Subject: Compatibility Test for Kaiju No. 4 Suit

Dear Shinomiya [Name],

You are asked for the compatibility test of the Kaiju No. 4 suit. Please report to the Testing Facility at 0900 hours tomorrow. Your participation is crucial.

Best regards,

Shinomiya Isao,

Closing your laptop after you checked your email, clicking your tongue as you remembered the words in his letter. The short and concise email suits him. You wanted to laugh at the email he just sent, he keeps telling you that you're a disappointment and now, he wanted you to have a compatibility test with the Kaiju no. 4 suit that your mother used to wear during her days in the Defense Force.

The suit she wore where she had killed lots of Kaiju during her time.

The email was sent last night, and it was currently 8 in the morning. 0900 hours converted to the regular time, it would be 9 a.m. You have an hour to get ready to go to the Ariake Maritime Base once again, because he had asked for your presence.

Best regards, he said, you couldn't help but to laugh at that.

You don't want to come, your day would be ruined if you see him and have a conversation with your so called father. Just thinking what he would say when you told him you don't want to wear the suit, you're sure he would repeat the words that he had been saying to you after your mother's death.

"You're such a disappointment in this family. A disgrace."

But, he wanted you to wear her suit. He wants to trust you to wear that. That is something so laughable, if Hoshina would find out, he would laugh with you. He was well aware your bad relationship with your father.

Sighing as you stared at the clock that keeps ticking, biting your lips seeing that it was already 8:20 a.m., you've been thinking for the past twenty minutes if you should come or not. Slamming your hands on the table, grunting at what you're about to do as you grab your laptop on the table and put it in your bag.

"A daughter should visit her father, right?"

. . .

"You're late." That was the first thing that he said when you opened the door of his office. You looked at the clock of his office and saw that it was 9:30 a.m., it took you an hour to travel by car from Tachikawa base which is located in Nishitokyo to Ariake Maritime Base in Koto Ward.

"Nice to see you too," all you said and approached him. Standing in front of his table, feeling his gaze at you, his brows were knitted together as usual and a frown was visible on his face. A sigh had left his lips, tearing his gaze away from you and stare at the file on top of his desk.

"You'll be testing for compatibility with the no. 4 suit." He opened the folder in front of him, and the first thing that greeted him was the picture of your mother wearing the suit. "They already adjusted it to your size, all it need is for you to we—"

"I didn't agree." Your brows furrowed as he keep talking. His gaze snap off the picture and back to you, and there you see it once again, the disappointment in his eyes. "I don't want to wear it." Your hands formed on a fist as you stared at him in his eyes, your jade green eyes staring at his emerald ones that seems to pierce through you.

"Then why did you come here?" If his brows could furrowed further it would, his scarred face had the same scowl and frown that he had on everyday. "Just to say it in front of you." Shrugging your shoulders and brushing off his intense glare at you.

"No. 4 suit had already been adjusted." He stated firmly. "All you need is to test it." Even if how many times he told you that you're a disappointment, he keeps pushing you to do things that would make him proud.

"I don't want to wear it." Your voice was steady and unwavering, not letting him to do as he pleases. "If you want, let Kikoru wear it. You always favour her and she would do great just like mom." He was quiet, he didn't said anything as you just stand there, unyielding in to his piercing glares at you.

You're firm with your decision, you don't want to wear the suit that your mother wore. You're sure that Kikoru would do it justice more than you, knowing her, she could surpass the combat power your mother had uphold when she was still wearing it.

"But," you notice how his head tilted to the side even if it was the slightest bit of movement. "I want to ask for your permission to wear Kaiju no. 7, Chief Shinomiya." His position and title slip past your mouth, not wanting to address him as father since he hadn't done anything fatherly to you nor to Kikoru.

"No. 7." He articulate, thinking back to the technique and power that the Kaiju had. "Yes, the Kaiju that I defeated on my first year." You stand strongly to your words, not backing down to his stare. "The Kaiju that had teleportation?"

"Yes."

"It can also create portals, correct?"

"Yes."

Isao noticed your quick answer to his questions, he could see the determination in your eyes and the way your posture screams how confident you were. You were interested in his questions about no. 7 unlike how you answer slowly about no. 4.

He stayed quiet at first, staring at your jade eyes and he could see his reflection in them. His cold demeanor almost vanish when he saw how he looked in your eyes. You didn't notice the way his feature soften as you focused on thinking of another reason to tell him why you wanted to wear no. 7.

"Alright."

"I know I could sync with no. 7 perfectly and successfully on the first try. I'm sure I could use its tech—wait, what?" Your brows furrowed when you heard him, he saw how your eyes widen and joy flash in your eyes and he saw you eagerly leaning forward to hear him once again.

"Alright, I'll have it adjusted to your size." He stared at the file in his table, his wife was standing proudly as she wore the no. 4 suit. It hug her body perfectly, and there was dedication in her eyes and when he looked at you, he could see the tenacity that he once saw in his wife when she was still alive.

You couldn't help but to smile when he approved, he was taken aback by the new gleam in your eyes and the way you're grinning right now. This was the first time he saw you with a childlike expression on your face.

"Also," he hum as he looks at you, there was resolve in your eyes as you take a step forward. "Will you give me permission to use the late Shinomiya Hikari's weapon? LC-0039, the large spear." His eyes widen at your request, you notice how nostalgia pass through his eyes as he stared at you.

"Mama! I want to use your spear when I grow up!" A five year old you beam at your mother, pointing at the spear behind her back. She leaned down and patted your head, glancing at her husband who was eyeing the two of you and was carrying a little Kikoru.

"How about your papa's weapon?" Your mother sweet voice asked you, pointing at the gauntlet he had in his arms. Squinting your eyes as you stared at the metal weapon before shivering, Isao couldn't help but to feel offended at the reaction, a complete opposite of how you had a look of admiration to Hikari's spear.

"Eh! It's so big, I couldn't wear it! And I bet it's heavy." Hikari laughed at your tone, you were whining and gesturing how heavy it would be, exaggerating that your arms would fall off if you wear it.

For the past three minutes of silence, you saw how your father's tough exterior slowly crumbled at the mention of that. A memory coursing in his mind at your request. You stand there awkwardly, pushing your body back and forth waiting for his approval.

Isao stared at you, he saw an illusion of your child self, doing the same thing you're doing right now. He could see how you used to wear high ponytail because of your mother's style, and you would sometimes put on make-up to look like your father and even putting on make-up on his face, exaggerating the scars he had.

"Permission granted." You stopped for a moment, you feel like you would burst in happiness at his words. You feel all giddy because you had his approval, you gave him a salute and was about to leave because that's all you wanted to hear right now.

"Wait," his commanding voice stopped you in your tracks. You turned around and see that he stands up from his seat, there was hesitation in his eyes and his body seemed ro do something but he forced himself to stay still. "What is it, Chief Shinomiya?" You tilted your head, articulating his position in the Defense Force.

He doesn't know what to say, he wants to say something to you but thinking it is not the right moment. He just sigh and shake his head at you before taking a sit, staring at the file in his table and didn't cast you another glance.

"Nothing. You may go now." He wave at you dismissively. "I'll email you once Kaiju no. 7 suit is ready for compatibility test." You just nodded and opened the door of his office, not seeing how he stared at your figure and an after image of someone drifted off your body before the door closes, he saw you glance at him through your peripheral vision and his eyes are now staring at the big door of his office.

"She do takes after her grandmother, huh, Hikari."

♡︎༄,'; ALSEPHINA'S NOTE:
INTOXICATED! the next chapter will cover the battle between [Name] and the Kaiju no. 7. Look forward to it! Also, Kaiju no. 7 hadn't made its appearance and it was only mentioned. I don't want to address the Kaiju as no. 0 since I want for [name] to wear the number suit of the monster she neutralize. And it just shows the overwhelming power she had even when she's only a first year on the Defense Force.

Two updates—well, three— today! A small consolation gift since I'll be gone for five days. I'll be back after episode 11 of KN8! Happy readings! Mwaps!