7 years later…

The early morning air was crisp and cold, the sky still painted in deep shades of pre-dawn blue. Precisely at a sharp 5:30 the alarm gave a single pitched beep, before it was silenced with the swift practiced press of a button.

Pale shafts of sunlight filtered through the curtains of the modest apartment, but the sun itself had yet to fully rise in the horizon. Riku a man in his 30s, had already been awake for over half an hour. He had cleaned with a quiet efficiency by that time, he attended to his morning routine dutifully. Every corner of the apartment was tidied, and every surface wiped down and inspected with the kind of precision that suggested habit more than necessity. A silent discipline like a barracks inspection though Riku would never openly call it that, to him this was just the way things were done.

After ensuring everything was spotless, Riku moved to the kitchen. His hands worked deftly, preparing a simple breakfast. A small rice cooker hissed on the counter, steam rising as he neatly sliced grilled salmon, lightly salted while a pot of miso simmered on the stove. Cracking an egg into a bowl, whisking it with quick strokes before pouring it into a hot pan and stirring it into shape. Satisfied with the breakfast he cooked, he plated everything quite carefully even saving some of the meals to be stored in a pair of bento boxes.

He glanced up at the small television mounted on the wall and flicked it on as the noise seemed to blend with the soft sounds of the quiet morning. The early news rolled across the screen, the anchor's voice speaking in an even tone. Though Riku only listened and barely paid heed to the footages being shown.

"In today's headlines, it has now been three days since Generation 4 Titan “JT-Watatsumi”, successfully neutralized S-CLASS: Shūkaiju: "Arashi". As footages shows, Watatsumi engaged the Kaiju shortly after its breach into the city with the engagement concluding with minimized casualties. Though given the nature of Arashi categorized as a Shūkaiju the JKSDF has postponed any clean-up efforts on the area by the Public Disposal Cleaning Divison (PDCD). Though it has been reported that this has been lifted, and proper disposal of the Kaiju's remains and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure is to begin today-"

With his usual quiet efficiency, Riku walked down the narrow hallway and stopped at a sliding door. He slid it open quietly. Inside, a little child lay curled under the covers, her drowsy snoring the only sound in the room. Moving to the side of her bed, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving a light shake.

"Yumi," he said softly, his voice low but firm. "Time to get up."

Yumi stirred beneath the covers, her face scrunching up in sleepy protest. She buried her head deeper into her pillow, followed by a tired yawn.

"Mmm… what time is it?" she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Riku allowed himself a small chuckle, a rare flicker of amusement crossing his otherwise stoic expression.

"It’s zero six hundred hours," he replied, his tone gentle but insistent. "Come on, or you’ll be late."

"But I’m never late!" Yumi groaned again but slowly shifted under the blanket, poking her head out with a sleepy pout. Her hair was a mess, strands sticking out in different directions, and her eyes blinked blearily as she adjusted to the light. She looked up at Riku still half-asleep.

"That's because I always wake you up in time," Riku reminded her before standing up, shaking his head.

"You know the rules."

Yumi sighed dramatically, but there was no real protest in her. Slowly, she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"You’re always so strict," she muttered playfully.

"And you’re always slow to get up," Riku countered, his voice soft but firm.

"Hurry up. Breakfast is still hot."

Her eyes brightened, and a small smile beamed at the mention of food.

"Really?" She hopped off the bed, suddenly more awake, and rushed out of the room, her steps quicker.

"Thanks, Riku!" she called after him, forgetting her earlier reluctance.

Riku walked behind her to their small dining area, where breakfast was already laid out neatly on the table. Yumi climbed into her seat, her face lighting up at the sight of the neatly plated dishes.

"You always make the best breakfast," Yumi said, reaching for her chopsticks eagerly.

Riku sat down across from her.

"Eat slowly, you don’t want to choke," he reminded.

Yumi giggled, though she obediently took smaller bites. They ate in comfortable silence for a while. The television still played in the background, the news anchor’s voice providing a low hum.

"Woah, is that the big Kaiju from the other day!?" Yumi asked, perking up from her plate at the playing headlines, her voice still awed at the scale presented through the screen, which continued to broadcast Arashi’s massive form.

"Yes, it’s been a while, but they are finally letting us clean it. At least, I’d wager..." Riku remarked, eating his meal sparingly.

"Does... that mean you'll get home late?" Yumi asked worriedly.

"Maybe, but I’ll try to get home early, promise. Besides, I already asked Lady Chiyo if she would be okay with watching over you if I do end up working overtime." Riku assured her gently, having already taken precautions.

Yumi gave a small nod, quiet but still uneasy. For a child, she clung to Riku with quite a bit of worry. It was easy to tell with how her glances fell back to her plate, even if she didn’t always say it out loud.

After they finished breakfast, Riku cleared the table while Yumi got ready for school. She moved quickly, pulling on her small uniform with practiced ease.

Riku also got his necessities in order, fetching the keys and taking care of his hygiene. He moved to his closet, sliding the door open and looking over the neatly arranged pairs of clothes inside. His hand hovered over a worn leather jacket hanging in the corner, the kind of jacket that had clearly seen years of use. His fingers brushed against its sleeve, the faint imprint of a five-letter insignia catching his eye, though he quickly withdrew his hand.

With a quiet exhale, Riku opted instead for a simple button-up long-sleeve shirt, pulling it on over his plain tee. The jacket remained in the closet, untouched, as he closed the door.

When Yumi was ready, she returned to the door, where Riku was waiting with her school bag in hand.

"Ready?" he asked.

Yumi nodded enthusiastically, slipping her arms into the straps of her backpack.

"Yep! Let’s go!"

The two of them stepped outside, the crisp morning air greeting them as they made their way to the car, and got in. The early light had grown brighter, painting the buildings in warm hues. Riku drove Yumi, his speed steady as she swung her legs on her seat, looking out the window, her excitement for the day ahead palpable. When they arrived at the school gate, Riku let Yumi open the door and get out on her own.

"Be good today." he said, his voice soft but filled with the quiet care that had become second nature to him.

Yumi grinned up at him.

"I will! See you later, Riku!" she called, waving as she ran off to join the other children and their teacher at the school entrance.

Riku watched her go, his gaze lingering, giving a soft smile in private. But as he turned back to the wheel, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He picked it up and checked the urgent message from his work.

PDCD Operation 0507: Staff Requested for S-CLASS: Shūkaiju: "Arashi" Cleanup Operation. Report to the Facility, Tatsumaki Riku.

With a sigh, Riku pocketed the phone, started the engine, and turned toward the outskirts of the city, where his real work waited.

The drive to the facility was familiar, a well-worn route near the city’s urban fringe. A busy sprawling industrial complex. Its main buildings were massive warehouses, resembling a more rugged construction zone, rows of trucks and cranes parked in neat formation, and storage containers stacked high. He pulled into the lot, the tires crunching underfoot as he found a parking spot among the rows of cars. Most were plain, utilitarian vehicles, much like his own, belonging to other fellow workers who had already begun their day.

Workers like him moved around like ants, loading up massive trucks with specialized equipment; saws the size of small cars, reinforced cranes, and other heavy-duty machines used for clearing debris specifically designed for Titan and Kaiju duties.

As Riku stepped out, a light breeze swept across the lot, catching his untied hair and brushing it back against his neck, the silver-blonde strands almost kissing his shoulders. The wind carrying a faint smell of dust and machinery. His hair, a sharp contrast to the grime and metal. He was greeted with nods and waves from a few familiar faces which he returned nonchalantly and monotonously. The atmosphere here was more blue-collar than military, despite the severity of their job. It had that 9-to-5 feel, even though their "shift" meant tackling Kaiju carcasses and the destruction left in their wake.

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"Tatsumaki! Glad you're here," a voice called out over the noise.

Riku turned to see a fellow senior staff member approaching with a clipboard. His vest gleamed in the morning sun.

"The boss wants to see you before we head out," he said, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

"Probably wants to talk to you about this one's cleanup. Heard it’s a mess."

Riku nodded, his gaze sweeping the yard as workers hoisted equipment into the trucks. His expression unchanged...This was his life.

"Thanks for telling me. I was heading in anyways, still needed to clock in" Riku said, slipping his hands into his side as he walked toward the facility’s main building.

As Riku entered he immediately went over and swiped his ID badge over the clock-in scanner, the familiar beep sounding as the system registered his arrival. It was a routine gesture, one that had long since become second nature.

Tatsumaki, Riku – PDCD Senior Staff.

He turned from the clock-in station and made his way down a narrow hallway lined with lockers, passing more workers, some already gearing up, others sharing quick brief exchange before heading out. A bulletin board on the wall displayed today’s operation details "S-CLASS: Shūkaiju: ‘Arashi’ Cleanup" and lists of assigned teams. It was a common procedure, yet the magnitude of the job never failed to leave an impression.

Riku pushed through another door and entered the main office area where much of the lead staff operated. There, standing up from a desk cluttered with papers and operation maps, was his boss, Takeda, an older man with graying hair and a deep tan from years spent working on-site. He gazed up at Riku.

"Ah! Tatsumaki!" Takeda greeted with a booming voice and stood to offer a hard handshake.

"Great to see you! On time as usual."

"Good morning, sir." Riku bowed and returned the handshake with a curt but respectful grip. As he did, his sharp eyes flicked to the side, noticing three younger faces standing with Takeda, all dressed in more casual clothing than the rest of the staff. Before Riku could ask, Takeda gestured toward the group with a wave of his hand.

“I know you’re supposed to head out with the team, but before you do, I wanted you to meet the new part-timers. I’m assigning them to your crew today, and I expect you to keep an eye on them.” His tone was casual, but there was a hint of pride as he introduced them.

“They just signed on this week. I want you to meet Tanaka, Suzuki, and Arikawa.”

Riku's gaze swept over the trio. Tanaka stood first, his eyes wide with a mix of excitement and nerves, fingers fidgeting awkwardly. Suzuki, a young woman beside him, tried to maintain a confident posture, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her anxiety. Then there was Arikawa— tall, slender young man with short dark hair that clung messily to his forehead, his posture slightly hunched trying to shrink from view. His big, bright eyes darted around nervously, a shy light in them that made him look both alert and uncertain at the same time. There was a gentleness to his features, and despite his quiet presence he seems to muster an ounce of courage.

Stepping forward, his voice quiet but firm, though it cracked under his nerves. "I-I'm Arikawa Yoshiro. Pleased to meet you, sir." His bow was deep, hands at his sides, and though his voice trembled, there was a flicker of determination in his eyes.

“H-Hey, Yoshiro, maybe tone it down a bit…” Tanaka muttered under his breath, glancing nervously at Riku.

Suzuki let out a small, restrained laugh, covering her mouth with her hand.

Takeda chuckled heartily at the sight, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

“Well, that one’s got heart!” he said, clapping a hand on Riku’s shoulder.

Riku, however, remained unmoved, his expression neutral. He shifted his gaze to Takeda, arching a brow.

“Shouldn’t Hanada be handling the new part-timers?” Exchanging a look with Takeda, wondering to himself why they were all being dumped on him.

Takeda shrugged, waving off the question.

“Gaaah- Hanada’s on leave today. And besides, I think it’s a great chance for you to take them under your wing. They’re all hoping to join the JKSDF someday.” He nudged Riku playfully. “You’ve got the experience. Today’s going to be tough, and they’ll need someone who knows what they’re doing. You’re the perfect man for the job.”

Riku let out a small sigh, clearly unimpressed but resigned to his fate.

“Fine.” He extended his hand as Takeda handed him a clipboard with the day’s plan.

“Where do you want me to start with them?”

“Take them down to get suited up. Run them through the basics. We’re moving out soon.” Takeda said, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he strode past Riku, making his way toward the rest of the team gathering outside.

Riku nodded, turning to face the three recruits, still standing awkwardly near the desk.

“Let’s go, follow me” he said curtly, motioning for them to follow him.

“I’ll show you to your suits.”

The trio exchanged quick glances before hurrying after Riku, as he led them out of the office.

As they exited, Suzuki finally spoke up, her voice small but curious.

“So, uh… how long have you been doing this?”

Riku didn’t turn around but replied simply.

“Long enough.”

“Cool… cool…” Suzuki muttered, her nerves clearly still present.

Yoshiro, walking beside Tanaka, kept his head down but couldn’t help blurting out, "I-I can’t wait to get out there, sir! I’ve read all about the cleanup ops... It’s have prepared for whatever's coming!"

Riku glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his tone flat.

“It’s not always like what you’ve read. Stay sharp. The reality out there is much more...unsanitary.”

Yoshiro nodded, though his face flushed with nervousness. His determination hadn’t waned, that much Riku can tell.

Tanaka trailed behind, mumbling under his breath to Suzuki,

“Well… this is going to be… something.”

Suzuki rolled her eyes.

“Yeah. Something.”

Riku led the three to the locker room. As they arrived, he gestured to the row of metal lockers lining the wall.

“Stash your stuff here. You’ll have your own lockers for the rest of your time at the PDCD.” He opened one to demonstrate, then stepped aside to let them follow suit.

Once everyone had stored their belongings, Riku directed them toward the PDCD maintenance room. Inside, shelves were lined with equipment everything from suits to tools for handling hazardous materials. The walls were adorned with safety posters, some worn and yellowing from years of use. On one side of the room, a row of standard-issue protective suits hung, ready for distribution.

"These are yours." Riku grabbed the suits, one by one, handing each part-timer a grey, baggy overall.

After the overalls, Riku reached into a box nearby and passed out face shields and respirator masks.

"You’ll also need these on-site. Don't take them off unless said otherwise."

"There's a separate room down the hall if you need privacy to change," he offered towards Suzuki as he handed her share of the equipment, his tone neutral but respectful.

“Uhm, thank you!” Suzuki said with a nod, giving a brief bow before heading toward the door.

As Suzuki walked off, Yoshiro and Tanaka began putting on their suits and adjusting the material. Yoshiro in earnest curiosity glanced at the posters hung on the wall.

“The Kimura Classification System...” Yoshiro mumbled, staring at the faded lettering.

Riku overheard and glanced over as he quickly slipped into his own suit.

“You familiar with it?” he asked casually, adjusting the material around his shoulders.

Yoshiro straightened up, startled.

"Y-Yes, sir! I-I mean, I studied it. Enough to understand the basics," he said, his voice faltering as he spoke.

Tanaka, not missing a beat, chimed and elbowed Yoshiro.

“That’s a lie! He memorized the whole thing!”

Yoshiro flushed.

“It’s not a big deal! The system’s pretty straightforward once you break it down. It just classifies Kaiju by their environmental class first, then threat and scale level though the description differs from Japan and other states, after that they just assign a codename. Simple enough!”

Riku, still adjusting his suit, hid a faint, amused smile to cross his face.

“Seems like you know more than just the basics-.”

Before the conversation could continue, Suzuki re-entered the room, now fully suited up and looking ready.

“Sorry for taking so long! I’m all set.”

Riku nodded, his expression back to neutral.

“Good timing. We’re heading out.”

He gave one last glance at the group, ensuring everyone’s gear was on correctly before gesturing toward the exit.

“Let’s move. I’ll show you the trucks."

Riku led them out the facility, their steps following his as they neared the loading area. The parked trucks that were ready to depart. Riku waved them over to the rear truck, a large, armored vehicle with the PDCD initials stamped on the side.

“Hop in,” Riku instructed.

Pulling open the rear door and stepping aside for them to climb in. Yoshiro, Tanaka, and Suzuki exchanged glances before hauling themselves into the back, first. Riku followed, slamming the door shut behind him.

The engine ran and within moments they were on the move at last. As an entire row of heavy vehicles formed and marched, driving out to the facility, heading towards to the clean-up site.

As the truck rattled down the road, the three part-timers—Yoshiro, Tanaka, and Suzuki—shifted their gaze toward the small window, eager to take in the morning sights.

The city had always been familiar to them. Outside, the sunlight was bright, reflecting off the towering skyscrapers stretched from the ground to the sky.

The streets teemed with human activity as pedestrians bustled along the sidewalks, cars driving in contrast to theirs. This was normal…an everyday view, that everyone had seen countless times. Such normalcy was comforting.

They were firstly impressed by the scale of this operation...How much labor and equipment are mobilized and required for the job. Even if the people outside barely gave their convoy a momentary glance, it was like they were invisible to the public...

Then the sight grew sparse, the pristine and clean buildings, bustling with activity gradually thinned out, giving way to quieter, more isolated streets. The polished steel and glass architecture was replaced by concrete ruins, cracked and broken some having been toppled and felled over. Windows were shattered, and what remained of the structures was barely recognizable, twisted steel beams sticking out like exposed bones. Destruction has colonized this part of the city, their city. Everything was empty, vacant, with neither a soul in sight.

It wasn’t long before they saw the towering metal fences, erected around the perimeter of the site. reinforced frames topped with barbed wire, Soldiers patrolled the perimeter, armed with rifles and equipped with scanning devices that flickered with blue and red lights...JKSDF

A silent reminder, that this was still a high-security zone.

Yoshiro, Tanaka, and Suzuki exchanged uneasy glances as the truck slowed near the checkpoint. Meanwhile Riku had slacked back and closed his eyes.

The truck came to a slow halt just outside the fenced-off area. A JKSDF officer in full gear approached the truck, his hand raised to signal them to stop. After a quick exchange of IDs and clearance, the convoy was waved through, the massive gates groaning wide as they opened to allow the convoys entirety inside.

As the convoy moved past the gates and into the site itself, there they saw it...

At first, it seemed distant, a mere shadow against the jagged skyline of the wrecked city. The enormous mass was still hundreds of meters away, its enormity reduced to a looming shape that appeared no larger than their fists from this far off. Yet, as the truck rolled closer, it became more than just a shape; it grew, expanding in their view...

Arashi’s corpse…