The new recruits keep progressing even further. Exceeding the expectations that you've set for them far greater than you thought. Seeing how they have this friendly rivalry and competition between all of them. With the rivalry with the recruits, they had motivation to keep moving forward to surpass one another and to go stronger as a whole unit.

Day and night, each soldier tried their best and keeps on training. Always getting exhausted after the end of the day, spending hours and hours in the shower room, mostly the guy recruits would talk randomly, be it about Captain Ashiro, the training, making fun of Hibino or they would sometimes talk about you.

It was kinda awkward hearing them, knowing that their conversation are all recorded.

You've just gotten out of the shower, skin feeling hot from your hot shower a few minutes ago. With a towel around your shoulder, you dried your hair as you stared at the mirror in the locker room. There were few bruises here and there, it was from the extensive training you've been doing and from the time-to-time sparring you had with Hoshina.

"You do take after your grandmother." That's what your mother always says to you when she was still alive, combing your hair every night before you go to bed, singing you a lullaby and often read you some bed time stories that you really liked.

It actually relieves you to think that you look more like your grandma than your father. Despite sharing the same hair color and eyes as him, there's something comforting about recognizing your grandmother's features in yourself. Your mother often talks about how different your eyes are from your father's. She always points out that while his eyes are a striking emerald green, yours are more of a soothing jade green.

As you stare intently at your reflection now, you can't help but agree with her. Normally, you don't spend much time looking in the mirror. Your practice sessions leave you with countless wounds and injuries, and the bruises covering your arms and legs often make it hard to focus on anything else. But today, you find yourself drawn to your own reflection.

You notice the distinct differences that your mother always mentions. Your eyes, with their jade green hue, seem to hold a gentle quality that contrasts with the sharpness of your father's emerald eyes.

After a few minutes sitting there alone, you decide to stand up and walk back to your quarters. The day had been long and exhausting, and all you wanted now was the comfort of a hot shower followed by the embrace of your bed. The thought of the soft mattress lulling you to sleep, making it impossible to get up, was incredibly appealing.

"Oh?" You couldn't help but to let out a noise of surprise left your lips, staring as the door of the library was still opened and a figure was leaning on the doorway, looking at the inside of the room and seem like talking to another person.

As you move closer to see who it was, you got a clear vision of the back of the head of the person. And to your surprise, it was none other than Vice Captain Hoshina and he was talking to Hibino Kafka. You always seem to be bumping into Hoshina a lot lately, the two of you always being stick together and overseeing the training of the soldiers. Not leaving each other's side.

Not like you're complaining. But kinda off.

But there's something a bit off about the situation. It's almost as if fate keeps pushing the two of you together, and you can't quite figure out why. You stand there for a moment, watching the interaction between Hoshina and Hibino. And it was a matter of time that Hoshina noticed your presence near him, he looked at you and he gave you a toothy smile.

"You're still up, I see." He stated as he leaned his body off the door frame and take a step outside of the library. "Kafka's working hard too, see?" He pointed his index finger inside the library and when you arrived at the library, you saw a compilation of books on the table, few pencils and pens scattered around the surface. And an open laptop, he was reading a news about Kaiju.

"Getting sleep is apart of the job too, you know?" You tilted your head, brushing your hair, it was still wet but not weeping wet, some parts are already dry. "Vice Captain Hoshina told me the same." Hibino's head hung low, scratching the back of his head before looking at you.

Hibino eyes went to your face then down to your body, he immediately flared up upon seeing you only in a tank top and a short on. He immediately look away, covering his face with both of his hands and you quirk a brow at his reaction before staring at Hoshina who wasn't looking at you but at Hibino.

But the tips of his ears were red.

"It's about Captain Ashiro, right?" Hoshina cleared his throat. Hibino flushed even more at his question, wondering how did he know. "Assume that your every conversation in this dorm is recorded." Hibino shuddered at the expression Hoshina was making while you just stands there, listening to their conversation.

"I promised to fight by her side." Putting both of his arms on his side as he stared at Hoshina, there was sense of determination in his voice. "Oh you know, I could interpret that as saying you're gonna take my Vice Captain spot." Hoshina place a hand on his chin as he kid around.

Hibino sweat dropped at his teasing tone, "I didn't mean it like that..." But his voice trailed off when he said those words. "No. I do mean it, I'll do my best to make it happen." Hoshina put both of his hands inside his pockets as his demeanor changes.

A hmp sound left the vice captain's lips, a vein popping in his face as his eyes were still close. You knew that he was somehow pissed off by that and you were kinda startled when he suddenly slammed his palm on the desk, creating a thud noise. "Fine. You've got two more hours. Turn off the light when you leave and lock the door." That's all he said before turning his back against Hibino, his eyes staring at you as you waited for him at the door.

Turning his head around to look at Hibino once he was standing next to you. "I'm not letting you have my spot next to Captain Ashiro." You glance at him before looking at Hibino who had saluted at him. Crossing your arms over your chest as an amuse hum left your lips. "And if you want to take my position, get stronger than [Name] first." Eh? Your head snap towards him, your name suddenly got involved in their own talk.

"H-huh?" Hoshina glanced at you and shrughed his shoulders, sighing was the only thing that left your mouth. You could feel Hibino's gaze on you but you brush him off. You thought that that was all he was gonna say so you turned around and ready to walk away. "And.. don't get too close to the rest of the officers." You heard him say to Hibino, stopping in your steps as you took another glanced at him.

"In this line of work, something could happen to any of them at any time." And as if to prove his point, the alarm blares, signaling another Kaiju attack. You stare at the red light flashing insistently along with the alarm, casting an urgent, ominous glow over the hallway.

Hoshina then stared at Hibino, his whole expression changed unlike his neutral face earlier. There was a smile on his lips, staring at a shock Hibino because of the sudden alarm.

"Let's go, it's time for your first mission."

. . .

Fully equipped with the combat suit and the pole sticking out of your back, you stand in front of the new recruits. Eyeing them one-by-one, trying to decipher what they're currently feeling about their first mission tonight. It was sudden, the operation team just got a notification about a Kaiju underground when it suddenly sprouted, they didn't detected the Kaiju immediately.

Hoshina was with Ashiro in the Operation Room with the Platoon Leaders, he even asked you to come with him since the others saw you as someone who has an important role just like them, and an asset to the team. They were discussing the plan on how will they take the Kaiju, they would have to be haste about it.

"Excited for your first mission?" Tilting your head to the side as a smile was plastered on your lips. Everyone stared at you, seeing no ounce of nervousness in your face. You've gotten used to going mission all of a sudden, even if it was supposed to be your rest day, you have to accompany the others too, especially if it's a Kaiju with 6.4 fortitude level or more.

"Nervous." All of the muttered out at the same time, while Kikoru eyed them as a smirk adorned her face. "Why would I? Hmp." She flipped her hair off and crossed her arms over her chest. "I've trained hard for this." At her words, everyone seemed to be motivated, you smiled at her impact to them.

Even how cocky and arrogant she may seem to all of them.. she deeply cares for her teammates even if they only known each other for three weeks.

"There's no need to be nervous or anxious." It was easy for you to say that, you've been going on missions for the past four years. "You have strong comrades who have your back." Giving them a soft smile, you acknowledge each and every one of them, they have potential to grow even further.

"This will be your chance to develop your skills more than now. You have spent days training, let your hard work pay off." All of them stared at you in awe, they always see you training with them, helping them with their rifles even though you stated that you're not good with guns or any firearms since your specialized weapon is the polearm behind you.

"Once you guys mastered shooting, it will become easy..." Grabbing Izumo's rifle and raising it with one hand and aiming it at a target that sprouted on the window of the collapsed building before squeezing the trigger. "To shoot without focusing on your target." Smiling at their shock reaction, there were gasp that left the others lips as they watch you.

Putting a hand over your eyes since you don't have a blindfold with your or a fabric to cover them. "You could also shoot moving targets with ease," cocking the gun in your hands and aim where you heard the sound of the target spring up and shooting it. "Even if you're stuck in a dark corner." Lifting your hands off your face and seeing the surprise look on their faces.

"It can also become handy when there's fog or smoke screen that was used. You just couldn't depend on your sight, you also have to use your other sense."

"Y'all feeling ready? It's time to go Kaiju Hunting." Hoshina stated, propping his elbows on his knees as the eight recruits that he is with on the truck couldn't help but to sweat nervously. Even with the talk you had with them earlier, it is only natural to feel nervous.

They were quiet as they feel each other, some tried to take a deep breathe and letting out a shaky sigh. You sat next to Hoshina with your leg over on top of the other, leaning on the truck as you cross your arms over your chest.

"It's fine to be nervous." You gave them a gentle smile and Hoshina glance at you, opening his eyes and seeing the way your lips curved up. A hum left your lips seeing how concentrated Hibino seems to be, he was taking a deep breath as he wears his respirator mask.

You were about to say something to him when he suddenly let out a choking and gagging noise, his cheeks all puffed up as Kikoru shrieked at his. You blink a few times at that, freezing in your sit as you wonder what is happening.

"Vice Captain, senpai's about to throw up!" Shock noises left everyone's lips at what Ichikawa just said. Hibino raised his hands up, "Sorry! I was so nervous that I ate too much food!" He reasoned out.

"Normally, you get too nervous to eat!" Hoshina replied hastily, panicking about Hibino actually puking on the truck. Everyone panicked, causing the truck to sway with the recruits' movements and the cacophony of their voices echoing within the cramped space.

"Everyone, quiet!"

. . .

Sitting on the edge of the rooftop, you eyed the fungal-type Honju, it's approximately 150 feet tall. It doesn't have eyes, and has a round and stocky body. There were also multiple huge mushrooms that is attached on, you guessed, its main body where the core lies under its neck.

Your feet swaying as you hum a tune, eyeing everyone who was staring at the alleyway and using binoculars to have a good look of the mushroom Honju that hadn't move since you guys arrived. Kafka seems to be in deep thought, holding his stomach and you remembered at how he had threw up before you guys went on the rooftop, excusing himself to go in a bathroom stall.

"I'll brief you on the operation." You heard Hoshina's voice in your earpiece, you glance at him and saw him looking through the binoculars and his fox eyes were squinted, making it look like it was closed. "Captain Ashiro's unit will handle the Honju. The problem is that it's creating a ton of Yoju. This neutralization is kept deliberately clear of important infrastructure and critical transportational routes. Your job is to make clear that no Yoju escape from this area." Your hand searched for your polearm that lies beside you, gripping the wooden material as you saw your reflection on the sharp blades.

"It's an important job thay determines how much damage is dealt, how much it costs to rebuild from that damage, and how long it'll take." You're very sure that there would be buildings that will get destroyed, especially when Ashiro would make her entrance, she had a cannon like sniper that could blow an entire building into sliver. "Of course, any platoon with new recruits will be replaced at the very rear. But that also means... You're our last line of defense." Hoshina turned his head towards the soldiers behind him, flashing them a smirk upon seeing their reaction at his words.

"Anybody got questions?" You only let out a hum, he waited for a few seconds and a satisfied hum left his lips when no one inquire him. "Good." He mumbled, tapping his earpiece.

"Just a reminder... No matter how good your scores are during the training, that won't save a single life." You could feel them tense at your words. "It's time, recruits. Show me what you can do on the battlefield." Hoshina grinned when he heard the hollers of the other soldiers, their voices roaring into the night sky as they pump their fist up in the air.

"Have fun out there, guys." Showing them a toothy grin and doing a piece sign on both of his hands. "No casualties among the members, alright?" You bring two fingers to your forehead in a swift salute, flicking them outwards with a quirky snap, sticking your tongue out at them as a cheeky grin formed on your face.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Now, time to show off your skills."

♡︎༄,'; ALSEPHINA'S NOTE:
INTOXICATED! let's see our beloved [name] in action again!