19—Budding Initiative

Just before lunch time, Inazuma made her way to the armory compound for an appointment with Charm. According to Katori, she could've seen the fairy earlier in the morning, but Charm had to accommodate the maintenance session of a fleet girl sent by Lieutenant Harline. Going by their exchange from yesterday, she assumed that the fleet girl must be one of their escorts for their trip to Tropielle.

As she peeked inside the consultation room, she saw Katori pinning various decorative items on the corkboard. The light cruiser turned around and gestured at the front desk. "Welcome," she said. "They're just about to wrap up, so please make yourself comfortable for now."

Inazuma took a seat by the table, noting the new office arrangement. "Already decorating for the holidays?"

Katori fastened a holographic star on top of a document. "Things will only get busier next month, so I might as well do it now."

"Hmm, maybe we should start decorating in our office too. Though I'm beginning to wonder if Commander and Akatsuki will be able to return for the Week of the Silver Star..."

With a final slap, Katori took a step away from the corkboard and admired her handiwork. "Did something happen over there?"

"It's nothing serious. Commander just needs more time for his body to adjust..."

She nodded, smiling. "After missing out on the founding festival here, I'm sure they'll be able to make it back for the holidays."

Inazuma returned the smile with her own. "I hope so, but Commander's health is more important. I'd rather have them stay there throughout the holidays for it."

She crouched down and began cleaning up the other decorations scattered on the floor. "So how about we get a head start?" she asked, placing a bunch of ribbons in a plastic container. "What is it you want to discuss today?"

"It's about yesterday's operation." She put a hand over her chest. "I've gained another memory after meeting a fellow Irregular, so I want to ask Miss Charm about it."

"Hmm… it really is fascinating that your heart seems to have a mind of its own." She put an index finger under her chin. "But I suppose that isn't out of the ordinary to us fleet girls."

"I've yet to experience any modernization with another fleet girl before, so I'm a bit curious if I'd feel any different."

"Would you like to try it then? Even a partial modernization should show some results, right?"

"N-No, you're still in active service! And besides, it'd be a waste to give your power to someone like me."

Katori chuckled. "Or maybe you just don't find me worthy enough for it? I mean, I'm just a full-time desk worker after all."

"A-Absolutely not! Our victories out in the sea are only possible with the help of everyone in this base!"

"I-Is that so?" She turned her head. "Now I'm disappointed that I won't be able to help you today."

"Don't say that. Just knowing that you're always willing to hear me out makes me feel more at ease, you know? I really appreciate it."

Katori blushed, smiling. "That's part of my job, but you're welcome." She placed the last décor in the container and returned its lid. "How about we have some tea while we wait?"

"Yes, please!"

Just as Katori was about to pick up the container, the maintenance hall's door swung open. A blonde fleet girl stepped into the room, carrying Charm and Fermi on her shoulders.

The fleet girl stared at Inazuma, eyes widening. "I-Is she who I think she is?"

"Yep," Charm replied, "the one and only."

She suddenly dashed towards Inazuma, knocking Katori's face against the corkboard. "What a surprise!" She kneeled in front of Inazuma and grabbed her shoulders. "I'm honored you'd go out of your way to check on me! And by the way, you're really as cute as you are in person!"

"Y-You're our escort for tomorrow, Miss Iowa?" Inazuma uttered, unable to move a muscle.

Iowa nodded. "There's no way I'd pass this opportunity to meet a legend like you!"

"L-Legend? I'm nothing like that at all!"

"You're kind and humble to boot! Ah, this is so exciting!" She opened up her leather jacket and produced several equipment cards from a hidden pocket. "Shoot, I don't have a marker with me! Miss Charm, do you have a normal-sized one I can use?"

"We have a few on the desk."

Iowa fist-pumped and stood back up, facing the desk. "Sweetsauce!" She took the pen case next to the laptop while the two fairies hopped off her shoulders. "Hmm… it's gotta be red for that authentic touch, right?"

"Obviously!" Fermi said, sitting at a tiny table set along with Charm. "You can't get more any more legit than their official flag color!"

"U-Um, what are you doing?" Inazuma asked.

Iowa leaned towards her, handing out her equipment cards and a dark red marker. "Sign on these, please!"

Inazuma turned pink. "A-An autograph?!" She averted her eyes, putting up her hands between her and Iowa. "Th-This is too sudden! I mean, my signature doesn't look professional at all! I think you'll just be disappointed!"

"Don't listen to her," Charm said. "Her signature's really cute. Did you know she signs her name with a heart?"

"M-M-Miss Charm!"

Iowa's starry eyes widened. "Please! I'll do anything!"

And at that moment, Katori appeared behind Iowa and chucked her to the seat across Inazuma. "I'm afraid you're still in my office, Miss Iowa," she said, adjusting her cracked glasses. "You ought to be at your best behavior, especially in the presence of my client."

"B-But—!"

She faced the battleship. "You do want to accompany her tomorrow, right? It would be a shame if you were suddenly replaced at the last minute…"

Iowa's face darkened as she began trembling. "I-I don't think my heart will be able to take that at all…"

"Then as long as we're both on the same page, then there's nothing to worry about." Katori looked over her shoulder, winking at Inazuma. "Right?"

"U-Um…"

"Anyway, I've already sent the documents to their corresponding departments, so all that's left is for you to report back to Lieutenant Harline."

"O-Oh," Iowa uttered, "I thought she went here to show me around. Can I just wait for her to finish then?"

Katori heaved a sigh, returning to her seat behind the desk. "Then you'll have to wait outside."

Iowa glanced at Inazuma, putting away her equipment cards. "That's fair. Even a fleet girl like her has her own issues to deal with, I guess…" She stood up and gave Inazuma a two-finger salute. "Take your time. I'll be waiting by the aquarium in the lobby, okay?"

As just as she was about to exit the room, Inazuma called out to her.

"Wait, please stay!"

Iowa stopped and turned around, looking bewildered. "Eh?"

"You can stay. I don't mind."

"A-Are you sure, Inazuma?" Katori asked. "She may be your escort throughout the trip, but she's still an outsider. Not to mention that her employer is an honorary official of the Novus Terra party."

"That's true, but Miss Harline personally vouched for her, so I think we can trust Miss Iowa."

Iowa clasped her hands together, tears forming in her eyes. "I-I never knew you were this nice...!"

"A-And besides, I just want to ask something to Miss Charm. It shouldn't take too long, right?"

Katori glanced between Iowa and Inazuma before giving the latter a smile. "Fair point. As long as you're fine with it, I won't complain."

"I-Is that a yes then?" Iowa asked.

She sighed, gesturing at the sofa. "Make yourself comfortable."

Iowa fist-pumped. "Sweetsauce!"

"So," Charm turned her seat to face Inazuma, "what's our agenda for today, my sweet learning buddy?"

Inazuma explained her case to Charm, who then burst out in laughter.

"W-Why are you laughing?"

"You shouldn't have bothered coming here if that's all you're gonna ask!" She coughed once, leaning forward. "As I've told you before, such experiences aren't uncommon with someone like you."

"Th-Then that means…"

"Yeah, that Irregular you met must share the same past as your heart's owner."

She grimaced. "But if I truly want to convince Commander, I'll have to go meet her again."

"You sure?" Fermi asked. "Seems like an obvious trap to me."

She nodded. "But I don't have any other choice, do I? With the Awakening drawing closer, this might be the only chance I'll get…"

"Your call," Charm said. "But if you can convince her to switch sides, it will greatly benefit my research!"

She lowered her head. "I'll try. She's a friend of Commander's after all…"

"Is that all you wanna ask?"

Before she could answer, the door suddenly opened. A tower of lunchboxes tottered into the room, prompting Katori to stand up and took them from the fairy custodian.

"R-Room service?" Iowa uttered. "This place's fancier than I thought…"

The fairy custodian tugged at her trench coat and glanced at the battleship. "The one with the sticker's for that chick in the suit."

Katori set the stack down on the desk and took the topmost lunchbox. "Maybe we should try inviting Mica over again? She's been keeping herself in her room recently, so I'm getting a bit worried."

"Miss Aster told me about that too," Inazuma replied, "that's why I'll visit her after this."

"Ah, then will you accompany me to her room right now?"

"Sure!" She stood up and faced the battleship. "Um, what about you, Miss Iowa? You still have to report back to Miss Harline, right?"

Iowa smiled, flashing her smartphone. "I already gave her a heads-up, so I'll just do that after lunch."

"You're coming with us?"

"Of course. I wanna say hi and see how she's doing."

"Y-You know Miss Mica?!"

"Yep! She made some of my MAUs!"

"Can't you just wait in the lobby?" Katori asked. "You aren't authorized to go anywhere else, you know?"

"But—"

"Get out already," the custodian fairy said. "The food's getting cold."

Not wanting to anger the custodian any further, the trio headed straight to the residential floor of the factory. As they reached Mica's room, they made their presence known using the wall panel. Mica emerged from the dimly-lit interior moments later.

"U-Um, what's with the sudden visi—" She pointed at Iowa. "W-Wait… you're here too?"

"You haven't read my message?" Iowa crossed her arms. "Working on an interesting project, I bet?"

"W-Well… I guess you can call it that." She stared at them for a moment before directing her gaze at her feet. "Sorry, did I make all of you worry?"

Inazuma nodded. "Is there anything we can help you with?"

She quickly shook her head. "To be honest, I'm just stressed out for the most part working on some stuff. These annoying mood swings will pass eventually."

"Th-Then you're definitely not okay…" Iowa said. "You should take a day off or two at least!"

She shook her head again. "I… don't have enough time left…"

"Not enough time for what?"

"U-Um, you know! I don't wanna get swamped during the holiday crunch, especially when we also have the Awakening to prepare for!"

"Awakening?" Iowa said. "Ah, that!"

"But anyway, you guys don't have to be so concerned! I'll be fine!"

"Then if you don't mind," Inazuma said, "can we eat lunch together? We haven't hung out in a while, so…"

"Great idea!" Iowa said. "Since you're still feeling under the weather, maybe we can have our lunch delivered here!"

Mica hesitated for a moment. "O-Oh, we can just eat elsewhere. We'll meet up with Aster and the others at the compound's food court later."

"Here," Katori said, handing over the lunchbox to Mica. "I'll never hear the end of it if I don't return soon."

"You're not coming with us?"

Katori nodded. "Our schedule's packed later, so I can't loiter too far."

"The food court's just outside the building. Maybe you're just saying that because I've been giving you the cold shoulder recently?"

"N-No, that's not—"

"Just kidding. I really appreciate your concern, so thank you for looking out for me."

Katori let out a sigh, placing a hand over her chest. "As always, give me a call whenever you need something."

She nodded. "Thank you. If it's okay, let's eat together tomorrow." As Katori took her leave, Mica stepped back into the room and turned the lights on. "I need to check a few things first, so come on in."

It had been weeks since the last time Inazuma dropped by Mica's room, so she was surprised the amount of laboratory equipment occupying the place. The largest among them sat at the far left corner, emitting an oddly pleasant hum.

"U-Um," Inazuma began, "this is a bit late but sorry for the surprise visit. I hope we aren't causing too much trouble."

Mica sat in front of a widescreen monitor and detached the cable connecting a construct band to her CPU. "No worries! I'm just making sure that my recent firmware update didn't cause any problems to the band's field matrix." She handed the band and a forearm terminal to Inazuma. "Care to try it out?"

Relieved that Mica's peppy self had returned, she took the items and admired them up close. "I just have to hold the power button to pair it with the terminal, right?"

"Yep, but you'll have to strip down to your undies first."

She glanced at Iowa checking out the equipment lining up the wall. "Can I borrow your bathroom for a bit?"

"Sure."

As she entered the bathroom, she stripped in front of the vanity mirror and put on the MAUs. She then paired the devices, causing a setup window to appear on the teminal's screen.

I forgot to ask Mica, but the default setting should be fine I think…

Upon finishing the initial set up, a warm blue glow enveloped her frame. The dense mag-ions slowly inched against her skin, making sure that the device would get her measurements right. After a few minutes, the mag-ions clamped against her body to construct a two-layer synthetic suit similar to Mica's.

When the whole process was done, she stretched her arms up, palms towards the ceiling.

Done! And wow, it's really easy to move around in this!

"So... what do you think?" came Mica's voice.

Inazuma stepped out of the bathroom. "It's really comfortable! I don't mind sleeping in it!"

"Oh, you might wanna try the single-layer option then." As she activated said option, the outer layer of the suit dissolved into a burst of mag-ion bubbles. "As you just witnessed, it removes most of the mag-ion suit's protective padding and utility pockets, making it your go-to outfit in certain environments."

W-Well… it's true, but… this is a bit…

"Why are you squirming?" Iowa asked, leaning against the bunk bed.

Inazuma directed her gaze to the side as her cheeks started to burn up. "D-Don't you think this version's a bit… um, how should I say this? Too daring…?"

"You think so? Those submarine girls walk around in their swimsuits all the time, and no one bats an eye at 'em."

"Th-That's true, but this just feels different for some reason…"

Mica leaned forward in her seat. "Yeah, I get you. The suit does a good job highlighting the curves of your body."

"R-Right?" She let out a shaky breath. "Even if I were to show off, this sort of thing just wouldn't work with someone like me…"

"Ah, psh! It's just you overthinking it!" Iowa gave her a thumbs up. "You look sexy in that suit!"

Reaching her boiling point, Inazuma rushed back to the bathroom and leaned against the countertop. Her lips quivered as she forced herself to look into the mirror.

Y-Yeah, this isn't definitely for me, but…

She grew redder the longer she stared at her own reflection.

I-I know she's saying that to make me feel better, but… I wonder if it has some truth to it…

She would know—she's like a supermodel, after all.

I wonder if I can…

She suddenly let out a panicked cry a few seconds later, almost overwhelmed with the urge to smack her head against the sink.

No, no, no! That wouldn't do at all! Why did I even consider that idea anyway?!

As she looked back at the sink, she happened to notice a dark smear on the rounded edge of the granite countertop. Curious, she ran a finger on the smear and brought it closer to her face.

Blood? It's still fresh...

She stepped away from the countertop and took a deep breath, making out a faint trace of blood amidst the flowery scent of the bathroom deodorizer. Before she could investigate any further though, she heard Mica from the other side of the door:

"You sure are taking your sweet time," Mica said. "Are you checking out the Sexy Forme options? I wouldn't if I were you."

"S-Sexy what...?"

She opened the door and poked her head into the bathroom. "Check them under the custom presets."

Inazuma did just that, staring slack-jawed at the number of options available. "Wh-What do these even mean?"

"Why won't you give one a shot?" Mica asked, snickering.

"Absolutely not! Why would you make something so... so indecent in the first place?!"

"No, no, no. Blame my cousin for that. She always say that she's busy and stuff, but she also finds the time to pull elaborate pranks for some reason."

"Miss Emery made these?"

"Not just those presets. The memory card she gave me has a software update to upgrade our construct bands."

She looked down at her suit again. "C-Come to think of it, this looks a bit similar to the ones she and her Irregulars were wearing..."

"Yeah, makes me wonder if she's really just joking about pursuing a career in the fashion industry."

"Now I'm curious," Iowa said, peeking inside the room as well. "Do us a solid, Inazuma. I wanna see some of her designs!"

"N-No means no, okay? If you wanna see them badly, I'll just let you borrow—"

She grinned. "No, I'm good."

Inazuma made an exasperated face, reverting the suit back to its default form. After taking a final glance at the mirror, she wore her jacket over the suit and stepped out of the bathroom. "But Mica, are you sure you're okay? The formula she gave you should be enough to suppress the Bloodchill's effects, right?"

Mica didn't respond for a moment, returning to her desk. "Yeah, but it's still a stopgap like anything else we've made so far. Emy can only do so much after all."

"I hope she can find a cure soon."

"She will. I'm sure of it."

"But locking yourself here all day isn't gonna help your case in the slightest," Iowa said, knitting her eyebrows. "You're just letting the gloom get the best of you."

"Like I said, I'm just being productive! You wanna know how long it took me to fix that suit's field matrix bug?" She reached for the computer mouse and opened a document. "And besides, it's not like I'm working my butt off all the time. See, I've been spending my downtime reading this collaborative research between Emy and a colleague of hers..."

"More research? How's that supposed to help?"

"No, this is different!" She stood up and dragged Iowa to her desk. "Lookit!"

Iowa leaned closer to the monitor, squinting. "Hmm? Cross Buffer Theory and Fleet Girl Origins...?"

"If that didn't pique your interest, then I don't know what will."

She then turned to look at Mica. "Well, yeah..."

"What's with that pathetic reaction? Don't you wanna know where you girls came from?"

She put her hands on her waist. "Anywhere but here? Even the most sketchiest documentary I've seen is in the same boat with the others."

Mica slammed the desk with her palm. "But this one's more comprehensive—possibly the breakthrough that everyone's looking for!"

She plopped on the chair next to Mica. "Fine, I'll humor you since it's your personal recommendation. What's their theory all about?"

Mica stood up and walked towards the humming machine in the corner. "Putting it simply, they posit the idea that you fleet girls are able to do all the awesome things you do by utilizing multiple consciousnesses called 'control units'. These units are mainly responsible for managing your stress levels during combat, but they also host the skill set you need as a freshly constructed fleet girl, like gunnery and navigation."

"Ah!" Inazuma uttered. "That makes a lot of sense somehow!"

Iowa snickered. "But it sounds like they're in the battle android camp of the argument."

"Not really," Mica replied, tinkering with the machine's built-in terminal. "But I admit that the concept's actually not that different from a handful of AI brain models out there."

"But how's that related to our ever elusive origin story?"

She looked over her shoulder. "Have you ever heard of tsukumogami? They're a staple in Izumian folklore."

"Nope. That's a quite a mouthful to say though."

Mica went to the lab freezer next and took out a small rack of test tubes. "Tsukumogami are objects that have manifested a soul after a long period of time has passed. Some of them can even manifest into a completely new form, usually to serve a newfound purpose."

"Oh? We kinda fit the bill." Iowa looked at Inazuma. "Say, how old do you think our namesakes are?"

"Using this world's history as our reference, they should be almost a century old, right?"

Mica turned around and brought a test tube in front of her face, shaking the blue fluid inside. "According to their research, fleet girls and Abyssal ships are classified as 'aggregate tsukumogami' entities. The aggregate part pertains to the modular nature of their souls."

"Like... modernization?"

"Yep!" She took a wide syringe and began filling it with the contents of the test tubes. "Emy and her partner believe that your soul is actually an amalgamation of different metaphysical constructs. That's why cross modernization between fleet girls and Abyssals are possible in the first place."

Iowa crossed her arms, leaning in her seat. "Okay, let's say a tsukumogami spawns out of my namesake after a century and transform into a fleet girl. That doesn't explain why there are copies of me existing at the same time. And it's not like we're operating under some kind of hive mind either."

Inazuma nodded. "I-I've always wondered about that. Do tsukumogami have the ability to create copies of itself. Independent ones at that?"

"No," Mica replied, stuffing the filled syringe in her waist pouch. "Not on its own, at the very least."

"So there are other external forces involved?"

"Kinda? The fairies' construction process counts as one."

"How does that work if they don't have the original fleet girl as their basis?" Iowa asked.

"It's said that you actually only carry a small fragment of the original's soul. Meaning, the fairies only probe and summon a fragment from the ether and construct a new being based on it."

"J-Just a fragment?" Inazuma said. "But how?"

"Are the fairies forcibly taking a piece of the original fleet girl's soul every time they construct a copy of her?" Iowa asked. "That sounds really messed up!"

Mica shrugged. "It's still a mystery to them. Fleet girl construction probably wouldn't be so random if we actually knew that much."

"Aww. And here I thought we're getting so close too."

"When all's said and done, the construction process is just us flashing an SOS signal up in the sky, hoping for someone to come to our aid. That's why I'll always be grateful that you girls are on our side, even when we've made terrible decisions in the past." As Inazuma flashed a smile, Mica tilted her head. "Wh-What's wrong? Did I say something weird?"

Inazuma shook her head. "I just remembered Commander saying the same thing back then."

"Really?" Mica started nodding. "He looks up to you fleet girls a lot, huh? That said, did you know he was indifferent to you girls during his days in the Navy?"

"He must've had a change of heart, with all the Abyssal ships and vagrants following him around." Iowa winked at Inazuma. "As if there's a man in existence able to resist our charms, right?"

Inazuma let out a shaky laugh. "I guess..."

"I'd like to see him at least once while I'm still here though. When do you think he'll be able to return to Auspice?"

"I'm not sure exactly when, but I'm hoping they can get back before the holidays."

"Man, that sucks." She brought out her equipment cards. "I thought I'll be able to get his autogra—waaait a minute! I haven't gotten yours, Inazuma! Please sign on—"

"Ah, just look at the time!" Inazuma repeatedly prodded her terminal's screen. "I'm getting hungry too, so we should head out to the food court before the morning shift arrives!"

Iowa paused for a second before smiling. "Okay, that can wait! We got sidetracked for a while there!"

Inazuma was glad they went to the food court as early as they did. Not long after they gathered at the table Aster and the others had reserved for them, the fleet girls from the morning shift entered the compound in droves. Unoccupied booths and tables were filled almost instantly, leaving the rest of the fleet girls to rush directly to the stalls.

As for Inazuma's group, they decided to take their time deliberating over the menus handled over by a food court waitress. Since Iowa was both curious and impressed with the large selection of dishes and desserts available, they settle on ordering food sets and bundles to satisfy the battleship's appetite.

After stuffing themselves to the brim, Inazuma led them back to her unit's office at the request of Hatsuyuki. Upon reaching room, they could hear incessant laughter and panicked screams inside.

"Um," Mica uttered, "wasn't that Kongou just now? What are they doing in there?"

As if to answer her question, Inazuma opened the door with her keycard and stepped inside. Everyone in the room suddenly froze, save for Choukai who set down her controller on the floor and got on her feet.

"Good day. Lieutenant Harline went out for a bit, but she should be returning soon I think."

"Really? Good thing I went here first then!" Iowa stared at projector screen before letting out a gasp. "Wait, isn't that Starport Party? I love that game!"

"Yeah," Hatsuyuki replied, "it just got an expansion update yesterday."

"Let's play a round while you wait for Admiral!" Kongou said, waving her controller in the air. "We can team up and kick Choukai's butt for once!"

Choukai blinked, turning around. "We already won twice..."

She clenched her hand. "Best of five then! Don't you dare run off without giving me a rematch!"

Maya sighed, opening a can of root beer. "Don't hog that controller. Let the others have a shot at it."

"What, scared to admit that the last two rounds were a fluke?"

Her eyelids drooped. "A fluke? Really?"

"Choukai just got lucky with the pickup spawns! Twintails and I would've won if it weren't for her always getting the right power-up at the right time!"

"What?!" Choukai uttered. "Acquiring them has always been a calculated risk! And it doesn't help that you were quite predictable!"

Kongou grinned. "Then let's the score right now!"

She pouted before putting on a stern expression. "F-Fine. Maya, let's show her that our strategies are infallible!"

"Come on, you two." Maya gestured at Hatsuyuki with her free hand. "How about we let our chairperson make the decision?"

Hatsuyuki nodded. "We'll have your rematch as our main event after dinner. I think it's more fun if everybody else can see it too."

"Then it's a date!" Kongou waved her controller in the air. "So who wants a turn?"

Kumano quickly crawled to the battleship's side, grabbing the controller. "We'd love to give it a try!" She turned to Shoukaku. "Did you get the gist of the mini-games? I'll be your partner!"

Before Shoukaku could voice her thoughts, Maya already shoved a controller in her hands. "S-Sure. I hope our opponents go easy on us."

"How about you, Inazuma?" Kongou asked. "They're still one player short."

Inazuma held her hands up over her chest. "I-It's fine. I'll just watch."

Her cowlick went limp as she continued staring at Inazuma's suit. "Are you going off somewhere? I thought you were supposed to be on a break..."

She shook her head, tapping the construct band on her neck. "I'm just helping out Miss Mica."

Kongou then turned her attention to the technician. "And you! You actually went out of your room for once! Come on, you can't possibly say no after sulking in there for so long!"

"I-I'm not sulking!"

She got on all fours, scurried towards Mica, and snatched her wrist before she could get away. "Whatever!" She pulling her towards the others. "You have a lot of catching up to do!"

Once Mica was seated beside Maya, the navigation fairies hopped off her shoulders and gathered in front of her. "Don't worry!" Ram said. "We've played this game a lot! Just follow my advice and you'll win for sure!"

"Oh, someone's confident. How about we get this under way?"

As they went ahead and started up a new round, Inazuma turned her attention to Ryuujou seated at the table behind the others. Ryuujou made a small wave and smiled as their eyes met.

"Hello, Miss Ryuujou," Inazuma said, taking a seat beside her. "Sorry I made you wait."

She took off her hoodie, raising her root beer can. "Nah, it's fine." She gestured at the girls on the floor with her free hand. "Thanks to them, I'm out of my usual snacks for today!"

"So, um, Hatsuyuki mentioned something about souvenirs? What is it about?"

She jutted her thumb at the cardboard box behind Inazuma. "Yuu told me to pack some souvenir for his folks at home, so I went a bit of shoppin' yesterday. From shoes to cutlery to foodstuffs—all packed nicely in there."

"Ah, then I'll make sure it reaches them safely."

"Darn tootin'! His grandma's lookin' forward to it, y'know?" Both of them exchanged startled looks as Kumano suddenly shrieked while a heated banter erupted between Choukai and Kongou. "Jeez, these girls are somethin' else, huh? Compared to Tanikaze and the others, I don't think I can keep up."

"There's never a dull moment when everyone's together."

"Ain't that the truth." She opened up the portable cooler on the table and handed a root beer can over to Inazuma. "Havin' a lot of friends is only a good thing."

"Oh, thank you."

Ryuujou sat again and took a huge gulp of her drink. "But sometimes, ya get attached to someone so much, it ain't gonna matter even if you get a hundred friends. Replacin' that person is just impossible."

Inazuma made a small nod, inspecting the labels on the can. "That's true..."

She suddenly waved her hand and chuckled. "A-Ah, sorry about that! He's been on my mind a lot recently."

She returned the smile. "Same here."

She took a deep breath. "Y'know, after seein' your life 'ere in Auspice, I realized just how much I've been missin' out. It was overwhelmin', chock-full of possibilities.

"I'm sure Yuu felt the same way when he left the Navy, but he willingly threw his chance of startin' a new life. I get where he's comin' from, but I'm wonderin'—where does he draw the line? When is enough, enough?"

"D-Do you want him to stop looking for them?"

Ryuujou shook her head. "I'm just worried. He's so focused on the past, he might end up neglectin' what he already has now. Do you think searchin' for those girls' even worth it in the end?"

She squeezed her root beer can as she remembered Jintsuu. "He told me that he wanted to see it through, whatever it takes."

"And yer okay with that?"

She placed a hand on her chest. "I... have my doubts too, but that's why I want to help him with it."

"Heh, we can agree on that at least." She leaned towards her, prodding her chest with her index finger. "Buuut... I hafta wonder if that's simply yer heart speakin' for ya or not."

She pouted. "I-It doesn't matter! Even if I had my original heart, I would still help him regardless!"

"Well, that's Inazuma for ya!" She brought her can closer to Inazuma, smiling. "How about a toast between us reckless idiots? We're gonna need all the luck we can get!"

She finally cracked a smile, opening her can. "Ch-Cheers then!"

After making the toast, Inazuma took a couple of gulps from her root beer. Ryuujou finished hers, tossed her can in the trash bin under the table, and went to pick up her oversized knapsack sitting beside the cardboard box. "Nice chattin' with you, Inazuma." As she finished wearing her knapsack, she pulled her hood back over her head and flashed a peace sign. "If ya need anything, just gimme a call. I'll swing by faster than a dive bomber!"

Inazuma stood up. "Of course, say hi to Tanikaze and the others for me."

"She's going already?" Hatsuyuki asked, emerging across the table.

Ryuujou grabbed her portable cooler. "Ah, yeah. My wares ain't gonna sell themselves after all!" As she went around the table, Kongou and the others bid their farewells to her. "You two take care tomorrow, alright?"

She made a small wave. "Visit some other time."

But just as she opened the door, they saw Harline standing at the corridor, tapping at her smartphone. The two exchanged greetings before swapping places with each other.

"And I was wondering what's causing the ruckus here," Harline said, squinting at the fleet girls on the floor. "Oh... Starport Party. Figures."

Inazuma gasped, immediately stepping in front of the wall panel to close the door. "Were we being a bother?"

"No, it's fine. If you're going to make this a habit though, watch out for Kongou and Choukai. Those two can get... really intense playing games like that."

As if she had heard her, Kongou waved at them. "Admiral, can you give her a minute? They're at the sudden death round!"

Harline crossed her arms, nodding. "By the way, you'll be coming with us too."

She blinked, pointing at herself. "Me? Why?"

"I'll do the explaining in the office. It won't take long."

"Oh, 'kay! Then let's play together after that!"

She then turned to Inazuma. "Actually, it's about our trip tomorrow. It's small potatoes, but I still think a briefing is in order. You're not busy at the moment, right?"

Once the game session was over, Harline took them back to her office and had them seated at the round table. "So," Kongou began, "what do you need me for, Admiral?"

"I've decided to take you with us tomorrow."

"Whaaat? Why though?"

"In response to the push back on our little excursion, Commodore Minako told me to add one more escort. I'm not saying something bad will happen, but you can never be too sure with how much they hate the Liberator's guts."

"Two battleships as our escorts, huh?" Hatsuyuki said. "That seems a bit too... excessive..."

"True, but it will help assuage the public's unease towards you while we travel."

"I-I guess."

"Hey," Iowa said, propping her cheek with a fist, "you got quiet all of a sudden."

Kongou put up her hands between them. "W-Well, I already made plans for tomorrow. Admiral should've told me sooner if she wanted me to tag along!"

Harline squinted. "You know, that attitude of yours is the other reason why I wanted to bring you with us. The laid-back environment here has made you complacent, and you're already far from the most straight-laced fleet girl out there." She leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table. "You're a Navy fleet girl—you should set an example to the rest of the girls in this base."

"C-Come on," she twirled a lock of hair as she averted eye contact, "don't make it sound like I've been neglecting my secretary work..."

"That's only because I keep pestering you about it!"

Kongou grimaced, slamming the tabletop with her hands. "You're always so uptight! Our workload here's lighter than our previous postings, so why are you always in a rush to get things done?"

"Like I said, I don't want you to get used to this lifestyle! I know you can change for the better if you just put a consistent effort into it, that's why we need to set things straight starting tomorrow!"

As the two went on with their bickering, Hatsuyuki slightly leaned towards Inazuma, who was drinking her root beer. "Hatsuyuki, why are you always like this? Start acting like a proper lady, like me!"

The terrible Akatsuki impression made Inazuma do a spit-take, barely covering her mouth. She could feel her cheeks rapidly heating up as Harline directed her scrutinizing gaze to them.

"What was that, Hatsuyuki?"

Hatsuyuki lowered her head. "U-Um... I was just wondering why you joined the Navy instead of the Peacekeepers. It's not like our jobs are that... different."

She glanced at Kongou entering the bathroom. "Shouldn't it be obvious? Establishing a fruitful career in the Naval Domain opens up a plethora of opportunities across all nations and organizations." She furrowed her eyebrows. "But more than that, we have to work hard for everyone to recognize us."

"But... you're already a lieutenant at such a young age. Isn't that enough of a recognition?"

She paused for a moment, making an aside glance. "No. I have to show Father and everybody else that I can—"

"It always has to be about them, huh?" Kongou said, returning with a towel in hand.

"How will they start taking us seriously if we stop showing results?"

She handed the towel to Inazuma, who then started to clean up the mess she made. "Is that the reason why you volunteered to become their probation officer?"

Harline cast a downward gaze. "Defying Father's orders has always been a huge risk, but he won't be able to strip of my rank as long as Commodore Minako's on our side."

"Wait," Iowa said, "aren't we going to use one of your father's private jets to get to Tropielle? How did you manage to borrow one?"

"I asked Einrost—well, a friend of his—to rent one for us."

She stared at the lieutenant for a moment before shaking her head with a smile. "I don't really know what to say. I'm just gonna enjoy the trip while it lasts."

"Thanks for always sticking up for me, Iowa."

"I really do wish that you settle this family matter with your father sooner than later."

She gave her a tired smile. "You know my father. It's just a battle of attrition at this point."

"How about you, Kongou? Still coming or not?"

"I-I never said no." She put her hands on her hips. "Of course I'm going. Whatever will Admiral do without her dependable secretary?"

Harline made an incredulous look. "That's all I wanted to share. Our schedule's still the same, so don't be late tomorrow."

Iowa stood up, stretching her arms up. "Man, this is gonna be an awesome trip! I can't wait!"

"We aren't going there to play."

"We'd be missing out though! The islands of Tropielle are known for their pristine beaches and unique water networks, like underground caves! I think the Liberator's town is even considered a central hub connecting nearby islands."

As she mentioned that, Kongou looked at Harline with a sly grin plastered on her face. "Really? That explains what I saw last night."

"D-Don't you dare, Kongou!"

Her grin became even wider as she slowly backed away from the table. "Iowa, wanna see something nice and steamy?"

"Do I?!"

She glanced at Harline before sprinting towards Harline's desk. Harline followed suit, but Kongou had taken a dark green trolley bag with her as they ran in circles around the desk. Eventually, Kongou fished out a blue and white bikini top and tossed it on the table.

Iowa took the bikini top and whistled, inspecting every detail. "I like the accents. Never knew Curls and Folds makes bikini designs like this." She faced the teary lieutenant. "Can I see the bottom piece?"

Harline tottered towards them, only to collapse after a few steps. "I... I don't want to go to Tropielle anymore..."

Kongou huffed, setting down the bag. "What are you talking about? You already went out of your way to buy a bikini fit for a tropical getaway."

"Sh-Shut up!" She covered her flushed face. "You're gonna regret this someday, Kongou! One way or another!"

As the two went on bickering some more, Inazuma brought out her phone from her jacket and checked the message she just received from Fumizuki:

Manager, look outside the window!

Curious, she did just that after asking permission from Harline and saw Fumizuki and Fusou staring at their office window. Beside them was a cart carrying a large fish.

"Fumizuki, over here!"

The pair below directed their gaze to her. "Oh!" Fumizuki uttered, pointing at the fish with both hands. "Just look at what Fusou caught! Isn't it amazing?"

"What are you going to do with it?"

She and Fusou exchanged looks. "Apparently, this tuna's hard to catch these days, so the folks at the hangar told us to sell it at the wet market!"

"You're gonna sell it?"

"I'd rather eat it! We never had this tuna before!" She glanced at the fish, rubbing her chin. "By the way, do you know someone who can prepare this kind of fish?"

As she was about to respond, she suddenly grew conscious of the other fleet girls staring at them. "Hold on, I think I know who can."

Before she could step away from the window, Iowa stood beside her. "Whoa! What a huge fish!" She put a hand under her chin as she peered through the window. "Huh. That's a Serenoir Purpletail tuna. That tuna can get crazy expensive in certain countries."

"R-Really? It must be delicious then."

She faced Inazuma and nodded, crossing her arms under her chest. "No doubt about that! I especially love the belly part!" She looked at the tuna again. "But how did they even catch one here?"

"Don't fishes like tunas usually migrate to faraway regions?"

"Serenoir is huge though, so you'll only ever find that tuna there." She shrugged. "Eh, the Abyssal activity in that region probably drove them here."

She looked up to the ceiling. "Probably..."

"Manager!" Fumizuki shouted. "Have you found our cook yet?"

"A-Ah, sorry!"

They spent the rest of the afternoon dealing with the massive 650-pound tuna. Inazuma called on Ryuujou to return and see what sort of dishes she could create with it. However, upon learning the kind of tuna she was tasked with cooking, Ryuujou hesitated to even touch it at first, claiming it'd be a waste if they just prepared it like any ordinary fish. But with Iowa and Kongou's suggestions, they decided on throwing a sushi party to complement later's game session.

And so, they brought the tuna in the central lounge and quickly got to work with the help of their culinary-inclined friends and colleagues. Being a fan of sushi, Inazuma was elated that she would get the chance to make them out of an expensive tuna. She used to imitate the sushi from the seafood parlor she had frequented in the mainland, but the freshness of the ingredients used really made a huge difference in flavor.

As she got to taste a sample from Shirayuki, she felt her body shudder from the mellow goodness of the tuna belly. The rich creamy sensation in her mouth was pure bliss, instantly making it one of the best sushi she had ever tasted. And just as she finished that sushi, Ryuujou offered her a cabbage-wrapped sushi topped with Izumian mayonnaise—a familiar territory that she would never grow tired of.

While Ryuujou's sushi was supposed to be the last one, but the rest of her friends kept filling her plate with sushi. Her craving for sushi was just too strong to ignore, so the cycle of guilt and satisfaction went on until the party finally started. By that point, she had already eaten at least three dozens of the darn things that she had enough of them, opting for Ryuujou's grilled tuna for the rest of the evening.

But before the party could enter in full swing, Inazuma excused herself to make her final preparations for tomorrow's trip. And when that was all sorted out, she returned to her room and made a relaxing hot bath for herself.

A couple of minutes in the tub, she heard her phone vibrating behind her, prompting her to absentmindedly grab it. Upon seeing who the caller was, she took a deep breath and answered the call with a shaky tap of her thumb.

"Um, good evening..."

The few seconds of silence on the other end felt like an eternity, only making the growing anxiety in her heart even more unbearable. "Inazuma, if it's about last night, I—"

Her lips quivered. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"Inazuma, I'm fine. Didn't I already tell you that?"

"But your tone didn't feel like you were okay..."

"Sorry." There was another short pause. "To be honest, I've been thinking about what you said last night. Taking into account Emery's stupid paper about you fleet girls, I can't discount the possibility. There has to be a reason why your heart's memories resonated with that Irregular."

"So... you believe me?"

"Well, I don't see any reason why you'd make that up."

A huge wave of relief overwhelmed Inazuma. Tearing up, she hugged her knees and rested her head on them. "Th-Thank you..."

He sighed. "Looks like I made you worry a lot."

"Was it that obvious?"

"You didn't message me the whole day." As she let out a soft laugh, he grumbled. "What now?"

She didn't respond for a bit, feeling a tad warmer in the cheeks. "Nothing..."

"Fine. I'll be sure to take my unsolicited concern elsewhere then."

"There you go again. Can't I hold a conversation with your gentler persona for more than a minute?"

"No."

The blunt answer caused both of them to erupt in laughter. "But really, thank you. I feel much better now."

"Glad to hear that. One less baggage for you to carry tomorrow."

She stretched out her limbs before leaning against the tub's backrest. The lavender scent from the bath salt she used helped wonders in calming her down. "I never got the chance to tell you yesterday, but I have a lead about Miss Koharu and that Irregular. They told me to go to Cassia."

"Cassia, huh?"

"Do you know something?"

"I've been hearing rumors in South Serenoir territories from my usual contacts. Seems like they hold some water after all, but I'll need more information."

"I can do that for you after Tropielle. It's only a matter of time before they give an official order."

"Alright. Just promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"Don't confront the Arbiters without us. Just see what they're up to, then we'll go from there."

"Okay. I'll pass that along to Commander Yurie."

He took a deep breath. "I guess that's it from me for today. You need to rest up for tomorrow too."

She pouted, staring at her phone's screen. "It's still too early. We can talk some more if you want."

"You sure? Other than the rain finally stopping an hour ago, I don't have any story to share with you today."

"As if that matters!" She paused, curling up. "Unless you don't want me to make it up to you..."

"Very sincere, Inazuma."

"J-Just so you know, I didn't say that to make you feel guilty." She looked to the side. "M-Maybe..."

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing!"

He didn't respond for a while, instilling dread into her heart again. Before she could voice her concern, Yuu finally spoke. "If you're fine doing most of the talking, then I don't mind at all. I could use your company tonight."

"Y-You scared me there..."

He chuckled. "Well, that makes us even then."

She leaned on her side, bringing her phone close to her chest. "Dummy..."

"So... what do you wanna talk about anyway?"

As she closed her eyes, a contented smile tugged her lips.

Let's see... how about...?