Depths
Short Tale
"I see a sea." Chihaya Gunzou, famed captain of the I-401 Submarine, said as he looked at the mystical ocean from his glowing white beach.
The ocean waters waved back softly, rising with the weak wind like a silky blanket blown by a small breeze. The waters themselves were crystal clear, so clear that the color was dark blue, where one could see where the sun did not reach. Had the sky not interfered with its pigments, one might possibly see the abyss and the trenches where even the Blue Steel could not enter.
The young captain crossed his legs as he sat on his beach chair, being covered by a simple white parasol but awkwardly still wearing his official uniform. The sand, which appeared to be like powdered sugar, stuck to his dress shoes like snow and gave them the glow of the sun they had kept in their structures.
"G-G-Gunzou?" a nervous voice called out to the young man.
"Ah..." the captain turned to what was a young woman, liberally dressed in a pink swimsuit and wearing red sunglasses to conceal her eyes.
The woman's cyan hair flowed down like a waterfall, but only before completing a full circle at the back of her head. She had soft, pink lips that looked like cotton candy, and her teeth were as white and radiant as the sand that covered the beach.
"Captain!" The young woman became flustered, "Apologies f-f-for referring to you in such a c-casual manner!" she saluted.
"At ease, Takao." Chihaya smiled softly, "There's no need for formalities here." he looked at her nervous arm, which were floundering about like fishes out of water.
"But- you're my Captain!" Takao blurted, "I-I mean, our Captain!" she corrected herself and turned away in embarrassment.
"No need to penalize yourself, Takao." Chihaya told her, "I am your captain, as I am Iona's." he said.
Takao hated to hear that name at this time, her teeth ready to gnash at the wind in anger but were stopped when the rage converted itself into bitterness. Whatever urge that was climbing up her throat to clench her teeth suddenly became stuck in there and became rotten, leaving a sour presence in the middle of her neck
"Is there something wrong, Takao?" Gunzou's question dragged the young woman from her lovesick torment, "I can tell something's up." he looked at her depressed condition.
"It's... nothing..." Takao sighed and looked at the sand underneath her little pink sandals, "Gunzou-sama." she started to well up.
"No it's not." Chihaya grumbled, "Something's bothering you, Takao, I can tell." he crossed his arms and looked at her, tapping his foot constantly.
"If you can tell what's bothering me..." Takao looked back up, the tears leaking out of her sunglasses, "Why- Why can't you... relate? You're the human here!" she clenched her fist, "You're the one who's a master of emotion! You're the one who has the capacity to love at a much grander scale!" she wept and bit her inner cheek in dissatisfaction.
"W-W-What are you doing!?" Gunzou yelled in shock as he saw that the young woman was now biting her lower lip, but hard. The young man was stunned her he saw that her frame started to fizz out in the area she was biting due to her strength.
"I hate... myself!" Takao cried, ceasing the assault on herself, "What use am I in this form... if what I want is not mine... This mental model only brings me pain and bitterness!"
"Takao!" Gunzou grabbed her arm, "Stop! What are you doing!? Stop hurting yourself!" he yelled and looked at her.
"I can't help it..." Takao muttered as she took off her sunglasses, revealing her deep blue eyes were now red and puffy from her crying, "Every time I'm near you... I always hurt myself." she grimaced at the thought of telling that to him.
"Takao..." Chihaya gasped when he looked at her eyes, which were images that displayed a thousand words.
"I am weak..." Takao continued, "It's no wonder you don't want me...It's no wonder Iona is your ship... Look at me, hurting myself... that's not something a warship should do." she teared up once more.
Gunzou continued gazing into her eyes, since they were mysterious yet knowable. Those brightly colored spheres were not only flesh and nerve, but soul and sentiment. If the captain could describe them at this moment, he would say that they were Takao herself, everything she was feeling, she was thinking, and she was hoping. Her fantasies, her life, her struggles- everything that she ever was, is, and will be all concentrated in those tiny windows.
The her deep blue irises were not only sparkling in the sun, but combined with her pupils, seemed to be like the bottom of the ocean. Gunzou could not even fathom the thought that her eyes were like the abysses, he could see so much about her but know so little. If eyes were the portals into a person's inner being, then Takao's would be the deepest trench in the ocean. Who was this mental model? Was this a mental model? Why does she feel this way?
"In my whole career..." Gunzou spoke as he continued to peer into Takao's eyes, "I was unwilling to explore the depths with Iona out of concern for my crew... Every time we would reach the twilight zone of the ocean, I would tell her to stop diving and activate the spotlights so I could at least take a glimpse of the world which I had reluctance of entering." he grabbed the young woman's chin.
"Gunzou." Takao looked at him weakly, "What are you doing?" she asked, starting to become flustered and red from the youth's close proximity.
"But now... I wish to see this new world... These depths." Gunzou looked at her eyes as if he were now the brave submersible that reached the surreal and mysterious world deep in the ocean. "I wish... Takao... for long I hesitated because of the team..." he grabbed her head, "But now, I wish to explore your world... I want to be part of it." he brought her in and gave her a kiss.
Takao's eyes shot open, her processor limit being reached by the sudden surge of emotion, her face being flooded with red streaks. This sudden surge of unforeseen processing made her lag a bit, but eventually Takao closed her eyes and brought the Captain closer.
"Takao." Gunzou pulled out and looked at her, "Do you want me to be part of your life?" he asked nervously.
"You are My Captain..." Takao mumbled and gave a grin, "I will let you pilot I-401, however, but as friends..." she pouted.
"Captain's honor." Gunzou crossed his heart, "Takao... Thank you." he smiled, "For letting my see a whole new world I would have only dreamed of seeing."
"Thank you for letting me open up that world to someone I care about strongly." Takao held his hand, "I could only have done that thanks to My Captain, Gunzou-sama." she put her head on his shoulder.
"Let's explore the world we helped save, together..." Gunzou said as she two walked hand in hand on the beach, "Perhaps even... the depths..." he looked at her and nodded softly.
My First (and possibly only) Arpeggio of Blue Steel fanfic! I hope you all liked! Keep in mind I have only watched the anime (not including the movies) but I am going to read the manga later when I have time. Please review this short story, and if you like... well, I'm glad! Have a blessed day!