Once more into the fray.
I'm going to try to write a lot more frequently now.
~Idealize.
The rocky area around the Academy falls silent. The Light Cruiser Tenryuu is primed for an attack, Shiro stands guard with his polymer sword, while Murakumo and the Director silently look on. Tension fills the air. The people present knows that a duel of epic proportions will take place. Now it's only a matter of who strikes first.
Remember your training, Shiro. Know the enemy and know yourself. Let them strike first if you have doubts. Focus all movements into one defensive stroke. Be prepared for anything. Strike hard, not first. Conserve energy and let the enemy drain theirs.
"Ya' better be ready, sword-kid." The somewhat brash cruiser taunts, pointing her purple-dyed polymer sword.
Don't get swayed. Keep holding your ground. Look right into the enemy's eyes. Force them on the aggressive. Keep your grip firm. Track down that stare. What's behind that eyepatch, anyway...
"Well then, if ya' don't want to go first..." She speaks once more, before somehow just disappearing in front of Shiro's eyes, only to reappear a lot closer after a second of blur in the swordsman's perspective.
She's fast...!
But before she can deliver a strike with her sword, Shiro compensates for her speed and steps back, raising his polymer katana upwards and catching the cruiser's sword mid-air, despite her actual location being quite a blur to him.
But her sword movements are somewhat... sluggish. Though I don't want to get caught by that, I bet that packs a punch.
"Not too shabby, kiddo." She comments, strafing back from her position.
Do not get swayed. Focus on your enemy's style. Analyze the situation, make compensations, if necessary. Never respond to provocation. Re-establish your defenses and hold on. Make plans for a counterattack.
"Seems like you're in it already. I like that."
My guess is she's about to get serious. Let's do this.
Once again, the purple-clothed cruiser charges with amazing speed, somehow dissipating into a blur as she moves through Shiro's line of sight, which almost makes the swordsman lose track of her, but as she prepares to deliver a slash, Shiro tries to parry the strike but catches it with the hilt of his sword instead, with surprise written in his face. He shoves the blade off, creating a few sparks as he retreats to a much more comfortable position, wiping sweat off from his forehead.
Damn it, it may have looked like one of Kurogane's guards, but truth is I miscalculated. How the hell did that happen... I had everything checked... I-
But before he could finish monologuing to himself, the cruiser dissipates from his sight once more, leaving only his instincts to react as he struggles to get back into his stance, visibly panting as he does so.
"Looks like you've bit off more than you can chew, Miyamoto... or could you be holding back?" The Director asks himself, still hidden.
Shit, nothing's working... how the hell... Is this the power... of these Shipgirls?... Damn, I need to calm down, my minds being bogged down...
As he formulates a plan of action, a voice can be heard, shouting right in front of him.
"It's over!" the cruiser shouts, with her sword held high, ready to strike like a coiled viper leaping upon it's distraught prey.
Damn it... I didn't want to use this... but looks like I have to throw it all away, huh.
Unprepared, yet ready. Such was Shiro's situation as he spots the cruiser's sword bearing down upon him. He merely stands his ground and sternly raises his sword, pointing it towards the charging cruiser, but she evades easily by shifting her weight. Noticing the slight alteration in the sword's trajectory, he takes the opportunity and falls straight down to the ground, effectively evading what would've been the final blow, albeit a bit dishonorably. He rolls up and takes a few steps back again, regaining a bit of his composure.
"Heh, what's wrong? You scared?" The brash Tenryuu asks, waving her sword arround appropriately.
Shit. Never thought I'd had to go Autobots on that one. Looks like it can't be helped, then.
"Hmm, kid still has some energy left in him... I'll have to see where this ends up." Yashiro utters again.
Shiro then changes his footing, and the grip on his sword as well, letting his left shoulder face Tenryuu while he positions his sword just beside his sheath, near his actual sword. He begins to take a few deep breaths, closes his eyes and prepares to empty his mind, but not without one last thought.
This is going to be tiring.
He sighs.
He takes one last deep breath.
The peculiar stance causes Tenryuu to stand her ground and prepare for an attack, but as she sharply eyes Shiro, the swordsman appears to have instataneously phased right in front of her as he leaves an afterimage on his last position, with his sword in full swing towards her head, leaving behind a gust of wind and specks of dust as the polymer katana's motion is stopped just right next to the cruiser neck, leaving her no time to counter. The expression on the cruiser is suddenly changed from one filled to the brim with determination to one that has complete and utter shock written on it, same goes for Murakumo overseeing the match.
"Miyamoto Double-Edged art, Saisho no Hiken: Maboroshi."
I guess I pulled it off right, despite the delay... but damn it. I went overboard. Ah well.
"Thanks for the spar." Shiro utters before standing up from his slightly bent position as he prepares to place his polymer sword back to the ground, but he is interrupted by a shout.
"We're not done here yet!" The frustrated cruiser charges towards him, but as she does so, time once again slows down in Shiro's perception. His surroundings turn monochrome black and white, while Tenryuu is covered in some sort of red-colored "aura". He also spots Yashiro behind a few obstacles, marked with a white aura behind him, indicating neutrality. The time stagnation allows him to face the approaching cruiser quick enough and blocks the slash, followed by a swift disarm as he flings the purple sword up in the air with sheer force. The cruiser is left shocked once again in the wake of an awesome display of power. On the sidelines, Murakumo looks on intently, a bit shocked as well.
"H-how did you..." The cruiser asks, stuttering.
"Block that attack? Well, I have some sort of... sixth sense, I developed from m childhood and training. It's called the Eagle Sense. It allows me to "feel" someone's intent, even if they're not actually in my line of sight, and even if they are, I can easily determine it, with the help of enhanced perception that seemingly makes time run slower for me."
Named it that half because I used to hunt and memorize birds, and half because I played Assassin's Creed. Good days. Now if only I can have some sort of hidden blade in the arena...
"T-then, you could've easily won this match earlier!"
"I couldn't activate it. It's hit and miss, really. I haven't fully mastered the Eagle Sense yet."
Of course, that isn't the case... but I can't tell her that... right? eh...? Damn it, conscience, can't you let me off the hook this time? I'm lying for her dignity, not mine...
"B-but I definitely had you on the ropes earlier! Looks like you can't beat me without tricks!"
Shiro's left eye twitches.
Calm down... Let her keep her pride, even if you may lose yours. I want to protest so bad, but I gotta keep my head cool.
"Seems so. I look forward to sparring with you again, soon."
"No more tricks next time, alright?"
Shiro's right eye twitches this time.
Stop calling my abilities as tricks...
"Let's just see." The swordsman states as he leaves behind the polymer sword, heading back towards the dorms, but not before stopping for a bit. "Oi, Murakumo, anything else?" The destroyer slightly loosens her grip on the lance-like thing she's carrying.
"N-nothing more for now... T-thanks for your time..." She replies, stuttering as well.
What's wrong with her...? Ah, probably nothing. Man, I'm tired...
Shiro then continues walking back towards the campus and the dorms, tired from the spar as he notices Yashiro catching up to him, tipping his pipe slightly downwards.
"So that's what being a Miyamoto is like, huh. Tell me, can your relatives or clanmates perform the same stuff you did?"
"Arts like those are passed down only to a select few... namely me and..."
Erika.
"It's okay if you don't want to tell, kid, It's none of my buisness. Well then, get some rest, and maybe clear some of the early maps, if you like. If you rush fast enough, you might be able to do the event on Easy."
"Understood." He replies tiredly.
"You seem pretty exhausted, kid. Hightail it back to the dorms, then. I'll be having a talk with them." The director says as he walks towards the two girls.
"H-he's strong... Isn't he..." The blue haired destroyer asks Tenryuu, who is exhausted from the match.
"I bet'cha even Kiso would have a hard time with him... if he uses his tricks, that is..."
"You still think that was his tricks? That was his true abilities in play, Tenryuu-san."
"B-but he said-"
"You don't understand chivalry, do you? Of course he still wants you to feel good..."
"T-that little-"
"O~hoh, still can't get over that loss, Tenryuu?" The director teasingly asks the cruiser.
"D-director!? I-it's not like that... I'm just... shocked. Y-yeah!"
"True, true. He is strong, after all. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that he's a master of swords."
"I-I'll definitely beat him... for sure!"
"You're welcome to try..."
"It seems my interests were well-placed." Says Murakumo, rubbing her chin."
"Hmm? Could it be, you have a thing for him or something?"
"N-n-no! It's nothing l-like that! I-" she coughs. "I am merely interested about his abilities!"
"Mhm." The director responds with a smile.
Meanwhile, back at the dorm lobbies, Shiro tiredly stumbles towards the elevator, exhausted after procuring one of the Hiken arts during the duel. Laying his arm on his sword once again, he leans on the elevator corner as he heads up to his floor, sleepily and all. Upon reaching his floor, he walks slowly towards his room and opens the door, unlocked despite there being nobody around. He can no longer be bothered to climb his bunk bed, and lays down face first towards the bed beneath his: Hikari's.The air conditioner left on quickly puts him to sleep face first on Hikari's pillow with his hands in an awkward position in front of him.
I'll just... wake up... soon...
Just as he lays down on the bed, he opens his eyes.
What he sees is a mere white space in front of him. Below, above, to his sides, simply white. It was as if a reverse abyss, but like it's darker counterpart, this white "void" was still filled with nothingness. Until a voice echoed throughout the void.
"Hello there." A warped, somewhat distorted but audible voice uttered, undistinguishable in gender.
Eh? Where'd that come from...?
…
Wait a minute..
"Hey, am I... dead?" Shiro asked the form-less voice.
"No you're not, silly. Why would you die? Anyways, you are inside your consciousness."
"My... consciousness?"
"Yes, well, basically, you're inside yourself."
"L-lewd." The swordsman replied jokingly.
"The fact that you made such a connection makes you lewd as well... which makes me lewd."
"Eh... huh?"
Deep shit, bro.
"Well, I am a part of you, after all. Specifically, I'm a part of you. And no, it's not deep shit, bro."
"You can read my mind, too? Well, I guess that's a given..."
"Your thoughts are my thoughts, too."
"Yeah, I kinda get it. So, why am I here?"
"Well, you woke me up, didn't you?"
"I... woke you up?"
"Don't you remember? You awakened me a few hours earlier."
"A few hours... How do I even wake up my consciousness? Anyway, I was fighting someone during that time."
"Exactly."
What...
"I can tell you're puzzled."
"I'm not even following anymore. Did I do drugs or something?"
"You're not tripping. Listen, you seriously don't remember what I am?"
"Huh, I thought you were my consciousness."
"No I'm not, I said we were in your consciousness, and I am a part of you!"
"You know... it's difficult to follow what you're saying when I can't even see you."
"... Fine."
White smoke appears in front of the standing Shiro, covering a small area near him with translucent mist seemingly coming out from nowhere. Coughing from the smoky effects, he covers his mouth and nose with his hand. The smoke slowly dissipates and reveals a black suit-and-tie clad girl with yellow hair tied in a medium-length ponytail reaching just below her well-endowed bust alongside two bangs tied with red, cross shaped ornaments. Coupled with her bluish-green eyes, she looked stunning.
"... Are you trying to be Saber or something?"
"N-no I'm not! Besides, this is what you prefer, right!? I should know! I'm a part of you! Anyway, I don't even look like Saber, you know? Try again."
I already know who you're trying to be. I know myself more than anyone, even myself. Wait, isn't that contradictory? Eh, whatever. Let me have fun with myself first.
"Wha-"
"Is there even a part of me that's this tsundere?"
"P-probably so! Since I-I'm... H-hey, wait a minute, I'm not tsun nor dere for yo- myself!"
"Glad I didn't fully adapt you, whichever part of me you are. Besides, you're character's not actually supposed to be tsundere... no wait... I think I remember something... Ah, nevermind, she was a bit tsun, after all... not to mention something else."
"You- Ah, forget it! You still haven't remembered?"
"That's what you get for trying to appear as someone I like."
"Shut it, you 2D lover, get a life." The mysterious girl retorted.
"Stop insulting yourself."
"Gah, never thought dealing with myself would be a pain."
"Hey, same goes here, besides, who would've thought that I would have a tsundere inside me."
The girl then looks at Shiro with sharp eyes.
"... What?"
"... Nothing. But when you said "inside me"..."
"Oh shit, are you getting turned on... from YOURSELF?"
"W-w-what are you s-saying, I-I'm just pointing out your mistake..."
"Hey, Selfcest isn't good."
"Wh-"
"You might get me arrested for that, you know?"
"But-"
"Do you want us both to get arrested, huh?"
"No, I-"
"Ah, just messing with you. What are you supposed to be, anyway, some sort of, what, perverted tsundere feminine manifestation of me? Hey, I don't mind, but-"
"SHUT IT!" She shouts with an undeniably loud and threatening voice, stopping Shiro's mouth in it's tracks.
"Oookay... never thought I'd be scared of myself... but yeah.. shutting up."
"But you know... you've never really changed all these years... Shiro."
"All these years... huh. You mean you've talked with me before?"
"More than that. I've fought with you before."
"Fought with me... huh?"
"Gah, do I really need to spell it out for you? I'm your sword, Shiro."
"My... sword?"
"Yes. That's why I tried to correct you when you said "inside me." I tried."
"But you said you were a part of me..."
"Indeed I am... When you first held me on that fateful day, a contract was forged. A contract between a swordsman and his sword. The sword would be then be considered as important part of a swordsman's life, sometimes even greater than his own. You could say that's a swordsman's life is his sword. Thus, me being you. Your abilities- they came from me. They are an extension of me. Your time spent practicing them using me allows you to use them, even if I wasn't the sword you were holding, but I am still there."
"Oh, you mean the stances, right?"
"Yeah, you used them earlier for the first time in a couple of years, that's why I woke up know, I've been around for quite a while now, passed down from generation to generation... but you were the only one who truly woke me up."
"W-what do you mean?"
"I do not remember much before my first awakening by you, but all I know was that I had lived my life merely as a weapon. An instrument in war. Repaired once broken, and then sent to the battle once more. However, when you held me... I felt warmth. I was more than just another sword to you... I was your friend. From there onwards, I basked in your warmth, from duels to mere acts with your friends. But after it happened... you...
"Yeah. I remember it now. The promise I made to you." Shiro chuckles. "You know, when I look back at it, it seemed absolutely childish. 13 years old, no doubt. Suffered from a pretty drastic case of chuunibyou. Those times I talked to you... I had dismissed them as delusions."
"I'll definitely treasure you... no matter what. I will die first before seeing you break, I promise in the name of the great Kurokaze!"
"Yet I broke that promise... I abandoned you after she... Erika..."
"It's okay, Shiro. Well, you still brought me when you first came in the school, after how many years of NEET life, that is."
"I had disregarded that promise as just another chuuni deal... yet..." Shiro utters, trying his best to hold back tears after remembering the time spent with his sword.
"Like I said... it's okay! Anyway... you haven't forgotten my name, right?"
"Uhh... ehh."
Shit. I totally forgot.
"Are you serious!? Well, it's no problem, I never liked the name anyway."
"What was it?"
"Don't mind that old name, come up with a new one for me, right now."
"Eh... uh... Lalatina?"
"Not fitting... Hey, you actually know who this is! Told you I wasn't trying to be Saber."
"Heh, I was just messing with you, that's all. Well, I can't come up with any good names yet. Maybe someday, yeah?"
"Aww... Okay."
"Anyway, can you only communicate with me in dreams? Or can you talk to me casually... or something?"
"I can talk to you whenever, since you've woken me up again, but I won't do it too much, or you'll get distracted."
Wait …
Wait just a fucking second...
"Are you sure this isn't just my excuse for being a fucking chuuni again?"
"Of course not! I exist, you know!"
"Swords don't talk."
"Most of them don't! I'm special, don't you remember! Ah, that's right... you've already dismissed those as chuuni delusions."
"Yeah. And? What was chuuni-me's reason about you being special?"
"It was a secret."
"Oh come on, chuuni-me got lazy and didn't even bother to come up with logically-sound bullshit explanations, huh."
"I'm telling you, I'm real!"
"How is that convincing... This is a dream, right? I'm inside my consciousness."
"Then figure it out when you wake up!"
"I will. And I'll slap myself for even believing for a second that it was real."
"You-"
How cute. My sword cannot possibly be this cute. This isn't real.
Just as the girl was about to pounce on him, he gets woken up by a slight shake that slowly increases in intensity,
"-et up... Hey, are you listening? Get up from my bed already!"
"Eh, Hikari-san, isn't it bad to disturb him while he's sleeping?"
"He should do it in his own bed!"
Shiro opens his eyes slowly and stares at Hikari, who is shaking him in an effort to wake him up. He seems to have been rolled up from his face-first position to a back-first one, facing Hikari's flustered face directly.
"How cute." Shiro accidentally lets out.
"W-w-what are you saying, you i-idiot!" Hikari shoves him away, placing him back in his face-first position as his sword rattles from the force. Noticing his blunder, Shiro comes up with an excuse in the short amount of time he has to explain himself while getting up.
I messed up, man, I messed up! Calm down... clam down... Ah! I got the right excuse for this one. Bull shit excuse abilities, activate!
"Sorry. I was sleeptalking."
"A-ah... I-is that so! W-well then! Evict yourself from my bed! Come now, come!" Hikari replies weirdly as she helps Shiro out of her bed with a hint of hastiness. The swordsman rolls out of the bed, walking towards the middle of the room while clutching his sword and placing his left hand on his forehead.
More importantly... that dream...
"Is something wrong... Shiro?" Aya asks, noticing his strange behavior.
"No... nothing." He replies as he unsheathes his katana and visually inspects it, rotating it with his wrist.
So... are you going to talk to me or what? He utters in his mind, expecting a response.
There was none.
"How cruel..." He sheathes his katana back and proceeds to slap himself with his right hand.
And here I was, actually believing that it twas real. Why am I such an asshole to myself, giving myself dreams like that.
"Is there anything bothering you, Shiro? You seem... weird today." Erina asks, a bit concerned as Aya looks on. Shuu is busy as ever, tinkering with his phone, while Hikari is hugging her pillow tightly for some reason...
"No... I'm just sleepy, and had some sort of... weird dream... I guess."
"I see... Don't hesitate to tell us if anything's wrong, okay? We're here for you."
"Yeah, I will." Shiro then sits down on one of the chairs in the middle of the room, still puzzled and pissed.
Swords don't talk.
"Or perhaps, they're simply looking for the right time to talk to you. You don't need to unsheathe me, you know? Keeping me like this is fine. We're connected through our bonds, not my hilt."
Shirou's eyes were wide open.
And by wide open I mean owl-tier wide open.
He couldn't believe what he just heard.
It's as if he had a voice in his head.
No, not like the silent advice of his conscience.
Like a real, actual, human voice. Telepathy, something like that.
One could describe it as having a hundred dolar gaming headphone inside of your head and calling someone through Skype or Vent.
Heh.
He could only utter that small laugh of his.
He was speechless.
He couldn't believe that he was talking with a sword.
His sword.
His perverted tsundere sword.
Now alll he needed was for his sword to somehow be a scientist and he would've already made a microwave time machine.
How the hell is this possible?
"Through our bonds, of course."
My curiosity tells me that there is some sort of logical explanation behind this.
"It's called the contract of a swordsman and his sword, Shiro."
No, it must be scientific.
"Can't help you with that, Shiro. I'm a sword, not a scientist."
Sometimes I wish you were.
"Why would that be?"
To complete the set.
"What set?"
The "Makise Kurisu" Set, of course. I thought you'd be able to figure it out.
"Well, I'm sorry I don't have any time machine theories! Anyways, it's harder to read your mind when you're not inside your I am not a perverted genius!"
…
"What?"
Actually you are.
"You... When you get back to your consciousness..."
While sitting in his chair, clutching his sheathed sword, Shiro uncontrollably smiles. The rest of the platoon look at him strangely as his thoughts seem to be in another world.
"Is he okay...?" Aya asks Erina, who is also a bit confused.
"I guess... Maybe he just thought of something funny?"
"Or something else." Shuu adds.
All the while, Hikari remains silent as she keeps on hugging her pillow tightly.
"Savoring the sensation, huh." Shuu teases.
"T-that's not it! It's not like it's because of him or anything! I'm just huging it! That's all..!"
"I didn't even say anything about him."
"Wha-" She then proceeds to bury her face in the pillow.
"She's lucky the guy seems to be enjoying himself, otherwise he might've noticed."
"Wouldn't she be happier if he did notice, though?" Aya asks Shuu, a bit puzzled.
"Nah, that's how tsundere-types work. It's a stereotype that I still don't understand why people fall straight right into it. Must be fate. Why can't you just be blunt and confess already?"
"Huh? W-what the hell a-are you talking a-about!?"
"Hey, I didn't say names."
"Kuh..!" She buries her face in the pillow again.
"... see?"
"You seem to have good friends."
Yeah. Just met them, but they're really nice.
"Ah, yeah, I hope you've noticed already, but they seem to be weirded out by you smiling for no reason."
Really?
"I'm serious, look at them, they're staring at you!"
Oh shit.
"They probably think you went insane or something. You forgot your composure, are you really that hyped about talking to me?"
Well, if what you said was true, then what's wrong with catching up with a friend? Of course I'm hyped. You went silent... let me guess... "It's not like I-I wanted to talk to you or anything, b-baka" time, right?
"Just what do you think of me, exactly, a full-blown tsundere?"
Well.. yeah?
"Sheesh, you don't even know your sword that well."
It's exactly because I know my sword well that I can deduce that you're a full-blown tsundere.
"Ah, whatever! I'll talk to you later, go talk with your friends already!"
Fine.
…
Everyone was staring at Shiro quite intently, trying to find out the reason why he seems to be smiling. And a pretty genuine smile at that.
Your glares hurt.
"Uhh... what's up?"
"Dude, you high?" Shuu jokingly asks, bluntly at that.
"No, I'm not... I just... remembered something."
"What a blatant lie."
Shut up, I'm making excuses here, get back in the sword.
"Anyways, have you guys eaten yet? I seem to have been asleep for quite a while."
"Nope, we just went around the school. Aya worked her final shift at the stall, since she's going to be in the school full-time." Shuu answers.
"I see... So you guys tried out the VCM's yet?"
"I'm doing it right now. First maps seem to be easy, aiming for battleship construction right now. Damn, this is killing my resources."
"Then don't do it, haha."
"But I heard from the network that I need BB's when the time comes that I have to tackle 2-4."
"The network?"
"Yeah, it's like a forum for academy students. Everyone shares fleet compositions and general tips. Apparently I'm the first first-year on it."
"Nice. Everyone should get on it, then."
"Yeah, I'll get as much info as possible, so you guys should go ahead and start the first stages."
"Alright." Shiro then pulls out his VCM, as well as the others, as they sit near eachother in a circular formation on the floor.
Meanwhile at the same time...
Rostock, Germany.
Port of Warnemunde
Naval Base Command Warnemunde – Deutsche Marine
Einsatzflottille 0 - Marine-Spezialoperationen Flottille
Z Program - Versuchsgefäße Projekt
"How's it going, Schneider?" A man, dressed in Deutsche Marine uniform asks one of the men sitting in front of a control system. The system displayed statistics, radar information, and specs.
"Ah, Herr Hans. The vessel is up and ready now. We have refueled and repaired it, as you ordered."
"Good. That boy should be satisfied with this."
"I hope you don't mind me asking, Herr Hans, but who exactly is that... boy?"
"A half-British orphan kid from Berlin. High Command took an interest in him, so he was raised in the academy."
"I see. So that's why you trust him with... this."
"Yeah. Anyways, I heard one of our convoys got sent off track, where are they right now?"
"Vella Gulf. They went off their course towards Yokosuka. They found an abyssal resupply convoy, but that's all we know for now. We lost comms."
"I see... Tell Thacht we're making a pit stop. I need him ready in 24 hours."
"Jawohl."