Author's Note: Actually I was writing this chapter as the last, but it exceeds 30 pages in my Google Doc as I continue it. In the end, I decided to split the chapter into two.

Tokyo 7th Sisters has amazing songs and good sense of humor. I need to play it more these days...

Disclaimer: I do not own Kantai Collection or any of its characters, or the songs and or poetry that I used in this fic. They belong to respective owners and credited as such. However I translate Japanese lyrics I use in this fic, unless it is stated otherwise.

This is fate, the fact that we are here
The tears that have been shed will be the evidence
That courage isn't a mere miracle

777 Sisters - Bokura wa Aozora ni Naru

Airi walked up the wooden stairs of heavy cruiser dorm slowly, listening to the creaking sound the panels made with every step. Her eyes scrutinized the condition of the place—noticing holes, protruding nails and screw, creaky panels, and other signs of dilapidation. Every single time she came to the dormitory, she had this exasperated feelings. She wished the central gave her more than standard funding. She had been waiting for her proposal—which included a long list detailing the budgeting—to be approved and it would be at least next month until the fund came. She needed it fast though. For now, with the severely tight budget all that she could do is fixing the run down destroyer dormitory, which was even worse than the cruiser dormitory. There were still missions to be cleared as well so she had been pretty much squeezing every last bit of coin they had in their disposal. She wondered how this whole place could actually run with this kind of condition. It had not even been a month since her transfer and she already felt like she had been getting 20 years older than before the time she got the position.

Arriving at the second floor, Airi once again held her sigh. Buckets were left here and there, some already half full from last night's heavy rain. What kind of shelter that needs two buckets every meter? Was that even something they could call "shelter"? But they have no fund at the moment and anyway, Airi knew that if repair happened, the repair team would mostly be males. With the current condition, it is much better to proceed solving matters one by one, or for a very obvious reason Ashigara would be by her doorstep with all her guns and ready to blast her to oblivion. Depending on Airi's own state of stress lately, getting gunned down could range from very favorable to downright sucks. Fortunately or unfortunately it seemed as the iceberg of problem this naval base had had actually shown most of its facets already, Airi would most probably tilt more on the "very favorable" side if that happened within this month.

A trip to the hospital sounds like vacation. Oh yes.

Airi finally arrived at her destination. It was still really, really early in the morning but she knew the one she was about to meet must have been awake. After all, they had been doing this every day for the past weeks. Airi knew the dog owned by the bakery by the town on the way to the naval base now identify the creaking of her bicycle.

She knocked.

- Request -

That was strange.

No reply was heard from inside the room. Airi tilted her head. It was almost impossible for Haguro to be out of the dormitory. Perhaps Ashigara was present and awake? But that was not possible since Airi had almost all heavy cruisers assigned for a mission today to make up for Haruna's absence from the fleet—she got bombed pretty bad by a Wo Class. Ashigara supposedly was sailing for a long cruise to the north.

Haguro was supposed to be in the room and alone. Airi grabbed the doorknob and turned it open.

"Haguro? I'm coming in."

The room was, as always, unchanged. Eerily so. Every single thing was still in the same position. The only difference was perhaps the breakfast wrapped by the other ships for her and Ashigara. It was still early today so that bundle was nowhere to be seen. There was also no familiar bundle of futon which was Ashigara sleeping, conveniently.

Haguro was sitting by that same chair near the window, motionless. It didn't seem like she realized Airi had stepped inside the room now. It would be really bad if she surprised her.

"Haguro, good morning."

Haguro jolted and turned back, completely surprised upon finding Airi was already in the room. She shot up immediately, bowing down several times while stumbling on her greetings.

"G-Good morning, Admiral! H-How insolent of me! I am sorry I did not notice your coming, I apologize for my absent mindedness. I am very-"

"It's alright, it's okay," Airi gave a light laughter to ease the panicking heavy cruiser. She tapped Haguro's shoulder to tell her to lift her head. "Perhaps I didn't knock hard enough. Did I startle you? I am sorry."

"N-No, Admiral, please, don't be. I am the one who should apologize. I should have been more attentive. T-This isn't good… as a warship…"

The end of her words somehow disappeared into an almost inaudible whisper. Airi watched as Haguro did what she always do when she was anxious: avoiding eye contact. As the time they spent together lengthened with their frequent meeting every morning, Airi had learned what always triggered Haguro's anxiety. Male personnel was a very obvious one, but there were also other things. Mission, orders, duty, admiral... Ashigara. Walking out of the dormitory was also among them, but for a different reason. It was not the "walking out" that actually set her back, it was the purpose and the eventual activity after going out of the dormitory. The feeling that she would be on duty, the feeling that she would be used, was what set her off.

At first, it was a puzzle for Airi to crack down the reasoning behind every reaction. Haguro was defensive and extremely unstable—especially with the fact that Airi herself was on the position that could easily, really easily, trigger her anxiety. She figured it would be so, although she was shocked when she first saw the impact of her words on Haguro in the first day of their meeting. After careful elimination and observations, she eventually understood many things. Her position, more than her gender, was the one that trigger the anxiety attack. It was quite problematic. That meant regardless that she was a woman, she could still really easily push Haguro to spiral down the wrong pathway. However, that was also the reason why she could locate the trigger immediately. Airi needed to establish a place where Haguro could emotionally identify her differently with the previous Admiral. Here, her gender did play a positive part. The stark difference was helpful.

I am different with him. I am not him. I don't ask the same out of you.

Airi noticed how slowly, really slowly, Haguro began to open herself. For one, she did not hyperventilate when Airi hugged her.

But it was still a long, very long way from "normality". Airi had been visiting Haguro everyday to talk with her, almost always asking Haguro to walk with her out of the dorm. Every day, the progress was only a few step away from the door, then only a mere few steps further. 100% of the time Haguro would be left shivering on the ground, shaking uncontrollably. However, even if she knew it might happen, Haguro never said no. She wanted to be of use, she wanted to be what she was supposed to be, but she could not. Or at least she thought she could not. This was the problem that Airi knew she should destroy. She did identify though, that just like her, Haguro wanted to be normal again. It was the only hope that Airi cling on to.

Even if Haguro asked to be scrapped, it was not because she wanted to die. It was merely because it was the best way that she thought she could serve. Someone who was so driven by the desire to die, would not have cared enough to actually help around the dormitory or even open the door for her Admiral everyday.

"What she said is right, though," Lieutenant Kouseki said one day. "Perhaps it might be better for you and for her if she is scrapped."

She felt like kicking a small screw near her right shoe. It would have relieved her a lot.

"I refuse to acknowledge it. She still wants to live, Lieutenant. I don't think dying was her real intention. I don't want to scrap a soul just because she feels useless. There is still so many things in life. If I scrap her, I scrapped two souls. I don't—I don't want that to happen when we can still strive for something else. Especially because I know that she actually wants the same outcome just as I do."

"What if kindness hurts, Admiral?"

Airi put her hand on Haguro's head and patted her gently, which made the heavy cruiser blushed and shyly looked at her. Haguro seemed uncertain, even if it was clear that she was happy with the gesture.

"What if to be cruel is kindness?"

Her eyes, they were so honest and innocent. Airi knew she was very very fond of her.

"... Admiral?"

"How are you today, Haguro?"

The heavy cruiser seemed uncertain again. She drew herself back. Airi instead took both of Haguro's hand, holding them gently. This had happened so many times and she had repeated the statement countlessly. However, she knew that repetition, was the only thing she could do.

"It's okay. It's okay, I want to listen."

The heavy cruiser looked troubled, just like every time whenever Airi asked her how was her day or her condition. They had this little promise, that for this one question, she would not lie. It seemed Haguro herself realized just how troubling actually not lying about her condition was. She was too used to say that she was fine for someone else. They were used to push themselves down for someone else.

"Would you rather not say it to me right now?"

In their promise, if Haguro said no, then Airi would not ask either. She knew pushing would not be good. Some days they only spent time sitting by the chair, enjoying tea. Haguro may or may not talk. The whole process was emotionally exhausting, something which Airi soon realized. However, she tried to be positive, also for Haguro's sake. It kept her own sanity intact as well. Every single 'how are you' count, every single step forward away from the dormitory count. All the wait and patience for everything that Haguro said made every talk felt so rewarding. Also those eyes. Those kind, honest eyes, when they sparkled, they were so beautiful. All of those, it was enough.

Today Haguro seemed to think hard. Airi patiently waited, understanding the trouble she saw in the heavy cruiser's eyes. It was never easy for the one before her.

"I…" her voice was a mere whisper, but it was clear she tried. "... I am not alright."

What happened next was not something Airi expected.

Tears. Confused tears welled up in Haguro's eyes. Those tears, they were different. Usually even if she was not alright, she wouldn't cry right away. Her tears usually happened only when something triggered her anxiety. For now, Airi knew these tears were not of anxiety. Something else happened, outside of their normality.

Airi gently put her hand on Haguro's face, which prompt the tears to flow even more freely. She noticed, other than moving her eyes down, Haguro did not pull away. The heavy cruiser welcomed her.

"Do you want to talk about it, Sweetheart?"

Haguro's hands were trembling, touching Airi's by her face. Uncertain. Again, it was question of her will, not imperative command.

"Upon finding themselves in a position where they have to decide on their own, it is more foreign for them than it is for us. It will be harder for them than it is for us."

It took more than several seconds for the answer to finally come.

Slowly, Haguro nodded.

XXXX

"Should we slow down?"

Choukai had been saying that numerous times already. Their fleet had been moving through the northern waters nonstop all night, blasting through a night battle and meeting with Kongou's convoy at the predetermined location. They changed the fleet formation according to what the Admiral had told them, and now headed towards the next destination. Kaga's scout confirmed that the enemy was around the perimeter. Regrouping as a combined fleet, they sailed again in a larger convoy.

"N-Nagato-san…"

"We don't need to, Choukai," Ashigara let out a grunt, holding a wound by her stomach. The heavy cruiser shell from last night ached. She got into medium damage for shielding Nagato, who was too busy exchanging fire with a Ta-class battleship to notice that a shell from a Ne-class aiming after her. However they needed to get together with Kongou's fleet immediately and reorganize the convoy, or Kongou would have to proceed without escort fleet, and without Nagato. Thankfully they managed to get to the location on time.

Choukai looked at Ashigara worriedly. It was not only because of the wound. Ashigara seemed to be quite unfocused since yesterday's briefing. She was easily agitated and clearly emotionally unstable. No one said anything however. Or perhaps purposely avoiding the subject.

"We are five knots faster than what would have been adequate to get to the destination on the predetermined time," Choukai raised her glasses. "According to my calculations…"

"Choukai, it's okay," Ashigara raised her volume. "I am not a weakling."

There was an echo of "I will take victory" as the cruiser's signature phrase but it disappeared in her grunt. Choukai glanced at Nagato, who sailed beside Kongou and Kaga, now as the main fleet. The battleship only returned her gaze.

Choukai grimaced but said no more. She could only hope the mission did not end badly. It would be a few more minutes until they had to report to the Admiral again.

Behind her, she could hear Kagerou sighed. At least she was not the only one having bad feelings about these whole thing.

XXX

"Am I not your sister, Haguro?"

The statement went on and on in her head, repeating endlessly. Ashigara did not come back after then and Haguro was left alone, sitting on the floor for who knows how long. Ashigara had rarely, if ever, cried in front of her sister. The tears, even more than the slap, confused and hurt Haguro like nothing she had ever experienced before.

She was wrong.

She had done something horribly wrong, but she did not understand why or how to fix it. And now she was getting increasingly confused. If having herself scrapped hurt her sister that much, what should she even do anymore? Existing was wrong, erasing herself was wrong, she didn't know what was right anymore.

All that she wanted, was for her sister to be happier.

Now with the Admiral sitting beside her, she once again did not know what to do, or even whether asking the admiral to hear her was right. The Admiral even insisted on being the one who served her tea, saying that serving tea made her relax. The tea warmed Haguro, it was delicious, but as she sipped it, she knew no amount of thank you would be enough to actually convey her feelings.

Haguro did not understand Admiral Tendouji at all. She knew the Admiral must be waking up really early to visit her every day, and from what she heard from the others she still took care of missions and everything else. Why would she even do all of this, why would she even spend time for a scrap metal like her? Even if Admiral Tendouji said that she had every intention of keeping Haguro, this Haguro, Haguro did not understand why. She was supposed to be their superior, she should not take care of… petty things such as a heavy cruiser that could not even go out of the dormitory. Yet she did. And the length of what she was willing to do for this useless heavy cruiser was beyond anything Haguro could ever imagined.

She was not a figure of an admiral anymore. Admiral Tendouji never exactly represented herself as one. She was something beyond that, something closer, something warmer. Calling her Admiral lately felt strange, because for Haguro essentially she wasn't one. At least not the admiral that Haguro knew before. Thus, when Admiral Tendouji asked her, always so gently, if she was alright, it was getting harder to not tell her the truth.

It was getting harder to not tell her everything.

The sky was turning from black to blue.

"I told… Ashigara-neesan… about the scrapping…"

Beginning always been hard. However, once she looked up and found the attentive eyes of the Admiral, her heart tightened and everything seemed like on the edge of spilling.

Help me. Help me.

And she told the Admiral everything. Although she hesitated if it would be alright to begin with her crying after their session near the door, she eventually decided to begin with that. The Admiral was sharp and intelligent, not telling her the truth would be futile and against what they had promised. After stumbling over the part of her crying—hesitating on describing her feelings, especially since it concerned their walking out session—everything just flowed. Her panic and the broken eyes of her sister, her sister's outburst, the slap… and the eventual words. The Admiral listened without interrupting, patiently waiting whenever Haguro needed her pause. After the statement, Haguro was left staring at her own cup of tea with her hands shaking, watching it blurred with her tears.

"I have never seen Neesan like that," The tremor of her hand worsened. There was this large, dark pit in her heart the moment she saw her sister cried. Something was broken and lost, something she never realized it existed until after it shattered. "I have never seen her so... I don't know, Admiral, I.. N-Neesan never cried. Neesan never… even for once... She…"

The tremor turned uncontrollable, with the tea almost on the verge of spilling.

"Do you seriously think I will be happier?"

I am sorry I am sorry I am sorry

"Am I not your sister, Haguro?"

Neesan, I am sorry, Neesan.. No I didn't mean it that way, I don't understand, Neesan, I am sorry..

She wanted to say that, but she was afraid. She was afraid even meeting her sister would only hurt her sister even more. She was afraid doing something would just make things worse. But erasing herself won't even help then what is there... She did not even know what was it in her life worth keeping anymore.

The Admiral put her hand on Haguro's trembling ones, saying nothing as Haguro looked down, shaking on the verge of tears. Gently, the admiral took the tea cup and placed in on the table. These tears were of sickening disgust she felt to herself. What kind of being had she turned into now? She had ruined everything. She even hurt her own family.

"You know, Haguro? I have a younger sister."

It was sudden. Haguro slowly looked at her admiral, seeing her smiling. The Admiral gave a reassuring press to Haguro's hand by her lap, before letting go and folded her arms. A story was coming, and Haguro suddenly realized that she knew nothing about her Admiral, who had been listening to her all these times.

"Her name is Shiori," The Admiral continued, her voice calm. There was a trace of smile in her words. "'Shio' of tide, and "ri" of jasmine, like mine. Too bad I can't show you her face now since I don't bring my wallet, but I always bring my family's photos around."

It almost never occured to Haguro, that her Admiral did have a family of her own. Human did have family they grow up with.

"My sister is kind, very kind. One day, she went back home holding her head. She was with her older brother, who is my younger brother, Shouhei. Hmmm? Ah yes, Haguro, I am the eldest of three siblings. Anyway, Shouhei also only then realized what she did. I asked her what's wrong and she said it's nothing. Only when I told Shouhei to go take bath first, that she was finally willing to show me. Do you know what I saw? Blood."

"Eh?"

The Admiral shook her head with a rather exasperated smile.

"I was shocked. There was wound by her head and she had been pressing that all these time. She fell to the ground when she was trying to get up on a pole in the park and Shouhei didn't see that happened. I was mad, really mad. But when I was fuming and about to shout at Shouhei in the bath, she said, 'don't tell Oniichan.' I was like, 'what are you saying?! I have to tell Shouhei'. And she replied, 'Oniichan was playing so happily. It wasn't his fault. He will be sad. Please don't tell Oniichan.'"

"I am fine, Neesan."

"But we can't hide a gash that big on her head, and Shouhei knew after his bath. When he knew what happened, he turned bright red and said, "Why didn't you tell me?! I could have gone home sooner!" to Shiori and looked so distressed. Shiori did not mean to anger both of us, nor if what she did was actually harming any of us. However, what she did was exactly what makes us felt angry the most. Ah, no. Perhaps anger was not the right word. Perhaps… "frustration" or "distress" were the right word."

Ah. Haguro blinked. Sudden memories flooded her and right then her throat hurt.

Ashigara's eyes turned broken. Yet she smiled, brushing away Haguro's tears.

"Is this something you don't want to say to me again?"

The Admiral took Haguro's hand gently and looked deep into the heavy cruiser's eyes, cutting off the train of thoughts right when tears started to build in her eyes again.

"It's not that what you did is wrong," The Admiral pressed her words, tugging Haguro when the heavy cruiser shook her head and drew away. It's wrong. She leaned closer. "Sweetheart, wrong is not the right word, I don't think so. You meant well, just like Shiori meant well. Us siblings understand that. Just as much as Ashigara wants to protect you, you want to protect her. You know, Haguro, it's just that, as siblings, we want to help, we want to know, we want to be… needed."

"Haguro! Haguro, it's me. It's me! What happened, what's wrong?"

"That is just what siblings do, Haguro. We stick together, and when we do, we open ourselves to each other. Yes, happiness is nice to share but sadness is also something we share together, because we want to be there for each other."

"Is there anything wrong, Haguro? What happened? Did anyone-"

"I am alright, Neesan."

"That is why we're hurt when we don't know if our siblings are in pain. Just as much as you would love to help your sister, your sister wants to help you too. For a family, helping is never a burden, but pleasure. Because being together in times of needs, is exactly what brings us family closer."

"Am I not your sister, Haguro?"

"That is just what family is."

Ah.. I... I understand now...

Now everything made sense.

Her sister was in pain and it was not because she was burdened by her, but because she felt discarded off her sister's life. Because of all the push. All the secrecy. All the silence.

"I am fine, Neesan."

But what could she do?

"Do you seriously think that I will be happier?"

It's scary and confusing. Hesitation and uncertainty were all she could see over her situation.

"Your sister loves you."

"Am I not your sister, Haguro?"

"Trust her."

Trust.

The Admiral was here beside her. This Admiral was not the previous admiral… If it's her, perhaps.. she would know…

Trust.

Choking back her fear, Haguro's voice trembled when she slowly spoke, ".. then what should… I do, Admiral?"

The brown eyes turned gentle, with a glint of kindness.

Her answer turned out simple.

"Talk to her."

Haguro blinked.

"But..."

The Admiral smiled then continued, silently cutting off Haguro's question just by her gaze.

"Tell her everything. Why you're sad, why you're scared, what your sister could do for you. Ask for her help. You have no idea how happy your sister will feel just by listening to your story."

Ask… for help.

"I want to know. I want to help."

The hand that clasped hers were so warm and just by what the Admiral said, she understood another thing.

"... Just like how… you're happy... for listening to me?"

The smile that came up after her almost inaudible whisper was wide and bright. Admiral Tendouji gave a firm node and a gentle press on her hand, "Precisely."

"Even if you're not my sister…?"

The Admiral laughed heartily. She patted Haguro's head gently.

"Haguro, dear, you are my responsibility," She said kindly. "I am your admiral. I have responsibility over you, over your sister, over Choukai, over everyone in this base. I do believe, in my heart, that you and everyone else, deserve emotional security."

Emotional… security? What a foreign word. There had never been a single chance since the time of her construction, where someone told her what her rights was. Actually no one in the base had ever told them ship girls that they deserved something like emotional security, or even regarded them as having it. Now that Haguro thought about it all, what she had been confused of all these times were this things called emotions. Was it not something they needed to discard?

"Isn't that... Unnecessary? Don't you feel of it… as a burden, Admiral? Taking care of us… for these things…"

The admiral raised her eyebrows. She straightened her stance, seemingly trying to find words to explain.

"When I choose something to do, Haguro, I am determined to do my best in it," Her voice was firm and confident. "I am determined to give my heart in it. In the end, for me, every bond that I manage to make with each of you, is a progress. A progress in my job, my capability as an admiral, and myself as a person. And that, Haguro, gives me emotional satisfaction."

She paused. The admiral slightly tilted her head, closing her eyes to think of what she would say next. After a while, she looked into Haguro again.

"Although, Haguro, above all," she smiled. "As a person, I just want to help. That is just want I want to do, and I am happy doing it. I am sure you feel the same as you lined up those buckets by the hall, as you tend to the garden, or help around the base. That same feeling of contentment, is what I pursue. That is why you can tell me anything. Tell me what is in your mind, or request me something. It will make me really happy. Did I make myself clear, my dear?"

A warm feeling spread on Haguro's heart, through to her body. The same contentment. Right, it made her felt good when she made herself useful, it made her felt rich. It made her felt that her life had meaning.

"Yes, Admiral. Thank you very much for explaining."

The Admiral's gentle gaze and kind smile were heartwarming. Everything would be alright, they somehow made her feel. No matter what happened, she would have a place to go back. She would have a place to turn on to.

"That is good," She laughed again, and followed with another head pat. The gesture now felt familiar, and it ached, so much that Haguro unconsciously gripped her hands together to contain the sudden stab in her heart. The gesture, and the feelings that accompanied it now, reminded her of something else.

Her older sisters used to pat her head exactly the same way.

"I believe for Ashigara, it will be even more of a joy if you talk to her, My dear." The Admiral's voice made Haguro opened her eyes and looked into the brown eyes again. She continued solemnly.

"After all... she is your big sister."

She is.

Haguro closed her eyes. A warm feeling enveloped her, and she knew to whom it was directed to.

Someone who was always there for her, who always cared for her the most.

She always is.

The warm feeling gave her strength, something that was strong enough to get her to admit the one thing that had always been the reason of all of her silence and pain.

For this once, she was the one who gripped the Admiral's hand.

"... T-t-time…"

The Admiral quickly turned to look at Haguro, finding the heavy cruiser trying as hard as she could to look at her superior in the eyes. Her hand suddenly shook.

"Yes?"

Realizing that her Admiral now had all of her attention on her, Haguro's face turned paler and she jolted. Even if her hand remained shaking-even more violently, the heavy cruiser pushed herself.

"D-Do you… have a bit more t-t-time... A-admiral?"

I… did it.

A request, from Haguro. The first request ever from her that came without being baited at all. It needed all courage in Haguro to ask her superior, to be selfish for once in her life. She knew the Admiral had a ton of things to do, and that she might have asked something incredibly selfish but for this once, she wanted… to admit that she needed help.

The glint in the Admiral's eyes, however, calmed Haguro down. That glint showed happiness.

I want to know. I want to help.

Giving a kind smile and a gentle tap, the Admiral answered lightly, "Sure. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Haguro bit her bottom lips and looked down.

"I… I w-w-want to…" her voice came out as a mere whisper, but she tried. She had to. "I… I want to.. tell you w-what happened t-t-that day."

That day.

The shaking got even more violent. Flashes started to blur her eyes and she went back again, to that time.

"... a-and how disgusting I am, Admiral."

XXX

Lieutenant Kouseki Heishi stood by the door of the factory with scrap metals in his hands, jaw dropping. What was before him, was quite a sight to see.

Her back on him, Admiral Tendouji was kicking a funnel part on the ground over and over and over. Or more like stomping on it, making a dent on a supposedly strong steel.

Just from the sight of her back Lieutenant Kouseki knew that her face must have looked quite scary. The Admiral always seemed composed and mild most of the time. The only thing he remembered about her losing control was her crying at the first time of their meeting, when she was hitting her back to the factory wall to stop her tears. That time, the main feature that he remembered was anguish and frustration but this time, what he saw was rage. Pure, boiling rage.

With all their talks together, it was enough for the Lieutenant to know that his superior had a rather high tolerance over annoyance, anger, and even sadness. She was reasonable, calm, and rational—albeit could be quite sarcastic when annoyed. Seeing her feature in this way was quite a shock.

He would not dare stepping in when his superior was fuming with rage like this. Especially not in the morning. Like they say, when a kind person is mad, it must be something worse than what regular people could tolerate. Perhaps it really was better to just step in again and...

Just when the lieutenant was about to go in again, the admiral's familiar voice suddenly rose.

"I will propose for an amendment on the constitution!"

She spoke surprisingly clearly, in control.

She had stopped stomping on the funnel and now stood straight, both hands clenched on her side. When she turned around to face the lieutenant, her hair swung-a curtain of black that glinted under the morning sun.

There was fire in her eyes, a determination. Her breathing was slightly harsh from the exertion but it was clear that however explosive her rage had been, it had settled into whatever it was burning in her eyes.

The mechanic could not say anything, finding his body frozen under her gaze.

"The ship girls are sentient being and deserved to be protected as such."

Her next words sounded bitter.

"And I will make sure that happen."

- To be Continued -

Hopefully soon.

Also, that story about Admiral Airi's family? It was based on a real story of an idol I admired.