One-shots of Fandom

James Conrad

The Queen of Skull Island
They watched with baited breath as the giant beast stared at them in the water, making no move to them. James turned to the soldier, telling him to lower his gun. At first, he said it calmly. But second time, he said it more urgently when he saw something with the wild beast.

It was a woman.

No mistake, that was a woman with the beast, at close proximity.
   She was edging towards the large horns, grabbing it and easily swinging upwards onto it. Watching her in silence, she walked up the large beast, hiding from their view later on. They were completely speechless.
   "There's living human beings on this crazy ass island?" Slivko exclaimed in disbelief.
   "Apparently," James murmured, mind still on the mysterious woman.

***

They looked at the art on the rocks, listening as new friend Hank Marlows explained to them the truth about the island and Kong.
   "He's basically a God to these people -"
   "Who's this?" Mason pointed to a small stick figure of a person beside Kong.
   "That's Merida: Queen of Skull Island along with Kong." Marlows answered in awe.
   "But I thought the Iwis -"
   "Oh she's not part of the tribe. She's like me! Washed up here." Marlows explained.
   "We saw her earlier," James spoke up, "she was at the lake, and hopped onto one of the large animals."
   "Ah, an honour that is." Marlows smiled.
   "How is she the Queen of the island?" Houston asked him. "When did she come to this island?"
   "Come-come, I'll show you." Marlows led them deeper into the hut. "This here, is the bassinet Merida slept in when she was a baby."
   "She's been here since birth?" Mason exclaimed with wide eyes.
   "Not exactly. She was only one years old when she came here with her parents. They were explorers, and their boat led them here. They built a treehouse to live in, only for her mother to die from a sickness, her father by a Skull Crawler grabbing him through the roof."
   He pointed to an art drawing of Kong and a lizard. "Before it could get to her, Kong came in time and saved her. Took her away from the place and gave her to the Iwis to look after until she was old enough."
   "But she should be here then, right?" James said confused. "Why is she out in the wild?"
   "Merida is unique. The Iwis think that the spirits of the island gave her a gift; a gift to communicate with all creatures but the Skull Crawlers; the enemies." he said in a mysterious voice. "She can communicate with the animals here."
   "Really?" Mason asked intrigued.
   "Really." he confirmed. "That's why she's considered Queen of the island beside Kong. They think Kong gave her the gift of communication with animals. She understands them, befriends them, lives with them. She is one with the island." He turned to James. "If she was at the lake on the beast like you said, she is doing her daily visits. Around this time she'll be going to the spiders - big ones. You don't wanna mess with them unless you're Merida." The group was amazed beyond belief. "Come on! Time to show you around the village."

***

West side was a death zone.

While running away from the Skull Crawler in Kong's family's grave, Marlows yelled at them 'I told you so!' to not coming here unless you wanted death.
   When James was trying to run away from the beast with a weak Slivko, he tripped and fell, trying to shuffle away from the beast. He was not, however, expecting to see a woman in barely any clothes, yelling out a fierce roar, throwing a torch of fire at it in the gas, setting it on fire and thus killing it. She turned to the two when she saw it was dead.
   James stared at the woman in amazement. She had flowing raven hair that went past her waist, her clothing made out of fur, covering her breasts and woman parts, making it seem like a bikini of some sort. She had a strong built, figure slim and muscles at the same time. Her brown eyes were laced with fury - not only at the beast, but at them. She held a spear in one hand, and aimed it at the two with a growl.
   "Whoa-whoa-whoa!" James exclaimed, shuffling back from her steps. The others soon caught up to them, Packard and the soldiers aiming their guns at her.
   Marlows cried in fright, standing in front of the woman protectively. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" he panicked. "Are you all crazy? Don't shoot the Queen!"
   "The Queen?" Packard exclaimed angrily. "Last time I checked she was an old woman and definitely not dressed in such revealing clothing!"
   "Not that Queen; the Queen of this island!" He was abruptly shoved to the side, Merida aiming her spear at James threateningly.
   "Whoa, darling -!"
   "You buffoons!" she hissed, her voice a surprising sultry alto. "You idiots!"
   "What?" Houston asked worriedly. He held in a squeak when she aimed her spear at him.
   "Easy there, lady!" Packard warned.
   "You evil beings!" she hissed. "You don't go bombing this island! Do you want to die?"
   "This is what I have been saying to them, Your Majesty!" Marlows exclaimed. "I told them that it was crazy!"
   "And why is it crazy?" Packard asked tensely.
   "Because you awakened the big one!" she cried, anger and fear laced in her voice.
   "I also said that." Marlows nodded proudly.
   "Merida -" she glared at James, "-Your Majesty," he corrected, "I'm sorry we did this to your home -"
   "You need to leave." she grumbled, walking away from them. "Leave this island and never come back."
   "We are not leaving until we get Chapman -!" Packard protested.
   "He's dead." Merida and James said at the same time. Surprised that she knew, James recovered and revealed the dog tags that belonged to said man.
   "And how do you know that?" Packard sneered, staring at the dog tags.
   "Watched him get eaten." she shrugged nonchalantly. "Didn't get to him on time."
   "Oh you -" Packard aimed the gun at her. James stood in front of her, hands raised in surrender.
   "Don't," he warned. He was shoved aside by her.
   "Stand away, you stupido." she grumbled. "Leave. Now. He's dead. Leave the island."
   "We're still going there."
   "What?" Everyone chorused.
   "What is so important that you need to go there?" James asked incredulous.
   "Weapons!" he yelled. Merida growled and aimed her spear at him, making them train their guns on her, James and Marlows standing in front of her protectively.
   "Stupid!" she yelled enraged. "You are stupid!" Before they could do anything, she was gone.

***

They ran for their lives, Kong giving them time to escape from the Skull Crawler and into their boat. James went to send Mason to a mountain to shoot the flare, only for it to be snatched by someone.
   "Merida?" they exclaimed in shock. Keeping a blank face, she tucked the gun in her skirt, giving them a short nod.
   "I will do it." she told them. "You leave."
   "But -" James protested.
   "This is my home. Not yours. Go." She turned her back to them, running away. Reluctantly, James started to lead them away.
   Soon enough the flare was released, the boat coming to them. They suddenly saw the creature that killed one of their crew mates fly towards the two beasts fighting, a familiar body on top of the flying creature.
   "Is that. . .?" Houston asked in awe.
   "Like I said," Marlows shrugged, "Queen of Skull Island."
   Merida helped Kong to defeat the giant lizard, aiming arrows at the beast and using her spear to attack it. Angry, the beast managed to knock them, Merida flying off the animal and into the water before anything can save her. James felt his heart stop.
   "MERIDA!" James screamed. He started running towards her, much to the other's dismay.
   "You're going to kill yourself if you go there!" Mason protested.
   "She's dying!" James seethed. "I am not letting that happen." And it seemed Kong wasn't either.
   Defeating the Crawler, he gently grabbed her out from the water, holding her gently in his hand. However, the Crawler came back again and started attacking Kong, much to James' despair. One-handed Kong was trying to kill the lizard.
   James eventually made it close enough, waiting for perfect time to grab her from Kong's grasp. He soon saw it when Kong killed the Crawler for good. In front of him just few feet away, James watched as Kong gently lowered her to the ground, stepping back.
   James hurried to her, pulling her onto his lap. "Merida?" he called out. "Merida, can you hear me?"
   Suddenly she sat upright, coughing out water. She stared at James with confused eyes, looking up at Kong afterwards. Kong stared into her eyes, giving a slow nod afterwards before leaving. James stared at them confused.
   "Come on," he murmured, lifting her into his arms, "let's get outta here."
   "But this is my home." she said confused. James stared at her conflicted.
   "So you want to stay here?" James asked. She stared at him with a frown.
   "It's my home?" she said unsure.
   "Come with me," he begged, "come with me. Please, I promise it will be good. Don't you want to connect with the rest of the human world?"
   "I don't know. . ." She looked at the beautiful island. "This is all I knew." James tightened his hold on her.
   "You can always come back if you don't like it." he told her. "Just. . .consider it please?"
   "Why?"
   "Because I care about you." he admitted. "And I don't want to leave you."

***

Two years later. . .
Easily passing through the storm, Merida waited at the front of their sailboat excitedly, seeing the beauty of Skull Island again. James watched from behind adoringly, while at the same time making sure his heavily pregnant wife was safe in the boat. After two years, they decided to pay the island and Kong a visit.
   James expected her to be happy and excited, but not this excited. "Love, calm down!" James laughed. "You're going to fall off the boat!"
   "My old home, James." she breathed out. "My old home."
   "Old home?"
   "Home is with you now." She looked to her stomach lovingly. "And with the little one." James smiled at her lovingly.
   "I love you."
   "I love you too." The sound of Kong's roar could be heard, making them grin. In reply, Merida released her own call, alerting old friends of the animals.
   "Here we go." James breathed out.

The End

A/N: Man that dragged on.