Chapter Two

While the actual task of finding my sister would have been fulfilled simply by returning home to the castle, I saw no reason why I needed to take a direct route in order to accomplish this as soon as possible. My thoughts were still preoccupied contemplating my previous conversation with Mikasa, in particular the parts about Kawakaze. As we walked down the streets near the harbour front, I found myself continually glancing over to my bodyguard, who kept a few steps ahead of me with a watchful eye to our surroundings. Even in our home, she never relented in her duty towards me. It was admirable, but also rather cold. When I thought about it, I realized that I actually knew very little about her—I knew she was a strong and dutiful protector, highly skilled as an escort. Beyond that, however, I didn't even know what her favourite colour was, let alone who she considered a friend.

"Is there a reason why we are walking through the port harbour instead of heading directly back to the castle?" Kawakaze asked without warning. "If you leave Mutsu waiting too long, she'll be quite cross with you."

"I thought I might take a more scenic route in order to better tour the home port," I answered with practised precision.

And scenic it most certainly was. With a clear blue sky and a shimmering ocean below, the weather around the harbour was nothing short of splendid, and only a fool would not want to bask in the sun's warmth on such a day. All around, the denizens of the Sakura Empire milled about in their daily business: shopkeepers tended to their storefront displays, gatherings of young destroyers engaged in laughter and play, and even the local animals were out to enjoy the sun as numerous cats patrolled the length of the harbour in search of returning fishermen and their day's bounties. Off in the distance, I could see many of our military vessels in port, which was always reassuring as it meant more people were here to enjoy the peace rather than out patrolling the ocean lanes.

"Is there anywhere in particular in the harbour you plan to visit?" Kawakaze continued with her inquiries.

"No. I simply wish to enjoy the moment while I can." We stopped at the harbourfront's edge, and I closed my eyes just to listen to the sounds of my peaceful home. There was something soothing about listening to the ocean's gentle motions. It was like the planet itself breathing.

I may have been a little too engrossed in my auditory indulgence as I didn't notice the cluster of children traveling just behind me. I heard some giggling and laughter, followed by an 'oops' just an instant before something, or rather someone, bumped into my back. It shouldn't have been an issue except that I was right on the wharf's edge and before I knew it, I was teetering over the edge and seconds away from taking an unscheduled afternoon plunge. All I could manage was a rather undignified yelp as I flailed my arms in a desperate and futile attempt to keep my balance.

Thankfully, my bodyguard was quick to react, grabbing hold of the back of my garments in the instant before gravity fully took over. "Are you hurt?" she asked as she gently pulled me back to safety.

"I am… unharmed. Thank you," I said with a sigh of relief.

"I am only carrying out my duties," Kawakaze replied before taking a quick bow. "Shall I apprehend the perpetrator?"

"That will be unnecessary. It was an accident, nothing more." While it may have done good to remind the guilty party about the virtues of being mindful to those around you, I feared my bodyguard might be over-enthusiastic in that respect.

"You should pay more heed to your surroundings in the future, Lady Nagato."

"Ah, yes, that is true. Especially since once I am no longer the flagship, you will no longer be required to follow me around at all hours of the day. I will no longer have you to rely upon." I looked to Kawakaze to gauge how she responded to the reminder. Like me, she has been aware of this change for some time, but due to my own anxieties and concerns, I had neglected to ever ask how she felt about it.

Unfortunately, her answer was a solemn, "Indeed."

This was precisely why she was so difficult to read. Normally, I did not mind, but when I was trying to better understand her, her brusque response was irritating.

"Once you are released from your duties, do you have any plans for afterwards?" I pressed on with my inquiries.

Our eyes met for a brief moment, though I wasn't sure whether it was just a matter of politeness or if she was scrutinizing my curiosity. "I haven't decided yet. I will probably be asked to continue my duties as Lady Yamato's guard."

"Well, I for one will miss your company when this is all over."

"Oh. Thank you, Lady Nagato. You honour me."

For a moment, Kawakaze might have shown the slightest hint of surprise, but I wasn't entirely certain. It may have just been a flash of indigestion. Still, I had hoped for a 'I'll miss you, too' or something that could give me a better sense of what Kawakaze thought of me. I knew I could just order her to give me a better answer, but how truthful would it be when I had to play that card? I was soon contemplating how Mikasa would approach this situation. She was always direct and decisive, and no doubt she would encourage me to do the same.

"Kawakaze, are we… um, that is to say, do you… consider us friends?" That was far more embarrassing to say out loud than it had in my head. It took all my willpower just to avoid turning red like some kind of school girl making a confession.

This time, I definitely caught her attention if her momentary brow-raised stare was anything to go by. "Don't you think that friendship is a little strong of a word?" she asked back. "You are the flagship, and I am your steward. I thought a certain degree of professional distance was a requirement in order to carry out my duties. Was I mistaken?"

She had a point, as much as I was loath to admit it, and while her answer wasn't as bad as I feared, it did more or less confirm what I suspected her sentiments to be. I was her charge and nothing more, and once that was gone, it was unlikely she'd take the effort to speak with me again short of us passing in the hallways. Deep down I knew it was foolish to think otherwise, and by all reason it shouldn't even matter, yet there was a small pang in my heart all the same.

"No, you are not mistaken," I forced out as a response. "You have carried out your duties most professionally. You should be proud of yourself."

"You humble me, Lady Nagato," Kawakaze replied before taking a deep bow.

Her gratitude was expressed in the typical manner befitting our positions as flagship and steward. I shouldn't have expected any less from her, but it only helped to reinforce the perceived distance between us. Even when I tried to be complimentary, the protocols of my position kept her away. Fault did not rest upon Kawakaze; I was to blame for allowing myself to be so complacent. I doubt Mikasa ever felt constrained or isolated when she was the flagship, though she would just insist that things were done differently 'in the old days.'

"You shouldn't be concerned with me," my steward spoke up, snapping me from my train of thought. If she was trying to be modest, it didn't feel that way. Was this advice, or just a criticism?

"I don't follow."

"I'm not a friendly person, Lady Nagato. Never was," she explained in her usual blunt and straight-forward manner. "If you're unhappy with the way things are between us, then I am equally responsible for it, if not more. I'm not very good 'friend' material, so trying to use me as a metric is not fair to you."

While I appreciated her efforts to alleviate my sense of guilt, I wasn't entirely convinced by her reasoning. One did not have to be like Mikasa or Mutsu to form close bonds, and I had no doubt that Kawakaze could befriend others if she set her mind to it. She simply chose not to, much like a part of her chose to keep a professional distance from me, even if it was for appropriate reasons.

"Unfair or not, it is a failure of mine."

"You're not a failure; you're just setting your expectations too high," Kawakaze retorted. "Come, I'll show you."

Her gaze turned to her surroundings, with sky blue eyes scanning the surrounding crowds until they finally settled on what appeared to be a gathering of young destroyers. Before I had a chance to inquire about the significance, my steward gestured for me to follow her. It was rare to see her take the lead, and curiosity overrode any willingness to adhere to etiquette. As we drew closer, I could pick out the individual faces in the crowd, recognizing the likes of Mutsuki, Nagatsuki, and Kisaragi amongst them. At the lead of the grouping was one of the Empire's esteemed cruisers, Miss Nagara. Judging from the arrangement, as well as their close proximity to one of the harbour's exercise pools, she was in the middle of a lesson. I realized this too late to prevent us from intruding when Miss Nagara noticed my presence just as I was about to turn and leave.

"Oh my, Lady Nagato, what an unexpected surprise," Nagara welcomed us, flashing us a smile as warm as the morning sun. "Class, please welcome our guest."

The destroyers, many of whom regarded me with a sort of wide-eyed awe, all promptly bowed and spoke in unison, "Good afternoon, Lady Nagato."

"My apologies for being ill-prepared to receive you, my Lady," Nagara apologized, followed by another bow. "I wasn't informed of your visit in advance."

"Apologies are unnecessary," I tried to reassure her. "This visit was entirely impromptu."

"You're conducting an outdoor practical lesson, correct?" Kawakaze inquired. "Lady Nagato was wondering if she might be able to assist you in teaching today."

Teaching? It took all the willpower I had just to keep a dignified smile as though this had been my idea all along. In truth, I was half-tempted to turn and run. I had never taught a proper class before, and while I had a lot of experience leading other warships, there was a yawning chasm's worth of differences between dealing with someone like Takao or Atago, who knew what they were doing even without my guidance, and mentoring small, impressionable destroyers like Kisaragi. Children were unpredictable, chaotic even. Despite all my apprehensions, though, to turn away now would not only dishonour my name and my position, but leave me a laughing stock amongst the higher ranks. I could already picture the admiralty board furrowing their brows in disapproval. 'What good is a battleship that can't even handle a few destroyers?' I could already hear them say.

Nagara, on the other hand, was as excited as she looked, beaming even brighter as she clasped her hands together. "Really? Oh, that would be so helpful, Lady Nagato. It can be really difficult trying to lecture and give practical demonstrations at the same time. We'd be ever so grateful, wouldn't we class?"

On cue, the destroyers chimed together, "Thank you, Lady Nagato."

"When you're ready, please sail out into the training arena," Nagara instructed, gesturing towards the large, partitioned section of the harbour that routinely served for various training exercises.

Before I could step out, though, I had to summon my rigging first. Drawing forth from the power of my wisdom cube, I called forth the indomitable four hundred and ten centimetre cannons that formed the foundation of my power and allowed me to be counted as one of the Big Seven of the world. Armoured in my mantle of steel and fury and flanked by my four twin-turrets, I sailed out to my designated position, now confident in whatever task laid before me.

"Now class," Nagara began, "I want you all to pay close attention to Lady Nagato as she helps us review the basic principles of anti-air defensive tactics."

"Anti-air?" I repeated, albeit too quietly for anyone to hear. All of a sudden, my confidence was on far more turbulent waves. There were few ships that gave me more reservations than that of an aircraft carrier, not out of fear, but a recognition of their power. My concerns were confirmed when I looked to the far end of the training area and I saw none other than Hiryuu and Souryuu taking up a combat formation. The venerated Second Carrier Division was not to be underestimated.

"Hiryuu, Souryuu, are you two ready?" Nagara called out to them.

I prayed to every god that would listen that one of them would say no.

"You bet!" Hiryuu shouted back before turning to me. "And don't think we're going to take it easy on you just because you're the flagship."

"Do remember that this is a training exercise for the purposes of teaching these young destroyers effective tactics when defending against airborne threats, and not an opportunity to showcase your prowess in battle," was what I wanted to say to them in a veiled attempt to make my life easier. Instead, though, my brain went on auto-pilot and I uttered back a standard, pre-packaged response, "I would expect nothing less of the Second Carrier Division."

I really needed to learn to be more honest with myself.

One by one, the two carriers began throwing down their cards, launching their squadrons of torpedo and dive bombers into the air. The Sakura Empire pioneered coordinated, multi-carrier strikes, and as the number of planes in the sky grew, I knew they were setting up for exactly that. From experience, I knew that Hiryuu was more skilled with the torpedo bombers, while her sister Souryuu was an expert with dive bombers. Would they come at me from every angle in an attempt to overwhelm my defenses, or would they focus their power from a single vector to maximize the damage inflicted? Even though it was a training exercise, with training munitions that would not be lethal, to treat it as anything less than a real battle would do the observing class a disservice. The only thing in any real danger was my dignity.

"Now for the first part of the demonstration, we'll review the basics of evasive manoeuvring, so I'll ask that Lady Nagato please refrain from using her anti-aircrafts for the moment."

"Are you serious?!" Thankfully, my unprofessional outburst was drowned out by the roar of a dozen engines as the strike squadrons began their approach.

"Now the first thing to remember when you find yourself under air attack is to not panic," Nagara continued with her lesson.

Easier said than done. I was already pretty close to failing the first part as I frantically powered up to full speed and adjusted course towards the oncoming planes. They were already beginning to circle around me like hawks, waiting for their moment to strike. The training munitions may have been classified as non-lethal, but that was, in part, due to the fact that us kansen were a lot more durable than normal humans.

"Next, you'll want to sail towards the attacking aircrafts, moving in a zig-zag pattern in order to force the oncoming plane to continually adjust their speed and bearing. If under attack from multiple directions, try to identify the largest threats and continue to move in an erratic, unpredictable manner."

To my credit, I was already implementing Nagara's instructions when the first planes began their approach to strike. However, as a battleship, 'erratic' and 'unpredictable' were a bit beyond my capacity. My rigging alone made me as large a target as the entire class of destroyers put together, and it had all the manoeuvring characteristics of an overloaded garbage barge. If anything of my movements seemed erratic, it was only because the explosive force of Souryuu's dive bombs thrashed me about with every near-miss. In a sense, it was unpredictable in that I didn't even know what I was about to do, with course corrections being made faster than one could say 'heads up.' Despite the intensity, I knew I had to maintain my focus and remember my training and experience—reduce speed, hard to starboard, brace for bomb splinters, accelerate, adjust bearing to port, repeat.

"This is intolerable!" I yelped between bomb bursts that left me drenched in sea water. "Just permit me use of my guns, please!" Once again, it was likely for the best that nobody could hear my screaming over all of the chaos.

Somehow, between the explosions and the distance, my flailing, panicked evasions looked passably professional. After about five or six passes from the assailing strike planes, I was starting to get into a rhythm. The more Hiryuu and Souryuu struck, the more familiar I became with their patterns of attacks, and I could minimize the amount of time I spent swerving, which was vital for a battleship since inertia alone meant I was about as responsive as a government bureaucracy. I weaved left and right, threading the needle through a pair of air-dropped torpedoes that screamed past me with their bubble-rich battlecries. However, Hiryuu's attack only served to force me down a more predictable path that left me an easier target for Souryuu's follow-up strike. I only realized my folly when I heard the distinct, whistling shriek of another payload coming from on high.

"Now class, always remember the five D's of evasive manoeuvres: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge!"

"You said dodge twice!" I shouted back to Nagara while I made full use of the fourth 'D' and lunged forward. The bomb passed so close that I swore it brushed through my hair, although that thought was quickly replaced by the explosive force that was so powerful that it launched me into the air, stern over bow.

"That's because it's twice as important," Nagara replied, either oblivious or indifferent to my situation. "And speaking of which…"

I was still face-down in the water when the instructor's direction prompted me to lift my gaze up to the telltale sign of angry-looking bubbles careening towards me. That Second Carrier Division was clearly intent on not giving me any breathing room. However, that was enough dodging for me. I was a battleship! We did not run and cower from the enemy, our way was to strike back with fire and steel!

Once I was back on my feet, I leveled my entire battery of secondary cannons on the incoming torpedo and prepared to fire. It was time to show the young destroyers something they wouldn't soon forget. A thunderous volley rang out as a spread of high explosive rounds pulverized the waterscape before me, turning the area into a field of geysers, mist, and gunsmoke. Pride, however, always preceded the fall. My volley had not been as effective as I had expected. Rather than cause the torpedo to detonate prematurely, the explosive force and rising water somehow launched the torpedo into the air, soaring like a steel whale breaching the surface. There was only enough time for me to stand there with a dumb, slack-jawed stare before it smashed me square in the face.

The air dropped Type 91 torpedo was a staple of the Sakura Empire's aerial strike fleets, and it was truly a terrifying weapon to behold. And I could say with absolute certainty that it was the second worst experience I had ever endured, falling just short of when Mutsu accidentally dropped her third turret on my foot and blew out the lower floor of the castle.

Knocked off my feet, time seemed to slow to a crawl as I joined the torpedo in an inelegant arc above the water. Off in the distance, I swore I could see the expression of each and every observer who witnessed my spectacular failure. Kawakaze's normally stoic facade cracked, for it was the first time I had seen her truly and genuinely surprised. The children had a range of mixed amusement and shock as they must have thought that this was a routine outcome for such an exercise, or that I had exaggerated my escapades for comedic effect. One couldn't expect a child to fully grasp the consequences of being sucker-punched by a self-propelled steel battering ram. Then there was poor Nagara, who no doubt felt some sense of guilt and responsibility for the situation, as her expression just screamed 'I am going to have to dogeza until my face is one with the earth after this.'

Or maybe I just imagined it all in a post-concussive stupor.

The first thing my mind noticed once it was able to work again was how cool the water felt, and how blue the sky was. It was as though the ocean itself was cradling me in her loving embrace, and whispering sweetly into my ear.

"—ady Nagato? Ma'am, can you hear me?" As it turned out, it was just Kawakaze, now kneeling by my side.

"Help me up," I murmured back before I took hold of her wrist.

"Of course, Lady Nagato. We'll get you back to shore and—"

"No. I am not finished yet."

Maybe I was being prideful, or maybe the torpedo had left me with fewer faculties than I realized. Whatever the reason, though, as Kawakaze helped me back to my feet, the only thought in my mind was that I was not going to let this end on such a disgraceful note. It was not just for my own dignity, but this felt like a slight against all battleships and the Nagato-class itself. I couldn't allow myself to leave the young destroyers the wrong impression of the strength of the Sakura Empire. They needed to understand that I wasn't made the flagship just because I looked cute in robes and could recite a few prayers, but that I was a warrior just like them.

"Hiryuu! Souryuu!" I shouted out. "One more time, and this time try to hit me like you mean it."

Needless to say, the Second Carrier Division exchanged some very puzzled looks with each other, no doubt wondering if I had lost complete sense or just most of it. They eventually pushed past their concerns and started prepping a new wave of attack planes. There were enough witnesses to provide confirmation that I had, indeed, asked for it just in case if there were any attempts at repercussions later on.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Kawakaze whispered.

"Truthfully, I know not," I answered. "But I cannot back down now."

I eased my bodyguard to the side and braced myself for the impending onslaught. About a dozen bombers from the Second Carrier Division slotted into an attack vector, one that would hit with such ferocity that it would make my previous encounter with a torpedo look like a gentle caressing. I remained undaunted, however, as I brought forth my most powerful weapons: all eight of my forty-one centimetre naval guns. Why should I try to dodge attacks like a destroyer, or dissuade planes with paltry anti-air guns like a cruiser? My artillery battery had served as the pride of an Empire, so it should damn well be able to deal with a handful of petrol-powered tin birds. It would've been a lie to say that I was completely without reservations about my strategy—it hinged on a technique that I had rarely put to the test in a live fire environment, real or simulated. I comforted myself with the knowledge that if things went badly, I would at least have valuable combat data to provide Miss Yuubari.

I'd also have the mother of all headaches.

"You should probably back away, Kawakaze," I advised my colleague.

"I swore to be your shield, Lady Nagato. For better or for worse."

"Is that not a thing the westerners say before marriage?"

"I thought it was 'until death do we part'."

"Well, if this does not work, it shall feel that way," I quipped before taking a few more calming breaths. Having Kawakaze next to me did bring some sense of comfort, but I knew the only path to victory was to trust in my own power. With the planes bearing down upon us, I directed my main batteries skyward. "Sanshikidan, fire!"

With a roar that could rival the heavens, I unleashed a volley of the specialized canister rounds provided by our resident mechanical genius, Yuubari. Each round detonated shortly after leaving the barrel, splintering into thousands of incendiary shards in a forward arc. In an instant, I turned the air between the planes and I into an unrelenting maelstrom of fire and steel. For a brief moment, it was as if hell itself had awoken in our training arena. Faced with a seemingly impenetrable wall of burning metal, the planes had to scatter in every direction they could, with many failing to pull away in time and plunging through the inferno. More than half of the assailing planes emerged through the curtain, blazing and spiralling out of control before they crashed into the water around me.

"Hm, it would appear that Yuubari's beehive shells have performed admirably," I remarked with no attempt to hide my surprise. I wasn't the only person left stunned by the successful pyrokinetic display, as both Hiryuu and Soryuu were left aghast, the former looking as though some large animal had just defecated onto her breakfast.

"Were you expecting otherwise?" Kawakaze replied.

"I have always missed when using the sanshikidan."

"Huh. Good thing you didn't then."

"I concur," I said, nodding in agreement. If this had been a real combat situation, we would've just narrowly escaped death, yet even in the absence of real danger, there was nonetheless a wave of relief and a swell of pride. As I basked in the glow of my victory, which smelt a lot like burning oil, powder, and thermite, I soon became aware of a rising noise in the background. Being so used to the reverence and praise of the public, I instantly recognized the rising clamour of applause and cheers. The young destroyers took quite a liking to the pyrotechnic display, probably forgetting all about the fact that this was supposed to be a lesson in anti-air tactics. In fairness, I hadn't been considering the educational value of unleashing sanshiki rounds either.

"That was amazing, Lady Nagato!" one of the girls shouted.

"You showed those planes who's boss!" said another.

"Should we explain to them that all you did was ward off a single wave of attack planes?" Kawakaze inquired.

"Let us not spoil the moment for them," I answered. "Now, could you lend me your arm? I don't think I can stand for much longer."

With the adrenaline and excitement wearing down, the sensation of my pounding heart was soon replaced with a pounding headache. My steward took a firm grip on my arm and lent me her shoulder before we slowly sailed back to shore, where the children were still clapping and cheering. The noise didn't help my headache, but I managed a dignified smile to greet them. We found a nearby bench for me to rest on, whereupon I was quickly surrounded by the destroyers.

"You were so cool!"

"How can I grow up to be a battleship like you?"

"Now, now, children, give Lady Nagato some space," Nagara spoke up as she shepherded the destroyers back. She then turned to me and offered a deep bow, not quite all the way to the ground, but I suspect only because the destroyers didn't give her room to do so. "I am so terribly sorry about what happened. I didn't think the carriers would be so… rough."

"There is no need for apology," I reassured her. "If I had desired a lesser challenge, I would not have encouraged them to give it their all. We cannot learn and improve if we are not pushed to our limits." Granted, the only thing I learned was 'torpedoes are hard,' which was of questionable value. "So remember, children, no matter how difficult things may seem, never lose faith in your own strength and that of your allies. As long as you keep fighting for your dreams, you will prevail."

"A very important lesson, right children?" Nagara said, now relieved that she wouldn't be losing her job over what happened today. "Now class, give a big thank you to Lady Nagato for taking the time to help teach us."

"Thank you, Lady Nagato." Their synchronized responses were becoming quite endearing. I began to understand why people enjoyed teaching.

"And thank you for having me," I said, returning their thanks with a bow of my own.

One of the girls then drew closer, Mutsuki if memory served, and she tugged on my sleeve for my attention. "Um, Lady Nagato… do you think you could come by again and help teach us some more? The part with the fireworks was really cool!"

I managed a tired, polite smile. "I would enjoy that very much, but I am afraid that—" I was about to say that my duties would rarely leave me time to make regular visits, but then I remembered that in a matter of days, my list of duties would be considerably less. In fact, I would probably have an abundance of time on my hands with few ideas of how to spend it. "I will discuss it with Miss Nagara and see what we can arrange." All of the destroyers' eyes lit up at the news, which was more reassuring than I thought it would've been. Children didn't care for pomp and etiquette—they just thought I was the cool battleship that shot fireworks at planes. I glanced over to Kawakaze, who was maintaining her usual vigil by my side. "Is this what you were hoping for?"

"Somewhat. Minus you getting beaned by a torpedo," she answered.

"Thank you. Perhaps I should treat you to something with the money from Lady Mikasa."

"What could we even buy for a hundred yen?"

Before I could even speculate as to an answer, Mutsuki shot her hand into the air and began waving it around while jumping on the tips of her feet. She kept this up until I finally gestured for her to answer this impromptu quiz.

"You could buy some candy from the dagashiya!" she answered, quite proud of herself.

"The dagashiya?" I repeated while giving my cohort a puzzled look. "I am unfamiliar with the term."

"I believe those are specialty shops that sell inexpensive confectionaries to children," Kawakaze elaborated, although her voice carried a degree of uncertainty. The answer made sense to me, as the Empire spared little expense in keeping me in the lap of luxury. Cheap candies would never have even been in the same building as me, let alone served to me. Even if the option had been available, the old me, as well as the admiralty board, would have considered the notion as too childish for a person of my position. Now, though, I had no qualms about how my actions affected the dignity of my office. It wasn't as though the admiralty board could do any more to me than they already were going to.

"In that case," I said as I rose to my feet, "if you would be so kind as to guide us to this dagashiya then."

By the mid-afternoon, Kawakaze and I had parted ways with the class of destroyers after having spent an intriguing time exploring the plethora of confections offered by our local dagashiya. It had been in a small shop in an even smaller side alley that I wasn't even aware existed and would have missed completely had Mutsuki not pointed it out. A humble store packed wall to wall with more varieties of colourful candies than I was even aware existed was an eye-opening experience for me. And needless to say, the sight of the Empire's Sacred Protector perusing the contents of a local confectionary store drew a lot of attention. It even took a lot of effort just to convince the old grandmother that ran the store to accept my money, and in the end I still had to resort to instructing Kawakaze to just leave the money on the counter before we ran out like a pair of shoplifters.

We once again found ourselves sitting near the waterfront. I had been enjoying my time in the city so much that I had been reluctant to leave just yet. A part of me worried that if I returned to the castle, I would wake up in my bedroom and everything that I had experienced this afternoon would be a mere dream, doomed to drift away into nothingness with the morning fog.

"So what exactly did we buy?" Kawakaze inquired, breaking my contemplative silence.

In my hands I held the small red box that we had purchased at the recommendation of Mutsuki and the other destroyers. "It is some kind of biscuit stick coated in chocolate. Shall I open it?"

"May as well."

I opened the box and offered one to my steward before taking one myself. She wasted no time in nibbling on the chocolate-coated stick, but I took a moment to examine the thin little treat in closer detail. It was so simple, as to be expected, and yet the destroyers had been glowing in their praise of it. I took some slow, cautious bites at first, savouring the contrast between the smooth and sweet chocolate, and the crunchy biscuit. A brief glance to the kansen beside me revealed she was enjoying the treat too, as she reached over for a second helping while I was still working on my first.

"Most delectable," I remarked once I had finished my first stick."I want to thank you again, Miss Kawakaze. For everything, but today in particular."

"I'm simply doing my duty," she answered, terse and professional as always.

"I do not believe it to be that simple," I replied, which caught her curiosity. "Your duty is to protect me, and you are usually very prompt in reminding me where I should or should not be. Yet, you have not said a single word about hurrying back to the castle for some time. Instead, you have gone out of your way to prolong my time here, to my benefit." I smiled coyly at her. "You brought me to those destroyers because you wanted to show me that others need not see me as the flagship to still like me. I believe you are much friendlier than you had earlier claimed."

The day was not finished with its surprises as I thought I caught a flash of colour in the cheeks of my normally pale-skinned bodyguard. Whatever it was, though, it was short-lived as Kawakaze casually turned away in her habit of constant vigilance.

"You were clearly troubled," she answered. "I thought it wrong to allow our time together to end on a sour note."

"I would not have liked that either," I said between nibbles. I could've left things at that and allowed our last few days as steward and charge to end on a positive note, but an idea crossed my mind. "We have never done something that you enjoy."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Whenever we are together, I am the one who usually decides where we go and what we do," I explained to her, not that she wasn't already aware of how our time together was spent. "I wish to see what you like to do when you are not on duty."

"Is that an order?" Kawakaze asked, flatly.

It could've been, but I shook my head. "No. I wish to see it because I would like to know more about you, Kawakaze."

If she said 'no' I would not have begrudged her for maintaining her privacy and professional distance, but I knew I would not have a better chance to ask than now. Thus, it came as a welcomed relief and pleasant surprise when she answered, "Okay. Wait here."

She grabbed one more biscuit stick before departing, leaving me to my own thoughts to contemplate the day's events and ponder what was in store for me. Her plans must've been something simple or portable, as there had been so special consideration for where we sat other than the view of the shoreline that it offered, away from the busier lanes of the harbour proper. Rather than warships and cargo haulers, only a handful of fishing boats decorated the waterscape ahead, and the reduced foot traffic meant I needn't worry about passing civilians becoming fixated on seeing their Sacred Protector out in the wild. I was no closer to figuring out the answer on my own when Kawakaze finally returned, carrying a pair of fishing rods with her.

"You like to fish?" I asked, as if the answer was not plain to see.

"Helps clear my mind," she answered and then handed me a rod. "Have you ever done it before?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Like chocolate-coated biscuits, catching your own fish was something that was just below the station of the Sacred Protector of the Empire. A commoner fished; a kansen's time should be spent perfecting their duties to the Empire, or so the teachings went. I don't think there was a single kansen in the Empire that actually heeded that lesson, except unimaginative mikos like myself who couldn't think outside their given role. Kawakaze handed me one of the rods and, after a brief explanation, we soon had our lines cast and were partaking in the tranquility that came with the pastime.

"Do you fish often?" I asked, figuring that I had a rare opportunity to make conversation with my colleague.

"A couple times a week, depending on the weather and our schedule."

"Do you ever go fishing with anybody else?"

"Sometimes with Abukuma, though it's more by coincidence than planning."

"Are the two of you friends?"

"Sort of," Kawakaze answered with a momentary puzzled look. "We tend not to talk while we're fishing. I think we both enjoy it for solitude."

I was well-acquainted with solitude, intimately so, thus the idea of using a pastime to seek even more of it seemed unusual. I recognized some people were just more suited to the lifestyle, but the thought of Kawakaze routinely sitting alone at the waterfront just felt a little sad.

Feeling a bit emboldened by the day's successes, I decided to push my luck. "May I ask… what do you think of me?"

"I'm not sure that's appropriate given our professional relationship. And if you try to order me to answer that, I'll refuse."

The fact that she was so stubborn in her defiance, even to the point of insubordination, only made me more curious. Without being able to use my authority, my only strategy was to win her trust with a show of resolve and sincerity, which had been my plan from the start regardless. Kawakaze was right in that she was not the best metric to measure myself against, but rather than just use that as an excuse, I saw that as a challenge for myself. I set my rod aside for a second and removed the pair of gold hairpins I wore.

"Here, she who possesses these pins is the Keeper of the Sacred Sakura Tree, the Protector of the Empire," I explained as I handed them over to her. "So while you are holding these, you are in command, and I am but a simple servant of the Empire."

Kawakaze looked to the golden hairpins and smirked, a brief chortle escaping her lips before she stiffened her expression again. "If I'm in charge, I could just order you to enact the 'sit still and shut up' protocol," she speculated with just the faintest hint of amusement. She then let out a quiet sigh and turned her gaze out to the sea. "Don't say I didn't warn you, but honestly, when I was first assigned to you, I thought you were a gigantic fool."

While others might have considered being called a fool to be as casual as a morning greeting, to insult the Flagship of the Combined Fleet to her face with such blunt terms was almost unheard of. Nobody in the Empire had ever dared speak to me like that. She may as well have slapped me in the face, flipped my skirt in public, and kicked my sister down a flight of stairs. If someone had seen the wide-eyed stare I was giving my colleague, they might've thought Kawakaze had just grown another set of ears.

"I… wh—fool? Me? I do not—"

"Have faith in your own strength? Keep fighting for your dreams and you will prevail?" she interrupted me with a selection of choice quotes from earlier. "It's naive, dangerous even. In a war, you need to be able to accept the situation for what it is, even when it's not in your favour. Teaching destroyers to never give up just encourages them to be reckless. War doesn't care how much you believe in yourself." It wasn't the first time I had heard criticisms about my speeches and advice, but for some reason it cut a lot deeper than any of the others. "It's irresponsible as a leader when you cannot judge situations objectively. Living in a fairy tale with talks of love or justice or harmony is just idiotic. There's a whole library full of books if you want that." There was a brief and awkward silence as she reeled her line in, and while I desperately wanted that void filled, I was too ashamed to speak up. She, thankfully, did not. "Or at least, that's how I used to see you. Recently, but especially today, I've begun to reconsider things, and I find myself thinking that maybe you're not rejecting reality because you just want the comfort of a delusion, but because you see things for what they could be. I'm a warrior; I'm trained to see how things are in the here and now, and at best, in the immediate future. If I were to look at you and asked what I saw, I would answer that I saw a miko, a warrior, and a leader. But when you look at me, Nagato, what do you see?"

I could've spent an eternity trying to think of what answer she sought, but after having listened to her opening her heart to me, only one answer came to mind.

"A precious friend."

Kawakaze abruptly turned away from me, using one hand to shield her face from me. "You really can be such a fool, you know," she muttered back. A few slow breaths restored her composure. "But maybe a fool isn't such a bad thing. The world needs people who'll dare to dream big."

I couldn't help but smile. "I appreciate your honesty, Kawakaze."

"You could afford to be more honest as well, you know."

"Wh-what? You insinuate that I am dishonest?"

"No," she replied. "I'm outright stating that you are. You often put aside what you want to say in favour of what you feel a Flagship of the Combined Fleet should say. It wouldn't hurt for you to speak your mind more readily."

"I speak my mind… usually." Thinking back, though, she was right: I could have avoided a lot of grief and trouble today had I just said what I wanted rather than adhere to what I believed was the required etiquette for a flagship. I had been so reliant upon for such a long time, they had become almost second nature to me. Could I even switch that part of my brain off? "Well, you could afford to be more open. If you do become Lady Yamato's steward, you should be as open and honest with her as you have been with me today. Plus, you should try to be her friend."

"Guess it would depend on if she's a fool or not."

We shared a quiet laugh before falling into a prolonged silence. There wasn't anything else that needed to be said, and I wanted to see what it was like to really fish, which according to Kawakaze required me to clear my mind and stop thinking about anything at all. It reminded me of a sort of meditation, which may not have been the best idea given that I've had trouble sleeping as of late. Between that and the training exercise, I was beyond being simply 'tired', and the fishing lure bobbing up and down in the ocean swells became strangely enticing to me. It wasn't as though I would actually catch a fish, so I figured there was no harm in resting my eyelids for a moment.