Disclaimer: 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.
Enies Lobby opening: Sacrifice by 9mm Parabellum Bullet (Berserk 2017 opening)
"T-This is impossible…!"
"H-How could that have happened?!"
"T-They did it…! THEY WON!"
Through the smoke, the unthinkable had just happened, and once the shock died down the irrevocable truth finally hit everyone at once. For some it was the best news they could receive, for others it was worst possible outcome.
"Heh, had me worried for them for a second there!" Zoro grinned.
"That means we're all set! We just need to make it to the escape vessel!" Sanji agreed.
"Those two sons of bitches… They actually pulled it off!" Franky chuckled.
"Everyone! To the ship!" Nami commanded. The Straw Hats' freedom is almost at hand, it's just an army of marines standing in their way.
And that army's confidence had just been greatly shattered.
"It's confirmed, exactly as it has happened! Each member of the strongest generation of CP9 have all been defeated!" a marine soldier reported urgently "Even Rob Lucci and Gylzar, the two most powerful agents, have lost to 'Straw Hat' and 'Beast Warrior'!"
"We need to eliminate them now!" Doberman shouted "Concentrate all firepower on where 'Straw Hat and 'Beast Warrior' are currently! Incinerate them until not even ashes remain!"
As the cannons turned and lined themselves up it seems that this would be a good time to think about fleeing. But all was not what it seemed.
"Wait… something is wrong!" Nami pointed.
"Why are they not moving?" Sanji demanded.
"Oi! You guys! Snap out of it!" Zoro shouted.
"Luffy! Gian!" Usopp wept.
"Pull yourselves together 'Straw Hat'-san, 'Beast Warrior'-san!" Kokoro shouted.
But as the cannons prepared to fire, moving for the two was more difficult than it seems.
"Damn it… Gian, I can't move my body! We have to get to the others!" Luffy groaned; their joint attack not only expended a ton of strength from them, for him the overuse of his techniques have led to more than fatigue. His entire body is in agony; it hurts even to move a joint! Blood still leaked from fresh wounds, and the arm in which he used for their final attack had been subjected to serious burns, even with Gian's Aura blocking out the worst.
And Gian did not fare much better, in fact still Fully Transformed he happens to be the biggest target for anything at the moment. His regeneration had slowed to a crawl, too much energy expended during what perhaps was the longest and hardest fight he's ever been through. He could barely turn his head, let alone lift a foot and retaliate.
"Luffy…"
"Huh? Gian, what's the matter! You're shaking!" indeed the Giant Kaiju-Zoan user was swaying like a tree in the wind, his head could barely even lift. Gian was vaguely aware of the cannons aiming towards them, but try as he might, he could not conjure up any Aura, nor could he even attempt to use his powers.
"Luffy… I feel so tired…" Luffy almost gave a startled gasp as one more step turned into a stumble and made Gian almost fall over, with him still in his palm just barely being supported.
"Wha-? But if you fall here we're both going to fall into the sea…! You have to be strong…!" he was tired too, in fact he could barely remain conscious. It really wasn't a good place to be.
"That's right, I still have to keep him safe! And the others…" a low growl sounded in his throat as he tried to move back towards the bridge, only to be deterred by the wild firing from the remaining ships. A few stray cannonballs smacked into him, the explosions making him teeter, and he could barely even muster up any resistance now.
"What are we going to do…? There doesn't seem to be any way out…!" above the commotion he could just make out the voices from the ships to reload. His drooping eyes could still see the scene on the bridge, his nakama battling it out with the marines, it was this sight that made him brace the pain that struck again as he lifted a foot to move closer, but he could barely even manage that.
"I have to get over there…! They're all in danger…! Come on… move body, MOVE…! Or else everything would be-!"
"It's ok! Just fall!"
But in the depths of despair, it is often then you could find light.
"…What..?" blearily he glanced around. It was too noisy around him, and it could be a trick of the ears, but for a split second he thought he heard something.
"Don't worry…! I'll catch you!"
No, there was definitely something there.
"Gian…! I can hear a voice…!" Luffy croaked out "Where is it coming from?"
"I won't let you down here…!"
It was soft and gentle, a feminine voice, one that soothed the soul and made Gian feel as if all the pain and stress just melted away. But he was still a ways from the bridge, and Robin was preoccupied. There was no one else in the crew that sounds close to that, was it really just his imagination?
Unless…
His eyes widened, emotions began to well up inside him. In this situation, there's no doubt about it: It could only be her!
"Just believe in all of us! I'll always catch you!" by now the cannons were prepared to fire again, but Gian paid no attention to that, for another had all of it.
Giving as best of a grin as he could Gian closed his eyes and subjected himself to gravity. His Full Transformation dissipated in a plume of blue smoke as he and Luffy began their freefall. The captain, surprisingly wasn't even shocked or protesting; he himself was almost too overcome with emotion to say anything.
"M-M-Mer-!"
And when they landed, it wasn't in water.
It was on hard wood, the most welcoming of all.
"Hey…" Gian uttered with a smile as darkness began to cover him "How did you find us…?"
Meanwhile:
"He just undid his Transformation?! They'll both fall into the sea!" Sanji cried out as he kicked aside another soldier. Just moments ago they had seen the Full Transformation dissipate, with both the captain and First Mate going into free fall. They weren't able to see much after that due to a new wave of marines charging at them, and tried not to fear for the worst.
"Shit… How are we going to get to them?" Zoro grunted "And why is this sword such a pain to use?!"
They have been battling non-stop ever since the marines decided to attack them in unison. With each wave they defeated, another descended to take their place. It was akin to an unending tide, even with the powerful aura that Gian unleashed beforehand having knocked out a decent chunk of them. Not to mention that these were not the run of the mill marines they usually faced; some of the ones they've encountered even had Devil Fruit powers. Zoro himself had an unfortunate encounter with one of them, a marine with the ability to turn all he touches to rust. It was from that encounter that Yubashiri was now bladeless, leaving Zoro short a weapon that he was forced to sheath. Franky had kicked him another sword, but the swordsman soon found that this new weapon had a mind of its own. Apparently, Funkfreed wasn't keen on being wielded out of nowhere, and his trunk blade was now thrashing all over the place and being completely uncooperative so Zoro was forced to split his time between holding off the oncoming marines while trying to hold on to the writhing sword.
"There's so many of them!" Franky cursed "How are we supposed to get off this bridge?" To make matters worse, the galleon they were supposed to be departing in was blown to pieces by cannons, leaving them stranded. The crew had no choice but to continue fighting.
It was more like a war of attrition at this point, the marines continued their assault, and as much as the Straw Hats struggled to hold them off, they were beginning to tire. Considering each of them had already gone through a serious battle with a CP9 member, even their strength had their limits. However, they'll soon find that they may not need to fight for much longer.
"Hey, did you guys hear that?" Sanji noted amidst the turmoil.
"There's nothing around here but guns and cannons!" Franky shouted back "What are you talking about?"
"No, I definitely heard something!" Nami confirmed "I can't make out what it says, but it's there!"
"I can hear it too!" Chopper squeaked "The voice, it just said jump down!"
"That's insane!" Franky shouted "That's suicide!"
"NO! I HEAR HER!" Usopp suddenly began to cry "SHE CAME…! SHE CAME FOR ALL OF US!"
"What? Who?" Franky asked again, before his eyes widened with realization "Are you saying-?"
"EVERYONE JUMP INTO THE SEA! WE'RE GOING TO BE OK!" Usopp shouted "DON'T FORGET, WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE NAKAMA!" And indeed, the sniper ran to the edge and leapt off, emotions running very high.
"Oh yeah… how could we've forgotten?" Zoro smirked as he followed.
"Into the ocean we go!" Sanji shouted as he came after, then one by one each of the Straw Hats began to leap off the broken bridge.
Of course, the action did not go unnoticed. The marines observed the scene with bewilderment, not knowing what to make of it.
"The pirates… they're jumping into the sea!" a soldier noted "What is going on?"
"Have they gone mad?! There's no chance of them surviving a fall like that!" Vice-Admiral Momonga shouted.
But survive they will, because today the ocean was on their side. Sailing upon the current, their savior is unlike any other.
"EVERYONE GET ON MERRY!" Usopp shouted in tears. Every member of the Straw Hats were beyond emotional upon seeing their beloved ship. She may have been a bit worse for wear and dulled, but the Going Merry's figurehead below them was the most welcoming sight they could ever have right now. The remaining cannons struck above them, narrowly missed blowing them to bits, but they didn't care.
Because she came for them.
"Come on everyone! Back to the Seas of Adventure again!"
And with that voice of reassurance, they knew everything would be all right.
"Is that the Straw Hat Pirate's ship?! How did it get here!" the marines were flabbergasted; everything was slipping out of their control! Scrambling to contain the situation, they attempted to aim their cannons back towards the ship. The Going Merry, a mere caravel, was completely dwarfed by the massive warships, and one stray blast could spell doom for the entire crew.
But fear wasn't what was on their mind at the moment.
"It's Merry…! I love Merry so much…!" Chopper wept in happiness.
"Back then, when CP9 attacked me and Long-nose, I saw this ship fall down a crevasse!" Franky remarked with wonder "How did she sail all the way here?"
"Luffy!" everyone then noticed their captain lying prone on the deck and rushed over to him. The captain only smiled lightly as he saw his crew gather around him.
"Boy, you would not believe what happened earlier!" Luffy said "Gian and I were almost blown to bits!" their eyes turned to their First Mate, lying face up with his eyes closed. His chest rose and fell slightly; he'd fallen asleep.
"He looks fine to me." Zoro sighed with a smile. The moment was then interrupted when a cannon ball exploded next to them, causing them to take cover. That ultimately roused Gian from his exhausted slumber and he shot up with alarm.
"WHAT YEAR IS IT?!" he quipped as he looked around. In his haste, it seemed that everything that had transpired didn't even hit him yet. Then his eyes fell onto the sight of the crew, now all aboard Merry and looking at him and Luffy with relief.
"Guys…? Did we-?" he stammered before suddenly his slight was blocked by another.
Robin didn't even know what came over her as she rushed to his side. Once again, their eyes met, and this time hopefully could disturb them.
"Hey… Rob-"
He didn't finish as Robin threw her arms around him, bringing him closer to her. Gian's mouth only smiled lightly as he reciprocated the action, simply feeling the proximity of the other close to them.
"Please don't leave me again…" Gian mumbled into her shoulder. He could feel the woman nod as she leaned backwards and looked at him, her eyes only for him.
"I won't… I'm not going anywhere from now on!"
And that really managed to bring a smile to everyone's face, even Sanji had to admit it was a pleasant sight.
"Thank you, everyone." Robin announced to the whole crew sincerely as she finally released Gian after a few seconds. Luffy only grinned at that.
"Shishishi, don't worry about it!"
Gian only smiled before looking back at the woman he'd come to love. Robin helped him ease into a sitting position. The two stared at each other further and time seemed to slow between them, and they were fine just the way they were until-
"Hey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're still caught in the cross hairs of over a dozen cannons!" Zoro suddenly stated a few distances away "So could we hurry up and get a move on?"
"Oi, Zoro! Read the room!" despite the situation, Gian had to snap as he and Robin were jolted back to reality.
"WE'RE ABOUT TO GET BLOWN UP HERE!" the swordsman snapped.
"Quit yelling at Robin-chwan already!" Sanji lashed out.
"Well I'm sorry if I don't want us to die!"
"That being said, we are getting surrounded." Franky noted "The ships have all noticed us by now."
Indeed, the cannons have all began to line up upon the ship. With a deafening BOOM they all launched their payload, the cannonballs striking the area around Merry and showering them in surf. However, this close proximity to each other, it was actually more unfortunate for the marines.
"HEY, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE AIMING!"
"YOU HIT US FIRST! IF ANYONE NEEDS TO AIM BETTER IT'S YOU!"
"WHY IS THE SHIP MOVING SO MUCH?!"
Rather than hitting the pirates as intended, there had been more friendly fire in that last bombardment. Some of the remaining ships were now dented by cannonballs, while others ran the risk of ramming into each other. Regardless, the pandemonium caused by the action had driven the Marines to disarray, even as the Vice-Admirals struggled to maintain order.
This did not go unnoticed by the Straw Hats, who took this time to slip away. They would later find out that, during the clash with the Marines back on the bridge, Sanji took the opportunity to sneak into the control room for the Gate of Justice. With the gargantuan doors now beginning to shut, the swirling current now once again began to form, sending even the mightiest warships to and fro.
"Hang tight, these whirlpools could easily sweep us in too!" Zoro warned.
"Don't worry about that! There isn't a sea out there that Merry can't cross!" Nami smiled confidently. Indeed, even though they came dreadfully close to being swept in at times, the Going Merry seemed to be navigating the maelstroms of water far easier than the more cumbersome Buster Call ships. Soon, their ticket out was in sight, and it couldn't have come quicker.
"It's the home stretch everyone!" Gian pointed weakly "We just have a little more to go!"
"As long as we get through that gate before it closes, they won't be able to reach us!" Franky nodded "If we just-"
"HOW COULD YOU LET THEM GET AWAY?!" just when they thought they heard the last of him, that same blood boiling voice could once again be heard over the sound of pandemonium. Despite his face literally rearranged, for some reason Spandam is still shouting and pointing in a tantrum. Gian's blood instantly began to steam.
"How is that son of a bitch still alive?!"
"HOW IS IT THAT AN ENTIRE FLEET OF SHIPS CAN'T EVEN TAKE ONE WOMAN AWAY FROM A GROUP OF INSIGNIFICANT PIRATES?!"
"Somebody really needs to shut him up!" Sanji growled
"The moment I can move again I'm going to turn his bones to ash!" Gian struggled to get up, but someone was already ahead of him.
The crew could only watch as Robin simply crossed her arms. A moment later Spandam's rantings were viciously silenced as they witnessed the Director let out a gurgle of pain as he slumped downwards, his back twisted into an unnatural angle.
"…Or we can do that, that's perfectly fine." Gian mumbled.
They couldn't think of a more fitting punishment.
"Almost there you guys, keep it up!" Zoro pointed. The doors were inching closer by the second, their path to escape almost just a sliver now.
"They aimed their cannons again!" Chopper warned.
"Oi, Franky!" Sanji barked "Didn't you say you have something up your sleeve? Now would be a great opportunity to reveal it!"
"OW! I was wondering when you'd ask!" the cyborg grinned "Hang on tight, this is going to get bumpy!"
"That sounds reassuring," Gian chattered "What's the- wait, why is he pointing his arms behind Merry?"
"Shishishi! Looks like we're blasting off!" Luffy grinned.
"Ready when you are, Franky!" Zoro called out.
"COUP DE VENT!"
From that day onwards, if you ever happened to meet one of the Marines who was present at the events of Enies Lobby, they'd tell you many things. Of course, since it was not so much in their favor, they'd do so rather begrudgingly. Events such as the defeating the World Government's strongest agents, as well as an infamous criminal escaping right from underneath their noses, it wasn't exactly painting the Marines in a competent light.
And the group of pirates who they were supposed to eradicate, but only ended up rocketing up and away from their cannons? Well that's just the cherry on top of an already piled cake.
Even as all the shells exploded in the air around them, the massive air cannon that propelled the Going Merry into the sky as she soared cleanly through the Gates of Justice was just a step ahead of it all. The cannons struck nothing, their target disappearing into the distances as the massive doors finally slammed shut, the path between them cut off completely.
"Somebody get that door open, NOW!" Onigumo shouted "we can't just let them get away like this!"
But in the face of reality, there wasn't anything else they could do. The Straw Hat Pirates have all escaped, and despite all their efforts it was the World Government that was handed this defeat.
And it was a victory well earned. As the Straw Hats finally breathed a sigh of relief, drifting in much calmer waters was something they relished more now that they were whole once again.
"We made it…! This is our victory!" Usopp panted. Still wearing his clown mask, he can't deny that he missed this environment. Back when they were all risking their lives for the sake of a friend, it was only there that he realized he belonged with these people.
He had to fix what he caused all those days ago, one way or another.
"I know you all probably know this already, but you guys are freaking crazy!" Franky laughed "I expected some kind of retaliation but going all out and shooting down the World Government's flag? You've all got some balls!" they really were a great bunch, Franky smiled as he witnessed the crew gathering themselves as realization dawned upon them that they've just survived a raid on a Government facility. He'll admit he was wrong about them.
"Shishishi, all we did was went and retrieved a precious friend." Luffy simply smiled.
"We all did, that's what made this work." Gian beamed "Each and every one of us, we all put your life on the line. That's just what we believe in."
"Don't even get me started on the two of you!" Franky pointed to him and Luffy "What I saw back there was something I'm never going to forget! It's something I never would've thought even could exist!"
"If it's for someone worth caring about, then it's 100 percent worth it." Gian affirmed. Robin only smiled as she looked down upon hearing that.
"Of course, we also can't forget those who helped us along the way." Everyone grew solemn when Gian mentioned that. The Galley-La foremen, The Franky Family, they who perished amidst cannon fire so that this mission could be completed. They owed them a lot.
"…Hey, don't beat yourselves up for it." Franky sniffed as he held back tears. Zambai and the others sacrificed their lives for him, it's something he wished he could stop. "If you knew my guys as well as I did, it's that they're a lot like you. Considering all that happened, it's no wonder why they chose to come."
"Those guys really do have a lot of heart, indeed." Kokoro nodded.
"Anyways, from the looks of it we're about a half hour from Water 7, once we get back there's really nothing else to worry about for now so just-"
"Look! A ship coming towards us in the distance!" Nami pointed. The crew shot up with alarm.
"Did the Marines find us?" Zoro sprang into action.
"Hold on, that ship not nearly the size of a Marine ship. I don't think that's it." Robin pointed.
"Wait… that symbol, the ship belongs to Galley-La!" Franky realized.
Indeed, the large vessel soon pulled up beside them. Iceburg stood at the front, a smile played on his lips. The mayor is now in better shape, a few bandages still wrapped around parts of him but he otherwise overcame his injuries.
"Ice-for-brains actually came to get us?" Franky grinned "Now this I could get used to."
"So you all managed to get out of there alive." Iceburg chuckled "Way to stick it to the World Government, if I have to say for myself."
"Ngagaga… the kids these days really are more capable then us." Kokoro agreed.
"Oi, Franky! Good to see you've managed to get your ass out in time," It was soon that they realized, there were more surprises awaiting them. As the crew's eyes widened as they saw Paulie leaning over the rails. His body wrapped in gauze and still weakened by the ordeal, but the carpenter was otherwise in stable conditions. Other Galley-La employees soon joined him, cheering and waving at the Going Merry. Even Oimo and Kashi, the two former gatekeepers of Enies Lobby, were alive and happy, albeit very, very bruised.
"We saw everything! It was honestly insane!" Paulie continued "You guys really pulled something big off!"
"They're alive…!" Gian pointed.
"Wait… if the carpenters made it... then-?" Franky dare not hope, but even if there was a chance…
"ANIKI!" and there it was, as the rest of the Franky Family appeared Franky could hardly believe his eyes.
"When the cannons struck, we were nearly knocked into the void!" Zambai exclaimed "IF it wasn't for Paulie here we'd probably be goners at this point! Those ropes of it really came in a pinch!"
"We saw everything Aniki!" Mozu and Kiwi cheered "Once the ships turned their attention to you all, we just snuck out by the Sea Train and got back to water 7!"
"YOU ASSHOLES!" Franky could hold it back no longer as tears streamed down his face akin a waterfall "YOU MADE ME SO WORRIED FOR NOTHING!" The rest of the Straw Hats could only shake their heads and chuckle as the cyborg bawled.
"It's oddly heartwarming!" Luffy noted.
"They really are rather connected." Zoro nodded.
"Speaking of connections…" Gian suddenly felt Nami clamp a hand on his head as the navigator tilted it towards a certain someone as she grinned "Isn't there something we'd really like make official as of right now?"
"Way to put me on the spot…" the Kaiju-Zoan grumbled as he felt his cheeks grow hot.
"Come on! Quit dancing around and just spill the whole thing already!" Zoro laughed.
"Now is a good time as any!" Chopper smiled.
"It's a great feeling to say it out loud!" Usopp pointed out from across the ship.
"Would you hurry it up already, ya shitty monster? We have lives too you know?" Sanji snorted.
"Affairs of the heart should not be kept hidden, especially not after all that's happened." Kokoro beamed.
"Why are you getting involved too?" Gian grumbled, but then felt Luffy lift him up by the hand.
"Come on Gian! You weren't scared this whole time, what's with all the hesitation all of a sudden?"
"Do you even know what I'm about to say?" Gian sighed and shook his head, before shrugging and gingerly took a step towards the crew's archaeologist. His movement has more or less returned to him by now, might as well make something of it.
"Sooo… they really want to see something."
"Looks that way to me." Robin smiled. It was something she needed to get out of her chest too, it has been something she realized she had since the events at the Undersea Kingdom. And she has an answer for him too.
"Oh? Is it happening for real now?" Franky noticed the scene and stumbled over as he wiped the remnants of tears away. Usopp only shushed him as he gestured to look.
"I really do want to say this full on this time, considering I don't know if we'd get the chance later." Gian admitted as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Yes, I actually have something along the lines of that too."
"Oh, well I guess here I go then." He took a breath before beginning "Robin, for some time now-"
*CRRAAAACCKKKK!
But all the words will have to wait, for the day wasn't done yet. They heard it before they felt it, but once they sprung to action and the sound of cracking wood rang through the air, they knew the worst had just occurred.
"N-No way…!"
"Damn it, we knew it was going to happen, and yet…?"
"M-Merry! What happened to you?!"
All were appropriate responses, and given the situation there wasn't anything else more fitting.
Besides, what were you going to say when your ship had just split itself in half?
"It finally happened." Gian muttered sadly. As the destruction happened he had brought his body in front of Robin's in an attempt to shield her, though now that it fully dawned on him his actions barely registered as the fate of their beloved ship took full attention. Merry had buckled against herself, the front end of the ship now broken and tipping over, the last bit of wood struggling to hold her together.
"Yeah… didn't they say Merry couldn't go much further?" Sanji sighed "It's a miracle we managed to get this far without-"
"ICE-OSSAN! I'M BEGGING YOU!" Luffy suddenly cried out "PLEASE FIX HER, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! MERRY, SHE SAVED US! SHE CAME ALL THE WAY THERE AND SAVED US! SHE'S OUR NAKAMA TOO!"
Iceburg sighed "I know, I was the one that gave her those last bits of patchwork. It was enough to last one more journey, I'd say she used it well." the mayor closed his eyes "When I found her washed up in the scrapyard, it was her that spoke to me. I couldn't believe what I heard, much less what her request was. She really is a magnificent ship, so why not let her rest once and for all?"
"Ice-ossan…" Luffy sniffed.
"In my years as a shipwright, I've never seen such a vessel. I can tell, even for a group of rookie pirates, that she's lived a well-deserved life. She couldn't have asked for anything better, so why not return her that respect in her final hour?"
And even with all the tears, all the heartbreak, Luffy and the crew realized they had to face the truth.
It seems, even after everything, they had to say goodbye to one friend today.
"We're all set, ready when you are Luffy." Gian motioned to everyone watching. The preparations took about 10 minutes to gather, with each of the Straw Hats gathering in a row to pay their final respects. Luffy nodded, his lips pursed as he lit a torch.
"The bottom of the sea can be very dark and lonely, sorry for leaving you so suddenly Merry." Luffy mumbled as he lifted the lit flame "Maybe it's good that Usopp isn't here to see this, I don't know how he'd take this whole thing." a ways off, Usopp was shaking underneath the mask.
"Merry, thank you for carrying us all this time." And with that declaration, the torch is dropped, and slowly the fire began to spread.
And not a single one of the Straw Hats didn't feel sorrow in their hearts.
"We finally have a real pirate ship!"
The events of Syrup Village was, for some of them, not even all that long ago. It felt much more like an eternity to them however, and they've known Merry for that long.
"From now on, Merry is not just our ship, she's our home too! We have to be more careful!"
"Yes Nami…"
"Exactly, everyone needs to pitch in and maintain her as best as we can! For example, when reinforcing the deck-"
*THUNK
"Uh oh, I hit the nail too hard…"
"GIAN WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!"
During this time, she's endured bumps and bruises, swords and cannons. Akin to a wounded soldier trudging on, she persevered.
"WE'RE GOING TO THE GRAND LINE!"
From the highest clouds, to the deepest depths, she's seen more in weeks than some ships do in their whole lifetime. Every adventure was a memory, not only for the crew, but for her too.
"You're flying Merry!"
"WE'RE BEING CARRIED BY A KAIJU!"
"GIAN! BE CAREFUL!"
She's witnessed fun times, parties, pranks, moments of tenderness and more moments of support and bonding. This was a space for the crew's life, and she's experienced all the joys, laughter, anger and sadness upon her decks.
And now seeing all that going ablaze in a funeral pyre, it really struck that this will be the last time they'll see her.
Luffy could hardly hold back his tears, and Nami, Chopper and the masked Usopp could fare no better. Franky, even though he has no connection to the ship prior to Water 7, was outright bawling his eyes out. Further along the line, Gian, Zoro, Sanji and Robin were more stonefaced, though the thought of losing a dear friend weighed upon them just as deep, and even then the former of them could hardly keep it together.
Even those who weren't associated with the ships were quite emotional. Kokoro, Chimney and Gonbe were all shedding tears, and a few ways on the other ship the Franky Family and Galley-La were a mix of sobs and grief. Iceburg himself closed his eyes in a sign of respect.
"Huh?" Nami gasped lightly as she felt something delicate touch her cheek. Looking up, she realized the white powder that drifted gently downwards, a stark contrast to the burning ship "It's snowing…"
Then they heard it.
"I'm sorry, everyone…"
"W-Wha-?" Luffy gasped. The entire crew came to alert when the gentle, delicate voice reached their ears. Their eyes casted over the Going Merry, now fully engulfed by flames; there was no mistake.
"I'm sorry, I wanted to carry you all just a little further… I wanted to go on more adventures with you all…"
"IF ANYONE SHOULD APOLOGIZE IT'S US, MERRY!" Luffy bawled, finally letting the floodgates open "WE COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF YOU WELL ENOUGH. I KEEP RUNNING YOU INTO ICEBERGS, GIAN KEPT TEARING THE SAILS, ZORO AND SANJI BROKE A LOT OF THINGS TOO. USOPP TRIED HIS BEST TO FIX YOU UP, BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO AND JUST KEEPS MAKING IT WORSE! WE SORRY FOR EVERYTHING!"
"But above all, I'm so happy to be able to be a part of everyone's life…!" if anything Luffy said was true to begin with, clearly it mattered little. Merry's voice carried no prejudice, only the tenderness of a dear comrade, and the fleeting sadness of a coming farewell.
"I truly thank you all for taking care of me…! I'm glad to have met you all…!"
"MERRY!" Chopper cried, falling to his knees.
"Please don't leave us…" Gian whispered, finally a single tear slipped down his face.
And then it was over, the flames covered the ship completely. The crew could only watch as the final moments of their beloved friend occurred in front of them as the cremation sent the Going Merry down to her resting place at the bottom of the sea. Gian felt his touch meeting another's; he found Robin's own delicate fingers loop around his, the two of them subconsciously reaching for each other. Closing his eyes, he fully wrapped his hand around hers, giving a slight reassuring squeeze as they stood out the rest of their vigil.
A vigil well deserved, for the friend that gave them so much.
One day later:
Robin awoke, blinking her exhaustion away. Not much occurred during the hours after Merry's funeral, and by that point the amount of stress and weariness finally was felt by everyone. They've mostly been sleeping it off, finally getting some well earned rest. Iceburg had granted them hospitality in the new Galley-La headquarters for as long as they wished, to help them recuperate and rest up for what they now have to face after. It was a nice place, fully furnished and all facilities working, so it seemed fitting for the moment.
Because of that, the crew has mostly been keeping to themselves and more focused on regaining their strength. Occasionally they'd talk about all that's happened or how much they miss Merry, but aside from that everyone's main focus was sleep.
It was lights out for Luffy and Gian in particular, fitting considering they fought the hardest. The moment the two stumbled into their lodgings they instant went into sleep mode with seemingly nothing to wake them. Luffy has slept for almost 2 days straight now, and although Robin could've sworn she heard Gian up and about for a bit earlier in the day, by the time she went to check up on them she found him once again deep in slumber.
Delicately she got up from the bed, being extra quiet to not wake Nami, who slept near her. The room they were given was one of the biggest in the new building, big enough to fit all of them. Upon getting up she had to stifle a smile at the sight: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Chopper were sprawled out on their individual beds, mouths open and snoring loudly. On the opposite side of the room, Gian was sleeping in a far more reserved position, though his covers were down on the floor. Robin smiled lightly as flower petals drifted through the air as her arms gathered the tossed blankets, covering up the Kaiju-Zoan user again. She saw him shift around slightly, but did not wake.
She herself was quite tired as well, though right now rest wasn't the first thing on her mind anymore. The events in the last couple of days gave her a lot to think about. The moment she saw them, standing across from her on the courthouse, their open declaration to save her, and her own declaration of need back.
It seems, after all this time, Saul might've been right.
Casting one more look on Gian's sleeping form, Robin's own feelings were complicated. A part of her reason for her departure was so that the Straw Hats would not be dragged down by her fate, so they'd not get tangled by her history. The thought of them falling prey to the same darkness that hunted her was unthinkable, especially the young 23 year old from a family of scientists.
And then the first thing he did was to chase after her, nearly submitting to chains himself to drag her out. The entire crew fought against the world, just so she could have a chance at life.
And he did it all not only because he saw her as one of them.
Her heart felt heavy; she still doesn't understand it. Even all the way back on that night, the moment he saw her about to leave with CP9, it was almost enough to make her go back on her decisions.
Why is 'Beast Warrior' Gian having such an effect on her?
Unless…?
She had to admit, affairs of the heart is a concept far too foreign for her. In the 20 years on the run, the idea of starting a relationship and settling down seemed much too impossible, and while she did resort to using a more feminine charm to outfox a few close calls with those who tried to betray her in the past, those were all empty words amounting to little more than an empty charade
But it's different this time, and ever since they met all the way back at Whiskey Peak, Robin realized she'd been intrigued by the Kaiju-Zoan user and aside from their initial hostilities due to being on opposing sides, they otherwise had little problems in their time together. Her limited look into the history of the power he possesses reached further when he came to her for help on the matter, and despite not being able to contribute much, she gave him what little information she knows.
Just when did she start to see him as more than a just a traveling companion?
The thought was interrupted when she finally saw the dim glow in the distance; their room had a small desk that could be used, and the table lamp was turned on. Robin walked over to see 2 small books laying open on the wood, and upon looking at the handwriting she realized it belonged to the same man she was just thinking about.
Maybe Gian won't mind if she just took a small peek.
The first book seemed to be a journal of sorts. Robin remembered Gian saying something about a log he's recording for his little brother back home in East Blue. Flipping through the pages it seemed just that: a journal documenting the places they went and people they met. Some of the adventures she'd been present as well, while others were before she officially joined. Robin smiled; it seemed the crew had been through a lot. There were multiple tales, of how in the early days of the crew they went to an island of strange animals and met a man stuck in a treasure chest, their escapades with a little girl who would eventually awaken a thousand year dragon, or a more recent misadventure of them and the marine base they just so happened to pass by. She remembers that one fairly well.
All interesting stuff, but it was the second book that kept her attention.
The words present were of a different tone, one that spoke of inner thoughts and feelings. Robin realized she's looking at Gian's personal journal. She didn't even know there's another recorded log.
What was within that one showed a deeper picture into the Kaiju-Zoan users' heart Thoughts and feelings Robin never knew he had. These were more personal matters, ones that talk more on what he thinks rather than a more child-friendly version like what the other log book presents. Perhaps this would be a way to get to know him more and-
"Um, the latest entry isn't finished yet."
Robin looked up swiftly.
"My apologies, I just woke up not too long ago and I was about to go get some water. I didn't mean to pry."
"Don't be, I probably should've turn the light off." Gian smiled lightly "In fact, i'm actually feeling a bit parched myself, water sounds like a great idea."
"I see." Robin nodded. The two of them just stood quietly for a bit, not sure of what to say.
"Do you want to-" and then they both started before realizing the other had spoken as well. Gian fell silent before gesturing to the door, to which the Archaeologist agreed.
The night air was cool; there were some commotion in the distance of the city due to a need for repairs post Aqua Laguna but the atmosphere around them was rather quiet. The two of them stood near each other on the patio of the building, careful not to wake their crewmates up.
"Apparently we both missed the worst of the storm, according Zoro he and Luffy had to outrun the wave." Gian finally spoke, breaking the silence.
"It was already raining quite heavily that night, I remember seeing some waves too." Robin replied "And on the train…" she fell silent, remembering the words she said to him that night, before closing her eyes.
"I still haven't apologized to you yet, haven't I?"
"Robin, it wasn't your fault to begin with!" Gian protested "Had I known just what you were going through, I- We- would've tried harder to assure you nothing would change. You don't have to say anything about that!"
"No, I really do think I need to!" Robin turned to look at him "During…During the whole time, despite all I said, despite everything I did to push you and everyone else away, a part of me always did hope you guys would come and save me…"
"I-I've truly felt this way for anybody or anyone before, I really wanted a place where I can finally stay for good. But when I think of that, the memories of that day would instantly rush back to remind me of what happened. I've betrayed more than I can remember, I can still see them cursing my name, and originally I thought the same of this crew. Then, as we all journeyed together, as I again and again was exposed to the wonders of your bond, even I began to dream that perhaps I've found a place I belonged. But then CP9 made their threat, and all I could think of was the fear of losing people I care about for real this time! I was once again reminded, just how I only bring misfortune to-!"
"Never say that!" Gian disagreed "Never think for one minute that you're any less deserving of a life well lived! What happened over the years, be it Ohara or Baroque Works, all that's happened to you doesn't make you worth any less than who you are truly!"
Robin's eyes never left him "You're still so certain of that, even after everything that happened? My past almost led to your own demise, enough to make many people despise me because of it…"
"But we came after you anyway, did we not? We want you with us, we were all there and I'm sure you knew it too." Gian sighed "Besides, you came back with us didn't you?"
"I suppose I did." Robin gave a small smile "After all that running, I really just want some place where I can belong."
"And I promise you, you will always have that here." Gian assured her "Even in the off chance than any of the crew have second thoughts, I won't ever leave you, I swear on that."
"Because I've come to love you." those simple words, it would've been good to just say it then, yet after all that's happened, how could he bring himself to use something like that to convey anything?
But even so, he could see Robin's eyes were that of relief and gratitude. And he could've sworn something else was there too but he didn't want to push it, not yet.
"Anyway, maybe we should go back. It's a good time to get some rest." It was a copout, and he knew it. The feelings he desperately wanted to convey, what he wanted to give, all meant nothing at the moment where he could say it. Deep down he knew he might not have any more chances, but after the events that occurred, how could it be that simple?
"Is it really up to me to put that kind of pressure onto her?"
"…Wait."
But then maybe he just needed permission. He wheeled back faster than any reaction, wanting to just be in her presence all the while longer. Robin's gaze was away from him, as if she wanted to hide from what's to come, but finally she spoke.
"Back then… on the train, did you really mean what you said?"
Gian audible gulped; this was it! If he can just convey what he needed to say then he could, at the very least, get some closure. His heart was pounding, a feeling he's never felt in such intensity. Just need to say it then.
But when presented with the opportunity, the only thing he could muster was a soft "Ah…."
"Damn it…You had ONE job…!"
Robin smiled at him, her eyes unreadable, except… was that a bit of sadness? But he never got to voice anything as she spoke up.
"Never mind, I probably shouldn't put so much pressure on you. You've been through a lot these days. Good night, Gian."
As she began to walk back towards to door, she could see the Kaiju-Zoan user still paralyzed by the question. Perhaps it was for the best; they've been crewmates for this long, a question like this that could potentially ruin any connection that the two did have as members of the same crew. She should be fine with things the way they were.
"So why am I not?"
And then, as she took one more step, she felt herself being carried backwards. Before she knew it, Gian's arms were already around her.
"It was…! Everything I said on that train, I meant every word…!" Gian's eyes were shut, but his declaration was clear.
"Robin, in the beginning we were enemies because of circumstance. I would've never expected myself to one day be drawn to you the way that I am. As we travelled together, as we saw things we never would've expected, you've shown me secrets I never would've believed. As I slowly began to understand the depths of the power I have, it was you who stood beside me and continued to shed light upon the shadowed past that clouds it. The more time I spend in your presence, the more I see the passion you have in pursuing your dream, the more I realized I was drawn to you! Every piece of history you find, every passage lost to time you translate, I want to be there to see it all!"
"And I know this sounds like a lot, I know you might not feel the same way." He took a breath before continuing "But back there, in the middle of those cannons, I realized that we could lose our lives at any given time. I'm not going to be afraid to admit anything now! I want to be with you, Robin!"
And then it was quiet, and Gian hastily let go of the Archaeologist.
"…So yeah, that's what I wanted to say…" he mumbled, his face slightly red.
Robin didn't say anything, and as Gian's heart was beating faster, it didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon.
"…Dereshishishishi…"
"…Wha-?" Gian blinked at the sound. It turns out Robin was the one who made that sound. It sounded like laughter, and upon closer examination Robin had already brought a hand to her lips. Her gaze soon locked with Gian's once more, however, and from within, he knew his answer.
"I must admit… I'm not familiar when it comes to dealing with such matters." The statement made Gian's heart sink slightly, but his eyes didn't show it at all.
"Oh… Well I guess that should be expected…" Gian nodded, the aching in his heart just noticeable. What Robin said next soon changed things however.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I've only felt the concept of love from one person. My mother, Nico Olvia." She continued "A maternal love that I was barely present for, and one that was ultimately torn away."
"When I was on the run for 20 years, the thought of love never occurred to me. I thought I was not destined for it, that I was undeserving of It." her smile grew after "Then I met the Straw Hat Pirates, then I met you. I was given a family, and as it happened, it was always you who led me to it."
"Robin…"
"I tried to keep myself at a distance, tried to remind myself that it would all be an illusion waiting to be broken, but the more I tried to stay away the more you kept pulling me back. Jaya, Skypiea, Mu, and now Enies Lobby. Whenever I set out on my own you'd always be the one staying with me, whenever I ran into something I can't solve you'd be the one to give me support…"
"…And whenever danger struck, you'd be the one to defend me, even as I did not wish for it." Specks of tears lined her eyes as she said every word "We've both been through terrible tragedy, but as I gazed from the darkness, you would attract light. When we're together, even if I wished myself to not feel that way, I can't help but want to be a part of that light. When you proclaim to the world about the important people you wish to protect, a part of me hopes that I'm among those you listed!"
"Everyone has shown me more light in my life in these past few weeks than I've ever experienced, and you were always the one to lead me to it. I… I don't want to leave that light ever again! I want to stay in that light, I want to stay with you!"
She was smiling now, smiling through her tears. She could see the Kaiju-Zoan also breaking into a grin.
"I want to be with you too, Gian!"
And then she was swept up again as Gian swung her around, her arms around his shoulders. He was laughing; she herself also letting out a few giggles.
"I promise to you, I give you my oath: from this point on, I will find that light with you! I'll put my dream alongside yours, I'll never leave your side ever!"
"If we're going to be doing this, we're going to have many enemies…" Robin whispered.
"Then let them come!" Gian declared "And to all that threatens our freedom, I will burn them until not even ashes remain!"
And Robin had no problem with that.
And for a while it was just them, basking in the presence of one another, for them it was all that mattered at the moment.
Even as they looked into each other's eyes, drinking in the emotion of the other, even as their lips finally met in sealing the deal, no trouble could disturb them.
For they have each other at this moment.
And it was quite some time before they managed to get that water.
A/N: And with that, I end another spell of not updating
What a crazy last couple of weeks it has been. With the state of the world right now, I'm sure everyone is affected one way or another. The COVID-19 pandemic has been especially draining for me. When it first began to spread in China I was worried constantly for family members that live over there, and now that it's around the world I also worry for my friends. That, and the fact that my university has officially moved classes online for the foreseeable future, meant that the final few weeks of my semester is figuring out how things will work out. Thus, I didn't have much time to write.
So I suppose this chapter, being a bit light hearted towards the end, is a way of me saying things will get better.
And that was what came of this chapter! Another reason for me not updating sooner was because, well this is my first time writing anything with a romantic tone to it. You can say I'm rather inexperienced with the whole theme. I hope at least this will be passable, and a lot of you guys have been wondering when Gian and Robin will get together so here we are! I will admit, it wasn't the easiest part to write; I actually included a lot more lines in this chapter that ultimately got cut because I thought they'd take away from the moment, this being the Robin reading the journal Gian wrote and the whole entry was actually included in the chapter. I think what I'll do for that will be to include them in a future Monster's Log chapter instead. The actual confession was hard to figure out too; I originally didn't want to write a kiss scene in there, because to me Robin isn't the type of person to do get that physical considering her whole character. Originally it was supposed to end in a just an extended hug, but then I decided "Fuck it, people were waiting a long time for this moment I might as well make it memorable" and just put it in. So sorry if I made Robin a bit OOC for this part, but it's about time it happened anyway. And to mention they won't spend all their new couple moments together all the time, so savor it as much as possible.
Meanwhile, there will be about 3 chapters' worth of stuff Post Enies Lobby things before we finally get to Thriller Bark. I guess all the quarantine will help me find time to write-
G: If you can put down the Animal Crossing that is!
-Like I said, I should have more writing time soon. For now, I'm glad we've gotten so many followers during this time!
G: And I'm glad everything worked out between me and my girl. She's amazing.
Gy: And who's that? Oh it's Mr. MVP, SIMP!
G: Get the fuck out, your part is done for this arc!
Gy: hey, author said I'll get another major role later.
G: Yeah, as a spinoff!
Well, glad to see somethings haven't changed.
Responses to Reviews:
To biowolf864:
G: I CRIED OVER A SHIP!
The power of Oda is extraordinary.
To Turbokid96:
Well here it is!
G: It was a nice feeling.
And you really got that analysis on point! That was what I was going for when I wrote that scene, and a few scenes after!
To The Storm Master 567:
Law will eventually have a Kaiju-Zoan, but it's probably not Zilla. It will be a rather recognizable Kaiju though.
G: And expect the bounties to be up in 2 chapters!
There will be female Kaiju-Zoan users, you'll see them soon. I don't know if I want to make too many people attracted to the main character though, I feel like that's done a lot and doesn't serve much of a point.
To Ragnas Bredvolts:
The bounties will be up soon! So look forward for the next 2 chapters!
G: It's really been sometime since my names been in the papers.
To supermechaforce8:
G: You really need to make your teasers more mysterious
Yeah, I feel like my plans are fairly transparent.
To RulersofEarth4vr:
I like these guesses, it really shows the imagination of a lot of you guys.
G: Not to mention plenty of content for you to steal from.
I know it's-HEY!
To PIZZASAURUS REX:
That was a rather gruesome description
G: I… I will keep that in mind…
To Kaiju Avenger:
It might get referenced, but I definitely want to include it somehow.
To NovaBeast13:
G: Hey that author's name is the same as the samurai in Gintama
It is.
To Lorenzo Barisone:
G: I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
I swear that quote becomes less meaningful the more it's used.
But yes, Gylzar isn't dead at the end of that fight. There's something I want to do with him later on!
G: Like I said, spinoff!
Gy: That's not an insult…
To 0vrlrd71:
G: I… I have hazy memories of that day.
It's actually quite a sore spot for him.
To JayH120:
G: THE SHIP DIEDDDDD!
It's been how many years and I still cry.
I actually can't wait to write about the bounties. There actually will be some changes.
To Writing Warrior:
We'll see what happened to him soon!
G: and don't get any wrong ideas!
To Music Master:
Ain't that the truth?
G: Great OST is great.
And you can imagine some more sensitive music in the moments in this chapter. The part with Merry is the same music as in the anime, for example. It just fits so well.
To Story Artist:
G: I'll promise here, that slave auction house won't be around much longer!
To Romancer:
G: See? Maybe the kiss scene wasn't a bad idea after all.
Gotta love sappy things.
To PHL360:
There will definitely be female Kaiju-Zoan users, some will be shown soon!
G: We love representation in this house!
To ChristDinoHero10:
This is the beginning of something more with the Goji-Goji no Mi, which will eventually be a big part of the story later on.
G: And more backstory soon!
To KaijuEmperor:
G: Who's Garp?
You meet him soon.
To Raidentensho:
Well I certainly hoped I could. It's one of the most emotional parts of the whole story, putting it to paper isn't the easiest thing in the world.
G: I will very much enjoy dancing.
To all the Guest reviews (I'm going to be doing this from now on, since a lot of guests have asked similar questions it's easier for me to group them all together):
Yes, as I mentioned, there will be female Kaiju-Zoan users.
Both Spacegodzilla and Mechagodzilla- all three of them- are being heavily considered. I have a rough plotline for how to incorporate the Spacegodzilla Kaiju-Zoan user, but with how canon is going so far, I'm still figuring out where to put him. The same goes for a Kiryu stand in later on, I won't get into details on that just yet but it will be happening.
Gian's last name is irrelevant, for now.
If you mean Vivre Card, do you mean the actual card or do you mean character information? Because if it's the latter then you can check out Monster's Log for that, all the information for my OCs and original content is and will be listed there.
I have to still play by canon rules, otherwise the story will not feel like a One Piece story. But Kaiju-Zoan users are going to be increasingly powerful, which I'll have to buff some canon characters to match but you know how it goes. So there will be OP moments, but hopefully not to the point where it takes away from everything else.
Kong will be teased at some point, but won't make an appearance until later.
And despite the outbreak, we're here now!
Phew! That's all for this time, but before we leave, an important announcement from Gian!
G: WASH YOUR HANDS! STAY INDOORS UNLESS IT'S FOR A WALK IN SOME PLACE NON POPULATED OR FOR ESSENTIAL BUSINESS! PRACTICE RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL DISTANCING! BE KIND TO EVERYONE AND DON'T BE RACIST! WEAR A MASK IF YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE IN PUBLIC! SELF ISOLATE IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS! AND DID I MENTION WASH YOUR F*CKING HANDS?!
There, we're all in this together. We will make it past this pandemic!