For the first time I had known her, Atago had been completely silent since we set sail.
I couldn't blame her. I didn't feel like talking very much either.
After the attack on Tokyo, the Emperor himself gave the order to immediately pursue the attackers before they got away unpunished. The problem was there were no exact known positions of the enemy task force as all available ships set out to find and sink their attackers.
Nothing was showing up on sonar either. We were basically running blind. The Takao and the Maya had spread out in a search formation to find the task force, leaving just me and Atago alone in the middle of the ocean.
Something I assumed she would normally take full advantage of. But we both silently acknowledged that now was not the right time.
Instead I watch the ocean whizzing by as Atago cruises at her top speed to try and be the one to find their enemy. The beautiful pacific ocean sprawled out in every direction for miles with no sign of any other ships across the blue fields.
The ocean had been relatively calm which provided great range on both our vision and our accuracy. However, even with all of the things that we could potentially benefit from, there were still no reports of a fleet being spotted.
"Perhaps this is how they felt at Pearl Harbor…"
My analogy hangs in the room, almost as if bouncing off of her metal walls.
Atago's reaction time had become slow. She had been sailing almost non-stop for half a year now and it was starting to show. She looked tired all the time, her movements became more forced, and even the Atago seems to groan in exasperation.
I felt so bad for her. No one cared about her feelings or how she was doing, not even the Vice Admiral. They were just using her as some sort of machine to do their bidding not taking into account the necessities needed to run that machine.
"Atago, slow down to 22knots."
She doesn't respond immediately but sighs when I tell her to slow down. Her engines noticeably relax as she slows down to a cruising speed of 22 knots. This seemed to alleviate some of the stress but she still looked like she was ready to pass out at any second.
At this point, there was only one thing I could do to help her. I wasn't very good at it, but I was certain with enough care and attention I could be.
I get up from my chair and place my hands on her shoulders. She's too tired to react physically but she groans in pain from the touch.
I dig my thumbs into her shoulder blades and finally she seems to react.
"Oh my~ Are you going to give me a massage?"
My response is to push harder and focus on spots of tension until I hear her moan out in relief.
"Yes, right there~ Ooh~ That feels so good." Although I knew she was talking about my massage, I couldn't help but turn a little bit red as the cruiser moans loudly.
"Ooh yes~ A little lower, oh yeah that's it~"
I judge my progress on how well the ship sounds, also trying to make light conversation to see how she is feeling.
"I'm sorry Atago. I haven't been taking care of you like I should. This war has really tested your endurance and I'm so proud of you for being so strong."
"I-it's okay commander~ You've been so nice and treated me so well. It's my fault for pushing myself too hard for you and my sisters."
"How about you sit down in my chair and just let me take care of this, okay? I promise we won't sortie again immediately once we get back to port."
Atago looks as though she is going to put up some kind of fuss about it until I push right on her sore spot and she moans out loudly in pleasure. I sit her down in my chair and continue to massage her until she falls asleep. I slowly let go, making sure she wouldn't have any objections to it, and take the helm.
She cuts across the water like a lightning bolt through the air. Her stability is no longer an issue I bring to mind as she tears through the Pacific. I thought I had noticed something in the distance to the starboard side of the ship but it was just the Takao, a little speck on the horizon.
As she sleeps, I privately think about everything leading up to the conflict with the Eagle Union and everything that's followed after it. What the newspapers had failed to tell me was that despite our outstanding victories we were falling behind production wise. The Eagle Union was producing ships at roughly five times faster than the rate we currently were.
In no time at all, our victories were beginning to look more like flukes as the Eagle Union's manufacturing industry came into full effect. It would not be much longer until they surpassed us. However that was not my biggest concern.
All my life I had been told that the Sakura empire was uniting Asia under one flag as it was destined to. That the Emperor had been chosen by God to lead us all to glory and bring honor to our homeland. But the things that had been happening, the conquest of the Philippines, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the invasion of peaceful nations in the name of Unity all caused me to call into question what I had been taught.
In war, there were no good guys and bad guys. The moralities of the modern world were too thin for a nation to be defined under that single term. There were only those who survived and those who would die out.
I refused to be the one that died out.
If not for the sake of my people, then for the sake of the sleeping fox who would no doubtedly be treated harshly by our captors. Thinking about what they would do made me sick. We may be on the wrong side of history, but I certainly was not going to allow that excuse to justify the Union's actions in Tokyo.
Atago yawns and stretches as she awakens from her short nap. I too had fallen asleep while standing over the railing of her bridge, my exhaustion nowhere near as bad as Atago's but it had been some time since I had fallen asleep.
Atago smiles and gets up from her seat to give me a warm hug. She whispers something into my ear I can't quite make out before walking outside and standing on top of the B turret. When I wake, I find Atago outside of the bridge and standing silently on top of her turret. Undoubtedly wayfinding, using the home isles and herself for reference.
I hear a voice from the back of the bridge. It sounds muffled and urgent as I listen in closer. The headphones had been making noise as someone shouted orders into them. I decide to put them on and am excited to hear what they had to say.
"I repeat, enemy location has been found bearing 98 degrees at a speed of 20knots. All ships converge on the IJN Takao."
I hurriedly put the headphones down after writing the information on a notepad and open up the bridge windows.
"Atago! Your sister found the enemy task force!"
She whips around on her heel and hurries back inside. "What's the bearing?" "98 degrees. We're going to have to push it, are you alright with that?"
She points out the bearing in her head, then physically, forming an answer at the same time to my question. "I can try. That rest should allow me to push myself a little bit harder now."
She pauses for a second.
"But you know what would make me go even faster~"
I wait for her to answer her own rhetorical question.
"Maybe a light kiss from her commander."
I turn red as she indicates where she wants her kiss on the cheek with her pointer finger. I surprise her by going for her sensitive ears and giving them a quick peck. She turns red and the ship suddenly lurges forward.
"That will do as well~" She teases after collecting herself.
…
When we arrive, it is too late. Takao had lost the convoy while they maneuvered out of her reach. They had either gone South or gone North. Either way, they had to have been moving quickly to avoid Takao.
"Where was the last position you saw them, Takao?"
"Bearing 120 degrees. They must have seen me coming and prepared in advance to make some maneuvers to get away from me."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, they have the advantage of radar on their side. They probably know we're all coming." I said using my best guess.
"Thank you, commander. How is Atago doing?"
"She's tired, but she's moving. How are you feeling?"
"Honestly, I could take on the entire Eagle Union. I'm so angry."
"I know how you feel. Save it for when we get the chance for revenge."
"Yes sir. Tell Atago that I say hi and to keep going."
"Will do, Takao."
I hang up the microphone and headphones before walking over to Atago. "Your sister says hi and that you're doing a great job."
"Oh my, Takao is too cute~" She giggles at her sister's compliment. I admire her smile as she stares ahead, slowly pulling off from her beloved sister and back into formation.
Countless hours of searching yield no results. It seems our one and only chance was when Takao had spotted the enemy fleet. Our window of opportunity was about to shut. We were almost reaching the edge of our territory. Any further beyond that and they were long gone.
Atago desperately keeps her eyes open as the ocean begins turning black against the rising night sky. Her ears turned at every sound on the water. Beneath us is almost more silent than it was above us as the only ship on the ocean for miles around was the Atago.
Atago sighs when the sun disappears over the horizon and the water turns pitch black. Even the stars decided to stay away as the moon appears brighter than ever in the night sky.
The moon reflects off of the calm waters, causing us to stare at both the giant in the sky and its reflections on the water wherever we went. Despite the calming nature of the ocean, we were both on edge.
Atago plays with her locket nervously as we wait in anticipation for any news.
"All ships of the Imperial Sakura Navy, this is Admiral Yammamoto. Return back to base to refuel. Our navy has failed to locate the Union fleet and we are running low of fuel. I will take full responsibility for our failure."
I pause and wait for more information.
"Commander Tsuyoshi. I now speak directly to you. You are to return with Atago back to port where she is to spend the next month being retrofitted."
A broad smile crosses my face, causing Atago to tilt her head curiously.
"Yes sir."
I set down the headphones and continue smiling dumbly at the gorgeous fox.
"W-what? You're making me nervous~"
"We have been ordered to return to port where you will receive a retrofit. You will finally have that break you deserve."
Atago lets out a large sigh of triumph. Though she may not have sunk anything today, she had finally been given a brief respite from the chaos of war. One that she would spend the entirety with her commander.
"What about my sisters? Are they going to be given a break?" She asks hopefully.
"It didn't sound like it from the sounds of it. I'm sorry."
She seems a little disappointed but her expression quickly changes.
"That's alright. It just means I am able to spend more time with you, commander~ Maybe you could give me some more personal massages~"
I'm glad she felt better after hearing that, even if it was just back to the same old teasing she typically used. She cruises slowly back to port underneath the night sky, setting her engine to a slower 15knots and retiring for the night in my quarters. Her heels outside my door a clear indication that she still respected my wishes I instated many months ago.
It was hard to believe I had known her for almost a year now. By this point, I had gotten used to her teasing and had fallen in love with it all within a couple of months. I stare up at the beautiful cruiser as she sleeps soundly in my bed. I lay down on the futon and close my eyes, wondering what the next month had in store for us.
When we arrived in port, Atago and I walked off the ship to meet one of the researchers and designers of the Atago. He was small and spoke very quickly to the point where I couldn't understand him.
"Wellshe'sgoingtoneedanupgradeonherweaponmounts."
"Ah-huh."
"Andmoreanti-aircraftfiremounts."
"Okay, right."
"Andprobablysomenewpaint."
"Perfect. Anything else you need?"
"Nothat'llbeall."
"Thanks."
I take Atago by the hand and lead us away from the conversation.
"Did you understand a single word of what he said?" I ask her.
"Not a single one."
"Good me neither." I breathe a heavy sigh of relief.
The once bustling and happy city of Tokyo had been silenced in just a week. Probably more accurately, in 30 seconds. The children no longer played out in the street and the Sakura petals seemed more droopy than usual. The smell of burnt toast hangs in the air as we walk past the places that had been bombed.
Atago squeezes my hand as we stare at the rubble of a civilian indoor marketplace. Undoubtedly killing everyone that was inside. The area was secured off by a thin stand of tape wrapping all the way around the rubble. Few people dared to walk past it.
We move on, trying to find a more pleasant place in Tokyo. Atago drags me to all of her favorite sweet shops and has me try one of each. Teasing me by holding out her fork for me to try the delicious sweet on the end of it.
I look around to see if anyone was watching and take a bite, melting into the sweety goodness. I then proceed to lecture her on what is socially acceptable and what is not. She listens to me but then immediately does it again after I am finished.
"Come on commander~ I won't tell anyone if you don't~" she twists the fork around with her hand.
I go for a bite only to have it taken away by Atago who promptly puts it into her own mouth. She smiles, thinking she had won. I reach across the table and connect our lips together, smashing my tongue into her mouth and taking what I could of the sweet.
Atago happily submits to my tongue and enjoys the sensation of our kiss for as long as possible before breaking away quickly when a customer enters the store.
I wipe my lips with a handkerchief with a mischievous smile on my face. Now it was Atago's turn to try and hide her blush from rising from beneath her pale skin.
"You win this one, commander." She says shyly.
I enjoy the next sweet from my own fork.
After my brief victory, we mostly toured around places she said she had wanted to go but never had the chance. We visited many famous temples including the Senso-Ji, the oldest temple in Japan.
I mentioned to Atago about the temple upon her mountain and she begged me to go. I told her it would have to wait for when we were docked in Kyoto.
Atago and I continue to stay around Tokyo as lunch rolls around. This time, I take her to a much more simple place meant for families and have our fill while watching the storm cloud overhead leave allowing the sun to shine brightly down upon Tokyo once more.
We chat together about each other. I learned her favorite color is black and that she loves to take long strolls on the beach whenever she's in port. I revealed in return that my favorite color was white and that I love to watch the stars at night.
It didn't take long for us to find ourselves in front of Mount Takao which Atago begged me to see. If it wasn't for the long trip, she would have wanted to see the mountain her own namesake came from.
But for now, the mountain of her sister would do.
She stares at the mountain before begging me to climb it with her.
"Come on commander, I have to see the top!" She said excitedly.
"Alright alright, but you shouldn't be wearing heels."
This would later come up at an unexpected time. About halfway up the mountain, Atago's heel broke on a rock and she fell to the ground, scraping her knee and tearing her thigh highs. She recoiled in discomfort and sadness as she messed up her outfit. It didn't help that I laughed at her.
"I tried to warn you. Heels and mountains don't mix."
I try to hide my laughter behind my hand. Atago didn't find it nearly as funny as I did.
"That was very hurtful, commander. As punishment you are going to have to carry me to the top." She says in all seriousness.
"I-I'm sorry, it just slipped out. Please forgive me." I bow, begging her to hopefully change her mind.
"Nope, I will only forgive you once we reach the top."
"B-but-"
"No buts, commander."
I sigh and try to lift her up. She is both heavier and lighter than I expected at the same time. She was definitely heavier around the areas where I grabbed but that was to be expected with the amount of assets she had. She squeals quietly when I touch her as I bring her closer to me in my arms. It was the first time I had ever carried her like this, the blood rushing to my head also making my way downwards as she clings to me.
She buries her face into me to hide her blush which unintentionally sends my hormones through the roof.
"Are you comfortable?" I ask her.
She nods in response. I try to move my hands from her thighs but she shakes her head in protest. I couldn't tell if it was cute or hot to see her acting like this. Either way, I was going to take full advantage of it.
It takes almost all day to reach the top of the mountain while I carry her but it was worth it once we were at the top. I watch as the sun seats to the West and the moon rises in the East in a breathtaking show of mother nature's work.
The Sun and moon seem to dance around each other in slow motion as the first stars begin to come out and join in on the two. The ocean from this high up looks stunning as the sun shadows it with the last glimpse of light before the night.
Down below is Tokyo which seems massive from so high up that I audibly voice my amazement with "Wow…"
I was so mesmerized by the view that I had forgotten I still held the blushing Atago in my arms. She turns to look out at the view but discovers a terrible truth in a matter of seconds.
She turns and clings to me tightly, almost painfully. She shakes with every muscle in her body as she whimpers.
"What's wrong, Atago?"
"I-I think I just found something out about myself." Her voice shaking with fear.
"I am terribly afraid of heights."
As I look out at the scene, her words process in my mind. I wish to scold her for making me carry her all the way up here when she was too scared to even look at the amazing beauty of the valley but the way she was shaking in my hands had me more worried.
"It's alright, it's okay." She tries to take another look but clelnches to me even harder and buries her face deeper into me. "We can take the tram down. You'll feel much safer in the tram but I'm going to have to put you down."
She refuses without saying a word, only holding onto me closer. "Atago, you have to let go. I know it's scary but you'll just have to trust me."
Atago nods and slowly twists herself out of my arms, her petrified face now in full view as she tries to get a handle on herself. I take her hand and help her walk along.
She can handle a gun to the face but not a relatively tall mountain.
"Fears are irrational" The Emperor told me that. "But so are a lot of other things."
I slowly buy two tickets down the mountain while holding onto Atago's hand as she crushes mine with her strength. She hangs her head, trying not to show herself terrified in front of me. Afterall, she wanted to be the older sister that everyone believed she was. Before I knew it, we were already on our way back down the tram.
As soon as we sit down, Atago sighs out in relief.
"I'm sorry commander, the whole experience was ruined because of me."
She leans her head on my shoulder. I take her hand and intertwine it with mine.
"It's okay, I like the view from Mount Atago better anyways."
Atago blushes and giggles as the sun finally sets below the horizon.
My date with Atago had not gone as planned. But somehow, sitting in this tram with her head on my shoulder and our hands intertwined, this was even better than how I imagined it.
I still had one more surprise for her before we returned for the night. I made her promise that she could not tease me for the rest of the night if I told her what my secret plans were and I agreed.
"We're going to meet with the Emperor at a fancy restaurant."
Atago's eyes widen in shock as a large grin forms across my face.
"T-th-t-th-thee Emperor?!"
"Yes, the Emperor. So there will be no teasing or anything you might consider playful tonight, ok? If the Emperor sees us acting like that he may have either me court martialled or you scrapped. He asked for you to join specifically."
"The Emperor asked… for me?" She says, pride and embarrassment swirling around her chest.
"I told him all about your abilities. He was impressed and wanted to meet you."
Atago looks down at her uniform and panics. "I-I don't have anything nice enough to wear in front of an Emperor."
"What you're wearing is just fine. It is not uncommon for him to eat with his officers."
Atago searches her dress everywhere muttering to herself. "Where is it, where is it? Where did I put my seal? Oh there it is!" She hangs the Imperial Seal of Sakura on her collar, similar to the one on the bow of her ship. Many Sakura Kansen always have it attached to their clothing as a sign of loyalty. On others it is a bit tacky so they choose to have it off.
Atago's however is a tiny little golden pin that looks almost like a battle star on her collar. Why she does not wear it has probably something to do with her sisters who also lack theirs as well.
"Do you think he'll notice?" She asks with hope.
"I don't know if he could miss it." I say kindly.
"Perfect! You must have had to pull some strings for this night, commander~"
"I promised you a nice relaxing break and by God you're going to get a relaxing break." We both laugh at my attempts at humor.
"What's he like? I don't want to embarrass myself or you during our evening." Atago seemed on the edge of her seat, waiting to jump into the restaurant and meet the Emperor.
"He's kind but it always feels as if he's calculating something. Devising formulas or strategies in his head is mostly all he does nowadays."
Atago takes a deep breath and puts on the most serious face she can muster. I hold back a light chuckle as the usually happy go-lucky fox turns into demon queen of the seven seas in an instant. She flashes a cold look my way which only doesn't hurt because I know she's acting.
"How was that?" She asks.
"A little too cold. Just a little bit softer."
She breathes in again and tries a more neutral face. I give her the thumbs up.
"Alright, I think I'm ready."
I open the door to the fancy restaurant and allow Atago to go in ahead of me.
"Thank you, sir." She bows dramatically as if trying to show off her acting skills, giving me a wink as she goes in. I close the door behind her and immediately start looking for the Emperor.
He only ate in one of two places. Out on the balcony or in the separate room on the left. I hoped for everyone's sake it was out on the balcony under the stars.
Atago spotted him first, sitting next to a lovely Sakura lady. They talked as we silently approached them, trying not to disturb their conversation.
"My Emperor."
I bow deeply, hoping Atago would do the same as well.
"Ah, there you two are. Come come, sit. I prepared this table just for us."
"Thank you sir, this is Atago."
"It is a pleasure, my Emperor." She bows to him deeply.
"Ah yes. The so called, older sister of the Takao class. It is a pleasure."
The Emperor gives a small nod of Acknowledgement to the heavy cruiser which makes her flutter with excitement. The Emperor turns to me.
"What do you want, I can get you anything."
"Sorry, I had a big lunch. I'll just have something small like Sushi."
"Sushi, how so much like you. And what about for your lovely ship."
Atago continues eyeing the menu to try and find the most expensive thing she's always wanted to try but has never gotten the opportunity to do so.
"I'll have the O-toro, your highness."
The Emperor snaps his fingers and the server disappears back into the restaurant.
"Beautiful isn't it. Tokyo. The Ocean beyond it."
"Yes, there are few more beautiful things in the world than it."
"I've got a terrible feeling, Tsuyoshi. If the events of 5 days ago have proven anything it is the will of the Eagle Union will not stop for anything. I warned them that declaring war on the Union was a terrible Idea and now they're already bombing Tokyo. How much longer must the people of this nation ride this out for? It's only a matter of time before the Union finds their decisive win."
Atago and I remain silent. After it is clear that the Emperor is waiting for a response, Atago answers. "I promise you, my Emperor, that so long as I live they shall never find that battle."
"That's very reassuring, Atago. But I'm afraid the future of combat is here. The Doolittle raid has taught us a valuable lesson. That we are not invulnerable and that aircraft will eventually be the ones to control the sea. That is nothing against you, but I'm afraid your time is ending. Radar has been adapted to almost every allied ship in the world, rendering our advanced shipbuilding techniques useless."
Atago cannot return back against that. She remembered how easily those fighters were able to tear apart our troop convoys even after running into a large amount of Anti-Aircraft fire. She couldn't deny her era of shipbuilding was ending.
I turn back to the Emperor. "But there will always be a need for ships like her, isn't that right?"
The Emperor nods. "Yes, despite how much the aircraft carrier has been dominating the stage, ships like the Atago are still needed in our service to defend against enemy carriers and warships. You have proven your worth in the Philippines and Indies campaign and will be the core when the time comes to invade… or be invaded…"
Our food arrives, it smells better than I expected. Part of me wishes I had taken his kindness and bought some better cuisine than Sushi. Atago takes some O-toro and squeals at how delicious it is. She then takes her napkin and cleans off her mouth.
"Divine. I have never had food like this before."
"I am glad you like it. I also hope you like your retrofit. We're hoping these new weapons will allow you to fire upon planes far more effectively."
Atago gets excited when they talk about her retrofit. She nods her approval while she tries to finish her food. My sushi is gone before a minute passes. I had no idea how amazing it would taste and regret my choice of not ordering more.
The night passes quickly as we fill the evening with small talk. I share stories about the Emperor just as he shares stories about me. I could tell which Atago thought were the funniest as she tries her hardest to keep a laugh down.
We talk late into the night and before we knew it, the clock outside struck midnight. The Emperor looks down at his watch and opens his eyes wide.
"Well, it's been fun to catch up, Tsuyoshi. And it was a pleasure meeting you, fair Atago."
"The honor was all mine, my Emperor." We all bow deeply to one another before departing our ways.
"That kid… Heh, we'll see."
That night, Atago slipped into my futon as I slept. The warmth of our bodies pressing against each other made it far more simple to fall asleep. We had a month together where we could do whatever we wanted, but for tonight we slept like babies.
A month had come and gone faster than either of us anticipated. Sad that our break was over, we decided to celebrate by going out for drinks together. Though Atago flirted hard and her words will forever keep me awake at night, I resisted the urge to take the extra step.
While relationships were strictly forbidden, having children with a Kansen would probably get one of us executed. A chance we knew neither of us could take.
When the day finally arrived, we toured the Atago with her newly equipped main battery.
"This feels amazing." The Kansen said, laying in her swimsuit on top of her newly installed B turret. I was unable to see her model her Kimino nor any other of her interesting outfits during the month. Those would be saved for a later date because today I had just received new orders.
"New orders, Atago."
"Commander~ Come skin bathe with me."
'You already have perfect skin, you don't need to tan."
"I appreciate your honesty, commander~" She pulls me in close and gives my cheek a sloppy kiss.
She licks her lips afterwards, wishing for a more personal kiss next time.
I swallow my blush and hand her the letter.
"You're not going to believe this."
She smiles as she takes the letter firmly in hand and reads it to herself. The further along in the ledder she reads, the more serious she looks. When she is finally done reading the letter she gets up from her seat and grabs my hand.
"Come on Commander, we've got work to do."
Next stop. Midway Atoll.