After asking around, Yamada finally found Takenaka sitting alone on the terrace with a cup of tea, enjoying the early afternoon of a beautiful day.

"May I join you?" Yamada asked.

"Please." Takenaka indicated the chair next to him.

Yamada sat. "I know you're a volunteer," he said. "Thank you for staying an extra few days, sticking around in case we had any problems."

"My pleasure. Any trouble from your special guest?"

"Nope, no trouble, but he won't share any more information, either. He's just having a jolly grand time, laughing at us and treating us as primitive apes, enjoying some private joke of his own. Ms. Matsumura gave him a computer with limited access to the web in the hope of winning his cooperation, and he started arguing with strangers on Reddit. Somehow, he knows how to type."

"He found Reddit that quickly?"

"Well, sort of. He first used the computer to search for quotes of wisdom, which is kind of surprising and nice. That seemed to keep him happy. Then he watched videos of himself, then he read discussions about himself, and that's how he ended up on Reddit. He was getting really upset. Kept calling everyone insect, amoeba, and stupid monkey, and telling them to crawl out of the swamp and try again. He got especially angry whenever some self-appointed expert said he couldn't possibly know what he was talking about; he'd respond with, "If only you knew who you're talking to." Ms. Matsumura had to pull the plug because he was getting so riled up."

"Huh. Good. That's the advice I give everyone."

Yamada chuckled. "Ms. Matsumura found a book of wise sayings and gave that to him. Now he's happy again." He shrugged and shook his head in wonder.

"The world is full of surprises, my friend."

"It is indeed. Speaking of which, I heard you had new information, but I haven't heard the details."

"Yes. A mahathera I greatly regard responded to my inquiry. He tells me the symbols embedded within the spell's text denote certain attributes the spell's creator attached to it."

"What do you mean?"

"The spoken words are not the spell. The spell exists elsewhere, perhaps in the realm of all consciousness. The words simply call it forth, so there's more to the spell than just the words. The spell can have built-in attributes, or restrictions, in addition to anything requested by its spoken words. And in spite of its spoken words, for its attributes are hard-coded, if you will, and take priority."

"So...the spell came with conditions?"

"Mmmm, that's one way of putting it. In this case, the conditions are more like restrictions. The mahathera says the first symbol denotes that the spell only works on Godzilla, specifically. The other two symbols say the spell only allows transformations into human form and back to his original form."

Yamada's heart plummeted. He remembered Godzilla mocking Matsumura's claim that humans now had the power to transform all kaiju. The monks a thousand years ago must have told him of the restrictions. "We had planned to use the spell to rid the world of every kaiju!"

"Unless you find a magician powerful enough to create new spells, you're out of luck. And no, I don't know any. I'm not sure anyone in this modern world does any more."

"Why would the spell creator apply such restrictions?"

"I don't know. I can only presume it was to prevent the spell's misuse, or to prevent an abuse of too much power. Otherwise, a despot could use it to turn anyone they wanted into a toad. I mean, look at ourselves. After using the spell to rid the world of kaiju, would we have stopped there? Who would have been the next target? And the next target after that? Eventually, we'd be using it on political rivals whose ideas we simply disagree with."

Yamada gave him an abashed smile. "I appreciate you saying we in an effort not to be accusatory, when I know you mean, those of us who possess the spell."

"I mean we, as in all humanity. Power corrupts, my friend. Politician, Buddhist monk, or commoner. No one is immune."

Yamada nodded reluctantly and sighed, gazing out over the ocean. He saw the wisdom of Takenaka's words, and knew it was powerful truth. He had no counterargument.

Well, at least we took Godzilla off the board, he thought.

Sergeant Fujisawa appeared in the doorway. He looked grim.

"Sir," he said to Yamada. "There's been a development."

 

After a wretched afternoon of frantic phone calls, teleconferences full of shouting and recriminations, emergencies, and a barrage of new information, Yamada felt he was about to break. It didn't help that most of the shouting and recriminations had come from Monarch. He and Matsumura shared a deep distrust and dislike of the arrogant organization, though they often had no choice but to work with them.

Today, Monarch had been particularly livid that Japan had "gone rogue" by launching a major kaiju operation without informing them, coordinating with them, or – God forbid – asking permission.

The marathon had ended with an emergency video call with Japan's Prime Minister. It, too, had been deeply unpleasant. And that was putting it mildly.

After that, Matsumura and Yamada had shut down to take a quick break for tears, sandwiches, coffee, and to reflect on whether to tender their resignations. Yamada felt grateful seppuku was no longer a custom.

Having collected himself as best he could, Yamada returned to the conference room, but Matsumura wasn't back yet.

So he wandered down the hall to the nearest window. It looked over the sea only obliquely, but it was still a pretty scene. From this viewpoint, he could see a bit of the red glow of sunset through the jungle canopy, but over the ocean, dark blue was softening to black. The stars were just beginning to blossom into life.

He watched the waves come to shore, delineated by their white foam lines curling, breaking, receding, curling, breaking, receding.

He wanted to weep, but didn't think he could.

He strolled back to the conference room. A white board hung on one wall, so for lack of anything better to do, he grabbed a marker and started a list.

• Anguirus – Northwest Hokkaido
• Gigan – India (maybe Nepal)
• Rodan – Chile, Argentina
• Destroyah – Hawaii
• Megalon – California
• Ebirah – Greece, Italy, North Africa
• Megaguirus – Iceland

Matsumura entered as he finished writing. She was just ending a phone call, a somber look on her face. She looked up, saw his list, and said, "Scylla, Mozambique."

Yamada dejectedly slapped the marker down. He didn't have the heart to write any more.

"I've been ordered to restore his form and freedom," she said quietly.

"It's only logical."

She folded her arms and held herself, her face twisting with anguish. She desperately tried not to cry. She mostly succeeded.

Yamada watched sadly. He knew what this project meant to her. She had devoted her entire life to this moment: ending Japan's biggest threat. Ending Earth's biggest threat. She had succeeded spectacularly. Forty-eight hours later, it had backfired spectacularly.

"We must face facts," Yamada said. "His existence really is the only thing keeping all the others in check. Right now, they're just advancing cautiously, making sure he's really gone. But within a day, at most, when they realize he no longer exists, their mayhem will begin, and once it starts, it will never stop. They'll rampage with impunity, forever. Civilization around the globe will end within the week. Billions will die." He sighed, and said softly, "We may have only hours to act."

Her voice was that a of a broken person. "I know. But none of that makes it any easier."

Then she looked up and tried a half smile. "It's almost worth it to let the world end just to stop him being so damn smug."

He gave a tiny chuckle. "Nah. He'd be smug anyway."

"Yeah. True." A few seconds passed, then she bravely looked him in the eye. "Okay. Get Takenaka and meet me on the beach."

 

Yamada and Takenaka headed for the beach. There was just enough light to make out Sergeant Fujisawa escorting Godzilla to the same place, about ten yards ahead. Matsumura was waiting for all of them.

Godzilla and Sergeant Fujisawa reached her first, and the sergeant released Godzilla's shackles. They hit the sand as Yamada and Takenaka walked up.

Godzilla grinned at all of them. "Within three days."

"Yes, you were right," Matsumura said, looking him in the eye. "But give me an assurance. The other kaiju will stand down the moment they sense your existence again?"

"If they know what's good for them, they will. They know who's king."

"Good," Matsumura said. "Mothra's harassing Ebirah but she can only do so much."

"Which one's Ebirah?" Godzilla asked.

"The lobster," Matsumura said.

Godzilla snorted. "Ha! Sorted. She can handle that jerkwad."

"You know your girlfriend's name," Yamada said, intrigued. "Did you read that on line?"

"Humans didn't name her," Godzilla said. "That's the name she's always had. Just ask those little pixie twins of hers."

"Oh, yeah," Yamada muttered.

"What if the others don't stand down?" Matsumura asked. "What if it comes to fighting?"

"Get your people out of the way. They're your responsibility; I won't hold back or care. But, just to make you feel better, I expect the others to head straight back to their holes the moment they sense I'm back. This should be a bloodless night."

"Let's hope so," Matsumura said.

"Now, let's take this opportunity to set a few things straight," Godzilla said. "Namely, if you could stop firing your little pop guns and toy missiles at me, that'd be great. They tickle."

"You first," Matsumura said. "You've hurt us far more than we've ever hurt you."

"I've left you alone for years. My first attack was just rage after waking, and before you ask, no, I won't apologize for that. I'll never apologize for defending Earth from a kaiju who doesn't know their place."

"You're the only kaiju who had anything to do with Tokyo."

"Wrong. There was another."

"Who?"

"You."

Matsumura gave him an odd look. "Have you suddenly gone daft?"

"All of you. Humanity. As a swarm, you're just another kaiju, hiding in plain sight. I protect the world from all kaiju who threaten it. That includes you."

Matsumura scowled at him. "Fascinating. Each of us thinks we're saving the world from the other."

"Two tigers can't share the same mountain," Godzilla said, quoting one of the adages he had read. "But I've taken a novel approach to you. I no longer attack you directly, because it's a waste of time. If you want to keep stinking up the planet, you go right ahead. I won't stop you any more. You vermin will stop yourselves when you're crushed under the weight of your own greed, and within another ten millennia, everything will be back the way it always was. You'll be nothing but a blip in geologic history, and the rest of us will be just fine."

"I did not have getting preached at by Godzilla on my lifetime bingo card, but here we are," Matsumura said. "Not all of us are guilty, and you did kill innocent children. Never forget that, you utter piece of shit."

Godzilla drew back and looked at the fire in her eyes appraisingly.

"Noted," he finally said. "Now let's get this show on the road."

"What will you do to us when you turn back into a lizard?" Yamada asked.

"I'm not a lizard. I assure you, I'm extremely warm-blooded."

"Noted," Yamada said. "What will you do to us when you return to your true form, whatever the hell you are?"

"Nothing. You haven't hurt me. You've actually learned something, and this has been an amusing diversion. If nothing else, I discovered cranberry salad, and cheesecake with strawberries and cream. Great stuff. I don't even know why you humans have war when you have cheesecake, but you do you. Just promise never to pull this stunt again and we'll call it good. Also keep an eye on your frozen Ghidorah head or I'll kick your ass."

"We're going to leave you with the knowledge we gave you," Matsumura said. "It won't hurt, and it may help some day if we ever need to shout at you."

"Say something interesting and I might pay attention."

"When we get back to the house, we'll start the spell," Matsumura said. She started to turn away, paused, nodded, and said, "Thank you for keeping the other kaiju in check. I mean that."

Godzilla nodded. "You're welcome." It was a surprisingly tender concession from both of them.

Matsumura walked away, escorted by Sergeant Fujisawa.

Yamada watched her go, then turned to Godzilla. "One final question. How do you sense each other thousands of miles apart? How do the other kaiju know you're not available to stop them?"

"I don't know. If your scientists ever figure it out, shout it to me. I'm curious as well."

Yamada gave a small smile. He picked up the shackles and nodded to Godzilla.

Takenaka bowed to Godzilla, who returned the bow, understanding and respecting that he was a monk.

The two men left the not-a-lizard standing alone on the beach.

They ascended to the roof terrace, joining Matsumura and Sergeant Fujisawa. The sun was gone and the moon, four days past full, wasn't due for a couple of hours, but they could all see the silhouette of the strange man on the pale sand far below.

Takenaka took a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. Reading from it, he solemnly chanted a revised version of the spell's words.

Lights swirled around the man, then smoke, then an explosion of air and a blinding light, forcing them to shield their eyes.

When they looked again, Godzilla was restored.

He looked right at them and screeched a single, fierce roar. Then he turned, waded into the ocean, and dipped beneath the waves.

Back where he belonged.