Invasion of the Astro Monster: All Out Attack

Chapters

Chapter 2 - Stargazing
Chapter 3 - Interview
Chapter 4 - Business as Usual
Chapter 5 - Not Again
Chapter 6 - Underbelly
Chapter 7 - Frayed Ends
Chapter 1 - Good Morning, King Ghidorah

Chapter 2 - Stargazing

Chapter 2

Stargazing

The next morning, Princess Twilight Sparkle was on a very dangerous mission. Deep down, she didn't really want to do this. But she knew she had to, for the name of science. If she didn't do this, who knows when an opportunity as good as this shows up again? She swallowed hard, not sure she could go through with it. No, no, she had to. She forced her eyes shut, before knocking her hoof heartily on the door in front of her.

"King Ghidorah!" she called. There were sounds of struggle, as though some titanic struggle were happening inside the room. A crash, a thud, and suddenly the door opened revealing a very disshelved Destroyer of Worlds.

"What is it?" the grouchy dragon asked, eyes opening and closing as he tried to force himself awake. Stupid mornings. As Ghidorah woke up, he realized just who exactly stood in front of him.

"Princess Twilight? Why are you botheri-I mean, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm and malice.

Twilight grinned awkwardly. "I think I may have caught you at a bad time. Do you think you could join me for lunch today in the library? I've been meaning to ask you a few things, and I'd like to have a private discussion about them," she said.

Ghidorah scowled, annoyed to be bothered this early for something so menial. "Very well. I will meet you there," he said.

As far as Ghidorah was concerned, this exchange was over. He slammed the door shut in Twilight's face. Twilight flinched, but remained standing. She smiled to herself. "Well, that went better than expected!" she said, before trotting off back to her room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Celestia and Luna sat in the throne room, sipping tea. It was a pleasant day outside, with the winter chill kept safely at bay by the glass barriers of the stained-glass windows. The sun's warming rays were obscured by the light gray clouds, and a light breeze caused the temperature to drop. It was cold, but with a light coat, not a problem. "How goes planning for the gala?" Luna asked, admittedly rather bored.

Celestia sipped her cup. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old," she said. "The rich elite want it to stay the same, the younger commoners want something more accessible. Problems trying to please everybody, the works,"

Luna nodded. "So what are you going to do?"

Celestia shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I figured I'd just have Twilight and her friends figure it out. It's worked before, I'm sure they won't let anybody down,"

Luna made a small sound of approval. "I suppose. What about the kaiju? I imagine they'll be rather difficult to get to the gala. And Ghidorah isn't exactly the social type,"

Celestia nodded in reply. "Indeed. I honestly don't know about the kaiju. Rodan would probably make a mess, or go off and start trouble with Discord. Ghidorah..." she paused. "Ghidorah's his own situation entirely. As good as it may be for his image, I doubt he'd care enough to make an appearance. Biollante may be slightly interested, but probably wouldn't mix well with the guests. Perhaps it would be best if they were simply not a part of it?"

Luna shrugged. "Perhaps. But you know what I think. You can please some ponies some of the time, you can please some ponies all of the time, and you can please all ponies some of the time, but you can't please everypony all of the time,"

Celestia nodded again, sipping her tea. "Wise words, sister. Wise words indeed,"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

King Ghidorah met Twilight in the library. He was late, mostly because he didn't really care. The mare demanded his assistance with some.... actually, he didn't really know what she needed. With something. Whatever, it wasn't like it really mattered.

Twilight was sitting in a large chair, pouring over some large, dusty book. He had no idea what it was about, but frankly that was probably irrelevant. He approached the purple mare. "You desired to see me?' he said.

Twilight looked up, jumping in surprise. "Oh, Ghidorah! Finally, you're late!"

Ghidorah merely grumbled in response.

"Anyway, I'm glad to see you could make it! Please, take a seat!"

Ghidorah looked down at the small chair. That wasn't going to work. He hunkered down next to the chair on the floor, where his considerable bulk was more efficiently supported. "Well? What is it?" he asked.

Twilight leaned forward, her inner scientist gleaming. "What can you tell me about space?"

Ghidorah chuckled, slightly amused.

"Get comfortable. You're going to be here a while," he said.

Twilight simply grinned widely in response. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Deep in the void of space, a massive object spun. It was the planet Equus, upon which the ignorant Equestrian civilization blossomed and flourished in bliss. Other species vied for power, but at the moment they were equally as irrelevant as the ponies that dominated the planet. Indeed, the magic of friendship was a powerful weapon. Unfortunately for Equestria, ignorance only lasts so long, and the denizens of this relatively uninteresting planet had no idea that they were now part of something much bigger.

Before any true action could be taken, however, things had to be set in motion. They had been through this before - they knew the steps and motions, and each cog knew its place to make this well-oiled machine dance. A small flare popped in the inky darkness of the void. A smaller, seemingly unnoticeable object began hurtling towards Equus.

Below, on the planet, no one would've believed that they were not alone. That, as ponies and other species went about their petty affairs, they were being scrutinized and studied, as one with a microscope studies the creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few even considered the possibility of life outside their home. And yet, across that immense black gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to theirs regarded Equus with envious eyes. And slowly, and surely, they were drawing their plans against them.

Chapter 3 - Interview

Chapter 3

Interview

"So, where do you wish to begin?" Ghidorah asked. He and Twilight sat in the library, one member of the pair giddy in anticipation, the other not so much. Twilight was practically bouncing in her chair at the chance to learn even a little about space and its mysteries. Ghidorah could hardly fit in his chair, and after a moment of struggle, decided to simply sit on the floor.

"W-well, star formation is as good a place as any to start, right?" Twilight asked.

Ghidorah shrugged. "What's to tell? Star formation is a simple process. Do you mean to tell me that this is something your Equestrian science has yet to fully understand?"

"Well....uh... yeah, kind of..." Twilight awkwardly responded.

Ghidorah huffed. "You're more primitive than I gave you credit for. Very well. I hope you have sufficient material to chronicle this,"

Twilight fumbled for her notebook and quill, forgetting that she was holding them. "Uh, yeah, I-I'm good," she forced out, trying to maintain her cool.

Ghidorah rolled his eyes. "Then let us begin."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Trixie walked through the streets of Canterlot, making her way to the marketplace. She needed groceries, her apartment having run out a while ago. Groceries tended to run out quickly now that she shared an apartment. Ever since the defeat of Hedorah, she had been living with Derpy. Her roommate had quite the appetite. It really was a marvel that Derpy wasn't morbidly obese at this point. Trixie trotted past stalls of many varieties, but she knew that there was only one place for her. Then, she saw it.

The muffin stall.

Derpy had specifically requested for muffins on this grocery trip. Of course, Derpy was busy with her secondary job of mailmare, keeping the two of them financially stable. You'd think heroes of equestria would get better monetary compensation, but Trixie quickly learned that that wasn't the case. So now Derpy made the money, and Trixie spent it. Things worked out, she supposed. Then again, this was also the most awkward situation she had ever been in.

She sighed. Oh well. At least it was better than being homeless. Trixie shuddered at the memories of living alone on the cold streets of Equestria.

There was a slight clanking sound, a brief ring that shot out from an alley she passed. She did a double take, frowning as she peered into the darkness. Odd. Was there something in the alley?

"Damnit all!" she heard a male voice shout out.

"Umm, is anypony there?" she called out into the alley. Trixie took a few tentative steps in, looking around.

From behind a dumpster, a brown head popped out. "You there! Unicorn!"

"Who, me?" Trixie asked the brown colt, confused.

"Yes, of course you. Do you see any other unicorns in this alley?"

"Well, I mean-"

"Tell me, where does one find food? I attempted breaching this receptacle, but the nourishment here was too sweet for my tastes,"

It was only then that Trixie noticed that the colt was eating garbage. Everything about this colt was odd. His speech, his mannerisms, and eating trash? "Uh, there's a restaurant not far from here. What's your name?"

"Name? What does that matter?"

"Well, I just thought it was proper manners to-"

"Just call me Scuttle, idiot,"

Trixie was starting to get really upset with this rude stranger. "Look, if you're just going to interrupt me, I'm leaving! Find food on your own," she said, before trotting off.

"Wait!" Scuttle called out. Trixie turned around, anger in her eyes.

That's when she noticed Scuttle's eyes. A pure gold, and more importantly they stared at her in a cold, unblinking gaze. "What is the name of this city?" he asked.

"Uh, Canterlot," Trixie said, slightly perturbed by the creepy gaze he gave her.

Scuttle grinned with his mouth, but his eyes remained neutral. "Thank you. That's all I needed to hear,"

And with that, the strange colt jumped back into the dumpster.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Rodan lay on a cloud, relaxing. Ever since he'd helped save the world, he'd been living in the lap of luxury. He was praised as a hero, showered in useless gifts, and practically became a celebrity of sorts. He wasn't used to all this fame. The last time he'd been this well-known, he'd been shot at with missiles and attacked by giant mechas.

Needless to say, Equestria was a substantial improvement over Earth.

Still, such adoration was tiresome. Rodan had to admit, he much preferred to simply chill out and take a nap. Ever since Hedorah had been defeated, no new kaiju had appeared through any rifts. It was nice, but it also meant that everypony had calmed down since then and now had time to bother him about stuff.

And bother him they did. "Oh great and mighty Rodan, what was it like on Earth?" Or perhaps "Oh great and mighty Rodan, is it true that you eat fish?" Or even so far as "Oh great and mighty Rodan, are you taken? Do you have a very special somepony? Is it one of the Princesses?" It disgusted him how often he got that last one. Much more than the question had any right to be asked. Of course he didn't have a "Special Somepony." He didn't care enough to do that, and he definitely didn't care for ponies. Besides, he'd already had a mate, long, long ago. Unfortunately, she had died a long time ago, leaving him alone.

Rodan huffed. That didn't matter anymore. That was the past, and he lived in the here and now. And here and now was pretty good. Things were quiet, Rodan had plenty of friends, and there was more fish than he could ever possibly eat. Life was good, all around. Although he had to admit, Rodan was pretty bored. It'd be nice if something interesting happened.

A blur the color of a rainbow suddenly zoomed past Rodan. He gave it a bored glance as it passed by. Whatever made that blur must've been pretty fast. He yawned, stretching his wings out to their full length. He stood up, looking down at the city far below. He smirked.

"You're good, whoever you are. But nothing's faster than me!"

Rodan shot up into the air, the cloud beneath him completely dissapating as he flew after the rainbow colored blur.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Their talk was long and detailed. Ghidorah told Twilight everything he knew about outer space, trying to answer her questions to the best of his ability. Twilight was a willing student, dutifully jotting notes and inciting the golden dragon into more detailed explanation when necessary. The interview went on for a full five hours, neither of the parties seeming to notice as time slipped by. The sun was already beginning to set when they finished. They were interrupted by a low grumbling emanating from both of their abdomens.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize how long this went on!" Twilight said, ashamed for holding Ghidorah for such a period of time. Ghidorah simply shook his heads.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm glad I was able to divulge all the information I had to you," he said.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how much you've helped Equestrian science today!"

Ghidorah huffed. "Yeah, whatever," he said flatly.

Another grumble interrupted their conversation. "Well, I guess we better go eat, huh?" Twilight asked.

Ghidorah nodded. "Yes. But before we go, may I ask you a question?"

Twilight chuckled. "Well, all I've done for the past while has been ask you questions, so I guess it's only fair. What is it?"

"Why the sudden interest? You could've asked me all these things long ago, but why now?"

Twilight chuckled again. "Funny story, really. Yesterday I discovered a new star. Up until now, our science has said that a new star appearing should be impossible! But I guess now it all makes sense, doesn't it? Well, thanks for the help. I'm going to go get some hay burgers!"

Twilight left before Ghidorah could inquire forward. The ancient dragon sighed, before cracking a small grin. It was odd, a new star appearing. Then again, as he'd just finished explaining, these things happened all the time. Ghidorah walked out of the library, heading towards the kitchen. By the time he ate, he'd completely forgotten about the new star and what it really meant.

Chapter 4 - Business as Usual

Chapter 4

Business as Usual

Princess Luna sat in her study, reading a report on tall monsters sighted in the Everfree Forest. It was probably nothing, but she figured she would send Twilight to investigate just in case. Of course she would inform Celestia of the event, but she doubted it would be of any significance to her sister. She huffed, rolling up the scroll and teleporting it away in a blink.

Life had been quiet in the castle for some time now. After three months without any exciting news, life almost seemed to return to normal in Canterlot. Or at least, as normal as life with three kaiju could be. The three newest residents of the castle had grown quite accustomed to life in Equestria, but they still left a lot to be desired. Rodan still didn't understand ponies' aversion to the sight of blood or bones when he ate, Biollante made almost no attempts to interact with anypony besides Fluttershy or Applejack, and Ghidorah was just generally abrasive. Although a far cry from his old self, King Ghidorah was not exactly the most approachable figure. Luna sighed, shrugging. Perhaps that was just the way they were, and Equestria would have to deal with it.

Before Luna could go any further into introspection, she was interrupted by a knocking at her door. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me, Twilight. May I come in, Princess?"

Luna smiled. "Of course, Twilight. Please, come in," she said.

Twilight Sparkle entered the Princess of the Night's study, clearly quite happy about something. She entered with a bounce in her step and a saddlebag filled with scrolls and notebooks. "How are you, Twilight? You seem chipper," the princess noted.

Twilight smiled. "Oh, it's not much Princess. I just finished talking with King Ghidorah, getting some information about star formation and space in general. It was really quite enlightening!"

Princess Luna raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did he now? What did you learn?" she asked, seeming interested.

"So much! He told me all about nebulas, supernovas, pulsars, even black holes!" Twilight said, before stopping. "Although he didn't have many nice things to say about that last one," she muttered.

Luna smiled. "You know, I've never really known anything about that kind of stuff," she said.

Twilight looked shocked. "Really? But, aren't you in charge of making the night sky?" she asked.

Luna nodded. "Yes, but I don't really make anything of my own power. I simply set some chain reactions in motion to create the result I desire. It's a pretty hooves-off approach, really," she said.

Twilight rubbed her chin. "Huh. I've never thought about it that way. Say, you wouldn't happen to have done that anytime recently, have you?" she asked.

Luna looked quizzically at her. "Recently? No, the last time I performed the spell was months ago, and it usually takes a few weeks to be noticeable. Why?"

Twilight shrugged. "A few nights ago, I noticed a star that wasn't there before. I asked King Ghidorah about it, but he said that new stars formed all the time and that it was nothing particularly interesting. I guess maybe stars can still form without your influence?" she offered.

Luna thought for a moment. "Very strange indeed," she said finally. "I suppose you may be right, although I have never considered that possibility. Whatever it is, I'm sure that there is nothing to be concerned about," she said.

The two shared an impassive shrug, discarding the topic now that it had run its course. "So, have you any plans for the Gala?" Luna asked Twilight. Twilight shook her head.

"No, I think I'll invite my friends and probably spend the evening with Princess Celestia," she said. "What about you?"

Luna pouted. "I have yet to make any plans for myself. In all likelihood, I'll probably escape the festivities and find a nice, quiet spot to just be alone," she said.

Twilight frowned. "Well, that isn't very sociable. Isn't there anypony who you might want to go to the Gala with? I find that even the most boring events can be enjoyable with a friend," she said.

Luna nodded. "Perhaps. You are the Princess of Friendship, so I will trust your judgement. However, I don't know of anypony who would be willing to accompany me. I suppose that's a problem I will simply have to solve with time. After all, the Gala is still two weeks away," she said.

Twilight looked out the window, seeing the sun begin to set. "Well, good luck with that, Princess. I'm afraid I need to get going now if I want to get the train back to Ponyville, so I'll show myself out," she said, before turning around.

Luna smiled. "Farewell, Twilight Sparkle, and good night."

* * * * * * * * * *

Rainbow Dash was flying fast. Really fast. Fast enough that a nearby pigeon was almost de-feathered by her passing by. Fast enough that ponies below could only make out a rainbow-colored blur zooming overhead. Yet, this still was not fast enough for her.

So one can imagine her surprise when a red figure zoomed past her, leaving her in the dust.

"What? What was that?" she asked, looking around in surprise.

Before she could say anything else, the blur zipped behind her again, causing her to turn around. She furrowed her brow in frustration. "Whoever you are, this isn't funny!" she shouted.

"What are you talkin about? This is the funniest thing I've seen all week!"

Rainbow turned again, to be greeted by a hovering - and snickering - Rodan. She gasped. "Y-You're..." she stammered. Rodan grinned.

"Yeah, that's me!" he said. "Sure sounds about right, at least,"

Rainbow Dash didn't know how to react. Long ago, she had seen this kaiju whoop major flank beneath Cloudsdale. She read all about his exploits in defending Equestria. Now he was here, and talking to her! There really was only one way her body was able to process this information.

"OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!" she sputtered, repeating the phrase over and over again in the vain hopes that it would somehow make the situation seem slightly more like reality.

"Now calm down there, or else you might fall outta the sky sweet cheeks!" Rodan said.

"But - But you're - What are -?"

"I saw you flyin along, and I'll admit you're pretty fast! No way you're faster than me, but still pretty fast!"

For just a moment, Rainbow Dash forgot all about how much of a fangirl she was, her honor impuned. "Excuse you! I bet I could outspeed you any day of the week!" she said.

Rodan grinned. "Do ya? I'll race you for it!"

"Fine, you've got a deal! From here to Ponyville Town Hall and back!" she said.

'Pfft, not a problem! I hope you like eating dust!"

"You'll be eating those words in a second! Ready?"

"Ready?"

"Threetwoonego!"

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow Dash shot forwards, flying towards her goal at high speed. Rodan chuckled. "That was a cheap trick, but that doesn't matter!" he shouted, before flying after her with a single flap of his leathery wings. Although she was far ahead by now, Rodan was quickly gaining speed. As the two became nothing but blurs to the ponies overhead, they approached each other. Rodan began to catch up to Rainbow, and seeing this the cyan pegasus began to double her efforts to stay ahead. As she tapped the tip of Town Hall with her forehoof, she began to brake so that she could turn around.

Int he time it took her to do this, Rodan had pecked the same spire, turned around, and was speeding off back to their prior position. Her eyes widened, and she flapped her wings harder than she had flapped them in a long time. Flying straight as an arrow, she shot forward in an attempt to close the distance. Rodan turned slightly, seeing her in the corner of his eye. This would not do, and he flapped his wings once to increase his speed. Even still, Rainbow Dash was catching up to the pterosaur at a rate that was far quicker that rodan would've liked.

As the pair began to approach the finish line, the race was neck and neck. The cloud that denoted their stopping point was growing larger and larger, its position getting ever closer. Each competitor struggled to win, their need for victory matched only by their desire for bragging rights. As they grew closer, Rodan was suddenly assaulted by a blast of white noise, giving him a splitting headache. Grunting in pain, he stopped, clawed hands grabbing onto his skull.

Rainbow Dash, however, was unimpeded and continued to fly forward, claiming victory by flying through the cloud. "Yeah! All right! I won!" she shouted, pumping her hooves into the air.

Just as suddenly as the white noise had appeared, it was gone, Rodan's head clear again. How odd. Shaking his head, he looked up at Rainbow Dash. "Yeah, but only cuz I let you win!"

Rainbow crossed her forehooves. "I don't think so. Looks to me like you had a cramp. Better stretch before you challenge the race champion of Ponyville, buddy!" she gloated.

Rodan chuckled, but was no longer filled with quite the mirth he had been earlier. "Yeah, yeah, that was my bad. Look, I gotta get back to the castle. It's late, and y'know, I'm a very busy reptile, alright? Stay awesome, wouldja?" he said, before zooming off towards Canterlot, leaving behind a bewildered, overwhelmed, and confused Rainbow Dash.

* * * * * * * * * *

King Ghidorah sat alone in the Royal Dining Room, eating an egg sandwich. He had begun to experiment with different kinds of eggs, trying to find the perfect food for his tastes. The search was a long and hard one, but he certainly felt that he was experiencing the desired results. As he ate the sandwich, a cream-coated mare walked towards the table from behind, before finally plopping down into the seat nearest to him with a groan.

"Finally! All of the dishes are cleaned, put away, and ready for use again!" she said, lamenting the difficulty of her work. Ghidorah swallowed the bite he had taken.

"I take it Discord did not make your job any easier, Gourmet?" he asked.

The Royal Chef half-laughed. "Of course he didn't . What else does he do?"

Ghidorah nodded. "Indeed. Little else, it would seem," he said.

In the time since Ghidorah's arrival, few ponies had the bravery to face him directly. Although none were afraid of him, strictly speaking, most were put off by his prickly demeanor and generally rude interactions. Gourmet, however, seemed to either not care or not notice either of those factors, and Ghidorah didn't mind. Gourmet was practical, blunt, yet still an artist within her trade. She really was a fantastic chef, although Ghidorah would never tell her that.

The pair shared an honesty with each other they shared with few others. In Ghidorah's experience, Gourmet had never once lied to him and he had never had a reason to lie to her. Although he wasn't particularly talkative, small chats like these in the evening had become commonplace. She would vent about whatever problem had plagued the castle that day, would inform him of any relevant news, and would even attempt to be jovial with him. Ghidorah would listen and respond accordingly, although he rarely rewarded any of her jokes with a laugh. This was a difficult task, as Ghidorah found her deadpan, sarcastic humor to be quite witty - but he couldn't let her know that. He'd never hear the end of it if he did.

"So, how was your day?" she asked.

Ghidorah shrugged. "I spoke with Princess Twilight about the intricacies of space and celestial bodies for quite a while. I think I saw Celestia speaking to a griffon about something, but I don't know the details," he said.

Gourmet nodded. "Probably an ambassador, complaining about something or other. Nothing serious, I imagine," she said.

Ghidorah took another bite of his sandwich. "Aside from that, nothing of particular interest occurred today," he said.

"Mmhmm," Gourmet hummed in response, twiddling a spoon with her hooves.

"Say, Ghidorah?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"What plans have you made for the Grand Galloping Gala?"

Ghidorah swallowed. "None," he said quite honestly. "I don't understand it, I doubt I will, and I doubt anypony will invite me. I will most likely remain in my quarters and sleep,"

Gourmet nodded. "Don't you have a very special somepony who you'd like to take?" she said in a jeering fashion.

Ghidorah shot her a quizzical look. "Very special somepony? Do I dare ask what that is?"

Gourmet chuckled. "You know. Somepony who makes you feel like you have butterflies in your stomach or that ties your tongue," she said. "Somepony you care a whole lot about and would do anything to make them happy,"

Ghidorah blinked. "Are you referring to a mate?"

Gourmet shrugged. "More or less. A mate might be a bit committed compared to a very special somepony,"

Ghidorah shook his head. "As far as I am aware, I am the only one of my kind. The concept of a mate has never crossed my mind," he said. Gourmet only smiled.

"Is that supposed to be an excuse, King Ghidorah? Surely you've felt something around somepony. Perhaps one of the princesses?"

Had he not known Gourmet was speaking in jest, Ghidorah would've been livid at the notion. Instead, however, he merely shook his head once more. "I cannot say I have," he said simply.

Gourmet sighed. "Well, if you ever do find somepony, let me know. I wanna be there when it all ends terribly," she said, before standing up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, oh great King Ghidorah, I have to go to bed. I'll see you at breakfast!" she said cheerily, before taking off and disappearing into the hall.

Ghidorah sat alone, and continued to eat his egg sandwich.

Chapter 5 - Not Again

Chapter 5

Not Again

"No, Rodan, no matter how many times you ask, I'm not going to sanction a hunting season for whales," Celestia said, fed up with the requests of a certain red-scaled pterosaur.

"But Celestia!" he pouted.

"Rodan, not everypony shares your carnivorous tendencies. I think you'll find that there are few, if any, ponies that would delight in a hunt in the same way you would," she said.

"To be fair, there are always the Griffins," Luna chimed in.

Celestia shot her sister a look. "Luna, you're not helping," she said. Luna responded with a shrug.

"I'm just providing another viewpoint," she said.

"Rodan, this is the fifth time this month. Surely you've grown as tired of this as the rest of us," Ghidorah muttered, absentmindedly looking out the window.

"Hey, not all of us can live off of one kind of food for our whole lives, buddy!" Rodan squawked at him in response.

Celestia sighed, facehoofing. "Biollante, please tell me you have something to say on the matter," she said.

Biollante, who sat in the sunlight, looking out the window, only shrugged. "It is only natural for a predator to desire to hunt. I say let him do it," she said.

Celestia groaned. "I can't believe it. I brought you here to help me with this," she said, gesturing to Biollante and Luna, "and the only one I have on my side is the ex-Destroyer of Worlds!"

Ghidorah glared at her a little. "Thank you," he grumbled. Celestia rolled her eyes in response.

"Fine. Rodan, I'm allowing you and only you to hunt whales. For food, alright? Not sport. And don't go crazy, either. We don't want a sudden dip in whale populations just because you get hungry, got it?" she said.

Rodan pumped a fist in the air. "Score!" he shouted victoriously, before prompting turning and flying out the window.

A collective sigh of relief echoed through the throne room. "Well, at least we can all agree that we're glad that's over," Luna said.

Ghidorah, Biollante, and Celestia nodded in agreement. Ghidorah opened his mouths to say something, when there was a sudden popping sound as Discord teleported into the room. "Hello everypony! Have I missed anything important?" he asked.

Ghidorah and Biollante jumped at his sudden entrance. Ghidorah bristled in annoyance, with Biollante quickly regaining her composure.

"Rodan will now be allowed to hunt whales, per decree of Celestia," she said.

Discord's eyebrows danced in piqued interest. "Oh? Now how did that happen, Celestia?" he asked.

Celestia looked away. "Don't worry about it, Discord," she mumbled, eliciting a jolly laugh from the draconequus.

"It would seem some things never change, do they?" he said to no one in particular. "Oh, by the way, Celestia, how long has it been since a kaiju entered our pleasant little dimension again?"

The Royal Sisters blinked at him quizzically. "Three. How come?" Luna asked.

Before Discord could answer, Rodan landed on the balcony, a look of worry. "Ghids? Biollante? We've got a problem," he said in a worried tone.

Celestia looked at Rodan with a pleading face. "Please tell me it's not..."

Rodan rubbed the back of his head. "It's not that bad! I mean, I know the guy, but..."

"But?"

"There may be a teeny, tiny..."

"Rodan, spit it out,"

"There's a kaiju headed this way."

Ghidorah and Biollante stood now, bodies tense. "Here? Now?" Ghidorah demanded, stepping forward.

Celestia looked downcast. "Again? Why now?" she muttered.

Luna put a hoof of reassurance on her sister's shoulder. "We knew it was just a matter of time. At least now, we're ready," she said.

Turning to the princesses, King Ghidorah spoke. "We haven't any time to waste. I'll be back once they've been dealt with," he said.

Celestia and Luna nodded, Discord pulling a pair of binoculars from a bag he was carrying. "Oh, I won't miss this for the world!" he shouted with glee, teleporting to the balcony, now seated in a reclining chair. "Well? Get to it, guys! Best not to keep your audience waiting!"

Ghidorah nodded to Rodan, and the pair flew out the window. Biollante's avatar sighed. "And here I thought today was going to be boring," she muttered.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As the two airborne kaiju flew west, the sight of the encroacher became larger and clearer. Rodan looked at Ghidorah with worry. "Think we can get him out of here without making a scene?" he asked.

Ghidorah huffed. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll leave," he said.

Rodan nodded. "Yeah, I sure hope so," he said.

Far below, a mass of vegetation that had looked like a hill reared up, revealing Biollante's saurian head. She roared, announcing her awakening, before turning. Looking down, she saw the aggressor, who had stopped in his tracks to enter a defensive stance. She looked down on him almost with pity.

"Ebirah. Welcome," she said.

The red crustacean had its claws open, ready to strike. "Damn, Biollante. Didn't know you were here," he said.

Rodan landed next to him. "Same could be said for you, buddy. Hey, when'd you show up in this place?" he asked.

Ebirah turned to him, claws cocked open. "Few days ago. Mothra told us about you guys, putting up shop in this place. Can't say I ever thought I'd end up here, though," he replied.

"Then I take it she told you about me,"

Turning, Ebirah saw King Ghidorah hovering above. His golden scales glinted in the sunlight, making him seem like an apparition, some horrid and powerful deity of judgement sent to smite those deemed unworthy. "I, uh, I -" Ebirah stammered.

Ghidorah landed before him, wings flared to an impossible length. "I can't say she did," Ebirah forced out, causing Ghidorah to smirk.

"Of course she didn't. Who would believe her?" he said.

"Look, guys, I don't want any trouble. Can I go? I'm really sorry if I pissed any of you off or something, but I promise I won't cause any trouble. Come on, don't tell me this is the wrong neighborhood or something,"

Rodan and Biollante looked at Ghidorah expectantly, the three-headed dragon nodding. "Luckily for you, violent measures won't have to be taken, it would seem. Rodan, escort our friend to the nearest ocean. In any case, I imagine you'll want to go there yourself?"

Rodan nodded, before squawking at Ebirah. "C'mon, shrimpy. There's a big sea west of here. I'll take you there and we can eat some whales!"

For his part, Ebirah was very confused. "Wait, so you're not going to horribly kill me? Fry me? Serve me as a battered dish with a side of biscuits?"

Ghidorah chuckled, a hint of his ringing laugh coming through. "Only if you give me a reason to," he said.

Shocked, but not upset, by this response, Ebirah turned. "Alright then. Can't say I ever expected to hear that - least of all from you - but I won't complain. I guess I'll be on my way, then," he said, before following Rodan westward.

The two red kaiju gone, Biollante looked at Ghidorah. "My, my, King of Terror. You really have changed," she said.

Ghidorah snorted. "An astute observation," he said sarcastically, before turning and flying to the castle, shrinking as he did so. Biollante sighed, and proceeded to return to her gargantuan slumber.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ghidorah landed on the balcony, ignoring the disappointed and pouting Discord. "The job is done. The kaiju has been dealt with," he said.

"How disappointing. Not even a single punch," Discord muttered, before teleporting away to parts unknown.

Celestia smiled. "Not a huge threat?" she asked.

Biollante's avatar walked towards them, shaking her head. "Ebirah simply wishes to survive. He harbors no ill will to anything in particular," she said.

A sigh of relief echoed from the Royal Sisters' mouths for the second time today. "Well, that's reassuring," Luna said.

Celestia smiled up at King Ghidorah. "You know, that's the first time you've said those words and not left behind a giant mess for me to clean up. Did you know that?"

Ghidorah snorted. "I tried a diplomatic approach. It would seem I have picked up a thing or two from you," he said.

As King Ghidorah turned to walk away, the twin sisters beamed. "It really is an impossible feat you've accomplished," Biollante said to them as Ghidorah exited the throne room. Luna smiled at her. "In Equestria, Biollante, nothing is impossible," she said.

The plant pony nodded. "Indeed," she said. "I fear you may be right,"

Celestia's smile disappeared. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Biollante was silent for a moment, carefully considering what she was going to say. After a while, she spoke. "Does it not concern you, Celestia? That one who had spent so long as a being of pure evil just suddenly decided to reverse his affiliation?" she asked.

Luna stepped up. "Ghidorah may once have been evil, but that has no bearing on who he is now," she said in a tone of finality.

Biollante turned and looked Luna in the face. "Unfortunately, I think it does. Think about it. When Ghidorah served you, why did he do it? Because the two of you kept his powers from him. You kept him on a tight leash, and you kept those abilities he held dear from his reach. Did you ever consider how much that might've broken him? And, with one as broken as he already was, how much worse might it have made him?"

Luna looked ready to shout, but Celestia stepped in. "Your concerns are valid, Biollante. After all, I do not know what he may or may not have done in your universe. But you forget, the Elements of Harmony prevent him from returning to his evil habits. What's more, they showed him the value of friendship and all you or I might consider good," she said.

Biollante shook her head. "That's too perfect to be true, and I think you might know it. Ghidorah is unpredictable. I doubt your Elements have truly slain the dragon he once was, only suppressed it. He may seem comfortable, happy, and he may even feel that way, but deep down, hiding from sight is the same genocidal maniac he was known as. I only fear that all it takes is a few pushes in the wrong direction and he will return to his prior state," she said.

Luna pushed Celestia aside with her wings. "Biollante, I suggest you watch your tone. Ghidorah is not the only one to have been converted by the Elements of Harmony. Are you suggesting that I am so weak as to return to the Nightmarish form I once was as well?" she accused.

Biollante merely blinked. "Of course not," she said. "Your Highness," she added in a decidedly derogatory fashion. Before the conversation could continue any further, she turned and left the throne room.

Luna pulled to go after her, but Celestia stopped her with a hoof on her shoulder. "Let her go, Sister. She has every right to be distrustful,"

Luna sighed. "I know, Celestia. It still hurts, though. She has no idea what he went through," she said.

Celestia nodded. "Luna, I don't think anypony in our universe or any other knows what he has gone through," she said.

Chapter 6 - Underbelly

Chapter 6

Underbelly

Ghidorah reclined on a comfortable chair in the Canterlot Gardens. Well, it had been a comfortable chair. Until it collapsed. Under his weight. Now he sat, his legs sticking out at an awkward angle, his tails draped under the seat of the chair and splayed out in front of him, and his wings folded in a noticeably uncomfortable position. If anypony had walked by, they would ask why he chose to sit in such a bizarre fashion. Upon receiving no answer, they would realize the depressing truth of the matter. King Ghidorah, famed throughout the galaxy for his prowess in combat and destructive, god-like power, was stuck.

Perhaps he really should go on a diet.

He huffed, musing. It could be worse, he figured. He could be stuck and somepony could be here, making fun of him. That would be quite embarassing. Or if one of the Princesses saw him like this? Or worse, what about -

"Ghiddy? Is that you?"

Damn. Speak of the devil and he shall come.

"Not now, Rodan," Ghidorah shouted as the pterosaur hovered above him.

Rodan looked at Ghidorah in confusion, not understanding the sight before his eyes. Then, as predicted before, it dawned on him. A malicious grin crept across his face as he began to snicker. "Don't laugh, you miserable whelp!" Ghidorah shouted.

As if on que, Rodan burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. As a matter of fact, it was so uncontrollable that he promptly fell from the sky and landed in front of King Ghidorah, rolling and clutching his stomach. Ghidorah scowled at him, before returning to... well, one cannot call it "relaxing," because there was nothing relaxing about it. It wasn't "reclining," because the foldable, reclining chair had broken to a point where that was simply impossible. Perhaps the most fitting word would simply be "suspended," because that is what Ghidorah was. And so, ignoring the fairly annoying new arrival, Ghidorah returned to be suspended.

Finally, after calming down, wiping a tear from his eye with a single claw, Rodan addressed King Ghidorah. "Should I even ask how you got in that mess?" he asked.

Ghidorah grumbled. "I may have... sort of... fallen through..."

This only elicited further uproarious laughter from Rodan. "You fat idiot! I can't believe you didn't see that coming!" he shouted.

Ghidorah shot a glare at him with the precision of a sniper. "I don't appreciate comments like that. If you're going to be here, pull up a chair and shut up. I was having a nice moment, regardless of my position. If not, get out of here," he said in an assertive tone.

Calming down, Rodan realized there was no point in further mocking the three-headed kaiju. Sighing contentedly, he found another reclining chair and dragged it next to the wreck of Ghidorah's seat. Now positioned in its proper place Rodan plopped onto the chair and laid back, resting his hands behind his head.

Closing his eyes, Ghidorah's surroundings returned to a state of silence. It was nice. For a while. Rodan, however, was getting antsy. The noise of the other kaiju squirming in his seat filled the air, a deafening cacophony to the ancient dragon. Finally, after what felt like a mere second to Ghidorah but an eternity to Rodan, and was in actuality a space of about half a minute, Rodan spoke and shattered the silence. "So, anything new?" he asked.

Ghidorah sighed, opening his eyes. "No Rodan. Everything is adequate," he said.

Rodan nodded. "Yeah, yeah. That's good, I guess,"

"Mmhmm,"

"Say, Ghidorah?"

"Mm?"

"You remember back in the other place?"

"Mmhmm,"

"And how, like, every once in a while, you'd get mind-controlled by something or other?"

"Mmhmm,"

"Do you remember what any of that was like?"

"Mmnmm,"

"Yeah, I don't either. Hey, remember that time Godzilla and I got sent to Planet X to kick your sorry flank?"

"Mmhmm,"

"But it was really just a trap to mind control us?"

"Mmhmm,"

"Man, that feels so long ago. How time flies, eh?"

"Mmhmm,"

"Um, hello. What are you guys doing?"

The pair's "conversation," if it could be called that, was interrupted by the sudden arrival of another being. Looking up from their seats, the owner of the voice was revealed to be none other than a certain Princess of Friendship.

"Oh, hey Twilight. Ghiddy and I were just chatting, remembering old times and all that stuff. What about you? What're you up to?"

Twilight shrugged. "Nothing much, really. Everypony in Canterlot is getting ready for the Grand Galloping Gala, but all I'm going to have to do is stand next to Princess Celestia and greet ponies. There isn't particularly much for me to do, so I figured I'd take a walk. Why are you two here in the Gardens? And why are you sitting like that, King Ghidorah?"

At that, Ghidorah shot a venomous glare at Rodan, who smirked smugly. "Don't worry about it," he said to Twilight, who remained oblivious to the interaction between the two kaiju.

"Oh, okay then. So, what're you two talking about?"

"Oh, I was just chatting with Ghiddy here about this one time we fought. It was pretty crazy, wasn't it Ghids?"

"Indeed,"

"Oh really?" Twilight asked. "Could you tell me about it?"

Rodan beamed. "Could I? Twilight, I'd love to tell you about it. One of my favorite stories, you know!"

Twilight sat in between the kaiju, listening attentively as Rodan began to tell the tale.

"So, like fifty years ago now, there I was, just having a nice day. I think I was hunting a whale or something. I'm not sure, I lose track. Anyways, it all was good, until one day this flying, saucer-shaped thing showed up. It zapped me with some ray, and I was completely paralyzed!" Twilight gasped at this part. "Luckily, it didn't really hurt, but I couldn't move a muscle. Then I got picked up by the flying saucer, using some sort of force field or something. I don't know, I never listened to the old coot who explained all this technology stuff to us. Anywho, up ahead of me, another of these flying saucer things had done the same to my old buddy Godzilla! They took the two of us into space, and I kinda forget the entirety of this part, but in any case, we ended up being dumped on some dump of a planet. Rocky, dark, dreary, it was a mess, really. And then low and behold, our old pal Ghiddy showed up!"

Ghidorah rolled his eyes. "What Rodan has failed to mention is that I was being mind controlled. On this planet - Planet X, it was called - were a race of beings. They mind-controlled me, then made contact with the humans of Earth in an attempt to 'borrow,' if you will, Godzilla and Rodan. They took the pair of them to Planet X, had them fight me, made me lose intentionally, and then 'returned' them to Earth."

"Wait, what's a human?" Twilight asked. Ghidorah rolled his eyes again. "Nothing important," he said.

"Hey, I'm the one telling the story, remember?" Rodan interjected. "Anyways, Godzilla and I got taken back to Earth. It was all fine and dandy, until those damn alien bastards started mind-controlling us. I don't' really remember anything after that, until the humans found a way to break the mind control. Then, the three of us were free! And man, Ghidorah was not happy. He threw a fit, tried to kill Godzilla and I, but we beat him and sent him packing into space with both tails between his legs!"

"That's not how it happened, you arrogant liar!" Ghidorah interrupted. "I will have you know that I was quite surprised at suddenly being on Earth again, especially with you and Godzilla before me and ready to fight. They attacked me, and I was so confused I was unable to fight at my full potential. I ended up retreating just to collect my thoughts again," he said.

Rodan rolled his eyes. "Sure, Mr. Destroyer of Worlds. Whatever you say," he retorted.

Twilight, for her part, has having difficulty in absorbing much of the information. "Wait, so there are races in your universe capable of mind-controlling kaiju to do their desires? Even kaiju as strong as King Ghidorah?"

Ghidorah scowled. "As much as I hate to admit it, yes, there are," he said.

Twilight rubbed a chin with her forehoof. "That's fairly concerning. Well, I guess it's a good thing none of them have shown up here yet, huh?" she said cheerily.

For once, Ghidorah actually smiled. "Indeed, Princess. It is a very good thing," he said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I'm home!" Trixie called out, entering the small apartment that served as her abode. She was immediately greeted by a small voice shouting back with a "Yay!" Within a moment, a small purple unicorn came bounding towards her, tackling her to the ground with a strong hug. Trixie landed with a hoof.

"Dinky! Where is your mother?" she asked.

Smiling, the filly responded "She's got overtime! She'll be back home a bit later today!"

Trixie smiled, before standing up. "Well then, I guess she doesn't want any of these muffins, now does she?" she asked, levitating the bag of muffins before Dinky's eyes. The young unicorn smiled wide, her eyes locked onto the bag. "What a shame. Now I don't have anypony to share with!"

"Ooh! Ooh! I want some!" Dinky shouted, positively bouncing with energy.

Trixie grinned, but put the open paper bag onto a table out of Dinky's reach. "Alright then. If you want one, you'll have to get it yourself from this bag using only your magic," she said.

Dinky groaned loudly at that, causing Trixie to raise a hoof. "Now, now, Dinky. You know I promised your mother I'd help you learn how to use magic, and we can't very well do that if you never practice, now can we?" she asked.

Dinky sighed. "No, Ms. Trixie," she said dejectedly.

Trixie smiled. "Good. Now, have you been practicing that levitation spell I taught you?" she asked.

Dinky rubbed her hoof in a slow circle on the ground. "A little..." she said slowly.

"Very well. Now, try levitating a muffin out of this bag and it's all yours,"

Dinky groaned. However annoyed she may have been, though, did not compare to her almost hereditary desire for a muffin. Slowly, her horn sparked to life with an amber glow. The glow flickered, unstable, but Trixie could tell that it was at least functional. Not a moment later, a muffin slowly, strenuously, began to be lifted from the bag, encapsulated in the same glow as Dinky's horn. Trixie beamed as she saw the filly struggling, but succeeding, to lift the pastry. This was a marked improvement from prior attempts at levitation, and Trixie couldn't help but feel proud for her young protege. Finally, as the muffin reached the climax of its ascent, and seeing Dinky struggling to bring it closer, Trixie grabbed hold of it with her own magic, effortlessly floating it into Dinky's waiting hooves.

"You did very well, Dinky. Much better than before, in fact! I'm confident that, in a few months time, you'll be doing things like this as easily as walking or talking!" Trixie said.

Dinky, for her part, was exhausted. Panting, she still smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Trixie. I promise I won't you or mama down!" she said, before grabbing her muffin with her mouth and running off to her room.

Trixie's grin was wide as she saw the filly run off, sighing contentedly. Despite all that she had been through, she had somehow managed to find a place she was happy. She swore to herself that nothing would ever take her from this place.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Scuttle stood before a cave, his solid gold eyes scanning for a certain rock. These caves existed beneath the city of Canterlot, seemingly once serving as mines. Now, however, they were abandoned. They had served as a suitable base of operations, hidden in plain sight as they were. Finding the rock he needed, Scuttle tapped it three times, and it sank below the ground. Upon this, a section of the earth seemed to part, revealing a secret entrance and a stairwell. Going down the metal stairs, Scuttle was surrounded in darkness as the secret entrance closed behind him.

It was not long before the darkness was replaced by a red light. The lighting washed over the colt, revealing a long metallic passage. Walking through, a white light was visible at the end of the tunnel. Finally, he reached it, entering a massive, well-lit room. It was pure white in color, almost sterile in appearance. Silver technology lined the walls, any of their functions entirely unknown to the uninformed observer. Several ponies, all dressed in sterile white coats, manned each station, furiously working away at whatever they worked upon. Sitting in the center of the room was a male unicorn with white fur and a dark black mane and tail. He did not turn to acknowledge Scuttle's entrance, but from the subtle shift in the way he sat Scuttle knew that his presence was known.

"Commander Xander. I bring news," he said.

The white unicorn made no movement, but didn't tell Scuttle anything to the contrary. The orange pony continued. "It would seem that the rulers of this land have kaiju under their control. Just recently, I saw the one from Earth the humans called 'Rodan,' Flying westward. Whatever the cause for this, I can only guess. I recommend we redouble our efforts in bringing our own kaiju to this dimension," he said.

Commander Xander nodded. "I am aware of this," he said simply.

"Give me the word, Commander, and I will send for reinforcements.

The Commander was silent for a moment, before speaking again. "We will wait. The energy required to come here alone was immense, and our forces are not yet capable of a hostile take-over. Our simian allies in the forest will see to it that, when the time comes, the enemy will be unable to stop us. For now, we must only lay low. "

Scuttle bowed his head in supplication. "Of course, Commander. Your word is my command,"

Commander Xander smiled. "And when we arise, nothing will stand in our way."

Chapter 7 - Frayed Ends

Chapter 7

Frayed Ends

"Sister, how do I look?" Celestia asked Luna, straightening her crown.

Luna giggled. "You look fine, sis. Don't worry, I'm sure the Griffon King won't notice if your crown is ever-so-slightly off-balance," she said.

Celestia shuffled nervously. "You know how he is. I thought Twilight was a perfectionist, but he's just impossible! Do you remember the last time we met with him?" she said, chuckling in an attempt to alleviate the tension.

Luna smiled, humoring her sister. "I do. And believe me, I am certain nothing anywhere near as disastrous will occur again. Besides, it's been over a century. I'm sure he can't still be particularly upset about something so small, right?"

Celestia took a deep breath. "Right. We just need to be calm, and everything will be fine," she said.

The throne room's doors opened, a white unicorn mare peering her head in. "Your highnesses? King Archibald is here," she said.

The diarchs each inhaled deeply, Luna nodding for the mare to let them in.

"Well, Celestia, it seems we'll know soon enough,"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

King Archibald was an old griffin. Not quite an immortal, but indeed blessed with an almost tragically long life, he was beginning to show the signs of his old age. Short-tempered and quite demanding, the grey-feathered griffon was one who expected nothing but the finest quality in all manner of things. Perhaps this was the result of the griffon kingdom's recent depression that had only been escaped a few decades ago, and now that times were good once more he desired to experience life to its fullest. The last time he had come to Equestria had been a century ago, to celebrate the two-century anniversary of the Pony-Griffin War. That event, now four hundred years in the past, paled in comparison to the reason he was here today.

The arrival of kaiju in Equestria was a big event, pun not intended. To irrevocably confirm that their world was just one of many, and that there were forces out there beyond the scope of imagination was a frightening thing to most. And if one was not a pony, things became even more concerning when one realized that three of these monsters were now at Equestria's beck and call. Equestria already dominated the political landscape, but this move was pushing it closer and closer to a potential dictatorship. As such, it should be no surprise that the other fantastical nations of the world were very concerned and demanded an audience with the twin diarchs. Archibald and the griffins were merely the first, as envoys from the Minotaur Kingdoms, Saddle Arabia, and Yakyakistan were already on their way.

His arrival in Canterlot had only been satisfactory thus far. Nothing in particular seemed of any interest or import, and the castle was almost identical to the way he left it, save for the new stained glass fixtures that had been put in place to commemorate several new events. He had been quite intrigued by the newest image, one of King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra fighting the evil Hedorah and its minions. It was perhaps the only thing that had served to impress him even slightly up until now, but that was primarily because he had never seen a kaiju before and the power displayed in the image suggested something on a scale far superior to anything he was familiar with.

After waiting for a few moments (which was a few moments too many for Archibald), the guards opened the doors to the throne room, revealing both princesses at the other end. They were seated in their thrones, adopting a regal stance that was equally inviting and intimidating. King Archibald strode to the steps of the thrones, before bowing before them. "Your highnesses," he said.

Celestia and Luna bowed their heads in acknowledgement. "Your highness," they responded.

Archibald raised his head, looking the two of them in the eyes. His predatory gaze had been refined by centuries in court, and was enough to send most trained assassins scurrying. The two princesses did not flinch. "I take it you are aware of why I am here?" he asked.

The princesses nodded. "Very well," he said. "Let us get down to business."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"GRAAARGH!"

The rage-fueled shout shook the castle walls, causing Gourmet to look up from her cooking out the door. Rodan flew into the kitchen, grabbing a raw fish that sat on the counter. In a rush, he shoved the fish into his mouth before noticing Gourmet looking at him. "Ohm, ffey fourmet," he said with his mouth stuffed.

The mare blinked. "Rodan, what's going on?" she asked.

"Fo fime fo falk. Fotta fly!" he said, before swallowing and flying out the back entrance to the Kitchen. Not at all sure what has happening, the earth pony shrugged before returning to her work.

She was immediately interrupted by King Ghidorah charging into the room with a crash. The dragon was steaming, fumes snorting from his nostrils in rage. He was soaking wet, and his heads were completely covered in noodles. His middle head had an upside-down pot on it, worn almost like a helmet. Steam rose from his body, and he emanated a distinct heat that would probably be enough to kill anything that remained in it for any lengthy period of time.

"WHERE IS RODAN?" he demanded.

Gourmet was not a liar. While she was certainly no element of harmony, she still prided herself on her honesty - however blunt it may be at times. However, she also was one who took great joy in causing mischief. Granted, being subject to pranks by Discord had put her on the receiving end of what was once an occasional pastime, causing her enjoyment of it to wane. Now, though, she was presented with a choice. She could tell Ghidorah exactly where Rodan had flown off to, or she could lie and find out just what the pterosaur had done to put the space dragon in such a fit.

With a grin that was warm to Ghidorah but quite sinister in actual intent, Gourmet opted for the latter. "I'm sorry, Ghidorah, but I haven't seen our red friend at all for a while now," she said.

Ghidorah snorted. "ARE YOU SURE?" he demanded again.

Gourmet shrugged. "Sorry," she replied.

Ghidorah sighed, slumping downwards for a moment. "That damn flying nuisance. I was having a perfectly fine day, until he went and ruined it!" As he lamented whatever had occurred, a few noodles tangled in his horns slid downwards, falling to the tiled floor.

Resisting the urge to giggle at the three-headed kaiju's plight, Gourmet decided to ask him how he ended up in this sorry state in the first place. "So, would you like to explain what happened?" she asked. Ghidorah responded by puffin air out of his lips in defiance, but he didn't outright shoot her down. After a moment of waiting in silence, Ghidorah responded.

"I woke up and saw that my bedroom door was slightly ajar..." he said.

Gourmet looked at the pot that presently hid the eyes of his middle head and connected the dots. This was too good. For a destroyer of worlds, King Ghidorah sure was gullible. "Well, don't worry about it," Gourmet said. "I'm sure wherever Rodan is, he feels really guilty about what he di-"

"DAMNIT!"

Gourmet was interrupted by a very loud curse from down the hall. Ghidorah stood, recognizing Rodan's voice. His eyes glowed with anger as his claws clenched the ground, crushing the tile like dust. "RODAN! GET BACK HERE!" he roared, charging out of the kitchen in the direction of Rodan's voice.

After that rather chaotic turn of events, Gourmet was once again alone in her kitchen. Shrugging, she moved to collect the broom and dustbin to clean up the mess the two kaiju had made. Clearly, today was going to be a long day.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"As you can see, King Archibald, just because Equestria now has three kaiju at its disposal does not mean that we, in any way, shape or form, intend to stray from our peaceful ways," Luna said, pointing to a spreadsheet filled with complicated statistics as she made her point. Herself, Celestia, and Archibald all stood in what would've looked like a war room to anypony else at first glance, as a model replica of Equestria and the surrounding nations and their geography took up most of the center of the room. On the wall was a cork-board, filled with all manner of spreadsheets, studies, and polls detailing just how thoroughly the magic of friendship permeated the land and its populace. The griffin nodded, scratching his chin with his talons.

"And what of your military? Surely you have made some technological advances as a result of all this?" he asked.

Celestia nodded in response. "Indeed, King Archibald. However, nothing has moved past the experimental phase. Besides, Equestria still lacks a standing army, and my sister and I intend to keep things that way. That said, recent events have forced us to at least consider the possibility of mobilizing a self-defense force, but any further steps in that direction have not yet been taken, I can assure you,"

The Griffin king snorted. "And what of these kaiju? Will I be able to meet with any of them?" he asked.

Luna and Celestia shared a look. "Your highness, I'm not sure if that's the best idea. Although not hostile, these are beings from another direction. They are still not quite used to life at this scale, and their manners and social skills are a bit lacking," Luna stated.

Celestia nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is as she has stated. Perhaps another time, your majes-"

"DAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT"

Celestia was interrupted when Rodan burst into the room, panting heavily and with fear in his eyes. He looked around, ensuring the area was safe, taking a full seven seconds to even notice the Princesses or their guest. When he did, he attempted - and failed - to regain his calm. "Oh, h-hey princesses! Gee, who'd have thought I'd see you girls here, am I right? Boy, your throne room sure does have a big closet!"

Both of the princesses sighed, while King Archibald looked quite confused. "I take it this is the one they call 'Rodan?'" he asked.

Rodan puffed out his chest in pride. "You're damn right! The one and only!" he said.

"Rodan! What have we told you about language?" Celestia chided.

"Yes, and what are you doing here, anyway?" Luna added.

Rodan chuckled nervously. "Yeah, you see, about that..."

Before he could answer further, the door to the room was kicked open with a crash, glittering golden talons piercing the dimly lit area. Rodan backed up against the scale model of Equestria, knocking over several trees and houses in the process. "N-now, look Ghiddy! The princesses are here! You wouldn't want to hurt me in front of them, would you?" he asked.

King Ghidorah stomped into the room, grabbing Rodan by the neck by biting into it with his left head. Rodan squawked in shock as he was lifted off his feet. Ghidorah's middle and right heads leaned in close to his face, the intimidation slightly thrown off by the noodles tangled in his manes. "Princesses or no, you will pay for what you have done!" he shouted, his furious voice shaking the walls of the room. Before Rodan or the princesses could protest further, Ghidorah responded by lifting Rodan higher, before slamming him down into the center of the Equestrian model, crushing Canterlot in the process. With a violent crash, the model was completely destroyed and Rodan was slammed into the most likely quite expensive tile floor. Ghidorah then rose his clawed foot to crush Rodan like an insect, ready to stomp the poor kaiju into dust if need be.

"King Ghidorah! Behave yourself!"

The King of Terror stopped himself before bringing down his anger, turning to see both Princesses furious. He growled. "Have you any idea what this fool has done? How my honor has been impuned?" he half-asked, half-demanded.

"I do not care, Ghidorah! Whatever he did, it is no excuse to throw a fit like a foal!" Celestia scolded, causing the dragon to seethe. Snapping his jaws in frustration, Ghidorah knew he had lost. He hissed at both princesses, before giving Rodan a kick and stomping out of the room. Rodan rolled over, standing up and chuckling.

"That was totally worth it," he said, before flying out of the room.

Both princesses sighed, before turning to King Archibald. "We apologize for their behavior, your highness," Luna stated, before noticing the King himself. "Your highness?"

King Archibald had assumed the fetal position and was trembling terribly. A foul smell suggested that he had reacted adversely in other ways as well. "Are the monsters gone now?" he asked in a feeble voice, before proceeding to suck his thumb.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After cleaning up after the poor griffin and sending him on his way, both Princesses sat in their thrones, exhausted. It had been a long day. Between foreign diplomats, angry kaiju, and their usual chores, both Celestia and Luna were tired beyond belief. At the moment, the pair sat slouched in their thrones, eyes only half-open, and some of their shoes kicked off lazily. Regal stature be damned, they were tired and they deserved a rest.

They had sat like this in silence for an hour, before Luna opened her mouth. "Sister?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think that perhaps, Biollante may have had a point after all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you saw how Ghidorah acted today. I haven't seen him that mad since before Hedorah. And over a prank, no less!"

"Yes, it is a bit of an overreaction,"

"I mean, if he could react like this over something so petty, what if something serious were to occur?"

"Well, I like to think he doesn't truly mean any harm. He just has a terrible temper and needs to learn to control it. As I recall, you were not so different at one point,"

This statement struck Luna, prompting her to be silent for a moment as she mulled it over. After consideration, she spoke again. "You are correct, sister, but Ghidorah has powers on a completely different scale. Apocalyptic, if we're not careful. Now, I do have faith in him, and I don't believe for a moment he would ever intentionally bring serious harm to anypony, but..."

Celestia nodded. "But you fear what he may do unintentionally, as a result of his tremendous strength?"

"Yes, exactly,"

Celestia sighed, slouching further into her chair. "As much as I hate to admit it, I am in agreement. A plan should be put in place to prevent Ghidorah from bringing harm to anypony,"

"Should he become a threat, do you think we could simply take his powers away?"

"Yes, that should work, granted so long as we are both present when it happens. Still, I think we should have something better. Perhaps a preventative system to keep him from losing his temper?"

"I'm sure I could acquire some potions of calming from a few alchemists I know. Twilight herself could probably make them,"

"Yes, but that should be a last resort. I would hate to take his free will from him just to make the castle a little safer,"

"You are right. It would be a great betrayal of his trust for us to do that,"

"I think what Ghidorah needs is therapy. He clearly has a lot of baggage, both mentally and emotionally. Perhaps you should enter his dreams to try and help him deal with that?"

"Not a bad idea at all. If nothing else, I think it is a first step," Luna replied, pausing for a moment. "Sister, I just don't understand him. He is a great puzzle, truly. He may be docile one moment, and enraged beyond reason the next. What could possible lead a soul to behave in such a way?"

"I don't know if we will ever know the whole answer to that question, Luna. Think of Ghidorah's soul as a tapestry. Although we have done wonders to mend it, or at least, I would like to believe as such, there are still frayed bits and pieces here and there around it. These can only be fixed with time, which is something we should not have to rely on, or further intervention, which may be risky, but also may be our only choice,"

"I suppose you are right, sister. Your logic makes sense, and for the moment it is all we have to work with. I will attempt to enter his dreams tonight, and see what I can learn. I can't guarantee that he will be particularly willing to undergo such an invasive procedure, however."

Celestia nodded, closing her eyes and breathing deeply before standing up. "Alright, then. I'm going to go look into some psychiatrists I know, then I'm gonna take a nap. I don't know about you, but I think I need it," she said.

Luna half-smiled. "After today, I don't think there is anypony who wouldn't benefit from a good rest," she said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Fluttershy, Applejack, and Biollante's Avatar walked through the Everfree Forest, taking in the wondrous sights of nature. The sun was setting, and the three had decided to take this opportunity to take a nice stroll through the forest. Biollante, although of fairly stern decorum, was quite enthralled with Fluttershy's love of nature. Initially, she was quite uninviting to Applejack, considering her farming no better than any attempt by Humanity to control nature. However, after a visit to the Apple Family Orchard and a detailed explanation of how ponies farm in such a way as to be environmentally friendly and to keep the local ecosystem stable, Biollante relented and eventually began to accept Applejack as a friend.

"So how are things in Canterlot, Biollante?" Fluttershy asked. It wasn't often that Fluttershy would initiate conversation, but Biollante was just as quiet - if not more so - as her.

The plant pony shrugged. "I suppose it is all the same. Rodan is rowdy, Ghidorah is grouchy, and the Princesses try to handle them both. At the very least, nothing concerning has occurred for some time,"

"Well, ah s'pose that's good. I reckon things aughta get a bit more fast-paced soon, though, what with the Gala fast approachin' and all," Applejack replied.

"Yes, the Gala. I am intrigued by this event you ponies place so much importance on. Perhaps I will attend, should I find somepony to go with," Biollante stated.

"Oh, Biollante, I don't believe Applejack or I have any plans to invite anypony else this year! You could just go with us!" Fluttershy said, excited by the prospect.

"Yeah, that's a mighty fine idea. We could get Rarity to make a dress for you and everythin'!"

"You are too kind, friends. I would be honored to attend with you," Biollante said.

"No, Biollante, the honor's all -"

"Wait a minute, Fluttershy. What's that?" Applejack interrupted, pointing at a dark figure further up the road. It was dark, furry, and seemed to be hunched over something.

"I guess it's one of my critters. Let me go-"

"Freeze!" A gruff voice barked behind them, as the figure ahead turned around. Its gleaming eyes studied the ponies with malicious intelligence, and it stood at full height, more than twice as tall as any of the ponies. Only now did they see it was clothed, garbed in a shiny, almost metallic suit that flashed in the sun's dying rays. It smiled a wicked grin, flashing fangs behind its black lips.

"Well, it seems we have found some natives."

Chapter 1 - Good Morning, King Ghidorah

Invasion of the Astro Monster

All Out Attack

Chapter 1

Good Morning, King Ghidorah

A shaft of light stabbed through King Ghidorah's eyelids. The three-headed dragon groaned. Despite his angry growl, the light persisted. Annoying thing. Ghidorah smelled a scent coming from outside his quarters. Eggs, a hint of potato. That was the final nail in the coffin. He was now certain of his fears.

It was morning.

King Ghidorah growled again, and rolled out of his bed. This was his fourth bed since his arrival in Equestria. The staff at Canterlot Castle had yet to find one of suitable durability for his weight. Luna had suggested a diet, only half-joking. Ghidorah took offense to that. The bed creaked loudly, before making a pop. Ghidorah's pillows leaped off the bed and smacked him in the faces.

Time for number five. Maybe Luna was right.

Ghidorah got up, lumbering towards the door. He kicked it open. King Ghidorah was not a morning kaiju. A maid walked passed. "Good Morning, King Ghidorah," she said.

Ghidorah grumbled an unintelligible response. The maid only smiled and continued on her way. The castle staff had long since learnt to handle Ghidorah's moods.

Ghidorah followed the scent, lumbering with thunderous footfalls towards the dining chamber. As he neared the door, he heard screaming on the other side. He sighed. Typical.

He opened the door to be greeted by the usual chaos that abounded in Canterlot Castle. Celestia and Luna were angrily yelling at Discord, who was snickering about something. Rodan sat on a perch, pecking at a fish. He, too, seemed quite amused by something. Biollante sat to the side of the table, basking in the sunlight. Ghidorah sighed, and silently made his way to his seat at the table.

As he sat down, his favorite chef appeared. To be fair, she was his only chef. Gourmet walked towards him, holding a platter with a dish of eggs and potatos. Ghidorah's favorite. "Good morning, King Ghidorah," she said.

Ghidorah grumbled. "What are the fighting about now?" he asked.

She sighed. "Discord turned Princess Luna and Celestia's food into fish. Rodan promptly ate both dishes. Does that explain things adequately?"

Ghidorah nodded, looking as the argument continued to escalate. He wasn't really paying attention. Something about "Goat-face mongrels," and "Sun-butts." Whatever.

Luna took notice of his arrival, breaking off from the argument for a moment. "Why hello, Ghidorah. I trust you slept well?" she asked. Ghidorah merely grunted in response. Luna chuckled.

"Yes, mornings aren't exactly the easiest thing to get used to, are they?" she asked.

Much like the ex-King of Terror, she was not a morning pony. When she first returned from the moon, she too had difficulty accustoming to waking up at six thirty every morning. For her first few years, getting up was a source of extreme stress. So she could relate to his rather grumpy nature in the morning.

Ghidorah ate his food, ignoring the chaos ensuing around him. Just another ordinary day in Canterlot Castle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After breakfast, there was little time to waste. Celestia had a very important press conference, and all were required to attend. Within an hour, they stood before a large gathering of ponies. Citizens and reporters in equal measure were present, eager to hear what the princess had to say.

Princess Celestia tapped her microphone to assure herself that it worked. "Good morning, faithful subjects. It is my pleasure to be here standing before you today," she said.

"As you know, it has been three months since King Ghidorah, Rodan, and another kaiju successfully defeated Hedorah and its kaiju underlings and saved Equestria from total destruction. In those three months, not a single kaiju has leaked into our world. Rest assured, we remain on full alert in case one does leak in, but we have chosen to take this time to recognize our three brave defenders for what they have done for all of us,"

Ghidorah turned to Rodan, hissing. "Recognized? I was not informed of this," he said, surprised.

Rodan shrugged. "You were, you just happened to be in one of your moods that day. Not my fault you weren't paying attention," he said.

Ghidorah shrugged back. He would liked to have argued the point, but he knew full well that Rodan was probably right anyways.

"Shut up, you too. We're about to go up," Biollante's avatar chided, frowning.

"Now, if our three kaiju could join us on the stage, please?" Luna asked, gesturing to the trio of giant monsters that weren't quite so giant. The three of them walked up on stage, to be greeted by the two sisters. Celestia had three medals in tow, hovering above the ground magically. First they approached Biollante's avatar.

"Biollante, for your service in the defense of Ponyville and the base of the mountain, we award you this medal of honor. Wear it with pride," Luna said. Biollante kneeled, allowing the medal to be draped over her neck. Luna and Celestia moved on to Rodan.

"Rodan, for your services in the defense of Equestria abroad and far from the capital, we award you this medal of honor. Wear it with pride," Luna repeated, altering a bit of the words to fit Rodan. The medal was draped on his neck as well, and the two princesses moved on to King Ghidorah.

This time, Celestia did the talking. "King Ghidorah," she started. "For defending Ponyville, Canterlot, and all of Equestria on multiple occasions, as well as defeating the greatest threat we have ever faced, I award you this medal of honor. Remember why you fight," she said. Ghidorah noted the completely different wording this time around, and allowed the medal to placed around his middle neck.

"Equestria, your valiant defenders!" Discord exclaimed, confetti exploding above the three kaiju as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Ghidorah felt slightly annoyed, mostly because a streamer got caught in one of his horns, but went along with it. Rodan seemed to be enjoying the praise greatly, egotistical jerk that he was. Biollante was as imperceptible as always. For a moment, he thought he saw Luna looking at him out of the corner of her eye, but when he checked she was focused on the crowd.

"And now, I will move on to discussing plans for this year's Grand Galloping Gala," Celestia said, before beginning a long speech of boring details and redundant facts Ghidorah cared nothing for. He sighed. It was going to be a long conference.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Twilight Sparkle sat in her study at Canterlot Castle, staring into the glass of her telescope. Ever since becoming a princess, she had had to juggle her Canterlot with her Ponyville life, and it hadn't been easy. It was late at night, she wasn't sure what time exactly. Spike lay curled up in his bed on the floor, as she made notes. She stared through the glass at the object of her attention.

In Canterlot, it was a scientist's dream come true. Especially if said scientist had access to secret technology nopony else had. The telescope she was using was a prototype, derived from technology used to create the Super X-P. It could see farther and more clearly than any of the contemporary telescopes other ponies used. And she was using it to study one thing. A star. A star that hadn't been there the night before.

There was a knock at her door. Twilight jumped in her seat, surprised by the sudden noise. She quietly rushed to the door, careful not to wake Spike. She slowly opened the door, shocked at who was on the other side.

It was Trixie.

Trixie smiled awkwardly. "Uh...Princess Twilight? May I come in?"

"Trixie? What are you doing here?" Twilight asked.

"There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, and I just have to get it overwith," Trixie said, trying to gather some semblance of bravado. She wasn't succeeding.

Twilight glanced at Spike, who had rolled over in his sleep. "All right, come in. Just be quiet, please," she said.

Trixie nodded. "Yes, yes! Of course!" she whispered, before following Twilight in.

"So, what did you need to tell me?" Twilight asked, looking back into her telescope and making some notes on a sheet of paper.

Trixie sighed. "When I first arrived at Canterlot, to be a part of the Super X-P project and whatnot, one of the first things I asked the princesses was why me? And when I asked them, they told me that you were the one who suggested me for the program,"

Twilight stopped writing.

"Anyways, I guess I just kind of needed to know, why did you suggest me?"

Twilight looked up at Trixie and smiled. "Trixie, when Princess Celestia asked me who was the most powerful Unicorn in all of Equestria, I didn't hesitate to think of you! That magical laser the Super X-P was outfitted with? It was my design. I made it, knowing full well that few would be able to operate it. But I was sure you could, Trixie. That's why. Does that answer your question?"

Trixie was silent for a moment. "Thank you, Princess. I needed to hear that," she said.

"Not a problem at all, Trixie! And please, just call me Twilight. All my friends do," she said, before returning to the telescope.

Trixie was shocked, and smiled. She turned to leave, before stopping. "If you don't mind my asking, what exactly are you working on?"

Wihtout looking up, Twilight responded. "This star wasn't here last night. I'm not sure what it is, but I think I may have discovered a completely new star system!"

"Oh, that's nice!" Trixie said, a little bit lost.

"Although, I am confused as to how a new star system could even exist. All of Equestrian science suggests that it's impossible!"

Trixie shrugged. "Maybe you should speak to King Ghidorah. I hear he knows quite a bit about space," she said.

Twilight sighed, then smiled. "Yeah, maybe I should. I'll do that tomorrow."

Trixie yawned. "Anyway, it's late. I'm off to bed. Good night, Twilight," she said.

Twilight returned to the telescope. "Good night, Trixie," she shot back.

Trixie left the room, leaving Twilight Sparkle alone with her theories and the vast emptiness of Space.