Chapter 22: You In?
"Did the two of you have fun with my nephew?" Shikikan's uncle pulled over at the airfield.
"Yes," Enterprise answered. "The both of us did."
A smile of satisfaction crept upon his uncle's face, turning towards Shikikan who is trying his hardest to pass the time. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to your new friends?"
"H-Huh?" Shikikan stuttered. "Yeah, I will… I'll see them off as well, so please wait for me."
His uncle let out a playful chuckle. "I guess you became a better person after all."
"Don't get so full of yourself," Shikikan retorted, shooting him a sharp glance. "It was out of my own decision, not because of what you have said."
"Heh– A thing that you should know about him, he can be a major–" Shikikan aggressively threw his balled-up jacket at his uncle, dropping off his face and shutting him up.
"Shut it, old man!" Shikikan exclaimed. "Your comments about me will only make me look less superior to them!"
"Yes, yes," his uncle teased. "Go on now. You only have around two hours before your flight."
The three exited the vehicle, the trunk hatch released itself, allowing for Shikikan to extract their luggage. Although the luggage was much heavier than that of his own, he had little to no issue carrying it for them. After a little bit of back and forth with the kansens and himself of carrying their luggage for them, the two reluctantly agreed having not been able to convince him otherwise.
Immediately as they were about to take their leave, Shikikan's uncle called out. "Please take care of him!"
"I swear to god I will kick him out of the car when we start driving again," Shikikan murmured, making an effortless attempt to suppress his murderous intent.
"Do you perhaps hate him for his attitude?" Takao inquired lightly.
"More than anything of him. He used to drink a good amount but dropped it when he was given the responsibility to take care of us since my mother died," Shikikan responded, sighing softly. "But ever since then, he has gained this attitude ever since I have made friends."
"Is he always like this?" Enterprise questioned.
"No… He is either in the living room or his room entertaining himself," Shikikan answered.
"Then he must care a lot about you."
"Excuse me?"
"He only has this persona when he sees you with your friends correct?"
"Yeah…" Shikikan spoke sheepishly.
"He tries his best to keep your friends close."
"Somehow, I doubt that. That man was never like this. My mother always described him as serious, valiant, and takes none from anybody," Shikikan sighed, dipping his head slightly. "Maybe he just has to go back to drinking."
"Or maybe he is just really worried about you," Enterprise argued. "He is trying his best for you it seems."
"Even if he is, he doesn't seem to care that my sister is in a living hell. He hasn't done anything for her when we relied on her the most."
"Maybe you aren't taking him for granted?"
"I'd doubt it," he shook his head, carefully dropping their luggage. "You two know what to do when we get back, correct?"
"Yes," Takao didn't skip a beat. "Enter the base. One of the guards will escort us inconspicuously and return us home to our family as if nothing happened."
"...And?" Shikikan waited for another assumption.
Enterprise was swift to answer. "And if anyone suspects us for being missing, question them first. If they are a close friend, make a valid excuse."
"I expected nothing less from you two," Shikikan smiled.
"Is it really necessary to lie, Shikikan? This just seems wrong," proclaimed Enterprise.
"Don't question it," Shikikan assured. "It will save all of us the effort to explain everything. Especially for me, you know how Akagi can be if she finds out."
"If you say so…"
"Hello," a man intervened.
"Who are…" Shikikan stammered. "Oh… you are Cor–ri… correct?"
"It's Connor sir," he rebuked softly. "Can't even remember my name the first time."
"Is there a problem?" Shikikan said in a passive dreadful way.
"What? Nothing! Nothing at all," Connor persuasively refuted. "I just said my name is Connor, that's all."
"Right… Connor. I'll be counting on you, so please get them safely on board," Shikikan requested of the man.
"Right, sir!" Connor immediately got to work, carrying the kansens' luggage. "This way."
"I'll see you both at the base," Shikikan waved. "Have a safe flight."
"You too," they both waved while making a slow retreat for their plane.
A short while after, Shikikan was dropped off at the airport entrance. Unloading all of his belongings didn't cause much of an issue but his uncle persisted in helping outright.
"Hey… nephew," his uncle called.
"Yes?" Shikikan, unloading the last case.
"You know that thing you wanted… the one that can help her?"
"Yeah… you said you would give it to me after I hung out. Now give it to me"
"I know… but is it really necessary to pawn it? It isn't worth much and I want you to keep it until that day comes."
"When that day comes. I want my sister to be there first. Right now, there is no time to fiddle my feelings."
"But she needs to give consent as well for the procedure, correct?"
"She will wake up when I am almost at that point," he assured. "I'm sure of it."
"If you say so," his uncle shook his head. "I wish the best for you, Shikikan."
Shikikan thanked his uncle, grabbing a hold of his suitcases, bidding him farewell. "Goodbye. Also, if you are wondering where your ball of fur is. The neighbors are taking care of it."
"You couldn't have just taken care of her yourself?" He scratched his head.
"No," Shikikan turned. "I just didn't feel like it."
Shikikan outstretched both of his arms in the air, stretching out his back as he arced it slightly to undo any knots and cramps all while sitting himself. His co-worker Claire had already swiftly scooped him up in her swamp green jeep, slowly making their inevitable return back to base. Though she had nothing to say to the commander, her face was rather pensive, occasionally stealing glances back at him.
It was rather a peculiar kind of behavior for her to seem distracted. Most of the time she would be straightforward, serious, lacking emotions sort of like Sheffield. She wasn't one to get involved in drama or gossip but it was mostly because there was a serious lack of action or outside contact considering she is practically working on the island twenty-four seven.
In an act of curiosity, Shikikan reached out to her. "Hey… is there a problem?"
"No…" she answered, her tone alone made it clear there was a disturbance.
"Did something bad happen when I was gone?"
"No– well actually yes… It's a bit complicated," Claire leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on the wheel. "There was a whole fleet of new kansens that joined. All but one of them is a bit… off is a light way to put it."
Shikikan's eyes widened at the news. "Is there another person that can summon kansens?"
"No, I wasn't entirely enformed by the news of the new one. But news spreads fast in the base, especially that self-made news reported Aoba picking up on the slightest trail for a scoop."
"Then what is it?"
"I only heard this from others and a little from Aoba's story. Something about a Frankenstein's monster type of kansen. I don't know, that doctor can be a bit hard to pin down," she resumed her previous position as the light turned.
Claire has Shikikan's attention. "Frankenstein? As in she put together some kansens parts together and revived it?"
"Like I said. I don't know entirely. I just know that have met a few of them after I and a few other guards had to guide them to a small meeting with several ambassadors and top donors to observe. I didn't start questioning anyone as it wasn't my job to do so, but I'm telling you now, Commander Shikikan. Try your best to, um… pressure her too much"
Shikikan was both perplexed yet curious of the news, but he didn't further interrogate his colleague when a distinguishable notion of fear and vex in her eyes. There wasn't much distance left between them and the base, further fueling his curiosity of what Claire is talking about, having to forget all other important promises he has made.
Having passed the checkpoints and gates, a small crowd of people has gathered at the parking lot, voices hovering in the warm air as it died down upon Shikikan stepping out of the jeep. When the crowd died down, all of their undivided attention was now focused on Shikikan as he observed the crowd's contents. The group mostly consisted of familiar faces such as maids, a few members from each faction. Naturally, they all welcomed him back for his safe return;
"Welcome back master," Belfast curtsied. "Should I take your belongings to your room?"
"Yes," Shikikan nodded. "Bel, I'm going to keep you around if you can. These new kansens…"
"Certainly master," Belfast bowed. "Sirius, Dido. Please carry the master's belongings to his quarter."
The two responded, unloading his luggage from the jeep.
Shikikan turned his sights towards a small huddle of new kansens that he has been eyeing since he had stepped out.
They weren't anything that would stand out from the other shipgirls; one oni ship with purple hair and white uniform, a red-haired woman dressed in a general uniform and carrying a hidden cane sword supposedly, a sky blue-haired maid wearing a bubbly smile and wielding a red trident, another blue-haired woman with heterochromia eyes of red and blue, a weary-looking gray-haired woman with bright red eyes with a spear the shape of a cross, and finally a pinkish haired woman smiling innocently clad in black and red decorated with several iron crosses.
"So…" Shikikan began. "You are all the recruits that the doctor made?"
"We all are made to serve you," the gray-haired woman got on one knee. "I was made by god's will to serve justice to your enemies, my prophet. It is an honor to be in your presence."
"Enough with the formalities," Shikikan interjected. "State your names and faction."
"Saint Louis of the Iris Libre, I am your spear to wield on the battlefield."
"The Royal Navy's large light cruiser Neptune and I shall see to that you won't forget my name~ Indeed, I am pleased to be of service."
"Battleship Izumo, reporting in. So you are the highly spoken commander everyone is bustling about… You don't look as reliable as I would have thought. No matter, do anything that will slow me down, you won't hear the end of it."
"I am battleship Monarch of the King George V-class. To think that after being discarded to only live and breathe; how ironic… " her voice was deep and depressing. "To think that the Royal Navy needs me, they must have fallen hard to need my service."
"Such a beautiful base…" the pinkish hair woman's eyes wandered. "Oh! My name is Roon. Since we are new here, would you care to give us a tour around the base?"
"Maybe in a few hours, Roon," replied Shikikan. "How about you? What's your name?"
His eyes were glued on the blue-haired woman; deeply mesmerized by her eyes. She felt his glare lingering at her eyes, looking down shyly. "I-I'm Ibuki, is it you that has beckoned for us during our timeless slumber?"
"Slumber?" Shikikan questioned. "I don't remember seeing any of us until now. Are you sure it wasn't the crazy woman in the research lab that woke you up?"
"No, your voice sounds exactly how I remembered," Ibuki said, her head rising along with her confidence.
"Indeed," Saint Louis agreed with Ibuki. "You requested our help on a fiery battlefield did you not?"
"Fiery battle…" Shikikan scratched his head, slightly perplexed. "There hasn't been a battle in almost a year. I don't remember calling for help either in the past couple of months. Unless…"
Shikikan thought hard for a second, scrounging around in his memory of anything he had briefly remembered that was similar to their description. Crossing his arms, tapping his foot in a somewhat rhythmic click, nothing has come up.
"Sorry… I seriously don't remember anything that you have described. Perhaps something will come up once I greet the doctor, but for now…" Shikikan turned towards Belfast. "Bel, please show them around. I'll be in the lab talking to her for a bit about the recruits."
"As you wish," Belfast complied, bowing her head again. "This way please."
"Doc! Where are you!" Shikikan busted down the doors as if he were a special ops unit.
The lab was bare, quiet as a mouse. All of the lab equipment was left untouched and the test room was empty. Even the old man Bill wasn't present at his desk which was a strange sight considering he rarely leaves except for when the day is either over or out for a quick lunch run.
Shikikan slowly made his way in, swiveling his head constantly to spot anyone that was left. As he made his way deeper and deeper in, nigh-audible clicks and metallic clinking sounds can be heard from an unknown room Shikikan had never visited. When he moved closer, more and more clamoring of different tools can be picked up such as drilling and the sound of bits and pieces being welded together. Without hesitation, Shikikan pushed the doors aside where the missing geniuses put together several rows of what looked to be solid steel stasis chambers with a singular circular window on them.
A few of the workers looked over their shoulders, just to immediately dismiss Shikikan's sudden entrance. Others were too busy to greet him, their eyes fixated on completing the metal coffins.
"What are you doing here, Shikikan?" Yuubari appeared. "This place is dangerous to just pop in! Didn't you see the warning sign?!"
"Sorry, sorry," Shikikan took a step back from Yuubari's scolding. "What is going on here? And where is that doctor?"
"Corrian? She is over there," Yubbari pointed over at a woman in the corner leaning over a panel by an already completed chamber. "Right now, she is busy with– Hey wait a minute!"
Before Yuubari was able to inform the commander, he has already left in a slight rush towards her, pushing past the workers without regard for theirs or his safety.
"Dr. Corrian," Shikikan greeted.
Corrian didn't quite hear his introduction, mostly having to do with the construction surrounding her. Instead, he tapped her on the shoulder, making a startling sound upon contact.
"Eek!" Corrian shrieked. "Who– oh… welcome back?" Corrian put on the most forced-looking smile she could.
"If I have the permission, I would sucker punch you," Shikikan let out a depressed sigh. "But I will cut back the resentment a little considering how well it went. So… care to explain your Frankenstein's monsters that you have released?"
"Franken– oh… " she realized what he meant. "Those new kansens were… man-made. The cubes gave us the schematics for how to make these chambers."
"Uh, huh…" Shikikan nodded. "Didn't you say that making these priority ships cost a fortune? Considering you have created like five of them, this would add up to probably an entire nation's economy and I'd doubt every nation that contributes to this still-young organization will just give billions worth to us out of curiosity." His head neared hers in an attempt to intimidate her. "Just what did you do that has gotten us into this debt?"
She forcibly pushed his head back. "First: be at least three feet away from me. Second: We aren't indebted to several nations, but rather a several donors and a friend of mine."
"So what you are saying is that several billionaires own five of our potentially strongest navy soldiers. Are you insane?!"
"Hold on, I still haven't finished," Corrian simmered him down. "This is where my friend comes in. She can make a killing to pay off the debt. It's a bit of a gamble for what happens after, but I did the math and calculations, and our chances to for everyone to get off better than they have started– potentially…"
"This isn't some sort of underworld deal, right? I can't afford to lose my job or have the kansens stationed here become homeless over your stupid mistake."
"Course not, it is within the legal regulations."
"Then what is it that you and your friend cooked up?"
"A show," Corrian revealed bluntly.
"What?" Shikikan has completely lost her.
"A unique show will be put on. That is the most I can say."
"This isn't some weird show for weird people… right? How did any nation approve of this?"
"It isn't what you think it is. Get your mind out of the gutter. The show will be broadcasted nationwide given everything goes well. During the board meeting with the nations, they too gave their approval. Just barely."
"So what exactly is this show?"
"That is redacted, Shikikan. Wouldn't want to give out any spoilers if you intend to spread the word. Your presence will also be necessary for this game."
"I refuse to be part of your stupid games. Not after the time you have decided to go against my word."
"I have figured you would say that," Corrian sighed. "I guess you won't be getting this bonus if you participate."
Corrian had Shikikan hooked in. "How much is this bonus?"
She smiled at his interest. "Just a thirty thousand dollar check for your presence alone. Not to mention you can gain more depending on how well things turn out."
Shikikan was skeptical of the doctor's scheme, this deal was too good. "There is a catch isn't there?"
"Yes, just sign this and be prepared tomorrow," Corrian reached in one of her side pockets, in her hand is a folded piece of paper.
Shikikan snatched it out of her hand he unfolded the thing; skimming through it. The paper mostly went over standard terms like regards for ones own safety, agreement to what happens is not their responsibility, having to listen to authorities or he won't get the promised pay. At the very bottom of the terms was is the date on which the event will begin.
"February the 13th? That is about a week from now," Shikikan muttered, his head filled with several ideas of why she hid the truth. "Is there a reason why it is on this specific day right before Valentine's day? Is this some dating show that you invited me to?"
"You are being too on edge, Shikikan. This isn't a dating game," Corrian assured him. "If you suspect so much, then you have the right to refuse and I will just tell my friend–"
"I'll do it," Shikikan interrupted. "I don't know why I am getting involved with this but I can't let up some easy money that can go towards my sister's recovery."
At his response, Corrian's lips curved only for a second. "Great! Just sign that and I will get it to her confirming the filming."
"What would have happened if I refused?" Shikikan inquired.
Corrian didn't answer, further arousing suspicions of what dark secret she was hiding. Regardless, he signed it all while pondering to himself what on Earth this show can be.
Like that it is done. I won't say a word about what it is other than I am rather excited to write the next few chapters. Besides that, Happy Valentine's day.