Disclaimer: ADV holds the domestic release rights to Nadesico. I own nothing.

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Nadesico: A Tea Party

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Description: This story takes place after the TV series. As far as I'm concerned, the Nadesico movie is non-canon and is completely ignored in this story. Pretty much everything else you need to know is in the story. Enjoy.

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KEY:

"Normal Text" Spoken dialogue

'Italics' Thoughts

"Bold Text" Reading previously written text

"Bold and Italics" Currently being written text

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The young 14-year old girl with the long silvery-blue hair and deep brown eyes made her way down the corridor towards her quarters. Her shift had just ended and now she was on her own time. Entering her private living space, she slowly began to take her uniform off and proceeded to the bathroom to take a shower.

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After drying off and changing into a pair of walking shorts and a tank top, she went and sat at her desk, still drying her hair with a towel. Looking over her desk, she reached out and ran her hand over her journal, which was sitting on the middle of the desk. Setting the towel over her shoulders, she picked up the book, flipped to the first page, and began reading.

"Personal log, date: January 27th, 2199

After repeated suggestions by Doctor Fresange, I will now commence keeping a personal account of my time aboard the Nadesico. After she learned of my intentions to apply for early admission to the UE Military Academy, she felt that keeping a more tangible record of my remaining time aboard this ship would in some way prove a valuable resource for when I finally leave for the Academy. I do not necessarily agree with her assessment, but it seems the best way to get that woman off my back.

Today was very much like most any other day about the Nadesico. Ever since we took the Boson Engine from Mars, the war between Earth and the Jovians has turned into a shouting match of political rhetoric and propaganda. We have been reassigned to security patrol for transport ships moving between Earth and the Moon. Why these ships need a security escort is beyond me, since the Jovians have no way of getting here any longer, but we do what we must, so we follow orders and act as babysitters for ships transporting colonists and supplies to the Moon.

Well, that's all for this initial entry. This feels so stupid."

The young girl cracked a faint smile. Flipping ahead several pages, she stopped and began reading again.

"Personal log, date: April 20th, 2199

An interesting turn of events occurred today. First Officer Aoi has offered to tutor me in preparation for taking the entry exams for the Academy. While I do not entirely feel it is necessary, after checking his academy records I found that First Officer Aoi finished 16th in his graduating class of thirty-six hundred. This is quite impressive, so I've decided to accept the First Officer's offer. I hope it will prove fruitful.

An added note: Out of curiosity, I also checked the captain's records. This proved most… interesting. While I was aware of Captain Misumaru's impressive record in battle simulations, I was not aware of her overall academic record. It appears the captain is as adapt in academics as she is in battle. She graduated 3rd in her class, the same class as First Officer Aoi. I did a little more research and found out that not only did she miss graduating 1st by only four-hundredths of a point, but the reason for this was because she was forced to take one of her final exams during her final year at the academy while suffering from pneumonia, which adversely effected her final grade by two-tenths of a point, dropping her from first to third. I find that this knowledge has in some way increased my respect for the captain."

Ruri smiled once again and sighed as she flipped the pages of her diary. Stopping again, she began reading.

"Personal Log, May 17th, 2199

The newfound respect I recently felt towards the captain dissipated this afternoon. Near the end of my shift, Captain Misumaru requested that I stop by her quarters in approximately one hour. Being a dutiful member of this crew, I did as my captain requested. What I found left me with such an uneasy feeling that I find it difficult to put it into words at this moment…"

Ruri took a deep breath and sighed as she remembered that odd day…

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Pressing the comm. button next to her captain's door, Ruri announced, "Captain, I've come as you requested."

"Come on in, Ruri," she heard her reply.

Pressing the button below the comm. button, the door slid open and the ship's navigator entered her captain's living quarters. As the door closed behind her, she saw something that struck her as unusual, but chose to hold her tongue for the moment.

"Welcome, Ruri, please have a seat." Yurika smile widely, gesturing to the chair across from her.

Hesitantly, Ruri did as she was requested, looking at the chair and the table for a moment before sitting down.

"I got the card table and folding chairs from Mister Prospector." The captain grinned. "Apparently, he hosts a poker game every Thursday night."

Ruri showed no surprise, since she had been a regular attendee until Mister Prospector was forced to ban her from the game after she cleaned up 13 weeks in a row.

The blue haired woman tapped her chin with her index finger as she stared up at the ceiling. "I'll have to check the regulations to make sure that isn't a violation."

"Captain, why did you ask me here? And why are there stuffed animals in the other two seats?" Ruri asked as a small amount of perspiration crept down her temple, fearful of her captain's reply.

"Oh, how rude of me," Yurika replied. "Let me introduce you to my friends." She pointed to the stuffed bear to her right. "This is Mister Snuggles." Then, gesturing to the floppy eared rabbit in the chair to the left of her, she continued, "And this is Misses Fluffy Bunny." She grinned widely. "I thought we'd have a tea party together." She gestured to the European styled tea set laid out on the table.

"A tea party?" Ruri raised her right eyebrow. 'Oh god, please tell me she's joking.'

"When I was young, Akito and I used to have lots of fun playing and having tea parties together." Yurika smiled happily as she pressed her hands to her heart.

'I have no doubt Mister Tenkawa would have a somewhat different memory of those times,' Ruri mused.

"Would you like some tea, Ruri?" the captain asked happily.

"Aaa, I-I suppose?" the young teen replied hesitantly.

Yurika giggled, then picked up the teapot and, holding the lid down carefully, positioned the spout over the teacup closest to Ruri and tilted it. Ruri was still staring at the blue haired woman in disbelief when she noticed something and looked down at the cup.

"Aaa, Captain… it appears you forgot to put water and tea leaves in the pot," the younger woman informed her.

Setting the pot down, the blue haired woman laughed softly. "Of course, silly. It's just a pretend tea party."

"A pretend tea party?" Ruri eyes grew a little wider as her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Haven't you ever played tea party before, Ruri?" Yurika asked.

"No, Captain, I never have," she replied. 'Thank god.'

"Well, when you play tea party, you do it with pretend tea." Yurika gestured to the tea set. "And pretend guests." She gestured to her stuffed animal friends, then placed her hands on either side of her mouth and whispered, "But don't tell them they're only pretend. It might hurt their feelings." She winked at her young protégée.

"Well, Captain. If you don't mind, I'll just leave now and you can pretend I'm here as well. Trust me, you won't hurt my feelings," Ruri retorted.

Yurika laughed and waved off Ruri's reply. "Don't be silly, Ruri, this tea party is for you." She then pushed the cup closer to her guest and asked, "Would you like milk or lemon with your tea?"

Ruri just stared in disbelief at the woman she once felt so much respect for, despite having called her an idiot on more than one occasion. 'She really is an idiot.'

They spent the next 60 minutes making small talk, though Yurika, with Ruri limiting her responses to one or two word answers, did most of the talking. Finally, having had more than enough, Ruri said firmly, "Captain, I'm really rather tired now. I'd like to retire to my quarters if you don't mind."

"Oh, of course." Yurika grinned sheepishly. "By all means. Sorry for keeping you so long."

Ruri simply nodded then got up to leave, when Yurika continued, "Maybe next time we can make it a picnic."

The young navigator sighed, but remained silent as she turned and left her captain's quarters.

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Shaking her head from the memory of that day, Ruri continued reading.

"If it is possible, I feel as though that experience actually left me measurably stupider. I spent the next five hours reading the collective works of Newton, Einstein, and Hawking. I can only hope this managed to repair whatever damage that hour with the captain may have caused my brain."

A faint smile crossed her lips as Ruri read those last lines, but it quickly disappeared as her cheeks turned a pale pink. Flipping through a few more pages, she stopped suddenly and started reading again.

"Personal log: June 2nd, 2199

It has been approximately two weeks since the captain has taken to inviting me to her quarters for either a tea party or picnic. Today was the 9th time. We had a picnic this time, in the observation room. About the only thing I feel I can say about this is that at least the captain brought real food, catered by Miss Howmei of course…"

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"So Ruri, how are your tutoring lessons going with Jun?" Yurika asked before biting into her egg salad sandwich.

"Quite well," Ruri replied after taking a sip of her green tea. "Mister Aoi is an excellent instructor. I've informed him that it is my honest opinion that when his tour of duty is over, he may wish to strongly consider a teaching position at the Academy."

Yurika smiled happily, giggling slightly.

"Do you disagree, Captain?" Ruri inquired.

"No, not at all. I agree, Jun is an excellent teacher. It's just… well, I think those are the most words you've said in a single sentence since we started having these little parties of ours." She grinned happily.

Ruri raised her eyebrow and narrowed her lips. 'Idiot.'

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"For perhaps the first time, I actually felt comfortable speaking with another person, and she had to ruin it by making that stupid observation. Why do I continue to humor her by attending her stupid little parties? Why have I put up with this for so long? There must be some regulation somewhere prohibiting the captain from harassing her crew. Being forced to endure pretend tea parties is a form of harassment, isn't it?"

Ruri closed the book for a moment as she squeezed her eyes shut and let out a sad sigh. Slowly, she opened her eyes and re-opened the book, finding the page she was just on, then flipping a few more pages past it.

"Personal log: June 26th, 2199

"This was the day I finally had enough of the captain's little parties. I had tried to be patient beyond measure, but my patience has worn thin. I can no longer tolerate her idiotic conversations with her stupid stuffed animals. She even makes annoying voices, acting as if they are replying to her inquiries. I feel as if the day I leave the Nadesico to attend the UE Military Academy cannot come fast enough.

Of course, this is how I felt before the captain explained her reason for the tea parties…"

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"I'm sorry, Ruri. I didn't know you felt this way. I wouldn't have continued to invite you if I knew you hated it so much… it's just…" A tear rolled down the captain's cheek.

"Just what, Captain?" Ruri asked with a mild sense of guilt for causing her captain to cry.

Wiping the tear from her cheek, Yurika offered the young ship's navigator a warm smile. "I was only about seven or eight when my parents moved from Mars to Earth. Leaving Akito behind was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. And when I thought he had died along with his parents, my heart was broken as no child's heart should ever be broken." Tears started rolling down her cheeks freely now.

"Captain?" Ruri asked out of mild concern.

"Believe it or not, I actually closed myself off for a time. I hardly spoke to anyone for almost two years. My parents got so worried they sent me to therapists and even hypnotists in hopes of shaking me out of my depression. When my mother died, I slipped further into depression and my father simply couldn't deal with it any longer, not with his responsibilities with the UEDF. So he sent me to the same preparatory school he attended to prepare him for the Academy. He had many fond memories of that school and I guess he hoped that I would develop my own fond memories of it as well. But my father was such an accomplished student there that everyone on the faculty was constantly comparing me to him. Even the other students, the only reason they even wanted to be around me was so I could tell them stories of the great Admiral Misumaru. I felt like I had to work harder than everyone else in order to create an identity of my own. But the harder I worked, the more I was compared to my father. I guess if he sent me there to help me get over my depression, it worked, because I didn't have time to be depressed. I didn't have time for anything but my studies, my extra-curricular studies, and my community service work. When I went to the Academy, it was more of the same. I was never Yurika Misumaru, I was always Admiral Misumaru's daughter." While her tears had stopped, a look of profound sadness was etched upon the young captain's face.

"Captain." Ruri's voice trembled.

"Don't get me wrong, I love my father. I'm very proud of him and all that he's accomplished. He's my idol, my hero. I can only hope to be half the officer he is." She smiled weakly. "My point is, Ruri, that the day I left the Utopia Colony was the last day of my youth."

A hard expression crossed Ruri's face. "So you felt that since I'm still just a kid, you could recapture some of your lost youth by playing with me?" The young 14-year old clenched her fists under the table. 'I never knew you were this selfish, Captain.'

Yurika's head snapped up as she stared at the girl wide-eyed. "NO! That's not it at all!" she screamed, slapping her hands over her mouth in embarrassment as she quickly composed herself. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell." She took a deep breath and let it out. "No, Ruri. My youth is past. I was doing this for you. I know you're older than I was when I lost my youth, but you've had such a structured upbringing, so much responsibility, and soon you'll be leaving for the Academy. I just wanted to give you some of the joy I still hold dear to me. The joy of a carefree time, the joy of playing without worries or concerns of the world around you, without competition. The joy of being young."

Ruri's anger dissipated in an instant, replaced by confusion as she looked around the captain's quarters. "But you have all these toys?"

Yurika stifled a laugh as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sure, I have lots of stuffed animals and things." She gestured about her room. "But almost all of them were given to me by friends and male admirers. They serve as a means to remember the people in my life, but I don't play with them." She looked over at the stuffed bear in the seat to the right of her and reached over to pick him up. "This is the only one that's ever really meant anything to me." She cradled it in her arms as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks onto the bear's fur.

Looking down at the bear, Ruri noticed for the first time that this stuffed creature, unlike all of the others, was much older and worn, and while the other stuffed animals looked as if they'd barely been handled, this one looked as though it had spent many hours in its master's arms. "Mister Tenkawa gave you that one, didn't he?"

Yurika nodded. "As a going away present, just before I left the Utopia Colony." She lowered her head and wept silently, her shoulders trembling with each sob.

"Captain…" Ruri was at a loss as she looked down at the table and the teacup in front of her. Realizing something for the first time, she reached out and picked up the empty cup, turning it over and looking at the inscription on the bottom of the cup. Looking back up at her captain, she asked, "This is a Victorian Tea Set, isn't it?"

Yurika nodded without looking up.

"Made from fine bone china?"

Again, the blue haired woman nodded her response.

"And it's brand new. You bought this set just for our tea parties?" Ruri's eyes were filled with guilt for the way she had treated her captain when the response was another nod to the affirmative.

Carefully setting the cup back down, the young teen rose from her seat. "I have to go now, Captain." She waited just long enough to see Yurika's gentle nod, then she turned and exited the older woman's quarters.

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"… I'm such an idiot."

Tears fell onto the already tear stained page as Ruri closed her eyes and wept, slowly clutching the book to her chest.

As her tears gradually subsided, Ruri sat up and pulled her chair closer to her desk as she started a new entry.

"Personal log: June 30th, 2199

It has been four days since I reduced my Captain to tears… as well as myself. I am still filled with a sense of guilt and shame for not taking the time to ask her motivations in having our little parties before I told her how much I hated them. I thought our little parties, as they transpired, were the stupidest things anyone could ever be forced to endure. Now, in retrospect… I don't know how I managed to get along without them. I find I miss my time alone with the captain. She is warm, sensitive, caring, and silly, but in a good way. I once wrote in my journal that I had found new respect for her because of her academic standing at the Academy, but after spending numerous hours with her in these casual settings, I find I have learned a new meaning of respect. Captain Misumaru is not only a fine captain; she is a good and caring person. This is more then I can say for myself.

She told me four days ago that she could only hope to aspire to be half the officer her father is. I feel as though if I could be half the person Captain… Miss Yurika Misumaru is, I will have accomplished a great feat indeed.

I have allowed four days to pass since what I fear was the last tea party the Captain and I will enjoy together, but I can't let it end this way without trying to make amends. I must do something and soon."

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Yurika Misumaru sat next to Akito Tenkawa on his bed, her legs across his lap, her head on his shoulder, their arms wrapped around each other.

"Oh Akito, what was I thinking?" she whispered sadly. "I've made a mess of everything. Things have been so awkward aboard the bridge ever since that day. I'm sure Ruri hates me now."

Stroking her back gently, Akito spoke reassuringly, "I'm sure Ruri doesn't hate you."

"Maybe not, but I'm sure she's ashamed to have to serve under me. I know I've lost all respect in her eyes." Pulling a little closer to him, she asked softly, "What was I thinking?"

"You were trying to give Ruri something she never had, a normal childhood. I guess at fourteen, she's simply not a child anymore. She's just too mature to appreciate what you were trying to do for her," Akito offered as he held her tight. "I'm sure she'll just put it behind her and everything will be okay in a few weeks."

Looking up at him, she asked hopefully, "Do you really think so? I'd hate for Ruri's last months aboard the Nadesico to be awkward and uncomfortable."

Just then a communication screen popped up. "Captain, oh. I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were otherwise occupied," Ruri said with a light pink hew covering her face.

"No, Ruri!" Yurika swung her legs off Akito and gave him a not so gentle shove that sent the young pilot tumbling to the floor. "Oops! Sorry, Akito." She smiled, then turned her attention back to her navigator. "What did you need, Ruri?"

"If you have a moment, I'd like to speak to you in private in… say an hour, in the observatory?" the young teen stated plainly.

"Oh, okay," Yurika replied with a surprised and concerned look. "I'll see you in the observatory in an hour then."

"Thank you, Captain," Ruri stated, "And sorry, Mister Tenkawa."

"T'sall right." A hand waved in Ruri's line of sight just before the communication screen disappeared.

"What do you suppose she wants to talk about?" Yurika asked, still staring in the direction of where the communication screen had just been. "Do you think she wants to ask for a transfer to another ship," she wondered sadly, "Or maybe she wants to press formal charges?"

"Because you tried playing tea party with her?" Akito asked as he lifted himself off the floor. "Maybe she wants to apologize for the other day."

"Do you think so?" she asked hopefully, but countered, "No, that can't be it. I bet she'll have Mister Prospector there as well to present me with formal charges of misconduct." She lowered her head to her knees as she buried her face in her hands. "Oh, what am I going to do, Akito?" She began to cry. "I'm such a horrible person."

Kneeling down in front of her, Akito grabbed Yurika by her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Yurika, listen to me, you're not a horrible person. You're a wonderful person. You're the kindest, most caring person I know. I'm sure Ruri must understand this. If you like, I'll go talk to her. I'm sure she'll listen to me."

"You'd do that for me, Akito?" Yurika smiled through her tears.

"Of course." He smiled. "I'd do anything for you, Yurika. I love you."

"Oh, Akito." She leaned forward, letting her eyes slide shut as she pressed her lips against his.

Receiving her lips with eager acceptance, Akito gently pulled his lover down from the bed onto the floor where they wrapped each other in an embrace and shared a deep, passionate kiss that lasted for several long minutes.

Lying in each other's arms, Yurika's head resting upon her lover's chest, she whispered, "Akito, about talking to Ruri…"

"Oh, yeah." He lifted his arm to check his watch. "I guess I better get going so you two can still meet at the observatory on time."

"No, that's okay. You don't have to go," she said softly with her cheek still resting on his chest and her hand gently running back and forth over his chest and shoulder.

"Are you sure, Yurika?" He tilted his head to look down at her.

Looking up to meet his gaze, she replied, "I'm sure. Just knowing you were willing to do that for me was enough to give me the courage to face whatever Ruri has waiting for me." She smiled lovingly up at him. "I love you, Akito."

Smiling back, he replied, "I love you, Yurika."

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Taking a moment to straighten her uniform as she stood just outside the entrance to the observatory, Yurika took a deep breath, exhaled, then pressed the button to enter.

Stepping in, her eyes immediately went wide in surprise as she took in her surroundings.

"Ruri?" The captain stepped further into the room. Seeing the young teen in shorts and a tank top left her very confused.

"Captain, I thought you were off duty. I'm sorry to disturb you while you were—" Ruri started to say, but Yurika cut her off.

"No, that is, I'm off duty. I just thought…" Yurika stopped herself. "What is all this about, Ruri?" She gestured to the sunny meadow setting being displayed in the room.

"I…I…" Ruri blushed as she turned her gaze to the grassy ground. "I wanted to apologize for the other day, Captain. My rudeness was completely uncalled for. I attacked your actions and questioned your motives without even asking for an explanation first." Her face turned a bright red. "I stirred up sad memories from your past and made you cry." She lowered her head as tears fell from her eyes onto the tops of her sandals. "And worst of all, I've affected your performance as captain of this ship by making you uncomfortable around me. I'm sorry, Captain."

Yurika's vision became blurred with unshed tears. Rushing forward, she took the young teenager into her arms and hugged her tightly. "It's all right, Ruri," she sobbed softly. "Everything is all right," she added as she kissed Ruri on top of her head, then pressed her cheek on the same spot. Slowly, Ruri's arms rose up from her sides and circled around Yurika's waist, as she held on tight while she continued to cry.

Doing her best to pull herself together, Yurika gently pulled herself from her young navigator and went down onto one knee. Looking up into the young girl's sad eyes, she pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping away the girl's tears. "Now, you need to stop that. You're far too pretty a girl to let tears ruin your beautiful complexion." She smiled as her own tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

Reaching into her pocket, Ruri pulled out a tissue and gently blotted the tears from her captain's face as well. "What would Mister Tenkawa say if he saw you like this?"

The captain stifled a laugh as she smiled widely. "Probably that I'm just a big crybaby," she joked. Standing back up, she took Ruri's hand and added, "Let's go find him and ask."

"Actually, Captain…" Ruri gave some resistance. "There was something else I was hoping we could do." Letting her hand slip free from her captain's, she walked behind a partition that blended right in with the rest of the surroundings and came back out with two stuffed animals in her arms. "I thought the four of us could have a picnic together."

"Mister Snuggles, Misses Fluffy Bunny!" Yurika smiled happily. "But how…"

Blushing slightly, Ruri explained. "I had Omoikane override the security lock to your quarters so I could bring them. A picnic wouldn't be a picnic without them. I hope you're not mad at me."

"A picnic?" Yurika's eyes sparkled.

Handing the two stuffed figures to her captain, Ruri went back behind the partition and came back out with a blanket and a picnic basket. "I'm sorry I said I hated our parties, Captain. I've really missed our time together. If you… if you'd like, we can continue to have them. At least until I leave for the Academy." She gave her captain a hopeful smile.

"I'd love to continue our parties, Ruri. Nothing would make me happier." Setting her two stuffed friends down, the blue haired woman helped the young teen spread out the blanket, then set her friends on the blanket as well. "So, what's for lunch, Ruri?"

"I'm not sure. I asked Miss Howmei to pack a vegetarian lunch. I hope you don't mind," Ruri stated calmly as she searched inside the basket, pulling out plates, cups, utensils, and napkins before getting to the food. "Well, it appears we have spring rolls, cashew salad on chilled rice noodles, and creamed celery soup," she said as she pulled out each item.

"Sounds delicious." Yurika smiled as she picked up a pair of chopsticks.

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Epilogue:

Sitting in the observatory, enjoying a nice springtime picnic, Captain Yurika Misumaru asked her Navigations Officer, Ruri Hoshino, about the UE Military Academy exams she had recently taken. "So, have you gotten back your results from the exams yet, Ruri?"

"Yes, I have, Captain," the young teen replied.

"Ruri, how many times do I have to tell you? When we're alone like this you can call me Yurika, okay?" The captain smiled, taking another sip of tea.

"Very well… Yurika." Ruri blushed slightly, but proceeded to answer her friend's inquiry. "I scored in the 99th percentile."

"So you made it in!" Yurika rose up on her knees and took Ruri's hands into her own. "I'm so happy for you." But almost instantly, realization set it. "I guess we won't be doing this much longer then?"

"Actually…" Ruri looked away for a moment, then turned her gaze back up to her captain. "I've decided to postpone submitting my formal application to the Academy for at least one more year."

Tilting her head, a confused Yurika asked, "But why, Ruri? I thought you were really excited about going to the Academy."

"I decided I have the rest of my life to be a grownup, there's no reason to rush into it. Besides, I'm having too much fun still being a child right now." She cracked a faint smile.

"I'm glad you've decided to stay with us another year, Ruri," Yurika said in all honesty. "The Nadesico just wouldn't be the same without you."

"Thank you Cap… Yurika." Ruri smiled back happily.

Removing her hands from her young friend's, Yurika looked back into the picnic basket and proceeded to take out a small cake. "Well, this was supposed to be a small celebration cake for your passing your entry exams, but…"

"I suppose it can be a cake to celebrate our continued time together, our friendship," Ruri offered.

Smiling widely, Yurika nodded and set the cake down on the blanket. "Okay then, to good friends."

Ruri smiled. "Yes, good friends."

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The End

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AN: This was my first attempt at writing a Nadesico fanfiction. I hope you all enjoyed it. The idea for this story had been bouncing around in my head for some time now, but when Stahn Aileron announced his WAFF/Romance Fanfiction writing contest on Darkscribes, I knew I had to give it a go. This story was good enough to earn 3rd place in the contest. Not bad for my first contest.

I'd like to extend a very special thanks to my wonderful beta-reader and friend, Janice. She always does a great job making sure that my stories don't look like a five-year old wrote them. P

And I'd like to thank you, the reader, in advance for taking the time to read and review my story.

This was a fun story to write and I hope to write more Nadesico fics in the future.

A. Amishi