1,401Disclaimer: Godzilla and One Piece are the sole properties of Toho Co. LTD and Eiichiro Oda respectively. KP360 claims no ownership of anything save for any OCs, abilities, and locations.
Strong World Opening: Blue Bird by Ikimono-Gakari (Naruto Shippuden Opening 3. Yes, that one)
Color Spread: Erika, Gian and Ryugetsu recreating the Dr. Livesey meme.
Getting to where he needed to go was easy; with the disruption caused by the others, Gian found that the security of the halls within Shiki's palace were spread out rather thin. The alliance he tried to build are now all trying to get a piece of the Straw Hats themselves, and due to that, Gian found very little resistance during his trek to find Erika. The few mooks that did get in his way were dispatched quickly, more so due to the urgency of the matter here.
Bursting through the gates, he finally reached the room where Erika was held. He only managed to get a few scant glimpses of the place over the screen back in his cell, but ever since he became focused on finding the little girl, it seemed as if he knew exactly where she'd be. The moment he began looking for her it was like there was a built-in radar in his mind that pinpointed Erika's exact location to her, drawing him deeper within Shiki's palace like a beacon.
Shiki has dropped the knowledge that their two Kaiju-Zoans were connected somehow, more intricately than most. Perhaps, even now, their monsters could sense each other, souls long gone but still linked.
It definitely made his job easier.
Sure enough, in the middle of the room, Erika was lying in a prone position, her hair messy and obscuring her eyes. The teenager definitely has seen better days, her breathing slight. Upon seeing this, Gian hastily rushed over before cradling the girl into a sitting position. Erika's eyes flickered open, and her words were light.
"M-Mister Gian…"
"Hey, easy there kid." Gian whispered back with a smile "Just hang on, we're gonna get out of here."
"Y-you-"
"It's ok, you don't have to explain anything. I've been there." Gian assured her "Now, come on. We're gonna see your dad." She weighed as light as a feather, Gian easily picked her up. At least from the looks of it, despite having some minor injuries and shock, Erika was mostly fine.
He took two steps before he realized something felt off.
"Wait… this feels too easy." he frowned "If Shiki is so intent on keeping for a Kaiju-Zoan, surely he'd set up some guards to watch her? I understand they may be occupied with the others, but there should still be-"
Then it hit him, the one thing Shiki mentioned about their affiliated Kaiju-Zoans, how somehow, despite it all, this was not just a chance encounter.
"CRAP!"
It was a sharp gasp from Erika that made him realize, and Gian stumbled as the girl began seizing up. Dropping her down, he tried to remedy the hyperventilating child before the pressure hit him instantly. The now-familiar well of Aura and emotions, all spewing from the petite girl he carried on his back.
Shiki had said something about their respective Kaiju being familiar with each other. Now he knew why.
"Mister Gian…! Please… Please leave…!"
After all, the feelings he just felt, it was as if he had faced off with himself.
"ERIKA!"
"Please get out of here…! I-I can't… I can't hold it back… I can't CONTROL IT…!"
Then the room exploded.
Meanwhile:
"And…there!"
Chopper and Usopp broke into smiles as Dr. Shiragami reached into the cabinet and pulled out a small vial of pink liquid. The IQ plant extracts must be administered to anyone afflicted by Daft Green quickly; once breathed in, the toxins spread fast. Nami already has the telltale green splotches covering her body, any later her body would begin to fail.
"Get her to drink this." the scientist ordered, and Chopper hastily put the vial to the navigator's mouth and tipped it in. Despite being ravaged, the medicine acted fast, and the two pirates breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Nami's breathing slowly return to normal.
"Her condition is stabilizing." Chopper confirmed, a hoof checking for her pulse. Indeed, soon after ingesting the antidote, Nami's eyes fluttered open and she slowly sat up.
"She made it!" Usopp wept.
"The toxins… the pain is subsiding…" Nami whispered before her mouth curled "Thank you, Dr. Shiragami."
"Yes, thank you so much Dr. Shiragami. We owe you one." Chopper smiled in gratitude.
"I'm glad to do anything to help. Just take it easy for now and let the serum do its job." the doctor nodded, before his voice became more stern "Now what in the world were you thinking doing something that dangerous, young lady?"
"I was hoping that by destroying the wall of Daft Green plants I could draw the animals on the island to this place…" Nami blinked, slightly taken aback by the tone of what sounded like a disciplining father "I had to do something! He was going to bring his entire army to East Blue. I may be captured, but I won't just sit by to see him get what he wants."
"...That's a sentiment we can both share. Your plan likely would've worked, but we can still throw a wrench into Shiki's plans all the same. We'll need to destroy this lab; the reason Shiki's beasts were able to mutate to such an extent was due to the chemical I just gave you. It cannot, must not, be replicated."
"Ah! Well, I happened to be very good at des-WAH!" Usopp's eagerness to wield his trusty mallet was interrupted by a low rumble, one that still managed to send enough of a tremor through the lab that the group had to hold onto something lest they fall.
"What was that?!" The sniper yelped. The group looked around wildly as the trembling seemed no closer to stopping.
"I FEEL SOMETHING!" Chopper suddenly shouted "There's a wave of energy coming from somewhere, it's… it's immense!" The reindeer dropped to his knees, his eyes darting around with worry.
"Oh man! I feel it too!" Usopp cried "It feels like the stuff Gian gives off whenever he transforms, but now it's like there's two of him!"
Shiragami's eyes widened at that comment "Wait… did you say two?"
"Yeah, if you've been around him for as long as we have, we're used to the kind of Aura he sends out whenever he's about to transform." Nami informed him "it's this powerful force that kind of scares me to be honest, but now there's another-!"
"-Their Kaiju-Zoans are in the same vein… and right now they're in such close proximity to each other..."
The doctor snapped up "We need to get out of here"!
"HUH?! WHA-?!"
The ground beneath them burst open.
Meanwhile:
"Get em!"
"Show them the might of the new age!"
Shiki had single handedly gathered the largest force of pirates known throughout the Grand Line, a group consisting of some of its most notorious criminals. All have seen some form of combat and conflict with rivals and authorities from time to time. Those numbers against 3 mere people, normally the chances would be slim.
"Trienta Fleur: Clutch!"
"Weapons Left!"
Then again, those 3 pirates just happened to have been in enough situations to know exactly what to do. Robin's arms picked off her targets with ease, while Franky had enough firepower to cover the rest. Anyone who slipped through their defenses were picked off by a fleet-footed Brook, and the three of them held on despite the numbers disadvantage.
"There's still a lot of people!" Franky barked.
"Luffy and the others are doing the best they could, we just have to hold them here!" Brook answered.
So engrossed in their standoff that, once the tremors did hit them, all were caught off guard.
"Oi, what's going on?" members of the pirates demanded, uncertainty in their eyes.
"Wait, what is-?" Brook demanded, before the rush of energy washed over the room. Just one Kaiju-Zoan user already proves to be overwhelming, but now even more so with the presence of another. Those who felt it were instantly on high alert; the three Straw Hats in particular knew exactly what had transpired.
"...He's found her." Robin realized.
"That was from the girl?" Franky gawked "Just want kind of monster is it?! That felt almost like Gian transforming!"
"Gian mentioned earlier that their Kaiju-Zoans share a connection, if Shiki knows this then he would've wanted them to come into contact with each other!" the archaeologist stood up "We have to find them. I think Gian's played right into Shiki's hands."
But they would never get the chance, for they were rudely interrupted by yet another tremor. This one, however, was stronger and the pirates soon found that cracks began to form in the floors of the grand hall.
That would only be a sign of what's to come.
"Screw this! I'm getting out of here!"
"I didn't sign up for this!"
"What is Shiki hiding from us?!"
Those who came to the Golden Lion for their benefit had little loyalty to begin with. With the situation rapidly changing, they'd much rather be concerned for themselves. What struck them, however, moved before they could.
Those closest to the impact zone were pulverized instantly, the massive green tendrils bursting from the ground like botanical serpents. Snapping up their victims, others were crushed and impaled as more plant life sprung from the cracks. Their screams, the only thing that could be heard over the sound of structures breaking, were only silenced by a ghostly wail.
"Look out!"
And the tendrils attacked indiscriminately, all within their reach were vulnerable. Franky soon found out the hard way as the ground beneath him suddenly swelled; Brook's warning came too late as another mouthed vine erupted beneath him, causing him to tumble through the air.
"Ah, crap!" Despite its size, the tentacle moved with astonishing speed as it aimed to swallow the cyborg like a botanical python. It would've been too late, had Robin not hastily conjured up a handful of arms to pull him out of the way.
"Thanks…"
"We have to leave, now!"
Fleeing the complex, they only narrowly managed to escape just as the entire ceiling was brought down. Falling in a clump into the snow, they could only watch the monstrosity pull itself from the ground…
Meanwhile:
The caustic mixture whizzed over his head, causing Zoro to grit his teeth as his foe readied another beaker. Ever since he set off from Koshiro's dojo, he's faced a variety of foes, be it pirates or rival swordsmen. The deeper they go into the Grand Line, the stranger the gallery gets, with bounty hunters that could turn their body into blades and assassins that turn into giraffes notwithstanding
Fighting a rogue scientist throwing chemically mixed concoctions is a first, even for him.
Clearly, Dr. Indigo was a researcher first and fighter second. This did not mean that Shiki's crew members didn't get creative with their tactics. Juggling orbs of chemical fires with the expertise of a circus performer, the scientist assailed Zoro with explosive heat, the sheer unorthodox method a far cry from his usual opponents.
"You're a fool to think you can contend with the Golden Lion!" Dr. Indigo bellowed "You're nothing compared to us! You cannot even get past me!"
"You call throwing science experiments a way to fight?!" Zoro snapped.
"Hey, as long as it works!"
Zoro growled, one of his blades flourished as it sliced open another infernal ball, the mixture within igniting the moment it met air. Skidding backwards, Zoro brushed off the soot as he eyed the provoking grin of Shiki's head scientist. One blow would be all it takes, but this time, he can't approach this like he usually does.
A bellow a few feet away followed by the sound of something heavy impacting the ground, and a mere second later Sanji landed beside him. Conversely, the cook seemed to have a much more straightforward fight on his hands. Scarlet the Gorilla, a great ape through and through, had all the benefits of her species. The cook seemed to be hanging on, trading blows fairly even with Shiki's companion. Even so, being able to match him in strength is saying a lot.
"Still not done here Marimo? How is it that you've faced assassins that are far above your level yet a mere nerd in a lab coat is giving you trouble?
"I'm not the one that happens to be fighting my own kind now, aren't I?" Zoro shot back.
"WHY YOU-! I'LL-!
"Not now! Duck!"
As the gorilla threw the large wooden pillar at them, the two struck back. Using one of Zoro's swords as a launching point, Sanji met his primate foe in mid air, a quick spin ignited his left calf as he slammed the foot down hard into Scarlet's head, causing the gorilla to slam back down into the ground with a pained groan. Dr. Indigo did not escape unscathed either; the speed of which Sanji commited his attack had given him little time to realize that his crewmate was kicked directly at him.
"That took way longer than necessary." the cook scoffed as the dust settled "We need to move."
"Shiki still probably has multiple goons left in this stronghold." Zoro stated "We still have to take care of the rest."
"Tch, that's easy. Two of their top brass have already been defeated, how much more could-?"
"Y-You two aren't going anywhere!"
Dragging himself from the ground, Dr. Indigo lifted his arm and exposed one last sphere of ignited chemicals gathering in his palm. Zoro narrowed his eyes as the blaze grew larger and larger.
"Don't try anything!" the swordsman warned "I can reach you in-"
"-And I'll blow us all to kingdom come if you do!" the doctor warned "My sacrifice will be nothing, Shiki will take East Blue!"
"Like we'll let that happen, our captain isn't losing to someone like him!" Sanji snapped "Our captain is going to become the Pirate King, some has-been from the past decades isn't going to stop him here!"
Indigo cackled "You fool! You have no idea what Shiki's capable of! Only the Pirate King himself has power comparable, he's stood with the very legends that makeup the seas today! He has armies of beasts and pirates at his beck and call, and now he controls 2 who heralds the ancient beasts! This world belongs to Shiki, and no one is going to-!"
Whatever else he was going to say didn't matter, for a split second later he was swallowed up. Zoro and Sanji couldn't even react in time as the mouthed tendril emerged like a hunting moray eel, with the doctor disappearing into whatever dark abyss awaited him within their cavities.
And to their further horror, Scarlet the Gorilla suffered far more. More tentacles grew, some tipped like spears that plowed through all in their way. The ape hardly had a chance to let out a choked cry as a tendril practically tore him in half, before more burst through the ground and devoured him as well.
The timing would've been appreciated had it not been so shocking.
"That couldn't have been the girl… could it?" Sanji stammered, aghast at how sudden everything occurred.
"This is bad…" Zoro gritted, but he didn't have much time to dwell on it as more tentacles emerged, their snapping maws seeking new targets, zeroing in on the two pirates.
"Tatsumaki!"
A hastily formed whirlwind managed to slice apart the incoming tendrils, their remains falling around them, dripping green sap that sizzled the moment it touched the ground. They could hear more rumbling in the distance, the entire landscape seemed to be shifting as something massive began to rise up
"Gian…" Zoro sighed "What did you get yourself into this time?"
Meanwhile:
With a heavy shout, Gian pushed off the rubble that held him. Where there was once a room, now he could see the cloudy sky as snowflakes drifted around him. Or, at least, portions of the sky with a large object blotting out a portion of it.
It was like a monolithic tower, and Gian's senses flared. Stifling a gulp, his eyes never left the titanic creature that overshadowed everything.
Those who didn't know would not be blamed if they were to mistake such a sight as a mountain suddenly appearing.
Of course, that thought promptly left everyone's head as soon as it began to stir.
Even mere inches seemed to shake the ground beneath him. The world around him rumbling as more roots and vegetation began to emerge, culminating in four giant tendrils shaped like insect limbs digging into the ground. Gian took in the sight; only one word came to his mind.
"E-Erika…?!"
Shiki had mentioned that, somehow, his Kaiju-Zoan is influencing hers and causing it to change. Looking at the monstrosity before him now, that felt very understated. Whereas Erika's previous form looked akin to a very large rose plant, the beast that reared its head now looked right out of his deepest nightmares.
Miles of vines and tendrils spread out around him, independently seeking out any target they find. Gian's heart leapt to his throat as he made out muffled screams of pain and fear in the background, the vines acting like a forest of exterminators snuffing out any life they could find.
And the monster's head, once a hint of tragic beauty, has now warped to a horrific amalgamation. A face that would not be out of place on the mosasaurs that were seen in Rokuro's history books now formed Erika's Kaiju Transformation, yellow eyes burning like miniature suns that bore a hole through Gian's very soul. And then the creature opened its jaws, a cavernous maw that had far too many teeth for it to seem normal. The haunting wail that emitted from the creature was akin to a demon rising from the netherworld itself.
"Erika, wait!"
Swallowing any last remnants of anxiety, a wall of blue fire erupted around Gian before his own Full Transformation emerged. And even in this state, Gian had to truly take in just how massive the monster before him is. A Fully Transformed Kaiju-Zoan user towered over much around them; Erika took that to the next level. Even now, Gian found that the one opposite to him still towered over him by around 20 yards.
It was shocking how a little girl almost half his size could become the literal biggest thing he's faced thus far.
"Are you able to hear me? Are you in there right now?"
The massive hybrid paused her activities, before lowering her head. Gian found himself transfixed in Erika's yellow gaze, a growing sense of unease welling up within him. A low, rumbling, growl emitted from the creature's throat, her toothy maw dripping green saliva that sizzled when they impacted the ground.
"Erika… listen to me. I know this is all very frightening to you, trust me I've been there." He pleaded "Your father, he needs you back! You have to calm down right now! You can believe me! Everything you're going through right now, I will help you through it!"
For a second, the monster that is Erika didn't react, and Gian wondered if she really was trying to process what he's saying.
Then she let out a howling roar and proceeded to charge.
Meanwhile:
"What is going on?!"
Far off in the distance, the rumbling has alerted both Shiki and Luffy from their bout. Having chased the Golden Lion to the outskirts of his palace, Luffy had the elder pirate all to himself with his crewmates entrusting such a monumental task to him. The fighting has been fierce; before Shiki has shown just how he was able to stand with many of the legends that graced the Grand Line, and that had been with nearly all of them together. Now, more focused than ever, he also had to contend with facing such an obstacle alone.
Even out here, the outline of his First Mate's Full Transformation was enough to draw his attention. Gian's Kaiju form has always been a towering obelisk compared to the rest of the crew, a form that comes out in the worst times to turn the tides. Now, seeing the even bigger opponent that his first Nakama faced, clearly it's that time again.
"That thing's Erika isn't it? You wanted him to find her!" Luffy demanded.
Floating a few ways beside him, Shiki also temporarily halted their bout and observed the situation. His grin faltered slightly; his unwilling ward's mutation had advanced far greater than he had anticipated, one that he could benefit from greatly as long as he capitalized on it correctly.
"The girl relinquished full control to that beast of her's." Shiki stated "Just by being in the presence of the Goji-Goji no Mi has caused it to grow and mutate more than it ever could under my presence." His grin came back "Still, such power wasted on a weak child, the monster overpowers her mind so easily."
Luffy grunted, balling his fists "You'd subject a kid to something so hurtful? Erika didn't have a choice in any of this!"
"You can thank your nakama for that; his own Aura reacted as I'd hoped with her. They may be the carriers, but really it's the monsters who are in control." Shiki dismissed.
Luffy's gaze hardened at that "Those aren't monsters in there! They're people!"
"You're speaking of power more ancient than you, boy! One that you know far too little about!" Shiki growled "The girl's what will happen if someone with a weak mind has possession of one of the beasts, but even your own nakama won't be able to resist the beck and call of the titan inside for long!"
"That's not true! Gian's never going to be like that!" Luffy roared.
"That monster happens to be one that can devastate half the Grand Line if it ever gets the chance to, you think he can hold it at bay for long? Both him and the girl, they're hosts to beings that were once the masters of this domain, far before our time. One slip, and he'll destroy all around him, I've seen it myself." Shiki sneered.
"Gian knows what's best for his situation, whatever comes we'll face it with him!" Luffy enforced "And he's going to make sure Erika's saved too! All I care to do right now is to beat you into the ground!"
"Unfortunately for you," The ground rumbled as multiple piles of snow levitated into their air, before crumbling into the familiar leonine visage Luffy's faced before. Shjki stared down at him, ready to unleash his full might. "You won't be around to see either."
Then the lion-shaped debris roared towards him, Luffy gritted his teeth before activating Gear Second.
Meanwhile:
"RRRRRRGH!"
Gian panted as he dug his heels into the ground, finally skidding to a stop. The bones in his body were rattled; Erika in her monstrous form hits him akin to a mountain slamming into his body at full force. Despite her gargantuan size, the girl's kaiju could move with surprising velocity, quickly closing the distance between them. And unlike before, where she attacked out of desperation, this time the creature's blows were aimed and calculated, and each strike aimed to wound and maim.
Gian felt his body tightening as more vines burst from the ground, constricting his arms and legs like massive snakes. The other tendrils that appeared instead went for his more vulnerable areas, their jaws snapping and seeping acid that burned on contact. Gian hissed; the teeth on the tentacles were needle sharp, but still a far cry from the bristle of tusks and fangs that lined Erika's monstrous mouth. He dared not imagine how that would feel.
Roaring in a fit of strength, he forcibly dislodged the tendrils that entrapped him, snapping them off like vines in a shower of green. Across from him Erika roared in fury, the damage already resuscitating as the tendrils regrew as if nothing's happened to them.
"Erika… I don't want to fight you!" he begged, holding out a clawed hand. Much to his dismay, the monster blinked exactly once before roaring in defiance and sending another score of impaling tendrils towards him. Erika was still in there, but right now the monster is her channel to the outside world. Gian raised both arms to shield himself, an attempt that ultimately proved to be a mistake as he severely underestimated just how sharp Erika's new weapons were. His roars of pain nearly deafened the other Straw Hats scrambling out of the ruins of Shiki's palace as the spear-like tendrils punctured his hands clean through.
Hastily, a timed Atom Ray severed the whip-like appendages that lashed towards him. Gian backed away further, his eyes never leaving the botanical horror before him. Her previous more floral form had little in terms of expression, this new further mutated abomination openly displayed her fury. Waves of her Aura rolled off of her like an avalanche, and Gian physically shuddered at just how much anger she had. It was clear to him, how she lashed out at everything indiscriminately, how she attacked with no hesitation, that Shiki has caused her too much pain. The Kaiju within her only amplified those feelings, this was a girl who'd been trapped for far too long.
And beneath all that, buried under waves of fury, Gian felt the lingering fear, a gentleness that was surrounded by thorns but hoping to bloom. Erika didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all her father. She wanted none of this, yet she's been burdened with something far out of her control.
And because of that he knew it wasn't as simple as he thought. It's all too easy to pin this on just the monster taking over itself, but Gian knew better. Every action, every life she took in this unholy form, it was caused by her even if she never meant to. The monster within enables it, the melding strain on their minds was something he knew all too well.
"Because I once did the same…"
"I know you can hear me in there, you must be scared out of your mind right now." declared Gian "Know this, no matter what you do I will help you. Not just for your father's sake, but for myself as well."
Erika only emitted another wrathful wail before surging forwards. Gian solemnly bore the savage strikes as he continued to plan a way to get through to the trapped girl.
As the titans struggled above them, down below the remaining Straw Hats observed on with worry and horror. Each strike sounded like a thunderclap, not helped by the fact that at this time the clouds had begun gathering across the floating island. They watched as their First Mate continued to take more punishment, Erika Shiragami's tendrils causing lacerations and wounds while Gian continued to reach out.
"He's barely fighting back…" Zoro gritted.
"It would be easier if she were an enemy." Sanji sighed "At least then he doesn't have to hold back. But how can he hurt her? After all she's probably the biggest victim out of everyone here."
"Erika…" Nami whispered "Please wake up…"
Around them, the hordes of pirates and mercenaries gathered by Shiki have all but scattered, those who've managed to survive the rampaging plant abomination to be exact. Erika unwittingly slaughtered them by the masses, and even now their bodies are strewn across the ruins of the palace, crushed and skewered by multiple tendrils. Looking at the carnage the Straw Hats realize, much of their survival was due to sheer luck.
In a twisted sense of good fortune, Right now the monster's focus is purely on her rival Kaiju-Zoan, with all her extensions launching a full assault. Gian was taking yet another lashing, while he tried his best to hold it off without hurting her. The Straw Hats could only look on, wishing they could do anything to help turn the tides.
"Is…" Usopp gulped "Is there nothing we can do to help?"
"What a horrific creature, how can such a sweet little girl turn into something so monstrous?" Brook lamented.
"Oi, show some consideration Bones, her dad's standing right there!" Franky chastised, but the shock in his eyes indicated that he too found it hard to comprehend the shift in dynamics.
On the sidelines, Dr. Shiragami didn't even register the comment. His gaze was fully trained on the botanical horror currently ensnaring the First Mate of the Straw Hats. His eyes were full of sorrow; each time his daughter underwent such a horrific transformation against her will it tore at him inside. The reminder of his rash decision, one that cost Erika her humanity to fight a life-threatening illness, a choice that he was ultimately forced to make yet no less remorseful of.
"Erika… Oh, my Erika…" He mumbled "Forgive me… This is all my fault…"
Robin reached out to comfort the grieving man "You can't blame yourself for this. Though the end result is one no one could've predicted, no one can fault a parent's love. They make the deepest sacrifices so that their children can have one shot at life, even if it hurts them the most. I think Erika knows-"
"Oi, something's wrong with Chopper!" Zoro's voice suddenly rang out, the crew turned in alarm to see the reindeer doctor hunched over, his hand grasping at his chest as he took in deep breaths
"Chopper! What's wrong?!" Nami cried.
"B-being around them… the feeling is so overwhelming!" The doctor stammered "It's all around the air, Both Gian and Erika together feels like the very atmosphere around me is pressing down and trying to crush me!"
"What are you saying?" Sanji urged.
"No… I can feel it too." Zoro gritted "This Aura of pure power, it's getting hard to move even for me. In any other person they might as well be completely paralyzed!" Indeed, as the others focused, they too could experience the pure shift in energy permeating off of the two Kaiju-Zoan users in tidal waves that threatened to blow them down. A hurricane mixture of emotions, enough for those standing around the feet of the great beasts to feel akin to sensory overload.
"This is the power of the Kaiju…" Shiragami croaked out "True Dominance over all living beings, nothing in this history has ever come close."
"I-I wanna get out of here!" Usopp shuddered.
"No wonder the girl can't hold it in, all this power it's a miracle she hasn't gone mad already!" Franky gawked "That monster basically hijacked her body!"
"Yes, but it's much more complicated than that. it may look to us that the monster is breaking free of her, but it's ultimately responding to Erika's wishes. All of Erika's emotions, her fear, her love, the will to protect her own father, she's using the Kaiju as a conduit to express that. In a time like this, the best person to face her can only be someone that shares the same burden." Robin stated grimly.
"That's right, Gian's definitely the best person to help her." Zoro nodded "No one else here knows how to reach her, we can only wait for him to make her see that."
"Or hope she doesn't rip him apart soon." Sanji noted with worry, as another vicious lash across the face caused the First Mate of the Straw Hats to roar out in pain. The blow was so heavy that it knocked him back clean from the ground, causing him to fly into a pile of debris.
"GIAN!" The crew shouted and raced over to the downed Kaiju-Zoan user.
"Hell of a kid you got here Shiragami," Gian groaned "Never took her for a heavyweight boxer…"
"You're really thinking of a joke, at a time like this?" Usopp facepalmed.
"Sorry, sometimes I turn to humor to cope when the situation gets too stressful. In any case, it seems like I have to change tactics. Simply talking to her isn't going to get to her alone, it pains me to do this, but I essentially need to smack some sense into her."
"WHAAA?! BUT SHE'S JUST A KID!" Chopper cried "YOU'RE GONNA PUNCH HER HEAD OFF WITH YOUR GROWN UP HANDS!"
"Chopper, she's bigger than him right now…" Brook sweatdropped "Still, the idea of hitting a young lady…"
"If it makes up for anything, she heals better than me. I've got to have ripped off at least a hundred tendrils by this point and she's still nowhere close to running out." Gian panted "It's not like I want to do it either!"
"I'd say let her have it," Zoro shrugged. "A good sock to the skull oughta bring her back to the light."
"ZORO YOU'RE EVEN WORSE!" Usopp shouted.
"Quit adding oil to the fire Mosshead!" Sanji snapped.
"I don't see you coming up with another solution, Ero-cook!" the swordsman shot back.
"How are you even going to reach her? None of this is Erika's fault…" Nami grimaced "She shouldn't have to suffer anymore just because-"
"Do it."
"Eh?" Usopp and Chopper blinked. All eyes fell to Shiragami, the doctor's eyes were watery. In spite of the situation that currently befelled his child, the scientist looked up with determination.
"Doctor, in order to wake her up, I really might have to get physical. Erika in this form seems durable enough, but I don't know by how much. If you really are certain then-"
"If you can do it, If you can get my daughter back for me, then do whatever it is that you have to. Just don't hurt her too much." Shiragami stated.
Gian nodded "As I mentioned before, her form right now seems to have regeneration equal to mine; in fact they may even be better. Don't you worry about a thing, I'll reunite the two of you no matter what it takes."
Hoisting himself back up, he stomped towards the botanical abomination once again. Erika's head snapped towards him, another wail emitted from her throat.
"Hey Erika, really gonna need you to dial it back now."
The plant monster's response was to send forth yet another wave of tendrils, their spear-like tips seeking to run into flesh. Gian's stomps shook the earth as he weaved between the impaling extension, closing the distance between them before launching an outstretched claw across the monster's crocodilian-shaped head. The force caused Erika to snap back, but otherwise did not seem to have been affected by the blow all too much until her head leaned back to reveal the jagged marks carved into her face. Marks that Gian noted anxiously closed near instantaneously.
"I can see why Shiki said our monsters were similar to one another." he remarked only for Erika to immediately return the attack. Mouthed tentacles rose up before launching themselves at him, snapping at any exposed surface they found. Gian moved to swat them away, only for the tentacles to rear back and unleash their acidic solutions upon him. The burning sensation forced Gian to back away, his arms shielding his face to avoid any getting into his eyes.
He didn't see the 4 larger tendrils, all tipped with fanged maws, rear up into the air. By the time they slammed down around him, it was already too late.
"Not good!" he thought as the vines pinned him down. He only looked up to see Erika looming over him, her mouth opening like a gigantic jagged cave ready to bite down hard.
His dorsal fins ignited, there wasn't time to be considerate at the moment.
"Sorry Erika… This is gonna burn! Atom Ray!"
The plant monster let out a choked wail as Gian's thermonuclear ray pierced through the left side of her head, causing her to recoil and her vines rapidly retreated. The damage is severe; Gian noted that the entire side of her head has been blown clean off, the side smoking and still dripping green blood-like fluid. Concern welled up inside him; had he gone too far and accidently
Soon, however, he would be shown that there was no need to worry. Though whether it bode well for him was another story altogether.
"A-ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!" Franky gawked from the sidelines.
"That's impossible! There's nothing alive today that could be able to-!" Chopper gasped.
"Ok… despite the situation, I am just a little bit jealous…" and he had every reason to be. Gian's eyes widened as Erika's head began to pulse, before a burst of plant matter sprouted from the site of the injury. Within mere seconds, where his attack once struck she had fully regenerated all damage. It was as if he never did anything at all. For the first time since he's faced her, Gian was truly unnerved. He'd already suspected some form of accelerated healing from the vast amount of tentacles he's destroyed, but now that Erika practically regrew half her face, there was no doubt about it anymore: Erika Shiragami's Kaiju had a healing factor superior to his.
And, of course, the act only enraging the monster further. Letting out another wrath-filled wail, the botanical titan's jawed tendrils lunged towards him, wrapping around his head and body. Gian fired another Atom Ray, this time aiming at his restraints. Not that it did him any good in the long run, but severing the vines that brought him down at least allowed him to refocus his attention. And he was going to need it too; no sooner did he recover did he notice the green crackles of energy building up around Erika's mouth…
"Oh crap!"
…Before Erika unleashed a corrosive downpour of acid from her cavernous maw. Gian had little time to dodge as the deluge hit him square on and covering his head and torso. He tried his best to protect his eyes from the worst of the damage, but the corrosion has already set in.
The group on the ground shuddered upon hearing the first mate's howls of agony. The acid's effect was immediate, Gian could feel his flesh liquifying the instant upon contact. His own regeneration factor was kicked into overdrive, desperately replacing lost tissue. Any less could result in someone easily being reduced to bones, or even nothing at all.
Erika didn't let up, her violent spew causing Gian to take drastic action. Mustering up the energy despite his now deteriorated vision, atomic energy began to gather in his fins. As Erika charged towards him again, he fired a blind shot, guided only by the proximity of her Aura along with his instincts.
To his luck, the sound of something being ruptured followed by the gurgling howl of a plant monster seemed to indicate that his attack had struck. By the time his eyes have resuscitated the damage, he realized that his attack had struck Erika right through her opened jaws, the atomic heat ray blasting a hole through the back of her head.
He panicked; had that wound been too severe? Even though her savagery continues to shine through, his goal of making Erika come back to terms with herself remains unchanged. The wound seemed far too severe; The entire back of Erika's head had a large gaping hole still leaking green fluid burned through. Her head was hanging limply, and for a second Gian feared the worst.
Erika's eyes snapping back into focus, however, made him realize that his fears were unfounded. They also realized that it ultimately did not mean a good thing in this situation. The hole soon closed all on its own, the burnt flesh regrowing within mere seconds. Gian stepped back in uncertainty; Even a grievous wound needed time to heal in his case. For Erika, something that would normally prove fatal is merely a nuisance to her. While this does confirm that he can display more than his usual amount of strength, in the long run the botanical monster can outlast just about everything he throws at her, while he'll gradually run out of steam.
And all that makes trying to stop her rampage all the more difficult.
"Erika… Please remember… You need to remember!"
Gian panted audibly; he was already slipping in this war of attrition. Multiple puncture wounds still bled flesh, his healing now slowed. The acid burns from earlier made his visage a gnarled and worn feature of his, the Kaiju's fearsome appearance now mangled even further. He was healing, but it took all of his energy to do so. Conversely, Erika seemed no worse for wear and her rage no less abated.
And she had plenty of rage to spare.
Rumbling shook the earth again as more tendrils ripped themselves free from the ground, and Gian soon found them shooting for his arms and legs, constricting around them like living chains. The mass that followed surged forward soon after, once again crushing against Gian like a monstrous freight train. Gian struggled as much as he could, but the vines replaced themselves for every one he ripped apart. And this time, the monster was ruthless, more vines speared into Gian's body as her head reared back, for once Gian was far too slow to do anything.
Too bogged down by the writhing mass of tendrils, the head-splitting pain that followed was something he was unable to avoid. And the situation only grew from bad to worse, because it was at that moment that Erika finally decided to clamp her massive jaws down.
If his skull in his Full Transformation state wasn't as dense as it was, his head would've popped like a melon instantly. Even then, with the myriad of tusk-like teeth stabbing into his cranium, Gian figured he didn't have long before it did anyway.
"AAAAAAAAGGGHHH!"
"GIAN, NO!" The treacherousness of the moment was not missed by the crew watching down below, unable to do anything to help. Nami's cry of worry highlighted everyone's feelings, as each time Erika applied more pressure to those massive jaws of hers, they could hear a sickening crack, one that caused their hearts to leap into their throats!"
"S-She's eating him!" Usopp wailed "And then she's gonna eat us! OH MY GOOOOOODDDDDD!"
"Shit, at this rate-!" Sanji cursed.
"Gian…!" Robin whispered, her heart sinking as her lover broke out into another pained roar. She'd been sensible and analytic her whole life, but the sight before her took all she had to not rush in and help. Judging from the pained expression of everyone else that feeling was mutual, even more so with her.
"WAAAAHHH HANG IN THERE GIAN!" Chopper cried.
"Oi, Doc, where are you going?!" During the midst of the carnage, it was movement out of the corner of his eye that alerted Franky. With no regard to his own safety, his eyes trained on his daughter's monstrous form, Dr. Shiragami's legs seemed to have moved on their own. The look of regret and sorrow never left his face since the beginning, and seeing her daughter trapped in the guise of a monster, committing atrocities as she's forced to be a bystander, he had to reach her.
He must.
"Erika…" his throat was dry, he could only reach out weakly with his hand.
"Hey! Don't do anything reckless!" Zoro shouted.
"Erika…!" in the distance, 'Beast Warrior' Gian let out another roar as he finally freed one of his hands from the binding of tendrils. The older Kaiju-Zoan user was now desperately trying to wrench the girl's jaws open, blood streaming down his forehead like rivers. The scientist broke into a run, his thoughts only consisted of the girl he doomed to such a fate. He needed to reach her, even if he wasn't able to reach out, he still wanted to be by her side.
"Damn it! He's gonna get himself killed!" Sanji snapped.
"ERIKA-!"
Gian's eyes snapped down, the movement on the ground making him realize with horror that he could just make out the shape of Dr. Shiragami and the desperate features on his face. Given any other moment, he'd have tried to stop such a dangerous action. But all his focus was on the titanic plant still attempting to crunch into his braincase.
"ERIKA! ERIKA!"
"Shit! What are you doing, doc?! I have to-!"
The doctor ran towards the scene of carnage. Compared to her in her current form, Shiragami was but a mere speck, one that possibly couldn't be heard over the shrill roars still emitted. But he knew better, her daughter was in there, and maybe if he could express himself clearly, he'd be able to pierce through the haze.
"-ERIKA WAIT!"
She shouldn't have heard it, amidst all the turmoil, the small voice of a human should be the last thing such a gargantuan beast will pay attention to. Not when they have the skull of a hated foe clasped between their teeth, and moments away from finishing him off.
But she did, or at least it seems like she did.
Gian felt the pressure on his head subtly subside, the titan before him lean backwards as her gaze zeros in on the miniscule form of her father. It was an amazing sight; in her monstrous form Erika was full of fury and might, yet she made nary a move towards the scientist. With one word, Dr. Shiragami managed what he could not: draw full attention to the beast- no, his daughter. Gian allowed himself a smile; the ties of family do run deeper than anything else, and this once again proves that fact.
"Look…!" and Gian wasn't the only one witnessing such a spectacle. Chopper quickly saw the shift in emotions and the cessation of conflict. They saw the doctor's appeal, and more fantastical yet they saw how the conflicting emotions were shifting and changing within the plant monster's terrifying visage.
"Erika… look at you, all these years I've let you down, I've put you through more pain than you can ever imagine…" The scientist panted "You never wanted to become this, I never meant to force it onto you either…"
Above them, Gian could see the changes too. Erika's features were still warped with fury, but now she seems less aggressive about it; rather than striking out with any of her tentacles, she seemed to be actually taking in every word her father is saying.
And there were her eyes, those blazing eyes that bore a hole through him before now shone a different light: one of sorrow and want. In that moment Gian was reminded just how trapped the girl was, how she must yearn for a normal life with her father, away from megalomaniac pirates and giant beasts. He heard a noise boom from Erika's throat, a low groan in sharp contrast to the haunting wails she gave before. Even in the form of a titan, her father's face still managed to keep her grounded.
And that made it all the more important that he frees her from her monstrous state, but he's still yet to figure out a way to-
"Wait a minute… what's that? It's been staring me in the face this whole time, why didn't I bother noticing it before?"
It was only now that Gian, in his more level headed state, chose to look down at Erika's abdomen. Nestled in the plant matter, a large orange colored sac pulsated in a timely manner. Gian breathed, sensing a vast well of Aura exuberating from the organ.
"It looks like a power source for the entire organism. Is that what's powering-THERE!"
He was sure of it now, the sac glowed with dim orange light with each pulse, throbbing like a beating heart would. And, deep within and suspended in whatever liquid laid inside, Gian could just make out the outlines of a small girl…
"That's her! Right there! I know what I have to do now, I need to get her out of there!" His eyes snapped to the huge plant, still focusing on her human father. "But I need to act quick, if I slip up Dr. Shiragami and the others could be in danger. She's still fearful of her situation that if I end up provoking her again she might lash out at all around her. Maybe let her dad try to open her heart a bit more first…"
Fortunately, it really does seem that Erika is giving full attention to her father, her eyes trained on the scientist. Shiragami could see the bulbous core as well; his eyes briefly met Gian's as they both realized what it meant. The ground rumbled as Erika lowered her head; even her crocodile-like visage showed a hint of tenderness.
"I know I've never done much right for you as a father, I should've protected you more. When your mother left us, I was more concerned with trying to end that disease than your own well-being. If you have anything to be angry about, direct it at me." Dr. Shiragami cried out.
Deep chirps continuously trilled from Erika's throat, and Shiragami noted that in her monstrous form, his daughter was trying her hardest to maintain lucidity. Just underneath the surface the monster's conscience waits to rear its head again, and he didn't know how long she could hold. But if he could keep her attention long enough…
"You must be so afraid right now, but I will help you this time!" the scientist declared "We'll get away from here, away from Shiki, away from all those struggles! I'll be the father you always needed, I promised your mother back then, and I'll promise you now!"
And for a second, it really did seem Erika was swayed by that. The monster choosing that exact moment to reassert itself however, soon brought everything to an abrupt halt. Letting out yet another roar Erika attempted to slam her jaws down towards her father, only appearing to snap out of her haze at the last moment and shifting her head to the side and missing doctor Shiragami by mere inches. Thankfully, Franky's quick thinking managed to pull the doctor away from the resulting debris.
"Man, you really are making it rather hard for all of us." The cyborg complained before his features softened "At least you got through to her, even for a little bit. Nobody said this would be easy."
"Look…" The doctor pointed out "Erika, she's fighting for control…" Indeed, Erika's head thrashed back and forth, one moment her eyes showed the emotions of a scared little girl before warping back to the wrathful botanical horror the next. Her tentacles flail wildly, forcing the crew to find cover.
And with her confusion and conflict brewing, Gian could finally act. Pushing off the ground, he soon closed the distance between the two of them. By the time the rose kaiju realized what had happened, Gian was already rearing back a claw.
"You heard your father! You're not thinking of succumbing to the monster's influence when there's still so much in store for the two of you right?! I'm gonna get you out of there!"
The botanical horror let loose an enraged howl, tendrils shooting forwards and ensnaring the First Mate of the Straw Hats once again. Gian gritted his teeth; his arm mere inches from the glowing core that held the little girl. Clearly, the transformed state has recognized her weakness and is doing all it could to keep him from it, as more tendrils struck him and left him further bleeding. Gian stifled a pained roar as a spiked tendril lanced into his thigh, instead continuing to focus his strength into his arm.
"Erika… everything you feel, I know it.." he pushed forwards "All that fear, wanting to strike back at the ones who trapped you, I once did the same…!"
Biting down on the searing pain as another spear-tipped tendril stabbed into his torso, Gian forced his hand deeper. "Shiki's right about one thing: the Kaiju that now inhabit our souls, they're connected, and judging from your feelings right now, that connection falls to us too!"
"So if no one else is able to With tremendous force, he ripped free from the tendrils restraining his arms, nothing was going to stop him now "I WILL!"
And time seemed to freeze when he plunged his arm into the core.
Erika's deafening roar was the first to break the silence, reverberating as if the entire earth itself shook. Gian bore through it all, biting down the feeling of agony as he was assailed on all fronts. Tendrils stabbed and drenched him with acid, and his own hand was starting to be corroded by the acidic mixture within the sac, but he cared little for his body at this moment.
Erika was all that mattered.
"GET…OUT… GET…OUT…!"
From amidst the pandemonium a singular voice repeated, enough to nearly shatter his eardrums. The Monster was speaking now, its voice a mangled polymerization of something primal, all the while mixed with the frightened nature of a little girl that wanted none of this.
Gian pushed on, the terrifying force only amplifying his will. The voice continued to rise, until it drowned out everything around him, but his hand continued to reach, as long as he can grasp the girl.
"GET…OUT… GET…OUT…!"
"I'm not leaving you Erika!" Gian roared "You may think that you've been doomed to such a form, but that's not who you are! You have people who care about you, one of which is standing down there right now!"
"SO GO SEE HIM!"
"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUTGETOUTGET-"
The world around him turned blinding white, causing him to shield his eyes. When Gian opened them again, he had to do a double take. No longer was he on the floating island; a simple white scape was all that surrounded him. He too was no longer Fully Transformed, now back as a human and starting to figure out exactly where he was.
Then he heard the voice.
"-Get out…! Get out of here…!" there was no mistaking it, the tearful cry of the girl he's come to save. Erika was huddled in the middle of the vast emptiness, her eyes drenched and surrounded by a circle of brambles "I…I can't stop myself… I don't want to hurt anyone…!"
There was no mistake, this was her mindscape. If not by what he saw, Gian was able to figure out by the turbulence of emotions swirling around the air at that moment. He only knelt towards the shivering girl, a sympathetic look as he reached out a hand, only for the girl to shy away from potential contact.
"It's ok…" He whispered "You're still you…"
"I didn't mean to kill them… I didn't mean to hurt anybody…!" Erika continued to weep "I-I just feel so angry...! At Shiki, at everything that's happened to us. But now I can't control my body, yet I feel everything around me! Every transformation, every time the people's faces become dominated by fear… they're all looking at me!"
"Only if you let it be that way." Gian responded "But you're more than a monster, aren't you Erika? You love plants, you want to become a doctor to help people. That's who you really are, and no botanical abomination can take that from you."
Erika gazed at him with forlorn eyes "How can I ever still be that person? The power… it's ruined the lives of everyone around me! I'll just be a danger to them!"
"Don't think that." Gian said firmly "What about your father? Even right now he's down there, wishing for you to go back to him!"
"Papa…" Erika breathed "He's always been followed by sadness… mama left us, I was supposed to be there for him but look what has happened."
"That's not true, if anything he blames himself above all else for what you're going through." Gian responded "If there were any other option, he'd take it in a heartbeat."
"He was trying to save my life… and all I can do is make his life harder." Erika wept "I'm the reason we're forced to move around so often, I'm the reason that Shiki found us. I'm the reason he has to work for that man!"
"Erika, none of this is your fault." Gian consoled "You were just someone whose paths crossed with power that you had no choice in. It isn't fate or any form of karma, it's just how things happened. There's still so much more to you than just the monster you host!"
"You're afraid of something that's out of your control, it's something I understand well. There was a time when I too knew the very emotions you're going through right now, it took the right people coming into my life for me to realize the fruits of such a burden. You already have that person in your life!"
The girl smiled sadly "You are very kind, Mr. Gian. Perhaps, if I'm able to do the things you do, my papa might not have to go through such hardships. But I don't want to hurt him anymore…"
"And there's still a chance for that to happen. As I've said, it just takes the right people." Gian smiled, tentatively reaching out a hand.
"H-how can I trust myself…?"
"The hesitancy she still has is expected," thought "After all, it took Triton-senpai to demonstrate contrary to make me believe otherwise. Wait, since our Kaiju's Aura is so similar, maybe I can appeal with that…?"
Erika took a step back as a blue flame-like coat began flickering around Gian. The First Mate's eyes were glowing a pale blue, one that seemed to burn away any residual doubt within her.
"Why not look into what you've already got? Can you trust yourself with that?" He extended his hands again "Do you trust me?"
Tentatively, Erika reached out with her own hand, her dainty fingers dwarfed by the pirate's. Despite the nature of their tenants, there was no sense of violence to be had; only a growing sense of peace of mind began to emerge. And soon, dark green energy began to permeate around the girl, her own Aura reacting to the intrusion.
The moment they touched, every emotion became overloaded. All their feelings, all their experiences, mixed together in one interconnected concoction. Their Aura's now linked, the paths they walked now laid bare before them.
Whatever she'd thought of 'Beast Warrior' Gian initially, Erika only now saw the true depths of the man. The darkness of his life, a time that he tries hard to bury and ignore as much as he can, she felt his despair and hopelessness at that situation, however fragmented it was. And how he finally came face to face with the destructive force within him, how it nearly swallowed him whole.
Then came the burst of sunshine, the chance discovery by a powerful crew and the opportunity to begin anew. The discovery of a surrogate family, one that accepted him with all his faults. The determination to grow, to perfect his newfound burden and protect those closest to him.
Of course, all of that pales in comparison to his most treasured memories: the found family bonded by dreams, each new comrade-in-arms joining their journey. From the bright-eyed captain he chanced upon and influenced his own journey, to the target of his affections, bonded by secrets not to be known in this world. The trials, struggles and tribulations and how that further strengthened each and everyone of them. How the vow to maintain his power reaches a fever pitch and need, lest he ever harms them even by accident.
Could she ever hope to have something like that, with what she's been inflicted with?
"It's incredible… even with a monster inside, you've never given into its rage…" Erika breathed "If only I had such a stable heart…"
"Jury's still out on that one, but this isn't just a force of will. It's looking back at what's important in your life, what you're moving towards and fighting for, the people that shaped you and have your back. How they are a reminder that such a power, destructive and violent as it is, shall never bring harm to them no matter what."
"B-but I no longer deserve-"
"Yes, through the connection of our spirit, just as you have seen me I have also witnessed you. I see a girl worn by loss, helpless in the face of it. A girl who had the most unfortunate curse thrust upon her in exchange for her life, something she never got over. Someone who had to endure her status, all so that her father won't get hurt."
With the truth laid bare, it was Gian's next words that truly opened her up.
"But I also see who you truly are, what you truly desire in this world. A girl who loves plants and the nature around her. A warm-hearted young lady who wants to be a doctor because she wishes no one should suffer loss like she has. One whose heart is full of love and has nothing but love to give for all around her, that's who you are Erika! And at the heart of it all, your father sees all of it! So maintain control of this creature, not just for him, do it to prove that you're worthy of the happiness you bring each other!"
Tears once again slowly began to drip out of her eyes. She wanted it to be true, how she wanted her father, as long as they have each other there was nothing else she feared. It was going to be difficult, but Erika now made her choice. She won't let her father worry any more.
"I-I am worthy… I want my papa to never be afraid of anything again!"
Gian's hand moved to grab her's "Shiki will pay for what he's done, this Luffy and I will promise you. But now, let's get back to your dad first. Let's go see him with your own eyes!"
His smile was warm, inviting. She was crying now, tears mixing with her laughter. No mutated plant monster was going to take this away from her, never again. The thorn barrier around her dissipated into flames in mere seconds, and the moment she clasped her own hand into his, her feet had already left the ground.
"Yes… I want to see my papa…!"
"SKREEEOOOOAAAAGGHHH!"
All residuals of his strength was put into that last attempt, even as his roar resonated into the sky no injury could stop him. But he had done it, as Gian cracked an eye open he could see clearly that his hand had now exited the pulsating sac.
More importantly, in the middle of his palm cradled with the softness of one holding a robin's egg, laid Erika. Eyes closed, body soaked in an orange fluid, but alive.
"He did it! He got her!" Robin noticed.
"The only way he knew how." Zoro grinned.
"OW! That's what I'm talking about!" Franky cheered, and the rest of the Straw Hats only felt something similar.
"E-Erika…!" Dr. Shiragami breathed, daring to hope.
"G-Guys!" Usopp suddenly pointed "Look!"
"It's the monster!" Chopper gasped "She's disappearing!"
Upon the moment of truth, Erika's monstrous avatar was oddly silent. Even as Gian ripped his arm out of what was essentially her heart, no roar of anger or bellow of pain sounded. Rather, the monster began to glow. Particles began drifting off of her one by one.
Particles that soon blanketed the area around them, shimmering like a million dew drops. It wasn't long after that the monster vanished altogether, all that's left were luminescent spores that descended upon them. A feat that the Straw Hats soon discovered held another surprise:
"Look at the ground!" Sanji pointed out "Where did all these flowers come from?"
"Roses…" Nami whispered "Roses of all different colors…!"
"Yohohoho! It's like a symbol of renewed life!" Brook deduced.
Lumbering over, Gian finally knelt down within the newly formed field. The arm that he graciously plunged into the energy core had now been nearly dissolved to the bone, but he hardly felt the pain. His gaze was trained on the little girl, something that the rest of the crew huddled around.
It wasn't long before the crowd parted as a certain scientist gazed upon her with bated breath, anxiousness clawing at his heart.
A moment, and Erika's eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Papa…? You're here with me…"
"Yes…" Dr. Shiragami wept as a smile broke out, embracing the girl tighter "I'm here."
A/N: And there! Finally it's done! I had hoped to finish this before my Hawaiian vacation last week, but as with many of my plans they just don't pan out like I hope to. Regardless, we finally have another chapter!
G: I…I can't believe it…!
…Wait what are you-?!
G: THE NEW CHAPTERRRRRR! THE NEW CHAPTER IS REAALLLLLL!"
PUT YOUR DAMN PANTS BACK ON!
So yeah, I wanted this chapter to be extra emotional. As I mentioned before, this is a more personal fight for Gian and not in the usual way. I'd normally have more to say about that, but it's past midnight here now and I'm mad tired. Next chapter should be the final fights remaining in Strong World, followed by an aftermath chapter before we finally move onto Sabaody Archipelago!
G: Shit, we're getting close to the halfway mark.
Anyway, thank you for the continued support. It's way harder to find time and motivation to write these days, what with work, my puppy, and contemplating the uncertainty of the future and whatnot. But I'm hoping to drop one more chapter before this story's anniversary next month, so we'll see you then!
Since I took a break from doing this, Responses to Reviews will be from those left after chapter 97 was posted:
To Slimereader11:
Thanks for ready, hope you like this one too.
To Goku275:
Thanks! I hope to continue this story soon!"
To KaijuEmperor:
Haha, I had that in mind. From this point on, Erika would likely be taking a new path!
To cheesebox123:
Titanosaurus indeed.
To just a doctor:
Each person deals with trauma and abuse differently. At the time Chapter 1 was posted, I hadn't given it much depth. Considering the sensitivity of such things, I hope to address it further in a later chapter. It will show more of Gian's thoughts on the experiences he had back in Punk Hazard much better I hope.
To Squarekiddo:
Because you hadn't bothered to read beyond that point. I've mentioned before that East Blue is hard to adapt in terms of how much believable change one can insert, and it really shows in the earlier chapters. Now that I have more leeway, you'd notice that while I'm still following canon the events within have been diverging more or less, if you cared to even look past those earlier pages.
To anierohanto:
Thanks! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
To Guest:
Thanks
To Aryan Harmalkar:
I don't know
To Bloubloutte:
Glad to hear it.
To primedeus:
I…I would like to see it…
To Guest 2:
This will be quite an important part later, you'll just have to wait.
To REDdemon28:
Multiverse shit going on FR
To Lonewolf427:
Why would Gian partake in the manipulative learning institutions when he could be changing society for the better? You don't seem to understand that there are skills that CSGO teaches you, that school just can't teach!
In all seriousness though, I could potentially insert it as an Omake or a color spread later down the line.
To Omega Porunga:
Thanks! I'm looking forward to it too!
To IAMJEFFSKI:
He got it! He got the reference!
To Guest 3:
Ah yes, the latest bit of news. Fortunately, now it seems that bit has been explained, and honestly this opens up a lot of options for me. Finally we get Vegapunk lore haha. Besides, considering this is fanwork, a certain degree of deviation is probably necessary especially for an ongoing series like One Piece where there's a ton of information in this fic that Oda could shotgun into the ground come next week. Usually in this case, I'd just leave it as it is. The best example would be how in Canon, Shanks only became Yonko 6 years before the timeskip. As that information was not known when I had written Chapter 2, for this story he'd be an Emperor for at least 10 years before the story began.
To ida bagus ngurah sathya dharma:
He does later
And that's all for now, we'll see you next time!