That faithful day can be remembered as if it were yesterday. A rainy and cloudy day of May 2014, in the busy streets of San Francisco, United States.

Akane Yashiro, age 18 years old and studying abroad from the country of Japan, was traveling alongside her class group in a hurry. Due to the local news report, and the evacuation order given to the citizens of San Francisco, she wasn't the only one in a hurry. Thousands of people were doing their best to get to the routes of evacuation to leave the city as quickly as possible. The only large problem was that there was the obvious traffic due to congestion, accidents, and other factors that were unknown. Despite the assurance from officers and soldiers saying that everything will be alright, and that they needed to hurry, it didn't help Akane to calm down a single bit.

"This is so exciting! Can you believe that those things are out there and heading our way? It's like all of a sudden aliens are real!" One of Akane's friends said with excitement and glee as all other students were seated in the bus and chatting. "I don't know how to feel about that. What they said about them interfering with electronics is concerning to me. No more internet or cell phone connection" another boy said in a tragic manner. "All I want to do is get out from this place as quickly and far away as possible." Akane said in response. "Come on. If we are lucky, we can watch from afar how the military deals with those monsters and defeats them! Just like in the monster movies. You know, from your county." Akane's class friend from San Francisco, Eleanor Morgan, said to her as she nudged her shoulder with a hand. "Those are just science fiction movies, not real life. And besides, those creatures don't look similar to the ones in those movies." Akane said to her close friend. "Come on, I know a resemblance to kaiju movies when I see one. Tell you what; once this is over, and we get together in a sleepover, we can watch how the battle was won and compare it to those kaiju movies. How does that sound, Akane-san?" Eleanor proposed in a happy go-lucky way.

Akane sighed a bit, knowing that there was nothing that could change her best friend's mind once she was set on something. And, to be honest, she kind of liked that from her American friend, as it has helped her overcome some of her shyness at the beginning of the semester. "Alright then. I accept your proposal, Morgan-senpai" Akane said, smiling a bit as she gave in. Eleanor smiled brightly and gave a squeal of excitement as she hugged her friend. "You won't regret it. I can promise you that" she said, making Akane feel better due to the promise that her friend has made. And who would say no to that kind of energetic friend who has helped her overcome many obstacles and worries? Akane really felt lucky to have made friends in San Francisco, away from home and knowing that she would make her parents proud. Her mother would be very happy for her, as well as her father that encouraged Akane to study and specialize in a specific study. So yes; once this was all over, she could return to her normal life and move forwards into the next chapter in life.

* * *

Hours seemed to pass as they waited for the traffic and congestion to loosen up or advance all of a sudden. Yet it only froze on a place with no signs of progress. And they weren't even out from the city, rather in the middle of it. The rain continued to pour down upon the buildings and some citizens out of their cars as they waited for the traffic to advance. From the looks of it, the traffic wasn't going to advance, and Akane was nervous that something may have happened. Was it because the monster had arrived to the city earlier than expected? Did something else happen and they would have to be stuck here when the creature arrives? Akane was on edge as she watched the skies outside from the bus window of her seat. Eleanor seemed to sense the discomfort from her friend, and got her attention. "You doing okay?" Eleanor asked, to which Akane nodded. "Just...worried if we will ever make it out" Akane said, to which Eleanor nodded. "I get you. I'm worried too. But, want to know what makes me feel safe?" Eleanor said, making Akane shake her head in question. "It's you! No matter where we go, nothing can separate us" Eleanor said, hugging Akane with an arm. Akane exhaled and smiled, happy that her friend was optimistic and that her courage helped Akane feel more confident and calm.

When the traffic seemed to advance just at tad bit, some muffled booming sounds were heard ahead of their school bus. Akane and the rest of her classmates peered from the bus windows to see what was happening, and they noticed the lights inside the buildings, the cars in front of them, and those on the sidewalks, start to shut down in advancement to them. The booming sounds came from the city lights and generators as they shut off one by one in rapid succession, and then the engine from the bus the students were in suddenly shut off. The sounds of the car engines around them also stopped, leaving everything silent except the slight patter of the rain outside.

Everyone became very confused as to what was going on right now. "Hey! My cellphone! It's dead!" A boy that sat on the other side of the bus exclaimed, tapping their phone whose screen had gone black and didn't respond to touch or button press. The bus driver sat up from their seat and opened the door in order to step out and see what was going on. The students continued to watch from their windows around and up at the clouded sky. Akane had a bad feeling that what just happened was sign that the monsters were nearby. "Hey! Look up there!" One student said as they pointed at the front upwards. Everyone turned their heads to watch the skies where that one student showed. In moments they were able to see a small shape slowly descending from the clouded skies in a slow manner. "Is that a parachute?" Another student asked as they identified the shape. Akane narrowed her eyes and confirmed that it was indeed a parachute descending far into the distance.

Before they could see where the one that was parachuting down landed, something crashed against the building in front of them.

It created such a loud sound that all of the kids ducked down in response to the suddenness. In front of them, people in the streets shouted in terror as a fireball came crashing down upon the cars and vehicles in the roadway. This caused a chain reaction with a few automobiles that caught on fire and had their gasoline tanks explode, sending a shockwave that shattered nearly all of the windows of the bus. Everyone covered their own selves to protect themselves from the glass and the scorching heat caused by the explosion. "Everyone out!! We are leaving this instant!! Out the bus now!!! Go go go!!!" The bus driver shouted as he stepped in the doorway and gestured everyone to hurry, to which everyone obeyed and rushed to the front to exit. Akane rushed out the bus with Eleanor right behind as well as the last of the students that were in the bus.

Another explosion occurred far behind them as another fireball lit up the area with flames. Everyone began to run right behind the bus driver as their adrenaline levels increased, anxious to get to a safe distance from the fires and into a secure place inside a nearby man made structure. Up in the sky, another shape crashed into a building near them, Akane identifying it to be a fighter jet from the military, and the fireball crashed down upon a large truck that exploded near them. More screams erupted from the crowd that was now running for their lives to get away from the chaos. "Come on! Let's get out of here!" One person urged as the majority of the people were heading to the safety of one particular building. It was the nearest to the group of students that was located, and thankfully the bus driver directed all of the students inside.

That's when the first creature arrived.

A loud screech was heard up in the air, making those that were still outside stop and look up to see where the source of the terrifying new sound originated. Akane and her friends saw with wide eyes how a massive monstrosity perched itself on top of one building on their far right, it's slender limbs latching on to the building and smashing many windows while it's elongated wings flapped to keep itself from falling. Many of the people started to head in the opposite direction of where the monster has arrived, only to stop when they felt a powerful thud shake the ground beneath them. Everyone turned around to spot what made this massive disturbance as their eyes locked on to the other side where the sea shore laid. From there rose a much more bigger and hulking shape, larger than the flying creature that was perched over the building on the other side, with gallons of water cascading from its massive body.

This new creature resembled a dinosaur, but with sharp and jutted dorsal plates on its back. It stood upright and tall, looking fierce and defiant against the other creature it had its attention placed upon. Then, it opened its mouth and gave a challenging roar before it began to make its way through the buildings as its footsteps shook the ground. All of the citizens began to scream in fear again as they saw that both creatures were charging at each other, and that they should get out of the way and into the safety of the buildings. Not that it would matter as they soon saw that the clash between those two massive creatures demolished the large buildings flat around them in seconds. They all saw this behind the glass windows and walls of the buildings they were refuged in, praying that none of the two titanic monsters ever were to crash into a building. Sadly, the larger one of the two that were fighting against each other was thrown back due to the powerful blow one delivered...straight to the building where the civilians and the students were taking refuge. All Akane remembered was seeing the massive shape approaching their building, the mountain of debris falling and collapsing over everyone as the creature crashed into the building, and the final moments of seeing her best friend Eleanor for the last time...

...before the entire world went dark.