Inception

Chapter 1: A Present

Disclaimer: Wattpad is not my end-all be-all for my stories. It's my testing and playground. Thus, most stories on here are not beta-read, edited, and fresh off the press. That being said, I will not be offended by critics. I actually welcome them. Line editing, however, won't do either of us any good as that stage of editing doesn't happen until serious revision and rewriting, so don't bother. Just tear apart the good stuff, like the story, the characters, the plot, etc etc. Or don't. Brain energy is precious and you're probably here for a break from reality. Break away.

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Six months after Lena had been sworn in, Hoshina came swaggering into the lab waving papers above his stupid bowl-cut head.

"Oh my darling pet nerd! I got you a present!"

She barely spared him a glance before pressing her eyes back to the rubber eyepieces of her microscope.

Through the lenses, an engorged cell floated about against a faint blue background. The blue itself was a sign of its unnatural nature. Its nucleus made circles about its middle, like an eyeball rolling around.

"Not even a hello? So cruel." He said from just behind her.

"I have a live cell in suspension fluid that will only last five minute," she said curtly. "I need to make the most of it and get the exact time of death."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't cells come in the millions? I'm sure you have a spare."

She gave an irritated grunt in her throat which she reserved just for the vice captain. He had no business visiting the labs as often as he did, but Cromwell, her direct supervisor and one of three full-time scientists of the 3rd division, was as laid back as they came. If it didn't interfere with the accuracy of results, people could be doing naked cartwheels around the lab for all he cared. It was definitely the opposite of what she had been expecting of someone working with the Defense Force.

"Separating a cell and putting it in the fluid is a massive pain," said Lena.

"Ah. Well, just take a peek at your present. I'm sure it will make those five seconds away from your precious cell worth while."

She sighed. She couldn't focus with him chatting over her shoulder like this. So she pulled back, blinked her eyes back into focus, and peered at the pack of paper he held over her shoulder.

It was a profile packet. One of many that she'd seen for all the officers. This one had a little blue star that marked it as a newbie. The guy in the picture had thick, straight eyebrows, a plain face, and a square jaw. He looked solid enough.

She squinted.

"A cadet?" Wow. Even less than an officer. Great. "And I'm supposed to care why?"

"Look at his combat power."

She found it easily enough. The number made her mouth drop.

"Wha—zero—"

"Happy late birthday." Hoshina grinned like a cat who'd got the cream.

She snatched the packet. "How did you get the board—scratch that, how is he still alive? Weren't there those weird resurrecting kaiju this year?" She was still filling out paperwork for that, the insanity.

"Guy's got a good head on his shoulders and knows his kaiju. He was actually able to direct others to the yoju's weakspots. He's also more or less made of determination." He flashed some teeth. "And he's hilarious."

He could be a world renowned stand up comedian and she couldn't care less. This had been just the man she had been looking for. Her baseline.

In the time she was soaking in 'Hibino Kafka's details, the timer went off, signaling the rough expiration of her cell.

"He wouldn't have gotten in if I hadn't vouched for him, you know," said Hoshina. "I was the oooooonly one."

"Thank you." She meant it.

He wagged in place, smile bobbing through the air. "Do I get some praise? A reward? Maybe even..." he wiggled his eyebrows. "A kiss?"

It wasn't the first time he'd joked about getting a kiss for doing whatever, whether it was shutting up so she could focus or bringing her a snack. Since she didn't see too much difference in the overly friendly manner he treated others on base, especially Okonogi, the forces Operations Leader and Hoshina's bosom companion, she figured he just liked being a creepy flirt to whoever would stand it. And she was not the type to kiss anyone let alone flirt.

But she had been losing hope of ever getting a willing baseline subject until she got to Kaiju Research Center. A minimum of five years.

With the hand not holding Hibino's profile, she grabbed a fistful of his uniform and yanked him down for a quick peck on the cheek.

"I'm keeping this." She gestured with the papers.

Hoshina's face went slack. His jaw dropped.

Feeling her face flush, she bent down to her microscope just to see that the cell really had died. It was a bit late to record its time of death. She'd have to start over this trial. The data was ruined. But when she pulled back to cross out the numbers for this round, Hoshina was still there like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He flinched. "Fine! Totally!"

"It's your own fault if you're grossed out."

"What?" He shook his head hard. "I-I'll send Hibino your way for his entrance physical."

Then Hoshina fled, practically sprinting up the metal stairs.

Lena frowned at the door on the second floor where he had vanished, then swiveled her wheelie chair around to start on a new sample to find the aged Cromwell giving her a funny look from across the room. The centrifugal whirred quietly on the counter next to him, probably separating another batch of kaiju blood.

"What?"

He took off his thick glasses to rub something off with the edge of his shirt. The hairiest part of his head, his eyebrows, rose in a mock look of innocence, pushing wrinkles all up his bald scalp.

Lena scowled, and the warmth in her cheeks rose to a heat.

"It means nothing."

He just looked at her.

"He flirts with everyone. Even the guys."

He put his glasses back on, smiling.

Lena wanted to throw her empty coffee mug at him. But, since he was technically her boss and a senior citizen, she held back. 

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Yeah, this story isn't going to do anything for me...but it'll be fuuuun! And there isn't nearly enough Kaiju No. 8 fanfiction out there.