Chapter Twenty-Nine

"What do we do? There is a very literal fox in the henhouse!" My anxiety had elevated from 'minor listing' to 'fire in the magazine' in the span of a few of my now very rapid heartbeats. Somewhere in the bathhouse there was the captain and Akagi, and both of them were going to be very incredibly naked.

"Is there really anything to do?" Choshu replied, her concern evidently not mirroring my own. "This is Akagi we're talking about. She's been a pretty strong supporter of all of Captain DeWolf's initiatives thus far."

In a panic, I grabbed my cohort by the collar and began to shake her about. "We have to protect him!" I exclaimed, as though that should have been obvious to her. Needless to say, she was neither amused nor convinced by my antics.

"Would he even want protection?" she asked, pulling away from my grasp. "After all, she's a lot more… you know." She made a rounding gesture with her hands near her chest, not that I needed the visual metaphor for something I was well aware of.

One had to be blind not to recognize that Akagi overflowed with feminine charm. She could wield her curves and her silver tongue just as masterfully as any aircraft, and often with just as devastating results for whomever was on the receiving end. I knew from observation that DeWolf had certain difficulties dealing with Akagi, especially when she was more forward than usual, and I also knew that she could use her position as a senior kansen to gather intel on the Royal Navy's Project Wishing Well. I may not have been much of a spymaster or experienced in subterfuge, but I knew what a 'honey pot' was. Even if it were to be welcomed, I couldn't in good conscience allow DeWolf to be tempted down an unrighteous path, to jeopardize his career based on lies and deceptions. I was his ship secretary: it was my duty to safeguard him against any threat.

As terrifying a prospect as it was, there was only one course of action.

"I have to go in there and save him," I declared, more to reinforce my own nerves than anything.

Even Choshu was stunned by the declaration, staring wide-eyed in silence as I marched past her and into the changing room. It was only just as I was about to reach the far side and cross the last threshold between the outside world and the bathing area did she catch up to me.

"Hold on a second!" she exclaimed as she seized me by the arm. With enough strength to stop a warship in its tracks, she pulled me back far enough to interpose herself between me and the exit. "That's the bathing house. Y-you can't just barge in there fully clothed while everyone else is naked!"

"Now is not the time to worry about offending the spirit of onsen tradition," I replied. I tried to push past my friend, but in her stubbornness, refused to yield and I was shoved back a step again.

"Now just hear me out," Choshu pleaded. "I know you might be worried about Akagi and her spying, but the captain doesn't know anything about that. If you go storming in there raising all hell, then he's going to know that something's wrong; something worse than just Akagi being there when she shouldn't. Think of the fallout that could happen if he finds out what she's been doing."

At first I thought she was just trying to spare me the dangers of interrupting the captain at an inopportune moment, but when I stopped to consider her words, there was a seed of truth to them. If I really wanted to stop Akagi's spying, then I could have just told Captain DeWolf right from the very start. But I didn't, and that was because the rift it could create between him and Akagi could very well undermine the entire alliance. As he even said in his last conversation with her, losing Akagi's support could result in the loss of the entire Sakura Empire. A rift, no matter how much Akagi may have brought it upon herself, could have dire political ramifications for the survival of the alliance. The Azur Lane admiralty would throw a fit over the possibility that the last several months had just been a ruse to extract military secrets from them. Those who objected to the joint kansen fleet would have all the ammunition they needed to shut down the entire operation, which would be devastating for all of humanity, not to mention any hopes of aiding Choshu and dealing with the potential threats from the Siren-allied Mutsu. The trust and goodwill that DeWolf had spent the last weeks building between the two factions would've gone down faster than a Royal Navy battlecruiser. For the sake of peace on the base, and perhaps even the safety of the world, I had to protect DeWolf from Akagi's scheming without rousing his suspicions.

As the implications set in, my face was already heating up. "A-are you… y-you do not mean to suggest that I go in there… naked?"

"I-it's a bathhouse. Everyone in there is naked," Choshu tried to reassure me, although the fact that her face was as red as mine made it a futile effort. "J-just keep yourself covered with a towel, a-and everything will be fine. I think…"

"I am the divine oracle of the Sakura Empire, I cannot just allow myself to be seen so… bare by a common man."

"He's already seen you naked once."

"He passed out; he saw nothing!"

"Well, do you want Akagi to get to him first or not?"

"No! I mean, wait—that is not what this is about!" That came out wrong, but I suspected that was Choshu's intention. My intentions were solely focused on protecting Captain DeWolf's career and reputation. I would never dare be so selfish as to allow my personal feelings to cloud my judgement. Not that I had any feelings regarding him to cloud anything to begin with! "Hold on, weren't you trying to talk me out of this just a second ago?"

"Yes, and now that you've clearly set your mind to it, I'm being a supportive friend," Choshu said. She swept in behind me and eased me towards the shelves where one stowed their clothes. "You go in there and show him the might of the Nagato-class! Show him that the age of the battleship has not yet passed."

"W-what about you? C-could you not help?" I stammered, feet now icy cold.

"Someone has to keep watch so nobody else slips in," she answered.

With that, she very conveniently excused herself and retreated back to the front lobby, but not before giving me one last cheer of 'fight on!' as she departed. I couldn't tell if she was genuinely trying to help me, or just finding new ways to torment my anxieties. Maybe she just didn't want to risk being saddled with the responsibility herself. Maybe I was just jealous that I couldn't be the one to slip away and leave the difficult job to another person.

"You can do this, Nagato," I muttered under my breath. Despite my feelings and worries, I had a duty to uphold and I couldn't let fear stand in the way. Had I time, there may be a way to solve this problem that would spare me from having to step inside the bathing rooms, but time was a luxury I could not afford. Every second I wasted grappling with my own doubts was a moment that Akagi could use to worm her way into DeWolf's mind. Even now, as I stared with lingering trepidation and shaking hands at the clothing bin before me, she could already be with the captain–talking… lying… deceiving him… seducing him…

"But what if they're already–?" The moment the thought crossed my mind, it almost blew out every safety valve in my mental fortitude. If I went in there and caught the two of them being… intimate, I knew not what would happen to me. Probably a lot of screaming would be involved. For some strange reason, though, as nervous as it made me feel, it also reaffirmed my conviction in its own way. That dark, forbidden thought: I didn't want it to come to be. I didn't want him to look at Akagi in that way.

Why did that thought bother me so much? Why did it make my heart sink?

Steeling my resolve, I hurried to get changed, and made sure to secure the towel around my body with enough care that nothing short of deliberate sabotage would dislodge it. Still, I felt particularly vulnerable with only a single towel with which to protect my dignity. However, I could not waver; this was for the captain's sake! After a few more breaths to calm my heart, I crossed the final threshold into the bathing area. I was immediately hit with a rush of warm, moist air that kept me comfortable despite having little more than a towel to keep any chill at bay. I took my first tentative steps down the hall, my ears on alert for any sounds that could offer a warning as to what to expect when I round the next corner. Traditionally, upon entering one would head to a wash station to cleanse before entering the baths themselves, but I had greater concerns to focus on and didn't want to give my presence away just yet. If I were lucky, perhaps I could catch Akagi before she found Captain DeWolf. It was a faint hope, and unfortunately, a short-lived one as well.

"Come on, DeWolf, there's no need to be so shy. I know you've been wondering about them. I've seen the way you stare when I walk by." It was Akagi's voice, of that I could be certain; she sounded… playful. Mischievous. Like a predator toying with their prey.

"I'm not entirely sure this is… appropriate behaviour for an executive officer, consent or not." DeWolf sounded as uneasy as I came to expect from him. Surely he would say 'no' if Akagi was crossing a line.

A flirty laugh fluttered through the mist. "I won't tell anyone if you won't. Just relax, reach out, and let Akagi show you something none of those western girls can."

What in the heavens were those two doing? Any semblance of tranquility I had had evaporated into the humidity.

"Oh, wow. That is really soft."

That was DeWolf's voice! Had he already given in? How could he succumb to temptation so fast?

"Isn't it just? I'm not normally one to allow this, but, for you, I'm willing to make an exception." She laughed again, then suddenly let out a playful yelp. "Oh! Captain DeWolf, not so rough!"

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to–"

I could stand to listen to no more of this depravity, and I threw all caution to the wind as I charged out to confront the two. When I came around the final corner, though, what I found was far away from anything that I had expected. Akagi and DeWolf were there, of course, but while the captain was seated comfortably in one of the large heated baths, Akagi sat on the small ledge that ran between DeWolf's bath and the neighbouring one. Much to my relief, my fellow Sakuran was fully draped in her towel, and the way that the two sat had them facing away from one another, and the captain even had a spare towel tied around his head in a makeshift blindfold. The source of all the commotion was self-evident, as one of Akagi's many tails was being cradled in the captain's outstretched hands, his fingers combing through her thick, brown fur.

"Wh–what are you two doing?" I exclaimed, though the answer would've been obvious had I stopped to think about it for a moment.

"Miss Nagato?" a startled DeWolf yelped, drawing his hands away from Akagi, but unable to do anything else thanks to the blindfold. "I thought you said you were guarding outside."

"I-I was, but then I discovered that Akagi was in here," I explained.

"Ah yes, well, as you can probably guess, I misheard the hours for when the bathhouse was closed," Akagi explained, although even I could tell that was a stretch of the truth. If she misheard, it was only because she intentionally didn't pay attention. "When I discovered that Captain DeWolf was in here, I tried to excuse myself, but he, being the gentleman that he is, wouldn't accept it."

"The bathhouse was made for you kansens: it didn't feel right to ask you to leave if you didn't want to," DeWolf added. "If she wants to stay, then I can make do with how things are."

'Didn't feel right'. That was a line I had heard from him quite a few times already, and I was beginning to wish he would allow himself to be a little selfish once in a while. His consideration for others was wreaking havoc on my nerves. It was clear now that Akagi had leveraged that part of him in order to stay, and was now tempting him with the allure of her numerous fluffy tales. It wasn't the approach I had expected, but she must have changed up her strategy as her more overt methods had already been rebuked once before.

"You shouldn't be bothering Captain DeWolf like this, Akagi."

"She's not bothering me. If anything, I don't want to bother her. You girls are the ones doing all the hard work here," DeWolf insisted. "Paperwork can be its own challenge, but I spend most of that time in an air conditioned office."

"Since I couldn't ask him to leave either, we worked out a compromise. Besides, he seemed so lonely sitting here by himself," Akagi concluded as she gestured to his blindfold and how they kept to their own separate hot baths. It was an arrangement that I wouldn't have felt very comfortable with, but they were both adults capable of making their own choices. It was hard to find an avenue to oppose her that wouldn't come across as suspicious to DeWolf, although she had to have known why I came. "And I'm guessing by the towel, I take it you thought he might be getting lonely too?"

"Towel?" DeWolf repeated. I realized then that because he was blinded, he had no idea how I was dressed, which only made all the effort I went through all the more foolish. Of course, now that he knew, I had to play it off as all part of a different plan.

"Y-yes, that is correct. I thought that it could offer an opportunity to… uh, I mean, that is to say, we could…"

"Deepen your bonds?" Akagi suggested.

"Yes." My mouth had replied before I even realized the implications. "I mean, no! That is not what–"

Akagi just laughed as she slipped into the heated bath, setting her folded towel on the ledge beside her. "No need to be shy. The captain wouldn't dare to try and take a peek." A contented sigh wafted from her lips as she sank deeper into the water until she was almost completely immersed, save for her head. "You've come this far, you may as well indulge yourself."

As much as I wanted to keep my time in the bathhouse brief, I couldn't leave Akagi alone with him, and I saw no easy way to separate the two of them. For the time being, I had to play along, and so I went to the nearest wash station, gave myself a quick scrub, and joined Akagi in the bath. She had cleverly positioned herself such that she and the captain sat about as close as they possibly could without sharing the same pool of water. I couldn't physically get between them, so I had to settle for the next best thing, and slipped into the bath next to her. At the very least, with me so close by, they couldn't do anything… physical.

"A bath is far better when shared, wouldn't you agree, Miss Nagato?" Akagi remarked. Before I could answer, she dipped below the water for a few moments. When she emerged, her once voluminous hair clung to her face and neck like silken ribbons, the droplets shimmering as diamonds in her hair. As she settled back into her seat, her ears twitched and sent a sprinkle of drops into the back of DeWolf's head. "I'm sure the captain enjoys the company as well."

"He was quite vocal against the possibility before entering," I informed her. "Perhaps he did not agree so much as he was too reluctant to protest against you."

"Oh? Captain DeWolf, you're not scared of me, are you?" Akagi sounded more amused than worried by the prospect. No doubt that had always been her intention. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you."

DeWolf groaned and sank a bit lower in his tub. "It's not about fear," he answered. "But I do have to admit, this place is rather… desolate without anyone else present."

"Onsens are more than just about cleansing, they're a social gathering point," Akagi explained to him. "You remember what I said to you before about our culture's concept of skinship?"

"Or furship, in this case," I muttered bitterly.

"Now, now, you can't blame a man for being curious," Akagi cooed. I was too busy keeping an eye on DeWolf that I didn't notice the fox beside me scooting closer until her shoulder was touching mine. "It's easy to forget for someone who's lived a life as comfortable as yours, Lady Nagato, that for a sailor, this war is… cold and hard. It's only natural that they be drawn to a comforting warmth when they can."

"That's not what was going on," DeWolf insisted, much to my relief. "Akagi was just… trying to help me relax."

I still worried where that 'help' would've led to, but at least she couldn't go any further while I was present. "Is the bath not helping you relax sufficiently, sir?" I inquired.

"It's… it's fine," he answered, albeit reluctantly, as though trying to avoid hurting my feelings. "Seeing Akagi reminded me of our discussions the other day. There's a lot riding on the success of this base and the alliance. The raid from before we arrived has already given our detractors plenty to throw at us, and even those that support us are expecting more." He let out a sigh as heavy as a broadside salvo. "I need something more tangible than just exercise reports and test data to show them. Suffice to say, it's a bit worrying, and it's hard to just brush aside. No offense to either of you or your efforts."

"Patience, sir," I reassured him. Though I wished I could offer more than just words, the situation made it difficult to do so comfortably. Even the simple gesture of a reassuring touch could be misinterpreted. "You have prepared the fleet to the best of your abilities, and it is only a matter of time before Mutsu or her Siren allies act. When they do, we shall meet them, and the fruits of your labour shall be known to your superiors."

"True enough," DeWolf answered.

Akagi, feeling no such hesitation about personal boundaries, reached over and patted the captain on the head, which made him flinch. "We know how much you prefer taking an active role, sir." Even submerged, one could see how gleefully her tails were stirring the water around her. "Although perhaps you are thinking too narrowly. Your superiors want results, but that doesn't have to be limited to just military ones. As I recall, your brother was quite intrigued by the data from Miss Choshu."

So that was her angle. I had to admit, she was quick to adapt to take advantage of new revelations. "Akagi!" I snapped, but quickly held my tongue when I realized my reaction was a touch on the strong side. "I mean, Akagi, I was wondering if you could join me in the sauna. I have heard from our western allies that they are quite excellent for strengthening the bonds of camaraderie."

Akagi had to have known why I interrupted her, and though she could have easily found an excuse to send me off on my own, she also knew how to keep me on my toes. "I would be delighted, Lady Nagato." She grabbed her towel and held it close as she rose from the waters. "Now Captain, you be sure to keep your eyes shut tight. We don't want any accidents."

"No need to remind me. I'm no fool," he replied.

"Well, some of us don't mind a little bit of foolishness," she continued to tease. As she stepped out of the pool, one of her tails, now slicken with bathwater, made a whip-like snap at DeWolf. It caught right on the back of the head, knocking his towel blindfold askew for a moment, and no doubt giving him a moment of panic as he quickly reached up to keep it in place. Though I knew he wouldn't dare, I nonetheless gripped my towel just a little bit tighter as I climbed out of the bath, and followed after Akagi towards the sauna rooms.

While the saunas themselves were little more than a means to an end, it was hard not to take a moment to enjoy the hot steam. It wrapped me in its warm, soothing embrace, inviting me in further as I followed Akagi inside. Once the door was shut behind us, I gave my colleague and myself a moment to get comfortable. This time, I took a seat on the opposite side of the room from her, and simply watched her for a time. Fresh from the bath, her tails were more tendril-like than their usual voluminous selves, and they swayed in an almost serpentine manner. It was a good thing that Captain DeWolf wasn't present, as their motion had a way of drawing one's eyes towards her… lower region.

Why couldn't I have a tail, too? It was cruel of fate for her to have nine while I had none.

"Is something wrong, Lady Nagato?" Akagi asked, finally breaking the silence.

Her words at least reminded me why I had brought her to the sauna's seclusion to begin with. "Do not think I am blind to what you are attempting," I stated. The moment reminded me of many of the briefings Akagi and I held during Project Orochi, but I liked to believe I was wiser now, and knew better than to let her dictate the flow of the conversation. "You wish to direct his attention towards Project Wishing Well in the hopes that he will authorize further study, which in turn would present you with easier access to the classified information within."

Crossing her legs, she rested her chin upon outstretched fingers, a coy smirk spreading across her visage. "You make my motives seem so selfish. Project Wishing Well would be a boon in our fight against the Sirens. DeWolf's reluctance is solely because of his own fears."

"You heard what he said before: people died for that project. It is dangerous. It would be wise to be cautious."

"They died because they were lions led by donkeys," Akagi replied, striking a familiar cold tone. "This time around, he would have the might and brilliance of the Crimson Axis supporting him."

"In exchange for access to the results, I would presume."

"In the spirit of cooperation, naturally."

I sighed inwardly. "And you thought of all this when you found out the captain was going to the bathhouse today?"

"I thought of this, and many other avenues, the day we set sail from the empire," she informed me, with a faint relish of amusement. "A nudge here, a quiet whisper there, a sprinkle of suggestions in passing. I don't need to take the captain by a leash–a trail of breadcrumbs will suffice."

The only way to stop her would be a direct confrontation, but that could fracture the alliance and ruin everything Captain DeWolf had been building. Sure, today I could keep an eye on her and be a barrier between them, but could I do that every day? Sooner or later, she would have DeWolf's ear in private. I couldn't stop that without separating them permanently. We all needed Akagi here–the fleet, the captain, and even I. If only I were a more capable leader, I could keep her under control.

All I could do was warn her in the only way I knew. "Please do not do this, Akagi. It will hurt him."

Less of a warning, more of a plea, but it was all I had.

I expected more of Akagi's cold, iron-willed defiance, but there was a measure of fiery determination in her eyes. "And I will protect him," she answered.

Those words did not sound as though they were a simple platitude. The few times I had seen such conviction were always in regard to the future of the Sakura Empire. She was one of our most capable and experienced warriors, and the most versed in dealing with the Sirens, so perhaps… she was the one who could protect DeWolf where others had failed. I still could not even summon my rigging. If I could not protect him from Akagi, someone who respected me, what chance did I have against something as dangerous as a Siren?

"He is simply afraid of it, Lady Nagato," Akagi continued on as she leaned back and relaxed her posture, her tails coiling around her figure. "It's natural for humans to fear something that has hurt them before. But fear makes for poor decision making, which is why they sometimes need a little encouragement. If you wish to help, then be there to reassure him when those fears pop up: let him know that Akagi will take care of everything for him."

So much for trying to control the conversation. I had once more been left humbled by her cunning and foresight. While I had been confident in keeping pace with her, as it turned out, I was still several steps behind her. A pall of discontent draped over me, and while I was too busy lamenting yet another failure, Akagi used the distraction to excuse herself and return to the baths. It was only when I heard the sauna door shut did I snap back to my senses. Just because I was on the backfoot did not mean I had to give up!

I jumped to my feet and hurried after her, but she had gotten a head start, and I returned to the baths just in time to see Akagi slipping into the same pool as Captain DeWolf. He was still blinded and oblivious to the danger about to descend upon him. Anybody who thought I was ready to give up yet was sorely mistaken. DeWolf was under my care, and I wasn't about to let Akagi sink her claws into him without a fight. I surged forward in a burst of newfound speed and determination.

"Akagi, what do you think you're–!"

In my hurry, though, I forgot a cardinal rule of any pool or bathhouse: no running. I hit a slick patch of water and launched myself headlong straight towards DeWolf's bath. He was, of course, completely oblivious to what was happening, save for my panicked shriek as I hurtled through the air. Thank goodness only Akagi had to bear witness as I collided with the captain, sending us both to the bottom. Between the new headache and being out of breath, I surfaced with a frantic gasp, only to find myself standing in front of Captain DeWolf, and all of our towels drifting away.

He could see me. He could see all of me! I had to hide, but the only thing I could do was throw my arms over me and plunge into the water. There was also a lot of shrieking involved. It was a good thing that most of the kansens knew to stay away from the bathhouse because the armed response that surely would've resulted if anyone had heard me would've made Surigao Strait seem like a civil disagreement. Once I had reached the bottom of the pool, I curled into a tight ball and did my best impression of a sunken wreck. What a fool I had been, thinking I could do anything to match Akagi's wit and charm. And now the captain had seen such a shameful side of me. He knew for certain how… lacking I was. I just wanted to hide in my shame and never come back out. The embarrassment alone was burning me up, so much so that it made it hard to even think straight anymore.

In fact, everything was getting… real blurry… and dark…

"...Nagato? Nagato!"

I felt… heavy… when my senses began to return. Like a marionette with all of their strings cut. I was clearly no longer in the baths, instead laying somewhere soft and dry while a gentle breeze lapped at my cheeks, beckoning me back into the waking world. Where was I, and how did I get here? When my eyes finally opened, I found myself staring straight up at Captain DeWolf. In an instant, all the memories of the recent ordeal came flooding back, and whatever coolness I felt was replaced with a new intense heat. To make matters worse, as if my nerves were frayed enough, the captain and I were on a bench in the bathhouse lobby with my head resting upon his lap.

"C-Captain DeWolf!" I exclaimed. "W-wh-what happened? H-how did I–?"

"Hey, hey, easy now, Nagato," he replied, placing a hand on my forehead to ease me back. "You gave us a bit of a scare back there when you decided to play submarine without warning. We're not sure which got to you first: the lack of air, or you cooking yourself."

Now things began to make sense. Between my embarrassment and the heat of the water, I must have come close to turning myself into a hard-boiled egg. That explained why we were outside in the lobby, why the captain was fully dressed, and why he cradled me while cooling me off with a paper fan. There were, however, some worrying possibilities about the brief period where I was unconscious, though.

"H-how much did you–?"

"Your well-being takes priority," he reassured. "Plus, Akagi was the one who insisted on taking you out of the bath and getting you clothed."

Now I was indebted to her, in a way. She could've left DeWolf to handle everything, but instead she took steps to protect me when I was vulnerable. She must have carried me from the water and dressed me in one of the bathhouse robes. I still felt a little exposed, but at least my dignity was being protected from prying eyes. The same, of course, could not be said for my behaviour ruining those last vestiges. It wasn't the worst case scenario, but I was still being given a lap pillow by the captain, nursed back like a foolish child.

Once I had calmed down, I noticed that there was a distinct absence of any playfully witty remarks about my current state. "Where did Akagi go?"

"She left: something about business she needed to attend to before tonight's party," DeWolf explained.

"And where is Choshu?" I asked, once I noticed another peculiar absence.

DeWolf chuckled to himself. "She said it was 'her turn to relax' and headed inside."

I didn't know whether to be grateful she couldn't see me as I was, or anxious that she left me alone with him. "I… I apologize, sir," I murmured. "It was supposed to be a quiet day for you to relax, and yet I have been nothing but a bother to you."

"You've never been a bother, really," he insisted. His words were strangely gentle and comforting despite their simplicity. Normally I would think he was just placating me, but for a change, I believed him. "I'd rather you not push yourself too hard on my behalf. It's as much your time off as it is mine, so you're just as entitled to a little care, too."

His concern was touching, but I had spent enough time being pampered and waited on during my time in the empire. I was the secretary ship, after all, which meant it was my duty to take care of him first and foremost. Despite that responsibility, though, I couldn't bring myself to move from where I lay, if for no other reason than the fact that Captain DeWolf looked quite… peaceful and content. If this moment was enough to help him relax, then I could endure the moment of embarrassment. But there was one aspect that I had trouble ignoring.

"Uh, sir… your hand," I spoke up. "You are… um, p-petting… me."

He froze for an instant. "Eh?" It was as though he hadn't even realized it himself that his free hand had been brushing through my hair for the past minute or two, and perhaps even longer depending on how long I had been out of commission. "S-sorry. That must've been an old habit."

"I-it is okay, sir. I-if that helps you, then… I do not mind."

And so, without another word, we stayed that way, my head upon his lap, and his hand slowly caressing the top of my head. I thought for sure my heart would start pounding like wild once he continued, but instead there was just tranquility. I almost wished we didn't have to eventually leave to attend the Royal Navy's party.