Chapter 4: Red and Blue

Takeda Hajime had just finished filling out his seventeenth requisition form for the day when the door to his office swung open.

A pale face with tall, non-human ears peered around it. Seeing him, she walked in.

Takeda glanced up. "Ah, Ayanami. Feel free to walk in without asking for permission."

"I already have," she pointed out. "Shikikan, Akagi and Kaga are fighting again."

He sighed. "I'm not going to deal with this. They need to start settling their differences like adults."

"Okay," said Ayanami as she closed the door.

Takeda had just bent down to start requisition form number eighteen when there was the massive thump of an explosion somewhere outside. Plaster fell from the ceiling as the building shook.

Takeda blinked. "Er, Ayanami?"

The door opened and she peeked back in. "Yes, shikikan?"

"What exactly do you mean by fighting?"

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A Zero made of red fire shot by overhead, making Takeda involuntarily duck. Ayanami followed behind him, apparently serene. Another fighter chased the first, a sound like ripping cloth dopplering past him as the pursuing plane's machine guns fired.

Takeda gritted his teeth and continued to run, topping a small hill and looking down into the harbor.

The air was full of fire. Flickering red from Akagi, standing with a nonchalant air on the water near the docks. Pure blue from Kaga, her face set in intense concentration. As he crested the hill, he saw a formation of dive bombers swooping in to attack Kaga. She flicked her wrist and flak burst around the aircraft, shattering it. Then she shouted wordlessly, extending her arm. Takeda caught a glimpse of her mask before it abruptly burst into flame.

Light flared, and a massive white fox suddenly stood in the middle of the harbor. He caught a glimpse of Kaga behind the fox- which was built more like a wolf- her face hidden behind her mask. The fox snarled at Akagi, who merely glared at it.

"That's the best you can do?" shouted Akagi.

It seemed pretty good to Takeda. He started backing down off the hill. Before he could get out of sight, the fox spun to face him. Eyes crackling with blue fire narrowed.

"I did not know she could do that," he muttered. He locked eyes with the gigantic fox, continuing to back away.

"What are you doing?" Kaga's voice made him turn to look at her. The carrier was glowering at her summoned fox spirit. "Attack her!" She pointed toward the other end of the harbor, at Akagi.

Takeda's momentary inattention was all the spirit needed. It lunged forward, knocking Takeda to the ground. He rolled to one side as it snapped at him, barely avoiding the thing's razor sharp teeth.

Kaga's eyes widened as she suddenly saw Takeda. "Shikikan!"

He pulled his pistol from its holster and fired uselessly at the fox. He knew it couldn't do any real damage, but maybe it would distract it a bit. "Kaga! Get rid of this thing!"

She frantically gestured, then again as Takeda rolled away from a paw that crashed down onto the hill. "I can't! I just learned this technique!"

The next blow grazed Takeda's shoulder, sending him sprawling across the grass. He looked up to see the fox's slavering mouth only a few yards above his head.

So this is how it ends, he thought to himself. Eaten by a gigantic fox made of blue fire, summoned by the personification of a warship. At least it's unique. He debated whether it was better or worse than filling out requisition forms.

The fox's eyes suddenly widened, and then the blue fire was replaced by red. The fire spread, ripping through the creature. The fur turned red, then insubstantial, then dissolved into smoke which quickly dissipated.

Through the smoke came a figure. Her dress flared around her as she skimmed across the water, then hopping nimbly onto the shore. "Are you all right, shikikan?" Her soft voice dripped with condescension.

He stood up, dusting off his uniform. "I'm fine." He bowed to her. "Thank you, Akagi."

She made a dismissive gesture. "I did nothing deserving of thanks. It is my duty to protect you, shikikan." She turned to glare at Kaga, who was running up with a chastened look on her face. "Even from your careless subordinates."

Kaga ignored her, coming to a stop in front of Takeda. She bowed deeply. "I offer my humblest apologies, shikikan."

Still breathing heavily, Takeda looked between them. "All right. What was it this time?"

"Shikikan?" said Akagi innocently. "What do you mean? We were merely training-"

"Training." He turned and looked at a bomb crater that the tide was slowly filling with water. "Live fire training, I presume."

Kaga's face was red. "Um, yes."

"Against one another."

"It adds to the-"

He interrupted her. "Do you know what they call live fire training between two people?"

Akagi and Kaga exchanged glances. "Dedication?" offered Akagi hopefully.

"Combat." He shook his head. "What is with you two?"

They both looked down. "Sisters fight," mumbled Akagi.

"Not with 500 lb bombs, they don't!" He thought about it. "Well, maybe in America," he conceded. "But this is Japan. I expect you to maintain decorum."

"I apologize, shikikan," said Kaga deferentially. "I am shamed by my conduct."

Takeda looked expectantly at Akagi, who met his gaze defiantly. "I will not-"

She was interrupted by a quiet voice. "Akagi."

They turned to see a small girl making her way up the hill. "You will apologize to the shikikan."

Akagi spun to face the girl. "But, Nagato-"

"Apologize. Now."

She clenched her fists and turned to Takeda. "I apologize," she bit out. She gave enough of a bow to avoid being entirely insolent, and then turned and walked away.

Nagato looked at Kaga. "Go back to the dorm," she said, her voice still quiet.

Kaga bowed deeply and hastened away.

The man and the warship stood for a moment, wrapped in silence broken only by the cawing of gulls.

"I am sorry for my subordinates' poor conduct," said Nagato at last.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do." She turned to face him, looking up at his face. "We agreed to follow your commands, shikikan. And I am the only one that Akagi will listen to. So, in a way, I am responsible for her."

"She used to listen to Amagi," said Takeda quietly.

Nagato nodded. "But Amagi is no longer here." She started to walk away, then looked over her shoulder at him. "And that is the problem."

He stared after her, then looked onto the waves. They were deceptively peaceful, lapping against the shore.

"Shikikan."

He jumped, whirling around. "Ayanami! Don't sneak up on me like that."

She said nothing, just cocked her head inquisitively.

"You could have helped, you know," he said, looking at a tear in his uniform shirt.

"You seemed to be doing fine."

"I seemed to- were you paying attention at all?"

She shrugged. "You're still alive."

He sighed. "Not sure for how long, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I have three more requisition forms to go."