Dedicated to: wolfpupgir
Listening to this song while writing ^
Ronan was charging ahead, not caring about the surroundings. His whole life was ruined, all because of these stupid genes.
He finally left the city and decided to go to the old, scary labyrinth, as he believed it'll be the last place his friends think of as his hideout.
He reached the place quickly, it was as obscure as always - dark, creepy, crumbled and overgrown with lichen. He entered it and laid down, crushing many walls under his vast body. But he couldn't care less, all he wanted to do now was to cry.
Suddenly he remembered he hadn't been feeling the pain in his shoulder for quite a while. He looked there and to his surprise, there was no trail of his wound. So he also has super regeneration skills. Great, just great, as being able to turn into a giant monster wasn't enough.
His emotions settled a little, but then he felt an unpleasant tingling in his throat. It felt like he was about to vomit. He couldn't hold it back, he opened his mouth. A pool of acid poured from his mouth, melting everything in its path, creating a bald patch on the ground.
It was too much for him to bear. Kaiju stood up and clenched his claws. He bellowed in pure anger and frustration. He sprayed the acid from his mouth all over the labyrinth, then destroyed remains which weren't melted by his discharge.
The havoc he had caused, it did help him calm down. But looking at the devastation he was responsible for, it brought him to tears again. He let out a loud, painful cry and having laid down, he curled up, hiding his head under his tail.
***
Theo, Penny and Kian were watching from behind the bushes how their friend was laying down and crying.
- Poor Ronan... I'll go and comfort him - Penny declared.
- I don't think it's the best idea for now. Have you seen what he had done with the labyrinth? - Kian asked.
- How would you react if you changed into a giant humanoid kaiju? Wouldn't you be frustrated, scared and confused too? - Theo murmured.
- I don't know, but we have to be reasonable. We don't know if he's still himself. I'm suggesting we should wait until he's back to normal - Kian said.
- WOW, just WOW. Are you insinuating that he's going to kill us? What kind of friend you are? - Penny guilt tripped teen.
- I do not! It's just... He's so big and scary and can end us without any effort - Kian whimpered.
- Didn't he like, save your butt from that kaiju? If all of this what you said was true, he would have killed you back in the school! - Theo snarled. Kian reddened in shame.
- I didn't think about like that... Now I feel bad - he admitted.
- Okay, enough! We have a gigantic pile of sadness to cheer! - Penny said and dashed to laying Ronan. Boys followed her.
***
Ronan flinched slightly, feeling a soft touch on his tail. He removed it from his face and stiffened, seeing his friends in front of him. Why were they standing so close to him? Why weren't they afraid? Why did they come after him?
- Why are you here?! How did you find me?! - he asked rudely and significantly grew.
- It wasn't that hard to follow that huge footprints of yours - Penny smirked.
- Still, why are you here? How can you stand so close to me right now? - Ronan kept asking.
- Why wouldn't we? We're friends after all - Theo replied.
- Do you seriously want to still be friends with me? A giant monster? - he couldn't believe their bravery.
- First of all, you're not a monster and never will be. Second, you're still the same, why would we stop being friends with you? - Penny asked.
- Haven't you seen what I had done to that kaiju? - he asked them, his voice cracked.
- You totally wrecked it! - Theo replied enthusiastically.
- Exactly my point! - Ronan said.
- Yeah, you were amazing! It was so cool! - Penny said.
- No! It wasn't cool! Can't you see how dangerous can I get?! If I massacred that monster so easily, I don't even want to know what could I do to you! It's better if you stay away! I'm a menace! - he replied.
- No! If you just listen-! - Kian got cut off by an ear-deafening roar.
Ronan panted heavily, that roar costed him lot of energy, but he hoped he proved his right. How surprised he became, seeing that they're still standing there.
Penny ran up to the giant and hugged his nose.
- You won't get rid of us so easily. Danger or not, you still got us - she murmured, stroking nose under her hand.
Touched Ronan broke into sobs. He quickly was decreasing in his size, his reptile features disappeared within minutes. He soon went back to normal and was hugging girl back.
After a while she awkwardly pulled out of his arms, pointing at his bottom and said:
- You're naked.
Embarrassed teen quickly covered his sensitive parts with his hands. Kian took something out of his backpack and threw it at Ronan.
- Here. Maybe you'll be stinking like my sweat, but it's better than be walking around naked - he said.
Grateful teen quickly put lent clothes on.
- So, since everything is fine now, will you tell us why can you transform into a kaiju? - Kian asked with curiosity. Ronan sighed.
- You were right about Arlo Lawlor being my father. Apparently, I inherited his genes responsible for metamorphosis - he explained.
- But shouldn't you in your kaiju form look more like him? You are red, but you don't have wings nor breath fire. Not to mention you're look very human, unlike your father - Theo wondered.
- Maybe impurity of a normal human's blood has something to do with it - Kian replied, writing everything down.
- Did anybody except your mom knows? - Penny asked.
- Mom warned teachers, that's why I could go home whenever I felt I can't hold back my transformation - Ronan said.
- Why didn't you bother to tell us? - Theo asked reproachfully. Teen hung his head in shame.
- I was afraid of your reaction. I thought you would think I'm a monster and avoid me, out of pure fear - he confessed.
- What? Why would we be scared of you? You're cool the first time we met you and now? Now you're the coolest person ever! - Penny said, giving him a friendly slap.
- And to get rid of us you will need something more than ability to transform into a super kaiju - Theo said confidently. Ronan smiled weakly.
- Thank you for not being scared of me - he said. Theo, Kian and Penny surrounded him, giving him a group hug.
- Since we're skipping school anyway, what will you say for kebab? I'm starving! - Theo said.
- Sure, let's go - Kian replied. They got up and turned their footsteps towards the city, laughing and chatting as usual.
***
Orla watched with creepy smile a video of a teenager transforming into a humanoid kaiju and fighting with a giant frog. She turned off the TV and walked up to large golden cage, where her sweet Arlo was imprisoned.
- I'm sure you're so proud of our son - she said to him. He snorted.
- Ronan is my son, but not yours! Phoebe is his mother, remember?! - he snarled.
- That woman was a mistake! She should've never give birth to a shapeshifter! I should be his mother! - she shouted back at Arlo.
- But you're not. YOUR son is in the room next to us, crying in the pillow, feeling bad for not inheriting the ability! You should be interested in him, not my Ronan! - man said.
- Our Ronan dearie. I'm sure that as soon as he gets to know me, he'll abandon Phoebe and will acknowledge me as his new mother. And we'll finally will be the perfect family everyone expected us to be - she replied. Man pulled the bars.
- Don't you dare touch him or Phoebe you psychopath! - he roared. Orla only chuckled in response and left the room.
Arlo slid down to the floor. He knew what she was capable of, him being encaged in golden cage was a proof of it. He needed to warn his son before it's too late, but how to do it, when you're shut out of the outside world?