06—Loveless Angels
The cold embrace of the sea's tranquil darkness. She was most familiar with it.
A fleet girl's final resting place. Unreachable to most.
The mere thought of being cast away into the depths should be scary.
Not anymore.
She didn't understand how it came to be like that.
Not that it actually matters, right?
She would place her concerns on something more close and apparent.
Yes, like these dreams she was having recently.
In this particular sequence, she woke up under a beautiful night sky. Countless stars cast their brilliance to the world below.
The waning moon among them was quite an enigmatic sight, drawing her in the longer she looked at it.
As she took her eyes away from the sky, it dawned on her that she was on the deck of a warship. It was unlike any other ships she had seen before.
And standing before her was a figure of a girl.
Its body flickered in and out of existence. It didn't have any facial features, but it was wearing the same uniform as hers.
For a moment, she thought that she was looking at her own reflection.
The shadowy figure waved its hand and pointed at a ship sailing along with them.
She looked behind her and saw another one. There might be more ahead of the ship they were on.
A naval squadron, perhaps?
She put a hand on her chest.
She felt somewhat nostalgic inside.
Still, she didn't know why.
Inazuma's eyelids fluttered to life, only to shut them back against the light on the ceiling. She pulled herself up and her chest suddenly throbbed. She instinctively put a hand on her chest and a string of images flashed in her head. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as she took a deep breath to calm herself.
Her right ear felt slightly clogged, but for the most part, everything was in working condition.
"H-Hey, you alright?" She turned her head and gave Maya a nod. "You had me worried there."
She let her eyes wander around and she quickly took notice of a Navy officer in one corner of the room. He stood up and eyed her with an apathetic look on his face, activating a small device attached on his coat collar. "She's awake. It's time."
The heavy cruiser beside her grunted. "I know that you just woke up and all, but you should prep up. Things are about to get ugly soon."
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
"Don't sweat it. You did get everyone in a panic when you and that brat went off like that."
"I won't run this time. I deserved it anyway."
"Well, yeah, you have some explaining to do later, but I'm not that talking about that."
She glanced at the officer again. "U-Um, is there a problem? Did I miss anything important while I was recovering?"
"A lot," Maya said. "You were out for two days, you know?"
"T-Two days?"As she attempted to organize her thoughts, a sharp pain almost immediately pierced her head. "Where's everyone? What about Commander and the others?"
The noise outside the room grew louder and louder. Maya grimaced, glancing at the door. "Everyone's safe—well, most of us are. Sendai just... disappeared without a trace while Jintsuu was taken by the Navy for allegedly working with the Abyssals."
"A-Arrested? Wh-What happened to them?"
"Relax. The others will fill you in later. Just... take it easy for now."
Inazuma cast a downward gaze, clenching her blanket. "And Commander Yuu?
"He's—"
The door swung open and a surge of people came rushing in. Most of them were media representatives with various recording equipment on their person. Inazuma found herself surrounded in no time as she was bombarded with questions that she couldn't even understand. As it happened, Maya was swept by the crowd, but she quickly asserted control over them.
"H-Hey, cut it out!" Maya shouted. "Can't you give the girl some space?!"
As if the heavy cruiser was never there, the media men continued to push their queries and demands toward Inazuma. The fleet girl in question, on the other hand, just curled up into a ball.
"Seriously! Time out! Just shut up for a moment!"
As one particular short-haired girl shouted those words, everything came into a halt. The only sound that was left was the faint humming of the room's air conditioner.
"Good," she said, nodding to herself. "We're not going to get any scoop at all if we keep acting like we're in a poorly-managed auction house or something!"
The crowd took a moment to exchange knowing looks at each other. This time, they seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement to ask her in a somewhat orderly fashion. The olive-haired girl from before leaned on the bed and shoved her microphone under the bemused secretary fleet girl's mouth. As she did this, her assistant, the fleet girl Akitsushima, scrambled to ready her high-performance camera.
"I apologize in advance for our sudden intrusion," she said, "but I'm hoping that you'll be able to shed some light on the incident involving the transport fleet that you and your unit were supposed to be escorting a few days ago!"
Realizing that she was suddenly shoved into the spotlight, Inazuma couldn't muster up the courage to utter a single word. The interviewer seemed to have realized this and grinned. "Oh, I suppose this is too much for you to handle, huh? Just take a deep breath and relax first so that you can gather your thoughts for us better."
"B-But... this is..."
Another reporter grew impatient and began to ask his own question: "As the fleet secretary of your unit, how are you taking the news on your commander's arrest?"
She directed her eyes away from the reporter girl in panic the second she made an irritated face. "A-Arrest?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You weren't briefed about this yet? Your commander was taken into custody for allegedly leaking intelligence to the Abyssals."
Wh-What? As she tried to process what she just heard from him, another reporter spoke:
"The simple fact that you were working with an abyssal mole must've been frustrating for a fleet girl such as yourself. Do you harbor any spite or resentment towards him?"
And after that, more questions were thrown at her in quick succession:
"We were informed that you will be attending a hearing organized by the Naval Administrative Council later in the afternoon. Have you finally decided to reveal everything you know about this incident?"
"Everyone had resigned to fate that you were one of the many casualties in the aftermath of that horrible attack, but it was nothing short of a miracle that you were able to survive such an encounter! Will you be able to share that particular experience in greater detail?"
"There is still time before the start of the meeting. Can you entertain us for a live interview later to address the pressing issues that have transpired during the abyssal raid?"
Reaching her limit, Inazuma pressed both hands over her ears and shrunk back in her bed. Somehow, she felt that they wouldn't leave her alone even if she actually gave them all of her answers. S-Stop this! Just go away already!
The trickle of questions became a downpour, pelting her from all directions. It soon culminated into another shouting match, and the few Navy personnel among the crowd had to intervene. The commodore among them signaled his men to create some space around the destroyer's bed. He stepped closer to the bedside and removed his cap.
"I trust that you have rested well. You may refer to me as Commodore Niro," the man said, extending his hand. At a loss for words, Inazuma simply took it and shook his hand. "Destroyer Inazuma, as we are short on time, we can no longer afford to arrange an appropriate meeting place for this matter. After all, we only want you to confirm several questions we ask of you."
"U-Um, questions?"
The man nodded. "Your commander committed multiple counts of treacherous offenses that undermines the integrity of the Naval Domain and its associates. We wish to know the truth behind everything, and thus, your cooperation in this matter is vital."
"The... truth?"
"Yes, I believe that you girls are beyond such acts of deceit and disloyalty. But if you willingly misled us with false information, you would be effectively painted as an enemy of the Navy, and by extension, all of humanity." Inazuma gulped as his face darkened. "You were his secretary since he was posted in Auspice, so I'm more than certain that you happen to know many things that will point us to the right direction."
"Inazuma, don't," Maya said.
The commodore narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Maya. "He has compromised Caffelatte's security, including all the civilian settlements throughout the island chain. Are you saying that we should allow a dangerous individual like him to wander everywhere as he pleases?"
"H-He's not like that at all!" Inazuma replied.
"Don't tell me you have some sort of attachment to him as well?"
"He's... my friend."
"And for his sake, you will tell us everything you know about him."
She grimaced. "Y-Yes, I understand."
"Inazuma?!" Maya glared at the commodore. "I think it's 'bout time for you to stop this crap."
"On the contrary, she is obligated to disclose everything we ask of her." His lips formed a smile while he gestured towards the crowd before them. "Inazuma, tell us who that impudent, two-faced bastard really is. Reveal to the world how he turned his back on us for his personal gain."
She shook her head. "I'll admit that he's keeping a lot of secrets from us. We're even wondering ourselves if he really trusts us or not." She looked up and stared at the officer. "But I just know that he's no traitor!"
"What are you—"
"He's hard to reason with and can be really selfish at times, but he has his priorities in place! He already had plenty of chances if he wanted to harm us, but he didn't!"
He scowled. "Those rose-tinted glasses of yours made you ignorant of the implications of his actions! How can you be so sure about that?!"
"Y-You already said it yourself—I know him better than you do!"
He glowered as his right hand balled into a trembling fist. "Since when did you learn to talk back to your superiors? Truly a shame that you caught his manners."
Just then, a heavy thud was heard as an enraged Maya slammed one of his men to the wall. She began walking towards Niro, but the officer merely gave her a grin. "Are you asking to be charged with obstruction? And you might not be under our direct jurisdiction, but I can do enough to make sure that you won't be able to set foot on a naval base again."
Maya cracked her knuckles. "Funny, because there's this one officer yesterday who used a similar threat to scare us."
"Don't test me. You should know better than—"
"This is as far as you go, Commodore Niro."
The source of the commanding voice stepped further into the room, cutting through the crowd as if she was a high-ranking naval officer. Commodore Niro faced the newcomer. "If it isn't Minako's lap dog. Did your master run out of treats for you to chew on?"
The destroyer Shiranui only closed her eyes as she breathed out a small sigh. "A cease and desist directive is imposed against your probing order." She presented a small folder containing a single piece of paper to the officer, but he didn't take it. She glanced at the others. "A gag order has been issued as well. Everyone should leave the premises immediately."
"Are you questioning the authority of the Council?"
"Are you?" Another fleet girl appeared—the light cruiser Kiso. "Admiral Asai himself signed that letter. I'll personally escort you to his office if you are still struggling to accept that fact."
He only smirked as he folded his arms on his chest. "I've been wondering when that woman would show up."
"We'll take things from here." Without another word, the commodore wore his hat again and promptly left the room with his men. "I trust that everyone heard Shiranui about the order."
Complaints were thrown at her, mentioning their rights to uphold the truth and whatnot, but the light cruiser simply scoffed and pointed at the door with her sword. "Do I have to drag each of you out of this room or what?"
With her ultimatum left hanging in the air, the crowd trudged out of the room. The door slid shut and all was quiet once again.
"That was completely unnecessary," Shiranui said.
"They're finicky as hell anyway. Don't tell me you care about those trust ratings they like to plaster on the news lately."
"Can we borrow you for a while?" Maya asked. "This place is getting on my nerves."
Kiso coughed once, straightening her posture. "I was sent here for that very reason. You can count on me."
"Are you feeling well now?" Shiranui asked Inazuma. "Commodore Minako wants to see you."
"Y-Yeah, I think so." She got out of her bed and walked behind the curtains. "Let me change for a bit."
Inazuma mentally steeled herself as they walked out of the medical wing and entered the Navy headquarters' central building.
Shiranui led them to a room at the end of the hallway and swiped a key card on the panel. Inside, Minako, Yurie, and everybody else were waiting for them. Similar to Harline's office back in Auspice, the room was filled with delectable scents of tea and snacks. The battleship Haruna scurried around the spacious room, tending to the needs of their guests huddled together on a sofa set.
Opposite to them, the commodore was sitting at the farthest end of a long table. "That's one problem out of the way." She looked up from her laptop screen and nodded. "Good to see you in full health, Inazuma. Shall we start this meeting?"
"Wait, how did you get here so fast?" Kiso asked.
"I borrowed a gunship from Manticore."
The cruiser rubbed the back of her head as she pulled the nearest chair from the table. "Tch, don't make that a habit. I'm sure they're going to whine about that later in the meeting too."
Inazuma looked at her feet. She mustered up the courage to speak as she made a deep bow. "I... want to apologize to everyone. It was a bad decision on my part as my emotions got the best of me, but I just wanted to save Akatsuki and the others. I will accept any punishment you'll give. Even so, I did what I have to do and I won't ever regret that."
She bit her lip as the silence in the room dragged on.
"You nearly sent us over the edge," Yurie said. "But that's in the past now. If you want to make up for that, now's the perfect time to start."
She slowly pulled her body up again. "H-Huh?"
"We need to get Yuu and Jintsuu out of their custody." The destroyer's lack of reaction caused her eyes to widen slightly. "You don't... hate him, do you?"
Inazuma remained straight-faced as she averted her eyes. "It's not that." She paused for a bit. "I heard that they were arrested? What happened?"
"You're not completely out of the loop here," Minako replied, gesturing to a seat on her left. "I'm sure you already know the answer."
Haruna pulled the chair out for the destroyer to sit on while Fumizuki handed over her jacket. Inazuma thanked them both before she directed her gaze back to the officer. "Then the abyssal ships who rescued me..."
Minako nodded. "It's the most likely scenario, don't you think? If it weren't for his entourage's intervention, the damages to the fleet would be unprecedented. However, the Navy wouldn't be able to accept that kind of reasoning, hence I'm here specifically to help you with this incident."
"You speak like you're not a part of them," Maya said.
"It's sad, isn't it?" She glanced at Hatsuyuki, who was curled up in a chair near the window. "Nevertheless, we cannot take any more chances for this particular scenario."
"But... why?" Fusou asked. "We're really thankful, but for a Navy officer to go out of her way to give our commander legal assistance to his case—there has to be a reason for all this trouble."
"Of course, I can't possibly abandon an important colleague of mine."
"C-Colleague? Do you know him, Commodore Minako?"
"The two of us go way back." She eyed Inazuma, smiling. "Oh? You don't look that surprised."
"A-Akatsuki told me that possibility," the destroyer replied, "but we didn't think that you two were actually friends for a long time."
"Friends?" Minako closed her eyes. "I wonder about that."
Her heart raced a little as she felt that she just said something wrong. "U-Um, what do you mean?"
"He was quite a special case when he was still actively cooperating within our detachment. I rarely got to interact with him outside work, so I think it would be quite a stretch to call us friends."
"Do you consider him as one? A friend, I mean... ?"
Minako tilted her head slightly. "I've made plenty of enemies in the recent years—and even among the people I can trust, it's quite a challenge for me to tell who among them are my friends or not."
"That sounds tough." Inazuma reflected on the officer's words, but she had to clarify one other thing first. "Um, you mentioned something about a detachment..."
Minako blinked. "Oh, about that. He is a founding member of my independent task group I've formed four years ago—at least that's what was written on his papers."
"W-Wait, he's a Navy agent?"
"He is an invaluable asset when it comes to intelligence work."
"B-But he hated the Navy..."
"True, but I can trust him on supplying me crucial information." She reclined in her seat and folded her arms. "Humor me on this one: did you have a hard time working with him back in Auspice?"
Inazuma scrunched her forehead. "When it comes to work, he's very attentive and diligent. I don't really have any problems with him at all, but at the same time, I keep wondering why he's always trying to distance himself from us."
Minako's eyebrows twitched. "He's just like that." There was a brief flash of hesitation on her face. "I... can't fault him for it."
"I don't mind." Everyone looked at Fumizuki. "Everyone has secrets, right? I think it's rude forcing people to talk about things that they don't want to share in the first place."
Haruna nodded as she refilled Minako's teacup. "How thoughtful. I'm sure he has his reasons." She closed her eyes as she held the teapot close to her chest. "Everyone has."
"Um, but why didn't you tell us you two are related?" Inazuma asked.
"Because he told me not to. He was very specific about it." The officer took a sip of tea. "But I have my own reasons too. I thought of setting this scenario up as a trial of sorts—a test for me to gauge your dedication and diligence. Regrettably, this recent turn of events spoiled the fun in that."
"A trial... ? I don't get it."
"You don't have to. All you need to know is that our relationship is strictly professional."
Inazuma frowned. "But... even though you don't think of him as a friend, I can tell that your relationship with each other runs deeper than what you're making it out to be."
The officer raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"You wanted us to keep an eye on him on your behalf. And now, you even flew all the way here to help him."
Her eyes looked vacant for a moment. She smiled before she brought her cup to her lips again. "Sharp as always. Did you hear all that, Kiso?"
The cruiser pointed a biscuit stick at Inazuma. "Is she one of those girls you mentioned to me once? Hmph, now I see why you want to snatch her away from him."
"If I had met them a little earlier—" She smiled. "No. Perhaps we should let him take our newbies under his wing for a few weeks? It could be a fun experiment."
"I think that's a bad idea," Inazuma quickly replied.
The mood became considerably lighter after sharing a hearty laugh with her friends. "What was that about him being called the Liberator though?" Maya asked. "A bit cheesy to the ears if you ask me."
"Eh? I thought it sounded cool," Fumizuki replied. "I even heard some of the media guys using that name."
I-8 closed the book she was reading. "I was waiting for this. I want to know as well."
"Ooh, Hachi's fired up," Prinz Eugen said.
Minako activated the widescreen monitor mounted across the long table using a small remote. And with a single tap on her tablet, the screen flashed a collection of pictures. "Chambered Liberty, a highly classified operation where we stormed an offshore installation hidden just past the cluster chain's western border."
"So that's where they got that name from," Fumizuki said. "Oh, wait. Why did they start calling him that?"
"I hope you know what you're doing right now," Kiso told the officer. "Spill it all here and there's no turning back."
Haruna sat beside Inazuma. "I feel that they're trustworthy enough to keep a secret or two, right?"
"You've been working your ass off to keep the Navy's name all sweet and fragrant since that mess. You can't just make decisions like this whenever you feel like it."
"What do you mean, Kiso?" Minako smiled. "Like how they were 'authorized' to televise Hatsuyuki's interview worldwide? How they irreversibly tarnished what was left of the man who once breathed new life into this pathetic, miserable excuse for a military organization?"
Hatsuyuki was unmoving in her seat, face still buried in her knees. Inazuma was about to stand up to console her, but Haruna held her back. "Not now," the battleship whispered. "Please listen to everything that Miss Minako has to say first."
"I already had a feeling that this would happen, but I became too complacent." The commodore paused. "This is the least I can do for my failures."
"It's only because you are always looking after so many things at the same time. You have your limits too, Miss Minako."
Kiso grunted as she waved her hand. "Do what you want. Just don't make the old man disappointed."
"I won't." The officer began typing on her laptop's keyboard. "Since our kind and considerate Kiso ruined our pace, I'll just get to the meat of the subject: your commander was the one who tipped us off about the base, along with the irregularities occurring within it."
"Of what kind?" Yurie said.
The commodore paused with an eager look on her face, observing everyone's reactions. The silence stretched on as most of the girls returned her stare with anticipation. "Oh, this is disappointing. Not a single one of you caught that bit?" She sighed as a slideshow appeared on the screen. "The base housed various facilities to further unauthorized modernization practices on fleet girls."
Inazuma gasped. "So that means..."
"Yes, some of the Irregulars that we are fighting right now were probably produced from that very same place."
"But... that doesn't answer the important ques—" I-8 put a hand on her chin. "No, it is starting to come along."
"What is?" Prinz Eugen asked.
"The more grotesque procedures always involved abyssal materials, including the actual ships themselves."
"A-Ah, now I get it! They're keeping abyssal ships in there too!" She clapped once and raised an index finger. "You know, like how fancy restaurants have huge aquariums on display to keep their seafood fresh!"
"You just had to make that comparison, huh?" Maya said.
The commodore nodded. "The captive abyssal ships were also exposed to various kinds of experimentation—even worse than the projects designated to fleet girls. Hold on, I have some pictures here to—"
"P-Please don't!"
Inazuma's timely intervention only aroused everyone's curiosity. She did her best to ignore their guilt-inducing stares. "O-Okay, what did you guys do exactly?" Yurie asked.
"As the one overseeing the entire operation, I ordered the infiltration team to put them out of their misery. Yuu, however, already had a different idea in mind."
"So he set them free."
"To this day, I still don't know what came over him at the time. Well, not that the present is any different."
"Then what happened next?" Prinz Eugen asked.
"You don't need to know." Minako smiled as a few of them pouted and voiced their disappointment. "In any case, that single selfish act earned him the trust of one abyssal commander in this region."
Inazuma furrowed her eyebrows. "Is that why everyone here is wary of him? Because he was willing to help the enemy?"
"Ironic that we benefited the most from his relationship with the Abyssals. But there's only one thing that concerns me the most at this very moment: why did they reveal it now of all times?"
Yurie nodded. "I think we can agree that this isn't just some dumb coincidence. It's a risky move to pull too since he's still officially affiliated with the Naval Domain."
"Well, they won't be able to hide the truth for long."
"Pardon me for speaking out of turn, but what about the media?" I-8 asked as she raised an open palm. "The gag order for this incident is just a bandage solution at best."
"Yeah," Maya said. "How can you be so sure that it won't happen again?"
Minako tapped the tip of the small remote against the table twice. "We're perfectly aware. The troublesome person who spearheaded that press conference with Hatsuyuki and the others is a privileged Council officer like me, but that will be the last time he'll be able to pull such a desperate stunt."
The heavy cruiser groaned. "Man, I hope you're right."
"I can only give you my word for it. He's obligated to follow my instructions despite that we now share the same rank."
"That's besides the point," Kiso said. "That bastard just does whatever he likes anyway. He even invited a senior contributor of the Nexus Archive who just happened to be doing a documentary project on this island."
"A-An archive contributor?" Yurie's face went pale. "Y-Yuu might already be in deeper trouble than I thought..."
"I wouldn't worry about her," Minako said. "That particular contributor is very meticulous with her submissions to the Archive, which is why she currently has a near-perfect trust aggregate score under her name. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to say the same to the others."
"We just have to wait how things will play out, huh?" Maya scratched her head. "Tch, annoying."
"Uh, can I ask you one more thing?" Yurie asked the commodore.
"What is it?"
"I've been wondering about this. You knew about the risks of cooperating with him, but you are still willing to keep Yuu around. Isn't that too much of a gamble for someone you barely know?"
Minako smirked. "I could easily say the same thing to you." When Inazuma made a puzzled look, the officer quickly added, "Let's just say that they're part of my 'new' task group now. I'll need an extra helping hand from this point on."
"I see." She sighed, glancing at Hatsuyuki. "Akatsuki and Murakumo. Sendai too. What should we do?"
"I advise not to do anything that may arouse suspicion from the authorities and the media—all of you may already be under surveillance and we cannot afford to let another slip up happen."
Prinz Eugen's eyes widened. "L-Like, right now?!"
"I doubt it, but I would applaud their foolishness for prying inside my office." Smirking, Minako looked up to the ceiling. "Who and why—it's only a matter of when. I will find out."
"U-Uh, you sounded like a villain just now, you know?"
Haruna suddenly shot up and clapped twice. "Oh my, it's almost lunch! Miss Minako, I suggest that we should eat out with everyone!"
Maya arched an eyebrow. "Lunch already? All these snacks are—"
"...appetizers, yes!"
"I wasn't talking about that, but sure. I wanna chow down some savory beef bowl right now to brighten my mood a bit."
"Haruna?" The battleship indicated Hatsuyuki with her eyes. Minako returned the gesture with a nod, closing the lid of her laptop. "We've caused every one of you nothing but inconvenience since you arrived in this island. How about we visit the eatery within the compound? The place is run by the island locals, and the dishes there are unique and authentic."
"Sounds lovely," Kumano said. "I'm looking forward to it."
"And there she goes." Chitose laughed, eyeing Nagara who was munching on some crackers. "Go easy this time or you'll end up making a scene again."
"I got carried away last time, but I'll definitely pull it off now!"
Haruna placed her folded apron on the table. "Now that it's been decided, let us depart!"
Everyone stood up and exited the room, leaving Inazuma and Hatsuyuki in their seats. "Thank you, Miss Haruna," Inazuma said as she draped her jacket over her shoulders.
The battleship turned around for the last time, giving her a comforting smile. Inazuma strengthen her resolve as she approached Hatsuyuki and kneeled in front of her.
"Inazuma, I screwed up again." Hatsuyuki began sobbing. "The commander... because of me... I..."
Inazuma bit her lip. "I-It's okay. I'm sure we—"
"No, it's not! He can't return to his normal life anymore! Don't you realize that?"
"C-Calm down, Hatsu—"
"I was so stupid." She finally looked up from her thighs. More tears fell down from her reddened eyes. "Everyone... everyone in the world now thinks he's a bad guy."
The chair screeched against the floor as Inazuma embraced Hatsuyuki. "Please... enough. Don't say those things to yourself."
"I-Inazuma... stop it."
"I hate seeing you like this. You're my friend."
"I've done nothing but cause trouble, and it hurts even more when everyone is still so kind to me. I don't deserve any of it."
Inazuma blinked as tears invaded her eyes. She held back a sob. "B-But if we give up now, who's going to help our friends? They need us, and we need you too."
"I'm sorry." Hatsuyuki buried her face against Inazuma's chest. "I'm so sorry."
She sniffled, forcing out a giggle. "I guess that makes two of us apologizing a lot today."
"Fumizuki and the others... maybe they hate me now. A-Akatsuki will surely—"
"It's not your fault, okay? I... I don't know how, but I'm sure we'll be able to fix this together."
"Y-You're really kind. It's so disgusting... that I doubted you before. I thought you're just doing this because you're the fleet's secretary, but you've proven so many times that you always mean what you say. I kept my distance instead of taking the effort to get to know you."
"It's never too late for that." Inazuma tightened her arms around Hatsuyuki and stayed like that for a while. Hatsuyuki's trembling body eventually stopped. "Feeling better?"
"Hmhm... my eyelids feel heavy..."
"S-Sleepy already?"
"Y-Yesterday was exhausting."
Inazuma pulled herself away, drying her cheeks with her sleeve. "Let's catch up to them. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on good food either."
Hatsuyuki smiled. "Yeah."
Hatsuyuki seemed eager as they made their way to the eatery, but all of her newfound vitality and enthusiasm vanished the moment she stepped inside the establishment. It was already too late for Inazuma to realize her mistake as Hatsuyuki began to tremble before the eyes of everybody waiting for them in their respective tables.
Her face was drained of life and color as she was dragged to the table where Fusou was sitting. It took Inazuma some time to convince her to seat with them together, but getting her to join their conversations was another thing. Fortunately, Fumizuki's relentless initiative kept most of the awkwardness at bay even though they kept jumping from one topic to the next. Bless her by the goddess.
After their somewhat pleasant lunch, Inazuma opted to mull over their situation alone. However, the Navy headquarters felt too cramped for her to freely move around. She felt that many set of eyes were following her every step, making her even more restless. As she couldn't stand the feeling any longer, she was forced to consult Shiranui about her predicament.
Fortunately for her, she learned that she could actually leave the Navy's main compound and access certain parts of the island, provided that she would always wear the executive card pass given to her by Commodore Minako. Curfew was still in a few hours too, so there was no reason for her not to take this chance to take a breather.
And if a Navy-affiliated individual harasses you in some way or another, please notify us immediately. I will deal with them personally.
And Shiranui was very specific about it. One less headache to worry about at least.
Inazuma ended up wandering outside the compound, following the scent of the sea. In no time, she found a small park facing the sea. She noticed a few people there as well, watching the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline or strolling through the colorful flowerbeds and ornate pathways. After looking around, she rested on a stone bench and stared at the flowers swaying in the chilly breeze.
"Lookin' down there. Ain't that a waste if you're all gloomy like that?"
The person beside her was a familiar face. The aircraft carrier Ryuujou.
The same hoodie-wearing fleet girl who had been chasing people in the park since she got there, trying to sell whatever was inside the basket she was carrying.
"A-Ah... good afternoon." Inazuma looked at the basket sitting on the carrier's lap. "Um, what are you selling?"
"Dried fish, squid, and shrimp. Some candies, cigs and matches." She stretched her arms up. "Gonna buy somethin'?"
"U-Um... sorry. I don't have any money with me right now."
"Just askin', ya don't need to apologize. But I wish the folks here grab my stuff already so I can wrap up early."
Inazuma thought to herself for a moment. "Is that... a hobby of yours?"
"H-Hobby?" Ryuujou chuckled. "Guess you can call it that. It's all I do these days."
"Why?"
"If I don't, the gals back at home won't be gettin' enough rice tonight. They're pretty loud about it, so I can't slack off for too long."
Inazuma's shoulders drooped at the revelation. She rubbed her arms through her jacket's sleeves. "Is your weekly allowance here not enough for—"
"I don't really work here." The carrier's face soured, pulling her hood over her forehead. "I'm no Navy fleet girl. Just your run-of-the-mill vagrant tryin' to feed off the scraps around 'ere."
"A-Ah... sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
She released her fingers from the hem and smiled as she stared at Inazuma. "Why are you makin' that face? Heh, you're weird."
"N-No, I'm not!"
"So, 'sit my turn to ask questions?" She eyed the card pass pinned on the destroyer's jacket. "You a Navy girl?"
"I was. I'm now working for the Maritime Peacekeepers."
"Hope you don't mind me askin' this, but do you have some important business here?"
Inazuma let out a long sigh. "My unit was escorting a supply fleet, but we were attacked by the Abyssals on the way to this island."
"Oh right, it was the talk of the town since yesterday. I saw him on the news too—ya know, that fleet commander in cahoots with the enemy."
"My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I'm glad that I'm still alive." She shook her head. "Because of what I did though, I ended up making everyone worried. Even though they're not saying anything, I'm still ashamed."
Ryuujou looked up, raising a palm up to the murky sky. "No point on lettin' all those thoughts drag ya down. Not like you'll be able to change the past that way."
Clenching her fists, she kept her emotions from bursting out of her chest. "I know, but it all falls back on me. Even if I put my heart into it, it's just not enough. It feels that nothing works out in my favor."
"Well, that's just how life is. Puttin' in work doesn't mean you get a shiny medal for it every time."
A soft sob escaped her lips. "A-Akatsuki, what should I do?"
Ryuujou grumbled. "Quit it with yer whinin' already!"
Startled, Inazuma looked at her with wide eyes. "A-Ah, I didn't mean to... I'm so—"
"Yeah, stop that too."
"But—"
"The world can kick you to the ground and spit on ya, but that's all the more reason to get back up and prove you ain't takin' crap from anybody." She gave a thumbs up. "So cheer up! I bet your commander's just as glad you still get the chance to slug it all out another day!"
"T-Thank you." Inazuma forced a smile. "Still, I wish I can do something... anything."
Ryuujou flashed her a knowing grin in response. "Well, since you asked for it, mind helping me carry a few things back to our shack? I'll give ya some dried squids for the trouble."
Inazuma had her mouth open for a moment. "U-Um, I guess? I never had dried squid before."
"Well, I have two types 'ere—commercial and sun-dried." Ryuujou held them up in each hand. "Both are darn tasty with a vinegar dip. Prefer a spicy mix myself, but someone I know likes to eat these while drownin' herself in booze."
"Okay, I still have plenty of time left anyway."
"Appreciate it!" She shoved the packages back to the basket and stood up. "We won't take long."
The pair left the seaside park and went to the town's marketplace where they picked up two sacks of rice and charcoal. Afterwards, they walked down to the lower parts of the island until they reached a small beach dotted with smooth boulders. A couple of rundown houses and sheds were standing next to the cliff's craggy wall. Ryuujou pointed at the farthest one. "There."
Inazuma followed the carrier as she looked around with her eyes. "This is where you live? Doesn't it get really scary when the weather gets rough?"
"Not like we have a choice, y'know? Still, the shacks 'ere are all elevated and those boulders along the shore do their job for that."
"But... it's still dangerous to everyone living in this area."
"Heh, all concerned now? We're the only ones living 'ere anyway. The folks who lived here were relocated inland a long time ago."
"I see. That's good then."
Ryuujou stepped on the porch and banged on the wall beside the screen door. "Hey, we got a visitor! I gotta clean up the hut in a jiffy, so let her in first!" She looked back to the destroyer when no one answered. "Just wait for me inside, will ya?"
Inazuma placed her sack against the wall. "Um, is it okay?"
"Yep." She stretched her arms again, turning around. "Later, Chief."
"C-Chief?"
The carrier froze for a few seconds. She suddenly laughed and started walking again.
Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this? Inazuma swallowed her anxiety as she looked through the door. "Um, hello?"
No one seemed to be inside, so she carefully pushed the door and entered the house. The whole floor was just a single room with counter top partitions for the kitchen. The room was bare and empty, save for some potted plants and a dining table that could accommodate six people.
As she let out a sigh, she suddenly sensed movement from behind and an arm wrapped around her neck. She tensed up as she felt a gun barrel pressed against her back. She clenched her teeth and tried to break free, but her captor's grip was stronger. A fleet girl?!
"Now, now. Keep strugglin' like that or you'll end up hurtin' yourself."
Hearing such an unexpectedly warm and mellow voice only gave her an even stronger reason to struggle more.
"W-Who are you? Why are you doing this?"
"Already askin' the important questions? But you'll become a part of me soon, so it doesn't matter now." The destroyer shivered as her breath brushed her ear. "A girl like you is just what I need. Young, fresh, supple... the perfect modernization suppleme—"
"L-Let me go!"
Inazuma summoned her armaments, producing a strong outward force. The dining set and other smaller items were blasted to the walls and staircase, while the door was ripped out of its hinges as it flew outside the house. Her assailant was sprawled on the floor, rubbing the back of her head. "Oww..."
She picked up the pistol-like gun turret near her feet and aimed at the fleet girl. Ryuujou rushed inside afterwards. "What the heck's wrong with you two?" she said. "I leave you for a sec and you two are now tryin' to kill each other?!"
The other girl propped herself up with an indignant look on her face. "H-Hey, don't dump it all on me! I thought she wasn't gonna fight back! A miscalculation!"
"I'm about to miscalculate yer face if you ain't gonna shut' that mouth of yours!"
"This was his idea, y'know?!" She cast her eyes to the floor. "Seems like I fell for it."
Another fleet girl came down from the stairs as well. "My, I dozed off for a moment and everyone is already too rowdy at this time of the day." The heavy cruiser Chikuma yawned before scanning the room with half-closed eyes. The realization finally set in as she put up an irritated expression. "I am not cleaning this up."
"Wh-What do you want from me?!" Inazuma cried. When all three of them looked at her, she trained her shoulder turret to Chikuma while pointing her shield turret at the aircraft carrier. "D-Don't come any closer!"
"Hey, quit pointin' that thing at me!" Ryuujou said. "Dammit Urakaze, you started this mess!"
Urakaze sat cross-legged, holding her hands up. "E-Easy there, Inazuma. We're not gonna hurt you."
"Y-You lie, weirdo!"
"I didn't mean that, promise! I thought I could play a trick on you when he once told us about you and—"
"He? Who are you talking about?"
"Admiral Yuu! 'side that, didn't you already see me before that one night?"
Her hands started to shake. "Why is it always like this?" She swallowed as her lips quivered, holding back her tears. "A-Always..."
"Aww, now you've done it!" Ryuujou said.
Urakaze's face had self-pity and remorse written all over it. Meanwhile, Chikuma walked to Inazuma's side and patted her head. "She speaks the truth, Inazuma. We're your friends."
"H-Huh?" Inazuma blinked away the mist in her eyes, looking up. "Friends?"
The heavy cruiser smiled as she glanced at the other two. "We've wasted enough time as it is. Please clean up everything first, then we'll tell her everything."
The next ten minutes was spent restoring the place to its previous state. The door and window frames would take time to fix. For now, they simply freed up the floor from the clutter. After calming down, Inazuma helped out arranging the dining set as well. She caused quite a scene and it wouldn't do good to her conscience if she just stood there and watched them the entire time.
Nevertheless, she couldn't keep her eyes off the trio. Not because she wasn't still convinced on their words, but only because their eyes and hair were different, noticeably lighter in color. A lighter shade of silver.
Inazuma took a sip of water as they gathered around the table, putting her thoughts in order. "So, um... who are you? And I want to know your affiliations too..."
"We're vagrants," Urakaze said. "We don't work for anybody, but if the Admiral needs a hand in somethin', we're gonna get it done!"
She placed the cup back on the table. "Y-You're working with the commander? How did you know him?"
"Long story," Ryuujou said, "and I didn't bring you here for some story tellin'. You and the others hafta leave the island soon."
"Leave the island? What are you... ?"
"We have intercepted information that the Abyssals will initiate a siege on the island," Chikuma replied. "They're assembling their forces as we speak and they might strike some time after nightfall."
Inazuma heart started to race. "B-But... why?"
"Before we lost contact with the Admiral, he told us that the Abyssals are after some important cargo in the supply fleet you were protecting. Do you know something about it?"
She shook her head. "But we can't just leave! Orion might be one of the largest naval bases in the world, but this island also has a large civilian population! We can't just abandon them!"
"Then, are you suggesting that we should stand our ground and fight?"
Urakaze and Ryuujou exchanged forlorn looks. "Wouldn't take the risk if I were you," the carrier said. "Zero chance of gettin 'out here alive."
"The fleet girls here are strong! I'm sure we can defend the base if—"
"The only reason why this fort is sill operatin' is because the Abyssals never bothered to try in the first place! They're bringin' in the big guns this time, I tell ya!"
"B-But... we haven't tried! Are we just going to give up so easily?!"
A passing silence came down on them. "This is their battle, not ours," Chikuma replied. "We only look after ourselves."
The bitter coldness in her voice pierced Inazuma like an icy bolt. She bit her lip as her eyes landed on her skirt.
"The authorities here had foreseen this scenario. Fort Orion is still on high alert since the past few days and no evacuation order has been released yet. They seem confident that they will be able to defend the island, but... the disparity in strength and numbers is too huge."
"Then we just have to tell them about it. We still have plenty of time!"
"No Navy official would believe this though. Especially from a vagrant like us."
"I know someone who can help us! Please, trust me!"
"Ah, that one Navy commodore," Urakaze said, nodding.
Ryuujou let out a chuckle. "Man, you're a persistent critter, y'know that? Worth the shot, I guess."
"Our top priority is to free the admiral from the Navy's custody," Chikuma said. "We've already decided on a plan to do that, but we want your opinion about this too."
Inazuma pointed at herself. "Eh? Me?"
"You're his official secretary," Urakaze said. "That makes you second-in-command. And since he's not with us right now..."
She looked down, feeling a slight pang in her chest. "Did the commander plan all this?"
"He was waiting for developments from his contacts, but we haven't heard from him since." Chikuma rested her arms on the table. "That's why we want him out of captivity as soon as possible. We're just waiting for the right moment to strike and—"
She gasped. "You're going to force your way into the compound? Y-You can't do that!"
"Why not?" Ryuujou said.
"That would only make the situation worse! Like I said, we already have someone who's helping the commander with his case!"
"After that media stunt they pulled on him? I doubt it." The aircraft carrier slammed the table. "Why'd you think those Navy shills did it?! Those scumbags can burn in hell later, but I ain't just gonna sit here and let them spout more crap at him!"
Inazuma was at a loss for words. Their discussion back at the office was finally catching up to her. A scapegoat... but why would they do that to him?
"We must succeed, by any means," Chikuma said. "If you can tell us where he's being kept right now, we'll be able to come up with a better plan for later."
She took a minute to calm herself. Then, she gave the cruiser a stern look. "In that case, I'll only help you if you stay with us to defend the island."
"You sure 'bout that?" Ryuujou leaned on the table facing Inazuma, propping up her head with her hand. "We're only askin' you this so that we can bust him out of there quicker. With or without you, we're still doin' this."
Inazuma's eyebrows furrowed without her realizing it. "I thought you were on our side! I can't believe you're just going to abandon everyone here!"
"Ain't you a stubborn brat, tryin' to be a hero when your guns can't even do jack to battleships?"
She sunk in her seat, hanging her head in shame. The last time she did something foolishly reckless, she was a mere inch away from death.
"Oh, enough of that—no use runnin' around in circles like this," Urakaze said. "I'd say we should follow Inazuma for now. She did raise a good point about this whole thing."
Ryuujou stared at her, eyes narrowing. "So we're back to square one or what?"
"No, but I'm startin' to get the other reason why we'll need Marvie in this. If we're gonna go with our original plan, then there's nothin' to lose."
"The others are waiting, so we have to decide now," Chikuma said. "What do you think, Ryuujou?"
The carrier crossed her arms, her mood still sour. "Aight. Guess we'll have more options before the shells start fallin' later."
"Inazuma, go talk to the admiral when you get back later," Urakaze said. "And it's up to you if you wanna tell everybody about the Abyssals. As long as he's one of them, we won't complain."
She let out a sigh, nodding. "We've already planned to see him before the hearing starts."
Chikuma stood up and headed to the cupboard. She picked up a small digital radio from the drawer and handed it to her. "Make sure to use it only after you've passed the news to him—it might get us compromised." When the destroyer nodded, the heavy cruiser put a finger on her chin. "Come to think of it, Admiral also mentioned that you'll provide us with equipment too."
"H-huh? I have no idea. He didn't even tell me about you guys."
She pointed at Inazuma's jacket. "Let's see... the hidden chest slot on the left. Two sets of equipment cards."
Inazuma unzipped her jacket and opened its left side. Her mouth agape, she fished out two card cases from the chest pocket. "H-How?"
She smiled. "Well, that's his jacket after all."
A starry-eyed Ryuujou snatched a card case and removed all of its contents. "Oh man! For the life of me, I've never held this much planes in my hands! Can't wait to see the look on Shouhou's face later!"
Meanwhile, Chikuma and Urakaze took their time with the other case. Their eyes were gleaming as they shuffled through the cards.
Inazuma couldn't explain it, but there was this warm sensation stirring within her.
She couldn't help but smile seeing them all blithe and chirpy like that.
Deep down though, she was at a loss. Lingering doubts surfaced without notice.
She knew that it wouldn't do good overthinking things, but they were sticking out so openly that it was just impossible to ignore them now.
Everything. Since the beginning.
Was it all a front? A facade to serve purpose and convenience?
Inazuma wasted no time as she headed straight to Minako's office and requested to see the commander as soon as possible. Unsurprisingly, the commodore was just as quick to set up everything, as if she was already anticipating it to happen. Inazuma also used this chance to relay the information she had learned from the vagrant fleet girls.
The officer wasn't surprised about it either. So, were they really expecting an abyssal raid on the island after all? Her stiff disposition only made the destroyer more uneasy.
When they finally got hold of their clearance, they made their way to an interrogation room where they would be given thirty minutes to talk to him.
A guard opened the door for them and Inazuma rushed inside. "C-Commander?"
He had a brief look of surprise on his face but it quickly changed into a scowl. "Why are they still here, Minako?"
Minako took a seat across him. "I can't force them if they don't want to leave the island yet. Plus, your fleet is your responsibility."
Hesitantly, Inazuma sat near him. It was only then she noticed a patch on his cheek and an adhesive bandage on the corner of his lips. "C-Commander, what happened?"
He directed his glare at the commodore. "I'm surprised their interrogation methods haven't changed at all. Makes me wonder if you're actually doing your job around here."
Minako glanced at the one-way mirror. "You can take a punch or two, right? But I'll see to it that—"
"Cut the pleasantries, Minako. What do you want this time?"
The Navy officer sighed and gestured at the destroyer.
Inazuma felt a chill down her spine as he stared at her. His eyes was brimming with unprecedented anger. She felt like she was looking into the eyes of a different person.
She inhaled sharply as she opened her mouth. But before she could even breath out a word, alarms suddenly blared out. Minako's eyebrows crossed as she activated her tablet. "It's starting."
The room shuddered and the lights flickered as she felt a couple of mag-ion detonations from the surface. "Enemy bombardment?!" she uttered. "T-They're attacking now? I thought—"
"Who's behind this?" the commander asked, standing up.
"You should have known by now," Minako replied. "Or did I misinterpret your words somehow?"
"I need to talk to her."
She glanced at her right again before removing her forearm terminal and sliding it towards him. The rage in his eyes slightly mellowed out as he tapped at the terminal's screen. "Room's still got interference."
Minako faced the mirror again. "You heard him." As if a response to her order, the speakers in the room emitted a sharp static noise. In the midst of the harsh crackling, they started to hear someone's voice. "What are you—"
"Oh, I finally got through. Are you seeing this spectacle, Liberator?"
A familiar chilling voice. Inazuma couldn't mistake it for any other. Southern Demon. It's definitely her!
"The hell are you doing?" the commander said.
"Can't you tell? I've changed my mind."
"This wasn't part of—"
"Part of what? Come now, I've put up with these degenerates for so long. In fact, I'm doing you a favor right now and just end them all in one sweep." The abyssal battleship chuckled. "I'll make sure to clean up everything before sunrise."
He leaned on the table with his hands, casting his eyes downward. "So, you're going to make this difficult, huh?"
"Well, who's going to stop me?"
"Serra, don't do this. You already got what you want."
"Yes, about that. I must thank you for sending a comprehensive layout of the island. You truly never disappoint when it comes to intel gathering."
Minako narrowed her eyes. "Yuu, what is she talking about?"
"If it'll make you feel better, I told my girls to spare you when they happen to run into you. Do try to survive at least as I don't want to lose a valuable comra—"
A bang echoed in the room and the commander collapsed with a thud. Breathless, Inazuma looked towards the doorway. "You bastard!" the officer from the corridor shouted. "I should've killed you when I got the chance!"
Minako quickly rushed towards the man, disarming him with a quick jab. "Inazuma, help him!"
The commodore's voice brought her out of her stupor. She immediately rushed to the commander's side.
"C-Commander! P-Please, stay with me!"
Blood freely poured out from his chest, quickly seeping through his clothes. Inazuma pulled out her neckerchief, bunched it up, and placed it over the wound. As she pushed her fingers down, she could hear Minako calling for medical assistance. The commotion from the corridor grew as well.
"Kgh... do me a favor. M-Move me out... of this room."
Just speaking was too much of a pain for him. Blood started to leak from his mouth as he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Y-You're losing a lot of blood! You might go into shock if—"
"S-Shut up! Get me... out of here... quick..."
"E-Even now, you're still going to be selfish?"
"What... are you on about?"
"We care about you, but you don't seem to acknowledge that! You keep pushing us away!"
"A-Are you seriously... doing this now?" He struggled to raise his hand, clutching her forearm. "If you don't act now... everyone's gonna die."
"But—"
"Hurry, dammit!"
"A-Alright."
Left with no other options, Inazuma lifted and carried him out of the room. She set him down sitting against the wall, making sure that he didn't get in the way of the other personnel scampering through the corridor. She let out a whimper as the blood continued to spill through her fingers.
"I-Inazuma, why did you move—" Minako shook her head and kneeled next to him. She brought out a handkerchief, setting it over the destroyer's neckerchief. "Reckless as ever."
He pulled out his right sleeve, revealing a hidden terminal embedded in his deformed-looking forearm.
Its skin was black, with a few short stripes of silver running down to his hand. Muscles and veins were bulged out as blood could be seen flowing in them, but what baffled her most was the fact that everybody else was oblivious about it. She rubbed her eyes twice for good measure, but she wasn't definitely seeing things.
With his trembling hand, the commander tapped on the terminal's screen and activated the top-most channel link on the list. "Chikuma... gave you something, right?"
"A-Ah, yes!" Inazuma pulled out the radio from her jacket and handed the device to him.
He linked up the devices and closed his eyes. "Come on... answer it."
A few more seconds passed before the radio clicked. "Oh hey, Commander! How you doin' there?"
"Tanikaze... center stage. Raise... up the curtain for us."
"Ro—ger! On our way!"
He took a deep breath, tossing the radio to Inazuma's feet. "Did... my part, Minako."
A pair of paramedics arrived, but the officer who shot the commander threatened them away from the crowd. "You must already know that an abyssal unit managed to slip through our patrols from the north," he said, glaring down at them. "He's going to get us killed, Minako!"
"Yes, and you're no different with your self-serving attempt to murder an important asset of the Joint Committee."
"Such a disappointment. You've truly lost your mind helping that treacherous scoundrel."
"Are you looking for another, Captain Tatsuki? If you're done with your childish whining, you should return to the command center and help out with the ongoing counteroffensive operation."
The captain clenched his fists as he stepped closer to her. "How dare—"
"I wouldn't take another step if I were you."
Kiso's blade hovered next to the captain's neck. Tatsuki snarled as he looked at the commodore once more. "You're a disgrace to your father's name."
"I don't recall asking for your approval," she replied.
He brushed the blade away and turned around. He briskly walked away without looking back, much to the confusion of the onlookers around them.
"By the way," Minako said. "If this man dies, so are we. Either help us here or return to your posts. Maybe it will help me forget your faces the moment I start writing my report about this little incident."
Her words hung in the air—chilling and nerve-wracking.
The other Navy personnel quickly dispersed while the two paramedics tended to the commander's wounds. Wiping her forehead, Inazuma let out a sigh of relief as she picked up Chikuma's radio.
The commander chuckled. "What was... that about, Minako?"
"C-Commander, stop talking!" Inazuma said.
"Kiso, you go ahead with Inazuma," Minako said. "We will be monitoring the situation back at my office."
"We? Y-You're not taking him to the hospital?"
"Well, someone has to watch over him. With the raid going on, a savvy opportunist might finish him off for good."
"I-Is there someone else here who would go that far?"
"I can think of a few more names who are out for his blood." Minako watched as the paramedics moved him to a stretcher. "But I'm actually more concerned about him causing even more trouble as it is."
Inazuma blinked. "Huh? How can he get into trouble when—" Another explosion from above rattled the building, causing the lights to flicker again. "T-That was close!"
Kiso glared at her terminal. "The outer field was breached. We have to move."
She grabbed the destroyer's arm and started running. Inazuma nearly stumbled a few times before she could match her pace. They turned around a corner and headed towards the elevators. "W-Wait, why are we going further in—"
"We'll have to protect the mag-ion generators from—" They stopped at the elevators. "Hmm, he didn't brief you about this?"
Her matter-of-fact tone stung Inazuma. "He's always keeping us in the dark," she muttered.
Kiso pressed the wall panel's button. "You won't get what you want if you don't speak up."
"I always approach him when I know he's hiding something."
"Then keep trying."
"Huh? But I've been trying very—"
"You need to be persistent. Keep your footing on the ground and don't let him discourage you." Kiso leaned on the wall. "There's no room for hesitation in the battlefield!"
"B-Battlefield?!"
The cruiser raised her hand and clenched it. "If you truly want something, grab onto it and make sure it doesn't slip away from your grasp!"
Inazuma gulped. "U-Um, but how am I supposed to do that?"
"You're saying that you've been trying your best? I don't know about that."
Kiso stepped closer and stared into her eyes. Inazuma recoiled, but the cruiser grabbed her by the shoulders. She averted her eyes. "U-Um... Miss Kiso, what are you doing?"
"This is what I was talking about." She grabbed the destroyer's cheeks so that she couldn't turn her head. "You can't expect someone to take you seriously if you can't even look at 'em in the eye."
Her heart pounding, Inazuma swallowed again and looked elsewhere. Anywhere but her face. "B-But this is..."
"See? You really need to work on—" The elevator door suddenly opened, and the people inside only stood there, staring at them with various shades of curiosity on their faces. "Hell you lookin' at?"
"U-Um, we're blocking them, Miss Kiso."
Kiso's face turned pink as she pulled Inazuma away. The passengers left in a hurry and the pair stepped inside the elevator. "A-Anyway, that's the gist of it," she said, pushing the ground floor button on the panel. "If Minako can make him talk, I'm sure you can do it too."
The doors closed again and the car began to ascend. Inazuma brought out the digital radio to call Chikuma and the others. "E-Eh? He deleted the frequency?"
"He's highly sensitive when it comes to his personal network." Kiso sighed. "Hey, how much do you know about the guy anyway?"
Inazuma's shoulders slumped. She looked at her right hand stained with his blood. "A few things. At this point, I'm not even sure if those are true or—"
Her vision blurred for a moment as her ears rang, resonating in her head to unbearable levels. Vertigo quickly overtook her body and she had to support herself with the handrail on her left.
Amidst the incessant buzzing, she heard a voice. Despite the painful sensation hammering her head, she persevered and concentrated.
"Ca... you... er... me?"
Kiso placed a hand on her shoulder. "H-Hey, what's wrong?"
"Can you hear me, Inazuma?"
The distorted voice was distinct, yet so far away.
"W-Who are you?"
"Maricelle. Go back and fetch him—we'll rendezvous at the compound's eastern exit."