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Who would have though? That going from being a human who could transform in to a kaiju to a kaiju who can transform into a human, thanks to a 400 something years old larva would have peculiar consequences. First of all I age at a slower pace that a normal person would, the operators had estimated I now have at least two times the life expectancy of a normal person. So in a rough estimate I have and expectancy of 160 year give or take 20 year, that if any kaiju manages to kill me first, though I can feel the aging inside me I’m a bit slower and it take a bit longer to sense kaiju and some of them have got me pretty good in the past.
Today it is remembrance day of those that have fought and lost to the kaiju. Because even if we have come a long way since the Meireki attack as our country became well verse in the art of reconstruction and improvement in our technology now is capable of extent the life expectancy of the numbered weapon wielders, we are still human, I mean they are still human my bad.
Today it’s a rough day, remembering every one of those who are gone it’s never easy. I can still remember when the shift started as we grew the captains got older and started their path towards HQ like Hasegawa did at the time, others passed at the line of duty and with each passing it got harder and harder, by the time I’ve reached the 30% percent of realized power on the suit it was a slow improvement but still, most of the ones that were platoon leaders when I enlisted were already gone they mostly passed in battle but, other manage to get to 70 once they got to an administrative position but they are gone all the same. I am not going to lie some the deaths hurt more than other.
Like when Hoshina passed in battle as more countries started doing experiments with humans and kaijus, there were organizations terrorist ones who threatened a lot of smaller countries, we helped an succeeded but a great cost, you see those experiments were unstable at best and catastrophic at worst by the time we manage to control the situation with the two hybrids the ones controlling them made them explode I was far from the explosion managing other out of control daikaju hybrid I couldn’t get there in time… I like to think that Vice captain Soshiro Hoshina left showing all his power and pride at his almost 55 years when we recovered the remains of his body and the suit it was hard but the ones who took it the hardest were Mina and Okonomi, the later almost left the division all together, but she chose to stay to train new operator though with certain sadness. Mina was devastated to put it lightly it took her the longest to get back to normal even with Iharu as her new vice-captain, we talked a lot that time for her he was her complement the one who made possible a lot of missions and for me he was the one who believed in me the one who made me the man I am today. We both lost a part of ourselves that day a year later after hoshina’s departure mina took on a HQ position leaving Iharu and Reno as the captain and vice-captain of the third division and only participated on battle In rare occasions with me or with the captain and vice-captain of the first division Narumi or Kikoru.
Talking of the captain of the first division Narumi a great leader ironically what took him was not a battle, rather the accumulated damage cause by his kaiju retinas in the Meireki battle the improvement in the technology it was not enough to stop the blindness it was disheartening. He to left rather quickly after he went blind at 57, I guess he refused to be a burden as annoying as he was he was one of the greatest that left Kikoru who was already the first division captain pretty devastated but as always time passes and everyone got older and slower and one by one they passed.
When mina left was the hardest she was took by age she was one of the few who manage to get to a retirement age but with serious damage to her arms. I took care of her the best I could the night she left was peaceful like watching her go to sleep after a long day of work I was 75 at the time but with a body of a 40 years old, I won’t lie when mina finally left I almost lost it if not for Kikoru and Reno that were there for me I would still be a mess, after that it was decides that Bakko should stay with me I guess we understand each other in a way.
As time passed and I watched those two grow out of the teenager they were in to the most reliable leader and friends I’ve could ask for and I got a chance to be part of their lives Reno was the first to go of the two in a battle with rather intelligent kaiju allied with a small terrorist/cult group who target him for his suit we won but the strain that the suit of No. six put in him was too much and it took him, that day I lost a friend the very person who encouraged me to keep trying and for him I keep improving.
By that time Kikoru and I were the only ones left of the third division squad that were in the Meireki attack after that Kikoru was already the general of the JAKDF my secret identity was no longer a secret, more as a diplomatic move in earning trust among the glove with all the hybrid experimentation and such, I still go out but more by the night time when there is the less amount of people, before there was only Kikoru and a small bunch of descendants of the other included her that realy knew me they keep me company from time to time it was not the same but I like it, today those descendant know me but they feel a little distant though I can still see the other trough them from time to time but I try not to botter then with my sentimentalities. As for me I a no longer a platoon leader as my peers, I was also transferred to the HQ in other to make new reconnaissance units in the different divisions around the country, also to keep studying kaiju and myself. That transfer thanks to Kikoru helps me to this day to keep some level of privacy.
That bring me to today, 20 years after kikoru’s passing that girl though on the outside and soft and gentle in the inside she finally passed at 76 surrounded by her family and me, I was a mess during her funeral because I was alone for the first time. I bet Kikoru was angry watching me cry like a baby after that it was decided, Kikoru was involved in this decision I’m sure, to make me one of the leader of the JAKDF one for my prolonged life expectancy and my abilities I was at 60 % at the time with 92 years and the body of a 50 years old
After that I became somewhat of a hermit and it became a habit of me to go to the shinre to pray and talk with everyone at least that is what I like to believe. Bakko come with me some times to keep me company you see like me it also has an extended life expand but I guess a little shorter than mine because it is getting harder to keep up with coming with me.
Today we remember those who are gone but not forgotten nor their identities or they achievements but it is lonely sometimes been the only one at the top and have no one to share it with
I know Kikoru told me to keep going and improving but some days are harder than other, but their memories became one of the reason keep going a long side with keeping as much people safe in this dangerous world we live in. Well I better go back to the HQ for the ceremony I really hope that they are with me today.