A/N: I probably should have mentioned this in chapter one, but whatever. I'm quite rusty at story writing since my last fic was literally more than a decade ago, so spelling, grammar and maybe even continuity mistakes may be all over this story, sorry if that's the case, I'm writing these in short bursts of time on my computer since I'm busy most of my days, I do proof read but probably very poorly, just thought I'd mention this, thank you!
Outside a cafe on the see front.
Unicorn, and two other girls slightly older than her, were sitting at a table with tea and cupcakes. One had a very tired look in her crimson red eyes, she had long white hair in huge twin tails, wearing a pink jacket that seemed to slide off one shoulder, a red mini skirt and white stockings.
The other girl seemed far more energetic, her lavender hair was in a high but short pony tail and her eyes were blue-green. Her clothing consisted of a white blouse with a red and blue plaid styled mini skirt underneath and a blue scarf adorned her neck. Unicorn was nibbling on a cupcake and looked over at the other two, also eating cupcakes.
"Um...I hope you don't mind Javelin and Laffey, but I invited someone else to join us today." She announced quietly. The lavender haired girl looked over with a smile while the girl with white twin tails barely reacted.
"Thats great Unicorn! I'm glad you're making more friends." Javelin replied excitedly. The other girl glanced over at Unicorn and gave a tired smile. "Laffey, is proud for you." She stated in a weary, monotone voice. Javelin laughed briefly at Laffey before looking back at the younger girl.
"So who is it, someone we might know?" She asked and kept munching on her cupcake. Unicorn then got an unsure look on her face and diverted her gaze away. She started to wonder if her new friend meeting Javelin and Laffey was a good idea, she may be young, but she was smart enough to understand people can hold grudges; especially against a certain fox woman she befriended recently.
"Um...well yes...you know her." Unicorn slowly responded. Laffey tilted her head and looked on confused, Javelin's smile faded into a look of puzzlement. The two older girls looked at each other and shrugged before looking back at the light carrier.
"What is it Unicorn, you're not embarrassed by this friend are you?" Javelin asked kindly. Unicorn shook her head and looked to avoid Javelin's curious gaze.
"I...i'm just worried you might still hate her." Unicorn admitted. Javelin frowned in further confusion, still not getting what Unicorn was trying to say.
"What do you mean by, 'still hate he-" She cut herself with a gasp before suddenly blurting out: "Its not Kaga is it?!" Laffey looked up, her eyes widening slightly at the mention of the white fox woman. Unicorn gasped and quickly shook her head.
"No! No! No! Its not her!" She declared hastily. Javelin sighed in relief, and laughed nervously.
"Jeez Unicorn, don't scare me like that! For second there I thought-"
"Its her sister Akagi." Unicorn then bluntly announced. Javelin then went several shades whiter than normal, her face twisted into one of pure horror and she started shaking. She stammered a few half-formed words before she fell off her seat, still paralysed and stuttering.
Laffey however just hung her mouth open, barely changing much else about her expression. A silence hung over the table for a few seconds, with only Javelin's terrified muttering on the floor interrupting every few seconds. Laffey then came to her senses and went to help Javelin up.
"Javelin, get off the ground, you're getting dirty." She told her plainly. Javelin finally snapped out of it and shot to her feet. She put a hand on her chest and one on her head as she started hyperventilating, her pupils had shrunk to pinpricks as she tried to bring herself out of her panic attack.
"A-A-Ak-Akag-Akagi!?" She stammered out in a horrified tone, she kept whipping her head around as she ranted, looking for the kitsune in question. "The Red Castle?! The 1st carrier division leader who almost destroyed Azur lane by teaming up with the Sirens to build a super Siren ship that almost levelled this base?! THAT AKAGI?!" She screamed in absolute terror.
Laffey then suddenly slapped Javelin across the face, almost making the Royal navy destroyer stumble over from the force. When Javelin looked back up at her in annoyance, she saw that the Eagle Union girl was pointing back at Unicorn, while giving Javelin a disapproving look. Unicorn looked ready to burst into tears and whimpered, clearly hurt by Javelin's reaction.
Javelin immediately felt ashamed, forgetting the sting in her face from the slap, she raced over to Unicorn's side of the table and hugged her.
"I'm so sorry Unicorn! I-I didn't mean to offend you like that! Please don't cry!" she begged to her friend. Unicorn looked up at her with moist eyes before looking away, choking up as she replied.
"I knew you'd...you'd still hate her! It was...s-stupid of me to b-bring you to... meet her!" Unicorn cried out between sobs. Javelin had trouble finding the words to respond.
"Uh N-No I just...I-I...uh..." She looked over at Laffey, hoping she would answer for her. But her American friend just stood there with her arms folded, still frowning at her.
"Don't look at me, you did this." She stated, still in her tired tone, but Javelin could tell their was veiled contempt behind the usually monotone voice. Javelin was starting to panic again, she hadn't upset Unicorn like this before and had no idea how to console her. She just pleaded to whatever deity existed that Illustrious didn't walk past and see her like this. Who knows how she would react?
"Unicorn?" Came a smooth, soft but strong voice. Javelin froze up upon hearing it while Laffey just blankly looked in its direction. There she was, running up to them with her brown fox tails billowing out from behind her, was Akagi. Laffey seemed confused that for once, the kitsune didn't have her usual smug smile and instead she had a concerned look that was fixed right on Unicorn.
Akagi quickly moved to Unicorn's side opposite Javelin and placed a hand on her back. Unicorn didn't even look up from her crying and leaned on Akagi without a second thought. Javelin looked on with a WTF look on her face while Laffey just had a smile, seeing that Unicorn was getting comfort; even if it was from an unlikely source.
"I'm sorry Akagi...I-I just...I..." Unicorn started to say, but Akagi put a finger on her lips and gently shushed her. "Its ok, nothing you do will ever hurt me Unicorn~ I like you too much for that~" She told her playfully but kindly.
Unicorn looked up in surprise as Akagi reached into her sleeve for something, it was a small bag of something. "Some of my favourite sweets from back home in the Sakura Empire, don't forget to share with your friends!" She dropped the bag in front of Unicorn, she opened it and smiled brightly at the star shaped sweets inside.
Laffey sat back down as Unicorn offered her some sweets from the bag, she took a couple and put them in her mouth, Unicorn then turned to Javelin with a confused look, the Royal Navy destroyer had a depressed look as she also sat back down. Akagi seemed puzzled too, but then got an idea.
Unicorn, you know how fluffy my tails are right~?" She cooed to the young light carrier. Unicorn giggled cutely at the statement. "Oh yes, I love your tails Akagi!" She agreed with an adorable nod of her head. The fox woman then gave Javelin a devilish look before walking up behind her.
"Hm?" Javelin was too depressed to register what Akagi was doing, before she felt strong hands on her shoulders. She yelped in shock as she realised the kitsune had grabbed her and she looked around frantically at the many fox tails swinging towards her from both sides and from beneath her chair.
"W-w-what are you doing?! I-I don't wan-" Javelin was cut off as the tails made contact with her exposed skin, she gasped feeling the fluffy appendages on her legs and arms. She laughed nervously as Akagi gently wrapped her tails all around her.
"Heh-heh, stop I-ha ha-that tickl-ooh!" Javelin giggled from inside the mass of tails. Akagi also giggled seeing Javelin convert into a tails fan right in front of her.
"Feels nice right?" She asked her teasingly. Before Javelin could reply, Akagi wiggled a tail inside Javelin's blouse and right up her back. The British girl yelped feeling the fluffy invader inside her clothes and started wiggling in her seat from the sensation.
"Yah! Stop already! it...ha ha...tickles so much!" Javelin pleaded. Akagi let Javelin go and retracted her tails from her. The lavender haired girl panted as she caught her breath, the kitsune pat Javelin's head with a kind smile before sitting next to Unicorn.
"Well that seems to have cheered you up~" Akagi said to Javelin with a wink. The destroyer blushed a little before laughing nervously again. Akagi looked over at Laffey and asked: "Do you want a turn?" Laffey held up her hand before shaking her head.
"No thanks, I respectfully decline." Akagi just shrugged in response. "Suit yourself." She then grabbed a spare cup and poured herself some tea. Javelin, now a little happier then worked up the courage to speak to Akagi.
"S-so uh...what d-do you do for fun?" she asked, still a little fearful of the fox woman. Akagi giggled before she responded "Mostly just tease some of the other Sakura empire ships, but lately..." She then looked around before whispering to her.
"I've been dating the Commander~" Javelin's jaw dropped at the remark and even Laffey had a small reaction to it. Unicorn just giggled with Akagi.
"Have you banged him yet?" Laffey then asked bluntly. Everyone else at the table yelped and looked at Laffey in shock while blushing bright red. Akagi especially was flushing a deep red colour from the question. Laffey just looked on at them all oblivious.
"What? Its just a question." She stated innocently, still munching her cupcake like she had asked the most normal thing in the world.
Before anyone else could reply Akagi was suddenly and forcefully yanked to her feet by the front of her kimono. Once she got her bearings she realised it was Prince of Wales, with one of the most furious looks Akagi had ever seen on anyone. The younger girls all stood up in shock at the British battleship's sudden entrance, Akagi just seemed amused, despite the death glare she was getting and the fact Wales was still grabbing her clothes.
"My Wales, thats a scary look for you, oh wait you always look at me like that~" She jested. Wales clenched her free hand into a fist and with a low, dangerous tone said: "Get...away...from Unicorn..."
Wales then threw Akagi to the side and walked over to the light carrier. Unicorn gasped and ran around to the other side of the table. The two destroyer girls looking on, unsure how to act as Wales approached their friend. Akagi saw what she was doing and got a serious look on her face.
"You're scaring her, back off!" Akagi snapped at Wales, all playfulness gone and her tone tougher than her normal one. Prince of Wales ignored the fox woman and continued after Unicorn. "Come on, i'm taking you back to Illustrious, you're not safe here." She commanded harshly
Unicorn was cornered and whimpered as Wales went to grab her. "Wales stop it!" Javelin shouted, she then gasped as Wales then pulled Unicorn away, the young girl screamed as she was dragged along with the British woman.
The sight filled Akagi with absolute fury, she manifested her flaming paper planes and with a flick of her arm she threw three of them at Wales's arm. She screamed as the red fireballs slammed into her limb, making her lose her grip on Unicorn, now free she ran to Akagi and hugged her waist, crying her eyes out once again. Clutching her now burned arm, Wales looked over at the now enraged Akagi in a mix of shock and anger.
"You touch her like that ever again and I'LL BURN YOU ALIVE!" The kitsune threatened, her voice resonating with her power and eyes glowing as she powered up. the ends of her tails burned with red fire, more red burning planes were circling around her head. Wales screamed in rage at Akagi's words.
"H-how...DARE YOU!" Wales then ripped off one of her gloves and slammed it onto the ground in front of Akagi. "I'm done tolerating you fox! At sundown on the training grounds, you and me will settle this once and for all! Be there I'll have the entire Royal Navy hunt you down!" Prince of Wales then finally turned around and left empty handed and with one less glove.
Akagi was still seething and breathing heavily, until she felt a small tug on her sleeve. She looked down and saw Unicorn giving her a frightened look. She instantly felt guity and sighed. She de-manifested her planes and red fire. She kneeled down to Unicorn's level and let the younger girl hug her.
"I'm sorry you had to see that Unicorn." She apologised, her voice returning to its softer, smooth tone. "T-thank you Akagi, she was being really scary..." Unicorn replied and kept hugging her.
Javelin and Laffey smiled at the two, but then Javelin looked down at the glove Wales left behind with worry. "She's really serious about this, if this goes ahead then someone will get seriously hurt! I need to warn the Commander!"