Nanami ended the call after confirming the location of the Admin Building with the Admiral, and then she returned to Mikasa and the destroyers.
"It seems that they require my presence at the Administration offices. I beg your forgiveness for the sudden need to depart," Nanami apologized and bowed her head in contrition.
Mikasa quickly responded, "It is no trouble at all Commander. In fact, we were headed that way ourselves when we were split from Kisaragi. We could accompany you there if you are so inclined."
"That would be wonderful if you insist it is no trouble. Though I do have to stop at my residence to change into my uniform," Nanami admitted to the ever-cordial battleship. Mikasa held up a hand to reassure her that it was fine, and with that they set off for her residence.
As they walked, Nanami watched the destroyers play as kids are wont to do. She even noted with a small smile that Kisaragi and Mutsuki never left the other's side.
To have that kind of friendship, she thought wistfully. Despite the emotions that had been assailing her since she arrived, she rarely let them cross her face. There was no time for things like that.
"Commander, I must warn you...if we are going to the administration building to speak to representatives, Amagi will be there. That means we are likely to run into Akagi and Kaga." Mikasa jolted Nanami from her reverie as they approached the house.
"I was not told who I was to be meeting from each nation. However, now I must ask, why would meeting Miss Akagi and Miss Kaga be bad?" She inquired while unlocking the door. Mikasa raised her eyebrows after seeing which house they were entering.
"Well, not bad, just troublesome. Akagi has a difficult personality. Some would call it intense," the battleship admitted.
Pausing in the entryway to remove her shoes, Nanami said, "I thank you for the advance warning. Though I believe I can manage intense. I also apologize for not having any house slippers for guests. I only just arrived today. Feel free to come in with either your shoes or socks. I can always clean if I must." Again Mikasa waved her off.
"It is fine. Socks are not a problem. Okay girls?" She reassured Nanami before turning to the Mutsuki-class destroyers. Positive that they were not offended, Nanami grabbed her dress uniform and headed into the bathroom. She was not exactly shy about dressing in front of others, but between her many scars and the children, she felt more comfortable getting dressed in private.
Once dressed, she headed back out to the front room and smoothed her skirt with a frown. She absolutely hated the damn thing. It wasn't simply that it was a skirt, she could wear skirts, but the skirt on the dress uniform just never seemed to sit right. Convinced that she was as presentable as she could be, she grabbed a small box from her bag and turned to Mikasa.
"Well, shall we be off?" she asked. Without a word, Mikasa approached, straightened Nanami's collar, and then nodded.
"Now we are ready," she chimed. As she ushered the destroyers to the door, Nanami stood a little stunned. She couldn't remember the last time someone had done such a simple thing for her. Though that was probably her own fault. She had always made sure to keep her uniform in perfect condition.
After she slipped on her dress shoes and locked the door, she let Mikasa lead the way to the Admin Offices. The building was right on the beachfront, away from the docks, and it had a large number of windows.
With only a second glance around the exterior, their small group entered the building, looking much like a small tour group. Once inside, Mikasa guided them up to the second floor and down a hall. When they were nearly at the end, the hall opened up into a break area where two women were standing around.
Nanami noticed the pair looked very similar, both had a multitude of fluffy tails, and a pair of vulpine ears atop their heads. They were both dressed in traditional Sakura garments as well. From behind, the main difference between the pair was hair and fur color. One had snow white, while the other was a deep, dark brown.
When the two of them turned around as the group approached, Nanami also noted their eyes were rather striking. The white-haired one had eyes like sapphires, and the brunette's were as brilliant as rubies.
The ruby eyes of the lead woman dilated rather wildly when she saw Nanami. Without hesitation she crossed the room to the new arrival. Her mischievous grin told Nanami that this was probably the one Mikasa had warned her about.
"You must be the Commander," the girl breathed as she invaded Nanami's personal space. Mikasa was about to step in when Nanami raised a hand to stop her. Even though she was significantly shorter than Akagi, she didn't back down.
Instead she raised an eyebrow and responded to Akagi's Royal in Sakuran,"And you must be the Miss Akagi I have already heard about." Akagi's eyes widened and her smile turned from mischief to one of pure happiness.
"Ah! As expected of my Commander! You speak Sakuran and are already so well informed!" Akagi praised gleefully, clinging to Nanami's arm. Nanami wasn't about to correct her, but it was genuinely a lucky guess thanks to Mikasa's warning.
"Well, I must attend the meeting in the office now. If any of you wish to join us, please do. That includes you Miss Kaga," she offered the girls. Kaga simply bowed her head in deference as she approached the group.
"We will have to turn down the offer Commander. It is nearly time for the destroyers to be back in the dorms," Mikasa declined politely. The destroyers all gave their goodbyes, but Kisaragi took a little longer than the rest. After Nanami reassured the girl that she would see her tomorrow, the group departed and she was left with the pair of kitsune.
She opened the door to what was now her office and entered with Akagi clinging tightly to her, and Kaga following close behind. Though it made things difficult, Nanami did not forcibly remove Akagi from her arm. It just seemed that it would be better to give into the woman's whims from time to time than deal with the potential fallout of not doing so.
Luckily she did not have to worry about that, because nearly as soon as the trio entered the office, a voice rang out icy and clear, "Akagi what are you doing?" Akagi instantly let go of Nanami and put her hands above her head as if warding off some evil. The commander ignored the commotion to report.
"Good evening Admiral. Commander Nanami Winters reporting as ordered," Nanami stated, snapping a salute to the Admiral. After a return salute, Frank gestured to the open seat in the sitting area of the office. Nanami took the seat, placed her small box on the coffee table, and looked to the others in the room.
Apart from Nanami's trio and the Admiral, there were two woman in the office. Yet another Kitsune sat in the chair to her left. This one was also dressed in traditional Sakura garb. Her hair and fur was very similar to Akagi's, but her eyes were a serene purple. The woman's tails were so flufy and large that they nearly reached across the gap to Nanami's seat. She also seemed slightly older and more refined than Akagi, but that could be her imagination.
The other woman sat to Nanami's right. The first thing that Nanami noticed about her was the very real bald eagle that perched upon her shoulder, asleep. Next she noticed the woman's long, white hair. She wore a well kept, but heavily customized Eagle Union officer's uniform. Finally her eyes were a calming lavender, but that was offset by the intensity they gave off.
Nanami turned her attention back to the Admiral as he began speaking.
"I'm glad you found your way here Commander. I see you have already met the carriers Akagi and Kaga, To your left is Amagi, the representative from the Sakura Empire forces. To your right is the Eagle Union's own Enterprise," the Admiral introduced the other women. Upon hearing the name Enterprise, Nanami's eyes widened slightly before she could bring them under control. She didn't manage to do it quick enough though.
"Yes, that Enterprise. I'm sure you've realized by now that these women are the ships that fought in that terrible war. Commander, I'm sorry I wasn't fully honest with you coming into this assignment. I wasn't allowed to be," he explained. Nanami wasn't angry with him, or even frustrated. He proceeded to explain to her how the girls came to be. While it was fascinating to be sure, Nanami thought she could get a better understanding by seeing them in action. She also had one other major concern.
"Admiral, this puts me in a rough spot. How am I to prove to these women that I am capable at directing them in combat when I only have experience with standard ships? How can they go into battle without utter trust in my commands?" Nanami inquired flatly. As he was about to respond, Amagi spoke up.
"Admiral if I may, I have a way to resolve this. I agree with the Commander that we cannot just accept her without understanding her abilities as a leader and a tactician. What I suggest is a mock battle between Sakura Empire and Eagle Union forces," she proposed. She coughed lightly into a handkerchief she was holding before continuing.
"It would be in two weeks, so the Commander has time to acclimate herself to the fleet. I would command the Sakura forces, the Commander would take charge of the Eagle Union forces. We can further discuss the details another time, but I believe that this would give the girls confidence in her, as well as foster closer ties between the nations," she finished her suggestion. Nanami nodded in agreement with the proposal, but before she accepted, she turned to Enterprise.
"Would this be agreeable to you Enterprise?" she inquired with the carrier.
Quiet to this point, Enterprise assented, "It seems to be a good idea, as expected of Amagi. If you can lead us to victory over her, there isn't a single girl in the fleet that wouldn't follow you."
"Wonderful, with that decided, I will need to be leaving as soon as possible. You have quite a bit of paperwork on your desk to catch up. And, is that Their box?" The Admiral asked, gesturing to the box Nanami had brought with her.
"Yes," was all that she replied, staring at her adoptive uncle.
"Give them a place of honor," he nodded. With that said, the Admiral stood and they all followed suit. However, Nanami needed a little more time.
"Ladies, would you kindly give the Admiral and I a moment to speak in private?" She asked the ship-girls. Without a word Enterprise assented, walking from the room. Amagi bowed and left with Kaga on her heels. Only Akagi left reluctantly. When the door finally closed, the Admiral stared at the box on the table for a moment. Then he turned to her and wrapped her in a hug.
"I miss them too kid. Don't worry, you'll do them proud. I know you will," he reassured. Though he was comforting her, she didn't shed a tear, or even feel more than a pang of sorrow. She knew this was more for him than for her, and she wasn't going to send him off without saying goodbye properly.
"I will end this war uncle," she softly stated. She could see a tear on his face when they separated, but it wasn't her place to mention it.
"Stay safe on your way back to the Union," she told him with a forced smile.
The Admiral smiled before replying, "I will. Stay safe out there, and always remember why we fight." He left the room and she had a moment alone with the silence before the other women re-entered.
As they entered, she picked up the small box and opened it to reveal lines of medals. She placed the box prominently on a shelf. There they would be able to watch over her and remind her of the cost of this war. Her fingers lingered on them a moment more before she turned around to see only Amagi and Enterprise had re-entered.
"Where did Miss Akagi and Miss Kaga head off to?" Nanami inquired, looking to Amagi.
The older kitsune smiled softly as she replied, "I sent them back to the Sakura Empire dorms. You really should not give in to Akagi's whims so easily Commander. She has always been an intense girl, prone to fixations, and the years have only made that more evident." Nanami noted the concern in Amagi's voice when she spoke of Akagi, and she thought back on her history lessons.
If the girls are indeed the ships, Akagi was once destined to be an Amagi-class Battlecruiser. So would that make them sisters? She pondered for a moment, before returning to the present.
"I will be sure to keep that in mind. In any case, though we were introduced, I do believe that more in-depth introductions are in order for the three of us. I feel that you two will be my lifelines with your respective factions, and I would like us to reach a better understanding," Nanami explained.
"That is a reasonable assumption to make. Even before our fated meeting in the joint exercise I will be making quite the nuisance of myself here. I ask for your forgiveness in advance Commander," Amagi teased Nanami with very wry self-deprecation.
She continued to her introduction, "As for better introductions, I am Amagi, an Amagi-class Battlecruiser. In my past life I was scrapped because of damage sustained from a devastating earthquake. Akagi, though a carrier now, is my younger sister. I have long been the chief strategist of the Sakura Empire Fleet." Nanami nodded politely to the Sakuran strategist.
"I will be here often as well Commander. I have the most experience in the Eagle Union of running the fleet, and can assist in day to day administration. As for more detailed introductions, I am the Yorktown-class aircraft carrier Enterprise. My history if stained in blood, each medal I received bought with many lives. This is Grim," Enterprise offered once Amagi had finished. The final sentence was directed toward the eagle on her shoulder.
With that in mind, Nanami believed that Enterprise's own reputation preceded her, after all, she had grown up with her father's stories of the war.
Well, not everyone grows up the daughter of an eventual admiral and the adopted niece of another, she thought.
She took a deep breath before beginning, "I thank you both for your assistance, and apologize for the amount I must trouble you in the near future. A Commander is only as good as those she can rely upon after all. As for myself, I am Commander Nanami Winters, half-Sakuran daughter of the late Admiral Dean Winters, sister to the late Captain Akira Winters, and the late Commander Frank Winters."
Though that was a lot, she did not think it was enough, as the other two had a history that could be drawn from, she was an unknown to them. Anything she could do to assuage their fears about her competence would be important.
"I graduated as salutatorian of my class from the Eagle Union Naval Academy with double majors in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. I have native fluency in Sakuran and Royal, and learned fluency in Irisian, Iron, and Northerian. While these do not qualify me to run this fleet on theri own, I have no doubts as to my ability to lead us to victory over the Sirens," she asserted with strength.
Amagi smiled and spoke after Nanami finished, "So that is why you speak Sakuran so well according to Akagi. If you don't mind my asking, how do you write Nanami?" The question made her realize that she hadn't introduced herself properly in the Sakuran fashion in a long time. She blushed slightly before she was able to respond.
"It is written with the Kanji for seven and seas..." she trailed off a bit at the end, scratching the side of her face with a single finger. Amagi did her best to hide her smile. Enterprise meanwhile did not pick up on the meaning of the name, instead she was turning slightly red herself.
Oh lord she's cute, the carrier thought upon seeing the embarrassed actions of her new Commander.
"One could say you were destined for this role of Commander," Amagi teased, much to Nanami's chagrin. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this embarrassed, or embarrassed at all really. In order to get off the topic, she rapidly shifted gears.
"How do we want to go about introducing me to the fleet? Would all at once be a good idea, or should we split it by faction and have functions where I can get to know the girls better?" she asked as she quickly brought her stray emotions back under control.
With that question asked the trio settled in to discuss details, and made plans for the next few days. By the time they finished, the sun was beginning to get low in the sky.
"Well, I thank you both for your time tonight. I have a few last bits of paperwork to fill out before I retire for the evening," Nanami said as they stood up together. Amagi's face scrunched up at the mention of Nanami staying longer.
"Commander *cough cough* please do not neglect your health in the pursuit of results." Amagi admonished through a coughing fit. Though it alarmed her somewhat, the Sakuran woman put up a hand to allay her fears.
"I am not in the greatest of health as you see. So I am someone to believe on these matters." She explained.
Nanami nodded and replied, "I promise that I will look after my health while in this position. After all, my health is not only my own concern any longer. However, I must get these papers completed." She was adamant about getting this done tonight. And, maybe she would work a little more and get caught up on reports from the fleet, but she wouldn't dare tell Amagi that.
"I see that I cannot dissuade you from your current course of action Commander. However, as assistants and advisers, we can only be useful if you heed our advice." Amagi reminded before excusing herself. Nanami was struck by how cold her tone was. She would have to apologize to the kitsune later. Especially since she would be ignoring her advice tonight.
Enterprise didn't have nearly as much to say, "Work hard Commander, see you tomorrow." Before she left, she reached into her pocket and tossed something small to the Commander. Nanami recognized it right away, it was a D-type ration.
With both of them gone, she stared at the piles of papers on the desk and sighed.
Might as well get it all done tonight, she thought as she sat down to work.
A/N: Thank you so very much for the responses in the reviews of last chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, though I do apologize for the slow nature of the start. It will pick up, I promise!
