Side blog for @SonicAsura. Where I post any fanfiction I have or write. Most are crossovers while others are What Ifs, Ideas or rare occasion writing challenges. I don't take requests.
Continuation of the first masterlist as there can only be 100 links per post. This will update with each new post and edit the main masterlist. Current fandoms.
AUs
Madness New World
Clowning Around
March Hare
A New Tune
Darkened Waves
A Link Too Young
To Heal A Knight
Guardian Shadow
Of Children and Turtles
Until Death
Path Through Flames
Ash Soul
Abandoned Shade
Out of Mind
Enjoy the Silence
A Hero's Stand
To Become Maddening
Dancer of Destiny
Heartstone Healer
Venomous Call
Special/Miscellaneous:
Vague Series Guide
Heads Up
Madness Uncontained
Drabbles/Fics
Updates:
Next part to Josuke Higashikata with a Grunt s/o, HIB Sun Wukong with a Stand User s/o and Corazon with a Monster Hunter s/o has been added. Can be found on the first Masterlist.
It takes time for certain truths to be uncovered. Especially the most peculiar ones.
It must be known that ghosts are common knowledge throughout the world. Spirits of the deceased who are unable to pass on to the other side. From souls that seek peace to malevolent poltergeists craving vengeance and blood.
It isn't uncommon for a ghost to haunt a particular place. The usual suspect being houses as no one knows what happens behind closed doors. Or how long it takes for the crime to be found. Even now, haunted houses are seen more like a spectacle to cash in on. A mere fraud at most and a subtle dead end at least.
Thus 20 year old Soshiro didn't seem concerned that his latest purchase was one. In fact, the rumors are one reason why he now stood before a large three story manor. Such homes were usually pretty far away from people. Any locals would also keep their distance as snooping is considered dangerous to them.
Perfect home for someone who just wants to be alone. The purple bowl cut wearing man looked at the manor once more. It had an architecture design reminiscent of the late Meireki period. The main body painted a soft grey, the wooden bannisters were pale cyan, and the tiles black as night.
Like any shinden-zukuri, the house alongside its various smaller facilities were surrounded by a thick brick fence. Sitting at every corner of the manor were massive hearty trees just as tall. They almost look like dark oak if it wasn't for the pinkish flower petals and bright red cherries that grew on all four.
'Hybrid trees? It does explain the slightly high prices for the place. Cherry blossom, cherry fruit, and dark oak from what I can guess.' Before Soshiro could ponder about the fruit's edibility, a soft creaking scratched at his ears. The manor's door steadily opened as a lone figure crept out from the doorway.
It was a tall large man probably around 6 ft in height. His plump skin a soft tan, short messy black hair paired alongside a thin scruffy goatee, he wore a white shirt that fit snugly from his burly arms to pudgy round belly, black pants decently highlighted the man's thick thighs, and compliments the simple wooden sandals he wore. The man's hazel eyes smiled brightly at Soshiro than just his plump soft lips.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting. My name is Kafka Hibino. I'm the caretaker and temporary deed holder to this house. You must be Soshiro Hoshina?" The man's soft yet somewhat husky voice felt like music to his ears. "Yes, that is me. I supposed you are the one who'll show me around the place?"
Kafka's only response was a short respectful bow before extending his hand forward. Almost as if beckoning the smaller man to come in. "Ya don't have to act so formal, Hibino-san. I still haven't purchased the house just yet. Plus you aren't my servant either."
The older man merely smiled before guiding his guest inside. Somewhere outside, the old open curtains to the left side of the manor stumble closed. Almost if on cue the right swiftly follows suit as the door shut itself behind both men.
The prior house tour made things interesting when moving day finally came along. Movers helped bring in the larger furniture while the smaller stuff could be dealt with by himself. The house apparently had quite a number of previous residents before Soshiro taken residence.
Every single one left something behind prior to their departure if the large item pile in the shed had anything to say. Couches, tvs, some toys, food and even a few game consoles. Kafka has been trying to find someone to take the stuff with little success. The caretaker lived somewhere around the premises and didn't have a car either. Only a moped so he could buy groceries or other light items.
Soshiro didn't fault him much for it. All the towns nearby weren't ones with a car dealership and vehicle delivery would be insanely expensive. He could deal with the stuff later since it wasn't in the way. Being in the Defense Force meant he can borrow a car for such a task. There were plenty of kaiju relief centers who be happy to take it.
Unpacking all his stuff wasn't a hassle as the main facilities were pretty close to each other. Kafka explained that each floor had multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, common areas, and even a kitchen ready to be used. Only differences between them is they have their own unique rooms.
The ground floor in particular had a training room so it didn't take long for Soshiro to set down his exercise equipment. Kafka's tune remained cheery and bright throughout the tour. Often dropping fun facts, stories or tidbits for each one with a big smile on his face.
Except when it came to the basement. Soshiro didn't miss the somber bitterness that steadily seeped into the older man's tone. The place used to house a craftsman's workshop, an old identity that somewhat remained like the old intact forge.
Various trinkets, jewelry, and even toys can be found throughout the room amongst deeply cared for tools. Kafka went on to explain about a rumor that's steadily began to grow amongst the locals. A hidden incomplete treasure left behind behind as the craftsman perished before finishing.
How younger folks often try to break into the house to find it. Soshiro had no interest in such a treasure honestly. It didn't stop him from ordering security cameras and a few other protective options for the house. There is something he had to ask Kafka though.
"Can ya tell me about the local rumors?" Soshiro had a reason for purchasing this specific house. Pure solitude, whether it be from certain people or the world in general. The distance and its obscure location was only half the deal. He almost missed Kafka's amused snort.
"Which one you want to hear? How every owner passed off the deed after various incidents? The screams that come off the walls every night? Various burglars wept about a big red snake which dwells in this very house? I honestly lost count at how many rumors this place accumulated over the years."
The taller man had given a Soshiro a flat bored look as if he told a really bad joke. Yet the caretaker still gave him an answer to this long list of supposed house rumors. Practically an entire book sewn together in a red leather cover with Home Rumors written via gold stitching.
Soshiro may have spent his first few nights at the house reading this peculiar gift. It did give him retrospect for Kafka's reaction. Quite a number of these supposed rumors were just plain odd or stupid.
An old village rang loud with boisterous laughter and warm hearted chatter. Children playing in the streets as faceless adults commune amongst themselves. This was my home. He felt like he was floating amongst the entire crowd.
The clang of hammer kept it's presence known despite all the noise. Even when the children stood in place. Fear surged through the crowd as screams begin to rise. The hammer continue to drum until fire and earth consumed all. IT's AlL gONe.
Soshiro nearly fell out of his chair as a harsh tremor went through him. His eyes swiftly dart across the room while his muddied mind try to remember what he was doing. The man almost did a double take upon the sight of the opened laptop sitting before him on the table. His half empty coffee was by the edge but hadn't fallen off.
"I can't believe I drifted off while working on my report." He's 21 now and is close to getting a promotion. To fall asleep in the middle of doing simple paperwork felt so shameful. Yet Soshiro couldn't help but think back to that very weird dream.
It has been almost an entire year since he bought his new home. Throughout all that time, nothing really weird has happened. A few items were found in strange places but Soshiro could chock it up to Kafka doing some cleaning or his own carelessness.
No blood pouring from the walls, people screaming, nor books being tossed around by a vile librarian. There hasn't even been an unwelcomed visitor shouting the place was evil. Only peace with the occasional animal chatter or music if it was a cleaning day for the resident himbo.
"It really seems like the haunted house rumors are just that. Simple rumors taken out of proportion." He took a sip from his coffee cup only to scrunch his face in confusion. The drink was still warm, hell so is the cup itself.
"Did Kafka heat up my coffee??" He'll have to ask the man about it later. Soshiro just remembered that a few papers were needed on Mina's desk before the end of the week anyway.
"Good thing this place has a cherry picker instead of a ladder. A fall from that height would be lethal." The garden was pretty simple despite how fancy the estate is as a whole. Various flowers like tulips, roses, and petunias surrounded a cute little bench.
On the right was the shed were various garden tools alongside picnic supplies were housed. The massive tree providing cover from an storm but the thick leafy branches somehow let light trickle down for the plants below.
Soshiro sat peacefully on the bench, his company being a basket full of cherries. The fruit had a bright red hue which shifted to a fiery pink if one shone it in the light at a certain angle. Usually Kafka would pick the cherries but the man was out on a grocery run.
From what Soshiro knew it's pretty hard to grow hybridized trees, much less ones able to bear fruit. Something always tends to go wrong in the process. Yet the cherries weren't such a failure. They had a juicy sweet taste that was balanced with a gentle tangy tartness.
"I wonder if Kafka would like a cherry pie. He's been doing a lot for this place especially with all the rumors going about." Soshiro couldn't really consider himself a good cook. He knew enough to get through his college days. A cherry pie shouldn't be so difficult.
The man was about to pick the basket up when he saw it. Soshiro quickly pulled the item back as a black shadow dove down. He felt sharp jagged claws scrape past the pale skin of his fingers but didn't let the basket go.
The small scaled raven kaiju gave him a sharp glare before flying behind the house. Soshiro looked at his bleeding hand, the monster's claws had cut him pretty bad. Blood dripping all over the now safe cherries and the basket that held them.
A harsh snap followed by a warbled screech immediately took the man's attention. Placing the basket in the shed and tearing his shirt to temporarily bandage the wound, Soshiro went to investigate the sound. He couldn't help the wave of confusion washing all over him.
The raven kaiju now laid on the ground dead. Cause of death? A bare tree branch had pierced right through the bird's chest, its core no doubt in pieces. "What could have done this? I highly doubt the little bastard just crashed into the tree. These giants are well taken care of and it's still harvest season."
Soshiro would later come back to clean up the bird only to find it's corpse had disappeared. Kafka did get his cherry pie in the end. Even if it was a little too sweet for them both.
"I can't believe someone actually did move into the devil house!" "That poor bastard really has a death wish." "It's not just any person! Someone said it was a platoon leader of the Third Division!" "You mean Mina Ashiro's squad?" "No wonder they lasted so long!"
Soshiro couldn't help but sigh behind the grocery store coupon book. The man had no clue who spread word about his housing arrangements yet it was obvious they hired a private investigator. 'Looks like I have to call human resources to track down my unwanted spy. Do they know it's illegal to invade a Defense Force officer's privacy without proper reason or warrant?'
Soshiro kept an ear out as he walked through the grocery store. He was originally here to buy stuff for his dinner with Kafka. Despite being a groundskeeper, the man did a lot to help around the house. Things not in his job description all because he wants to.
Soshiro honestly felt like a freeloader and not a homeowner from the kindness in such a simple earnest man. Plus he already made the guy a pie so a dinner wouldn't be far off. "I wonder how long it'll take for him to lose it. To burn that place down like the last two owners."
Soshiro tried his best not to show any sign of a reaction. Burn down? Someone tried to set the house on fire twice? The image of a mass burning inferno trickle in his mind. Kafka's well beloved trees being engulfed by flame, the manor caught within its fiery wreath.
Horror nearly broke his mask when he realized that the kind himbo was a groundskeeper for the last owner eight years ago. Soshiro didn't want to dive more into that thought. "Where's Hyu's at anyway?" "He thinks the house owner went out and plans to finish the job with some help."
Soshiro's small yellow beetle would soon speed out of the half vacant parking lot with little warning. He didn't care for the honking cars as his vehicle skillfully swerved past them. The only thing that matters is getting home before it's too late.
Soshiro felt his heartbeat harder the closer he got his home. Mild relief kept him from a heart attack as there was no sign of a massive fiery cloud yet. Determination followed when the manor finally caught his red/purple eyes. Fury came last once Soshiro saw the multiple empty parked cars right in front of his gate.
The intricate metal carvings that held it shut was now on the ground. From the deep dents and caved in steel, they must've used a sledgehammer to bust it down. Soshiro knew how much Kafka loved the metal work put into the house. Beautiful but are able to do their respective jobs perfectly.
The man pulled out the twin swords hidden inside the metal komainu statues that sat by each side of the front gate. He already called for officers since invading a DF member's home fell into their jurisdiction than normal authorities. Kafka wasn't answering his phone much to the man's worry.
"Reinforcements better come quick. I might just make these bastards mincemeat than leave them bruised." Soshiro felt his rage rise as he saw more even damage left behind. Clay fragments of different shapes, broken colorful wood, and foul smelling liquid made a horrific trail to the manor's zen garden.
It only made him grip both swords even tighter. However one particular sight nearly melted all of Soshiro's fury. Strewn across the sand pit were the very intruders that planned to burn down his house. Legs and arms pinned to their backs by tightly bound rope, bruises decorating them like a morbid mosaic as sheer fear overtaken the mens' stiff bodies.
All their equipment was neatly piled up by a now overfilled trashcan near the garden's shed. Soshiro finally found Kafka standing before the severely beaten goons, a leather whip in one hand and wooden bo staff in the other. The swordsman's grip on his blades loosen a bit upon knowing the man is safe.
"Damn it... Who would've thought the devil house had a pupp-!" The larger man, which was probably this Hyu, fell silent when the himbo's boot harshly stood on his head. "Shut up! You lost any right to speak the moment you tried to burn me and make Soshiro homeless!"
Kafka's eyes were practically glowing as his veins bulged in sheer wild fury. It definitely made the platoon leader feel something that really wasn't fear. (The cold shower he's gonna take soon was ample proof enough.)
'I think I might be in love with the housekeeper.'
Life really didn't want to give Soshiro a break at all. Only two months had gone by since the house invasion/arson attempt. The thugs destroyed a lot of stuff with half being unsalvageable. Whether it was by thorough smashing or the gasoline is mixed at best.
Until the soil had been properly replaced, repairs were done and the arsonists are processed, Soshiro couldn't go back to his house. Captain Mina been kind enough to let him live on base as the man had no desire to seek his "family" for help. Kafka couldn't come with him since he's responsible for maintenance.
Thus the two's interactions had been reduced to mere phone calls. Something that was barely keeping Soshiro sane. He didn't expect his move would lead to him developing feelings for the himbo. Yet Kafka destroys his expectations like always.
Sweet simple himbo who apparently could be a badass when the situation calls for it. A person who saw truly saw Soshiro, something very rare considering his background. Now the platoon leader is being forced to process it all instead of directly dealing with the problem.
To make things worse, there was word that some hermit crab kaiju were seen near the area. Well known menaces for homeowners due to their habit of converting people's homes into shells. Buildings made from stone and any other hard material are popular targets for these oversized crustaceans too.
Unlike their normal animal counterparts, hermit crab kaiju operate differently depending on their stage. The Honju roam above ground with big shells that can block most attacks. However it was the Yoju who were the most dangerous.
Their undeveloped pincers are surprisingly fast scythes with these smaller crustaceans traveling underground. It's this stage's preference of ambushing home owners that made them dangerous. Their shoddy shells offering short yet effective bursts in speed to make up for the poor defense.
Soshiro almost lost the place to a fire already. The idea of it being stolen and he can't be there to interfere makes it worse. Luckily a few officers were willing to check on his place from time to time. Another small relief that he would gladly take.
The man was halfway through his next stack of paperwork when his phone began to buzz. Soshiro thought about ignoring it as he had papers for the upcoming Entrance Exam that need his signature. Not the kind of thing the man can ignore unless he wants to lose his current rank.
Soshiro couldn't forget the potential promotion to Vice Captain either. The man had worked his ass off trying to become eligible for the position. He didn't want to disappoint the people who had faith in him. Or the opportunities it could offer so he could see his sweet Kafka more.
Soshiro finally gives in from how frantic the buzzing in his pocket had swiftly become. Taking out the device, he feel his heart stand still at the contact number. It was the officer whose watching the house today. The recent text they sent was very ominous.
'Look at the messages first!' Soshiro didn't waste any time opening the app. A simple thumb stroke to see the earlier messages nearly made the man drop his phone. What stared at him was his mail box. One that stood before a very very empty and seemingly untouched plot of ground. Except for the two pictures that showed large, deep imprints forming a unnatural trail.
'YOUR HOUSE IS GONE.' A simple sentence had Soshiro leaving his office in a whirlwind. His captain didn't have the chance to ask him what's wrong either. The only words she could catch is that it's an emergency and he needs to borrow a drone.
It took two days for his house to be found. Countless hours of little sleep and scanning the area with the borrowed drone. Yet all they found were unidentified trail marks to go alongside multiple dead hermit crab kaiju.
No one knows who or what killed them either. Only that it was strong enough to smash shells made from hard steel and stone. Their cores alongside most of the bodies were gone. Almost like they were surgically torn apart until things such as the eye stalks remained.
The real kicker? His missing house was found in its original plot. Not a single sign that it even left the property or have been gone for two days. Thankfully Kafka wasn't injured but he seemed shooken up.
He appears lost in thought more often despite his attempts to hide it. Soshiro had been given a 2 week vacation after the entire fiasco. Things weren't exactly calm at home though. Other than Kafka's cagey behavior, the platoon leader has been plagued by a very weird dream.
A peaceful village from a seemingly feudal era. isn't always in the same exact place for each one. Sometimes the man would be walking through the town square, standing in the market or by the local orphanage. There were two constants though.
Constant sound of pounding, a metallic clang you can associate with metal work. The other is the village being completely destroyed. Whatever's responsible was always hidden behind black smoke and massive flames that smother everything in its wake.
However something had changed when the dream came back tonight. Soshiro found himself in a very familiar looking basement. The only contrast is all the tools were almost new instead of fragile relics. A wooden ceiling greeted him unlike the stone one he knew. Someone was standing near the burning hot furnace.
He couldn't see the person's face as their back was facing him. Although Soshiro can tell it's a man due to the person's broader build and powerful arms. There's no doubt it was the craftsman from Kafka's story. Unfortunately the platoon leader couldn't discern his face. The ceiling steadily began to collapse around them as a familiar fiery light peeked from the entrance.
He had woken up in a cold sweat once. Yet there's something about this one which strangely made Soshiro's heart ache. Like it wasn't just his personal feelings but someone else's. Particularly their pain and...regret. It's why the platoon leader now sat at the doorsteps of the house.
"Couldn't sleep?" Soshiro didn't turn his head when the door behind him shut closed and Kafka sat beside him. The larger man took a glance at the night sky, those kind eyes looking at the moon with a reminiscent gaze. Both of them sat in the quiet for a few minutes.
Their only company being the fireflies drifting about and the singing crickets hidden across the manor's grounds. It was Kafka who decided to break the silence. "Soshiro, there's something I have to tell you."
He couldn't help but perk up at the housekeeper's words. The swordsman's usually closed eyes opening somewhat as red and purple orbs now gazed upon the larger man. "I have been here for a very long time. Most home owners barely last a year before they run for the hills or try to destroy this place."
Kafka took a deep breath, almost if steadying his nerves. "You are the first person who truly stayed despite all the incidents and rumors. Even went beyond expectations by helping me with chores or cooking me heartfelt meals. I'm deeply grateful for that."
The smaller man could feel his cheeks heating up, his eyes opening even wider. Kafka stood up and faced Soshiro with the softest smile he's ever seen. "I can't lie to myself anymore. There might be more to my feelings towards you than just admiration."
Despite his soft smile, the platoon leader could easily see the sorrow in the older man's eyes. One that told a unspoken story of regrets. "I have been keeping a very big secret from you. A story about this very house which was never told."
Before the man could continue his eyes widened in shock, horror swiftly took over Soshiro's face. The two glanced at the various lines now present across the housekeeper's body. Kafka steadily fell into neatly cut pieces as a reddish brown 6 ft hermit crab yoju now stood behind him.
Soshiro barely had a chance to jump back when another yoju body slammed the man off the steps. His back hitting the dirt ground hard as the sound of gurgles and skittering made his head swim more. The platoon leader could barely see Kafka's body amongst the crustecean yoju horde.
He did manage to glance a few holes that were no longer hidden by the bush alongside a hole behind one of the sheds. "Damn things had planned an ambush...!" Soshiro knew he was in serious trouble. There were too many yoju to fight without his kaiju fiber suit.
From the looks of their poor shoddy rock shells, these little bastards were gonna tear apart the house to make new ones. The Defense Force wouldn't be able to arrive in time either. All the hard work Kafka put in to this house is gonna be demolished and eaten by these yoju.
The last thing he now has of him. It was this thought that gotten Soshiro to stand back up despite the pain and dizziness from the yoju's surprise attack. "I'm not gonna let you destroy this house without a fight! This place meant everything to Kafka!" He held back the red hot tears threatening to spill out. It wasn't the time to mourn right now.
Before Soshiro could grab a weapon or the yoju could commence their assault... "I just finished repairing this one too. You damn sneaky little bastards." The air instantly grew heavy as a dark malicious aura spread out from behind the monsters akin to a plague.
Soshiro's eyes stared in a mix of shock and horror as he can now see Kafka's head above the crowd. His cut up body now resembling a wooden mannequin, the segments wrongly put together so the man could stare down at the intruders with fury. The swordsman realized that the man didn't bleed when the yoju sliced him into pieces.
"Looks like I wasn't thorough enough in my last hunt. Unfortunately for you, this puppet was the wrong target." Suddenly the holes in the ground instantly sealed up, Kafka's face loosing it's human features as green button eyes and a sewn frown on cloth skin now look down at them.
"This time none of you are getting out alive." Soshiro almost lost his balance as the entire manor ground's began to shake. The puppet collapsing into a lifeless heap almost if someone cut it's strings. "For harming what's mine..."
The leaves and fruit of the four cherry trees immediately rotted away so their thick branches could attach themselves to the manor, the roots rising from the soil to form monstrous claws. "...I'm going to..." All of the house tiles rose up almost like spikes, the upper rims breaking in half to form jagged horns.
The front facing outer ledges scrunched downard to the windows almost like angry eyes. Soshiro saw a massive jagged crack had manifest itself halfway above the door before spreading out until it reached the opposite side of the house. The manor rose up from its foundation as the four huge trees were now the thing's legs.
"EAT ALL OF YOU!!!" The very long crack revealed itself to be a huge mouth with jagged stone, broken pipes and fractured wooden planks were now the beast's teeth. A distorted static version of Kafka's voice bellowing from the green spiralling grinder inside the monster's maw like a warning siren.
Soshiro's house was alive. The place is actually fucking haunted. He had been interacting with a doll the entire time. Kafka was his FUCKING HOUSE. His mind felt ready to melt at this point.
What kept Soshiro from spiralling further is the still present danger. Even if the thick carpet rug that he walked on daily had turned out to be a powerful tongue. The indoor decoration wrapping itself around a few yoju before taking them into the house's mouth.
Soshiro could only watch as Kafka went on a rampage against the invading swarm. Their scythe like pincers futile attempts at carving the house's tree limbs. Most slices led to the claws shattering on impact and the only damage done from the very few successful blows being small gashes.
Kafka paid them back by repeatedly stomping those hermit crab yoju into paste with his thick wooden hands. Some had tried to run as it became clear they were up against a super predator. All their attempts to climb the walls were futile though.
The now pitch black scale patterned fence forcefully shoved the crustaceans off before shifting its bricks outward to make jagged spikes. Any attempts to dig their way out was also thwarted. Somehow Kafka had made a solid rock wall a few inches underneath the dirt.
The yoju's claws unable to break through the fortified stone without the risk of crippling themselves. He made sure the crabs only had two options. Die in battle or perish trying to run from him.
Everything in the house's property lines were a part of Kafka. The sheds and outside furniture becoming little monsters as the tools inside became their limbs. Every root from the plants had converted into thick vines that easily ensnare some of the yoju akin to snakes.
Soshiro found himself shielded by a lawn ornament wall as a few crustaceans went for him instead. Whether it was because he's an easy target or had connections to the monstrous house still couldn't be determined for years to come. The only thing they succeeded in doing is pissing off Kafka even further.
He kept his word as the yoju steadily died off like lambs to the slaughter. The house ate them no matter their condition. Whether it be whole, in pieces or gravel and bloody meat paste. He was insatiable.
It's only when the last had perished that Kafka's demeanor changed. Everything except for the manor itself went back to their previous state. Unassuming plants, furniture and buildings that had just torn apart kaiju only minutes again.
The furious expression from the narrowed bannisters soften into a sorrowful nervous expression. His tree limbs now laying down close to the building almost like the manor was loafing akin to a cat. It became clear to Soshiro why Kafka kept this whole thing secret until now.
That the prior attempts to burn the place down was out of fear towards the most unexpected yet lethal super predator. Despite the display the platoon leader had bear witness... He couldn't help but approach the nervous house and gently place his hand above the beast's head.
Kafka leaned into it as the lights inside dimmed akin to closing his eyes. "I have a lot of questions to ask ya but not tonight. Too much has happened and my mind is too exhausted to process things right now. I want to sleep in my bed tonight, not the car if you're wondering."
Soshiro couldn't help but chuckle at how surprised a house can actually be. The trees replant themselves into the ground as their fruit and leaves grew back in minutes. Kafka's large mouth steadily vanishing without a trace. He slowly opened the door for the platoon leader, the house's original interior presenting itself to him than the prior nightmare.
"I want ya to know that the feelings are mutual. Whether you're human or a kaiju eating house doesn't matter. Even if it's going to take some time getting used to the latter. Ya understand that Kafka Hibino?"
The feeling of soft wood on his shoulder had Soshiro turn his head to the now repaired mannequin. Familiar human features steadily overtaking the simple face as the himbo smiled back at him. "I promise to tell you everything over some homemade Mont Blancs."
With a hum, Soshiro walked into the house once more. The door closing itself after Kafka follows him in. It would take time for the man to get used to the fact that his house for two and a half years was alive.
Yet Soshiro would eventually. Kafka is still his home despite it all. Even if they had a long discussion about how well his vision was on the inside. The blush on the man's face was enough.
Soshiro might have to save his cold showers when he's at base.
And that's it! Didn't see this one coming did you folks? A Monster House AU for Kaiju No. 8 of all things. Guess this is the second time my ass killed Kafka in some way, huh?
I'll be going over the AU more in depth on a separate post in the main blog. This was a surprise that has been coming for a while now. Hope you all enjoyed it!
I recommend reading Vengeance first. The context there isn't fully necessary but it would help improve the quality. Please enjoy!
"Kafka Hibino, Age 25. He was kidnapped August 7 after the bi-annual Defense Force Entrance Exam by a criminal organization called Omen. The only sole survivor and success of Project Magnus, a program meant to create super soldiers with kaiju DNA." *thump*
"Over the span of two months, thirty six bases belonging to this dangerous group was destroyed. All 7,236 personal working inside were brutally killed and whatever research they had eviscerated. From DNA found at every scene by forensics, it was confirmed that Hibino was responsible for it all. *thump thump*
"After some debate, the individual will remain in Defense Force custody indefinitely. Due to his extreme mutations, he can no longer reintegrate into human society. Research and study on Kafka Hibino's condition shall also be conducted." *thump thump thump*
"The subject has 6 months to prove he's still human in mind. Any unjustified actions or loss of human life will result in immediate extermination. CaN YOu pROvE YoURsElF, MoNSteR?" *THUMP*
Kafka Hibino immediately shot up from his slumber akin to a gunshot. Crimson eyes looking down at black scaled hands as the beat of a partly crystalized heart took over. His gaze erratically swept across the entire room.
The walls were a soft light blue lined by a soft mural of clouds. Not cold gray stone walls. A large oak wardrobe sat in the right corner with an equally big coat rack to accompany it. Both full of custom clothing to fit those with unique mutations. It isn't an empty corner covered in scratch marks.
Dark blue reinforced desk with a big steel chair sat at the center wall, it's surface covered in papers, various writing material and a big silver stereo. Next to it was steel cabinet full of DVDs, board games, alongside the occasional videogame. A large TV hung by the door with a modified game system and a comically big yet functional controller. No one was screaming on the other side.
To the right was a private bathroom with a modified toilet, sink, and even toothbrush for him to clean up with. It only had an incomplete bathtub at the moment as the water pipes weren't connected yet alongside an absent shower faucet. No one is there to beat you for going without limited permission.
Kafka's large body laid in a makeshift nest cobbled together from various soft mattress, pillows, and blankets. Plushies of all kinds surround him like a security blanket. A few humorously hung from his custom white tank top and covered the man's black boxers more than a blanket. It wasn't a dirty bed sheet littered in holes.
The harsh thumping of his heart steadily winded down as the giant took a deep breath. He was at Tachikawa Base now. Mina and her entire division have been taking care of him for the past eight months. Nothing about it changed since she found him in that alleyway. He was safe.
The sound of a soft click immediately got Kafka's attention. He watches the door slowly open before him as a large cart lined with food was pushed inside. The spread was grand ranging from pancakes, omelets, rice topped by salmon, fruit salad, stuffed buns, and even croissants.
Who brought the food in question wasn't really shocking for Kafka when it be for anyone else. From the short purple bowlcut, closed foxlike eyes, short fangs poking below his upper lip, and small stature that was swift to bring everyone's attention; it was Soshiro Hoshina. The Vice Captain of the Third Division but also Mina's right hand.
Ever since Kafka was transferred here, only two people brought him his meals: Soshiro and Mina. Maybe because they weren't offput or afraid of the man's current condition. A murderous monster.
"Morning Kafka! I hope you didn't have another nightmare. That kind of thing usually sours someone's entire day. Especially the long one we're about to have. Luckily the staff made your favorite for breakfast." The man's perpetual smile and soft yet strong voice was almost hard to notice from the harsh grumbling of Kafka's stomach.
His face instantly heated up for a moment before the giant decided to screw whatever manners he had left. Kafka ferociously began to scarf down the food in front of him. The man's neck long jaw fully opening somewhat as if driven by hunger while large clawed hands ruthlessly drop the delectable spread inside. Instead of being repulsed from the abhorrent scene, the Vice Captain let out a light chuckle.
"Good to know I was right on time. It's best to eat up because your body remains somewhat underweight. At least that's what the results from the last physical said. Plus the cafeteria will kick my ass if the food goes to waste. Those ladies can be real scary when they want to be. By the way, there's something special planned around noon today."
Oh right. Kafka almost forgot his daily routine. It was given to him after being taken into Defense Force custody. Being cooped up wouldn't do any good so a schedule of sorts had been put together amongst other things. Although he was curious about what Soshiro meant by something special.
Kafka tried not to flinch when a gush of warm water hit his back. He was currently sitting in a large pool as multiple officers spray him with hoses. "I know this is embarrassing Hibino-san but your bathtub should be up within a week." The man held back a grumble as he kept his tail wrapped around his waist.
Although Kafka couldn't blame anyone really. He still wasn't comfortable using the communal baths with everyone else. Sometimes he wished he didn't become a 15 ft berserker covered in scales, spikes, and horns. However Kafka is a-
That thought was immediately interrupted by a jet of water to the face. Bewildered crimson slits almost looked at the culprit with a wordless 'Why?' before sighing. Once again it was Soshiro, the man coming in during his bath time unannounced. Kafka swore he's a trickster that could tell whenever the himbo was being self depreciating.
"I don't think I'll get ever used to such a sight. Or probably want to anyway." The giant rolled his eyes before nearly jumping out of his skin when thick slippery bristles touch his partially scaley back. "Looks like I'm just in time for the soap brushes! I think I'll stay and help out some."
The lack of protest or reaction from the washers was enough to tell that this isn't the first time their Vice Captain did something like this. Kafka could only shake his head somewhat before someone climbed up to his shoulder. The slimy and sticky texture of cold shampoo pool throughout the man's mane like hair.
He let the officer massage it into his scalp without any fuss. All of them knew it was too early to trust him with such a task at the moment. The thick claws on his hands had torn apart more than kaiju and human flesh. As they should.
"Okay. Move your tail so we can handle those bits." The mischievous look on Soshiro's face made Kafka do the obvious thing: Run. It took 20 minutes for his bath to be finished. Half the base was flashed before they got the himbo back into the tub and the Vice Captain banned from this procedure.
Apparently if pressed enough, Kafka could squeeze through smaller openings similar to a rat. This incident was just the most embarrassing way to find out. Probably even made some officers question their preferences.
"Okay Hibino-san. Please read what the paper says to me." Due to his heavily altered mouth, Kafka couldn't speak like he used to. The lack of lips and long jaw constantly slurred his words into an unintelligible salad. Luckily a few scans showed that the man could still talk.
Thus Kafka was now in speech therapy to relearn how. Luckily the person responsible for these sessions had more sense than Soshiro. Okonogi Konomi is a petite pale woman with dark brown hair in two ponytails, soft brown eyes framed by round glasses, and a kind light voice.
"Sally sat by the sseashore tooo pick up soome sseashells." Kafka harshly cringed as his growlish, scratchy and deep voice slur half the words. It was like nails on a chalkboard trying to talk. A gentle hand on his scaly palm had the giant look at the smaller woman.
"You're making progress Hibino-san. No one can relearn how to talk in one night. Much less expect no flaws with their speech after a few months. Don't beat yourself up over it." Okonogi softly cupped his large hand between hers, a kind smile beaming directly at him.
Kafka couldn't stop the loud rugged purr that had escaped out of his chest. He's such a huge mess. A touch starved one if a simple touch was enough to make him melt. Okonogi let out a somewhat airy chuckle as her body vibrated from the purrs.
"Don't worry Kafka. You'll be properly talking again. Take your time and have faith is all. We've got a few more sentences left on the sheet to go. Let's get through it together!" The giant nodded his head, smiling back at the woman through his eyes. He can try this again.
"Tae Nakanoshima, to your right flank!" A strong yet smooth feminine voice rang throughout the salmon red haired woman's ear piece. Her yellow eyes immediately caught the large figure charging towards her at inhuman speed. Nakanoshima barely had a chance to dodge out of the way as Kafka's hand nearly snagged her ponytail.
Training wasn't something the mutated man could fully avoid. Not like he wanted too obviously. Despite how much his path changed, Kafka still held onto that dream of joining the Defense Force. Even if this isn't how he imagine himself being there.
Due to his trauma, unarmed training was the only thing officers could do with him at the moment. He was close to being ready for foam guns. Paint guns would be the next, then rubber bullets and eventually live rounds. Kafka have been shot in the head before multiple times. He just needed to not go berserk at the sight of actual guns.
This led to today's training being a city wide game of Hide and Seek as different platoons hid from the giant. If he found all the leaders before time ran out then he won. Nabbing each platoon's lower ranked officers made it harder for information to come through.
To make things fair, the giant had a two hour time limit, with obvious breaks in between, while each leader could only call command for visual aid up to three times. Nakanoshima just used her last one as Kafka already caught Ikaruga, Takao and Ebina. There was one hour left before the game is over.
"You're fast big guy! However you still haven't caught me just yet." The salmonette immediately tossed a trashcan when the mutant went to lunge at her. He swatted the item away, spraying junk everywhere as the woman slid underneath him.
Being out in the open with Kafka was dangerous. The man may be big but he could move deceptively fast. Nakanoshima has been avoiding the giant by using the tight alleys scattered across the fake city. Her current objective was almost in her grasp with the man's failed tackle.
Kafka grabbed onto the wall of the building rather than skidding to a halt. He swiftly leapt towards the fleeing Nakanoshima, the stone underneath his feet crumbling from being used as a makeshift springboard. She couldn't duck in time and found herself within the man's palm.
Kafka purposely took the brunt of the impact, his body skidding across the pavement. The man's black tank top was shredded to pieces but the platoon officer didn't get a scratch on her. "Aw man! I thought I could stall a little longer. Hopefully Itakura-san found a better spot. Thanks for protecting me by the way."
Kafka only gave the woman a soft nod as he gently placed her down to the ground. The giant looked at his destroyed tank top before ripping it off completely with a sigh. He did his best to ignore the wolf whistle while putting the remains in the overturned trashcan.
It wasn't the first time his clothes got ruined during an exercise. Kafka's somewhat plush stomach and slightly firm upper torso looked a lot better than when he came into the Defense Force. Back then he was always starving as there was never enough food to maintain such a demanding body. The haunting look on her face when she saw his exposed ribs and somewhat thin body still hurts.
Kafka shook the thought from his head as he took off on all fours. The stuff about his personal health will have to wait. He has one platoon leader left to find before the training exercise ends.
"455 lbs! You gained 40 since the last visit which is very good. From earlier blood samples, the identified species of the dominant kaiju DNA within your system usually weighs around 550 lbs. At least at your current size Hibino-san." The large colorful sunset mural and smell of freshly baked bread in the examination room kept the man mostly calm.
Physical examinations weren't just deeply stressful for him, it had the potential to be lethal to others. Kafka couldn't handle sterile white walls and the heavy smell of chemicals without going into a full-blown panic attack. Thus the Third Division had a specially made examination room designed to not make him feel like a lab rat.
Procedures were also somewhat changed for those same reasons. He recently worked up the courage to only wear his shorts while the doctors run their tests. Weight measurements, monitoring vitals, examining his horns/spikes/scales/tail, checking his current sensory levels, and the dreaded sample taking. Only one person was cleared for that last one as it heavily required Kafka's trust.
"Alright Hibino-san. It's time to take samples again." That familiar strong feminine voice from before greeted him like a bittersweet memory. A young woman with long black hair in a ponytail, somewhat dull brown eyes, pale skin, and assertive aura around her stood at the door.
"Minaaa." She softly nodded as the other researchers steadily left the room until only the two of them remain. "It seems like the speech therapy is going well, Hibino-san. Hopefully it won't be long until you can say my last name. People are already thinking I spoil you too much." Kafka snorted at the statement in half amusement.
That sentiment was well known throughout the entire Defense Force for awhile now. Especially since Mina had been ready to put a bullet in the heads of a few higher-ups just to keep him alive. Not everyone wanted an alive "MAG" on military grounds. To them, Kafka was way worse than a kajju.
He didn't flinch when she took out a reinforced needle or growled once after injecting it into his arm. Mina didn't have to worry about the giant ripping her in half from the tranquilizer gun saddled on her hip. A rampage wasn't plausible even when the woman brought a sander for his spikes and horns.
Kafka still completely trusted her despite how distant they have become. "I'm glad that you are adjusting to life in the Third Division. Things weren't exactly easy back then, were they?" He kept silent as the two knew that answer already and just how far she truly meant.
Kafka wanted to tell Mina so many things. Yet they were all something that wouldn't have any impact without his voice. For now, he could only lightly pat Mina on the back and give her a miniscule hug. The man will eventually say what needs to be said so they both can move on together.
Something felt off. When it was time to return to his room for the night, Kafka is usually accompanied by one of three people. Yet two unknown officers were escorting him back with minor anxiety. He doesn't blame them since he was a killing machine.
The silent slow wall back honestly felt unbearable for the man. Yet Kafka didn't see any deviations from the normal path to his room. Same amount of doors, lights, and even steps. Even the fishy smell that comes with Nakanoshima taking her weekly fish salad to her room further across the hall.
The giant just chalked it up to everyone being too busy to handle him. Both officers poorly hid their sigh of relief when the three finally reach his bedroom door. Kafka didn't say anything as the two instantly speedwalk down the hallway. Their steps getting faster until they were out of enhanced earshot.
He looked at the door handle, the giant's heart strangely thumping load in his ears. It got louder as his fingers wrapped around the handlebar. Why was he nervous? This isn't his safe space. Kafka could hardly breathe, the hallway around him felt like it was spinning.
He quickly closed his eyes. 'Take deep breaths and count to 10. 1, 2, 3...' The thumping in his brain became less prominent. '4, 5, 6.' Clawed fingers slowly began to open the door. '7,8,9.' It didn't feel as painful to breath. '10!'
Kafka's eyes were with multiple things amongst his room. A large table stacked with all of his favorite food, various items wrapped in different color paper and bright ribbons. Hanging from above was a large banner that read "Happy Double Birthday, Kafka!" Finally at the center of the room is Mina, Okonogi and Soshiro who stood behind a massive three layer white frosting cake topped with various decorations than just a 26 number candle.
Even Mina's big white tiger Bakko had a little hat on. "Surprise!" The special thing Soshiro hinted at was a surprise party. Kafka completely forgot that today is his birthday. Wait... "Dooublee?" The three softly smiled at his confusion. "We know you didn't get to celebrate your birthday last year and might've forgotten this one too." Okonogi's answer had left the man stunned speechless.
He didn't know what to say. "Oh Kafka! I hope those are happy tears as it's bad luck for the birthday boy to be sad at his own party!" The giant softly wiped away the unnoticed stream of tears, his tail swishing behind him in a quick manner. How could he have forgotten that he's so loved?
Bedtime was usually the hardest for Kafka. Sometimes he couldn't sleep or his slumber is ravaged by nightmares. At best, the man would dream of nothing at all. Good dreams were a luxury for a heavily scarred soul like him.
Yet Kafka wasn't alone anymore. The weight of Okonogi, Soshiro, Bakko and Mina against his curled up body is real. Textures from their different pajamas(or fur) were warm blankets against his tough scales. Light snores were music to his ears even if it came with the occasional weak unconscious kick to the side. Mina hadn't changed one bit.
Kafka let the sound of his purring reverberate across the entire room. The vibrations softly lull his companions into a deeper and more pleasant slumber. He closed his eyes before nuzzling into his already kneaded pillow.
"Thank you..." Everything will get better with time. If Kafka forgets that, then he has friends to pull him back up again. A peace he hopes will last forever.
And that's it! I did plan to write this for Kafka's birthday but life got in the way. This takes place in the Placation route where Mina finds him first. I'll be doing a normal route with the Monster Sweepers some other time. Hopefully my take on an unreliable narrator is somewhat better too!
Even a kind soul can be warped into something else.
I won't lie. This might not be my greatest work yet. Especially since I wrote it last year and just finished it now! Fair warning that this fic contains some gore alongside unethical treatment of humans. It is related to my MAG!Kafka AU after all. Let's get started.
Kafka Hibino had never been a vengeful person. Even when people wronged him in various ways throughout his life. His best friend leaving him behind to serve in the Defense Force and not call at least once? Kafka blamed himself for being too weak to keep his promise.
Scumbag manager at his first gas station job cutting his pay for no valid reason? Kafka reported the man with a sense of duty. (Okay there was some pettiness involved.) What about the time he got mugged in a back alley on his way home from work? The man simply took his important items out of his wallet and tossed it before making a break for it. Kafka replaced the wallet after some time plus the robber was eventually caught.
He truly isn't a vengeful person even if somebody directly wronged him.(Definitely petty though.) Kafka would put up a fight for others but never took it too far. Yet time eventually changed everyone in its wake. And he was no different.
That damned day began like any other shit show. Company car hadn't been working, the rain was ruthlessly heavy, and he struggled to not break down in the Defense Force’s reception area. Once again he failed miserably on the Entrance Exam. To add burning coals to injury, the 24 year old man didn't even make it pass the written section.
It was a pretty awful day for Kafka Hibino, maybe one of his worst yet. However it truly evolved into a nightmare when HE showed up. A short stout man clad in a black fancy suit, his balding hair gelled back in a presentable manner, and an air around him that screamed ‘You are the next big star!’.
He introduced himself as Matsuya Hideko, a spotter for a new branch in the Defense Force. Considering the steady drop in able-body officers, the government decided to create a special training program that centers around exam dropouts. Participants would be put through vigorous tests designed to iron out their key weaknesses and those who earn the best results could officially join the Defense Force.
It honestly sounded too good to be true for Kafka when he thought about it. He couldn't help but have his doubts as wouldn't the Defense Force themselves make such news more public? (There weren't even any fliers, commercials or bulletins!) Yet, an old memory decided to make itself known through a familiar feminine tone.
“We’ll join the Defense Force and destroy all the Kaiju together! Right Kafka?”
Those old words didn't hesitate to rattle throughout the man’s mind and let his heart blindly make the choice. Poor naive Kafka. He didn't know he was a willing lamb to the slaughter. Too slow to even react when the bag came down on his head once he closed the slaughterhouse’s car door.
Kafka's first days in his new hell had been a sheer shit show to say the least. Like all the others before him, he tried to make a break for it once his bindings were cut. His efforts got the man a taser to the back, deep bruises from a harsh group beating and tossed into a musty old cell without any food for two days. Kafka was left alone in a pitch black room where he slept in his own filth until someone dragged him out.
The sudden reintroduction to light had blinded him so badly that he nearly puked on an already empty stomach. It wasn't as bad as being forcibly stripped down to his birthday suit, cleaned, shaved and then branded like an animal. Or for the process to end with a syringe full of an unknown liquid painfully jabbed into his spine. Kafka had passed out for the second time.
Unfortunately he isn't the only one in this hellhole. When Kafka woke up, he was greeted by a multiple varying faces and a slightly too small prison uniform. There were four guys alongside one girl whose possible ages must've ranged from 19 to 27. All of them clearly had gone through the same experience he did.
Heavy weight on their hearts born from stress, deep scars, and faded bruising were etched into their bodies. Like a senpai does for every new school kid, the five told him what was really going on. They were experiments for a shadow organization simply called ‘Omen’. Ever since the Defense Force came into action, there have been people who wished to have the power of kaiju at their command.
A suit could easily betray them by an outside influence so they wished to go for something that is ‘easier to leash’. Kafka had unknowingly signed up to be Omen’s new pet project. A potential candidate for a breed of obedient bio engineered soldiers infused with kaiju DNA.
The schedule to this evolution is simple. Injections in the morning, physical training, obedience lessons, second round of injections, ‘stress training' and rest. Their original names were taboo outside the cell as talking back is asking to get your teeth kicked in. Only respond to the name given by their handlers or else.
Kafka reluctantly found himself with the number ‘Eight’ for his name. His other four male roommates were Pyre, Rift, Phage and Xeno while the only girl was called Wicca. The rest of their free time was spent going over all the information they had available to Kafka. From what he learned, this site recently began the project a few years ago.
Every ward under the Japanese Defense Force’s jurisdiction had at least three Omen bases in the area. Phage had been in this hellhole the longest, followed behind Wicca, Rift, Xeno and Pyre. There were two others before Kafka but they had died. One during training and the other for the very information the group of prisoners have.
Like him, everyone planned to escape this mad scientist’s terroristic wet dream. They made sure to show him the plan that the five have been cooking up as every additional person could make a difference. It was enough to give the 24 year old man hope again. Kafka believed that things would turn out alright.
Pyre died in the fourth week. It had all happened so fast that Kafka still couldn't process the entire thing. They were going through their psychotic kidnappers’ latest obstacle course. Apparently stress training is a just a roulette of torture or agony for prisoners to run.
Whatever result the invisible roulette wheel landed on, that would be what their captors would inflict upon everyone. Sometimes they could work in groups but most of the time it was every man for themselves. The bastards even rewarded them with dog treats if they passed(survived).
Lady Luck really hadn’t been on their side this week as obstacle courses came up twice in a row. Kafka used to watch game shows where contestants had to run insane tracks for a simple prize. The ones the crackheads working in Omen make were like those but ramped up to a 11.
Anything that could maim, disfigure or even kill a human was present. Pits filled with spikes, constantly rotating flesh searing heated bumpers, erratic electric panels ready to fry any unfortunate bastard standing there, etc. Every last bit was to trigger enough stress to activate the dormant kaiju genes injected into their bodies.
Pyre hadn’t gotten the chance to fully recover from yesterday's obstacle course. His back and legs still bear fresh electrical burns that the medics barely even tended to. Xeno kept close to him throughout the course as they all knew he wouldn't survive if left alone.
Pyre’s legs sadly gave up the fight at the worst time possible. Both men had just jumped over the saw blade pit only for the youngest’s knees to buckle. Xeno didn't even have a chance to grab the teen before he fell backwards into the meat grinder. The only thing that hadn't been mixed into paste was the blood splatter on the older man and a right shoe.
Kafka could barely hold his tongue when their kidnappers began joking about the youth's graphic death. The kid was barely even 19. A curious heart of gold who had so much to experience only for his life to be snuffed out in seconds. Yet these bastards could only joke about Pyre now being a meat smoothie for the rats.
The five of them quietly mourned his death, his shoe being recovered before the guards could toss it. It was the only thing they could do. What mattered at the moment was finding the right opportunity to escape. They could truly honor Pyre once all of them were free.
‘Everybody's gone…’ This was the sole thought that refused to leave Kafka alone as he sat in the empty room’s uncaring presence. What little life it held had been eaten away by a mournful silence. His mind didn't want to process how much he had lost in the short span of one damn year.
Phage was the next person to be taken from them. Only thing they knew was that it had been his solo test for the day. Nobody found out until Kafka saw one of the guards wear Phage’s red fingerless glove. A simple yet cherished keepsake that he wouldn't let just anyone use.
Wicca and Xeno died around the same time. The two were corny romantic flavored lovebirds who promised to marry after they escaped from Omen. Hell, they even had the whole thing planned out with the ceremony being held in Osaka with a grand reception where everyone binged bad movies.
Wicca had been taken for private testing but never came back just like Phage. It didn't take long to find out what exactly happened to her as one guard held her prized bracelet like it was a trophy. Xeno lost it and attacked them in retaliation. He had been shot dead on the spot with his blue bead hairband rolling into Kafka’s foot.
Rift’s death was personally the worst. The two had to race against each other and whoever lost would perish. Neither of them wanted to do this but were given no choice or they both would die. Kafka had been ready to let him win as he couldn't take Rift’s life. (He spent time reflecting on his regrets before this death race.)
A gunshot flying past his ear pierced through the silence. Morbid realization hit him in a sticky red spray and hard stale dog treats clatter against his chest like rocks. The 23 year old wasn't going to let him die though as he purposely tripped himself at the last stretch of the race. Kafka collected Rift’s metal ring before the thugs could pocket it.
He was now the only one left. The quiet of the stale barren room truly became unbearable without the soft voiced planning or friendly chatter. Kafka could no longer care about trying to maintain his long ragged hair nor eat properly. Five innocent people, his only friends in this hell, were now dead and it was all his fault.
He was given no warning when two guards busted down the door of his cell. Kafka could only watch as they grabbed him by the arms and harshly dragged the tired man down the hallway. (He had no willpower to resist them anyway.) Wherever they were taking him, it was part of the facility he hadn't been to before.
The thugs slammed open a door to an almost empty room as the only thing inside is a chair. An obviously dangerous one because it was hooked up to multiple wires. Looming up above seems to be an observation room from the wide one sided glass high on the wall. Kafka found himself strapped down to the chair as a helmet and braces were put on him. ‘Is this an electric chair?!’
The two men quickly scramble out of the room once the intercom hauntingly blares to life. “All staff must vacate the chamber. The DNA Activation process will begin in 2 minutes.” Kafka knew right there that he was going to die here in this room. Almost as if hearing his supposedly final thoughts, the chair crackles to life with a brutal blast of electricity.
Kafka screamed but nothing came out because sheer immense pain smothered it in seconds. Every part of him felt like it was on fire with each volt pumping mercilessly into his body. He could feel his organs begin to shut down one by one whilst his nerves began to fry.
Images instantly flared throughout Kafka's mind in flickers like a dying candle. The morbidly terrified faces belonging to his lost friends transition into dead featureless bodies. Smiles and grins full of malicious glee dance on their killer’s faces. A teary eyed Mina crying all alone as she drowns in the flames. Steadily a new yet familiar feeling surged within him.
A sensation that burned even hotter than the high voltage frying his body. It gave him power for Kafka steadily opened his eyes with his waning strength. ‘No… Fuck this…I refuse to die here.’ No way in hell was he going to let them get away. These bastards had taken so much from him. His new friends’ lives, his dreams, and what little innocence he had left.
Who knows how many others they have harmed? Or the possible hopeful individuals that believe they have one more shot to a dream they dedicated a good chunk of their lives to? Kafka refused to give these psychos any more satisfaction.
He was going to get out of this death trap alive. He’ll tear Omen down brick by brick until nothing’s left. Kafka…was going to kill them ALL. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM AND HE WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL HE HAS HIS VENGEANCE.
Like a domino chain, three things happened all at this very moment. Every bit of Kafka's bright eyes was immediately consumed by blood red, the electric chair began to smoke from the high voltage, and all the lights across the facility went out in a violent glass shard filled explosion. A complete blackout encompassing the facility in an eerie darkness.
Two guards swiftly kicked down to the room, flashlights in one hand and pistols outstretched with fingers on the trigger. Both men began to sweep the room for any signs of ‘Eight’. The chair the experiment had been strapped to laid empty and in complete tatters.
“What the fuck?” One guard quietly whispered, his voice ripe in confusion but also fear. Two red dots suddenly appear within the darkness before them. At first it was leveled about six feet off the ground. Until those two orbs began to get higher and higher before disappearing without a trace.
One of the guards swiftly tried to shine his flashlight on whatever it was they saw. He was completely unaware that something in the environment had changed. A detail which became horrifically clear when the light finally found its target.
The headless body of his fellow guard hung loosely in the air by an inhuman arm. It could’ve been mistaken for a log if it wasn't for the dark grey scales or the obvious hand at the end. From how the palm laid flat on the shoulders and the claws dug deep into the flesh underneath, his head had been crushed under extreme pressure.
The now lone guard didn't even have a chance to shine his flashlight on the rest of the monstrosity, nevermind even try to run away. Something smooth, long and firm pierced swiftly through the man’s back before coming outta his stomach. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was the images shown by the now falling flashlight.
A long tail belonging to a large hulking brute in tattered clothes. Red slitted eyes full of hate stare down at the man as a three toed reptilian foot hangs above him. He was gone before the clawed appendage came down on his head with a harsh stomp.
It didn't take long for the entire facility to fall into chaos afterwards. Someone had managed to turn on the emergency lights but some rooms remained in darkness. One in particular being the very room where subject Eight was taken. The small squadron of guards waiting outside the door was unaware about the monster they had unleashed. At least until the steel door flew off his hinges and turned a few unlucky men in its way into bloody paste.
They didn't hesitate to fire into the darkness as sheer fear fueled their assault. It meant nothing when the monster inside came barreling down on them. Some men wished the lights didn't come back as they saw the full form of their executioner.
A hulking 15’6 titan that had once been Subject Eight. His real name was Kafka Hibino, not Eight. Thick dark grey scales had consumed his arms, legs, sides and facial cheeks like a plague. Every bullet they fired only bounced off the thick hide akin to a paper ball.
Powerful digitigrade legs supported his immense weight with the best comparison being a velociraptor from the three toed talon feet to the dew claw behind it for extra support. Claws which tore apart the floor as the test subject furiously lunged at the approaching guards.
A long black tail swished behind the giant much to the protest of the heavily strained boxers that somehow clung to life. It had no problem smashing any poor sap caught in its bone crushing grip and equally vicious slams. Thick red spikes going from the shoulders to the back matched the monster’s long claws in sharpness. Every guard, scientist or anyone else affiliated with Omen found that out the hard way.
The titan’s mouth now stretched partly down his neck was lined with razor sharp teeth which overtook the human lips he once had. It eroded whatever physical humanity he had left as the jaws opened wide to let out a bloodcurdling primal roar. His head and neck temporarily split in half like a crocodile’s maw before crunching a scientist’s skull into paste.
Two long white horns pierced through the dirty mane of black hair on the giant’s head. Like a bull, these appendages gored everything in their path as their owner charged with equal fury. However the worst part of this man made monstrosity was his eyes.
Slitted blood red orbs that held nothing but malice, anger and apathy. Completely different from their once soft bright yet gullible counterpart. They stared down Matsuya Hideko with sheer fire as he desperately struggled in the giant’s grip. Eyes that remained unblinking even when the man was torn in half by two powerful hands akin to a wishbone.
Omen’s most ambitious experiment to date, Project Magnus, had finally bore fruit. A vengeful monster who let loose his fury on everyone in the base that had a hand in his creation. Guards, scientists, and any form of staff unfortunate enough to come in today. Flesh was either pulverized to a bloody pulp through brute strength or rend apart by sharp claws.
The carnage for that lone base came to an end when the entire site collapsed in on itself. However it was just the beginning of Omen’s downfall as their creation wasn't done. Not until every base and the people responsible were dead.
Kafka would make sure of it. Was he really Kafka Hibino anymore?
Over the span of two months, unexplained phenomena had run rampant through Japan. Single buildings razed to the ground with every person inside dead in a gruesome fashion. What was thought to be simple kaiju attacks had unraveled into a massive conspiracy for the Defense Force.
An organization known as Omen planned to weaponize the power of the kaiju for personal gain. Files on various DF Entrance Exam dropouts had listed routines for cruel genetic experiments. Multiple bases spread across each ward remain undetected by the help of moles embedded throughout the entire force.
That detail had everyone scrambling to handle the massive security breach rather than just investigating every known base. What really had the Defense Force concerned were research files for one specific operation. Project Magnus.
A plan to create supersoldiers using kaiju genetic material and made obedient through various protocols. Every single test subject for the project had knowingly perished except for one. Kafka Hibino who continues to remain missing.
While members of the Third Division examined the latest wreckage, something was off with a nearby alleyway. A large inhuman figure sat hunched against the wall. Soft whines could be heard as the being softly cried into his dark grey arms.
Laying in a neat pile within the crevice of the stone walls was what looked like a little memorial. A bead style hairband, metal ring, a right shoe, wrist bracelet, and a lone fingerless glove sat around a stone pile hidden from the world. The giant continued to sob completely unaware of someone approaching. Until…
“Kafka…?”
And that's it! I was trying to go for the unreliable narrator style so hopefully it didn't come out too awkward. Plus pure angst isn't my strong suit. Nevermind that I procrastinated for so long. Hope you guys enjoyed it.
Just a heads up, there are bots going around on AO3 accusing people of using AI. Considering the timing, this is likely AI bros' retaliation for AO3 users calling them out for scraping their work. Examples of what you might be sent:
Screenshots from here.
If you get a comment like this, just report for spam and delete.
Also, don't put your fic through an "AI detector". A lot of those are just cover for techbros to say you gave them your work freely to put into their AI databases. Do not feed the machines.
NOTICE: As more and more fanfic writers are using generative AI for their works (you uncreative dweebs), I hereby swear on everything I hold dear that I have not and will NEVER use generative AI in ANY of my written work. Everything I post will be organically and creatively my own.
↳ a masterpost for informational writing prompts and other tips for writers
If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.
I also have a Patreon! Become a member to gain access to a Member's Only Community where you can chat and message other members and myself. Also gain access to my personal writing, which includes completed short stories, chapters from novels in progress, as well as completed scenes.
Writing and Describing Physical Appearance:
How to Describe Facial Expressions
How to Describe a Character's Appearance
How to Write a Character with a Prosthetic
Body Language Descriptions
Body Language Descriptions part 2
Writing Dialogue:
How to Describe a Character's Speech
How to Write Dialogue for a Stuttering Character
How to Write a Mute/Non-Speaking Character
What to Do with Too Much Dialogue
How to Write a Character with an Accent
Terms and Phrases:
Pirate Terms and Phrases
Cowboy/Wild West Terms and Phrases
Writing Genres and Subgenres:
Murder Mystery
Slow-Burn Romance
Writing Villains, Monsters, and other Antagonists:
How to Write a Monster
How to Write a Good Villain
How to Make Readers Fear Your Villain
How to Write an Unreliable Narrator
Serial Killer Signature Ideas
How to Give an Eldritch Horror Entity a Voice
Writing Protagonists and Side Characters:
How to Write a Sacrificial Character
How to Write a Bully with an Opportunity for Redemption
How to Write a Mermaid
How to Write a Pre-Teen
Writing and Describing Emotions and Disorders:
Nightmares and Sleep Paralysis
Panic Attacks
How to Write a Character with an Eating Disorder
How to Write a Paranoid Character
Different Ways to Describe Fear
How to Write a Controlling Character
Writing and Describing Threatening Conditions:
How to Write a Character that has been Poisoned
How to Write Hypothermia and Frostbite
Writing and Describing Character Interactions:
How to Describe Emotionally Distant Parents
Ways for Characters to Get to Know Each Other
How to Describe Characters in Cold Weather
How to Write a Band Performance that Flows with Inner Dialogue
Thanks Sonic, I'll get to it once I'm able to. Currently at a family dinner at my aunt's place. So I'm a bit busy. But I'll be giving you that updated in a few days for sure.
Sonic, your a genius with this take on Merfolk HCs. Pretty much all of it works with my Tentacle Au and I'll be sure to link it once I'm done with certain parts.
However, could you please tell how the link stuff actually works? I have never needed to do it here before and could use the help.
There's a task bar for editing posts. Look for the chain link icon and press it. It allows you to add a link to the post. Click the share button, highlighted in red, to get the link for the post in question.
My take on merfolk from their biology to societies. Expect a good chunk of my works to incorporate these to an extent. Any fandom related ones like for KN8 will be labeled as such. Y'all are free to utilize this if you want. The only thing I ask is to maybe link the page so others can see it for themselves! Let's get started.
Merfolk consists of multiple species than just mermaids and mermen. Sirens, Selkies, Nereids are some examples amongst this diverse species. I can't forget the various subspecies and hybrids that slowly emerge from this tree of evolution.
Merfolk are related to humans through a distant ancestor. These individuals began to steadily adapt traits perfect for aquatic environments. An evolution that soon made them amphibious in nature before truly becoming the mers known today.
Merfolk slowly began to disappear from the eyes of their land locked relatives. Quite a few believe it was due to rising conflict between both races. Whatever the reason, the aquatic species soon faded into legend as they lived in their own underwater communities.
Of course merfolk also had their major conflicts just like humans. Even civil wars before a treaty was put in place to avoid self made extinction. This treaty led to a massive renaissance amongst the species, particularly in the realm of medicine.
Antidotes, antibiotics, vaccines, and any other cure to the ocean's maladies. Multiple species of merfolk were venomous in nature so these cures dropped illness or death from poisoning drastically. Especially since young mers have difficulty controlling their venomous bites and stings.
The latest development in merfolk medicine was actually prosthetics. Whether materials from items humans tossed to the sea or what their natural environment has to offer varied. Even merfolk can suffer grievous injuries so these prosthetics could make living easier.
(Kaiju No. 8) When kaiju began to infest the sea, multiple merfolk inventions were halted and possibly lost. The schematics to prosthetics were one such thing. Stone slabs depicting these life saving aids often found themselves in places like auction houses.
Another type of merfolk creation was bath soap, especially bubble bath. These aquatic individuals do love a good bath and multiple bathing places are hidden amongst the sea. Even hot springs which became popular with the elderly or ailing mers.
Merfolk bath products are 100% environment friendly compared to most of their human counterparts. Some even have more potency in certain areas. Merfolk bubble bath create huge bubbles that are able to be entered and played inside. Although caution is advised as they are meant to be played around water since contact with land or a sharp object would pop them.
Like humans, merfolk have planned on how to handle disasters. Especially if it makes the upper part of the ocean too dangerous for them to live. An emergency 'bunker' deep within the sea referred to as the Depths.
Should an event occur that requires this shelter, nearly all merfolk will retreat to the Depths. How long they stay down there varies but there's enough materials and supplies to keep them alive but also content. Not all merfolk retreat to the Depths as a good chunk of pods decide to tough it out.
Whether its stupidity or hubris which drives these rare few are unknown. Though the chances of their situation becoming complicated also arise. Some mers are born with a dormant mutagenic gene.
It slumbers amongst the unaware population unless certain perimeters are met. The main reason being if the environment in question has deemed itself too hostile for the host to survive. It's at the moment where it'll awaken and begin to mutate the mer.
The mutations depend on what is potentially threatening the host's life. Adaptations can be minor like hardening of scales, the ability to camouflage, being able to withstand inhospitable environments, etc. However there are occurrences where the mer becomes monstrous.
(KN8) Due to the threat being kaiju, the mutation merfolk go through is called Pseudo Kaijufication. The hosts in question begin taking on kaiju traits from size, advanced regeneration and even develop unique abilities. All of them share a stinger-like tail which is actually their old body's tail fin rendered useless.
These mutations often come at a cost as they become less merman/mermaid to fit their new kaiju genetics. Kafka lost his ability to take on human form and his enchanting song. In exchange he got a powerful ability in the form of Self Biological Manipulation alongside electrokinesis.*
All merfolk possess the power to take on human form. This requires the individual to dry themselves on land. Inside their body is a gene that is responsible for the transformation via their skin.
Whenever dry, a mer's body will expel the excess moisture creating a thick screen of dry steam as a result. All their animal traits recede into human ones without the needed water sustaining it. Some spontaneous fog banks are the result of Leviathan class merfolk taking human form.
If their outer skin touches water then they revert back. The gene orders their body to draw in water particles within the air at a rapid rate. Moister the area, the faster the reversion is. Some crafty merfolk created tonics that can temporarily nullify this gene for a few hours.
Quite a few members of the species secretly live amongst humans. No one knows how many people have a merfolk lineage but some guess around 22%. A human/mer couple can bear human and mer offspring.
The chances for either varies between individuals. Whether the 'mother' is human or mer doesn't matter at all. A few scholars believe it's because both races are distant relatives thus they share similar genetics.
The animal half of a merfolk usually affects their mannerisms and biology on certain levels. For example, some subspecies are born intersex/hermaphrodite if they're part sea slug or cuttlefish. Terms for offspring, how they are born, and terminology also varies.
Merfolk come in different size classes with the smallest being Mini while the largest is Leviathan. Every subspecies has a chance to be born in any size class despite the nature of their animal halves. Leviathan: 31-50 ft except for some rare cases being even bigger, Large: 19-30 ft, Medium: 10-18 ft, Small: 2-9 ft, Mini: Less than 2 ft.
All merfolk can have offspring with each other no matter the size class. This unique biology is the main reason why they usually travel in pods of varying sizes. Someone will be able to tend to offspring if the parents are indisposed for some reason.
A few merfolk do live solitary lives under different reasons. Sometimes it is their choice since pod life ain't for everyone. Most of the time it is by banishment via majority vote or the leader. The same condition is given to the mer's mate in question.
Sometimes a merfolk will perform a mating bond with their potential partner(s). This is an ancient ritual that links the participants' souls to each other. A connection which allows one to feel how their mate is doing and for one to follow the other(s) after death as a spirit.
When a mating bond is formed, unique markings appear all over the pair's body. The colors and shapes vary between individuals but only other merfolk can see it. It shows that the mated pair are taken but also share little interest in new partners. Mating bonds must be done willingly between both sides in order to work.
If a merfolk has lost something whether due to a mutation or another unnatural event, a mating bond would restore it to some extent. This even includes lost senses, lost ability to take human form, and for species like sirens they regain their unique power. Selkies gain the ability to regain their missing coat once no matter the location.
There is some human technology that can see mating bond markings if they have lenses made from sea glass. Merfolk and human tattooists are sometimes commissioned to make physical tattoos on the marks. The latter being fishermen or trusted individuals by the former.
Some human communities are aware of the merfolk's existence. They often vary but it's usually people who have occupation that results in moderate sea interactions or have mer partners. It ain't uncommon for lovers of the latter to make life changes.
Whether it's a life on sea following their mate's travel routes or even becoming a merfolk themselves. There is a unique potion made from a merfolk's blood that can convert a human into this unique race. Any who do partake in it becomes the blood donor's species and inherits their genetic traits including mutations from the adaptive gene.
Conversion takes one-two weeks to complete depending on the merfolk in question. This is so the human can adapt to the changes at their own pace without something going wrong. It takes extra time if the blood donor has mutated to a certain extent as they do manifest inherit physical traits.
(Kaiju No. 8) If Soshiro takes the potion then it would take almost three weeks to fully transform. He will become a 73 ft Great White Shark Siren in the Leviathan class and part of the Pseudo Kaiju class like Kafka. This includes inheriting his own bone like mask, bioluminescence alongside his husband's abilities such as electrokinesis on a lesser scale.
Merfolk utilize whatever they can find in their current environment. This even includes human made objects like scrap to lost transportation vehicles. It ain't uncommon for them to remove trash from the ocean with the occasional human help.
None of these sea denizens like polluters especially if it's done on purpose. It ain't uncommon for merfolk to toss garbage back at the offenders or dump it into their boats. Sometimes petty Leviathan class mers stealthily toss garbage island patches on large ships such as military vessels to cruise liners.
Merfolk have their own treasured landmarks and sacred sites of sorts. The species' most important plant is actually mangrove trees. It ain't uncommon for mers to hide their eggs amongst the roots of these trees for they serve as nurseries to orphans.
There are ways for humans to prove themselves trustworthy to merfolk. Whether it's through special charms made from dead mangrove bark, having mating bond marks, or being decently fluent in their language. The latter requires help from a mer in order to learn.
Meanwhile dangers like poachers are taken very seriously. The bones and dead flesh of merfolk are the deepest black in the species' eyes so they can immediately recognize items made from fallen kin. Mers will drown or tear apart threats like poachers without any remorse.
Even baiting them into deep enough water by playing dead, wounded, or unaware. These executions are done in small pods of any size class for maximum efficiency. Abandoned vessels on the sea can be attributed to merfolk attacks.
Items made from mers are given proper burials deep beneath the sea beds. There are rare exceptions to this. If a merfolk willingly donates part of themselves for an item's creation, then the donated materials are treated with a special solution that makes it a different color in merfolk eyes.
The main ingredient for this solution must be given willingly or it won't work. Another natural deterrent against potential threats that try to deceive them. (Not the first time it has happened nor will it be the last.)
(Kaiju No. 8) Kafka gifts Soshiro twin katanas made from a tooth and claw as one of his courting gifts. These blades come with the unique ability to slice even through diamond like a hot knife to butter in skilled hands. Something No. 10 learns the hard way.
Merfolk can live for a very long time compared to humans. Their life span varies between species but some individuals have lived even way longer than what's normal for any individual. Dubbed as Ancients, they are a rarity and often have knowledge that was lost to time amongst merfolk.
I'm really not apologetic with this hard stance, either. I'm very firm on this, too. My art has already been used, twice now by people who did not ask my permission, so they could "enhance it" with Gen AI. I really see nothing good coming from generative AI except poor excuses for laziness and glorified search engines that don't work.
This is an important time to make the distinction between generative and analytical AI. Analytical AI is what AI is supposed to be for. It’s all the boring stuff like analyzing data for patterns. For example, you probably heard about that AI that was designed to tell apart bear claws from croissants for a bakery that is now being used to detect cancer cells with greater accuracy than human doctors. That’s an analytical AI, while everything mentioned in the post above is generative AI. (Which sucks!)
Family is what you make it. Even if it's the most peculiar.
A spin-off of Nobody Like You AU with Kaiju!Kafka and Soshiro. The basis for this hasn't been written, here's the context. Soshiro's father bars him from joining the Defense Force so he owns a farm with a secret pastime supported by his kaiju lover. Please enjoy.
Soshiro Hoshina never really thought much about the concept of family. His first experience hadn't been a great introduction to what most would crave or imagined. It was an old ghoul that bore looks of disapproval, scars born from bloody efforts wasted, and steadily rotted as it spent days in vibrant loneliness.
Years ago, the corpse would greet him in the early mornings. Whether in the form of a television ad, a news report, or irritating junk mail. *screek* Nowadays a new visitor greets him at his humble farm house abode.
The light of the morning sun obscures a small being in shadow, its inhuman form trying to stealthily climb onto the king sized mattress. Pudgy clawed hands carefully reach out to the red purple square quilted blanket. Teal orbs focused on the owner of the violet bowlcut underneath the lovingly knitted fabric.
*CHIRP* "I GOT YOU!" Laughter took over the small bedroom as the now airborne quilt floated haphazardly down to the floor. Soshiro abandoning its sanctity to tickle the belly of the little intruder in his arms. A small pudgy kaiju who bears purple dusted grey armor plates that only cover the grey hide on their back and thick tail.
Chirping giggles erupt from their cartoonish skull's maw, youthfulness made visible from round horn nubs to the few little fangs the whelp had. A big smile never left Soshiro's face as he stopped to hold the little kaiju at eye level. Bright teal orbs meeting his heterochromic red purple in a gaze that bled familial bliss.
"Skully, didn't Mama tell you not to sneak out of the nest while he's away? Or that I asked if y'all want me to sleep in the nest instead of my bed? How do ya expect him to react when he comes back to his baby gone?" Soshiro's questions were met with chitterish babble as the baby gently tugged at his green pajama sleeves.
"Did you forget the hens tend to get their feathers in a bunch whenever a chick manages to give them a slip? Or did I forget to tell ya the story about the 20 chicken strong search party who made a big mess of the farm. All because Taquito and Burrito wanted salad from the fridge. Not how anyone expected to learn that turtles can climb."
Shaking his head at the humourous memory, he gently shifted the little whelp into his left arm and left the confines of his bed. The sky still painted in sunrise's orangish tint when he took a step outside of the two floor house to greet the quaint farm that became his home. Soshiro acknowledging the various residents who helped him make a humble living.
Giving their ostrich Chica her morning snack until Kafka's return, glance at the turtles Taquito/Burrito/Fajita happily floating in the man-made pond while the two ducks Penny and Yen slept by the edge with their ducklings. He greeted the halfheartedly amused clucks of the chickens as they knew what happened. Soshiro let Skully pet their black stallion Sleipner when the beautiful yet attention craved beast huff for his morning pets.
The animal walk finally came to an end at the soft blue doors of the new barn, the left having a small hole dug into the dirt underneath. Its freshly painted frame had been given various art that was mostly childish in nature like clawed handprints. Adjusting Skully in his arms, Soshiro opened the door and flipped the switch.
Soft light steadily fills up the barn's interior to reveal what can only be seen as a children's nursery. The walls were painted in bright cheery colors, toys were packed on a small shelf at the bottom right corner and a bag containing various baby supplies hung by the rack next to a fridge. However the main centerpiece sat at the center of the room.
A large nest made from blankets, quilts, towels and any soft cozy material presented six other kaiju whelps who were starting to stir. Some were the same color as Skully but with minor differences like forehead markings, eye color to different color spots. A color palette between them is either sunset or ocean blues.
The remaining three had unrelated colors from complete pumpkin orange, rose pink, and snow white. All of the whelps shared one thing in particular: glowing cyan outlines on their hides than just skull like faces. This characteristic being inherited from their mama and Soshiro's loving husband.
A harsh thud struck the earth with little warning, the barn surprisingly laid still as small consecutive tremors shook the ground. The whelps nor Soshiro were phased by the ominous mini quakes despite the feeling it was getting closer. Gently pushing the barn door open, a large glowing cyan eye amongst a sea of black and bearing an X shaped pupil greeted them.
"Hey Kafka! Can you move back a bit please because your beautiful eye is blocking the door?" Soshiro nonchalantly stepped outside as what had to be a massive 70 meter adult parent of the small 1 ft kaiju whelps laid crouched before him. Some could compare the vast difference between both stages like an omen.
A massive maw consisting of sharp teeth that extended down to the neck, long horns able to pierce through a mountain that crown a menacing demon skull like face. Jagged dorsal plates came down from the neck to the massive scythe blade serving as a long tail's tip, and massive wings adorned in luminous green bone. The titanic unofficial King of the Kaiju by the public, Kaiju No. 8.
However to Soshiro he was Kafka Hibino, a loving husband and his hybrid children's mother. "Sorry about that Soshi. I can't help but check in on our cute whelps. Especially since someone made their first tunnel!" A distorted husky male's voice bellows out whilst the kaiju moved his head a bit closer.
Skully wildly squeals as the tip of Kafka's massive tongue gave them a slimy forehead kiss. Thankfully Soshiro had a small towel to wipe the saliva off since it would make the children's bath more difficult. Both of them watch as the kaiju stiffened and rapidly began to shrink.
Obsidian armor gave way to soft tan skin, the skull mask breaking away to a human male face with messy black hair paired alongside some chin scruff. The only similarity this 6 ft person had with the massive beast was a chubby round belly yet powerful arms and legs garnered from hard work. Soft chocolate brown eyes looked back at Soshiro full of love.
The man came over to plant a kiss atop the whelp's forehead before kissing his smaller mate on both cheeks. Soshiro couldn't help but giggle at the loud purring that hums from Kafka's chest. A domestic peace which he wanted to last a little longer yet alas...
"Go put some clothes on, Kafka. We have work to do and babies that need to be fed."
"Freshly harvested kaiju bee honey is now in stock!" The Farmer's Market never fails to be quite the spectacle for both lifestyles. Whether it is freshly grown produce or the occasional merchandise stall, you tend to find something intriguing at least once per visit.
The Hibino Family's stall was busy as always with Soshiro selling another jar of honey. Anyone who knew him in his past life would never expect to see the man in simple Western farmer's attire: blue overalls, purple plaid striped shirt, brown gloves, and even a cowboy hat. His stallion who helped haul over the goods sat with the other horses at the market's provided stables.
Soshiro couldn't help but sigh as he glimpsed his stall's sign for the sixth time this day. He honestly wished his husband and whelps could be here. The two of them take turns at the stall while the other tends to the cute rambunctious kids.
Sadly it'll be another two years before the whelps can learn to shapeshift into human form. Kafka's current presence at the stall is merely a footnote about how he supplies the kaiju bee honey that Soshiro sells. The perks of being a powerful kaiju is forming a symbiotic relationship with the weaker ones. In this case, a bee kaiju hive has his protection in exchange for some honey.
Soshiro wasn't in a rush about his family joining him at the stall though. Those thoughts are easily kept away as another cute picture of the whelps wearing their new chicken onesies graces his phone screen. Kafka once again never fails to get him laughing if Yuma's still form halfway inside the chicken feed was evident.
'Such a cute little glutton.' The humourous cute bubble of his lover cleaning up the pink speckled whelp was popped by a familiar rusty needle. "Soshiro? Is that you?" He barely withheld a sigh, a hidden annoyance looked back at his oldest ghoul knowing it wouldn't leave easily.
Wrinkles had settled into the older man's pale skin whilst gray overtook the once obsidian short hair and trimmed beard. However the signature closed eyes of the Hoshina Clan isn't something one could forget. Nor or is the stern, indifferent stare which betrayed Soshiro on that fateful day.
Although something felt different about the older man's calm facade. Was it disappointment perhaps? Shame? Annoyance? Soshiro didn't care to ask nor pry honestly as he put on his customer smile. The pain born from the sins of his father weren't good for business when said man stands before him.
"Welcome to the Hibino Family's stall! Is there anything that might interest you sir? We got fresh kaiju bee honey in stock today!" The older man didn't budge as he continued to stare into the farmer. An awkward silence that persisted for the next two minutes with neither wanting to budge.
"You left home without a word to anyone. For years, nobody knew where you went or were even alive." Soshiro's fake smile didn't disappear despite his father lighting the quiet ablaze with obvious disapproval. "Yet I find you here of all places working at a family farm."
The world around the two men disappeared as angry violet eyes now bore holes into his son's stone face. "If you aren't going to buy anything then I suggest ya leave. Bad attitudes like that tend to rot away the flavor of produce. Plus you'll just cause an unnecessary line."
He clearly struck a nerve via the soft crunch from his father's wooden basket as his grip tightened. "Soshiro Hosh-" "That isn't my name anymore." Silence fell between the two again as the younger male's false smile broke apart in irritation.
He raised his hand a bit to garner the older man's attention. The sharp gleam of a beautiful ruby and amethyst studded gold ring that sat upon it finally caught his father's eyes. He looked back at the sign then to Soshiro as the grip on the basket steadily loosen. "What...? When?"
"Been married for some years to a lovely man~ Right now he's at home watching over the kids as we haven't found a babysitter yet. Not like ya are gonna see them anyway." Red and purple orbs dripping in sheer disdain tore through the older man.
"Ya made it pretty clear where I stood in the Hoshina Clan a long time ago. There is some gratitude for making my life seem so empty. You cut the last tie that kept me from becoming Soshiro Hibino. Now go back to ya 'perfect child' before I ban you."
Soshiro tried to keep his stall open for a few more hours but his sour mood soon became too much. The products he didn't sell were donated to a homeless shelter and food banks respectively before returning home. If Soshiro decided to sleep in the whelps' nest that night, Kafka indulges the decision without a word.
They could discuss it later once his lover felt comfortable enough.
Harsh metallic clacks clung to the midnight silence of the Hyogo Prefecture for a foreign resident found sanctity in its darkness. Four piercing red eyes dart amongst the shadows, the owner's eight powerful legs galloped harshly across the asphalt with driven purpose. The silhouette cast by paper thin moonlight portrayed a centurion form.
Yet the sparse light of distant street lamps spread throughout the district revealed that this one figure had been two. A mighty black stallion twice larger than the average horse, the beast bearing four red arachnid eyes and eight clawed hoof legs. The horse's back was covered in a dark blue carapace that stretched out from the neck to the side of their limbs akin to armor.
A violet customized saddle which held two large containment boxes and reins around the horse's sharp fanged maw were markings that it had a master. Said owner is what many could describe as a demonic samurai. The body was covered from head to toe in obsidian armor with the traditional cloth garb being replaced by a dark grey body suit. Face hidden behind a gray demonic mask of metal while the head sat underneath dark cyan rimmed pitch black kabuto bearing familiar looking white horns.
Even in an age ravaged by monsters, individuals who take the law into their own hands still persist. Such individuals were known as Kaiju Slayers for they operate much differently than the Defense Force entirely. From the way they hunt to the reasons why these vigilantes risk arrest to fight.
This enigmatic samurai and ferocious kaiju steed were one example amongst these various slayers. One infamously known across Japan as the Phantom Samurai. The entire country was their hunting ground and this Kaiju Slayer stood at the top of the most wanted list.
*Vrrrooom* A harsh metallic roar accompanied by a bright light joins the heavy clap of horse hooves. The samurai's clawed gloves sat itself upon the two boxes that clung to their steed's saddle, fingers hovering above a dark blue button. Invasive light grew brighter whilst the monstrous roar of a motorcycle engine became ear piercing.
*CLANG* A loud metallic screech tore apart the remaining silence as the samurai's black hilt katana met their attacker's blade. "Ya got quite the sense to block my sword!" Soft playful yet impish male voice greeted the slayer like a rash underneath the armpits.
The eyes hidden behind the mask look annoyingly back at the silver ponytail man's closed eyes. "Soichiro Hoshina, Captain of the Sixth Division... I'm not in the mood to play with you." The person in question lightly cackled at the samurai's heavily distorted warning as if it were a joke.
"A jokester aren't ya? I can't wait to unmask ya before Commander Shinomiya. Maybe even do it on live TV to further dissuade any future vigilantism." The captain then sped up his motorcycle ahead of the samurai as their eight legged horse came to a complete start.
Soichiro halted a good distance from the vigilante, it was clear the man wants a joust and would play chicken if not given one. The samurai tighten the grip on their twin katanas, vibrant green electricity crackle across the silver blades turning them electric cyan. A change which spread into the armor they wore as dark gray became an radioactive teal that hums in sheer power.
The world seemingly vanished for both sides, their attention locked on each other's form. Only sounds that could be heard were the soft hum of the motorcycle engine and the horse kaiju's jagged breath. As if an invisible gunshot went off, the two warriors shot forth akin to speeding bullets.
Their blades rocketed closer every second before crashing with a harsh screech of metal. Soichiro swiftly manages to steady his bike and turn it around but the force from the opponent's blow was vicious. The samurai didn't have such issues as their steed turned on a dime before viciously charging forth.
Hyogo's Sixth Division Captain had been slow to retaliate for sheer pain shot through his arm when the steel of their blades clashed once more. 'This guy hits like a damn truck! I better keep up or else!' A sentiment that became more obvious as the joust of blades.
Unlike a motorcycle, the samurai's arachnid steed easily kept their momentum despite the harshest turns. Thus Soichiro had to keep enough distance in order to match that speed. It was the only way his strikes could cancel out the force behind his opponent's monstrous strength.
The captain's arm heavily throbbed in pain as his swords met the samurai's vicious retaliation. He knew it was gonna be broken once the adrenaline and the regeneration from his suit wore off. Soichiro turned his bike around, ready to meet his opponent head on again when he paused.
The samurai stood still as their steed scratched the pavement underneath them with sharp claws. Almost like a bull ready to mow down a circus claw. Within a split second, a monstrous electric green phantom overtaken the warrior and their beast.
A demonic horned skull roared viciously with a sharp maw fang full of lightning. Soichiro barely had a chance to move as his opponent shot forward akin to a thunderbolt. Their horse leapt between the walls of the buildings around them, its hooves tore apart the stone and glass whilst it barreled towards the captain.
Soichiro couldn't launch his motorcycle upwards to meet the samurai's downward striking swords. Like a meteor from the sky, warrior and steed struck down the Sixth Division Captain. The man was sent flying off his ride while the bike itself is sliced into four pieces then trampled over.
Soichiro harshly bounced a few times across the pavement before rolling to a stop as the samurai disappeared down the road. He would be found by his officers fifteen minutes later, unconscious with bruised ribs, a broken right arm and sprained ankles. A hospital room being the only thing he sees for the next two weeks.
Soichiro did have a constant guest throughout his stay. His father who held a look of personal shame than just sheer worry. The captain wasn't ready for the answer given as he pried into what was bothering him. Soichiro never expected to hear about his younger brother again.
The familiar sound of the eight trotting hooves would make its way to the Hibino family farm. Arachnid kaiju features fading away in seconds and until its appearance matches any other black stallion. Meanwhile the samurai stepped off the horse before carefully taking off the helmet.
Soshiro nonchalantly lets Sleipner back in his stable while he sheds the shell of his vigilante persona. Kafka's human form greeted him in the living room to exchange the armor for a Mont Blanc and the blades for tea. "The whelps are adjusting quite well to the indoor nest."
It was routine for the two of them for nights like this. Soshiro unwinds from an adrenaline fueled patrol while his lover mends any damage done to the persona. A chatter about their current thoughts that nowadays is sometimes interrupted by almost three year old whelps in character pajamas.
"I believe the paint should be here by tomorrow morning. We both know those little munchkins love to decorate their living space and crayons are awful to get off." Soshiro could hear Kafka hum amusedly from underneath his feet. The sound of a blowtorch erratically followed along a hammer's harsh clang and soft buzz from a power tool.
"I know we got some little artists on our hands. Good thing there's a board for them to hang their drawings as the fridge would be covered completely within a day! At least a third are from Yusuke alone."
The cute image of the dark bluish green whelp in an artist outfit almost made him choke on his tea. A pleasant thought that faded by an all too familiar haze. Despite it being a few years now, Soshiro never expected he would become a father. Much less to seven sweet yet mischievous kaiju human hybrids. Even his marriage seems less plausible.
His fingers are always reaching for the hidden scrapbook underneath his favorite armchair. The broken eggshells, red n purple stones, and dozens of diverse photos inside often remind him that this isn't a dream. How he wouldn't wake up in a large private home all alone feeling empty inside.
'First my father learns about where I work and now my brother shows up during patrol. I wish they would just leave me alone already.' Soshiro would've drifted more on the thought if familiar claws didn't tug at his pants leg.
His gaze laid upon the youngest of the whelps, Miko. The pumpkin orange child in blue shark pajamas was holding onto her favorite pink plush rabbit like usual. Soshiro instinctively turned around to see rest of his children were standing by the doorway.
"Papa ok? You look sad." Miko's soft squeaky statement had taken him off guard for a moment. His shock steadily fell back into a soft smile as he put the scrapbook up and took the little whelp into his arms. Soshiro gently ruffled her head while Kafka joins everyone else in the front room.
"Aren't ya just a sweet little thing? To answer your question, I'm fine now my little one. Ya just chased off some pesky old ghosts." He softly frowned when the clock above the fireplace read 12:13. "Alright everyone. It's time to go to bed. Growing kaiju needs their sleep too than just the adults."
The blanket nest in the guest room found itself at full capacity once. Soshiro and Kafka held onto each other as their seven little whelps laid haphazardly against, across or top of them. It didn't take long for the former Hoshina to fall asleep alongside everyone else.
The melancholic memories which haunt Soshiro can't stay long when he knows his strange family reminds him that he isn't alone anymore.
And that's it! This took me quite a while to write than just a few dead ins paired alongside interruptions. Here With You was supposed to be my work for Hoshikaf week but Tumblr decided to be a troll hence this piece.
For those wondering, here are the whelps names from oldest to youngest: Skully(♂️), Yusuke(♂️), Shuji(♂️), Carla(♀️), Yuma(♂️), Ryuma(♂️), and Miko(♀️). They all hatched on the same day but minutes apart from each other. We know those aren't gonna stay PG and accidents in the dark do make children.
It has been awhile since I wrote any battle scenes, much less one on vehicles. Really hope that one comes out alright. Especially when my brain wanted to insert Through The Fire from Sonic and the Black Knight before the fight with Soichiro.
Soshiro's vigilante kit is made from parts provided from Kafka. His swords are crafted out of a tooth and claw while the armor is scales with some horn clippings. Sleipner is part spider kaiju, Kafka nor Soshiro are aware of how this happened but keep him around anyway.
Skully is an example of what the whelps look like in kaiju form btw. Here are links to Kafka's weird biology to go along with the music and Kaiju!Kafka pages.
I do not wish to write with people who actively use AI.
If you write with me, you won't ever have to fear any AI being used to doing my replies for you. I will not feed your writing to ChatGP and the like, and I would appreciate it if you don't feed my writing to any AI either. You do not have my consent to do so.
If I reblog AI art/text or use AI images for aesthetics/graphics without realizing, please let me know. AI images have infiltrated Pinterest and other sites so much, it can be hard to tell sometimes.
There's a saying: to be loved is to be changed. Has someone ever thought about their lover's perspective? Or how both can adjust to such a transformation?
Or how Kaiju!Soshiro and Kafka adjust when the latter is turned into a kaiju. This is part of a Nobody Like You spinoff which has a basis yet to be written. Only thing you need to know is that Kafka is from a prestigious kaiju research family who don't agree with him wanting to join the Defense Force. Please enjoy!
'I should've known something was wrong. Kafka is never this late.' Amidst a starry night sky overlooking the forests of Mount Fuji, a lone figure sat in near silence at the cliff's edge. Not many would think twice about seeing someone up in the mountains especially this particular landmark.
Mountain climbers often set camps when climbing such natural giants like Fuji. However this was no climber, much less a human at all. The observer is a kaiju unlike any other whose only known by his categorization under JAKDF ruling as Kaiju No. 7.
A 52 ft violet armored enigma recognized for the frightening fortitude of 9.2. and the three blades which adorn each arm. However the kaiju went under a different name, one that only his mate knew: Soshiro. A mate whose uncharacteristically late to their moonlit date.
Soshiro ran a clawed hand through his quill bowl cut, a harsh sigh escaping his maw as he sat up from his rocky perch. 'Knowing my mate's family, they probably decided to ambush him again. Looks like I finally get to re-enact that scene from the plumber and monkey game.'
A harsh beam of light shot into the sky within the forest brush below. The illumination blinking constantly in an unfamiliar pattern to many except for one. Soshiro became a purple blur as his powerful legs launched him off the ground.
Sharp claws found purchase in the dirt with the kaiju shifting into an all fours sprint. His large form weaving through the dense trees akin to a snake as his tail often wrapped itself around a tree trunk to steady himself for sharp turns. The faint lovely smell of chocolate came into range yet it felt wrong.
Kafka's intoxicatingly sweet scent was heavily smothered by something. The harsh yet crisp ozone of a thunderstorm wafts around the chocolate like a cyclone. 'KAIJU.' Bloodlust filled red violet orbs as they greeted the world from their calm darkness.
The currently lone figure began to become visible in Soshiro's furious gaze. Cyan bioluminescence highlights the thick muscles of the intruder's obsidian scale armor hide, their horned bone mask lined with teeth is open slightly like a dumb fish, teal slit eyes in those hollow sockets look nervous whilst clawed hands clutch a familiar flashlight. The last straw for the larger kaiju as his run became a ferocious lunge.
"HRRGH-" A wheeze barely came from the smaller intruder's throat before they found themselves between Soshiro's large hand and a tree. The flashlight clattered across the ground but it was swiftly ignored for a more important matter. Steam pour from No. 7's maw as he glared dual color daggers into the intruder.
There are very few things that could extinguish Soshiro's fury. "So...shi... It's me! Kaf-ka!" Yet this was the harshest as the distorted growl overlapping a familiar husky male voice couldn't conceal the truth behind. Only one person knew his name, the one who gave it to him.
Soshiro's grip fell as the smaller kaiju slumped to his knees. Heavy labored breaths harshly twist the sharp realization that now stab at No. 7. Kafka was a kaiju and he nearly killed him.
The gentle presence of a scaled hand laying atop his large palm kept Soshiro from spiralling. Kafka's teal slitted eyes look up at his own, soft forgiving aura shone back than a rightfully upset one. "It's okay Soshiro!"
Kafka gently rubbed his fingers across the larger kaiju's hand. "This was mostly my fault as I should've known my scent changed. Like seriously it's like lesson three in the beginner's book. For someone who comes from a family of kaiju researchers, this wasn't my brightest moment."
Soshiro stared at his smaller mate for a second before harsh laughter burst out his chest. "I guess we're both fools huh? Such a sweet caring mate." Kafka found himself gently plucked from the ground and raised over to the larger kaiju's shoulder.
He sat himself down on the smooth familiar surface as his lover began the trek back to the nest. "Now how did ya end up like this? I'm not complaining though. Our fun can really get wild now~"
Soshiro cackled as he felt the light elbow jab at his cheek. The red tint dusting Kafka's bone mask was worth it. "You're such a pervert, Soshi! Okay so this is what happened."
It became apparent that Kafka's new kaiju form had quite a number of abilities than just taking on his old human form. One being Personal Biology Manipulation, the power to alter one's own biology. A pretty powerful ability from what his lover explained.
Fitting for the 'most powerful kaiju' in the Defense Force's words. Kafka was labeled Kaiju No. 8 and his fortitude clocking in at a staggering 9.8. The Hibino family were obviously going wild upon this discovery, unaware about the irony behind their new obsession.
"Soshiro! What do you think of this?" The kaiju turned to look at Kafka from his nest. During his off days, the human would often experiment with his kaiju. Usually in the most mundane ways as a long thick reptilian tail now poked out from his lower soft tan back.
The white jagged spikes protruding out of the tail had barely avoided getting caught in the blue sweatshirt fabric. "Your control has improved quite a lot since the past week. Being able to partially transform your body is useful." It clearly wasn't the answer Kafka been looking for from the confusion on his face.
"Oh! I'm talking about my tail! Can't always rely on my fists and my kicks still suck at the moment. Then I remembered how you often use your tail in battle. Even made sure it was very prehensile!"
To prove his statement, Kafka lifted the pencil he set aside and wrote his way in neat cursive on a sheet of paper. He instantly shuddered when Soshiro's own tail snake itself around the new appendage. The scales scratching a bundle of nerves that wasn't protected.
"Looks like ya forgot to not make it sensitive. Otherwise it's a pretty good tail so far. Especially since I can do this with no problem." Kafka immediately found himself in Soshiro's as the larger kaiju began scent marking him through nuzzles.
The himbo let the kaijufication overtake him before growing to match his lover's size and reciprocate his affection. Another kaiju behavior that became Kafka's new normal. Their tails haven't separated for the rest of the day until the man had to return to base.
Kafka didn't know if he should feel ashamed as sharp kaiju fangs found purchase in an acidic bloody hide. It hadn't taken long for him to learn that his required calorie consumption quadrupled after the metamorphosis. Yet he ignored the unfamiliar voice in his head which told him otherwise.
Now Kafka was knee deep inside a freshly killed kaiju corpse again as he ate at its flesh. The man considered himself lucky that his prey had been roaming away from civilization. Unlike last time where he had to take it to go because a lady saw him and called the DF.
Not a good thing when the Defense Force is still after him and Soshiro. "I'm gonna have to take five baths just to get the stench of blood off me. Nevermind brushing my teeth until the bristles catch on fire or wither."
He can practically hear the debating match often tossed around his family on whether this would be cannibalism. "A 50 ft kaiju is quite the first catch! Mind if I take a bite?" Kafka nearly jumped out of his skin as Soshiro manifested before him without warning.
Thank god he hadn't taken another bite because he highly doubts the larger kaiju knew the Heimlich Maneuver. He glares back at his lover who just cackles upon the sight. "Go ahead as I can't eat all of it anyway. The hunger has bigger eyes than my stomach."
Soshiro shifted a bit so he wouldn't bowl over his small mate when attempting to sit down beside him. He could only shake his head as Kafka tore into the corpse like a starved dog. "Do you need help handling your new appetite? Can practically hear the stomach grumbling whenever ya visit."
Soshiro could make out the muffled sigh before Kafka took his blood covered face out. "Please! I can't eat that much at the cafeteria as everyone would get suspicious. And my family has been stalking my old Cleaner job so there's no chance of getting anything."
The violet kaiju knows there is a forest quite close to Tachikawa Base. It would make a perfect spot to drop off his kills for Kafka. A good mate does provide for their other and he was no different. Speaking of providing...
"You sure you don't want me to eat your family? It would be easy to just-" "THE ANSWER IS STILL NO! You don't even eat people and said that they probably taste like rotten shoes anyway!"
Not many things could get under Soshiro's skin as he wasn't an easy person to anger. At most, he would see the current issue bothering him as a minor annoyance. What the kaiju wouldn't tolerate is someone hurting his mate, whether they be friend or foe.
An abnormal newly listed by the DF as No. 10 had the balls to not only attack the base Kafka is at but bring an entire flock of wyvern Honju. When kaiju invade another's nest, it's to eat their young or the weakened owner.
The attack here is a war declaration amongst his species. It prioritizes causing the most damage while everyone is present. Casualties on the attackers' side doesn't matter, it is how much blood they spilled.
Soshiro had recently arrived to deliver Kafka his latest catch when he saw the signs. He didn't hesitate to pounce into range of the base's radar as fiery meteors appear above the sky. Not when Kafka was standing so close to the blast radius.
"A Kaiju has been detected! It's fortitude...is 9.2!! Readings confirm that it's No. 7!"
Officers found themselves in a battle preparation frenzy a minute before the molten blasts crashed down. If they weren't mad as ants from a kicked anthill now, the sight of Kafka in the violet kaiju's arm really set them ablaze. The man's clothes were partially burnt but he was overall fine thanks to intervention.
Soshiro ignored their confusion when he gently set Kafka down to face the arriving red menace. He paid little mind to the few bullets that purposely bounced off his hide as he led No. 10 away. Not even the few concerned shouts were heard when the kaiju's opponent grew 5 times his size.
The only human Soshiro kept his hearing open to was Kafka. It's the one thing that truly mattered to him in a fight. The background sound of his mate offering valid info about their foe sharpens the kaiju's blades. Evacuating his comrades to safety strengthen his hide. The lovely song of Kafka's heart made Soshiro's core burn bright. He fights this battle only for his mate if it meant the kaiju could keep that soul who enchants him so much alive.
Thus Soshiro's rage was certified when multiple guns soon level their aim at Kafka once the chaos finally ends. He threw his secret to the blaze once it became apparent that No. 10 had been sent by another kaiju. One who didn't hesitate to turn the bodies of the dead Honju into one giant bomb.
Something which would've reduced the entire ward to a smoldering crater if Kafka didn't blast it away with his kaiju power. One he still wasn't fully accustomed to as the man burnt himself out to the point of immobilization.
This is where everyone stood now. Soshiro hovering over Kafka like a furious dragon, his larger body now a shield positioned low to the ground as if ready to grab his mate and run. The base Captain was the only one amongst five to keep her gun steady despite the look of reluctance in her eyes.
Her other four soldiers were shaking with uncertainty at the potential bloodbath that could unravel in seconds. Their base already took a major hit and it wouldn't handle an assault from a 9.2 fortitude kaiju such as No. 7. Everyone else was frozen in a cocktail of silence.
Disbelief, shock, worry and awe at the chaotic canvas before them. The most recent update about the current Numbered Kaiju was that No. 7 has been confirmed as No. 8's mate. A 'Pair Made In Hell' from how frantic the superiors were about finding their nest due to the ghoul of possible offspring.
To learn that their loveable silly comrade was No. 8 had added bitter discomfort to the tension. A stalemate which would've last longer if Kafka's larger mate hadn't spoke. His voice a hot blade that demanded attention.
"I am only going to say this once. My foolish mate wouldn't have blown his secret if he didn't care for all of you. I don't know you like he does so my intervention had been for him." Piercing red purple eyes glanced at them all before him focusing on Mina's dark orbs.
"My blades will only cut for Kafka alone. His love towards y'all is what keeps me from taking him with me to the depths where none of you can follow. Thus I instead decided to lay down an offer." Mina's response was a harden gaze but her eyes held no rejection for what the kaiju is about to say.
"I shall lend my power to the Defense Force in exchange for Kafka's safety. We both know that an unnatural change has begun to shift on our respective grounds. The dead walk again, people are going missing under inhuman circumstances, and now your secure facilities are being compromised."
"You believe that whatever is responsible was behind the attack?" Soshiro couldn't resist the small fanged smile growing on his face from the Captain's interruption. "Good to know you're following along. We have all seen the signs. A massive storm is coming and I don't believe anybody's ready for it. Kafka already swore his allegiance to the JAKDF with everything he's got."
"I will offer mine if ya let him continue to do so."
Under any other circumstances a heavily monitored nest of cloth, stuffing, and other soft material would be an insult to Soshiro. Yet the small slumbering body of his lover curled beside him made such an arrangement tolerable. The kaiju's temporary home became a specialized cell as his enclosure wouldn't be ready until tomorrow.
Apparently they had plans to capture him after he aided in their fight against No. 6 long ago. Guess he also saved the commander's wife rather than just keep his lover safe from the destruction. Who knew?
Soshiro couldn't roam outside nowadays without being monitored in some way. It was part of the deal settled with the Defense Force in exchange for Kafka's life. The Commander and his wife made sure things were fair thankfully. Other than the annoying 1st Division captain, things had been mostly fine.
Kafka got permission to 'bunk' with him until his new enclosure was finished. There had been some protest but the commander shut it down immediately. It would take a bit longer for Soshiro to go on missions as they were currently trying to find him a handler.
So far, the only choice that hadn't been turned was Mina Ashiro i.e Kafka's Third Division captain and the one who gave them a second chance. Hopefully he can get her something nice as gratitude. A soft pat on his chest had Soshiro look down into the sleepy eyes of his mate.
"Come on Soshi. Go get some sleep as we have a long day tomorrow. A tour of your new den, setting up the actual nest, and some other stuff too." The kaiju softly hummed as he wrapped his arm delicately around Kafka. Hum of a human heartbeat and a kaiju core's gentle thrum lull to the two into a peaceful slumber.
All of it can wait for tomorrow. For now, they can bask in each other's presence. The new day would be tackled together.
And that's it! This would've been longer if Tumblr didn't decide to be a troll with the Save option. I hoped you guys manage to enjoy it regardless.
I figured the first thing I would write with Kaiju! Soshiro is for him to help Kafka adjust to something huge like kaijufication. The use of the word human when referring to our himbo here is a personal choice. Even if he's a kaiju, that humanity still remains inside him.
A kaiju with a human heart or a human with a kaiju core. He's still Kafka Hibino either way. Something that Soshiro loves and admires so much. Plus they would be classified as a 'Pair Made In Hell' by the DF.
Two insanely powerful kaiju confirmed to love each other ain't gonna stay PG for long. 😏😂
