Chapter 1
Little Shit
I stuffed my textbooks into my bag and headed out of the classroom. My shift at KaiKool started in thirty minutes - just enough time to change and grab a quick snack before work.
The afternoon sun hit my face as I walked down the familiar route to the café. A line of yellow tape blocked off what used to be the Matsuda family's corner store. The government's black and white "CONTAINMENT ZONE" signs plastered the windows.
"Did you hear? They found another one this morning!"
Two middle school kids pressed their faces against the barrier, phones out and recording. Ever since the Daimen incident last year, these zones had become social media hot spots. Every few weeks, a new door would materialize somewhere random, like Sato-san's house, Mom's favorite conbini, even a public bathroom once. Then the kaiju would emerge.
The military usually handled it quickly enough these days. But the zones stayed sealed off, just in case more showed up. Made getting around town a pain when your usual shortcuts kept getting blocked.
I checked my phone. Twenty minutes until my shift. The new zone meant I'd have to take the long way around, past the park.
A helicopter buzzed overhead, probably another news crew trying to catch footage of the cordoned-off area. The whole kaiju thing had gotten old months ago, but people still couldn't get enough it seems.
I sidestepped a news van parked haphazardly across the sidewalk. A man in a pressed suit jumped out, microphone extended like a weapon.
"Miss! Did you see the kaiju? Any comments about this morning's incident?"
I kept walking.
"Please, just a quick statement for Channel 8 News!"
The reporter jogged alongside me, cameraman huffing behind with his equipment. I picked up my pace.
"As a local here, how do you feel about-"
"Late for work," I muttered, ducking around a telephone pole.
The reporter finally gave up, turning to harass an elderly couple instead. Their excited chatter faded as I rounded the corner.
KaiKool's storefront came into view. Someone had added new cardboard cutouts since yesterday. Badly drawn kaijus posed dramatically between the windows, speech bubbles promising "MONSTROUS DEALS!" and "KAIJU-SIZED PORTIONS!"
The whole thing looked like a kindergarten art project gone wrong. But the paycheck cleared every month, and that's what mattered.
I pushed through KaiKool's back entrance, swiping my card at the time clock. The familiar beep confirmed another day of minimum wage ahead.
The changing room door squeaked as I stepped inside. Yukina stood there half-dressed in her kaiju costume.
"Oh! Ryūka-chan! You're early today!"
"New blockade meant I had to leave earlier." I headed to my locker, fishing out the half-eaten melon bread I'd saved from lunch.
"Then did you see it? The new door? I heard it appeared right in old Matsuda-san's shop!" Yukina bounced on her toes, making the kaiju costume's tail swing wildly. "What kind of kaiju was it this time?"
"Didn't stick around to check." I unwrapped my bread, eyeing the ridiculous costume. My manager really outdid herself with these - cheap foam padding covered in felt scales, googly eyes bigger than soy sauce plates. "These things look dumber every time I see them."
"They're adorable! The kids love them." Yukina grabbed the tail piece and hugged it. "And speaking of... Since you're here early anyway, let me help you suit up!"
"My shift doesn't start for twenty minutes."
"Come on! I'll show you the secret to getting the tail to stay up properly."
I sighed, knowing resistance was futile. "Fine. Help me into the stupid costume."
"Yes! You won't regret this!" Yukina clapped her hands and dove into the storage closet, emerging with my assigned kaiju costume - a light brown kaiju with dark spikes.
As she helped me squeeze into the polyester monstrosity, Yukina rattled on about the latest customer complaints. I tuned her out, focusing instead on not suffocating in the synthetic fabric.
"And then I told him our Kaiju Burger was totally worth the price because-"
"Hey, I'm gonna eat outside real quick." I cut her off, grabbing my half-finished melon bread. "Need some fresh air before my shift starts."
"Oh! Let me join-"
"No! I mean, you should finish getting ready. I'll be back in ten."
I escaped through the back door before she could protest. The afternoon sun felt nice after the stuffy changing room. I plopped down on the concrete steps, careful not to wrinkle my tail.
Taking a bite of bread, I gazed at the massive containment zone looming in the distance. Unlike the smaller zones scattered around town, this one sprawled across several blocks, ringed by temporary fencing and military checkpoints. No wonder business was booming - nothing drew crowds like a large ass containment zone.
A soft squeak snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked, looking down at my feet where the noise came from.
A tiny kaiju - and I mean tiny, it wasn't even the size of my head - stared up at me with unfocused eyes pointing in different directions. His rocky body swayed slightly as he kept his gaze fixed on my melon bread.
"No," I said flatly, turning away from it.
Another squeak.
I glanced back. He was still there, wobbling on stubby legs. Was it lost or something? The containment zone was fairly far from here, and I'd never seen a kaiju this small before. Most of them were busy destroying buildings or getting shot at by the military.
He made a sound that somehow managed to be both pitiful and annoying at the same time. His eyes seemed to drift even further apart as he slumped forward like a deflating balloon.
"Ugh, fine." I broke off a small piece of my bread and held it out. "Take it and go away."
The kaiju's eyes suddenly snapped forward and snatched the bread. He made happy squeaking noises as he stuffed the whole piece in his mouth, crumbs falling everywhere.
I checked my phone - five minutes until my shift. Better head back before Yukina starts another search party. Last time she'd gotten the entire staff involved for whatever reason.
"Well, that's it. Show's over." I brushed the crumbs off my costume and stood up.
The kaiju squeaked again, waddling closer to my feet. His eyes spun in different directions like broken compass needles.
"Nope. No more bread." I turned toward the door. "Go bother someone else."
A series of angry squeaks erupted behind me. I ignored them, reaching for the handle.
The concrete suddenly grew warm under my feet. Too warm. I looked down to find a perfect mini volcano forming right next to the back entrance.
"What the-"
BOOM!
