Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hey, Gigan?” came a voice as well as a knock on the door. Said door opened automatically with a hiss and Megalon peeked in curiously. “Gigan?” The room was largely empty, but he can smell the cyborg. He stepped inside and looked around. Seems this part of the ship has already been looted and stripped of its valuables. Maybe the scent was an older one and Gigan had moved on? Turning a corner into another part of the room, he- Oh! There was the cyborg, staring at a mirror.

The beetle tilted his head slightly. “Whacha doing?”

“Hm?” Gigan glanced back at him, but only for a second before turning his visor back onto the mirror. But he didn’t fully ignore the bug, responding with a proper greeting seconds later. “Oh, hey, babe.”

“Um...” Megalon glanced at the mirror, then back at Gigan. He seemed super distracted. Was he thinking about something important? Like taking Megalon back home to Earth? He missed the Seatopians so much and they had that conversation so many times. Megalon can have hope that there was progress there, right? “Are you busy?”

“Yep.” And there was no hesitation there. Clearly the cyborg had no real interest in conversation right now. Megalon can take a hint...

“Oh, okay. I’ll come back later.” He went to back up towards the door... but quickly returned to peek over that corner again.

Gigan doesn’t seem to notice, or care, as he stared back at the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, in all his green-and-gold beauty. He fluffed up his feathers, and turned to admire his sails to the fullest. The way his feathers caught the light, not a single one out of place... Damn, he was looking good!

Meanwhile, Megalon was watching. Intently. Secretly.

“Well?” Or maybe not as secret as he thought and his antennae shot up in surprise and panic when the cyborg spoke up. His panic grew even moreso when Gigan glanced back towards him. “Like what you see, babe?”

The beetle opened his mandibles dumbly before nodding softly. Gigan smirked at him before returning his attention to the mirror once more. He’s not at all bothered by the presence of his friend as he continued to show off in front of his reflection. Gotta practice for the day he bumps into Ghidorah again, really give that dragon a show that he can’t resist.

Megalon said nothing, as he stepped back into the room and settled himself down on the floor. If Gigan wasn’t upset about his presence, then why not stick around and enjoy the show?

And quite a show it was...

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The sound of rubble shifting from under his feet was the only thing disturbing the otherwise silent ruins around him. His senses were sharp, and his visor scanned along the flames and smoke. His vision shifted through the various settings of his cybernetic eye to pick out any possible survivor.

He wanted there to be none.

Not for what they did to him.

Every inch of his body hurts, something he continued to ignore even when his rampage has drawn to an end. He still had yet to get used to the changes made to his body, against his will, and it only served to agitate him further.

It’s not often he felt such immeasurable rage. In fact, he couldn’t recall the last time he felt so... livid. A boiling fury in his chest, begging for an even greater outlet. But extinction was the best he could do.

There were no survivors here and he moves on. His legs were longer now, making him much taller than he was before. It took some time for him to figure out his balance, his center of gravity, and he still had moments where movement felt foreign to him. Everything felt foreign.

Even his basic laser has changed, now firing from his visor rather than the jewel-like aperture in his forehead. His aim was off as a result the first few times he used it, although he adapted quickly. His internal system felt off, his hooks were now blades, his tail stinger now larger and more wicked. The latter was something he should probably be grateful for, but...

He catches movement from the edge of his visor and he turned to look. What he saw was a tall blue hideous-looking creature staring back at him. It was enough to startle him into raising his hooks, -no, blades-, crossed in front of him in a defensive stance. The creature did the same.

Oh...

He was looking at his reflection on the remains of a building. The very first time seeing himself properly since the Change.

His green hide and beloved golden feathers... gone. Replaced by an armor plated chest and leathery blue skin. That skin looked organic, but he knew... He knew deep down that very little of his own flesh remained. His gold sails, something he took great pride in, now tainted a disgusting red. Everything that made him what he was... Gone.

The cyborg stood for what must’ve been hours, just staring at himself. He could find resemblances to his old form, in his face, his chest-saw... But really, all it did was create a kind of uncanny valley effect. He hated seeing himself like this. He hated that he can never return to his former glory. He hated that everything was taken away from him, even his identity!

Was he even alive anymore?

His visor narrowed before he raised a claw and smashed it into the building. The razor edge sliced through it like butter, sparks erupting from the strike. He does it again with his other claw, and again. And again. Letting out all that boiling hatred in this one concentrated assault against his own reflection.

Even when the glass laid shattered at his feet, the fact he can still see himself in the fragments did nothing to ease his fury and his visor glowed before unleashing everything he had into one blast.

The very earth beneath him trembled, the dust whipping around him and the explosion knocking him back. He managed to stay on his feet, for only a moment before dropping down to his knees as the rubble settled. Growling breaths heavy, he glanced at the remains to find nothing left.

No more reflection.

He was still Gigan, he would tell himself. No matter what they did to taint him, no matter what kind of horrific monstrosity he's become, he was still Gigan.

Even he wasn’t sure if he believed that.

Chapter Text

His eye is locked on his opponent across from him. His claws were raised and ready to strike out. Ahead of him, Megalon was poised in battle position as well, those golden multi-faceted eyes locked on his opponent as well.

It was time.

Gigan lunged forward just a step and it was enough to spur the beetle into action. Megalon charged, head lowered and horn aimed right for him. No doubt seeking to hook it under him and flip him up and over. A smirk grew on his beak and he simply stepped off to the side as Megalon ran passed. Right into a wall with a loud crash.

A laugh escaped his beak. “Does that ever work out for you?”

“Sometimes...” Megalon answered, turning back to him without a hint that there was any negative effect to slamming head-first into a metal wall at top-speed. “Not as often as I hope, though.”

“Then why do it?” Gigan asked. At this, Megalon paused, his antennae twitching a bit before he answered.

“... I dunno.”

The cyborg would roll his eye if he could. But the smile on his beak doesn’t fade, especially when Megalon lowered his head to do it all over again. But this time, Gigan doesn’t move, turning on the buzzsaw in his belly. The loud sound from it does nothing to deter the beetle, who nonetheless yelps when the saw tears into his exoskeleton with a spray of blood.

“Ow! Gigan!” Megalon puffed as he jolts away. “You’re not supposed to do that!”

But Gigan ignored him as he chuckled. “Y’know, the last time someone ran into that, he at least had an excuse in trying to save his friend.” What was that spikey-thing’s name again? Eh, who cares? Another useless Earth creature that wasn’t Godzilla and thus, didn’t matter. “What’s your excuse?”

Megalon doesn’t answer and Gigan reached out a claw to tap it to Megalon’s right drill with reassurance.

“We’ll work on it, babe,” And by that, he meant- “I’ll keep ripping your face open until you learn to stop, got it?” Megalon hesitated before he gave a quiet nod and Gigan turned away. And no sooner had he done that than the cyborg suddenly lunged his tail forward to stab its stinger into a soft joint in Megalon’s leg. The beetle jolted away before swinging a drill at him.

That’s more he liked it! He catches it with a hook, and swung with the other. Megalon took the hit like a champ, always a durable one, this bug. But alas, the bug of course forgot his lesson in the heat of the moment and once more dipped his head, pushing forward an-

Another cry echoed in the room as Gigan once more retaliated with his buzzsaw.

“Gigan, whyyy!!” Megalon yelled with frustration, as if the cyborg didn’t already tell him a few moments ago. He began stomping a foot, no doubt about to throw one of his temper tantrums. “This is supposed to be fun and you’re not making it fun anymore!”

“Hey, calm down!” Gigan started in a firm voice. “You damage my ship, I’m kicking you off of it.” At this, Megalon stopped fitting and huffed. So childish, and Gigan took amusement at how the Earth natives apparently see this idiot kaiju as a god. Shows how low their standards are, but that’s neither here nor there. He walked up to the bug. “Now I told you, babe, I’m going to teach you to stop doing that useless tactic of yours. Keep your horn for beaming, but for the sake of the Void, stop-”

And with that, a bright yellow beam erupted from the insect’s horn, without any warning, and Gigan grunted as he’s knocked over from it. Fuckin’-! That better not have ruined his feathers! But he received no time to recover and check before Megalon charged over and wedged his horn under Gigan’s back, the room spinning as Gigan is thrown over the beetle. He landed with another grunt onto his front and it took a moment before he propped himself up onto his elbows. He glared at the bug.

Now Megalon wasn’t exactly gifted in terms of facial expressions, but Gigan was certain he looked proud of himself.

Chapter Text

“Gigan, come back!”

The floofy little chick peeped and chirped, as he waddled clumsily down one of the many corridors within the ship as fast as his little legs could take him. He was covered from head to tail in a thick downy coat, and that coat was in turn now covered in a gold liquid of questionable origin. Gigan didn’t know what this sticky stuff was, but it was its golden color that drew the young chick in when he saw it.

Adults of his species have prominent gold displayed on their bodies, in the form of feathers. Soft warm feathers ripe for snuggling into. It was instinct for young chicks to cuddle into it, and unfortunately for the Nebulans, this instinct is indiscriminate towards anything colored gold. Including unfinished painted sculptures.

Little Gigan didn’t like this stuff in his down. It made his coat heavy and uncomfortable. But before he could make clumsy attempts to preen himself, his adoptive parents found him. And hearing the angry ruckus they made, he immediately ran off. He hadn’t a clue what the Nebulans were yelling out for; at best, he recognized the sound of his own name. They sounded upset and the way they were chasing him, he did not want to know why. So he waddled. And waddled, and waddled some more.

...

Where was his nest? Who cares, just waddle. Why is he waddling again? Oh, right, his parents were playing chase with him!

He heard the distinct noise of a door closing just ahead and he turns a corner to find the door fastening shut. Nowhere to go down here. So he huddled in a corner to hide, closing his eye. After all, if he can’t see them, then they can’t see him, right? But alas, the Nebulans somehow found him and he feels something wrap around his chest. He jumps and plops to the ground, knowing he’s been caught. He playfully hooks a claw around the leash attached to his harness, his little beak full of baby teeth chewing on it.

Without a word, he’s slowly dragged along down the hall.

-

"Sir, he's making a break for it!"

"We can't keep him back, he's too powerful!"

"By the Void, there's a mess everywhere!"

"Keep it together, lads! Remember: he can smell fear!"

Gigan still had no idea why they were yelling as he climbed up the domed cage meant to keep him from escaping the tub. His coat was now covered in bubbles alongside the paint, and he would shake himself if he could.

His claws, feet, and beak were hooked onto the bars, securing him from falling back into the soapy water below. He didn't like this new wet experience, and feeling the loofah reach his tail and scrub his bottom, he screeched in protest and tried to climb higher. Alas, there was no higher place to go as the walls were starting to curve too sharply for him.

There was no escape as his bottom was cleaned, even as he tried shifting off to the side, invariably going in circles around the top of the cage. He felt the scrubbing go up his back, onto his tiny little sails and he flattens them against his soaked floof. He shrieks again, letting go with his beak to glare at the evil scrubber and swiping at it with a claw.

Alas, it was this action that has him slip off and back into the bath with a splash! Several of his parents were swept off in his unintentional counter-attack, but many more took their place as they swarmed him.

He shrieks again in dismay, clinging to the bars with his claws as the cockroaches proceed to scrub every inch of him. But this time, he makes no attempt to climb as his big eye looks around for any escape option.

There was no escape; he must stay where he is and face this cruel and unusual punishment.

He still had no idea what he did to deserve this...

-

After some time of this bath, the Nebulans finally returned little Gigan into his nest within their incubator. How he escaped his nest to begin with, they had no idea, so they were definitely going to up the security around here.

Gigan shook himself, his downy feathers still a little damp, and he shivered as he plopped down onto his tummy. His tail gave a little wag, a last attempt to shake off the water, and he began to settle in for a nap...

... Before movement above him has him instinctively open his beak wide and lift his head, chirping and begging for food. His efforts weren’t wasted, as the Nebulans placed a waiting piece of bite-sized meat into that open mouth. A treat for doing so good with his first bath... or as good as it can go. At least nobody died.

The chick swallowed it down like nothing before settling back to rest his beak into the comfort of his nest. He had quite a bit of excitement today, and tomorrow will no doubt hold even more adventures!

But for now, it’s dream-time, with his insect parents watching over him with caring (and paranoid) eyes.