Author's Note: Hello everyone, this is NeoSolstice. Like what I've stated in the summary before, this is a short story, and it's mostly experimental of which I would like to explore a form of writing. As you would notice as soon as you read, that this is in first person compared to the third person format in Kancolle: New Dawn.

I credit Kadokawa for making Kancolle possible, as well as the artist Shimegi for the inspiration. :)

We were stuck in the middle of nowhere.

"Sigh... I'm sorry Shoukaku."

There were no food and we've just finished drinking our last bottle of fresh water.

"Hm…?"

"It was my fault that we landed here. Even though we were just going to Kagoshima, I knew I should have restocked a little more fuel in Naha."

Stranded on a deserted island, there wasn't much we could do, but wait for help.

"N-no, it wasn't the second lieutenant's fault. It was my fault. It was me that requested the flight to Kyushu. And it was also me that rushed you for this flight. So-."

"But you wanted to see your sister right?"

"Eh…?"

When I heard that my sister Zuikaku was assigned to a base nearby for a local training exercise, I've gotten really excited.

I've even asked the admiral if I could visit. But I didn't expect to have crash landed on the local archipelago.

Although the person in front of me was one of my pilots, it was my first time alone with a man.

To be honest, I was really nervous. I didn't know what to do.

"Good thing, I made that distress call before crash landing-…wait a minute…oh crap."

"W-what is it second lieutenant?"

"Oh man, I forgot about the rations."

Lying onto top of my head, there was a little fairy wiggling her arms. Placing a hand on his face, he mumbled.

"I knew something was out of place."

From above my head, she glared at the man.

"Reppu said you better go get it before it turns noon."

"Geez, she doesn't have to tell me twice."

Although the sun had barely risen, the temperature was already hot. I could also feel the humid air sticking to my skin.

"Here's second lieutenant. Take Reppu with you."

The pilot was surprised by my suggestion.

"Are you sure Shoukaku? Wasn't she meant to keep you safe? At least, that's what I believe you had said."

I lightly shook my head.

"Take it. We Kanmusume are tougher than humans. Don't look down on us, second lieutenant. I'll be fine. She'll protect you on your way there and back."

Even though he still seems a little skeptical, I nevertheless persisted.

Though reluctant, the man pulled out his hand to catch the little fairy.

"Go on Reppu."

Hopping onto the pilot's hand, the little fairy once again wiggled her hands as she stared back at me.

I chuckled. It looks like she's trying to cheer me up.

"Thank you Reppu. Come back safely with the second lieutenant, okay?"

The fairy puffed her little chest before the pilot moved her onto his shoulder.

"Well then. I'll better get going before it gets too late. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

When he waved, I responded before his disappears into the wilderness around us.

"Have a safe trip."

It would be fifteen minutes before he returned…

…For a while, I felt very light-headed.

Although I was resting under a shade, the high heat and humidity were making my clothes to stick onto my body.

Before the headache started, I've tied up my hair up thinking it would be easier to manage. But it only seems to make my headache worse.

"Didn't I tell second lieutenant and myself that Kanmusume were tougher than humans?"

"I got to stay strong…I have to-…"

While telling myself to stay strong, my body simply sways. I couldn't get my body to respond. I could feel my body leaning towards one side.

I felt light for a brief moment, before something firm took hold of my body.

"Whoa. I got you."

With his arms stretched out, the pilot came back surprised.

"Second lieutenant! A-ah…I'm sorry, I-."

"Hold on, stay still for a minute."

"Eh…?"

He placed a hand over my forehead.

"It might have been heat stroke…this is bad…"

I wasn't sure why I feel quite comfortable in his arms. Before I knew, I was fast asleep…

…It was a really comforting sleep.

Though I'm still a little dazed, I felt something warm besides me.

Opening my eyes, I heard a voice coming from above my head.

"Oh, you're awake. Did you come to your senses yet?"

I flinched.

"D-did I…just slept on his lap?!"

"Wah! I'm sorry! Always falling asleep like that-…huh…?"

I could feel the headache coming back before the pilot firmly held onto my shoulders.

"No Shoukaku. You should really get some more sleep."

"But, you even have you lent me your clothes as a blanket."

"No, it's fine."

Staring at me in the eye, he continued.

"To think that even you could get a fever too."

Caught off guard by his actions, I quickly gazed away.

"T-this is just too embarrassing…"

Grabbing his clothes as a shield, I tried to cover my face.

"No, it's not like that. I'm actually really happy."

I looked back at the pilot, astounded by what he had just said.

He had a smile on his face.

"H-happy?"

"You might not know this, but every time I see you in the skies above, you look like beautiful goddess amidst the vast blue seas. But now, I've came to realize that this goddess was just another ordinary girl. I can tell just being close by you."

I was at a loss of words at what he just told me.

I turned away in the opposite direction.

"D-does the second lieutenant acts this way to everyone?"

"Hm…?"

"N-no, nothing…nothing at all."

He shifted his focus towards the little fairy perched on his shoulder.

"Well, that being said, it's possible that the protection you said that you'll get from this fairy is faulty."

It would seem that the fairy understood everything the pilot had just said about her.

"Maybe because she's all by herself right now that she's a bit unreliable at the moment…Ah, hey. Why are you so angry?"

Glaring back at the pilot, the fairy furiously wiggled her arms. She doesn't look a bit happy about what was said about her.

"Okay, okay. I got it, I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Despite him not understanding a single word the fairy was saying, the angry response speaks clearly for itself.

I've covered my mouth, but I couldn't hold in my laughter.

"Kuukuu…"

The fairy continued her rant, but the pilot ignored her tirade and was again focused at the matter at hand.

"Hm…It would probably be better if you rest a little longer."

"No, I really am fine now. Even though I might look otherwise…"

Lifting myself up from the ground, I sat beside him.

He asked me with a worried face.

"Are you sure that you're fine?"

I smiled when he asked.

"Yes, I'm alright. Thank you for asking."

Staring back at him with a light expression, I continued.

"I know that humans also struggle a lot."

I grabbed one of his hand with my own.

"Look, I understand very well that the second lieutenant is a warm and kind person…do you understand where I'm going with this?"

Looking at his hand, I continued.

"A senpai had told me this a long time ago that we were made in the form of humans. In this form we learn human pain, we learn joy, and we learn sadness. All so that we can protect humans."

Turning my head back, I felt light smile across my face. Having that said, I've closed my eyes before ending my little aside.

"So please second lieutenant, although I'm the only one causing all the troubles right now, please let me know if I can be of assistance. Please let me protect you too...somehow."

Looking back, I could see him smiling back.

"Yeah, of course, but…"

He moves towards me with an serious expression.

"I'll be protecting you too. Even if it cost me my life. So let us fight through this together."

I felt tears forming in my eyes. I didn't know what else to say. I know one thing was certain however. I was happy when he said that.

I nodded my head.

"Yes."

He smiled again before patting me in the head.

"Alright! Now that's decided, you should get some more sleep then. We'll check the radio tomorrow then. Good thing I remembered those rations, or we would have starve to death here…"

Now that he mentioned it, I didn't realize that is was already so late into the day.

"That's right. I better go to sleep now so that I could get better by tomorrow. So…second lieutenant?"

"Yes?"

"Good night."

"Ah, good night."

I couldn't see what his expression were when I closed my eyes, but I could hear his warm voice as my conscious slowly fades into the night.

"Sweet dreams, Shoukaku…"