A/N: So, Giriko. We really don't know much about him other than that he's a self-wielding weapon, he's Arachne's minion, and he's been body-jumping down his line of descendants for 800 years through the use of Loew Village's golem-enchanting magic. (We also know that he's a total fuckbucket, but that doesn't really help with regards to a functioning backstory.) It's kinda hard to write a character-centric story when we know so little about them, so I had to fill in a lot of blanks on my own. There are a lot of extensive pieces of headcanonry that might not be clearly explained, or that were relevant but I couldn't figure out a good way to include them without sounding like a textbook in-chapter, so I'll add an explanation in the a/n at the end of the chapter. That being said, I hope you all enjoy it! This story is dedicated entirely to ilarual, who put up with skype messages like "arachne vs. spider-gwen: the silent movie ft. soul as the accompanist" and encouraged me to finish and beta'd it and basically what i am trying to say is without her it would not exist and i am eternally grateful.
Also, quick note about the timestamps and other notations - I was using years AD, but then I realized that was dumb because what would witches need to follow human era notation for? Witches don't really seem to care much about humans, other than how much trouble they can cause with them/how much science they can do with them (hi Medusa), so I figured they'd track years by something a little more witch-related than the birth of Jesus and some random day in the middle of winter. Like, say, the number of years their queen has been in power (hence MR in the timestamps - Mabaa's Reign) and the number of lunar cycles it's been since the start of a given year. So, for example, a date of 22/1 6242 MR would read 'the 22nd day of the 1st month, year 6242 of Maaba's reign'.
Also, her subject notation. The letters are the genus/species initials of the subject in question, and the number is the subject number - hypothetical subject SF-05 would be the 5th specimen of the adorable eastern cottontail rabbit, or Sylvilagus floridanus. SF-05, see? Abbreviations used below are MM for Mus musculus (lab mouse) and HS for Homo sapiens (human).
Chapter 1 – Scientifically Accurate Notes Are Good, Scientifically Accurate Evil Is Not
Excerpts from Arachne's Laboratory Notes - 800 Years Pre-Series
ENTRY 538 - 25/4 6242 MR
Although some magical stimulus was required to initiate base-state reversion, animal testing for Experiment #306 has proven fruitful in subjects MM124-MM170. Reversion issue unlikely to hinder progress with weapon-state integration in sapient beings. Once suitable subjects are found, Experiment #306 can progress to human trials.
Note - further research may be required on the process of corruption in animal souls at a later date (see subject MM98).
ENTRY 539 - 7/9 6242 MR
After several months spent observing potential human subjects, minimal progress has been made. Human souls vary too widely for experimental viability. Some genetic lines appear more consistent than others, although subject pools are limited. If no suitable subject pool exists, multigenerational observation might be necessary.
ENTRY 540 - 29/12 6242 MR
Locating a suitable subject pool has been more difficult than originally anticipated. The Reaper seems to have taken humans under his protection, and any undue threat draws his attention. The humans strike up such a clamor when even one of their own goes missing. The genetic lines under current observation are too high-profile in the human world to be smoothly extracted. If searching farther afield yields no results, selecting unrelated humans with souls similar in caliber may be a last resort. Entries will resume when a suitable subject pool has been located.
ENTRY 541 - 14/11 6243 MR
After almost a year of searching, an ideal set of candidates has been found - a large family of humans in Japan, of the Nakatsukasa bloodline , all showing consistently high-strength souls. The danger of other humans alerting the Reaper of the absence of these humans is minimal, as other humans seem not to care about low-status members of their own species. Observation will continue.
Note - The status of Nakatsukasa clan is something of an aberration, as hereditary soul strength is far more often a trait of kings than serfs. Further research required.
ENTRY 542 - 30/11 6243 MR
Further research on the Nakatsukasa clan (further referred to as 'group HS-N') has proven fruitful. Humans of group HS-N had been tied to shrines and the like until they fell out of their daimyo's favor circa 6000 MR/800 AD. The strong predisposition towards powerful souls has endured regardless of social stature. Civil unrest will make extraction of subjects smoother than previously expected - disgraced, low-status humans are seldom missed, and the Reaper turns a blind eye to human conflict. The experiment finally progresses.
ENTRY 543 - 1/1 6244 MR
Group HS-N was extracted from their environment without undue fuss. Lab space has been expanded once again to accommodate the subjects, and materials have been reviewed. The subjects have been grouped according to physical maturity, ranging from infants to mature adults - 28 viable subjects total. Those whose bodies are ill-equipped to adapt have been discarded.
Note - Subject MM-98 has developed the ability to rapidly digest meat.
ENTRY 544 - 5/1 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/48.53 kg/154.94 cm)
Attempted to replicate the distribution of phasma achieved in subjects MM124-MM170 in the body mass of subject HS-N15. Concentrated phasma injected into brachial artery. Subject displayed no changes. Subject placed into isolation for further observation. Perhaps multiple injections necessary to achieve desired results?
ENTRY 545 - 12/1 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/48.29 kg/154.9 cm)
Subject displays no external change after 24 hrs observation. Attempted a second dose. Subject displayed signs of distress at time of injection. Vital signs elevated, although not dangerously so. Subject displayed no immediate signs of change. Subject returned to isolation. Magical catalyst necessary?
ENTRY 545 - 19/1 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.61 kg/154.9 cm)
Subject showing signs of mild fever and wavelength disruption. Metabolic reactions increased, causing a decrease in weight. Nutrient intake adjusted accordingly. Possibly a sign of successful phasmal integration? Third injection administered. Subject displayed no immediate signs of change. Subject returned to isolation.
ENTRY 546 - 26/1 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.98 kg/155.0 cm)
Subject's fever remains constant. Injection reduced to a half-dose. Subject's wavelength becoming erratic, potentially unstable - possible warning signs for soul corrosion. Subject returned to isolation.
Note - for smoother integration in future subjects, lower the intake rate?
ENTRY 547 - 1/2 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.97 kg/155.3 cm)
Subject's wavelength has stabilized. Phasmal integration appears seamless. Phasmal density ratio lower than that of subjects MM124-MM170 by 11.349%. Half-dose injection administered. Wavelength destabilized for approximately 20 mins. before returning to standard patterns. Subject returned to isolation.
ENTRY 548 - 8/2 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.95 kg/156.0 cm)
Although phasmal profile similar to subjects MM124-MM170, magical stimulus proved insufficient to achieve transformation. Subject returned to isolation.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 (sans subject HS-N15) given first injections. Dosage adjusted to soul caliber and body mass at 75% original potency. All vital signs normal, no external change. Wavelengths stable. Subject HS-N07 showed signs of distress typical of separation anxiety at the removal of subject HS-N08 from holding area. Subject has been sedated. Permanent separation may be necessary.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N28 expressing signs of anger and distress while viewing the handling of subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17. Human parents can become violently protective of their young - application of sedatives may be required.
Note - Subjects HS-N18, HS-N19, and HS-N20 have been removed from the common group for studies on fetal development under phasmal influence. Brachial injection dosage should be calibrated to subjects' soul caliber, body mass, and stage of fetal growth.
ENTRY 549 - 15/2 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.96 kg/156.1 cm)
Second magical stimulus attempted at 2x original intensity. No results. Denser phasmal load required? Subject given 75% dose and returned to isolation.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 given second injections. All vital signs normal. Wavelengths stable. Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N04 (under 1y) show increased phasmal metabolization. Shows promise for fetal testing of subjects HS-N18 through HS-N20.
First injections administered to subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26. Dosage potency at 30% the first injection of HS-N15. Mature subjects demonstrated evidence of pain for approximately 50 min. post-injection - mature systems too inflexible to adapt to an increased phasmal element?
ENTRY 550 - 22/2 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/14y/46.89 kg/156.3 cm)
Third magical stimulus yielded no results. Phasmal load beginning to trigger physical mutations typical of corrupted souls - serrating of teeth likely irreversible. Further brachial injections inadvisable. External stimulus has proven inefficient. Internal metabolic process required? Lowest-caliber witch phasma 4x intensity of first external stimulus. Predictions unclear.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 given third injections. N01-N04 showing marked increase in soul caliber. Dosage adjusted to +25% base value. N13-N17 displaying signs of aggression - normal adolescent development? Primary tooth loss occurring in N07 and N08.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26 given second injections. Dosage potency unchanged from previous administration. Minor physical mutations occurring in subjects HS-N22 and HS-N25. All wavelengths stable. Fetal phasmodevelopment accelerated from normal growth patterns.
ENTRY 551 - 29/2 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N15 (Female/15y/46.90 kg/156.4 cm)
Subject showed signs of extreme pain on injection of witch phasma. Attempts to direct the energy flow were unsuccessful, and extreme physical mutations spread to the skeletal system. Subject's thoracic vertebrae developed elongated spinous and transverse processes composed almost entirely of weapon-grade steel. The elongations pierced the subject's skin and kidneys, causing increased blood toxicity and eventual death. Closer examination of spinal elongations indicate possible weapon type of flanged mace.
Results indicate a failed partial transformation to a weapon form. Reaction progressed too quickly due to high phasmal density, causing loss of subject's control over the process. Lower levels of catalyst could produce more manageable transformations.
Other subjects appear visibly distressed by the results of HS-N15's procedure, particularly HS-N20 and HS-N25. Prior observation indicates that subjects HS-N20 and HS-N25 were the parents of subject HS-N15. Subjects' wavelengths currently display marked instability, possibly as a result of viewing subject HS-N15's procedure. Test area may need to be hidden from subjects' view to prevent undue phasmal fluctuation, as it may compromise data integrity. Subjects HS-N06 through HS-N17 begin witch phasma trials in two days.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 given fourth injections. No further physical mutations. The primary teeth of subject HS-N07 have fallen at an abnormally accelerated rate. Subject's permanent teeth show marked serration along upper and lower incisors, cuspids, and bicuspids. Preexisting genetic anomaly or physical mutation? Subject HS-N08 shows no sign of these traits.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26 given third injections. Physical mutations in subjects HS-N22 and HS-N25 have grown more prominent, although phasmal density is far below that of HS-N15. Physical mutations have occurred in subject HS-N19, although the subject's fetus appears unaffected. Further observation required.
ENTRY 552 - 2/3 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N08 (Male/12y/40.03 kg/147.32 cm)
Subject injected with half-concentration witch phasma to no immediate effect. External magical stimulus triggered a partial transformation to a dagger-form weapon. Although the subject's blade was composed of normal steel, the crossguard, handle, and pommel were made of a section of femur. The grip of the handle was wrapped in the subject's skin. No wavelength detected. Further external stimulus forced a reverse transformation. Subject reformed into a liquefied mass of flesh, bone, and metal, with fluid runoff dripping onto the floor. Subject presumed deceased.
Subject appears to have used own phasmal energy in an attempt to complete the transformation. Diluted witch phasma is clearly not potent enough to sustain a full transformation - perhaps it's not the catalyst but the reactant that required reduction. Pending successful transformations, further research required on the location and composition of subjects' bodies while in weapon form. Transformation process similar to butterfly metamorphosis, with liquified flesh state stored in weapon 'chrysalis'?
Subject HS-N07 displayed extreme distress during subject HS-N08's procedure, and required sedation after N08's reformation. Subject accrued minor injuries from attempting to escape his containment area, screaming and crying for several hours after the test concluded. Past observations indicate that subject HS-N08 was the brother of subject HS-N07, explaining subject HS-N07's state of advanced hysteria. Further monitoring required - past research indicates a human tendency for irrational actions while processing excesses of emotion. Subject sedated and placed in isolation.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 remain in stable condition, although those old enough to display advanced cognition appear visibly disturbed after witnessing subject HS-N08's procedure. Test area has been moved to avoid further distress to subjects, as watching the procedures has proven detrimental to their phasmal stability.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26 given fourth injection. Phasmal density remains low. Subjects HS-N22 and HS-N25 showing marked increase in aggressive tendencies as physical mutations continue to develop. Subjects' physical state currently sub-optimal for the success of Experiment #306. Subjects placed in isolation. Further observation required.
Subject HS-N19 has shown no further signs of physical mutation. Fetal phasmodevelopment has accelerated. Nutrient intake adjusted accordingly.
ENTRY 553 - 9/3 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N13 (Female/14y/41.20 kg/163.83 cm)
Subject injected with full-concentration witch phasma at a base density rate 80% that of subject HS-N15. Transformation to weapon state smooth. (Weapon type: chain scythe.) Wavelength became erratic after 3 min. spent in weapon state. Weapon state became physically unstable after 5 min. Subject released full weapon state after 6 min. Subject's weapon state did not fully retract, leaving subject's skin with high concentrations of metal in the epidermis. Subject shows signs of distress, likely due to subdermal abrasions and bleeding. Subject immobilized to prevent further damage. Further observation required.
Initial phasmal density and witch phasma concentration appear correct. Initial transformation sequencing appears nominal - external magical stimulus required to stabilize the weapon state? Subject's continued survival indicates an improval of technique as compared to previous tests.
Subjects HS-N06 through HS-N17 show decrease in base phasmal density. Brachial injection administered at 15% original phasmal load . Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N07 show no signs of decrease - further proof that adaptivity, both physical and phasmal, decreases severely with the advent of maturation.
Subject HS-N07 has been nonverbal since sedation. Subject's wavelength shows consistent signs of aggression atypical to early adolescents, likely due to the death of subject HS-N08. Subject maintains a 94.38% phasmal retention rate despite wavelength irregularity - too high to justify removing HS-N07 from subject pool. Close observation of subject continues.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26 given fifth injection. Phasmal retention rates remain low. No physical mutation has occurred beyond subjects HS-N18, HS-N22, and HS-N25.
Subjects N22 and N25 show marked decrease in prefrontal cortex activity along with an enlarged hypothalamus. Subjects' erratic wavelengths displaying patterns similar to those of corrupted souls. No brachial injection was administered.
Subject HS-N18 showing no further physical mutation. Wavelength stable. Accelerated fetal phasmodevelopment has continued, to no noticeable effect on subject HS-N18.
ENTRY 554 - 16/3 6244 MR
Experiment #306, Subject HS-N07 (Male/8y/24.67 kg/126.50 cm)
Subject injected with full-concentration witch phasma at a base phasmal density of 87%. Transformation sequence nominal. Directed magical stimulus through the process of weapon form solidification succeeded in stabilizing the transformation. Wavelength emanating from subject's weapon form became erratic after 3 min. continual stimulus, steadied after stimulus ceased. Weapon form appears stable. (Weapon type: short-handled scythe.) Subject independently achieved reverse transformation after 11 min. spent in weapon form. Subject returned to isolation, displaying only minor physical mutations of the skin. Subject's dental aberrations remain unchanged. Subject remains nonverbal.
Despite physical aberrations, subject HS-N07 has become the first successful human trial of Experiment #306. Subject displays attempts to re-initiate weapon state. Subject appears unsuccessful, although guided training and/or magical stimulus may accelerate complete independant metamorphosis. Technique used should prove viable for future subjects, although continued testing will likely result in further-refined execution. HS-N07 should be considered a prototype.
Subjects HS-N01 through HS-N04 display phasmal intensity on par with a mature human adult. Thus far, no physical mutations have occurred. Subjects support hypothesis of reduced adaptability upon onset of physical maturation.
Subjects HS-N18 through HS-N26 display extreme resistance to phasma metabolization and an increased proclivity towards physical mutation. Considering discarding adults up as viable subjects in favor of further focus on subjects HS-N01 through HS-N17 - subjects should provide enough phasmal energy to replenish laboratory resources. No further fetal developments have been observed in subjects HS-N18 through HS-N20.
ENTRY 555 - 17/3 6244 MR
What an irony it is, that subject HS-N07 - the first in a line of weapons created to defy the Reaper himself - takes the form of the Reaper's own symbol of power. I do believe I'll keep that one for myself. I might even, if he behaves, allow him a name - if I recall correctly, subject HS-N08 called him Giriko. What a pity he didn't make it. I could have done so much more with brothers.
A/N part 2: This chapter is mostly dedicated to Dr. Abraham Erskine's apparent lack of research notes re: the super-soldier serum. Because seriously, what the hell. The only reason the SSR needed the 'extract it from Steve Rogers's blood' plan was because of a lack of lab notes, and the reason they don't have lab notes is probably because Erskine didn't write any. Although, I mean, the SSR could have just misfiled them really badly, or something - NASA apparently overwrote the tape containing the footage from the Apollo moon landing, so it's not out of the question for a government agency to lose Important Things - but still. Record your data, people. It's only science if you write it down.
Also, a couple other things.
We don't actually know a lot about what happened pre-canon, but here's some of the facts:
The Nakatsukasas were one of the first, if not THE first, major weapon bloodlines ever created.
Arachne was the one who created weapons in the first place.
Giriko was with her at the time
Giriko is a weapon
If you do a little math, you end up with 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = Giriko was one of the original Nakatsukasas who either defected to Arachne's side and/or who she took with her on the run once Lord Death and the witches caught wind of her activities. I mean, it's possible that she made him on the run, or that she bartered weaponhood to an enchanter in Loew in exchange for possessing his golem, but I'd be more willing to assume he was one of her lab rats. That might also have to do with his state of mild insanity - madness in the SE 'verse affects the soul as much as or moreso than the mind, so having that be tampered with (on top of having lived thirty consecutive lives, which is straight-up Not What People Are Designed For) would have a pretty resounding effect on his sanity.
Also, an interesting note about timelines - in the 1200s (aka 800 years pre-series, aka when Arachne was doing her very best Mengele impersonation trying to make weapons), Japan was transitioning from the Heian era to the Feudal era. In a nutshell, there were a bunch of rebellions happening from 1156 to 1185, after which a guy named Yoritomo got appointed to a bunch of high government positions. These all got consolidated, he became the first shōgun, and then, well. Basically Game of Thrones happened. A civil war broke out between the four strongest military clans and the powerful regional families (aka daimyō), everyone was fighting everyone, the samurai became a thing, and a whole new power structure fell into place that lasted for about 400 years.
Why is this important, you might ask, other than being a nice little tidbit of history? The answer is a cover story. Most people with strong souls tend to be leaders of nations, or something - powerful wavelengths tend to manifest in the form of charismatic leadership. Rulers get noticed, royal bloodlines get watched, and if someone randomly snatched up an entire family Lord Death would have been all over that because entire royal families do not just randomly disappear. In the case of the Nakatsukasas, though? They were a whole family of spiritually strong humans that no one would care about disappearing because 1) they were low-status to begin with and 2) who would have the time, effort, or care to spend on a family disappearing from a heavily-contested area in the middle of a civil war?
Even if someone thought it was suspicious and tried to reach Lord Death, it's unlikely that anything would come of it. Lord Death probably stays out of major human conflicts unless he's there to deal with a specific instance of supernatural evil. If someone sent him a message that said 'hey this whole family just up and vanished can you check it out please', he would probably look at Japan, see all of these different factions of humans duking it out, and move on because, hey, what are you going to do? Civilian casualties happen. And after a year or two, people would be too busy keeping themselves safe to worry about it. Tons of sketchy things slide under the radar due to civil unrest all the time, even with as much media coverage (both licensed news media and social media) as we have today. It wouldn't be altogether surprising.
And some more of my headcanons about witch timekeeping, in case you were interested. Witch civilization probably started a lot earlier than human civilization due to them being, yanno, a magically advanced species, so it's not a far stretch to assume that they had developed a standardized calendar system and functional astronomy by the time humans started settling in Mesopotamia. (Maybe they were the ones who introduced standard timekeeping to humans in the first place.) My headcanon for witch timekeeping is that days are the same, weeks aren't really a thing, months are tracked by the phases of the moon, and can vary in number based on how many lunar cycles fit in a year. Hence notation in Day/Month format - it's the number of days elapsed in a month, and then the number of lunar cycles that have happened so far that year. They track eras, though, by the number of years their queen has reigned - and in this case, the queen is Mabaa. It's not unreasonable to assume that a witch could live for several thousand years, considering that Arachne is none the worse for wear after her 800-year stint as a Horcrux, so it's likely that Maaba's been the queen from day one. Assuming a thousand-year head start on humanity, and assuming that the series timeline begins some time in the early 2000s, Maaba would have been queen for somewhere in the vicinity of 7,000 years by the time the series starts. Backing up 800 years from canon puts us somewhere in the 1200s AD, which would be somewhere near the 6200s MR - 1200 years AD plus ~5000 years BC, ish.
And, lastly, a fun fact about butterflies and moths - when caterpillars undergo metamorphosis, they seal themselves up in their chrysalis (or cocoon, if it's a moth) and literally dissolve into white goo which reassembles into a butterfly a week or two later. Scientists figured this out by slitting open chrysalises before the metamorphosis process was complete. Which kinda got me thinking - what would Arachne do if a subject only made it halfway, and then died in weapon form? The answer, apparently, is poke the weapon with magic until it turned back into a person. Who, at the time of death, was technically a bunch of fleshy chrysalis goo. Cue flood of viscera across the laboratory floor.
This is the longest A/N i have ever written, I swear to god, but it's finally over.