Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

KONG OBSERVATION OUTPOST, HOLLOW EARTH - AUGUST 5TH, 2026

The sun started to rise in a calming manner. Well, the gleaming light in the sky that passed as the sun anyway. Leafwings glided over the sky, the mirroring image of two horizons beneath them. Titanic monsters roamed gargantuan watering holes. They drank peacefully, predators and prey alike taking a break from their usual activities to graze in the rising light of the world beneath the Earth’s crust. 

From his cliff overlooking the valley, Kong could see it all. He groaned in exhaustion, letting out a beleaguered and drab yawn. He was slumped against the crop of rock, his morning beginning with a scratch of his chin. He started to climb to his feet, his hands raised as if he was ready to beat his chest. The sky gleaming in an awe-inspiring display. Like it was beckoning for the Titan to rear forth and drag the gravity field down. 

And he then collapsed back down onto his ass.

From inside their containment module, the observation team muttered and slumped over in their chairs. Researchers sighed as the Simian Titan collapsed over onto his back, continuing to yawn and mumble to himself.

“Yup! He’s back to it!”

Nathan Lind watched as the disappointing sight unfolded. He grumbled and walked forward slowly, staring out dumbfounded at what laid before him. 

He could remember Hong Kong as clear as day. The buildings collapsing into glass and rubble. Flames all around. And amongst it, Kong and Godzilla engaging in a brawl for the century.

It was a downright surreal sight to watch one of those mighty combatants collapse and play with the dirt like some sort of bored toddler. 

Being on the ground and looking up was equally as perplexing, as Ilene Andrews could attest. She glanced to the module, making out the faint sight of Nathan rubbing his head in annoyance and frustration. Her radio soon crackled to life.

“Was this, uh, normal for him on Skull Island?” Lind’s voice was garbled over the mangled transmission. 

“I mean… no mostly. Just sometimes. A few times... Most times.” Andrews gradually admitted.

The Simian Titan groaned and tore a tree from the ground, lazily biting off the head. He leaned back and chewed obnoxiously, nonplussed at the fact he was eating away at sour leaves and splintered bark. 

Though she couldn’t hear exactly, Ilene could make out a few panicked murmurs on Nathan’s end. He sounded frantic. Stressed. Mortified. There were only a few things that could genuinely worry either of them nowadays. A breached Titan or a conference with the Monarch board. The latter option right now was most certainly the more dreadful of the two. 

“Guillermin just called in. He, uh, he wants to have a talk.”

Ilene sighed, “I’ll be right up,” and turned to find Jia idly waiting behind her. The young Iwi girl took a look back towards Kong. She could see something glaze over faintly in his eyes. It was a sense of inattentiveness, something that up until this point she had never seen in Kong. On Skull Island, there wasn't a day that went by where he wasn't walking around, patrolling every part of his sanctuary like some altruistic force. Jia glanced at her mother figure. 

A worried expression grew as she signed, “he’s getting careless. Too careless... I've never seen him like this before." 

"Neither have I." Kneeling down in comfort, Andrews didn’t know what else to say other than an attempt at reassurance. “He went through a lot in Hong Kong. Maybe he just needs time to recuperate.”

Though it was said as a statement, she almost intended it out as a question more than anything. However, there were doubts nestled in her mind that Kong would just spend the rest of his life sleeping and scrounging for different kinds of things to snack on. 

“Why don’t you come with me so we can talk about him? Find out what’s going on with him?”

The suggestion only brought a mild smile to Jia’s face. She trudged along past Ilene towards the train lift that brought them from the main module. Walking inside, she snuck a final peek towards her Simian caregiver as he slumped back down to doze off. 

Chapter Text

OBSERVATION OUTPOST MEETING ROOM, HOLLOW EARTH - AUGUST 5TH, 2026

Nathan couldn’t but pace back and forth outside the conference room. He chewed at the edge of his knuckle and tried listening in on the bickering that poured in hushed whispers.

“… we can’t rely on it…”

“They need more time…” 

“… how long is it going to be before…” 

Each scattered sentence just strengthened the anxious feeling that was building deep inside. Lind couldn’t help scratching at the back of his hand fervently. The slightest touch on his shoulder made him flinch and snap around in shock. 

It was Ilene. It was just Ilene. Standing behind him with a surprised and concerned expression plastered on her face. Beside her, Jia was looking up at the Hollow Earth expert with a glint of unease in her eyes. 

“You, uh, okay?” Andrews asked. 

“Peachy,” Nathan muttered disdainfully. “Seems like they’ve already made up their mind in there.”

“We don’t know that yet.” She replied. 

“Yeah well we’re essentially monitoring a basement dweller at this point so what do you think they’re going to say?”

For that, Ilene had no response. She simply leaned back on the wall and sighed. Jia yanked on the edge of her jacket, a concerned frown plastered across her small face. 

“What’s going to happen to him if he doesn’t make them happy?”

Andrews stumbled in signaling a response. “I don’t know.”

The door was opened, silencing the young Iwi girl before she could sign a reply. 

“Dr. Andrews. Dr. Lind. Director Gondo and Director Roberts wish to see you now.” Guillermin peaked into the hall, his usual manner as neutral and dour as ever. 

As much as Nathan wanted to reply with some indignant rib, he instead walked in silently and took a seat at the end of the table. Ilene took the chair to his left, while Jia stood behind her and fixated her eyes on the two men that sat at the other end. 

Gondo was slightly wearier than usual. At least since the last time Lind had seen him. His hair, grayer. His wrinkles, more prominent. Something about him seemed shattered. Almost as if he were quite literally broken down and put back together. 

Beside him, Roberts sat with an expression as equally as stoic as Guillermin’s. His receding whitened hair streaked across the back of his head. He was definitely the most seasoned out of anyone in the room, having been appointed as a Director only a few weeks after Hong Kong was confirmed to be a lost cause. Many who knew him always correlated in their sayings. That he was strict, efficient, and above all, determined. 

And here he was only sitting a few steps away. 

“I believe we should start with the important part of this discussion.” He said, his voice filled with gruff. “The Titanus Kong and its lack of activity over the last two years. And then we want to discuss how much ground you’ve covered here. Dr. Andrews, you’ve spent years monitoring him. What can you tell us?”

Ilene gulped. “Well to start Director, I think it’s important to note that Kong is quite possibly the only Titan we’ll be able to maintain some form of communication with.”

“And why is that important?”

“Because we may be able to find out what the other Titans are saying. And then we effectively have a line between us and them.” She said, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on the very good question her statement opened up.

“I have to say, that does sound very interesting. So, why hasn’t this line been established already?”

Dammit. “That is a good question actually. But unfortunately, we can’t speed along results with the Titans. We need to wait for them to feel comfortable. That’s when we can make progress.”

Roberts groaned. “Yes well. As it is now, we would have more success exploring alternative options. Such as our recent developments with the brand new Titanus Mosura. As Director Gondo can attest.”

Goro suddenly came to attention. “I will say that what happened on Infant Island was nothing short of breathtaking. And I will also say there’s little to no chance we will see something like it again.”

“We won’t if keep gazing at something as humdrum as a giant monkey. The rest of the board and the US senate are at the point where they’re willing to send out a squad to explore the Hollow Earth themselves.” Roberts said. 

Nathan leaned forward in a startled panic. “Sir with all due respect, only an insane person would go out there without the back-up of a Titan like Kong.”

“You have an unusual way of displaying respect, Dr. Lind.” The Director lifted a briefcase onto the table. Slowly opening it, he pulled out a small dossier which he slid across to the two doctors. “Take a look. Please.”

Andrews gradually opened the file, flipping the various bios and backgrounds. Lind and Jia peeked over. It was a list of soldiers. All Monarch and all with some experience in the field. Specifically, the Titan field. 

“You’re kidding?” Ilene asked, hoping for once someone would say yes to the common saying.

“Fortunately for you, no.” Roberts sighed. “I understand you both value the potential of the Hollow Earth dearly. And I want to ensure that no stone is left unturned in our exploration. This is the only other option. We’ve been sitting on your gold mine for the last two years. It’s time we start digging.”

“So you want to send an Operator squad into uncharted territory? You’ve seen the Nozuki, right?” Lind protested. “You really want to throw these guys into that hell?”

“They’re more than willing,” Roberts said coldly. “The first five will serve as your demo. They'll scout for approximately 50 kilometers before reporting back to the outpost. A simple in-and-out. And it will happen regardless of your presence, Nathan."

“I believe this was a discussion,” Gondo said firmly. “Not a chance to spout threats.” He turned to stare at Jia. “She’s the Iwi girl, correct? The one Kong seems to watch over. Perhaps she can tell us something.”

Andrews glanced at her adoptive daughter. She signed reluctantly. “What do you think we should do to help him?”

Jia shrugged. “He hasn’t been talkative lately… I don’t know what I can do.”

“Care to translate?” Goro asked. 

“She doesn’t know Director.” Ilene grimaced. “None of us know. But we advise that this course of action,” she pointed to the dossier, “will only result in an entire squad getting thrown into an abyss.”

“Well Dr. Andrews, if you all have nothing to tell us, I suppose there’s no use prolonging this conversation.” Roberts surmised. “Give the operators the clearance or you’ll be removed from this outpost… which means so will she.” He pointed to the Iwi girl. 

Jia couldn’t hear what he was saying. But she could see Andrews and Lind’s solemn expression and she knew it was nothing good. The immense feeling of dread and fear started to engulf her as she bolted away. 

Ilene tried to reach out, but her sorrow pressed down on her like an enveloping tsunami. Kong was essentially hers to care for. Ever since Outpost 33 was established, there wasn’t a day that went by when she tried to watch over him. When she tried to protect him from whatever or whoever could threaten. The claim was superficial. Andrews knew that to him, she was nothing more than another ant. 

And yet, she couldn’t help but shudder. Guillermin looked on at her solemnly. He might’ve said something, some words of comfort perhaps. But she would never know as the splitting screech of the perimeter siren tore through the air and left everyone in the conference room snapping around in shock. 

The only thought that rushed to Ilene’s mind was Jia. And it was with that thought, that she bolted from the room. 

Chapter Text

KONG’S GRAZING GROUND, HOLLOW EARTH - AUGUST 5TH, 2026

Jia stormed through the confusing layout of the outpost until she finally found an exit port. Riding it down to the outside, she paced around in what was essentially an avirulent fit of rage.

The compartment came to a halt in less than a few minutes. Jia walked out and into the lush, expansive wilderness. The muted, dim ringing that seemed to always be present in her ears was almost dulled by the way a gentle sunny glow radiated down onto the outpost. Almost. 

Such a place of untouched beauty. The thought echoed through her head as she wandered over to the mountain-like mass of hair. The fact that nearly everything in this lower heaven could kill her in an instant didn’t cross her mind. At this point, the only thing she was focused on was him.

Something such as a small child jumping up and down frantically shouldn’t have garnered the attention of a creature as gargantuan as Kong. And yet, he leaned up from his slumber to meet her gaze, surprised at the face of contempt he was met with. 

“You have to get up,” she signed.

Though her hands were like ants to Kong, he still understood her. And in reply, he scoffed and rubbed his eye. He yawned, almost as if her demand was nothing more than a feeble request. From a pea-sized child to a giant like him, it absolutely was. 

“Home.” He replied blankly, slapping a closed fist up against his chin. 

The statement grew powerful on the aircraft carrier. The one he’d signed to her when he finally found a place he could stay. Something of mourning. Something of celebration. Now nothing more than an excuse to lounge around while the world in front of him moved on slowly. 

“Home is out there. Home is all of this.” She motioned out to the endless expanse of wilderness in front of them. 

Kong groaned. He didn’t want to disappoint Jia. Far from it. But he was also tired. As a child, he was brought up in war. As a teenager, he knew nothing but a role as a protector. A combatant in a war against a force that greatly outnumbered him. Living in the land on borrowed time. 

And now, here was this new world. A spitting image of Skull Island, but far from the prying eyes of anyone who would dare try to hurt him. He was finally at peace. Yet his drive, his will, was almost completely depleted. He just wanted the resting calm that came upon him for the last two years to last the rest of his life. He simply wanted peace. 

He signed the single word to her.

“But this place isn’t at peace,” she replied. 

He mumbled and sulked, replying, “Rest.” 

She struggled with a reply. Everyone knew that deep down, he really did deserve a break. After dealing with the Skullcrawlers, Camazotz, the destruction of Skull Island, and the battle against Godzilla. 

“Not yet, not until we can be for certain.” She found it easy to hate herself for saying something as harsh. She simply shrunk back and stared at the grass.

Through the sensations in the dirt and ground, she could feel him pausing for a brief second before leaning back down to resume his rest. Jia’s mouth was left agape in fury as she ran over and pulled at the hair on his arm. 

She felt like a flea. A mindless little bug tugging away. After less than a few seconds, she stopped. She stepped back as Kong reluctantly rolled over, his back facing her in an abrasive move. All he wanted, for the time being, was to rest. To spend even a decade just lying back. To stop worrying about the safety of his home. To simply just rest.

“A breach?” Roberts asked, chasing after the doctors as they hurried down the hall. “I thought this place was supposed to be a haven?”

“It is sir,” Lind replied, motioning aside courteously. “It might be safe for you to evacuate to someplace safer.” Sure he might’ve been dismissive towards the Director, but that didn’t mean he wanted him in harm's way. 

“I’ll be quite alright Dr. Lind. Just make sure your big old lumberjack friend is at attention.” Roberts replied. 

“The perimeter was breached at 1306 near a Hollow Earth breach near Brazil,” Ilene reported, getting the readings from a tablet. “It’s probably sealed over by now but whatever got through was big…”

They entered the main observation bridge, finding it in a hectic state of mania. Researchers running back and forth as they examined readings and seismic reports. 

The room had a clear view of the horizon. A bed of jungle, a small clearing, and a large skyline with a clear view of the gleaming glow that gave the world beneath the Earth its light. 

“Dr. Andrews, Dr. Lind, we have a steady identification on one of the targets.” Lind’s assistant reported. 

“I’m sorry, ’one of?’”

“Titanus Behemoth and, um… I-I don’t know sir… it’s… something canid?” 

“Okay, okay, just put the base on high alert. And ready the maser turrets.” Guillermin instructed. “We’ll put up a backup defense just in case Kong fails to arrive.”

Lind was so focused on the breach, he failed to notice as Andrews ran off. She was practically interrogating every staff member in sight, persisting through with question after question. 

He walked over. “Hey, what’s up?”

She snapped around, a worried expression plastered across her face. “No one’s seen Jia anywhere.”

Nathan wiped away some sweat forming under his nose. “I’m sure it’s okay. We both know Kong would tear this place apart if anything happened to her and that hasn’t happened yet so-.”

While Lind went on, Ilene’s eyes wandered. They stopped before swiftly settling on a small figure pushing through the trees and brush. The faint outline of the tiny Iwi girl became obvious. As did the swaying trees and fleeing birds behind her. 

“Oh my god…” Andrews murmured as she ran off. 

Jia sauntered ahead slowly. She could see the outpost ahead. People were running around, at least that’s what she could see from the large window out front. 

She stopped momentarily, staring up in confusion. They usually weren’t hectic, so stressed. 

As she stopped to stare up, she failed to notice the violent shaking of the trees behind her. Or the birds as they squawked frantically overhead. Or the gnashing sounds of the rabid Titan as it came barreling towards her. She wasn’t its target. She was merely in its way. 

It moved swiftly ahead. Running on all fours, it best resembled a horned wolf with a large, almost crocodilian mouth. Its eyes bared forward as it prepared to barrel into the side of the large structure tainting the underground oasis. 

Its claw barely grazed her head as a large force knocked it aside, crashing it into the foliage. Jia felt the stomping sensations against the ground, turning around hastily. 

It was Kong. He was on his feet, slamming the Titan into the ground repeatedly. His roar pierced the air, though it was nothing but a dour drone as Jia started to run. As fast as her little legs could carry her, she bolted to the compound. 

Kong jumped around, landing in her path. He was what stood between the outpost and Jia, and the Titan that had torn its way down to the Hollow Earth. It was soon followed by another creature with a sonorous cry.

Behemoth tore through the jungle, flattening the trees to meet Kong’s gaze. He huffed deeply, perturbed by the Titan that stood before him. The Simian Protector simply growled back, a grin slightly forming on his face as he was met with a brand new fight. He beat his chest rhythmically, roaring to invite this new battle. 

Chapter Text

_____________________

KONG’S GRAZING GROUND, HOLLOW EARTH - AUGUST 5TH, 2026

_____________________

“We have a positive ID on the second Titan. Titanus Bunyip. He and Behemoth are acting as a pair.” A researcher reported as a graphic came up of the canid Titan. “They’ve been wandering for the last six weeks after being displaced by fracking in the Amazon.”

“Of course they have.” Lind sighed. 

“Are you deploying maser deterrents?” Roberts asked. 

“Unless you really wanna piss him off, I recommend against it,” Nathan replied as, a marvelous scene unfolding before them. “Please sir, just enjoy the show.”

From their vantage point in the observation room, they watched as Kong bolted towards Behemoth, pummelling him in the face. Bunyip snarled and leaped onto his back, his claws slicing through the tough flesh. 

The Simian Protector roared in pain, snapping around to grab onto the Titan’s ram horn. He lifted him and slammed back down into the ground. Behemoth dug up the ground below, bellowing as he sprinted towards him. 

Kong was barely able to react in time. He stuck on his fist, his hand tightening around Behemoth’s mammoth-like tusk. Bunyip wriggled free, lunging towards the Simian Titan with a focused and enraged drive. He was also blocked swiftly, a palm wrapping around his jaws and holding them shut. 

He yelped as they drew nearer, sandwiching him. Behemoth lifted his arm, aiming to bring it down on his head. Kong jumped up, keeping Bunyip at bay by stomping him into the ground. The Canid Titan whined and wriggled free. He snapped up again, clawing at his fist. 

Kong needed his axe. He could take the occasional Nozuki or two when taken by surprise, but this was soon going to be too much for him to handle. Not in his current state. He roared and pulled away, beating his chest as to draw the two invading Titans in. He slowly moved back from the research outpost.

Bunyip leaped up onto a small rocky outcrop, snarling and baring his teeth in an intimidation display. Behemoth lumbered over, grunting gruffly. His tusks swayed side to side slowly, like a swinging pendulum. 

The Mammoth Titan was the first to strike, charging forward with determination in his eyes. He knocked Kong back, sending him like a meteor crashing through the jungle and brush that was minuscule beneath him. 

The Canid Titan took the chance to leap forth, landing on the Simian Protector’s torso. He clawed like mad, turning Kong’s fur into a damp red before stepping back and snarling. 

Kong was about to retaliate until something caught his eye. What could’ve been mistaken for a tiny little stick from his perspective rested in a small bank, almost like it was buried in a puddle. It was stuck deep in the much, where he’d last left it. A tool he hadn’t used since he took down the Metal Perversion. 

He started to run. Tremors quaking through the ground as he bolted for his weapon. Bunyip saw what he was doing, yelping frantically as he joined the Simian Titan in sprinting for the axe. Sure, he couldn’t use it. But he certainly couldn’t let the ape use it.

Diving for his ankles, the Canid Titan merely grazed the flesh as Kong jumped ahead. The landing shook through to the outpost. Workers, researchers, everyone was flung from their feet. The Simian Protector roared at the two intruders. Not in warning, but in a vile threat of what was soon to come. 

Bunyip slightly whimpered, standing in a defensive pose while Behemoth bellowed forth, incensed and enraged. Kong tore his axe from the ground, shaking free the mud and roots that had curled around it in his absence. He held it back, holding up his free arm like a shield. 

He tensed up. Behemoth’s charge didn’t falter. It felt like a furious hurricane was getting to tear the Simian Titan to pieces. Like the Alpha that pulled him into the sea. That threw him around like a chew toy. That nearly killed him. 

But that was never going to happen again. He wouldn’t allow it. 

Kong dropped the defensive posture and instead swung his axe as if he were batting away a ball. Behemoth had no time to react as the jagged tip crashed into his head. Luckily for him, it wasn’t charged and the blade was dull and blunt. 

That didn’t stop it from smashing into the Mammoth Titan’s eye. He buckled over, a dribble of pus leaking from his iris as his vision grew clouded. Thus, he failed to notice Kong leaping onto his back. Behemoth crumbled to the ground, wailing as the Simian Titan rose his axe and buried it into his shoulder. 

Again, the dull blade failed to tear away at the Titan’s hide. Yet the relentless attack left it pinned down and weary. 

Bunyip raced forward, his jaws sinking into Kong’s forearm in a bid to defend his ally. The Simian Titan instead turned all his attention on him, grabbing his head with a single hand and raising him high. He grabbed his jaws, pushing them apart slowly as the Canid Titan whined and begged in panicked agony.

From their position, the team could only see so much. But the sight of Kong getting ready to murder got everyone’s attention. Lind was unsure of how to feel. On one hand, Kong using brutal force was nothing new. But these two were down and feeble. The fight was turning into a slaughter. 

“My god…” Roberts stared horrified.

His fear was alleviated as the Simian Protector let Bunyip drop and stepped free from Behemoth’s back. Both of them, once rabid and feral, now broken and discouraged. The Canid, rubbing his jaws with his claw in perpetual anguish. The Mammoth, barely able to gain his bearings before collapsing back down onto the jungle floor.

Not that Kong cared. This was his home. And he was going to defend it. From anything that might even be a slight threat. He prepared to raise his axe, ready to finish this. He had done it before. And now it wasn’t any different. 

Before he could land the final blow on either of them, a small tugging drew his attention. He bent down, carefully and slowly as the small girl waved like a maniac to grab his attention.

Jia took a quick look at the battered Titans Kong had left in his wake, ‘They only want a home. They are lost. Like you were.’

His response took a while. He seemed to lean back, mortified at what he had just read. Soon, he signaled back two simple and concrete words. ‘My. Home.’

Jia couldn’t reply as the Simian Titan stood back up. He towered over the other two, a frown turning into a spiteful, furious look. It was horrifying to see. Such an expression of bitterness and rage burst into a violent screech that truly shook the witnesses to the brawl.

Though the sound was null, the face her protector made as he spat down on the other Titans was nothing short of petrifying to Jia. It was clear what he was saying. This was his home. His home, and his alone. The consideration never even crossed his mind. 

This wasn’t an Alpha dispute. God knows if Kong truly wanted to be an Alpha Titan at all. In all his years of existence, he may have been loathing his defender status. No, there was no way. He had guarded his island for so long, there was no possible way. Jia drove the pessimistic thoughts away, leaving them lingering in the back of her head as she watched Bunyip and Behemoth slowly rise. 

They lumbered away, blood and pus seeping from their wounds as they ventured into the expanse of the Hollow Earth. 

Kong started to walk away from her. Back to his den to crumple down and likely sleep for days without end. But before he did, he stopped and stared at her. It wasn’t of gentleness or the unbearable rage he had just let forth. It was almost everything at once. A furious, terrified, tender giant beating his chest without effort before signing words once more.

‘My. Home. Only. Home.’