Akira slowly blinked her eyes open, the sterile white of the hospital room's light searing her vision. As she groaned, her hand instinctively reached for her throbbing temple.
She winced, feeling the taut bandage wrapped around her cheek. Several more bandages adorned her arms, a testament to the aftermath of the aptitude test incident.
The sunlight, hinting at the approach of noon, filtered through the partially drawn curtains, casting elongated shadows across the room.
"My head is fucking killing me," she muttered, her voice a raspy whisper. She struggled to sit up, her foot resting atop the sheets, muscles straining with the effort. Across the room, Reno and Kafka stood engrossed in conversation, seemingly oblivious to her awakening.
As Akira's eyes adjusted, her mind wandered to thoughts of Kikoru. The memory of their last encounter filled her with a mix of concern and longing. Almost as if he had read her mind, Reno's voice cut through her reverie.
"You're lucky, Kafka," Reno remarked, his tone both relieved and chiding. "Your injuries are light compared to others. Kikoru's in stable condition too."
Kafka groaned, his shoulders slumping dramatically. "I don't get the best treatment because I don't have a bunch of bad injuries like hers," he complained, gesturing toward Akira with a hint of a smile.
At that moment, Akira couldn't suppress a sneeze, followed by a stifled laugh. The sudden noise made Reno and Kafka jump, their faces lighting up with a mix of surprise and joy.
Reno was the first to move, striding over to her bedside. He enveloped her in a careful hug, mindful of her injuries. "Akira, are you alright?"
She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "I must have been really quiet for you two not to notice me waking up. But yeah, I'm fine."
Kafka joined them, a broad grin on his face. "Good to see you awake, Akira. We were starting to worry."
Akira smiled back, the warmth of their concern soothing the aches in her body. Despite the pain and exhaustion, she felt a sense of comfort in their presence.
Akira closed her eyes, willing the foggy memories to sharpen. "It was... terrifying," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "There was this Unknown Kaiju. It was tall, beige, with a skeletal body. Spikes jutted from its shoulders, and its head... it had these two hammerhead shark-like protuberances."
Reno and Kafka exchanged a worried glance, but Akira continued, her eyes opening as she recounted the encounter.
"It wasn't just its appearance. The way it moved, the way it spoke... it had intelligence, much like Kafka's kaiju form. It attacked us without hesitation. It was eerie, how it moved so purposefully. And then, just as suddenly, it disappeared."
