison the opportunity to strike back. Foregoing defense, Maddie punched back with quick strikes at Clair’s exposed spots. The blunt force of fists connecting with her body started to take the wind out of her bit by bit.

Before Clair knew it there was a hand closed around her wrist and she got thrown to the mat. Her attempt to get up was thwarted when Madison’s weight swiftly settled on her, holding her hands down and straddling her body. No amount of squirming or wriggling could release her from the position.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Clair stilled, yielding.

Barnes saw it. “Pin!”

Lifting effortlessly from the floor, Madison dusted herself off and gave out an offering hand. Clair took it without complaint. It wasn’t a huge loss, she didn’t expect to win her very first round with Madison, that would’ve been too easy. The first round was basically to get a feel for her opponent.

Getting back into starting positions, Clair tried to figure out how to gain victory against Maddie. If she could win just one round against her, that would be enough for Clair. She had two chances left and she now knew a full-frontal assault did nothing for her. She and Madison shared the same height, but Clair was built with more muscle than most girls, making her appear larger.

If she could get a grip on Maddie, maybe there was a chance to pin her.

Beginning the next match, Clair was still weary to engage, and it seemed Madison was too. Waiting for another moment, Clair made the first move.

Charging forward, she didn’t expect for Madison to move so quickly. One moment she was in front of her and the next she was on her right, tackling her. But Clair wouldn’t go down so easily like the first time.

Planting her feet, she tried to stay up, becoming an immovable wall against the force of the tackle. Maddie saw this and went for something else. Clair felt arms wrap around her head and neck, trapping her and locking her to Madison’s side. She was in a headlock.

Struggling to stay up right, Clair moved backwards trying to get out of the position, but Maddie was strong, keeping her grip on Clair even as she nearly knocked her off.

Heat was rushing to Clair’s face as she strained against the muscular arms, attempting to escape their grasp. Maddie tried to pull her forward as she pulled back, both of them in a stalemate that neither were willing to give up. A tense tug of war with her head.

As the heat continued to rush to Clair’s face, she felt on the verge of losing her vision. If that went, she would be in a world of hurt.

She needed to think quick to get out of Maddie’s arms.

An idea formed in her mind and she immediately rush forward. They both went toppling to the ground. Clair tried to angle her body where most of it could land on Madison. Some of it did and Maddie let out a gasp of air, immediately letting go of Clair’s head to try and push her off.

Having regained her freedom, Clair scrambled off and away from Madison, knowing she put herself in a precarious position if she let Maddie get at her, her body not angled right to take on the other girl.

Both of them were back on their feet again, circling each other once more.

Rushing forward, Clair tried to throw all of her weight against Madison like she did to her, hoping to get her off balance and pin her.

Madison dodged her though, dancing away out of her reach.

Clair went after her, trying to catch her. But every time she thought she came close to nabbing her, Madison would dodge. It went on like this for some time, Clair lunging and Maddie evading.

It wasn’t until Clair started to feel the burn in her throat from the air she was puffing in and out that she finally realized what was happening. Finally catching on to Madison’s game, Clair stopped trying to go for her. She was becoming too tired, and she would become too slow for any counterattack Maddie would pull that Clair would ultimately lose to.

Clair stopped in her tracks. But the huff of air that escaped from her was all the incentive Maddie needed.

Pivoting, Madison slammed into Clair, easily toppling her over. Stunned only for a moment, Clair attempted to roll away, trying to get a foot under her to have some purchase. If she could get back on her feet, she still stood a chance.

But that chance was snatched away when a familiar weight came back on, restricting her movements and ultimately pinning her once more.

A frustrated grimace marred her features as a small growl escaped. Gritting her teeth, Clair’s fingers curled into fists as irritation and anger bubbled in her chest at another lost round. But she took a breath and released it through her nose, calmly reminding herself that this was only training.

Stilling again, she admitted defeat and lost the second round.

She had one more shot.

Going back into starting positions, both girls were heaving for breath now, glistening with sweat, trying to muster what strength was left for the final round.

Okay, frontal assaults were not working, and Clair seriously doubted Maddie would ever turn her back to her. Maybe she could be deceptive in this last round.

Beginning once more, Clair and Maddie circled each other like fighting dogs, eyeing each other to see who would make the first move. It was Clair who made it.

She charged at Madison, and the other girl prepared herself. Clair feigned right. Madison fell for it. Seeing her chance, Clair whipped to Madison’s exposed side, getting a good punch in that Maddie winced from, compromising more of her side. Moving quickly, Clair weaved around to Madison’s back and leapt on her, both tumbling to the mat.

A few surprised gasps sounded from the stands, but Clair was too focused on victory to look back and take in the shocked expressions she no doubt thought everyone wore. Maddie was under her, having turned around in the struggle and wriggling like a caught trout.

Clair tried to get a grip on her, not letting her escape her iron grasp. She almost had Madison. She could win. Until a leg came around her shoulder and twisted her away. She lost her grip and Madison took the opportunity. A punch came to Clair’s side that knocked the wind out of her, nearly making her keel over. It was everything Maddie needed. Rolling over together and switching places, Clair’s face was planted into the mat as Maddie pinned her.

Clair tried to struggle out of her restrained position, find any purchase where she could still win this, but she came up short.

It was no use. Frustration and anger scrunched up her face, baring her teeth as she made one final growl, but it would do nothing for her. She stilled, signaling she was done.

Not a second later, Barnes declared Maddie the winner.

A round of claps followed the declaration, even if Clair spotted a few disappointed looks within the crowd from where she could see. Well, at least she tried to give them a show.

Taking the hand Maddie offered for the third time, Clair rose to her feet and looked at Madison.

“Nice job,” the elder complimented. “You did pretty good for a first time.”

“Thanks.”

Both smiling at each other, Clair gave a final nod, leaving Maddie on the mat and made her way to the stands just as Barnes called out, “Jia, you’re up next.”

As she settled into her seat to recuperate and watch the two girls face off, Clair examined with little interest as the red splotches from the punches she got cooled, soon to turn into deep purple bruises by the end of the day. With any luck, they would fade quickly.

She felt a small tap on her shoulder, looking over to see Eu-meh with an encouraging smile. “Hey, you did pretty good out there.”

“Yeah,” Dante piped up cheerfully. “You almost had her. That’s more than most of us could say going up against her the first time.”

It wasn’t victory, but praise could do well enough. She had tried to do her best out there with Madison, but it just wasn’t enough. At least for now. She could only give a half-hearted smirk to their compliments. “Thanks guys.”

Returning her focus back to the beginning match, Clair went over all the mistakes she made on the mat with Maddie, making mental notes on what to improve and how to avoid defeat in the next match. She quickly steered away from that thinking then, trying not to become too critical of herself lest she be disheartened for the next fight.

She tried to look on the brighter side of things. Maybe she couldn’t take off Madison’s crown today, but there was always tomorrow.

***

The iridescent silver scales of deep-sea fish flickered and flashed in what little light came from the base, swimming by the glowing window of Clair’s room with little to no concern as she scrolled through her laptop. The white light of the screen illuminated the skin of her face as she ran through the numerous files that were presented, blue eyes focused on the black digital letters of every detail that could be gleaned from the information she was absorbing. Sitting on her bed, the facts of the unmatched Titans came in droves, telling her all they could of each one.

As promised, she asked for access to information about the Titans who were supposedly unlinked. Chen thought it was a good idea as well, letting her have the base of facts on the monsters to help her in understanding whichever one she linked to. There were plenty of them to learn about but the information on most was limited.

Currently, she was looking at the files on Titanus Methusaleh. The mountainous Titan was something out of a fantasy story as being described as a mountain that walked. She’d seen plenty of videos on him whenever he made an appearance and decided to move from his current spot, but the files gave details one could not glean from first glance.

Chen reminded her not to get her hopes up in case she was linked to a Titan who was not her first choice or her second (Her second choice actually being Shimo).

She did try to keep her expectations low, keep them in check, though it was hard to do when having a very active imagination. Always, small scenarios popped into Clair’s head, little daydreams as she thought about the Titans, ones where she would interact with them like how the others did with theirs. At first, she tried to push the thoughts away, keep them at bay, however it was difficult to resist their alluring imagery, making what little indifference she had crumble into dust.

Fantasizing about what her future would be like, Clair turned to the journal she’d been given, writing down her thoughts. It was given to her early on, something Chen said would be useful to her as she wrote down her personal thoughts on the matter and to others who would possibly follow in her footsteps someday.

A growing ache of sitting in the same position for so long finally became unbearable, making Clair finally stretch out her legs and crack her neck. Perhaps it was time to take a break from the screen. She’d been staring at it for a good three hours now, and her body was starting to get cramps.

Closing the laptop and standing up, Clair twisted and cracked all her joints as she tried to get the blood flowing again. As she stretched and rubbed at her muscles, her hands brushed along the bruises that lined her arms, some of the few on her body that weren’t concealed by clothing, courtesy of Madison from their sparring sessions.

Still, having become restless in the confines of her room, Clair decided to take a walk around and possibly go find her friends. The base was bustling as usual, but this late in the day, there wasn’t as much activity as there normally was in the morning, especially for training.

Meandering through the halls, Clair wandered her way to one of the rec rooms that were scattered around the base, this one being a common place of convenience for the dorm level.

Opening the door, she found it to be in use. Despite being enclosed by the gray walls of concrete, the room had a cozy atmosphere to it, light and carefree, feeling like the rec room back home more than anything. And at an organization like Monarch, with being away from home and put into many stressful situations, spaces like these were sorely needed.

Today, the occupancy inside consisted of a couple of soldiers playing with either the foosball or pool tables, fooling around with each other or playing videogames on individual monitors along a wall.

Letting her gaze drift to the other corner of the room, where a large flatscreen was set up along the wall with a worn-out couch facing it, Clair found two of her five companions whom she was seeking.

Dante and Maddie were engaged in what looked to be a wargame on the screen, leaning forward with their entire attention focused on the virtual shootout happening, fingers and thumbs moving like crazy on the black controllers. Clair moved silently to stand behind the couch as she watched their game, observing the split screen as their avatars ran and jumped and took cover from each other.

“Your ass is mine now,” Madison warned with a grin, starting to pull out a bazooka from her arsenal.

“In your dreams, Mads,” Dante countered. His avatar then took out and threw a grenade at Maddie’s avatar.

“Shit!”

The grenade went off, killing the avatar and having Maddie lose the game.

Groaning, Madison slumped on the couch as her side of the screen became blood soaked and announced that she was dead.

“Oh yeah! In your face!” Dante crowed, doing a little victory dance in his seat.

Clair smirked to herself. It seemed that Madison may be good on the mat when it came to actual physical combat, but it was all fair game in the virtual one. “Glad to see you are beatable,” she said aloud, announcing herself.

Both turned at her amused huff, faces lighting up when they saw her. “Hey, Clair,” Maddie greeted. “You wanna take a crack at this? Maybe avenge me?”

Clair considered the game for a moment. She never really got into videogames, especially the really violent ones. She had seen, and heard, her brother playing them when he still lived at home. She could still recall the shouts coming from Jason’s room, cursing up a storm that resounded throughout the house as he played God-knows-what with his online buddies. She chuckled at the fond memories.

“Nah, I think I’ll let you wallow in your defeat,” she politely declined with a grin, enjoying the pout it pulled out from Maddie. Then noticing the three bodies who were apparently absent from their tightly knit group, she asked, “Where are Jia and the twins?”

“Oh, um, they’re probably around here somewhere, probably talking with Chen or something,” Maddie nonchalantly replied. Clair narrowed her eyes at the tone that said she knew something. Maddie even shared a quick, suspicious glance with Dante.

Tactfully changing the subject, Maddie asked, “So, you all packed?”

Clair nodded.

“Good,” she grinned. “You ready to have the best birthday ever?”

Clair had to smile at Maddie’s contagious enthusiasm. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Tomorrow would be her twenty-second birthday. And they were to celebrate it with a surprise destination.

As the date approached, the thought of going to North Carolina to celebrate it with her brother was something Clair had considered, but the idea was shot down when Jason said he would be away training for the two weeks that coincided with the special day. She was offered to spend it with Emily, but Clair didn’t want to be a bother to her sister-in-law by putting on the pressure to entertain her.

The thought of going home to celebrate had also felt like a good idea. But there wasn’t much to do back home either other than to be with Kayley again and enjoy the blooming rhododendrons, which didn’t sound too bad.

Though once the special date was revealed to the others, they all but basically begged her to stay so they could celebrate it with her. So, Clair decided to spend her birthday at Castle Bravo in what a usual quiet birthday entailed for her. She actually thought about exploring some more of the base, maybe go down to the labs to learn a bit more of trivia on the Titans.

At least that was what was supposed to happen.

Clair had no idea how she got roped into it. She was still trying to wrap her head around the moment she finally agreed to the plan Maddie concocted for her. It all started when Clair asked the customary question for everyone’s ages. (Apparently, Dante was the oldest and Maddie was the second oldest, just a few months between them. And of course, seeing as how they both turned eighteen, Eu-meh was the youngest with Amy just being a few minutes older than her. And Jia had two years over them both. That left Clair in the middle being neither the youngest nor the oldest.)

Then when Clair revealed her age and the special date for her birthday, Maddie at first made a strange expression that Clair couldn’t quite discern, but it passed before she could make heads or tails of it.

“Come on, it won’t be that bad,” Maddie had insisted, not budging from the plan. “Besides, instead of it being a birthday, think about it as a bachelorette party. One last night of freedom before linking. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Unable to resist her persistence and the hopeful expressions of the others, Clair caved to the idea. She still had no clue where they were going, only that Madison promised it was someplace new and secluded. So that narrowed it down to as much as Clair expected.

Returning to present time, Clair nodded.

“Great.” Maddie then turned back to the screen as she and Dante started to pick new avatars for the next game. “So did you finally get tired of all the fact checking?”

Clair groaned as she rested her head on the back of the couch. “I feel like my head is going to explode. There are so many details. I’ll be lucky if I don’t mix them up and mistake Leviathan for Tiamat.”

“Yeah, can’t have you mixing up your serpents,” Dante joked, starting a new game with Maddie. “So, any guesses on who might be the one for you?”

“I didn’t know at the beginning when I came here, Dante, I as sure don’t know now.”

“Alright, just checking. Usually, you feel a little drawn to one of them. Like there’s the chance for a connection. No one’s caught your attention yet?”

“No. Though there are a few that I do like,” she said that gained the hopeful attention of the two.

But as she was about to elaborate, the sound of the door clicking open gained their attention as Jia, Eu-meh and Amy entered the room, talking and laughing amongst themselves. The smiles they wore were instantly wiped off when they noticed the other trio, or more particularly Clair standing there.

Before she could ask what was the matter, Maddie interjected, “Hey guys, how’d your talk with Chen go?”

A flicker of confusion played across their features before Amy perked up with understanding. “Oh, yeah, it went fine. We, uh, just talked about how the days were when mom and aunt Ling were Mothra’s links.” The other two nodded eagerly along to Amy’s explanation.

Out of curiosity’s sake and the fact she wanted to mess with them, Clair asked a follow up question. “And how exactly were those days?”

“Um, boring,” Eu-meh supplied. “Yeah, really boring. Nothing to do other than watch Mothra sleep in her egg. So not much excitement.” She wore a winning smile at the end.

Clair arched an eyebrow at the three, sensing that something was going on but the twins’ explanation (false or otherwise) had given a reminder of something that needed to be discussed with the elder Chen. “Where is your mom anyway? I want to talk to her.”

“Um, I think she’s in her office,” Amy answered.

“You think or you know?”

“We know,” Eu-meh corrected.

“’Kay, I’ll meet up with you guys later then.”

Maddie nodded. “No problem.”

As Clair made her way to the door, walking by the three girls, her nose twitched as she caught a whiff of sweet vanilla coming off the trio, looking at them suspiciously.

They shined her on with completely innocent smiles. Too innocent.

Rolling her eyes at the apparent secret they had between them, Clair left the rec room to go seek out the good doctor.

Just as Amy had said, Clair found Chen in her office. She was standing at her desk, looking over the papers strewn across its surface, and Clair wondered if it was a good time to interrupt. Waving away the flicker of hesitancy, she gently rapped her knuckles against the open door. Looking up from her desk as she saw Clair in the door, Chen smiled at the sight of her.

“Clair,” she greeted with a welcoming smile.

“Hey. Um, you busy?”

“Not particularly,” she said as she took a few papers in hand, straightening them out. “Why, is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I was just, ah… wondering if we could talk for a minute or two.”

“Of course.” Taking the invitation, Clair stepped in while closing the door as Chen rounded the desk, both of them taking a seat in the two chairs on the opposite side.

“Are you nervous?” Chen inquired once they were settled.

“Hm?” Clair hummed, wondering what exactly her mentor was speaking of.

“About the trip you’re going on?” she clarified.

“Oh. No, um, I’m fine with it, really.” She paused before adding, “Though kind of wondering where I’ll be taken to.”

“If you’re asking me to tell you where you’re going, I can’t help you. Maddie swore me to secrecy. Besides I’m sure this will be a nice little break for you. I know we’ve been pushing you lately and that you’d probably like to have a breather.”

Clair couldn’t find herself to disagree with that, starting to get a little sick of the constant training routines and testing on her brain. Mundane repetition was not her nature, and she would gladly take an opportunity to do something else to keep her spirit stimulated.

“We did just have your girls’ birthday party,” she pointed out, thinking that too was a break for them.

“But this is your birthday, and your first one with us. I’m sure Maddie and the others just want to make it special for you.”

It was a sweet thought and Clair couldn’t help the flattered smile that twisted up her lips. She really wondered what Maddie had up her sleeves to make this celebration memorable for her.

Clair’s eyes then alighted on the white papers spread out on the desk and decided to change the subject. “What are you working on, anyway?”

“Just some reports from the other outposts. New findings and information on differing interpretations of hieroglyphs, boring paperwork really.”

“I don’t envy you.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts, ‘cause once you link, you’ll be drowning in it.”

Clair just managed to suppress the groan building in her throat. The promise of dull paperwork left a bitter taste across her tongue. Instead, she clung to what else was said. “Do you have an estimation on when that will be?”

“We’ve just begun compiling all the collected data into the process of finding your match. The algorithm we have in place should be able to sort through it all by the end of tomorrow. So, we should be able to find your match here soon. Maybe you’ll find out when you come back.”

It would be perfect timing if that were the case. Finding out her match as a birthday present would be something.

But of course, the thought of linking to a Titan brought her back to why she was originally speaking with Chen. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

With a pensive frown, she turned to Chen, looking her in the eye. “Do you remember what it’s like to link, to connect to a Titan for the first time?”

Chen’s eyes drifted away from Clair’s, her expression turning thoughtful as she tried to find the answer from a distant event that happened long ago. Clair waited patiently, wanting to know and gather as much information and details as possible to work with when the time came. If it would help in the moment, she would take it.

When Chen’s response came, it was slow and dream-like. “A little bit. I was just as young as my girls when the bond was made. I still remember the feeling of Ling’s hand in mine as we faced Mothra’s egg, how nervous and excited I was. Even though nothing really happened in the end, I could feel something in the back of my head saying that something, someone, was there. Mothra’s always had such a calming presence, I often reached out to her just to feel it in times of need.”

“How does it feel, exactly?” Clair pressed.

“It was strange at first, like I was given an extra body part that I had no control over, but then I got used to it in time. The bond between human and Titan is unique to each pair, Clair. When you connect with a Titan for the first time, it’s… a very intimate experience. You’re giving your mind to another, opening access to it. But it’s also you trying to find the right beat your Titan answers to, the right channel for them to hear you and you them. It’s something you have to figure out on your own. Finding your match is half of the answer, the other half is up for you to decide.”

A channel? This was the first time Clair was hearing this. Did Chen mean something along the lines of a wavelength? Clair then remembered the presentation from the beginning, seeing the waving line between the human figure and the Titan, figuring that is what Chen meant.

“Does that answer your question?” the mythologist asked.

Clair went over all of what was just shared, going over it until she believed she had a grasp on the concept. “I think so. I’m just trying to work out the details.”

“Have you not asked the others about this?”

“I have, but they all say different things and I thought you could explain it a little better.”

“Remember Clair, every Titan is different, the same as people. You’ll figure it out when you get there. It’s going to feel strange at first, I can guarantee you that. But with some time, it will feel as natural as breathing.”

“I hope so.”

Chen smiled and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, which had Clair shyly smirk back at her.

The lapse of silence that followed only lasted for a moment before Chen perked up with a small “oh” and turned her attention away from her. “Just a moment,” she said as she left Clair’s side and went around the desk. Clair watched with curiosity as she opened a drawer and pulled out a small object.

“Before you head out for your party, I wanted to give you this.” Reclaiming her seat, Chen handed the small object over. It was a simple black wooden box, about the size of her palm. Clair curiously examined it for a moment, seeing no brand or logo indicating its origin, before cautiously lifting the lid.

A small gasp escaped as she beheld what was inside.

Nestled in the black velvet bedding, a bracelet of ebony leather was presented, but what made it even more remarkable was the silver head of a dragon that made up the clasp, biting its own feathered tail. Little blue gemstones glimmered in the light, making up its fierce eyes.

“Chen,” Clair breathed. “This… This is…,” she barely had the words to describe how touched she was.

Chen’s warm smile was enough to make something warm ignite in her own chest. “I had this made by a local jeweler in the Yunnan Province, a friend to the family really. She owed me a favor.”

Clair blinked. This bracelet was handcrafted just for her?

Instead of handling it like any normal piece of jewelry, Clair gently pulled it out of the box like it were a fragile piece of glass. The pitch-black leather was separated into different strands and tightly woven together, creating a thin yet strong braided-band. The metal was cold and smooth beneath the pads of her fingertips. She examined it in the light of the room, seeing how the gemstones glittered. “The eyes… are they…?”

“They’re sapphire,” Chen confirmed. “Very much real.”

Setting the box in her lap, Clair slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist, seeing how dark its contrast was to her fair skin. It felt like the perfect fit. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

As Clair examined the bracelet, seeing how it looked so natural on her, its weight around her wrist brought on a sense of foundation. A grounding effect, like it was a tie to this place and to all of the people around her. She thought about all the time she had spent with Monarch; of the moments she made here at Castle Bravo and beyond. Of the people here that welcomed her with open arms and the growing bonds she created.

All her life, she had such difficulty creating any sort of friendships. No one able to understand her and her strangeness. She was just too different. She could only rely on her family when it came to socialization and affection, and even that now was limited.

But to spend two solid months with these people, learning about their accomplishments and struggles, their loves and fears…

She felt a stinging tingle in her eyes, closing them tightly to disperse whatever moisture accumulated.

“Clair, are you alright?” Chen asked, looking worried.

Coming back to herself, Clair quickly wiped away the tears before they had a chance to fall past her lashes. “Yeah, just—it’s a really beautiful bracelet.”

Chen let out a relieved breath. “I’m happy you think so.”

Emotions were still bubbling in her chest and they wouldn’t go away if she didn’t let them out. She decided to speak her mind.

“Chen. I want to thank you for… for finding me. I never thought I’d end up here of all places but I’m so glad that I did. I’ve… never really connected with people outside of my family. But being here, with you guys, it feels so right. I’m really happy to be here. And I’m so grateful to have met all of you.”

She meant every word, hoping it conveyed enough of what she was trying to say, and it seemed to work.

Clair could’ve sworn she saw a little mist in the doctor’s eyes. “We’re happy you’re here too, Clair.”

Clair could only smile at her affirmation, closing her eyes again as she felt more tears trying to break free, knowing that she was grateful to have made the right decision to join Monarch.

She felt a warmth encompass her fingers, opening her eyes to find that Chen had captured her bracelet adorned hand in a comforting embrace with her own, giving it a light squeeze.

Finally letting a single tear roll down her cheek, Clair squeezed back.

***

Flying over the sapphire sea of the South Pacific, a vibrant emerald island plopped in the middle of the ocean came rushing up as they descended. The island was stunning from this viewpoint, not unlike Adonoa, but clearly wilder with the thick carpet of green that sprouted from its surface.

Nearly squishing her face against the port window, Clair gazed out on the marvelous spit of land, wondering what exactly was so special about it that Maddie brought her here to celebrate her birthday. The base they were coming up to was the only indication that it was inhabited by people.

Beside her, Madison, also viewing the island, asked, “What do you think?”

“It’s stunning,” Clair said truthfully. “But where exactly are we?”

“Baas Island. The newest outpost to monitor G, since it’s right next door to his place.”

Clair turned to her. “Wait, really?”

“Yeah, his lair’s just offshore from here.”

Clair’s eyebrows rose at the information as she looked back out the window. They weren’t just in Godzilla’s territory, but at the heart of it. They were celebrating her birthday in Godzilla’s home. Clair felt disbelief and warmth flutter in her chest, beyond honored to be here at all.

Clair understood why then there was no need for Chen or Ling to chaperone since anyone caught without an invitation to the big guy’s place was to be fired on sight. More likely with atomic breath.

Feeling the air starting to become heavy from the changing pressure of the cabin and the little jostling the Osprey gave, they quickly settled back into their seats as they landed.

Once they were at the base, Clair silently adjusted to the heat and humidity as two jeeps were waiting for them for their tropical island getaway. Clair, Madison, and Amy took the first jeep while Dante, Eu-meh, and Jia took the second. Taking the lead, Maddie led their little convoy up a jungle path and into the hills. Once the foliage had cleared a little, Clair could see their first stop.

The normal looking house was sequestered away on the side of a hill, overlooking the island and the sea beyond as if it were a watchtower. It was modest, a nice pale blue paint to it, and it was a bit smaller than Clair’s own home, but if it had enough space that Maddie brought five people to stay there, then it was probably fine.

Parking and leaving the cars out front, Maddie led them up the porch stairs with bags in hand. The warm whistling tropical breeze rustled their hair as wooden chimes clicked and clacked together in the midmorning sun.

Producing a key, Maddie opened the front door. “Welcome to Casa del Russell.”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Dante joked.

Maddie smirked at him as they entered the home. Taking in the interior, rich amber wood made up the floors and the lower half of the walls as sea blue colored the plaster of the upper half. A few picturesque frames took up the walls along with a few family photos. Comfortable looking furniture was placed around the home, providing an excellent selection to choose from as shelves lined with books and knickknacks filled out the rest of the house. If Clair could only use one word to describe the house they were staying in, it would be homely.

As the others made their way upstairs with their bags, Madison gave her a small tour around the house just to know where everything was. Once she got the layout, she went upstairs like everyone else.

Venturing along the hall, Clair found a room to her liking and settled her bag on the bed. She proceeded to pluck out her black and blue two-piece swim suit and stripped. Maddie said that they would go down to the beach once everyone was settled and ready since apparently there was another surprise waiting for her.

Once in her swimsuit and viewing herself in the mirror, a little shuffle around her wrist drew her gaze down, looking at the new bracelet from Chen. It had gained the attention of everyone back at Castle Bravo, admiring it as it sparkled in the light on her wrist. With a fond smile, Clair placed it in one of the pockets of her pack along with her necklace, not wanting to lose it the first day.

After lathering herself in some strong sunscreen and coming back downstairs in her swimsuit under her clothes with a beach towel, she found Maddie by the door with a few bags filled with flippers and goggles, and a large cooler that was most likely filled with food, checking them over. Jia and the twins were in the kitchen munching on whatever snacks they could find for lunch and Dante was sprawled out on the couch, getting comfortable and just taking it easy as he ate some chips. Clair joined the girls and got herself a little sandwich, knowing they would have dinner later on the beach.

She settled beside Dante and took out her phone, eating her sandwich and rewatching the video sent over text just this morning of Kayley, chirping at some birds from her window perch in the living room. From what Clair could see, the bee-filled magenta and light pink flowers mixed into the long green leaves of the rhododendrons outside the window. She even spotted a few white tufts of the cottonwood seedlings drifting through the air. And to her pleasant surprise, there was a pink and yellow rose in full bloom in the garden. A nice little gift from her dad.

The familiar scene brought on a touch of homesickness for Clair, wishing she could be in two places at once today. Exiting the thread, she then reread the texts sent by Jason and Emily separately, wishing her a happy birthday and that they couldn’t wait to see her soon. They had conversed on making a visit when Jason got back from training.

Finishing her lunch, she then ventured outside onto the porch to get a better look at the view, admiring the gorgeous home Maddie had. Speaking of her, Clair glanced over her shoulder as Madison went over the supplies for the beach one more time, making sure everything was accounted for. It also seemed like Maddie was chomping at the bit to get going down to the beach, practically bouncing in place. She wondered what else was waiting for her on this day.

Gazing out at the crystal-clear sea, she wondered what sort of aquatic fauna lived here, noticing the darkened patches of reefs within the water surrounding the island, becoming eager and itching to explore them. And also reminding herself that she may see the reason that a Monarch base was here.

She felt a presence beside her, knowing who it was. “You got a really nice setup here, Mads.”

“Yeah, just a nice little place for me to be close to G.”

“You think we’ll see him today?”

There was a very telling grin on her face. “Maybe.”

A shudder of thrill rolled up her spine at the prospect.

“All right guys, time to go,” Maddie called out turning away from Clair, beginning to pick up the cooler. Dante rushed over to help her pack it into one of the jeeps as the others followed suit and packed everything else into the vehicles. Soon enough they were on their way again.

Having made their quick pitstop, they drove towards the backside of the island with thick jungle passing them by. Whatever surprise was waiting for her, Clair was excited to see what lay beneath the waves.

The part of the island they went to was not far from the house, just a small twenty-minute drive from it. When Clair saw the place that they were heading to, she gasped in astonishment.

The noon sun shined down onto a secluded bay that was bordered by high hills and cliffs. The water below was a stunning cyan blue. But what really took her breath away and made her brain cop out was the massive dark form of the Titan taking up residence in the bay.

“What.”

Godzilla lazed half in half out of the water as his head rested in the shallows of the beach, looking very much like a colossal sunning crocodile.

Maddie looked over at her from the driver’s seat with a smile. “Surprise.”

Finally arriving at the beach, Godzilla cracked open an amber eye at the sound of the cars approach, but made no other movement.

Clair barely took her eyes off the Titan as they got out and set their stuff down in the white sand, feeling the ground shake as Godzilla gave a low rumble of what she thought was acknowledgement to them. Clair was in complete awe. Never had she thought in a million years that Godzilla would turn up to celebrate her birthday.

Setting the supplies they had for the beach down in a spot a fair distance away from the Titan, everyone started to shuck off their clothing.

“Wait,” Clair said, “are we actually going swimming with him?”

“Of course, why else would he be here,” Maddie said with absolutely no concern at all.

Clair’s mouth could only drop open at the confirmation, as Madison proceeded to undress, only leaving on her black two-piece swimsuit. The others started for the water, taking their goggles and flippers with them, leaving only Clair and Maddie behind.

“Come on,” Madison gestured with her head, “he wants to talk with you again.” Without waiting for Clair, she trotted up to the resting Titan, no hesitancy in her stride whatsoever. Godzilla tracked her all the way up to where she stopped just beneath his gaze. She barely made it to the height of his lower jaw, so tiny compared to him.

Pressing a hand to his dark scales, another rumble came from him with his eyes closed, sounding content and pleased. In admiration of their interaction, Clair startled when Madison called her over. She was slightly hesitant to intrude upon their moment together. That and the fact that there was no glass wall separating her from Godzilla this time, no matter how flimsy of a protection that might have been to the awesome strength of a Titan. Still, she listened to Maddie and came over.

Even from the distance she was now, the massive size of him still overwhelmed her. She could even smell him, something of a wet earthy brine scent. Once she was standing beside Maddie, the link was open and she heard the deep voice of the great god once more.

We meet again.

“That we do.”

Welcome to the island. I hope it will serve well for the commemoration of your birth.

Clair huffed a little laugh at the way he phrased it. “Thank you. And it’ll do just fine. It’s such a beautiful place, you really picked a good spot for your new home.”

It was well earned; I fought tooth and claw against Tiamat for this territory. A ferocious fighter she was.

“Whoa.” Clair could hardly believe Tiamat had the utter gall to square up to Godzilla. The sea dragon definitely had some courage, Clair could give her that. “And she survived?”

By my mercy, yes. Gave me a few scars in the process, as I gave her some. She nearly killed me in maintaining her control over the territory.

“Yeah, I’d definitely say this place is to kill for. She was a tough one, huh?”

Very much. No more than blood was spilt for it though.

“But you’ve been up against worse, haven’t you.”

A low rumble Clair recognized as amusement rattled the sand between her toes. Yes indeed. But let us not concern ourselves with past threats. It is time for celebration. Go. Play.

Not needing to be told twice, Madison then ran back towards their spot on the beach, leaving Clair in Godzilla’s company for a moment before the redhead decided to jog after her friend. Maddie grabbed some fins and goggles and rushed to the water, splashing and swimming into the blue sea.

“Come on, Clair,” she called with an open smile. “The water’s fine!”

The others waved encouragingly to her, waiting for her to join them.

Smiling, she finally shed her clothing and grabbed the last set of flippers before she paused for a second.

Clair uncertainly looked back at Godzilla but he stayed right where he was. The realization she was about to enter the same environment as a Titan dawned on her. She’d done it before, but he had the advantage of being amphibious while she did not, no matter how much of a good swimmer she was. Yet he seemed to be in a good mood today, and unless an attack was about to happen, it was unlikely he would be moving from his spot anytime soon. He looked way too comfortable anyway.

Shaking away the last of her doubts, she ran with her gear and went to the water. The warm shallows splashed against her legs as she walked against the surf, the water a relief to the sweltering heat of the tropics.

Getting used to the coolness, Clair finally submerged her whole body and placed her flippers and snorkel on. Maddie and the others were waiting for her, finally swimming out as she joined them. Maddie led them on a tour of the cove, all of them following the older girl as they swam the reefs.

Clair never felt more relaxed in the water even as her heart raced for all the wonderous sights she was seeing. Through the sun-rippling water, the reefs were stunning in their myriads of colors, schools of fish from across different species swam about in this paradise.

Shades of blues, reds, yellows, and teals made up the rainbow of fish that could be found. Smaller ones darted away at their approach, fearful of them being predators. Others of decent size usually swam the other way or went around them, not quite so skittish as their smaller counterparts. And some even swam alongside them, riding the current of their headway.

The group split up, going off in different directions to explore different parts of the reef. Maddie stuck close to her as she explored in her own direction.

Clair came to the edge of a small drop off and watched the schools of yellow tang and butterflyfish. She gripped the coral beneath to admire the way they weaved and danced in the water, moving with the current. Catching movement in the corner of her eye, she looked down to see a couple of white, black and blue cleaner wrasses nibble the exposed skin of her hands. She could only grin through the snorkel as the little things tickled her fingers with cleansing care.

Swimming along and looking up, she spotted the near invisible silver forms of needlefish at the water’s surface. She also saw a few decently sized parrot fish near the coral, minding their own business. Powering through the water, she swam up to a large rock placed in the middle of a sand bed, coming upon a trio of sea turtles grazing on the algae of the stone, paying her no mind.

Clair could hardly believe she was here witnessing all of this. The bay was filled with such biodiversity, such life, she thought that there were at least a hundred species occupying it. Briefly she wondered if it was because of Godzilla’s presence in the area that there was so much life, that his beneficial radiation was encouraging life to thrive. It would be something to ask about with Maddie.

At one point during the exploration, the blue depths parted to reveal a massive wall of dark scales, finding that they had come close to where the Titan rested, swimming along his titanic body with his giant spines casting large shadows into the water around them. Yet the fish couldn’t be more at ease with him, a few even cleaning his scales, as if he was a regular visitor, which as she thought about it, wasn’t too far from the truth.

Sometime later, having grown physically tired from all the hours of swimming, Clair decided it was time to return to shore, the others joining and casting off their flippers and resting for a bit. Taking the opportunity to be on land, some of them started to setup more of their spot as a grill was brought along. Clair offered to help out, but Maddie insisted that they were capable of doing it themselves. It was her special day and she should just relax.

Under the shade of an umbrella, Clair rested with Eu-meh and Jia as the others set up for the evening, watching the waves roil and crash along the beach. At one point, they even spotted a pod of dolphins that had entered the bay, leaping out of the water and playing in the distance.

After the others were done setting up for dinner, they all decided to play a few games on the beach, one of which was a race across the sand between Maddie and Dante as Eu-meh and Amy piggybacked on them, with Clair and Jia cheering from the sides. Ultimately, Eu-meh and Maddie won the race. Another was a small game of soccer, Maddie and the twins versus Jia, Dante and Clair. Kicking the ball around and retrieving it from the surf when it went astray, Clair’s team won the most points and were declared the winners.

After a few hours of good old-fashioned fun, Maddie suggested they go swimming again without the snorkeling gear. The others agreed and Clair along with them, wanting one more swim before the sun set. Returning to the water, Madison then led them over to the side of the bay where the visiting Titan laid. Swimming past his hulking body, they stopped in an area of open water. Clair was wondering what they were doing out here when she soon got her answer as Maddie alone swam away from them and turned back to face the group. Holding her fingers to her mouth, Madison gave a shrill whistle, and Godzilla opened an eye. Giving him a look, the Titan gave a huffing rumble and Clair watched in shock as Madison surged out of the water and into the air, standing atop Godzilla’s tail. She almost couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then with a whoop, Maddie launched herself off and back into the water with a good splash.

She popped back up with a gasping grin as the tail lowered back into the water, sending nothing more than a large wave that rocked them gently.

“Alright,” Maddie announced, “who’s next?”

This went on for a while as the others got their turns diving off the massive tail. Godzilla was seemingly unbothered with being the diving board for them, even looking pleased of all things as they laughed and hollered. Clair hung back and only cheered for the others, not knowing if she was brave enough to do that.

Watching as Jia and Dante dove off, Maddie swam over to her. “Your turn.”

“Oh uh, I don’t…”

“Come on, can’t pass this up.” Maddie proceeded to grab her by the hand and pulled her towards the now submerged tail. Noticing that Clair was swimming less enthusiastically behind, Maddie turned back to her. “Hey, if you want, I’ll jump with you.”

She looked so earnest as she offered the support, Clair couldn’t help but smile. “I’d like that.”

Now in place over the tail, Clair readied herself.

“Just let your feet find a steady surface and hold onto any spines with your hands, and he’ll do the rest,” Maddie instructed.

“Okay,” she said quietly.

“Don’t worry, he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to us if he knew it wasn’t safe.”

Clair looked at Godzilla as he stared back, and Clair could have sworn his gaze was trying to convey assurance, giving truth to Maddie’s words.

Clair nodded her consent. The tail began to come up, but slowed when it got to their feet, allowing them to get a firm grip before it lifted them out of the water.

“Wooaah.” Clair went up into the air with Maddie, trying to keep her balance on the rough black scales beneath the soles of her feet. They almost felt like solid rock, having a texture akin to callused sandpaper, yet the thrum of blood pumping under them said otherwise. She had to take a small spine next to her in hand just to make sure she wouldn’t go toppling into the water prematurely. The ascent stopped and Clair stood atop the tail with Madison as she looked down at the water so far below. The little bobbing dots of the others were cheering for her to jump.

“One…” Maddie said in preparation for the jump.

Clair took a breath, preparing herself. “Two…”

“Three!” they both said as they jumped together, the water rushing up to them. Holding her breath, Clair went feet first, going deep into the water with the surface high above. Finally stopping her descent and floating in suspension, she kicked her legs and breached, gasping for breath with shock on her face that she actually did that. Maddie surfaced beside her with a grin, only for it to get wider as Clair finally started to smile, letting out an exhilarated, “WOO!”

She decided right there to go a few more times.

After a long day of exploration and absolute fun, they all retired to the beach to relax in the waning light of the day, having a good dinner of burgers and chips. Long after the sun had set and the moon had risen, they stayed in the bay as a small bonfire was lit for their continued evening. The waves lapped gently along the shore, a lulling rhythm to the serenity that surrounded them. Godzilla had stayed the whole time, now dozing as they continued to celebrate, the time of his breaths matching the waves.

The stars were something else on this side of the world. The glimmering heavens above showed the Milky Way with its stream of stars filling it. Something Clair had only seen in pictures.

Whenever the chance came along, she would just stare at the distant specs of light when the skies were clear back home. Looking out into an infinite void where light still lingered, it brought on a feeling that was hard to describe. She would feel extremely small, knowing she was just one small life on a planet similar to the billions that littered the cosmos, yet feel as though there was a connection when starlight caught in her dark teal eyes. As if no matter how small of a person she was, residing on an insignificant rock floating through the vast expanse of space, she was still part of the creation of the universe, and just as connected to it as it was to her.

It was a comforting feeling, very much knowing that she was on the other side of the world far from home. In the past two months, she’s traveled farther than what she imagined would have been possible to go to in her life. Something she was starting to appreciate.

A small tug with some force behind it jerked her vision from the patch of stars she was studying, forcing her to look at another section of sky.

“Hey, easy back there,” she chided her hairdressers.

“Sorry,” Eu-meh apologized, resuming fiddling with the red gold locks of Clair’s hair, weaving them together alongside Jia. Feeling the calming effect of the girls’ fingers combing through the strands, Clair allowed her eyes to close in relaxation from the soothing ministrations.

She sometimes allowed them to do this from time to time back at Castle Bravo, especially when they would be sparring together. Usually, Clair preferred to keep her hair loose and wild, a testament to the unruly girl looking for adventure she would always be.

On the other side of the fire, Dante was messing around on the guitar he brought along on the trip, testing out the strings to make sure they were in tune. Beside him Amy poked at the flames with a long stick, feeding it with new logs every few minutes. Maddie sat beside Clair, now silent as she stared at her Titan.

Godzilla had remained in the exact same position since they got there. It made her wonder how laying down for that long was comfortable to him.

“There. All done.”

Clair brought the new braid across her shoulder to examine it, admiring the basic design the girls went for. Though it probably wasn’t easy to work with hair that had soaked in the ocean for a good amount of time.

It looks good, Jia complimented.

Clair smiled. Thank you.

Assuming they would take their original seats around the fire, Clair arched an eyebrow when Jia and Eu-meh then went over to the cooler and took out a white box, bringing it over and setting it in front of her. The others perked up at the scene. Upon opening it, she was greeted with the sight of a decorated cake.

The cake was royal blue, with frosted waves rippling around the sides as two orcas swam around her lavender-colored name. A single candle was placed in the middle.

“Oh, guys.” She was touched by the act. “You didn’t have to make me a cake.”

“We wanted to,” Eu-meh assured. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

After taking just a little picture with her phone for memories, she allowed the masterpiece to be cut and divided up amongst them. The cake practically melted in her mouth, making Clair moan in delight of how good it was. She would have to try and get the recipe from them. As she enjoyed the delectable taste, she finally understood why she smelled vanilla on the twins and Jia that day.

“You guys made this from scratch?”

“Yup,” Amy confirmed. “We wanted to make something for you that you would like. Maddie filled us in on how you like orcas and went with that theme for the cake.”

Clair started to feel the ache of having her cheeks be pressed up by her smile for too long, feeling so incredibly lucky to have all of this done for her.

After having a few pieces of the delicious dessert, Clair was then presented with her presents.

She was not much of a material person nowadays, the silliness of wanting to have everything when she was little long gone. The others basically had to pry the answers out of her and what she would like.

She got a t-shirt from her favorite show form Amy and two new fantasy books from Eu-meh, a couple of movies on a disc from Dante, a yet unpublished book about the Hollow Earth from Jia, and two soundtracks from Maddie. She kept thanking them for each present, not knowing how else to say her genuine gratitude.

After setting the gifts aside, the strumming of strings brought all their attention to Dante across the fire. He had promised to play a song tonight for the party, in honor of her. Clair didn’t know how much more gratitude she could show before she had to say enough. A slow, calm rhythm in time with the lazing waves created the melody he weaved. Soon enough, his sweet tenor voice filled the air.

“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,

I hope you dance.
I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'.
Don't let some Hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider.
Give the Heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,

I hope you dance.
I hope you dance.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance.
I hope you dance…”

Letting the last note fade out into the night, the world hung in a moment of silence from the blissful harmony. Once the last remnant faded, all of the girls clapped softly in praise of the beautiful song performed by their friend.

“What’d you think?” Dante asked. “A little too on the nose?”

“Mm, maybe a little,” Clair replied with a smile. “But it was really great. I didn’t even know you could sing.”

“My mom taught me. She said that music was important to learn and that it’s kind of a must in our culture. And hey, what’s life without a little song.”

She couldn’t argue there. “So, you sing for others then. You ever sing to Rodan?”

“Occasionally. He says I got a nice voice.”

“You are a pretty good tenor.”

“Thanks.” Dante then set the guitar aside, flexing his fingers from the performance.

“You know,” Eu-meh said next to her, “the Titans, at least ours, they like it when we sing to them. It kinda endears us to them and makes the bond a little stronger.”

“What about you, Clair?” Dante questioned. “You ever sing?”

“Sometimes,” she shyly admitted. “Nothing too serious. Although I did one year in choir, but I can barely remember any of the songs.”

“You sure you can’t play us one? Make sure you’re up to Titan standards for your own when they come along.”

Clair gave a light chuckle. “Nah, I wouldn’t know what to sing. Besides, aren’t you guys supposed to be the ones entertaining me? I am the birthday girl after all.”

He threw his hands up in surrender at that, the group falling into silence for a moment as the fire crackled in the center of their circle, enjoying each other’s company.

Then Clair spoke to the group. “Thanks again for throwing a party for me guys. Today was fun.” She then turned to Madison. “And thank you for hosting it. I couldn’t have done better myself.”

“Don’t mention it. I just thought about making this one memorable for you and taking the chance to get away from Monarch. Also, have it as a makeup for putting you to the mat so many times.”

“Oh, don’t remind me,” Clair groaned, rubbing her still sore back. “But you got it right about how having a Titan show up for my birthday will absolutely be memorable. Definitely be one for the books.” She looked over at the massive Titan on the other side of the beach. It looked like he was sleeping, but Clair knew better than to think he was not listening in through Maddie. Or at least sensing through her emotions. “So, did you ask him to come here or was this just his day off?”

“I asked him. He was due for a few days off anyway. Mothra’s got him covered for now. She’ll go out on her patrols and call if she needs backup. Gets kind of exhausting when you have to cover an entire planet for weeks on end. Even Titans need a few breaks.”

“Can you tell he was tired?”

“A little bit. Been a little more cranky than usual.”

A rumbling snort came from Godzilla, something Clair thought of as annoyance, making Maddie give a telltale smirk.

“He’ll probably leave here in the morning to go back out. But he did enjoy today.”

“I would say I was surprised he played with us a little, but I guess it’s a common thing to do with linked Titans, isn’t it.” She then pointedly looked at the twins, with both girls averting their eyes with sheepish smiles. “Did you guys enjoy your little midnight flight?”

“Who wouldn’t,” Amy answered.

“It was fun,” Eu-meh added. “Not every day you can fly on the back of Mothra.”

“I get that, but I doubt I was the only one who saw you. Weren’t you worried about someone stopping you or your mom saying no?”

“Not really, no,” Eu-meh admitted.

“When we’re at the temple, even if it’s under mom’s jurisdiction, we’re the ones in charge when it comes to Mothra.”

Clair furrowed her brow a little at Amy’s statement, wondering how it was possible for the twins, who had only just turned eighteen two weeks ago, to supersede their own mother in authority. It rubbed the wrong way with her upbringing, knowing parental authority was basically the highest in one’s life.

“It’s like how it is here now that G’s around,” Madison explained. “I’m usually the one in charge of the base and the whole island, hence why we could be here at all. We all are in charge when it comes to the Titans and where they nest. We know what their thinking and feeling so we give the directions and orders so that people can get out of the way. We make sure no accidents or misunderstandings happen.”

With that bit putting more clarity on, Clair understood then what she might be getting into. “So, you guys are kinda like leading figures then.”

“Almost. We kinda have to be when we’re the only voices the Titans have.”

So, Clair would be in charge of a base one day, whichever one was closest to her Titan. The thought brought on the weight of that sort of responsibility, how she would have to be in charge and responsible for people under her authority. It also brought on the idea that she would have to move somewhere else, leaving her home state and all she knew. Hell, she could be placed somewhere on the other side of the world.

But it didn’t seem all too bad. Madison was originally from the U.S. like her and looked to be getting along with her new home. And she seemed happy and content now that she was beside Godzilla.

The bond was something else, Clair knew that much, but it still astounded her enough where she needed the most basic aspects explained to her in detail just to have a grasp of it.

This prompted her to ask a question she’d been pondering on for a while. “I know this is a time to get away from training,” she started to ask Maddie, “but when you guys communicate, what’s it like? What do you experience?”

Madison fiddled with a little piece of bark in her hands, her eyes distant and thinking for a moment, before she tossed the piece into the hungry flames. “Well, you get feelings first. It kind of sets up the tone for the entire conversation. But after, it’s not so much as words coming into your head but flashes and snippets of images. And it kind of translates over into your head as words.”

She could understand that, speaking through imagery. She looked at the group. “Is it the same with the rest of you guys?”

Nodding heads and sounds of agreement spread around the others, confirming what Madison had said. So the link, the bond, was more basic in nature. But still of higher intelligence just to be created at all.

Clair thought it over as a small inclination occurred to her, making her smirk. “So the tail trick. He seemed to know what you wanted right off the bat. You do it often with him?”

“Only when my dad’s not looking.”

“Been caught before?”

“Once or twice. But if my dad knew half of the stuff I got up to with G, he probably would have been put on a ventilator a long time ago.”

Director Russell seemed like a man who would have his office littered with stress balls while his laptop played videos on breathing exercises. Seeing his reaction when Maddie and Godzilla interacted back at Castle Bravo proved that, Clair swearing she’d seen a few more hairs turn gray at that moment. All in all, Madison’s dad seemed to live with stress every day. Something she guessed was to be expected when you were the parent of a Link. “Bet your dad wasn’t too happy about you being a Link then, huh,” she said.

Madison scoffed. “To say he was unhappy is a bit of an understatement. He used his position as leverage to try and block me from joining Monarch, using everything he had. Chen finally managed to convince him to let me join and I was brought on. I swear though, if dad had blocked me one more time, I was just going to buy a boat and follow G around.” Letting out a breath from the rant, she looked over at Clair. “What about you, how’d your family take it?”

“My brother tried to talk me out of it, but I managed to convince him to let me come here at least. That or he was going to fly back home and hog tie me to the bed.”

That got a round of amused smiles from the others with a few chuckles.

Getting her small laugh under control, Maddie asked, “And what about your parents?”

Clair’s heart stilled at the mention of her folks, and her smile faltered as she downcast her eyes, the mood soon turning unpleasant at her silence. The others noticed immediately, quickly quieting down as they gave her looks of concern.

“Um, my parents weren’t around to hear about it,” Clair quietly admitted, not willing to say more.

From a quick glance up, she caught the shared looks of the group and knew what they were all thinking, pitying her and her loss.

But for Clair, it did raise the question of how exactly her parents would have reacted. A small scoff escaped her when the answer became clear not a moment after thinking it over. They would have reacted just like Jason, if not worse. Actually, no, they would have been worse. They would have chastised her for thinking about risking exposing herself in such a way.

She quickly brushed away the emotions from the thoughts and the admission, not wanting to spoil the rest of the night. “Though, they might have reacted like your dad,” she finally said.

“Yeah, I doubt anyone could match my dad and his explosion of denial.”

“It’s probably best if he’s just kept in the dark on a few things,” Amy said. “Anything that has to do with Godzilla already puts his blood pressure at dangerously high levels. Add you in,” she gestured at Maddie, “and he might as well be put into a mental institute, complete with a cushy room.” She then turned to Clair, “But I guess it’ll depend on who you get paired up with.”

“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out who the lucky Titan will be for me.”

“Well, we’ll see if it’s one of the ones we guessed for you.”

“What happens if the Titan I’m paired with wasn’t one of the ones any of you suggested?”

“Then I guess we don’t owe any money.”

“Or you guys could give me the money, seeing as how it’s my bond and all.”

Amy made a small chuckle. “Maybe not. But do you have a guess on maybe one of the ones we picked?”

“Oh, I don’t know… Maybe Methuselah.”

The mountain-like Titan seemed more laid back, somewhat of a loner and kept to himself. Something that Clair thought fit her perfectly.

And not only that. If he was more ancient than Godzilla, and he interacted with humans on occasion, it was possible that maybe he could have met someone like her. Even if she was Celtic, her Nordic and Germanic heritage put her in a prime area that maybe one of her ancestors likely had the power she wielded. It was a theory her parents had, one they extensively, Mom mostly, looked through by tracing all their family lineages back hundreds of years.

If Methuselah possibly met, or at least saw, someone with her unique abilities, it might be able to answer some of her questions.

The possibility of Mothra having known someone like her crossed her mind occasionally, seeing as how she reacted to Clair that day more than confirmed something was off. But she would have to reveal herself if she ever wanted answers from the insectoid Titan, something she was not willing to take a chance on.

And having a Titan that was on the friendly side would be beneficial. Less of a chance to get eaten.

“Oh, that’s it. She picked. Pay up guys,” Amy faux demanded, offering her palm out for the cash to appear.

Gentle snickers followed the display, with a few shaking their heads.

“Nice try, Amy,” Maddie chided. “Still got to wait though. But who knows, maybe you will get Methusaleh.”

“Maybe.” Then putting on a mischievous smirk, Clair added, “Although, I don’t know what kinda trouble I’d get into with him. Does rock climbing count as mischief for this group’s standards?”

It could, if you manage to get him moving for a ride, Jia supplied.

“That’d be fun. Does Kong give you rides?”

Not so much as Kong, more like Suko. He sometimes takes me on little adventures, even if Kong doesn’t approve.

“How does the reprimanding go with that?”

Kong can’t really do anything to me besides give me the cold shoulder. But with Suko, he threatens to use him for throwing practice.

Clair couldn’t stop the laugh that joined the others. Imagining the poor little ape being threatened by becoming Kong’s personal dodgeball. Poor little Suko.

As she continued to laugh with the others, Clair felt a gentle brush against her mind, almost too quiet to detect. She opened up to it, feeling Maddie connect to her. She glanced at the older girl, seeing deep brown eyes holding a glint of empathy.

Hey, if you ever need anyone to talk to…

Understanding dawned at what she meant. If anyone knew what it was like to lose a parent, it was Madison. Clair blinked and a wan smile formed at the offer. Thanks, Maddie.

Maddie smiled back, leaving the offer on the table.

After the laughter died down, Dante asked again, “You sure you can’t sing us a song, Clair? It’d be a good way to end the night.”

“Actually, I think I got a song,” she replied. “Sing along if you know it.” She took a deep breath and said the words. “I love the mountains.”

Maddie’s eyes lit up in recognition. “I love clear blue skies.”

“I love big bridges,” Dante sang, grabbing his guitar and strumming along.

“I love when great whites fly,” Amy added.

“I love the whole world,” Eu-meh joined.

And all its sights and sounds, Jia sing-signed.

They then all sang the chorus with bright smiles and barely contained laughs: “Boom de yada, boom de yada. Boom de yada, boom de yada.”

The rest of the night echoed with song and laughter, well into the time for bed. Returning to Madison’s house and slipping under the covers like everyone else, Clair dreamed. And for the first time in a longtime, her dreams were happy and sweet, excited for her future.

***

The base was nearly silent this time of night as Ilene continued to work. She would see the occasional worker or guard walk past the windows of her office, paying them no mind as her attention was solely transfixed on the reports that took up her desk and the screen.

They were all very interesting.

Some were new translations on the tablets and hieroglyphs from the temple, others were seismic readings of the surrounding terrain. A few colleagues had sent their own interpretations on what they meant, and Ilene found herself agreeing with some of them.

Any knowledge that could be deciphered would help them immensely in understanding the Titans and their world.

Despite what the program was doing, the Titans’ perspectives could only take them so far, somewhat inconsiderate of what humans thought about them way back when. But it was also one of the purposes of the program, to get the great monsters to see them, people, and to understand some of the struggles they created for humanity.

As these thoughts wormed their way into her head, the motherly itch to check on her children came to mind once more, wanting to make sure they were all right and that nothing was the matter. Just as the thought occurred, the logical side of her head pressed it down, ignoring the impulse. Godzilla was a gentle giant when it came to humans who were friendly to him, especially to Maddie and her girls. He wouldn’t let anything happen to them, and he would never hurt them intentionally. Ilene blamed her worry on the lack of sleep.

Yet there were other concerns other than lumbering Titans.

Despite Baas being in the heart of Godzilla’s domain, there was no guarantee that a breach in security wouldn’t happen. That someone could sneak their way onto the island and make off with one of the Links if not all of them.

There were still concerns with sleeper agents still being present within Monarch since the Rise. Security had caught a few that remained dormant, but it was possible that a few slipped through their nets and went under the radar. That and the interest of other parties.

Though it was very unlikely that any of them knew about the program. Ilene and her sister rarely let anyone outside know about it except for a few individuals. And secrecy was vital at this point since Clair had gotten here.

Ilene let herself smile a little at the thought of her, hoping she was having fun and doing better after her little breakdown in her office. And letting the guilty thought of maybe they were pushing her too hard rise again.

Clair had grown in the past few months here. Being the painfully shy and reserved girl Ilene met almost two months ago to someone who was making fast friends with the group and the Titans already. She seemed to be more confident now that she had come face to face with not just one but four Titans in the span of a few weeks, learning to adapt to her environments quickly. She was an excellent candidate to be a potential Link. And she would be soon enough.

It was only today that they finally managed to compile all the data and information of her linking into the algorithm that would match her to a prospective Titan. Soon she would bond to one and foster a connection that would bring them closer to coexistence and harmony.

She only wished Serizawa and Vivienne were alive to witness what they were creating. The pride they would have, to see their dreams become a reality, Ilene could only imagine.

At the thought of her old friends, she felt a twinge in her heart as she was caught in a moment of familiar grief, knowing they could never be here again. Her eyes wandered to an old photo placed on one of the shelves of her office. The picture contained all four them together: her, Ling, Serizawa and Vivienne, standing before the temple with proud smiles plastered on.

It was the thirteenth anniversary today. Ilene had already made a stop by their old rooms earlier to pay respects, having become shrines to the legacy they left behind.

She knew they would have been ecstatic to be a part of all this, being especially proud of Madison having a bond to the Titan they’d practically worshipped and studied for most of their lives.

Ilene could almost imagine Serizawa taking Maddie under his wing if he had gotten the chance, collaborating together and teaching her how to become a leading member of Monarch, not that she wasn’t already on her way to becoming one. The girl was stubborn in some matters, but she took initiative when it was needed, qualities that made great leaders. She would step into the role one day, possibly in the not-too-distant future.

Her bond with Godzilla was vital in the long run, having some influence over an alpha Titan would almost assure some protection.

She hoped Maddie and the other youngsters were also having fun, it was better than the sullen mood she would be in around this date. Clair’s birthday was a nice distraction for it.

She remembered how Maddie had cried on the one-year anniversary of Graham’s death, wishing that she never sided with Emma in the first place. Ilene didn’t know how that would have played out, but she did know that the distraction Maddie provided back in Antarctica with the Orca against Ghidorah had been crucial to their survival. If his attention had not been taken off the Osprey for a moment before Godzilla arrived, they all probably would have been crushed.

The guilt that ate away at Madison for her role in the Rise did not escape Ilene’s notice, wondering if a day will ever come when Maddie could forgive herself.

But ever since becoming bonded to Godzilla, she had become better in a way, lighter and carefree, and taking on more responsibility. Godzilla clearly had an effect on her, giving her a confidence Ilene had not seen for a very long time. Even Mark had commented on it, wondering how the reptilian Titan was a better influence on his daughter than he was.

A knock on her door drew Ilene away from her musings and forced her eyes to look at the familiar figure of her sister looking in on her. With the nod of her head, Ilene invited Ling in, continuing to examine the reports and adding a few notes to them.

Ling came to stand beside her. “The new reports?”

Ilene nodded. “The report from the temple. It’s funny how we’ve never seen this before.”

It was a new seismic image of the ground beneath the temple. They’ve done them from time to time, trying to find any hidden caverns or tunnels around the site. They just found a new one from the looks of it, much deeper than any of the previously discovered ones.

“What do you think is down there?” Ling asked.

“Hieroglyphs, items from a forgotten time, murals, the usual.”

“Can we reach it?”

“Possibly… We’ll need to get more readings before we go cave exploring, determine if there’s already a passage to get down there or if we have to dig.”

“Well, the reports will have to wait. Nicole wants to see us.”

Ilene’s heart skipped a beat at the words. “Have they already found a match?”

“Not yet. She said she wanted to talk about Clair’s latest brain scans.”

Ilene’s brow furrowed in mild unease. “Is something the matter?”

“She didn’t specify, but wanted to speak with us about it. Right now.”

Sighing, Ilene got up and left with Ling for the neural lab, preparing for what Price had to say about the brain’s anatomy. The woman could go on for hours about how the chemicals of synapses could trigger the neurons in different parts of the brain. But if she was enthusiastic about how a Titan’s mind could connect to a human’s, then Ilene was willing to hear whatever Nicole had to say in case it would be beneficial to know.

As they trekked through the halls, Ilene glanced at her sister and found identical brown eyes meeting her own. “Any new theories on what happened at the temple?”

It was not a new subject they spoke of. Clair’s interaction with Mothra during her girls’ birthday was not something they’d expected. Both Chen sisters discussed it well over multiple times already, even Amy and Eu-meh commented on it.

It was hard not to notice it. Seeing them both flinch away from each other, that fleeting recognition in Mothra’s eyes. The small moment did not go unnoticed for sure.

“I don’t think that’s happened with any of the others,” Ling continued to say.

“No,” Ilene confirmed, “not even Madison got that sort of reaction out of her.”

With the symbiotic link between Godzilla and Mothra, both Madison and the twins interacted with each other on a regular basis, especially when both Titans were looking to interact with each other. Sometimes Mothra would make the trip to Baas Island to socialize and Godzilla seemed to welcome it. It gave the girls time to bond, and it gave Maddie regular access to Mothra.

Even before they found out she was a Link, Ilene had seen the footage of Mothra’s first awakening and Madison’s interaction with her. The girl barely touching the giant larva before a harmless snort gently pushed her back. It was enchanting to say the least.

But Clair’s interaction was… disconcerting.

The unsettlement after the fact hadn’t grown thankfully, but remained a reminder in her thoughts.

What was the meaning of it? Why had Mothra reacted that way?

Ilene refused to put any sort of blame on Clair for the Titan Queen’s behavior, but her mind always wandered to what reason Mothra had to reacting to her that way. Mothra, who was the epitome of grace and tranquility was ruffled by a human girl no bigger than Madison herself.

Ilene’s inner questioning was put on hold once they entered the lab, finding their colleagues within. Nicole was smiling at Sam as they were in a corner discussing a subject over the new device that was deployed when Clair met Godzilla. A proper name for it had yet to be established, so it was being referred to as the Tick. Fitting when it looked and acted like the parasite, yet instead of sucking up blood, it sucked up information.

Rick was wandering about the lab, giving them a little wave with his ‘not yours’ mug in hand as the new recordings were being downloaded and categorized based on the pitch of the sounds from the Titans. Their vocalizations would sometimes be compared to whatever brain scans were captured at the time. A good way to determine what their moods were like when they didn’t have the advantage of a Link to speak on their behalf.

But Ilene’s attention was grabbed by the monitor running in the corner. It was surrounded by pages’ worth of notes taken over the last two months, all compiled into data for the algorithm to analyze and match to other sets. The screen held a picture of Clair’s neutral expression, as another window rapidly blinked with flickering pictures of potential Titans the algorithm was going through, attempting to find her match.

Ilene would never admit it, but she was somewhat excited by the idea of trying to figure out matches like her daughter Amy was. Based on what she had learned, perhaps Leviathan would be a good fit for Clair as the girl had spoken of her Celtic heritage. There could possibly be a tie between the two already.

Nicole finally noticed them, ending the hushed conversation with Sam. “Oh good, you’re here,” she said as she walked up to them.

“How’s the search going?” Ilene asked, indicating the monitor.

“It’s still going. Been going since this morning. Last I checked, there was still a bit of data to run through and process before a match can be determined.”

Ilene nodded. “The algorithm has been updated?”

“Yes, as updated as it can possibly be. Don’t worry Ilene, we’ve calibrated everything so that there won’t be any mistakes, confusion or a mismatch.”

That affirmation silenced some of the doubts on her mind. The algorithm was designed between her, Ling and Nicole as a way to search possible matches for unlinked humans to their possible Titans. They ran multiple tests on it, even placing themselves and the other Links in as test runs. After multiple tweaks and readjustments, the matches ended up as the same with their respective Titans, each one in the ninetieth percentile. That was what they were looking for with this process and Clair was the first one to really put it to the test.

But the incoming results would have to wait.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to ask about the training you’ve been doing with Clair.”

A slight crease marred Ilene’s forehead. “What about it? Is she not as far along as we hoped she’d be?”

“No, no. She’s performed beautifully, she’s actually progressed farther than I thought we would get when we started.”

That was excellent news to hear, but it still did not answer the question. “Then what’s the problem?”

“Maybe you guys scrambled her brains too much,” Rick supplied from where he stood, sipping on his mug.

Ilene gave him an unamused look before looking back at Nicole, but the neurologist looked unsure for a moment, as if what Rick said wasn’t far from the truth. “I wanted to show you guys something.”

Being directed to a monitor on the other side of the room, with a curious Sam and Rick following behind them, Nicole brought up a couple of brain scans, stilled images taken at different points of time for them to look at. Ilene saw the date of which they were taken. It was the day of the base exercise.

“These are Maddie, Dante, Jia and the twins’ brain scans,” Nicole explained, moving them to where they could be on the large screen taking up the wall, examining them along with everyone else.

The scans nearly looked all the same, the only differences were the names attached to each one. The usual areas of activity for linking were highlighted in bright blue with hints of green and yellow. From the many times Ilene has seen them, they all looked normal for when an exercise like this was being done.

Nicole then presented another scan alongside the others. “This is Clair’s scan before we conducted the exercise.”

Very little blue in her areas. Ilene thought as much. There was no communication beforehand and considering Clair had little experience with any sort of linking, her scans were not as bright as the others.

“And this is Clair’s brain scan in the middle of the exercise,” Nicole continued.

The coloring was practically the same as the others. All of the areas for communication were active, almost matching the others to a tee. Ilene was pleased to see that, knowing her tutoring had trained and brought Clair this far.

“And this,” Nicole said as she placed a third image up, “was near the end of the exercise.”

There was a drastic difference in the colors. Bright blue with much more green and yellow, with a hint of red in the middle. The image was unexpected, causing Ilene’s brows to furrow in worry.

“Why is there red?” Sam asked behind her.

“I was wondering that too. That usually means there was a lot of activity to a point that it should be concerning.”

That only fueled Ilene’s concern as Nicole then went to another monitor with them following close behind, showing a side view of Clair’s brain on a ten-minute loop.

“I think you’re both familiar with these little parts of the brain,” she said pointing at the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Ilene and Ling both nodded, but with Sam and Rick listening in, it prompted Nicole to elaborate.

“This is her amygdala, what we were mainly monitoring during the exercise for stress levels.” The scan started to change with the time in the corner, watching the colorations shift. “Both this and her hippocampus were acting quite on par for what we were putting her through.”

Nicole then skipped ahead to the end of the exercise, five minutes before it concluded. Right when Clair was in the basement if Ilene remembered correctly.  

“Now watch this.”

At the five-minute mark, the hippocampus dimmed while the amygdala spiked hard with activity. The activity in her frontal lobe seemed to change pattern as her parietal grew with it.

Ilene felt surprise at the drastic changes. Not as in depth with neurology as she liked, she had to ask. “What are we looking at, Nicole?”

The woman pondered for a moment. “I’ve only seen patterns like these with subjects that have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s like she was going into defensive mode, her flight or fight response kicking in. But the growth in her parietal is interesting. Usually that part of the brain is associated with sensory perception, touch and vision. That is the part that’s throwing me off, because that area rarely lights up with PTSD.”

“And the activity with the amygdala?” Ling inquired.

“Well, what I know from examples about those two parts of the brain and becoming active at the same time, there is usually cognitive shift in the persona. Here, with her, it’s like… she became someone else.”

Ilene looked at Ling, they both knew what Nicole was insinuating, knowing the only time one of their pupils changed in personality.

“I haven’t gotten the chance to test the Tick out on the others if and when they experience spillover from their Titans, but this,” Nicole waved a hand over Clair’s brain scans, “could be an indicator of a spillover with her.”

Rick spoke up first. “How is that possible? You said she hasn’t got a Titan. Right?”

“I don’t know. Her scans don’t show up like the others now that they’re connected to their Titans. But I only know so much. I was hoping you guys could tell me. Did she act a little different when she started out with us? Anything that might be an indicator to this?”

Ilene looked at her sister who stared back at her, both trying to remember any times Clair had acted different or anything unusual that called her actions into question. She thought about the incident with Mothra, but they would have known if there was something between them, and they needed more context of what exactly happened. It wasn’t anything to go off of.

Ilene almost came up short, until she recalled the day she met Clair.

Clair had become severely agitated when Ilene initiated communication, panicking and looking very afraid. But Ilene remembered getting a sense of unease in the few moments when their connection was open, as Clair was backing away from her. As she thought more about it, she remembered the small fleeting feeling in that moment that was as if she had entered the same space as a dangerous, skittish animal. Ilene then realized that Clair wasn’t afraid of her back then, but more of what she could do to Ilene.

Ilene opened her mouth to report the strange interaction when a small chiming beep announced itself. All heads turned to its source, coming from the monitor that was running the algorithm. Signaling that a match had been found

“About time,” Rick muttered before taking another sip of his mug, reaching the computer before the others could. Rounding the corner of the desk, Rick turned his eyes towards the screen. They widened to saucers at what he saw, nearly making him spit out his drink. “Uh, guys?” he choked out. “I think you want to take a look at this.”

The foreboding nature in his voice was enough to summon worry from Ilene as she and the others quickly joined him. The moment her eyes landed on the screen, her stomach dropped, and a dread that had been kept back since returning to the outpost suddenly rose to the surface. Part of her was tempted to take a swig of Rick’s whiskey just to drown it out. The others wore the same expressions of shock and disbelief at seeing what was on the screen.

Clair’s profile blinked in green succession with the profile of the Titan opposite of her. A Titan the algorithm had paired her with. A Titan that stalked Ilene’s nightmares.

All other matches were below the pair, showing each in the eightieth percentile or lower marked in red, the least compatible.

“Run it again,” Ilene ordered without taking her eyes off the screen, hoping that what she was seeing wasn’t true.

Stammering from equal shock, Nicole questioned, “Are you sure?”

“Do it.” They had to be certain. If there was a chance the algorithm was off, they could wind up with something else.

The algorithm was put through the process again. They all waited another hour with a suffocating anxious air filling the room, putting all of them on high alert. Ilene paced as Ling tapped her foot occasionally. Rick sat with his mug in his hand taking sparing sips as Sam and Nicole tried to busy themselves around the lab.

The monitor dinged again and they all rushed to see.

The outcome was the same.

The dread weighed like a stone in Ilene’s chest, seeing the details of the results. All of them damning. Ninety-eight percent compatible.

Clair’s match had been found.

Chapter Text

Castle Bravo, Outpost 54, Bermuda

Early June, 2032

“Come on, get her Maddie!”

“You can do it, Clair! Kick her butt!”

The cheers and encouragement from the others spurred the two opponents on, locked as they were in their epic battle, on the screen that is.

Clair thumbed the controller as her character cleared the corner of the road, racing against the only other character in the race. Bowser was trailing behind Mario on the stadium road, trying to overtake his adversary as they crossed the finish line for the final lap.

Clair may have never really gotten into videogames, but she made exceptions to a few, such as Mario Kart. It wasn’t nearly as violent as other games and had more of a fun quality to it. And she could appreciate that. And it was a good way to decompress after training.

After they had returned from the two-day stay at Baas late last night, they continued on with training and as usual, the sparring ended with Maddie being the victor against them all. Though for some reason, Link training had been canceled for the day, clearing the way for some free time, which the others decided could be best used to try and get Clair to play some videogames with them. They finally settled on Mario Kart after she rejected most others, as she had some experience with the game.  

As of now, Madison’s Mario was a quarter of the racetrack ahead of Clair’s Bowser, maintaining the position with a steady lead. What made it more difficult was the mine field she left behind. Banana peels and detonators littered the roadway, causing Clair to weave and make evasive maneuvers to avoid a spinout or a blowup.

When Clair was about to pick out her character, after learning everyone’s favorites, she did not want to pick any of the characters associated with the others and picked a new one, the koopa king standing out to her. He had good stats, and she remembered that she played as him once long ago on the Nintendo console games her grandparents got for her and Jason. Plus, he was a redhead, so it was a no-brainer.

So far, he held his own against his old enemy.

They had all gone a few rounds together, since there were only two controllers, and it had come down to just Maddie and her at the moment.

As Clair endeavored to keep control of the kart, her sweaty hands trying to keep a grip and the nobs and buttons, she came upon the row of mystery boxes. Hitting the second to the left, she was granted the greatest tool one could have for this game. Blue shell.

Lips pulling back in a maniacal grin, she reveled in possessing the disastrous item. “Coming at you, Maddie.”

She pressed the button that deployed the blue shell, and it immediately shot ahead.

“Shit. No, no, nononono!” In unfailing accuracy, it struck Mario, sending the little Italian plumber up into the air with his kart and falling back down while spinning out. Maddie growled in frustration next to her, attempting to regain control of Mario and the kart. It was in vain as Bowser sped past the still disorientated Mario, finally gaining the lead. With her advantage, she wasted no time, and soon enough, Bowser made it across the finish line, being met with cheerful music and confetti, even doing his little dance while pumping his fists in victory.

Clair smiled with the win, pumping her own fists in her seat with triumph as the others cheered for her. Maddie groaned aloud and, despite her loss, gave her a smirk, acknowledging her defeat.

Still high off her elation, Clair felt a nudge on her shoulder.

“Not so bad, huh?” Dante asked. “We just needed to find the right game for you.”

“I haven’t played Mario Kart for a while, but it was fun to play it again.”

“Okay, yeah, yeah,” Amy interrupted. “Now stop hoggin the couch so we can play again, I want a rematch with Jia for driving me off the road last time.”

With a challenging smirk, Jia signed, You’re on.

As Clair and Maddie moved out of the way for the girls to get started, with Amy picking out Princess Peach and Jia picking Donkey Kong, they moved behind the couch to watch with Dante and Eu-meh.

As they bickered about which track to use, finally going for rainbow road, they talked a little more amongst themselves.

“I’m glad you like this game at least, it’s fun to play with someone new,” Maddie commented.

“It’s not bad,” Clair admitted. “But I know it can get a little boring after a while.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you started on some other ones if you’re up for it,” Dante chimed.

“You guys have been really sick playing with each other, huh?”

“You kind of learn each other’s moves and it gets predictable really quick,” Maddie explained. “You though, your fresh meat, so it should be a little entertaining.”

“Entertainment being someone looking at the screen and screaming.”

“Screaming?” Eu-meh asked.

“My brother, we’d hear him all the way downstairs in the basement when he played videogames up in his room. It became background noise after a while.”

“Sounds like he played a lot,” Dante said.

“At least he wasn’t like that when he tried to have me play on one of his Halo games. Though he never got through to me on it.”

It was a nice memory of them trying to bond over one of his favorite activities, before they started to drift apart.

Continuing to watch the game, Princess Peach was just ahead of Donkey Kong when she grabbed a mystery box that had banana peels. Amy quickly released them behind her and Jia panicked as Donkey Kong spun out of control and off the road, quickly falling into the abyss of space.

“Revenge!” Amy crowed as Jia slumped in her seat, losing the race. Clair snickered at the scene, not the only one as she heard the chuckles from the others as Jia signed furiously for another rematch.

“Clair.”

At the sound of the voice, they all turned around to find Chen standing behind them. Amy and Jia paused the game, letting their attention focus solely on Chen. The doctor had been absent since they got back, barely even her daughters had seen a glimpse of her.

As Clair regarded the doctor and her sudden appearance, she noted the gait of Chen’s posture, the unwavering attention in her eyes, appearing serious and calm at the same time.

Her heart quickened at the sight. “Chen, is everything alright?”

Chen seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking warily around the room. There were just a couple of Monarch personnel occupying the space besides them, but she closed the distance to be right in front of Clair and spoke in a low voice.

“We found your match.”

Clair stopped breathing for a moment as her eyes widened. The words didn’t register for a second, as if they were uttered in a foreign language. Until disbelief clouded her head as she finally understood them, then that disbelief made way for an overwhelming excitement. Giving out a few stuttering breaths, a smile slowly lighted up her features. She almost couldn’t believe it. This was really happening. They finally found her Titan. She looked back at the others who only shared in her elation at the news.

“Finally,” Maddie breathed.

Dante clapped her on the shoulder. “About time.”

“Who is it,” Eu-meh asked, excited as well.

Chen’s eyes landed back on Clair. “Come.”

Clair followed Chen without question out of the rec room, hearing the others say they’ll find her as soon as they cleaned up the area from their snacks before they could follow too.

As they went through the base, a smile would split Clair’s face from time to time, unable to keep the giddiness inside as the thoughts in her mind began to run wild of who her match might be. Her elation was so overwhelming, she was shaking as if she were cold.

After a while, Clair was led to the same hall that the conference room where they first introduced her to the program was held on. As they neared, she saw a group standing before the doors, apparently waiting for them. She recognized Dr. Ling, Dr. Price and Directors Guillerman and Russell.

Once they saw the two, they opened the doors for them and they all entered, closing them shut behind. The room was dark and concealed, closed off from the rest of the base as far as Clair could see. She watched as everyone went to the other side of the room, the farthest end from the door. Chen, Ling, and Price took their seats at the end of the table. Guillerman and Dr. Russell stood and Clair took her seat across from her mentors. As she looked at everyone, she noted the mood that filled the room. The seriousness of the pairing was to be expected but there was also an air of unease to it, something unpleasant tainting the tone of what should be a joyous moment.

She shook off the ominous feeling, going back to the mood of her ecstatic self and focused solely on the Chens.

“So, who am I paired with?” Clair asked with a smile, ready to finally be a Link.

Chen gave a small hesitant glance at the others before producing a tablet and sliding it across the table to Clair. She picked up the device, its dark, inactive screen reflecting her dubious appearance, and she looked questioningly at Chen. Her mentor’s face was blank, not conveying any emotion or showing any sign of what she was about to see. And the others matched her. Clair noted the stillness in the room as everyone watched her, barely breathing as if holding their breaths. Chen gave a nod for her, prompting her to continue. Preparing herself as she held onto the optimism within, Clair pressed the button, and gazed upon the screen.

Titanus Ghidorah.

Any happiness that resided within suddenly vanished, snuffed out in a whisp of smoke as if it never existed. Gone. In its place, a horrifying, cold dread hit her in the stomach, weighing it down and making her lose some of her breath as her eyes widened. Clair had become so still that the steady, yet increasing beat of her own heart could be felt pounding in her head, drowning her world in its rhythm.

…what?

No.

No, no, no, no, no, this couldn’t be right. It couldn’t.

What was this? A trick? A joke? Surely this wasn’t real. Surely, they weren’t serious.

The binomial name stared her straight in the face as the file displayed on the screen had a picture of the sinister Titan, blurred as it was in rain and shadow. Clair's widened eyes finally blinked as she did a double take to make sure she was reading the pixels correctly, thinking her sight had tricked her somehow. But it was as plain as day as she registered that she had been paired with the most dangerous Titan the world had ever seen.

A sense of unrealism enveloped her as she continued to stare at the screen. The skewer of a cold chill thrust itself down her spine as her heart sank. It felt as though the very screen had physically punched her, ejecting the fantasies she had daydreamed about for the last few months. With trembling hands, Clair’s body stiffened as she gently set the tablet back on the table, never taking her eyes off the screen. Her breaths started to shorten in shallow gasps as she grasped this new reality.

Finally, her gaze shifted to the three women across from her, singling out Chen. There was no hint of amusement or feigned sternness, with her only looking ashamed of what was on the screen.

Her face becoming stone as she closed her mouth and breathed through her nose, Clair looked Chen straight in the eye, her voice stern yet calm. “What is this?”

Finally, she showed something in her expression, and it was guilt of all things. “You’ve been matched to Ghidorah.”

“No,” she said with a shaking resolve, trying to be firm in their incorrection of this result, desperate for it to be an error. “No, that c-can’t be right. It can’t be.”

She looked around at everyone in the room, finding the same pitying look in all of their down casted eyes. She then began to grasp that they were serious with this. The horror and dread of this new reality was setting in, all the way into the foundation of her bones, it becoming a fact. It was if she were in a waking nightmare.

Clair didn’t want to see the screen anymore. Quickly, she pressed the button and the screen went dark, making the image disappear, yet the sight of what she saw did not fade to her frustration. She regained some of her composure, demanding with as much grace she could muster under the strain of outrage, “How is this possible?”

“After the algorithm ran the first time, it came up with this result. After running it multiple times, it still came up with the same result. We then have come to the conclusion that you should be paired with Ghidorah. The results from your tests have shown that you have the capability of linking with him.”

Clair could barely understand what she was hearing. “Why?”

Chen hesitated when she spoke. “We have been looking for months for someone who could possibly connect with him. Because of the complexity of Ghidorah’s minds and his ruthless nature, we needed someone who had strong linking capabilities while also being of sound mind and who had a strong mentality. All of the tests you have taken show that you are the best and only candidate for this.”

“You knew I’d be paired with him?” she asked incredulously, feeling a sting of betrayal in her breast.

“We weren’t sure until the algorithm said so. We didn’t want to concern you if it didn’t happen.”

“But it did!”

Pausing from the shout, Clair pulled herself back from the outburst, trying to regain her calm even as she felt like she was crumbling inside.

Chen then spoke tentatively to her. “When we learned that Dante could link with Rodan, it showed us that even destroyer Titans could communicate with humans. And that was the basis of the entire project, to find someone who could possibly connect with Ghidorah. When the government learned that we could bond to the Titans and know what they’re thinking, they tasked Monarch to find someone who was qualified enough to link with him. If we didn’t, they would take matters into their own hands and attempt something like the Link program, only they would use people to try and control him.”

Disbelief was added to the whirlpool of emotions she was feeling as the information was given to her. She was basically meant to be a living tracker.

“He’s not even part of our world,” Clair began to counter, trying to deter them from this course. “What makes you think that I could have the slightest chance of linking with someone like him?”

“Clair,” Price said, “you have shown linking capabilities beyond what we could expect from just anyone able to do it. The likelihood of you connecting with him is as high as we’ll ever expect it. You’re the only one for this.”

“He’s an alien,” she reiterated, desperate to get them to see reason. “He’s not like the other Titans. And he’s trying to destroy our world. How could I be expected to bond with someone like that. I thought the entire purpose of the Program was to understand and build relationships with the Titans. Not use it to spy on them. That’s what cameras and drones are for.”

“But the problem is that Ghidorah can go off grid,” Ling spoke up, “which makes it more difficult to track him at all times. We can only predict his movements from what the Titans can tell us and even then, it’s too late. We don’t know if he can do this at will or if it’s just our systems failing us.”

“Why can’t you just put a tracker on him?”

“We’ve tried,” Dr. Russell interjected, “but every time we do, the tracker malfunctions and we lose the signal. It could possibly be due to his bioelectrical nature that’s affecting them. Or he finds them on his body and destroys them. Currently, there’s no effective way to locate him.”

“Except one.” Guillerman looked at her purposefully.

The realization of what all this was then came to her. They just needed her to keep tabs on him. She wasn’t expected to have a bond like the others, not meant to have a real connection. She was just a means to an end. “I’m just a tool then.”

“We are all tools in this, Clair.” Chen said to her. “Tools to help make the world a safer place. To prevent lives from being lost. We need you for this.”

Chen’s words did little to soothe the turmoil rising within her. “There was no one else?”

Chen shook her head.

Despair was slowly giving away to the rising flames of anger, with fists curling in her lap under the table. It brought a sheen to her eyes that she desperately kept back. She wanted to say no. She wanted to refuse all of this and the bond to the monster they presented to her.

Her immediate answer was lodged in her throat though, choking her off, keeping her silent. She stared at a spot at the far end of the table, letting her mind think.

If she did react according to her current state, she knew she would reject this news, refuse to bond to the monster they presented to her. But what she didn’t know was what would happen if she did refuse. Would they kick her out of the program or blame her for the lives lost the next time Ghidorah attacked? Her emotions were boiling over and this was not the place nor the time to decide. She didn’t have a clear enough head for it. So, she came to middle ground. 

“May…” her voice trembled, barely above a whisper, “may I have time to think about this?”

Chen’s gaze turned sympathetic. “Of course.”

Slowly rising out of her chair, Clair stood stiffly. Before she could take a step, the tablet was nudge towards her. “Take the tablet,” Chen encouraged.

Not meeting her mentor’s eyes, her hand swiftly grabbed the device and tucked it to her side as she made for the door, refusing to look back.

Keeping her eyes on the floor, she exited the room and entered into the hall, finding the others waiting just outside.

Madison bounded up to her, her tone cheerful. “Hey, so who is—Clair?”

Clair glanced up, finding all her friends with slowly rising concern in their eyes where anticipation had once been. Clair just as quickly averted her own eyes and kept walking. She didn’t have the courage to tell them. What would they think of her?

“Clair, what’s wrong?” Madison tried again, walking with her.

Clair silently shook her lowered head, keeping her mouth pressed into a firm line as she kept walking. She couldn’t talk, not now.

As she walked away from the others, leaving them confused and bewildered, she turned the corner, her pace quickening until she got into the elevator. She was grateful it was unoccupied as it took her to the desired floor, letting her breathe in the way where it felt like anxiety might choke her out. The elevator let her out on the dorm level where she dashed out as tears started to brim her eyes, falling just as she reached her door.

Once it opened, Clair furiously chucked the tablet across the room, with it landing softly on her bed. The door independently closed behind and she doubled over, hands on her knees, a hand covering her mouth to muffle the audible sobs. 

Shattered.

The perfect word for what she felt happened to her hopes and dreams. Blindsided by the bomb that had been dropped on her.

Straightening, she paced the room, running shaking hands through her hair, stroking her face to have some semblance of comfort, smearing the tears over her nose and cheeks. The crushing anxiety started to make her shake, unable to make her sit still, certainly not for this. She felt like there was air in her stomach, making a queasy feeling within that did not help her at all.

Clutching her chest, she angled her head up at the ceiling, looking at the smooth greyness of the room she found herself in, feeling too small and not private enough.

“Please, please, don’t let them do this to me,” she whispered in a trembling prayer, hoping that it would be answered, that this was all a horrible dream she could wake from.

Yet all of her damned senses told her this was reality, that this was real.

The anger came quickly, fueling the rage that made her finally lash out, targeting her dresser with a powerful punch. She heard a tiny crack within the wood as her fist collided with it, but it did not break. The dull throb in her hand felt inconsequential to her tormented soul.

Then came the flare of her power, rising at the sense of a threat and the brief anger. At its presence, Clair’s mind quickly shifted, going from aggravated to calming, trying to stamp down the sensation. It was the last thing she needed to deal with now.

As she calmed with controlled breaths, learned through her meditation, the anger quickly dissipated to be replaced by despair again, forcing her power to subside and making her drop to the floor.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as hiccupping sobs shuddered from her lips, she curled up against the abused dresser, a hand to her forehead with her thoughts turning depressing. She thought she would have a connection. A connection to someone that would understand her. When she saw the others with their Titans and how they conveyed their happiness around them, she wanted that. She wanted someone to understand her.

And now she was matched to the least understanding one.

Why? Why did she get paired with him?

Of all the Titans she thought of linking with, Ghidorah wasn’t even considered as a possibility to be concerned with. He wasn’t even on her list of potential Titans.

How though? How could she be compatible with him and him with her? There was no history or interactions whatsoever between them. Yet the results said that she was the most compatible candidate they had for him. But they couldn’t be more different. She loved the earth, he hated it. She wanted to create; he wanted to destroy. She was good, he was evil. There should be nothing that connected them.

Right?

Blue guarded eyes darted over to the tablet on the bed, resting lifelessly in the sheets.

As she looked at it, her thoughts became infected with a sense of uncertainty, feeling an inquisitive tug towards the tablet. She had only known Ghidorah through media outlets that have depicted his rampages and fights with the other Titans. The others and many people have mentioned their intense dislike and desire to see him dead again.

But she really didn’t know him.

She immediately disregarded the thought, thinking it as a betrayal to herself if she entertained any sort of indication of her willingness to accept the pairing. Still though, the thought niggled in the back of her head, making her questions about how this was the outcome all the more prominent, and that maybe the answers lied in the files on that tablet.

But she wouldn’t know herself what exactly made them be paired together.

Staying in her sport for an undermined amount of time, undetermined in which warring side to take in this situation, one finally won out in the end. Shaking her head as she huffed out a breath, she came to a decision, cursing her damned curiosity. She wasn’t going to learn anything sitting on the floor.

Rising to her feet and kicking off her shoes, she sat on the bed with the tablet in hand, turning it on. The unpleasant feeling of seeing the image of Ghidorah made her still for a moment, making her question if this really was the best time. Although, if she did give the files a glance and still said no, at least she would have a reason to. With furrowed eyes, she shrugged it off and swiped the image away, coming to the homepage. There were just a handful of icons to choose from, her eyes darting over each before landing on one that said History. She figured that was as good as any place to start and tapped on it. A list of files came up, documents and videos listed by date, from newest to oldest. She scrolled down, having some rudimentary knowledge from the latest events.

When she finally made it to the very bottom, the first file was listed as Prehistoric Records and Legends. She clicked on it. Pictures of murals and art pieces depicting a three-headed dragon filled the screen. They ranged in the timeline as early as before ten thousand BC, which was amazing to consider since there were so few artifacts before the cutoff of early human history. She focused on the one that was carved into a wall of stone and apparently had fish swimming around it. The description underneath stated it was found in a sunken city, in the temple of Godzilla’s old home.

The next two were from Skull Island, before it was washed away in the devastating storm. A shadowed painting of Ghidorah appeared first with limited information, seeing it was one of the first images of him before the other one. Next was an image of a Ghidorah-like figure surrounded by storms and skulls as it faced off against Godzilla and humans. Her heart sank a little from the image, seeing death depicted with the Titan. Not a good sign.

She quickly switched to the latest images after the cutoff, seeing numerous paintings and carvings with very little context for each of them.

To be honest there was barely anything to go off of. It was only images with dates attached to them but no written word as to why they were created and of what exactly. It was almost as if Ghidorah was a taboo subject to speak about. A note from Chen on the last picture tells as much, as if early humans didn’t want to be haunted by the memory of the sadistic Titan.

Clair looked at the next file that was labeled Antarctica 2016-2018. There she learned of the expedition lead by Dr. Vivienne Graham that found Ghidorah’s icy tomb. They had quickly established Outpost 32 on the ice, around the frozen Titan to study him. No one thought he was alive at the time, but there were reports of strange whispers coming off the wall of the ice he was framed in, what they called The Wall of Serpents, ones that induced paranoia among the outpost’s occupants. Dr. Graham seemed to suffer from it too, watching as her notes became more sporadic and sparser. One of the last notes she left before she was called away to deal with meetings in the U.S. Senate read as such.

“The devil has three heads.”

Consciously gulping as an unsettled feeling overcame her with the doctor’s words, Clair wondered what she exactly meant by that before continuing.

The file ended on regular updates from the base after the doctor’s departure, nothing becoming amiss in her absence.

Clair paused in her search to understand Ghidorah for a moment, mind wandering to Dr. Graham’s notes. The devil has three heads. Her brain was trying to pick apart the phrase. Ghidorah was obviously the subject, with the three heads part. But the devil?

Clair never paid much attention to her christen heritage, opting for another path. But what she did know was a few snippets of what the bible told of who the devil was, yet it depended on the source. What source was Graham referring to? She pushed the thought aside to ruminate on later for answers, taking a breath to refocus on what she was currently doing.

She got out of the current file and looked at the next one. She paused.

It was a video file, labeled as Antarctica, May 2019.

Noticing the significance of the date, she looked at the files above it, seeing ones titled as Isla de Mara, May 2019. Washington D.C., May 2019. And Boston, May 2019.

2019. Thirteen years ago. The time when…

She stared at the next file, having a feeling of what it contained.

She hesitantly clicked on it, the screen turning into a white page with a black box of where the recording would be, an encircled play button in the middle of it. She turned the tablet to its side, watching as the entire screen became engulfed in black. The white play button the only light.

She had an idea what she was about to see, what she didn’t know was how exactly it was going to play out. For a second, she almost pulled back, unsure if she could handle what was on the video.

But the thought of who she had been paired with and why she was looking at these files in the first place compelled her to make as thorough of an examination of her potential bonded as she could. The information was here, at her fingertips. And like it was with her signing the contract with Monarch, she would be a fool if she didn’t go over all the contents.

And Clair was no fool.

She tapped the play button.

***

“You can’t do this to her!”

Ilene gave a slight wince from the volume of the shout, hoping she wouldn’t lose her hearing anytime soon. Of all the people who learned who Clair was to be paired with, Madison’s reaction was the strongest. It was expected, Mark even warned against it, yet the truth needed to come out to all of them.

The others reacted along the same vein of outrage, her daughters’ voices joining Madison’s as Jia threw rapid signs that Ilene only caught half of, showing various expressions of anger and disbelief. Dante looked a little more subdued, glancing at the door Clair exited out of moments ago with a worried look before returning his attention to them and voicing his own objections.

Ilene took all of their complaints with a passive expression, knowing it wouldn’t change anything now that Clair knew the results. And it was only adding to the guilt she was feeling when she dropped the news on the poor girl.

“You can’t be serious,” Dante asked.

Amy pleaded, “Mom, this is a mistake.”

Maddie’s voice drowned them all out. “You can’t pair her to him!”

Ilene sighed, finally having enough. “Maddie, we don’t have a choice,” she argued gently, trying to get her pupil to see reason. “You know we can’t keep fighting Ghidorah like this. We need to know where he is and what he’s thinking so we can prepare in time for his attacks. He’s picking off our populated cities one by one. How long do you think it’ll be before we become an endangered species? And his attempts to get into the Hollow Earth, that will only lead to disaster if he succeeds.”

“But Clair shouldn’t be paired with him! She should be paired with one of the Titans who is trying to stop Ghidorah!”

“All of the results say she wouldn’t be a fit match for any of the other Titans,” Price chimed in. “Ghidorah is the closest one she got. And that was what we needed when we put out the survey.”

Ilene subtly grimaced from the mention of the survey. She rejected the idea when the government presented it to them, after they learned of the ability of certain humans being able to communicate and bond to the Titans, more or less pressing Monarch’s officials, her and Ling, to find someone who could bond to Ghidorah, no matter how much she thought it was a mad idea to try and control an uncontrollable Titan.

“So, what.” Madison demanded. “We’re just supposed to be okay with this, that she’s linked to the Titan who is trying to kill us all? What if he decides he doesn’t want to have a Link? What if he decides to kill Clair the moment she tries? And what’s to stop him from coming after us when he learns what we’re trying to do?”

“Which is why we are going to teach her how to build mental defensive walls in her own psyche to block any attacks he may launch against her. To make sure that sensitive information is kept from him,” Ling was quick to say.

Maddie looked at Ling as if she’d lost her mind, before turning back on Ilene. “Chen, you told me once that the link only works if there is complete honesty, that we are open with our Titans. That there is trust. You taught that to me, to your daughters, to Dante and Jia. Do you really think her link is going to work or at the very least be healthy if she keeps secrets from him?”

Ilene hated to admit it, but Madison had a point, that the link would most likely be unhealthy.

And Clair was one of the most promising psychics she’d met. She’d practiced her abilities within a few months when it could take up to years to master. Having matched with Ghidorah honestly felt like they were sacrificing potential that could have been best used elsewhere.

And Ilene could not deny the gnawing guilt she was holding in. Seeing Clair’s reaction to the match, with her face going pale and Ilene could have sworn she saw something fragile breaking behind the girl’s terrified gaze. It was like a punch to the gut. It almost made her want to reach across the table to take the tablet back and break it over her knee, saying that it was all a horrible mistake and comfort Clair for the error.

Sadly though, this was the reality they were all facing, and they needed to come to terms with it.

“Madison,” Guillerman spoke up. “Monarch is being depleted of its arsenal with every attack. Being able to predict Ghidorah’s movements would ensure not just the protection of human life, but save resources that could be used with better efficiency.”

In other words, they were running out of missiles to fire at a being that could regenerate at the snap of a finger. And they weren’t just running out of resources.

The Titans were tiring. She’d seen it from the readings Rick got off of Godzilla, having less and less energy after every fight, even when he’d returned back to Baas to feed in his underwater lair. And she felt it along the faded bond with Mothra, knowing the Queen was just a few fights away from being forced to rebirth into a new body.

If they were too weak to fight, and the other Titans couldn’t possibly hold their own against him, then there was no stopping the alien Titan.

Ghidorah was chipping away at their defenses every time he attacked. With Clair keeping track of him, it would hinder his advancement to dominate the Earth and give them time to recover and regroup.

They needed her.

“Clair’s matched to Ghidorah,” Ilene confirmed with dead certainty, looking at Madison. “There’s no changing that.”

Maddie fumed. “Ghidorah’s going to eat her alive, figuratively and literally. You know this, but you’re going to send her to die anyway.”

“It’s either Ghidorah or no one.”

“It’ll be like aunt Viv all over again!”

A stillness came as the name hung in the air like a phantom had entered the room, chilling everyone to their cores. It forced Ilene to break eye contact with Madison, lowering it to the varnished wood. She still remembered that terrible night, when the golden terror was released onto the world and his first victim had been her long-time friend. She couldn’t help the sense of sickening dread that lingered in the pit of her stomach that they were possibly sentencing Clair to the same fate.

An overwhelming sense of something more than fondness surged through her, bringing a mist to her eyes. She had grown close to Clair, coming to care for her in the time she’d been here. Gifting her that bracelet was proof enough that there was an attachment.

But this wasn’t about Ilene or Madison or anyone else. This was about Clair and what she needed. And the last thing Clair needed was to become isolated from the group that could offer her support. Ilene had to make sure they were all on Clair’s side.

“Maddie,” she pleaded, “we know this is difficult for you, for all of us. But this is especially difficult for Clair. She’ll need us now more than ever. She’ll need help when she faces him.”

“Has she said yes?”

Ilene thought it was wise for Clair to ask for more time to take in the news, but it wasn’t a yes. “Clair’s still deciding.”

“She’ll say no.”

“Maybe, but she hasn’t yet. And if there’s a chance that she will accept, will you help her?”

“Help her with what, give tips to Ghidorah on how to attack Godzilla? How to easily kill the other Titans or how to get into the Hollow Earth? We’re giving him inside information with this.”

“Madison, we need your cooperation as well as the other Links. Clair is going to need your support if she decides to do this. It won’t be easy for her.”

“Oh, I know, it’s not even easy for her now. She wouldn’t even look at us when she came out. She just ran away.”

Ilene understood this was difficult for Clair, but perhaps she was underestimating how emotionally distressing this news was. The thought of Clair panicking in her room strummed her heartstrings painfully. A part of her said that she should give Clair time to herself, to let her figure this out on her own. But if she recalled, Clair always seemed to calm a little in her presence, possibly taking comfort in knowing that she wasn’t alone. Perhaps she could bring some comfort to her now. Rising from her seat with the compelling guilt, Ilene decided.

“I’ll go talk to her.”

***

“Ambush! Ambush! We’re taking heavy losses! Hold your fire, we got friendlies!”

Clair didn’t think she could pull her terrified eyes away from the screen, her breaths coming in shallow shudders every few seconds, having to subconsciously remember to breathe.

From the views of multiple helmet cameras played in a single video, she watched the footage of Monarch forces going up against Alan Jonah and his eco-terrorists, saw how Emma Russell betrayed the world, witnessed from a first-person perspective of how the Rise started.

How a Titan encased in ice for thousands of years rose from death.

A cold dread had blanketed her as she watched the footage.

Three devilish smirks that arose from the icy tomb, greeted the disheveled soldiers lingering on the ice. Flashes of lightning and roars erupted from the screen, Clair couldn’t tear her eyes away. She covered her mouth as she watched men become disintegrated by gravity beams. Heard the terrified screams from inside the Osprey as it was being crushed from the outside. Viewed from ground zero as Godzilla arrived and fought Ghidorah in a ferocious battle.

Watched how Dr. Vivienne Graham died.

That scream, jaws snapping shut, Director Russell standing there with disbelief in his eyes, the ice breaking between the teeth. The horror of seeing a human being devoured alive.

And then she was gone.

Something ripped inside of her, like a piece of her had just been torn away from her being and lost to the abyss, never to be retrieved. Her body was shaking. A trembling hand gripped her sternum where she felt the pain. The images replayed in her head as she tried desperately to forget them.

And to think she was to be connected to that monster.

It was too much.

The tablet immediately went dark as she pushed it away from herself as if it were sin.

She was horrified. It was sickening. The images replayed over and over again in her head, now branded into memory. It was like watching a terrifying scene from a movie that you swore you never watch again as long as you lived. Bile rose up in her throat, burning her, like she wanted to spit the doctor out herself.

She got up from the bed, breaths coming rapidly as she tried to get air in her lungs. She could feel sweat beading along her forehead.

That scream, that terrible awful scream.

The room was spinning. The video pushed her over the edge.

That scream, accompanied by that cackling roar, almost sounding like a scream too.

Screams from the video, screams from her nightmare.

She’s heard too many screams. Too many. Too many.

Too much.

Too much.

Too much!

Too much!

Too much!

Fear and anger were driving her now, and the sensation rose with these feelings. She tried to calm herself, to get it to go back behind the door, but the gravity of it all was too great.

She needed a jar and she needed it now.

Rushing to the dresser, she got a jar out and placed it on the concrete floor, with her sitting crossed-legged before it. Allowing her power to take over, she concentrated on it, hoping she wouldn’t crack the window that had the weight of the entire ocean behind it. Her feelings swirled inside, making the sensation fluctuate with whatever one became dominate at the moment.

The jar shook violently, trying to fight against being broken.

She let it consume her being, wanting it over and done with as soon as possible. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want him. She hated him!

So consumed with her anger and fear of Ghidorah, she didn’t notice the knocking on her door until it opened. Chen poked her head in. “Clair, can I—?”

Clair gasped.

The jar exploded.

Shards went flying in every direction. Clair yelped as she held up an arm to shield her face just as a cry sounded out, feeling the stinging cuts along her forearm.

Once there were no more projectiles, Clair looked up and saw that Chen was gone from the now open door. Overcome with worry as she registered what had just happened, she rushed to her feet. “Ah!” she hissed as the sting of broken glass lodged through her socks into her bare feet, ignoring them as she reached the door and looked into the hall. Clair froze at what she saw.

Chen was hunched over in the hall, a hand cradling her face as crimson blood dripped through her fingers.

“Chen! Oh my, God. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Clair was at her side in an instant, panicking as she tried to assess the damage she’d done. “Let me see. Let me see.” With wide eyes and shaking hands, she gently tugged away the hand on the doctor’s left. She let out a sharp gasp as a gash running along the cheek was revealed, blood already gushing from the wound. A few more centimeters and it would’ve gotten her eye.

Then her gaze locked with the doctor’s, seeing the shock and disbelief at what Chen had no doubt witnessed. Watching a flicker of fear ignite in those dark eyes.

Clair’s mouth gaped like a fish out of water as tears came to her eyes, at a loss for what to say. How was she going to explain to Chen what she’d seen, that it was not what it looked like? How was she going to get out of this?

What had she done?

Voices came rushing up from the doors that were thrown open at the commotion. Men and women came up to the two, assessing the damage and helping them get to their feet, even when Clair let out a pained cry as the glass became more imbedded into her feet. She was practically carried away with Chen following behind as a woman held a cloth to her cheek.

Yet it didn’t stop the bloody droplets left in their wake.

***

“So, tell me how this happened, because I’m having a hard time picturing it,” Dr. Russell asked as he paced back and forth between the beds with the medical doctors tending to Clair and Chen’s wounds. There were a few scrapes on Clair’s arms but her feet got the worst of it, flinching every time a piece of glass was plucked out. Though none hurt worse than the guilt at seeing the wound she caused to Dr. Chen.

The shard from her cheek had already been removed and a doctor was now examining the damage, stemming the flow of blood. It would probably need to have a stitch or two.

Amy and Eu-meh hovered over their mother in concern as Ling lingered nearby, only adding more remorse to what Clair had done.

Almost everyone from earlier came to find out what happened and to check on Chen. Dante and Jia remained by the door while Madison and her father stood between the two patients, the former looking between the two, most likely wondering the same question.

But it was to Chen they all looked at for an explanation. Her keener insight along with her long-time relationships with these people giving her a better voice than Clair could ever have.

Looking up at Dr. Russell, Chen turned her solemn gaze towards her. Fear pulled at Clair’s heart as Dr. Chen regarded her. A sense of dread rose its ugly head inside her chest. Was this it? Was this the moment she would be revealed and treated like she was some sort of freak that needed to be locked up for the rest of her life?

Turning her eyes away from Chen, Clair picked a spot on the tiled floor to look at as she waited for the truth to come out, fingers digging into the bedding beneath as her heart began to stutter. She tried to remain stoic, to not to make a scene with the emotions that were colliding and wailing to be expressed. Yet tears welled up in her eyes with the knowledge that these might be her last few seconds of freedom.

Finally, after what felt like eternity of suspension, Chen spoke. “After I left the room and went to check up on Clair, I had opened her door when she’d just thrown a glass jar in what I believed was in anger. It shattered against the door frame and a shard hit me. Clair attempted to help me but got glass in her feet from crossing over the mess. The next thing I know, we are all here.”

Still fixed on the floor, Clair’s eyes widened a fraction. She snuck a glance up to see Chen looking Dr. Russell straight in the eye with a calm visage, nothing betraying her words.

“You threw a jar at our mom?” Amy accused indignantly, with Clair slightly recoiling.

“Not at me, Dà bǎo,” Chen clarified, assuaging her eldest. “She didn’t see me when I came in. It was an accident.”

“But you’re hurt,” Eu-meh pointed out.

“It’s just a scratch, I’ll live.”

Her daughters seemed hard to accept that, as they threw accusing looks her way.

“Please, don’t be mad at Clair,” Chen continued to say. “This has been a difficult day for her, as I’m sure all of you can understand.”

Guilty expressions replaced the ire everyone wore, remembering what exactly Clair was facing, loathe as she was to acknowledge it at the moment. She just let the rest of the conversation pass over her like an inconsequential wind, keeping the subdued calm over herself as if it was a lifejacket in a sea of the unknown.

After they were stitched and bandaged up, the doctors said Chen’s wound would take a couple of weeks to heal as they recommended for Clair to stay off her feet every now and then so the cuts could heal.

Once the doctor’s finished, Chen spoke to the remaining visitors. “I’d like to speak with Clair for a moment. Would you all mind…?”

Everyone shuffled out of the room, some giving lingering glances at the two as they made their exit, leaving Clair alone with Chen.

When the door shut closed, they sat in silence, neither able to speak a word at the moment. Clair’s eyes were stubbornly glued to the floor as she knew Chen was looking at her. She wanted nothing more than to find the darkest corner of the base and curl into a ball, maybe curl herself so tightly she would make like the snake Ouroboros and pop out of existence.

“Clair?”

Chen’s voice was gently calm, yet it didn’t stop the subtle flinch her own body made.

Clair didn’t move, too afraid to face whatever expression Chen was wearing at that moment, whether it was contained anger or disturbed fear.

“Clair,” Chen called more adamantly, demanding her attention now.

Tears brimming her eyes, Clair finally glanced up at Chen. Nothing was there that she feared, only a worried concern filled her dark eyes that internally surprised her. As they stared at one another, the doctor assessed her tormented appearance, indecision plaguing her usually tranquil demeanor.

Then slowly, she stood and walked over to Clair. There was a bed between them, so Clair could see the expression the doctor wore all the way to where she sat, with guarded caution. When Chen stood beside her, she gave her a once over and knelt down to have her attention even with her lowered head. “Are you okay?”

Even with so much time spent with the woman, Clair scrutinized the question, suspicion infesting her entire being as distrust warred with the current trust she had with the doctor. After everything that had happened in the last few hours, the distrust was winning as the knowledge that Chen withheld the reason why she was even here in the first place became apparent.

But as she continued to look at Chen, her eyes drifted to the bandage across her cheek, the wound underneath sewed up with two stitches. If that shard had been a centimeter or two higher, Clair would have caused her permanent damage. As the guilt from hurting Chen began a new cycle of regret, an old guilt rose up within her, combining with the guilt that she had broken the promise to herself and her family that she would keep her power hidden at all costs. And now it was out in the open in the worst situation possible. Clair exhaled a shuddering breath, letting the tears come as the pain of the triple guilt ate away at her from the inside. They streamed freely as Clair tried to move away from the doctor, curling more in on herself. “I-I’m sorry. I… I d-didn’t mean for it to happen. I… I just…”

Chen surged up to take her in her arms, holding her firmly. “Clair, Clair, it’s alright. You’re okay. You’re not in trouble. You can tell me whatever you want to say. I won’t ask unless you want to tell me.”

Feeling the touch of another person wrap around her, feeling protected, Clair cried harder. The guilt, regret, fear and anxiety had all been too much to handle, forcing her to purge the emotions in the best way possible, allowing Chen to continue to hold her as she got them out in body-shaking sobs.

As the strength of the emotions began to abate, leaving Clair a hollow version of herself, she shifted in Chen’s arms, ready to be let go. Chen complied, her arms drawing back as she pulled a nearby chair closer to Clair’s bed, giving her space as Clair pulled her knees in.

Finally getting through her emotional breakdown, Clair’s gaze landed on the door the doctors just went through, leaving her alone with Chen, and with her feelings running rampant in a vulnerable situation, she turned back to Chen with a questioning look. “Why… why didn’t you say anything?”

Chen had lied for her, that was a fact. She could have told the truth that Clair had exploded a jar with her mind instead, but she didn’t. Why? The distrust came creeping back, Clair thinking that Chen would use this knowledge against her to coerce her into taking the match. But her current behavior acted against that thought, showing a genuine concern for her.

Chen gave a slight pause before answering. “I didn’t think it was my place to tell what exactly happened. I barely understand what I saw.”

Clair judged her response, weighing whether if it was a truthful statement. Chen seemed to see her suspicion as she went on to say, “Clair, I won’t tell anyone. I just want to understand how you could do that.”

Seeing and understanding her genuine concern, Clair debated how much to tell her. She then looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, the silver of the dragon head catching in the light. Despite everything that had happened, she still kept it on.

Hearing Chen gave a small sigh in what she thought as resignation to her silence, Clair spoke.

“I… I never knew I could telepathically talk with other people until I met you. All I had were my… abilities. I told you I’ve never met anyone like you or the others because I haven’t met anyone like me. Someone who… can do what I do. I don’t know if you understand but… I’m different... In a way that’s scary. And I think you know what people do when they’re scared.”

Chen gave a contemplative look before saying, “I’m not scared of you, Clair. I’m just concerned.”

“About what?”

Chen almost looked bewildered, as if the answer was obvious. “You.”

Chen’s empathy was beginning to pierce the walls Clair had erected around herself the minute she saw the blood, letting the trust back in.

“So… you’re telekinetic too?”

“I guess.” Then Clair backtracked. “No. It’s not like that. It’s… something else. It happens when I’m really stressed or angry.”

Understanding dawned in her eyes then. “The news of the paring triggered this, didn’t it?”

“…Among other things.”

“Like?”

“That video on the tablet…” She finally looked Chen in the eye. “The one in Antarctica.”

Chen’s expression became pained at the mention of the video, looking away from her. “I… I wanted you to know what you would be facing if you decided to…”

Clair closed her eyes, trying to focus on anything else that wasn’t Ghidorah related. But it refused to go away. Anxiety gripped her like the jaws of a crocodile, crushing and suffocating.

“Does it happen a lot?” Chen inquired.

Managing to keep the anxiety at bay, she kept going with the conversation. “Not… quite a lot. Just… when things get too intense.”

“And you use the jars to curb this… ability?”

Clair nodded.

Chen gave her a long hard look. “Clair, I want you to know that you don’t have to be afraid around here, around me. You’re safe as long as I’m in charge. Just tell me what you need and I’ll help you.”

Clair was quick to jump on the offer. “Don’t tell anyone else about this, please.”

Chen hesitated, before agreeing. “Okay. My lips are sealed. No one needs to know about this until you say otherwise.”

It sounded like a promise, and Clair intended that it be kept. “Thank you.”

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

In other words, did she lie about anything else. The door to her subconscious and what lay behind it came to the forefront of her mind, but Clair kept silent. She didn’t want to say too much about her power, let alone her other half. She settled with, “Just know when I need my space and time to myself.”

Chen nodded, then a moment passed when it looked like she wanted to talk about something else but held back, seeming to think better of it. Clair knew what it was nonetheless, asking her own subdued question.

“When do you need an answer?”

She knew she had limited time to make a decision, given the urgency that they made the case for in the conference room. She probably had until Ghidorah showed up, but his attacks were sporadic and they needed time to prepare if she said yes. They needed an answer soon.

“We can give you a week at most. After that we need an answer.”

A week? She needed two at least, a month would be better. Suppressing the internal panic at the short window of whether or not she would accept the match, she nodded silently at Chen’s answer, accepting the time limit.

Chen then asked, “Do you think you can walk?”

Clair gave a few flexes to her feet, feeling the dulled pain as she creased them, but it felt manageable. She nodded her answer.

“Alright. Come on then, it’s been a long day and it’s almost dinner. You should eat something.”

Clair really wasn’t in the mood for food, still feeling queasy from all of this, and stress now added to her hunger strike. But she barely had any of the food in the rec room earlier and knew she would be hungry later. She would probably just have a few bites and call it a night.

Letting a soft sigh out, she began to rise from the bed, swinging her feet out and taking Chen’s offered hand for her to steady on, with the same hand that wore the bracelet gifted to her. Placing her feet on the ground before leaving the bed, she tested whether she could handle the discomfort. When she put her full weight on them, a pained hiss escaped her, feeling the dull sting of her wounds spread across her feet. She gripped Chen that much tighter as she got used to the feeling when they began walking out of the medical wing, silently thanking her mentor’s help as she supported Clair.

That night after dinner, Clair tossed and turned in her bed, unable to find sleep in the dead of night. Anxiety curled tightly in her chest as a solid rock of dread settled deep into her gut, making it nearly impossible to find any amount of rest. She honestly thought she was going to throw up.

It had gone all wrong so quick.

She was matched to the Titan nobody wanted anything to do with, and now Chen knew about her power, compromising her.

Tears she thought were long dried up, now prickled at the ends of her lashes, shaking as overwhelming stress wracked through her body. What had she gotten herself into?

***

She was alone in her room; she’d been alone for the past two days. She gave the excuse that her feet were hurting too much to do any sparring, and the excuse that she was having painful headaches to do any Link training, though that one was truer than the other.

Currently right now, Clair had her duffel bag out on the dresser, open and ready to get filled with clothes and other accessories if she decided to call it. But now she was trying to distract herself with cute and amusing things she found online, attempting to get into a better mood and to clear her mind to make a definitive decision. Sleepless nights were starting to become too regular as anxiety shook her all throughout her body with tears soaking into her pillow as she tried to stifle her sobs. Her mood had soured from it and she had tried a couple of times to look back on the memories from the last two months, but all she felt from them now was a bitterness. She had no desire to socialize with anyone as she tried to figure out what to do. It brought on the depression that greeted her like an old friend, cloaking her world in a dreary gray darkness.

Closing the laptop in frustration as nothing was helping, she looked out into the sea, thinking it would calm her enough. As she gazed out into the vast ocean, fish swimming around her window, Clair then saw dark shadows appear from the blue, morphing into a pod of sperm whales.

She watched them swim, a young calf dancing around its mother as she tried to conserve her energy. The young whale seemed spritely to Clair. It brought to mind a memory of a whale watching tour their family had taken in the San Juans. Their boat had come upon a humpback called Wendy. She was playing with another boat, ignoring theirs. Clair wanted so desperately to interact with the whale, to see what it was like to play with a creature that was acting on its own free will. Everyone on their boat tried to call her over, but it was Mom who truly got Wendy’s attention. Using her operatic voice, she had called to the whale and Wendy came right over, mugging their boat for a good twenty minutes. Rolling around, sliding up against the hull, spraying everyone with whale snot from her blowhole, it was such an amazing experience. At one point, Clair and her parents were at the back of the boat when Wendy went under. Everyone except them scrambled to the front to get a view of her again. Just as her fluke went up, it paused for the briefest of moments, stilling before them, she clearly wanted to be touched. Clair, seeing the opportunity, leaned out to touch her, knowing that it was illegal at the time. As her parents held onto the back of her jacket and let her touch the whale, Clair brushed her fingers against the skin of the mammal. She could still recall the rubbery cold layer of the beautiful cetacean.

It was one of her best memories. She only wished that it didn’t have that tinge of sadness to it. Her parents were gone and she had given up on working with whales and orcas to be here. Maybe this was a sign to go back home.

A knock sounded on her door, startling Clair out of her thoughts and daydreaming. Reality had come back to torment her and she didn’t know if she was ready for it. She didn’t want to have her peace disturbed and almost didn’t answer, hoping whoever it was would take the hint and go away. However, a tickling sensation knocked against her mind, and falling back on her training, she opened up to it.

May we come in?

Hearing Madison’s voice, she finally gathered the energy to trudge across the room, open the door, and found the familiar sight of Madison and the others, but unlike last time when they came to her door, she saw armfuls of candy and junk food.

“We thought you might be hungry. Can we come in?” Madison asked again more shyly.

They all wore worried yet hopeful expressions, almost looking desperate for their offer to be accepted.

“I…” She almost wanted to deny them, but it was bested on a whim. “…sure.”

She left the door open as they came in, looking about the room as if were a brand-new place they had never seen before.

“Your room’s really clean,” Eu-meh commented.

The last time she saw them was in the medical wing, where they threw accusing glares at her after she had cut Chen, and she couldn’t help the hurt feelings from that encounter. “Thanks.”

Clair returned to her spot by the window as she heard the scraping of chairs from the little table in her room being drawn closer. In the corner of her vision, Dante and the twins had the chairs while Jia pulled the swivel chair from her desk to sit in. Feeling a presence beside her, she looked back to see Madison standing next to her bed, gesturing to it. Clair nodded and the other girl plopped down beside her.

“How are you holdin’ up?”

Clair gave a small derisive snort. Did she really need to ask?

Silence met her answer, the others unsure of what route to take to get her to open up to them.

There was a rattle beside her, looking down to see an open bag of potato chips being offered. She looked up to see Maddie giving her a wan smile that was knowing too. Her stomach gave a weak gurgle as the salted smell of crispy slices of starch wafted into her face. Taking the offer, Clair reached in and grabbed a few chips, signaling to the others that it was fine to eat the food they brought in. They ate in silence for the moment, none wanting to address the Titan-sized elephant in the room.

Clair saw a few glances snuck at her that were quickly diverted back to the food. Briefly she wondered if any of them were communicating through thought, but she honestly didn’t care. How could she when she was in a situation that was all based on thought and telepathy. The familiar weight behind her eyes returned, indicating she was on the verge of tears soon.

She then caught Maddie looking at the empty duffel bag on her dresser, a small frown forming.

“Are you thinking about leaving?”

She gave a small sigh, and mumbled out tiredly, “Maybe.”

The others shared a stricken look at the admittance. Still wearing the frown that grew a little bigger, Madison glanced out the window, most likely seeing the whales. “G calls them the great swimmers. The whales.”

She gave the whales a cursory glance. “Hm. Fitting.”

Her disengagement from starting conversation seemed to make the others hesitate, but Maddie, always the stubborn one, continued to attempt to get a real response from her.

“He likes to swim with them sometimes, likes to hear their songs.”

She had no response to that, and that seemed to make Maddie break whatever restrictions they put on themselves when they came in.

“Clair, you know you can talk to us, right? You’re not alone in this.”

“None of you are paired with him,” she said bitterly.

“No,” she began to say. “But we want to help you get through this, and we can only do that if we understand what you’re feeling.”

“Why can’t you guys just look inside my head to see how I’m feeling.”

“We read thoughts, not emotions,” Dante clarified. “You have to tell us, Clair.”

“How could any of you understand, you all probably were thrilled when you learned of your bonds.”

Jia got their attention. Then make us understand what you’re going through. You need to tell us so that we can help you. What are you feeling now?

Clair took a breath, settling from her outburst. They were just trying to help her make a decision, whether it was good or bad. She began shifting through her feelings, dissecting them until she could put names to them. “I feel… angry, frustrated, bitter… and sad.”

What do you feel when you think of him?

She curled up a little more, examining the new emotions she felt towards the Titan. “Anxiety, fear.” She lowered her eyes. “Hopelessness… I never thought it could go this way. I honestly don’t know what to think right now.”

The others shared worried glances.

Clair tried to break the tension a little. “Guess I… broke the streak, huh? For girls to be paired with protectors.”

“Only if you decide to break it,” Madison clarified.

“Have you decided?” Eu-Meh asked.

They all stared at her intently, holding their breaths for the answer.

Clair couldn’t meet their gazes, looking at the floor instead with her brows knitted together. She really wanted to say no when they told her, but what ifs were starting to take root in her mind. “I don’t want to…”

“But?” Amy prodded.

“I don’t know. All I know is that one minute I’m having the time of my life seeing you guys and the Titans bonding with such… love. And the next…” she waved her hand around generally, “all of this is just dropped on me. It’s almost cruel, that I was shown what you guys had and I… I probably won’t have any of it. Why couldn’t they just tell me, instead of letting me get my hopes up.”

They all seemed speechless for a moment, until Madison spoke. “I think we’re partially to blame for that. You know we’re close with our Titans, Clair. We share their feelings and they share ours. And they all hate him. And we all hate him. When you came here, we had no idea who you were or who’d you’d be paired with. They wanted us to be friends with you first. I think if we knew who you’d be paired to… We all might have had a bias against you, even if you were really nice.”

“You all know now though,” Clair lamented.

“And we still like you,” Amy affirmed, getting a round of agreeing nods. “The bonds between us are just as important as the bonds to our Titans. Not being friends with you would be detrimental.”

They still lied to her and to them. A small white lie that could prove consequential in the long run.

“Do the Titans know about this?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Dante admitted, “we’ll have to tell them soon though.”

“I take it you guys aren’t expecting great reactions from them.”

“I think it’ll be safe to say that warning the bases ahead of time for a rampage would be a good idea,” Maddie said.

“Yeah, good idea,” she agreed. A thought occurred to her then, one she hadn’t taken the time to ponder on. “Do… do they know if something like this has ever been attempted before? A bond between Ghidorah and a human?”

“They haven’t said anything about it. Or if he’s had one before.”

“You’ll probably be his first,” Eu-meh said.

She huffed at that. “Lucky me. What am I going to do?”

“What do you want, Clair?”

Clair silently looked at the empty duffel bag, and felt a slowing growing loathing towards it. She knew one answer at least. “I do want to stay here at Monarch with you guys, but I don’t know if I can.”

“You don’t have to leave. We’ll help you, Clair. Whatever you need, we’ll be here for you.”

She looked at Madison, knowing she was connected to the most powerful creature on Earth. She didn’t have a root connection to him like the others did with their Titans, she was a completely new line. Just like her.

She then asked, “Did you hesitate, with Godzilla, when you found out you could bond to him?”

Maddie paused, thinking back. “Yeah. I mean… it was a little daunting knowing I’d be connected to Godzilla. But… I’ve always had this feeling that there was something between us. …I think I’ve known it ever since San Francisco. At first, it was strange and I didn’t know what I could say to G. Compared to him I was just an ant telling him to not step on our hills. But we figured things out. We talked to each other, and became more familiar with every conversation. Our relationship didn’t just happen overnight, it took time.”

“I doubt Ghidorah would ever give a human a second of his thought. I doubt he would even tolerate me. How can they expect me to—” Manipulate? Control? Was this the relationship she was really about to get into? “—suggest to him to stop fighting. I don’t know what I could say to him.”

Maddie face contorted, as if she were warring with herself, before finally saying. “If you don’t want to then you don’t have to. They won’t force you to pair with him. It’s still your choice. They know that this is a lifetime gig and they’ve never forced anyone who wasn’t willing to go along with it.”

“But it’s not his choice. And it probably never will be so long as he keeps treating humanity like an infestation. And how are you all going to deal with me being connected to him?”

“We just will,” Amy said. “Like we said, you’re part of the group, and there’s no way out of it. We’re all in this for life.”

A smile tried to tug at her stubborn lips at the memory of that moment in the cafeteria, it was a sweet sentiment, but it couldn’t fix all the glaring problems with this.

She then remembered how they looked after coming back from the battles, exhausted beyond recognition. What kind of person would she be if she left them to continue on with that? What would happen to her when she got into a battle?

“Three heads. They all belong on the same body but they’re completely different. Three separate minds. How am I going to handle that? I can barely handle when all of you are in my head for a few minutes.”

They gave no answers to the conundrum she faced. It was all overwhelming, but then she tracked a train of thought that showed up, wondering something. Was this really a lifetime gig, or was there a way out? She needed to know.

Hesitantly she asked, “Is there way to sever the link?”

Silence followed the question, their eyes becoming way too focused for Clair’s liking, as if she had spoken an unspeakable evil. All eyes then turned to the twins, having the longest familial connection to their Titan.

“Only one,” Eu-meh admitted quietly. “You have to die.”

Death.

Suicide.

Clair’s heart sank with the answer. She was not unfamiliar to the concept, having contemplated it before in the past. But a faded conversation with Jason after he found out about her thoughts brought her back to the now. Seeing the desperation in his dark eyes, which were reminiscent of her father’s, his broken voice commanding, begging her to never have those thoughts again, telling her that it would break him.

She never contemplated it again and feeling the weight of guilt pool in her stomach at the whisper of the thought. She banished it immediately, latching onto the promise she kept for her brother. She wouldn’t go down that path, not if she could help it.

So there truly was no way out if she went through with this, being connected to him forever, however long that lasted.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, hearing Maddie’s voice. “You can say no, Clair. You don’t have to do this.”

It was hard for them too. Knowing that she was paired to the monster that they all fought with blood, sweat and tears. But it all came down to her and what she decided to do. And her thoughts were still all mixed up together, and she needed to disentangle them herself.

“I… I need more time to think about this.”

Maddie retracted her hand, speaking quietly, “Okay.”

Clair became quiet, silently appreciating the company the others gave her now as they reassured their support for her, no matter their hesitation in regards to her potential Titan, and caught her up on what she missed in the last two days. And even as she chewed through the snacks they brought her, barely able to taste the differing flavors with a constant blandness in her mouth, she truly felt undeserving of the people with her now.

After they left as they reiterated they were there for her, Clair returned to the comforting embrace of her bed, finding no tears rolling down her cheek, even as her heart continued to pound.

***

After one more day of squandering her time in her room, Clair couldn’t put off training any longer. As of now she was currently heading to the meditation room to meet up with Chen. Despite not having made a decision yet about the pairing, Chen impressed upon her that she couldn’t become lax with her priorities, needing to make sure she was in top shape. Clair was apprehensive to see the doctor again after what had happened, but she tried to suppress the feeling, knowing it would lead to discord if not managed.

“We need to strengthen your blocking,” Chen explained, sitting up in her chair as Clair took hers.

At her quizzical look, Chen continued, “It’s just a precaution in case you do decide to take the pairing. And just because we have an emotional and telepathic relationship to our Titans does not mean that they will never turn on us.”

So this was very necessary for her, incase she took the pairing. “Has that ever happened before?”

“No, but it’s a skill that should be developed nonetheless, especially in the case of spillovers.”

Clair nodded at the answer, preparing for the session.

Since she had learned what she’d done during the exercise, she had a better grasp of what she did, but she was hesitant to let her power out again, especially in her current emotional state. And she didn’t want to risk slipping up with it and cause another accident, especially now with Chen in the room, still wearing the bandage. She would try to do it on her own, hopefully being strong enough to repel her teacher’s thoughts.

It was more difficult focusing this time, trying to get her mind off of her current problems and into the now. For the first time in a while, she had to close her eyes just to concentrate, clearing away all her lingering worries and doubts and finding a calmed peace within.

She went to the back of her mind where the door was to open it, but received a small surprise. The door had undergone a change between now and the last time she saw it, no longer a door of red wood and iron, but of solid steel. It was unexpected to find it like this, but changes like these were nothing new, the mountain in her mindscape being an example.

Accepting the new addition, she went on with the practice and made the connection with Chen. After a few moments of getting used to her presence, she felt more thoughts being sent her way, starting to overlap. Remaining calm, Clair attempted to push Chen out of her head. Using thoughts and memories of her own, ones she could cement herself in, she tried to close the door, not letting her foundation be shaken. Chen pushed back on her though, bombarding her with multiple thoughts that were laced with negativity.

Unable to keep her out, the block broke and her mind became flooded with unwanted thoughts. Clenching her teeth, Clair attempted to block Chen again, using memories that were stronger for her.

This went on for a while, with multiple failed attempts to block Chen out. A pressure came to the door of her subconscious after she failed on the fifth try, but Clair pushed back on it, needing to do this on her own. She had to. Following a similar tactic from what she felt that day, Clair used the memories that were filled with happiness and nostalgia to expand and wrap around her mind, creating a protective wall around her. She held onto them, pushing them against the door and closing it, desperate for it to work this time.

And finally, she couldn’t hear Chen anymore. The seal, the block worked, even as Clair could feel Chen trying to get through to her, but it held.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Chen said as she psychically backed away from Clair.

Clair audibly sighed as she let go of the block, letting her memories retreat back into the depths of her mind and slumping in her chair. Feeling a little drained from the mental onslaught, she just added it to the list of things that were being drained from her.

Chen seemed to regard her state, looking worried. “That wasn’t too… stressful for you, was it?”

Clair detected the question hidden within the question. “It was fine. Besides, I made it this far, didn’t I?”

Chen nodded, almost looking relieved.

Clair then asked, “How’s the cheek?”

“It’s healing. The doctors said the stitches should come out in about two weeks. How are you’re feet?”

“They’re fine.”

Then Chen asked a question she was afraid to hear. “Have you given anymore thought to… the pairing?”

Sighing once more, Clair tried to think of a response, but just went for a candid, “No, I haven’t.”

“You haven’t gone through anymore on the tablet?”

Clair shook her head in response, knowing the device rested in the far drawer of her desk, away from her bed, having refused to look at it since the accident.

Chen wore a pensive frown, looking contemplative before she reached down beside her chair. “There’s another reason why I just wanted you here today.”

She lifted a bag into her lap and pulled a file out, handing it over to her. Eyebrows furrowing, Clair gave her an apprehensive look before opening it, expecting more information about Ghidorah that hadn’t been downloaded on the tablet. Yet what she saw looked absolutely nothing like the alien Titan.

It was a man, a picture of a man that is. He was lean and rigid looking for someone of Asian descent. Clair had never seen him before. Before she could read the information accompanying the image, she asked aloud, “Who is this?”

“Ren Serizawa.”

Clair froze at the surname, looking up at Chen. “Serizawa? As in…?”

“His son.”

As she looked back down at the picture, studying it, her mind began to fill with questions. What did Serizawa’s son have to do with Ghidorah? But instead, she asked her mentor, “Why are you showing me this?”

Chen was silent for a moment, “Clair, what do you know of the incident in Hong Kong, with Mechagodzilla?”

“Only what the media has told people, about how Apex’s robot went on an unmanned rampage.”

“Do you believe that?”

Clair thought for a moment as a memory of a video the news showed from the incident played in her mind on loop. “No.”

Its movements were too coordinated not to be unmanned, too predetermined. There was someone behind the controls, and anyone with half a brain could have seen it.

“And what do you know about Ghidorah’s revival?” Chen next asked.

“As I say again, only what news reports have said. That somehow Jonah found a piece of Ghidorah and regrew him. Probably from that severed head that was left behind in the Gulf of Mexico during the Rise.”

“Possibly. But what they didn’t say was who Mechagodzilla’s original pilot was.”

Clair’s eyes widened as she registered what Chen was saying, connecting the dots.

“The only knowledge we have is what Madison told us when she infiltrated Apex’s headquarters and what we gathered from the surviving staff,” Chen began to explain. “Ren Serizawa was part of the creation of Mechagodzilla. He planned with Apex to use it to destroy Godzilla and bring the other Titans to heel. He was supposed to pilot the mechanoid in order to do it. Or what they had originally planned.”

“What happened?”

“The controls were in a Ghidorah head as you know. Something seemed to have transpired when a copy of a power source from the Hollow Earth was scanned and sent to Apex to fully power the mechanoid. But the power source, unknown nor tested by man, may have worked too well. Ghidorah has neurons all throughout his body, most likely even in his bones. We came to the conclusion that Ghidorah’s undying mind may have been awakened and transferred over to the mechanoid. And no doubt, since Ren was controlling Mechagodzilla through a psionic uplink within Ghidorah’s skull, he came into contact with the Titan’s mind and lost control not just over Mechagodzilla, but himself.”

Clair tried to understand what she just heard. “You’re saying that… Ghidorah controlled him?”

“Yes.”

The revelation of this information was terrifying to hear, it made Clair reconsider all of what she knew thus far about Ghidorah. “Then what?”

“Ren disappeared. We have no idea what he did during the time after Hong Kong, only that he was found in the remains of Ghidorah’s prison, unresponsive and barely clinging to life. We believe he may have played a part in Ghidorah’s release.”

A little sense of pity filled Clair’s chest as she looked at the picture of the man, not knowing if this was a fate that was deserved for the son of Serizawa. “Where is he now?”

“Currently right now, he’s hidden at an undisclosed location, presently in a coma. Going on from the time of Ghidorah’s return.”

Clair lost some of her breath. He’d been in a coma for that long?

“Nicole and many other specialists have diagnosed him,” Chen continued to say, “but the most likely outcome they all agreed on is that he may never wake up again.”

She ended the story with a pained expression, looking away from Clair.

“Why tell me all this?”

Regaining her composure, Chen’s look turned serious. “Because, as far as we are aware, this is possibly the worst Ghidorah could do to a person psychologically.”

Clair blanched as a growing fear was beginning to take root inside her, realizing the power Ghidorah had over the mind. “You’re saying… he could control me? That I might end up in a coma?”

“It is a possibility, which is why we are trying to prepare you, Clair. To give you the strength you need to fight back. We know so little about him, that every precaution must be taken if we go through with this. If you do this.”

She slumped back in her seat, taking in the fear-inspiring information. “I got to say Chen, with every word, you make me want to back out more and more.”

“But you haven’t yet,” she countered. “Clair, I know this is a decision that cannot be taken lightly, but we need an answer soon.”

Clair’s body became tense with the rising anxiety, her fingers twitching and scratching at the denim of her jeans. She wasn’t ready, she needed more time. “Why the rush?”

“Because we need to start preparing for when Ghidorah comes back. And he will. If it’s possible, maybe we can find an opportunity for you to make the bond while he’s here.”

“How can I make the bond with him? It’s a mutual thing, right? I doubt he would want to make it with me.”

“We believe the best way to do it is when he is unaware of your presence. When he is in a state of calm.”

Clair had never seen Ghidorah in any state of calm. As far as she knew, he was a workaholic in trying to take over the planet. “When does that happen?”

“When he is in a state of rest. Such as when he sleeps.”

“Ghidorah sleeps?”

“Very rarely from what we’ve seen.”

“What if he attacks when I haven’t made a decision?”

“Then we will wait for another opportunity to rise, if you agree.”

“And what if I don’t?”

Chen gave her a look, as if there was a conflict going on behind her dark eyes. “Then we won’t make any attempts to approach Ghidorah.” She sounded very tired when next she said, “Everything will remain the status quo.”

The status quo being Monarch running out of funding and the Titans and their Links being driven to the point of exhaustion. Something Clair would be responsible for if she didn’t make the right choice. She slumped in her chair and looked away from Chen, feeling as if she were caught between a rock and a hard place. She didn’t want to leave the others to that fate, but she didn’t know if she could handle it either. There were consequences on both sides.

She let out a long, tired sigh. “I have three more days, right?”

Chen nodded at the confirmed amount of time left for her to make a decision. Knowing the lesson was over, Clair got up and walked to the door, she had her hand on the handle when she said, “Just give me a little longer and I’ll give you an answer.” She left without another word.

***

“Can I talk to you?”

Dante turned at the sound of her voice, stopping in his walk towards the cafeteria with the others. At first Clair was hesitant to approach him about this, but she had questions that only he could answer.

Shaking off his confusion, he nodded his head. “Sure.”

“Okay, let’s talk somewhere else.” Turning from their intended path, they went in the opposite direction.

“Clair? Dante?” Madison asked after them, seeing them leave the group.

Dante waved her off. “Go ahead, we’ll catch up.”

Nodding, Madison continued on down the hall as Clair and Dante went back in the other direction.

Coming upon an enclosed sitting area, with a window to the ocean taking up the opposite wall, Clair made sure no one else was around before entering with her friend. She preferred that this conversation be private so as not to let the others make insinuations and so that Dante could speak freely if he wanted.

Gravitating towards the window, Clair, with arms crossed for comfort, faced Dante. “Dante, I know this is a touchy subject for you, but you’re the only one of us that has a destroyer Titan, and you’re the only one that could understand what I’m going through.”

An understanding look crossed his features. “Just tell me what you need to know.”

She was a little hesitant to ask, but she did anyway. “Can you tell me what it might be like at the beginning of the bond.”

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. “It’s not going to be easy; I can tell you that.”

“I didn’t expect it to.”

“Rodan and I didn’t exactly hit it off at first. For the most part, he was standoffish and arrogant, kinda looking down on me. I found it very hard to tolerate him sometimes. It was like that for a while. But as time went on and we continued to talk to each other, he started to warm up to me, and so did I. We really began understanding each other and that in turn helped the bond grow stronger.”

It was a sweet way to tell it. But Clair needed more information. Their relationship kickstarted the entire reason on why she should be paired to Ghidorah. Of course though, Rodan didn’t seem like the type to willfully try and destroy the planet, along with everyone else on it.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

For a moment, Clair hesitated with her question, wondering what sort of can of worms she’d be opening up for Dante. “What happened on Isla de Mara?”

Immediately, the gentle smile was wiped off his face as his look turned troubled, staring at the floor between his feet. A good amount of time passed when Clair was just about to ask a different question to get him to respond when he finally said, “I lost half of my family.”

The revelation sent shards of ice through her chest, coming close to piercing her heart as she gapped like a fish before him. “I’m so sorry.”

His breaths became shallow as he tried to speak. “What do you know about my culture?”

“Not as much as I would like to think I know,” she truthfully admitted.

He accepted the answer with a nod. Looking out at the ocean, he spoke. “During the early days, my family was close. Still is close. I would play with my cousins and help do chores for my uncles and aunts. Our houses we’re just separated by a hill. Most of my family lived in the town, but they would always trudge up the mountain to see us and have an entire family dinner together every Sunday night.” He paused a brief moment as a smile crept onto his face, reminiscing in the past with glistening eyes. Then a frown replaced it. “But when the Rise was happening, Monarch came in to evacuate the island as fast as they could. It became pandemonium for the town, everyone running and crawling over each other just to get out of there. Most of my family got caught up in it.”

Clair remembered seeing it on the news, hundreds of people fleeing through the streets to try and find safety or escape. She wondered if any of those people she saw on the screen were Dante’s relatives.

“Then Rodan woke up.” He didn’t need to explain what happened, it being a well-known story. “After the Titans left the island, people came back to collect the remaining bodies. We even found some of them. Some were trampled and crushed, broken in so many ways that it was hard to believe. The other half were blown away like leaves on the wind.”

Clair could understand the pain Dante went through with that. A hurt of her own rising up at the sympathy she felt for her friend. His eyes closed with a tear sliding down his cheek, as if reliving the horrible nightmare again in his head, his voice gaining a trembling wet tone.

“Everything was messed up for a while after that. We tried to find our place in the world again. I thought Mom was crazy when she wanted us to settle down at Rodan’s new nest. But we ended up there and then I started to feel the pull to Rodan and Chen came along and I became a Link.”

Clair then tentatively said, “But yours happened naturally, didn’t it.”

He nodded, wiping at his eyes.

That was one of the problems with this entire thing. She may have a choice with this, but Ghidorah, who probably doesn’t even know about her, had no say about this. She would be forcing the bond on him if she said yes. And that idea rubbed her the wrong way. She didn’t know if she could do that, even to someone like Ghidorah. No matter how much she or anyone else tried to justify it.

Dante seemed to see her struggle, even as he struggled himself to say what he could. “Just… Do what you think is right, Clair. I know it’s not what you expected it to be, but it’s still important. You need to come to the decision on your own. But we’ll still be here whatever you decide.”

Clair remained silent at his proclamation, thinking about all he had shared with her. He left then, leaving her standing alone with her conflicting thoughts.

***

She was in her room, laying on the bed again, staring up at the ceiling as her mind was going a mile a minute, going around in circles. It always came down to her choice. But wat did she want?

She didn’t want to be in this situation, that was for sure. The thought of going home was more tempting than it was ever before, her temporary contract would expire at the end of the month, and she would have no obligation to Monarch.

But even that felt wrong to her. The morals that had been drilled into her since childhood said that it was abandonment she was thinking about. Leaving everyone here to clean up without her help. She remembered how the others looked after the battles, exhausted and drained. She would let them continue on with that cycle, if she decided to leave.

And what would she even do if she went back to Washington, continue on with her original plans and ignore the world again? Leave all the people she’s made ties with? Expect Chen to keep her secret?

She’d been dodging the responsibility of taking this seriously, ignoring the problem as she tried to distract herself. She knew then she would only find the answer with herself and no one else. It was her choice and she intended on making the right one.

Getting up from the bed, Clair opened the drawer and took the tablet out, turning it back on and reading through the files. This would be as close she could get to knowing Ghidorah without being linked. She decided to avoid any videos she came across, not wanting a repeat from a couple of days ago as she started with the basics.

Unknown in origin, the meaning of his name read as the One Who is Many. But each of his heads had a name of their own, given by the infamous Emma Russell.

Ichi, the middle head and the designated leader of the three. He was smart and he was ruthless, sensing danger before either one of the other heads could detect it, Ghidorah’s main driving force in total world domination.

Ni, the right head and second in charge. He liked to instigate the fights, eager for bloodshed and prominent in battle. But he was also pragmatic when it came to a fight, showing that he too was capable of intelligence.

San, the left head and the sentry. The least aggressive of the three heads, he displayed a curiosity towards some things, while also being alert and being the main look out for Ghidorah. But also lacking focus in some situations. Also, the one who the internet had dubbed as Kevin.

She had only debated on the subject a couple times in the past, whether to call Ghidorah a “he” or a “they” as they all had differing personalities and no one single sentience. It was still a vexing subject for her, ultimately using both pronouns interchangeably.

She moved onto the legends of his origin, which stated that he fell from the stars, giving him is extraterrestrial origin. Once Monarch let slip that he was of alien nature, there had been a major uproar from the scientific community, especially from NASA. She briefly wondered if there was a custody battle between the two organizations of who should have more subject authority over him.

But even with this important fact, she tried to apply logical Earth biology to a space Titan, attempting to understand him a little.

Space was a completely new area, an abyss of a sea filled with radiation and dangers. From what she remembered in the astronomy class she took, there was no such thing as zero gravity. If you were out in space, you were always gravitating towards something. The wings probably came in handy for that, catching on the cosmic winds to steer away from the object that was pulling you in. And possibly those thick legs were reliable when landing on a planet with undetermined gravity that could crush a regular person in a second. He probably came from somewhere where gravity may have been unreliable.

But why three heads? Usually more than one head meant a mutation, two embryos fusing together to share the same body. Yet those kinds of mutations were usually awkward and uncoordinated. Ghidorah was anything but that, his movements smooth and determined. Their natural telepathy possibly coming into play there. So, it didn’t factor in that he was a mutation, heck there was even a Titan of their own who had eight heads, and it was doing just fine.

Safety in numbers, perhaps? But from what? Others of the same species? Competing alpha predators of a different race? His regenerative factor was off the charts, regrowing a severed head within minutes from a reliable power source. That probably meant a vicious environment that pushed its inhabitants to the extremes to perform such an act.

There was also genetic memory, neurons scattered throughout the entire body like an octopus. They possibly lived in a very hostile environment to require such a thing of an alien, to be able to come back the way he did.

An alien. An invader. Not native to Earth. Stanton and others called him an invasive species. And those never did have a good effect on the ecosystems they were introduced to, causing harm in the environment, and destabilizing it. 

But there were some species that were benign or helpful. Honey Bees were an example. Originally from Europe, they were introduced to America and have since had a positive effect on the environment.

Another example was the cross orb-weaver spiders Clair admired in her garden. They were the only spider she didn’t truly fear and would sometimes feed if she were in the position to do so. Originally from Europe as well, they didn’t affect the ecosystem in a way that would be harmful. She didn't like the thought of not having them there if they were never introduced. She would sometimes watch from a window as they created their webbed masterpieces for the coming night to catch their bounty. She would always be on the lookout in her walk around the house to make sure she didn’t tangle with the silk lines that held the webs together, bending and ducking underneath so as not to ruin their work, hating herself if she did destroy one if to not to continue on somewhere.

Could it be possible to make Ghidorah benign to the Earth?

The answer was met with memories of his rampages, killing and slaughtering at will for his own amusement. The Titans fighting relentlessly to get him to stop.

Ghidorah wasn’t an insect. He was a Titan. Clair highly doubted she could get him to overcome his murderous tendencies. Yet there was always more to a Titan than what was on the surface, she had seen that. The Links and their Titans proved that peace was possible, but it was still a long road ahead to get other people to see that. A small part of her still felt wrong that she had gotten to know the loving bonds between them, seeing them for who they are under the guise of rampaging monsters. But still rampaging.

Clair then remembered what she’d seen in the aftermath of the last battle, carnage and destruction with fallen soldiers, none that would make it home to their families. If she did refuse, how long would it be before she saw her brother’s face among them?

Monarch was running out of money and soldiers, and if they we’re gone, that would only leave the militaries of the world to deal with the Titans. She knew for a fact that Jason would get pulled into it, and there were always casualties.

How many more people were there going to be before Jason, forced to fight a monster and suffering because of his actions?

How long would it be before Seattle became a target?

Her home had been luckier than most, being one of the last few places in the world where tragedy and ruination had not reached it, remaining untouched. It was proclaimed by people to be a safe haven from the Titans. The selfish part of her still whispered to forget about all of this and go back home where it was safe, where no Titans wandered. Yet how long would that last?

But another part of her didn’t want to leave Monarch and the people she had made friends with, leaving the bonds to crumble into dust with the passage of time. She had found some sort of belonging here even with the recent upheaval. She wanted to stay. She could only do that though if she said yes.

But what did that mean for her? If she became his Link, not only would she be privy to his own mindset, she would be held responsible for his future actions to some extent. For the cities he’d destroy, the lives taken, she would be responsible for it all. Could she really take that weight?

Clair stood atop a great precipice of indecision, one that was set before a vast, monstrous storm of the unknown. Its dark, howling depths flashing with glimpses of a possible future, as the space below held an unending darkness with nothing in sight. The question was would she fall or would she fly.

She had few options on the table.

She could try and flee and forget that any of this ever happened, going back to her old life which would be next to impossible. The connections that she had made, the bonds created could not so easily be extricated from herself, emotionally entangled as she was within their binds.

She couldn’t ignore what was to come. She was a part of this. Monarch, the program, the Titans, all of it. There was no going back.

She could face the unknown and dive head first, hoping for the best.

Or she could still say no. It was still her choice.

Clair sat in her bed, hunched over the tablet as her mind warred on which path to take, her body tensing, and relaxing, and tensing again, fluctuating with her thoughts. It was all a whirlwind in her head, deciding whether to choose between right or wrong. Until it all settled. Her body finally relaxed as she held a resoluteness within her.

She made her decision.

Leaving the room, she left the tablet on her bed, having all she needed to know. Going to one of the labs that was very similar to the one at the Temple that studied hieroglyphics, only more tidy and less chaotic, she found both Chen and Ling within, looking over a stone carving.

They noticed her, becoming attentive as she came near. “Clair?” Chen spoke, looking worried and curious at the same time.

Clair seemed to lose some of her breath now that she was before them, her hands flexing in and out of fists with her sharpened nails digging into her palms.

Ling stepped forward. “Have you come to a decision?”

Clair still felt the anxiety in her chest, but a peace was placed over it, letting her stick with what she chose. “I have.”

They stared at her, their dark eyes scrutinizing her appearance as they attempted to make out a sign that would predetermine what she was about to say, waiting for her answer.

Her tongue felt thick, sticking to the roof of her mouth as if trying to prevent the words from tumbling out. Taking a shuddering breath, she finally spoke. “I’ll do it.”

Eyes widening by a fraction, Ling and Chen both exhaled stale breaths at her proclamation, whether out of relief or resignation, Clair could not tell at the moment.

Looking at each other, Chen stepped forward then. “Are you sure?”

The determination Clair tried to convey, staring her mentor in the eye as she gave a solemn nod should have been enough.

“Okay,” said Chen with hesitancy, maybe giving her a moment to retract her words. But Clair was sticking with her answer. “Ling, go find Mark, Guillerman and Foster. They need to know and we need to start preparing.”

Nodding, Chen’s sister left the room to find the directors and colonel, even as Chen kept looking at Clair, possibly waiting to see if she would retract her answer. But Clair had no immediate desire to.

For the sake of all she held dear, she would do this, and there was no changing her mind.

***

Madison sat before the shield, crossed-legged on the cold concrete floor. She had a frown etched with the furrowing of her brow, absently looking at her hands even as her mind was a whirlwind of warring thoughts. The conflicting feelings of the recent development.

Clair accepted the bond to Ghidorah.

It didn’t seem fair to her. Clair had come here not knowing anything and had only seen them with their Titans. And now she was paired to the one they all hated. It all felt like a sick joke.

But it was as real as the Titan before her, now calmly swimming before the base. G’s anger and displeasure was pretty apparent, if the sharp swishing of his tail and the low growls were anything to go by.

She knew the others were having similar conversations with their own Titans, about Clair having accepted the bond to Ghidorah. Madison hoped they were going just as well as this one.

There was no other?

Hearing G’s question, Maddie shook her head tiredly. No. They said no one else would be a good match for her. It was only Ghidorah.

A plume of bubbles rushed out of his mouth, emitting a low rumble that was almost threatening. At least he was calming down. When she first told him, he roared and smashed a few undersea rocks around the base, circling the outpost as everyone inside tried to keep calm and let the rampage continue unhindered.

Look I’m not happy about this either, but she made her decision, and we can’t change her mind about it.

Though Maddie personally thought Clair was making a mistake with this. She felt like this was being rushed too fast. If they had more time, maybe there would be someone else for her, or they could find an error in the algorithm that would explain why she got Ghidorah. There had to be something to prevent this.

G then inquired, Though they said the bond might not work, did they not?

Yeah, but it still might. Something Clair said when they were visiting her flung itself to the forefront of her attention, prompting Maddie to ask Ghidorah’s oldest rival, Has he ever had a bonded before?

G was silent for a moment, thinking. No. Not that I could sense. This will be a surprise for him and he does not take well to surprises.

The implications of what G said ignited more of the worry and anger within her. Since the announcement, Maddie had memories coming back to haunt her, ones from her chaotic youth. She was against it from the start and she still was now. But she really did like Clair, and she didn’t want anything bad happening to her. However, it’s virtually impossible now, now that she planned to go through with the match and Maddie and the others could only watch.

Maddie sighed. She shouldn’t be doing this. She should have someone… who’s like you. A real Titan.

I am displeased as well. The thought of him having something so treasured fills me with nothing short of irritation. Maddie could practically see G baring his teeth at the thought. And you must watch her.

What?

Watch her. She is to be Ghidorah’s bonded, and his influence will likely affect her.

His warning of what Clair might become with Ghidorah in her head filled Maddie with a new apprehension. Chen had been teaching her to block, but it wouldn’t be enough to protect her from the connection. It created more conflict for Maddie, wondering if she would be able to tell if her friend was in her own head.

What am I going to do? We told her we’d help her; can she even be helped?

As I have always said to you, little one, stay vigilant and trust your instincts. They will never fail you.

Maddie smirked, figuring as much. It was how she got to Fenway, how she figured out Apex’s plot. How she found him.

And do not give up on her so easily. She has strength and courage in her, and we must hope that will be enough.

Maddie quickly berated herself for wondering if Clair may have been too fainthearted for this, having gone toe to toe with her herself where she showed she wouldn’t be cowed into submission. They’d given their promise to help in whatever way she needed, in whatever state she was in.

When will it happen? he then asked.

As soon as he shows up. They asked me to ask you to hold back when he comes here, so Clair can have a chance to make the bond.

She knew immediately how that rubbed him the wrong way. If his dorsal plates could move, they would be bristling right now. But they only gave a subtle flash before they darkened. Then he calmed.

Very well. But know that I must maintain my territory, I cannot let him be here for long.

I understand. When he shows up, I’ll give you the green light as early as possible when it’s time to move in.

G seemed to agree to this, and Maddie only hoped it would go well, and that she wouldn’t lose another person she cared about to Ghidorah.

***

Hurtling through the sky at over three hundred miles per hour, Clair tried to make her mind as blank as possible, shoving away the worries she faced and the state she left Castle Bravo in.

The Monarch base had become abuzz with the new objective: To have any and all equipment on hand for whatever environment the mission would take place in and to put all efforts into locating Ghidorah at the highest priority. As well as getting more hands-on deck for the mission.

Clair was given permission for leave to get her affairs in order. But to also go back the Udub. She decided early on that she would walk for her graduation, and it came at the perfect time to go home. She couldn’t be gone for more than a week at most, tabs needed to be kept on her at all times in case they found Ghidorah early and needed her straight away.

Before she returned to Washington, she requested to be brought to North Carolina. Jason had just gotten off training and said that he and Emily wanted to be there for her graduation, and she thought it would be best for them all to travel together. It was also an opportunity to see Jason one more time and to tell him what to do if the worst were to happen, once she got around to explaining who she was paired with. She couldn’t wait to have that conversation. If it was like the conversations the others were having with their Titans, this one would be a rampage too.

Soon, she saw a flat strip of land come into view and recognized—even from this angle—the airfield they were heading towards.

Funny thing about being with Monarch and having a relative in the military, you could just land right at their base if you asked.

The humidity of the North Carolinian air greeted Clair as she disembarked from the Osprey, the smells of swampland, ocean breeze, woodland, and barbeque all mixing together to give the Outer Banks their own signature scent. To her, Camp Lejeune was as common as all the other bases her brother had been at when they visited, just swampier. With sunglasses protecting her from the glaring noon sun, shouldering a small bag back into its place on her back, she searched among the generic, green fatigue-wearing soldiers that littered the flight deck, looking out for the one whom she shared blood with.

Searching on her right, she saw one among them striding towards the helicopter, their deep brown eyes locked with hers. Even with the distance between them, she instantly recognized the facial features that were near identical to her father’s.

Grinning in elation, she took off, running into the soldier’s encircling arms for the usual bone-crushing family bear hug. The force of her ramming hug seemed to have jostled the cap from his head, revealing the crewcut of dark brown hair underneath.

“Hey, Clair,” Jason greeted into her ear.

“Hey, Jase.” She can’t remember the last time she’d been hugged by him. Maybe it was when last Jason came home. They hadn’t been in physical contact for over a year and a half and all she could feel from the hug was a welcoming comfort. And a small sense of relief.

She hugged him tighter. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

His steel arms tightened around her body, but she had some muscle too, all thanks to Barnes and his training practices.

“Oof. Careful, sis, don’t break me,” he grunted, finally pulling back to appraise her. “Jeez, look at you. What kind of routine do they got you on?”

“One that’s probably similar to yours.”

He only smiled at her as they walked off the tarmac, finding and hopping into his grey F-150 and heading for the suburbs surrounding the base. She had only been to their house a handful of times before, managing to scrape up enough money while meticulously planning the best time for her to be away from home.

When they walked through the door, a young woman came around the corner, her brown hair in a ponytail as she came up to Clair.

“Hey. It’s so good to see you.” Emily greeted her, giving her a hug, not quite as strong as her Jason’s.

“It’s good to see you too, Emily.”

Then came the pitter patter of little pawed feet as a black lab, Casey, came trotting over, sniffing and jumping up on Clair as her tail wagged like crazy, with her laughing and petting the dog in return.

Clair got settled into the guestroom and came shortly back down to play some catch up with her family, seeing a grey short-haired cat lazing on the couch. Keiko gave a cursory slow blink in greeting, Clair giving her a rub as she walked on by.

Jason and Emily were currently doing pretty well. Emily’s massage therapy business was taking off and Jason was allowed to stay home for the next couple of months, that is he stilled had to go to the base to do some work. And his long-time buddies were doing good, some of whom were working at Camp Lejeune too. Both were already halfway packed for the trip, Emily also being excited about going back to Washington, getting the chance to see her parents again, reminding Clair to treat them somehow on taking care of the house and Kayley in her absence.

After a good dinner of pulled pork and roasted veggies, they managed to catch up on a few other things, involving Clair’s life.

“So, you excited for graduation,” Emily inquired.

“Yeah. It’ll be great. Can’t wait to see home again. And Kayley.”

“I bet.”

“So, how’s Monarch been treating you?” Jason asked.

Clair gave a slight pause before answering, “They’ve been alright. They got good benefits. Made a lot of good friends.”

“They’re not pushing you too hard, are they?”

“No. Though I do have a couple kinks in my back from Madison. Maybe you could help me out, Emily.” They were more or less from fighting.

“I think I can squeeze you in for a session. Where are they hurting mostly?”

“Upper back, she really likes to go for that area. Just be careful of the bruises.”

“She’s not giving you too hard a time, is she?” Jason inquired then, looking a tad bit protective.

“Nah, it’s just sparring,” Clair assured him. “Got to maintain the comradery, you know?”

They seemed to accept her answers, but Clair knew the truth would have to come out soon. She wanted to talk with Jason about it first, wanting to get the hardest part out of the way. But it would have to wait until tomorrow at least, she didn’t want to spoil the good mood now.

“So, do you guys got any plans to make me an aunt soon?”

They looked at each other, Emily answering with a slight cough. “Well, we haven’t talked about it much. I’m still trying to decide if I could handle a miniature version of your goober brother.”

“That you married,” her brother stated, holding up the hand with a wedding ring on it.

Amusement forced a grin on Clair as she watched the two descend into a bickering argument over trivial things.

“Actually, I think I got the receipt for you somewhere…,” Emily began to say.

“All sales are final,” Clair quickly responded.

Jason threw her a conspiratorial grin, enjoying the annoyed look Emily gave the two of them.

After a couple of rounds on a board game they pulled out, getting some more laughs out of it, Clair settled down for the night, finding comforting familiarity within the room. To be honest, it was a relief just to be here with her brother in North Carolina, away from the current craziness of Monarch. To just be in the quiet with only family surrounding her. People who knew her.

Early the next day, Clair came downstairs to find Emily in the foyer, checking her purse and holding a bag. “Hey. I’m heading out to work, and then the store, do you need anything?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Kay, see you later then. Bye.”

“Bye.”

As her sister-in-law went out the door, she quickly found Jason at the counter of the kitchen bar, giving him a good morning that he returned as she walked to the pantry, grabbing a box of cheerios and a jug of milk, making herself some cereal. With the bowl and glass of water in hand, she went to the table and began to eat her breakfast, admiring the vase of sunflowers set in the middle of the table. Looking over, her brother was handling two magazines, placing them side by side as he looked at them from different angles, with a roll of duct tape next to him.

Genuinely curious and wanting to make conversation, Clair called out, “Whacha doin’ over there?”

“I’m trying to put these two magazines together for one of the rifles I have. Just kinda jerry-rigging it right now. Might not work out, but I’m gonna give it a shot.”

Clair hummed. Then she smiled. “Was that pun intended?”

He looked up and gave her a gentle smirk. “No.”

She gave a light chuckle at his answer.

A silence seemed to wedge itself between them then. Clair wanted to speak more to him, but she didn’t know what to say, they’d been out of touch for so long. Their relationship could be called distant on the best of terms. They did love each other; they just couldn’t communicate in a normal way.

As she continued to glance every now and then at her brother, the reason why she wanted to see him weighed down on her, not lost on the fact it was just the two of them now, with him staying home today. The anxiousness of what his reaction might be began to roil within her stomach, making her eat the cheerio’s more gradually. Her best guess is that the news of what she was about to say would trigger an atomic reaction from him, and she was trying to prepare for it. But as she tried to figure out a way to break the news to him, she knew that it would be bad no matter how she started it. He needed to know, there was no doubt about that. She just didn’t want to ruin it all.

Pausing in eating, her right pointer finger began to tap lightly on the cloth placemat beneath her bowl, muffling the sound. With every second that passed the anxiety coiled tighter, pulling all of her with it as she snuck glances at Jason. It was now or never.

“Jason, I need to talk to you.”

Jason paused with his project to regard her, taking in the seriousness of her face and the tone she took. “Is everything alright, sis?”

All her fingers nervously tapped against the placemat now, with her listening to the dulled drumming coming from them. “I’ve got something to tell you about Monarch.”

He put down the magazines and came over, taking the seat adjacent to her, giving his full attention. “Do I really need to know?”

He knew about all of this after she signed the contract, the program, the Links, the Titans, all of it. He needed to know about this. “Yeah.”

“What is it?”

She took a breath, composing herself as best she could. “There’s a mission coming up, and I’m supposed to be on it. I don’t know where it is, or when exactly it’s going to be, but it’s for the program, for someone I’m paired up with. And because of who it is, I…” She took another breath, gulping down the air. “There’s a chance that I... I may not come back.”

His deep brown eyes widened a fraction while turning as hard as steel. “What do you mean, Clair?”

“Uh… I’m… I’m paired with someone really, really bad, Jase.”

His brows furrow at the confession. “How bad? Who?”

The name was stuck in her throat and Clair couldn’t meet her brother’s intense gaze as she tried to say it. So, she tried something different. Lifting up her right hand she splayed her first three fingers, showing them to him.

He looked at her hand with confusion. And then understanding dawned in his eyes.

“No. No, FUCK NO!” He jumped out of his chair, towering over her “You’re with him?!”

Clair was at a loss for words, never seeing Jason this angry before. She tried to hold on to any amount of calm under his rising tone. “Not yet exactly.”

He turned away from her, his back rigid as he ran his hands through his cropped hair, “No. FUCK!” He slammed a fist down on the kitchen island countertop, making Clair flinch. “Why in the fucking hell would they make you work with him?! Of any Titan they could saddle you with, they put you with him? Why?! How?!”

“Because I'm the best they got,” she said in a tone as coolly as she could, feeling the anxiety spreading at her brother’s outrage.

“No. No way. No fucking way! Tell them to find someone else. I’m not letting them lead you into the jaws of that bastard!”

“I’ve already said yes, I can't back out now.”

“Do they have you under contract? Did you sell your soul to them?”

Clair stuttered for a moment. “No.”

“Then you can back out,” he stated as if it was so obvious. “No, you're not going back to Monarch. You’re done with them and you're staying here. I won’t allow you to go anywhere near that monster!”

This was going just as bad as she thought. She needed to make him see reason. “A monster that’s killed thousands of people,” she rose from her seat, standing opposite her brother, finding the courage to look him in the eye. “A monster that’s killed men and woman. Civilians. Soldiers. People who are just like you and our family.”

“I can take care of myself, Clair.”

“You don’t understand! Monarch can’t keep up with him and the Titans are exhausted. How long do you think it’ll be before they can’t stop him anymore? If I linked up with him, it would give us an edge, we wouldn’t always have to keep fighting.”

“Are you even listening to yourself Clair?! Are you this naïve to throw away your life?!”

“I’m trying to help!”

“Help who?!”

“Help you! Help Monarch! Help my friends! Help the Titans! Help everyone! I just want to do something good for once in my life!”

He became silent at the last sentence, eyes holding an astonishment. Clair felt the wall crumbling from her outburst, feeling so overwhelmed in that moment. He just stood there looking at her as small tears began to escape from her eyes. 

Clair looked at him, really looked at him, knowing everything he meant to her.

“I saw the aftermath of one of his fights. I saw the bodies, Jason. Bodies of soldiers. And I thought… You’re the only family I have left. You’re my best friend, Jase. If he attacks again and you’re called into it…” She tried to imagine a world without him in it and there was a shadow of a hole in her heart, one that would end her if it came to fruition. The weight of her emotional turmoil forced her back into the chair, sobbing into her hand. “I can't be left alone in this world, Jason. I can't, I just can’t.”

Anxiety mixed with the heated, prickling emotions she felt, causing her more distress as she gasped for air between her wet sobs, her entire body shaking. Did he not think she felt insane herself for agreeing to this? It was almost akin to throwing her life away. Maybe she was in over her head when she said she would do it. 

A strong yet gentle hand lightly touched her shoulder, coaxing her attention back to Jason. “Clair,” he spoke with such tenderness and sadness, “it was always my dream to go into the Marines. It wasn’t because I didn’t have any other choice, but because it was my choice. I know that you’re trying to do this for me… but did you ever consider what it’d be like if I lost you? Knowing that you, my little sister who I was always meant to look after, was gone. It’d be worse than hell for me. I can’t lose you too, Clair.”

Closing her eyes as more tears rolled down her cheeks, Clair understood. She remembered the pain of knowing they weren’t there anymore, clinging to Jason like a lifeline, and to an extent, him to her. They were all that was left of their little family.

“I just… If I can just change something, then maybe it would start to get better, for everyone.”

He remained silent, his head lowering in acceptance of her decision. A small sound of dripping water broke their moment as they both saw the cracked vase of flowers at the center of the table. Clair’s heart became crippled with guilt.

“Ugh, sorry,” she apologized, trying to hold back the fresh wave of tears. “I’ll… I’ll clean that up before Emily sees it.”

Looking at her with sympathy, he rose to his feet. “I’ll help.”

Moving the broken vase into the sink as Jason grabbed some paper towels, they began cleaning away the water from the table and the floor. They worked in silence, making sure to get as much as they could. However, there was one more thing Clair needed to tell him.

With a graveness in her tone, she spoke to her brother. “Jase.” He looked up at her. “Dr. Chen… She knows.”

He stilled as his eyes widened at the news, before they narrowed into slits. “How?”

“She saw me with a jar. And I accidentally hurt her.” At his aghast expression, she was quick to say, “The jar exploded and a shard hit her in the cheek. But she’s fine.”

Suspicion then clouded his expression. “What does she want?”

“Nothing. She said she won’t tell. She’s promised me that.”

“Are you sure? Can you really trust her?”

Clair thought about the time she had spent with Chen, and the only thing that she’d been dishonest with was the reason why Clair was brought into the program at all. But she knew that was only done to protect her. Other than that, she’d been truthful. “I don’t think I’d be here talking to you if I wasn’t.”

Jason was silent for a moment, looking at her with a grim, wide-eyed expression. He looked scared to her. Then without warning, he pulled her into a fierce hug, pressing her as close as he could. “Tell me if this is really your choice.”

His voice sounded desperate, and it broke her heart a little that he was like this. She nodded subtly against his shoulder. “It is.”

He continued to hold her, unwilling to let go. Clair wondered what he was thinking about all this, not knowing which news was worse.

Finally releasing his grip on her and in a quiet voice, he said, “Okay. She’s in the loop then.” He looked at her pointedly. “Let’s keep it that way.”

Clair nodded, understanding that if any more people knew about her, then it wouldn’t be her secret to tell anymore.

***

Arriving back in Washington, Clair felt that she could finally breathe. The late spring air filled her lungs as she saw how everything had bounced brightly back from the gloom of winter. It felt good to be home, especially now with Kayley, who snuggled into her chest happily when she came through the door. Emily’s parents had done a good job taking care of the house and taking care of Kayley, barely a thing out of place. Being back in her own room was the most relieving thing she had felt in her whole life. And better yet, there was another rose in the garden that was about to bloom, most likely for her graduation. She could finally relax for a while.

That night, laying in her bed while snuggling with Kayley as Jason and Emily slept in his former room, now-turned-guest bedroom, Clair began analyzing all that had happened to her in the last few months. Despite the relief she felt, it was also strange being back home. So much had happened and changed that it was almost as if a complete stranger had used to live in her room before she came home today. She shook the feeling off though, knowing she was safe here as she tried to get some sleep for tomorrow.

The next day, she was standing in front of the mirror, making sure her robe and cap were nicely fitted along with the navy-blue dress she wore. It was a common Bachelor’s black with the Udub seal on the left shoulder and a golden yellow tassel hanging from her cap. It was not lost on her how the tassel was that certain color.

“You look good,” Jason praised when she came out, dressed in a nice-looking dress shirt. Emily, who wore a light blue floral dress that matched her eyes, took a picture of them together in the foyer, creating one of the few memorabilia for this day.

With the sun shining brightly today with just a few clouds to accompany it, they all piled into her truck and headed down to the campus stadium. Clair was directed to go to the waiting area for the graduates while Jason and Emily went to find seats among the growing crowd of gathering families.

After a good hour of waiting for everyone to arrive, the graduates all lined up and walked out onto the field to take their seats before the stage that had been set up.

Soon enough, the university president and other members of faculty gathered on the stage, ready to get the commencement going.

Clearing his throat, the president began his speech. It started off with him saying he tried to invite a certain celebrity for the ceremony, but received no answer. And instead, dressed up as the celebrity with a wig, glasses and scarf and doing impressions, getting roaring laughter from the audience.

The other faculty members spoke as well and honor roll graduates were given a few speeches of their own to say. Then came the walk for the diplomas. They were called up in sections, forming two lines on either side of the stage.

Keeping the butterflies in her stomach, and watching the distance between her and the stage shrink with every departing graduate, Clair presented her name to be announced.

“Clair Cantrell,” the woman spoke into the microphone, letting everyone know who she was. Clair walked up on stage and took her diploma, shaking the president’s hand as they posed for the picture.

“WOO! GO CLAIR!” her brother’s enormous voice called out from somewhere in the stadium seats, some people turning their heads his way, making an embarrassed tint of red creep up her cheeks. She finally spotted them in the crowd, waving at them as she got off stage.

After everyone was given their diplomas, with the very last student cheering “I did it!” with some laughter from the crowd, the president made his closing speech.

“So, there we are. All of our students, present and absent have finally graduated from Udub. Now before we conclude our time here, I just wanted to make one final speech to you all if that’s okay?” A round of cheering encouraged the president to continue. “Okay, okay, settle down. What I wanted to say before we all leave here today, is that so many of us will choose different paths to take after this. Some of you may walk with others down a particular path. And some may go it alone, finding their own way in life. But that’s the thing about life, you never know what it’s going to throw at you, whether it be a new opportunity, a tragedy, or something you can’t quite explain as it changes your world forever. And in a world full of Titans, it’s a lot more likely. The world is so full of possibilities that all of them can’t be explored in one lifetime. All we have now is the time we are given on how best to spend it. And I hope all of you will be able to have that opportunity, whatever path you take.”

Clair closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh with how much the speech resonated with her. If only he knew what path she would be taking.

“Alright, now for the words you’ve all been waiting for. Congrats class of 2032!” Everyone cheered as the graduates tossed their caps up into the air, done with their college careers.

Weaving her way through the crowd, Clair finally found Jason and Emily, receiving congratulatory hugs, and taking a few more pictures with her diploma holder in hand.

As they took the last picture in the stadium and before they could leave to go grab a celebratory dinner, Jason gave her another hug, whispering into her ear, “They’d be so proud of you.”

She hugged him tighter, holding back tears as she sincerely hoped it was true.

***

Spending a couple more days at home, Clair eventually had to go back to Monarch. After dropping off Jason and Emily back in North Carolina, receiving goodbye hugs from them, Jason’s being a little tighter, Clair returned to the base.

She received congratulations on becoming a graduate from her mentors and her friends, happy that she managed to have at least that for herself. She was happy to be back, even as an unease continued to plague her.

Days passed. Then weeks. Life seemed to continue on as normal at Castle Bravo. Chen and Barnes were continuously putting her through her paces, getting her to the point where she would be ready when the time came.

But the tension was just under the surface, ready to rise if she gave into the pressure.

She was going over Ghidorah’s files again, taking little notes in her notebook. As she gathered tidbits about him, she was silently debating whether she should just skip notetaking from a third-party perspective and wait to learn about him from his own mouth, so to speak.

At least she definitively knew she was to be his first bonded, if she heard correctly from the others after their own talks with the Titans.

“G wasn’t happy,” Maddie relayed to her when Clair got to talk with them about the Titans reactions.

Neither was Kong.

“Rodan thinks you’re crazier than last time he saw you.”

“Mothra was… quiet, for a while. She really didn’t approve of what we’re trying to do, but said that if it’s your choice, then she had no intention stopping us.”

So overall, not great reactions, but at least there wasn’t too much damage done, just some torn up earth, a couple of fires and a few underwater geological structures destroyed. Knowing what they were capable of, it could have been a whole lot worse.

Clair gave a slight shudder at the thought of Ghidorah’s reaction when he finally learned of her, wondering what he’d be like when he was really angry.

That is when Foster’s steady voice came over the speakers. “Clair Cantrell, please come to the Hub immediately.”

Her muscles tensed, blood flowing more quickly as her heart began to race. The possibilities of why Monarch’s head of military operations having called for her specifically ran through her mind. Had they found Ghidorah already?

It felt as though she would break and fall apart at that moment, she wasn’t ready, but she took a steadying, shuddering breath, calming herself as much as possible before she left her room and made her way toward the Hub, shaking as she was.

As she neared it, she expected to see activity of people running back and forth, relaying data like it was another attack, which would likely be if they found Ghidorah.

Instead, there was the usual busy calmness of the Hub, everyone keeping to their work station, nothing looking amiss. Although, Dr. Russell and Colonel Foster were standing side by side talking to a soldier who had their back to her.

Yet as Clair came closer, familiarity came in waves as she took note of the soldier’s gait, the broad shoulders, the height which was just a few inches above her, and the dark tufts of hair peeking out from under their cap.

Disbelief clawed up her throat as she croaked out a name. “Jason?”

Her brother turned at the sound of her voice, a placid expression on before it became a small gentle smile at the sight of her.

Bewilderment consumed her entire being as she tried to understand what was going on. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m on special assignment, for Monarch.”

Clair was silent as the emotions within were starting to boil over, her sharpened gaze turning towards the head of military operations for an explanation.

Foster remained calm under her scrutinization as she explained, “We didn’t know he was your brother until he asked for you. He came with the reinforcements we called in.”

In a voice that barely contained her anger, she dared to ask, “What special assignment?”

Finally, Foster gave an indication of her mood, looking uncomfortable. “The snipers that are to accompany you when you face Ghidorah.”

“What?!”

“What’s going on?” Chen came trotting up to them, looking at Clair as if to make sure she was okay.

Clair barely acknowledged her, her attention on Jason and Foster. “No. He shouldn’t be here. You need to send him back,” she told the colonel.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He has written orders from higher ups, saying his presence is required on the mission. My hands are tied.” Foster certainly didn’t look pleased that her authority had been overridden at her own post.

Clair glared at her brother, only for Jason to be wearing a complete mask over his face, not showing a sliver of what he was feeling. The air became tense between the siblings, as Clair fumed and Jason stood neutral.

She turned to Dr. Russell, indicating her brother. “Is there a place we can talk, in private?”

He pointed to a door imbedded in the rock wall at the back of the Hub. Clair nodded, signaling Jason to follow. She led him to the nearly empty room, save for a metal table and some chairs, letting him inside first before closing the door with a little more force than was necessary.

“What the fuck, Jason! Why are you here? I know for a fact you’re not a sniper. You told me you had a good score, but you weren’t the best.”

His neutral visage came off, showing his irritation. “I called in a favor, and I managed to get a spot on the group Monarch wanted for your mission.”

“Snipers,” she stated plainly. “For Ghidorah!”

“I needed to know you were telling the truth!”

“So, you thought I was lying?”

“I thought you were being coerced into something you didn’t want. That you didn’t know how to say no to the people that apparently gave you everything.”

She looked at him incredulously. “I told you the truth why I was doing this, and now you go behind my back just to spy on me?”

He pointed his finger dangerously at her. “Don’t put words into my mouth! I needed to know for myself. I promised Mom and Dad that I’d look out for you. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t?”

“One that I could protect!” she screamed, trying to get through his thick skull. “One that would live!”

“You don’t think I want that too?!” he shouted back. “I want to be there for you! I want to make sure you come home safe!”

“And you want to do that by trying to get yourself killed?! What if Ghidorah turns his sights on you?! I can’t be connected to the Titan that kills my brother!”

“And you expect me to sit by while he tries to kill you?!”

“You need to leave!”

“I’m not going! I’m staying!”

Clair turned away from him, barely comprehending his pigheadedness. She wanted to scream so bad. The overwhelming sense of losing control of the situation which she thought she was starting to get a grasp on slipped from her fingers, feeling like she was in a sort of freefall and didn’t know when it would end.

She paced the room, hands on her hips as she tried to keep her cool, fingers running through her hair as she tried to keep calm, struggling to hold back tears.

That’s when the door opened.

They both turned to the intrusion, watching as Chen appeared, cautiously entering the room as she closed the door behind. Her dark eyes flickered between the siblings, no doubt noticing both of their agitated states. Clair’s mostly. Clair wondered then how thick the door was, and how much of their conversation had been heard by the base.

“What.” Jason’s anger was palpable, it was a wonder Chen didn’t cower from him.

Chen didn’t answer him though, still looking at Clair. With growing tears in her eyes, she turned away from the doctor, not wanting to show her face and how obviously upset she was, before looking back at her to see what she would say.

Sighing, Chen gave a subtle shake of her head. “This won’t work.”

“What do you mean?” Jason demanded.

Chen finally gave him her attention. “Your presence here and your involvement in the mission is causing your sister distress. This isn’t good if she is trying to make the connection to a Titan, let alone someone like Ghidorah. Your presence jeopardizes the mission and your sister’s safety, and that is something I cannot allow.”

“Who are you?”

Clair sighed, knowing this was bound to happen. “Chen, Jason. Jason, Chen,” she crudely introduced.

“You’re Chen?”

“I am.”

Jason eyed her, sizing her up. Clair could see the subtle shudder the doctor gave under her brother’s eye as he moved closer to her, speaking quietly. “You know about her then, you know what she can do. Did you hang that over her head to get her to say yes?”

“Jason,” Clair warned.

“I have done nothing of the sort,” Chen defended herself. “We gave her the choice to choose this. She made her decision willingly.”

“And you’ll keep her secret, even when she hurt you?” He indicated to the bandage across Chen’s cheek.

“I gave my word to her that I would not breathe this to anyone else without her consent.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Clair does. Do you not trust her?”

Jason didn’t take that well, getting into her space. They stared each other down for what felt like eternity, neither one backing off, with Clair wondering if she would have to intervene.

Then to her astonishment, Jason took a step back, giving the statue-still Chen some space.

Taking in a breath, Chen went on to say, “I know that this is difficult for you. But you must understand this also puts your sister in danger. If she cannot fully concentrate when she links with him, it will most likely fail and possibly lead to disaster if she gives away our presence to him.”

He seemed to understand, but he was still stubborn. “I’m not leaving until this is done.”

“Jason,” Clair pleaded, not wanting to get into another argument.

“This mission is about Clair,” Chen stated, “perhaps she should decide then.”

Put on the spot, Clair looked between them as she was given the choice to send her brother away or to let him stay. She gave Jason a hard look.

At last, he looked apologetic, begging her with his dark eyes. “Sis, please. I want to be there for you.”

Turning away from Jason, Clair pinched her mouth in thought, trying to figure out what to do. It was her call. She could send Jason away, and he would be safe. Or she could allow her brother’s scheme to continue as she prepared for her new life.

The safest option would be the first one, and she almost wanted to pick it. But looking at her brother, seeing how he had come this far just to make sure she was all right, she realized something. If she did die on this mission, and he wasn’t there when he could have been, he would regret it for the rest of his life, and might resent her for never letting him get the chance to be there for her. There had to be a compromise, Clair not willing to risk his life.

She knew her decision, even if she was telling herself it was a bad one.

Clair looked at him. “Okay.” Jason sighed, relieved. Then she added with a firm voice, “But you are not going anywhere near Ghidorah, you’re only going to travel with us, and stay with the rest of the Monarch forces, do you understand?”

He nodded, agreeing.

She put a hand to her forehead, trying to sooth herself, feeling out of breath. “I don’t know who’s crazier, me or you.”

“Definitely you,” he told her.

She gave a breathy laugh as they exited out of the room with Chen.

Jason seemed to settle in quickly to the life at Castle Bravo, no wonder when half of the residents were soldiers just like him and probably gave him the lowdown of how things were run here. Although, Clair heard the earful he got from Emily when she learned what he did and called to give him a piece of her mind. Jason may be a little bad-tempered, but her sister-in-law knew how to handle him, suffice to say, he was fully chastised after the conversation.

Jason came to a few of her sparring sessions, giving her pointers every once and a while afterwards, helping to improve her techniques.

Despite the constant nervousness of having her brother here, Clair came to appreciate his presence, it sort of gave an added familiarity to Castle Bravo that she’d been missing.

Yet it did little to distract her from the upcoming mission, whenever that would be. Almost every day after training, she would go to the Hub to check on things. And as always, the same sight greeted her.

Dr. Russell and Director Guillerman were in the transparent meeting room, going over the running of Monarch. Stanton was at his station sipping on whatever was in his mug, looking for signs of Titan activity. And Coleman was at the communications station, speaking with the other outposts.

Clair went over to Stanton, studying the empty radar of the whole world taking up the screens, looking the same as last she saw them. “Anything?”

Stanton gave her a cursory glance over his shoulder before returning his attention to the screens. “Nah, it’s pretty quiet out there. He probably isn’t going to show for a while after what we did to him last time. Just take it easy, kid. You got some time.”

“Easy for you to say,” she huffed.

Clair backed away though as Stanton continued to monitor the radar for any signs of the alien Titan, looking at the shield and the water beyond. There were very few fish today, almost making the water behind the thick glass seem like a wall of solid blue. It almost reminded her of her room back home.

Someone appeared beside her then, looking over to see Chen. Her bandage was off and the stitches had just come out yesterday, leaving behind a tiny little scar on her cheek, one Clair looked at with a twinge of guilt.

“Are you doing alright?” Chen asked, gazing out at the shield too.

“As much as I can be.”

“Your brother seems to be doing well. I think I saw him and Barnes exchanging a few jokes and drinks together the other night.”

Clair smirked at that, knowing her brother was friendly when he wanted to be, making connections just like her parents did when they needed to. Looking out at the ocean, a thought came to Clair’s mind, making her frown. “If I can’t connect with him the first time, what’ll happen?”

Chen sighed. “If we attempt this and it fails, there’s a possibility that Ghidorah may not allow it to happen again.”

“What? Even if he never knew I was there?”

Then Stanton commented from his desk. “If Ghidorah gets wise, he won’t let us do it again. Probably not with you or anyone else.”

Confused, Clair tried to understand the consequences of this. “Then what’ll happen?”

Chen looked apprehensive. “I don’t know.”

Clair contemplated the answers she just received. So, this was it then. If the bond failed, if she failed, it would be over. She would never be a Link and she would never have another Titan. She was their only shot.

An alarm sounded just as Stanton’s voice rung out. “I got him.”

Her heart seized in her chest, and Clair forgot how to breathe for a second, before her body forced her to take a breath, only to feel her heart immediately sink into the pit of her stomach.

“Where?” Chen asked, gliding over to Stanton’s station, leaving Clair to flounder.

“Antarctica.”

“What the hell is he doing back there?” Dr. Russell exclaimed as he rushed out of the meeting room with Guillerman.

“What?” Coleman came over. “Is he going for H.E.L. again?”

“No, no,” Stanton clarified, pulling up the radar on the wall of screens she stood before, seeing the little blip near the peninsula of the continent, “he’s six-hundred kilometers east from the base, not moving an inch.”

Finally regaining her breath and understanding what she was hearing, Clair became confused with his actions. “What is he doing then?”

“Hold on, let me pull up acoustics.”

The speakers came on, letting them hear the Titan. A low growl filled the room, along with another, as a guttural gurgle joined them. With a shudder rolling up her spine, Clair listened intently to the sounds, not sounding aggressive in any way she could interpret. This went on for a few minutes. Then they all quieted, becoming rhythmic rumbles every minute.

“Ugh,” Dr. Russell groaned, pulling Clair out of her confusion. “He’s nesting.”

“Nesting?” she asked.

“As far as we can tell,” Chen began to explain, “Ghidorah just pops up every now and then, resting in one spot without doing too much damage until Godzilla comes along to chase him off, usually in the general area from the last battle. From what Madison can tell us, Ghidorah does it just to piss him off.”

“Like playing the Titan version of whack-a-mole,” Stanton commented.

“Seems a bit petty for him,” Clair remarked, holding back a snort when she compared it to that childish antic of a sibling invading the space of another by putting their foot in the room and taking it out, doing it repeatedly and driving the other crazy.

“And seems a bit lucky for us,” Guillerman noted. “If Ghidorah is nesting, then he’ll likely be conserving energy. Which means, he’ll fall asleep.”

“Which means this is our chance,” Chen realized, looking at a baffled Clair. “You might now be able to make the link with him.”

At the cold realization, Clair’s chest moved up and down, faster than what was normal, trying to come to terms that this was really happening. Then the alarm went off again, showing another blip on the radar in the high arctic.

“Shit,” Stanton cursed. “Godzilla’s on the move, heading straight towards Antarctica.”

“How long do we have?” Chen asked.

“Fifteen hours at least, maybe less.”

“I thought Maddie could hold him back,” Clair voiced aloud.

“Not indefinitely,” Dr. Russell told her. “His instincts will compel him to drive Ghidorah off, no matter how much Maddie asks him not to.”

They were on a time crunch then.

As the news spread throughout the base, more people filled into the Hub, with Foster coming in and barking orders as Chen and the directors tried figuring out a gameplan when they would get to Antarctica.

Clair stood stock still in the chaos that erupted around her, continuing to stand by the monitor, feeling her body shaking as her heart pounded faster and faster in her chest. It all felt surreal watching the blip in Antarctica slowly pulse, realizing with an extreme clarity, she was about to meet the most dangerous Titan the world had ever known.

Chapter Text

Somewhere over the Southern Ocean

Early July, 2032

The music of strings and keys played together in a harmonious tune, a peaceful melody that let the mind wander in a sea of calming thoughts, assuaging any soul that could hear it, with Clair being one of them. Letting the music wash over her senses, Clair was lost in her own head and only paid attention to the notes as they rose and fell in the slow and steady tempo, allowing a tranquility to settle over her and having it drown out any thoughts that would induce her anxiety and stress. Including the knowledge of the surrounding room she was currently occupying.

Opening her eyes, Clair hit a button on her phone, pausing the song for the moment so she could find something else to listen to, having tired of the same tune being replayed for the last few hours. When she couldn’t find another that suited her mood, she gave up on the playlist, settling back down on the bed she laid in, looking about the room. The med bay of the Argo was currently empty save herself, the only place she could find some peace for her racing heart. It was where Chen directed her to go for the last leg of the journey as the others prepared, knowing she need peace. It was also, ironically, the place she would end up in if this mission went badly or worse.

A shudder rolled up her back right then, the thoughts of what she was about to do and who she was about to meet darkening her mind and erasing the calm she had worked so hard to keep. Rolling onto her side as her arms gripped her middle, Clair took in a shuddering breath and closed her eyes, practicing the breathing techniques she’d learned, trying to get her mind to focus on anything other than their destination or the rapidly shortening time limit. A few minutes of in and out breathing, as she tried to suppress the intruding thoughts, she regained some control of her composure. She attempted to think of the positive outcome of the mission.

If everything went off without a hitch, they would travel across the iced over tundra, find Ghidorah (hopefully sleeping), Clair would form the link, and they would sneak away quietly without him even knowing they were there. All of it done before Godzilla would show up and chase Ghidorah away. It seemed fairly easy when it was put that way.

Although a certain question still nagged at the back of her head. Clair had spent most of her time wondering if she should take the pairing, she hadn’t spent much time on how to create the link. From the information she gleaned from the others in their conversations, it was about finding a rhythm with the Titan you could connect with. But what sort of rhythm?

Was it physical?

No, that wasn’t it. But maybe it was part of it?

It had to be something with the mind. Way of thinking?

Though when she factored in that it was not just one mind she was connecting to, it got a little too daunting to think about trying to find more than one rhythm.

And what if she slipped up. What if she somehow alerted Ghidorah of their presence and put everyone in danger because she screwed up on making the link.

Before anxiety could crush her in its grip again, the bay doors suddenly hissed open as Jason walked in, his presence as much as a comfort as it was a concern. He was wearing his usual uniform for base work, with added padding and his dog tags on display. The focus in his eyes and the alertness he carried with him gave an added side of what it was to be military. He looked ready to go into combat.

But his features softened when his eyes landed upon her, giving a gentle smile when he saw her, and she gave a wan one in return. She rose from the bed as he came over to her.

“How’re you holding up?” he asked quietly when he got close enough, sitting on the bed next to her and slinging an arm around her hunched shoulders.

“As much as I can,” she pitifully replied.

He gave a pensive frown. “You sure I can’t come with you?”

In the face of what was to be done, the offer was tempting, but Clair adamantly shook her head, holding firm to her earlier decision. Jason had attempted once more to be placed on the mission, but he was overruled. Clair didn't want him anywhere near the situation for fear of losing him and Chen agreed with her on that reason and the fact that if he was injured or worse that it could jeopardize the newly formed link. So, to come to a middle ground, Jason was permitted to travel with them on the Argo and down onto the ice, but no further. In a small part in the back of head, Clair found it rather ironic that Jason was on the Argo, considering that his and the ship’s namesakes were both from the same source of legend. But also, they were about to face a hydra which the mythical hero faced as well for the golden fleece. If everything went her way, Jason would never come face to face with Ghidorah in his life. At least their team would be fitted with helmet-mounted cameras, so he could watch their progress along with everyone else.

“No. You just being here is enough.” She meant it as an appreciative and a barring fact. “But I’m glad you are.”

“I am too, sis.”

“Sorry you can’t walk me down the aisle though,” she tried to joke.

He gave her a little smirk. “Just live long enough so that I can actually do that for you.”

Like anyone would want to be with the one person who was connected to Ghidorah. She kept the thought to herself though.

Taking his arm off of her shoulder, his hand opened up beside her, an offer. She took it without question, sliding her fingers over his calloused palm until both hands were interlocked. Jason’s grip was stronger than hers, knowing that if he wanted to, he could crush her fingers within seconds. But his grip was firm and gentle at the same time, letting the touch be a solid comfort.

She then leaned against him, placing her head on his shoulder. He in turn placed his head atop hers. They sat there like that, finding solace in each other’s company as they drank in the silent love for one another. Feeling the solid frame of her brother, knowing his resoluteness in staying by her side, Clair detected a small sense of astonishment rising, of how her brother could be so pighead and so brave at the same time. And how it only came out when his family was involved. She was reminded of all they had gone through in the years. So much had happened and yet Jason stayed as close to the family as possible. She felt so grateful for him, the last constant of her life. In all that they have been through, Jason stuck by her, no matter the distance between them. She honestly didn’t know how she deserved it.

Clair couldn’t stop the emotions that welled up, letting a few tears roll down her cheeks as she sucked in a muted shudder. Jason seemed to notice, for he then wrapped his other arm around her other shoulder, bringing her closer to him. In his arms, she felt protected and was allowed this rare moment of vulnerability. And for a moment, just a single nostalgic moment, she felt like she was in her father’s arms again. Sturdy and warm. With the unspoken promise of protection and safety. Of love and warmth.

She sniffled away her tears and regained her composure. Their father had instilled to them that they needed to be strong, not just for themselves but for each other and anyone else who depended on them. Clair held tight to that teaching, knowing she would soon be in future situations that called for it.

“I’m okay.”

“Are you sure you can do this?”

“I going to try.”

He nodded. They continued to stay with each other, neither letting the other go. Yet as she felt his love for her, Clair could not stop the knowledge of what Ghidorah has done. Or what he had already done. And that scared her more.

“Jase.”

She felt him shift and knew he was looking at her. But she stared ahead, unseeing.

“I’m not the first person to… come into contact with Ghidorah’s minds. There was a man, who made contact with first. He’s in a coma now, going on for the last three years. They say he’s braindead.” She felt his grip on her tighten a fraction, but she continued. “If I form the link, but… but it goes badly… I don’t want to suffer.” She finally stared up into his intense dark eyes. “Don’t let me suffer.”

She could see the internal struggle her request put on him, knowing he understood what she meant. And the pain it would cause.

He shook his head. “Don’t let it go badly, sis. I don’t want it to come to that.”

Lowering her eyes, she uttered in a hushed breath, “I know.”

The door suddenly hissed open, both siblings looking up to see Chen in the doorway. She seemed to pause as she looked at the pair, possibly figuring she was intruding on their moment, but her hesitancy was gone in the blink of an eye. “We’re almost there. Foster wants to go over the plan one more time.”

Clair nodded as she got up from the bed with Jason, silently thanking the colonel and her foresight to make sure everyone got the knowledge of what their parts would be. Hers being the most important.

Making their way into the spacious cockpit of the Argo, they found an ensemble of people within, gathering around the small island in the middle as they came in. Her eyes glanced off the radar that showed the Argo, and the Atet following close behind. Clair quickly settled at one end of the island with Chen and Jason on her left and right respectively. Foster, Price and Barnes were standing across from them. On her left stood Madison and her father with Ling and the twins. On the right were Guillerman, Stanton, Coleman, some of G-Team and the snipers.

Once it looked like all were present, Foster turned the imager on.

Light seeped up from the screen, forming a holographic model that materialized before them, creating a replica of the Antarctic continent. It then shifted to zoom in on and create the mountain range that they were heading for. A large golden dot was placed among the peaks.

“This is where our target is,” Foster began. “Ghidorah is currently nesting within this basin, well away from the water and completely surrounded by the mountainous terrain. Our objective is to get Clair Cantrell to the target and let her make the link with Ghidorah before Godzilla makes his move.”

The hologram then shifted to show an enlarged area of where Ghidorah was.  

“Our strategists believe the best form of approach would be through here, this valley adjacent to where Ghidorah is. It is accessible to the icesheet you’ll be landing on.”

“And what do we have for cover?” one of the sniper’s asked, a lean looking man with a blonde crewcut. He looked around her brother’s age.

“The icesheet has formed next to a large glacier that regularly calves icebergs. The icebergs will give your team cover, especially this trio here.” Foster pointed to the aforementioned blocks of ice, having created a triangle between. “The Ospreys will land within their confines and you’ll have the cover to keep you out of Ghidorah’s sight.

“The storm he’s created will make it difficult to get close enough to launch the Osprey. He’ll also sense our approach if we get too close with the Argo. The storm he’s created isn’t as large as the ones he usually has around him so we’ll launch right at the very edge of it. About fifty miles from where he’s resting. You’ll land in the icebergs and make your way across the icesheet and up into the valley, all while maintaining stealth mode.”

“And what’s the escape route if things go sideways,” Jason asked.

“The same way in. The terrain is too treacherous to take any other sort of route. If the worst-case scenario does happen, just fly out of there like a bat out of hell.”

Chen then turned to Maddie. “Where’s Godzilla?”

Madison took a moment to concentrate. “He’s coming fast. I think he’s using the Hollow Earth tunnels. He’ll probably be here in less three hours.”

“Less time than I thought.”

“What about Mothra?” Coleman inquired.

“She’s on her way too, but she won’t enter the storm,” Amy reported.

“Not unless she has to,” Eu-meh clarified.

“I’m surprised Jia and Dante couldn’t come along for this,” Stanton commented.

“We need to keep Ghidorah around for this to work,” Chen stated. “If he senses all four Titans converging on him, he’ll be tempted to leave and we’ll lose our chance. And if we did bring them along, Kong and Rodan might be tempted to get into a fight to protect them.”

“They’ll be enough,” Dr. Russell affirmed. “Mothra and Godzilla can hold their own. They just need to keep Ghidorah busy before he has a chance to take us out.”

“We’ll need to move quick then,” Barnes declared. “The last thing we need is to be in the middle of another fucking Titan brawl.”

“When you get to the location of the target,” Foster continued, “there is a ledge along the ridge where you can set up, the snipers will take their position atop the ridge separating the two land formations. Hopefully their aim is as good as it is on paper.”

“Good enough to put a hole through my first name on that paper from three thousand meters away, ma’am,” the sniper next to the blonde said.

“Let’s hope you won’t need to tonight.”

Clair looked over at the snipers, just a small group that was brought on for the mission. For a time, the number had been reduced since Jason was taken off mission, but one of G-Team had taken his place to make the group whole again. As she looked at them, she noted their young features yet having a cocksure air about them. They looked confident. Clair just hoped they knew what they were doing.

“Colonel,” one of the soldiers at the controls called out. “We’re approaching the drop zone.”

“Alright people, that’s our thirty-minute warning,” Barnes announced, “let’s get geared up, and get this show on the road.”

Going back into the depths of the Argo to get prepared, Clair went with Chen and Jason to get properly dressed, everyone taking the time to gear up for the cold weather. Clair wrapped herself in all three layers required to enter the harsh environment, slipping on the black snowpants and a large pale blue jacket. She was going over herself, making sure she had everything she needed while also being able to remain mobile for quick action, when Jason offered a light grey beanie. She smiled as he placed it on her head, adjusting it enough to where most of her forehead was covered to the tops of her eyebrows.

“Thanks.”

He just nodded.

Once everyone was ready, they made their way to the hangar. All three Ospreys were prepared to go on the mission, people moving in and around them as they prepped them for the journey.

“Still think of them as flying coffins?” Clair asked him.

“Please don’t say that in front of me.”

Chen, Stanton and Price stood beside railing to board the aircraft, going over the equipment they were binging. Yet Chen had none of her own, she had decided early on to accompany Clair to give her guidance and support if it was needed. Which Clair was very grateful of.

That left the others to remain on the Argo, hanging back like the Titans would.

Maddie came up to her. “Listen, don’t take any shit from him, just go in and get out and you’re done. And you better come back, you still need to beat me, remember?”

Clair huffed out a laugh. “I remember, I still need to pay you back for those bruises.”

Maddie gave her a smirk, then pulled her into a hug. “We’ll see you soon.”

Clair hugged her back before pulling away. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

As most of everyone began to board, bringing all the gear with them, Clair noted some of the soldiers turning on their helmet cameras, aware of what was recorded on them last time. A wave of anxiety crashed over then, making her freeze on the spot. She stumbled a bit, holding onto the railing with a grip like iron. It was if a sense of doom had descended on her making her believe nothing at this very moment was real and that it was something from a story. One she didn’t know how she ended up in.

A hand settled on her shoulder. “Hey, you alright.”

Clair looked back at Jason, seeing the concern in his brown eyes. She wondered how many times he’d been in this situation, how many times he had felt like this before going in on a mission, and how he’d been able to keep a cool head through it all.

“Yeah, just… need a minute.”

“You don’t have a minute, Clair. We gotta go.”

She swallowed, her breathing becoming more labored in that moment, her fingers twitching on the railing.

Jason then came around in front of her, holding her gaze. “Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

Slowing her breathing, she listened to his words and pulled herself together, getting her mind to focus again.

“Clair,” Chen beckoned from the door.

Hardening herself, Clair then boarded the Osprey with Jason, sitting beside Chen as they waited for takeoff. All the seats lining the hull were taken up, snowmobiles occupied the floor, tied down and secured for the flight. From the porthole, Clair caught one last glimpse of the others standing on the platform with the controls before the Osprey unlatched from the hanger, dropping into the storm below.

The momentary freefall made her heart rise up to her throat, choking back a scream. But the wings quickly spread out and caught on the air, Griffin keeping the aircraft steady in the high-speed winds as it listed from one side to the other. Clair kept a firm grip on the seat beneath her, just focusing on her breathing as the erratic flight continued.

Finally, after what felt like eternity, the flight tapered into an easy going one. Managing to loosen her grip, she was grateful, knowing she wouldn’t lose her lunch.

Everyone stayed silent during the flight, Clair picking a spot on the floor to let her eyes settle on, allowing her mind to wander. Whenever the anxiety was creeping back, took a few breaths as she remembered how she felt in Jason’s arms, the warmth and comfort chasing away the stress.

A weight settled over her gloved hand. She looked over to see Chen had placed her hand over it. The doctor had an understanding look. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Clair could only nod.

After some time, they heard the chatter from the cockpit as the pilots coordinated with each other, finally finding the landing spot.

They all waited as Griffin landed the helicopter on the frozen ice, the engines dying down as everything came to a stop. “Thank you all for flying Air Griffin. Be sure to put your trays back in the upright position.”

The hum of gears shifting and rolling announced the opening of the hatch door, letting the cold air seep into the cabin.

Unbuckling from her seat, the cold wind blasted Clair straight in the face as she stepped out of the Osprey, making her temporarily blind for a moment. Of so many winters spent in Washington, she was used to nipping or biting cold. This cold was mauling. It was so cold out that the breath was stolen from her lungs even as she tried to inhale the air.

Once she regained her sight, a large dark expanse of snow and ice lay before her, the only sign of life coming from the swirling flurries and the other Ospreys as they were unloaded. They had landed amidst a trio of block icebergs frozen in place, each towering above the aircrafts as they shielded them from the harsh winds and flurries. Whoever picked it out as a refuge had a good eye. Best to have some cover when in the vicinity of a hostile Titan.

They were in the heart of deep winter in the southern hemisphere. The falling snow relentless, the howling winds ruthless. She admired the wildness of the environment before her as the others unloaded the equipment.

Not much was needed but the snowmobiles were what took up most of the choppers. Monarch had specially designed these snowmobiles to be super-fast while also being exceptionally quiet. The latter trait came in handy when you were trying to sneak up on a Titan. The former for fleeing.

Most of their group was composed of G-team, carrying weapons that would most likely annoy Ghidorah rather than injure him. The snipers were given rifles designed to take out a Titan’s eye if necessary. If all went well, not a single shot would be fired tonight.

Price was also on the mission, Tick in hand for the recording of her brain when she linked.

“Of all the places he could have picked, he had to come back here,” Stanton complained as he stepped out, armed with a sound amplifier and a recorder. He only came along to see if Ghidorah would make a peep when Clair linked, to catch any vocalizations. 

Price stepped out after him, dressed in a deep plum jacket as she scrolled through the tablet in her hand, with the Tick in the other. “It could be worse; we could be in the middle of the desert with a sandstorm blinding all of us.”

Clair preferred the cold to the heat.

As the others unloaded and checked the equipment, Clair wandered to the edge of their shelter, coming to a stop beside the wall of an iceberg, looking out at the harsh tundra before her.

It was a moonless night, no light penetrating the cold darkness. Snow that had been blown away gathered around the bases of the colossal chunks of ice, gathering into enormous piles in the nooks that were currently shielded from the fierce winds.

Looming mountains were visible in the distance, unmoving in the flurries. That was where they needed to go. That was where she would meet Ghidorah

A weight settled in her chest forcing her to take heavy breaths as her heart gained a rapid beat. A chilling sense of dread added to the cold that surrounded her, making her shiver through the three layers of clothing.

Remnants of the video came to mind, letting her know that she was in the same position as Dr. Graham was before her, that she could die the same way the poor woman did. She just hoped history didn’t decide to repeat itself tonight.

Hearing the repeating crunching of snow behind, she turned to see Chen with an accompanying Jason approach. Chen motioned with her hand to come back. Clair quickly complied.

“Don’t wander off,” Chen lightly admonished as she neared. “We can’t afford to lose you, especially not in this storm.”

They trudged back to the Ospreys just as all of the snowmobiles were loaded off. All of them were being checked over, making sure they survived the flight without damage or flaw. A few were started up and taken on a few test runs around the confined space.

As they waited to make sure they all worked properly, Clair approached one snowmobile the snipers were gathered around with her brother.

“Thompson,” Jason called.

The blonde sniper turned, letting them approach the snowmobile.

“How’s it looking,” Jason asked.

“So far so good. Just needs to run a lap. So you’re gonna hang back an cover us?”

“Unless someone says otherwise.” He pointed looked at her.

Thompson then switched his gaze to her. “Going to keep big brother out of the way, huh?”

Clair nodded. “That’s the plan.”

Thompson looked at her then at the snowmobile. “You know how to drive one?”

She shook her head.

He then gestured over at it. Clair paid attention as he waved the other man away from the vehicle, sitting down in the seat.

“Okay, here’s a crash course on how to drive one of these things.” He pointed at the controls. “You know how to ride a gear bike?” She nodded. “Same principle then. This is the start. This is the gear shift, and this is how you switch gears. This is the throttle and this is the break. This wire right here keeps you connected to it so you won’t fall off so easily. And when you need to make turns, you got to lean into them.”

“Why are you showing me this?” Clair had expected someone to drive her as was the case with most of the non-combat personnel.

“I thought it would be a good idea to give you a heads up if shit goes sideways. You don’t need to be a sitting duck out here.”

She couldn’t find herself about to argue with that logic. After asking about a few more features and to give her a lowdown one more time, Clair believed she finally got the idea on how to drive one of these things. Thompson even let her give it a test run. She was a little jerky with it at first but after getting the feel for it, she was running circles around the Osprey.

And not too soon. Barnes came marching out of one of the helicopters. “Just got word, Big G popped back up on sonar. He’s fifty miles out but he’s holding back. We just have a little over an hour to get this done.”

That put a strain on everything. Getting lined up, everyone started pairing off. It was two people for every snowmobile, and they had about nine of them. Clair was paired up with Thompson.

Before she could get on the snowmobile, Jason came up to her, armed with a rifle.

“You be careful out there; I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“I will.”

It was then that Jason pulled her into a hug. And all her anxiety bled out of her.

She gripped him tightly with a desperation that this could be the last time she would see him. He returned it; his grip slightly tighter than hers, to the point where it was painful. The small clinking of her necklace brushing up against his dog tags filled the air between them. She knew that if he could, he would drag her back to the Ospreys and call off the mission.

Knowing it was time with the low growling of multiple engines, her grip loosened, beginning to pull away. Jason stopped her. Placing his hands around her head, he planted a gentle kiss on her brow before connecting his own with hers. This rare act of affection from her brother stunned her momentarily, it being one of the few instances of him showing this side to her.

“Be safe,” he whispered to her. “And please come back.”

“I’ll try.” She then pulled away and settled behind Thompson.

Jason spoke to him. “Look after my sister and bring her back here.”

“Don’t worry,” the sniper said, “she’s in good hands.”

Barnes voice rose over the howling winds. “Alright, let’s move out!”

Turning on their lights, they then headed out into the storm ridden landscape.

Leaving behind their shelter, they traversed among the cluster of icebergs they found beyond. Clair studied them as they went past. Some of them were like the ones they had landed among. Others though were of many different shapes and sizes. A few were rugged looking and some were smooth. There were ones shaped like domes, and ones with spires reaching toward the sky. Some were arches of braided ice and a few even had large holes within that Godzilla could probably stick his hand through. But soon the icebergs disappeared, and they came out onto the flat icesheet.

The polar dessert sailed past them as they neared the mountains, the winds stirring up the flurries and sweeping them past in the opposite direction. Clair was grateful of the goggles over her eyes, knowing she would have been blind for most of the trip. Only their lights could pierce a dozen feet or more ahead of it.

Yet the storm seemed to lessen in strength as they made their way forward, sometimes clearing enough for the sky to be seen. Though that didn’t dampen the buzz of energy in the air.

After some time riding over the ice, they found the entrance to the valley that led up into the peaks, carefully navigating the rugged terrain and remaining as quiet as possible. Both sides of the path were steep as the land closed in on them, making Clair have an apprehension of whether they should have gone this way. The valley felt entrapping, as if this was the perfect spot for an attack. They could only go forward though, and it would be difficult to turn back. The convoy slowed their speed to a crawl, keeping the engines to a soft growl as they ascended. Barnes then turned his headlights off and then all of their lights turned off, plunging them into a world of black and grey. The white reflective snow the only illumination they had.

Clair’s heart had added to the surrounding sounds of the terrain of crunching snow and the low hum of engines. The wind nothing but noise as it kept their approach hidden.

Sooner than expected, they found the ledge in the valley, quietly making their way up to it and stopping, turning off their engines. Everyone was dead silent as they got off the vehicles, knowing what was beyond the ridge before them.

Chen came to stand next to Clair as they all watched Barnes and Martinez climb up the short incline, slowing crawling as they neared the peak. Once they stopped at a point where they could see into the basin, they waited and observed before signaling them up.

An agonizing weight settled in the pit of her stomach, making her actually want to throw up. Highly aware of the crunching snow beneath her feet, Clair slowly crawled up with Chen and Price. She became oversensitive to every little thing around her, reacting to even the smallest prickling of fabric against skin. Her nerves were buzzing all over her body, her head filled with firing neurons as her senses heightened to everything around her, ready to bolt at the first inkling of danger. There was the slight sting of slowly ascending bile in her throat, forcing her to gulp every now and then to keep it down. Through her gloved hands grabbing at the snow, she could feel the wet perspiration of her tense body coating her palms and fingers, creating a clammy sensation to them.

Reaching the top, she slowly peeked over the ridge into the basin. Her breath caught.

She had seen him plenty of times from the news feeds to know what he looked like, but being on the other side of a camera was another thing compared to being just across from a monster.

In the deep bowl-like basin below, a body of such enormity took it all up, covered in the snow that had fallen in the time it’d been here. Two massive parcels of what would be wings, were tucked close to the body, as two elongated tails with nasty looking spikes sprouted from the club-like ends rested at one end. And at the forefront of it all were three serpent heads clad in adorning crowns of twisted horns, eyes closed and remaining motionless as they slept, dreaming whatever a Titan like Ghidorah dreamt.

It was the thing that made her want to run to the other side of the world and fling herself into the deepest hole she could find. He was a terrifying sight to behold. And she was about to join her mind with his.

Sucking in a silent shuddering gasp, Clair turned away from the valley and quickly slid back down the slope, her heart in her throat. Insane. Insane. This was fucking insane! What the hell was she doing?

The tingling heat was starting to travel along her spine. She tried to calm her nerves but the gravity of the situation weighed down on her too much to find any peace. She couldn't hide behind the ridge with her escorts, she would have to be on the slope out in the open. Completely exposed to the massive golden Titan below. If he woke during the process and saw her, she was screwed. Great Mother help her.

All she could see in that moment was that death of Dr. Graham, being snapped up in a horrific crushing death.

“I can’t do this. I can’t do this,” she quietly muttered to herself.

She thought she was brave enough, thought she was strong enough for this, but finally meeting him face-to-face, all of her courage left her, leaving her fear stricken and panicking.

Reaching the ledge, Clair would have kept going if Chen hadn’t caught up to her, stopping her in her tracks. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Chen’s concerned eyes. “You okay?”

“No.” There was no point in trying to hide her feelings. She could die right here tonight. Might as well get everything out now. Stuttering out in shortened breaths, Clair admitted her thoughts. “I… I don’t think I can do this. I thought I could, but I don’t I can. I-I don’t want to die, Chen.”

“You’re not going to die,” her mentor assured her. And yet Clair didn’t believe it.

She felt on the edge of a panic attack, her head filled with air as darkness crowded around her vision. That’s when Chen stood in front of her. Her mentor’s hands planted themselves on her shoulders, grounding her as her voice took on an authoritative yet calm lilt. “Just take it easy, Clair. Breathe. Breathe, Clair. Calm thoughts. Try to breathe.”

Chen herself started to take breathes, encouraging Clair to mimic her.

Listening to her, Clair followed her in her breathing. Each of them sucking in air and slowly blowing out in great puffs of mist that mixed together and blew away on the wind. Closing her eyes after a few breaths, Clair focused on her personnel darkness and took a long breath in. The cold of the surrounding snow and ice stung her lungs, though she took the pain in stride, only holding the breath for a sweet moment, then releasing it in a foggy puff, letting it take away some of her anxiety. 

Opening her eyes, she found a calmed Chen. “Better?”

Clair nodded. Still, she felt the heat linger. She opened up her jacket and let the cold seep in, extinguishing the heat and forcing it back to its origin. Calm down, she told herself.

She finally managed to get herself under control when Barnes sidled up to them, looking concerned. “Are we good to go?”

“Just give us a minute.” Chen requested.

Clair took that time to calm herself, clearing the panic away. She glanced back at Chen to find a worried questioning appearance. “Are you able to do this?”

It took her a moment to answer. Was she ready?

No. she probably would never be ready, but this was important and she was needed at this moment, and she would give it her best shot.

She gave a single nod. “Okay. I’m good.”

Chen nodded, looking relieved.

Barnes sharing the feeling. “Okay.” He turned to the snipers. “You know what to do.”

Nodding, the snipers split off into two groups of three, both going on either side of the ledge where they left the rest of them, climbing up and positioning themselves along on the edges of the ridge. They waited until they got a thumbs up from both sides.

“Okay, we’re good to go.”

Straightening up, Clair went to the bottom slope, looking at the top of the ridge and what lay beyond.

“Here,” Price said as she came up to her, attaching the Tick to the back of her neck. It was as good as an opportunity for the neurologist to capture and record what went on in a human’s head as they created a link to a Titan. Even if it was extraterrestrial.

Stanton came up to her. “I’ll say a prayer for you, kid.”

He received a smack upside the head from Chen, giving him a look as if asking ‘what is wrong with you?’

It tugged a smirk from her.

Chen then looked at her. “Now, when you connect to him, you must mute yourself. No thoughts or feelings. You must have a blank mind. Let his feelings become yours, but hold on to yourself. If you need help, just reach out to me.”

Nodding through explanation, her brow furrowed at the last part. “Won’t that be dangerous?”

“You’re worth the risk.”

A small warmth fluttered inside her chest, grateful for Chens’s offer. Hopefully it would be unnecessary. Taking a breath, Clair and the others made their way back up. She looked out over the ridge again, seeing Ghidorah still lay quietly in the basin, unmoving except for breath. Even in his sleep, he was terrifying to look at.

Seeing through her emotions, she studied him, noting he was angled sideways to them. His heads pointed inland with the closest to them being the right head.

Taking her eyes off him, she looked around for a spot on the slope to place herself. Closer to her position, she saw a rocky ledge just below, jutting out from the mountain side. It was perfect. 

Steeling herself, Clair cautiously climbed over the ridge and made her way down. Ever so slowly she descended, the howling winds and powder-like snow muffling her steps. The incline was steep, but so were the hills back home, tougher to climb when the wet snow would make its way down into the lowlands. Little snowballs cascaded down from her imprints but made it no farther than a few inches. So far, her presence had gone undetected.

A soft growl broke the silence.

A gloved hand clamped over her mouth before a gasp could escape. Clair’s entire body clenched and froze as she was halfway between the ridge and the ledge as the right head moved. Her heart was about ready to launch itself from her throat as she held her breath, wide eyes watching its movements. Yet the head’s eyes didn't open. It simply adjusted to a different resting position, stilling.

Clair kept still for a long moment before she continued her descent, keeping Ghidorah in sight.

Finally reaching and standing on the ledge, she looked down at her soon-to-be partner. This was probably as close she could get to him without being his intended snack. Taking her breaths, she got comfortable, sitting cross legged on the tip of the rocky outcrop.

Before she made herself completely vulnerable, she checked to make sure everything was going right. She couldn’t afford to be careless, not when her life was on the line. Ghidorah still lay quietly, not even a change in his rhythmic breath. She studied him from her perch, seeing the way all three sets of eyes twitched beneath the lids. She wondered what he was dreaming of, reminding herself she would find out soon enough. 

Glancing over her right shoulder, she could make out the dark shapes of the snipers on top of the ridge, the black nozzles of their oversized rifles trained on Ghidorah’s heads. One of the snipers raised his arm and gave her a thumbs up. Whether it was meant as a boost of confidence or a sign of her being good to go, she gave an acknowledging nod. 

Looking behind, a row of the others’ heads peeked over the ridge, eyes watching her as if she was about to poke a bear. She would have laughed for how comedic it looked if she wasn’t about to have a heart-attack.

Turning back to Ghidorah, she prepared herself. At that moment, the clouds had parted at the center of the storm, letting the stars shine through. Gaze shifting from the golden terror, the landscape of large mountains guarded by the starry heavens above gave her a calming effect. It was just enough to go into a trance.

Closing her eyes and slowing her breathing, Clair went into the back of her mind and found the door that led out. She took one more moment for herself, enjoying the thoughts that were still her own and the last independence her mind had. Then, she opened it and entered the dark void beyond. She could see her indigo aura glowing around her. The different colored auras of the others were behind her, Chen’s among them. Turning her gaze forward, she saw her target, or rather targets. The three large golden spheres of Ghidorah’s minds lay just beyond, all connected tightly together with what looked like strings of the same color. If not for the same size of each, they would have reminded her of the Amazon Spheres. 

This was it. This would be the moment that she would become connected to a monster. She only prayed that it would not end in her death.

Clair approached with caution, having no idea if he could sense her mind’s presence. As she looked upon his minds, her thoughts wandered to all she had learned from the other Links and their bonds, remembering the lessons she was taught and the information she was given.

She held on tight to what Chen had told her, that she needed to find a rhythm. Taking all that she knew about Ghidorah, she started to focus on him. She focused on his breathing, the way his minds moved in the void, attempting to find the rhythm it all took.

As she looked at him, beginning to grasp a sense of him, her breathing slowed even more, feeling as if she was about to fall asleep. It was as if she entered a state that was between wakefulness and dreaming. In that moment, there was no one else in the world, it was just her and Ghidorah.

In the quiet, she not only heard her heartbeat, but the slow, steady beat of his. After a few moments of listening, it almost felt like their hearts were becoming in sync, feeling the beats with each other. And from this joined rhythmic sensation, the sense of finding the very foundation of what could be perceived as music came on.

Clair could feel her body pulsing with the rhythm, minutely swaying her body without toppling over. There were no words, only the concept of a melody, resonating with her very being, letting it touch the root of her soul. Time had lost all meaning; Clair being swept away in the music. The sound of the song was in her head, in her heart, in her bones, straining against her throat as it waited for her to finally sing.

But she knew she couldn’t. Not here, not now. Not unless she wished to die and let the song be lost forever.

So, she kept it within, letting it fill her body and consume her mind.

Then, it felt as if another door had opened, but not one of hers. She knew then that he was open to her, allowing there to be a connection. It was almost unbelievable. She could make the bond.

The opportunity was before her, she could connect to him. Yet she still hesitated, wary of what she would come into contact with when their minds joined. Fearing how he may react to her.

But her resolve hardened when she remembered why she was doing this. She was doing it to help her friends, to protect her family, to safeguard the world. She’d been given a purpose, and she intended to see it done.

Taking a large steadying breath, Clair calmed herself to somewhat mask her presence. She needed to be calm, making her mind as blank as possible, no stray thoughts, no noticeable feelings, nothing that would indicate her mind mingling with theirs. She muted herself as much as possible, while still holding on to the feeling of shared harmonization. It was the key to all this.

Gathering her energy and going on what she felt in the moment, Clair readied herself as if she were communing with the others. But instead of a pulse of thought, she made an appendage from her aura and slowly made her way to Ghidorah, dragging a line of her mind to anchor into his… theirs?

Looking at his minds, she knew they were ordered in a way as if he were standing before her. Remembering what she read in the files, she picked the leaf head’s mind first, believing his emotions would be easier to handle.

Closing in on his aura, her light began to mimic the golden halo, following its movements as it twirled and undulated, flowing in an uncaring manner.

As a part of his light rose up like a flare from the sun, Clair took the opportunity and her light intermingled with his, gently intertwining together. She let it pull her back to the main part of the mind, not daring to worry of being discovered.

Feelings were the first to come through. She didn’t fight them, letting them wash over her and masking her more. She didn’t pay attention to them, yet she knew what they were. Contentedness, apprehension, and worry were a few of them. She could sympathize with a few, letting them be absorbed into the song in her head. She let her light spread around his, mixing together as more feelings came through. When she felt as though their minds had touched more than enough, she began to pull away, but she didn’t full separate. A line connected them together. It was weak but it was there. A strong tether that she doubted could ever be broken.

The link—no, the bond—was made.

She didn’t let any amazement at the accomplishment come through yet, squashing it down. She still had two more heads to go, and she couldn’t afford to be noticed now.

Extricating herself from the left head’s emotions and pushing them to the back of her mind, she moved to the second head’s mind and repeated the process. His light was a little more sporadic, making Clair plan on timing with this connection. When his light extended at a certain point, she quickly, gently grabbed it with her own, letting it pull her towards its center. She could feel his feelings, being more aggressive than the other head’s thoughts. Anger, annoyance, and anticipation. They were a little more negative than the left’s emotions. Yet she did not fight them, remaining neutral and unnoticeable to him. She spread herself around him, until she hooked her mind into his and his into hers, creating another tether that connected them.

Finished with the second, she finally reached the middle head’s mind. He was much calmer than the other two, small waves of light barely reaching past the influential sphere, forcing her to try a different tactic. Coming closer, she gently rolled with them, allowing them to carry her until she could submerge and mix her mind with his. That’s when his feelings washed over her. There was a low burning anger, a hateful resentment and…

She found something there, a feeling, one that was achingly familiar.

Then without her permission, a stray thought came forward, one from her own mind.

It was a memory, of her parents as they laughed and cuddled on the living room couch, both smiling at younger versions of herself and her brother as her mother beckoned them into their embrace, creating a family hug. The emotions that accompanied the memory rose to the surface, warm and belonging and bittersweet.

Caught off guard, she let panic slip through, trying to suppress the memory. That was a mistake.

The light flared, the mind instantly awakening, and he mentally looked at her.

She jumped back with the new link between them, slamming the door shut. Everything went dark.

With a sharp gasp, Clair’s eyes shot open, returning to the physical world of ice and snow. And then her heart stopped when she looked into the basin below.

Ghidorah’s eyes were open.

And they were all staring at her.

A chill, one that had nothing to do with her surroundings, ran through her body, from the top of her head all the way down to her insulated toes. She was frozen, like the solid ice of this continent. Her eyes straining against the sockets of her skull, not even breathing.

A moment of suspense hung in the subzero air. Neither of them moved. Six red beady eyes boring into two stunned blue ones. The wind and the increasing pounding of her heart were all she could hear. The mist of the short shallow breaths she was taking were blown away on the shrieking gales. Through the newfound link she felt a sense of surprise that wasn’t just hers. But it quickly soured into hostility.

Ghidorah shifted.

Clair bolted.  

Leaping away from the ledge and scrambling back up the slope, Clair was thinking purely on instinct now, cold fear driving her, desperate to live. She glanced back to see him rise after her, the earth shaking beneath her feet from his movements. Without using the link, her stomach dropped as she could see his intent, his malicious glee. He was going to kill her.

BANG!

BANG!

Ghidorah let out terrible, painfilled bell-like screeches as their heads became blinded. Clair winced from the blast of the sounds. The snipers had done their job: distract Ghidorah long enough for Clair to escape.

Except the middle head still had one eye.

Looking at the snipers on her left, she saw one of them shaking his gun, trying to get it to work. Clair realized that it must have frozen up, unable to fire.

Behind her, she heard a large inhale, and the world turned yellow. She ducked as gravity beams razed the entire ridge. She heard blood-curdling screams in the blast, but when she looked, there was nothing but black smoke. Thompson was gone.

Horrified, she glanced back one more time to see red eyes blinking, regaining their clarity. Not wasting the opportunity, she made her escape.

Lightning cracked the sky open just as Clair hopped over the ridge, missing the lightning that blasted where she was a mere second ago. She tumbled down the hill as the others leaped onto their snowmobiles, speeding off down the slope. Chen, already on a snowmobile, was waiting with Barnes for her. But Clair knew what was behind her and she didn't want Chen there any longer.

“Go, go, go!”

Without hesitation, Barnes sped off with a terrified Chen. With her escort gone, Clair jumped onto one of the last snowmobiles. Remembering what Thompson taught her, she got the engine started and hit the accelerator, dashing after the others. She looked back just in time to see Ghidorah’s heads rise over the ridge, all their eyes healed and infested with anger. They would not stand for this intrusion. Roaring at the intruders, Ghidorah gave chase.

She followed the others as they raced through the valley, everyone was forcing their vehicles to go as fast as they were allowed to in the terrain. Clair looked over her shoulder to see Ghidorah chasing after them. Sliding and clambering down the slope. Their only hope was to get to the Ospreys and get air support from the Argo and Atet.

Even then it was a long shot to make it out unscathed.

Once they made it to the bottom of the valley, they flew out onto the ice sheet, going back the way they came. In an explosion of rock and snow, Ghidorah came bursting out of the canyon after them, chasing them across the ice. Roaring, Ghidorah shot out at them, gravity beams hitting the ice and nearly getting a few of them. Everyone put on a burst of speed, trying to outrun the Titan.

The storm grew worse, along with the rage of Ghidorah. Up ahead, Clair could see the field of icebergs, knowing that cover would be coming soon. Then she saw the carnage that was at H.E.L, knowing the same fate awaited if Ghidorah found their hiding spot. They were leading him to Jason.

Why were they leading him back there? What they were doing was stupid! They would all die if they did. Why couldn’t they just—

That wasn’t her frustration.

She looked back and saw the distance they had gained, leaving the Titan behind. Ghidorah didn’t like it, his frustration grew with it. Until a sickening sense of pleasure slipped through the link. And Clair knew. He was going to take flight.

There was no way for them to escape if that happened. Even with their speed, they’d be sitting ducks.

Unless…

“Fuck!”

Clair knew it was a hairbrained scheme, but she didn’t have anything else to go on. She knew what she had to do, and knew that she was the only one who could do it and possibly get out alive.

Purposely slowing down her speed, she called out to the others. “Keep going!”

Some shrinking faces turned back at her, disbelief rising at her intended action. She thought she heard Chen cry out her name but was too busy veering away from the path the others were taking. She didn’t notice anyone coming after her, thankfully heeding her order. Flashing her headlights to become more noticeable, making a complete ninety-degree turn, she faced her Titan.

From the very pit of her stomach, she roared, “HEY! HEY!”

Just before Ghidorah could open his wings, the left head spotted her and alerted the other two. They stopped completely at her boldness, staring down at her, seeming to study her for a moment. Clair, making an infinitesimal crack in the door to her mind, felt along the newly formed bond and could feel their recognition of her, from seeing her on the ledge. There was also a flicker of astonishment at her confrontation before being smothered by amusement at her apparent challenge of them.

They didn’t know who she was.

She revved the engine when she caught a gaze flicker behind her, gaining his attention once more. She just needed them to focus on her so the others could have a chance to escape. By separating herself from the group, she became the easier target. He probably knew what she was doing, but with the way he was eyeing her, it looked like he would entertain her little escapade. 

Her frantic heart was slamming against her ribs painfully, as if she were in a waking nightmare.

Eyes completely focused on her, he dropped his heads down slightly, bearing all three sets of teeth at her, looking like snarling grins. Like looking into the face of a snarling wolf baying for violence.

Adrenaline coursing through her body, lending her an intoxicating high, her world shrunk until it was just them. “Come on,” she breathed. “You want me.”

A folded wing stepped forward.

Clair crushed the lever for the gas and sped off. Roaring, Ghidorah was quick to follow.

Lightning rippled across the sky. She went into the maze of icebergs, zooming and weaving among the colossal blocks of ice, desperate to put something between her and Ghidorah.

Screeches and growls sounded behind her, sounding too close. Cold bitter fear pushed against the rush of hot blood. Her world shrunk to the path before her, speeding along as if she were flying.

She kept glancing back, keeping Ghidorah in sight. She couldn’t afford any mistakes, not with them. She just needed to keep him away from the Ospreys, giving the others time to make their escape. Right now, she just kept luring him after her.

She made sure to keep her speed reasonable, keep out of reach while still being enticing enough.

Every iceberg she sped past and used to block him, they either followed her around or crashed through the ice. Clair had to make more frantic moves as flying ice crashed around her. A few coming close to crushing her.

Going around once massive iceberg, she thought she saw a form in the distance with a few lights on it. It moved away in the storm, unnoticed by Ghidorah. Good, they were getting away.

As she turned the corner of another massive berg, she glanced behind. Ghidorah wasn’t behind her.

Her heart dropped. Then she whipped her head forward.

A mouth full of teeth lunged at her.

Screaming, Clair sped up and veered, avoiding the head. That didn’t stop of the other two from trying to snap her up. Quickly leaning into her turns, she avoided them too, almost getting nicked by the second head.

Clair sped under them, dodging stomping feet and coming out from betwixt his legs, avoiding his enclosing tails. She sped off once more, trying to put distance between them to get her heart to pump normally again.

Turned around, he chased after her.

She was fucked! So fucking fucked!

Her heart was hammering in her chest. Clair tried to gain some distance, attempting to lose him in the maze, but she couldn’t. He was too focused on her.

She couldn’t lead him back to the Ospreys, and she couldn’t outrun him. She needed a different plan.

Looking all around her, she spotted the glacier that calved the icebergs, and she spied a crevasse within the ice. It looked deep. Seeing the opportunity, she gunned the engine and zoomed away. Ghidorah followed her. 

She left precedence to the wind, not caring if Ghidorah was keeping up. But he was following her just fine. Too fine.

She was almost there…

The hollow clap of closing jaws sounded behind her as she rushed through the crevasse, the ice shaking around her as Ghidorah crashed into the glacier. Continuing through the passage at a slower speed, Clair glanced behind to see an angry red eye at the opening. It was soon replaced by a glowing throat that took up the entrance.

“Shit!” She sped faster into the crevasse, seeing a bend going to the right. She made the turn just in time when gravity beams slammed into the ice behind her. She kept going, continuing on the path, hoping to find an exit. It was a miracle that snow laced the ground beneath, letting the snowmobile have purchase. Her frantic eyes kept looking for the darkened light of the outside world. Then up ahead, she could see an exit, out to the open ice. She went for it. 

The ceiling of ice shuddered above before she could make it out, a rhythmic pounding following her. He was on top of the glacier she realized. A shadow appeared before the exit and Clair quickly hid behind a small outcrop of ice. She looked to see a searching red eye at the exit. Not seeing her, it pulled away,

Then the world shook.

The ice groaned and pinged as he pounded above her refuge. Ghidorah knew she was still inside. Either he was going to wait or force her out, and right now it was most likely the latter. If she went back the way she came in, he’d be there. He was too focused on her to let her get away. She was trapped. 

Her refuge groaned around her, but the ice was thick, formed and compressed for the last thousand years. Yet it wouldn’t stop a raging Titan.

Somehow, she needed to escape. Waiting for reinforcements was not an option with the crumbling of her hiding spot. She tried to think of a solution. 

Looking between her two exits, she knew only one was possible. But which one? 

A furious screech echoed through the ice, a yellow glow accompanying it. Small bits of ice tumbled down. Clair covered her head from the falling pieces. Time was running out. Her icy shelter wouldn’t last much longer. What was she going to do?

What would Jason do?

An old memory came to mind, where it was one of the few times they would be playing together. The age-old game of hide and seek. Having looked all around the house, Clair thought she had found Jason hiding under the piano, but to her surprise, it was just his clothes stuffed up with the couch pillows. Jason then appeared behind her, naked save for his little boxers, crowing about how he tricked her.

Returning to the present, she noticed her jacket and an idea sprung up from her terror-filled mind. It could possibly work but she would lose the advantage of speed.

Suddenly a very large crack appeared above.

It was a risk that had to be taken.

Making as little sound as possible, she quickly got off the snowmobile and shed her jacket. She tied the sleeves of her coat around the handles, stuffing the main cavity up with snow. Clair then aimed the snowmobile at the exit out towards the open ice. Hopefully, with the poor visibility, Ghidorah wouldn’t be able to tell her from the decoy. 

The ice trembled around her. Tying the safety cord around the accelerator, Clair gave out a ferocious shout that echoed around her, letting the snowmobile escape her grip and watching as it sped off. She pressed herself against the ice wall of the opening, trying to make herself less noticeable. A large snarl sounded above as Ghidorah predictably went after the decoy, hopping off the glacier and disappearing into the raging storm.

Clair didn’t waste a second. She took her chance and fled back the way she came. 

Running out through the fissure, she could see in the distance through the hazy flurries that Ghidorah was still trying to catch the decoy. The world becoming illuminated from his shots at it. She just kept going, making a beeline for the icebergs housing the Ospreys.

Without the protection of her jacket, the biting cold sunk its fangs in mercilessly though her body. The powder of the blinding snow slowed her down more than she would have liked, making it feel like there were too heavy ankle weights on her legs. She never ran well in the snow. She kept going nonetheless, knowing it would be death to slow down now.

Rising over a snowdrift, she saw in the distance the icebergs hiding the Ospreys, another one taking off, though she was halfway between them and the crevice. From this viewpoint, she spotted a pair of snowmobiles, going in the direction of Ghidorah. They believed she was still being chased. Knowing their folly, she desperately waved her arms to try and stop them, but she didn’t dare call out, knowing what had very good hearing was still around. Fumbling for her pocket, she got her phone out and waved it with the flashlight on, begging for them to see.

Through the flurries, Clair thought she saw a white jacket on one of the vehicles. Knowing who it was, she reached out with her mind.

Chen! Over here, on your left!

The response was immediate. It got their attention, turning their way towards her, seeing her light. Clair could almost laugh.

Just as she put her phone away, a loud explosion sounded out in the distance, followed a moment later by enraged roars that echoed throughout the frozen wasteland. Clair could feel it shake her very bones. 

“Shit!”

Her diversion had been found out, and there was no hiding now. She ran like hell towards the coming snowmobiles, the freezing wind strangling her lungs as she sucked it in. They were still a good five-hundred feet from her. She could see Chen among them. And Barnes. And…

Jason?!

He was supposed to be in the refuge!

Shaking off the disbelief, she continued to run, frantic to reach them. The distance was shrinking. They were so close. She was almost with Jason.

A sickening sense of glee surged through the link.

It was her only warning.

A flash of yellow light engulfed the world. The ice bucked beneath her as her insides lurched. Suddenly there was no ground, no purchase for her body as wind roared all around her. She was weightless for a few moments, gravity having no purpose in that moment, until it took hold of her and forcefully pulled her down.

A few seconds of freefall tumbling passed before she landed into a cushioning snowdrift against an iceberg. Then she collided into the ice.

And then there was pain.

Clair was distantly reminded of the time she was walking down the stairs of her home and had slipped midway, falling backwards and tumbling the rest of the way down. The pain that had ignited through her back had been excruciating.

This was so much worse.

Air was knocked out of her lungs as agonizing pain lit up on her right side. She tried to suck in, but felt like there was too little air to be had. Blood rushed too quickly through her veins, making dark patches and stars appear when there shouldn’t be. The ringing in her ears was deafening, having her own groans sound muffled and distant.

With paralyzing pain, a dazed Clair focused on trying to dig herself out and get back up on her feet. But even that was too much. She only managed to crawl out onto the snow-covered ice, tolerating the pain as much as she could and struggling to breathe. Her bleary eyes looked around, trying to find her brother and the others, but there was no sign of them.

So focused on her pain, Clair didn’t heed the thundering approach, unaware of what was coming. She was only alerted by the larger-than-life presence above her. 

She turned her head up to see Ghidorah standing over her, his eyes like hellfire. Finally, her breath returned, being put to immediate use as her heart pounded. Through the flurries, Clair thought she could see his mouths turn into smirks, triumph clearly written on his expressions. Then the middle head reared back with his teeth bared. Terror flashed through her, seeing Dr. Graham. She tried to reach for her power, find a way to defend herself, but there was too much pain. Revealing a black cavernous maw, the middle head lunged.

Shutting her eyes, with fear and terror in her blood, Clair desperately opened and screamed through the link.

No! 

She waited. And waited. She continued to breathe rapidly, waiting for the killing blow. But there was nothing. No pain, no agony, no piercing teeth. Nothing.

Hot wind splashed in her face. It was breath. Clair opened her eyes to see the jaws of the middle head hovering above her, not having closed. Slowly, the head retracted enough for their eyes to meet. They were full of shocked surprise. As were the other two when she dared look.

Confusion filled the thrumming link.

What?

Her breath caught at the word, astonished. His first word to her. He spoke to her.

He recoiled a little from her reaction, realizing that she heard him. He felt her emotions.

Time stilled for them, letting them take each other in.

Still reeling through the pain, Clair could only gaze at them open-mouthed, not knowing what to do in that moment. Through the link, she felt their surprise and confusion, but something else was starting to form.

She didn’t get the chance to feel it.

An explosive blue light slammed against Ghidorah’s heads, forcing an end to the moment. The barrage of azure fire forced Ghidorah away from her, crashing through a few of the bergs and tumbling over.

A thunderous roar echoed around them, shaking the ice beneath her. Her head whipped right to see Godzilla charging toward them. His spines were flashing, claws and teeth on full display, and he looked angry. Clair cowered as he stormed past her. He didn’t even acknowledge her, his eyes only for Ghidorah. That’s when she felt a mind press against hers.

RUN CLAIR! Chen yelled.

She didn’t have to be told twice. Picking herself up, Clair struggled over to the snowmobiles coming out from behind an iceberg, racing up to her.

“Get on! Get on!” Jason shouted as he pulled up to her. Clair flung herself into the empty seat behind her brother, grimacing from the pain. They sped away as a fight broke out behind them.

Looking back, Clair saw the middle and right heads firing back at Godzilla, trying to hold him off. But the left head was looking around, down on the ground, near the iceberg she collided into. He chirped at the others as the middle head growled.

That’s when she felt the link surge.

“Ah!” Clair gripped her head, feeling the pressure coming from it. There was confusion and anger, and questioning. They wanted to find her.

Clair didn’t let them. She closed the door and placed a seal over it, blocking them from her mind. It was more difficult though, with three minds pressing against it. That when she felt her power, rising up at her need. She allowed it to come and perform the same thing it had done to help her. Ghidorah continued trying to get into her head, but she held firm, keeping them out.

Their small group raced past the walls of the refuge, leaving the snowmobiles behind as they got onto the last remaining Osprey, already warmed up and inching off the ground.

“Go, Griffin, go!” Barnes called out.

With Jason and Chen helping her, Clair quickly strapped in with the others, holding on as Griffin got the Osprey back up into the air and flying into the growing storm.

Looking out the back, Clair saw Ghidorah still battling Godzilla. They were wrestling each other, clawing and biting until Godzilla threw him back. When the two parted, the middle head suddenly turned their way, looking at the Osprey. There came a pressure in her mind. Hissing, Clair wrapped her hand around her head as she kept the seal over the door.

But she knew he knew. He knew she was on here. Peeking at him, the middle head glared at their Osprey, and Clair knew he was making eye contact with her.

Before Ghidorah could make a move, another blast slammed against him, this one more explosive. That’s when the Atet came into view, firing on Ghidorah as Godzilla came back in and continued to pummel him.

She could no longer see the fight when the ramp door closed, plunging them into darkness. Lighting crashed around them, making the flight jerky and wild, Griffin trying to keep the aircraft steady. The erratic flight was almost over when they neared the edge of the storm, and that’s where they made contact with the Argo. The Osprey made as smooth of a boarding as was possible in the poor conditions, landing back in the hangar as the airship flew away from the storm.

Once it felt like they wouldn’t be tossed around, Clair had taken only a few ginger steps out of the helicopter with Jason’s help when the others came running up to them. Clair saw as the twins attacked Chen with fierce hugs when she came off the Osprey. Then Madison and Dr. Russell rushed over to them.

“Is she alright?” Maddie asked, looking at her before at Jason.

Her brother shook his head. Maddie started to come over, about to help her.

A bell-like roar sounded behind them. Everyone looked to see Ghidorah emerging from the storm, escaping the fight with Godzilla and coming after the Argo.

Clair was frozen, seeing all three heads staring directly at her, even as Jason tried to shield her. The seal bulged within her head, and she caught feelings from them. An insistent questioning and a desire for knowledge. Curiosity. And yet a malevolence that poisoned it all.

He came closer and she knew he was going to crash into them.

Then a high-pitched shriek filled the air. Ghidorah looked up and was promptly assaulted with a net of silk around his heads.

Then it was if the sun had materialized within the night air before them, nearly blinding Clair. Everyone shielded their eyes from the light. Then it was gone.

In its place, Mothra appeared, slashing at Ghidorah, and forcing him away from the Argo.

Her attack was so sudden and swift, that the alien Titan had no defense against it. Then also coming out of the storm, the Atet joined in, firing missiles into his back. The ariel assault forced Ghidorah lower, coming dangerously close to the water.

That’s when the ocean surged and Godzilla sprung up and grabbed one of the clubbed tails, dragging Ghidorah into the water.

The rest of the battle became obscured in the surrounding clouds, shielding the Argo in its retreat. Even with the pain, Clair raced up with the others to the control room, watching the rest of the fight unfold from there.

The water still roiled from the fight between Godzilla and Ghidorah, but Mothra had backed off, keeping close if Godzilla needed her. The Atet seemed to be following her example. Both of them circling over the bubbling ocean.

Then the ocean exploded as Ghidorah slipped away from Godzilla’s grasp and fled back into the air. Mothra and the Atet kept their distance from him. All three heads looked around, searching.

Clair knew what for.

Amy confirmed as much when she said, “He’s looking for you.”

Then Mothra flew forward, slashing at him and retreating. He snapped at her, but before he could go after her, atomic breath was shot at him from the water, Godzilla rising from the water and roaring at him. Clair knew what they were doing. They were just hazing him, trying to get him to leave.

Finally, after receiving a few missiles from the Atet and giving one more furious roar, Ghidorah fled in the opposite direction, disappearing back into the storm and off their radar.

But not from her mind. The link remained, as it would for the coming days.

Collapsing into a nearby chair, Clair finally let all of the adrenaline and intensity flood out of her, thankful that the mission was over.

That’s when Chen came up to her. “Clair, did you establish the link?”

With all of them looking at her, Clair laughed a little at the question, wondering how the heck Chen thought she didn’t when she was still here breathing and talking to her. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

The mythologist looked relieved. And everyone released a collected sigh.

Stanton then made a breathy laugh. “That was some ballsy shit you pulled back there, kid. That takes a lot of guts.”

Clair nodded at the praise, too tired to say anything. It had been a long night.

Jason then helped her up, being led away to the medical unit to assess her injuries. She guessed it was inevitable she would end up back there.

After being checked over, Clair was bandaged up and given a few pills for the pain, being left alone with her brother, with Chen promising to come back later the check in on her. That’s she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, firm yet so gentle. Clair found Jason hugging her, desperate fingers pressing her against his protective bulk. She returned it nonetheless, knowing she had probably given him a heart attack with her stunt.

With a strained voice, Jason hoarsely said, “Please don’t ever do something that stupid again, sis.”

She closed her eyes, and let a few tears fall, thinking of all she’s been through tonight. “I’ll try not to.”

It was as best as a promise she could make. She was a Link now, connected to Ghidorah for the rest of her life, however long that would last.