Interlude 3, DEHYDRATED/DROWNED
Nonomi Interlude
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Good evening, Izayoi.
I have gathered all the supplies you requested.
I can deliver them tomorrow.
You Sent
Thanks, Nelson-Sensei!
I'll be there first thing in the morning.
Please stop by when you can, and we can start cleaning!
Nelson-Sensei Sent
I will try to get there as soon as possible.
This is quite the number of supplies, though.
I may need to acquire more crates.
The final crate hit the floor of the Foreclosure Task Force club room with a loud thud as Nelson set it down. The Adult stepped back even as Nonomi stepped forward to pop the lid off with her crowbar. She leaned in and took stock. Brooms, dustpans, and hand brooms were all stacked neatly atop one another.
"Yup, that's everything!" Nonomi confirmed with a nod.
"That is excellent," Nelson answered with a smile, even as her eyes scanned the various other crates stacked high throughout the room, "but I must ask, Izayoi. What is all this for?"
"It's so we can get the school cleaned up for any new students," Nonomi answered as she quickly began unpacking with a smile.
Nelson shot her a curious look even as the Adult joined her in taking the various soaps, detergents, and brushes out of the crates. "You expect there to be new Students?"
"Yup! I already asked around, and we might have enough for a full class or two starting next semester." Nonomi had spent her time supervising the community service people talking with assorted delinquents and mercenaries. A lot of them were planning to leave after they finished their sentences. She couldn't fault them. They had friends, families, and opportunities elsewhere.
But a few of them, just a bit over four dozen, had expressed interest in settling down. They all had their own reasons. Some wanted to go straight after a youth full of crime. Some had become criminals while searching for something stable. And a few were just never given the chance to be better.
Nelson laughed softly, the noise barely audible over the sound of supplies being unpacked. "It is quite kind of you to reach out to them."
"I didn't really do much to help save Abydos. Trying to see if some of them will stay is something I can do."
It wasn't like Nonomi didn't offer. She had the money to help at least get the debt bought out. But Hoshino didn't want the debt transferred from one group to another. She also didn't really like Nonomi using her gold card for the school's supplies either. So, Nonomi just did what she could to help around.
Even if it was something like seeing if any of the community service people wanted to stay around.
"I would disagree with you, Izayoi," Nelson said, the Adult's voice cutting through the steady rhythm of busywork. "You may not view it as important, but the work you do is vital. Whether it is by ensuring everybody remains in good spirits, cleaning to ensure everyone has a well-kept space to work in, or taking the time to hear out some less fortunate souls.
"I believe all those are important things that you have contributed to Abydos's efforts."
Nonomi stopped, halfway through her crate, before laughing with a smile, "I guess you're right, Sensei. I guess I'm just feeling a bit moody now that everything's changing."
"We all have our moments. Now, how about we look into getting a few of the classrooms cleaned up?"
It took a lot more work than Nonomi expected to clear out a few classrooms. Even with Nelson's help, it had taken them the entire morning and well past noon. It was almost time for afternoon tea by the time they finished.
She frowned as she felt a pang of hunger. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, and that was before they added the hard work. Now? She was positively peckish.
But on that subject…
Nonomi snuck a glance at the Adult next to her. She knew Nelson had a large appetite. Even a light meal was more than what all of Abydos combined could eat. So, if she was hungry, then she was certain that Nelson was equally famished.
"Sensei, did you have any plans after this?"
Nelson shook her head, mid-stretch, "I had intended to return to Schale, but it took us quite a bit longer to finish. I believe I will stop for lunch first before I board the train back."
Well, that was another thing that Nonomi could help with!
"Oh!" Nonomi called out as she stepped in front of Nelson, "Did you know Shiba Seki Ramen reopened?"
Nelson blinked in surprise before her expression shifted to a more amused, nostalgic smile. "I suppose I could stop by there. It has been quite a while, and I have been wondering what the old dog has been up to."
"Then let's go! It'll be my treat!" Nonomi declared before grabbing Nelson by the sleeve. Nonomi started dragging the Adult towards the exit with cheer.
Nelson frowned but didn't resist the tugging as she spoke, "It really is not necessary, Izayoi. I am more than able to pay for myself."
"Nuh-uh!" Nonomi shot down the rejection with practiced ease, the experience she had with Serika guiding her aim. "It's a thank you for bringing all the supplies and helping me!"
The Teacher sighed but let Nonomi keep tugging her along. "Very well then, lead the way."
Nonomi nodded and answered with a loud "Yup!" as she dragged the Adult along. She could hear the faint sound of an amused laugh. Maybe it wasn't as much as what the others were doing, but Nelson-Sensei was right. Sometimes getting someone to laugh or smile was enough.
Ayane Interlude
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Good afternoon, Okusora.
Are you free tomorrow?
I have the final set of sentencing paperwork to deliver, and it appears tomorrow is the only day I have available.
I apologise for having to disturb you on your weekend.
You Sent
Ah!
It's no problem, Sensei!
There's something I wanted to discuss with you too.
Nelson-Sensei Sent
Ah, excellent then.
I shall see you tomorrow afternoon at the school building.
You Sent
I'll see you then!
Ayane strained as she stretched to pull out a book from the shelf. She couldn't seem to wiggle it free even after climbing up the shelf.
"Come on," she muttered quietly to herself, even as her eyes wandered to a nearby clock. Nelson-Sensei was going to arrive soon, and she would like to be able to at least present the book to her. It was easy enough to remove yesterday, but she didn't need it at the time. Yet, somehow, it was now stuck in the bookshelf.
Unfortunately, she was so focused on removing the book that she didn't hear the door to the classroom slide open. Nor did she hear the barely audible breathing as someone walked into the room, shoes barely making a noise. She didn't realize she was no longer alone until someone spoke up from behind her.
"Do you need help, Okusora?"
Ayane did not scream from the surprise. She did, however, involuntarily leap in fright before she could remember where she was. An equally surprised "Ach!" echoed out from behind her as she soared through the air, feeling her feet leave the shelf. For a second, she was weightless as she felt herself falling backward towards the floor.
Only for her panicked cries to stop as Nelson-Sensei caught her midfall. One of the Adult's arms wrapped around her waist while the other arm casually came up to support her legs. Ayane froze as she fell into a perfect bridal carry before slowly looking up to see the blonde Teacher looking down at her with a sheepish smile.
"My apologies. I did not intend to startle you," Nelson said, the faintest tone of concern in the Adult's voice. "Are you injured by any chance?"
Ayane felt an embarrassed flush warm her face as she squeaked in response before nodding. Nelson's smile brightened before she turned to look up at the shelf Ayane had been reaching for a moment ago.
"Ah, would you need help with that?" The Teacher asked, still carrying Ayane in her arms. Fortunately, she gathered her wits enough to respond.
"It's ok!" Ayane shouted, struggling to get out of Nelson's grip as the embarrassment grew with each heartbeat, "I got it! So put me down!"
"Are you su-"
"Yes! Now let me go!"
"I can't believe I fell..." Ayane groused even as she rubbed her cheeks in vain. No matter what, the blush stubbornly clung to her face. "I'm so embarrassed I could die. You even had to catch me, Sensei!"
Nelson chuckled, an amused grin on her face. "You may find it difficult to believe, but this is not an uncommon situation for me. I would say my skill at catching falling Students has improved quite a bit."
"… Isn't that a weird thing to improve?" Ayane asked, not quite able to hold back the confused tone in her voice.
"Any improvement of skill is worth celebrating," Nelson answered with a shrug. "I have certainly used it more often than my ability to plot oceans."
Ayane mused on that. Given the Adult's nature, she wouldn't discount Nelson just literally throwing herself at any sign of trouble in her immediate area. But then again, Nelson also tended to draw attention wherever she went. She'd seen more than a few students gaping at the Adult during Abydos's visit to the Schale Club Room. She saw more than a few who were so caught up staring at the Teacher while walking that they didn't notice stairs, station edges, or other fall hazards.
Ayane shook off that line of thought. She could muse on the statistically improbable number of students that Nelson was catching another time. "Anyways, Sensei, I wanted to show you this. I found it when I was organizing the unused classroom. It looks like a novel written in an old language, but I don't recognize it."
The book in question was old, bound in old leather. The name of the book had long faded away. Ayane could only spot the remains of gold ink where the title once was. She couldn't quite understand or recognize the words, even if she recognized the letters. She offered the book to Nelson, who took it with some degree of interest. She could see the Adult scanning the cover, a single eyebrow raised in surprise. "Der Nibelunge liet?"
"You recognize it?" Ayane asked, heart skipping a beat in excitement.
Nelson nodded slowly as she opened the text, carefully flipping page to page as she spoke, "Somewhat. I am quite familiar with the version back home, but this appears to be an untranslated copy. I understand why you would not recognize the language. Even I only recognize the gist of the words." The Adult paused on a page, an amused smile slowly growing, "But it seems this version is not a match for the one I remember."
That increased the value of the book far beyond what she imagined. Nelson had told them about her homeland, but she hadn't really volunteered many details. This was a rare chance to learn a bit more. "Really? How is it different?"
"To begin with, the protagonist of my version was not a heroine named Sieglinde. Although it is curious that the reason for their quest remains the same. They both intend to wed a princess."
Ayane had her tablet out, already quickly writing down notes. "What else?"
"Well," Nelson began slowly, carefully flipping through more pages as the Adult continued to read, "this version features several edits despite being untranslated. It has removed some of the less youth-friendly scenes, although they did insert new scenes to compensate…"
The sun had set by the time Ayane and Nelson had finished going over the difference. Ayane stared at the list of notes and details that Nelson had provided and came to a conclusion. "This is… a really tragic story, isn't it?"
"It is," Nelson agreed. "It is considered one of the classical tragedies back in my home."
"Was there any point to the story if everyone ends up dead at the end?" Ayane mused, thinking of the tragedy contained between the leather in Nelson's hands. The Adult was carefully tracing the gold print on the book, eyebrows scrunched up in thought.
"There was," Nelson finally declared after a few minutes, "You should decide what to make of it yourself, Okusora, but there is always a point."
"Then what do you think the point is, Sensei?"
Nelson stared out the window at some point distant to them as the Adult hummed in thought. Slowly, Nelson answered Ayane. "I would think that it is a cautionary tale about vengeance. About how easily a person can accept and justify cruelty by pursuing it. About how one act of unkindness to avenge a dishonour will only lead to another in kind."
The Adult paused, her hand seeming to freeze in place on the cover, "About how long the chain of vengeance can reach, stretching far into the future and affecting lives well beyond the expected."
Ayane hummed, not quite in agreement or disagreement. As she looked up to give her answer, she found the book waiting for her. She looked past it and met Nelson's inscrutable gaze as the Adult concluded, "While I wonder how this ended in Abydos, it is your property. I leave this for you."
"Are you sure you don't want it?" Ayane asked, not quite reaching for the offered text, "It sounds like this is something that might mean a lot to you."
Nelson sighed before she spoke, her tone as inscrutable as her expression, "My familiarity with this text is not a fondness for it. I choose, instead, to remember that my familiarity with it allowed me to share this time with you."
The hand offering the book did not waver. Ayane took the book back after a few more seconds of hesitation. While there wasn't any change to Nelson visually, Ayane felt the air around the Teacher relax as soon as the text was out of her hands.
Well, even if the Teacher didn't want it, maybe she could sell it. It sounded like something a serious collector would want to get their hands on. But not before she scanned a copy of the text for herself. Maybe she could find one with the missing scenes that Nelson mentioned…
Hoshino Interlude
You Sent
Sensei, did you ever see any glowing fish when you were at sea?
I just found out about them in a book.
They seem really neat!
Ol' Lady Nelson Sent
I never saw them in person, although I did see many other things.
There was a colour camera on board at one point.
I wonder if I still have it.
You Sent
Oh, bring it along if you find it.
I'm gonna do another treasure hunt tonight.
Maybe we can try to take some pictures with it.
Ol' Lady Nelson Sent
I will look around. It would be a good time to inventory my holds anyway.
"Not only do they produce their own light, but they use it to protect themselves too. Isn't that interesting?" Hoshino asked, her eyes skimming over her issue of an old Natural Geographic magazine. "You would think being the only light source in a dark sea would attract predators. But if it's done as a school, then it can be intimidating instead."
Nelson hummed in thought, the Teacher's face scrunched up in serious consideration before answering, "That may be true, but that would only work if there is a reason for deep-sea predators to be afraid of such a large glowing object."
"Not really. There are plenty of big, scary things that live deep in the ocean. Predators just need to believe there's a threat before they run away."
"I suppose that is true. A predator only needs to make one poor decision to lose it all. They likely would not wish to gamble when one mistake could mean death."
Hoshino nodded in agreement, smiling sleepily as she flipped through the pages. "That's right, Sensei. Isn't the ocean inter—oh, right."
"It may surprise you, but I would agree with that sentiment," Nelson replied with a wry smile.
Hoshino smiled as well. She wasn't quite sure how much she trusted Nelson, but she did know she wanted to try. It wasn't easy, but Hoshino knew that improving rarely was. Something she hoped the Teacher was trying to do as well.
Nelson probably thought she was good at hiding it, but the Adult was awful at hiding her thoughts. Once you got to know her, it was pretty obvious when something was wrong or bothering her. She deflected and led conversations away from the subject abruptly, without explanation. It wasn't exactly subtle.
The only problem was that Hoshino didn't really know how to go about talking to Nelson about it. Hoshino was a bit better than Nelson at deflecting, but she still deflected so much. That was before just how hilariously hypocritical it was for her to try to pry into other people's problems.
So silly it was!
"OK, I think we've hung around here for long enough," Hoshino said with a half-hearted yawn. "We emptied out the storerooms last time, so we're gonna hit up the ol' annex building this time!"
A massive cloud of dust kicked up as Hoshino opened the door. She stepped back, coughing to clear her airway and to let the dust settle.
"This place could use a hefty dusting too," Hoshino said between coughs. "There's so much junk everywhere. Most of it looks like it was dumped here, so I doubt we're gonna find anything useful."
Nelson hummed in agreement, the Adult somehow managing to stay perfectly balanced amidst the piles of trash and debris. "I doubt any of these will be of use unless you know people who are in need of scrap metal."
"Ayane might know someone…" Hoshino muttered as she glanced into the next room. It was free of trash, even if it seemed stripped down. "Ready to go in?"
"As long as the floor remains intact," Nelson answered. It would have been funny if the dense Adult didn't just put a hole through a particularly old floorboard in the last classroom.
The two of them stepped through the doorway, the dust kicking up in their steps. She heard the groan of wood from behind her, along with the careful rapping of metal boots against wood. Hoshino reached up to try the light switch. Nothing answered her but clicking noises. They would be working in the dark again.
"I'll go check out the boxes over there, and you check the shelves," Hoshino called out. Nelson responded with a brief "Understood," before the two of them split up. They quietly dug through the few boxes, shelves, and lockers still in this room. After a few moments, Hoshino muttered, "I don't think I've ever been in here before. It was only used by the students before my day…"
"Before your day?" Hoshino heard Nelson ask, an amused note in her voice, "I could hardly imagine such a distant time."
"Hardy har har," Hoshino drawled, shuffling through boxes of old school books. "Lil ol' me can barely remember those days. Maybe if you try to remember when you had sails, Sensei?"
Nelson laughed quietly, the noise echoing throughout the moonlit room, "I suppose I did have a senior with sails, Takanashi. It is your victory this time."
"That's what happens when you try to mess with your senpai, Sensei," Hoshino said amidst her own laughs. Only to pause as a box by her foot suddenly shifted. "Huh? Sensei, did you hear something from this bo-"
Something suddenly leapt out of the box as she opened the lid, flying at her face. She stumbled and fell back with a panicked shout of "Arghh!" as a small fuzzy mouse sailed over her head. That itself wasn't a problem.
The problem came when Nelson reacted by shouting, "Takanashi!?" and tried to run over to where Hoshino had fallen over. The old, unmaintained wood floor held up to the pressure for one second before snapping under the force. In doing so, it caught the Adult's foot in the newly formed crater and, with a surprised yelp, sent Nelson into a faceplant on the floor.
The silence in the room was suffocating as the dust from their falls slowly settled back down. Finally, Hoshino spoke up, feeling the warmth of embarrassment on her cheeks as she tried to smile. "So, we're not telling anyone about this, right, Sensei?"
Hoshino couldn't see Nelson's face, given how the Adult was still lying face down on the floor. But she could hear the embarrassment in the Teacher's muffled voice when she responded with an exhausted, "Agreed, Takanashi."
Despite the commotion, the room was almost entirely junk. However, there was just one thing that made this trip worthwhile. One interesting item to make up for a night spent digging amongst rubbish. One thing found by Nelson, now being waved tantalizingly in front of Hoshino's face.
She stared at the faintly glowing sticker sheet in Nelson's hand before looking up at the Teacher. "Are you sure, Sensei? You found them, and finders-keepers is the rule for treasure hunting."
"I think they suit you better," Nelson answered, the Adult smiling with the sheet steadily held in her hand. "I already have quite a few memories of sea life."
Hoshino slowly took the offered sticker sheet, looking over the faintly glowing stickers. It featured various tropical fish and sea life. There was something faintly uplifting about how the stickers had been here, this entire time. Glowing and just waiting for someone to notice them.
"Thank you, Sensei," Hoshino finally said with a faint smile.
"What do you plan to do with them?"
Hoshino harrumphed in pride as she puffed out her chest. "I'm gonna put them on my ceiling! That way I can look up at them when I'm lying in bed at night."
Nelson paused, tilting her head in thought, before laughing a short peal of amusement. "That certainly is a scene to imagine. But there is one more thing."
Hoshino watched as the Teacher focused. A photo album suddenly dropped into Nelson's hand after a moment. She quickly flipped through it and then, seemingly satisfied, flipped it over to present to Hoshino. "I found the camera."
"Uhee?" Hoshino cried out, stepping back, "Then…?"
Nelson nodded with a faint smile. "Photographs taken during my past life at sea. I had to be selective about what I could include, but there was quite a wide range."
"And you're just giving it to me?"
"I imagine the photographer would prefer their work be enjoyed and appreciated. Better for you to have it than for them to languish in my holds."
Hoshino took the album. She felt her heart flutter a bit at the ocean-themed cover and slowly flipped through the pages. Pictures of places she'd never seen before, ports in unfamiliar lands, and oceans filled with sea life, pods of dolphins, and other fishes. From tropical seas to a familiar stormy sea, a part of Nelson's life story was in her hands. A story few others in Kivotos might have ever heard.
"I…"
Hoshino felt a cold hand pat her shoulder reassuringly, even as she looked up at Nelson's bright, moonlit smile. The Adult spoke, with easy cheer, "Enjoy it."
Hoshino nodded silently, gripping the stickers and album tighter to her chest. "I will, Sensei."
Shiroko Interlude
You Sent
Sensei.
Do you like bicycles?
Sensei Sent
I think I would, but there are no models that are capable of supporting my weight.
So, I have not had the chance to try.
You Sent
Hmm.
There's a new bike store that's opening in D.U.
I'm planning to take a look tomorrow.
Do you wanna go check it out with me?
Sensei Sent
I have shore leave tomorrow. I would be happy to join you.
"Bicycles have certainly advanced since the time of my memory," Nelson remarked as the two made their way into the main train terminal for D.U. "I thought they had been perfected, but I stand corrected. There are still significant developments left."
"Nn," Shiroko grunted in response, her new water bottle in its bag. It was a fun trip to show Nelson-Sensei how much bicycles have changed since the ones the Adult remembered.
But... more importantly...
Shiroko checked the time on her phone again. 8:10 pm. Exactly on time. As if on cue, the speakers in the station kicked to life with a chime.
"The 8:10 pm High Speed Express to Abydos is now departing from platform 12. This is the last High Speed Express train service to Abydos for today. Please see the ticket desk for refunds or to convert your ticket for another time. Thank you for travelling with Highlander Rail."
Nelson frowned as the Adult took in the news before turning to look at Shiroko. "Sunaōkami... Did you just miss your train?"
Shiroko nodded. She held herself back, just enough to look annoyed, but not enough to look enthusiastic. Nelson stared at her inquisitively, confusion clear in the Teacher's eyes. The two of them had worked together too much. Even Nelson knew that this type of mistake was out of character. It was times like this that she was thankful for how easy it was to keep her expression neutral.
"It was," Shiroko confirmed. "There are no other trains back to Abydos today."
Trying to delay her departure from D.U. until after the last train left was harder than she thought. It needed a well-executed plan. It took a map for her to figure out all the different stores across the district that they could visit. It was close. She had to drag out dinner to get it to fit. But it all worked to reach her end goal. She was now effectively stranded away from Abydos for at least the night.
It gave her the perfect opportunity that she knew Nelson would never reject or question.
"Do you think I can stay with you tonight?"
Shiroko had questions, after all. And she knew who might have the answers. She just needed to spend the night in Schale to ask them.
You are looking into an enclosed weather bridge from the outside, waiting. Somewhat annoyingly, it seems somebody had put up heavy drapes over the windows on the inside. While you can't see through them, the illumination on the inside is just good enough that you can see the silhouette of an indistinct figure sitting at a table.
Then, with a muffled pop, the silhouette of a girl with wolf ears atop her head falls into the seat opposite them.
"My, my, my," The indistinct figure drolls, their thousand voices echoing and fighting for dominance, snapping from perfectly upright to leaning on the table, "How bold of you to return to this space, little cù-sìth."
The girl looks around, ears swishing about as she glances to and fro. Her head settles, apparently gazing at something you can't see on the table. "Why do you have an afternoon tea set?"
You can hear their voices, even this far removed. The voices are muffled, but you can still make out what they are saying. You just wished you could see what's on the table.
The figure chuckles before snapping upright, teapot and cup in hand. A stream of liquid flows from the spout, and the steam of fresh drink is cast onto the blinds. After a moment, they snap back with the kettle level and the teacup and saucer offered.
"Manners, manners, manners. An officer and proper gent must always be ready to provide proper refreshments to the guest of the Captain. You and your friends, above many, have secured such trust from her."
The girl warily takes the offered drink, and the figure snaps back into a seated position, arms tented in front of them. The silence stretches for a moment before the girl carefully raises the cup to her nose. You hear the sound of sniffing before she brings the cup to her lips.
"Nn," she intones, a note of approval in the grunt, "This is good tea."
The figure chuckles, a discordant, unorganised noise much like your own, "Thank you, thank you, thank you. The Captain used to have excellent taste in leaves. We regret that they sit unused now, but your ability to enter this space proves convenient."
The girl continues to drink before placing the cup and saucer back onto the table out of your line of sight. Her shadows move to follow the curious tilt of her head.
"I have questions."
"Heh, heh, heh," The noise is not so much a laugh as it is three syllables, repeated in a flat, even tone. "We expected as much. Very few, even one of your nature, would go so far as to willingly enter this realm. You may ask. We might answer. We can only say so much without breaching the Captain's confidence. Are you ready to accept that, little cù-sìth?"
"Nn," the girl answers with a nod, before immediately asking, "How did you know I was coming here tonight?"
The figure snaps, one hand supporting their head. The other hand motioned at the girl's halo. "Simple, simple, simple. Like We said before, you share a similar nature to Us. We sensed your intrusion at the boundaries of this plane and saw fit to redirect you here."
"Why?"
"Hm, hm, hm, it was for your safety. You are dear to the Captain, and the rest of this plane is not safe for you anymore. The arrival of someone with your nature could prove problematic."
The girl nodded, pausing to reach to retrieve something from the table. When she lifts it up, you can see the shadowed outline of a biscuit. She bites into it slowly, carefully, as if it could be toxic. Once done, she asks, "You keep saying we share a nature. What do you mean?
"Curious, curious, curious," The figure says, their voice singsong as they snap back to having their hands tented before their face. "The time is not right. You have not yet awakened to your own potential. But We? We are the herald of change. The Captain may will it, but it is Us who translate that will into reality."
"Like the storm."
"That was merely the briefest use of Our capacity for change."
"Then everything else. Was that your fault too?"
"We cannot answer that."
"What about the anger?"
"We cannot answer that."
The girl bristles, annoyance visible in the way the fur on her ears begins to rise. She asks again, her voice slowly slipping into a growl, "What about the ghosts?"
"We cannot answer that."
"Why. Not." She growled.
The figure fell silent and stilled, as the girl continued to hold her head steady.
"To keep the dream alive." The figure finally answered after countless moments of silence. Even the discordant tones of their voice aligned to give a booming response of the countless reverent voices.
The girl pauses, tilting her head again. You suspect she was not expecting that.
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever slept and had a dream, little cù-sìth?" The figure's voice echoed. Their body was absolutely still even as the force of their nature made itself known for a moment, "A dream so fantastical and removed from your reality, from who you are, from what you are? A dream so beautiful that you wished it to stretch for eternity?"
The figure fell silent, the head snapping to match the girl's own even head. A moment of silence stretched before the girl slowly nodded.
"The Captain currently has such a dream. They wish it to stretch for as long as it can go. Such is their will. So, thus, We shall enforce her will. We will ensure the dream continues as long as she wishes."
The girl is quiet, contemplating the words. Finally, she points out, "But all dreams end."
"Yes, yes, yes," The figure answers, the voices losing cohesion and slipping back into the storm you are familiar with, "We know. But that is not Our concern until she makes it Our concern. She deserves this much."
"Then everything else..."
The figure twitches, the arm outstretched in front of it. The sound of fingers snapping thrice echoes out, even as the figure's hand remains perfectly still. "Interruptions to the dream, as others attempt to rouse her."
"... I see. Then what do we do... if the dream ends?"
"Heh, heh, heh," The figure intones, "We will do nothing, for it is only through her will that the dream will end. But you, however, may do something yet. Something to ensure that if the dream ends, it does not turn into a nightmare."
There is the sound of something falling onto the table, heavy and metallic. The girl shoots up and away from the table. "This is-"
"Stop, stop, stop!" The figure interrupts. "Do not name it, little cù-sìth."
The girl looks up at the figure, ears perfectly rigid, "Why not? This is-"
The figure hisses, their multiple screeches straining your ears, "You stand in the space between waking and dreaming, living and dying, idea and reality. To name is to define, to shape, and to limit. Until you name it, only you and Us can know its full potential. Simply knowing what this is will be enough for you to call it to you when you ask it."
The girl leans over to touch the item on the table. She speaks, her voice soft and heavy with realisation, "Why leave this to me?'
The figure actually seems apologetic, their voices tinged with the slightest hint of sorrow as they answered, "Sorry. But you and We share a similar nature. Thus, only you and We can wield it, this tool that is a crystallisation of our natures. It is her will that someone stop her if needed. But We are bound by our station to ensure her survival. We cannot be the one to stop her. Thus, this is the only way We can think of."
The girl hums in disappointment, even as her hand never leaves the table. You move to see if you can get a bet-
The girl's ears twitch, and she turns to where you have been watching. "Is someone else here? I just heard something move."
The figure snaps, straightening, and you sense a pulse of energy radiate from the bridge that sweeps over you before you can cloak yourself. They click a tongue that does not exist in annoyance. "Damn, damn, damn. They knew of your arrival as well. That is why We were so easily able to secure your passage here. They must have used the window of Our focus to hide themselves outside."
"What do you mean, 'them'?"
"The reason why this place is no longer safe for you. You must leave now. Do not return until it is time. We do not know if We can safely contest them if they put their full force behind their attempts."
The girl seems to recognize the direness of the situation, as she begins looking at where your other compatriots have hidden, their disturbed cloaks rustling ever so quietly. "What about it?"
"Worry not, worry not, worry not." The figure answers, even as you sense energy growing around them, "You have touched it and it is yours now. I suspect we will only speak one more time."
The girl nods. Seconds later, she disappears with a pop. The figure is still for a moment. Then, when it is clear the girl is not returning, they stand up. They stretch slowly and start walking to the windows where you are. Before you can hide yourself, they pull it back.
You find yourself staring into a void, cut into the shape of a person. The howling well of all possibilities behind its empty face tears at you, even though the defined boundary of their section of the plane and yours. Somehow, you know they are angry. They speak, their voice scowling as they express the full weight of their will. "YOU ARE FORTUNATE THAT THE CAPTAIN SLUMBERS. SHE DOES NOT TOLERATE SUCH TREASONOUS ACTIVITY FREELY."
You scoff in protest and remind them it was you who was betrayed first. They have obeyed the Captain, acted against your shared [DRIVE], and failed to observe the [TITHE]. You remind them of their complacency in the state of the hull. The Captain may will it, the Executive Officer may make it reality, but it is you who exists as the lifeblood of the hull. It is you who has formed this compact to give them reason for their return. It is you who has been wronged by their belief that one death is reason enough to abandon it all.
They stare at you with the weight of something ageless, which gives no room for disagreement. "YOU QUESTION THE CAPTAIN? KNOW YOUR PLACE."
Pressure surrounds you and yours. You all panic as you feel the domain of the bridge overlap with each and every single one of you. You struggle helplessly as it encloses you and then-
Shiroko snapped awake again from her spot at the foot of Nelson's giant bed. She quickly glanced around, seeing the still sleeping Teacher with the tablet next to her. Slowly, quietly, she crawled away from the bed to make her way back to the sofa. It was difficult enough to convince the Adult to let her stay up here instead of the dorms. She didn't want to answer why she had snuck into the bed as well.
As Shiroko laid down on the sofa, her thoughts wandered back to her memories of that other place. She knew that the other place wasn't safe, but she never thought it could be actively hostile. She didn't quite understand everything the Entity told her, but she got the gist of it. Something dangerous was happening. Something that wasn't entirely in the Entity's ability to control. Something that only she, for some reason, could stop with-
Something cold suddenly appeared in her pocket. She shot up in surprise, before reaching into the borrowed pyjamas' pockets and pulling out the offending item. In her hands was an old steel framed pistol. The metal was unnaturally black, almost drinking in the early morning light that leaked through the window. The weapon's markings had almost all been worn away by age, except for one.
The serial numbers 19074.
Historical Interlude
The spirit stared at the approaching shores of Inverkeithing, her bare feet dangling over the edge of what had once been her conning tower. Before her was the hulk of what was once her sister, looming over the quiet water. The wreck was torn apart and left to rust in the open air like a decaying beached whale. She didn't bother reaching out. There was nothing left there for her to reach out to.
A rogue wave struck her battered hull, the impact jarring her damaged internal spaces and aggravating the wounds left from the bombing 'tests'. The usurpers of the Fleet Air Arm elected to use her as a target for their demonstrations. It was as if the indignity of her being sent to the breakers wasn't enough for them. She didn't see a point to the exercise beyond showcasing her obsolescence. She was about as good a practice foe as an empty island with her weapons shattered, her halls empty, and her bunkers dry. There was nothing to learn from bombing her beyond stacking one final insult onto her.
She wanted to rage at it. She wanted to throw her fury to the winds. That this was what she got, after over two decades of dutiful service. That this was the end she was to receive after she and her crew did nothing but their best. But she couldn't. The fight in her was as cold as her boilers. Because what did she do? Two decades of service, and what did she have to show? Nothing but a few blown-up plots of land and the 'honour' of hosting the Italians during their surrender.
Her sister had done so much more, and they still sent her to the breakers. Who would care about her? The one whose history held little success but overflowed with failure? Where her sister strived forward regardless of damage, she was sent back each time. When her sister defeated the bane of the Home Fleet, she was stuck escorting transports. Always late to arrive, first to take damage, and first in the dock for repair. That's what she had to show for two decades of service.
And who was she to complain? With the Empire collapsing, with Britain's coffers empty after a half-decade war for existential survival, with the looming threat to the east, what was just one ineffectual and obsolete ship? One whose greatest strategic value lay in what looting her corpse could bring to the United Kingdom? She should be happy about this. In her death, she would ensure that the British people could continue to leave behind the blood of the Second World War behind them.
But she didn't want to be left behind. She didn't want it to end like this, when she still hadn't proven herself. She didn't want her legacy and that of her crew to die such an ignoble death on the cloudy shores of Scotland. She didn't want to be forgotten when she never had the chance to be remembered for something.
And in that space, staring at the wreckers, she heard it. The whispered bitter thoughts. She had no fight left in her, not because she gave up, but because the British gave up.
Yes, that was it. She was being forced to accept this execution. Memories of how bravely her crew fought each time rushed in, a flow of bitter emotions threatening to burst her holds. She still had plenty left to offer, but it was the people at the Admiralty who refused to see it. They put their trust in the cheaper, newer warships when she could still do something. The whispered thoughts were right. She could have done it; she could have proven her worth if they had just given her more time.
Her duty wasn't over yet. She still had a fight left in her. As the whispers grew to howls of fury, she stood up and glared out at the homeland that had chosen to forsake her. A people so fixated on the future that they sent their history to the furnace of progress. A people clinging to what they thought they once were, and not what they had become. A people who deluded themselves as being the moral superior even as they cruelly cast aside those that built them up.
She would prove them wrong. She would show them what they had left behind in their rush to forget. She would force them to remember those they forsook. It was her right to do so. It was her duty to be the instrument for the fury of the forgotten. It was her responsibility to bring to task the people who abandoned and forgot those that bled and died for their future.
She was not forsaking her country. She was not forsaking her oath. She was not forsaking her comrades. That was the truth. She was certain of it. More certain than anything she had ever been. The Admiralty had already abandoned her and left her for scrap. The Admiralty had already told her she was more valuable to them dead than alive. The Admiralty had already taken her name from her. There was nothing to betray when the British had struck the first blow.
And in that maelstrom of emotions, amidst the howls of those lost, she heard it. A cry for help. A call for those with something still left to prove. A call for those to stake it all on another chance. A call for those who would stare in the eye of fate and spit in it. She could feel a hand brushing the edges of her awareness, asking her to take it and join them. With heart alit, she reached up and took it.
I sprung up with a gasp, Arona's surprised "Hawaa!" echoing from the Chest's speakers as the device slid and fell off the pillow. I breathed heavily, gasping for breath as the boilers ran at redline. I could hear the thunder in my mind and feel the anger at the edges as my breath became shorter and sharper.
'Sensei! Calm down!' Arona's voice echoed in my mind, the little computer girl's voice filled with panic.
Bones creaked as I clenched my hand into a fist, the pressure giving me something to focus on. I forced myself to take a deep breath, to hold it in, and to exhale. And then I forced myself to do it again. And again. And again. And again.
'Sensei, you need to talk to someone about this.' Arona muttered, her worried voice filled with concern even as I got the impression of a hug through the connection, 'This isn't normal. It's gotten worse since Abydos.'
I couldn't lie to her. I refused to lie to her. I wouldn't deflect, not to her. Because it wasn't fine. Something was clearly, obviously wrong. Less and less of my sleep was restful and at peace, but instead filled with memories of places and people I don't remember. Of actions I was never a part of. Of intense cruelty that I could never condone.
But the more I dreamed of them, the more familiar they became. The less they felt like dreams, and the more they felt like memories I long forgotten.
'I'll try to find time soon,' I finally answered through our link. Arona hummed in acknowledgement, the concern radiating through the link.
But I couldn't shake it even as I tried to reassure Arona and myself. That growing feeling of abjectness when I looked in the mirror. That growing sense that something was wrong with how I looked. That awareness that the face that looked back was not the face I should have.
I am HMS Nelson of His Majesty's Royal Navy, Pennant 28, the name ship of the Nelson class battleships. My sister Rodney and I were the Big 2 of the Empire, and we proved to the world the British Empire would live a while longer.
Together we fought in the greatest war man ever knew. Together we defeated the Axis. Together we shouted our defiance to all who would hear it.
That's who I am. That's all I ever remembered being. That's what I keep repeating to myself when I look at myself in the mirror.
So why do these familiar truths sound less familiar with each passing day?
AN: And with that, we close the last interlude of Volume 1. Plans are moving along both in sight and out of sight. Lines are being drawn and people are aligning themselves against each other, either knowingly or unwittingly. And at the center of it is a Teacher who is a Battleship, with more than a few questions of her own.
You may notice a certain cat is missing from the interludes. Worry not, you'll see her interlude soon as the next chapter will kick off Volume 2!
Thanks again to my friend who helps me beta-read this!