Enterprise was brushing Hornet's hair, when she had an idea.

-Hey sis, how about we go fishing?

-Why this of all things?

-I want... those long hours... to be with you all. Do you realize, Hornet? We're going up against the Sakura's final charge. They will go down with a bang, and will try to take as many of us with them as they can.

Unanswered, she continues.

-Lil' sis. The truth is, I am afraid. It's the four of us, against all of them.

Yorktown was listening from behind the door. Knowing that her younger sister needed support in this hard day, however, she came in and snuck behind her, giving Enterprise a tight hug.

-It's all going to be fine, Enty. I've been up against them, and I'm fine.

-Are you sure, sister? You've been hospitalized with a deep wound.

-It was non-fatal. I'm fine now. And you of all people should be at peace, Enty. The commander cares for you, mom cares for you, and I would give my life to see you two safe.

Enterprise, caressed by her elder sister's gentle words, now felt calm and confident. Whatever was coming, she had her sisters, her mother, and the commander's all-seeing eye willing to make her happy, to see her safe.

-But... can we still spend some time together? By fishing, I mean.

-Enty, my dear, are you sure you have the patience to wait for hours with the stick in your hand?

Both noticed Hornet was giggling at the last sentence. This earned her a round of tickling, like in the good old days. Many times while growing up, they would gang up and bully her, Wasp, both of them, or her WITH Wasp.

Laughing with tears in her eyes, she surrendered.

-You know girls, fishing doesn't sound that bad. I want to do it. (Hornet)

-You heard her, YT? Come with us! (Enterprise)

-Ara ara, my my. I kind of feel like doing it now, too. I'll just go fetch Wasp, then I'll go pack everything. I'll call you all when I'm done. (Yorktown)

-What are you, our mom? You don't have to do everything. Hornet can help you too.

-Why me?

-Because Yorktown spoils you and you're growing up lazy. Enterprise said laughing. Yorktown laughed too and gave a fairer verdict.

-Actually, send her to fetch Wasp, and after that you can all come help me. So that there's no argument.

Big sister's word turned into action, with the older two doing away with the work before the younger two could even come. The journey was on.

Marching out of the encampments with rods on their shoulders, Enty felt stressed seeing the disproportionate ammount of luggage her older sister carried, and took a few off her back. In response, Yorktown smiled and pat her on the head.

Later on, something hit her. Yorktown always took the weigth off their shoulders and onto hers. And in exercises, she'd always been purposely ahead. Her claim of them being safe was probably due to her resolve to risk her life for that of theirs. And Enty was not going to have this. She felt it was wrong for her sister to sacrifice herself so much. Especially since, by doing this... she was leaving her out. As soon as she catches her alone, she would confront her about this.

Indeed, it seemed that Enterprise lowkey felt overshadowed by her older sister. Wiser, kinder, and more respected. She was determined to earn the respect she deserved, by moving out of YT's shadow.

They sat on the southern beach of the atoll, with YT briefing them on several things.

-Please tell me if you are hungry or anything. Especially you, Hornet. You know you can't last one hour without a snack.

Laughing, she answered:

-You know me so well, mom.

Unlike Enterprise, Hornet liked the way things were. By pampering her like this, Hornet got the closest thing to a mother figure she ever had. She knew she was the youngest, the most rash, immature and unprepared for life, but her sister was holding her hand all along. Was she jealous? Yes. But she knew she has no way she'd be respected.

A flower has no light if overshadowed by a tree, but neither will it be striken by wind.

Thus, Hornet was afraid to take life in her own hands.

Wasp, bored before the waiting even began, set down and cast the line.

-Did you take care of everything, Wasp? What bait do you use? (Yorktown)

-Butterfly. (Wasp)

-My my, you want to catch the big ones. (Yorktown)

She reached down and pat Wasp's head. For a brief while, Wasp smiled. As soon as Yorktown went away, she was back to her poker face.

That was her thing. Wasp was, by excellence, an introvert with inferiority issues. She was almost literally afraid to speak, but felt happy whenever she was noticed or asked something. Yorktown's affection and Hornet's dragging her along in whatever fun she was having was enough for her to keep the cold feeling inside away.

They chosen to stay in a row, from Yorktown to the left followed by Enterprise, Hornet, and Wasp to the right. The peace and quiet installed themselves, and the view was mesmerizing. Enough for Yorktown, amazed by the twilight's beauty, to comment on it.

-Is it already noon? (Yorktown)

-We can stay past bedtime, right? (Enterprise)

-Sweetie, there is no bedtime. You're a grown ass woman. (Yorktown)

-I know, but we usually go to sleep together at 22:00 or so. (Enterprise)

-Forget that. It's no problem if we stay a bit late. We gotta have fun once in a while. (Yorktown)

-What about the battle tomorrow? Shouldn't we rest and prepare? (Wasp)

-It'll be fine. We won't be woken up at 4AM (Yorktown)

-You know, big sis, I'm still nervous. (Enterprise)

Hornet was listening strategically. Even she was aware that something was going on by Enterprise's tone.

-You don't have to be. I'll be there to take care of you all. (Yorktown)

-But I want to take care of everyone too...(Enterprise)

Yorktown sat in silence and ruminated at her words, as Enterprise was getting increasingly stressed out by that silence. It was a complex duel of wills, where Enterprise wanted to affirm herself as a mature woman in front of her sister's eyes, and her sister, who never assumed any authority but had been entrusted with extensive power and trust due to respect alone, who simply wanted all of her precious girls out of harm's way.

-Enterprise... have you been on the frontline?

-Y-yes.

The involuntary authority that Yorktown had was simply intimidating to Enterprise. She felt not as if she was being protected, but as if she was being held down.

-Against an enemy as strong as you, who hates your guts, who wants to paint his walls with your blood, who wants to dance on your corpse?

-Not in the way you did, sister.

-It's no fun, being in the frontline, that is. People die, people precious to us. And you, darlings, I couldn't even stand seeing you wounded. I want to know you're safe, so that I can keep you forever in my arms, to spoil you forever, to love you all as if you were my daughters.

-But big sis, if you're alone in the front lines, you'll die for sure! Let me take a bit of harm from you so that, instead of us three crying for you forever, we can instead spend an year in hospital and an eternity forever.

Yorktown wished it was so easy, but, as she said, Enterprise had never been in a real battle. She did not know that, when artillery pounds your trench, your love for the family, your patriotism, your hope goes away.

-You're not ready for this.

-I am! I will prove it, if you let me.

-Enty, don't you think that I was like you? I thought nothing can defeat me, until I heard the shots. It was then that I became so scared-

-But you kept going on, big sister! For some reason, you still fought. And when you were in hospital, and the doctors said you needed three months to heal, you were healthy again in just three days just because you were so brave and strong...

-I did that because I love you so much. You're not ready yet...

-But...

Enterprise was trying to hold back tears.

-Big sis, I want to be just like you. You're such an impressive woman, I want to be as good as you are. Please, sister. It's my side to be at your chance... fuck!

Enterprise legit started crying. Yorktown sheltered her in her arms, gently patting her head. Hornet would too, if she hadn't been trying to hide her tears.

Hornet was in a way proud of Enterprise, for trying to go her own way, unlike her, who at the moment could not. She wanted to beg Yorktown to grant Enty's wish, but the ancient feeling of being a little child among adults put her in her place.

Meanwhile, Yorktown was very afraid of what to say. If she kept trying to keep Enterprise behind her, she would destroy her confidence or earn her resentment, but if she did not, she would see her in pain and agony.

Spending minutes in (to Enterprise)painful silence and ruminating, Yorktown's mind came to a conclusion. It was wrong to impede her sister's ambition so that she could feel at peace. Like every mother needs to let her children go, so must she.

Holding her hand and kissing her forehead, Yorktown gave the verdict.

-Enty my dear, would you like it if tomorrow we share the front row, hand in hand, and show the world that no one messes with the Yorktown family?

Enterprise was overjoyed, enough to yell her answer.

-Yes!

Jumping into her arms, the two sisters held eachother tight and looked eachother in the eye. What their eyes said was that Yorktown will hold her hand as she takes her first steps, and Enterprise's showed that she felt ready to take on the world if it meant saving her sister's life.

She had never felt so alive. She had the Commander's love, her mother figure's blessing, and loyal, loving allies. She felt on top of the world.

And tomorrow, she would be.