Mamiya's heart sank. She dropped her head. "Why me, Nagato? How did I offend you? All I'm doing is just providing food and supplies for the girls around the base, you included." She shook her head. All that was left for her to do was to make her way to Nagasaki, and hope that Hiryuu would be able to do something to help her out. She'd even gone as far as to promise to come and get her from the new base. She'd initially tried to convince Nagato to let her figure something out properly, yet it seemed that was not going to work. Nagato was too set in her belief that Mamiya wasn't needed, yet all the evidence pointed to the contrary. Nearly a year ago, when an Abyssal air raid had badly damaged her shop and gotten her as well,, she'd been out of action for nearly a week, and it had badly hurt morale. Nagato har refused her an instant repair bucket, saying it was needed for 'actual fighting ships'
She sighed. Her best options now that she had been displaced, it seemed, were to try to negotiate a deal with the base commander. Yamato had told her that her sister, Musashi, was in charge at Nagasaki. Musashi had a bit of a arrogant personality at first, but if Mamiya mentioned that she was friendly with Yamato, she may gain favor. Yamato had even been nice enough to write a letter for Mamiya to give to her sister.
Mamiya traveled for the better part of two days, though the night. Exhausted, she'd arrived late in the afternoon, and was greeted on the pier by Musashi, whom Yamato had described for her, and another two girls who identified themselves as sisters Fusou and Yamashiro. Neither had really met her eyes when she asked them anything, only lamenting that they were unlucky enough to end up stuck with the new girl, again.
Musashi had smiled apologetically at her. "Those two seriously need to get a grip. Anyway, you have something for me? I'll take it now." She held out her hand, beckoning.
"Oh, yes." She dug around her her coat, pulling out Yamato's letter. "Here. Sorry it's a bit battered."
"It's fine," She muttered absentmindedly. She scanned the message quickly. "Well, we weren't planning on keeping you anyway. So this isn't a problem. Let's get you settled into temporary quarters. Then we'll see about a place for you to work while we wait for your friends to arrive, as my sister has said they will. I trust her judgment at least."
Mamiya looked at Musashi with a guarded expression. "You said you weren't planning on keeping me here? Where was I supposed to end up then?"
"Rabaul," was all Musashi said. "Now let's go, I don't have all day." She started walking back towards what Mamiya assumed was either the dorms or Musashi's office.
Mamiya signed. "It could be worse. I could actually be going to Rabaul." She followed Musashi up the road. The building, it turned out, was Musashi's office, where she worked with Taiho. Taiho looked up when she entered, greeting Musashi, and nodding to Mamiya as Musashi led the way to the stairs. She headed up the stairs without looking back. Stopping at a small door on the right, she looked at Mamiya.
"You'll be staying here. Everything you should need is there. Bathroom is across the hall. Lights out is officially at 2200, but I usually forget. Breakfast starts at 0500 for you, since you'll be making it." She winked at her. "I'll show you that once you're all moved in."
"Alright. I don't have much with me, so that'll be quick," Mamiya said, opening the door. "I'll be right out, just gotta put this down." She walked over an set her bags down on the floor next to the small bedside table. "Alright, let's go then" She looked at Musashi. "What? Is something wrong?"
Musashi blinked. "No, it's just that, well, you're not complaining about the room. Most guests do. It's either to small, or too secluded, or too something. A few even said it's too big."
"What?"
"I know, it makes no sense to me either." Musashi agreed. "But anyway, how do you make do with this? It annoys everyone else in one way or another…"
Mamiya shrugged. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, I guess. It is a bit smaller than the room used to have, but I'll make do." Her face fell momentarily, but she tried to hide it. Musashi raised and eyebrow, but didn't say anything."It's really nice of you though, giving me a room in your office for the time being."
Musashi nooded. "You need a place to stay. I have one. Why not?" She started walking. Mamiya followed her outside. "I'll show you where you'll work tomorrow. Then you can get something to eat, and then some rest. You'll probably need it."
"Yeah, thanks, Musashi. When I get back, I'll make sure to do something for you."
"Oh there's no need." Musashi said. They walked on is silence for a while. Mamiya's thoughts drifted back the home, and to her friends. They would be trying to form a rescue plan right now, if what Hiryuu had said was working. She wasn't sure. Hiryuu must have been just saying that, right? To keep her spirits up?
"Hey, you alright?" Musashi asked. "You've got a really long face, and you look depressed." There was a surprising amount of worry in her voice.
"I'm fine. Just thinking. My friends back home said they'd come to get me, but something's telling me they were saying that just to keep my spirits up. I don't really know anymore." She sighed, and didn't meet Musashi's eyes.
"I-I see. That's never fun, trying to figure out something like that. Is there anything else?" Musashi's voice was surprisingly caring. Something told Mamiya that Musashi wasn't usually like this..
"Yeah, there's the girls I roomed with briefly before I was forced to leave. Hiryuu. Her sister Souryuu. Partners Akagi and Kaga. And the other pair, sisters Zuikaku and Shokaku. They were all regulars at my cafe. They tried to help fix up my place, along with a few others staying at Yokosuka as part of an exchange program. That obviously didn't work. When we all found out that I'd have to leave, every one of them cried,." Mamiya paused. Musashi glanced at her, sympathetic.. "What?"
Musashi laughed. "Someone you really care about, huh." Mamiya nodded. "It seems this Hiryuu cared about you as well." She patted her should once, then sighed..
Mamiya thought for a moment "I guess she did. They all did. Zuikaku, Kaga and the rest." Musashi looked at her. "I like her a lot. Hiryuu's become a sister of sorts for me, I guess."
Musashi thought for moment, then looked up. "I don't think for a second that they've abandoned you. Based on the letter Yamato wrote, they'd be sending someone to collect you from here. You've been a bit removed from what you're used to. That can be hard. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you." She put a hand on Mamiya's shoulders. She smiled. Mamiya knew that Nagasaki had a reputation for being "different," but she wasn't too apprehensive. Sure she'd miss her friends, but she trusted they'd be able to reason with Musashi to arrange her return home.